Organic Bytes #38 - Food and Consumer News Tidbits

August 13, 2004

Hi all,

I thought some of you might be interested in this association. They have some really good reports.

Also, if you read to the bottom, they are offering a subscription on a Good News Magazine called: Ode. Sounds great, and I'm going to get myself one!!!

love

Lisa

- Organic Consumers Association

lisabelcher

Thursday, August 12, 2004 11:36 PM

Organic Bytes #38 - Food and Consumer News Tidbits

Hello Lisa,Here's the latest issue of Organic Bytes (Food and Consumer News Tidbits With and Edge), by the Organic Consumers Association. Enjoy!

Note: Due to the substantial increase in the number of rs to Organic Bytes, the OCA is in the process of implementing a new email system, which has caused some minor temporary glitches in our / process. If you have attempted to make changes to your subscription status and not succeeded, please accept our apologies and try again here: Subscribe---Un You are currently d as lisabelcher

Organic Bytes #38Food and Consumer News Tidbits with an Edge!8/12/2004

IN THIS ISSUE:

MONSANTO AND DOW SHRUG OFF CHARGES OF WAR CRIMES TAKE ACTION: MAD COW USA--STOP THE MADNESS PROZAC IN UK DRINKING WATER DON'T JUST MOURN, ORGANIZE! ORGANIC PET FOOD FLIES OFF SHELVES POISONING CONSUMERS WITH TEFLON INDIAN FARMERS RETURNING TO TRADITIONAL ORGANIC PRACTICES AN ETHICAL FASHION STATEMENT RANCHERS GO GREEN HELPING FAMILY FARMERS THROUGH MUSIC

______________________

MONSANTO AND DOW SHRUG OFF CHARGES OF WAR CRIMESSome four million Vietnamese have filed a lawsuit against chemical giants Dow and Monsanto for poisoning them and their children with Agent Orange, a powerful defoliant sprayed in massive quantities during the Vietnam War. Since the war ended in 1975, hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese (and American Vietnam veterans) have died or developed cancer due to their exposure to Agent Orange. In addition thousands of children have been born with severe, often horrific, birth defects. The plaintiffs argue that knowingly and deliberately supplying such chemicals to the U.S. military constitutes a war crime by Monsanto and Dow. Although Agent Orange contains dioxin, one of the deadliest chemicals on the planet, Dow and Monsanto still claim there is no evidence that Agent Orange does any harm to humans, other than causing minor skin irritation. The final ruling is to take place in October. Learn more...

______________________

TAKE ACTION: MAD COW USA--STOP THE MADNESSDespite stating six months ago that regulations would be tightened and enforced to stop the spread of Mad Cow Disease, the FDA has yet to implement any regulations. Instead, in July, the FDA put forth an "Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking." The public comment deadline on this important proposed federal regulation is this Friday 8/13/2004. OCA suggests you tell the FDA bluntly: stop feeding blood, slaughterhouse waste, and manure to animals, period. And start testing all cattle at slaughter for Mad Cow Disease. More information on how you can submit comments...

______________________

PROZAC IN UK DRINKING WATERSo many Britons are now taking the antidepressant pharmaceutical drug Prozac that it is showing up in the water supply. With 24 million prescriptions for the "happy pills," the drug is finding its way into the water via treated sewage. Experts are debating the possible impacts to the environment and human health given this new constant exposure to low levels of the antidepressant.Read more...

______________________

DON'T JUST MOURN, ORGANIZE!Join hundreds of other Organic Consumer network members across the U.S. and host an OCA House Party/Film Showing/Fundraiser. Meet up with other food and anti-genetic engineering activists in your community and watch the powerful new documentary, "The Future of Food." Discuss how you can take action locally and spread GE-Free Zones Across the America. OCA's goal is to have 300 simultaneous house parties across America September 11-12, and we're already half way there, with 150 house parties organized so far! Join us to make this goal a reality! Read more...

______________________

ORGANIC PET FOOD FLIES OFF SHELVESOrganic pet food sales are increasing at a rate three times as fast as organic human food sales. "People want their pets to eat as well as they do," says Nell Newman, co-founder of Newman's Own Organics and daughter of actor Paul Newman. Although a bag of organic dog or cat food can be on the pricey side, organic pet foods are exploding in popularity, particularly on the West Coast. Organic consumers can purchase everything from organic catnip to organic dog cookies. With skyrocketing sales, the labeling of these products is of increasing concern, given the USDA has made recent announcements that it will neither monitor nor police organic labeling of pet foods. Learn more...

