Brave New World

Organic Food’s Impact on Global Sustainability: One Less Footprint at a Time

Phil — Mon, 09 May 2011 21:42:48 +0000

Buying and consuming local organic food is better for not only our bodies, but for local economies and our planet.With a little education on what we are putting into our bodies, our nation can drastically reduce our global foot print. Plus, why wouldn’t someone want to upgrade the quality of food they’re eating? Money. Money seems to be the most pressing issue for the population at large because of big businesses model of genetically modifying animals to ensure the most amount of meat for the cheapest cost. According to a survey conducted throughout the University of Scranton, 94.5% of people said they have a positive image of organic food whereas only 58.9% said they actually buy organic food. The reason being is that 91.1% of those who took the survey see organic food as expensive. The dilemma here is government subsidies that are provided to agrochemical agriculture and not to organic farmers. With more governmental and local support to local farmers, prices would drop from a simple supply and demand concept.

However, many people are willing to bite the small difference in cost to make sure food is minimally processed and free of synthetic preservatives such as artificial sweeteners, colors, flavors, hydrogenated oils, stabilizers and emulsifiers. The farming practices followed by organic farmers encourage soil and water conservation and the reduction of pollution. They don’t use chemical fertilizers, insecticides, chemical herbicides antibiotics or growth hormone and livestock must be given access to the outdoors. Organic food is more readily available and affordable than what many people think though. According to Barry Kaplan, a founding member of the Electric City Food Co-op and partner of Everything Natural located in Clarks Summit, organic food can replace every item of food in a person’s diet; from mac-and-cheese to apples. “It’s such an easy change for such a large impact,” Kaplan said. “By making the switch to organic, people are acting sustainable and helping to reduce our negative impact on society and help future generations.”

Cheryil Demkosky, Department of Exercise Science and Sport and nutrition professor, also believes eating and buying local promotes global sustainability. “By eating and buying local and eating organic we are conserving our natural resources, protecting our soils and reducing pollution. When we buy and eat local we are supporting the local economy and we are reducing the amount of fossil fuels that are used in the transport of the produce or meat,” Demkosky Said. “There will always be foods that can’t be grown in a particular region and thus will need to be shipped. When the number of people purchasing organic grown foods increases, this will encourage more farmers to practice organic farming and thus help to preserve out lands and resources.”

For people new to eating organically and especially college students and anyone on a tight budget, Barry recommends following “the dirty dozen” list that provides the 12 most contaminated foods and 12 least contaminated foods. On the most contaminated list, foods such as peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, pears, grapes, spinach, lettuce and potatoes are all foods that one should stay away from if they’re not organic.

It seems clear that eating organic food can go a long way in reducing our ecological foot print. However, only 83.9% who participated in the survey believe the lifestyle change will help future generations; a number that should ideally reach 100%. Everyone has to start somewhere. Many people are making the switch everyday and for Barry Kaplan, it was in the ‘60s. At first, people looked at Barry and those like him as being a little crazy, but throughout the years there has been a shift in the perception of organic food. “Years ago, we were called health nuts. Today, we’re known as an authority,” Barry jokingly said. The industry has now gotten serious about the production of organic food and for those who are eager to reduce their ecological footprint, there is no easier and personally beneficial way to do so than switching to organic food.

To learn more about organic products visit www.everythingnaturalpa.com

*I did not receive any funding for this article.

Brussels, Belgium

Phil — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:52:31 +0000

The other day I got the chance to speak with my friend Evan who is studying abroad in Rome currently. In one of my past posts I wrote about how Evan hailed Prague to be one of the greatest places in the world. Well, after getting in touch with him again about his European adventure he had strong words about Brussels. Although Brussels has little historic value in terms of architecture because of its reconstruction between 1880 and 1980, it still has landmark attractions such as the Grand Place which is surrounded by buildings that have been in existence for more than 300 years. Evan had the opportunity to witness a music and light show at the Grand place, which he said was truly remarkable at night because the building is used as a sort of canvas for the show. If that presentation doesn’t catch your eye, only a short walk away from the Grand Place is the Manneken Pis, a bronze statue of a person relieving himself. Here’s a hint toward the use of the word ”relieving”: it’s a fountain. However, that isn’t the only liquid spurting out of fountains in Brussels; some of the greatest pubs and breweries in the world are centered in Belgium, and Brussels doesn’t disappoint. Evan said that Brussels is generally on the more expensive side because you end up paying for entertainment rather than spending time observing historical landmarks and ancient architecture. Also, in certain areas Caviar is sold street-side; that’s a little more expensive than hot dogs and soft pretzels. All in all, Evan said that Brussels is definitely a worth-while city. As in each place in the world, Brussels offers its own unique feel with a mixed culture and entertainment nooks.

