Positive kind of treehugging

[davkakach]

Starbucks earned nearly $6 billion in net revenue during the first three quarters of 2006, and yet for every cup of coffee Starbucks sells, farmers in coffee-growing countries like Ethiopia earn only about three cents.

Starbucks has begun to pursue trademark rights for its Ethiopian coffees - Sidamo, Yirgacheffe, and Harrar - despite those names describing geographic regions of Ethiopia that have been producing coffee for hundreds of years.

The Ethiopian government has objected to this, asking Starbucks to sign a licensing agreement that will allow Ethiopia to control the names of its coffee. That way, Ethiopia can help determine an export price that makes sure farmers see a larger share of the profits, enabling them to feed their children, send them to school, and get better healthcare.

Fair Trade organizations are calling on Starbucks to sign this agreement with Ethiopia. Control of the names could increase Ethiopia's coffee exports by more than 25 percent, or $88 million annually, which could help lift millions of Ethiopians out of poverty.

You can sign the campaign to help Starbucks make the right decision at this website: www.maketradefair.com/en/index.php?file=starbucks_main.html

Brazil Fueling 1 Million Cars on Sugarcane

Latin America’s largest country, Brazil, is the world’s biggest producer of bio-ethanol and one million Brazilian cars already run on the fuel made from sugarcane. The cars, introduced three years ago, can use either gasoline or bioethanol.

Google to Convert Headquarters to Solar Power

Google Inc. is converting its renowned headquarters to run partly on solar power, hoping to set an example for corporate America.

The Internet search leader announced what is believed to be the largest solar project undertaken by a U.S. company during a solar energy conference in Silicon Valley on Monday. Google believes the sun eventually can deliver as much as 30 percent of the power at its 1-million-square-foot campus in Mountain View — a suburb about 35 miles south of San Francisco.

Read the entire story here:
www.happynews.com/news/10172006/google-convert-hq-solar-power.htm