The Organic View

As we rapidly run out of precious fossil fuels, there is a huge demand to explore other options as quickly as possible, especially due to the increasing cost of energy. There is a highly controversial debate about a process called hydrofracking. It is a method of extracting natural gas from shale. This is especially a heated topic in Upstate, New York, the home of the Catskill Mountains. This natural gas which is embedded deep underground beneath Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia and Ohio is said to be enough to supply the East Coast for up to 50 years. So why can’t we just go along and drill, baby, drill? There are a myriad of reasons, especially one main reason, potential ground water contamination. This would not only pollute drinking water but the thousands of eco systems dependent upon the drinking water. However, there are others that feel that the verdict is still out and before the actual facts are in, we should explore it regardless.

In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer will speak to Dr. Sandra Steingraber about what you need to know about fracking.

With the consistent decline of our bee populations, it is important that people everywhere do their part in order to create food sources for bees as well as all pollinators. Phil Chandler, an activist, educator and radio show host of The Barefoot Beekeeper which is the most popular radio show about beekeeping has come up with a plan! Phil has recently launched his own initiative called BeeFriendlyZone.comwhich encourages people all over the world to create a pesticide-free

, friendly environment that bees can safely exist. The site also serves as a hub for people to learn about beekeeping and connect with other like-minded people.

It is amazing how many people get cancer and simply succumb to the disease. For Fred Ho, he decided to take a different approach and choose to live his life and demonstrate to others that there is life during chemo. He teaches us that to live life to the fullest, you should live in a perfect state of presence which is more meaningful as opposed to simply living in a perfect state of health.

After being diagnosed with cancer for the fourth time, Fred chooses to follow a raw food diet as opposed to allowing the doctors to operate and remove his rectum. This is something his doctor discourages but Fred, who is determined to try things quite differently. In Diary of a Radical Cancer Warrior, Fred discusses his battle intimately. Like all great warriors from Sun Tzu to Bruce Lee, Fred chose to write his astonishing cancer memoir as a diary, acknowledging that all the greatest warriors wrote daily diaries because warfare against a most formidable enemy will be won, ultimately, on the philosophical level. His diary will make you laugh, will make you cry and will make you wonder what part do the big chemical corporations play in making so many people like Fred, get so sick. Fred leads by example as he demonstrates his will to fight, even during some of the most physically painful moments of his life.

In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer talks to Fred Ho. Stay tuned!

Throughout October,industry leaders, educators and activists have combined efforts to further enlighten the public advocating mandatory GMO labeling. While the big agro-chemical companies continue to spread propaganda insisting that GM crops are good for the environment, the manufacturers of conventional foods are scrambling knowing that once mandatory labeling has been enforced, consumers will not purchase foods made with GMO’s.

“If you put a label on genetically engineered food you might as well put a skull and crossbones on it.” – Norman Braksick, president of Asgrow Seed Co., a subsidiary of Monsanto, quoted in the Kansas City Star, March 7, 1994

However, there is still a great need for education as the mud-slinging continues with the creation of clever manipulative and misleading surveys that are being published conveying a false message that consumers approve of GMO’s. It appears that this may be the case with an opinion survey conducted in Boulder County Colorado which was initiated by the Boulder County Parks and Open Space Division. Opinion surveys are frequently misused to influence opinion rather than assess it. This type of propagandizing is to be expected as more people become educated as far as the devastating impact of GMO’s not only on the environment but on their health.

Thanks to efforts such as The Right2KnowMarch.org, the message is reaching the masses. One of the key speakers involved with the march is activist Anna Lappé. Ms. Lappé is a widely respected author and educator, renowned for her work as a sustainable food advocate. Ms. Lappe is a founding principal of the Small Planet Institute and the Small Planet Fund and has for more than a decade been a key force in the growing international movement for sustainability and justice in the food chain. Stay tuned as host, June Stoyer talks to Anna Lappe about the politics of GMO’s.

Thanks to smart phones and computers, with just a few simple clicks, information is easily accessible to consumers providing easy access to every resource available. However, this is not the case when it comes to our food.  When you take a closer look, clarity is not pretty! Would you knowingly buy your favorite box of cereal if you knew it contained ingredients that could have a negative impact on your health? Of course not! However, in the United States, food manufacturers are not required by law to specify whether or not the ingredients in the products they sell contain or are made with genetically engineered ingredients. It is up to the conscious consumer to investigate the company, find out what certifications they have, what country they are sourcing ingredients from and if they are producing in an ethical manner. In other words, buyer beware. In order for a consumer to really know what is in the product they are about to buy, they must be able to clearly read everything in the product on the label. Unfortunately, until this is mandated, manufacturers will continue to sell their products as is to uninformed consumers that don’t understand the impacts of GMO’s.

Michael Potter, the CEO of Eden Foods is someone who has been a long term advocate of the organic industry and is also fighting for food clarity through the mandatory labeling of GMO’s. Eden’s certified organic foods are non-gmo verified and a household staple for millions of consumers in America. Clearly, this is something people are demanding. So, why are the non-organic companies fighting against GMO Labeling? What would this mean for their market share? Would consumers opt not to buy GE laden foods if they knew?

In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer talks to Michael Potter, President of Eden Foods will be on the show to discuss the impact of GMO labeling. Stay tuned!

