Read 'n' Seed 6: Final Review of "The Food Revolution"

Overview
"The Food Revolution" was a great book with a lot of interesting information. The author, John Robbins, was raised in a wealthy environment and could have easily taken over his families ice cream company, Basken Robbins which would have lead him to a successful life. It is very inspiring to see that he chose his own path, moved to British Columbia, and lived financially unstable. He did this to stand up for what he believed in, which was to grow most of their food, learn the truth about food, and the process it goes though to get to our plates and teach the world about his findings. The book talks about diets, genetically modified foods and health effects.

Three Most Significant things I Learned
I learned about vegetarians. I learned that statistics show that blod cholesterol  levels of vegetarians compaired to non vegetarians are 14% lower.  Soy proteins hae been found to lower cholesterol levels and eating healthy reduces your risks of many diseases. It also lets you experience many levels of passion in your life.

The average U.S. kid sees 1,000 ads each week that promotes eating unhealthy. This includes retaurants such as McDonalds and Taco Bell. Most kids sgtart eating unhealthy at an early age which puts them on the path to bad habbits and obesity. More than 5,000 schools in the United States have contracts with fast food companies and suppl vending machines, this only supports unhealthy eating.

Lastly, I learned about slaughter houses and how farmers have been economically advantagous to raise their animals in conditions that are unnatural and unhealthy. Animals are stuck in cages, some cages are so small they cannot take a single step in their entire lifetime. 70% of U.S. pigs have pneumonia at the time of slaughter. Also, 90,000 cows and calves are slaughtered every 24 hours in the U.S. and 14,000 chickens are slaughtered every minute.

What Does it Mean to Me and Why is it Important?
This book was very beneficial for me to read. It completely changed the way I vew my foods, especially meats. Learing how the animals were tortured and what chemicals they put into our foods is making me re-think the foods I buy at the grocery store. I have also learned about certain diets and how most of them provide completely untrue information. Lastly, a shocking thing I read was that advertisement such as the milk mustache commercial provides false information. They say that drinking milk will decrease your risk of osteoporosis, when all they really wanted was to get their advertisement out so they could sell more of their product. It makes you think twice about what you buy and what is actually true.

Recommend?
I would definitely recommend this book. The author, John Robbins, is very passionate and "real" about what he is talking about. He is puts things into perspective so that everyone can understand the statistics. This book is very eye opening and provides a lot of benefical/shocking information! I suggest everyone read "The Food Revolution'!!!

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 10: Overall Project Reflection

What was your SMART goal? Did it change at all during the project? Explain.

My SMART goal was to stop drinking pop and start drinking out of a reusable water bottle. Towards the end I decided to add on to my SMART goal to eat healthier.

 

 What helped you be successful? What things got in your way? How can you address these in the future?

 I have always wanted to do something like this, but was never very motivated. When I started this goal I was really excited for it and was determined to be successful. When ever someone offered me a pop I made sure to stay strong and decline. Giving up pop for 10 whole weeks made me realize, I do not need it. Sure, I can have one once in a while, but I feel so much better and not so "sluggish" if I don't drink it.

 How did you benefit from this project? What did you learn about yourself? What did you learn about behavior change? 

 This project has been very beneficial for me. I learned that I was drinking waaay too much pop and drinking out of non reusable water bottles. It's nice because I have learned that drinking out of a water bottle not only keeps me dehydrated (since I fill it all the time) but keeps me from drinking unhealthy fluids. I learned that I am way more "upbeat" when I drink healthier fluids.

 How did others and/or the environment benefit from you changing this behavior?

 I had my roommates try giving up pop for a week and they went through with it and actually bought reusable water bottles. They agreed that it was beneficial and they were not as sluggish either. The environment also benefited from my SMART goal because I was not using so much plastic. I thought it was really cool how me being healthy could benefit the environment!

 Will you continue this behavior? Why or why not?

 I will definitely continue this behavior. I love how I feel when I drink healthy fluids and it makes me want to eat healthier. Before this lifestyle change I was getting headaches because I was so dehydrated. After I started my SMART goal my headaches went away and I feel great!

What recommendations do you have for others about making a lifestyle change?

