Earth Day Post

[bubbles]

It is still Earth Day, and I do have something on my mind that is... Earth-related... so I'm taking this opportunity to ask for your advice.

I read something recently which broke my heart. It was in a book about nutrition, and it was discussing the cultural realities that affect what foods are available to us. It said something like, "The question of who gets to eat -- and who does not -- will always be determined by these economic and political factors". I'm crying right now just reading the first part of that sentence. The question of who gets to eat... This is a question?

Apparently it is. So what do I do about it? I can't come up with a way to get excess food to people who need it. I don't have money, I don't have power, and honestly I don't trust people. I don't want to give food poisoning to homeless people like I almost did last time (I took that one for the team). I feel lost and overwhelmed and sort of furious about it.

As I promised myras_girls, I'm posting a list of what I am doing to reduce my inevitably super-sized impact on the planet.

~ Using natural products rather than chemicals whenever possible: soap nuts for laundry, vinegar for cleaning, baking soda to deodorize, etc.
~ Line drying my laundry and using the coolest water setting feasible for laundry and showers
~ Making my own natural products, like toothpaste and deodorant, rather than investing in manufacturing, packaging, shipping, and marketing
~ Not driving when I can walk; not using machines to exercise when I can use my body
~ Voting my dollar, including getting produce delivered from a local farm and shopping at the farmer's market
~ Avoiding processed foods, buying in bulk to minimize packaging, and only eating until I'm full
~ Going vegan
~ Using the yard to grow edible and practical plants (e.g., aloe vera), rather than focusing solely on appearances
~ Recycling, composting, and reusing as much as possible
~ Using a water filter and avoiding bottled water, minimizing plastic packaging in general
~ Choosing online versions over paper whenever the option is given
~ Using the library instead of collecting books, CDs, and DVDs I am unlikely to get more than a few weeks' use out of
~ Not having cable
~ Only using the heater or a/c when weather conditions are extreme (easy for me to say, I live in Southern California)

I'm sure there are more, but I'm impressed if anyone made it this far. May as well quit while I'm ahead. Please share your tips! For the list or the whole world hunger issue. I'm looking to clear that up as soon as possible.

Comments

[nonnierms.livejournal.com]

A big one on my list is breastfeeding--completely natural and the carbon footprint of formula is HUGE (cows to milk to factory for processing to packaging to shipping to production of bottles to feed it with to the extra doctor's visits from not getting mom's protective antibodies, etc etc etc.....)

The hunger issue is a tough one--so many organizations that are supposed to help aren't exactly the most honest and your donations don't make it to where they are supposed to :\ You could always start close to home--volunteer your time at a local soup kitchen? If there's a church or local institution that you know is on the up and up, you can donate time/money/food/clothing--I've found local has a tendency to be more honest because the community actually sees the work they do :p Before I got too pregnant, I volunteered at a local senior center that provides low cost hot meals to seniors--for a lot of them, they are too old/sick to cook for themselves and don't have the money to eat out (and frustratingly make too much on pensions/social security to qualify for help) and the senior center (and its leftovers) were the only decent meal they got each day :\

[bubbles79.livejournal.com]

I am completely sold on breastfeeding. Something tragic would have to happen to keep me from it. I'm so glad you're committed to that, too.

I was thinking that volunteering locally is the only way for me to go.
I'm just frustrated at the whole situation -- that people with the power to feed millions with their excess would rather see food go to waste so that they can manipulate prices and maintain maximum profitability. I want to destroy all the money and all the people who would kill or let others die to get it.
Instead I will serve soup. *sigh*

[nonnierms.livejournal.com]

I'm a veteran breastfeeder :p 27 months with Sterling and gearing up to start with this one as soon as he's born! If I'm lucky enough to be able to stay home this time around instead of having to go back to work, I will probably do some pumping so I can donate to a milk bank so some other kid can get some breastmilk instead of formula :) I'm not a great producer for the pump so if I'm working, all I get goes to the babe but if I'm home, I make plenty to feed the babe and any that can be pumped would be available to help someone else :)

I worked food service my first few years of college and it was heartbreaking all the food we threw away that was perfectly fine and could have been donated to a local shelter/kitchen but wasn't because the corporation was too worried about possible lawsuits if anything ever went wrong. So much of what we threw away was well within the "safe" zone where it could be eaten or refrigerated :(

[gradeafan.livejournal.com]

oop...good idea there nonni....I completely forgot to mention I have several times helped out at St. Vincent DePauls. The Phoenix location feeds more than 2000 every single day 365 days a year. They are always looking for volunteers.

http://www.svdpusa.org/

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[nonnierms.livejournal.com]

Volunteering can be a lot of fun, too :) I love talking to the seniors and making them smile :)