|
|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
 |
| This
month in Fair Grounds, we look at two
organizations -- one that works for the common
good and one that works against it (bet you can
guess which one we prefer!). We've also got a
Community Caravan update, a Peace Pedaling account
of Chicago's Critical Mass, an update on the Peace
Coffee crew, a Fair Trade fact, a recipe for Eskimocha
and a new trivia question. So grab a mug of your
favorite Peace Coffee and read on!
(Back
to Headlines)
|
|
 |
|
At
Peace Coffee, we believe wholeheartedly in promoting Fair
Trade whenever possible. This vision involves helping to
build networks of support and education for grassroots
trade and trade in environmentally sustainable goods. It
involves supporting the labeling of goods such as Fair
Trade Certified, organic, and sustainably harvested. It
involves purchasing locally made goods and locally grown
foods that support local economies and cooperative forms
of production and trade. And it means working to reform
"free trade" institutions.
This
September, thousands of people will descend on Cancún,
Mexico. But they won't be there to partake of the sand and
surf. And they won't be on their honeymoon. This trip to
Cancún has global implications, as member nations and
representatives converge on the beach resort for the 5th
Ministerial Summit of the World Trade Organization,
September 10 — 14, activists and concerned citizens from
around the world join together to make sure their voices
are heard.
In
conjunction with the WTO Summit, a Fair Trade Expo will be
held just a few blocks from the convention center where
the WTO will meet. Peace Coffee will be participating in
this event, which will include fair trade producers,
importers, merchants and policy experts. Our attendance at
the WTO Summit is to encourage trade leaders to recognize
sustainable farming techniques such as organic and shade
grown coffee. It is also to highlight the farmer
cooperatives success in investing in their community's
infrastructure establishing health care and educational
resources and other needed community projects via the
financial benefits of fair trade. The fair trade model, in
our eyes, offers one a practical alternative to the WTO's
agenda by promoting self reliance and building trusting
relationships across borders.
Read
more about the WTO and its upcoming Summit by clicking here.
(Back
to Headlines)
|
|
 |
|
by
Samantha Slater
As
I rode through the back streets of Cabo San Lucas in
Mexico, I watched in shock at scenes I’d only seen on
television. Simple homes lined the dirt streets, most
without running water or electricity, while mere blocks
away Americans and Canadians complained to the front desk
at their hotel of running out of hot water.
Scenes
such as these are not uncommon, not even within the United
States. Poverty rages around us, while many of us don’t
even realize how close to home it is. As fair trade coffee
sellers, we are committed to helping those who produce the
coffee we enjoy by purchasing their coffee at a living
wage, and in our journey, we have come across other
like-minded organizations, such as Oxfam.
Oxfam
America (http://www.oxfamamerica.org)
is a member of an international organization dedicated to
finding long-term solutions to poverty, hunger, and social
injustice around the world. Oxfam believes that changes
are needed to trade and investment rules in the Americas
to reduce poverty and promote respect for human rights and
sustainable development. To that end, one of their big
campaigns is the "Make Trade Fair" campaign.
More
on the "Make Trade Fair" campaign, Oxfam's
Activist Center, and other initiatives here.
(Back
to Headlines)
|
|
|
|
Life
Time Fitness Triathlon
By Louis Deering
 The
Life Time Fitness Triathlon held Saturday, August
2nd started and ended at Lake Nokomis
in south Minneapolis. Participants swam, biked and
ran around Minneapolis lakes and took to city
streets at top speeds. The professional race, the
"equalizer," had men and women competing
for the biggest prize in Triathlon history,
$250,000. In addition, over 2000 people competed
in the amateur event. Barb Lindquist from Jackson
Hole, Wyoming had her second consecutive Life Time
victory completing in 1 hour, 35 minutes and 52
seconds to earn the largest pay day in the history
of her sport. Go women!
After
the event, participants and spectators shared
stories and high fives with their supporters. It
was somewhat frightening to see so many
middle-aged (and older) people who could no doubt
run circles around me, a 21 year old. However, it
was extremely encouraging that, despite all the
big name sponsors involved, the Peace Coffee tent
located in the Race Village was swamped all day.
People were enthusiastic, both about our business
practices and the quality of the coffee. But I
guess it’s really not surprising that people who
are into a healthy, active lifestyle would dig
what were doing.
(Back
to Headlines)
|
|
 |
| By
Melanee Meegan
 Close
to 1,000 riders gathered in Chicago’s Daley
Plaza for the Critical Mass Bike ride that occurs
in towns and cities across the world on the last
Friday of every month. I left Peace Coffee early
that Friday to celebrate my birthday and ride in
the Chicago Mass.
Compared
to Minneapolis’ fifty or so bikers, this evening
looked like a flood of bikers had taken over the
entire Chicago city center. I never saw the end or
beginning of the bike parade that swarmed through
20 miles of streets, through bustling commercial
areas and along paths near industrial buildings
and train tracks. The sky was bright overhead and
the riders were another color of bright below,
wearing orange, yellow and red shirts that
exclaimed BIKES ARE FUN on their backs. Riders
greeted walkers and drivers cheering Happy Friday!
