FairtradeissuesraisedinJazzman'sCafe

MEGHAN HURLEY STAFF WRITER MLH722@CABRINI.EDU

Fair trade, fair labor practices and conflict commodities. These are just a few social justice issues that the world is currently dealing with.

Respect, dedication to excellence, community and vision. These are the four core values of Cabrini. College and the four main reasons that the campus community needs to be concerned with those issues. Coffee, timber, diamonds, clothing, water and produce are all examples of products that are being exploited.

"This is a complex issue, [conflict commodities], and it's connected to so many other. It may seem overwhelming, but our Catholic and Cabrinian mission impel us to look at how we might make an impact," Margaret FoxTully, vice president of mission integration, said.

Coffee is a valued commodity on any college campus. The concept of fair trade coffee is rapidly growing in popularity, especially among the younger generations. Fair trade certified involves fair wages for farmers along with "cooperative workplaces, consumer education, environmental sustainability and financial and technical support," according to the Fair Trade Federation..

Recently, Jazzman's Cafe has switched to exclusively serv,ing Rainforest Alliance certified coffee, which is different than Fair Trade certified coffee. Rainforest Alliance certification is available to coffee farmers who meet criteria that are meant to preserve and protect the environment as well as protect the rights of the farmer, according to their website.

The main difference between the two certifications is that fair trade certification guarantees a fair wage for farmers and Rainforest Alliance does not, their wages fluctuate with the market price. Heidi Huffnagle, the retail manager of Cabrini's Jazzman's, feels that both have respectable goals and seem similar in many of their concepts.

"We teach our employees about the coffee from the tree to the cup. It is a grueling brutal process to get even one coffee bean so I feel good that we are