Fair Trade Blog

Greenwashing. Is it a real corporate sin, or is all the hype about going green a good thing?

CorpWatch calls greenwashing “the phenomena of socially and environmentally destructive corporations, attempting to preserve and expand their markets or power by posing as friends of the environment.”

There is a raging debate in the environmental and business communities about what really constitutes greenwashing. Even more prickly is the debate about whether calling out corporate powers is useful in driving American business to become more sustainable.

While it may seem obvious that putting SUVs in natural settings and implying they are somehow good for the environment is just outright deception, most claims of greenwashing are not clear cut.

General Motors is often accused of greenwashing by promoting its electric car, the Volt, that is not yet available for sale. Yet it would hardly make sense for GM to wait until 2010 to market a car they know will be in production by then.

Most critics of corporate green initiatives seem to be playing a zero sum game. They are not unhappy with corporate moves toward sustainability, but they complain that progress is not far or fast enough. Given the explosion of public awareness in the past decade, but the slow pace of change in public habits, how realistic is it to expect change to proceed any faster?

And how green does a company have to be before it avoids the risk of being labeled as hypocritical. That’s what a lot of them are wondering.

Much of the debate is encapsulated in Jeffrey Hollander’s blog, The Inspired Protaganist. Hollander, President of Seventh Generation has had an ongoing debate with Joel Makower at GreenBiz.com. Pragmatism and principle battle it out in this particular post and the comments that follow.

Hollander and Makower both have valid points, and the passion of their arguments speaks to what’s at stake as American business struggles to embrace necessary change.

Keep shopping your good values!

Have you ever held elephant poo in your hand?   Have you ever smelled Nepal?  Have you ever seen the colors of Ecuador, or slept with a Llama?  

We invite you to have these adventures and more.

Of course, we don’t really have elephant poo, but we do have wonderful cards and boxes from Thailand made of elephant poo for you to hold.  Yes, you heard me right.   The dung is first dried completely and then thoroughly rinsed.   The remaining fibrous material, from the plants elephants eat, is mixed with natural bonding agents and then formed into sheets to dry. 

And if you’ve never been to Nepal, you can still take home fragrant incense made from native ingredients growing in Nepalese valleys.  Glimpse the colors of Ecuador in our fine cotton blend fabrics, or take a Llama to bed with you.  We have Teddy Bears made with natural re-claimed Alpaca fur.  

So, you see, the adventures are endless and the connections with indigenous craftspeople are infinite.   Spend your summer having a little adventure.  Come to our store and travel the world!

Keep shopping your good values!

Is Fair Trade accountable?   Can you trust that when you buy from us, the product you recieve is Fair Trade?  The short answer is yes, though the big picture is more complicated.  

The items we carry come from all over the world and it would be impossible for me to track them all.  That’s why certification organizations like the Fair Trade Labeling Organizations International are so important.

FLO International certifies mostly agricultural producers and workers through 20 certification organizations that joined forces in 2004 to synchronize standards and represent under a single recognizable brand. 

You probably recognize this logo from quite a few Fair Trade products. If you want to view some other Fair Trade logos to look for, check out this Wikipedia entry.

We obtain products primarily through members of the Fair Trade Federation.  That group requires their members to go through an application process that focuses on their Fair Trade practices.  When we offer FTF member products like our colorful blouses from Minga Fair Trade Imports, we can channel that trust to you our customers. 

Unfortunately, there are occasional abuses. Workers may not be paid the standard wages, or products may be labeled as Fair Trade when they are not.  Some unscrupulous behavior is inevitable, but it is light years ahead of a system that generally embraces the bottom line over any other concern.  

Sometimes we decide that we can’t wait for, or don’t need, certification to partner with a cooperative.  We contacted Arghand Cooperative on the suggestion of a customer.  Though they are not certified by any organization, we felt we had to connect you to their wonderful soaps and oils so that this foothold of stability and economic progress in Afghanistan can endure. 

Trust, yet verify, someone once said.   Well, we’re doing both.   

Keep shopping your good values! 

You’ve heard the old saying, “Follow the money.”  In today’s global markets, that’s often hard to do.  

While the American media struggles with the notion of whether or not we are in a recession, cautious consumers are looking at their spending with more skepticism.   They want to know where their dollars are flowing.

So, we all find ourselves thinking more about how we spend.  Not just because we want to use less of them, but because we have all become more aware of how the flow of dollars impacts so many people in the rest of the world.  Most of the money we spend on gas goes to a foreign country while more and more of the money we spend on manufactured goods goes to Asia. 

