Panellists include:

Claire Malcolmson of Environmental Defence

John Stillich of the Sustainable Urban Development Association

David Strachan of the Midhurst Ratepayers Association

For more information visit awaresimcoe.ca

Fair Trade Coffee will be served all day!!

In May 2010 Barrie joined more than 800 cities worldwide that have earned the international designation of Fair Trade Town becoming the largest Fair Trade City in Ontario. This achievement has sent a message to Canadians and the rest of the the world that Barrie is committed to the quality of life of millions of individuals in the developing world.

Increasingly shoppers are insisting on ethical treatment of those who produce the products that we consume. Consumers are voting with their dollars, and putting money where their values are by purchasing Fair Trade certified products.

The Fair Trade Town program was launched in the UK in 1999 to accelerate awareness of the growing consumer demand for Fair Trade products such as coffee, tea, chocolate, sugar, bananas, oranges, grapes, wine, spices as well as many others.

The purchase of Fair Trade products provides a minimum price to producers in developing countries, sufficient to allow for investment in their businesses, education and health services. Fair Trade products must be produced in a democratic environment, without forced child labour, and without pesticides and herbicides proven detrimental to the environment.

Qualification as a Fair Trade Town requires support from City Council and a broad range of community organizations, plus documentation of availability of Fair Trade products, and the presence of an active Fair Trade advocacy group.

In Barrie, diverse groups including schools, churches, the Barrie Public Library, the MacLaren Art Centre, Georgian College, the YMCA, the Huronia Symphony Rotary, Kiwanis, and Grandmother to Grandmothers have all participated in Fair Trade promotion events. Fair Trade Certified products are now available in over 50 Barrie locations.

“We will be exploring how a Permaculture community might be developed in an area such as the recently annexed lands in south Barrie and the issues and challenges in this concept.”

• Green Buildings
• Product Sustainability
• Ethical Sourcing
• Accountability/Transparency
• Carbon Footprint Reporting
• Community Involvement

What other businesses are walking the walk?

How did Barrie achieve Fair Trade recognition?

1. local authority support
2. availability of Fair Trade products in shops and cáfes
3. support of local of education, religious, and business community
4. media coverage
5. steering group
6. community environment, consumption, and ethical purchasing initiatives

see fairtradecanada.ca or fairtradebarrie.com for more information

Many people showed up, despite the chilly April breeze, and brought treats that were sold along with coffee and garden plants in an effort to raise money for a shed at the community garden.

Celebrate Earth Day and help the monsters help the environment!

In an effort to help the planet and to combat climate change, the Monster Factory is
launching an environmental campaign to celebrate Earth Day. During the week leading up
to Earth Day (April 22), Monster Factory will plant a tree for every plush monster purchased
online.

The Monster Factory is a character toy brand based in Toronto, Canada. The team designs
and creates engaging plush monster characters who live in a bizarre, yet strangely familiar
world. Their efforts have produced countless monsters, collected by fans of all ages. The
Monster Factory is dedicated to producing quality designs and humorous characters that
brighten your day.

Working with Mokugift, an official partner of the United Nations Environment Programme’s
(UNEP) Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign, Monster Factory will kick off this event
on April 17. For every online purchase between April 17-23, customers will receive an email
from Mokugift with a credit to plant a tree in their name, and can choose where in the
world they’d like to plant it (the UNEP’s trees are planted in depleted lands in Central
America, Asia and Africa). Don`t forget to check out Monster Factory`s virtual forest
[www.mokugift.com/ecopage/monsterfactory] and watch the forest grow!

Planting a tree helps mitigate climate change, and the Monster Factory team believes we
can all do a little bit to help the earth. On average, each tree planted in the humid tropics
absorbs 50 lbs of carbon dioxide every year for at least 40 years—amounting to one ton
over the course of the tree’s lifetime.

Thanks for helping us help the earth!

Monster Factory
www.monsterfactory.net
www.mokugift.com

Contact:
Bliss Man
bliss@monsterfactory.net

Their inaugural night will also feature music from Acoustic Mayhem.

See http://www.greendrinks.org/ON/Orillia for more information.

This Saturday is Earth Hour where for one hour community and businesses recognize environmental efforts to reduce energy consumption. It’s a great way to show support for the Green movement with a message that less consumption and less waste will contribute to Barrie’s healthy growth.

March Green Drinks is Wednesday the 31 at the Queens Hotel, or check out a screening of “the World According to Monsanto” at Georgian College’s Rowntree Theatre starting at 7pm. Following the movie guest speaker Kyla, aka the Urban Harvester,will be hosting a discussion on sustainable agriculture.

Earth Day events will be happening around town the weekend of April 22.

Barrie is welcoming Ecofest to its streets and shores this summer. All day June 12 there will be events, activities, and information in support of community awareness and action for Barrie’s sustainable future. A stage will be set at Heritage Park for live music from local musicians along with a special Trashfusion design contest/fashion show. And stop by the Mulcaster Green Marketplace where organic food will be available complimented by gardening demonstrations.

Barrie’s annual Winterfest kicks off Friday with Winterfest Jazz at the Queens Hotel in downtown Barrie.

Start your Saturday with a pancake breakfast and bake sale at the Central United Church from 8:30 – 12:30pm. Barrie’s Fair Trade Working Group will be serving hot coffee and hot chocolate to warm you up for the days activities.

Most events will be happening around Heritage Park and Memorial Square, which include dog sled rides, horse drawn carriage, pony rides, mini tube slide, the lumberjack show, a winter midway, and ice block play area.

Get lost in the ice maze and enjoy this years ice sculptures!

The ever popular polar bear swim is at noon on Sunday. After watching this chilly event warm up at the Maclaren Art Center or Barrie Public Library where there will be exhibitions and activities for the whole family.