E-NEWS
Obama Overturns Lame-duck LeasesFebruary 9, 2009Reporting by Roddy Scheer
“This bold action by Secretary Salazar reaffirms the priceless value of America’s wilderness and signals a new day for Washington,” says Sharon Buccino, senior attorney for NRDC. “The development of these lands would not have had any real impact on our energy security, and we don't need to sacrifice the West’s last wild places at the hands of the oil industry.” |
||||||||||||
Google Earth Adds OceansFebruary 9, 2009Reporting by Roddy Scheer
Sources: Earth.google.com; New York Times |
||||||||||||
COMMENTARY: Frozen FoodEating Locally—and Vegan—In the Wintry NortheastBy Alexandra Gross When I embarked on a local food diet challenge in the fall of 2008, I started my senior year blissfully optimistic that I could be a locavore and vegan as a college student. September through November offered a plethora of vegetables and many opportunities to stock up at my local farmers’ market. In December and January, I started to tap into my canned and frozen goods that I put up this summer. But, now, in the frigid February temperatures, when my pantry shelf stocks are dwindling, eating locally and vegan has become a real challenge.
The local diet is not a new phenomenon. Before the emergence of conventional mega grocery stores and commercial transportation methods, people only ate what they could grow or buy that was locally sourced. Sure, mainstream grocery stores offer the ease and convenience of satisfying any craving during whatever time of year, but this model has come to the detriment of historic regional food systems and overall environmental health. North America has an extensive list of endangered foods. Disease, pesticide application, toxic runoff and monoculture (one-crop) farming have all threatened historic plant, animal and seed varieties. Over 1,000 American foods face the threat of extinction, according to Forbes.com “America’s Most Endangered Foods”. Yet, with the efforts of seed and species-saving organizations such as Seed Savers, Slow Food USA, Chefs Collaborative and American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, farmers have been trying to protect and restore these endangered foods. And America’s food culture faces another problem: its dependence on fossil fuels. Large-scale farms utilize gas- and oil-powered machines, not only displacing human labor but also contributing immense amounts of greenhouse gases (GHGs) to the atmosphere. The transport of food cross-country or globally only adds to the release of CO2, methane and other GHGs into the air. To put this into perspective, consider food miles, or the distance an individual’s food travels from production to market. In a 2001 study by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, scientists found “the weighted average source distance (WASD) for locally grown produce to reach institutional markets was 65 miles, while the conventional WASD for the produce to reach those same institutional points of sale was 1,494 miles, nearly 27 times further.” Although this is only abbreviated evidence of the large energy and fuel use of conventional agriculture, the arguments are rooted in common sense. If one travels close to home to buy locally grown and regional food from small, preferably organic family farms, the overall impact of a person’s carbon footprint remains considerably smaller than among those who drive longer distances to buy food that traveled cross-country. Without getting bogged down in the politics of local eating, there is one universal reason why people should give local food a chance: It tastes really good.
There are some obvious disadvantages to living in New England and going local in the winter. Add to that list what some might find restrictive, my vegan diet, which eliminates locally sourced diary, eggs and meat from the menu options. Once the ground freezes, one can only hang on to the colors, smells and flavors of the growing season. I am glad I have vivid memories of working on an organic farm in the summer and harvesting (and eating) the overabundance of buttery spring spinach and the baskets full of heirloom tomatoes to get me through these cold months. I can’t complain all that much about access to food; I work at a farmers’ market on Saturdays and stock up on supplies. I have managed to eat really well and not jeopardize my health, and, in the process, save money and considerably reduce my overall waste output. Celeriac, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, mushrooms, artisan breads, tofu made in-state and dwindling stocks of frozen and canned goods have been my saviors, but I do miss green leafy vegetables. With the help of organic hydroponic growers who sell at local markets, I’ve satisfied this urge, but I do so sparingly. To me, eating hydroponic greens feels somewhat like cheating, and many would agree. The debate over hydroponic growing is mixed, varying from environmental and ethical standpoints. Hydroponics is a method of growing plants in nutrient-rich water solutions. The