Every so often we are all due for physical and mental health checks and overall corrections. In executing these “self-checks,” people tend to use calendar dates for balance or as a procrastination technique (the latter being the usual case). How often do you hear, “starting next week, I will start diet xyz?” As we all know, the empty promises for lifestyle changes and personal growth are most common before the New Year. The point of this post is to drive home the idea that any given moment, on any given day, is the absolute best time to ensure that we are as physically and mentally healthy as we can possibly be. When it comes to our health and the health of those dependent on us, “it’s never to late to start” does not always ring true. It can be too late as far developing health issues or descending into an unhealthy mental state.
Happy Food Day! Today marks the annual celebration of Food Day where we recognize the movement for healthy, affordable and sustainable food. In honor of this most important day, there will be more than 4,500 events in all 50 states to focus on the strides we have made in our efforts to improve our food system and to bring awareness to the need for additional work that still needs to be done to ensure that we have healthy and sustainable diets without a negative environmental impact.
Food Day as a day of celebration was created by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). According to Michael F. Jacobson, executive director and founder of Food Day:
We hope that one of the things that comes out of Food Day is a movement that is stronger, more united, and better equipped to press for changes that make it easier to eat healthier year round . . . . Today hundreds of thousands of Americans will add their voices to a growing campaign for food that is produced with care for consumers, the environment, and the men and women who grow, harvest and serve it.”[1]
The main purpose of Food Day is to “help people eat real.” Food Day is a very organized and focused movement with five priorities, which are as follows:
- To promote safe and healthy diets for all people.
- To support sustainable and organic farms.
- To reduce the occurrence of hunger in this country.
- To ensure reform of factory farm practices so as to protect both farm animals and the environment.
- To ensure fair working environments for both food and farm workers.
Many cities have Food Day events occurring today, as well as throughout the upcoming weekend. Activities range from educational events at local schools, round-table discussions and forums hosted by civic organizations and local food festivals. This is a great opportunity to involve the entire family in the celebration of Food Day, gathering information and planning healthier diets through better food choices. I urge you to ditch the bag of chips and to get out and explore the choices and opportunities that Food Day has to offer. Also, don’t forget to like Food Day on Facebook. This page also has great ideas, contests and valuable opportunities to support this worthy cause.
We here at LGBG urge all of our readers to join in the celebration of Food Day and to support this very important movement. To do so is to live green, be green.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O721Fvj075c&w=560&h=315]
_____________________
[1] http://www.cspinet.org/new/201310241.html
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lubricant_ad (Photo credit: K嘛)
It goes without saying that we all are aware of the basics of living an environmentally conscientious life. Most of us do something to live green, whether it involves recycling and reusing, making healthier food choices, driving our cars a little less to save fuel and reduce our carbon footprint and getting some exercise to lose weight so that we feel and look better. Now indulge us while we entertain the notion of Fifty Shades Of Green, a look at our sexual health and relationships and the need to make sure they are sustainable, green and environmentally conscientious. So today, we here at LGBG have some tips to share to ensure that we all live ecofriendly sex lives.
- Value Relationships. A major component of a green sex life is a healthy relationship with a foundation of self-respect and respect for others. To achieve this, it is crucial to avoid hookups or casual sexual relationships, you know — friends with benefits. Strive for intimacy, not just physical release.
- Ditch pornography. Turn off the television, computer, disc payer, etc., and engage your real-life partner for arousal and sexual satisfaction. Rely on authentic scents and sounds. Doing this, you will reduce your carbon footprint and invest in human relationships. That makes for strong sustainability.
- Use caution with lubrication. If lubrication is part of your sexual routine, that is fine, but please make sure you lube up green. Familiarize yourself with the ingredients in various lubricants, and educate yourself on the unsafe ingredients in many popular brands of lubricants, which may pose an increased risk for bacterial or viral infections. When shopping for lubricants, try to locate brands that are made with nontoxic ingredients and that do not contain paraben or glycerin. You will find that many of these products also are latex friendly and eco-friendly.[1]
- Beware of plastic sex toys. Data from adult toy manufacturer, Adam and Eve indicates that “Americans spend $15 billion on sex toys annually, that 44 percent of women 18 to 60 have used one, and that 78 percent of those women were in a relationship when they did.” To this we say, “Buyer beware.” It is best to avoid plastics because so many of them contain phthalates (used to chemically soften rigid plastics and linked to damage to DNA in human sperm. We strongly recommend that you make sure your bedroom toys are “phthalate-free glass, silicone or metal.”[2]
- Save electricity. We all are aware of the importance of reducing the thermostat a few degrees. This does not mean that we have to be cold. Cozy up with that special person and create your own heat. You also will reap the added benefit of increases pheromones, which have been shown to increase fertility and enhance the mood while alleviating depression and stress.
