Congrats Neil

Neil Young Be the rain (Greendale)
by ivaxavi

Neil won a Grammy! It was for best art direction on a boxed or special limited edition package. They should honor him for his songs, songwriting, entire career...

Love this song (Be the Rain) from Greendale.

Too late?

The United States of America can lead in the development of clean energy technology and manufacturing while we lead in the fight against global warming.


Everyone knows we have a dependence on oil we buy from countries that don't share our values. This threatens our security and our integrity. And it needs to stop. We know it does. Still, we've seen our dependence on foreign oil grow and pollute the air we breathe and endanger our planet. But we can change that. Now.


There's a bill in the Senate that will break foreign oil’s stranglehold on our country, reduce carbon pollution, and create jobs right here in America—good jobs that pay well and can't be outsourced.


It’s one of the most important pieces of legislation of our time. It's a clean energy bill. And it’s been a long time coming.


Email your Senators to pass the Clean Energy Jobs & American Power Act. This is our moment.

This is our Moment.

Let's hope it is not too late!

Leave the Lorax alone

Image via Wikipedia

New 'Green Coal' Company Names Itself After the Lorax Without Permisson

Now, a new start-up coal company is attempting to pull off a double whammy--it's both calling itself a "green coal" company, and naming itself "LoraxAg" after Dr. Seuss' beloved environmental children's book. The move reeks of desperation--made worse by the fact that the company didn't bother to get permission to use the name.


First of all, there's no such thing as clean coal. We all know that. But to drag the Lorax into it? That's just low.


Hear, hear. If the Lorax were to watch a single mountaintop removal mining operation in action, he'd probably weep. It's worth noting that the company's goal of finding "a less toxic use for high-sulfur coal" is actually a worthy pursuit, especially considering the volume of coal burned--and will continue to burn for some time--in our power plants. But I think it's safe to say it's not quite up to Lorax standards.

Clean coal, green coal, safe nuclear power...the list of fairy tales continues. Disgusting to use these terms but to then include the Lorax in the mix --- makes it even worse.

If it's not on American Idol...

Image by genetew via Flickr

Americans' Attitudes Cool Towards Global Warming - Less Than Half Now Think Humans Responsible

Yale University has just released an updated survey about the attitudes of the people in the United States about climate change which quantifies what I'm sure many people in green community have been sensing: Americans are becoming notably more skeptical about the causes of global warming, future effects, and indeed whether its even happening:
The study--conducted in the last week of 2009 and which has a margin or error of +/- 3%--found that the percentage of Americans who think global warming is happening at all has fallen 14 points to 57%.
But back to the issue of growing scientific evidence of warming: The percentage of people who think most scientists think climate change is happening dropped 13 point to 34%, while 40% of the American public believes there is "a lot of disagreement" among scientists about whether warming is happening or not.

Too busy listening to the Limbaugh/Hannity/Beck gospels. Too busy worrying about American Idol. Too concerned that needed changes will affect their buying habits/needs.

Happy Birthday Canned Beer: 75 Years of Waste and Lousy Beer

Happy Birthday Canned Beer: 75 Years of Waste and Lousy Beer:

image via weburbanist

On January 24, 1935, the Gottfried Krueger Brewing Company of New Jersey sold the first can of beer in the world. Live Science writes that 'The experiment took off and American drinkers haven't looked back since, nowadays choosing cans over bottles for the majority of the 22 gallons of beer they each drink per year...

The one time I disagree with Treehugger - not all of them are bad.

The solution?

The best solution for keeping your eco-impact low is to drink local beer. Not only does this support your local economy, and support the art of craft beer making, but it is also a great way to enjoy creative and innovative new recipes and techniques.

Okay, we agree again. One added solution- brew your own. On Superbowl Sunday, my Holiday IPA from Brooklyn Brew Shop is ready to drink - can't wait.

Go Sarah Go!

Image via Wikipedia

Sarah Palin's Energy Plan for the US: Oil, Oil, and More Oil

America's energy challenges are getting more and more serious every day, and yet the Obama administration just doesn't get it. Please see this informative article that sheds light on one aspect of the president's problem. It starts by explaining our energy demand will increase, and oil will be part of that demand.
Well, what do you know? The Obama administration, whose entire energy posture going back into the presidential campaign has been both ideologically and practically stridently anti-oil, both as an industry and as a form of energy, has suddenly become "concerned" about China's oil grab.

