Yes, that also means, eat less meat and animal products (or none at all).
Most of the meat consumed in the United States is produced on factory farms. Aside from the horrendous living conditions for the livestock, factory farms are heavy polluters. Whether the waste leaks and overflows from concrete holding ponds or runs off of the fields it’s sprayed onto as fertilizer, the manure contaminates waterways and drinking water with E. coli, salmonella, and other pathogens. (If you live in the country and have well-water, I recommend getting your water tested.) Contaminated water also causes algae blooms which deprive aquatic wildlife and plants of oxygen, devastating ecosystems.
Also, for every pound of meat on the plate, the animal ate roughly 16 pounds of grain. Some of the grain that it took to produce that pound of meat could have gone to feed some of the world’s hungry.
Eating more produce and grains and less meat is also better for your health. I can speak from experience that from May through October, when there is so much fresh produce available and I eat much less meat, I feel much better. This time of year I might eat meat twice a week.
The best part is that you are not the only one who benefits from eating less meat. Eating less meat also means less demand for factory farms and less polution here; less demand for meat from overseas -- less clearing of the rainforests and other natural areas to create pasture for livestock.
Here are some resources:
http://www.nrdc.org/thisgreenlife/0603.asp
http://www.audubon.org/bird/at_home/chefs_web.html#diet Check out the Audubon Society's section on the vegetarian diet.
http://www.betterworldhandbook.com/action6.html Great, well-researched piece on eating less meat. The author even cites her/his sources. As a former English major, I love it when authors cite their sources!
Friday, July 6, 2007
What can I do?
Ever since I was a kid "50 Simple Things You Can Do To Save the Earth" has been one of my favorite books. Direct. Hopeful. It's message is fundamentally democratic: we all can make a difference.
I'm glad that issues like global warming, AIDS, poverty, and health care have been getting so much attention lately. The attention is long overdue. Before addressing any problem we first have to know that the problem exists. It's the next step that's often missing from most of the reporting done on these topics: what you can do. Without knowing what we can do to help, we are often left with vague feelings of sympathy that never result in positive action. What good does it do to know that millions are dying of AIDS without knowing what you can do to help? It does no good whatsoever.
I spend a lot of time researching topics that I care about so that I can find out what I can do. The primary goal of this blog, really, is to empower others to take action as well. In that spirit, I'll post actions we all can take to promote peace and preserve the environment (which, by the way, are inextricably intertwined).
"Change only takes place through action. Frankly speaking, not through prayer or meditation, but through action." -- The Dalai Lama
I'm glad that issues like global warming, AIDS, poverty, and health care have been getting so much attention lately. The attention is long overdue. Before addressing any problem we first have to know that the problem exists. It's the next step that's often missing from most of the reporting done on these topics: what you can do. Without knowing what we can do to help, we are often left with vague feelings of sympathy that never result in positive action. What good does it do to know that millions are dying of AIDS without knowing what you can do to help? It does no good whatsoever.
I spend a lot of time researching topics that I care about so that I can find out what I can do. The primary goal of this blog, really, is to empower others to take action as well. In that spirit, I'll post actions we all can take to promote peace and preserve the environment (which, by the way, are inextricably intertwined).
"Change only takes place through action. Frankly speaking, not through prayer or meditation, but through action." -- The Dalai Lama
New Bakery in Shippensburg!
Looks great. Check out the article in the Sentinel: http://www.cumberlink.com/articles/2007/07/06/shipp_news/news25.txt
I'll post after I have a chance to stop in tomorrow.
I'll post after I have a chance to stop in tomorrow.
