Thursday, July 18, 2013
Hemp vs Cotton: The Ultimate Showdown
Hemp has been making a lot of noise lately, especially with the growing awareness surrounding the use of hemp oil for treating cancer. Although the word ‘hemp’ still often gets confused and lumped into the same definition as Cannabis, a similar but psychoactive plant, it’s important to realize hemp can be a major game changer for our world if used to its potential.
As we go through this post, you will be wondering ‘why don’t we use this stuff all the time...for everything?!’ Simple answer, farming hemp was banned in the US and other countries in the 1937 because of the threat it caused to certain companies and their businesses. More about that here.
Although hemp has many practical uses, let’s focus on one that would affect us every day; clothing. For this, we will compare hemp to cotton, as cotton is a very popular resource used in clothing production. We’ll need to focus on various areas that have to be taken into consideration when comparing the two so we can determine not only what is better for us, but also what is best for our environment as it’s important to view things holistically. Let’s do it.
Cotton: To grow cotton you require about 1400 gallons of water for every pound you intend to produce. That’s a lot of water! Some areas of the world that produce cotton are running out of fresh water due to the production of cotton as well as clothing. Some areas of the world have even experienced desertification as a result of producing cotton.
Hemp: You require about half the amount of water to produce hemp as you would if producing cotton. Hemp is a strong and reliable plant that grows very quickly. Not only that, hemp produces about 200% – 250% more fiber on the same amount of land compared to cotton.
The victor: Hemp
Pesticides
Cotton: One of the biggest downsides to cotton is how much pesticides are used to grow the plant. Although organic cotton farming is beginning to catch on a bit more, the production of cotton worldwide takes up about 25% of the world’s pesticide use. The other unfortunate factor is that these chemicals can end up being absorbed into our skin as we wear our clothing.
Hemp: The beauty of hemp is that it requires no pesticides to grow. In fact, it doesn’t require any chemicals at all to grow. The growing nature of the plant competes with weeds and overpowers their ability to sustain themselves. This allows the hemp plant to grow freely and quickly.
The victor: Hemp
Comfort & Longevity
Cotton: Generally very comfortable to begin with, as you continue to wear cotton it ‘breaks in’ to become even more comfortable. There is no denying how soft cotton can be, but it is also true that cotton fibers break down over time, and the more it is washed the faster it breaks down.
Hemp: The hemp fiber used in clothing is a strong natural fiber that, like cotton, gets progressively softer with each passing day you wear it and each time you wash it. Although it may not start off quite as soft, it is still soft and certainly would not be considered uncomfortable. The plus is that the fiber is much stronger and more durable. Repeated washing will not break the fiber down anywhere near as quickly as cotton. Creating more hemp clothing would mean we would need to produce much less clothing.
The victor: Hemp
Breathability & Wicking
Cotton: Breathability is certainly a strong suit for cotton. It also does not hold odors very much. This is quite possibly one of the biggest downsides to synthetic fibers; they don’t dispel odor well and don’t often deal with moisture well either. While cotton has a natural wicking system, it also holds moisture a little longer than what might be considered most desirable.
Hemp: Performs very well when it comes to breathability and wicks moisture away from the body effectively. Hemp also carries anti-bacterial properties that trump any other natural fiber. This means hemp will not mold or grow mildew very easily. Since it also does not hold odors, hemp clothing edges out cotton slightly on this one
The victor: Almost a tie, but hemp is our pal on this one again
Aesthetics
Cotton: Without the use of dyes, cotton comes naturally in white, cream and off-white. Cotton can be dyed naturally or synthetically to achieve a desired color. The growing knowledge that cotton is very taxing on the environment and not healthy for our skin is creating quite the demand for organic cotton. In terms of the fashion market, organic cotton is showing up more and more.
Hemp: Given the various processes available to remove fibers from the stem of a hemp plant, hemp can be naturally creamy white, black, green, grey or brown. Without even requiring the use of dye, hemp comes in a variety of colors. Of course, you are still able to dye hemp both naturally and synthetically. Hemp is quickly becoming more and more popular in the fashion market as designers see the potential in the material while being a very environmentally sound option. Since it is durable and lasts a long time, it can be attractive to certain designers.
