My Occupy Wall Street Rant

from here  

My anti-corporation rant focuses on the blatant use of toxic chemicals in health and beauty products. I'm also highly concerned about the same for food, but there's already a documentary about that. In fact, I'm surprised that there wasn't a revolution and mass protests when Food, Inc. came out. I mean, didn't that just make you so mad?

Anyway, I'm super upset about corporations getting away with killing us slowly. I feel that science and the government has failed us here. Just because a chemical is perceived (and given legality) to be safe in low doses and hasn't YET been proven to cause cancer, doesn't mean that it's ok to put them in products that I put on my body every day. Products that are absorbed by my skin - the largest body organ. Once you think about it, it really just comes down to common sense.

I don't know if this fits in with the Occupy Wall Street revolution. Honestly, the movement is disjointed and difficult to understand. I assume that it's largely fueled by anger over financial institutions and government complacency, but it also seems to be an outlet for expressing disapproval of corporate irresponsibility. So, I thought I would do that and invite you to join me.

From Crain's New York

Here's what I'm mad about. I recently came across GoodGuide, a consumer informational website that lets me determine how safe a product is for health, and how good or bad a company is in terms of environmental and community impact. You search for a product and view it's rating for each of these 3 elements on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the best, 1 being the worst). Sadly, I found out that my favorite hair gel (Biolage) received a 4 health rating for its use of propylene glycol - suspected of causing immunotoxicity, respiratory toxicity, and skin or sense organ toxicity. Aw boo. Worse yet, my favorite hair cream (John Frieda Frizz-Ease Secret Weapon) received a 3 health rating for propylene glycol, triethanolamine, phenoxyethanol, and propyl paraben (the latter two being of low concern).  And you don't even want to know the rating for Kiehl's Creme de Corps (ok, I'll tell you - it's a 1!). Holy crap, corporations, why are you doing this to me? With all of the advances in science (particularly biology) and technology, and increasing consumer support for green products, how can you still be using questionable chemicals? So, I asked some of them. Frizz-Ease was nice enough to respond and here's their main point:

In summary, our marketed products meet the safety expectations outlined by the European Union, US Food and Drug Administration, and Health Canada legislation as well as other country regulations.


Hmm, wait a minute. The same government that is currently being protested for lack of corporate oversight? Uh-oh. Your response doesn't make me feel any better and, frankly, I'm afraid of using your product and I'm also concerned about how to properly dispose of it! In a world with a finite water supply, I'm surely not satisfied to wash my hands of this situation, lest I later drink in this toxic waste.

I'm not trying to single these companies out - it's just that I researched them because I've been using their products the longest. And the original Frizz-Ease serum actually has a 10 health rating - so good for them for that. Too bad I didn't know to stock up on that product instead of the nasty one I brought with me. And too bad that crappy products are on the market. It seems that it's up to the consumer to research every product we buy and make safe choices.

Yes, I know that I should have realized this years ago. But I grew up in a consumer society that was content to ignore confusing, lengthy ingredients and just assume that all products for sale in the US are safe. I know that for the baby boomer generation, these products offered a convenience and experience that had never been offered before. But today's corporations must now deal with a consumer group that grew up watching FernGully and Captain Planet. So watch your backs, health and beauty corporations trying to overload me with toxins to placate my ego. Sure, I want to be beautiful and you've made enough money playing off of that vulnerability. But now I want to live. And I've got my eye on you.

from The Captain Planet Foundation

Weekend grilling & composting

We spend nearly every Sunday at Guille's family's weekend house in a little town called Funes. In typical Argentine fashion, we eat a ton of food followed by siesta. They've made a little room on the parilla for my vegetarian food too.


Provolone Cheese a la parilla

Add a little olive or vegetable oil and a sprinkle of oregano to a thick slice (about half an inch) of provolone cheese. Use a small pan to grill for about 10 minutes, until a crunchy crust forms.


Grilling veggies
This is what I've been eating recently. It's basically any vegetable rubbed with oil and grilled. If you have any other suggestions, I'd love to hear them. I'd would also add a variety of spices or something as simple as garlic salt for more flavor.

• Asparagus - rub with a tiny bit of vegetable oil and salt, cook directly on the grill (keep turning) for 10 mintues.
  
• Potato/Sweet potato - rub with a little vegetable oil and salt, wrap in tinfoil and grill for 30 minutes, turning every few minutes
• Corn - Grill either in the husk (just a few leaves, with a bit of oil) or rub ear with a little oil and salt and wrap in tinfoil. Cook for 20 minutes
  
• Onion - leave in skin, rub with a little oil and grill for 10-15 minutes (for a small onion) and peel
  
• Butternut squash - slice into circles 1/2 inch thick, leaving the skin on. Rub with a little oil and salt, cook on the grill, turning every now and then, for 15 minutes.
  

Composting!
A few months ago, Guille created a compost area (3'x3') in the backyard with yard waste (dried leaves). Now that its spring we toss in our peels, plant/flower trimmings, and other organic matter, then mix with the dirt (which is about 1 1/2 feet deep). We give it a good watering with the hose and aerate it (Gui taped a blade onto a pole--awesome) once a week. And the soil is already really rich and great for using as a base for new plants and flowers. We've kept it pretty simple but the U of I page is thorough and includes a list of items to leave out of your compost, like dairy and meat scraps. It isn't at all smelly and neither is our garbage can!



Sneak peak!
These little guys will soon turn into uvas (grapes!) fresh for the picking and squishing. And we may be making some Argentine wine of our own.