Nothing really happened this week...April Fools! This week a ton of important news broke in the world of sustainable food, and we've rounded them up for this iteration of Eco News! Enjoy!
Why Organic, Sustainable Farming Matters | Portrait of a FarmerThis short documentary portrait offers a look into the life and work of Jesse Straight, owner of Whiffletree Farm in Warrenton, VA. Like other young farmers committed to organic livestock production, Jesse navigates the challenges and rewards of maintaining sustainable practices that benefit his animals and the local community alike. Take Action: Considering a future in sustainable agriculture? Learn more about the many resources available to new farmers.
The Enormous Carbon Footprint of Food That We Never Even EatAccording to the FAO, the carbon footprint of wasted food is 3.3 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalents, representing seven percent of total global emissions. Rising awareness of the connection between food waste and climate change is providing even greater incentive for food waste reduction strategies like those proposed in ReFED's recent Roadmap to Reduce US Food Waste report. [Washington Post]
Organic Foods Still Aren't as Mass Market as You Might ThinkWhile the market for organic foods has steadily increased, a new study in the Journal of Food Products Marketing suggests that the availability of these foods may be lower than expected. In an analysis of 1,256 stores in Manhattan, only five percent sold at least half of the 24 most popular organic foods; 60 percent of stores didn't offer any of these organic foods. [NPR]
Setting New Standards for Grassfed DairyDespite rapidly growing consumer demand for grassfed dairy, there are no federal standards for this product, and little regulation of grassfed claims on labels. While third-party certifiers have emerged to provide verification of grassfed claims, stakeholders are advocating for the creation of a national standard that consumers can recognize and understand. [Civil Eats]
How General Mills Plans to Reinvent ItselfSince 2000, General Mills has acquired at least ten top organic and natural brands like Annie's, Cascadian Farm and Muir Glen. With more than half of consumers stating they are becoming more distrustful of the food system, big food manufacturers are hoping to reshape public opinion by absorbing these popular eco-friendly companies. [Inc.com]
Ikea's New Indoor Gardening Kit Will Bring Hydroponics to the MassesIkea just announced an exciting new product: a hydroponic indoor gardening kit that'll fit right on a kitchen counter, so even consumers with tiny apartments can grow fresh herbs and lettuce at home. The kit, called the Krydda/Växer series, could make the once-niche activity accessible to a mainstream audience. [Buzzfeed]
Making the Most of Meatless MondaysA growing number of US restaurants have recognized that at least some of their customers are turning toward more veggie-centric meals, for the animals, the environment and their health. In addition to the growing and increasingly diverse roster of vegan restaurants opening in cities across the country, traditional restaurants are trying out Meatless Monday menus.
Fracking Study Finds Toxins in Wyoming Town's Groundwater and Raises Broader ConcernsWell water pollution from widespread fracking has been suspected for years by residents in the small town of Pavillion, Wyoming, and now a new Stanford study has established a link. The EPA started and then stopped an investigation under political pressure, but the new study calls for more and questions the shallow-depth fracking and possibly poor practices happening in Pavillion. [InsideClimate News]
Precious Commodity - Water - Sparks Fear, Feuds and LawsuitsA considerable part of the Great Plains' Ogallala Aquifer is being depleted because so many farmers, ranchers and oil drillers want the water. With so many straws dropped into the drink, lawsuits and tension abound, which is a major problem since the aquifer irrigates almost 20 percent of the United States' wheat, cotton and cattle. [E&E News]
Saudi Land Purchases Fuel Debate Over US Water RightsSaudi Arabia's largest dairy, Almarai, is growing hay and alfalfa on land bought in Arizona and California to feed to its cows back home. The farmland purchase has stirred a debate in the US because access to irrigation water was the big prize, since the Kingdom's overexploited groundwater has left them without enough water to grow grain and fodder crops. [AP]
