So, it seems that our vision to live in a world that focuses on the health and sustainability of our planet is growing everyday.  People everywhere are realizing the effects of our consumerism as they begin to make the change to building and supporting businesses that are focused on benefiting the environment, our communites and other communities throughout the world.  Over the past year of business, as we have become more educated and affiliated with green businesses and concepts we are so often thrilled to see the amount of products being made available to the people.

There are dozens of organic health and beauty lines.  The organic cotton industry is booming.  Fair trade clothing, coffee and crafts are steadily being added to well established businesses as well as new businesses coming up with a focus on fairly traded items.  Our country as we know it is responding to the calls of social and environmental justice on a scale that is expanding each day and rapidly each year.

Recently, I have being writing content for several sites that are primarily focused on babies and mommies.  My life is primarily focused on my babies and I am most of the time answering to the name of mommy, so it has been a very fulfilling job.  I am learning about so much pertaining to all aspects of parenting, from breastfeeding to strollers and everything in between.  When a product or issue strikes me, I feel I need to expand my new found knowledge to as many people as possible.  So, in the vein of what we work for here at Organic Fair Trade I have discovered a new eco-friendly baby stroller manufacturer called Baby Planet and wanted to lend our kudos to their efforts.

Baby Planet came onto the stroller scene a few years back with a mission to design strollers that were baby friendly and environmentally friendly.  Each year they expand and improve on this vision a little more and have already added an impressive product line for 2008.

Each stroller is designed to optimize comfort as well as provide a very durable and reliable ride for the baby as well as the parent.  They offer a variety of lightweight, aluminum strollers as well as the Unity Sport Twin Stroller for those parents with more than one child who needs a push.

Baby Planet is concerned about the rapid rate at which our current landfills are growing so they have implemented their own donation and recycling programs for used strollers.  They encourage parents who no longer have a need for their stroller to donate or recycle it to Baby Planet.  If the stroller is in good, usable condition it will then be passed onto a family in need.  If the stroller is past it's prime and needs to be discarded, Baby Planet will be sure to accuately disassemble the parts so that the material may be recycled.  No worries, the recycled parts will never be used to produce another Baby Planet stroller in adherence to their safety regulations.

In addition to their recycling programs, Baby Planet has also engineered and designed a separate product line called the Endangered Species series.  Partnered with the Wildlife Conservation Society  (WCS) , Baby Planet  has introduced  this new line in 2008  which focuses it's efforts on the resoration of our precious endangered wildlife.

Each stroller is dedicated to a specific endangered animal and is fashioned according to the qualities of that animal. Not only are they cause worthy but they are also really great looking, my favorite is the Lemur Leaf Frog!  Each animal chosen is currently listed as an endangered species or to be living in an endangered habitat.  For every Endangered Species stroller sold, Baby Planet will donate $5 to the WCS in addition to the current yearly contributions they already pledge.  The money will be used by the WCS to further protect and restore these animals and their habitats.

All Baby Planet strollers are JPMA certified and last year the Unity Sport Twin Stroller was among the ten products to receive the 2007 JPMA Innovation Reward for it's unique features.

If you or any one you know is in the market for a baby stroller then this is definitely the company to seek out.  Although there are many options out there for strollers,  no other company employs such consciousness to their products as Baby Planet is doing.  Please pass on the info about their recycling and donation prgrams to anyone you may know looking to get rid of their own.  The stroller brand doesn't matter if usable it will certainly be passed onto a family who only cares about having a stroller not a particular stroller, so many folks cannot afford to be picky.

I look forward to 2008 and what those of us who are focused on creating a more harmonious earth will introduce to the world.  It is with great hope that we live on!


Peace,

Brianne

Hey Folks!

Thanks for stopping by!  Currently we are in the process of revamping our website and making some changes in our product selection.  We are thrilled about the success and support we have received throughout our first year but we are also ready to expand our horizons.  Our business up to this point has been a family operation consisting of husband and wife efforts to succeed. There is such a large market of supporters for organic and fair trade products that we began to feel as though there was more we can do to better serve our customers.

Luckily we have befriended and established business relations with another successful local online retailer of organic food, Wellness Grocer.   This company offers a broad variety of natural foods, gluten free foods and more!  Please check out the website for anything organic that you may need. 

Also, there is a great resource library called the Wellness Center.  This aspect of the website is designed to help you gain knowledge about your health, which vitamins to chose and why as well as offering recipes and herbal remedies to help you acheive wellness.

We are delighted to have the opportunity to team up with this wonderful group of people!  It is always a blessing to find more and more people that support the lifestyle choices we feel are important to maintaining a balanced, healthy being.

There is much to look forward to in our new year and we want to be as prepared as possible to offer you the products we have come to know that our customers need.  Please stay with us and continue to check back periodically to see our progress.  We will let you all know when we are ready to begin operating and taking orders.

