Mother's Day

Mother's Day is right around the corner. Here are some last minute gift ideas:

1. Recycled Glass Filigree Twigs Hummingbird Feeder:
Hummingbirds perch in silhouette on this cylindrical hummingbird feeder. The Recycled Glass Filigree Twigs is a non-acid etched hummingbird feeder. It features an attached glass loop and a dripless basin-style gondola...

2. Suki Nourishing Mini Skin Care Kit: This complete skin starter set has everything you need to try 8 of Suki's 100% natural, holistic skin care products or give as a sensual, healthful gift! This mini kit is an antioxidant blend...


3. EarthLust Stainless Steel Water Bottles: The founder of EarthLust was inspired to start the company when her baby was first born. Protecting his health, as well as the environment became a top priority. They love their stainless steel water bottles because they know that the water is safe...

4. Well Behaved Women Rarely Make History Ring: This ring is engraved with the fun statement, "well behaved women rarely make history." Made from .925 sterling silver. The vendor that Wedge Worldwide purchases these products from aspires to create inspiring jewelry, which is rich with culture and craft, while using conscientious business practices and Fair Trade principles...

5. Weleda Lavender Relaxing Body Oil: Calming and harmonizing skin care. The Weleda Lavender Relaxing Body Oil soothes the senses and the skin, and helps unwind tension. Extracts of transitional organic Lavender...

6. Canary Poppies Organic O.N.E. Reusable Bag: Made from 100 percent organic cotton, the Canary Poppies O.N.E. Reusable Bag breathes new life into reusable shopping and tote bags. Influenced by the natural landscapes of the Mediterranean and exotic cultures, these luscious prints make a splash- capturing the essence of simplicity, beauty and sophistication...

Wedge Worldwide's products will show your mom your commitment to the support of her well-being, her health and the health of our planet.

Brewing the Perfect Cup of Tea

Autumn is officially here, and soon to be on its way out. Along with the equinox, cooler temperatures sweep in and fall breezes begin to blow. As you spend your days out in the fresh air watching the leaves change hue, there's nothing that satisfies more than a hot cup of tea to warm your body up from the inside out. It's the wool sweater of the beverage world in the fall.

However, making this cup of tea isn't as simple as pouring hot water in a cup. To truly enjoy and savor your tea drinking experience let me offer you a few basic guidelines that will make each cup a memorable one. Our bulk herb department has a wide variety of loose teas and herbs to help get you started.

Common Mistakes in the World of Tea Brewing
Several common mistakes can have a drastic effect on the flavor of your tea and can even end up costing you more money. Pay attention to these little details next time you brew up a pot and see if you can tell the difference.

Correct Measurement
When brewing a pot of tea using bulk tea leaves most people just dump in the leaves until there's a nice pile at the bottom of the pot. That looks like a good amount, right? Wrong! Did you know you only need about one measuring teaspoon full of tea leaves per 8 oz cup? Measure it out next time and you'll see that you can have just as much flavor using far fewer leaves. Brewing the proper amount can make your tea drinking a much more affordable habit.

Full Leaf Expansion
Now that you have the proper amount of tea measured out, it's important to make sure the leaves have enough room to fully expand so that all of the flavors can be released. Your strainer should be large enough to let the leaves expand to 3-5 times their original size. Basket infusers work very well for providing ample expansion room. You can also brew the leaves right in the pot and strain them out afterwards.

Tea Particulars
Different types of tea require different steeping temperatures and times. Many teas will become bitter if steeped too long or develop an unpleasant flavor if the water is the wrong temperature. Follow these guidelines to bring out the full flavor in each variety.

Black Tea
Black teas can be steeped for approximately 4-6 minutes when the water is at a full, rolling boil.

Green Tea
Green tea leaves are more delicate than black and require a lower steeping temperature and shorter time. The water is the right temperature just before it begins to boil, when steam is swirling out of the kettle. Steep the leaves for only 2-3 minutes.

Herbal Tea
Herbal teas can be made with boiling water and generally steep for about 6 minutes. When making a medicinal herbal tea however, steeping times of 10-15 minutes will brew a stronger cup and can be more effective.

Next time you get out the teapot, follow these basic guidelines and see if you can taste the difference. Happy steeping!

Check out the teas currently available on Wedge Worldwide!

written by Katie Frerker

Doing the Best That We Can.

Well, the election is over and now the holidays are the next thing to look forward to. It seems as though they are approaching at nearly the speed of light. Time passes so quickly and all we can do is attempt to plan ahead, while doing the best that we can with what we have available to us.

