Having trouble separating fact from fiction? 
Is the media reaction overblown?
How would you know?

It’s certainly grabbed the world’s attention, that’s for sure. And you’ve very likely got an eye out or two, looking for help to make some sense of it all. Who do you believe? What are you going o do?

I’ve put together a few links below that will help to provide some alternative views on the situation. (You won’t see this information get much airplay in mainstream media). 

If you want some information to help put things in perspective and give some really practical advice, check out the following links.

1. Dr. Joseph Mercola just yesterday published his own report on his web site entitled Critical Alert: The Swine Flu Pandemic – Fact or Fiction?. CLICK HERE to view the full report.

2. The Health Ranger (Mike Adams) at NaturalNews.com is also quick off the mark with a scheduled LIVE teleconference entitled “Swine Flu Advanced Preparedness”.

Know that there is a fee for the teleconference, but if it is at least of the same standard as his past teleconferences, there’s a very good chance you’ll be very glad that you participated.

Watch his dramatic 70 second promo video below then click on the “Learn More ….” link below that for further details.

Learn More ……

3. RON PAUL - It’s also interesting to hear the comments of former presidential candidate Congressman Ron Paul. As he is also a medical doctor, his perspective is indeed unique.

I hope that you find the above links useful.

Regardless of how things progress from now on, remember that your best defense at any time, against any flu is through first and foremost, keeping your own immune system healthy and strong. 

If you check out the above resources you’ll get some good guidance as to how to do that.

In Support of Sustainable, Wholesome and Empowered Living.
Cheers, Sven

How are your business and lifestyle choices impacting on
your health, your family and the ones you care about?

Amidst the pressures of this world to strive, to expand, to grow, to consume more and more, it is so easy to forget the whole reason you’re doing it all in the first place.

You may already have learned this powerful lesson and be right on track. If so, I applaud your alertness.

If not, I hope that the following 3 minute video, by New York Times best-selling author Mark Albion, will help you reconnect to a more wholesome perspective on all your activities.

Your whole being and those who love you,
will thank you for it when you do.

If you want to investigate this viewpoint further, have a listen to the the following 3 minutes interview with Mark Albion as he describes a broad outline of his book.

In his early days Mark’s message was introduced with “All of you here are going to make a living. The question here is, how are you going to make a life?”

This has now evolved into “You have the freedom to really be able to live a fulfilling life. How are you going to go about doing that?’

Mark’s book “More Than Money: Questions Every MBA Needs to Answer: Redefining Risk and Reward for a Life of Purpose” guides the reader to answering the above questions for himself.

Out of 25 reviews on AMAZON.com, Mark Albion’s book has received an average of a 5 STAR RATING .

To order “More Than Money: Questions Every …..” or to read the reviews on Amazon CLICK HERE.

In Support of Sustainable, Wholesome and Empowered Living.
Cheers, Sven

Here’s a quick “heads up” to a book that looks like it provides a perfect compliment to what I wrote about recently in “The Local Food Economy and Health”  Part1, Part2 and Part 3.

It’s called “Kitchen Literacy - How We Lost Knowledge of Where Our Food Comes From and Why We Need To get It Back”

I acknowledge that I haven’t read the book myself, but, after researching and preparing this report, it’s definitely going on my list of books to read.

Reviews of Kitchen Literacy
You can find reviews from seven people on Amazon.COM. The average rating there is 4.2-Stars out of a possible 5-Star Rating. Another independent reviewer reports her opinion CLICK HERE.

The following 4 minute VIDEO overview of Kitchen Literacy by author Ann Vileisis herself, gives a good sense of what it’s about.

With corruption and other shenanigans so evident today
at regulatory, corporate and commercial levels, 
why wouldn’t you want to take 
MORE personal responsibility
for your food supply?

It looks like Ann Vileisis’ book will help to fill in the gaps for those who want to know more about “What happened? How did we ever get in this situation?”

If you’ve read the book yourself, please leave a comment about your thoughts on it. We’d all appreciate your input.

Otherwise, check out your local library or bookstore for a copy. Here is the link again if you shop at Amazon.COM.

In Support of Sustainable, Wholesome and Empowered Living.
Cheers, Sven

Acknowledgements:  [Thanks to BooksXYZ for the quality book cover image.]

Are You Disconnected From Your Food Source?
If you have been brought up in the city environment, it’s easy for you to consider everything around you as a normal and natural part of life.

It’s not until you are forced out of that environment for the first time, that the true realities of life hits home.

