It all started during my undergrad when I had to write a paper on a topic of my choosing. It had to do something with consumers and the products we buy. I chose to research BPA in plastics. Wow. When I first started researching I found a lot of stuff that said the amount of BPA that leaches out into your food is insignificant...but then I hit the jackpot and found research linking BPA to cancer and other diseases. No thanks! I'd rather not risk my life and switch to BPA free plastics and glass containers.
I was like a little kid testing out the water with my toes, but the water wasn't warm enough for me yet. I still wasn't convinced that organic was what I needed to be eating and that my "footprint" actually mattered. I was actually one of those people who thought it was silly to be green and natural. I wasn't about to give up the things I was comfortable with.
It wasn't until I watched the documentary Food Inc. that the water was warm enough for me to jump in! I would highly suggest you watch this film. It's about how animals are treated prior to being cooked in our kitchens. Now, I'm not a member of PETA or anything but I don't think animals should be treated poorly just because they are going to end up as food. And I believe that those farmers who are doing the right thing (in my eyes) should be people I support.
In the weeks following I did a lot of research on organic foods and how to be green. Now, I'm no expert but I know if I have any questions I can easily look something up on the internet.
My plan is to move towards becoming 100% organic and be at that point when my husband and I have children. Okay, okay, that's a huge task in such little time (I'm thinking a couple years) I know! I'm not sure if we'll be 100% organic but I'm going to be very critical about what we eat - especially our children.
Here's the plan:
- Antibiotic and hormone free meats
- USDA organic foods when available
- Farmer's Market during that season
- Cage free/free range, USDA Organic eggs
- 100% whole wheat grains
I'm working on starting a page to track my progress at fulfilling my big goal. So be on the look-out for that!
Does anyone have any ideas on things I could do/change? I have so many ideas in my head it's hard to remember them all and actually put them into practice. I'll be sure to keep you updated.
Have a great rest of the week. I might not be around until Monday - in a wedding Friday! Peace out!
Yeah, there are lots of good reads out there about organic living.- We use mostly organic/natural bath and beauty products, and grow our own garden. We also joined an organic food co-op this year, which has been good so far. I guess, when you're just getting started, I'd recommend focusing on the "Dirty Dozen" (foods that absorb the highest levels of pesticides) and the "Clean 15" (foods that have a natural block, and you're not really benefiting from paying extra for organic). Here's the list:
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Onions, Avacados, Corn, Pineapple, Mangoes, Asparagus, Sweet Peas, Kiwi, Cabbage, Eggplant, Papaya, Watermelon, Broccoli, Tomatoes (this is a change, but recent research suggested they don't contain very high levels of contaminants as previously thought), Sweet Potatoes.
Dirty:
Meat, Milk, Coffee, Celery, Peaches, Strawberries, Apples, Blueberries, Nectarines, Bell Peppers, Spinach, Kale. Still not great are: Cherries, Potatoes, Grapes (imported), Leafy Greens, Carrots, and Pears. - Hope this helps a little!
love this! I'm right with you on this, as you know! I am loving how surprisingly not expensive it is...especially not as bad as a lot of people think. This mindset is keeping me out of the dreaded "inner aisles" of the grocery store...which almost automatically means healthier! love that. As Kristin mentioned, I'm doing organic with all the veggies and fruits that you eat the outside (for the most part) and not being as stuck on buying organic with items that have a cover your peel (therefore, getting rid of the bad stuff). I am vowing to not buy things that have all kinds of extra ingredients and only things that have natural things in them that I can understand when I read. :)
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