The Ethics of Eating Laboratory-Grown Meat and Its Potential Impact on Humans, Animals, and The Planet...

On Monday the world’s very first laboratory-grown beef hamburger was tested in London. Popped out of a petri dish and plopped into a frying pan the burger was cooked up and served to two volunteers, US based food author Josh Schonwald and Austrian food researcher Hanni Ruetzler. The burger in question was developed by Professor Mark Post of Maastricht University in the Netherlands with the hope of discovering a more sustainable way to raise meat. The burger was made by taking stem cells harvested from a living cell and placing them in a bioreactor holding a nutrient mixture that would help them proliferate. It took roughly three months to grow the 20,000  0.02 inch strands of muscle fiber used in making the burger. Which is a considerably shorter time-frame then it takes to raise an entire cow from birth to slaughter. The muscle fibers were then mixed with salt, egg powder, and breadcrumbs to improve flavor, and beetroot juice and saffron for color.  It had been reported that this little experiment was five years in the making and cost a total of $332,00, but what did the taste-testers have to say?

Well, the reviews were mixed. The bottom line is that the texture of this patty was spot on, though the flavor was somewhat lacking. Since the burger patty was made from muscle fiber, there wasn’t a lot of fat which means it wasn’t as juicy or greasy as is generally expected from a hamburger. The general consensus seemed to be that the test-tube burger tasted something like a cross between a Boca Burger Patty and a Fast Food Hamburger, and even Mark Post conceded that the flavor would need to be improved before this could become a viable meat replacement for the majority.

How about public opinion? Well, it’s a pretty mixed bag. This story has generated a lot of discussion, a lot of debate, and a lot of controversy amongst both meat-eaters, and vegans, and frankly I’m surprised by the widely negative response coming out of the vegan community. It seems to me that most of the animal-rights organizations, and vegan organizations and non-profits are for this new development in food technology. PETA has endorsed it, as have non-profits like Farm Sanctuary, but when it comes to individual vegans; vegans like you and I, the backlash is overwhelming. You have vegans calling out these organizations for their support of this new technology and threatening to quit supporting them if they continue to endorse it. You have vegans calling out other vegans and declaring them ‘not vegan’ if they support this new development. You have all manner of people in general saying all manner of crazy things and it seems that very few of these outraged individuals actually know what they’re talking about. To me the negative response seems to be a ‘heat of the moment’ thing, an immediate emotional response, rather then a logical or intellectual one. Which is why I felt the need to write this post. I’m not claiming to be particularly intellectual but I feel it’s very important for some vegan somewhere to speak up, and make a thought-provoking case here. As vegans I think we’re doing more harm then good with an outright show of disapproval or refusal of this new development, and we’re severely overlooking the potential good it has.

Before I get into it I want to make clear that as a Vegan I have no interest in eating In Vitro meat. I have no interest in consuming test tube burgers, or laboratory grown meat, or ‘ethical meat.’ If this product becomes available in my local grocery store I will not consume it. Why? Because reduced animal suffering or not, this is still meat, and eating meat regardless of how it’s grown or where it comes from is not vegan. This is still an animal product, derived from an animal. I also went vegan initially for health reasons and so laboratory meat, or regular meat it doesn’t make a difference, they’re both still unhealthy in my opinion. So I personally wouldn’t eat this, and I wouldn’t condone another vegan eating it, but the important thing to remember here is that this is not a product being made and marketed towards vegans and vegetarians. This is a product being made for omnivores, for meat-eaters, and as such I support it. It’s far better for meat-eaters to eat laboratory meat, then it is for them to eat conventional meat for so many reasons.

Firstly we live in an overpopulated world, with an ever increasing population. Those population increases mean a higher demand for animal-based foods. World hunger is not something that we’ve been able to cease, and as our population continues to explode this problem will only get worse. Our planet is under severe stress, we do not have infinite resources, and we are using them without caution. We can not continue to sustain our rate of growth, or development and our overburdened planet can not continue to sustain the massive animal agriculture industry. Deforestation, land erosion, biodiversity decline, energy use, water depletion, pollution of eco-systems, land, water-ways, and oceans, poor air-quality, and a rise in greenhouse gasses and carbon emissions. These are the serious problems that we face, and they only grow worse as our population increases. According to the United Nations Animal Agriculture - that’s factory farming of cows, pigs, chickens, lambs, goats, etc... factory egg laying facilities, and factory dairy farms - are responsible for 40+% of global warming. That’s more then the entire transpiration sector - think cars, trucks, trains, planes, boats etc... - combined. Animal agriculture is literally killing the planet, and it isn’t doing us any favors either. Laboratory grown meat has the potential to change all of that, and even if it doesn’t solve all of these problems completely it will at least help to decrease their severity.

Hannah Tuomisto of Oxford University stated “At the global level if all meat was lab-grown, the greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced by 80% and the water use by 90%.” An 80% reduction in emissions and a 90% reduction in water usage is huge! Monumentally huge on that scale alone we should be looking into considering lab-grown meat as a viable option and replacement to the conventional. Another independent study found that lab-grown meat uses 45% less energy then the average global representative figure for farming cattle. The study also found that lab-grown meat also produced 96% fewer greenhouse gas emissions and requires 99% less land. Less energy wasted, and less land used, which means more land that can be used to house or ever-growing population. More land for us to grow food crops on, more land for us to turn into refuges, protected areas, or simply give back to nature.

This isn’t even taking into account other environmental and health factors like the spread of salmonella, E. Coli and other food bourne illness. Food bourne illness comes from animal feces coming into contact with food products. If you don’t raise animals for food, growing your food in a lab instead then there isn’t any feces. Theoretically this would decrease the number of cases of food borne illness per year. The 1 billion plus animals raised for human consumption in this country annually produce more then 3 trillion tons of waste. Since that waste is not disposed of properly it is often left to contaminate land, water ways, rivers, lakes, and other crops causing us to become ill. No more factory farmed animals means no more trillion tons of improperly disposed of waste. Antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria are another factor. Since farmed animals are kept in such deplorable conditions they are routinely given antibiotics to prevent them from becoming sick. This has led to the emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria entering our environment, and this has many scientists and doctors concerned over our future. We only have so many antibiotics available to us, if they cease to work on the bacteria and diseases that they’re meant to heal us from what then? Many scientists, and zoologists believe that the next big pandemic will come from an animal source, likely from a farmed animal who has close contact with humans. Take away animal farming in favor of lab-grown meat and you reduce the risk of antibiotic resistant bacteria and the potential for new pandemic or epidemic pathogens.

Environmentally speaking there is no good or valid reason why lab-grown meat shouldn’t be researched or supported.

As for world hunger it's ridiculous to think that we'll ever be able to produce enough meat to feed all the hungry in the world. It simply isn't feasible when you take into account how many animals would have to be raised - in an already burdened system - to accomplish this daunting task. The animal agriculture system that we have in place just isn't effective or efficient. If you take a look at the numbers you see that they just don't add up in any way that makes sense. 30% of Earths land mass is taken up by animal agriculture. More then 260 million acres of U.S. forest alone have been cleared in order to grow crops to feed to animals. 70% of the grain and cereals that are grown in the United States are fed to farmed animals. Dose this make sense to anyone? In a world where children in less fortunate countries die of starvation every day is it ethical to continue to feed important food staples to animals just so that we can eat them ourselves? What do we get in return? It takes 13 pounds of grain to get 1 pound of meat back, and even farmed fish need to be fed 5 pounds of wild caught fish in order to return 1 pound of farmed fish. This is not only wildly inefficient, but to some degree it's down right disgusting. It's been said that there isn't a global food shortage, that the problem is in the distribution, and you could make an argument there for government corruption in third world nations but it should also be pointed out that if we 'redistributed' that grain that we feed to farmed animals to humans, the 'food crisis' would end. We can effectively grow enough food to feed every person on this planet, the problem is that we greedily choose to feed that food to animals that we intend to eat to satisfy our own palates.

Food, and land however are not the only wasted resources. Water is another hugely wasted resource in the animal agriculture industry. Many countries are already facing massive water shortages, droughts, and are in water crisis. Here in the U.S. because we're not faced with it everyday it's out of sight and out of mind, but the prediction is that in as little as another decade the U.S. too will be feeling the effects of a global water crisis. Water is now being labeled "Blue Gold" and yet we continue to waste it as though it were infinite Did you know that 2,400 Gallons of water are needed to produce 1 pound of meat? Where as only 25 Gallons are used to produce 1 pound of wheat. That's a staggering difference.

It simply doesn't make sense to continue farming animals the way that we've been doing. If ending world hunger is something that we're serious about as a nation and as a society then we have to at least consider the benefits of lab-grown meat; as lab-grown meat has the potential to end animal agriculture while still providing meat for those who wish to continue to consume it, and it can provide a realistic solution to ending world hunger. Lab-grown meat also has the potential to help us avert the coming global water crisis. Taking these two things into consideration there is no valid reason for why lab-grown meat shouldn't be researched or supported.

