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There's a tremendous amount of myth flying around out there about what our food needs are, what they will be, and what we need to do in order to keep the world (well some parts of the world) from starving. As usual, and as this video points out, a lot of it is incorrect logic and when you trace it to the source, put out there by folks who stand to profit. Remember, systems that are not sustainable, are not working systems in the long run.
Showing posts with label Education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Education. Show all posts
Friday, October 26, 2012
The Farming/Food Myth
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Monday, September 19, 2011
UCS Resource For Alternative Vehicles
Dave
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Friday, May 13, 2011
9 out of 10 Climate Denier Scientists Linked To Exxon
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Helping make the global warming argument
Time and again I find myself getting asked about Global Warming or, as it should more accurately be called, Global Climate Change. It's a tough one because it's so political and so large, but when you look at the science (oh dear, did I say science) it's actually quite simple. I generally try to convince people why they need to change using logic as it seems to cut through all of the left/right stuff that this topic brings up.
Having said all of that though, check out Skeptical Science, a very cool site that has a list of the generally raised "beliefs" about climate change and the science that refutes these claims. They even have a free iphone app that has the same info, so you can argue on the go! How cool (pun intended).
Dave
Monday, December 20, 2010
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Crude: Texaco and Ecuador Contamination
This is a clip from the film Crude about what Texaco left behind in Ecuador after they pulled out. Harrowing stuff.
Dave
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
How To Talk To Global Warming Skeptics
A great article from Grist about how to answer global warming skeptics. Personally, I don't think it makes a stick of difference if it can be proven (at least whether or not we are causing it) because it's a question of acceptable risk, but some people need proof. Here's a good way to engage them.
Check it out.
Dave
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
The Only Climate Change Video You'll Ever Need To See
There's a fair amount of argument about climate change as I'm sure you know. The thing that always amazes me is that everyone is arguing about the wrong things. It's not about whether we are causing it or not (something which neither side can prve with 100% certainty), but whether or not we are willing to take the risks associated with being wrong. This video represents that argument perfectly and the answer is quite clear.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Return to the Gyre
For anyone interested in an update on the North Pacific Gyre, the plastic floating mass of garbage in the middle of the pacific, my friend Lyndsay just returned from a month at sea and had an article in the New York Times today. She told me that Captain Moore, who was back out with her, said that it has grown quite a bit since he was last there.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
MIT Tracking Seattle Trash
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
City Chicken
Dave
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Sunday, July 5, 2009
The Secret Life of T-shirts
I found this really good write up about what goes into the making of an average t-shirt at emagazine.com. It's quite the eye opener.
Dave
COMMENTARY: The Secret Life of T-Shirts
The Toxic Legacy of Conventional Cotton Clothing, and Why You Should Seek Alternatives
By Brian Clark Howard
The conventional cotton in most T-shirts is responsible for 25% of the world’s pesticide use.
Whether you got it at a rock show, thrift store, vacation spot or trendy boutique, chances are you own a favorite, well-worn T-shirt. Soft, comfortable and cool, the tee is the ultimate laid-back attire, but can just as easily be dressed up with a sports coat or simple skirt and accessories. But there’s more to the T-shirt than wearability—the wardrobe staple leaves behind a serious environmental impact.
COMMENTARY: The Secret Life of T-Shirts
The Toxic Legacy of Conventional Cotton Clothing, and Why You Should Seek Alternatives
By Brian Clark Howard
The conventional cotton in most T-shirts is responsible for 25% of the world’s pesticide use.
Whether you got it at a rock show, thrift store, vacation spot or trendy boutique, chances are you own a favorite, well-worn T-shirt. Soft, comfortable and cool, the tee is the ultimate laid-back attire, but can just as easily be dressed up with a sports coat or simple skirt and accessories. But there’s more to the T-shirt than wearability—the wardrobe staple leaves behind a serious environmental impact.
Toxic Fields
Most T-shirts are made of cotton, or at least a cotton blend. Unfortunately, the fabric of our lives has a huge impact on the environment and workers' health. Conventionally grown cotton occupies only 3% of the world's farmland, but uses 25% of the world's chemical pesticides. In the U.S., which produces cotton on 1% of agricultural land, 10% of all agricultural chemicals are used on the crop. A 2000 U.S. Department of Agriculture study found that eighty-four million pounds of pesticides were sprayed on cotton in the U.S., ranking it second behind corn. Seven of the top 15 pesticides used on cotton are considered "likely" or "known" human carcinogens by the Environmental Protection Agency.
