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At Earth's General Store we offer visitors information and prodcuts that will help them reduce their ecological and social impact on the planet and all inhabitants. We are a distributor of information and knowledge, encouraging people to consume less, consume wisely, consume locally and love lots more! We do this by offering items that have benefical advantages - local, certified organic, Fair Trade Certified. We are attemtping to offer a way of life that is balanced and respectful of the planet and all its creatures. I know this sounds a little wishy washy but I believe that is our ultimate goal in life - do as little harm as possible and leave the world better than when we arrived. Earth Day 2009Well we were preparing for the Earth Day Festival this year but yesterday, Saturday April 25th, 2009, the organisers contacted us and said that due to the weather forecast several of the exhibitors said they would not participate (it was forecasted to have snow flurries and a temperature of around freezing). Activist AgendaThe Activist Agenda lists events and activities that help to shape/shift our world to a more balanced and just place. Presently the Activist Agenda can be found at http://greenedmonton.ca/activistAgenda/viewAA.
Celebrating 17 Years of Community
People have the ability to make choices at every decision in their lives. I am not talking about all the big ones where people angst over their decision, I am talking about all those small decisions. Many of these small decisions were made a long time ago and they become routines but these "small decisions" collectively add up to major effects. As a consumer you are always faced with a choice and each choice will involve a compromise. The people that attain this level are called conscious citizens and since we are creatures that need to consume to survive we can also say that these conscious citizens will also be conscious consumers. They will take into account aspects of their purchasing choices such as:
Every act of consumption is a vote for the type of world you wish to be part of. Don't waste your vote. We are indeed succeeding in this goal. The purpose of this website is:
Our space is unique. I did not aim to create this - it just evolved. People spend hours walking around the store learning. Many of them leave without purchasing anything but thoughtful. The store was not created to sell things. It is a glorified soapbox. We don't have to get into a conversation with people they just have to slow down enough to figure things out for themselves. People are so used to being sold stuff - products, ideas, image, etc. Sometimes when a person has spent some time in the store and talking with a staff member they will be waiting to have some kind of sales pitch but they are left waiting. We, as a society, are programmed to respond to purchasing pressure (sales pitches) and when the customer is "primed" by a sales pitch they are conditioned to expect a "closing pitch". This doesn't happen. The purpose of giving a person information is not to compel them to purchase something but rather to educate them about the benefits and leave the decision up to them about whether they need the product. Don't get me wrong. I survive by people purchasing items from the store but it is not the purpose of the store to sell products just to sell them and to make profit. The purpose of the store is to create change. It is a tool for change. The store is located on the second floor of an older building. This makes it difficult for people to access - and, unfortunately, impossible for wheelchair dependent persons or people with stollers (most people with strollers jsut leave them at the bottom of the stairs or carry them up - you can ask the staff person to assist you). I believe that the store should be on the busiest intersection of the city so that more people would be invited to change but we cannot afford this kind of exposure. I am quite comfortable where we are and what we are doing. I have not done this all by myself. It takes a whole lot of people to support a store. It not only takes people that are willing to be challenged and chooses to purchase products that lessen their impact but it takes fantastic people to work here at the store. There is none that has embraced the philosophy of the store and added to the store as the very competent store manager, Deborah Robb. Unfortunately for the store but very fortunate for Deborah and her partner Eric Filpula have decided to have a baby (Issac Cole Filpula was born on November 23rd). I am sure that many of our customers will miss her as much as well miss her presence at the store. It seems we are blessed with excellent staff that care for the philosophy of the store (they certainly are not here for the wages) and wish to support the store. I thank these people for their time and energy - Jan Przysienzniak, Bree-anne Nabholz, Jacquline Day, Kathy McIntosh, Kamaljit Bates, Ruth Sorochan and Dane Degenstein. I am fortunate that Tammy Sluzar has returned to the store - very excellent to have her back. Eric Filpula contiues as our roastmaster - creating well loved fresh roasted coffee beans, Over the years the store, and myself personally, have received community recognition and awards: Emerald Award 1993 (finalist); Larry Sand Award (in recognition of service to the GLBT community in Edmonton - 2005); Salvos Prelorentzos Peace Award (2003); Alberta Centennial Medal (2006), the 2007 Emerald Award for Small Business, and the John Humphrey Centre City Humanitarian Award for Business 2007. Ever since I opened the store the media has always been very generous with their coverage of the store and what I/we are doing. Store Hours: Monday – Saturday: 10:00am to 5:30pm Thursday: 10:00am to 8:00pm
Sunday: 12:00pm (noon) to 5:30pm Remember: Consume Less! Consume Wisely! Consume Locally! Love Lots MORE! We are located at 10832 Whyte Avenue, Edmonton, AB T6E 2B3 (We are located above Gordon Price Music) Phone: 780-439-8725 Email: egs@interbaun.com |