Minding Your Business: A Meeting with Horst

Yesterday, I attended a Minneapolis AMA breakfast at Horst's Intelligent Nutrients Headquarters. Wow! As someone who submitted an environmentally friendly house as my third grade science fair projects, I've always been a committed environmentalist. Throughout my pregnancy with my first child, I was diligent about only putting organic foods in my body. But now that my child is 3, I've started grad school, and my life is insanely busy, I've been slacking off.

But after listening to Horst yesterday, I felt I came back to center. The environmental crisis is of epic proportion. We have so much to do that it is sometimes easier to do nothing. Of course, I recycle and am aware of reducing, reusing and recycling. (Thanks to Jack Johnson and the Curious George Soundtrack, I am reminded of it often.) I think about my impact more than most people might, but I am still slacking off.

I am committed to organic farming, but with the current state of the economy, it is difficult to remain vigilant. I believe that supporting organic family farmers is great for our economy and will eventually help us create a new economy. This belief was echoed by the words of Horst yesterday. Organic foods are more nutritious and contain more antioxidants than those grown with insecticides, pesticides, antibiotics and growth hormones. Horst showed studies from the University of Minnesota to prove it.

I've always believed that sustainable farming is a better way to do business. By keeping our local farmers in business using environmentally sound practices, we are protecting our future and our food supply. Low and behold, this headline I saw today: Organic Farming may be the best Route to Global Food Security. Organic practices are better than chemical practices -- doesn't that just make sense?

I am passionate about the importance of organic food, sustainable living and making choices that will leave our planet better than when we found it. So today, I'm done slacking off. Today, I'm going to start writing about it.