Food & Health

Before: how not to grill--high flame, smoke and charring. Photo via flickr by (appropriately) Combust

When barbecuing your free-range meats and line-caught fish this July 4th, be sure to whip up some marinade first. Yesterday, I offered ten ways to avoid carcinogenic HCAs and PAHs when grilling (or any high-heat cooking, for that matter). Thanks to a comment from a reader, I dug digger into tip # 4, the marinating suggestion that lessens HCAs, and discovered some compelling results and recommended recipes for significantly reducing these toxins. Read on for ways to green the grill for a almost zero-carbon cookout. Hint: mint.

Food & Health

Photos via Critical Bench, and the Guardian

We're well aware that more and more products are apt to be labeled with false green claims to try to grab the attention of increasingly green consumers--and 98% percent of them were guilty of exactly that last year. Now consider the federal, USDA regulated 'organic' label that many shoppers have come to know and trust. That now-ubiquitous label has become perhaps the most recognizable standard bearer for the green food movement--it couldn't be one of the biggest cases of greenwashing in the US. Could it?

food

Image via: Ninety Acres Culinary School

Richard Branson, known for supporting all types of wild and high profile schemes (renewable energy, carbon capture, alternative fuels for Virgin Airlines and even eco-resorts on his famous islands), now he's into something a little more mellow: funding a Farm to Fork project/eco-resort.

food

The cultural legacy of R. Crumb's 60's cartoon character, "Mr. Natural," may well be that US consumers have an instinctive preference for the "100% Natural" label over the "100% Organic" one, and by a wide margin (as pictured). That's according to recent survey of 1006 people by the Shelton Group, which offeres detailed results in a commercially-sold EcoPulse market report.

Recent Comment by quikboy : "A lot of things can be 'natural' but they're not good for you. ..." [read]

footwear

The other week I was sitting in a medical waiting room reading, as you do, a copy of Reader Digest. There was an intriguing article about Jackie Heinricher, her Booshoot company, and the plan to bring large scale bamboo cultivation to North America. At the time I thought I should follow up on that story.

So I was very surprised to come home and find in my email inbox a missive regarding outdoor sock company Bridgedale’s connection with Booshoot and their Plant A Boo campaign. It seems once upon a time the US had 5 million acres of bamboo under crop. The Plant A Boo project is looking to reinvigorate this swift growing grass as a domestically available resource for furniture, flooring and textiles.

Food & Health

Hmmm, the smoky flavor of carcinogens give PAHs for thought. Photo via Flickr by brandi666

Stand out of the line of fire of smoky fumes. Sure, that's the first defense. But what about the dangers of grilled dogs, ribs, and salmon? I've long heard tales of how a charcoal grilled burger is the equivalent of a carton of cigarettes. So when flipping through Cure magazine at my acupuncturist’s office, I discovered an article from Lena Huang about “Good Grilling” with easy steps to reduce risk. If there’s 225,000 metric tons of CO2, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and other VOCs spewing into the atmosphere from 60 million BBQs across the country this holiday weekend, how about waving a flag this 4th of July over the carcinogens you eat?

Food & Health

O.K., yes I have a crush on Michael Pollan and have had ever since I interviewed him during an infamous Portland ice storm. And yes, my husband knows. And yes, Michael Pollan is married. But also, big yes, as part of the press around the opening of the film Food Inc., you can chat with Michael Pollan today on Facebook and ask him anything you want to. You can also read our reviews of The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food before, in case you haven't read them or just want to review talking points. Be there - 3 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. You have to have a Facebook or Twitter profile to join, but there's time. I won't be there, as it's midnight in my time zone. But somebody ask him what he's working on next.

food

Drier soils mean stronger roots and tastier crops
Kristin already reported that farmers in California are chopping down trees because of prolonged drought - but it's not all bad news. Many farmers are learning to live with less water - some are even cutting out irrigation all together - and the result, say some, is healthier, tastier crops that are selling like hot cakes at the farmers' markets. Just as organic grapes thrive in drier soils, so too heirloom apples and even tomatoes can be grown using dry farming methods. So what's the secret?