Dani's blog

A quick note-
My wonderful Organic Center newsletter (do sign up, it's beyond worth it) has just informed me that Monsanto and Dow will be introducing a new "8 gene" corn in 2008. My question (and I believe this question is on the lips of all gmo skeptics) to these companies is a big Why? Why do they now have to produce a variety of corn that requires 8 different genes to fend off all of those pesky little insects that nature so irritatingly put in the way of agriculture?? (please note the sarcasm). This is not progress. At what point, and at what cost, will this stop? When the food we grow is no longer even recognizable? Isn't it better to find a way to work with nature, with the genes already given (and for a reason!) in the food we consume, instead of manipulating our food to be immune to chemicals we weren't intended to have in our bodies and on our food in the first place? No thank you Monsanto, I'd rather befriend the Earth that has kept us here for so long rather than fight and destroy her.
GO ORGANIC!
I'm a little fired up about this. You should be too.
-dani

I am happy to report that we made it safely (and quickly!) from Baltimore to California. Being that we made such great time, the rest of the crew and I are enjoying a day at Lake Tahoe, internetting and taking in the beautiful scenery. It was absolutely amazing driving across the entire US- there are few things in this life that are more freeing. After a beautiful week of travel, I am stoked for the events we have coming up. I have never been to a Bioneers convention, but from what I've been told it is the 'cream of the crop' in the world of activism. I know Garrett provided a link in his blog, please check out this gathering of world-changing people. Not far behind Bioneers is Greenfest West in San Francisco- Go there! Visit us! Expand your horizons and learn something new!

I'll post a blog with deeper substance soon, sadly the battery on the computer is dying out on me. If you find yourself on the west coast and spot our lovely little bus, be sure to say hi!
peace,
Dani
p.s. I'm currently reading a book titled "The Fox In The Henhouse: How Privitization Threatens Democracy". I highly recommend it- it's quite eye opening.

I apologize for the delay, between the madness of the Natural Product Expo in Baltimore and scrambling to get the bus ready to go across the country, I’ve found wireless internet to be little and far between. Expo was madness, as expected, but I think everyone made it out alive (albeit a little tired!) A huge congratulations goes to Kopali for winning their Socially Responsible Business award. Our thoughts are always with you as you pull the long strenuous hours to make your dream a reality.

Virginia has been excellent thanks in part to the amazing crew at all of the Whole Foods we've visited so far. We are all looking forward to the Natural Food Expo in Baltimore, and then GreenFest is just around the corner! Time continues to fly by, and we have begun counting down the days of the tour (Less than 6 months left!) There are still worlds of information to collect and share, and we haven't a moment to waste.

Since the world of organics and sustainable practices has started to really gain steam, there seem to be new certifications and labels appearing everyday. I found it difficult to wrap my head around what all of these could mean, and which ones I could really trust. I have started to do some research and while I am still learning, I certainly don't want to keep all of this information to myself. One of the certifications that I have started to see more often and didn't know much about is the Rainforest Alliance certification. Here are some highlights of what I found:

August has consisted of a whirlwind of events, people, partying, and big city living. Ah, New York City. A bustling hive of both chaos and vitality. We entered the city, were reunited with Stephen, Zak, Jackie, and the rest of their crew, and proceeded to cruise around, taking in all of the lights and sounds of Manhattan.

While we were able to spend a lot of time in the city, one of the best parts of New York was the biodynamic farm that we were invited to visit upstate. This peaceful place was a wonderful example of how beautiful and resourceful biodynamic farming is. For those that are unfamiliar, biodynamic farming is a way of organic farming that respects the crop, soil, surrounding environment, and even the farmer as one entity in itself. It follows the same concept as organic farming (no chemical pesticides, herbicides, etc.) However, there is also a spirituality to the process, with planting and harvest in direct association with moon cycles and other astronomical followings. I highly recommend looking this up, it really is fascinating- learn something new!

So July has passed by, and with rarely a dull moment. Our beloved bus is up and running and we are now resting within the borders of New Jersey. Welcome Garrett! It's nice to have a fresh face on the bus and a new level to our dynamics. August has been incredible so far- it may easily prove to be a better month than last. We made up most of the stores we missed in the Boston area and they were inCREDible. Thank you so much for supporting us and allowing us to spend a day with you. It's the positive attitudes and energy from others, not just ourselves, that really keep us going. After finishing out in Boston we made our way to New York, where a camp full of wild, sweet, and hysterical kids were waiting to check out the Veggie Bus. The kids were fantastic and the day was more than well spent. Thank you Yoni for having us, inviting us so warmly, and making sure we made it there!!! (Ok, so we got a little lost...) Now I'm beginning to plan my (temporary) exodus from the bus and make my way home to the Mitten (michigan) to see my friends and family. Time to shower up and get this show on the road, New Jersey and the Big Apple better watch out, we are rolling into town!

Current Location: Dedham, MA.
Our little bus has gone into the shop for some much needed (and deserved!) love and R&R, leaving three of us (Nikki is home for the week, we miss her terribly already) to our own devices for the afternoon. Sadly industrial parks don't leave much in the way of entertainment. So instead, an update for you folks!

We were recently in Wayland, MA for an event at the Whole Foods and it was an AMAZING day. A huge thank you goes out to Sal and his amazing crew, you guys were great and we had an awesome time. There was music, food, sunshine, and of course plenty of free goodies and bus tours. It really is incredible when we roll into a town where we don't know anyone, yet we find ourselves welcomed like old friends. You guys out there are the ones that really make this work, so thank you all for your enthusiasm and support. A major highlight of my week has been spending time with some old friends from my hometown of South Lyon, MI. We'll be spending more time together while we're on the east coast I'm sure. It's nice having a little piece of home out here.

I can't believe it's almost July.

No, really, this blows my mind. As we head back onto the interstate, Maine bound, it is finally setting in how far we've come, how quickly time has passed, and how much we have to look forward to. We are already 4 months deep and there is so much left to live of this! Thank you for making this worth it all.

So we just bid farewell to the great state of Vermont. Much love and thanks go to Sara Newmark for giving us a home and a wonderful town to explore. We wined, dined, and took in the atmosphere of Brattleboro, an incredible progressive town where it's easy to feel at home. The co-op was great, despite the fact that I was a little more than under the weather (fear not, I loaded up on my antioxidants and am feeling in nearly top form now). From there we traveled a few hours to Burlington for a visit to the City Market (co-op). The people we met there were very like-minded, and many stayed in the bus at length sharing their stories, wisdom, and thoughts on the world.

While we'll miss Vermont and regret having to leave, we are STOKED to see what Maine has in store. Ah, never a dull moment.

http://keetsa.com/blog/eco-friendly/prince-charles-launches-green-car-ra...

Bonnaroo....

... Where do I begin??????

These past 4 days have been intense (to say the least). I survived my first Bonnaroo! Between the music, the people, the heat, and the dust, it was difficult to focus on any one thing for long. It was a sensory carnival full of lights, sounds, food, and madness. We had an absolutely amazing spot just outside of CenterRoo where we set up in force with other veggie/biodiesel/green vehicles. Much love to the kids next door with their solar cafe, stage, and chill spot in the shade. These guys were hardcore, playing great music and busting 24 hour days to keep the masses fed and refreshed all with the power of the sun. I met a multitude of people that wanted to know about the veggie system, who we were, and how this was all possible. Thank you to everyone who stopped by, we always appreciate (and reciprocate) the love and support.