GEF

Unit 10  |  Toward a Sustainable Future 220 vegetables or grain. Producing meat also requires significantly higher water use than growing vegetables. Therefore, many sustainability advocates are calling for more people to adopt vegetarian or reduced-meat diets. Alternatively, people can choose to eat local, or support the farm-to-table movement. The theory behind these options is that locally grown plants and animals have to travel shorter distances to reach the con- sumer, saving energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Just as we learn to understand our connections to ecological systems, we are also becoming more aware of how our pur- chases affect human communities around the world. Growing numbers of people are demanding products that are not only environmentally friendly, but also support producers of goods. Certified Fair Trade products are independently verified to provide fair prices to farmers and other producers. Ethically- sourced products come from companies that protect workers’ rights from farm to store. Perhaps the most visible company engaged in ethical sourcing is Starbucks. Starbucks claims that as of 2015, 99 percent of its coffee is ethically sourced. The Fairtrade label certifies that the product is produced by farmers who are paid fair prices and enjoy positive working conditions. FARM-TO-TABLE A phrase that refers to using local food purchased directly from the grower. FAIR TRADE PRODUCTS Products that are indepen- dently certified to provide a fair price to producers, usu- ally in developing countries. ETHICALLY-SOURCED PRODUCTS Products from companies that protect worker’s rights.