If your only exposure to eggs where by seeing them come in cartons of twelve, how would you associate these with the rear end of a chicken?

Do the rows of rows of pint and liter cartons of milk in the refrigerated section of the supermarket give you any clue that the contents have issued forth from the udders of cows?

When a child grows up with his hero-sponsored box of multicolored breakfast cereal, how does he make the connection with anything natural? Artificial and plastic is a more likely association, don’t you think?

After all, if you’ve had no experience with country living or farms, and have known little else but packaged and processed foods from the supermarket, how would you be expected to?

There are many surveys that have been done on this subject and the results are quite startling. The following example was conducted by the Linking Environment And Farming (L.E.A.F) organization. The study showed that of 1,073 adults surveyed, 22% “did not know bacon and sausages originate from farms.”  This story, “What Would Old MacDonald Say?” was reported by the BBC News (June ‘07).

Do you think this kind of “disconnect” from one of life’s most basic systems is healthy?

…. But there’s more here
than just the disconnection.

Consider this:

1. How could you then possibly make informed decisions about your food and your own health? 

2. How would this affect your ability to correctly choose your political representative and their support of various food-related policies suggested by the government?

Lacking that crucial, reality-based background, your main source of information would then come from what you are told through advertising and what’s written on the box or packaging. How much of that is clear. open, honest, helpful information?

In many cases, we are NOT given
complete information on product packaging
solely because of economic and political reasons.

Labeling requirements are a huge topic now in many countries as various lobby groups fight over what can and cannot be included on labels.

These issues range from the complex labeling of GMO foods through to the relatively simple labeling of ”Country of Origin”. 

These issues are voted for or against by parties, according to what each vested interest gains or loses by the suggested labeling change, not necessarily by what’s best for the consumer. 

Do You Feel Comfortable Not Knowing?

A recent survey conducted in a local mall in Wellington New Zealand found that of 100 shoppers quizzed, not one was able to correctly name the country of origin of these eight whole foods: - bacon (2 packs), sweet corn, capsicum, prawns, peanuts, porter house steak and dried peaches. None were labeled with Country of Origin.

Would you care to know if any common food in your kitchen was grown locally or was sourced from some unknown country overseas?

Ignorance is Bliss?

Many have openly stated that they prefer to hold to the old adage that “ignorance is bliss”.

This stance may help to delay the pain that is triggered by waking up to the evils of the world, ….. but at what cost?

The Cost of Ignorance. 

1. potential risk of irreparable harm to oneself and others.

2. It effectively removes your unique perspective and input towards any solution.  

Be informed.
Give ignorance a miss
and
VOTE with your DOLLAR$.

$Vote$$Vote$

Every dollar $pent, is a vote ca$t
for the product or $ervice that you purcha$e.

As a former store owner, I know, first hand, that the profitability of my store depended on providing what my customers wanted. If their buying habits changed and they stopped buying what I currently stocked, do you think that I did everything I could to stock what they now wanted? You bet !!

In Part 3 (below) of the following video, Building A Local Food Economy, Ken Meter acknowledges the ground swell of interest in supporting local food economies.

Especially uplifting, is Ken’s account of the sound progress being made. People are waking up at a grass roots level and things are happening. Check it out (only 5 min in length).

What You Can Do - Ken’s Action Steps:

1. Decide what you feel is right to eat and what is highest and best for your body.

2. Decide where you will now source that food?  Build relationships with local growers and organizations etc.

3. Decide who you will consistently support with your dollars?

4. Look for ways that you can help the system be stronger. eg. extra financial support, volunteering time, becoming active in the movement etc.

If you watched the above video, you heard Ken Meter mention the work of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Farms and how they are getting very popular all over the country. I’ll be doing a post on this topic shortly as well. It’s exciting stuff !!

In Support of Sustainable, Wholesome Living.
Cheers, Sven

1. Know where your food comes from and what’s in it. 
2. Know how it is grown and processed.
3. Establish a personal relationship with the growers and suppliers of your food.

Regarding this, I am usually quite shocked at the frequency I see or hear various versions of the following:

“But that’s why we have government agencies
like the FDA, isn’t it?  … to make food supplies safe?
… I don’t have to worry
’cause they’re taking care of all that for me”.

If you know anyone who would agree with the above statement, just ask them to go to the Internet and Google the words, “FDA, corruption” and just browse a little. They’ll get the idea soon enough.

Supermarkets - A Double-Edged Sword of Modern Consumerism

Compared to traditional market places where farmers and produces come together to interact with you to sell their wares, Supermarkets are a different place altogether.

