Romancing the Revolution

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It’s easier to assume a status quo style of life if you’ve never been exposed to the alternative, faced with the opportunity to go in a different direction. For me, doing things differently has pretty much been second nature.  It’s a blessing and a curse to take the road less traveled – near every single time.  Yet, when I’m at the crossroads, the paved way doesn’t quite convince me. My leap of faith therefore leads me off the beaten track, with each new adventure an experience to be had.  Over the years this has taught me lessons, brought me joy, anxiety, fear, love, hate, relief, amongst other sentiments.  Although, above all, it kept me believing – in me. Once I hit my twenties, life was starting to bloom.  A lot…
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Purchase with Purpose

All Posts, Triple Bottom Line
There is a fine line between conservation and hoarding.  Seeing value in so many things can lead to not throwing items away.  To be completely honest – despite being a Virgo – I am not very tidy.  My older Sister (by only 22 months) has been a role model to me ever since I can remember.  She has been there for me in one way or another for decades and I am so grateful for our commitment to each other.  Luckily one of her expertise and hobbies is Clutter Crackdown and I was her guinea pig. It took a long time for what she was saying to sink in, however, over the years her voice (echoed by my mother’s) finally makes sense.  I am finding liberation and enjoyment in getting…
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Shifting to a Simply Sustainable Lifestyle

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Have you ever noticed how good it feels to be outside, connected with Nature? While living in Venezuela, I recognized that the closer to the Earth I am, the better I feel. It was 2009 and under fortunate circumstances, I traveled through much of this beautiful country. rich in natural beauty and gorgeous landscapes. In the State of Merida, something led me to the mountain town of Tabay.  An encounter with a local businessman brought me even further into the mountains to a small neighbourhood called El Guamal. Farm Life The first month my travel partner and I rented the main house on a farm. The following month, we sublet the much smaller house on the same property that was previously abandoned.  A couple from Argentina restored the space, and turned…
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How do you take your Coffee?

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Recently a retailer asked me a very important question: what brand of Fair Trade Coffee do you recommend? As an avid coffee drinker and inspired to walk the talk, I brew an assortment of Fair Trade, Direct Trade & Beyond Fair Trade coffees. Off the top of my head I rhymed off a few that she could check out – however the question still sits on my mind. Where we spend our money has such a big impact on shaping the world – I wanted to ensure that I was directing her to the best bag of coffee based on her ethical values. What is the ideal coffee for a retailer looking to offer positive products? It was a great question and ever since she asked (about a month ago),…
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What Makes a City Sustainable?

What Makes a City Sustainable?

All Posts, Fair Trade, Triple Bottom Line
Do you live in a city that practices sustainable development? For me, the desire to live in a truly sustainable city inspired me to become a student again. Luckily this time around technology offers a unique opportunity to learn from great teachers located around the world for free. The online course taught by Prof Jeffrey Sachs offered through coursera.org was eye opening. Sustainable Development based on the key principles of Social Inclusion, Environmental Sustainability, & Economic Development is a great objective for the road ahead.  The course concluded last week leaving students with an abundance of knowledge and tools to help us work together at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals set out by the United Nations. Conscious Consumption Being an entrepreneur teaches me many things that I never would have learned in…
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The Limitless Nature of Fair Trade

The Limitless Nature of Fair Trade

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Have you ever wondered what it takes to run a good and ethical business? Growing up I knew the importance of being good to others & being ethical, however when it came to business I really only had one comprehension.  Business is about making money.  It is about high returns for the shareholders. Throughout university, much of my understanding remained the same until one day when I was assigned a term project on the topic of Environmental Auditing.  It became clear to me that business goes far beyond dollars and cents, and even further beyond shareholders and boardrooms. Sustainable Shift One thing led to another and I shifted from thinking of the Shareholders to better understanding and working with the Stakeholders.  For those of you new to this, here’s a…
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