Showing posts with label Fairtrade. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fairtrade. Show all posts
3/22/12
Labels:
Fairtrade
,
Food
,
Organics
,
Vegan products
Divine is the only Fairtrade chocolate company that’s 45 per cent owned by the farmers. According to its website, ‘While Fairtrade ensures farmers receive a better deal for their cocoa and additional income to invest in their community, company ownership gives farmers a share of Divine’s profits and a stronger voice in the cocoa industry.’ The website has plenty of information and photographs detailing the producer-owned co-op in Ghana, as well as the ingredients used and methods of production - perfect for school projects!
Divine’s Easter range includes dark, milk and white chocolate eggs in gift packaging, as well as bags of mini eggs and mini chocolate bunnies. Unfortunately the products aren’t organic or vegan.
Divine products are available from stockists in the following countries: USA, Canada, Sweden, Norway, Holland, Hungary, Denmark, Czech Republic, Japan, Australia, Poland, South Korea. They're also available online in the UK (through the main website) the USA, Scandinavia and the Netherlands.
Have a wonderful Easter, and happy chocolate munching!
If you enjoyed this blog entry, you might also like Kylie Kwong Partners with Oxfam to Bring Fairtrade Design to Your Table and Ten (Really 11) Green Books for Your Christmas Stocking.
Read More
Enjoy a Guilt-Free Easter with Fairtrade,Vegan & Organic Easter Eggs (& Other Chocolate Treats!)
Whether or not you observe Easter in the religious sense, it’s a time of great temptation when it comes to chocolate. They say that the best way to deal with temptation is to give in to it!
If you’re concerned about human rights, animal rights and the environment but love your chocolate, look no further. There are many yummy options you can eat with a clear conscience. And those with dairy and gluten allergies don't have to miss out either.
Organic, Fairtrade, vegan, gluten-free chocolate is a reality!
Below are some examples of the Easter offerings produced by companies with a conscience. Some address all the concerns above, while others address exclusively vegan and fair trade concerns. Many but not all use organic chocolate.
Some companies sell chocolate online and through retail outlets while others sell through bricks-and-mortar stores only - stockist information can be found on the websites.
(Some of the companies that don’t produce vegan chocolate do produce dark chocolate products that are made without dairy products. However, these products may contain traces of dairy in the production process and also animal products such as honey in glazes. Vegan products in contrast are specified to have no traces of animal products.)
If you’re concerned about human rights, animal rights and the environment but love your chocolate, look no further. There are many yummy options you can eat with a clear conscience. And those with dairy and gluten allergies don't have to miss out either.
Organic, Fairtrade, vegan, gluten-free chocolate is a reality!
Below are some examples of the Easter offerings produced by companies with a conscience. Some address all the concerns above, while others address exclusively vegan and fair trade concerns. Many but not all use organic chocolate.
Some companies sell chocolate online and through retail outlets while others sell through bricks-and-mortar stores only - stockist information can be found on the websites.
(Some of the companies that don’t produce vegan chocolate do produce dark chocolate products that are made without dairy products. However, these products may contain traces of dairy in the production process and also animal products such as honey in glazes. Vegan products in contrast are specified to have no traces of animal products.)
This dark chocolate Easter egg is from Oxfam’s range of Fairtrade Easter goodies available in Australia. The Fairtrade chocolate used in the range is handmade, free from child labour and helps families in developing communities.The range includes organic chocolate but isn’t vegan.
These products helps producers and communities in countries like Dominican Republic, Ghana, Peru, Paraguay and India through improved market access and stable and regular income.
Oxfam also has loads of Easter ideas in unwrapped cards; handmade soft rabbits; and re-usable paper mache keepsake boxes, some with luxury handmade Belgium Fairtrade chocolate buttons and eggs inside.
This cute little bunny is totally dairy free, organic and Fairtrade into the bargain! It’s from the vegan range of Sjaaks, a US family company that, according to its website, is committed to organics and fair trade. Sjaaks also produces a Fairtrade vegan range of Easter eggs.
Sjaaks is based in California. Its creator brought his confectionary skills from his native Holland when he migrated to the US. The company sells its chocolates online and they're also sold in some US retail stores, but unfortunately appear to be available in the domestic US market only.
This UK company is committed to fair trade, which means that all its products are Fairtrade certified. Plush sources its chocolate and sugar from five different Fairtrade locations, and there’s info on the website about them. The company's Easter offerings include a milk chocolate strawberry drizzle egg and packets of solid Belgian chocolate eggs.
If you’re in the UK you can buy Easter eggs straight from the website, or there’s an extensive stockist list that includes bricks-and mortar retailers and other online stockists. Orders from outside the UK can be taken but they must be made manually.