Then there’s the case for animal rights. As animal rights activists and vegans we strive to end animal suffering. Our whole purpose, our whole mission is the end of needless and cruel suffering, torture, brutalization, and murder of billions of animals. We do this through education, through speaking our truth, by engaging in conversations on this topic and by encouraging others to go vegan or at least vegetarian. It’s a noble cause for sure, but the sad truth is that no matter how much we try, no matter how much we fight, we are not enough. We can never, and will never cause the entire world to go vegan. That isn’t even the slightest bit realistic. There will always be people who eat meat, and rather then fight those people on an issue that will never change for them why wouldn’t we as vegans want to endorse lab meat? Lab meat can and will put an end to animal suffering in a way that we as vegans will never be able to do. When lab meat is a viable option, inexpensive, and easily available and accepted it will cause a massive decrease in factory farming. Eventually it could cause all animal farming to stop completely. It’s not so crazy to imagine lab meat will become the future and conventionally raised meat will be a thing of the past.

For all those vegans who will not endorse lab meat because it is not vegan I ask you to reconsider and rethink your position. You will never be able to make the world vegan, and therefore there will always be animal suffering. Lab meat can change that. Yes it would still be meat and yes it would still be from an animal, and yes maybe a couple of animals would have to suffer for us to harvest the stem cells, but you don’t have to eat it. It is not for you, it is for meat-eaters. In my opinion it’s preferable to have only 1 or 2 or even 10 animals suffering then it is to have a billion plus animals suffering every year. I think it’s foolish to carry around this indignant, superior, all or nothing attitude, and it’s what gives vegans a bad name. I’m reminded of a famous quote by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau that goes “Don’t do nothing because you can’t do everything.” Our goal as animal rights activists and as vegans should be to eliminate as much animal suffering as possible, even if this is not the way we envisioned doing that, this is something that we should be happy about.

Now we come to health. Is lab-grown meat nutritious? Presumably it would have a similar nutritional content as conventionally raised meat, however there is the potential to make this meat healthier then the conventional. As only muscle fibers are being used the resulting meat would be leaner, and that can only be a benefit to meat-eaters. With the rates of obesity, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other chronic diseases skyrocketing a healthier meat option can only help to lift some of the burden from our strained medical system. Surely meat,  regardless of how it’s raised or grown will cause disease, and an increased risk of developing disease, but if the risk doesn’t have to be as great as it is currently then that’s a win in my book.

As for other health aspects, some people have raised concerns that lab-grown meat is somehow fake. That it’s a ‘frankenfood’ that it has potential health consequences that we are not yet aware of. On that point I say it’s true that we do not know if lab-grown meat will effect the human body in a negative way. If the meat is clean - meaning it’s from an organic source animal - and it contains no additives then I can’t see it as being any more harmful then a conventionally raised animal. If the processing industry begins to manipulate the product then there is potential for unintended consequences there, but we can’t know that until we test it.

I do however think it’s silly, misinformed, and hypocritical to say that lab-grown meat is ‘fake’ meat. It’s not fake at all. It’s grown from cow stem cells. It comes from a real cow, and therefor it is real cow meat. There isn’t anything fake about that, the difference is in the process but since when did an unconventional process become the basis for labeling something as fake? Take In Vitro fertilization for example. This is an amazing technology that helps couples who are unable to conceive naturally have a baby. Are ‘test-tube’ babies ‘fake babies?’ because they were initially grown in a lab? Are In Vitro babies considered less then human in our culture? No. Are they considered other? No. Do they look, act, or smell any different then conventionally conceived children? No, of course not. It would be insane to even imply such a thing. So why then is it being suggested that lab meat is somehow not real? Do you consider Aspirin a real medicine? What about cough syrup, is that real? These are products developed and manufactured in a laboratory for our health, we consider them medicine not ‘fake’ medicine. So why is lab-grown meat any different? The ‘fake’ argument is one that doesn’t make any sense, and it only shows ignorance on the part of people who obviously have no understanding of science, medicine, technology, and food manufacturing.

For those who say lab-meat is ‘unnatural’ I think you need to reconsider what is and isn’t natural. Is lab meat less natural then raising a billion animals in cramped and confined spaces? Is it less natural then pumping animals full of antibiotics because they’re standing belly deep in their own shit, in addition to hormones that make them grow faster? Because that’s what conventional meat is, is that more natural? Take into account for a second the slaughterhouse, in which hundred of animals are slaughtered in minutes on a fast moving conveyer belt to which they are strung up alive and gutted so that their blood and feces drip onto the floor. A place in which animals are scalded in boiling water while still alive to remove their hair and feathers and where sick animals foaming at the mouth with disease are routinely slaughtered for human consumption. How about the cleaning process in which animal carcases are washed in a solution of bleach, and other chemicals to make them fit for human consumption, is that natural? Is it natural to have numerous chickens crammed into one cage stacked on top of other cages so that their shit falls through the wire onto the birds below? Is it natural to remove animals toes, beaks, snouts, hooves, horns and tails so that we can manhandle them more easily? Is it natural to artificially inseminate cows so that their pregnancy will cause them to lactate so that we can sell, buy and drink her milk? Is it natural to feed animals GMO corn and soy, animal by-products and the feces and waste of other animals? If your answer to these questions is no, then you need to wake up and realize that these are common occurrences in the animal agriculture industry. These are everyday things, this is how the system operates. Not a single one of these things would apply to lab grown meat, so how is it less natural? Is murder natural? Is it natural to murder living breathing beings? Lab grown meat doesn’t murder.

What about other food products commonly bought and sold in stores. I’m talking about frozen foods, prepackaged foods, t.v. dinners, pop, soda, minute rice, box macaroni and cheese, canned soup, bottled drinks and beverages, granola bars, power bars, processed meats, sausages, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, refined sugar, refined flour, baked goods, vegan cheese, vegan meat, and all other shelf-stable foods. Are any of these natural? The technical answer would be no. Of course some products are more natural then others but virtually all shelf-stable foods are the work of food scientists working in a laboratory. These foods are all manufactured, and don’t you even begin to tell me that you never or have never eaten a food that falls into this category. If everyone on the planet ate as ‘natural’ as they claimed to then the entire food industry would collapse and go out of business. Even health nuts eat some form of processed food. In my opinion if you’re sitting down to a can of cola, and a hot dog you have no right to call lab meat unnatural. If you’re sitting down to a glass of non-organic soy milk, and a vegan steak sandwich you have no right to call lab meat ‘unnatural.’ If you enjoy an oreo, or a vitamin water, or a vegan marshmallow, or a can of soup now and then you have no right to call lab meat ‘unnatural.’ If you eat at fast food restaurant - even if you’re eating vegan fast food, - or even if you’re dining out at a conventional ‘sit-down’ restaurant you have no right to call lab meat ‘unnatural.’

To me, in terms of the processing aspect, eating lab meat would be no different then eating a box of chicken nuggets or a Tofurkey roast at Thanksgiving. In fact, lab meat may actually be less processed then many conventional meat products such as nuggets and hot dogs, as well as many vegan products such as veggie burgers, veggie chicken, and veggie sausages. So you can’t site ‘unnatural’ as a reason against. As for the ‘ick’ factor eating a lab meat burger is no more disgusting then eating a hot dog, or a burger at a fast food restaurant. I mean really, do you know what goes into those things? Yet people do both of those things day in and day out without so much as a second thought.

Of course there is also the opinion that since there are so many great meat alternatives available already that meat-eaters don’t take advantage of this will not catch on. There is also the fear that this will become a billion dollar industry and we all know what happens then. People say that because certain individuals are ignorant and will never give up conventional meat that this research is a waste of money. Well all I have to say to that is I honestly don’t think there will be a choice in the matter in the future. Our planet Is so devastated, we can barely sustain the life we have let alone the boom that’s coming that I don’t think we’ll be given the option to choose. As science-fictiony as it sounds I think if this becomes viable there will be a global decision to end factory farming in favor of it. I think that this will be the new way of things, it will be mandated and we won’t have the option of going back to conventionally raised meat. The only option we’ll have is to be vegan or eat lab-meat, and that’s probably how it should be anyway. I think there will come a time when eating any meat at all will be frowned upon, and so if you want to eat meat this will be the only acceptable way to do it, or risk becoming a social outcast. Perhaps that’s how things should be, though I know some would disagree with me there, anyway that’s a long way off. Lab meat won’t even be viable for commercial sale for another ten to twenty years, so everyone should just relax a little bit.

Really, I think the majority of the backlash and the negative reactions are coming from the ‘ick’ factor. People truly don’t like knowing where their food comes from or how it’s made. Most manufactured foods don’t advertise the fact that they are indeed manufactured and you never get to know exactly how it’s done due to ‘trade secrets, ‘ but this is different. It’s such a hot topic, and it’s generated so much intense interest that everyone will be keeping an eye on the story, and inevitably this means everyone will probably know more then they care to about the process. That alone will gross people out, then when you add to the mix any preconceived notions they may have about health, and food, well forget it. Reactions explode and people say crazy, ignorant and irrational things.

