The Daily Grind can now be truly proud to brew Starbucks coffee. Beginning November 1, the coffee shop in the basement of the Busch Memorial Center, began selling fair-trade coffee .

“It is encouraging that change with world-wide effects is taking place at this University due to students’ efforts,” said sophomore Cab Gutting, member of United Students Against Sweatshops.

Student representatives from USAS were motivated to do something for the cause of fair-trade coffee.

Since most of the U.S. coffee supply comes from third-world countries, farmers often receive less money for the trade than the actual cost of producing the supply.

Fair-trade coffee guarantees three things: a living wage no lower than $1.26 a pound, much-needed credit at fair prices, and technical assistance including organic farming.

According to the Global Exchange, a Web site supporting human rights, the “fair payments” help cover the expenses of health care, education, environmental stewardship and economic independence.

Intensive coffee farming leads to severe environmental problems such as pesticide pollution, deforestation and the extinction of songbirds through habitat destruction, according to the Global Exchange.

Most fair-trade certified coffee is shade grown, protecting trees and song-bird habitat and is organic.

Fair-trade certified coffee is the first product being introduced in the United States with an independently monitored system to ensure that it is produced under fair labor conditions. There is currently a movement for organizations across the nation to demand this product.

Last year, when USAS formed on the Saint Louis University campus, members were informed about the coffee situation. They gave away fair-trade certified coffee and information about fair-trade coffee outside of Starbucks. Students were encouraged to sign a petition requesting that Starbucks serve “sweat-free coffee.”

Gutting e-mailed Bill McGeorge of Sodexho-Marriot Food Services requesting a change to fair trade coffee.

McGeorge was interested in making fair-trade coffee a reality, so he passed the idea along to Brad Woodroffe, the manager of The Daily Grind.

Woodroffe informed Gutting on Oct. 30 that the Daily Grind would begin brewing fair-trade coffee on Nov. 1, when the old supply was depleted.

The only coffee that is being brewed in The Daily Grind is fair-trade coffee. “It’s usually more expensive to sell fair-trade certified coffee, but we’re not passing on the price increase to students,” Woodroffe said.

“It’s heartening to see staff of the University acting with social consciousness,” Gutting said.

Gutting is expecting the same results from the other two coffee houses on campus, located in the business school and the bookstore.

“It’s such a simple change that benefits the poorest of the poor, the very people we exist for,” said Gutting.