*I did not receive any funding to travel to or write about these places.

Fraser Island, Australia

Phil — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 01:48:11 +0000

Fraser Island, located on the southern coast of Queensland in Australia, is the largest sand Island in the world with some of the most isolated beaches and lakes along the coast with a population of only 360. Fraser Island is renowned for its endless sand dunes It’s easy enough to mistake it for Egypt, but as soon the water is in sight that thought gets quickly debunked; unless of course it’s just a mirage. The largest landmark on Fraser is Maheno wreck. The S.S Maheno is a sunken ship that became beached during a cyclone when the ship was being towed from the city of Melbourne. All though this ship is completely rusted now, it still looks like a sunken ship ought to in the forefront of a vast ocean and sand as far as the eye can see. Fraser Island is also known for its pure wild life. On the island, there is a large population of pure bread dingoes and over 350 species of birds, not to mention the vast number of sharks littering the west coast. Because of the abundance of sharks along the west coast, swimmers are strongly urged not to enter, but it is a “swim at your own risk” advisory. After hearing a few stories about the aggressive sharks and the number of attacks recorded in the past decade I would think twice before even getting my toes wet. However, the fresh water lakes are safe and are as warm as bath water with the clarity being as clear as crystal.

*I did not receive any funding to travel to or write about these places.

Milford Sound, New Zealand

Phil — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:13:01 +0000

Throughout all the magic that New Zealand has to offer, the Milford Sound presents an aura of mystique that leaves you awestruck. Located on the south island of New Zealand, the Milford Sound works as an inlet to the Tasman Sea and is surrounded by rainforest filled mountain sides with snow covered peaks and luscious waterfalls. During my two week excursion throughout New Zealand, I took the opportunity to explore the Milford Sound by kayaking with four of my friends. Usually there would be a lot of boats and kayaks on the water but the day we went we were the only ones because of the heavy rainfall, wind and increasingly dangerous conditions. Because the kayak tour guides felt that we were able bodied enough to give it a go, we threw on our thermals, strapped on our life vests and hopped in to our two person kayaks. My friend Joe and I were able to kayak under medium sized waterfalls as well as one 155 meter waterfall that was raging from all of the rain. We came to one patch of rocks that were crowded with seals, which at first, didn’t look real until they began sliding down and into the waters to swim around us. As I paddled next to our guide I began talking with him about how incredible of a place the Milford Sound is and he immediately put me on edge when he said about two months ago a great white shark got lost in the sound and was beaten to death by bottle nosed dolphins. I didn’t know whether to feel protected because bottle nosed dolphins seem to be the good guy or more threatened because a great white shark was swimming in the same waters that I was kayaking in. As the darkness began setting in and the conditions began to worsen we began the trek back to shore. The waves started to pick up with a little help from the powerful wind so Joe and I tried to surf a few on the way in. After attempting to paddle into around 5 waves we finally synchronized our technique enough to catch one when suddenly the wave pushed us sideways, capsized the kayak and left us both a good ten feet away from our kayak and paddles. All I could think of was the story about the great white shark our guide told us. Luckily, I didn’t run into any problems in the shark department and was able to reach the kayak, flip it, drain the water and paddle back to shore before any sharks or hypothermia could set in. All in all the Milford Sound was wonderful in the true sense of the word. With its massive waterfalls, lush wildlife, green forests, magnificent mountains and mystique the Milford Sound offers the unchartered appeal of adventure.

*I did not receive any funding to travel to or write about these places.

