This is a great interview of Tim DeChristopher from Chris Hedges. I wanted to share it since these words are what inspired me to organize a day of solidarity for Tim after hearing him speak last week.  I hope that it proves inspirational to you. Tim does an excellent job at connecting the dots when it comes to the issues that we are facing today.

So much of what we are challenged with today are inter related and basically come down to the priorities most corporations use for decision making (profits at any cost) and the refusal of our government to put us citizens, who elected them and who they are supposed to represent, first. Whether we are looking at energy policy, our food system, medical care or the collapse of our educational system we can see that something is very wrong, unless of course corporate profits are the reason that we all exist.

I think that this is why I see the decisions that each of us make every day to be so important. We have an opportunity to pay attention to what matters most to us and then act accordingly. If we are concerned about the environment what are we doing personally, no matter how small the act may seem.

Do we support local farmers or shop at a commercial market to save a few dollars. I know that times are hard but cooking a meal at home costs so much less than buying prepared food and with that savings you can buy organic. If you have an errand nearby could you walk, ride a bike or take the bus rather than jump in your car? There are so many ways we can all make a difference-just turning off the lights you are not using saves energy and that means less demand for coal or oil or nuclear energy.

Are you on overload or do you take a little time to learn about what is really going on in the world? For a democracy to exist its citizens must be informed and hold the government accountable. Unfortunately this is not happening. Corporate influence in elections is becoming more and more obvious and yet little is being done to change this. In fact the Supreme Court actually gave corporations the same rights as people! It is projected that President Obama will spend one billion dollars in his re-election campaign. This just seems wrong to me. Isn’t this merely seeing who can outspend to convince the American public who to vote for rather than focusing on the real issues and solutions to the problems the majority of the country is facing, not the 1% on the top of the heap.

There are so many critical issues confronting us today that I do not think we can sit back and just wait for someone else to fix it for us. We are all responsible. I hope that Tim and others like him will inspire and EMPOWER you to start your own private revolution to live a life that is more in calling with what you believe. Don’t think that any action is too small-they all matter and you are not alone in this.

If you didn’t read the earlier post on Tim check this out and if you think that it is a good idea sign the petition to ask President Obama to pardon this brave, young man who actually is a hero and should never have to serve time…at least as long as we live in a democracy.

Tim DeChristopher… environmental, and human, hero. Let’s rally in solidarity for this brave being. Photo by Jennifer Esperanza

Tim’s activism took a more committed turn when he attended a BLM auction in December 2008  that was selling pristine wilderness for oil and gas development. Tim had thought that he might interrupt the auction to bring attention to the fact that the government had not followed its own rules when it fast tracked this auction as one of outgoing President Bush’s final acts. However when Tim arrived he was asked if he was a bidder and he replied yes, and with that simple act his life was changed dramatically. Tim bid, and won, many parcels of land saving them from being purchased by oil and gas companies.

To make a long story short Tim now faces a guilty verdict on two felonies, in spite of the fact that auction was later ruled to be illegal. His sentencing was originally scheduled for this coming Thursday but has now been postponed until July 26. This is a dramatic example of someone putting themselves on the line for what they believe, with the desire to bring more attention to the calamity we are facing with climate change, and that we all must starting doing more to make a difference.

We can no longer wait for the government to take effective action, we see it just is not happening. Each of us are being called upon to act and to act now. This is a call to love ourselves, each other, our planet and all of those that we share it with…plant, animal, waterway, mountain. We are all connected and face a perilous future if we don’t take a realistic look at what we are doing to the planet and each other and make some big changes. When the driving force is no longer power and money many things will change and we can lead the way to this new paradigm that can improve everyone’s life on the planet.

I have started an online petition asking President Obama to pardon Tim DeChristopher so that this inspiring young man does not have to serve prison time. If you support this idea please join me and sign the petition. Tim seemed quite peaceful with the idea that he could face ten years in jail, and more realistically four and half years could be his sentence, however I feel that he could be more effective doing what he is doing now and that is inspiring others to take some sort of action as they feel inspired. He acknowledges that each of our actions need to come from ourselves, not someone telling us what to do, so each of us may come up with a variety of actions.

The organization that I think was created as a result of Tim’s action is called Peaceful Uprising and they advocate “defending a livable future through empowering nonviolent action”.  We must become empowered to act to save our future and the next generation’s future.

