Green Daily

Does Humane Veal Exist?

Cat Lincoln — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:03:00 EST

Australian calves at pasture. Photo: Mark Kolbe, Getty Images

Yes, what I'm asking is if it's okay to eat a baby animal if it had a good, albeit short life?

Proponents of pasture-raised "rose veal" say that their veal is fundamentally different from the nightmarish image of animals kept in pens so small they are unable to move, and pumped full of antibiotics to stave off rampant infection, a.k.a. "white veal."

For years chefs have been complaining about the bland taste of pen-raised white veal, which are kept in crates so small they can't turn or lie down, and fed a diet of artificial milk. The main appeal, if you could get past the cruelty issue, was tenderness: you can cut it with the side of a fork. Rose veal has a more developed flavor because of a mixed diet of milk and grains, and the milk often actually comes from its mother. This kinder veal is growing in popularity with foodies, especially those who espouse whole animal, sustainable practices.

Many of our friends at PETA, and other animal-rights organizations, believe that we shouldn't be eating meat or drinking milk in the first place, but if you are, it's unspeakably cruel to take animals away from the mother at such a young age. Generally they make little or no distinction between pink and white veal.
Here's the thing: to get milk, cows have to get pregnant and give birth to a calf. Dairy farmers can raise female calves to join the herd, but male calves are usually not good enough to be raised as beef. However, they can be commercially viable when raised as veal. Also, people like the taste.

Veal happens, and it's going to keep happening.

Putting aside the vegan option of eliminating milk, and meat, as long as we have these animals, it makes sense to give them a humane and healthy life. Especially if it results in more nutritious and delicious food!

Where are you on the question of veal? Is it wicked if it's white, permissible if it's pink? Or do you just say no to baby cows?

Does Humane Veal Exist? originally appeared on Green Daily on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fear the Halloween Candy

Cat Lincoln — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:01:00 EST

Filed under: Food, Health, Kids and Parenting

Fair trade chocolate from naturalcandystore.com

When you're a kid, Halloween is your chance to get a ton of candy, for free, which you then eat until you get sick. And when you're an adult, it's a reason to buy all the candy you'd normally never let in the house ... which you then eat until you get sick.

Here's the truly scary part: it's not just overeating that makes you sick, it's the stuff in most commercially produced candy bars that will make you turn green, even if you're only reading the label!

I was checking out Fitsugar, and was reminded that most candy contains high fructose corn syrup and food coloring. Bad, but if you're only indulging once or twice a year, not going to kill you. But then there are the hydrogenated oils, which are so bad they even cause miscarriages!
Don't despair that the only way to have a green Halloween is to be weird house that gives out apples that taste like soap (from washing off the pesticides, of course!) There are many delicious, organic, eco-friendly choices for treats:

Check out the Natural Candy Store for all kinds of great ideas, like packs of natural gummy bears or organic cotton candy. They even have vegan candy mixes!
Raisins (nature's candy!) or trail mix in sealed individual servings*
School supplies, like Terracycle newspaper pencils
A bamboo toothbrush, which is sort of the modern version of the soapy apple, but still useful
Spare change wrapped in fun fabric remnants -- everyone likes money!

If you're having a party and don't have to worry about sealed servings, there are loads of fun recipes for indulgent but healthy treats like caramel apple dip, or a haunted forest veggie platter.

Just remember, you can find festive, healthy and green Halloween treats. It just takes a bit of thought -- and a lot of will power when you're walking down the candy aisle in Walgreens!

*Yes, I know I went all ranty yesterday about individual servings and the waste they create, but Halloween is an exception I'm prepared to make. It's once a year, it's because of safety concerns, and it is possible to recycle raisin boxes!

Fear the Halloween Candy originally appeared on Green Daily on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starbucks: What Were You Thinking With That Via Packaging?

Cat Lincoln — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:01:00 EST

Filed under: Food, Activism

Starbucks.com

An Open Letter to Starbucks:

Dear Starbucks,

We have our love-hate relationship. Sure, the pumpkin spice latte is hard to resist. But your inability to put compostable -- or even recyclable -- cups in stores until 2012* makes me see red. If I can buy compostable hot cups at the supermarket, then you can order them in bulk with your logo printed on them!

Even giving you credit for the "cup summit" in May, when you brought together recycling experts to talk about The Cup, it's despicable for you, the largest specialty coffee company in the world to be so bad, and so late to the game, at managing your waste stream.

Besides the cup issue, many of your stores don't even offer recycling. Just last month, you launched a pilot recycling program in Manhattan with Global Green USA's Coalition for Resource Recovery. That's definitely the right thing to do, but you don't deserve praise for it. More like, "Hello, it's 2009! It's about time you dealt with recycling the literally billions of cups your customers produce each year. WTH took you so long?"

