22nd September is observed as World Rose Day, a poignant reminder of the resilience and courage of cancer patients worldwide. As we show solidarity with those affected, let’s delve into the status of cancer globally and explore crucial factors influencing its prevalence. Cancer Worldwide: An Alarming Reality Cancer claims over 10 million lives annually, with 18 million new cases reported in 2020 alone (WHO). The disease disproportionately affects low- and middle-income countries, accounting for 65% of cancer deaths. The most common types – breast, lung, colon, prostate, and skin cancer – underscore the need for comprehensive prevention strategies. The Hidden Dangers: Chemicals and Pesticides Exposure to harmful chemicals and pesticides significantly contributes to escalating number of cancer incidences: 1. Pesticide residues: Direct and indirect exposure to pesticide and weedicide contaminated food and water increase cancer risk, especially for agricultural workers and communities. 2. Synthetic fertilizers: Chemical runoff in soil and water harms human health and the environment including all living beings dependant on these resources. 3. Toxic household products: Chemical-laden cleaning supplies and personal care items exacerbate this exposure in many ways. Transforming to Organic and chemical free lifestyle: A Preventive Approach Adopting organic food choices and lifestyle habits can mitigate cancer risk: 1. Phytochemicals: Organic produce rich in antioxidants and fiber helps combat cancer cells. 2. Lower pesticide exposure: Organic farming methods reduce residue levels, safeguarding consumer health. 3. Healthy soil, healthy people: Sustainable agriculture promotes ecosystem balance and well-being for all living beings and nature. What can we do: On World Rose Day, let’s reaffirm our commitment to cancer prevention: 1. Choose organic: Prioritize locally sourced, chemical-free produce. 2. Support sustainable agriculture: Encourage eco-friendly farming practices. 3. Raise awareness: Educate others on cancer prevention through lifestyle changes. 4. Empathize and support: Offer love, care, and resources to cancer survivors and their families. As we honour the strength of cancer patients, let’s collectively strive for a healthier, chemical-free world. By embracing organic living and advocating for change, we can reduce cancer’s devastating impact. Resources: – World Health Organization (WHO) – International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) – Organic Farming Association (OFA) Share your thoughts: How do you promote cancer prevention in your daily life? Let’s inspire positive change together!
My First Week
Hello everyone, My name is Sebastian and I will be spending a year in India working for Laxmi. I just completed my first week in Delhi and I want to briefly express my thoughts and experiences here in this blogpost. The flight to Delhi was rather relaxing. I spent most of the time sleeping and talking to the other volunteers, which helped to relieve some pressure and to share some feelings on the upcoming year. The arrival in Delhi was the complete opposite, rather stressful and most importantly very exciting. After completing our entry in the unofficial second biggest city in the world, which involved the baggage claim and Visa control we got greeted by our taxi driver and a literal wall of heat and humidity, that being quite unexpected after our short stay at the climate controlled Indira Gandhi International Airport. After about one minute on Indian ground we got more greetings, but this time from our first tourist trap. We got approached by two friendly men, who proceeded to take our bags without a comment and after reaching the car they were pressuring us into paying them for their services. Which meant that after ten minutes, we already left ten Euros behind. The most exciting, but at the other hand most scary part of our first day, was undoubtedly the taxi ride to our airbnb, in which we experienced the traffic first hand. I previously watched some videos online about said topic, but nothing can replace the experience of actually observing it in real life. I think the best way of describing the traffic in Delhi is a beautiful chaos. Lanes and traffic rules technically exist, but only technically. People just try to squeeze into the tiniest spaces between cars, bikes and bicycles, which resulted in us nearly hitting five bikes and nearly getting pushed off the road by 5 more trucks. Some are driving in the opposite direction carrying loads which consist of multiple times the volume their vehicle possesses. And people are confidently walking over 6 lanes while counting on the other road users to slow down and make them way. But despite all that everyone somehow manages to predict the actions the others will make while always barely missing the crash. This creates the beautiful chaos I was talking about and that leads to a surprisingly efficient and fascinating driving experience which still makes me wonder if I should be excited or if I should panic. The first full day in Delhi was just as exciting as our arrival. Our day started with meeting Jyoti the coordinator for the Ecoselva volunteers in India. With her we shared our first Indian meal and made our way to buy a sim card. This also marked our first auto ride or as we call in Germany Tuk – Tuk due to the engine sounds. The auto drive was nearly as exciting as our taxi ride, because it could fit in all the tiny spaces left by the trucks and cars. So far I only took one short bike ride with Krishna, but I am looking forward to get a real taste of heavy traffic riding one. At the end of the day we visited M-Block Market, bought food and got passport pictures taken, because you need loads of those for the Indian bureaucracy. What I also wasn’t aware of, but which shouldn’t be a surprise, is that fast food chains adapted their menu to the taste of the Indian population. Which means you can get paneer wraps at McDonalds or tandoori subs at Subway. Of course we needed to try that as soon as possible, which led to us buying dinner at Subway. On the second and third day we covered the typical seminar colloquium, which contained the topics of Indian culture, history and the differences or similarities to Germany. Don’t get me wrong those two days were one of the most interesting in the week, as Jyoti has a wide knowledge