use of greenhouses for this type of cultivation brings up issues of energy costs and use. Other debates concern the validity of the organic certification for hydroponic growing based on the elimination of soil and land use. Yet, high crop yields, effective water-saving measures and prevention of fertilizer run-off make hydroponic greens an attractive option during the winter months. Surviving the Winter As of February, eating local in the winter has proven challenging. But while the range and choices of winter foods may not be as varied as during harvest months, there is still delicious food out there from local farmers. For omnivores, your diet will be more varied than mine, but vegetarians and vegans can still survive as locavores. March, however, may be a different story; it’s a fickle month dotted with the hints of spring but the threat of winter not far behind. I’ll tackle that when I get there. With any lifestyle decision you make, it comes down to personal choice and the ethics behind that decision. Food is not just something you eat; behind that potato, celery root and pepper jelly are the people, land and animals that provided that subsistence for you. More than that, food has the power to unite people and establish meaningful, long-lasting relations. If you are interested in “going local,” check out the following links to see where you can get local food in your area: CONTACT: Food Routes; Local Harvest; Sustainable Table; U.S. Department of Agriculture: Agricultural Marketing Service ALEXANDRA GROSS is an editorial intern at E. |
||||||||||||
Resources for Eco-Awareness and Action
For years, Ripple Junction has provided retailers with T-shirts that hit a cultural nerve—appealing to everyone from Deadheads to comic collectors to Full Housefanatics. With their Tee Hugger line, they’re promoting a line of T-shirts ($25) with an eco-conscience without giving up the humor. The shirts are made from 100% organic, chemical-free cotton, and bear messages like “Solar Power Turns Me On” and “Save Water: Shower with a Friend.” Inside, each shirt features 10 easy ways to green up your life. —Astrid M. Krogstad CONTACT: Tee Hugger Apparel
Save Your World, an Oregon-based personal-care product company, makes a conservation claim as bold and refreshing as its lime/peppermint/sandalwood-scented shower gel: For every hair or body care product one purchases, an acre of rainforest is saved for one year. The company—whose products include Save Your Hair shampoo and conditioner (12-ounce bottle, $18) , Save Your Skin shower gel (4-ounce bottle, $10) and moisturizer (8-ounce bottle, $14), and a Save Your Body line available exclusively at Whole Foods—has partnered withConservation International, which leases 200,000 acres of rainforest in Guyana. The organization pays the Government of Guyana Forestry Mission what it would have earned had the land been used for mining or logging. The entire product line features all-natural, organic ingredients such as yerba mate and aloe vera, and comes in three essential-oil-blend fragrances—Oasis Fruit, Regal Blossom and, of course, Rainforest. —Jessica Rae Patton CONTACT: Save Your World
Time to get your Valentine’s Day flowers and chocolates—but not without checking those labels. The Rainforest Alliance (RA), which works to protect biodiversity and human rights worldwide, has certified specific flowers and chocolates made without causing undo harm to the planet or laborers. Certified spray roses, gerber daisies and alstromeria are available at Whole Foods. ShopRite and Sam’s Clubs sell the flowers, and all of Costco’s flowers are RA-certified. The chocolates, called Vintage Plantations Chocolates, include Valentine’s Day truffles and are available at www.eChocolates.com. The group has certified over 115 million acres of forests and farms worldwide. —Brita Belli CONTACT: Rainforest Alliance, (212)677-1900
The idea of crafting handbags from recycled inner tubes isn’t new; eco-conscious companies have been doing so for nearly 25 years. But until now the look was decidedly utilitarian—swathes of rubber with inner-tube imprints and lots of tough hardware on display. The bags were also a bit heavy, even before being loaded with all the personal detritus people feel compelled to lug around. Passchal has taken these tubes to the ecoluxury level with lighter-weight leather details, sleeker shapes and, yes, high-fashion price tags. The playful “Scrunch” purse retails for $395; the perfect power-suit accessory, the “Downtown,” is $525. A neat feature of all Passchal bags is an interior LED light. All leathers used are vegetable-tanned and chrome-free. —J.R.P. CONTACT: Passchal Bags
