Are You a Conscientious Eater? Some Things to Digest

Once in school we watched most of a lengthy documentary that literally showed us how much the average American consumes, with an emphasis on food. From lining up ridiculously rows of bread bags to filling up a room with oranges, and spilling a dump truck of (expired) eggs, all the big numbers estimating how much food the average American consumes was shocking. Mentally juxtaposed to the reality of starvation that people face around the world and the details of factory farming, it didn't take long for my stomach to twist the way it does when you feel ashamed of something.

Today is World Food Day, which focuses on bringing an end to world hunger. After watching the video a few students in the class mentioned that now that we are aware of all we consume, we wanted to know more about what we can do about it. I'm not up for boycotting food, but it is clear that it is not right for some people to have in excess while others do not have enough.

The choices we make affect the environment which every being on this planet depends on (eg: climate change affecting agriculture all over the world). In addition to making donations to help alleviate world hunger if you can, here are a few practical tips for making conscientious decisions regarding food in our day-to-day lives.

Don't bite off more than you can chew - avoid wasting food, or taking more than will be eaten. It has been estimated that nearly half of the world's food is wasted after it has been produced (approximately 40% in Canada), which contributes to landfill and is a waste of any land area, water, transportation, and energy in preparation it took to produce the food. All those plus it shows appreciation for what we have makes this a great golden rule for eating.

  

At home, try not to let any leftovers go bad or get thrown away, and if you're eating out and you expect to have food left on your plate, try bringing it home to eat later in a reusable container (if something must be thrown out, compost instead of putting it in regular garbage so that it goes back to the Earth).

Avoid disposable packaging as much as possible. If there is an option of in a wrapper or out of one, go with the one that sends less to the landfill, that had less processing, and less likely to end up as litter (even if it would be an accident). This goes for water bottles, snacks, coffee cups, and lots of other things at the grocery store. Instead, go with minimal packaging and carry food around in reusable water bottles and containers.

Eliminate or reduce your meat consumption. This is talked about by activists and environmentalists so often for a reason. This is a whole other argument in itself and while other animals eat other animals too, all too often animals raised for food live in cramped, unhealthy, and stressful conditions when they are raised using conventional methods. Often in places where food is abundant, people end up eating more meat than their bodies actually need, and additionally, livestock account for a notable portion of greenhouse gas emissions. 

Go organic, free range, and grass-fed (if applicable). Going organic may have a higher monetary price, but it may not seem too high when considering the lack of pesticides and money saved from not throwing away foos. Also with organic, free range, and grass-fed meat and eggs if that is part of your diet, you can feel better knowing that the animal was treated better and not needlessly given antibiotics, which could also make your body resistant to them in the future.

"Think global, buy local" was the name of one of the workshops we could sign up for at an EcoBuzz Conference. Buying locally-grown food reduces greenhouse gas emissions from transportation and supports local farmers (try finding a market or farm to buy fresh produce instead of grocery stores where most of it comes form factory farms).

Eat in-season produce. An Uncle once said that he likes to eat with natural cycles, like moving to the beat of the Earth with its seasons. Currently there is a seasonal food widget in the right column of this page near the bottom, and there are many other great resources like eattheseasons.com.

Grow your own fresh produce. It feels good to eat and share the fruits of your own labor, and gardening is a great outdoor activity and way to get to know nature in your own backyard.

If you eat seafood, consult the Monterey Bay Sustainable Seafood Guide (www.seafoodwatch.org), available online or for download on smart phones.

Although these may seem like small things, when these choices are made consistently they really do add up and have an effect on the environment and people.

Part Two of Four Lunar Eclipses in a Tetrad

(Note: This page will be updated periodically until September 28, 2015)

     This morning thousands of skywatchers around the world had their heads up staring at a unique moon, watching the beautiful lunar eclipse.
     Honestly, I haven't been so excited to get up before six in a while.
     Last time our family was driving home form an event and saw the moon about half darkened with an orange hue at the time (though we didn't have a camera on hand), and this eclipse was the second of four in a lunar tetrad, meaning we have another two more to go in a set of four consecutive total lunar eclipses. 
     