Whitsunday Islands, Australia

Phil — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:13:36 +0000

Before making the decision to study abroad in Australia I did some research on what the big country had to offer. Among many activities and sight seeing expeditions, the Great Barrier Reef instantly caught my eye; especially when I learned it’s one of the seventh wonders of the world and is actually visible from space. When I arrived in Australia I began searching for the right trip to explore the Great Barrier Reef, and I eventually came across a 3-day sailing expedition around the Whitsunday Islands. The Whitsunday Islands, located off Queensland, Australia is a strip of spectacular white sanded, torques blue waters that form part of the Great Barrier Reef. For three days I sailed around on a sail boat dubbed “The Boomerang,” with approximately 20 other travelers from Europe, America and Oceania. Throughout the trip we made stops to hike around numerous islands and catch a panoramic view of crystal clear water where the sand and reef were visible, which then darkened where the water depth increased, transforming the water to a vibrant turquoise and gradually to a pastel of dark blues. One of the most spectacular islands that I visited was Whitehaven Beach. There are virtually no places for accommodation throughout Whitsunday because of wildlife protection standards, so the preservation and appearance of islands such as Whitehaven Beach are spotless. It was easy to pretend that I was the first human to ever step foot on the beach. The captain of “The Boomerang”, Maxi, explained that the sand on Whitehaven beach is made up of nearly 99% pure silica which he added is rare. Because the sand consists of high amounts of silica it gives off a vibrant white color when the sun shines on it which presents the beach as a picturesque get-away with the combination of the flawless water and backdrop of jungle-like forests and surrounding islands. Another interesting function of the sand located at Whitehaven beach is its exfoliation capability. After taking a handful of sand and rubbing it on the glass face of my watch it smoothed the surface and completely dulled numerous scratches. Each day we had the opportunity to snorkel along the Great Barrier Reef and explore the rainbow colored corals and immense wildlife that followed. Having snorkeled in Jamaica, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas I had something to compare the Great Barrier Reef to but none of them could compete with the array of beauty the reef had to offer. If you’re venturing to Australia make sure the Great Barrier Reef and Whitsunday Islands is on your itinerary.

*I did not receive any funding to travel to or write about these places.

Prague, Czech Republic

Phil — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 03:41:19 +0000

Anytime I sign on facebook to keep tabs on my friend Evan who is studying abroad in Europe, I always go straight to his itinerary that he has posted blatantly on the front of his page; that is if he isn’t showing off already via his status. For example, this week reads “Nov. 6-8: Budapest, Nov. 13-16: Brussels & Amsterdam and Nov. 20-22: Munich.” I guess being in Europe presents the opportunity to see a lot of great places in a short period of time. When I asked Evan about some favorite places he’s been too he didn’t have enough to say about Prague and all that it has to offer. I think when a guy like Evan has an itinerary including Budapest, Brussels, Amsterdam and Munich all in the span of two weeks and he won’t stop talking about Prague, it must be a special place. One plus about Prague is the cost of living. For a really cheap price you can pick up a schnitzel, Czech goulash and a large stein of beer. If you really want to, you could fill that stein up with Budweiser, seeing that it’s originally from there and not in the U.S contrary to popular belief. Evan said this can cost up to $14 in the nicest of restaurants which is a cheap price for most of Europe. Prague is said to be a clean city containing helpful people who put up with the tourist attraction that the city is experiencing of late. Prague has a rich history in architecture and contains buildings that have been there for more than 1,000 years without a pinch of decay. The Prague Castle, which was visited and occupied by Hitler during WWII, is a spectacle in photographs and is apparently even more breath-taking in person judging by the way Evan described it to me. If words were worth schnitzels Evan would be a schnitzel-naire’ after all the wonderful things he had to say about Prague. Excuse me, I need to go work on my itinerary.

*I did not receive any funding to travel to or write about these places.

