Summer is in the Air

It's the 1st of July and summer is officially in full swing. The sun is even out in foggy San Francisco! So, summer, sun...full swing. What better way to usher it all in than with our brand new hammocks from El Salvador. I don't know about you, but the thought of laying in a hammock on a warm day (or any day!) brings an instant smile to my face.

Lay back and relax in this hammock and enjoy the great story behind them. They are 100% cotton and from T-shirt production waste in El Salvador.

Using cotton trim pieces from a T-shirt factory that would normally be thrown away, the cotton is ground and re-spun into these beautiful striped hammocks. Recycled candle wax, gathered from local churches, is also used to lubricate the cotton for weaving. Employees are paid above standard wages and receive benefits, and safety precautions are taken to insure the welfare of all employees. Even the machinery used to spin and weave these hammocks was purchased used!

Gimme gimme.

Speaking of summer, our Summer S'mores Action is back. Last year, Global Exchange started the first Summer S'mores Action getting hundreds of people across the country to gather around and make their s'mores using Fair Trade Certified chocolate. It was a great and fun success and now it's back and asking to gather even more people to participate and take a stand for cocoa farmers everywhere.

Find out how you can get involved and to get you all motivated, check out our video from last year's action. This might be the most delicious political action you'll ever take!

Celebrate World Fair Trade Day with Us!

Saturday May 9th is World Fair Trade Day, and we're looking forward to it. There's lots going on around this special day. Here's just a taste:

• Donate to FTRN just by shopping! Global Exchange is donating 10% of all sales on World Fair Trade Day to the Fair Trade Resource Network, to help their efforts in educating consumers about the importance of Fair Trade. So if you're planning to shop online at Global Exchange, Saturday is a great time to do it.
• Help set the World's Largest Coffee Break Record! Join others in the effort to surpass last year's record and take back the record from Fairtrade Finland, who organized 50,000 people last year. Nothing wrong with a little healthy competition, right?
• A little World Fair Trade Gift for You: Do you need a special gift for someone? Global Exchange Online Store is giving you $10 to spend on orders of $50 or more, now through World Fair Trade Day May 9th. Simply enter wftd09 in the coupon code during checkout to receive your savings.
  
• Check out WFTD events happening: For a complete list of events happening throughout the world and other exciting info, visit Fair Trade Resource Network.

Tweet Deal of the Week

This Saturday is World Fair Trade Day. Over at Global Exchange, we are doing a lot to prepare for the big day, such as planning our Fair Trade Coffee Break at our Open House and holding our 'Inspiring Mother' Story contest to win a Fair Trade prize made by mothers, for mothers. 

Another way we are recognizing the Fair Trade artisans is through our 'Tweet Deal of the Week' offer on twitter. For the month of May, we are offering a 'Tweet Deal of Week' where we announce a special offer for a certain Fair Trade product at our store. Every week, we'll be announcing our tweet deal, so be sure to keep your eye out for those updates by following us on twitter.

Also, for you Fair Traders on twitter, be sure to use the World Fair Trade Day hashtag (#wftd09) in your tweets. Spread the word!

'Inspiring Mother' Story Contest Details

According to the Fair Trade Federation, women made up 76% of non-agricultural fair trade production in 2008 and many of them are mothers. This Mother's Day, we are recognizing those inspiring Fair Trade mothers with our "Tell us your 'Inspiring Mother' Story" contest.

Is your mother the guiding light in your life? Know a mother who is making a big difference in the world? Has she made a lasting impact on you and on others? Let us know. Email us your stories to storemaster@globalexchange.org with "Mother's Day" contest story in the subject line, and we will feature them on the blog. Photos are also encouraged. When you share your story, you are automatically entered to win a fantastic Fair Trade prize made by mothers, for mothers. The winner will be announced after Mother's Day.

Tell us your story today!

Tell us your 'Inspiring Mother' Story

For Mother's Day, we mentioned that we were going to take some time on our blog to tell the stories of the amazing and inspiring  Fair Trade artisans that are mothers that we work with. In addition to that, we also want to hear from you. We're asking you to tell us your 'Inspiring Mother' stories. Is there a mother out there that has been a guiding light for you? Making a big difference in the world? Making changes? Left a lasting impact on you? Let us know.

All stories will be shared on our blog. Not only that, we will pick through the stories and select ones that stand out will win a prize from our Online Store. To start things off, our Marketing Director Tex Dworkin sh

ares her inspiring mother story with us...