Thank you for a perfect moon.

Here is the lunar eclipse schedule as stated by NASA.
(from http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2014/27mar_tetrad/ )

Click on the date to learn more about what time it will be ion your area when the eclipses start. If you have an electronic calendar such as one on a phone, you can also set a reminder for a couple days earlier to make sure you can get out and see at that time.

• April 15, 2013
• October 8, 2014
• April 4, 2015 (click link or visit http://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/2015-april-4 to find out the time in your area)
• September 28, 2015

This is one of those special  occasions when being down on Earth is one of the most inspiring places you could be.

Highlights From the Blue Dot Tour

  This Friday I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the Blue Dot Tour at at Massey Hall in Toronto. This is said to be David Suzuki's last national tour, and it highlights the importance of implementing The Right to a Healthy Environment in Canada.

    It was an inspiring and memorable evening with many passionate speakers and performers with tons more takeaway points, but I'd like to share just a few of the many highlights. (Despite being read out at the beginning, I didn't catch all the names so I apologize for omitted and mistaken ones).

The Blue Dot Tour event begins!

     An acoustic rendition of Danny Michel's "Feather, Fur & Fin" was a terrific way to open up the performances, describing how destruction and pollution of natural habitats effects other animals through music, a memorable way to reach peoples' hearts.

Here is the Official video for "Feather, Fur & Fin" by Danny Michel:

    Dr. Joekin (?), a scientist and explorer, spoke on behalf of the sea, the lifeblood of the Earth, and all creatures depending on it in "Voices from the Depths of the Sea". His speech itself included both reason and a soft but deep passion, attesting to the fact that the two go hand-in hand to drive great change, inspiration, and leadership.

    He listed three characteristics of leadership:

Deep empathy, Deep eloquence, Deep endurance

Chantal Kewviazul and Raine Maida giving a heartfelt performance (I could not get the violinist or cellist in the picture or their names, but they all sounded great together!)

     Devin Paige was also not visible from this spot, but the executive director of EcoJustice (a company that fights legal battles for environmental causes) highlighted the legal aspect of the right to a healthy environment. He also said that at EcoJustice they tend to separate people into 2 categories: people who will sue for the environment, and people who won't. 

     Stephen Lewis' eloquent and sarcastically "dispassionate" speech described how the environmental movement/action taken by organizations such as the David Suzuki Foundation are in harmony with international goals, and is for the benefit of people.

Upside to side-seating: Side-stage sneak peeks.

    Following was a chilling and touching spoken word poem "Shoulders" written for the Blue Dot Tour by Shane Koyczan, a speaker/performer who combined the best of both worlds and words. As an avid lover of poetry and creative writing, this was definitely a highlight and I could go on about the beautiful words that seemed to flow so naturally, but I don't want expectation to spoil/interrupt the current of thoughts for those who will be hearing it later. What I can say is that the standing ovation was well deserved. 

     Michiah Prull, Director of Communications and Public Engagement gave a genuine, empowering speech that included the phrases "ordinary people doing extraordinary things", and "don't be a spectator of your own life". the truth that while most of us consider ourselves ordinary, we can be involved in the extraordinary. He also invited the audience to physically stand to give a memorable illustration about the power of standing together for the right to a healthy environment.

The venue was at Massey Hall in Toronto. Years ago, Grey Owl also also gave his "Back to My Beaver People" presentation there.

     Upon return from intermission I missed the speaker's name, but a man spoke about role of Native Canadians as stewards of the land. He sang a traditional song which set a beautiful atmosphere, and shared an experience of when a friend -who is also a Native of Canada- was asked something to the effect of "what do you need more land for? When are you going to sell it?" The response: "We are preserving it."   

     The Barenaked Ladies gave a lively performance, including jokes about new streetcars that had been new for almost 30 years, and a slightly-modified version of "If I had a Million Dollars" where they take an electric limousine instead of walking, and install solar panels on the roof of a treehouse to power a paintball/pinball (?) machine. 

