Just a glimpse of one of those ‘You don’t have to be crazy to work here.. but it helps’ notices is normally enough to send a shiver down my spine. Today however, everyone at Ethical Superstore was ‘going bananas’.
The reason – we’re taking part in a bona fide world record attempt organised by the Fairtrade Foundation which hopefully will raise awareness of Fairtrade and the benefits it delivers to third world producers.
We don’t need too much encouragement to find an entertaining or unconventional twist to proceeding so we thought we’d share with you some video of one of our banana eating escapades. We made a banana ice cream – using a prospective new product – a people powered ice cream maker.
Despite it’s hamster ball styling this is a product that definitely puts the fun into functional, and the resulting ice cream was very cool in both senses of the word.
In the run up to Go Banana’s For Fairtrade day, which is tomorrow (6th March), we here at Ethical Superstore have been racking our brains to come up with the most creative, entertaining, bizarre, and thought provoking banana-based activities!
Late last week we had a trial run of our banana-eating-a-thon, a few more games and events are in the Top Secret pipeline, and over the past couple of days we’ve been trying to get rid of a Fairtrade banana by offering it to passersby.
Let me explain; we tied a Fairtrade banana to a tree outside our offices so that it was hanging above the footpath within arm’s reach of any pedestrian, with a note attached saying “Please eat me, I’m safe & Fairtrade too!” in a hope of raising awareness of Fairtrade.
BarryNana has received a few funny looks, been ignored, been pointed at, but not once has anyone attempted to free him from his state of limbo and indulge in some Fairtrade goodness.
This got us wondering why people seem to be so adverse to freebies, why people seem to ignore what they don’t think is really there, and why people’s confusion or apathy leads to inaction or inertia.
The Spring People Tree catalogue has just plopped onto my door mat and my Fairtrade Fortnight pledge has come up trumps – what better way to stick to buying only organic and fair trade products than to revamp my wardrobe? The sun is shining, spring is in the air and ethical retail therapy is about to work its magic!
Living off organic and fair trade produce for the past week has proved surprisingly easy. Homemade lemon drizzle cake and banana bread have lifted spirits and won over some hearts. Trips to Asda, Sainsburys and Marks and Spencers have kept hunger from the door. Looking forward to rich pickings in the Co-op tomorrow – apparently the price of all fair trade products is currently reduced by 20%. Of course, my husband’s Lenten pledge puts mine in the shade (not that there’s any sense of competitiveness there, of course!), and all of this is certainly raising awareness in our household and provoking much discussion.
Example of discussion: Young daughter: That’s garbage, that is.(pointing to organic fruit and veg box)
Ethical Mum: Don’t be silly, sweetie. (secretly sympathising with this view when observing the amount of
This morning, Ethical Superstore was proud to welcome two of the cocoa famers from the Kuapa Kokoo Fairtrade cocoa cooperative, located in Ghana, West Africa. The cocoa that this co-operative grows, cuts and dries is used to make Divine Chocolate, which is certainly more than enough to make all of us sit up and pay attention.
The name ‘Kuapa Kokoo’ means ‘The Good Cocoa Farmers Company’. It’s a bit of a tongue twister in Ghanaian, but it has a good ring to it, and is certainly evocative of the faraway country from where the cocoa originates. It’s a name to be conjured with, and a name which is synonymous with Fairtrade success, as the stories of Mr Anane Mensah and Mr James Adiyiah told us first hand.
Anane’s and James’ roles in the co-operative are important ones. They are both Recorders, charged with the task of weighing and recording the amount of cocoa which is farmed and processed to be sold. Being responsible for the amount each farmer is paid is a large responsibility, and through this job they have both gained a respected place and influence in the Kuapa Kokoo community.
A banana-based frenzy broke out at Ethical Superstore this lunchtime. As part of the Fairtrade Foundation’s Fairtrade Fortnight celebrations, we’re in training for the world’s biggest Fairtrade banana-eating record attempt.
Ethical Superstore Teams Go Bananas!
You can join in too; all you have to do is eat a Fairtrade banana any time between noon on Friday 6 March and noon Saturday 7 March.
We’re signed up as one of a whole host of events across the UK – check out the map on the Go Bananas! site to find your local event or submit your own; whether it’s just the family munching a banana each at home, or a whole office involved with banana-themed games – there’s sure to be something you can get involved with.
To keep you informed and entertained throughout your banana-eating check out these banana facts and figures;
The banana is the most popular fruit in the world – people spend over £10 billion a year on the fruit globally.
