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berniesandersniece · 4 years

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Soil: the Living Skin of the Earth (Revised)

Olivia Johnson

Although often thought of as a static substance, soil acts as a foundation of life for earth’s terrestrial ecosystems, and is teeming with a rich diversity of organisms and activity. Deborah Koon’s documentary Symphony of the Soil depicts soil as the “living skin of the earth”, emphasizing the value of soil, explaining common misconceptions, and revealing our current unhealthy relationship with soil and the environmental issues that ensue from it. Described as “Times Square on New Years Eve”, soil is full of microorganisms and functions as an ecosystem in itself. “Soil” actually consists of 50% soil, and 50% soil pores, which are filled with liquid water, air, and water vapor. These pores are where the living organisms thrive, and they function to facilitate nutrient cycling and regulation. Fungi are one such type of organism residing in the soil. Fungi act as the largest organism on earth; without them, colonization of land by organisms would not have been possible. They play a vital role in sustaining plant life, absorbing key nutrients from rock and transporting them all the way up to leaves high up in the canopy. The process of photosynthesis nourishes the soil, providing organisms like fungi with nutrients through plant roots and decaying organic material.

Symphony of the Soil1

Nitrogen fixation is another essential process facilitated by the soil. Nitrogen is a very stable element, and is difficult to activate and engage in the chemistry of life. It only becomes available for use when activated by large electric charges, or by bacteria with very specific functions. In the early 20th century, humans began to manufacture and implement artificial nitrogen fertilizers into traditional agriculture practices. The initial results were extremely rewarding; these artificial fertilizers yielded an increase in crop productivity. However, as farmers began to quickly increase the amount of fertilizers, the demands on the soil soared. This new increase in crop productivity created a massive demand for increased amounts of fossil fuels, pesticides, and water. This new trend in agriculture became globally known as the green revolution, although its outcomes were certainly not all beneficial.

Soil placed under these harsh conditions quickly becomes very sick, waterlogged, and compact due to heavy machinery. Currently, over a third of the world’s arable land has been lost to soil erosion from unsustainable practices. New soil additives and chemicals have been created in order to address these problems; however, as the documentary emphasizes, farming while practicing the law of return is much more effective. Dr. Tim LaSalle, the former CEO of the Rodale Institute, states, “So when they talk about what we need is bioengineered plants for drought resistance, we’re kind of slapping our foreheads and going, ‘What we need is healthy soil with organic material in it, you don’t have to put a bioengineered gene into that plant. You can outproduce conventional by a whole bunch by just improving that soil.’”2 The best way to enhance and retain the living capacity of the soil is to return to the soil all the things that have been taken from it.

Industrial factory farms have posed yet another challenge to the soil via pollution from pesticides, fertilizers, and fossil fuels. There has been a recent demand for biofuels, which initially sound somewhat environmentally-friendly; however, that assumption could not be further from the truth. Author of Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations Dr. David R. Montgomery states, “We could be in a situation where we’re essentially trading a system that mines oil for a system that mines soil, in which case we’ve just changed the time frame over which we’re going to engineer disaster.”3 Corn production is extremely harmful for the environment, causing soil erosion, water pollution, and eventually huge dead zones in the Gulf of Mexico. The current ways we are producing food in the United States are harmful not only to the soil and environment, but also to many communities of people.

Food, Inc. 4

Robert Kenner’s documentary Food, Inc. exposes the atrocity that is the United States’s food industry. The traditional image of agrarian America– the quaint countryside farms with peaceful animals and content farmers– is now merely a fairytale. In reality, our food is mass produced in huge factories where both animals and workers are violently abused. Massive multinational corporations have taken control of the industry, and have deliberately hidden the process from consumers. Eric Schlosser, author of The Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal, states, “The industry doesn’t want you to know the truth about what you’re eating, because if you did know, you might not want to eat it.”5 These companies have obtained total control over farmers, keeping them in debt and threatening to fire them if any information is exposed.

The current food policy in the United States heavily subsidizes commodity crops and the meat industry, encouraging producers to overproduce, grow big, and consolidate. At first, it might seem surprising that government regulatory agencies allow this to happen. However, as Schlosser states, “These regulatory agencies are being controlled by the very companies they’re supposed to be scrutinizing.”6 The industry is aimed at achieving the maximum efficiency at the lowest cost possible, even if it costs lives. Subsidizing unhealthy processed foods and making them cheap and available to everyone has caused severe health effects; one in every three Americans born after 2000 will now contract early onset diabetes. E Coli outbreaks from unsafe meat production have caused many deaths, and the meat packing industry is now one of the most dangerous jobs. Joel Salatin, a farmer from Virginia, states, “We’re willing to subsidize the food system to create the mystique of cheap food, when actually it is very expensive food when you add up the environmental costs, societal costs, and health costs...industrial food is not honest food. It is not priced honestly, it is not produced honestly, and it is not processed honestly.”7 The food industry in the United States has become incredibly powerful, putting business and profit above workers’ rights and lives. As seen in the tobacco industry, substantial change at the policy level is possible when the definition of success becomes the quality of public health, workplace safety, environmental health, and society as a whole.

I am frustrated, but not shocked, that the reality of the food industry in the United States is not general public knowledge. Powerful corporations such as the food, fossil fuel, and mining industries wield a massive amount of power that extends to a governmental scale. After watching Food, Inc., I want to distance myself as much as possible from the processed food industry, and try to buy my products locally and organically. However, I realize that most Americans do not have that choice; because the food industry is so heavily subsidized and therefore makes unhealthy food very affordable, it becomes the only choice for many people needing to feed their families. In an ideal world, organic products would be subsidized, and would nourish people, society, and the environment. Before watching Symphony of the Soil, I always assumed that the benefits from organic products were solely for our health, and never knew just how healing they could be for the earth as well.

Food Inc. only confirmed my choice to live a vegetarian lifestyle and only use animal products from confirmed sustainable, ethical sources. One particular element of the meat industry that I found particularly disgusting was their blatant abuse of undocumented immigrant workers. The huge corporations recruit farmers from Mexico who have been put out of work by NAFTA, ship them like animals to the United States to work in the hellish conditions of meat-processing factories, and once they have established lives in the US after years report them to ICE (a terrorist organization) to be torn apart from their families and returned to Mexico. This is perhaps the most cruel way the meat industry puts profit above lives, as the industry certainly would not have achieved “success” without the arduous labor of undocumented immigrants. The food industry in the United States has committed just as many crimes against the environment as it has against humanity, and rapid and effective action must be taken to destroy the system of power built upon countless lives.

Question: In order to address the injustices of the food industry, there must be change made at the policy-level; however, as many executives of the meat industry hold legislative power, how will that change be achieved?

1Symphony of the Soil. Lily Films, 2013.

2Symphony of the Soil.

3Symphony of the Soil.

4Food, Inc. Magnolia Pictures, 2008.

5Food, Inc.

6Food, Inc.

7Food, Inc.

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lcohen35 · 4 years

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Assignment 9 First Draft: In Depth Analysis of Symphony of Soil and Food Inc.

The long-form documentary can be used to effectively tell stories that have been historically left untold. Symphony of Soil is an interactive documentary which relies largely on interviews from scholars in the field of geology and environmental studies. Food inc., on the other hand, is more of a reflexive documentary, which demands viewers to think about and criticize the current system. Both films strengthen the narrative that the current way in which most of the food–especially in this country–is farmed is unsustainable, unhealthy, and frankly, unsettling.

