food and garden

RPI Featured by The Princeton Review and U.S. Green Building Council in Their New Guide to 286 Green Colleges

Congratulations to my Alma Mater – RPI.

RPI: News & Events - Rensselaer Featured by “The Princeton Review” and U.S. Green Building Council in Their New “Guide to 286 Green Colleges”

Passive House Alliance

Ok, it isn’t about food or garden but it is environmentally friendly.

Research more about passive houses at PHIUSAlliance.

Evidence of climate change in our own backyards

According to conservation biologist, Richard Primack, “unmistakable signs of climate change can be seen every day, in every backyard, in towns across America.”

He is working on a research project to correlate the Walden Pond records of Henry David Thoreau from the 1850s with current day observations to identify the effects of climate change on the local environment.

Read more in the National Catholic Reporter article “Evidence of climate change in our own backyards.”

Climate Change Wildlife and Woodlands Toolkit

The United States Global Change Research Program has A Toolkit for Formal and Informal Educators that can be used to teach about climate change wildlife and wildlands.

Misconceptions About Climate Change Webinar

The Misconceptions About Climate Change Webinar was held on Jan 21, 2011. The PowerPoint and Screencast from the Webinar are available to view.

Are Backyard Chickens Pets or Food?

In the Wild Green UTNE Reader blog Keith Goetzman asks, “Are Backyard Chickens Pets or Food?"“

I believe that they can be either, it is up to the owner and what they want from their relationship with their chickens.

Having grown up living around farms and working on some of them I just have one piece of solid advice for anyone who decides to raise chickens for food. Do NOT name them. Names are for pets, not for food.

And, about the “death” issue; I think it is a positive thing to know and understand that your meat came from another living thing. It should make you appreciate your food more and waste less of it because the dynamic moves from being just a financial issue.

Politics of the Plate

There is some useful and interesting information on Barry Estabrook's "politics of the plate" website.

My only issue is that it is a "negative" information site with Mr. Estabrook dealing with food and farming related issues.

I would like to see more information on people and companies doing the "right thing".

Yardsharing

This is a green idea.

hyperlocavore: A Yardsharing Community

"Are you a digger with no dirt or a gardener with lots of space but no time? A neighbor who hopes to build a neighborhood? A newbie in town in need of friends?"

Organic Kitchen Garden Beds (South Florida)

Growing organic vegetables in South Florida can be difficult and trying. (At least to a "Northerner".) Here is some information that may help. I am going to try this starting this October. I usually try to plant in Feb. or Mar. and the summer heat, humidity, and rains usually hit me hard at about the same time the harvest should be coming in.

Ocean Friendly Seafood Guide

The Blue Ocean Institute has a Guide to Ocean Friendly Seafood. It is based on a comprehensive seafood analysis and ranking methodology. For wild-caught fish, the core points that are considered are:

1. Life history
2. Abundance
3. Habitat quality and gear impacts
4. Management
5. Bycatch

For farmed fish, the core points considered are:

1. Inherent operational risks
2. Feed
3. Pollution
4. Risk to other species
5. Ecological effects

The Monterey Bay Aquarium also has regional seafood watch guides. They help you choose ocean-friendly seafood wherever you live or travel.