And now you've launched Via, a single serving instant coffee product. Each serving comes in a little plastic/foil package. Consumers can buy it in packs of three or twelve, which are packaged up in (plastic coated?) cardboard boxes.

As the Fresh Start Recycling blog asks, how in the world can all of this packaging, which doesn't even appear to be recycleable, fit in with your stated goal of reducing waste wherever possible?

Look, I'm fine with instant coffee. I think it's great that people can get their S'bux fix at home, using their own mug. Especially since it's so hard to convince people to bring their mug to the stores -- people act like I have ten heads when I bring it up!

I understand that you're trying to find a way to make money in a down economy, and that Americans love their on-the-go convenience. Sell the product, make money, get the economy back on track! But did you have to make the packaging (which is beautifully designed from an aesthetic perspective) so very un-eco-friendly?

You keep bragging that it took years to perfect this blend so it tastes better than any instant coffee ever created. So it sounds like you also had plenty of time to do R&D to find a sustainable, waste-responsible way to package it.

But you didn't.

If you're taking suggestions for the next iteration of this product, how about putting multiple servings, like a hundred, in a glass jar? Sure, it might remind some of us of the Maxwell House in our grandma's kitchen. On the other hand, that's better than having us think that you don't care about how your business practices impact the environment, which is how it looks right now.

I would love to hear back from you on this topic. It would make my day to be wrong about this. Really.

Thanks,
Cat Lincoln
Irritated & Reluctant Customer

*Note: that's a recent improvement from the previous goal of 2015, gee, thanks, way to set a "stretch goal", snort.

Starbucks: What Were You Thinking With That Via Packaging? originally appeared on Green Daily on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Naked: It's Good for the Planet (and You)!

Kristen Seymour — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Food

Credit: Naked Juice

Plenty of us like getting our fruit fixes through juice -- it's portable, tasty, and often less messy than eating a piece of fruit. But are you sure you're really getting fruit in your juice, or are there a bunch of added, artificial flavors? And what about the packaging -- is your juice killing the planet?

Naked Juice makes it simple for eco-warriors to get their juice on, naturally. They start with real fruit that is sustainably sourced (all bananas are Rainforest Alliance Certified, and all the fruit and veggie blends are non-GMO, or non-genetically modified organisms). They also work with suppliers to make sure they're ethical both socially and environmentally.

The creation of the juice is sustainbly done, too. Naked Juice's packaging is recyclable, as is most of their suppliers' packaging, and they're constantly working to improve their waste and energy reduction at every stage of the game. All products are transported on recyclable plastic pallets (durable and lighter than wood), reducing fuel used for transport and saving trees.

Of course, there's still the matter of the bottle. Fortunately, the company believes in "bottle reincarnation," and have a reNEWabottle, which is the first-ever U.S. beverage bottle made from 100 percent post-consumer recycled materials. It can also be used to make other bottles in the future. And, as you would expect, the bottles are PVC-free, because, according to Naked Juice, "Healthy juices need healthy containers."

Forget anything you've heard about healthy and natural being the equivilant of taste-free. With flavors like Pomegranate, Chai and Orange Mango, you can't go wrong. Plus, there are the Superfoods, Probiotics and more juices specifically designed to help you feel good.

Have you ever tried Naked Juice? What did you think?

Naked: It's Good for the Planet (and You)! originally appeared on Green Daily on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tuna, the Most Valuable Fish, Lands on the Red List

Cat Lincoln — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:08:00 EST

Filed under: Food, Plants and Wildlife

The ugly but delicious tuna. Credit: SONNY TUMBELAKA, Getty Images

It was hard, but I've given up Chilean Seabass. It's probably the world's most delicious fish, and consequently it's been overfished practically to the point of extinction. No eating seafood on the red list!

At least I still have my tuna sashimi, right?

Sadly, no. Bluefin tuna, a.k.a. the amazingly tasty dark pink flesh you get at fine sushi restaurants, is one of the most badass looking fish in the sea. However, scary looking as they are, these bad boys are just as vulnerable to mankind's excess as the rest of the animal kingdom. And now they're on the red list, too.
While some varieties of tuna are reasonably well managed, including the ones used for canned tuna, bluefin tuna has been terribly overfished, to the point of near extinction. Compounding the problem, as bluefin becomes more scarce and expensive, tuna lovers are turning to bigeye and yellowfin tuna stocks and some fear that these varieties will be the next to succumb to ... the red list.

I'm really starting to hate the red list.

Taste aside, tuna is one of the most financially important fish in the sea. According to the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF), more than $6 billion tuna product is exported each year, "making it the third most traded marine commodity after shrimp and groundfish."

To address the issue of overfishing, the WWF joined forces with eight tuna companies to established International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF). This global partnership is dedicated to conserving tuna, and the corresponding good health of the ocean, using science-based methods.

Let's hope they have some success, because for some of us "spicy edamame" rolls will never quite hit the spot.

