May » 2009 » Fair Trade Boston

Food food food…we're all about it at FTB 2009!

When it comes to food, EVERYBODY gets excited, right?! We spend so much time around the table, going out with friends to restaurants and cafes, looking up recipes, and preparing food. How could we NOT bring food to Fair Trade Boston 2009, especially when it comprises such a significant part of the Fair Trade movement. On June 13, you’ll get to meet many of the participants of the fair trade food industry, carrying everything from coffee and tea to smoothies and chocolate. Not only will you discover for yourself a new place to eat and shop, you’ll get to taste the food!

Here are a few organizations that will be participating in the event:

Equal Exchange: they will be serving a full mini cafe, where you can either stop by first thing to get energized before you visit the multiple vendors and watch all the festivities, or sip coffee while listening to Jonathan Rosenthal spea,k or simply just keep coming back for more coffee just because you love EE’s coffee (I think I might attempt to do all three!). If you haven’t familiarized yourself with Equal Exchange yet, visit their website: http://www.equalexchange.coop/

Harvest Coop Markets: If you’ve ever walked around Jamaica Plain or Cambridge’s Central Square, you must have noticed Harvest, because it’s always so fresh and vibrant! There are only two markets in the greater Boston area, but it’s worth the trip if you want “organic, natural, gourmet and conventional” food choices. They are another company who supports and sells certified fair trade products and care about environmental sustainability. I’m so excited to have them at Fair Trade Boston 2009 because for this event they are bringing a chocolate fountain with dipped bananas!!! (I think that’s at least one good reason to come to this event ) If you want to learn more about the Harvest and their products, visit their website at http://www.harvestcoop.com/

Boston Organics: they are a very unique company because they actually deliver fresh organic produce to their customers’ door: “We work directly with farms and wholesalers to deliver boxes of fresh organic produce to your door, year-round, on a weekly or biweekly basis.” (http://www.bostonorganics.com/ ) Their food comes from New England, California, Florida, Georgia, South and Central America (tropical fruits from the last two). It’s ALWAYS fresh and of high quality, so you’ll never have to return any of the produce that’s delivered to your door. Come meet them in person at their booth at FTB 2009!

Veggie Planet: We’ve all heard of Veggie Planet, located in Cambridge’s Harvard Square. You’ve probably stopped for either breakfast, lunch, or dinner and are already making plans to go back. To quote the Patriot Ledger, “ Veggie Planet is out of this world. Who said that healthy, ethical eating isn’t fun?”

In addition to using only vegetarian ingredients, they “support local farmers, purchase organic ingredients when affordable, use organic dough from a nonprofit bakery doubling as a homeless service provider” and they give some of their profits to other organizations that support social and environmental change. For Fair Trade Boston, they’re baking fair trade brownies and banana chocolate chunk cake! Yum.

Keep reading…we have more exciting updates to come!

Sneak Preview of Ida C. Benedetto's Photo Essay!

At Fair Trade Boston 2009 you will have a wonderful opportunity to see Ida C. Benedetto’s photo essay! This exceptionally talented photographer from Brooklyn, is also a researcher and media producer. Ida has interned at Magnum Photos, The Open Society, and Local Projects. Her international experiences include India, Guatemala, and Ethiopia and she uses ”visual media and digital technology to support storytelling, collaboration, and diversity.”

Ida has exhibited her photo essay in various states and has had a huge success, drawing large crowds and stimulating great discussions. Titled, “From One Farmer To Another,” this collection includes the stories of Guatemalan coffee farmers and Indian tea farmers and their responses to each others lives in the form of images and handwritten postcards. From first-hand research, Ida was able to capture the daily struggles and hope that both these communities have and reveal the significance that fair trade has in their lives.

Visit Ida C. Benedetto’s 28 piece exhibit on June 13 at Fair Trade Boston and personally embrace the struggle and hope!

Fair Trade Boston 2009

With Fair Trade Boston 2009 being only a few weeks away, it’s important that you start marking your calendars now for the big event! People will be coming from all over Boston to learn about fair trade and enjoy the festivities this day will bring. You’ve probably seen a preview of some of the events on our website, however, may not have actually heard of some of the bands, know about the speakers or of the clothes that will be represented in the fashion show. You’ll have a great time regardless of whether you’ve heard of Skinny Millionaires or Maeve before or will hear them for the first time the day of the event, however, I would like to introduce you to some of the people and performances that will take place June 13. Get even MORE excited about joining us!

