Fair Trade Your Life

Fair Trade USA just published this great list of 10 ways to incorporate fair trade into your life - you can read the article in it's entirety here.

1. Fill out comment cards at stores and restaurants requesting Fair Trade products. If your favorite store already sells Fair Trade products, use the comment card to thank them! It is important for businesses to know that you want them to continue to sell Fair Trade products.
2. Vote with your dollars: Try to buy at least one Fair Trade Certified product every time you shop. Just look for the logo! And who knows, there is a good chance you will discover a new favorite food.
3. Donate to Fair Trade USA. It is the most direct way to contribute to the cause and every little bit counts.
4. Join the online community: become a fan on Facebook and follow @FairTradeUSA on Twitter (make sure to tag your tweets with #FairTrade). Not only will this help keep you up-to-date about the latest Fair Trade news, but you will also have the chance to win our weekly Fair Trade Friday giveaways.
5. Hold a house party to educate your friends about Fair Trade. It’s an easy way to spread the word about the importance of Fair Trade, and it gives you an awesome excuse to host a party. You can download a free event hosting kit here: http://getinvolved.transfairusa.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Events_Toolkit
6. Fair Trade your office: Request that your employer serve Fair Trade Certified coffee and tea. Create signs that help explain to your colleagues what Fair Trade is all about.
7. Start a Fair Trade Towns campaign or join a campaign in progress. This is a fun way to make a difference in your local community and in communities around the world at the same time! Learn more here: http://www.fairtradetownsusa.org
8. Record a video, take pictures, or write to us about why Fair Trade matters to you. Who knows, your message could be featured on our blog and could inspire others to join our cause.
9. The next time you visit your local coffeehouse, ask if the barista if the coffee is Fair Trade Certified. If it’s not, take the time to educate the barista about Fair Trade and ask if the coffeehouse to order some Fair Trade varieties.
10. Give the gift of Fair Trade. Make your gift twice as special when you give your loved ones Fair Trade products. You can also make a donation in their honor with a Gift of Fairness, a symbolic gift that helps further the reach and effectiveness of Fair Trade in the United States.

Leave a comment and let me know which of these you've done in the past, and which you hope to implement in your own life soon - I'd love to hear! And check back soon - I'll be elaborating on #5 (hosting a fair trade party) in another blog post within a couple more days.