Today I was listening to the BBC News on NPR, and they did a moving piece about how hard it is for girls in Palestine to go to school. They interviewed a young woman, aged 15, who lives in a particularly conservative part of northern Palestine. She’s rare in that her father actually has allowed [...]
Filed under: Fair Trade News on October 24th, 2012 | Comments Off
I’ve seen Emma Watson in some great films, my favorite of which is “My Week with Marilyn.” She is as talented as she is beautiful, but all of us at Earth Divas love Ms. Watson for another reason. She has been a tireless campaigner for fair trade, sustainable, and ethical fashion.
In 2009 and 2010, Watson collaborated [...]
Filed under: Fair Trade News on October 19th, 2012 | Comments Off
Did you know that in Nepal, tailors make significantly more money than regular sewers? And that predominantly, men are trained as tailors and women are trained to be regular sewers?
This means that it’s easier for men to be employed. And, they earn far more money than women do. This keeps women in a perpetual cycle [...]
Filed under: Fair Trade News on October 12th, 2012 | 2 Comments »
I heard a report on National Public Radio a couple of days ago that broke my heart, and made me realize that I can’t, and will not, ever buy new gold jewelry again.
The report came out of Nigeria, where the worst case of lead poisoning in recent history is taking place. In Northern Nigeria, 400 [...]
Filed under: Fair Trade News on October 5th, 2012 | Comments Off
When you buy a fair trade chocolate bar, it’s usually safe to assume that it’s made with fair trade cocoa beans. However, according to Bill Keeling, md of London-based chocolate producer Prestat, and quoted in FoodManufacture.co.uk, not all fair trade chocolate is truly made from fair trade ingredients.
Here’s how it works, at least in the [...]
Filed under: Fair Trade News on September 9th, 2012 | Comments Off
I love reading stories about people who feel so passionate about fair trade that they give up “traditional” aspirations (such as moving to a big city after college in order to get a high-paying job) in order to pursue the dream of making a significant difference in the world.
I stumbled upon a story just like [...]
Filed under: Fair Trade News on August 23rd, 2012 | Comments Off
When most people hear the words “fair trade,” they envision foods and goods that come from struggling communities in third world countries; I know that’s what I often picture. However, you might not expect a fair trade label on foods or goods that’s produced in a developed nation, such as the United States or Great [...]
Filed under: Fair Trade Living, Fair Trade News on July 25th, 2012 | 1 Comment »
Fair Trade USA is in the middle of a big controversy right now. Essentially, the organization is redefining what “fair trade” means, so they can expand and include larger corporations and/or growing estates.
The current controversy centers on coffee growers, but it has the potential to impact every fair trade producer, from tea, chocolate, and even [...]
Filed under: Fair Trade Coffee, Fair Trade News on May 31st, 2012 | 1 Comment »
So, some fun and exciting news this morning!
Fair Trade USA has unveiled a new logo for fair trade certified products. The new logo, on the left there, is brighter and more modern looking than the old one.
However, it’s not just the logo that got an update. Fair Trade USA’s labeling policies also got revamped.
The reason [...]
Filed under: Fair Trade News on January 19th, 2012 | Comments Off
Here at Earth Divas, we’re passionately committed to fair trade practices with our artisans. Our owner, Ed, frequently travels to India and Nepal to meet with our artisans, and the co-ops they work with, to ensure that everyone is keeping their word and commitments to fair trade practices.
What’s scary is that sometimes, illegal practices still [...]
Filed under: Fair Trade News on December 20th, 2011 | 1 Comment »