- Eat good food for good sex. A healthy diet is important for your sexual health because “good food will help keep blood pumping to your sexual organs.” Specifically, men should eat plant-based proteins that may have a positive effect on sperm quality. Also, both men and women should avoid diets high in saturated fats that affect LDL cholesterol levels, contributing to depressed libido and sexual performance. So for a healthy sex life, increase the use of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and decrease the ingestion of red meat. For sweet pleasures, try chocolate (particularly brands that are 70 percent or higher in cocoa and without added milk and sugar), which create the same feelings of pleasure achieved with arousal and orgasm.
We here at LGBG wish for everyone a happy, healthy life, including a healthy, green sex life. We ask you to endorse our Fifty Shades of Green to protect the environment. This is just one more way we can live green, be green.
________________________
Sources for this article:
[1] http://health.howstuffworks.com/sexual-health/sexuality/10-green-sex-tips.htm
[2] http://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/stories/let’s-talk-about-green-sex-baby
[3] “Lost Your Libido? 6 Smart Diet Choices to Get It Back.” Health Hub from Cleveland Clinic.
[4] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/16/sex-toy-sales-per-capita-_n_1790014.html
Dillon Papier
Hosting your own birthday party as an event to raise awareness and donations for an important cause is a creative, thoughtful and selfless way to mark this milestone. This is exactly what Maris Walker of Bowie, Maryland did this past Sunday for her 11-year-old grandson, Dillon Papier. This year, her April 14th birthday coincided with Dillon’s eighth annual fundraiser to fight Niemann-Pick Disease, Type C (NPC), a very rare and fatal disease affecting approximately 500 children globally. Maris invited her family and friends to celebrate her 70th birthday at the opening game for the Bowie Baysox, an AA team in the Baltimore Orioles‘ organization. The celebration, held in a corporate suite at the Baysox stadium, priced at $50.00, included a ticket to the game, food and drinks.
The party kicked off on a bright and sunny afternoon with both Maris and Dillon “throwing out first pitches”. While everyone laughed, ate, drank, mingled and watched the game, we remained mindful of the cause. We saluted Maris’ birthday and Dillon’s courageous battle against NPC. The attendees included a host of family, friends and community supporters, including a little league baseball team that presented Dillon with a basket of “goodies”. There were tables in the corporate suite, as well as in the area for the general public, that displayed literature on Niemann-Pick Disease, along with t-shirts, wristbands, etc., for purchase to support the National Niemann-Pick Disease Foundation, Type C research.
ABOUT NIEMANN-PICK DISEASE, TYPE C
Niemann-Pick Disease, Type C, (NPC) often is called Childhood Alzheimer’s. Children with NPC are unable to properly metabolize cholesterol and other lipids, resulting in the accumulation of excess cholesterol levels in the liver and spleen, along with excessive accumulation of other lipids in the brain. NPC is characterized by “an enlarged liver and spleen, clumsiness with loss of muscle control, deterioration of speech, seizures, and progressive neurological decline“. To date, NPC is 100% fatal. Many of the children diagnosed with this disease “die before the age of 10 or within 5-10 years of the diagnosis”.
ABOUT DILLON
Dillon Papier is the 11-year-old son of Darrile and Mark Papier of Urbana, Maryland. A little shy until he gets to know you, Dillon is a wonderful young man, who loves family, baseball and gourmet food. His love of music becomes apparent immediately when he melodiously sings “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the 7th inning stretch. He was diagnosed with Niemann-Pick Disease, Type C in 2005.
ABOUT DILLON’S ARMY
Dillon and his family display determination, courage and perseverance in their fight against Niemann-Pick Disease. Their brave battle has attracted the attention of so many sports organizations (including the Washington Nationals and the Baltimore Orioles), local businesses and individuals that they are collectively known as “Dillon’s army“. Attendance at any of the many events to raise awareness and money to support the National Niemann-Pick Disease Foundation’s research to find a successful treatment to save Dillon and other children affected by this devastating disease immediately inspires you to enlist in Dillon’s army.
