Small Planet Trading

The latest news

2010-10-25T15:00:00.000-07:00

It is with deepest gratitude for everything we have learned, for each friend and connection we have made, for all the fun and even the hard work of the past 5 years that we write to tell you we are closing up Small Planet Trading on December 31st. It simply has not reached an adequate level of sustainability that would allow us to continue.

FAQ--

Are we sad about this? Absolutely. We sit in the ambiguity of grieving what has been but also feeling the liberation of letting go and recognizing the end of a season. We know that the vision and inspiration that created Small Planet Trading go with us into our next adventures.

Do we think there is a future for fair trade and sustainably run business in the Gorge? Absolutely, We continue to believe that in the next 5-10 years most businesses will be shifting to more sustainable practices. We have had 5 years of being at the fore front of that shift at the retail level. Now we are ready to release our energies from this angle and put them towards another place in the movement. We know there is no shortage of opportunity and look forward to finding our new places in the future.

Are we ready to explore what’s next now? Not really. We plan to focus on closure with Small Planet over the next couple months first.

What’s the plan for the rest of the year?
We are fully stocked for the Holiday Season and ready to help you find the unique and meaningful gifts that you love to give. Come shop today for the best selection. Throughout the holidays we'll be keeping our regular schedule and be here for business as you've come to expect it with a Small Planet flare-- goodies on the sample table, high quality handmade housewares and gifts, reasonable prices, and the Alternative Gift Fair in the shop for your giving convenience.

December 27-31 we'll be open every day with a final sale of any remaining inventory.

Will there be special sale prices before Christmas? No, much of what you see in the shop still belongs to the artist or Fair Trade wholesaler until you purchase it, so we don't control those prices. But after Christmas, any inventory left that we own will be discounted for quick sale.

Is the store still for sale? Why yes, if you or someone you know would love to own a wonderful, established shop, it is still for sale.

Is there anything I can do to help?
Yes, continue to shop at Small Planet through the year and bring your friends. Support our letting go with a understanding comment or two but know that we are beyond the time of debating the merits of should we stay or should we go.

We look forward to enjoying the shop and you all for the rest of the year. DeLona and Karen

A different view

2010-09-29T18:54:00.000-07:00

Having never taken a business class or marketing course, we at Small Planet Trading tend to forge our own way in the world of business.

Many times people, usually friends who care about our "bottom line", tell us that we are too generous. That is one way of looking at some of the choices we make in regards to business-- donating 25% of sales on Common Good Thursdays or offering you discounts and prizes for our special events, even our daily sample table.

A different view of those business decisions are actually a lot less philanthropic-- we are first and foremost a business that only exists because people spend money buying our goods. We know that you have many choices in where to spend your money. Businesses compete for your attention through marketing and branding. This is big money. There are many different ways to play in the marketing business-- print, radio, tv, magazines, maps, guides, signage, and the list goes on.

Our marketing budget is limited and often non-existent. So we try to be creative with the free options, like this blog. But we also think that using our marketing to further other goals is a great way to leverage our most important marketing opportunity-- you telling your friends to come in and shop. So yes, we feature your favorite causes and donate a good chunk of your purchases. And we give you discounts and prizes, because we'd rather spend our marketing budget on you. It may not be very traditional, and it's not the fastest way to gain customers, but we like it, and we hope you do too.

So, don't hesitate to shop Friday, October 1 through Sunday the 3rd. Everything in the store is 20% off PLUS you can Spin to Win prizes.

And tell your friends to come in too. (We'd love it if you became a fan on Facebook and re-posted the sale!)

Thanks for 5 years.
DeLona and Karen

Sustainable Lunches

2010-08-30T12:40:00.000-07:00

School is starting again soon and so, like many parents, I'm thinking about lunches. Three kids and their parents eating a meal outside of the house each day can be a challenge in many ways. I don't have any new secrets for how to get kids to eat what you put in the lunch-- but I do have some kid-tested ways to pack up the food that will lighten the load on your wallet and planet earth.

Recently I saw a statistic that every year 20 million plastic sandwich baggies go in to the trash-- I have no idea if that is a true number, but even if it's just a rough estimate it's still a staggering thought. So what's a busy mom/dad/student to do? Wrap it all up in re-usable, unique gear!

Moms often tell me that their kids always throw out their baggies or plastic containers, so they worry about sending re-usable bags or wraps-- but our products are so colorful, fun and interesting that the kids do not mistake them for a disposable item. Let them choose their own wrap or baggies and they will reuse them all year long.

Lunch boxes made from recycled drink bags
Why we love them:
Easy open/close zipper for all ages
Easy wipe out cleaning
Thermal-- keep food cold with a cold pack or cold drink
Colorful and original-- no two exactly alike
Made by a women's cooperative the The Philippines with a local Hood River company

Wraps
Why we love them:
Wrap the food, secure with velcro, unwrap and use as an instant place mat, throw in the wash or wipe for easy clean up
Keeps food fresh
Made in Hood River by a local mom

Baggies
Why we love them:
Easy to use, easy to wash
All different sizes
Colorful and unique
Made from scrap fabric in Hood River

Klean Kanteen bottles
Why we love them:
Several sizes with different drinking tops for different ages
Traditional single-walled stainless steel or thermal wide mouth
Ethically made for people and the planet

We've also got stainless steel food carriers, locally made napkins, and a variety of cute bags to carry it all in. No more worries about what to send the lunch in-- so you can use your creativity on what food to experiment with instead.

It's about creative connections

2010-07-23T17:19:00.000-07:00

What do we sell at Small Planet that is both eco-friendly and Fair Trade and appeals to Harley Davidson enthusiasts, teenage boys, and hip fashionistas? How about a messenger bag made from recycled inner tubes?

Messenger bags, purses, wallets, cellphone bags... all made in Nepal in partnership with Ganesh Himal Trading. Since 1984 Denise and Ric at Ganesh Himal have been working with many of the same craftspeople. They have on-going relationships that continue to grow and, from what I can tell, become more creative each year. Recycled rubber bags are just one example of how a love of people and the planet can produce creative connections near and far.

Sadle, the Nepali group of artists who make the rubber bags, care about fair trade, worker's rights and the environment. Denise says, "They are passionate about promoting Nepali goods that benefit the environment." Besides recycled rubber, they create useful goods from wild hemp, no-kill leather, and organic cotton using vegetable dyes.

A garage business across from Sadle would burn used inner tubes to dispose of them. Sadle's manager, Aryal who also lives in the neighborhood, couldn't stand the black smoke and pollution. The Salde group knew there had to be a creative solution-- so they decided there had to be something they could make from the inner tubes.

Aryal asked the other businessman if he could have the inner tubes. The man was thrilled to get rid of them. Then Aryal consulted with one of Sadle's customers to design a simple bag. Soon after, Denise, Ric and their son Cameron were in Nepal and saw the prototype. They thought it was fantastic and worked on the first two designs for Ganesh Himal Trading. They were an immediate hit and more designs were quickly in the works.

The garage owner then realized he had a sell-able commodity, instead of "trash". He can now sell the inner tubes which increases his revenue and encourages re-use. Ganesh Himal and Sadle continue to design distinctive new items and have incorporated wild hemp, to feature wild fibers of Nepal.

The bags have been such a hit that they are hard to keep in stock and Sadle is buying used inner tubes from various sources to stockpile and try and keep up with demand.

Creative connections for people, the planet, and prosperity for all, just a typical day in Fair Trade.

--DeLona

Creativity, Convenience and plastic "spills"

2010-07-12T16:58:00.000-07:00

Most of us agree that single-use plastic shopping bags are a convenience as well as a nuisance. Small Planet is always on the look out for more creative options for you-- currently in stock we have shopping bags made from recycled juice bags, from cotton, from fabric ends and re-purposed fabric, and from recycled billboards. Those are just the bags, don't even get me started on the carrying baskets. But single-use bags are still the norm for many shopping experiences and each day contribute to the environmental degradation of the planet.

Plastic bags are made from petroleum. They are made far away and travel around the world prior to use. They don't hold much and are prone to ripping, and so more are used than needed. They are hard to recycle and cause problems when recycled improperly. They end up flying away and being swept to the water and out to the ocean.

Which takes us to the ocean. It's not news that there is a massive amount of plastic caught in the currents out in the Pacific-- but that has been on my mind as the news of the gulf oil spill continues to make daily headlines. See, that plastic "island" is a type of oil spill too-- plastic is petroleum in another form and it doesn't totally go away, but breaks down in to shiny bits that sea animals and birds eat, or that simply turns the ocean into a toxic mess.

I understand that single-use bags are most convenient-- and I've been wondering lately if convenience doesn't often kill our more creative urges. I know for myself that when I take the convenient route--whether it is with a shopping choice, a plan for my day with kids, or whatever, that the end result is way less interesting or fulfilling than when I get just a bit creative.

So this week Small Planet Trading is signing on to support Environment Oregon's Ban the Plastic Bag Campaign. Check out their website for the nitty-gritty details. I have heard all the alternative ideas- from incentives, to taxes, to letting the market find the solution and consumer advocacy -- all great ideas. In the end, there will need to be parts of each of these ideas to get at the change that is needed. So why a ban? So we can say that the plastic spill in the ocean is unacceptable. It's enough. And to allow a space for the more creative options to come through.