Some of Plush’s products use organic chocolate but I couldn’t find any dairy-free ones. The company packages its chocolate in handmade, fairly traded gift boxes, and reusable and recyclable boxes.
This US company specialises in vegan chocolate that is also gluten free, nut free and egg free (but unfortunately not Fairtrade). According to its website, it has pioneered the creation of artisan chocolates that mimic milk chocolate. The company is based in New Jersey but ships to more than 20 countries. Its Easter range includes mini eggs such as those pictured, larger eggs, and Easter bunnies in various sizes.
This Australian company creates artisan, handmade chocolates that are vegan and also suitable for those with lactose, gluten and dairy allergies. Unfortunately these chocolates aren’t Fairtrade or organic, which is a shame because the handmade chocolate above looks incredibly delectable.
Constant Craving produces a giant Easter egg (pictured at top) reminiscent of the Easter eggs I would keep going for weeks as a child, carefully breaking off a few pieces to eat each a day while the remainder got stale in my desk drawer! Chocolates can be ordered online and shipped to anywhere in Australia, and there’s also a list of stockists on the website.
I couldn’t find any Easter eggs on this company’s site but had to include it because it sounded so interesting and ticked all the boxes, including sugar free!
Loving Earth chocolate is raw organic. The company offers a vegan range with some truly adventurous flavours. Not all of its products are certified fair trade, but it uses its own form of fair trade certification and says that fair trade principles govern all its dealings with growers. There’s plenty of information on the website about the growers, including a ‘Grower information’ link for each product.
Loving Earth creates a number of innovative products, combining raw organic chocolate with fruit extracts, corn, exotic spices and nuts to create what sound like amazing flavours. Pictured is the sour cherry raw chocolate bar, which is fair trade, vegan, organic, gluten-free, sugar-free and sweetened with organic agave syrup!
Loving Earth is based in Campbellfield in Melbourne, Australia. Goods can be shipped all over Australia as well as internationally. If you’re in the area you can pick up the produce from the warehouse if you call ahead.
The company’s commitment to organic products and nutritional production methods extends to ‘activating’ its organic almonds to retain nutrition - you can read more about this on the website.
Certified Fairtrade and organic with a large vegan range, this high-quality chocolate is manufactured in Australia but at this point the company doesn't seem to produce Easter eggs. There's a list of stockists on the website, mainly confined to Victoria but including NSW and Tasmania.
Cocola is a Swiss chocolate available in Australia. (Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to produce Easter eggs either). It’s Fairtrade, organic and free of cane sugar but not vegan (organic milk powder is used) It's also gluten and soy free. The dark chocolate products are made without milk solids but may contain traces of dairy.
Cocola products are available in bricks-and-mortar stores in most Australian states - contacts for information on stockists are included on the website.
Green & Black’s is a large organic chocolate company that was bought by Kraft in 2010 but has promised to retain its original philosophy. It supplies the UK, Europe, Canada, the US, Australia and New Zealand. It has a strong commitment to fair trade and ethical sourcing, and the online range includes Fairtrade Easter eggs for kids (see pic).
The company’s dark chocolate products are made without milk but it warns that because of cross-contamination in the production process they may not be entirely milk free.
Divine’s Easter range includes dark, milk and white chocolate eggs in gift packaging, as well as bags of mini eggs and mini chocolate bunnies. Unfortunately the products aren’t organic or vegan.
Divine products are available from stockists in the following countries: USA, Canada, Sweden, Norway, Holland, Hungary, Denmark, Czech Republic, Japan, Australia, Poland, South Korea. They're also available online in the UK (through the main website) the USA, Scandinavia and the Netherlands.
Have a wonderful Easter, and happy chocolate munching!
1/10/12
Labels:
Buying green
,
Carbon footprint
,
Ethical shopping
,
Fairtrade
,
Recycling
Read More
How to Carry Out Your Green and Ethical New Year's Resolutions
 |
| Picture: sheknows.com |
Now that 2012's finally arrived, many of us are trying to put our new year's resolutions into practice. Some of you may have resolved to make the switch to ethical shopping this year, or perhaps you're planning to overhaul your entire lifestyle and go green.
Making wholesale changes in shopping and lifestyle habits is a challenge. At first shopping ethically may be more time consuming, not to mention confusing, than conventional shopping. Facing the array of choices in the egg department of your local supermarket, from accredited free range to grain-fed and barn laid, could make your head spin.
Luckily there’s plenty of support and information out there. The internet is bursting with websites, blogs and forums that offer valuable guidance. Here are some great tips to help you make the switch, whether you’re planning to change the way you shop or want to make your entire lifestyle more sustainable.
