BIODIVERSITY VS. MONSANTO

There are better writers, certainly, who could summarize what I am about to say more eloquently with a lot more wit and pizzazz. I hope they do. And I hope many ears are ready to listen and act.

But because I am both frustrated and devastated, I thought I would add my voice to the mix.

Today it was announced a Monsanto executive won the prestigious World Food Prize or “the Nobel Prize of Agriculture”. This award is “an international award recognizing the achievements of individuals who have advanced human development by improving the quality, quantity or availability of food in the world” [1].

Maybe this means nothing to you but I hope it will because it absolutely affects you.

In case you don’t know who Monsanto is, they’re the brains behind Round-Up, the oh-so-popular herbicide sold in every garden and food store across the country [and DDT and agent orange and PCBs and on and on]. They are also responsible for creating seeds resistant to Round-Up; the leader in fact, in producing genetically engineered seeds.

And, in order to grow their seed you must use their herbicide and vice versa. A brilliant business plan some would say.

However, because we have gotten to a mono-crop agricultural system [think corn, soy, and wheat], a demand by large farmers has been created for a seed able to withstand the herbicides, fungicides, and pesticides necessary to grow crops at the scale we do today. And, because we are a nation in quite a powerful spot, this seed and herbicide can be widely distributed to the less powerful countries now dependent on our business and seed and herbicide.

So what was once a brilliant business idea has now become a monopoly on global food crops. A monopoly taking actions to limit competition [think buy-out, small farm lawsuits, patented seed, etc.].

Something apparently illegal in the United States.

Unless, of course, you know the right people and have the correct amout of change because really, it’s all about the Benjamin’s baby.

And today this form of commerce was just given an award. A very prestigious award.

Simply put, we just rewarded monopoly – the very thing we rightly should stand against.

Why?

Because when one person or country or organization or business grows large enough to dictate what we do and do not eat, what is available and becomes unavailable, what genes get modified and what don’t – I get nervous.

Yet we support it every single day.

You. Me. Everyone. We support it with our dollars, with our influence as consumers, and with our voice [or lack thereof].

And now we support it with awards.

Biodiversity is the key to a sustainable healthy world, yet an estimated 60,000 to 100,000 plant species are threatened with extinction [2].

In the last century, 75% of agricultural biodiversity has been lost [3].

These aren’t plants with big names found in the rainforest somewhere. These are plants we rely on as food.

And by the by, the loss of biodiversity is essentially irreversible – we can’t bring diversity within our food system back once it’s been lost. And we’re losing big time.

I’m not okay with this.

I hope you’re not okay with this.

I hope it makes you mad - like red-faced, fists balled, blow steam out your ears mad.

Because it should.

And I hope it leads you to action.

I hope you use your power as a consumer to give voice to the powerless, the ignorant, the speechless and hopeless. I hope you write your congress people, and your Facebook friends, and the President. I hope you talk about it in the grocery store and at the Farmer’s Market, at church and the bank and the bar.

I hope you get mad and then you get moving because fighting for justice is powerful. More powerful than a company fighting to control the global food system and winning awards for it. Fight with your dollars and your votes and the choices you make regarding food each day.

Because there's hope. And there's beauty in groups of people coming together to fight for what's right. Not just for us but for all. We can make change happen.

May you use your voice and change the world.

[CITATION]

[1] World Food Prize

[2] The Millennium Seed Bank Partnership

[3] GRACE Communications Foundation

[RESOURCES]

Understanding biodiversity and its importance:

 http://www.sustainabletable.org/268/biodiversity

http://www.who.int/globalchange/ecosystems/biodiversity/en/

BOUNDARIES

Recently I've been struck down by either pregnancy-induced nausea, vomiting, and fatigue or the flu - I haven't quite figured out which [ironic that carrying life can be confused with an infectious disease]. Regardless, I haven't spent much time in the kitchen and have instead relied on canned applesauce, plain rice cakes, and the homemade soups that fill my freezer. Well, that and the unbelievable unselfishness and strength of my husband who is not only the breadwinner of the family but has now taken on the title of Mr. Mom. Throw in my fabulous friend who lives next door and things are taken care of around here.

