Comments on: Fair Trade Organic Tea and the Ethics of What We Drink http://teafinelybrewed.com/blog/fair-trade-organic-tea-and-the-ethics-of-what-we-drink/ Sun, 26 Dec 2010 00:51:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Divina Yonker http://teafinelybrewed.com/blog/fair-trade-organic-tea-and-the-ethics-of-what-we-drink/comment-page-1/#comment-850 Divina Yonker Fri, 09 Apr 2010 09:54:27 +0000 http://teafinelybrewed.com/?p=167#comment-850 Although it has not yet been scientifically proved, eating food free of chemicals has got to be an option to seriously consider.Organic food are now more easily obtainable through many different outlets. Many farmers sell organic fruit and vegetables. By doing a search on the Internet you will immediately be able to find suppliers of many different types of organic food in many different countries. Supermarkets sell organic fruit and vegetables and other organic produce. Although it has not yet been scientifically proved, eating food free of chemicals has got to be an option to seriously consider.Organic food are now more easily obtainable through many different outlets. Many farmers sell organic fruit and vegetables. By doing a search on the Internet you will immediately be able to find suppliers of many different types of organic food in many different countries. Supermarkets sell organic fruit and vegetables and other organic produce.

]]> By: detoxdietlady http://teafinelybrewed.com/blog/fair-trade-organic-tea-and-the-ethics-of-what-we-drink/comment-page-1/#comment-75 detoxdietlady Sat, 03 Oct 2009 14:34:53 +0000 http://teafinelybrewed.com/?p=167#comment-75 every food that we eat should come from Organic Farming. i really get scared about those toxins coming from chemical fertilizers and chemical pesticides. I only eat foods which are certified that they are organically grown every food that we eat should come from Organic Farming. i really get scared about those toxins coming from chemical fertilizers and chemical pesticides. I only eat foods which are certified that they are organically grown

]]> By: Jo http://teafinelybrewed.com/blog/fair-trade-organic-tea-and-the-ethics-of-what-we-drink/comment-page-1/#comment-70 Jo Mon, 23 Mar 2009 21:53:37 +0000 http://teafinelybrewed.com/?p=167#comment-70 @dan I think you are speaking of "Fairtrade" branded tea. While there are 'brands' (i.e. organizations) like 'Fairtrade', 'TransFair' or 'Trade Aid' that market fair trade products under their own label, they are usually not specialized in tea and often have generic products like "green tea". But there is also a "fair trade" certification process that usually applies to tea gardens (especially in India, Sri Lanka and Africa). These tea gardens sometimes (actually, more often than not) produce teas of outstanding quality which are available through specialized tea merchants. Since customers become more discriminating about quality and ethics, I think number of these fair trade certified teas will increase in the future. @dan
I think you are speaking of “Fairtrade” branded tea. While there are ‘brands’ (i.e. organizations) like ‘Fairtrade’, ‘TransFair’ or ‘Trade Aid’ that market fair trade products under their own label, they are usually not specialized in tea and often have generic products like “green tea”.
But there is also a “fair trade” certification process that usually applies to tea gardens (especially in India, Sri Lanka and Africa). These tea gardens sometimes (actually, more often than not) produce teas of outstanding quality which are available through specialized tea merchants.
Since customers become more discriminating about quality and ethics, I think number of these fair trade certified teas will increase in the future.

]]> By: Eric http://teafinelybrewed.com/blog/fair-trade-organic-tea-and-the-ethics-of-what-we-drink/comment-page-1/#comment-72 Eric Mon, 16 Mar 2009 23:42:10 +0000 http://teafinelybrewed.com/?p=167#comment-72 Audrey, thanks for sharing your personal experiences. It's great to hear from people like you who have seen the conditions on tea plantations first hand. Lainie, you are absolutely correct. As tea drinkers we ought to work towards improving the conditions of those working at the bottom rungs of the tea industry. Grinnyguy, very interesting point. I know exactly what you mean about fair trade tea often being sub-par quality. This is especially the case with tea bags. Finding fair trade *organic* tea is the key, because as you mention, organic tea is pretty much always excellent. Dan, thanks for pointing that little mistake out:) Just fixed that up. Audrey, thanks for sharing your personal experiences. It’s great to hear from people like you who have seen the conditions on tea plantations first hand.

Lainie, you are absolutely correct. As tea drinkers we ought to work towards improving the conditions of those working at the bottom rungs of the tea industry.