The Outback, Australia

Phil — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:17:34 +0000

Located in Central Australia, the outback is a vast landscape of gigantic rocks, luscious springs and wild life. After traveling the outback for ten days with a group of friends as well as our two guides Tony and Jude, I learned that the outback was more than just a desert with an abundance of large rocks. It’s a place filled with magic. During my time there I did a lot of hiking; including a 3 a.m., 9-mile sunrise hike that paid off as soon as the sun began peaking over the immense territory preceding the gigantic shadow the mountain cast over the land. By day we explored many trails as well as some off-path hiking which usually included a dip in a nearby spring. If the heat got to anyone of us, swimming in the freezing water would have you wishing you never complained about the heat. When we were driving from one location to another seeing dingos, kangaroos or camels was no rare occasion By night we helped Tony and Jude make a huge bonfire while others would start preparing dinner which if we were lucky didn’t consist of Kangaroo tail! The best of the food was emu sausage, crocodile or even regular kangaroo meat. I know, it does sound odd but before you knock it try it first. You might be surprised how good it actually is. Some nights we would play charades around the fire or listen to Jude play the harmonica and others we would sit around the blaze and get to know each other a little better. One of my fondest memories was hiking through Kings Canyon and sleeping on top of a honey-comb shaped rock. Sure, if you roll in your sleep this might have been a bad idea but we were willing to trust our sleeping habits for the stars that filled the sky that night. There were more stars than heaven and the most shooting stars I had ever seen in one night. It was one of those nights when the sheer beauty of the world somehow stirs an inevitable conversation about human existence, religion and other life. Although these conversations can never end with any answer, they make you think about how lucky you are to be living and experiencing the most pure parts of life. I think there is something important to take from secluded trips like the outback. Some trips are scheduled around some sort of planned entertainment that costs money and others, like the outback, are free from this. Entertainment is being disconnected with the sometimes hectic world that we live in and substituting it for a night of laughs and smiles centered around a campfire. These types of memories are long-lasting and shape the character of an individual in a positive way.

*I did not receive any funding to travel to or write about these places.

Guilin, Guangxi Province, China

Phil — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 03:59:29 +0000

I recently had the opportunity to speak with my friend Keenan who is studying abroad in China currently and among the many places he’s been to so far, Guilin in the Guangxi province proved to be one of the most breath-taking places. He explained how he took a bamboo raft down a river and through a mud cave, which intrigued me so I decided to check it out. The pictures I saw of Li River, Yangzhou, Reed Flute cave and especially Guilin in clouds gave off a mysterious vibe that made me want to hop in a bamboo raft and push my way through with a bamboo paddle; it just seems cool. Incredibly tall limestone rocks peak out above the clouds and I almost half expect to see a dragon blowing flames through the horizon. Although Keenan didn’t see any dragons he did find himself captured in the same kind of mystique, the same kind that only took a picture for me to get. As far as activities in Guilin Keenan could only say “it can be as big of an adventure as you want it to be.” What I think he was trying to convey was that Guilin is a place that should be discovered by every person at some point in his or her life.

*I did not receive any funding to travel to or write about these places.

Phi Phi Islands, Thailand

Phil — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:59:39 +0000

The Phi Phi islands are located in Thailand and are a ferry ride away from the Island of Phuket. My interest in Thailand arose mainly when a group of friends with whom I was studying in Australia with wouldn’t stop talking about it after they returned; especially this place called the Phi Phi islands. After checking out a few pictures and hearing some general information about the Phi Phi Islands, I realized that the movie “The Beach” starring Leonardo DiCaprio was filmed there. I think whenever a movie is filmed in what’s supposed to be a hidden beach that turns out to be some type of tropical bliss, it’s probably a somewhat appealing destination. After looking through some more pictures of the Phi Phi Islands online I stumbled across a poster that I actually have hanging above my bed at home that reads “Destiny is not a matter of chance; it is a matter of choice.” It was right around this point when I decided I’d take two weeks to travel Thailand and see what the Phi Phi islands were all about.

It was the last couple weeks my friend Chris and I would be travelling abroad before heading back to the U.S., so we had every intention of soaking it all in while at the same time clearing our heads. As soon as we landed in Phuket the humidity swallowed us like a wave and the bustling noise of the masses overwhelmed us. Knowing our safe haven in the Phi Phi Islands was a ferry ride away we wasted no time in getting there.

