A round-up of this week’s environmental, green and ecofriendly news and updates.
Are we ruining fresh fruit?
Spain is launching a reduced-fat avocado, which also ripens faster. I’m sure it will sell well – but the fats in avos are really good for you (when eaten in moderation). They also help to keep you feeling full longer (so you don’t eat junk). Why would you want to give that up?
Low-fat avocados have been on sale in the US for years – but do you know how they remove the fat? And still keep them tasting good? Let’s just say, it’s not good.
And then (to my mind) it gets worse. Sales of apples have decreased. So,in an effort to boost sales (with a side-effect of reducing food waste), Arctic Apples will soon be sold in the US. They don’t go brown when you cut them. How did they do that? Well, they’re genetically modified.
So now, apples can be sold sliced. When baby carrots were sold sliced, sales increased.
In our apparently never-ending search for “convenience”, are we now too lazy to bite a carrot or crunch an apple?
For most people, catching the flu means a few days of misery. For some, it’s much worse.
Can you do anything to prevent influenza? And can you ease the symptoms if you do get it?
Certainly, modern medicine is great and works well. But there are side-effects.
Go green and use these lovely natural remedies instead.
Halloween is nearly here – and it’s a lousy time for the environment. (Where I live, the Diwali holiday is tomorrow when everyone sets off fireworks. They look great but cause terrible air pollution and terrify animals. Laser shows would be so much greener. But I digress).
It’s probably difficult to avoid disposables at Halloween – Trick or Treat bags, decorations, costumes and more. But it IS possible to be green and still have fun. Here are some ideas:
- Look for Trick or Treat bags that are made from recycled materials and are biodegradeable or compostable.
- Give kids ecofriendly treats instead of adding to their sugar high.
- Don’t buy costumes made from PVC (plastic) – they off-gas. Go green with your costumes instead.
- Choose home decor that is reusable and avoid plastic.
- Instead of a nasty plastic one, enjoy a real pumpkin (and use every bit of it!)
- Choose non-toxic paint for Halloween make-up
- Avoid straws and allow people to drink properly. Straws create a huge amount of litter and are single-use disposables.
- Get more green ideas for Halloween in this useful post.
We all have our routines – the things we do every day. Getting ready for work or school, eating and so on.
How ecofriendly is your daily routine? It’s an interesting question – and there are some good ideas and tips in this post.
Global Green News:
When we think of renewable energy, we often think of solar power. But let’s not forget wind power. A fascinating new study has shown that we could power the entire world (yes, ALL our energy needs) from wind farms!
Of course, we’d need huge numbers of turbines in the seas (off-shore farms are more efficient than land-based ones). The engineering challenges would be massive and there are environmental consequences too (although looking at the recent effects of climate change, perhaps not so much). So it’s probably not practical to do – but the study shows that floating wind farms have enormous potential. And it also shows that fossil fuels are no longer necessary, if we invest correctly in renewables.
US Green News:
As if the California wildfires weren’t bad enough, air quality downwind of the disaster is about as bad as Beijing’s, affecting the health of many who weren’t involved with the fires.
It’s hard to find any good news at the moment – but here’s a little. California is well-known for its wines, and many vineyards have been decimated. The good news is that about 90% of the grapes have already been harvested and are mostly safe from the fires and smoke. Why is it good news about wine, when so many lives have been devastated? Because California’s wine industry employs a LOT of people. Work is hugely important when trying to rebuild after a disaster.
Staying in California, did you know that you can go green when you buy a personalized car licence plate? You can choose one that gives back to the environment and spreads a good word as you travel.
Whale Tail licence plate fees go to the California Coastal Commission which helps to protect and restore the state’s coast and ocean.
And finally, did you know that Congress is about to vote on whether to open up Alaska’s Arctic Refuge to oil drilling?
It’s a pristine environment and should be left alone (where you drill, you spill). Go here for more info and to see how you can help. Construction, noise and “accidents” disrupt bird migration, caribou and polar bears, amongst others.
What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.
Please spread the Green word and share this info.
And if you’re on Twitter, get a daily green tip by following me – @EcoExpert1 . See you there!