They are about as disconnected
from the original source of your food
as you can get.

You may not have thought about it much, but do you realize that when you enter one of these establishments you enter an artificial “world” specifically designed and created to “sell” ? In other words, ….. to entice and manipulate your mind.

{For an interesting read, check out the book We Know What You Want: How They Change Your Mind] ….. or simply do a Google Search, type in ”supermarkets, mind manipulation” and browse (but not right before bed time, OK?).

The point here is simply as a reminder
to STAY CONSCIOUS.

In so many ways, we are constantly “dumbed down, cajoled and manipulated” down a path to buy more and more, the things we really do not need.  Ask yourself the question “Do I want to become an automaton in the immense consumerism machine?”

When our consciousness
is left at the front door of the supermarket,
then we are in “double trouble”.

Why in “double-trouble”? Here’s the two key reasons,

1. You are letting others dictate what you should eat
Sure, you have the illusion of choice within the store, but it is quite shocking to learn how much outside “programming” has to do with your final choice.

They also stock the products that THEY want to stock. They buy from the growers THEY want to buy from. The biggest factor influencing their decision in anything, is how it affects their profitability as a business.

2. You are left totally out of touch with where your food comes from and (perhaps even more importantly), what it takes to produce it.

As was pointed out in the previous article, hundreds of thousands of family farms have been forced out of business primarily because of the onslaught of the corporate juggernaut involving Biotech and Agribusiness interests. As with point #1 above, do you think that these companies have YOUR health and best interests at heart?

The media is overflowing with endless accounts of abuse and disregard for the well-being of anything but the corporate bottom line.

Now, here’s a totally contrasting scenario.

Imagine, for a moment, that your neighbor
had the means, expertise and desire to grow
all of your food needs for you,
and you had some mutual agreement of fair exchange.
 Imagine that they grew it right next door.

Please FEEL for a moment what this would be like. Would you not expect that neighbor to be more likely to hold her relationship with you as a high priority?

Now imagine, that your (food supplying) neighbor, has established a track record (of many months, or years) of supplying you with top quality food and had demonstrated a personal caring for the quality of what she produced.

If she now suffered a setback of one sort or another, that affected the continuance of your food supply, how would you feel?

Would you be concerned just about how it affect the food supply or would you also have concern for your neighbor as a person?

Would you want to do what you could to help so your relationship could continue?

The above example of comparing the supermarket environment with the experience of interacting with a local grower highlights …..

…. how easy it is
to become insulated and disconnected
from the land, the people and the process
 that provides items that are so basic
to our very survival and well-being.

This is a great place to introduce Part 2 (less than 6 minutes) of Ken Meter’s interview Building A Local Food Economy. He acknowledges the problems of disappearing family farms and the problems faced by enthusiastic young people looking for ways to make a difference.

Especially inspirational, was his account of the personal efforts of a councillor (Kamyar Enshayan) in Black Hawk County, Iowa. Mr. Enshayan’s involvement with the BUY FRESH BUY LOCAL campaign, after 10 years, has resulted in the local economy now trading about $2.2 million of local food.

I will continue this discussion in my next installment The Local Food Economy and Health - Part 3 , tomorrow.

In Part 3 of this article you’ll be surprised at how many people do not know where much of their food comes from, how we can change this and inspiring grass roots movements working to make a better world.

In Support of Sustainable, Wholesome Living.
Cheers, Sven  

Why Is It Important To Support
Local Food Growers?

I’ll be answering that question here by expanding on those 7 suggestions a bit more and connecting their relevance to better personal health, as well as that of the local economy.

If you are desirous of shifting your lifestyle and food choices towards more healthful ones, then ….

… one key thing you’ll want to know
is who is growing your food
and how much care do they put into it.

I want to use an old analogy for a moment.
If you chose just “any old oil” or fuel for your new car, the result would most likely include a drastic lack of performance and shortened life of the car …. AT BEST! ….. At worst, your engine could seize up totally. Likewise with your body. Get the picture? 

Of course, you already know that, but I am saying it anyway (it’s just that it’s so easy to overlook or just plain forget).

Now-a-days with all the GM foods and imported foods from “Lord knows where” on the planet; …. more pesticides and additives than you can count; ….. RADiation, IRRadiation and 101 other ways your foods can be “enhanced”, if you want a say in the quality of what you consume ….

… it is well to your advantage to know
EXACTLY where your food comes from.
The more you know, the better. …..
Not only from where it comes, but WHO grows it.

