Fair Trade Joins Google Earth!
By Anne O'Loughlin
Filed Under Conscious Commerce | Leave a Comment
After brewing a cup of my favorite organic Fair Trade coffee from Equal Exchange the other morning, I was awakened by some exciting news. We can now find our favorite Fair Trade coffee producers on Google Earth! For those of you who have been living under a rock for the past few years, Google Earth lets you virtually swoop around the world viewing satellite images on your computer of literally any and every corner of the globe.
Loved by school children, superman wannabe’s, architects, and voyeurs alike, the latest version of Google Earth features a close-up street view with 3D buildings, detailed descriptions of landmarks, and even a “sun” feature that lets you play God and control the sunrise and sunset of any location you wish…great for checking out the passive solar potential of your future real estate acquisition.
Proudly, the team at Google Earth has always had a social conscience and uses its technological savvy to raise awareness about international affairs and human rights issues. In the recent past, they’ve focused their mapping efforts on highlighting the New Orleans post-Katrina floods and the conflict crisis in Darfur.
Their newest feat is bringing you close-ups and stories about Third World producers participating in the international movement of Fair Trade. Fair Trade is an alternative, more sustainable, and all around better way of doing business. Rather than using sweatshops and importing massive amounts of goods from China, Fair Traders work closely with small, independent owners and cooperatives located for the most part in rural parts of the developing world. Fair Trade producers are paid a fair price for their work; do not use child labor; are not held to abusive overtime pressure; have safe and healthy work environments; and are usually recipients of other well-being initiatives and community programs, such as health clinics and micro-credit programs. Continue reading Fair Trade Joins Google Earth!…
Posted on May 20, 2008 |
The Art Of The Buycott
By Greg Berry
Filed Under Conscious Commerce | 2 Comments
It comes down to awareness.
Many of us know what is happening. We are living out of balance with the natural world. Our culture gives us carte blanche to throw away plastic bottles after drinking water from the other side of the planet. Our TV tells us that we’re never going to find true love unless we choose the right toothpaste. We listen to music protected by lawyers on iPods built in sweatshops while driving SUVs shipped across oceans fueled by diesel that funds dictatorial regimes. It’s not cool, it’s not natural, it’s not fair, and both “the piper” and “the fat lady” are tuning up off-stage.
Had enough? It’s time to do something.
The real power you have, I have, we all have, is in our wallet. The economic puppeteers know it to be true. Like it or not (and I’ll go on record in the ‘not’ column), consumerism is the lifeblood of America. It fuels our entire economy. And the only thing that is going to create lasting, sustainable systemic change starts and ends at the cash register. In the 21st Century, it’s no longer about political protests and angry boycotts, it’s about economic leverage and focused BUYcotts. Why the change? It’s more effective. Plain and simple. Continue reading The Art Of The Buycott…
Posted on May 13, 2008 |
World Fair Trade Day
By Jenn Breckenridge
Filed Under Conscious Commerce | 1 Comment
World Fair Trade Day is celebrated every second Saturday of May. It is a day devoted to bringing awareness to the what, where, why and how of Fair Trade. Where we get our morning cup of coffee directly effects farmers and agricultural communities all over the world and can mean the difference between an impoverished community and a thriving one. Whether it’s coffee, tea, chocolate, bananas, rice, sugar, handicrafts, or even sports gear, asking for Fair Trade at the stores you shop at is key. Check out this beautiful piece on Fair Trade coffee by eq.tv.
Take Action: Support Fair Trade in your community.
- Celebrate World Fair Trade Day at an event near you
- Buy Fair Trade products
- Look for the Transfair USA Fair Trade symbol on imported staples (coffee, tea, sugar, rice, and bananas)
- Ask your grocer what Fair Trade products are available in their store
Posted on May 10, 2008 |
The Natural Evolution Of Business: Introducing the B Corp
By Greg Berry
Filed Under Conscious Commerce | Leave a Comment
Historically, progressive business leaders had a few different ways to create companies. The Limited Liability Corporation (LLC), ‘S’ Corporation, and ‘C’ Corporation are the most common legal forms of business. Some of the most socially minded business people have chosen to start ‘earned-income non-profit corporations.’ Without devolving into a Latin-laden deconstruction of these choices, each of the existing options includes some major flaws for this generation’s greatest heroes, the social entrepreneurs.
Our friends at B Lab have set out to change that, with the formation of the B Corporation (B Corp). The ‘B’ here stands for Beneficial. B Corp provides a comprehensive ratings system and certification to help both businesses and buyers distinguish “good companies” from “good marketing.” Founding B Corporations include eConscious Market, Method, Seventh Generation, and Dansko. We spoke to Andrew Kassoy, one of the B Lab founders, who explained their purpose as a way to support “the power of business to create benefit, and to ‘be the change.’”
