Back-to-School Bags the Fair Trade Way!

I've decided that I want to become more consistent with my blogging. So I've made a goal to post once a week, each week of the month corresponding with a different theme.  Week one: Fair trade or Environmentalism.  Week two:  Personal Reflection.  Week three: Social Issues.  And week four: Glo-burban Spotlights.

Since this is the first week of August and we are nearing the start of another school year, I decided to take some time to highlight some back-to-school bags... that are not only totally cool... but are also totally Fair Trade purchases!  You can be sure that these products were not made in some China sweatshop by children who would much prefer to be in school themselves, but were made by employees being treated rightly and payed fairly!

Just to be honest, my kids are not receiving one of these bags this school year, though they will be using their fair trade lunch boxes from last year.  I showed them  a few of these backpacks, but they are going with something different this year.  There are a gazillion fair trade and eco-friendly options out there, and it can be fun to shop online with your kids.  One of the best websites I've found for fair trade/eco-friendly products is WorldofGood.com by Ebay.

 Here are just a few that I thought were cool and affordable!

1. Bazura Bags

We bought two adorable lunch bags from Bazura Bags last year, and I have been asked on many occasion... "Where did you get those cute lunch bags?"  These are just two of their styles.  I love the messegner book bags made from used rice bags and recycled aluminum foil! 











2. Fair Trade Winds - Owl Back Pack

Isn't this cute?  Perfect for your little Pre-Schooler or Kindergartner?  These are made using various scraps of fabric by a Fair-Trade women's co-op in Thailand.





3.  Hempmania

This every day backpack is made of a very eco-friendly product, hemp, by Mayan families in Guatemala. Very versatile!






 4. Recycled Rice Lunch Bag

 I love this lunch bag!!!  And it would go perfect with the rice bag back pack from Bazura!














5. Fair Trade Winds - lunch bag

 Oh, isn't this a perfect gift for a teacher!  Who wouldn't love this cute lunch bag?  And they do free shipping!




6. Recycled Juice Bags Lunch Bag

This cute lunch box is made from recycled juice bags from the Philippines and is sold at my favorite store ever... Ten Thousand Villages!  It's very similar to the lunch bags I bought last year for Dylan and Jaida. 


Happy shopping, friends!

Spring is Sprouting!

It's spring! The season of new life, new beginnings. Dry brown branches are being speckled by hews of baby green, transforming the bare forests to deep green in a matter of a few short weeks.  Funny, twisted shoots are peeping out from a thawing earth, mysteriously revealing flowers of every color of the rainbow.  Gray skies melt to blue.  Harsh, howling winds are replaced by cool breezes, carrying the melodies of bird-songs.  The sun stoops closer to our part of the planet calling forth new life.

Gardeners are getting dirty.  Farmers are tilling their fields.  And the rest of us are growing excited for fresh, local produce.  Last year I wrote about my excitement for the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) vegetable co-op to begin again at Lancaster County Farm Fresh.  This will be our 4th year that we have bought a vegetable share with our neighbors to split.  This means that we will be getting locally-grown, organic, delicious produce from May to October! And not only that, we will be keeping many family farms in business, in an era when small farmers are forced to sell their land due to a loss in profits.

So if you live in any of these counties... Lancaster, Lebanon, Berks, Bucks, Montgomery, Chester, or Delaware... you still have time to purchase a vegetable, fruit, flower, or herb share from Lancaster County Farm Fresh and have it delivered to a pick-up site near you.  Consider sharing a share with another family.  It's a great way to eat healthy, take care of the land, and support small, business owners.  I call that a win-win-win!

Click on this link to learn more about LCFF!

The Lorax, a Tree-Hugging Friend

Environmental Science.  Sixth Grade.  It ruined me.  Or better put, it opened my eyes to my part of ruining our precious planet.  It is where I learned about population over-growth, landfills, pollution, and global-warming.  It was the fire under my feet that urged me to urge my parents to begin saving our "recyclables" and to begin a compost pile in the corner of our yard, next to the woods.  And it's what eventually caused my husband to label me a "tree-hugger" when we were first married (all for telling him that we needed to get a recycling bin!)  

