What is Fair Trade Coffee???

Fair Trade means an equitable and fair partnership between consumers in North America and producers in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. The chief concern of the Fair Trade movement has been to ensure that the vast majority of the world's coffee farmers (who are small holders) get a fair price for their harvests in order to achieve a decent living wage. Fair Trade guarantees to poor farmers organized in cooperatives around the world: a living wage (minimum price of $1.26/pound regardless of the volatile market); much needed credit at fair prices; and long term relationships. These fair payments are invested in health care, education, environmental stewardship, and economic independence. Fair Trade Certified coffee is the first product being introduced in the United States with an independently monitored system to ensure that it was produced under fair labor conditions; now we need a movement to demand it!!

Why Fair Trade Certified Coffee Is An Important New Movement:

-It's a consumer trend. More and more people care about the conditions of the people who produce the products they buy. Coffee is the first commodity in the United States for which there is an independent monitor that guarantees that producers were paid a fair wage for their product and work in decent conditions -- a real alternative to sweatshops.

-This is a huge industry trend. Across the country, there are over 100 companies that have licensing agreements with TransFair to offer Fair Trade Certified coffee. Major roasters include Starbucks, Tully's, Peet's, Equal Exchange, Diedrich, and Green Mountain, serving over 7,000 retail locations, with volumes rising every day.

-It's an environmental issue. Small farmers are the best stewards of the land. When you support Fair Trade, you support the environment. Fair Trade farmers don't have the capital input to clear forests, buy chemical fertilizers and pesticides. They generally grow small plots of mixed-crop, shade grown coffee organically.

-The untold story of the gourmet coffee boom: it's leaving small farmers behind. Prices are currently at 8-year lows, falling under $.50 per pound in August 2001 -- yet retail prices stay high, meaning mass industry profits. Fair Trade brings small farmers into the boom.



*** I Hope this info can be helpful to help people understand what fair trade coffee really is! ***

A Deaf Barista @ Starbucks! SUPER COOL!

This is super amazing and awesome! It is so great to see a Hearing Impared Person working at Starbucks and I would love to be served by this man! He seems like a great Employee!!!

I love the board they created for him so he can interact with Customers! People who have issues with ordering drinks from a person like this need to grow up and learn to be more tolerant!

Way to Go Jason Griggs!!! - You are a true Barista!

The Stories of Starbucks!

Check out these Videos of Starbucks or visit www.youtube.com/starbucks

Starbucks in Vancouver - 2 x 2

Only in Vancouver EH!!!

You can go anywhere and fine 1 starbucks directly accross from another!

At Metrotown Mall you can find 4 of them in the mall! LIKE SERIOUSLY!
Down on Sct Rd in Surrey you can find 3 within 1 full block! 1 @ Safeway, 1@ Chapters and 1 Standalone Corperate Store! OMG!!!

A little crazy are we... yes!!! But its all soooooo good!

Only problem is the F-ing HST! Shambles Campbells is costing our province our Lifestyles with his "Hated Sales Tax"! Taxation without Representation!

What do Starbucks and Wal-Mart have in common?

I work in a Union Environment and although im not a Steward or anything I do Beleive in the General Rights of Workers Everywhere! (Not to sound like im brainwashed) I do believe that union workers do make more per Capita then non-union workers!

Canadian Starbucks Workers probably make more on Average then US Starbucks workers but in all Working Conditions need to change!