Documentation of The Dance Between Soil, Food and Humans

The first film, Symphony of Soil captured many images and videos of different types of soil. It also portrayed the connection that humans have made with nature through visuals of the doctors and scientists in the film digging into soil and holding it in the palms of their hands. In reality, soil supports all life and holds us. The main idea with these visuals is that soil is concrete, so concrete, in fact, that we can hold it in the palms of our hands. This is an important factor, as many environmental issues are not taken seriously since they are somewhat less concrete and able to be seen, like climate change.

Every time a new expert talked about a new type of soil, the camera panned over different natural places, including but not limited to, Norway, Hawaii, India, California and New York. Paired with these landscapes were musical tracks that aimed to match the culture of the given setting. The film aimed to educate about soil as the foundation of human life, and this was achieved with visuals of man walking within nature beside scenes of animals walking within nature. These types of scenes helped curate the story of how nature is all connected–the ocean, the soil, animals, and organisms.

As the film progressed, it transformed into a story of how soil has been ruined by us, even though we think it exists for us. The viewer was told that older soil can support any kind of plant life, because it is very nutrient rich. However, agriculture requires constant tilling of the soil, which means it is reborn often. This is a result of the Green Revolution, which really wasn’t green at all; we began using chemicals on farms to increase output. We have increased the runoff of dangerous chemicals into waterways and onto other farms with unintended consequences of eventual decreased output. This lower output comes as a result of degraded soil by these chemicals. Organic farming, which is really just traditional farming, is the response to undo the green revolution and its effects on the soil. The film also suggests other solutions such as composting. But any solution serves as a means to the end of improving the quality of the soil. By the end of the film, the viewer is asked to change the way we think about soil: not as dirt, but rather as a material of life.

The other documentary, Food Inc., featured many different kinds of clips outlining the relationship between people and food. These clips included those of different kinds of factories, farms, restaurants and grocery stores, which helped explain how much of the industrial food industry uses greenwashing, with images of systems that no longer exist. Moreover, the footage has a revealing nature to it, and is organized in such a way which tells a story that most people are not aware of. This lends itself to the nature of the film, which asks consumers to be more aware of how our purchases affect the food and farming industry.

Food Inc. focuses on the fact that the way we eat has changed drastically in the last 50 years. Most of the food available to us is owned by a small group of national corporations. As the narrator tells us this, a scene of business men walking up to a factory in a field is played. Food Inc.’s purpose is to show the viewer how we have been distanced from our food, what we don’t know about it, and what we can do to make a difference. We are told over and over again in this film how big business has cut costs to produce the food put on our plates. Interviews are conducted with farmers stuck under the stronghold of these companies, with organic farmers, food experts and ethical corporations.

The narrative is split into nine digestible sections: fast food to all food, a cornucopia of choices, unintended consequences, the dollar menu, in the grass, hidden costs, from seed to supermarket, the veil, and shocks to the system. In the first section, the ethics of industrial farming are first called into question with information about the conditions of the animals and the workers. In this section, there were also captions of the fact that two of these companies (Tyson and Perdue) declined to be interviewed for the film. In the second section, the topic of corn was rampant, as it is in our food, though we are convinced otherwise through the illusion of diverse ingredients on our food labels. In the third section, e-coli was highlighted as a result of corn feed in animals, and if animals get e-coli, so do the crops which are fertilized by their wastes. Though the simple solution of using grass feed for 5 days would reduce e-coli in animals by 80%, the corporations prefer to invest in technological innovation, rather than taking it back to basics. In the fourth section, the unfortunate reality of price came into play with the fact that many people have to balance the cost of buying vegetables with the cost of medication for diseases that occur as a result of eating unhealthy. This idea is always crazy to me; when we talk about the fact that the people living in one of the most agricultural states in the country (California) can’t afford vegetables it sounds like a developing country, not one of the most developed ones. In the fifth section, more ethical issues were discussed, this time dipping into government subsidies working against the environment and supporting unsafe practices. In the sixth section, business was blamed for pollution, but also portrayed as a possible part of the solution. In the seventh section, Monsanto was featured as a company who has found legal ways to own certain crops, which endangers the livelihood of farmers. They also declined to be interviewed for the film. In the eighth section, the corruption of the American government by the aforementioned large corporations was revealed. In the final section, consumers were empowered to vote with our dollar when possible by purchasing organic products.

Reviews

Reviews of the Symphony of Soil included one by the Bard Center for Environmental Policy, which claimed that the film “put faith in her viewers’ intelligence by allowing science to play a central role in her film, avoiding the tendency of many environmental films to build their argument by demonizing the ‘other side’” (Macgregor 2013). Another review by Variety described it as, “a seemingly endless procession of organic farmers from Washington state to Wales to India wander their flourishing fields, displaying the fruits of the ‘dance with nature’ that is organic agriculture. With minor variations, all make the same strong case for a simple solution to soil exhausted by plowing, chemical fertilizers and pesticides: Give back to the soil what was taken from it and it will endlessly replenish itself” (Scheib 2013). I would agree with this review that the film was a bit repetitive, but definitely got the point across. The documentary aims to educate about what can be done for soil, and what soil does for us. There is no direct call-to-action, per say, but it is clear cannot ride the current path, as it will lead to an “imminent agricultural Armageddon, with its attendant barren soil, polluted waters and birth defects” (Scheib 2013). I wasn’t completely captured by the film, but I know the issues presented are important and the information seemed accurate based on the presentation of the facts by educated professionals.

Of Food Inc., one reviewer at the New York times said it was, “an informative, often infuriating activist documentary about the big business of feeding or, more to the political point, force-feeding, Americans all the junk that multinational corporate money can buy. You’ll shudder, shake and just possibly lose your genetically modified lunch” (Dargis 2009). However, the same reviewer also claimed it was “also over before the issues have really been thrashed through. And while I appreciate the impulse behind the final checklist that tells what viewers can do for themselves and the world (er, eat organic), given everything we’ve just seen, it also registers as far too depressingly little” (Dargis 2009). In another review by the Washington Post, a reviewer states, “Those expecting an unfair broadside against the food industry will be pleasantly surprised by “Food, Inc.” Instead of scoring cheap points by disgusting viewers with the messy inside workings of a slaughterhouse, director Robert Kenner sticks to relaying the facts” (Bunch 2009). The same review claimed that though “the documentary sometimes feels a little one-sided, lack of participation by companies such as Monsanto Co. and Tyson Foods Inc. ensured such a result” (Bunch 2009). I think both of these reviews are valid, as I felt similarly. I thought the documentary did a good job of bringing attention to the issues at hand in an organized and accessible manner. However, we can always say they could have done more. Personally, I found Food Inc. not only effective, but also entertaining.

Closing Thoughts

In conclusion, both films supported the narrative that the current way in which we are farming is unsustainable, unhealthy, and unsettling. Symphony of Soil used science to bring light to the basics of life and how humans have disrupted them. Food Inc. revealed lesser known facts about the way in which our food has changed in the past 50 years, and what we should do to change that. I preferred Food Inc., as I felt the narrative was easier to connect with and follow. It also had a clear call-to-action approach, which Symphony of Soil lacked. The problems outlined in Food Inc. feel more relevant than those in Symphony of Soil, and I think that is increasingly important in mobilizing public opinion and activism.