Pilot recycling program in one midstate county is declared a success
07/06/2007Scott Gilbert(York) -- A pilot program in York County has confirmed that giving residents bigger recycling bins leads to the collection of more materials. However, just how much more has surprised some officials. Last September, residents in New Freedom were given 22-gallon recycling bins to replace their 14-gallon tubs they had been using. The county also distributed educational pamphlets in the borough. The amount of recycled materials gathered there over an eight-month period ending in April jumped by 72 percent from the same time frame a year earlier. Ellen O'Connor, with the York County Solid Waste and Refuse Authority, was thrilled with the results. O'Connor says grants are available to help communities pay for up to 90 percent of the cost of new bins. Fifty-five of York County's 72 municipalities have curbside recycling programs. http://www.witf.org/FM/news.php
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
The Coffee Conundrum
I love coffee, and I've found coffee to be an interesting subject for contemplation. Who grows my coffee? What does a coffee bush look like? Where are Sumatra, the Rift Valley, and Torajaland? Do the farmers make a decent wage? What kind of impact do the farms have on the local ecosystem?
Unfortunately, the answers to some of my questions led me to give up coffee. There are a lot of problems surrounding the treatment of workers on coffee plantations, and many plantations contribute to significant environmental problems like deforestation, the decline of migratory songbird populations, and a loss of biodiversity.
I tried first buying only organic, fair-trade coffee. These coffees came closest to meeting my desire to have a cup of joe that was socially and environmentally responsible. Fair trade basically means that the farmers who grow the coffee get a reasonable price for their crop. We all know what organic means, but in many cases it also means that the farmers grow their coffee in the shade of taller trees. This practice provides shelter for migratory birds, firewood for the farmers, fruit for the farmers' tables, and greater biodiversity. Here are a few places I found to get fair-trade, organic coffees:
the Giant Grocery store on Wayne Ave. in Chambersburg, PA.
Ten Thousand Villages http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/home.php They have many locations, but I used to go to the one in Mechanicsburg.
and my favorite local coffee shop Greencastle Coffee Roasters. http://www.greencastlecoffee.com/ They have an incredible selection of teas and coffees including a couple fair-trade, organic coffees.
After some time, I began to place a higher value on locally produced food and could no longer justify paying the higher price for the fair-trade, organic coffees. That was when I decided to give up coffee. I still have a cup occasionally with desert or with friends, but my regular morning coffee is gone. I had headaches one or two days. I felt a little sluggish in the mornings, but, in a matter of days, I found I functioned just as well without my coffee.
Here's a link to an article that goes into greater detail about the coffee conundrum and offers some additional resources: http://www.nrdc.org/thisgreenlife/0410.asp.
Unfortunately, the answers to some of my questions led me to give up coffee. There are a lot of problems surrounding the treatment of workers on coffee plantations, and many plantations contribute to significant environmental problems like deforestation, the decline of migratory songbird populations, and a loss of biodiversity.
I tried first buying only organic, fair-trade coffee. These coffees came closest to meeting my desire to have a cup of joe that was socially and environmentally responsible. Fair trade basically means that the farmers who grow the coffee get a reasonable price for their crop. We all know what organic means, but in many cases it also means that the farmers grow their coffee in the shade of taller trees. This practice provides shelter for migratory birds, firewood for the farmers, fruit for the farmers' tables, and greater biodiversity. Here are a few places I found to get fair-trade, organic coffees:
the Giant Grocery store on Wayne Ave. in Chambersburg, PA.
Ten Thousand Villages http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/home.php They have many locations, but I used to go to the one in Mechanicsburg.
and my favorite local coffee shop Greencastle Coffee Roasters. http://www.greencastlecoffee.com/ They have an incredible selection of teas and coffees including a couple fair-trade, organic coffees.
After some time, I began to place a higher value on locally produced food and could no longer justify paying the higher price for the fair-trade, organic coffees. That was when I decided to give up coffee. I still have a cup occasionally with desert or with friends, but my regular morning coffee is gone. I had headaches one or two days. I felt a little sluggish in the mornings, but, in a matter of days, I found I functioned just as well without my coffee.
Here's a link to an article that goes into greater detail about the coffee conundrum and offers some additional resources: http://www.nrdc.org/thisgreenlife/0410.asp.
