| The Fair Trade Beat is a monthly update from TransFair USA, the only third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the U.S. The Fair Trade Certified label guarantees that products were produced and traded in an economically, socially and environmentally responsible way. When you buy Fair Trade Certified products, you support the well-being of families, communities and the earth. |
May 2008 |
• Get Involved --- The World's Largest Break, Tell Mom It's Fair Trade Certified
• Tune in to Fair Trade --- Facebook Page, Flowers Video
• New Products and Places --- New Hope Coffee
• Winning Campaigns --- New Fair Trade Towns
• Producer Spotlight --- Finlay Flowers, Kenya
• From TransFair USA --- Now Hiring, Donate Today!
Saturday, May 10th is World Fair Trade Day, and international day of celebration for all things Fair Trade, organized by Fair Trade Resource Network. This World Fair Trade Day, Fair Trade advocates around the globe are organizing to break a record! That’s right, the world’s largest ever coffee break will be held Saturday May 10th with participants enjoying Fair Trade coffee! Get in contact with some other friends and advocates, and become part of this fun event. Saturday doesn’t work for you? Organize a Fair Trade Certified banana break at your office, decorated with Fair Trade Certified flowers, or serve up some Fair Trade Certified chocolate! Order materials for your event from www.fairtraderesource.org.
Tell Mom It's Fair Trade Certified
The day after World Fair Trade Day, Sunday May 11th, is Mother’s Day: a unique opportunity to honor a prominent woman in your life while also honoring the flower workers, many of whom are women, who harvest Fair Trade Certified flowers. There are a growing number of places where you can buy your mom Fair Trade Certified flowers this Mother’s Day. Check out our where to buy list to select the best option for you. But don’t stop there! Let the world know that Fair Trade Certified flowers are the best way to celebrate mothers this Mother’s Day! Sign the pledge and pass it on to your friends. Don’t forget to talk to your local florist about Fair Trade Certified flowers and refer them to www.fairtradecertifiedflowers.org for more information.
What’s blue and white and growing fast? The Fair Trade Certified Facebook page of course! Become a fan of our new Facebook page to connect with other Fair Trade advocates, sign our pledges, participate in e-actions, and help raise funds for Fair Trade certification.
Fair Trade Certified Flowers Video
In many flower farms in countries like Ecuador, pregnant women work long hours and are often exposed to harsh, dangerous chemicals. Many are afraid to let their company know they are pregnant for fear they will lose their job. And when they have the baby, they have little to no assurance that a job will be waiting for them when they come back. That's at many farms. But not all of them.
A better world is blooming. Fair Trade Certified flowers ensure that women/mothers are treated with the respect they deserve. They are required to have breaks so they can rest. They are forbidden from working with chemicals. And when they have their baby, they not only get maternity leave, but they also get their job back - with reduced hours so they can spend time with their newborn. Watch this video to learn more about women on Fair Trade Certified flower farms.
New Harvest Coffee Coffee Roasters present a very special new Fair Trade Certified coffee, New Hope, which benefits the New Hope Diner project, a collaborative effort between the Division of Juvenile Corrections of DCYF, Bryant University, the New England Institute of Technology, Struever Brothers Eccles and Rouse, Angelo’s Civita Farnese, the American Diner Museum and others. The project provides youth within the Rhode Island Division of Juvenile Correctional Services the opportunity to work to restore vintage American Diners with the goal of putting these diners back into operation. The partners in this collaborative focus on helping youth improve their job readiness skills, develop leadership skills, and provide youth with marketable skills in construction, historic restoration and preservation, and culinary arts and hospitality. All proceeds from New Hope Brand Coffee sales go to the New Hope Diner Project.
We are proud to announce that Northampton, Massachusetts has now become the 6th Fair Trade Town (fairtradetownsusa.org) in the US with the unanimous passing of the “Buy Local, Buy Fair” Resolution at the City Council meeting this April! Congratulations to the Northampton Fair Trade Committee who worked hard for many months to make this happen. As World Fair Trade Day approaches, towns across the US are launching new campaigns to raise awareness about the benefits of Fair Trade in their communities and a few cities are very near being the next to declare their status as Fair Trade Towns. San Luis Obispo is working hard to achieve their fair trade city status and will pass a resolution recognizing World Fair Trade Day in the San Luis Obispo County on May 6th. San Francisco will declare its official Fair Trade City status in a ceremony with Mayor Gavin Newsom in Dolores Park on World Fair Trade Day, Saturday, May 10th. Will you be in the Bay Area this coming Saturday? Join us for the World’s Largest Fair Trade Coffee Break between 12pm and 2pm, bring your Fair Trade picnic and come on down and celebrate! Fair Trade Certified iced coffee will be provided by Adina World Beat Beverages, tea and chocolate courtesy of Alter Eco and Fair Trade Ceritifed Mother’s Day flowers courtesy of our friends at 1-800-Flowers!
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Finlay Flowers was established in 1989 on the site of historic tea plantations in Kenya's Rift Province. Since joining the Fair Trade Certified system, workers at Finlay Flowers have been able to invest in an array of local initiatives, including providing materials, training and scholarships to local schools, the reforestation of a local forest, improvements to local clinics and more! |
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We're growing! TransFair USA is an entrepreneurial non-profit organization that is the only certifier of Fair Trade products in the U.S. We seek talented individuals who are passionate about our mission and who bring a global perspective to work. If this sounds like your recipe for success, please visit our job listings page and "be the change you want to see in the world". TransFair is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Donate to TransFair USA today!As a non-profit, TransFair depends on the financial support of friends like you to expand our work empowering consumers and producers to build a more equitable and sustainable model of international trade in which all benefit. Click here to make a donation online, or contact our Development Department at (510) 663-5260 or via email at development@transfairusa.org for more information or to discuss your donation options. Thank you!
