A better footprint:

"The mission of A Better Footprint is to leave better footprints, wherever we go and in all that we do," according to the Web site abetterfootprint.org. "We promote fair, long-term sustainable development for artisans and the world's poor." A Better Footprint is a non-profit organization in Green Bay and member of the Fair Trade Federation and Green America. In order to fulfill its mission, A Better Footprint sells Fair Trade products from poor artisans to consumers all around the world. It sells the products for a fairly traded price. Each product sold by A Better Footprint makes a tremendous difference in the life its creator. Artisans are paid as soon as they give the product to A Better Footprint. Advance and direct payments are used in order to make a difference in the artisan's life immediately. It does this so the artisans do not have to wait a year for their products to sell in order to make a profit. A Better Footprint makes a difference to the individual artisan by using fair trade to sell their products. Bana Drammeh, was born in Gambia, Africa, unable to speak or hear. She joined A Better Footprint as a hat maker and has her hats sold for a Fair Trade price in America. She takes pride knowing that she is making a living for herself because she made the product. "Supporting herself and unable to get employment elsewhere, Bana is on the path to self-sufficiency with A Better Footprint," according to A Better Footprint. "The sale of 20 hats per month can keep food on the table, but the sale of 60 hats a month keeps her employed full time and able to keep money in her savings account." A Better Footprint offers educational programs and presentations to anyone who wants to learn about it. It will teach students, adults or anyone who wants to learn about acceptance and tolerance of diversity of different cultures. The Green Bay store also teams up with schools, churches and non-profit organizations for fundraising events. According to A Better Footprint, at Fair Trade consignment sales, fundraiser items are packaged and ready for sale. The products come with price tags on and are easy to sell at the fundraising event. Any unsold items may be returned to the store. The groups that sell these Fair Trade products receive 20 percent of the gross sales when they sell at least $300 worth of product. There are other ways people can make a difference besides holding a fundraiser. A Better Footprint also offers parties to small groups. A Better Footprint party is called a Fiesta. They are held at the store during closed business hours. At this time, the store is opened exclusively for the party. After a short lecture on the mission and purpose of A Better Footprint, Fiesta groups are allowed to shop the store with their group. The event costs nothing to host, but the host is required to get people to come to the store. The host of the Fiesta is given gift certificates for the store. For every $300 that is raised the host receives a $25 gift certificate for the store and will receive any item in the store for half price. A Better Footprint uses gift certificates or cash-back donations to thank fundraising groups or party hosts for advancing its mission. Miranda Paul, the president of A Better Footprint and volunteer, lived in an impoverished village in Africa in 2003. The village was without running water and electricity. When she got back to her home town of Green Bay, she wanted to help the poor countries of the world. She knew Fair Trade stores existed in America, so she decided to open a store in Green Bay. The store is completely volunteer run. Even the board of directors is comprised of volunteers. Most of the board was born in or once lived in poverty in a developing country. According to Paul, most of the products at A Better Footprint are handmade from organic, eco-friendly or recycled materials from the artisan's home country. All the products were made without child labor and in safe working conditions. The store offers a wide variety of products, from baskets weaved out of elephant grass to jewelry made out of broken glass bottles, to journals made out of elephant dung. The products come from more than 20 countries around the world, including countries in Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and South and Central America. "I stopped another customer at the downtown farmer's market on Saturday because I just had to know where they got their woven basket from," said Patty Gibson, a customer of A Better Footprint. "I just had to get a basket, so I asked around for directions to the store in Green Bay." Gibson is going to give her daughters the handmade baskets as Christmas gifts. A Better Footprint is located at 1228 Main St. in Green Bay. It's located at the Olde Town Crossing, and parking is available in the back of the building. Hosting a Fair Trade fundraiser or Fiesta party, purchasing a single item or volunteering at A Better Footprint can make a difference. By participating, it can put the food on someone's table or provide an education for poor African children.