Fair Trade LA

Erin and I represented the Green Party at the kick-off event for Fair Trade LA on Sunday at USC, and we both signed up to join the steering committee. It was great to see a few big "G" Greens there, as well as greenlagirl, who snapped our picture. Among the organizers of the event were Transfair, Oxfam and Catholic Relief Services.

It is not clear exactly what Fair Trade LA will do, other than promote the use of fair trade products, including coffee, tea, chocolate, rice and sugar. But one idea that the Green Party could take hold of would be to try to pass a fair trade ordinance like they have in San Francisco. From TransfairUSA:

The SF Resolution is the strongest Fair Trade Resolution in the country, as it not only declares support for Fair Trade, but also assigns the Department of the Environment with the task of investigating purchasing practices and options and issuing recommendations by December, 2005 that identify how the city can maximize purchase of Fair Trade Certified products. The Bay Area Fair Trade Coalition will be working closely with city officials in the coming months to help ensure they follow through with the recommendations.

The next Fair Trade LA event is a visit from the founder and director of the Peace Kawomera Cooperative, a Ugandan coffee cooperative comprised of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim farmers. March 14, at 7 pm event at CARECEN, Central American Resource Center, Romero Hall, 2nd floor, 2845 West 7th Street, Los Angeles, 90005 Islamic Center of Southern California, 434 S. Vermont Ave, Los Angeles 90020 (Thanks to Siel for alerting me to the change).