Many of our nation’s neighborhoods simply don’t have access to supermarkets, let alone fresh organic fruits and veggies. Chips, soda and other packaged, chemical-filled, unhealthy ‘convenience foods’ are cheap and readily available at the corner store…a far cry from the nourishment our body naturally craves, and a key contributor to the obesity epidemic.

The term for geographic food inequity is ‘food desert,’ and it’s defined as a district with little or no access to foods needed to maintain a healthy diet…but often served by plenty of fast food restaurants.  It was coined by Mari Gallagher, a researcher who has delved deep into the topic and found that food deserts exist in every type of community across the U.S — urban, rural and suburban.

I was moved by a profile on Chicago-based Graffiti and Grub and its founder, La Donna Redmond, on CNN last week. Her community garden and store focuses on supplying several low-income Chicago communities with sustainable, organic and locally-grown food. This quote says it all…

“You could find drugs in my community, you could find a gun in my community, but you couldn’t find a tomato.”
-LaDonna Redmond

One of the critical areas of good eating habits is education – ideally from an early age as so brilliantly executed in Alice Waters’ inspirational Edible Schoolyard project. In a similar vein, Graffiti and Grub is focused on ‘providing the hip hop generation with the tools needed for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.’

Kudos to those hard-working advocates committed to changing the food desert into an organic food oasis.

Are you familiar with ‘food deserts’? I’m curious to know whether there is awareness of this issue. Let me know!

According to Time Magazine, our energy-intensive food system uses 19% of U.S. fossil fuels, more than any other sector of the economy.

It’s a fact: what we choose to buy and eat can help contribute to a better, healthier way.

Organic foods are more gentle on Mother Earth. Consider why:

• Organic farmers leave soil and crop residue in the ground rather than digging it up (known as the ‘no-till’ method). That means organic farmers release less CO₂ into the air by sequestering it in the earth.
• Organic farming uses 50% less energy overall than traditional farming.
• Smaller-scale organic farms use 60% less fossil fuel per unit of food than conventional industrial farms.²

If we turned all of our farmland in this country to organic and regenerative methodologies, where we’re putting basically cover crops or compost back into the soil and not using chemical fertilizers, we could mitigate 25 percent of our emissions in this country alone.
-Timothy LaSalle, CEO of the Rodale Institute. Read the transcript or view the video of LaSalle’s response to critics who say organic farming is unsustainable and produces smaller crop yields.

So yes – support, buy and eat organic.

Other top tips for a global warming diet include:

• Eat grass-fed beef only: cows and ruminant chewing animals that graze on healthy  pastures reduces greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, and overall energy consumption.
• Go meatless one night a week: This is a great money saving tip and will create room in your budget to add more organic veggies to your diet.
• Eat local: the closer the origins of your food, the less transportation and corresponding carbon emissions into the atmosphere. And the more likely your produce has been vine ripened which makes for delicious foods!
• Eat in season: foods that are in season are usually in abundance and can be more affordable delicious!
• Eat lower on the food chain: choose foods that consume fewer other foods and eat as much of a plant-based diet as possible (choosing organic, of course!)

Many people ask me if I eat locally conventionally grown foods, in other words foods sprayed with pesticides. My answer: no. Please don’t ask me to eat foods that have been sprayed with toxic chemicals, even if it is grown locally. If I told you to make a beautiful fresh garden vegetable soup and, oh by the way, pull out the ant and roach spray and lightly give your veggies a fine mist before cooking to ward off any pests that come crawling along your kitchen counter, would you do it? Probably not.

What are your favorite global warming diet tips?  Share them with others – we love hearing from you!

¹Gidon Eshel and Pamela A. Martin, “Diet, Energy, and Global Warming,” Earth Interactions 10 (May 2005)
²Ready, Set, Green; Eight Weeks to Modern Eco Living, Graham Hill & Meaghan O’Neill

I’d like to call your attention to a hot debate sparked by my blog post Corporate-Backed and Bogus: The Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement.  If you haven’t done so,  read it now to check out  the range of opinions and responses on this important topic.

Charlotte Vallaeys, Farm and Food Policy Analyst at The Cornucopia Institute and her colleagues oppose The Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement as it stands.

Charlotte weighed in on comments from a supporter of The Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement and member of the Western Growers Association, an organization that, according to its website, provides ‘quality services and programs that benefit and enhance the competitiveness of its members in the Arizona and California fresh produce industry.’