Want to be a part of kicking off the campaign in Hood River? Come on down to the shop of Thursday the 15th at 10:30 for a press conference and be a part of the change. --DeLona

The next step...

2010-07-03T14:36:00.000-07:00

Small Planet Trading will turn 5 soon. Since we have an active 5-year-old boy living in our midst-- we know how amazing 5 years old is: full of fun, so much is still new, learning through everything he touches, changing right before our eyes. Having a business often feels like raising children-- you have high expectations and hopes, you give it lots of love, and you have to trust that all will turn out well in the end.

Since the beginning of Small Planet, back when we were Pachamama, we've been an eclectic group of women with a vision of a retail store but also something more. We started with Fair Trade hand-made imports, mostly gifts for the holidays and grew to include local artists and manufactured products for earth-friendly living. We've always held ourselves and our artist partners and suppliers to high standards for how people and the earth are treated. We have hoped to be a sustainable, long term member of the Gorge community.

Life goes on amidst the daily realities of business, and each person involved at Small Planet has seen many life changes over the years-- some planned for and some unexpected. Change has been the only constant. So it is not surprising that we find ourselves in the midst of the next change. If you have visited us at the store recently you may have noticed, or have heard us talk about the latest stage of development.

We continue to work for a sustainable future for Small Planet. At this moment, Small Planet needs more investment than we are able to offer it. It needs capital for inventory, marketing and continued investments, and it needs an investment of time. Because we see clearly what could be, we are offering the business for sale in the hopes that the right person or people will have a vision that includes Small Planet and the investment to grow it to the next stage.

Don't worry, Small Planet isn't going anywhere. We'll be here, working in the midst of change to offer more products you need and want from amazing craftspeople around the world. If an outright buyer isn't in the near future, we'll be open to other creative solutions.

How you can help:

Tell people about the wonderful opportunity to own an established social enterprise.
Have creative ideas for keeping Small Planet vibrant? We're happy to hear them, send them our way.
Shop and support Small Planet Trading-- and tell your friends-- We are first and foremost a retail store, so people purchasing our goods is the only way we pay the rent.

Thank you for being on this journey with us. Again just like parenting, it takes a village to support and grow a vibrant local economy. You truly do vote with your dollar (or RiverHour) and we appreciate it each time you entrust that vote with us. --DeLona and Karen

Sustainable Smudging

2010-05-28T17:41:00.000-07:00

We had two customers special order smudge sticks in the last couple weeks - enough this month to nudge our favorite wild plants vender, Juniper Ridge to the top of the "to be ordered" list. Smudge sticks are not one of our signature items like prayer flags or fair trade chocolate, nor are they very noteworthy to the casual shopper the way any of our items made from recycled materials are.

Instead it's the item that a dedicated customer gets in her car and drives 5 miles into town for, scouts around a 2 block radius to find a parking space for, walks directly in the shop to the smudge corner, makes her choice without a glance at anything else and heads to the cash register for. It's the item that quietly, unobtrusively sells out quicker than we can get the word out that they're back in. Those who smudge regularly like to be stocked and will go out of their way for a good smudge stick.

And ours are good! From the moment the plants are sustainably wildcrafted (carefully harvested in the heart of their range) "from the mountains and deserts of the West", bundled into sticks, and packaged in vegetable based biodegradable plastic - Juniper Ridge does it right.

And how exactly do you use a smudge stick? Here's what Juniper Ridge has to say on their website, "Smudge sticks are the most natural form of incense—they’re just wild plant trimmings, nothing else. Just light the tip on fire, blow out the flame and let it smolder. Extinguish with sand or water when you are done. They’re also great in the fireplace."

We have 3 varieties in stock at the moment -

White Sage: Traditionally used to clear spaces of stale, or negative air, feelings, and energies. When a change is in order sage is your herb to move out the old. Found in the rugged mountains of the Southwest, Sage is used ceremonially in purification rituals.

Western Red Cedar: "In the Pacific Northwest, the people burn cedar for purification in much the same way as sage - it drives out negative energy; but it also brings in good influences. The spirit of cedar is considered very ancient and wise by Pacific Northwest tribes, and old, downed cedar trees are honored with offerings and prayers." (http://www.asunam.com/smudge_ceremony.html

Mugwort: Described best on the JR website, "Mugwort, also known as Dream Weed for its unique ability to stimulate dreams, is found in the mountains of the West Coast from California north through British Columbia. It is renowned as a smudging herb for its subtle, sweet scent and dream-inducing qualities. So burn a little before you go to sleep and dream sweet dreams of wildflower meadows heavy with the smell of the waning winter rains and new green life rising all around you."

Get 'em while they last!

Karen

Hope in Haiti

2010-05-14T14:28:00.000-07:00

Common Good Thursday is back on May 20th to raise money for Haiti Foundation of Hope, a non profit that has been at work in Haiti building schools and clinics for the past 20 years. The organization has it's U.S. base in Vancouver, Washington and maintains a low overhead ensuring effective use of donations on the ground in Haiti. Other programs Foundations of Hope is involved in include micro-loan, community health, clean water and a woman's trade school.

Next Thursday Small Planet Trading will share Haiti Foundation of Hope information and donate 25% of the day's sales to their work. Come support Fair Trade, kids, and community development in Haiti!

A few World Fair Trade Day Photos

2010-05-10T17:08:00.000-07:00

Fair Trade My Home Photo Contest

2010-04-24T12:32:00.000-07:00

Win Fair Trade prizes!
Show us the funny, beautiful
and meaningful ways you use
Fair Trade goods at home.

Send or bring photos to Small
Planet Trading and we'll include
them in our Fair Trade My Home
Photo Exhibit and enter you
in the photo contest!

PRIZES!
$25 Gift Certificate for
most beautiful
$25 Gift Certificate for
most funny

Submit photos to:
Small Planet Trading
202 Cascade Ave.
Hood River, OR 97031
info@smallplanettrading.com

Winners will be announced on
Saturday, May 8th - at the
World Fair Trade Day Event!

Photograph captions should accompany
all submissions, and should include the
subject of the image, the location the
image was taken, and photographer contact
details.

By entering the contest you grant to Small
Planet Trading the right to use your photo
and caption in promotions and other
publications, both specifically related to Fair
Trade and World Fair Trade Day.

Hail to the Kale (& Broccoli)!

2010-04-21T11:24:00.000-07:00

Thoughts on an apple core

2010-04-16T22:33:00.000-07:00

A customer came in the store the other day eating an apple. As he finished, he asked if I had a trash can he so he could toss the core. When I opened our little BioBag compost pale for him, he got a funny look on his face.

"Is that for compost?" he asked. "Sure is," I answered.

Still holding the core, he took his time looking at the contents of my food waste bag-- so I looked too. Coffee grounds, filters, and tea bags from our sample table, an avocado peel from Karen's lunch the day before, my own latest apple core poking out below-- pretty typical for a Small Planet week.

"What do you do with it?" he asked.

"Oh, take it home to my compost pile," I said.

He tossed the core in and gave me a big smile, "I could do that too."

I must have looked amused, because he continued. "No, I mean, I compost at home but at my office we just throw all of the food stuff in the trash. We make coffee, have snacks or lunches. I never thought about taking it home."

At Small Planet we usually take home two small bags of food waste a week plus a large bag of recyclables. That means that what is left to go to the landfill is usually a very small bag once a week or less. Every office or workspace would be different, but adding a food waste container in the break room or near the coffee maker is an easy start. Our Biobag compostable bags make this easy and mess-free too.

Earth Day is coming up-- why not green the office today?

Oh, and BioBags are the April Special on our webshop-- email us if you also need us to send along the handy food waste bucket too. --DeLona

Watch Our Veggies Grow...but hold the Brussel Sprouts

2010-04-10T18:39:00.000-07:00

There are veggies growing in the window of Small Planet Trading. They are tiny little spurts of green at the moment, not really much to look at, but I find myself checking on them several times a day. They have the most wonderful names: Rosa Bianca Eggplant, Space Spinach, Packman Broccoli, Green Zebra Tomato, Cherokee Purple Tomato, Winterbor Kale and more.

When the Hood River County Historical Museum asked if downtown businesses would like to feature a local farm in their window to promote the Farm Life exhibit and series we thought it would be fun but had no idea what we could put in the window that would represent Farm Life. Luckily Nick and Kristin Walrod at Dancing Moon Farm knew exactly what to do. These plants really do say it all. Growing. Food. History. Newness. Soil. Risk.

I am grateful to live so close to where my food is grown. To get to know the people who make it their life passion to bring amazing vegetables and fruit to my table. Being a part of a CSA has allowed me to try new foods and meet new people. I like that my boys understand where their food comes from and what it means to eat with the seasons. It has also given them a unique sense of food choices too.

My youngest son Mateo, when asked what food was his least favorite recently said, "Brussel Sprouts."

"Um, have you actually eaten Brussel Sprouts?" I asked.

"No, and I don't want to. Please don't buy any."