* Give yourself time to adjust. If you try to make too many changes at once you may become discouraged. Start with the easiest changes and make progressively more challenging adjustments as your confidence grows. Two small shopping examples: Revlon is one of the larger cosmetics companies that doesn't test its products on animals; Bardot, Veronica Maine and Cue are Australian fashion brands that, while they lack green credentials, have been accredited by Ethical Clothing Australia. Easy green changes to make straight away include putting a 'no junk mail' sign on your mailbox, arranging to hire a green waste bin from your local council, and investigating whether your energy company provides green energy.
* Set goals. This is a great way to motivate yourself. Goals should be SMART – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. Reward yourself for achieving your goals.
* Set goals. This is a great way to motivate yourself. Goals should be SMART – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. Reward yourself for achieving your goals.
* Plan ahead. Expect things to take longer, especially at first. If you’ve decided to start riding your bike to work, it may take a while to figure out the quickest way and to get your morning routine sorted; if you’ve decided to catch public transport to the food market, you’ll probably need to allocate more time. You may also have to put some thought into how you’ll shop, eg remembering to bring along your own carry bags, or buying equipment like panniers or a shopping trolley.
* Deal with setbacks. If you lapse by doing or buying something that goes against your principles, it’s not the end of the world. Making major changes takes time, and setbacks are part of the process. Forgive yourself and move on!
* Connect with others. Reaching out to likeminded people is a great way to motivate yourself to shop and live differently. Start a blog on your shopping/sustainability journey, a Facebook page on your favourite green or ethical cause, or a Twitter account. Humans are social creatures; it’s amazing how telling other people about the changes you’ve made, or would like to make, can motivate you. If you’d rather connect in the real world, join a green group, start your own, or enlist a friend who wants to make similar changes so you can encourage each other.
* The phrase think globally, act locally may be a cliche but it still holds. When deciding which websites and news sources to keep up with, it’s a good idea to choose a combination of those with international and general information on green and ethical issues, and those that focus on your country, state or local area.
* Research ethical and green claims using credible sources. It’s a great thing to read labels when you buy, but it’s not enough. You may need to research the various labels to ensure that the goods you’re interested in aren’t simply an example of ‘greenwash’. It’s probably safest to take a sceptical view of corporations and to use credible sources to check green and ethical claims. The recent watering down of fair trade requirements by Fair Trade USA illustrates that if you want to be an aware consumer you need to stay informed of what companies and accreditation bodies are doing.
* Ask your favourite brands to make the changes you want. If enough people put pressure on mainstream brands to adopt ethical practices and sustainable or organic lines, they would be forced to do so. You could email brands you’ve stopped using for ethical reasons to let them know why you no longer buy their products, for instance.
* Shop locally where possible. Slow Food is a movement that encourages people to support small, local food producers and to adopt a seasonal diet (see website for more information). You can support some of its principles by buying your food at food markets, farmers’ markets, co-ops, organic grocery stores and local greengrocers as an alternative to the supermarket. Don’t confine your local shopping to food; you might be amazed at what your neighbourhood shopping strip has to offer.
* Connect with people in your local area. Many great local sustainability initiatives fly under the radar. Google a search for websites with information about sustainability in your local area or city. Is there a freecycling group in your neighbourhood, community garden, tool-sharing service or even a group that meets regularly to cook and share a meal? Sustainable Melbourne is an example of a website with regular updates of local initiatives.
* Check out local recycling options. Perhaps you’ve assumed that the only option for recycling in your area is putting out the council recycling bin once a week? You might be surprised at how many other options there are for recycling goods like mobile phones, batteries, printer cartridges, and even whitegoods and paint tins. Search local government and sustainability websites for more information, or google ‘recycling’ for your local area.
* Don’t pike out if you’re a renter. These days there are many resources available for adopting a greener lifestyle if you don’t own your own home. For example, Green Renters is a Melbourne-based not-for-profit group that provides advice on sustainable living for renters.
Until next time!
If you enjoyed this blog entry, you might also like Ten Green Books for Your Christmas Stocking and Be an Ethical, Frugal Fashionista: How to Shop Ethical When You're on a Budget.
11/17/11
Labels:
Buying green
,
Ethical shopping
,
Fairtrade
,
Sustainable design
Started three years ago by a Melbourne banker, Moral Fairground at Federation Square (Fair@Square) has already become Australia’s largest fair trade and ethical festival.
More than 80 businesses and an estimated 75,000 people are expected to take part in the festival, which will include a VIP Ethical Fashion Show, a walk-through display of an eco-friendly house, cooking demonstrations at the Fair Indulgence tent, discussions about ethical and sustainable issues, live music and children’s activities.
