One of my roommates during the Vipassana meditation course is Burmese. This is an email I just received from Phyuthwe:
A group of friends from NY and BKK are raising funds, I am buying supplies here and my husband group is distributing them in hard hit areas. He came back 2 days ago and he left again this afternoon. I am going there this Sat. Because we are burmese we are able to go to restricted areas for aid workers. If you like to help please visit our blog site and forward anyone who can help the victimes. I am updating everyday with all all the details, from funds raised to what we buy and where we donated
Thank you for your support.
Our blogsite: moegyo.blogspot.com
Monday, May 12, 2008
Thursday, May 1, 2008
The Master Cleanse
Fasting is a method used for millennium for the purpose of body purification, detoxification, and rest for the digestive system. It has numerous benefits ranging from healing, disease prevention, longevity, and steady energy levels.
There are many types of fasts ranging from 1-day to 40-days using water, tea, juice, fruit, etc. One I have been curious about for a while is the Master Cleanse which consists of 10 days of spicy lemonade (pure water, lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper). In order to do it, I knew I would need moral support so finding some folks to do it was my excuse for never doing it before. When I got back from Vipassana, a couple friends were planning to do it. Here was my big chance! After 10 days is silence, I was ready to tackle 10 days of fasting.
Here we go:
Day 1-
As I have practiced 1-day fasts for a while, day one was as expected-- a bit hungry but no big whoop.
As with all fasts, herbal teas are allowed. I am supplementing the spicy lemonade with chrysanthemum and ginseng, mint (hmm, refreshing!), as well as Bojenmi tea, a herbal laxative tea. In addition to the lemonade, laxative tea is second part of the cleanse/detox process.
Day 2-
It's hard to be around food due to creation of food cravings. Grumpy and low energy. My eye balls are bloodshot.
Day 3-
I can't believe I still have solid poo in my system! I'm feeling lighter and thinking/acting with greater clarity. I'm not super hungry but whenever I do get hungry, I have lemonade or tea and am fine.
Day 4-
Food cravings are still there. It's helpful to have lots of work and planned activities in place of meal times. I have had an incredibly productive week!
I have also been going to the sauna to sweat each day which is a rejuvenating replacement for more vigorous physical activity.
Day 5-
At start of day five, I still have solid poo- amazing! Day ten seems like a long way away but I'm almost to the mid-way point.
Day 6-
Oops-- overdid it with the physical activity today. I am very hungry and tired out.
I realize, however, that this is really the first time I've been hungry (as opposed to just experiencing craving) since I began.
Day 7-
Yesterday was taxing and my muscles are a bit soar but I'm back on my regimen of light activity, a lot of desk time, and sauna. I have also been careful to go to bed early to get plenty of sleep. Meditation practice has been invaluable during this time to bring greater focus to the mind and awareness of the body-- thank you, Vipassana!
Day 8-
I am ready to be finished.
Day 9-
Almost there...I feel fine for the most part though I certainly am moody and sensitive at times. Otherwise, my energy is good-- light but strong, steady-- and I'm quite giddy at times. I have been carrying extra weight since my trip to India (too many delicious chapatis) and it feels good to be back to my normal size. I've lost about a pound a day since Day 4.
Day 10-
Looking forward to breaking with miso soup, greens, and a combination of rice, beans, and sesame seed (blended and easily digestible) as recommended by Dr. Chong, my trusty acupuncturist.
This has been a psychological, emotional, physical, and metaphysical experiment for me. Much of it was psychological in terms of being so intensely aware of food cravings, exposure to food, advertisements, etc. This process also brought great awareness the quantity, frequency, and types (impure/non-nourishing) of food I eat unnecessarily.
Though I heard that this fast gets easier after the third day, this was not my experience. In fact, the intensity increased especially for the last few days. I became particularly sensitive to both physical and emotional sensations, interactions, habits, and patterns in my life. Though this was not an easy experience, it was highly valuable and has heightened my awareness in daily living. Interestingly, I have also felt more open and expressive, getting in stronger touch with my creativity.
I could not have done this without the support of my partna in crime, who enthusiastically volunteered to do it together. His emotional and culinary support in maintaining a Master Cleanse home for ten days was invaluable. And the inspiration of my friends to do it was crucial motivation for me. Thank you, Ashish, Joy, and Lauren!
In addition to fasting, I aim to practice and recommend exercises like eating less, less often, and better food. These are simple and common sense approaches that we all know that may prove surprisingly difficult to carry out. I have learned not to underestimate the power of habit on these matters. Though I've heard it takes 90 days to form a habit, I would argue that even after ten days, the mind adapts to habitual patterns. Though the last few days were hard, only drinking lemonade began to feel normal as I got up and went to the kitchen to squeeze lemons instead of cut fruit.
However, there is also no question about the power of food bombardment, so successfully conducted by the advertising and food industry. Without awareness of our mind, body, and actions, humans are very susceptible to temptations of excess fat, sugar, and quantities.
All of this especially in the U.S. where I was just reading today, we consume 5 times more food per capita compared to India. And this amount is increasing! Though much of this goes to waste here in the U.S.-- that doesn't make it any better considering the ongoing global food crisis and that when food ends up in a dump, it can't decompose the way it does in a compost (at least 1/3 of household waste is compostable). Here are some stats to snack on:
-Each Indian gets to eat about 178 kg of grain in a year, while a US citizen consumes 1,046 kg. In per capita terms, US grain consumption is twice that of the European Union and thrice that of China. Grain consumption includes flour and by conversion to alcohol.
-Per capita grain consumption has increased in the US — so actually the Americans are eating more. In 2003, US per capita grain consumption was 946 kg per year which increased to 1046 kg last year. India’s per capita grain consumption has remained static over the same period. It’s not just grains.
-As far as meat consumption is concerned, the US leads the world in per capita consumption by a wide margin. Beef consumption, for example, is 42.6 kg per person per year, compared to a mere 1.6 kg in India and 5.9 kg in China. In case you are thinking that perhaps Indians might be going in for chicken, think again. In the US, 45.4 kg poultry meat is consumed every year by each person, compared to just 1.9 kg in India.
Read the entire article here.
There are many types of fasts ranging from 1-day to 40-days using water, tea, juice, fruit, etc. One I have been curious about for a while is the Master Cleanse which consists of 10 days of spicy lemonade (pure water, lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper). In order to do it, I knew I would need moral support so finding some folks to do it was my excuse for never doing it before. When I got back from Vipassana, a couple friends were planning to do it. Here was my big chance! After 10 days is silence, I was ready to tackle 10 days of fasting.
Here we go:
Day 1-
As I have practiced 1-day fasts for a while, day one was as expected-- a bit hungry but no big whoop.
