World Fair Trade Day

Dear peace community,
May 9 is World Fair Trade Day (WFTD).  Fair Trade is about social and corporate responsibility – a way of guaranteeing justice for all around the world.  There are suppliers, wholesalers, and producers practicing the demanding values that structure the forefront of fair trade, even in this volatile economy.  Take a few minutes during your daily buying practices and ask yourself the following: How are the items I am buying being produced? Whose hands produced this item and how did it come to be in my hands — for only $4.99? What does the facility look like where this item was produced?  If you can’t answer any of these questions or simply answer “I don’t know” then exercise your power as a consumer and find out.  Then ask yourself these questions:   Do I want to support goods where the producers are seen as a vital branch of the business? …where business practices have a transparency? …where people are willing to put the producer first? …where the culture is preserved? …where sustaining the land is a principle of the production practices and of the culture?    If your answers are “yes” to these questions then you’re ready to take the next step toward fair trade.  Please ask your local merchants to carry more Fair Trade goods. If you don’t know where to start, you can email Katie@jrpc.org or call 406-543-3955.  You the consumer have the power to make this change. It is your demands that drive the market place. If you demand Fair Trade it will come. Please understand this power and take your turn to make a difference in this world.

And as always, you can find lots of fair trade goods at JRPC.  We’ll be kicking off the World Fair Trade Day party Friday, May 8 from 1 to 4 pm in the JRPC Library with a Fair Trade Peace Crane Party:  a day of discussion about Fair Trade, Peace Crane making using recycled magazines and Bead For Life Fair Trade Beads.  We’ll be serving Fair Trade Chocolate, Tea, and Coffee.    Come make the world a little fairer.  Then, on Saturday, May 9th enjoy a free sample of fair trade coffee break at one of the Missoula coffee vendors who are donating their coffee for the day – see the list below in the calendar listing!  And remember, everything is better when it’s fair!

Thanks for doing your part,

Betsy and Katie