I had to smile. "OK," I answered. "I won't, but if we get any in our farm box, we'll have to try them."

He looked at me for a minute and then smiled. "I'll just ask Lucy to tell her dad not to plant any."

I had to laugh and felt a deep gratitude that at 8 years old he has such an easy connection to his food. I hope it's one he'll always have. --DeLona

Come on by and watch the veggie starts grow. Or check back here for more photos.

Time to Sprout!

2010-03-31T16:26:00.000-07:00

Recently I attended a gathering celebrating the Spring Equinox. A farming friend shared an update that inspired the following thoughts.

Out in the fields, orchards, and gardens it's a time of rebirth, green sprouts, and new growth. It's also a time of cold nights, final frosts, and hardening off. In short it's a risky moment! New growth is bursting forth yet without any guarantee that it will survive. In fact there's a good chance some of it won't. A call for vulnerability with very little security. Apparently that's what being vulnerable is all about; choosing to sprout, jump in with both feet, launch out into the river without any attachment to what the outcome or ultimate destination will be. Kind of like Easter eggs that kids love to dye and decorate and then remain uneaten in the fridge for weeks. Apparently being vulnerable is more about the process than the product.

For you too the time for conserving your energy and hibernating is over. This is a moment to get out there. Pursue something fabulous that has been calling to you. Take action on that possibility that has been marinating over the winter. Be emboldened by the germinating seeds and bright green buds to expand out regardless of what cold nights or set backs may come. Trust in what the seeds know; while not all will survive, many will. The important thing is to open up and allow life to flow. Let go of knowing when, where, or how long. And in the words of my friend, Anne Key, ". . get ready to be swept into the heady and glorious flood of new life!"

Karen

BALLE in the Gorge!

2010-03-03T14:34:00.000-08:00

This week, Becky Brun, editor of Sustainable Industries magazine and Hood River resident, is presenting the possibility of establishing a BALLE Network in the Gorge to the Downtown Business Association! Becky, along with a group of local, independent business owners has been exploring the logistics of forming a local chapter of the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE) for the past several months.

What the heck is BALLE, you ask?

BALLE has more than 80 chapters throughout the country (including 2 in Oregon and 6 in Washington), representing 21,000 independent business owners. Each chapter has its own unique characteristics and goals, but they are all focused on helping strengthen local economies while preserving the ecosystem on which they depend for raw materials, employees, clients and more.

As the co-owner of a local small business guided by principles of economic and ecological sustainability we've often felt like salmon swimming upstream - traversing the direction we must go but often wondering why it has to be so hard. BALLE aims to support small business on the journey to increased outreach, innovation, and local connection. We fully support the opportunity to create a BALLE chapter in the Gorge. Establishing a structure for collaborating with other independently run businesses on issues of sustainability, education and marketing, and long-term community vibrancy would be an amazing opportunity that would benefit all local residents!

Becky is currently forming a Steering Committee, which will help determine the geographic focus of the organization, its initial goals, its membership structure, and more. If you are interested in learning more, email Becky at becky@sustainableindustries.com.

Stay tuned for an update this Spring!

Karen

Love and Retail

2010-02-11T11:59:00.000-08:00

Love and Valentine’s Day, Valentine’s Day and Love—For the last few weeks I’ve been bombarded with a wide variety of thoughts on the upcoming holiday: Friends on Facebook feeling lonely or sad this season. Grade school age boys at home making 24 valentine’s cards to share at school, complete with traced hearts and barely legible names. My middle school aged son carefully making a duct tape rose for his first sweetheart. My Auntie’s emails organizing a family dinner of extended cousins, just a few of the descendants of my great-grandmother Goldie Valentine Huffington Hattenhauer, to remember Grandma on her birthday. And of course, red and pink hearts everywhere I turn.

Growing up with a great-grandmother who had Valentine’s Day as her birthday and a mother who taught grade school and loved all things holiday—Valentine’s Day for me is a sweet, family affair of a day. I enjoy continuing the traditions with my kids and seeing cousins I wish I kept in better contact with throughout the year.

Now as a retailer, I also have to see Valentine’s Day as a way to get the February bills paid. Yep, I need people to shop—and so you’ll find a Valentine’s Day display right in the entrance to Small Planet and red and pink strategically placed throughout the shop. We even have a chocolate sale going on this week. The constant pull in my psyche of wanting to help people live lighter and easier on the earth, and frankly needing them to spend money to be able to keep going can leave me feeling ambivalent about holidays all year round.

So what’s a reluctant retailer to do? Well, at Small Planet Trading we make it a practice not to buy things just because they are for a holiday—you won’t find things in the shop this week that we wouldn’t be willing to stock year round. The Good Clean Love oils make a sexy gift for that special day, but also can increase sexual health all year through. Kisii soapstone hearts from Kenya, Olivewood hearts from Bethlehem, heart earrings from Honduras are each lovingly handcrafted by an artist who benefits from you enjoying their work any day of the year.

Come in on Saturday and get creative on our DIY card table-- if you've never made yourself a Valentine's Day card, maybe it's a good year to start. Not giving any gifts this particular holiday, don't worry, you can still pick up a new toothbrush or enjoy some Spicy Hot Cocoa on a cold February day.

--DeLona

Helping Haiti

2010-01-29T15:53:00.000-08:00

I wanted to write this the day after the earthquake, but I just keep reading all of the amazing accounts from Haiti and know I don't have anything to add. But because many people have been asking-- here are a few ways to help.

These are just 3 of the many organizations already on the ground in Haiti. They were in Haiti doing amazing work before the crisis, they are now responding to the emergency, but they will also be there long term.

Planting Peace

Partners in Health

Mennonite Central Committee

Don't worry if you can't donate right now-- the need will be there for many days to come. Stay tuned with the Small Planet Trading newsletter for when we host a fundraising event. --DeLona

Update-- Feb. 1st
Since posting I've gotten word of two other groups doing their part.

Our wonderful neighbor Cutie Pie Consignment will donate at least 10% off all February sales to Haiti. Individual consignors may add some of their sale prices as well, so the donation on an item could be as much at 65%.

Check out these amazing midwives in Bali who helped after the Indonesian Tsunami and are now in Haiti http://www.bumisehatbali.org/

Birth Stories

2010-01-22T20:33:00.000-08:00

      Like many people who are self-employed and own their own business DeLona and I both have other jobs and sources of income to supplement our work with Small Planet. DeLona, among other things is a certified Doula, or birth coach.   She is an amazing support and advocate for local birthing moms. This weekend is the Gorge Birth Weekend at the Columbia Center for the Arts in Hood River. Friday & Saturday nights there will be a free viewing of the movie, The Business of Being Born and all day Saturday free workshops on a topics such as Childbirth Choices and Newborn News & Baby Planning.
      As we coordinate work schedules at the shop for DeLona to attend the event I can't help but reminisce a moment on the birth stories of my own two boys. Diego, was born 10 years ago at the local birth center. His father, my parents, DeLona as my doula, and my midwife were all present and I needed every single one of them for his slow but steady birth. I remember the desire to escape from my body and visualized being as far away as possible on a mountaintop. Julio, now 4, was born at home on a rainy night - so rainy that my midwife traveling from Portland missed his arrival. He was 3 weeks early and came quickly. Most of the household slept though it. Thankfully DeLona was there to assist. Familiar with the sensations, this time around I planned a birthing tub, prepared with meditation and instead of escaping went inside.
      Some say that your birth story defines you early on. I believe there are many influences and experiences that define us at every stage of life - some we choose, some we don't, some we grow out of or grow into, and many we create for ourselves. It is true that Diego is my even keeled, take his time, steady as a rock child and Julio is my anything goes, sweet and stormy, wild card child. I myself was born in the era of hospital nurseries where row upon row of babies were kept warm in little incubation beds and fathers were not allowed in the delivery room. I've been told I was a most expressive and determined baby - crying the loudest and the longest for my mom so that the nurses got in the habit of delivering me to my food source first and picking me up last.    Somehow those traits of determined recognition of what I needed and going after it did not stay with me into childhood and early adulthood. Now in my 4th decade I'm thinking this is the perfect time to take that persona back as I move into a new era of growing into my power and moving forward.

Karen

How are you doing?

2010-01-14T10:47:00.000-08:00

How are you doing? That's a question we get a lot this time of year. People wonder will Small Planet Trading be here after another winter? Will it simply not make it like a few other favorite stores in town? It's not always an easy question to answer.

We absolutely love bringing Fair Trade to the Gorge. Finding products made so lovingly with the earth and it's people in mind makes our hearts sing. Having the privilege of getting to know so many people who really care about how they spend their money, what vision of the future they support and how they affect their community is humbling, exciting and just plain fun.

We've always been committed to a simple business model that supports our community, artists near and far, and ourselves. It is not the easiest way to do business. It is not a model that generates fast growth.

Life has many interesting twists, and when we first opened for a holiday season, with a small seed investment and a shared space-- we had no idea how many turns life would take for the store, for each of us personally and for the wider community.

All the conventional business advice we get is the same-- we are underfunded and should either call it quits or borrow money against our house. We've never been much for conventionality, so we continue to search for our own way.

