Tuesday, April 1, 2008

New buttons and other bits

I just wanted to point out a couple of buttons I've added to the side panel here. They're all from Crunchy (I referenced her about a month ago, I believe.) The first I added a few weeks ago; it is an inducement to write your senators and congressmen to fix the farm bill. (The current farm bill makes it basically illegal for farmers to grow non-commodity crops on "commodity land." )

I added both of the next two just today.

The one on the top, "Buy Nothing Challenge" is the latest in Crunchy's famous challenges. I've signed up enthusiastically. I've already been feeling very overburdened by my consumption recently and had been working myself toward just this sort of challenge. The idea is an easy one- don't buy ANYTHING (baring necessities, such as food) for the entire month of April. And by necessities, well, that means true necessities. For me, that means not even buying any books...but also food I don't need. Because I like to cook, and often make big plans in my head (but follow through too rarely) I tend to be a real impulse shopper even with food items.

The last one is for Crunchy's "Good for Girls" program. I also referenced this one before, but as Crunchy has found herself overwhelmed at the demand for this project, I'm seeking to spread the word more. Anyone want to get together for a pad sewing party? (I already know Cheryl will be game...)

So, if you haven't done so already, please click on each of the buttons, which will redirect you to Crunchy's site, and each of these issues. Take some time to read what she has to say, and then get involved!

As an aside, while I'm talking up eco-bloggers that I admire, please take a look at Greenpa's thoughts on the impending global food crisis, about which I suspect all too many people are still painfully unaware. I heard on NPR just today about this very issue- the part which stuck with me was about the bread riots in Egypt.

In Egypt, the government subsidizes bread bakeries, since a majority of the population lives below the poverty line (a mere $2 a day!) People who qualify, which is a huge number of Egyptians, can buy their bread from these bakeries for substantially reduced costs (if I remember it came up to something around $.05 a loaf as opposed to $.25 a loaf.) But, with the rising cost of grains, and subsequent shortage of wheat, bread shortages are occurring (as are the rice shortages referenced by Greenpa.)

In Egypt, so far, two people have died in the last week. There are fears it could be a repeat of the bread riots that happened there in the 1970's, when over 70 people were killed.

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