The Elliott

What is the Elliott State Forest?  The Elliott State Forest is 90,000-acre tract of coastal rainforest that the Oregon Department of Forestry is ritually slaughtering as a sacrifice to the state’…

Source: The Elliott

Decision to tear down 4 hydroelectric dams in Oregon good news for Yurok Tribe

Warrior Publications

Members of the Yurok Tribe in Oregon had long called for four dams on the Klamath River to be removed so fishing could resume. (Benjamin Brink/Associated Press)

Native Americans in Oregon had long called for dams on Klamath River to be removed

By Jonathan J. Cooper, The Associated Press, April 7, 2016

Endangered salmon blocked for nearly a century from hundreds of miles of the Klamath River in Oregon and California are expected to return en masse under unusual agreements signed Wednesday to tear down four hydroelectric dams.

U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, who signed agreements with the governors of both states, said the plan would bring about one of the largest river restoration projects in the history of the U.S.

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What’s in a name: John’s Last Stand and a history of federal land management

John’s Last Stand is located southeast of Eugene off HWY 58 East near the town of Dexter at Hardesty mountain and Mount June area. The Many Rivers Group of the Sierra Club has been petitioning for wilderness status for Hardesty for several years. Logging this area will remove the viability for this mature and old growth forest to become protected habitat. This area is roadless, rugged and beautiful; a rarity in western Oregon, where logging roads add up to the length of a drive to the moon and back.

Interested in protecting what little healthy [public] forestland we have left? Hike it with CFD this Sunday (March 13, 2016)!
Email: forestdefensenow@gmail.com to RSVP for the carpool.
We’ll leave the Growers Market in Eugene at 10 A.M.

Cascadia Forest Defenders

John’s Last Stand?

Professor Norm Johnson “sees the [variable retention harvest] pilot projects as a policy test for a new management paradigm that chal- lenges the divide between forest reserves and timber harvest areas. That schism, he says, harkens all the way back to the split between John Muir’s preservationist ideals and Gifford Pinchot’s utilitarian forestry, which laid the foundation for federal land management.” (High Country News, May 6, 2013)

John Muir vs. Gifford Pinchot

The philosophical split between John Muir and Gifford Pinchot was deep and enduring. They both helped shape the landscape we have inherited. The differences between these men was vast, despite their common love of wilderness in the late 1800s. For starters, Pinchot was a gain-seeking exploitive capitalist who lacked honesty. He loved wilderness like some of us love donuts. Muir, on the other hand, had a spiritual longing which took him to…

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Elliott Forest Seeking Wealthy Anarchist

Cascadia Forest Defenders

Watch the video of the sale of public items by former “Gov. Kitzhaber”

The Elliott State Forest is up for sale. Last Thursday, January 28, the Department of State Lands, acting on behalf of the State Land Board, hosted a mandatory meeting for interested buyers at the USFW department headquarters in Salem to detail the transaction  requirements as set forth by the state.

Two of us were present and awkwardly mingled among the 60 or so mostly white, middle-aged men dressed in business casual. The people in that room represented the usual crowd of timber companies and conservationist NGOs, but there were new interests we didn’t recognize, like carbon credit venture capitalists, and green-washed international land management trusts.

After half an hour of small talk over fruit plates and stale coffee, Jim Paul, Assistant Director of the Common School Fund Property Program, called the room to attention and began detailing…

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Rape innuendos fly as the fate of the Willamette Valley’s seed growers hangs in limbo

Oregon farmers, gardeners, ranchers and foodies gather at the capital to rally against canola introduction to the valley.

Rapeseed, -aka- canola, is a weed. It is also an oilseed crop widely used in consumer food products, cooking oil and biodiesel fuel. It has been widely planted across the United States and Canada (7-10 million tons per year) and is well-known to have become dominated by the biotechnology-introduced version of the plant (Genetically Modified Organisms). T’is where the controversy hath arise.

First introduced in Canada in 1995, GM canola has taken over the American industry. The year 2011 marked the near-monopoly of the U.S. market, with GM canola accounting for 96% of total canola produced, most of which is grown in North Dakota. Countries around the world have banned Genetically Engineered crops from being grown and sold on the market to consumers, but the U.S. has not even required simple labeling to inform the public of what they have been eating (since the mid-90s). The European Union has upheld a ban on the crop, and so has the great state of Oregon, whose fertile valley has been targeted by the industry and labeled as a zone of potential harvest ground for a winter rapeseed cover crop.

