Whether you live to eat or eat to live, we humans must eat to survive, just like any other living creature on this planet. But- what if the foods we were eating were causing more hard then good to our bodies and the environment?
As a shopper, did you ever wonder what was actually in the food you eat or where it came from? Did you ever wonder how it was made? Did you ever look at the label on a product before purchasing it? If you did look on the label, how many of the ingredients were difficult to pronounce? Did you ever wonder what exactly was in your water, be it from a tap, bottle, or spring? Do you ever think about how the foods we eat and the water we drink may be affecting the environment? When we educate you about the farming techniques on non-organic farms, processed foods, commercial animal products, water, and the toxic world we live on today, you may be a bit surprised and even overwhelmed. That’s okay. I know we were at first! So, hold on to your hats folks, and get ready for the ride! It’s going to be a good one!
Unfortunately, the land we live on today isn’t nearly as clean as it once was and humans are not as healthy as they were before the introduction of chemicals into food. Did you know that the United States alone sprays two billion pounds of pesticides a year on crops to compensate for poor farming practices? Did you know that water covers two-thirds of the Earth, but only 3% is fresh water? Did you know there are higher nutrient levels in organic produce and taste test studies have revealed more people chose the organic produce over the conventional? Did you know even chimpanzees at the Copenhagen Zoo in 2003 preferred organic bananas, peel and all, over conventional bananas? Did you know grass-fed and cage-free animal products are far superior to commercially-raised grain-fed and caged animal products? Did you know that grain-fed animals are kept in tight, non-livable fenced in areas and are injected with antibiotics due to the diseases they get from being fed grains, an unnatural substance for their digestive systems? Did you know store-bought milk is pasteurized and homogenized and filled with growth hormones unlike raw milk? Did you know store-bought butter and margarine contain vegetable oils, the bad oils that most likely lead to heart disease? And finally……did you know, as a consumer of these products, this all goes in your bodies?
I’m sure most of us have heard of the word “organic,” or have seen the USDA sticker on food, but how many of us actually know what it means and why it will benefit you? Maybe you associate organic foods with higher costs or “uglier” looking produce. While the above statement can be true at times, organic food and farming represents an idea or movement that goes beyond just the quality of the food. It attempts to maintain the integrity of the whole food chain: plants, soil, air, water, animals, and humans. The media, critics of organic food, and the FDA all play a big role in where we get our food today, but the truth is they are driven primarily by profits and not over-all health. It is not too late! We can rally the troops, join forces, and change this if more people buy organic!
The book of the month is Organic Manifesto by Maria Rodale. Rodale is a third-generation advocate for organic farmers and farming practices and has a firm understanding of how damaging chemicals are to the environment. Through her wisdom, optimism, and common sense, she discusses an array of important topics using her own personal experiences and family history with organic farming. She makes the connection between the health of the land and the health of society built upon it. This book will explain how we can help undo the damage already done to the planet, and in turn, keep us all safe.
This is a little introduction as to what will be covered throughout the month and at the book club meeting at the end of the month. The book club meeting will go into more detail on all of these topics. At the book club, we will also be giving out various websites and names of local stores where you can buy organic food. This month will be very eye-opening. So, let’s get reading this month’s book, Organic Manifesto, by Maria Rodelle. Come to the book club meeting with an open-mind and an open-heart, and of course, lots of questions!
-Brad Sugar says, “The formula for change is when the desire for change is greater than the resistance to change.”
