Some useful information, some anecdotes, some rantings, and some inspiration
from my quest to make my family and perhaps the world around me A Little Greener Every Day

Coffee.

Chocolate.

Fruit.

Sugar.

Do you think that at some point this month, you’ll buy one of those items. Sure you will. If you don’t do it already, how about you buy one or more of them certified fair trade?

October is Fair Trade Month. When you buy fair trade products, not only are you buying products that are better for the environment, you’re helping workers, too. That’s because in order for a product to be certified fair trade, the workers who pick the crops of cocoa or bananas or coffee beans (or whatever the product is) get paid a wage that is livable and they have working conditions that are not hazardous to their health.

I know money is a little tight right now, but I have a feeling that for those of you reading this blog, you’re financial situation isn’t as bad off as most of the workers in developing nations that work in the fields picking the beans that become our coffee, the cocoa beans that become our chocolate treats or the sugar cane that sweetens them both. You can make those workers’ lives better off by choosing fair trade.

Easy fair trade options

If you brew your own coffee in the morning, the easiest way to go fair trade this month is to buy fair trade coffee. I’ve found that fair trade coffee beans don’t cost much more (sometimes they cost the same) as the better coffee beans (think Starbucks not Folgers) in the grocery store isle. Personally, we drink Lacas Mexican Dark Fair Trade Organic coffee that we get at Wegmans for $7.99 for 12 oz.

Almost any grocery store now carries a few bags of fair trade coffee. Pick one up and give it a try.

If you want to fair trade up your chocolate try these ideas:

• Grab a Theo, Divine, or Newman’s Own fair trade candy bar instead of a Snickers. I recently reviewed the Theo Milk Chocolate Hazelnut Bar for MNN, and it’s amazingly good (and absolutely perfect for those times when you’re craving a salt/sweet combo). I’ve had the Divine and Newman’s Own bars, too, and really you won’t be disappointed in any of them.
• As the weather gets chillier, trade in your Swiss Miss for a fair trade hot cocoa. I did a hot cocoa review on MNN (don’t you love my job – I get to review chocolate products!) and two of the cocoas I reviewed – Dagoba Organic Authentic Hot Chocolate and Green & Black’s Organic Cocoa Powder are both fair trade.
• If it’s ice cream you crave, try Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Macadamia made with sustainably-sourced macadamias & Fair Trade certified cocoa & vanilla.

If you need a little crash course in the basics of fair trade, here are some quick and easy fair trade facts.

Conditions for fair trade certification

• A fair price must have been paid for the product from its producer
• Fair wages must be paid to the workers (fair wage meaning something that a family in that area can live on)
• Working conditions must be safe
• Child labor is strictly prohibited
• Money made from the products get reinvested back in the community
• Farmers must use sustainable farming
• No harmful chemicals and pesticides can be used in the farming (this protects both the earth and the workers)

What products can be certified fair trade in the U.S.?

• Coffee
• Cocoa and chocolate
• Fresh fruit
• Sugar
• Rice
• Vanilla
• Flowers
• Honey