Essentially, the term Fair Trade refers to the following business model: companies pay craftsmen and farmers in developing countries an increased wage for goods that are traditionally produced in that region. These goods are produced with an eye to minimal environmental impact. Examples of Fair Trade goods are: bananas, honey, cotton, wine, handcrafts, coffee, sugar, and tea. As of 2008, the annual amount of revenue generated by Fair Trade goods amounted to approximately US$4.08 billion worldwide.
While the popularity of Fair Trade goods is almost certainly a byproduct of good intentions on the part of consumers, is there a downside to the Fair Trade industry?
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Tags: Alexis Bonari·cacao·chocolate·coffee·fair trade
I got the message that it’s my job to make a difference in the world, no matter what I happen to wear.
Now, I confess—As an entrepreneur motivated more by creating social and environmental change than by making a monetary fortune, I am exactly who this ad is directed at. And I was fascinated. I took the rare step of typing in the link that was displayed on the video to find out more
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Tags: braddock pennsylvania·corporate social responsibility·csr·entrepreneurship·levi's go forth
This post is part of today’s worldwide BloggersUnite event, Empowering People With Disabilities. As my Boomer generation ages, and as our parents move well into the elder category, I reflect often on something I learned as a young organizer with the Gray Panthers (1979-80): the idea that society had best learn how to incorporate people [...]
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Tags: Charles Steinmetz·Grandma Moses·Helen Keller·President Franklin Roosevelt
The Senate can’t pass a jobs bill or a carbon cap bill, but had no trouble finding $60 billion for war. All I can say to the Senate is, shame on you people! You’ve got your priorities all wrong. And I can also say to Progressives that we need to reclaim the discourse in this [...]
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Tags: carbon·funding·jobs·senate vote·war
“I’ve been beating myself up for not challenging your racism when you expressed it. So today, I’m going to stop beating myself up and tell you that I didn’t appreciate your put downs of those who look different from you, and I’ll not have you cut my hair again.” Then stand still and listen for dialogue. It may be quite vitriolic, but you may be able to go deeper. And you owe him that much.
You do this, not for his soul, but for yours. But there may be a side benefit of reaching his, too (maybe not right away).
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Tags: confronting racism·ken mcarthur·racist speech
Rarely do I open up my morning paper and see even one positive story among the day’s major news. Today—though I already knew about two of them from other sources—there were three: 1. The Wall Street Reform Bill has passed both houses of Congress. Is it everything I want? Of course not. Is it more [...]
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Tags: Argentina Gay Marriage·deepwater horizon·news stories·Oil Cap·Wall Street Reform
Most of our trip around Costa Rica has involved protected wilderness areas, and we’ve seen what bananas look like in nature; they grow a few here and there amidst the astounding biodiversity of the rainforest. Thousands of trees in orderly rows would not be found in nature.
A nearby organic farmer told us that this kind of monoculture requires enormous amounts of pesticides and herbicides. Not so good for the planet in this country that prides itself on its eco-consciousness.
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Tags: agribusiness·bananas·chiquita·costa rica·del monte·fair trade·organic agriculture·sustainable agriculture
Worldwide, SRI now accounts for 1 of every 9 dollars invested. However, even though Africa was a pioneer in this field (not just with the Sullivan Principles but also the Johannesburg Stock Exchange’s first-in-the-world SRI index), it has lagged—but rapid growth appears to be imminent.
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Tags: arbenz coup guatemala·cia·Mossadeq coup iran·ron robins·socially responsible investing·sri·sullivan principles
A self-styled “Don Quixote,” Juan Del Rio ran for County Board of Supervisors in a conservative district near San Diego. These are his reflections just before the election (he lost, but the Democrats cumulatively got enough votes to force a November vote). Guest blog by Juan Del Rio May 28, 2010 Dear friends and supporters, [...]
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Tags: don quixote·juan del rio·progressive politics·san diego county supervisor election
MarketWatch is not normally known as a hotbed of progressive thought. Yet that’s where this scathing critique of Obama from his left side appeared, under the title, “How Obama is Failing Investors” by Paul B. Farrell. It was published on the one-year anniversary of Obama’s inauguration, and still very much worth reading. Here’s a little [...]
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Tags: change·financial sector·marketwatch·obama·paul b. farrell
Wall Street Reform + Oil Cap + Gay Marriage
July 16th, 2010 · View Comments · Business Ethics, Democracy, Energy & Sustainability, General Commentary, Politics, Protests and Crackdowns, Social and Economic Justice, Socially Responsible Investing, media-general
Rarely do I open up my morning paper and see even one positive story among the day’s major news. Today—though I already knew about two of them from other sources—there were three: 1. The Wall Street Reform Bill has passed both houses of Congress. Is it everything I want? Of course not. Is it more [...]
[Read more →]
Tags: Argentina Gay Marriage·deepwater horizon·news stories·Oil Cap·Wall Street Reform