Bananas, body wash, and Ice cream

This week, the movie we watched on Friday really stood out to me. I feel like Free Trade affects 
every subject we touch on in Global Studies, and it inspires me to do more research. Free trade can really have a domino effect, affecting every aspect of a country. We learned about this earlier in the quarter, however going back to it now I see that it affects everything. Social structure, workers rights, politics, and economics are all affected. Right now I am in no way capable of traveling and changing the world, so what can I do? I can try to put my dollar in the right place. 





Why isn't this a bigger deal?
America is a country that focuses more on imports than exports. When we implement free trade, it increases something called our trade deficit. 

Trade deficit is an economic measure of a negative balance of trade in which a country's imports exceeds its exports. A trade deficit represents an outflow of domestic currency to foreign markets. 
-Google

Politicians and big businesses do not want an outflow of domestic currency. With America's Trade deficit higher, our GDP goes down, which makes us look bad. 

Bananaland
While every aspect of global studies affects me, bananaland had a different effect. When you're a poor college student like myself, it's hard to eat healthy and feel like you're also being a good person. When I go to the grocery store, I try to pick choices that best reflect my values and help support the world. I try to eat healthy and responsibly. One of my friends recently told me about the company Dole, and how they haven't been the greatest to their workers.

So I avoid Dole bananas.

But after watching Bananaland, I went home and realized that my bananas were Chiquita bananas. Bought from one of the companies Bananaland showed that abuses it's workers. This one really hit home. I was consuming, what one woman in the movie labeled, a fruit of violence.

So what do I do now?

Support workers
First, buy free trade. I talk about this a little more later on in this post.

Second, tell your friends. I had no idea the reality of this situation before actually doing research. Many ignorant people disagree with implementing more free trade policies because of the trade deficit. I would like to believe that if more people were aware, they would advocate for the well being of people around the world. I just told my mom to watch the movie bananaland. She called me after, incredibly upset about the situation, and told me that she was going to have all her friends watch it, too.

Third, if possible, donate. The La Isla Foundation directly supports the banana workers that were shown on bananaland


What products can I buy free trade?
I love bananas. I love my coconut scented body wash. I love coming home after a long week and eating ice cream. I love packing my chocolate granola bars in my backpack to snack on during class. And I love buying new clothes.

Where do I go to buy these products? Looking for the free trade label can help. A search on fairtradeamerica.org also brought up some brands that offer some free trade options/ingredients;

Trader Joes 
The co-op 
Lush
The Body Shop
Ben and Jerry's
Wild Harvest
Even starbucks (to an extent)

According to fairtradeamerica.org, there currently is fairtrade cotton however there is not fairtrade clothing available.

What now?
Now I need to hold myself accountable. Accountability is a word that a lot of people are afraid of. It's like a more adult version of responsibility. 


But that isn't necessarily a bad thing. 

I've always thought that I was an ethical consumer, but now I know my ignorance. Now I know what bananas to buy. I know that I should go to The Body Shop and buy free trade body wash. I know that I should pay an extra $3 for the free trade ice cream. Every decision I make may directly affect a child trying to go to school, or an oppressed city, or a poor family trying to feed several children. Now I can be a more informed citizen, hopefully impacting those around me to make better decisions for the people of the world.