This is, to say the least, disingenuous.

The U.S. government under Barack Obama has yet to acknowledge once, in spite of widely held estimates, that oil will continue to account for 40% of world energy demand 25 years from now -- this while total world energy demand will increase by 50%, at least.

Read the rest here. I look forward to hopefully hearing President Obama acknowledge America's need to ramp up domestic energy production, including oil and natural gas developments, during Wednesday's State of the Union address. Let's hope his advisers advise him accordingly.

Ever heard of peak oil? That's right- don't want to upset your backers!

Call me crazy but I wish, in a very perverse way, that Sarah becomes our leader. She'll mess things up so much that everyone will finally realize the absurdity of the nay-sayers. Environmental sensibilities will then be followed by all. Of course the risk is that she messes things up so bad that there is no help. But at the rate we are going now, I wonder....

More uses for the old CFL

Light Bulb Shrimp Aquarium:

I know, I know, there are already two instructables (to the best of my knowledge) about making a light bulb aquarium, but mine has step by step instructions with pictures for every step Get your Materials you will need: MATERIALS 1 globe light bulb 1 coat hangar 1 4" long peice of 2x4 .25 lbs o...
By: Sgt.Waffles

I made a few moss terrariums...this is another fun project for this weekend.

Eco-activism equals terror?

UK Government Classifies Eco Activists as 'Extremists' Alongside Al Qaeda

Some disturbing news has just surfaced in the UK--it appears that its Ministry of Justice has taken to listing environmental protesters and activists alongside al Qaeda terrorists in its system for classifying 'extremists'. The British newspaper the Guardian made the unsettling discovery when it gained access to some internal documents from the government.


This 'guidance' evidently highlights "environmental extremists" as belonging to the same group as dissident Irish republicans, loyalist paramilitaries, and al-Qaeda-inspired extremists.


But the parameters of "environmental extremist" are so ill-defined that someone vocally marching in support of a coal plant closure may feasibly be included in its list


We recently saw a similar classification take place here in the US, when our government classified PETA as terrorists.

Asking for a change in the way we live a threat to society? We know it is a threat to some fat wallets making money at the expense of the Earth... So I guess we know who makes the rules.

The Pump Energy Food

The Pump Energy Food. Next time in the city I'm going to try: a low carb whole wheat twist with brown rice and lettuce, with organic baked tofu, cukes and dill, hummus topped with yogurt and dill. How does that sound? Too many flavors at once?

Corn belongs on the cob

4 Reasons to Avoid High Fructose Corn Syrup

1. The Process of Making High Fructose Corn Syrup is Pretty Weird


First of all, there's nothing natural about high fructose corn syrup and it most certainly does not exist in nature. The process starts off with corn kernels, yes, but then that corn is spun at a high velocity and combined with three other enzymes: alpha-amylase, glucoamylase, and xylose isomerase, so that it forms a thick syrup that's way sweeter than sugar and super cheap to produce. That's why it's poured into a huge majority of mass produced processed foods.


2. High Fructose Corn Syrup Does Weird Stuff to Your Body


While the commercials claim that it's fine in moderation, the truth is that the whole problem with high fructose corn syrup in the first place, is that moderation is seemingly impossible. The syrup interferes with the body's metabolism so that a person can't stop eating. It's truly hard to control cravings because high fructose corn syrup slows down the secretion of leptin in the body. Leptin is a crucial hormone in the body that tells you that you're full and to stop eating. That's why it's so closely associated with obesity in this country. It's like an addictive drug.


3. There Might be Mercury in Your Corn Syrup


And what about the rumors of mercury being found in corn syrup? I wrote last year that according to MSNBC in one study, published in the Journal of Environmental Health, former Food and Drug Administration scientist Renee Dufault and colleagues tested 20 samples of high fructose corn syrup and found detectable mercury in nine of the 20 samples.


"We went and looked at supermarket samples where high fructose corn syrup was the first or second ingredient on the label," Dr. David Wallinga, a food safety researcher and activist at the nonprofit Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy said. These 55 different foods included barbecue sauce, jam, yogurt, and chocolate syrup. "We found about one out of three had mercury above the detection limit," Wallinga said.