The holidays can be a particularly tricky time of year. Hopefully, Wedge Worldwide is able to simplify the process somewhat. While looking for products to carry, we commit ourselves to the following concepts:

• Earth-Friendly & Natural
• Sustainability & Organics
• Fair Trade
• Social Responsibility
• Locally Made
• Recycled Materials

Our icons lay out these concepts, giving a quite thorough overview of our buying process. By keeping our buying practices transparent, we hope to assure you that you are getting the best products available, according to our standards, which hopefully match up with your values.

The Wedge Co-op (our parent company) and Wedge Worldwide are working to create a future that we can all look forward to. The previously listed concepts are just where we begin, with what we are tangibly presenting to you. As a co-op there are many other principles that we stand for. Read a previous blog regarding National Co-op Month (October) and the values that our business is based on.

Think about the products you are buying. Think about where they are coming from, the useful life of the product or material, the impact the product will make or has made on the environment, et cetera. Think about these things and let your ethics lead the way this holiday season.

written by Jessie

Labor Day Evokes Ethics (and much more)

Labor Day is coming up, which means some of us will be blessed with a day off of work, in appreciation of all the hard work that we do. Labor Day makes me think about the whole process of creating, buying and selling products. I envision labor unions, fair trade, ethically produced items, education for consumers, product quality, et cetera. This blog will touch on a number, if not all of these thoughts.

What Labor Day also makes me think of (outside of the product life cycle) is that school has either just begun or it is right around the corner. If you are not feeling quite ready or need a few more things to round out your eco-collection, here are just a few suggestions (along with a bit about why they are good alternatives to their common counterparts) for your back-to-school shopping list:

• Hemp & Organic Cotton Urban Messenger Bag: This Messenger Bag is both eco-friendly and eco-chic. Smart and attractive, what else could someone ask for from their messenger bag? Organic materials are one important factor that we at Wedge Worldwide use when considering products to offer. The following definition of "organic" was passed by the National Organic Standards Board and shows a bit of why it is such an important factor in our product selection process:

  "Organic agriculture is an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain and enhance ecological harmony.

  The principal guidelines for organic production are to use materials and practices that enhance the ecological balance of natural systems and that integrate the parts of the farming system into an ecological whole.

  Organic food handlers, processors and retailers adhere to standards that maintain the integrity of organic agricultural products. The primary goal of organic agriculture is to optimize the health and productivity of interdependent communities of soil life, plants, animals and people."

• Sweatshop-Free Union-Made Hoodies: As I mentioned, Labor Day brings up thoughts of unions and their advocacy for workers. Since these sweatshirts are both sweatshop-free and union-made you can be sure that your hoodies were produced in an ethical working environment. In fact they were produced by the UNITE shop in Bangor, PA which is represented by the Allentown-Easton District Council Locals 111, 234 and 243. Ethically produced items make me feel all warm and fuzzy, kind of like these great sweatshirts.
  

• Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel Water Bottles: Stainless Steel (and metal generally speaking) is becoming a common household option for a safe alternative to plastic (Bisphenol A: BPA) water bottles. With the frenzy of media attention about the safety and health concerns of plastic water bottles, people are now choosing metal options. The Environmental Working Group advocates for consumers' safety through education. They are a valuable resource when looking at possible safety concerns of consumer goods. Check out their blog regarding BPA: "Your BPA Questions: Answered." Also, check back with Wedge Worldwide because we are looking forward to receiving the Klean Kanteen water bottles in more sizes and colors very soon.
  
  
• Fair Trade Reusable Cotton Lunch Bag: Along with the commotion around plastic water bottles, comes the realities of plastic bags and the rampant use of them. Reusable products are an important alternative to disposable products; reusable bags only being one solution and category of this massive issue. But it all brings us back to the basics of the eco and green movements: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

written by Jessie

Just How Lo(cal) Can You Go?

And we don't mean low calorie, we mean local, as in locally grown, produced, et cetera.

Although Wedge Worldwide is not local to many readers, we still have a focus on locally-made products. And even though many of the purchases go outside of our local bubble of Minneapolis, Minnesota, buying local still has its benefits.

By offering local products on Wedge Worldwide, we are able to help support a regional artist or business, which further supports our local economy and community. Also, bringing in products from talented individual and vendors from our home region of Minnesota, or a neighboring state, we also reduce the amount of fossil fuels used during product shipment, in the process of getting our wonderful products to all of you. So, even if you are not considered to be local in respect to Wedge Worldwide, you are still helping our community and the environment. Here's a bit more on that topic from the Minneapolis Eat Local blog.

