|
Associated Students of the University of Washington |
|
|
A Resolution in Support of a Fair Trade Coffee Campus WHEREAS every action of consumption is directly linked to an action of production, and; WHEREAS the students, faculty, staff, and visitors of University of Washington consume approximately 50,000 pounds of coffee per year at twenty coffee-serving locations on campus that are run by the Housing and Food Services of University of Washington, and; (1) WHEREAS the price for coffee beans on the open market has been, and still is subject to sudden and drastic fluctuations, which in turn put the well-being and survival of the 25 million producers of coffee around the world in jeopardy, and; (2) WHEREAS in the open market coffee farmers receive a mere 2-4% of the retail price of their coffee beans, and; (2) WHEREAS Fair Trade Certified coffee guarantees the grower of coffee a minimum price of $1.26 per pound of coffee beans, and $1.41 per pound for organic coffee beans, and; (3) WHEREAS in addition to providing a constant livable wage, Fair Trade Certification also ensures: fair labor practices, investment options for long-term development, the right to a democratic and gender-equal decision-making process, and the adherence to international environmental standards, and; (4) WHEREAS Fair Trade Certification prohibits the use of child and forced labor, the practice of clear-cutting rainforests and the use of harmful pesticides, and; (4) WHEREAS the following college campuses have adopted 100% Fair Trade Certified coffee as a result of the efforts of conscientious students, staff, and faculty: UCLA, UC Berkley, UC Santa Cruz, Northwestern, Boston College, Brown, Yale, Harvard, and University of Pudget Sound, not to mention the innumerable colleges that have taken significant steps in the direction of 100% Fair Trade Certified coffee, and; (2) WHEREAS Fair Trade Certified coffee is served irregularly at the University of Washington campus and is only offered in one blend of drip coffee, and in no blends of decaf drip coffee or espresso drinks, and; (5) WHEREAS Tully's Coffee does not offer any blends of Fair Trade Certified espresso or Fair Trade Certified decaffeinated coffee, and; (6) WHEREAS the increase in demand for Fair Trade Certified coffee created by the conversion of our campus to 100% Fair Trade would directly result in a tangible betterment of living conditions for a significant number of coffee producers around the world, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE ASSOCIATED STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON: THAT the ASUW strongly urges Tully's Coffee to create a Fair Trade Certified espresso blend and a decaffeinated drip blend, and; THAT the ASUW ardently calls upon the Housing and Food Services of the University of Washington, and upon Tully's Coffee Corporation, to serve only Fair Trade Certified coffee, both drip and espresso, at the University of Washington Seattle campus, and; THAT the ASUW encourages HFS to make providing Fair Trade Certified goods a high priority in any existing and future coffee provider negotiations. Sources: (1) Vennie Gore, Housing and Food Services (2) Oxfam International (3) TransfairUSA (4) Fair Trade Labeling Organizations International (5) Research conducted by the FTCC at UW between October 30th and November 6th, 2005. (6) Tully's Coffee investor hotline History of Legislation 11/6/2005: Submitted for consideration |
Legislation ID: Date Submitted: Sponsor: Cosponsor(s):
Lee Dunbar, ASUW President
|