Demand for organic crops so outstrips the supply that some food brands are underwriting farmers’ arduous and costly transition to organic production. View this article: Paying Farmers to Go Organic, Even Before the Crops Come In ; ; ;
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Efficient watering practices can save you a lot of time and money, as well as preserving our planets resources. A bit of planning and a good understanding of your soil will help your plants thrive on less water.
What kind of soil do you have?
The main components of soil are sand, clay and organic matter. A good balance will give you a crumbly, easy-to-dig soil that takes up water easily.
Dig a few small holes around your yard to see your soils structure. A soil with too much sand is grainy and drains very quickly. Sandy soils benefit from adding lots of organic matter to hold in the water.
Clay soils can feel like concrete when theyre dry and will absorb water very slowly. Once clay soil is wet, it can become dense and oversaturated with very little oxygen or space for plant roots. Adding gypsum (calcium sulphate), sand or organic matter will help break up clay soils.
For containers, its best to use commercial potting mixes based on peat moss or coconut fiber. Both of these are organic materials that hold water well and are still light enough for pots and hanging baskets. Soil straight from your garden is usually too heavy.
How to Judge When Your Plants Need Water
1. Container Plants
Lift up your containers or hanging baskets when possible to gauge their water content. If theyre too large to lift, use your finger or a soil probe to check how far down the pot has dried out. Its time to water when the container is dry about half way down.
Add water until it comes out the bottom of the pot. Check back in 5 to 10 minutes to see if the water absorbed. If the container still feels dry, keep adding water in small doses until the soil is saturated.
2. Outdoor Areas
The roots of perennial plants, shrubs and trees generally grow in the top 12 inches (30 centimeters) of soil. The roots of lawns and annual plants, including most vegetables, are typically in the top 6 inches (15 centimeters) of soil.
These are the depths youll need to water to for each type of plant. The actual amount of water you need to apply will vary depending on your soil structure.
When you water an area for the first time, use your finger or a shovel to check the soil every few minutes and see how far down the water has penetrated. Take note of how long it took to reach the needed depth.
Continue to monitor your soil and keep track of how long it takes to dry out again. Drought-tolerant plants will be able to handle drying out to the bottom of their root zone. Whereas, plants with higher water needs should only dry out to around half the depth of their root zone.
This will give you a basic idea of how long you should water each area of your garden and how often.
The last step is to make sure your watering system is as efficient as possible. Try the following tips to get started.
How to Reduce the Amount You Water
Water at cooler times of day. You can lose a lot of water to evaporation when its hot. Morning is often the best time to water because its the coolest time of day. You can also set your automatic irrigation system to run during the night.
Dont panic. Its normal for some of your plants to wilt in the mid-afternoon sun to conserve water. Wait until the sun goes down to check whether or not the wilt is permanent. If your plants dont perk up again by morning, its time to water.
Choose drought-tolerant plants when possible. Many varieties of ornamental annual and perennial plants do well with limited water. You can also get lawn seed mixes designed for dryer conditions.
Group plants by water needs. This can make watering much easier. For instance, you can group drought-tolerant plants together in a difficult-to-access corner of your yard, or plant your most water-demanding veggies at the front of your beds near a hose.
Have a flexible watering schedule. Take advantage of cooler weather periods to reduce how often you water. Also keep in mind that young seedlings or new plantings will have smaller root systems than when mature. These will need shallower, more frequent irrigation until they get established.
Water slowly. Too much water at one time will simply run out of a container or off the soil surface in garden beds. When watering by hand, go over a container or outdoor area a few times rather than trying to do it all at once. Or look for an automatic irrigation system that can deliver smaller amounts of water over longer periods of time.
Make use of technology. Many automatic irrigation systems can make watering more efficient, such as drip irrigation, soaker hoses or overhead sprinklers. Automatic timers are also very useful. You can get simple timers that are battery powered or more complicated systems that are wired into your house.
Track your water. A general recommendation is to apply 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 centimeters) of water to your garden per week. This is easiest to track with automatic irrigation systems that deliver set amounts of water. You can also check hand watering by attaching a flow meter to the hose spigot. About 60 gallons (227 liters) will provide 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) of water over 100 square feet (9 square meters).
