December 2004 | Co-op America’s Living Green
Having a Fair Trade House Party
Dear Co-op America, What are fair trade house parties, and how do they work? — Gina G., Atlanta, GA
WITH THE HOLIDAY season approaching, now’s the perfect time to think about hosting a fair trade house party. Fair trade ensures that workers receive prices that cover production costs and help them improve their lives, their communities, and the Earth.
House parties are an excellent way to support fair trade. You gather a group of friends, explain what fair trade is, and encourage them to purchase fair trade crafts such as colorful shawls, handcrafted jewelry, or gift baskets featuring Fair Trade Certified chocolate, coffee, and tea.
Perhaps most importantly, house parties educate guests about fair trade and spur them to spread the word. To brush up on your fair trade knowledge, consult a publication such as Co-op America’s Guide to Making Trade Fair and our Guide to Ending Sweatshops (see contact information below to order for $6 each), as well as our Web sites, http://www.fairtradeaction.org and http://www.sweatshops.org. Talk about the information with guests, and give them copies of articles that interest you. You can also bring in a guest speaker or show a video.
Then, it’s on to shopping. Visit Co-op America’s National Green Pages online, http://www.greenpages.org, our directory of green and fair trade businesses — and request catalogs from fair trade companies whose products you find appealing. Have your guests fill out order forms at the party and place the orders on their own. If you own a few fair trade items, you can show them off as samples. Or, buy your holiday gifts early and display them before passing them along to their intended recipients.
Some organizations have kits available for fair trade sale events, and these kits often include educational materials as well as sample products or products you can sell on the spot. SERRV International’s A Greater Gift program (800-423-0071, http://www.agreatergift.org) and Pachamama (831-427-0889, http://www.pachamamaworld.com) have programs for individuals. If you are connected to an organization, Ten Thousand Villages (717-859-8100, http://www.tenthousandvillages.com) has a program designed for larger events, such as community days or church fairs.
Cell Phone Disposal
Dear Co-op America, We need to find an eco-friendly way to dispose of a broken cell phone. Any ideas? — David and Esperanza Sanchez, E-mail
THE EPA SAYS mobile phones are hazardous waste because they contain lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic. About 100 million or so toxic cell phones are “retired” each year in the United States, so recycling unwanted cell phones is a great way to protect people and the planet.
Send your phone to any of these organizations for refurbishment or recycling:
* Collective Good will refurbish your old cell phone and resell it at a considerable discount to people in developing countries. Visit http://www.collectivegood.com, or call 770-856-9021.
* Donate a Phone’s Call to Protect program refurbishes old cell phones in partnership with Motorola and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. The phones are programmed to dial 911 and are given to victims of domestic violence with free emergency airtime. Visit http://www.donateaphone.com or call 888-901-SAFE.
* Visit http://www.wirelessrecycling.com, and enter your zip code to find a local ReCellular cell phone dropoff center for refurbishing or recycling. ReCellular manages recycling programs for many large companies, such as Sprint and Verizon, as well as charities like the Easter Seals and GoodWill.
Living Green is brought to you by Co-op America, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that provides green living, purchasing, and investing tips and resources. To join Co-op America and get a free copy of the National Green Pages™ directory of green businesses, contact 800/58-GREEN. If you have a question for Living Green, e-mail it.
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