We here at LGBG salute Dillon for his courage. We also would like to wish Maris a happy birthday and to say thank you for your uplifting spirit and wonderful idea to use your birthday celebration to support such a worthy cause. Fighting for the health of children and security of families definitely is part of the green movement.
If I can do my duty, as a good man ought,
If I can bring back beauty, to a world up wrought,
If I can spread love’s message, as the Master taught,
Then my living shall not be in vain.
(Credit: Mahalia Jackson)
__________________
Sources for this article:
1. http://www.dillonsfight.org/aboutthedisease.htm.
2. http://www.capitalgazette.com/bowie_bladenews/news/a-bowie-grandmother-hopes-residents-pitch-in-for-special-baysox/article_70e97ac0-be41-5500-8b35-3ad8c1495c9f.html?mode=jqm.
3. http://www.nnpdf.org/
Dillon and Maris
High-fructose corn syrup for sale (Photo credit: Steven Vance)
The fact that America has an obesity epidemic is no secret. Apologists argue that this is a product of the world in which we live. Americans, today, live a more sedentary lifestyle than in the past, and as a consequence, we have become fatter. Of all of the member nations of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), America has the largest population percentage (30.6%) that is obese. Coming in at 23%, the United Kingdom is the second most obese nation, and interestingly, of all the other OECD countries, it is comparably most similar to America in terms of cultural aspects. Following the sedentary lifestyle argument, it would only follow that the world’s most developed nations would have comparable obesity rates. However, in reality, this is not the case. The G8 countries are the most affluent in the world, yet none have an obesity rate close to that of America. Having already listed the obesity rate of two G8 Nations, now allow me to name the rest: France: 9.4%, Russia: Anywhere between 16.2% and 20 %; Russia does not actively report on obesity)[1], Italy: 8.5%, Germany: 12.9%, Canada:14.3%, and finally Japan: 3.2%.[2]
Despite having very similar levels of living, America’s obesity rate is staggeringly higher. However, it would be factious of me not to say that there is not a correlation between income levels and obesity rates. The OECD has taken note and has released some staggering facts such as, “until 1980, fewer than one in ten people were obese. Since then, rates doubled or tripled and in 19 of 34 OECD countries, the majority of the population is now overweight or obese. OECD projections suggest that more than two out of three people will be overweight or obese in some OECD countries by 2020”1. Nonetheless, the question must be asked: despite obesity being on the rise, why does America appear to have such a huge head start? While a sedentary lifestyle does undoubtedly play a role, there is another dominant factor as well. Your good old Uncle Sam is determining what you are and aren’t eating through laws and taxes.
America was founded as a democracy, but that has not stopped the establishment of kings in this country. The first and most famous king was, of course, King Cotton. The economic power of this cash crop helped propel the economic success of America in a pre-industrialized world. While it is uncomfortable to think that the forging of cotton and slavery together helped establish America on the world stage, it is a reality, and it is our duty as Americans not to shy away from our past. However, our King today started out in a more humble fashion and ascended to the throne over the course of American history. I am, of course, talking about King Corn, present in America at the first landing of settlers and saturating American culture today, quite literally might I add. Agriculture in America is a business that is heavily supported and subsidized by the federal government. While we will be primarily discussing its negative consequences, we must recognize that it was started to help farmers in the Great Depression, and many programs, such as crop insurance, are beneficial. However, this government support has morphed over the years and skewed the market in favor of corn and corn-based products. So how does this all work? It works through the rather bluntly titled Farm Bill:
“The 2008 Farm Bill approved $300 billion in mandatory spending (this figure does not include discretionary spending measures that are approved separately). About two-thirds (67%) of the spending measures were allocated toward nutrition, followed by agricultural subsidies (15%), conservation (9%), and crop insurance (8%). The remaining three percent included credit, rural development, research, forestry, energy, livestock, and horticulture/organic agriculture.”[3]
The Farm Bill is typically renewed every five years, but has yet to be renewed in whole. At the moment, it is a victim of Congressional gridlock, a reexamining of its benefits, and the pull of the corn lobby.
This pie chart details the percentages of the bill from 2008. As you see a majority went towards the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), more commonly known as food stamps. We, however, are to focus on the 14% that went to crop subsidies. With regards to the 2008 Bill:
“The [2008] bill [gave] some $4.9 billion a year in automatic payments to growers of [corn and soy] such commodity crops, thus driving down prices for corn, corn-based products and corn-fed meats. Cows that are raised on corn, rather than grass, make meat that is higher in calories and contains more omega-6 fatty acids and fewer omega-3 fatty acids—a dangerous ratio that has been linked to heart disease.