My husband has come a long way (he blessedly bought me a composting sphere for Christmas two years ago!), and I now have two offspring who bring trash in from the outside, shaking their heads and saying, "Some people just do not care about our Earth, Mommy!"  Ahh... nothing warms a mother's heart more.  

So it should come to no surprise when I tell you that I cried at the end of The Lorax, the new film based off of the children's story by Dr. Seuss.  We took the kids to see it last Saturday for our first big-screen movie as an entire family.  And, boy, was this worth seeing!  Sure, it's an extreme example of environmental destruction, but the message is powerfully relevant for our times (and for anyone trying to live a glo-burban life).  

The Onceler reveals to the audience that environmental destruction is rooted in greed.  His desire to do something BIG, to be RECOGNIZED, and to make LOTS OF MONEY fuels his decision to chop down every last tree, with no regard to how the trees are such an important part of sustainable life.  The trees are not only beautiful and mysterious, but they make up an essential part of the habitat for the bears, the birds and the fish.  The loss of the trees is also the loss of the lives that depend upon them.  

Living in suburban America, I realize that I am part of this larger Greed.  Where I live, where I shop, how much I drive my car, what I buy... all of these decisions contain a carbon footprint.  Sometimes it's easier not to care, not to wonder whose water is being contaminated by my trash or what river is drying up due to the furniture I buy (deforestation) or whose lungs are being contaminated by my car's emissions.  These thoughts bring with them a sense of responsibility, a knowledge that my actions affect others' lives, that I am just one being here on Earth and yet am also connected to this beautiful web of life.

But the inspirational message from The Lorax comes when the the hero of the movie, a teenage boy named Ted, realizes that his voice matters, and declares, "I'm Ted.  And I speak for the trees."  He makes a decision to challenge the assumptions of those in his town.  He questions their belief that plastic can replace Nature, that Capitalism does not have consequences, that human life is disconnected from the rest of Creation, that humans have the right to abuse Creation.  

Ted challenges me.  I can pretend that my life has little ripple effect, but I know that this is not true. Having any global awareness at all reveals the fact that American consumerism (i.e. greed) fuels much of the environmental devastation around our globe... from warring over oil, diamonds, gold, and titanium... to wanting to eat cheap, fast food... to building economic empires... to chasing the latest and the greatest stuff... This lack of contentment, this lack of reverence for our God-given home... it snags at each of us.  

And so what to do?  How to contain the "spirit of the Lorax"?  I think it begins with educating ourselves.  When we begin to understand what is happening in our world and what we can do about it, we then can make choices that are healing, rather than greedy.  Secondly, I look to my pocket book.  Where am I spending my money?  In a culture that is driven by the dollar, do I want to encourage greedy businesses that make heavy carbon footprints on this earth?  Or would I rather support the many, creative enterprises (often times very small) that value human life and environmental sustainability?

For a better understanding of where our stuff goes when we're bored with it, check this out: The Story of Stuff

For a look at the impact of global-warming, check out An Inconvenient Truth.

To learn more about Rain Forest Devastation, read this.

To learn about earth-friendly, alternative cleaning products, click here.

To shop fairtrade check out: Fair Trade USA, Ten Thousand Villages, or Green America 

To better understand our role in the food chain, watch Food Inc.

How are you trying to follow the spirit of the tree-hugging Lorax?

Fair Trade Friday - Christmas!!!

I read this post by Rachel Held-Evans, and I was inspired to make a similar "Favorite Things" list, but I think I'll stick to a Top Seven.  Please check out Rachel's post, however, because she promotes a lot of great organizations and ideas!  

