A Dose of Reality and A Nugget of Nutrition Be Leaner and Greener

Reducing your waist line can help you reduce your carbon foot print and visa versa. Take an average lunch for example. Since most of us have a limited amount of time for lunch, quick and simple is the only way to go. This is why the fast food drive thru is always crowded, but it is not the only way. It is simple and sometimes quick, but those are about the only benefits.

Most fast food lunches contain 700-1200 calories. Even the salads! The calories can be cut in half for the salads if you don’t use any dressing and get rid of the croutons. Lets face it, a salad for lunch leaves you hungry in a couple of hours even with chicken or a hard boiled egg. Now take out the dressing and not only is it not filling, but it isn’t satisfying either.

One nights worth of trash at a fast food restaurant.

 Now let’s take a look at the effects on your carbon footprint from that meal.  Everything you order comes in its own wrapping. The sandwich has a bag or a box, and the drink has a cup and sometimes a straw. You may get bottled water, but you need to make sure the bottle is being recycled. If you get a side, that too comes in its own container. It doesn’t matter if it is paper or plastic because neither one can be recycled. Then everything comes in yet another bag. If you have the time to go inside you will be using a tray that has a paper liner that is not recyclable and trays use up water and electricity when being washed. Additionally, your car uses gas to go waiting in line at the drive thru. If it is a nice day you just may have the car windows open until you the smell of the car exhaust gets to you. So you close the windows and turn on the air conditioner or maybe the heat which uses even more gas.

All of this from only one lunch for one person. This is repeated hundreds of thousands of times a day all across the US. What can you do about it?

If you don’t already know, packing your own lunch can be much healthier for you. Compared to a meal at your favorite fast food restaurant (or even you favorite big chain restaurant) your homemade lunch can contain less calories and a bigger amount of food to eat.  If you pack everything in reusable containers just think of all the trash you save from going into the landfills. You may not live near a landfill, but someone does.  We also encourage the use of reusable water bottles. Find yourself a tin drink container. It can go from freezer to dishwasher. If you frequent popular cafes, take advantage of the reusable coffee mugs they always have for sale or try stores like Target for cheaper prices on bigger travel mugs.

Unfortunately the average American produces between 9-10 pounds of trash in just two days and is 17 pounds over weight. It all adds up when you reduce the amount of trash you create on a weekly basis and the amount of calories you consume on a daily basis by taking your own lunch to work! One person can make a difference!  If you have children you are setting a great example for them to follow. They too can pass this good habit down to their children.

If you have a hard time deciding what to bring for lunch, feel free to contact us. Just let us know what you like for lunch and we can come up with a leaner, greener way for you to enjoy your favorite meals.

Written by Joann Agoglia

Edited  by Rob Marshall

Farmers: Today's Indentured Servants

Farming has never been an easy living to make. Before heavy machinery was manufactured, farmers plowed, planted, weeded, and harvested by hand. They could eat their crop, but they still needed to sell enough (mostly at local markets) to pay their bills. Plots of land would yield only so much food, but it required long hours and dedication. Despite the hardships, farmers were a proud group dedicated to their charge, and because of their agricultural endurance, America has been able to thrive.

The face of farming has changed drastically in the past 50 years. Machines do much of the manual labor. Herbicides do the weeding, and pesticides (modified nerve gas like DDT) protect crops from insects. Seed providers have been bought up by chemical corporations to become hubs for genetic engineering. Food has transformed, and it now travels farther than ever before. Fields yield 300% more than even 30 years ago. The farm has become efficient, but at what cost? Are farmers finally able to sit back and relax? The truth is that they cannot. In fact, the farmer’s life has recessed to the likeness of the indentured servant.

An indentured servant is a person that works for food and shelter (sometimes up to 7 years). They usually do not get paid wages, but they survive. This is the life of the 21^st century farmer. Through subsidy programs, debt, and constant harassment from Genetic Engineering corporations like Monsanto, farmers are barely able to get by.

