Explore by Tags
Entries tagged with 'environment'
Page 3 of 6
Stuffed, Starved, and Running on Empty
The New Yorker drops a lengthy and sobering piece this week that looks at the depressing state of the world's food-supply system as detailed in four "second-wave" food-politics books. Where "first wave" books (such as Eric Schlosser's Fast Food Nation) leave off at the ill effects of junk food, the new crop of books looks at how "the entire system of Western food production is in need of radical change."...Reusable Wraps: Furoshiki
If the idea of environmentally friendly lunches sounds a lot more appealing than sewing your own sandwich wrap, check out furoshiki, the Japanese "ecofriendly wrapping cloth." Traditionally used in Japan for wrapping gifts and money, furoshiki can easily be adapted for everyday use. In fact, the Japanese Ministry of the Environment offers suggestions on using them to carry books, bottles, or even a watermelon. They might not work so well for sandwiches, but they could easily replace a brown paper bag....Feed People or Kill Our Waterways: The Real Omnivore's Dilemma?
©iStockPhoto/SilviaJansen A piece in the New York Times today (part of the brilliant, groundbreaking Food Chain series that looks like it's being positioned for the Pulitzer Prize) explains in crystal-clear fashion how the high cost of fertilizer and its limited supply are contributing mightily to both the high cost of food in general and the devastating food shortages in many parts of the world. Because certain kinds of fertilizer containing nitrogen create dead zones where rivers meet the sea and kill marine life, environmentalists are demanding changes that will limit the use of chemical fertilizer. Recently a United Nations panel recommended that farmers use increased crop rotation with legumes because legumes are natural nitrogen carriers....Eco-Conscious Dining in London
Where do you eat in London for fish-and-chips made only from nonthreatened species from small-scale farmers, or for a meal where 85% of the ingredients are sourced from within the limits of the London Tube system? Check out Portfolio.com's report on London's environmentally-conscious restaurants....Paper or Canvas? (Adios, Plastic)
Last July, we talked to Whole Foods Mid-Atlantic marketing director Sarah Kenney about the plastic bag ban. She said the average shopper still thinks in terms of paper-or-plastic, and it'll take time before grocery stores adjust this lifestyle norm. Well, it's been nine months and adjustments have happened. Today on Earth Day, Whole Foods officially yanks plastic from the normal duo-bag option, replacing it with an emphasis on canvas. Paper or canvas? Er, it'll take some getting used to. For almost $30, about the price of a few essentials at the national grocery chain, you can get your own "Feed 100" reusable bag, exclusively created for Whole Foods. The 100% organic cotton and sustainable burlap bag—which niftily collapses into a...The Effects of Global Warming on Wine
Enjoy your favorite wine now; in 50 years it might not be here anymore. The Observer explains how global warming is affecting wine production. Grape-growing may be rendered impossible in some areas (southern Italy, Australia, California) while other areas where wine production was previously rare or impossible (Denmark, Sweden, Finland) may be able to grow grapes....The Myth of Food Miles
Does buying locally really help save the environment? Depending on how and when the produce is grown and stored, maybe not. The Observer investigates the myth of food miles, pointing out that judging the environmental impact of food solely on the distance the food traveled to get to your plate is too simplistic. Many factors go into calculating the amount of carbon emitted by a food that make it difficult to predict its carbon footprint. "There is only one way of being sure that you cut down on your carbon emissions when buying food: stop eating meat, milk, butter and cheese," said Tara Garnett of the Food Climate Research Network....Why We Should Be Eating Insects
©iStockPhoto.com/arlindo71 Dutch entomology professor Arnold van Huis wants you to eat bugs. From an interview with Ode magazine: Why should we eat insects? While the world population is growing and our global wealth is advancing, meat consumption is rising dramatically. Currently, 70 percent of farmland is being used for meat production. If this trend continues, it will prove unsustainable. Moreover, livestock is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, including methane and nitrous oxide. Insects have a much lower environmental burden, while their nutritional value measures up to chicken or beef. Van Huis concedes that bugs can take some getting used to but that they can be processed in ways that make them less recognizable, "just as a filet...What Are You Doing With Your Pee?
Don't flush just yet! The project drinkpeedrinkpeedrinkpee taking place at Eyebeam in New York City from March 13 to April 19 aims to raise awareness about the role your body (or more specifically, its waste) plays in the water system. To illustrate the potential for using properly treated urine—a sterile liquid—as a fertilizer for plants, Urine to Fertilizer DIY Kits will be available at the installation. How does the kit work? Users will test their urine before the reaction. Then, they will add an enzyme, wait for their urine to hydrolyze, and then add Magnesium Chloride. A sediment will build up at the bottom of the jar. Using a filter, they will pour off and flush the liquid, leaving...Hot Topics: Technique of the Week | The Food Lab
Today's Specials
8 Delicious Chocolate Cakes and Pies for Valentine's Day
Some might say that chocolate on Valentine's Day is about as unoriginal as you can get. We all remember the first heart-shaped box of overly sweet chocolate bonbons from grade school Valentines. But chocolate gift-giving needn't be a cliché. This year, let's bake our sweethearts chocolate cakes and pies instead! Here are 8 delicious recipes perfect for celebrating your love (of chocolate.)
Continue reading »
BraveTart: Make Your Own Butterfingers »
Sandwiched: Crisp Grilled Cheese »
Recently in Talk
Recently in SE Blogs
Most Emailed
The Secret Ingredient (Parsley): As-Good-As-Cole-Slaw Cabbage and Parsley Salad
Serious Reads: An Extravagant Hunger, by Anne Zimmerman
Sunday Supper: Chicken with Apples, Thyme and Shallots
Look Who's Talkin': Comments, Quips, and Tips We Have Known and Loved
This Week's Tasty 10: The Most Popular Posts from the SE Oven