 I would strongly recommend that they are motivated going into the change so they have motivation throughout the challenge. I would also tell them that it is definitely worth it and you feel more accomplished!

Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 10 hosted by Amy@Eco-Chic with Amy

Advocacy Project: Letter to Public Official

December 7, 2009
Senator Amy Klobuchar
United States Senate
302 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-2304

Honorable Senator Amy Klobuchar,

My name is Carrie Jones. I am a student at the University of Minnesota Duluth and am currently enrolled in Environmental Health. I was assigned to choose a topic that interested me and report back on my findings. I chose arthritis because I have watched too many people suffer from this disease.

More than 46 million people (of all ages) in America are victims to some form of arthritis, America’s most common cause of disability. This disease puts limitations on work and every day activities due to pain, aches and stiffness around the joints. I am strongly encouraging you to vote “yes” to H.R.1210: To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for arthritis research and public health. This is a problem worldwide that needs to end. I strongly believe this bill is the path to success.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, (CDC) every year arthritis is the cause of 992,100 hospitalizations and 44 million outpatients, which results in $128 billion medical bills. Unfortunately these numbers are expected to rise to 67 million by 2030 if we do not take action. I believe passing this bill will lower the rates of arthritis and get people more educated on the proper precautions to avoid the risk of getting the disease.

There are ways to address arthritis such as proper exercises and weight control but many people are either unaware of this, or they do not take the correct steps. One in every five children suffers with arthritis. This shows we need to do something about this problem and make sure everyone is educated, starting at an early age.

This bill has been introduced and referred to the House of Energy and Commerce committee but still has four steps to go in order to be signed by the president. I strongly encourage you vote “Yes” to H.R. 1210 so we can get on the proper path to success. If you have any questions, please, feel free to contact me. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Carrie Jones

(Contact information)

Reflections Week 11 and 12

Week 11

During this week split up into three groups. Using our own words, we made up a definition that people who were not educated on the topic would understand. Then we watched a movie called "The Story of Stuff". The movie talked about where products are made and the process it goes through. Then it talks about where it all goes after.It made me realize that recycling does not always go through the proper process, which was pretty shocking to me. This movie and activity made me realize that when I am educating people for my career, I need to break it down into terms that is easy for them to understand. After the movie we split in to groups. Dr. V gave us a few different objects and it was our job to think of ways on what they could be used for. This was a fun activity and really made me realize a piece of "junk" can be turned into something useful if you use your imagination!

Week 12 

During week 12 we learned how to blog hop. This was a really cool way of being able to see everyone's photo essay. Each one of us got up and talked about what we did for eye opener and what we learned from it. Everyone had great idea's and fun photos! Then, we did an activity where we split into two groups and discussed what are some good ideas to put into our advocacy project letter. This activity was very useful because it gave me some great ideas on what to put in my letter.

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 9: Weekly Update

My SMART goal

My SMART goal is to give up pop and drink only healthy fluids out of a re-usable water bottle. This is to keep me healthier and more motivated by giving up pop.

Successes and Challenges

I went home for Thanksgiving. I was around a lot of junk food and just food in general. Even though I did not eat healthy like I planned to do, I still stuck to my SMART goal and used my waterbottle instead of drinking pop. I have been drinking a lot of tea which is caffinated so I mix the powder with water and put it into my waterbottle, which is how I get my engergy. I faced challenges because when I eat unhealthy foods, I tend to want to drink unhealthy liquids so that was a little difficult. I am glad I did not give in and only drank healthy liquids.

Feelings

Like I said, it was more difficult being home, eating things I would not usually eat up here at college. I set a goal which was to start eating healthier when I came back up to Duluth, which I have been doing a great job of and it feels excellent! I had a week at home to be lazy, but now that I am back in school I am more motivated to work out and eat/drink healthy.

What I learned

I learned a lot this week. I realized that there may be some weeks that you feel more sluggish and a little more unmotivated, and that's okay, sometimes your body needs a break. However, I learned how important it is get back on track and stick to your goals. Whenever I work out and eat healthy I feel a million times better. Sure it is great to have pizza now and then and to pig out once in a while, but you need to do that in moderation.

