Thanks to a collaboration between the student-run Fair Trade Coffee Coalition (FTCC) and Housing and Food Services (HFS), residence hall students now have a new detail to add to their orders of double, tall, non-fat vanilla lattes: guilt-free.

Last week, UW officials approved the sale of Fair Trade Certified espresso beans in Ian’s Domain in McCarty Hall and the 8 in McMahon Hall, making all espresso in the UW’s dorms now Fair Trade certified.

The new roast of Tully’s brand beans, specially designed for the UW, was first introduced in May in the HUB’s Atrium. Six of HFS’s 21 cafés across campus now sell espresso drinks brewed from fair trade beans.

According to the FTCC, fair trade beans help ensure a living wage for coffee farmers around the world.

“The price [of drinks] will stay the same,” said Anita Bowers, assistant director of dining services for HFS. “It’s a small increase to us but we don’t want to pass that off to the customer.”

While HFS-run vendors across campus have long included Fair Trade Certified drip coffee alternatives, this development marks the first time fair trade espresso will be available at the major coffee vending locations across campus. Along with Ian’s, 8 and the HUB’s Atrium, fair trade espresso is sold at Lander Hall, Suzzallo library and in the Bio engineering building.

“For Tully’s, it’s not so big because they make a lot from drip, but in terms of pure volume at the University there’s a lot more espresso sold, so, as far as impact goes, this is huge,” said FTCC member Angela Thurmond.

Converting to Fair Trade is about more than just coffee, Thurmond said.

“We believe farmers who produce coffee should get a wage they can live on,” she said. “Fair trade coffee helps provide a living for families, an education for children and helps farmers sustain their livelihood.”

Consumers and farmers have far different perspectives on the issue, said Jen Caldwell of the FTCC.

“From a consumer perspective there’s not an advantage other than peace of mind,” she said. “From a farmer’s perspective it means empowerment. A farmer gets ownership of crops.”

The remaining question, then, is when the clean-conscience coffee will be available everywhere.

“I really can’t say right now,” Bowers said. “We have contracts with our clients — the department heads — and they make the decisions. People are sometimes a little impatient, but we’re trying to balance initiatives from many different groups.”

Barbara Smith, marketing accounts manager for HFS, said a balance is important.

“Right now we’re trying to balance fair trade with other socially conscious activities,” Smith said.

Implementation raises other concerns, Caldwell said.

“It’s kind of indeterminable right now,” she said. “That’s been the big question since the beginning of the campaign. There’s cost for HFS in terms of implementation, and we have to be sure fair trade is something students want. It’s going to be a big assessment.”

Thurmond said while getting every campus café to sell certified espresso is still first priority, the FTCC seeks to shift its focus to a more sustainable solution to the problem — one that involves education.

“If you force [students] to drink fair trade and they leave the campus community, they’ll probably just switch back,” Thurmond said. “It’s more important to focus on educational aspects. Then when they leave the campus they’ll continue to drink Fair Trade. I think that’s the greater goal.”

Reach reporter Keegan Hamilton at news@thedaily.washington.edu.