______________________

POISONING CONSUMERS WITH TEFLONThe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has filed a complaint against DuPont for withholding evidence revealing negative health and environmental impacts from a chemical used to produce Teflon. The chemical, commonly known as PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid), has been found to cause cancer in laboratory animals. Due to Teflon's popularity (those nifty non-stick frying pans, etc.), PFOA can now be detected in the bodies of 90% of Americans. The EPA is investigating the possibility that DuPont may have learned of potential problems with the chemical more than two decades ago. On an international level, the EPA's announcement has prompted foreign governments to launch investigations into the toxicity of the chemical, and stores in China have begun pulling Teflon products from their shelves. Read more...

______________________

INDIAN FARMERS RETURNING TO TRADITIONAL ORGANIC PRACTICESLast week organic farmers and experts in India organized to address the agriculture crisis facing the nation's 700 million farmers. Poor yields, degraded soils, and expensive chemical inputs arising from the cultivation of pesticide intensive crops, including genetically engineered cotton, have devastated India's rural economy. Crop failures and crushing debt led over 300 Indian farmers to commit suicide between May and July. To address this crisis, farmers from all over the country joined together August 2 to create the "Organic Vision 2020," a long term strategy to shift the country's farming focus back to ecological and traditional organic practices. Read more...

______________________

AN ETHICAL FASHION STATEMENTClothing companies from Patagonia to American Apparel are profiting from one of the fastest growing segments of the organic industry: cotton. With more consumers making conscious decisions to purchase organic cotton products and avoid genetically engineered or pesticide intensive cotton, farmers and producers are shifting production methods to meet the increasing demand. In regards to organic cotton t-shirts, Roian Atwood of American Apparel said, "We double sales every two months." Learn more...

______________________

RANCHERS GO GREENIn Wyoming a new movement, based upon traditional practices, is developing among cattle ranchers called Holistic Resource Management (HRM). Ranchers are finding that cattle herds and the land thrive when cattle and livestock are treated more like a wild herd. Altering cattle grazing patterns and herd clustering to emulate those of their buffalo predecessors has a significant positive impact on the environment, including the health and diversity of the native grasses. Rodents are controlled by providing natural habitat for predators like eagles. According to Jim Gould, HRM practitioner on his family's ranch, "Everything has a place in this life, you just have to figure out what it is." Read more...

______________________

KITCHEN GARDEN DAY, AUGUST 22International Kitchen Garden Day is a global celebration of delicious locally produced foods. It is an opportunity for people around the world to gather in their gardens and fields with friends, family, and members of their local communities to enjoy the multiple pleasures and benefits of locally-grown, home-cooked, organic foods. Kitchen Garden Day is coordinated by Kitchen Gardeners International.

______________________

HELPING FAMILY FARMERS THROUGH MUSICFarm Aid 2004, a benefit concert for family farmers, will be held in Seattle on September 18. The benefit was started by Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp in 1985 and has raised $26 million for family farmers since its inception. "There are two million farmers in this country, and we are losing about 350 family farmers per week," said Farm Aid Campaign Director Mark Smith. "Our take on that is that with the loss of every family farmer comes diminished access to local fresh food. It also means we are more dependent on corporate farming and food overseas." Learn more...

______________________*****SPONSORED MESSAGE*****SMILE, LAUGH AND CRY WITH ODEAs you read Ode you will realize it is an international news magazine unlike any other. Ode reports on inspiring people & ideas, sustainability, natural health, leading-edge science & spirituality, and much more. Ode, a successful European-based magazine since 1995, has been making lots of waves in the U.S. and elsewhere recently. Anita Roddick, founder of the Body Shop, calls Ode "essential reading," and Benjamin Zander, conductor of the Boston Philharmonic calls Ode a "way of life." Now, for a limited time, you can get an introductory subscription to Ode of 6 issues for only $10! Smile, laugh and cry with Ode. Order Ode now online.*****************************

______________________

______________________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. There's an attractive print-friendly PDF version of this available for free download at http://www.organicconsumers.org/organicbytes.htm______________________

ORGANIC BYTES is a publication of:ORGANIC CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION 6101 Cliff Estate Road Little Marais, MN 55614 Phone: (218) 226-4164 Fax: (218) 353-7652

DONATE TO THE OCA

______________________

For additional daily environmental and political news, visit: http://www.ens-newswire.com http://www.planetsave.com

______________________

August 13, 2004

> Thu, 12 Aug 2004 15:36:33 -0700

> Organic Consumers Association

> <listadmin

> Organic Bytes #38 - Food and Consumer News

> Tidbits

Organic Bytes #38 - Food and Consumer News Tidbits

with an Edge!

Here's the latest issue of Organic Bytes (Food and

Consumer News Tidbits With and Edge), by the Organic

Consumers Association. Enjoy!

