R E G E N E R a T I

CHANGE THE WORLD KIDS

R E G E N E R A T I Vandana Shiva: Protect Biodiversity and Indigenous Knowledge O Seeds that Feed the World N Seed Banks for Good or Evil Issue: Seeds Summer/Fall 2013 FREE! www.changetheworldkids.org Promoting lifelong health through patient-centered dental care

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Para La Tierra September 6-8, 2013

A weekend of events on behalf of the three-wattled bell- bird, the rain forest songbirds of Vermont, and our future. Family fun, and a delicious feast to celebrate the biodiver- sity of our local farms and the rain forest, and our conserva- tion work in the Bosque para Siempre biological corridor. Watch our website for details! Or email us, and we’ll keep you up-to-date. Summer / Fall 2013 Issue 9 Regeneration Seeds — Contents — 4 Defi nition: Seeds 5 Behold Biodiversity Champions 7 Protect Biodiversity and Indigenous Knowledge: No to GMO Bananas 10 A Timeline of Monsanto and the Genetically Engineered Seed 12 Challenge Yourself 13 Survival Strategies 14 Seeds of Change 16 Born to Travel: Seeds on the Move 18 Seed Banks: For Good or Evil 20 Amazing Facts 20 DIY: Plantable Paper 21 Seeds that Feed the World 22 Bosque Para Siempre 2013 24 Recipes changetheworldkids.org 1 A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words.

2 Regeneration Change the World Kids Who We Are

REGENERATION is the magazine of Change the World Kids. The mission is to promote an ecologically and socially responsible lifestyle, and to encourage local and global environmental activism for future generations. Change the World Kids is a group of youth in middle and high school dedicated to making the world a better place through humanitarian and environmental projects. We are an independent, diverse, teen-run non-pro t organization. Our work enables us to learn life-skills and offers challenges that have changed our lives, our families, and our communities. Change the World Kids Over the past fourteen years we have provided tens 1046 Atwood Lane of thousands of hours of volunteer service, locally Woodstock, VT and globally. For example, we help individuals in 05091 need by stacking wood, weatherizing homes, making (802) 457-2622 emergency meals, digging ditches for solar power, installing clotheslines, working with special needs Chief Editor: children, helping people with serious illnesses get back on their feet, baking cookies while keeping someone Katherine Tucker company, repairing substandard housing, doing yard work, providing free baby-sitting, offering community dinners, and more. We work for free. Staff: Anna Ramsey Through our project Bosque para Siempre, we are conserving and replanting a migratory rain forest corridor in Costa Rica, critical to the survival of indigenous species and neo-tropical migrants Finn Mcfarland from the United States and Canada. Towards this effort, we have raised over $215,000, and planted Kristin Ramsey 1,065 trees in one day! Internationally we have a number of humanitarian initiatives. The largest is Peter Wilson Teens Connecting Continents, helping children in Uganda, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Spruce Bohen Congo, and Columbia to overcome the challenges of poverty, violence, and disease by building Teale Bohen youth programs; providing quality education, supporting health initiatives, and promoting hope in Violet Spann rural and urban communities. We are gardeners, techies, musicians, state champions at sports and academics, honor students, valuable employees, published writers, artists, class of cers, scouts, theater players, and more. Design Editor: We have a wide variety of interests, talents, and Elizabeth Kamb personalities, and go to different schools, but we share a dream.

Art Director: REGENERATION is published two times a year and distributed as a free magazine. Nika Meyers Contact us to request reprint permission: send SASE for guidelines, submissions, and inquiries.

REGENERATION is printed by Stillwater Graphics Inc. on recycled paper using eco-friendly rubber-based inks.

www.changetheworldkids.org REGENERATION [email protected] changetheworldkids.org 3 Defi nition: Seeds

The gems of biodiversity, seeds contain the essence of botanical life, often in a tiny package. From these grow 2850 year old sequoias over 200 feet tall and waterborne algae only a cell long. They are the basis of the marvelous biodiversity of our planet. Without them, humankind cannot survive. Why? Two essential reasons: We breathe. We need to eat.

Seeds are in every biome, in every habitat, on earth. They nestle in forests, fens, and  elds. They are in Arctic ice, on the edges of volcanic craters, and in salty seas. Adaptations to insure dispersal and survival have created a diversity of shapes and textures. Their accoutrements include wings and wisps of  uff. Their colors span the spectrum. Their goal? To perpetuate their species.

As seeds grow into plants, most photosynthesize, creating the oxygen essential for life on earth. In the process, they absorb carbon dioxide, removing carbon from our atmosphere and sequestering it.

For much of the human population, seeds are the basis – often almost the entirety – of the culture’s diet. Grains are ground into  our, boiled into porridge, or steamed to soft or crunchy kernels. The course of history changed as traders sought spicy seeds- cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg, pepper.

The manipulation of seed genes by scientists and corporations is taking us to unexplored and somewhat murky horizons. Seeds are big business. Some seeds are commodities, traded on markets that power our global economy. Major chemical corporations are forging new paths, creating new genetically modi ed organisms. What might this mean for future seed diversity – and for humanity?

Growers seek to conserve traditional seed, some unique and particularly adapted to an area. Seed banks are not new, but their sophistication is innovative and potentially dangerous.

Seeds are the creativity of our ideas, the source of life, the key to our sustenance, and the biological foundation of our planet’s magni cent cycle of life.

