It was a line in an email from my mother that really got to me. My aunt's father-in-law had been sick for some time. He had lived a hard life full of strenuous labor, a poor farmer and rancher in Mexico, raising many children without the benefits of electricity or even running water. Naturally, as he aged, his health began to decline, rapidly deteriorating in the last few months. So it was no surprise when I received word that he had passed away.
The line that really hit me in the gut read similar to this: "He will be buried in Poppop's old suit, the one he wore to your aunt and uncle's wedding." My Poppop, mom's dad, is still alive and well, thanks to wonderful American medical practices, doctors, and exercise. We send our used, unwanted clothing to my uncle's family in Mexico when he heads there a few times each year. His father wore my grandfather's nice-but-older suit to the wedding; he'd had no nicer, more appropriate clothing. He still looked very nice, adding an authentic cowboy hat as a personal touch. But it seemed a different story entirely when a good, hardworking man has to lay to rest in another man's clothes. What does that say about our world?
He was not a cocoa or coffee bean farmer. His personal life story is not specifically behind my reasoning. Many people in his situation are, however, living in pitiable conditions while being paid a less-than-adequate wages by middlemen.
Fair Trade seeks to change all that. The organization sets up clinics and the like in poor villages, paying farmers a living wage and eliminating the corruption that often comes with the middlemen. It also encourages organic farming methods, which keeps the environment cleaner and people healthier. Additionally, Fair Trade products often are shade-grown, providing homes for wildlife and retaining the natural state of the environment in which they are grown. This system then is a boon to everyone and everything involved.
The products themselves also taste great. My own personal favorite is Fair Trade-certified organic green tea. Green tea is good for you normally, but an extra boost comes from how it is grown.
As a young college student, I cannot purchase these products all of the time or as often as I would like. Personally, I write papers like this and encourage others to support the organization through creative methods such as educational theatre. I ask for Fair Trade coffee and tea whenever possible. I don't just support these products for personal gain or for the unknown. When I do spend money, I like to know that it makes a difference in another's life, getting as much out of my dollar as possible. I do it so that no righteous man need lay to rest in another man's clothes, so that life need not beat him so early in life. In its own way, that makes a great deal of difference. To them and to me.
Source:
Sustainable Harvest Coffee Company, September 6, 2004
--Natalie is a vegetarian theatre major in college.