Keep your ground covered. A layer of mulch, ground cloth or rocks will help stop evaporation from the soil and keep it moist. Planting a living ground cover is another great option.
Focus on the roots. Water should be applied as close to the root zone as possible. Water left on the leaves is often lost through evaporation. It can also cause sun damage on a hot day or promote leaf diseases. Try to get underneath the plants when youre hand watering, or choose drip irrigation systems instead of overhead sprayers.
Related:
12 Ways to Get Rid of Aggressive Weeds Without Resorting to Roundup
5 Surprising Animals You Didnt Realize Were Pollinators
How to Use Food Scraps to Control Pests and Help Your Garden Thrive
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.
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One way to protect the birds, bees, bats and beetles that help pollinate plants is by growing a garden that will help feed and nurture them. National Pollinator Week is a perfect time to plant a garden these creatures will love. Here’s how to get it off the ground.
Choose Your Plants – Start by identifying the “eco region” you live in. The Pollinator Partnership offers plant guides to attract pollinators for 32 different regions of the U.S., plus Canada. Some examples of eco regions are: the Sierran Steppe, the Southeastern mixed forest, prairie parkland (subtropical), Ouachita mixed forest, outer coastal and Lower Mississippi riverine. You can find the guide that’s right for your ecoregion here.
Learn About Your Eco Region – The guide to your ecoregion will describe your microclimate, general topography and the flora (plants) and fauna (animals) commonly found in your region. It’ll provide an estimate of the amount of rain that falls in your ecoregion annually, let you know when the first frost usually strikes, and when the last frost usually occurs, which normally signals when it’s time to plant.
Get Familiar With the Plant Traits the Pollinators Like – For example, bats prefer dull white, green or purple flowers with a strong musty odor emitted at night. On the other hand, bees prefer bright white, yellow or blue flowers that emit a fresh, mild scent and that have a sort of landing platform they can sit on, since they don’t extract pollen when they’re flying. Birdsneed strong perch supports and are attracted to scarlet, orange, red or white flowers. Pollinators are different animals, so the greater variety of plants you grow, the greater variety of pollinators you’ll attract.
Plant for Food – Flowers provide nectar and pollen, but fermenting fallen fruits also provide food for bees, beetles and butterflies.
Plant in Groups, and Plant a Lot – Planting in groups increases the efficiency by which the pollinator can feed on your plants. That makes it easier both to gather the pollen and to transfer the pollen to the same species, rather than depositing it on a plant that can’t use it.
Plant Many Different Plants – This “biodiversity” will attract and support a bevy of different pollinators while also making your garden more interesting and beautiful to behold.
Don’t Necessarily Weed – What may be a weed to you may be another great source of nectar and pollen to a pollinator. Before you pull a weed, make sure it’s not breakfast, lunch or dinner for the insects and birds you’ve started attracting to your yard.
Grow Different Sizes of Plants, but Also Leave Bare Soil – Different birds and insects inhabit plants at different heights, so make a variety available. Dead tree snags make good shelter, as does bare soil for ground nesting insects.
Provide Water – A pond with gently moving water so mosquitoes don’t proliferate provides drinking and bathing water for pollinators, as does a small container, like the bottom dish of a planter. Make sure the sides slope so the animals can approach the water without drowning.
Grow Organically – Skip the toxic pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers. Pollinators are small to tiny animals and even extremely smalldoses of potent chemicals can kill or harm them.
Plant for Beauty as Well as For Bounty – Make sure you enjoy your garden as much as the pollinators do. Plan your garden so you have something blooming spring, summer, fall and even winter. You may not drink the nectar of the plants you cultivate, but there’s no reason why you can’t relish their gorgeous blooms and rich fragrances.
RELATED
Use Your Summer Gardening to Attract Butterflies and Bees
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.
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Want Pollinators to Visit Your Yard? Here’s How to Attract Them.
good dirt
By Nathanael Johnsonon Jun 17, 2016 3:54 pmShare
Organic agriculture has long focused on fortifying soils to provide a sort of immune system for crops. Rather than fighting diseases after they arrive, the thinking goes, make crops sturdy enough so they don’t get sick in the first place.
