“From dust you were made, and to dust you will return.”

Our bodies were created of earth; they are sustained by what we intake, which is grown by, or feeds off the earth; and ultimately we will return to the earth.

I wonder however, if the modern world version of the phrase should be, “From fossil fuels you are made, to them you cannot return”

The first real day of spring is a very distinct day and it is not marked on any calendar. It is the day in March when the world begins to move again; the sidewalks become filled with people walking with their families and friends and it suddenly seems that everyone is on a bicycle.  

Going through this tedious very stressful process has opened my naive eyes to the system of government assistance.   Aren’t government assistance programs meant to help reduce the daily stresses instead of creating more?  How can these individuals and families work through the system to get what they need without high stress and time away from work and family?  

My high school mascot was the Cornjerker, which was a big ear of corn that ran out on the field (you can’t make this stuff up). So as I think about food and farms it is to that traditional back drop of the small family farm in communities where I was raised.

     “I just want to peek inside real quick. Okay?” I said. The plastic sign read “Village Pantry,” with a big red tomato on it. It was right around the corner from an apartment I was considering, and I was curious to see what I would be dealing with.

     “Of course,” my dad agreed with a laugh, as I jumped out of the car and through the doors of the corner store. I quickly darted up and down the isles, glancing at beef jerky, chips, and candy bars. I picked up a sandwich or two in the “Bistro” case, noting the offsite packaging plant.

     After my curiosity was satisfied, I walked out of the store and back to my car.

     “Did they have a good organic section?” Dad joked.

     “Not even a tomato,” I replied before pulling out of the parking lot, “or a can of beans to stock the pantry.”

When I hear the word “Organic”…

I picture myself in the grocery store. I feel frustrated at having to pick and choose which items are “worth” spending the extra money. I worry about the chemicals on my leafy greens and fruits.  The sentence that runs through my head is this: “Organic food is great, but it’s too expensive.” I think that the ‘O’ word deserves a little attention…

From our friends at the Restaurant Opportunities Centers United!

EXCITING NEWS! Our 2nd annual ROC National Diners’ Guide to Ethical Eating 2013: A Consumer Guide on the Working Conditions of America’s Restaurants IS OUT & entirely new, the ROC Diners’ Guide smartphone app, created by Clay Ewing, Assistant Professor at the University of Miami, putting restaurant rankings at consumers’ fingertips.

The free app is available NOW for iPhone and Android mobile devices.
“ROC-U produced a National Diner’s Guide that rates restaurant based on how they treat their employees.” Mark Bittman exclaimed in his New York Times column earlier this year. “We have pocket guides for fish; finally, there’s one for humans.”

As the holiday season for dining out and office parties at restaurants begins, the Guide makes it easy for consumers and companies to evaluate more than 150 restaurants and national chains based on a number of key criteria:
– Do they provide paid sick days to ensure that those who handle and serve food are not passing on illnesses?
– Do they pay at least $9 per hour to non-tipped workers and at least $5 per hour to tipped workers? (The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour for non-tipped workers and just $2.13 for tipped workers.)
– Do they provide opportunities for advancement, so that at least 50 percent of their employees were promoted to those positions from within?

In the 2013 edition of the guide, ROC has included 73 restaurants that are committed to taking a “high road” approach to workers and consumers, up from 35 restaurants in the 2012 edition. Congrats to all the Gold and Silver star winners in the Guide (some of them might surprise you)!

So check out the 2013 ROC Nat’l Diners’ Guide and DOWNLOAD THE APP – find out if your favorite restaurants have been naughty or nice…

Don’t forget to leave a review if you like the app!

Sincerely,

ROC-United