One week down, one to go!
Home » Blog » Sophie Barclay » One week down, one to go!Fair Trade Fortnight runs from 2–17 May. It's not to late to join in!
Make an effort this week to discover some Fairtrade businesses here in New Zealand, including the pioneers of fair trade, Trade Aid. Keep your eyes peeled for the Fairtrade label in supermarkets, choose Fairtrade coffee from Esquires and Wild Bean Cafe, wrap up warm with a treat from Kowtow and Micah Clothing, and make your baby Fairtrade by stocking up with clothing and accessories from Earthlings.
See www.fairtrade.org.nz for a list of Fairtrade companies operating in New Zealand.
Fair Trade Fortnight also marks the launch of the 'Go Bananas' campaign, which calls on New Zealanders to lobby their supermarkets to stock fair trade bananas.
This campaign is particularly relevant to Kiwis, who are one of the biggest consumer nations of bananas per capita, says Pravin Sawmy, from the Fair Trade Associate of Australia and New Zealand (FTAANZ).
“Through fair trade, growers are guaranteed prices which cover sustainable production—which can be double what farmers currently receive.”
So what is fair trade really about? It aims to share the benefits of trade more equitably between consumers, producers and the environment. It promotes “better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world,” says Pravin.
Through fair trade, producers can provide for their families and invest in their community—things, Pravin suggests, “that we often take for granted in New Zealand, such as education, healthcare and local infrastructure”.
There are two internationally recognised systems of Fair Trade that are used in New Zealand: the Fair Trade Organisation Mark and the Fairtrade label. The former is awarded to organistions who belong to the International Federation of Alternative Trade (IFAT). The latter is for commodity products. "It appears on products as an independent guarantee that disadvantaged producers in the developing world are getting a better, fairer deal,” says Pravin.
Today these systems benefit more than 7.5 million people from across 58 developing countries.
Fair Trade Fortnight began last week with the Big Bang for Fair Trade, held at Trade Aid in Wellington. This included the unveiling of the ‘Make Wellington Fair Trade’ campaign, which would see Wellington join the ranks of other fair trade cities such as London and Chicago.
Get yourself into a fair trade frenzy this week:
WEDS 13
NEW PLYMOUTH Pop into Trade Aid, on 82 Devon St East to try delicious baking using only Fair Trade ingredients. From 10.30 am to 1pm.
WELLINGTON Fair Trade film and discussion evening held at Trade Aid from 7-9 pm. For more information contact Trade Aid on (04) 499 1839.
THURS 14
NELSON The Story of Coffee, 7-9pm at the Coffee Factory 16 Elms St. Two of the South Island’s best baristas tell you everything you need to know about coffee, and information about fair trade and coffee roasting. $10 including nibbles and coffee. Tickets from the Coffee Factory.
AUCKLND Guest speakers, including Stephen Knapp from FTAANZ and Phoenix Organic founder Chris Morrison, discuss fair trade and its environmental benefits at the University of Auckland Business School, Owen G Glenn Building from 6.30 to 8.30. Free. Contact nzjarred@gmail.com
WELLINGTON A similar discussion based around Fair Trade and the Environment will be held at the Memorial Theatre Foyer, Student Union Building and Victoria University from 6- 7.30pm. Contact kellyonuma828@gmail.com
WELLINGTON The Greens @ Vic have organised a Fondue Party at 1A/40 Cuba St. Come along for some fair trade chocolate fondue and organic fruit and BYO instrument! From 8pm.
FRI 15
NATIONALLY Organise a Coffee Break for your friends. Sign up on the Oxfam website and they will send you fair trade coffee or hot chocolate and information about Fair Trade, go to the Oxfam website or contact Oxfam 0800 400 666
WELLINGTON Victoria University of Wellington will be hosting Victoria’s Biggest Coffee Break. Head to the Quad between 10.30am and 1.30pm for Fair Trade beverages and information about fair trade.
CHRISTCHURCH Free screening of Black Gold at Addington Coffee Co-op. The screening runs from 7.30- 10.30 and looks at the exploitation inherent within the coffee industry, and one man’s fight for a fair price.
SAT 16
HAMILTON 1-2pm Trade Aid March starting from Trade Aid on Alexandra St in Hamilton, for a walk around the city centre to raise awareness about fair trade. BYO drums, instruments and pickets!
AUCKLAND Living with Coffee, a short film about a two New Zealand coffee roasters that travel to Colombia and their quest to buy coffee at a fair price. Precedes the film Sampari in the Human Rights Film Festival, 1.15 – 3.30pm at Rialto Cinema in Newmarket.
CHRISTCHURCH Sweet As? At the Nibelhiem Space, underneath Sofa Gallery in the Arts Centre from 2 – 4.30 pm. Take a journey through the four major confectionary seasons of the year as three passionate chocoholics reveal the bitter-sweet world of our most celebrated treat ... chocolate!
DUNEDIN Screening of Fair Trade themed films at the Academy on Dundas St. Tonight’s films revolve around the themes of nature and resources. Click here for more information.
SUN 17
DUNEDIN Fair Trade themed films continue at the Academy on Dundas St. Tonight’s films revolve around the themes of ecology and global political issues. Click here for more information.
Mon June 14, 2010 @ 04:08 PM
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