And it works: There’s evidence that the right soil makes for healthier plants — but we’ve never understood exactly how it works. Without some rudimentary understanding of the process, it’s impossible to separate useful techniques from mysticism and snake oil.
Science writer Carl Zimmer recently summed up in the New York Times what scientists have learned about soils that act like immune systems. It turns out that healthy plants love company. Soils swarming with microbes protect against disease because there’s just no room for pathogens to get a foothold. It’s called competitive inhibition.
Plants can also summon helpful soil microbes to launch counterattacks against specific pathogens. “Recent experiments have shown that when pathogens attack a plant, it responds by releasing chemicals into the soil that attract a number of microbial species,” Zimmer writes. “As those microbes gather around the plant, they release compounds that can kill the pathogen.”
These new insights are far from complete. What happens underground is fantastically complex. But scientists have already used their findings to test some practical means of encouraging good microbes on farms. The more researchers are able to show how this soil immune system works, the more farmers will embrace the idea.
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Welcome to the sparkling green gem called eco tourism. A booming industry, eco travel now boasts a whopping 8 billion ecotourist visits a year worldwide. Spoiler alert: You’ll need a (nontoxic) keyboard cleaner prior to reading further because if you’re like me, you’ll be drooling in utter awe at the beauty, thoughtfulness and earthly stewardship that went into creating these slices of nirvana on earth. My bucket list has officially grown larger (and yours will, too) after discovering these Om-inspiring spots.
Whether you’re looking for restorative or reenergizing vacation away from daily stress, you’ll be hitting the BOOK IT button and packing your bags for an eco travel adventure to reclaim your inner peace and restore your health.
A historic farm and eco resort perched along the Mendocino Coast, The Stanford Inn by the Sea boasts lush, USDA certified organic farms and gardens. This four star, sustainable eco-resort is home to an award-winning vegan restaurant. Nestled across the bay from Mendocino Village, earth friendly, conscious cuisine can be enjoyed at Ravens restaurant (even the wines are organic). The lodge inspired rooms boast eco-friendly amenities by Gilchrist & Soames®. Included with your room are: free mountain bike rentals, a chef-prepared vegan breakfast, plush bathrobes, a wood burning fireplace, organic coffee, and a private deck with ocean and garden views. They compost all food and organic wastes which are then recycled into the gardens, virtually eliminating the use of outside fertilizers. The resort uses no herbicides or pesticides and uses Vaska non-toxic environmentally safe cleaning and laundry supplies, and provides sulfate-free Naturally Kind™ Forest Essentials.
Image Credit: The Stanford Inn by the Sea
Head over to the onsite Catch a Canoe and paddle along the eight-mile Big River estuary. Or, rent a bike or visit the wellness center – the Mendocino Center for Living Well – offering yoga, ayurvedic treatments, cooking classes and wellness retreats including the Falling Love with Life Special. They also offer a sauna, hot tub and indoor swimming pool located in the heated solarium as well as weddings and corporate events. With afternoon tastings and evening happy hours, the passionate owners, Jeff & Joan Stanford, have truly though of everything – even electric car charging stations – at this premier sustainable destination. Watch below to learn more:
Bardessono is one of only three LEED platinum-certified hotels in the United States (and the only one in California). Situated in California’s Napa Valley, rooms feature organic cotton bed linens and hand-crafted bath products. The onsite restaurant, Lucy, offers a garden-inspired menu with field-to-fork cuisine and artisan cocktails. A rooftop pool offers lounging and dining. Carbon fiber bicycles, on-site producing gardens, and the inspired taste of artisan-crafted coffee are all included in your wine country stay. Cheers to that!
Image Credit: Bardessono
Raw. Aesthetic. Discover a remote hideaway tucked within the luminous canyons of the American Southwest. Utah’s Canyon Point is home to deep canyons, towering plateaus, world-class hiking, and of course – Amangiri.
How does candlelit restorative yoga with views of the mesa or full moon yoga beneath the rising moon sound? Then there’s the exquisite 25,000 square foot spa where treatments focus on restoring hózhó, which means beauty, harmony, balance and health in Navajo.