Word Count: ~1800 Words

Question: How can film/documentary be more widely accessible forms of knowledge?

Works Cited

Bunch, Sonny. 2009. “MOVIE REVIEW: 'Food, Inc.'” Accessed March 29, 2020.

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jun/19/movie-review-food-inc/

Dargis, Manohla. 2009. “Meet Your New Farmer: Hungry Corporate Giant.” Accessed March 29, 2020. https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/12/movies/12food.html

Garcia, Debora K.[กรมพัฒนาที่ดิน แชนแนล LDD Channel]. (2018, November 23). Symphony of Soil [Video file]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDZVKMe2FTg

Kenner R. (Producer & Director). (2009). Food Inc. [Film]. Magnolia Pictures.

Macgregor, Marnie. 2013. “Film Review: Symphony of the Soil.” Accessed March 29, 2020. https://www.bard.edu/cep/blog/?p=4155

Scheib, Ronnie. 2013. “Film Review: ‘Symphony of the Soil.’” Accessed March 29, 2020. https://variety.com/2013/film/reviews/film-review-symphony-of-the-soil-1200725684/

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charllieeldridge · 4 years

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50 Awesome Things To Do in Colombia

Colombia is an exciting and diverse destination. If you’re a traveller who loves adventure, welcoming people, beautiful scenery and affordability, then Colombia is for you. We fell in love with this South American country after 6 weeks of travelling here. There are so many things to do in Colombia that we could have stayed much longer.

Read on for our top 50 things to do in Colombia — including sights, activities, and foods!

This post has been updated for 2020 to include the latest costs, directions, tours, and to list the best things to do on your trip to Colombia. Happy travels!

1. Trek to the Lost City (one of the most amazing things to do in Colombia)

The Ciudad de Perdida (the Lost City) is located deep in the jungle of the Sierra Mountains. The point of the 4-day trek is to reach the fascinating, hidden ruins that were built in 850AD by the Tayrona people. The 4-day journey is epic. Be prepared to sleep on bunk beds, trek through the mud and cross rivers. This is an adventure you’ll never forget. Of all of the things to do in Colombia, this was our favourite.

SEE ALSO:

Backpacking Medellín, A Beginner’s Guide

10 Cool Things To Do in Medellín

Some of Fernando Botero’s statues in Plaza Botero

33. Hike Around Parque Arví

At the end of the Metrocable in Medellín, you’ll arrive at Parque Arví. This is a great way to escape the noise of the city and get into nature. There are some great hiking trails here and a few small restaurants. This is one of the best things to do in Medellin for sure.

Backpacking Medellín, A Beginner’s Guide

10 Cool Things To Do in Medellín

Get out of the city and visit Parque Arví!

34. Sail to The San Blas Islands

The famous San Blas Islands are located off the coast of Panama. But, if you’re up for an adventure, rather than visiting them during your trip to Panama, you can sail there from Colombia! There is a fast boat and a slow boat alternative. Do your research before choosing a company as quality can vary.

35. Fly to San Andrés & Providencia Islands

Located offshore from Nicaragua are the Colombian owned islands of San Andrés and Providencia. These islands are pristine and popular for good reason. If you’re looking for an exquisite beach holiday with excellent scuba diving, make sure to check out these islands. A visit here is one of the more offtrack things to do in Colombia.

36. Go Scuba Diving

For those of you who want to get certified for scuba diving, check out Taganga. If you’re already certified and want to get underwater, don’t miss San Andrés and Providencia. These islands have walls of coral, wrecks and larger marine life. Gorgona Island offers large groupers, turtles, whales, and even whale sharks! Mapelo Island is the place to go to see sharks – hammerheads, ragged tooth, and sand tiger sharks, to name a few.

37. Visit the Gold Museum in Bogotá

In the old town of Bogotá, you’ll find the gold museum (Museo del Oro). This is a must-visit if you are interested in pre-Colombian times. There are numerous gold and metal exhibitions, as well as pottery, stone, wood, and textiles. Some of the items are even behind a vault door! The museum is open Tuesday to Saturday from 9:00-5:00, and Sundays from 10:00-4:00. The cost to enter is 3,000 pesos ($0.90), making it one of the cheapest things to do in Colombia!

Visiting the gold museum in Bogota is a must

38. Try Aguardiente

This anise flavoured liquor is the most popular in Colombia (except in the Caribbean region where rum is the top choice). The alcohol content is fairly high (24% – 29%), and it’s cheap to buy. This drink isn’t normally mixed with anything, just drank straight up. You’ll see men drinking this in small bars, and on the streets.

39. Drink BBC Beer

BBC Beer, or Bogotá Beer Company, is a great artisanal beer company found all around Colombia. When you’re tired of the “regular” beers on offer, check out one of their ales, lagers or wheat beers! BBC bars are found around Bogotá, and the beer itself can be found countrywide.

The wheat beer is really good!

40. Dance at Havana Bar in Cartagena

If you’ve been to Havana, Cuba, your first impressions of Cartagena might be that it seems similar to Havana. To add to that feeling, there is a Havana Bar that is great for salsa dancing and mojitos! There’s even a 9-man band playing incredible music. Don’t miss this bar in the Gestimaní area of Cartagena.

SEE ALSO: Captivating Cartagena: Too Touristy, or Justifiably Popular?

Partying at Havana Bar in Cartagena is a must

Check out our Cartagena Travel Video here:

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41. Try Arepas

This is a Colombian and Venezuelan food that you must try at a street stall — especially after coming home from the bar. This popular snack is made from ground maize flour and can be served whole, or cut in half to make a little sandwich/pocket. Arepas are usually filled with beans, cheese, avocado, or meat. The best part? They only cost around $1.

A late-night arepa from a street stall in Medellín

42. Go White Water Rafting

As with paragliding, there are a couple of great spots for white water rafting around San Gil. Rio Suarez is the most popular option because it’s more challenging and really gets the adrenaline pumping, but Rio Fonce is also beautiful and can be enjoyed by weaker swimmers and even children over the age of 5. Click here for a highly recommended company.

43. Be Blown Away at the Las Lajas Sanctuary

This Basilica Church is unlike any other in the world. Located in the southern region of Colombia, you’ll find this church which is 100 meters from the canyon floor. Not only is the architecture amazing, but there are many legends associated with healing and the appearance of the Virgin Mary. This is a spot for tourists and pilgrims as well. Click here to find it on the map.

44. Cover Yourself in Mud at El Totumo

Have you ever wanted to float in a mud volcano? Well, in Colombia, you can. Just 45 minutes from Cartagena is a volcano filled with mud. You cover yourself in the mud and float inside the crater. A very random experience! Click here for details on how to get there, the cost and more.

45. Eat Patacones

These are one of the best snacks/lunches in Colombia! Plantains are smashed (flattened) and fried before being topped with your choice of meat, cheese, and vegetables. But, the best part is the popular hogao sauce which is made from tomatoes and onions. The best patacones we sampled were in Salento, for only around $1. Yum!

Relaxing in Salento – A Highlight of Colombia’s Coffee Region

Mmmm, patacones are delicious! A must-try.

46. Visit Popayán

Nicknamed the “White City”, you’ll immediately see why when you arrive here. Most of the buildings are painted white! Popayán is also known for its churches and religious processions, as well as being a very impressive colonial town.

