Friday July 25th, 2008
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Finding Fair Trade Coffee: Introduction
Posted by telbel on January 15, 2007 - 3:02am.
For starters, I wasn't really looking for a cause. I was looking for caffeine, like most modern workforce types do every morning. I'm a designer, and design is how I communicate. The idea of blogging my experiences over the next few weeks is intimidating, to say the least. But I have a good cause, so stay with me.
A little background: My name is Therese. I'm 31 years old, and I work as an online designer at LIME. I'm originally from Norway, where I grew up in Sarpsborg, a small town just south of Oslo (Norway's capitol, known best for its Accords, and lack of winter daylight).
I moved to New York in August 2004, and while the U.S. is certainly a complex country, I am very much at home here. I have good friends. I go out fairly often. I watch movies.
The Human Rights Watch International Film Festival , an annual film festival that takes place in June in New York City, showcases some amazing work. Among these was an exposé of the multi-billion dollar coffee industry, "Black Gold."
Given my love affair with coffee, the movie hit home in a bad way. The message was simple: The price of coffee beans is determined by European and American consumers. Currently, what we are willing to pay for coffee beans is not enough for coffee farmers in Latin-America, Africa and Asia to break even - let alone provide a future for their children. But there is a solution - called Fair Trade . And all I need to do is support this solution.
Fair Trade is not a new concept for me. Like organic it belongs on my "good intentions" list - I take advantage of it when I can. But what happens if I start paying attention, make it my goal to seek out Fair Trade Products, support businesses that represent Fair Trade Practices, and spend my money where my intentions are?
That is how I landed myself here with this blog. In an excited moment, I suggested that LIME, as a company, should choose a coffee supplier that was 100% Fair Trade and Organic - and that we should be able to do so without substantially having to up our coffee budget, but simply by making a carefully considered choice.
I'll be blogging my progress. I'd love your help. Please join me. Share your own attempt at change, or advise me on mine.
Topics:
Thank you for posting C.K - I find Dunkin Donuts commitment to Fair Trade commendable, and they are one of the suppliers I am considering. I am also aiming at finding a producer committed to Organic Fair Trade Practices, though as I point out in my most recent post, most Fair Trade coffee is also organic:-)
Batdorf & Bronson has a GREAT Fair Trade/ Organic line of coffee and you can purchase it
wholesale @ www.dancinggoats.com or for
consumers @ www.batdorfbronson.com
Now for my plug ! lol
Coming Soon to Atlanta, GA you'll be able visit a coffeehouse who's menu consists of ALL Fair Trade/Organic Coffee !
Breukelen Mojo in downtown Atlanta in Kirkwood.
Check our website often for updates on our opening date : www.breukelenmojo.com
We're going to snag the Black Gold DVD when it's released ( California Newsreel's releasing the DVD later this year. ) so that @ our screenings we'll show that movie and educate our customers on our choices as a retailer.
I do buy organic coffee as I can BUT I certainly am going to:
Try he Trader's Joe Cafe Pajaro as well as drinking the Dunkin' Donuts espresso-based beverages.
By the way, Stater Bros. Markets, a privately owned supermarket chain in California, has introduced a “Full Circle” line of 110 all natural and organic products, including cereals, pastas, pasta sauces, peanut butter, fruit preserves, canned vegetables, rice, soymilk, coffee and teas. So, I shall try their coffee too...
Au Revoir
Pascal
If you enjoy coffee as much as I do, you may also dig a not-so-typical, smoky green tea from South America called yerba mate. You can drink it all day without getting the jitters. A company called Guayaki makes my favorite.
And Therese, while you are looking to convert more of your purchases to Fair Trade, consider your next sports ball purchase. We've got a full line of Fair Trade gear, including soccer balls, volleyballs, rugby balls, and more. The first full line made for the US.
-Scott James
Fair Trade Sports
www.fairtradesports.com
I also wanted to add there's a micro-roastery/coffeeshop in Brooklyn called Gorilla Coffee .
www.gorillacoffee.com
They're FairGanic and their coffee's good !
Therese~
I would like to introduce you to Pura Vida Coffee. And to be honest, I work there, in customer service. All of our coffee is 100% Fair trade, organic, and shade grown - meaning it's also beneficial for bird & animals habitats. Besides buying our coffee fair trade, we give back to the communities we purchase from by partnering with local charities to serve hot meals to children who may not eat otherwise, build or improve schools, build wells and latrines where necessary, and create computer and job training centers. This month we'll be sending $20,000 to Project Mercy to help with the famine in Ethiopia. We have also given one co-op a micro-loan to purchase new coffee processing equipment (their old machine was so old, it has found a new home in a museum). We strive to make a difference every day. Check us out and I think you'll appreciate a great cup of coffee. And help us Create Good at the same time.
Daniel Doucette puravidacoffee.com