I don’t know about you, but I’m doing more on-line shopping than ever before, including looking for clothing that will elevate my ‘uniform’ of baggy sweat pants and shapeless t-shirts and Mother’s Day was fast approaching and I wanted to look for gifts for the special moms in my life.

I turned to Fair Trade outlets because their clothing is unique, beautiful, colorful; in some cases – organic, and supports Fair Trade businesses that work for a fair wage, use sustainable practices and are also acutely affected by the pandemic. 

Here are a few resources for Fair Trade fashion products:
From Cambodia,  $30 for a 5-pack: https://fairanita.com/cotton-face-mask-5-pack/          

Beautiful, Organic clothing from Peru, locally distributed out of Madison, Fair Indigo:                   
https://www.fairindigo.com
Dresses and Accessories from India locally distributed out of Chicago, Mata Traders:                    
https://www.matatraders.com

Scarves, purses, fund-raising bracelets from Guatemala:                                                                        
https://www.mayanhands.org/

Some websites offer a first time purchase coupon.

Saturday, May 9^th is/was Fair Trade Day and if you go to the website: https://wfto.com/fairtradeday2020/ you’ll learn so much about the fashions and other Fair Trade principles and products. The World Fair Trade Organization posted [in part]:

#PlanetFairTrade is a vision of our world populated by Fair Trade Enterprises. These are enterprises [that] truly prioritize people and planet. They are creating an economy based on human and planetary well-being, a world where no one is left behind.

Pictured is my Mata Traders dress worn to my niece’s college graduation last year. It’s a favorite go-to dress. 

And if you’re interested in digging into the history of ‘fast fashion’ take a look at:              

https://fairanita.com/blog/fashion-revolution-and-the-history-of-fast-fashion/

In the meantime, elevate your spring wardrobe by looking into ethically produced fashion. Support Fair Trade businesses through fashion, coffees, chocolates, décor and more. Be a person who belongs to “…our world populated by Fair Trade Enterprises.”

Find out more about Moraine Park Fair Trade College!

Stay safe and fashion on!

Amy Harmsen’s Fall, 2019 Business Practicum students made a generous impact on their local and global communities, while learning all the ins and outs of creating and managing a small business! 10 students in Amy’s fall class partnered with our local Just Fare Market and created their own Fair Trade Pop Up Shop with beautiful Mayan Hands friendship bracelets, mini chocolates from Equal Exchange, and hot cocoa and milk chocolate bars from Divine Chocolate.

Students sold Fair Trade products throughout the semester and were very proud to use their profits to give donations of $179.07 each to the FDL County Sheriff’s Shop with a Cop program and the FDL Humane Society. Sales of the Fair Trade products also benefited farmers and artisans in Guatemala, Dominican Republic and Ghana! 3 students, Heather Fousek, Taran Smith and Valerie Stafford, also earned full scholarships to attend the National Fair Trade Colleges Conference in Pasadena, CA in March. Congratulations!

Moraine Park Technical College was named the first Fair Trade technical college in the U.S in May 2015! Fair trade supports farmers and artisans in developing countries. These producers lack economic opportunity and often face steep hurdles in finding markets and customers for their goods. Fair Trade is about making a tremendous impact on artisan and farmer communities while offering great products to the public all around the world.

On October 29, in celebration of Fair Trade Month, the Moraine Park Technical Fair Trade College and Just Fare Market hosted a wonderful education event!

Over 600 Grades 3-5 students and teachers from FDL and NFDL elementary schools, Riverside, STEM, and Friendship, and 50 plus community members enjoyed an amazing story from One Plastic Bag Author Miranda Paul!

The evening event also included educational community partner displays focused on the Fair Trade Principle of “respecting the environment” from Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes, CD Smith, FDL Audubon, Sustain FDL, UWFDL Fair Trade University and FDL Fair Trade Towns!

Miranda Paul has been a teacher in Gambia as well as the owner of a Fair Trade store in Green Bay. Her presentation focused on two of her books, “One Plastic Bag” and “I am Farmer.”   One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia tells the inspiring story of five women who creatively dealt with their village’s plastic trash problem. Despite limited resources and ridicule, Isatou and her friends persevered for more than a decade, eventually realizing economic empowerment through their recycled plastic purse project. 

I am Farmer, written in collaboration with Baptiste Paul, is the true story of how environmentalist Farmer Tantoh is transforming the landscape in his home country of Cameroon. When Tantoh Nforba was a child, his fellow students mocked him for his interest in gardening. Today he’s an environmental hero, and bringing clean water and bountiful gardens to the central African nation of Cameroon.

A big thank you to Just Fare Market for their Fair Trade education leadership and education grants from CSA and FDL Area Foundation in bringing Miranda Paul to visit for Fair Trade Month! Each 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classroom also received a copy of One Plastic Bag and were able to get their books autographed by Miranda!

See lots more amazing event photos here!

Celebrate Fair Trade Month at Moraine Park- Tuesday, October 29!

• Global Fair Trade Market from 11 a.m.- 8 p.m.
• Local environmental sustainability organizations will be on site starting at 5 p.m.
• Keynote speaker, Miranda Paul, author of the inspirational story of the women of Gambia, “One Plastic Bag”, begins at 6 p.m.

More details can be found here, or by emailing alemke2@morainepark.edu.

