Effects of Climate Change

While there is still debate about the present effects global warming, scientists, glaciologists, and many others agree: seemingly small changes can make huge environmental impacts.

Climate change and Global Warming have been on the environmental and political hotlist for a number of years now. And, whether you believe its happening or not, how could conservation be a bad thing?

Some groups like Friends of Science argue that much of global warming can be explained by the cyclical carbon, warming, and cooling trends on earth. But, more groups disagree, often citing rising carbon release for recent droughts and large storms. Who to believe? Who cares.

One thing we know for sure is that the Earth takes good care of us, and we should take care of it. Caring for the earth allows us to better care for the people in it - to provide them with sustainable resources and incomes, clean drinking water, fresh food, and homes.

Scientists from around the world are urging us to quickly reduce emissions, conserve water, plant trees, and offset the carbon and other gases we emit into the air. Here are just a few things that are predicted to happen if we don't take action.

* Glaciers will completely melt, eliminating fresh drinking water and a source of electricity for millions of people

* Due to rising waters, the shoreline of many countries could shrink, displacing people from coastal cities. Plus, surges in water create flooding, which readily increases the spreading of illnesses like cholera and cryptosporiium.

* Disruption and change in local and seasonal weather patterns, not just from global warming but also from deforestation.

* Having a limited amount of resources and capital, the poorest people will have the hardest time adapting to the climate change providing for their families.

If these are just some of the POSSIBILITIES of climate change, let's start preventing it right now. After all, the world's poorest will be the least able to adapt to these conditions. There are many ways to tread lightly on earth.

Deforestation Effects

Fewer trees = less shade, less water stored in the forest, more soil erosion and more carbon in the air. More carbon = warmer weather. Warmer weather = big trouble, especially in already dry areas!

As much of the industrialized world is increasing its carbon and fuel emissions into the atmosphere, there is a growing concern for caring for the environment. One way that Fair Trade companies are helping the environment is by working to reduce deforestation. By allowing craftspeople to retain cultural traditions (such as gourd carving, knitting and weaving), by promoting sustainable farming, or by developing new crafts out of renewable or recycled materials, we help alleviate the burden some indigenous people feel to farm trees for lumber and livestock. Fair trade often provides an alternative business opportunity – one that is renewable from year to year.

Don't yet see how this all fits in? We hope this gives you a sense: Trees breathe in carbon dioxide, so as many forests are being stripped from the earth, more carbon is staying in the atmosphere. Many people - scientists, laymen, government officials, etc - consider this a huge problem as it influences the warming trend on earth. For example, many scientists are predicting most of the glaciers in the Andes will be gone within the next 30 years http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19095038/. If the idea that the source of the Amazon river drying up does not concern you, then we hope that the idea of millions of Andean people losing their supply of fresh water for drinking and irrigating their crops will. Now, cutting down trees isn't the only cited cause for the warming trend, but more trees means more shade and less carbon. And that helps to make the world a cooler place. Besides that, deforestation often leads to desertification and soil erosion, which often spoil the farm or range land created by deforestation in the first place.

Help us protect forests and promote alternative businesses for our producer partners! Encourage furniture recycling, support fair trade shade-grown coffee, teas, and cocoa, and support Certified Wood Programs. There are many ways to help!

Fair Trade Coffee helps the environment!

Fair Trade helps sustainability! More and more Fair Trade companies and activist groups are recognizing that the more we help people, the more we help the environment. For example, Fair Trade coffee producers don’t just see the benefits of fair trade in their wallets. They also see it in their farms. Transfair USA, the organization promoting the Fair Trade Certified label in the United States, reports the following.

Fair Trade coffee and cocoa support small scale producer while encouraging and supporting the protection of diverse and forested ecological systems. Part of the fair trade certification process involves extra money for community programs, and the farmers and fair trade coffee companies partner on soil and water conservation. Over 80% of fair trade coffee is shade grown. Coffee grown under the natural forest canopy preserves habitat for wildlife including plants, animals, insects, and migratory birds. Best of all, most fair trade coffee is also organic, which protects coffee workers, their families and you, the consumer, from toxic chemicals.

Other fair trade organizations and companies realize that protecting people will help protect the environment. But, they are also realizing that protecting the environment will protect people from harmful chemicals, unclean water from waste runoff, and from depleting the natural resources they’ll need in the future.

We encourage you to learn more about your favorite brand of fair trade coffee and ask them what they are doing to encourage reforestation, terracing, composting and other environmentally sustainable practices. The next time you shop for coffee, ask for fair trade and give people and the planet a real break!