4 Regeneration Behold Biodiversity Champions

Cut open an orange. Its circumference is a protec- the bellbird’s digestive system removes the seed’s skin, and tive peel. The  esh of the fruit, segregated and juicy, is full of provides the seed with a fecal wrapping that supplies instant nutrition. Deep inside the fruit live the seeds. fertilizer in which it can grow. One bellbird can eat up to 30 With most hard-skinned fruits, we humans casually fruits a day, and therefore, the birds are very ef cient seed toss seeds away; but lacking persnickety tastes and opposable dispersers, consuming and distributing avocado seeds in large thumbs, animals tend to ingest the seeds. Plants and animals quantities. have an inextricably interdependent relationship. At the heart Studies of seed dispersal of fruit bearing trees in the of this relationship is seed dispersal. Monteverde area by Daniel Wenny of the Illinois Natural In the rainforest, birds are the most common seed History Survey con rm that bellbirds are by far the most dispersers, and this is a critical job. Fruit eating birds are effective dispersers of Lauraceae seeds. One reason is that called frugivores. Different species of birds are attracted to the birds return again and again to their favorite perches, different fruits in the way that some people like spinach and which are nearly always located in trees right on the edge of others do not. Species of trees depend on the help of cer- tree-fall gaps or other clearings. As bellbirds are perched, so- tain birds to spread their seeds. cializing and going to the bathroom, the seeds fall with their Consider the story of the three-wattled bellbird and individual wrapping of fertilizer to the forest  oor in spots the Lauraceae trees. The three-wattled bellbird breeds and where the sun shines, thus creating exactly the right condi- raises its young in the Monteverde cloud tions for germination. and rain forest region of Costa Rica. These So far, the story is all good; but birds are attracted to this area because during the last chapter of the 20th century of the abundance of Lauraceae trees and there enters a bad twist to the plot. While the wild avocados they bear. Roughly 30% the bellbirds are happily breeding and of the canopy cover in the Monteverde raising young from March until late June or Region is made up of trees belonging to early July in Monteverde, and then migrat- the Lauraceae family. ing to the lowland or montane forests, This story’s leading characters are humans wielding chainsaws and driving the three-wattled bellbirds, the setting is large crawling equipment are cutting and the high altitude rainforest, and the main dragging thousands of trees from the once props are Lauraceae fruits (think of 1-2 inch avocados). The pristine forest. It is estimated that up to 75% of the forests male bellbird is spectacular with three wattles that he tosses are now gone. to attract the ladies; the female is camou aged and secretive, Down come roosts and food supplies. The bellbirds so much so that no nesting bellbird has been found. What’s begin to starve, and scientists categorize them as a “vulner- not secret is that these birds are masters of spreading able species.” One estimate in the 1980s concluded that for Lauraceae through hundreds of hectares of forest, insuring every 100 bellbirds, only 16 remained. Without the three- the survival of the tree species and of the many birds and wattled bellbirds, the biodiversity of the rain forest begins animals that depend upon it. to alter as the Lauraceae trees lose an important partner When a three-wattled bellbird eats an avocado, in their reproductive cycle. In a cruel and vicious spiral as it digests the seed, and then later disposes of the seed in deforestation proliferates, more and more birds and animals its feces. Each avocado seed, after traveling through the struggle for survival. bird’s digestive track, will literally land in a random spot in It can almost be a rule of thumb that mammals are the rainforest away from its “parent” tree. Conveniently, less effective seed dispersers than birds in rainforests, but changetheworldkids.org 5 there’s a second important character is this story. The bat, three-wattled bellbird habitat and research planting proce- like birds, is a crucial seed disperser in rain forests through- dures for tropical forest restoration. out the world. Many bats are frugivores, although some are I’d like to say that the story is at its climax, and the insectivores or omnivores, such as the vampire bat. Some resolution of the threat to seed dispersal and to the whole bats eat fruit and then spit out the seeds and pulp; others biodiversity of the rain forest is at hand. But it feels like I eat the entire fruit, seeds included. Like the three-wattled might be leading the plot a bit by saying something so de ni- bellbirds, bats that eat the entire fruit, later disposing of the tive. What does feel good is doing something to help the seeds in their feces, particularly bene t healthy biodiversity. biodiversity champions! For certain species of plants, the process of bat digestion By Spruce Bohen creates a higher likelihood of seeds survival and success. Such http://www.pnas.org/content/95/11/6204.full seeds are less susceptible to fungus damage, after they have passed through the digestive system of by a bat. Bats play two roles in promoting healthy rain forest ecology, seed dispersal and pollination, and like the bellbird, can have a crucial relationship with a particular plant species. Seba’s short tailed fruit bats range from Mexico to Northern Argentina, and are the most important seed dispersers of the Piper, a member of the black pepper family. The father fruit bat guards the baby bats in the harem, and the bachelor males and the female do most of the seed dispersal. Weigh- ing a little over a half an ounce, these bats eat the small fruit that hangs in current-like clusters. Since the bats sometimes feed as far as three miles from their roost, they distribute Piperaceae seeds across a broad range. It’s well publicized that species of bats are cur- rently vulnerable and endangered. In recent decades, tens of thousands of bats have died or been killed in the U.S. alone. If deforestation and climate change in the rain forest cause signi cant declines in bat populations, entire ecosystem (ani- mals, plants, air, water and people) will struggle immensely.

The good news is that hundreds, maybe thousands, of new characters have entered the story over the past three decades and are taking action. These include brilliant scientists and people like you. For instance, Change the World Kids are actively engaged in the chapter to restore

6 Regeneration Protect Biodiveristy and Indigenous Knowledge: No to GMO Bananas

On May Day, 2013 Navdanya, a network started by the Indian component. Other partners for the GMO banana Dr. Vandanya Shiva of seed keepers and organic producers project will also include Australia’s National Agri-Food throughout 17 states in India, launched the “No to GMO Biotechnology Institute, India’s National Research Centre for Bananas Campaign” in conjunction with a number of Indian Bananas, the Indian Institute of Horticulture Research, the and Australian organizations. This campaign rejects the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and Tamil Nadu “creation myth” that GMO bananas are an “innovation” Agricultural University. to save Indian women from childbirth deaths due to iron Dr Dale does not have a single paper related to iron de ciency anemia. forti cation of bananas. This At the same time work has been done by the these organizations recognize Bhabha Atomic Research Team. and celebrate the labour and So the research on GMO creativity of nature, of women, banana is Indian, the  nance of farmers, of our culture comes from India, yet Dr Dale by promoting indigenous and Bill Gates strut around the biodiversity and knowledge as world as if their research, their the real solution to hunger and brains and their money are malnutrition making a technology transfer of GMO bananas possible to India According to the to save Indian Women. “creation myth” of capitalist GMO bananas are in any patriarchy, rich and powerful case not a solution to anemia. men are the “creators”. They Bananas are rich in nutrition but can own life through patents have only 0.44mg of iron per and intellectual property. They 100 grams of edible portion. All can tinker with nature’s complex evolution over millennia, and the effort to increase iron content of bananas will fall short claim their trivial yet destructive acts of gene manipulation the iron content of India’s indigenous biodiversity. According “create” life, “create” food, “create” nutrition. In the case of to the BARC scientists, they can achieve a 6 fold increase GMO bananas it is one rich man, Bill Gates,  nancing one in iron content in GMO bananas. This makes it 2.6mg, which Australian scientist, James Dale, who knows one crop, the is 3000% less than iron in turmeric, or niger, or lotus stem, banana, to impose inef cient and hazardous GMO bananas 2000% less than Amchur (mango powder). The safe, biodiverse on millions of people in India and Uganda who have grown alternatives are multifold. hundreds of banana varieties over thousands of years, in Our indigenous biodiversity offers rich sources of iron. additional to thousands of other crops. Amaranth has 11.0 mg per 100gm of food, Moringa (Sahjan or False solutions like genetically engineered bananas drumstick) 28.26, buckwheat 15.5, neem 25.3, bajra 8.0, rice are being offered by Bill Gates, who is funding Dr Dale in bran 35.0, rice  akes 20.0, Bengal gram roasted 9.5, Bengal Queensland University of Technology, Australia, to develop gram leaves 23, cowpea 8.6, and horse gram 6.77. Amaranth genetically engineered bananas and transfer them to India. In greens have 38.5, karonda 39.1, lotus stem 60.6, coconut meal addition Indian tax money is also funding this project. 69.4, niger seeds 56.7, cloves 11.7, cumin seeds 11.7, mace India’s Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance 12.3, mango powder (amchur) 45.2, pippali 62.1, poppy seeds Council will provide US$2.87 million towards the cost of 15.9, tamarind pulp 17.0, turmeric 67.8, raisins 7.7 changetheworldkids.org 7 The knowledge of growing this diversity and mothers with iron for a day. On a national scale, the extra transforming it to food is women’s knowledge. That is why in amount of iron produced organically would be suf cient to Navdanya we have created the network for food sovereignty meet the requirement of 20 billion hypothetical lactating in women’s hands. mothers. Even if only part of this iron is absorbed, biodiversity The GMO banana project is a waste of money, and offers us the potential of ending iron de ciency anemia. There a waste of time. It will take 10 years and millions of dollars need be no iron de ciency if we intensify biodiversity in our to complete the research. But meantime, governments, farms and gardens and food. research agencies, scientists will become blind to biodiversity We don’t need irresponsible and wasteful based, low cost, safe, time tested, democratic alternatives in experiments like GMO bananas, imposed by powerful men in the hands of women. The National banana research centre, distant places, who are totally ignorant of the biodiversity in while conserving 200 varieties of bananas, has already put the our  elds and thalis, and who never bear the consequences development of GMO bananas in its Vision Document 2030. of their destructive power by creating new threats to our Just as Bt cotton has taken over 95% cotton in India in biodiversity, our seed sovereignty, knowledge sovereignty, and spite of having failed to increase yields or control pests, GMO our health. We need to put food security in women’s hands, bananas will take over and destroy our rich biodiversity, even so that the last woman and the last child can share in nature’s though they will fail to remove iron de ciency. gifts of biodiversity. The real objective is to get access to our rich The solution to malnutrition lies in growing nutrition, biodiversity through biopiracy and control banana production through patents in the country with the highest production and consumption of bananas. Scientists like Dale already hold many patents on banana transformation. Just as Monsanto controls our cotton seed supply through Intellectual Property Rights by adding a toxic gene to cotton, Dale and multi- national corporations will start owning India’s bananas through patents linked to genetic engineering. In fact that seems to be the main aim of the GMO banana project. There is no need for introducing genetically engineered banana, which is a sacred plant and sacred food in India, when banana brings us many health bene ts and we have and growing nutrition means growing biodiversity. It means so many affordable, accessible, safe and diverse options for recognizing the knowledge of biodiversity and nutrition meeting our nutritional needs of iron. among millions of Indian women who have received it over We have to grow nutrition by growing biodiversity, generations as “Grandmothers Knowledge”. For removing not industrially “fortify” nutritionally empty food at high cost, iron de ciency, iron rich plants should be grown everywhere, or put one or two nutrients into genetically engineered crops. on farms, in kitchen gardens, in community gardens, in school As the Navdanya report Health per Acre shows, gardens, on rooftops, in balconies. Iron de ciency was not when an acre of farmland is used for organic mixed cropping created by Nature. And we can get rid of it by becoming co- in place of conventional mono cropping, 39 g of extra iron is creators and co-producers with Nature. produced. This amount is suf cient to nourish 16,250 lactating By Vandana Shiva

