Fairtrade University!

[Haunted]

So, fair trade meat?
Does it exist?
Why/why not?

Anyone?

[Lodestone]

Quoting Haunted from 14:30, 12th Apr 2006
So, fair trade meat?
Does it exist?
Why/why not?

Anyone?

There's a list of products here:

http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/get_involved_university.htm

No meat. I suspect because the global cattle industry doesn't need to operate by exploiting poor Third World farmers.

[the Empress]

I've been boycotting Tesco milk. The 'fair trade abroad but who cares about British farmers' attitude of some people really concerns me.

I disagree with some aspects of CAP (which encourages the practice of supermarkets paying below market prices) but it's also tied to forestry, giving recompense to protecting existing, or planting new, forest on agricultural land, which should be supported (preserving forest and ppreventing reforestation schemes taking place in unsuitable locations as in the past).

Personally though I'm less concerned about European and American tariffs than that the developing world is discouraged from having its own tariffs, which would prevent the dumping of EU/US surpluses. I'm less for one world than for many worlds.

Lets boycott French apples though. Supermarkets buy their apples because it costs so little to transport them here (due to cheap flight costs) - in the meantime half of British orchards have been grubbed up in the past 50 years.

Quoting flarewearer from 23:27, 11th Apr 2006
Is Beaton's milk fairtrade? I for one think our dairy farmers are deserving of a few extra pence on a litre of milk, I take it the fairtrade campaign is fighting to ensure local sourcing of products that can be locally sourced and that the farmers are paid a fair price?

[hr]

[Colin]

Quoting Haunted from 14:30, 12th Apr 2006
So, fair trade meat?
Does it exist?
Why/why not?

Anyone?

There is no fair trade meat as fair trade hippies are also mostly veggie hippies. Damn tree huggers.

This post may or may not be designed primarily to wind people up.

[flarewearer]

Quoting the Empress from 16:43, 12th Apr 2006
I've been boycotting Tesco milk. The 'fair trade abroad but who cares about British farmers' attitude of some people really concerns me.

Good stuff. We get Graham's milk, it's an independent dairy that sources milk from south central Scotland, and it's also heckuvalot tastier than the supermarket stuff. Also, you can get cream from Bonaly round the corner which is good as that's just 5 miles up the road from where we are.

[hr]


[s]edit - remove random capitals

[James]

Does this mean the uni has started to actively seek and accept lower quality students from countries where their children deserve the benefits of St. Andrews life while not quite being up to the intellectual standard of their counterparts?

On an unrelated topic, how many yanks here this year?



Yes, I know, but I'm not bothered.

[the Empress]

The more I read the more guilty I feel about the products I consume - sepcifically clothing and food. Supermarkets say they stock fruits/veg regardless of season because that's what the consumer wants - but in reality I have no idea when these things are in season in Britain, or even what is native to Britain. I'm completely alienated from the food growing process, even cooking. I hate cooking and sewing but I've decided I'm going to have to give it a go becuase I have a driving need to actually have some tangible skills, to not be dependent on sweatshop labour or long supply chains. I'd like control over my life and pride in what I can make. Recently, after tending my labouring houseplants I've become interested in gardening and intend to learn more about it in the summer (my mum's always trying to get me to do it!). So to be really radical, instead of muttering 'go fair trade' or 'you cannot defeat the market' how about having a go at traditional skills, and saying we don't really need corporations. I think it'd be pretty empowering. So would anyone be interested in having a society or something where we could get together to encourage each other to sew a garment, or cook and garden? Maybe we could get a bit of land or something, or even just exchange plants (my money plant is definately ready to become several!) Instead of campaining we could just actually do something, including identifying with food and garment production in a real way.

[grousefanatic]

Quoting flarewearer from 19:01, 12th Apr 2006
Good stuff. We get Graham's milk, it's an independent dairy that sources milk from south central Scotland, and it's also heckuvalot tastier than the supermarket stuff. Also, you can get cream from Bonaly round the corner which is good as that's just 5 miles up the road from where we are.