As with all fasts, herbal teas are allowed. I am supplementing the spicy lemonade with chrysanthemum and ginseng, mint (hmm, refreshing!), as well as Bojenmi tea, a herbal laxative tea. In addition to the lemonade, laxative tea is second part of the cleanse/detox process.
Day 2-
It's hard to be around food due to creation of food cravings. Grumpy and low energy. My eye balls are bloodshot.
Day 3-
I can't believe I still have solid poo in my system! I'm feeling lighter and thinking/acting with greater clarity. I'm not super hungry but whenever I do get hungry, I have lemonade or tea and am fine.
Day 4-
Food cravings are still there. It's helpful to have lots of work and planned activities in place of meal times. I have had an incredibly productive week!
I have also been going to the sauna to sweat each day which is a rejuvenating replacement for more vigorous physical activity.
Day 5-
At start of day five, I still have solid poo- amazing! Day ten seems like a long way away but I'm almost to the mid-way point.
Day 6-
Oops-- overdid it with the physical activity today. I am very hungry and tired out.
I realize, however, that this is really the first time I've been hungry (as opposed to just experiencing craving) since I began.
Day 7-
Yesterday was taxing and my muscles are a bit soar but I'm back on my regimen of light activity, a lot of desk time, and sauna. I have also been careful to go to bed early to get plenty of sleep. Meditation practice has been invaluable during this time to bring greater focus to the mind and awareness of the body-- thank you, Vipassana!
Day 8-
I am ready to be finished.
Day 9-
Almost there...I feel fine for the most part though I certainly am moody and sensitive at times. Otherwise, my energy is good-- light but strong, steady-- and I'm quite giddy at times. I have been carrying extra weight since my trip to India (too many delicious chapatis) and it feels good to be back to my normal size. I've lost about a pound a day since Day 4.
Day 10-
Looking forward to breaking with miso soup, greens, and a combination of rice, beans, and sesame seed (blended and easily digestible) as recommended by Dr. Chong, my trusty acupuncturist.
This has been a psychological, emotional, physical, and metaphysical experiment for me. Much of it was psychological in terms of being so intensely aware of food cravings, exposure to food, advertisements, etc. This process also brought great awareness the quantity, frequency, and types (impure/non-nourishing) of food I eat unnecessarily.
Though I heard that this fast gets easier after the third day, this was not my experience. In fact, the intensity increased especially for the last few days. I became particularly sensitive to both physical and emotional sensations, interactions, habits, and patterns in my life. Though this was not an easy experience, it was highly valuable and has heightened my awareness in daily living. Interestingly, I have also felt more open and expressive, getting in stronger touch with my creativity.
I could not have done this without the support of my partna in crime, who enthusiastically volunteered to do it together. His emotional and culinary support in maintaining a Master Cleanse home for ten days was invaluable. And the inspiration of my friends to do it was crucial motivation for me. Thank you, Ashish, Joy, and Lauren!
In addition to fasting, I aim to practice and recommend exercises like eating less, less often, and better food. These are simple and common sense approaches that we all know that may prove surprisingly difficult to carry out. I have learned not to underestimate the power of habit on these matters. Though I've heard it takes 90 days to form a habit, I would argue that even after ten days, the mind adapts to habitual patterns. Though the last few days were hard, only drinking lemonade began to feel normal as I got up and went to the kitchen to squeeze lemons instead of cut fruit.
However, there is also no question about the power of food bombardment, so successfully conducted by the advertising and food industry. Without awareness of our mind, body, and actions, humans are very susceptible to temptations of excess fat, sugar, and quantities.
All of this especially in the U.S. where I was just reading today, we consume 5 times more food per capita compared to India. And this amount is increasing! Though much of this goes to waste here in the U.S.-- that doesn't make it any better considering the ongoing global food crisis and that when food ends up in a dump, it can't decompose the way it does in a compost (at least 1/3 of household waste is compostable). Here are some stats to snack on:
-Each Indian gets to eat about 178 kg of grain in a year, while a US citizen consumes 1,046 kg. In per capita terms, US grain consumption is twice that of the European Union and thrice that of China. Grain consumption includes flour and by conversion to alcohol.
-Per capita grain consumption has increased in the US — so actually the Americans are eating more. In 2003, US per capita grain consumption was 946 kg per year which increased to 1046 kg last year. India’s per capita grain consumption has remained static over the same period. It’s not just grains.
-As far as meat consumption is concerned, the US leads the world in per capita consumption by a wide margin. Beef consumption, for example, is 42.6 kg per person per year, compared to a mere 1.6 kg in India and 5.9 kg in China. In case you are thinking that perhaps Indians might be going in for chicken, think again. In the US, 45.4 kg poultry meat is consumed every year by each person, compared to just 1.9 kg in India.
Read the entire article here.
Vipasssana Meditation Course
Okay, so this has been in the making for a while and here was my big chance. I read S.N. Goenka's book, The Art of Living, and the concepts of the technique had been seeping their way in for a year but I had not yet known Vipassana experientially. Ten days of silence and 10 hours to practice sure did the job.
A bit about the course. It is called Vipassana, which means, to see things as they are. This is the technique discovered by Gautama Buddha 2500 years ago and is how he achieved enlightenment. After his discovery, he taught it for 40 years in northern India before his death at age 80. It has been passed down directly from teacher to student since then. I took at course at Dhamma Dhara in Shelbourne, Massachusetts, the oldest Vipassana Meditation Center in the U.S. During the first 9 days, the women and men taking the course (about 40 in each group) remain separate from one another and in noble silence to assist in silencing the mind. Chanting during meditation and a one hour video discourse is provided by S.N. Goenka, the teacher that reintroduced Vipassana to India after it had been lost for centuries. Goenkaji lives in Mumbai, India. In addition, assistant teachers are available for guidance and to answer any questions throughout the course. Below are the daily schedule and some of my experiences during during the course.
Daily schedule:
4:30-6:30 meditation in hall or room
6:30-7:30 breakfast
7:30-8:30 rest
8:30-9:30 group meditation in hall
9:30-11:00 meditation in hall or room
11:00-12:00 lunch
12:00-1:00 rest
1:00-2:30 meditation in hall or room
2:30-3:30 group meditation in hall
3:30-5:00 meditation in hall or room
5:00-6:00 tea and fruit
6:00-7:00 group meditation in hall
7:00-8:00 discourse by Goenkaji
8:00-9:00 group meditation in hall
10:00 lights out
Day 1-
Akk! I missed the 4AM wake up bell! I missed the morning meditation session but was in time for breakfast. Some student I am! I wish my roommates could wake me up.
