We eat too much. We eat the wrong things. According to Jamie Oliver, “Obesity is one of the three biggest social burdens created by human beings alongside smoking, and armed violence, war, and terrorism. Obesity costs $2 trillion dollars globally each year.” #FoodRevolutionDay is May 15th, a day Oliver wants us to join him in kicking off a campaign to change the way we eat at home, at school, and out. He’s got some highly talented help from Ed Sheeran, Hugh Jackman and Paul McCartney with this music video.
We’ve been buying into the corporate model since the advent of industrialism. Crops are modified; hormones and antibiotics are given to animals as routine business; pesticides flow freely; forests are cleared for immediate pay back; and the list grows. We’ve become robots of digestion and consumption.
The World Health Organization compiled this data on obesity:
– Worldwide obesity has more than doubled since 1980.
– In 2014, more than 1.9 billion adults, 18 years and older, were overweight. Of these over 600 million were obese.
– 39% of adults aged 18 years and over were overweight in 2014, and 13% were obese.
– Most of the world’s population lives in countries where overweight and obesity kills more people than underweight.
– 42 million children under the age of 5 were overweight or obese in 2013.
– Obesity is preventable.
Time to connect the dots. A revolution doesn’t “just happen.” The consciousness for changing how we eat comes from the work of individuals, groups, and organizations like the Organic Consumer’s Association, The Cornucopia Institute, and The Food Tank, to name a few.
McDonald’s growth isn’t declining because society wants “to speed up customer service,” as reported by Business Insider. Steve Easterbrook, the new CEO, says he’s going to turn McDonald’s around by introducing a better burger and removing antibiotics and “hard to pronounce ingredients” from its chicken in the US. Not enough. What about the beef? Consumers want healthy food – simple food – that fulfills its mission: Nutrition, health, and energy, which give back to life rather than take from it. The mighty Mac food conglomerate began a slow descent when its ingredients went public. As consumers, we’re becoming smart.
Jamie Oliver takes on the tough subjects. His goal is to implement food education in the school system. Not easy. I’ve worked in schools, and I’ve owned my own restaurant where I’ve watched this organic, eat-better/grow-better food movement on a national and international level. From Central America to Europe to the US, organic food and better eating practices are shaking up the way tradition has boxed in food. Oliver also aims to pave a path towards better eating at home. Also not an easy task. Even for me, an organic girl from way back, I struggle to feed my family with organic food and as little sugar and fats as possible. Challenging? Yes. Impossible? No. We can’t continue stuffing ourselves as the conventional model wants us to do. The more we demand higher quality, the more we’ll get it – and at a better price.
Back up to the World Health Organization’s last point about obesity: It is preventable. Our health reflects the health of our planet. If we’re sick, so is our food system. #FoodRevolutionDay is more than signing a petition. It’s a movement in awareness reflecting a change we not only need to happen, but also want to succeed.
Take some action: Sign the petition; buy something organic; make a salad; take a walk with someone you love. We can do this. Our lives depend on it.
The First Earth Day took place on April 22,1970 and on this week’s episode, we celebrate the 45th Anniversary of Earth Day, as well as the 45th year of the EPA, with special guest, Dr. Joel Scheraga, Senior Advisor for Climate Adaptation at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The climate is changing, and we have to adapt to the results of those changes, which are coming in the form of more intense weather, super storms, droughts, pollution, and an increase in greenhouse gas emissions. The change in climate is causing the oceans to get warmer, and
This week’s program takes place at the Bedford 2020 Summit and Solar Action Day. We spoke to Andrew Revkin, writer of the Dot Earth Blog for the New York Times, as well as Peter Olmsted, East Coast Regional Director for Vote Solar. We also spoke to Mayor Michael Cindrich of Mt. Kisco, NY about the solar projects on his agenda. Keynote Speaker Amory Lovins, of The Rocky Mountain Institute, spoke about new energy technologies that are on the horizon for the future of electricity. It was a gathering of innovators, educators and community, all working to promote solar and other renewable energy, in an effort to help create actionable solutions to green house gas emissions. A special thank you to Heather Flournoy for her hard work and hospitality. For more information 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 
The ancient holistic practice of going to salt caves to aide breathing, which originated in Europe and Russia, has now come stateside, and has been brought into the 21st Century in the form of Dry Salt therapy rooms. My guests Ellen and Gary Patrick, have opened up Dry Salt Rooms in the New York metro area, to bring salt therapy to help those suffering from sinus and lung related problems, as well as certain types of skin problems. Dry Salt therapy which is also know as halotherapy, has natural properties and minerals which are antiviral, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial in nature. Go to 
Water is the source of all life, there is a world water crisis, and millions of people on the planet do not have potable, clean, drinking water. My guest this week, Paul Lazarus, director, writer and producer of film, television and theater has directed a wonderful documentary entitled, Slingshot. The film focuses on the the current global water crisis, and the path that inventor/engineer extraordinaire, Dean Kamen takes to bring his water purification system to the world market. The documentary has won film festival awards, and is a must see movie. For more information, go to 
Mind over matter is a truism. Joseph Mauricio brought his zen to this week’s show, as we touched on meditation, and how we all need to take time to slow down and clear our minds of the stresses of daily life. Joseph is the founder of Lifework Mindfulness Based Coaching Service, and the The Living Meditation Project. He is also a performer, storyteller, and he does stand-up as well as sketch and improvisational comedy. He has worked with Michael Moriarty and Alan Ginsberg, and has studied with Sakyong Mipham at retreats in the US and abroad. Find out how comedy and meditation connect to bring balance to one’s life. Visit 
Nancy Bruning, founder of Nancercize, and organizer of Green Gym Day is my guest this week. We discuss the importance of using our city parks to walk, jog, play ball and hike, in 
Part 2: Anjie Cho