November 24th, 2009
As apart of Chestnut Hill’s holistic education, being socially aware is paramount to our education. Not only inside the classroom, but out, students are encouraged to be educated about the plight of other’s, and more importantly, to seek to end these injustices. Whether it’s through feeding the homeless, cleaning up Camden, or teaching in Tanzania, our student body is dedicated to service. One example of this is through Chestnut Hill’s support of international fair trade. On Wednesday, November 18th, Chestnut Hill held its annual fair trade exhibition in which, local, independent businesses throughout the surrounding area gathered in the music corridor, and sold their fair trade products. From fuzzy animal hats and gloves, to chocolate bars, there was something for everyone to enjoy. Some of my particular favorites were, Infusion Coffee and Tea Gallery and Ten Thousand Villages. Located in Mount Airy, InFusion Coffee and Tea Gallery, which carriers only fair trade beans, was selling as well as, providing free samples of their coffee. For more information about Infusion Coffee and Tea Gallery, check out their website at: http://www.infusioncoffeeandtea.com. Similarly, Ten Thousand Villages, has over 60 years trading fairly under its belt! Providing a myriad of items such as jewelry, home decor, and purses, Ten Thousand Villages in committed to upholding the ethics of fair trade. For more information go to: http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/home.php.
Wondering what fair trade is? Fair trade believes in providing marginalized farmers or any other artisan throughout the world with equal, or fair wages, which insures that workers are not being exploited for their labor. Rather, fair trade believes in equal pay, for equal labor. Often, through globalization, workers are exploited by companies such as Nike, where an average worker in Indonesia makes $1.25 a day– simply, the production cost versus the cost of the shoes typically, $60-100 is radically uneven, which increases profit for Nike, but continues to keep the worker impoverished. Therefore, the main goal of fair trade is to reverse the negative impact globalization has had on these less developed countries, and seek to end the oppression of these workers by allowing for a sustainable income, which may in turn, helps to reduce poverty. So buy ethically, think globally, and support fair trade. The impact you have is a great one. Look for the Certified Fair Trade (CFT) logo on products in the supermarket, and try to be aware of where you clothing is coming from. Every purchase you make has an impact; therefore, think before you buy, and try to buy fair trade whenever possible. To learn more about fair trade visit: http://www.transfairusa.org/.
Tagged As: Activism, Ethical Shopping, Fair Trade, Global Awareness, The Gift of Fairness
No Comments »