47. Visit Jardín & The Cave of Splendor

Jardín is a beautiful coffee town and makes for an excellent day trip from the city of Medellín. You can learn about coffee, or just soak up the atmosphere of the peaceful town. But, if you’re feeling slightly more adventurous you should check out the Cave of Splendor. This cave has a waterfall inside of it and is reached after a 6-hour hike by foot, or by horse. Click here to learn more about the popular tour to Jardin and the Cave of Splendor.

48. Drink Coffee in Guatapé

Guatapé makes for a great day trip from Medellín. But, many people choose to spend the night here and enjoy the peace and quiet after all of the day-trippers flee the town. With colourful streets, great coffee shops, cute plazas and a chilled-out vibe, this is an excellent place to visit.

See Our Guatape Travel Video Here:

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49. See the Sand Dunes

The Taroa Dunes are a part of the La Gujira Desert and are located at the very northern tip of South America. This area is barely on tourist’s radar and getting here is a bit of a challenge, but one that is worth the effort. The sandy dunes tumble-down to the Caribbean Sea – the scenery is out of this world, and you truly feel like you’re somewhere in the Persian Gulf rather than Latin America.

50. Soak Up The Vibe of Cartagena

There’s just something about Cartagena. From the wrought-iron balconies of colourful buildings to the men selling lime juice from street carts, the vibe in Cartagena is always exciting. There are numerous bars, restaurants, sights and plazas. The people are upbeat and friendly and the local dishes are delicious. Do not miss Cartagena, there are endless things to do here.

Captivating Cartagena: Too Touristy or Justifiably Popular?

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Bonus! #51. Gawk at The Caño Cristales

Have you ever seen a multicoloured river before? It has to be seen to be believed! The “Crystal Channel”, or Rainbow River as it’s known by travellers is a natural phenomenon in Colombia that you won’t want to miss. Located in La Macarena, this stunning river is the result of the macarenia clavigera plant living on the river floor, and the colours that you see depend on the water levels and the amount of sun the plant is receiving. Expect blues, pinks, oranges and deep reds.

The best time to visit Caño Cristales is between July and November.

Ready for all of the fun things to do in Colombia?!

Colombia has something for everyone, no matter your travel style. We hope you enjoyed our list of things to do in Colombia. For more on planning and preparing for your trip, check out our Colombia Articles and our Colombia Videos! Enjoy.

Some images in this article are courtesy of Shutterstock.com.

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ellefsonbeblandadr70insuran-blog · 5 years

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thegrandsolarminimum · 5 years

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Get Started Saving Food - How to Save with Mylar

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Get Started Saving Food - How to Save with Mylar

Learn how to properly save rice and other dried foods for long term storage

Check out our Amazon lists for an affordable start to saving food!

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Rice is one of the great wonder foods.

While rice alone cannot keep you alive it should be an important part of your survival stores, especially if you’re on a budget.

A 10lb bag of rice is full of carbs and is cheaper than dirt. It’s like a 10lb bag of energy!

White rice is all starch (carbs) and metabolically equivalent to potatoes, white bread, pasta, flour and even raw sugar.

Starches are not completely digested by our bodies and the indigestible carbohydrates are not just neutral bulking agents, but have important physiologic effects, and contribute energy to the diet.

Starches are not all equal in their effects on blood glucose and lipids, but some studies have linked eating large amounts of white rice to an increased risk of diabetes.

This is why it is important to vary your diet and your food stores. You don’t just eat rice every day, do you? So don’t stockpile rice exclusively but also include lentils, corns, wheat, pastas, and beans.

The Best Rice

While brown rice may be more nutritious avoid storing it as the fats and oils in the husks will go rancid fairly quickly. Brown rice stored in mylar bags inside 5-gallon bucks with o2 absorbers stores about 6 months, whereas white rice stores roughly 20+ years in the same mylar bags.

How Much Do You Need

The easiest way to figure how much rice one person needs for one year is to determine how many cups of rice you want to eat every day and then divide that by how many cups there are in a pound of rice.

Why not figure it by calories, you ask through your screen? Because man cannot live by bread…err rice (or any simple carb) alone. For this reason, storing rice by calorie count alone is a mistake because it will not be your only calorie source. For most people with a varied stockpile of food 1/2 cup of rice per day is enough. Most people balk at this idea and end up throwing money away on unneeded food “just in case”.

Remember these are your emergency food stores, and not intended to be a feast. Your food stores are temporary and only intended to get you through until another sustainable food source can be found, such as a garden, so they should be eaten sparingly.

For the record, 1/2 cup of rice is about 300 calories. 1,500-2,000 calories/day will get you by just fine. Mixed with other foods such as beans, meat, and wheat, 1/2 cup per day will round out your new diet nicely.

There are roughly five 1/2 cup servings in 1lb of rice. This means for every 1lb of rice you have 5 days of stored rice, so by doing some simple math we find that 73lbs of rice will last one person an entire year and a family of 4 will need about 300lbs of rice, 292lbs to be exact.

The Do It Yourself Way

You should buy your white rice in bulk 50lbs bags to save money.

Large warehouse chains like Costco and Sam’s Club always have plenty of 50lb bags laying around. You can also try your local Asian marketplace for great deals on bulk rice.

Here’s a quick list of what you’ll need:

Several food grade (best) or Home Depot/Lowes (they’ll work) 5-gallon buckets. Each bucket will hold roughly 35 lbs of rice.

5-gallon mylar bags

Oxygen absorber packets (1,000 cc per piece)

Bag sealer (or just a flat iron or an iron)

Before we begin let me clarify a few things. You do not need food grade buckets and if money is tight you can use any new bucket. This is because you’re food will be inside a air-proof mylar bag, so if you’re planning to skip the mylar (bad idea) then you’ll want to make sure you use food grade buckets.

Don’t spend money on fancy lids, a regular snap on lid will work just fine. You do not need a $10 screw on super sealer lid so save your money. The mylar will do the final air-tight sealing and you will not open your buckets enough to warrant an expensive screw on lid.

Do not buy O2 absorbers in bulk thinking that you will save them. Buy only what you need and buy them new for every batch. Oxygen absorbers are highly reactive little tablets, so much so that they will activate and go bad even in their vacuum sealed packaging.

On the mylar…. Mylar bags are cheap and can be bought from Amazon for a little bit of nothing per cu ft. They offer a vital extra layer of protection from insects and punctures, ensure that your air-tight seal will really be air-tight, and mylar protects your food from off-gassing and flavors given off from the plastic buckets.

Mylar is your insurance policy that in 5, 10, 20 years you can still open your emergency food stores and still actually eat it. Don’t be penny-smart and dollar-foolish here.

Let’s Get Started

Clean your buckets and dry them thoroughly. Place a mylar bag inside one of the buckets.

Add a 1,000 cc O2 absorber in the bottom of the mylar bag. Slowly pour your rice into the mylar bag, lifting up and down on it as you pour to ensure all the cracks and crevices are filled in.

Once the bag is full (leave a 1-2″ air gap from the top of the bucket) add another 1,000 cc O2 absorber. Squeeze all the air out of the top of the bag and either use a clamshell sealer or an iron to seal your mylar bag.

Snap the lid on your bucket and store it in a cool (room temp or below) and dry (minimum humidity) place such as a basement or closet.

Your first thought may be a root cellar, but the humidity may vary too much, and don’t even think about storing it in a hot attic. Garages are usually a bad idea too because they are more likely to get insects and rats and their temps usually get too high for storing food.