There is no better way to do this than through creating a personal relationship with your local growers and producers. Just like you, they are real people. They have a face, You can get to know them. You can visit their farm. You can develop a lasting, mutually beneficial relationship.

In a world increasingly dominated by faceless, impersonal Corporations, automated voice messaging services and digital profiles, it’s a breath of fresh air to get back in touch with real people who genuinely love what they do, who appreciate those who appreciate their work and who proudly say about their cabbages “we just picked it this morning”.

To help set in place a bit more background on this topic, it feels appropriate to present Part 1 (only 6 minutes) of an interesting THREE PART video interview with Ken Meter entitled Building A Local Food Economy. 

Ken Meter has been around for years promoting local food economies way back when most people were clambering for exotic imported foods. His website Crossroads Resource Center has links to more of his articles and presentations.

Check it out.

I will continue this discussion in my next installment The Local Food Economy and Health - Part 2 , tomorrow.

In Part 2 of this article I’ll give my take on why it’s important not to leave your consciousness at the front door of the Supermarket.

Till then, if you haven’t checked out a local growers’ market, see if you can locate one in your area, so you are prepared to pay it a visit next time it opens.

In Support of Sustainable, Wholesome Living.
Cheers, Sven

Will Genetically Modified Foods provide the solution to so many of the world’s problems as were originally promised?
What studies have been done to ensure their safety?
What is the real impact of GMO crops on the environment?

It’s been a hot topic for many years now. The Biotech industry claims that it’s our only solution to the problems of feeding the world’s starving millions, with further benefits for health etc. etc…. It all sounds wonderful, till you start listening to the arguments against it. It’s message is positively chilling.

Let’s step back a little and take a look at the whole Biotech industry…. how it began, how it has performed so far, what safety measures are or are not in place.  

The following documentary, “FED UP! - Genetic Engineering, Industrial Agriculture and Sustainable Alternatives” won the Best of the Festival Award at the 2004 Berkeley Video and Film Festival.

It is presented here in THREE parts (approx 20 minutes each). It is packed with footage of interviews with representatives on both sides. and provides a “big picture” look at the background and impact of GM foods on our lives and the environment.

I feel that it provides an excellent first-introduction to the topic.

To follow is Part 1, (just click the image below and the video will load).

Parts 2 & 3 are already set up for your viewing.

If you have already watched Part 1, you would have noted the statement that farmers are technically liable if Genetically Modified plants are found on their property. This is regardless of whether the seed arrived by wind or by cross-pollination.

Check out the very high profile “David vs Goliath” struggle that involved Percy Schmeiser vs Monsanto. CLICK HERE for further details on this case. Schmeiser stuck it out in the courts for years (still paying off legal fees to this day) to eventually gain some resolution in the end. Unfortunately, hundreds of other farmers in the same situation were in no position to fight back had to bow to the corporate demands. 

To follow is Part 2:

“If the confidence is there in the safety
of these (GM) products,
then why is there so much objection to labeling?”    
Diane Joy Goodman … former chair of the California Organic Foods Advisory Board

Part 3:
- GM Foods and world hunger
- What you can do

Small farms are disappearing; so much so that there is no category of “Farmer” on the national census because this group represents less than1% of the population.

“The food processing system is really
owned by multinational corporations,
and we’ve lost control of our food supply;
and right now we are in a situation
of how do we get it back.”
…. Britt Bailey, Center For Ethics and Toxics 

Significant works co-authored by Britt Bailey, and Marc Lappe, Phd. include:
Against the Grain: Biotechnology and the Corporate Takeover of Your Food and
Engineering the Farm: The Social and Ethical Aspects of Agricultural Biotechnology 

If you don’t like the direction that the Biotech Industry and large corporations are taking us, then here are few simple things you can do to help turn things around

Simple Things You Can Do Now:

1. Get informed (check out the books listed above)

2. Support Organic Farmers in your local areas.

3. Support your local Farmer’s Market (great place to connect with others of like interest)

4. Get to know the growers personally, ask questions and visit their farm.

5. Take a more active interest in where your food comes from ….. intimate knowledge of your food source and what happens to it before you consume it, is becoming vital to maintaining good health

6. Plant something edible yourself on a regular basis.

7. Tell your neighbors and friends about this information

Even though there is a lot of negative stuff happening throughout the world, the upside is that it is really helping to cut through the thick illusions and ”BS” we’ve all grown up into. Have you noticed?
Things are changing …. FAST !!

