Archive for April, 2009

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U.S. Cities Recent Air Quality Reports—Not Good

Wednesday, April 29th, 2009

I noted before that during the previous administration there seemed to be a lack of current comprehensive air quality reports, but new reports have just been released by the American Lung Association that used the EPA’s study conducted over a recent 3-year period.

Relative to the American Lung report, an ABC news article stated: “Roughly 60 percent of Americans live in areas where air pollution has reached unhealthy levels that can make people sick, suggests the 2009 State of the Air report released today by the American Lung Association.” The study concentrated on increased levels of particulate matter, and ozone because they pose health risks. The results are not good, “Air pollution remains widespread and dangerous with nearly every major city burdened by some type of pollution from either ozone or particle pollution.” Even places that are considered pristine showed a rise in air pollutants.

The report also says that despite the “green movement” in the U.S., our air increases our health risks. I would call it more like a green crawl. The ABC article says that Americans aren’t all that concerned about air quality. Obviously not because more coalburners are going up. The general public believes dirty air is concentrated in industrialized areas. But that is a big error. Poor air quality is widespread and aggravating conditions like asthma and bronchitis. We just may be blaming our stuffed up heads on pollen and springtime, when it’s industry pollution and the ozone that are tipping the overload. My husband and I have terrible sinus problems this year like never before.

Monroe did not fair well on the particulate test. It got a D. The report is incomplete for ozone in Monroe since there were no figures for it at all. The absence of ozone reporting is represented by the “-” in the report. But with Wayne County having both ozone and particulate reports complete and receiving an overall F for air quality, and Lucas County, OH getting an F for ozone, and D for particulates also, it doesn’t look much better for Monroe that is sandwiched between them.

Parameters for measuring particulates were changed by the EPA in 2006 also, (On September 21, 2006, the EPA announced a revised 24-hour National Ambient Air Quality standard for PM2.5). I could not determine from the explanation for this change, whether EPA parameters were more strict or loose. Monroe passed the EPA’s annual rating though. Go figure. According to the explanation of methodology:

[] The EPA determines whether a county violates the standard based on the 4th maximum daily 8-hour ozone reading each year averaged over three years. Multiple days of unhealthy air beyond the highest four in each year are not considered. By contrast, the [Lung Association] system used in this report recognizes when a community’s air quality repeatedly results in unhealthy air throughout the three years. Consequently, some counties will receive grades of “F” in this report showing repeated instances of unhealthy air, while still meeting the EPA’s 1997 ozone standard or the 1-hour ozone standard set in 1979. The EPA adopted a new ozone standard on March 12, 2008. This grading system has not been adjusted to reflect the new standard.

The EPA’s annual rating gave Lucas County a pass, but failed Wayne. Somehow I don’t feel all that assured about Monroe’s “pass” status for air quality by the EPA. Our health is being measured in parts per million again, and among changing standards.

The ABC news article: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/AllergiesNews/story?id=7449100&page=1
The American Lung website: http://www.stateoftheair.org/2009/states/
How the study was done: http://www.stateoftheair.org/2008/methodology/

Posted in Alternative Energy, Clean Air Act, Coalburners, Conservation, EPA, Environmental Legislation, Environmentalism, Fossil Fuel, Health, Michigan Pollution, Monroe Pollution, Monroe, Michigan | No Comments »

Swine Flu; It’s About Time Smithfield Foods Got a Look See

Tuesday, April 28th, 2009

I am sooooo happy Smithfield Foods is in the limelight over the swine flu even it didn’t originate at any Smithfield locations. This is the filthiest, most evil business I’ve encountered. I posted a blog long ago for everyone to read a most disturbing article about what we do to our food animals in this country, and how it comes back to kick us in the butt in the form of pollution.

The article “Boss Hog” in Rolling Stone Magazine was the biggest eye-opener I’ve ever read. Since reading that article and blogging about it, I have not touched red meat except for buffalo and/or organic free range beef only once in a blue moon. The poultry I eat is free range. I will not be a part of a system that does what we do to food animals. I’ve since joined American Farmland Trust, FACT, and Farm Sanctuary.

