Comment on Node ant

Robin Smith — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 13:21:30 -0400

here's something i just stumbled across.

The Rise of the Domestic Fair Trade Movement
by Chela Vázquez
In the past 40 years, nearly four million small farmers have gone out of business in North America while big agribusiness firms have continued to thrive. Since 1995, under the North America Free Trade Agreement, there has been a 40% decrease in commodity prices paid to farmers while U.S.

Comment on Node ant

Robin Smith — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 12:53:35 -0400

It is important not to forget that Fair Trade has been evolving over 60 years and will continue to evolve. Fair Trade is founded on values, beliefs and principles and has more in keeping with an ecosystem than it has a marketing concept. The label is just one component of the world of Fair Trade. Using traditional market research demographics and methods to understand it, tame it or manage it is a bit like analyzing a fingernail and thinking you understand the emotional and physical complexity of a human being.

Comment on Node ant

Robin Smith — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 11:14:33 -0500

i will take a look. Meanwhile you might like to hear that I (we/host) have been working on the transformation of a global Fair Trade organization that has developed an organizational certification program that will, over 3 years, turn a business into a sustainable fair trade business. The new entity behind the certification is the World Fair Trade Organization and it and the certification system will be surfacing in May09. This is a very good thing and the result of a life time's work and two years of inspiratonal leadership by a certain Paul Myers.

Fast Talk Response -

Robin Smith — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 13:13:36 -0500

You have 'green' business leaders doing sustainable business, the next president just needs to talk with Willian Foote, Jonathan Rosenthal and Paul Myers.

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the sustainable economy

Robin Smith — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 13:02:32 -0500

Hi Sherri... expected to see William Foote, Jonathan Rosenthal and Paul Meyers here, alas I find myself alone. I'd like to get a conversation going about The Sustainable Economy - you know, the one that's coming that engages with ecology through carbon and humanity through transparency and fairplay in trade. I've had this idea burning in my brain for some years now; what if we completely dispensed with the idea of 'buying' (blind purchase) and evolved the idea of 'investing' or conscious consumption.

Social Responsibility

London Vision

Robin Smith — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 12:58:49 -0500

We have a mayoral election coming up and we here talk of crime and commuting, wouldn't it be good to hear some big new idea for this big, beautiful city. Given the small mindedness of national politics, it feels like time for a city to take a lead. I'd like to propose we stick a wind turbine on every windmill hill (and anywhere else suitable) and take this city green, celebrate in in a festival of natural energy and talent and turn Battersea into an international innovation centre. Ken, Boris, Sian, Brian, what do you think?

London - Company of Friends

Comment on Node ant

Robin Smith — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 12:46:52 -0500

Hi Sherri, expected to see William Foote, Jonathan Rosenthal and Paul Meyers here, alas I find myself alone. I'd like to get a conversation going about The Sustainable Economy - you know, the one that's coming that engages with ecology through carbon and humanity through transparency and fairplay in trade. I've had this idea burning in my brain for some years now; what if we completely dispensed with the idea of 'buying' (blind purchase) and evolved the idea of 'investing' or conscious consumption. So, instead of buying a pack of coffee, we invest vin the company that produces it?

Comment on Node ant

Robin Smith — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 11:32:47 -0500

I wholeheartedly agree with this. We've been design-engineering concepts into businesses for some years and have developed a model for companies and organisations to be able to 'see' their businesses. This often ends up as a motivating visual that both focusses and inspires the entire business across all stakeholder groups including customers and consumers (Like our Green Union Jack for Dale Vince's Ecotricity).