Moments in Colorado - A visual entry

Food Stamp Diet

In 2007, some members of congress decided live on an average food stamp diet of $21/week. Why? "The crux of the challenge: to provide a small glimpse into the choices that people who use food stamps must make each day... The challenge coincides with congressional consideration of the Farm Bill, which includes the food stamp program, the minimum benefits of which have not been raised since the mid-1970s." About the same time, Jay and I were spending roughly $40/week for the two of us. We had no idea that we lived on a food stamp diet! At this time, a family of four would get a maximum of $668/month (about $40/week per person). I should add that our $40/week included items not allowed to be purchased such as beer and household cleaning products (see below).

Our typical weekly food purchases in 2007 (which I can remember):
bananas
black beans
corn
turkey
tomatoes
bread
peanut butter
tuna
eggs
milk
yogurt
snack bars
spinach

Here are some great links about the members of congress and how they did on the diet:
http://foodstampchallenge.typepad.com/
http://www.dchunger.org/blog/

Eligible Food Items
http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/retailers/eligible.htm

Households CAN use SNAP benefits to buy:
Foods for the household to eat, such as:
-- breads and cereals;
-- fruits and vegetables;
-- meats, fish and poultry; and
-- dairy products.


Seeds and plants which produce food for the household to eat.

In some areas, restaurants can be authorized to accept SNAP benefits from qualified homeless, elderly, or disabled people in exchange for low-cost meals.

Households CANNOT use SNAP benefits to buy:
Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes or tobacco;

Any nonfood items, such as:
-- pet foods;
-- soaps, paper products; and
-- household supplies.
Vitamins and medicines.
Food that will be eaten in the store.
Hot foods.

Earthships - beauty and function off the grid

A visual blog entry on the beauty of earthships. To learn more, visit:
http://earthship.com/

The Healthiest Foods

Check out the following links:
http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/25-top-heart-healthy-foods?page=3
http://www.whfoods.com/

When someone asks me about diet, I say, "work toward adding healthier choices and changing eating habits." Dieting shouldn't be a habit... but eating well should. Everyone needs to discover how to use food to help them to achieve optimal energy. Many athletes really understand this concept. Food becomes a tool for fueling the body, creating muscle, staying lean and fit. If you don't eat right as an athlete, you can suffer illness, fatigue and poor performance. Why wouldn't this be true for everyone?

Eating to achieve energy for life may also include getting processed foods out of your life, especially the ones with really long ingredients lists. I love it when I recognize everything on a ingredients label. Even better is making your own food, using the healthiest choices. Right now, as a family we make bread, granola, soup, dessert, and chili every weekend in preparation for the week. Try to add foods that are on the healthiest foods list. Those lists are full of foods that are delicious "single ingredients".

People at work have accused me of being a "healthy eater" to which I respond, have you seen me eat? But I guess there is some truth. Yes, I eat junk here and there. Overall, though, my food choices are basic healthy meals with small portions. I eat 3 "larger" meals and 3, or more, snacks of fruit, granola, chocolate, banana bread (home made). And I work out, which I think is necessary for healthy living, and means I can enjoy food without worrying about extra weight.

Finally, there are so many fad diets. How can they really be good for you? I think the only thing diets are good for is learning about how to change the way you eat and add better foods. Doesn't just making healthier meals and snacks, and experimenting a bit with how, when, what you eat make sense? And then adding some kind of daily exercise and stress relief?

25 Top Heart Healthy Foods
http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/25-top-heart-healthy-foods

1. Salmon
2. Flaxseed
3. Oatmeal
4. Black or kidney beans
5. Almonds
6. Walnuts
7. Red Wine
8. Tuna
9. Tofu
10. Brown Rice
11. Soy Milk
12. Blueberries
13. Carrots
14. Spinach
15. Broccoli
16. Sweet Potatoe
17. Red Bell Peppers
18. Asparagus
19. oranges
20. Tomatoes
21. Acorn Squash
22. cantaloupe
23. papaya
24. Dark Chocolate
25. Tea

The Dirty Dozen

Courtesy
http://www.foodnews.org/fulllist.php
http://www.foodnews.org/executive.php

The Great American Apparel Diet

http://www.thegreatamericanappareldiet.com/about/

I first heard about this "diet" on the national news. My first reactions was - how did this make the news? I was simply stunned that not buying new clothes for a year seemed that difficult for people, so much that they needed a support group and website. But then, ok, I get it. Maybe I should join if it is so easy. AHHHHH! Caught.

Our family has it's own "diet" thing going on anyway. I need to create a website for this: we figured out that we lived on a food stamp "diet" every week, without the food stamps, at first without even realizing it. But I digress.

