Week 47 - Eco-Wine

Eco-wine. Hmmm. I don’t know.

To start, I should tell you I really enjoy wine and try to have a glass every day for “health” reasons. Before you laugh, research shows drinking about 6 oz. of red wine daily is good for the heart. Studies have also shown it can protect against Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other neurological diseases and has been shown to inhibit the growth of certain types of cancer. That being said, I am in no way a wine snob. In fact I am just the opposite. I believe there is an abundance of lovely, drinkable wines in the $10 - $12 per bottle range. The key word here is drinkable. So are eco-wines truly drinkable? The general consensus is, they've come a long way (apparently they needed to because they weren't very good), and are worth a second look. Below I have outlined what you need to know before making your first eco-wine purchase.

The Key Terms

Organic

To be considered organic, a winery must meet stringent rules outlined by the USDA. The winery must use grapes that have been organically grown. This means no genetically modified seeds, no fertilizers from sewer sludge (yuck), or pesticides. Additionally, these wines must not contain any added sulfites and the vineyard must be inspected every year to ensure they are adhering to the guidelines.

Biodynamic

This is considered the most environmentally sensitive form of agriculture. Biodynamic farmers plant, prune and harvest according to the phases of the moon and apply compost teas.

According to thegreenguide.com “biodynamic standards are older than organic, but very closely allied in their promotion of sustainable practices and elimination of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers“. For more information about biodynamic wines, visit demeter-usa.org.

Sulfites

All wines contain naturally occurring sulfites; it’s what keeps wine from spoiling in the bottle. A lot of people are very sensitive to sulfites and can experience physical reactions that range from headaches and asthma to in rare instances death. USDA certified organic wines must not contain any added sulfites. This is tricky as it makes the wine more susceptible to spoilage. You wouldn’t really consider an organic wine for aging as the whites have about an 18th month shelf life and the reds about 8 years.

If you want to store an organic wine you may want to opt for one with added sulfites. Rather than the USDA certified organic label, the wine will be labeled “made with organic grapes”.

Sustainable

Tricky, tricky! This can mean a number of things. It could mean the winery is in the process of becoming certified organic or it could mean the growers try to farm in an environmentally conscious way. It could also just be a marketing term tossed around to appeal to the ever growing segment of the population that is becoming environmentally sensitive.

Be aware, there are no criteria set out by a governing body which must be met in order to label your wine sustainable. Take time to do your research.

LIVE/Salmon Safe (from thegreenguide.com)

LIVE (liveinc.org), Oregon viticulture industry's Low Input Viticulture and Enology label was put in place to ensure that Oregon vineyards remain disease-free, as they have been historically, while limiting the use of chemical pesticides. Certified by the International Organization for Biological Control, LIVE promotes planting of species appropriate to local conditions, reliance on beneficial insects, fungi and plants, and increased biodiversity.

Salmon Safe (salmon safe.org/wine/wine list.cfm) is a Northwest eco-label for agricultural practices that restores watershed conditions to allow salmon to spawn and thrive. It works in partnership with LIVE to promote runoff control, planting trees near streams and utilizing integrated pest management. Vineyards are inspected by an independent contractor (often an organic certifier) to ensure compliance with both LIVE's and Salmon Safe's standards.

Where to Find Eco-Wines

So now that we know what the terms mean, where can we buy the wine (note: they will be more expensive)?

1) An Online Wine Club (not all states allow wine to be sent through the mail)

• EcoVine Wine Club (ecovinewine.com; $39/month for two bottles)
  
• Organic Connection (fwbchicago.com; $38/month for three bottles)


• Organic Wine Company (theorganicwinecompany.com; $47/month for two bottles)

There are a ton of wine stores on the internet, but not all ship to all states. Some stores like Organic Wine Company have occasional free shipping. They currently have a free shipping special where they will send you 3 bottles of wine with the shipping and handling fees waived. They also ship to PA.

2) Storefronts

• Whole Foods Market (whole foods.com)


• Check out wines shops in your area

Unfortunately in PA we have state stores. In an online search of their website, only one organic wine was available. Since I regularly visit our local store, I’m going to talk to them about getting some organic options in and see what happens.

3) Restaurants

This may be the simplest and least expensive way to sample organic wine. The next time you are dining out, take a look at the wine list and see if the restaurant offers any organic, bio-dynamic, or sustainable wines. Although the cost of wine by the glass is ridiculous, it’s a relatively inexpensive way to see if you will like it before committing to an entire bottle.

