GM crop escapes into the American wild

transgenic canola now growing freely in north dakota. full article at nature news.

Tale of Two Tanks conclusion

After learning of the brine spill at the tanks and speaking with the landowner that Saturday, I called the EPA and detailed what I had been made aware of and seen.

I was asked a lot of questions such as dates in question, the name of the company who owned the mineral rights, the tank numbers, etc., which I answered to the best of my ability. I was informed the information would be turned over to the EPA for investigation and f necessary, they would contact me.

Since I am still on dial up I remained off line as much as possible for a couple of days in case they called, but heard nothing from them. On the following Wednesday I noticed the coming and going of several dump truck loads of dirt on our little road as well as a county truck or two. Throughout the day I heard equipment running just up the road in the vicinity of the oil tanks.

That evening when I had time enough I took a stroll up the road to the site again with camera in hand.

This is a "before" photo of the drain off at the back of the tanks and pit.

And below is after.

This is the trench that had been dug for the run off.

And this is after.

Overall the place looked a lot better than how it had the days prior.

It appears everyone did their job and made things right. Let's hope this proves to be the case.

Aside from the actual desecration created by their negligence, the thing that upsets me most is that this company (and how many others?) have done whatever they can get away with to control costs because they are too cheap and/or greedy to do things responsibly. I hope it cost this particular company a lot of money to right their wrongs. I know it did last year when they polluted the well water of a nearby family and had to replace the well. Maybe they'll realize that it would have been cheaper to do things responsibly to begin with.

On my way back to the house I took this photo of the fields to the south and the intensely beautiful sky, thankful that things appeared to have been made right and hoping that this company will realize that environmental responsibility is more cost effective in the long run. In the very least maybe they'll realize that others are watching.

We could have saved the Earth but we were too damned cheap. ~Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. ~Native American Proverb

We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect. ~Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac

There is nothing in which the birds differ more from man than the way in which they can build and yet leave a landscape as it was before. ~Robert Lynd, The Blue Lion and Other Essays

Tale of Two Tanks part 1

Less than 1/4 mile from our house stands two oil tanks.


A local energy company owns the mineral rights on this land and has for many, many years although I just heard through the grapevine they have sold to a larger company. I also heard said that with their technology they can drill sideways into the ground and make the wells in this area as productive as they were thirty years ago and in the process making lots of money for the landowners (and I might add, least of all the company).

We seldom travel our road in an easterly direction past those tanks, but on Tuesday afternoon of last week we decided to do just that as we headed over my our niece's house. As we passed the ugly blue tanks Coop and I both noticed that the ground had been freshly dug and piled higher than normal around the pit. This pit exists in case of a spill when draining the tanks and to contain the accidental release of toxic liquids such as brine, oil or a mixture of the two.

Anyhow...we didn't think too terribly much about it and kept on driving. On Saturday we learned from our neighbor M that the energy company employee had definitely had a spill of said brine the week before at the tanks and obviously a pretty hefty spill. M said he had spoken with the employee and threatened to call the EPA about it. The employee urged him not to and reassured they'd get it cleaned up.

On that same Saturday after learning of the situation, out of concern and curiosity I decided to take a walk to the site with camera in hand.

I climbed up on the mound of dirt to get a look at the pit. I knew the liquid in the pit is rain water because we'd had heavy rain just prior and any brine would by now have been absorbed into the ground...somewhere.

I took a walk behind the tanks and saw this nifty little drain tube sticking out of the ground from the pit wall...hmmm

And I saw this. (The area to the far right edge of pic is where that orange drain pipe is.)



This last pic is to give you an overall idea of the distance from the tanks the trench had been dug.

Obviously the spill was substantial or why else would they have stuck that drain tube into the wall of the pit and dug this trench? I estimate the trench was about 100' in length. Fortunately they blocked it at that distance preventing anything traveling further west. Beyond there lay the woods and the creek bed. If poisonous brine was drained out of that pit and had made its way to the creek it would have been disastrous.

I spoke with the land owner that same day and relayed my feelings about the oil company's disregard for the environment and the private property of others. I also told him rather matter of factly that if he didn't want to call the EPA I would. He shook his head affirmatively, letting me know it was literally my call.

to be continued...

going green and the desire to live simply

Which came first for you - the desire to live more simply or the 'greening' of your spirituality? This was a question posed to me by elderwonman. A very good question I might add, because it made me think. I feel I’ve always leaned towards a natural, down to earth lifestyle with concern for the environment.

