With the economic situation looking more depressing at every turn, thinking long term is definitely the better option.  This really cute fairtrade shopping bag from John Lewis is made from 100% fairtrade cotton, and it will brighten up your shopping trips, even if they are just for the necessities.

Reusable bags like this one are a good long term solution to the amount of waste and emissions that the manufacture and use of plastic bags uses.   It will save you money when the plastic bag tax eventually hits these shores too.

£11.50 from John Lewis.  Available in Firefly and Spiro print (Firefly pictured here).

There are more and more great Fairtrade wines coming onto the market in the UK, one of which is the Los Robles range of wines. Los Robles wines are produced by a wine cooperative in Chile’s Curicó valley, and owned by its 67 members - small and medium size wine growers.  It’s one of the last wine coops left in Chile today - the Pinochet dictatorship caused most to die out in the 1970s.  Los Robles, however, is one that survived.

15 to 20 % of Los Robles wine is Fairtrade certified, with the coop aiming for 100 % certification.

A range of Los Robles Fairtrade wines are available from John Lewis.

When choosing snack food for a car or rail journey, think Fairtrade.

Geobar cereal bars are invaluable while travelling because they’re light, filling and Fairtrade.   I find them particularly good for staving off children’s hunger pangs between meals when out and about.  These yummy apricot Geobars are made with Fairtrade honey, raisins, apricots and rice.  They’re also completely vegetarian and contain no hydrogenated oils.

My all time favourite food for travelling though (and my Mom would probably point out here that it isn’t actually food at all) is chocolate.  Fairtrade chocolate is available just about everywhere these days, so there’s no excuse not to be doing the right thing and choosing Fairtrade if you’re a chocaholic like me.

From girlfriends to grannies, all ladies love to be given flowers, and it doesn’t usually happen as often as we would like.   Fairtrade Fortnight gives us the opportunity to give someone we love flowers, wine and chocolate, while at the same time improving someone elses life in the developing world.

This flower arrangement is made up of Namaqua and Ice Breaker roses, alstroemeria, pink statice and eucalyptus all  packaged in a reusable hessian bag.  Included in the gift are red wine and Chocaid chocolates, both Fairtrade products too.

A Fairtrade premium, of the price paid to the farm for the flowers, goes straight to the farm workers on the Fairtrade-certified plantations to be invested in healthcare, housing, education and social facilities in their communities.

Always look for the FAIRTRADE mark on internationally-certified products.

£48.50 with free delivery from John Lewis.

If you’re in charge of the office’s kitchen supplies (or even if you’re not, you may be able to influence those who are), then Fairtrade is the way to go.

These caramelised Fairtrade coffee biscuits sound yummy.  Perfect for with your Fairtrade coffee or tea.  The biscuits come individually wrapped, keeping them fresh for when you have important visitors.

Fairtrade sugar for the office comes in a shaker, or in sachets.

Fairtrade in the office sends a message to all employees, and may influence them to buy Fairtrade in their private lives too.

Dress in yellow or even as a Fairtrade banana and join the Fairtrade London Campaign for the finale of the 24 hour world record attempt with a Banana Mob in Trafalgar Square!  Saturday 7 March, 11:30am.  Don’t forget to take along a picnic of Fairtrade bananas.  And go bananas, in your own special way.

During Fairtrade Fortnight 3 February – 8 March 2009, be sure to support disadvantaged farmers in the developing world when you buy a gift for someone.  I always love the gift of food and drink, consumables, because it’s such a waste free way of giving a gift.  Food and drink is useful and is particularly green when in comes in recyclable packaging.

This Spring gift bag contains Fairtrade treats for the food-lover include a bottle of white wine, Tanzanian coffee and plenty of yummy chocolate. It comes in a handy, re-usable John Lewis jute bag.

