Have your cake (ice cream in this case) and eat it too!

Here's a great article that I thought I'd share. ( Originally posted in February on www.fastcompany.com )

Ben & Jerry's has managed to cultivate such a sustainable aura that we're surprised this hasn't happened before: The ice cream giant announced a plan this week to go fully Fair Trade by 2013. That means all of the 121 chunks and swirls and 11 base ingredients (banana, vanilla, cocoa, etc.) found in Ben & Jerry's ice cream will come from Fair Trade Certified sources--no small feat.

The company became the first ice cream maker to offer Fair Trade Certified products in 2005. At this point, certified flavors include Chocolate, Vanilla and Coffee Heath Bar Crunch. Once Ben & Jerry's entire range of flavors goes Fair Trade, ice cream lovers can be assured that the farmers behind their Chubby Hubby and Phish Food are earning a fair income and using sustainable growing practices.

Even though Ben & Jerry's is the first ice cream company to make a full commitment to Fair Trade, founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfeld say the transition would have happened much sooner if not for hesitation from higher-ups at Unilever. Regardless, the move will hopefully spur similar change from other ice cream makers. Fair Trade certification has already become standard practice at a number of coffee chains, including Starbucks, Peet's Coffee and Tea, Tully's Coffee, and Seattle's Best Coffee.

......(and a little clothing company called Nosilla Organics too!)

Time to share.....

Life is so busy these days, I thought...."how am I going to find the time to blog?!?" This is yet to be determined but I think it's a great opportunity to share a little about the in's and out's of being a full time mom of two and running my own business while trying to make a difference. Who knows what you'll find on here from day to day! :) I might be gushing about my daughter's first word, (which as it turns out, she just shared with us last night. It's 'mama' and yes I bawled my head off when she turned her beautiful little face up toward mine and called me by name.) Or I might share what's shaking behind the scenes of my business, Nosilla Organics. If you are not familiar with us, Nosilla Organics makes cool, hip, fun and unique clothes for kids. We specialize in mix & match play wear in prints and colors as bright, bold and unique as the kids that wear them, BUT with a twist!.....All of our garments are Certified Organic (guess you figured that one :) but they are also Certified Fair Trade. When I started this company, I really wanted to create a different kind of clothing company. I wanted to feel good about what I was doing and that meant that all people coming into contact with us and or our operations had to have been treated with respect and paid fairly. Our motto is 'gentler on the planet, kinder to the people.' So I guess this blog will be a mix of what goes on in my world on a week to week basis.
Designing, creating, negotiating, buying, selling and cuddling, cooking, cleaning, playing, singing and just living. Enjoy!
Allison~