Fair Trade

Awareness & Understanding

Fair trade is about making sure the people who grow and make your food, clothes, and products are treated fairly and paid decent wages. Start by looking at five items you own or use regularly — chocolate, coffee, clothing, or electronics. Who made them? Where did the materials come from? Visit Fairtrade.net and read "What is Fair Trade?" for free. Walk through a local grocery store and find two products with fair trade labels. Write down what the label means and why it matters. You're ready for the next step when you can explain what fair trade means in your own words and identify at least two fair trade products available in Salt Lake City.

Research & Investigation

Go deeper into the supply chains behind everyday products. Pick one item — a chocolate bar, a T-shirt, or a cup of coffee — and trace it back to its origin. Use free resources at Fairtrade.net, the World Fair Trade Organization site (wfto.com), or Khan Academy's "Globalization" videos. Find out: Who grows or makes it? In what country? Are those workers paid fairly? What's the difference in price between a fair trade version and a regular version? Write a one-paragraph "product story" for your chosen item. You're ready for the next step when you've traced the supply chain of one product and written its full story from farm or factory to your hands.

Planning & Preparation

Now make a personal ethical consumption plan. Review what you regularly buy or ask your family to buy. Identify three purchases where you could switch to a fair trade or more ethical option — look for fair trade chocolate at Trader Joe's or Smith's, thrift clothing at SLC's Deseret Industries, or certified coffee at local shops. Research cost differences and find strategies to make ethical buying affordable (buying less but better, choosing store-brand fair trade, etc.). Write a simple weekly shopping guide with your three swaps and why each matters. You're ready for the next step when you've written a shopping guide with three specific ethical swaps and a realistic plan to afford them.

Taking Action

Put your plan into action for one full week. Make at least one fair trade or ethical purchase — or help your family make one. Keep a consumption journal: every time you buy something, write down who made it and whether it was ethically sourced. When you can't buy fair trade, note why (cost, availability) and what alternatives exist. Share your experience with at least two people. You're ready for the next step when you've completed one week of your consumption journal, made at least one ethical purchase, and had a real conversation with two people about why it mattered.

Leadership & Expansion

Ethical consumption is more powerful when others join in. Share what you've learned with your school, family, or neighborhood. Create a simple guide — a poster, a one-page handout, or a social media post — explaining how to spot fair trade labels and why they matter. Organize a fair trade taste test with chocolate or coffee at school. Connect with a local organization: check if any SLC stores or faith communities participate in fair trade campaigns. Help at least three other people make one ethical swap. You're ready for the next step when you've shared your fair trade knowledge with at least three people and helped them make one ethical purchasing decision.

Impact & Reflection

Reflect on what changed for you. Write a short reflection answering: What did you buy differently this month? How did your choices affect how you think about workers around the world? Was ethical consumption harder or easier than you expected, and why? Calculate your impact: how many fair trade or ethical purchases did you and others around you make? Share your reflection with a mentor or family member. Identify one fair trade habit you'll keep for the next three months. You're ready for the next step when you've written your reflection, calculated your collective impact, and committed to one ongoing ethical consumption habit.