Cutting-edge sustainable fashion, ethical beauty products, organic goods and culturally diverse giftware, accessories and jewellery from around the globe will all be on show.
Despite never having organised an event before, Bevilacqua sought corporate sponsorship and a venue, and set out to build awareness about ethical, socially responsible and environmentally aware businesses.
Fairtrade labelling contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to marginalised producers and workers, many in low-income regions. It aims to empower them by paying fair prices for their work, helping them to operate in the global economy, and challenging unfair trading practices.
A global survey conducted by GlobeScan for Fairtrade International shows that 93 per cent of Australians believe companies should pay farmers and workers fairly.
Bevilacqua said that Australians were increasingly prepared to spend money to ensure that the products they purchased were ethically produced.
While she would like to see an umbrella group set up here purely to promote fair trade, she points to the recent launch of Fair Traders of Australia, a new network of businesses committed to selling fair trade products, as a positive development.
She is also keen to see the full range of fair trade products become available in Australia.
‘The power lies with ... consumers, we need them to buy fair trade products so that the retailers can see there is demand’, she said.
‘We need consumers to let their retailers know that they want more fair trade products on the shelves.
‘[This] means approaching your local schools and sporting clubs [and] asking them to use fair trade footballs or asking major department stores to stock fair trade fashion.’
Until next time!
Read More
All the Fun of the Fair: Festival Showcases Burgeoning Ethical and Fair Trade Market
A free festival in the heart of Melbourne that showcases the burgeoning fair trade and ethical market in Australia is set to take place in two weeks time.
Started three years ago by a Melbourne banker, Moral Fairground at Federation Square (Fair@Square) has already become Australia’s largest fair trade and ethical festival.
More than 80 businesses and an estimated 75,000 people are expected to take part in the festival, which will include a VIP Ethical Fashion Show, a walk-through display of an eco-friendly house, cooking demonstrations at the Fair Indulgence tent, discussions about ethical and sustainable issues, live music and children’s activities.
Cutting-edge sustainable fashion, ethical beauty products, organic goods and culturally diverse giftware, accessories and jewellery from around the globe will all be on show.
Festival Director Susanna Bevilacqua, a banker, was shocked by the working conditions and environmental impact of mass consumerism she witnessed when she visited some of the poorest countries in South East Asia. Determined to do something, she launched the festival three years ago with the help of fellow banker Boby Vosinthavong.
Despite never having organised an event before, Bevilacqua sought corporate sponsorship and a venue, and set out to build awareness about ethical, socially responsible and environmentally aware businesses.
Fairtrade labelling contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to marginalised producers and workers, many in low-income regions. It aims to empower them by paying fair prices for their work, helping them to operate in the global economy, and challenging unfair trading practices.
A global survey conducted by GlobeScan for Fairtrade International shows that 93 per cent of Australians believe companies should pay farmers and workers fairly.
It also reveals that 81 per cent of us believe independent, third-party certification is the best way to verify a product’s ethical claims.
While Fairtrade labelled products were launched in Australia as recently as 2005, the industry was already worth $AUD120 million by last year, and sales increased 200 per cent from 2009 to 2010.
Bevilacqua said that Australians were increasingly prepared to spend money to ensure that the products they purchased were ethically produced.
While she would like to see an umbrella group set up here purely to promote fair trade, she points to the recent launch of Fair Traders of Australia, a new network of businesses committed to selling fair trade products, as a positive development.
She is also keen to see the full range of fair trade products become available in Australia.
‘The power lies with ... consumers, we need them to buy fair trade products so that the retailers can see there is demand’, she said.
‘We need consumers to let their retailers know that they want more fair trade products on the shelves.
‘[This] means approaching your local schools and sporting clubs [and] asking them to use fair trade footballs or asking major department stores to stock fair trade fashion.’
Moral Fairground Advisory Board member and senior associate at Net Balance, Cameron Neil, says the growth of Fair@Square over the last three years has been phenomenal and a clear reflection that consumer demand for products with purpose and meaning is here to stay.
‘Businesses are recognising this isn't a feel good fad. Some are leading the way, ensuring their products are produced in a fair and ethical way, and seeking to reduce the environmental impact of their production, use and disposal.’
The Festival is at Federation Square in Melbourne on the weekend of December 3 and 4 from 11 am to 6 pm. The Ethical Fashion Show takes place on December 2 at BMW Edge from 7.30 pm to 9 pm. Find out more.
If you enjoyed this blog entry, you might also like Kylie Kwong Partners with Oxfam to Bring Fairtrade Design to Your Table.
