Category: Rants

Fee Writes

Why Ingredients Lists are Scarier than Getting #Cancelled

What’s with a label that says “contains milk” but it doesn’t?

For a long time now, I’ve been reading labels; it comes from being vegan and making sure there are no animal ingredients.

So why is it that ingredients lists are scarier, as I said in the title, than getting #cancelled?

Most of the time, I am up with the ‘animal’ products and numbers you find on products’ back. For example, whey is dairy and gelatine is made by boiling skin, tendons, ligaments, and/or bones. But for newbies, it can be quite the minefield deciphering the ingredients.

With a new product the first thing I look at is “contains….”, which is underneath the actual list. It also can say “may contain…” meaning that the product is made in the same factory as products using these specific ingredients.

It took my son to point out that a particular brand of potato chips (crisps) are, in fact, vegan. They do NOT contain milk as is stated on their packet. He has even gone so far as to ring the company to ask if dairy is in the chips. I believe he’s won a few bets with this knowledge.

By law (in N.Z.), all allergy products must be printed in bold within the ingredients list. And these products are nuts, Soy, Wheat, dairy and eggs. Getting back to the crisps, even though the label says

“contains milk or milk products”,

and it’s in bold, it is totally devoid of all dairy products.

The only bold product in the ingredients list is Soy. Where is the dairy?

Now I’m lazy. So I just see the notice and put the chips back on the shelf… can’t be bothered reading the ingredients list.

My question is. Why not say “may contain…” as other companies do? Does this company not have a dictionary and therefore cannot understand the meaning of the word “contain”?

Let me enlighten them.

Dictionary meaning:

contain: to have within

I think it’s funny, but then I am well aware of the law. What about those who don’t? And they do not need to be vegan – the lactose intolerant would also be put off.

Wouldn’t you think Bluebird would want make sure they are covering all audiences?

STAY IN THE LOOP

Fee Writes

When is Something Eco-friendly?

I often hear funny stories, and this one about eco-friendly packaging is undoubtedly one of them.

Have you ever been in a situation when you think, does this person really get the gist of what it means to be eco-friendly? (Or anything else that you may be discussing).

Recently a friend of mine who owns a promotional product company told me how bizarre the whole eco-friendly is. They have a beautiful pen they sell. This pen is made with eco-friendly material like bamboo and recycled cardboard. How cool is that? But wait, unless my friend tells the manufacturer specifically not to, each pen is wrapped in plastic. Huh? Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of the ‘eco-friendly’?

So let’s see – plastic … eco-friendly?

Plastic is a by-product of the oil industry, and there is no way that it is eco-friendly no matter what the industry tells you. The only “friendly” thing would be if the packaging were made from recycled plastic, but it would eventually find its way into the landfill, so what’s the point.

We see it all the time, especially in supermarkets. Who hasn’t seen the cucumber tightly wrapped in plastic film? Or the capsicum in packs of two or three? Then there are the halves of vegetables such as cauliflower or, and this is my pet peeve, half a pumpkin. The problem with the pumpkin is taking the plastic off. It’s sucked on so tight; one has to be very vigilant in getting all the bits because, through my experience, it doesn’t come off in one go.

Obviously, I am fully aware of the ‘why’… doesn’t mean I like it. Wherever possible, I choose fruit and veg that are loose, and the leftover pumpkin gets cooked, mashed and frozen so I can use it for sauces or soups.

Sadly plastic is very much a part of our world; however, some amazing alternatives are being invented, which gives me hope that maybe one day we will be plastic-free.

STAY IN THE LOOP

Fee Writes

Environment | Health | Rants | WTF

Clean Water Plans for New Zealand?

Last week the Minister for the Environment put forward the Clean Water Plans for New Zealand.

What a joke that was!

The plan is to have 90% of rivers and lakes swimmable by 2040. That’s gone up by 10 years. From my understanding it was going to be cleaning them up by 2030, but now, again, the goal posts have been shifted.
Well, Massey University freshwater ecologist Dr Mike Joy says the Government is “trying to pull a swifty” with its new swimmable waterways plan.

You see it’s all about how much E-coli (and other stuff) is in the water. This is how I understand it:

540 E.coli/100mls of water gives the swimmer a 1 in 20 chance of getting sick. However, the Ministry of Health recommendation is 260 E.coli/100mls of water and that’s what it used to be. That would equate to 1 in 1000 chance of getting sick.

