Thursday, September 29, 2011

What is Holistic and How Does it Apply to You or Your Business?

The word Holistic (whole-istic) and its approach means considering the whole system, the whole you, rather than just concentrating on individual components. It means seeing that all life personal and business wise is connected and interdependent. Once we acknowledge that connection life changes for the better - for ourselves, for our communities and for our planet.  A holistic lifestyle today starts with connecting the thousands of like-minded people passionate about making a difference. If you care about good health, the environment, our communities and our future then you'll fit right in. 


Think about how your business might have some aspect that promotes good health for the environment. Do you sell biodegradable products? Do you offer Energy Star products? Do you promote recycling in the workplace? And the list goes on. You are who we want to talk to and learn more about. Become a sponsor of Sacandaga Sun today and share how you are being kind to our planet and communities.


Editor-in-Chief,
Shelley Brienza

Grafton Peace Pagoda


Grafton Peace Pagoda
18th Anniversary Celebration
Saturday, October 1, 2011 - 11:00 AM
Grafton, NY
 
This year we are welcoming over 30 Nipponzan Myohoji monks and nuns from
all over the world for the Grafton Anniversary Celebration and the Opening
Ceremony of the new temple at the New England Peace Pagoda in Leverett, MA.
 

All Are Warmly Welcome!
 
Buddhist Sacred Ceremony
 
Dennis Banks, Anishinabe Nation Native American Prayer
 
Interfaith Prayer
 
Music by Ai Yamaguchi from Japan with “No More Fukushima Song”
 
Round Dance by Six Nations
 
This year, in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, we have been
focusing on creating a world where children will not be exposed to the
reality of nuclear radiation from nuclear power and war. We pray for those
who have suffered in the wake of nuclear disasters in the past and for those
being affected now.  We pray for change so there will be no need for others
to suffer this way in the future. This is a turning point where consciousness
needs to be raised and we must choose to live more gently upon this earth.
 

Please join us for a potluck community meal after ceremonies.  Please bring
your favorite international foods (preferably vegetarian, organic and healthy).
For each person coming, please bring a dish to feed 10 people.  It may be cold. 
Please bring a coat and blanket.  Please arrive before 11:00 AM for best parking.
 
For more information please call the Peace Pagoda at (518) 658 - 9301
Nipponzan Myohoji - Grafton Peace Pagoda, 87 Crandall Road, Petersburg, NY 12138

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Fall Edition of the Farmers Market Forum Now Available


Subject: Fall Edition of the Farmers Market Forum Now Available
 
The Fall edition of the Farmers Market Forum, the quarterly newsletter of the Farmers Market Federation of NY, is now available on the web.

The link to the Fall 2011 Farmers Market Forum is http://www.nyfarmersmarket.com/newsletters/Fall2011.pdf.  Please feel free to make copies to distribute to the farmers and vendors in your market or direct anyone interested to the website to enroll in the email announcement of the newsletter.

Friday, September 23, 2011

Harvest Season

Greetings from , Shelley.

Harvest season is the perfect time to explore the winding back roads of Fulton County and witness the farmers bringing in the fruits of the field. Make sure to leave time during your visit to experience the many fall festivals, craft fairs, or the unique country charm of our distinct cities, towns and villages.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Apples Top New "Dirty Dozen" List


For Immediate Release, June 13, 2011
Contact EWG Public Affairs: 202.667.6982
Alex Formuzis: alex@ewg.org or Sara Sciammacco: ssciammacco@ewg.org

EWG'S 2011 Shopper's Guide Helps Cut Consumer Pesticide Exposure

Apples Top New "Dirty Dozen" List

Washington, DC - Environmental Working Group has released the seventh edition of its Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce with updated information on 53 fruits and vegetables and their total pesticide loads. EWG highlights the worst offenders with its “Dirty Dozen” list and the cleanest conventional produce with its “Clean 15” list.

