Fair Trade and Campus Entrepreneurship
Monday, January 29, 2007
Miami's Center for Social Entrepreneurship has recently found a way to earn money for its student programs, while fighting povery in Africa at the same time. It almost sounds too good to be true, but that tends to be the nature of fair trade. Most of us are conditioned to think of poverty as a kind of "pestilence" running rampant in Third World countries, with little to no connection to us, and therefore no cure near at hand. It seems hard to believe that something as simple as paying fair wages for goods could actually eliminate poverty--but that is exactly what these "social entrprenuers" are banking on.
Teaming with Edun Apparell Ltd, a fair trade clothing company founded by Irish singer-humanitarian Bono and his wife, students buy blank T-shirts at $4 a piece and screen print them with various icons and slogans such as: "I know who made my t-shirt, do you?" Students sell the t-shirts to other students to raise money, as well as increase awareness about concepts of fair trade.
They are hoping this idea can spread to other campuses as a progressive means of fundraising for student organizations, as well as a way to increase awareness about "social entreprenuership."
Source: College's fair-trade project has local ties
Fair Trade Forum 2007 in Perth
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Scotland's first fair trade forum was launched this week in Perth by International Development Minister Patricia Ferguson. One of the topics of discussion is movement towards making Scotland a "fair trade nation." If successful, Scotland may become a leading player in the fight against poverty worldwide, moving fair trade beyond "product-based" or even "company-level" approaches, and into the realm of public policy.
The criteria Scotland is working to meet in order to attain "fair trade nation" status are as follows:
The criteria Scotland is working to meet in order to attain "fair trade nation" status are as follows:
- 100 per cent of local authorities to have active Fair Trade groups working towards Fair Trade status
- 55 per cent of local authority areas to have Fair Trade status, with 10% annual increase in following years
- All of Scotland's cities to have Fair Trade status
- Minimum of 55 per cent of Scottish towns to have active Fair Trade groups working towards Fair Trade status
- 60 per cent of Higher Education institutions to have active Fair Trade groups working towards Fair Trade status
- Increase by 5 per cent each year the proportion of the population who know about Fair Trade (currently 45 per cent)
- 75 per cent of people to buy a Fair Trade product every year
- 40 per cent of people who regularly buy Fair Trade products
"In 1994 there were just three fair trade products on the market. Now there are more than 2,000 - including coffee and chocolate - on sale in Scottish shops and supermarkets."
The movement in Europe is an indication both of how much room the fair trade movement has to grow in the United States, as well as a hopeful sign of what may lie ahead.
Sources:
BBC: Fair Trade forum Launch in Perth
Scotland Set to Become 'Fair Trade Nation.'
Mardi Gras: Made In China
Friday, January 26, 2007
In the years 2001-2003 I had the priviledge of working with David Redmon on the award winning film Mardi Gras: Made In China. The following is a tribute to the film, the filmmakers who are my friends, and the importance of placing our gifts in the service of Love.Mardi Gras: Made in China is currently available to institutions, non-profits, schools & universities. Click here to order.
In the fall of 2000, I had the blessing of meeting David Redmon, who would become one of the single most influential people of my life. He was only about 27 at that time, teaching sociology at my university. I never took his classes, however, but met him over coffee one day when I learned he was showing films to his students about corporate globalization, and the rising tide of protest against it. He and I quickly became friends and had endless discussions about the destructive expansion of capitalism around the world, with sweatshops and leveled rainforests alike left in its wake. We knew that we were unhappy about the destruction of lives and cultures around the world, including in our own country, but figuring out how exactly to contribute to positive change was a long, difficult and at times dangerous process.
Soon after I met David he travelled to China to visit a factory where the majority of the Mardi Gras beads one sees in New Orleans are made. David's graduate dissertation had been on Mardi Gras, and the use of beads as a sexual currency was a much-discussed theme. It wasn't until he had finished his thesis, however, that he began wondering about this one aspect he had not considered: where did the beads come from? The search for an answer to this question led him on a long journey that ultimately resulted in this internationally award winning film: Mardi Gras: Made in China.
I had the honor of working with David on this project at various stages, and had the even more unexpected (and perhaps undeserved!) one of being named an "advisor and assistant editor." While I certainly did my best to contribute as much as I could in the way of ideas and (especially at the beginning) technical assistance, David's personal drive and determination was something I could hardly fathom at the time. As the years passed and the film's renown grew, I was impressed beyond measure at David's success in placing his personal talents in full service of the vision of equality that he and I shared.
Now, David and I live hundreds of miles apart--he in Brooklyn, New York with his talented partner Ashley Sabin, producing films under the now actualized Carnivalesque Films, while I am living and working with my wife Brianne in Lafayette, Louisiana on our own labor of love. It is only now with the creation of our website, Organic Fair Trade, that I am beginning to understand where the drive that I so admired in David comes from. I fully believe that the world can best be changed when all of us, who have the vision, also find the courage to put the full force of our talents in service of what we truly believe. It is a sacrifice that is its own reward.
