Having ideals can be an expensive business.
After seeing pictures of battery hens locked in cramped, metal cages last year, I was determined to buy only free-range eggs – until the supermarket price forced me to relent on my stance a little. The same goes for natural cotton clothes. I would love to be able to buy clothes that are made from environmentally friendly fibres, but again, $50 for a short-sleeved top is currently out of my budget.
Ethical purchasing is all the rage right now, especially with climate change issues peering over our shoulders. Maggie Alderson wrote a great piece in the Good Weekend on how our culture seems to have slipped into a pattern of spending heaps on cheap clothes for one season, rather than investing in quality clothing that lasts for years and years. She also calls on the fashion industry to reform our understanding of consumerism by promoting an attitude of conservation: spend more but less often, on quality, environmentally-friendly and ethically produced clothes.
Our Christian faith, inspired by the witness of god-fearng activists like Wilberforce (download the talk here), urges the same attitude towards the way we spend our money. Our finances shouldn’t drive the way we live, but our conviction in Christ and determination to shine like stars in this dark universe. This should affect the way we relate to people in this society, the things we care about. There are matters in this world more important than saving money.
One of those that has been mentioned in previous posts is taking a stance against the trafficking of men, women and young children overseas. The Stop the Traffik site has some ways we can help bring down the slave trade, including signing a UN petition, buying Free Trade coffee beans and chocolate.
Coffee and sweets aren’t like eggs: if we can afford to put luxuries on our grocery list, we can afford to be ethical in the way we purchase them. Sam and I are trying to only purchase Free Trade from now on (Cafe Bianci in Leichhardt offer a range!). Chocolate is a little harder. I haven’t bought any since the unfortunate Car Regurgitating Incident last month, so if anyone knows where you can purchase Free Trade in Sydney, please let me know.
Hey Soph,
It’s really encouraging to hear that you are pursuing responsible purchasing decisions! I’ve given a few links of where you can purchase Fair Trade products below. I’ve tried Tradewinds coffee and tea and the quality is very good. Haven’t tried the Oxfam stuff, but I’m sure it’s good too. It’s only marginally more expensive than your run o’ the mill products.
Green and Black’s do a fantastic Organic Dark Chocolate, and I’m pretty sure their ‘Maya Gold’ is Fair Trade.
It’s a tricky thing Fair Trade. Of course we want to buy products ethically, and we don’t want to be supporting practices that continue to contribute to the oppression and poverty of people who are paid an absolute pittance. But is ‘Fair Trade’ working?
Although I think the idea is right, I’m very suspicious of Fair Trade Coffee. Very little more, if any, is paid to the growers, and there is no incentive to produce quality, only quantity. The farmers can get as little as 5c/kg extra, and yet cafes will sometimes charge 20c/cup extra. I think that’s disgusting. I’d happily pay more than I normally do for greens if I could know for certain the money was actually going to get back to the farmers, but from everything I’ve read, Fair Trade isn’t doing this. CS recently started Fair Crack- we pay 50c/kg extra, and that is going directly to coffee-related charitable projects, whilst cutting out any administrative costs.
I think Five Senses have it worked out much better with their PNG PSC A- they completely have cut out any middle men, and pay the growers a good price directly.
Hey Michelle – I think you’re totally right. Sometimes we jump on the bandwagon way too quickly – without actually doing the research…
I wonder if this is because we are more interested in appeasing our consciences than in actually finding out what will help in reducing these problems?
I’m going to read some of the CS stuff and think about it some more.
So where do you buy Five Senses coffee, Michelle?
Let me know what you find out in your research, Sam.
I think you make a good point Michelle. I think the whole climate change issue is another case in point – I’ve heard heaps of well-intentioned but totally impractical solutions (e.g. make 90% of our energy resource renewable in the next 5 years – or something like that), but covering the manufacturing/mining industry for a year has taught me that it’s not going to work. Sometimes we can be more interested in assuaging our guilt rather than coming up with a workable solution.
Ah I hate computers I just lost all my response!
Um, Five Senses. In Perth but super fast with postage. The PNG PSC A (also called the 24/7 Blend) is truly fair-traded coffee. If they ever sell the AA graded stuff (usually once a year), then its worth the more expensive price.
Here is another Fairtrade discussion on CS that may be more balanced. I’m interested to hear your thoughts.
maybe libby can bring us some
maybe libby can bring us some
Now’s there is a good idea!