I’ve said this before. We have cute little movies about cute little talking pigs like “Charlotte’s Web,” but if we showed our children what we do to what we’ve deemed “highly intelligent” animals before we eat them, they would have nightmares forever. Heck, after reading “Boss Hog,” I had nightmares.

CAFO’s are nothing but cesspools. Ever wonder why we see “No antibiotics” on meat packages now? It’s to make the meat appear as more wholesome, when in fact the animals were given antibiotics to keep them healthy in CAFO’s in the first place. The animals are so stressed they literally chew on the steel bars, cannot lie down, and even have to give birth that way. They are often sickly like the “downed cow” every one witnessed being shoved to extermination on video. This is what this big, moral country allows, while we’re obese, and continue to consume more meat than any other nation.

That aside, large corporations like Smithfield are in the pocket of legislators and literally get away with big time pollution. Huge open-air lagoons of waste, after-birth, blood, pesticides, fatty residue from the slaughterhouses, and what used to be antibiotics run over into groundwater, wetlands, and streams. Heck they spray this mixture on surrounding fields and call it “nutrient loading.”

There are over 200 CAFO’s in Michigan, mostly owned by Dutch companies. We had a chance to limit them not long ago. Members of our congress wanted to stop any more from coming here, and to set up stricter guidelines by citing what happened in N.C. as a result of Smithfield Foods. But our illustrious senate decided that CAFOs brought too much money to Michigan (AG lobby), and that Michigan’s stance would be business as usual allowing CAFO’s to basically self-regulate because we have few inspectors left. And that Michigan would deal with a bad CAFO situation if and when it happened.

Well, now this has happened. According to an article in Huff Post, “Last year, the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production issued a lengthy report on factory farming that included research on emerging forms of avian-swine-human influenza viruses.” The Pew Commission stated that pig or avian flu seldom transmitted to humans. However, the commission also warned:

The continual cycling of swine influenza viruses and other animal pathogens in large herds or flocks provides increased opportunity for the generation of novel viruses through mutation or recombinant events that could result in more efficient human-to-human transmission of these viruses. In addition, agricultural workers serve as a bridging population between their communities and the animals in large confinement facilities. This bridging increases the risk of novel virus generation in that human viruses may enter the herds or flocks and adapt to the animals.

Reassortant influenza viruses with human components have ravaged the modern swine industry. Such novel viruses not only put the workers and animals at risk of infections, but also potentially increase zoonotic disease transmission risk to the communities where the workers live. For instance, 64% of 63 persons exposed to humans infected with H7N7 avian influenza virus had serological evidence of H7N7 infection following the 2003 Netherlands avian influenza outbreak in poultry. Similarly, the spouses of swine workers who had no direct contact with pigs had increased odds of antibodies against swine influenza virus. Recent modeling work has shown that among communities where a large number of CAFO workers live, there is great potential for these workers to accelerate pandemic influenza virus transmission.

I’ve always wondered how the first CAFO got into Michigan in the first place? Since many of us in Michigan believe we are the main caretakers of the Great Lakes, and are therefore, responsible for the nation’s largest fresh water supply, how on earth could anyone allow CAFO’s and their open-air lagoons of waste to operate here? We know where most of our groundwater runoff is going to end up. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that out.

Read “Boss Hog” for a real eye opener as to what you’re eating:
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/12840743/porks_dirty_
secret_the_nations_top_hog_producer_is_also_one_of_americas_
worst_polluters/print

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/swine-flu-outbreak—-nat_b_191408.html

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Posted in CAFO's, Earth, Environmentalism, Farms/Farming, Food, Food Supply Contamination, Hormones in Food, Legislators, Meatpacking Industry, Michigan Clean Water, Michigan/Great Lakes, Morality, Smithfield Foods, State Gov't., U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, U.S. Food Supply, e-coli | 5 Comments »

Jim Rogers of Duke Energy Admits Coalburner Emissions Stoke Global Warming

Monday, April 27th, 2009

Duke Energy is the 3rd largest utility in the country. Its CEO, Jim Rogers, admitted that coal fired plants contribute heavily to global warming on CBS’ 60 Minutes last night. Rogers talked about coal as cheap and plentiful but DIRTY. Clean coal commercials are misleading to say the least.

