016. Dangerous Crop

Just Say "No" to GMO's and Pesticides

Is it too late to change our unsafe ways?

Why are we just starting to discover the benefits of eating organic and GMO-free foods? Most of us have heard to term GMO at least once. Let's start by explaining what a GMO or a genetically modified organism is. It is exactly what it sounds like, an organism or microorganism whose genetic material has been altered by means of genetic engineering. You may ask, what's the big deal? Well, thanks for asking. Let us explain. 

The reason we're concerned with the consumption of GMO foods is because it is dangerous on many levels. Contrary to popular belief, a crop that is genetically modified does not imply that it is free from pesticides. Rather, there is often an increase in the amount of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides that are used on the crop. These are the poisons found on and in our food. Next, by messing with the genetic code of a food item, you're doing just that, altering the crop from it's natural state. I think it's safe to say, regardless of what you believe, that Nature/God/Evolution/Universe got it right in the first place. According to Organic Authority:

Genetic engineering reduces genetic diversity. When genes are more diverse, they are more robust; this is why a pure bred dog tends to have greater health problems than the dear old mutt. Plants with reduced genetic diversity cannot handle drought, fungus invasions or insects nearly as well as natural plants, which could have dire consequences for farmers and communities dependent on GMO crops for survival.
 
The cultivation of genetically modified plant and animal organisms have been banned in numerous countries. It has only been in the last couple years that laws are being presented pushing for labeling of genetically modified food in the U.S. Why is this happening so late? It couldn't have stumped scientists for so long. In reality, they are the ones who have made the transition into these dangerous practices that negatively effect our crops possible, even though there is no evidence that GMO foods are safe to eat.

Why are GMOs and pesticides so prevalent in our society despite the dangers? We have one dirty word for you, Monsanto. At the very least, Monsanto gives us the creeps. This organization hides behind the front of "A Sustainable Agriculture Company." In reality, through biotechnology and harsh chemicals, Monsanto turns to dangerous efforts in order to make an enormous profit. 

Being a farmer is difficult; you have to fight against harsh seasons, bugs, pests, droughts and much more. In order to make farmers' jobs a little easier while obtaining a much higher yield of fruits and veggies, farmers allow our food supply to be rained on by harsh chemicals as well as allowing the genetic makeup of our food to be tampered with. While this may seem like a good thing, the negative side effects to both of these practices are still kept under-wraps.

This brings us to our change for this week. We would like for you to educate yourself and at least one other person on the dangerous effects behind genetically modified foods. The Institute for Responsible Technology published a fascinating article that we encourage you to read. 

Going beyond educating yourself, we suggest taking action this week. Places to buy non-GMO seeds are few and far between. Go to www.survivalseedbank.com and order at least one pack of seeds. Plant them in your garden. Don't have a garden? Then go out and purchase a pot, a little bit of soil and some non-GMO seeds. With a little effort and lots of sun and water, pretty soon you'll be on your way to saying "Up Yours Monsanto!"

The picture featured in this blog is our personal "neighbor garden." We used seeds that are largely non-GMO and organic. Thanks to Nik and Nicole for hosting this beautiful garden.

015. Take Action

Take Action



  This photo has nothing to do with this article, but I love it.

I have a phone interview tomorrow for an internship at an amazing online magazine/organization.

