14. Fair trade

If you know what Fair trade is all about and you still choose not to buy Fair trade products, you have a stomping great footprint! If you don't know what Fair trade is about, here is your chance to find out. Producers of Fair trade goods like tea, coffee, bananas, chocolate and honey receive fair wages, enjoy good working conditions, are able to send their children to school and get health treatment. They also take good care of the environment which they work in. By buying Fair trade products we show that we care about the lives of people in poorer countries and the environments which they live in. This good effect on the lives of others means we seriously shrink our footprint!

Do you agree? Which Fair trade products have you tried? How did you rate them? Add your voice to the debate on this issue

Did You Know?

• There are now more than 70 Fair trade coffee, tea, chocolate and honey products available. Most supermarkets now also sell Fair trade bananas
  
• If farmers in Ghana sell cocoa (for chocolate) to large multinational companies they earn just £37 per sack. If they sell their cocoa to Fair trade companies they earn £66 per sack.
  
• Divine and Dubble (www.dubble.co.uk )are two popular varieties of Fair trade chocolate bar that are now available in many shops

Take Action

• Whenever you or your family buy tea, coffee, chocolate, honey or bananas make sure you give the people who produced them a fair deal by buying Fair trade products
  
• Find out more about Fair trade from these organisations:
  Fairtrade Foundation www.fairtrade.org.uk Oxfam www.oxfam.org.uk