The victor: Hemp
Final Decision
Winner by knockout and growing undisputed champion of natural harmony, HEMP! This isn’t to say that cotton, especially grown organically, is not a good material; it simply isn’t better all around than hemp. In some cases, cotton could be a must use if something specific is being produced. The biggest differences are in the facts that hemp requires much less water and no pesticides to produce. Not only that, it boasts a lot more fiber per acre. Concerned about excess CO2 in the atmosphere? Hemp is spectacular at sequestering CO2! Take the time to check out some hemp clothing around the Internet or see if there are some local stores that sell it. Although options can sometimes be limited right now, look out for more hemp clothing as awareness continues to spread!
Source: Activist Post
Disturbing Photos of Fukushima Mutant Fruit
Photos have recently surfaced from Japan showing some of the most mutated fruit ever seen!
Anyone who follows the alternative media knows that the nuclear fallout from Fukushima is far worse than the governments of the world and the mainstream media will admit.
A series of different photos have been posted on the web, showing the kind of mutations that the fallout has caused plants in nearby areas. Recently it was also reported that radioactive water from the site has been leaking into the Pacific ocean for two years, causing untold contamination in the seas.
One can only imagine the effect that this has had on biological life in the oceans, or the effect that it will have on local human and animal populations.
You can view the photos (posted to imgur) below:
ACLU: Police technology tracks every motorist
Info could allow authorities to track movements of everyone who drives a car
The information potentially allows authorities to track the movements of everyone who drives a car.
The ACLU documented the police surveillance after reviewing 26,000 pages of material gathered through public records requests to almost 600 local and state police departments in 38 states and the District of Columbia.
Police are gathering the vehicle information with surveillance technology called automatic license plate readers, and it's being stored -- sometimes indefinitely -- with few or no privacy protections, the ACLU said.
"The documents paint a startling picture of a technology deployed with too few rules that is becoming a tool for mass routine location tracking and surveillance," the ACLU said in a written statement.
The license plate readers alert police to an automobile associated with an investigation, "but such instances account for a tiny fraction of license plate scans, and too many police departments are storing millions of records about innocent drivers," the ACLU said.
"Private companies are also using license plate readers and sharing the information they collect with police with little or no oversight or privacy protections. A lack of regulation means that policies governing how long our location data is kept vary widely," the ACLU said.
The civil liberties group is advocating legislation regulating the use of the technology.
The readers have been proliferating at "worrying speed" and are typically mounted on bridges, overpasses and patrol cars, the ACLU said.
The devices use high-speed cameras, and the software analyzes the photographs to retrieve the plate number, the group said.
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
New study links wheat (gluten) consumption to autism
For their study, the team from both the Columbia University Department of Medicine and the Celiac Disease Center set out to assess how children diagnosed with autism respond immunologically to gluten consumption. Since previous research on the subject has been largely inconclusive, the researchers felt it was important to investigate the matter further using strict evaluative guidelines and research criteria in order to arrive at a solid and trustworthy conclusion.
After comparing the effects of gluten consumption among autistic children both with and without gastrointestinal problems to their unaffected siblings and age-matched healthy controls, the team learned that the autistic children had significantly higher levels of the IgG antibody, which targets a gluten protein known as gliadin. And based on the way this antibody functions within the body, many now believe that high levels of it can also interfere with proper neurological function.
"It has been theorized that when the immune system forms antibodies against gliadin, these antibodies cross react with self-structures within the nervous system," writes Sayer Ji for GreenMedInfo.com about the process. "Known as molecular mimicry, this breakdown of immunological self-tolerance can contribute to a wide range of neurological problems including neuropathy, ataxia, seizures, and neurobehavioral changes including mania, schizophrenia and autism."
"Anti-gliadin antibodies are therefore a possible cause of autoimmune neurological damage," he adds.