Oregon ruled to prohibit the introduction of canola since 2009. As the state is internationally known for being a ‘garden basket’ and mecca for specialty seed. The rule was made due to public outcry and attention drawn to the numerous adverse impacts to existing seed and food crop production. These impacts include transgenic contamination, the creation of resistant weed species and the proliferation of disease and pests.

The most widely used GM canola seeds are bioengineered to withstand sprayings of the herbicide glyphosate. It is essentially a seed that has been infected by the chemical, so that it is then immune to the powerful toxin. The genes are changed in the plant to something that would never occur in nature, under no circumstance. The plant itself is an herbicide and each cell of the plant expresses the genes, from the roots to the seeds and pollen. This technology raises a variety of red flags to anyone knowledgeable of agriculture and basic earth systems science. The entire food chain is affected by GM crops from the insects that collect pollen, to the people who live downstream who’s water is collected from a nearby waterway, which is lined with sediment contaminated by microscopic herbicidal proteins. These plants are designed to kill. The natural world does not recognize them, nor is able to break them down. It is a pollutant and should be treated as such.

It easily cross-pollinates with other brassicas and weeds such as mustard that are common along roadsides in Oregon. The plants are also known to spread their herbicide-resistant genes. Similar brassicas, such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale and turnips are immediately at risk of contamination if GM canola is allowed to be planted in the valley.

The rule which has stood strong in the books since 2009 outlawing canola, was swiftly overturned in a temporary rule issued by the Oregon Department of Agriculture on August 10. The change would grant farmers of the valley the ability to plant rapeseed, likely of the GM variety, beginning on September 1, 2012 (and also allowing them to gather a federal biofuels production subsidy). This was “railroaded through” according to Oregon farmers who immediately stood up in opposition to the ODA’s sudden rule change. There was no public discussion and it appeared to be largely pushed by out-of-state economists and businessmen intent on fattening their wallets through GE canola biofuels speculation. The push for biofuels which began with the 2005 Bush-era mandate, forced states to transfer agricultural land used for food crop production to produce cellulosic ethanol. The program is riddled with corruption and a lack of logical understanding of agriculture and ecosystems: to put it simply, it takes a whole lot more in resources to produce.

So, that’s the basic gist of the issue… Now I’ll get to where I come in.

As a stanch opponent to biotechnology, an organic foods enthusiast and proud Cascadian I jumped at the chance to represent the Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides in Salem at the public hearing on the deregulation of canola in the state. The room was filled with over 80 opponents who gathered from around the state to testify against the ODA’s temporary rule change (which was held due to public outcry and a lawsuit).

We listened to the touching testimony of the Oregonians who would be adversely affected in a multitude of ways if canola were to be introduced in the environment. The most memorable of testimony came from the farmers who’s livelihoods depend on the production of high quality specialty seed to be sold both locally and on the international marketplace. On small farms they are able to generate thousands of dollars in profits each year, and give family wage employment to their valued employees. The potential for contamination is therefore a direct threat to the economy, as well as a threat to the genetic integrity of food crops and seeds grown in the state.

At the end of the hearing I made a snap decision to testify, as I had noticed a few things that had not been mentioned by all those that went before me. I was the last to testify, and when I took the stand, I was up there alone with three empty chairs next to me. The nerves took over and I began to let it flow unprepared. I introduced myself as being a budding journalist, and two-year work-study student with NCAP. I reverberated the point of the testimonies previous that the Willamette Valley is a gem, and beacon of biodiversity. This, I said, is in direct threat if rapeseed were to penetrate our lands. I then mentioned the potential adverse affects GM crops would have on pollinator species such as the threatened honey bee, amongst others. And the ability for transgenic genes to accumulate in sediment around the freshwater supply. I closed by saying that we should be protecting biodiversity rather than rewarding monopoly.

I was happy to receive applause and thanks from farmers following my testimony.  A rally was held afterwards on the sunny Friday afternoon at the capital fairgrounds. Friends of Family Farmers, who organized the event, had speakers in support of the organic industry and crop diversity in Oregon. They spoke to amplify the message that ‘WE WILL NOT BACK DOWN,’ from behind a mound of fresh local produce which included a memorable cabbage which was about the size of my torso.

At the end of the day, we held our signs, pumped our fists and made acquaintance with the people who raise the bar and deliver quality produce to the region. It was an inspirational day, and I hope that the massive outpour of support will halt the ODA from allowing the rape(seed) of our precious ecological gem. Fore this place should be a World Heritage Site; the Emerald Valley, fertile and free.

