Comercio Justo, or “Fair Trade” products are often seen in “socially conscious” retailers like health and “whole” food shops. It presents a novel approach to doing business that takes into account social and environmental factors in its pricing to consumers and directly compensates commodity food producers, like coffee and cocoa farmers. Here proponents explain the philosophy from several different vantage points.

Can an educated public really create a kinder, gentler, consumer society? Do informed buyers make decisions more sensitive to their world? Can you have your cake and eat it too? Some activists think that voracioius consumers need not be subdued, but only that their desires be tweaked, redirected…

Do those who control the wealth in a society also dictate its desires? In this segment we’re able to listen in on the discourse of Spanish intellectuals critical of the modern consumer culture, which they see as something of a Svengali-like oppressor and manipulator of the masses.

Can a consumer-driven market be replaced by an informed system of mutual cooperation by a like-minded populace? Is the market always at odds with the well being of the planet? Is it true that otro mundo es possible? Let’s find out what some experts think…

Medical student Patricia Martí tells us about the study she is conducting in the village of Adícora. The study is a look at the incidence of skin problems caused by sun exposure in this town where many people work outdoors, including quite a few fishermen.

Patricia will soon be a full-fledged doctor of medicine, but first she must complete the internship she is doing in the rural Venezuelan community of Charaima, on the Peninsula de Paraguaná. She tells us a little bit about the road she’s travelled to get to this point in her academic career.

Amaya and Carlos continue to tell us about their collaboration as well as their personal determination to restore dignity to the donkey.

Amaya introduces us to Carlos, a clothing designer whose brand, Burrys, is inspired by his weakness and admiration for donkeys. Let's hear some details about his work, life and collaboration with Amaya and Donkey Dreamland.

Amaya continues to explain to us the story of Ander, a very special donkey who, due to not having had much time with his mother, is unclear as to exactly what type of animal he is or how to act.

This time, Amaya introduces us to Palma, a very calm donkey who is also the sanctuary's oldest. Let's find out how Palma came to live at the sanctuary and learn about the life expectancy of donkeys.

Karina gives a summary of the two startup companies she has previously spoken about and gives us some helpful advice about small changes we can make in our daily lives to help the environment.

Carlos keeps teaching us more environmental terms, which he will reinforce by reciting a typical paragraph we might hear during a news segment on the environment.

This time, Amaya introduces us to Samy, a donkey who is not from the sanctuary but is rather just visiting from northern France. Let's hear his fascinating story!

In this episode of News Vocabulary, Carlos focuses on commonly used environmental terms, explaining their meanings and giving us examples in context.

Amaya tells us the story of the donkey sanctuary's latest rescue, Sabanero, whose previous owners abandoned him and threw him out onto the street. Let's learn more details and about his past and present lives.