It feels like prison here with our controlled meal and outing times to the walking loop. Ok, time for meditation-- I only need one pillow to sit on. Meditating for an hour or two at a time is hard but that's to be expected-- surely it will get easier. If I can just get some of these songs out of my head, I could enjoy the silence. Outside of meditation, I amuse myself in my mind and find humor in most any oddity.
Day 2-
I missed the bell again but fortunately hear my roommates get up. The food is good but it's odd to be finished eating for the day (other than fruit and tea) at 11:30A. Wow, my mind is a monkey! All over the place and so demanding of attention when I am working on focus. And ooph, here I go again- criticizing myself for the same things I always do. Thank goodness for the hour of instructional video in the evening when I can receive external input, sit against the wall, and laugh! And thank goodness we are around each other all day even if we are silent-- silence and isolation would be maddening.
Day 3-
How is it possible that I don't hear the bell? It's so loud. My bum is soar. My knees hurt after sitting for only a short while. My digestion is unsteady in the afternoons-- I've never experienced indigestion really-- why now with this healthy food and less eating? I'm so sick of doing the same thing over and over. It's nearly impossible to focus my mind. Ahhh, pillows to raise my knees is what I needed. No more knee pain! At least I can sit even if my mind is a crazy hairball of distraction.
Day 4-
Finally, I heard the bell! Ahhh, and further instruction. This is cool. I'm enjoying this rare opportunity. My mind stays focused for short periods of time.
I really wish I could talk to my roommate to ask for some floss. Outside of meditation, I observe the other course participants, make up names for them, and have little conversations with them or just greet them (in my mind).
Day 5-
Getting better. I feel very peaceful and relaxed. There's still a long way to go but I can feel waves of vibrations throughout my body as Goenkaji said there are all the time, we are just not aware of them. I'm amazed that every impure thought, deed, action, craving, and aversion is stored in my body-mind and is associated with a sensation waiting to be released by bringing my awareness to it. Even the smallest of things I haven't thought of since they happened. Some sensations are painful, some vibrational.
Day 6-
And better. This is bliss! I have growing awareness throughout my body. That's the first part. The second part is equanimity. This is much harder. It's difficult to maintain equanimity towards the pleasant and unpleasant sensations alike.
Day 7-
And better. My sensitivity to sensations around the body has really increased and my ability to focus has improved vastly. I am able to go right into meditation rather than having my mind wander. There is pain and pleasure throughout but both have the same characteristic- arising and passing, arising and passing.
Day 8-
Better still. This is a truly amazing experience unparalleled by any I have had previously. I want to share this experience with everyone I know!
Day 9-
Today we break silence so that we have a one day buffer of interaction with each other (males and females) before going into the outside world. Meditation first in the morning. After being welcomed to break silence, I leave the meditation hall and turn right back around to go back in. I have a visceral reaction to the mere possibility of verbal interaction. My temperature raises and I feel anxiety in a way that I have never felt. What is this? I sit and meditate more recalling almost every childhood memory I have and scanning through other memories that have come up during the course. After an hour, I am ready to go out. I go outside and walk to my room where one of my roommates is. I'm so happy and so excited to be talking and interacting finally. Wow! We go to lunch where everybody is excitedly talking yet with some amount of reserve. The sound of everyone's voice echoing off the dining room walls is really really intense-- almost unbearable. I am happy to be interacting but feel very sensitive and wish everyone could lower their voices. Soon, we are all laughing amongst ourselves and after 20 minutes or so, my ears are once again accustomed to the human voice. It's a treat to talk two wonderful women I have been sharing a room with and we laugh about the things we wished we could've said to each other over the last 9 days. We learned how two of us had talked in our sleep (so I can't say I kept absolute silence!). Then, an old friend I have not seen in 7 years comes up to me. A gift!
Today also we learn metta. Metta is loving kindness practice where we, after 9 days of introspection, focus our awareness externally to generate love, peace, and liberation among all beings. What joy!
Day 10-
I'm walking on air. I feel totally embodied in a space of peace, calm, and happiness. What a blessing to take this course and be taken such good care of- they feed us, house us, teach us, and guide us in such a peaceful and loving way. I hope that my family will come. I hope to have the strength and discipline to practice Vipassana everyday. Though I am at the beginning of the path to liberation, I know that taking the first step is often the hardest and that to have this tool within my being is the greatest gift I have ever experienced.
May all beings be happy, peaceful, and liberated!
A bit about the course. It is called Vipassana, which means, to see things as they are. This is the technique discovered by Gautama Buddha 2500 years ago and is how he achieved enlightenment. After his discovery, he taught it for 40 years in northern India before his death at age 80. It has been passed down directly from teacher to student since then. I took at course at Dhamma Dhara in Shelbourne, Massachusetts, the oldest Vipassana Meditation Center in the U.S. During the first 9 days, the women and men taking the course (about 40 in each group) remain separate from one another and in noble silence to assist in silencing the mind. Chanting during meditation and a one hour video discourse is provided by S.N. Goenka, the teacher that reintroduced Vipassana to India after it had been lost for centuries. Goenkaji lives in Mumbai, India. In addition, assistant teachers are available for guidance and to answer any questions throughout the course. Below are the daily schedule and some of my experiences during during the course.
Daily schedule:
4:30-6:30 meditation in hall or room
6:30-7:30 breakfast
7:30-8:30 rest
8:30-9:30 group meditation in hall
9:30-11:00 meditation in hall or room
11:00-12:00 lunch
12:00-1:00 rest
1:00-2:30 meditation in hall or room
2:30-3:30 group meditation in hall
3:30-5:00 meditation in hall or room
5:00-6:00 tea and fruit
6:00-7:00 group meditation in hall
7:00-8:00 discourse by Goenkaji
8:00-9:00 group meditation in hall
10:00 lights out
Day 1-
Akk! I missed the 4AM wake up bell! I missed the morning meditation session but was in time for breakfast. Some student I am! I wish my roommates could wake me up.
It feels like prison here with our controlled meal and outing times to the walking loop. Ok, time for meditation-- I only need one pillow to sit on. Meditating for an hour or two at a time is hard but that's to be expected-- surely it will get easier. If I can just get some of these songs out of my head, I could enjoy the silence. Outside of meditation, I amuse myself in my mind and find humor in most any oddity.
Day 2-
I missed the bell again but fortunately hear my roommates get up. The food is good but it's odd to be finished eating for the day (other than fruit and tea) at 11:30A. Wow, my mind is a monkey! All over the place and so demanding of attention when I am working on focus. And ooph, here I go again- criticizing myself for the same things I always do. Thank goodness for the hour of instructional video in the evening when I can receive external input, sit against the wall, and laugh! And thank goodness we are around each other all day even if we are silent-- silence and isolation would be maddening.