Many people tell us how they enjoy doing their holiday shopping with us. We love that too-- but it does not sustain us the rest of the year. Tourism helps, but we aren't in the busiest tourist spot. So what do we do? We try and stock items that our loyal friends need regularly. We look for items that are useful as well as unique. We partner with local artists. We keep our costs exceedingly low. We stretch our creativity.

And yet we still are not sustainable enough for even one full time person to be paid at minimum wage.

Where does that leave us at this moment? Having to make choices and decisions. Not today, but through the winter.

First we'll be closing on Sundays so that we can enjoy a family day--it's been a while since we've had that on a regular basis.

Next we'll be dreaming and working on creative ways to collaborate with others to keep going.

Want to be part of the dreaming? Have an idea to share? Have energy to help keep Small Planet a reality? Let us know, we're open to a new twist or two. DeLona and Karen

Adventures in China

2009-12-06T15:47:00.000-08:00

Those of you who are familiar with our shop know that we carry lovely pearl and jade necklaces from China. We were originally connected with the artist through our good friend, Pamela Larson (top photo), who is currently living in China with her husband and two daughters. Pamela recently sent us the email below. It was such a lovely story from across the globe we thought we'd share it with you too!

Hello lovely ladies of Small Planet Trading,

I was so fortunate to have the most amazing experience. I work in an art group which meets in the private gallery of a famous Chinese sculptor, Xu Hongfei (wearing glasses in photo above). He invited us to join him for the weekend for an art installation in a 1000 year old village of the Chinese minority group, the Yao People (related to the mountain peoples of Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand)!!!! We went in a convoy 5 hours north to this village in the mountains. Four large trucks carried his over life-size sculptures! It was such a sight to see!

The village is very poor and the people live basically as they have for hundreds of years, except for the cell phones! They dress day to day in traditional clothes and for the celebration, wear their special ceremonial clothes! When we arrived, the men came to help carry the sculptures and place them around the village. It was amazing to see these sculptures in their mountainous landscape with the ancient village!!!

My fellow art-friend from Germany and I were among the three foreigners there. The rest of the bus load of Xu Hongfei's friends and associates were Chinese, with many artsy-fartsy types, a camera crew making a documentary, and the local Gouangzhou News TV crew! Many Chinese treat the minority people in a strange way, almost like zoo creatures. They went up to them, indicated they wanted a photo, and then left. No thank you, no connection. Me, (being my shy self!), went up to the villagers with tons of questions in my bad Chinese, about their clothes, art, children. It was great! They were so warm and interested. Most of them had never seen a Westerner except on TV!!!!! I was so inquisitive and friendly that I made many friends who then poured gifts on me! These people live in poverty yet were so generous!!! One woman, after discussing her gorgeous outfit, took it off and gave it to me!!! She would not take anything in return! She wanted to show that the Yao People are generous peaceful people! Then a man I chatted with gave my the sacred swan feather out of his headdress! I was floored! I found the leader of the village and said I want to give something to his village. I suggested money for the school. He said that would be great since many of the desks are broken and they do not have enough paper, pencils, etc. My German friend wanted to give to, so the next day the village leader introduced us to the headmaster of the school and we gave him roughly $60 US which to them is a fortune. The TV crew got wind of this and came over and filmed us, a translator translated and it was quite a big deal!

The next afternoon, all the villagers dressed in their special outfits and the govt. officials came, dances were performed, speeches were given. It was a sight to behold! It was amazing and I wanted to share this with you. Here are a few photos to illustrate their outfits and the art of Xu Hongfei in the village.

This experience humbled me, as well as excited me and expanded my knowledge of the world.

with love
pamela

Fair Trade Free Shipping!

2009-12-01T11:20:00.000-08:00

Kick off the holidays Fair Trade style, make a purchase at our online shop between now and 12/6, use the coupon code KICKOFF and we'll give you Free Shipping!

Web Shop Launch

2009-11-16T16:26:00.000-08:00

It's official-- check out the just launched web store for Small Planet Trading. Now if you can't make it in to the store, you can still get your Small Planet favorites. We'll be adding more items, so check back often. We thank you for telling your friends and helping us spread the word.

Want the latest news? Here's our Holiday Newsletter News, events, Win a Shopping Spree, and even a recipe for your holiday table.

Day 40 - We made it!

2009-10-31T10:10:00.000-07:00

The last day of Fair Trade month! Thank you for playing along. Our final Scavenger Hunt clue is below. One reminder - today we're open from 10-2 and for these 4 hours we're offering a special 40% off anything in the shop for our loyal followers. Come in and tell us that you have celebrated "40 Days of Fair Trade" and the discount is yours!

Clue of the Day: I come from Latin America and have been described as exquisite, intensely rich, to be savoured and indulged.

Prize: Win me!

Winner: Jacque Johnson, new friend from the recent Chamber Coffee Clatter, wins Equal Exchange's delicious Drinking Chocolate!

Day 39

2009-10-30T10:17:00.000-07:00

We're almost there - two more chances to win a prize!

Clue of the Day: I come from the East and make a great companion for meditation, therapy, massage, & space clearing.

Prize: Tea of your choice!

Winner: Emily Bishop searched long & hard and found the coin under one of our singing bowls from Nepal. We of course celebrated her discovery with a resonating tone!

Day 38

2009-10-29T09:53:00.000-07:00

Just a couple more scavenger hunts left in our 40 Days of Fair Trade

Don't miss out

Clue of the Day: From bringing the news to bringing self reflection. A recycled paper mirror from Vietnam

Prize: A bag of Equal Exchange coffee of your choice

Winner: Kim Zanmiller

Come hunt in the full of fun store

2009-10-28T10:17:00.000-07:00

Day 37 already? We had such a fun trip yesterday and now the store is stocked full of new furniture from Tropical Salvage. Come in today to play the Scavenger Hunt and be the first to see it all.

Clue of the Day: I used to grow tall to bring you sweet treats, now I'm all boxed up. The answer: A Cocao Box from Tropical Salvage.

Prize: A bar of Fair Trade Chocolate

Winner: Kathy Thomas

Pdx Fair Trade

2009-10-27T07:17:00.000-07:00

Once or twice a year we take a day to network with other Fair Traders in Portland, see what's new on the shelves of Pdx Fair Trade shops, bring home new inventory, and enjoy a meal in the city. In short we spend the day refreshing our Fair Trade energies, chatting together about the big vision, settle a few of the nitty gritty details of the upcoming season, and have fun!

Today is one of those days and we have a lot planned! These are the four businesses we'll be meeting up with. Tropical Salvage (sustainable furniture from Asia), Bambootique and Global Sistergoods (both offering gifts galore from Latin America, Africa, & Asia) are all three Portland based and have inventory at Small Planet. The fourth, Global Exchange was originally established in San Francisco and does a huge amount of education work on Fair Trade including Reality Travel trips. They've recently moved their headquarters to Portland and have a shop on Hawthorne. I encourage you to check out all four websites and follow their blogs. If you happen to see any merchandise you'd like to find in Hood River or on our soon to be launched online shop - let us know!

And, by the way, for lunch we're heading to friend Beth at Bambootique's favorite Thai spot Pok Pok . The menu looks fabulous! We'll be sure to give you a full report of our adventures and culinary choices tomorrow!

Karen

Scavenger Hunt held over

2009-10-25T09:28:00.000-07:00

No one found the coin yesterday-- don't worry, it's not that well hidden even. And free chocolate, come on, you can do it! Come in today and play the Fair Trade hunt with us.

Clue of the Day: From trash to displaying your treasures. And the answer is a picture frame from Brazil made out of recycled toothpaste tubes and chip bags.

Prize: Chocolate of your choice

Winner: Summer Rector

Day 33

2009-10-24T12:37:00.000-07:00

No winner yesterday so our clue rolled over into today & chocolate added to the prize!

Clue of the Day: I love hanging around and spreading prosperity.

The Prize: Fair Trade Almonds from Equal Exchange

Winner: Won Kim from Parkdale found the coin behind the hanging string of Prosperity Hens from India!

Day 32

2009-10-23T10:25:00.000-07:00

Clue of the Day: I love hanging around and spreading prosperity.

The Prize: Fair Trade Almonds from Equal Exchange!

Day 31

2009-10-22T09:56:00.000-07:00

Scavenger Hunt Clue of the Day: Songbirds enjoy winter because I grow in the shade of trees.

Prize: Win me

Winner: Congratulations Trish Kepple who found the coin under a bag of shade grown coffee

Fair trade Fun Day 30

2009-10-21T09:40:00.000-07:00

Scavenger Hunt clue of the day: From South Africa to Hood River to add fun and organization to your day. The answer is a messenger bag.

Prize: Tea of your choice

Winner: Christine Poniewozik from Pendleton

Day 29--

2009-10-20T09:48:00.000-07:00

Have some local fun today-- we'll be hitting the pumpkin patch and farm stand for apples and pears. See you tomorrow for another scavenger hunt.

Day 28

2009-10-19T08:53:00.000-07:00

Clue of the Day: I may not be fast but I love to get around spreading goodwill and love.