Plans for Next Week

I plan to eat/drink healthy, work out, and use my re-usable water bottle for next week. After I got back from Thanksgiving break I realized how important it is for me to get back on track. I feel a million times better when I stick to my goals!

Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 9 hosted by Amy@Eco-Chic with Amy

Share and Voice: Super Star Blogger

I received this award from Karly for my post Barack's View on Energy and the Environment

 

I will be passing this "Supperstar Blogger award" to Jordanne for her share and voice post Buy Nothing Day. I really liked this post because I am not a fan of Black Friday. It is just an excuse for people to go out and buy a ton of items. I loved the video that Jordanne posted of Jon Stewart making fun of Black Friday. He makes fun of the "holiday" but to me, it was all true. It is just a reason for people to get up super early and waste a bunch of money on "cheap" items. I really like the idea of Buy Nothing Day it confronts the economies money struggles and makes people focus on the Environment. 

Award Instructions for the Award Winner(s)

1. Leave a comment below so that I know you "picked up" the award.
   
2. Within 1 week, create a Share and Voice post that says you've received the award and indicate who the award is from (be sure to hyperlink).
3. Also indicate to whom you are going to pass on the award and why. Be sure to hyperlink the blogger (use main blog URL) and the blog title (use the specific URL for that blog post).
4. Copy and paste these instructions at the bottom of your post. Be sure to include the Award in the post as well!
   
5. Publish the post.
6. Visit each blogger you've awarded and leave a comment telling them they've won.
7. Continue the process...

Eye Opener: Photo Essay

                For my photo essay I chose to report on my experience shopping at consignment stores and also at a furniture store that raises money for breast cancer.

 

The picture above illustrates a consignment store that I shopped at in Eden Prairie called Encore.

I went to three different stores, Encore (Eden Prairie), Nu Look and Fashion Avenue (Edina) and found great deals on mostly designer brand clothing. Everything was gently used clothing and accessories such as jewelry, purses and shoes. It was great to shop at these places because we have been learning in Environmental Health about re-using certain goods. While everyone else was shopping at the shopping malls for new items on black Friday, I was shopping for re-usable, yet fashionable clothing.

The picture above illustrates me shopping at Encore. I am proud to report back that I found a great pair of designer jeans that originally cost $160. I bought my pair of jeans for $58 (what a steal!).

Above is a picture of the "Hope Chest" located in Orono, MN. This is a very inspiring/unique store. They take donations and donated upscale furniture. All the money goes to women that are affected by breast cancer and to research in hopes of saving lives.

I was home two weeks ago. My Mom and Dad were talking about getting rid of our kitchen table because they found one they had liked better. Instead of throwing it away I suggested they bring it to the hope chest so we could donate to the cancer society. The picture above is a picture of me standing by the table that we donated! It was great to know that we are helping cancer patients by donating a simple table. I wish more stores were like this!

Reusing is very important these days. It helps not only the economy, but the land fills as well because we are not throwing away as much if we reuse. I definitely will shop at consignment stores more often. Not only is it cheaper, but healthier for our environment!

Read 'n' Seed 5: fourth quarter of "The Food Revolution"

Chapters and Pages Covered:

For the fourth quarter of the book, "The Food Revolution" by John Robbins,I read pages 252 to 360 (Chapters 14 through 19) which finished the excellent/informative book.

Main Topics

Robbins covered a lot of important topics that I am really glad I have been informed of. Robbins did an excellent job at going into details about each of these topics. First of all, I read about tropical rainforests and how the vast majority are bring destroyed in order for hamburgers and other meats to be produced.

Another main topic is how 1.2 billion people are over-mal nourished and another 1.2 billion people are over mal-nourished. There are 6 billion people on this planet and 1 billion of these people do not have enough to eat which can lead to physical impairments.

I learned about grain and where it is all going.

It was interesting to read about the lack of fish in the ocean and how some fish are on their way to extinction.

Lastly, I learned about genetic engineering and how many products it affects.