The report went on to show one Duke coal plant that traps all the CO2 emissions, liquefies the stuff, and pumps it underground. The problem is this plant cost $1.5 billion to build. And I’ve read this over and over again, and Rogers says the same, there is no scientific data about the results of pumping enormous amounts of liquid CO2 underground. Enormous is not an exaggeration. The 60 Minute report showed how much coal one particular Duke Energy coal plant uses per day. The rail cars were one mile long! That’s a lot of CO2 to capture without knowing what exactly will happen when we pump it underground. We’ve already become like human mosquitoes, poking upwards of a million holes in the earth for mining coal, oil, or gas in this country alone. This is quite a bloodsucking scenario we’ve perpetrated on earth already. Now we’re prepared to poke holes to put stuff back in. I guess big bloated landfills aren’t enough for the earth to digest. We need to pump stuff into it too.

All of this uncertainty about pumping CO2 into the ground hasn’t deterred the U.K. Its Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband announced last Friday: “Any new coal-fired power stations built in Britain will have to be fitted with cutting-edge technology to capture their carbon emissions.” http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/green-living/clean-coal-is-future-for-energy-supplies-1673412.html. While this will probably prove to be too costly for the U.K., at least the government isn’t allowing any more coalburners to be built the old fossil fuel way. Duke plans to build two more coalburners in the near future.

Duke Energy is of the notion that phasing out all coal burning facilities in the next 20 years is a “no-can-do.” That’s a pretty definite answer from a company that admits it’s part of the problem. Besides, how many times have we heard “it can’t be done” about airplanes, autos, refrigerators, television, air conditioning, microwave ovens, pc’s, etc? I distinctly remember working on some of the first desk top computers at U of M hospital in 1974. The main frame took up a room. Now our cell phones are morphing into mini computers. And of course new technology costs. Look at digital watches when they first came out compared to today where you can buy one at the dollar store.

I believe most of the cost of changing technology and moving in a new direction comes from fighting the guys that don’t want to let go of their moneymaker, whether it kills us or not.

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/60_minutes/video/video.php?cid=927554855&pid=1ycm_ajYxX_wB8aWbGnAICZ_G9ytgdmf&play=true&cc=0.

Posted in Alternative Energy, Coal, Coal Mining, Coalburners, Conservation, Earth, Energy Costs, Environmentalism, Fossil Fuel, Global Warming, Utilities | No Comments »

Global Warming and Worldwide Recession; The Dustbowl and the Great Depression

Friday, April 24th, 2009

I caught a 2-hour special on the History Channel titled, “Black Blizzard.” Everyone should try to catch this as it relates to man and climate. The next airing will be this Sunday, April 26th, at 10:00 am. After seeing this I have to ask: Is history repeating itself in a bigger venue because there are a lot of similarities between the Great Depression and the Dustbowl drought with today’s global warming trend and worldwide recession? Let’s look:

1920’s-30’s U.S. Agricultural Economy

  • Industrial Revolution is moving ahead yet agriculture still big part of economy.
  • During Hoover’s presidency the Farm Board is created.
  • Farm Board decides to boost income of U.S. farmers by withholding grains from world market to drive up prices and for federal banks to make liberal loans to farmers to sustain them while holding back their yields from the market.
  • The Farm Board establishes the Grain Stabilization Corp. that begins buying up wheat, which boosts prices above world prices for a short time.
  • Wheat farmers prosper causing a huge flow of people West to farm in areas known to suffer regular drought patterns.
  • The plan backfires when other countries begin supplying wheat to the world markets and the U.S. wheat farmer loses out.
  • The massive back load of U.S. wheat inventory further depresses market prices.
  • The same happens to the U.S. cotton industry.
  • Herbert Hoover refuses to intervene for the farmer and states the market will correct itself.
  • Meanwhile, U.S. foreign trade decreases drastically and what should be a recession turns into a depression. The U.S. quits buying foreign and so the foreign powers default on their debts to the U.S.
  • Everyone ignores the environmental impacts of over-farming the land and the dustbowl begins.

