City by the Bay. Golden Gate City. Baghdad by the Bay. Frisco. San Francisco has many different names and over the weekend, San Francisco added a new one to its repertoire: first Fair Trade City in the US. Saturday, May 10th was quite eventful. Not only was it World Fair Trade Day and the day of the largest Fair Trade Coffee Break, but it was also when Fair Traders from all over the Bay came together, along with SF Mayor, Gavin Newsom to proclaim San Francisco a Fair Trade City.
Now, there are a handful of Fair Trade towns all over the US, but SF is officially the first FT city, so that’s a pretty big deal. What’s a Fair Trade town/city, you ask? Well, there are certain guidelines that must be met in order to be recognized and they are as followed in a lovely bullet point list:
– A local Fair Trade committee must meet regularly to discuss how to promote Fair Trade and increase awareness in the town/city.
– Fair Trade certified products are available at several different venues (cafes, stores, etc.) across the city.
– Local organizations regularly use Fair Trade products, which includes schools, places of worship, hospitals, etc.
– The local Fair Trade campaign has media attention and visible public support.
– The city must pass a resolution supporting Fair Trade.
San Francisco is no stranger to commitments to Fair Trade practices. In 2005, Global Exchange was a key part in encouraging San Francisco to pass the strictest anti-sweatshop law in the country. Now, three years later San Francisco continues to advocate and support the Fair Trade movement in the US. In the words of Mayor Gavin Newsom, “Embodying ideals of fair pricing, fair labor conditions, direct trade, community development, and environmental sustainability, Fair Trade is a principle in line with San Francisco values, and we continue our commitment to educate and promote Fair Trade products in our city.”
Way to go City dwellers. Stay tuned for more updates on Saturday’s big event. In the meantime, Stay Fair, San Francisco!