Via CREDO Action website

By Allison Hibbs

Monsanto, the multinational agricultural biotechnology corporation long reviled by organic farmers, environmentalists and conscientious foodies worldwide, has drawn more than the usual amount of rancor in recent months. While assailants are hoping the media blitzkrieg will prove as damaging to the company as they claim that its bioengineering and genetic modification practices are to the planet, that hope may prove optimistic in light of its cozy relationship with the United States federal government. Efforts to diminish that relationship have led to the recent circulation of more than one petition calling for the dismissal of FDA Food Safety Czar, Michael Taylor, a former top Monsanto executive.

One reason for the recent outrage is a perceived “crusade” by the FDA against small raw milk dairy farmers, many of whom are Amish, even as they overlook repeated violations by larger, industrial producers. CREDO, a publication of Working Assets, began a campaign in late January to educate and motivate consumers to sign a pledge beseeching President Obama to expel Taylor from the administration.

CREDO Action

CREDO believes that the FDA’s efforts would be better spent enforcing food safety regulations at the largest industrial producers, where it claims that “antibiotic resistance has run amuck,” rather than focusing so much of the administration’s efforts on sting operations to arrest small dairy farmers.

CREDO Action

The petition had garnered 151,160 signatures as of SuperBowl Sunday, 75 percent of its 200,000 goal.

Another petition circulating on Twitter and Facebook had reached a total of 220,000 signatures by game time, far surpassing its original goal of 75,000. Written and circulated by Frederick Ravid, this petition includes a longer letter to the president, expressing opposition to the his administration’s appointment of Taylor three years ago.

“Taylor is the same person who as a high-ranking official at the FDA in the 1990s promoted allowing genetically modified organisms into the U.S. food supply without undergoing a single test to determine their safety or risks,” reads the letter. “This is a travesty.” Pointing out that Taylor was in charge of policy regarding the widely-opposed bovine growth hormone and that he fought against the requirement for disclosures on milk from cows that had been treated with the hormone, Ravid goes on to decry Monsanto as a company directly threatening the health and well-being of US citizens.

Reinforcing these concerns are WikiLeaks documents that surfaced last year implicating the Bush administration in questionable tactics used against countries in Europe to impel them to purchase Monsanto GMO products that they were resisting. Other documents imply that the US government considered putting pressure on the Pope to come out in favor of GMO foods. If any such actions were taken, they have proven largely unsuccessful and Monsanto has been repeatedly thwarted in France, Germany and the UK.

Additionally, lawsuits have been brought against the biotech giant by India and Canada for biopiracy and biocontamination, respectively; and a group of 270,000 American organic farmers are also suing the company for biocontamination. Ironically, the move is intended to protect these farmers against possible patent-infringement lawsuits brought by Monsanto over GMO seeds that have migrated to – and compromised – their lands.

For all of these reasons (and more), Monsanto has been voted Worst Company of 2011 by Natural Society, and the public seems increasingly to agree. As the acrimony grows, it is beginning to look like the corporation’s PR department has some serious damage control to do if it hopes to retain any influence over government activity.  It is, after all, an election year and Obama may not have the luxury of ignoring so many voters crying “Why, O, why?”

Technorati Tags: agribusiness, agribusinessman, agricultural, Amish, antibiotic, biocontamination, bioengineering, biopiracy, biotechnology, bovine growth hormone, Bush, Canada, corporation, CREDO, crops, dairy farmers, election, environment, environmental, environmentalist, environmentalists, Facebook, farmer, farmers, FDA, federal, food, food safety, food safety czar, foodie, foodies, France, Frederick Ravid, genetic modification, genetically modified, George W Bush, Germany, GMO, government, health, healthy, India, industrial, industry, inspectors, Jack DeCoster, lawsuit, media, Michael Taylor, Monsanto, natural, Natural Society, Obama, organic, patent-infringement, petition, Pope, President, raids, raw milk, SignOn.org, sting operations, SuperBowl, Twitter, UK, United States, US, voter, WikiLeaks, Working Assets, Worst Company of 2011

By Abagail Taranow

Remember those popular commercials dating back to the 1980s featuring a catchy jingle and an adorable terracotta figurine that grew sprouts known as a chia pet? Today, those same edible seeds that gained infamy in 80s pop culture are popping up on organic food blogs and healthy menus across the country.  Packed with fiber, protein, phosphorus, manganese, calcium, and potassium- chia seeds are the new trending superfood claiming to boost your health.

