Green Mountain Coffee Roasters: Brewing a better World
Everywhere lattes are sold, I hear about "Fair Trade Coffee". Before I did research, I had a general idea that "Fair Trade" meant that the importers were paying a decent amount for the coffee. I was partially right, but did not know the entire story. after the research I did this morning, I was flabergasted by the coffee sweat shops that exist in this day and age.
The $3.50 that I shell out every other day for a latte at Starbucks or Caribou Coffee or is equivalent to the daily wage of a Central American coffee picker. yes, I said the DAILY wage. That is tough to live on that no matter where you live and what the cost of living is.
Fair trade coffee sells for a minimum of $1.29 per pound -- which goes directly to coffee farmers, not to middlemen. Fair trade coffee is grown on small farms, which tend to cultivate in the traditional way: under the rainforest canopy and without pesticides.
Because fair trade coffee has doubled farmers' annual incomes, more than 1/2 million people in 20 developing nations are now living above the poverty line.
How to become fair Trade Certified:
- Pay a minimum price per pound of $1.29
- Provide much needed credit to farmers
- Providing technical assistance such as help in transitioning to organic farming.
Fair Trade for coffee farmers means community development, health, education, and environmental stewardship.
I am convinced for life - only fair Trade Coffee for me .. from this day onward.
Labels: Coffee Coupons, Fair Trade Coffee