Media Borough has the distinction of being the nation’s first Fair Trade Town, a practice it has observed for 20 years, writes Denali Sagner for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Fair Trade is a global trading system that emphasizes fair wages and safe working conditions for farmers in the developing world, using eco-friendly practices in exchange for quality products.
Media’s inspiration to become a Fair Trade hub came from Hal Taussig, founder of UnTours, an unconventional travel company based in the borough.
He and Elizabeth Killough, who worked at UnTours, spearheaded an effort involving local business owners, civic leaders, and borough council members.
They were encouraged after gaining the support of Bruce Crowther, who founded the first Fair Trade Town in the world in Garstang, England.
Taussig, who died in 2016, was “a really sweet man that cared about the world a lot,” said Ira Josephs, the executive director of the Media Fair Trade Committee.
It hasn’t always been easy. Fair Trade is difficult to maintain when businesses are hurting financially.
“It’s going to continue to require a lot of work, a lot of commitment, and a lot of education,” Killough said.
Read more details about how Media was able to get its Fair Trade designation off the ground in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
