wheelieterp | (no subject)

So I started to reply to all of the comments in my post about the free range eggs and decided it needed to be another post... *Drags out soap box*

*Ahem* Is this thing on??

In all seriousness, I am all for sustainable agri-business and I actually DO choose such products when given a choice and the needed funds. Whenever I have the extra few dollars it takes to buy groceries this way, I do. And really, it normally just works out to be a few extra dollars. HOWEVER.... I want to point out a caveat... A Caution.... To all of you gentle souls like me who want to make the world a better place with the power of our consumerism... Organic does not always mean sustainable!!!

I am sure many of you remember Luis, my ex? Well.. As a refresher, he was Mexican (From Mexico) and had a masters degree in Agricultural Economics and he opened my eyes to something important... MUCH of our organic produce is now produced on large corporate farms that use migrant labor just like the more traditional famrs. However, Organic farming is MUCH more labor intensive, as I am sure you are all aware. Do you think these large corprorate farms PAY more than the traditional farms??? Nope. Twice the labor+same below living wage pay=even worse human rights violations. Yet, the organic foods are marketed to people who actually care about issues like this. PLEASE, before you buy organic, especially from a large grocery store, make sure you KNOW where the produce was grown. Sustainability in farming is not just about the environment.. It's about labor too.

I know! It is impossible to live in this society and keep your hands clean. EVERYTHING is tainted with the dog-eat-eat dog, soulessness and evils of capitolism (Hey!

darkeros, help me out here.. Is it capitOlism or capitAlism?? Seriouslly, I don't know how to spell). But the fact of the matter is, capitolism may eat its young, and it may rely on keeping a segment of the population down and dependant, but it is DYNAMIC. It causes us to be creative and proactive. It is the whip at our backs that pushes us to become bigger and better, even as individuals. Nothing in this world is monochromatic, nothing is all good or all evil. Nothing is black or white. That is what makes it so difficult to keep our hands clean.

The solution? In my NOT SO HUMBLE OPINION, if we live our lives trying to do better, then each day gets a little more progressive. Like everything else, it's a process, not an event. When we try to make it all about "PERFECT NOW!" we get liberal fascisim, like

jalkr said. We have leftist resturaunts trying to brow-beat customers into paying more for free range eggs. They have the choice, not because the resturaunt likes chickens, but as

2fruition and

i_maened implied, to allow themselves to feel superior to others. Which is hurtful and not a good way to create social change. Either that, or they are smarter than the rest of us and they do it to make us all have conversations like this... Thereby educating eachother....OOOOOOOHHH SNEAKY!

So.. Yeah.. I ordered the free range eggs.. And I recently had a conversation with the produce manager in the grocery store where I shop and found out which organic veggies I can feel good about buying. And, assuming I have the few extra dollars after I pay for my expiring Lj account, I will buy organic where I can, because not only am I PROUD a tree hugging dirt worshipper, but I care about people. Don't YOU??? *meaningful look*

Oh.. And my recent attempt at sustainable oven cleaning as suggested by the fabulous

girlfagpnw in this entry HERE, didn't work. But I am pretty sure it is because I substituted a plain cermaic cereal bowl for the Ancient Tibetan Glass Prayer Bowl located in the belly of a hollow Buddah figure in Laos.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

1) Capitalism

2) regarding labor inputs in organic/sustainable vs conventional - rather than spraying with broad-spectrum chemicals twice a year (once at planting, once in summer) and staying at home the rest of the year, you have to make multiple trips to the field (=more gas mileage) throughout the growing season, "scout" the fields to see what insects/diseases are affecting the plants (=more manual labor), study the samples (=more labor, though this is typically white-collar work), then take appropriate action by spraying with a number of narrow-band controls (=more manual labor again) which, in non-organic sustainable, can be the same lab-synthesized chemicals as used in conventional agriculture.

and, of course, regardless of how they're grown, there are many crops that *cannot* be mechanically harvested due to the plant's growth habit or susceptibility to damage (oranges, broccoli, cauliflower). again, more manual labor.

despite all the work, the total cost for sustainably grown produce is typically about the same as low-input agriculture (sometimes, even less) on the production side. because of the political correctness of organic/sustainable, however, consumers are willing to pay a premium price, easily increasing profits by 50%.

i prefer to eat local, regardless of whether or not a farm is certified organic or whatnot (though, of course, those are bonus points). this is not always possible, however. my solution - just fucking eat.

It's capitalism -- with an "a". The only time it has an "o" is when you're talking about that den of thieves in Washington DC. In a state, the city where the government hangs out is the state capital. Some state capitals have a capitol building which conveniently keeps all the ~~thieves~~ politicians in one place.

I'm a fiber artist, I spin my own yarn, and buy a lot of raw wool from shepherds who raise sustainable flocks. One of my favorites is a women in upstate New York who, in addition to excellent wool, also produces very good lamb and mutton from her sheep. (Yep, I'm a carnivore. And no, I'm not going to apologize for that either.) In order to get really good quality wool, you have to have happy sheep. Any stress, illness, poor nutrition, et al. will show up in the wool first. I like the way she runs her farm, buying her products helps keep her in business.

I buy organic produce when I can. I also support non-organic family farms, buying their produce in season. While organic is best, supporting non-agribusiness farmers is also vital. After all, they can always be converted to sustainable agriculture and organic methods later. Having them go bust doesn't help anyone.

Psst. It's a great rant...but

jalkr not

jalker. :)

To further throw a stick into the works, the National Organic Standard that was recently promugated sucked, in a word.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/sos.cfm

Look again... It says

jalkr.... What?? NO!! I didn't change it.... *innocent wistle*

That's a cute smirk.

Why must you be so cute, and transcontinental???

Thanks for posting this - while I knew about how to buy coffee ("Organic, Fair Trade & Shade Grown"), I didn't think to apply all that to my other groceries. Yes, I do get lazy sometimes - and it's a good reminder. I'll also add that it's cool to support small locally-owned stores & restaurants - vote with your dollars! We have a great little health food store nearby that carries most of the products & produce we need... and free-range local meats as well (yep _ I'm an unapologetic carnivore too!). I know it costs more - sometimes alot more, if you're comparing to Albertson's & whatnot... but I made the conscious decision to support local businesses and buy organic (and sustainable!) food as much as possible. I figure it'll save us tons in karma points & future doctor bills!

I think that free range is one of the biggest marketing rip offs in recent history. for centuries people have been eating eggs from caged chickens and we lived. For centuries we have been killing innocent minks for their fur to keep us warm, For centuries we have been killing cattle to eat their flesh. Peta is a crock of crack Like it or not we are a dog eat dog world as it were and we are a capitalist society and yeah sometimes it sucks. But it is also what makes our economy what it is and it seems to be the best choice. So until someone proves to me why I should live different I am going to save a buck by buying caged up cruely treated chicken embreyos and driving my suv (because that is what I am comfortable driving aside from the fact that it fits all six members of my household and my sometimes caged dog) and I love my fur lined handcuffs too. Sue me! But have your pets spayed and neutered and be kind to beggars, run them over in your suv with its leather seats!!!

I am so difficult to figure out

Recentlty, at a leather event, me dressed head to toe in about 7 dead cows, a person asked me if I was a vegetarian for moral reasons. I looked down at what I was wearing, slowly looked back up, and said, "Yes.. I am."

They totally didn't get it....