Why I Love the Mountains...

Reading: Belonging: and the Culture of Place-- bell hooks-
and Botany of Desire-- Michael Pollan -


I love the mountains because they are many. The mountains are old, and the mountains are various. Full of surprises, they capture the age and wisdom of Apollo and the playfulness of Coyote.

Reading these two books today gave me further insight into the mountains attractive nature.

Mountains are full of micro-climates-- giving zones quite close to each other very different climates in precipitation and in temperature. The benefits to the gardener are immediately apparant: A much greater variety of plants may be grown for beauty, food, and lumber.

A Pollan points out: the Andean peoples used what would have come as a great difficulty to the modern industrial monoculturalist to their advantage; they bred thousands of varieties of potatoes, of different sweetness, size, color, of texture, for the animals, etc. This incredible diversity also enabled them to prevent the possibility that a particular disease (or other susceptibility) could wipe out their crop. This was made possible- basically demanded-- by their topography. Each side and elevation of a mountain recieved different amounts of rainfall, different amounts of light, and different temperature ranges.

As a side note, linguistic research shows also how diverse dialects can be due to the effects of mountainous geography on human culture. I remember reading/hearing that New Guinea had a greater density of different tongues than anywhere else in the world due to this: cultures at different elevations had different diets and different tongues-- despite having trade between the cultures. !

bell hooks, in the introductory chapter of her latest book, speaks about how mountain people have a fierce self-determination and anarchist principles in her native state of Kentucky. Despite being acutely aware of the racial strife going on in most of the united states, country life in Kentucky was a world basically free of white supremecist imperialist.

Besides their beauty, i think this summarizes well why the mountains have so much draw: They engender so much diversity within all life forms- animals and plants-- They grant a huge diversity of opportunities to any community appreciative of the natural world.

They also give a sort of natural otherworldly quality to living. Being surrounded by such immense, old and strong beings in their own environment such as mountains, gives one the feeling that they're in a blessed and special place being there, and wondering what peculiarities exist for this particular being.

Their only drawback for such a human community is their possible isolation. However, along the Appalacians in the East and the Cascades in the West there is enough population surrounding them in order to find a way to pay off a lease and sell some cheese.


-the dancing goda

Take a Gander...

Here are some interesting links found on ecoforest.org- the page has a large directory of information on sustainable living, natural health and related topics.

http://ecoforest.org/links.shtml#ECO

a peek:

Links/resources
This page contains a large directory of information on sustainable living, natural health and related topics - we hope you will find it useful!

Index to this page
Permaculture and sustainable living
Raw food and fruitarian related sites
Holistic health
Biodiversity
Appropriate technology
Eco-villages
General environment
Consciousness
News
Positive Campaigns
Practical Steps to Change Your Life

PERMACULTURE RESOURCES

Permaculture Research Institute A Brilliant site. (Thanks for the list of links!)
Pangaia - A Raw Food Permaculture Homestead and Resource Center in Hawaii
The Big Picture, by Steve Charter
Permaculture International Journal Home Page
Permaculture Magazine UK Information Service
Introduction to Permaculture
Permaculture Institute of Northern California
Permaculture Global Assistance Network
EcoDesign Resource Society
ThePermaculture Information Service - What is Permaculture?
InterGarden(c) - Organic Agriculture, Farmscaping, Permaculture and Bioregionalism
Index of /london/permaculture
Permaculture Association Of Western Australia
Permaculture Pages Worldwide
Cross Timbers Permaculture Institute
Instituto de Permacultura Cerrado-Pantanal
Permaculture The Earth
Introduction to Permaculture by Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA)

RAW FOOD AND FRUITARIAN

Funky Raw - radical earth based spiritual site, dedicated to restoring connection and re-creating paradise on earth… including a quarterly magazine, anual festival and online shop
Sura Detox Retreats, Devon - includes twice daily colonics, morning meditation, afternoon yoga, therapeutic massage, homoeopathic counselling and daily nutritional talks.
www.TheGardenDiet.com - Ekaya Institute of Living Food Education (E.I.L.F.E.)
Kristen's Raw - information, products, services, advice, and recommendations that make it easy for anybody to adopt the raw, vegan lifestyle.
www.artisticliving.com/ - Info about vegan a raw food diet
Living and Raw Foods web site A Great web site, (Thanks for the list of links!)
The Raw Gourmet - Awesome site promoting excellent book! MUST SEE
Living Nutrition Magazine - The #1 Living foods Magazine.
Rawtimes - probably the 1st site on the web for raw foods
Nature's First Law - Published great book on raw foods
David Wolfe's own website
Dr Douglas Graham's website
Harmonious Living
Premier Raw Fooders of the World - Some of the leading people in raw foods.
Ann Wigmore Foundation - Teaching Living foods in New Mexico.
Hippocrates Health Institute - In Florida, promotes living foods
Tree of Live Rejuvenation Center - In Arizona run by Dr. Gabriel Cousens
Optimum Health Institute - In San Diego, CA and Austin,TX
Living Food Institute in Finland - Christian healing center
Roe Gallo - Find out how to have a Perfect Body
ChetDay.com - Chet has many informative articles about health & raw foods.
Hacres.com - Living foods as related to Christianity and Living and Raw Foods.
New Veg - A commercial site with some raw food articles.
Loving-Foods - Restaurant in Hawaii, good information.
San Francisco Living Foods Enthusiasts - Oldest Living Food Support Group
The Fresh Network - Leading Raw Food Network based in the U.K.
Rawfood club on yahoo - Discussions, sharing of info and tips on raw food diet.
Raw Food for your Animals -Learn about feeding domestic animals in the raw!
Fruitarian Universal Network - Excellent resources for fruitarians.
Soil and Health Library - Natural Hygiene books on-line (Bieler, Tilden, Shelton etc)
Teach Them Raw Eating - Aterhov speaks his piece!
FredericPatenaude.com
Raw Gourmet