All this being said, I have had plenty of time to think in between cursing the porcelain throne [or the plastic blue bucket that has taken up residence bed-side]. Actually for the last few weeks the idea of boundaries has really been on my mind. Not boundaries in the sense of rules, regulations, or something imposed on the masses by others more powerful than those masses. These type of boundaries make many of us either shake in rage or want to move to a private island somewhere.

The type of boundaries I am referring to are self-imposed, ones born of love and respect. I have been thinking a lot about the way I raise my daughter. I give her limits, guidelines, a path with fencing so to say because I love her and want to keep her physically safe as well as grow her compassion for people and respect for the world around her. My dream is that she will grow up to cherish life's simple pleasures. That she'll be able to find joy in the small things so that she doesn't become bored with all things. 

The irony of all these efforts is that somewhere along the line my boundaries for her won't be sufficient anymore. I'm beginning to realize that as we grow into adults many of us loose the boundaries that we were given throughout our childhood. Of course we live within legal, moral, and spiritual guidelines and those demanded by pregnancy, disease, food allergies, and other similar limitations but some of the simple boundaries taught by our parents are quickly forgotten when we taste freedom. Call it adolescent rebellion, ignorance, or boredom but we can easily loose our values when the sky is the limit [which actually isn't true anymore since "we've" been to the moon].

America is notorious for this - unlimited pleasure and freedom. "Don't fence me in" our battle cry. Don't get me wrong, our freedom has been heroically fought for by many brave men and women and I am so grateful to them. But have we abused the same freedoms many have paid, and pay, for with their lives?

This has led me to contemplate boundaries in my own life, specifically food choices. Local eating has really become important to me over the years but even so I still rely on many products from other states and, in some cases, countries. It seems that "exotics" have ceased to be exotic. Maybe this is because many local products have become inedible for me [wheat, dairy, soy, corn]. Maybe it's because I haven't adequately trusted in the idea of partnering local and healthy eating [can a predominately vegetarian health nut live without avocados?]. Or maybe it's because I haven't had any boundaries in place forcing me to ask the tough questions, make educated decisions, and out of my comfort zone [especially on winter-y Saturday mornings].

Unfortunately, and you can choose to believe this or not, the world we live in is not invincible. Decisions made over the last century have had their toll on our earth and things are changing. I'm beginning to wonder if I don't begin to live in my own self-imposed boundaries will I be forced to live in ones imposed by our earth? The bigger question for me is - am I willing to make a few, and lets be honest minimal, sacrifices now so that my daughter's biggest question is also "can I live without avocados?" rather than "can I live without clean water, unpolluted soil, or clear air?" - we of course all know the answer to both of those questions. It's the reason the Colorado River no longer reaches the ocean and why Georgians underwent panic when Lake Lanier's water levels dropped dangerously low a few years ago. We pipe in water from non-renewable aquifers 300 miles away to hydrate our southwestern states. Sustainable? You be the judge.

I recently read that if every US citizen intentionally ate just one meal a week composed of locally and organically raised meats and produce, we would reduce our country's oil consumption by over 1.1 million barrels of oil each week. Now I realize that I can't make every US citizen change but I can change. I can choose to reduce my oil consumption and maybe, just maybe, change a piece of the world in the process. 

So I'm wrestling with the idea of choosing a few non-negotiable [well, at least at this point] non-local food items and ditching the rest. Bananas and avocados, I'm sorry but you will have to be reserved for holiday celebrations. Oranges, I'll see you in my stocking Christmas morning. Olive oil, well you're sticking around because let's face it, there's no good substitute and I don't see olive groves growing in my backyard anytime soon.

I ponder, as I peruse the remaining contents my pantry and refrigerator, do I eat these things because I crave them or because they are available? What would happen if my life became free of some of these non-local, gas intensive crops? Would I begin to see and crave more local fare?

Right now these questions will have to remain unanswered for me but I can at least take a step. Ridding my life of a few products and maybe a bit of pollution and petroleum reliance may be a bit painful at first [oh, guacamole...] but I think it might just be worth it.

