Post Script

Update: outpouring of protests over GE alfalfa

We recently alerted our readers to pending USDA action on genetically engineered alfalfa, since it appeared the product was poised for an approval vote.  

We believe that consumers do not want to eat genetically modified food, and given a chance, would speak out against a vote to approve GE Roundup Ready alfalfa. As the Center for Food Safety so eloquently puts it: "USDA's Environmental Impact Study claims that organic consumers do not care about GE contamination of their food, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Consumers surveys show that 75 percent or more of respondents repeatedly say that they do not want to eat GE contaminated food and cite their desire to avoid GE foods as one of the top five reasons for buying organic."

The Center for Food Safety and other groups spearheaded the call to action (which was linked on the right side of this blog), encouraging readers to submit their opinion to the USDA during the extended feedback period. The deadline of March 3 has now passed and the government is no longer accepting public feedback.

The good news is that many people responded to the call, with total numbers exceeding 200,000. Some reports have the figure at 300,000.

We are hopeful that it was enough. Watch this blog for updates on this important issue.

GM potato to be grown in Europe

Member countries of the European Union have been among the staunchest opponents of genetically engineered food, so it comes as a bit of a surprise to see this headline on the Guardian's web site: GM potato to be grown in Europe.

You can imagine the comments.

Lights out for Earth Hour!

Sign up, spread the word, and switch your lights off at 8:30 p.m. local time, Saturday March 27 for Earth Hour.

What is it? In their own words: "Hundreds of millions of people around the world will come together to call for action on climate change by doing something quite simple -- turning off their lights for one hour. The movement symbolizes that by working together each of us can make a positive impact in this fight, protecting our future and that of future generations."

Last year, Mayor Tom Barrett turned the lights off at City Hall so that Milwaukee participated in a truly global event. The Earth Hour web site features video footage and photographs of darkened landmark buildings in cities all over the world. When you sign up, you add your name or your organization's name to the interactive map.

The Earth Hour organizers are appealing to all of us to get involved -- host Earth Hour events, create buzz via social media, upload photos and videos and generally just get the word out. Schools, businesses, local government and individuals are asked to take part. Earth Hour makes it easy by providing toolkits. Over to you!

 

If only it were true ...

Happy Monday! We hope your weekend was good, with plenty of time for poring over the Sunday papers. Of note this weekend was Al Gore's op-ed in the NYT, doing its best to explain why the planet is still in danger, no matter what the skeptics say.

Wal-Mart tries to make it difficult for us to hate them

Wal-mart used to be the ultimate bad guy... but a few recent initiatives have got editors and writers at green and sustainable web sites talking. Of note was 2009's sustainability index, and today, Wal-Mart execs announced a program to help them reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2015 to a level equivalent to a year's output for the corporate giant. In other words, 22 million U.S. tons.

It makes brilliant business sense for the giant corporation, and as far as PR goes, it's equally bright. Skeptics will be happy to note that the program will be overseen by ClearCarbon, Inc.

Via Treehugger.

First Lady talks about "food deserts"

Over at the White House blog, you watch a video of Michelle Obama talking about inner city neighborhoods with little or no access to fresh, wholesome food. 

These areas exist in major U.S. cities, including Milwaukee, and are labeled "food deserts" because residents are forced to buy their food at convenience stores and fast food outlets because there are no grocery stores within reach. Obesity and diabetes thrive in food deserts.

As part of her "Let's Move" campaign to end childhood obesity, Mrs Obama is taking on this vital issue. Watch the video here.

Cynical in the UK

"The proportion of adults who believe climate change is 'definitely' a reality dropped by 30% over the last year, from 44% to 31%, in the latest survey by Ipsos Mori." 

That's the news out of the UK, reported by The Guardian's Eco desk. It's going to be an uphill battle to convince skeptics to watch their energy use and/or reduce, reuse, recycle. We wonder how much of this is due to the unusually cold winter the Brits experienced this year. The poll was taken at the end of January.

