Introduction: This is an exchange between myself and Cristina Echavarría, Executive Director of the Alliance For Responsible Mining (ARM), on the issue of what materials to be used in manufacturing, and other issues last March. This is published in the spirit of transparency, as we are about to begin our discussion again. The members of

Introduction: Recently, I have been recently working on a document to move forward a process started two years ago at a Madison Dialog World Bank meeting that took place in Washington DC. I sought to spearhead an initiative to develop fair trade manufacturing principles and standards. In preparation for the new round of discussions, here

~ Situation Briefing by Marc Choyt, Publisher Columbia Gem House (CGH) of Vancouver, Washington, has nearly completed a process they began several years ago to trademark and monopolize the term, “Fair Trade Gems.”  If CGH is successful, they will own that term in the marketplace. The notion that one company can file a lawsuit against