Bearing that in mind I strongly urge you - vegan or not - to seriously consider the potential for good here. Please consider the positive implications that this new technology could have on human health, animal welfare, the environment, and world hunger. Look past your initial reactionary feelings and look deep into how this could bring a positive change in the world. Realize that this isn’t about you, it isn’t an attack on you, it isn’t a criticism of you. Scientists are trying to come up with a realistic and viable solution to many of the critical problems we now face, and those solutions brought to fruition do more to help the world then the ideals you hold but don’t activate. Talk is just that, talk. It doesn’t solve anything, we need to take action which is what is happening here. It may not be the action you wanted, or dreamed of or hoped for, but a step forward is better then a step to the side, and as long as people keep moving in the right direction real change will finally come.

So stay positive, think critically, and reserve judgement.
For us, for the animals, and for the planet.

DIY: Perfume...

I have a confession to make. I used to be a fragrance junkie. Yeah, that’s right I was a perfume addict. I used to have a shelf full of bottles of the stuff, all different brands, and scents, the majority of them expensive. I wore it everyday and I loved it. Then I woke up to the fact that I was paying for a lot more then a pretty scent in all those pretty little glass bottles. Virtually all perfumes contain synthetic compounds and toxic chemicals. We’re talking endocrine disrupters, phthalates, parabens, hormone disrupters. These toxins in your favorite designer fragrances can cause anything from migraines and headaches to allergic reaction, allergy development, asthma, cancer and more. Once I got wise to this, the perfumes I once loved so dearly began smelling a little less sweet. Though it did take me a little time to kick the habit completely. You know how it is, some things you can quite cold potato while others take a bit more effort. For me, junking the perfume habit was all about trial and error. Meaning - if I wasn’t going to use perfume to smell good anymore what was I going to do? And how was it going to work? Figuring that kind of stuff out takes time, and can only be done by experimentation, so that’s what I did.

Last Christmas I was given Kim Barnouin’s book “Skinny Bitch: Home Beauty and Style” by my good friend J, which I promptly began reading after the festivities were over. There is a section in the book about perfume which was my first awakening to the dangers of store-bought fragrance. Of course, for some people when it comes to certain things more then one awakening is needed, so I didn’t give up perfume right away. I kept on with it, but the seed had been planted, and eventually I began doing my own research into why perfume was so bad. By the time I was finished I realized that if I truly cared about my body, my health, the environment, and the animals I couldn’t in good conscience continue to wear perfume. So I pledged right then and there not to buy any new perfume, and I began my search for safe, healthful, cruelty-free, and sustainable alternatives. Unfortunately as I came to realize very quickly not too many of those exist in the world, and of the few companies out there who are producing safe, cruelty-free, environmentally friendly fragrances I realized by looking at the ingredients that I could easily do the same thing at home for a fraction of the cost. It would just take a little bit of study, some creativity, and good old trial and error.

As far as I’m concerned good quality essential oils are the way to go. They may seem expensive at first when you see that most of them only come in a quantity of one or two ounces, but these oils are super concentrated and highly potent so a little really does go a long way. It’s been maybe ten months since I bought my very first bottle of essential oil and I haven’t had to replace a single one yet. When you take into consideration that I use these oils for more then just my own homemade perfume, you see that you actually get a lot of bang for your buck. However just because you start buying essential oils instead of commercial fragrances doesn't mean you can stop being a savvy consumer. You still need to read the labels to ensure that the essential oils you're buying are the real deal. Too many cheap oils are out there for sale, full of synthetic chemicals. What you want to look for is oils that are organic, 100% pure essential oil, have no synthetics, and also ones that are ethically wildcrafted. Don't automatically go for the cheapest oils you can find, but keep in mind that you don't have to break the bank for good quality either. Shop smart, keep savvy.

Now I’ll admit that in the beginning it took a little getting used to. Since homemade perfumes using essential oils are made by blending essential oils with a carrier oil - such as jojoba, almond, avocado, borage, primrose, apricot kernel etc.. - it can leave you feeling a little greasy or oily afterwards. Whereas perfume sprays on, dries and you forget it’s even there. So at first I wasn’t used to that sensation of ‘feeling’ the perfume on my skin, it was a bit odd, and annoying, and I felt slick. So I began using a little less, and making sure I rubbed it in well, and over time - not very long really - I stopped noticing it. I adapted, and I love the scents that I create so much that I would never even consider going back to toxin laden perfume. It’s great to have absolute control over what you’re putting into and onto your body, and with the wealth of beautiful essential oils out there your scent combinations and fragrance options are virtually endless. Plus I feel much cleaner using homemade perfume, I don’t sneeze after I apply it, or get random headaches, and I can breath easier. In fact breathing easier is the most amazing thing. You know that old saying that some people don’t know their sick until they’re actually healthy? Well it’s kind of like that. I didn’t know I had a sensitivity to artificial scents until I stopped using them. Now I can barely stand to be around people who are wearing perfume, they could be standing five to ten feet away from me and I start feeling a headache come on, my nose tickles, and my throat constricts. Walking through a department store these days is absolute murder, lucky for me I rarely find myself in department stores.

When it comes to DIY perfume my favorite carrier oil to use is Almond Oil, which is good for sensitive skin like mine. Though you can use any good carrier oil that suits your fancy and your skin type. While my favorite essential oils to use for fragrance include - but are not limited to - peppermint, eucalyptus, lavender, rosemary, white thyme, lemongrass, citronella, and ylang ylang, depending on my mood. Since pledging at the beginning of the year not to buy any new perfume my supply of commercial store-bought fragrance has diminished to one half-full bottle of Calvin Klein’s Euphoria. This was previously my favorite fragrance in the world, and now all I see when I look at it is toxic waste. Still I can’t bring myself to throw away a perfectly ‘good’ half bottle of perfume, and yet I can’t bring myself to put it onto my skin either. Perhaps I’ll keep it as a reminder of why I don’t want that sort of thing in my life anymore.

One other interesting thing I’ve realized in this trial and error of making my own perfume is that perfume truly serves no purpose. It’s entirely unnecessary. As much as I love my own homemade stuff I don’t wear it everyday. I typically only wear it to work, or if my husband and I are going out somewhere nice, or if I’m in need of a little mood elevation - because essential oils are great for this too! The rest of the time I don’t wear any fragrance, and I’m perfectly okay with that. Our society has conditioned us into believing that to be desirable we need to constantly smell of something other then ourselves, and this is utter nonsense. We have some how been bamboozled into thinking that our own natural scents are offensive or unflattering and this is simply not the case. The moment you truly realize this you will be set free, and you will never again seek out the wisdom of corporations to try and determine how you should and shouldn’t smell.

So give essential oils a try and see how you like them, but of course don’t take only my word for it. Do the research yourself and see. If you’re interested in more information the Environmental Working Group did a study testing 17 top name brand perfumes. In the end they found that each product had at least 14 secret chemicals that weren’t listed on the packaging because of the ‘trade secret’ laws. A total of 38 secret chemicals were found among all seventeen brands.  A dozen of these chemicals were hormone disrupters, with an average of four hormone disrupting chemicals per product. Ten of the ingredient in each product could cause allergies to develop or cause allergic reaction. But the worst part is that the EWG found that roughly 91% of the ingredients in each producing including those on the label and those not included in the label had not been tested for human safety. You see like various other industries The International Fragrance Association (IFRA) is self-regulating, which means they can test their own products for safety and then hand over their reports, but no governing agency double checks the proclaimed safety of the products tested they just take the IFRA’s word for it. How messed up is that?

So if you’re interested in looking into this more in depth, or you want to find out what’s in the products you have sitting in your makeup bag or on your shelf check out the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database.

EWG's Skin Deep Cosmetic's Database

You might also like to browse through a copy of

Kim Barnouin’s book “Skinny Bitch: Home Beauty and Style”

PS: This DIY Perfume post is part of a new series of posts I have planned about making green products yourself at home. It's a way to avoid chemical contamination, stop supporting corporations who only care about their profit margins not your health, lessen our carbon footprint on the planet, and save a few bucks in the process. As I become more and more aware of the realities of the common everyday products we buy without giving it a second though I realize there has to be a better way, and as I discover these better ways I hope to share them with you too! 

"Organic Health Food” Giant Whole Foods Caught In Deceptive GMO Marketing Scandal...

Now to take a moment out of Vegan Mofo to bring to your attention a serious and pressing issue.

