I Voted Yesterday-You Did Too!

Our personal power to make magnificent change in the world through what we choose to buy has been an interest of mine for some time now. After working in product marketing for a consumer goods company making their products in factories overseas, I have come to see the immense value in products that are made with integrity and with the health of the planet and its people in mind. We were trained to cut costs at every corner-at the expense of many. And while I am well-versed in understanding that companies need to be profitable, the amount of greed I have been exposed to (we all have) in a culture of careless consumption has pushed me to speak out about the issue. We simply cannot keep TAKING. As our nation's horrendous case of affluenza doesn't seem to be tapering off all too quickly...we all need to be talking about taking less.

This is a subject I will write about often as one post could never cover the many facets of how we can make changes in local and global economies as well as our environment, simply by how we choose to spend our money. To get a comprehensive overview of the subject and to learn about the Materials Economy -the process involved in our getting all of the 'stuff' we buy-watch The Story of Stuff. It's awesome: eloquent, short, and full of great information. Then listen to this radio interview I did a few weeks ago, focusing on the importance of where we put our cash during the holiday shopping rush.

This morning I was reading an article by Dr. Mercola. In the article he is warning us of the dangers of Genetically Modified foods (GMOs) to our health. GMOs are being linked to issues with fertility and overall disease in the body. And we know it can't be doing any favors for our soil. Think about it...sterile, genetically altered soil...GMO plants...make GMO people! Who can't reproduce. Not a good thing. Dr. Mercola goes on to say that we do vote with our pocketbooks when we refuse to buy these foods. We send the strong message that it's not acceptable to alter the way nature has created and provided food for our species for millenia in such complicated and dangerous ways. At the grocery store check-out we need to vote for real food that can be grown sustainably. Here is the list of eight foods Dr. Mercola describes as the crops most genetically modified:

Soy
Corn
Cottonseed (used in vegetable cooking oils)
Canola (canola oil)
Sugar from sugar beets
Hawaiian papaya
Some varieties of zucchini
Crookneck squash

I knew I hated Canola Oil! The easiest way to avoid GMO foods is to do some research and planning before you shop. Here is a link to the Dr. Mercola interview and other related articles.

Educate yourself and know that every single day you are voting. These are the votes that impact us all more than any election for political office ever could. Period.

Om tat sat.