Organic
Biosolids and Compost
Last week, the Organic Consumers Association took a stand outside the mayor’s office in San Francisco to protest the city’s recent free composting program. (Read the article from their site here). It might sound like an odd thing to protest, especially with all the amazing benefits of composting. The national group chose San Francisco to demonstrate against since it is one of the most “green” cities in the U.S. and they felt that it would reach the best audience.
This group claims that the compost that was handed out “usually includes a number of heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pharmaceuticals, steroids, flame-retardants, bacteria (including antibiotic-resistant bacteria), fungi, parasites and viruses.” They cite an EPA survey that found heavy metals, steroids, anions, and pharmaceuticals in the biosolids from around the country
Many local governments have adopted the practice of turning biosolids into fertilizer to be sold or handed out for free. A biosolid is made from treated and processed sewage. The EPA claims that these biosolids contain “nutrient-rich organic materials”. Be careful to realize that when they say organic here, they do not mean certified organic, but organic as in organic chemistry. Read more about biosolids on the EPA’s website.
The reasoning for taking sewage and turning it into biosolids for farms and gardens sounds compelling at first glance. In the past, this sewage was dumped straight into lakes, streams, and other natural water sources. › Continue reading
Eco Labels and Logos
Eco Labeling can be confusing, and with so many different green logos out there, who do you trust? Luckily, many of the statements, such as Organic and Fair Trade, are regulated to some degree, so you can feel safe knowing that it isn’t ambiguous. With all that greenwashing out there, others can be a bit tricky, such as ‘Natural’ and ‘Eco-friendly’. Here is a quick guide covering the basics when it comes to organic, fair trade, humane, cruelty free, animal testing and more. These are the logos and labels you want to look for and trust.
Is Organic Food Really Better For The Environment?
Flikr User: Dano
I eat a lot of organic food. In fact, about 80% of the food that goes into my body is organic. I cannot tell you how many times I get teased about eating “dirt” from many of my friends, and even my family. A friend recently quizzed me about my reasons for eating organic. I claimed that one of the reasons I opt for organic food is for environmental reasons and my friend gave me the most flabbergasted look on the planet. He flat out refused to believe that organic food is more environmentally sound than “normal” food. This set me on a quest to defend my position that organic food is better for the environment. So here are the top three environmentally based reasons I choose to eat organic food:
1) Organic farming practices can help decrease the amount of carbon dioxide in the air. According to The Rodale Institute, each acre devoted to organic farming can remove and store around 7,000 pounds of carbon dioxide every year. That means if we were to convert all 434 million acres of farmland in the U.S. to organic farmlands, it would be the equivalent to getting rid of 217 million cars, which is about 1/3 of the automobiles in the world, according to the Organic Trade Association .
2) Organic farming uses less energy. According to the same study, organic farming practices use 30% less energy, less water, and obviously no pesticides. Think of all the energy that goes into the production and transportation of pesticides and › Continue reading
Container Gardening
Chart pulled from the Seattle Food System Enhancement Project: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Study conducted by the University of Washington. (http://tinyurl.com/y9m5rs9)
I’ve always admired gardeners for a hobby that produces food that’s not only delicious, but also eco-friendly and sustainable. I mean, what’s more local than your own backyard? The University of Washington and the City of Seattle did a study on greenhouse gas emissions from locally sourced food versus food sourced out of state or internationally. (Find it here) They found that the fuel used to transportation non-local fruits and vegetables produced almost six times as much CO2 as local alternatives. That’s a lot of CO2 we can cut out of our daily lives by simply eating locally sourced and homegrown food.
Growing up, I hated gardening. However now that I’ve matured a bit, as my mother would say, I’ve found a type of gardening that’s right up my alley. Container gardening. Container gardening is great because even those with apartments, can do it. And these days there are so many recycled, or compostable options for containers, that’s there’s really no excuse to not give it a try.
The best way to start is to pick something to plant that you’ll actually eat. There’s no point growing something that you won’t eat or store for later. For me, I chose zucchini and strawberries. I eat them raw, as well as making them into zucchini bread and strawberry jam. It’s fantastic to eat the fruits of my labors year round. It’s also important to pick something that does well in your climate and that you’ll actually be able to devote the time to upkeep. Also make sure you know when to plant, and what to expect from your plants. Try the Farmer’s Almanac for a list of last expected frost dates as a start. So do your research and if all else fails, hit your local garden store, there’s always someone there waiting to convert another person to gardening.