Winner: Mitzy Green found the clue today and won a sweet little three legged Good Luck Pig, a Chanchito from Pomaire, Chile

Day 27

2009-10-18T12:45:00.000-07:00

Clue of the Day: Popular, sparkley, colorful - perfect for a party or to accesorize a costume!

Answer: Jangle Bangles from India - back in stock after a long hiatus!

Price: Equal Exchange Chocolate

Winner: Sue Wanner from White Salmon, WA

Day 26

2009-10-17T10:15:00.000-07:00

Clue of the Day: I love to play and snuggle and was made by Burmese Refugees in Thailand.

Prize: Bag of Coffee

Answer: Handcrafted Doll

Winner: Jessica Gerlitz!

Day 25

2009-10-16T10:38:00.000-07:00

Clue of the Day: Created in the Lencan tradition - in modern form. Try me on!

Answer: Ceramic necklace made in Honduras

Winner: Julie & Irie Tucker!

Tarot Card Readings for Radio Tierra

2009-10-15T09:49:00.000-07:00

Don't miss the fun today as we raise money for Radio Tierra -- 25% off all sales will be donated to The Gorge's only low-power FM station and from 4:00-6:00 Anne Key will be in the shop for Tarot Card Readings-- Now that's some Fair Trade Fun.

40 Days of Fair Trade Fun Scavenger hunt

Clue of the Day: They'll ask if it's ivory, you'll answer that it's plumbing. Answer: Recycled water pipe bracelets from Namibia

Prize: Chocolate bar of your choice

Winner:Hana of White Salmon

Day 23 of Fair Trade Fun

2009-10-14T10:05:00.000-07:00

Don't miss out on the gift certificate sale-- you have until Sunday to get 25% off future purchases. Buy a $125 certificate for only $100. No, you don't have to give it as a gift unless you want to-- gift yourself!

Scavenger Hunt Clue of the Day: One of the Fairest deals going for Palestinians. Canaan Fair Trade Olive Oil-- Yum!

Prize: Win me!

Winner: Wendy Gray

Dry Skin? Try Shea Butter

2009-10-13T08:14:00.000-07:00

Whenever the climate shifts I find myself reaching for my tin of shea butter a few times a day. Whether to moisturize my hands, smooth a dab under my eyes when my face feels tight, or rub into the nape of my neck I love it's natural, slightly nutty scent and rich moisturizing properties.

I also love it's story. Shea butter comes from the seeds of wild shea trees in the wood and fields of the savanna of central and northern Togo, Africa. Considered one of the world's most sustainable resources, Shea tress grow naturally without the need for irrigation, fertilizer and pesticides. Efforts to create shea tree plantations have not been successful and shea butter remains a wild product. Shea butter is harvested and produced by hand. The lbor intensive process involves walking miles a day to collect nuts, drying and cracking the nuts, extracting the kernals and finally crafting the butter. Our Shea Butter comes to us from the Agbanga Karite Cooperative, a group of mostly women who control the harvest, production and export of their shea butter to ensure compliance with Fair Trade criteria and organic standards.

Shea Butter has been a mainstay of African skin care for centuries. As the Agbanga Karite website states, "unrefined shea butter contains an abundance of healing ingredients, including vitamins, minerals, proteins and a unique fatty acid profile, and is a superior active moisturizer. Unlike petroleum based moisturizers, shea butter actually restores the skin's natural elasticity. Shea butter enables your skin to absorb moisture from the air, and as a result, it becomes softer and stays moisturized for longer. In addition, shea butter has natural sunscreen properties and anti-inflammatory agents. Perhaps it is most effective when applied to the skin in its pure state. Regular users of pure, unrefined shea butter notice softer, smoother, healthier skin."

Purchasing Fair Trade Shea Butter supports the preservation of an age old sustainable African resource, provides equitable and steady income for village women in Togo, and is a lovely way to moisturize and heal your skin.

Karen

Gift Certificate Sale

2009-10-12T12:41:00.000-07:00

Now through Sunday, October 18th you can purchase a $125 Gift Certificate for just $100. That's a 25% savings on your future purchases.

You get great savings on your holiday fair trade shopping!
We get the cash influx to be fully stocked for the season!

How to buy? Come in the shop, call us with a credit card, or email us for a paypal invoice.

Thank you for joining in our creative endeavors to bring Fair Trade to the Gorge and survive and thrive as a socially responsible and sustainable business!

Day 20 of Fair Trade Fun

2009-10-11T09:13:00.000-07:00

Scavenger Hunt Clue: Now I'm a chic handbag, but I started life as a grass.

Prize: Tea of your choice

Winner: Milan DeHart of The Dalles

Day 19

2009-10-10T10:19:00.000-07:00

Clue of the Day: A traditional vessel for a pick me up.

Prize: 20% off of your purchase

Winner: Katie Fraser from Seattle

Day 18

2009-10-09T10:27:00.000-07:00

Scavenger Hunt clue of the Day: A little sweet, a little spice -- just right for a cool fall night.

Answer & Prize - Spicy Hot Cocoa from Equal Exchange

Winner: Lindsey Hagen from Ancourage, AK!

Day 17

2009-10-08T09:52:00.000-07:00

Scavenger Hunt Clue of the Day: I help make meditation comfortable. Zafu's from Nepal

Prize: Free bar of chocolate

Winner: Libby Taylor of Hood River

Day 16 of 40 Days of Fair Trade Fun

2009-10-07T07:47:00.000-07:00

Back to our scavenger hunt--

Clue of the day: In my first life I was in advertising.

Answer: Messenger and cosmetic bags made from banners in Brazil

Prize of the day: Free bag of Coffee

Winner: Amber from Hood River

Day 15-- a fair trade for Guatemalan kids

2009-10-06T07:35:00.000-07:00

What do gorgeous weaving, a clown, street kids and Oregon City have in common? The connections made through Fair Trade, compassion and creativity.

The story of the Ruth y Nohemi weaving cooperative is one I love to tell.

Ruth y Nohemi is a weaving cooperative located in Chontola, near Chichicastenango, Guatemala. In the late 1970s Pastor Diego Chicoj Ramos was appointed as a layman worker in the villages surrounding Chichicastenango. This area experienced some of the worst violence associated with the nation’s civil war, and Diego’s ability to work with the villagers was severely hindered during this time. When he was finally able to visit the villages of Chichicastenango after the war, he found that many women had lost their husbands in a raid on the church of Chontala.

Diego and his wife Juana dedicated themselves to helping the local women rebuild their lives. In 1986, the Ruth y Nohemi project was officially founded as a way for women to organize and market their handicrafts. Now more than 15 widows weave bright lengths of cloth on backstrap looms, and young men, trained as tailors, sew the cloth into finished products such as vests, bags, wallets and briefcases. These craftspeople are determined to ensure the survival of their families, their village and their culture, which they represent with the brightly woven floral designs in their textiles.

We sell bags, scarves, and toys made by this inspiring cooperative. Typical Fair Trade story, except that these amazing goods come to us by way of a committed group of volunteers in Oregon City who use the proceeds of the sales to support a day school in Guatemala City. Here is their story.

Just one of the many reasons I love bringing Small Planet Trading to you. DeLona

Day 14 of 40 days of Fun

2009-10-05T09:59:00.000-07:00

Scavenger Hunt

Clue of the Day: I can help you send out blessings to the universe. Prize: Win me!

Answer: Tibetan Prayer Flags from Nepal

Winner: Angel Green of Hood River

Four Years!!

2009-10-03T08:51:00.000-07:00

It's our Anniversary and we're having a store wide sale

Come in Today and Tomorrow and Spin for your Discount-- You are guaranteed at least 14% off and it could be 24%, 34%, 44% or even 54% off!

Scavenger Hunt Clue for Sunday:

I'm soft, useful and one of a kind

Prize: Equal Exchange Snack of Your Choice

Winner: Hope Ryan from Boise, ID

Scavenger Hunt Clue of the Day for Saturday:

I tell a story of village life.

Prize: Box of Tea - your choice

Winner: Madison Hannah discovered the gold coin behind this Zimbabwe Tapestry created by Sarudzai Shonge!!

It's First Friday

2009-10-02T11:03:00.000-07:00

We're kicking off the weekend this Friday at 5pm with the guitar tunes of John Mendez!

From 6-8pm Joshua & Priscilla Benavides join us to chat about their
coaching program, upcoming Community Ed. classes and share yummy raw
food goodies!

For twelve years, this local brother and sister team have been studying and teaching cutting-edge nutrition and lifestyle transformation technologies. As Health Counselors certified by the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, both have worked with psychotherapists, health coaches, massage therapists, and yoga practitioners to balance and vitalize their nutrition and lifestyle and explode their capacity to love and take care of themselves, their bodies, and their lives.

Day 11 of our 40 Days of Fair Trade

Clue of the day: I'm an heirloom and I protect farmers livelihoods.