Besides, asparagus season is just around the corner and then those fence lines won't seem as intrusive anymore.

CELEBRATING HOW FAR WE'VE COME

This morning happens to be one of those rare times when the baby sleeps in [albeit probably because she was up a lot last night, but still] allowing me to either get some things done or lazy about in bed reading for a bit. This morning I chose the later and finally picked up a magazine I have been intending to read since, this is a bit embarrassing  July. I am so glad I did.

This particular magazine in this particular issue is celebrating 40 years of publishing. As an act of looking back and reflecting [as most of us do on our monumental birthdays] the publishers decided to put together a list of 40 improvements, or maybe journeys, that this country [and our world] have undergone in the last four decades. It is inspiring to me to see what people with a lot of passion, discipline, and vision can accomplish, especially when it betters the whole of humanity.

So to those of you who have and are working for a better world, thank you. For those of you who get up with the vision of a new earth, and then go out and work hard to make sure it becomes reality, thank you. To those of you who put good, whole food based meals on your child's plate knowing that you are giving them a future worth living, thank you. To those of you who go out to the garden each morning and every evening to pick bugs off leaves instead of spraying them with deadly chemicals, thank you. To those of you who go through your day with a smile on your face and love in your eyes, thank you. To those of you who are determined to provide organic foods at a decent price, thank you. To those of you who believe there is an alternative answer to disease and illness and demand it, thank you. To those of you who take on the government and consumer giants who are determined to hang on to the notion that "fast, cheap, and nutritionally hollow" is the way of America, thank you. And for those of you who kiss your child, give them a hug, tell them how much you love them and make time for them each day, thank you.

You all, and many more unmentioned, are the ambassadors of a new creation and we are so honored to have you.

Here's the list of Natural Health's "40 Biggest Strides". I encourage you to read them. May they inspire you to continue what you're doing and grow in place that may be new territory.

http://www.naturalhealthmag.com/health/40-biggest-strides

The Dirty Dozen

If you're interested in purchasing more organic produce but don't know where to start or are on a tight budget, here is a good place to start.

The "Dirty Dozen" is a list of twelve fruits and vegetables that should be purchased and / or grown organically because they typically are sprayed with more pesticides, insecticides, etc.; are grown in heavily treated soil; don't have thick peels to protect them; and / or retain many of the chemicals used, more so than other produce.

Celery

Peaches

Strawberries

Apples

Blueberries

Nectarines

Bell Peppers

Spinach

Kale

Cherries

Potatoes

Grapes

I would also add all baby food, corn and soybeans to this list. Baby food, if possible, should always be bought organically or made with organic ingredients. An infant's immune system is not as developed as an adults and can't handle the onslaught of chemicals. They also will retain more of the chemicals which can manifest in a lot of different, destructive ways such as reduced immunity. Corn and soybeans are almost always genetically modified but when bought organically (especially if an heirloom variety) genetic modification can be avoided. For a great look into this watch Food, Inc. (http://www.foodincmovie.com/)

Foods that are relatively clean of pesticides (though they may be heavily fertilized depending on the farmer) are:

Onions

Avocado

Pineapple

Mangos

Sweet Peas

Asparagus

Kiwi

Cabbage

Eggplant

Cantalope

Watermelon

Grapefruit

Sweet Potato*

Honeydew Melon

* Sweet potato is controversial as it is a root vegetable and may pick up many more fertilizers from the soil than other foods.

It is always best to buy these foods as local as possible to reduce the number of pesticides sprayed, especially on those that travel great distances and thus need to be protected from bacteria and bug infestation. Buying local also reduces the carbon footprint (what it takes to get food from seed to plate) in the form of gas, packaging, manpower, storage, etc.

Enchantment

I am listening to the MarsHill “Worship in Every Direction” CD this morning and the song “Enchanted” came on. Whenever I hear that song, over and over again, my eyes are opened to what the world has to hold – how we have been so blessed by the earth around us. Describing our world as enchanted makes it so mysterious and wonderful and good. I want to be out in that kind of world, I want to take care of that kind of world, I want to truly LIVE in that kind of world. I begin to wonder, what would our day look like if everything around us became “enchanted”? How would our actions and thoughts change? Would we complain less? Would we worry less? Would we be okay with status quo? OR, would we take on the world’s enchantment and become enchanted to those around us? Is our view of the earth directly tied with our view of God? With others view of us and, thru us, God? Are we leaning in closer to see it? Are we DARING to breathe it in?

