Third World Countries Depend on First World Markets
Now what do we do? We’ve built market relationships in Mexico and other countries, where they sell everything from avocados to bananas to the U.S. Should we now stop buying their products in order to buy local? How much damage would that do to their farming economies? It’s not so clear, according to Linda….
Your comments welcome.
Posts Tagged ‘Fair Trade’
Your Food Supply #6: Fair Trade
03/08/2010MSI Updates Fair Trade Webpage
30/03/2010
Boots from Peru
Handmade Peruvian boots and textiles have been added to Mountain Spirit Institute’s Fair Trade Webpage. In addition, easy-to-use checkout and “Add to Cart” buttons have been added. This webpage and sales are a fundraiser for this non-profit organization.
Handmade Peruvian Textiles
MSI has lowered the prices of all smaller sized boots to $80.00, and custom-made boots will be the same price as generic except for the cost-share of shipping from Peru by DHL.
All of Mountain Spirit Institute’s products are sold with the original producers in mind, and are purchased and sold with fair trade practices.
MSI’s Web/Online Changes
05/03/2010By D.R. Richards
FaceBook Twitter
It’s a beautiful day. I should be spring skiing at Mt. Sunapee, but we’ve been making some new additions to the website, and this blog. We’ve added Facebook and Twitter icons on various pages, and reintroduced online forms on our Contact and Fair Trade and Donation pages. We’ve also made it easier to find the Fair Trade Page by adding a link to the main pages. We’ve migrated this blog to www.mtnspirit.org as of today, so our address is slightly different but you can still reach us at the old address.
Our Booth, I'l Festival, VT Getting the word out.
Getting our name out there is almost as important as fundraising and continuing to offer safe, meaningful programs. While our heart is in the mountains, we’ve stayed indoors to get these important features added to our site. Keep track of our Facebook page, we’ll be using that as our online photo album for various programs, past and present. Now to go hear Greg Mortenson tonight…
MSI to Participate in VT International Festival
12/11/2009
DEC 4-6 Burlington VT
Mountain Spirit Institute will be attending Burlington Vermont’s International Festival on December 4th-6th. MSI will have a booth explaining the mission and programs of the organization. In particular, the Peruvian/USA Music Exchange with the Cusco band Chimu Inka, that was so popular in 2008 will be featured at the booth. Also our Peru and New Zealand programs will be presented, where visitors will have a chance to find out more about going on an MSI program in those countries or here in the U.S. MSI will also have Peruvian Fair Trade products and Chimu Inka CD’s and instruments for sale to help raise funds for their return, and to fund other MSI programs as well.
The Festival has been running for over fifteen years, and according to Amanda Richards, the organizers of the event are excited to have Mountain Spirit attend the festival. We look forward to being there as well!
MSI Updates Fair Trade Webpage
30/09/2009Mountain Spirit has Fair Trade and MSI items for sale on its webpage where all proceeds directly go to artisans, local vendors and to benifit MSI’s non-profit programs. Plans are to make more products available and to have more online checkout payment options. Paypal is available for online payments and new products have already been introduced. In addition the page has been improved with more quick links to find items more easily. Check out MSI’s Fair Trade Page here. Expect to see more in the way of traditional textiles very shortly.
Cottage Industry in Huaraz, Peru
22/09/2009
Yuri at his storefront, Hauraz, Peru
Climbing Gear Manufacturer Grows Business in Huaraz, Peru
I’ve known Yuri Yamirez for about 12 years. We met through his brother Jorge Martel, with whom I guided on Huascaran and other peaks in the Cordillera Blanca near Huaraz. Back then, Yuri had one sewing machine and was making tents and anything climbing related. He had a chaulk bag inlaid with traditional Peruvian material. Now, he’s got a staff of 8 or so people and is selling items in Europe and the USA. We’ve had his items on our website’s fair trade page for some time, but haven’t done his stuff justice.
Yuri in Yuraq Janka workshop
Peru’s tourism trade is booming, and it’s good to see Yuri has benefited from the rise in Peru’s profile worldwide. His company is called Yuraq Janka, which means (we think) the Cordillera Blanca in Quechua. Yuri does great work. We purchase one of his 40 liter climbing packs (model: Chacraraju 40) which is one of the lightest you’ll find anywhere. If you want more info check out MSI’s fair-trade webpage, or his website, which is still under development but does have an index page and contact info.
New Biodiversity Museum, Peru
20/08/2009We stumbled upon Maribel Torres Leon’s Museum of Biodiversity in Ollantaytambo, Peru, when we walking on a side street one afternoon. The motto on her business card states, “Trade rightly, Sustainable Tourism, Cultural Identity”. Check out the video, and if you like it, please support Maribel’s work by either visiting the museum (see address and telephone number below), spreading the word about her good work, and/or making a donation. Well done Maribel!
Museum of Biodiversity
Maribel Torres Leon, Director & Founder
Calle La Convencion
Ollantaytambo, Peru
Tel: 51-84-984-962607 or 984-934263
Email: info@biomuseo.org
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