I would like to nominate Sandie Doles as a mother who gives back. She is my best friend Amesia’s Mom and I’m proud to call her my friend. Amesia and I, along with a bunch of friends and Sandie and Tim (Amesia’s Dad) went to Baja California together in 2007. We had an amazing time. It’s not every day that you travel with a friend’s parents and have the time of your life! We drank margaritas on the beach, ate delicious local food, and hung out enjoying each other’s company. We were lucky enough to be there when the whales were returning from the Sea of Cortez, babies in tow, to frolic by the beach where we stayed. One special moment I’ll never forget is sitting on the beach with Amesia and Sandie, watching as the whales breached out of the water in th

e distance, one after the other. There was no one else on the beach; we just sat there appreciating one of life’s special moments.

Soon after we returned from Baja, Sandie was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. After a courageous battle, she passed away this past fall.

Before Sandie got sick, she took an active interest in Fair Trade. We chatted about how she could get involved in the growing movement, and she began almost immediately selling Fair Trade crafts at local events in Santa Barbara. With guts and savvy, Sandie was a selling machine, and her traveling business quickly evolved into a permanent Fair Trade gift shop called Arcobaleno Trade located on Haley Street in Santa Barbara. Once Sandie beca

me too ill to work, Amesia moved from San Francisco to Santa Barbara to care for her Mom and run the shop. When it comes to caring for others, like mother like daughter.

I am nominating Sandie because she was an amazing mother to Amesia and her brother Seth. She was also an incredible support for many others whose lives she touched. She was an integral member of her local community, which I witnessed firsthand at her memorial, which was so packed we had to move the ceremony outside to accommodate the high volume of attendees. People from all walks of life shared stories about how Sandie impacted them, in big ways and small. One woman called Amesia  just the other day telling how she met Sandie on a local bus, and when she read that Sandie had passed away, she felt compelled to call her daughter and share how Sandie’s goodness had

 affected her. Sandie was warm-hearted and inspirational. Where others dream of things to do, she did them. When others complained about what was, Sandie pointed out what is. 

This April, Amesia moved Arcobaleno Trade to a more central location on State Street and the bustling shop is a living testament to the spirit of Sandie, as well as to the producers who make the wonderful array of product offerings. The Santa Barbara News-Press published a beautiful article in their March 23 issue called “At the rainbow’s end: Amesia Doles Garcia carries on her mother’s fair trade boutique.” Sandie is still giving back, even though she is no longer with us physically. 

Inspiring Mothers that Inspire Others

Mother's Day is coming up. It is a day to reflect on those amazing women who have been there from our very first moment of life. It is a day for us to reflect on those who may not share our same genetic make-up but we consider the mother figure in our lives. It is a day to reflect on mother's and women everywhere who do their all to provide for their children and kin despite life's obstacles. 

Here at Global Exchange, we are using the occasion of Mother's Day to recognize the thousands of Fair Trade artisans that are mothers using the art of craft to make a better life for their families and for themselves. According to the Fair Trade Federation, women made up 76% of non-agricultural fair trade production in 2008. Many of those women are mothers serving as the sole bread winner of the family and is faced with the task of being the sole provider. Through Fair Trade, many of these women are actually able to do this while also empowering themselves by finding their own voice and independence. When I was younger, all I wanted to do was be exactly like my mother when I grew up -- strong, independent and inspiring. Now, I also want to be like all these Fair Trade artisan mothers, but the best we can do at this point is tell their story and their triumphs. The next few posts will highlight the different stories of mothers in the Fair Trade movement inspiring every one of us.

Celebrate 20 Years of Activism and Change with Global Exchange

Blog friends. Don't you worry. We have not forgotten about you. We have just been working very hard to make things happen for you. One of the big things going on around our parts is setting up for Global Exchange's Open House that is coming up at the beginning of May.

Global Exchange is celebrating 20 years of of activism and change, with many of those positive changes involving our work within the Fair Trade movement. We are inviting all of you to celebrate with us by joining us on May 8th to join in on the festivities. Since the next day, May 9th, is also World Fair Trade Day, we have decided to mark this moment by organizing our Fair Trade coffee break to take place then as well. We will all together -- staff, GX members, friends, family, our community -- to take a break and reflect on the work we have all done together to make Fair Trade strides within the movement. 

