The Fairness of Trade

The Fairness of Trade

Today is World Fair Trade Day, and it gets me to thinking (since my mom mentions going to Walmart and the building collapse in Bangladesh), how many really know and understand fair trade.

According to fairtradeusa.org: Fair Trade began modestly in the 1940s when a few small North American and European organizations reached out to poverty stricken communities to help them sell their handicrafts to well-off markets. Later, a fictional Dutch character, Max Havelaar, was developed as an advocate for exploited coffee pickers. Today, Fair Trade is a global effort. Consumers can enliven developing countries, relieve exploitation and promote environmental sustainability by purchasing Fair Trade-labeled tea, cocoa, fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, sugar, honey, wine, flowers, grains and rubber products.



How does this tie into everyday purchases? When we as consumers read the labels "made in ____" fill in the blank, we are making the purchase power of a lifetime. We can say through that purchase that I will make sure this will not go towards the exploiting of the environment, of people and countries. So here are some steps, look for labels that say fair trade. Look for clothing that is made in the USA or call up the companies and ask how their products are made and how they treat their employees.

Vegan Cheese and A Wine Tasting

Vegan Cheese and A Wine Tasting

Yesterday, Bruce and I hosted a wine tasting with homemade nut cheeses. I will have to admit that the cheese was really easy to make, and I know this is the hardest to give up when you make that transition to vegan. One thinks, "Wow, I have to give things like this up..."

Let me tell you right now, you don't have to. The next series of recipes posted, will be how to make 4 different kinds. These are tried, tasty, and asked for recipes from the event yesterday.

Recipes Found: Artisan Vegan Cheese and VegNews

The Art of Composting.....

The Art of Composting….

When I was living in San Antonio, I had a composting pile that was really nutrient rich. It really didn't take long for the earth worms to find their way, and make it even better… My potted plants flourished from the compost, and my trash output went WAY down. It was a sad moment when I had to give the pile to Mother Nature, and move to Colorado.

Now that Bruce and I are settled, we've established a new composting pile that has had to be emptied out 3 times. This last time, I found the first earth worm and was really excited. Bruce had told me that he's never been successful at composting.

So here it is: a list of items that can be composted. Between this and recycling there is little to go into a landfill.

Of course here are the basics:

veggie/fruit food scraps (excluding onion and garlic-they can kill the good microbes)
cotton balls/q-tips (cardboard handle)
plant trimmings/fresh flowers/dried flowers
coffee grounds/tea bags
stale crackers/tortilla chips/potato chips
stale/moldy bread

Things that surprised me (that make sense):

insides of the vacuum bag/dryer lint
pencil shavings
paper muffin/cupcake liners
tofu/tempeh
toothpicks
fireplace ash
wine coorks (not plastic)

Things I had NO idea about:

cooked pasta
booze (wine/beer)
non-dairy/soy "milk-dairy"
dog food (dry)/rawhides
old masking tape
paper towels/napkins
toilet paper/paper towel rolls (shredded first)
pizza/cereal boxes (shredded first)

Make sure that you cover the "food" items with dirt, plant trimmings or the vacuum bag contents. You can attract flies or vermin; plus it will smell. Don't forget, if you use Method quick wipes, they are compost-able too... Happy composting!

Source: hometowndumpsterrental.com via compassionate on Pinterest

the real cost of the purchase of wine

(This was posted May 29, 2009)

I was talking to friends the other night, and got to thinking. How "green" is the wine that I'm drinking? I thought about it and I didn't like the answer. That being said, at that moment I became aware of how I can make my carbon footprint even smaller.... Living in Texas, we are lucky to have great wineries in the hill country.
Check out www.gotexanwine.org for more information.

If you travel to the east coast, purchasing a bottle that comes from overseas is less fuel used then purchasing a bottle from the west coast. If traveling to the west coast look into the California wine country.

Just thoughts....

(Here is my update)

Being "green" about my wine consumption is great, but I have to look at the wineries that are making Vegan Wines....

Bonterra uses organic grapes, but only their whites are vegan
Our Daily Red is a good red that is organic and vegan

Check the labels and look into the companies.

Most wines will have casein in them which is: A protein that is found in milk and used independently in many foods as a binding agent. Technically, it is part of a group called phosphoproteins, collections of proteins bound to something containing phosphoric acid. Casein may also be called caseinogen, particularly in European foods.

In Red Wines, most companies will add animal by products to get the right color or taste....
Examples of animal products used as finings are gelatin, isinglass, chitosan, casein and egg albumen. Bull's blood is also used in some Mediterranean countries but is not allowed in the U.S. or Europe. Kosher wines use isinglass derived from fish bladders, though not from the sturgeon, since the kosher status of this fish is in debate.