Remember, your biggest enemies are heat, moisture, and insects.

More in-depth info on Food Storage with Mylar…

What is Mylar?

The trade name for Mylar is biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate. It was originally produced in the 1950s and is used for things like insulation, solar filters, blueprints, and even kites.

Why Mylar is Great for Long-Term Food Storage

As far as food storage goes, Mylar is amazing because it is:

Non-porous

Impermeable to gas

Reflects light

Flexible

Durable and puncture-resistant

Cheap

Easy to use

There are certainly other packing materials you can use for long-term food storage, but they tend to have a higher learning curve, are more expensive, or simply not as good as Mylar.

Mylar vs. Vacuum Sealing

Many people confuse Mylar bag storage with vacuum-sealing. They are completely different processes and get different results.

With vacuum-sealing, you are using a machine like a FoodSaver (Amazon Link) to suck air out of the bag while sealing it. While this does have benefits (like being cheap and fairly easy to do), it isn’t the best option for long-term food storage.

Vacuum-sealed bags:

Leak: The plastic bags used in vacuum sealing are porous. You can’t see the little holes but, over time, vacuum sealed bags will allow air to leak through.

Don’t remove all oxygen: Vacuum sealing will remove most air (which includes oxygen and nitrogen) from the package. However, some air will remain.

Allow light through: The bags used in vacuum-sealing are clear – which is great if you want to see what’s packaged inside, but not great if you want to prevent food degradation from light.

By comparison, Mylar bags will not leak. When used with oxygen absorbers, virtually all oxygen will be removed. Finally, Mylar has a foil layer which blocks 100% of light from coming through.

This doesn’t mean that vacuum-sealing isn’t good for food storage. Vacuum-sealing can increase shelf life of foods by 3-5 times. But, when it is long-term storage that you want (5+ years), then Mylar is the way to go.

What Foods Can You Store in Mylar Bags?

Any dry, low-fat food can be stored in Mylar bags. That means things like:

Dehydrated fruits and veggies

Flour

Grains

Pasta

Sugar

Dried beans

Powdered milk

Cereal

Spices

Remember the key words here are dry and low-fat. Any food which has moisture in it may start to go bad in the Mylar bag.

The same goes for foods which have fat in them – the fat will cause the foods to go rancid in around 3-12 months.

Not Suitable for Long-Term (5+ Years) Storage

These foods can still be stored in Mylar bags, but you’ll have to rotate through them about every 2-5 years (depending on the food).

Whole-wheat flour

Pearl barley

Brown rice

Brown sugar

Chips and greasy junk food

Granola

Dried meat/jerky

Nuts

Seeds

Fresh or wet foods

Dried eggs

Milled grains (other than oats)

Any dehydrated fruit or veggie which is not so dry that it snaps when bent!

Mylar Bags and Botulism Risk

If the Mylar bag is bulging (a sign that bacteria is growing inside), then don’t eat its contents!

Botulism is usually only talked about in regards to home canning. However, because the botulism bacteria grows in no/low oxygen environments, it could also grow in Mylar bags packaged with oxygen absorbers.

Botulism requires moisture of 35% to grow. However, to play it safe, virtually all food preservation guides will say that food must have 10% or less moisture to be packaged in airtight containers with oxygen absorbers. (1)

This shouldn’t scare you away from self-storing foods with oxygen absorbers. Just make sure you aren’t storing any moist foods in Mylar with oxygen absorbers for the long-term.

Some moist foods – such as dehydrated fruits — can still be stored in Mylar bags. They will be fine for the semi-long term (such as up to five years). Home dehydrated fruits and veggies just need to be so dry that they snap when bent.

The good news is that botulism toxin (which causes the disease) can be easily destroyed by boiling for 10 minutes. (2) Many of the foods which get stored for long-term need to be boiled anyway (dry beans, dry grains, etc.), so this in theory would kill any contaminants.

However, that doesn’t mean you should eat any foods which you suspect are contaminated with botulism. If the Mylar bag is bulging (a sign that bacteria is growing inside), then don’t eat its contents!

Shelf-Life of Foods in Mylar Bags

When trying to figure out how long foods will last in Mylar bags, you will see a lot of different ranges given. Here’s why it is so difficult to give an exact number of years that food will last.

1. Nutrients Break Down Long before the Food Goes Bad

Part of the reason for these varying shelf-life dates is because nutrients can break down. For example, the nutrients in rice may start to degrade after 10 years. However, the rice will still be safe to eat for approximately 30 years.

2. Mylar is a New Product

The process of checking how long a food will last is called shelf life testing. Big manufacturers are required to do shelf-life testing. However, aside for a few studies on canned foods, there haven’t been any tests on how long food can last.

Also, consider that Mylar is a relatively new product (it was made in the 1950s). We think some foods will last 30+ years in Mylar, but I don’t know of anyone who actually tested food that they packaged in the 1980s!

3. It Depends on Packaging Conditions

Mylar only protects food from degradation due to oxygen and light. Assuming that you used oxygen absorbers correctly and properly sealed the bag, you still have to worry about degradation from heat and moisture.

According to the USDA, each 10.08 degree F increase in temperature will half the storage life of seeds. This applies to other foods too. So, if you are keeping your Mylar bags in a cool area (such as a root cellar), they will last longer than if stored in a hot area (such as your garage).

With these factors in mind, here is what you can reasonably expect in terms of shelf-life for foods in Mylar bags.

Food Type Shelf-Life (in sealed Mylar bag with oxygen absorbers) Hard Whole Grains (Dry corn, buckwheat, hard red wheat, soft white wheat, kamut, durum wheat, spelt) 10+ years Soft Whole Grains (Oats, quinoa, rye, barley) 8+ years Professionally-Dehydrated Vegetables 10-20 years Professionally-Dehydrated Fruits* 10-15 years Home-Dehydrated Fruits and Veggies* 2-5 years Freeze-Dried Fruits and Vegetables 25 years Legumes (Beans, lentils, chickpeas, split peas) 25+ years White Rice 10-30 years Brown Rice 2-5 years White Flour 10-15 years Whole-Wheat Flour 10 years Corn Meal 5-10 years Potato Flakes 30 years Pasta 20-30 years Dry Non-Fat Milk 15 years Cheese Powder 10-15 years Powdered Eggs 5-10 years Nuts ** 1-5 years Granola 1 year Yeast 3-5 years TVP 10-15 years Baking Soda, Baking Powder 30 years Sugar Indefinitely Honey Indefinitely Salt Indefinitely

(Sources: 4, 5)

*Dehydrated Fruits and Vegetables in Mylar Bags

Most dehydrated fruits and veggies usually aren’t suitable for long-term storage. They simply contain too much moisture.

Many people report that their dehydrated fruits/veggies last much longer than 5 years. However, it’s important that they have very low moisture (10% or less) before storage. That means the fruit/veggie will snap when bent.

Some people also recommend using a desiccant to remove moisture from the dehydrated fruits/veggies before packaging. More on this later.

**Nuts and Seeds in Mylar Bags

Putting nuts and seeds in Mylar bags will extend their shelf life. However, because they contain so much oil, they will start to go rancid.

Most people put the shelf life of nuts/seeds in Mylar at about 2 years. However, some nuts and seeds will last longer than this even outside of a Mylar bag. The key is keeping the temperature low.

