You are currently browsing the daily archive for March 12, 2010.
cabinet of food and poison 2 by jessamyn, on Flickr
There are certain species that science looks to as indicator species. When these species first show problems, an alarm is sounded that something is happening that needs our attention. We have several things happening right now in these indicator organisms and how we react is very important.
Alarm #1: Atrazine Causing Sexual Abnormalities in Amphibians
(Beyond Pesticides, March 3, 2010) A recently published study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences finds that male frogs exposed to the herbicide atrazine can become so completely female that they can mate and lay viable eggs. This latest study adds to the growing scientific evidence which shows that atrazine, one of the most common herbicides used in the U.S., disrupts the development and behavior of aquatic animals, and negatively effects their immune, hormone, and reproductive systems.
Alarm #2: Silver Nanoparticles Lethal to Fathead Minnows
(Beyond Pesticides, March 4, 2010) Scientists at Purdue University have found that nanosilver that is sonicated or suspended in solution is toxic and even lethal to fathead minnows, an organism that is often used to measure toxicity on aquatic life. The study is the latest research to demonstrate the need for federal regulatory agencies to regulate emerging nanotechnologies as a unique pesticide.
Alarm #3: Pyrethroid Pesticides in Streams Found Toxic to Indicator Species
Pyrethroid insecticides, commonly used to kill ants and other insects around the home, have been found in street runoff and in the outflow from sewage treatment plants in the Sacramento, California area. The insecticide ended up in two urban creeks, the San Joaquin River and a 20-mile stretch of the American River, traditionally considered to be one of the cleanest rivers in the region. Although the pyrethroid levels were low, around 10-20 parts per trillion, they were high enough to kill a test organism similar to a small shrimp that is used to assess water safety.
One thing that strikes me is the incredibly small amount of substance required to cause problems. Two parts per trillion of pyrethroid are enough to paralyze one indicator species.
What does this have to do with real food?
Indicator species are more than just thermometers, taking the chemical overload “temperature” of our environment. They are food for other organisms. Because people are at the top of the food chain, we need to heed these alarms and not just roll our eyes and inwardly giggle about male frogs capable of giving birth.
Kate, my teenaged daughter and I both adore wild-caught Pacific and Alaskan salmon. While developing from egg to fish, salmon feast on amphipoda, small shrimp-like organisms similar to the type killed by pyrethroid. No amphipoda, no salmon. Animals eating large quantities of hermaphroditic amphibians could likewise become ill or damaged, and pass that up the food chain eventually leading to…us. And even if you are a strict vegetarian, these poisons are in the water used to irrigate your crops—yes, even organic crops.
Okay, so what can I do?
Getting rid of the toxic waste in your own home is an essential first step. Avoid antibacterial and antimicrobial products. If you are a germophobe, I recommend Why Dirt is Good: 5 Ways to Make Germs Your Friends by Mary Ruebush. Plain soap is good for washing hands, triclosan, used in antibacterial hand cleaners is a very dangerous chemical. You absolutely do not want an antibacterial cutting board, which leaches chemicals (usually triclosan) into your food with each swipe of the knife. Evidence is emerging that triclosan in our water supply doesn’t break down and that it builds up in the bodies of marine animals to the point that it might be toxic to them. One researcher, after using triclosan-containing products in the course of a normal day, discovered that his body absorbed 2900 times more triclosan after only two days of use.
Next, search your cabinets. Pesticides are not something you want in your everyday living space. There are many good natural remedies for bug infestation which can be located in an internet search. Some might not work for you, but keep trying until you find one that does. You may not like ants in your kitchen but poison on your food is not a good trade-off. And for heaven’s sake, if you must keep poison in the house, please do not store it near food, like in the above photo!
Finally, if you’re a letter-writing, phone-calling type, make your concerns known to the governing bodies that are paid with your tax dollars to protect you. Sign petitions, join associations, bookmark Beyond Pesticides, the Environmental Working Group and Grist.
Caring about the world in which we live has less to do with tree-hugging than with breathing, eating and drinking clean. You should absolutely start with your own body and your family’s health, but please don’t stop there.
This post is part of Prevention, not Prescriptions.
at the bake sale by tiny banquet committee, on Flickr
With the current struggle for funding, many schools depend on fund-raising efforts to keep their music and art programs going. Even so, the once-popular bake sale has come under attack in New York City schools. New York City’s Panel for Educational Policy has approved a new set of rules for bake sales. You can’t bring cookies for sale, or banana bread, or home-popped popcorn. But, you may buy a box of Pop-Tarts or Doritos and resell them. In addition to fresh fruits and vegetables, there is an approved list of (industrial) foods from which parents may choose to sell.
The idea is that because the homemade muffins are of different sizes, shapes and composition, the exact calorie count cannot be determined accurately. Food that comes in a package provides a calorie statement on the nutrition label, and therefore the exact portion sizes and nutrition data can be calculated. You kind of have to stand on your head and look out of the corner of your eye to see this logic, but it was the intent of the ruling to control the calories and therefore make a contribution in the fight on childhood obesity.
And a cursory reading of the rule makes some sense:
To qualify as an approved item, a snack must meet 11 criteria developed by the city. For example, all products must be in marked, single-serving packages with a maximum calorie count of 200. Artificial sweeteners, like Splenda, are banned. Less than 35 percent of the item’s total calories may come from either total sugars or fat. Grain-based products must contain at least 2 grams of fiber.
But digging a little deeper, the New York Times asks the right person the right question and truer motives are revealed:
The city’s new vending operator, The Answer Group, will also negotiate with vendors to produce fund-raising kits for students, probably by next September, said the group’s president, Tom Murn.
Then, as if to shift the focus of the issue with a shrug and a wink-wink:
Kathleen Grimm, the deputy chancellor who oversees the regulation, told members of the panel that the permitted snacks were not “necessarily foods we recommend that students eat.”
“We think an apple is the best snack,” she said, generating chuckles from panel members.
Chuckles from panel members. Chuckles?
This is getting out of hand. I can’t make a healthy snack for a school bake sale, but I can buy chemicals-in-plastic and resell them? I hope you will forgive my overactive cynicism gland, but it sounds to me like our schools are so desperate for money that they have opened themselves up to blackmail by the industrial food system. This kind of silly edict has the ring of “cash” more than “nutrition” to me.
As if to add a dash of interest, I find it ironic that this particular rule change is happening now. Weren’t bake sales one of the grassroots efforts which propelled Obama to the White House? What has happened that the bake sale, and homemade food in general has fallen even further out of favor so very quickly?
In a demonstration that is sure to capture the hearts and taste buds of legislators, one mother has organized a “bake-in” to be held at the New York City Hall on March 18. Elizabeth Puccini, the organizer of the bake-in has been a loud detractor of this policy since its announcement, showing up at meetings and press conferences to try to be a voice of reason.
I applaud Puccini’s efforts and hope City Hall pays close attention to her while they enjoy the homemade treats being brought to them on the 18th. She may not know it, but Elizabeth is a Pro-Food Food Renegade.
This post is part of Fight Back Friday, hosted by Food Renegade.
The Dark Side of Fat Loss