Here's the thing... we hardly ever go out shopping for clothes. When I do go, I often go to used clothing stores. I'm starting to find some good selections in this area but it hasn't been easy. Luckily I have friends that shop second hand as well. I think buying second hand clothes and giving clothes away when I do buy new clothes is recycling. And that is good enough for me. So why should I challenge myself to a diet of no clothes for a whole year? I'm already a responsible shopper and I don't need to go "cold turkey" as I don't have a shopping addiction.

I do think that I could do better with buying clothes that aren't made in sweatshops. I used to read labels for exactly that reason, but why did I stop? What about the so called "green and earth friendly" clothes? Let's take a look at this HUGE business area and see what is being said.

Green and Earth Friendly Clothes (a tutorial):
In general, all the websites seem to agree on the following principles:
1. Buy Fair Trade
2. Buy less and reuse (recycled clothes, second hand)
3. Buy Made in USA with Unite label, meaning that the clothes were made by members of the union, Unite Here - retail workers with a voice regarding wages, production standards and safety.
4. Research who you are buying from

Here are some good resources to start with:
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/fashion-beauty/sweatshop-free-clothing-guide.html
http://www.thegreenguide.com/ (National Geographic)
http://www.greenamerica.org/programs/responsibleshopper/
http://www.greenamerica.org/pubs/realgreen/articles/nosweatshops.cfm

What about our "Super Stores", like Walmart? Haven't you heard that Walmart sells organic clothes? A lot has been said about Walmart, but doesn't it make sense to be able to buy SO much in one place - even food. In the US, it's hard to live where we can just walk out the door and find everything we need in walking distance... but if we drive to Walmart, there it is, and cheaper too! ON the other hand -

Here is what one link says about Walmart:

http://www.greenamerica.org/programs/responsibleshopper/company.cfm?id=306

• Wal-Mart operates over 6,500 discount stores throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico and sells products ranging from groceries to clothing to automotive and electronic equipment.

• Due to low wages and negligible benefits, thousands of Wal-Mart employees are dependent on public assistance to meet their basic needs, and American taxpayers eventually subsidize Wal-Mart's low prices.

• Wal-Mart hurts U.S. communities by undercutting local merchants and increasing urban sprawl, and its suppliers have been cited for labor and human rights violations.

ME: "I am not sure it is fair to say that Walmart is increasing urban sprawl, but rather may be a result of urban sprawl, as that already existed before Walmart".

• Wal-Mart has been repreatedly accused of union busting in the US and Canada, and of using a "Labor Relations Team" that stops Wal-Mart workers from unionizing.

• Wal-Mart's overseas suppliers have been repeatedly accused of using sweatshop labor.

• A recent investigation by the AFL-CIO affiliated Solidarity Center found that Wal-Mart is sourcing shrimp from plants in Thailand and Bangladesh where workers as young as 8 years old are subject to sweatshop conditions.

• Shop with Go Green and pressure Wal-Mart to reduce its environmental impact and respect its workers.

I always think that people should be educated enough to make informed decisions. After all is said and done, why do you shop where you do and do you know the company practices? Do you care whether your clothes are made in a sweatshop? Would you pay more to buy free trade and union made clothes?

Cosmetic Safety and Redefining Beauty

http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/

The link above is a great tool for examining the safety of what you are using in your daily bathing activities. As my family and coworkers already know, I cleaned out my beauty closet last year and managed to save only a few products, some of which I am still seeking out replacements for. The change was spurred by pregnancy, breastfeeding and research on what we are unknowingly passing on from one generation to the next and into our environment.

Changing products also included eliminating unnecessary items and establishing a very simple routine and refocused mindset for "beauty". I am highly amused when people get TV recognition for not wearing make up - especially teens, but this is worth sharing to illustrate a point.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/10/19/earlyshow/living/parenting/main6971793.shtml

The feature above is about teens "redefining beauty" and choosing to go without makeup one day a week.

One moment in my life that stands out regarding this topic took place in a camp site bathroom. At the time, I had just finished brushing my teeth and looked up at the other women by the sinks. Every one was putting on makeup and probably attempting to duplicate a home beauty routine while "roughing it". I recall thinking that somehow I would teach my future child to have a thoughtful, practical and natural approach to beauty, one that, at the least, would not include worrying about wearing makeup in a campsite.

That, obviously, is not the point, but illustrates how we become set in routines, thoughts and actions about how things should be and don't think about what we are actually putting on our skin, or in our mouths every day. We are a consumer zombie nation. A nation where advertising reflects our stupidity and our lack of insight into the products we consume.

Goal: examine cosmetic purchases impact on health and on planet.
Questions: What example do we want to set for our children? How can we fight back against zombie beauty practices? What does beauty "redefined" look like? Are you beautiful with less?