I’ve been meaning to write a post on GMO’s - Genetically Modified Organisms - for ages, it’s something that I feel very strongly about. It’s something I think all people should be fully informed on, yet it’s something I keep having to put off because honestly I don’t even know where to begin. However the latest news story concerning Whole Foods, GMO’s and Monsanto got my attention last week, and sort of blew my mind. It comes at a particularly timely moment as on November 6th an initiative will be on the ballet in California - PROP 37 - that if passed will legally require all Foods containing GMO’s in the state to be labeled as such. This is huge, it is a huge step. Labeling of GMO foods is already required across the entire European Union, China, Mexico and some other countries as well, the United States is one of the only industrialized countries that does not require the labeling of GMO foods. Probably because the vast majority of the U.S. food supply is genetically modified, and probably because biotech corporations like Monsanto who are responsible for GMOs have plants in the FDA, the USDA, and various other agencies and organizations nationwide. Monsanto who I’ve mentioned before and who you should be well familiar with anyway has spent billions of dollars fighting against Prop 37. Dupont has also spent an exorbitant sum of money to fight against Prop 37 in California. Monsanto claims that GMO foods are safe, and healthy, but if they’re so safe then why is Monsanto fighting so hard against labeling. If they are so safe then labeling the GMO’s shouldn’t make a difference to them. But are we really suppose to take the word of the Corporation who invented DDT and Agent Orange, who after virtually zero testing declared those chemicals ‘safe’? Perhaps this is why they’re fighting so hard.

The truth about GMO’s is that we truly do not know if they are safe or not. They’ve only been in our food system since the 1990's, and no extensive testing or trials have been conducted. No human trials nor human testing. We have no idea what the long term effect of consuming high quantities of GMO’s may be, we have no idea what the consequence will be to our environment. Studies conducted on animals fed GMO diets have shown that GMO’s can cause anything from allergies, infections, discomfort to cancer. A recent study on mice fed a diet of Monsanto’s GMO corn showed that they developed large stomach tumors. GMO’s were approved for use in the human food supply by the USDA and the FDA not because of throughly vetted testing but simply because Monsanto gave them their word. Can we trust that?

Whether you believe GMO’s are safe, or detrimental to human health and the environment. I think the one thing we can agree on is that all of us have a right to know what we are eating, and what we are choosing to put into our bodies. Monsanto doesn’t want us to have that right.

This is where Whole Foods comes in. For thirty years this corporate health food giant has positioned itself as the pioneer in industry organics. It prides itself on its standards and its dedication to selling only the highest quality natural foods. Natural is a big word at Whole Foods and is used as often as Organic, they often make the claim that their products and stores are free of artificial ingredients - meaning colors, flavors, etc. They have publically spoken out against GMO foods, and while I can’t pinpoint an instance in which they actually came out and said they never sell GMO foods in their stores, all of their marketing campaigns imply it. They are all about organic, natural and nothing artificial ever. Yet in a quiet press release issued recently the company disclosed that it does in fact knowingly sell GMO products in it’s stores. While this press release may have gone unnoticed by many it did not go unnoticed by all. An independent news organization picked up the story and actually had the balls to confront Whole Foods Employees and Customers with it. InfoWars and a group known as Organic Spies have made several captivating videos on the topic. One of the Organic Spies videos was even banned from YouTube, but is still viewable on their site, and several articles by similarly independent news organizations have been published over the following weeks. The backlash against Whole Foods has begun. They have been accused of indoctrinating their employees and encouraging them to lie on the subject of Organic’s and GMO’s. They have been called everything from corporate thugs, to “The Green Monsanto.” and now after various protests that occurred Tuesday, October 16th at Whole Foods stores nations wide - the day was labeled “Bring your GMO’s back to Whole Foods Day” Whole Foods has now released a 5 Point GMO Fact Sheet for it’s customers and employees.

In the fact sheet it claims that the only way for a Whole Foods customer to avoid buying GMO products is to by Strictly Organic products or products certified Non-GMO by the Non-GMO Project. It even admits that it’s own 365 brand - something it previously claimed was natural, free of artificial ingredients and GMO free - could not be considered 100% GMO free unless organic. They say “Our 365 Products come from plant sources that are sourced to avoid GMO’s” Note the word Avoid, and register that no where on the ‘fact sheet’ does it say that their non-organic 365 products do not contain any GMO’s.

When confronted by InfoWars reporters Whole Foods executive Libby Letton - who handles investor relations and food safety - if that’s not a conflict of interest I don’t know what is - said “Unless a store is all organic, every store in the country sells unlabeled Genetically Modified Foods.” While this may be true it’s hardly an excuse or a defense. The “Well Everyone Does it” excuse doesn’t fly, particularly when a company has built it’s reputation on being better then ‘the other guy’ People shop at Whole Foods because they think the company has integrity, because they trust them, and because they think Whole Foods is better then everyone else. Well their recent admission about GMO’s and Letton’s ‘defense’ prove otherwise. On the subject of conventional food items Whole Foods is no better then your friendly neighborhood Safeway, Dominick’s, Kroger, or even Wal-Mart etc.  Letton then said on camera “I don’t think Whole Foods does anything to try and make people believe that we don’t have food with GMO’s in them.” Which is a statement she likely now regrets because the reporters at InfoWars were able to find several instances of where this was not the case. From signs posted outside of Whole Foods Stores to statements posted on their website, blog, and even their own Mission Statement, InfoWars with a bit of research and a few hard-hitting questions  has been able to uncover the great Whole Foods Marketing Deception.

For some it comes as no surprise that Whole Foods sells GMO foods. With 90% of the nations Canola, 86% of the nations corn, and 93% of the nations soybean crops being GMO some people seem to think that buying GMO is unavoidable. To others however it came as a big shock, it’s an even bigger shock for people to find out that Whole Foods is selling the very GMO Monsanto Corn they’re supposedly against. The unavoidable defense is certainly the party-line the company is now taking up to excuse itself. They say that “GMO’s in the food supply are unavoidable, particularly when considering high risk crops such as corn, canola, and soy.” However that isn’t exactly true is it? If it were unavoidable or impossible then how could there be so many organic companies? How could their be such a thing as non-organic non-GMO certification? The truth is that it’s simply easier, and cheaper for Whole Foods to sell cheap GMO products at a ridiculous markup to unsuspecting consumers. Letton almost confirms this herself. When asked by an InfoWars reporter if Whole Foods had any plans to take the initiative and test all the non-organic products in their stores for GMO’s themselves she replied “Wouldn’t it just be simpler to pass a law that requires labeling of GMO’s on products?” Um, no. I think that Monsanto pumping billions of dollars into fighting that very law - Prop 37 - in California is proof enough that, that route isn’t easier. My question to Letton and to Whole Foods is “Wouldn’t it be a show of trust to test the products yourself to ensure your customers are provided with the best quality products?” “If you’re genuinely against GMO’s wouldn’t you make a greater effort to ensure they’re not in your stores.” “Could you not contact the non-organic companies whose products you sell and ask them if they would be willing to voluntarily label their products as GMO free even though there is no legal law requiring it?”

If you don’t think Whole Foods has pockets deep enough to pay for the testing of all the non-organic products sold within their stores you’re sorely mistaken. They have more then 300 stores in three countries, and some of those stores make a million dollars or more a week. The co-presidents of Whole Foods John Mackey, and Walter Robb are worth more money then you and I will ever see in our lifetime. If they were serious, if they were genuine, and if they truly cared about their integrity they would label their products voluntarily, or ask their supplies to do this. It is my personal opinion that any company not willing to label their products as GMO free has something to hide.

For me one of the most upsetting and disturbing things about this news is not the fact that Whole Foods is knowingly selling GMO products, it’s their deception about it. They may be admitting to the GMO’s now because they have to but their ‘quality standards’ as seen on their own website remains the same.

1) We carefully evaluate each and every product we sell
2) We feature foods that are free of artificial preservatives, colors, flavors, sweeteners, and hydrogenated fats.
3) We are passionate about great tasting food and sharing it with others
4) We are committed to foods that are fresh, wholesome and safe to eat
5) We seek out and promote organically grown foods
6) We provide food and nutritional products that support health and well-being

If all of those statements are true then Whole foods carefully evaluates products containing GMO’s and then decides to sell them anyway. Thinks that GMO’s are natural. Thinks that GMO foods are wholesome and safe, and thinks that GMO products support health and well-being. They either truly believe that, or their quality standards are a lie. I don’t know how you can list these as your quality standards while you’re simultaneously selling GMO foods. According to information offered by some of Whole Foods own employees - information spoken on camera during one of the undercover videos - Even Whole Foods Vitamin line may contain GMO’s.

This deception leads me to one more point I have to make on the topic of the hypocrisy of Whole Foods. Whole Foods dose not carry Pepsi, Coke, General Mills, Kellogg, Hershey’s, Cadbury, Kraft or Con Agra products because they are not healthy and do not meet their ‘quality standards.’ They demonize these companies and corporations and yet, if you look closely you will see that the shelves of Whole Foods Market are stocked full of products from these very companies. How could this be you ask? Simple.

Pepsi owns Naked Juice, and Izze. Both sold in Whole Foods.
Coke owns Odwalla sold in Whole Foods.
General Mills owns Larabar, Cascadian Farms, and Muir Glen all sold in Whole Foods
Kellogg owns Bare Naked, Kashi, Gardenburger, and Morningstar Farms all sold in Whole Foods
Hershey’s - Which has been accused of sourcing it’s chocolate through slave labor - owns Dagoba which is sold in Whole Foods.
Cadbury owns Black and Green Chocolate sold in Whole Foods
Kraft owns Boca and Back to Nature both sold at Whole Foods
Con Agra owns Lightlife sold in Whole Foods.

