First, welcome to 2010!  May it be more than we could hope for and may we give much more than we take from each other and the planet.

Okay, with a title like "Ask It Five Times" you might think I'm going to write about my kids and their persistence with asking something over and over until they get the answer that they want.  Well, that is no where near what I'm thinking about tonight.

I met with a wonderful business associate who is helping me to make a difference in how I approach business.  He asked me why I want to be in business.  I of course replied with the usual starry-eyed answer...."I want to save the planet".  He asked why I want to be in business....I answered "to encourage people to choose healthier products that aren't full of chemicals".  He asked again, why I want to be in business....I felt kind of on the spot, like I was expected to give the "right" answer....but again spoke from the heart, "I want to make a difference"  He asked again, why I want to be in business..."I want to help the children who don't get to decide what products are used on them....by educating their parents and caregivers and providing better products to choose."  Finally, with all of my passion pouring out and my pulse quickening, thinking I'd missed something somewhere he pointed out to me that in order to keep doing the things that I am doing I needed to want to be in business to make money.  Then he asked me why I needed to make money....I understood immediately:  "to keep doing it."

For so long I had been ignoring that factor.  Not wanting it to be the reason for being on my noble quest...but, in all honesty, it is the thing that will enable me to do much more.  Surprisingly, I started to think about what amazing other ventures I could take on once What's In Store dot ca really blossomed!  The ways I could make changes that were truly significant!  The opportunities to teach my children and all the people around me that we can make so many differences that improve things for many if we really let our passions be led with purpose.  When you take a moment to look at your passion, take a moment to dream about where it could lead you...  It's exhilarating!  It's exciting!  It's possible!  Then I realized that there was nothing wrong with my business becoming successful financially because that would lead to being a greater part of the solution.....which, of course, is my favourite reason for wanting to be in business.

So, thank you to those who choose to actively support companies, like www.whatsinstore.ca in the effort to do more about the problems our planet faces.  Cheers to you!

Lately I have been rained upon by sad events.  I choose the words "rained upon" because even though the events are sad, they are the kind of things that haven't directly wiped me out....just kind of washed over me and made me aware of things.

It started without notice at first, some messages that popped up about sad things going on, my own child's challenges that I can't do much to help with, then I read tuesdays with Morrie....wonderful book, well written and very moving account of a man's journey toward death and the experiences of the man sharing that journey: some parts very much stinging my memory of my own father....then I heard the news of a young boy who lost his mother and how his extended family is planning their events to help him cope with his grief and make a life as his goes on.  All very sad....all affect our hearts even though they may not directly affect our lives. 

Now, the good thing that follows a rain is the promise of a brighter day ahead soon.  The growth that comes from the rain.  The fact that sometimes we need the rain....we need to be brought to awareness that there is a lot more going on out there than the mundane tasks of our work and life in our small part of this very large world.  It does us good to take a step back and look at things from other people's perspectives.  Then we can put aside some of our small issues and lend a hand, an ear or a shoulder if the need is there. 

Life is precious, each living thing on this earth is precious.  We all need to remember to stop our busy cycles sometimes and take a look around and see where our efforts might be more needed; whether it be comfort for one in need, planting a tree, cleaning up a littered area, whatever.  It's okay to work busily at your own life, so long as you don't forget the big picture...that life does not exist solely in your small sector and each of us has a purpose and a value....each of us contributes to making this place better if we choose to. 

A wonderful sermon I heard recently was a reminder too.....(plant your seeds and when you least expect them to flourish...they may just surprise you with their growth. )Then I realized....in order for some seeds to grow, sometimes there is rain.

Let's all take care of this wonderful planet and each other.

I was reading some chat-style communications about chemical-laden products tonight.  The funny thing is that there are people writing about how if they lived green they would be "dirty, never run their air conditioner, starve"....  I thought it was completely ridiculous at first, then I realized how one might start to feel that way if they encountered a great amount of education all at once. 