Banana plants are the largest plants on earth without a woody stem.
Wild bananas have been cultivated for more than 4,000 years.
Bananas are one of the few fruits that ripen best off the plant.
Bananas are harvested every day of the year.
The word banana is derivated from the Arabic meaning ‘finger’.
Eating two bananas provides enough energy to see you through a strenuous 90-minute gym workout.
There are 57 certified producer groups in ten countries of Latin America, the Caribbean and West Africa supplying Fairtrade bananas to twenty countries in Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific.
Fairtrade bananas were launched in 1994, and now one in four bananas sold in the UK is Fairtrade.
Bananas contain tryptophan and vitamin B6, known to help make you feel happy
my only concessions were recycled toilet paper and free range eggs
This fortnight, I will only be buying fair trade and organic…
Monday saw the start of Fairtrade Fortnight and I decided to set myself the challenge of only buying fairtrade and organic products for two weeks. And I mean only – where there is no fairtrade or organic option, we will do without. (I survived half term with no heating and no hot water – how hard can this be?)
Therefore, at the checkout of my local ASDA store on Monday, I had a trolley full of ethical food and boy, was I proud of it! My only concessions (and I hope you will allow me these) were recycled toilet paper and free range eggs. Going without toilet paper was a step too far and although I believe you can buy organic eggs, I lack the stamina to trail round other stores looking for them.
The checkout assistant couldn’t fail to notice this was a family shop with a difference and a conversation ensued (which was part of the purpose of the challenge). She informed me that
Here at Ethical Superstore we’re delighted to announce the imminent launch of Palestinian Fairtrade olive oil in the UK, coinciding with Fairtrade Fortnight 2009 (23 Feb – 8 March).
Zaytoun’s Fairtrade, organic olive oil is a unique product able to compete with the best oils from all over the world. With the launch of these great-tasting, life-changing products in the UK, Zaytoun are offering small-scale farmers, often working under extreme conditions, not only a fair price and a chance to expand and improve their production, but also the opportunity to sustain a livelihood with dignity and security.
The olive tree and its produce are of key cultural and economic importance to Palestinian people, and Zaytoun creates international links through trade rather than aid. Cathi Pawson, co-founder of Zaytoun says this is vital to the company’s philosophy:
“Aid donations, while necessary, rarely foster foundations for long-term prosperity and social revitalization. To date, our trade with the Palestinian people has brought well over £1 million to their economy, and support for rural society”
Zaytoun Olive Oil is described by wine and food writer Malcolm Gluck as:
“One of the least aggressive yet pungently attractive olive oils I have tasted. It is in the rich nourishing class of the best of the fruity Sicilian, Cretan, and northern Spanish oils and its beautiful green cloudiness bespeaks of care and judicious handling.”
It’s halfway through half term and my life is overwhelmed with children.
With no time or energy to think about anything else, I focus my thoughts on children and the question that my Dad puts to me on a regular basis – “Just what exactly are you teaching your children?”
As parents, we put the education of our children in the hands of their school teachers, football coaches, Brownie leaders, Sunday School teachers and Youth Club organisers. And then do we sit back and think “Job done.”? Maybe, maybe not.
But what exactly are we teaching our children?
Have we failed when our teenage son knows what we think of Primark and yet can’t resist the lure of cheap clothing?
Should we feel pleased our 16 year old has been moved by “Slumdog Millionaire” or outraged that he watched it on a pirate DVD?
What do we do when the selfish enjoyment of ten minutes in the shower outweighs all environmental and financial concerns?
If you’re wondering what Fairtrade means to the producers of goods then watch this short video which documents two Fairtrade certified banana producer organisations, BANELINO and ASOBANU in the Dominican Republic and find out how Fairtrade has changed their lives and livelihood for the better.
To celebrate the art of coffee growing, Cafédirect, one of the biggest names in Fairtrade, is staging the first ever TasteFair – nine days of eco-lifestyle events to stimulate the senses during Fairtrade Fortnight at Whole Foods Market, Kensington High Street, London.
TasteFair will run from 21st February – 1st March and will feature an impressive line-up of some of the UK’s best-known ‘eco’ celebrities and experts including Wayne Hemingway and Oliver Heath. There will also be food tastings, music evenings, story time readings, coffee classes and a specially created photographic exhibition tracing the incredible journey of coffee.
Our main man @andyredfern has just been on BBC Newcastle live to talk about conservation and bio-diversity - great things to stand up for!
16 hours ago
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