Share your love the fair trade way.
With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, many of you will be looking for romantic gift ideas for that special someone in your life. Let’s face it, it’s fun to indulge your Valentine with frivolities and even more fun to receive them, but gift-giving should never come at the expense of worker rights or environmental well-being.
Unfortunately, some of the most popular Valentine’s Day gift items, including jewelry, chocolate, lingerie, and fresh cut flowers, are also some of the worst culprits when it comes to causing environmental pollution. Furthermore, many of the brands we know and love owe much of their success to low-paid labor. Fortunately, there are several ways to spoil your Valentine without compromising your ethical and environmental standards.
Why fair trade?
The definition of fair trade varies slightly from organization to organization, but the general concept focuses on the exchange of goods on terms that are economically and socially fair for all parties involved. This means fair wages and healthy working conditions for workers, and a much more meaningful Valentine’s gift for your partner. Let your loved ones know how thoughtful you are by impressing them with a dozen fair trade roses or perhaps a box of fair trade and organic chocolate.
Where to buy?
Fairtrade USA published a wonderful Valentine’s Day Gift Guide last year that is very helpful for finding fair trade retailers in the US. It covers roses, chocolate, coffee and tea, baked goods, wines and spirits, as well as nameless.
For Canadians, Fairtrade Canada offers a nifty search tool on its website that allows you to find the nearest 26 locations that sell fair trade products in your area. If there aren’t any in your area, check with your local retailers. If they know there is a market for fair trade products, they will be much more likely to stock these items in the future.
Lastly, don’t forget about online retailers. It’s possible to find just about anything on the internet these days, including fair trade jewelry, eco-friendly clothing and lingerie, as well as baked goods, all of which can be delivered right to your doorstep.
It’s not about money.
In the end, Valentine’s Day shouldn’t be about how much money you spend or whether you bought designer gifts for your partner. Valentine’s Day is all about showing how much you care.
Sometimes the best way to do that is to set aside some time to spend with the people you love. A good home-cooked meal can be as romantic as a night on the town, and nothing says “I love you” like a homemade card.
However you choose to spend this coming Valentine’s Day, be sure to stay true to your ethical values and make sure your loved ones know how much they mean to you in the best way you know how.