It should also be noted that while Whole Foods Market claims to be against factory farming it supports it indirectly as Hain Celestial - who have many products in Whole Foods stores from Imagine - almond, soy and rice dream - to Westsoy, to Garden of Eaten, to Arrowhead Mills and Spectrum Organics -  in particular is affiliated with Cargill, and directly as Whole Foods own grain-fed beef comes courtesy of IBP who is owned by Tyson Foods the biggest beef producer in the Country. IBP is located in South Dakota.

How can a company that demonizes these big corporations turn around and sell products from that very company? Perhaps this is why Whole Foods won’t stand behind Prop 37 and take a definitive and inarguable stand on the topic of GMO’s. Pepsi Corp, Cocoa Cola Corp, General Mills, and Kellogg are all actively fighting against prop 37 and donating to that fight right along with Monsanto.

Through their research InfoWars and Organic Spies have also uncovered some startling information. They say that Co-President Walter Robb has personally donated money to the campaign of Christie Vilsack who is running for congress this year. She is the wife of Tom Vilsack, who some of you may know is the United States Secretary of Agriculture at the USDA, who has been in bed with Monsanto for years, and who publicly advocates large industrialized farms and genetically modified crops. When confronted with this Letton stated that “What a person wants to do with their personal money from their personal bank account is their business.” which is true but you have to ask yourself why a man who is the co-president of the largest Organic and Natural Grocery Chain in the Country would donate money to the campaigns of the very people working against what he and his company - supposedly - are trying to achieve. InfoWars also stated that Robb donated a significant amount of money to the Obama campaign, and Obama appointed Mike Taylor - A Monsanto Cronie going back to the 80's - as the FDA Senior Advisor to the FDA Commission, and the FDA Deputy Commissioner for Foods. It could very well be a coincidence, and it could not be, that at least is the conclusion that's being drawn. I can’t speak to that, but it is interesting. It has also been reported that Whole Foods Executives have had meetings with Tom Vilsack, Monsanto, Stonyfeild Farms and Organic Valley. About what? Who can say, but why would Whole Foods Executives be meeting with a company they rally against?

And why does a corporation as adamantly opposed to GMO’s as Whole Foods claims to be, refuse to donate money to the Prop 37 initiative in California? They’ve publicly stated that they support prop 37, and the consumers ‘right to know’ but refuse to throw any money behind it. Is that because their top executives are donating money from personal bank accounts that is inevitably ending up in the pockets of Monsanto? To date no corporation has donated money to Prop 37, all donations are coming from small independent and Organic companies or personal donations from concerned doctors and the public. Leading by example is something that Whole Foods could easily do here, and yet they sit back silently watching to see what happens while their higher-ups donate to the opposition.

I think it’s safe to say that Whole Foods Market is no longer your friendly neighborhood hippy-dippy health food store. They’ve failed their customers and sold out to corporate America for the all-mighty dollar.

If this bothers you, if this upsets you, if this infuriates you my advice would be to get into contact with John Mackey, Walter Robb and other Whole Foods Executives via email and tell them in a polite but firm manner what you think of all of this. I would urge you to go to your local Whole Foods Market and talk to the store managers there, tell them how you feel, tell them how disappointed you are in them as a company. I would also urge you to contact your congressman or woman, or your state senator and tell them how you feel about GMO’s and ask them to stand behind a similar prop 37 for whatever your home state might be. If you live in California I urge you to vote yes on Prop 37 this November 6th and show the world that we are not willing to let ourselves become Monsanto’s Science Experiment.

And on the matter of where to buy your groceries. There’s not much sense in boycotting Whole Foods I think, so I would suggest that you only buy their organic products. Purchase from them only what is organic or what you need to suit any special diet you may have whether it’s vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free etc... then do the rest of your shopping at farmers markets or local markets and health food stores that you trust. Independent ones will be sure to have more integrity then chains. When it comes to buying conventional products I’d recommend you get them wherever you can get them cheapest. No sense in buying conventional apples at Whole Foods when you can buy the same apples at Safeway for $2 less right?

Dollars speak louder then words, if you stop buying GMO products from Whole Foods maybe they’ll get the message.

As November 6 grows nearer and these stories continue to circulate I will try to keep you updated. For more information check out the articles and videos linked below. Or simply Google it for yourself.

http://www.naturalnews.com/037467_Whole_Foods_marketing_fraud_GMO.html
http://tv.naturalnews.com/v.asp?v=A6D9F56EC3D67EB38801CCAACE10D645
http://tv.naturalnews.com/v.asp?v=484FC93C887B206A895A116C0A3469E3
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_23905.cfm
http://tv.naturalnews.com/v.asp?v=E95DBAD3F3CE57D8190A9D39202FBD6B
http://digitaljournal.com/article/334129
http://www.infowars.com/whole-foods-market-and-gmos-the-whole-truth/
http://www.care2.com/news/member/101960828/3383705
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_22449.cfm
http://fundrace.huffingtonpost.com/neighbors.php?type=name&oldest=1&lname=Robb&fname=Walter&search=Search+Names
http://truthquake.com/2012/10/02/whole-foods-censors-expose-genetically-modified-food-poisoning-video/
http://www.gcnlive.com/wp/tag/food/
http://www.cornucopia.org/who-owns-organic/

Corporate Biotech Giant Monsanto Responsible For Bee Population Decline - Suggests Latest Research...

For the past decade Honeybee populations have been dwindling. The phenomenon known as colony collapse disorder has been occurring throughout the world. Every year or so it seems this story catches fire in the media and you have pundits saying everything from “It’s the end of the world” to “It’s a non issue.” but the dwindling numbers of the worlds bee populations isn’t a laughing matter. Anytime a species is on the verge of extinction or even hinting at moving in that direction it’s a serious topic that should be discussed and researched. For the past ten years nobody knew what was causing colony collapse disorder, nobody knew why the bees were mysteriously dying, scientists couldn’t figure it out. Until now.

The Biotechnology company Monsanto and the worlds largest supplier of pesticides, genetically engineered seeds and agrochemicals - not to mention the most evil and corrupt company in the world - has - at least in part - been blamed for the decline in world wide bee populations.

Poland - in an effort to save it’s native honeybee population - has recently banned genetically engineered corn that self-produces a popular insecticide known as neonicotinoid after research found that the insecticide triggers Colony Collapse Disorder. (CCD) Germany and Greece have also banned the genetically engineered crop.

A Harvard University study published in the June 2012 issue of Bulletin of Insectology also found a strong correlation between imidacloprid a neonicotinoid insecticide and CCD.

Neonicotinoid pesticides - or Neonics - are sprayed over 142 million acres of corn, soy, wheat and cotton in the United States alone. They also happen to be a common ingredient in a variety of home gardening products. The problem with Neonics is that they are absorbed by a plants vascular system contaminating both the pollen and nectar that bees come in contact with. The Neonics act as a nerve poison that disorientates bees - as well as other insects - damaging their homing abilities which may help to account for their ‘mysterious’ failure to make it back to their hives.

Of course there are other contributing factors to dwindling bee population, and scientists have pointed the finger at everything from loss of wild bee habitats, to the weakening of bee immune systems as a result of poor diet. - Commercial bees are fed pesticide laced corn syrup rather then their own honey - as well as the common techniques of modern beekeeping such as artificially inseminating queen bees, which results in a loss of genetic diversity in bee populations.

Though regardless of other contributing factors it’s been made clear that genetically engineered crops and pesticides such as neonics bare a heavy responsibility when it comes to bee population decline. Unfortunately when faced with these charges Monsanto’s response was to buy up one of the leading bee collapse research organizations Beeologics. The purchase can be found in public company records and shows the biotech company bought Beeologics in September of 2011. Which coincidently is around the time the story of the correlation between GM crops and bee decline stopped being explored in the media. Until of course Polish officials began expressing their concerns over the research.

Hm - blamed for bee decline, buy a bee decline research company, because that’s not a conflict of interest right?

For more information on the story check out...

Natural Society
Natural News
The Huffington Post
Global Research

Or just Google Monsanto/Bees.

Dollars for Trees - The Atlantic Forest Needs YOUR Help...

I just wanted to take a moment today to talk about a really great program that the Nature Conservancy is doing. It’s called ‘Plant a Billion Trees’

The Atlantic Forest is one of the worlds most endangered tropical forests. Only 12% of it’s original area remains and only 7% of that is well conserved. Due to coastal developments, urban expansion, agriculture, exotic plantations, ranching and illegal logging this once beautiful landscape has experienced rapid degradation.

As we all know trees = oxygen, and large forested areas are indispensable for storing large amounts of carbon dioxide from our atmosphere and releasing oxygen in it’s stead. The fewer trees we have, the smaller our forests become the more our atmosphere and our climate degrade. The Atlantic Forest - one of the worlds largest tropical forests - plays a vital part in global climate stabilization and in fighting climate change. (global warming) The Atlantic Forest also provides over 130 million people in Brazil with clean water and hydro energy, and through climate regulation it benefits populations worldwide. The Atlantic Forest is also extraordinary in it’s biodiversity, it’s home to 23 species of primates, 1,000 species of birds, and over 20,000 spieceos of plants, and 60% of Brazil’s endangered spieces. Some of these plants and animals are exclusive to the Atlantic Forest, meaning they do not exist anywhere else on Earth.

