Lewisham residents are being asked to buy something ‘fairtrade’ on World Fairtrade Day on 10 May.
While it’s good to buy local to help cut our carbon footprint, there are still times when you want to buy something from far away. Take coffee for example, or bananas. Often the very people who grow the coffee beans or bananas we eat are only paid a minimum rate for their produce.
Fairtrade means paying farmers and other workers in poor countries a fair price for their goods and produce. This means that communities can afford to invest in healthcare, education and more sustainable methods of production.
Councillor Susan Wise, Cabinet Member for Customer Services, said: “Fairtrade makes all the difference to producers who work long and hard to produce the goods we consume. Fairtrade means just that - a fair wage for a fair trade."
“There are a wide range of Fairtrade items that people can buy: tea coffee, sugar, clothes or jewellery. So please buy something Fairtrade on World Fairtrade Day, even if it’s only a delicious bar of chocolate!”
Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world.
Lewisham Council achieved Fairtrade status in 2005, with many local shops, cafes and community venues offering certified Fairtrade products. You can find a list of them by going to www.lewisham.gov.uk and searching on ‘Fairtrade directory’ – you’ll be surprised how many there are.