11/10/11
Labels:
Christmas
,
Fairtrade
,
frugality
,
Gift giving
,
Materialism
,
Saving money
A greener, more frugal Christmas can reduce waste, increase your savings and even bring you closer to your loved ones. Below are some tips for a less commercial Christmas.
* Don’t leave Christmas plans till the last minute. You’ll end up spending more. Planning is the key to a more frugal festive season. Make a list of all those you plan to buy for, and look out for suitable presents whenever you’re shopping, including online shopping.
* Buy within your means. Create a Christmas budget. Decide what you can afford, including separate amounts for gift giving, going out, and Christmas meals. Start with the assumption that you will only spend the amount you can afford, and then plan who you will give presents to, the amount you will spend on each person, and how you will entertain.
* Consult family members if you want to change present-giving traditions. If you want to make changes to the way you give presents in your family, eg by giving fewer presents or giving to charity, it’s important to discuss this with family members. Gift-giving traditions in families have very deep roots, and changes to those traditions can seem threatening.
One change might be to stop giving presents to every family member and have a Kris Kringle instead. You can have more than one Kris Kringle in the family, eg one for the adults and one for the children.
If you want to make changes to your gift giving that help others, such as giving gift cards that buy a resource for a struggling family in the developing world, you may need to run a campaign to get the family on side. This can take time; provide the family with literature and information, and be willing to discuss the benefits, such as teaching children the importance of giving. Oxfam Unwrapped sells gift cards that provide resources to poor communities; there are 44 gifts to choose from.
* When you’re Christmas shopping, be aware of the emotions that Christmas can stir up. Christmas is a very emotional time of year, and the mixture of nostalgia and sense of anticipation may affect your buying choices. Practising mindfulness while shopping is a great way to stay in touch with those feelings so that they don’t hijack your wallet!
As well as buying for others, there’s a strong temptation around Christmas to buy what researchers call ‘self-gifts’ – gifts we buy to reward and pamper ourselves. When buying self-gifts, awareness of what your motivations are can help you decide if the choices you make are right for you.
* Take the time to ask your loved ones what they want. This means you’re more likely to buy things that they want, which in turn means less waste. To retain the element of surprise, ask them to make lots of suggestions (where teenagers are concerned you may have to probe!). In my experience it’s fine to tell them you’re on a budget so they can tailor their suggestions to your budget.
* If you’re successful in streamlining your Christmas shopping, be prepared to feel guilty! Anthropologist James Carrier believes that we deliberately make Christmas shopping hard work because we want to demonstrate just how good we are at turning impersonal objects into tokens that express our bonds with our families and loved ones. If you successfully negotiate simplified Christmas giving with your family, reduce the amount you spend on Christmas and finish your shopping early, you may find yourself feeling guilty. Simply note and accept these feelings – there’s no need to rush out and buy up half the stock of a major department store.
* If you’re trying to teach your children to be less materialistic, be patient. Being too dogmatic and imposing your own values on the child could backfire. Perhaps you could compromise, combining presents that are blatantly commercial (if that’s what your child craves) with some less commercial alternatives.
* Choose sustainable toys and children’s gifts. There are loads of eco-friendly toys and gifts for children, many on the internet, but even mainstream toy chains are starting to stock them. This guide from Treehugger provides information on the properties to look for in eco-friendly toys.
* Buy certified Fairtrade items as gifts. Certified Fairtrade items, which guarantee a fair price and conditions for producers, is a burgeoning area and the choice of goods is growing all the time. A good place to find out where to buy products in your country is this list of contact details for Fairtrade organisations.
Oxfam Shop and New Internationalist are two Australian websites selling Faitrade items. Don’t forget that these types of online sites also have sales.
* Buy secondhand gifts. I don’t believe in the taboo that you can’t buy secondhand goods as Christmas gifts! But if you want to buy from thrift stores, yard sales and vintage stores, planning and consultation are important. Your local thrift shop will probably close way before Christmas, and it will take longer to find suitable secondhand gifts, so get your skates on if you haven’t already started your Christmas shopping.
* Buy gift cards. While gift cards give the receiver more control over what they buy, there are pitfalls. An estimated 15-30% of gift card vouchers aren’t redeemed. Check with the recipient first as to the retail store you will buy the card from, or if you don’t want to do that, choose a card that gives the receiver a great deal of choice – eg don’t buy them a $100 card for Barbecues Galore if they have no intention of buying a barbecue! You can now buy gift cards at a discount from sites on the internet. Cardlimbo is a website that buys unwanted gift cards from consumers and resells them at a discount.
Cheap gift ideas
* Practise regifting. It’s okay to regift something that’s not right for you, but only if you use your intuition to decide who would appreciate the gift.