Enjoy the Weekend! Ride Your Bike! I saw more of
the city than I would ever have using any other
form of transportation. I encourage anyone who’s
never ridden in a Critical Mass in your own city,
or any other, to make sure to catch the next one
on August 29th.
Reclaim
the streets for bikers! Not only is it fun, but We
Pay Taxes Too! Check out the Chicago Critical Mass
website at www.chicagocriticalmass.org
Also
a great article to read is "Road
Warriors" by Martina Sheehan
www.chicagocriticalmass.org/media/echo_magazine.html
(Back
to Headlines)
|
|
 |
The
Perfect BIKE Accessory:
Specialized
Peace Coffee Water Bottles $3.50
Fabulous
Features:
-
Bright Red with Sandy Orange "Bike
Delivered" Logo
- Wide-mouth screw top is big enough for ice cubes
- Large, soft poppet (valve) is easy on your
teeth, delivers excellent flow and seals tight
- Easy-to-handle, non-slip shape
- 21-oz. capacity fits on full suspension frames,
in a jersey pocket or a running pack
- Food-grade plastic won’t soak up flavors or
odors
Buy
yours today -- click
here!
|
|
 |
 Kirsten
Collins, one of our rock star bikers, left Peace
Coffee this month to work at a hunger relief
program in Nevada near Lake Tahoe. Project M.A.N.A
is a non-profit organization that provides food to
low-income families and individuals. She chose
this position because she feels that providing
nutritional information and food to low-income
families is a powerful way to combat the effects
of poverty. It is also a good opportunity for
building strong relations within the community,
which is where change begins. We will miss Kirsten
in our community where she biked deliveries to all
our local vendors. She left here with an old bike
trailer (a Peace Coffee relic). She plans to use
it delivering food to families and individuals who
need it. Thanks Kirsten!
(Back
to Headlines)
|
|
 |
| We're
giving away coffee!
Think
you know a lot about coffee? Then enter our Fair
Grounds Trivia Contest. Click
here for our question of the month. Entering is easy
and it's FUN!
Our
judges have always wondered why their house cats so
jealously guard the bags of coffee beans after delivery.
But now they know! And so did Dave Tilford!
Congratulations Dave, you're our Coffee Knowledge
winner!
|
|
 |
| "The
global free trade economy has become a threat to
sustainability and the very survival of the poor
and other species is at stake not just as a side
effect or as an exception but in a systemic way
through a restructuring of our worldview at the
most fundamental level. Sustainability, sharing
and survival is being economically outlawed in the
name of market competitiveness and market
efficiency."
-Vandana
Shiva: Recorded on BBC Reith Lectures 2000
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Fair
Grounds is produced by:
Cooperative
Coffees
Contact
Information:
Orders
and General Information
Phone - 612.870.3440 or 1.888.324.7872
Fax - 612-677-3989
E-Mail - info@peacecoffee.com
Web - http://www.peacecoffee.com
Peace
Coffee Crew*:
Anna
Canning
Beth Backen
Melanee Meegan
Michelle Ramier
TJ Semanchin
Scott Patterson
*We
work together to get the coffee out to our customers.
Although we have specific job titles, we all take turns
switching roles and putting in time where it's needed
most.
Peace
Coffee Bikers*:
Brad
Wilson
Kirsten Collins
*Our bikers pack a mean trailer full of coffee. They are
speedy as speedy gets. Watch out, when they are on the
street, they mean business!
Summer
Interns*:
Katie
Harrod (St.Olaf 03')
Louis Deering (McGill University 04')
*These
two interns bring a lot of good energy to Peace Coffee.
They are bright, innovative and motivated.
Fair
Grounds is designed by:
Starstruck
Design
335 West Gill Road
Gill, MA 01376
Contact
Information:
Don Kruger - dkruger@starstruckdesign.com
Lynn Nichols - lnichols@starstruckdesign.com
Phone - 413.863.7752
Fax - 413-863-7752
Web -
http://www.starstruckdesign.com
You
are receiving your Fair Grounds e-newsletter
because you told us you wanted to get it, or a good
friend of yours suggested to us that you would like to
get it. If you like it, let us know. If you want to
suggest ways that we can make it better, let us know.
Our e-mail is info@peacecoffee.com
If
you would like to unsubscribe to the Fair Grounds
E-Newsletter because:
- You may have more than one e-mail address on our list.
- Your e-mail address may have changed.
- You're going on a six month visit of Latin American
Coffee Cooperatives (Take us with you).
- or any other reason
simply send an e-mail to: newsletter-off@peacecoffee.com
and put your e-mail address in the subject line.
Remember,
you are always welcome to visit our website at http://www.peacecoffee.com
|
|
|
|