 

Protect the Integrity of Seed on one side, You Can’t Un-Do Genetic Contamination on the other

RAWgust

Since beginning the raw food journey this spring I have transitioned from being an organic vegetarian (no processed/packaged foods, but I still ate eggs, cheese & breads/pastas) into a Low Fat Raw Pesco-Vegan! I’m eating fish (c’maaan, give me a break..I grew up on seafood in Alaska, and it’s so so good for the body! right?), I eat fish my Padre gives to me (usually smoked & in jars) and Sushi, on a ‘special occasion’ basis. Oh, and I eat honey, which I dont think is bad in any way.

I kicked my lifestyle up a notch in August and went for the 100% raw va va va vegan! YEEEEHOOOO Fifteen days in & I’m feeling fantastic. Even on top of a job, moving, and a full time schedule of intensive 2nd year French courses, which my degree hinges upon.. “Je suis stresse!” But my-oh-my has eating this way improved my already upbeat self into a clear minded early-to-bed, pack a breakfast for class and on-time every day kind of lady. That meal, breakfast on schooldays is: 16 oz of Sencha Green Tea and two fruits (stone fruits are seasonally available right now & are quite delicious..try: Flavor Grenade Pluot, Nectarines, Peaches…& any Plum or Pluot you can get your hands on.. such a variety and they are all so unique & flavorful!). There is a 50% off shelf at my Natural Foods store, Sundance, which I usually can pick up random fruits & veggies on the cheap, so I vary my diet daily. I also go to the Farmers Market each Saturday in downtown Eugene–if you are in the area, it’s a MUST-SEE! 😀

PRAWblems: Some of the main “mistakes” of sorts that I have made so far has been; eating too many nuts, spending too much money on creating gourmet raw when I should be increasing monomeals of bananas or something like that, and not eating enough throughout the day. I also found out that it is no bueno to mix melon with other fruit in a smoothie, which is silly, because my first-ever smoothie had melon in it. Each of these things I have now come to break from my routine. And I’m stoked to see what happens next.

Le voyage: My body is extremely sensitive to chemicals and other bad stuff, so I can literally see, quite quickly, how my diet impacts my overall system. I broke out in eczema and a bit of acne and have had a bit of a freak-out over the last week. I believe the eczema is caused by heavy metals, either from my amalgam fillings, Sushi (2X between July 19 & now, the first time was HQ, the last time, I think I may have had a farmed Salmon…the flavor wasn’t right), or the jar of smoked Wahoo (it’s a Jack, a type of fish. He caught it either off the coast of San Diego or Baja MX) that my Padre gave me (I ate 1/2 the jar)-looking back, I think it showed up around then..so, the verdict is: I’m blaming the eczema break-out on the fish.

So, for the last few days, since moving into a new home, I have began to try to detox. Learning more about Low Fat Raw Veganism & really embracing my newfound love in Raw cuisine. I got back on the Yellow Dock Root Tea and my Skin Tonic Tincture and ate a bit of Burdock Root. ……and…… MY SKIN LOOKS BETTER-not perfect yet, but better! Day two of the conscious detox, looking forward to clear skin. This experience made me even more determined to be fully raw!

NOW, for the montage of all the mouthwatering meals I have had the pleasure to create. Enjoy!

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Glossy Marketing vs. Natural Radiance

Our skin is the largest organ we have. It is crucial to know that 60% of what we put on our skin is absorbed into our body. Therefore it has the ability to contribute to a build up of a large quantity of toxins in our systems over our lifetime (especially for women/ladyboys who use a lot of products each day).

So when I went through my life transformation, learning about chemicals, I spent some time on Environmental Working Group’s website skin deep to find out the toxicity of what I had been using and to find safe replacements.

First off, chemical makeup & products left my routine completely. I had an entire bag stuffed full of the stuff (remember, I had my face in fashion mags for a long time).. It was full of Neutrogena skin “improving” supplies, Brilliant Brunette shampoo and conditioner, and L’Oreal, Mac, and Prestige makeups. When I found out that everything was super mega toxic, I returned $40 worth of shit to the store. And went online and to the local health food store to refresh my lady supplies and go au natural.

It was easy for me to believe in the power of invisible chemicals due to a few skin reactions I had to makeup and products over the years. When I was fifteen, the tissue around my eyes swelled my eyes shut in a reaction to Maybelline mascara.  In college, my Neutrogena face wash aggravated my skin to the point where I began having eczema on my face. My skin turned red, stiffened, and it began peeling around my eyes. I found out through my research that a lot of the chemicals in these products have little or no testing, wouldn’t be allowed to be sold in the more safe European markets, are derived largely from petroleum products and have a tendency to lead to accelerated aging, cancers, and even Alzheimer’s (aluminum in deodorant, etc).  -YUCK!