The onsite restaurant serves local seasonal produce. This dramatic resort is tucked into a valley near the Grand Staircase – Escalante National Monument; to say that it blends into the landscape is an understatement. While visiting, you can enjoy guided hikes, rock climbing, canyoneering, and biking.
Image Credit: Amangiri
A retreat for the body, mind and spirit, Lumeria helps you transform your best self through yoga, meditation, sustainable food offerings, healing spa treatments and more. This all-inclusive Hawaii wellness retreat overlooks the North Shore of Maui and is set on large, lush gardens and just 10 minutes from the quaint town of Paia. Guests can feast on indigenous, organic produce and products at Lumeria’s Wooden Crate restaurant. Thesaline pool and soaking tub overlook the island with breathtaking ocean views. An onsite meditation labyrinth is ideal for quieting the mind and seeking a new perspective.
Image Credit: Lumeria
A boutique wellness experience tucked in the heart of the lush, tropical beauty of Costa Rica, The Retreat, is a five star boutique hotel created by health and wellness visionary, Diana Stobo. Recently voted one of the 5 Top Spas in the world the property is all about eating clean, raw and/or organic whole foods, enjoying nature, relaxing with yoga and meditation while still lapping in luxury. Diana’s mission is to provide everything you need and desire for the perfect wellness vacation: physical activity, stress reduction, spiritual connectedness, cultural involvement and an experience that will transform you life. Take a plunge in the salt water pool, enjoy the world class spa or Yoga House and and savor a menu designed to fit all lifestyle choices by offering farm to fork cuisine on a daily basis, with vegan options at every meal, as well as all raw choices. Seeing is believing:
Set amidst the last remaining tropical rainforest reserves of Central America, Minnesota natives John and Karen Lewis liquidated their assets to purchase the land for Lapa Rios Ecolodge; a pristine resort of bungalows lining three rainforest ridges. A three-story hardwood circular stairway in the main lodge constructed of locally harvested materials and a lookout onto the rainforest canopy are highlights. Slumber in organic bed linens and enjoy locally made, biodegradable, organic soaps, lotions and shampoos. Activities focus on the forest and the nearby ocean with hiking, birding, kayaking, horseback riding and surfing while honoring conservation. Their sustainability bragging rights are well earned and can be found here.
Image Credit: Lapa Rios Ecolodge
Experience one of the world’s Blue Zone© areas by staying at Anamaya for a yoga or surf retreat. Located in the southern Nicoya Peninsula on the Pacific Ocean, yoga and surf retreat Anamaya compliments a Blue Zone© designated area — an area of the world where people are known to live the longest and healthiest. There are only five Blue Zones in the world. Daily yoga, spa services, a salt water infinity pool, infrared sauna, organic food with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, and free range organic chicken and fresh fish are available to guests.
While there, take a day trip to nearby Tabacon, a five star hotel ranked a World’s Top Ten eco-Spa by National Geographic Magazine.
Tabacon sits at the foot of the majestic Arenal Volcano in the heart of the tropical rainforest. Take a plunge in the thermal springs that emerge from the volcanic earth, cascading to form waterfalls, streams, tranquil pools and ponds.
Image Credit: Anamya
A resort that heals. This luxury eco resort plans to pamper you while simultaneously healing the island of Belize. Save the date because this Leonardo di Caprio inspired (and partly owned) oasis is coming in 2018 with majestic views (of the ocean and maybe even Leo?), sprawling villas and infinity pools. It wouldn’t involve Leo without environment stewardship. Plans are in place to protect the coral reefs, biodiverse marine life and even involve manatee conservation. Now that’s what I call leaving something better than you found it. Here. Now. Wherever you are. I don’t know ‘bout you, but my heart will definitely go on after a trip to Blackadore Caye!
Image Credit: Blackadore Caye
For a truly rejuvenating spa experience, head for the Philippines. More specifically, set your sights on The Farm at San Benito. The Farm at San Benito offers a wholly holistic approach to healing one’s body and spirit. Enjoy ease, simplicity, and of course, eco-friendly wellness. Dine on predominantly raw, vegan fare made from ingredients grown on the property’s garden. Or, practice yoga. A variety of wellness programs are available to achieve and sustain optimal physical health, emotional well-being and spiritual growth. Oh, and you’ll be surrounded by lush, tranquil land.
