Students work for fair trade bananas on Campus

The Banana League from the green sections among the student body was out in force demanding ecological, fair trade bananas on Campus Valla.

During May, there were only ecological and fair trade-labelled bananas on Campus Valla, and it is hoped that this will continue. The banana campaign is only a part of the student’s actions demanding more ecological food on Valla and for increase in general environmental thinking.

“There are close to ten student sections ‘certified’ as green, and we, in the coordination group, started thinking about the food served on Campus,” says Linnea Börjars, who is studying Tourism Science.

Once they had thought things through, they contacted the campus restaurants managed by Hörs and Eurest.

“We were actually quite surprised when we heard how involved they were in environmental work, even if it’s not so obvious from the outside. But ecological fruit is not in the standard selection. Ecological and fair trade labelling is important particularly regarding bananas; conventionally grown bananas cause terrible damage to both people and the environment. And the Faculty of Health Sciences has ecological bananas. Why not here?”

But selection is one thing, demand another. So on May 2 the Banana League struck Campus Valla, specifically in the form of three wandering bananas: Linnea Börjars, Anna Rehnberg, and Malin Nilsson.

“It was really successful. We wandered through Zenith and Kårallen. At first it was dead quiet, then people started smiling; the laughter spread and they started to approach us. We enjoyed great success with the sponsor training evening, that included 400 participants. Most of them knew what it was about and we didn’t meet anyone who was negative about the campaign,” says Rehnberg, who is studying Political Science.

“Consumer power is an enormous force; many small everyday sacrifices can have great effects,” Börjars continues. 

“And as far as bananas are concerned, we don’t think there should be any other alternatives to ecological, fair trade bananas. There shouldn’t even be a choice. There isn’t one regarding coffee,” Rehnberg says.

So, ecological choices for lunch, if they could choose.

But how do environmental discussions look when it comes to education?
 “The tourism programme has a number of obligatory courses that address environmental impact,” Börjars says.
“On the whole, the integration of environmental issues is embarrassingly poor. It’ll be a hugely important skill for us, but environmental courses are still something that, at best, can be chosen or guest lectures sponsored by engaged student associations,” Rehnberg says.
An environmental perspective should be just as obvious in education as ecological coffee in environmental mugs, they say.

“And a part of the courses that give academic credit. Right now it’s often something you can learn ‘on the side’,” Rehnberg points out.

What happens after Banana Month?
“We were contacted by Linköping Municipality in connection with the campaign, as it markets itself as a ‘Fair Trade City’. This autumn we’re organizing a joint fair trade campaign aimed especially at students.”