For Sue.

This isn't very well thought out but I had a conversation tonight that included the topic of Fairtrade and I feel like sharing.

Basically, here are two reasons to support Fairtrade from Sian, our night church minister's wife:

1. Eating lots and lots of cheap chocolate is bad for you.
2. Stewardship! I really like this. Sian says that we are a society that just consumes and consumes and we rarely, if ever, consider where our products come from or the circumstances in which they were made. Supporting Fairtrade encourages us to think deeper about where our products come from and the effect that the production process has on the environment. It may only be a small step, but it's a start.

Also, there are some Fairtrade companies that really are passionate about giving farmers/producers a fair price such as Tribes and Nations, headed up by the Murrays, or the lovely South African lady at the Open Hand cafe in India who stocks naught but Fairtrade goods. I would rather buy products from them any day.

And also, the trickle down effect is rubbish. I remember vaguely case studies from Development Studies that examined the idea that all levels of society would benefit if the economy was given over to an entirely free market. Doesn't work. Economics takes no notice of people but simply operates on the principle of supply/demand. If you're poor, you're screwed and even more so in a free market because there are absolutely no guarantees that you will get a thing. So regulation might upset the market and throw things off balance, as you were explaining Sue, but I believe it's necessary. Because unfortunately, greedy and sinful human beings screwed up first and there needs to be intervention to provide for those who haven't a hope of providing for themselves.

So yeah, there's my rant based on minimal reading and discussion. Still supporting Fairtrade, but welcome to opposing views, as always.

Progress.

Screw science and philosophical questions. Objections and doubts shrivel and die at the foot of the cross. I'd like to be able to engage in conversation concerning evolution and morality and argue for or against those things from a Christian perspective but the real answer to every question is Jesus.

I am completely, utterly and totally convinced of the death and resurrection of Jesus. Nothing has ever shaken my trust in this, the crux of Christianity. So long as this stands firmly, my conviction will remain.

That's all I really have to say about that.
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On Fairtrade

Sue and I went along to the Fairtrade Fiesta in Paddington last night and managed to have a decent conversation with one of the founders of Tribes & Nations, a Fairtrade business. Sue recognised Mignonne Murray from a spot at CMS Summer School so not only were we able to find out more about Fairtrade, but we were able to approach it from a Christian perspective.

Mignonne explained the basics: Fairtrade is a movement which aims to provide third world producers with a fairer price for their goods. One way in which farmers are protected for example, is by the Fairtrade Minimum Price, which is basically a floor price that guarantees stability and security of income even in an economic downturn. Fairtrade not only seeks to benefit producers in developing countries, but also ensures that the process is environmentally sustainable.

Fairtrade goods are obviously more expensive than what we would normally buy. My question then: is Fairtrade, in a sense, a luxury for those who can afford it? Mignonne countered this by explaining that once demand goes up, prices come down and mentioned the example of Copenhagen as a city that is committed to ethical consumerism, demonstrated by its application to become a Fairtrade city. Apparently 270 Fairtrade cities exist worldwide. Nice.

Mignonne's vision is for Fairtrade to be the norm in about 60 years or so. She sees the next generation recognising that action needs to be taken to address the outrageous disparity in wealth between the first and third worlds and Fairtrade will be a key instrument. I share her passion for seeing it come to pass, but for Fairtrade to prevail, it essentially means that consumers will have to be other-person centred in making their purchases which sounds absurd because it seems so unlikely. Is there a happy medium between capitalism and communism? See, I think that people should be free to make their own wealth, but that there shouldn't be people in dire need. Do I want to have my cake and eat it, too?

No, people should just stop being jerks. Yes, that includes me.

The realisation that there are Fairtrade cities the world over has given me hope. Surely if we continue to demand Fairtrade basics such as coffee and chocolate here in Australia, one city might be willing to go certified Fairtrade? One thing I am definitely sure of now though, I think it is better to support Fairtrade, than to boycott.

