"eco-friendly" news and stories

Whether bleeding heart or staunchly red, most people agree there's nothing wrong with going green. Sure, we might be able to argue the science behind global warming, but eco-minded products aren't going to harm anybody (unless you've stumbled upon some crazy conspiracy theory I haven't heard about.) So if some brewers want to join the fray of environmentally friendly foodstuffs, I say relax, grab an organic beer and try what the other 364 days of the year call a green beer.

What actually makes a beer "green" is a subject of some debate. Planet Green states, "There are a few ways a beer can be considered green: It can be brewed via environmentally friendly processes, or made with green ingredients like pesticide and chemical-free organic barley and hops." Also important to consider are packaging and shipping. (Planet Green suggest choosing glass and local micro-breweries, respectively.)

Since minimizing fossil fuel usage goes into the eco-equation, drinking regional brews becomes all that more important if you want to be as green as possible. Therefore, Planet Green is suggesting green beers (such as Orlio, pictured here) by region starting with the East Coast. I'm sure other areas are to follow (though they don't say when).

As an unrecommened alternative, if you're seeking a less eco-friendly way of "getting as green as possible," try drinking about 20 of any beer in one sitting (toilet bowl not included).

[via Huffington Post] [Photo Credit: orlio.net]

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Fresh off his departure from the Food Network and the sale of most his empire to Martha Stewart Omnimedia, the Discovery Channel has announced that Emeril Lagasse has signed on to host a new cooking show called Emeril Green. This show will air on their Planet Green network.

The show will be set in Whole Foods Markets and will feature organic, free range and natural foods. According to the post at Treehugger, the show will feature a revolving cast of other cooks, farmers and food experts. I am really looking forward to seeing what Emeril can do with this format. We need more food television that focuses on environmentally friendly ways of growing and raising.

[via Ecorazzi and Treehugger]

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In the kitchen, Amy Scattergood goes gourmet glam with tacos, with recipes for Achiote-marinated fish tacos, Duck tacos with chile-cherry compote, and Shrimp tacos with pumpkin seed sauce. To go with those tacos, some sangria, or refreshing tea-infused ices and granitas from the Times' archives. Product pick for the kitchen is organic clementine preserves from Les Comtes de Provence.

On the restaurant scene, Russ Parsons looks at what it really means for a restaurant to be "green." Speaking of "green," LA chefs are making Caesar salads from non-traditionally Caesar ingredients like butter lettuce and frisee. S. Irene Virbila goes to Traxx restaurant and gives it 1½ stars.

Let's face it: if you're not in the house, you're probably not using silverware. But eating with your hands is not only messy, but sometimes it's just not all that convenient. Fried chicken and burgers are fine when eaten out of hand, but what about potato salad or pie?

This nomad traveling silverware set attaches to a lanyard that you can wear around your neck when out hiking or keep in the glove compartment of your car (for emergencies). It includes a miniature stainless steel fork, knife, spoon and bottle opener, all of which tuck neatly away in a plastic case when not in use.

You could use plastic silverware, but this is not only more practical, but it's more eco-friendly, since there is nothing to throw away. A few uses, and this $20 gadget will pay for itself - not to mention that it would made a great gift for anyone who is outdoor-oriented and not taking all their meals at a dining room table.

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In January, the city of Oakland, California, just across the bay from San Francisco, instituted a tax on businesses that they believed created the most litter in the city. The city council felt that businesses needed to be more socially responsible for their customer's actions, while business owners opposed the measure, saying that packaging is necessary to sell goods - particularly food items - in a safe and sanitary manner.

Now, city businesses have to change the way they package their food, in addition to paying for it, because the city has just banned styrofoam food packaging.

Due to take effect in January, the measure says that all food packaging must be biodegradable when composted with food waste. Supporters of the law point out that 15 percent of the litter collected in storm drains is styrofoam/polystyrene packaging. They gained additional support from the fact that there are 100 other cities, including Portland and neighboring Berkeley, which have similar bans, and San Francisco is expected to join that list later this year.

The city will use fines ranging from $100-$500 to enforce the measure and businesses that still use styrofoam will have have to find another way to keep their food warm.

 

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