Although this may not seem relevant to some, it was/is to me…

I was in my thirties when I started taking a serious look at what I believed. After much examination and consideration, I stepped away from religion altogether, having realized I did not need organized religion to walk a spiritual path. For me God was more real and accessible through the natural world that surrounded me than through church doors and doctrines. (I mean no disrespect or offense. I understand and respect the fact that religion and a church community are meaningful to many.) Perhaps this was the beginning of my spiritual greening.

Then when in my forties I took a serious look at who I was…

By the late 90’s my children were no longer at home needing my attention, It was at this time during my forties that the distinct desire to simplify and to get to know myself as more than just a mom, wife and employee become prevalent. Mind you, I wouldn’t trade the roles of mother and wife for anything, but I realized I had little identity aside from these things and I wanted to literally find myself. I also missed being at home, tending to domestic things. I wanted to return to a simpler life where my time and energy weren’t exhausted doing things I had no real interest in. I finally left my job to be at home where I took up daily meditation and journaling. My desires and what gave true meaning to my existence and mattered most to me became much clearer. They were the things that (I think) matter most to (I hope) nearly everyone; peace, contentment, loving relationships, freedom and the time and energy to devote to the people I loved and the things I cared about and enjoyed.

I like to think that the older I’ve grown, the wiser I’ve become. My propensity for all things natural has certainly grown. There’s no doubt the further enlightened I became, the more I felt connected globally and the larger my sense of response-ability became. This naturally led toward a simpler and greener lifestyle. My evolution has certainly led to an expanded awareness of society’s workings and a realization of how brainwashed we are led to become through the media’s convincing us of a false need to have and consume. Awareness has reinforced the desire to be more environmentally responsible and to simplify further. In the end I cannot say with conviction which actually came first, my spiritual greening or the desire to live more simply…the two most certainly have walked hand in hand. I believe however, that the path to authenticity led to simplicity and simplicity has turned me a much deeper shade of green.

one more small commitment

Some years back paper towels were never an item on our list of necessities. Somehow over the course of time they became one. I hate to think of the money spent and trees destroyed on behalf of my purchasing of them alone. Granted, over the past few years I have lessened the number of rolls purchased and made sure the ones I bought were made from at least some percentage of post consumer waste.

Recently I've been thinking back to the time when we actually managed without some of these costly (environmentally and monetarily speaking) products. As a result I've decided to return to my paper towel free days. We'll be using more cloth napkins at meal times and I'll be keeping a stack of clean cloth rags handy for spills and clean ups. Today I'll be taking some old cotton towels I have, cutting them down to size and hemming the edges. They'll be just the right size for everyday napkins and quick clean ups. Just one more small yet significant way I can tread a little more lightly. Being green usually helps save a little green, too. :)

earth day 2008

picture by pcmkrfn at photobucket

Shhhhhh.

Can you hear?

Look around...

Can you see?

Breathe....

can you taste her fragrance?

She is speaking...

will you listen...

...listen and remember?

At long last I have come to know you again, my friend.
I knew you when I was small. I remember...
I cupped your cool earth in my hands, digging holes and making mud pies.
I knew the subtleness of your breath on my skin as I lay
under the stars, holding fireflies in the dark.

When did we drift apart, you and I?
As I was growing up I think.
Wasn't it then that I pulled away, forgetting you, thinking life was all about me?
Was it then that I stopped noticing you and began taking from you with not a thought of appreciation or giving back.

Thank you for bringing me back,
slowing me down,
teaching me,
forgiving me.
Now I will teach my children's children to love and honor you, to never forget you.
Perhaps they will do a better job,
perhaps they will live in closer harmony with you throughout their lives.
Perhaps they will take less and give more and strengthen your resources
for a generation to come.

©S. Cooper (earth heart)

reduce-reuse-recycle-replenish

spring cleaning-green recipe cards

First, just a reminder that you can enter here for a chance to win my 1 year blog anniversary give away! Get on over and say hey!

Thanks to everyone who has entered so far!!

...