Prize of the day: Eighth Wonder Heirloom Rice

Winner: Nicole White

Check out this video on indigenous, sustainable rice cultivation in the Philippines. The terrace farming photos are amazing! Certainly gave me a new appreciation for the blessings energy and cultural preservation that goes into the growing and harvesting of this age old rice! ~ Karen

2009-10-01T10:12:00.000-07:00

Day 10 of our 40 Days of Fair Trade

No one found the clue yesterday-- so we're doubling the prize for today. Come in, find today's clue and get 40% off your purchase. Also, if you correctly guess yesterday's clue, I'll give you chocolate.

Clue of the day: Healthy, tasty and I protect Rain Forest trees

Prize of the day: 40% off your purchase

Winner: Carolie Howard

Plus today is Common Good Thursday. Today we are featuring Kiva. 25% off all sales today will be loaned to an entrepreneur somewhere in the world.

Scavenger Hunt

2009-09-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

Day 9 of our 40 Days of Fair Trade

Clue of the day: Useful and pretty, once used to connect communications.

Prize of the day: Free bar of Chocolate

Winner: Amy Fleischer

Fair Trade FAQ's for Day 8

2009-09-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

We're off today, so here's some reading for you.

The link takes you to the Fair Trade Resource Network -- a favorite non-profit of ours.

You'll get the basics of Fair Trade and can click around for many more resources. See you Wednesday for the next scavenger hunt clue.

Which Day?

2009-09-28T13:40:00.000-07:00

We may be a bit off on our count of the days, but the fun hasn't stopped. We held over the last scavenger hunt clue because no one on Saturday knew that buying Fair Trade Chocolate is one great way to reduce the slave trade.

Check out this short video on Planet Green from Emeril about Fair Trade Chocolate

Day 6 of Fair Trade Fun

2009-09-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

Today DeLona & I are having our fun at a retreat surrounded by old growth and good friends. The shop is closed but we're keeping the Fair Trade love flowing with this link to Dee's current favorite tune! Turn up the volume and grab a dance partner!

Karen

Scavenger Hunt Day 5

2009-09-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

Day 5 of our 40 Days of Fair Trade

Clue of the day: The simplest step to stop slavery. Find the 40 Day Coin under this item.

Prize of the day: Equal Exchange Chocolate Bar of Choice!

Winner: Kate Fox

Scavenger Hunt Day 4

2009-09-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

Day 4 of our 40 Days of Fair Trade

Clue of the day: Rodin inspired the technique used to create this item. Find the 40 Days gold coin underneath!

Prize of the day: 1 lb. of Fair Trade Coffee

Winner: Mary Trowbridge

Day 3 Fair Trade Fun

2009-09-24T10:32:00.000-07:00

Day 3 of our 40 Days of Fair Trade

Clue of the day: A local couple is involved in the creation of this product from The Philippines!

Prize of the day: A box of Equal Exchange Tea - Green, Rooibos, Chai - you choose!

Winner: Julie Raefield Gobbo - found the coin under a Detours Lunch Box made from recycled juice pouches by a women's cooperative in The Philippines.

Day 2 of Fair Trade Fun

2009-09-22T14:07:00.000-07:00

Day 2 of our 40 Days of Fair Trade

First day of the scavenger hunt.

Clue of the day: This Fair Trade Product is grown in the USA

Be the first to come in to the shop, find the Fair Trade Coin and win

Prize of the day: A chocolate bar of your choice

Winner: Erika Doring found the 40 Days Coin under a bag of Tamari Roasted Almonds!

40 Days of Fair Trade

2009-09-21T16:43:00.000-07:00

40 Days of Fair Trade Fun

Join us as we countdown 40 days celebrating Fair Trade.
October is Fair Trade month-- so we could just count down through 31 days, but this year is special. I've got 40 Days until I turn 40 and I'm on a personal journey of Fun-- so I'm taking you along.

We'll update the countdown here daily. You can follow us, or become a fan on facebook, or a follower on twitter to get the daily updates. Or just check back each day.

All 40 Days - 25% off all of our Equal Exchange products. Come in and stock up on chocolate, tea, coffee and snacks.

In-store Scavenger Hunts start Wednesday (Day 2)

Day #1 -- Since we're closed today and you can't come see us. Check out this video about Fair Trade

Shop for the Cure

2009-09-15T08:05:00.000-07:00

The fact that we haven't posted to the blog since the first day of summer says a lot about how that season went for Karen and I. But here we are in the last week, with the feeling of Fall in the morning air, ready for a new season.

Nineteen years ago today my mom, Lona Hattenhauer Davis, died at age 45 of Breast Cancer. This is one of those facts of my life -- the meaning and effect of which changes with the years. As I approach my 40th birthday in a few short weeks, I can't help but think about how it was for her to get her first diagnosis at that age. She had health insurance, family support, amazing sisters and friends. So many others are not so "lucky." I also can't help thinking that we still can't cure this disease. Dear friends die of it each year.

As you can imagine, I am approached for financial support from every major cancer non-profit. Through the years I find myself rather ambivalent about the various nation-wide efforts for a cure. It's not that I don't think they do a fine job, I'm sure they do many important things. But while my loss is similar to others, it's of course unique to me and I just don't relate to a large cancer organization.

But for the past 14 years, I have supported the Susan G. Komen Foundation and the Race for the Cure. Why? Many years it's nice to go to the Race and be part of a huge crowd and feel the solidarity of people who also understand on many different levels. It's a day to write the names of the people I miss-Lona Hattenhauer Davis, Rosalie Wiley Hattenhauer, Fern Spaeth. And those of the people who I am so glad to still have around- Marilyn Hattenhauer Fisk, Kay Smith, Amy Mann, Gretchen Williver. And many others. It's like the equivalent of yelling "Presente!" They are still with us!

Why this foundation? Mostly because I know that a good chunk of my donation stays local. My favorite local health program is Nuestra Comunidad Sana. Maria Antonia Sanchez is a treasure to our Gorge communities. Her two decades of dedication as a Health Promoter have meant that a whole generation of people have grown up with better access to health information and support. And the Susan G. Komen Foundation supports NCS and Tona's work with low-income Latina women in the Gorge. It's the kind of thing my mom would have loved.

So this Thursday we'll feature the Susan G. Komen foundation for our Common Good Thursday. Come in, shop, and we'll donate 25% of the total sales. And you can write the names of the people you love who have been touched by Breast Cancer on our memory poster. --DeLona

My lovely mom Lona

Musings on creativity

2009-06-22T16:58:00.000-07:00

Creativity is an amazing thing. I've been thinking about it a lot lately. I've never felt like a particularly creative person. I mean, sure, I write, but that has never felt the same as painting, or creating a sculpture, or the way my kids can seem to make something unique out of any scrap they find. Then I decided to join a group doing The Artist Way. Well, not really join, since I didn't make even one meeting, but I did the program on my own. It's a 12-week program for recovering creativity. I was several weeks into it before it really clicked that I am creative-- yes, I write and I play music, but even more, launching and maintaining Small Planet Trading is a daily act of creation and creativity.

Still I don't often feel very creative, so I surround myself with the creativity of others. This week I've been marveling at all of the amazing local artists that are willing to take this journey with us.

The following artists live in the Columbia Gorge and are currently offering their creativity to you in the shop-- We are very grateful to each of them. DeLona

Cynthia Caudill (Hood River) -- diaper covers, bags, wallets
Marilyn Fisk(The Dalles) -- soaps, candles
Lana Jack (Celilo) -- jewelry
Fred Whitford (Celilo) -- dream catchers, jewelry, stones
Earl Paul(Hood River)-- butterflies and hummingbirds
Jan Copeland(The Dalles)- art, cards and bookmarks
Kim Stolte (Hood River) -- Swaddlekeepers
Camilla Bishop (Hood River) - 3 Flowers Healing
Victor Johnson (The Dalles) - kid's music
Graham Bergh (Mosier) -- cool products from old bikes
Norman Vance(Hood River)-- walking sticks
Mary Lou Lee(North Bonneville)-- cards
Lisa Selfridge (HR - sometimes) -- photography
Chris Emerson(Hood River)-- jewelry
Moi Wong(Parkdale)-- jewelry
Karen Murphy-Mendez (Hood River) -- salves and balms
Diane Cumins(Mosier)-- wood and gourd art
Craig and Tamiko Graffius(Hood River)-- Ecoglass Straws
Erika Doring (Hood River)-- jewelry
Catherine Bordner(Hood River)-- gourds and baskets
Rita Kruse White(Underwood)--"Anik the Unique Alpaca" book
Susan Svensson(Hood River)-- She Who Watches bags
Grandpa Dennis (The Dalles) -- wood toys and drop spindles
Jennifer Cassella(Odell)-- gift bags
Sue Wanner(White Salmon)-- flax packs and bags
Wendy Gray(Mt. Hood)-- Sustainably grown Flowers
Mary Caldwell(The Dalles)-- glass art

Business on the Edge

2009-06-12T13:15:00.000-07:00

In permaculture it's recognized that life on the edge of an ecosystem supports an increased level of biodiversity. In the space where the meadow and the forest meet the unique ecosystems of both intermingle. You find meadow plants and critters, forest plants and critters and a third group of 'meadow meets forest' plants and critters all mixing it up. Native plants and "weeds" generally have a better chance of survival on the edges of yards, gardens, orchards, parks, playgrounds and schoolyards creating habitat spots for all kinds of insects and wildlife and as all kids know the most interesting spots for exploring.