* Make your presents. You don’t have to be a craft whizz to do this. Scarfs and sarongs, for exaxmple, are easy to run up on the sewing machine. This website gives you instructions for making 13 different types of scarves. Another option is to use spare buttons to make a button necklace.
* Give experiences rather than material objects. Studies suggest that people derive more enduring pleasure from life experiences than from material objects. Experience-based gifts don’t have to be expensive; a couple of free movie tickets are a great low-cost way to give a fun experience.
* Don’t forget the old standbys. If you’re looking for cheap standbys, you can’t go past books and DVDs or Blu-rays, but do consult with the person first.
Plants are another great gift – they’re great value for money and (assuming they’re looked after!) they last. Choose hardy, low-maintenance plants that suit the person’s garden and their lifestyle. You can ‘upcycle’ a plant cheaply by buying the plant and a fancy pot separately, and repotting the plant.
* Give your time instead of a material object. If you’re really skint or trying to avoid the materialism of Christmas, create certificates where you pledge particular tasks, eg washing the car, or two hours gardening, babysitting or housecleaning.
* Make up a hamper of deli goodies. Low-cost goods include jam, cashew nuts, shortbread and cold-pressed olive oil. If you’re in the US, you can get significant discounts on these items using coupons. You need to ensure that you don't buy goods containing ingredients to which the receiver may be allergic.
* Bake or cook small gifts. Slices of home made coconut ice or shortbread wrapped in cellophane and finished with colourful ribbon make great gifts for neighbours and work colleagues.
* Make your own Christmas decorations. Use odd pieces of wrapping paper, and cut them up into strips of equal size. create a loop with the first strip using sticky tape or glue, then link each strip in the ‘chain’. Hang the decoration from a mantelpiece or wall.
Read More
Yuletide Thrift: Tips for a Sustainable and Frugal Christmas
An orgy of gift buying takes place each Christmas. Not only will most of this generosity eventually end up in landfill, but much of it is misplaced. In 2009, British shoppers spent an estimated £1.7 billion on Christmas presents that weren't appreciated by their receivers, while in October 2010, Australians were already planning to sell their unwanted Christmas presents online.
A greener, more frugal Christmas can reduce waste, increase your savings and even bring you closer to your loved ones. Below are some tips for a less commercial Christmas.
Changing what you buy and the way you buy it
* Don’t leave Christmas plans till the last minute. You’ll end up spending more. Planning is the key to a more frugal festive season. Make a list of all those you plan to buy for, and look out for suitable presents whenever you’re shopping, including online shopping.
* Buy within your means. Create a Christmas budget. Decide what you can afford, including separate amounts for gift giving, going out, and Christmas meals. Start with the assumption that you will only spend the amount you can afford, and then plan who you will give presents to, the amount you will spend on each person, and how you will entertain.
* Consult family members if you want to change present-giving traditions. If you want to make changes to the way you give presents in your family, eg by giving fewer presents or giving to charity, it’s important to discuss this with family members. Gift-giving traditions in families have very deep roots, and changes to those traditions can seem threatening.
One change might be to stop giving presents to every family member and have a Kris Kringle instead. You can have more than one Kris Kringle in the family, eg one for the adults and one for the children.
If you want to make changes to your gift giving that help others, such as giving gift cards that buy a resource for a struggling family in the developing world, you may need to run a campaign to get the family on side. This can take time; provide the family with literature and information, and be willing to discuss the benefits, such as teaching children the importance of giving. Oxfam Unwrapped sells gift cards that provide resources to poor communities; there are 44 gifts to choose from.
* When you’re Christmas shopping, be aware of the emotions that Christmas can stir up. Christmas is a very emotional time of year, and the mixture of nostalgia and sense of anticipation may affect your buying choices. Practising mindfulness while shopping is a great way to stay in touch with those feelings so that they don’t hijack your wallet!
As well as buying for others, there’s a strong temptation around Christmas to buy what researchers call ‘self-gifts’ – gifts we buy to reward and pamper ourselves. When buying self-gifts, awareness of what your motivations are can help you decide if the choices you make are right for you.
* Take the time to ask your loved ones what they want. This means you’re more likely to buy things that they want, which in turn means less waste. To retain the element of surprise, ask them to make lots of suggestions (where teenagers are concerned you may have to probe!). In my experience it’s fine to tell them you’re on a budget so they can tailor their suggestions to your budget.
* If you’re successful in streamlining your Christmas shopping, be prepared to feel guilty! Anthropologist James Carrier believes that we deliberately make Christmas shopping hard work because we want to demonstrate just how good we are at turning impersonal objects into tokens that express our bonds with our families and loved ones. If you successfully negotiate simplified Christmas giving with your family, reduce the amount you spend on Christmas and finish your shopping early, you may find yourself feeling guilty. Simply note and accept these feelings – there’s no need to rush out and buy up half the stock of a major department store.