Tuna, the Most Valuable Fish, Lands on the Red List originally appeared on Green Daily on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:08:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EcoUsable - Filtered Water, Wherever You Go

Kristen Seymour — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Food, Gadgets and Tech

Photo: EcoUsable.com

I do my best to avoid drinking bottled water, but every once in a while, I find myself someplace where the tap water just tastes (or smells, or looks) bad. But I have a solution now -- EcoUsable Ech20 filtered water bottles.

The stainless steel bottles aren't just BPA-free -- they also have a personal filtration system, so you can take icky, gross water and turn it into clean, tasty agua in seconds (seriously, I took part in a demo of this at Surf Expo and the water went from brown to crystal clear, and tasted great).

They offer multiple sizes and colors, and are priced reasonably -- the 18 oz. filtered water bottles are $34.99, and the 25 oz. version is $39.99. Replacement filters are offered on the site as well, for $24.99. Bottoms up!

EcoUsable - Filtered Water, Wherever You Go originally appeared on Green Daily on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Madagascar's Politcal Problems Lead to Lemur on the Menu

Cat Lincoln — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:40:00 EST

Filed under: Food, Activism, Plants and Wildlife

The island nation of Madagascar is a refuge for several species of endangered animals. An amazing 5% of the world's biodiversity can be found on the world's fourth largest island, located in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Africa.

International funding and support for conservation programs have helped preserve many of these unique species, including the iconic lemur. But this year the political climate became so volatile that Madagascar was suspended from the African Union, and a great deal of international conservation support was forced to withdraw.

Now that those pesky eco-watchdogs are out of the way, 60 Second Extinction Countdown at Scientific American reports that poachers are having a field day with the natural resources of Madagascar, harvesting timber and -- this really awful -- selling endangered lemurs to restaurants as a luxury food delicacy.
Environmental group Conservation International is encouraging the international donor community to return to Madagascar as soon as possible, and try to stop the criminal activity before it's too late.

In addition to the scientific value of the biodiversity of the island, and the economic potential that eco-tourism provides to the country, research indicates that it's also important to preserve the eco-systems of the island in the fight to stop climate change.

Plus, lemurs are so incredibly cute. How could anyone be blood thirsty and evil enough to eat them? I don't usually like to encourage extreme environmentalists, but we need a battalion of them to get over to Madagascar and stop the poaching mafia!

We could even make a movie of it and call it Madagascar 3!

Madagascar's Politcal Problems Lead to Lemur on the Menu originally appeared on Green Daily on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tap Water is Smarter Despite the Lack of Celebrity Ad Campaigns

Cat Lincoln — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 12:04:00 EST

Filed under: Food, Health

Bring a bottle and fill it up at the tap! Credit: Tappening

We've all done it. In a weak moment at Walgreens, or maybe at the gym, you see the appealingly slender bottle of SmartWater, with all of those magical electrolytes that you've been conditioned to believe will make you stronger, thinner and (yes) smarter. Your good tap water intentions fly out the window and before you know it you're locking lips with Jennifer Aniston -- metaphorically speaking, of course.

Remember to stay strong! Don't give in to the lure of Jen's sunkissed smile and promises of Hollywood glamour!

It's easy to find information to help you strengthen your tap water drinking resolve. Our clever friends over at Fit Sugar have a great list of the reasons to pick tap water over bottled water, many of which are echoed by ingenious folks at Tappening:

Tap water is tested for contamination far more frequently than bottled water -- as in, 100x/month vs. 1x/week!
Tap water is chlorinated to kill bacteria, bottled isn't.
Bottled water isn't (necessarily) screened for E.coli, Giardia, or Cryptosporidium pathogens -- tap water is.
Up to 40% of all bottled water is actually tap water anyway, so you're just paying for the bottle and label.
Bottled water is a mixture of melted ice caps and polar bear tears. Also, it makes acid rain fall on playgrounds.

Okay, that last bullet is made up, part of Tappening's "start a lie" campaign. The point of the campaign is that tap water is cleaner, safer, and has better oversight from health and government agencies. But somehow -- through misleading ad campaigns -- bottled water companies have us convinced that bottled water is more appealing.

Besides the quality issues and the fact that we're paying for something that we can get for free, there is the whole issue of the bottles themselves. Most contain dangerous chemicals like phthalate. And about 75% of water bottles in the U.S. wind up in landfills, rather than recycled.

The bottom line is that tap water is the healthy, sensible and responsible option. In fact, when you look at it that way, there isn't even a choice!

Tap Water is Smarter Despite the Lack of Celebrity Ad Campaigns originally appeared on Green Daily on Fri, 21 Aug 2009 12:04:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Problem With Palm Oil

Cat Lincoln — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:03:00 EST

Filed under: Food, Natural Body Care, Plants and Wildlife

Palm oil plantations leave baby orangutans homeless. Credit: Dimas Ardian, Getty Images

You may have noticed palm oil in the news recently.

