Locavorism The Great Leap Forward?
Damon Darlin in the New York Times says he thinks in the midst of this cold and snowy East Coast winter it is time to question the viability of the locavore movement and those “so-called locavores who think they are part of a national trend.” Darlin compares the practice of searching out local food to Chinese Chairman Mao Tse-tung’s industrial plan calld the Great Leap Forward in the 1950’s. Locavorism, Darlin posits, just isn’t practical, and he implies, neither is it credible.
(Poster of girl with human-sized melons is a Chinese …Read the full story on TreeHugger
Fun Infographic Helps You Eat Locally and Shop Seasonally
Image credit: Good
Good does a lot of things well, but one area in which it excels is creating fun and useful infographics.
Their latest, an interactive map of local food by season and region across the United States, is no exception….Read the full story on TreeHugger
Wintermarket Wonderland at the Seaport
Fine and Raw’s chocolate elves at the New Amsterdam WinterMarket photo credit: Bonnie Hulkower
Hundreds of people weathered the blizzard last Sunday to support New Amsterdam’s Wintermarket in lower Manhattan. The New Amsterdam Market is not your typical market. Its goal is to promote local agriculture and support a community of purveyors, who practice environmentally and socially responsible food production. Housed in the footprint of the historic Fulton Fish Market, the New Amsterdam Market creates the aura of a returning to a slower paced life. The New Amsterdam Market is in the sam…Read the full story on TreeHugger
Pesticide Scare Drives Organic Purchases in Lebanon
A produce market in Sidon, Lebanon. Photo by lux & pixel via Flickr.
A lack of food-safety laws in Lebanon has created a pesticide scare that may drive more consumers to seek out organic produce. Locally grown fruits and vegetables, including grapes, strawberries, potatoes, and apples, have been shown to have up to 25 times more pesticides than internationally …Read the full story on TreeHugger
Stonyfield Saves Its Mascot Cow From Getting the Axe
Out with the old, In with the New. Old and new Stonyfield organic yogurt cups. Image via: Stonyfield
Stonyfield Farms (now known as just Stonyfield) recently underwent an internal transformation of sorts. Thanks in part to the movie Food Inc, t…Read the full story on TreeHugger
Terra Madre Day: Celebrating 20 Years of Slow Food Excellence
photo: J. Novak
Slow Food is the organization that first brought me to sustainable eating. It showed me how to enjoy the experience of eating the best in local foods. I learned that often times local foods are easier on the planet than organic if they are grown sustainably and that my diet was one of the best tools in my plight to reduce my carbon footprint. December 10 marks the first annual Terra Madre Day celebration. …Read the full story on TreeHugger
First State Dinner at Obama White House Inspired by First Lady’s Garden
Photo credit: KRSPO via Flickr
The Obama White House held its first official state dinner last night, for visiting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Thanks to input by First Lady (and First Gardener/First Locavore) Michelle Obama, the evening had a decidedly green theme.
Inspired by, and including foods from, her very successful White House garden, the event showcased “the Obamas’ dedication to green and su…Read the full story on TreeHugger
7 Highlights (and a Few Lowlights) in Food Since President Obama Was Elected
Photo credit: foxypar4 via Flickr
Just about one year ago, Barack Obama was elected to be the 44th President of the United States. Proclaiming change across the board, Obama swept in to office on a wave of hope and optimism for millions of people, and his mandate for change created some pretty high expectations for fast, meaningful change. Those passionate about food, food safety, and the politics of safe and sustainable food production were certainly among those counting on the President to put his presidency where his promise ha…Read the full story on TreeHugger
The Farmer-Veteran Coalition. A Modern Swords to Ploughshares
Writing for TreeHugger is such a brilliant job. We get to seek out all the positive news stories. To shine a little light on solutions, instead of only focussing on dark problems. It’s food for the soul.
Just like this heartwarming story — about the Farmer-Veteran Coalition — found on the WorldWatch blog, The coalition wants to match hard working farmers with returning Iraq and Afghanistan military veterans, so that they might help each…Read the full story on TreeHugger
6 Reasons Food is Central to the Health Care Debate
Image credit: David DeFranza
The debate over health care has, thus far, revolved around access and cost. While these are important issues, and will no doubt be the focus of any reform plan that emerges from Congress, they overshadow other more fundamental health concerns.
Food, what we eat and how we eat it, is central to the health care debate in America for six reasons….Read the full story on TreeHugger