Workplace Quick Tips

Let’s face it- we all can’t ride our bikes to work or grow a vegetable garden on our company’s rooftop. But that doesn’t have to stop us from eating better and being more environmentally friendly while at work. Below is a quick list of easy healthy/environmentally friendly behaviours:

• Use up your whole Post-It Note, both sides 
• Collect non-confidential papers in a paper tray- use for scraps, you can even make small notepads 
• Bring your lunch- it takes some time and planning the night before (or morning of) but it’s quite simple and much cheaper than buying food 
• Make eating lunch easy by keeping cutlery and other required materials (such as condiments etc.) at your desk or in the lunch room 
• Only eat in conducive areas for healthy eating, don’t eat in the food court even if your work friends are, this can lead to temptation 
• If you have to walk anywhere, whether that be within your office or outside, take the long way. A couple minutes of extra walking doesn’t disrupt your day, but allows you to enjoy some detox and brief exercise 
• Have a cup which can hold both hot and cold beverages, which saves on the amount of items you need to buy, keep track of and wash 
• Dump unwanted water from cups into plants, or outdoor bushes etc. 
• Keep a small sweet snack in your desk out of sight, even locked up in a drawer for those dangerous 3:30pm sweet cravings. Pre-ration them into small amounts and commit to only eat one portion during a craving 
• Drink lots of water! If your company doesn’t provide a filtered water system, buy a small cooler of your own to sit under or on your desk, alternatively you could use a Brita filtration jug 
• Take the stairs when possible 
• When you start to feel bored, unmotivated or restless take a walk around the office or outdoors 
• Stay organized to prevent stress 
• Only print what absolutely must be printed- most items can be emailed, faxed or spoken about 
• Spend time with and eat with like minded people to avoid distractions and temptations
• Surround yourself with a positive and refreshing work space.  Include pictures of people that matter, inspiration quotes if desired, plants, fan/heater, bright colours and comfort

What other suggestions can you add to this list?

Disney Frying Out Fast Food

Recently, Disney, the large family entertainment company, announced they weren't going to advertise fast food companies on their TV channels, websites and radio stations which are aimed at kids and families beginning in 2014.  Also on the list of banned advertisements are sugary cereals and treats.  The company has set out standards to follow, and any advertisers who wish to win a coveted spot in any of their media must be a product that passes the test.  They've put a 600 calorie limit on full meals, and a 200 calorie limit on any side dishes as their advertising constraints.

No longer fast food, but apples will grace Disney's ads

The First Lady, Michelle Obama, has been active in this initiative and supports the company's decision, calling it a "game changer".  Disney is the first major media company to take this stand and if their past actions have been any indication, it's quite likely other companies could follow suit.  This ban has been in the making for a while, in 2006 Disney set out a goal to make 85% of the food sold in their parks and resorts "healthy".  What they constitute as "healthy" isn't quite defined, so they can have creative liberty at deciding what they deem healthy and unhealthy.

Of course, it would be difficult to argue cookies and chips are healthy, however, there are many foods which sit on the healthy/unhealthy fence.  While I think this is a step in the right direction for Disney, and advertising in general, I'll be impressed to see it actually come to fruition successfully.  I think it will be more difficult to initiate and enforce this goal.  I'm hoping it works out though.

Food Labels

Going through my organic, real food, environmental books I have noticed something which I hadn't prior to this personal research: most, if not all, foods are required to have a list of ingredients and generally also some (face value) nutritional information.

While there are arguments against whether or not these nutritional labels are of any importance or actual good use to determine the true nutritional value of the food item, at least you've got some facts to work with and start your additional research (if so desired).  However, have you noticed one food item which does not have one of these labels?

Meat products.  What's on the labels?  Weight and price and some kind of description of the meat.  Unless you're getting some kind of frozen meat product (and then it's not really "real food" now is it?), meat doesn't have to list ingredients or nutritional information on the packaging.  Why is it that the FDA (or other governing association) doesn't require this as they do for other food packages?  What would be listed on these labels if they did require it?

• pesticides
• chemicals
• drugs and hormones

It could get a lot of more specific and terrifying.  Yet it's all ignored and consumers aren't even given the option, unless they choose to do the research themselves.

Government Clearing Their Plates of Food Label Responsibility

Recently, I was reading a small blurb in a natural health magazine (tonic), that informed me, and other readers, that the government of Canada has announced they will no longer “police the nutrition claims on food labels to verify their accuracy”.  They have claimed food labels are not a health or safety issue to the public, so instead they will provide a website which consumers can bring forth their concerns to the food producers directly.  While I don’t think direct communication with the food companies is a bad idea, I don’t believe it will be effective if there is no government enforcement.  As a consumer, I can complain all I want to a company for claiming that their item is organic when in fact ingredients and research say otherwise, but without any reprimandation from a power house, why would they change their labeling which they have probably already printed thousands of and paid the printers.  It would not be in the best interest of business, so they will continue to abuse the loose regulations Canada has on packaging and claims made on packaging.

The article also cites mislabels or even omission of information on labels to be dangerous to those with food allergies or conditions such as, diabetes or Crohn’s disease.  Does that not make it a health and safety issue for those people?  Of course, as consumers and people in general, I believe we should all do our own due diligence for researching and just being in the know of what’s involved with our food items, but I’m not someone who has to live with a fear of possibly eating the wrong thing and serving the ultimate consequence: death. 

What do you think?  Should the government regulate the labels of food items and make food producers more responsible and forth coming about their products?

Humanely Slaughtered Meat

After watching a documentary, "Earthlings", last week and my world being opened up to the awful animal treatment all around the globe, and specifically in our slaughter houses, it got me really thinking about the meat I eat.  While I think vegetarians are great for not eating meat, I don't believe it's necessary to give up eating meat in order to do it right.  I believe there are a few key components to eating meat right:
a) knowing how many slaughter houses are run and operate without any regard for the animal
b) educating yourself and others about the inhumane treatment of the animals
c) understanding where the meat you are eating is coming from- conducting the necessary research and taking appropriate action to purchase meat from reputable farmers, slaughter houses, stores or butchers

All these animals get to be out to pasture for their lives

It can be done.  I've begun my search, and I've contacted around ten different farmers and butcher who raise grass fed/organic/pasture livestock and asked them if their fair and humane treatment of their animals is then carried forward into the slaughter process.  So far, I have only received two responses- however, being a long weekend I assume many of them are enjoying some time off.  I look forward to hearing from the remainder of the farmers and butchers I contacted to know where I can purchase humanely treated and likely healthier meats.

Ignorance helps no one.  Many people I have spoken to about this have wanted to remain ignorant to the treatment of the meat they eat.  The typical responses I've heard are, "I don't want to hear those details", "it's been happening for years, you aren't going to change it now", "you've watched a documentary and read some research but that doesn't mean it's all true- you're brainwashed".  The people that don't want to hear about it don't like hearing that animals are treated so inhumanely and with such disregard for their well being and comfort, yet don't want to know enough about it to feel like they are ignoring it.  They don't want to put in the work that's involved in understanding the problem.  And many have said they don't want to pay any extra money or take any extra time to purchase their meat from a more reputable source.  That's the wrong attitude.  If you know there is a problem, that you can avoid and perhaps be a front runner to demand change- why ignore it? 

So, I'll be continuing the research and waiting to hear back from the other farmers and butchers I've contacted.  I'll update the resources section with the farmers/butchers who have humane slaughter practices in effect at their locations.  This has become a very serious and important cause for me that I'll be ensuring I do as much as I can to correct.

For now, I suggest everyone watch "Earthlings"!