When I watched this video it gave me hope and somewhat power.  It was strange to say the least.  Are these actors? No, this is a documentary about how we as a community can be the change.  It was very inspiring but I have yet to see the documentary.

I want to collaborate with many people here in the Midwest and everywhere. I know I can and this video just gave me more hope, and call me idealistic, more inspiration.  No, I don’t want to see another movie that has more bombs and war.  I want a movie to inspire me to act positively and maybe this will do so.

I am just a small business, Blissful Seed, but I know each day I gain more and more momentum.  That gives me hope.  But what really drives me is to unite with other eco-minded individuals to create something bigger than me.  Not for money, not for fame, but rather for the improvement of people’s lives.  Sounds pretty ideal.  But I am hopeful I can be the change I want to see in the world.

I am going to start with small steps.  The next step is to get to work on that forum of mine.  Baby steps.

This comes on the heels of Canadian governmental funds backing farmers with $1 billion loans.   The Canadian organic market is seeing tremendous growth in organic farming, and the government is providing new, current and co-operative farmers with financial support.  In addition, Canada will be getting more regulation on organic products on June 30 to ensure proper food labels.

This oversight and regulation is much needed here in the U.S. but one step at time, right?  I am not complaining just cheering for more opportunities like this for the organic industry.  One small step at a time.

Well, then, I read the Celebrating Earth Day with Eco-Friendly Crafty Ideas.  I really enjoyed the suggestion about the Angry Chicken and how unrelated women came together to remake vintage clothing.  Then, I came across the Recycle Grocery Bags into Eco Packaging.  Brilliant!  It’s so practical and nifty. We, at Blissful Seed, are starting small so that is very accessible for our company.  We want to pride ourselves on making the least carbon footprint not just for Earth day but every day.

But that’s what we are trying to focus on at Blissful Seed except not with food.  We want to provide organic t-shirts for local people within the U.S. Our mission includes to provide original art work design on organic cotton tees and to keep the carbon footprint as minimal as possible.  We select suppliers close to the Midwest and do all of our finishing product with people within that vicinity.  And finally, they ship the product to Chicago where it’s still 40 degrees in April.  

We are new and launching in May but we are hopeful that people can see our efforts and vision behind remaining as “organic” as possible because if you have a product that’s 100% organic but the carbon footprint is miles away in let’s say India, (the leading country in organic cotton) how “organic” is your product?  

So when you see a local and organic product, you can think of Blissful Seed and think of supporting both local and organic products.  Let me go make that apple blueberry honey yogurt ginger tart in the name of local and organic.  I just have to find the ingredients first in this rainy 40 degree weather.

1) It helps the soil retain more water. How? Organic cotton builds strong soil through crop rotation (growing more types of crops in one area).  That means not all the crops are mono crops which can cause  a significant loss of water in the soil.   Organic cotton soil retains more water efficiently thanks to increased organic matter in the soil.

2) Use of untreated seeds.  Organic cotton never uses GMOs (genetically modified organism) seeds.

3) It maintains a balance  between “pests” and their natural predators through healthy soil.  Organic cotton farmers use beneficial insects like lady bugs to control pests.  Also, biological and cultural methods are used to steer pests away as a natural repellent. 

4) Organic farming does NOT use any pesticides and insecticides.  If you use organic cotton, you don’t have to think about the 1/3 (one-third) of a pound of pesticides and fertilizers used to produce enough cotton for one t-shirt.   

5) Due to no use of any pesticides or insecticides, none of the farmers will get sick or exposed to the toxics.  The EPA considers seven out of the 15 pesticides used in conventional cotton are classified “likely”, “probable”  known as as human carcinogens.

There is a lot you can do just by wearing an organic cotton t-shirt.  Support organic cotton farming.