The government subsidizes four major crops grown in America. Corn is one of them, and it has become a source of controversy in recent years. Today’s corn is not the corn of 100 years ago. It has been modified by Monsanto and other corporations to resist chemical sprays sold by the same group (Round-up, anyone?). The cost of seed, chemicals, machinery, and fuel makes the cost of producing corn extraordinarily high. One bushel of corn costs the farmer $3.20. The net return is only $2.20, which creates a loss of $1. How can farmers continue if they do not make money? The answer is subsidies. The government gives farmers money for growing corn (no matter what corn it is). To get as much profit as possible, farmers buy the cheapest and easiest corn seed they can. However, their profits are once again snatched away by the chemical sprays they have to use on their fields and the fuel they need to power their machines. Using wheat as an example (it follows a similar parallel to corn), the $1.50 you spend on bread at the store will reach the farmer as a mere profit of a single nickel after the retailers get their hands on it. Even then, that nickel is up for grabs for the chemical and seed corporations.

There are other problems out there for farmers: cross-contamination. Corporations like Monsanto and many others have been allowed to patent genetic material (plant, animal, and sometimes human) since 1978. Under patent laws, they have the right to sue anyone that possesses their genetic material without a license even through unwanted cross-pollination. Many lawsuits have been made against famers large and small by Monsanto for illegal possession of patented material, and in all cases Monsanto is backed by the government, forcing the farmers to settle out of court or go bankrupt trying to fight the suits. Consequently, the farmers are forced to destroy stored seeds,which are sometimes hand-developed by families for over 100 years, in case they are contaminated. How could the government allow this to happen over and over without any resistance? Perhaps it is because the same people who work for the government also work for Monsanto.

Linda Fisher	Exec. VP for Monsanto	Deputy Admin. for EPA
Justice Clarence Thomas	Monsanto Lawyer for Regulatory Affairs	Supreme Court Justice
Micky Kantor	Board of Directors, Monsanto	Secretary of Commerce
Lidia Watrud	Biotech Researcher, Monsanto	EPA
Anne Veneman	Board of Dir., Calgene, Purchased by Monsanto	Sec. of Agriculture
Michael Friedman	Senior VP, GD Searle, Division of Monsanto	Acting Commissioner, FDA
William Ruckelshaus	Board Member, Monsanto	Chief Admin., EPA
Donald Rumsfeld	President of Searle, Subsidiary of Monsanto	Sec. of Defense
John Ashcroft	Received largest campaign contribution in 2000 election from Monsanto	Attorney General

Where does this leave today’s farmer? Today’s farmer has become the modern day servant to corporate profits. They are an endangered group. The only way they can survive is if we, the consumer, educate ourselves and buy locally from organic farmers. Some people may not believe it, but the consumer ultimately controls the market. If we persuade a movement towards truly organic food and away from genetically engineered crops, we can bring the farmer back from the edge.

Written by Robert Marshall

Edited by Joann Agoglia

As always, if you have any questions or comments, please let us know.

A Shot of Fitness Walk a mile in your own feet.

Nike, Converse, Reebok, ASICS, and ADIDAS. Shoes come in all different sizes, shapes, colors, styles, and prices. As we watch the evolution of the shoe, we can see that it has followed the same path as other products from the common sense to the gimmicky.

First there was the sandal. Then there was the leather shoe. And at last, the rubber sole. US Rubber (The big tire companies) created the first comfortable sneaker in 1892 called Keds. Keds were mass produced in the early 1900s and were soon manufactured for basketball players by Converse. If you know your shoe history, you probably know that Chuck Taylor began endorsing Converse shoes in 1923 which are now lovingly called "Chuck Taylors" or "Chucks" by millions of devoted shoe fans. Soon a German man named Adolf "Adi" Dassler took shoes to the global market creating his own brand called ADIDAS (cleverly named after himself). His brother Rudi started Puma (one of my personal favorites). In the 50s, sneakers became fashionable with movies like Rebel without a Cause. Fast forward to 1984 and the first batch of Air Jordans, and the modern colorful, laceless, air-pumped, zig-zagged, butt-lifting sneaker generation begins. Competition becomes so intense that shoe manufacturers have to find the next best thing to make a buck. This competition created the running shoe and the monsters that spawned from it.