Peaceful Uprising is supporting actions across the country on Tim’s new sentencing date of July 26. You can read about Tim, the trial and actions on this day here.  In the meantime they also are asking for a show of solidarity this Thursday the 23rd, Tim’s original sentencing date.

Join me to stand in solidarity with Tim at the New Mexico Federal Courthouse, 106 S Federal Place, Santa Fe 87501 (here is a map) June 23, 2011 from 4-5:30. If you are in another state check the website to see if an action is planned near you or start one.

Empower yourself to stand up for what you believe in….taking action is one way to create the change that we want to see and be. I hope to see you on Thursday.

Let's reclaim our power.

Join a Revolution where we all matter.

This Mother’s Day a global mobilization is taking place, organized by youth to bring attention to the realities of climate change and the future they could face if things do not change, and change soon. You can read more about this exciting and inspired organization that was started by 16 year old Alec Loorz, a climate change activist since he was 12! He started Kids vs. Global Warming after watching An Inconvenient Truth and his life, and his families, has not been the same since. He has spent much of the last four years speaking to hundreds of thousands of youth and adults about this.

I was lucky enough to see and hear him at last years Bioneers conference. You can hear him too. He was introduced by Dr. James Hansen-pretty inspired company for a 16 year old, and I think that Dr. Hansen would say the same about Alec.

Many of us are aware of the changes that we are already experiencing as a result of climate change, and if things continue without significant shifts life could be drastically different on planet Earth in just a few decades.

Who will have to deal with these new realities the most?

The youth of today and it is for this reason that more and more young people are mobilizing to create real change on a local level and also letting politicians know that we must do something to stop the climate changes that we are experiencing.

These young activists may not be able to vote yet but their voices are loud, strong and filled with passion and determination….they see a potential future very different from today and know that we must do more today to prevent such a future. These changes will be to everyone’s benefit. OK maybe not beneficial for big Oil, big-Agriculture, and few other industries, but for the rest of us…..well, we would have a much better world to live in.

Here is a link to learn more about the iMatter March and you can see if one is already organized where you live, and if not you can organize one, and here are the steps on how to do just that. Events are planned all across the globe including New Zealand, Ghana and even here in Santa Fe, NM. So join in to show that you care about youth around the globe, the future and all of us who will live in that future.

Join the Revolution….

It was Thomas Jefferson who said, “Every generation needs a revolution,”  so be a good American and join this one.

We really need it and need it now.

We all matter...and it's time to do something about that.

We can demand labeling of our food so that we can choose if we want GMO's

We have watched the oil spilling, no gushing is more accurate from the exploded deepwater drilling rig. We cannot see what is spewing from Fukushima, but we know that it is dangerous and potentially deadly. We see these events in the news yet there is something else potentially equally dangerous, and maybe even worse, and that is genetically modified organisms in the seed that is used to grow our food.

You can watch a very short video about it called CAP THE GENE SPILL from NO GMO on Vimeo.

And you can learn more about why this is so dangerous here in this short piece, What’s the Problem with Monsanto. Slowly but surely over the last twenty five years or so GMO’s have silently made their way into our food supply in the US. Many countries around the globe ban these genetically modified seeds and/or have laws that demand proper food labeling so that consumers can chose if they want to eat these scientifically unproved changes to our food.

This link will take you to a very informative talk on GMO’s that was organized and moderated by Deepak Chopra-it provides a wonderful discussion of the reasons that we need to retreat from this form of agriculture, and at the very least have the right to chose……..

Learn more and join the growing numbers that are saying NO to GMO’s.

We can demand labeling of our food so that we can choose if we want GMO's

If you are wondering what all of the fuss is about GMO’s (genetically modified organisms) in our food then this video will tell you much of what you need to know to learn about what they are and how dangerous they are.

You can learn more at the Center for Food Safety web site and also there are a number of stories here at SmartLifeways if you search GMO.

Is this really organic milk? Synthetic additives have no place in organics.

For many who have recently transitioned to eating organic food (and even for many who have been eating organic for years), it can seem like an easy change…just buy products that are labeled “Organic”. Sad to say but today not all organics are really what many of us, myself included, would consider organic in the true sense of the word.

