Response to statement 'premium prices are worth paying for, with organic food, and there's no excuse to not pay it.'

I disagree in part about what you were saying about the financial cost of organic food. Yes- long term, the nutritional value will make it cheaper, but that doesn't change the facts for many people. I come from below the poverty line, and I naturally have many friends and neighbors who are in the same boat. Unemployed, pensioners, students, young adults, ect. We literally can't afford to make that choice. I know people, and I've done it too, who will skip a day or two of meals because we don't have enough food to last us a fortnight. Or we'll go for a month without buying any groceries because there's no money for it. My mother and I depend heavily on a food bank at the moment, and many people there rely on this food bank too as their primary source of groceries. This may seem all very dramatic and emotive but it's not- it's the reality and we deal with it.

It's a strange contrast- in third world countries poor people starve. In our country; the poor can only afford the cheapest food- convince food, fast food, chemically altered vegetables. You will find that those of us below a certain income threshold will have the greatest percentage of dis-ease, illness and obesity. This brings me to the really big problem, the one that needs to be fixed somehow, and what I intend on shattering with my community/health retreat/earthship community.

Over the past few days I've come to understand that the Wellness movement, as I'll call it, is so essential to the future of everyone. It really is. It provides education, support, and the right food. The problem, however, is that the Wellness movement, all aspects of it, is only accessible to those who can pay. The Healing Hotels of the World, for example, would be an incredible source of support and education. Only customers who can afford to pay for premium services and travel can access these services. It's the same problem. This then only targets and assists a very tiny percentage.

This provides large corporations, like McDonalds, with a very large and open group of people below a certain fiancial threshold, the one I was just talking about. They have grabbed this chance and are running with it. As long as the natural food industry, the organic food industry, and even the wellness movement, continues to make their services so inaccessible to those under 30k a year, this is going to keep happening. If you ask someone in my target consumer range, will they pay $15 for lunch that is yummy, healthy and has high nutrients, drink is extra, or $5 for a complete meal, drink as well, they will have to go for the $5 choice every single time. It's not a choice that is available to them.

I guess that's why I am so passionate about getting this community underway, with H.O.M.E. starting soon after. It seems strange that, in the Wellness movement, we're not able to provide homes, good food and good education in all areas of natural health and spirituality to anyone regardless of their history or financial situation. I really want to make sure it's there for everyone, and if they can't pay me for it, they can provide a few hours help around the community instead. There's always something that needs doing, after all. I am so inspired by the earthships- they will assist me in making sure that everyone gets every aspect of health, food, shelter, warmth, ect.

Sydney Competition

Thursday

6am

Good morning! It's a late 6am and we are almost at the airport. I got up at 4am- was supposed to get up at 3 but somehow missed the alarm- and got a panicked text from Louise that she'd also slept in an hour. Great minds think alike!

I don't feel anything yet, not nerves, not excitement, it doesn't feel quite real yet!

7:20am

A delayed flight! At least it gave us time to get some breakfast and coffee. Louise and I are on the flight now though and suddenly I'm feeling the whole set of emotions, excitement, fear, nerves, impatience... come on, let's go!

10am

Urrrggh... brains... coffee... shower... air conditioning... sleep! Two zombies sit in the lobby, looking much less energetic than a few hours ago, with green tea and latte failing to re-energize us. Sydney is overcast and warm! Our flight was a bit hairy too; turbulence and a jumpy landing. But we're here! The lobby has taken one look at us and taken pity. We'll get into our room early.

12:30pm

We got into our room about an hour ago and, however nice Sydney looks, however excited we are about this afternoon,the first thing we did was admire the beds. Nice beds Really nice. Did we think we had time for a catnap? The air conditioning was very much appreciated as well. Photoshoot? That suddenly didn't compare to lying down in a cold room and getting another half hour sleep!

Of course we could only really lie down for half an hour because the more rested we were, the more our excitement returned, and soon Louise and I were too restless to lie down. So we explored the room. A bathroom! A minibar! (And expensive minibar items!) Was that a garden we could half see from outside our window? And free coffee? Thrilling! You'd have thought we'd never seen a hotal before. Susie comes to get us in about an hour. That's not enough time to get ready, is it? Where has the time gone! Time to shower!

1:45pm

Louise isn't ready! Susie will be here soon! Panic! Pa... oh, that's a relief, Susie will be late. Suddenly she's our very best friend in Sydney. Hurry up, Louise!

2:20pm

The three of us, Susie, Louise and I, hopped into a taxi and headed down to a strange exotic location in Sydney... which turned out to be a sporting area in Newtown. A very regular one with grafetti and dogs getting their daily walks on a footy ground. It could be the one I live near, it's so alike. Anyone seen three really good looking guys, a camera crew, a limo maybe, and security guards? Anyone? This looks like an average sports ground to me. There's a slight crowd over there but not a big set...

Oh, there they are, at the basketball court!

It's really small crew, and everyone is relaxed. One of the guys cut his foot and it seems everyone's chilling out till he sorts that out. Fair enough. You can't get a 'casual' photo with one guy grimacing in pain all the time. I'm suddenly feeling really shy and it's hard not to. But it didn't take long to feel more at ease- all three of them are really nice guys, really friendly, and it's hard to not warm up to them. I think I'll have to start watching Home and Away more.

We stand around and watch the photoshoot as it starts up again. This isn't as boring as it sounds- I have always loved photography and I think seeing the way it comes about is more interesting to me than the end result. The guys are so relaxed in front of the camera by now, so second hand at it, that I envy them a little bit! Louise has started to chat to them in her usual way, a way that eases people, and before we know it we're all talking like we've always been mates. We shared some munchies and water, found out where each one had come from and what they'd done beforehand. I found out one of them,Lincoln, is a local eastern Melbourne boy and Dan was the black power ranger. Fantastic! I also got some tips on good beaches to visit while in Sydney.

We got a photo with the boys as well and suddenly I was all shy again. Who can blame me? Sitting in the middle of the three of them! I'm not the kind of person to be starstruck, fame never phased me, but even I can't help but notice three good looking guys. I wish I had their ease in front of cameras at moments like this.

They had to change for a basketball shoot. Louise got busted taking photos during the basketball 'game' and can any woman say she wouldn't try the same thing in Louise's position?

But the shoot was over far too quickly and we all started to get ready to go. With the shoot was over we sort of wished we'd have thought to ask them out for drinks later, and Louise is convinced that they were hinting at the idea! We said our goodbyes and went our separate ways and into the city itself.