Seed saving was the American way: (Monsanto, are you listening?)

Yesterday and Today

Farmers cannot replicate Monsanto seeds for second crop, Supreme Court rules (+video) (via The Christian Science Monitor)

Farmers cannot by-pass the patent protection provided for genetically-altered seeds by producing a new generation of seeds with the same traits, the US Supreme Court ruled Monday. In a unanimous decision, the high court sided with Monsanto Co. in a…

World War II conservation posters

Library of Congress

Doing the Green Thing was a popular internet meme about how our parents and grandparents just naturally conserved resources. Being green was not a political divisively stance, but instead considered patriotic.

Library of Congress

That's something that is sorely missing in today's dialog with each other. I was recently at a graduation party and was looking for a recycling bin for my can, when someone next to me said they want to make a shirt that says F* Green. I thought it a really odd way of thinking, but the fact is, now simple conservation is considered a political statement. "Treehuggers" is thrown out as an insult. 

Library of Congress

And yet, when we travel back to the days of World War II, we learn that it was our patriotic duty to conserve all resources, including food, water, and fuel. We recycled and saved and reused scraps of any sort, including even fabric rags. Our citizens were encouraged through poster campaigns to grow their own food, can it, and save wherever possible.  

Being careful with resources was considered a matter of national pride. So as we approach Independence Day for 2013, Our Daily Green would like to encourage you to rekindle your patriotic history and think about ways you can show the world you're proud of your history and heritage in our nation.

Patriotic posters promote conservation and gardening

In honor of this week's Fourth of July holiday, American Independence Day, Our Daily Green is looking back at some of our nation's historical campaigns. 

While the iconic Uncle Sam military recruiting poster, with his pointed finger beckoning "I Want You", is probably the most well known World War I posters, it was only one of over 700 posters created to promote patriotism during that era. Beginning in April 1917 through the end of the war in November, 1918, illustrators and artists submitted posters to encourage conservation, defense, and sacrifice on the home front. President Woodrow Wilson wanted to rally support from the American people. 

Under the leadership of Charles Dana Gibson, The Society of Illustrators in New York City launched what became the Division of Pictorial Publicity. These posters brilliant colors and urgent demands were a rally cry to hold the nation together." Artists utilized national symbols and icons such as the American flag, the Statue of Liberty, Uncle Sam, and the girl next door to inspire the American nation to contribute to the call of liberty. Every American citizen was asked to stand up and take his or her patriotic place in the defense of our great country. To do less would be un-American. After the war, Congress tallied up the bill and found that two-thirds of the cost of the war was raised by poster bond drives.

Our Daily Green was especially happy to see posters that encouraged gardening and food conservation. Nearly 95 years later, the sentiment still rings true. 

from the Library of Congress archives: 

The spirit of '18

Food is Ammunition