Check out the debate for yourself:

Western Growers Association: No one is guaranteeing the safety of anything; however, the program aims t o develop scientifically defensible, regionally-based growing, handling and manufacturing practices – developed by a coalition of stakeholders including government entities, academics and the industry.  These practices have NOT been developed.  This proposal sets up the infrastructure by which a coalition of stakeholders can come to the table and develop those practices. Indeed, there is currently no way of guaranteeing that fresh leafy greens are 100% safe as scientists do not yet have a clear understanding of food borne pathogens on leafy greens.

Cornucopia:   Our main concern is with the “coalition of stakeholders” that would oversee the development and implementation of the rules. Most members on the committee (19 of 23) will be handlers and growers, and 17 of those 19 will likely represent the large-scale, corporate leafy greens industry. The committee members that are not growers or handlers will include a retail industry representative, a food service industry representative, a member of the public and an importer.

There will be a separate committee that will assist the Administrative Committee in developing the rules, which will indeed be required to include academics and government entities, including a National Resource Conservation Service representative and a representative of the Environmental Protection Agency, which is very positive. But ultimately, it is the Administrative Committee that holds the power to make the rules (see section 970.49 of the proposal). Just to reiterate, this Committee will consist of industry representatives with no academics or government representatives.

Western Growers Association: The proposal, as is currently drafted would require that at least two “small” growers participate in the development of these practices.

Cornucopia:  This is a token representation of “small” growers who will not have real power. A two-thirds majority will be needed on important votes, and with 23 members, the two “small” representatives will not be able to influence policy or the outcome of a vote.

Western Growers Association: The “seal” is to be used primarily on bills of lading.  California and Arizona have had a similar program in place for multiple years now; has anyone seen a USDA-approved “seal” on any of the leafy greens in the market?  No.  The seal is used on bills of lading so retailers know that the product in question was handled and grown according to the practices outlined in those state’s agreements.

Cornucopia:  There is currently nothing in the proposal that would prevent signatories from extending the use of this seal beyond bills of lading and manifests.  There is no prohibition against using the seal on packaging visible to the consumer, and it will probably be only a matter of time before the seal is used as a marketing tool. It is, after all, a Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement.

Western Growers Association: Regarding transparency, there was an open comment period on the need for USDA to pursue a marketing agreement about a year ago.  There has been a Web site – www.nlgma.com – on-line for about a year calling for stakeholders to provide comments on the proposal.  Many of those comments and suggestions have been added to the proposed agreement.  Furthermore, the proposed NLGMA has been prominently covered on the USDA AMS site.  There was a Webinar where proponents explained the proposal and answered every question offered up by the more than 200 attendees, nationwide (the Webinar along with those questions and answers are available at www.nlgma.com).  A large group of regional, state and national proponents have been communicating this process with their respective constituents for more than a year.  The proponents called for, and USDA granted, a series of public hearings, across the nation, (which are ongoing) to discuss the merits of the proposal.  I am not sure how this process could be more transparent.

Cornucopia: I don’t believe that lack of transparency is a concern listed in the blog post.

Western Growers Association: There are a handful of different “metrics” or standards out there, and many of them are very costly.  The entire industry needs to work toward one set of practices, defensible by sound science, which can replace those “super metrics” being handed down by the buying community.  The National Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement would afford stakeholders that opportunity.

Cornucopia:  The problem is that the proposed Marketing Agreement would put the power to develop the metrics in the hands of 23 people, most of whom will be representatives of large-scale handlers and growers. Food safety is a serious issue, and any government regulation for food safety should be done with the citizens’ safety in mind. Industry representatives will be serving two masters—citizens’ need for safe food, and their industry’s interests. The likelihood that the resulting standards will be self-serving to their industry, disregarding the needs of other stakeholders (such as small growers) are much higher than if government agencies, staffed by public servants, were charged with developing the rules.

Western Growers Association:     Lastly, this program is voluntary.  If producers do not want to participate, they do not have to.

Cornucopia: It is voluntary for handlers, but not for growers. If most handlers sign up, growers will be left to choose between following the metrics or not being able to sell their crops unless they find a handler who is not a signatory.

What do you think? Let us know and let’s keep the conversation going!

Whole Foods is deeply committed to the concept of community, something I also support via my Green Club.  Surrounding yourself with like-minded people offers strength and reinforcement for whatever goals you hope to achieve.

