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11th May 2010 by Julia Hosking

What is Fairtrade?

When a product carries the Fairtrade label, it means that the farmers who produced the goods (tea, coffee, cocoa beans etc.) were paid a fair price for their work. It also means that children and adults are not working 12-hour days (or more) for ridiculously low wages and in poor working conditions to produce the product.

Why should you care?

1. Australia is a rich country, and should help the poor;
2. We are a nation that believes in a "fair go", and so Australia should allow farmers in developing nations a "fair go" also (a fair price / fair working conditions);
3. The farms where Fairtrade is not in practice, human rights are being abused. Where Fairtrade is in practice, workers are earning proper wages and experiencing acceptable working conditions;
4. Fairtrade certified tea, coffee and chocolate is guaranteed to have been produced free from child exploitation and slavery;
5. Buying Fairtrade products means that farmers' children have the opportunity to go to school, instead of needing to work to support the family;
6. When farmers are under the Fairtrade scheme, they can overcome poverty because their businesses are sustainable;
7. Fairtrade farmers are able to buy healthcare, and work in safe conditions;
8. Fairtrade promotes the United Nations ideals of human dignity, rights and freedoms;
9. Fairtrade products are produced using environmentally sustainable methods, and the farmers are provided with the money / resources to improve their environment and community; and
10. Purchasing Fairtrade products will assist Australia to achieve the global Millennium Development Goals which include halving poverty by 2015, because a fairer price is paid to the actual producers of the products, allowing them to improve their living conditions.

What can I do?

• Find where Fairtrade products are available in your area.
• Order / buy Fairtrade tea, coffee and chocolate for your home.
• Talk with your school teachers and make sure that your school treats children in overseas countries to the same standards as they are required to treat those within Australia by purchasing Fairtrade tea, coffee and chocolate for your school canteen and their teachers' lounge.

Remember: You can make a huge impact at the cash register. What you do at the supermarket impacts lives on the other side of the world. Never underestimate the significance of your actions – you can make a difference and you can do so very easily.

* With thanks to Luke Geary and Litvinoff, M and Madeley, J, 50 Reasons to Buy Fair Trade, Pluto Press, 2007

Comments

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1. 

   Dave

   May 12, 2010 at 10:00am

   It is amazing how we can begin to make an impact by something as simple as a few changes to what we purchase!
   
   A mate of mine is in the process of launching a website called fairly local where you can learn about fair trade and also search for fair trade products and locations - another helpful resource to find out what kinds of products are available near you...the site is:
   
   http://www.fairlylocal.com.au/

   Reply