If you’re like me now that spring has sprung, you’re anxious to either get rolling or get finished with the spring cleaning. In light of the cleaning season and Earth Day, I thought I would share these green cleaning recipe cards (pdf) from the David Suzuki Foundation. I love them and have printed off copies for myself. I plan on giving my neighbor a set, too, giving her no excuse to use toxic commercial cleaners that are so unhealthy for her and the environment. :)

Think reduce, reuse and recycle when clearing out the house, garage, etc. Consider offering your "stuff on Freecycle or Craigs List or donating it to local thrift stores, etc. Remember, there is no such place as "away" when we throw things out.

Happy cleaning to you and the planet!

Seven Words that can Change the World

A 22 page book by Joseph Simonetta, viewable at no charge reveals a simple yet profound philosophy of global transformation based on seven simple words. This book will most likely cause you to think more deeply about the things you believe (and why you believe them), what sacredness means and how each of us can easily and immediately create change.

read more | digg story

Being Green and Thrifty

I’m committed to the best of my ability to lightening my steps on the planet and living as simply and naturally as possible. In regard to the environment I believe what I or others do really does make a difference. I guess you could me an environmental optimist? Of course if one doesn’t believe it matters, then they likely feel there is less reason to make the effort. But for me it’s just part a part of life, so I decided to make note here of the steps I take to conserve and live simply and frugally with less environmental impact. I thought it might actually help me to see where I might make some additional changes and it might even inspire others.

Keep indoor light use to a minimum and use low energy fluorescent bulbs. Lights out completely at bedtime.

Appliances and electronic devices such as microwave, computer, tv are shut down or unplugged at night to halt electric usage.

Keep toilet flushes to a minimum. Flushing causes the water pump to run (electric) and flushing often uses unnecessary amounts of water. We also keep the toilet lid down to lower bathroom humidity levels in the summer especially.

We try to wear our clothes until they actually need washed. That means a pair of jeans can be worn several days or more depending on use. Wash clothes (only full loads) in cold water. When weather permits we dry them by hanging them on the clothes line. In winter I will hang lighter weight items on hangers and hang from hooks above the heat registers in the living area. We use environmentally responsible and natural products to wash and treat stains with. No fabric softeners. Most of our clothes are cotton so softener/anti static is not necessary. I do occasionally toss a lavender sachet bag into the drier.

Keep a compost bowl in the kitchen for vegetable scraps, peelings, etc. This gets set out for the ducks to munch from daily. What they don’t eat gets tossed into the compost bin. Other scraps when available are given to Shadow and Mr. G.

Keep a recycle bin in the kitchen into which all recyclable items go. This is taken to the garage when full and sorted accordingly. By purchasing consciously and recycling we keep our trash to a maximum of one bag or less per week. When bins are full, we drop at local recycling center, combining that trip with other necessary errands to save fuel.

Keep our trips in the car to a minimum to conserve gas, emissions and an affordable way of life. When fueling the vehicle, we try to do so when air is cooler to prevent evaporation.

Use hand cultivator in the garden when we can rather than use gas powered rototiller.

Avoid the use of pesticides or herbicides in our garden and yard.

Raise plants from organic seed, grow a garden and preserve as much as possible. This means eating fresh, nutritious whole foods as well as spending far less on food throughout the summer and winter.

Buy organic and purchase items from local small retailers and farmers as much as possible. We purchase milk, eggs and butter from our neighboring Amish.

Use energy efficient appliances.

Avoid doctors and prescription medicine as much as possible.

Make my own herbal teas.

Make my own natural deodorant.

Shower 2-3 times per week as opposed to daily and sponge bath in between.

Use our bath towels more than once before tossing in the hamper.

Cook from scratch.

Use dry beans instead of canned beans for soups, chili, etc. Much, much cheaper!

Mend our clothing.

Care for what we have.

Avoid buying plastic food bags, but save food safe plastic bags of all kinds (bread wrappers, baggies, etc.) and reuse. Wash large baggies for reuse rather than throwing them out unnecessarily.

Save and reuse glass jars and plastic containers

Use canvas bags when shopping.

Save buttons, fabric, old jeans to mend with, makes patches or recycle into other items.

Although we do have area rugs, we don’t have carpet in our home. This keeps dust, dirt and the need to vacuum to a minimum. I shake out throw rugs and use a dust mop or broom elsewhere and vacuum the big rugs when necessary.

Make my own items for gift giving.

Purchase clothing and household items second hand whenever possible.

Use cloth rags and natural products for cleaning rather than paper towels and commercial products.

Don’t own an air conditioner. Close windows and use blinds to keep heat out in summer.

