ELIZABETH NORWOOD

So, if you’ve read my blog, you might have noticed that I’m just a wee bit into the green scene. Pretty much every day – for work and for my family – I do loads of research on eco-lifestyle, sustainability, nature, social responsibility and environmental stewardship.

I collect data and ideas from all over the web, and sometimes in unexpected places. (Did you know, for example, that World Naked Gardening Day is coming up on May 2? I am not making this up. Now that’s some getting back to nature.)

But I also have favorite websites that I return to again and again for reliable, current info on a range of green topics. These sites are more than just collections of random trivia – they are true, bookmark-worthy resources.

Environmental Working Group is my go-to for “clean” shopping (especially grocery and personal products). TreeHugger gives me a progressive design, tech, and scientific slant on the world. Another site for the list? Healthy Child, Healthy World.

Healthy Child, Healthy World does the legwork for busy parents, wading through the sea of ever-changing scientific consensus. It also supports changes to our laws and our culture so that every kid, regardless of circumstance, can thrive. This site is perfect for both new and seasoned parents interested in a safer home base, greener choices, and healthier children everywhere.

Here is a smorgasbord of their topics and resources:

• • Have you noticed how having a new baby kicks everyone’s nesting instinct into high gear? Those home renovations will be great when they’re finished, but demo’d bathrooms and lead paint particles can expose everyone in the house to nasty chemicals. Do it all the safe way with this Healthy Home Renovations guide.
  • If you have kids, I guarantee you’ll have to wrangle at least a few head lice before they turn 18. Unfortunately, over-the-counter pesticide shampoos have been linked to asthma, allergies, even cancer. Instead, remove lice safely with natural essential oils, a lice comb, and some elbow grease.
  • Raise your hand if you ever use your car keys as an emergency toy and teething ring. Do not do this. Those keys can contain mass amounts lead, a well-known toxin. Get a “fake” (real wood) set of keys if your tot insists on chewing up the contents of your purse.
  • Are fake food dyes, preservatives and other additives really that bad? In a word, yes. These chemicals are implicated in many pediatric behavioral and neurological issues. And you can avoid them by choosing more whole foods and fewer processed foods that harbor heinous food fillers.
  • HealthyChild even has a handy new e-book, Easy Steps to a Safer Pregnancy.  Because, after all, “…your baby’s first home isn’t her nursery or even your house. It’s your body.”

Makes you think, right?

Like all the info on this site, the goal is to empower you to make more educated choices.

Which may or may not include grabbing a shovel and polishing off your birthday suit for the next World Naked Gardening Day.

Hey, it’s all about choices!

westernfarmpress.com

Organic food is more expensive than conventional food, right?

After all, the evidence is right there in your local produce aisle. Those organic strawberries could set you back almost twice as much as conventional ones.

But did you know that organic food doesn’t need to cost more?

And that there are hidden costs to those conventional berries?

The Farm Bill

There are many factors that raise the price of organic food,  and one of the biggest is unfair government farm subsidies.

The first Farm Bill program was introduced over 80 years ago as part of FDR’s Agricultural Adjustment Act to help Depression-era farmers. Times have changed since 1933, but the Farm Bill hasn’t changed much with the times – even with the passage of the 2014 iteration this past February.

Modern-day subsidies proponents argue that farmers need a government safety net because agriculture is a tough, unpredictable industry and the nation’s food supply is dependent on family farms staying in business.

But critics say too much of the money goes to wealthy farmers and corporate agribusinesses.

There are two major issues at play when it comes to farm subsidies and organic and healthy foods.

1 – Organic farmers only get about 1% of the Farm Bill subsidies. The allocation of Farm Bill funds doesn’t come close to reflecting what the American people want. Retail sales of organic food rose from around $3 billion in 1997 to a whopping $21.1 billion in 2008, according to the USDA. And 58 percent of Americans claim they prefer to eat organic over non-organic.

