You can support Media Fair Trade Committee with a donation now on our website and help to make DelCo Gives Day a fantastic success. Plus we have available $1000 in matching funds, so every donation of at least $10 will be doubled and also make us eligible for bonuses associated with the event. You don’t have to wait for May 8, you can donate right now and as long as you note that it is for DelCo Gives Day (please type “delco gives” as a note), it will be counted for our match and bonuses.
Media PA is America’s First Fair Trade Town! America’s First Fair Trade Town Committee (AFFTTC) is the almost – all volunteer non profit that was responsible for making that happen, and that continues to make Media the best Fair Trade Town! We formed in 2005 and still have many original members. Our goal is to eliminate poverty around the world, but by doing this, we offer Media businesses and organizations a niche that can help them to thrive as we promote their efforts in selling and using Fair Trade ingredients and products. We also educate consumers and offer them a way to do good in their community, and globally, at the same time. As we all see now, cutting down rain forests for giant coffee plantations is causing us to experience devastating local weather events.
There is a Fair Trade mark, similar to the USDA Organic Certification logo, that you can look for when you buy products like coffee, chocolate, sugar, tea, bananas, avocados and much more. There is also a certification for hand made goods like jewelry, clothing and homewares. Most Fair Trade products come from the Global South and can’t be grown here, but we also encourage consumers to support local as our farmers have to deal with the same issues in trying to compete with large corporations. And one of the reasons so many people from South America, Central America and Mexico want to come to the US is because they can’t support themselves on their small farms. Fair Trade offers a very simple solution and that is for us to shop conscientiously – Buy Fair, Buy Local!
Fair Trade certifications ensure that there is no worker exploitation, children go to school, women have opportunities, there is a decent minimum price for product, there is good pay, and communities get to decide democratically how to spend the extra Fair Trade premium they receive. There is also a sustainability component and most Fair Trade is also organically grown or produced and of extremely high quality.
A Fair Trade Town fulfills 5 criteria and Media achieved that in 2006. We mentor other towns and schools and houses of worship that can also be designated as Fair Trade and have similar requirements.
1. Local government has to pass a resolution of support.
2. Based on the town’s population, there has to be a certain number of shops selling Fair Trade products.
3. Based on the town’s population, there has to be a certain number of organizations using Fair Trade products.
4. There must be an ongoing grassroots committee.
5. There has to be proof such as a website or social media accounts.
Please support our efforts with a donation to our non profit, and purchase as much as you can that is Fair Trade certified. If you don’t see Fair Trade where you like to shop or dine, please ask!