Authors, ethics, and random thoughts

On Monday evening, I had the unique pleasure of meeting Joseph M. Marshall III, author of Walking With Grandfather and The Power of Four (among other works). He did an appearance at the Boulder Bookstore do to a talk and book signing. He was interesting to listen to, and he had a quiet, confident energy about him that lent even more power to his words. One of the many advantages to living in this area is the ability to meet so many people like him.

In other news, I have discovered that leaving a wireless microphone on for several hours is a sure-fire way to absolutely kill the rechargeable battery inside it. Oh, and rechargeable 9-volt batteries are not inexpensive.

I've really been enjoying the live blogging that we've been doing in the epistemology class, but have definitely found that it doesn't work as well when/if others don't log on from anywhere. I still need to work on that; perhaps more lead time to discussions would be good... maybe pick a day of the week to be a regularly scheduled live blog day or something like that. This week (and the next few) should prove interesting... we're going to begin a discussion of ethics. I'm sure that there are several in the class who will have some pretty strong opinions about things along ethical lines; it should be fun, or at least interesting.

I had an interesting conversation with Phil, the owner of Rocky Plains Meat not too long ago. For some time now I've noticed that while the food I've been eating in some ways costs more per pound, I'm eating less of it. That's not to say I'm going hungry at all; in fact, quite the opposite- that the food I'm eating satisfies me sooner due to the higher nutrient content in it since it's both organic and local. Combine that with my more mindful eating habits, and my meals have taken on a much different "feel" to them, and I've suspected that I'm actually saving money rather than spending more. Phil and I talked about that, and he told me about a couple who shop with him as well. The woman of the couple does the budget for their household, and she noticed that they were spending less money and eating less food since they made a similar switch in their diet as to what I have done. Proof at last! Of course, I've since then been talking with people about that concept; that if you really want to save money, then buy and eat local/organic as much as possible. Yeah, I do still cheat a little (e.g. coffee, chocolate, bananas), but I still try to eat seasonally. Bananas are currently in season, for example, so for the next couple of months, I'll be chowing down on bananas. Not only do I feel better and have reduced, if not eliminated, my chances of being subject to food recalls, but I'm actually saving money. Kind of nice, really.

Compassionate Eating: My life as a locavore

As I mentioned in my review of The Compassionate Carnivore, I enjoy a good steak. Now that’s not to say that every meal I eat has to contain some sort of meat product, and in fact, about a year ago I moved to cut back on the amount of meat my family and I eat to one meat meal a day (with smaller portions of meat) with two or three total vegetarian days each week. Last April, I made the decision to get our beef and chicken exclusively from a small, local farms (i.e., the farmers’ market) instead of King Soopers or Costco (or even Whole Foods), deciding that I was no longer going to opt-in to supporting the factory farm model of meat production. The Compassionate Carnivore has strengthened my resolve to the extent that now, when I go out to eat, if I can’t be sure of the source of the meat, I’m going to eat vegetarian. I really just can’t bring myself to eat factory farmed meat anymore. (Of course, thanks to my determination to avoid high fructose corn syrup, GMO’s and trans fats, my options are even fewer, but that’s a whole ‘nother conversation.) Fortunately I don’t have to. Within the past month I’ve found local and humane sources for beef, chicken, pork, lamb, and bison; even my eggs and milk come meet the standard of humane and local. The addition of meat to my locavore ways has been a recent and welcome addition to my diet. For the past few years, the only time I’ve purchased non-local produce has been when the farmers’ market has been closed for the season, or if I happen to get a particular craving for bananas, oranges, or some similar food that can’t be grown locally. There have even been increasing numbers of meals at my house that are 100% local; last week I made a stir fry that consisted 100% of ingredients from my local farmers’ market, and I washed it all down with raw milk from Windsor Dairy. (It was pretty tasty if I do say so myself.) Has this new and improved locavore lifestyle been a lot of work and effort? Oh yes, definitely. Making sure I could eat locally year round meant tracking down a farmer who offered a winter CSA as well as a steady meat supply. I’ve been able to set up a year round supply of meat, and I’m able to get fresh, local veggies for nine of 12 months; the only time I may end up having to rely on frozen or grocery store produce will be January-March, which isn’t so bad, and since things like bananas are in season then, I’m still able to eat seasonally if not locally. It also means that on those days when it’s pouring down rain (or snow), I still find my way to the market to get my groceries; as I told one farmer on a particularly cold and rainy Saturday a few weeks ago, “My determination to eat locally and support local farms overrides my common sense that tells me to hit a nice, dry, warm supermarket.” The result? My food tastes better and because it is more nutrient dense, I’m eating less (dieters take note!), and in many ways I feel a lot better. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that I know my food is also safer, and not subject to the whims of an ineffective FDA. One of my students recently asked me if the difference in taste and my health was simply psychological. Is that possible? Yes, but in the long run, does it matter if it’s “merely” psychological, or if it’s psychosomatic? The end result is the same, really, and as I’ve said before, living mindfully may not be convenient, but it is worth it. (With no argument from my kids… they are beginning to understand the issues more with every recall of food, toys, and other products.)

For the rest of this article, go here.

Living mindfully is not convenient

I read a friend of mine’s blog last night in which she talked about the difficulties she’s having trying to live a more healthy and mindful lifestyle. The entry was laced with no small amount of irony considering that she lives in Boston, where you would think things like organic food, farmers’ markets and the like would be easily accessible. Not so.

