November 2nd, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
 Jamba Juice has partnered with the National Gardening Association (NGA) to provide grants to local schools so students can plant fruit trees that help promote nutrition education.
Schools can submit applications for one of 20 It’s All About the Fruit grants of $500. The application deadline is Nov. 29. Winners will be announced in January.
Recipients will be selected based on plans to promote nutrition education, ideas for incorporating fruit-tree activities in curricula and the ability to sustain the program over multiple years.
Read More: Jamba Juice Teams with National Gardening Association to Bring Fruit Trees to U.S. Schools
Tags: events, fruit, gardening, Jamba Juice, National Gardening Association, Parenting, schools
Posted in gardening, Organic Living, Parenting | 1 Comment »
August 16th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
OrganicAuthority has long supported Farm Aid, founded 25 years ago to support local and organic family farmers.
This year’s concert will be held Oct. 2 at Miller Park in Milwaukee, WI, with the following artist lineup:
- Willie Nelson
- Neil Young
- John Mellencamp
- Dave Matthews
- Kenny Chesney
- Norah Jones
- Jason Mraz
- Jeff Tweedy
- Band of Horses
- The BoDeans
- Amos Lee
- Robert Francis
New this year is a special auction of Farm Aid memorabilia and experiences. Beginning Sept. 7, you can bid on eBay, with all proceeds benefiting Farm Aid.
The popular HOMEGROWN concessions will return, featuring family farm-identified, local and organic foods, as well as hands-on activities that give concertgoers a chance to meet farmers, get their hands dirty and learn how family farmers are connecting us to our roots.
Tickets are now on sale at the Milwaukee Brewers box office, by calling (414) 902-4000 and online. Prices range from $39.50 to $97.50.
This year’s sponsors include Horizon Organic, Silk Soymilk, DirecTV and Organic Valley.
Photo: © Paul Natkin /Photo Reserve, Inc.
Read More: Farm Aid Announces Concert Lineup
Tags: celebrities, events, family farmers, Farm Aid, farmers, organic farmers. concerts, Organic Food
Posted in Organic Living | 2 Comments »
August 2nd, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
Farm Aid, celebrating 25 years of protecting local and organic family farms, has just announced that its annual benefit concert will be held Oct. 2 at Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The artist lineup will be announced soon. Tickets ($39.50 to $97.50) will go on sale 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 14 (CDT) and are available at the Milwaukee Brewers box office, by phone at (414) 902-4000 or online.
The all-day festival will once again feature HOMEGROWN concessions: local and organic foods from family farms. Attendees can meet farmers, get their hands dirty, and learn how family farmers are connecting us to our roots.
“For 25 years, Farm Aid has worked to keep family farmers on the land,” says cofounder and legendary country artist Willie Nelson, who will perform at the concert. “This anniversary concert is a chance for everyone to join with Farm Aid to support the family farmers who are growing hope for America through the good food they produce, the economies they build, and their care for the soil and water. Family farmers are the backbone of our country, and right now we need them more than ever.”
“Midwest farmers share the same struggle as family farmers across the country,” adds cofounder and rocker John Mellencamp, who will also perform. “They are survivors, and they’re on the land creating solutions for America’s most pressing issues. Since 1985, Farm Aid has been a way for everyone in this country to step up and be part of the solution because nobody is going to solve these problems on their own. It’s going to take all of us working together.”
Photo © Paul Natkin/Photo Reserve, Inc.
Read More: Farm Aid Announces 25th-Anniversary Concert
Tags: agribusiness, celebrities, events, family farms, Farm Aid, farming, John Mellencamp, Willie Nelson
Posted in Organic Living | Comments Off
April 14th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
Recording artists Collective Soul, Sam Moore, John Legend and The Roots are the latest additions to the Dow Live Earth Run for Water, a series of 6K runs to be held Sunday to help combat the global water crisis.
Multiplatinum-selling Collective Soul, who recently released the eponymous Collective Soul, will perform at the Chicago event, to be held in Montrose Harbor.