4. The Environmental Impact of High Fructose Corn Syrup is Huge


Most corn is grown as a monoculture, meaning that the land is used solely for corn, not rotated among crops. Large monocultures, which are usually genetically modified, can be riddled with pests. As a result, monocultures are often dressed with a toxic cocktail of pesticides so that they can survive. Monocultures can deplete the nutrients in soil and lead to erosion. In addition, the pesticides used to grow them pollute our soil and ground water.

Don't be fooled by the TV ads talking about the safety of HFCS. The one I saw was of a couple having a picnic in a beautiful park setting. After reading this, I think you will think differently. But be careful and read all ingredient lists carefullty. Amazing how many processed foods have HFCS.

Thinking about it, why is corn being used as a sweetener base and a fuel additive base. Let's just enjoy it off the cob!

Cars versus Bellies

U.S. Feeds One Quarter Of Its Grain To Cars While Hunger Is On The Rise

The 107 million tons of grain that went to U.S. ethanol distilleries in 2009 was enough to feed 330 million people for one year at average world consumption levels. More than a quarter of the total U.S. grain crop was turned into ethanol to fuel cars last year. With 200 ethanol distilleries in the country set up to transform food into fuel, the amount of grain processed has tripled since 2004.

The amount of grain needed to fill the tank of an SUV with ethanol just once can feed one person for an entire year. The average income of the owners of the world's 940 million automobiles is at least ten times larger than that of the world's 2 billion hungriest people. In the competition between cars and hungry people for the world's harvest, the car is destined to win.

How can we expect to solve our environmental issues without environmental justice considered. It is not "save our environment to maintain our lifestyles" it should be change our lifestyles to save our planet for all creature (rich poor, two leg - four leg - winged...on land, in the sea and in the air).
Will we ever get to that point? Or do we need some type of disaster to motivate us?

Today's Heroes

From Climate Ground Zero:

Protestors associated with Climate Ground Zero and Mountain Justice halted blasting on Coal River Mountain today with a three-person tree-sit. David Aaron Smith, 23, Amber Nitchman, 19 and Eric Blevins, 28 are on platforms approximately 60 feet up two tulip poplar trees and one oak tree. They are located next to where Massey Energy is blasting to build an access road to the Brushy Fork Impoundment on its Bee Tree Strip Mine. Their banners state: “Save Coal River Mtn.,” “EPA Stop the Blasting” and “Windmills Not Toxic Spills.”


“Massey Energy is a criminal corporation with over 4,500 documented violations of the Clean Water Act, yet the government has given them permission to blast next to a dam full of toxic coal waste that will kill 998 people if it fails.” said Blevins. This action comes at the heels of a rigorously peer-reviewed study published in Science Magazine which states “Mining permits are being issued despite the preponderance of scientific evidence that impacts are pervasive and irreversible and that mitigation cannot compensate for the losses.”


The sitters are calling for the EPA to put an end to mountaintop removal and encourage the land-holding companies to develop clean energy production.

Colbert and Coal

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Coal Comfort - Margaret Palmer
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Economy

Hysterical review by Colbert about mountaintop removal mining. Sometimes it's good to laugh about these issues that are creating a serious situation for folks and our Earth.

Last night's vote and our Earth

Scott Brown and Climate Change: Why Health Care May Not Be the Only Major Legislation He Could Derail

In what truly is an embarrassing defeat for Democrats, the Massachusetts Senate seat once held by the late liberal icon Ted Kennedy has been won by Republican candidate Scott Brown. The Democratic candidate turned out an awful campaign, and now many a headline proclaims how health care is now threatened. But what about the rest of the issues? Where does Scott Brown stand on environment, energy, and climate issues?...
It appears that Brown doesn't believe that climate change is caused by human activity. Undeterred, the Republicans for Environmental Protection have issued a release urging him to support climate reform anyways.

Great another thing to add to my worries about the future. Time to start packing the survival kits.

Simply living

Well a simple kinda life did me no harm...

FOX loses by TKO

We've heard a lot of talk lately from deniers that cold temperatures are proof that there is no such thing as global waming.
It looks like it will be an annual event for me to remind people that winter still follows summer. Since deniers seem to want to believe the warming thing is all a lie, perhaps a little review is in order.