As we rapidly run out of precious fossil fuels, there is a huge demand to explore other options as quickly as possible, especially due to the increasing cost of energy. There is a highly controversial debate about a process called hydrofracking. It is a method of extracting natural gas from shale. This is especially a heated topic in Upstate, New York, the home of the Catskill Mountains. This natural gas which is embedded deep underground beneath Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia and Ohio is said to be enough to supply the East Coast for up to 50 years. So why can’t we just go along and drill, baby, drill? There are a myriad of reasons, especially one main reason, potential ground water contamination. This would not only pollute drinking water but the thousands of eco systems dependent upon the drinking water. However, there are others that feel that the verdict is still out and before the actual facts are in, we should explore it regardless.

In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer will speak to Dr. Sandra Steingraber about what you need to know about fracking.

In the Northeast, there is an area that extends throughout much of the Appalachian Basin called The Marcellus Shale. This area would appear to offer the perfect resource to produce more gas and according to the gas companies, create new jobs. The shale contains largely untapped natural gas reserves and has now become the prime focus for energy development as the natural gas industry pumps millions of dollars to convince the public that the current methods of extraction are not only perfectly safe but will create hundreds of jobs.

 The process of extracting the gas is called hydro-fracking or more commonly referred to as fracking. While it seems to be the perfect solution there are many people who are very concerned about the natural gas companies promises of prosperity as toxic chemicals are pumped very close to their drinking water. Many people are beginning to speak out and want answers to questions such as how safe is fracking and what exactly does fracking do to the environment? If there is a problem, is the land owner responsible for the environmental clean up? Does the local fire department have proper training and resources to put out any unexpected fires? How will this affect your property value?

For  the last three years, Councilman James Gennaro and other elected officials and environmental advocates have to called upon New Yorkers to prevent natural gas drilling in any part of New York City’s million-acre upstate drinking water supply that provides drinking water for more than nine million New Yorkers.

In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer talks to Councilman James Gennaro about the regulations and how this will impact the land. Stay tuned!

Parents love to talk about their kids but when it comes to certain subjects, such as autism, many parents choose not to be so vocal because of the mindless criticism or negative comments others will make. For Kim Stagliano, talking about her children is never an issue. In fact, she gets very personal about her own life raising not one but three daughters with autism. Typically, people focus on the negatives but tend to forget the positives. In her best -selling book, All I Can Handle, I’m No Mother Teresa (A Life Raising Three Daughters With Autism) Kim candidly and humorously discusses everything from:

the challenges of potty training her daughters ( and somehow finding poop everywhere in the house); dealing with financial woes from layoffs- one Christmas she was so broke that they did not have enough money to buy presents for the kids;   what it is like to deal with doctors (some of whom told her there was nothing wrong with her kids);   making time for intimacy (she talks about how they manage to make time for each other and almost got divorced over a round of golf); to some of the typical problems parents deal with that can just push you over the edge ( she described the panic attack she had when she lost one of her daughters at Disney World)

Kim Stagliano is a nationally recognized advocate for people with autism who uses humor to educate. Although Autism typically affects boys 4 to 1 over girls, all three of Kim’s daughters have Autism. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer talks to Kim Stagliano about her life, raising three daughters with Autism. Stay tuned!

The most popular breakfast juice in America is of course, organic orange juice. Packed with Vitamin C, it is a healthy choice no matter what time of day you drink it. However, when it comes to the actual process of how organic orange juice is produced most people have no idea about what it really takes to make organic orange juice from seed to shelf.

In 1999, Matt McLean ventured into the organic juice business with a passion for healthy living as well as a long family history of growing citrus in Florida. Matt’s goal was, and still is, to produce the highest quality juice, using only premium 100% organically-grown fruit that is free from synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. His company, Uncle Matt’s Organics is the leading producer of premium certified organic citrus from Florida.

Due to the desire to produce locally grown organic foods, many people are opting to start their own organic farm. To have an organic citrus farm, you really need to have a great deal of knowledge about citrus as well as an understanding of how to operate a business. Especially in the organic industry, there are a lot of things to learn before taking the plunge.

In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer talks to Matt McClean, CEO and Founder of Uncle Matt’s Organics to talk about operating an organic citrus farm. Stay tuned!

As the already intense pressure increases for America to cut the umbilical cord from the Middle East, gas companies are desperately trying to find alternatives in our own back yard. With such slogans as “drill, baby, drill!” the public seems to be on board with the urgent need to find alternatives as soon as possible. In the Northeast, there is an area that extends throughout much of the Appalachian Basin called The Marcellus Shale. This area, located in the Northeast seems to offer the perfect resource to produce more gas and according to the gas companies, create new jobs. The shale contains largely untapped natural gas reserves and has now become the prime focus for energy development.

The natural gas industry is spending millions of dollars to sell the merits of drilling for gas in the Marcellus Shale. The process of extracting the gas is called hydro-fracking or more commonly referred to as fracking. While it seems to be the perfect solution, just how safe is it? What exactly does fracking do to the environment? Is there any impact on our drinking water? What happens to your land if you do not wish to permit the gas companies to frack on your land but your neighbor does?

In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer talks to the councilman, Douglas Shields from the City of Pittsburgh and Brigit Shields of Marcellusprotest.org and will talk about their own personal experiences with fracking as well as what people need to know. Stay tuned!