Since nuts are so expensive, I wouldn’t want to risk having an entire batch get destroyed. Only package as much as you actually eat and rotate through them regularly!

Removing Oxygen

Mylar bags only work for long-term food storage if the oxygen has been removed from the bags. To do this, you need to use oxygen absorbers.

Oxygen absorbers are little packages containing iron. When you put the oxygen absorber (OA) into an airtight container, the oxygen molecules “stick” to the iron. OAs can reduce the amount of oxygen in a container to less than 0.01%. (6)

Keep in mind that air is about 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and about 1% other gases. Oxygen absorbers only remove the oxygen. The nitrogen will remain, thus you often won’t get a vacuum seal. However, nitrogen does not cause food to spoil.

Note that not all foods are oxygen sensitive. For example, whole grains, peas, and beans aren’t too sensitive to oxygen. If you plan on using the foods within 5 years, there won’t be too much difference in freshness regardless of whether you use an OA or not.

However, oxygen absorbers do protect against pests and have other benefits. Since OAs are pretty cheap, it is smart to use them anyway.

Benefits to Using Oxygen Absorbers:

Keeps food from degrading due to oxidation

Prevent mold and bacteria from growing on the food (mold and most bacteria require oxygen to grow)

Preserve flavor

Prevent vitamins from being destroyed by oxidation

Kill pests (tiny pest eggs which are invisible to the eye may be on your food; without oxygen, they cannot hatch)

Foods which Should NOT Be Stored with Oxygen Absorbers

Salt: Will become rock hard if stored with an OA

Sugar: Also will become rock hard; brown sugar also contains too much moisture for storage with OAs

Baking soda/baking powder: These may explode when stored with OAs

Wet foods: Foods with a moisture of 35% or more can grow botulism in airless environments. To play it safe, it is recommended that foods stored with OAs have 10% or less moisture.

Oxygen Absorbers vs. Gas Purging/Nitrogen Flushing

I’ve recently come across many guides and videos about gas purging (aka nitrogen flushing) Mylar bags. The basic idea is that you use a special machine to force nitrogen gas into the package. The nitrogen flushes out any oxygen. Then you seal the package so only nitrogen remains.

Nitrogen flushing is used by some food manufacturers to keep their greasy foods (such as chips) fresh for a long time. That’s why bags of chips are puffy when you get them.

However, unless you have access to professional equipment, nitrogen flushing is very difficult to do! You have to displace all of the oxygen and make sure none gets back into the bag before you seal it.

Packaging with oxygen absorbers is much easier, and leaves just nitrogen in the packaging. Don’t mess with what works – use oxygen absorbers for your home food storage and leave nitrogen flushing to the experts. (7, 8, 9)

How Many Oxygen Absorbers To Use?

Here is where things can get confusing: For food storage to be successful, you need to have enough OAs to absorb all of the oxygen in the Mylar bags.

Oxygen is in the Mylar bag in two ways:

In the space between the food

Inside the actual food

To figure out the correct amount of OAs you can do some tricky math or just use our handy graphic and table instead. (I have included the math in a dropdown for those who are interested)

Oxygen Absorbers – The Math

As Fresh Pack points out, there can be a surprising amount of oxygen within the actual food. For example, dry foods like TVP contain a lot of air inside of them. The same goes with dry beans.

They also point out that there is mistaken information about how density affects air amount. The idea that “items with small particles (like flour) are ‘dense’ and have less air volume” is FALSE. Here is why:

“A pool filled with marbles will have the same interstitial air volume as one filled with basketballs. Yes, the basketballs will have much larger pockets of air, but there are far fewer of them. Think of a checkerboard with just 2 large black squares and 2 large white squares… ½ of it’s area is black and ½ white. What if it had 100 small black squares and 100 small white ones? 1000? Even with tiny squares it is still ½ black and ½ white as long as the squares are all a uniform size.

What does matter is particle size distribution, or in other words, whether you have particles that are all a uniform size or if you have a lot of particles of different sizes. If you have a pool filled with basketballs AND marbles, the marbles can fill in all the large pockets of air. So, products with uniform particle sizes will have more interstitial air than products with a greater distribution of particle sizes.”

Calculating How Much Air is in the Container

To figure out how much air will remain between the food spaces in a filled Mylar bag, you can do this test:

Put 1 cup of product in a large measuring cup.

Add 2 cups of water.

See how many cups you get total (the amount won’t be 3 cups because the water is filling in the spaces between the product).

Calculate: 3 cups – (how many cups total you got)

The answer is how much of the product was air. For example, let’s say that you got 2.5 cups total: 3 cups – 2.5 = 0.5 cups. Since 0.5 = 50%, that means 50% of the product was air.

With this information, you can do a fairly exact calculation of how many oxygen absorbers you need. This requires some more math:

Figure out how much air your Mylar bag holds. For example, a 1 gallon Mylar bag holds 3785 cubic centimeters (cc’s).

Determine how much air will be left in the bag once filled by product. For example, if you determined that 50% of the product was air, then you’d have 1893cc of air space.

Only about 21% of air is actually comprised of oxygen (the rest is mostly nitrogen). So, calculate 21% of your air space. For example: 0.21x1893cc= 398cc.

*Some products like beans contain a lot of air inside of them. For the water test to work, you have to let them sit for at least 6 hours so they absorb the water. Note also that beans require a lot more oxygen absorbers than typically shown in charts.

Top Tip

It is always best to play it safe – use more oxygen absorbers than you think you need! Using extra oxygen absorbers won’t impact the food. OAs are cheap, better to spend an extra 25 cents on an additional oxygen absorber than throw away 5 gallons of food when it’s needed most.

Food Type 1 quart 1 gallon 5 gallon Beans, lentils, split peas 125-150cc 500-600cc 2500-3000cc Rice 100cc 400cc 2000cc Flour 100cc 400cc 2000cc Instant mixes and powders 100cc 400cc 2000cc Coffee beans 100cc 400cc 2000cc Pasta 125cc 625cc 2500cc Cereal 125cc 625cc 2500cc Instant potatoes 125cc 625cc 2500cc Whole grains (barley, corn, wheat, oats) 125cc 625cc 2500cc

How to Save Unused Oxygen Absorbers

The moment you take oxygen absorbers out of the package, they will start to absorb oxygen. You must work quickly!

The moment you take oxygen absorbers out of the package, they will start to absorb oxygen. After around 2-4 hours, they’ll have absorbed their maximum capacity of oxygen.

It is important that you have a plan on what to do with any unused oxygen absorbers before you begin working.

Ideally, you will reseal oxygen absorbers in the packaging they came in. Then you vacuum seal them.

If this isn’t an option, you can also store unused oxygen absorbers in a mason jar. Fill up any extra space in the jar with marbles (or something similar). The less air that is in the jars, the less air the unused OAs will absorb. Be sure to seal the jar tightly!

How to Tell If Your Oxygen Absorbers Are Still Good

If you buy OAs from a reputable company, they should be good. We like the supplier DiscountMylarBags, they are the cheapest around and provide good quality products. They also sell on Amazon if you prefer to shop there)

They will arrive in a vacuum-sealed package. Most oxygen absorbers have a “margin for error” added into their abilities (DiscountMylarBags use ShieldPro absorbers they absorb 200 to 300% of their rating). So, they will actually absorb more than specified. This is so you can have a good 10-20 minutes to work with the OAs and not have that air exposure count against you.

Here’s how you can check:

They arrive in a vacuum-sealed package.

