The folks at The Green Life have a juicy little bit of corporate Orwelliana for you to chew on just in time for Valentine’s Day. Nestle, the huge foodstuffs multinational, is unleashing a green smokescreen in an attempt to cover up some very non-green practices. The company is launching a new brand of coffee under the label “Partner’s Blend” that is not much more than a PR shield. Now, when critics accuse Nestle of using its large market share to avoid paying a living wage to farmers, spokespeople will just remind the public that “Partner’s Blend” proudly sports a Fair Trade label. However,
The reality of Nestle is that 99.9 percent of their coffee is still not fairly traded, but launching this one product has allowed it to be affiliated with the Fairtrade movement.
Not the kind of people I want to buy chocolate hearts from.
What can you do? Well, for one thing, look around for alternative coffee sources that truly trade fairly. By the way, we have a great little company that does just that right here in Durham. And don’t feel like you should restrict yourself to coffee. When you buy sweets for your sweetheart this week, consider some fair trade chocolate or other goodies. Stores like One World Market on Ninth St. offer delicious options for your favorite Valentine. And if you want to make some activist ripples felt beyond the Durham County Line, visit The Green Life’s action center and send a letter to Nestle. Don’t forget to personalize the message and edit it a bit so it’s coming from you and doesn’t look like a form letter.