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.

A Slave for Chocolate?

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