Here’s a good rule: Whenever you’re interested in testing a toy, give it to a kid. My two-year-old tester loved the Discover Rig from Sprig Toys. Here’s why: The light-up hats on the characters (which look a little like miners) are genius. The more she pushes, the brighter the light gets, through kinetic energy, not batteries. And when she takes the character out, the hat stays lit! The world music and voices that change with each character in the driver’s seat are cool, too, and improve in quality with use. I’m particularly fond of the Australian’s cheery “G’day, mate!” The long handle makes sense for toddler speed-racing and the recycled wood and reclaimed plastic body of the rugged-looking truck is the cherry on top of this planet-friendly toy. —B.B. CONTACT: Sprig Toys, (970)472-0321
Designer Nicole Miller has introduced a line of Carbon Neutral neckties ($95). The line hearkens back to the mid-’80s, when Miller put a permanent twist on the menswear staple by coining the concept of “conversational ties”—those with bold, culture-referencing graphics. The Absolut bottles and candy wrappers have been replaced with wind turbines, electric bikes and beneficial insects. On the back of each tie is a related fact. On the Trees Tie it’s: “Planting trees can offset your carbon dioxide output. Trees consume CO2, provide shade, food and stabilize soil.” The ties themselves are not claiming carbon-neutrality; they are made in China of only 30% recycled silk. The company says their intention with the neckwear is “primarily intellectual”—meaning, they are intended to inspire discussions about conservation efforts. Miller is a longtime supporter of environmental causes and organizations including Riverkeeper and the Rocky Mountain Institute. —J.R.P. CONTACT: Nicole Miller
BOOKS
“Sustainability” is a common concern in the environmental movement, whether regarding agriculture, energy or development. But is the environmental movement itself, with its ubiquitous quick-fix tips and green guides du jour, sustainable in its present phase? This is the question contemplated by author Stephanie Kaza inMindfully Green: A Personal and Spiritual Guide to Whole Earth Thinking (Shambhala Publications, Inc., $14). “Green zeal,” writes Kaza, a professor of environmental studies at the University of Vermont and a practicing Zen Buddhist, is “an almost fervent sense of engagement with environmental concerns.” She applauds this zeal but cautions that in order to sustain it beyond the amount of time it takes to switch out one’s lightbulbs, people need to find their deeper “green practice path.” Informed by her Buddhist teachings, she puts forth in this book several ideas for moving “from personal sacrifice to real consideration of the nature of our connection with the earth.” Kaza expands the idea of a green lifestyle beyond just that—a style—to an endurable and dynamic green way of life, or “lifeway.” This is one green guide as sustainable as its message. —Jessica Rae Patton
It’s easy to get lost in the drama of The Whale Warriors: The Battle at the Bottom of the World to Save the Planet’s Largest Mammals (Free Press, $15) by adventure writer and NPR contributor Peter Heller. Even before the ship full of ragtag international conservationists, animal activists and reporters makes it to Antarctica to find and confront Japanese whaling ships, the book presents an amazing alternate universe. Captain Paul Watson, one of the foun-ders of Greenpeace who formed the Sea Shepherd Society, is truly deserving of the “maverick” title—a wild-white-haired burly man prone to raunchy jokes and comic book quizzes who Heller dubs “the anti-Ahab” in reference to the infamous whaleship captain in Moby Dick. Heller writes of Watson: “More bearish, more charming, but just as terrifying in his fearlessness, and in his willingness to sacrifice everything, including our lives—to save the whale.” Watson may register as an “extreme” environmentalist by the standards of most, but the descriptions in Whale Warriors of just how whales are executed via high-voltage torture, or how gently they respond to those who save them from entanglement or death, would give anyone pause. The mix of far-flung characters, wild weather, environmental lessons and outrageous adventures all leads to a head-on clash with the Japanese whaling fleet—on Christmas Day, no less. It’s an exhilarating ride. —Brita Belli
WHO OWNS THE WATER?
THE GOOD BOOK’S GONE GREEN
FROM CORPORATION TO CONSERVATION
BETTER LIVING
The book is the third volume from Imus’ best-selling “Green This!” series. In it, she encourages us to reflect on our daily choices in the supermarket, at the pharmacy and at the mall. She urges readers to consider “everything you put on or in your body…to reduce your overall intake of toxins, whether they come in a jar of face cream or a bottle of salad dressing.” Each section covers a different health topic, from “Eating Green 101” to personal-care products and fashion. And the book is chock-full of handy reference lists: safe seafood, low-pesticide produce, cosmetics to avoid, sustainable garments and safer dietary supplements. Vegan recipes and a web resource guide enable readers to become proactive in finding their own paths to wellbeing. Imus confirms that the notion of consuming with a conscience (it is possible, after all) holds the promise of rejuvenation—of oneself and, in time, the planet. —Astrid M. Krogstad |
||||||||||||
