First the soda fountains at fast food restaurants, and now this--Consumer Reports has just published an investigation revealing that 39% of the packaged salads tested contained "bacteria that are common indicators of poor sanitation and fecal contamination." And this despite the fact that such bagged salads often display claims of 'prewashed' or 'triple-washed' and attract customers who consider them cleaner and safer.
Consumer Reports tested 208 different salads from 16 brands, and they note that they didn't find any seriously dangerous pathogens like salmonella or E. coli--though they do mention in passing that the Dept. of Agriculture typically finds traces of salmonella in 2 out of every 4,000 salads tested.
Instead, CR was looking for "total coliforms and for other bacteria, including enterococcus, that are better indicators of fecal contamination." The reason for the test was that currently, while there are federal limits on the amount of "indicator" bacteria that can be legally found in water, milk, raw meats, and processed foods, there's no such standard for produce. And so, CR set out to discover whether there was sh!t in your salad (or at least, bacteria that commonly, though not necessarily, forms in feces). Here's what they found:
Several industry experts we consulted suggested that for leafy greens, an unacceptable level of total coliforms or enterococcus is 10,000 or more colony forming units per gram (CFU/g) or a comparable estimate. In our tests, 39 percent of samples exceeded that level for total coliforms and 23 percent for enterococcus.
Some samples registered up to 1 million CFU/g. Which is a lot of bacteria per gram of greens.
To clarify, just because a sample contains coliform bacteria, this does not mean there is literally feces in your salad--nor does it mean that this bacteria necessarily grew in crap. But high levels of such indicator bacterias like coliforms and enterococcus mean that there's a higher chance there was some fecal contamination or poor sanitation practices.
Naomi Stark over at the Huffpo Green quotes Dr. Michael Hansen, the publisher of CR: "Although these 'indicator' bacteria generally do not make healthy people sick, the tests show not enough is being done to assure the safety or cleanliness of leafy greens."
The last of the bad news is that there's no one brand that tested particularly highly--all tested pretty much the same in their range levels of coliform bacteria, from high to low.
There is good news to all this, in my mind--it might help dispel the myth that bagged salads are somehow 'cleaner' than loose salads. There's really no reason to be buying salad wrapped in plastic, though I'm sure there are extenuating circumstances I'm not thinking of at the moment. It might be high time to forget about bagged, plastic-wrapped salads.
Gross.First the soda fountains at fast food restaurants, and now this--Consumer Reports has... more
Conventional lubricants are full of chemicals you do NOT want to be intimate with some of the same stuff in brake fluid and antifreeze! Just in time for Valentines Day, Umbra shows you how to make your own eco-sexy lube with flax seeds. Love thyself and the planet too with this DIY love juice that's easy and out of this world.
Ingenious, eco-friendly concepts are all around us, there's no denying that. This one caught our eye because it's pretty innovative, seemingly well thought out, and good looking to boot.
The Turbine Light concept (which is going to be a part of the upcoming Greener Gadgets conference in New York City at the end of this month) harnesses the power of the wind from cars rushing past to light up the ever-darkening roadways.
The turbines use the wind collected to generate energy for the lighting, and while the concept lacks a lot of firm details so far, but we're sure to find out more about it soon -- we'll be sure to check them out at the conference on February 25th.
Hit the source link to see more concepts, along with other people and companies who will be there.Ingenious, eco-friendly concepts are all around us, there's no denying that. This... more
"Have you ever wanted to look up green-related issues, products, etc., without getting swamped down by thousands of unrelated links and ads when you use the more popular search engines? Next time, look no further than Green Maven for your green online queries.
Basically, it’s like Google for green, bringing together the best of anything and everything eco-friendly, right at your fingertips. Green Maven’s search engine hosts over 10,000 websites, and has a business directory with nearly 4,000 listings in 26 different categories. Keep abreast on the latest green trends, use it for research, and utilize this site to find some great retailers."... (Click link to read more)"Have you ever wanted to look up green-related issues, products, etc., without... more
Syndicated advice columnist Dr. Paul Donohue answered a hysterical/WTF question from a reader in his column on Wednesday. I’m really shocked it made it in–as his column often dispenses “serious” medical advice. A woman writes in that her daughter told her to stop farting (which releases carbon dioxide) because it’s contributing to global warming. Taking the advice of her child, she posed the ULTIMATE question to the nationally recognized child psychologist/med expert: How can she stop farting to “go green.” SERIOUSLY?!!!!!!
Dear Dr. Donohue — My daughter complains that I flatulate more often than most individuals. Furthermore, she claims that the gas an individual passes contributes to global warming. I don’t know if I am physically able to keep my gas to myself to go green. Is my daughter really right?
Is your daughter for real? No human can stop the production of intestinal gas. Every human passes gas, including your daughter. People do so from 10 to 20 times a day.