I found out about this internship about a month ago. A day prior to finding it, I was thinking about writing for an online magazine/forum. I want to focus on all the "isms" and injustices in the world, while focusing on the positive and providing real-life suggestions for change. My vision is pretty clear based on the content and name of this blog.
Anyway, when I came home from work that night and logged onto Facebook, the first post was for an internship position. Granted, it's not writing BUT it's a foot in the door to an amazing website that I truly feel connected with. When I read their "about" page, it seemed as though they took the words out of my brain and put them on the screen. So, I started writing the cover letter and polishing up my resume. I even invited my sister over to help contribute/proof read and give me feedback. Guess what I did next? I didn't submit my application for almost 4 weeks. "Why?" you may ask. The answer is simple and complex; I allowed the inner voice of self-doubt to creep into my little head and talk me out of hitting send. What if the founder doesn't like my answers to the questions she asked for the cover letter? What if I'm not qualified enough? The questions continued and I didn't proceed. More and more self doubt overcame me. The self-doubt then created an underlying current of anxiousness. I ignored my anxiousness and did nothing.
Fast forward to this past Sunday night. I was watching the series, "Bomb Girls" on Netflix and I suddenly felt the urge to take some action. I grabbed my laptop, quickly read over my cover letter and resume and finally hit send. I felt relieved. My anxiousness subsided. I then went to bed and awaited a response.
The next morning I received an email from the founder of the organization. She wanted to set up a phone interview with me. It sounds cheesy but I literally became teary-eyed. I was teary-eyed because this was the universe's way of gently reminding me that "I am enough." Ah!

Okay, so this leads to this weeks small change. It's simple. Take action. Take action with something that scares you. If you are self-doubting, gently acknowledge those thoughts and put them away in a large figurative trunk. Then, take action.This almost always cures whatever issue I am dealing with. There are times when I am so stuck in my stuff, that I forget the simple answer to help get me out of my funk. Action.
-Ashley

014. Simplify Your Life. Do What You Love.

 

These two and I have recently become best friends. 

Written By: Ashley Solis 

About two months ago, I came across an inspiring article about living more simply. As soon as I finished this article, I wrote down on a blue post-it what I wanted my life to look like. This list included writing full-time, traveling, teaching classes, more yoga and other things that I find valuable. I felt calm, focused and more clear on my intentions for my life. 

A month later, I signed up for a writing class with Tammy Strobel, the same author whom wrote a book about simplifying her life and whom the above article is about. I have always enjoyed writing. Ever since graduating college, almost 2 years ago, I have done less and less writing. I needed to find a way to inspire my creativity. My sister and I have been contributing to this blog as a way to keep up with our love of writing. But at times I find that I have to force myself to write more. I tend to get distracted by Facebook,  Instagram, shows I have recorded, my extremely stressful job, and life in general.

I kept referring back to that article about living simply. One question that stuck out to me was, what do I "want" and what do I "need." Some may wonder, what's the difference? We all have the same basic needs, food, water, shelter, human connection and so-on. I thought, "What is one thing I could live without and also save money while doing so?" The answer was simple, cable. I do not need cable. I work for a non-profit and have noticed that money has been tighter than I am used to. Also, cable was becoming more and more of a distraction for me. I was not doing all of the things I wanted to. Instead of writing, I was getting sucked into watching marathons of "48 Hours Mystery."

On Wednesday, I cancelled my cable subscription. After being on hold for 15 minutes, a representative answered the phone. I told her I would like to cancel our cable. She asked with her scripted, "Is there something wrong with your cable connection or have you had any issues with the service?" I chose to give her the reason why, "No, it works fine. We decided that we want to save money and would like to spend our free time not watching TV." Her answer surprised me. She said, "My husband and I recently got rid of cable. We realized we were spending too much time watching TV. Now we read more, listen to music and even talk to each other, what a concept!" It was refreshing to hear her response. She's a salesperson, but a person first. We talked for about 10 minutes and she made the process simple and painless. It has been a few days and I do not miss it at all. I thought I was going to have some serious withdrawals. In reality, I have been writing more and focusing on that blue post-it. I am back on track.

This week's change, what is one thing that you do not need and can get rid of? What is your reason behind it? Is it wasteful? Saving money? Bettering yourself? Lifestyle change?

013. Water Wars

And Thank You
Written By: Jamie Solis

It's the year 2024 and you were lucky enough to survive the apocalypse predicted by the Ancient Mayans. Before feeling relieved, notice a more evident end-all-be-all situation on the rise. Record breaking heat has forced 14 countries to declare emergency droughts because they are utterly helpless. The changes in weather along with over-consumption of the world's fresh water (by previous and current generations), are to blame for this imagined future catastrophe.