“Much of nature seemed to be an excited repetition. Like that of an excited schoolmaster saying the same thing over and over again. The grass seemed signaling to me with all its fingers at once. The crowded stars seemed bent upon being understood. The sun would make me see him if he rose a thousand times. The recurrences of the universe rose to the maddening rhythm of an incantation. And I began to see an idea. In short, I had always believed the world involved a magic. Now I thought that perhaps it involved a magician. And this pointed a profound emotion present in the self-conscious. This world of ours has some purpose. And if there is a purpose, there is a person. I had always felt life first as a story. And if there is a story, there is a storyteller.”

This is the kind of world I want to live in…..that of a story filled with all of the magic we search for as a child, and long for as an adult. May we be awakened to this world. May we find the magic that lives in every blade of grass and watch the sun rise with new expectation. May we see the miracles of this world and be unable to stop ourselves from squealing in delight. May we catch our breaths each day at the beauty we find and may we never forget the storyteller behind it all.

God, give us new eyes to see…..may we be free.

Grace and Peace.

Green and Fair

I know this seems like a lot of information but take it a piece at a time, it’s really eye opening:

Things you should ALWAYS buy green:

http://www.coopamerica.org/programs/shopunshop/buyinggreen/whattobuy.cfm

Things you should NEVER buy AGAIN:

http://www.coopamerica.org/programs/shopunshop/unshopping/neverbuy.cfm

http://www.coopamerica.org/programs/shopunshop/unshopping/MoretoNeverBuy.cfm

Sweatshop free clothing:

http://www.coopamerica.org/programs/livinggreen/articles/SweatFreeClothing.cfm

http://www.coopamerica.org/programs/sweatshops/scorecard.cfm

http://www.greenamericatoday.org/programs/responsibleshopper/companiesbyname.cfm#T

http://www.greenamericatoday.org/programs/fairtrade/products/index.cfm

Story of Stuff

This is an incredible, easy to understand look at what goes on in the creation of our stuff - definitely a MUST WATCH:

http://storyofstuff.com/

Choices, Changes, and Me

Life. It’s interesting isn’t it? Each day we make choices. Some may seen inconsequential – others can change our lives forever. The diversity is amazing – from what to wear each morning, when to get up, what to have for lunch to who to marry, when to marry, what trips to go on, who to support, who to spend time with…..all choices, all important. Isn’t it amazing that what to eat for breakfast can define your entire day? How you feel, how hungry you are within the next hour, how healthy you become (or don’t)…choices. Can we ever transform a choice? Reverse a choice? Make something great out of a bad choice? What is a bad choice? What is a good choice? Who decides? The world? Us? Religion? Faith? Conscious? Government? I’ve spent just a few minutes looking at pictures of the people in my life, or people who impacted my life and have since drifted away…everyone is living different lives, experiencing different things, impacting others in different ways. It seems that no one is mindlessly existing…or is that an illusion set by the pictures? It came to one choice to set them on their way – the way they follow now – a way that will change them, define them, transform them…maybe for good….maybe for bad….it’s interesting….

"Water, water, everywhere, nary any drop to drink"

When is the last time that, as you were sitting in the shower, you wondered how much water you were using? Has it affected you? Do you truly understand how blessed we are in America to have such a wonderful resource, and how we have abused that priveledge terribly?

Interested - look up you faucet and showerheads. See how many gallons per minute you are using. If you cannot find the style, pay attention to how much water is flowing out. If it is gushing like a broken damn (as I expect most are) then we have a problem.

Here are some tips:

- Don't turn on the water as strong - less water is just as effective!
- Add aerators / low-flow fixtures to your faucets / shower heads!
- Try shortening your showers, turning the water off to shave / shampoo / etc., minimize your bath tup use - uses a lot of water to fill a tub!
- Avoid bottled water and instead bring a reusable bottle - alot of this water comes from Michigan's fresh water taking away from our aquifers, great lakes, ponds, rivers, etc. We pride ourselves on all of the great lakes in this state - what if we lost those? Could Michigan survive? Could the US? The world?