Confectionery giant Cadbury bowed to pressure in New Zealand -- including a boycott of their products at the Auckland Zoo -- and reverted to the recipe of their Dairy Milk bar that contains cocoa butter instead of palm oil. Last week LUSH Cosmetics announced that they will no longer use palm oil because of environmental concerns.

Why all the hubbub? For those of you unfamiliar with The Palm Oil Problem, let me share the basics.
First, palm oil is in everything. Food, cosmetics, cleaning supplies. If you see any of these familiar looking names on the list of ingredients, it's really palm oil (visit this site for a more complete list):

Palmate
Palm Oil Kernal
Palmitate
Glyceryl Stearate
Stearic Acid
Steareth -2
Steareth -20
Sodium Lauryl Sulphate
Sodium lauryl sulfoacetate (coconut and/or palm)
Hydrated palm glycerides
Cetyl palmitate and octyl palmitate (and anything with palmitate at the end)

Palm oil is also in demand as a feedstock for bio-fuel, if it's grown in a sustainable manner, because it's a relatively high yield crop.

Here's why it's a problem. Of the ocean of palm oil it takes to fill the supermarkets of the world, about 80% is produced in a small corner of Southeast Asia: Indonesia and Malaysia, in a decidedly non-sustainable manner.

Where there were once acres of rainforest and peatland sheltering endangered species like the Sumatran and Borneo orangutans, Sumatran Tiger, the Sumatran Rhinoceros, and the Asian elephant, there are now geometric squares filled with rows of palm oil trees.

Besides eliminating the habitats of these endangered creatures, replacing rainforests and peatland also releases huge quantities of greenhouse gases which contribute to climate change.

Sure, in theory palm oil could be produced in a sustainable manner. There is even a group called the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, which is supported by WWF. But the bottom line is that the demand for palm oil still exceeds the efforts to produce it in a sustainable way.

So what to do?

Support companies like LUSH who put their money where their mouth is and remove palm oil from their products.
Support the Nyaru Menteng Rehabilitation Center in Borneo, which cares for orangutans orphaned by deforestation
If you have to buy something with palm oil in it, look for a product that carries certification that it was sustainably produced.

The Problem With Palm Oil originally appeared on Green Daily on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Packing School Lunches the Green Way

Cat Lincoln — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 12:02:00 EST

Filed under: Food

Photo by ReUsies.com.

I know it's barely mid-August, but yes, it's time to start thinking about keeping things eco-friendly for a new school year. One way to keep your kids' carbon footprint light is to pack them healthy, fresh lunches using local, organically grown food.

And then you need to find a waste-free, green way to pack them!

Wrapping up
Do you experience daily ziplock baggie guilt? They can't be recycled, and some of us (Me! Yes! I admit it!) find the whole wash out zip lock bags thing kinda gross, so every time you use one it's an exercise in waste. You can go for compostable paper wraps, 100% recycled tin foil, or my favorite, nylon-lined cotton ReUsies. They come in sandwich or the slightly smaller snack size, and a couple dozen designs.

Water bottles
Remember the drinks! Water is good, water bottles bad, soda is lousy and soda bottles utterly unnecessary. Stainless steel SIGG bottles come in an endless array of styles, and are pthlalate-free. Bio Green plastic bottles will actually biodegrade in landfills, and are recyclable, reusable, and made from post-consumer recycled content. Plus, they're cute!

Lunch bags and boxes
I still love a brown paper bag. You can use them more than once, they are compostable, and if you get bored you can draw on them. For the more modernly inclined, the Built(R) neopryne Tasty Lunch Tote is vinyl-free, lead safe, and comes in all kinds of cute patterns. Or if you like a more constructed, traditional box, try out a stainless steel lunch box. No chemicals, no toxins, and it will take all the punishment your grade K-12 kid can dish out!

It's really that simple. And even better, these will all save you money. Talk about a smart way to start the school year!

Packing School Lunches the Green Way originally appeared on Green Daily on Fri, 14 Aug 2009 12:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What is Your OJ Doing for the Planet?

Kristen Seymour — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Food

(Photo by Tropicana)

Recently, Tropicana invited me, along with a number of other bloggers, to their Chicago headquarters to learn about their efforts toward sustainability. I was skeptical. Tropicana is a huge corporation -- they're part of Pepsico, after all, and I just hadn't heard all that much about their efforts to help the planet.

Let me just say I was pleasantly surprised by what I learned.

For starters, they do their best to keep things local. Out of every 10 oranges harvested, 9.5 come from Florida. The other half an orange comes from Brazil, which is a necessity in case Florida has a bad hurricane season or loses too many orange trees to frost. For example, in 2004, Florida was down 250 million trees after the hurricanes and a bout of citrus canker.

Oh, and the groves? Tropicana doesn't own them. They hold long-term contracts with the harvesters, but they don't take that land away.