Day 3-
How is it possible that I don't hear the bell? It's so loud. My bum is soar. My knees hurt after sitting for only a short while. My digestion is unsteady in the afternoons-- I've never experienced indigestion really-- why now with this healthy food and less eating? I'm so sick of doing the same thing over and over. It's nearly impossible to focus my mind. Ahhh, pillows to raise my knees is what I needed. No more knee pain! At least I can sit even if my mind is a crazy hairball of distraction.
Day 4-
Finally, I heard the bell! Ahhh, and further instruction. This is cool. I'm enjoying this rare opportunity. My mind stays focused for short periods of time.
I really wish I could talk to my roommate to ask for some floss. Outside of meditation, I observe the other course participants, make up names for them, and have little conversations with them or just greet them (in my mind).
Day 5-
Getting better. I feel very peaceful and relaxed. There's still a long way to go but I can feel waves of vibrations throughout my body as Goenkaji said there are all the time, we are just not aware of them. I'm amazed that every impure thought, deed, action, craving, and aversion is stored in my body-mind and is associated with a sensation waiting to be released by bringing my awareness to it. Even the smallest of things I haven't thought of since they happened. Some sensations are painful, some vibrational.
Day 6-
And better. This is bliss! I have growing awareness throughout my body. That's the first part. The second part is equanimity. This is much harder. It's difficult to maintain equanimity towards the pleasant and unpleasant sensations alike.
Day 7-
And better. My sensitivity to sensations around the body has really increased and my ability to focus has improved vastly. I am able to go right into meditation rather than having my mind wander. There is pain and pleasure throughout but both have the same characteristic- arising and passing, arising and passing.
Day 8-
Better still. This is a truly amazing experience unparalleled by any I have had previously. I want to share this experience with everyone I know!
Day 9-
Today we break silence so that we have a one day buffer of interaction with each other (males and females) before going into the outside world. Meditation first in the morning. After being welcomed to break silence, I leave the meditation hall and turn right back around to go back in. I have a visceral reaction to the mere possibility of verbal interaction. My temperature raises and I feel anxiety in a way that I have never felt. What is this? I sit and meditate more recalling almost every childhood memory I have and scanning through other memories that have come up during the course. After an hour, I am ready to go out. I go outside and walk to my room where one of my roommates is. I'm so happy and so excited to be talking and interacting finally. Wow! We go to lunch where everybody is excitedly talking yet with some amount of reserve. The sound of everyone's voice echoing off the dining room walls is really really intense-- almost unbearable. I am happy to be interacting but feel very sensitive and wish everyone could lower their voices. Soon, we are all laughing amongst ourselves and after 20 minutes or so, my ears are once again accustomed to the human voice. It's a treat to talk two wonderful women I have been sharing a room with and we laugh about the things we wished we could've said to each other over the last 9 days. We learned how two of us had talked in our sleep (so I can't say I kept absolute silence!). Then, an old friend I have not seen in 7 years comes up to me. A gift!
Today also we learn metta. Metta is loving kindness practice where we, after 9 days of introspection, focus our awareness externally to generate love, peace, and liberation among all beings. What joy!
Day 10-
I'm walking on air. I feel totally embodied in a space of peace, calm, and happiness. What a blessing to take this course and be taken such good care of- they feed us, house us, teach us, and guide us in such a peaceful and loving way. I hope that my family will come. I hope to have the strength and discipline to practice Vipassana everyday. Though I am at the beginning of the path to liberation, I know that taking the first step is often the hardest and that to have this tool within my being is the greatest gift I have ever experienced.
May all beings be happy, peaceful, and liberated!
Bike in an "unbikable city"
"You're moving where? LA? And without a car?!" It may come as a surprise that LA has one of the country's highest rated public transportation systems. True, that's not saying a whole lot considering the inadequacy of public transportation systems here compared to other countries, but I have found it quite user friendly. And paired with my bike, it's a dynamic duo! I have all kinds of local support for biking including bike paths, bike shops, bike organizations, and social bike rides.
Another similar action that I have yet to do is bike in an "unbikable climate". There are towns up north in Canada where people bike year-round. Check out Kevin Blake's pedal powered snow plow and this rad website on the formation of Bicycle Cities.
Another similar action that I have yet to do is bike in an "unbikable climate". There are towns up north in Canada where people bike year-round. Check out Kevin Blake's pedal powered snow plow and this rad website on the formation of Bicycle Cities.
Gave away my car
Actually, I tried to sell it first. But nobody bit, so I gave it away. After having a sticker reading, "God, grant me the courage to sell my car" for a a year, I finally got the courage. And now? Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh, can you hear my sigh of relief? Avoid car culture? Yes, please. Avoid supporting the war machine? Yes, please. Avoid polluting with personal transportation? Yes, please. Avoid the cost of repairs, insurance, and wasted time in parking lots? Yes, please! You can too and your car will end up in the ownership of those less fortunate. These folks have a great organization going and run it with <15% administrative costs.
Ran my car on biodiesel
After not having a car for a while, I needed one for work. So, I got an old Mercedes and fueled her up with biodiesel. Biodiesel is a good alternative to dinodiesel especially to avoid dependence upon foreign oil and petroleum in general...except that it's still a major polluter and is hardly a long term solution (considering there is only enough waste vegetable oil to go around). So, I, with the inspiration of innumerable members of bicycle culture but a few in particular including Shake Your Peace, Rock the Bike, and Xtracycle....
Use cloth instead of paper
As a tree lover and preserver, I use cloth instead of paper in the form of tissue, napkins, paper towels, etc. Paper products are often made from virgin fiber (instead of recycled materials) and bleached with chlorine resulting in all kinds of environmental woes, from downed trees to airborne carcinogens to polluted water. Kleenex is a particularly destructive force to ancient forests. Check out Greenpeace's Kleerkut campaign for more info. Oy! Use cloth instead. I even stopped using TP at home which may sound like a foreign idea to westerners. Indeed it is, the idea comes from India where a billion people use water instead and have been for thousands of years.
On the topic of unnecessary paper use, check out 41 pounds to stop junk mail and unwanted catalogs. Again, see Chris Jordan's artwork showing 8 million toothpicks, equal to the number of trees harvested in the US every month to make the paper for mail order catalogs.
On the topic of unnecessary paper use, check out 41 pounds to stop junk mail and unwanted catalogs. Again, see Chris Jordan's artwork showing 8 million toothpicks, equal to the number of trees harvested in the US every month to make the paper for mail order catalogs.
Follow the precautionary principle
Another revolutionary concept I'd like to introduce on the topic of evolving into a new (=ancient) way of living is the Precautionary Principle, a moral and political principle which states that proof must exist that no harm will result from action or policy taken. In the absence of a scientific consensus that harm would not ensue, the burden of proof falls on those who advocate taking the action. The purpose is to provide guidance for protecting public health and the environment in the face of uncertain risks(from Wiki).
