ShopToEarth Shares 4 Reasons Why You Should Purchase Fair Trade
ShopToEarth fully supports sustainable living which is why we are excited about Fair Trade. Fair Trade is a social movement that endeavors to ensure producers in developing countries earn a fair wage for the products they generate. The basic premise of the Fair Trade movement is to promote sustainability and provide a win-win situation for all involved in the production and consumption of goods and services.
But before you decide that paying a higher price for that wonderful can of coffee you found in the ShopToEarth Green Horizon Marketplace is not worth the extra dollar, here are a few facts to chew on:
- Almost seventy percent of the people who produce hand crafted Fair Trade products are women, many of whom are the sole providers for their families.
- A pound of coffee that costs between $4-$11 were purchased from farmers who were paid $0.80 per pound for their efforts.
- The National Labor Committee reported that a Haitian may only earn 1% of the retail price on a piece of clothing sewn for the US clothing market.
- Seven case studies conducted by the Colorado State University Fair Trade Research Group in 2003 found that Fair Trade greatly improved the lives of coffee growers in Latin America. Coffee producers were able to tap into a variety of helpful programs such as developmental funding, education and training.
(photo credit: Dreaminthedarkofday @ Flickr)
Makes you think next time you grab that cheap imported stuff about the person who was on the other end of that product line–working hard to put it together, getting paid next to nothing and going home to what? Makes you appreciate what you have.
I have supported Fair Trade coffee for quite some time. Now I have two reasons… 1) Helping the farmaers in the program and 2) Buying from my own website and getting cash back.
My wife and I purchase 2-4 pounds of coffee each month. The cash back is great.