8 Regeneration 1 (Gujulla B Sunil Kumar & Lingam Srinivas & Thumballi Ramabhatta Ganapathi

Iron Forti cation of Banana by the Expression of Soybean Ferritin

Biol Trace Elem Res (2011) 142:232–241 DOI 10.1007/s12011-010-8754-6 )

BIO Dr. Vandana Shiva

Dr. Vandana Shiva is a world-renowned environmentalist, activist, physicist, ecofeminist, policy advisor, and author. Founder of The Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Natural Resource Policy, she advocates for community food security issues, including intellectual property rights, biodiversity, biotechnology and bioethics, to protect biological and cultural diversity. She has served as an adviser to governments in India and abroad, as well as a many NGOs, ranging from the International Forum on Globalization to Slow Food International. In 1993 she was the recipient of the Right to Livelihood Award, commonly known as the Alternative Nobel Prize. A leader of the anti-globalization movement, Vandana Shiva  ghts for changes in the practice of agriculture and promotes the importance of women in agriculture. Founding Navdanya in 1983, Shiva works to increase understanding about the relationship between democracy, intellectual property, and food security, and also to promote seed saving as an alternative to corporate patenting and genetically engineered seeds. She has assisted grassroots organizations of the Green Movement in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Ireland, Switzerland and Austria with campaigns against genetic engineering. Her book, “Staying Alive” helped rede ne perceptions of third world women. Dr. Shiva has published hundreds of academic articles and papers and more than a dozen books, including: Water Wars: Privatization, Pollution and Pro t, Biopiracy: The Plunder of Nature and Knowledge, and Stolen Harvest: The Hijacking of the Global Food Supply. In addition to the Right Livelihood Award, Vandana Shiva’s numerous awards include the Early Day International Award of the United Nations, Global 500 award of the United Nations Environment Program, and the United Nations Earth Day International Award, among many others. The Guardian (U.K.) included her in their list of the 100 most in uential feminists in 2011.

changetheworldkids.org 9 A Timeline of Monsanto and the Genetically Engineered Seed t 1901: Monsanto, one of today’s leading international producers of genetically engineered seeds, is founded by John F. Queeny. 1944: DDT is manufactured and marketed as an insecticide by Monsanto. 1954: Mansanto and Bayer partner in the creation of Mobay Chemical Corporation. The joint venture markets polyurethanes in the United Sates. 1960s: Monsanto develops several herbicides including Ramrod and Lasso.

1975: Monsanto’s Agricultural Division opens a cell biology PHOTO NIKA MEYERS research facility. What are some of the Dangers? 1976: Roundup herbicide is made available in the United States 1. One of the dangers of genetically engineered seeds has to do by Monsanto. Roundup uses a chemical known as glyphosate. with cross-pollination. Seeds are naturally carried long distances 1982: Mosanto becomes the  rst company to ever genetically by animals and wind. However, if a genetically engineered seed modify the cell of a plant. In the same year, the company buys is carried to an area populated with non-genetically altered Jacob Hartz Seed Co. plants, the two may cross-pollinate and produce a plant 1987: Monsanto conducts the  rst  eld tests on genetically contaminated with the altered genes. This can affect farmers’ engineered crops. abilities to save seeds of heirloom or other crops that have 1996: Monsanto introduces the Roundup Ready Soybean. This been successful in their growing environment for generations. seed is tolerant of the company’s broad spectrum herbicide, 2. Lack of genetic variation also poses dangers to farmers. Roundup. They also develop Bollgard insect-protected cotton. Genetic variation is the varying of genes between different This cottonseed is modi ed to incorporate an insecticide organisms of the same species. For example, humans are the within the seed. same species, but we all look much different because of our 1997: Monsanto markets a cottonseed modi ed for both its varying genetics. If a farmer plants genetically identical seeds, Bollgard insecticide and Roundup herbicide. Roundup Ready he or she runs the risk of crop failure, if the seed is attacked Canola and Cotton are introduced. by a fungus or insect that is capable of resisting any “built-in” 1998: Roundup Ready corn is introduced. pesticide. 2001: Monsanto introduces Roundup Ready Corn 2. This is 3. Researchers at Washington State University recently found a second generation trait product that allows for a wider a correlation between the increase in herbicide use and the application window. development of a weed that is glyphosate-resistant. Glyphosate 2002: Processor Preferred Soybean and Processor Preferred is an herbicide used in genetically modi ed seeds such as Corn hybrids are introduced by Monsanto. Monsanto’s Roundup Ready. 2003: Monsanto introduces YieldGard Rootworm corn, seeds 4. Dependency on purchase of Monsanto seed, fertilizer, and with a built in shield against corn rootworm. chemicals causes small farmers in developing nations to incur 2005: The billionth acre of biotech crops was planted and previously unnecessary expenses and can result in their  nancial harvested. over-extension and ruin. 2006: Monsanto’s Roundup Ready Corn 2 is planted on about 5. Although in 1999 Monsanto pledged not to sell seeds with 40% of the acres of corn in the United States. “terminator” genes (sterile seeds), expiration of its seed patents, Present: Monsanto continues to modify their products while resulting in a loss of control of seed production and price and they acquire smaller corporations, as well. Monsanto pro t, may make the company reconsider its pledge.