Deniers? Or just trying to attain power and keep their wallets filled with coal/oil/lobby monies.

Everyone is talking about disaster

Post Apocalyptic Dining:

Thanksgiving eve, Sam and I went to see The Road, a story of a father and son as they travel the barren remains of the Northeast in a post apocalyptic world. There is no sunlight or clear sky the entire movie - the landscape is relentlessly grey and charred. Nothing grows. Anything edible remains from the previous civilization with the exception of human meat. It is grim and terrifying.

After being immersed in this terrain for 2 hours, we stopped into the supermarket next door to the theatre. It was like discovering new world - not only the vibrant colors of the food (reds, greens, orange, purple) but the selection was astounding. The deprivation in The Road had been so complete, the overabundance in our world was startling.

Thursday night we saw Book of Eli, another movie in the post-apocalyptic genre, where one is either prey or predator. Survival depends on this alone. Cannibalism, understandably, featured prominently in both stories. In The Road, Viggo Mortenson survives on the canned foods he discovers from time to time (even stumbling onto what is probably mankind's last can of Coke). Book of Eli, set in 2043, takes place 30 years after the 'event', and does not identify food sources (outside of birds, feral cats or human flesh). There is however, a secret clean water source, the key to power for a regional ruling bad guy....

Caterer/farmer/mother-home cook/science fiction devotee, I can't shut off my food filter. It is always only about eating. Strip away the trappings of the last few centuries, return to the pre-industrial hostile wilderness and it is about survival - and eating is key to human survival.

I googled Post-Apocalyptic Food and discovered a few things. For starters, Costco has a selection of very heavy-duty survival rations, some with a 20-year shelf life. Perhaps the post-9/11 world recognizes that disastrous outcomes are not science fiction. We have all been instructed to stock our homes with adequate water and canned goods for a week should there be a potential 'disruption', but how would an entire society feed itself in the event of global disaster.

Basic preparation will impact the probability of your family's survival in an emergency. Delicious and easy to prepare. Each bucket contains 275 servings of pre-mixed and pre-seasoned 100% vegetarian and vitamin fortified food. With a 20 year long shelf life, this kit is perfect for the preparation of natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes or even for a camping or hunting trip.

* Easy to Prepare

* Must have water and a heat source

* 275 Servings
* All Meals 100% Vegetarian and Vitamin Fortified
* Sealed in convenient Weather-Proof bucket for easy transport
* 25 Servings - Potato Soup
* 30 Servings - Corn Chowder
* 25 Servings - Cacciatore
* 25 Servings - Western Stew
* 30 Servings - Country Noodle
* 25 Servings - Rice Lentil
* 45 Servings - Whey Milk
* 40 Servings - Blueberry Pancake
* 30 Servings - Barley Vegetable
* Total Weight: 23 lbs.

The Date of Manufacturing is printed on each individual packet. The Expiration Date for all the food is printed on a sticker on the outside of the bucket.

For best taste and nutritional value, use product before:

20 years of manufacturing date when stored at 60° F (16.6° C)

10 years of manufacturing date when stored at 70° F (21.1° C)

Contemplating a world without food is not reserved for the realm of science fiction movie making or post-apocalyptic scenarios alone. Feeding the exploding human population, especially in third world countries, is a political 'hot potato. ' And tragedies that befall isolated communities - New Orleans and now Haiti - draw our attention to the fact that access to food is second only in importance to air or clean water. We are fortunate to think about what our next meal will be, but not whether it will be.

Contemplating a fictional post-cataclysm world, wondering about soil quality for growing, or the gruesome alternative of cannibalism, or even the absurdity of finding the world's last Coke, is first rate escapism that below the surface, hits very close to home. The remote future could unfold tomorrow and there is no better source of fiction then reality.

Of course we historically have had periods where folks thought the end was near. But this time around it is a little different. Sure some still think that 2012 will signal the end, or Jesus will come down from the clouds. Others think that Obama will create a situation where civil war/revolution will occur, or that the economy will completely fail. And some look to Peak Oil or climate change as the factors that will lead to the "end" as we know it (the end of the land of plenty, consumerism, agribusiness..

