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Bananas

© Bob Ewing

Winter is upon us here in Thunder Bay. The Sun is bright and strong. A cold Norththwest wind chills the day after the Sun sets, usually around 4:45 pm. The leaves on the trees are gone. Not the conifers, the pines and spruce. They still stand tall and green.

The tamarack ahhas dropped their needles. They have shed their glorious yellow Fall coat. Now they quietly await Winter's assault as the Seasons change. I enjoy the periods of transformation that come with the changing of the seasons and the turning of the Wheel of Life. It is refreshing to watch the metamorphosis that is taking place.

I have previously mentioned my weight loss. Walking daily has played an important part. So too has water. I drink six glasses a day. I also have made changes to my food consumption. One of these is to cut back on one of my favourite foods - peanut butter.

It is a good food but when you insist on weight loss, there is too much fat and sugar in it to eat this marvelous food on a regular basis. I've also given up eating bananas which means no more peanut butter and banana sandwiches for breakfast. I didn't fry them in bacon fat like Elvis did, nor did I eat 12 or 13 at a sitting.

Bananas are another food item that are produced under exploitive conditions. So I have a second reason not to buy them. At least not until I can find fair trade bananas on the market place. I am going to ask the local grocery store if they can buy them. They have begun a small organic section and may be open to customer concerns.

I find that when I make the effort to do what is right that even if I don't achieve the goal I am aiming for right away, I feel better about myself and my place in the world. People are always asking what can they do and what difference can one person make.

The difference you make is reducing the number of people who support the oppression of workers and the destruction of the environment when they shop. If you shop at a fair trade retailer then you are not participating in the destruction.

It is a relatively simple step to take. It may cost a little more but unless you are on a low or fixed income, make a few adjustments to your budget and let your dollars work for justice and freedom.