Events to Provide Simple But Effective Tips For Creating a Fair Trade Home; Common Household Sweatshop Items That Can be Fairly Traded are Clothing, Home Goods and Chocolate.
WASHINGTON, D.C.//April 29, 2010//Is there a sweatshop in your home? For millions of Americans, the answer is an unwitting yes. Americans across the country can find out how to replace goods made in sweatshops with fair trade products at hundreds of events taking place across the U.S. over the course of the next two weeks to mark World Fair Trade Day on May 8th (http://www.fairtraderesource.
Most Americans would be appalled to learn of the extent to which the everyday items that they use in their homes are produced in sweatshops or even by slave labor. Widely used household items that fall into this category are all forms of clothing – from t-shirts to dress clothes to jewelry, home goods – including furniture and decorative items, and foods – including chocolate, coffee, sugar and spices. World Fair Trade Day organizers are calling on Americans to get those sweatshop items out of their home and to instead “Fair Trade your home” to support farmers and artisans worldwide.
World Fair Trade Day national campaign coordinator, and Executive Director, Fair Trade Resource Network Jeff Goldman, said: “There are lots of reasons to celebrate Fair Trade as we bring dignity and justice to millions of vulnerable farmers and artisans around the world. By committing to use Fair Trade goods at home, we can enjoy high quality and take action to improve our world.
The Fair Trade system helps producers and suppliers earn a living wage and take steps to protect the environment. It also serves to empower individuals and communities, support women’s and children’s rights, promote dignity and respect, and connect developing nations with developed nations and markets.
World Fair Trade Day is the largest Fair Trade event in North America, with over 65,000 people having participated in 2009. In the U.S., small businesses, high schools, universities, churches, groups and individuals will be raising awareness about the benefits of buying Fair Trade products. The theme of this year’s events is “Fair Trade My Home”. Events across the country include: scavenger hunts, coffee tastings, dinner parties, arts and crafts festivals, and so much more.
Major co-sponsors of World Fair Trade Day include nonprofit and faith-based organizations, such as Green America, Catholic Relief Services, Fair Trade Towns and Fair for Life, as well as retail companies, such as Ben and Jerry’s, Wholesome Sweeteners, Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, and Anti-Body.
5 TIPS TO “FAIR TRADE YOUR HOME”
Some of the best ways to get rid of sweatshop items in your home and to go Fair Trade are as follows:
* Purchase Fair Trade Coffee, Tea, Sugar, and Cocoa: When conventionally purchased, these popular food items are often grown in “sweatshops in the fields.” Buying them Fair Trade Certified™ means that farmers are being paid a fair wage and communities are being supported.
* Purchase Fair Trade clothes – from t-shirts, to shoes to dresses, there is beautiful Fair Trade clothing from all over the world made by artisans who are paid a living wage.
* Buy Fair Trade Home goods – plates, tablecloths, and even furniture can be purchased Fair Trade.
* Buy Fair Trade handicrafts – from vases to sculptures to rugs – Fair Trade artisans produce beautiful crafts. And, when you purchase them from Fair Trade organizations, you know that no child labor or sweatshops were involved.
* Gift Fair Trade – You can purchase Fair Trade toys for kids, sculptures for adults, and chocolate for everyone on your list. When you gift Fair Trade, you are giving a high quality product and introducing someone to the value of purchasing Fair Trade every day.
ABOUT WORLD FAIR TRADE DAY
On and around May 8th, people in 80 countries worldwide will hold events to mark World Fair Trade Day in order to highlight the importance and benefits of Fair Trade. Across North America, participants are entering “Fair Trade My Home” contests. Both individuals, as well as organizations, will win Fair Trade prizes for bringing Fair Trade, or deepening Fair Trade, in their homes. Fair Trade supporters will host hundreds of events to encourage the public to take home many Fair Trade items, and enter the contests. Events such as festivals, fashion shows, speeches, food and drink tastings, film showings, sports games, neighborhood crawls, and concerts are being planned to help celebrate the day from May 1-15.
No comments:
Post a Comment