Cheap corn has also become a staple in highly processed foods, from sweetened breakfast cereals to soft drinks, that have been linked to an increase in the rate of type 2 diabetes, a condition that currently affects more than one in 12 American adults. Between 1985 and 2010, the price of beverages sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup dropped 24 percent, and by 2006 American children consumed an extra 130 calories a day from these beverages. Over the same period, the price of fresh fruits and vegetables rose 39 percent. For families on a budget, the price difference can be decisive in their food choices.”[4]
Here are some more numbers to put the effect of corn syrup into perspective:
- Percentage of high fructose corn syrup in Americans’ daily caloric intake: 7
- Percentage of U.S. caloric sweeteners made from high-fructose corn syrup: ~40
- The year that high fructose corn syrup became available in the U.S. food supply: 1967
- Percentage U.S. consumption of high fructose corn syrup rose between 1970 and 1990: 1,000%
- Percentage of obese Americans in 1960-1962: 13.4
- Percentage of obese Americans in 2005-2006: 35.1
- Approximate ratio of obese Americans in 2007-2008: 1 in 3
One could argue that America itself has been the test subject since 1967 concerning the effects of high fructose corn syrup. Actual clinical studies are starting to point in the same direction as well. As stated in a recent study published in the journal, Global Health:
“Researchers compared the average availability of high-fructose corn syrup to rates of diabetes in 43 countries. About half the countries in the study had little or no high-fructose corn syrup in their food supply. In the other 20 countries, high-fructose corn syrup in foods ranged from about a pound a year per person in Germany to about 55 pounds each year per person in the United States. The researchers found that countries using high-fructose corn syrup had rates of diabetes that were about 20% higher than countries that didn’t mix the sweetener into foods. Those differences remained even after researchers took into account data for differences in body size, population, and wealth.”[5]
This all begs the question of what we as the public can do about this. There are a wide variety of answers. Some argue for getting rid of the subsidies altogether or extending them to fruits and vegetables. Both arguments rest on the notion of the even playing field upon which capitalism is built. Let the consumer vote with his/her wallet, and the invisible hand will choose the one that is more beneficial. However, we must recognize that corn has a huge head start in this affair, and as such the two hardly can be deemed to be on even footing. This should be taken into consideration during the debate itself, the debate which is still ongoing. This is still a debate which the public can affect, whether you support the status quo or seek change of any kind. Your voice still can be heard by your Representative and your Senator. Of course this is America, home of the ‘do it myself’ attitude. If you’ve lost faith in the political process in this country, and I think there may be several of you out there, why not break the chain, if only a little, by planting your own garden? Democracy is and should never be a top-down process. If a bill is to become law or if something is to be given preference, it should be initiated at the behest of the people. This helps to ensure that we live green, be green.
By Sean P. Maguire
[1] http://www.oecd.org/health/49716427.pdf
[2] http://www.aneki.com/countries2.php?t=Countries_with_the_Highest_Obesity_Rates&table=table_obesity&places=2=*=*=*=*=*&order=desc&orderby=table_obesity.name&decimals=–1&dependency=independent&number=all&cntdn=asc&r=-373-404&c=&measures=Country–obese%20population%20aged%2015%20and%20over%20(OECD%20Countries)&units=–&file=obesity
[3] http://www.snaptohealth.org/farm-bill-usda/u-s-farm-bill-faq/
[4] http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=fresh-fruit-hold-the-insulin
[5] http://diabetes.webmd.com/news/20121127/high-fructose-corn-syrup-diabetes
On this good green news Monday, LGBG has opted to use this opportunity, in light of the tragic events at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, to reflect on the meaning and obligation of green living. We know that green living means different things to each of us, from protecting the air, land and water to recycling and not polluting to eating healthy diets and getting exercise. No matter the individual perspective towards green living, I think it is safe to say that there are basic tenets central to our understanding of green living. They are as follows:
- The choices made by any one individual affects all of us.
- The choices we make today will affect us at some point in the future.
- When we speak about saving the planet or the environment, we are talking about saving ourselves.