Image Credit: The Farm at San Benito Terrace
Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort & Spa is set on a lush hillside set in an eco-reserve. Enjoy sleeping in a treehouse villa, snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, parasailing or a day of relaxation at the CHI spa. Stunning beaches and ocean views. Its, as they call it, a sanctuary within a sanctuary.
Image Credit: Boracay Resort & Spa
Paradise sculpted by nature. Sounds good to me. The Tivoli Ecoresort Praia do Forte is an ecologically responsible a place that blends with its natural white sands and warm water. Conservation is key to assure the natural surroundings are not harmed and the resort honors the biodiversity of the surrounding beauty of Brazil.
Image Credit: Tivoli Ecoresort
A visit to the Maldives shouldn’t be limited to Brad and Angelina’s brood. Visit this all-villa Thai retreat that sits next to a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, a feeding ground for manta rays and whale sharks. The Thai inspired rooms at Dusit Thani Maldives are encircled by white sandy beaches, a stunning 360 degree living house reef and a turquoise lagoon. Yes, please.
Image Credit: Dusit Thani Maldives
Remote. Refined. Rustic. Sounds like a great combo to me. Inspired by late 19th-century camps, the all-inclusive Clayoquot Wilderness Resort in B.C., Canada combines an eco-chic experience with luxurious comfort.
Imagine 20 white canvas massage, treatment, dining, lounge, and guest tents in the dense bush of one of the world’s few remaining temperate rainforests. Get ready to channel your inner Grizzly Adams and indulge horseback riding, kayaking, whale watching, hiking, and fishing.
Uniquely and appropriately described as a delicious blend of childhood wishes and grown up dreams.
Image Credit: Clayoquot Wilderness Resort
Ecology meets luxury at Gayana Eco Resort. On the edge of a tropical jungle paradise and peering above the agean waters of a rare coral reef , your inner flower child will delight at the overall eco-focus of the resort. A tropical jungle, vibrant coral reefs and effervescent waters of the South China Sea create a a true paradise. The thatched huts are filled with modern conveniences, including air conditioning, WiFi and luxury bathroom amenities. There’s even an on-site Marine Ecology Research Center restoring the nearby coral reef.
Image Credit: Gayana Eco Resort
Located on Phuket’s Naka Yai Island, this wellness resort preaches holistic wellness in its food, activities, and landscaping. Cleanse your body and soul at The Naka Island, A Luxury Collection Resort & Spa. Indonesian, Thai, Chinese, and Indian, therapies range from body rubs and holistic fitness to stress-reducing practices and disease prevention. Eco features such as green housekeeping, composting, water conservation, recycling, integrated pest management practices, low-VOC materials (paints, flooring and furniture) make giving it a double green thumbs up easy.
Image Credit: The Naka Island
Sleep in a romantic treehouse at the all-inclusive Lake Manyara Tree Lodge located in the Lake Manyara National Park. Enjoy the diversity of the Great Rift Valley and the plethora of habitats and wildlife surrounding rich, mahogany forests. Each of the 10 stilted suites boasts a private game viewing deck, dream-inducing beds, and an overhead fan for a true jungle vibe. Enjoy a safari or soak in the natural hot springs during your stay. You may even see a lion climbing a tree (really!).
Image Credit: Lake Manyara Tree Lodge
How about unwinding with the Ayung River behind you, surrounded by Verdant rice paddies, meandering pathways, and gently rolling hills? Nearby, you’ll discover hidden temples and an active volcano. Find your Zen while you rejuvenate and unwind at the luxurious Ritz-Carlton Reserve Mandapa resort in Bali with your own private butler on hand to meet your every whim.
Image Credit: Mandapa
Since my husband stayed here, I can personally share the relaxation he experienced while slumbering in an ancient rainforest canopy with the echo of birds in the background at Daintree EcoLodge and Spa. For every guest that stays, they plant a tree with Rainforest Rescue. Key measures to reduce energy use, greenhouse and carbon emissions include a long list which you can view here. They offer natural spa treatments, fresh seasonal cuisine, and tranquil exploration. View brochure here.
