The Green Tea

Quality of Life: With graditude and appreciation we value health, vitality and self worth. We create loving, accepting, deep and meaningful family relationships and friendships. With education and travel we transform the world through food.
Production: We produce good, clean, fair food. We value all creatures wild and domestic, with consideration to rare breeds and heritage plants. We participate in the creation of a parallel food system that supports community based agriculture. We achieve financial freedom and abundance through fair exchange. That our consumers are co-producers. We raise the bar through education every year in the quality of our food.
Landscape: Our landscape reflect our respect and connection to nature; a healthy grassland full of biodiversity where nature can fully express herself.

A Family's Pledge

Andrew (Age 10)

I have seen many countries with my eyes. Many like Canada, beautiful by nature and many like Germany, clean as a whistle. And yet, there are some countries that I have seen such as Thailand and India that smell of sewage and have mountains of garbage overtaking the streets. Did you know that millions of people in third world countries have to walk for hours just to get safe drinking water? This is not the image I have in mind for Canada in the future. If we keep treating our environment poorly and ignoring global warming our faith for our country will be no greater than theirs.

In order to help this, I pledge to make a difference by recycling everything instead of putting it into the garbage or littering. I will pick up litter on the streets and around the school yard to make it a litter free environment. I also pledge to use cars, vans and busses only if really needed, so not only will I stay healthy I will help the environment. I pledge to inform the world about how to save water to help this planet by sending tips to a childrens’ magazine called National Geographic Kids.

I hope that not only me but the whole world can do these kinds of things to make a better future for all of us.

Robert (Age 14)

Be Mindful Today

We may be the richest
With our gas, oil and farming industries
We may be considered a clean province
We may have all we need

But today we need to help the Earth

We might become poor
When gas and oil is gone
We might have to rethink how we live

But today we need to help the Earth

We should be more careful,
With where we put our trash
We should feel guilty
We should feel sad
We should look through the eyes of the thousands of species we’ve killed

But today we must help the Earth

The Earth won’t be here forever if we aren’t mindful
We are slowly killing it with our greed and selfishness

But today when we all take our pledges, we will be helping the Earth.

I pledge to continue to recycle bottles, cans, juice boxes, paper and cardboard. I also pledge to pick up garbage around my school and around home. I pledge to put my own money toward adopting a large raptor or mammal. I must raise at least $ 100.00 in cash. I pledge to do this to save an animal who has been in an accident or who has had a loss of habitat or one that’s endangered.

Rhonda & Gord (parents)

To continually have less of an environmental impact on the world by scrutinizing what we bring into our house and what leaves our house.

Accepted the David Suzuki Nature Challenge and did the following:

• Installed compact flourescent bulbs in 11 locations in our home
• Eat meat-free one day per week
• Replaced old furnace with high effiency model (94%) and lowered night temp to 16 degrees C, 18degees during day, programmable thermostat
• Continued to not use pesticides
• In addition water conservation is another commitment that we have pledged through the Bow River Keepers. http://www.bowriverkeeper.org/friend/commitment

Angus and daughter Julia

My pledge is to start recycling cans at my mom's house, because we don't recycle them yet. So I'll tell her we should get a bin for the cans and we'll start that right away, I'll make sure of it.
~Julia

My biggest concern this year is disposing of organic wastes and to that end, I pledge to compost them.
~Angus

dianne and daughter Arah
I will quit using individual yogurt cups for school lunches. I will use a small reusable container and refill it from a larger yogurt container. When my little sister starts school, I will encourage her to do the same.
~Arah

To establish a design business focusing on encouraging people to love what they already have, rather than consume/waste more.  I am committed to using eco-friendly design/decorating products to help create healthy living environments that encourage sustainable development (meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs).
~dianne

Sheila and Fraser
We are committed to being a one car family despite having four drivers.

Holly S.
I pledge to walk or bike to work rather than drive.

Gail
Purchased a bike with an electric motor to ride to work.

Cathie D.
Join the Sierra Club.

Al D.
I pledge to join the federal Liberal Party and to help promote the party's Green Plan as well as other environmental and sustainability initiatives.

Will S. (representing Wild Rose United Church)
We pledge to refurbish our aging furnance so that it emits less green house gases and is also more energy efficient.

David R.
I pledge to cycle to work twice per week (38km/day)

Mariee D.
I pledge to use only reuseable containers in my lunch. No more mini yogurts, it's glass or Tupperware from here on out! I also pledge to take part in writing a children's play of food, highlighting the benefits of local and unprocessed food and how it is better for the body and the planet.

Nadia H.
I will change all the cleaning supplies I use to clean the house to enviornmentally safe products such as Small Planet products. I will also read the book The 100 Mile Diet.

Mike
Have 52 car free days per year-only walking and cycling

Jude
Have 52 car free days per year-only walking and cycling

Robin
I will eat meat less and I will support Nadia with her choice of cleaning supplies.

Marlene
I pledge to use my own shopping bags and to take the bus more.

Soren
I pledge to use more eco-friendly gardening products

Debbie
I pledge to conserve water and educate the citizens of Calgary in reducing their water consumption.

The Calgary Board of Education (represented by Olena)

In June of 2006, the Education*Energy*Environment Team (EcoTeam) was created to provide leadership to advance environmental literacy through strategic facility, curricular and community initiatives.
For more info see: http://www.cbe.ab.ca/community/ecostewardship/default.asp

Supporters
Special Thanks to the following supporters of The Green Tea.

Community Natural Foods
Small Potatoes Urban Delivery
Heartland Cafe
Garden's Grace
Calgary Centre for Positive Living
Urban Baker
Conscious Brands