I understand Fair Trade items cost a little more, and those of us who enjoy coffee, tea and chocolate may be hesitant to spend a few more dollars per week over a year.
I get it, yet I had the opportunity to meet someone who was intimately familiar with the current cocoa and coffee slave trade.
No, they're not slaves in the sense that we used them in America, but they are highly underpaid workers doing a long, rigorous and sometimes quite dangerous job.
Imagine doing your job without the promise of being paid on time? Without the promise of any safety inspections and no breaks? Imagine working 7 days a week and not allowed to leave because you won't be paid for your last month if you quit?
Imagine having to rent all your uniforms, tools and shoes from your company but they charge more for them than you make so you're constantly in their debt?
Sounds crazy right? Well sadly, supporting companies not fair trade certified could be doing any combo of these things to their employees, effectively making them slaves to their job. All I ask is if you can, try to buy fair trade to assure that worker gets a liveable wage.
Market Pantry at Target has fair trade coffee and chocolate and it's less expensive than name brands. Usually local coffee shops (not big chains) source coffee from fair trade resources.
I'm not on a soap box here, just trying to help those without a voice. Thank you!