Image Credit: Daintree EcoLodge and Spa
Would you consider staying at one of these destinations? Have you already? What was your experience? Leave a comment below.
Feature image credit: Lake Manyara Tree Lodge
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Lisa Beres is a healthy home expert, Baubiologist, published author, professional speaker and Telly award winning media personality who teaches busy people how to eliminate toxins from their home with simple, step-by-step solutions to improve their health. With her husband, Ron, she is the co-founder of
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The Best Luxury Eco Travel Destinations – June 17, 2016
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By Melissa Croninon Jun 6, 2016Share
Charles Koch isn’t a climate scientist by any stretch of the imagination, but he sure has a lot to say about it.
During the course of a lengthy interview this week with The Washington Post, Charles Koch touched on his views on climate change science, which have fluctuated quite a bit over the years.
What’s more, the petrochemical billionaire, whose foundations funneled more than $70 million to front groups that oppose climate change action, condemned the “climate lobby” while ignoring the work his massive network has done — one that exists in large part because of his own contributions.
In a conversation with The Post’s Jim Tankersley, Koch responded to the recent confusion about exactly what his stance on climate change is:
Yeah, I say that a lot of what is done by the climate lobby is anti-science. But there is some science behind it. Like, there are greenhouse gases, and they do contribute to warming. But if you look at the last, say, 160 years, the first 80 of that period, they went up four-tenths of a degree. And now, the second 80 that CO2 has gone up, what, 30 percent or something, it’s gone up five-tenths of a degree. And there’s been in the last 30 or 40 years, there’s been no real increase in storms or bad weather. So, let’s use the part that’s real science and then apply the Republic of Science to the rest of it.”
Koch referenced the “Republic of Science” 23 times over the interview, according to the Post. That references a theory, by Michael Polanyi, that market economics should govern science, particularly when it comes to funding academic research.
Funding science is one thing, but Koch steers his funds to elevate select conservative voices who advance confusion and anti-climate policies — ones that just happen to help his bottom line.
The interview is worth a read, if you can stomach it.
Link to original:
Charles Koch really wants us all to believe he’s pro-science
If you’re a meat eater and want to get the healthiest, tastiest cuts, how do you know what to buy?
Most labels today carry some kind of certification from the USDA (US Department of Agriculture), which basically acknowledges that the meat came from a facility that is supposed to meet the USDA’s standards for health and safety. But you might see other words on the label as well, such as “natural,” “fed vegetarian feed” or “no hormones or added antibiotics.” Some of these terms are significant, but others are essentially worthless.
Here’s a guide to the most common labels you’ll see on packaged meat and what they mean.
Grain-fed: These words indicate that at some point in its life, the animal was fed grain. The animal may have been raised in a factory-farm type operation or on a small family farm. Grain-fed doesn’t tell you that information. It only indicates that the animal ate corn, soy, brewers grain or another grain-based feed.
Grass-fed: Rather than being cooped up in a barn eating grain, grass-fed cows roam outdoors eating nothing but grass from the time they’re weaned until the time they go to market. The term does not guarantee that the animals weren’t treated with antibiotics nor confined. Grass is closer to the actual native diet of cows than grain, but that in and of itself might not be a reason to buy meat labeled this way.
AGA-Certified Grassfed: This label has some teeth to it. It says that the cows verifiably ate only grass, that they were not confined in a feed lot, and that they’ve never been given antibiotics or hormones. Unlike other grassfed meat, that which is AGA-Certified Grassfed is guaranteed to have been born and raised in the U.S.
Grass Finished: According to American Grassfed, this label is completely meaningless. It does not meet any standards set by the USDA and is used primarily for marketing purposes rather than to indicate superior quality.
Natural: In this context, “natural” does not refer to how the animal was raised, but rather how its meat was processed and packaged. According to the USDA, describing meat as “natural” means that it contains no artificial ingredients or added color and was minimally processed (such as ground into beef or trimmed into steaks). The word natural does not refer to the animal’s diet or how it was raised.
Naturally-raised: An animal that is “naturally raised” was not fed animal byproducts (like ground up parts of other animals), nor was it administered growth hormones or antibiotics. Other than that, the animal could have eaten either grain or grass and could have spent its life outdoors roaming or confined in a factory-type feedlot.