Valentines Day Organic Equal Exchange Coffee and Chocolate Love Pairing
Valentines day is nearing and what better way to wake up with your love than with a coffee and chocolate pairing. It’ll get your heart racing and your euphoric feelings jump started (we all know the love euphoria properties of chocolate). You won’t feel guilty enjoying this because it is eco-friendly and socially responsible Organic and Fair-trade from Equal Exchange. I was delighted when Annie from Mambo Sprouts was gracious enough to send me a sample.
Wrapped in a recycled print gift bag chocked full of goodies, the Equal Exchange Organic Chocolate and Coffee Pairing Gift Bag will be sure to conjure up feelings of the holidays. Two bags of love inspired organic coffee blends (Organic Love Buzz and Organic Mind, Body and Soul) along with four Organic Chocolate Bars perfectly paired with a ‘pairing’ instruction sheet will provide for an entertaining and enjoyable morning or afternoon activity to share. At $34.95, its less than a dozen roses and definitely tastes better! Check the bottom of this post for a free shipping code for The Chic Ecologist readers.
For those with a soft spot for chocolate heart minis, Equal Exchange’s fairly traded (Vegan and gluten-free) Organic Dark Chocolate Minis (55% cacao content) are a far-cry from the chocolates you find in those heart shaped boxes. These deliciously rich, bite-sized chocolates are crafted using the best quality organic cacao (cocoa beans) from small-scale farmer co-operatives in the Dominican Republic and Peru. › Continue reading
Organic, Shaken and Stirred – Green Cocktail Book Review
I recently received a great new organic cocktail mixer book sent to me by Paul Abercrombie, a true connoisseur who also is a regular contributor to The Washington Post, Wine Enthusiast and Gourmet magazine. His new book Organic, Shaken and Stirred: Hip Highballs, Modern Martinis, and Other Totally Green Cocktails is a fresh look at mixology from a more green perspective. Not limited to the addition of organic spirits and liquors, but an exploration into local eco-friendly concoctions, new flavors, textures and organic twists on tried and true classics.
With tips on how to stock your green bar, drink history and background, and in-depth explanations, it is as much a industry insight as it is a recipe book. Not your standard bartender fare, a few treasured and exotic drinks require complex preparation for amazing results that will astonish and impress your party guests.
From organic vodka to local organic gin and more than 60 cocktails (most of them original), this book will keep you entertained with a taste for everybody. The beautiful pictures and serving suggestions only add to the mouthwatering appeal of the drink itself.
Drink credits are listed so you may find and taste the original cocktail by its creator, whether its a hip lounge in Manhattan or a trendy Canadian hotel bar. Online resources assure that you will be able to source all of the ingredients found in the book, no matter how obscure.
Check out his blog for more tips, recipes and green cocktail news at: www.organicshakenandstirred.com
› Continue reading
Healthy Morning Blender Breakfast
Just wanted to share with you my favorite new breakfast treat from the blender. If you are a smoothie fan, give this one a blend, if not, you will be after tasting this!
Roasted Blueberry Banana Breakfast Smoothie
Yeah, sounds a bit funky, but it’s the best way I could explain it. The roasted flax seeds give it a great toasted flavor which mixes really well with the banana. Great way to get your fiber, Omega 3’s and some potassium with a shot of anti-oxidants.
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1 Organic Banana
1 cup Organic frozen blueberries
1/4 cup Roasted Flax Seeds (I usually get them from Trader Joes)
2 cups Organic Soymilk
1/2 cup Organic Vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup of ice
Blend away!
Do you have a favorite smoothie with a bit of a twist? Share it here in the comments section below.
› Continue reading
Fine and Raw Chocolates
Having been converted into a chocolate lover late in life, I was excited to explore new and exotic chocolate flavors. I can say I have eaten the fruit of a freshly picked cacao pod, chewed a raw bean, and grated freshly roasted coco beans into milk to make hot chocolate- so I like to really explore foods right down to their raw form.
Raw foodstuffs are starting to gain more traction as we are trying to get further from preservatives and limit our processed food intake. No one understands this better than Fine and Raw. Handmade in Brooklyn, these chocolates are crafted from raw ingredients using low heat techniques to keep the chocolate’s raw vitality and flavor.
All of the ingredients are organic, and are sourced from a small fairtrade cacao farmers co-op that practices sustainable farming. All packaging is recycled and printed with non-toxic and vegetable based inks. Raw Blue Agave is used to sweeten the bars instead of sugar due to its unique sweet notes and tones, plus it is low glycemic and sweeter than sugar.
