Thursday, October 29, 2009

FREE Divine Chocolate Giveaway Outside Berkeley, Oakland and San Francisco Store Locations

Today's the Day!

As part of the Share the Love campaign, Divine Chocolate teams up with the Bay Area Fair Trade Coalition to give free Fair Trade Certified chocolate samples outside Berkeley, Oakland and San Francisco retail locations this evening, Thursday, October 29!

Due to the unexpected Bay Area Bridge closure, BART has attracted more commuters than normal, so we have moved the event to retail locations only a couple blocks from the stations. TransFair USA made this decision Wednesday afternoon to move the giveaway to four nearby locations so as not to interfere with the commuter traffic. The new Fair Trade chocolate giveaway locations are:

Bittersweet Chocolate Café (near Rockridge BART)
5427 College Ave
Oakland, CA 94618
(510) 654-7159
www.bittersweetcafe.com

Berkeley Bowl Main (near Ashby BART)
2020 Oregon Street
Berkeley, CA 94703
(510) 843-6929
www.berkeleybowl.com

Rainbow Grocery (Near 16th St. & Mission BART)
1745 Folsom St.
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 863-0620
www.rainbow.coop

Fog City News/Union Square (Powell St. BART)
455 Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
www.fogcitynews.com

So come out and enjoy some delicious and FREE Fair Trade Certified chocolate this evening from 5-7 PM!

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Help Make Berkeley a Fair Trade Town!

Fair Trade Towns USA is a national movement uniting community activists dedicated to the principles of Fair Trade. By organizing our communities at the local level we are able to make a tangible impact on the U.S. market!

Fair Trade is a market driven approach to decrease inequality across nations and feed local communities. The Fair Trade market approach requires consumer demand for Fair Trade products. So, ask for the Fair Trade logo when you shop at Berkeley stores such as Berkeley Bowl, Global Exchange and Whole Foods Market.

When you purchase products with the Fair Trade Certified ™ label, it means that the rights and wages of producers, artisans and farmers are being protected and upheld in the transactions that brought your coffee, bananas, tea, chocolate, and textiles from abroad.

To be recognized as a Fair Trade Town, City, or Community in the United States, the following criteria need to be met:

* Form a steering committee

* Conduct outreach to area retailers

* Engage the community

* Gain Media Attention

* Pass a Fair Trade Resolution

Buy Local, Buy Fair is the importance and understanding behind sourcing our food locally. But being "local leaning" doesn't mean that we have to give up bananas, tea, coffee and chocolate. For the things we can't source here, it is important to pay a fair price to the communities and workers who produce them.

Interested in helping to make Berkeley a Fair Trade Town? Visit the Fair Trade Berkeley site to join and learn!

Join the movement and follow us on Twitter at @FTBerkeley and friend us on Facebook at Fair Trade Berkeley!