Most of these “quasi-organic” products come from companies that once may have been organic in theory and in fact but are now owned by major industrial food suppliers like Dean Foods, M&M Mars, and General Mills-not quite the quant little farm you imagined from the label. If you want to see how knowledgable you are about the food that you are buying here is an earlier post with a test, brought to us from Planet Green, of who owns what brands…you may be surprised who actually owns some of the most popular organic brands.

One area where there is much controversy surrounding organics is milk, and this heated up in January when GMO-alfalfa was approved by Tom Vilsack, the head of the Department of Agriculture. The potential for cross-contamination of organically grown alfalfa is greatly increased since this was passed and the consequences could be huge for organically fed cows.

Beyond the GMO controversy, which is something more citizens need to become aware of (did you know that GMO crops use more pesticides because they have been genetically altered to withstand more spraying while the surrounding weeds and insects are killed) there is also the issue of what is truly organic. This article from Tom Philpott at Grist about Horizon brand milk, owned by Dean Foods and the largest selling brand of organic milk in the US, and their use of synthetic DHA in what is labeled organic is right to the point about the differences in organics.

Synthetic additives have no business in anything labeled organic and in fact the USDA “recently acknowledged that it was “incorrect” to allow synthetic DHA in organic products in the first place”. But such products still carry the USDA organic label.  When cows graze on grass they naturally have healthier fats including the Omega-3′s that Dean is adding in synthetic form. So much of today’s food is just messing with what nature has provided for centuries and instead uses chemical additives that are being shown to be harmful to humans and animals as well (over 70% of all antibiotics in the US are used on farm animals, and that means you are getting the antibiotics when you eat those animals). It’s time to get back to food as nature makes it not mega food corporations, that don’t really care about your health just your shopping dollars.

Our food supply is something that is necessary for our survival and in fact beyond mere survival, for us to flourish as human beings and not be hampered by recurring and chronic illness. What many in the food industry have done is replace good, healthy, natural food with more and more synthetic compounds that our bodies are not meant to ingest. It is no coincidence that since the widespread introduction in our food supply of industrially grown, pesticide sprayed and synthetically created compounds health problems have sky rocketed in the US, not to mention health care costs.

Many have thought that anything labeled organic would protect them, however with the USDA’s labeling and bowing down to corporate interests not all organics are really organic anymore. Here is another post that can help in making more informed decisions when you shop, and more on Dean Foods, they also own Silk soy milk.

So while switching to organic can be a tremendous benefit to your health we all could  be a little bit more attentive when we shop rather than just picking up anything labeled organic. Unfortunately government standardization of organics diluted rather than strengthened what organic really means.

Eating well is up to each of us. photo by Karin Lau from Fotolia

There has been much written about the frightening aspects of fast food meat, from how the animals are raised to massive amount of antibiotics and hormones these animals are given, not too mention the massive amounts of polluting waste coming from these large factory farms, also known as CAFO’s (concentrated animal feeding operations). Did you know that 80% of all antibiotics used in the U.S. are given to livestock? And these are used for “prevention” leading to antibiotic resistant organisms not only in livestock but humans as well.

But now there is even bad news about the soda being served. Treehugger ran this story on fecal bacteria and E.Coli that was found in soda being served at fast food establishments (I can’t even call them restaurants). So if you are still drinking sodas this may be a good reason to at least not buy them from any fast food stop…besides dangerous amounts of sugar or sugar substitutes (even more dangerous to your health) you may be getting  more than you expect in your soda.

Treehugger also reported today that a recent study indicates that diet drinks may be contributing to a 61% higher risk for strokes as well. Just a little more incentive to stop drinking this stuff. Not to mention all of the water used to produce soft drinks and the huge amount of plastic bottles and aluminum cans that wind up in landfills and the ocean.

Maybe if more of us were drinking water we would be demanding cleaner water from our faucets. And just as a reminder bottled water is less regulated and tested than what you get from the tap. For more on bottled water you can check out this post about the film Tapped and World Water Day. By the way some of the most popular brands of bottled water like Aquafina and Dasani come from municipal water supplies, another reason to demand clean water from our cities and to stop buying bottled water. Annie Leonard also has a great video called The Story of Water if you want to learn more.

The bottom line is we need to see how far away our food has gone from really feeding us, and how damaging to our bodies, the environment and animals it has become. Shopping local and buying organic, or growing your own food are great steps to take to reverse these dangerous trends. What we eat and drink really matters.