Organic: The U.S. Department of Agriculture has established a set of standards that farmers must meet if they are to label their meat organic. Those include that the animal was given no antibiotics or synthetic hormones, ate a pesticide and herbicide-free vegetarian diet, and was was fed or ate no food that was tainted with genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Cows may either be fed organic grain or eat organic grass, and they may be confined rather than allowed to roam free.
Pasture-Raised: This is a term that sounds nice, but like “natural,” means essentially nothing. There’s no federal definition for what pasture-raised means, and not much industry cohesion behind the term either. Any producer can put it on any package at any time.
Certified Humane: This label primarily attests to how animals were treated as they were raised. It says that “Livestock must have access to fresh water and a diet formulated or assessed to maintain full health and promote a positive state of well-being. Feed and water must be distributed in such a way that livestock can eat and drink without undue competition.” It prohibits treatment with hormones and antibioticsother than to selectively treat disease and mandates that feeding and watering troughs be kept clean. This label also requires that calves be able to suckle for 24 hours after they’re born and not be weaned for 6 months after birth.
Of all these labels, the ones that mean the most are Certified Humane, Organic and AGA-Certified Grassfed. Don’t waste your money on “natural” or “pasture-raised” beef.
Related:
Five Myths About Grass-Fed Beef
With These Veggie Burger Ideas, You’ll Never Crave Beef Again
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.
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No joke. This may be boring as hell, but it really and truly is great news:
Federal Reserve officials strongly signaled they will toughen big-bank capital requirements even more than they have since the 2008 crisis, a move that will add to the pressure on the largest U.S. banks to consider shrinking. Fed governors Daniel Tarullo and Jerome Powell, in separate public comments on Thursday, said the Fed would require eight of the largest U.S. banks to maintain more equity to pass the central bank’s annual “stress tests.”
“Effectively, this will be a significant increase in capital,” Mr. Tarullo said on Bloomberg television….Mr. Powell said at a banking conference that the Fed’s move would make big banks “fully internalize the risk” they pose to the economy.
“I have not reached any conclusion that a particular bank needs to be broken up or anything like that,” he said. The point is to “raise capital requirements to the point at which it becomes a question that banks have to ask themselves.”
Bernie Sanders has campaigned heavily on the idea of breaking up big banks. But that shouldn’t be our goal. Our goal should be to make banks safer and to reduce the likelihood that they need to be bailed out in the future. That’s what higher capital requirements do: they force banks to carry a bigger buffer against losses, which makes them less likely to fail in any future downturn.
As it happens, new regulations put in place since the financial meltdown of 2008 have already increased capital requirements, but big banks still have an unfair advantage in the market: their funding costs are lower because investors figure they’ll be bailed out if they ever implode in the future. To make up for this, big banks should, as Tarullo said, “fully internalize the risk” they pose to the economy. In other words, if big banks have an automatic advantage simply because taxpayers have little choice but to rescue them in case they fail, they should be required to pay higher insurance premiums against failure. That’s essentially what higher capital requirements do.
This is fair. However, higher capital requirements also make big banks less profitable, which in turn gives them a strong incentive to downsize all on their own. And that’s how it should be. There’s no reason for the Fed or anyone else to pick and choose banks to break up. We just need to make sure they’re reasonably safe and are operating on a level playing field. If we do this, we’re providing an organic incentive to downsize. The banks themselves get to decide whether and how to do it.
The only bad news here is that the Fed is unlikely to raise capital requirements enough to suit me. Nonetheless, this is very much another step in the right direction.
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Disclaimer: This burger is not vegetarian. Shutterstock
By Katie Herzogon May 24, 2016Share
At this point, we all know how bad meat is for the planet. A short list of the impacts of meat cultivation on land include deforestation, overgrazing, compaction, and soil erosion. One pound of beef requires about 1,800 gallons of water to produce. And our carnivorous tendencies produce, according to some estimates, as much as 50 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions — more than cars, planes, trains and ships combined.
But it’s delicious, which is probably why 84 percent of vegetarians eventually go back to eating it (including this writer and at least 20 percent of the Grist staff). A person can only convince themselves that veggie burgers don’t taste like compacted sawdust for so long — until, possibly, now. A Los Angeles-area startup claims to have produced a veggie burger that can meet all your red-blooded desires.
