Food

The Environmental Working Group compiled 2011's lists of The Dirty Dozen and The Clean Fifteen.  They used data from the USDA to analyze pesticides in produce.

The lists are a little different than last year -- for instance, cherries dropped off The Dirty Dozen, but now lettuce is there.

Here's The Dirty Dozen, which are fruits and vegetables with the highest pesticide residue:... read more

1. Apples 
2. Celery 
3. Strawberries 
4. Peaches 
5. Spinach 
6. Nectarines (imported) 
7. Grapes (imported) 
8. Sweet bell peppers 
9. Potatoes 
10. Blueberries (domestic)
11. Lettuce 
12. Kale/collard greens
    

With Earth Day quickly approaching (April 22), I am reminded to think about where I am in the world and where in the world my food is. I am in Canada and most of our food is not.

We are not far enough into spring to plant an outdoor garden and the Farmer's Market has not yet opened. Everything comes from the grocery store. I bought a beautiful bounty of fresh fruit and vegetables. Well, at least they were fresh when they were picked and hopefully just as fresh when they were packed.... read more

Today I am excited to share a guest blog post by Christy Aune from Kids Konserve, a company that makes waste-free lunch products.  Thanks, Christy, for a great piece about the importance of saving the planet by reducing waste.

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Kids Konserve Eco-Resolutions for 2011 was about adopting the 5th 'R' – REMEMBER - into our daily life.  I would like to ask if you are writing a piece for Earth Day to REMEMBER Kids Konserve.  Earth Day is April 22, 2011.  Each year on this day thousands of people celebrate the Earth and what it means not only to them, but to the human race as a whole. Others use this day to bring the public’s attention to Earth and the effects our lifestyle is having on the planet. This day is a great day to spend time with your children and teach them more about the environment around them.  Our children are the leaders of the future. It is important that they learn the importance of the environment now, instead of waiting until they have grown.  (http://earthday2011.net/)... read more

Say good-bye to single-use sandwich baggies, brown paper lunch bags, and Ziplocs. Let's look at some safe and eco-friendly alternatives to the traditional ways to pack a lunch.

Pyrex Containers:
While not great for little kids, these are perfect for a work lunch because if you need to heat something up in the microwave, you can heat it up and eat from it as well.

Stainless Steel:
Life Without Plastic has many wonderful options. They're air tight, and you can use them for your lunch or storing food at home as well.

Reusable Baggies:
Forget about Ziplocs and buy reusable snack and sandwich bags.  I love The Lucky Butterfly because they're cute, reusable, and easy to clean. They're great for your own lunch, kids lunches, or packing a picnic lunch.... read more

Triscuit (yes, those yummy little crackers!) has proclaimed Tuesday, April 12, 2011 Home Farming Day, with events in NYC, LA, and Tampa.  

Triscuit launched a new social network, Home Farming, helping people start their own home farm.  Members can share photos, receive badges a la FourSquare, and ask and answer questions about growing your own food.  The site also has lots of tips for growing veggies in your backyard and even recipes, too!

There's also a sweepstakes to win $1000 towards your farm.  ... read more