It is a truly amazing place in desperate need of our help. What the Nature Conservancy is doing is working to restore the Atlantic Forest and bring it back from the brink of destruction. There plant is to restore 1 million acres of land by planting 1 billion trees and they want to achieve this by 2015. This restoration effort has the potential to remove 4 million tons of carbon dioxide from the Earth’s atmosphere every year!

Of course for such a massive undertaking they need help.  So please, please help grow a tree today! The great part is all it takes is $1. $1 plants 1 tree. If you can afford to donate more that’s awesome too, every dollar plants a tree, and every dollar is valuable. Every tree counts, and every dollar/tree brings us that much closer to the goal.

Please also pass this information along to all your friends, family members, co-workers, contacts - anyone and everyone! Conservation should be an issue close to all of our hearts because the fate of our planet and the fate of us as a species are one and the same. We cannot live on a planet that is uninhabitable and inhospitable. Trees help us, they clean our air, and regulate our climate we need to start restoring them in order to bring balance to our planet and our atmosphere. We need to start becoming a part of the solution. So please, be part of the solution today and donate your dollar - or more - to the Nature Conservancy’s ‘Plant a Billion Trees’ campaign, and don’t forget to spread the word!


“One Dollar, One Tree, One Planet.”

Plant a Billion Trees Project Page
http://www.plantabillion.org/

The Nature Conservancy
http://www.nature.org/

Earth Day 2012...

Starved Rock State Park, IL

“The economy is a wholly owned subsidiary of the environment, not the other way around.” - Gaylord Nelson 

Happy Earth Day everyone! Here in the Midwest it was a beautiful sunny day, albeit a bit chilly due to a strong wind. Wherever you are, and whatever the weather conditions I hope you took some time out today to take stock of the world around you, and give thanks and appreciation to this amazing planet we call home. I hope you also engaged in your own personal act of conservation to show solidarity for the Earth. - ie. Keeping your lights turned off, using as little electricity as possible, taking a garbage bag when you go out walking and collect some trash, donate a few dollars to an environmental organization etc... - Spent as much time as you could outside and enjoyed the wonders that nature has to offer, far too often we take this world for granted and today is the perfect day for us to all stop, take a step back and ‘smell the roses’ so to speak.

A little bit of interesting Earth Day information for you is that the origin of Earth Day is credited to a former Wisconsin senator named Gaylord Nelson.  After witnessing the destruction caused by the massive 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara, California, and inspired by the student anti-war movement of the time, he called for an environmental teach-in, or Earth Day to be held on April 22nd 1970.  Over 20 million people participated in that first year, and now Earth Day is celebrated on April 22nd of each year by more then 500 million people, and several national governments in 175 countries. Now there is even an Earth Week, which is celebrated by many communities around the world in which the entire week people focus on environmental issues and activities. Nelson, who was an environmentalist and conservation activist took a leading role in organizing the original celebration, modeling it on the Vietnam war teach-in’s of the time, and hoping to demonstrate popular political support for an environmental agenda.

It really is amazing how such an enormous movement can grow out of one simple idea. Such things always give me hope for humanity.

“The wealth of the nation is its air, water, soil, forests, minerals, rivers, lakes, oceans, scenic beauty, wildlife habitats and biodiversity… that’s all there is. That’s the whole economy. That’s where all the economic activity and jobs come from. These biological systems are the sustaining wealth of the world.” - Gaylord Nelson

Since I already try to live everyday of my life as environmentally friendly as possible, my Earth Day celebration this year focused on just taking time to appreciate the world. I started my day by going for a nice long walk. I stopped by the lake near my home to visit the families of Canadian Geese that reside there year round. I’ve been visiting them for years, but haven’t had much of an opportunity over the past couple of weeks to see them. This morning I discovered that one family has had it’s goslings already. Six cute, fuzzy yellow fluff balls chirping and waddling around the tall grass. So I found a sunny spot on the grass overlooking the lake to sit and watch them for a while. They are the most adorable little things, and seeing them always fills me with joy. After returning home I played with my dog for a while and went for a second walk this time with her as my companion. I spent some time hooping in my yard, enjoying the sun and the breeze, and then it was off to the kitchen to prepare a feast fit for an Earth Day celebration.

I wanted the dishes to be relatively simply, and yet a bit gourmet. I wanted them to take into account all the wonderful bounty of spring produce, and I wanted them to reflect the holiday we were celebrating. Every dish - except the dessert - incorporated something green to represent Mother Earth and Nature. Every dish utilized at least one fruit, vegetable or herb we commonly associate with the change of season and the warmer months. The resulting meal was more then I could ever have hoped for, and it was well worth the three hours I spent preparing it. By the time everything was plated, all the photos were taken and we sat down to eat, we had a lovely four course meal laid out before us.

It started with an appetizer of Crostini with Pesto and sauteed Chanterelle Mushrooms. Followed by a warm - not hot - Creamy Spring Pea Soup. Next was a Kickin’ Kale Coleslaw, and finally the main dish, a delicious, delectable Spring Onion Phyllo Tart. After another walk to and around the lake we returned home to enjoy our fifth and final course, dessert. Which was a melt in your mouth Blackberry Vanilla Buttercream Cake with Blackberry Buttercream frosting. Keep your eyes peeled because I promise recipes and photos of all five or our Earth Day dishes will be appearing in the next week. They were just too good not to share!

Finally we ended the night by going to see Disney’s new Earth Day feature “Chimpanzee” which was an absolutely incredible film. Not only for it’s moving story but for it’s feats of technical brilliants and awe-inspiring camera work. The film had me smiling with joy, teary with sadness, and totally dumb-struck by beauty the entire way through. If you haven’t yet seen the film, I highly recommend it, and if you do choose to go please go during the first week. As a percentage of all ticket proceeds in the first week is donated to the Jane Goodall Institute as a part of the “See Chimpanzee’s, Save Chimpanzee’s” program to help protect chimpanzee’s and their habitat. Or if you can’t or don’t want to see the film you can always go to the Jane Goodall Institute or Disney Nature’s website to see how you can help Chimpanzee’s in other ways. Remember that every little bit helps, and it’s the least we can do for these amazing creatures that are so like us.

Happy Earth Day!
May the majesty and beauty of nature always surround you.

“It’s not just a fight for clean air, but a fight for everyone in this country to live in a personal environment in which he can live like a human being.” - Mary Lou Oates

The Jane Goodall Institute
http://www.janegoodall.org/

Disney Nature
http://disney.go.com/disneynature/chimpanzee/

“The fault lies not in the science and technology as such but in the sense of values of the contemporary world which ignores the rights of others.” - Indira Gandhi

'Never Cry Wolf' - by Farley Mowat...

"Whenever and wherever men have engaged in the mindless slaughter of animals (including other men), they have often attempted to justify their acts by attributing the most vicious or revolting qualities to those they would destroy; and the less reason there is for the slaughter, the greater the campaign of vilification."
                                                  Never Cry Wolf - Farley Mowat - 1963

When I first read this quote, the truth of it cut so deep into my core that I had to read it slowly, four or five more times. I wanted to savor the words, and meditate on them. It’s the kind of statement - both haunting and piercing - that transcends time. For as long as the human species has been alive, and for as long as we continue to survive we have and will continue to murder out of greed and out of fear. No truer words could be said about humans, and in fact the statement is so paramount that it should be etched onto the tombstone of humanity.

Tuesday I was in my beloved local library searching through the rather large section of books that fall into the category of ‘animal science/animal behavior’ This is not a section of the library I had ever ventured to before, nor is it a subject I felt compelled to research thoroughly. That is until the winds of interest suddenly changed and I found myself blown quite haphazardly into a vast world of literature I never knew existed. Among those books I found this little gem by Farley Mowat. Knowing nothing at all about it, yet finding myself almost mesmerize by the picture of two beautiful wolves on the cover, I slipped it onto my already towering stack.
Two days later when I was trying to decide which book to read first I immediately grabbed for this one. I cracked it open, read the first paragraph and was hooked. It’s been quite some time since a book completely overtook me and this one did. I could barely put it down. I read the first 130 pages well before lunch, and finished the rest of it after dinner. I’ll tell you, that six hour break between meals was a killer. Every now and then I’d pick the book back up and read a paragraph or two before forcing myself to put it done so I could do the rest of the things I had planned for the day.

For those of you who are unaware Farley Mowat is a popular and distinguished naturalist and author from Ontario Canada. He’s written tons of books, many of which are internationally acclaimed, and two movies have been made based on his work. One of them "Never Cry Wolf" the adaptation of this book, and the second "The Snow Walker" starring Barry Pepper, which you may be more familiar with.

