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Fairtrade blog: Day four

Sally from Newcastle’s Shared Interest - the world’s only 100% fairtrade lender - continues her blog to mark Fairtrade Fortnight.

Washing unfair trade away

Traidcraft assure me that by using their rubber gloves ’I’m washing unfair trade away’. If only it were so easy, I do really like the idea though. I think it shows just how easy it is to take part in the Big Swap. It’s not about big commitments or a new way of life. It’s about swapping something you already use for a version that is fairer to the people producing it.

I would like to think that cleaning is something that happens on a regular basis in most households and although there are a number of cleaning products that claim to be fairer, kinder or better for us and our environment; how many of these are fair trade?

Currently in the UK we go through 26 million pairs of rubber gloves a year. Imagine the impact swapping to a fair trade version would have on the rubber producers.

Everyone has different standards when it comes to washing the dishes, personally I am a big fan of getting them out of the way following a meal, I do however, have lots of experience of living with others who feel differently. One example that I can’t forget involves my two housemates. I went away for a long weekend and returned to a spotless house which was more than a surprise considering it was usually me who did most of the cleaning. It wasn’t until a few days later that they ’fessed up’ and with stories of eating breakfast cereal from pots and pans with wooden spoons. But hey, each to their own.

Check out my video to see me put the gloves to the test, hopefully you won’t see me break anything in the process. So do you think this will help wash away unfair trade? The gloves are off ready for debate!

Click here to watch Sally’s video report.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .