I agree with most of your comments. Charities shouldn't accept dodgy sponsorship. And Corporate Social Responsiblity is indeed the greenwash industry.


BUT... I've got to stick up for "fair trade".

I'm sorry "Green&Black's" isn't "Red&Black" (so to speak!) enough for some of you guys. If only they organised along anarchist lines then it would be alright to support what they're doing, hey?

OK so they're not run as a cooperative with the management taking an equal wage to the coffee growers. But these people don't claim to be communists (either of marxist or anarchist variety). So they don't see any hypocrisy in making a profit. And I rather suspect it's not a huge profit anyway.

But you're such a cynic to say what you say. "Fair trade" has made enormous differences to the lives of the coffee and cocoa (etc) growers involved. People can now afford education for their kids, health care and peace of mind, where previously these things were only dreams to them.

But that's not good enough for you, hey.

When are you guys going to learn to stop condemning anything that's not as ideologically pure as you are. While you sit around moaning about stuff some people are actually doing things that make a difference. And just prefer to knock those people.

Doing something that's making things better than they were before should be supported, even if it's not perfect.

Thanks for your comments. Actually I am involved in some fair trade stuff - this was to provoke comments - The Green & Blacks people in a recent Guardian weekend feature seemed really cynical and some the recent trade 'revolution' inserts rather optimistic - but then this is only part of the story of cash crops, transportation, global warming and carbon trading, GM, consumption,water and land ownership/theft issues - a good place to start on these issues is perhaps Susan George's How The Other Half Die - though this could easily be updated. Yes, I would call myself an anarchist though I try not to be dogmatic. Susan George is a lot miore informative and balanced than quite a few other 'thinkers' ( I hate that term ) I could mention. Things have to be done now but as with the comments in the Band Aid feature we have to be wary of sticking plaster solutions....

Watch out for the carbon trading greenwash - The BBC ( Newnight, Radio 4, World Service have bought the bullshit and seem to be going hell for leather promoting the suits agenda.......