Monday, July 2, 2007
Local Produce
Maplewood Produce and Greenhouse,
8564 Old Scotland Rd
Shippensburg, PA 17257
717-532-3278
Mon – Sat 8AM – 6PM, June – Oct.
Just off the Fayette St. exit of I-81 on the outskirts of Shippensburg. I have not had a chance to explore their greenhouses, but I did go to their retail store. They had a nice selection of local produce, however nothing was marked organic or pesticide/ herbicide-free.
The Southgate Farmer's Market
Downtown Chambersburg
open all Saturdays from May 26 thru Oct. 20 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
http://www.wilson.edu/wilson/asp/content.asp?id=809
Map of S Water St & W Washington St Chambersburg, PA 17201, US
I mentioned it before under the local cheese entry, but they deserve mentioning again. It's a small but wonderful market with local produce (organic and conventional), local beef, eggs, cheese, baked goods, flowers, crafts, and really outstanding Jamaican jerked chicken.
8564 Old Scotland Rd
Shippensburg, PA 17257
717-532-3278
Mon – Sat 8AM – 6PM, June – Oct.
Just off the Fayette St. exit of I-81 on the outskirts of Shippensburg. I have not had a chance to explore their greenhouses, but I did go to their retail store. They had a nice selection of local produce, however nothing was marked organic or pesticide/ herbicide-free.
The Southgate Farmer's Market
Downtown Chambersburg
open all Saturdays from May 26 thru Oct. 20 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
http://www.wilson.edu/wilson/asp/content.asp?id=809
Map of S Water St & W Washington St Chambersburg, PA 17201, US
I mentioned it before under the local cheese entry, but they deserve mentioning again. It's a small but wonderful market with local produce (organic and conventional), local beef, eggs, cheese, baked goods, flowers, crafts, and really outstanding Jamaican jerked chicken.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Resources for Recycling
I think for many people, recycling is the fundamental and most representative act of environmentalism. A friend, Frank Stearn -- who is a township supervisor in St. Thomas Township, once pointed out that recycling really is about conserving our natural resources for future generations. I believe this basic idea is why recycling remains so central to environmentalism.
Recycling curbs landfill growth and prevents toxins from leaching out of those landfills into our groundwater. Recycling protects forests from unnecessary logging, and it protects lands and waters from the dangers of mining for new minerals. In most cases, manufacturing a raw material into the finished product requires many times the energy used to recycle a waste material into the same product.
My personal goal is to reduce my waste stream to as close to zero as possible. For a family of three, we currently generate only a couple pounds of trash every two or three weeks. It's probably the equivalent of one small, plastic, grocery bag full each week.
We’ve come a long way since the days when newspapers and aluminum cans were the only recyclables, but finding out where you can recycle and what your local recycling programs accept takes a little effort. Call your local government office. That could be the borough, township, or county. Ask if they have a list of the recycling programs in your area. Check your phone book and search the internet. If your municipality has a recycling program, please support it by recycling everything possible with them. Some items, like aluminum cans, are more valuable than others and recycling everything (rather than taking the cans to a separate facility) generates revenue that helps the program remain viable. Here are a few phone numbers and internet resources I've found in my searches. Most of them are for Cumberland and Franklin Counties in Pennsylvania, but a few are national:
Earth 911. Great site with a lot of information about recycling and recycling programs across the country: http://earth911.org/
The Environmental Protection Agency's information on recycling: http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/recycle.htm
The Franklin County Coalition, a grass roots organization with a list of recyclers in Franklin County: http://www.celdf.org/fcc/recycle.htm
Franklin County Offices (717) 264-4125; http://www.co.franklin.pa.us/franklin/cwp/view.asp?a=1448&q=463277&franklinNav=27585
Freecycle, an international resource for giving away and getting second-hand stuff free. Membership is free as well. Imagine the classifieds but bigger: http://www.freecycle.org/
Greendisk, a national company that recycles "technotrash," computer-related waste: http://www.greendisk.com/
The Internet Consumer Recycling Guide. Once again, a great resource with tons of info: http://www.obviously.com/recycle/
Solid Waste Authority of Cumberland County (717) 240-6489; http://www.ccpa.net/cumberland/cwp/view.asp?a=1619&Q=465622
I have to make a special note about where we recycle: New Hope Recycling. They're a volunteer group that is sponsored by the Solid Waste Authority of Cumberland County. They accept recycling at the Hopewell Township Building in New Hope Pennsylvania on the first Saturday of the month. You can find more information about them on the Earth 911 website or you can contact Pat Franklin at 717-423-6224, patfred@earthlink.net. The volunteers are friendly and helpful, and the recycling program accepts almost anything you could want to recycle. We are only left with a few items like household batteries, some electronics, and grayboard to recycle elsewhere.
