Editor's Note from Jean-Pierre Ruiz: The FDA ruled that GMOs were not "significantly" different from existing crops. Though the definition of the word "significantly" is unclear, what is clear is that the FDA's decision was based on studies conducted by the manufacturers of GMOs. This should not be a surprise given that most of the FDA's decision-makers are from the food industry, including the GMO industry. What is also clear is that the US stands almost alone amongst the developed, and under-developed, nations in refusing to label foods containing GMOs even though more than 70% of items in our grocery stores contain GMOs...

Conscious Consumerism

Editor's Note from Jean-Pierre Ruiz: The food industry's job is to make a profit. It is not to care for you or your health. It is the executives of the food producers to make money...the more the better for them (i.e., their financial compensation)and their shareholders. The less they sell, the less money they make. The food industry knows which buttons to push to make you eat more of their food...whether it's healthy or not is irrelevant. In fact, because of the way our bodies are, the more unhealthy the food is, the more you will eat and the more money they will make. Meanwhile, neither the FCC, the FDA or the USDA are in the "business" of protecting you. Despite the presence of some ethical individuals, it is our job to protect ourselves...not theirs.

Conscious Consumerism

Conscious Consumerism

by Alicia Graef
Cross-posted from www.Care2.com

When we see “cruelty-free,” “not tested on animals” or a bunny picture on a product label it seems safe to assume that the products in question were actually made without harming animals and may actually be the reason consumers choose these products...

Editor's Note from Jean-Pierre Ruiz: FULL DISCLOSURE: I am the owner of EcoStar Health, which sells a line a hand-made premium body care products manufactured by Dr. Tracy Darling. To my knowledge, no animal testing has been performed on the products, nor on the raw ingredients used to manufacture the products.

While completely unnecessary (do we really need to pour Draino down a rabbit's eyes to determine that it is caustic?), animal testing still goes on. Why?...

Conscious Consumerism

by Wes Ozier

If you’ve lived in Arizona for a while, you may have heard of the Arcosanti project but don’t really know what it is. If you have been interested in and studying ecodesign and intentional community for a while, you may have heard of the Arcosanti Project but don't know what it is. Some people think the Arcosanti Project is an artist colony, some think it is a commune, some think it is a bell factory and some think it is a city hidden in the desert...

Conscious Consumerism

Editor’s Note from Eden Kozlowski: Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) offers a holistic approach to the production of sustainable food grown in urban areas. In this story, we learn of one urban farmer who successfully uses the CSA model to produce long-term sustainable crops that are fresh, cost-efficient, environmentally friendly and that offers local members a stake in the harvest crops. I have my first pickup today with my local CSA today, actually. I'm very excited and this video made me even more excited.

Conscious Consumerism

by Marilyn Scholl

Cooperative Development Services has developed a model for the development of food cooperatives – Four Cornerstones in Three Stages. The model is based upon the four cornerstones of vision, talent, capital, and systems that are each within three stages of food co-op development: organizing, feasibility and planning, and implementation. The four cornerstones comprise the attributes of a successful start-up within the three stages. The vision of Food Co-op Initiative is to support faster and more efficient start-ups by providing assistance and resources all the way through the development process.

Conscious Consumerism

Conscious Consumerism

Editor's Note from Jean-Pierre Ruiz: We create 750M tons of garbage a year. In the US, each of us creates 10 times our weight in garbage. While 80% of what we throw away is recyclable, only 28% is recycled.

Just because you no longer see it, it doesn't mean it's gone...this is closed eco-system.

Conscious Consumerism

by Jean-Pierre Ruiz, President & CEO of Ecostar Health, LLC,
ATH Co-Editor of Conscious Consumerism

Last week, March 21, 2013, the US Congress passed H.R. 933, known as the "Department of Defense, Military Construction, and Veterans Affairs and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013”, by a 318 to 109 vote...

Editor's Note from Jean-Pierre Ruiz: Have biotech food companies been given a free hand to play God with our food? HR 933 was recently signed into law by President Obama. While the bill was intended to provide emergency financing to keep the US government operating, an obscure provision buried deep within the bill and authored mostly by Monsanto, prevents judicial oversight of GMO crops regardless of their impact on the environment or human health.

Conscious Consumerism

Editor's Note from Jean-Pierre Ruiz: On February 26, Bono spoke at TED to show the progress in the fight against extreme poverty...and what we need to do next. Bono shared the new facts about fighting global poverty...

Conscious Consumerism

Editor's Note from Jean-Pierre Ruiz: An Amazonian Indian Chief comes to New York City to help his people. "People may think richness is about money, but for us in the rainforest being rich is something else. We are rich in biodiversity, in culture and in spirituality."

Conscious Consumerism