The time for revolution is NOW.

REVOLUTION ON OUR TERMS. =R.O.O.T.s

What the hell am I talking about? I'm not planning some wild, gung-ho sixties inspired bra-burning-fist pumping- march on the mall in Washington, D.C. (for now- stay tuned because you never know with me!). But it'll have a similar, but more subtle impact.

Allow me to start at  the beginning.
I am leading a REVOLUTION and I want to take you with me. Actually I am not acting alone- My dear friend Jessica is my partner in this change we can FEEL coming! It's not just us either. There are a lot of people who are doing the same things, or similar. The really good part about it- is that it's easy. Yes, YOU can change the world around you. Between your thoughts, actions and words, YOU CAN CHANGE THE WORLD. It's about choices.

This all started a few months back. Jessica and I started to talk about and share ideas about the things that are really important to us. Things that we think about  constantly,(like how to make the world a better place, food, politics,health and wellness). The conclusion that we came to is that we need to revolt.

Both of us realized we wanted better for ourselves and the world we live in- And what it came down to was what CHOICES we made every day. Here's how I CHOOSE a better world.

BOYCOTT- The cultural definition :

The refusal to purchase the products of an individual, corporation, or nation as a way to bring social and political pressure for change.

I boycott companies that are negatively impacting the world around me.
For exapmple : WALMART/BJ's/COSTCO/SAMs Club ETC. I don't approve of their business tactics, the impact they have on the local economies around them, and the fact that no matter how much organic yogurt they buy- it's not going to make me like them as a company, or the idea of them. While I am not going to dedicate an entire page (right now...) to dissecting these large companies, do some research- maybe you'll find yourself boycotting a company. It feels good to know that you are making SOME kind of impact. The only thing that is redeeming is that when Walmart can price organic yogurt at 89 cents and a person who wouldn't normally have access to it can then buy it. (Every cloud has a silver lining)

Buying power- This is ultimately the back bone of the boycott- but it's also what you buy and not what you don't buy that speaks volumes. When you know the origin of a product, and how it came to be you can make better decisions. I choose to buy organic, local and fair trade whenever possible. This is because those are important issues for me.
Organic isn't just a trendy word to throw around that only means more expensive. Though often it is.When you choose to buy an organic food/product, you are choosing nature. The soil for organic crops is richer and more nutrient dense, and it's also going to benefit the environment because organic farming doesn't allow massive amounts of pesticides to leach into the ground water and surrounding rivers, streams and ponds (meaning the life in those bodies of water remains unharmed). Not to mention the amount of chemicals that are not being absorbed into your body. And to back track a bit- Yes, Organic can be more pricey. This is because organic crops aren't subsidized by the governement. The Gov't will pay farmers to grow what the lobbyist in DC pay them off to grow. Organic farmers who don't use the techniques that rape and pillage the land setting it up for a famine undoubtedly do NOT get money. Right now, if you drive through our nations farm land, more often than not you will see acres upon acres of corn. Corn is in EVERYTHING in hundereds of forms  from High Fructose Corn Syrup, to Cornstarch. It's being fed to cows (and please note, COWS AREN'T SUPPOSED TO EAT CORN AND GRAINS- they are fed these things so they get fatter faster and then sent off to slaugter in less time......it's a mess of a system that the masses can't seem to unclench their mouth from the teat of...but I digress). Corn is grown to excess....and it's almost always GENETCICALLY MODIFIED So when it's pollen floats to other crops, it too then gets RUINED. It's a terrible system) The Dairy Council and Beef Board also have a big hand in this kind of lobbying. Thats why organic dairy and beef are so expensive. The larger of many reasons I am vegetarian/vegan inclined is because of the politics behind animal products. Agribusiness is a global nightmare. I do not agree with it, so I do not want to be a part of it. I CHOOSE to not contribute to a problem. If you think that these things are awful, just one vegetarian, or organic meal a week can make a change.
In fact, if you choose to eat one vegan/vegetarian meal a week :

Now I am far from perfect. There are days that I have had dairy b/c I wanted it. Or fish. But currently I am avoiding food that makes me feel like I'm contributing to things I do not beleive in. Thats what the basis of my choices are. What makes me feel good- What makes me happy. What choice has the least harmful impact? And there are things that are completely different from this- If you don't want to be a part of conservative mainstream media, you can opt to watch independent films and listen to local music that hasn't been plundered by big record labels and the like. Or you could just be sick and tired of mean people getting the best of you and others around you. Simple solution- CHOOSE TO BE NICE! It's a lot easier and has helped my sanity more often than not(of course there are days where people do get verbal ass-whoopin's, but it's few and far between since I've taken on my new stance on change).

Here's how to figure out if you want to really make change(and not the Obama kind of change, which sadly is more like, non change as of late):

1) You are angry when you watch the news.
2) Helping yourself and the world around you seems like a pretty awesome deal.
3) You know that things can be, and should be better than they are.
4) You have a really strong desire to take action, but don't know where to start.
5) Inspiring people to live their lives on their terms is something you want to do.

If you answered yes to any of these things, then you are on your way to being part of a revolution. On your own terms. You don't have to be loud, but certainly be proud. Live life with purpose, and put your money where your mouth is.

* Please check out my friend Jessica's blog. She's a phenomenal writer, as well as an extraordinary human being.
http://saynotobarbie.wordpress.com 

hippies.