Importance of Shopping Conscientiously and Consciously!

We are living in budget "pinching" times. Many of us are pushed to the limit of our financial condition. Unemployment rates have sky rocketed as well as home foreclosures. Wages are stagnant and people are trying to cut spending. Despite our individual financial condition, many are waking up to the many "real" and growing food supply threats which we are currently facing as a country and worldwide. Our world population is broaching upon seven billion total! Many viable resources, such as water and farmland, with which to grow crops for our burgeoning world population is shrinking. Food prices, similar to gas prices, are infringing on our household budgets as we speak. In fact, food prices are intricately tied to gas prices. Cheap food production is becoming a thing of the past due to rising fuel costs. It is estimated that food prices will continue to rise as much as 40% throughout the coming decade. Not only will food prices increase, rising world hunger, currently estimated to be at approximately one billion people who are struggling to eat daily, will continue to rise as well. The "powers-that-be", a.k.a., the Department of Agriculture, lead by Tom Vilisack, believe the solution to this problem is to increase the sale and planting of G.M.O. crops to farmers within the United States as well as worldwide. I beg to differ, as I believe this is not a solution! Not only do G.M.O.'s cause infertility and diseases such as Morgellan's (a mysterious skin disease), they are not fully studied as to the totality of their immediate and future ramifications for generations to come! Many of these factors, which are  not known to the majority of most food consumers, make shopping governed by our conscience (conscientious), difficult at best! To clarify, conscientious means to be governed by conscience.
Shopping from our conscience would entail purchasing products from local producers, or if not local, from producers that value their employees and pay them a livable wage. We as a global consortium, are becoming sick from the "toxic" products we produce and purchase cheaply. It is a kind of  "catch 22" of purchasing the cheapest due to lowered wages making it hard to support a local economy! One of the most important steps, besides awareness, to make towards becoming a conscientious shopper is to ask what is important to you and what kind of world do you want to create and live in. The next step is to educate yourself. Become a label reader and familiarize yourself with who exactly produces the food you purchase and how they in fact do this. Stay aware when you do shop. I wish there was a magic solution...as I work in a food cooperative, and in order to stay competitive with the limited food dollar in the local market, this cooperative has become "lax" in the sourcing of some foods. In fact, ingredients, such as MSG, can be found in several products in the coop. All food labels and choices can be very overwhelming, no matter where one shops, so, here are some guidelines to get you started. Make small choices and continue to have an inner dialogue regarding the food you purchase.  Making these small choices will eventually lead to bigger changes which will have an impact on your health and that of the planet in general. To make more informed and conscientious food choices while shopping, consider asking yourself the following questions:
1. Is the food organically grown?
2. Was it grown locally?
3. What are the farming practices of the companies that you are supporting?
4. How far does it travel to get to you?
5. How fresh is it? When produce is picked, it begins loosing its nutritional value immediately.
6. If you are choosing meat and poultry, how is it raised and treated, what is it fed?
7. If you choose fish or seafood, is it wild caught or farm harvested with sustainable practices?
8. How much packaging surrounds the product? Remember, we do have not one, but, three plastic islands growing in our oceans!
9. This is the one I really look at...how long is the list of ingredients...can you pronounce all the words...if not, put down the package and back away slowly, as I am sure there are other products which you can buy that are healthier!

Become an educated shopper for your health and the health of your family. You can do a search on the Internet, as there are many sites with good information on food labeling. In addition, there are many good books, many of which I purchase "used" on Amazon.com. as well as movies to assist in educating you  thus inching you further your goal of becoming an aware and conscientious shopper. Here are some I recommend:
1. The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan.
On video:
1. Food Matters; Fast Food Nation; Food Inc.; The Future of Food;Fresh; Home-King Corn; etc.
In summary, when it comes to purchasing your food, it is becoming more important to be conscious and aware. What you and your family does eat, affects your body, mind soul and that of Planet Earth. In a perfect world, you should plan to eat real, whole, organic and local food which is chemical and preservative free! In reality, by doing your best, you are ensuring the longevity of planet Earth.