Your opportunity to protect Organic

When people ask me for one simple thing they can do to protect the environment. I tell them to buy organic when possible.  This is one of the easier choices people can make for many reasons.
Organic has a certification system behind it, so when you go to the grocery store you can see that it is labeled organic and see which company certified it. So there is trust in that supply chain.

And why do we want to support an organic supply chain?  Organic agriculture is done through not using synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. The environmental benefit comes from not creating these chemicals to begin with and the prevention of those chemicals in the soil and water of that land and surrounding area.  These chemicals impact animals and plants who the chemicals were not intended to harm.
I also feel that organic is a human rights issue.  By not choosing organic we are choosing to have farm workers be exposed to chemicals in their daily work.  Why should we get to pay less for our food and put people's health at risk?

Organic needs help in the upcoming Farm bill. There is an opportunity to put more money towards organic and support the farmers and industry as a whole.  The more we support better practices, the healthier our society can be.  Also if organic grows, the cost difference between organic and conventional food will close.
Take some time today and support Organic in the upcoming farm bill
http://capwiz.com/ota/issues/alert/?alertid=55233501&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

It is Fair Trade Month

Fair Trade month is about bringing awareness to the Fair Trade movement.
I recently wrote a blog post for Fair Trade USA about prAna's Fair Trade apparel program. check it out
http://fairtradeusa.org/get-involved/blog/wear-fair-carving-fair-trade-path-apparel 

To the Clinton Foundation

I received an email from Chelsea Clinton today asking me to give feedback to her father's foundation - the Clinton Foundation.
Now I fully realize that I am one of a few million on this email, but I wanted to share my thoughts with you on what I responded.

"Firstly I want to thank the Clinton Foundation for all of the great work that you have done over the years.  My suggestions come from a place of building on this work not from a place where what has been done is not sufficient.

I feel that inspiration has pulled people to act in a way that is outside of themselves.  The stories of social and environmental change are those that remind me of the strength of the human soul - the globally shared human core that we all share - to be loved and to love others.

I am inspired by the work that gives people the opportunity to follow their own dreams and better their communities.  So I would suggest continuing focusing on education, especially women and children to build better futures for themselves.  This is not only about economics, but about survival skills for growing food, health, sanitation and strong self esteem.

The other movement that I see great strength in is the Fair Trade movement - this is not charity but a systems change. Where more money is spent to not only provide more money to the working poor but to provide skills around democratically elected committees giving workers a voice within their places of work and ultimately their communities.  This is a great gift to any workers and while Fair Trade is focused in developing countries there is an opportunity for these same models to replicated in developed countries where the need for the voice of the poor and under privileged can be strengthened.

Thank you for the opportunity to share my voice.
Nicole"

Want to share your thoughts? Click here http://my.democrats.org/Clinton-Foundation