The first band to perform, called Skinny Millionaires, come from Newport, Rhode Island. They are a mix between folk and punk (great combination in my opinion) and their vocalist, Mr. Mike, is said to sound like Bob Dylan! Check out their #1 song , “Rare Bird,” on their sampler CD (go to youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zAQvLSngGk) Newport Mercury describes them as a band that plays “smart, eclectic, meaningful rock music that you can dance to. Oh yeah…and the whole band is super hot…what more do you want?!

The other band that will be performing at Fair Trade Boston 2009, called Maeve, is based in Boston. This beautiful trio is described as “acoustic pop with Gospel overtones.” To find out what this actually means, visit their Myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/maevemusic. You can listen to a few of their songs on their page. My personal favorite is “Just wanna forget” (I’m not trying to be pessimistic or depressing but it is a really great song!). They have two local performances coming up before they play for Fair Trade Boston 2009. The first one is in Hamilton, MA at First Congregational Church of Hamilton (May 30) and then on June 7, First Baptist Church in Haverhill is hosting the Not For Sale Benefit Concert where Maeve will also perform.

In addition to these exciting bands, Jonathan Rosenthal will be speaking at Fair Trade Boston 2009….who IS Jonathan Rosenthal, you might be wondering? As one of the founders of Equal Exchange (who will also be at the event!) and the CEO of Oke USA , a fair trade fruit company, Jonathan has a lot to offer on the topic of Fair Trade. A little insight into what Oke USA does also reveals Jonathan’s heart for justice and social change: “We guarantee farmers a living wage, even when international prices are inhumanely low. Farmers own half of our main parent company, ArgoFair, and get a share of profits. Oké bananas are all organic or grown with ecological standards that minimize pesticide use.” Also, an interesting and random fact about Mr. Rosenthal is that his favorite musical artists are Bob Dylan and Silvio Rodriquez (“the Bob Dylan of Cuba”). To make a full circle, remember how I mentioned that Skinny Millionaires’ vocalist, Mr. Mike, also sounds like Bob Dylan?!!! Will Jonathan Rosenthal now put SM on his fav artist list? I think SO…:)

When you think of Fair Trade, you usually think coffee, tea, and chocolate, right? Maybe you think about bananas, cocoa, and rice…but do you ever think of clothes being fair trade? Another exciting part of the events that will take place at Fair Trade Boston 2009 is a unique fair trade FASHION SHOW!!! Representing clothes and shoes from our very own Autonomie Project (one of the main hosts and sponsors of FTB 2009), clothes from Fair Indigo, Indigenous Designs, Avatar, and Amias Project, we will have an extremely eclectic and diverse collection of clothes, where you will definitely find something to suit your fashion taste! Fair Trade fashion has not been around that long. Indigenous Designs, for example, was founded over 13 years ago by Scott Leonard and Matt Reynolds, who after their trip to South America, decided to start their own eco-friendly business in Northern California. Avatar was founded in 1992 and its main partned is based in Nepal. Amias (which means “beautiful”) states, “Whether you buy for yourself or a gift for others, you are spreading the story of Africa, hope and something beautiful.” Basically, all of these companies share one thing in common and that is a commitement to something greater than just what you wear…it’s about supporting the economy and lifestyle of the people who make your clothes and spend hours and time, allowing you to still sport your own style…it’s about giving these people fair wages that allow them to support their families. At this fashion show, you’ll be able to find something for both children and adults, men and women!

Stay tuned for a description of more performances and people that will be at Fair Trade Boston 2009!!!

Maeve Performing at Fair Trade Boston!

We’re psyched to announce that Maeve is a confirmed headliner of our June 13th event!

Maeve is a collaboration of three women artists – Courtney Reid, Rachel Taylor and Rollyn Zoubek – blending together their own distinct voices and styles to create a cohesive sound rich with harmony reminiscent of the Indigo Girls and Crosby, Stills and Nash.

Maeve continues to share their music in East Coast clubs, coffeehouses, colleges, festivals, churches and women’s conferences. They have shared the stage with Jars of Clay, Ollabelle, Brooks Williams, Nicole Nordeman, Sara Groves and Sam Phillips. Their singles “Sweet Abandon” and “Found a Love” have been highly requested for airplay on WERS Coffeehouse, Emerson College Radio.

