A dare to remember

Hi all,

Apologies for the mass email but I think you fill find it entertaining and worthwhile. Hope you are well!
I’m taking on A Dare to Remember for the Stephen Lewis Foundation. Heather is getting back at me for daring her to bungee jump off of Victoria Falls in Zambia last year (something I would love but she would hate) by daring me to do a stand up comedy routine at an open mic comedy event in Edmonton. I am not into performing and am not funny so this is pretty terrifying!

I have set a personal fundraising goal of $2000 and am asking you – my friends, family and colleagues – to sponsor me. The money we raise will go directly to support the inspiring transformation in sub-Saharan Africa, where community-based organizations are working to turn the tide of AIDS.

Help me reach my fundraising goal! Every dollar counts! It’s easy to contribute. All you need to do is click on the link below - or copy and paste it into your browser - and then click on the Donate button in the top-right corner of my Dare page.
Click here to sponsor me!

http://SLF.r-esourcecenter.com/Event/FundraisingPage.asp?crypt=aA5hAA1jGX4cTVx/YX1/YhkfcgARaA9zZUFZbRFxfHkDCnQRHH4CCmxBWWE=&EMAIL_TYPE=P

By supporting my Dare, you support my own daring effort, and the millions of Africans who rise to meet the challenges of the pandemic with extraordinary acts of courage, ingenuity, determination, and the strength in their communities.

Check back regularly to see how I’m doing!

Thanks so much,


Justin


Spread the word about my Dare!
http://SLF.r-esourcecenter.com/Event/FundraisingPage.asp?crypt=aA5hAA1jGX4cTVx/YX1/YhkfcgARaA9zZUFZbRFxfHkDCnQRHH4CCmxBWWE=&EMAIL_TYPE=P
Do your own Dare! Visit www.adaretoremember.com A Dare to Remember engages Canadians to raise funds for the inspiring grassroots organizations in Africa working to turn the tide of AIDS. In an act of solidarity, Canadians take on Dares that parallel the acts of courage, ingenuity, determination and strength in community of their African peers. Sign up now and do your Dare by World AIDS Day (December 1st). All proceeds go to the Stephen Lewis Foundation to help support communities in the 15 African countries that have been hardest hit by HIV and AIDS. Find out more at www.adaretoremember.com.




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Thank you to everyone who has supported my Dare so far, and more importantly for supporting this valuable cause... I think?! Here is the update I promised.

We are currently at just over half of the goal so I have gone ahead and booked myself a spot on Friday, December 3rd at Bohemia Cafe's stand up night hosted by our friend Rose. The cafe is located on 114 st just south of 106 Ave (right by our place). You are welcome to come out and see the pending train wreck of me on stage but be warned that I will be passing the hat to top up my fundraising.

If you would like to request a word that I have to work in to my routine that can be arranged, for the right price :)

If you are looking for a little motivation or understanding of why I would do something I clearly dread I encourage you to check out the following:

http://www.adaretoremember.com/why_dare.cfm

This is a complex and pressing issue and there are millions of amazing people doing inspiring things to stop the spread of the disease and rebuild the communities that have been devastated by it in the last couple decades. The thing I like about the Stephen Lewis Foundation is that it supports people already doing amazing work who understand the on the ground realities and how to create change in their unique communities. They also do amazing things to raise awareness and support for change here in Canada.

I have hope for the future. Please help spread the hope.

Justin

minding your Qs and Teas

I generally don't drink a lot of coffee or tea because my body can't handle the caffeine,  but it is nice once in a while. I have heard some horror stories about the practices involved in  tea and coffee production operations, and I have also heard of some really cool initiatives. One that is promoted by some great organizations like Oxfam and Engineers Without Borders is fair trade certification. Fair trade means the producers and everyone along the value chain for the good you are purchasing received fair treatment, including fair compensation for their work. Fair trade certification can be granted for all kinds of products. I have heard of soccer balls, clothing, bananas, coffee, tea, spices, rice, quinoa, grapes, and chocolate all coming in fair trade certified varieties. It often goes hand in hand with environmentally responsible practices (because most people that care care about both). Fair trade certification means an independent third party has investigated the production practices and verified that they are indeed fair trade. In general I attempt to bring about a better world by getting my purchased beverage in a "to stay" cup, and giving my business to places that are local, that sell fair trade and organic beverages, and that educate their customers about why these things matter.

