With an ongoing effort to bring 100 percent fair trade coffee to the University, Students for Fair Trade at UH will utilize a new medium for their message.
The student group will host a radio show with guest speaker Chris O’Brien, author of How to Drink a Beer and Save the World at noon today on KPFT 90.1 FM.
After exhausting the democratic process to achieve their goals on campus, the group hopes today’s radio show will aid them in their endeavors to promote fair wages and ethical working conditions for workers.
"We want to inform the community about the group and expose UH President Renu Khator’s injustices on the campus," Students for Fair Trade at UH President Tiffany Le said.
The broadcast will cover the development of a 100 percent fair trade certified coffee kiosk in the 24-hour lounge in M.D. Anderson Library, a motion passed by the Senate of the 44th Student Government Association April 4, 2007, and Khator’s decision regarding the University bill mandating the sale of fair trade coffee.
The guest speaker, one of the first directors of Students for Fair Trade at UH will also talk about his book.
"Buying a different cup of coffee is such a simple decision," Le said. "Especially when it affects the people who make it in terms of whether or not it can send their kids to college or not."
The UHSFT also have events in store for the month of October, Free Trade month.
There will be a free concert on Oct. 21 at the University Center, a Fair Trade Open House on Oct. 22, O’Brien will speak at the University Center, World Affairs Lounge on Oct. 23 and will hold a free tour of Coffee Roaster on Oct. 24.
With the intent of "seeing this campus become a 100 percent fair trade" outlet, the UHSFT may plan to hold another radio broadcast in the near future.
"I started buying fair trade products a few years back," Le said. "I felt better at the end of the day buying ethical products. Once you learn of the things going on around you, it’s hard to not be interested and not take action."
