Last week the USDA released a Draft Environmental Impact Statement on newly developed 2,4-D resistant genetically modified corn and soybean traits. As the internet exploded with pro-biotech advocacy celebrating the move towards deregulation of yet another GMO product line, I couldn’t help noticing the number of straw men participating in the debate! Just so the ‘no thank you’ side of the unfolding 2,4-D debacle is fairly represented, here’s why some sustainability enthusiasts don’t consider this potential ‘alternative’ even a little tiny bit preferred.
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Processed Food vs. Whole Foods: Where does Tofu Stand?
There’s a perception that tofu is a highly processed food, but is it really as bad as haters would have you believe?
U.S. Nuclear Power in Decline
Nuclear power generation in the United States is falling. After increasing rapidly since the 1970s, electricity generation at U.S. nuclear plants began to grow more slowly in the early 2000s. It then plateaued between 2007 and 2010—before falling more than 4 percent over the last two years. Projections for 2013 show a further 1 percent drop. With reactors retiring early and proposed projects being abandoned, U.S. nuclear power’s days are numbered.
Vegan Athletics: The PCRM VegRun Program
The folks at Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) launched a plant-based running program, and they offered me a free account to try it out. I jumped at the change to prove that vegan athletics are totally possible!
Gary Pickering Builds “Tiny House” Survival Pods for the Homeless (w/ video)
Gary Pickering is making the world a better place by donating a number of self-built, portable ‘micro-houses’ to Utah’s homeless people in an effort to help them survive the area’s harsh winter weather conditions. How’d he come up with that? They say that necessity is the mother of invention. For Gary Pickering, years of being […]
Why Did You Think They Were Called “Heirloom Seeds”?
Most of us in the Western world get the majority of our food from the local grocery store. Generally, they are huge buildings that are stocked with an amazing variety of food from across the planet. These massive food stores, however, depend on a supply chain that is much more fragile than it might appear […]
Watch and Share: Genetic Scientist’s TED Talk Indicts GMO Agriculture
Dr. Thierry Vrain spent most of his working life advocating for biotechnology companies, as a soil biologist and genetic engineering enthusiast. In his recent TED talk Vrain systematically unravels the biotech spin, from the perspective of a scientist who can no longer ignore a growing body of evidence that GMOs cause problems. No matter how desperately chemical companies seek to paint critics as anti-science, reality rears its evidence-based head: considering everything we’ve learned since 1996, genetically engineered food crops deserve our best and most enthusiastic skepticism.
Coke – Not Pepsi – Removes Carcinogenic Caramel Coloring
According to CEH, last year both Coke and Pepsi agreed to remove 4-MEI, a known carcinogen, from its caramel coloring, but only Coke has fully followed through.
SunOven: the Ultimate Off-the-grid Cooking Tool for Post-apocalyptic Foodies (w/ video)
Solar ovens are long-lasting, zero-emission cooking tools that use no fuel – making them perfect for both off-the-grid cooking and developing countries that don’t have access to a reliable grid to begin with. In an effort to get healthy, well-cooked food to these nations, the American SunOven company has put together a series of initiatives […]
“Grass-Fed” On The Label: What It Does (And Doesn’t) Tell You
What does the “grass-fed” label really mean? The USDA’s grass-fed labeling standard tells you a lot, but what it doesn’t tell you is just as important.
Renzo Piano Builds a Haute Shiver Shack For Off-the-Grid Singles
Italian architect Renzo Piano has come up with a small, simple-living home design that could is less of a shiver shack and more of a one-person, off the grid castle – and, if you’re in the market for a “tiny house” and you have an eye for going off grid, you’ll want to pay attention, because it doesn’t get much better than this …
Skinnygirl Exposed (Again): Not-So Naturally Flavored Vodkas
Bethenny Frankel recently unveiled four new Skinnygirl flavors: Mojito, Sweet ‘n Tart Grapefruit Margarita, Moscato and White Cherry Vodka. And while all of them sound kind of suspect, I am particularly suspect about the “natural” flavored vodkas. As I wrote in Skinnygirl Wine Exposed, the Skinnygirl wine’s low-calorie positioning is nothing more than marketing and promotional bluster (low calorie […]
Top 10 Most Common GMO Foods
Genetically modified food is already present in the supermarkets. We don’t always know which foods are GMO and which are non-GMO. Besides looking for label, here are 10 foods that are commonly GMO.
Bel Brands USA Responds To Red Wax Wrapper Question
A few weeks ago I posted about Mini Baby Bel’s red wax wrapper and how the company could not confirm that the red dye doesn’t leach into the cheese it contains. Here is the response I received. Dear Miss Kaplan, Thank you for contacting us. Our wax is composed of fully refined paraffin wax, micro-crystalline […]
5 Things You Absolutely Need To Know About GMOs
What’s all the fuss about? Even if you’re out of the loop on the GMO debate, here are five things you want to know about GMOs and the food supply. 1. GMOs are hidden in many foods. It turns out that genetic engineering is used in the production of countless products. For example, additives made from GM […]
Laughing Cow Mini Babybel Red Covers May Leach Dye
According to a recent email from the Feingold Association of the United States, Laughing Cow Mini Babybel Mild Cheddar suggests that Laughing Cow “was unable to be sure if the dye in the red plastic cover will leach out into the cheese.” You know which red plastic (I thought it was wax!) covers we are talking […]
Top 10 Reasons I Love My Dehydrator!
