Better Living With Whole Foods

In a recent post titled Cafe Femenino, I mentioned the importance of purchaisng coffee that is Fair Trade and organic.

As promised, this post discusses why this is true and how you can make a difference in the world… one cup at a time.

The following excerpt was taken from the book, Better Living With Whole Foods:
There are a couple of things to look for when selecting coffee, tea, or yerba mate:
• Shade Grown
• Organic
• Fair trade

Coffee is grown in tropical climates; most of it is grown on small farms. Historically, these small coffee farmers have been treated unfairly:

Shade Grown: Coffee farmers have been forced to cut back the trees on their farms in order to increase their yields. These trees are more commonly called rain forest. As you probably know, the destruction of rain forest is a hot topic today.

In other words, shade grown coffee helps preserve tropical rainforests, which in turn helps to protect our delicate ecosystem and reduce global warming.

Organic: What you may not know is the fact that coffee grown in direct sunlight requires large amounts of pesticides. As you know, pesticides and herbicides are harmful to you. Also, since countries outside of the United States are not regulated by the FDA, they will typically use a larger amount of pesticides. These high levels of pesticides soak into the coffee beans which in turn get transferred into your body.

Fair Trade: Here’s the problem: 70% of the coffee grown in the world is produced by small rural farmers. Their farms are typically five acres or less. Rural farmers in other parts of the world do not realize the dramatic effect commercially grown coffee, tea, and cacao has on consumers and the environment. Many of these farmers and their workers have been kept in poverty by large corporations. Fair Trade certification was established in order to stop the exploitation of these farmers, workers, and the environment.

Fair Trade is much more than a fair price! Fair Trade principles include:
• Fair price: Democratically organized farmer groups receive a guaranteed minimum floor price and an additional premium for certified organic products. Farmer organizations are also eligible for pre-harvest credit.

• Fair labor conditions: Workers on Fair Trade farms enjoy freedom of association, safe working conditions, and living wages. Forced child labor is strictly prohibited.

• Direct trade: With Fair Trade, importers purchase from Fair Trade producer groups as directly as possible, eliminating unnecessary middlemen and empowering farmers to develop the business capacity necessary to compete in the global marketplace.

• Democratic and transparent organizations: Fair Trade farmers and farm workers decide democratically how to invest Fair Trade revenues.

• Community development: Fair Trade farmers and farm workers invest Fair Trade premiums in social and business development projects like scholarship programs, quality improvement trainings, and organic certification.

• Environmental sustainability: Harmful agrichemicals and GMO’s are strictly prohibited in favor of environmentally sustainable farming methods that protect farmers’ health and preserve valuable ecosystems for future generations.

Fair Trade Certification has been available since 1999, but it’s just now beginning to gain public awareness. I consider it a moral obligation to support the Fair Trade initiative. Fair Trade Certification offers a simple way for conscious consumers to know that their products were produced in a socially, environmentally, and economically responsible manner.

With Fair Trade you can make a difference. Look for the Fair Trade Certified label the next time you buy coffee, tea, or cacao.

For more information go to www.transfairusa.org.

So, what do you think?
Does it make sense to buy Fair Trade coffee and tea?

I’d love to hear what you have to say.

Committed to your success,

Alexander Morentin, C.E.S.
Whole Foods Evangelist
My Fit Life

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Tags: Food Matters, Cafe Femenino Foundation, coffee, empowerment, enriching lives, Fair Trade, making a difference, organic, TransFair USA Tags: Cafe Femenino Foundation, coffee, empowerment, enriching lives, Fair Trade, making a difference, organic, TransFair USA