Flow

          Water is the source of life. Without it, we cannot survive. Some have lived without water for forty-eight hours, others eight days, but they all surely die. While water is not an unlimited resource, the largest factor involved in water scarcity is contamination. The film Flow discusses water contamination in full. It also discusses the privatization of water, those benefiting from that privatization, and the effects it has on developing nations.  

            In the United States, our water is contaminated by a number of sources. These range from the cosmetics we use on our faces, hair, and body to the medications we take. A large number of fish off the coast of Texas were found to have Prozac in their bloodstreams. It has also been noted that many birth control pills cause fish to change sex leading to the depletion of fish populations in certain areas. The contaminants are flushed through sewage systems, “purified,” and pumped into oceans. As was taught in elementary school science classes, water goes through a cycle which includes evaporation and precipitation. Therefore, it can be determined that this contaminated water often falls upon our soil.

            Cosmetics are not the only issue involved in water contamination. Corporations are the largest culprits. These include both agricultural corporations and other such factories. In the agricultural industry, a large amount of water is used. This water is used to grow crops, but is also used as drinking water for animals. While a large majority of clean water is being used to sustain animals on industrial agriculture farms, pure water sources are also being contaminated by this same industry. This is caused by runoff of fecal contamination that destroys estuaries, as well as slaughterhouse remnants run off. While this happens a lot in the U.S., it also happens in other countries, such as Bolivia.

            In Flow, the privatization of water in Bolivia is discussed, as well as that in Africa. The Bolivian people protested the privatization of water, but their government did not heed their retort, as they were directed by the World Bank to allow it. The poorest persons in this nation were then unable to purchase water due to a lack of funds. They were unable to pay for the thing necessary for sustaining life. They were enraged, because water had always been free.

            Large companies claim that the privatization of water ensures clean water for developing nations. However, they fail to mention that they are completely unwilling to give this resource for free. They want to make money from their investments. In Africa, specifically, many large water corporations have set up wells of clean water. Persons must pay to gather water from these sources. South Africans in poor, rural areas are advised not to drink water from streams, and are asked to pay for water from these sources. However, they do not have a choice. If you do not have money, paying for clean water is not an option. You are forced to drink the contaminated water, even if it is the source of your mother’s death.

            Large companies make themselves seem like philanthropists who are providing a solution to the problem of water scarcity. However, they are not making the providing a solution at all. They do not view clean water as a necessity, but a commodity. It is advertised to the poorest of the poor and implemented in their communities. But having access to purchasable clean water does not change a person’s financial circumstances or their ability to receive clean water.

            Other persons have created more viable options for the poor. One Indian man implemented a UV water purifying system that offered clean water to villagers for just two American dollars a year per person. There are viable alternatives. But these cannot be implemented until large corporations relinquish control and begin believing that every person, regardless of economic capability, has a right to clean water.

The Ethics of What We Eat

I just finished The Ethics of What We Eat by Peter Singer and Jim Mason. Warning: They are a bit elitist and biased. But this information is on point. It was a fantastic read, probably my favorite book we have covered in the class thus far. I sincerely recommend it for anyone who is concerned about the ethics involved in our food choices. If you are suspicious or curious, delve in.

I want to share two quotes from the book.

This comes from the World Watch Magazine:
"As environmental science has advanced, it has become apparent that the human appetite for animal flesh is a driving force behind virtually every major category of environmental damage now threatening the human future- deforestation, erosion, fresh water scarcity, air and water pollution, climate change, biodiversity loss, social injustice, the destabilization of communities and the spread of disease."

Also, they discuss Michael Pollan's beliefs in regards to ethical meat consumption, taking note of the following comment:
"If the walls of both factory farms and slaughterhouses were made of glass, industrial agriculture might be redeemed. Some people would become vegetarians, but others, forced to raise and kill animals in a place where they can be watched, would do it with more consideration for the animal, as well as for the eater. We would have poultry farms where chickens still go outside and hog farms where pigs live as they did 50 years ago- in contact with the sun, the earth and the gaze of the farmer."

To conclude, here is a picture of Paul and Linda McCartney, as well as a link to an awesome interview with Paul some time ago in regards to his vegetarianism.

Interview with Paul McCartney

Start Caring

I am tired of people not caring. I started this blog to save my facebook friends from all the horrible things I know about food and NEED to share. But I am just angry that I even have to do that. We are all affected. There is so much wrong with our system and no one is willing to change it.

For example, our mass production of animals has caused there to be more fecal matter than we know what to do with. This fecal matter causes run off into water systems, destroying estuaries, and creating dead zones. At the same time, food producers are using non-natural fertilizers for their crops (made from petroleum). Why don't we just use the excess fecal matter as fertilizer? Because fecal matter isn't a special interest group like petroleum is.

Those in charge of the food system are controlled by greed and an unwillingness to change. While us consumers are obsessed with cheap food. How much does that cheap food really cost? A LOT. There are so many external costs it isn't funny. At the rate we are going, in fifty years the entire ocean will be dead. It is horrific. And everyone wants to close their eyes about it. Or make fun of the vegetarian. And it's just like. It goes BEYOND meat.

In addition to these troubling things, check out the Coalition of Immokalee Workers. They are great people doing great things. But it is just another aspect of food production we choose to ignore.

Farm Workers Claim Slavery in Florida

E. Coli is not your friend.

Here's the breakdown. While cow's stomachs and our bodies were once able to conquer E. Coli, we are no longer able to. This is because the strands have mutated. Mainly because feeding cows corn, rather than grass, has changed the acidity and composition of their stomachs. (We do this because of massive corn subsidies in the U.S.) While selling E. Coli contaminated meet is forbidden, producers are urged to check for it, rather than mandated. Because of feed lot conditions, it is hard to guarantee that there will be no infected product, or that every animal can be properly checked. Despite laws against selling contaminated meat, there are outbreaks and recalls every year. These companies lose money when they recall products and would rather chance it. That isn't okay.

