Did you know that with your daily choices in grocery store you can participate in mitigating climate change?
Fair Trade week begins today October 19, and JYY and University of Jyväskylä are taking part in it. One of the focus areas this year is climate, which you can see in the social media channels of JYY and University of Jyväskylä during this week. By following social media channels of JYY this week, you can get tips for better consumer choices that are better for the climate. University together with JYY have promoted Fair Trade for a long period of time. By being active in this, university achieved the Fair Trade University title for the first time already in 2014. Title is granted for work to promote sustainable development and commitment to use Fair Trade products.
Fair Trade system is known for that it guarantees for the smallholder farmers and the employees of large farms in developing countries a chance for a fair livelihood. However, Fair Trade is much more than that. Fair trade guides and supports farmers in developing countries to mitigate their climate impact. This is done by protecting trees as well as soil productivity, reducing the use of fertilizers and energy, enhancing use of renewable energy and improving waste management. The single most important of these is to curb deforestation. Among other things, the Fair Trade criteria prohibit the cutting of a forest with a high conservation value. Farmers often use the Fair Trade premium which is paid on top of the price for the products, to plant trees.
The question is often what an individual can do to mitigate climate change. Tytti Nahi, a Fair Trade responsibility expert, answers this question with other experts in JYY’s Sustainable Development Weeks panel “Us and I Against Climate Change”. You can still register for the event today. In addition, during these times with COVID-19, more and more attention is paid to what products are consumed at home. Distance learning students can also participate in Fair Trade Week by exchanging coffee or tea for an option with the Fair Trade logo, which is fairer for both producers and the environment. There are more than 1,200 Fair Trade products in the selections of Finnish grocery stores, including flowers, wine, cosmetics, and fruits, to name a few. Changing to use Fair Trade products is a good starting point for our own actions to mitigate climate change.