With this understanding, it is important for everyone to make living green an obligation, not a choice. The greatest obligation we have is to our planet and to our children, each and every one of them. They are the future of this land and as stewards of the Earth, we are obligated to deliver to them a clean, healthy environment. It is our responsibility to love and protect our young and to do all that we can to ensure that they grow up to be healthy, happy and prosperous adults. To that end, we are obligated to educate them. We send them out to school each day with the expectation, and a very reasonable one, that they will return home to us. In turn, our government has an obligation to provide a safe learning environment for our children and a guarantee that they will be protected and will be returned to us at the end of the day.
A major concern of green living is the safe and environmentally friendly design of buildings, and the conversation regarding this matter must be a top priority. It is urgent that city planners, engineers, environmental consultants and elected officials design and build schools that are safe and secure from intruders, with the staff and technology to monitor all visitors and deny admission to anyone perceived to be a problem or who pose a potential danger to staff or students. We know that buildings can be designed to be secure as our prisons are secure on any level that we need.
We also must address the safety of our society, especially our children, from a health perspective. This begins with coming face-to-face with the issue of mental illness. We need for every citizen to have access to health care. This goes a long way to aid in the identification of people, young and old, with mental health or emotional problems, which apparently is a substantial portion of our population as evidenced by the widely used mental health diagnoses of post-traumatic stress disorder , bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. We must provide treatment for these individuals, just as we would for people with cancer, heart conditions, arthritis autism or any other physical anomaly. A change in attitude that regards mental illness as a sickness will help families to come forth and seek help, rather than hiding these conditions so that a loved one will not be made to feel like a pariah in the community.
Green living obliges us to raise our children to respect our environment and the other people and animals who occupy this space with us. Our choices on how we treat our children, what we feed their minds and bodies, and the examples that we set for them to follow will determine their physical and emotional development and well-being. We must teach them to be kind to others and to never be a bully to any person or animal.
If we all accept green living as an obligation, not a choice, we can take a major step forward to heal from these recent tragedies and move forward to save our planet and our children. Let’s all respond to the call of duty to live green, be green.
On Children by Kahlil Gibran
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.You are the bows from which your children
as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might
that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable.Description unavailable (Photo credit: theloushe)
Fall has arrived officially. Life is busier than ever with the children back in school and with several major holidays swiftly approaching. For many people, this season signals fewer visits to the gym and difficulty maintaining workout schedules. The good news is that a lot of fall activities carry great health benefits, especially in the area of calorie burning, while also being relaxing and fun.
- Walking. Temperatures are cooler and outside colors are vibrant. For every hour of hiking, expect to burn about 400 calories. Also, this is a great time to walk through a corn maze. The kids will have fun and walking here for an hour will burn approximately 300 calories.
- Raking leaves. This is one of the mandatory rites of autumn with a great health benefit. While raking tones arm muscles, it also burns more than 100 calories every half hour.
- Chopping wood. Take that simulated wood chopping move practiced in the gym to tone abs to the next level. In addition to saving money on firewood for the winter, splitting wood for 25 minutes burns 150 calories.
- Pumpkin picking. Walking with a 10-lb pumpkin is as good as a kettlebell workout with the added bonuses of fresh air, beautiful scenery and a 270-calorie burn.
- Organizing a fall wardrobe. An hour spent swapping out summer clothing and shoes for winter attire burns 240 calories.
- Apple picking. This is a fun activity for the entire family that helps the local economy and provides fresh fruit while burning 200 calories for every hour of picking.
- Trick-or-Treating. A walk with the children around the neighborhood is healthy family time, and an hour-and-a-half walk burns roughly 330 calories. Try not to sabotage the benefits of this activity by eating too much candy.
Autumn brings a time for new and exciting fitness opportunities along with a bounty of fresh and healthy fruits and vegetables that can be picked by the consumer. All of this, combined with family time enjoying the cool fresh air and beautiful landscapes, offers a great opportunity to live green, be green.
Autumn Bounty
It is amazing that in this whimsical world of information and technology, we are bombarded on a frequent basis with “new” and often-conflicting information on health regimens and dietary and nutritional information. Yesterday Vitamin D was a good thing. Today it is bad. The same thing applies to fish oil– a miracle supplement a few months ago and now useless.
I find it refreshing that Jesse Ziff Cool, chef and lecturer, and owner of Cool Cafe has dug in her heels on the health benefits of organic nutrition. It is interesting to note that Jesse Cool operates out of Stanford University, the home of the recent study questioning organics. It is with strong conviction that Ms. Cool, who also is the author of Simply Organic, states, “I’ve been pioneering and advocating organics for 37 years. Once you really embrace that, you don’t want to feed yourself or anyone near you anything that could some day harm you. All you want is real food”. Her philosophy will not be changed by one study.