When it comes to transporting the juice, they're serious about keeping their carbon footprint low. For decades now, they've relied on rail cars which are shown to be three times more efficient than trucks.

Tropicana also wants to make it easier to recycle. As of right now, even though the juice cartons are recyclable only 23 percent of households have access to curbside carton recycling. The technology exists, but not all facilities utilize that technology. The Tropicana website has a link to let you know whether curbside carton recycling exists in your area.

It's not just cartons that get recycled -- the entire orange is used, too. The remains of each orange are dried and turned into one of two forms of cattle feed -- bulk feed and pellets -- which is then sold to cattle ranchers in Europe. Due to the competition in the U.S., it makes more sense for them to ship to Europe where the demand is higher. Not so green, but I guess at least they're not letting the orange rinds go to waste.

Another extremely cool initiative by the Tropicana is Rescue the Rainforest with CoolEarth. Each carton or 12 oz. bottle has a code you can enter to save 100 square feet of rainforest. It couldn't be much easier or more interesting -- once you enter your code, you actually see the area your purchase benefited.

Tropicana spent time in the region they're working to save,
as you can see by the tall girl in the middle of the picture.
Photo: Tropicana.

This isn't just a big company throwing money at a problem. CoolEarth's goal is to make it more economically viable for locals to remain in the rainforest, rather than sell and leave. Through education and working with the locals, they're achieving that goal. And Tropicana sent a representative down to Peru's Ashaninka Corridor (the area this project is working to save) to meet with the tribes, which, according to the representatives I talked to, gave the whole company a strong feeling of pride and involvement.

You might be asking, "Why Peru? Why not the Everglades, or a U.S. forest?" The answer they gave was simple -- you get more bang for your buck in Peru. A small contribution can save a lot of rainforest, and they want to do the most they can.

So, did I get hoodwinked? I don't think so. We asked tough questions, and received well-phrased but honest answers. And, I'm happy to find out anything more you want to know. Leave a comment, and I'll pass your question along to the folks at Tropicana!

What is Your OJ Doing for the Planet? originally appeared on Green Daily on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Abe's Market - Like Your Local Co-op Only Online

Cat Lincoln — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:03:00 EST

Filed under: Food, Health, Natural Body Care

(Photo by Abe\'s Market)

Every day it seems like another new all-natural and organic brand hits the market. It's hard, and kind of a hassle, to try to track down the story and to verify that all of these products really are made with TLC ... and not BPA!

It used to be that you could take a stroll or bike ride down to the local food co-op and chat with the folks behind the counter to get scoop on all the products sold there. Often you could even meet the producers or farmers, because practically everything was sourced locally.

For better or worse, times have changed and we have literally the entire world at our finger tips. And soon we will have a resource that blends that co-op feeling with the convenience and choice of the internet. Abe's Market is a new online marketplace where you can shop for all-natural beauty, food, kids' stuff, and home and garden goods, plus participate in a community to exchange information and tips. It's sort of like the co-op with the bulletin board except you can go there at 3 a.m. if you feel like it, and have it all delivered to you.
Starting with just 50 brands, each seller on Abe's Market will have a page with the story behind the brand including photos and videos. It sounds like one of my favorite aspects of Sephora's site, where you can learn about the philosophy of the company, which is just as important to me as the ingredients when I'm making a purchase decision.

From the screenshots and graphics I've seen so far, it also looks like a sophisticated and easy to use e-commerce site, which would be a welcome change. I can't believe the number of all natural sites out there who seem to believe that fuzzy pictures and weird navigation gives them some kind of granola-cred. Finally a site for all-natural products that isn't afraid to be slick!

The site is slated to launch at the end of August, and as a way to build and engage a community from the very beginning, they're taking suggestions for brands to include in the first wave of 50 sellers. Got a brand you feel passionate about? ~~Tack up a 3x5 card~~ Submit your idea to on the Abe's Market site.

Abe's Market - Like Your Local Co-op Only Online originally appeared on Green Daily on Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kid Rock Unveils Biodiesel-Powered Badass Beer

Josh Loposer — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Celebrities, Food, Alternative Energy

(Photo by Geoff Burke, Getty Images)

There's a new eco-friendly beer on tap in The Great Lakes State, and the brewmeister is none other than terminally shirtless rap/rock/country crooner Kid Rock. Apparently, Mr. Rock has been carefully perfecting this beer's flavor for the past year and now it's ready for mass consumption. Here's how Kid Rock describes the beer to the Detroit Free Press:

""American-style lager ... easy to drink without an aftertaste... I'm American, that's what I like to drink, and from looking around the parking lot before my shows, I know that's what my fans drink,"

Thoughtfully dubbed "American Badass Beer," the brew was unveiled at two of Kid Rock's concerts in Detroit last week and is now available statewide in Michigan. American Badass Beer (I'm already getting really annoyed with that title) will be available nationwide over the next year.