Today I was talking with my wife and mother in law about the teas at a particular coffee shop which is marketing to the ethical consumer crowd. We thought their coffee was fair trade but weren't sure about the tea so I looked up the tea companies website. There was not a ton of info there either so I clicked on the "Contact Us" link and sent the email below. So I guess my attempt at a better world for today is to look for factual information on products marketed for being ethical, and to ask questions when the facts are sparse.

to:friends2@mightyleaf.com

Hi,
I am curious about the practices of your tea growers. I recently explored the "community" section of your website but I still have some questions and concerns:

Why aren't your tea's fair trade certified? Have you considered pursuing certification?
What is being done to ensure environmental responsibility of your tea growers?
What is being done to ensure fair treatment and compensation of people involved in the production of your teas?
Do you have any third party oversight of your operations to ensure they are meeting your claims/policies?
Do you work with any local development experts to ensure your community involvement is appropriate and positive?

Thanks!

Justin

Push Start a Better World

My dad recently had visiting Olympian Christina Smith snowed in in Saskatchewan after visiting a whole bunch of High School students in the area. As they visited Christina got my dad excited about her new project PushStart.org and somehow convinced her that my brother and I would be good people to contribute to her upcoming book with some simple steps to push start a better world. I would love to hear other people's thoughts on this topic.

In fact, I would love to have anyone with ideas for a better world to share their ideas with posts to this blog or let me know about other places where their ideas are shared or found. My frequency and creativity has waned a bit lately for my blog posts but I am constantly inspired by what I see people doing to bring about a better world in their lives. We all have a lot to learn from each other. I would like to be a part of this mutual learning and action. I will try to adjust my permissions and set up here to facilitate.

In the mean time, here is what we came up with for Push Start, I would love to hear some feedback:
 

Think big and start small; the possibilities are endless! We can all do more to make a difference.

            1.            Think and dream

What is your vision of a better world? What can you do to make it happen? Be ambitious and creative and demanding; this is your life, and your chance.

Question the status quo, question your assumptions and your culture’s: make up your own mind.

When shopping, consider where it comes from, how it was made, and what that means for the people and places along the supply chain. Use your money responsibly; don't just buy what is most convenient. Talk to the people selling things to let them and their suppliers know you care.

            2. Reduce – the first and most neglected “R”

Think about what you actually need, not just what you think you want. You can turn down your thermostat, take short showers, turn off lights and appliances  - and you’ll save some money too.  Drive less, fly less, consume less. Do-it-yourself: sew, scavenge, tinker, create, get things fixed instead of replacing.  Spend more time with friends, neighbors, family, and mother nature, rather than purchasing throw-away entertainment.

            3. Reuse and Recycle

If you are done with something, consider another use; share reusable items with people or organizations that will put them to use (e.g. donate good-quality used clothes and give worn out clothes to a local mechanic for rags). If you are throwing things out, think about where it goes and minimize what goes to landfills; nothing goes "away", there is no such place. Compost. Recycle. Buy things with minimal packaging, and complain when there is excess. Buy used goods when possible (kijiji.ca, craigslist.com, freecycle.org, etc).

            4. Give

Remember all that money you saved with the first “R.” Share it around. Consider giving at least ten percent of your income to charities you support. Check out canadahelps.org for a great list all in one place. Consider a mix of local, global, environmental, humanitarian/relief, long term development, and health organizations. If you invest, invest in socially and environmentally responsible companies.

            5. Act

Give your time and skills too, whether you are drawn to volunteer at a school, hospital, retirement home, park, community work project, shelter/soup kitchen, or other local charity there is always a need and we all have things to share.  If you don't know what to do, DO SOMETHING.

            6. Eat

Buy more local, in season, natural, organic, fair trade certified, unprocessed, sustainable food. Grow a garden, and cook. Share food with others.  Talk to a farmer; know where your food comes from.  Eatwellguide.org  Seachoice.org Transfair.ca

            7. Learn

We live in the information age, so get informed. Watch/read/listen to the news from a variety of sources. Attend educational events and classes. Visit museums. Watch documentaries. Research things you wonder about, and share what you learn. Try to ask one good question per day. Ignorance is only an excuse for the ignorant.

Wikipedia.org

            8. Vote

Learn about election candidates and parties and what they represent. Vote for the community, province, country and world you want your children to live in. In between elections ask questions to your representatives. Care about your world and let them know. Engage in YOUR government.

Parl.gc.ca

            9. Walk

Bike, run, swim, play sports, get active. Take care of yourself and support active lifestyles in your community. Get your friends and family doing the same. Try to drive less. Take public transit.

            10. Love and laugh

A better world should be more enjoyable, and fulfilling for all. Give thanks and celebrate. Support local music, or make your own. Dance. Play.  Live the way you really want to, today.  We are in this together!