Coffee Break!

Hi it's Caroline!

So, if you're reading this blog, you probably know this is all about educating people about "the alternative ways of fair trade, aside from coffee, chocolate. and tea." Well, with this blog, I'm kind of going away from those with my topic: coffee!!! If you're like me, there's nothing you wouldn't do for a good cup of coffee. Being a teenager, coffee is important to my very existence. In my house, my mom, my dad, and I all drink coffee. Before this blog, I didn't, (and still don't know how) to make coffee in a coffee maker. Usually I just tried to get some of what my mom was drinking, not really caring about where my coffee came from. After this, I realized that coffee is one of the biggest offenders in the fair trade world, I thought,  "This really DOES effect people. I mean,  look at how many people drink coffee!"  If we all buy fair trade, then that really does make a difference! Say you go to the grocery store. You probably go on auto-pilot and pick out your go-to favorite coffee. Sometimes fair trade, sometimes not. Does it really matter? Hey, you get your caffine boost and some pretty good coffee. So is fair trade really that important? The difference of fair trade and non-fair trade is that, with fair trade, everyone who makes that coffee is paid fairly for it. It's the difference between right and wrong. If you don't buy that fair trade coffee, how can you expect someone else to? To buy fair trade coffee is an easy way to help the world, in the comfort of your own kitchen. A little thing to change the world in a big way? Yes, please! :)


       The coffee you're getting....




 The people you're helping. :)

Perfect gifts for everyone!

Hi it's Caroline!
When buying a gift for someone, what do you think about first? Is it, "Will they like this?" or "This is so cool, I wish I had it!" Not, "Is this fair trade or not?" But, aside from popular belief, you CAN get amazingly inexpensive gifts, which also happen to be fair trade. At Ten Thousand Villages, which has a store in Red Bank, you can buy jewelry, sculptures, stationary, and children's toys, all fair trade and affordable. When I graduated last week, I recieved many gifts from Ten Thousand Villages, since a lot of my friends and family know about this blog. For me, these are the best gifts, since it's not only benefiting me, but I know that when I wear my fair trade necklace, or use my fair trade soap, that I am also helping someone else from a different part of the world. Whenever I can't think of what to get someone, (which is often, since I never buy gifts until the last minute :) ) I always go to Ten Thousand Villages, since they always have the perfect gift for everyone!

 Fair Trade necklaces! :)

Interviewing the founder of Friends Beyond Borders: Kevin LaMastra

I am interviewing the founder of Friends Beyond Borders, Kevin LaMastra, about Fair Trade. 

or click on this link:


http://www.youtube.com/user/JerseyShoreFairTrade?blend=2&ob=5 

Kevin LaMastra took me on a trip to Dominican Republic regarding social justice last summer (I wrote about this in an earlier blog). Much of the trip was about the Fair Trade life style in factories, and daily life.
Kevin LaMastra is a school teacher and is well educated in Fair Trade.

Eating Vegan Food for the First Time

I've always thought that all vegan food didn't taste good. Of coarse I made this assumption before I had ever eaten a vegan meal. Everyone said it tasted like nothing. Tofu and Vegetables,that was all they ate. So how could it possibly be something that I would like. I'm not vegetarian much less a vegan, so why would I ever like a vegan meal?

Last weekend I changed my mind.

Knowing that the Cinnamon Snail was fair trade I said, "Why not?" and went to the Galleria in Red Bank to visit the fair trade truck. I ordered the Basil pesto grilled tofu. 
The workers were kind and answered all my questions despite how busy the were. Some of their Fair Trade products include the organic fair trade coffee and other products that weren't named when I asked this even though they are sure that there is more.
While ordering I noticed someone I knew, Kali Lerner. As we waited for our orders Lerner talked to us about how she loves coming to the Cinnamon Snail because it's good vegan food that changes things up (Lerner is a vegetarian). She said that her usual vegetarian food can sometimes get boring and that the Cinnamon Snail changes it up with vegan organic breakfast, sandwiches, pastries, and more.
"I come out here almost every Sunday," said Kali Lerner. Why? When I bit into my sandwich it said it all. It was good. It was really good. Not just for vegan food but for any food. On top of that when I finished, I had a good feeling that I just ate or supported something fresh, organic, vegan, and fair trade. 

check out their website: http://www.cinnamonsnail.com/ 

 
 

Updateing

It's Ginger
 
A few days ago I updated the blog so you can follow it with any kind of e-mail. Before it was so only e-mail users from yahoo, gmail, or twitter users could follow it. 
Now it's fixed so anyone with any kind of e-mail can follow us.
Following the  account only means that you are interested in this site (no, we won't send you excessive e-mails). 
If you do want e-mails every time we post something follow these steps: 

1. Scroll to the bottom of the Jersey Shore Fair Trade homepage
2. Click on  Subscribe to: Posts (Atom) button
3. Click on the Subscribe Now button

 Subscribing to our site will give you updates on when we post new things. 


ALSO

I added a new poll so you can tell us how much we are helping you understand fair trade. Don't be shy we won't be offended!!!!

If you have any suggestions e-mail us at jerseyshorefairtrade@gmail.com 
we are always eager for new ideas or suggestions for our blog.

Fair Trade YouTube Video

This is a video from Fairtradefoundation 
It is a fair story about fair trade.
 The video is only one and a half minuets won't take long to watch!!!!

ALSO fairtradefoundation on Youtube has TONS of video's so if you have some time, surf around on their account page. 

**if you type in jerseyshorefairtrade in the search bar on you tube you will find caroline and mine's you tube page. We have favored videos on our account page as well. here's our link http://www.youtube.com/user/JerseyShoreFairTrade