Others in the business of organics concur with Ms. Cool. They include Bob Quinn, the president of KAMUT International (www.Kamut.com) and Arran Stephens, CEO of Nature’s Path (http://us.naturepath.com). These two men note that the Stanford study is inconsistent with their experiences of 25 and 45 years respectively. I agree with the theory of organics from a common sense approach. Surely food grown without “toxic pesticides, glyphosate herbicides, synthetic fertilizers, genetically modified organisms, sewage sludge and radiation” must be healthier for everyone—farmers, consumers and the environment, than food produced using these substances.
It is important to keep abreast of research and studies on organics and other matters affecting your health and the environment. It also is important for each of us to turn on our internal filters and delete false or faulty information from our internal and external databases. As quoted by Voltaire and aptly restated by Ellen Kamer, (columnist at the Edgie Veggie) “tend your own garden”. Let’s eat green, live green be green.
Rebellious Naturals refuse to be moved by Stanford Study which dismisses the benefits of organics
A study from the University of Cambridge concluded that reducing our consumption of red meat would help our health and the environment. The BMJ Open Study (http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/2/5/e001072.abstract) included data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey of British Adults in 2000 to 2001. The researchers observed the amount of meat consumed by study participants and the level of greenhouse gas emissions linked to 45 different foods.
After adjusting for proportions, the study found that people who regularly ate red or processed meat overall ate more food than people who did not consume red or processed meat on a regular basis. They then calculated that if consumers of red and processed meat limited their intake to the level of individuals who do not consume red and processed meat or who ate smaller portions of these products with less regularity, the former group would reduce its health risks for diabetes, colorectal cancer and heart disease anywhere between 3% and 12%. Specifically, the data indicated that men who ate red meat had an average consumption of 53 grams a day. A reduction in consumption compatible to that of people who do not regularly consume red meat translated to a 12% decrease in risk for colorectal cancer and type 2 diabetes. This also would decrease greenhouse gas emissions linked with food and beverages by just under a half of a ton (0.45) per person.
Despite the fact that the survey data used for this study is more than 10 years old, the researchers validated its qualification for this study because statistics indicate that the consumption of red meat has not changed significantly over the past 10 years, and in fact, this data may even be conservative. It is also consistent with previous research published in the British Journal of Cancer that shows a possible association between processed meat consumption and cancer risks, linking a 19% increased risk for pancreatic cancer and the daily ingestion of an extra 50 grams of processed meat.
Reduced consumption of red meat is a boost to good health and helps the environment.
Studies such as these provide hard evidence for our need to reduce consumption of red and processed meat. This is a great way to improve our health and to help the environment. To be successful, start small by first reducing the amount of red meat on our plates and increasing the side dishes. Then move on slowly to eliminating red meat from some meals. Look for creative recipes for vegetables and side dishes to make them appetizing and filling, and be sure to include water with your meals. Once this becomes a habit, it will be easier to maintain. There also is the added plus of extra cash in your pocket from reduction in food expenses. Remember to eat green, live green, be green.
School will be starting in just a few weeks, and now is a great time for parents, teachers and students to focus and commit to a green project to be incorporated into this year’s learning experience. We see department stores and grocery chains gearing up their cash for schools projects that award money to neighborhood schools in exchange for loyalty shopping. We also are familiar with the yearly competitions to be named an area blue ribbon school for academic excellence. Now there is the green ribbon school award, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education.
The green ribbon school award honors schools that are:
• Exemplary in reducing environmental impact and costs;
• Incorporating curricula and programs to improve the health and wellness of its students and staff;
• Providing effective environmental and sustainability education, incorporating STEM, civic skills and green career pathways.
Participation in this competition requires nomination from state education agencies. To be eligible to participate in the 2012-2013 competition, a state education agency must indicate its intent to nominate schools in its district by August 30, 2012 via email at the site listed below. Any school interested in being nominated should contact its state education agency for specific application information.
An excellent place to start to gather general information on this program is the following website: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/green-ribbon-schools/index.html. Please remember to contact your school to express interest in this program and request that your state education agency be notified to file the necessary intent to nominate by the aforementioned deadline. This then presents an opportunity to coordinate with school officials to put a program in place. This is a wonderful way bring together the community, including parents, students and teachers to learn green, live green, be green.