The next big thing. It's American, is it not? HDTV, Xbox 360; SUVs with HDTVs and Xbox 360s. This approach exists throughout all corners of our markets, but sometimes one has to stop and wonder if the next big thing is right for them. Shoes are one of those big things. Historically, humans have lived centuries without compression gel in their soles, zig-zags under their heels, or ridiculous gimmicks pumping them up. The basics of footwear were to protect the foot from damage from sharp objects or hot or cold surfaces. But for the sake of money, shoes keep evolving. The modern shoe company has created running shoes that let the human body open its stride, land stiff-legged, and drop its entire weight on fragile hip, knee, and ankle joints without feeling the immediate consequence of pain it would get from performing the same action barefoot. Today's shoe has become a cast. Look inside of your shoe right now and see what's inside. Go ahead. I'll wait. Hey, have you seen the Walking Dead? Pretty cool, right? Yeah, I know! Zombies are awesome. It was about time we got some good zombie TV shows going on. Oh, you're done checking? What did you see? Some cushioning material, maybe the name of the shoe company, perhaps some cool interior designing going on, and what else? Did you see your arch support? I bet you did.

You may or may not have worn a cast before, but chances are that you know someone who has. After a few months, the doctor takes it off, and you finally get a good look at the limb (in this case, let's say an arm) that's been locked away 24/7. When you compare it to the other arm you can see a big difference. Ol' cast-y arm has atrophied! It's weaker and in need of some TLC. Let's imagine for a moment that you put a cast on your arm every day for 16 hours at a time, and you have done this since you picked up your first toy as a child. Now you wear it when you try to play sports, make lunch, or do school work. Kind of a pain in the butt, right?


Now imagine that your arm is your foot. Not only that, but the folks that sell you casts keep telling you that the next big cast is even better because its blue or green or black, and it pumps up to get tighter. And now you can run in your cast without feeling it for a few years (but you still get a nagging pain in your lower back for some reason). That cast is your running shoe. The arch "support" puts pressure underneath your arch. "So what? That's supposed to be good for your feet." The way an arch (architecturally) stays up is with downward force (gravity) pressing evenly on all pieces. If pressure is placed upward, the arch can collapse (or in the case, atrophy) making it not "good for your feet."

What is the alternative? My personal preference is to go barefoot whenever possible. The bottom of the foot is full of nerves for a reason. That reason is to send information back to the brain about the environment. When that information is processed, the body (naturally in pre-cast times, methodically in the modern era) changes the gait so that it can walk or run as safely and efficiently as possible to protect the joints. A person with their shoes on my impact the ground at 300% of their body weight on one leg when running. A person going barefoot will soon find out how not to impact that way. That is done when the knee bends and the person lands on the ball of the foot (not the heel) to absorb the weight of the body like a car's suspension. It is a skill to walk and especially run in that fashion, but it is not impossible to learn. The other alternative is to find shoes with little to no arch support. Chucks are usually pretty good with that. Right now my favorite shoes are a pair of Toms. The only problem with them is there is just a little too much support, but the balance is that they are easy to slip on and off so that I can go barefoot any time.

“But what about orthotics?” some of you may say. There may be some cases where orthotics are helpful like with pronated feet, but if you do not have pronated feet or feel foot pain then chances are that you do not need arch support. Of course, you should refer to your doctor about that. If your doctor says that you need support, remember to ask why and ask for alternatives. Doctors are not immune to marketing or gifting (did you know that they get all types of free stuff from pharmaceutical companies like clipboards, food, and vacations?) so be confident and know your options.


Not sure what to think about your shoes? Time to do some research, my friend. Read about the Tarahumara. They are a tribe of people that run for the sake of running (sometimes marathon long runs), and they do it barefoot. The Tarahumaras are interesting people. Some of their elite runners have won extreme marathons in the States wearing nothing more than tire rubber tied to their feet (for protection).


Take some extra time today to set your feet free, and remember what it is like to feel (the ground). Its only natural.

Written by Robert Marshall

A Dose of Reality Abuse it, and you'll lose it!

Temperatures are expected to be in the 90s all week. The less electricity we use, the less chance we have of brown outs or worse: blackouts.  We can all pitch in and do our part.  By using less electricity we can all stay cooler this summer. Here are ten tips that not only save energy but save money as well.

1. Limit your computer and television use. 

With all your neighbors cranking up the ac it puts a real strain on the electric companies.  Limiting use of the computer and tv can make a big difference.  One person does not need to have the computer and the tv on at the same time.  If you are going to be away from either for longer than a few minutes, shut them off.  Remember these things are heat sources and will make your house hotter when they are on.

