It's about Fair Trade. Sometimes, change is a very good thing. Much of the poverty around the world has been the result of a profit-driven economic model - an exploitation of workers and the environment. The fallout from decades of this kind of unsustainable and blind pursuit of profits above all else has caused extreme poverty and inequality of people globally, along with massive ecological and environmental damage on an unimaginable magnitude for our planet. Every one of us is affected in some way.
Enter Fair Trade. Change moves slowly, but it is growing exponentially with Fair Trade practices around the world, as informed consumers wield their purchasing power to create positive changes promoting sustainable development, economic justice, and political responsibility. It is possibly the most powerful tool available to developing countries for increasing their standard of living, empowering them to emerge on the world stage with products that are in demand, created in an environmentally sustainable way, and marketed under fair economic conditions.
Here's how it works: bring those producing the products - coffee, chocolate, jewelry, crafts - into the decision making process, allowing them freedom to develop and adopt the business and marketing model that works best for their community and environment; then provide the education necessary to help them invest profits towards improving health care, clean water, or infrastructure.
Consumers wield considerable influence with their spending decisions, and growing evidence suggests that more and more of them prefer to use their dollars to buy products grown and marketed sustainably and fairly. Step by step, we are moving towards human rights, market equality, and environmental responsibility. It's about time. It's about Fair Trade.
You are looking for a hide-a-key but it is NOT on the wagon.
Permission to place this cache was given by Carol Smith of Just Fare Market.