Towards Freedom

As I walk through the aisles of the grocery store I am amazed at the collection of cardboard, plastic, metal, and glass sitting on the shelves. One must ask oneself where does this all come from and where does it go?

One particular aisle that is unique is the Potato Chip aisle. I guess it is unique in the sense of how a whole aisle is dedicated to this particular product. I call it a product because we really can't call it food now can we?

Most potato chips range in the price of $.99 cents to about $2.99 for the more exotic and healthier chips.. Like there is such a thing as a healthy potato chip! Once oil is heated (even olive oil), it becomes a potent substance that can only do the body harm. So don't be fooled into believing a lot of the so called health companies claiming their chips are so healthy.

When I look at a bag of potato chips I see the price at $1.99 and think that is pretty inexpensive or is it?

If we think for a moment, we have become so conditioned into believing that certain foods are natural because the packaging says so, but when is the last time that you saw lettuce in your garden with plastic wrapping all over it?

So then, what really is the cost of the potato chips? Although I have never worked in a processing plant of potato chips, I have to use common sense here. I think we can all agree the potatoes must be harvested. This would require water and most likely chemicals to allow the potatoes to grow.

They then either harvest the potatoes by paying people to pick the potatoes or use a vehicle that requires fuel and a driver to operate the vehicle.

Once the potatoes are harvested they are then placed in a vehicle which needs fuel and a driver to transport the goods to the plant.

In the plant where the potatoes are made into potato chips they use lights, water to wash, electricity to run the machines, people, chemicals and plastic to put the chips into.

The chips are then placed into cardboard boxes and placed into a vehicle which requires more fuel and a driver to transport the product to a local depot or store. Of course, if it is not local, then the product is shipped by air/vehicle which requires more fuel.

Once it arrives in the store the driver unloads the product in the warehouse of the store. Then the stock person takes the cardboard apart and places the product on the shelves with sign SPECIAL ONLY $1.99!

Is it only $1.99?

This was a quick illustration of what had to take place in order for this product which has no benefit in the human or any living animals diet. The amount that was spent on wages, fuel etc. would be very high for these products. However the manufacturers know a couple of things. First of all, although $1.99 sounds inexpensive the cost of potatoes is inexpensive as well: you could probably buy 5-10 times the amount of potatoes had you bought them in their natural state. Secondly, they know how addictive the product is and what better kind of customer to have than one who becomes addicted to your product. It provides the manufacturer a steady customer who becomes dependent on it.

The biggest costs are the environmental ones: the fuels, chemicals, vehicles etc. used have a bigger impact than anything. What's inside the plastic wrapping will be used in a few minutes by the consumer, yet the plastic will remain for many, many years in our land files and pollute our beautiful planet. The cost of the Potato Chips is far greater than $1.99.

The next time you see an item that your wanting to purchase ask yourself what is the real cost of my using this product? The biggest difference we can make is in through our choices at the grocery stores. Our dollar is powerful - please use it wisely.

Eat foods in their Raw state - you will not only benefit your pocket book, but the planet as well.