Buy South Asian!

Glenn heaps scorn on Tim Cavanaugh at Reason for scoffing at tourists returning to South Asia, and Roger Simon chimes his agreement with a personal beach recommendation for Thailand. Both point out that charity is good, but commerce is better.

These exchanges reminded me of an idea I had an idea earlier today, and was considering trying to put some effort into it, but I think in these times its best not to wait; and so I'll 'donate' it (half-baked) to the blogosphere.

My question is this: alongside efforts to solicit direct aid for victims, what about collecting a list of products and services that come from the affected areas?

As a Starbucks-aholic, I must admit that when I think "Sumatra" I think coffee. But I honestly have no idea if Starbucks' Sumatra blend actually does come from Sumatra, and if much (or any) of the money I give them each morning ends up there.

Anybody have any ideas/suggestions on things we can buy that flow money back into that region of South Asia? Send 'em here and I'll post them --- or if you've got more ambition/time, build your own list, and I'll link to it!

Update: This concept appears to be gaining some momentum (Thanks, Glenn!), so I'm reformatting this post into a directory of products/services that have been suggested thus far. Please keep them coming!

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Coffee

There are a ton of places to get coffee which originates in Sumatra. It is my assumption that "fair trade" coffee is the best choice if the goal is to ensure that as much of your money as possible ends up with the local growers in the region.

To that end, there seems to be two major groups that confer "fair trade" status on coffee: TransFair USA and the Fair Trade Federation.

Here are some coffees that I've found available online that are declared to be "fair trade" by one or the other of these groups:

Baronet Coffee Fair Trade Sumatra

Buck's County Coffee Fair Trade Sumatra

Cafe Ibis Organic Gayo Mountain Sumatra

Cafe Ibis Organic Highland Sumatra Dark

Cafe Moto Organic Fair Trade Sumatra

Capricorn Coffees Sumatra Organic Fair Trade

Coffee and Tea Ltd Sumatra Takengon

Mailordercoffee.com Sumatra Gayo Mountain Organic Fair Trade

Coffee-Tea-Etc Sumatra Dark Roast Organic Fair Trade

Daybreak Coffee Roasters Sumatra Organic Fair Trade

Fonté Coffee Roaster will donate $2 for every pound of Sumatra Mandheling purchased on their website to the Red Cross International Response Fund. (Not a "fair trade" blend, but good for them anyway).

Gorilla Coffee: Fair Trade Sumatra Gayoland and Decaf Sumatra

Green Mountain Fair Trade Organic Sumatran Reserve

High Peaks Java Sumatra Takengon Fair Trade

Higher Ground Organic Fair Trade Sumatran Gayoland

Hunter Bay Sumatra Organic Shade-Grown Fair Trade

Pura Vida Sumatra Organic Fair Trade

Higher Grounds Sumatra Gayo Mt. Dark Roast\

Sacred Grounds Organic Sumatran Vienna Roast

Santa Cruz Roasting Organic Sumatran Fair Trade: French Roast and Decaf

Starbucks has announced that it will donate $2 of every pound of Sumatra coffee purchased in January 2005. (This is *not* their Fair Trade coffee, however).

Steaming Bean Organic Sumatra Mandheling

Stone Creek Coffee Organic Sumatra - Fair Trade

Surf City Organic Sumatra Fair Trade

Taylor Maid Farms Sumatra Gayoland Fair Trade

Thanksgiving Coffee Company Sumatra Gayo Mountain

Tully's Coffee World Vision Tsunami Response Blend: Tully's indicates 100% of net proceeds benefit World Vision's relief efforts.

Urban Blends Organic Fair Trade Sumatra Mandheling

Tea

Fair Trade Teas has several teas from Sri Lanka