Soda and Bottled Water Tax

I don't know if you have seen the political commercial with the woman in the supermarket loading a huge bottle of pop into her basket and bitching about the government wanting to tax her extra on this purchase?  She is angry and saying the government is interfering with her her life.

My reaction to this shocked me.  I'm actually all in favor of this tax.  For once - and I can only site this particular instance when I'm FOR what the government is trying to do - I have to agree that the choices people are making are not just horrid for their health, but choking the environment with stupid plastic bottles.  Maybe a good tax on this would make people THINK?  Do ya think?

I think it is great to see people toting water with them - we need to drink water - but it's the plastic bottles that really get me.  Some dear friends came to stay up at the lake this summer and I can't begin to tell you how painful it was to have them arrive with a CASE of bottled water.  We have scrumptious non-chlorinated, unchemicalized well water to drink there.  Hubs and I travel with water all the time, but in our own bottles.

Then there is the soda pop issue.  It's just death by installment.  I was an addict for decades.  It really was hard to give it up until I became more informed.  Before I learned - before I saw what my dad told me about coke taking rust off of metal  wasn't his idea of story time - before I learned that this stuff causes calcium to leach out of your bones -  before I learned about the corn syrup being such a cell killer and a precursor to many diseases.  Compound this with the rising statistics of diabetes, obesity and osteoporosis - so yes, it is death by installment.

If the only way to keep people from buying this stuff is to tax them silly, then I'm all for it.  It would be nice if there was as much "air time" for the horrors of consuming this soda, and consuming plastic bottles of water and it's detrimental effect on the environment as there is for this whining woman in the supermarket who is so ill-informed that she sees government intervention (on HER behalf yet!) a bad thing.  Water bottles (plastic) are life savers in emergencies - which I believe it why they started making them in the first place - and not as some fashion accessory to take to the gym!

Here are some facts from an article on E-How about plastics and some of the very valid reasons I think this ill-informed woman on tv needs to tune in to -

Production Problems

1. Plastic is actually a derivative of petroleum, natural gas or similar substances. They are transformed into a substance known as polymer resin, which is then shaped and formed into whatever object is desired. However, as a petroleum by-product, plastic contributes to oil dependency, at a time when it is generally recognized that oil will not be available indefinitely. Also, the production method of plastic represents a major source of air and water pollution.

Plastic Recycling

2. Although many types of plastics could potentially be recycled, very little plastic actually ever enters the recycling production process. The most commonly recycled type of plastic is polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is used for soft drink bottles. Approximately 15 to 27 percent of PET bottles are recycled annually. The other type of plastic which is somewhat commonly recycled is high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which is used for shampoo bottles, milk jugs and two thirds of what are called rigid plastic containers. Approximately 10 percent of HDPE plastic is recycled annually.

Landfill Disposal

3. The vast majority of plastic, especially plastic bags, winds up in landfills. Besides the fact that available landfill space is becoming increasingly scarce, plastic poses special problems for landfills. Most plastic is not biodegradable, which means it does not break down to its simple component parts. This means it remains present in landfills indefinitely. Another problem is that birds frequently become tangled in plastic bags and plastic rings for soft drink cans, either choking or breaking their wings.

Incineration

4. Some industry officials have promoted the incineration of plastic as a means of disposal. A similar process known as pyrolysis bakes plastics into a hydrocarbon soup which can be reused in oil and chemical refineries. However, both incineration and pyrolysis are more more expensive than recycling, and each process also poses severe air pollution problems.

Marine Pollution

5. A large proportion of plastic winds up in the ocean, where it is often torn into small particles which are eaten by marine animals. This causes a possible serious threat to the food chain, as the marine animals are eaten by other animals which eventually wind up in human diets. Plastic particles sometimes are so numerous that they appear to be ocean foam if viewed from a distance.

 

Read more: Environmental Problems With Plastic | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_5045721_environmental-problems-plastic.html#ixzz12pHmjVxg

We always have choices, don't we?  We can either become part of the solution or continue to consume and be a huge factor and contributor to the problem.  It may mean we make changes.  And if we don't, we just may have to pay more (with taxes) for our negligent behavior.

What are you choosing?

Be Love Now by Ram Dass

If we take that title alone, as a soft commandment, it will change our lives.  Could three words sum up your life's philosophy?

This book  summed up the origins of Ram Dass by revealing where and how he was taught decades ago and how it led to his spiritual awakening.   He has challenged us from his first book in this trilogy "Be Here Now" to awaken, in his second book "Still Here" after his life-altering stroke, to this reflection of where "it" all began.  All three encompass a meeting of the mind and heart.

In my randomly selected quotes, see if you resonate with his words.

"Like moths to a flame, we are attracted to the light of our own deep wisdom, even as we look for its reflection in other beings."

"I couldn't get to my spiritual heart through my rational mind.  My mind had to stop for my heart to open."

---on letting go --- "We cannot cling to forms or our experiences of them, because they decay and dissolve back again into their formless state.  Attempting to hold on to anything in time is ultimately futile and a cause of much suffering.  What is really there to hold on to?"

"Although you may devote yourself to an aspect of the Beloved, like the guru or the deity as mother, child or lover, you are in it for the love, not for the attainment, not for the object.  It's one of those wonderful paradoxes you run into on the path.  You can't attain it; you have to become it."