One aspect of Thailand we appreciated was the beneficial exchange rate of 33.3 Baht per U.S dollar and that the culture in Thailand is bargain-heavy; especially because we were at the end of our travels. Once we arrived at the Phi Phi Islands we dropped our bags at a beach side bungalow we’d be staying in for around $3 and began exploring the island. The first thing I realized about the place is that there are no cars on the island. Everything is by foot or bike. It’s easy to get irritated throughout many places in Thailand because of the constant bargaining, but in Phi Phi you can find an escape from this kind of every day hustle. The island is small enough where you can walk from the opposite beach on the other side of the island in five minutes but still large enough to find your own unruffled spot with no disturbance and get lost in the tranquility. After only a few hours on the island we began to lose our sense of time and could have easily mistaken 10 a.m. for 3 p.m. or a Monday for Friday. Our only gage of time was when the sun set and our stomachs started rumbling. At night you can enjoy numerous beach side restaurants and bars that offer fresh sea food and authentic Thai cuisine for around $4 while being entertained by the island resident’s fire juggling performance. The Phi Phi Islands gave me a surreal feeling that maybe I had actually come across paradise itself. With a combination of the turquoise-clear water, majestic blue skies, green cliff back drop and the secluded aura, the Phi Phi islands make for one special place.

*I did not receive any funding to travel to or write about these places.

Queenstown, New Zealand

Phil — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 01:54:24 +0000

Planning for a 2-week road trip around the south island of New Zealand began changing gears when I realized I was sitting next to a “Kiwi”, also known as a New Zealender to clarify, for the flight over. It was a late flight and most people besides me and the kiwi were awake with two mini spot lights above our seats shining down at a map of the south island that I snagged pre-departure.

I really didn’t know much about New Zealand before going into the trip besides seeing most Lord of the Ring movies and watching the countries national rugby union team known as the All Blacks dominate the field. There I sat, pen-in-hand, jotting down mostly every route and path less traveled he had recommended to me, ranging from hidden trails that lead to natural springs to spectacular look outs through a jungle-like forest out to a colossal glacier. He then shared a bit of advice that me and four of my other friends ended up sticking to for the entire road trip: take the long roads and make sure they lead to Queenstown.

After we landed I thanked him for the insider advice and then found my four other friends so we could start the trip by picking up the Wicked Camper we’d be driving and living in for the next two weeks. For those of you unfamiliar with what a Wicked Camper is, it’s basically accommodation on wheels that mainly backpackers use to travel around in to save a little money on hostels. The other option was sitting on a tour bus and letting them show us around but that idea felt a little too constraining. I think the point of visiting a country is to discover it for yourself and find your own path that permits a certain freedom to pull over to enjoy a simple view or veer down a side road because it looks intriguing. We set off for the trip around mid April and after about 6 days of taking the long roads and soaking in all that is spectacular about New Zealand we arrived in Queenstown- the epicenter of the South Island of New Zealand. Driving into Queenstown reminded me of my dog Gus and how he gets breathless and eager the closer we get to the woods for a walk. Entering Queenstown produced the same feeling for me, I just didn’t know where to look first. As you begin the drive in, snow capped mountains surround you and the glossiness of Lake Wakatipu acts as a mirror. During April New Zealand’s colors look like what my friend Will described as a Wisconsin fall times infinity. As we continued to drive the lake began shimmering from the reflection of the sun and probably the white-capped mountains, giving it the mirage of jumping diamonds and at this point we came to the conclusion that we were in Queenstown.

Queenstown is the epicenter of the South Island because if you have anything in mind you can most likely find it in Queenstown or at least a ride to where it is. While in Queenstown I sky dived, white water rafted, boogie boarded down white water rapids, cliff dived and lugged while a couple of my other friends bungee jumped the Nevis which is 134m down and the first commercial bungee jump in the world. Queenstown might not only be the epicenter of the south island but also the adrenalin capital of the world. We were only in Queenstown for around 4 days but I think most people would need about 4 years to do simply everything Queenstown has to offer. Unfortunately I missed out on the snowboarding and skiing that another group of friends got to enjoy at the right time of season, although I’m sure if I was ready to discern between clouds and snow- I could see that being an easy way to fall of the mountain. We actually played a prank on my friend Derek by telling him we all signed up to snowboard down a mudslide. I’m still not sure what part of Derek believed us when we told him it was a once in a decade natural disaster so we HAD to do it,but sure enough the poor kid walked right into the booking agency and tried grab a non-existent spot. I’ll never forget the look on his face.

The other thing about Queenstown is that you don’t need to jump off of things or make your life more dangerous in any way to have a good time. There are wine tours, kayaking, golfing and of course Lord of the Ring tours among many other things. If nothing else, which there won’t be, just walk around and soak it in.

*I did not receive any funding to travel to or write about these places.