Top 10 Ways to Celebrate Fair Trade Month

October is Fair Trade Month

This October is the 8th annual Fair Trade Month in the United States.  Throughout the month, conscious consumers and ethically-minded brands will unite to celebrate and promote Fair Trade. A variety of education events, in-store sampling programs and online initiatives have been planned to help increase awareness and sales of Fair Trade Certified products, ultimately leading to greater impact for farmers and workers in developing countries. The theme for Fair Trade Month 2011 is Every Purchase Matters.

So how will you celebrate Fair Trade Month?  Here are 10 simple actions you can take that will help make a big difference:

1. Sign Up for Fair Trade Action Alerts:

Fair Trade USA's monthly e-newsletter and action alerts will help you stay on top of Fair Trade happenings. Sign up to get monthly notifications about new products, Fair Trade events, updates from Fair Trade farms, volunteer opportunities, deals on Fair Trade products, and easy ways for you to support this growing movement.  No spamming here; Fair Trade USA uses E-mail for good. Ok, sign me up!

2. Become a Fan of Fair Trade Certified on Facebook:

Visit the Fair Trade Certified fan page and you will find a robust community of Fair Traders like you! Regular updates will help you stay up-to-date on the latest news in the Fair Trade world, including frequent giveaways, stories from Fair Trade farms, delicious recipes, and information about Fair Trade events. Become a fan to demonstrate your support for Fair Trade, then take your support a step further by becoming a fan of brands that sell Fair Trade Certified products. This is a good way to let them know that you like what they're doing!

3. Tweet for Fair Trade with @FairTradeUSA:

If you're a Twitter-er, follow @FairTradeUSA for up-to-the-minute news from the Fair Trade community and have the opportunity to participate in live discussions and Twitter parties. During Fair Trade Month, tweet about Fair Trade using the following hashtags: #FairTradeMonth #FairTrade #EveryPurchaseMatters and #FairTradeFinder (we'll tell you about the Fair Trade Finder next).

4. Find Fair Trade Certified Products: 

In a recent study, 62% of people said that they would buy more Fair Trade Certified products if they only knew where to buy them... 

That is why Fair Trade USA just launched the Fair Trade Finder application for Facebook, iPhone and Android. This easy-to-use tool will help you locate Fair Trade Certified products in your neighborhood (or wherever you are).  Take a look at the map to discover all of the hidden gems at markets near you.  Reward retailers that carry Fair Trade by shopping at their stores and thanking the managers.

5. Help Others Find Fair Trade Certified Products:

The Fair Trade Finder is a user-generated map of Fair Trade products, so we need your help to fill it up!  When you discover a Fair Trade Certified product, use your smartphone to take a picture and add it to the map so that others can find it, too.  If everyone tags a couple of products, we can create a robust map of the 10,000 Fair Trade Certified products that are now available in the United States!

6. Ask for Fair Trade:

Having trouble finding Fair Trade products where you shop? Sometimes all you have to do is ask!  Requesting more Fair Trade products is as easy as filling out a comment card or speaking directly with the manager. Explain that you want to make every purchase matter by buying Fair Trade.  It helps to name specific products or product categories and to direct the manager to the Fair Trade USA website www.FairTradeUSA.org to learn more.

You can also ask for Fair Trade to be served at your school or office.  Encouraging a large organization to go Fair Trade is a very effective way to increase the impact for farmers and workers in more than 58 countries.

"American consumers have so much power. Every time we go to the store we can vote with our dollars for a better world." - Paul Rice, President & CEO of Fair Trade USA

7. Donate to Fair Trade USA:

Fair Trade USA is a nonprofit organization that relies on donations in order to expand the reach and impact of Fair Trade.  Your gift supports our life-changing work with farmer and worker families across Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Economic security. Schools. Scholarships. Life-saving medical care. Women’s empowerment. Environmental sustainability.

Every $1 Fair Trade USA has spent since 1999 has generated more than $5 in additional farmer and worker income.

Make a donation today.  Every dollar matters.

8. Start or Join a Fair Trade Towns or Universities Campaign:

Joining a Fair Trade Towns or Fair Trade Universities campaign is a fun and engaging way to grow the Fair Trade movement in your community or campus. As a comprehensive platform for growing awareness, availability, and commitment to Fair Trade in the United States, these groups provide the opportunity to build community in your town, as well as connect your community to those in the developing world.

Is my town a Fair Trade Town?

9. Give the Gift of Fair Trade:

Take the time to teach a friend or family member about the importance of Fair Trade. Help them to understand why Every Purchase Matters and why farmers in the developing world need our support. We find that teachable moments are best created over a delicious Fair Trade Certified chocolate bar, a cup of tea, or scoop of ice cream made with Fair Trade Certified ingredients. Share these two-minute videos to help explain the impact of Fair Trade, the environmental benefits of Fair Trade, and the power of the consumer.

10. Plan a Fair Trade Halloween:

It's convenient that Fair Trade Month and Halloween share a month, because both occasions provide a great opportunity to promote Fair Trade. The easiest place to start is by ensuring that your Halloween chocolate is Fair Trade Certified. Costume ideas that make a statement: Dress as a Fair Trade Certified banana, cup of coffee or chocolate bar.  When someone asks about your costume, take the time to explain why Fair Trade matters to you.

Reverse Trick or Treating is also a popular way to celebrate a Fair Trade Halloween: Trick-or-treaters hand Fair Trade chocolate back to adults, with informational cards attached, to explain the problems of the cocoa industry and the solution that Fair Trade presents. By providing children with an opportunity to have their voices heard, hundreds of thousands of households will get the message that child labor and forced labor will not be tolerated by our kids.

Make sure to order your Reverse Trick or Treating kit by October 11.

Stay Tuned...

All of the Fair Trade Month fun begins in October. Stay tuned for exciting events, recipes, guest blog posts and more!

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