* If you’re trying to teach your children to be less materialistic, be patient. Being too dogmatic and imposing your own values on the child could backfire. Perhaps you could compromise, combining presents that are blatantly commercial (if that’s what your child craves) with some less commercial alternatives.
* Choose sustainable toys and children’s gifts. There are loads of eco-friendly toys and gifts for children, many on the internet, but even mainstream toy chains are starting to stock them. This guide from Treehugger provides information on the properties to look for in eco-friendly toys.
* Buy certified Fairtrade items as gifts. Certified Fairtrade items, which guarantee a fair price and conditions for producers, is a burgeoning area and the choice of goods is growing all the time. A good place to find out where to buy products in your country is this list of contact details for Fairtrade organisations.
Oxfam Shop and New Internationalist are two Australian websites selling Faitrade items. Don’t forget that these types of online sites also have sales.
* Buy secondhand gifts. I don’t believe in the taboo that you can’t buy secondhand goods as Christmas gifts! But if you want to buy from thrift stores, yard sales and vintage stores, planning and consultation are important. Your local thrift shop will probably close way before Christmas, and it will take longer to find suitable secondhand gifts, so get your skates on if you haven’t already started your Christmas shopping.
* Buy gift cards. While gift cards give the receiver more control over what they buy, there are pitfalls. An estimated 15-30% of gift card vouchers aren’t redeemed. Check with the recipient first as to the retail store you will buy the card from, or if you don’t want to do that, choose a card that gives the receiver a great deal of choice – eg don’t buy them a $100 card for Barbecues Galore if they have no intention of buying a barbecue! You can now buy gift cards at a discount from sites on the internet. Cardlimbo is a website that buys unwanted gift cards from consumers and resells them at a discount.
Cheap gift ideas
* Give something you already have. A great way of cutting down on the cost of gifts and avoiding goods ending up in landfill is to give something you already have as a present (or part of a present). Don’t give any old junk, but heirloom and vintage items that are valuable to you and that you may not use any more, such as jewellery, clothes, knickknacks and furniture. Carefully tailor your choices to the receiver.
* Practise regifting. It’s okay to regift something that’s not right for you, but only if you use your intuition to decide who would appreciate the gift.
* Give a small amount of money as a present. Kids love receiving money as it gives them control over what they buy. The beauty of giving money to children is that you don’t necessarily have to give a huge amount, as what’s a small amount to you may not be to them.
* Make your presents. You don’t have to be a craft whizz to do this. Scarfs and sarongs, for exaxmple, are easy to run up on the sewing machine. This website gives you instructions for making 13 different types of scarves. Another option is to use spare buttons to make a button necklace.
* Give experiences rather than material objects. Studies suggest that people derive more enduring pleasure from life experiences than from material objects. Experience-based gifts don’t have to be expensive; a couple of free movie tickets are a great low-cost way to give a fun experience.
* Don’t forget the old standbys. If you’re looking for cheap standbys, you can’t go past books and DVDs or Blu-rays, but do consult with the person first.
Plants are another great gift – they’re great value for money and (assuming they’re looked after!) they last. Choose hardy, low-maintenance plants that suit the person’s garden and their lifestyle. You can ‘upcycle’ a plant cheaply by buying the plant and a fancy pot separately, and repotting the plant.
* Give your time instead of a material object. If you’re really skint or trying to avoid the materialism of Christmas, create certificates where you pledge particular tasks, eg washing the car, or two hours gardening, babysitting or housecleaning.
* Make up a hamper of deli goodies. Low-cost goods include jam, cashew nuts, shortbread and cold-pressed olive oil. If you’re in the US, you can get significant discounts on these items using coupons. You need to ensure that you don't buy goods containing ingredients to which the receiver may be allergic.
* Bake or cook small gifts. Slices of home made coconut ice or shortbread wrapped in cellophane and finished with colourful ribbon make great gifts for neighbours and work colleagues.
Frugalising other aspects of Christmas
* Make your own Christmas cards. A friend of my mum’s creates her own cards using simple watercolour floral designs that she paints on white card using watercolour paints. Using stencils to cut out designs is another great idea. Another option is to use rubber stamps, but you do need to take the cost of the ink into account.
* Cut down on food waste. Wastage of food is a huge issue at Christmas. The festive season is a time of giving and it’s very natural to want to be generous with food at this time. However, there’s no need to over-cater. It’s important to plan ahead and write a list before you shop for food for Christmas meals, but don’t rely entirely on your rational mind. Stay mindful and listen to your gut feeling, as it will tell you if you’re going overboard with the number of potatoes you’re buying for the roast, or if you really need that extra packet of dipping crackers.