In other words, many of the symptoms exhibited by individuals diagnosed with autism could actually be the result of an antibody response caused by exposure to wheat gluten. Regardless of whether or not the blood markers of actual Celiac disease are present, wheat gluten appears to greatly elevate levels of this anti-gliadin antibody within the body.
"A subset of children with autism displays increased immune reactivity to gluten, the mechanism of which appears to be distinct from that in Celiac disease," wrote the authors in their conclusion. "The increased anti-gliadin antibody response and its association with GI symptoms points to a potential mechanism involving immunologic and/or intestinal permeability abnormalities in affected children."
Eliminating wheat has helped many people with autism
The obvious takeaway from all this is that eating wheat is probably not a good idea if you fall anywhere on the autism spectrum, and especially if you suffer from GI disorders. Though conventional wheat is technically not good for anybody, it appears to be distinctly harmful for people with autism, and something worth avoiding.As far as the specific benefits associated with cutting out gluten, a recent study published in the Journal of Child Neurology documents the case of one young child with autism and epilepsy who went completely symptom-free as a result of cutting out both gluten and casein, a type of milk protein. Others have reported similar improvements as a result of going gluten-free, including Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, M.D., creator of the Gut and Psychology Syndrome Diet, also known as GAPS diet, which she used to essentially cure her son's autistic condition.
Source: Natural News
Warning: Genetically Modified “Agent Orange Corn” Coming Soon to a Plate Near You
Remember Agent Orange, the herbicide sprayed in Vietnam linked with devastating birth defects, cancer and Parkinson’s disease?
Dow AgroSciences would like to feed this toxic chemical to the American population via a new breed of genetically modified corn. If the corporation has its way, “Agent Orange corn” will arrive on dinner plates across the U.S. as early as 2014.
Poisonous history of Agent Orange
Da Thi Kieu experienced the deadly effects of Agent Orange first hand. During the Vietnam War, the U.S. military sprayed her fields with the herbicide. Likewise, her husband was exposed when he fought in the army and died an early death due to cancers associated with the toxin. Of their eight children, seven were born with birth defects and only two survived.
Sadly, Kieu’s story is not an unfamiliar one. Countless others throughout Vietnam and America have suffered at the hands of Agent Orange. Parkinson’s, Hodgkin’s disease, Bcell leukemias and multiple myeloma are all linked with exposure to the herbicide. And the poisons don’t just magically disappear — decades later, traces are still found in the soil. Additionally, many view Agent Orange as chemical warfare. According to Global Research:
“In US Senate Congressional Records dated August 11, 1969, a table presented to senators showed that congress clearly classified 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T (main components of Agent Orange) in the Chemical and Biological Warfare category.”
If Agent Orange is so toxic, why does Dow AgroSciences want to introduce more of it into our food supply?
Follow the money
As with all genetically modified crops, the reason comes down to one point: corporate profit. It is not about feeding the hungry masses or improving the lives of millions. The main motivating force is always money, plain and simple. This is why whenever a new GM crop is on the ticket for approval, food activist groups like the Organic Consumers Association go on high alert. They realize mega corporations such as Monsanto and Dow are up to something — and it’s most likely harmful.
New “Frankencorn” crop
Enlist brand GM corn is Dow AgroSciences latest mutant baby. It’s a crop developed to withstand extreme amounts of 2,4-D — an ingredient found in Agent Orange that severely jeopardizes the health of the environment as well as that of humans and wildlife. Round Up Ready resistant ‘superweeds’ apparently need something stronger. Enter Agent Orange.
As accurately observed by conventional soybean and corn farmer George Naylor, “Farmers are on the front lines of this potential chemical disaster,” and adds, “I’m also very concerned about the further pollution of the air and water in my community.” Scientists and more than 140 advocacy groups have flooded U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack’s inbox with letters protesting Dow’s regulatory application for the Enlist crop. But further pressure is needed to stop the approval. To take action against this toxic new breed of corn, click here.