Significant things I Learned

Tropical rain forests contain 80 percent of the worlds species of land vegetation and account for oxygen supply. They have so much beauty to them but unfortunately they are being destroyed at a very fast rate.  I fount it very heartbreaking  to read that every second an area,the size of a football field, is destroyed. In central America 55 square feet of the tropical rain forest is destroyed for every fast food hamburger made from rain forest beef. Not only are they slaughtering cows, they are destroying beautiful land. The truth is, we need our forests. They give off oxygen, purify our water, and they are home to our plants, trees, and animals.

Moving toward  a more plant based-diet seems more out of the question these days because they are getting rid of a lot of our resources. Eating vegetables are helping our environment and even helping out the atmosphere because there would be less green house gasses filling the air.

Today, there are 6 billion people on our planet. Sadly, more than 1 billion of these people do not have enough to eat. 1/3 of our children do not get enough to eat and certainly not a all the nutrients needed  which makes them more susceptible to infectious diseases  which can cause physical impairments in their future.

40% of our worlds grain is fed to livestock. In reality, all of our grain is going hand in hand with out meat. Underfed people and overfed people have pretty much the same qualities because they are both malnourished. Over fed people are getting too much fatty foods and underfed people are not getting enough food to begin with. According to John Robbin's,"human  beings who could be fed by the grain and soybeans eaten by U.S. livestock is 1,400,000,000. However, they are being fed to animals in order for them to produce meat.

 

It is believed by any that it takes 12-16 pounds of grain to produce one pound of beef. This, according to USDA is false. It actually takes 17 pounds for each pound of beef.  Cows are kept in feedlots for 100  where they are fed about about 20 pounds of grain per day. During the 100 days the animals gain about 300 pounds so that they can produce more meat. Think of all the gain going to waste that billions of starving people could have and become more nourished. 

Another interesting topic I read about was the lack of fish in the ocean. I learned that 34% of all fish species were in danger to extinction. Fishing ships have had to drop their nets deeper into the ocean in hopes of catching. Restaurants have been told to take sword fish off their menu in hopes of recovery. Some fishing ships take out 80,000 pounds of fish in a single netting. No wonder some fish are on their way to extinction.

I learned that genetic engineering involves, "the permanent alteration of the genetic blueprint of a seed". by doing this scientists hope the plant grown form the seed will have certain characteristics such as lasting longer in stores so the certain food does not go bad right away. However, there has been controversy about genetic engineering and whether it is safe or not. The same gene can produce different effects depending on the  soil and chemicals/ I learned that two-thirds of the foods sold in the United States grocery stores contain genetically modified substances.

Implications of What I Read

I finished this book  with a whole new perspective on meat, including fish. I cannot believe all the beautiful, perfectly good rain forests are being destroyed in order to slaughter animals to produce meat. I have found myself cutting back on eating meats while I have  been reading,"The Food Revolution". If I can help save a perfectly good rain forest and help animals it would definitely be worth it. I was shocked when I fould out that 1.2 billion people on this plant are mal nourished. If we did not focus all of our attention on meat, we would have a lot more plant based meals, healhier land, not as many chemicals floating around in the air, and more grain to feed people. 

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 8: Weekly Update

SMART Goal:

My SMART goal is to stop drinking pop,drink out of a water bottle and drink healthy fluids out of it. I also added eating healthier foods to my goal because I have found that I feel more productive when I do so.

Successes and Challenges:

This past week has been more successful in the fact that I ate healthier foods and did not drink any pop.  There were not really any challenges because I have realized that when I eat and drink healthy foods/fluids, I tend to be more productive and more motivated.

Feelings:

I felt very motivated this past week and loved the way I felt! I worked out three times and drank a lot of water and tea. I was proud of myself for keeping on track with my SMART goal and bringing my water bottle to each class.


What I Learned: 
I have realized that I love the way I feel when I do not eat junk food. It may be delicious, but the end results are being sluggish.

Next Week:   

Next week I plan to bring my water bottle to class, eat healthier, and not drink any pop. I liked how I felt this past week and I want to get back on the right track! 






Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 8 hosted by Amy@Eco-Chic with Amy

Share and Voice 8: Barack's View on Energy and the Environment

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abGlr9sTdEg

 I thought this was a good video to share because we have been talking about Global Warming in class and it is nice to see Barack's View on the topic. I thought it was good that he addressed how it is becoming a problem and if we do not change our lifestyles and try to live more eco-friendly, we may be fine, but our children and grandchildren could be in danger. He says that we have been talking about this issue for decades, but have not done anything about it. It may take time, but if we start to change, we will better our country.

Advocacy Project: Issue Overview

Introduction:

The topic I have chosen to cover is Arthritis. The issue is that people are unaware of how serious the risks involved with this disease are. There are ways to help prevent this disease and it is important more people get the proper education on how to prevent Arthritis before it is too late. The bill that has been proposed is called. H.R. 1210: Arthritis Prevention, Control, and Cure Act of 2009.

Who is affected by Arthritis? 
A common myth about Arthritis is that it only affects elderly people. Unfortunately, everyone is at risk, even children. According to this site 40 million people in the U.S. alone are affected by this chronic disease. Some risk factors that can not be modified and the people that are more likely to be diagnosed wtih Arthritis include: African Americans, Family history of having arthritis and men and women over the age of 45.
Risk factors that can be modified include: being over weight, and a history of injuries to your joints. reference

Who loses? People with lower socioeconomic statuses that do not have time to work out and exercise, and people that cannot pay for therapy or medications lose.


Who Wins? People with Higher socioeconomic statuses that can afford to pay for therapy to help them practice the correct exercises, pay for the proper medications and people that catch it in the early stage. 

Consequences of Arthritis

Acccording to senior health the consequences can be quite devastating. 50% of people with  arthritis are not able to work within 10 years of their diagnosis. It can lead to joint deformity and even worse, premature death.


Consequences for Families: The consequences for families can lead to very unfortunate situations. Income is a huge factor because if the patient is unable to work, they will not be able to have income from that individual. 

Consequences for Society: Arthritis is the second cause of work disability right behind heart disease. This can cause high consequences for the society because many people are out of jobs and many companies are losing valued employers. senior health


Economic Impact of Arthritis:
According to CDC $80.8 billion came from indirect cost and $47 billion was from indirect for the cost of arthritis in 2003. This adds up to a total $127.8 billion in the United States alone. Direct and indirect costs were based on doctor-diagnosed arthritis costs for each state.


Economic benefits: There are a few economic benefits for arthritis. Living with arthritis does not always mean higher bills. Diagnosed-arthritis patients can apply for state benefits in order to help pay bills. There are corporations such as "Access to Work" which helps people be able to overcome any barriers. There is also a program called "Disability Living Allowance" which provides people with disabilities extra help.


Social Impact to Arthritis:
There is a company by the name of "Allsup Inc." that helps people, especially with arthritis conditions. Fortunately, Allsup Inc. has a 97% award rate and try to do their best in helping people live a more "normal" lifestyle and get the benefits that is necessary. They determine the severity of your condition and your age to see what benefits are needed.

Barriers
There are quite a few barriers when it comes to arthritis. If one is not diagnosed soon enough it can cause more problems down the road. Also, not having the proper resources can be a big problem. It is very important you stay active and physically fit. Most people with arthritis are limited to every day activities they are used to.

Educating people about the proper ways to deal with the disease and signs of arthritis is very important. Also, it is essential that one catches the signs at an early stage so they can get the proper care. If you feel any of the warning signs make sure to get things checked out (better safe than sorry). Working out and staying healthy is a key factor.



Resources
Resources that supply facts, studies, history, brochures and graphs are great ways to address the topic and provide valid information. These resources can be found in clinics, hospitals, and permissible website. 

History 
Arthritis was discovered in 4500 B.C. According to arthritisygoy

around 500 B.C. willow bark, also known as the "wonder drug" was seen as a miracle drug that relieved aches and pains. Later on, they found it to be poisonous. Now days, it is a much different story. There are medications one can take. However, the most important thing is to keep motivated, stay active and exercise in order to reduce the risk. 

Allies and Opponents 
People who would support the issue would be health educators, people with the disease, friends and families of the individuals, doctors, and anyone interested in helping or supporting the cause.