The Vision Of Each Contributes To The Whole:

It is clear that effective solutions to the issues at hand can only come through an awake, informed and active population holding a clear vision of how things can be better, …. and then cooperating and working together towards that vision.

I’m not talking about a whole population holding exactly the same vision. though. I’m talking about each individual getting in touch with the fundamental goodness within him/herself and seeing his/her own vision and how it applies to where they are. Then living a life true to that.

Often I’ve felt totally overwhelmed as to how I could possibly make any scrap of difference. Yet, I am realizing more and more, that there is great power in doing simple things (just think about those times when something as simple as a smile or a kind word from a total stranger has caused you to make a major shift in how you felt or what you did next).

Even the smallest thing, done consistently with vision and intent, soon adds up to something quite significant.

In Support of Healthy Living.
Sven

Click this link for Governor Schwarzenegger’s veto statement.

Many who have worked hard towards the passage of SB 201 have stated that the Governor’s veto was not entirely unexpected. There is much more to this story than just about what is best for consumers.

Click this link for the Letter of Response by Senator Florez

Here is link to a statement from the Mark McAfee,
the founder of the Organic Pastures Dairy.

It’s been a long, hard road for those wanting to preserve their freedom of choice to consume unadulterated, fresh raw milk. Regardless of your preference for animal-based foods, should it be THIS difficult to have guaranteed access to wholesome, live food in its natural state?

In a society where the food industry statistics show dramatically higher rates of problems associated with the consumption of certain “regular foods”, why is it that raw milk deserves such “special” attention? In many cases this can easily be argued as direct harassment.

Is There Something Wrong With This Picture?

Is it just me, or do you think there’s something wrong with this picture, too?
Here we have …..

1. ….. a legislative process in place which includes veto powers assigned to the Governor. Fine so far, except, ……. how do you really know who’s “pushing the pen” or who’s influencing the “pen pusher” ….. ultimately?
   
2. SB 201 has moved through the whole legislative process with almost unanimous legislative support.
   
3. There have been senate hearings mid year, enrolling UC Davis and other scientific experts testifying that HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) plans and increased pathogen testing provide a better method of regulating raw milk than with using coliform limits.
   
4. The CDFA (California Department of Food and Agriculture) refuses to testify at these hearings. What!!  …. Why!? (you’d think they’d be happy to contribute their views towards a workable solution).
   Click Here to view a copy of letter from Senator Florez to CDFA secretary A.G. Kawamura regarding this.
   
5. There is strong growth of significant numbers of the population who are passionate about consuming quality, fresh raw milk and voicing compelling anecdotal evidence to back up their choice.

…… yet the Bill gets rejected at the final barrier. Hmmmm.

Raw Milk vs Pasteurized Milk - Totally Different

Through all this, it has been made clear that raw milk is a totally different product than that of pasteurized milk, yet current laws subject them to the same testing procedures. Does this make any sense?

It’s like taking a picture frame
that fits a 3″x 4″ photo,
putting it over a 8″x 10″ photo
and declaring there is a problem
with the  8″x 10″ photo
because it doesn’t fit the frame.

On this point, check out this refreshing article about Dr. Mark E. Gebhart’s, M.D., April 3rd presentation on “Raw milk: a micro-biology primer.” (Dr. Gebhart is assistant professor of emergency medicine at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio).

As Dr. Gebhart states …
“There is a science to medicine,
and also an art.”

For those new to the issues surrounding SB 201 CLICK HERE to access the short 9 minute video on the subject that I highlighted earlier in a June posting.

The Pains of Change?

Perhaps the frustrations that we currently feel throughout the many arenas of what we’d call the “natural health movement” are a result of the slow transition from the rigidity, fearfulness and often, myopic view of the status quo, to one of more openness, tolerance understanding and co-operation towards sustainability. A thought that doesn’t make things any easier, but it does give hope for the future

All that is needed is for awareness of these issues to continue to grow and for more of us to be willing to speak out through whatever channels are available. There are wonderful, passionate, dedicated people out there, working tirelessly towards a beautiful future. 

Despite the gloom and doom so prevalent in the media today, there are powerful, wonderful, positive things happening. 

Where To From Here for Raw Milk ?

1. As Senator Florez has stated, he will continue his legislative push when the new session begins in January.

2. OPDC and Claravale Dairy will continue with their joint lawsuit against the CDFA’s current standard.
   
3. Both dairies are now forced to cope as best they can under the current, challenging conditions. Your understanding and support is welcomed, should product shortages occur at any stage.

What Can You Do To Help?