The best advice - teach yourself some skills - gardening, sewing, cooking, building, repair... Just in case all those movies may come true.

Margaret Atwood's Vision?

Image via Wikipedia

Stem Cell Pork: Scientists Grow Artificial Meat In Lab

Call it pork in a petri dish – a technique to turn pig stem cells into strips of meat that scientists say could one day offer a green alternative to raising livestock, help alleviate world hunger, and save some pigs their bacon.

Dutch scientists have been growing pork in the laboratory since 2006, and while they admit they haven't gotten the texture quite right or even tasted the engineered meat, they say the technology promises to have widespread implications for our food supply.

This is scary. Reminds me of Atwood's Oryx and Crake and The Year of the Flood.

Getting closer to that world she wrote about. Very scary!

Eating healthy

Image via Wikipedia

How Can I Avoid Genetically Modified Foods?

This week's headline-grabbing news that agriculture giant Monsanto's genetically modified corn was found to cause organ failure in rats is sure to send panicked shoppers into an anti-frankenfood frenzy. The good news is that this is precisely the kind of damning study (GM corn + animals = death) that will help bring to light the potentially catastrophic consequences of scientifically altered crops. The bad news is that even those who see that light will have a difficult time completely boycotting genetically modified organisms, or GMOs as they've come to be known.

That's because GMOs aren't just limited to the foods we eat; they're also in the clothes we wear (cotton is one of the most prevalent GMO crops) and in the everyday household products we use. Those who buy giant jugs of distilled white vinegar to make DIY eco-friendly cleaning products might be interested to know that their vinegar may, in fact, be distilled from GMO corn. I say may, because if you live in the United States, there's no proof that the products you buy or the food you serve your children hasn't been genetically tampered with. While the EU, Japan, China, Korea, Australia, and New Zealand have labeling laws for GMO foods, there are no such requirements in the US, despite the fact that a 2008 CBS News poll found that an overwhelming 87 percent of Americans would like GMO foods to be labeled.

Several great solutions - buy organic, avoid processed/packaged foods, call Congress and ...

Beware the SCCC. No, it's not some new government agency (though maybe it should be). That stands for soy, cotton, canola, and corn, which are among the most common GMO crops. The statistics are startling: 91 percent of soy, 87 percent of cotton, 75 percent of canola, and 73 percent of corn crops grown in the US are GMO, according to the USDA. So unless the label specifically says organic, you can pretty much bet that any food or product you buy that contains any of the big four have been genetically changed. We're not just talking tofu and tortilla chips, either: It's the sheets on your bed, those potato chips fried in cottonseed oil, and the aspartame in your Diet Coke (made using a fermentation process that involves soy and corn).

And of course my solution - grow your own!

A House of Sticks

Piet Hein Eek Hides Garden House In Pile Of Logs

via Mocoloco

Mocoloco shows us a musician's studio in Hilversum, designed by Piet Hein Eek, known to TreeHuggers for his scrap wood furniture.

I want this house - my man cave!

Cult of Consumerism

Root of Planet's Environmental Degradation & Destruction:

photo: Ben Ostrowsky via flickr.

The Worldwatch Institute's State of the World 2010 report has just been released and takes square aim at what's at the root of the planet's current environment woes, be it climate change, biodiversity loss, natural resource overconsumption. It's consumerism (green or not). In short, and you've heard TreeHugger and many say it before, but it bears repeating: There are simply not enough resources on the planet to extend what is considered a normal, even essential, level of material consumption in wealthy nations to a planet with 6 billion and growing people...

Amen! Consume less! Forget the old keeping up with the Joneses. Heck, if you stop trying to outdo them, they will see how happy you are and they'll re-examine their lives too. Then you will be the leader of your community.

Sounds like a plan to me.

Wintersown Garden

Wintersowing and Embossed Labels

For those of you who haven’t heard of it, Wintersowing is a method of starting seeds for your garden.

No need for complicated light setups or heat mats or any of the bother that starting seeds indoors using traditional methods is usually associated with.

No need to buy expensive seed starting flats.

You simply sow your seed in easily prepared, "found", recycled containers and set them out in the yard in the dead of winter.

They freeze, they thaw, get snowed and rained on and, come Spring, grow.

