Aramark coffee goes Fair Trade
Morning pick-me-up will now pay coffee bean farmers $1.26/lb
Haley Mathis
Issue date: 2/6/09 Section: News
This year, Aramark made the switch to selling 100 percent Fair Trade coffee on campus, and this last week, events were held to raise awareness about the issue.
Fair Trade is an international company set up to create a standard and to make sure that our coffee was bought under fair conditions. In order for coffee to be marked as Fair trade, at least $1.26 per pound of beans must go back to the original grower, according to www.globalexchange.org.
According to the Web site, "Fair Trade for coffee farmers means community development, health, education and environmental stewardship."
In the past, Aramark has struggled with this issue. In 2003, Aramark started offering one fair trade coffee selection every day, but could not switch over to selling only fair trade coffee because of price issues.
As of last year, Aramark offered fair trade coffee options in Mabee, Coates and the drip coffee in Java City, but could not make Trinity a completely fair trade campus because of the price of fair trade espresso beans.
According to Miguel Ardid, director of Dining Services, fair trade coffee became more popular last year, which in turn drove the prices down and allowed Dining Services to take another look at making Trinity a fair trade campus.
"I got together with my district manager and looked at the social responsibility aspect of it, and we just thought it was a win-win situation."
Junior Mica Segal, Spanish and communication Major, is a program head of Trinity's Fair Trade Coffee Council, which is a part of the Social Responsibility branch within TUVAC.
"We want to demonstrate that the rest of the student body, the faculty and the campus community are all also behind this decision. We have to make sure, basically, that this is something that the rest of the campus community is happy with," explained Segal.
This week, the Council set up several events to promote interest in fair trade coffee. There was a booth in Coates this week at which students could sign of petition to show support of the fair trade coffee on campus, as well as a survey which was meant to both educate students and see how informed they are about the issue.
On Wednesday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., there were booths on the Esplanade in which on-campus clubs participated, as well as representatives from local fair trade coffee shops. At 9:00 p.m., the movie "Black Gold" was shown in the Fiesta Room. Stan Duncan, an economist and professor, came on Thursday and held a Q-and-A panel with professors afterwards.
Senior Chis Crawford, explained why these events were set up this week.
"Right now, we are just doing all that we can to educate our peers and to build support for the purpose of proving to the administration and Aramark that fair trade coffee should stay on Trinity campus and that students are willing to make whatever small sacrifice that requires," said Crawford.
Fair Trade is an international company set up to create a standard and to make sure that our coffee was bought under fair conditions. In order for coffee to be marked as Fair trade, at least $1.26 per pound of beans must go back to the original grower, according to www.globalexchange.org.
According to the Web site, "Fair Trade for coffee farmers means community development, health, education and environmental stewardship."
In the past, Aramark has struggled with this issue. In 2003, Aramark started offering one fair trade coffee selection every day, but could not switch over to selling only fair trade coffee because of price issues.
As of last year, Aramark offered fair trade coffee options in Mabee, Coates and the drip coffee in Java City, but could not make Trinity a completely fair trade campus because of the price of fair trade espresso beans.
According to Miguel Ardid, director of Dining Services, fair trade coffee became more popular last year, which in turn drove the prices down and allowed Dining Services to take another look at making Trinity a fair trade campus.
"I got together with my district manager and looked at the social responsibility aspect of it, and we just thought it was a win-win situation."
Junior Mica Segal, Spanish and communication Major, is a program head of Trinity's Fair Trade Coffee Council, which is a part of the Social Responsibility branch within TUVAC.
"We want to demonstrate that the rest of the student body, the faculty and the campus community are all also behind this decision. We have to make sure, basically, that this is something that the rest of the campus community is happy with," explained Segal.
This week, the Council set up several events to promote interest in fair trade coffee. There was a booth in Coates this week at which students could sign of petition to show support of the fair trade coffee on campus, as well as a survey which was meant to both educate students and see how informed they are about the issue.
On Wednesday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., there were booths on the Esplanade in which on-campus clubs participated, as well as representatives from local fair trade coffee shops. At 9:00 p.m., the movie "Black Gold" was shown in the Fiesta Room. Stan Duncan, an economist and professor, came on Thursday and held a Q-and-A panel with professors afterwards.
Senior Chis Crawford, explained why these events were set up this week.
"Right now, we are just doing all that we can to educate our peers and to build support for the purpose of proving to the administration and Aramark that fair trade coffee should stay on Trinity campus and that students are willing to make whatever small sacrifice that requires," said Crawford.
Be the first to comment on this story