Eco-friendly, Fair Trade, and Organic Movement

I've been assigned a research paper for my writing class at IUS. I figured it would be only natural to choose a subject that I already know a bit about and have easy access to great sources.... all of you!
The research question I'm aiming to answer is "How has the movement towards eco-friendly, fair trade, and organic products effected small businesses within our community?" There are all sorts of sources about the effects of these products on the environment and the welfare of others, but there's very little being said about what it's doing for us. So, I plan on interviewing owners or management of small local establishments to get some information.
I am currently looking for volunteers to be interviewed. You do not have to use or carry these sorts of products in order to be interviewed.
Please let me know if you're interested. It'd be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

hi caitlin,
i would be glad to talk with you about both side of the issue from a small business owners perspective...
tomorrow ( friday ) is not great, but i am usually in the restaurant ( baxter station ) by 8 a.m. tues - sat.
maggie de la torre would also be good to talk to..
she (de la torres), ann (mayan cafe) and helen ( cafe lou lou) have been working really hard on a louisville originals "green initiative"
call me when you can.
andrew

You picked quite the subject, my friend...

The economic impact of each of these philosophies truly is, for lack of a better word, organic. Seriously, each is it's own animal, and has various levels of adherence, depending upon the micro economic environment. Let's say we live in Corpus Christi, Tx, fair trade would be a popular concept, whereas eco and organic may not be so popular. These items are inordinately expensive here (in Corpus Christi) because they lack the climate and political atmosphere. I'm sure these products are more expensive because of the cost inherent in getting the product to market. (CC is simply the first place that came to mind for me, for geographic reasons, so I apolagize in advance if I have offended anyone, in any way.)

The real challenge facing these concepts is economic. Think about hybrid cars. If given the choice, wouldn't we all buy a car that is eco- friendly? Most people won't pay the premium market forces require to get these cars right now. Once the technology becomes cheaper, more and more people will make the shift.

Here's the emerging trend... these philosophies are starting to affect the purchasing habits of mainstream America. Organic products now have a dedicated place in your local Kroger. Coffee enthusiasts are now sourcing the free- trade product as never before. Farmers markets are emerging at an ever- increasing rate nationwide.

Long story short, it's coming...

I figure the trend will hit completely mainstream in the future, but as we all agree, there are all sorts of challenges. The geographic factor is one I hadn't thought of yet. Excellent! I need ideas!
We use eco-friendly paper products at Sweet Surrender, including take out boxes and "plastic" cups made from corn. If you leave them in your car for a few hours on a warmish day, they warp like crazy. Heh... I'm sure that'd be a bit of a problem for Corpus Christi heat!
Andrew, I will try to contact you at Baxter as soon as possible so we could find a time to talk. I'm a bit busy too, but I've never been to Baxter Station, so it's about time! I'd love to talk to anybody involved in a green initiative. Perfect!
Thanks a lot!

Be happy to talk to you about fair/direct/organic trade in the coffee/tea industry. Drop me a note.

I've been assigned a research paper for my writing class at IUS. I figured it would be only natural to choose a subject that I already know a bit about and have easy access to great sources.... all of you!
The research question I'm aiming to answer is "How has the movement towards eco-friendly, fair trade, and organic products effected small businesses within our community?" There are all sorts of sources about the effects of these products on the environment and the welfare of others, but there's very little being said about what it's doing for us. So, I plan on interviewing owners or management of small local establishments to get some information.
I am currently looking for volunteers to be interviewed. You do not have to use or carry these sorts of products in order to be interviewed.
Please let me know if you're interested. It'd be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Caitlin,
I would be happy to talk with you. My response would be more in the category of eco-friendly, how and why our company is eco friendly, what that means to the marketplace, what it means to us and for us. PM me if you would like to talk, you could come to my office or we could meet somewhere.
A great source to speak with is Michael Drane with Ecosteward. I would be happy to give you his contact information in a PM.
If you would like to come to the LIBA happy hour tomorrow you could talk with many eco friendly folk. It is 5:30pm at Eclipse Bank in St. Matthews, feel free to come as my guest and I would be happy to make some introductions.
Kurt

Caitlin,
You are welcome to visit our Organic certified coffee roastery in LaGrange and ask us about sustainability, eco-friendliness and organic products. Give me a call and I will set up a tour of the facility for you and time to meet our owners.

Patrick
502-693-3865