Coca-Cola Ads Confront Soda’s Link to Obesity

Coca-Cola recently released an ad campaign addressing the obesity epidemic of this nation. The hypocrisy of these ads is overwhelming. Coke is attempting to highlight the steps they have taken to help consumers make healthier choices, such as placing calorie labels on the front of their beverages  and increasing their selection of ‘diet’ and low calorie drinks. These ads appear to be an act of desperation to do something about the company’s declining sales in the U.S. and elsewhere, which may be due to increased consumer knowledge of the health risks of regularly drinking soda, filled with high fructose corn syrup, or a diet soda, filled with aspartame. “This is not about changing the products but about confusing the public,” said Michele R. Simon, a public health lawyer who writes frequently about the food and beverage business and its role in public health issues on her blog, Appetite for Profit. “They are downplaying the serious health effects of drinking too much soda and making it sound like balancing soda consumption with exercise is the only issue, when there are plenty of other reasons not to consume too much of these kinds of products.” Check out the ad below!

President Obama Addresses Climate Change in Inauguration Speech

In his second inaugural address, President Obama gave a rallying cry for Americans to join together and make the changes we need to create a healthier, more prosperous country. One of the most prominent parts of President Obama’s speech was the ever-growing (and unfortunately, also over-looked) issue of Climate Change. Here is what he said:

“We, the people, still believe that our obligations as Americans are not just to ourselves, but to all posterity. We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations. Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought, and more powerful storms. “

Although these words are inspiring and hopeful, we know that it is not going to be easy or simple to fix the biggest problem the world has ever faced. Even if the President is sincere about this promise, he’s going to face opposition and he will need lots of backup to help him get his point across in a city dominated by fossil fuel interests. Without our support, and continued push for real change, nothing will be accomplished.

European Agency Finds Insecticide Unacceptable Danger to Bees

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) presented a report  that found the neonicotinoid class of insecticides poses unacceptable hazards to bees. The report concludes that certain crops treated with neonicotinoid chemicals are of “critical concern” for bee health. Beekeepers and environmental activists welcome these recent scientific findings that they say support a U.S. ban on these chemicals. According to Jay Feldman, executive director of Beyond Pesticides, “The EFSA report confirms what we have been asking EPA to recognize. Clothianidin and other neonicotinoids are highly toxic to bees, and should be banned by EPA and removed from the environment.” Considering recent research has indicated that 9.5 percent of the total economic value of agricultural production for human consumption comes from insect pollination globally, this is a important issue that must be addressed as soon as possible. In 2012, beekeepers, Beyond Pesticides, the Center for Food Safety, and Pesticide Action Network North America filed an emergency legal petition with the EPA to suspend the use of clothianidin that is linked to honey bee deaths, urging the agency to adopt safeguards. The petition is supported by over one million citizen petition signatures, targets the pesticide for its harmful impacts on honey bees.