Online Magazine Obsession

I thought my head over heels relationship with blogs and Tumblr could never be surpassed until I discovered the wonderment of online magazines. My two favorites Lonny Magazine, an interior design and lifestyle magazine just brimming with endless inspiration for my first apartment, townhouse, family home and everywhere I decide to live in between (besides of course my dorm room which may be the most ungodly place on earth, messy roommates are the absolute worst). My favorite aspect of Lonny may be the History of Style section which provides a crash course every issue on a different era in furniture history. There is also a huge focus on sustainability and eco-friendly living, which I am all about. Hence the paperless magazine!

And then there's Matchbook Magazine, and I don't think obsession is a strong enough word to describe my relationship with this online publication. Matchbook is brand new, only on it's second issue, and I am in love with every page of both issues thus far. The magazine is a collection of everything wonderful in life. I've made Max look over both issues just so he can understand what I truly find fabulous.

all photos are courtesy of Lonny Magazine and Matchbook Magazine

Food Inc.

Okay, I'm obsessing, I'll admit it. Last night I had to watch the documentary Food Inc. for my environmental class and it's literally all I've been talking about since. I blabbed my Mom and Dad's ears off, I called Max and made him listen to me for 45 minutes, I made a new friend at lunch today and then immediately started discussing the film with him. I told pretty much every person I ran into to watch it and everyone that said they had already seen it I responded with the quickest, "Oh my gahh what did you think?!?!" Just like that, straight Valley Girl.

I think the reason I am so obsessed with it is that it was not what I was expecting. I am already a vegetarian and didn't really want to sit and watch animal's being tortured for an hour and a half, I know that happens and I am already doing my part to not support it. But this movie isn't just about the inhumane practices, but is truly about the corruption that has been taking place in the food industry that no one seems to care about.

I don't want to tell you everything that happens, but I have a few key points.

1. I'm pretty sure McDonald's has enough power that if the CEO wanted to destroy the world he could. I wish I was a good writer because I am pretty much already creating the plot to a Vonnegut-esque novel in my head that I think could be pretty successful.
2. Unhealthy food needs high taxes, end of story.
3. I think EVERYONE should start to buy ORGANIC food. I already pretty much only eat organic, ruling out the Boulder salads I have in between classes. If the people demand it, they will get it. If you build it, they will come. Not a good reference, never mind. It's expensive now, but if it becomes the norm the prices will drop. IT IS WORTH THE EXTRA MONEY.
4. The revolving door of CEO's that head the FDA is sickening. Democrats can preach about their disapproval of big business, but everyone knows what is happening in Washington and it needs to be stopped. The food industry may be the biggest business of them all and it is run by a handful of companies that are controlling our lives whether you want to become aware of it or not.
5. As Americans we are consumers, and we're picky consumers. We need the best of the best. We return clothes when they don't flatter our bodies, we complain when we think we are being cheated or deceived in any good we buy. But, when it comes to food we turn a blind eye. The food we eat is probably the most intimate good we consume and yet no one ever questions where it comes from. We have completely enabled the food industry to get away with everything that they have done.

Food Inc. Website

Photo

Wind Energy = Copenhagen, Wind Energy = US ?

I am currently taking an Environmental Ethics course and I enjoy doing my homework for it way more than any college student should. Last week we had to read a bunch of current events articles and one of them was on an offshore wind line that has received great financial backing from Google and other sources. I even tweeted about it, nerdy.

After living in Denmark surrounded by windmills I cannot think of one con that outweighs the abundance of pros. Not even the noise. And the proposed US wind line will supposedly be far enough out that noise will not be an issue. After busing from Copenhagen to Ålborg in the dead of winter with only fog and snow to look at for hours, I even found the sight of windmills to be calming. The proposed US line will run down the coast of New Jersey through Delaware, honestly who cares about their view anyway (Sorry Snooki).

By 2030 Denmark plans to satisfy 50% of its electricity needs by means of wind energy. The US needs to stop worrying so much about monetary costs, because the environmental costs will soon outweigh them if they don't stop dilly-daddling around ideas without commitment. Ideas like this need to be put into effect.


Check out the article here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/12/science/earth/12wind.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&sq=google%20wind%20turbines&st=cse&scp=3

The above photo is of the Middelgrunden wind farm off the coast of Copenhagen.

Photo: here