TreeHugger

In Defense of the Cow: How Eating Meat Could Help Slow Climate Change

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:27:44 -0500

Photo via stock.xchng by bouwm019 Should we be eating more beef in order to slow global warming? It sounds counterintuitive, but it may be so: Cattle could be part of the whole ecological equation to solving climate change and restoring healthy, bio-diverse ecosystems. I am a vegetarian, but I maintain there is a place for grass-fed beef on family menus—and pasture-raised cattle in global warming solutions. Cows can help more than harm if they are sustainably raised.]]>...

Plantagon Develops Vertical Farm That Can Go Anywhere

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:44:13 -0500

PSFK that it "will dramatically change the way we produce ecological and functional food. It allows us to produce ecological with clean air and water inside urban environments, even major cities, cutting costs and environmental damage by eliminating transportation and deliver directly to consumers. This is due to the efficiency and productivity of the Plantagon® greenhouse which makes it economically possible to finance each greenhouse from its own sales."]]>...

High Expectations For Organic Food Could Be Off

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:29:23 -0500

"Thinking big." Image credit:The Economist. Everything has limits. Case in point, regarding generally high expectations for organic food growing in importance, and as reported in Environmental Leader, 'based on recent national survey of consumers, organic food is expected to grow greatly in importance over the next decade,' let's review the powerful limits to that expectation being realized. ]]>...

Drink Clos LaChance Wine to Save Endangered Hummingbird

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 20:24:00 -0500

This is neither a Honduran Emerald or Clos LaChance, but it is a hummingbird drinking nectar from a wine glass. Image via: HummingbirdsLiberty on Flickr.com It may not be organic or biodynamic, and it might not be saving the planet, but drinking Clos laChance endangered hummingbird series wine will (help to) save one hummingbird species a yea]]>...

Climate Change too Abstract For You? Dengue Fever Could Spread to 28 U.S. States

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:44:18 -0500

In red are counties that have one of the 2 Dengue mosquito vector species. Blue are are vulnerable areas. Image: NRDC That's Pretty Concrete and Scary Matthew recently wrote a post about the climate change induced expansion of the tropics and the consequences of it. One of the main ones is the Northward movement of certain tropical diseases. The NRDC has just released a report on the subject (subtitle: "Mosquitoes Known t]]>...

From Coffee Grounds to Fabric: Fashion That Gives Us a Buzz

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:01:49 -0500

Photo credit: Getty Images We've seen some pretty funky feedstock for fabric in our time, from chicken feathers to discarded cigarette butts. Now get set to look at your morning mud in a whole new light because a Taiwanese company has pioneered a method to weave waste coffee grounds into interlaced fibers. The result? A textile that dries quickly, protects against UV rays, and dampens odors, while meeting ...

Nobody Has To Know if You Go Vegetarian; You Can Eat Meat Made From Candy

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:13:45 -0500

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Green Eyes On: Local Schools Go Beyond Green

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:50:50 -0500

my green eyes on. My last piece was about exciting recommendations coming out of the American Medical Association's annual meeting to eat more local and organic food. Sometimes it’s about places I’ve been and people I’ve met who are doing incredible things to promote health and protect our en]]>...

In Britain, Cheap Food Beats Organic

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:14:39 -0500

Kelly Rossiter We ran a poll last week asking Do You Buy Local, Organic, Or Cheap?; it was pretty much a dead heat. But in Britain, a new study shows that people are "turning their backs on buying ethical in favour of cheaper shopping bills." The head of the consultancy who did the study puts it bluntly in the Guardian:

"The recession has shaken off the moral veneer of consumers, and a more prudent shopper is emerging. Consumers are now turning away from ethical products, ]]>...

Recirculating Marine Aquaculture: Farmed Fish Minus the Pollution

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 09:01:16 -0500

Image credit: UMBI Center of Marine Biotechnology Fully Contained, Indoor Fish Farming Update: Karin has reported on this initiative before under Fish Farming Moves to the Condos, and Lloyd also covered it under the Future of Food. Great to see it still goind strong. The dire state of urban farmers have carved out small plots of land to grow vegetables, adding a welcome bit of greenery to the roadside as they make, or at least contribute to, their own livelihoods. Green-thumbs in the capital city of Ankara once had a similar opportunity -- before the land started being sold out from under them.]]>...

