July 2012
44 posts
10 Fabulous Ways to Reuse Aluminum Foil
Aluminum foil appeared on the market in the early 1900s as a wrapper for Life Savers candy, and quickly eclipsed tin foil to become a popular helper in kitchens across the country. Today, the handy metal leaves provide a pliable substance that works as a total barrier to light and oxygen, ideal for packaging food and other perishable items. However, this convenient resource does not comes with...
What Is Eco Tourism, Anyway? 20 Green Travel Tips
Your eco-friendly lifestyle doesn’t stop when you travel, even if traveling makes maintaining your green routine difficult.
What with the complexity of finding organic and sustainably grown food, the lack of recycling options when traveling and the environmental impact of just getting from point A to point B, keeping up with your commitments to living green can be darn hard away from home....
The 5 Best Herbs to Grow for a Windowsill Herb...
No matter how tiny your apartment or how limited your time, you can make room for a miniature window herb garden. A few decorative pots and a little sunlight, and you’ve got fresh herbs whenever you want them, year round. But which are the best herbs to grow? Here are the ones that’ll look, smell and taste best, and give you the most for your tiny herb garden investment.
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Biotech Industry Pushes Back Against California...
It was only a matter of time before Monsanto and the biotech industry at risk of being forced to label genetically modified ingredients pushed back against The California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act. They’re targeting Californians where it hurts most: their wallets and the state’s poor communities. http://dlvr.it/1rdvN2
14 Natural Remedies to Treat Summer Bites, Itches,...
That sultry summer party you’re attending this weekend is the perfect event to unveil your new strapless dress. There’s just one problem, though—your sculpted arms and legs are covered with bug bites.
While summer is the optimal time for showing off toned skin and flaunting revealing fashions, it’s the absolute worst for bug bites, sunburns, and itchy rashes. Stop skin blunders from ruining...
13-Year-Old CEO Invents Cure for Hiccups
In the summer of 2010, Mallory Kievman had a bad case of the hiccups. A _really_ bad case. Desperate for relief, she started trying every folk remedy she could find, including sipping pickle juice, drinking saltwater, and swallowing a glass of water while hanging her head upside down. In fact, she tried more than 100 remedies before deciding to try combining her three favorites—lollipops,...
Mariel Hemingway Crowdfunding Anti-Monsanto Film:...
Movies have always been a great way to mix education and entertainment. In many ways they can do more to raise widespread awareness for a topic than any documentary or news story. Think of how much the film “Philadelphia” did for AIDS awareness, the way “Dead Man Walking” tackled the death penalty, or how “Milk” educated a new generation about the efforts of Harvey Milk.
I’ve been fed up...
Farro Salad Recipe
Italy’s favorite grain has a mild, nutty flavor and crunchy texture. It is an excellent base for salads, and hearty enough for vegetarian mains. Treat it to a thick dressing of artichoke hearts, lemon, and Parmesan in this toothsome salad.
Read more… http://dlvr.it/1rMnXd
Organics Condensed… Campbell’s Buys Natural Juice...
Marking one of the largest buyouts of a natural brands company in history, Campbell’s Soup has announced an agreement to purchase the Bakersfield, Calif. juice and salad dressing brand Bolthouse Farms for $1.55 billion. http://dlvr.it/1rMQLW
How To Be Awesome - Awesome Things Make You More...
A new study out of Standford University shows you how to be more awesome—by exposing yourself to awesome things.
The paper, due to be published in _Psychological Science_ later this year, posits that exposure to awesome things—literally, things that inspire awe—can expand the participant’s experience of time, increases feelings of well-being, and even causes people to be more...
6 Self-Watering Pots and Planters for Forgetful...
We’re all pro-plant here, right? Plants are keen! And it’s difficult to harbor ill will towards living objects that are beautiful and produce edibles. But sadly, even the most dedicated plant lover can forget to water her little green friends in a timely manner. Keep buds blooming instead of browning by investing in a few self-watering planters, or by making a few self-water-ers with your...
Chicken Tostada Salad Recipe
This is a refreshed version of the ubiquitous taco salad, with lean chicken and chopped vegetables piled high on a crispy tortilla. For a shortcut, omit frying the tortillas and serve the chicken salad over large handfuls of good-quality corn tortilla chips.
Read more… http://dlvr.it/1r5Lm3
It’s Hot Out There! Try These 9 Thirst-Quenching...
Baby, it’s hot out there! If glass after glass of water doesn’t seem to be quenching your thirst, try one of these nine foods as recommended by food writer and educational consultant Rebecca Wood in her book, _The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia_.
Read more… http://dlvr.it/1r5Lhp
300,000 Farmers Seek Legal Protection from...
In efforts to protect themselves and their farms from a potential legal backlash by Monsanto, more than 300,000 individuals and family farms have taken “preventative” legal action against the multinational GMO seed and chemical company, which has a history of suing farmers for patent infringement. http://dlvr.it/1r4yrf
Tree Death Claims from DuPont’s Imprelis Pesticide...