In celebration of Fair trade Month and Global Climate Change Week, a community wide Empowering the Conversation event will be held in the Moraine Park Technical Fair Trade College Fond du Lac Campus Commons on October 29. A Global Market will be open starting at 11 am throughout the day and evening. At 5:00 pm displays by area environmental groups and sales by Fair Trade businesses as well as Fair Trade refreshments prepared by the MPTC culinary arts students will begin.

At 6:00 pm, Miranda Paul will be the featured speaker with ” “Think Globally, Act Locally: Two Stories, Two Heroes, Many Ways to Help,”
Miranda has been a teacher in Gambia as well as the owner of a Fair Trade store in Green Bay. Her presentation will focus on two of her books, “One Plastic Bag” and “I am Farmer.”   One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia tells the inspiring story of five women who creatively dealt with their village’s plastic trash problem. Despite limited resources and ridicule, Isatou and her friends persevered for more than a decade, eventually realizing economic empowerment through their recycled plastic purse project. 

I am Farmer, written in collaboration with Baptiste Paul, is the true story of how environmentalist Farmer Tantoh is transforming the landscape in his home country of Cameroon. When Tantoh Nforba was a child, his fellow students mocked him for his interest in gardening. Today he’s an environmental hero, and bringing clean water and bountiful gardens to the central African nation of Cameroon.

Several of Miranda’s books will be available for sale and autographs.  Displays and the Fair Trade sale will be open until 8:00 pm.

I’ve been working in Culinary Arts at MPTC since 2014 as an Instructional Aide. In my position I order food and supplies for the students and the department, in general. From the very beginning I have been considering our ‘single use’ containers; so many were going out the door as we sold our Culinary Creations or when Community Classes took their food home!

I kept thinking:

• Are the containers safe to microwave? We know people are going home and reheating the food in that plastic container.
• Are the containers being disposed of properly?  We actually had complaints that our labeled containers were blowing around someone’s yard! 
• Are the containers reusable, compostable, recyclable?

Since 2006, MPTC has been composting food scraps; first in the MPTC Garden and currently, an area chicken farmer picks up the scraps to feed his brood.

In 2015 MPTC earned the designation (and distinction) of becoming the first Fair Trade Technical College in America thanks, in large part, to the work and determination of Anne Lemke, MPTC Experiential Learning Coordinator.

I was inspired to work toward a Diversity Certificate by Anne’s commitment and all of the Fair Trade Principles, in particular the 10^th Fair Trade Principle of Respecting the Environment, incorporating our disposable containers.

All of these thoughts churned in my brain so finally I made the move! I said to the instructors, “We’re going to make a change in our packaging.” I started ordering paper (recyclable and compostable) take-out containers instead of the plastic, hinged containers.  I ordered paper bags to carry items home versus the plastic “Thank You” bags that are not compostable. I verified that the plastic containers that we use are microwave oven safe.

Along the way I’ve realized a willingness by staff and the public to get on board with the changes. In addition, there’s been a cost savings to the department. We have seen a 15% drop in the money spent on these items. The money saved goes toward needed supplies for our students and instructors and all because of the Fair Trade Principle of Respecting the Environment!

This past March Anne attended a Fair Trade Conference in Chicago and shared her favorite quote from the Conference. It’s important to share and the quote imparts how I feel about the changes in the Culinary Department: “…at the heart of Fair Trade is the dignity of all people. How are we living our values? How are we showing up? …Be curious. Find out. Do something.”

I hope that we all consider, share, and show up when it comes to choices as they affect our environment. We don’t have to start a movement but we can all take and learn little bits of information to participate in respecting each other and our world.

Please take a look at the websites that provide area recycling programs and Fair Trade information.

World Fair Trade Organization
One Plastic Bag, Earth Day Facts
Fond du Lac Extension Area Recycling
Waste Management Recycling Services

Come to our displays at each campus cafeteria between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Beaver Dam – April 8, West Bend – April 15 and Fond du Lac – April 22nd – EARTH DAY! Be Inspired!

morainepark.edu

From March 1-3, Moraine Park Fair Trade College Experiential Learning Coordinator, Anne Lemke,  and Moraine Park Communications Manager, Judy Urben, together with Kathy Strong Langolf and Gil Castaneda from UW Fond du Lac Fair Trade University Team, and Julia Cartwright from Just Fare Market  and FDL Fair Trade Town had the privilege to attend the 2019 Fair Trade Campaigns National Conference in Chicago

The energy, the passion, the experiences, and learning together with over 450 students and staff from across the U.S. was truly inspiring!  We are so proud to be a Fair Trade College and part of the team leading these change agent efforts and helping improve lives!  Click here to see all the conference photos.

For more information on Moraine Park, visit morainepark.edu.

Did you know Moraine Park is a Fair Trade College?  Actually we are the first Fair Trade technical college in the U.S.  Way to go MPTC!  In May, 2018 we celebrated 3 years as a Fair Trade college!

Continue reading

Some MPTC Fair Trade Team members showing off their new Alta Gracia Apparel. From left to right, Max, Kevin Rodriguez, Anne Lemke, Melissa Schmidt and Hans Baierl

Did you know you can “Maximus” your impact on people and the planet by being a conscious consumer?

Continue reading