009. The Price of Information

What you don't know will affect you.

What is a fact? The definition of fact, according to dictionary.com is "something that actually exists; reality; truth." Okay, that seems simple enough. Wait, reality...reality... Reality is based on the perception of the person. Therefore, my reality is going to be different than yours and same goes for truth. Thus, "facts" can be and are altered to fit into a specific agenda. Our suggestion for this week: The next time you read something that is said to be factual, research whom is behind the very facts that you may accept and support.

Living in the 21st century, it is essential to know who is funding research and providing information in the media and public policies. While you may trust the source that is providing you with information, chances are your source may be funded by private companies or special interest groups that have ulterior motives. If an organization or group will benefit from you trusting their publicized knowledge, then it is important to check their references and authority on what they determine as factual.

A perfect example of knowing your source comes from an article written about the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in April of 2010. After reading this article, we noticed that the voice of the author was down playing the amount of damage that occurred in the Gulf. Most people would not question an article published in National Geographic, but we did.  Upon searching for who funded the research we discovered, in very small print may we ad, that this was funded by Shell. Now, why would an oil company be interested in funding an article written about the environmental effects of an oil spill if not for personal gain? This should make you wonder...what other types of important information are being affected by profit?

Here is another example, the website called abortionfacts.com. After doing some searching, we discovered that this "factual" website is funded and operated by a Pro-Life organization. We are firm believers in respecting others personal beliefs and opinions. Unfortunately, the "facts" on this website were heavily supporting the Pro-Life organization. If a website is going to be named, "abortion facts," then the facts should try to be as unbiased as possible. In reality, the facts about abortion are going to support and undermine both Pro-Life and Pro-Choice organizations. Other websites dedicated to Pro-Life and Pro-Choice identify themselves as this either in their name or on their home page.

There are other types of funding  that can affect public information and lawmaking. One great example of this type of funded information is when political figures receive campaign contributions from private special interest groups and organizations. The Federal Election Commission publicly shares online which groups financially contribute to campaigns of individual politicians. This means the policy makers, who we are supposed to trust to shape our laws and society are each individually receiving money from special interest groups, and therefore may feel an obligation to support their values. It's easy to see who exactly is funding your favorite (or least favorite) politician by visiting http://www.fec.gov/finance/disclosure/norindsea.shtml and entering in the politician's first and last name.

We first searched Democratic Congresswoman, Dianne Feinstein. Upon clicking on the "Get Listing" button, we were presented with what appeared to be a dignified list of contributors including, "Reid, Harry via Friends for Harry Reid," "Solis, Hilda via Solis for Congress" and so on. These group titles are naming the contributors. These titles are actually links that connect to the details of whom actually contributed within each of these perfectly packaged groups.

Upon searching, we were not surprised that our female democratic congresswoman, Dianne Feinstein, has accepted numerous contributions from Planned Parenthood. In order to get this information, we first inquired who was in the group "Voters for Choice/Friends of Family Planning." Then, we were directed to another page in which we clicked on "Contributions Recieved by This Candidate's Committee". This is where we finally saw the "Planned Parenthood Action Fund." While this information is public for all to see, it is not seen by the masses.

To be clear, we are not saying that Planned Parenthood or any other organization should not have a right to lobby for their personal interest. We are simply stating that you as a citizen should be aware when voting for candidates, or failing to take action, of which value systems are funding those you are voting for or against. You may or may not agree with the values of Planned Parenthood or many other organizations that fund campaign elections. Therefore, it is important to be informed on who is contributing to the information and policy in the United States.

Overall, we would like to encourage you to check your sources, references and so-called facts. Everyone has values that they support. Be ensured that you are doing so because you are informed.

Tell us what you think!

008. Choose to Reuse

Thrift stores allow you to shop in a reusable way!