Colon bacteria are responsible for gas production.
The major gases in colon-produced gas are nitrogen, carbon dioxide, methane and hydrogen. Traces of sulfur-containing gases are responsible for its unpleasant odor.
Greenhouse gases — the gases that blanket the earth and warm it— include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen and fluorocarbons. Most of the carbon dioxide that contributes to greenhouse effect comes from the use of fossil fuels — gas, oil, gasoline and coal. The majority of methane gas that adds to the greenhouse effect is derived from livestock, coal mining, drilling for oil and from garbage landfills.
Carbon dioxide is the byproduct of many industrial processes. If your daughter is truly worried over your contribution to the greenhouse effect, she should realize that her breathing contributes a significant amount of carbon dioxide to it. She blows out carbon dioxide with each exhalation. Humans contribute more than 30 billion tons of carbon dioxide to the yearly production of this greenhouse gas. No one suggests we stop breathing.
The one thing that holds many of these projects back is the financing of them. They can be quite expensive to get rolling, but because of islands like Samso, improvements will continue to be made and over time, these prices will come down. We just need to keep plugging away and sooner or later the world is going to come around to greener way of thinking. http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/convert-to-100-wind-power/The one thing that holds many of these projects back is the financing of them. They... more
Great film about the Brixton Pound, the first urban currency to launch in London.
The film was made by www.debateyourplate.com and includes interviews with the Transition Town Brixton group who launched the initiative, and the local residents in Brixton, London.
The Transition Town movement is sweeping across the UK and elsewhere in the world, as it seeks to address the issues of reaching peak oil.Great film about the Brixton Pound, the first urban currency to launch in London.... more
A new Mercy For Animals investigation is pulling back the curtains on the largest dairy factory farm in New York State Willet Dairy in Locke.
In early 2009 an MFA undercover investigator worked at the mega-dairy, secretly documenting egregious acts of animal cruelty, including neglect, with a hidden camera.
Thankfully, compassionate consumers can choose to withdraw their support of these abusive industries by adopting a vegan diet.
Each time we eat we can choose kindness over cruelty. Visit ChooseVeg.com for dairy-free recipes.
Evidence gathered during the investigation reveals:
* Cows with bloody open wounds, prolapsed uteruses, pus-filled infections, and swollen joints, apparently left to suffer without veterinary care
* "Downed" cows those too sick or injured to even stand left to suffer for weeks before dying or being killed
* Workers hitting, kicking, punching, and electric-shocking cows and calves
* Calves having their horns burned off without painkillers, as a worker shoved his fingers into the calves' eyes to restrain them
* Calves having their tails cut off a painful practice condemned by the American Veterinary Medical Association as cruel and unnecessary
* Newborn calves forcibly dragged away from their mothers by their legs, causing emotional distress to both mother and calf
* Cows living in overcrowded sheds on manure-coated concrete flooring
* Workers injecting cows with a controversial bovine growth hormone, used to increase milk productionA new Mercy For Animals investigation is pulling back the curtains on the largest... more
Got an ant problem? Spraying Raid making you tired and complacent? The Sarah Haynes method for getting rid of ants might be just what you're looking for. Shep Chandler shows how a natural ant remedy can be cheap (just $6.99, buy now) and effective.Got an ant problem? Spraying Raid making you tired and complacent? The Sarah Haynes... more
"Don't worry...be happy." "Don't sweat the small stuff." Sure, both sayings are great advice except when you happen to be an eco-worry wort who has difficulty shutting off all of the world's environmental problems at the end of the day (in your head). Could it literally be GOING to your head in the form of wiry white strands?
The carbon footprint that automobiles leave is about to change, and that change is going to happen much sooner than we think. While it is unlikely that the Micron will replace every car on the road, it will present a very interesting alternative to daily travel. This unique design is eye catching and more importantly, totally emissions free. Make no mistake about it, the Micron is the future of the automobile. http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/the-micron-may-change-the-way-we-travel/The carbon footprint that automobiles leave is about to change, and that change is... more
Maybe you have a second residence or simply do not have the space for an additional appliance. Whatever the reason, there are a good many homes that could use something like this – a sleek, simple, stylish mobile dishwasher with space for a small load of seriously sullied dishes.
Mass Studies pulled no punches in this South Korean shop design, going from an entirely offbeat green-covered building decked in geo-textiles to form living walls and roofs. In its scale and proportions, it seeks a balance between the existing residential texture of the neighborhood and the new layer of commercial being introduced.
The healing power of soup: something that both scientists and grandmothers can agree on. From helping you lose weight to warming you up from the inside out to boosting your immunity, soup is a winter staple that you shouldn’t be without. Maybe that is one reason that it is celebrated this month with its very own National Soup Month. Here's a closer look at what you can do to benefit from soup's amazing healing powers.The healing power of soup: something that both scientists and grandmothers can agree... more
New York City's The Pump chain of eateries, known for fresh, healthy food combined with protein powder just launched a hilarious video ad.