Off topic I know, but I find it funny that there is a milk place out beyond Cupar right next door toa Quaker Oats building. Imagine the floods of porridge across Fife if they were to explode.

Sorry for that randomness.

[hr]

veni vidi nates calce concidi - i came, i saw, i kicked ass

[duckgirl]

How the fuck do you actually know what oneworlders want and think about?!?!?! That's so presumptious - you have no idea what lies behind the fairtrade campaign and what people who run the campaign are aiming for!
how do you know that the campaign isnt intersted in trade justice and if you care so fucking much, then email the campaign and GET INVOLVED.
bloody hell, you've clearly never met a oneworlder or if you have yor've stuck to the prejudices you held before meeting them and not listened to a word they've said.
For the love of God.

And what do you mean 'cost us no pain' - i didnt see you doing any of the fucking work to get fairtrade uni status!

Quoting puzzled from 10:49, 12th Apr 2006

Quoting Lodestone from 08:12, 12th Apr 2006

Good job that that's one thing we're working on, then, isn't it?

http://www.peopleandplanet.org/tradejustice/

No, you're not. 'Trade Justice', although not defined in any practical terms (merely abstracts like a 'fair price'), is not free trade. Free trade is the only thing that is going to save Africa as country after country has proved. The abolition of CAP and the complete opening of Europe's borders to trade would do a thousand times more good to the poor of the world than all the money ever given to charity in last century

But, really, it's madness to criticise groups like One World about what particular cause they direct their energies towards, because it's a basic principle of the Society that anyone with any campaign they want to run can come along and ask us to help organise it. So do it! If you want to szee us campaigning on something else, do it yourself!

Even if I believed you that OneWorld was so open to change (which I don't), it is telling that the existing members concentrate on FairTrade which is nothing but gesturism.

Changing the Union and University's tea and biscuit supplier costs us no pain what so ever. Boycotting french wine and beer would actually inconvenience us, which is why no one ever even thinks of doing it.

[duckgirl]

How the fuck do you actually know what oneworlders want and think about?!?!?! That's so presumptious - you have no idea what lies behind the fairtrade campaign and what people who run the campaign are aiming for!
how do you know that the campaign isnt intersted in trade justice and if you care so fucking much, then email the campaign and GET INVOLVED.
bloody hell, you've clearly never met a oneworlder or if you have yor've stuck to the prejudices you held before meeting them and not listened to a word they've said.
For the love of God.

And what do you mean 'cost us no pain' - i didnt see you doing any of the fucking work to get fairtrade uni status!

Quoting puzzled from 10:49, 12th Apr 2006

Quoting Lodestone from 08:12, 12th Apr 2006

Good job that that's one thing we're working on, then, isn't it?

http://www.peopleandplanet.org/tradejustice/

No, you're not. 'Trade Justice', although not defined in any practical terms (merely abstracts like a 'fair price'), is not free trade. Free trade is the only thing that is going to save Africa as country after country has proved. The abolition of CAP and the complete opening of Europe's borders to trade would do a thousand times more good to the poor of the world than all the money ever given to charity in last century

But, really, it's madness to criticise groups like One World about what particular cause they direct their energies towards, because it's a basic principle of the Society that anyone with any campaign they want to run can come along and ask us to help organise it. So do it! If you want to szee us campaigning on something else, do it yourself!

Even if I believed you that OneWorld was so open to change (which I don't), it is telling that the existing members concentrate on FairTrade which is nothing but gesturism.

Changing the Union and University's tea and biscuit supplier costs us no pain what so ever. Boycotting french wine and beer would actually inconvenience us, which is why no one ever even thinks of doing it.