Each and every one of us has an impact on our environment, positive or negative. Since the industrial revolution, the prodcution and consumption of goods has increased dramatically. According to the Economic Research Survey 2007:2-5, 503 billion pounds of non-edible goods are thrown away each year by Americans. Help us eliminate unneccessary overproduction and waste! We are focused on resisting the current culture of over-consumption. Here are two simple ways to lower the amount of waste that is produced.

Paper or Plastic? Neither! Choose reusable bags instead of opting for paper or plastic bags at the check out stand. Keep reusable bags convienently located, which will help you remember them when you go shopping. If you find yourself with a few items that you are able to carry out, opt to go without a bag! Try and purchase reusable bags that have been recycled. Check out... http://www.reusethisbag.com/ and ecobags.com/Our_Products/Recycled_Products

Fabulous finds! By choosing to do your back to school shopping at a local thrift store, you will be reusing great and often well-made items. You will also find one of a kind items, save money and have fun! Some of our favorite stores are Buffalo Exchange (buffaloexchange.com), Labomba Vintage in Downtown Pomona (labombavintage.com), and pretty much any other thrift store we can find. 

Choose to reuse. Please share any other tips or ideas which resist over-consumption and encourage reusing!

007. Meatless Mondays

Make tasty vegetarian dishes at home!

 Soy chicken nuggets, veggie stuffed bell peppers, baked potato and rice.

OR

Enjoy vegetarian food at a restaurant!

Veggie burger and fries. 

The benefits to a vegetarian diet are endless. Choosing to go without meat has numerous positive effects on the your body and on the environment. According to the American Dietic Association (ADA), vegetarians are at lower risk for developing heart disease, diabetes, obesity, hypertension, colon, ovarian and breast cancer.  Unfortunately, many individuals believe that it is unhealthy to be a vegetarian. There is a great website that debunks many myths about vegetarianism. According to www.eatright.org :

Myth: A vegetarian diet is too strict and limiting. It would be too hard to follow.

Fact: There are many different types of vegetarian diets. A lacto-ovo vegetarian avoids meat, fish and poultry but may eat eggs and dairy products. A lacto-vegetarian will avoid meat, fish, and poultry but will eat milk, cheese and dairy. They will avoid eggs or derivatives of eggs. Vegans are strict vegetarians who avoid all animal products.

Myth: Vegetarianism is just a fad that will pass in a few years.

Fact: Most people throughout world history have eaten a largely vegetarian diet. Relatively recently, in Europe and North America, where meat and animal products have become affordable, diets centered around meats have become widespread. In other parts of the world, plant-based diets remain more common.

Myth: Vegetarians need to take vitamin or mineral supplements.

Fact: Most healthy vegetarians don’t need to take supplements although there may be exceptions. Someone switching to a vegetarian diet should meet with a registered dietitian to be sure that all necessary vitamins and minerals are being consumed from food sources.

(For a full list visit http://www.eatright.org/search.aspx?search=vegetarian)

Now that we've debunked the myths surrounding the healthfulness of a vegetarian diet, we will examine some dangers of our over consumption of meat on the environment. One-fifth of the greenhouse gas omissions in the United States are from the production of livestock. The overproduction of livestock has also led to a loss in biodiversity, water shortages, obesity, other health related problems, pollution and more.

Considering the numerous positive effects of choosing a vegetarian diet, we would love to suggest an all vegetarian diet to every reader. However, we understand this may be unrealistic for many of you. Therefore, in true Change Weekly fashion, we are suggesting a much smaller change this week; which is to begin implementing "Meatless Mondays." Obviously, your meatless day does not have to be on Monday. Rather, choose one day each week that will not include meat of any kind. You will be able to implement a change without it being a hassle.

Be sure to check in with our facebook for our favorite vegetarian dishes. 

A fabulous website for meatless dishes is www.meatlessmonday.com  or www.vegetariantimes.com

006. A Diamond is Forever?

Our answer to this question is "Yes!"