“I’m a longtime environmental advocate and believe strongly that it is our duty as a society and as individuals to preserve our planet and its resources,” says guitarist Dean Roland. “The global water crisis is an environmental issue that affects nearly 1 billion people, and the Chicago community can help raise awareness and money to help address it.”
Joining the band is multiplatinum-selling Rock & Roll Hall of Fame “Soul Man” Sam Moore, who served as the inspiration for The Blues Brothers.
“I am honored to have been asked to lend my talent to an event that is striving to bring clean, safe drinking water to the women and children of the world, many of whom have to walk a mile or two each way or more daily to a water station just to keep themselves and their families alive,” Moore says. “I love Chicago. It’s one of my favorite cities. My wife’s a home girl, and we’re both hoping our friends and family who are here together with every fan of mine—fans of The Blues Brothers and Sam & Dave—turn out for the walk on April 18 so we can make a real difference and change lives for the better for so many.”
Live in New York: John Legend, The Roots
Two-time GRAMMY Award winners The Roots (Jimmy Fallon’s house band) and six-time GRAMMY-winning singer John Legend will perform live at the New York event, to be held in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park.
“We are thrilled to be participating in this important event to bring clean, safe drinking water to the women and children around the world walking 6 kilometers every day to sustain their families,” says The Roots’ Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson. “We encourage the New York community to come out on April 18 because together we can make a difference in the lives of so many.”
“As an alumnus of the Live Earth concerts in 2007, I am proud to take part in another global event aimed at identifying solutions for critical environmental issues, such as the global water crisis,” adds Legend. “I believe music has the power to bring people together in pursuit of common goals, and in this case that is raising awareness and money to help solve the global water crisis.”
Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Atlanta
Country star Dierks Bentley will appear at the Minneapolis event, Melissa Etheridge will perform in Los Angeles, and Rob Thomas will play in Atlanta.
For Your Organic Bookshelf: Running Out of Water: The Looming Crisis and Solutions to Conserve Our Most Precious Resource
Read More: New Artists Signed for Sunday’s Live Earth Concerts
Tags: Chicago, Collective Soul, Dierks Bentley, environment, events, John Legend, Melissa Etheridge, New York, Rob Thomas, Sam Moore, The Roots, water crisis
Posted in The Environment | 3 Comments »
April 2nd, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
I’m pleased to report that Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution has found a fan base.
Friday night, when Oliver’s six-episode series airs, is generally home to low-viewership programs (“where good shows go to die,” in Hollywood speak). But the second episode of Food Revolution, which last week aired opposite NCAA men’s college basketball, pulled in a respectable 7.51 million viewers.
In tonight’s episode (9 p.m. ET/PT), Oliver continues to convince Huntington, WV, residents to offer fresh food in schools, despite opposition from the elementary school’s head cook.
Rhonda McCoy, school food services director, ultimately gives Oliver the green light to cook for the town’s high school, where he discovers a secret weapon: a group of motivated teenagers who understand the need for dietary changes. You’ll meet:
- Brittany, whose lifelong weight problem has caused irreversible liver damage and shortened her life expectancy
- Marisa, whose father died prematurely as a result of obesity
- Robert (see photo), a football player who struggles with his weight
- Brian, whose family is plagued by obesity
- Emily, who dreams of attending culinary school
Oliver asks these teens to prepare a surprise gourmet meal for their state senator, local legislators and community leaders so he can raise the funding needed to teach school staff how to cook fresh food.
Our advice: Tune in or set the TiVo/DVR.
For Your Organic Bookshelf
Photo: Holly Farrell/ABC
Read More: Jamie Oliver Reaches Out to Struggling Teens
Tags: childhood obesity, events, Health, Jamie Oliver, TV
Posted in Health | 6 Comments »
March 30th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
Multiplatinum-selling country music star Dierks Bentley has joined the roster of celebrities who will perform at the Dow Live Earth Run for Water—a global series of 6K runs/walks that will raise money April 18 to combat the international water crisis.