So when it comes to eco-wine the caveat is: read the label. You now know the terms, so you can assess if the additional cost is warranted. It may be worth paying a few dollars more for a nice USDA certified organic wine; however, paying more for a wine labeled “sustainable” may not be wise. In the end it comes down to how the wine tastes and only you can be the judge of that. For me, I’m always willing to give something a try, but this is definitely one band-wagon I’ll jump off, if the drink ability isn’t there.

À votre santé! To your health!

Week 46 - Don't Flush 'em!

Expired or unused medications that is! North Americans have typically disposed of prescription and over-the-counter drugs in one of two ways. We either:

1. Flush them down the toilet, or


2. Throw them in the trash.

The Problem

According to thegreenguide.com, “45% of Americans take at least one drug. When we flush old meds they":

1. Can still be active, and


2. Don’t disappear because we no longer see them.

They move on to water treatment plants, into waterways and possibly back to your tap. If they hit the waterways some really freaky things can happen. They have found gender-blended salmon (in Oregon), transgender trout (in Colorado) and bisexual bass (in the Potomac). If this happens to fish, what could this mean for people in communities where they use treated waste water for drinking water? The answer isn’t good. Generally speaking, treatment plants are not equipped to filter out that kind of contamination.

Throwing old meds in the trash isn’t the best option either, as they can contaminate not only the soil, but ground water as well.

Some Solutions

1. Some communities are setting up drug “take-back” programs at pharmacies and police stations so consumers have an alternative to flushing them and contaminating our waterways. I contacted CVS, and was told they unfortunately do not have a program in place. There are a few more drugstores in our area, which I will check out. Give your area pharmacies a call to see if they can lead you in the right direction.


2. Check out The Starfish Project at thestarfishproject.org. It’s a program run out of New York-Presbyterian Hospital which takes donations of certain meds by mail and distributes them to people in Africa.


3. Visit earth911.org and enter your zip code to find nearby drop sites.


4. Check with your local Department of Health for local disposal sites.

If you cannot find a take back program, here are the federal guidelines for drug disposal from whitehousedrugpolicy.gov:

1. Take unused, unneeded, or expired prescription drugs out of their original containers and throw them in the trash.


2. Mixing prescription drugs with an undesirable substance, such as used coffee grounds or kitty litter, and putting them in impermeable, non-descript containers, such as empty cans or sealable bags, will further ensure the drugs are not diverted.


3. Flush prescription drugs down the toilet only if the label or accompanying patient information specifically instructs doing so.

The Benefits

1. We help reduce water pollution.


2. We reduce fish contamination. This is not only important for preserving aquatic species, but as we are being told to consume more fish, we are protecting our health.


3. Ditto for our drinking water.


4. We also don’t want to forget that whether we care about the environment or not, proper disposal of medications is incredibly important if you have young children around. As a matter or fact, it’s important with teenagers around too (we’ve all heard of “pharm parties“, where older kids rifle through their parents old meds and trade them). These parties could be a myth, but are you willing to take the chance?
   

The best thing for everyone and everything (the environment, wildlife, humans) is to dispose of medications in the most safe and responsible way possible. This is a no brainer and a really simple solution to a variety of potential problems!

Week 45 - The Big To Do About Bamboo!

I’m starting to see it everywhere. Bamboo sheets, bamboo clothing, bamboo flooring, bamboo cutting boards, bamboo fencing etc. So I was thinking, what’s so great about bamboo? It turns out it may be pretty amazing stuff!

What it is: Bamboo is a grass.

What it’s not: Bamboo is not a tree.

Why it’s great: There are several reasons.

1. Bamboo sucks up four times more CO2 when it grows than trees do.
2. It’s a rapidly renewable resource.
3. It can grow 1 - 2 feet, a day.
4. It can be harvested every 3 - 5 years.
5. It can be grown without pesticides or chemicals.
6. It takes very little water to grow.
7. It’s by products are biodegradable.
8. Bamboo will break down in landfills.
9. It’s durable (some varieties can be as strong as steel).
10. When made into clothing, sheets etc. it is so soft it has been compared to silk and cashmere.
11. Bamboo is innately anti-microbial and lets your skin breathe with its naturally formed micro-structure.
12. Bamboo fabric keeps you close to two degrees cooler in hot weather and also keeps you significantly warmer in the cold.
13. As flooring, it is durable, beautiful and often less expensive than wood.
14. It is harder than some popular hardwoods, including maple and oak.