We met about three years ago, on my birthday. I’d checked out his profile, and knew he was interesting… but I never dreamed how well we’d hit it off! I’ll never have a dehydrator-free kitchen again, if I can help it — here’s why!
Similac Organic Formula: Is it healthier?
Choosing the best formula for your baby is tricky business! Similac makes an organic formula, but how healthy is this option for your child?
Oklahoma Governor Signs Bill to Allow Horse Slaughter
On Friday, Oklahoma governor Mary Fallin signed a bill to allow horse slaughter within the state.
Wanderlust Festival brings mindful joy, healthy living to north shore of Oahu
Creating community around mindful living. Traveling the world meeting a cultural demand that’s already there, and just fulfilling it.That’s the job description for John Krasno and Seane Hoess, founders of Wanderlust. They’ve been doing this for a while, but they’ve found new elements to incorporate in the Oahu Wanderlust–especially surfing. Seeing the correlation between surfing […]
Spotted: Growing Mushrooms in…a Laundry Basket?
I’ve used a mushroom-growing kit before and seen folks growing mushrooms in those innoculated logs, but over the weekend I stumbled on a different – and versatile! – way to grow mushrooms: in a laundry basket!
The DIY Soil Block Maker: 7 Plans
Want to try using soil blocks for starting your garden seeds this year? You can buy a soil blocker… or make your own from one of these DIY plans.
Avoiding Mid-Life Crises With a Life Course Correction: Burning Man
Men approaching 40 often hit what is termed a “mid-life crisis”. They dump their old car and buy something they can’t afford with lots of horsepower and a sexy exterior. They start jumping out of planes. And often, they divorce their wives in the pursuit of younger women. The underlying cause is a feeling of […]
What is an Intentional Community?
Have you come across the phrase “intentional community,” but didn’t really understand what it meant? Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage resident Ma’ikwe Schaub Ludwig provides an insiders look at what it means to live in such a community.
Tea During Pregnancy: Which Ones Are Safe?
Not all herbal teas are safe when you’re pregnant, but many are A-OK! So, what’s the skinny on tea during pregnancy?
Vegan-izing Your Holiday Favorites
As the holidays approach, so do the family get-togethers, office parties, and dinners. For those of us living a vegan lifestyle, finding something to eat can be challenging, to say the least. The good news, however, is that it is easier now than ever before to choose vegan eating options – even during the holidays. Many holiday favorites can be “veganized” with a little advanced planning.
The Great Transition, Part I: From Fossil Fuels to Renewable Energy
The great energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy is under way. As fossil fuel prices rise, as oil insecurity deepens, and as concerns about pollution and climate instability cast a shadow over the future of coal, a new world energy economy is emerging. The old energy economy, fueled by oil, coal, and natural gas, is being replaced with an economy powered by wind, solar, and geothermal energy.
Quinoa and Barley Give Healthy Eating a Good Reputation
In late August, I discovered that barley is a tasty and much healthier alternative for brown rice. After that menu-changing discovery, I wondered how quinoa compared. I cooked with it and did a little research. Here’s what I found.
October Unprocessed: Unsweetened Crock Pot Applesauce
When I first learned about October Unprocessed, the question that immediately came to mind is: what defines processed food? This crock pot applesauce recipe contains no refined or added sugars and should work for your month of unprocessed eating, no matter how strict you decide to be.
The DIY Aquaponics System: 6 Plans for Bringing Fish and Plants Together to Grow Food
Putting fish and plants together in a closed loop (that’s organic by necessity) strikes me as a brilliant use of biomimicry… or, at least the notion that “waste equals food” in the natural world. But can a backyard tinkerer put together an aquaponics system on the cheap?
Barley vs Brown Rice: The Ultimate Smackdown!
Ever wondered how barley stacks up nutritionally against brown rice? Here’s a side-by-side comparison plus some ideas for how to cook barley.
Minimize Food Waste By Storing Food In Your Refrigerator The Right Way
I tossed out a bag of mushy strawberries this evening, damn! Did you know that the average American wastes 40% of the food they purchase? I haven’t measured my own waste, but 40% doesn’t seem unrealistic. And that’s sad. What’s worse? Much of that wasted food ends up in landfills where it breaks down and forms methane, a greenhouse gas far more powerful than carbon dioxide.
