It’s that time of the year! You’re a college student, getting ready for a new year of exciting classes (and maybe some not-so-exciting ones too). It seems there’s not enough time in the day between work, school and exams. The world is more demanding than ever on our young adults. Nevertheless, we’ve heard some great news about what’s happening across college campuses advocating Fair Trade. Best of all, these activities are all inspired by college students striving for change!

The Sustainable Life Organization at Ohio University has a special branch called OU Fair Trade. Last October, they hosted a grand event that focused on raising awareness about what Fair Trade can offer to their campus and the farmers connected to their cause. Over 100 people attended the event. Some left with sports balls and tee shirts from Fair Trade Sports. Some left with African art and Fair Trade coffee samples. But everyone left with a renewed sense of respect and awareness about the importance of Fair Trade.

These pioneering college adults are inspirations for everyone, especially me. Sophomore Nora Rye discovered Fair Trade products last year, and ever since then, she says, ““I’m happy to spend a little bit more for someone else to have a little better quality of life.” In the case of our sports balls, she does not even need to spend a little bit more!

This selfless attitude has prompted college dining halls to begin serving Fair Trade coffee and other agricultural goods such as chocolates and teas. These small purchases made by students help immensely in furthering the life of a farmer thousands of miles away. These forward-thinking programs have also prompted discussion at other colleges to begin using Fair Trade Sports products for their athletic programs.

United Students for Fair Trade (USFT) chapters around the country have rallied just for this sporty cause. Luckily, the USFT’s pleas have not gone unheard. At Georgetown University, the Student’s for Fair Trade group has worked year-round to raise awareness about Fair Trade. They have rallied with free samples and campaigns to put Fair Trade products on their campus. They’re latest endeavor is to get Fair Trade products on the sports fields to replace old sports equipment.

Imagine the possibilities for producers if every college campus put an order in to replace their sports equipment with Fair Trade products! Every little bit counts, and the activism of our college students is changing the way college administrations think about sports. Taking the Fair Trade message from the dining halls onto the grassy quads and sports fields…

Kicka Witte, eco-fashion photographer and mom, knew that she didn’t want to buy a toxic soccer ball for her toddler son, so she spent time researching environmentally-friendly soccer balls…and found us.  We even made it into her blog.

I happen to think that Kicka Witte is pretty inspiring herself.  She is truly living the “less is more” philosophy.  She believes that it’s better to have just a few things you really enjoy than it is to have many things, just because they’re pretty.  For example, Kicka only owns about seven dresses, one for each day.  She is very aware that everything she does can have an impact not only on her son’s future, but the future of the planet as well. 

You can read more about Kicka in this Miami Herald article.

Recently I did a short interview with Sarah from Green Families. 

We found each other through Unclutterer, a great blog we’re both fans of that gives daily tips on how to get rid of clutter in your life and stay organized.

For people who are a bit retentive when it comes to being organized (what, me retentive?!?), blogs like Unclutterer, 43 Folders, and Zen Habits are like magnets.

The Green Families blog gives some cool advice on all things eco, from tips on how to make your backyard barbecue less wasteful to how to get your kids involved in the environmental movement.  Thankfully, they also like our environmentally friendly sports gear, like our Fair Trade mini-balls for soccer and rugby/football and our RESPECT tagline.

(Interesting sidenote for those of you in marketing or intellectual property: FA referees are also digging our RESPECT tagline).

You can read the Green Families interview here.

Roxi Suger, the founder of the eco and Fair Trade friendly fashion line Angel Rox, recently ordered some Fair Trade Mini-Soccer Balls.

Her son Cotton ended up with one of them, which now makes him our youngest fan, I believe.  Roxi says he giggles when she tosses it to him. You can’t get better than a baby giggling.

Angel Rox is a company committed to producing sustainable fashion using local suppliers whenever possible, and fair trade practices when local suppliers aren’t feasible.  They are also, like Fair Trade Sports, committed to philanthropy and donate to several different charities. In short, they rock. Check them out here.

The folks over at Play It Green had some kind words to say about our green eco-basketballs and the excellent role model Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns recently. 

Play It Green is Brita Belli’s blog and it deals with all things green and sports related.  Brita writes about everything from athletes’ activism to how to make golf a greener sport.

