Posted by Dominique on 29 Dec 2006 | Tagged as: Current Affairs
As a follow up to our post yesterday about the disturbing imminence of cloned animal products in our food chain, we are directing our readers to the Organic Consumers Association’s page to send an email to Michael Leavitt, Secretary of Health. Please click here to take action.
Posted by Dominique on 28 Dec 2006 | Tagged as: Food and Drink
…and no special labeling is necessary to distinguish these products from each other. The FDA has been reviewing the possibilities of allowing American consumption of cloned foods for more than five years. Biotech companies, growing weary as they run out of cash waiting for the “Foot Dragging Administration”, seem to have won the battle. But will consumers “just buy it”? Root thinks not. In a poll earlier this year by the International Food Information Council, 63% of consumers declared that they would not willingly buy meat, milk and eggs that come from clones even if the FDA declared them “safe”. And are we safe? According to a written statement by FDA spokesman Stephen F. Sundlof, chief of veterinary medicine at the agency to the Washington Post, the agency has heard rumors of clone progeny moving into the food supply, but was “not aware of any proof”. For now, farmers and cloning companies are abiding by a voluntary ban on meat and milk from clones. The FDA says an informal ban remains until its decision is final. Root encourages all consumers to question these processess, and demand the labeling of all foods coming from humanly altered sources. Photo credit of Elvis the cloned calf by Carol Guzy of The Washington Post.
Posted by Dominique on 19 Dec 2006 | Tagged as: Global Warming
PG&E, the largest utility in California, plans to offer a program for its customers to calculate and offset the amount of carbon dioxide their power supply produces. According to their website, the program becomes available in Spring, 2007. In previous posts and podcasts, Root has discussed the impact individuals have on our environment. This is one real time option for those of us who are on the PG&E grid to offset our impact. Check ClimateSmart out, and thanks to SFGate for their inspiration.
Posted by Dominique on 10 Dec 2006 | Tagged as: Branding
Acknowledging that since 1971, it has committed crimes in the name of environmental conservation, Greenpeace has unleashed its latest ad campaign. Some of the guilty are pictured in mug shots heralding their accomplishments. Via Adrants, see more images here.
Posted by Dominique on 05 Dec 2006 | Tagged as: Tools
Scientists at CSIRO have developed a simple ‘air shower’ device which, when fitted into existing showerheads, fills the water droplets with a tiny bubble of air. The resulting shower feels just as wet and just as strong as before, but now uses much less water.
The researchers, from CSIRO Manufacturing Materials Technology in Melbourne, Australia say that is because the device increases the volume of the shower stream while reducing the amount of water used by about 30 per cent.
Given the average Australian household uses about 200,000 litres of water a year, and showers account for nearly a third of this, the ‘air shower’ could help the average household save about 15,000-20,000 litres a year. If you extend this across the population, that is an annual saving of more than 45,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
The Aerated Showerhead creates the sensation of having a full and steady stream of water even though the water is now more like a wet shell around a bubble of air.
After almost two years of research and development, CSIRO is ready to market the nozzle, and expect the cost to be less than $20, and easily installed by householders.
A simple change that could save millions of gallons of our unrenewable resource without sacrificing our beloved rituals. Brilliant. Thank you Green Wombat for the tip.
Posted by Dominique on 03 Dec 2006 | Tagged as: Social Responsibility
The rate and magnitude of China’s emergence in the 21st century as a world power is unprecedented. Ted C. Fishman, author of China, Inc., will examine the global implications of China’s rapid growth, and will discuss how China is changing, and how China is changing the world on Monday, December 4, 2006 at 7:00 pm at Memorial Auditorium, Stanford University. Check out Zvents for directions and details.
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