Beyond Meat creates meat products sans meat, and their latest venture, the Beyond Burger, promises to look, taste, and feel just like the real thing. And apparently there’s an eager market for it: The Beyond Burger launched in the meat aisle — right alongside beef, poultry, pork, and lamb — at a Whole Foods in Boulder, Colo., Monday, and sold out within an hour, according to the company.
Unlike most veggie burgers, which are commonly blends of black beans and soy mash, the Beyond Burger is made of 20 grams of pea protein. The reviews, so far, are positive: A Whole Foods exec said it “tasted, felt and chewed like any other burger.” (Although, given that Whole Foods is selling it, maybe take that with a grain of organic, free-range salt.) It also looks like one — the burger “bleeds” beet juice when you bite into it.
Here it is, in all its flesh-free glory:
Plant-based alternatives to animal products make up a burgeoning trend: The New York Times reports that foods made from plant protein grew almost 9 percent from 2014 to 2015 — nearly three times the growth of overall food sales.
Unfortunately for vegetarians — or anyone — hankering for a convincing slab of pea protein to throw on the grill this summer, you’re going to have to wait: The Beyond Burger is currently only available in the Boulder Whole Foods (know your audience, as they say), but the company hopes to expand to other markets next year.
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By Clayton Aldernon May 24, 2016Share
Along with a good chunk of the environmental space, Grist is celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the release of An Inconvenient Truth, the Oscar-winning documentary that dragged climate change in front of the eyeballs of millions. (Check out our complete oral history of the film and interviews with the activists, politicians, and artists it influenced.)
Perhaps you’re in celebration mode, too, and have re-watched the documentary in all its early-2000s Keynote glory. (If not, you can for free today!) Perhaps you’re feeling inspired. Stand tall! Sub out that incandescent sack of filaments for a lovely compact fluorescent lamp! You’re an environmentalist!
Now wipe your brow with a recyclable, grab an armload of in-season fruit, and binge watch these classic environmental docs next.
From Participant Media (the same folks that produced An Inconvenient Truth), Food, Inc. tells the story of our utterly zany industrial food system. After watching, this author stopped eating fast food for good (though, to be honest, not for lack of desire). Watch: Netflix.
Josh Fox’s documentary on hydraulic fracturing helped launch the anti-fracking movement. A true conversation about climate change isn’t “possible without the awareness An Inconvenient Truth brought,” he told Grist, but here’s a conversation-starter, by way of the energy system. Watch: Netflix.
Photographer James Balog traveled to the Arctic to capture photos of dramatically receding — and in some cases, disappearing — ice. If you weren’t already convinced climate change is serious, these glaciers beg to differ. Watch: Netflix.
When Naomi Klein published This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. the Climate in 2014, she pointed to climate change as an opportunity to rework our entire economic system. But what about the people in that system? The film project of the same name is, according to director Avi Lewis, “a portrait of community struggle around the world on the front lines of fossil fuel extraction and the climate crisis.”
For the optimal dose of anger and action, don’t sub the book out for the movie: Soak ’em both in back-to-back. Watch: iTunes, Amazon.
China has an air pollution problem. In Under the Dome, that problem is laid out with pressing slideshow wizardry. Remind you of another environmental movie? Deborah Seligsohn, former principal adviser to the World Resources Institute’s China energy and climate program, points to the documentary as An Inconvenient Truth’s most immediate descendent. “In four days, it had 250 million views on the web. That’s the influence,” she told Grist. Watch: YouTube (below!).
Catching the Sun confronts the big questions imposed by a burgeoning global solar industry. Is a 100-percent solar-powered world achievable? And if so, who stands to benefit? Director Shalini Kantayya has called mainstream environmentalism “a thing for the privileged.” As she told Grist, “If you have extra money, you can put solar panels on your home or pay for organic food.”
The documentary is Kantayya’s take on where environmentalism should be heading. Spoiler alert: It’s a story of hope, not doom. Watch: Netflix.
Continued:
You’ve geeked out over “An Inconvenient Truth.” Watch these next.
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