If you were getting excited about the prospect that Kid Rock might hang up the microphone and work full time at the brewery, sorry, no such luck. The Michigan Brewing Company is undertaking the production duties, which is also the reason it qualifies as a green beer. The Michigan Brewing Company, like a few other major green breweries, produces its own power from biodiesel generators.

In fact, nearby MSU students are unwittingly aiding Kid Rock's efforts to market his poorly-named green brew. Fryer grease from their cafeterias is powering the aforementioned generators. If the food at Michigan State's cafeterias is anything like the ones at my school, there should be grease aplenty. There was probably enough grease pumping out of our cafeterias to power the entire campus.

I'd warn other green brewers like New Belgium and Sierra Nevada to watch out, but I don't think American Badass Beer is really targeting their demographic. Something about the name and the beer's celebrity spokesman leads me to think that ABB will not be a favorite among the Prius-driving public.

Kid Rock Unveils Biodiesel-Powered Badass Beer originally appeared on Green Daily on Fri, 24 Jul 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Should Enivros Embrace the Aluminum Bottle?

Josh Loposer — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Food, Home

(Photo by Abqtrucker, Flick)

Popping the top off of a cold longneck may be part of the quintessential American experience (it certainly is a part of mine), but is it in line with your efforts to go green? Like it or not, some of your favorite glass-bottle beverages -- from beer, to Coca-Cola, to (gasp!) wine -- will soon be living in one of those weird-looking aluminum bottles as they await their fateful date with your gullet.

You may have already seen a few of these funky bottles lurking around your local grocery store. Anheuser-Busch has been using them for a couple of years now as well as some of the other beer giants. A few months ago, Coca-Cola announced plans to start rolling these babies out in limited venues across the country. Now, Rexam, a huge consumer packaging company, has jumped into the aluminum bottle market. So, I'm guessing that we're destined to see a lot more of them.

The good news is that, in terms of sustainability, aluminum bottles look like a clear winner over glass. For starters, one of these new aluminum bottles weighs in at about 20 grams, whereas a comparable glass bottle weighs about 180-200 grams. Obviously, weight plays a huge factor in an item's carbon footprint, so we're talking about some serious reductions in shipping emissions. Not bad, eh?

Another advantage that comes with aluminum -- aside from its energy-intensive extraction process -- is that it's recycled at a much higher rate than glass. Nearly 45% of aluminum cans are recycled versus only about 25% for glass bottles. On top of that, aluminum cans generally contain more recycled materials, since about 2/3 of all aluminum ever produced is still in use.

I guess I should take this opportunity to point out that the greenest way to go is almost always local. A bottled beverage that doesn't have to travel vast distances to quench your thirst is going to have a much smaller footprint than an import -- no matter what kind of container it's in. Even greener still is anything produced locally that flows from a tap.

Still, when it comes from distant state or nation, the aluminum bottle is preferable to glass. My advice: don't fear the metal. I was recently at a ginormous water park -- at which they had the good sense to both serve alcohol and avoid glass containers -- where I had the chance to give one of these cold ones a test drive.

I'll say this, it wasn't too much like drinking from a can, but it wasn't quite like the glass bottle experience either. It was something new. I was impressed by the construction of the aluminum bottle and, most importantly, it was cold. I dare say that it was colder than many of the glass bottled beers I've enjoyed.

Should Enivros Embrace the Aluminum Bottle? originally appeared on Green Daily on Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Remember The Dirty Dozen of Produce

Cat Lincoln — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:05:00 EST

Filed under: Food, Health

(Photo by Adwriter on Flickr)

Last Thursday I was grocery shopping with a friend. Produce is amazing this time of year and I couldn't resist grabbing a couple of fragrant, juicy peaches.

"What are you doing?" she asked me, horrified. "Those aren't organic!"

I looked at her blankly.

"The dirty dozen? Thin skinned fruit? Pesticides?" she prompted, which jolted my memory. Reluctantly I put down the filthy fruit, and went in search of the clean(er) organic version.

With so many other things to remember, I honestly don't feel bad that I forgot about the dirty dozen. But it did make me think about ways to make it easier to remember them.

To back up for a minute, here's the scoop: The Environmental Working Group (EWG) puts out an annual list of the 12 fruits and vegetables that have the highest levels of pesticide contamination when grown with industrial farming methods. They (and pretty much everyone else now) recommend that you buy these organically grown whenever possible:

DIRTY DOZEN
(Buy These Organic)

1. Peaches
2. Apples
3. Sweet Bell Peppers
4. Celery
5. Nectarines
6. Strawberries
7. Cherries
8. Lettuce
9. Grapes
10. Pears
11. Spinach
12. Potatoes

On a more positive note, they also list the produce with the lowest levels of pesticides, so in other words you can get away with not buying these organic if you're trying to save a little money:

CLEANEST 12
(Lowest in Pesticides)

1. Onions
2. Avocado
3. Sweet Corn (frozen)
4. Pineapples
5. Mango
6. Sweet Peas (frozen)
7. Asparagus
8. Kiwi
9. Bananas
10. Cabbage
11. Broccoli
12. Eggplant

Thanks to the Care2 Healthy & Green newsletter for the nice clear list. And so now that you have the list, how do you remember it? Here's my pnemonic for the Dirty Dozen:

Pretty Amanda pursues cats, nearly stampeding cows lovingly grazing precious sunflower petals.

