My view: Taos leads state as fair trade paradigm
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5/4/2008 - 5/4/08
Taos has become the first "fair trade town" in New Mexico, the first in the Western United States and only the fifth in the entire country.
This socially progressive designation positions Taos to be a leader in helping curb some of the human and environmental exploitation that goes on in the global economy.
It would be great to see Santa Fe become the first fair trade capital city in the U.S. Fair trade is a conscious alternative to so-called free trade, which is a euphemism for laws, policies and regulations that favor large multinational corporations and allow them to exploit both people and the environment in other countries.
The Taos Town Council unanimously passed "A Resolution recognizing the value of "Fair Trade" in vastly improving the lives of farmers and crafts people around the world, and encouraging all Taos businesses and institutions to sell and use Fair Trade products whenever possible." Then the town appointed a fair trade committee whose charge it is to continue to foster understanding and awareness of fair trade in the community and to encourage increased presence of fair trade products in local businesses. Taos should be applauded for taking these steps.
Now, the success of the fair-trade movement in Taos will largely be up to local businesses and consumers as they may strive to exercise their global citizenship.
Fair trade is not well understood in the United States compared to the United Kingdom where, for example, there are more than 300 fair trade towns that have been created in less than 10 years.
Fundamentally, fair trade applies to countries in Africa, Central and South America, Asia, as well as Mexico and potentially China — which sell food or other products to the U.S., Canada and European countries.
Fair trade certification by TransFair USA, or the Fair Trade Federation, ensures several things: fair and livable wages in the local context are paid to producers, there are fair labor practices (i.e., no sweat shops, no child labor, safe and healthy work places), products are produced in an environmentally sustainable manner, there is public accountability in the supply chain.
If a consumer buys a product made or grown in a developing or undeveloped country and it is not certified fair trade, there is a probability that one or more of the fair trade principles are being violated.
Although fair trade products are sometimes thought of as being more expensive, this is not necessarily so, and fair trade products tend to be of higher quality. Much of the cost of goods is offset by eliminating the many brokers and middlemen in the supply chain.
The fair trade movement is in place and growing in New Mexico. Peace Craft is a fair trade store in Albuquerque that has been promoting fair trade for a dozen years.
The only distributor of fair trade flowers in the American Southwest is One World Flowers, a new company also in Albuquerque.
The University of New Mexico has a student-run fair-trade initiative promoting fair trade at UNM and in Albuquerque.
However, more education about fair trade is needed, and the Taos Fair Trade Committee will be working to get fair-trade curricula into schools so the next generation of consumers is informed about their choices in the global economy.
World Fair Trade Day is May 10, and the theme is "For the Planet, For the People."
Celebrated for a fortnight in the U.S., May 3 through May 18, this year's event on May 10 will feature the world's largest fair-trade coffee break, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Look for or ask your favorite coffee shop to host a fair-trade coffee break.
Taoseño Steve Gloss serves on the Fair Trade Steering Committee of Sustaining Cultures.