     Last and certainly not least was David Suzuki himself. Of the many inspiring pieces of wisdom he shared, these are a mere few (This list will probably be added to later). Elders hold a special place in communities, and as an elder, in his lifetime he has seen peoples' views of  rights change radically, and frankly right now Canada is way behind in changing its views of the environment for a sustainable future.

     In the past people have often lived learning to prioritize money and resources, at the same time having rights prejudice to only certain people. This is in contrast with the rich diversity that characterizes Canada which must be protected with the air, water, and land. He highlighted Native Canadian traditions, including the time he spent with Haida people, and the way that in traditional Native culture nature is sacred, such as the four elements water, earth, air and fire. Humans have huge effect in the ecosystem and like other living things depend on it for our health, and we must take a stand to have a healthy environment, and by default health humans, protected as a right.

Every single speaker and performer contributed something unique to this Blue Dot Tour event, and all deserved the standing ovation at the end.

"Things are only impossible until we decide that they're not anymore. Today is the day we decide" 

     In our programs we were given cards that say "today we decide" on the front. We could fill out the cards with our name and information to join the movement (and a small box to write down why) and drop them into a big blue mailbox.
     If you would like, you can visit the David Suzuki Blue Dot Tour website under "Take Action" to read more about the join the movement towards rights to a healthy environment. If we stand together to carry the weight of the world on our shoulders, it will be far less burdensome.

Lingering in the Air

Sometimes it's surprising to see how long it takes to clear lingering tension from the air.

It has been discovered that a parallel principle applies to the literal air surrounding a chemical plant in St. Louis, Muchugan, that had been shut down long ago.

In 1978 the Michigan Chemical (also called Velsicol Chemical) was closed because it posed a threat to the environment. However, despite years of cleanup the air and ecosystems surrounding the Superfund site remain contaminated 36 years later.

• Environmental Word of the Day - Superfund: A program run by the American government for the long-term cleanup of hazardous waste sites that are dangerous to ecosystems and/or (therefore by default) human health.

The contamination of the atmosphere was measured by testing the concentrations of pollutants in the barks of trees in the area, including chemicals that had been produced by the plant like DDT, PBB, and HBB. For comparison, they also tested chemicals that were not produced by the plant and found that within a 6km radius there were still "relatively high levels of HBB, PBBs, and DDTs in the air they [the ones living there] breathe" (Proscia, 2014).

Don't Hold Your Breath

Angela Peverly, the lead author of the study, stated it well: "People can't control what they breathe" (Proscia, 2014). Although the exact potential threat for long-term effects on the health of people in the area has not yet been investigated, we know that it is there.

An article by Amanda Proscia regarding the study published September 20, 2014 in Great Lakes Echo also included a summary of the history behind the plant concluding that after cleanup of a leakage into the Pine River contamination of fish in the river "dramatically dropped, but a 1982 no consumption warning for all species of fish remains in effect" (Proscia, 2014).

Taking into consideration all these things, these lingering chemicals are not safe for humans or other animals, and a lack of a numerical value to measure exactly how harmful it is certainly is not a reason to ignore it. The article mentions the idea of discarding contaminated trees instead of exporting them, but states that "The EPA did not respond to numerous requests for comment" (Proscia, 2014), though on their website they state their involvement (Environmental Protection Agency, 2014). Still, there are other sources that we can pull information from to piece together what all this could mean, and what the takeaway is.

What do the chemicals do to living things?

It is important to remember that as the first law of ecology states, everything is connected to everything else. Even if only one of these elements were effected, it inevitably would affect others in the ecosystem. 

DDT

• Low levels (even 0.1 micrograms/litre) can slow photosynthesis and growth in green algae (Cruising Chemistry, n.d.).
• DDT has proven to greatly harm birds, especially ones that eat fish, and cause eggshells to thin (Cruising Chemistry, n.d.).
• High levels can cause reproductive problems in fish (Gilbert, DeCarvalho, 2013).
• Although  absorbed through skin, it is also toxic to humans (Cruising Chemistry, n.d.) and if ingested it can be stored in fatty organs and contaminate breast milk
• Carcinogenic, an endocrine disruptor, and can have reproductive and developmental effects (Gilbert, DeCarvalho, 2013).