Have you ever stopped to think why the diamond engagement ring seems to be standard? Well, we have. What has made the diamond such a popular engagement ring in the United States over the past 100 years or so? Also, how has the popularity of the diamond affected the people whom harvest them?

Around 1870, diamonds were discovered in South Africa. During this time, De Beers Consolidated Mines gained control over most of the diamond supply to the world. To create demand and perceived value in the post-Depression and post-WWII era, De Beers began a very successful marketing campaign with the famous “A Diamond is Forever” phrase that you still see and hear today in advertisements. De Beers managed to convince the public that diamond rings were the only correct choice for engagement rings. Also, that engagement rings should be kept as heirlooms and not resold, therefore preventing a secondary market from being created. They even educated jewelers to instruct husbands to be that two to three months salary was the appropriate amount to spend on an engagement ring. 

If you have seen the movie, Blood Diamond, directed by Edward Zwick, you may be familiar with the allegations that there are clear links between diamonds and tyrannical force in Africa. These valuable stones are often referred to as "conflict diamonds." Many individuals have been mutilated and/or murdered in order to continue mining these diamonds. One former international organization, the Kimberly Process, set forth to prohibit conflict diamond sales worldwide. According to the Kimberly Process in 2009, the majority of the top ten diamond supplying countries were in Africa.  African countries made almost a billion dollars more in profits than Canada and Russia combined. 
Unfortunately, the Kimberly Process was not successful in preventing conflict diamonds from selling. A recent article in Time World, written by Alex Perry, is titled "Return of the Blood Diamond. (And we Don't Mean the Movie)." Perry suggests that the Kimberly Process may have done the opposite of their declared goal and actually assisted in the dirty diamond laundering out of Africa. 

It is important to note that some diamond producers have actually stepped up against conflict diamonds, even if it means taking an economic hit. As the original founder of diamonds, De Beers was known to harvest diamonds from anywhere and from anyone. However, De Beers has since realized that a diamond was meant to symbolize love, happiness and eternal love, and conflict diamonds symbolize exactly the opposite. Now, De Beers only uses stones that they mine, which has been a negative effect financially for the company. Even though the true creater of diamond engagement rings has adjusted their ethical standards, it has not started a trend. Conflict diamonds are still widely unregulated and on the international market. Also, some diamonds are represented as non-conflict, but the reality is that they may actually be the opposite. 

Rather than allowing society to dictate what we should like, it is important to stop and think about what we want to represent. The true representation of love should not be how big an engagement ring is. If you find it difficult to resist that diamond engagement ring, opt for an antique ring. 

Where did your diamond come from?

005. Grow Your Own

Grow Your Own Garden!

Growing your own fruits and vegetables has countless benefits to you, your family and the environment. This article will inspire you to start growing your own fruits or vegetables, one delicious and healthy treat at a time.

Locally grown produce cannot get any more convienent and local than your own personal garden! This leads to our first great reason to grow your own produce, because it eliminates the environmental costs of transportation. An entire pack of organic seeds in less than $2 and will save you money on produce in the end. Not to mention how much fun it will be to share your organic produce with family and friends. 

By growing your own produce, you are able to control and become aware of what is going into your fruits and vegetables. If you buy organic seeds and use fertilizer or compost that is free from pesticides and herbicides, you will be choosing a healthier alternative for yourself and your family. Growing your own fruits and vegetables is a sure way to avoid the harsh chemicals that are routinely used in produce sold at your local grocery store. 

Last, gardening is a great way to spend time outside to get fresh air. It can also be a great activity to involve the kids in. They will get a sense of where their food comes from and how easy it is to provide for yourself. Gardening is sometimes an aerobic activity, while other times it releases stress and anxiety. 

Please go to a local family owned business and purchase organic seeds and pots today. Be sure to follow the instructions and have fun! I started my garden today with squash and bell peppers. In order to document my experience, the successes as well as mistakes, I have started a Garden Journal as well. This will help me keep focused and ensure that I am constantly improving my gardening.