Interestingly, I had a similar discussion with Aaron over the weekend. Choosing to live mindfully is one thing… actually DOING it takes a certain amount of commitment, particularly if it pervades every aspect of your life. Take water bottles, for example. With the recent admission that BP-A is actually not good for a person combined with the REI gift card I received for Christmas (go, Mom!), I decided to make the change to BP-A free bottles, and because they are more eco-friendly, I opted for metal as my first choice. Sounds easy, right? Not so, young Padawan!

First, there is Nalgene. The ever ubiquitous bottles seen attached to nearly every backpack in Colorado, now in a BP-A free version, made in the good ol’ USA, and a bargain at only $9.50 for a one liter bottle. Problem? Nalgene also manufactures equipment used in animal testing, so if you are against animal testing, then supporting Nalgene isn’t an option.

Camelbak? BP-A free, but $15 and if you are trying to avoid things made in China, then this bottle isn’t for you.

On to the metal bottles, which can be recycled so are more eco-friendly than both Nalgene and Camelbak, so there’s a definite bonus, but you can’t three-quarters fill them and pop them in the freezer for cold water all the next day like you can a Nalgene (or similar plastic bottle), and ice cubes don’t fit into their narrow tops, so you have to buy an “ice tube” maker or deal with lukewarm to warm water. The two that seem to be the most readily available are by Klean Kanteen and Sigg. A 27-ounce stainless steel Klean Kanteen will run you about $19 while a 40-ounce bottle will set you back a good $26. “Responsibly made in China.” What does THAT mean???

Finally, there is Sigg. Ceramic lined aluminum for about $22 and comes with a 20 year warranty. Manufactured in Switzerland… and China. *sigh* Ultimately I decided on the Sigg. All of the bottles had “Swiss made” on them, so one can only hope that indeed mine were made in Switzerland and not in China.

And yes, these were all thoughts that I had and went through before purchasing my new water bottles.

And don’t even get me started on food. Going out to eat is quite the challenge, especially if trying to avoid GMO’s in food. With the U.S. actively resisting labeling foods containing GMO’s both locally and internationally, it is quite difficult to know exactly what you are eating unless you choose to eat organically. Let’s take a look at the bigger fast food chains. McDonald’s? Ew. Not an option. Burger King? No better. Nor is Wendy’s, Taco Bell, Arby’s… all crap, in my opinion, and none of them known for mindful practices. Pizza Hut, with its new, all natural pizza is trying, at least. Better options? Good Times, with its Coleman Beef, is a step in the right direction. Local, grass fed, not frozen beef. Noodles & Company is a good option, and their ingredients tend to be good quality. Best bet for the budget? V.G. Burgers in Boulder. All organic, fresh food. It’s vegan, but so what? It’s still super tasty and good for you. It’s pricey (a full meal deal of a burger, fries and a drink is $9), but you get what you pay for. Added bonus: everything is compostable… the food and the containers it comes in, including the cup and straw for your drink.

Now let’s talk about home cooking. My goal is not just organic or at least all natural food, but local as much as possible. In Colorado, we’re fairly blessed. The Boulder Farmers’ Market runs from April through November, and so for most of the year I am able to eat locally grown, fresh, organic produce. This year I am going to try my hand at canning and preserving my own food so this winter I will be able to open up a jar of local produce and continue to follow the 100-mile diet, more or less (I admit, I cheat a little… can’t get coffee or bananas that are grown locally in Colorado). Thanks to the Farmers’ Market, my shopping at traditional food outlets (Whole Foods, King Soopers, Costco, etc.) has decreased by leaps and bounds. My milk gets delivered from the local dairy, my beef comes from a local ranch where the cattle are grass fed, and raised and slaughtered humanely; most of my produce is local. I’m working on the switch for my chicken and pork. Fish, particularly salmon, is problematic, as is some produce like oranges and bananas. I still read the food labels for everything I buy, even if I’ve bought it before, just in case ingredients get changed; in a few cases that’s happened, so it’s worth the continued reading. The vast majority of “convenience foods” are gone from my diet now, with the exception of things like rice pilaf, and I tend to buy pasta from the store instead of making my own, even though that will likely change soon also (the pasta, I mean).

Yeah… it takes me forever to buy things.

To some extent, there has been an increased financial cost, but in many ways it balances it with the increased health of everyone in my family, and with the decision to buy not only organic and/or local but also fair trade, the karmic cost is also worth it. Everything is connected to everything else, and to think that there are no costs beyond the wallet is simply erroneous. This goes for not just foodstuffs but any item in general, really.

In some ways I guess I’ve informally joined the Slow Food movement… meals take longer to prepare, especially dinner, but the quality of the food is higher and tastes much better than it used to. Actually, most things take longer now… multitasking, a skill that so many others prize, is simply a way to keep us distracted; to keep us from really paying attention. I find myself doing less and less of it these days and find that I’m noticing life and being present more and more.

But as I’ve said, all of this… it takes commitment. And I can’t say that there aren't times when I’m tempted to take the easy way. To ignore that can on the street instead of picking it up and carrying it until I find a recycle bin; to stop in and pay a buck for that double McCheeseburger. Yet I find that when temptation sets in, I can’t bring myself to follow through on it. I know too much about what goes on with my food and with so many other items that I buy, and I just can’t bring myself to go back to where I was. Yeah, it would be easier sometimes, but just because something is easy doesn’t mean that it’s right. And if I’m really going to live up to all that I say and talk about to others, then it’s a commitment I have to make and take seriously, and follow through with every minute of every day. And you know what? In so many ways, it’s totally worth it.