2. Put up a clothesline.

Take advantage of the heat and let it dry your clothes.  Clotheslines are very easy to make (check out our facebook page).  All you need is some heavy duty rope.  You can get clothesline rope at Home Depot, and buy clothes pins at the dollar store.  If you would rather buy one that is relatively inexpensive, they range in price from $13 - $50.

3. Catch that dry cycle.

Catch the dishwasher while it is in the dry cycle and turn it off.  Dishes will dry by themselves without the heated dry cycle. Save some money, and reduce some of the heat that is generated in your house.

4. Unplug Anything with LED lights.

How many things do you need to tell time?  It seems everything has a digital clock on it including the oven, the microwave, and even the cable box. Even appliances like TVs have red LED lights that turn on when you turn the TV off. This sucks up a lot of power in the long run. Unplug them when they are not in use. 

5. Reevaluate how many lights you need on during the day.

If your bathroom has a window do you really need to turn the light on during the day? Do you have the lights on when you are watching TV or playing on the computer during the day?  Most of the time turning on the lights when you walk into a room just becomes habit. You can save energy by opening your window blinds and letting in some sun.

6. How cold do you really need it?

You house should be comfortable; not cold. A few degrees will make a big difference on your next electric bill, and chances are you will not feel the difference between 70 and 72.

7. Get good at barbecuing!

You save electricity by not using your stove, and you will be able to keep the kitchen (and your house) much cooler when you cook outside.

8. Switch to energy saving light bulbs.

The world will not be saved just by switching to energy saving bulbs alone. They are one part of an important movement. They will, however, save your money. They use less power and give off less heat than traditional bulbs.   

9. Give that air-conditioning a much needed rest.

It is always cooler in the morning.  Shutting off the air-conditioning for an hour or two will give the unit rest and save some money. It is important to note that on very hot days you may only be able to shut the AC off for about an hour.  You should not let the house get too hot before turning it back on.

10. Check your filter regularly.

Check the filter in your air-conditioner, especially if it has been running for long stretches of time.  The unit is forced to work harder if the filter gets clogged. Having two filters will be helpful.  While one is being cleaned and dried, you can put the second one in.

Good luck with the summer heat this year! When it starts hitting 101 degrees in North Dakota, you know its going to be a rough one. Remember to drink plenty of water and stay away from dehydrating drinks like soda, coffee, and alcohol!

Written by Joann Agoglia
Edited by Robert Marshall

A Dose of Reality I Need What I Want!

When I was a child, I was spoiled. I would ask and get just about anything wanted. My father once said to me, “Joann, you have to separate your needs from your wants.” I replied, “Dad, there is a thin line between needs and wants. Once you decide you want something, you find ways to need it.” He chuckled and almost seemed proud of my answer. I think after that he said something about a gray area; I should try to stick to it. I wasn’t a very good listener back then. I do, however, feel the same about wants and needs today. Humans only need three things to survive: water, food, and shelter. All of the rest is fluff; boy, do we have a lot of fluff!

How and why did we get so dependant on things we didn’t really need? Where did these ideas of needing something we could survive without come from? I used to think that these ideas came from logic and sensible reasoning, but I know longer think that is true. It is almost as if we have an extra voice in our heads. In addition to the regular angel and devil on our shoulders, it seems we have this permanent Bluetooth lodged in our ears, speaking to our brains. It tells us we need this and that and sends us images of how cool we would look. This “Bluetooth Bug” is hard to ignore. No matter where you are, it is always whispering why we need things we could and should do without. The energy that powers this device is strong and readily available. It draws its energy from our televisions, radios, computers, and phones; it flashes images to us while we are on the road and in the mall. It is the tool of the media.

Tell me what I want!

In our society, media controls the flow of information. Two of the biggest influences on media’s frontlines are TV and the internet. Think back on today. How many clothing ads did you see on the internet? How many car or car insurance commercials on TV? What about fast, cheap food? Advertising tells you what to like and when to like it. When was the last time you saw a commercial for organic farming? How about a commercial that showed how good vegetables are without being dowsed in ranch dressing? I can remember seeing more oil advertisements in the past month than any advertisement for something I actually need. Children’s advertising is even worse. The cereal isle is bombarded with exciting cartoon characters on sugar cereal boxes like bees, rabbits, vampires, and leprechauns. It’s time to get real about who is making your choices; is it you or the commercials?