What I replaced my lady kit with: Dr. Bronners soap (it’s concentrated, so I buy it in bulk and put it in a jar, and use my tiny bottle in the shower as a shaker–reuse!–I add 1/6-1/10 of the bottle with Bronners<adjust if it dries your skin out–add less>, and a few drops of tea tree oil ((anti-dandruff)) and fill the rest up with water.) I also get a bar of natural soap for the shower and by the bathroom sink. Current flavors are Evergreen hand soap and Old Fashioned Oatmeal for the bath.

On occasion I do a white vinegar rinse (in the shower, post-shampoo) which clears my scalp and leaves my hair super soft!

For makeup I use a Lavera eye liner pencil, it smudges a bit, but it’s not too bad, if you put too much on in the morning you can always adjust easily with the swipe of a finger.

I haven’t used mascara in awhile because I ran out and haven’t ordered new stuff yet…but I have been experimenting with using blackberry goo. Yes, blackberries. I bought some frozen and use about 1/2 of a berry for both eyes. I’ve ghetto-rigged an eyelash brush and have been using the separator/comb tool that comes with brush kits. I need to get an actual mascara brush from a makeup store though.. BUT the berries work & it’s organic, natural & cheap!

Another fantastic veggie makeup: Cheeks & Lips colored with red beet! Slice off a thin piece and swipe it on your cheeks and lips and rub it around how you’d like it. It’s the most beautiful tone. I will never buy cheek color again.

For lip gloss, I use Aragon oil (I also use it as a lip moisturizer each night). It’s also nice for the skin on your hands, dry patches on your face, and making your nails and cuticles look nice & healthy. I also use it to add shine to my tresses.

Deodorant, I dont use very often anymore because for some reason I dont get stinky (hm, maybe it’s my diet?). But if I do feel like I may get a little moist in my underarms, I reach for this stuff called Pit Powder. ITS AWESOME! & you can use it anywhere you might be sweaty. I’ve also used it on my hair on days when I’m a tad bit shinier than I’d like to be.

After showering I use jojoba oil on my body to keep me soft and moist. And daily I moisturize my face with Borage Buttercream for sensitive skin. Which is from this fantastic company in Oregon called Wild Carrot Herbals. I also use the Wild Rose Eye Cream…which smells beautiful.

There it is, everything I use day to day. All natural, all organic, très belle.

Going Raw

Taking healthy eating to the next level.

I’ve been an Organic, non-strict vegetarian for 3-ish years, eating meat only on occasion (maybe 4X a year, tops) when a friend butchered a home-raised organic animal. I quit processed foods two years ago, I stopped buying packaged food (except cheese & Coconut Bliss ice cream), and quit chips altogether last September. Over the last few years I’ve seen a drastic change in my figure, and a huge reduction in mood issues and reoccurring illness (I used to get strep at least 4 X each year, since I was 13).

Now, I dont get sick. And if I do feel something like a cold coming on, I reach for the medicinal herbs, and traditional medicines out of the view of the Western public.

This experience made me a believer in natural living, and made me seek out more knowledge on what it takes to be a optimally functioning human being.

I made it a project goal to bump my current diet up a notch and go for the ultra-nutrient-rich lifestyle that is RAW (vegan-ish). It is salad season and fresh local vegetables are aplenty, so I figured it would be PERFECT for the summer. Plus, who wants hot food when it’s blazing hot outside?…not I says the cat.

Easing into it gradually I started doing 50% raw days, quite easily with salad dinners, seasonal fruit energy-packed snacks, and fresh vegetable juice in the morning…then I made it to 75% when I cut out bread-y things…then graduation came and so did the parents… & I fell off the raw bandwagon. Woop.

July is here and I’m back! This is day 3 of 100% RAW! And I feel very upbeat, happy, energetic and motivated. I made my first smoothie yesterday (frozen bananas, blueberries, and cantaloupe with almond milk), I’ve made a cilantro-tahini pate, and I’m juicing at least once a day with our Omega juicer–>LOTS of vegetables (my favorite flavor combo of the week is Fennel/Cilantro/Lime). Fruit works well as a to-go snack-Nectarines are stellar right now. And as usual breakfast is super duper important. I’ve been doing a mashed banana with raw organic chocolate protein powder. And I’ll add random goodies like rasins, sunflower seeds, shredded coconut or berries from the backyard garden. mmmm! Also, I have been drinking green tea, which technically isn’t raw, but who gives a shit. It’s good for you!