I asked Mignonne what we could be praying for and she was adamant: that the church would have a heart for the poor and do something about it. She seemed almost disillusioned and of the opinion that the church today just doesn't seem to care very much. I'm still thinking about this. What should the local church be doing to help alleviate poverty? Should local churches be stepping up to assist developing nations? What about Christian organisations such as World Vision? Surely they are an example of Christian love and service to the poor?

Yet more to ponder.

She's at it again.

I have returned from a truly random expedition.

Dad suddenly pops his head into my room and asks if I'd like to go for a drive somewhere. Apparently it will be to my 'benefit'. I've been attempting to nap for the past 45 minutes but despite being dazed and confused, I agree.

One hour later I'm standing in a giant warehouse surrounded by racks of marked down designer clothing. A company in Melbourne has recently gone bust, everything must go, etc. Pick something dad says.

Random.

So I now have a nice new pair of jeans. I tried them on once again as I got home and I had a look at the tag: designed in Australia, assembled in China.

I inspected the stitching. Now I am by no stretch of the imagination a 'sewer', 'knitter' or even 'cross-stitcher'. I think most people would encourage me to keep away from needle-work of any kind (especially those on our church weekend away who were trying to teach me to knit), but I know quality. There were stitches all over the place and they were slightly frayed. I was able to pick up on all sorts of imperfections.

Assembled in China. Assembled by whom? Where? Was this person a child? What was this person's rate of pay? How many hours did they work in a day? How many pairs of jeans did they have to assemble per hour?

I cannot look at a piece of clothing without wondering who made it and under what conditions. I'd hoped that a more expensive pair of jeans might mean that those who made them were in no way exploited. However as I looked carefully over the handiwork it was easy to tell that they were made in a rush, in an attempt to fill an order and, I can only assume, by a person who was and probably still is in an awful circumstance.

Recommended retail price of the pair of jeans: $179.00

It's a joke.

And here's the trade-off: ethical consumerism is expensive. I'd have to pay around $300 for a pair of jeans that had not been made under illegal conditions. Fairtrade chocolate and coffee is more expensive. A Fairtrade pair of sneakers is more expensive. This is because the people who made them are actually getting a fair price for their labour. Clothes are absolutely impossible. I no longer consider a $5 t-shirt a bargain, I look at it and see the person in the sweatshop who made it.

I have a confession to make. Earlier this year I spent $100 on a pair of jeans. To a lot of people this may seem absolutely ridiculous. But I am adamant. Firstly, I buy one pair of jeans a year, if that. Secondly, this pair of jeans was marked down from $200. Thirdly, they fit perfectly and go with absolutely everything. Finally, they were made in Australia. I do not regret spending money on a pair of jeans that I get good use of and which I am 99% sure involved no exploitation in the process of their production.

But is this too much to spend? I don't buy clothing often. I've bought nothing but that pair of jeans since I came back from India and in light of that trip, spending such an amount on a pair of jeans was even more difficult. For me personally, sometimes spending a little more money on a piece of clothing that I know was not made in a sweatshop puts my mind at ease. Particularly when it's a pair of jeans that I wear all the time. Honestly, I don't think I could wear an engagement ring if I didn't know for sure that it was conflict-free because the thought that someone could have died to find the rock on my finger upsets me to no end.

Maybe this is overkill. Maybe this is a feeble attempt to justify expensive taste under the guise of 'ethical consumerism'. I hope not. At the end of the day: I'm willing to spend extra for a quality item made by somebody who was paid rightly.

I know of and I've read criticisms of Fairtrade goods, that in the grand scheme of things, it doesn't really make a difference. But if I can do something, somehow, however small, then I will. And if lots of other people decided to as well, then who knows what might happen. Suck it up and pay an extra 50 cents for a Fairtrade cup of coffee. Or you could always just decide that the problem is too big and too far away to deal with. It's not like you'd be the first.

What's behind the label?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nq4TglVSUJM

Why we should buy conflict-free diamonds:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoJNwmZ74bU