1920’s-30’s Climate

  • Normal drought patterns in the central plains didn’t produce huge dust storms prior to the big wheat rush because much of the unfarmed areas are covered with desert grasses adapted over time to withstand drought and winds. These grasses keep soil from eroding.
  • With the wheat rush farmers uproot most of these grasses. When wheat cannot endure normal patterns of drought no vegetation is left to stop the wind from blowing the dirt away.
  • The most fertile layer of soil blows away. Dust storms are thousands of feet into the air and carry some 50 million tons of earth at a time not unlike volcanic ash rising like clouds across miles of terrain.
  • The normal arrival of a jet stream from the New Zealand/ Australia area offering rain is diverted due to the massive dust clouds. 
  • The dust storms increase in duration and strength perpetuating the drought.

The Great Dustbowl sets a precedent that man did and therefore can affect our climate. Much of what happened during the Dustbowl sounds familiar like forcing false markets, a greedy rush for a piece of the pie, destroying land/nature for wealth, a horrible economic crash, and subsequent devastation to ourselves and the earth.

Over farming aggravated the normal climate processes throughout the central states during the 30’s to the point it helped to sustain a prolonged and increasingly volatile weather pattern beyond the normal period of drought that had serious impacts for thousands of people especially their health. We still do not fully understand the extent to which all our ecosystems are intrinsically related. As was evidenced by the Great Dustbowl, setting one out of balance for even a brief period of time can cause increased and devastating climate patterns far past the norm.

Watch a video of the extraordinary dustbowl storms of the 30’s:

History Channel – The Black Blizzard: http://www.history.com/shows.do?action=detail&episodeId=366826

This website has many good reference sources: http://science.howstuffworks.com/dust-bowl-cause2.htm

This article relates man’s effects on the dustbowl although it leaves out the History Channel study about diverting the jet stream that would have brought drought relief: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080430152030.htm

If you can find a copy of The Surplus Farmer by Bernhard Ostrolenk published in 1932 about what was happening in the agricultural industry at the time, it should be a pretty good read. Ostrolenk stated: “The Farm Board had advised the farmer to gamble with his crop instead of urging him to market it, and these repeated statements of the Board had led farmers to believe that by withholding their wheat and cotton they could get higher prices. During 1930 it was the known surplus of agricultural commodities in the U.S. which forced farmers to face the most drastic price cuts in a decade.”

This gov’t. website correlates with Ostrolenk’s observations about holding back trade and the ensuing surplus: http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/eib3/eib3.html

Article about the forced market back then: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,846807-2,00.html

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Posted in Drought, Earth, Environmentalism, Extreme Weather in U.S., Farm Bill, Farms/Farming, Global Warming, Health, Industry, Politics, Pollution, Science, U.S. Weather Patterns, Weather/Climate, You Tube | No Comments »

One Good Sunny Day Leads to Solar Fountain Search

Thursday, April 23rd, 2009

We’ve finally had a nice sunny day during Earth celebration week and I’ve been rummaging around to find things to make my own outdoor solar fountain. Solar power items have improved and proliferated in the past couple of years. I’ve found quite a few websites that sell some really nice solar fountains. One website is running big sales and free shipping—a good deal. http://www.gardenfountainoutlet.com/?gclid=CIvx_OXyh5oCFR7yDAodFGShGQ

I like the solar fountain I already have and besides being environmental, they are so easy. However, there are pros and cons to solar fountains that prospective buyers need to consider.

1. They only run during the day when the sun is out.
2. The water pressure is inconsistent relative to the sun.
3. If the solar panel is separate from the fountain, the fountain can be in the shade.
If the solar panel is integrated into the fountain, the fountain must be in the sun.
4. The solar pump should be brought in during the winter.
5. The solar fountain can be placed anywhere because they do not need electricity.
6. They are carefree during the day, starting and stopping automatically.
7. Solar fountains do not add to the utility bill.

Solar fountains suite me because quite frankly the mosquitoes are horrible after dark so I’m seldom outside. Besides I’m putting my fountain near my front porch as a focal point. When I started looking my attitude was not so fussy. I was just going to buy the whole kit that includes the actual fountain, pump, tubing, and solar panel like my other one. But as I looked, my artistic side surfaced and I started to get real fussy about size, shape, and I want it to be contemporary. When I hit on a website with all types and sizes of solar pumps, it was a point of no return. I will make my own fountain. I’m planning a “search and find” trip for some urns now.