10 Regeneration 6. Genetically modi ed seeds may cause changes within the food chain. They may compete with other non-altered species and cause environmental changes within an ecosystem. 7. Genetically engineered seeds may pose health risks. However, there is a lack of research to con rm any hypotheses. By Finn McFarland

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/10/121002092839.htm http://www.safe-food.org/-issue/dangers.html http://ecowatch.com/2013/global-march-against-monsanto-may-25/ http://www.monsanto.com/whoweare/Pages/monsanto-history.aspx http://earthjustice.org/features/ourwork/timeline-monsanto-s-chemical-romance http://www.nature.com/news/seed-patent-case-in-supreme-court-1.12445

changetheworldkids.org 11 Challenge Yourself

Scrambled!

rifut tatibah pdesierrs npetral gtiens mcseesoy retiagnem zimae tanpet tisbatno icideberh

12 Regeneration Survival Strategies

Breathe in. Breathe out. The miraculous combination up front. Wings carry wind dispersed seeds to form new of two vital elements: oxygen and nitrogen is something plantings. Water dispersed seeds are commonly made of a humans take for granted. However, in order for us to get material that won’t deteriorate in long-time water exposure. those exhilarating breaths of pure Vermont air, tiny little seeds Rigid or virtually impenetrable shells and piercing thorns keep have to work their way through the scary natural world various seeds protected like suits of armor. Rose hip seeds where big-beaked bluebirds want to pluck them from safety, grow tiny hairs that cause irritating itching. In the Monteverde scavenging mammals seek to gnaw them for dinner, and the cloud forest, the lianas, large hanging vines, of the Mucuna strong north wind yearns to add certain seeds to its collection species have seed pods thickly covered with stinging hairs. of aero-dynamic doo-dads. The mechanisms of these seeds to Certain seeds play to the senses and use smell as a naturally protect themselves and work their way through the defense. The durian fruit is a large thorn covered fruit with a necessary pit stops, allows oxygen to be plentiful, and tasty disgustingly nasty odor that smells like putrid rotting garbage, edible plants to be abundant. so much so that the tree is banned in some places. Spicy Seeds are designed with protection to help insure nutmeg fruit opens to reveal a rich orange seed jacket and survival during dispersal and when they alight on the earth. releases a perfume that warns predators of its toxicity. Gravity-dispersed seeds depend on their weight to make The ability for plants to adapt seed defenses and them fall (sometimes ruthlessly) to the hard ground. Coconuts, disperse themselves wisely is an extremely impressive apples, and passion fruit are examples of this type of seed characteristic. Seeds are the plants’ futures. In order to dispersal. Once on the ground, animals (like deer and mice) survive in the unpredictable world, plants create predictable nibble at the luscious fruit, exposing the seeds to the outside mechanisms of protecting and dispersing their seeds for future world. habitation. Their variety and originality is noteworthy of awe! As a young child, I always felt sorry for the poor -Anna Ramsey plants that were monstrously eaten by different animals I never understood that both the animal and the plant receive http://theseedsite.co.uk/sdwater.html huge bene ts from this type of behavior. Plants have artistically http://theseedsite.co.uk/sdgravity.html designed their edible fruits to attract different types of animals, http://rainforests.mongabay.com/0503.htm http://www.knowledgebank.irri.org/ericeproduction/Importance_of_Rice.htm so that animals will delight in their fruits, and thus spread their http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2110890,00.html seeds through scat. Berry plants often rely on bears to spread their seeds to new, desirable locations. A nefarious strategy that some plants adapt to keep large animals from chewing and ruining the reproductive capacity of their seeds is employing poison. Yew trees dress-up their seeds in a bright red  eshy covering to attract birds that will disperse seeds far and wide; however, the seeds contain a potent poison that can kill large animals, including humans, which ingest and crush the seeds. Castor beans have in their oil the deadly poison ricin. Cashew trees produce particularly delicious and protein plentiful seeds, so they dress them up with a juicy fruit, but encase the seed nut in a toxic shell with chemicals related to those found in poison ivy. In the rain forest, seeds that fall to the forest  oor often wait months – sometimes years – for falling trees to produce a light gap in which the seeds can germinate. Poison is a defense against the many rodents and other predators seeking nutrition as they travel through the understory. Some seeds have structural defenses that are right changetheworldkids.org 13 Seeds of Change The seeds of change. What does this really mean? local food. Its start had to be something inspiring, something Is the seed the spark, a concept or an event that births a that showed that fresh, local meat and veggies are delicious revolution, or is the seed a ripe idea that sets a far larger and healthy. movement into motion? Life starts from seeds. Are seeds also The  rst “form” of the current local/organic cuisine the germs for transformational occurrences? Is there always was known as California cuisine. So I read up on California a starting point? To answer these questions, I look into two cuisine, and I found my answer! A restaurant named Chez current movements and changes sweeping our nation, and Panisse in Berkeley, California was credited with the creation trace them back to their beginning; their “seed”. of California cuisine. Fresh dishes such as local rock sh soup As a lover of food, I started my investigation by delving with fennel and potatoes, or beautifully presented squash into the locally grown, organic food movement that has taken blossom risotto. Chez Panisse, Gourmet magazine’s 2001 best American cuisine by storm in recent decades. The “Slow Food restaurant in America, was founded by free speech activist Movement” is made up of two guiding principles. The  rst is (and Regeneration contributing author) Alice Waters. Alice for the consumers. Food that lets the fresh ingredients speak modeled her restaurant after small, country restaurants in for themselves is sure to be tastier than meals that are shipped France that centered the daily meals on what was in season She noticed something, and was readily available at the market. She planted the seed of local cuisine when she opened Chez Panisse, and that seed thought about it, and has grown into the culinary standard for much of America. Many of the staff and suppliers at Chez Panisse went created....the seed. on to open restaurants and artisan food lines that were modeled off of Chez Panisse, and Alice Waters launched a across the country. The second principle is aimed to minimize school cafeteria revolution and the farm-to-school movement, the physical taxation and harm on our planet. By using fresh, advocating nationwide for school gardens and locally grown local food, carbon emissions are kept at a minimum, and less ingredients. Chez Panisse style has been emulated across food goes to waste. Before this “slow and healthy food” trend, the nation, even as far as Woodstock, Vermont, where the many people hardly considered the food system that put establishments churn out seasonal dishes based on what their their meals on the table. Sure, books like The Jungle lifted the farm or the farms from which they purchase have in season. curtain on the food industry, but did they create the radical However, now I am confronted with the classic change to our food psyche of today’s movement? A look at “chicken or the egg” problem. Yes, Alice