Big damn difference – again, shifting the goal posts.

read: Unswimmable Lagoon Now Swimmable

The problem is that the Government wants to intensify the dairy industry, meaning, more cows per herd and more dairy farms. Although I have no idea why – with the downturn of dairy and the rise of plant milks, dairy is definitely on the way out (albeit slowly).

The only good thing they announced was that all farmed waterways were to be fenced… however, yes, there’s a ‘BUT’ to this. – doesn’t have to be done till 2040!!!! How much damage can be done till then????
Besides with cows in paddocks, they’re still weeing and poohing and that eventually gets into the water table.

And one last thing he said? Don’t go swimming if there’s been a decent amount of rain. Instead of cleaning the water…..

“a big rainfall event that brings all the crap in.” – Nick Smith

If you want to find out more, head over to Stuff News “The New Swimmable Fresh Water Target”

What’s the water like in your neck of the woods?

Fee Writes

Food | Rants | WTF

Trying To Get More People Drinking Milk

The dairy industry never ceases to amaze me how they come up with ideas to get more people drinking milk

This is one such example

I was in the supermarket yesterday and was checking out the cow milk section, (well I was actually looking to see if they stocked fresh almond milk yet… which, no, they don’t). I thought I’d have a look at all the different cow milk on offer and then I spied this one.

I actually laughed out loud. I think the couple standing next to me thought I was crackers, but I couldn’t help it.
I just find it so amusing that there is cow milk that is designed especially for the lactose intolerant people out there… just in case they are getting their calcium and protein from – I kid you not – PLANTS.

Take a look at the label – it also says “trim” that means they’ve taken most of the fat out as well.

So here’s a bit of info you may not know:
If you eat animal protein the body produces metabolic acidosis and the body uses calcium to fight it off.
For some reason, the less fat there is in milk, the more acidosis is formed and the more calcium is needed usually drawing it from the bones.

Dairy companies are messing around with the milk so much it is not true milk. Here in N.Z. the large companies actually strip the milk down to milk powder and then reconstitute it into the different types. I can’t speak for other countries, but if you know how the milk is produced, please let us know in the comments below.

Fee Writes

Environment | Food | Rants

C’mon Now, Save The Bees!

We really do have to save the bees. And I’m over the big corp bullying.

It came to my attention yesterday that the chemical corporation, Bayer (Bayer is the German version of Monsanto, more about this corp below), is suing Europe! The European Commission to be exact.

And this is because…

Back in 2013 scientific studies concluded that the pesticides with Neonicotinoids in them definitely killed bees. So the E.U. banned three pesticides. Now, Bayer wants to overturn that decision so they can start selling this stuff again.

I do find it rather ironic that this is coming now when Bayer is about to acquire Monsanto, the other big chemical giant. If this happens, then Bayer will have world dominance over seed production.

Stick with me here…

Bayer produces seeds which have Neonicotinoids over them. That means, once they are planted this chemical spreads throughout the plant and kills any insect that happens to come along to have a wee snack …. including bees which are there for the pollen.

The plants are also unable to re-generate meaning that the farmer must get new seeds each planting time (my understanding is that is under the GMO part of seed raising) – I am actually going somewhere here.

So Bayer takes over Monsanto.
Bayer produces seeds that kill bees.
Bayer produces GMO plants that can’t regenerate.

My little brain equates that to…

Bayer wants total world domination of the food supply.

Do you agree? Would love to see your views in the comments below.

Either way, it would be excellent if you would take a minute to sign the petition just click:

SAVE THE BEES

Category: Rants

Why Ingredients Lists are Scarier than Getting #Cancelled

What’s with a label that says “contains milk” but it doesn’t?

When is Something Eco-friendly?

I often hear funny stories, and this one about eco-friendly packaging is undoubtedly one of them.

Clean Water Plans for New Zealand?

Last week the Minister for the Environment put forward the Clean Water Plans for New Zealand.

Trying To Get More People Drinking Milk

The dairy industry never ceases to amaze me how they come up with ideas to get more people drinking milk

C’mon Now, Save The Bees!

We really do have to save the bees. And I’m over the big corp bullying.

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