In Minneapolis, Bellying Up for...Tap WaterMinneapolis's Water Bar serves up free tap water, pure and simple. Started by local artists who created pop-up stores in a few cities around the country, the taproom serves pints of municipal water in addition to special pours from other city water supplies. The goal is to start conversations around their slogan, "Water is all we have," and get communities to support the tap. [AP]
Most New York City Schools Went 10 Years Without Getting Their Water Tested for LeadA WNYC investigation found that two-thirds of New York City schools hadn't had water testing done for 10 years. While the city is now testing all schools and will be doing so more frequently, the entire country is finally roused to (hopefully) remedy the benign neglect our water supplies have received as shown by incidents like Flint, Sebring, Ohio and, less so, Newark's schools. [WNYC]
Clean Power Plan and an Equitable Energy Transition in Rural AmericaA new IATP report, titled "The Clean Power Plan: Opportunities for an Equitable Energy Transition in Rural America," outlines how the Clean Power Plan can benefit all communities, especially the rural communities that produce most of the nation's energy. [IATP]
7 Million Americans at Risk of Man-Made Earthquakes, USGS SaysWastewater disposal wells created to handle fracking fluid have increased earthquake activity, so the US Geological Survey published for the first time an earthquake hazard map covering both natural and "induced" quakes. [Washington Post]
Exxon Mobil Climate Change Inquiry in New York Gains AlliesAttorneys general from Massachusetts and the Virgin Islands announced Tuesday that they would join Eric T. Schneiderman, New York's attorney general, in his investigation into whether Exxon Mobil lied in decades past to investors and the public about the threat of climate change. [New York Times]
Clean Energy Employs 2.5 Million in US: ReportThe clean energy industry in the U.S. employs over 2.5 million people, according to new analysis released by Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2), a nonpartisan business group. [CNBC]
Edison International Creates Subsidiary to Help Large Energy UsersEdison International is launching a business that will help reduce energy costs, improve efficiency and offer more environmentally friendly options for large energy users. [LA Times]
Crude Oil Rises as US Refinery Demand Climbs to January HighsOil climbed as demand for crude by US refineries jumped to the highest level since January. [Bloomberg]
Climate Policy's Advocates Take Page From Same-Sex Marriage PlaybookTwo months ahead of a federal court hearing on President Obama's signature climate change rule, a coordinated public relations offensive has begun -- modeled after the same-sex marriage campaign -- to influence the outcome of the case. [New York Times]
Australia's Great Barrier Reef Hit by 'Worst' BleachingEvidence that Australia's Great Barrier Reef is experiencing its worst coral bleaching on record has renewed calls for the UN to list it as "in-danger." [BBC]
Climate Change Opens Up the First Luxury Cruise Route in the ArcticThe luxury cruise ship Crystal Serenity will set sail next August, departing from Seward, Alaska, and transiting the Bering Strait and Northwest Passage, before docking in New York City 32 days later. [Wired]
Singing Happy DaySure these kids look like little Ewoks celebrating being in the forest through song and dance. But they're also learning to celebrate and respect water. [ForestKids Early Learning - Forest School]
How Ocean Pollution Affects HumansEvery year more than 8 million tons of plastic is dumped into the ocean, but how does that affect humans and what can we do to stop this behavior? [Dive In Magazine]
What's in Your Kitchen?Consumers are increasingly curious about what's in their food and how to eat healthily, but making a healthy choice is far from easy. Nationwide action is essential to help make diets healthier. [The European Consumer Organisation]
How the World Subsidizes Overfishing, in Two ChartsPlenty of people are familiar with farm subsidies that can promote unhealthy food or destructive practices. Scaling back these programs has been a major priority of reformers over the years. Now we can add another bad actor to the list - fishing subsidies. [Vox]
Food Eco News contributed by Chris Hunt, Gabrielle Blavatsky and Catherine Elliott; Water Eco News by Kai Olson-Sawyer; Energy and Climate Eco News by James Rose and Multimedia content by Robin Madel.
Image "The Color of Spring" by Ian Sane used under aCreative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
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