In many cases, though, we don’t know where our dollars go once they leave our hands.   The Fair Trade system adds transperency to the flow of dollars by setting standards that ensure those dollars make it into the hands of producers and artisans, not the hands of middlemen, brokers, sweatshop owners, or bottom-line retailers.  

Driftless Fair Traders connects you to the flow of your dollars.   A purchase in our store means that money flows to places like Kenya, Afghanistan, Ecuador, and to hard-working artisans right here in the USA.  

New body oils from Arghand Cooperative in Afghanistan punctuates my point.  Rather than succumb to working the poppy trade or depending on the fragile and uncertain local economy, a small group of artisans makes wonderful body oil from local treasures like wild almond and pomegranate oils and sells it here in North America.  When you buy their body oil, you can see where the money goes. 

We can tell you where every item in our store was made and who ultimately benefits from your purchase.   Try finding that out in your average Big Box store.  

Keep shopping your good values! 

We like to think of the Fair Trade movement as strong, healthy and on course for inevitible and continuing growth.  The reality is that it has more challenges than we might realize — perhaps more than ever before.

Progress in Fair Trade in perhaps most vulnerable in Africa.  Fair Trade has been established there for many decades, but now faces global forces unforeseen even a few years ago.   Many African economies have suffered negative economic growth bought on by a toxic convergence of civil unrest, rising oil prices, climate change, and now food shortages.    

The World Bank estimates that poverty has increased as much as 6 percent in some parts of the world due to the hike in oil prices in recent years.  African counties like Guinea, Guinea Bissau, and Senegal import 100 percent of their oil.  Their oil bills are a fraction of the amount they spend on public services and poverty reduction programs.

Lately, the growing spectre of food shortages is drawing attention away from economic development toward simple survival for millions of Africans.  The Africa Progress Panel, chaired by Kofi Annan, said recently that food shortages threaten to destroy years of economic progress and drive 100 million people into poverty. 

Civil unrest is hindering economic progress as well.  Tribal violence in Kenya threatened dozens of Fair Trade producers in that country earlier this year. Though stability is returning, it reminds us how many different ways in which Fair Trade networks can be damaged.  

The challenge of war and social strife certainly extends beyond Africa.   If you have been following the story of Arghand cooperative in Afghanistan, started by former NPR reporter Sarah Chayse,  you know that even after many years of struggle, the very existence of the cooperative is still threatened by the Taliban.    

Just this month Taliban forces escaped a prison in Kandahar province.  Last week, government forces launched an offensive against Taliban fighters in Arghandab where the cooperative is located.  As Sarah said this morning in an NPR interview, the cooperative is a “soap factory in a shooting gallery… 

Certainly these challenges are discouraging, but I believe there is opportunity in every circumstance. Many of the principles of Fair Trade — sustainability, equality, democracy, economic independence – can be applied to tribes, towns, provinces, and nations as well as individuals and cooperatives. 

What could make a teddy bear even better?   Make it out of Alpaca fur.  If you get your hands on one of our new bears, just try to put it down! 

White Alpaca fur makes them the softest, warmest bears you’ll ever hold.  Each one is hand made in Ecuador from naturally-grown Alpaca fur.  You can select a small or medium size online, but you have to come to the shop to see the large bears keeping watch in our store.   

If you ladies want to get noticed while out on the town, chose one of our elegant new cocktail rings made close by in Madison, Wis.  Each one features a crystal or faux pearl surrounded by an impressive band of shimmering silver beads.  The band stretches to fit any size finger making them easy to wear. 

Our new tagua heart necklaces are more casual for those informal summer gatherings or simply an everyday accent.  Ecuadorian tagua nut is carved into a heart shape with a swirl through the middle before it is dyed a deep chocolate brown.  It’s a great complement to our breezy, colorful blouses.  

Come back soon to see more fairly traded, distinctive, handmade merchandize from around the world.

Keep shopping your good values! 

I just ran across the term “passive consumption” this morning.  Being a wordsmith from way back, it struck me as the perfect term for how we as Americans do so much of our shopping.  How many times have you been on autopilot when buying — guided only by lowest price, or easy access?   I plead guilty!  

It’s so easy to forget how much power we have.  Americans consume more products than any other country in the world.  I would think we would want to drive that constant tidal wave of spending dollars toward the greater good rather than what is easiest or cheapest.  