Centered around the theme "sans crap" (or, "without crap"), the flashy video satirically disses a wide range of unhealthy and/or trendy foods -- from sugary cereals to açaí berries to butter to salad dressing.
At first glance it appears to be an ordinary brick, but upon closer inspection you’ll find an eco-friendly design change. Designer Jin-Young Yoon has reworked the traditional brick to make it Green.
This beautiful project, entitled Wilkinson Residence, is visible in the Portland cement forest. With an architecture in perfect harmony with nature, this house built in the trees was imagined by the creator Robert Harvey Oshatz. Many stereotypes to be discovered in the continuation.
A man living, and driving, the green lifestyle has been taken down by the Indian bureaucracatic red tape after driving across thousands of miles in an environmentally safe vehicle.
His long trip started in Europe, bravely crossed the Middle East successfully - before coming to a grinding halt in India. The charge? Terrorism.
The traveler has dual nationality: Italian and British. The British say they are not providing consular services to him, nor did Indian authorities provide them notice of his arrest since he was traveling on his Italian passport.A man living, and driving, the green lifestyle has been taken down by the Indian... more
When asked to write a blog post about ways to live vegan, we immediately thought it was a great idea. When I say we, I am referring to my sisters and I, who have all been vegan since birth. Using the beliefs of Gandhi, (who proved the best path to peace was through truth and non-violent protest), we make up the social action rock band Truth on Earth. We write and perform original songs about major world problems and potential solutions such as Environment, Factory Farming, Animal Abuse, Media Distortion, Child Abuse, Starvation, and many other serious issues. Our mission is to leave a planet worth inheriting for future generations and that’s one of the reasons why we give 70% of our profits to organizations supporting the causes we sing about. Being vegan is not just another diet. It’s a lifestyle, a state of mind. Here at Greenopolis we’ve come aboard to share with you some simple, easy and effective ways to start living a vegan lifestyle today.
When you hear the word vegan, you probably think of vegetables, fruits or plants. Now those foods are all fine and dandy, but we’re here to tell you that at this day in age you can eat incredibly scrumptious foods without having to harm animals. We do eat vegetables and fruits, but vegans can now enjoy a wide variety of ”normal” foods. The great thing is nearly every vegan substitute on the market is so tasty – bonus is it’s good for you and the planet! The days of a vegan only having millet, quinoa, lumps of wheat dough and sprouts to eat are over!
Tip one: Veganize it!
It’s easy to Veganize your old favorite traditional recipes. Simply replace ingredients with vegan options. Here are a few examples of vegan products that you can use to substitute with: ice cream, cream cheese, sour cream, butter, milk, turkey, cheese, bbq’d chicken, hamburgers, shrimp, pepper steak, meatballs, marshmallows, chocolate chip cookies, key lime pie, pancakes, whipped cream, the list goes on and on. Some of our favorite brands are Earth Balance Soy Butter for butter, Silk Soymilk for milk (which you probably have heard of already, or might be using!), Tofutti Cream Cheese and sour cream, Follow Your Heart for mayo (this is the best mayo we've had after trying the countless brands out there), Amy’s Texas and All American Burgers for hamburgers and Purely Decadent Ice Cream (they have about twenty different flavors) for Ice Cream. Most of our non-vegan guests have said that our foods taste much better than the non-vegan foods they’re used to.
Tip two: Buy Organic:
Buying organic could be one of the most simple yet important things you can do. When you eat foods that are not organic, you are not only eating a nutrition deficient food, but you are also eating all of the pesticides and chemicals they use on the vegetables and fruits. Organic produce tastes better, looks better, and is better for you. It's as simple as that.
Tip three: Not buying or wearing fur or leather:
Part of being vegan and more "green", is not only abstaining from eating anything made from an animal, but also not wearing anything that is made from an animal. Not only is the suffering that the animals go through horrible, but the chemicals they use are bad for the environment. With unlimited options, including "leather" jackets – often referred to as pleather, faux suede (also called ultra suede) couches and shoes, the list is endless. The best part is that you can find these options almost anywhere. Just check your favorite store next time you go shopping.
“This new leasing program is going to change the way we buy electricity,” said Jim Petersen, president and CEO of PetersenDean. “At PetersenDean, we provide SmarterRoofTM technology and consumer-driven options so that the roof on your house works for you, saving you money and the environment. This program will not only transform how people consume electricity, but will make clean, renewable energy accessible to Californians.” http://www.esolarenergynews.com/2010/01/new-solar-leasing-program-to-deliver.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+blogspot/NrBn+(Solar+Energy+News)“This new leasing program is going to change the way we buy electricity,”... more