Peace and Love,
Aaron Lozier
It's Unfair!!!
Thursday, January 25, 2007
by James Rosen
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
WASHINGTON - A bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation Tuesday aimed at preventing American companies from profiting from the use of foreign sweatshops and other unfair labor practices abroad.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, joined four Democrats and independent Sen. Bernard Sanders of Vermont in sponsoring a bill that would allow U.S. firms to sue competitors that they believe are selling imported products made in overseas sweatshops.
"Believe it or not, ladies and gentlemen, there's a world out there where people are exploited - sometimes literally to the point of death - just to make a buck," Graham said at a news conference in the Capitol.
Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., said free-trade agreements between the United States and other countries have fueled the growth of sweatshop production in recent years.
Dorgan cited China and Jordan as major offenders, saying their factories employ workers as young as 5, often in long shifts, brutal conditions and for little or no pay. In many cases, he said, the foreign countries violate their own poorly enforced labor laws.
"There is no reason for the United States of America to allow the sale of products made in slave-labor-like conditions," Dorgan said.
About 250 million children worldwide, ages 14 or younger, work in factories, many in deplorable conditions, he said.
If it becomes law, the legislation could have a major impact on large U.S. retailers such as Wal-Mart and Target, which contract with foreign firms to produce many of the products they sell to Americans.
Dorgan said Wal-Mart and Target have taken steps to reduce their sale of such goods. In one instance, he said, Wal-Mart canceled its contract with a Chinese factory after delivering three warnings that went unheeded.
The Chinese firm then hired a consultant who helped it secure phony documents that falsely showed that the company had eliminated its sweatshops.
Dorgan moved similar legislation last year, but it drew only five co-sponsors, all Democrats, and died in the Republican-controlled Congress.
Dorgan predicted that with Graham on board - and Democrats now running Congress - the measure has better prospects.
"This is a pretty weighty co-sponsor," Dorgan said of Graham as the two senators laughed. "I mean, we're not talking about an insignificant co-sponsor. This is a big deal to us!"
Democratic Sens. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Robert Byrd of West Virginia and Russ Feingold of Wisconsin joined Dorgan, Graham and Sanders in backing the bill.
The measure would allow an American firm to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission alleging that one of its competitors was selling products made in sweatshops.
If the FTC determined that the complaint was valid, the agency would issue an order prohibiting the import of products from the offending foreign firm. U.S. customs agents would enforce the law, assessing violators fines of $10,000 per offense.
American companies also could sue competitors in federal court to seek injunctions blocking such imports, along with punitive damages.
Graham said many U.S. firms are trying to foster fair labor practices abroad but those that encourage sweatshop production should be punished.
"If you're a business person engaged in exploiting people to build up market share, I hope you get fined, I hope you get sued," Graham said. "That's not the way to build up an economy. That's not the way to have global trade, and it's not in the best interests of America."
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
WASHINGTON - A bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation Tuesday aimed at preventing American companies from profiting from the use of foreign sweatshops and other unfair labor practices abroad.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, joined four Democrats and independent Sen. Bernard Sanders of Vermont in sponsoring a bill that would allow U.S. firms to sue competitors that they believe are selling imported products made in overseas sweatshops.
"Believe it or not, ladies and gentlemen, there's a world out there where people are exploited - sometimes literally to the point of death - just to make a buck," Graham said at a news conference in the Capitol.
Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., said free-trade agreements between the United States and other countries have fueled the growth of sweatshop production in recent years.
Dorgan cited China and Jordan as major offenders, saying their factories employ workers as young as 5, often in long shifts, brutal conditions and for little or no pay. In many cases, he said, the foreign countries violate their own poorly enforced labor laws.
"There is no reason for the United States of America to allow the sale of products made in slave-labor-like conditions," Dorgan said.
About 250 million children worldwide, ages 14 or younger, work in factories, many in deplorable conditions, he said.
If it becomes law, the legislation could have a major impact on large U.S. retailers such as Wal-Mart and Target, which contract with foreign firms to produce many of the products they sell to Americans.
Dorgan said Wal-Mart and Target have taken steps to reduce their sale of such goods. In one instance, he said, Wal-Mart canceled its contract with a Chinese factory after delivering three warnings that went unheeded.
The Chinese firm then hired a consultant who helped it secure phony documents that falsely showed that the company had eliminated its sweatshops.
Dorgan moved similar legislation last year, but it drew only five co-sponsors, all Democrats, and died in the Republican-controlled Congress.
Dorgan predicted that with Graham on board - and Democrats now running Congress - the measure has better prospects.
"This is a pretty weighty co-sponsor," Dorgan said of Graham as the two senators laughed. "I mean, we're not talking about an insignificant co-sponsor. This is a big deal to us!"