In that vein, Whole Foods offers all sorts of super helpful free tips and tools with their Be Good to Your Whole Body series.  Their Healthy Mood brochure is particularly interesting, harkening back to the old adage ‘you are what you eat.’ While depression is a very real condition and cannot be ‘fixed’ by diet alone, there’s definitely a link between what you eat and your outlook on life.

Here are some of my favorite tips from Whole Foods’ Healthy Mood brochure:

• Keep blood sugar in check: healthy diets should include sufficient protein, fiber, antioxidants and healthy fats (another vital Green Club tenet)
• Drink tea daily: green, black and certain herbal teas have all been linked to happier states of mind
• Enjoy low-glycemic foods which may be associated with a healthy mood
• Support your adrenal glands: they’re the manufacturers and gatekeepers of stress hormones; chronic stress overworks them (start by never allowing yourself to get too hungry)
• Provide your body with a steady supply of mood-enhancing and stabilizing vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients including 5-HTP, adaptogens, Vitamin B, essential fatty acids, ginkgo, iron, l-theanine, passionflower, SAMe, St. John’s Wort, Valerian and Vitamin D.

Other top tips for a healthy mood include acupuncture, massages using real essential oils and yoga, breathing and meditation.

What nutrition or fitness tips do you tap into to keep your mood elevated?  Let us know – we love hearing from you!

Boxed wine is usually reserved for NASCAR rallies and hanging out behind Wal-Mart, but since Manhattan restaurant Sojourn switched to wine stored in a bag, packaged in a box, and served out of a barrel, they’ve saved a bundle on shipping costs and cut down the amount of bottles and packaging they go through.

The bag-box-barrel wine has saved Sojourn $30 to $40 per case of wine and the savings are passed on to their customers. At Sojourn a glass of Pinot costs $9 to $11, it can go for $16 at other restaurants. Cheap and green, very cool.

And just look, Sojourn is no Arby’s, switching to boxed wine has done little to tarnish their chic reputation. I want some wine out of a barrel stat!

Via Green Inc.

Image credit: GreenIncNYT

At the magical Edible Schoolyard, kids in grades 6, 7 and 8 at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School learn about food facts both simple and critical like…:

• the origins of food, plant life cycles, community values
• the pleasures of work
• how to prepare and eat delicious, nutritious, seasonal dishes made from produce they grow in their own garden

Edible Schoolyard – Sharing the Bounty

In 1999, an Edible Schoolyard Children’s Museum was launched in Greensboro, North Carolina. In 2005, Alice and her gang helped launch Edible Schoolyard NOLA at the Samuel J. Green Charter School in New Orleans. And on Saturday, October 17^th, Edible Schoolyard will host a grand opening for its newest location at the Willie Mays Boys & Girls Club at Hunters Point in San Francisco.

A San Francisco Department of Public Health report that stated that alcohol, tobacco, and junk food are the most commonly sold products in Hunters Point, with many children purchasing snacks from “candy houses” – makeshift stores run by residents out of their homes.  The ESY in Hunters Point will work towards turning this sorry state-of-affairs around, bringing real food – and an appreciation for it –  to areas that are underserved by organic markets – and even regular supermarkets for that matter (low income neighborhoods typically have 30% fewer supermarkets than higher income neighborhoods).

Food equity, food appreciation, food celebration…here’s to Alice Waters and her team of committed real food advocates and the important work they do, every day.

Keep connected with ESY’s day-to-day happenings in their online Journal. Truly inspiring stuff.

If you want to truly learn about seasonal, organic and sustainable foods in highly recommend picking up one of her many cookbooks for inspiration. If you are new to cooking, pick up The Art of Simple Food: Notes, Lessons, and Recipes from a Delicious Revolution , in it she covers the basics of classic culinary cuisine. Other favorites on my book shelf are Chez Panisse Café Cookbook, Chez Panisse Fruit and Chez Panisse Vegetables

If you want to start your own edible school yard pick up Edible Schoolyard: A Universal Idea.

My dog-niece Charlie, now 4 months old, enjoyed several baths over the summer.

There have been only a few days of that familiar “stinky dog smell.” Luckily, Charlie enjoys a good shampoo and fluff, so there’s no battle in getting her into the sink or tub.

Many dog shampoos contain toxic chemicals, so it’s important to purchase green products.