Post any other resources, websites, comments, or ideas that you may have about recycling.
Coming soon... ideas about organizing household recycling, composting, reducing waste, and giving things a second life before they become trash.
Recycling curbs landfill growth and prevents toxins from leaching out of those landfills into our groundwater. Recycling protects forests from unnecessary logging, and it protects lands and waters from the dangers of mining for new minerals. In most cases, manufacturing a raw material into the finished product requires many times the energy used to recycle a waste material into the same product.
My personal goal is to reduce my waste stream to as close to zero as possible. For a family of three, we currently generate only a couple pounds of trash every two or three weeks. It's probably the equivalent of one small, plastic, grocery bag full each week.
We’ve come a long way since the days when newspapers and aluminum cans were the only recyclables, but finding out where you can recycle and what your local recycling programs accept takes a little effort. Call your local government office. That could be the borough, township, or county. Ask if they have a list of the recycling programs in your area. Check your phone book and search the internet. If your municipality has a recycling program, please support it by recycling everything possible with them. Some items, like aluminum cans, are more valuable than others and recycling everything (rather than taking the cans to a separate facility) generates revenue that helps the program remain viable. Here are a few phone numbers and internet resources I've found in my searches. Most of them are for Cumberland and Franklin Counties in Pennsylvania, but a few are national:
Earth 911. Great site with a lot of information about recycling and recycling programs across the country: http://earth911.org/
The Environmental Protection Agency's information on recycling: http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/recycle.htm
The Franklin County Coalition, a grass roots organization with a list of recyclers in Franklin County: http://www.celdf.org/fcc/recycle.htm
Franklin County Offices (717) 264-4125; http://www.co.franklin.pa.us/franklin/cwp/view.asp?a=1448&q=463277&franklinNav=27585
Freecycle, an international resource for giving away and getting second-hand stuff free. Membership is free as well. Imagine the classifieds but bigger: http://www.freecycle.org/
Greendisk, a national company that recycles "technotrash," computer-related waste: http://www.greendisk.com/
The Internet Consumer Recycling Guide. Once again, a great resource with tons of info: http://www.obviously.com/recycle/
Solid Waste Authority of Cumberland County (717) 240-6489; http://www.ccpa.net/cumberland/cwp/view.asp?a=1619&Q=465622
I have to make a special note about where we recycle: New Hope Recycling. They're a volunteer group that is sponsored by the Solid Waste Authority of Cumberland County. They accept recycling at the Hopewell Township Building in New Hope Pennsylvania on the first Saturday of the month. You can find more information about them on the Earth 911 website or you can contact Pat Franklin at 717-423-6224, patfred@earthlink.net. The volunteers are friendly and helpful, and the recycling program accepts almost anything you could want to recycle. We are only left with a few items like household batteries, some electronics, and grayboard to recycle elsewhere.
Post any other resources, websites, comments, or ideas that you may have about recycling.
Coming soon... ideas about organizing household recycling, composting, reducing waste, and giving things a second life before they become trash.
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