earth day

I try to make every day earth day. It is, after all, the only planet we've got and we rely on it for our sustenance...our water, our food, the very air we breathe. So why, are we as a nation, doing our best to destroy it?

I take that back. That's not fair. There are many many people like me doing their best to save it, to nurture it, to counteract the unrestrained greed that poisons our water, land, and air.

Not satisfied with poisoning the three basic elements, the greed of Big Business is now poisoning our food. I'm referring to genetically modified food crops. These GMOs have been genetically altered to contain pesticides and herbicides, to exude pesticides and herbicides. The idea was that if the plants could fight off the weeds and insects that feed on them, farmers would have to use less herbicides and pesticides. Unfortunately, the exact opposite is happening. Nature, as she will, has evolved weeds and bugs that are resistant to these GMOs. Farmers are having to use more, not less, poisons in their fields.

So now, not only is our food awash in poison, it contains poison.

Monsanto, the company that brought us Agent Orange, while not the only company involved in this, is the main mover behind GMOs. They will tell you that GMOs are perfectly safe but they are lying. They have infiltrated the FDA so that the government agency tasked with the responsibility to protect the food supply now turns a blind eye toward GMOs. But the fact is, GMOs are not safe. They are killing us slowly.

There are so many independent studies out there showing the long term effects of consuming GMO foods including but not limited to accelerated aging, massive tumors, infertility, obesity, and organ damage. A recent study showed that nutritionally, GMOs are severely lacking.

These GMOs have been in our food supply for 20 years and they did it without telling anyone, without conducting long term studies, and burying any evidence that showed they were not safe. Nearly all of this country's corn (88%), cotton (90%) and soybeans (94%) are genetically modified. You can pretty much guarantee that any packaged food that contains corn or soy products sold in this country, unless it is labeled organic or non-GMO, contains these foods.

I urge everyone to educate themselves. Many countries have banned GMOs or limit their use or require labeling at the very least. Unfortunately, the United States is not one of them.

If these foods and the pesticides and herbicides are so safe, why are they wearing bio-suits?

Do an internet search with these search terms: what are the long term effects of eating GMO foods.

At the very least, ask yourself, if GMO foods are so safe, why the companies that engineer them and those that use them in their products are spending millions of dollars to prevent labeling in this country. There are already over 40 countries that ban them, require labeling, or restrict them in some form or other but the United States is not one of them.

The best way to avoid GMOs is to avoid any processed or pre-packaged food. Eat and cook fresh but be aware that GMO fresh corn and zucchini squash is on the market. Grow as much of your own food as you can. Buy organic and non-GMO labeled foods as often as possible. I know how hard that can be because as a working artist, my income often does not allow for organic foods but anyone can cook from fresh and even growing the least amount of food for yourself helps.

And start reading the labels if you don't already do so. See how many of the listed ingredients are food and how many are chemicals, how many forms of sugar are in every product. If the chemicals out number the food, it's not food. Sugar is not food. Because, if this goes unrestrained, our children will not have any grandchildren. Already we are seeing more food allergies, more autism, more cancer, more infertility, more obesity, more diabetes.

If you want to become active or just keep abreast of the situation, visit these FB pages and visit their websites:

Occupy Monsanto

Organic Consumers Association

Millions Against Monsanto

GMO Free USA

Eat Deets