Yesterday I took a little bit of a swipe at Bon AppĂ©tit Management’s cage-free SHELL egg commitment asking whether or not such move could push the $590 billion commercial food-service market to raise animal welfare standards nationally. Today Bon AppĂ©tit (BAMCO) is back in the news with a compelling initiative that preserves summer produce for […]
Ohio Takes on California in a Winter Produce Gambit Read More 👉
Today kicks off the American Business Conference’s 4th part of a global series of Sustainable Agricultural Summits. And what better city for this summit to take place, but San Francisco. California is home to 81,500 farms and ranches and tallied revenues of $36.2 billion last year alone. That figure represents 11.2% of the nation’s total.
A Meeting of the Minds: Sustainable Agricultural Summit Begins Read More 👉
Federal Government Asks Fletcher Allen to Teach the Nation How to Scale Local Sourcing in Healthcare (Part II: Taking Local From Trendy to Essential) “The Hospital That Heals The Earth” is a two-part series on the intersection of sustainability innovation and healthcare at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington, Vermont. Part 1 of the series
The Hospital That Heals The Earth (Part II) Read More 👉
Vermont Hospital Wants To Be The Greenest Health Care Facility in the US — And Makes a Convincing Case (Part I: Mainstreaming Sustainability) Sustainability, clean energy investment, green jobs and health care reform have all been resounding themes of the first 18 months of the Obama administration. But rarely do we conceive of healthcare reform
The Hospital That Heals The Earth (Part I) Read More 👉
Fletcher Allen staff member, Anne Rowell, sets out pizzas under a display of Wednesday’s special: a cheese steak sandwich, made with beef raised locally without the use of non-therapeutic antibiotics. The roll and cheese are also Vermont products and the side of pasta salad is home made. Annually, Fletcher Allen uses about 40,000 pounds of
Hospitals Use Purchase Power to Increase Antibiotic-Free Proteins in the Marketplace Read More 👉
Today’s New York Times has a brilliant report on the battle royalle being waged in the hipster-strewn streets of Portland, Oregon over the integrity, meaning and yes, swine-worthiness of local food. According to the Grey Lady, Portland chef Eric Bechard (top) dropped his gloves outside a bar after confronting an outsider chef (oh, the horror)
When Local Meets Provincial (e.g. Short-sighted) Read More 👉
It’s the time of year when people are making resolutions to lose weight, better manage their finances, better manage their anger, and myriad other things. Is increasing your commitment to environmental sustainability on that list? As I wrote in my very first post for The Inspired Economist in the fall of 2008, the neat thing
What’s Your Green Resolution for 2010? Read More 👉
Honey bees are disappearing. The story has been in the news on and off since 2006, but for one reason or another, most people have paid little attention. And the situation is significantly dire.
The Mysterious, Disappearing Honey Bee Read More 👉
Good ideas have a life of their own. That’s what Paul Baricos, Executive Director of the Hollygrove Growers Market and Farm (HGMF) in New Orleans is learning two years after the Carrolton-Hollygrove Community Development Center (CHCDC) set out to figure out how to bring fresh produce to a neighborhood with no real access to affordable food.
Urban Garden as Sustainable Business in New Orleans Read More 👉
Every day, we are faced with the question of whether it is greener to serve meals on reusable dishes and waste water to wash them with, or contribute to the landfill problem by using paper plates and plastic utensils.  Biodegradable Food Service Products (abbreviated BDFS) has a solution to this dilemma by using the humble
Eat Potatoes with Potatoes – Use Biodegradable Tater Ware Read More 👉
According to a recent UNESCO study, fresh water supply is expected to drop by one-third within 20 years. UNESCO points out that up to 7 billion people could face water shortages by 2020 as global warming will affect water supply in more than 50 countries.
Water as a priority in national strategic discourse is not new but its prominence in recent years illustrates the emergence of a new battlefront. A broader acceptance of climate change associated with global warming has led to the reassessment of fresh water’s priority.
