Hungry Aboriginal People Used in Bureaucrats' Experiments

Food historian published details of nutritional experiments that began in the 1940s.

The Canadian government says it's appalled to hear hungry aboriginal children and adults may have been used as unwitting subjects in nutritional experiments by federal bureaucrats. Recently published research by food historian Ian Mosby has revealed details about one of the least-known but perhaps most disturbing aspects of government policy toward aboriginal people immediately after the Second World War. "It was experiments being conducted on malnourished aboriginal people," Mosby, a post-doctoral fellow in history at the University of Guelph, told CBC's As It Happens program on Tuesday.

AS IT HAPPENS: Hear the interview with Ian Mosby

"It started with research trips in northern Manitoba where they found, you know, widespread hunger, if not starvation, among certain members of the community. And one of their immediate responses was to design a controlled experiment on the effectiveness of vitamin supplementation on this population." Mosby also found that plans were developed for research on aboriginal children in residential schools in British Columbia, Ontario, Nova Scotia and Alberta. "If this is story is true, this is abhorrent and completely unacceptable," a spokesperson for Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt stated in an email late Tuesday. "When Prime Minister [Stephen] Harper made a historic apology to former students of Indian Residential Schools in 2008 on behalf of all Canadians, he recognized that this period had caused great harm and had no place in Canada." The spokesperson added that the federal government "remains committed to a fair and lasting resolution to the legacy of the Indian Residential Schools."

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Alan Watt talks about nutritional experiments carried out on hungry aboriginal people in the 1940s.(Starting at 10.12 minutes into talk.)

Monsanto to Withdraw EU Approval Requests for New GMO Crops

Monsanto Co said on Wednesday it will withdraw all pending approval requests to grow new types of genetically modified crops in the European Union, due to the lack of commercial prospects for cultivation there.

"We will be withdrawing the approvals in the coming months," Monsanto's President and Managing Director for Europe, Jose Manuel Madero, told Reuters by telephone.

Madero said the decision would allow the company to focus on growing its conventional seeds business in Europe, as well as securing EU approvals to import its genetically modified crop varieties widely grown in the United States and South America.

The decision covered five EU approval requests to grow genetically modified maize, plus one soybean and one sugar beet. The company said it would not withdraw its application to renew the approval for its insect-resistant MON810 maize - the only GMO crop currently cultivated commercially in Europe.

A spokesman for the European Commission, which manages the EU's GMO approval system, confirmed that Monsanto had informed it of its intention to withdraw the applications.

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Poison on The Platter (a Documentary Film)

Mahesh Bhatt says: Promotion of Genetically Modified Food is an Act of Bio-terrorism!!

Renowned filmmaker and social activist Mahesh Bhatt today launched a scathing attack on biotech multinational companies and their nexus with regulatory bodies for unleashing what he describes as ‘bio-terrorism’ in the country. Speaking at a function organized to launch his new film, ‘Poison on the Platter‘, directed by Ajay Kanchan, Bhatt said, “in their mad rush to capture the multi-billion dollar Indian agricultural and food industry, the biotech MNCs are bulldozing warnings by scientists about the adverse impact of GM foods on health and environment, and hurtling the mankind toward a disaster, which will be far more destructive than anything the world has seen so far, simply because it will affect every single person living on this planet”.

Bhatt’s film makes a mockery of Government of India’s claim of not allowing import of any GM foods in the country as it conclusively demonstrates that supermarkets in India are flooded with harmful food stuff and biotech MNCs are cashing on the ignorance of unsuspecting consumers in India. “Indians are unfortunately kept in dark, and the corporations are hatching strategies to cash in on their ignorance. Poison on the Platter is, therefore, an attempt to generate awareness among consumers and kick start an informed debate on the issue”, said Bhatt.

Trials of GM foods on lab animals across the world have repeatedly shown that they cause bleeding stomachs, and adversely affect brain, lungs, liver, kidney, pancreas and intestine. They have been even linked to higher offspring mortality and causing infertility.

