[Peace-discuss] Fair Trade coffee

[Ricky Baldwin]

Hey Linda-

This is very interesting to me.  Any idea where a
curious person could read more about the failings of
'fair trade' stuff?

BTW, I think we should always be wary of consumerist
campaigns, in general.  They're by definition very
narrow.  I do think some of them are good, for
example, if a boycott or alternative product is tied
to a well-organized campaign to achieve a specific
end, trying to organize a union or get a company to
sign something or stop a particularly heinous
practice, etc.  And I think co-ops and such things are
helpful to small numbers of people.  

But as long as you're playing checkers, your fancy
marbles won't count for much - if you see what I mean.

My two cents.
Ricky 

--- Linda Evans <veganlinda at yahoo.com> wrote:
> I'm with Ken on this one.  I've read and listened to
> reports on 'fair trade coffee' that show small
> indigenous farmer's hurt by the 'fair trade' label. 
> Agriculture and trade between nations is complex and
> it would be very simplistic for us to believe that
> it
> can be boiled down to a neat label like 'fair
> trade'.
> 
> Linda (another unpopular person...who has to admit
> that she has never liked coffee)
> --- Ken Urban <kurban at parkland.edu> wrote:
> > I know I'm going to be unpopular to say this, but
> > coffee is bad for you
> > and the enviornment.  Perhaps if americans didn't
> > have such exotic
> > tastes, indigenous people would not be displaced
> for
> > coffee plantations.
> >  I think the tons of mint growing next to my house
> > make a wonderful
> > beverage.  
> > 
> > When there's a cliff, a liberal gives help to the
> > people who've fallen
> > off it, an activist puts up a fence.
> > 
> > Ken
> > 
> > (I envision crazed caffine addicts attacking
> > colombia and brazil for
> > their coffee, instead of their oil)
> > 
> > (OK I have a latte once a week or so ... old
> habits)
> > 
> > 
> > >>> Clint Popetz <clint at ucimc.org> 9/18/2003
> 9:24:53
> > AM >>>
> > > <DIV>I am trying to compile a list for the
> Public
> > i of places in
> > > town where one +can buy Fair trade coffee
> > (including, if possible
> > > grocery stores and other +places where it may be
> > bought by the bag,
> > > but not brewed). </DIV> <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
> <DIV>If
> > you know of a
> > > place, please email me and let me know where it
> > is, brewed +or
> > > bagged, and if they have decaf.&nbsp;
> Thanks</DIV>
> > 
> > Please don't use html in email, if you can avoid
> it.
> >  Those of us with
> > text-based readers will often delete such messages
> > rather than hurt
> > our brains trying to read them.  
> > 
> > But when it's about COFFEE...:)
> > 
> > The IDF did a large fair-trade coffee campaign
> last
> > year, and started
> > one (somewhat) this year.  You should contact Tina
> > Gerdsorf
> > (mamateelee at yahoo.com) and Chris Lempa
> > (chrislempa at ifairtrade.net) to
> > get such a list.
> > 
> > 				-Clint
> > 
> > 
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
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> > 
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> 
> 
> =====
> "As we talked of freedom and justice one day for
> all, we sat down to steaks.  I am eating misery, I
> thought, as I took the first bite.  And spit it
> out." - Alice Walker (author)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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