Now that Earth Day’s come and gone, get ready for the next eco-ethical holiday of sorts: World Fair Trade Day. Happening Sat., May 8 this year, World Fair Trade Day means a day of celebratory events across the nation — plus “Fair Trade My Home” contests for fair trade prizes like a basketful of fair trade beauty products from Anti-Body to a year’s supply of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream!

How to win the goodies: First, pick out the prize category you want to try for — perhaps based on the prize connected with that category. Want Ben & Jerry’s? Cook up a delicious fair trade meal and enter the “Most beautiful Fair Trade meal” category. Prefer a basketful of sweet yummies from Wholesome Sweeteners? Then I hope you’ve already incorporated fair trade products into your lifestyle, because you’ll need to win in the “Most Fair Trade product types at home” category.

Other categories are “Funniest use of Fair Trade goods at home,” “Most creative Fair Trade message at home” — and for organizations, “Most Fair Trade My Home pledges.” Once you’ve selected your category, simply post a photo by May 15 that shows why you should win in your category on the Fair Trade My Home contest’s Facebook wall.

Why buy fair trade products from far away when we’ve got local shopping movements going on right here in the U.S.? Though the confusion’s understandable, the local and fair trade movements aren’t opposed — and in fact often work together. In general, fair trade foods like coffee, chocolate, and bananas — or fair trade goods like handmade home decor or earrings that rely on indigenous artisan craftsmanship — are often goods we can’t grow or make in the U.S.

Opting to buy those products under fair trade conditions ensures that the producers of those goods get a fairer share of the profits from their work. Many U.S. companies thus combine local and fair trade concerns. Anti-Body, for example, crafts its luxurious lip balms and other personal care products in California — using fair trade shea butter and other ethically-sourced ingredients.

Don’t feel your lifestyle’s fair trade enough to enter the contest? Then just join in the World Fair Trade Day festivities. Find an event happening near you on the Fair Trade Resource Network website. In Los Angeles county, we have a Long Beach World Fair Trade Day and a World Fair Trade Day Resource Party happening in Pasadena on World Fair Trade Day.

Image via Anti-Body

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