If You Really Want to Help The World: Buy Fair-trade or Locally
by So you want to change the world, but you don’t know what to do? Why not start with buying fair trade products? It may be the best way for real changes to be achieved. Find out why.
We have all heard the saying “Give a man a fish and he has food for a day. Teach a man to fish he has food for life.”. That is all well and good, however, I would suggest we amend this saying, with “and if you really want to help that fellow out, buy fish from him, so he can build the house he wants, and buy the clothes he likes”. By buying products that are considered Fair-Trade you can help others attain a better life. All of this can be done by buying products that you already use in your home. All it takes is awareness of which products are Fair-Trade and which are not.
What Makes a Product Fair-Trade?
Fair-Trade products are ones where the amount of middlemen have been cut down to a minimum, thus allowing more profits to go to their original producer. Promoters of Fair-Trade, also aim to include products, in which workers, making them, have better conditions, and higher wages. In 2002, an International Fairtrade Certification Mark, was introduced, by Fairtrade Labeling Organization International. This mark is used worldwide, with the exception of the U.S. And Canada, that use the Fair Trade Certified Mark. A transition to the FLO mark is underway in those countries.
Image via Wikipedia
How Can I Buy Fair Trade Products That Are Local?
Even though some products you buy locally may not have an official Fair Trade mark on them, you can go to places where you can buy directly from the product’s producer. These places can include, local farmer’s markets and craft fairs. At farmer’s market the products, that you buy, are usually brought there by a farmer, or craftsperson. You can develop on ongoing relationship with these producers, and see the benefits of your purchases directly upon them. Many of the food products one buys, at a farmer’s market, is of a much better quality, than they could get at a large chain store. Buying these products not only helps the producers family, but also may benefit your own family, with better health and lower cost.
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Post Commentlillyrose
On February 24, 2010 at 10:54 am
Always do, even my kids are doing it now and their school is teaching them where to find the products! great and important article!
martie
On February 24, 2010 at 10:54 am
Really great article Mark. The only thing is that in this area more and more craft fairs are allowing people to sell products they did not make, so purchasing these items means you are purchasing from a middle man.
chellsy
On February 24, 2010 at 1:42 pm
great one
Brenda Nelson
On February 24, 2010 at 2:41 pm
Fair trade is a good move for supporting distant economies. I love buying locally when I can because it not only helps local economy but is more environmentally friendly than buying things that require shipping….hard to find though.
deep blue
On February 27, 2010 at 6:57 am
A well thought article. Fair trade is a great alternative to our worsening economy and in a way, a fair distribution of currency to people who brave the cold and weather to raise root crops and fish in the open sea. Nice post Mark.
johnnydod
On March 3, 2010 at 5:52 pm
I’m with you on this one.. good work
BradONeill
On March 8, 2010 at 11:36 pm
hey middlemen need to build houses also. I am an unabashed capitalist pig but I do agree with a lot of what you have written here. I am not a believer in the buy local movement I just dont think it is really that efficient. I think the fact that we can eat a breakfast from every corner of the world for under 4 bucks is freaking amazing. i love commerce and I think trading across this great big world does more for world peace than anything else we can do. I know you were not advocating isolationism in your article but many people who are part of the buy local movement are inadvertainly in that camp.
Mark Gordon Brown
On March 9, 2010 at 2:08 am
Actually Brad I am also a supporter of capitalism, in a sense. Also an Objectivist. However, my view of both is that we have to make it so everyone is healthy and living in abundance in order for these things to work right. I live capitalism because it is one thing that allows everyone a chance to advance. Many may think that it hinders advancement of some. I do not think so. I just can not get behind systems like communism because there always has to be someone at the top, and that makes communism a system that is ripe for abuse. In capitalism it is up to the individual to advance themselves. I do not believe in capitalism that relies on throat cutting because eventually that cuts the throats of everyone involved. Fair trade I view as a health form of capitalism.
A. Fool
On March 11, 2010 at 7:30 pm
I wrote a piece about Chocolate by slave labour. I buy fair trade chocolate.
Butterfly Musings
On March 13, 2010 at 7:59 pm
a great article!