When theFashionSpot contacted me to be the guest editor for June, I was surprised they said I could speak about any topic I was passionate about. I am sure many of you are aware about my stance on diversity and acceptance of all body shapes, sizes, ages and ethnicities, which has greatly dominated my career. What some of you may not know is that I am passionate about the protection of our planet and the serious need for aid of our environment.
Recently, I had a baby girl and my life is forever changed in the deepest and most basic way. I’m sure like many other parents, I feel a great responsibility for this human being, as her life is literally in my hands. I will always foremost be passionate about protecting her, which encompasses protecting the environment.
You see, I’m scared…not just scared, that’s too soft a word to describe my feelings. I’m absolutely petrified for our future. Why? Let’s begin with food. Half the world is literally starving for food and the other half is completely starved of nutrition. How can this be possible?
Well, unforgivably toxic farming practices mean our crops are completely laden with cancer-causing pesticides and insecticides. These chemicals cause a whole variety of other illnesses, not to mention are completely depleting the soil of essential minerals, which produces crops devoid of any nutritional content. According to some experts, we only have 30 to 60 years left of plantable soil in America and potentially the world. Corporations, who we unfortunately let run the food industries, will eventually make food intolerable for human consumption and completely devoid of any nutritional benefit at all.
Recently, I have found a new hero and it’s not someone famous. John Jeavons is a man trying to embark on teaching people how to grow their own produce in the smallest and least taxing way on the economy as possible. He is a living and breathing superhero. He has a great program, which you can watch here. Let’s make him famous because I can tell you, “reality stars” will not teach us how to enrich the soil.
Recently, thanks to films like Food, Inc. or Fed Up, more knowledge has been shed upon the current epidemic, about how foods that are so highly processed with so many additives can cause endless health problems. Michael Pollan wrote that supermarkets are “treacherous” to anyone trying to be healthy. Processed, diet, fat-free, fast, convenient, etc. — all of it should not even be counted as food.
We, unfortunately, place too much weight on calories — the difference between a calorie from an avocado that is full of essential fats, vitamins and minerals is completely different to the calorie from a low-fat, sugar-filled treat that has absolutely no nutrition for your body even if the “calorie count” is the same. I have actually seen people not eat a banana, which is brimming with health benefits, and turn to a processed muesli bar filled with chemicals and fake sugar because the calories supposedly are less. They may as well be eating cardboard for all the goodness left in it.
Currently, we have whole states battling companies like Monsanto purely because they want honest labeling of food. That’s not only absolutely crazy, it’s barbaric. We have a right to know how our food is grown.
Some companies like Monsanto and others readily sue small farmers because the farmer is trying to recycle the seeds. I’m sorry, but these companies aren’t Mother Nature. Because they have learned to patent food and make a profit from the one thing we should not have that much control over, however, they readily sue everyone and try to force their GMO products down our throats.
The crops have been laden with so many cancer-causing pesticides and insecticides that they are creating superweeds and superbugs, which will make food intolerable not only to their chemicals and make our future pretty damn bleak in terms of nutritional food, but it’s also killing the bees and good bugs on nearby organic farms. Now, shouldn’t the organic farms have a right to sue them?
In 30 years’ time if we continue to sit back and watch from the sidelines doing nothing, then we know without a doubt people will continue to get sick. Unfortunately, many countries are following in the USA’s footsteps. Herein lies the political saga. I implore you to learn how to grow your own vegetables. I implore you to research and join a grassroots organization and I implore you to stand up to your government if it does not have your health and nutrition on the front bench.
When I showed my sister this article, she questioned what more we can do. I know not everyone can have a garden or knows about growing a garden. One of my goals is to include more tips and tricks on what you can do or what you can grow (even on a window ledge) on my food blog Robyn Lawley Eats.
Leading a life so devoid of nutrition is not one I want and most definitely not one I envisioned when I had my daughter Ripley. It is up to us. Learn to grow food with every means possible.