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Contaminated School Meal Kills 25 Indian Children

At least 25 Indian children died and dozens needed hospital treatment after apparently being poisoned by a school meal, sparking violent protests and angry allegations of blame.

The children aged four to 12 fell ill on Tuesday after consuming a lunch of rice, soybean and lentils in the impoverished eastern state of Bihar.

The school, at Mashrakh village in the district of Chapra, provided free meals under the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, the world's largest school feeding program involving 120 million children.

Medical teams treating the children said they suspected the food had been contaminated with insecticide.

"It appears to be a case of poisoning but we will have to wait for forensic reports ... Had it been a case of (natural) food poisoning, so many children would not have died," Poonam Kumari, local government administrator at the village, told Reuters by phone from Mashrakh.

"The administration has helped cremate 21 children and, unfortunately, four more children have to be cremated," she said, adding that the remainder of a total of 48 children who consumed the contaminated food were being treated in Patna.

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EU to Ban Fipronil to Protect Honeybees

Farmers will not be allowed to spray widely used insecticide blamed for declining bee population.

A widely used insect nerve agent that harms bees will be banned from use on corn and sunflowers in Europe from the end of 2013, after member states overwhelmingly backed the proposal in a vote on Tuesday. However, the UK once again failed to back measures to restrict pesticide use.

Fipronil is used in more than 70 countries and on more than 100 different crops, but in May the European Food Safety Authority labelled it a "high acute risk" to honeybees. A similar assessment by the EFSA on three other neonicotinoid insecticides, based on increasing scientific evidence of harm, also preceded the suspension of their use in the European Union in April.

Tonio Borg, European commissioner for health said: "In the aftermath of the restriction on use of neonicotinoids, I pledged to do my utmost to protect Europe's honey bee population and today's agreement with member states, not only delivers on that pledge but marks another significant step in realising the commission's overall strategy to tackling Europe's bee decline."

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BASF, I.G. FARBEN AND MONSANTO

Big News For Bees! Oregon to Ban Pesticides After Latest Bee Die Off

According to the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA), the state is temporarily restricting the use of 18 pesticides containing dinotefuran while it investigates the death of thousands of bees near Portland this month. Dinotefuran is a neonicontinoid, a class of pesticides that have been linked to honeybee die-offs.

In a report entitled “In the wake of large bee kills, ODA takes steps in an abundance of caution,” we find that the ODA restricts use of certain dinotefuran pesticides. They are restricting the use of 18 pesticide products containing the active ingredient dinotefuran while it continues the investigation of a large kill of bumblebees in Wilsonville and Hillsboro this month. By adopting a temporary rule, ODA is taking action, in an abundance of caution, to avoid the potential of similar large bee kills this summer due to specific pesticide applications.

“I have directed the agency to take this step in an effort to minimize any potential for additional incidents involving bee deaths connected to pesticide products with this active ingredient until such time as our investigation is completed and we have more information,” says ODA Director Katy Coba. “Conclusions from the investigation will help us and our partners evaluate whether additional steps need to be considered.”

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Monsanto Exec Gets ‘Nobel Peace Prize’ of Food

In a blatant act of transgression against the population of the world and real science, the agricultural equivalent to the ‘Nobel Peace Prize’ known as the World Food Prize has been given to a Monsanto executive and two associates for their role in the development of genetically modified crops.

Robert Fraley, the chief technology officer at Monsanto, will be given $250,000 cash along with his prestigious award that was presented at the US State Department on Wednesday. It’s ironic, really, because the US State Department just so happens to also be using our tax dollars to market Monsanto internationally with promotional marketing DVDs and pamphlets. To put it simply, they quite literally act as a marketing wing for Monsanto — the corporation that might as well be a government entity.

It is rather fitting, then, that Monsanto’s executive be adorned with the World Food Prize along with a sack of cash at the headquarters of the Monsanto marketing wing that is the US State Department.

