I read with interest your article. As a Fair Trader in a small town, I push people to look more closely at what businesses they support and even to question those that say that they are Fair Trade. I firmly believe in the grass roots model where the business is fair and socially responsible and transparent in all of its activity. I, like Jeff Moore, worry about the movement being co-opted by big business. Yes, so long as we can keep a healthy grass roots movement, we can applaud the changes of transnational corporations that social pressure causes them to make.
I think of the economist E.F. Schumacher who wrote the book "Small is Beautiful". Do you really think that the Tide is changing toward a more sustainable, people-motivated, not profit-driven world? I hope you're right with all my heart.
Jane Nigh
Port Colborne
The Changing Tide
I read with interest your article. As a Fair Trader in a small town, I push people to look more closely at what businesses they support and even to question those that say that they are Fair Trade. I firmly believe in the grass roots model where the business is fair and socially responsible and transparent in all of its activity. I, like Jeff Moore, worry about the movement being co-opted by big business. Yes, so long as we can keep a healthy grass roots movement, we can applaud the changes of transnational corporations that social pressure causes them to make.
I think of the economist E.F. Schumacher who wrote the book "Small is Beautiful". Do you really think that the Tide is changing toward a more sustainable, people-motivated, not profit-driven world? I hope you're right with all my heart.
Jane Nigh
Port Colborne