Waters publically today’s large scale agro-business inclines me to say no. planted the seasonal, fresh food seed when she opened So was there a catalyst - a seed - that grew into Chez Panisse, but where did she  nd the seed? She noticed the current food movement? How in large pockets of the something, thought about it, and created the idea. She made population did the dominant American cuisine switch from up the seed. steak and potatoes, burgers and fries, prepared from meat I’m a member of the “future generation,” so a second and produce that traveled over thousands of miles before movement I consider critical is environmental, addressing the appearing on a dinner table, to healthy seasonal entrees made changing climate and our detrimental environmental impacts with fresh meat and produce from your local organic farm? on the planet we call home. This idea has been around for Was it Michael Pollan’s 2001 bestseller Botany of Desire, which decades, almost for a century, with scientists, activists and explored the way our food is grown? Or was it the alarming politicians shouting concern for years. So what started the tale of America’s fast food nightmare by Eric Schlosser entitled current movement to reduce our negative impacts on the Fast Food Nation? No, I decided. This movement is centered earth and its atmosphere? Who was the  rst to realize we’re around the food itself, the techniques used to prepare fresh, hurting our planet, and to do something about it? 14 Regeneration I realized that this was a very broad query, so I narrowed it down. I decided to  nd the seed of the Environmental Justice Movement, which is largely focused on Environmental Law. The Environmental Justice Movement is centered on the idea that all people and places have the right to a protected, safe and clean environment. In recent years large environmental activist groups such as the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Sierra Club have spearheaded it. Where did they get the idea? After doing some digging, I found that the seed was not a single person or idea. Like many large movements and changes in US history, it began with an issue that more than one person wanted to solve. In this case, a 1982 government study investigated the claim of “Environmental Racism,” and determined that the communities of our nation’s minorities were intentionally being used for toxic dumping grounds. In 1990, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) learned of this Environmental Racism and established an environmental equity workgroup to eliminate this wrong. Today, it’s no longer just Environmental Racism that’s driving the Environmental Justice Movement. Millions of scientists, politicians, activists and members of the general public have realized that we are gravely injuring our planet. We are pushing earth to her limit. We’ve escalated the atmosphere’s CO2 concentration far above any level in the history of human civilization. We’ve destroyed countless habitats precious to millions of species. We’re changing our planet’s weather patterns and climate so dramatically that the next ice age has been “postponed inde nitely.” Today, it’s the hope that our children and countless future generations can enjoy the in nite beauty of the earth that drives groups like Change the World Kids and other activists across the globe to carry the torch that was lit decades ago, and to keep up the  ght for nature until she is safe. What I  nd incredible about seeds of change is that every change-making movement, every movement or craze that pops up in American culture, all starts with a seed - or a number of seeds - and an issue. Minds are the birthplaces of the seeds. Seeds wither or grow. Change starts when people nurture seeds, providing fertile ground in which the seeds  ourish and carefully cultivating. And signi cant, transformational change occurs when people work together, growing and disseminating seeds of change. Everyone has the ability to plant a seed. The question is, will it grow? By Peter Wilson changetheworldkids.org 15 Born to Travel: Seeds on the Move Somewhere in a thick forest, deep with underbrush Traveling seeds increase the plant’s range, and make survival and dense ground vegetation, a blue  ower dips to a bur- of the species more likely. bling stream. Born from a tiny round seed blanketed by leaf Plants have strategies, many of which are honed by cover, the  ower nears the climax of its life cycle. Its petals centuries of generations, and seeds are their key players for begin to droop, the seeds spiraling in its center loosen in long-term survival. Most seeds fall between zero to a few their bed. In a breeze through the understory, the  ower tens of meters from their  ower. Falling close to the original sways. Seeds tumble from the  ower’s center, and one rolls plant insures that the seeds land in suitable habitat, assuming down the bank into the stream. The current takes it miles that the habitat isn’t being negatively altered. downhill, until the seed washes against a bank, where it rests Plants move little and yet establish colonies far from until late the next spring. Then the seed sends down roots their familiar territory. Current studies show seeds dispersed and sprouts a green stem destined to be a blue  owering by water or animals ranged from distances of 650-1540 plant like its parent. This plant grows through the summer, kilometers from their parent colony. Wind dispersed plants until an autumn wind takes away its seeds, and the whole travel much shorter distances. The seeds that traveled process starts over again. the farthest did so by accident, some sort of unexpected I felt the soft dirt under my  ngernails as I reached for intervention. Hitchhiker seeds have prickles or sticky  bers the stem of a dandelion topped by a soft designed to attach themselves white fuzzy head. I picked my dandelion, to furry animals, and now these held it to my mouth, and seeds fasten on clothing, tangle in blew. Tiny “umbrella seeds” glided away, hair, stick in boot treads, or lodge caught in the wind current, and on ships or other commerce. parachuted safely to another patch of As humans increase their grass, some soaring far and some only domination of the natural world, traveling three feet from where they these opportunist seeds have started. Dandelions are one of the many increased opportunities. We are plants that send their seeds through the traveling more. 62 million inter- air to disperse. I helped this dandelion national travelers visited the US distribute its seeds, but if I had left it alone, in 2011 alone, and by mid-2012, ultimately the same thing would have the Department of Commerce happened. estimated that visitors had spent Looking across the patchwork of almost 11% more than during the natural landscape, it’s clear that seeds the same period in 2011. Global travel. Clumps of a plant species appear commerce has increased dra- in unconnected locations, and if you could matically, increasing almost twice  atten the surface of our earth and peer down from outer as fast as the world GDP from 2000 to 2007. Seeds come space, you’d see clumps of some of the same plant species along for the ride to parts previously unknown for their spe- across the planet. Whether seeds spread beyond their home cies. habitat can be by design or accident. The shape of a seed In our era of global change, long distance seed may give it an advantage to travel by wind, water, animal dispersal, natural or arti cial, may be the saving factor for or human, or to simply drop to the ground. The dandelion plant biodiversity. For instance, if a plant’s habitat is covered might consider my intervention with its seeds an accident, a by salty water due to a rise in sea level, this individual plant boost in this case to the seeds, but nevertheless, unplanned. community is doomed. All is not lost, however, if for years

