Every time you buy food, you're voting for the world you want.

"Every time you buy food, you're voting for the world you want. When you choose corporate processed foods, you're paying for a food system gone awry, including the massive environmental cleanup of runoff from industrial farms. When you buy good Grub, you're supporting the production of food that doesn't poison our farm workers or the environment, but preserves biodiversity, rural communities, and food security. Every time we choose Grub, we're making the healthy choice, not just for our bodies, but for the planet as well." ~Anna Lappe

#14. Today I'm grateful for the healthy, organic food choices that nourish, heal, restore and regenerate my body daily.

St. Lazaros Shelter

I had the honor of being invited to the St. Lazaros Shelter (a safe haven for the homeless in Downtown L.A.) yesterday for a post-Thanksgiving donation drive sponsored by UNFUCK THE WORLD. 

The invitation: "With winter just around the corner, they desperately need warm clothes, shoes, blankets, non perishable food, bottled water, feminine hygiene products, condoms, underwear (women's and men's), towels, sheets, toilet paper - anything will help and will be greatly appreciated. Of course you are also welcome to write a check ... :-)

You can stop by anytime, any day; Rey's store at the corner of 7th Street & San Julian is open 24/7."

Please consider donating to this worthy cause.

Thank you.

How to Put People Back in Charge by Sarah van Gelder — YES! Magazine

How to Put People Back in Charge by Sarah van Gelder — YES! Magazine

and 9 Strategies to End Corporate Rule

Disposable Products by Earthchoice

After bringing home a delicious blueberry muffin from a local family owned cafe The French Market Place yesterday, I was pleased when I opened the container and found it to be a recyclable Earthchoice Fiber Blend Hingeware container by Pactive. This container is made in the U.S.A. of a blend of fiber and pulp materials from sustainable and renewable resources.

Although I had passed The French Market Place a million times and always wanted to stop in, this was my first time visiting this cafe as there are so many great restaurants and shops just walking distance from my house to choose from. I will definitely visit again, not just because of the reasonably priced, simple-but-good breakfast, friendly service and fun atmosphere with a Bourbon Street themed decor, but specifically knowing that I am supporting a local business that promotes eco-friendly, recylable products.

Even more exciting, I discovered that Pactive's Earthchoice line offers a variety of other eco-friendly products including straws made with PLA, a 100% annually renewable material made from plants. According to Ingeo's website, "If you replace the PET in 100,000 plastic food containers with Ingeo, you can save greenhouse gas emissions equal to driving a car 16,000 miles and non-renewable energy equal to 10 barrels of oil or 775 gallons of gasoline."

For more information on Ingeo's impact on the environment, visit Ingeo's Eco Profile.  Every step we take makes a difference towards positive impact, so please take it even one step further in your own community and ask your local restaurants to carry and promote eco-friendly renewable products and containers as well.