The Unexpected Hippie

Despite coming from a long line of hippies I've always had an aversion to the label. I've used it casually as a derogate. I think bitterlawngnome's term for health food stores "Pill Dispensaries" is laser accurate. Nutraceutical seem to me a 60's mentality to health re-spun with historical mysticism and sold with pharmaceutical grade prices. Health is not a luxury to be sold. It's a basic human right.

Above all I don't like being told what the best thing is to do. Like most people. Give me information not dogma, please.

And yet these days I find myself at the Farmers Market with my own canvas bags. I'm using soap that smells like lemon grass and jam band concerts. I walk everywhere. I only use transit to visit my Mom or the gays in Toronto.

I promise never to politicize food unless an organic textured vegetable protein chicken wing runs for public office.

I approach the whole question of the environment like a total consumer whore. I need to buy things so is it worth a premium to buy things that employ local people, use less gas and, generally, taste better?

Absolutely.