By Susan Lutz
“Probably carcinogen.” That’s what the WHO (the World Health Organization) called glyphosate, chemicals often found 
in toxic pesticides used by Monsanto and Dow for GMO crops.
Sri Lanka’s newly elected president immediately banned glyphosate, recognizing it as the herbicide contributing to the tremendous surge in kidney disease in the country. Glyphosate adds a dangerous and deadly ingredient to the already harsh conditions many farmers face from too little water and scorching heat.
Enter the United States where Kansas Republican Rep. Mike Pompeo reintroduced (yes, it’s been around before) a bill blocking states from the ability to require labeling on GMOs.
The bill, dubbed The Dark Act: Deny Americans the Right to Know, #stopDARKact, is spun by supporters to look as though it is legislation supporting transparency, but according to a recent House Agriculture Committee on Biotech Labeling Laws with Just Label It chairman, Gary Hishberg, it’s an anti-labeling push to keep the consumer out of the labeling process. A proposed amendment, mandating GMO labeling is being backed by anti GMO groups.
When I pick up a food on the grocery shelf, I automatically look at what’s in it. It’s frustrating to find product after product with ingredients I can’t pronounce, have to look up on the Internet what they really are, and more often than I want, succumb to eating chemicals in mislabeled or poorly labeled products. One example is Nutella. My kids love it. Who doesn’t? When not required by law, the company rearranges the ingredients to make Nutella appear healthier.
When law requires correct labeling, it’s a different story. Labeled accurately, sugar becomes the first ingredient in Nutella. Then, you should find the MSG. Monosodium glutamate in Nutella? Look on the label. It’s not there. But vanillin, which could be called E612, is also MSG. Nutella was sued for false health claims, which resulted in a settlement payout of $3.05 million and the company dropping it’s claim that it was a healthy food.
The drama continues and the climax is not yet known, at least in the courts. But for those in the fields picking foods that end up on our tables, for families trying to eat foods without poisons, for the sake of our waters and our climate, not knowing the poisoning that happens to our planet, on any level, creates a villain darker than any comic book character imagined.
Bees… what’s all the buzz about? I talk with Matthew Shepherd, Communications Director for the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, to find out why bee colonies are collapsing, and what programs Xerces has created to help protect pollinator insects. Habitat creation, planting flowers, shrubs, trees, creating nest sites, and reducing or stopping the use of pesticides, are all very important to keep the bee and other invertebrate insect population thriving. Find out how urban areas have become home to many insect species from far away lands, and how the Milkweed Project works to build up habitats for the Monarch Butterfly. Visit 
At times, I pile the bags of food in my car after spending a boatload of money and feel lost. With all my research and knowledge of the world of organics, I should radiate confidence. Instead, I doubt my choices and wonder if I even make a difference in what I feed my family.
Many species are in decline because of climate change. In Part 2 of our talk with Bonnie Wyper, President and Executive Director of Thinking Animals, we discuss what actions can be taken to help stop the destruction of animal habitats due to urban sprawl, air and water pollution, as well as poaching (especially in the ivory trade). Big Ag farms treat animals with little regard to their emotional feelings. Cattle, chickens and pigs are penned up and/or caged with no room to move around, and are led to slaughter in cruel and inhumane conditions. There are ways to change our behavior to stop the destruction of animal habitats, and to work to make life better for the non-human creatures who inhabit the Earth. As humans, we must do better, and we must create a world fit for all the inhabitants of the planet. Conservation is key to making that happen. Go to 
If we could talk to the animals, just imagine it, chatting to a chimp in chimpanzee, imagine talking to a tiger, chatting to a cheetah, what a neat achievement that would be. In Part 1 of my talk with Bonnie Wyper, President and Director of Thinking Animals, we delve into the topic of animal behavior and cognition. Charles Darwin once said that “Evolution is not just the physical body, but our emotional sides as well.” Bonnie and I discuss how animals experience joy, stress, thought and nuance, and are more complex than humans know. Most humans think of themselves as superior beings, and species are being decimated because of that thought process. We need to step up and treat all creatures humanely. For more information go to 
When your mom yelled “eat your veggies” she was definitely on to something. My guest this week is Ashley Spivak, Director of Restaurant Guides at Clean Plates. We discuss the importance of a well balanced, plant based eating regimen, that will lead to a healthier you. An 80/20 diet of 80% good stuff (vegetables, fruits, whole grains and protein), and 20% of the foods that make you smile (pie, cookies, mac and cheese) is a good formula to follow. Bio-individuality indicates that there is no right way to eat, not every person is the same, and diets and food choices affect different body types in different ways. The Clean Plates Food Guide lists restaurants that are more conscious about where they source their produce, meats, grains, as well as the taste of the food, the prep and the atmosphere. Making informed choices whether eating out or in is essential to being a healthier, smarter and cleaner eater. For more info about Clean Plates online publications, guides, phone apps and recipes, go to 
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Long story short, America’s reckless agricultural techniques and lack of quality governmental oversight has created a situation in which Americans are falsely assured by their own government about the safety of their food. It is a situation that still has its solutions though. What we need is mass education which will contribute to a snowballing in consumer awareness about the importance of the local and sustainable food movement. It has started to take hold around the world but with EVERONE’S help, we will begin to change. Their have been sparks of change so far, but we need to keep the passion strong to get the fire roaring. As we eat locally and buy from small farms, food becomes much healthier, less mysterious, and more tasty. While food transportation costs and emissions are reduced, air becomes cleaner in cities and communities become stronger through community farms and other 
My guest this week is Annie Hauck-Lawson, author, nutritionist, master composter and the current Greening Director at Poly Prep Country Day School in Brooklyn. Annie co-edited the book Gastropolis: Food and New York City, and founded Brooklyn Mompost. She created the term “Food Voice,” and her recollections of her upbringing in Brooklyn, foraging for edibles in Prospect Park, fishing off the Brooklyn Coast, and starting one of the first Natural Food pushcarts in Brooklyn gives us great insight into her upbringing, which shaped her vision of the importance and connection we all have to food and nature. To get more information go to 
My co-producer Abba Carmichael steps in to host TMSOG, and chats with Tony Sirna co-founder of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, a highly sustainable community, which encourages members to live off the land, off the grid and reduce consumption. They are a stellar example of being one with nature and being mindful of Mother Earth. Tune in to find out more about how Dancing Rabbit Eco Village is a model for eco awareness and preservation of the planet. Go to 