These are just a few tips - keep researching and checking out new ways to our most underestimated but critical resource....if we loose our water we loose our lives......something to think about.

What I would have done - if only....

Have you ever wondered, looking back and knowing what you know, if you would have done things differently? As I was laying in bed last night trying to catch sheep in my head I began to think of all the things that, as a child, I wish I would have done, would have taken interest in - what kind of person and what kind of habits I would entertain today?

Would I be more unwilling to fall into the trap of consumerism?

Would I be able to look at earth in a deeper, more intentional way?

Would it have been easier to change?

One of the weird things I came up with as I was twisting my engagement ring on my finger was thinking I should have bought all my rings to fit my right hand - that way I could wear them no matter what (for some reason my right fingers are a tad larger than my left, but enough to make a difference)! Weird I know and a very minor thing at that but what if I had thought about EVERYTHING with that kind of intention and future vision....

What if everything was done intentionally, EVERYTHING.

Somehow I think my life would be a little different, okay a lot different. It's interesting how foreign languages are now being taught at a young age because it is easier to pick up - what would happen if sustainability was thought of in that way? What if every child knew how to build a wormery at the age of five? What if we were able to connect scripture directly with earth early on? Is it possible? Are you teaching the children that you come in contact with these ways? I'm learning more and more each day that it is about intention....

It is all about intention.

Know what you do, think about your actions, think about cause and effect, ask the tough questions.

Live intentionally.

Green God (An Intro)

When is the last time you went outside - not just to get the mail, go to your car, or run into the mall? Instead you went outside - just to be outside. You looked around, noticed the plants - how green they seemed to have gotten, how had you missed that? If you listened for it, you heard the birds singing and whe you breathed in a long and deep breath of air it left a smile on your face - not forced but one of true joy and fulfillment because you were connected. Connected to man, to nature, to God.

Connected to God.

Maybe the question should be, when was the last time you were truly and completely connected to God? Have you ever been connected to God?

It's funny how the great outdoors, the great wild yonder (I picture Davie Crockett or John Bunyan in my head), have the power to bring out the lost or suppressed emotions in a person.

Freedom.

Purpose.

Strength.

Courage.

Joy.

Worth.

Connection.

No matter who she is, what his job might be, what school she goes to, what role he plays - the mistakes, the failures, the victories, the pain, the tears, the laughs, the cheers - it doesn't matter. There is still a connection when you let yourself go, let yourself outside, drop all your walls and barriers - it becomes something deeper. You feel it. I feel it. I wonder if that is intentional. It makes me think that those great outdoors were created for a greater purpose that to merely exist as a host for humans. Maybe how we interact with nature is, in a small way, how we interact with God - how we view God. Maybe this is His tangible gift to us to connect, on a very real level, with the humans he so intricately created, calls "good", and loves deeply.

Has this vision, this connection been lost today? Do you feel it? God began in a garden, a garden that throughout its creation he called "good". We now seem to be stuck in the tension of highrises, highways, automobiles, noise, busyness, and demands. We are caught in a fog (or maybe it's the smog) of disillusioned visions - visions that the more the better, the bigger the better, the more convenient the better. Is this really better?

A lot of words, catch-phrases, how-to's, and dialogue can be heard right now on the environment, our impact, and what it will take to save it. A lot of you care, deeply even, about the state or our earth but don't know how to go about acting. What can I do? Will it matter? Can I, one person, make a difference?

Know that it does matter and you can make a difference!

The hope for this blog is that it will be the first steps - something that inspires real conversation, tips to learn, encouragement to do further research, and bring about a passion for restoring God's creation to its full intention - a way to get connected, or re-connected, with the earth, our Creator, and the purpose that He has for us - to begin to make our way back to the garden.

The question now becomes, not what can you do, but what will you do?

What will it take to get back to the garden?

What will it take for YOU to get back to the garden?