SFist: Come Help BART Give Away Free Fair Trade Coffee!

swag

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 09:12:38 -0800

@SFistJim Problem is that the ethics of Fair Trade have largely been usurped as a differentiation marketing strategy. Tully's is just one of the more prominent players. On the one hand, you could say that's progress. On the other, more and more companies are telling their publics that they can make the world better through more consumption -- as long as that consumption comes from their products and services. We see that in car sales, building materials, etc. There's a subtle switch that happens when ideals are taken over by business interests. The real problem is that there isn't nearly enough attention being given to Direct Trade and much better alternatives such as that. At least with Direct Trade, there isn't a cap on earnings for growers, there isn't a requirement for growers to join into a profit-sharing co-op and to abide by its rules and money allocation decisions, and there's a real upside for growers and consumers for making a better product. The great irony about all this related talk about sustainability is that systems like Fair Trade aren't economically sustainable too.

SFistJim

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 02:55:59 -0800

"BayARea"? That's not how we used to say it back in the Tampa. Big wheels keep on turning Carry me home to see my kin Singing songs about the Southland I miss Alabamy once again And I think its a sin, yes Well I heard mister Young sing about her Well, I heard ole Neil put her down Well, I hope Neil Young will remember A Southern man don't need him around anyhow

SF human

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 02:01:53 -0800

How has Fair Trade been "mutated" or "subverted" by getting big ole Tully's to buy (and sell at their stores) fair trade coffee, that gives impovershed growers a fair economic deal? Sounds like a success for "the little guy" to me. Fair trade lets us know which coffee does that, so we can vote w/ our capitalist dollars in favor of literally fair trade. I vote for supporting Fair Trade spreading wider w/ this BART day FYI'ing people about it. If Jamba Juice went fair trade, we could stop exploiting dirt-poor banana growers, too. Also, though, gotta vote for SFist (obviously not from here, which is fine) at least not being so tone-deaf to local-speak as to call it "the" BART. Probably also says "the" 101, and "BAY area", when everyone local says it as one word, "bayARea". If SFist is that tone-deaf to repeated daily details, what else is s/he getting wrong in SFist "reporting?" Ah, I miss actual journalism, & yeah, where they used to employ people for reporting rather than just flashing on tv pics sent in by viewers. Ah, interesting world, and city....

fizzandpop

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 15:56:12 -0800

@KatyG: On more than one occasion I have given away work and watched incredulously as the nonprofit/startup "client" sits there and rips it apart like they're actually paying real money for it. And I'm totally up on that veeker thing. Giving crap away to blogs is one thing, but broadcast news? Give me a break, or better, a royalty.

SFistJim

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 14:50:08 -0800

It appears as if Tully's is hitting the mark for fair trade certified products. Don't see how that is mutation or subversion.

swag

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 14:34:40 -0800

All the more bewildering, given how much Fair Trade has been mutated and subverted into a marketing strategy by Tully's. We could use some volunteer marketing at my office, in case anyone is interested. ;)

frankjordan

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 12:56:26 -0800

speaking of free public input for your personal profit... how about these a@@wipes on the local news asking for "updates" or photo downloads. Does it sound like somebody laid off too many workers?

KatyG

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 11:41:05 -0800

SFsitJim: I didn't make myself clear, sorry. I meant to bitch about the people who post on CL for volunteers to create their business collateral. Or even better, businesses who post "art contests" instead of paying a professional for their logo or whatever.

SFistJim

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 11:34:15 -0800

That's so funny. I've been posting paper flyers promoting craigslist for years! It's the "finest tradition". Don't try to pay me, that would ruin my fun.

KatyG

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 11:20:48 -0800

@ fizzandpop: hey, they're just following in the finest sf/craigslist traditon of asking volunteers to create logos, brand identities, websites, and flyers...

fizzandpop

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 10:09:02 -0800

Maybe they should pay people to do this like everyone else.

wsanders

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 09:57:45 -0800

Get in line today! The biggest BART giveaway was about a year ago when Jamba Juice handed out cards at the station exits. They turned out to have about $3.50 programmed on them. People were grabbing 10 cards at a time from the kids handing them out.