rooftopSmoresThe following post was written by Fair Trade summer intern Beilul Naizghi.

What is the sweetest, messiest, and most enjoyable way to be a part of the movement to make big chocolate companies go Fair Trade? Why, Fair Trade S’mores, of course!

August is here, leaving just a few weeks left of summer to host a barbecue and roast up some Fair Trade S’mores.

Will you make a pledge to use Fair Trade chocolate in your summer s’mores?

My fellow interns and I took the Fair Trade S’mores Pledge after listening to a presentation on Fair Trade on the roof of the Global Exchange office. Even though the San Francisco wind was unrelenting and a few marshmallows got burned, the sweetest part was knowing ALL of the chocolate we used was contributing to improving the lives of cocoa farmers around the world. Wouldn’t that be awesome if that was the case for every chocolate bar?

The Fair Trade S’mores action is simple, really. After taking the Fair Trade S’mores Pledge, just grab some marshmallows, graham crackers, Fair Trade chocolate, and follow the steps below to ensure our message comes through – that business as usual in the cocoa industry is not acceptable!

How to participate:

  1. Sign the pledge to make Fair Trade s’mores this summer. We are hoping to collect 250 pledges this summer!
  2. Include Fair Trade s’mores in your barbeques and campfires this summer. Or plan a We Want More from Our S’mores picnic in the park (or in the kitchen) or other event with friends, family, coworkers, or theneighborhood.
  3. groupSmoresScreen The Dark Side of Chocolate. Before or after you make your tasty Fair Trade s’mores, show this film to educate others about child labor in the cocoa fields.

And guess what? This Saturday on August 10th is National S’mores Day — the perfect day to make a statement and pledge to only use Fair Trade chocolate in your s’mores.

See more photos of the Global Exchange summer interns enjoying some summertime Fair Trade s’mores on the office roof by following our Instagram account at instagram.com/GXFairTrade.

Don’t miss your chance this summer to press Hershey and the rest of the cocoa industry to END grinding poverty and abusive child labor in the cocoa fields!

Celebrate Labor Day by uniting with others nationwide by doing something meaningful for labor rights!

The summer is winding to a close, and there is no better time than Labor Day weekend to make some Fair Trade s’mores.  If you have plans to be out with friends having barbecues and enjoying the nice weather…how about mixing in some Fair Trade s’mores?

Gather around the fire with your graham crackers, marshmallows, some Fair Trade Certified chocolate bars, and petitions demanding that Hershey eliminate child and forced labor from its supply chain and source Fair Trade, which requires farms to abide by international labor conventions.

You can even do it at the office this week, using the microwave!  You’ll be an instant hit with all your co-workers!

See how much fun you’ll have!  There are WONDERFUL new photos sent in by 2010 participants on our Flickr page and videos from 2008 and 2009.

Petitions, a planning checklist, and everything you need (even a Fair Trade campfire song!) are available on the S’mores page.  You can even register your s’mores online!

Please mail us your We Want More from Our S’mores petitions by September 6th.

Fair Trade Chocolate is available from your local store or Global Exchange’s Fair Trade Store.  Look for the fair trade logo on brands including Equal Exchange, Sweet Earth Chocolates, Coco-Zen, Alter Eco, and Divine.

Have fun!
-Tom and Dana
Global Exchange Fair Trade Campaign Interns

While I think I can live with it being S’mores Day everyday during the summer, Hershey’s has designated August 10th as National S’mores Day. That’s tomorrow! We’re encouraging everyone to participate in National S’mores Day with Fair Trade chocolate with our Summertime S’mores campaign.

Enjoy this delicious holiday while also calling on Hershey’s to value social justice, the environmental and put an end to child labor in the cocoa industry by going Fair Trade.

For sweet activity ideas, organizational charts, checklists, and flyers to plan your own Fair Trade S’mores party, visit www.globalexchange.org/smoresaction.