October is Fair Trade Month

Did you know October is Fair Trade Month? Yes, indeedy it is! So like all other "Months"  it's a time to raise awareness - in this case for the reasons why fair trade is important.

You might be wondering why it's important to get behind fairly traded principles and goods. To invest in fair trade and ethically sourced goods is to buy and use socially and commercially sustainable, fair trade products in place of things which may harm the environment, the economy, communities and individuals. We can raise the quality of life, employment, manufacturing and ethical standards around the world - doing our own part to eliminate sweat shops, child labour and to ethically manage our worlds resources - if more often we were to say 'no' to cheap badly sourced stuff. 

For me it starts with considering the impact bad manufacturing has on the individual then imagining the bitter end. I would rather invest in something worth it's cost - 'course I'd like it to last but I would also like to know that the people who made it are living a decent life, that the resources used to make it are worth their investment in the goods, that they are properly derived and when it's all said an done - broke, mended and broke again - I'd like to know that it isn't going to last forever a toxic reminder of what was. That's something I'm happy to have in my life.

Fair Trade can make you happy to! Just give it a try. Look for Fair Trade labels and whenever possible do some research on the things you buy or shop with a retailer who does the homework for you and you can trust.


barb