Many people might think that Fairtrade Premiums are only for building schools. No. We all know what malnutrition is. We know what happens when people are not well fed. When people are not well fed, it affects their human resource capacity. They become liabilities to their countries, because their governments Read more…
The majority of avocados we eat are the Hass variety, named after its initial planter, propagator, and patent-owner, Rudolph Hass, who planted the first of its kind in California in 1920. The original tree succumbed to root fungus in 2002, after being tended by Hass’s children for 50 years after Read more…
Motivated by these concerns, I began to wonder more broadly about the future sustainability of our food sources and eventually joined the Slow Food Canada Thompson Okanagan Convivium, which is part of “a global, grassroots organization linking the pleasure of good food with a commitment to local communities and the Read more…
On April 25th, 2015, Nepal was rocked by a 7.9 magaitude earthquake. With the epicentre near to the capital Kathmandu, vast amounts of distruction have been witnessed, which has included the loss of many lives, now well into the thousands. If you’re looking for ways to help, the CFTN reccomends Read more…
In this mixed-team tournament, members of the Vancouver Street Soccer League (VSSL) and a Vancouver Whitecaps supporter group, the Southsiders, have met up to share equipment, a meal, and a day of soccer. The VSSL comprises players from all avenues of life and features several teams based in Vancouver’s Downtown Read more…
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – A&W Food Services of Canada Inc., the nation’s second largest hamburger restaurant company with 819 locations coast-to-coast, is bringing to its customers organic, Fair Trade coffee. The brewed coffee is exclusively blended and roasted for A&W by Montreal-based master roaster Van Houtte. The lively 100% Arabica, organic, Read more…
What can I say? I lack self-control. This North American breakfast staple is less than appetizing when its everyday production is considered. Banana plantation workers are some of the most poorly treated, often working 12 to 14 hours daily, without paid overtime, and with the looming threat of layoffs. Further, Read more…
January 27, 2015 – The University of Northern British Columbia is now a Fair Trade Campus. “The Fair Trade Campus designation is the latest example of UNBC’s ongoing commitment to sustainability,” says UNBC President Daniel Weeks. “Ensuring that products consumed at UNBC are ethically sourced and socially responsible is something Read more…
Many fair trade advocates willingly contribute to a fairer world for disadvantaged producers. But where does fair trade fit in the larger notion of alternative trade? In this dense-but-approachable short text, Gavin Fridell, the Canada research chair in international development studies at Saint Mary’s University, examines the concept of alternative Read more…
It’s hard to imagine a tougher way to earn a living than growing and harvesting sugar cane by hand. Small-scale sugar cane farmers in countries such as Paraguay, Belize, Costa Rica, the Philippines, and Malawi face dangerous challenges every day challenges that impact their personal health and the environment. Many Read more…