Kimberly Delaney, author of Knack Clean Home, Green Home: The Complete Illustrated Guide to Eco-Friendly Homekeeping, offers these recommendations:

• Shampoo products should be made from plant-derived ingredients, with nontoxic preservatives.
• If the product is scented, make sure natural oils are used.
• Product labels should list all ingredients.
• Shampoos should be 100% biodegradable.
• Whenever possible, select a product with recyclable packaging.

If your dog has any acute or chronic skin conditions, consult with your veterinarian before selecting bath products.

5 Natural and Organic Dog Shampoos

1. Aubrey Organimals
2. Spot Organics No More Itch Shampoo
3. Richard’s Organics Deodorizing Dog & Cat Shampoo
4. Earthbath All Natural Mango Tango Shampoo and Conditioner in One
5. TrueBlue Pure and Sure Puppy Shampoo

We’ve talked about different ways to soften fabrics when you wash and dry your clothes (plant-derived dryer sheets), as well as products to avoid (toxic, beef fat-infused dryer sheets and laundry balls).

I’ve also reported on ways to green your washing machine, the importance of ENERGY STAR-rated washers and eco-friendly dryers.

Today, I’ll conclude this series with a look at two of the most low-tech, yet effective, ways to soften fabrics:

1. Organic distilled white vinegar
2. Baking soda

According to Deirdre Imus (yes, she’s Don’s wife), author of Green This! Volume One: Greening Your Cleaning:

Distilled white vinegar, preferably organic, is the best and healthiest softener. Just put a tablespoon in the rinse cycle, as you would any of the toxic fabric softeners. (Don’t overdo it—you don’t want your clothes to smell like vinegar!) Your clothes will come out soft every time.

In lieu of vinegar, add 1/4 cup of baking soda to the wash cycle, she says.

If you want your clothes to smell nice, add a few drops of your favorite organic essential oil to your washer’s rinse cycle, notes Imus, founder and president of the Deirdre Imus Environmental Center for Pediatric Oncology at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey. As an alternative, place a few drops on a washcloth, and toss it into the dryer with your clothes.

Also by Deirdre Imus

• Growing Up Green!
• The Essential Green You: Easy Ways to Detox Your Diet, Your Body and Your Life

While researching Monday’s piece on laundry balls, I came across another interesting bit of information on dryer sheets.

According to Eric Ryan and Adam Lowry, authors of Squeaky Green: The Method Guide to Detoxing Your Home:

Beef fat (aka tallow) is the secret ingredient that makes your clothes so soft. The very stuff you cut off your steak so you won’t gain weight or clog your arteries is coating your sheets, towels, shirts, jeans, even your underwear.

Mega-yuck.

Ryan and Lowry, who founded the Method brand of nontoxic cleaners, recommend eco-friendly vegan dryer sheets that are made from plant-derived substances like canola oil. You can even reuse the sheets as dust cloths after you’ve finished your laundry, they say.

Method makes Squeaky Green Dryer Cloths. Another option is Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Dryer Sheets. Both products are available at natural and organic food stores.

Kudos to The Home Depot Foundation for investing an additional $30 million in its Partners in Sustainable Building program, which helps Habitat for Humanity build homes for struggling families.

The foundation will provide the funds and resources over 5 years. Habitat affiliates will build 5,000 homes that meet Energy Star guidelines and green building standards, 1,500 of which will be built this and next year.

Partners in Sustainable Building was established last year, with a pilot program that built 260 sustainable homes. The program adheres to Environmental Protection Agency standards, which require:

• Up to 50 percent less energy usage
• Up to a 33% decrease in indoor water consumption, with installation of high-efficiency plumbing fixtures and appliances
• Durable materials that lower maintenance costs over the life of the home, which increases affordability
• A reduction in greenhouse gas emissions

“From a new energy-efficient water heater and weather stripping to programmable thermostats and a low-flow toilet and bathroom fixtures, our family is already seeing savings in our monthly utility bills,” says Brian, a Habitat homeowner from the pilot program. “We’re so excited about our new home. To know it’s one that we can afford to maintain and live in for years to come means so much for our family.”

“By embracing the practical principles of green building, our partnership with Habitat for Humanity International is demonstrating that these techniques can actually make homes more affordable to own, maintain and live in from day one and for the long term,” says Kelly Caffarelli, president of The Home Depot Foundation. “With health and economic concerns at an all-time high, this issue is more important than ever for the families who will purchase these homes.”

Click here to volunteer with your local Habitat for Humanity.