Fairtrade, Organic or Locally Produced Food?

Free Articles » Food-and-drink » Fairtrade, Organic or Locally Produced Food?

Autor: greendave :: Views: 1044 :: :: View PDF :: Print View

Should I buy food and products that support workers in Third World by buying Fairtrade labelled products even though these goods normally travel thousands of miles from Africa, South America or South East Asia? What if these foods were produced with the use of pesticides and additives? It makes sense then to look for and to buy Fairtrade, organic food to both help the producers in the Third World and fulfil my lifestyle choice to eat healthy and additive/pesticide free food. Thankfully, many producers are now wising up to this dilemma by increasingly producing organic and Fairtrade labelled products. I am currently using Fairtrade, organic t-bags at home! Now comes another important question, should I buy Fairly Traded organic sugar from Kenya that has travelled thousands of miles, or should I buy apples grown in the UK (ideally from a farmers market) that have only travelled only a few hundred miles which means less carbon dioxide and other nasty emissions from the lorries that you see constantly on the motorways in the UK? Buying UK products not only ensures less food miles but also supports local farmers, communities and economies. Unfortunately, choice is often limited and can be more expensive then food produced in other countries--- Decisions, decisions, it's probably best to abstain from eating and give your choice making brain a rest!

But I can safely say that I make attempts to avoid food or products that have travelled from far away destinations such as Australia even if they are organic! Next time you are in the supermarket or wherever you buy your food from check the labels and you will be surprised by how far your food has travelled. Also look at the amount of unnecessary wrapping such as individually wrapped peppers, mushrooms and kiwi fruit in wrapped boxes. When I buy from the local market I tell them to throw it all into one bag, the customer next to me often has 10 individually wrapped portions of fruit and veg. That's 11 (10 plus one big plastic bag) bags into the landfill site that day. For maximum eco efficiency we need to be using jute or other bags made from recycled materials and putting all the loose food into that.

For recycled bags, Fairtrade and Organic companies, products and food see GuideMeGreen.com

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Davinos Greeno works for the fairtrade food and ethical clothes directory that lists 100s of Organic and Ethical Companies and we also have Health Articles for you to read or publish. No comments posted.

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What is Organic and Fairtrade Olive Oil?

Free Articles » Food-and-drink » What is Organic and Fairtrade Olive Oil?

Autor: greendave :: Views: 1288 :: :: View PDF :: Print View

Organic olives are used in the production and many people say that the taste is superior to non organic olive oil. Olives are typically grown in the Mediterranean, with its hot dry summers and cool winters it is the ideal habitat of the olive tree. Olive oil is the oil obtained from the fruit of the olive tree in a mechanical manner. The liquid is pressed out of the olives. Organic olive oils are often picked and crushed by large stone rollers without the use of any mechanical machinery or unnatural processes. Expensive virgin oil is sometimes labelled in a way that you can trace exactly where the oil has come from. The bottle and tin can be numbered and this enables the buyer to identify from which trees the olive oil of each individual container came from.

As well as organic oil, fairtrade oil is increasingly available. The Fairtrade principal involves democratic organisation where producers have maximum control over their land and are often formed into co-operatives. Trade Unions are allowed, no child labour is used in the production and a decent wage is paid to the workers that pick the olives and produce the oil. The Fairtrade Mark means that a social premium is paid on the product which doesnt go to the individuals, it goes to the organisation or communities for development projects such as health, education and sanitation.

One producer of Fairtrade Organic Olive Oil is Zaytoun

Zaytoun is the UKs first volunteer non-profit project to import fair trade palestinian organic olive oil to the UK.

The oil is imported from farmers worse hit by the current political crisis in Palestine.

The agricultural economy, which is one of the major arteries of the Palestinian economy, has been significantly damaged due to the continuing conflict with Isreal.

65% of Palestinian families live in rural areas and are connected to agriculture in some form.

Rural livelihoods have been desimated through the confiscation of land, uprooting of trees, controlling of water sources, denying access to land and the lack of access to markets in Isreal and abroad.

Zaytoun attempts to seek a practical means of assisting the Palestinian People by providing consumers with something we use at least once a week, cooking oil!

Did you know that you can also buy olive based beauty care products such as soap? Olives have long since been known to hold the secret of youthful vitality.

Buy Zaytoun Fairtrade oil at http://zaytoun.org/

Find other organic and fairtrade cooking and beauty products on the authors websites.

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Davinos Greeno works for the fairtrade food and ethical clothes directory that lists 100s of Organic and Ethical Companies and we also have Health Articles for you to read or publish. No comments posted.

View the original article here

What is Fairtrade food?

Free Articles » Food-and-drink » What is Fairtrade food?

Autor: greendave :: Views: 1176 :: :: View PDF :: Print View

This means that Fairtrade goods are often more expensive in the UK than those without the Fairtrade logo. Although people are now arguing that supermarkets are fuelling their excessive profits by adding large mark-ups to these products This premium that the producer charges covers the basic food, housing, health and education needs of the local communities in countries such as India and Brazil. The Foundation awards a consumer label, the Fairtrade Mark, to products which meet internationally recognised standards of Fairtrade. It is the only such certification in the UK.

Examples of Fairtrade products:

? Fairtrade coffee
? Fairtrade Tea
? Fairtrade Chocolate
? Fairtrade Bananas
? Fairtrade Honey
? Fairtrade Sugar
? Fairtrade Fruit Juice
? Fairtrade Wine and Snacks
? Fairtrade Babyfood

The list of goods certified Fairtrade is growing daily as is the range of products available. The co-op changed all their own brand chocolate to Fairtrade a few years ago and now all the other big supermarkets are beginning to move into the Fairtrade market. Nestle have just released a Fairtrade brand. There has been huge controversy over this as many people are asking how a company that is subject to a boycott can pertain to have Fairtrade and therefore ethical principles?

Why buy Fairtrade?

Millions of small farmers around the world cannot get enough money to feed their families, send their children to school or invest just a few pounds into their farm. This is because people want to buy the cheapest goods possible and don't think about the people that working in poor condition and often receive less than ?1 per day in wages.
Buying products that display the Fairtrade logo ensures that the producers of products such as tea, coffee and chocolate receive a decent income. Rather than being hit by the ever-changing price of their product on the world market, or being fleeced by a middleman who takes a chunky share of the profits, producers in a Fair Trade scheme are guaranteed a decent, stable price for their produce.

By buying Fair trade products that buy direct from farmers at better prices, consumers are improving the lives of producers all over the world. In Eithiopia, farmers can often get more then twice the price for their fair trade coffee then those that sell it on the open market. This extra money enables the farmers to educate their children and to break the cycle of poverty.

Many people struggle to find a reason not to support Fairtrade. Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers. Fair trade is not about charity, it is about settling the imbalance which exists.

How do I know its Fairtrade?

Look for the Fairtrade Mark when you shop and make the choice to support small farmers and workers in the developing world, and encourage your workplace to switch to Fairtrade tea and coffee.

Find Fairtrade products via GuideMeGreen's green directory.

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Want to Live Debt Free? Free Tips That Will Help

Davinos Greeno works for the fairtrade food and ethical clothes directory that lists 100s of Organic and Ethical Companies and we also have Health Articles for you to read or publish. No comments posted.

View the original article here