Open blinds and use passive solar heat in cool weather and adjust thermostat to allow furnace to ignite less often but run longer when it does. Dress warmly, too!

Don’t use cosmetics, perfumes, air deodorizers (other than all natural ones I make) and other unnecessary and toxic items. (Witch hazel is a great and inexpensive facial toner and aftershave splash.)

We use an answering machine in place of extra phone company features like call waiting and caller ID.

Save our change. Once I had saved change for several years and when I finally got around to sorting and rolling it up to take to the bank I had over $400. That was a real nice chunk of spare change!

Rather than going out for coffee or stopping on the way for coffee, we make our own and carry a cup or even a thermos when out and about.

Dine out rarely and if we dine out we usually cut the bill by using coupons and ordering water.

Use scrap paper and the backs of used paper and junk mail and used envelopes for notes and lists.

Buy in bulk when it’s a deal we can’t pass up and we know we’ll use it. (I have 8 lbs. of pasta in my freezer!)

Freecycle…need I say more?

Other General Money Saving Tips

If you must borrow from your savings, consider it a loan and pay it back immediately.

When you get to the bottom of the shampoo bottle, rinse it out. The same applies to dish soap, cream rinse, laundry soap. You’ll be surprised how much is still in there.

Cancel your newspaper. Read the news online. The same applies to magazine subscriptions. Tap the wealth of info online.

Share and borrow when you can if it’s an item you need to use or loan only once in awhile.

Eliminate satellite or cable tv or opt for the economy package. Or, consider an online movie rental subscription like Netflix as an alternative to more costly cable or satellite.

If you take family vacations, gear them towards spending quality time together as opposed to spending lots of money (and energy). Keep it simple and you’re more apt to feel you’ve really had a vacation.

Avoid shopping altogether unless you have a specific need…not a specific desire, but a specific need.

Bring new life to old garments by embellishing and accessorizing.

Borrow books and movies from the library.

Never make spur of the minute purchases.

When it comes to gifts, tell others what you really want.

If you get a raise or income increase, act as if you didn’t and manage without it if possible. Put it away into your savings.

The Story of Stuff

If you prefer or have dial up like me, you can read the script here.

The Question Of Lifestyle

"Why do we live the way we do? What things are important to us, and why? What is a "lifestyle," anyway?"

"The question of lifestyle is more than a question of deciding whether or not to participate in those parts of the human enterprise that endanger the living Earth. In the end, it is a question of choosing who we are."

This article from IN CONTEXT asks some interesting questions that just might get you thinking about who you are and what defines you.

Sunny Outlook: Can Sunshine Provide All U.S. Electricity?

Large amounts of solar-thermal electric supply may become a reality if steam storage technology works—and new transmission infrastructure is built

read more | digg story

So, you think your an environmentalist?

We talk the talk but do we walk the walk? This article (which I urge anyone who cares about the environment in the least bit, to read) brings it all home and asks,"if not us, then who?"

read more | digg story

Environment is Everything

In an effort to do my part in the world, at least in my local area, the following is a letter to the editor I wrote in response to Monday’s Times-Gazette article on Freecycle.

Environment is Everything

I am most appreciative for the opportunity to have been a part of the article about Freecycle. Thank you to Jarrod and TG for bringing this subject to the public’s attention.

According to the national website Freecycle began as a way to promote waste reduction in Tucson's downtown in an effort to help preserve desert landscape and prevent it from being taken over by landfills.

The mission statement of the Ashland county Freecycle organization is “…to build a worldwide gifting movement that reduces waste, saves precious resources, and eases the burden on our landfills while enabling our members to benefit from the strength of a larger community." The message Freecycle brings home to me is to think globally and act locally.

Freecycling is a win-win solution for everyone with access to a computer. I think that point was well covered in the recent article. As a longtime recycler and advocate for the environment, it’s my hope that many more will join and partake in this grassroots effort to reduce waste.

It is also my hope that more people will join the ongoing movement to live a simpler, more conscientious lifestyle that has for too long been lacking in America. I believe it is essential for us to wake up to the reality of our mass consumerism and it’s affect on the environment.

If we take a long, hard look at what is truly essential and compare that to how much waste we accumulate and produce as a result of our consumerism, we might be surprised. If we take a serious look at the affect our waste has on the land, the air, the oceans, the wildlife and how all these things suffer (and die) as a result of our need to consume in excess we might be appalled. It is time we wake up and smell the ozone.