16 Regeneration its seeds have been spread far from the now uninhabitable freely; it will be taller, and the two plants will even let their area. Other populations of the species exist elsewhere, far leaves and stems intertwine. Knowing this can improve our from the salty encroaching water, ensuring the survival of this distribution of seeds throughout an area that we are replant- plant’s next generation. ing after a climate or economically related disaster. It’s a dangerous time for plants, because seed propa- It’s complex to predict nature. Can plants species gation strategies perfected over centuries are challenged by migrate quickly enough to keep up with climate change? Can our rapidly changing world. What if a seed’s friendly river we, as citizen scientists, help with research that may save the ride now leads to a polluted lake or paved bank? What if the biodiversity of our planet? Can we help prevent the extinc- wind current is changing to something new, sweeping seeds tion of millions of species by reversing our environmentally to destinations previously impossible? Seeds could land in unsustainable behaviors? uninhabitable land, or be pioneers in territory where they’d There are still many places in the world that are upset the local ecosystem. ideal for seed survival, including your backyard. If you haven’t Changing currents and winds affect weather pat- already, you can easily make your property a safe place for terns of established environments. For instance, elevated diverse seeds to grow. Reduce the mown area, and avoid ocean temperature levels have intensi ed and sped winds in unfriendly pesticides. Conserve natural areas. Let perennial the South Paci c Oceans, and changed the circulation of the plants compete their entire growing cycles, not quickly cut- East Australian Current to 350 kilometers south of its usual ting  owers as they start to droop. Cultivate plants that are path. This is helping cause rains and droughts to intensify and native to where you live, rather than species foreign to your occur in weird places. Even small storms can result in re- natural ecosystem. And  nally, keep reducing your impact on routed rivers, and large storms destroy entire ecosystems, in climate change! which plants without established long distance seed dispersal By Violet Spann are eradicated. http://www.commerce.gov/news/press-releases/2012/04/23/us-commerce- Scientists are developing maps of dispersal curves department-forecasts-growth-international-travel-united-s that show the rate and path of seed dispersal by natural http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8076000/8076875.stm forces, such as wind, water, and ingestion (and excreting) by http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/06/070614-plants.html birds and animals. These help us to predict successful paths http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/nature/plant-family-values.html of replanting and also enable us to anticipate the spread by http://www.c2es.org/technology/factsheet/MarineShipping seed of invasive plant species. If we can match these curves to projected maps of climate change and human demogra- phy, perhaps we can be ready to plant as the habitats change. Botanists are making interesting discoveries that may help us ameliorate our disruption of natural processes. One interesting  nding is that plants can recognize their families. Scientists have found that when a seed roots itself near GEORGE WOHLGEMUTH enough to another plant so that their roots touch, the two LANDSCAPES plants can differentiate a sibling from a stranger. Not only will they recognize a family member, they will also respect this gwlscape.com plant and not compete with its roots and space. A plant growing next to a plant outside of its family Post Of ce Box 475 will actively compete with this plant for room, almost like an Hanover, New Hampshire 03755 underground wrestling match, while two siblings will peace- fully share the space. A plant growing next to a stranger will 603-562-6050 be shorter and more rigid, not allowing any physical contact [email protected] between them. A plant growing next to a sibling will grow changetheworldkids.org 17 Seed Banks: For Good or Evil It is predicted that when I am the age of my parents cies currently in production fail due to the rapidly changing there will be 9 billion people in the world. It is scary to think climate, radical weather, or a number of other conditions or about how we are going to feed all those people as we disasters, people have a safety net. deal with the effects that global climate change will have on Think of a seed bank as a savings account in which agriculture. I wonder, “ Will my kids be eating the same foods seeds are “deposited” with the intention of “withdrawing” that I am eating now? Or doing without foods that I take for them sometime in the future when they are needed. Just as granted? Will they have enough naturally raised food to be you might keep money saved for an unforeseen emergency, healthy? What if a natural disaster wipes out the majority scientists are conserving seeds for replanting in case certain of a nation’s wheat or other major food crops?” A solution, crops are eradicated or a certain successful strain of seed although not without controversy, is seed banks. is needed for production, now or in the future. The seed Already we have let some of the glorious diversity bank, sometimes referred to as a gene bank, has a controlled of food plants go extinct. This includes fruits once as com- environment for seed preservation, where high-quality seeds mon as today’s apples. Right now, your local grocery store are stored away from pollution, contamination, cross-polli- greets you with rows of brightly polished red and green nation and other disruptive forces. Unlike a traditional bank apple varieties. Look a little bit closer, and you probably will or museum, the environment maintains the seeds in a living discover that these apples belong to one of only eleven ap- state, preserving them for germination at a future date. ple varieties that make up over 90% of apples grown in the There are currently at least 1,400 seed banks locat- U.S. Red Delicious apples alone make up a hefty 41%. ed all over the world. They vary in size from tiny (you can Consider that a century ago in North America, buy a mini seed bank kit for your home) or huge. Most small more than 15,000 unique varieties of apple trees populated seed banks have as their mission to conserve and provide the landscape. These beautiful striped, richly hued, or spotted community access to local, heritage, and heirloom seed fruits had names like Gloria Mundi, Dula Beauty and Newton diversity. Their vaults contain culturally and environmentally Pippin. Sadly, only one  fth of these varieties survived the valuable seeds that are speci cally adapted to their region or changes in our food system, and of those, 81% are consid- other regions with which they partner, or are of particular ered “endangered,” but not labeled as such on the market- high quality for a speci c plant characteristic. place. Seed banks sometimes stand alone, but often they A similar thing is true with potatoes. Over 1,000 partner with other seed conservation or growers’ organiza- types of potatoes are grown today, but only about four types tion. For instance, the organization Navdanya has helped to are commonly found in a big US grocery store: the Russet, set up 111 community seed banks across India and trained Yukon, Red, and White. Contrast that to Peru, where there 5,000,000 farmers in seed sovereignty, food sovereignty and are 3,800 varieties of potato. Our monocultures are big agri- sustainable agriculture in the past two decades. business, and the potatoes in Peru represent many varieties The Millennium Seed Bank, located at the Royal Bo- speci c to growing in microclimates. tanical Gardens in Kew, United Kingdom, is the largest in the If, however, the climate changes, or if a pest or global world. Designed to withstand destruction even from nuclear plant epidemic or fungus or disaster destroys a type of bombs, it’s a multi-story underground vault. In December potato, then, quite frankly, the farmers and corporations that 2012 it already had partnerships in 80 countries. Between stock our supermarket shelves are in trouble. To prevent this 1999-2009 it conserved seeds of 24,200 plant species. loss from happening, countries, food regions, corporations, Currently it stores samples of its country’s entire native plant scientists, farmers, and cities have banded together to create population, including several hundred endangered plants. Its seed banks; storage facilities for biodiversity and the future. goal is to store and protect more than 75,000 species of The purpose of seed banks? Food security. In case the spe plants by 2020, which is approximately one quarter of all our