For starters, I really love giving gifts, but I really hate excess, waste, and exploitation.  (I get almost sick to my stomach when I think about our electronics industry helping to fuel the war in the Congo.)  So for me the solution to that problem is to find gifts that make a difference... you know something that is fair-traded or hand-made or comes from recycled material.  And there are oodles and oodles of great, meaningful gifts out there!  I'm going to share some of my favorite fair-trade products right here:

1. Punjammies!!!  These are bright, colorful, textured pajama pants for women made by women who are rebuilding their lives after being rescued from a life of forced prostitution.  The organization that empowers these brave women is called International Princess Project; isn't that a great name!  By the way, if you place an order by the end of the day, you will get 40% off your entire order (enter this code: friendsofIPP)!  And they are offering Free Shipping through the rest of December.  So what are you waiting for?  Go buy some Punjammies!

2. Hearts 4 Hearts Girls.  Think American Girl Doll goes Universal.  You have to see the beautiful faces of these dolls!  Each one comes from a different part of the world and has a story about her life and culture.  It's a great way for young girls to learn about other girls and issues around the world.  And best of all, a portion of the sale of each doll goes to supporting World Vision.

3. Ten Thousand Villages.  From fair-trade coffees, teas, and chocolates to handmade jewelry and scarves to home decor to CDs and instruments, every purchase at this store is well-worth your dollars.  The products are all made by artisans from around the world who earn a fair wage for their varying talents and expertise.  The stores are spreading across the country, so be sure to find a location near you!

4. Second Street Thrift Store.  If you live near Denver, PA, you ought to check out this shop, which is way more than a thrift store!  For starters, it looks more like a boutique as it is decorated so creatively with a real vintage feel.  The store sells donated (and some new!) clothing, furniture, and household goods.  100% of the profits from Second Street goes to supporting HOME International, a ministry that provides homes for abandoned girls in India.  

5. Bead for Life.  I've already blogged about this awesome organization, but I can't say enough good things about it!  Even if one does not have the means to spend a lot at Christmas, you can still offer to host a bead party, gather your friends and neighbors, and invite others to purchase this beautiful jewelry and Shea Butter soap and lip balm.  

6. World Vision Gift Catalogue.  This is one of our family's favorite places to find Christmas gifts.  You know those persons who really don't need another knick-knack, such as grandparents and great-grandparents?  Well, Jarred and I invite our children to look through the online catalog and choose a "gift" (i.e. a share of a well, packets of seeds, two babies chicks, life-saving medication, etc...) that they want to "give" to the grandparents in our lives.  World Vision then sends us cards, explaining how the gift given in honor of our loved one will benefit people in real need.  This is a great teachable moment for our children as they are reminded that some families are just hoping for enough food to eat, healthcare, and the ability to get an education.  

7. Fair-Trade Coffee.  This is one of those purchases that is easy to find and of course is delicious for any coffee drinker!  A lot grocery stores carry fair-traded options, and I believe Starbucks sells ethically-grown coffee as well.  You could also check out Grounds for Change or Equal Exchange.

There are many, many more wonderful gift ideas out there!  I'd love to hear some of yours!  

Fair Trade Friday - Bead for Life!

What do you get when you mix old magazines, Ugandan women, and style?  Well, you get beads, of course!  And not just any old beads... bright, colorful, handmade beads made from recycled paper.  And the best part about these beads?  They are fair-traded!  

I was first introduced to these beads two years ago through a friend's sister.  They were just too cool to pass up. My friend Jenny and I decided to host a Bead for Life party.  So we booked a party in late fall, perfectly planned for Christmas-shoppers, set up shop in my home, and boy, did those beads sell!  We invited our suburban girl friends, and they helped us raise over $1000.00 for Ugandan women artisans by buying jewelry for their moms, their sisters, their friends, and their kids' teachers! 

It was the coolest home-party I had ever attended (or hosted).  Instead of listening to a speech in the living room about the product, we let the jewelry and the women's printed-out stories do the selling while we gabbed and grabbed at snacks.  And 100% of the proceeds went back to the non-profit Bead for Life!

Bead for Life not only offers fair-pay, job training, and good working conditions to women in Uganda, a country where poverty and violence has left many women with little opportunities for survival, but the women are usually self-dependent entrepreneurs after only working with Bead for Life for 18 months.  Moreover, the revenue created by selling the jewelry at a fair-price to global customers, not only goes into the hands of these hard-working women, but into development programs that benefit their entire communities, such as vocational training, housing programs, school fees, and health initiatives.  

