White House, Green Kitchen

Chefs Collaborative is a culinary organization that provides tools to their members to help them run 'economically healthy, sustainable food service businesses'. They work with those in the food community to foster a sustainable food supply and share a deep concern for where food is sourced. A big supporter of local economies, Chefs Collaborative is also an advocate of the Fair Trade movement.

Just as Equal Exchange teamed up with different civil society organizations calling out to President-elect Barack Obama to re-negotiate NAFTA, the Collaborative has gathered top chefs (not the Bravo show) and food professionals to ask Mr. Obama and his lovely wife, Michelle to promote sustainable practices in the White House kitchen.

Through the White House kitchen, you have a powerful opportunity to celebrate our rich cultural heritage, diverse culinary traditions and the historic agricultural backbone of our nation. And by serving foods that reflect the important connection between our food choices and the long-term health of the nation, you will signal to the country the importance of making informed decisions.

Earlier this week, Change.org's Ideas for Change in America competition opened up it's second round of voting. One of the ideas that made it to the second round of voting is April Thompson's idea to Declare the White House a Fair Trade Zone. Just as the Collaborative is asking Mr. Obama to make sustainable practices in the White House kitchen, declaring the White House to be a Fair Trade Zone would also show the country and the world the importance of ethical consumption.

Join April, Chefs Collaborative and conscious consumers all over and encourage Mr. Obama to not only make informed decisions in the Oval Office, but also in the kitchen and in choosing his cup of coffee.