Battlelines Over Waterlines: South Asia’s Not So New Tensions Read More 👉
Thanks to new and developing harvesting approaches U.S. fish farmers and distributors are making caviar not only sustainable, but affordable. Although you may or may not be a part of the cultural elite who consider themselves caviar connoisseurs, if you have interest in the environment and economy you may be able to appreciate the developments
New Farming Options Make Caviar Eco-Friendly and Affordable Read More 👉
Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) is given credit by many for revolutionizing the American coffee drinking experience. The company however is both praised and criticized by environmentalists. Is Starbucks a leader of sustainability or greenwashed? Disposable Cups Starbucks stores use billions of cups annually. This requires enormous quantities of natural resources and energy before finding their way
Starbucks Coffee: How Green Is Their Java? Read More 👉
As the demand for biofuels increases, so too will food prices around the world. The U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization’s recent report notes that “the historic linkages between agriculture and the energy sector are becoming stronger and are changing in character. Biofuel demand will continue to exercise upward pressure on agricultural prices for considerable time to
Growing Food to Feed Cars Will Continue to Drive Up the Price of Food Read More 👉
U.S. consumers are changing the criteria they consider at the grocery store, valuing locally grown products over organic, according to the BBMG Conscious Consumer Report. This new national consumer study on purchasing behavior and social values found that adults have a strongly favorable response to eco-labels and attributes including biodegradable (48% strongly favorable), cruelty free
New Study: Local Tops Organic at the Grocer Read More 👉
Since September 2007, Leonardo Academy has been promoting awareness of the development process of the Draft American National Standard for Trail Use for Sustainable Agriculture Practice, intended for subsequent approval as an American National Standard. National meetings have been held in Berkeley, California and Arlington, Virginia, in addition to three national teleconferences, to inform interested
Growing Interest in Sustainable Agriculture Draft Standard Read More 👉
In an unprecedented effort to provide market stability to both crop growers and livestock producers, Organic Valley Family of Farms is opening its membership to organic crop growers with the introduction of its Grower Pool. With more than 1,200 member farms, Organic Valley is America’s largest cooperative of organic farmers and is one of the
Organic Valley Forms Grower Pool Read More 👉
Divine Chocolate, the first farmer owned, Fair Trade chocolate company, celebrated the announcement of its sister company’s first dividend distribution. This milestone achievement by Divine Chocolate in the UK advances the company’s promise to the cocoa farmers of Kuapa Kokoo in Ghana and comes on the heels of the successful launch of Divine Chocolate in
Divine Chocolate Announces First Dividend for Kuapa Kokoo Farmers Read More 👉
Resource Centers On Urban Agriculture & Food Security (RUAF) has functioned since 1999 as a global network of 6 regional organisations that share a common vision on urban development and poverty reduction and together implement an international program focussed on urban agriculture and food security. The mission of the RUAF Foundation is to contribute to
Resource Centers On Urban Agriculture & Food Security (RUAF) Read More 👉
Thousands of family farms and ranch operations in the High Plains region have been devastated by a recent snow and ice storm. Many remain without power and other utilities, and roads are impassable in many areas due to heavy snow, icy conditions, and downed utility lines. The National Cattleman’s Beef Association (NCBA) has established a
IE Maryland readers don’t miss the chance to learn from area farmers and agricultural educators with expertise on and insight into new, profitable farm enterprises! Future Harvest-CASA brings together outstanding farmers, regionally known researchers and experienced educators in the field of sustainable agriculture in its popular annual gathering. WHEN: January 12-13, 2007 WHERE: Hagerstown, Maryland
Future Harvest 2007 Conference Read More 👉
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters and PBS introduce PBS Blend, a new Fair Trade Certified(TM) organic coffee. Available at Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, PBS Blend is offered in whole bean in 10-oz. packages and single-serve K-Cups(R) for use in Keurig(R) Single-Cup brewers. PBS Blend supports public television’s independent and award-winning programming and educational services. PBS Blend
PotashCorp, the world’s largest producer of crop nutrients, recently launched a first-of-its-kind website designed to inspire the agriculture industry to embrace sustainable business practices. The site profiles ag retailers from across North America who are leading the way in local sustainable development programs. “Through our Enriching program we hope to provide greater visibility to the
The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) recently released a report, “Achieving Sustainable Production of Agricultural Biomass for Biorefinery Feedstock,” that addresses the question “Can American farmers feed the growing biofuel industry?” The report details the potential of cellulosic biomass as an energy resource and the promise of no-till cropping for greater residue collection. It also proposes