And it's not just pesticides. Conventional cotton farmers also use heavy inputs of synthetic, petroleum-derived fertilizers, soil additives, defoliants and other substances, which affect soil, water, air and living things for years to come. Further, 75% of the conventional cotton grown is now genetically modified, a fact that worries critics of the technology, who fear it could contaminate natural organisms and lead to super pests.
Processing
After harvesting, cotton is often treated with chlorine bleach to whiten it. Not only is chlorine toxic at acute doses, but it can also be a skin and lung irritant at lower concentrations. The fabric is also frequently treated with formaldehyde resins—often to render it "easy care”—another highly toxic chemical.
Traditionally, colors are created with dyes that may contain heavy metals, such as chromium copper. Even some so-called “natural dyes” can be mixed with heavy metals to prolong their color.
Printing
If you made T-shirts in art class, chances are you used screen printing. Although there are less-toxic screen printing techniques available today, most major operations rely on the old methods—including an ink called plastisol, a variation of the toxic-to-produce polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
Discharge printing is faster and produces more vibrant colors, but often uses toxic chemicals as well. For example, zinc formaldehyde sulfoxylate (ZFP) is often used to print light colors onto a dark shirt. But again that includes formaldehyde, a known carcinogen. Some people have even gone so far as to suggest that it might not be a good idea to wear such shirts to sleep or while working out.
Shipping
Our economy is global, and so are our T-shirts. Much of today's cotton is grown in the Middle East and India, yet garments are most commonly made in East Asia. Finished products are typically shipped from China and elsewhere to North America and other markets. That results in a substantial use of fuel (often the very dirty stuff burned by container ships), not to mention release of greenhouse gases, particulates and other pollutants.
Plus, it's not uncommon for shipping companies to spray fabrics with insecticides in transit.
Buy Local, Buy Organic
You can help decrease the footprint of your wardrobe, and still look great, by buying locally produced goods, especially stuff made from fibers sourced in your region. Yes, it can help to buy American, although as the above notes sometimes only part of the entire process happens domestically.
It's always a good idea to buy used clothes, or swap things with friends, family or even strangers (swap meets can also be a lot of fun). Used clothes already exist—they don’t consume energy during growing, production and distribution like new clothes—so their overall carbon footprint is a lot less.
You can also find an increasing selection of clothes made from organic cotton, or alternative fibers like bamboo, hemp or recycled materials. These greener goods keep coming down in price, and in many cases are cost competitive with all but the very cheapest, low-quality duds.
Organic cotton, in particular, is grown without synthetic pesticides and herbicides, using techniques that replenish and maintain soil fertility and biodiversity. By buying third-party certified organic, you have greater assurance that the product is produced with genuine sustainability in mind. In the U.S., no genetically engineered materials are allowed in organic products.
The good news is that the farming of organic cotton has been on the rise. That segment increased 152% during the 2007-2008 crop year, according to the Organic Cotton Farm and Fiber Report 2008 by Organic Exchange. Next time you’re shopping for a new favorite tee, look for the organic label.
BRIAN CLARK HOWARD is the Home and Eco Tips editor for The Daily Green
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
EWG's Bottled Water Study
The Envirnmental Working Group just released a study of major bottled water brands that is worth a look.
Check it out.
Dave
"Unlike tap water, where consumers are provided with test results every year, the bottled water industry does not disclose the results of any contaminant testing that it conducts. Instead, the industry hides behind the claim that bottled water is held to the same safety standards as tap water. But with promotional campaigns saturated with images of mountain springs, and prices 1,900 times the price of tap water, consumers are clearly led to believe that they are buying a product that has been purified to a level beyond the water that comes out of the garden hose.
To the contrary, our tests strongly indicate that the purity of bottled water cannot be trusted. Given the industry's refusal to make available data to support their claims of superiority, consumer confidence in the purity of bottled water is simply not justified."
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