For specific suggestions please visit the CREMA (California Real Milk Association) page CLICK HERE .

In support of continued education
and freedom of choice for Wholesome, Healthy Living.
Sven

It’s been a long road, but the final version of Senate Bill #201, “The Fresh Raw Milk Act 2008″, unanimously sailed through the Full Assembly on the 22nd of August ‘08. 

A week later, the Senate voted 33 to 4 (unofficial ballot figures) in favor of the Bill. Thankfully, this is well in excess of the 2/3 majority needed to pass an ”urgency bill” of this nature.

The Final Big Push:
SB #201 now sits on the desk of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger awaiting his signature for it to become law.

However, It is not a time to become complacent,
the Governor still has the power
of veto.

His final decision on this is influenced by many other factors, both inside and out of his administration. Persistent and overwhelming support for the signing of Bill #201 is the best way to offset these other influences.

So, it’s important that Governor Schwarzenegger
hears your voice of support for Senate Bill #201
TODAY!!

Please do this by calling the Governor’s office at 916-445-2841 today. Follow the phone menu prompts and then leave a polite, short message urging the Governor to sign Senate Bill #201 into law.

Alternatively, (for California residents only), you can download and mail in a printed postcard to the Governor stating your support. CLICK HERE to download the postcard.

If you are new to the Raw Milk debate please review our post of June 23rd. as well as more in-depth articles accessed via the reference links below. 

Organic Pastures, 
Weston A. Price Foundation.  
Farm To Consumer Foundation. 

THANK YOU for your interest and willingness to take ACTION.

Were you also, (even a little) uncomfortably reminded, that there are billions of others living a lifestyle in stark contrast to your own? I certainly was.

Your heart goes out to them all, doesn’t it?

“Can I make a difference here?” you may wonder; but then so often life’s immediate pressures exert themselves and the thought is gone. Even if you do have time to consider longer, most of the time you feel powerless to affect any positive change. 

A couple of years ago I saw an inspiring documentary called “Ryan’s Well” really helped me to shift this feeling of powerlessness. I’ve included a clip (further down) of the first 10 minutes because I want you to be inspired too. 

Ryan Hreljak was only 6 years of age (!!!) when he was first inspired to action after hearing of the plight of so many in the world without access to clean water……. (my goodness, where was my head at when I was six!?)

He did extra jobs at home and inspired classmates and others, to eventually raise the total funds needed to establish a well in a small village in drought-stricken Uganda. His persistence and vision eventually inspired most of Canada to join with him. This was just the beginning of Ryan’s lasting legacy.

Take the 10 minutes needed to watch this and let your own vision for a healed world be nurtured and uplifted.

The full version of the movie can be seen online for 1 British Pound
 http://www.booserver.com/projects.php?ProjectID=1430

B.T.W. Ryan just completed Grade 11 and is now 17 years old and continues expanding his vision. 

The Ryan’s Well Foundation has to date 
established 432 wells in fifteen countries,
bringing clean water and sanitation
services to over 577,000 people.

I encourage you to check out the work of the Ryan’s Well Foundation at http://www.ryanswell.ca/

Additional Thoughts:
One of the main principles shared by natural healing, holistic health and systems focussed on sustainability, is that of considering much more than just any one, isolated part of a specific system.

Whether it is regarding the human body, humanity as a whole, or the environment, it’s about considering the entire system, because all are inter-related.

With this view, no one part of humanity can be hurting without the rest of the body of humanity being affected by it. That is why we are so moved when we become aware of the pain of others. That is why I believe it is so important to begin to shift the general concepts of separateness on the world stage, and move more towards focusing on what joins us together as one humanity.

Ryan’s story is a touching example reaching out in this way, and of how we each can make a difference when the desire and vision is there ….. one small step at a time. 

  “We thrive and survive on planet earth
as a single human family.
And one of our main responsibilities
is to leave to successor generations
a sustainable future.”
Former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi A. Annan

Isn’t it always the extremes in life that most stimulates that feeling of appreciation in your souls? It is the sharp contrasts that really grab your attention and cause you to feel; eg. you rarely see more clearly the value of something near and dear to you, than when it suddenly disappears.

The first step towards making any change towards something better, is waking up to the fact that a change is needed.

“Everyone understands that water is essential to life.
But many are only just now beginning to grasp
how essential it is to everything in life –
food, energy, transportation, nature, leisure,
identity, culture, social norms,
and virtually all the products used on a daily basis.”
World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)

Till next time …… may you have abundant, clean water in your life.
Cheers,
Sven