18 Regeneration world’s bankable species. Its mission is not only to conserve of corporate business. The Vault is run by the Global Crop seeds for the future, but also to help solve some of the Diversity Trust, which re ects the agribusiness foundation of world’s urgent problems through plant use. its board members. Although you might think the concept of seed bank- Hmmm. One of the world’s most note- ing stems from the contemporary “green” movement, it is worthy seed vaults is run by people invested in controlling not a new phenomenon. Scientists have discovered evidence agribusiness, and hence, our food system. They determine of seed banks up in the who can purchase saved seed (or be mountains of Mesopo- denied purchase). They can destroy strains tamia, now present day of seeds. They can make the highest Iraq, dating as far back percentage of seeds available only to big as 6750.B.C. Back then, companies, which then could add or alter seed banks protected genetic material and patent the seeds, seeds from animals and potentially resulting in signi cant reduction extreme weather. Today of global plant diversity. They could make we store seeds for these seed genetic material available to govern- reasons and more, one ments or businesses or organizations that of the most essential be- are interested in controlling people, such PHOTO RBG KEW ing crop diversity. Crop as seeds of plants that when ingested diversity is the foundation and the strength of our agricul- make people unable to reproduce or not healthy. De nitely tural ecosystem – local and global. But there’s a controversial the power of the dark side. side to seed banks, and one seed bank in particular might be A more simple argument against seed banks is that a potential example of seed bank controversy. simply storing seeds is not enough to preserve and encour- The Svalbard Global Seed Vault, also know as the age botanical diversity. Seeds must be in circulation, planted, doomsday vault, opened on February 26, 2008. It is located grown and harvested in order to naturally evolve with the 810 miles from the North Pole in the permafrost of a frozen changing environment. Drying and freezing the seeds is good mountain in Longyearbyen, Norway. With its double airlock practice, but it handicaps their ability to achieve good germi- doors and walls of steel-reinforced concrete a meter thick, it nation rates forty or  fty years into the future. In addition to can survive any disaster from bombings to earthquakes. The seed banks, we need have global seed farms, where countries seeds in the Vault are stored under “black box” conditions, invest in the knowledge of cultivation and the use of plants, meaning that the overseers of the vault will never open or although this would require human monitoring and labor. test any seed packages. In fact, the security is so tight that no We need to relook at our agricultural system, and give more single person possesses all the codes necessary to enter the support to small farmers who grow local varieties that have Vault. adapted to local conditions and are important to community In partnership with the Government of Norway, the culture, taste and health. founding organizations include Syngenta Foundation (GMO Seed banks are part of the solution. We, the world’s seed and agrichemical company), Bill and Melinda Gates people, are the advocates and growers, who make lifestyle Foundation, and Dupont/Pioneer Hybrid (one of the larg- choices that ultimately, determine the health of our food est owners of GMO seed patents and agrichemicals). They system and planet. And the seeds? Maybe they are the are invested in hybrid seeds that lack reproductive capacities superheroes! or have qualities that insure seeds (and often fertilizers and By Teale Bohen herbicides) need to be purchased annually from big agribusi- http://www.navdanya.org/ ness companies. It’s argued that these seeds take the control http://www.limaeasy.com/peruvian-food-guide/typical-potatoes http://www.kew.org/science-conservation/save-seed-prosper/millennium-seed-bank/ of agriculture from small farmers and put it into the hands http://www.globalresearch.ca/doomsday-seed-vault-in-the-arctic-2/23503 http://www.gmo-journal.com/2012/03/22/controversy-with-the-doomsday-vault/ changetheworldkids.org 19 Amazing Facts! DIY: Plantable Paper

During the lean years of the Depression, dried seeds of beans were called “poor man’s meat” because of their This earth friendly craft is a creative and thoughtful way to protein power at pennies per pound. give the gift of seeds to someone else. Make greeting cards, gift-tags, bookmarks and Harvester ants eat more small seeds than all the mammals more! and birds put together. Yo u w i l l n e e d : • A blender During WWII when the city of Leningrad was under siege • A spoon • A large bowl for 900 days, a group of 12 scientists took it upon themselves • A rubber band to guard the national seed bank which had been abandoned • Water • One large circular by the government. Despite the fact that the seeds could or square cookie cutter have sustained them, the scientists refused to eat what they • Scraps of paper ready for recycling (cardstock or construction paper work best) considered to be a rich part of their countries history. By the • Seeds (we suggest lavender, wild owers, or any herb variety) • One large empty can (a coffee can works well) end of the siege, 9 of the guardians had died of starvation. • One large piece of basic screen

Cotton fabric is made from the hairs on the seeds. Each hair 1.Tear the paper into small pieces, and place the pieces in is 3,000 times as long as it is wide. a medium sized bowl. Add just enough water to cover the paper pieces. Let soak for a few minutes. Strawberries are the only fruit with seeds on the outside 2. Once soaked, add the entire contents of the bowl to the blender, then add 1 cup of additional water. There are an estimated 223,300 plant/seed species existing 3. Blend until a smooth pulp has been formed. Remove on the planet today. mixture from blender and pour back in to the bowl. 4. Mix in your seeds. You may add as few or as many as you The largest seed in the world is that of a double coconut desire; however, to ensure good growth we suggest at least palm, the Coco de Mer. The seed can be 12 inches long, 9 one tablespoon per cup of pulp. (Optional: for additional feet in diameter, and weigh up to 55 pounds  air, coloring or scent may also be added a this stage!) 5.Collect your can, rubber band, and screen. Place the The smallest seeds in the world are that of a tropical orchid, screen over the top of the empty can, pull tightly, and weighing 10 billionths of an ounce. secure the screen tautly with the rubber band. Place the cookie cutter on top of the screen. Seeds found in frozen soil in Canada and thought to be 6. Spoon the pulp mixture into the cookie cutter, creating a more than 10,000 years old grew and produced  owers! thin layer over the screen. Let the water drip through. 7. While still slightly wet, carefully remove the cookie cutter https://www.usaemergencysupply.com/information_center/all_about_beans_le- from around your paper. Then, move the can with screen gumes.htm and paper still on top into the sun to dry. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/qi/8180000/ 8. When mostly dry, cautiously remove the paper from http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129499099 the screen and press between two paper towels and large http://www.edenproject.com/blog/index.php/2012/03/ books to avoid dis guration. http://www.makemegenius.com/cool_facts.php?mId=12 9. Add a note or drawing, and give your paper to a friend. http://discovermagazine.com/2009/apr/08-seeds-largest-oldest-safest\ 10. Plant and water under a thin layer of soil, and watch http://www.seedman.com/category/unusual-seeds.htm. your creation grow! http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/gardening_with_children/didyouknow_seeds.shtml By Katherine Tucker

