In my
first article contributed to the Guardian Sustainable Business Children's'
Rights Hub, I discuss how organizations such as
Fair Trade USA and Equal Xchange have a role in improving the lives of kids. Some of the world's most coveted and
popular products, from
bananas to
coffee, have an enormous impact not only on workers, but their children. Communities such as El Guabo, Ecuador, once suffered from rampant pollution and predatory supply chains that squeezed out any chance of economic opportunities.
Among many examples of the ravages of conventional farming were the bags used to encase the banana stalks, or
racimos, as they became ready for harvest. The bags were lined with pesticides and would eventually be discarded, fouling local water and wreaking havoc with children's health. With the slow embrace of fair trade certified farming practices, farmers and their families benefited from a higher premium and a cleaner environment. With one of UNICEF's Children’s Rights and Business Principles stating that children have the right to a cleaner environment, Fair Trade goes above and beyond that directive, which is why I asked to write about
this important movement on The Guardian.
Photo courtesy
Fair Trade USA.
About The Author
Leon Kaye
Leon Kaye is the founder and editor of GreenGoPost.com and its advisory division,
GGP Media.
Contact him to discuss how he can work with your organization or event.
His focus is making the business case for sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR).
He writes for San Francisco-based
Triple Pundit,
Inhabitat and now
The Guardian, for which he writes about corporate responsibility, water, and green building. He has also written for AIA's
Architect Magazine.
Leon works out of Fresno and Silicon Valley, California, and when he has free time, he enjoys hiking, gardening, cooking, weightlifting, and planning his next trip to one of the 60 countries he has visited. He has an MBA from USC's Marshall School of Business and is also a proud graduate of the University of Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC) and Cal State-Fresno.
In my first article contributed to the Guardian Sustainable Business Children's' Rights Hub, I discuss how organizations such as Fair Trade USA and Equal Xchange have a role in improving the lives of kids. Some of the world's most coveted and popular products, from bananas to coffee, have an enormous impact not only on workers, but their children. Communities such as El Guabo, Ecuador, once suffered from rampant pollution and predatory supply chains that squeezed out any chance of economic opportunities.
Among many examples of the ravages of conventional farming were the bags used to encase the banana stalks, or racimos, as they became ready for harvest. The bags were lined with pesticides and would eventually be discarded, fouling local water and wreaking havoc with children's health. With the slow embrace of fair trade certified farming practices, farmers and their families benefited from a higher premium and a cleaner environment. With one of UNICEF's Children’s Rights and Business Principles stating that children have the right to a cleaner environment, Fair Trade goes above and beyond that directive, which is why I asked to write about this important movement on The Guardian.
Photo courtesy Fair Trade USA.