A victory for organic dairy farming

Organic farming proponents are hailing a ruling by the USDA that clarifies the steps dairy farmers must follow in order to obtain organic certification. The update could make it much more difficult for large scale dairy farming operations to maintain organic certification.

Opponents of those large scale dairy operations maintained that cattle were not being provided adequate access to pasture – diminishing the value of organic certification. While the USDA's standards had required grazing, there had been little threat of action against farmers who failed to meet the guidelines. With clear guidelines now in place, enforcement ought to be easier to implement.

"Clear and enforceable standards are essential to the health and success of the market for organic agriculture," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "The final rule published today will give consumers confidence that organic milk or cheese comes from cows raised on pasture, and organic family farmers the assurance that there is one, consistent pasture standard that applies to dairy products."

For an announcement from the USDA, click here

According to the USDA press release:

The main components of the rule include:

• Animals must graze pasture during the grazing season, which must be at least 120 days per year;
• Animals must obtain a minimum of 30 percent dry matter intake from grazing pasture during the grazing season;
• Producers must have a pasture management plan and manage pasture as a crop to meet the feed requirements for the grazing animals and to protect soil and water quality; and,
• Livestock are exempt from the 30 percent dry matter intake requirements during the finish feeding period, not to exceed 120 days. Livestock must have access to pasture during the finishing phase.

And another leaf makes headlines ...

What are the odds that two sustainability stories of the day would be about a leaf?

Leaving the Nissan Leaf behind, we move on to an interesting read from Treehugger about Europe's solution to the language barrier when it comes to organic food labeling. In the European Union, there are 27 member states, and 23 official languages to date. It seems that not everyone can speak all of them, leading to some confusion when it comes to food labels.

So the good Europeans launched a logo contest and now they have a winner: a leaf made of EU stars. While it's not particularly pretty, we have to give them kudos; this logo speaks very clearly and what it says is, "I am from Europe and I am green."

Shoppers will begin seeing the logo after July 1st, which will be mandatory for products produced within the EU that meet required standards.

Then the story takes an interesting turn to look at GMOs in the European Union (and we all know how much they hate them). Bulgaria, it seems, is poised to reap the benefits of being late to the game when it comes to development. The country, which is one of the newest member states, is in the enviable position of having a wealth of land available for organic and GMO-free farming because farmers simply haven't ruined it with pesticides and GMOs. Marvelous. With some 70 percent of land suitable for organic farming, Bulgarian officials are expected to propose a five-year ban on all genetically modified cultures in the country.

In many other European countries, a mere five percent of land is suitable for organic agriculture.

Allen speaks at White House

 Yesterday was the big day for Will Allen, attending Michelle Obama's launch of her campaign to end childhood obesity. James Godsil of Sweet Water Organics in Bay View found C-Span video of the speeches at the White House, including Will Allen's, and posted the link on his Twitter page this morning. Thank you!

Allen comes to the podium at the 10 minute, 25 seconds point of the video, and speaks for eight minutes. He begins by thanking the First Lady for inspiring people with her vegetable garden, and then gives a nod to Mayor Tom Barrett, who helped Milwaukee become the first city with a vegetable garden at City Hall.

The rest of Allen's speech focuses on the consequences of industrial farming and cash crops and "food deserts" in our inner cities; areas bereft of grocery stores but full of fast food restaurants and corner stores stocking junk food.

"It's a social justice issue," Allen says. "Every child in this country - every person in this country - should have access to good food."

Allen goes on to highlight progress made in Chicago, Milwaukee and Madison by Growing Power and its partners. About 100 acres of farmland has been obtained for intensive farming in the three cities, he says, promoting the Growing Power business model. He says the urban farm produces about $500 per acre, and will provide new jobs this year. He talked of abandoned urban buildings, empty greenhouses and vacant land that can be turned into farmland. And he said every school needs a garden.

Following this model, Allen concluded, we can bring food to the inner city, provide thousands of jobs, and invest in ourselves, keeping our money in the community.

Well said!

Photo by Liz Setterfield