I’m not going into detail how to make an outdoor fountain because these websites do a pretty good job: http://www.ehow.com/search.aspx?s=Outdoor%20Fountains

http://ezinearticles.com/?Buying-or-Building-Your-Own-Water-Fountain&id=89262

Since I already have one solar fountain, I know the mechanics of how to put one together and this was a good website for pumps: http://www.solarkey.com/product_list.asp?classtype=0202

And while I searched I found another good website for solar powered floodlights that I might add to highlight my new fountain at night. This site also sells solar fountain kits, as well as, solar pumps.
www.thefind.com/search?query=solar+powered+flood+light

All in all, I found a lot more solar fountains than were available just a couple of years ago and more websites with solar everything. When I get my solar fountain together, which might not be too soon, I’ll blog a picture of the finished product.

Posted in Alternative Energy, Conservation, Environmentalism, Green Products, Green Retailers, Solar Energy | 13 Comments »

HAPPY EARTH DAY!

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009

Good Morning America’s Sam Champion broadcast from one of our national parks in Virginia this morning because he said: “What better way to celebrate Earth Day than to view what it is we’re trying to protect.” He’s absolutely right.

So this is one heck of a video I found on You Tube that does just that. Its owner frotix says that it is the first part of his national parks of America video and hopes we like it. I like the Native American music. It’s appropriate. Watch the first half:

I couldn’t resist adding another video by owner mhnatt who states that it was his first attempt at making a movie. I think he deserves a big hand. He crossed 10,000 miles in 3 months and 3 countries in his trip out west. It’s poignant and a very good mix of all the different terrain we’re trying to protect by curbing global warming and the impact it will have on these places and critters. Notice there is a clip of a wolf.

Watch the trailer:

.

Posted in Animals and Extinction, Animals in Peril, Conservation, Earth, Endangered Species, Environmentalism, Global Warming, Marine Life, Morality, National Parks and Forests, Native Americans, Nature, Plants, Protesting Pollution, Science, Trees, Weather/Climate, Wetlands, Wildflowers, Wildlife, You Tube | No Comments »

Labor Unions Celebrate Earth Week

Tuesday, April 21st, 2009

The Apollo Alliance, a coalition of labor, business, environmental, and community leaders are working to jump-start a clean energy revolution. They know that it will produce millions of jobs and help the economy. Apollo Alliance claims the Apollo Space program as its inspiration to “promote investments in energy efficiency, clean power, mass transit, next-generation vehicles, and emerging technology, as well as in education and training. Working together, we will reduce carbon emissions and oil imports, spur domestic job growth, and position America to thrive in the 21st century economy.”

That’s a real “we can” attitude. Among Apollo Alliance’s partners “focused on generating green collar jobs” are the nation’s union halls. The union program is called Earth Week in the Union Halls. It launched Saturday, April 18th with the goal of creating support from unions on a national level for clean energy investments and green collar job training.

The weeklong event of the participating 70 union halls nationwide will host the movie “The Greening of Southie” that I blogged about recently with video of the trailer. The DVD documents the trials of renovating an old Boston building into a green Boston building by union construction crews.

The Apollo Alliance website has quite a long article titled “How to Find a Green Job” that states:

The New Apollo Program is a comprehensive economic investment strategy to build America’s 21st century clean energy economy and dramatically cut energy bills for families and businesses. It will generate and invest $500 billion over the next ten years and create more than five million high quality green-collar jobs. It will accelerate the development of the nation’s vast clean energy resources and move us toward energy security, climate stability, and economic prosperity. And it will transform America into the global leader of the new green economy.

I’m impressed. And I know there are at least two big-time alliances like Apollo working toward the same goal. The article goes on to say that Americans are at a crossroads. Do we keep going with our outdated fossil fuel ideas that will ultimately come to an end some time in the future while putting us at greater and greater risk for severe climate conditions, or do we seize this time as an opportunity for change for the better. We will be healthier as a result of the earth becoming a healthier place. It’s really up to us.

We’re not doing so well now anyway. People are looking for new jobs and are willing to relocate. Many have little to nothing left because of the economic crunch while others have been victims of devastation from increasingly violent weather conditions already. Still others are looking ahead for their children’s health and well-being. What better time to change? And that’s what America decided in the last election. We just need to move forward and keep moving forward—no looking back.