Join us on June 13th at the Artists for Humanity EpiCenter for a beautiful performance and all things Fair Trade!

Fair Trade Comes to MBTA!

If you commute to Boston throughout the week, you’re used to the traffic of people, holding their coffee mugs, with headphones plastered to their ears, getting on and off the T, and changing lines. What you’re NOT used to is getting free coupons for fair trade coffee! This Wednesday, May 13, Transfair USA volunteers will be standing at various T sites and handing out 20,000 coupons to be redeemed for either hot or iced Green Mountain coffee at any Bruegger’s Bakery Cafe. In addition, you’ll receive a coupon worth $2.50 off a package of Green Mountain Coffee at local grocery stores! From 6 to 9 am, these volunteers will be at the following T stops: South Station, Kenmore, Porter Square, Longwood, Downtown Crossing, Government Center and Back Bay. Fair Trade Boston will have its very own volunteers handing out coupons at Government Station bright and early!

As you may know, Transfair USA is the only independent certifier of Fair Trade products in the United States and they want to reward all the people who use environmentally-friendly transportation. Bruegger’s has around 290 bakery-cafes in Boston area and they all serve Fair Trade Certified Green Mountain coffee. Their commitment to Fair Trade is seen through their mission in the type of coffee they serve, “We wanted our coffee supplier to share our own values about the importance of community and treating people fairly, and we wanted our coffee to stand for the same things. The result of our search led us to our coffee program, featuring the flavors of Green Mountain Coffee®. Bruegger’s and Green Mountain Coffee share a commitment to quality—and a commitment to the neighborhoods in which we operate, both locally and globally. That makes our partnership a natural fit! Serving Green Mountain Coffee also allows Bruegger’s to offer you the choice of Fair Trade Certified™ coffee every day.”

So, as you commute to work on Wed. 13, start your day with a greeting from a volunteer and a free coupon! And thank you for using the T!

World Fair Trade Day 2009

“TODAY is World Fair Trade Day 2009!!! It’s the day of celebrating the change that has already occurred because of thousands and millions of people putting their efforts together and the day of potential change that people can have locally and globally. It’s about fighting poverty, economic crisis, and climate change.

This year’s theme for WFTD is the Big Bang: “Bang something (anything) with spoons, sticks, hands, fingers, friends, family, neighbours, a crowd, an audience, a solution. Beat poverty, beat climate chang, beat economic crisis.” So this year, the first “bang” (aka drum roll) will start in New Zealand and beat all over the world in places like Iceland, London, South Africa, etc. In the words of World Fair Trade Organization’s president, Paul Myers, all these problems come “from the same place – greed and ignorance. We don’t have to wreck the future to meet the needs of today.”

Looking at the words on the WFTD poster, “I am You, Be fair to Me,” it’s so simple to get but that’s what fair trade is all about. There’s nothing complicated or illogical about it…People from Nicaragua, India, Panama, South Africa, etc. also have to eat, get an education, and support their families. It goes back to the Golden Rule, “Treat others as you would have them treat you.” Instead of doing it the wrong way and exploiting the farmers and artisans of the coffee we drink, the food we eat, and the clothes we wear, why not change our lifestyle and help people all around the world.

I will be celebrating World Fair Trade Day in Beverly, MA, which is the next town over from Gordon College (where I’m graduating from in 1 week!!!). The North Shore Fair Trade Campaign will be hosting two discussions about Fair Trade at the Atomic Cafe. There will also be a screening of Black Gold in Cinema Salem all weekend.

Considering it’s WFTD, I got some general facts about fair trade from the World Fair Trade Day website (thttp://www.worldfairtradeday09.org/) at I thought I’d share:

1) What is Fair Trade?

Fair Trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency and respect, that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers – especially in the South.

2) What is World Fair Trade Day?

World Fair Trade Day is a global celebration of Fair Trade with events organized worldwide, on and around the second Saturday of May by members of the International Fair Trade Association across 70 countries. World Fair Trade Day 2009 is A Big Day for the Planet. It will focus the world’s attention on the significance of trading fairly with millions of producers, who also happen to be the custodians of our ecology. Poverty and climate change are inextricably linked, and Fair Trade has the potential to impact both. Conventional wisdom has got us where we are today. It’s time to change. If we don’t act, and act now, we cannot expect anyone else to act for us, or to create a world fit for our families to live in.

3) What is IFAT?

