The New Drug of Choice: Energy Drinks?

Okay, so it takes a lot for me to become deeply disturbed by something I read in the news... but I had to get this out to you guys and see what you think.

I recently read an article about a California middle school principal banning energy drinks from campus. See, by first period, a 13-year-old student had already consumed a can of Rockstar and a can of Redbull, which totals to about 3 cups of coffee.

Now, I'm not a prude and I know that kids do a lot worse?but there's something really wrong about packaging the contents of all this sugar and caffeine into something that looks like a harmless cartoon drink. I guess because I have had the occasional energy drink to keep me awake?.at a NIGHTCLUB?.at 4 in the morning?...with other ADULTS, that seeing 13 year olds drink this stuff gives me the creeps. I know why Lindsay Lohan drinks it, but I'm not sure why you need one before history class in junior high.

I know that this isn't directly related to saving Mother Earth, but I think it's important to talk about the health of where we live as much as it is to talk about how healthy we live. I think it's hard to justify cleaning up our oceans and ignore what we dump into our kids. Once you start doing just a little bit of research and reading labels, it's like taking the Matrix pill, you can't but help realize how toxic we are to ourselves. It's not a big connection to make from the way we treat our health, the kinds of foods we eat and how we relate to the environment.

Now, hey--I'm gonna say it--and some of you may think it's a stretch?but remember when people started to make the link between a cartoon camel and cigarette consumption among young people? Does this can look like an adult should be drinking it? Or what about the names of some of these beverages: Rockstar, Monster, Boo Koo, Go Girl???!!!!!! Whatever happened to a glass of milk?

Is it just me?

Xoxo