The Organic View

As most home owners have discovered, beautiful plants may sometimes come with a myriad of problems. Such is the case for people who thought bamboo would make an excellent addition to their gardens, only to find out that it basically took over everything. In this segment of The Organic View, I will interview John Peter Thompson, an expert on invasive species. Today we will discuss the choices we make about our land as well as its inhabitants and the impact of those choices. There are often unintended consequences that result from trying to “do the right thing” when it comes to the environment as well as what our options really are. Is there such a thing as a “bad” or “good” plant and if so, how do we find out? John Peter Thompson is a nationally recognized speaker and consultant on sustainability issues including invasive species, sustainability, ecosystem services and environmental justice as well as traditional landscape solutions. Mr. Thompson just returned from Alaska where he has a contract to in part establish a dialogue between private interests and public agencies on issues surrounding ornamental horticulture, gardeners, producers and invasive species. In addition to Alaska, Mr. Thompson is working on a sustainable agriculture production project with the Africa Trade Office of Maryland and coffee growers in Cameroon, West Africa. He recently researched and wrote a paper for the National Invasive Species Awareness Week meeting in Washington DC on climate change’s impact on invasive species dynamics. Last year he organized and facilitated a national nursery industry meeting at the US National Arboretum on the practicality of establishing an invasive species free certification program through an ANLA- HRI grant. For more information, please visit our featured guests section on www.theorganicview.com or go to www.ipetrus.blogspot.com.

With the current economy, most small businesses have been hanging on by a thread. Many have folded instead of looking forward to expansion. Unfortunately, there are no more business loans available and no emergency help on its way. To be a small business owner in this current economy, it is next to impossible. It means relentless effort, putting in 16- 18 hours a day and working 7 days a week. Today, on The Organic View, my guest will be Lisa Rodgers, who also co-founded the PersonalCareTruth.com organization to raise awareness about the scare tactics being used to falsely convince the public that the Safe Cosmetics Act actually has something to do with safety. Lisa will talk about the impact this act will make on her business, Cactus & Ivy, LLC., which sells upscale vegan friendly cosmetics. Considering that this is how she is able to support her family, if this act becomes law, Lisa will join millions of Americans who will unnecessarily be forced out of work due to people in power manipulating the truth to get what they want. Stay tuned!

There is a lot of controversy over the proposed Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010. While some people feel that they must pass something, actually anything, in order to create change in the production of personal care products, others agree that there should be change but not by propaganda and manipulation of the facts. The laws should be based upon truth, ie: scientific facts and not an assortment of opinions with an added hypothesis. This is why there are many companies in an uproar about this proposed legislation. These companies feel that The Safe Cosmetics Act will do absolutely nothing to make personal care products safer but make the wrong people gain more power along with tremendous financial gain. If it passes as written, it may put some of the most eco-friendly small businesses in the cosmetic marketplace out of business. Kristin Cotte is the co-founder of Personal Care Truth. She started this organization because she felt that the wrong information was being disseminated and she decided to take action. The objective of Personal Care Truth is to bring accurate, science backed information on the safety of cosmetics to consumers and industry peers. Kristin also is the President of The Grapeseed Company, which manufactures organic and natural cosmetics utilizing the by-products from vineyards. This not only has tremendous health benefits but is helping to reduce the waste that goes to landfills. Her products are 100% cruelty free, paraben, sulfate, phthalate free and they participate in PETA’s Caring Consumer Program. They have a team of willing and able human participants that eagerly test their products. The exception is their Dirty Dog Organics line, which for obvious reasons is tested on dogs. Today, on The Organic View, Kristin will talk about her journey into the cosmetics industry and why she decided to take a stand against a group that she once thought was on the right track. Her story is one you will not want to miss! Stay tuned!

Menstruation has always been an awkward subject for most people. However, society has come a long way. These days, there are ads that make light of women’s menstruation that are actually quite amusing. Nevertheless, it is now a subject that has permanently become part of pop culture thanks to Apple’s launch of the iPad. Millions of people chuckled at the endless jokes about the “iTampon revolution.” How liberating! Unfortunately, there are a lot of things that are not widely communicated to women about the dangers of using commercial products to absorb menstrual fluid. In fact, typically all you will find inside a box of pads or tampons is a pamphlet about TSS (Toxic Shock Syndrome). It is amazing that these chemically-saturated products come directly into contact with a woman’s reproductive area and yet there is no pamphlet to illustrate this! In 1989 a British national network television program drew attention to the effects of Dioxin pollution, its major source of production and the part it played in sanitary protection manufacture. The understanding and concern for our ecosystems and environmental pollution created from global industrial nations was a rarity and was left to organizations like Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth who to most, were considered as a hangover from the 60’s and 70’s. One of their lifetime members, Susie Hewson, absolutely understood the direction and the consequences of our actions on the planet. Her immediate response was to undertake the development of high quality tampons and pads that were chemical free and safe for the environment. Susie Hewson, CEO of Natracare will be my guest today to discuss the importance of organic feminine hygiene products. Her award winning company, Natracare, has set the standard for organic and natural feminine hygiene since its inception in 1989. It is the World's most sustainable and ethical brand of tampons, pads and liners.