As Live Earth notes:
“Water is a basic human right, and yet nearly 1 billion people on this planet don’t have access to it. Every day, thousands of women and children die due to lack of adequate drinking water. Eighty-eight percent of diarrheal cases worldwide are linked to inadequate and unsafe water. These cases result in 1.5 million annual deaths, mostly among children under the age of 5. In these areas, women and children are forced to walk 6 km (3.7 miles) each day to secure water that is likely unsuitable for drinking.”
“I’m looking forward to this event and helping to bring attention to the global water crisis,” says Bentley, who will perform at the Minneapolis event. His new CD, Up on the Ridge, will be released June 10.
“The runs/walks that are happening on the same day across the world are a great reminder that we are all connected and that we are all responsible for helping each other,” Bentley says. “I’ve always loved playing in Minneapolis—lots of country music fans there—and I’m excited to be part of this historic event.”
“There’s no question that the global water crisis is one of colossal proportions,” says activist Alexandra Cousteau, founder of Blue Legacy International. “But the difference between this crisis and so many others is that there are solutions now to reverse it—and these solutions begin when we, as a generation, stand up and take part during a tipping-point event like the Dow Live Earth Run for Water. On April 18, the world community needs to rally together, take ownership of the critical issue of water and empower each other to work daily toward ending this crisis.”
You can register for the walks/runs in your area by clicking here. If no event is planned for your area, you can organize your own community “Friends of Live Earth” event by clicking here.
Founded by Emmy-winning producer Kevin Wall, in partnership with former Vice President Al Gore, Live Earth was built upon the belief that entertainment has the power to transcend social and cultural barriers to move the world community to action.
Read More: Singer Dierks Bentley Joins Fight for Clean Water
Tags: environment, events, Minneapolis, music, water crisis
Posted in The Environment | 9 Comments »
March 28th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
Somerville, MA-based Farm Aid is celebrating its 25th anniversary, and board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews remain committed to creating a family farm-centered U.S. food system.
The nonprofit organization is now planning its annual concert events, which will showcase the positive, sustainable future that family farmers are growing through their hard work every day. Across the country, these farmers are rebuilding local and regional food systems and reenergizing the economy.
“In 1985, we started out to save the family farmer,” Nelson says. “Now, it looks like the family farmer is going to save us. As our nation continues to endure an historic economic downturn, America’s family farmers offer us much hope.”
The economic and employment crisis that so many Americans face today mirrors what family farmers endured during the mid-1980s, when they found themselves threatened with foreclosures, bankruptcy and eviction. Hundreds of thousands of farms were lost. In response, the first Farm Aid concert was held in 1985; since then, the organization has been a relentless champion for family farmers.
Since its inception, Farm Aid has raised more than $36 million to support programs that keep family farmers on their land, expand the reach of the Good Food Movement, take action to change the dominant system of industrial agriculture and promote food from family farms.
We’ll let you know about the concert date and talent lineup as soon as info becomes available.
Photo: Paul Natkin/Photo Reserve Inc., 2009
Read More: Farm Aid Celebrates 25th Anniversary
Tags: agriculture, events, family farms, Farm Aid, music, Organic Food
Posted in Organic Living | 12 Comments »
March 20th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
Monday is World Water Day, an international observance organized by the United Nations. This year’s theme is Clean Water for a Healthy World.
Sadly, many of us take water for granted. We cannot explain how the water coming out of our faucets makes its way into our homes. We look at local rivers and assume they’ll always look the same.
Water is often incorrectly perceived as an infinite resource. By 2015, however, many U.S. states may face water shortages and a consequent loss of ecosystems that can affect daily life.
Conservation is critical, as we depend on water for drinking, watering crops, maintaining the oceans’ fish supply, lighting our homes and transportation. Organizations like The Nature Conservancy sponsor hundreds of river and lake projects throughout the United States, working to ensure our drinking water is clean and safe.
