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FAIR TRADE = SOCIAL JUSTICE + ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY = GREEN

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The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee's Coffee Project encourages congregations to put UU values into action by choosing fairly traded  coffee, tea and cocoa from the Equal Exchange Interfaith Project for use in their churches and homes. The In 2004 Sue Singley introduced sales to the UUCF of Equal Exchange Fair Trade coffee, tea, and chocolate, and the Green Sanctuary Committee initiated conversion of all coffee service in the UUCF kitchen to Fair Trade. Green Sanctuary has continued to keep the kitchen stocked with Equal Exchange coffee, and we are promoting the policy of also having only Fair Trade tea and cocoa in the UUCF kitchen.  

Sue Singley continued the handle the coffee concession until the spring of 2005, when she assumed directorship of the CLC preschool. Sandi Smith-Gill has managed the concession since that time.

In December of 2005, the Green Sanctuary sponsored a SERRV (now known as A Greater Gift) Fair Trade Holiday Sale. Although somewhat impromptu with little advance publicity, the sale was very successful and well received by the congregation.

In March of 2006, the UUCF Board of Trustees approved addition of non-food FT merchandise to the Green Sanctuary Fair Trade inventory. The project was initially conceived as a way of raising visibility of the Green Sanctuary Committee during Earth Month (April), and of raising consciousness by introducing the congregation to the wide variety of ethically produced and environmentally friendly products available. 

Since then, merchandise sales in the "Fair Trade Boutique" have been held approximately once a month, in association with events, such as Mother's/Father's Day, Christmas in July, Halloween, etc. Sales activities now are categorized as weekly COFFEE-ETC (Fair Trade food & consumables) and FAIR TRADE BOUTIQUE (ethically traded  merchandise).  In addition, we offer an increasing variety of responsibly sourced, environmentally friendly merchandise for sustainable living CONSCIOUS CONSUMER BOUTIQUE .  We believe fair trade begins at home, and source our products whenever possible from local artisans and vendors.  We advocate responsible shopping and supporting a fair supply chain.