“What is fair trade, when you boil it down, other than basic human politeness?” — Political humorist John Oliver

The rest of Oliver’s bit is, shall we say, a bit more off-color, but it’s a good reminder of our place in the economic “web of life,” and the fact that our purchases have a real influence on what happens elsewhere in the world.

Everyone’s situation is different, and it may be difficult to find fair trade options for every purchase, but seeking out fair trade products from time to time is something we can all strive to do. If you don’t know where to start, Global Exchange keeps a list of which corporations it feels are the worst human rights violators.

When is the last time you bought a fair trade item?