Now that it is already coming upon the end of August, it is about time to mention the Eat Local Challenge, that is happening both on a local and national level. Here's a bit more information from the Wedge Co-op's website about the challenge:

The Wedge Co-op challenges you to eat local from August 15 through September 15! Join locavores in co-ops across the country in the Eat Local America Challenge. It's a fun, easy and tasty competition.

If this is your first time attempting to eat local for a whole month, you might want start at the Local Learners level, by pledging to eat five meals a week based on local foods.

If that's not challenging enough, consider becoming a Leading Locavore, by basing 80% of your diet—or four out of every five items or ingredients—on food produced within the five-state region.

How does the Eat Local America Challenge work? For one month, the Wedge will be calculating local sales for the whole store. We want to see how high of a local percentage we can hit this year and set the standard for next year. Throughout the Eat Local America Challenge, stop by Customer Service to see how local we are!

Also, check out the Wedge website for local recipes, opportunities to visit local farms and read up-to-the-minute action in the Eat Local America Challenge from bloggers, chefs and your favorite farmers.

If you want even more information, check out the Eat Local blogs from the Minneapolis area and the national level.

Wedge Worldwide works hard to find the best (read eco-friendly, fair trade, sustainable) products that are available for our customers. We also work to be transparent in our business and what qualities our products have.

Our Icons help lead the viewer through the product pages, keeping everyone informed about the qualities of the individual product, such as: fairly traded, organic, eco-friendly, recycled materials, locally made, or made by a socially conscious vendor (meaning the vendor donates a percentage of their profits). Essentially, the icons take you through our buying practices. Also, check out our buying philosophy for our natural body care products.

As a final note, here are some Local vendors that Wedge Worldwide works with (they're links, so check 'em out):

SYB Soap Company
Peace Coffee
Green Glass
Robin Rifé
Veriditas

written by Jessie

Say my Name: Equal Exchange Mulls Re-naming Ethiopian Coffee

Is Organic Ethiopian coffee misnamed? Equal Exchange thinks so, and out of respect for the largest ethnic group in Ethiopia, Equal Exchange Coffee Co-op is changing the name of its Organic Ethiopian coffee to Organic Oromian.

Joe Riemann, Equal Exchange Coffee Co-op and Arfasse Gemeda, Youth Organizer for the Oromo Community of Minnesota.

Fair Trade Organic Ethiopian Coffee is Equal Exchange's second best selling "Point of Origin" coffee (Colombian is first) and the coffee company purchased over 420,000 lbs of coffee from Ethiopia last year, for use in various blends.

Equal Exchange will test-launch this name change in Minnesota co-ops in February.

"Some customers may see it as just a new name for their coffee," said Equal Exchange's Joe Riemann, responsible for spearheading this project, "but coffee means so much to the Oromian people. This name change is powerful for them on a real personal, social, and cultural identity level."

The name change from Ethiopian to "Organic Oromian" would specify for consumers where the coffee comes from, Oromia (o-ROH-mia) in Ethiopia, which is the homeland of the Oromo people. The coffee is still cited as originating in Ethiopia, too, of course.

"Oromia isn't internationally recognized," Riemann said, "and that's the problem."

Oromos constitute the largest ethnic group in Ethiopia, and nearly one hundred percent of Equal Exchange's Fair Trade Organic Ethiopian coffee comes from the Oromia Coffee Cooperative Union. In fact, much of the coffee grown in Ethiopia is grown in Oromia.

The name change is being tested here because Minnesotans have a unique connection to Oromia: We are home to the largest single Oromo population outside Ethiopia. Some 20,000 Oromos live in Minnesota, according to Oromo Community in Minnesota.

"This community is right under our noses, and most shop in the same places where co-op people shop, go to the same coffee shops. It felt important to reach out to them and co-op shoppers at the same time," Riemann said.

"Bringing Oromos and co-op shoppers together over Fair Trade coffee is a very cool thing."

Say My Name

As Riemann said, it might seem a matter of semantics, but Oromos have endured stiff cultural repression for decades under various Ethiopian administrations. As explained by spokesperson from the Oromo Community of Minnesota, who asked to remain anonymous for this article, cultural identity is always at stake for Oromos.

"Nearly 100% of Ethiopian coffee comes from Oromia. But the government of Ethiopia wants to hide Oromia by not attaching [its] real name to the coffee. There are strong identity issues at play in this issue."

This is because Oromos have been subject to what can only be called "ethnic cleansing" in Ethiopia. Under several governments dating back to Emperor Selassie (who was overthrown in 1974) the Oromo language was banned, their people were resettled, unlawful internments were forced upon them, and even the name "Oromia" was replaced by a highly offensive moniker. For this reason, identifying Oromian coffee as "Ethiopian" is one more way of keeping these people invisible.