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FDA Says Walnuts Are Illegal Drugs

Seen any walnuts in your medicine cabinet lately? According to the Food and Drug Administration, that is precisely where you should find them. 

Because Diamond Foods made truthful claims about the health benefits of consuming walnuts that the FDA didn’t approve, it sent the company a letter declaring, “Your walnut products are drugs” — and “new drugs” at that — and, therefore, “they may not legally be marketed … in the United States without an approved new drug application.” The agency even threatened Diamond with “seizure” if it failed to comply.  

Diamond’s transgression was to make “financial investments to educate the public and supply them with walnuts,” as William Faloon  of Life Extension magazine  put it. On its website and packaging, the company stated that the omega-3 fatty acids found in walnuts have been shown to have certain health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease and some types of cancer. 

These claims, Faloon notes, are well supported by scientific research: “Life Extension has published 57 articles that describe the health benefits of walnuts”; and “The US National Library of Medicine database contains no fewer than 35 peer-reviewed published papers supporting a claim that ingesting walnuts improves vascular health and may reduce heart attack risk.”

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Race Against Time to Stop Britain's Oak Trees Bleeding to Death

Britain’s oak trees have been hit by a mystery disease that is causing them to ‘bleed to death' and ministers have set aside more than £1 million to tackle it.

Thousands of the trees have already been felled and their bark stripped and burnt to prevent the disease spreading and killing more of the ancient oaks.

Oak trees more than 50 years old are believed to be most at threat by the mystery disease, which is identified by ‘dark weeping patches’ on the stems of older trees. Once it takes hold of an oak the disease is believed to kill it within four years, and researchers are said to be in a race against time to try and stop the spread.

The Government is spending £1.1 million on an emergency project to try and save thousands of the oak trees by identifying the cause of the disease.

“It is affecting older trees, some hundreds of years old, and whatever is behind it is causing the decline of something that has been here for so long, is much loved, and is difficult, if not impossible, to replace," said Dr James McDonald, from Bangor University.

“It is a very complicated issue. It could involve new bacteria that have been isolated from the lesions on the stems or the oak jewel beetle. We are looking at their involvement but both could be passive bystanders in the process. We don't know.”

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The Herbal and Magical Uses of Trees

Grow it Yourself: a Gathering of Global Growers

In three years, an Irish food movement called Grow it Yourself has gained 50,000 fans, says Mark Diacono.

Last year I spent a weekend in Ireland that made me very happy. Yes, there was whiskey and music but, more than that, I was blown away by the annual GIY Gathering. You will almost certainly not be familiar with GIY, so allow me to introduce you.

A few years ago, its founder, Mick Kelly, had a Damascene moment when buying garlic in the supermarket. Every label read “Grown in China”. His incandescence inspired him to grow his own, and encourage others to do the same. GIY (Grow it Yourself) was born.

He wanted to do more than advise people about how to grow carrots. His vision was to form a network of individuals and groups that could (in both senses) grow together. It would provide a shared knowledge base, but more importantly also build food and growing communities that would become a powerful force for change.

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Coconut Rose Body Butter

Coconut oil is wonderful for general moisturizing and using for a protective layer to help your skin retain its natural moisture.  Most folks with sensitive skin enjoy the moisturizing benefits of coconut oil.  I used refined coconut oil in this recipe since it does not have the penetrating and deep scent of coconut like the virgin unrefined does.  Feel free to use unrefined if you like as it would pair very well with a citrus essential oil such as tangerine or lime.

Coconut oil is very easy to whip into a delicate airy mousse, however it will melt at 76 degrees and turn back into a liquid.  This recipe is best made in the cooler months of the year if you plan to store it at room temperature.  I make this in the warmer months and store it in my fridge.  It feels really good massaged into the skin after spending time in the hot sun or swimming.