Brita is also the editor of E-The Environmental Magazine.  E is in its 19th year and is published bimonthly by the non-profit Earth Action Network Inc.  E reports on a range of current environmental issues and has plenty of information on how you can make your own life a little greener.  When you visit the site, you can sign up for their free weekly newsletter and read some articles.

Be sure and check out both of these great websites.

A few months ago Green Girls Global wrote a post on Fair Trade Sports and their thoughts on fair play.  It was quite a compliment to be endorsed by a team such as theirs.

Green Girls Global started in 2006 when the blog City Hippy ended.  The editors of City Hippy, who all happened to be women from various parts of the world, joined together to start a new blog and Green Girls Global was born. 

Green Girls Global is a fun, hip, eclectic blog written by women acting on their eco-beliefs.  They blog about topics ranging from eco-fashion to raising chickens to vegetable seasons to our own Fair Trade Sports balls. While you’re there, be sure to check out their brother site, Green Guys Global, and the guest post I wrote about them a few months back.

Jacob Levitt is a student with a mission-to prevent child labor, and to ensure fair labor practices for everyone, young and old. 

Jacob is now thirteen and first learned about child labor when he was in sixth grade and his class began a lesson on it.  He was horrified to learn that children around the world were sold into slavery and forced to work long hours, but he also wanted to find out more about the issue in the hopes that maybe he would be able to do something about it.

When Jacob began middle school, he joined a group called SANDBOCS, which stands for Saving All Neglected, Denied, and Blatantly Oppressed Children from Slavery.  In addition, as part of his Bar Mitzvah preparation, Jacob must take on a social justice project.   Like a lot of kids, Jacob loves sports, and so he decided to combine his love of sports with his growing interest and sense of injustice over child labor issues.

Jacob has since become one of the youngest and most dynamic supporters of our Fair Trade Sports soccer balls.  He organized a meeting with the Northampton Soccer Club, where he explained unfair labor practices and convinced the group to begin using our Fair Trade balls.  He’s now trying to encourage the Northampton High School to team up with the Northampton Soccer Club to make the bulk amount of balls they will need to order feasible and more affordable.  He’s also hoping to get the city of Northampton Recreation Department to consider using Fair Trade Sports soccer balls in their leagues as well.

Kudos, Jacob!

Our local Seattle Times newspaper recently launched a new quarterly magazine called Footprint: Tread Lightly.

I appreciate the point-of-view from one of the writers - Mary Rothschild - about the increasing demand for everything green, or what she calls “Green Gone Wild”:

Yes, it’s a jungle out there when it comes to the proliferation of green products, green stores, green catalogs, green Web sites. With such a dizzying array of choices, you might feel greenish all right, that is, overwhelmed and somewhat queasy.

Of course, buying less, not more, is the best way to go green. Ask yourself, do you actually need this? Where is it made, what is it made from, how is it made, who makes it, how far is it shipped? Is it less energy-wasting or less polluting than something you would buy anyway? For help sorting the green from the greenwashed, as well as an evaluation of shopping Web sites, go to seattletimes.com/pacificnw.

~ Mary Rothschild

In addition to some very hip green products such as recycled messenger bags and Fair Trade apparel, one of our eco-certified soccer balls is featured in the article.

Co-op America stands for many of the things that I believe in. 

They help the world become a better place by providing the National Green Pages (a directory of green businesses from coast to coast), by offering education for US consumers about Fair Trade, and by collating reports of abusive labor practices around the world.  They provide information to help us all make more socially and environmentally responsible purchasing decisions.

Co-op America also co-sponsors Green Festivals, or “parties with a purpose,” with Global Exchange in several cities across America each year.  Green Festivals bring leading thinkers of the sustainability movement together in one place to share ideas and attend workshops. 

Co-op America does a monthly interview with a business owner; they chose Fair Trade Sports for their July interview.  You can read it here to learn more about what makes Fair Trade Sports green, what “respect” really means to me, and what green product (aside from my eco-friendly Fair Trade soccer ball) I would not want to live without.

Pack an eco-friendly picnic for this holiday weekend. Raina Gardner of Green Living Northwest shares tips on packing an eco-friendly picnic in this informative video.

And how to put the fun into your green picnic? Raina thinks it is our green sports balls. Thanks, Raina!

Enjoy the weekend!