The Great Lakes Zephyr - Wind Energy & Hydrogen Journal

Quick news tidbits that'll get you through the holidays...(Organic Bytes #46) Organic Bytes #46 Food and Consumer News Tidbits with an Edge! 12/17/2004 __________________________________ ACTION ALERT: PROFESSOR CANNED FOR RELEASING PAPER ON CORN CONTAMINATION A well-respected and popular professor at the University of California in Berkeley has been fired after publishing a scientific paper regarding the uncontrolled contamination of irreplaceable native Mexican corn varieties by genetically engineered corn. Dr. Ignacio Chapela, whose corn contamination article was published in the science journal "Nature," was denied his tenure due to pressure from the biotech company Monsanto on the University (the UC Berkeley tenure review panel had actually voted almost unanimously to approve his tenure). Professor Chapela has been told to have his office cleaned out by December 31. Sign a petition to demand a review of Dr. Chapela's tenure denial. Sign here... __________________________________ SAVE THOSE HOLIDAY MEAL LEFTOVERS A recent study of food waste in the U.S. shows that Americans throw out nearly half of their food. All of those discarded table scraps and rotted food in the back of the fridge add up to an average of $590 in wasted food per family per year, or roughly $43 billion on a national level. According to United Nations' figures, America's wasted food would feed over 10% of the world's 835 million starving people. Researchers point out that reducing this colossal waste (by freezing, canning or eating leftovers) would also reduce the amount of land under chemically-intensive cultivation, reduce landfill input, reduce methane (a potent greenhouse gas), and of course save money for consumers. Learn more... __________________________________ QUOTE OF THE WEEK "It turns out that a burp is universal." -- Mark Tilden, creator of the Robosapien robot, which he and his team of researchers endowed with certain bodily noises that have been found to span language barriers and cause kids to laugh, no matter what nationality. Note: The OCA does not necessarily endorse this toy, in fact, we know very little about it. With all of the bad news out there, we just like to offer a little levity every now and then. Yup! __________________________________ FACTORY FARMS CAUSING ASTHMA IN FARM KIDS For those meat-eaters planning on having ham on the holiday dinner table, consider choosing pork produced on family farms by sustainable or organic farmers over factory farmed meat. Organic, antibiotic-free pork is not only better for you health and the environment, and more humane for the animals, but it turns out it's healthier for the farm kids as well. A new University of Iowa study has found that children raised on hog farms have a higher rate of asthma than children who are not. Interestingly, children raised on hog farms where antibiotics were added to the feed had an even higher rate of asthma. The study tested 644 kids from age 0 to 17 and found that a shocking 55.8 percent of children living on antibiotic treated hog farms had at asthma symptoms, compared to only 26.2 percent of children on farms that do not raise hogs. The study also found that the larger the size of the hog farm, the greater the incidence of asthma. Learn more... __________________________________ COMMON PESTICIDE CAUSES AGGRESSION & BRAIN DAMAGE Glufosinate, a pesticide used widely in the U.S. and whose residues have been found in the food and water supply, has been verified to cause brain and hormonal damage. Japanese government studies have confirmed previous research that glufosinate sets off violent behavior in lab animals. Male rats exposed to the chemical aggressively attack each other, while female rats remain peaceful. But female offspring of rats previously exposed to the pesticide "became aggressive and started to bite each other, in some cases until one died." said Yoichiro Kuroda, principle investigator of the study, adding, "That report sent a chill through me." Glufosinate, which is used as an herbicide on several varieties of genetically modified canola and corn, is also linked to neurological defects that increase the rate of hyperactivity and decrease IQs. Learn more... __________________________________ TEN GREEN TIPS FOR THE SEASON'S FESTIVITIES Purchase organic and Fair Trade foods for holiday meals. Avoid toxic PVC and excessive packaging in the gifts you buy. Use reusable gift wrap instead of paper, like fabric or gift boxes. Choose fashion over energy consumption: Turn down the heat and put on a sweater. Consider the types of businesses you are supporting when you are shopping. 'Tis the season for giving: Volunteer some time for your favorite cause. Put your holiday lights on a timer to save energy. Have them on only when you can really appreciate them. Try a living potted Christmas tree (plant it outside in the spring). Or arrange some pruned branches, instead of chopping down a tree. Your favorite charity will do more for the planet with your money than a new holiday outfit will. Donate! Humans are part of the environment too, and so being kind to the environment also means being kind to each other. Love is contagious, so pass it around. __________________________________ HOLIDAY GIFT IDEA: Ancient Wisdome Meets Modern Technology Build stairways with your breath, meditate to open doors, and juggle balls with your laughter! The Journey to Wild Divine is the first biofeedback computer game that combines ancient yogic breathing and meditation with modern biofeedback technology for total wellness. Leading experts in mind-body wellness (including Deepak Chopra, M.D.), the media, and thousands of players agree: Wild Divine is extraordinary, fun and effective. During the holidays, get free EXPRESS shipping and a free bonus CD with Deepak Chopra when you order! Demo Wild Divine online now. **sponsored message** __________________________________ WHO'S PUSHING GMOs, SPINNING FOR THE SUGAR INDUSTRY, AND DOWNPLAYING FOOD SAFETY THREATS? Find out in PR Watch, the award-winning quarterly journal of the Center for Media and Democracy. For more than a decade, CMD has exposed deceptive public relations campaigns by corporations, industries, governments, and other powerful institutions. Recent PR Watch issues have reported on the tobacco industry's media manipulation, the power of the pharmaceutical lobby, and how meat industry flacks help block effective safeguards against mad cow disease. Support independent, public interest journalism and help build media alternatives! A year's subscription to PR Watch is only $35. Subscribe and support CMD now. __________________________________ If you have not done so yet this year, please consider donating to support the work of the Organic Consumers Association: http://www.organicconsumers.org/donations.htm Wishing You Happy Holidays and an Organic New Year! Ronnie Cummins, Craig Minowa, and the entire OCA staff in Minnesota, California, Idaho, Vermont, New York, and Washington, DC. __________________________________ __________________________________ Help others learn about food safety, organics, and related topics. Place a link on YOUR website to http://OrganicConsumers.org Banners for your use - http://OrganicConsumers.org/logos.htm Please forward this publication to family and friends, place it on websites, print it, and post it. Knowledge is power! __________________________________ NOTE TO CO-OP AND NATURAL FOOD STORE SUBSCRIBERS: Organic Bytes is a great tool for keeping your staff and customers up to date on the latest issues. Feel free to forward this email to your staff and print for posting on bulletin boards and staff break tables. You are also welcome to use this material for your newsletters. 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