Brenda Myran

Brenda Myran, an Inver Grove Heights mother of three, has been on a journey of discovery that has lead to changes in way she views food, consumer products and the use of our natural resources. Her family, including her husband, Mike Lorentz, and their children Maya, age 8, Simone, 4 and Thomas, 3, have all made changes in their lives as a result.

“This really started with my husband who is a meat processor in Cannon Falls. Through his work with customers like Thousand Hills and Organic Valley, I became interested in sustainable agriculture. I began to read books like Omnivore’s Dilemma and attend local gatherings about food and food origins.”

As Brenda learned more about industrial farming, she became aware of its impacts on the environment and our health. “I became more concerned, especially with children. Our mass food system is so fragile–now e. Coli is on our vegetables.”

Brenda admits having to learn about this on her own was somewhat embarrassing, “At my age, why didn’t I know this? How did I miss this? Before I never gave much thought to what I was purchasing. My purchases were influenced by marketing claims; if something was new, I would buy that.”

Brenda’s experience is not unique. Most people do not think about how their food or products were produced before making a purchase. The good news is this is changing. People are learning more about how their food and products are made and are demanding healthier and safer alternatives. For example, the sale of glass baby bottles increased 100 percent in 2007 driven by concerns of BPA in plastic bottles.

Like a growing number of families, the Myran-Lorentz household has been making changes over the years to support a healthier life and environment. “We try to eat mostly grass fed meat, buy local, organic food and we tripled the size of our garden. We share with the kids where we get our food and are planning a trip to the farm we buy from.”

In addition to changing their food sources, the Myrans are also taking steps to use fewer natural resources and non-toxic products. They installed rain barrels and a dual flush toilet. Brenda checked into environmentally friendly cleaning products and they aren’t using chemicals on their lawn or garden this year.

“We do what we can. We make a couple changes and then it becomes habit. This is a process that has taken years, but I really believe every dollar we spend is a vote for or against our environment.”

A motivating force behind these changes is Brenda’s children. “I want my kids to grow up with different memories. Our example is what our kids will learn. We have to do it.”