I asked contestants to answer any or all of the questions below.
~ How did you come to an awareness that you needed to make healthier choices for yourself, for your family and for our planet?
~ What made change feel urgent?
~ What changes did you make first? What did you do?
~ Where did that lead you?
~ What are you changing now?
~ How have your changes influenced others?
Here are the winning answers:
Winners of tickets to Heart of Sky, Heart of Earth:
Think about the last time you went shopping.. I'm at Karma Coop doing my member hours ~ I came to believe I needed to make healthier choices for myself, family and for our planet... Karma Coop helped make change feel urgent because Karma is non-profit, (and we have a) policy on produce and products... mostly organic, locally and ethically sourced, and researched by committees to not harm other people and animals.
~ Juno
This is not a photo of Juno, actually, but it IS a member at Karma Coop. www.KarmaCoop.org
and
With a background from the "old world", I would say that the environmental concern and the eating habits started from my early age.
I am 65 years old and my mother use to shop for food everyday from a fresh market with a cotton bag stuck in her purse (even plastic bags were washed and reused). I do the same, once a week, at the Kensington Market.
I brought that with me many years ago to Canada, and I taught my daughter the same values. We eat organic/fresh market produce, and we use (mostly) home made cleaning products like my grandmother used to do. Influenced by me, my friends, also, buy less harmful cleaning products and learned to read the labels on the food they consume, avoiding processed food.
I am glad that we are going back to more natural ways of living which would help to protect the Mother Earth for the future generations.
~ Gordana C.
Winners of tickets to In Organic We Trust
I'd say my awareness began early in school when I learned about things like biodiversity and recycling. I also did a lot of camping with my family and as a Scout, so that certainly contributed. In undergrad, I started changing what I eat: less meat, fewer processed foods, etc.
A sense of urgency came from a lot of reading that I've done. We're in some dire straits as a planet, so lifestyle changes are imperative.
Eating less meat was an early change. I probably eat meat maybe once a week now at most.
Lifestyle changes led me to form my life as an "environmentalist". I have a Master's of Environmental Studies, I run an enviro book club, I volunteer with enviro groups and donate money to them, and I try to find work that will help solve some of our trickier problems.
These days I'm trying to use better cleaning products, although I've had limited success in that area because sometimes they're quite ineffective.
I would say my changes have influenced others. For example, my parents consume less meat now. And I have friends who now make a conscious effort to buy less harmful products.
~ K.E.
This is not a photo of K.E. either, but again, it's at Karma Coop! www.KarmaCoop.org
Hmm... my awareness came about when I learned that my cousin had suddenly been diagnosed with cancer as a young mother. I learned about her history growing up in Vietnam during the war, exposed to many chemicals like Agent Orange. I began to ask questions about the links between the environment and one's health, especially for growing children.
I became dedicated to learning more about public health, pursued education in this area. I volunteered with an organization (WHEN) that was committed to prevention of cancer through education and increasing awareness around the food the eat, the air we breathe and the water we drink.
I have made lots of lifestyle changes, including making my own personal care, home cleaning products, educated newcomer women on reading labels looking for toxic ingredients and remain committed to spreading the word about natural living.
~ Diane H. former board member of WHEN. http://www.womenshealthyenvironments.ca/get_involved/
Once again, I am co presenting a film at the one-of-a-kind Planet in Focus Film Festival.
PLUS I have 6 tickets to give away!
To win a pair of tickets, please EMAIL ME AnarresHealth AT gmail.com to tell me your story.
The festival schedule is here: http://planetinfocus.org/film-schedule/
Thanks! I look forward to your entry.