Sounds crazy but it works. Just like it does in nature.

See http://www.Wintersown.org or the Wintersowing forums at http://www.Gardenweb.com for details on what types of seeds can be sown in this way.

The method is also popular as it is a great method for recycling discarded plastic items into useful things.

Love the concept - might have to try a few seed varieties - always looking for ways that are cheap. I especially love the embossed labels, though my garden is never really that neat later in the season and the labels always seem to be lost in the rows.

Not Your Run of the Mill Falafel

Image via Wikipedia

A Healthy Alternative: Sunflower Seed Falafels:

I love a Middle Eastern food spread with chewy homemade pita bread and lots of salads with palate cleansing ingredients like lemon and parsley. The cuisine makes for a terrific buffet because it relies heavily on vegetables and legumes so you can make lots of healthy salads and dips.
I was quite intrigued when I came across this recipe using sunflower seeds rather than chickpeas and baking rather than frying. These were extremely easy and took a fraction of the time to make traditional falafels. They have an interesting texture because they are crunchy on the outside and softer on the inside and they were really tasty. My husband thought they wouldn't work in pita because they would break apart, but I think, who cares once it's inside the pita? You could put them in a salad with tomatoes and sprouts, or you could serve them as appetizers with a spicy dip.They don't replace the traditional falafel for me, but they were a really nice twist on a classic food.

Sunflower Seed Falafels

1 1/2 Cups Raw Sunflower Seeds, Soaked Overnight (or at least 8 hours)
2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley
2 Tablespoons Fresh Chopped Chives, or 1 Scallion
2 Tablespoons Tahini
1/4 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice
1 - 2 Cloves Garlic
1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 Teaspoon Salt
Pinch Black Pepper
Paprika

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with either parchment paper or a silpat.

2. Pull out your food processor or blender, and toss in everything but the paprika. Pulse, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl to get everything incorporated, until the mixture is the consistency of a rough pate, or chunky peanut butter.

3. Using a small cookie scoop, or two spoons, portion out 1 rounded tablespoon of the sunflower paste per falafel onto your prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle just a tiny pinch of paprika on top of each raw falafel, and bake for about 20 - 25 minutes, until lightly browned.

I know what I am eating this weekend!

UPDATE:This makes a unique and tasty alternative to chickpea falafel. Easy to make. Ended up soaking roasted seeds since I didn't have raw - still came out very tasty. Used shallots instead of chives - great taste.

This Bud is not for me!

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Budweiser: The Beer of Climate Change Deniers?

When Whole Foods CEO John Mackey revealed himself to be a climate change skeptic in a New Yorker profile last month, he drew attention once again to the disconnect between his own libertarian ideology and the sensibilities of the ecologically and ethically-minded eaters who form Whole Foods' core constituency. Coming on the heels of his Wall Street Journal op-ed opposing health care reform, it may have been the proverbial last straw; shortly after the article hit the newstands, Mackey resigned from the chairmanship of Whole Food's board.


Mackey's resignation suggests that carbon footprint-conscious foodies have the power to influence a corporation. Now, it's time for all the lager-lovers who support low-impact living to step up to the plate -- or, rather, the bar -- to demand better from Anheuser-Busch.


If you're still drinking Budweiser, Michelob, Rolling Rock, or any other brew marketed by Anheuser-Busch, you're inadvertently bankrolling a company that continues to stand by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce despite its ongoing efforts to thwart any efforts to address global warming. Will Budweiser become the brew of choice for the "Drill, Baby, Drill" crowd?


Progressive beer-drinkers who'd like Anheuser-Busch to rethink its position can flout their clout at the cash register, for a start, but you can also send a message by signing this petition from CREDO and Living Liberally asking Anheuser-Busch to step down from the board of the Chamber of Commerce.


Anheuser-Busch, which currently claims about fifty percent of the beer market in the U.S., proudly touts its record of "environmental stewardship." And yet, the behemoth brewer refuses to use its weight to compel the Chamber of Commerce to stop blocking progress at a critical juncture in the climate crisis.

Ditch the Bud. Brew your own - start at Brooklyn Brew Shop. Or drink Magic Hat, Peak, Wolavers...