This is a tough one to explain here in the U.S., where government and industry favor the opposite approach: "do what you want and whoever suffers...well, we don't care. If damage is done, maybe we'll make reparations if forced to do so." Corporate law currently states that corporations are legally obligated to make profit regardless of the effect on humans or the environment. How koo-koo is that?
A contemporary example of applying the PP is in agriculture when growing genetic engineered (GE) food. Currently, organic farmers, who grow food naturally (without genetically engineered seeds) are responsible for protecting their crops from cross-breeding with GE seeds. This is not only ludicrous but impossible. How can a farmer possibly prevent wind and insects from coming onto her land? That is, unless she farms in a bubble...and then it's not a farm. Under the Precautionary Principle, the farmer using GE seeds would be responsible for preventing the introduction of GE organisms into the environment. Again, this is impossible. Therefore, we would not allow genetically engineered food at all because we cannot possibly predict the harm it will cause upon interaction with the environment (causing super weeds when cross-breeding with other plants for example) and our bodies (introducing bacteria that would never be in our intestinal tract otherwise).
This is a tough one to explain here in the U.S., where government and industry favor the opposite approach: "do what you want and whoever suffers...well, we don't care. If damage is done, maybe we'll make reparations if forced to do so." Corporate law currently states that corporations are legally obligated to make profit regardless of the effect on humans or the environment. How koo-koo is that?
A contemporary example of applying the PP is in agriculture when growing genetic engineered (GE) food. Currently, organic farmers, who grow food naturally (without genetically engineered seeds) are responsible for protecting their crops from cross-breeding with GE seeds. This is not only ludicrous but impossible. How can a farmer possibly prevent wind and insects from coming onto her land? That is, unless she farms in a bubble...and then it's not a farm. Under the Precautionary Principle, the farmer using GE seeds would be responsible for preventing the introduction of GE organisms into the environment. Again, this is impossible. Therefore, we would not allow genetically engineered food at all because we cannot possibly predict the harm it will cause upon interaction with the environment (causing super weeds when cross-breeding with other plants for example) and our bodies (introducing bacteria that would never be in our intestinal tract otherwise).
Get informed with intentional brain washing
We all wash our brains with something, right? So I say, choose wisely. I decided to turn of the TV to avoid as much exposure to corporate media as possible. I read independent news, books and watch documentaries instead. I also listen to and support local radio and artists.
This is a very informative news blog.
Here are some of my favorite documentaries:
Vanishing of the Bees
Future of Food
The Corporation
Last Best Chance
Life and Debt
The Fog of War
Outfoxed
Zeitgeist-- watch this today for free on the internet!
And some I've heard good things about:
The End of Suburbia
Blue Vinyl
Thirst
Here is a site with a bunch of rad free documentaries.
Here is an excellent source for independent media including documentaries, lectures, and interviews.
And when you're truly ready to be awakened, check out David Icke.
This is a very informative news blog.
Here are some of my favorite documentaries:
Vanishing of the Bees
Future of Food
The Corporation
Last Best Chance
Life and Debt
The Fog of War
Outfoxed
Zeitgeist-- watch this today for free on the internet!
And some I've heard good things about:
The End of Suburbia
Blue Vinyl
Thirst
Here is a site with a bunch of rad free documentaries.
Here is an excellent source for independent media including documentaries, lectures, and interviews.
And when you're truly ready to be awakened, check out David Icke.
Exited the western medical system
The medical system is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. Death results from errors, medication interactions, and complications from surgery. It's also racist not only discriminating against people of color or with less education (these folks disproportionately get lower quality treatment or none at all) but has very little to do with prevention of disease and almost everything to do with pills and surgery. Pharmaceutical companies have one goal: profit. Using pharmaceuticals is not only expensive but has many harmful side effects. Most pharmaceuticals are derived from one or more "active ingredients" found in plants. However, the so-called "inactive ingredients" removed when manufacturing pills are natures way of balancing the effect of the active ingredients. For example, if you take aspirin, it will cause your stomach to bleed in the long term. This does not occur if you use the plant from which aspirin is derived (spiraea ulmaria). Hospitals also have the same goal of profit. In The China Study, T. Collin Campbell describes a plant-based diet used very successfully on victims of multiple heart attack, who are at very high risk of death. When presented to the hospital board, they weren't interested, explaining that bypass surgery is their biggest money maker. Some "health care system" we have. In general, the medical system depends upon profit from unnecessary surgeries and use of prescription medications. This is accomplished by promoting myths about the genetic basis of disease and our individual constitution. Whereas in reality, the same things make all different kinds of people healthy. Anybody who has seen the food fed to patients in hospitals can see that the health care system has little interest in health. The medical industry is also a major contributor to toxic waste including doxin (a harmful persistent organic pollutant) when plastic medical waste is burned. Health Care Without Harm is doing great work to revolutionize the industry.
For actual health care, I use holistic therapies including Jin Shin Jyutsu and Acupuncture. Most importantly is my pursuit of optimal health through yoga, meditation, plant foods, tea, and an active lifestyle.
For actual health care, I use holistic therapies including Jin Shin Jyutsu and Acupuncture. Most importantly is my pursuit of optimal health through yoga, meditation, plant foods, tea, and an active lifestyle.
Compost my own poo!
Do what?! That's right. To grow my own food, I need humus. Humus is the product of composting. Composting is constructing a pile of organic matter in such a way to promote the growth of all kinds of critters that eat it and poop it-- their poop is our humus, a nutrient rich soil that nourishes the seeds we plant.
But why poo? Because one of the essential ingredients of a compost pile is nitrogen. Animal excrement and food scraps are an excellent source of it. Animal waste from non-humans can also be used in the pile but why not use your most local source first and avoid defecating into drinkable water. Those are the words of Joseph Jenkins, author of the Humanure Handbook, where you can learn everything you need to know about composting your waste.
But why poo? Because one of the essential ingredients of a compost pile is nitrogen. Animal excrement and food scraps are an excellent source of it. Animal waste from non-humans can also be used in the pile but why not use your most local source first and avoid defecating into drinkable water. Those are the words of Joseph Jenkins, author of the Humanure Handbook, where you can learn everything you need to know about composting your waste.
Stopped knowingly putting chemicals in/on my body
Though there are a lot of chemicals we are unavoidably exposed to everyday just by walking outside and breathing (in most places), there are innumerable chemicals we are responsible for exposing ourselves to everyday. After working on an EPA product in which researchers attempted to count the number and amount of toxins we are exposed to through food, household products, and personal care products, I learned how toxic our environment can be through our own doing. Though the exercise of quantifying those chemicals seems futile to me, it changed what foods, materials, and products I am willing to buy and keep in my home.
