I feel like fucking shit.
Guys are definitely not the only players. Girls are out for one night stands also. They're just more crafty about it. No, not all girls, but it's the same as guys...the world is not divided into guys and girls, but into casual jump arounds and sensitives.
I haven't had a mopey post in a long time...whatever
My Battle With Soy
So the past week has been a little frustrating. This issue needs to get out into the public eye, so I will recapitulate here.
It started when I learned in my Globalization Politics class that the new most prominent threat to the Brazilian rainforest is soy farming. I did some research, and indeed it is true--deforestation has increased 40 percent, the main reasons cattle farming, and newly soy farming. Here you can find a particularly good article that sums it all about up. http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=11756
(this may seem to undermine vegetarianism, although it is a huge disapointment this is not the case. The U.S. is still the worlds largest soy producer--the problem is companies that decide to pursue unethical bussiness practices and buy the soy abroad. Also the majority of the soy is being used to feed farm animals, so by purchasing the meat you are still supporting the destruction and supporting it moreso because more soy is consumed per person when someone eats it indirectly through a cow than when someone eats it directly through soymilk-see paragraph from corpwatch.com--"In the wake of the Mad Cow disease scare, soy producers have benefited from increased demand in affluent countries for meat from cows that are fed soy meal, rather than animal-based feed. This is only the latest in a series of factors that have allowed a company named the André Maggi Group to spearhead, along with the Brazilian government, the expansion of soy in Mato Grosso and adjacent states over the last two decades, with disturbing consequences". )
When I heard this I began to research the major soy producers of the U.S. The websites didn't give much information, so I went to the campus dining services, which regularly serve soy products, and demanded to know where the soy beans came from that were used in their products. They told me they'd get back to me, which they didn't, so I returned. This time they sent me to the campus dietician, who was more helpfull. She called Whitewave--the supplier of the soy products on campus and the producer of Silk soymilk and Horizon Organic Milks--and got an answering machine. They actually did get back to her, saying that although they have traditionally bought organic U.S. grown soybeans, but due to a "lack" of crop they are currently importing from Brazil. I immediately contacted them about this. through e-mail. (despite their faulty bussiness practices, I will say that they responded quickly and personally, unlike many other large corporations) the first email they sent me was this--
"Dear Ian,
Thank you for taking the time to contact us. Until recently all soybeans used in White Wave products were grown on organic farms within the United States. Currently the majority of our soybeans that we purchase remain US grown, however due to a recent organic soybean shortage we have begun purchasing organic soybeans from Brazil.
The Brazilian soybeans purchased by White Wave are grown in an area of the country south of the rainforests. No rainforests are damaged in the growth or production of our soybeans.
In addition, the company that White Wave contracts with to purchase Brazilian soybeans is constantly monitoring to make certain no slave labor is used on their farms. Three inspection methods are used to check for slave labor including a visit to each farm from a national certification agency, random visits to each farm by local labor authorities and an extensive inspection and interview process of the farm by the buyer certifying that the farm does not use slave labor.
The Brazilian soybeans continue to meet White Wave's high quality standards. Just like our American-grown crop, the Brazilian beans are grown with traditional plant breeding and farming practices. To insure that the soybean stocks are pure, the plants are grown in a region isolated from non-organic and genetically modified soybean production. White Wave carefully and continuously monitors our soybean growers directly to ensure that the soybeans have not been genetically altered and are of the very best quality.
Highly reputable independent laboratories specializing in genetic identification regularly test White Wave products. Silk® Soymilk has always tested negative for the presence of genetically modified material. We will continue to test Silk and White Wave products to maintain our high quality standards and our product integrity.
We hope this information is helpful.
Best regards from the folks at White Wave."
I noticed they didn't tell me who their supplier was, so I emailed them back requesting that information. They sent me the response below:
"Dear Ian,
Thank you for taking the time to reply. We have many different suppliers in Brazil and cannot give out their specific names due to contract reasons. The states in Brazil that our non-domestic soybeans come from are Mato Grosso and Parana. Please keep in mind that the majority of our soybeans are US grown.
Best Regards,
The Folks at WhiteWave"
The region Mato Grosso is the region suffuring from deforestation. As nice as they may be, I wrote them back with a link to the article about deforestation, and asserting that I will continue to boycott their products until they discontinue importing.
NOW I HAVE A REQUEST TO MAKE OF ALL OF YOU
this will only take five minutes. Go to www.whitewave.com , click on contact us, and send them an email complaining of this practice. Here is the original one I wrote, feel free to copy it or change it in any way you want. You may want to add that Mato Grosso is the region suffering the deforestation.
To White Wave:
I have traditionally been vegetarian/vegan, and have always enjoyed
your products. I was overjoyed when I found a soy milk that tasted good
and had important vitamins added such as vitamin B12. I find it a tasty
companion for any meal.
I recently discovered that you are currently purchasing your soybeans
from Brazil. I thought you might want to know that the Brazilian
rainforest is being cut down in order to grow these soy beans. The fact
that you support this needless destruction seems inconsistent with your
policy statement "lead socially responsible and environmentally
sustainable business practices". The U.S. is still the number one
producer of soy beans, and it seems ridiculous to purchase beans from
Brazil that hurt the environment much more than unorganic soy from the
states.
I'll have you know that I will discontinue any further use of your
products untill you discontinue to support rainforest destruction. The
majority of your customers are environmentally aware
vegetarians/activists, who I am sure will also agree to take a stand on
this issue and not back down. This is a slap in the face against
alternative eating and environmentally friendly food choices, thought
to be led by vegetarianism. The fact that being vegetarian now destroys
the environment has potential to undermine the entire movement and make
your consumers seem hypocritical, not to mention very, very angry. I
urge you rethink your purchasing options. I will be waiting your
reply.
Ian
PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO SEND THIS TO THEM, IT WILL BE HEARD!!!
Even if you aren't vegetarian or could care less about sappy wimpy no good plant eaters, you can still effect the state of the rainforest by sending them an email. The more people who speak out the more they are are aware that we are aware, and the more likely chance for change. Please. thank you all, and never give up