Since I chose to use  rose essential oil (I like the Rosa damascena variety), I thought it would be fun to add just a slight tint of pink color using some Alkanet infused oil I crafted a while back.  (Click here to learn how to make Alkanet infused oil).  I also added in a little bit of corn starch to help negate the slight oily feel when applying it to the skin.  Rounding out the recipe is a small amount of Jojoba oil which is easily absorbed into the skin.

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How to Grow an Avocado Tree from an Avocado Pit

Avocados are one of the wonderful fruits of summer. High in nutrition and flavor, nothing signals the start of summer like a zesty lime guacamole dip with tortilla chips. 

The next time you’re making guacamole or slicing an avocado for a salad, try saving your pits to grow into avocado trees. 

It’s surprisingly easy to grow your own avocado tree from seed, and it makes a great educational project for home and classrooms. 

Check out our handy-dandy guide below, complete with photos, to learn how to grow an avocado tree from seed.

STEP 1 – REMOVE & CLEAN PIT

You’ll need to start by removing the pit from the avocado carefully (without cutting it), and then washing it clean of all the avocado fruit (often it helps to soak the pit in some water for a few minutes and then scrub all the remaining fruit off). Be careful not to remove the brown skin on the pit – that is the seed cover.

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5 ways to help our disappearing bees

Colony collapse disorder is claiming many of North America and Europe's bees. But there are simple things you can do to help keep them buzzing.

You've probably heard about colony collapse disorder (CCD) or vanishing bee syndrome, the mysterious and rather dramatic die-off of domesticated honeybees in Europe and North America. Scientists aren't really sure what's going on yet. All that's known for sure is our bee colonies are suddenly disappearing. Affected bees simply leave the hive and don't come back, making diagnosis of the problem even more difficult.

In some areas, losses of honeybees are reported to be as high as 75 percent. The situation means a lot more than high honey prices: bees are primary pollinators in both the human and animal food chains. The collapse of bee populations is bad news if researchers can't get a handle on the issue, and bee colonies don't recover.

So what could be happening here? There's some research pointing to unusually high concentrations of parasites and fungi — which are normally present in bee colonies — but nobody knows why the levels are so high. Pesticides, genetically modified crops and climate change are all being investigated. A theory that cell phone radiation might be a factor was quickly dismissed after briefly topping media reports.

Few of us are research scientists capable of chipping in some lab time to help out, but there are some things we can all do to assist honeybee and natural bee populations close to home. We've got five specific areas for you to consider. Let's get buzzin'!

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The Dark and Disturbing World of Silk

It’s pretty obvious why some people choose not to eat meat or wear fur, but why someone wouldn’t use silk is just plain baffling to most. So here’s the deal.

When we think of silk we imagine beautiful gowns, delicate underwear and lavish furnishings, what we definitely don’t picture is live silk worms being plunged into vats of boiling water. And why would we? This certainly isn’t going to make us want to reach for our wallets, instead it is likely to make us reel with disgust.

The Plight of the Silk Worm

Just like cows, chickens and pigs, silk worms are domesticated, raised and bred on factory farms and are also killed by the hundreds of millions every year. To make one single pound of silk 2000-3000 worms have to be slaughtered.

Just prior to the metamorphosis stage where Bombyx Mori silk worms transform into moths, they spin fibers to create their cocoons. Naturally, the moth would chew its way out of this cocoon once the transformation is complete, but the problem this poses to the silk manufacturing industry is this natural development would result in chewed silk strands that are much shorter and less valuable than the intact cocoon. Which is why when the silk worms are in their pupa stage after being fed a strict diet of mulberry leaves, they are placed while still alive into boiling hot water, killing them and starting the process of unraveling the cocoon to produce silk.

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Millions Of Honeybees Found Dead

Millions of honeybees are dead in a new colony collapse disorder crisis being reported from Ontario, Canada. And that’s on a single farm in Elmwood, Canada.

Depending on the reports you read, 30 million, 37 million, or even 40 million honeybees may already be dead — a reflection of the expanding numbers as the crisis continues.