I know, it's pretty bad. If that's not going to work for you, do what I did and download the iPhone app from EWG so you can just check when you're in the grocery store. Better living through technology!

Remember The Dirty Dozen of Produce originally appeared on Green Daily on Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PETA Puts Blood in Happy Meals

Cat Lincoln — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:01:00 EST

Filed under: Food, Activism

McCruelty: I'm Hatin' It--Learn More.
(Sort of NSFW, images of bloody chickens getting killed, and a stupid song)

So, remember how Andy Dick dressed up as a knife-wielding parody of childhood icon, Ronald McDonald, as part of a PETA demonstration? Well there's more!

PETA has an ongoing vendetta against McDonald's, basically involving food sourcing. They want Mickey D's to get their chickens from poultry suppliers who use the cruelty-free controlled atmosphere killing.

Sure, PETA's right, it would be better for the chickens. And better for us because it would eliminate PETA's need to hold "scalding tank demonstrations" with tanks of bloody water in public places.

PETA's Oddball Antics

Green to Go

But does PETA take the opportunity to have a reasoned conversation with the fast food giant? Hell no! Not when there's an opportunity to smear "blood" everywhere! The latest effort is an "Unhappy Meal" that is just so over-the-top theatrical, it's almost impossible to describe. But here, let me try:

the aforementioned Killer Klown Ronald McDonald
"blood" stained box
pictures of mutilated and scalded-alive chickens
a packet of "blood" (which ironically is probably mainly ketchup)
a paper cutout of their scary Killer Klown version of Ronald McDonald that has an "I'm Hatin' it" logo on it
a "Chicken McCruelty" t-shirt

Just for fun, they also included information about how eating at McDonald's give you diabetes. Yup, that's bonus info.

Here's the wacky thing -- I couldn't find a way to get one of those Unhappy Meals. I mean, I don't want a packet of not-blood, but I bet there are plenty of people out there who do. And it's just a cruel tease to show all of the nutso contents of a box like that, and then not make it available to the public for purchase. Do they just hand them out on the street?

On the other hand, it's probably a good thing you can't buy those things at Walgreens. Imagine the traumatized child who accidentally opens an Unhappy Meal and finds a bloody chicken. Scarred. For. Life.

PETA Puts Blood in Happy Meals originally appeared on Green Daily on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Green Your 4th of July Celebration

Cat Lincoln — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:02:00 EST

Filed under: Food, Home

(Photo by Solo)

My favorite traditions for the 4th of July involve eating outdoors. Picnics, BBQs, coolers at the beach, nothing says summer holiday like the smell of sunscreen mixed with the salty goodness of a crispy hot dog.

And while I must admit a weakness for Cool Ranch Doritos, as a rule I like to keep my al fresco dining practices in line with my "regular" organic, sustainable and local habits.

One place where that's most important -- and easy -- is in the "meat/not-meat" main dish department:

Meats
Resist the simplicity of a package of Oscar Meyer franks, and check out the alternatives:

Niman Ranch Sausages -- delicious sausages made from humanely raised and slaughtered beef, pork or lamb, all guaranteed free of antibiotics and hormones
Applegate Farms uncured, organic, grass-fed beef dogs -- they also do frozen organic turkey burgers and grass-fed beef burgers
Free-range Chicken -- look for the words: organic, sustainable and hormone-free. I'm loving my favorite local chicken brand, Petaluma Poultry, for moving to styrofoam-free packaging!

Not Meats
Hey, vegetarians love their country -- and get hungry -- too!

Vegan Hot Dogs -- options include soy and veggie dogs, some of which are organic and tastier than you'd suspect
Veggie Burgers -- Amy's makes several flavors of veggie burgers, all suitable for grillin'.
Chik'n Patties -- the folks at Boca offer a range of good-for-you, soy-based "chicken" in several delicious flavors.

Also, while you're shopping for supplies, check out all of the cool eco-friendly options for plates, utensils and cups:

Bambu Veneerware -- single use plates and utensils that are sturdy enough for a "nice" outdoor party, made from a renewable resource
The new Bare by Solo line -- includes renewable, compostable and recyclable plate options
Compostable beer cups from Eco Products.

And remember to pick up some 100% recycled Reynolds Wrap foil to send leftovers home with your guests. Or, even better, tell them to bring their own containers from home!

