Coffee, Tea & Chocolate

Any fellow coffee, tea and chocolate lovers out there🙋🏼‍♀️?!? I imagine that everyone in the world loves at least one of these things, right?

Unfortunately, the more I have researched the production of coffee, tea and chocolate I have found that there is often modern day slavery, exploitation and child labor being used in the farming of these products (articles about this here and here). Kevin Bales, the director of Free the Slaves, says: "[Consumers] can make a significant impact on world slav­ery just by stopping for a moment and asking themselves how that particular item got to be so cheap. The low cost of many items defies belief. Part of the reason things are so cheap is that the big chain stores buy huge quantities at huge discounts, and have designed their distribution systems to reduce overhead all along the product chain. But these economies of scale don't account for all of the cheapness. The bottom line is: oftentimes things are cheap because slaves helped produce them." But the good news is...we can make a difference! Awareness is key! 😊

Thankfully, there are some awesome companies out there that are fighting against modern day slavery and exploitation by supporting small farmers and paying fair wages. A great example of one of these companies is Equal Exchange. This company was founded in1986 and supports small farmers that produce fair trade products. As their website explains, "Underlying our work is the belief that only through organization, can small farmers survive and thrive. The cooperative model has been essential for building this model of change."

In a world full of big time corporations and massive agriculture companies, the small farmers can easily be overlooked and down-trodden. Thankfully, we can now be informed consumers together!

Another great thing about Equal Exchange is that they make high-quality, genuinely delicious products. I have tried both the Organic Love Buzz and Organic Breakfast Blend whole bean coffee and their organic peppermint tea and it was all excellent! I definitely want to try their chocolate next!!

Now I totally understand that when moving toward a more ethical lifestyle, it can feel overwelming at first as you discover how pervasive exploitation is in our world today. Therefore, I challenge you to make one small change! Every little step makes a difference, which can create a ripple effect throughout the world. Never underestimate the power of a single change.

Another great resource to find slave-free products and companies is this excellent website which my friend Jordan sent me. Check it out and let me know in the comments which products are listed that you may already buy!