Here are a few biggies:
-remove plastic from the kitchen and all food-related processes-- polymers that make up plastic seep into our foods and cause cancer. learn how to read labels on plastic containers here
-remove teflon and non-stick surfaces from the kitchen- like plastic, these compounds seep into the foods we're cooking on them. The companies that use these coating chemicals spend millions to prevent the research showing how harmful it is from reaching the public.
-use natural cleaning products (vinegar, lemon juice, water, and elbow grease)
-use natural soaps-Dr. Bronner's vegetable based soap is my favorite. It is especially important to avoid anti-bacterial soap. Bacteria are our friends-- we depend upon them for all of our bodily functions. Yes, it's true that harmful bacteria exist but building a strong immune system and washing our hands with water frequently is the best way to prevent them from causing disease. The excessive use of anti-bacterial soaps actually strengthens bacterial populations because they mutate very quickly to become more powerful.
-avoid lotions & cosmetics- the cosmetic industry makes billions of dollars by convincing people that their products are needed to make people beautiful. You are beautiful, just as you are. Our skin is our second set of lungs and everything we put on it is absorbed into the body (that goes for sunscreen too, a carcinogen in itself that harms water habitats like bleaching coral reefs!). A particularly harmful compound called phthalates are found in many personal care and other products. Most babies are now born with phthalates in their bodies along with numerous other industrial chemicals. The product that scientists have identified as the strongest link with body levels of phthalates is nail polish. As far as dry skin- for the best lotion, mix mostly aloe and jojoba oil (the oil closest to the composition of our natural skin oil) and shake for an excellent skin moisturizer. To avoid dry skin in the first place, oil your skin before showers, avoid hot showers, and stay well hydrated.
-avoid sprays of any kind- they create fine particulates that get into our bodies.
-avoid fragrances, air fresheners, etc.- use incense or essential oils instead
-avoid pesticides and fertilizers used for pests and the lawn. For any number of pests, there are natural solutions to use you can find on the web. As far as lawns, get rid of them (Food not Lawns!).
-if building something or buying new furniture, seek out the most earth based materials. Building materials, carpets, paints, mattresses are full of toxins that leach into the air that we breath. Here is a much more comprehensive blog on this topic alone.
HAZARDOUS & UNLABELED NANOTECH PESTICIDES IN CONSUMER PRODUCTS
An important lawsuit was filed last week against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by the International Center for Technology Assessment calling for 200 consumer products to be removed from the market, because they contain dangerous nanoparticle pesticides. The EPA is illegally allowing a wide variety of consumer products to be infused with nanoparticle-sized silver, supposedly for its enhanced "germ killing" abilities. Nano-silver is now laced into products including children's toys, personal care products, household appliances, cleaners, clothing, cutlery, and coated electronics. According to George Kimbrell, staff attorney for ICTA, "Nano-silver is leaching into the environment, where it will have toxic effects on fish, other aquatic species and beneficial microorganisms." Learn more about nanotechnology, take action, and see a comprehensive list of everyday products containing nanotech here:
-Organic Consumers Association
Here are a few biggies:
-remove plastic from the kitchen and all food-related processes-- polymers that make up plastic seep into our foods and cause cancer. learn how to read labels on plastic containers here
-remove teflon and non-stick surfaces from the kitchen- like plastic, these compounds seep into the foods we're cooking on them. The companies that use these coating chemicals spend millions to prevent the research showing how harmful it is from reaching the public.
-use natural cleaning products (vinegar, lemon juice, water, and elbow grease)
-use natural soaps-Dr. Bronner's vegetable based soap is my favorite. It is especially important to avoid anti-bacterial soap. Bacteria are our friends-- we depend upon them for all of our bodily functions. Yes, it's true that harmful bacteria exist but building a strong immune system and washing our hands with water frequently is the best way to prevent them from causing disease. The excessive use of anti-bacterial soaps actually strengthens bacterial populations because they mutate very quickly to become more powerful.
-avoid lotions & cosmetics- the cosmetic industry makes billions of dollars by convincing people that their products are needed to make people beautiful. You are beautiful, just as you are. Our skin is our second set of lungs and everything we put on it is absorbed into the body (that goes for sunscreen too, a carcinogen in itself that harms water habitats like bleaching coral reefs!). A particularly harmful compound called phthalates are found in many personal care and other products. Most babies are now born with phthalates in their bodies along with numerous other industrial chemicals. The product that scientists have identified as the strongest link with body levels of phthalates is nail polish. As far as dry skin- for the best lotion, mix mostly aloe and jojoba oil (the oil closest to the composition of our natural skin oil) and shake for an excellent skin moisturizer. To avoid dry skin in the first place, oil your skin before showers, avoid hot showers, and stay well hydrated.
-avoid sprays of any kind- they create fine particulates that get into our bodies.
-avoid fragrances, air fresheners, etc.- use incense or essential oils instead
-avoid pesticides and fertilizers used for pests and the lawn. For any number of pests, there are natural solutions to use you can find on the web. As far as lawns, get rid of them (Food not Lawns!).
-if building something or buying new furniture, seek out the most earth based materials. Building materials, carpets, paints, mattresses are full of toxins that leach into the air that we breath. Here is a much more comprehensive blog on this topic alone.
HAZARDOUS & UNLABELED NANOTECH PESTICIDES IN CONSUMER PRODUCTS
An important lawsuit was filed last week against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by the International Center for Technology Assessment calling for 200 consumer products to be removed from the market, because they contain dangerous nanoparticle pesticides. The EPA is illegally allowing a wide variety of consumer products to be infused with nanoparticle-sized silver, supposedly for its enhanced "germ killing" abilities. Nano-silver is now laced into products including children's toys, personal care products, household appliances, cleaners, clothing, cutlery, and coated electronics. According to George Kimbrell, staff attorney for ICTA, "Nano-silver is leaching into the environment, where it will have toxic effects on fish, other aquatic species and beneficial microorganisms." Learn more about nanotechnology, take action, and see a comprehensive list of everyday products containing nanotech here:
-Organic Consumers Association
Zero Waste!
The aim of zero waste is consist with the 4R's we all know: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Renew. Of these, I would argue that reducing, reusing, and renewing are the most important. While recycling reduces the amount of waste going into our landfills, recycling is an energy intensive process from the collection of waste to the re-processing of waste to the re-distribution. Recycled materials from the U.S. are often shipped overseas-- for example paper from the west coast often goes to China! Therefore, always aim to use less or none at all. Make someone else's trash your treasure! For inspiration on reducing waste, see Chris Jordan's amazing work.
