Monsanto vs. Vermont
By Sydney Emo, Grade 10
It’s true that we are what we eat, and anyone that can understand the significance of that statement would have to agree that it’s extremely important to know exactly what we are eating. People wouldn’t knowingly go out of their way to buy food with ingredients that could cause cancer, yet we buy food like that all the time because those cancer causing ingredients aren’t labelled. What about genetically modified food? Does that sound appetizing?
Thanks to Monsanto, the company ruling the agricultural industry with their genetically modified seeds, much of the food we eat is probably not as “natural” as we think it is. 93% of the population is in favour of having any GMO food products clearly labelled, and the State of Vermont is the first state to bring forth a bill that would force companies to label all of their GMO products properly. Of course, as always, multi-billion dollar corporations really do not have the public’s best interests at heart, so for them, this proposed bill is nothing but a danger of them losing profit. Monsanto has wasted no time in defending its profits and is now threatening to sue the state of Vermont if the bill passes. (more…)
Should Walmart’s Health Label Be Trusted?
By Tammy Lee, Grade 12
In recent years, eating healthy food has become the latest trend. From fads such as vitamin-infused drinks to the demand for organic food, more retailers are taking advantage of conscientious consumers in a way that allows the retailer—in this case, Walmart—to label what the company believes is healthy and should be well regarded by its customers. Coming soon to the Walmart near you is a green “Great for You” label that the multi-national retail giant has decided to launch.
Why is there Mercury in Fish?
by Brandon Leo, Grade 10
There have been large concentrations of mercury in fish and shellfish. The form of mercury that is usually found in fish is methyl mercury, a highly toxic compound. Fish products have been shown to contain different amounts of heavy metals, such as pollutants from contaminated water. Species of fish that are on top of the food chain and have a long life span, including sharks and halibut, have a more concentrated level of mercury than other marine creatures, such as krill.
There are health risks with mercury being in fish, especially for young children and pregnant women. Scientists from the U.S. government tested fish from 291 different streams for mercury contamination and found that every fish they tested had mercury in them. Of the 291 fish that were tested for mercury contamination, twenty-five percent had mercury above safety levels for people who regularly consume fish. But wait, there’s more!
7 Reasons Why Kale is the New Beef
By Ethan Trinh, Grade 11
Ever since I “landed” my job at Whole Foods Market, my co-workers have been the best at introducing me to new foods, one of which was kale. The name sounded familiar at first, but, much like many other produce items at the store, I had no idea what to do with it. My fellow associate, Mellissa, took me to the market’s salad bar to get a taste of kale; lo and behold, it tasted great! I somehow never quite liked eating vegetables, and so I have always stayed away from them, but the kale was truly amazing. Mellissa gave me a quick rundown of the nutritional value of kale. Still, she said that she had given me only some information, not a whole lot, so I decided to do a bit of research myself.
Pizza a Vegetable?!
Written by Editors of the Word
The U.S. Congress has done it again! It is not the first time that the Congress has frustrated the American people. But instead of doing so by spending almost $1.3 trillion on wars, the brouhaha they’ve caused this time stems from the passing of a bill that blocks regulations of tomato paste, potato, and salt in school meals. The law now declares the tomato paste used on pizzas as a viable replacement for vegetable as a source of nutrition. So, does that mean that the Congress is affirming that pizza is a vegetable?!
For the sake of argument, Tammy and Max have each taken a side. As for me (Winnie), I am going to sit back, relax, eat some popcorn, and watch them fight for a win.
Chickens Not Fooled by GM Crops
By Jacqueline Ding, Grade 10
It seems to have escaped our notice that genetically modified (GM) crops have stealthily established themselves in the supermarkets around the world. If you keep reading, you will soon find out what the risks of ingesting such products are and how the public has turned a blind eye to the dangers they pose.
Parents Do Not Recognize Child Obesity
By: Shawna Becker
Studies show that most parents with obese children don’t even know that their children are obese. Maybe they just don’t see the truth of the matter, or are blinded by adoration towards the kids. Or is it just that they don’t want to believe that their children are obese? To them, being obese could mean being rejected, ugly or unwanted.