I think sometimes that it is important to handle people who are not that educated about the chemicals in their products with care....no one likes their ego smashed, even when it relates to something as menial as shopping.  We all take pride in different things, like how well we keep our home or garden, how well behaved our children are in public, our education, our status, whatever...so to have masses pointing at us and saying "you use chemical-laden cleaners and are going to die of cancer and your children will too!!!  Ahhh!!"  Well, you can see how that might make someone feel a little under attack. 

Perhaps those of us who have come to terms with the fact that we once made bad choices about our purchases, but have seen the light, could be a little more gentle with those who are not yet at that stage.  We care about the people around us, even if we don't know them well..so our intentions are good, but I learned the hard way that shouting about the dangers of chemicals in products can in fact make some people tune it out.  It may be because they don't want to hear how they have been endangering themselves or their families or it may be ignorance and disbelief...that "yeah, but everything causes cancer these days" mentality. 

Perhaps it would be best to just help people to take steps to form new habits, healthier habits that eventually lead them toward finding even more steps they can take.  Rome wasn't built in a day as they say....and old habits die hard.  So, let's take care of each other, try not to judge others too harshley, show some tolerance for where others may need it.....and remember, no matter how far we have come ourselves....there is always room for improvement. 

This is a concept that I recently started to explore.  I don't know how many of you seasoned green people out there already are aware of this....great if you are!  I would LOVE your feedback and suggestions of things to look into.  I think this is a fantastic, and highly overdue way to look at things that we do, make, use, etc.

Basically, for those of you who are new to this like I am, I understand this to mean that companies (at least those certified Cradle to Cradle) are making the greatest effort in green.  It appears that these companies are looking beyond the idea that everything should be able to not affect the planet while we are here, but instead they are looking at making things, doing things, that are not going to harm the earth for generations to come.  We apparently used to aim for Cradle to Grave which didn't take the future that much into consideration.  These new ways of thinking are looking at ways that what we do today can make a better tomorrow for the next generation to come from a cradle.  Beautiful!

I love the trend the world is moving toward:  the greener companies, the green conscious consumer, the recycler, the packaging-concerned individuals, the government (when they jump in), everyone seems to be making small steps and some are taking leaps of faith into a better world.  We should be proud!  I am enjoying a new sunny day - full of hope, faith and a belief that we are really headed on the right road.  It may be a long road because of our blinders from before....but at least the direction seems clear.

Keep it up fellow green people.

Oh, one last thing....I'm going to try to find as many Cradle to Cradle items I can to add to my shop (I've already got the G-diaper on there).  I would highly recommend anyone with an infant to take a look and get acquainted with these!

When the original idea of What's In Store started in 2007.  It was a simple idea based on the fact that people today seem to work longer hours, work farther from their homes, already spend too much time on their computers and not enough time on their relationships.  I figured that if I could do the legwork for these people they would be able to reduce stress and get more enjoyment out of their "free" time.

In the second half of the first year I started learning about the chemical use in so many of the products that we use every day.  I started to become more and more educated about the damage to our health and the environment that we all become a part of and don't necessarily even realize until it has become a habit that is hard to break.  I knew that there had to be alternatives that we could choose.  So, I set out to find products that were not laden with chemicals, that still met the requirements of effectiveness and preferably were made in Canada.  This task was exciting and gave me a sense of doing something worthwhile...not just selling other people's stuff! 

I'm so glad to say that I have found many wonderful companies run by people who are doing something they believe in, proud of what they do and are truly interested in the well being of all.

The goal for What's In Store is to provide a central place where those who do not have the time to do their own research can gain comfort in the fact that I have tried very hard  (with wonderful success) to put into place affiliations with companies that care, want to make quality products and still respect health and environmental issues.

I hope that my small efforts to become the place that is "making it easy to be part of the solution" can bring reduced stress, joy and well being to those it reaches.

Christine McKague, President
What's In Store