Fair Trade – you can’t sip a venti mocha latte without hearing this trendy buzzword. As more and more coffee shops around the country begin offering this new type of coffee, some might wonder, what the beans does fair trade really mean?
Products, like coffee, which are labeled as fair trade, are certified to meet international labor, environmental and development standards. Fair trade certification ensures that small, disadvantaged farmers earn a livable wage, and guarantees for-hire labors the right to join unions for collective bargaining.
“The (fair trade) farmers belong to cooperatives, which are democratically organized. Other coffee-bean farmers in Latin America, Africa and some parts of Asia are often underpaid and exploited,” said Stacy Marshall, founder of the Grounds for Change, a national coffee chain that offers only fair trade products, and has a branch on campus in J Street.
Not only does fair trade coffee provide financial security for farmers, but the agriculture methods also benefit the environment, Marshall said. All fair trade coffee is organic, which means it is grown without pesticides or fertilizers that are harmful to soil, conserves water and is grown in the shade, which helps preserve the foliage and animal life of natural habitats.
The fair trade label doesn’t cover only coffee. Bananas, honey, oranges, cocoa, cotton, sugar, wine, spices, tea, nuts and dried fruits and vegetables can all be fair trade certified.
The Marvin Center’s Ground for Change coffee shop opened on GW’s campus this semester largely due to student effort. The United Students for Fair Trade student group pushed University officials to offer a fair trade coffee option, and the administration was happy to oblige the good cause.
The first triumph for the student group, founded in 2002 by GW grad student Lina Musayev, came when the Ivory Tower Dunkin’ Donuts agreed to offer fair-trade certified espresso products when it opened on campus.
But unlike Dunkin’ Donuts, all Grounds for Change products are fair trade certified, from the coffee, hot chocolate and tea, all the way down to the sugar. Starbucks also offers fair trade coffee on request.
Some may complain about the increase in end price for consumers who buy organic, fair trade products, but that’s not a problem for cash-strapped students on campus. A large coffee at Grounds for Change costs just $1.50. If that’s not fair, what is?
-Vanessa Tencati
“What’s the deal with …” is a regular feature in the Life section. If you have an idea for the story, e-mail [email protected].
