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Chipotle Talks Local Produce
Tweet Share on Facebook June 11, 2009 Comment (3)Chipotle, the quick-service Mexican restaurant that dishes out hearty, foil-wrapped burritos is expanding its local foods program - last year, they sourced 25 percent of one bulk produce item used in each store from a local farm, and this year, they're expanding the program to 35 percent. For a chain with more than 860 restaurants, it's a large committment, but they've kept surprisingly mum about it. I talked to Chipotle's Chris Arnold, director of media relations, about the meaning and growing popularity of local food.
What was the catalyst for Chipotle to use local foods?
Better tasting food. We really believe that fresh ingredients from more sustainable sources are the way to go. Adding local produce to some of the things we had already been doing, including naturally-raised meats and dairy products made with milk from cows without RBGH, was the logical place to go. We're looking for sources for all of the ingredients that we use that share our commitment to raising animals and produce in ways that are better for the environment. -
Congress Debates the Meaning of Green -- And Greenwashing
Tweet Share on Facebook June 9, 2009 Comment (1)The terms "green," "natural" and "eco-friendly" sure don't mean what they used to. Today, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce held a hearing entitled “It’s Too Easy Being Green: Defining Fair Green Marketing Practices" in hopes of cracking down on advertisers and certification programs that mislead consumers.
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D.C. Council Approves Plastic Bag Fee
Tweet Share on Facebook June 3, 2009 Comment (4)It's time for residents of Washington, D.C. to stock up on reusable bags. The D.C. City Council unanimously voted in favor of a 5-cent tax on both paper and plastic bags that, if approved in a second vote later this month, would make the District the first city in the U.S. to institute a bag fee.
San Francisco banned plastic bags outright in 2007, and Los Angeles' ban will go into effect in 2010. Several other cities have tried to assess bag taxes, but have not yet been successful: Seattle residents will vote on a 20-cent tax in August, and a measure in New York was blocked. Last month, the Philadelphia City Council voted against a 20-cent tax on bags, citing the recession.
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Don't Be Duped by E-Cycling Scams
Tweet Share on Facebook May 28, 2009 Comment (3)When you turn your old technology over to an e-cycling drive, are you sure that it's in good hands? That's what Pittsburghers may be asking themselves after a recent controversy over an e-cycling drive to benefit the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society. Basel Action Network, a global pollution watchdog, claims that e-cycler EarthECycle did not responsibly recycle the old technology collected for the event, but instead shipped it overseas to developing countries. However, EarthECycle president Jeff Nixon has stated to other media that the items were recycled in a "legal and moral way." EarthECycle did not return multiple phone calls from U.S. News. You can read BAN's report here.
Tech-recycling drives for charity, such as this one, are becoming increasingly common - so how can well-meaning consumers keep from getting duped? "It's very difficult for consumers to know," said Sarah Westervelt, e-waste project coordinator at BAN. There are, however, a few characteristics of a responsible e-cycler - and a few questions that consumers can ask the company before they drop off their old monitors and cell phones. -
Audio: How Green is the Red, White and Blue?
Tweet Share on Facebook May 26, 2009 CommentLast week, I broke down the results of the Greendex - National Geographic's second annual worldwide poll of consumers about their attitudes on the environment. Over the weekend, I spoke to WTOP Radio in Washington, D.C. about how the red, white and blue isn't really that green after all - even though it's improving.
LISTEN NOW: How Green is the Red, White and Blue?
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Green Grilling for Memorial Day
Tweet Share on Facebook May 22, 2009 CommentIt's hard to say what the best part of Memorial Day Weekend is: the opening of the pool, the extra day of weekend, or firing up the grill for some burgers and veggies. Certainly, millions of Americans will be preparing the perfect burger this weekend, using gas, charcoal or electricity. But which type of grill has the smallest impact?
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What Does the Greendex Tell Us About America?
Tweet Share on Facebook May 21, 2009 CommentThe results are in for National Geographic's second annual Greendex, and they aren't pretty: Though the study found that Americans are slightly greener than last year, we're still coming in at the bottom of the pack. Greendex studied 17,000 consumers in a total of 17 countries to find out their opinions on energy, transportation, food, green products, attitudes towards the environment and sustainability, environmental knowledge. And in the nearly 300 pages of data, there are some obvious conclusions - and some surprises.
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Obama Announces New Emissions and Mileage Standards
Tweet Share on Facebook May 19, 2009 Comment (4)President Obama announced new emissions and mileage standards today, pushing the average car to 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016 - a 40 percent cleaner fleet of vehicles on our roads. The plan is based on the stricter auto standards that California has sought under federal clean air laws.
So how big of a deal is this? In today's remarks, Obama stated that the move will save 1.8 billion barrels of oil over the cars' lifetime. This is equivalent to:
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Plan Your Commute for Bike to Work Day
Tweet Share on Facebook May 14, 2009 Comment (2)May 15 is Bike to Work Day, a part of National Bike Month, and an annual awareness drive for area bike associations to show commuters just how easy it can be to ditch their cars and subway passes. If Bike to Work Day will be your first time - or if the sight of other bicycle commuters inspires you - the first step to becoming a bicycle commuter (assuming you already have a bike and a helmet, of course) is to plan your route.
It seems easy - just use the same streets your car takes, right? Not quite. While the route you drive may be the most efficient, it's often not the best for you when you downsize to two wheels. Here are some tips for planning your bicycle commute:
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What's Your Definition of Local Food?
Tweet Share on Facebook May 13, 2009 Comment (3)Eating local - the movement that encouraged people to purchase their food from small, local farms with sustainable practices - is getting a major corporate makeover. Huge food companies are rebranding local food to include food produced near their processing plants, even though it's still shipped out to your grocery store a thousand miles away. Is the locavore movement losing its soul?
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