Psst ... Wanna Change the World???

I strive to be a conscientious consumer ... I really try to support and patronize local businesses before I head off to Brandon to buy ANYTHING ... my rule of thumb is simple: if you can get it locally, don't buy it in Brandon - EVER !!!

There is much we can't get in small town Minnedosa - but one thing we DON'T need to go to Brandon for is GROCERIES. We have two fine Grocery stores - one that has been in operation for OVER 100 years and has been run by a local family the WHOLE time ...

So, today seeing one of the town's employees and his family pushing a shopping cart loaded to the gunwales with groceries at one of the Big Chain stores made me want to scream ... My taxes and the taxes of the family who run the grocery store pay this person's salary, and here they are merrily spending their cash in Brandon at one of the super-stores!!!!!!!!!

You will never offer me a convincing reason for this ... If you want to keep the local rural economy strong - SHOP LOCALLY !!!!

Coming home from Brandon after purchasing Rat Food and taking time to walk around the park by the river, I realized that often we throw up our hands and do nothing rather than do the small, very simple things that can make a HUGE difference in our world ... So, in the name of Changing our world I offer a few small things you and I can both do that will make a HUGE difference in our world - or at least in our little corner ... and who knows if more of us do things like this, and even add to the list, maybe we will actually be the very change we seek ...

1. Walk, ride your bike or even roller blade instead of starting up the car, a little bit of exercise never killed ANYONE !!!

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2.Shop locally for everything YOU can - you don't save money driving 50 kms for a sale ...

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3. Shop at the Farmer's Market for produce - the money goes RIGHT into the hands of the producers

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4. Watch the local paper for farmers selling meat and produce themselves - cutting out the many middle men puts more money into the hands of the producers and in today's economy that is NOT a bad thing for the farmers !!

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5. Avoid Fast Food Outlets (ALL of them) - if you doubt me, read Morgan Spurlock's book and watch 'Supersize Me' - it's all crap.

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6. Check the label - buy Canadian, avoid 'Made in China' and note the contents, especially food.

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7. Remember the old adage - "you get what you pay for ..." The quality of products like kids toys is directly connected to our willingness to pay ... there's a consequence of shopping at Wal-Blot and its kin ... avoid them at all cost. You can buy the same stuff elsewhere and it's usually the same price ...

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8. Plant a garden each year - it's good exercise, it offers you food, and it's both fun and beautiful

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9. Buy Fair Trade products wherever and whenever you can ... they really DO make a difference ...

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10. Become friends with your local business people ... not only do they get to know you, you get to understand and appreciate the many challenges they face running a business ... and ultimately you are not only their customer, you are their advocate too !!

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11. Donate to charity and give freely of your time to volunteer organizations ... it not only helps others, it helps you feel better about yourself too !! It's a win-win situation !!

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And lastly - WATCH what you eat ... the size of the portion ... the content of the food ... and THE locale of where it is coming from ... You can eat very well by utilizing the food that is grown and raised locally ... and you save money and help your neighbour ... I see no down side here!!