We Are What We Eat

Normally I think of toxins, corn syrup, and other unnatural goodies floating though my system when hear the phrase, "you are what you eat." Bert spelled out Pthalates, rBGHs, and BPAs as leading toxins haunting plastic goods and milk products. The first, she said, is used as a plastic softener. It is an Endocrine Disruptor. Not a good thing. rGBHs are some sort of growth hormone use in milk production within the dairy industry. Bert was explicit when she said that young women should not be drinking this. BPAs, also an Endocrine Disruptor, are in older nalgene bottles and in the lining of many canned goods. Also, the movie "King Corn" convinced me of the unhealthy impacts of high fructose corn syrup and other tastys. Stop consuming these, please.

When I'm unaware of what, where, or how my food made it to my plate, I'm assuming the worst. For another perspective on "we are what we eat," I am suggesting that a less physical sense can be applied. What about this; if negative inputs were included in a product that was consumed, the consumer is that negative input. When eating a fish from across the globe that is being harvested in a way that is threatening the oceans fisheries, am I the over-fisher? When eating a beef patty, originating in Brazil, from livestock corralled over land that was previously Rain forest, am I the logger? Throwing away a perfectly good meal that could have been passed on to a person who is going to die today, am I a murderer? Stop consuming these, please.

Today, at the SRU ARC a crew member shared some interesting thoughts about environmentalism. He brought up his effort to start pulling the plug on those hidden killers, or Phantom Loads, of idle electronics. My practical experience is that for me to leave my current radio plugged in, and never use it for one year, the cost would be $3.40. Not much at first glance, however when considering that the money could have gone towards food then I could estimate that a meal was just wasted. In practice, I have carried that thought out. During the peak of a past experiment, my daily nutrition intake totaled 33 cents a day. Spreading one dollar over three days would give me about TEN DAYS of food for the amount my radio would cost. Reminding myself that as little as I was having to eat, there are people, my neighbors, friends, our brothers, who are eating less. In a skewed view, the $ that is being thrown away can be used to save A life. So who in the hell to I think I am that I can just pronounce Someones' Death Sentence. Add the plugs up. Is it really that significant? Does one electric appliance really mean that much?

ASK ME

On the walk home, late last night, I pulled the pictured fries and cheese. Threw them in a toaster oven, enjoyed.

Breakfast: Last of Beth' Banana Bread made from bartering waste-stream Columbian Fair-Trade Turbana bananas, Apple saved from last week.

Lunch: Noodle salad saved from Thursday, last of hot-digidy-dog buns.

Dinner: Turkey Sandwich saved from Thursday.