Organic and Fair Trade Issues
I've noticed that a lot of people these days seem to really care about buying
organic produce. I've also noticed that the fair trade market still hasn't
made it into the main stream. I have a theory that the reason behind this is
primarily selfish. People want organic food because they are concerned about
the health effects of chemicals. It's only a bonus that it's better for the
environment and encourages land reform. The reason that I believe that this is
the case is because fair trade food doesn't offer the same motivations and so
is not as popular.
Joel and I have decided that we are not going to spend extra money to buy
organic items because for now we believe that the money that we save by buying
regular food can be given to charity and benefit people more then the benefit
that people would receive from us buying organic food. I'm not totally
comfortable with this decision because I don't have all the information about
organic farming. I'm going to a conference this weekend that will have
information about this.
I feel very differently about fair trade. Joel and I do a lot to try not to
buy items that encourage exploitation. It bothers me to no end that Christians
that I've talked to about this issue still continue to buy such products. It
is not alright in God's eyes to buy something that oppresses someone else just
because it tastes better or looks better. We don't buy a lot of fair trade items because in almost all circumstances we
either don't actually need the product and so can save money for charity by
simply not buying the item. While it's good to support the economies of the
developing world we're not willing to support the misuse of land resources for
growing frivolous things like coffee.
What I'd really like to see is fair trade manufacturing of important items
grow. Why couldn't we see fair trade underwear or socks? How about inner tubes
for bicycles or pots and pans. Unfortunately I can't really see this ever
catching on because people are selfish. The fair trade market that has grown is
the part of the market that feeds the high tastes of our culture. Fair trade
coffee tastes better but what advantage is it to me if my underwear
manufacturer can feed his family?
Below I've included a list of common items for you to think about
Food
Tropical Fruit: bananas, mangoes, papaya, avocados
Sugars: beet sugar is good but cane sugar should be questioned
Chocolate: This is one of the worst. Please read into the awful conditions of
the plantation workers on the ivory coast
Coffee
Tea
Vanilla
Any food that is not grown in North America should be questioned.
Manufacturing
Read the labels. If the item is not made in a first world country you should
probably question it.
Posted by rose at March 4, 2005 10:24 AM
Premise 1: Chocolate is grown in the Ivory Coast
Premise 2: Work conditions are horrible in the Ivory Coast
Bad Idea 1: Let's stop buying Ivory Coast chocolate.
Boycotts work in western countries because the people in bad working conditions go find jobs elsewhere. Boycotts fail in places with "bad working conditions" mainly because people put up with these things due to lack of other jobs.
You could very well stop buying this chocolate and instead buy X brand organic/consciously grown/non eroding/non tested on animals/non sweat shop chocolate.
Then again you would just take away the minutely little that the people in abysmmal conditions have.
Maobi,
I disagree with you for a few reasons. I think boycotts in developing countries could eventually work if enough people would take them on. I think that what would happen is that the companies that are exploiting the poor would leave and the land could eventually be handed over to the people for farming.
Another thing is that if enough people bought fair trade chocolate it would put pressure on the market for farmers to be treated more equitably therefore the farmers would not be out of jobs but would have good jobs rather then crappy jobs.
Thirdly, I'm just not comfortable giving companies that are unjust $99.50 so that $0.50 can get to the people in need. I'd rater give all that money to the people need. This is especially the case when it comes to frivolous things like chocolate. If you're going to argue that one gives jobs and the other gives a hand out then my solution is to give the money to something that can create jobs. You get the idea.