Green Your 4th of July Celebration originally appeared on Green Daily on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Importance of Pollination - It's Not Just Bee Sex

Cat Lincoln — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:05:00 EST

Filed under: Food, Local, Plants and Wildlife

(Photo by Getty Images)

Why didn't anyone tell me that last week was National Pollinator Week? The festivities ran from June 22nd through the 28th, but we can still celebrate pollinators by planting some pollen-rich wildflowers in our backyards!

There's been a lot of media coverage about Colony Collapse Disorder, the mysterious phenomena that is wiping out whole hives of European honey bees, the pollination workhorses of industrial farming.

I recently interviewed Ed Flanagan, the president of Wyman's Blueberries, for Tonic, and we discussed the importance of bees for wild blueberry pollination and how the agriculture industry is responding to CCD.
Ed explained two important facts. Without bees for pollination, you simply don't have blueberries, or several other industrial crops, like almonds, cucumbers or apples. And native pollinators have declined to the point where the only option is to "rent" bees from beekeepers during the pollination season, while the flowers are in bloom.

During National Pollinator Week, different experts are helping people learn about native pollinators, which include indigenous bees, bats, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Professor Rachel Winfree of the department of Entomology at Rutgers University is the queen of native pollinator researchers. She's been studying our local flower flitters since 2006.

Her results -- which are actually filled with hope for the resurgence of native pollinators -- were recently published in "Ecology Letters." The National Wildlife Federation has a great article about Winfree, her findings, and reactions to the project.

If you're wondering what you can do help support these flying friends in your backyard, check out Rodale's extensive list of ways to make your garden hospitable to pollinators. From skipping chemical fertilizers, to supporting organic farmers and even (gasp!) giving up your mosquito zapper, the ideas are easy to implement, and some of them might even save you some money!

The Importance of Pollination - It's Not Just Bee Sex originally appeared on Green Daily on Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What's at Your Farmers' Market?

Kristen Seymour — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:02:00 EST

Filed under: Food, Local

(Photo by NatalieMaynor/Flickr)

I don't know anybody who actively dislikes the farmers' market. However, I do know plenty of folks who don't take full advantage of markets near them. Are you one of them?

Don't be! This time of year is perfect for stocking up on fresh fruits and vegetables. In-season produce is often more affordable than you think. In fact, you might be surprised at how many meals you can make with just $20 worth of food from your local market!

Not sure what to shop for? Or maybe you're just not sure what certain fruits look like when perfectly ripe. This article has a few tips for not only choosing, but using delicious farmers' market fare. Additionally, you might benefit from these tips on how to save money when you go (who knew those quarters you've been saving could save you money?).

And, because we're all suckers for exotic foods, check out this post from YumSugar on exploring the farmers' markets of Oahu. Don't you love the idea of local pineapples and giant Kona avocados? The spam, maybe not so much.

Just goes to show you -- eating locally, even while traveling, can be an adventure. Leave a comment and tell us what some of the most exciting finds are at your local farmers' market. Or, if you've been to one elsewhere and loved it, share!

What's at Your Farmers' Market? originally appeared on Green Daily on Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PETA's Latest "Sexiest Vegetarians"

Cat Lincoln — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:09:00 EST

Filed under: Celebrities, Food

(Photo by Getty Images)

On Monday Josh's Eco Beat included an item about Andy Dick dressed as a maniacal Ronald McDonald on behalf of our dramatic friends at PETA.

It reminded me that it's been a while I checked in with those masters of PR and media manipulation. So clicked on over to the PETA homepage and found, to my surprise and delight, that it's been a whole year since Leona Lewis and Anthony Keidis were selected as the Sexiest Vegetarians alive.

That's right, there's a new pair of Sexiest Vegetarians According to PETA! The big winner for the ladies is Kellie Pickler ("Pick Pickler!" -- I guess the fake boobs didn't disqualify her) of American Idol and country music fame. Representing Dude Vegetarians is Hayden Panettierre's ex-boyfriend, and Heroes co-star, Milo Ventimiglia.
Pickler is a true product of PETA. She was up late one night and goggled some of those scary PETA videos about how food animals are basically tortured. Kudos to Kellie for actually being able to watch them; I get way squicked out by the chickens without bills.

Ventimiglia is an interesting case. The lifelong vegetarian claims to have even been "vegetarian in the womb" which is pretty impressive. He seems to have all of his own teeth and enviable skin -- so I guess you really can get all of the nutrients you need as a vegetarian!

If you're inspired by these nice looking famous vegetarians, check out PETA's free "Go Veg" starter kit. It has tips and recipes, and probably some cool stickers -- these guys know what they're doing. And if you want to keep it lean and green, you can even download a paper-free version!

PETA's Latest "Sexiest Vegetarians" originally appeared on Green Daily on Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:09:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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