Making Every Bouquet Better

      When did the simple act of sending flowers become a huge moral conflict?

      About the same time buying chocolate did ;-)

      Personally, I think there are a heck of a lot of things you can easily send to people that are a lot better than flowers and have a better impact on the environment and the recipient.  If you haven't read my post Don't Send Flowers, please read that one first for some great ideas for alternative to flowers.

      Sometimes, though, flowers are just the most appropriate thing.  Sometimes, you know someone who just really, really likes to get flowers.  And really, what difference does it make? 

      Actually, it makes a big difference.  The traditional flower industry is guilty of a wide variety of sins against the environment and human rights.  Green Lifestyle Magazine captured it fairly well in this article, saying:

"According to the International Labor Rights Fund, flower workers are exposed to more than a hundred different pesticides, including some that are either prohibited or restricted in the U.S. and Europe. Pesticide poisoning is responsible for neurological problems, birth defects, miscarriages, and more.  The combination of toxic exposure, human rights abuses, and environmental contamination in the flower industry is a sad and ugly example of greed and mistreatment."

      Thankfully, in there are people and companies out there who embrace BOTH capitalism AND social justice/global ethics.  And some of those people grow flowers.  If you're going to order flowers, please do it from one of these sites:

Organic Bouquet

or

Organic Style

      I don't recommend one site over the other.  As a matter of fact, I suspect the sites are linked, because the flowers available on each of them are nearly identical.

      I had the opportunity to browse through these sites recently since my mom's birthday is fast approaching, and we really wanted to send her something at work.  The selection they offered was absolutely wonderful, and the price range was very reasonable and competitive with less ethical sites.

      Now, I still perfer to send gifts that won't die in a week or two, and both of these sites offer many such options.  They offer plants and wreaths like these:

They have a bunch of gorgeous herb wreaths

We chose a bromilead for my mom.

There are a bunch of fruit trees available.

I'm totally in love with this little Tuscan Olive Tree

And how sweet is this little trio of saplings?

      And Gift Baskets:

How adorable are these cookies?

It even appears to be humane cheese!!

      And, finally, if what you really want to give is just a beautiful bouquet, you can't beat Flowers for Good.  With Flowers for Good, 5% of the purchase price is donated to a charity:

There are more than just roses, but I happened to like these charities...

      While I would still rather send different gifts that also have a positive impact, if I'm going to send flowers, these are some darned good options.

*** I was not asked to write this post, nor have I been compensated in any manner.  That said, if either site wants to give me one of those adorable wreaths or plants, I would totally accept it!***

What's On Your Plate?

      Last weekend, Punky and I watched an excellent documentary together that I want to recommend to everyone.

      It's called What's On Your Plate? and it follows two 11 year olds on their journey to find out where the food they eat comes from.     

       The film starts when these city kids visit Ohio and discover just how much better a fresh tomato tastes.  They are able to visit the local farm where the tomato was grown, and they are instantly interested.  Curiosity piqued, they return to the city on a mission to find out just where their food comes from.

      This is an informative and fun documentary; I highly recommend it as a way to introduce kids to the concepts of nutritious eating and a little food politics.  It talks a lot about school lunches and where the food comes from and shows real kids getting involved in getting real food into their school.  For kids, this is a great, engaging movie because it's told from their perspective by characters they can relate to.

       It touches on a wide array of topics, from Farmer's Markets and global pollution to diabetes, all in a simple, interesting, and engaging manner Punky loved.

       But this is not just a documentary for kids. It is an inspirational look at getting involved for people of all ages.  As a parent, it totally renewed my dedication to getting Punky involved in our garden and all the other aspects of where our food comes from.  As a person, it reminded me of many of the reasons I take Ethical Eating so seriously.

      If you're already well versed in ethical eating and food politics, this may not be the film for you.  Then again, it still just might.  If you're an average everyday person, though, you really should watch this movie.  And if you have kids, they should really watch it with you.

       You should also check out the website for the movie, which contains even more information and fun and games for the kids!

      This is what Punky had to say about What's On Your Plate?:

      What's On Your Plate? rocked!  When I grow up, I want to be a farmer and have a job and two kids.  And I want to eath healthy food all my life.  When I get older I want my own garden!  My favorite part of the movie was when they went to the Angel family's garden.  I didn't know that it was so hard for farmers to put their carrots in schools.  I learned all that carrots have to go through to be in schools.  Feeding your body right is very important.  What's on your plate?

Food Day!

      Monday, October 24th is National Food Day!  And, whether they know it or not, it is effectively Ethical Eating Day.  Just take a look at the 6 Principles of Food Day:

1  Reduce diet-related disease by promoting safe, healthy foods
2. Support sustainable farms & limit subsidies to big agribusiness
3. Expand access to food and alleviate hunger
4. Protect the environment & animals by reforming factory farms
5. Promote health by curbing junk-food marketing to kids
6. Support fair conditions for food and farm workers

      See?  Ethical Eating Day!  I am super excited about this, and I invite everyone to grab the button from up top and join me in celebrating food day by learning more, being mindful of what you eat and how it affects the world around you, and cooking a healthy, ethical, home cooked meal that day.

      Check out the Food Day website to sign a letter to your Congress person asking them to take notice of the issues Food Day is trying to raise awareness of and find ways to participate.

      They even have a free downloadable cookbook with amazing recipes from a ton of celebrity chefs!  I doesn't get better than that.

      So, in honor of Food Day in just a couple weeks, I hope to see you all joining in, if even in a small way.

      Want to be featured here on Cheap Wine and Cookies?  Send me your Food Day plans, and you'll get your very own post.

      What a fun and easy way to have a HUGE impact on our world!