 So if you're feeling itchy to update your wardrobe (men, don't despair!  There are now even some products for you!), or if you are looking for an excuse to hang out with some friends, or if you just want to help make our world a little more fair for all to live in, consider hosting a Bead for Life party or shopping on their online store.  (FYI, I just learned now that Bead for Life has opened up a new market for Shea Butter soap and lip balms!)

I'd love to know if any of you have heard about Bead for Life or purchased any of their products.  Tell us about it!

Fair Trade Friday - Lunch Boxes

So it's back-to-school-shopping-time!  Last week, the kids and I took care of important business... hair cuts and new shoes.  While shopping at Old Navy, we came across some really cute, inexpensive backpacks with matching lunch boxes.  I hadn't yet decided if we were going to buy the kids new backpacks; after all, their Target-bought backpacks had held up pretty well last year.  Plus, I don't think it is necessary to buy a new backpack and lunch box every school year.  That wouldn't be kind to our wallets or to our earth or to the values of living simply that we are wanting to convey.  But they were so cute!  And the sale price!  Only $7 for the backpacks and $4 for the lunch box!  I caved.  Jaida quickly found the pattern she liked while Dylan declined (the boys' patterns were sort of boring).

Then we came home, and I showed the purchases to Jarred.  We discussed the back pack dilemma and decided our kids could use last year's backpacks another year.  Plus, I admitted, these Old Navy bags seemed cheaply made.  One backpack's strap was hanging on by three threads on the rack at Old Navy.  And above that, like most of the clothes we wear, how in the world could the makers of these bags in Vietnam be making a livable wage?  If Old Navy can afford to sell the bags so cheaply after paying all of their overhead and the cost of transporting them across the globe, they must have bought these bags for next-to-nothing from the Vietnamese manufacturer.


So I am planning to return the backpack and lunch box, much to my daughter's dismay.  However, the kids are still in need of lunch boxes.  (You can only spill milk and yogurt into a lunch box so many times, before its stench turns the stomach of its user.)  I decided to jump online to see if there aren't any eco-friendly or fair-traded lunch boxes out there.  Turns out there are many to choose from!  This was one of my favorites...

Photo Credit: Bazura.Biz

Aren't they cute?  They are called Bazura bags, and they are made by a women's co-op in the Philippines, using juice bags which otherwise would have been thrown by the wayside.  This is a brilliant concept as literally thousands of these juice bags are consumed daily in the Philippines.  But now this waste is being converted into a profitable business for women entrepreneurs.

Photo Credit: Bazura.Biz

Unlike many women living in developing countries who often work long hours in the fields or in sweat shops, these women work for themselves in fair conditions, contribute to their communities, and are part of a solution to reduce the trash in their country.

You must check out their other items, too--handbags, grocery bags, coin purses, and lots more!  Go to www.bazurabags.com 

Photo Credit: Bazura.Biz

If you haven't yet stumbled into a Ten Thousand Villages store, you absolutely MUST!  It is my favorite place to shop for a number of reasons.  First of all, the stuff!  They have gorgeous, handmade items from all around the world - jewelry, handbags, scarves, blankets, dishes, decorations for the home, rugs, baskets, even chocolate, coffee, and tea.  Secondly, but more importantly, everything they sell in their stores is fair-traded, so that hard-working groups and individual artisans can actually make a fair, livable wage for their work.  Finally, the store nearest me, in Ephrata, PA, has a cafe, and it is a lovely, little cafe' to meet up with friends for lunch or listen to live music on Friday nights.

So I must give a plug for their 18th Annual International Children's Festival which is tomorrow!  Our family went last year for the first time, and we loved it.  The kids made crafts, took a rickshaw ride, learned how to gather water from a village pump, and played games from other cultures.

So if you're in the Lancaster/Reading area and you don't have plans tomorrow, I'd highly recommend spending an hour or two at the festival.  It's a great opportunity to widen our children's eyes to the richly diverse world in which we live.