Democratic Sens. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Robert Byrd of West Virginia and Russ Feingold of Wisconsin joined Dorgan, Graham and Sanders in backing the bill.
The measure would allow an American firm to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission alleging that one of its competitors was selling products made in sweatshops.
If the FTC determined that the complaint was valid, the agency would issue an order prohibiting the import of products from the offending foreign firm. U.S. customs agents would enforce the law, assessing violators fines of $10,000 per offense.
American companies also could sue competitors in federal court to seek injunctions blocking such imports, along with punitive damages.
Graham said many U.S. firms are trying to foster fair labor practices abroad but those that encourage sweatshop production should be punished.
"If you're a business person engaged in exploiting people to build up market share, I hope you get fined, I hope you get sued," Graham said. "That's not the way to build up an economy. That's not the way to have global trade, and it's not in the best interests of America."
New Fair Trade Clothing Line!
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Hello Everyone!
We are proud to introduce a new fair trade clothing line that we will be carrying come March from our friends at Avatar Imports! We are so excited about this new line not only because of the large number of people and families we will be helping to support but also because the styles and quality of these products are amazing!
Avatar Imports is a company that began in 1992 when two friends who shared a love for travel began to form friendships along the way. Over time, finding out that many of these friends had amazing talents for sewing and designing clothing yet were unfortunately getting paid unfair wages and working in unfair conditions they decided to seek to make a change for these people. Today, Avatar Imports is officially recognized by the Fair Trade Federation and offers a large and diverse line of men's and women's fair trade clothing and accessories.
We have recently added all of the new spring apparel that will become available in March. Please check out the beautiful fair trade dresses and skirts, the rasta clothes and men's wear as well as all of the cool and unique handmade bags, purses and scarves available!
We all know we buy clothes and when we buy new clothes we want something that is unique and comfortable. With all of these pieces offered from Avatar those are two qualities you are sure to find and for such affordable prices. Most importantly the people that are making these clothes are paid a fair wage that allows them to survive well within their economies and support their families with hope for the future.
Avec l'amour et la paix,
(With love and peace)
Brianne Barousse Lozier
We are proud to introduce a new fair trade clothing line that we will be carrying come March from our friends at Avatar Imports! We are so excited about this new line not only because of the large number of people and families we will be helping to support but also because the styles and quality of these products are amazing!
Avatar Imports is a company that began in 1992 when two friends who shared a love for travel began to form friendships along the way. Over time, finding out that many of these friends had amazing talents for sewing and designing clothing yet were unfortunately getting paid unfair wages and working in unfair conditions they decided to seek to make a change for these people. Today, Avatar Imports is officially recognized by the Fair Trade Federation and offers a large and diverse line of men's and women's fair trade clothing and accessories.We have recently added all of the new spring apparel that will become available in March. Please check out the beautiful fair trade dresses and skirts, the rasta clothes and men's wear as well as all of the cool and unique handmade bags, purses and scarves available!
We all know we buy clothes and when we buy new clothes we want something that is unique and comfortable. With all of these pieces offered from Avatar those are two qualities you are sure to find and for such affordable prices. Most importantly the people that are making these clothes are paid a fair wage that allows them to survive well within their economies and support their families with hope for the future.
Avec l'amour et la paix,
(With love and peace)
Brianne Barousse Lozier
Add "Conscious Quotes" to your Website or mySpace page
Thursday, January 4, 2007
Frequent shoppers at Organic Fair Trade may have noticed a new feature in the last few weeks. At the top left hand of each page is displayed a unique quote which addresses issues concerning environmental or social consciousness. Drawing from the wisdom of diverse individuals including the Dalai Lama, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Einstein and Jesus, we feel these quotes address much of the inspiration behind why we do what we do.
Because we want to share these beautiful quotes with others (and, of course, to let more people know about our website) we have added a "Conscious Quotes" feature which allows you to add quotes to your Myspace page or website. This handy tool is easy to use, and allows you to choose a color scheme that matches your Myspace page or website layout. Simply create the combination you want, copy the code, and paste it wherever you want it to appear.
Not only will you be adding a cool feature to your website or Myspace page (the quote changes everytime you reload the page) you will be helping us out tremendously by spreading the word about shopping sustainably. Together, we can work to make this world a better place!
Because we want to share these beautiful quotes with others (and, of course, to let more people know about our website) we have added a "Conscious Quotes" feature which allows you to add quotes to your Myspace page or website. This handy tool is easy to use, and allows you to choose a color scheme that matches your Myspace page or website layout. Simply create the combination you want, copy the code, and paste it wherever you want it to appear.
Not only will you be adding a cool feature to your website or Myspace page (the quote changes everytime you reload the page) you will be helping us out tremendously by spreading the word about shopping sustainably. Together, we can work to make this world a better place!
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