Apple First Fair Trade Technology Company???

by Blue People Fair Trade on 16 January 2012

I am always a little wary when it comes to big corporations “embracing” fair trade because it usually sticks of “fairwashing”; however, if it’s true that Apple is committed to being the first fair trade technology company, then this will set the bar higher for other technology companies and their labor practices. And, since Apple is one of the biggest companies on the planet, this could have an incredible affect on the fair trade movement. “Think Fair” will join “Think Different”. Somehow, I think Steve Jobs would approve of this….

Apple fairtrade computer

We’ll wait and see, but I hope this is a sincere attempt on Apple’s part to make the world a fairer place to work. To read more, CLICK HERE.

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Fair Trade Resource Network’s New 2012 Calender is Here!

by Blue People Fair Trade on 10 January 2012

Happy 2012! Thanks to all those who helped make 2011 a good year for Blue People Fair Trade! There are new things coming and we’ll be sharing those things with you soon.

There is a new Fair Trade calendar available from the Fair Trade Resource Network at a 50% discount(that’s only $4.95 plus shipping). For those of you who aren’t familiar with the FTRN their Mission Statement is:

The Fair Trade Resource Network (FTRN) seeks to improve people’s lives through Fair Trade alternatives by providing information, leadership, and inspiration. FTRN gathers, develops, and disseminates educational resources to people and organizations interested in the movement to build a more just and sustainable world through Fair Trade.

You can order the calender here. And, yes, they take PayPal.

Start the new year off right by helping the FTRC educate more people about fair trade. You can also donate, if you’d like.

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Shop Fair Trade This Holiday Season

December 8, 2011

This is one of the reasons that it is so important to BUY FAIR TRADE this Holiday Season and all of 2012. Please BUY FAIR TRADE…because it matters.

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Fair Trade USA Splits from Fairtrade International

November 8, 2011

I’m sure most of you have heard that Fair Trade USA, the certifying body for fair trade commodities in the USA, has split from the Bonn-based Fairtrade International, the body that regulates international fair trade commodities. Many people, including myself, believe that this move has diluted the fair trade brand and only confuses folks, who [...]

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Is Fair Trade Still “Fair”?

October 19, 2011

Remember when buying fair trade meant something revolutionary? These days, purchasing fair trade products is about as subversive as wearing a Rage Against the Machine t-shirt. Heck, you’ll even be able to add “one-of-a-kind handicrafts made by artisans in developing countries” to your online shopping cart on WalMart’s website, according to Huffington Post. Coffee was [...]

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Demand Hershey Not Use Child Laborers and Go Fair Trade!!

September 15, 2011

The Hershey Co. has been given an “F” by several non-profit groups for allegedly failing to remove child labor from its chocolate production. A year ago, fair trade organizations Green America, Global Exchange and the International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF) challenged Hershey, claiming the company used forced, child, and trafficked labor in its chocolate products. [...]

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Why Buy Fair Trade?

September 8, 2011

When you go out to buy coffee, bananas, tea or gifts for your friends or family, do you ever think about the human being that grew and harvested that coffee (It wasn’t Juan Valdez) or the person who made that beautiful pair of earrings? Do you think about their living conditions? If their children are [...]

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Celebrating the African Women of Fair Trade

July 24, 2011

So many special women help make Fair Trade successful here in the United States and around the world. These women farmers and workers are leading their families and communities out of poverty by selling their goods on Fair Trade terms. They are running profitable Fair Trade cooperatives, creating community programs and sending new generations of [...]

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Ask Paula Deen, Rachael Ray, Bobby Flay, Emeril for Fair Trade S’Mores This Summer

June 24, 2011

This week marks the official beginning of summer, and for many people, that means a favorite childhood campfire treat — the s’more. But as child labor, forced labor and trafficking continue to fuel the cocoa industry, traditional s’mores might leave a bitter aftertaste. That’s why chocolate lovers across the country are calling on some of [...]

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Fair Trade: A Dollar Extra Goes a Long Way

June 20, 2011

Twenty years ago, Fair Trade was a concept many people thought was for a niche market. Now, Fair Trade products make more than $7 billion a year, helping more than 1 million workers around the world. So how does buying a fair trade banana help people in developing countries? To Find out more click here.

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