[duckgirl]

How the fuck do you actually know what oneworlders want and think about?!?!?! That's so presumptious - you have no idea what lies behind the fairtrade campaign and what people who run the campaign are aiming for!
how do you know that the campaign isnt intersted in trade justice and if you care so fucking much, then email the campaign and GET INVOLVED.
bloody hell, you've clearly never met a oneworlder or if you have yor've stuck to the prejudices you held before meeting them and not listened to a word they've said.
For the love of God.

And what do you mean 'cost us no pain' - i didnt see you doing any of the fucking work to get fairtrade uni status!

Quoting puzzled from 10:49, 12th Apr 2006

Quoting Lodestone from 08:12, 12th Apr 2006

Good job that that's one thing we're working on, then, isn't it?

http://www.peopleandplanet.org/tradejustice/

No, you're not. 'Trade Justice', although not defined in any practical terms (merely abstracts like a 'fair price'), is not free trade. Free trade is the only thing that is going to save Africa as country after country has proved. The abolition of CAP and the complete opening of Europe's borders to trade would do a thousand times more good to the poor of the world than all the money ever given to charity in last century

But, really, it's madness to criticise groups like One World about what particular cause they direct their energies towards, because it's a basic principle of the Society that anyone with any campaign they want to run can come along and ask us to help organise it. So do it! If you want to szee us campaigning on something else, do it yourself!

Even if I believed you that OneWorld was so open to change (which I don't), it is telling that the existing members concentrate on FairTrade which is nothing but gesturism.

Changing the Union and University's tea and biscuit supplier costs us no pain what so ever. Boycotting french wine and beer would actually inconvenience us, which is why no one ever even thinks of doing it.

[duckgirl]

How the fuck do you actually know what oneworlders want and think about?!?!?! That's so presumptious - you have no idea what lies behind the fairtrade campaign and what people who run the campaign are aiming for!
how do you know that the campaign isnt intersted in trade justice and if you care so fucking much, then email the campaign and GET INVOLVED.
bloody hell, you've clearly never met a oneworlder or if you have yor've stuck to the prejudices you held before meeting them and not listened to a word they've said.
For the love of God.

And what do you mean 'cost us no pain' - i didnt see you doing any of the fucking work to get fairtrade uni status!

Quoting puzzled from 10:49, 12th Apr 2006

Quoting Lodestone from 08:12, 12th Apr 2006

Good job that that's one thing we're working on, then, isn't it?

http://www.peopleandplanet.org/tradejustice/

No, you're not. 'Trade Justice', although not defined in any practical terms (merely abstracts like a 'fair price'), is not free trade. Free trade is the only thing that is going to save Africa as country after country has proved. The abolition of CAP and the complete opening of Europe's borders to trade would do a thousand times more good to the poor of the world than all the money ever given to charity in last century

But, really, it's madness to criticise groups like One World about what particular cause they direct their energies towards, because it's a basic principle of the Society that anyone with any campaign they want to run can come along and ask us to help organise it. So do it! If you want to szee us campaigning on something else, do it yourself!

Even if I believed you that OneWorld was so open to change (which I don't), it is telling that the existing members concentrate on FairTrade which is nothing but gesturism.

Changing the Union and University's tea and biscuit supplier costs us no pain what so ever. Boycotting french wine and beer would actually inconvenience us, which is why no one ever even thinks of doing it.

[Steveo]

How many people actually want fairtrade university status? I mean, it's all nice and fluffy to serve inferior products in the name of a charity I don't want to support, but in the end, many students simply do not give two hoots about the status of the institution.

So now I have to ask for non-fair trade tea, rather than those who want it having to ask for it.

I don't like my choices being made for me. I don't like being almost forced to support a charity I don't agree with or like.

[hr]

Set your goals way too high so I can laugh when you fail.

[duckgirl]

'Inferior products' - and what do you base that on? Clearly you've never really tried many fairtrade products, cos they are generally superior. which one do think is inferiour?
I really don't think that being unable to find non-fairtrade products is going to be a problem for you - be realistic.