We can all recycle, we can all choose wisely by supporting local and organic farmers, choosing products made from recycled goods, avoiding over packaged and “throw away” items and repairing rather than replacing. We all have the ability to think beyond ourselves, to practice and develop responsible habits. We all can reduce, reuse and recycle and in doing so alter the course of tomorrow.

Let us stop being the willing victims of capitalistic brainwashing and act responsibly by taking only what we need, using what we take and doing no further harm. Let’s choose to stop poisoning ourselves, our children and our planet with over processed, unnatural, genetically modified and chemically laden products. Let us think before purchasing goods that are designed only to benefit profit margins and which may be harmful or are likely to end up in a landfill.

It is my sincere hope that more and more of us choose to live in a state of global and environmental awareness by educating ourselves and taking responsibility as the stewards we are of this beautiful planet. It is after all our home, our only home. Let’s make it available to future generations and be remembered as the generation that did the right thing, not as the generation that could have.

There is a saying credited to the North American Cree. It goes, “Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.”

Let us realize this before it becomes too late to act. The environment is our food, our water, our shelter, the air we breathe. It provides all that is necessary to sustain life...at least for now. Isn't it time we evolved into a more environmentally conscious, sustainable and responsible society?

Getting the message out-we made the front page!

Photo By Times-Gazette photo/Tom E. Puskar
Sallie and Ken Cooper pose with some of the things (computer monitor, canister set and breadmaker) they have obtained through Freecycling.

7-16-07

Times-Gazette.com

Another way to recycle / Avid recyclers enjoy trading items with others through Freecycling

11 hours ago

By JARRED OPATZ

T-G Special Projects Editor

Ken and Sallie Cooper got their computer monitor from a lady in Jeromesville, their bread machine from a Sullivan resident and their vintage canisters from someone in Mansfield.

They didn't have to pay for any of them.

The Rowsburg-area couple got the items through freecycling -- a grassroots, nonprofit movement of people who give and get stuff for free that really has grown since it began four years ago in Tucson, Ariz.

The Freecycle Network is made up of more than 4,000 individual groups across the globe with more than 3 million members, according The Freecycle Network Web site, www.freecycle.org.

Members contact each other through e-mail to get and give away things that otherwise might end up in the trash by joining local Freecycle groups. The Coopers belong to both the Ashland County and Mansfield groups, which have 724 and 1,269 members, respectively. It's free to sign up for a group, but there are guidelines to follow, such as not reselling items received from freecycling or not just joining to get things.

"There are some people who get into it just to get stuff, but I think most people are glad to trade things, get rid of stuff and not have to throw it away," Sallie said.

"It's a good thing, but, like with anything, you have some people who abuse the system," she added.

The Coopers have given away quite a bit of things through freecycling, too, such as organic tomato plants, clothing and canisters.

"I had some blue canisters he bought at an auction," Sallie said looking at her husband one day last week while talking about their experiences with freecycling to a reporter in their rural home. "They were really nice, but I had a pink kitchen and didn't use them.

"So, when I had a chance to get these," she added pointing to the canister set she now has in her kitchen she got through freecycling, "I freecycled the blue ones."

For the Coopers, freecycling has fit their lifestyle perfectly. They have been avid recyclers for many years and they like to live a simple, frugal lifestyle.

"We're big recyclers," Ken said. "I would rather recycle something than send it to the dump."

Freecycling has given the Coopers another "recycling" option with the benefit of getting things they usually need and not having to throw away things they don't need and can't take to the Recycling Center.

"We don't throw away things unless there's no alternative," Sallie said. "In the process," she added looking at stereo speakers and a few of the other things she has decorated her house with through freecycling with a big smile. "I really like my stereo speakers. They would have taken up a lot of room in a landfill."

If there's something the Coopers want, they can post an offer on the group's Web site or goes to members' e-mails.

"If you're the first one to respond, you're mostly the one to get it," Sallie said. "Most people will respond to the first person who responds to their ad."

Freestyle discourages sharing private information with the group, such as phone numbers and addresses.

"A lot of times when you're dealing with someone you don't even exchange phone numbers," Sallie said. "You just contact through e-mail, and a lot of times it's just on a first-name basis."

"A lot of times you don't even meet the people," Ken said. "If you're not going to be here and someone is coming to pick something up, you just leave it on the porch or where ever."

