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Conventional agriculture better for the planet?
From the website:
"The path to virtue, we all know, begins with organics. Meat, milk, fruit, veggies — organic products are good for our bodies and good for the planet. Except when they're not good for the planet. Because while there may be sound health reasons to avoid eating pesticide-laden food, and perhaps personal arguments for favoring the organic-farmers' collective, the truth is that when it comes to greenhouse gases, organics can be part of the problem."
I'm not sure if i agree with this article, but it's an interesting counter argument. Truth is, there are a lot of people to feed, and it is hard to find a sustainable way of producing that volume of food.
Thoughts? From the website: ... more -
Stay away from GMO foods...
It looks like eating those lovely GMO foods are now starting to promote immune responses, and making vaccines less effective to boot. Needless to say, the mainstream media isn't about to start talking about this one...
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/newscience/2007/...
Quote:
Minute quantities of a bacterial protein inserted in corn provoke immune reactions in mice. The protein is added to increase the effectiveness of plant-based transgenic vaccines. The results indicate that special care will be needed with transgenic corn to reduce exposure to workers and the public if this protein is used commercially in corn or other food crops, to avoid unwanted immune responses in people and decreased effectiveness of oral vaccines that use the protein.
It looks like eating those lovely GMO foods are now starting to promote immune responses, and making vaccines less effective to boot. ... more -
The politics of eating
As a class, lower income people have been well represented in some of the best-covered food stories of our day, particularly hunger, obesity, and diabetes. As these issues have faded in and out of the public’s eye over the last 25 years, another food trend was rapidly becoming a national obsession—namely, local and organic.
At about the same time that Berkeley diva Alice Waters was first showing us how to bestow style and grace on something as ordinary as a local tomato, the Reagan administration’s anti-poor policies were driving an unprecedented number of people into soup kitchens and food banks. And as organic food advocates were putting the finishing touches on what was to become the first national standard for organic food, supermarket chains were nailing plywood across their city store windows bidding farewell to lower income America.
In low-income circles, however, such food anxieties got little traction. Between getting to a food store where the bananas weren’t black and having enough money to buy any food at all, low-income shoppers had little inclination to parse the differences between grass-fed and grass-finished. But this didn’t imply that their awareness of organic food was non-existent, nor did it mean that low-income consumers were less likely to buy organic if they had the chance.
Read the whole article. Very interesting points to make. As a class, lower income people have been well represented in some of the best-covered food stories of our day, particularly hunger, o... more -
SF grows garden at Civic Center
San Francisco's ever eco-conscious mayor is turning Civic Center Plaza's
central promenade into an organic vegetable garden, filled with beets,
broccoli, cabbage and mustard greens... San Francisco's ever eco-conscious mayor is turning Civic Center Plaza's ... more -
Hemp seeds to rebalance and detox
"Unless you live in a pesticide and chemical-free environment and eat only 100% organic, there is an excellent chance that your body is overburdened, nutrient deficient and headed toward obesity and long term problems. North America in particular has been lulled by the food industry to eat supposedly safe, processed, packaged and canned foods. Well you've been fooled long enough!..." "Unless you live in a pesticide and chemical-free environment and eat only 100% organic, there is an excellent chance that your body i... more
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USDA refuses to admit what 50 million organic consumers know: organic food is heal...
Mum's the word among federal officials about the health benefits of eating organic foods.
The Department of Health and Human Services defers questions about organic foods to the Food and Drug Administration. But the FDA has no policy on organics because it says they're the domain of the Department of Agriculture, which will admit to using the "o-word," but says its mandate is simply to regulate use of the certified organic label, not to judge the relative benefits of organic versus conventional foods.
While the agencies entrusted with safeguarding our food and health pass the potato, a fast-growing body of scientific literature suggests that the connection between farm practices and the healthfulness of our foods merits attention.
Researchers at the University of California at Davis found that 10-year mean levels of quercetin were 79 percent higher in organic tomatoes than in conventional tomatoes, and that levels of kaempferol were 97 percent higher. Quercetin and kaempferol are flavonoids that studies suggest protect against cardiovascular disease, cancer and other age-related ills.
Another Davis study compared organic and conventional kiwis and found that "all the main mineral constituents were more concentrated in the organic kiwifruits, which also had higher ascorbic acid (a precursor of vitamin C) and total phenol content, resulting in a higher antioxidant activity."
A Spanish study measured 1.5 times more carotenoids - associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and some cancers - in peppers grown organically.
And Swiss researcher Lukas Rist found that mothers consuming at least 90 percent of their dairy and meat from organic sources have 36 percent higher levels of rumenic acid in their milk. Research suggests rumenic acid may deter cancer and diabetes, and preserve and improve immune system functions.