Larry Plesent, the President of Vermont Soap Company will talk about the intricate process of soap making, how to determine your skin type and about his work with making this world a cleaner place! Larry is a writer, philosopher and master soapmaker living in his hand built solar log home in the mountains of Vermont. By day he is CEO and Chief Formulator for Vermont Soapworks in Middlebury, Vermont. Also known as the Soapman, Larry and his Vermont Soap developed the world's first certified organic pet shampoo, shower gel, nontoxic cleaner, spray cleaner and much more. Look for them on Facebook and especially at their website. www.vermontsoap.com

After a tough day, some people are quick to down a shot of alcohol to take ‘the edge’ off or will pop a little pill to help them relax. This is not only detrimental to your health but creates a negative pattern of behavior that will inevitably lead to co-dependency issues. Negative patterns of behavior never result in productivity. In fact, they lead to bigger problems such as drug dependency, alcoholism and other forms of self-destructive behavior. When you are grounded emotionally and physically, you are operating at your best and can achieve anything. When the stress is high and there seems to be no end to the madness, it is important to refocus and harness your energy to become centered once again. This is why so many people have had tremendous success with EFT therapy. If you have ever had any kind of acupuncture treatment, etc. this is basically in the same realm only it does not create pain. It actually releases it! When nothing else seems to work and all hope is lost, EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) therapy has been proven to be very successful. It does not mask the problem nor create pain. In fact, it does quite the opposite! It releases pain, which is what is truly needed in order to be productive. If more physicians dealt with the actual root of a person’s stress, there would be a tremendous decrease in chemical dependency. My guest today is Ms. Lydia Proschinger. Lydia is an expert on EFT and is a practitioner who specializes in working with high profile clientele which includes: celebrities, C-level executives, ex-Pats, and other high net-worth individuals whom she assists in their efforts to maintain an energetic balance, which enables them to achieve maximum efficiency.

Dr. Marla Spivak will be my guest on The Organic View to discuss her work with honey bees and the benefits of propolis to the immune system of honey bees. Dr. Spivak’s interest in bees began when she worked for a commercial beekeeper from New Mexico in 1975. She later completed her B.A. in Biology from Humboldt State University in northern California, and her PhD from the University of Kansas, under Dr. Orley “Chip” Taylor, in 1989. She spent two years in Costa Rica conducting her thesis research on the identification and ecology of Africanized and European honey bees. From 1989-1992 she did post-doctoral research at the Center for Insect Science at the University of Arizona. She began as Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota in 1993. Influenced by Martha Gilliam and Steve Taber from the USDA Bee lab in Tucson, she became interested in hygienic behavior of honey bees. This interest has expanded into studies of “social immunity”, including the benefits of propolis to the immune system of honey bees.

Veronica Diaz, from Giangrandi Gourmet will be on to talk about how her company renovated an old nunnery and brought back the old world style process of making olive oil into one of the finest gourmet olive oils in the world! Ms. Diaz will talk also about organics from Chile and what extremes producers go through to insure quality.

Ms. Bená Burda, the President of Maggie's Functional Organics, will talk about the importance of Fair Labor and the intricate process involved in making sure that the certified organic garment that you purchase is, in fact made ethically. It has been with the success of Maggie’s Organics that Burda has become a leader in pushing organic products beyond the world of food. Burda has also volunteered countless hours in developing organic fiber processing standards and working towards the implementation of those standards at the federal level. She has also worked to help develop definitions and an identity for the Organic Textile Industry. Maggie’s Organics and Bená Burda are names recognized in the Organic Product Industry. In October 2001, Maggie’s Organics received the Socially Responsible Business Award at the Natural Products Expo in Washington, D.C. In May 2002, Burda herself was recognized by the Organic Trade Association Leadership Awards by receiving the prestigious “Special Pioneer Award.” In 2004, Burda was voted one of the “25 people who most influenced the Organics Industry.”

Dr. Nancy Ostiguy, Associate Professor of Entomology at Penn State has been conducting research on honeybee health for the last decade. Dr. Ostiguy was also on the National Organic Standards Board for five years and is now working with the Pennsylvania Certified Organic on organic agriculture issues. Her work on honeybees includes non-pesticidal approaches to control pests of the honeybees, interactions between the varroa mite and honeybee viruses, epidemiology of honeybee viruses and other diseases, and abiotic influences on honeybee survival. She is also interested in sustainable and organic agriculture with a focus on honeybees. So, what can you do to help? Tune in to find out!