Out Goes The Popcorn!

Okay, so I thought I wasn’t going to throw anything out, but after reading up on microwave popcorn I couldn’t allow it in my house anymore.

Somehow, I think, a lot of Americans assume our government is somehow going to look out for us, that they wouldn’t intentionally bring us harm. Now, I hear almost daily from my husband about the corrupt and broken banking and finance system in our country, so I’m well aware the government is working for the elite few with money, but I still get a little shock when I find another case of their blatant disregard for our health.

There is an actual “popcorn workers lung” disease that first showed up in people working microwave popcorn factories, and now also appearing in the candy industry. People die from this while waiting for their lung transplants. It’s caused by the chemical diacetyl becoming airborne, that’s the yummy buttery taste, . And although there has been plenty of litigation and discussion, it’s not actually illegal, and while some popcorn makers say they don’t add diacetyl anymore, they add a diacetyl starter which is later converted to diacetyl. Oh, did I mention there are even cases of people becoming fatally sick from this in their own homes just from microwaving popcorn?? If I do decided to eat microwave popcorn again, it will be organic and have no ‘artificial flavoring”.

But that’s not the only bad news for my beloved popcorn. Popcorn is on the top ten list of contaminated foods from the USDA! Crazy.
For your information, the top ten:
butter
cantaloupe
cucumbers
meatloaf
peanuts
popcorn
radishes
winter squash
summer squash
spinach

Oh, my lovely butter. My sister told me years ago it contained a lot of contaminants, but it was a piece of information I tucked away in my head and pretended I never heard it. I can see where this is going for my food – only buy organic.

I have been researching Organic dairies. Here is what it takes for a dairy to be organic:
• Require preventative health care practices such as adequate feed, nutritional supplements, sanitary housing and freedom of movement.
• Prohibit withholding medical treatment in cases of animal illness.
• Require access to outdoors and calls for conditions that accommodate the natural behavior of the animal.
• Require appropriate clean and dry bedding.
There is a lot of wiggle room in there. Outdoor access can mean for only a very short time each day.
For me, dairy is the only animal product I consume so I will personally make sure my dairy supplier does more than the minimum required to be labeled organic. I’ve looked into several locals on the internet but I’m going to pay some live visits as well. It is that important to me that both the harvesters and the animals are good.

One last thing I must do is urge everyone to comment on the USDA regulation regarding RoundUp Ready Alfalfa, or genetically modified seed from Monsanto. The comment period is open until mid February 2010, and I read many of the comments posted already, and, gasp, they were pro RR Alfalfa! I know the farmers just need to make money easy, I’m sure thats why they want it, so if you feel as I do that we don’t want genetically modified food for any of the following reasons, please leave a comment at:
http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#documentDetail?R=0900006480a6b7a1

My reasons:
We don’t need the monopoly of Monsanto intimidating even more farmers and suppliers
Increased allergic reactions to GM foods
Increased Superweeds and SuperPests from uncontrollable cross contamination
Long term consumption and exposure risks still unknown.

You can read more here:
“Impacts of Genetically Engineered Crops on Pesticide Use: The First Thirteen Years"
November 2009 Author(s): Charles Benbrook, Ph.D,Chief Scientist,The Organic Center
http://www.organic-center.org/science.pest.php?action=view&report_id=159

My goal for this week: Be willing to pay more for my food. We’ve become a nation of cheap food, and I’ve fought paying more for organics for a long time. I think I’m ready to change. I vote with my money, so I’ll make my money count.

Current resources and links: There was probably way more, I forgot to record all of them. www.mindfully.org, www.farmersteve.com, www.popcorn.org, www.kycorn.org, http://www.agry.purdue.edu/ext/corn/desktop/pesticides.html, www.sustainablog.org, www.coldtruth.com, www.theorganicpages.com, http://www.cspinet.org/-
"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated"Mahatma Gandhi