OntheWilderSide

ORGANIC BYTES #95
Health, Justice and Sustainability News Tidbits with an Edge!

11/15/2006

TIP OF THE WEEK:
FOR THANKSGIVING BUY LOCAL AND ORGANIC
The average American consumes more calories on Thanksgiving Day than any other day of the year. With the average supermarket food traveling 2500 miles from farm to fork, the Thanksgiving dinner cornucopia can add up to a substantial amount of petroleum-based energy consumption and greenhouse pollution. This Thanksgiving, consider taking up the “buy local and organic” challenge. You can do a world of good by voting with your consumer dollars for organic and locally or regionally produced food. And don’t forget that where you buy your food and other products is just as important as what you buy. Break the Chains of mindless consumerism by patronizing local, independently owned co-ops and businesses whenever possible.
Learn more:http://www.organicconsumers.org/btc.cfm

THIS WEEK’S LESSON:
WHY BUY LOCAL?

• Local businesses and farms produce more income, jobs, and tax receipts for local communities than big box stores do.
• Local businesses and farms are more likely to utilize local ads, banks and other services.
• Local businesses donate more money to nonprofits and are more accountable to their local communities.
• Supporting local businesses preserves the economic diversity of our communities and the unique character of our neighborhoods.
• Supporting local businesses and farmers is good for the environment, because it cuts down on fuel consumption. Buying locally produced goods reduces the need to ship goods from thousands of miles away and also cuts down on the distances shoppers travel.

Learn more: http://www.organicconsumers.org/btc.cfm

 MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
BUY LOCAL DAY IS NOVEMBER 18th
Let’s send a message on November 18, the Saturday before Thanksgiving, that we support our hometown businesses and oppose the negative impacts of chain stores and big box stores on our communities. Many communities have already organized citywide “buy local days,” but this year, we and our allies are calling on people across the country to make this a national effort. We hope you’ll join us!
For “Buy Local Day” resources visit: http://www.buylocalday.org

STUDY OF THE WEEK:
CHILDHOOD OBESITY HAS EXPLODED IN LAST SIX YEARS
A new analysis of government statistics reveals the U.S. childhood obesity rate is increasing much faster than previously thought. According to data collected from 22,000 children (age 2-19), obesity rates have increased by more than 65 per cent in just the past six years. Abdominal fat in children has nearly doubled since 1999. The largest relative increase in the prevalence of abdominal obesity occurred among 2-5 year old boys (84%) and 18-19 year-old girls (126%). Researchers say excessive plaque build-up in the arteries of children can be reversed through a healthier diet and regular exercise.
Learn more: http://www.organicconsumers.org/2006/article_3314.cfm

HEALTH NEWS OF THE WEEK:
DANGERS OF FLOURIDATED WATER CONFIRMED
On November 9, the American Dental Association (ADA) finally admitted that fluoride levels in common tap water could be dangerous for infants. The ADA recommended that fluoridated water should not be mixed into concentrated formula or foods intended for babies. The ADA’s announcement comes on the heels of a National Research Council report that revealed fluoridation’s adverse effects to the thyroid gland, diabetics, kidney patients, high water drinkers and others. The Centers for Disease Control has added to the debate with a new report showing that fluoride absorbs into enamel topically. However, adverse effects occur upon ingestion.
Learn more: http://www.organicconsumers.org/2006/article_3351.cfm

QUICK TIDBITS:
PRODUCT PLUNDER OF THE WEEK: Wal-Mart is being investigated for falsely advertising conventional products as “organic.” The Cornucopia Institute has discovered that a number of Wal-Mart stores are defrauding consumers by labeling products as organic that were grown with pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. A formal legal complaint has been filed with the USDA asking the agency to investigate allegations of illegal “organic” food distribution by Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.   Learn more: http://www.organicconsumers.org/2006/article_3364.cfm

ALERT OF THE WEEK: CORPORATIONS SEEK TO PATENT WILDLIFE IN NATIONAL PARKS
The National Park Service took a giant step in September towards further commercialization of the natural resources in our National Parks. Specifically, the Park Service released an environmental impact statement that could clear the way for corporations to “bioprospect” for microorganisms and other wildlife in national parks like Yellowstone. If the Park Service gets its way, corporations will be allowed to mine, exploit, patent, and profit from the lands and wildlife that we are all supposed to be stewarding.
Learn more and take action: http://www.ParksNotForSale.org

VIDEOS AND DVDS OF THE WEEK: “The Meatrix 2.5” One of the most popular and entertaining flash video series on the internet has just released its third chapter. Watch these colorful cartoon characters uncover some of the major problems inherent with factory farmed meats. http://www.moremeatrix.com/“America: Freedom to Fascism” This highly-acclaimed film by Hollywood producer Aaron Russo documents how a powerful cabal of bankers and government officials have seized control of our national economy and are literally destroying the middle and lower classes through an illegal and unsustainable system of taxation and financial manipulation.

Filed under: 4 Pillars, buy local, Corporations, Death Penalty, Education, Food, health, Healthcare, local, News, Organics, peace sign, public access, reform, sustainability, sustainable, thanksgiving, US Politics, vegetarian Tagged: | Carbs & Calories, Childhood Obesity, Fall Harvest, Fluoride, meatrix, obesity, Peace Sign Sunflower, Peace SunFlower, Rainbow, Uncategorized