This year, the Conservancy has teamed with Crystal Light to support five local river and lake projects:
- Colorado River. Touching seven states, the river has been affected by rapid population growth in the west.
- Great Lakes Basin. Holding 20% of the fresh surface water on Earth, the Great Lakes’ resources are in trouble—a result of climate change, water development and use.
- Meramec River. Part of the Mississippi River, the Meramec supplies drinking water to more than 15 million people and serves as a habitat for thousands of fish, birds and other wildlife. Over time, it has been threatened by excessive use and is one of the Conservancy’s highest priorities.
- Potomac River. The Potomac provides drinking water to 4.3 million people in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. Rapid population growth and water management systems in several communities have impacted it.
- Southern rivers. Southern rivers and streams, such as the Pascagoula River in Mississippi and the Flint River in Georgia, span all 15 southern states. Recent droughts and increasing water demands have threatened these important bodies of water.
The Conservancy is seeking volunteers to help with these and other projects. For more information, click here.
For Your Organic Bookshelf: Unquenchable: America’s Water Crisis and What to Do About It
Photo courtesy of ARA
Read More: World Water Day
Tags: environment, events, volunteerism, water crisis, World Water Day
Posted in The Environment | 3 Comments »
March 18th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
British celebrity chef and bestselling author Jamie Oliver will host a new ABC series, Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, with a sneak preview airing 10:01 p.m. Sunday (ET).
“The time is right for people to rediscover the sense of pride, satisfaction and fun you can get from cooking for the people you love,” says Oliver, author of numerous cookbooks, including Jamie’s Dinners: The Essential Family Cookbook and Jamie’s Food Revolution: Rediscover How to Cook Simple, Delicious, Affordable Meals.
“I want to prove that turning around the epidemic of obesity and bad health doesn’t have to be boring or dull in the slightest,” he adds.
The six-episode show is loosely based on Oliver’s U.K. series Jamie’s Ministry of Food and Jamie’s School Dinners. The first episode will repeat 8 p.m. Friday, March 26, followed by the second episode in its regular time period (9 p.m. Fridays).
In the first episode, Oliver heads to Huntington, WV—which has been called the unhealthiest city in America—to launch a new cooking initiative that aims to take the city off that list. Nearly half of Huntington’s adults are considered obese, and the incidence of heart disease and diabetes leads the nation.
In the second episode, Oliver attempts to transform Huntington’s school lunch program.
Photo: Holly Farrell/ABC
Read More: Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution
Tags: events, Health, Jamie Oliver, obesity, TV
Posted in Health | 4 Comments »
March 16th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
Help raise money to combat the worldwide water crisis by signing up for the Dow Live Earth Run for Water, a series of 6K runs/walks to be held April 18 in nearly 100 cities across 50 countries.
The distance represents how far women and children in some developing countries must walk to access clean water.
Funds will benefit Global Water Challenge, a coalition of nonprofit organizations that bring clean, safe drinking water to millions of people worldwide. Beneficiaries include innovative water reclamation projects in Haiti, Central America, Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia.
Singers Melissa Etheridge and Rob Thomas will perform at events in Los Angeles and Atlanta, respectively.
“Through the commitment of these artists, we are able to connect with a wider audience on this important issue and ultimately encourage them to participate in this movement to bring clean, safe drinking water to the nearly 1 billion people on this planet in need,” says Live Earth Founder Kevin Wall.
U.S. residents can enter a sweepstakes to win a free trip to the Los Angeles or New York event by setting up a fundraising page or making a direct donation in any amount to Global Water Challenge. On April 9, one winner will be randomly selected to receive free roundtrip airfare for two and a 2-night hotel stay in either Los Angeles or New York, based on closest proximity.
For Your Organic Bookshelf: Blue Covenant: The Global Water Crisis and the Coming Battle for the Right to Water
Read More: Walk/Run for Clean Water!
Tags: environment, events, water crisis
Posted in The Environment | 4 Comments »
|
|
|