Grinnyguy, very interesting point. I know exactly what you mean about fair trade tea often being sub-par quality. This is especially the case with tea bags. Finding fair trade *organic* tea is the key, because as you mention, organic tea is pretty much always excellent.

Dan, thanks for pointing that little mistake out:) Just fixed that up.

]]> By: dan http://teafinelybrewed.com/blog/fair-trade-organic-tea-and-the-ethics-of-what-we-drink/comment-page-1/#comment-73 dan Mon, 16 Mar 2009 18:21:53 +0000 http://teafinelybrewed.com/?p=167#comment-73 Great, thought-provoking post. Thank you for further opening my eyes to the situation faced by tea workers and others in tea producing regions. As you point out, everyone buying organic fair trade tea will not solve the root of the problem, but it is certainly a good start. P.S. - I think you may have mistakenly wrote "tea" instead of "meat" in the last paragraph. Great, thought-provoking post. Thank you for further opening my eyes to the situation faced by tea workers and others in tea producing regions. As you point out, everyone buying organic fair trade tea will not solve the root of the problem, but it is certainly a good start.

P.S. – I think you may have mistakenly wrote “tea” instead of “meat” in the last paragraph.

]]> By: Grinnyguy http://teafinelybrewed.com/blog/fair-trade-organic-tea-and-the-ethics-of-what-we-drink/comment-page-1/#comment-69 Grinnyguy Sun, 15 Mar 2009 19:53:26 +0000 http://teafinelybrewed.com/?p=167#comment-69 I find it difficult to decide whether to buy tea based on price, ethics or taste, but taste usually wins. I don't find that the average fair trade tea is the tastiest tea. I have a box of fair trade tea for moments when all I want is tea and I don't care what it tastes like, but mostly I come home and have a paricular tea in mind, which may or may not be ethically sound. Having said that, I have never had an organic tea that I didn't think was excellent, and I genuinely think it tastes better when it is grown organically. I enjoyed your artical a lot and it made me consider what the real ethical considerations are about tea and why they are important. I find it difficult to decide whether to buy tea based on price, ethics or taste, but taste usually wins. I don’t find that the average fair trade tea is the tastiest tea. I have a box of fair trade tea for moments when all I want is tea and I don’t care what it tastes like, but mostly I come home and have a paricular tea in mind, which may or may not be ethically sound. Having said that, I have never had an organic tea that I didn’t think was excellent, and I genuinely think it tastes better when it is grown organically. I enjoyed your artical a lot and it made me consider what the real ethical considerations are about tea and why they are important.

]]> By: Lainie Petersen http://teafinelybrewed.com/blog/fair-trade-organic-tea-and-the-ethics-of-what-we-drink/comment-page-1/#comment-74 Lainie Petersen Fri, 13 Mar 2009 05:22:52 +0000 http://teafinelybrewed.com/?p=167#comment-74 Thanks for this challenging article. It is important that those of us who love tea work to change the conditions for those who work to bring our beloved beverage to us. Thanks for this challenging article. It is important that those of us who love tea work to change the conditions for those who work to bring our beloved beverage to us.

]]> By: Audrey http://teafinelybrewed.com/blog/fair-trade-organic-tea-and-the-ethics-of-what-we-drink/comment-page-1/#comment-71 Audrey Thu, 12 Mar 2009 02:53:49 +0000 http://teafinelybrewed.com/?p=167#comment-71 I never thought much of fair trade tea until visiting a regular tea garden in West Bengal, India. Workers made, on average, between $1 - $1.50 a day working for 6-8 hours. Most of the women working were illiterate and had no other alternatives for work. The tea gardens were supposed to provide school and medical care for the workers and their families, but this wasn't the norm. I agree that there are flaws to the fair trade and organic systems, but do think they try to protect the workers and land a bit more. I now make a point to seek out this type of tea (and coffee). I never thought much of fair trade tea until visiting a regular tea garden in West Bengal, India. Workers made, on average, between $1 – $1.50 a day working for 6-8 hours. Most of the women working were illiterate and had no other alternatives for work. The tea gardens were supposed to provide school and medical care for the workers and their families, but this wasn’t the norm.

I agree that there are flaws to the fair trade and organic systems, but do think they try to protect the workers and land a bit more. I now make a point to seek out this type of tea (and coffee).

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