Recent posts
The most inspiring thing I’ve read lately about the oceans is “10 Solutions to Save the Ocean,” a series of short, upbeat, and to-the-point essays in the latest issue of Conservation magazine.
by Brian Halweil on November 1, 2007 We assume that the world’s water bodies are big enough to dilute sewage,
industrial waste, farm runoff, and any other pollution we send their way. But two recent studies show that
the pollutants running into our water aren’t helping our already beleaguered fish
populations.
by Danielle Nierenberg on October 18, 2007
The food blogs have been buzzing this week with the news that a new "grass-fed" standard for meat was released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But why all the hooplah and controversy over labeling?
by Danielle Nierenberg on October 11, 2007
The other day, I got some funny looks from a journalist who was interviewing me for an upcoming series on World Food Day. She asked me to list some of the ways I thought world hunger could be reduced. In addition to pointing to the need for better distribution of food and other resources, I gave my standard spiel about growing more food in cities. But what made the journalist look askance was my description of how exactly urban farmers in some parts of the world are fertilizing their crops: with human manure and urine.
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Good Eating Blog
A roundup of timely news items, reports, and miscellaneous thoughts on sustainable farming, fishing, animal agriculture, and eating compiled by Worldwatch's food and agriculture team of Brian Halweil and Danielle Nierenberg.
by Brian Halweil on February 13, 2008 There’s been a lot of talk the last few days about the
"ingredients" that go into making biofuels. Two recent studies have shown that biofuels are actually contributing to climate change and global
warming.
How? The answer is pretty simple.
by Brian Halweil on January 29, 2008 Last week brought a perfect storm of bad PR for the world’s
seafood. Or, it might have actually been good PR from the beleaguered fish’s
perspective.
by Erik Assadourian on November 26, 2007 Freegans often find sustenance at the bottom of dumpsters, helping to reduce waste and limit their participation in the destructive global economy. But is this the best use of their time, or are they just propping up an exploitative economic system?
by Brian Halweil on November 6, 2007 Two recent campaigns hope
to make a difference by enlisting people around the world to make
small but effective changes in the seafood they eat.
View all of Dani and Brian's Blogs.
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Factory Farming
Factory farming is the fastest growing method of meat production worldwide. Unlike animals raised on pasture,
the millions of chickens, pigs, and cattle raised in factory farms are housed in often crowded, unsanitary,
and inhumane conditions. Factory farms also contribute to air and water pollution and can create the perfect
environment for the spread of disease.
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Happier Meals: Rethinking the Global Meat Industry
In Happier Meals: Rethinking the Global Meat Industry, Worldwatch researcher Danielle Nierenberg documents the
harmful effects of factory farming in both industrialized and developing countries and explains the range of
consequences for the environment, human health and communities. From transmission of disease and loss of livestock
diversity to hazardous and unsanitary processing methods, this book shows clearly why factory farming is an unsafe,
inhumane, and ecologically disruptive form of meat production.
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Factory Farming Links
GRACE Factory Farm Project - www.factoryfarm.org
Center for a Livable Future - www.jhsph.edu/Environment
World Society for the Protection of Animals - www.wspa.org.uk
Compassion in World Farming - www.ciwf.org
Eat Wild - www.eatwild.com
International Food Policy Research Institute - www.ifpri.org
Heifer International - www.heifer.org
LEAD Livestock, Environment and Development (Food and Agriculture Organization) - www.lead.virtualcenter.org/en/frame.htm
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine - www.pcrm.org
Food & Water Watch - www.foodandwaterwatch.org
Union of Concerned Scientists - www.ucsusa.org
Humane Society of the United States - www.hsus.org
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Eat Here: Reclaiming Homegrown Pleasures in a Global Supermarket
Purchase Eat Here
View the Table of Contents
About the author
Discussion Questions and Activity Ideas
Discover why eating local food is one of the most significant choices you can make for the health of the planet and yourself.
Get practical advice on finding homegrown pleasures in an anonymous food chain.
"Part journalism and part manifesto, Eat Here is the definitive work on the most interesting and encouraging change in the way Americans eat now."
—Michael Pollan, Professor Science and Environmental Journalism, UC Berkeley and author of The Botany of Desire
"Finally someone has put this all together! Now it's up to the rest of us to do something with this amazing gift of a book."
—Mark Ritchie, President, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
Educate Yourself on Local Food
Organizations Working To Rebuild Local Foodsheds
What Individuals Can Do
Worldwatch Links
Home Grown: The Case For Local Food In A Global Market
Worldwatch Research Library: Food
Good Stuff: Fast Food, Chocolate, Coffee
Other Links
Brian Halweil discusses Local Food on the Restaurant Guys Radio show
A Tale of Two Tomatoes
Slow Food
Eat Well Guide
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lo·cal, n. 1. Of or relating to a city, town, or district rather than a larger area.
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food, n 1. Material that contains or consists of essential body nutrients, and is ingested and assimilated by an organism to produce energy.
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What is Local Food?
In general, eating local means seeking out food raised as nearby as possible. For a person living in New York City, apples grown in Maine would be considerably more local than apples grown in Washington State or New Zealand. Ideally, local food means the buyer can meet the farmer or food maker and find out details about how the food was raised, and that the crops and livestock are unique to a certain area.
A Tale of Two Tomatoes
Long-Distance
Picked while green, Tom is gassed to redness. In order to better survive the long journey to market, many tomatoes are picked while hard and green, then sprayed with a hormone to help them ripen. This is just one of the eye-opening practices that has become commonplace in our industrial food system.
Local
The peak ripeness of fruits and vegetables once determined the timing of harvest festivals throughout the growing season. Ripeness—not the kind that comes from a hormone gas—is still a passion among local farmers. While it may be hard to forego the convenience of long-distance fruits and vegetables throughout the winter, it's only natural that we leap at the opportunity for honest food—local food—when prime season arrives.
Adapted from "A Tale of Two Tomatoes" by Ecotrust. Read the entire story at www.sectionz.info/ISSUE_3/.
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