Who would oppose? Some people who have never had arthritis or who have never had a family member or friend be affected by the disease. Also, people who do not want to pay state cost. 

My Recommendation 
 I want everyone to vote "YES!" to the  H.R. 1210: Arthritis Prevention, Control, and Cure Act of 2009 policy. It would help out a lot of amazing/innocent people who, unfortunately have been affected by Arthritis. As a country we need to help them stay strong and vote for what is right. Vote "YES!" for H.R.1210

Reflection: Week 9 and 10

Week 9

During week 9 we discussed what advocacy was. We did a fun activity to understand it better. There were three groups, each had a topic relating to advocacy. My group did a short skit on what advocacy is/opposed to what is is not. I learned that helping people just out of the goodness of your heart is not advocacy but something such as standing in front of a bulldozer trying to stop it from destroying a house is advocacy.  After the activity we went over our healthy people/THOMAS  Advocacy project. I achieved my SMART goal for week 9 and was proud of myself for not giving in to drinking pop.

Week 10

This week I did pretty well with my SMART goal but I started to become more "sluggish". I decided I need to get back on track and eat healthy foods again. During class we watched the movie, "Unnatural Causes". I thought this was a very interesting movie. The movie talked about how health can be affected by your income. People living in nice neighborhoods have a higher life expectancy. The movie also talked about stress. I realized that an owner of a company may be stressed, but a janitor is more likely to be more stressed because there are other factors that go along with having a low budget.  People with low incomes may be stressed when it comes to their job,but even worse, they are stressed because they are not making enough money to support their families. An owner of a company can take a vacation to relax but for people with very low paying jobs that is the last thing they can afford to do. The stress of not being able to support your fanily and work all the time can cause high blood pressure. I thought this was a huge eye opener and would definitely recommend this video.

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 7: Weekly Update

Smart Goal
My SMART goal for the semester is to drink out of a reusable water bottle and stop drinking pop. By doing this, I am saving the environment. Little things like using a reusable water bottle can make a difference. :)

Successes and Challenges
 I have been doing very well with my SMART goal. I have been bringing my water bottle to all my classes and have tried putting new liquids in it such as tea and apple cider. The only bad thing is I have not been eating as healthy as I have been the previous weeks so I have become more sluggish. I felt that drinking more water helped improve my work out and eating habbits so I would like to get back on that track.

Feelings
 I feel good about my goal and am proud of myself for keeping it up. It is a little more tempting to say yes to a pop because like I said, I have not been eating as healthy. At least I am still bringing my water bottle to class and achieving my goal.


What I learned
I learned I feel much better when I drink water and eat less junk food. Not drinking any pop makes me feel healthier overall. Plus, I am spending less money by not buying it. :)

Next Week....

Next week I plan to bring my water bottle to each class and I plan to work out more and eat healthier so I don't feel so sluggish.

Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 7 hosted by Amy@Eco-Chic with Amy.

Advocacy Project: Healthy People/THOMAS

Healthy People Goal:

The healthy people 2010 goal I chose is Arthritis conditions. The objective is to reduce the number of adults who have limitations due to arthritis that effects their daily routines. The Progress Quotient Chart shows the 18 and older adults that limitations from arthritis. This is 33%.


 Emerging Issues with Arthritis
Unfortunately, like other chronic diseases, Arthritis is due to aging. There are ways to help prevent this disease. Some strategries include physical activity and making sure you are at a healthy weight. Arthritis has some emerging issues which include an argument over non steroidal anti inflamatory drugs and heart diseases.


Opportunities and Challenges:  
Health care providers are doign everything they can to try and improve the risk of arthritis. It is very important that people are informed  with accurate information, and also that the word spreads so it can be prevented easier.


Progress 

 In the past objectieves had not been met. Now days, there has been progess. For my objective, couseling adults with arthritis for weight reduction helped them more toward their main objective. 


Health Disparities 
Disparities are common for many patients who have arthritis. Unemployment rates and lack of exercise are huge factors when it comes to arthritis. Studies show white patients with arthritis have the best rates for limitations.