The same phenomena happens on the edges of communities and neighborhoods where new residents bump up against old timers. Generally newcomers of different cultures and languages join the fringes, geographically and metaphorically before they join the mainstream at the center.

The same holds true in commercial and business sectors. Businesses found on main street nearly always cater most obviously to the mainstream and status quo. That's not to say you can't find main street business doing it right and going green - there happen to be a handful of independent businesses taking steps to go the sustainable route on the main drag in my home town. But chances are you are more likely to find the funky, pushing the envelope type business and a higher diversity of unique businesses one or two blocks of the the main drag.

Not coincidentally that happens to be where we find ourselves, a fair trade import shop a block down the road from where most of the downtown action happens. And though we absolutely aspire to be on main street some day, geographically and metaphorically, we do appreciate our lower rent and funkier neighbors. Both of which inspire us to do business our way - cooperatively and sustainably connecting the local with the global.

Karen

Drumming and Fun for WFTD

2009-05-11T15:43:00.000-07:00

World Fair Trade Day was a blast

We drummed, drank tea and coffee, ate chocolate, and learned why Fair Trade makes such a difference to artists and farmers around the world.

Small Planet Trading had twice as many people sign in as part of the world record break as we did last year. Thanks to all of you for participating with us. Big thanks to Eric Lindsay for leading the drum circle.

We'll keep you up to date with results from the day around the country as they come in.

Enjoy a few of our photos and a short video clip of the fun.

2009-05-04T15:34:00.000-07:00

Join us in the shop this Saturday
11:00 Drum Circle,
12:00 Coffee, Tea, & Chocolate Break!
Storewide Sale all weekend
Prizes, fun, break the world record

WFTD 2009 - Everything Is Better When It’s Fair

Saturday, May 9, 2009, is World Fair Trade Day, an international celebration of Fair Trade, with events taking place in over 80 countries. In the U.S., our theme is “Everything Is Better When It’s Fair”. The lives of producers and consumers are better because of Fair Trade. When we support Fair Trade, we not only support the people who make the items we consume and enjoy, we also support the environment, women’s rights, children’s rights, cultural dignity and peace building. That’s a powerful thing to do by choosing to buy Fair Trade products.

The theme also reminds us that Fair Trade is more than coffee, chocolate and handcrafts. Americans can now enjoy Fair Trade sugar, bananas, rice, soccer balls, flowers, wine and more! Retail sales in the U.S. of Fair Trade products surpassed $1 billion per year.

Read more about WFTD 2009 at the Fair Trade Resource Network.

Our pledge to you

2009-04-16T15:24:00.000-07:00

It's Earth Day, the weather is finally feeling a bit spring like here in The Gorge, so we're in a mood to celebrate. Saturday we'll be taking some of our favorite eco-friendly items down the block to the Hood River Earth Day festival.

But for me, as I know it is for most of you, Earth Day is just one more day in the year to consider my impact on the Earth and my relationship to it. So I thought I'd share Small Planet Trading's updated Sustainability Pledge. We made the pledge in 2006 on our first Earth Day celebration as a shop and each year we review, revise and renew our commitment to our vision of a sustainable business and community. We welcome your input, ideas and suggestions for how we can continue to deepen our plege.

Small Planet Trading

Sustainability Pledge

April 22, 2006 Updated April 2009

Sustainable Practices

We reuse and recycle paper products and packing materials, compost food scraps, and purchase office supplies that contain recycled and recyclable content. We use washable mugs and utensils on our sample table and provide compostable cups and napkins for take aways sampling.

Local Economy

We support local currency by accepting and spending RiverHours. We support local artists and producers by providing shelf space for locally crafted items.

Healthy Planet

We support international and local artists who implement eco-friendly practices. We stock inventory that helps us live lighter on the Earth and provide customer education to that end.

We participate in the Green Merchant Alliance and support sustainable energy choices through our merchant processing services.

We will work towards off-setting carbon emissions on our imported inventory by donating to tree planting and reforestation projects.

Stronger Community Ties

We connect with, refer to and collaborate with other local businesses and projects. Through our Common Good Thursday program, we raise awareness and funds for local non-profits and groups. We support youth work experience and mentor young social entrepreneurs.

We will work towards offering Fair Trade education and curriculum ideas to local schools.

Meaningful Employment

We have a lot of fun in our business. We will continue to run our business cooperatively. We will continue to provide a child-friendly work environment.

We will work towards compensating all staff with a living wage.

Fair Trade Big Bang!

2009-04-11T13:42:00.000-07:00

We've always wanted to attend the Fair Trade Federation's annual conference. What's not to like about a weekend full of inspiration and fun? So far it had been a dream for a day when our budget more closely matched our wish list. Then this year the conference came to us! Well, not literally, but it came to Portland. Obviously a sign that we were meant to be there.

It was everything we had hoped: inspiring speakers, useful workshops, meeting new friends and connecting with old. We took away so much to ponder and process that we haven't taken the time to really share with you yet. We did take photos, hoping to post them and let them speak for us, but somehow they all came out just a bit off-- usually my eyes were closed. So I'll have to give you a few highlights.

Being surrounded by other business people who love what they do, are committed to changing the world through their enterprises, and willingly share their experience and expertise.
Finally putting faces to the names of the wonderful people who run the Fair Trade Federation and Fair Trade Resource Network.
Hearing the stories of artisan groups from around the world and how Fair Trade really does improve their lives.
Gathering ideas for everything from marketing to accounting, from communicating with customers to planning unique events.
Expanding our already large wish list of products to bring to you.
Buying and ordering wonderful new goods that we know you'll enjoy.

New in the shop because of the conference:
Shona Sculpture from Zimbabwe
Heirloom Rice from the Philippines
Recycled paper beaded jewelry from Uganda
Tagua Nut, Coconut, and Seed Jewelry from South America
Dolls and toys from around the world

Coming soon-- Silver jewelry from Mexico and musical instruments from JamTown.

Next year the Fair Trade conference is in Boston. It seems a long way off and a long way away, but we're already working on how to get there. We'll have to work a bit harder next time, but now we know just how worth it it will be.
DeLona

The Ripple Effect

2009-03-20T14:10:00.000-07:00

My parents live on Whidbey Island and we enjoy a week's vacation on the island two times a year. In the past I've always enjoyed perusing the small local shops - much as many folks do here in Hood River while visiting the Gorge. Though with my strict budget in mind I've rarely spent money, that is, until the last year or two.

I think it's the perspective of running a retail business of my own that has inspired me to increase my small purchasing. There is nothing quite so discouraging for a small retail shop than to have customer after customer come in, tell you how much they love it, make a request or two about inventory and then leave without a purchase.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not talking about the beloved local regulars who intentionally shop with us and also come by just to say hi once in while. And the last thing I want is for someone to make a token purchase of something they really don't need nor want. But what I've recognized in myself - when I'm on the other end of the counter - is a desire to support small business. And when I'm in a retail shop that is working to create a lovely little niche for itself and speaks to me in one way or another I can support that effort with a purchase. In my case, it's often a small purchase - a gift for a friend, or relative, a bar of chocolate, a book I can enjoy and pass along.

And here's the interesting part. As I walk out of the shop - I feel good! Most cases I'm still being frugal - not an over the top purchase for my budget. Often it's for someone else - that feels great anticipating their future enjoyment. And I've supported a local shop that I really hope will continue to be there when next I come this way again.

I used to think - how will my one little drop in the bucket make a difference? As a retailer I now know that the ripples of one little purchase, on top of another little purchase, followed by another little purchase create a great deal of difference in the expansion of abundance and prosperity both literally and figuratively.

Karen

2009-03-15T15:35:00.000-07:00

March 27-29 the Fair Trade Federation will celebrate it's 15th birthday at it's annual national conference in Portland! And even more exciting to us - DeLona and I will be there! Though we attended the Green Business Conference in San Francisco a few years back since then we've poured all our time, energy and earnings back into the shop. However since the D.C. based organization is travelling all this way to convene in Oregon we couldn't pass of the opportunity to join the fun.

We're looking forward to tapping into the knowledge, inspiration, and experience of the larger Fair Trade movement! We'll also be networking with other small green business retailers and wholesalers. Our hope is to earn enough over the next couple weeks in the shop to be able to bring in some new inventory from fresh new Fair Trade connections made at the conference!

No doubt we'll be sharing some of our conference adventures here later this month!

Karen

What 3 incredible lessons did I learn in the hills of El Salvador?

2009-03-02T14:05:00.001-08:00

I first discovered and celebrated International Women’s Day with a large group of Salvadoran women and children at the Segundo Montes repopulated refugee community on March 8, 1992.

That day I heard the experiences of mothers, grandmothers, and young women who had suffered through years of civil war, the loss of villages, and the flight across borders with soldiers and helicopters on their heels. I heard about the struggle to survive from a women’s perspective as partners, and mothers many of whom were left to raise children, and scrape out a living in exile while their men were absorbed into one side of the war or the other, disappeared, or killed. These were tales of true survivors – some of whom where not yet healed.