* Make your own Christmas decorations. Use odd pieces of wrapping paper, and cut them up into strips of equal size. create a loop with the first strip using sticky tape or glue, then link each strip in the ‘chain’. Hang the decoration from a mantelpiece or wall.
Until next time!
If you enjoyed this post, you might also like Top Tips for Inspired Supermarket Savings.
9/14/11
Labels:
Buying green
,
Ethical shopping
,
Fairtrade
,
Gift giving
,
Online retail
Iconic Australian chef and restaurateur Kylie Kwong has launched a stunning range of Fairtrade tableware, soon to be available online and in Oxfam shops within Australia.
The collection includes a soup bowl, rice bowl, Chinese teapot and teacup, all adorned with a striking hand-painted pink lotus flower design. It was created in conjunction with Oxfam Australia.
The range is handcrafted and hand painted in Vietnam by Oxfam’s Fairtrade producer partner Mai Vietnamese Handicrafts. Kwong travelled to Vietnam and consulted extensively with the artisans during the design phase.
Each item is smoothed by hand using a pottery wheel, fired and glazed. The pieces are then carefully hand painted before being fired in a kiln to create the vibrant tones that adorn the finished range.
'I wanted to create a design that was not only aesthetically pleasing but which also had great depth and a wonderful story to it', Kwong said.
'As part of my inspiration I looked towards the symbol of the lotus flower. To me the lotus ... represents femininity, spirituality, and the importance of nature and the environment.'
Founded in 1990 to support Vietnamese street children, Mai now employs the mothers and elder sisters of these children and most of its employees are women. Workers receive decent wages and training in areas such as quality control, marketing and export procedures.
Oxfam Australia’s Director of Trading, Nadine Silverberg, who initiated the Lotus project, said Ms Kwong’s involvement would make a huge difference to the producers Oxfam works with, both in Vietnam and more broadly. 'Kylie’s support is also playing an important role in raising the profile of fair trade in Australia', she said.
Kwong's involvement in the project supplements her passionate advocacy on behalf of fair trade. It's the same holistic philosophy that she brings to her celebrated Sydney restaurant, Billy Kwong.
The Lotus range is now available at Oxfam’s Australian online store (which also sells to international customers) and will be available at Oxfam's retail shops in Australia from 1 October. For further inquiries call 1800 088 455.
Until next time!
If you enjoyed this post, you might like Groovy Secondhand Bookshop with a Conscience.
Read More
Kylie Kwong Partners with Oxfam to Bring Fairtrade Design to Your Table
Iconic Australian chef and restaurateur Kylie Kwong has launched a stunning range of Fairtrade tableware, soon to be available online and in Oxfam shops within Australia.
The collection includes a soup bowl, rice bowl, Chinese teapot and teacup, all adorned with a striking hand-painted pink lotus flower design. It was created in conjunction with Oxfam Australia.
The range is handcrafted and hand painted in Vietnam by Oxfam’s Fairtrade producer partner Mai Vietnamese Handicrafts. Kwong travelled to Vietnam and consulted extensively with the artisans during the design phase.
Each item is smoothed by hand using a pottery wheel, fired and glazed. The pieces are then carefully hand painted before being fired in a kiln to create the vibrant tones that adorn the finished range.
'I wanted to create a design that was not only aesthetically pleasing but which also had great depth and a wonderful story to it', Kwong said.
'As part of my inspiration I looked towards the symbol of the lotus flower. To me the lotus ... represents femininity, spirituality, and the importance of nature and the environment.'
Founded in 1990 to support Vietnamese street children, Mai now employs the mothers and elder sisters of these children and most of its employees are women. Workers receive decent wages and training in areas such as quality control, marketing and export procedures.
Oxfam Australia’s Director of Trading, Nadine Silverberg, who initiated the Lotus project, said Ms Kwong’s involvement would make a huge difference to the producers Oxfam works with, both in Vietnam and more broadly. 'Kylie’s support is also playing an important role in raising the profile of fair trade in Australia', she said.
Kwong's involvement in the project supplements her passionate advocacy on behalf of fair trade. It's the same holistic philosophy that she brings to her celebrated Sydney restaurant, Billy Kwong.
The Lotus range is now available at Oxfam’s Australian online store (which also sells to international customers) and will be available at Oxfam's retail shops in Australia from 1 October. For further inquiries call 1800 088 455.
Until next time!
If you enjoyed this post, you might like Groovy Secondhand Bookshop with a Conscience.
Subscribe to:
Posts
(
Atom
)
Posts