The Concerns

Too good to be true right? Well there are some concerns; some significant concerns.

According to thegreenguide.com: “some questions have been raised about the environmental soundness of the manufacturing process involved in turning the bamboo stalk into fiber. Because most of it takes place in China (need you read on?), the process is not transparent to consumers, nor is the environmental regulation stringent; this viscose process is thought to involve harsh chemicals in a process similar to the production of rayon. However, much of the bamboo, including that used by Bamboosa and Shirts of Bamboo, goes through a strict Swiss certification known as Oeko-Tex, which ensures that fabric made from bamboo fibers is chemical-free.”

Others have raised concerns about how bamboo is grown:

1. To keep up with demand, some farmers have now started raising bamboo on plantations as a mono-crop or single crop. This reduces biodiversity (for info on biodiversity, see my post about growing heirloom varieties), leading to increases in pests (thereby increasing pesticide use) and plant diseases.


2. The clear-cutting of forests is taking place, to make room for plantations.


3. The increased erosion which results from clear cutting.


4. Toxic glues. One booming area for bamboo is cutting boards. They are beautiful, but you need to know what you are buying. Some cheaply made boards are glue together with formaldehyde-based glues. Formaldehyde is used to in the drying process. Tom Sullivan, president and founder of Totally Bamboo (totally bamboo.com offers formaldehyde free cutting boards, as does bambuhome.com), explains “bamboo is so porous, it requires a thicker glue to prevent absorption while keeping the product intact. But thick glue takes longer to dry. "Formaldehyde allows you to apply heat and have the glue-bond done in about ten minutes," he notes, their formaldehyde-free glue takes a few hours to dry.
   Although it’s said the levels of formaldehyde are safe, who wants to knowingly expose themselves and their families to it?

The Bottom Line

“Despite the environmental shortcomings in production, bamboo still has a much lighter environmental impact than pesticide-laden conventional cotton and petroleum-derived nylon and polyester synthetics“.

If you are going to try bamboo products (and I would be willing), do a little research first and read the packaging. Just keep in mind, that although bamboo looks promising as being the answer to many of our environmental problems, its widespread use is relatively new; there are many kinks to work out in both its production and manufacture. On the up side, the more people get on board, the more quickly those kinks can be straightened out!

Week 44 - Pass it On!

Over the past several months I have made some suggestions on how to invoke both environmental awareness and interest in our kids. I’ve mentioned ideas like, planning to do something as a family for Earth Day, giving Christmas gifts like books and movies that show the importance of protecting our environment, gardening with kids etc. I now want to provide some resources for kids that want to learn more on their own and for those that want some concrete ways in which they as kids can help our planet.

The easiest way for kids to learn more is for them to surf the web. There are a plethora of websites just for them. They provide information in fun ways that may include games, puzzles, projects, and so on. Adults can learn a lot too, so give them a try!

1. Nature Challenge for Kids

David Suzuki, an environmentalist (a fellow Canadian), has been around it seems forever. He was so far ahead of his time. I remember watching him as a kid. At his website www.davidsuzuki.org/kids, he offers 10 fun and easy ways kids can help the environment. They include things like going meatless once a week and using “kid power” to get around. There’s also a checklist kids can print off, to keep track of how they are doing.

2. EcoKids Online

This is Earth Day Canada’s environmental education program for kids. Their website includes interactive games, activities and an eco-calendar with trivia, riddles and other information. Visit them at ecokids.earthday.ca.

3. Environment Canada Kids Page

This site (www.ec.gc.ca/EnviroZine) by Natural Resources Canada has an “envirozine” with a lot of information. One neat thing I found on is a game called Pathways & Pitfalls which can be printed out. You move along the “board” trying to do positives things for the environment (eating locally grown foods), while avoiding environmental pitfalls (running a sprinkler too long).

4. Fun Zone

Fisheries and Oceans Canada offers games, puzzles, coloring pages etc. about, water conservation, aquatic life and oceans. Their best offering accessed through their site at
dfo-mpo.gc.ca is the Big Blue Bus. It is an interactive website with neat things for kids of all ages to do.

5. Tunza

Tunza (www.unep.org/Tunza) is the United Nations Environment Programme. It has separate sections for children and youth. I love the ‘Story time’ link in the children’s section. It has 9 full text story books in Adobe format. The pictures are wonderful!