Do you remember the first cell phones? They were called pack phones. They weighed over a pound and had to be plugged into a car. Now phones weigh six ounces, play games and movies, and connect you to the internet 24/7. Not only was that move unnecessary, but the media makes you believe that it is so important that you are willing to pay $50 extra a month on top of the normal phone service. Phone bills easily reach $100 per month per person in the US. Now add that to the internet service and the cable you already pay for at home and what do you get? You get cheap, fast food. Why? Because many have been mislead by media to believe that it is a great idea to buy cheap, processed food in bulk instead of organic food in order to afford bigger and cooler technology.

It is time to decide what is really important in your life. Is it more important to feed your gas guzzling Cadillac Escalade $80 a week in fuel or feed your children natural organic food that will keep them healthy and energetic? Is it better to spend an hour on the internet with your phone or computer, or is it better to spend 20 minutes making a home cooked meal for your family (Yes, it is possible to make an organic meal for four in less than half an hour). Sure, sometimes organic food can be more expensive than something in a box, but consider how much you spend on frivolous entertainment like internet on your phone, 150 channels on the TV, $70,000 on a car that eats up $90 plus worth of gas a week. Separate the wants from the needs, and give your needs the priority they deserve. Your needs are water, food, and shelter. Not internet, TV, and SUVs.  Get unplugged, and get real. Or maybe we should make an app for that.

Written and Edited by

Joann Agoglia &

Robert Marshall

Big Oil has done it again. ExxonMobil spills 42,000 gallons of crude oil in Montana river.

View the story here.
So big oil has once again violated our environment, our property, and our lives. One of ExxonMobil's pipelines burst in the Yellowstone River in Montana. Although the Huffington Post does not say when the leak was noticed, cnn.com says that the spill was reported at 11:30pm on Friday, July 2nd. Judging by the wording, that does not necessarily mean that was when the leak started.

ExxonMobil's spokeswoman Pam Malek said the pipeline leaked 750 to 1,000 barrels of crude oil. I guess that doesn't sound like much. So how many gallons is that? When you figure in 42 gallons per barrel, it comes out to 31,500 to 42,000 gallons (apparently most officials are leaning towards the 42k)! To put this in to perspective, if you were to fill up a swimming pool with this oil, you could fill up a space that is 5ft deep,  25ft wide, and 45ft long!

Well, how bad could this be? 140 people were evacuated because of the possibility explosions and the overpowering fumes. Not so much can be said for the wildlife. 

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Take note of the televised version of the story. The tag reads "1000 gallons," not "1000 barrels." And the cover-up begins...

OK. Well, mistakes happen. At least it isn't the Gulf Spill, again. ExxonMobil isn't that bad, right? Let's have a brief history lesson, shall we?

March 24, 1989, Prince William Sound, Alaska - An Exxon tanker crashes and spills 260,000 to 750,000 barrels (10,920,000 to 31,500,000 gallons). Why such a huge difference between the two numbers? Exxon wasn't "sure" how many barrels actually broke open and leaked. Those that did not may still be sitting at the bottom of the Sound. By the way, an olympic size pool holds 660,000 gallons of water.

2006, Jacksonville, Maryland - A break in an underground gas line leaked gasoline throughout an affluent neighborhood. The neighborhood gets its water from its wells which may have been affected. 400 people are still locked in a suit with Exxon.

May 1, 2010, Akwa Ibom, Nigeria - Of course, all oil spills do not occur in America. Africa is afflicted with careless spills by many companies. Chances are that you will never hear about them... In Akwa Ibom, an ExxonMobil pipeline burst, spilling over one million gallons of oil in to the Niger Delta. The delta feeds farms and drinking water. When the Nigerian people protested, they were attacked by security guards. The Niger Delta has 606 oilfields and supplies 40% of America's imported oil.

So what do we do with this information? There are a few things. A few decades ago, Americans were fond of boycotting. Whenever someone was screwing things up, we would stop using it. A few oil companies to be mindful of would be ExxonMobil, Shell, and BP. Remember seeing those people at BP right after the Gulf Spill? Yeah. We shouldn't be going there. We can also invest our time and money in Green solutions. "But I don't have that kind of money!" That's because the oil companies are trying to keep Green solutions out of the mainstream, but sometimes the right thing to do is the hard choice. Spend less on an SUV or other expensive sports car, and spend more on solar panels, Green tech., etc. Your move, America.

Written by Robert Marshall
Edited by Joann Agoglia