HOLISTIC HEALTH

Casa Alborada - Relax, Unwind and Rejuvenate with massage, yoga, meditation, permaculture courses, etc
Shirley's Wellness Cafe - Nicely done site with many more links
Natural Hygiene Online - Pure, Raw, Natural Hygiene
HealSelf - Teaches people how to heal themselvses naturally
Natural Hygiene WEBRING - linking Natural Hygiene Websites
Strategies for True Health - Natural Hygiene website with excellent information
Stanley Bass - Super nutrition and superior health (natural hygiene oriented)

PLANTS, BIODIVERSITY, FOOD

Vegan-Organic Network
Plants for a Future
The Seed Savers' Network
Compost Guide
Universtity of Texas Botanical Gardens
Friends of the Trees Society
Plants of the Southwest USA
City Farming Canada
Indigenous Agricultural and Environmental Knowledge Systems



APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY

Center for Alternative Technology
Planet Ark
International Institute for Sustainable Development
Ecological Design Institute
Rainbow Power Company
Rocky Mountain Institute
Natural Power Company
Alternative Energy Directory
Wind Tech International Co.
Real Goods Home Page
Sustainable Construction

ECO VILLAGES

Potok - Vegetarian Centre in Croatia
Raw Communities.com - A website database of Raw Communities around the world
Global Eco-Village Network (GEN)
Eco-Village Network UK
Eco-Village Network of the Americas
Steward Community Woodland - A great resource for low impact living
Urban Ecology Australia
French 'natural living community' link
Dancing Rabbit, an ecovillage in progress in northeast Missouri
Findhorn community in Scotland
New vegan Eco-Village in Hawaii being set up (Garden of Vegan)
economads - An amazing young family journey to European and North American Ecovillages
Eurotopia - a guide to european eco-communities.
Project Fruitopia / The Happy Healing House
Raw Paradise - Hawai'i Island Sanctuary

ENVIRONMENT ECOLOGY - (GENERAL)

Mother nature fan club
Earthlink- Australia's Environmentally Friendly Directory
EnviroLink Pre Home Page
Friends of the Earth - UK
NewHeavenNewEarth
Greenpeace International Home Page
The Nature Conservancy
EcoNet
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
My Virtual Reference Desk - Environment and Nature - Links
Global Ideas Bank


CONSCIOUSNESS

Experimental/Experiential Consciousness Research/Restoration



NEWS/MEDIA

Independent Media Center
Earthweek
NPR news and cultural programs
New Scientist Home Page
E / The Environmental Magazine


POSITIVE CAMPAIGNS

Baby Milk Action to promote breast feeding and campaign against unethical and inappropriate marketing of breast milk substitutes.


PRACTICAL WAYS TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE

economads Library of Awareness
Freewheelers - UK and International lift share schemes
Rawganicue - webshop for hemp clothing

OTHER

Meta Physicality - Paz's poetry on the subjects of raw, awakening and raising of consciousness

Metal in my sweetener...what's next?

It is a little disturbing to see that the issue of mercury in corn syrup has flown under the radar for so long. What is becoming a media sensation, or should I say--quickly being drug out from under the rug while simultaneously being swept under the rug- is yet another issue with highly processed products. How long will people stand idly by and let their food be contaminated? How many articles on salmonella outbreaks, genetically modified food,etc will it take before people wake up and smell the organic coffee?! (And don't get me on the lack of regulation and policy concerning organics in supermarkets). What could be more important than knowing what's in your food? Seriously. Ignorance is not bliss--it's future medical bills that you can't possibly afford. We must get back to growing our own foods (or at least buying foods from local,organic farms) for our children and grandchildren's sake. It is time to focus on responsibility through sustainability.

Mercury Found in High Fructose Corn Syrup

http://www.usnews.com/blogs/fresh-greens/2009/01/28/mercury-found-in-high-fructose-corn-syrup.html

January 28, 2009 01:20 PM ET | Maura Judkis | Permanent Link | Print

Quantities of mercury have been found in high fructose corn syrup, the ingredient that has replaced sugar in many of our processed foods. Reports have also come out that the FDA knew about traces of the toxic substance in food, and sat on the information. This news comes out just as we've learned that the peanut butter factory responsible for the salmonella outbreak has a storied history of health violations. What a week for food safety.

Mercury in high fructose corn syrup affects many of the most popular foods in America, including yogurt, soda, candy, juice and jelly. Even a small amount of it can be seriously unhealthy.

"Mercury is toxic in all its forms,� said IATP�s David Wallinga, M.D., and a co-author in both studies. �Given how much high fructose corn syrup is consumed by children, it could be a significant additional source of mercury never before considered. We are calling for immediate changes by industry and the FDA to help stop this avoidable mercury contamination of the food supply."

The Corn Refiners Association is disputing the results of the study, but a watchdog group's study turned up similar results. More research is needed to determine exactly which foods are affected, but some of the foods tested were from the brands Hershey's, Quaker, Hunt's, Manwich, Smucker's, Kraft, Nutri-Grain, and Yoplait. We've already read that high fructose corn syrup can contribute to obesity and diabetes. With this recent scare, will people take a turn away from processed foods to more natural eating habits? Or have processed foods become an irreplacable part of the American diet?

Other websites:
http://www.physorg.com/news152264729.html
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28877253/
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=96029
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/136879.php

A detailed explanation of how it got there:
http://www.sailhome.org/Concerns/BodyBurden/Sources3/CornSyrup.html