I wrote a post the other day about eating well and trying to avoid chemical contamination as much as possible. Jen posted a comment that included the line “…am not an extremist by nature..” That got me to thinking about how people who want to live a life that is more “natural” or closer to nature get labeled extremists (no I don’t think Jen was saying that, it just got me thinking about it).
I think it’s bizarre that someone who chooses to breastfeed, eat organically grown foods, maybe produce a lot of their own food, bake and cook from scratch, try to use natural medical remedies some of the time, use natural cleaners for their homes, try to reduce their environment footprint, etc. are often called radical or extreme. Both the media and individuals (especially online) seem to attack this lifestyle a lot. It used to be called “hippie” but now is called “granola” or “crunchy”. How did this happen? It seems to me that these are all rational choices. They don’t hurt anyone else and they quite obviously benefit the families who choose to live this way. I don’t think I have to research a dozen studies that show this, I can’t think of a single argument that would stand up.
Maybe it’s because some of these people are very vocal about promoting/defending these choices and offend others in the process. Maybe it’s guilt, some people feel guilty that they are not doing this and lash out in a self-preservationist attack. Or maybe it’s because often the people living “naturally” don’t buy into the (unsustainable) capitalist credo of never-ending growth at the expense of our planet and our own mental and physical health, and that is threatening to the status quo.
What do you think?
No one likes change – no wonder they say ignorance is bliss. All you can do is keep doing what you believe is right. I hate to say it, but it is harder to live greener when big companies have money and power – someone needs to step in and say it’s not right, but we all know that is not going to happen. As consumers, we can make a difference in the way we spend. Companies generally will look at the bottom line. Change eventually happens, but we have to keep caring and not fall back into old habits if we can help it. I know it’s not easy.
Kath, you make some excellent points. It is hard and can be expensive (though doesn’t have to be). I think you’re better off making the cheesy tea biscuits, if your kids would eat them! We also do what we can. Way up north here, organics are harder to come by (but PC does some that we can get). It is hard to make the right choices every day.
Jen, I don’t think it’s about judging parenting choices so much (and I don’t think I’m an extremist). With the processed food diet (and I mean the families that eat almost entirely all processed food) people become obese and malnurished. They live with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, higher cancer rates, etc. It’s about taking care of each other in our society not educating people against their will (although I guess it is against there will but when I see the kids who are 20, 30 or 40 pounds overweight at 8 years old it makes me sad).
Think about what someone’s life is like if they are sick all the time, can’t get around, can’t lose the weight because their metabolism is so messed up by a lifetime of abusing their endocrine system (unintentionally).
Then there is the financial cost to our society which has universal health care. How much money is spent on illness related to lifestyle choices? I know this is a slippery slope because are you going to deny a smoker with lung disease health care? However, if we didn’t let the food industry have so much control, or if the government regulated it better maybe we would be healthier.
Anyway, this post wasn’t so much about the virtues of eating well, it was more about being considered a radical for trying to eat well and use natural products.
I think that there are extremists on every side of a cause. I make choices that are right for me and my family but I don’t take it upon myself to educate others against their will. And I refuse to judge their choices.
I am proud to say that we work closely with some of the world’s biggest packaged goods companies. I have recently received emails from people to me at UrbanMoms calling me a hypocrite and a coward. Why? Because I am trying to live a healthy and cleaner lifestyle I am somehow forced to take sides! But I won’t. I will still enjoy convenience foods when they make sense while trying to live cleaner. And I will work hand in hand with these companies to make sure they are listening to consumers, especially moms, and introducing change.
I think you’re right to a degree in all your points, Erin. Sometimes it’s just too overwhelming to think of how deeply-ingrained the capitalist lifestyle is, and people give up. Then there are people who are threatened by anyone who makes a different choice, because they see that as implicitly criticizing their own choices. It takes a lot of self-education, effort and, let’s face it: time and money to pursue more natural choices. I try my best, most of the time, but every now and then I decide I have to go all frugal and stop buying organic, non-processed foods because they just cost a lot more. Out here growing your own produce is not really an option, because the climate is semi-arid so you end up trying to decide between over-using water for your little plot of string beans and carrots, or buying at the market/grocery store. Plus the growing season is too short even for cucumbers!
I wish there were ways to more easily make the right choices. It’s like I commented on your last post: what’s better? Organic processed cookies or homemade from scratch cookies with non-organic flour, butter, sugar? For example: I was ordering organic groceries online from SPUD, and I saw these Annie’s organic cheese bunny crackers that my kids love, but then I thought the following:
1. They cost about 50% more than the Pepperidge Farm Goldfish.
2. They are *still* highly processed. Wouldn’t my kids be better with a homemade cheesey tea biscuit made by me?
3. According to the SPUD site, they traveled 2692 km to get to their warehouse.
See? Money, organic/processed ingredients, environment. Three things to worry about! And I don’t really know from day-to-day what the right thing to do is. Except that I know my kids won’t eat tea biscuits I made, LOL. Sometimes I will buy the Annie’s, sometimes the big case of Goldfish, sometimes neither. But you can see how some people just go “what the hell!” and buy a happy meal instead.
It’s tough. But I will say that I’ve been 100% natural on the housecleaning for years now, and I don’t find that difficult at all. I use mostly microfibre and melamine foam pads (like magic erasers) which are 100% non-toxic, and I use biodegradable phosphate-free laundry detergent, which I get for a very good price in a bulk size at Costco. For toilets, I use the Norwex cleaners.
Then there’s also the personal care stuff to think about. This year we switched over to non-toxic sunscreens (I couldn’t believe how much toxic, even carcinogenic stuff is in sunscreens!), but then there’s skincare products, haircare products, makeup…ARGH!
Or should I say, HELP!?
We know we are “attacked” for our endeavours. Us, old “hippies” have our trial and errors (stories and war wounds to prove) and constantly experimenting with natural remedies. However, like the feminist movement, some of us have to knock down barriers that blinds in order for others to walk in clear comfort. We do it for our further generations such as you will for yours. Thanks, Erin for showing your ways as your mother as shown you. We must not lose the wisdom of the wise old woman in all of us 🙂