Organic Bytes #38

Food and Consumer News Tidbits with an Edge!

8/12/2004

IN THIS ISSUE:

MONSANTO AND DOW SHRUG OFF CHARGES OF WAR CRIMES

TAKE ACTION: MAD COW USA--STOP THE MADNESS

PROZAC IN UK DRINKING WATER

DON'T JUST MOURN, ORGANIZE!

ORGANIC PET FOOD FLIES OFF SHELVES

POISONING CONSUMERS WITH TEFLON

INDIAN FARMERS RETURNING TO TRADITIONAL ORGANIC

PRACTICES

AN ETHICAL FASHION STATEMENT

RANCHERS GO GREEN

HELPING FAMILY FARMERS THROUGH MUSIC

______________________

MONSANTO AND DOW SHRUG OFF CHARGES OF WAR CRIMES

Some four million Vietnamese have filed a lawsuit

against chemical giants Dow and Monsanto for

poisoning them and their children with Agent Orange, a

powerful defoliant sprayed in massive quantities

during the Vietnam War.

Since the war ended in 1975, hundreds of thousands of

Vietnamese (and American Vietnam veterans) have died

or developed cancer due to their exposure to Agent

Orange. In addition thousands of children have

been born with severe, often horrific, birth defects.

The plaintiffs argue that knowingly and deliberately

supplying such chemicals to the U.S. military

constitutes a war crime by Monsanto and Dow. Although

Agent Orange contains dioxin, one of the

deadliest chemicals on the planet, Dow and Monsanto

still claim there is no evidence that Agent Orange

does any harm to humans, other than causing minor skin

irritation. The final ruling is to take place

in October. Learn more...

______________________

TAKE ACTION: MAD COW USA--STOP THE MADNESS

Despite stating six months ago that regulations would

be tightened and enforced to stop the spread of Mad

Cow Disease, the FDA has yet to implement any

regulations.

Instead, in July, the FDA put forth an " Advance

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. " The public comment

deadline on this important proposed federal regulation

is this Friday 8/13/2004.

OCA suggests you tell the FDA bluntly: stop feeding

blood, slaughterhouse waste, and manure to animals,

period. And start testing all cattle at slaughter for

Mad Cow Disease. More information on how you can

submit comments...

______________________

PROZAC IN UK DRINKING WATER

So many Britons are now taking the antidepressant

pharmaceutical drug Prozac that it is showing up in

the water supply.

With 24 million prescriptions for the " happy pills, "

the drug is finding its way into the water via treated

sewage. Experts are debating the possible impacts

to the environment and human health given this new

constant exposure to low levels of the antidepressant.

______________________

DON'T JUST MOURN, ORGANIZE!

Join hundreds of other Organic Consumer network

members across the U.S. and host an OCA House

Party/Film Showing/Fundraiser.

Meet up with other food and anti-genetic engineering

activists in your community and watch the powerful new

documentary, " The Future of Food. "

Discuss how you can take action locally and spread

GE-Free Zones Across the America. OCA's goal is to

have 300 simultaneous house parties across America

September 11-12, and we're already half way there,

with 150 house parties organized so far! Join

us to make this goal a reality!

______________________

ORGANIC PET FOOD FLIES OFF SHELVES

Organic pet food sales are increasing at a rate three

times as fast as organic human food sales. " People

want their pets to eat as well as they do, " says Nell

Newman, co-founder of Newman's Own Organics and

daughter of actor Paul Newman.

Although a bag of organic dog or cat food can be on

the pricey side, organic pet foods are exploding in

popularity, particularly on the West Coast. Organic

consumers can purchase everything from organic catnip

to organic dog cookies. With skyrocketing sales, the

labeling of these products is of increasing

concern, given the USDA has made recent announcements

that it will neither monitor nor police organic

labeling of pet foods.

Learn more...

______________________

POISONING CONSUMERS WITH TEFLON

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has filed a

complaint against DuPont for withholding evidence

revealing negative health and environmental

impacts from a chemical used to produce Teflon.

The chemical, commonly known as PFOA

(perfluorooctanoic acid), has been found to cause

cancer in laboratory animals.

Due to Teflon's popularity (those nifty non-stick

frying pans, etc.), PFOA can now be detected in the

bodies of 90% of Americans. The EPA is investigating

the possibility that DuPont may have learned of

potential problems with the chemical more than two

decades ago.

On an international level, the EPA's announcement has

prompted foreign governments to launch investigations

into the toxicity of the chemical, and stores in China

have begun pulling Teflon products from their shelves.

______________________

INDIAN FARMERS RETURNING TO TRADITIONAL ORGANIC

PRACTICES

Last week organic farmers and experts in India

organized to address the agriculture crisis facing the

nation's 700 million farmers.

