So for my online here I've chosen the team behind Fair Trade USA. Here is a bit about them:
"Fair Trade Certified coffee is now the fastest-growing segment of the US specialty coffee market. TransFair USA opened its doors in late 1998 and began certifying Fair Trade coffee in 1999.
In the past 10 years, TransFair has leveraged limited resources to certify over 334 million pounds of coffee into the U.S. market. This translates to an estimated additional 140 million dollars flowing into rural farming communities throughout Latin America, Africa and Asia. In 2008 alone, TransFair certified nearly 90 million pounds, yielding and additional 32 million dollars to these farming communities, and enabling cooperatives and their members to not only have a better standard of living, but also invest in community projects such as building schools, providing healthcare and improving the quality of their coffee.
More of each dollar spent on any of these products goes back to the farmers and farm workers who produce them. The US Fair Trade market has thus empowered farmers and farm workers around the world to determine their most pressing local economic development needs for themselves, and reinvest in their products, cooperatives, and communities in appropriate and sustainable ways."
I selected to shadow Fair Trade USA because of the principle. I love chocolate: but I despise Hershey's chocolate. It's so low in cocoa and offers no real satisfaction other than fulfilling brand loyalty to what you think is a really good treat. I will gladly pay an extra $2-$3 for chocolates labeled with the Fair Trade USA certification. It means that more of my dollar will reach the communities of less privileged laborers in other countries...plus it's way more delicious!
I'm now following them on Twitter and subscribed to their blog with my Google Reader :)
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