Every time I turn around, it seems there's a new article about how some part of the government has voted for something that I was against. I've joined others in writing government officials only to be disappointed by the end result. But in all honesty, why should the government listen to our concerns (aside from the fact that we're a democracy...)? The major conventional companies are the ones with the money, so they are the ones the government caters to. Have you heard the old saying "He who has the money has the power?" Well right now, I have very little power in my pocket. And yet if we combined what we have, we would be more powerful than any of the major companies that are destroying our health to raise their bottom line. Before you get turned off - No, I'm not asking for a donation. I'm just asking you to consider this:
In a capitalist society, the only way to change who has the power is to change the flow of money.
We say we want to be healthier and want to leave a decent world for future generations (or even a decent world for when we're older). We say we want to help those forced into child labor or slave labor. We say we want our kids to have only the best. We say we want to do something good with what God has entrusted us with. We say it, but do we mean it? Whare are we doing to back up what we say? Personally, I know I've slipped. I have a big mouth about what we
should be doing but have been lazy when it comes to action. All we really need to do is carefully consider where our money goes. It's true that each time we buy something, we cast a vote. Manufacturers make more of that particular item because it's what people buy. If We The People buy organic, sustainable, and/or fair-trade items, the government will be forced to follow suit in what they support. In order to maintain power, they go to where the money is.
So where does that leave us? What should we be buying? There are pros and cons to just about everything, but here are a few suggestions to consider:
1)
Fair-trade - In order to keep prices cheap while still making a huge profit, some companies allow farmers and producers to be paid practically nothing. According to TransFair USA, some fruit farmers may earn as little as $3 a day. Also, according to a USAID and International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) study in 2002, "an estimated 284,000 children are working in cocoa farms on hazardous tasks such as using machetes and applying pesticides and insecticides without the necessary protective equipment...about 12,500 children working on cocoa farms had no relatives in the area, a warning sign for trafficking". By buying fair-trade items, you're encouraging and providing better work environments and fairer wages for producers. Consider a fair-trade group like
Equal Exchange next time you buy coffee, tea, or chocolate.
2)
Smaller companies - Some companies have a monopoly on their area (think Kellogg's and General Mills in regards to cereal). Because of this, they are less concerned about quality of ingredients and are more apt to include "filler" items or cheaper chemicals that imitate real foods. In January, headlines declared "fake blueberries" in many breakfast foods like Kellogg's Blueberry Muffin Frosted Mini Wheats and Total Blueberry Pomegranate from General Mills. Rather than real blueberries, these companies use a mixture of sugar, oil, and artificial flavors and colors. On the other hand, smaller companies typically put more care into their products, so they are more apt to use the real thing. Small local companies are even better because you're supporting your community, but I know there is only so much most people can find locally.
3)
Organic - There are so many reasons to buy organic! I'm only going to briefly touch on a few reasons. Pesticides don't just disappear after growing season, but they remain in the soil and infiltrate our water. They also pose a major health hazard for farmers and their children. Many of these chemicals have been linked to respiratory problems, cancer and other diseases. Also, conventional chemicals are a leading cause in species die-offs, like with bee colonies. These bees are an important part of pollination and plant growth, so they must be protected. Organic also means the food was not genetically modified.
4)
Grass-fed, Free-Range Animal Products - I know it's a controversial topic, but I don't believe veganism and vegetarianism is for everyone. I remember reading an article once that said 1/3 of the people would thrive without animal products, 1/3 would be fine either way, and 1/3 would suffer unhealthy consequences on a vegan diet. However, I believe
everyone's health suffers from eating meat, dairy, and eggs of animals raised on conventional factory farms. The animals are forced to grow larger and faster than natural, live in crowded, disgusting, disease-rampant conditions, on the cheapest diet possible. The nutrients in the animal products are a direct result of their lifestyles, which leaves conventional meat to be more disease-prone, fattier, and less nutritious. To see more about where conventional animal products come from, check out
Food, Inc. and
Meet Your Meat. (Warning: They are fairly graphic. Not recommended for young children). For better meat, eggs, and dairy products, I recommend they be from grass-fed, free-range animals. That means the animals have been fed a natural diet (grain-fed is NOT the same thing) and have been allowed to roam in open spaces (instead of cramped cages). These are often from smaller companies or local farmers.
Well that's my soap-box rant for the day. Have anything you'd like to share, even if it's off-topic?