"I deserve to be called by my right name," said the spokesperson. "If someone calls me by a name I don't want, that's an infringement of one's rights. We greatly appreciate Equal Exchange for being a voice to Oromos in Oromia."

Black Gold

The need for a name change became clear after a recent showing of the movie Black Gold, a documentary about Fair Trade coffee featuring the Oromia Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union in Ethiopia. The movie was shown jointly by Equal Exchange and the Oromo Student Union, and the discussion afterwards was potent. The audience was almost all Oromos except for Riemann and Scott Patterson, coordinator of Equal Exchange's Minneapolis Office.

"Afterwards, they were asking, 'Why is this coffee called Ethiopian when it comes from Oromia?' " Riemann said. "It was totally emotional. I mean, I got emotional, too."

Dee, an Oromo American woman, was deeply moved by Black Gold, especially by images of starving children in lush green farmland.

"There was a lot of concern and emotion in the room that night. The people on my mother's side were all coffee farmers," Dee said. Dee herself is part of a generation born in diaspora here in Minnesota, people who fled cultural oppression in Ethiopia. "My generation, we're aware that coffee is part of our culture, but we don't make connections about where we're buying our coffee here."

She added, "I've only been drinking Equal Exchange coffee since that night."

Aware that Equal Exchange might act on behalf of Oromos in America as well as Ethiopia, Riemann wanted his company to consider a name change for the coffee, to honor the people who grow this coffee.

But can a company give up name recognition and "brand" allegiance so easily? "Ethiopian" is one of the most widely recognized coffee names on the market, after all.

So to weigh support for the name change, Equal Exchange posted a "friendly petition" online, and Oromos from around the planet have weighed in to voice their approval. From the petition site:

By changing the name of your "Organic Ethiopian" to "Organic Oromian", you will give an opportunity for the voices of the millions of oppressed Oromo people to be heard.

Recognition of the Oromo people will eventually improve the human rights situation in Ethiopia and improve stability in the Horn of Africa.

We families of coffee growers want our coffee should be named "Oromian organic coffee" and not Ethiopian organic coffee.

Over a thousand signatures have been gathered so far from Oromos and others in far-flung regions, from Australia, Canada, Kentucky, to Germany.

"This is their family," said Scott Patterson, coordinator of Equal Exchange's Minneapolis office, "but it's Fair trade, too. It's two white guys in a room of black folks, talking about social justice in Ethiopia. This is really what Fair Trade is all about."

Just the Beginning

Because Oromos live in the West Bank, St. Paul, and Mankato, Equal Exchange believes that Minnesotans are in a better position to understand the need for this name change than others. But it's Equal Exchange's hope that the co-op community here, in particular, will embrace this change and raise the profile of Oromos in America.

"Fair trade isn't a happy touchy feely story," Patterson said, referring to the hurt and injustice behind the need for this name change. "There are no illusions. It isn't fixed. Oromos know the reality, and it's important for us to face that with them. The story is just starting."

Black Gold (trailer) (YouTube)

"Freedom is Key", by Oromo rapper Epidemicthevirus (YouTube)
Human Rights Watch: Full Report on Ethiopia's Oromia Region

written by Barth Anderson
reposted from wedge.coop

Wedge Worldwide and the Wedge Co-op are both carrying the newly named Oromian Coffee from Equal Exchange. Oromian Coffee is currently exclusively sold online through Wedge Worldwide. Also check out other products from Equal Exchange offered on Wedge Worldwide.

What's the big idea?

Wedge Worldwide puts a lot of thought into the types of products we carry and why we carry them. The decisions we make are laid out in our buying practices. They reflect our commitment to the following big ideas:

• Eco-Friendly and Natural Products
• Organics
• Fair Trade
• Social Responsibility
• Local Products
• Recycled Materials and Products

We try to think about these things, so that you do not have to worry about the products as you browse (shop) our website. We are absolutely commited to each and every one of these big ideas in order to lessen the impact that our products have on the planet. Check out our icons, which are designed to help navigate and easily recognize which of these guidelines each product meets.

We also have separate and possibly even more strict guidelines for our Natural Body Care products. Check out Wedge Worldwide's Body Care guidelines on our website. We also layout information for you regarding the majority of our body care vendors, letting you know who you are buying the products from and how each company functions as socially conscious companies in the sometimes bleak world of body care products.

There are many things to consider as consumers and we hope that our exacting standards help make the process a bit easier.

written by Jessie