Folger's Coffee :P

Here's an example of why Fair Trade is important... (this was in 2001 though):

"Even as farmers struggle to survive, consumers haven't seen any discounts because Folgers is pocketing the difference. While P & 's Folgers brand made over $1 billion last year, the average coffee farmer made about $300. This is outrageous and morally unacceptable!"

What is Fair Trade?

Fair Trade Overview
Fair Trade Certification empowers farmers and farm workers to lift themselves out of poverty by investing in their farms and communities, protecting the environment, and developing the business skills necessary to compete in the global marketplace.

Fair Trade is much more than a fair price! Fair Trade principles include:

• Fair price: Democratically organized farmer groups receive a guaranteed minimum floor price and an additional premium for certified organic products. Farmer organizations are also eligible for pre-harvest credit.
  
  
• Fair labor conditions: Workers on Fair Trade farms enjoy freedom of association, safe working conditions, and living wages. Forced child labor is strictly prohibited.
  
  
• Direct trade: With Fair Trade, importers purchase from Fair Trade producer groups as directly as possible, eliminating unnecessary middlemen and empowering farmers to develop the business capacity necessary to compete in the global marketplace.
  
  
• Democratic and transparent organizations: Fair Trade farmers and farm workers decide democratically how to invest Fair Trade revenues.
  
  
• Community development: Fair Trade farmers and farm workers invest Fair Trade premiums in social and business development projects like scholarship programs, quality improvement trainings, and organic certification.
  
  
• Environmental sustainability: Harmful agrochemicals and GMOs are strictly prohibited in favor of environmentally sustainable farming methods that protect farmers’ health and preserve valuable ecosystems for future generations.

TransFair USA, a non-profit organization, is the only independent, third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the U.S. and one of 20 members of Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO). TransFair’s rigorous audit system, which tracks products from farm to finished product, verifies industry compliance with Fair Trade criteria. TransFair allows U.S. companies to display the Fair Trade Certified label on products that meet strict Fair Trade standards

Fair Trade Certification is currently available in the U.S. for coffee, tea and herbs, cocoa and chocolate, fresh fruit, sugar, rice, and vanilla.

More about Fair Trade

Pics from Work

This is part of the Financial District...I work on the 6th floor in the yellowish brick building (where our SF office is located). There are two awesome bakery/cafes beneath us. And we're surrounded by Academy of Art buildings.

This is one of the places we canvassed in. I'm pretty sure this is Sausalito. The day after this one four of us went to the houseboats which was awesome. We're now canvassing in Mill Valley, but have gone to Los Altos, Sunnyvale, Sausalito, San Anselmo, and San Rafael.

Safe Cosmetics?

Toxic bubble bath for kids? Mercury (a nervous system toxicity) in mascara? Lead (a nerurotoxin) in lipstick?

Read about the dangers of beauty products here:

Campaign for Safe Cosmetics

Check out the safety of your beauty products here:

Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Database

We'll Miss you Peter

Peter Cross, a friend from a mission trip to Cameroon, and a soldier from Fort Worth, was killed in Afghanistan this week when his Humvee crashed.

Our New Car!

Today Mark went and brought home the car we bought. It's a black Dodge Neon car with no A/C (thank goodness we'll live in Michigan/Canada and not in Texas!!). Mark won't be driving it till we get married because the car insurance will be cheaper then. Can't wait to drive it though!

My Summer Job

I've been working as a canvasser for Clean Water Action for the past 11 days. It's hard work, cause I have to make quota most nights, but it's also fun and unique cause we go all over the Bay Area and meet different people. Hopefully I'll be able to keep this job for the rest of the summer :)