The socially conscious business movement is by no means limited to a handful of lefties in Boulder and San Francisco. According to Kassoy, there are approximately 60 million ‘green consumers’ in the US today (roughly 20% of the population), 30-40,000 businesses that identify themselves as socially-driven businesses, and over 2.5 trillion dollars has been assigned to “more conscious investments” which span a diverse group of investors and strategies. Continue reading The Natural Evolution Of Business: Introducing the B Corp…
Posted on May 6, 2008 |
Zaproot: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
By Jenn Breckenridge
Filed Under Conscious Commerce, eCo TV | 1 Comment
Jessica Williamson of Zaproot gives you the lowdown on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, also known as the Eastern Garbage Patch. This “plastic soup” in the one of the ocean’s gyres spans an area larger than the State of Texas and holds six times more plastic than plankton! A research vessel called The Algalita sailed to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch to assess the situation.
eCo Tip: To reduce the amount of plastic collecting in the ocean, replace “disposables” in your life with reusables.
- Use stainless steel water bottles, on-the-go utensil kits, reusable shopping totes, travel coffee mugs, and non-disposable razors.
- When you choose products, take the amount of packaging into consideration before you buy. Less is best.
- Learn more at Anna Cummins’ website, BringYourOwn.org.
- If you’re a kid or know one who’s into helping the planet, link up with the Roots and Shoots Reusable Bag Campaign.
Posted on April 30, 2008 |
Putting The Fair Trade In Sports
By Mathew Gerson
Filed Under Conscious Commerce | 3 Comments
Scott James redefines the term good sport. Scott and his wife Susan have pioneered the North American market in Fair Trade equipment for soccer, football, basketball, volleyball, and rugby with their company, Fair Trade Sports. Pakistan is the number one producer of sports balls in the world, and Fair Trade Sports is one of the few sport retailers that can truly guarantee their products are made by adults who are paid a fair wage in a decent working environment. If you play sports or know someone who does, this is the brand for you.
What inspired you to get into the Fair Trade sporting good biz?
I was in the Fair Trade movement already, doing coffee, tea, and cocoa, when I saw a note from FLO (Fairtrade Labeling Organization International, Transfair USA’s parent company) that sports balls became an official certified Fair Trade product during the run-up to the last World Cup in 2006. I’m a lifelong soccer player, so it caught my eye and the idea stayed in the back of my mind for a few years…I felt it was time for someone to lead the efforts here in North America and I wanted to bring a new, fun, sexy product to the Fair Trade movement to show consumers we have more than just agricultural products. Our line consists of eco-balls for soccer, football, basketball, volleyball, rugby, and more.
Where are your balls made and by whom?
Our sports balls are hand-stitched by our adult workers at our certified Fair Trade facilities in Sialkot, Pakistan. It’s a town of about three million people, most of whom are involved in the sports ball creation industry. Amazingly, more than 75% of all sports balls in the world come out of this one town….
Our adult stitchers are folks like Sameena, who lives in a village called Chak Gillan, near Sialkot. Sameena is one of 11 siblings, seven sisters and four brothers. Two of the older ones also stitch balls. Stitching wages are low - only the Fair Trade buyers from our international group pay enough to enable the three to provide their family with all the basic necessities. Continue reading Putting The Fair Trade In Sports…
Posted on April 29, 2008 |
Behind The Swoosh: Nike’s Catholic Nemesis
By Jenn Breckenridge
Filed Under Conscious Commerce, eCo TV | 4 Comments
The story of Jim Keady, former coach of St. John’s University, who heads to Indonesia with Leslie Kretzu, Co-Director of Educating For Justice, to personally experience the living conditions of Nike factory workers there. Behind The Swoosh is a deep piece. Apologies for the video quality, but the story was worth it. Get ready to rethink your running shoes…
Posted on April 23, 2008 |
The Tao of Jones: Redefining Values
By Mathew Gerson
Filed Under Conscious Commerce, The Big Picture | 3 Comments
In today’s market we are familiar with two types of organizations, for-profit businesses and non-profit organizations. In very general terms, business operates for the benefit of share-holders, i.e. profits, and non-profits operate for the benefit of a specific social or environmental cause.
The For-Profit Model
Traditionally, to evaluate and measure the “value” of a company, more specifically a For-Profit company, we generally look to the profit and loss graphs of the S&P 500. To date, the Dow Jones has been the benchmark by which businesses can measure themselves. Value in the form of dividends and performance defined by profits. All so nice and tidy, up and down arrows, points and percentages, very simple. These “values” are clear indicators of who I want to be in business with, right?
The benefit here is defined only by the result of a singular relationship between the company, its owners and shareholders, and the profits. What is missing here? What about the relationship between businesses and community? What effect does the almighty profit have on our planet as a whole? Continue reading The Tao of Jones: Redefining Values…
Posted on April 22, 2008 |
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