Homeowners and businesses have filed more than 30,000 claims stating that a DuPont herbicide killed thousands of trees. Restitution, expected to be paid out by the fall, will cost the giant multinational chemical and seed conglomerate hundreds of millions of dollars, the company reports. http://dlvr.it/1qsHmW
Laser Beam Can Detect Fruit and Vegetable...
Good (and super futuristically strange) news for parents and vegetable lovers—and not-so-good news for you kids and Brussels sprouts haters: Scientists have created a laser that can tell if you’re eating enough vegetables simply by shining a beam onto your skin. For. Real.
Read more… http://dlvr.it/1qql0M
Get the Glow: Best Summertime Skin Care Fixes
Summer…the sun in the sky, warm temps, outdoor activities and water play. Let’s face it (literally). Increased outdoor activities in warm summer weather, working up a sweat coupled with higher humidity, a need for extra sun protection, temperature fluctuations and exposure to the elements can all create the perfect storm for your face. Do you find you’d rather hide than come out to...
Pest-Proof Your Garden... the Natural Way!
If you’re lucky, your garden is probably in full bloom right now. But while the tomatoes, zucchini and lettuces you’ve been tenderly caring for all spring and summer are meant to end up on your plate, they’re also probably attracting other interested animals. Instead of using dangerous deterrents that could harm both the animals and the loved ones you’re feeding, try...
Don’t Fat-Shame These Healthy Fats!
Remember the wretched fat-free products that were so hot in the mid-90s? Blech! Everyone was so darn busy fat-shaming foods that no one took time to read food labels. Some fats are essential to the human body. And others – well, yeah – they totally deserve to be fat-shamed.
Read more… http://dlvr.it/1qqkyl
Good News for Coffee Lovers: Heart and Cancer...
If you can’t seem to give up your morning java fix, there may be a silver lining: Harvard School of Public Health has released two studies that show a connection between daily coffee consumption and decreased risks of both heart failure and skin cancer. http://dlvr.it/1qgdnP
4 Delectable Vegetable Cookbooks for the Home...
Hopefully by now, you’ve likely carted in and cooked a few bountiful vegetable harvests from your garden. If you’ve tired of crisp salads and grown weary of your veggie standbys, it may be time to invest in a few vegetable cookbooks. The following vegetable-centric cookbooks are great for vegetarians, vegans, meat eaters, and cooks. Seriously! There’s something for everyone!
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Going 'Off the Grid' for Good: Can it Really Be...
From growing your own food to harnessing alternative energy, many Americans are taking their most crucial necessities into their own hands. Living “off the grid,” also called “homesteading” is gaining momentum around the country. It’s not just because people are fed up with corporate-run systems, either. Food tastes better when it’s grown in your garden;...
Grilled Salmon, Potatoes & Asparagus Salad Recipe
Perfect for a light supper or a special lunch, this salad can be prepared quickly just before serving, or the salmon, potatoes and asparagus can be prepared up to a day ahead, then combined with the dressing at the last minute.
Read more… http://dlvr.it/1qL4WT
Jacqueline Smith on Her Rad Sustainable Farm,...
When Jacqueline Smith, co-owner and farmer at Green Dirt Farm, was a teenager, she vowed to stop eating meat. Smith’s culinary change of heart wasn’t rooted in cliché teen angst, though. She ceased eating meat to boycott the industrial farm system. While Smith’s passion for sustainable farming remains strong, she dropped her personal boycott long ago. Smith now co-owns and operates Green...
Cancer Group Wants Surgeon General Warning That...
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network has sent a letter to the Surgeon General urging the USDA to investigate the connection between sugar-sweetened beverages such as sodas and America’s growing rates of cancer. http://dlvr.it/1qKXQn
Spray Tan Alert: Concerns Over Safety of DHA...
The quest for a “safe” tan is not a new one. Ever since the link between skin cancer and sun over-exposure was established, not to mention the aging effects, those of us seeking the brown without the burn have often turned to self tanners. Since the 1970s, from the ever so orange hue of Coppertone’s QT to today’s very sophisticated salon procured spray tan, we’ve been getting...
It's Cold Soup Time! Our Recipe for Gazpacho...
Soup doesn’t usually jive with summertime. That is, unless you consider a cold soup, which can be the most refreshing way to begin a summer dinner party, or a perfect main on its own, accompanied with fresh bread, for lunch or a light supper. While there are many cold soups out there, there’s nothing easier or more delicious – especially for those with a kitchen garden – than the Andaluz...
Genetic Engineers Slam GMO Industry Claims in New...
Challenging the claims by the biotech industry that genetically modified foods are safe for human health and the environment, a new report presents evidence to the contrary and stirs up controversy, as its authors are genetic engineers themselves. http://dlvr.it/1q6xxw
Saving America’s Family Farms: How Much More Would...
In efforts to raise money for local dairy farmers, New England states have partnered on a campaign that asks area colleges, universities and other institutions including the Vermont-based ice cream shop Ben & Jerry’s to charge more for milk. The “extra” money is being routed to the region’s struggling dairy farmers to help them stay in business. http://dlvr.it/1q09KW
Sea Soy Monsters: GMO Industry Taking Over Farmed...
