Where Fair Trade and “Green” intersect.

Green Options, May 22, 2007

http://aliciaerickson.greenoptions.com/2007/05/22/fair-trade-environment/

What the heck is Fair Trade doing on Green Options? Well, there are many ways in which it intersects with the environmental movement.

For example, the most recognizable poster child of Fair Trade the delicious coffee. In the 1970's coffee demand grew and a high-yield tree was developed that flourishes in direct sunlight but requires heavy pesticide use to do so. Many coffee producing countries have no laws regulating the use of these pesticides and the effect on local communities and the environement can be devastating. In Columbia in 1993 &1994 “the insecticide endosulfan resulted in more than 100 poisonings each year, and four deaths."

Conversely certified Fair Trade coffee requires farmers to use eco-friendly practices, with 60% having already achieved organic certification and the remaining utilizing organic practices such as integrated pest management. Not only are many crops organic, but the coffee is frequently shade grown, which allows natural habitats beneficial for wildlife to grow around and amongst the coffee crop. According to the Sierra Club, rainforests are vanishing at 40 million acres a year, which makes these habitats increasingly vital to tropical wildlife. Small traditional coffee farms also cultivate other crops such as fruit, cacao and trees used for firewood creating a diversity which benefits both farmer and land. Fair Trade also offers social premiums and resources for “organic conversion, reforestation, water conservation and environmental education.” These benefits are found through all Fair Trade agricultural products, including chocolate, tea and bananas. 

Mother Nature is not only being helped by Fair Trade produce. Many crafts produced by Fair Trade artisans are created from recycled materials; intricate purses are made from salvaged sari’s which would otherwise be burned, totes made from recycled rice bags and juice wrappers, floor mats from old flip flops. There are fun decorative chickens formed from old plastic bags and jewelry from melted old coins. Frames and coasters from rolled paper and cards from recycled pulp.

And most importantly, Fair Trade is about a sustainable trade system that is fair to all parties. It offers people in poverty a chance at a secure future, so that they may look forward and invest in the betterment of their community and land. A sustainable and fair economy cannot be achieved without environmentally sustainable production methods.

Alicia Erickson