As the day progressed I also heard stories of women joining together to care for each other and their children and to take up positions of leadership in the rebuilding of the community. At the end of the day we joined hands in a circle to laugh and sing and send out prayers.

Now 18 years later I see clearly the 3 incredible lessons I absorbed that day:

1. Regardless of the hardship you suffer there is a strength and perseverance of spirit that only develops under severe stress but from which new life and renewed hope can grow.

2. Focus on what you have and what is here – not on what you don’t have. Be active in the solution to your situation. In the translated words of another Segundo Montes visitor about what he saw, “wealth is created from the inside out.”

3. Both numbers 1 & 2 are vastly enhanced if you do it in community. When working together it’s easier (and more fun) to live with joy and hope in the moment and take advantage of opportunities to celebrate the achievements already made though the road ahead appears long and hard.

Karen

P.S. Celebrate International Woman’s Day on the 8th! You will be participating in a nearly 100 year old tradition with women, men and children from around the world! Go to http://www.internationalwomensday.com/ to learn more.

P.S.S. 70% of Fair Trade producers are women! Fair Trade supports women to not only survive but thrive, create, and live in joy and health!

Ditching Plastics

2009-02-21T13:45:00.000-08:00

I often find myself in conversation with like-minded parents in the shop about eco-healthy choices for kids. Many of us are concerned about chemicals that leach from plastic, like Bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, that have been linked to developmental disorders and cancer. Currently the Oregon Environmental Council is taking up the cause to reduce plastics in child cares, in homes -- and on the shelves of second-hand stores.

They are collecting them and will deliver them to lawmakers in Salem who have the power to pass laws that keep toxic chemicals out of children’s products altogether.

And they are asking for our help to get the word out to parents in Oregon about these collection events, and their campaign to pass a children's safe products law. Help us spread the word! Here's what you can do:

1) Below are listed events where they’ll be collecting plastics.

2) We’ll have a petition, as well as a fact sheet about children's safe products legislation. Please come by the shop to read the information and sign the petition.

3) Share this campaign with friends and family and childcare providers who can in turn share with other parents. Go to the Oregon Environmental Council web site for more information!

http://www.oeconline.org/our-work/kidshealth/HealthyKids/dropyourtoxics

Collection events/locations:
Portland: Through March 1, you can drop off plastic toys & bottles at the Urban Grind coffee shop 2214 NE Oregon, Portland

Salem: Thursday, March 12, noon, at noon on the Capitol front steps. There will be other toys collected there, other parents, and speakers talking about the healthy kids bills before congress.

Our hope is for truly effective legislation to be created that tackles the root problems in the manufacturing of plastics without creating obstacles for small businesses and producers already doing it the right way! ~Karen

Trunk Show from Bambootique

2009-02-10T13:31:00.000-08:00

Women helping women to end poverty is a big part of why we come to work each day. One of our many fabulous partners is the Fair Trade company Bambootique. Located in Portland, but featuring amazing artists from around the globe, the gals at Bambootique have a mission closely aligned with our own.

Come to our Trunk Show for Girl's Night Out on Wednesday the 18th from 5-8 and experience a little of what makes Bambootique so special.

We'll have

Unique bags from Afghanistan
Gorgeous Silk bags and accessories from Cambodia
Jewelry from Thailand and Honduras

Plus a slideshow of the artists who bring you these amazing items. Goodies to munch on while you shop. Win a pair of silver and black pearl earrings.

Find out more about Bambootique

See you Wednesday!

A Slave for Chocolate?

2009-02-10T13:08:00.000-08:00

Are you a slave to your chocolate craving? Even if you aren't, your favorite chocolate treat may be brought to you through child slavery. Yes, still, in 2009. In West Africa young boys are sold or lured in to slavery to work in the cocoa fields. Cocoa is a labor intensive crop to grow and harvest. When not managed in an organic and sustainable manner, it is also very chemical-intensive. But that is a different story for a different day.

Several years ago the major players in the international cocoa scene promised to get slavery out of the cocoa fields. The latest follow-up reports show that the efforts have not been effective in actual practice.

The only easy way to make sure that your chocolate was not harvested by a 13-year old slave is to choose Fair Trade chocolate. Fair Trade standards mean that small farmers using organic and sustainable farming methods grew your cocoa. Luckily there are more and more great Fair Trade chocolate choices to meet any chocolate craving.

In the store today we have Equal Exchange chocolates in 5 different flavors and cocoa levels, Divine dark and milk bars in a "snack" size and in the shapes of hearts for those Valentine's. Oh, and don't forget the latest Divine milk chocolate with crispy rice.

Each year our wonderful Fair Trade partners come out with new and yummier options for all tastes. And no worries about slave labor, not to mention lead, melamine..... need I say more?

Oh, but if you'd like more information, here are a few of my favorite resources.
http://www.laborrights.org/stop-child-labor/cocoa-campaign/1669

http://marketplace.publicradio.org/shows/2006/02/06/PM200602068.html

http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/fairtrade/cocoa/chocolatereport05.pdf

Happy Valentine's Day, as if you needed an excuse to enjoy chocolate, DeLona

For a further list of slave-free chocolates, check out Everyday Just Living's recent blog post

Do you get to travel?

2009-01-28T07:56:00.000-08:00

I answer that question almost daily when I'm in the shop. People are amazed at the unique handmade products from all over the world, and know that traveling to pick them out would be the best part of the job. It would be amazing, and I'd love to do some of it as we grow, but the truth is, importing items fairly is a big commitment that a small shop can't completely meet.

The heart of Fair Trade is relationship. People who have traveled and bought items in marketplaces around the world tell me, "Oh, I just don't barter, I pay what the artist asks. That's Fair Trade."

Hmmmm, not really. Fair Trade means that the artist and the buyer work together to come to a mutual agreement about price, yes, but it's much more than that. While buying one time from an artist at a higher price (in local currency terms) makes everyone feel good, it doesn't actually support the artist long term. That's where the relationship of Fair Trade steps in.

In relationship, buyers may pay some of the agreed upon price up front so that artists can buy the goods needed to make it, and also can survive while doing the work. Then the remainder is paid upon completion of the work. That relationship means that Fair Trade importers endeavor not to place just one order, but to develop a long term commitment to an artist, or group, so that they are able to plan and have more stability. Fair Trade importers may also help with technical assistance on issues like product design and safety testing.

So how do we know something is truly fairly traded, if we are not the ones meeting the artists. Again, it comes down to relationship. We work primarily with Fair Trade importers who are members of the Fair Trade Federation. This way, we know they already agree to the same standards we support. When we work with an importer who is not a member of the Fair Trade Federation, we get to know them and chose partners who value people and the planet like we do.

One day I may get to travel to meet more of our artists, until then, I enjoy the stories and live a little vicariously through our amazing partners. DeLona

Make Love Sustainable

2009-01-21T08:00:00.000-08:00

There's no better time to green up your love life than during these cold winter spells.

DeLona and I attended the Green Business Conference put on annually by Co-Op America (now Green America) a few years ago and met Wendy Strgar, founder of Good Clean Love, based in Eugene. She wowed us with her spiel and passion to promote sustainable love relationships with her all natural intimacy products and we placed our first order within the month.

Okay, so we were a bit curious to take a few things home ourselves - in the interests of market research of course. Since then Good Clean Love items have had a home at Small Planet in one corner or another of the shop - and more than a few loyal local fans.

However, today in honor of Girl's Night Out, Good Clean Love is moving out of the cozy corners and into the limelight! From 5-8pm tonight we'll be throwing a Make Love Sustainable party and sharing our favorite GCL products such as all natural lubricants and massage oils, body butters and hot oil passion candles. And for a short time only we'll be offering a few other surprises - books, games, and accessories - all best sellers from Good Clean Love.

Here are a few things we've learned from Wendy about enhancing your intimate relationships. Studies show that the benefits of an active sex life include (just in case you need some extra encouragement).

Stronger immune response

Better heart health

Reduction of chronic pain

Lower incidence of depression
Decreased fear and anxiety and a greater sense of well-being

Though the majority of commonly found intimacy products contain petrochemicals and preserved with methyl and propyl parabens, Good Clean Love products are organic and use only natural ingredients that not only feel good, but are good for you.
Come join the party tonight, Wednesday, 1/21st, from 5-8pm! You might even win a Romance Basket full of Good Clean Love products.

Karen

Doubletake

2009-01-20T07:00:00.000-08:00

Human beings suffer, they torture one another, they get hurt and get hard. No poem or play or song can fully right a wrong inflicted and endured.

The innocent in gaols beat on their bars together. A hunger-striker's father stands in the graveyard dumb. The police widow in veils faints at the funeral home

History says, Don't hope on this side of the grave. But then, once in a lifetime the longed for tidal wave of justice can rise up, and hope and history rhyme.

So hope for a great sea-change on the far side of revenge. Believe that a further shore is reachable from here. Believe in miracles and cures and healing wells.

Call the miracle self-healing: The utter self-revealing double-take of feeling. If there's fire on the mountain or lightning and storm and a god speaks from the sky,

That means someone is hearing the outcry and the birth-cry of new life at its term.

Seamus Heaney