More Low-carbon Grilling Tips: Minty Marinade

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:07:54 -0500

Before: how not to grill--high flame, smoke and charring. Photo via flickr by (appropriately) Combust When barbecuing your free-range meats and line-caught fish this July 4th, be sure to whip up some marinade first. Yesterday, I offered ten ways to avoid carcinogenic HCAs and PAHs when grilling (or any high-heat cooking, for that matter). Thanks to a comment from a reader, I dug digger into tip # 4, the marinating suggestion that lessens HCAs, and discovered some compelling results and recommended recipes for significa]]>...

Has the 'Organic' Label Become the Biggest Greenwashing Campaign in the US?

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:27:19 -0500

Photos via Critical Bench, and the Guardian We're well aware that more and more products are apt to be labeled with false green claims to try to grab the attention of increasingly green consumers--and 98% percent of them were guilty of exactly that last year. Now consider the federal, USDA regulated carbon capture, alternative fuels for Virgin Airlines and even eco-resorts on his famous islands), now he's into something a little more mellow: funding a F]]>...

US Consumers Prefer "100% Natural" Food Label

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:36:24 -0500

Mr. Natural," may well be that US consumers have an instinctive preference for the "100% Natural" label over the "100% Organic" one, and by a wide margin (as pictured). That's according to recent survey of 1006 people by the Shelton Group, which offeres detailed results in a commercially-sold EcoPulse market report.]]>...

Bridgedale Adds Bamboo Socks And Reduces Global Warming

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 08:11:49 -0500

Plant A Boo project is looking to reinvigorate this swift growing g]]>...

Ten Ways to Avoid Carbon from Barbecues This 4th of July

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:43:18 -0500

Hmmm, the smoky flavor of carcinogens give PAHs for thought. Photo via Flickr by brandi666 Stand out of the line of fire of smoky fumes. Sure, that's the first defense. But what about the dangers of grilled dogs, ribs, and salmon? I've long heard tales of how a charcoal grilled burger is the equivalent of a carton of cigarettes. So when flipping through Cure magazine at my acupuncturist’s office, I discovered an article from Lena Huang about “Good Grilling” with easy steps t]]>...

Chat Today With the Famous Omnivore, Michael Pollan

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:00:50 -0500

O.K., yes I have a crush on Michael Pollan and have had ever since I interviewed him during an infamous Portland ice storm. And yes, my husband knows. And yes, Michael Pollan is married. But also, big yes, as part of the press around the opening of the film Food Inc., you can chopping down trees because of prolonged drought - but it's not all bad news. Many farmers are learning to live with less water - some are even cutting out irrigation all together - and the result, say some, is healthier, tastier crops that are selling like hot cakes at the farmers' markets. Just as organic grapes thrive in drier soils]]>...

Is Brooks Running the Best Green Source for Runners?

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:36:08 -0500

Photo: PRNewsFoto/Brooks Sports, Inc You a runner? Or an exercise-oholic? And you want your workouts to reflect your green lifestyle? Well, the race is ON…or at least for me and a few friends to find the best performing green running equipment. Since February of this year (2009), I’ve made it my personal mission to seek out the most excellent green products in the running world as I train for my first marathon in No]]>...

Summer Streets Coming Back to New York City in August: 7 Miles of Car-Free Roads

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:19:07 -0500

Photo: Flickr, CC I Love the Smell of Car-Free Roads in the Morning! New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, along with NYC DOT commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan, has announced that the Summer Streets initiative is coming back to the streets of NYC this August. Last year was a great success, with over 50,000 people joining the fun on each of th]]>...

Container Gardening Options for Small Spaces (Slideshow)

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 07:17:17 -0500

Photo credit: keeping it real @ Flickr This time of year, gardening can be a great way to get some dirt under your fingernails and grow some of your own fruits and veggies, but we all don't have the room to sew row after row of vegetables. Hap]]>...

Trader Joe's Flunks Sustainable Seafoods 101 (Again)

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 05:18:16 -0500

Fish in a bag at TJ's - convenient but not all that green. Photo inuyaki.com via flickr. C'mon, you know a Trader Joe's addict or two, don't you? It's sometimes impossible to resist the combination of lower prices and lots of organic and even Fair Trade basics. But when you are planning to put fish on the menu, TJ's is not the place to shop, according to an update of the Supermarket Seafood Scorecard released by Greenpeace. Trader Joe's has done no]]>...

Don't Bite Me! Offers Free Sunscreen Soap with Purchase

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:18:29 -0500

Don’t Bite Me!. What’s cool is that it’s an all-natural insect repellent skin patch, versus a spray or cream, which uses Vitamin B1 to ward off insects and mosquitoes for up to a whopping 36 hours.]]>...

Wine In A Box: The Greenest Way To Drink?