Poor yields, degraded soils, and expensive chemical

inputs arising from the cultivation of pesticide

intensive crops, including genetically engineered

cotton, have devastated India's rural economy.

Crop failures and crushing debt led over 300 Indian

farmers to commit suicide between May and July.

To address this crisis, farmers from all over the

country joined together August 2 to create the

" Organic Vision 2020, " a long term strategy to shift

the country's farming focus back to ecological and

traditional organic practices.

______________________

AN ETHICAL FASHION STATEMENT

Clothing companies from Patagonia to American Apparel

are profiting from one of the fastest growing segments

of the organic industry: cotton.

With more consumers making conscious decisions to

purchase organic cotton products and avoid genetically

engineered or pesticide intensive cotton, farmers and

producers are shifting production methods to meet the

increasing demand.

In regards to organic cotton t-shirts, Roian Atwood of

American Apparel said, " We double sales every two

months. "

Learn more...

______________________

RANCHERS GO GREEN

In Wyoming a new movement, based upon traditional

practices, is developing among cattle ranchers called

Holistic Resource Management (HRM).

Ranchers are finding that cattle herds and the land

thrive when cattle and livestock are treated more like

a wild herd.

Altering cattle grazing patterns and herd clustering

to emulate those of their buffalo predecessors has

a significant positive impact on the environment,

including the health and diversity of the native

grasses.

Rodents are controlled by providing natural habitat

for predators like eagles. According to Jim Gould, HRM

practitioner on his family's ranch,

" Everything has a place in this life, you just have

to figure out what it is. "

______________________

KITCHEN GARDEN DAY, AUGUST 22

International Kitchen Garden Day is a global

celebration of delicious locally produced foods.

It is an opportunity for people around the world

to gather in their gardens and fields with friends,

family, and members of their local communities to

enjoy the multiple pleasures and benefits of

locally-grown, home-cooked, organic foods. Kitchen

Garden Day is coordinated by Kitchen

Gardeners International.

______________________

HELPING FAMILY FARMERS THROUGH MUSIC

Farm Aid 2004, a benefit concert for family farmers,

will be held in Seattle on September 18.

The benefit was started by Willie Nelson, Neil Young

and John Mellencamp in 1985 and has raised $26 million

for family farmers since its inception.

" There are two million farmers in this country, and we

are losing about 350 family farmers per week, "

said Farm Aid Campaign Director Mark Smith.

" Our take on that is that with the loss of every

family farmer comes diminished access to local fresh

food. It also means we are more dependent on corporate

farming and food overseas. "

Learn more...

______________________

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 orward 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.

There's an attractive print-friendly PDF version of

this available for free download at

http://www.organicconsumers.org/organicbytes.htm

______________________

ORGANIC BYTES is a publication of:

ORGANIC CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION

6101 Cliff Estate Road

Little Marais, MN 55614

Phone: (218) 226-4164 Fax: (218) 353-7652

DONATE TO THE OCA

______________________

For additional daily environmental and political news,

visit:

http://www.ens-newswire.com

http://www.planetsave.com

______________________

August 13, 2004

Thanks Lisa! This is an excellent newsletter. Oddly enough, I had just read something about the Prozac in water so it was very interesting to see it right away again in that email.

New and Improved Mail - Send 10MB messages!

August 14, 2004

Hi Angie,

Glad you liked it :-)

I just talked to the manufacturers/sales outlet of my Water Distiller to make sure that mine does remove any such articles from the water, and the lady I spoke to said she'd read it in the newspaper! And yes, thank God, my distiller does remove such stuff from my water!!! Phew!

love

Lisa

-

Angela Sill

herbal remedies

Friday, August 13, 2004 3:27 PM

Re: Herbal Remedies - Fw: Organic Bytes #38 - Food and Consumer News Tidbits

Thanks Lisa! This is an excellent newsletter. Oddly enough, I had just read something about the Prozac in water so it was very interesting to see it right away again in that email.

New and Improved Mail - Send 10MB messages! Federal Law requires that we warn you of the following: 1. Natural methods can sometimes backfire. 2. If you are pregnant, consult your physician before using any natural remedy. 3. The Constitution guarantees you the right to be your own physician and toprescribe for your own health. We are not medical doctors although MDs are welcome to post here as long as they behave themselves. Any opinions put forth by the list members are exactly that, and any person following the advice of anyone posting here does so at their own risk. It is up to you to educate yourself. By accepting advice or products from list members, you are agreeing to be fully responsible for your own health, and hold the List Owner and members free of any liability. Dr. Ian ShillingtonDoctor of NaturopathyDr.IanShillington