Zero Waste, however, goes beyond these concepts to construct a model in which there is a closed loop cycle using all 5 kingdoms (animals, plants, fungi, bacteria, and algae) so that the resulting product (otherwise known as waste) from one organism is the food for the next. For example, plants produce food for animals and animals waste can be composted which provides food for bacteria. Fungi is the kingdom we as humans are most closely related to and are a largely untapped resource for dealing with our industrial waste problems (fungi can thrive off of oil and other materials polluting our ecosystem).
Though we are still working on mimicking nature to the extent that we may implement such practices on a societal level, there is tremendous progress towards zero waste. Most notably is a change in consciousness is occurring such that it is clear that anything it's time to design the entire life span of anything we buy, use, and sell to feed back into the buy, use, sell cycle without causing environmental harm. This is a far cry from our current situation where about 70% of the raw materials we use today become waste as soon as they are made into the given product (so much packagaing). A great book that expands on this concept is Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the way we make things by William McDonough. The book itself is made from recycled plastic bags!
TAKE BACK THE FILTER
You probably didn't know that Brita, America's #1 water filter, is owned by Clorox. Brita helps its customers feel good about filtering water without buying untold numbers of plastic bottles. Indeed, the Brita filter option is much better than purchasing bottled water. With that said, the U.S. version of the Brita filter is currently designed to be disposable. Hundreds of thousands of plastic Brita filters needlessly flow into U.S. landfills, while in Europe, the same company is providing those cartridges in a recyclable form. As a result, Brita is currently being pressured by consumers and TakeBacktheFilter.org to change its policies. Learn more about how you can send in your used Brita filters to pressure the company to make the green shift:
-Organic Consumers Association
Zero Waste, however, goes beyond these concepts to construct a model in which there is a closed loop cycle using all 5 kingdoms (animals, plants, fungi, bacteria, and algae) so that the resulting product (otherwise known as waste) from one organism is the food for the next. For example, plants produce food for animals and animals waste can be composted which provides food for bacteria. Fungi is the kingdom we as humans are most closely related to and are a largely untapped resource for dealing with our industrial waste problems (fungi can thrive off of oil and other materials polluting our ecosystem).
Though we are still working on mimicking nature to the extent that we may implement such practices on a societal level, there is tremendous progress towards zero waste. Most notably is a change in consciousness is occurring such that it is clear that anything it's time to design the entire life span of anything we buy, use, and sell to feed back into the buy, use, sell cycle without causing environmental harm. This is a far cry from our current situation where about 70% of the raw materials we use today become waste as soon as they are made into the given product (so much packagaing). A great book that expands on this concept is Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the way we make things by William McDonough. The book itself is made from recycled plastic bags!
TAKE BACK THE FILTER
You probably didn't know that Brita, America's #1 water filter, is owned by Clorox. Brita helps its customers feel good about filtering water without buying untold numbers of plastic bottles. Indeed, the Brita filter option is much better than purchasing bottled water. With that said, the U.S. version of the Brita filter is currently designed to be disposable. Hundreds of thousands of plastic Brita filters needlessly flow into U.S. landfills, while in Europe, the same company is providing those cartridges in a recyclable form. As a result, Brita is currently being pressured by consumers and TakeBacktheFilter.org to change its policies. Learn more about how you can send in your used Brita filters to pressure the company to make the green shift:
-Organic Consumers Association
Drink naturally
I lived in Davis, California for 5 years, where they don't fluoridate their water. Why is this, you ask? Well, it is because cavities are not prevented by fluoride. They are prevented by eating natural, whole foods, and native diets. Populations untouched from sugar and processed foods don't have dental caries. The idea of adding fluoride to water came from the aluminum processing industry in search of a way to profit from this by-product.
Fluoride is one of many contaminants found in our water. That being said, municipal water is still a better way to go compared to bottled water. Bottled water encourages the commodification of water threatening its free access and status as a basic human right. Bottling and distributing water (usually in plastic=poison) uses a grotesque amount of energy and such companies often cause environmental destruction to the areas where they harvest water. Theses companies are also not highly regulated and a recent report by the Earth Policy Institute showed that ~40% of bottled water starts as tap water. For example, Dasani water is owned by coke and is simply tap water put in a plastic bottle that costs more than gas per gallon.
Speaking of which, though there are many companies to be picked on, Coke is a tremendously wide target considering they are guilty of everything from pollution of ground water at factories sites, huge consumption of resources in manufacturing and distributing coke to to the murder of union organizers in Latin America. All of this not to mention that how poisonous it is for the human body. Aspartame, used to sweeten diet coke, was rejected by the FDA for 16 years before it's approval. And then there's the popular India Guru, Baba Ram Dev, who uses coke as toilet bowl cleaner to show folks how acidic it is. So, join us in boycotting coke and their many products, too many to list below but a full list of which you can find here-- thank you Wikipedia!
Coke
Dasani
Fanta
Fuze Healthy Infusions
Godiva
Hi-C
Nestea
Schwepps
Minute Maid
Odwalla
Seagrams
Spring! water
Vitamin water
Burp!, documentary on the Coke and Pepsi empire can be watched here
Fluoride is one of many contaminants found in our water. That being said, municipal water is still a better way to go compared to bottled water. Bottled water encourages the commodification of water threatening its free access and status as a basic human right. Bottling and distributing water (usually in plastic=poison) uses a grotesque amount of energy and such companies often cause environmental destruction to the areas where they harvest water. Theses companies are also not highly regulated and a recent report by the Earth Policy Institute showed that ~40% of bottled water starts as tap water. For example, Dasani water is owned by coke and is simply tap water put in a plastic bottle that costs more than gas per gallon.
Speaking of which, though there are many companies to be picked on, Coke is a tremendously wide target considering they are guilty of everything from pollution of ground water at factories sites, huge consumption of resources in manufacturing and distributing coke to to the murder of union organizers in Latin America. All of this not to mention that how poisonous it is for the human body. Aspartame, used to sweeten diet coke, was rejected by the FDA for 16 years before it's approval. And then there's the popular India Guru, Baba Ram Dev, who uses coke as toilet bowl cleaner to show folks how acidic it is. So, join us in boycotting coke and their many products, too many to list below but a full list of which you can find here-- thank you Wikipedia!