Here is something else to consider. Parents don’t notice their children are obese because today, everybody is actually a little chubbier because of the unhealthy choices out there that are encouraging bad habits. How can you blame somebody for not being able to tell which child has a problem when they all look the same? Personally, I would think that if they all looked the same, that is, too large, then they all need help on choosing healthier habits. Even if it doesn’t improve their curves it will have a positive effect. Lots of people are confused about obesity. There are millions of people out there that think they’re too fat and there are millions people out there who think they’re too thin.
Being on the chubby side doesn’t mean what most think it means. It is actually just an unhealthy condition that lots of people struggle with. Parents shouldn’t ignore that their children are obese. They should embrace it and give them the care and help that they need to become not thin, but healthy. Parents can’t lie to themselves about something as important as this. Being obese has nothing to do with how people think of you. It has more to do on being healthy and living well.
Chickens Are Fresh For Eight Days?!
By: Cassandra Ly, Grade 12
It’s a weekday afternoon and you go down to the local supermarket to pick up some chicken for dinner. You take a look at the prices and the wide variety of brands that are available for you in the meat aisle. You also catch the expiry date before making your choice. You pick up the plastic-wrapped tray containing five pieces of chicken breast with the best-before date…eight days in the future. To you it’s acceptable, but what the label is not telling you is that it has been re-wrapped. Recently, trays of numerous meats at a Real Canadian Superstore in Coquitlam were discovered to have been given new best-before dates. Think again: Are you going to pick up that tray now?
A frequent customer by the name of Roidon Lamb is shocked by the finding and contacted CTV after a hidden-camera investigation caught employees rewrapping salmon steaks. What does this mean for all meats then? Are they all re-wrapped? Are all best-before dates extended beyond the original time? As Roidon continued to question the freshness and, most importantly, the health effects of the meat, the employee that was asked mentioned that it will be okay as long as they are stored in the fridge. At the Superstore in Richmond, salmon steaks were stamped with a best-before date seven days into the future.
If you consider the freshness of all foods, even other Metro Vancouver butchers and Food Specialists approve that eight days is a very long time. Aaron Pighin, a butcher at the Windsor Quality Meats located on Main street, mentioned that chicken is best moved in about two days’ time…and definitely not eight. Superstore defended its name by stating that their shelf-life frequently goes through “microbial testing and sensory evaluation.” However, this isn’t enough to fully know whether the meat is fresh enough and sanitary to consume. According to the government, store managers are their own judges in regards to the freshness of the meat; in other words, no packaged-on and best-before dates are required.
This changes the way we view meats at big-chain supermarkets, like Superstore. The livelihood of people could be greatly affected. Roidon Lamb is hoping to see a push for regulations for both packaged-on and best-before date labels on all meats. So, now, before you take that tray of chicken breast to the check-out, look at the best-before date, question and consider if that time is appropriate for consumption.
By: Tanya Waung, Grade 11
The French word, Crepe, derives from the Latin crispa, meaning “curled”. A crepe is also, depending on what you do with it, a nice light snack or a mouthwatering dessert. After eating in places like Orange Corner or Café Crepe, one may think that a crepe can only be made with a crepe pan, but really, a crepe is, essentially a really flat pancake.
To make a crepe you will need:
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups flour
- 2 cups milk
- ¼ cup melted butter or cooking oil
Lemon Poppy Seed Bread Recipe
Ingredients:
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup (60 ml) milk
1 1/2 cups (210 grams) all-purposeflour, sifted
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated whitesugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (outer yellow skin of the lemon)
3 tablespoons (30 grams) poppy seeds
13 tablespoons (184 grams) unsaltedbutter, softened
Lemon Syrup:
1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup (65 grams) granulated white sugar
End off the Year 2008 with 2008 Cans!
Windermere’s canned food drive is back and starting Wednesday, December 10, the food drive will be in full swing. Student volunteers will be collecting cans in room 206 at lunch and many more will be going out into the community afterschool on December 10 and December 15 to reach our goal.
Of course, we don’t have to stop at 2008! Why not get 3000? Well here’s some incentive. If we reach our goal of 2008 cans, Mr.Tam has volunteered to be made into a Christmas tree for the whole school to decorate. That’s right, you can make one of your most favourite math teacher’s a Christmas tree!! If that’s not enough, for every 5 cans you bring in, you’ll be entered into a draw to win an exciting prize!
What’s not to like! Find those cans and bring them over! End off the year with 2008 cans!