Contents: Fairhills Colombard / Sauvignon Blanc 2008, 75cl Traidcraft Fair Trade stem ginger cookies, 200g Divine Fairtrade orange milk chocolate bar, 45g Divine Fairtrade white chocolate bar, 45g Divine chocolate covered dried sliced mangoes, 100g Ethical Additions Hope Tanzanian coffee, 250g Liberation oven Baked cashew nuts and peanuts lemon & chilli, 150g Taylors of Harrogate Faitrade Breakfast Tea - 20 Sachets, 50g Traidcraft organic strawberry jam, 340g Traidcraft fruit & nut mix, 50g Traidcraft Fair Trade chocolate hazelnut spread, 400g

The Fairtrade Foundation’s annual campaign to promote awareness of Fairtrade in the UK and to encourage people to buy products carrying the FAIRTRADE Mark will take place from 23 February – 8 March with the theme Make it happen. Choose Fairtrade.

Harriet Lamb, CEO of the Fairtrade Foundation says: ‘… change is still not happening nearly quickly enough for the millions of the world’s poorest farmers who remain trapped in trade poverty. The challenge now is to urgently scale up the reach and impact of Fairtrade so that by working together, we can succeed in tipping the balance of trade in favour of marginalized farmers and producers. Fairtrade Fortnight is an opportunity for us do something too by holding events at work, at home or in the community.’

Do your bit by buying Fairtrade.  It’s the right choice.  Also, check out the events in your area.  Get involved.

Rhino Eco Friendly Rechargeable /Dynamo/Windup Radio and Flashlight
This would be the perfect thing for camping and gardening. The Rhino radio has AM/FM radio, is wind up & rechargeable. It also has a DC charger. The light is an integrated LED and the unit has an optimum charge indicator.
£24.99 from All Things Green

Neal’s Yard Organic Seaweed and Arnica foaming Bath
I don’t believe in taking baths every day, because they use too much water. But once in a while, after a hard day’s work in the garden or going for a long walk, a bath can be just the thing. This restorative foam bath contains extracts of revitalising mineral-rich seaweed, arnica and comfrey, and essential oils of lavender, juniper, lemon and pine. It’s ideal for after exercise.
£11.70 from John Lewis.

Neal’s Yard Organic Citrus Hand Wash
I love hand soap with a refreshing zing to it. This Citrus hand wash from Neal’s Yard will put me in a good mood every time I wash my hands. It contains essential oils of antiseptic lemon, cleansing orange, grapefruit and ho leaf, with mild vegetable derived detergents and foaming agents.
£6.75 from John Lewis.

Eco Friendly Newspaper Briquette Maker
This looks like such a handy gadget for making our own logs for the fire. Just got to have one. It’s a great way to recycle newspaper and save money. The free fuel you make with one of these is non-toxic and leaves a minimum of ash. The briquette maker is of metal construction, and is easy and safe to use. You just soak the paper, place it into the mould and squeeze.
£14.95 from Amazon.co.uk

Cambodian Recycled Rice Bags
These ethically produced recycled rice bags always get good press on this blog. I just love them. I’ve been wanting a couple of them for ages.
£12.95 from Firebox.com

Bye Bye Standby Energy-Saving Kit
This is the ideal solution to my video machine and set-top box energy saving debarcle. Bye Bye Standby will completely cut power to my video machine, DVD player and set-top box when they’re not in use, thereby saving the power that these devices would otherwise have consumed in Standby Mode. The pack contains one remote control to switch off the lot.
£34.99 from All Things Green

Nice towels are something that people just don’t tend to spend much money on for themselves, but lovely organic towels make a fabulously luxurious gift. They would be the perfect gift for a parent, aunt, or a young person starting out on their own.

These lovely towels from Natural Collection are made from 100% organic and Fairtrade cotton.   The cotton comes from the Chetna Cotton Project in central India. This project is run by a group of farmers from the region who work together to produce cotton which is organically grown.

The towels are available in the following colours:  Pebble, Dusky Rose, Bark, Parchment and Moss (from top to bottom in the picture).