taking a stand.

talya has been bloging recently about sweatshops, fair trade and the like. well, i have some things to say. this issue does concern me, but i must say, i have done nothing to take a stand against it, wether it be boycotting, or writting letters. a fact that i am not proud of. i do try to stay away from those clothing companies that are big problems, but i like my life of comfort and i am not sure i am prepared to alter that.

it seems to me that starbucks is often a target of problems within the area of injustice towards their workers, coffee growers, etc. i feel like i need to stand up to support them in this case. dont get me wrong, i have several major issues with the starbucks coffee corporation, but as a whole, i feel that they are doing far better than most. in regard to fair trade, no not all of their coffees are certified, but you must understand what becoming fair trade certified involves. the process is quite lengthy and expensive. is this a good excuse for a company not becoming legitimately fair trade, no, but i think we all understand how the corporation likes to squeeze expenses down to saving the last penny.

i worked for starbucks for a year. to become a certified barista within this company, much learning is required. many people can get by, without learning a thing, but i actually payed attention in my starbucks experience class. of the baristas that worked and still work at store #2401, i still stand as one of the "coffee experts." i know it all, i drink it all, i can pick out a coffee even before sipping it. my intention here is not to brag, it is simply to inform you that i am well informed. that being said, starbucks is on the right track when it comes to the treatment of their coffee growers. though, all of their products are not fair trade, in all cases, they give back to the community in which their coffee is grown. they pay far more for their beans than what any other company would pay within those same regions. they determine pricing based on the cost of living, than provide compensation that allows the growers to live well above the poverty line. granted, in comparison to what starbucks actually sells their coffee for, to us drinkers all over the world, there is tremendous profit made, but they are paying their coffee growers enough money to put them into the upper-class bracket within their societies. outside of just taking care of their growers, starbucks provides for the communities in which these farms are located. the starbucks corporation has built and staffed hundreds of free clinics and schools for the people living in and around these communities. once these areas establish themselves, starbucks than recruits teachers and doctors to move into the communities on a permant basis, allowing them to relocate their doctors and teachers to other locations. now, dont even try to tell me that these are not all good things.

even within the U.S. starbucks does great things in raising funds for cheritable organizations and health organizations. given that starbucks is one of the biggest corporations in the world, i think that these things are quite impressive. no, they are not perfect, but i think that they are on the right track. my point, if you want to point your finger towards unjustice, starbucks is not where you should be looking.