They were nice enough to send me a sample pack which included a Lucuma & Vanilla bar, a 78% bar and a 2 pack of bon bons. The first thing I noticed was the packaging. Rough and earthy, the brown craft paper packaging and fact sheet with whimsical two color line art let me know what was in store for me- handcrafted and basic, but also unique and perfected, it all came into focus.
Artisana Organic Raw Cacao Bliss Coconut Butter – CocoNutella
Recommended to me from a friend as a more natural Nutella alternative, but with a coconut instead of hazelnuts, Artisana’s Organic Raw Cacao Bliss Coconut Butter was everything it was hyped up to be, a raw and organic chocolate coconut confection spread that will delight your tastebuds.
If you love chocolate and coconut, then you have to try it. It has the consistency of Nutella, but instead it’s made from raw organic ingredients. It works just well for everything you would use a delicious chocolaty spread for, my favorite is in a crepe with some sliced bananas.
The only ingredients are a blend of organic Coconut Butter, Coconut Oil, Agave, Raw Cacao Powder and Raw Cacao Butter and taste amazing. I bought mine from Amazon, but they are also available from several online stores listed on Premier Organics website.
Organic Foods and Produce – Better For You?
There has always been an air of skepticism about the nutritional value of organic foods, are they better for you? I believe the question is aimed incorrectly or perhaps is the wrong question altogether. Factory farms, much of the food industry and even comedians Penn and Teller have all asked the question and now they have some firepower with a recent review published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The article concludes:
“On the basis of a systematic review of studies of satisfactory quality, there is no evidence of a difference in nutrient quality between organically and conventionally produced foodstuffs. The small differences in nutrient content detected are biologically plausible and mostly relate to differences in production methods.”
I have a few bones to pick with this study. One, the research used many old studies, from 1980 or earlier which may have flawed methodology since many studies performed since then have showed clear nutritional differences between the different growing methods*. Secondly, the study doesn’t look at differences in certain antioxidants and polyphenols – the new hot nutrients as of late (just look at the new Rice Krispies box) which are much higher in organically grown foods. The biggest of all is: does any of this really matter?
Margaret Southern makes a good point when she asks: “Isn’t it more about what’s not in the food than what is?” Not only that but how does the farming technique impact the land, water and communities near it? We don’t live in the time of family farming anymore, where individual farmers and their families cared about the land and the food they grew.
Eco-Friendly Underwear
Eco-chic clothing is popping up everywhere from small designers to large established companies, but what about that often overlooked bit of clothing that you first put on in the morning- the one piece that you wear everyday (well, hopefully everyday otherwise I don’t want to hear about it!) It sits close to the skin usually, so wouldn’t you want it to be of the most natural, non-toxic material possible? We explore some of the eco-friendly underwear and intimates so you know what’s what.
Designer: C-IN2
Material: Bamboo
Why they are Eco-Friendly: Bamboo is sustainable, biodegradable and produced without pesticides.
Why they are Cool: Very cool colors and cuts for men, and bamboo is naturally antimicrobial and a good option for those prone to skin allergies from chemical processing.
Cost: $20-$25
Designer: Enamore
Material: Organic silk and Soya jersey
Why they are Eco-Friendly: Enamore uses a minimum of 55 percent organic and recycled content and are colored using special Azo-free dyes.
Why they are Cool: These retro feel and romantic designs for women are both unique and eco-friendly.
Cost: $58-$110
Designer: Pact
Material: Organic Turkish Cotton
Why they are Eco-Friendly: Made from organic Turkish cotton, the production occurs 100 miles from the cotton farms reducing unneeded shipping. Packaging consists of a reusable cloth bag and compostable shipping bags.
Why they are Cool: Great colors and styles for men and women, plus 10% of Pact’s sales support one of 3 non-profits (826 National, ForestEthics and Oceana).
Cost: $22-$28 (mens and womens styles available)
Designer: Green Knickers
Material: Hemp, Bamboo, Fair Trade and Organic Cotton
Why they are Eco-Friendly: Made from eco-friendly and sustainable materials like hemp/silk blends, bamboo and organic fair trade cotton.
Why they are Cool: Activity specific cuts for men and women, and some designs feature heat sensitive non-toxic dyes (remember Hyper-color shirts?)
Cost: £10-£25
Designer: Chantelle
Material: Bamboo blend
Why they are Eco-Friendly:Womens bras, boyshorts and thongs, all crafted from a sustainable bamboo blend jersey without pesticides, and are biodegradable.
Why they are Cool:French intimate apparel brand is well know for it’s quality and fit.
Cost: $42-$80
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