About Us
Small Planet is owned and run by our family; Art, Vicki, Caleb and Daisy Kinney. There have also been numerous friends who have helped us in our early days and months (and years!) We feel incredibly blessed to be part of a wonderful web of community that for us starts in Traverse City, Michigan and extends all over the globe.
Life has brought us incredible opportunity to engage our values and live our choices. We are constantly looking at ways in which we can affect our planet and her people in positive ways, learning to walk more gently and with compassion. In purchasing this business in November 2007 we knew we were opening a door for the creative expression of our journey. What a joy and challenge!
Having only about one mile between our store and our home we have taken to riding bikes or walking most days. We love having that freedom to leave the vehicle at home (although we love our 1991 VW Vanagon, dubbed Slow Poke by our kiddos.) Our local food co-op is also just a few blocks from our home where we roll up on bikes with the cart tagging along.
Speaking of food (which we love to!) we are die-hard supporters of our local farmers. Northern Michigan is full of extremely knowledgeable, talented, dedicated farmers who provide us with most of what we need (almost year ‘round thanks to hoop houses!) For many years we have supported local CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture – check it out in your area if you aren’t familiar) and get to eat the tastiest, most fresh food imaginable.
So, what does all of this have to do with fair trade? Well, we believe that every human being deserves at least the essentials of nutritious food, clean water and safe shelter and even with these bare minimums, humans must have love to thrive. After spending the summer of 1992 as a student interning at a leprosy hospital in southern India I (Vicki) knew there was no turning a blind eye to what I witnessed. We are beyond blessed in this country, to the point of sometimes turning our blessings into a cancer. Art and I know that it is our human obligation and honor to care for others and that is what fair trade does. It provides opportunity, hope and sustainable work to people who had none. Through the practice of fair trade principles (visit www.ftrn.org for great info) people’s lives truly change.
What Art and I do every day (as well as our merely human selves can) is to live how we believe we are supposed to; by showing compassion, doing the hard work, and embracing the chance to constantly learn how we can help make a better world. We could never do it alone, of course. That’s where you all come in!
Our honor and gratitude go to all of you in the work you do in your lives. Sometimes it doesn’t feel significant, but our positive thoughts and actions compile into some amazing results. We thank you deeply for your support (financial, physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, we love it all!) If you haven’t visited our shop, please do so; it’s a unique, fun place to experience.
Small Planet is owned and run by our family; Art, Vicki, Caleb and Daisy Kinney. There have also been numerous friends who have helped us in our early days and months (and years!) We feel incredibly blessed to be part of a wonderful web of community that for us starts in Traverse City, Michigan and extends all over the globe. Life has brought us incredible opportunity to engage our values and live our choices. We are constantly looking at ways in which we can affect our planet and her people in positive ways, learning to walk more gently and with compassion. In purchasing this business in November 2007 we knew we were opening a door for the creative expression of our journey. What a joy and challenge!
Having only about one mile between our store and our home we have taken to riding bikes or walking most days. We love having that freedom to leave the vehicle at home (although we love our 1991 VW Vanagon, dubbed Slow Poke by our kiddos.) Our local food co-op is also just a few blocks from our home where we roll up on bikes with the cart tagging along.
Speaking of food (which we love to!) we are die-hard supporters of our local farmers. Northern Michigan is full of extremely knowledgeable, talented, dedicated farmers who provide us with most of what we need (almost year ‘round thanks to hoop houses!) For many years we have supported local CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture – check it out in your area if you aren’t familiar) and get to eat the tastiest, most fresh food imaginable.
So, what does all of this have to do with fair trade? Well, we believe that every human being deserves at least the essentials of nutritious food, clean water and safe shelter and even with these bare minimums, humans must have love to thrive. After spending the summer of 1992 as a student interning at a leprosy hospital in southern India I (Vicki) knew there was no turning a blind eye to what I witnessed. We are beyond blessed in this country, to the point of sometimes turning our blessings into a cancer. Art and I know that it is our human obligation and honor to care for others and that is what fair trade does. It provides opportunity, hope and sustainable work to people who had none. Through the practice of fair trade principles (visit www.ftrn.org for great info) people’s lives truly change.
What Art and I do every day (as well as our merely human selves can) is to live how we believe we are supposed to; by showing compassion, doing the hard work, and embracing the chance to constantly learn how we can help make a better world. We could never do it alone, of course. That’s where you all come in!
Our honor and gratitude go to all of you in the work you do in your lives. Sometimes it doesn’t feel significant, but our positive thoughts and actions compile into some amazing results. We thank you deeply for your support (financial, physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, we love it all!) If you haven’t visited our shop, please do so; it’s a unique, fun place to experience.
| info@smallplanetfairtrade.com |