In the meantime, we wish you all a blessed and fulfilled holiday season! As we say here in cajun country, Joyeaux Noel sha!

Organic Fair Trade is planning to submit a video to this contest and we will need your help if we make it to the top 5! The winner will be selected in an online poll, and we are hoping our readers will come out to support us.

In thinking about the film we would like to create, I explored what is available on YouTube. I found this collection of poignant short clips created by Oxfam International that I wanted to share here.

If you have an interesting ideas for a fair trade film, please send them our way.

Those living or travelling near Lake Charles, Louisiana this weekend will have an opportunity to see, feel and taste our products in person!

Organic Fair Trade will have a tent at the first annual Pony Fest tomorrow, Saturday August 25th, at Central School in Lake Charles.  While this will be our third time to display our products in a "real" (as opposed to "Web") setting, we have really gone all out for this one!  We will have literally hundreds of organic and/or fair trade products for sale, including clothing, jewelry, soap, christmas ornaments, cell phone cases, wallets, keychains and more!  In addition, we will also have organic iced coffee, organic yerba mate latte's, organic cookies, organic brownies and organic sodas for sale!

Our biggest investment has been in fair trade clothing and jewelry, as we feel these items are most used in daily life and are, we feel, the most interesting and beautiful products we offer.  We have even constructed a 4' x 4' x 8' portable dressing room so you can try the clothes on!  This is something that has been requested at past events, so we are happy to now be able to offer it.

As we have been planning this event, our goal has been to create a space, however small and temporary, that clearly represents our vision for the world we want to live in.  We'll be bringing lots of chairs, so even if you don't plan to buy anything, we invite you to come, sit, and enjoy the good company!

To learn more about Poor Pony and Pony Fest we invite you to visit their website at www.poorpony.com.

Organic Fair Trade grew from the idea that making a living for our family, and making the world a better place could be one in the same.

We felt that the only way to counteract the negative relationships in the world, such as those between poor producers and rich consumers, was to promote our own vision of loving relationships.  We wished for everything in our home to be either fair trade, organic, or both.  But this seemed impossible as the products were either not available where we lived, or were too expensive.

We knew that this would only change if we ourselves began to devote our energies toward increasing quality in our world—quality of lives, as well as quality of products.  So beginning in March of 2006, we began forming relationships with others who shared our vision of a peaceful, healthy, and equitable world.

While Organic Fair Trade offers a wide selection of products that carry either organic certifications, fair trade certifications, or both, our main emphasis is currently upon fair trade clothing, jewelry and accessories for both men and women.  We know that these industries are under great pressure by economic forces, large companies who wish to minimize cost and capture their share of this lucrative market.  Primarily young teenage women across Latin America, Africa and Asia carry most of the burden, working long hours in usually unsafe conditions for less than minimal wages.

Our clothing, handbags, wallets, hats, scarves, dresses, shirts, necklaces, rings and bracelets are from virtually every place in the world where workers are being exploited.  However our products are different in that they represent the work of small collectives of people who have voluntarily agreed to work with small importers in the United States, with the mutual guarantee of reasonable working conditions, good pay, investments in long term growth, and an honest, carefully produced product. We feel the quality of work speaks for itself.

In addition to durable items, however, we also carry a broad selection of organic food and supplements including coffee, yerba mate, oils and organic nut butters, raw cacao, and several exotic delicacies. We also have a good selection of organic mattresses, blankets, pillows, comforters and sets.

We are based in Lafayette, Louisiana, and while we currently do most of our sales through the Internet, we are always in search of opportunities to present our selection in a face to face manner, and hope to one day open a physical store.

If you would like to get in touch, please visit us on the web at www.organic-fair-trade.com.  We can also be reached by phone at (337) 255-3355.

Thank you for business, and thank you for supporting fair trade!

Hello Everyone!

I just wanted to announce our new clothing line from our friend Fair Trade Industry!  We are really proud of the products added from this manufacturer and feel that is is very different from the other clothing line we already offer.  Fair Industry designs are original and produced in the countries of Kenya and Bangladesh.  The founder designs her own clothes and jewelry and has them made by artisans for a fair wage. 

There is a simple yet sophisticated style to the clothing and jewelry that I think would be great for a casual day at the park or worn to the office for a workday.  If you search the market for fair trade clothing you will find many indigenous styles but not often do you find clothing that seems versatile as well as comfortable with a fair trade concept.  I was really excited when I came across this line and even moreso when we decided to work together.  And to make it even better the prices are fantastic!

Please peruse our site and check out the new tops, skirts, pants, earrings and necklaces from Fair Industry!

Peace,

Brianne B Lozier 

Google has teamed up with the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum to launch the Genocide Mapping Initiative, which aims to increase awareness and understanding of genocide by using Google Earth to visually communicate its reality to millions of computer users worldwide.