The latest superfood trend

The seeds gained more popularity after being featured on “The Dr. Oz Show” as a major source of energy because they are high in fiber omega-3 fatty acids. Dr. Mehmet Oz endorses the food as a natural weight loss supplement for people over the age 50. He recommends a daily intake of 15 grams of these small, crunchy seeds to boost fiber levels in the body.

After the age of 50, one’s metabolism starts to slow and excess pounds become more difficult to shed. One ounce of chia seeds account for 42 percent of one’s daily fiber intake based on a 2000 calorie diet. A high fiber diet allows one to feel more satiated and less likely to overeat, allowing easier weight loss.

Some research indicates these seeds improve heart health, balance blood sugar levels, prevent diverticulitis, and the high amounts of antioxidants may delay skin aging. Yet these claims are not well supported scientifically, these studies often manifest inconclusive results and scientists remain in heavy debate about the actual health benefits of this food trend.

In raw form, chia seeds are round, dark, and have a very neutral taste. There are many ways to incorporate them into meals such as adding them to salad, stir fry, soup, baked goods, or just eating them raw. When soaked in liquid, they develop a gelatinous quality that can thicken up a stew or porridge. Vegan and vegetarian dieters are very keen on the seeds due to their nutritional value.

Cooks have created a variety of interesting ways to utilize the seed unique liquid absorbing abilities. Those less adventurous eaters might opt for something basic like the easy overnight chia oatmeal, while those a little bit more daring may attempt a pumpkin pie chia pudding parfait.

So whether the health hype about this food craze is true or not, it seems these seed do contain a high nutritional value that would be beneficial to anyone’s diet. So next time you’re cruising the aisles at your local health food store, maybe consider picking up some chia seed and judge the latest superfood yourself

Technorati Tags: chia seeds, fiber, superfood, weight loss

by Emayeneme Gbemiye-Etta

Green cleaning by definition is using nontoxic and/or organic products to clean in a home, school, office or any other public or private facility. In its simplest form green cleaning is using such products as baking soda, lemon juice and vinegar to do the majority of the cleaning at home.

In an office, public or private facility it is using certified green or organic products to clean the facility.

Green cleaning services are by definition cleaning services which use products that are environmentally friendly and non-toxic and will not cause respiratory and dermatological problems. There are a growing number of organizations which provide green cleaning services to their customers. Customers should be aware that the organic cleaning products and natural cleaning product industry are not related like the organic product industry.

What is involved in Green Cleaning?

Green cleaning involves using products that are environmentally safe and/or natural products.

What are the advantages of Green Cleaning?

Green cleaning is an advantage to both the cleaners and their customers. In using the green products, cleaners will not be affected by the:

1. Fumes from the toxic products.

2. The affects the products had on their skin and their overall health.

What should potential customers make sure of?

In picking a cleaning company, customers need to make sure of a number of things:

1. That the products being used by the cleaning company are actually organic or natural.

Overall What are the cost benefits of Green Cleaning?

The benefits at first may seem expensive but the overall costs are outweighed by the overall benefits of green cleaning:

• As mentioned earlier people are not affected by toxic cleaning products when green cleaning products are used.

• In an office environment, nontoxic cleaning means less people get sick from toxic products and therefore are less likely to take time off due to sickness from breathing in the toxic products and therefore less money is spent on illnesses and time off.

• Green cleaning is creating a growing industry of products that do the cleaning the old products d id in the past but do not have the same negative effect on the users of the product.

Some of the argument that people give for not considering green cleaning is that the products are too expensive and the increased cost is not worth the benefits of using green products. Green cleaning services are now reporting that green products are becoming more cost effective and the difference in costs between green and regular cleaning products is getting less and less.

Sources

1. Americans Embracing ‘Green’ Cleaning – ABC News

2. Responsible Purchasing Network

Technorati Tags: green, green cleaning, natural, organic

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