Home Truth

When I agreed to take on writing this journal, I was more concerned about finding something to say on environmental issues than anything else. And yet, this is my eighth entry and I have so far talked about very little else!

Nor has anybody else, have they? Climate change has become the new media band wagon. Every newspaper, magazine and TV channel are crammed with ‘green’ issues: Reports, challenges, debates and reality documentaries flood our already saturated consciences.

Which leads me to pose the question: Is Poverty History? Plainly not, but poverty in the developing world seems to have been relegated to the political back burner. Of course, Comic Relief (on TV tonight) reminds us of the plight of millions particularly in Africa, but I wonder if like me, Fairtrade Fortnight has completely passed you by.

Don’t get me wrong, I wholeheartedly support fair trade. In fact, I was buying and selling fair trade products long before it was endorsed by celebrities and became the trendy thing to do. I have bought fairtrade tea and coffee for over twenty years - and seen vast improvements in the quality, I’m delighted to say! I suspect that my husband has single-handedly improved the lives of many coffee producers through his filter coffee addiction. Not sure what it has done for his own - predictably, that is not open for discussion!

And the whole family was there on that swelteringly hot day in July 2005 when we joined the march to Make Poverty History. In fact, because of the length of time we had to queue to start the march, we only managed the first half before we had to swerve off to catch the train home! Never mind, the thought was there. I wonder where it is now.

Even the fair trade mailings that come through the door every day are beginning to adopt an environmentally friendly perspective. Every producer group will soon be needing to promote its environmental worth as well as the difference that it is making to the lives of the poor.

What a shame that there is such a battle for our minds and consciences - and money. Of course, environmental issues are vitally important. But let us be careful not to forget the real difference that fair trade can also make.

Filed under: Uncategorized on March 17th, 2007