Typing "Darfur, Sudan" into Google Earth transports you to the region, where you are shown numerous icons that represent damaged or destroyed villages and refuge camps.  You can click on one of these and are given the option of downloading the "Crisis in Darfur" layer for Google Earth, which contains numerous photos, videos, and testimonies of victims of the artocities.  Users can zoom in on the devastation and the refuge camps in Sudan and eastern Chad.  Users are also provided clear links for learning more about the crisis and how to get involved.

It is hoped that this technology will help more people understand the severity of the situation and be moved to action, such as pressuring their governments to get involved to protect civilians.  The Google Earth technology can also be used to create presentations for churches or community groups, in order to further build public pressure regarding the necessity of intervention.

Links:

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
http://www.ushmm.org/
Google Earth
http://earth.google.com
Google Earth Crisis in Darfur Layer (You must download Google Earth and install it on your desktop for this to work.)
http://www.ushmm.org/googleearth/professional.kmz

It's been some time since we've written, but hopefully now you can see why!  The last two months we have been undergoing extensive renovations behind the scenes.  It has been a collaborative effort, involving myself, Aaron, my wife Brianne, my mother-in-law Sabrina, my friends Steven and Rachel and countless other inspirations including my son Poete, and my newest son Lennon.  We are happy to unveil, with all our love, the new and improved Organic Fair Trade.

Though the look is much different, the functionality of the site is largely unchanged.  Hopefully you will find things a little easier to read with our increased font size.  And also we have already seen the one page chekout getting some use!  But the best is yet to come, as we are now going to be able to return to the serious business of increasing our selection of ethical products, especially fair trade clothing, and providing you with extensive news, research and information about the growing organic and fair trade movements.

While we have done our best to make this transition as smooth as possible, it is inevitable that some unforeseen issues may arise.  If you encounter anything on the site that could be improved, or doesn't function as you think it should, please contact us and let us know!

To qualify to appear in the National Green Pages™ and carry the Seal of Approval, companies' representatives must demonstrate that they:

• Actively use their businesses as tools for positive social change;

• Run "values-driven" enterprises that operate according to principles of social justice and environmental sustainability;

• Are socially and environmentally responsible in the way they source, manufacture, and market their products and run their offices and factories; and

• Are committed to developing and employing extraordinary practices that benefit workers, customers, communities, and the environment.

This season is particularly important to me this year for several reasons.  First and foremost the upcoming birth of our little one that has been growing in my belly for the past eight months is due to come out in the next several weeks!  I am certainly feeling the nesting qualities come over me more every day and am truly elated for this new experience for our family.  Also, we have recently moved into a new home which is in a great neighborhood and is certainly more conducive to the type of lifestyle we prefer to live than our former home.  Although, it was trying to move at this stage in the game for me, it has certainly turned out to be worth it!  And finally, this will be my first season in years to actually have a garden again. 

Always the traveler, it has been my life for some time to leave a place before the actuality of healthy garden has time to take place.  For a few years I would transplant what I could and pack and move container plants but that really only lasted so long.  Although, each spring I do buy a few new plants, with each move I have always lost most of them.  Such was the case with our last home, which held us for about eight months.  However, feeling the ever pulling desire to settle down in one spot we have committed to not moving again until we are either forced to or have the opportunity to build the house of our dreams.  We realized how much “stuff” we really had this last time around and also that we are truly not getting ANY younger! Haha..
                                                                  

So, that being said, I have decided to dive back into the world of gardening, this time a much more mature adult with standards of maintaining only organic plants.  I have always used and grown organically but felt like I needed a major touch up on my knowledge as I am taking this endeavor much more seriously than ever before.  I started by following literally a step-by-step instructional blog on how to grow organic tomatoes.  I planted my first seeds this past Saturday and have now a full starter tray of sprouts!  

There is so much inspiration and fulfillment when you see nature work this way!   To know you had a hand in creating such life creates a sense of responsibility and commitment or shall I say dedication to these plants! Ah, how it has been missed!

I know my inspiration has come from the recent turnings of my life and I look forward to watching the growth and showering my new plants with love and healthy food!  I encourage anyone interested to take the first step in beginning your own organic garden.  It can be done in small spaces on small budgets and help to produce such BIG benefits in your heart and soul, literally!  It couldn’t have taken me more than an hour to prepare the mix of soil for my plants and get them started.  Go to your local nursery or area distributor that sells plants and ask them to help you find the organic products you need to begin.  They will pop them in your trunk and you are ready to go!!!  If you can then try to start with organic seeds, however, if for some reason you cannot be sure to maintain your plants with organic practices and products.  There are endless resources online, in your local bookstore or at the nursery itself on how to being and cultivate an organic garden.

I wish you all the best in your planting season and look forward to the growth of my own! 