The Apollo article and website might be helpful for many. There is much more to read at:

http://www.apolloalliance.org/index.php?s=ervin

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Posted in Conservation, Earth, Energy Infrastructure, Environment and Jobs, Environmental Capital, Environmentalism, Financial, Funding for Green Business, Global Warming, Green Construction, Green Investments, Green Products, Industry, Methods for Lowering Energy Costs, Organizations, Weather/Climate | No Comments »

“Earth” Promises to Be a Fantastic Movie for Young and Old Alike

Monday, April 20th, 2009

Walt Disney releases its movie “Earth” in honor of Earth Day 2009 on Wednesday, April 22nd. For every ticket sold a tree will be planted by Disneynature, an independent film label, first announced by the Disney Corporation a year ago. Disneynature is dedicated to presenting big screen nature documentaries.

If you are a baby boomer no doubt you remember watching Walt Disney every Sunday night. It was the one bright spot in an evening that preceded getting up for school the following morning.

From what I’ve seen of the trailers, this nature film walks us through a year in the life of the animals we’ve come to know and love in our life time that are currently threatened with extinction. We grew up surrounded by these animals through the miracle of television and programs like Mutual of Omaha’s “Wild Kingdom,” and of course Tarzan movies.

The lives of these beloved creatures deserve a big screen presentation by Disney and we and our children deserve to be reunited with them on a panoramic scale. Maybe moviegoers will experience a little more empathy for the plight of our critter friends. Remember the canary-in-the-mine effect. If these magnificent creatures do indeed disappear, it’s more than likely man will soon follow.

In Monroe, MI, the Phoenix Theatre will present an exclusive digital showing of “Earth” beginning on Wednesday, April 22nd, at 1:00, 3:00, 5:10, 7:15, and 9:25 pm. Tickets can be purchased online at http://www.phoenixmovies.net/loc_frenchtown.asp beginning Wednesday.

Watch the Trailer

Posted in Animals and Extinction, Animals in Peril, Conservation, Earth, Environmentalism, Global Warming, Marine Life, Nature, Plants, Weather/Climate, Wildlife | No Comments »

ACES Bill Introduced; Make Sure It Includes Wildlife and Habitat

Monday, April 20th, 2009

Thursday, April 16th, House Energy & Commerce Committee Chair Henry Waxman and Subcommittee Chair Ed Markey introduced The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (ACES). This is a first step for a cleaner future that will benefit all of us in the long run. It will be an uphill battle of course because the oil and coal industry have been the status quo for energy in the U.S. since the last major transformation in our country—the industrial revolution. And with quarterly earnings that netted upwards of 40 billion dollars for some of them not long ago, there are some mighty deep pockets to push propaganda and thwart efforts for new innovative replacements for petro/coal based energy. So be prepared to see all types of ads this week since April 22 is EARTH DAY.

The new ACES bill addresses global warming concerns but will it also embrace measures to safeguard wildlife and habitat? We’ve seen them left out in the cold before. According to Defenders of Wildlife, “Scientists warn that global warming could threaten one-third of the world’s plant and vertebrate animal species with extinction by 2050.”

I’ve already done blogs about reductions in fish, bird, and bat populations. The apes are always at risk, as are elephants mainly due to loss of habitat by increasing populations of people and their needs. We destroy and do not replace, and we pollute and do not clean up after ourselves.

Defender’s urges: “That’s why it’s crucial that comprehensive global warming legislation include dedicated policies and funding to ensure wildlife can survive in a changing climate.

Please contact your Representatives to urge them to support this bill and strengthen the legislation by dedicating 7 billion dollars of the revenues from it to safeguard both wildlife and natural resources from the impacts of climate change.

Monroe’s Rep. is John Dingell – (313) 278-2936 or click on Defender’s of Wildlife link on my home page.

I’ve already called this morning and evidently Rep. Dingell is getting a lot of calls about this. His office stated he is very much interested in this bill and the future of wildlife and habitat.