H.R.1210 : 

Title: To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for arthritis research and public health, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Eshoo, Anna G. [CA-14] (introduced 2/26/2009)  Cosponsors (145)
Committees: House Energy and Commerce
Latest Major Action: 2/26/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Recommendation: Vote yes for H.R.1210 for Public Health Service Act for Arthritis.

My Political Representatives: Senator Al Franken and Senator Amy Klobuchar

Read 'n' Seed 4: Third quarter of "The Food Revolution"

Chapters and Pages Covered:
For the third quarter of the book, "The Food Revolution" by John Robbins, I read pages 168 to 252 which covered chapters 10 to 14. These chapters covered a lot of shocking information that I was glad to read about.

Main Topics

The main topics covered in chapters 10-14 are: how animals are being raised and the terrible conditions they are put through. Robbin talks about the slaughter houses and how some animals dont even see day light until they are taken to them. These chapters also cover how many animals are slaughtered each day/minute which is very shocking.

Significant Things I learned

Farmers have been economically advantagous to raise their animals in conditions that are completely unnatural and unhealthy. With the antibiotics mixed into each meal, the use of hormones, drugs, and biocides the animals can be kept a live so that the overcrowding becomes cost effective. The crazy thing is that the extreme crowding of animals incrases the rates of animal illnesses but their profits increase.

Many farm animals are chained in individual cages so small they cannot take a signle step ih their entire lifetime. There are non profit organizatinos such as PETA and HFA that educate the public of the realistics of factory farming.  McDonalds was nominated for the prestigious Business Ethics award but the business Ethics magagzine decided not to give the award to McDonalds becacut they were concerned about the cruelty of McDonalds slaughter houses. PETA tried helping them out and offerered them other alternatives such as putting vegie burgers and more healthy choices on their menue. To date McDonalds has not attempted to require slaughterhouses to meet humane standards. 

When most people think about chicken and hens they think of them as "stupid birds". Typically 7 or 8 are crammed into 18 inch by 20 inch cages. They cannot simply lie down or spread their wings. For pigs,million are raised for meat in the U.S. and 65 million are raised in total confinement factories where they never see the light until they are being brought to the slaughter houses. An eye opener is British pigs are not raised in total confinement factories. Also, 70% of U.S. pigs have pneumonia at the time of slaughter, which, to me does not sound healthy for humans one bit. Some very interesting information I read was every 24 hours in the U.S. 90,000 cows and calves are slaughtered and 14,000 of chickens are slaughtered every minute. 

 Implications of What I Read

 John Robbins brought up some great points and had a lot of eye opening information. I now see why some people become vegetarians. It was very sad to read about animal cruelty and how they are confined to such little spaces. It broke my heart to read that some animals have never been able to take a step in their lifetime and some don't see light until they are being taken to the slaughterhouse. I was shocked at the numbers of how many animals were killed each day and each minute. I almost feel guilty for eating meat because those animals go through so much. I am glad I now know the facts about animal cruelty and it makes me re evaluate how much I should eat, if any at all.

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 6: Weekly Update

My SMART Goal

My SMART goal is to stop drinking pop and start using a re-usable water bottle.

Strategies to Being Successful

Last week I gave in and drank two diet cokes. Doing that made me realize I do not need to drink pop and there are other healthier alternatives I can lean on instead. There were not many challenges for me this week because I was determined to stick to my SMART goal. I am very proud of myself that I didn't give in to any temptations this week!

My Feelings

I felt great not only for denying pop, but I felt a lot healthier in general. I have been working out a lot instead of sitting on the couch and watching TV and I have felt a lot more motivated and better all around.

What Did I learn

My roommate and I have been working out a lot and trying to stay healthy. Giving up pop has been a huge factor in helping us stay healthy. Staying healthy to us means giving up things we used to drink/eat that have not always been the best for us such as chips and pop. Giving these things up has made us more determined to stay healthy and work out. After working out the last thing I think about is wanting a pop, which feel amazing!!

Plans for Next Week

I plan to keep up my good work and stay motivated. I have learned that if I come home after class and sit on the couch I become extremely lazy and unmotivated. Lately, I have gone on more adventures and walks in order to avoid the couch and I feel great!

Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 6 hosted by Amy@Eco-Chic with Amy.