Black Iowa Dirt

William Elliott Whitmore

Sure I am not in Iowa but I miss my dirt. Come on spring or at least a good winter thaw.

GMO - Oh No!

Image via Wikipedia

Monsanto's GMO Corn Linked To Organ Failure

In a study released by the International Journal of Biological Sciences, analyzing the effects of genetically modified foods on mammalian health, researchers found that agricultural giant Monsanto's GM corn is linked to organ damage in rats.


According to the study, which was summarized by Adam Shake at Twilight Earth, "Three varieties of Monsanto's GM corn - Mon 863, insecticide-producing Mon 810, and Roundup® herbicide-absorbing NK 603 - were approved for consumption by US, European and several other national food safety authorities."

Lesson to be learned? Careful where you buy your food from. Careful where you buy your garden seeds from.

Sugar Blues

Image via Wikipedia

The Hazards of Sugar:

If you’re an avid Eat. Drink. Better. reader, you know sugar’s not exactly ideal. You probably also know that we’re eating an overly-sweetened diet due mostly to corn-based sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg. In a recent lecture, University of California San Francisco professor Robert Lustig dug deep into the real hazards of sugar, from its effects on our bodies to its strong link to the obesity epidemic. The complete lecture, Sugar: The Bitter Truth, is below.

Read more of this story »

Reminds me of the book I read so long ago called "Sugar Blues."

Sugar Blues is a book by William Dufty that was released in 1975 and became a commercial success. According to the publishers, over 1.6 million copies have been printed.[1]
In the book, Dufty makes the case that sugar is an addictive drug, that it is extremely harmful to the human body, and that the sugar industry conspires to keep Americans addicted to sugar.
The book's central argument is that a small dietary change, eliminating refined sugar, can make a huge difference in how good one is able to feel physically and mentally. Dufty even goes so far as to suggest that eliminating refined sugar from the diet of those institutionalized for mental illness could be an effective treatment for some.
Several authors have noted that Sugar Blues makes very wide-ranging and strongly stated rhetorical claims as to the ill-effects of sugar, including a role in bubonic plague and the phenomenon of witchcraft.[2] [3] [4]
John Lennon was a strong supporter of the book.

Made me think then, continues to make me evaluate what I eat.

Follow the money

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

JPMorgan Chase Cashes in on Destroying Appalachian Mountains

In light of last week's EPA ruling giving the go ahead to another mountaintop removal coal mine, and the subsequent report from a group of eminent scientists saying, in essence, that no remediation is ever enough to repair the damage mountaintop mining causes, it's worth reminding people that it's not just coal companies that stand to profit from the practice. Banks like JPMorgan Chase also are making a pretty penny from destroying Appalachia...
So how does JPMorgan Chase profit from this? By funding six of the eight companies responsible for mountaintop removal coal mining, including $1 billion to Massey Energy, the largest MTR mining company.

Chase's Rhetoric Better Than Actions
Bank of America and Wells Fargo have severed ties with Massey, so why not Chase?

After all, Chase touts including environmental practices into their sustainable business model, but apparently fails to see the disconnect between that and funding practices and companies which continually destroy mountains and pollute rivers.

Responsible parties - those that destroy and those that give the company the power (or in this case the capital resources) to destroy.

The Top 17 - or is it Bottom?

Rolling Stone Calls Out the 17 Worst 'Climate Killers' in the US

The grandaddy of music culture mags and the one-time hotbed for gonzo journalism, Rolling Stone is still courageous and trailblazing in much of its investigative reporting. Age be damned. Take climate change, for instance--few media giants are willing to recognize and stand behind the scientific consensus and report on global warming honestly and incisively. Proving it still has cajones, Rolling Stone has rounded up the 17 worst 'Climate Killers': those contributing most to the ongoing warming--or the continued inaction--that's placing our planet in peril.

The "Proud?" honorees include: Warren Buffet, Rupert Murdoch, politicians, CEOs, a scientist...

Cold Day - Order Seeds

Image via Wikipedia

The best way to beat the weather and freezing temperatures? Order seeds.
Writing the seed order to Johnny's.