Active consumption, of course, implies effort.  Exactly right!  You have to get off the beaten path, read labels, think about the choice you are making when you buy a loaf of bread or a pair of shoes.  

Fortunately, it’s getting easier to make more informed decisions without lots of research and leg work.  Green products and Fair Trade products are more available than ever before.  Chain stores like Whole Foods and  Starbucks are bringing thousands of organic, sustainable, and Fair Trade products to the market.  Local retailers, like us, are filling in the gaps and expanding the shopping consciousness.  

Finally, I’ll offer my one step challenge.   Sometimes we have to walk before we can run.   So, I challenge you to change just one item that you normally consume.   Change your coffee, look for the locally produced honey, or find that new blouse by shopping Fair Trade online.  

Change happens one step at a time, so let me know how it’s going.  Put yourself one step closer to becoming a truly “active” consumer.

Keep shopping your good values! 

I can’t wait for Saturday!  Viroqua’s first ever arts festival will be right outside our door in historic downtown.  The Viroqua Partners (Chamber of Commerce) is sponsoring the first Main Street Arts and Crafts Crawl on Saturday, May 31. 

Nearly 20 artists and craftspeople will build a little community to showcase their work.  Court Street will be closed for the day turning our street into an arts and crafts block party!  We’re looking forward to quite a diversity of work from hand-painted milk cans, to landscape paintings, to hand-woven rugs.   Photos by our artist of the month, Jack Knowles, will be on display as well.

One of our goals at Driftless Fair Traders is to support local artists so we are one of the sponsors of the crawl.  The single-day event is just the kick off to an annual crawl we hope builds into something unique and special.  

Stop by the shop for an event map, coupons to local businesses, and some fair trade shopping.  Hope to see you Saturday!

Keep shopping your good values!

If you are like I am, you want to support local business as much as possible.  We are blessed here with some wonderful locally-owned places to shop, but that leads to a dilemma.  Where do I spend my dollars?  

We have a co-op and a home-town grocery in our village.  There is a co-op in the town where we work as well as a little general store.  In summer there is the added choice of a farmers market.  I want them all to thrive, but my dollars are limited. 

In our little village of 654 souls, business survives on very little.  Every dollar counts.  If a small percentage take their money elsewhere, I could quickly lose some of my choices.  So, I want to spend my dollars more wisely. 

After thinking about this lately, my shopping decisions are admittedly random and have more to do with convenience than purpose.  Sometimes the hours don’t fit my schedule, sometimes it is not on the way to where I am going. 

It is up to me and you to make our local businesses sustainable.  We have to make intentional choices to accomplish that goal.  If we simply think a little more and plan ahead, we can all spend more dollars with our local merchants. 

Here are some ideas for you to think about.  

1. Go to your farmer’s market.   It doesn’t come any fresher, unless you pick it yourself.
2. Ask your local merchant to carry items that you want or need.  Trust me, we love to know what you want, rather than try to guess.
3. Spend dollars where you know they will come back to you.   If you sell your milk to the local cheese maker, shouldn’t you buy their cheese? 
4. Look for locally made products wherever you shop.  Sometimes even big boxes have locally made products.
5. Move your money to a neighborhood bank or credit union.  Most local financial institutions have competitive services and returns.  Focusing your money on local lending may not cost you a thing.  

What are your ideas about keeping your dollars local?

Keep shopping your good values!  

The world celebrates fair trade today, May 10th.  More than ever, the world needs the solutions that Fair Trade offers.  Achieving and sustaining a clean environment is one of the benefits of Fair Trade. 

Ecology is this year’s theme.  It’s a natural focus that fits perfectly with the goals of all of us involved in Fair Trade.  From the web home of the World Fair Trade Day:

Fair Trade is a force for protecting the environment while promoting sustainable development. Fair Trade favours the sustainable use of natural resources and production methods that are not capital and oil intensive, favouring hand production and organic agriculture - to reduce the carbon footprint.

Events are happening all over the world, including right here in Viroqua, the town we call home.  Our friends at Kickapoo Coffee are participating in the World Fair Trade Day Coffee Break.  They hope this will be the largest coffee break the world has ever seen as millions sip a cup of Fair Trade brew to honor the accomplishments of the Fair Trade Coffee Industry.  

Fairly traded coffee is still the largest component of Fair Trade business around the world.   We sell our fair share of coffee here at Driftless Fair Traders, along with our teas and other gourmet items.

If you would like to know more about this special day, follow this link to World Fair Trade Day. 

Keep shopping your good values!