A new report details plans by the genetically modified soybean industry to expand its livestock feeding of GMO soybeans to the massive amounts of aquaculture fish raised in open ocean pens located in federal waters. While soy is already being fed to some farmed fish, if this happens to the scale the industry hopes, it could mean devastating consequences for the world’s oceans and consumer...
Oh My, Why Has My Basil Plant Turned Bitter?
You’ve worked hard to keep your basil plant growin’. Maybe you even started it from seed. That aromatic little herb has already yielded some pretty tasty leaves, so you expect no different from your next harvest. Only your latest homemade pesto tastes downright bitter. Bleh. What happened to your fresh, sweet basil? A number of factors can cause that tart taste, but it all comes down to care....
The 14 Healthiest Junk Foods (For When You Simply...
Hopefully we always have choices when it comes to eating, but you know how it goes… extra innings, delayed flight, a friend’s barbecue… Whether we consider ourselves healthy eaters or not, we’ve all likely found ourselves somewhat stranded with few appealing nibbles. And, if Fritos, Doritos and Cheetos give you anxiety, you may find yourself uncomfortably hungry and even...
Hey Gardeners, Nothing Says Sexy Like Digging...
As if you needed another reason to believe that gardening is sexy: A study published in the _European Journal of Urology_ found that men who garden may be more successful in the sack. Yes, that’s right: 30 minutes a day of digging in the dirt can make all the difference when it’s time to get down and dirty.
Read more… http://dlvr.it/1pPKSl
Dare We Ask: Are Cold Foods Bad for Your Health?
For the better part of our time here on earth, ice cream did not exist. Neither did sodas, iced tea or even, beer. Enter the refrigerator, and our relationship with food changed dramatically—from being able to store food longer without spoilage to developing an unnatural taste for chilled foods (behold the Jell-o mold!). These foods that now define our culture, like soda, beer and ice cream,...
Melon & Fig Salad with Basil Cream Recipe
The best way to serve fruits is at the height of their season and as simply as possible, allowing the natural flavors to have full impact. Very ripe, intensely sweet figs and melons are delicious when drizzled with a sauce of cream and basil.
Read more… http://dlvr.it/1pPKWW
You Say ‘Tomato’, I Say ‘No Flavor’: Did Color...
New research published in the journal Science and featured in last week’s New York Times may shed some light on the reasons why you can’t ever seem to find a tomato that tastes… like a tomato. http://dlvr.it/1pFDj3
Keep Off The Grass: 3 Simple Ways to Transform...
A luxurious green lawn can be pretty—but unless you live in Kentucky or Virginia, you probably spend more time, money and water than it’s worth to maintain that outdoor carpet. You may have considered killing your grass and starting from scratch, but there are less drastic ways to brighten up your yard and start converting it to a landscape you can be proud of—without a ton of effort.
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Recipes for 4 Funky New Ice Cream Flavors
Don’t be so vanilla. There’s a whole world of ice cream flavors out there waiting for you to discover them, and none come striped together in a box of Neapolitan. You don’t have to limit yourself to sweet and fruity flavors; stretch out to explore the realms of savory ice cream and discover unusual tastes.
Read more… http://dlvr.it/1p7NWY
7 Natural Ways to Repel Mosquitoes
Bloodthirsty mosquitoes spread disease like the West Nile virus and cause major skin irritations, yet the most powerful insect repellants contain the chemical DEET, which may be responsible for insomnia, mood disturbances, epidermal reactions and impaired cognitive function. DEET melts some plastics, so perhaps putting it on your skin is not the best idea.
Read more…...
Give Flame Retardants The Boot: How to Minimize...
Rather than produce fire-safe cigarettes, a clandestine group of cigarette lobbyists organized the National Association of State Fire Marshals, which over the last several decades has successfully pushed an agenda to enforce the use of flame-retardants in many items found throughout our homes including furniture, carpeting and electronics. This has led to extremely volatile chemicals such as...
4 Tips & Tricks to Care for Forlorn Summer Hair
Summer can be harsh on hair: humidity, sun, saltwater and chlorine, not to mention more frequent washings now that showers can take place more than once a day due to all of the above. Take care of your hair this summer… here are four easy tricks for every hair type!
Read more… http://dlvr.it/1ntzzX
Pigs’ Health Improved Drastically After Switching...
After documenting a number of health problems that his pigs developed on a diet made up mainly of genetically modified soy, Danish farmer Ib Borup Perderson transitioned his animals to a GMO-free diet, with noticeable changes appearing after just two days, reports the farming magazine Effektivt Landbrug. http://dlvr.it/1nsTKV
‘Prescription’ Fruits & Vegetables Now Available...
Ask your doctor if fruits and vegetables are right for you? Yes, says a new program called Fruit and Vegetable Rx launched by the non-profit Wholesome Wave that provides “prescriptions” for fresh fruits and vegetables available at local area farmers markets. http://dlvr.it/1npwcX
Cherry Tomato Salad with Burrata & Pesto Recipe
Burrata is a moist, fresh ball of mozzarella filled with curds and cream, which slowly ooze out with each forkful.
Read more… http://dlvr.it/1ngRG4