Coke
Dasani
Fanta
Fuze Healthy Infusions
Godiva
Hi-C
Nestea
Schwepps
Minute Maid
Odwalla
Seagrams
Spring! water
Vitamin water
Burp!, documentary on the Coke and Pepsi empire can be watched here
Eat naturally
This process began with eating a vegetarian diet, which I have done most of my life. There are so many reasons to eat a plant-based diet. Some feel it's cruel to eat animals (vegetarians and vegans) and to deprive young animals of their mothers milk in which case all animal foods are avoided (vegans)-- baby calves have to be restricted from their mothers in industrial dairy processing. Vegans take vegetarianism a step further by avoiding all animal-products, in addition to food, because of the cruelty used in such industries. Some are vegetarian because of the extraordinary amount of energy used to produce animals foods compared to plant foods. Some do it because of health-- those who eat plant-based diets experience far less disease of all kinds and therefore live higher quality, longer lives. Eating fewer animal foods also allows me to avoid a number of environmental and agricultural contaminants including hormones, pesticides, and persistent organic pollutants. Being at the top of the food chain and exposed to factory farming conditions, such toxins accumulate in high levels in animal foods. Whatever the reason, there are clearly many. Find your in and do it! Even avoiding animal products a few days a week can have a tremendously positive impact. One of the interesting contrasts to the U.S. diet I observed while living in India is that despite the fact that while most are vegetarian, the meat eaters feel no obligation to have meat everyday whereas in the U.S. meat eaters tend to eat it everyday.
The next step in the process of eating naturally was to go organic. This is to avoid the pollution of my body and environment with chemical-based fertilizers and pesticides that are a by-product of the war industry and subsequently introduced to agriculture and have detrimental effects on our habitat. Though organic costs more (because environmental costs are not factored into industrial food prices), there are many websites with lists of foods highest in pesticides that are most recommended to buy organically. Also, avoiding non-organic corn and soy ingredients are important because of the genetic engineering of these crops (genetic engineering has gnarly consequences for our entire food system). In the beginning, eating organic that meant buying food with an organic label at the grocery store. Then I learned that the production of industrial organic misses many of the benefits that were originally part of the organic revolution 30+ years ago. Namely, what's the benefit of eating organic if it's production uses just as much energy as chemical food?
Next step-- go regional and seasonal! This is also an approach that has numerous benefits. First, to eat regionally means that you're in contact with your food producers through the farmers market or otherwise so you can ensure that agricultural practices are in line with your ethics (e.g. no human or animal cruelty, chemical use, etc.). Second, eating seasonally is more nutritious and hygienic. The food you eat travels a shorter distance from the farm to your table so that and the closer you eat food to it's time of harvest, the more nutrients it has. And imagine how many hands and surfaces touch your food when being shipped across the country or world for that matter. If you're buying directly from a farmer, the food has likely been harvested in the past several days and been handled only by the farm workers. It's also far less energy intensive to eat locally than to eat food that's been harvested who knows when, refrigerated, kept unripe by chemicals, then exposed to chemicals to ripen them, and then jet flown in air conditioning all over the place. There's a lot of debate on this topic as to how local is good enough. Well, my response is it doesn't matter. Just go as local for as much of the year as possible. No need to be militant-- it's the direction that counts. Once you start, you'll want to eat as locally as possible because the food also tastes far better and you will grow a great appreciation for the foods we have during the parts of the year when we have them.
And the ultimate method of going local, grow our own food. This is one of the most revolutionary things we can do.
GENETICALLY ENGINEERED CANDY FOR MOTHERS DAY?
This Mothers Day may be the last time you can buy mainstream non-organic candy for Mom on Mothers Day that isn't made from genetically engineered (GE) sugar. Sugar in most conventional foods will soon come from newly approved biotech sugar beets unless we act now to stop it. In just a few weeks, US farmers are poised to plant their first GE sugar beet crops, Monsanto's Roundup Ready sugar beets. Over half the sugar in processed foods comes from sugar beets (the rest is supplied by sugarcane), and since ingredients from GE crops are not labeled in the U.S., once food producers start using GE beet sugar in their candies, cereals, breads, baby foods and other products, there will be no way for us to know if we are eating GE sugar unless we buy organic foods, since GE ingredients are banned in organic products.
Take action now:
-Organic Consumers Association
The next step in the process of eating naturally was to go organic. This is to avoid the pollution of my body and environment with chemical-based fertilizers and pesticides that are a by-product of the war industry and subsequently introduced to agriculture and have detrimental effects on our habitat. Though organic costs more (because environmental costs are not factored into industrial food prices), there are many websites with lists of foods highest in pesticides that are most recommended to buy organically. Also, avoiding non-organic corn and soy ingredients are important because of the genetic engineering of these crops (genetic engineering has gnarly consequences for our entire food system). In the beginning, eating organic that meant buying food with an organic label at the grocery store. Then I learned that the production of industrial organic misses many of the benefits that were originally part of the organic revolution 30+ years ago. Namely, what's the benefit of eating organic if it's production uses just as much energy as chemical food?
Next step-- go regional and seasonal! This is also an approach that has numerous benefits. First, to eat regionally means that you're in contact with your food producers through the farmers market or otherwise so you can ensure that agricultural practices are in line with your ethics (e.g. no human or animal cruelty, chemical use, etc.). Second, eating seasonally is more nutritious and hygienic. The food you eat travels a shorter distance from the farm to your table so that and the closer you eat food to it's time of harvest, the more nutrients it has. And imagine how many hands and surfaces touch your food when being shipped across the country or world for that matter. If you're buying directly from a farmer, the food has likely been harvested in the past several days and been handled only by the farm workers. It's also far less energy intensive to eat locally than to eat food that's been harvested who knows when, refrigerated, kept unripe by chemicals, then exposed to chemicals to ripen them, and then jet flown in air conditioning all over the place. There's a lot of debate on this topic as to how local is good enough. Well, my response is it doesn't matter. Just go as local for as much of the year as possible. No need to be militant-- it's the direction that counts. Once you start, you'll want to eat as locally as possible because the food also tastes far better and you will grow a great appreciation for the foods we have during the parts of the year when we have them.
And the ultimate method of going local, grow our own food. This is one of the most revolutionary things we can do.
GENETICALLY ENGINEERED CANDY FOR MOTHERS DAY?
This Mothers Day may be the last time you can buy mainstream non-organic candy for Mom on Mothers Day that isn't made from genetically engineered (GE) sugar. Sugar in most conventional foods will soon come from newly approved biotech sugar beets unless we act now to stop it. In just a few weeks, US farmers are poised to plant their first GE sugar beet crops, Monsanto's Roundup Ready sugar beets. Over half the sugar in processed foods comes from sugar beets (the rest is supplied by sugarcane), and since ingredients from GE crops are not labeled in the U.S., once food producers start using GE beet sugar in their candies, cereals, breads, baby foods and other products, there will be no way for us to know if we are eating GE sugar unless we buy organic foods, since GE ingredients are banned in organic products.
Take action now:
-Organic Consumers Association
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