IFAT is the International Fair Trade Association, the global network of Fair Trade Organizations. IFAT’s mission is to enable producers to improve their livelihoods and communities through Fair Trade. IFAT will be the global network and advocate for Fair Trade, ensuring producer voices are heard.

4) What is the SFTMS?

The Sustainable Fair Trade Management System (SFTMS) aims to provide an independent, transparent and robust third-party certification process for Fair Trade Organizations. The system, based on continuous improvement, will integrate IFAT’s membership, monitoring and labelling initiatives. The label will be of particular value to organizations producing goods such as handicrafts, jewellery or other products which defy the current product-standard approach.

5) What is FT100?

The FT100: Organizations 100% committed to Fair Trade. Organizations that have not only said enough-is-enough but that have the audacity to think the unthinkable and trade their way to a sustainable future. Organizations that go beyond the call of duty to represent a new approach to trade. Organizations, including producer cooperatives and famous brands, entirely motivated by the need for change in the way the world does business to impact poverty, climate change and financial crisis.

The First Fair Trade University!!!

We always here about the first Fair Trade store or the first Fair Trade coffee distributor….the first Fair Trade bananas, etc. “Firsts” are given special recognition (as should be!) because they took risks and ventured out to do something never done before! This is why I would like to give recognition to the FIRST US Fair Trade University: University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh! In September of 2008, UW Oshkosh announced they are making a commitment to Fair Trade. Europe already hosts 70 Fair Trade universities, but UW Oshkosh’s announcement makes it the first American university to climb on board. The university has pledged to sell Fair Trade certified coffee, tea, and chocolate campus-wide, as well as sell handicrafts and other certified fair trade products. They also plan to educate and encourage their students to purchase Fair Trade products as much as possible through their newly-formed department the Campus Sustainability Council . They have also become members of the Fair Labor Association, meaning they only work with companies and vendors who are certified by the FLA as not working with sweatshops.

On top of their new Fair Trade commitment, UW Oshkosh has made several awesome moves to become a fully green university. They are a part of the EPA Green Power Partnership and source some of their energy from renewable resources. They also have chosen to have all eggs supplied on campus from cage-free chickens. That same year the school announced another first! They are doing a comprehensive assessment of their carbon footprint and analyzing how each part of the university emits carbon into the atmosphere. Once the analysis is complete the administration will implement a plan to fully change campus operations to lessen their carbon footprint.

We are so excited about UW Oshkosh’s moves to lessen their emissions as well as becoming a Fair Trade University! These are the exciting changes we love to hear about and look forward to following their plans as they unfold in the coming years. So everyone, tip your glass and send a “Cheers!” to the students, faculty, and administration that made this possible!!!

Fair Trade Buy-Out on May 2

Do you ever think about how you can concretely make changes in your community? People always talk about what they’d like to see happen or hope that the next generation will make the changes. However, on May 2, you have the opportunity to make tangible changes in Boston!

THIS Saturday, our campaign will make our commitment to Fair Trade clear to store managers. During the event, teams will go to local stores in the Brookline area to buy Fair Trade products (at least one item per person). We will then meet up at our two target stores (Trader Joe’s and Stop & Shop) to display our purchasing power and commitment to managers and ask them to begin selling Fair Trade bananas at their respective stores. By displaying the bought Fair Trade items, our hope is that they will be encouraged to sell Fair Trade! This event will be held at 10am and will also start from 62 Greenough Street, apt. 4 in Brookline.

What is Trader Joe’s all about? You might think they already carry plenty of Fair Trade products, but don’t confuse “Organic” with fair trade. Just because the Trader Joe’s label guarantees no GMO products (for example, they now only have cage-free hen eggs, etc), artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, and no trans-fats, does not mean that the means of how their products were made is fair. Are they thinking about the artisans, farmers and their families who produce most of thier products? With 250 stores in 20 states, imagine the national and worldwide effect Trader Joe’s could have with the incorporation of Fair Trade products!!!

What about Stop & Shop? Do they carry Fair Trade products? Owned by Royal Ahold, Stop & Shop is one the largest food retailers in the world and yet only carry a very small selection of such products. However, they do advertise on their website the following, “Although it is not possible for us to carry every product, we make every effort to carry those products that are most in demand.” THUS, if we show them through combined efforts the need and demand for fair trade products, technically, Stop & Shop SHOULD start holding these products and you can do ALL of your grocery shopping there if you want to!

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