The oxygen indicator is pink or red and not blue.

The packets feel soft and not crunchy.

Sealing Mylar Bags

The trickiest part of using Mylar bags for long-term food storage is sealing them. They must be sealed with heat in order to create an air-tight seal. Even the Mylar bags with zip seals still need to be heat sealed (the zip is just there for convenience).

According to Top Mylar, you need a temperature of around 375-425 degrees F to get a good seal. Thicker Mylar bags will require a higher temperature.

There are 4 main ways that you can seal a Mylar bag:

1. Clamshell Heat Sealer

This is by far the easiest way to seal a Mylar bag. They are great because they are hand-held. They also squeeze, which helps grip the bag.

It makes it very easy to close the last 2 inches of the Mylar bag after you’ve squeezed out the air.

This clamshell sealer is a bit pricey, but it is very easy to use.

It has two heat settings. The higher one is 410F, which is perfect for sealing Mylar bags.

2. Impulse Sealer

I personally wouldn’t recommend impulse sealers. Not only are they expensive, but they are designed to seal an entire bag at once.

Ideally, you should seal most of the Mylar bag, push the air out, and then seal the last 2 inches. This takes some practice with an impulse sealer.

There are some affordable impulse sealers available which get good reviews. For example, this one by Metronic is well liked and doesn’t cost much.

3. Hair-Straightening Iron

While I personally don’t have experience using one of these for sealing Mylar bags, it seems like it would be better than a normal iron. You’d be able to keep the bag vertical so bits of produc

t don’t get into the seal area.

Just make sure you get a hair-straightening iron with adjustable heat settings. This one, for example, gets up to 450 degrees F at the highest setting.

4. Home Iron

If you’d rather not buy a special product for sealing your Mylar bags, a home iron will work. You’ll need to have a piece of wood to put the Mylar bag against while sealing.

Also be warned that, since you’ll be sealing the bag as it lies horizontally (as opposed to being able to keep it vertical), you might end up with bits of product shifting into the area you are trying to seal.

It’s not impossible to do. However, it can be a bit frustrating – especially when you are trying to work fast because of the oxygen absorbers!

Step-By-Step Instructions

Materials Checklist

Food that you will be storing

Mylar bags

Oxygen absorbers

Bucket or container (that you will be putting the Mylar bags into)

Sealer (clamshell sealer, iron, hair straightening iron)

Work gloves

A piece of wood with a towel wrapped around it (to serve as an ironing board if using an iron for sealing)

Scoop or funnel

Permanent marker for labeling

Mason jar (or another way to store unused oxygen absorbers)

Step 1: Preparation

It is really important that you get everything set up in an assembly line. You can take your time filling up the Mylar bags. But, once you open those oxygen absorbers, you need to seal them quickly!

Open Mylar bags and put each in a bucket/container

Line up the containers

Make sure your sealer has a cord long enough to reach the buckets

*If you are going to put lots of smaller Mylar bags into one bucket, then you obviously won’t be propping up one bag per storage container. It’s really helpful to have the bags propped up during the process. Consider rigging a shelf system for holding the bags, or bust out all of your Tupperware to use as holding trays for the open Mylar bags.

Step 2: Loading the Food

Using a scoop or a funnel, fill up the Mylar bags with food. You’ll need to give the bags a good shake to ensure the food particles are settled (which means more food per bag and less air).

Fill the bags to about 4-5 inches from the top. Make sure you don’t overfill the bag or it will be very difficult to seal.

Label the bags and container with the contents plus the date.

Tips

If you are using 7.5mil Mylar bags, wear gloves! The bags are sharp and can easily slice your fingers!

To protect the label from rubbing off, put a strip of clear packing tape over it.

Step 3: Partially Seal Bags

Let your sealer heat up. Irons and hair-straightening irons need to be on the highest setting. Seal all but the last 2 inches of the Mylar bag. Make sure there aren’t any little pieces of food in the seal.

It is also smart to wear gloves during sealing. The sealer can make the Mylar bag get very hot and burn your fingers!

If Using an Iron: The easiest way to seal with an iron is to put your 2×4 over the rim of the 5-gallon bucket. This will make an ironing board so you can seal the bag without having to lift it out or turn it horizontal. Once you’ve sealed one bag, then just move the board to another bucket. You’ll definitely want help – one person moves the board and the other does the sealing. Tip: Make sure you seal as close to the top of the bag as possible. That way you’ll have room to reseal the bag again.

Step 4: Add Oxygen Absorbers

It takes about 2-4 hours for an oxygen absorber to do its job. However, you should really try to get your bags sealed as quickly as possible (within 10 minutes, 20 tops). Otherwise, you risk the OA absorbing too much outside air and not being able to absorb all the oxygen in your Mylar bag. Tip: Before you open your oxygen absorbers, mark each bag with how many OAs the bag needs. This will speed up the process.

Step 5: Fully Seal the Bag

As soon as you’ve added oxygen absorbers, you need to quickly seal the bag. Press the bags to get out as much air as you can. Then seal the remaining 2 inches.

Step 6: Checking the Seal

Wait at least one day. Then go and check on your Mylar bags. Look at the seal and see if you can squeeze any air through them.

When oxygen absorbers have done their job, the bag may look “sucked up” or vacuum-sealed. However, since so much of air is actually nitrogen, it is possible for the bag to be properly sealed but not sucked down.

Step 7: Seal Buckets or Containers

Once you are sure that the seal is good, you can close up your buckets/containers and put them for long-term storage.

Ideally, you will store them in a cool place which is accessible during an emergency (for example, you wouldn’t want all your emergency food in the basement during a flood!).

Which Mylar Bags to Use?

Aside from the brand, there are a few key considerations when choosing which Mylar bags to use: size, thickness, and whether you want zip tops.

Size

Mylar bags come in various sizes, typically ranging from 1 pint to 6 gallons. To give you an idea, a 1-gallon Mylar bag will hold about 6-7lbs of rice. A 5-gallon Mylar bag will hold about 33lbs of rice.

That’s a lot of rice!

If you are only doing long-term food storage for your family, you probably don’t need anything larger than 1 gallon Mylar bags.

Yes, you will need more food than this – but it is probably smarter to store the food in smaller bags.

Imagine that a disaster has occurred. If you opened up a 5 gallon bag of rice, there is no way you could eat it all before the food got destroyed (by water, rodents, etc.).

Also consider how you’d use the food. Eating 6lbs worth of rice might be feasible, but 6lbs of dehydrated onions? You’d be much better off putting the dehydrated onions in a smaller bag.

The downside, of course, is that it takes more work to store food in smaller bags. You’ll also have to do a lot more planning to figure out how you’ll divide up the food.

How Much Food Will Fit in a Mylar Bag?

Food Type 1 quart 1 gallon Rice 5-7.3lbs 25-37lbs Whole Grain White Wheat 5-7.5lbs 25-38lbs Flour 5lbs 25-33lbs Cornmeal 5-6lbs 33lbs Beans (black, pinto, white, etc.) 5-7lbs 25-40lbs Lentils 7lbs 35-36lbs Macaroni 4lbs 20-21lbs Potato Flakes 2.5lbs 12-13lbs Diced Dried Carrots 3.3lbs 16-17lbs Dry Milk 5-6lbs 29-30lbs Powdered Eggs 4.2lbs 20-21lbs

10, 11,

*How much food you can fit in a Mylar bag depends on a lot of factors.

