Photo via Bridgeland Riverside Community Association Facebook page.
Re-localization.
That’s what’s happening at the Bridgeland Riverside Fall Harvest Market this Thursday (Sept. 25) starting at 3:30 p.m.
“This market is more than a farmer’s market — it’s a “ReLocalize Market,” which includes a farmers’ market and a Calgary Dollars Market,” says Mike Unrau, manager of Calgary Dollars. “This means, it supports local food (farmers’ market), local economy (Calgary Dollars our local currency), and local livability (Open Streets Calgary, which will be there offering alternatives to vehicular transportation and use of energy).”
Exercising your personal purchasing power by choosing to go through sustainable producers, businesses, etc., is a key component of the farmers’ market and is evident in its list of vendors.
“Each of us has the power to vote for a new society through the way we purchase,” Unrau says. “Every time we buy a Coke, we’re saying ‘I believe in Coke’s values and business ethics and what they do for our society.’ So, we can choose to ‘vote’ for local businesses and support our communities, instead of shareholders around the world.”
Unrau explains why this market, and buying local, is important to the framework of communities and their longevity, as well as the importance of ‘voting’ local in place of finding something cheaper that has most-likely been sourced out to a country where conditions are less than favourable, and often unethical.
“Everything has costs. If I buy a cheap pair of shoes made in China, who’s paying for the shoes? You are, of course, but also the Chinese. They pay for it in low-income, and poor work standards which leads to a host of inequities overseas,” he says.
“It may be more expensive in actual dollars if it were made in Canada, but it may be more expensive in other countries in terms of inequities. If we continue to buy shoes in countries where it’s non-fair wages, we’re just dumping our responsibility where we can’t see it… in someone else’s backyard.”
This week’s market touts fun for everyone with kids’ and family activities, a lounge, local eats, live band Well Mannered Thieves, artisans, a flea market and much more.
Check it out at the Bridgeland Riverside Community Hall. If you can’t make it, remember to “relocalize” whereever you can!
Check out Sarah Pynoo’s TOP 5 Farmers’ Markets happening in town you might not have heard of.