2021, Sacramento, CA, USA

When Grant High School students Faith Xiong, Nicholas Vang, and Tralisa Cheng started researching environmental issues and sustainability, they learned about Fair Trade certification, and that it is a way to make a conscious choice to support responsible companies, empower workers, and protect watersheds. They knew they wanted to do a project to promote the fair trade industry. They also knew they wanted to promote the use of reusable products to reduce the waste from single-use plastics, styrofoam, etc. They proposed a unique project that allowed them to do both. The students created coffee mugs for their teachers with their own original artwork  and environmental messages. With the reusable mugs, they provided Fair Trade coffee and attached info cards that described the fair trade mission and benefits and encouraged recipients to support fair trade products. Their project raised awareness about Fair Trade, promoted reusable products, and expressed deep appreciation for their teachers working hard through distance learning in a pandemic.