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:13:00 -0500

Image Source: LookAtMeShirts.comDear Pablo: I visited a winery called La Delizia located in Casarsa de la Delizia, north of Venice in Italy. They have started selling 3 litre boxed wines at US retail outlets. I'd like to know how the carbon footprint of La Delizia's 3 liter boxes compare to boxed wine from California, for instance, Turning Leaf Vineyards' 3 liter merlot, produced in Modesto, CA, or any other 3 liter California boxed wine. It would also be great to know how 3 liter boxed wines from other leading wine regions such as Austraila, South Africa and Chile would compare to those two.]]>...

Climate Friendly Cows Make Meat Eating a Little Less Bad

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:00:52 -0500

Photo via Bjorlanda Farm. Leave it to the Swedes to try to have their cows and eat them, too. In the southern half of the country, farmers are breeding Highland cattle, originally from Scotland but bred in Sweden for decades if not centuries. The breed is long-haired (to better survive winter), long-horned, and long-living. Highland cattle are pastured year-round in the milder southern Swedish climate, eating grass and the wild herbs growing in the different rotating fields they eat in. This grass-fed meat, a bit leaner and perhap]]>...

Ozarka's New Little Eco-Label Requires 60,000 Trees Every Year

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 19:15:34 -0500

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Women Should Sing to Their Tomatoes. Guys Should Shut Up.

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 18:33:59 -0500

The Ewan via Flickr We may live in society that stresses equality between the genders, but when it comes to gardening, women seem to have an upper larynx. According to a recent experiment by the Royal Horticultural Society in England, tomato plants grow faster when they are crooned at. The sung-to tomatoes grew two inches higher than their unserenaded counterparts. Female voices worked especially well for hasty tomato growth. Male voices, on the ]]>...

Bhut Jolokia Chili Grenades to Take On the World's Worst Unruly Rioters

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 13:04:36 -0500

Photo via: Laughing Shaman The Bhut Jolokia (a.k.a. Ghost chili), the India version of the hot pepper, might be coming to a riot near you...]]>...

More "Save the Bees" Success: What Can Other Environmental Campaigners Learn?

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 09:10:26 -0500

Image credit: The Guardian 20,000 honeybees released: great news, but why such big news? Anyone who has spent time campaigning on environmental issues will know that it can be hard to get the general public engaged with the plight of an endangered species, or worried about pollution. We all lead busy lives, and sometimes the environment plays second fiddle to economics, politics or even TV reality shows when it comes to public attention. So what is it about honeybees that has so strongly captured our collective imagination? ]]>...

McCartneys' Meat Free Monday Campaign Rolls On

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:59:27 -0500

Meat Free Monday is not about vegetarianism I posted already on Paul McCartney's support of Meat Free Monday. Given the undeniable links between meat and climate change, the former Beatle's calls for people to give up eating meat just one day a week seem eminently reasonable. However, I can't help but wonder if this part-time vegetarianism is a sneak attack by the animal rights lobby - hoping that Monday-]]>...

Green Beauty Products Abound at (You Guessed It)...GreenBeauty.ca

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:31:00 -0500

Photo via GreenBeauty.ca. Looking for green <]]>...

Mountain Bikes Empower Cacao Farmers in Congo

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:28:50 -0500

Image: Original Beans A few months ago I posted about Original Beans and the true cost of chocolate. The company is has committed to planting a tree in the country of origin for every bar sold. And now, Original Beans is celebrating a partnership with mountain biking legend Hans Rey's Wheels4Life foundation, that will allow cacao farmers in the Congo much needed mobility. ]]>...

Rainforest Alliance Partners with North America's Largest Cocoa Processor

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:42:00 -0500

Image via: ParsecTraveller on Flickr.com Oh chocolate, how we love you, let us count your names...let's see, there's M&M's, chocolate fondue, Mars, Nestle, German Chocolate Cake, Green&Black's, Scharfenberger, Death by Chocolate, Chocolate chips, Cadbury's, Chocolate Brownies, Chocolate Fudge, Godiva Chocolate and their chocolate dipped strawberries, hot chocolate, chocolate pudding, churros & ch]]>...

How Communities Grow Free Food (Video)

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:27:23 -0500

Image credit: GROFUN Neighbors Come Together for Gardening and Free Produce Growing your own veggies is great. But the process can be intimidating and time consuming. That's why it's so important to help newbies learn new skills and meet like-minded, experienced gardeners. Whether it's instant veggie gardens by mail or Australian Permablitz's collaborative urban permaculture gardens, a little community can go a long way. In]]>...