Link to an article and video from the NY Times which will surely horrify you.

Supposedly, Costco is one of the best at checking their meat, so if you are an avid meat eater, I say shop there. Or if you are a veg lover, share this video/article with your friends. This isn't some hoopla agenda pushing vegan source, it is they NY Times. We should be concerned.

Genetically Modified Foods

    This week we are reading Vandana Shiva's Stolen Harvest, which discusses the hijacking of the global food supply. She discusses the effects of monoagriculture, seed patenting, the American food system, and other food practices that are negatively affecting other nations, specifically India. In addition to reading this book, we are watching the documentary The Future of Food.

    In the book, Vandana discusses the company Monsanto, in specific. This company nearly owns all the world's seeds, and they are ruthless. The film highlights this same company, telling the story of many farmers who have been taken to court by Monsanto. The reason being Monsanto crops were found on their fields. Because Monsanto has patented their genetically modified seeds, it is illegal for farmers to grow them. The upsetting part is that a majority of the farmers had no idea that Monsanto's seeds were growing on their farm, as the genetically modified crops are identical to the natural crops. Perhaps Monsanto has never heard of something called the wind? Well, according to court rulings, the wind is not an excuse for growing a patented crop. Monsanto, a huge company, has taken countless farmers to court, attempting to take everything those farmers have worked for, and often times succeeding. Vandana discusses what Monsanto has done to Indian agriculture, while the film discusses what it has done to American farmers.

    The other hot topic is genetically modified foods and the effects they can have on our bodies. Some persons have experienced intense allergies. The other effects are not yet own. China has said that they will not shelve genetically modified foods until the effects are visible on American children. They are going to watch America's children for the next ten years. Doesn't that sound lovely? You have probably noticed that GMO labeling has been an extremely highlighted topic in the media as of late. If you do a quick google search, you will see that there have been a countless number of articles about them in the past months. This is because many people have been urging the government to mandate companies to label genetically modified ingredients in their products. It would basically look like this:


     Not a big deal, right? The only people who usually read all the ingredients on a product are the people who really care. Also, in the European Union, this rule already exists. Companies claim that they do not want to do this because they simply don't want to lose any customers; however, in The Future of Food, a much more interesting fear is posited. The argument is that if companies were mandated to label this and a person had a negative reaction to it, it would be much easier to locate the responsible party.

    Anyways, I am having trouble eating altogether. I am repulsed by the food system. We patent seeds and blame the farmer, rather than wind. We treat all aspects of nature as profit, producing as much as possible, with no foresight into future consequences. It is repulsive and nerve-racking. There have been many bills proposed throughout the years to ask for GMO labeling, including several this past year. I urge you and everyone you know to become informed.

Also, I have included the trailer for The Future of Food. Watch it! But keep a tissue nearby.
The Future of Food Trailer

Food Politics

So, it has been a while. I went skydiving, managed to get an ear infection in both my ears, and have been incredibly busy with school. I am also broke as a joke thanks to finally purchasing my plane ticket for Prague this summer!

Currently, in my religion class, we are reading Marion Nestle's Food Politics. It is incredibly interesting. The things that have stuck out to me thus far are paying for labels and veggie libel laws. In regards to paying for labels, TRUST NO ONE! You know that nice American Heart Association approved stamp of approval on the box of Cheerios? It was paid for. And now red meat producers have paid for this sign too. Makes sense, right? Even though it seems to be the general consensus that red meat contributes to your likelihood of having heart disease.

Veggie libel laws on the other hand are super fun. You can indeed say, "I hate oranges." But you can not say, "Eat less oranges!" Oprah had the privilege of getting sued under the libel laws for telling her audience to eat less meat. This just ticks me off!

On another note, I have been failing miserably. But my eyes have been opened. I will not trust labels any longer. Nearly everything has milk in it! I bought soy based yogurt. And it had live active cultures from milk. I am going to try shopping at the local organic market next time.

I am also still on the search for vegan chocolate chips to make an awesome recipe I find! *Coming Soon*

To conclude, here is a quote by my new found inspiration, Gene Baur. "As I learned about the consequences of my food choices and as I recognized that I didn't have to eat animals, and that eating animals caused the animals to suffer, it caused an enormous footprint on our planet, and it wasn't healthy, it made sense to go vegan. And, it's one of the best decisions I've ever made, and I think most people who've decided to go vegan share a similar experience. It's very empowering. And, when I went vegan I actually started eating a wide variety of foods I had never tried before. Different ethnic foods. You also start combining things in different ways, you start becoming more creative in the kitchen. But I went vegan just because it seemed to make sense, and it was aligned with my own values, because I didn't want to support this system that was so abusive to animals, and wasting and squandering so many scarce resources on our planet. And it was also healthier, so it was in my interest to eat food that was plant-based instead of animal-based. Living a vegan lifestyle makes a lot of sense."

Fat Tuesday

My religion professor suspects that Fat Tuesday was created as a direct response to Ash Wednesday. We do all the things we are giving up for lent on Fat Tuesday. Thus, today, I ate about seven mozzarella sticks. And let's be honest- my stomach feels like a blown up beach ball and I want to barf. But maybe those mozzarella sticks gave me the push I need.

I want to look good. And feel good.
"At last I can look at you in peace, I no longer eat you." -Franz Kafka

Oh, and P.S. I brought the vegan strawberry cupcakes into my office. All the carnivores proclaimed their glory. To which I replied: They are vegan! I trapped you!