So much can change when love is the recipe.  Drama fades, fear melts, the ego takes a trip.  How Ram Dass awakened and became love gives us all more inspiration and direction, challenges us to see the differences between thinking love and BEING love.

It's the beginning of a New Year - Love might be a great way to start. 

Wishing you all love!

October is NON-GMO Month - Join In!

I've written about GMO's before - this month, in fact this DAY as I write this - 10-10-10 is the day chosen to really spread the word!  Lots of websites, including Dr. Mercola.com are bringing awareness to this and asking people to link up to friends on Facebook, Twitter and do whatever you can to make information available.  I'm simply joining in and doing my part.

I will assume you know that GMO's are genetically engineered foods.  Perhaps you are not aware that all of Europe BANNED GMO's 10 years ago.  It wasn't the government, it was the PEOPLE who spoke up.  Food manufacturers listened!  They accomplished in Europe what we have either been unwilling or unable to do here.  Shame shame on us!  How can we be so apathetic to our food?  American's aren't stupid people but by golly we have been duped and kept quiet by the powers that be, the biotech industry and government, who seem to have a problem with the truth!  It isn't profitable!  Well, come on, folks, let's show them we aren't going to remain passively ignorant.  This is sure not a time to go with the flow! 

Jeff Smith has been working for 15 years to bring this to light, speaking everywhere, writing books, alerting people with the TRUTH, talking to the medical profession, who believe it or not have been very receptive! 
Here is what Dr. Mercola's site said:

"This month, Jeffrey's organization, Institute for Responsible Technology, is launching a plan to bring their message to the necessary numbers of people to create a tipping point that can effectively drive GM foods off the market. Nearly 400 retail stores selling natural products around the country are already actively promoting the information about choosing healthier non-GMO products.
I'm thrilled to be part of this movement, and I strongly urge you join us.
The Institute for Responsible Technology (IRT) has created a variety of tools that will make it easier for you to choose non-GM foods, and this is the way to eradicate GMO's from your local store. If no one wants to buy them, stores can't sell them, and will simply stop ordering them. Food manufacturers will have to adjust and quickly change their ingredients or risk losing their business.
It's really that simple!
Remember, you as a consumer is still at the top of the food chain."

There is a non-GMO shopping list available on the IRT's website.  Get it.  Use it.  We DO have some power and say in what food(s) we eat by making smart choices.  It is way past the time that we can naively shop for food.  If Europe was conscious enough to outlaw GMO's from THEIR food supply, can't we do this too?  This is so critical it is not an option to care or not care about this!

Because the bio-tech industry is so powerful, to date they are not labeling their GMO crap.  We need to demand that they do so we can make choices.  Most people said they would not chose GMO foods IF they were labeled!  Of course the industry knows this, hence they are fighting to not label!  And if you think you are not eating GMO food, you had best get the shopping list from IRT's website!  I found so many items (brands) of foods that include GMO products that I was appalled!  You can print out this list for yourself and then get prepared to clean out your pantry!

Tweet this.  Facebook this.  It is NOT about increasing my stats - you should know this if you've been reading my blog lately.  I am doing what I can to provide information that you NEED to know!  How many people can you reach?

Addicted to Junk Food - Confession of a Rat

(NaturalNews)" A diet including unlimited amounts of junk food can cause rats to become so addicted to the unhealthy diet that they will starve themselves rather than go back to eating healthy food, researchers have discovered."

I've had some emails from a few mom's that swear their kids take the rat approach to healthy eating.  I do understand.  Had a few kids myself and it isn't easy since the older and more mobile they get, you lose control over what/where they are eating.  Not to mention, kids just think they are totally impervious to anything bad ever happening to them.  Nice optimism, but that doesn't help with the choices they make.

Any time you make changes, it is always good to begin slowly.  Here are a few suggestions that may help you, your family or anyone trying to "get healthy" and less addicted to junk food.

THE GREEN RULE
Both of my kids would testify that I used this one!  They had to eat something green daily.  I would offer several "green things" and let them choose.  This was non-negotiable.  I knew darn well it may be the only GOOD thing they consumed all day but at least it was something!

THE NATURE RAINBOW RULE
We progressed to this one.  In addition to a "green thing" they had to add another fruit or veggie and since it had to come from Mother Nature, french fries didn't count.  It had to be (preferably) a raw fruit or veggie, though I did cook sweet potatoes and squash of course.   They actually LIKED spaghetti squash once I added butter, raisins and a bit of cinnamon.   Pick a color - eat it!

SNACKS
If all you have in the house are good snacks this is almost a moot point.  We always had nuts, seeds, popcorn.  Get creative with them!  I found a cocoa with very little sugar that I would coat almonds in and there are many recipes on line for others.  You can do this!

SODA SUBSTITUTES
We rarely had any soda in the house.  It was for special occasions only, never daily consumption.  We made "lime squishies" after a trip to St. Lucia where they served them with or without alcohol.  It's lime juice, agave and seltzer water.  Quite refreshing and certainly not as poisonous as soda.  I would flavor water with juices and let them chose from all kinds of fun things, pomegranate, blueberry etc.  Have fun with this!

It takes awhile to wean ourselves off of some foods.  The processed food manufacturers KNOW this since a lot of the additives they put in their concoctions are very addicting.  But training your taste buds back to Mother Natures finest will never happen without starting somewhere and doing this now!

What tips can you share?  Have you found some good substitutes to get yourself off "junk"?