According to MSN Living, Elmwood beekeeper Dave Schuit has lost at least 600 hives representing 37 million honeybees — and he’s pointing the finger squarely at neonicotinoid pesticides. It’s a logical argument. The pesticides are popular for a reason: They’re an efficient way to kill insects. Unfortunately, they can’t discriminate between beneficial insects like bees and harmful pests like aphids.

The debate is already over in the European Union, which recently banned a large number of pesticides including neonicotinoids.  However, they are still used in both the United States and Canada.

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Another tragic loss — 37 million honeybees found dead in Canada

Below is a list of worldwide mass animal deaths for 2013, with pages also for mass die offs in 2012 and 2011.

Mass Animal Deaths for 2013

Missouri woman faces jail for recycling tires into flower planters

A Missouri woman says that she is prepared to go to jail after authorities in Sugar Creek threatened her over a recycling project that turns tires into flower planters. 

Toni “Bones” Shelton told KFVS that she had been repainting old tires to turn them into planters, but the city is frowning on her project.

“I was just really interested in recycling and I’m really big on self-sufficiency,” she explained. 

Sugar Creek, however, claimed the number of tires she was storing could attract mosquitos and lower property values. 

“We’d asked her to put them somewhere else because there were quite a number of them,” Sugar Creek Chief Herb Soule insisted.”We try to keep people from accumulating tires because they retain water and they attract mosquitos. They detract from property values in the neighborhood too.”

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Six chemicals we consume in our food and drink that should be banned

Last week BuzzFeed named eight food additives that should be banned in the US. Here are six equally deadly ones they missed.

Last week BuzzFeed published a list of eight foods that folks in the USA are eating but are banned in other parts of the world. The chemical community turned its venom on BuzzFeed. But I think BuzzFeed did a pretty good job of bringing the debate on chemicals in food to the fore. Don't believe the defence of food additives coming from the likes of Derek Lowe. After all he's part of the mainstream chemical conspiracy so he would defend chemicals wouldn't he?

Before you go breathing a sigh of relief and gloating that those of us outside the US don't get these chemicals in our foods, best think again. You may well live in enlightened areas of the world, with governments that keep you safe from such poisons, but BuzzFeed only scratched the surface. There are plenty of foodstuffs in your larder that are just as bad.

Here's my list of foods, drinks and other kitchen terrors that BuzzFeed might just as easily have mentioned.

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10 Pretty Edibles to Adorn Your Landscape

Looking for ways to plant more edibles without giving up your flowers? 

I love both, so I'm always looking for edibles that double as ornamentals or ornamentals with edible parts. 

By sticking a few here and there for texture, height or color, I can get twice the bang for my buck. 

While I love the new brightly colored hybrids found in the seed catalogs, I also love these old favorites that have served me well over the years. 

If you are like me and have no time to pamper your plants, these also have the advantage of being easy to grow.

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Doin’ the Pollinate Shake!

No, it’s not the latest dance craze. It’s what certain plants in your vegetable garden need to set fruit: a good shaking. Yes, it has to do with sex, er, pollination and plants can sometimes need a little help. But what it really has to do with is better yields come harvest time. So let’s get ready to pollinate! 

Not a year goes by when we don’t hear someone complain that their tomatoes, cucumbers, or squash didn’t set fruit. Oh, the plants grew like crazy and blossomed to beat the band but when it came time to produce? Little or no fruiting occurred. We’ve even had this happen ourselves, usually after relocating to a different part of the country. When we’re asked what went wrong, we realize (doh!) that we didn’t do what needed to be done, that’s when we remember hand pollination. Now that July has arrived and gardens around the country are beginning to flower, it’s time to pollinate. (For those of you in cooler climates or whose gardens might be a bit behind schedule this year, here’s hoping that your blossoms are soon to show.)

What’s hand pollination? It’s the process of helping Mother Nature along in her attempts to bring fruits, even if those fruits are vegetables. Tomatoes, peppers, egg plants, cucumbers, melons, and the like often need some help from you. Let’s start with tomatoes.

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