This book was written in 1963 and details Mowat’s experience investigating the cause of declining caribou populations in Arctic Canada and determining whether or not wolves - as Canada’s Dominion Wildlife Services suggested - were responsible. The book chronicles the time he spent living nearly alone in the frozen tundra studying the wolves, and examines his growing affection for them.

There is some controversy over how accurate or factual the book really is, some critics have called Mowat Bias a liar and worse, and in turn many of those critics have also been called the same by others. Controversy or no I could care less. Whether the book is 100% factual I have no idea, but I doubt it is. Though if we’re being honest has there ever been a biography, autobiography or book supposedly based on ‘true events’ that is 100% factual? Not likely. With books in this category a certain level of embellishment is the expected norm. Books such as these of course are meant to entertain, and life isn’t always ‘stranger than fiction’ but regardless of the books factual integrity I loved it. I loved every second I spent reading it, and I knew immediately that I’d have to discuss it here once I’d finished it.

It may sound boring to you, the premise of a man alone in the arctic tundra studying beings who can not speak as we understand it, and who can not interact in a manner in which we are accustom. You might wonder how much one could write about a baron landscape but you will be amazed. Not once was I bored, in fact I was enthralled. Mowat writes with passion, and beauty. His words are evocative and haunting. He writes with humor, and paints such vivid pictures that one could easily imagine themself inhabiting the time and place of which he writes. Mowat’s writing style is a perfect balance of lean yet detailed, simple yet complex, and his characters - the wolves - are truly magnificent creatures/creations. The wolves are so richly drawn that one almost forgets they’re wolves

Factual or not the book is peppered with penetrating quotes like the one above. His musings and observations are astute and exquisite and leave the reader with much to mull over and think about later. I still can’t shake the books imagery from my mind, and have thought about it at least once everyday since I finished it. I like to believe that Mowat’s wolves were real, and that his account is mostly true, as this book had a huge impact on how society views wolves. For centuries they were hated and feared by virtually every culture. There was a time, not so very long ago, when people were actively trying to eradicate them. Though the idea of the wolf as a ruthless, bloodthirsty savage deserving of nothing more then our contempt is a powerful one this book went a long way in transforming wolves from monsters into a cause for sympathy and compassion in the hearts of many readers. For that reason alone - at least from a conservation stance - this book should be held in some esteem.

It swiftly and ferociously plunged itself into my heart, and has become an instant favorite of mine. A book I highly recommend for it’s beauty as well as it’s perceptive observations of humanity.

"We have doomed the wolf not for what it is, but for what we deliberately and mistakenly perceive it to be - the mythological epitome of a savage, ruthless killer - which is, in reality, no more than the reflected image of ourself."

- Farley Mowat

Western Black Rhino Officially Declared Extinct....

Today I sit here stunned into tears by the announcement that the Western Black Rhino has officially been declared extinct by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. With the addition that the subspecies of White Rhino in Central Africa and the Northern White Rhino have been listed as possibly extinct in the wild. As if that weren’t enough it’s also thought that the Java Rhino is now probably extinct in Vietnam after the last animal succumbed to poachers in 2010. Although not all hope is lost for the wild Java Rhino as a small yet dwindling population still resides on the Island of Java, Indonesia.

"Human beings are stewards of the earth, and we are responsible for protecting the species that share our environment," says Simon Stuart, Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission. "In the case of both the Western Black Rhino and the Northern White Rhino the situation could have had very different results if the suggested conservation measures had been implemented. These measures must be strengthened now, specifically managing habitats in order to improve breeding performance, preventing other rhino’s from facing extinction."

"We have the knowledge that conservation works if executed in a timely manner, yet, without strong political will in combination with targeted efforts and resources the wonders of nature and the services it provides can be lost forever," says Jane Smart, Director, IUCN Global Species Program.

A lack of political support and will power for conservation efforts in many rhino habitats, international organized crime groups targeting rhinos, and increasingly illegal demand for rhino horns and commercial poaching are the main threats faced by rhinos.

Historically this rare subspecies of Black Rhino lived across the savanna belt of Western Africa but in recent years Cameroon became it’s last remaining habitat. Heavily hunted at the beginning of the 20^th century the Western Black Rhino population began to steadily decline until the 1930's when the population increased slightly as preservation action was taken. However as protection efforts declined over the years so did the number of Western Black Rhinos and by 1980 the population was estimated to be in the mere hundreds. Poaching continued and by the year 2000 only an estimated 10 had survived. Illegal poaching, limited anti-poaching laws and the failure of courts to hand down sentences to punish poachers all contributed to the Western Black Rhino’s demise. There are no Western Black Rhinos known to be in captivity.

The Black Rhino is hunted almost exclusively for it’s horns which are used in traditional Chinese medicine, and are said by herbalists to be able to revive comatose patients, cure fevers and aid male sexual stamina and fertility. Claims that have never been proven or confirmed by medical science. Another major market for the sale or rhino horns is the Middle East, where the horns are used to make ornately carved handles for ceremonial daggers called jambiyas. Demands for these daggers exploded in the 1970's causing the Black Rhino population to decline 96% between 1970-1992.

This is a sad day indeed for all animal lovers, naturalists, conservationists, and compassionate human beings. Though I’ve read article upon article presenting me with the same information I still find this news hard to digest. How can so many subspecies of an animal as magnificent and majestic as the Rhino be extinct or so near extinction? I know the statistics of course, I’m well aware that the rate of extinction is currently estimated at 27,000 species per year. Most of which is due to deforestation, destruction of rainforests, and other habitat loss. I know that the rate of species extinction is rapidly rising and that it’s estimated that within the next 100 years 30% of all the worlds animals and plants could be extinct. I know this, and because I know this I feel as though I shouldn’t be so shocked. Maybe it’s naivety, but I never truly thought I would see an animal as massive and iconic as the Black Rhino go extinct in my lifetime.

The words extinct and extinction are very powerful, and everyone knows their meaning to be ‘No longer in existence,’ but I think far to often we attribute these words to long ago beings like the dinosaurs, or the dodo, rather then those creatures we have grown up knowing and hearing about. It’s almost as if the majority of us don’t consider the word extinction to be relevant to the present, when in fact it’s more relevant now then ever before. We are losing species upon species, many of whom are virtually unknown and unstudied, at an astounding rate and many of us it seems can hardly be bothered to bat an eyelash in concern. The diversity of our eco-system and wildlife is the single most important thing to humanities continued survival as a species, yet we treat everything around us with ignorant disdain and disregard.

I want so badly to believe in the innate goodness of humankind. I want to believe in the ability of good to triumph over evil, but on days like this I find my hope falters. With every person I see toss a water bottle onto the ground, drive a gas guzzler, kill a bee, or simply turn a blind and uncaring eye away from a monumental news story like this I feel the hope inside me grow smaller. I don’t want to believe that the average person is unkind or callous but on days like this I can’t help but wonder why? Why was nothing done? Why were no voices heard? Why did we sit back and do nothing? Human greed, ignorance, and a lack of education are the only things I can think of, but if those are truly the reasons I don’t feel as though that leaves us with a very positive outlook about our future. Human greed is a raging fire we seem incapable of snuffing out, and human ignorance is just as strong. Today I feel as though all the kindness and compassion in the world are not enough to fan this fire, but my husband begs me not to give up, or to loose hope. If we give up then they win. He is right of course. Even in these darkest moments we can not despair.

Though my heart is breaking with the sadness of this latest crushing blow to our planet, I feel more strongly then ever about the rightness of the path I’ve chosen for myself. I am more determined then ever before to spread as much information to as many people as possible. I believe without a doubt that education is the key. The more people you and I can educate about what is truly going on in the world and of how our actions or inactions can effect and promote negative reactions across the globe, the more hope there’ll be. With every individual voice that rises up, our collective voice will only grow stronger until it becomes so strong that it can not be ignored.

Gandhi said "Be The Change You Want To See In The World." So I ask you now, to please be that change. Be that change and live that change everyday. Inform yourself and others, and live your values without refrain or apology. Consider every moment an opportunity to promote change, and don’t despair or loose hope. Standup for yourselves, for those around you, for all the creatures that share this world with us. We were meant to be the stewards of this world, the protectors, not the destroyers of it. So stand up and let your voices be heard.

For more information -  http://www.iucnredlist.org/news/another-leap-towards-the-barometer-of-life
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45236688/#.Trv_pGH5mSo

*** All images acquired from Google Images.***

The Clean Fifteen - An Answer To ‘The Dirty Dozen’...

So, I suppose now that I’ve thoroughly scared you (In a previous post) with the Environmental Working Group’s "Dirty Dozen" list, it’s probably a good time to tell you that it isn’t all doom and gloom, and the apocalypse. The EWG also has a list called The Clean Fifteen. Think of it as The Dirty Dozen’s less scary and less intimidating sister. As the name implies it’s a list of foods that are considered safer to purchase conventionally. Now keep in mind that when we’re talking about non-organic foods there’s no such thing as a zero percent risk, but because many of these foods aren’t naturally very appealing to pests less pesticides - if any - are used. In other cases the fruit or vegetable in question may have a thick of fibrous shell or skin that keeps pest interaction to a minimum and harmful chemicals at bay, leaving the edible flesh inside relatively unharmed. These fruits and vegetables are as follows...