6. Children of the Earth

This site can be found at childrenoftheearth.org. It has information on plants and animals; info from Native Peoples; you can read stories written by other kids and pictures drawn by kids about the planet. There is a lot!

If you are so inclined, you can also help this non-profit by making your Amazon.com purchase through their website. It costs you nothing (there is no difference in what you pay), but you will be donating about 5% of your purchase price to them.

7. Field Trip Earth

Fieldtripearth.org is a wildlife conservation website. You can click on a particular animal or select a field trip and you begin a journey to discover all there is to know about that animal. This site is probably better for older kids (10 and up) as there is a lot of reading, but it also offers plenty of pictures too.

8. Treetures

This website is definitely for little kids. It has characters with names like Woody, Humus, and Mama Greenleaf. The Treetures (tiny tree friends) teach kids about trees, tree care and tree planting. Visit them at treetures.com

9. Rodale Institute

The Rodale Institute offers kidsregen.org, which is a very comprehensive website. There mission: “To empower children to make healthy choices for the environment and for themselves“. It has a ton of stuff. Information about food, fitness, gardening, world news… More importantly it reaches everyone: kids, adults, parents, families, and teachers. It’s a terrific site!

10. Climate Change

This is the EPA’s site for kids (epa.gov/climatechange/kids). It explains climate change, weather, and the green house effect. It also offers games and the opportunity to be a climate detective. It’s a nice comprehensive site.

11. The Green Squad

This website by the NRDC (www.nrdc.org/greensquad) encourages older kids to try and make their school environment a healthier place. This is a great site that will really get those activist kids in gear, but providing them with concrete ways to take action. I love how the site outlines the steps kids can take right up to ways to approach school officials.

As you can see there is no shortage of websites to help get your kids interested and excited about the environment. For an even larger list (which includes some of what I have here) follow this link: eartheasy.com/article_enviro_sites_kids.html. I have only checked out what I have listed above, so you may want to visit the other sites before your kids do. The most important thing is to share what you are learning with your kids, so they can grow passionate about the environment and pass it on to their children. Now that’s a legacy I would love to leave!

Week 43 - Green Your Vote!

As you may have noticed, we are now on week 43 of Going Green Painlessly, with this post being one of the last ten. I was thinking about all the different ideas I have written about and how if we can stick with even just a few of them we can make a big difference. One other thing entered my mind. This is an election year.

I realize we have some big problems right now (the War, a slumping real estate market, the tanking economy, oil prices, unemployment, health care…jeez, I’m getting depressed), but I think if the environment is important to us, we need to add it to that list. Now obviously I wouldn’t expect someone to vote for a candidate based solely on where they stand on the “environment“, but what if we were to phrase things differently? How does a candidate plan to reduce our dependence on foreign oil? How important does s/he (it’s great adding the “she“!) believe research for alternative fuels is? How focused are they on alternative/renewable energy? Will they place pressure on the automobile makers to manufacture more fuel-efficient models/hybrids? Do they support the Clean Air and Water Acts? What about the Kyoto Protocol? Will they support the US being part of a global effort to reduce greenhouse gases? When put another way, we can see how these issues can affect our economy, and our health.

So what’s the first thing you need to do? Get registered to vote if you haven’t already. You can do this from home. Visit the League of Women Voters’ website vote411.org. Print the form, fill it out and mail it in . That’s it! No excuses!

The next thing we need to know is where the candidates stand on environmental issues. The League of Conservation Voters has a terrific website presidentialprofiles2008.org, which not only outlines where the candidates, but also grades them based on their voting history regarding those issues. They also document candidate responses to various environmental questions. It’s a wonderfully informative website. Grist.org also offers information about each presidential candidate’s stance on environment issues. It may also be a good idea to visit the candidates’ websites to see if what they claim to do is indeed, what they do.

Whether or not you care about the environment, the truth is with the rising cost of both oil and energy everyone is going to feel the crunch. It is becoming more and more expensive to manufacture and move product. As a result, we pay more for them. Therefore, we need to make a smart choice this November and vote for someone who will support the changes necessary (and for those that know me, by "we" I mean those of you who can vote. Since I am Canadian I have to do my part in other ways - like writing an informative blog).

If the environment benefits from those changes even in a secondary way, I’m fine with that. Job well done!