Recently, I shared some alarming statistics proving that some organic foods may not be as safe as we all thought.  According to CBC News in Canada, "23.6 percent of the 178 organic apples tested in 2009 and 2010 contained pesticide residue."  But you'll be happy to know that some foods don't have to be purchased organic at all.  Let's take a look at some of those fruits and veggies:

1.  Onions

Because onions have to be peeled before use, even if pesticides are used, it shouldn't affect the vegetable.  It's listed as one of the "Clean 15" foods that contain the least pesticide residue.

2.  Pineapples

Pineapples have a thick outer shell that helps keep pesticides out of the fruit.  Therefore, if you can't find organic pineapples, you shouldn't worry!

3.  Avocados

An avocado is another vegetable that features a thick green skin. Because its contents are not directly touched by pesticides or chemicals, buying non-organic is just fine.

Other fruits and vegetables that made the list include mushrooms, grapefruit, and sweet potatoes.  So if buying organic is a challenge due to budget or availability, don't fret.  You can purchase these conventionally-grown products and still sleep well at night.  Happy shopping!

Buying organic is a great way to avoid ingesting pesticides, right? According to Wikipedia, "Organic foods are foods that are produced using methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives."  But what if foods labeled as organic didn't deliver?

CBC News in Canada reports that "23.6 per cent of the 178 organic apples tested in 2009 and 2010 contained pesticide residue."  The fact that the herbicides are ending up in produce that's meant to be clean shows that there's a flaw in the system.  How can consumers trust the "organic" label if test results prove the foods are actually covered in chemicals?

Perhaps the answer is to test produce products before they hit the shelves. But until a new system is put into place, consumers should be weary!

Have you ever wanted to work on an organic farm?  Have you decided against it, worried that you may not find a job?  According to a USA Today article, it may be worth your while to study organic and sustainable agriculture.

In her article, Shannon Dininny reports that dozens of colleges and universities offer programs that focus on both organic and sustainable agriculture. "Experts said those graduates shouldn't have trouble finding jobs as the agriculture industry replaces aging farmers — the average age of a U.S. farmer is 57 — and farmers increasingly look to diversify their operations," reports Dininny.

The courses offer knowledge, not just about how to grow organic fruits and vegetables, but also on how to safely control pests and weeds.  According to Dininny, these methods "use fewer chemicals, making them environmentally preferable and potentially less expensive."  Therefore, lessons learned from these specialized programs can be used in all arenas of the farming industry.

There has been an increase in the amount of alternative agriculture studies and programs, says Dininny, because of a growing consumer demand for "food seen as healthier."  Additionally, it's becoming a standard that farmers in general hold a college degree or have completed some college coursework.  If this is an industry you've thought about entering, now's the time!

Take a deep breath of that old country goodness and saddle up for the 2010 Minnesota Organic Conference. Mary Hanks, one of the conference organizers said, "It will be an outstanding educational opportunity for organic farmers and others interested in learning more about organic food and agriculture."
            
This trade show is to offer a look into the wonderful world of living organic. The two day conference will include guest speakers and open up for discussion with round table get-togethers. It takes place in the heartland of family run farms offering products like meat, cheese, eggs, milk and more. They use organic practices to raise crops and animals, making for healthier products and a reduced carbon footprint. What a perfect occasion to browse agricultural giveaways.

This will be an important trade show for businesses moving towards organic initiatives. With farms across the United States offering their services of organic agriculture, they may also want to offer some organic giveaways. By using fun green items to grab the attention of trade show attendees, they'll be likely to remember you.
                                   
While all giveaways will help brand your name, it's important to stick with eco-friendly trade show giveaways. Your business instills itself in sustainable practices and should therefore give the gift of sustainability. For the organic trade show, any of our organic promotions will come in handy. Now, after displaying your dedication to going organic, business opportunities can bloom and we can work towards a green future.

Let's be real here, some of us just can't get through the day without a little caffeine boost. That first cup of coffee in the morning can open our eyes, get our blood pumping and help us function for the rest of the day. But are you being fair to the planet with you get your daily coffee fix? I'm not just talking about bringing your refillable mug to Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts, I'm talking about the actual product itself. What kind of coffee are you drinking and more important, is it fair trade?

Here's  a great statement regarding Fair Trade from the Green Mountain Cafe blog:

"The ideals of Fair Trade are simple and well-intended: break the cycle of poverty by offering farmers a price floor and a ready marketplace for their products, and in exchange win assurances of eco-friendly and sustainable farming practices. In theory this cycle should lead to an upward spiral of increasing economic stability and product quality."

By choosing Fair Trade coffee, you will be supporting local farmers who work hard to be on the same scale as big business. Not only will you helping to build and sustain better trade practices, but you will be indulging in product that is free of pesticides and organic in nature. Bottom line: fair trade coffee is just better.

So why not give some fair trade coffee as a gift? These organic fair trade mug stuffers are a simple and affordable way to promote your business, help out hard working farmers and give people their daily caffeine kick. Your logo or message will be printed in full color, leaving you with an amazingly attractive promotion that's good all around!

Recently, I've been experimenting with a vegetarian lifestyle. I came up with this idea fairly out of the blue and while I'm not entirely sure it's for me, I do know that there are many atrocities when it comes to the killing of animals for food. In college, I read The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, and yet I had no problem going to breakfast and eating sausages. A professor of mine had a wife who was a Vegan and he worked at an animal sanctuary, so from him I learned the benefits of eating free range meat, although I never do because it's so expense. But now I'm just trying this out for a month, and while I'm sure I will eat meat again, I doubt I will eat as much as I used to. Already, it's hard though because I know I'm not getting enough protein (which I think is the reason why I feel so tired today.) However, I feel a little bit better. It wasn't that Tomato Basil Bruschetta boca burger I had for lunch (ps: not a fan), it's the fact that going vegetarian is an excellent way to go green. Check out this article via The Vegetarian Society.

