004. ADOPT! Don't Shop!!

Meet Chuck! Adopted just yesterday, this pup is adjusting well in his new loving home.

This Change Weekly has been inspired by the newest addition to my family, Chuck. This two-year-old chihuahua mix was adopted from the Upland Animal Shelter. Upon entering this new shelter, I was impressed by the size and number of volunteers working that morning. However, once I walked around in search for my new companion friend, I was overwhelmed with emotion for the number of dogs that are currently without loving homes. Domesticated dogs rely on your love and affection, and deserve freedom from these small cages! This bring us to this week's change, adopt! Don't shop!

According to The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) approximately 5-7 million animals enter shelters every year and 3-4 million animals are euthanized annually in the United States alone. With millions of dogs and cats entering shelters every year, there are plenty of animals that are in desperate need of loving homes. Unfortunately many of these animals do not get the home they need and are euthanized. 

There are two parts to this problem. First and most importantly, we need to find a better way to control the domestic population of dogs and cats in our communities. By spaying and neutering your animals as soon as it is possible, we are eliminating the excess of stray/abandoned animals entering animal shelters. It is the responsibility of humans to care for these animals, because we have domesticated them to depend on us! By preventing the problem, we will work towards the solution much faster. However, there is a problem that we are currently facing with there already being too many animals in shelters without homes. Therefore, the second way to better this problem is by adopting animals from local shelters rather than from breeders or pet shops. If we change our demand for "designer dogs" only, and give love to those that are in shelters, we will positively impact the lives of dogs, cats, puppies, kittens, birds and other animals. 

So, before you go to the pet shop, remember there are many loving animals at your local shelter waiting for you to take them home. 

003. Shop Locally Grown

Your local farmer's market is a great place to buy produce.

We understand that it is important for our health to choose organic products. This week, we will discover the importance of buying locally grown produce. By choosing to buy locally grown products, we are helping the environment by reducing pollution, while also supporting local farmers. 

A majority of produce in the U.S. is transported from different states and even different countries before it gets to your dinner table. Produce on average is shipped 1500 miles (wow!) in the United States before reaching the store. For example, according to http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/pubs/staff/files/food_travel072103.pdf ,  "Fresh produce arriving by truck at the Chicago Terminal Market from within the continental United States traveled an average one-way distance of 1,518 miles in 1998, a 22 percent increase over the 1,245 miles traveled in 1981." We can only imagine that produce shipped from other countries travels even further distances. By shopping locally, you reduce the emission of green house gases that would be used to ship the produce. Also, you are supporting local farmers who are unable to produce mass quantities to supply to the larger grocery stores. 

Local farmers and farmer's markets are going to benefit if individuals choose to shop what's grown locally. Why not make the change this week? Most cities have a local farmer's market. Look up yours online and visit it this week. It is going to benefit farmers and the environment!

Remember! Farmer's markets have all sorts of goodies besides produce, so take advantage!

002. Challenge the Image of Beauty

This week, look at beauty under a different light.

We live in a society where we are constantly bombarded by images of beauty from the media. Turn on the television, computer, open a magazine, drive down the street and we are continuously being told what is beautiful and which product to buy in order to achieve this narrow definition of beauty. If the advertisement causes us to question our appearances, then the company has done their job. Their main goal is to make money and they do this in extremely creative ways. Many beauty practices that women follow have not been around very long and their origins can be disturbing. Understanding where these practices originated from can help us challenge the narrow image of beauty. Once we become more informed about these practices and products and if we choose to still participate, at least we are not blindly following. 

This week we want to change the narrow image of what is considered beautiful in the media. We decided to research the origin of breast implants. Please understand that we are not judging those with breast implants because it is your right to choose.  We all have the right to choose and we should do this with as much information as possible. Breast implants became popular during the 1940s following WWII. Japanese prostitutes who were pursuing American servicemen, began injecting their breasts with silicone, sponges and paraffin. These women risked their lives by having this new procedure done because they believed all American men were attracted to large breasts. This is obviously not the case with all American men or society as a whole in neither 2011 or in 1940. Unfortunately, this narrow "Westernized" image of what was perceived to be beautiful caused many Japanese women serious injury and even death. 

It is vital to be informed where beauty practices originate from. It is also important to ensure that narrow focused views of beauty in the media are challenged. Beauty should be subjective and to each their own. We are all beautiful regardless!

This week research something that you use to "improve" your appearance. Razors, hair dye, make-up, hair straighteners and etc.

Post what you have learned in the comment section. We are interested to hear your responses. 

People truly do come in all shapes and sizes. Take care of yourself and remember that you are enough. Tune out those ads that are primarily focused at making you feel bad about yourself and selling you a product. Do not be passive. An educated society is an empowered one.

001. Choose Organic!

Change your habit. Your favorite food can also be organic. 

Why Organic?


Our food supply is largely controlled by organizations that have their personal interests in mind, rather than the interests of the consumer. Advances in biotechnology have allowed massive quantities of food to be produced efficiently, however there are significant health risks that are equated with consuming the unnatural products that make this mass production possible. This week we offer a simple way to demand healthy food products that can bring change to the food that is sold. In the end, we are the consumers and have a right to food that isn't filled with pesticides and hormones. 


It may be unrealistic for all individuals to start buying organic products because it can be expensive. Other times it may be difficult to break the habit of which items we choose to purchase, regularly. Through marketing we've fallen victim to brand loyalty. Therefore, we must propose a small task that will make a big difference in the long run.


Starting this week, make a commitment to purchase and consume only organic insert product here. It may be milk, apples, cucumbers, toothpaste, deodorant, etc. Organic products have become more popular in recent years, and they are more available at the local grocery store and farmer's market. Each time you purchase an organic product, imagine that you are voting for the items you want the store to continue carrying. If the company notices a surge in organic milk consumption, they will stock it more frequently. The grocery store is a business and every business wants to make a profit. Be careful, because not all items that say "Organic" on the label are actually 100% organic. According to www.organic.org, "The USDA has identified for three categories of labeling organic products: 100% Organic: Made with 100% organic ingredients, Organic: Made with at least 95% organic ingredients, Made With Organic Ingredients: Made with a minimum of 70% organic ingredients with strict restrictions on the remaining 30% including no GMOs (genetically modified organisms)." Take a few moments to read the label on the item that you are about to purchase. We definitely encourage you to shop at farmer's markets for locally grown products, which we will explain more thoroughly in the future.


By starting small and becoming loyal to buying one organic product, you are exercising your right to pesticide and hormone free food! Hopefully this small act will help you prove to yourself and those around you that we all deserve access to healthy and affordable food. The change from non-organic to organic foods will give us healthier products in our future!


We would love to hear what organic products (if any) that you're already using. Feel free to share ideas!