Fair trade’s commitment to people and planet manifests itself in a variety of ways

Fair trade’s commitment to people and planet manifests itself in a variety of ways. Through the partnership between Northern and Southern Fair Trade Organizations, biodiversity is preserved; sustainable energy projects are created; products made from recycled materials are designed; and production techniques altered to preserve the environment. In the US and Canada, members of the Fair Trade Federation (FTF) work with producer partners in each of these areas to create a better environment for fair trade. Some notable examples include

Conservation through Poverty Alleviation International (www.CPALI.org) works to identify, develop and implement new means of income generation for poor farmers living in areas of high biodiversity or conservation value. Through their partnerships in Madagascar, they are working to determine the best conditions for rearing selected species of silkworms in semi-agricultural conditions. Through these efforts, CPALI no only provides valuable income generation projects for local silk weavers, but also preserves an endangered species for years to come.

Friends of Tilonia (www.tilonia.com) and its partner, the Barefoot College, create sustainable opportunities in the rural Indian village of Tilonia. Among their projects, the College puts technology into the hands of villagers in remote rural communities far from the power grid, By training rural, semi-literate women and men to become Barefoot Solar Engineers, the partners give communities access to affordable and clean electricity from solar power systems maintained and supported by the communities themselves. Each household pays a monthly fee that provides an income to the engineers. Employed by their villages, these women are able to support their communities, as well as their families. The program has spread to Afghanistan, Bolivia, Cameroon, Mali, Sierra Leone, and The Gambia. Now, in 575 rural communities, over 126,000 people have access to solar power systems which generate more than 646 kilowatts of solar energy through 15,000 household solar systems and lanterns. Over 1.67 million tons of carbon emissions are saved annually as a result of the solar-electrification of these rural communities.

Changes are not just underway in producer communities in the South. Many FTF members are also committed to reducing the impact of their North American-based operations. Peace Coffee, a fully committed coffee roaster based in Minneapolis, MN makes local deliveries by bicycle and converted their delivery vans to run on bio-diesel from a local cooperative. Larry’s Beans, another fully committed roaster in Raleigh, NC, equipped their roasting plant with passive solar, wind-powered vents, rainwater harvesting chains, and the city’s only gasoline-free 100% biodiesel pump. Other members of FTF preserve forests, reduce their waste by building recycling programs in their community, and develop new dyes and processes by which to minimize the impact of production.

In both the Global North and South, Fair Trade Organizations connect producers and customers around the world in an effort to create quality products that sustain communities and their environment.