This delicious treat filled me up with happiness – super chill.

I’m tailoring my food choices around what would naturally be consumed by the human animal species. I’m trying to get get loads of nutrients in my system each day and I plan on monitoring the results and the issues I may come across.

So far the only issue has been with dried fruit and nuts: Both are extremely addictive and it’s super easy to over-eat and get all sorts of funky in the insides (backed up & such=no bueno). I have decided to quit buying dried mango and pineapple, as I am a sugar addict and these feed my addiction and also increase my scalp irritation/flaking. As for nuts…I dont own a food dehydrator or food processor, so I’ve been doing everything DIY. Soaking raw almonds and then setting them out in a pan in the sun all day works great as a dehydrator — it might take 2 to 3 sunny days for optimal crunch! Try it out.

Binging late-night on high fat & high sugar treats is no good–>desert should be at lunchtime, so I’m trying to keep the consumption minimal and before 4 p.m. I’m reminding myself that food is energy for my body to be active. By working on not eating so late in the evening <so bad for your health in the long-run my goal is to cut the food tube off at 7, and drinking only water or detox tea. My goal is to be in bed by 10.

A hardcore Raw Foodist that I follow online, Kristina Carrillo-Bucaram, said in one of her videos something that has really stuck with me. She says, “Try to eat at least one meal each day that IS how you would like to feel.”

I found that really inspirational, and helped motivate me towards my 100% Raw goal. Favorite “IS ME” meal of the week: chopped pineapple, mango, & thinly sliced Meyer lemon <with skin!!>, juice from half of a regular lemon, and a half a cup of shaved coconut. Recipe source: Whole Living magazine.

Take a break, relax, and be vibrant.

What is your favorite “is me” meal? Dont have one?–>google around for raw recipes, there’s a wild world full of deliciousness waiting for you to explore.

Enjoy, Live, & Be Real.

Face hole

For my 22nd year of life (o10-2011) I had a terrible outbreak of acne on my face. I had been eating well for an entire year, and had never had skin problems before. I narrowed down the cause to the ex-bf. I was staying at his house for a few months that winter (of 2o10) and I believe a combination of his dirty pillow cases, and bad diet..caused my skin to freak out. I quit wearing face makeup in 2010 because it was toxic, so I wore my acne every day for the world (University of Oregon) to see. It was awful. I had eczema patches below my nose that were like a bright red mustache. With all the pocks, scarring, and redness on the face.. People treat you differently. And I felt really ugly.

In August of 2011, my cheeks were covered with blemishes.

I was eating really well and using only natural soaps to cleanse my face, and I wasn’t seeing much in the results department. At the end of the summer I gave in and bought toxic Mac face makeup. It was the first summer I had ever had with acne, and I was a full-fledged (23 y/o) young adult. I reluctantly began wearing makeup again on occasion, and found some Oregon-made natural face wash and moisturizer in the fall.  (Wild Carrot Herbals). My skin began to see the first signs of improvement, but I still wasn’t back to my flawless-skinned self.

On new years of 2012 I was in Portland, Ore. with a friend of mine and together we spent some time with her Native American herbalist (friend’s mother). Anyways, they burned sage at their house for good joojoo. I loved the smell and the good feeling it gave me in their environment. When I got back to Eugene, I went on a hunt for sage and ended up at Mrs. Thompson’s, a local Celtic herbalist. While I was waiting my turn to speak with her, I skimmed the shelves. I saw a little glass bottle labeled ‘skin tonic tincture.’ I picked it up and took it with me to the counter. She told me it would help improve skin tone. So, I went for it.

Within one month of taking the tincture three times a day in my tea, my face was clear again. After an entire year of hell, I have my face back!

May 2012 with no face makeup, tone & texture clear & smooth.

Ingredients: Organically grown. Burdock root, calendula blossoms, borage leaf & flower, yarrow leaf and flower, filtered water and 35% alcohol.

Over my head

Help me! I’m over my head in work work work! Seventeen credits, two jobs, and a ton of scholarship essays to write in the shortest month of the year. Why oh why do they put so many deadlines on March 1! Jerks! haha. I’ve got seven essays to write, I believe five of those need to be done by the first. My grocery’s are in the cupbord, this week is crunch time. To edit and have ready by the end of the week. Fingers crossed, my writing will get me to France, it will pay my way through college. I must stay strong, fore I am all that I can count on.

 

Sorry for neglecting you bloggady blog. You will return to my life once my most pressing writing is complete.