1. Provider Green Bean
2. Mokun and Bolero Carrots
3. Red Ace Beets
4. Striped Armenian Cukes
5. Green Lance Greens
6. Mei Qing Choi
7. Greens Mix
8. Lettuce Mix
9. Winterbor Kale
10. Winner Kohlrabi
11. Lancer Parsnips
12. Rover Red Radish
13. Helenor Rutabaga
14. Magda Cousa Squaxh
15. Bright Lights Chard
16. Purple Top White Globe turnips
    

Already have saved seeds for winter squashes and hot peppers (several varieties of each).  Tomato and romaine lettuce plants will be purchased at the proper time - along with some other plants as the mood hits.

Now if the weather cooperates and the snows melt I can walk around the yard and dream of even more spaces to plant.

Burn the potatoes

Image via Wikipedia

Fireplace Without the Smoke?

The Lighthouse, a portable indoor-outdoor fireplace, is the newest model from Planika, a Polish company. According to the manufacturer, it doesn’t produce smoke or odor — and doesn’t require ventilation. What makes it burn so cleanly, Planika says, is Fanola, a liquid bioethanol fuel made from potatoes that the company developed and sells with its fireplaces.
Just over 50 inches tall, the Lighthouse has a powder-coated steel top cut in an openwork pattern that rests securely on a hollow base. The top holds a glass cylinder and a fuel canister, which is lighted with a long-handled wand. Within five minutes, the small flame should grow to as high as 17 inches, but no higher, and should burn for three and half hours.

Available from Planika for $1,800...

I'd rather just eat my potatoes. Same thing with corn.

Fox News Confused

Weather for the Hopelessly Confused

When you watch the weatherman on TV, you often hear about the highs and lows of the day, humidity levels and precipitation. But sometimes on TV you also see advertisements for places to vacation claiming that their location has a hot and sunny beach climate or a cold and snowy location that is great for skiing. If climate and weather both describe temperature and precipitation, what is the difference?
Weather is "the conditions in the atmosphere in a certain place during a certain time. Weather is always changing [emphasis mine]."


Climate is "what the weather is generally like over long periods of time, such as years or decades in a particular area. A place that has little rainfall has a dry climate, and a place that has high temperatures has a hot climate."

Got that Fox? Hope this little primer helps. Or just a little to complicated for you talking heads. Of course reality many times does not get the big laugh now does it.

It's called Climate Change

UK's Met Office Reminds Us It's Not Cold Everywhere:

map: MetOffice

One more to try to eradicate the 'it's snowing and cold so global warming mustn't be happening' meme: The UK's Met Office reminds us all that it's not only not cold everywhere in the world, but many places are currently seeing much higher temperatures than average. They sum up succinctly, 'The current cold weather in the UK is part of the normal regional variations that take place in the world, but many places are currently seeing much higher temperatures than average. They sum up succinctly, "The current cold weather in the UK is part of the normal regional variations that take place in the winter season. It doesn't tell us anything about climate change, which has to be looked at in a global context and over longer periods of time."
Really, let's all start reminding our friends, family and even random people on the street that weather and climate are not the same thing. This isn't even a question of is or is not the planet warming; it's basic terminology and education.

Oh how I wish the naysayers, the Hannity's, Limbaugh's, Palins, etc. would read this and understand.

The EPA gets one right

Image via Wikipedia

Reversing Bush, EPA Proposes Strictest Ever Smog Standards

...the agency has just announced it is proposing the strictest ever standards for smog in the US. Smog, or ground level ozone, is responsible for a slew of serious health problems, especially for children, and can result in premature death. The new measure would actively reduce the amount of smog in urban areas around the US.

So this one was right. Doesn't make their mountaintop mining policy taste any better though.

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• U.S. plans tougher smog standards (calgaryherald.com)
• U.S. EPA proposes stronger smog standards (nationalpost.com)

Just say NO!

Scientists Say Mountaintop Removal Mining Should Be Banned - No Remediation Ever Enough: "
photo: Quinn Dombrowski via flickr.

The EPA may think that approving new mountaintop removal coal mines can be done, provided sufficient remediation steps are taken, but a new article in Science magazine by twelve scientists from institutions from across the United States disagrees. In the mildly-named 'Mountaintop Mining Consequences', the scientists basically say that there's no mitigation effort that can ever make mountaintop mining OK and the practice should be stopped...

Will the "powers" listen? Not when their wallets are filled with coal lobby dollars.