Two things that made me smile today: 

1.) Discovered a new fair trade online store that sells products from three organizations I have supported. Check out Stop Traffik Fashion. I'll get myself a t-shirt soon.

2.) Read a blog title called "Quads and Horses" and eagerly scanned to see what kind of saddle contraption quadriplegics use. I soon realized, duh, some people ride funny bikes with four wheels. Eight months into working with Joni and Friends, I am increasingly conscious of people affected by disability, and I hope I always keep this inclination.

Sadly, all is not fair trade in love and war.

Today I declined a piece of Hershey's chocolate, explaining that I do occasionally eat brands that aren't strictly fair trade, but I don't make exceptions for Hershey's. The response? "You know, one person not eating chocolate won't change the world." 


Over three years of pondering the subject of fair trade has indeed led me to the conclusion that I alone will not "change the world" though my choices. Yet, my decisions do result in positive change, however minute. Considering how to respond, I amused myself envisioning the reaction if I were to tell the starfish story. You remember the starfish story: hoards of starfish are strewn across a beach, stranded by a storm. A man is plodding  along the shoreline, bending down periodically to pick up a starfish and throw it back in the water. Inevitably, a naysayer shows up at the scene and is askance! "Why are you wasting your time? You're not going to be able to help all of them. What difference are you making?" The starfish savior patiently throws another creature back in the ocean as he continues: "It made a difference to that one."


Needless to say, I didn't share the starfish story because it has become cliche, and I thought a serious response would be more appropriate than seizing the moment for self-amusement. Essentially, my response was that I do care deeply about affecting change. However, my primary motivation is that we are called to do what is right. I stand before the Lord, not other people's opinions or even my own lofty dreams. In moments when there is no clear, "Thou shalt not" governing an action, I abide by my conscience.


After the conversation ended, I wondered what people would say if I cited dieting as the motivation behind refusing chocolate. Would people find it commendable? If so, why would the personal goal receive more support than the altruistic goal? Speaking of social perception, many of my peers find voting a waste of time, but they are eager to support social justice through commerce. Think of the Tom's Shoes phenomenon, for example. (Not the most efficient way to conduct aid work, by the way.) Middle-aged people seem to think voting is a citizen's duty but are not interested in being part of social movements. I think of every dollar as a vote. Does that make me a young visionary with a middle-aged soul? Well, I do hope to see the day when requesting the fair trade Estima brand at Starbucks is just as natural to people as checking for a blue recycling bin when they finish their Cokes.


These are the topics that occupy my mind as I click through Excel and weave my way down the 101 freeway.

Just One present

Just One fair trade purchase from every American churchgoer this Christmas would lift one million families out of poverty for one whole year. Just One.

spent on Christmas each year in America

people live on less than $1 per day

We get things we need.
They get dignified work.
Your spending makes a real difference.

Give your church a simple, effective way to bring good news to the poor this Christmas. Learn more at Trade as One.

Katie here. I'm a big fan of fair trade because I see it as one excellent solution to fighting the injustices of cyclical poverty, human trafficking, and unfair labor practices. Fair trade products are also generally produced in a way that is environmentally sustainable. Yes, they often cost more than the products we are used to purchasing. Sometimes it is because the company is exploiting the fair trade label, but usually it is because the worker is actually getting paid a fair price. (Makes sense, right?) I recommend the nonprofit above as a great way to get started with fair trade. You can also look for fair trade labels at your local grocery store (especially Trader Joe's and Whole Foods). Leave me a comment and let me know what small changes you are making with your purchases!