Fair Trade and the Earth

Fair Trade encourages environmentally sustainability by educating producers to make wiser use of resources. In the craft world, this means using more local and natural materials instead of imported synthetics, and healthier production methods to avoid dangerous chemicals. But the impact of Fair Trade on the planet is even greater in relation to food production. For example, it provides alternatives to tree cutting for cattle farming in the Amazon with shade grown organic coffee or cocoa while also fostering biodiversity. Plus, as trends in climate change reach new heights, Fair Traders are recognizing that some of the poorest regions of the world will be the most affected by droughts and flooding, and so are working to foster environmental education and preservation.

Life next to a mine - Living in a toxic valley

In small villages near the city of Huancayo, Peru people make a living carving gourds into fine art. They also live in a valley where the water and soil have been contaminated by heavy metals thanks to the mines in the area. Fair trade and hard work give these people a chance to clean up their valley.

While fair trade strives to be a socially responsible form of commerce, the day to day concerns of both the artisan and the fair trade importer are not so different than those of any other buyers and sellers around the world. But fair trade companies do care about people, and we hope that the gourd carvers in Peru will serve as a good example.

In 2007 Lo Oroya, Peru made the list of the 10 most polluted cities in the world. The report cites extremely high levels of heavy metals in the water and top soil of this city in the Mantaro Rivey Valley in the Andes of Peru. The city of Huancayo and the villages that form the center of Peruvian gourd carving are all located in this valley. Read more from Oxfam America.

Lucuma Designs, sponsor of Fair Trade Helps, works with many families living in this valley. Fortunately, according to what they have been told, they live high above the contaminated valley. Yet they do not know where the food they purchase is grown, and we feel far more education is needed to encourage people to ask tough questions of their own government and fight for the health of their children. In the meantime, fairly traded gourds provide critical income to people in the valley and an alternative to a life in the mines. Moreover, gourd carving will become even more important if it turns out that the soil contamination affects much of the agriculture in the valley, as the livelihood of many more people will be at risk.

This issue will provide a chance for many fair trade companies to demonstrate their commitment to artists and their families.

We encourage you to contact the Doe Run Corporation in Missuiri and insist that they clean up the mine and all of the mine waste that endangers people and agriculture in the valley.

Fair Trade Fights Malnutrition

Steady work and living wages are often key to helping people lift themselves out of poverty and combat malnutrition.

Workers in developing countries often have no chance to better themselves because they have no product to offer, no resources to make products, or no one to help them distribute goods. Fair trade organizations across the globe are helping impoverished people learn to make crafts and other products with available resources and develop them for markets abroad and in the US. Furthermore, these same organizations are providing consistent work, which is enabling hundreds and thousands of families to buy food, access healthcare, and get an education. As more craftsmen are empowered to form businesses and become self-sufficient, workers and communities are being lifted from starvation and malnutrition.

Heifer International is one organization aimed at helping small farmers become independent and improve their livelihood through education and gifts of livestock with a commitment to give the first offspring to their neighbors. Lucuma Designs is proud to support Heifer International and other similar organizations.

The Lake Titicaca region of Peru and Bolivia has stunning vistas and proud inhabitants. The Inca empire was founded there! Today however, this region is one of the poorest parts of South America in part due to subsidized American potatoes and wheat, products which were once being imported from Peru. From sugar cane to home decor, more and more stores today are offering you a choice. Choose fair trade and support a movement of sustainability that is greatly affecting your world neighbors.

Overcoming Poverty

For many world artisans, Fair Trade is helping people lift themselves out of poverty.

Poverty is the state of being poor, of being unable to meet basic needs of food, clothing, and shelter. According to the US Census Bureau, in 2005 over 37 million people in the US were living in poverty - 12.6% of Americans! And across the world, the statistics are even higher. The International Poverty Centre cited over 1.3 billion people worldwide living in poverty in 2001.

Fair Trade companies and organizations recognize the link between trade and poverty. Those who aren't paid a 'living' wage certainly can't ... well, live. So these companies are working hard to develop sustainable crafts and commodities for the marketplace. And for many fair trade companies, their workers set the price of their crafts and goods, ensuring that they can provide for their families. Many fairly traded commodities such as coffee and chocolate are certified by international standards which set minimum prices as well as social premiums.

Fair trade importers also gives many artisans access to micro-loans to cover the costs of raw materials and other supplies. Plus, fair traders are working to develop long-term relationships with artist groups, to continue providing work and income for the long run.

Your purchases can make a difference. Please ask for local, fair trade and environmentally responsible products at the places you shop.