If the viability of the earth in years to come does not worry you, wake up! Water is the quintessential resource which sustains human life on this planet. The composition of our bodies, as well as that of the plants and animals we eat, is mostly H20.

Our simple suggestion for the week to encourage your positive action...find ways to conserve water at work, at home and in the community. Shortening your showers can save water on a daily basis, assuming you shower regularly of course. When cooking dinner, try to cut down the amount of dishes you use. Planning your meal using one pan for multiple items, you will be making a difference. By not using more than what is truly necessary, it leads to less cleaning for you and more water for life. At work, encourage management to adopt water conserving practices.

Adopting our small suggestions will include you in making a difference. Please share some ideas with us on how to conserve water.

Be sure to check our facebook this week to see a great water saving video which can help you save water at home, work or wherever you have influence.

012: Just Say No

Just Say "No" to Receipts

According to the New Observer, there are 220,000 tons of paper produced for the main purpose of printing receipts in the United States each year. This adds up to 3.74 million trees! This seems crazy, but it is true.

We understand that for some purposes receipts may be the way you keep track of what you're spending, especially when swiping that card. We have news for you! The majority of banks now immediately debit your account when you swipe your card and place those funds in "pending" mode. Therefore, the need for a receipt after every single purchase seems unnecessary. We know that are our wallets end up with a ridiculous amount of wadded up little papers. We end up throwing away those receipts when they start taking up too much space.

Now you're thinking, "what if I need to return an item I purchased?" More good news! Many companies are now offering digital receipts sent directly to your email. Whole Foods Market, Nordstrom, Gap Inc., Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Patagonia, Sears and Kmart are just a few of the retailers that have gone digital.  We think this is an even better idea than those pesky paper ones, that you end up searching for while at the counter and you're telling the cashier, "I swear it's in here...somewhere."

We have noticed when we go to certain stores, the cashier asks, "would you like a copy of the receipt?" We say no thank you! Our suggestion for this week, next time you take some cash from the ATM or order that coffee, say no to a receipt.

In the mean time, what can you do with all those old receipts? Thedailygreen.com shares a 4 minute video on how to make paper out of your old receipts, junk mail, or any other paper you find. We will be sharing this video on our facebook page, so give us a "like" if you haven't already!

011: A Practical Replacement

Discover a new alternative to paper towels!

We are constantly trying to find small ways that we can be less wasteful. We have presented a few different ways to do this in past posts. Today we came across a pretty cool idea. We discovered paperless paper towels, also known as reusable paper towels. Check out this website, http://cateyedkp.tumblr.com/post/28130255598/unpaper-towel-tutorial, for a fun way to create this alternative. Of course you do not have to get this creative! You can use dish rags in place of paper towels. Also, if you would like an option that is both organic and fair trade friendly, check out PeopleTowels at http://www.peopletowels.com/. Using these cute and reusable hand towels for your personal use, even when on-the-go, reduces CO2 emissions, conserves water and reduces landfill waste.

This fun alternative got us wondering, how many paper towels are used each year in the United States? According to the American Forest and Paper Association, 7300 tons of paper towels are used each year. That's a lot of paper towels! Paper towels were invented in the late 1800's. They were originally meant to be used as a medical item. We understand that the great thing about paper towels is that you can dispose of them and they are more sanitary. But, it is one of those things that is also very wasteful and completely avoidable. 

This week, when you go to reach for a paper towel to wipe off that mirror or clean up a spill, grab a dish towel instead.

010: Nature Versus Narcotic Dilemma

 Can diet and exercise fix your every day ailments?

We recently watched the documentary, "Food Matters." This film focuses on how the food we put into our bodies is chemically engineered and lacking essential vitamins and minerals. Due to the lack of nutritious food, we are facing many diseases and issues with our health. We have all heard the saying, "you are what you eat."  It seems simple enough. None of what is in this film should be shocking, but it is.

