This time around we have time and wanted to a) see how people really live outside of a ticket-seller’s booth and b) pick up a different kind of story or two. I had been working a desk job and wanted to get out from under the computer and air conditioning. Imagine having decisions that are no more taxing than whether to have a beer or a shandy over lunch?! Plus we (I) don’t have much (any) money and we (I) suck at budgeting. With these points in mind, a chat with travel-y friends and a clickity-click of the mouse led us to www.wwoof.org. Why, hello there Willing Workers On Organic Farms! You want us to work for 5-6 hours a day, 6 days a week in exchange for food and accommodation? To put the savings account on hold and providing a cracking story to tell at the next youth hostel? No worries, so where’s the dotted line?
In American Power, Mitch Epstein investigates notions of power, both electrical and political. His focus is on energy – how it gets made, how it gets used, and the ramifications of both. From 2003 to 2008, he photographed at and around sites where fossil fuel, nuclear, hydroelectric, wind, and solar power are produced in the United States. The resulting photographs contain Epstein’s signature complex wit, surprising detail, and formal rigor. These pictures illuminate the intersection between American society and American landscape. Here is a portrait of early 21st century America, as it clings to past comforts and gropes for a more sensible future. In an accompanying essay, Epstein discusses his method, and how making these photographs led him to think harder about the artist’s role in a country teetering between collapse and transformation.
“According to organicconsumers.org regarding food mergers…
1. The following are owned by Hain Celestial Food Group: Hain Pure Foods, Westbrae Natural, Westsoy, Breadshop’s, Casbah, Garden of Eatin’, Terra Chips, Yves Veggie Cuisine, DeBoles, Earth’s Best, Nile Spice, Jason Cosmetics.
2. H. J. Heinz Co. owns 20% of Hain Celestial Food Group.
3. Odwalla and Fresh Samantha juice are owned by Coca-Cola.
4. Kraft owns Boca. Phillip Morris owns Kraft. That means no Boca burgers for me.
5. Natural Touch is now Morning Star Farms Natural Touch, and Morning Star Farms is owned by Kellogg. These products say “made with organic soy” but do not say 100% organic, so it is likely that they use GMO soy also.
6. White Wave and Horizon Organic are owned by Dean Foods.
7. Arrowhead water and Poland Spring water are owned by Nestle.
8. Seeds of change is owned by M&M Mars. That IS a change!
9. Lightlife is owned by ConAgra, a megagiant, if not the largest food company in the U.S.
10. Knudsen, After the Fall, and Santa Cruz Organics are owned by Smuckers.
11. Cascadian Farms and Muir Glen are owned by Small Planet Foods, which is owned by General Mills. My cereal comes from Cascadian Farms, and my tomato sauce is from Muir Glen. I am going to have to rethink these purchases.”
—Depressing food post of the day. Here I thought buying from small organic companies actually meant something … but when I buy my Kashi, I’m actually supporting Kellogg’s. Ugh.
Given the enormous environmental and social challenges faced by our early twenty-first century global civilization, one of the questions I hear most frequently is, What can I do? People often expect me to talk about lifestyle changes, recycling newspapers, or changing light bulbs. These are essential, but they are not nearly enough. We now need to restructure the global economy, and quickly. It means becoming politically active, working for the needed changes. Saving civilization is not a spectator sport.
