by Paul E McGinniss
Sad News. That Chicken could have been fed a
steady diet of Prozac. Via Rodale.com
steady diet of Prozac. Via Rodale.com
Rodale reported last week: "Prozac may have been part of your chicken's diet. Earlier in 2012, Johns Hopkins University studied the feathers of
imported chickens to figure out what the birds ingested before
slaughter. Researchers were surprised to find traces of antidepressants,
painkillers, banned antibiotics and allergy medication. According to
scientists, Prozac is sometimes used in imported chicken to quell
anxiety because the birds are raised in tightly packed, factory-farm
conditions. Stress causes the chickens to grow more slowly, hurting
profits."
Talk
about depressing. The problem is that not all of us can afford to buy
higher priced poultry which was not fed antibiotics and other medications like antidepressants. Nor can many of us afford to buy pesticide free organic produce either, as
these choices in general cost significantly more.
So, what are we to do? Help change the whole food system from the bottom up. How? By concerted political action.
For
instance - I try and sign at least one email petition a day to take a
stand on something important. Last week I signed the NRDC petition
to ask Trader Joe's to take a stand and commit to selling only antibiotic-free meat.
NRDC Activist Alert explained: "If we're going to get the meat and poultry industries to stop
endangering public health by misusing antibiotics on livestock, we need
to show them it's unprofitable to keep doing it. Sure, consumers can help by buying antibiotic-free meat -- but livestock
producers are sure to take note if a big, national supermarket chain
stops stocking meat and poultry grown with antibiotics."
And, while you're at it, go to EcoWatch.org and sign their petition to tell the U.S. Congress to pass comprehensive legislation to expedite the necessary transition to a renewable energy future.
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