We do not feel well, therefore we decide to go to the doctor. Ideally, the doctor would prescribe sleep, exercise, vitamins, healthy and nutrient rich foods and water. Unfortunately, more times than not, the doctor prescribes us a little pill. High cholesterol? Here's a pill. Can't sleep? Here's a pill. Headache? Pill. Sinus headache? Pill. All kinds of pills! Big ones, little ones, blue ones, red ones. Pills, pills, pills!

This film has numerous messages that we love, but one in particular continuously rings in our heads. Our bodies are made up vitamins and minerals. If we are sick, then we are deficient in one or more vitamins and/or minerals. Our bodies are designed to heal themselves. Why is it that we are told that chemicals (pharmaceuticals) will heal our bodies? Our bodies are not made up of chemicals nor are deficient in them.

This week's blog should challenge you to question the authority prescription drugs have over your ability to accept holistic medicine, natural remedies, or an overall healthy lifestyle as being the norm.

American culture has accepted the pharmaceutical industry with open arms. This acceptance has occurred despite the connection between the FDA and the drug companies. It seems to us that this is a major conflict of interest. The pharmaceutical companies are the same ones that are funding the research done by the FDA whom are supposed to certify that this drug is "safe."

It seems that Americans often expect manufactured drugs to fix ailments caused by their dietary, recreational, and every day lifestyle choices. According to the book, "Generation Rx: How Prescription Drugs Are Altering American Lives, Minds, and Bodies." by Greg Crister, one-half of Americans take 1 prescription pill daily, while one-sixth of Americans take 3 or more prescription pills every day in 2004. (Page 2) Prescription pills are often used to reduce cholesterol, lower blood pressure, enhance metabolism, treat depression, and much more. Americans are fixated on taking any drug that may potentially lead to a cure. The real question should not be "what is the cure?" rather, "how do we prevent this in the first place?" New drugs are being recommended to patients without thorough research on their safety, efficacy, and long term effects. For instance, one prescription pill named Vioxx was widely popular. It was prescribed to reduce the pain, inflammation and stiffness caused by different forms of arthritis. In about 5 years of its introduction, it was recalled for causing up to 100,000 heart attacks. Why are the regulations on prescription drugs not protecting the safety of the consumer?

The Food and Drug Administration is responsible for regulating food and drugs manufactured, distributed or sold within the United States. The FDA has the authority on determining which prescription drugs are safe, and which are not. While the FDA is supposed to regulate drug companies, it is unclear how successful they are able to do this because of their intimate ties within the pharmaceutical industry. The media is informing the public about how successful antidepressants are for our children one day. The next day, huge pharmaceutical companies are sued because they fraudulently covered up that their product has led suicide among their young patients.

While the FDA and pharmaceutical companies aren't offering much support to the consumer's safety, new types of prescription pills are being recommended constantly by deeply entrusted and educated doctors. Medical doctors are often the main source of information about which drugs and remedies can help patients avoid health risks and live longer. In reality, there have been numerous accounts of doctors prescribing pills that are are untested and unregulated. Why wouldn't a doctor recommend some type of healthy lifestyle change along with the prescription drug, or instead of it? The answer is simple...money.

Back to the documentary, "Food Matters." There are numerous doctors and other specialists that support the use of vitamins and healthy foods to cure what ails you. Watch it for yourself on Netflix. Visit their website for more information or to watch the trailer, http://foodmatters.tv/

This brings us to the small change you should make this week. Think about a pill you take, either prescription or over the counter. Now, what is the reason that you are taking this pill? Rather than popping that pill, search for a natural cure to treat the same ailment. We suggest http://www.earthclinic.com/ We understand that there are some diseases and viruses that do require actual prescriptions. We are not saying that you should suddenly discontinue use of those drugs.  We also understand that many of these can be treated over time in other ways. For instance, high blood pressure can be treated by changing your diet and participating in physical activity.