How big the food you are trying to store is (for example, some beans are smaller than others).

How well you shake the food to pack it down and how high you fill the bag. It’s easier to seal a bag which isn’t completely full.

You’ll be able to fit more food in thinner Mylar bags because they are more flexible.

Thickness

Mylar bags come in various thicknesses, with 4.3mil and 7.5mil being the most popular. The 7.5mil bags will hold up against damage better. However, they aren’t as flexible.

Because the thick bags are so much stiffer, you probably won’t be able to get as much food in them as a thinner bag.

Also note that the 7.5mil bags are sharp! You should wear gloves when working with them so you don’t slice your fingers.

Mylar Bags with Zip Tops

There are some Mylar bags which have zip tops. The zip top does NOT replace heat sealing. However, it is great for convenience.

During the sealing process, you can first squeeze the air out and zip lock it before heat sealing. It prevents little pieces of product from getting into the seal.

Once the bag is open, the zip is also great for closing the bag while you use the contents.

We will be adding more articles to help motivate people to be prepared.

#food storage #mylar #prepping #rice #Uncategorized

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kcolemanenvironmentalstudies · 6 years

Text

Blog #9

Katherine Coleman Prof. Van Buren ENST 1000 15 November 2017 Soil Science, Industrial and Food Agriculture Blog Soil is arguably the most important abiotic feature on Earth because it provides life for all terrestrial organisms. Without soil, many earthy processes could not be possible. Most of the planet is abiotic, but through the thin layer of various soil that exists around the Earth life is made possible. The natural capital of soil, built over the past 65 million years, is the basis of plant and animal life on Earth. Soil is formed from nutrients in rocks that are transported into the ground, giving life to lichen and small organisms. This makes soil as living things growing upon themselves, which makes the object of soil completely biological. For example, the movie viewed in class, “Symphony of Soil”, discusses a particular volcano in Hawaii that erupted in 1959 and destroyed all forms of life in its path. New life was able to grow after the eruption due to the deposition of tephra, which is the solid material that was thrown into the air after a volcanic eruption (Figure 1). Once Figure 1: The porous tephra allows for new soil and new life to grow after volcanic eruptions. the tephra settles, its proud qualities allow for new life and bacteria to grow, creating soil. The movie notes a point source of the creation of soil: water trickling down and eroding a rock in Norway to create a clay-like substance. The process of making soil can take hundreds of years; one inch of top-soil can take five hundred years to create. Soil that has been maturing for twenty thousand or more years has the capacity to support many forms of life in its abundance and richness. Soil also exhibits the capacity to shape the topography of the Earth. As more clay packs into the soil, there is less of a chance that water can move through the soil. This will drive more erosion and create steep canyons that widen from the walls. Therefore, you can see the volcanos become more eroded over time, and this is due to the change in the structure of the soil. Soil can be seen as the interface between biology and geology because it allows for life. Within the pores of soil is where small organisms thrive. This leads to the creation and health of entire ecosystems. The soil is a very production location for nitrogen fixing. Here, plants provide an environment for certain bacteria to grow, which allow the bacteria to produce nitrogen into the atmosphere. The nitrogen-fixing bacteria do this by decomposing the nitrogen from dead organisms and releasing it back into the atmosphere (Figure 2). This Figure 2: A diagram of the nitrogen cycle demonstrates its importance to entire ecosystems. critical nitrogen cycle that occurs within the soil is important to the environment because it contributes to the continuation of life on Earth. In order to continue a prosperous way of life for all organisms, humans must mimic the diversity of the soil of regular plant species. For example, the film compares traditional growth of strawberries and modern farming techniques. Strawberries naturally grow in the understory of forests; yet now agricultural practices push for the growth of strawberries with sand and pesticides for higher crop yields. Growing this plant in sand and open sunlight does not allow for the strawberry to grow as fast or as well as it should. Modern farming can help worsen the state and quality of soil. The best way to embrace the living capacity of soil is to return all of the things we get from the soil back to it. This is called the law of return and will help lead our civilization into a more sustainable society. As humans, we naturally gravitated towards soil as children. However, modern society views soil as ‘dirty’ and ‘improper’ and thus living soil is frowned upon. Farming techniques and soil treatment have greatly hindered the productivity and quality of the world’s soil. One-third of the world’s land has been loss due to soil erosion. Improving soil means there is less runoff. The loss of soil due to salinization is a problem as humans use freshwater to water crops in arid regions. The U.S. Department of Agriculture states that we have an overgrazing problem, which also leads to soil degradation. By alternating cover crops with cash crops and introducing this into an annual rotation, soil in farms will experience less harm. Soil is not dirt. It is extremely rich and recycles bodies into the materials of life, allowing for all forms of terrestrial organisms to thrive. Soil is undoubtedly the foundation for all forms of terrestrial life on Earth. It grows the food that animals consume, which eventually humans consume. In our modern society, industrial agriculture and meat consumption have overtaken consumerism. It is important to understand the implications of eating meat in America, the monopoly of companies that control our food, and the coinciding environmental impact of this consumption. The average consumer in America is fed false images of farming. The classic image of a mid-western farm along with a red barn and picket fence of far from the truth of what our production facilities truly look like. There is an increasing gap between the food industry and consumer knowledge; if consumers knew the truth about their food production they would not buy it (Figure 3). Now, food comes from assembly lines where both animals and workers are abused. There are a few number of large corporations that control what we eat and what we know about our own food, such as Tyson. These companies are harmful and keep meat Figure 3: The reality of meat production: hundreds of chickens stacked on top of another awaiting death for consumption. farmers in debt by keeping them under their thumb. To have no say in their own business is degrading to these farmers because the large companies demand upgrades to farms which they cannot afford. The diversity in supermarkets are an illusion of few companies and few products. Most products are derived from corn because of its starchy power. The government subsidizes corn farming because they are actively promoting it; producers feed corn to cows instead of grass because it is cheap and fattens the animals faster. The industrial food system began with fast food and the creation of the drive-in in the 1930’s. McDonald’s, the countries most popular fast food location, is the largest purchaser of ground beef and potatoes in the United States. Unfortunately, even if consumers chose to not eat at a fast food restaurant, if they purchase meat from big name producers they are still supporting an inhumane system of production. The film viewed in class, “Food Inc.”, discussed how many farmers in the southern U.S. changed to chicken farming after the decline of tobacco. The film mentions McClean County in Kentucky. My mother is from this county, and every time my family visits we drive past miles of slaughterhouses. Most of the economy of McClean county has changed from agricultural and farming to meat production within the past 50 years. It is really upsetting to see an entire area change due to the consumer demands of the country. The movie focuses on a chicken farmer who questions why she is farming these animals as mass production. Many of the animals shown could only take a few steps before walking again because they are so unnaturally proportionate. An environmental wisdom worldview of the food production situation in America would be that business is the reason for these environmental issues associated with meat production and consumption. Personally, I choose to eat vegetarian because of the harmful environmental effects that meat production has on our Earth, such as methane released from cows. I also believe that the act of growing these animals in inhuman conditions with the only intentions of fattening and killing them is terrible and extremely unbearable. If more people became vegetarian, there would be a lesser demand for meat in the market, causing these large, heartless corporations to produce less. I hope that in the future more Americans become aware of the harm that meat production has on the environment, the animals, and the workers or farmers associated with the industry.

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