Fair bananas?
I love bananas and natural peanut butter more than any other snack. But I haven’t enjoyed this delicacy for months because of my qualms with purchasing conventional bananas. More accurately I suppose I could say my confusion regarding the purchasing of ethically produced bananas.
My roommate Jane opened my eyes to this issue when we first moved in together. It was a tense moment when she realized the vegan she lived with blindly bought conventional bananas. Needless to say the moment didn’t last long – and neither did my desire for the odd yellow fruit.
Back home in Columbus, I’m able to buy certified Fair Trade bananas and I do. The Kroger in this small town offers certified organic bananas, which is good in its own regard, but doesn’t help the growers.
“Fair Trade was conceived as a mean to get producers out of poverty, focusing much more on their needs than on the market. With large retailers now playing, using their “just-in-time” approach to vendors, avoiding any long-term commitment and focusing on customers more than on the poor producers they are supposed to serve, we may ask if this is the kind of trade that we can consider as Fair.” source
In true Morgan fashion, I have remained stagnant in my debate for which bananas I will vote with my dollars. No more! A friend gave me a banana for my peanut butter a couple of weeks ago and I was transported into snack heaven. I crave them all of the time now.
Something must be done; research I will.
Guys, this sucks. I hate that we live in a world where companies monopolize, poison, and exploit. The more I read the more I realize that there is no easy solution. (Video after the jump!)
Please excuse the ‘social justice Veggie Tales-style’ video. I assure you my research went a bit deeper than that; I just found this video the most user-friendly. 
My conclusion: Buy Fair Trade certified, organic bananas (along with the fair trade chocolate and coffee you’re already supporting!). Fair Trade ensures a stable price for producers so they can plan their crop accordingly and budget their family expenses. Sometimes the market price for bananas/chocolate/coffee will change, but the contract into which the two parties (Fair Trade organization and local farmer) is upheld – ideally.
“When the market price goes up, some producers may renig on their contracts, but that’s karma. We’ve been exploiting them for how long?” said Jane.
Question: Does anyone know where I can find information regarding the actual fairness of Fair Trade products?
[[ Notes to self : Julia Paxton (IMF, microlending in Latin American countries) in Econ department and Chris Pyle of Donkey. ]]
Hi, I am new to your blog. I really like your design, so beautiful.
I love how thoughtful you are. It makes me so sad too when I think about all the greedy/power hungry people that are out there, making life worse for others…
I found this article with some more information about fair trade.
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-does-fair-trade-certification-mean.htm
Thanks for bringing this up!
- Christina
| Posted 1 year, 12 months agoThanks for the info and the support, Christina! That link was really helpful:
“To be Fair Trade certified, a company must guarantee that their suppliers do not use child or slave labor, that workers are paid a fair living wage, that employment opportunities are available to all workers and that everyone has an equal opportunity for advancement, and that healthy working and living conditions are provided for workers. In addition, producers must agree to support the educational and technical needs of their workforce, while promoting active and healthy trade agreements and being open to public accountability. Fair Trade certification also often involves environmentally sustainable production and harvest practices, encouraging a stable market and a healthy Earth. Fair Trade certification also usually involves a respect for cultural heritage and encourages cultural exchange between nations rather than the smothering of traditions. Many Fair Trade products include information about the people who grow them and the world they live in, making every cup of coffee an education. ”
All great things to which I want to contribute!!
| Posted 1 year, 12 months agoI honestly never even knew about this! I just checked my bananas, though, and they have a Fair Trade sticker on them
Yay for the health food store!
| Posted 1 year, 12 months agoHey, thanks for your comment
I have Jay Robb brown rice protein and it’s the best I’ve ever had! I’ve tried numerous brands but Sun Warrior is still on my radar.
I had no idea about the bananas. I already buy fair trade chocolate and now I’m going to make more of a conscious effort to buy fair-trade bananas!
| Posted 1 year, 12 months agoOh! I actually have the chocolate Jay Robb brown rice protein right now. I think I’m not a huge fan either because it’s chocolate and I usually get vanilla or berry and it has stevia in it, which i don’t think i really like.
My roommate has the vanilla and she loves it. I think I’ll buy that one next. She just made muffins today that had very few ingredients (like ww flour, applesauce, rice protein pdr, raw sugar, nutmeg/cloves/cinnamon, and water) and they were really good! they had flavor and were really hearty.
| Posted 1 year, 12 months agoLOVE your new site!!
I know EXACTLY what you mean about Fair Trade and Local!! It’s all I eat…I have terrible qualms with outsourcing produce! Where in the US are you?? Move over here to CA!!! 
| Posted 1 year, 12 months agoThanks, Lizzy!! Girl I wish I could up and move to Cali! I’m in Ohio buried under heaps of snow! Not much local produce this time of the year.
Do you have any local vineyards in your part of California? A local, organic, sulfite-free wine would be sublime!
| Posted 1 year, 12 months agoMorgz-
First of all, I consider myself exempt from this argument as I haaate naners, and thus do not purchase them.
BUT, my roomie loves ‘em, and I will have to fill her in on this.
You’re always making me think, girl. What would I do without ya!
Lovely blog, KEEP WRITING!
Love,
| Posted 1 year, 11 months agoRobo-Katie