Analysts at EWG synthesized data collected from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration from 2000 to 2009. Produce is ranked based on a composite score, equally weighing six factors that reflect how many pesticides was found in testing of on each type of the produce and at what levels. Most samples are washed and peeled prior to being tested, so the rankings reflect the amounts of the chemicals likely present on the food when is it eaten.

Notable changes in the new guide included apples’ rank as the most contaminated produce, jumping three spots from last year to replace celery at the top of the “Dirty Dozen” list. According to USDA, pesticides showed up on 98 percent of the more than 700 apple samples tested.

Making an appearance in the guide for the first time is the herb cilantro, which had never been tested by USDA until now. The data showed 33 unapproved pesticides on 44 percent of the cilantro samples tested, which is the highest percentage of unapproved pesticides recorded on any item included in the guide since EWG started tracking the data in 1995.

Also appearing in the guide for the first time are green onions, cranberries and mushrooms. Mushrooms made the “Clean 15” list, while honeydew was the only item to drop off that list this year. Cherries dropped off the “Dirty Dozen” list, but lettuce, which has made the list in previous years, were back on.
“Though buying organic is always the best choice, we know that sometimes people do not have access to that produce or cannot afford it,” said EWG President Ken Cook. “Our guide helps consumers concerned about pesticides to make better choices among conventional produce, and lets them know which fruits and vegetables they may want to buy organic.”

Pesticides can be extremely toxic to human health and the environment. U.S. and international government agencies alike have linked pesticides to nervous system toxicity, cancer, hormone system disruption and IQ deficits among children.

"I really worry that pesticides on food are unhealthy for the tender, developing brains and bodies of young children," said Dr. Harvey Karp, MD, FAAP, creator of the book/DVD The Happiest Baby on the Block. "Parents don't realize they're often feeding their little ones fruits and veggies with the highest pesticide residues. Studies show even small amounts of these chemicals add up and can impair a child's health when they're exposed during the early, critical stages of their development. When pesticide sprayers have to bundle up in astronaut-like suits for protection, it's clear parents want to feed their families food containing as little of these toxic chemicals as possible."

"Pesticides, while designed specifically to kill certain organisms, are also associated with a host of very serious health problems in people, including neurological deficits, ADHD, endocrine system disruption and cancer," said Andrew Weil, MD, Founder and Director, Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine and a renowned medical expert on natural health and wellness. "My advice to consumers is to whenever possible avoid exposure to pesticides, including pesticide residues on food."

Consumers who choose five servings of fruits and vegetables a day from EWG's Clean 15 list rather than from the Dirty Dozen can lower the volume of pesticides they consume by 92 percent, according to EWG’s calculations. They will also eat fewer types of pesticides. Picking five servings of fruits and vegetables from the 12 most-contaminated products would result in consuming an average of 14 different pesticides a day. Choosing five servings from the 15 least contaminated fruits and vegetables would result in consuming fewer than two pesticides per day.

The health benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables outweigh the risks of pesticide exposure, and EWG strongly recommends that everyone follow USDA’s recommendation to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. EWG’s Shopper’s Guide makes it easy to meet that goal while reducing your exposure to pesticides.

“Pesticides are toxic,” said Sonya Lunder, Senior Analyst at EWG. “They are designed to kill things and most are not good for you. The question is, how bad are they?”
EWG’s Shoppers Guide is available for fee as a PDF download at http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/. An iPhone app will be available in the near future. For a small donation, consumers can also have a version of the guide sent to them as a bag tag that can be attached to reusable shopping bags.

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EWG is a nonprofit research organization based in Washington, DC that uses the power of information to protect human health and the environment. http://www.ewg.org

Did You Know?

Did you know that you can choose to be clean and "green" through their "green up" program. They let you choose providers who generate electricity from renewable sources like wind, solar and hydroelectric. For more information visit: http://www.nationalgridus.com/greenup/eia .

Did you know that over 10,000 customers Upstate let National Grid recycle their old refrigerators? They got their fridge picked up for free and collected a $30 reward. You can too, visit, www.powerofaction.com/unyfridge .


*courtesy of National Grid 9/11