These and other studies give hope that organic farming can reverse the nutrient decline of fruits and vegetables that appears to accompany the widespread use of agricultural chemicals and produce varieties selected primarily for yield. And while it's true that nutrition science is still a long way from understanding what the amount of a specific nutrient in a tomato, kiwi or glass of milk means for overall health, ignoring the opportunity to improve the nutrient density of foods at the foundation of the USDA's food pyramid seems foolhardy.
Refusing to enter the discussion about how farming methods affect the nutrient density of our food helps our government duck the question of why it lends so much support to the status quo of conventional, nonorganic agriculture. But failing to acknowledge the connection between what happens on the farm and the healthfulness of foods may be enough to make a nation sick.
Mum's the word among federal officials about the health benefits of eating organic foods. ... more -
Composting the dead - Swedish burial company service
"Promessa Organic AB is developing and offering a new method of laying the dead to rest. An environmentally friendly form of burial that takes full consideration of the biological realities to which a corpse is subjected.
"Our ecological burial reduces environmental impact on some of our most important resources; our water, air and soil," says Susanne Wiigh-Mäsak, biologist and head of Promessa Organic AB."
I for one feel that turning the dead into something useful and beautiful like a cherry tree or a flower bush is far more morally superior to simply throwing them into a fire or into the ground. Giving our dead back to the environment is leagues more respectful than letting them rot or sit on our mantelpiece as a decoration. "Promessa Organic AB is developing and offering a new method of laying the dead to rest. An environmentally friendly form of burial th... more -
Organics may soon be too costly for most consumers
Let the irony of healthy food becoming only accessible to the rich not pass unnoticed.
In the past decade, organic food has moved into the mainstream, as more and more consumers have gotten creeped out by the use of growth hormones, pesticides, antibiotics, chemical fertilizers and all other sorts of unsavory, potentially carcinogenic things that go into conventional food products. The rising demand for organic food has even pushed Wal-Mart into the organics game; recently, the retail giant struck fear into the hearts of small organics suppliers by announcing a plan to fill its shelves with organic produce, meat, and dairy.
But the recent spike in food costs may curb the growing demand for organics. According to a Newsweek story, rising energy and commodity prices could drive healthy, organic fare beyond the reach of many consumers.
A gallon of conventional milk can cost as little as $2.99; meanwhile, the privilege of consuming milk that is free of unhealthy additives can run consumers up to $7 dollars a gallon.
The price hikes may discourage all but the most well-heeled shoppers from buying organics. As the article reports, only 27 percent of shoppers surveyed thought organics were worth paying extra, even though most considered organic food healthier. Let the irony of healthy food becoming only accessible to the rich not pass unnoticed. ... more -
Now You Have Reasons to Eat Organic
It can be scary when you think about what's in our grocery stores: genetically modified foods, foods that contain synthetic hormones, pesticides and antibiotics, as well as foods exposed to irradiation (a form of radiation used to kill bacteria). It can be scary when you think about what's in our grocery stores: genetically modified foods, foods that contain synthetic hormones, ... more
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Future Organic Homesteaders, Donating Possessions to Charity and Vermont Bound
There is a new trend emerging among young American families, that people are coining, 'The Simplicity Movement'. The NYTimes recently did a feature story on a few of these families who are donating their possessions, and hitting the road towards creating a simpler story for themselves and their loved ones.
from the NYTimes:::::
“It’s amazing the amount of things a family can acquire,” said Mrs. Harris, 28, attributing their good life to “the ridiculous amount of money” her husband earned as a computer network engineer in this early Wi-Fi mecca.
The Harrises now hope to end up as organic homesteaders in Vermont.
“We’re not attached to any outcome,” said Mrs. Harris. They are not alone.
Cindy Wallach and her husband, Doug Vibbert, of Annapolis, Md., moved out of their apartment with an “everything must go” party and, along with their 3-year-old son, now sail and make their home on a 44-by-24-foot catamaran. “We never wanted four walls and beige carpet,” Ms. Wallach said.
Indeed, though it may not be the stuff of the typical American dream, the modern simplicity movement, which traces its inception to 1980s Seattle, is drawing a great deal of renewed interest, some experts say.
“If you think about some of the shifts we’re having economically — shifts in oil and energy — it may be the right time,” said Mary E. Grigsby, associate professor of rural sociology at the University of Missouri and the author of “Buying Time and Getting By: The Voluntary Simplicity Movement.”
“The idea in the movement was ‘everything you own owns you,’ ” said Dr. Grigsby, who sees roots of the philosophy in the lives of the Puritans. “You have to care for it, store it. It becomes an appendage, I think. If it enhances your life and helps you do the things you want to do, great. If you are burdened by these things and they become the center of what you have to do to live, is that really positive?” There is a new trend emerging among young American families, that people are coining, 'The Simplicity Movement'. The NYTimes recently ... more -
Eat a Neighbor's Fruit
Fallen Fruit is an activist art project that promotes the concept of "Public Fruit" by mapping all of the public fruit in local neighborhood communities. Public fruit is defined as all fruit that is hanging on or over public spaces such as sidewalks, streets or parking lots. The group encourages everyone to harvest, plant and eat public fruit to advocate what can and should be a commonly shared resource. Fallen Fruit is an activist art project that promotes the concept of "Public Fruit" by mapping all of the public fruit in local neighb... more
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Monsanto Steals Life
Yeah. It really does. Follow this link and watch this documentary....
