At this point, I would like to echo and reiterate Hymas’ statement that we are not “anti-child,” nor do we bear any ill will toward parents. We simply do not want to add to the population crisis, nor do we want to bring children into a world rife with instability. However, despite our good intentions, we are often marginalized, passed over for basic needs like healthcare, and treated as immature or irresponsible for our lifestyle choice. As such, we tend to keep this aspect of our lives private in polite company.

But I stand with Hymas in saying no more hiding in the shadows! We are who we are. We have made this choice for the good of Mother Earth, and there is no reason that we should be ashamed. So, come on, everybody — Let your GINK flag fly!

…Two new studies document significant impacts with just a fraction of the heating yet to come from the burning of fossil fuels. Fortunately, another new report shows the world can end its addiction to climate-wrecking fossil-fuel energy by 2050. …

Read more at the above link.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved plantings of three genetically engineered (GE) crops in as many weeks, including Monsanto Co.’s Roundup Ready sugar beets and alfalfa that are engineered to tolerate Roundup Ready weed-killing herbicide.

The USDA on February 11 also legalized, without restriction, the world’s first GE corn crop meant for biofuel production. Biotech giant Syngenta’s Event 3272 seed corn will simplify ethanol production and is not meant to feed animals or humans.

Read more at TruthOut.

Intrigued? Check out this brief post at Mother Earth News.

What was the red flag with the PLU code? True organic produce is labeled with a five-digit PLU beginning with the number 9. This ensures that the produce is free of chemicals and — at least for the time being — genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The following list breaks everything down into a user-friendly format:

• five-digit starting with 9 = certified organic
• five-digit starting with 8 = genetically modified
• four-digit starting with 3 or 4 = conventionally-grown

One word of warning — producers are not using the proper GMO PLU, due to lack of truth-in-advertising laws regarding GMOs. This means that produce bearing a four-digit code should be considered suspect. (To make your voice heard in favor of truth-in-advertising, visit the Organic Consumers Association.)

My rule of thumb is “better safe than sorry.” Even if the sign says “organic,” always check the PLU code. If there is a discrepancy, file a complaint, either in person or via the grocery store’s website. You don’t need a law degree to know what false advertising looks like.

Addendum: On a related note, check out this informative post on Sustainablog regarding greenwashing.

Now, I was under the impression that a few minutes with a mortar and pestle would yield that coveted cinnamon powder. Silly, naīve me! Under the advice of an Internet search, I cooked a stick in the frying pan for a few minutes and proceeded in my quest. The stick did break into several pieces, but it took a good 15 minutes before any piece was beaten small enough to be deemed a powdery granule…

Ninety minutes, and two very sore arms later, there were still pieces too large to put into a typical spice jar — and this was just ONE stick!!

Deciding to quit before I dislocated an arm joint, I carefully scooped the powder into a spice jar. The small granules were dumped into a batch of applesauce still in the food processor, in the hopes that they would be pulverized as the apples turned to purée…

Lo and behold, there were still some small cinnamon chips when the applesauce was ready for the canning jars. For the next batch, I just grated a small cinnamon stick, with better results and less pain in my arms.

If I have learned anything from this experience, it’s that, if worse comes to worst, I may have to spend an extra half hour on the bus to get to the other health food store, hoping that their bulk ground cinnamon is in stock.

Now, I know you may ask what the point is, with the president having some of the pro-GMO crowd in his advisory circle. However, we can do this. Remember earlier this week, when Social Security cuts did not make the State of the Union address? That was due to public pressure. If we can convince him to preserve our post-retirement safety net (for now, anyway), we can convince him to keep this garbage out of our food supply.

And after you have taken action at Food and Water Watch, check out this article at Organic Consumers’ Association. It explains how Whole Foods, Stonyfield, and Organic Valley have caved and are now calling for coexistence with Monsanto. Be sure to read the entire article. At the end of it, you should be fired up enough to sign the petition calling for truth in labeling.

But what if you don’t have that compost heap? Laura Bell of Michigan has a possible answer to that question, using her lint as media for her artworks. It just goes to show that everything has a re-use, if you are willing to put the cerebral energy into it. Way to go, Laura!

Although the current makeup of Congress spells little to no progress in environmental protection legislation for the next two years, it is still important that we make our voices heard. Josh Fox, the documentarian behind Gasland, has added an action alert to the film’s website to provide us with an easy way to do just that — tell Congress where we stand. Click here to show your support for the FRAC Act.
[If you do not know what fracking is, click here for an informative introduction.]