ROTTEN FOOD

I'm about to write the kind of entry that I haven't written in a long time. A big long ranting, preaching to the choir entry. So I suggest you grab a drink and sit back for the long haul.

I mentioned earlier that Chris and I saw Food Inc. over the weekend. Some things in the movie were not new to me, but there were other things that made me start questioning even some of the soy products I occasionally eat. In fact, the minute we got into that car, I burst into tears and wailed that there is nothing, NOTHING, I can eat now. I new this was coming. I started getting a tightness in my chest during the opening credits and there were times during the movie where I was actually clawing at my face.

I used to feel guilty about the amount and types of food I ate simply because it was unhealthy and I was fat. Now, my guilt issues with food has to do with the global impact of that food item on the environment. And people, it's not good. Really, we should be ashamed of ourselves. Last week Dooce received a lot of criticism for using Twitter to get her washing machine fixed. It was said that she was being a bully and she was abusing her "power". I'm sorry, but if I spend $1300 on a washing machine, I'm going to demand real and honest customer service too by any means possible. We've let the same thing happen with our food. We've gotten this mentality that we owe the big companies, that they are doing us the favor. Bullshit! It's our money. We should demand better. We should demand better service, better products, better FOOD! There's not enough people asking the question "why?" and that needs to change right the fuck now. There is no reason why a family of four should have to choose the dollar menu at McDonald's over buying fresh vegetables like broccoli at the grocery store because it's the cheaper solution, even though they know that the food is slowly killing them. We are better then this.

This month Chris and I start the grand experiment of eating locally grown or organic food only. Can we do it with our measly budget? Chris is more optimistic then I am, but he's always been my food champion sending things back for me when the order is wrong, supporting my move to vegetarianism. We've figured out that we'll have to go to at least three different places to get a decent selection and price for our groceries, but I think the hassle will be worth it. No more sitting at the couch, watching TV during meal times either. We've cleared the table and we're working hard to keep it that way. Also, we're going to try to plan a potluck dinner once a month for friends and family with the focus of the dinners being good wholesome foods.

It's time to stop being lazy and apathetic. I may not be able to convince everyone why ammonia washed meat isn't a good buy or why companies like Monsanto are ruining American farming. But I can make a change for me. I can take a stand on how I spend my money. Every time I buy organic in the grocery store, I'm voting. I'm voting for the foods I want to see as a norm in the stores. And little by little, I will make a difference.