Fair Trade Vancouver Blog

By Jaime Heenan

Many people have an opinion of Starbucks. Whether it’s positive, negative, or simply “wow-these-kitty-corner-Starbucks-are-convenient,” today we commend them for taking a step in the right direction: making one of their main roasts Fair Trade certified.

You may remember (or not) their Fair Trade certified brand, Café Estima. Hard to find and with staff reluctant to brew, this coffee was available only at select locations, and then exclusively online — frustrating for customers who want to support Fair Trade. The good news is the new Italian roast will be readily available. Multi-region and dark, you can purchase this coffee in all Starbucks locations, online, and possibly in grocery stores. Their Café Estima line, however, is discontinued altogether, so the Italian roast is the only Fair Trade coffee Starbucks will serve. Although not as forward as the Starbucks in the UK and Ireland, which are entirely Fair Trade down to the espresso, it is an encouraging step.

Tomorrow, Emily Carr Illustration, Fair Trade Vancouver, and The FALL Gallery will be presenting The Deck Show’s Closing Auction at the Fall Tattooing and Artist’s Gallery — where a portion of the event’s sales will go towards supporting Fair Trade Vancouver!

The DECK SHOW, executed by the Emily Carr University of Art and Design’s Illustration Club, is an exhibition showcasing these students’ styles and voices. Skate and street culture have long been proponents of illustration, utilizing the skate deck as a canvas for self-expression. Each deck is an original, one-of-a-kind piece of art. A veritable rainbow of solutions, mediums, and styles generated over 120 boards showcased at the Fall Gallery, 644 Seymour Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 3K4.

Be sure to check it out!

By Kealy Doyle

Tomorrow's one of the biggest days of the year for flower sales. Millions of dollars will change hands at grocery stores and florists across the country and why not? What's better than a beautiful bouquet of roses?

The answer: a beautiful bouquet of roses that hasn't been grown, picked and cut by workers who'll see just a fraction of those dollar bills you'll hand over.

Most flowers sold in Canada come from South America, where work in the flower industry is often low-paid, insecure, and potentially harmful due to toxic pesticides and other chemicals. Many of these workers and their families survive on as little as $13 a day.

It's been all over the news (here, and here), but in case you missed it, check out this video of Fair Trade Vancouver as they take to the streets of Downtown Vancouver to support the purchase of Fair Trade products this Valentine's Day. The event was part of the My Fair Valentine Campaign organized by the CFTN Network.

Thanks to Maziar Ghaderi (http://www.maziart.org) for putting together this awesome video!