Not able to attend our event? Fret not, you can still be involved! We are having a prize drawing with some amazing prizes including a $100 Gift Certificate to our Online Store AND the grand prize which is a Reality Tour to either Chiapas, Mexico or Nicaragua. Yes! A chance to meet with Fair Trade producers and see the impact of Fair Trade for yourself. The greatest part is that you don't even have to be there to win the big prizes -- although we would love to see you all there. :) 

So, for those who are going to be in the area, we encourage you to stop by our offices on May 8th to celebrate and for those of you who can't make it, still think about entering our Prize Drawing for a change to go to either Mexico or Nicaragua. Amazing opportunity.

Go Fair Trade, Get Free Chocolate

Most people observe the Easter and Passover seasons by giving something up such as leavened foods for Passover or a particular vice for Lent.  Well, instead of giving something up, we're deciding to give something out to you. When you go Fair Trade for Easter and Passover, we're giving away a free jumbo Fair Trade chocolate bar on purchases above $25. All you have to do is enter " free chocolate" in the customer comment field during checkout. So simple.

So, go ahead and show your love for Fair Trade and get some love back in the form of a free chocolate bar. 

Every Bunny Loves a Fair Trade Easter

Walking into any store, you can't help but notice all the Easter decorations. Well, that's because Easter is right around corner, folks! While you're getting ready to prepare for Sunday's festivities, why not try making it a Fair Trade Easter? Look to our Easter section and see how you can hop into a Fair Trade Easter. Our favorite? The Bundle of Bunnies. Cute enough to eat.

Sidewalk Sale April 11th!

When: Saturday, April 11th from 11am-6pm PST
Where: Global Exchange San Francisco Store
4018 24th Street @Noe
What: Fair Trade gifts (up to 60% Off), free lemonade, fair trade friends and fun!

We're looking forward to this because rarely do our Fair Trade Store folks come together like this. But with spring cleaning on our minds and new products on their way to our stores, we need to make room. So we're cleaning house, making this the perfect time for folks like YOU to come out and save BIG on tons of cool Fair Trade finds.

We hope to see you there...even if you're not in the mood to shop, just stop by and say hi!

Ralph Gets Involved

The economic downturn is still causing some worries, but Recession Ralph is taking the extra time that he now has since he lost his job to get involved with causes he's passionate about.

Ralph left Chiang Mai, Thailand to live in California so the cause to fight for immigrant rights is really close to home for him.

Ralph joined fellow staff members over the weekend in Seattle at the Green Festival. Ralph has been working overtime volunteering for a stronger green economy!

Have you seen Ralph around town? Be sure to snap a pic of him and send him over to us and we will post it on the blog and the best photo will be entered in the Recession Ralph photo contest to win a lovely Fair Trade prize. Send photos to storemaster@globalexchange.org with "Recession Ralph Photo" in the subject line.

Tell Cadbury Thanks and go Fair Trade in the USA!!

The outpouring of support for Cadbury's commitment to switch to Fair Trade in the UK by the end of this summer has been great. Now that the UK's leading chocolate bar producer has gone Fair Trade, we're looking toward the leading chocolate companies in the US to follow Cadbury's lead and follow through on their commitment to go Fair Trade.

A message from our Global Exchange Fair Trade campaign...

Cadbury has announced plans to begin using Fair Trade certified cocoa in the summer of 2009 for England's leading chocolate bar, Cadbury Dairy Milk. The significance of this fantastic news is that Cadbury is the first major chocolate brand to go Fair Trade certified with one of its main product lines, one of the goals Global Exchange and other organizations have been striving towards. Cadbury's announcement proves what Global Exchange has been saying for years: it is viable for a major chocolate bar to go Fair Trade without passing a significant cost increase to consumers. Congratulations on this important victory to all of you who have taken action by buying a Fair Trade certified chocolate bar or writing a letter to bring us to this moment!

As we all know, it is critical to write companies to pressure them to improve their performance on human rights and the environment. But it is just as important to thank companies when they make a change for the better, so that company executives can bring an outpouring of positive feedback to their boards, shareholders, and employees to sustain their new, responsible practices and promote more change.

That is why we want to urge every one of you to participate in our thank you action to Cadbury at this critical moment in time!
Please join Global Exchange and fellow members of our partner Fair Trade advocacy organizations nationwide and around the world in generating as many letters as possible to:

• congratulate Cadbury on the Fair Trade certification of their Dairy Milk bar in the UK.


• ask Cadbury, Hershey (Cadbury's US manufacturer) and Green and Black's Organic (owned by Cadbury) to expand their commitment to Fair Trade in the United States by introducing more Fair Trade Certified products.
  

So head over to >the Global Exchange action page and Thank Cadbury for their commitment and ask them and other large chocolate companies to commit to Fair Trade throughout their whole supply chain.