Offshore Wind Energy Development Picking Up Pace
Wind power is the world’s leading source of renewable electricity, excluding hydropower, with 238,000 megawatts of capacity installed at the start of 2012. Thus far, almost all of this wind power has been tapped on land; worldwide just 4,600 megawatts of offshore wind farms were operating as of mid-2012. Offshore wind capacity is growing quickly, however, expanding nearly six-fold since 2006. Twelve countries now have wind turbines spinning offshore, and more will be joining them to take advantage of the powerful winds blowing over the oceans.
10 Killer Quinoa Salad Recipes
There’s nothing like a good quinoa salad… it’s filling, refreshing, and makes you feel awesome knowing the goodness you just put in your body.
Soy — Devil-fruit, or Bean? (Hint: Bean)
Detractors frequently demonize the humble soybean. It stands alone in that regard, among its less maligned cousins: no one accuses pinto beans of causing cancer, black beans of causing man-boobs, or chickpeas of causing infertility and birth defects. The soybean has been exploited on a larger scale, but it’s just a bean. Processed foods — with or without soy — can cause problems. GMO foods — soy or otherwise — can cause problems. But soy contains no magic disease demons, no secret toxins, no evil plan to take over the world. It is simply a legume. So relax, good friends, and rejoice: for soy is no devil! ‘Tis but a bean.
Easy Lemon Cucumber Refrigerator Pickles
I’m new to pickling, but my lemon cucumbers are at their peak so I used them for this pickle experiment, with surprisingly tasty results.
The Real Costs of Bottled Water
Bottled water is sold to us as a fresh, healthy, and pure product. Yet in reality, when you buy a bottle of water you’re may just be buying back your local tap water at a mark-up of up to 1000 times the actual cost. Not only is bottled water no better for you than plain old tap water, but the environmental cost of the packaging used to beautify it is a serious issue.
How to Make Your Own Concrete Tamper
Our Earthbag Building Workshop is about to kick off tomorrow, and I spent the day doing some last minute preparations with our instructor, Scott Howard of Earthen Hand Natural Building. A big portion of the earthbag construction process is tamping the dirt into bags to make sure they’re packed tightly, and then tamping them again […]
Instead of What?
I’ve been contemplating the name of this blog and what it means to me personally. I don’t know the thought behind the name, as I was not involved in its development. What does insteading mean? According to the Urban Dictionary, the definition of insteading is: When you’re doing anything but the assignment that you’re supposed […]
5 Sustainable Eco Bath Mats
Your bathroom may be the least appealing room in your house by definition of purpose but that doesn’t mean that it can’t serve as an oasis of peace and solitude! While many aspects of your water closet determine exactly how appealing it is, there is no denying the power of the bath mat in setting a tone of design and usefulness as your bathroom’s centerpiece.
Concerns With Urban Animal Slaughter
Photo Credit by VeryGeeky. This article is a response to a Slate.com piece published by James McWilliams on June 6th, 2012. The article, titled “The Butcher Next Door: Why the rise of DIY urban animal slaughter is bad for people and animals,” tries to make the point that animal slaughter by untrained people in an […]
New Garden Resolutions: Mulch, Mulch, Mulch
I’ve never been a big fan of New Year’s Resolutions. I understand the intention to start a new year with healthy goals, yet they rarely last longer than a couple of months for most individuals. Instead, I am personally more successful with season resolutions. This year, as I toil away in the garden, my new […]
LEGO Upcycling Ideas: What to Do with those Extra LEGO Bricks
Got hundreds or thousands of LEGO bricks lying around, and thinking about trashing them? Don’t – you can make useful items with those “toys.” Here are ten ways that others have upcycled LEGO bricks.
5 DIY Projects for Indoor Gardening
When you live in a somewhat unpredictable climate, it can be truly frustrating to try and deal with a gardening routine. Many plants might even die if you accidentally plant too soon. That is why it can really pay off to do an indoor garden or, at least, prepare for it indoors until you are really sure a garden is workable outside.
Tips For Growing Stevia In Your Garden
Want to grow your own Stevia? It’s not the easiest herb to grow, but these tips will help you cultivate your own source of this natural sweetener.
5 Upcycled Bird Feeders
Want to get the kids involved in environmentally-themed projects? These DIY upcycled bird feeder ideas are simple and educational.
3 Surprising Ways To Conserve And Recycle Water
Happy World Water Day! Learn about three surprising ways that people and companies are conserving, sourcing, and recycling water.
Seattle Solar Installation Q&A
Seattle Solar Electricity Q&A I sat down last week with Amy Beaudoin of West Seattle Natural Energy, a solar & wind energy installer based here in West Seattle. We talked about a bunch of questions that I had as well as questions submitted by readers on topics like: Things you can do to improve your […]
Simple Ways To Save Money By Simplifying Your Life
Read on for simple ways you can help the environment, while saving a few bucks and reconnecting with your community in the process.
“Doing More With Less” Shows Businesses A New Path To Success
Insteading interviews Dr. Bruce Piasecki, author “Doing More With Less: The New Way To Wealth,” which hits shelves this month.