On March 11 a new documentary was aired on French television. It is a documentary most Americans will never see, explaining how the gigantic biotech corporation Monsanto is threatening to destroy the agricultural biodiversity which has served mankind for thousands of years. Yeah. It really does. Follow this link and watch this documentary.... ... more -
Wild and Homegrown--Potato Salad
This homegrown all American picnic favorite demonstrates the direction people are turning as multinational greedy companies, such as Monsanto are stealing seeds.
This homegrown all American picnic favorite demonstrates the direction people are turning as multinational greedy companies, such as M... more -
The 100-Mile Diet Wins Book Prize
The memoir, cast in the popular form of a year-long experiment, documents the pair's effort to eat nothing but locally grown food, for environmental reasons.
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High price of going organic
While many companies are now rushing to "go green," recent surveys show American consumers are getting turned off by the organic hype for three reasons: price, skepticism and confusion. While many companies are now rushing to "go green," recent surveys show American consumers are getting turned off by the organic hype ... more
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Judge: Tyson's Food Safety Claims False
A judge ordered Tyson foods to cancel advertising that said their chicken was safer than it's competitors, "The competing poultry producers claim that they're losing millions of dollars to Tyson because its advertising falsely claims that the company's birds are not medicated.
All three producers feed their chickens food containing antibiotic "ionophores," which prevent intestinal illness and are largely considered harmless antibiotics. But Tyson is the only one implying that its chickens are safer for consumers to eat. The case has highlighted concerns about food safety and how companies use marketing tactics to gain an edge over competitors." A judge ordered Tyson foods to cancel advertising that said their chicken was safer than it's competitors, "The competing poultry prod... more -
Biofuels are starving the people
The skyrocketing cost of food is causing unrest around the world. Last Saturday, Haitians ousted their prime minister, Jacques-Édouard Alexis, following a week of rioting over staple costs. In the Philippines, where the price of rice has doubled since January, the president banned using farmland for any purpose other than food production. Even Italians staged a day-long pasta protest last September when wheat prices jumped.
In the course of a year grain costs have surged by 31% for corn, 74% for rice, 87% for soya, and 130% for wheat, according to the United Nations. Compounding the problem, global grain stores are at a historic low and prices are expected to continue to rise and remain high for the foreseeable future. In response to the growing crisis, the World Food Programme, which feeds some 73 million people, appealed last month for $500 million in funds, the amount it is short this year due to the spike in food prices. And this week, UNESCO released a report that concludes an overhaul of modern agriculture is imminent.
“We estimate that a doubling of food prices over the last three years could potentially push 100 million people in low-income countries deeper into poverty,” World Bank president Robert Zoellick said.
“In this case, the international community has to think about what is the biggest risk in the short run and to make a correct balance between production of biofuel from food stuffs and biofuel coming from nonfood stuffs,” IMF managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn said during a press conference in DC last Sunday at the spring meetings of the IMF and the World Bank April 12-13. The skyrocketing cost of food is causing unrest around the world. Last Saturday, Haitians ousted their prime minister, Jacques-Édouard... more -
Organic Glamazon
Here's to true natural beauty! Futurenatural offers environmentally sound style products that make you look good on the outside and feel good on the inside. Emma Pezzack, the owner of Futurenatural, offers some insight into her world of high quality skin products that are backed up by a socially and environmentally conscious business. Here's to true natural beauty! Futurenatural offers environmentally sound style products that make you look good on the outside and fe... more
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Do food miles matter?
Excerpt:
"it's how food is produced, not how far it is transported, that matters most for global warming, according to new research published in ES&T. In fact, eating less red meat and dairy can be a more effective way to lower an average U.S. household's food-related climate footprint than buying local food, says lead author Christopher Weber of Carnegie Mellon University."
I say go local and organic, but this article reinforces to me that it is worth the extra cost to support organic agriculture. Excerpt: ... more -
Angela Greens Her Hockey Team for Earth Day
Whole Earth Generation host Mike Botticello kicks off Earth Month from Whole Foods Market in West LA. Mike kicks it off to our first two winners and co-hosts, Angela and Erin.
We then meet one of our winners, Angela, 10, who makes cool reusable bags to help save the environment. She takes us to her favorite place, the local hockey rink and gives us great tips on how to make your local sports team green for earth day. Whole Earth Generation host Mike Botticello kicks off Earth Month from Whole Foods Market in West LA. Mike kicks it off to our first t... more
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