There were approximately 6.5 billion people living on earth in 20081, this number is expected to rise to 9 billion by 20502 and as the world’s population continues to grow, our requirement for food will also increase. With dwindling resources and an already increasing number of undernourished people in the world, the effects could be devastating. Worldwide food production requires around 30% of the total soil available, 20% of fossil fuel energy and a major part of the fresh water flow3. Raising cattle is one of the most damaging components of agriculture4. They cause the most environmental damage of any non-human species through over-grazing, soil erosion, desertification, tropical deforestation for ranches and growing of soya for their feed, in addition to their gaseous emissions and manure products.

Diet is an important tool in working to achieve environmental sustainability. Studies on world food security estimate that an affluent diet containing meat requires up to 3 times as many resources as a vegetarian diet9. Going vegetarian is an easy way to lower your own environmental impact and help ensure worldwide food security4, 10, 11.

There are many reasons to eat seasonally. Your ingredients will be fresher and therefore tastier. If produced locally, they will have less impact on the environment, thanks to reduced energy use and associated CO2 emissions from their production and transportation. Buying seasonal fruit and vegetables is also a good way to support your local economy and farming communitites.

‘Season to Taste’ – vegetarian recipes throughout the year, is a practical aid to green living. Not only does it give you delicious, vegetarian recipes it also features exclusively UK-grown seasonal produce. Our chefs have proved that it is indeed possible to eat tasty, veggie, locally grown, seasonal food all year round! We hope you enjoy it.

So many organic options, so little money. What's a conscious eater to do?

For starters, not all un-organic food has as high a pesticide contamination as others. What does that mean? It means that you don't have to buy everything organic. Phew! Thank goodness, because our wallets would be hurting--and empty--if we did that.

Here's are lists of the "dirtiest" and "cleanest" fruits and veggies out there, according to the Environmental Working Group:

Highest pesticide levels:
1. Peach
2. Apple
3. Sweet bell pepper
4. Celery
5. Nectarine
6. Strawberries
7. Cherries
8. Kale
9. Lettuce
10. Grapes--imported
11. Carrot
12. Pear
13. Collard Greens
14. Spinach
15. Potato 

Lowest pesticide levels:
47. Onion
46. Avocado
45. Sweet corn--frozen
44. Pineapple
43. Mango
42. Asparagus
41. Sweet peas--frozen
40. Kiwi
39. Cabbage
38. Eggplant
37. Papaya
36. Watermelon
35. Broccoli
34. Tomato
33. Sweet potato

In addition to produce, buying organic meat, milk and coffee is recommended. 

Author: Supriya Doshi

Via: http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/practically-green/2009/08/top-15-organic-foods-to-buy-and-eat.html

TreeHugger has been highlighting various aspects of the worldwide water crisis for the past few weeks, so it seems appropriate to look at the water footprint of common food items. Keeping in mind that the water footprint of you food is only a part of the environmental impact of your diet—land use, fertilizer use and whether those are chemical or organic, how far and by what method your food is shipped, social considerations regarding land use are all also components—here's how much water your food consumes:

Looking to shed a few pounds before the summer? Losing weight is not only great for your health -- it's also good for the environment.

The following suggestions will help reduce your waistline and your impact on the planet.

• Eat fresh fruits, vegetables, and other real foods. High amounts of salt, sugar, and other unhealthy ingredients can hide in packaged foods. In fact, some flavored yogurts can contain more sugar than ice cream, according to Dara O'Rourke at GoodGuide, a database that can help you find healthy and environment-friendly foods. Manufacturing, packaging, and transporting processed foods to the store typically requires a large amount of energy and resources.
  
• Stay away from high-fructose corn syrup. It can make you fat and is linked to diabetes. Massive amounts of fertilizers are used to grow corn, and these chemicals are eroding America's soil and polluting the Gulf of Mexico.
  
• Choose lean protein such as chicken, eggs, sustainable seafood, and legumes. It's not high in saturated fat and fills you up so you're not looking for your next meal too quickly. Red meat, in particular, takes a huge toll on the environment. Raising livestock is one of the most significant contributors to a long list of environmental problems from climate change to deforestation to water pollution.
  
• Replace high-calorie soft drinks with filtered tap water. Obviously, anything you can do to cut calories is a win for your body. How does it benefit the earth? Fewer resources are needed to make bottles and cans and ship them to stores. It also puts less pressure on landfills.
  
• Cook your own meals instead of eating out at restaurants. It's harder to control portions when you go out to eat, and you have no control over whether healthy ingredients are used to prepare your meal. Besides, restaurants end up wasting a lot of perfectly good food.
  
• Walk and bike more. Exercise is a major component of any healthy weight loss program. You'll burn more calories and less gas by leaving your car at home.
  
• Don't deprive yourself. Satisfy your sweet tooth with a little bit of fair-trade dark chocolate. Studies show that the antioxidants present in dark chocolate can help lower blood pressure. Fair-trade cocoa farmers are paid fair wages, which allows them to take good care of their land.  

Via:http://green.yahoo.com/blog/the_conscious_consumer/65/diet-tips-that-save-the-planet.html

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