Here are some resources I have been recently using: 

http://growingorganictomatoes.blogspot.com

http://www.organicgardening.com/

http://www.verdant.net/food.htm

http://www.organicgardentips.com/vegetable_gardening.html

http://www.basic-info-4-organic-fertilizers.com/

To be an official Fair Trade town, you have to meet a number of criteria. These are:

1, To have an active steering group, promoting and developing Fair Trade locally;

2, For a number of businesses, churches and organisations to be using fairly traded products in their staff rooms, offices and at events;

3, For a number of shops to be selling fairly traded goods;

4, For a number of cafes and restaurants to be serving fairly traded refreshments; and

5, For the local council to be using fairly traded tea and coffee and serving fairly traded tea and coffee and serving it at their events.

• 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.'

The issue basically goes like this. Ethiopia has an estimated 15 million coffee farmers that culivate and sell their product to the United States for a very small amount of money. Starbucks, being a gigantic distributor of coffee's from all over the globe buys this coffee and in return marks up the price approxiamtely 80% and sells it to us consumers. Well, let's back up a minute. Before we actually get to purchase the coffee, Starbucks puts their trademark Starbucks logo on the package and then on the shelves for us to buy. The problem is Starbucks had nothing to do with the making of this coffee, however is refusing to allow Ethiopia to put a trademark of it's own claiming rights to the coffee's they have produced. 

To add fuel to the fire, Starbucks lays claims to being a company that supports the economical growth of their farmers and has been doing this for years. As we can see this has been more of a marketing ploy than the truth. Surprise, surprise.  

The coffee's that come from Ethiopia that the country is attempting to put their name on are Sidamo, Harar and Yirgacheffe. These are some of the finest coffee's we have available here in the United States. Some are even sold under Starbucks' Black Apron Exclusive Line for up to $26/lb. Based on the percentage that the farmer in Ethiopia makes off of this pound, he receives $1.30-$2.60 at the end of the sell. This is just enough money for the farmer to put back into his crop, not nearly enough to make a profit for the family, which is usually in the field dedicated to farming as well. This is why these countries remain in such dier conditions. Even when they become aware of the value of their crop, they are not recognized for their contributions. Most of these families live on approximately $1.00 a day. This is less than most of the families in this country on welfare or unemployment make.  

It is estimated that the Starbucks empire made approximately $3.7 billion dollars in profits last year. The estimated financial growth for the entire country of Ethiopia if it were allowed to stake it's coffee claims would be approximately $88 million dollars. The coffee franchise earnings dramatically exceed those of the 15 million whose livelihood depends on producing coffee. This is why we see the commercials we do pleading for donations. These people are working for nothing! And when they finally realize their market potential and raise their voices for their rights, somehow we allow a corporation to tell them what they are worth, or not worth it seems. Perhaps it is big business that is running our government and not the other way around. The billions of bucks we put into Starbucks could be going to those who actually slave away in fields producing it to improve their way of life.

With $70 million in annual sales, organic chocolate is a tiny part of the estimated $6 billion U.S. market, but like organic coffee, it's rapidly becoming mainstream, said Chris Samuel, spokesman for Green & Black's USA Inc., at the 9th Annual New York Chocolate Show on Friday.

Organic chocolate industry revenue is growing by 40 percent a year, with Green & Black's controlling about 20 percent of the U.S. market, Samuel said.

"Taste is what started it but the press on health benefits has stimulated more interest in the natural organic market," Samuel said. "Now there is an explosion of interest."

Large and small chocolate companies are following the organic wave. A unit of Hershey Co. (NYSE:HSY - news), maker of Hershey's Kisses and Reese's peanut butter cups, purchased Oregon-based Dagoba Organic Chocolate in October.

Hershey's move followed the acquisition by British-based Cadbury Schweppes (CBRY.L) of Green & Black's in May 2005.

Jeff Shepherd, chocolatier and owner of Oregon-based Lillie Belle Farms, started offering organic chocolate, some flavored with berries, four years ago. Selling from the trunk of his car he made $500 his first year. He has since opened a small factory that generated gross revenues of $400,000 in 2006, and he estimates he will do $1 million in 2007.

"People are starting to pay attention to what they put into their bodies," Shepherd said. "And they also look at the little organic treats they put into their bodies."

While most consumers focus on taste and health, manufacturers also point out the environmental benefits.

Made from cocoa grown in sustainable rain forests, free of herbicides and pesticides, and purchased from farmers who receive guaranteed prices under fair trade agreements, organic chocolate helps protect the environment, proponents say.

Organic chocolate costs more. A one-and-a-half-ounce (43 g) bar of Shepherd's chocolate is about $2.50 compared with less than $1 for a regular chocolate bar from a corner store or vending machine.

Shepherd is undergoing the organic certification process and will spend an initial $7,000 for approval and then annual fees.