Me!!

My name is Ainsley and I am definitely an advocate for fair trade.  Ever since I was a grade 7 teacher, teaching Social Studies, I have been trying to get people to buy fair trade products.  I lived in Mexico for a year, and there, you really see what poverty is.  In Canada, you can see poverty, but its not really in your face.  Once I learned that buying fair trade could help break the poverty cycle, I was hooked.  Why not do something as small as buying fair trade products to help people around the world who weren't afforded the luxury of being born in Canada?   So, since then, I have done my best to buy mostly fair trade products, although there are times when I am desperate for chocolate, and cave!!!  I think my worst addiction are the cookies at the school canteen! They are my one weakness.  So, for the next month, I will stay away from any chocolate that is not fair trade, including those yummy yummy chocolate chip cookies.

So, today was Day 1 of the One Month Challenge (OMC) and I did pretty well!! I stocked up on chocolates and am probably good for the next couple months!! I felt like a squirrel collecting his nuts preparing for a really really cold winter!!  :)  Kind of like the squirrel, or squirrel-like animal on Ice Age, except I actually get to eat the nut, or chocolate in my case. :)  I don't drink coffee, and a bit of tea, so I think I should be ok.  I will just make sure that when I go out to Tim Hortons, I get water or juice or something instead of a non-fair trade item.  
Tomorrow we are starting our sale of fair trade chocolates.  I hope all goes well and the kids want to buy them! I have to try to convince people that buying fair trade is a good thing!!  Well, if I reach one person, then I have done my job. :)