20 Regeneration Seeds That Feed the World

price rose from twenty- ve cents in 1983 to $100 per 100 In our part of the world, culinary options are lbs. Throughout Chinese history,  ve seeds (rice, soybeans, endless. A single grocery aisle offers a plethora of wheat, barley and millet) were considered so essential to different tastes and foodstuffs, delivered from local farm life that they were deemed sacred.  elds and across the world. The simple question, “What’s Rice, wheat, sorghum, maize, soybeans; these seeds for dinner?” yields an in nite number of answers. It’s not only make up the basis of our human food pyramid, hard for us to imagine, in our reality of culinary freedom, but they’ve greatly shaped our human culture. It’s dif cult eating a single food at every meal. However for millions, to imagine a world without wheat bread, as breaking bread eating the same thing every day is a way of life. What do together is one of the oldest and most respected human they eat? Basically, seeds. traditions. In China, instead of saying, “How are you?” it’s For some, the thought of Southeast Asia common to ask, “Have you eaten rice today?” In Japan, the conjures an image of rice paddy plateaus, sloping down words for ‘meal’ and ‘cooked rice’ are the same. In India, rice a fertile mountain valley. While this image, dated and is the  rst food offered by a new wife to her husband, and stereotypical, may no longer represent life in this part later the  rst solid food they offer to their children. of the world, it is still the landscape in much of the rural The interconnectivity of these seeds and the area. Rice, a seed that has nourished mankind for more cultures in which they thrive is seen on an even deeper than 5,000 years, helps to feed a staggering two-thirds of level, and the world’s population, and is grown on every continent permeates religion. except Antarctica. The Japanese This small seed thrives in the monsoon prone believe that soaking climate of Southeast Asia, which produces a little more rice before cooking than 90% of the world’s yearly 440 million metric ton releases life energy crop. And while international exports provide a boost for and gives the the region’s economy, the seed’s impact is felt even more consumer a more domestically, where the majority of the crop is consumed. peaceful soul. In The average person in Southeast Asia eats rice at least Indonesia, there is two to three times a day. In Thailand, where rice is a a Goddess devoted staple food, the phrase you say when calling your family to rice, with a set to dinner literally translates to “eat rice”. of customs and rituals that harvesters perform annually. Other cultures have similar relationships to It shouldn’t surprise us that seeds are critical foods. particular seeds. In Africa, maize and sorghum, the The three leading food crops of the world are rice, wheat, continent’s two largest crop yields, provide sustenance and maize, and alone they provide over 50% of all calories to millions of people.. Wheat is the world’s most farmed consumed by people across the planet. Next time you crop by surface area and is eaten daily by many people dig into a bowl of steamed rice or nibble on a roasted in Europe. Legumes, such as pinto beans and pigeon ear of corn, remind yourself that you are bene ting from peas, are central to the Latin American diet. Russia is the big nutrition of a small seed. A seed that has had an the world’s second largest producer of sun ower seeds, immeasurable impact on our success as humans, fed and which make high quality oil. Since 3,000 BC, quinoa has grown generation after generation, and shaped our culture been eaten almost every day by residents of the high in remarkable ways. plains of Bolivia. When NASA researchers recommended By Katherine Tucker this nutritious seed as part of a space colony’s diet, http://www.kidsgardening.org/sites/www.kidsgardening.org/ les/seedsfeed-03.pdf http://www.kidsarus.org/kids_go4it/growit/plantit/rice.htm quinoa’s international popularity began to skyrocket. Its http://www.interestingeverything.com/2012/09/02/ten-crops-that-feed-the-world/ http://www.rice.ws/ changetheworldkids.org 21 Bosque para Siempre

22 Regeneration Bosque para Siempre facts photos by Asa Waterworth and Phyllis Arata-Meyers – There are 100 endemic species in the corridor the change the world kids and other organizations are working to protect – Epiphytes make up 30% of the rainforest – A single tree in the rainforest can hold one ton of dry weight in vegetation – There are 600 known kinds of butter ies in Monteverde – Rainforest trees have extremely shallow roots because only 1/10 of a percent of the nutrients are below the topsoil – 50,000,000 year old bat fossils have been discovered – There are 45 species of bats in the US, approx. 10 species in New England, and over 60 species in Monteverde – One bellbird can call 2,000 times in one day (that’s 3-4 times a minute for 10 hours) – There are 76 species of avocado in Monteverde – Three-wattled bellbirds can learn different dialects, and some are even bilingual!

changetheworldkids.org 23 recipes Dry and fresh, seeds are the proteins, carbohydrates, and spices of the world’s cuisines.

Blueberry Buckle

The Batter

2 cups blueberries 1/4 C. unsalted butter, room temperature ¾ C. sugar An egg The Crumble tsp. vanilla ½ C milk ¼ C unsalted butter 2 C. unbleached  our 1/3 C. unbleached  our 2 tsp. baking powder ½ C. sugar ½ tsp salt ½ tsp. cinnamon

Mix thoroughly the butter and sugar. Beat in the egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix the  our, baking powder, and salt. To the batter, add the dry ingredients and the milk alternatively, mixing gently after each addition. Stir the blueberries into the mixture with a spatula by hand carefully, so the batter doesn’t turn overly purple. In a small bowl, mix the crumble ingredients together by using a fork. Grease a springform pan, and press the batter into it evenly. Cover it with the crumble and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Shell Beans and Quinoa

Cup of dried beans (black or speckled) 3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 2 med. onions, chopped 2 tsp vegetable oil Cup of uncooked quinoa 1 ½-2 C. vegetable or chicken broth ½ tsp. cayenne pepper salt and black pepper to taste Cup of fresh or frozen corn kernels Optional: ground cumin, cilantro

Directions: 1. Put dried beans in a kettle, and add water until it covers them by 3 inches. Bring to a boil. Let sit from at least 3 hours, or overnight. Bring water again to a boil, and cook beans until  rm but tender, keeping an eye on the water level. 2. In a kettle or deep saucepan, saute lightly the garlic and onions in the vegetable oil. Add the broth, salt, and pepper, and cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and then simmer. After 15 minutes, add the corn, and simmer for 5-10 minutes until most of the broth is absorbed. 3. Add the cooked beans, and if desired, the cumin and/or cilantro. Stir until heated, or let cool and serve as a salad.

24 changetheworldkids.org The Change The World Kids Believe: “No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.”

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Coming Soon: Trails

Trails. Routes to adventure and the paths of stewardship. Human history etched byways and high- ways connecting desert dwellings, tent platforms, hamlets in the highlands, and cities and countrysides. Geometrically diverse, trails are unpredictable curving bovine meanders and sharp-edged planned grids. Their uses are equally diverse: paths of function, paths of discovery, and sometimes paths of a past generation that now have a forgotten purpose. Trails take people out of themselves and their daily routines. Mandela spirals promote contempla- tion. Ancient mazes challenge cognition. Cross-state or continent treks raise consciousness and awareness. River journeys. Trail culture. Travel on trails old and familiar make a person different at the conclusion than at the start. Animals create trails, padding through and de ning their territory. These are essential to their sur- vival, but also fraught with lurking dangers. Networks underground or under the snow. Narrow insect high- ways that cross human roads. Ancient annual migrations. We humans also create and leave trails. Road networks that alter natural habitat. Trails of erosion. Black forked trails of oil in clear blue seas. Trails of commerce. And decisions that effect, ultimately, everything.

Trails are the focus of our fall/winter 2013-14 issue of Regeneration. Don’t miss it!

DISCOVER Vermont’s Most Beautiful Address Golf ŀ Spa ŀ Skiing ŀ Tennis The Red Rooster Restaurant & Richardson’s Tavern

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