Fair Trade Products

Have you heard about Fair Trade Products? Did you know that some products we buy may have been made by those in third world counties that use child labor, indentured servitude, etc.? Have you considered whether your purchases contribute to injustice, oppression or outright slavery? Today is Valentine's Day. Some of the chocolate we purchase is from the cocoa fields where there are injustices, child labor, slavery. I know you've heard about this when it comes to diamonds, and possibly you've heard about coffee, but did you know this can include chocolate and flowers too, which is the main purchase for Valentine's Day, I didn't.When we shop, we should ask for Fair Trade products. Read your labels. Fair Trade labels mean that the product has been produced under ethical and humane conditions.

Our church's Hospitality Committee, Hope UMC, has switched our coffee purchases to a product that has been certified Fair Trade. Until I heard the committee members talk about Fair Trade I really wasn't aware of the issue. I think many of us aren't aware of it, which is why I'm writing this post.Read more about this in Kevin Walsh's article in the morning's Duluth News Tribune titled The sweets you buy might hide a bitter reality. Click on my link to the left for the News Tribune, the article is on the editorial pages. Kevin is a member of the Sustainability Committee of First United Methodist Church here in Duluth.

Thank you Kevin, for bringing up this issue and making people more aware of it.