Save some trees....eliminate junk mail.

Do you still receive junk mail?

I have called so many catalog customer service departments to be taken off their mailing lists I have stopped counting. But I still was receiving lots of junk mail from local supermarkets (what is super about selling aisles and aisles of pretend food that is making millions of Americans sick, as well as tons of toxic cleaning products?) and other businesses selling products that I have no interest in buying and food that I have no interest in eating. These same flyers came to both my house and P.O. Box. I had asked at the post office if I could stop having them put in my small post office box but was told that they have to…it is revenue for them.

Well the last visit to the post office I asked another person and she told me that I could cancel them with the company that is responsible for sending them out….RedPlum.

I am a bit annoyed that I have to cancel something that I never even asked for, but I am grateful to be able to stop them. So here is how you can also stop this junkiest of junk mail, that is so very wasteful.

Go to Valassis.com Consumer Support and fill out the form to stop this destruction of beautiful trees and wasted energy from coming to you. You can also call 800.437.0479 8:30-5 EST to request that they take you off their  list.

So take a few minutes if you are receiving this junk mail and save some trees, some energy and reduce what even needs to be recycled. It will take a lot of us but together we can make a huge change. Let’s use our power as intelligent consumers to let businesses know what really matters to us.

Fresh vegetables can inspire you to get cooking at home-you will save money in the long run and eat better.

One way to start the new year is by eating better. January is probably the month when more people vow to eat better, lose weight and start working out, than any other month of the year.

Eating better is also one way to take a big step in living more sustainably. Conveniently, doing better for your health usually also means doing better for the planet, and our food choices are a perfect example of this (along with walking more rather than always jumping in your car for a short trip).

This New York Times article could be the inspiration you were looking for, and the reassurance that cooking is not that difficult.

Here are a few recipes from SmartLifeways that may also inspire you.

Chard and Poached Eggs

Basmati Rice and Vegetable Salad with a few serving options

Farmers Market Pizza/Quesadilla

There are more throughout SmartLifeways so you can get started with a variety of ideas right here. When you can cook with organic, local choices and you will be doing yourself, and the planet a favor.

Bon Appetit and happy cooking. Feel free to share your creations here too.

We all can make a difference and stop climate change. Photo: Johnny Johnson/Getty Images

Going through my mail today I had something from the EDF-Environmental Defense Fund and I decided to share it here because it is something all of us can do to make a difference.

10 Things You Can Do to Fight Global Warming-It truly is up to each of us.

1. Recycle and buy minimally packaged goods as much as possible.

2. Wash clothes in cold or warm water, not hot.

3. Install low-flow shower heads to use less water. (I will add, turn off the water when you brush your teeth.)

4. Run the dishwasher only when full and don’t use heat to dry dishes.

5. Replace standard light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs-CFL’s (you can read more about them here).

6. Plug air leaks in windows and doors to increase energy efficiency (I did this where I live and it made a huge difference-heating bills way down and I’m warmer too).

7. Replace old appliances with energy-efficient models.

8. Walk, bike, carpool or use whatever public transportation whenever possible (A nice way to get some exercise, enjoy your environment-wherever you are and maybe meet someone nice).

9. Adjust your thermostat-lower in winter (put on a sweater), higher in summer (take off some clothes).

10. Share these simple steps with friends and family and increase awareness?

This last one really sums up what needs to happen next. More people need to become aware and learn what they can do to make a difference. Big business is already moving in this direction, because it saves them money and creates good p.r. for them. So while the politicians argue, and maneuver, and delay, the rest of us can get busy and then the politicians might wake up, especially when we don’t vote for them if they don’t start taking care of the environment.

I would add one more suggestion that is really important and can make a huge difference. Shop at farmers markets when you can and support your local farmers.

The EDF is making a difference. After the Deepwater Horizon disaster the White House appointed the EDF to a special commission with the mission to improve offshore drilling safety and environmental standards. They are the only environmental organization to serve on the commission. So while the problem at times seems insurmountable, it isn’t. We still can stop global warming in its tracks by taking action now and supporting organizations that are doing the same, but our window of opportunity is getting smaller. 350.org is another place you can go to learn more about climate change.

Imagine everyone around the world starting 2011 with a commitment to do whatever they can to make a difference. Want to join me?