GMOs: The OG

The more I sit in my Environmental Science 101 course, the more I begin to better understand the world around me.  I am no tree-hugging vegan who asks if my soy cafè latte was made with Monsanto beans, but we should all be better educated about our food.  For a comprehensive understanding of how and where Americans process the food they eat, check out the film "Food Inc." (streaming on Netflix).  

But let's talk about GMOs (genetically modified organisms) for a moment.  There are no substantive scientific evidence that the use of GMOs is particularly harmful to human beings as we consume them, particularly those that take the seeds out of our watermelon or reduce the use of pesticides on our soybeans.  There are, however, a host of ethical concerns that are connected with the use of GMOs.  Let me reiterate: I don't particularly care if the chicken in my chicken salad enjoys its life.  It's a chicken.  It's made for me to eat.  Cleanliness and the reduction of disease, though, are concerns that I do have.  If the bird I'm eating is raised in a dark, filthy shed and is at an increased risk of infection, then I have a problem.  These infections often go unnoticed until there is a breakout, and that's just not right.  Period.  The USDA and the FDA need to be harsher with regulations for farmers and GIANT food corporations.  More regulations and checks breed safer food for us.

I get it: What can I, a person reading some fool's online rambling, do about this giant impending problem?  It's all about choice.  And, yes, I've tried to think of some snappy way to make 'choice' an acronym, but I came up short (Create Happy Organisms... Change How Our... it's the 'I' that gets me).  In any case, giant corporations like Smithfield and BPI are simply meeting the demand because our country is one of fastfood and red meat.  Now, these things are fine in moderation, but we need to get serious about how we consume food.  Genetically modified organisms aren't truly the original gangta, but they're a piece of the puzzel that needs to fit into the overall picture of sustainability.  I think the main issue we face with corporations like Monsanto is that on the one hand we have an owner of a major portion of U.S. food production who wants to make a lot of money, and, on the other hand, a bunch of soybean eaters who want to bring the corporation to its knees.  Now, you and I both know that that's not going to happen.  Let's instead be realistic and have both parties work to a common goal. If you want your food to be better, buy better.  The food market responds to demands.  People need to demand safer and healthier foods.  Write your Representative or your Senator (please do, because I have a Congresswoman without voting rights and no Senator), buy foods that are raised ethically, and do a little research.  Oh, and cut down on those Big Macs, that stuff is bad for you anyway.

Yours in health---

End of the School Year

It's that time again: the end of the regular school year.  It's always daunting, at least on my end, because I don't get paid over the summer break.  Scrambling for summer work is normally a priority.  There's a slim chance that I'll have my own classroom next year as an elementary school teacher, but I can't necessarily count on that.  Times can be tough, but it builds character.  ...Right?  I am searching for some summer work with a few NPOs here in the District, and we'll see what comes back.  It would sort of be nice to spend the summer doing some office work; a little change of pace.

On the upside, a new neighborhood is on the horizon.  Petworth will be the new stomping ground for me and Tasha.  New things are always exciting, unless they're terrible, in which case they're not.  But, this shouldn't be terrible.  We're excited, at least.  According to one of my coworkers, Petworth is the hottest new zipcode in DC, so we'll find out why soon enough.

One change that I don't particularly care for that is coming up is my fifth graders moving on to middle school.  I've only been working with them for two years, but it seems like much longer (in a good way).  They're growing up, and I've impacted their life for the better, but I still wish they'd stay.  I enjoy working with them so much and it will be hard to learn new kids next year and not have those same smiling faces come through the door every day.  I mean, I guess it's something I have to get used to, being a teacher and all, but it doesn't make it easier.  I'm sure they'll come visit.  Well, I hope they'll come visit.

Changes.  Turn and face the strange.  David Bowie taught us that.

Inaugural Post

I haven't blogged in quite a while, but I'm giving things a try once again.  This will be a place for some thoughts, ideas, and general nonsense.  Here we go!