garden kittens and something important

foxy roxy garden princess

zae bug - DISCLAIMER these adorable kittens have nothing to do with the below post. Thank you.

I don't usually write about things outside of myself, my world, things I cannot control. It's not that I have no opinions on this crazy world we live in, just that I feel it's too draining to focus on those things. The world is overflowing with tragedy and conspiracy. I can easily become overwhelmed by caring too much for others, for distant disasters and chaos. It makes me a happier, healthier person to focus my energies on my real life, the physical and mental chaos I face on a daily basis (which truthfully isn't that chaotic, on purpose.)

Today, I am going to do something different.

I want to spend a few minutes writing about a big corporate monster, conspiracies, chaos, tragedy, and all of those things, but in a way that directly affects me. It affects you too, and you may not realize how much.

Some of you may know all about this, some of you may have no idea, and I think there's a good chance some of you have heard the terms and names in the news or media but aren't exactly sure what it all means. I'm talking about GMO's- genetically modified organisms, and the Monsanto corporation. Genetically modified organisms are essentially seeds that have been altered to obtain a desirable trait, most frequently the ability to withstand certain chemicals used in herbicides and pesticides. They are making seeds that can survive being sprayed with chemicals like Roundup, which kills everything else it touches. There is significant research to show that the GMO's and the chemicals being sprayed on them are BOTH toxic and connected to tons of health problems, such as Parkinson's and cancer. Monsanto started as a chemical company(RoundUp), then became an agricultural company buying up seed stores (they even own a bunch of organic companies.) They grow all the seeds, own the pesticide company, and from there the sketchiness just never ends, from patenting of seeds and restricting anyone from saving those seeds (suing FARMERS for saving their OWN SEEDS to plant the next season,) to executive level employees going on to regulate government offices in the FDA, EPA, etc. The biggest crops grown by Monsanto are corn (nearly 60% of which goes to feed beef cattle, and more goes towards corn syrup which is in every processed food you eat,) soybeans and cotton. Monsanto controls everything- and that's bad. They market products that are proven to be harmful and pay the government to give it a safety stamp. They spread their GMO seeds so far that century old farms are sued for growing them, despite any knowledge by the farmers. I'm not doing nearly a good enough job of explaining how big and bad these people are, there just aren't the right words. 

The important part:

The only thing you can do to avoid Monsanto controlling your life is know where your food comes from.

I read on another blog, "you have to know every ingredient of every bite."

That seems really hard- but starting is easy. Just go to the farmers market. Grow a garden.

Be thoughtful about what you eat.

Until next time,

Angela Kelly

Links to more information about Monsanto, RoundUp, GMO's, and other important stuff.

A Month Without Monsanto

Monsanto Free Seed Companies 

Health Affects of RoundUp

GMO's are made to sell RoundUp

Monsanto VP becomes FDA Food Safety Czar