The demand for organics keeps rising as the public becomes more educated about the health risks of conventional food and farming. If organic farmers received a bigger slice of the subsidies pie, and more conventional farms began organic practices, together they could meet these rising demands. Organic food prices would drop, and more people would have access to foods free of pesticides, hormones, antibiotics and other chemicals.

2 – Conventional farms that produce “junk food” or non-food crops get the largest government handouts of all. Such “commodity crops” as wheat, GMO soybeans, cotton and corn are energy, water, and fertilizer intensive. And they’re are used mostly to produce meat, processed foods and ethanol.

According to CalPIRG’s “Apples to Twinkies” report, from 1995 to 2010 almost $17 billion tax dollars subsidized four common food additives: corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, cornstarch, and hydrogenated soy oils. So our tax dollars are directly subsidizing junk food ingredients instead of nutritious fruits and vegetables, which get a tiny fraction of farm bill dollars.

Giving Organics a Boost

Demand for organics has never been higher, but our government continues to subsidize conventional crops.

The good news is that organic farmers, fruit growers and hemp producers all saw modest improvements with the 2014 Farm Bill.

It’s time to keep the momentum going. Time to bring the Farm Bill into the 21^st century and give organic farming a bigger boost! Farm subsidies reform is a win-win for people and the Earth – healthier food and a healthier environment.

Take Action!  Two things you can do right now to boost the organic scene:

1 – Buy organic whenever possible. The higher the demand, the bigger the support for organic farming.

2 – Stay informed about farm subsidies and organics. Sign up for updates from the Organic Consumers Association and the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. Listen to EarthScope Radio for timely environmental news. Watch some of the latest critically-acclaimed food documentaries. The next Farm Bill won’t get passed for a few years, but your local government has probably already started weighing in on it. If you know your stuff, you can contact your state rep, let your voice be heard…and be part of the change!

courtesy nationalgeographic.com

Let’s have a quick round of free association.

If I say “bacteria”, what’s the first thing that comes to mind?

Going bad?

Getting sick?

It’s true that bacteria are responsible for sinus infections and Montezuma’s Revenge.

How about that scent under your pits on a hot summer day? Yep, you guessed it…bacteria.

But causing disease and decay is not all bacteria are good for. Like many things in life, they have a good side and a bad side.

Now, I’m not telling you to stop washing your hands or go play with a rabid squirrel. But lately we’ve gone overboard trying to avoid and destroy every germ we may come in contact with. We’ve vilified a whole class of micro-organisms when many of them are actually our friends.

It’s time for us to look at these no-see-ums a little differently.

You see, bacteria may not be sexy, but without them you’d be dead. Literally. There are ten times more bacterial cells than human cells in your body,  and most of them work hard to keep you healthy, alive and kicking.

What bacteria are good for

I started to make a list of all the reasons why we need these little buggers, when I stumbled upon this link to some of the more important ones.

In a nutshell, good bacteria can:

• Improve our immune function.
• Improve our digestion.
• Help us harness energy and nutrients from our food
• Edge out the bad bacteria that creep into our systems.
• Reduce asthma and allergies.

There’s even a new theory that exposure to germs might helps us avoid Alzheimer’s.

How to get more good bacteria

I’ve been giving my kids probiotics since they were very young, so in my house we call good bacteria “happy bac.” Here are a few easy ways to increase the amount of happy bacteria in your life:

• Eat PRObiotics every day. Take a daily supplement and eat more fermented foods like yogurt, unpasteurized cheese, and pickled veggies.
• Reduce your intake of sugar and refined carbs. Turns out bad bacteria are as addicted to these as we are.
• Eat more PREbiotics. Good germs like fruits and vegetables like bananas, leeks, artichokes and garlic.
• Go easy on the anti-bacterial products. Turns out being anti-bacterial isn’t always the best thing for our health. Anti-bacterial products like hand sanitizers, dish soap, even toothpaste contain harmful chemicals like triclosan and pthalates, and can ultimately backfire by promoting the growth of  anti-bacterial-resistant strains of bacteria.

How do you get more beneficial bugs in your life?