rise up Rochester

“Survival of the Fittest”

I don’t know about you all, but I’m getting a little sick of “green guilt.” Everywhere we turn, someone is telling us that we are sucking life from the planet; that human beings are leaches. In some ways, I agree that humans have perhaps made too large of a foot print on this planet. But, it is ridiculous that the media has co-opted environmentalism, turning health and environmental consciousness into a contest to keep up with the Joneses and be the most “green.”

I am a consumer, especially of cosmetic products. I have been looking for natural products that won’t upset my sensitive and delicate skin. Of course, I’ve looked into products labeled organic. If I were to purchase these natural products in place of all my normal Proctor&Gamble distributed stuff, it would cost hundreds and hundreds of dollars per year. I am constantly reminded by the Green People that parabens and other fillers and preservatives in cosmetic and hygienic products may have harmful health effects. Why is that the only people who can avoid health risks are people who can afford to buy expensive products made by companies like Juice Beauty and Boscia? Everyone else has to stick with Suave and V05 and CoverGirl, which all probably will give us cancer.

I thought about this in relation to our food supply when I read an article on the D+C website yesterday morning. Entitled “Pittsford Family Feels Better with Green Lifestyle,” the article reminded me what the word “fluff” means. I have to agree with many of the posters who have written on the forum for this article: there is no good reason for this article to even have existed. Tips such as turning off the A/C, taking a bike or walking and eating less meat are hardly new ideas. One of the biggest problems I have with this article is its emphasis on eating organic foods. The article says that the featured Pittsford family goes to farm markets, eats little meat and buys only foods free of pesticides and other harmful chemicals–that may work for them because their wallet is a little fatter than other Rochester locals, but many of us simply don’t have this access or freedom to choose foods without pesticides. So this family gets to avoid Genetically Modified food, pesticides, and tote around their proud “I’m green” attitude. The rest of us are just poor, fat, slobs because we aren’t green enough and can never aspire to be.

from climateprogress.org

I think eating fruits and vegetables is great. So is planting a garden at your home. And biking. And walking. Some of us would pass out if not for A/C, but I’m not opposed to energy conservation. I think most of all, what this article has lead to me to believe is that we need to fight for quality food for our entire supply, not just organic (which often has dicey standards set by the FDA). One of our biggest fights will be against Genetically Modified Organisms–currently crops such as corn, tomatoes, sugar, cotton and a few others are genetically modified. We have been told modifying these organisms only has benefits; these crops produce their own pesticides and last longer. But we do not know if there are long-term effects for humans, although we have seen insects and other crops impacted. (I won’t elaborate here, but take, for example, Bt maiz )

Just think about what matters more–ensuring that a tiny portion of all produce (organic) is safe and available to eat for a few individuals at an astronomical cost, or ensuring the safety of all crops around the world.

More info on Bt corn…http://www.scq.ubc.ca/bt-corn-is-it-worth-the-risk/