And in terms of choices made for you - well that's a 'democracy' for you right there. THe policies went through SRC (and SSC), there to represent you...and that's the choice they made. Maybe you should vote more wisely in future if you really feel so strongly about this.

And Fairtrade isn't a charity! How many times does that have to be said...

Quoting Steveo from 02:45, 13th Apr 2006
How many people actually want fairtrade university status? I mean, it's all nice and fluffy to serve inferior products in the name of a charity I don't want to support, but in the end, many students simply do not give two hoots about the status of the institution.

So now I have to ask for non-fair trade tea, rather than those who want it having to ask for it.

I don't like my choices being made for me. I don't like being almost forced to support a charity I don't agree with or like.

[hr]

Set your goals way too high so I can laugh when you fail.

[Steveo]

The tea is rather disgusting.

I'm going to continue calling Fairtrade a charity. Pay money, get nothing in return (ie you pay a premium over the worth of the product itself). Sounds like a charity to me.

[hr]

Set your goals way too high so I can laugh when you fail.

[duckgirl]

which tea have you tried?
have you tried any of the coffees, Oxfam Fairtrade Chocolate cookies, Green and Blacks chocolate with cherry, fairtrade honey, fairtrade pasta...etc

And a lot of the time, fairtrade is not more expensive than other products (unless you buy tesco value), and in return you know you have paid the farmer who grew the stuff you are consuming a decent price for the work he put in to grow it.
If, for example, the campaign makes money from an event - theres not a 'Fairtrade Charity' to send the money to, cos basically you buy a product and the farmer gets a fair price - theres no inbetween. It doesn't get much simpler than that...

And by the way, the campaign gives any profit to various charities, including Oxfam.

Quoting Steveo from 12:39, 13th Apr 2006
The tea is rather disgusting.

I'm going to continue calling Fairtrade a charity. Pay money, get nothing in return (ie you pay a premium over the worth of the product itself). Sounds like a charity to me.

[hr]

Set your goals way too high so I can laugh when you fail.

[Lodestone]

Quoting Steveo from 02:45, 13th Apr 2006
How many people actually want fairtrade university status? I mean, it's all nice and fluffy to serve inferior products in the name of a charity I don't want to support, but in the end, many students simply do not give two hoots about the status of the institution.

So now I have to ask for non-fair trade tea, rather than those who want it having to ask for it.

I don't like my choices being made for me. I don't like being almost forced to support a charity I don't agree with or like.

Then start a fucking campaign and do all the hours of work in takes to get what you want made policy.

Or just sit there and moan and look twuntish.

[exnihilo]

He shouldn't have to start a campaign. He's in the majority and our elected officials and the University's governors should acknowledge that. But they don't, they fold to a tiny, but enormously vocal, minority. Such is the way we are governed at all levels these days.

Oh, and Steveo, you do get something from giving to charity - you get a salve for your conscience and a feeling of smug, self-satisfaction. If you're very lucky, someone will start another thread on it and you can say how much you gave, in a subtle sort of way.

[Steveo]

Indeed, I don't need a policy, the status quo was working out just fine before, thanks.

Secondly, don't get me wrong, I do give to charity, albet a very, very select few. 3 infact. The poppy appeal once a year, cancer research and the heart foundation when I get the chance. Not for the self satisfaction, but for these reasons:

1. Cancer and heart chatities conduct valuable research that could help me and the people I care about.

2. I appreciate what was fought for for my freedom, so I wear a poppy, and as such give my hard earned to the appeal.

I like to be select and go with causes that benifit people I care about.

[hr]

Set your goals way too high so I can laugh when you fail.

[someone]

Quoting exnihilo from 13:30, 13th Apr 2006
He shouldn't have to start a campaign. He's in the majority and our elected officials and the University's governors should acknowledge that. But they don't, they fold to a tiny, but enormously vocal, minority. Such is the way we are governed at all levels these days.

What evidence is there that the majority of the students disagree with fairtrade?