• Endocrine disruptor: A chemical that messes up the hormone system.
• Carcinogenic: Cancer-causing

PBB

*much was learned about the harmful effects of PBB when mislabeling/mismanagement of chemicals at a chemical plant in Michigan during the 70s (we can only guess which one) caused contamination of this flame-retardant in feed for farm animals.

• PBB proved to cause skin disorders, effects on the nervous system, liver, kidney, thyroid glands, and immune systems in animals tested with PBB, and death of given high amounts. 
• The thyroid is a major organ in the endocrine system.
• Carcinogenic; Animals fed PBB in developed cancer
• Accumulates in the body, and effects can worsen in the long-term (ATSDR, 2011)

HBB

(a type of PBB)

• An endocrine disruptor
• Possible carcinogen
• "lipophilic and able to bioconcentrate" (POPs Toolkitm n.d.)... meaning it can be stored and accumulate in fat, and the concentration can be greater in the organism than the contaminated environment.

Now What?

As of July 2014, the EPA and Michigan Department of Environmental Management are continuing the cleanup in the nearby residential areas, cleanup design work at the actual former site, and replacement of municipal drinking water.

Still, a question worth asking is, 'Who pays for pollution?' 

...the cleanup? Taxpayers/people.

...the research? Universities/students/people.

...the pollution? Everyone.

When we make choices that are better or worse for the environment, it comes back to us. The the dirt and the atmosphere and the river are not the ones that feel unwell when they are polluted.

An even better question to ask 'is what can we do about it?'

Note, the mislabeling of chemicals was an accident. The contamination is not evidence that mismanagement is motivated by an intent to harm, but how easily it can happen, and about how important it is to be aware.

Despite having a limited reach, here is something we can do:

• Keep aware. Look into where your products are coming from, and avoid ones containing toxic chemicals or emit toxins in their production.

This will help protect people from exposure to these dangerous chemicals through the products they buy and ecosystems overall if the consumer demand for such products goes down. It is not fair for anyone to be exposed to toxic chemicals in air or water; it is not something that an individual can simply choose not to do, but our power lies in the choices we do have every day.

Sources
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. (n.d.). Public Health Statement for Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBBs). Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Retrieved October 1, 2014, from http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/phs/phs.asp?id=527&tid=94

Cruising Chemistry. (n.d.). Effects of DDT. Cruising Chemistry. Retrieved September 30, 2014, from http://people.chem.duke.edu/~jds/cruise_chem/pest/effects.html

Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Superfund. EPA. Retrieved September 28, 2014, from http://www.epa.gov/superfund/

Environmental Protection Agency. (2014, July 18). Velsicol Chemical Corp. (Michigan) - Region 5 Cleanup. EPA. Retrieved October 1, 2014, from http://www.epa.gov/region5/cleanup/velsicolmichigan/

Gilbert, S. G., & DeCarvalho, J. P. (n.d.). DDT. Toxipedia. Retrieved September 30, 2014, from http://www.toxipedia.org/display/toxipedia/DDT

POPs Toolkit. (n.d.). Hexabromobiphenyl (HBB). Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Toolkit. Retrieved October 1, 2014, from http://www.popstoolkit.com/about/chemical/hbb.aspx 

Peverly, A. A., Salamova, A., & Hites, R. A. (2014, September 11). Air is Still Contaminated 40 Years after the Michigan Chemical Plant Disaster in St. Louis, Michigan. ACS Publications. Retrieved October 1, 2014, from http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es502809f

Proscia, A. (2014, September 30). Air near chemical plant remains polluted long after it closed. Great Lakes Echo. Retrieved October 1, 2014, from http://greatlakesecho.org/2014/09/30/air-near-chemical-plant-remains-polluted-long-after-it-closed/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+greatlakesecho%2Fall+%28Great+Lakes+Echo+%28All%29%29