The Clean Fifteen

1) Onions
2) Avocado
3) Sweet Corn*4) Pineapple
5) Mango
6) Sweet Peas
7) Asparagus
8) Kiwi Fruit
9) Cabbage
10) Eggplant
11) Cantaloupe
12) Watermelon
13) Grapefruit
14) Sweet Potatoes
15) Sweet Onions

Hopefully with this list in hand you will feel a little less overwhelmed at the register, as your cashier dutifully scans your items. As I said, I entirely understand the impracticality of everyone buying everything organic 100% of the time, what with the economy the way it is. Which is why the Dirty Dozen list is the best place to start, and this list I think is a great reassurance. This list gives us the power to feel relatively good and safe about those non-organic purchases we make. We can feel confident that we’re cutting down our day to day contact with pesticides, and reducing our bodies pesticide contamination by shopping organic for the dirty and conventional for the clean. We don’t have to burst into tears because we can’t afford the $3.99 Organic Pineapple, but only the $1.99 conventional one. Yet we can trust that it’s okay, because the pineapple has a thick spiky skin that even the most determined of pests most likely don’t want to tangle with. Think about it, you don’t even want to cut into that pineapple with a knife, it’s big, bulky and intimidating even to a human so how is an insect going to whittle it’s way through that bristling outer layer?

Keeping both these lists in mind also gives one a good rule of thumb to shop by. Examine what fruits and vegetables pop up on each list, and next time you’re doing your shopping use that to determine whether or not you should buy items that aren’t on either list in their organic or conventional variations. For example if it’s a sweet thin skinned fruit or vegetable you might want to buy it organic. If it’s a slightly bitter, spicy, potent or thick skinned fruit or vegetable you might be safe to go with the conventional. Although it’s my strong opinion that if you’re buying fruits such as oranges, grapefruits, lemons, or limes with the intention of using their zest in recipes, always, always buy organic. As it’s those thick skins will likely contain a concentrated amount of pesticide, even if the fruit inside is relatively clean.

Now as stated before not even the clean list is 100% clean. Unless you’re buying 100% organic there is no such thing as a 0% risk of pesticide contamination, but when tested the fruits and vegetables that appear on this list tested either low, or with a negligible amount or residue. For me, for now - as I assume for many of you - this is good enough to let me sleep soundly at night, knowing I’m doing the best I can in a complicated and imperfect world.

So as always, shop smart, eat responsibly and if you’re interested in more information please visit the Environmental Working Group’s website - http://www.ewg.org/ - for topics not only concerning the Dirty Dozen and the Clean Fifteen, but a wide variety of articles concerning many environmental issues.

(P.S. Keep in mind that just last year Broccoli, Papaya*, and Tomatoes were listed on the Clean Fifteen List, and as they don’t currently appear on the dirty dozen list, these too may be relatively safe to consume conventionally.)

* The * marked items may be relatively clean of chemical pesticides, but they’re still rather nefarious in my opinion for reasons that will be explained in full in an upcoming post. So be on the lookout*

The Dirty Dozen - How To Best Avoid Harmful Toxins In Your Produce....

When I say the words The Dirty Dozen, what’s the first thing to pop into your mind? If you’re like most people you just thought of the 1967 film staring Lee Marvin, and Ernest Borgnine. This however is not The Dirty Dozen I’m talking about.

Organic. It’s a word that’s been getting thrown around a lot in the past few years, as people all across the nation and the world are slowly becoming aware of where their food comes from, how it’s grown, and how those practices effect not only our own health but our environment as well. The Organic food market is currently the fastest growing market in the food industry, and grocers that want to remain afloat in today’s brutal economy are slowly but surely - and wisely - expanding their Organic lines for consumers. Yet there’s still a lot of confusion about what organic really means, and quite a bit of skepticism as to whether or not it’s truly better. (Topics better discussed another time, and both in their own individual post) However the biggest complain I hear on a day to day basis is entirely price related.

"But, Organic costs too much." Is what I always hear, and while it’s true that organic food appears to cost more then conventionally grown food the reality is in fact quite different. The average consumer has not been paying the true cost of food for quite some time. As various industries - Such as the Meat, and Dairy Industries - enjoy the benefit of multiple government subsidies which keep the cost of these products artificially low. Except it’s not just the meat, and dairy producers that benefit. The government also highly subsidizes the growing of Corn, Wheat, and Soy, and the same is now going for conventionally grown produce which is laden with chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Many of which are toxic, pollutants, and known disease promoting agents.

Because organic farms doesn’t use chemical fertilizers or pesticides, and because organic farms don’t operate on such a massive industrialized scale, Organic farmer’s yields are not as large. Organic farms also employ more manual labor - which requires payment, which drives up cost - and another important thing to take into consideration is the cost in dollars as well as the cost in time that it takes to switch a non-organic farm to an organic one. The certification process isn’t cheap, and it isn’t quick either. All these things contribute to the grocery store price of organic goods. However if conventional farms weren’t subsidized by the government a conventional tomato would cost the same as an organic one. When you buy organic products you’re not only doing something good for yourself - by not ingesting harmful toxins - but you’re also doing good for our planet, Organic farming is sustainable, it enriches our soil rather then depletes it by filling it with chemicals, you’re working with the earth instead of against it, like nature intended, and you’re expressing compassion in the process. Compassion for yourself, as well as compassion for the earth we inhabit and all the creatures that share it with us.

Now I understand that for a lot of people it simply isn’t feasible to buy everything organic all of the time. I know this, because I myself am in that boat. I’m a lower-middle-class girl after all; but I know that buying organic is important, and so I do it whenever and wherever I can. I do it with the health of my husband and I as my first thought, and the planet as my second. I don’t want to eat harmful cancer causing toxins, I want to eat clean food that will nourish my body rather then destroy it, but to fit organics into the budget you have to shop smart, and so here is The Dirty Dozen list. It’s the Environmental Working Groups list of Fruits and Vegetables that are most toxic when grown conventionally. If you can’t yet afford to buy everything organic, then this list at least is a great place to start. The items found on this list are so heavily sprayed that USDA testing found that they could contain anywhere between 47-67 toxic pesticides, and that was AFTER being washed with a USDA high-powered pressure water system. Now I know there is no way the water pressure of your household sink is going to top that, so next time you’re in the store please give some thought to buying these foods organic counterparts.

The Dirty Dozen

1) Celery
2) Peaches
3) Strawberries
4) Apples
5) Blueberries (Domestic)
6) Nectarines
7) Bell Peppers
8) Spinach, Kale, and Collard Greens
9) Cherries
10) Potatoes
11) Grapes (imported)
12) Lettice

These foods are believed to be the most susceptible because of their soft, sometimes porous skin which allows the fruit and vegetables to easily absorb more pesticides. Vegetables like celery can also absorb pesticides from the soil and groundwater as they grow, making washing or peeling pesticides away virtually impossible.

Amy Rosenthal of the Environmental Working Group - which is a non-profit organization dedicated to public health - says "You can reduce your exposure to pesticides by up to 80 percent by buying the organic versions of the Dirty Dozen" 80 percent! It really is something to consider when new studies are coming out all the time showing a correlation between pesticide ingestion and health problems such as cancer, ADHD, nervous system disorders, and brain developmental disorders in growing children. With such chemical compounds such as DDT and Methyl Bromide being used is it any wonder?

Changing anything in one’s life is difficult, we get used to a certain way of things and it can often be difficult if not down right impossible to snap ourselves out if it, but I strongly and sincerely urge you to give this some consideration. Especially if you have children. I think we can all agree that we want our children to grow up strong, healthy and with the best possible chances for living a long, happy, and healthy life. I think we can all agree that we’d like to leave this planet a better place than we found it, and that we’d like to leave a world for our grandchildren that’s still inhabitable. This is a small but crucial step towards that goal, and remember the more we choose to buy organic, the more our demand is recognized by ‘Big Food’ and the more that demand begs to be met. Also I don’t want to label the entire Food Industry as some dark bogeyman in the corner laughing down at the destruction they’re causing. Think of them more as a corporation, with their sole concern being profit, by continuing to buy their products we’re giving them the false idea that we support their destructive agricultural practices and therefor they continue to engage in them. Our pennies speak louder then our words, and so the more organic we buy, the sooner they’re going to realize that they won’t loose money by switching over, and of course with more and more of us choosing organic everyday, the lower the cost of organic goods will eventually go. It’s common sense - and a little bit of math.

So please, act and eat responsibly, and if you’re interested in learning more please visit the Environmental Working Group’s website ( http://www.ewg.org/  ) for the latest updates and information on everything from pesticides in food, to harmful compounds in cosmetics and cleaning products.

*** P.S. Just last year Pears and Carrots were on the Dirty Dozen list, and in 2008 Tomatoes were on the list as well. Though these items appear to now be in the clear, it might still be a good idea to consider buying their organic varieties.***