about Indian History, Traditions, current climate and much more. She also seem genuinely intrigued to learn more about Germany which made for a great two sided conversation. Apart from that we got to know about our future volunteering locations in more detail, which made the anticipation grow by a lot. We spend our last day of preparation with Krishna, Jyoti’s son. He is 21 so in our range of age and gave us some inside into the mind-set of young Indians. Our journey started with a traditional breakfast and after we finished we visited an ancient city, which entailed magnificent structures. We also got a burning sweet dish called fire paan and ended our day on a highlight with a visit to a Sikh-Temple. We were fortunate enough to see a Sikh-Service and it was fascinating to experience something so special in our first week. . Sunday was the last day and all the volunteers were brought to their respective location, which was quite convenient for me, because I just needed to stay in Delhi. So that was also the first time visiting my future workplace, the office of Eat Right Basket. It is a cosy office located in Noida. I was able to meet most of the employees and got a tour through the building, where I immediately got to experience the warm and welcoming atmosphere of the place. Regarding my work, I’m not 100 percent sure on where I will fit in to the machinery, but I’m confident that I will find my place and that I’ll able to pull my weight as best as I can. This is where
Eat Right Basket – Organic Farming and everything around it – A Journey
Dear readers, Welcome to our very own Eat Right Basket Blog. It does not matter if you are already part of the Eat Right Basket family or not, everyone is welcome here if they have good intentions and an open heart. Let us introduce ourselves first: This is the team behind Eat Right Basket which works 6-7 days a week to provide you with the most natural, organically grown food possible. Why this blog? At Eat Right Basket we know organic farming is needed to stop the pollution of our air, water and earth. Therefore, we believe everyone should be able to afford a healthy life with organic food, not just those who have the money to pay for it. Our main goal is to establish a market for organic food which is actually affordable. After all, changing from pesticide heavy industrial farming to organic farming is a big task. Not just for farmers but for the customers as well. How do you know that food labelled as organic really is organic? Is organic farming and natural food really safer than industrial produced food? Why is organic food more expensive than industrial food? These are questions we sometimes hear from interested citizens; therefore we have set up this blog to answer them. What else will you get to know? This information is very important, but we want to share much more with you. We want to introduce all the people who are involved in allowing you to receive our organic food right at your doorstep. Show you how our organic food is produced, transported, sorted etc. Explain why sometimes the weather or the traffic can foil all the careful plans we have made. Look at our responsibility towards the earth we are living on. How is climate change affecting India and the 300 million farmers and farm workers living in rural areas. And what does that mean for us as a social enterprise and you as a consumer? Why is farming in India the way it is, what policies are behind farming developments? Finally, we also want to share our Ideas and plans for the future. What is our Vision for the Eat Right Basked family and how can you get involved?! We are excited for your Feedback. If you have Questions about this blog, about Eat Right Basket in general or anything else concerning organic food, feel free to contact us. (Some Hindi Expression blessing people or similar) Eat Right Basket Team
My First Impression Entry!
Hi, my name is Julia and I am a volunteer coming from Hamburg, Germany. I have been working with Eat Right Basket for the last 8 months. During this time, I have learned many things, especially about the importance of good and healthy food. In Germany, the awareness of how important and healthy organic food is increasing more and more. Especially over the time of the pandemic, many people focused more on eating healthy and have shifted to buying organic products. Organic products can nowadays be found in nearly every store, but online shops for organic and healthy products are not yet established. Especially none that deliver fresh fruits and vegetables as well. That’s why I am so impressed by how Eat Right Basket is managing to offer affordable and healthy organic food in such a big area like Delhi-NCR. I got to experience the positive environment this company created with its employees and how valuable their products are for them. Eat Right Basket produces their vegetables, fruit, and grains in Uttar Pradesh on their own 20 acres and works with many other farmers to spread the knowledge and value of organic farming. Food is one of the most essential needs of the human body. Not only for survival but also for wellbeing. But nowadays the food becomes less and less valuable. Organic Farming is a way to Care, Feed and Eat Right. It is important for our health but even more for our nature. With all the chemicals that get through traditional farming into the ground, the earth around it gets poisoned, which has grave effects on the health of the people as well as our earth. Therefore, Eat Right Basket has stepped away from synthetic fertilizers and instead uses environmental-friendly fertilizers like cow dung. Another way Eat Right Basket uses to naturally enrichen the soil is vermicomposting. Whereby worms compost vegetables and food waste and create a natural fertilizer. Vermicomposting is a great way to recycle and reuse food scraps. In their shop and office in Noida, the many great products are stored and sold, as well as packed for home delivery. Every day new and fresh products arrive by train and are sorted carefully to ensure the highest quality for the customers. There are many natural Indian products, which I got to explore here. Especially in comparison to Germany, I admire the variety of fruits and vegetables Eat Right Basket and India, in general, have to offer. I am very happy to have had the opportunity to work with Eat Right Basket!