What makes it fun is some of the unique things you can find with freecycling or unique ways people use some of the things you give them, the Coopers agreed.

"When we moved to our home (about a year ago) we had a barn full of stuff we gave away through Freecycle," Sallie said. "We had a lot of huge wooden spools we got rid of. One couple from Jeromesville had the most unique reason for getting some of them. They had goats and said they were going to make pyramids for the goats to climb because goats love to climb."

Muscovy ducks have been the most unique things the Coopers have gotten through Freecycle.

"We had talked about getting ducks," Sallie said. "We really liked Muscovy ducks. I had read a lot about them. They are really unique ducks.

"Then, a lady in the Polk area had an ad for Muscovy ducks, and I thought, 'What are the odds?' " Sallie added.

The Coopers have four Muscovy ducks, which they said are quiet ducks who don't quack. They eat the eggs they get from the three females.

A basket of yarn from a Nankin woman is another interesting item they have received through freecycling, Sallie said.

As much as they enjoy the things they receive and get rid of through Freecycle, the Coopers said they mostly do it because they believe in the movement to reduce waste and ease the burden on landfills.

"We have grown up as a nation of mass consumers and a throw-away society," Sallie said. "We have to stop that.

"This seems like a small thing," Sallie added about freecycling. "But when there are so many people doing small things, it makes a difference. I think this makes a difference."

Jarred Opatz can be reached at 419-281-0581, ext. 256, or by e-mail at jopatz@times-gazette.com, regarding this story and other story ideas.

These Come From Trees-real simple activism

These folks sure make it easy to be environmentally active and get the message out there. I like that! :)

COOL-for Your Own Safety

Yesterday, as I sat at the table discussing politics and consumerism, food safety and other paramount issues that affect Americans (mostly without their knowledge) I asked the questions, “What if the wheat gluten that contaminated our pet food supply also got into our food supply?” It seemed entirely possible, as we import food products from China and wheat gluten is a common ingredient in many of our food products and food producers feed livestock just about anything, including pet food.

Well, according to federal health officials at least 2.5 million broiler chickens from an Indiana producer were fed pet food scraps contaminated with the chemical melamine and subsequently sold for human consumption. It’s believed that hundreds of other producers may have also sold an unknown amount of contaminated poultry in recent months resulting in a much broader consumption of contaminated feed and food than had previously been acknowledged in the widening pet food scandal. Go here to read the May 2 article at the Washington Post.

The second topic that came up at the dinner table yesterday was about not knowing where our food comes from, (which is good enough reason to me, at the very least, to avoid processed foods). Often you’ll read a label and all it will tell you is where it was packaged, not where it was actually produced. I suspected that was a purpose driven “oversight” that allowed food corporations to buy cheap imported ingredients, possibly of questionable safety and quality.

Ironically,the 2002 Farm Bill explicitly mandated that Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) on foods go into effect by September of 2004. Nearly two years have passed since that deadline and nothing has changed, except now we have major retail chains (such as Wal-Mart, Meijers and Krogers for example I highly assume), carrying their own brands of USDA certified organics due to consumers demand. Let’s have a look at this…

Corporate agribusiness and retail chains like Wal-Mart have fought the implementation of COOL, claiming it will be too costly for the consumer and producer. The truth is, Wal-Mart, and the supermarket chains bribed Congress with millions of dollars to block implementation of COOL labels. As a result, Americans are buying billions of dollars of imported foods without knowing it, while cheap, bogus "USDA Organic" food from China is starting to appear on the shelves of Wal-Mart and other Big Box chains.

In order to promote health and sustainability, and to save North American family farms, we need to restore our right to know where our food is coming from. Enforcing COOL laws will have a positive impact on the U.S. economy, as more and more consumers choose food products that are grown on American farms. At present, the U.S. imports more food than at any time in history and many of these imports are traditionally domestically grown crops.

So, what can we do? Speak out while we can! Visit the Organic Consumers Association and make your voice heard if you value food safety and organic standards and believe we should be supporting local food growers and manufacturers.

We must NEVER, EVER assume our government has our best interest at heart. Those who make “our” decisions (the ones that affect the safety and welfare of every one of us) have proven time and time again that they do not have our best interests at heart. The only ones who can bring about change are we, the people. If I sound fired up it’s because I am. We must stop our complacency and stop naively believing and depending on others to do what is in our own best interest.