Posted in Alternative Energy, Animals and Extinction, Animals in Peril, CO2 Emissions, Conservation, Defenders of Wildlife, Earth, Environmental Legislation, Environmentalism, Global Warming, Legislators, Michigan, Michigan Environmental Policy, Michigan/Great Lakes, Monroe, Michigan, Nature, Pollution, Rep. Dingell, Weather/Climate, Wildlife | No Comments »

Growing Number of Children Opting to Go Vegetarian

Saturday, April 18th, 2009

Children are going vegetarian more and more according to a new survey cited on ABC News. It appears that instead of shunning their vegetables, it’s meat they won’t eat. To some parents it takes the term “picky eaters” a step further. Parents of one child said he refused to eat meat as young as 3. Kids are doing it for humanitarian reasons in contrast to the growing obesity and heart disease in our country from devouring hundreds of thousands of animals per year.

Some 360,000 kids across the country, which is 1 in every 200, want a meat free diet and parents are concerned for their health, particularly because many of these families were not vegetarian to begin with. Parents are suddenly scrambling to find how they can fulfill the protein requirements for their children in other ways. And many parents watch diligently to make sure the kids know that vegetarian means that they will actually eat vegetables and fruits!

The medical community says that getting enough adequate protein is not the only issue, adequate caloric intake is important too. We all know meat represents the bulk of caloric intake at every meal, so eating enough to make up those lost calories in a balanced way is important. Problems arise when children slowly start navigating toward what is called and “all white” diet of sugary cereal, white bread, white pasta, etc. We all need diets that are colorful and by just following a bright color scheme is the first step in a well-balanced vitamin and mineral rich diet.

Good substitutes for protein include nuts, soy, beans (legumes), and whole grains. Some ideas for snacks are hummus dip (ground chickpeas) and veggies, peanut butter and jelly on whole grain or soy bread. BTW according to dailygreen.com “The FDA says so far, no brand name peanut butter sold in grocery stores is linked to the outbreak. Your Jiffy, Skippy and Peter Pan should be safe.” There are also tasty, crunchy soy nuts, all types of summertime bean salads, and whole grains like oatmeal with fruit. If dairy is not a problem include milk and eggs, and there is always fish sticks.

If a vegan diet is designed correctly it can be as healthy for a child as an adult. But it’s important to be aware of signs of malnutrition, which usually shows up in the hair, skin, and nails first. Mouth and eyes breaking out or tearing is another sign. As a cosmetologist, I was schooled to see the signs of poor health in these areas. I remember a client of mine that was recovering from breast cancer. The client had a huge mane of thick hair. As time when on, her hair became brittle, and changed texture. The thinner it became the more I urged her to go to her doctor. Unfortunately, the cancer went to her brain. It showed up in her hair long before she became lethargic or began to lose weight.

I also remember suffering from malnutrition myself. In my early 20’s, I went on the Atkin’s Diet. This was way before the diet was altered to include fruits and veggies low on the glycemic scale like now. I ate fried pork rinds, meats, fats, and literally no fruits and vegetables. I’ve always been health conscious and didn’t plan on being on this diet longer than 2 weeks, and took 2 multiple vitamins a day to make up the loss. Oh I lost 10 lbs. in two weeks all right, but my lips swelled like I just had injections. When I went to my doctor, he said I was malnourished, and “my God what kind of diet did you go on?”

So parents need to keep an eye on what and how much their vegan kids are eating, as well as, charting their growth. The good thing about these kids is that they impress their families with a veritable eye opener to humanitarian issues we should all be embracing in this country. Many of the families of vegan kids are opting to go meatless at least once a week. We’ve been doing this at my house for years especially on Monday after a weekend of pigging out. In the winter, Monday is soup day. In the summer, it’s more than likely salad day. And sometime during the week a meatless but tasty pasta dish or ratatouille with melted, gooey part skim mozzarella cheese and smoked provolone is always welcome.

By cutting back this way, along with a garden in the summer, people can weather this recession much better than most too. It’s good for our food animals, our health, and our pocketbooks. Perhaps if we all cut back on meat as we should, we might be able to get rid of industrialized farms for good.

http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/green-products-services/peanut-butter-recall-55020203

Posted in CAFO's, Farm Animals, Farms/Farming, Food, Health | No Comments »

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