FALSE ORGANIC PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS

The Organic Consumers Association along with three certified organic personal care brands have filed a complaint with the USDA National Organic Program, calling for an investigation into false labeling of “Organic” personal care/beauty products that do not comply with USDA NOP regulations. Among the offenders are popular brands such a Jason, Avalon Organics, and Dessert Essence Organics. A complete list of the offenders along with suggested alternatives is available on the OCA website, or you can visit Skin Deep, the Environmental Working Group’s Cosmetic Safety Database, to see how safe your favorite beauty products really are.

FOOD, INC. COMING TO SAN DIEGO

The documentary Food, Inc. is opening at the Landmark Theater in the Hillcrest neighborhood of San Diego on Friday, June 19, 2009. The film takes a cold hard look at the hidden inner workings of the food industry, exposing permissive government regulations, and the affects there of on the health and safety of the American consumer. As with most whistle-blowing movies it is being shown in limited release, so catch it while you can. -posted June 17,2009

My favorite chicken rancher Curtis Womach has a featured article in the Spring 2009 issue of Edible San Diego. While I’m glad the Edible Community is finally wise to the wonder that is Womach Ranch Chicken, I do hope Curtis is able to hang on to a “big” bird each week for me!-posted March 19,2009

Michelle Obama is planting an organic vegetable garden on the lawn of the White House as a way to educate children about the value of locally grown foods and healthful eating. The example set by the new first family will hopefully become an inspiration for the nation as a whole.-posted March 19,2009

Can a diet limited to 100% Organic foods be sustainable in everyday life? Dr. Alan Greene has spent the last three years eating strictly organic foods, and proved that while it is not easy, it is possible. By eating lower on the food chain he was able to eat organic without breaking the bank.-posted december 2,2008

We have all heard about Melamine tainted food produced in China. A recent Op-Ed Article in the New York Times sounds the alarm about the potential for hidden Melamine in our own food system. Just one more reason to choose locally grown organic foods.-posted november 17,2008

A couple in Encinitas spent a month attempting to eat on a dollar a day and gained firsthand knowledge of how difficult and time consuming it is to eat healthfully for little money.  They were featured in The New York Times, and wrote a daily blog about their experience.-posted november 4,2008

In the special Food Issue of the The New York Times Sunday Magazine there is a lovely article on the tipping policy of San Diego’s beloved farm-to-table restaurant The Linkery. Also in the issue is a letter to the President-Elect from writer Michael Pollan (The Omnivore’s Dilemma) which outlines our current food crisis, and offers suggestions for healing the American food system.-posted october 11,2008

On Sunday October 12th, San Diego will host the Kick Gas Festival.  Festivities will include plenty of live local music, and electric car drag races.  Camping available on Saturday.-posted october 8,2008

The third film in the “Food For Thought” film series will be shown on Tuesday 10/7 at 6 pm on the UCSD campus.  The Future of Food, investigates the infiltration of unlabled, patented, genetically engineered foods on our grocery store shelves, and looks at how this effects our foodsystem as a whole.  There will be a panel discussion with agriculture and food experts following the film.-posted october 2,2008

While it may still feel like summer, the first day of fall is just a week away.  To help catch the autumnal spirit, pick up the fall issue of Edible San Diego.  You can find it at many of the county’s farmers’ market and farmer friendly restaurants.  Visit EdibleSanDiego.com for a complete listing of pick up locations.-posted september 15,2008

State Officials have announced plans to revive a 17 year old water bank program that allows Northern California Farmers to sell their water to the drought inflicted Southern California water users.  However, with Southern California still operating with only voluntary water restrictions, perhaps we should give mandatory conservation a try first.  Anyone up for native landscaping? -posted september 6,2008

At the Democratic National Conference this week, there was a lot of talk about freeing our nation from it’s dependence on foreign oil, and tapping renewable energy in our fight against global warming. Environmentalist have long been calling for us to take advantage of solar and wind power. Unfortunately our outdated power grid is not ready to handle the amount of energy we are capable of generating. -posted august 29,2008

When California faces drought conditions, the first people who face water restrictions are our farmers. The latest episode of Envision San Diego on PBS titled Agriculture: San Diego’s Working Water, explains why our farmers are suffering while the general public is only asked for voluntary conservation. -posted august 22,2008

If we can convince the Government not to sabotage it, and the American Consumer to try something new, then perhaps a 106 mpg “air car” is not such a long shot. Of course it is hard to imagine people trading in their gas guzzlers for something small and light when they think that checking their tire pressure for the sake of fuel efficiency is too much to ask. -posted august 8,2008

It is not just little local eateries that are hopping on the Green bandwagon. GreenBiz.com says that even large mega corporations like McDonalds are starting to realize the benefits of more environmentally friendly business practices. The GRA can help you find the Certified Green Restaurants nearest you. -posted august 6,2008

In case you missed the news last week, Governor Schwarzenegger signed a bill banning Trans Fats in CA restaurants by the year 2010. This is a huge step forward for the health of all people who eat in California, and will hopefully inspire other states look more closely at what they are feeding themselves. -posted august 4,2008

San Diego’s newest farm to table restaurant, Tender Greens, was reviewed this month in San Diego Magazine. This is one new restaurant I look forward to trying! Now in it’s second location, (the first is in Culver City, CA) I’m sure Tender Greens will soon become a regular hangout for all socalocavores. -posted august 1,2008

We all know that locally grown produce has the best taste and lowest environmental impact, but it also has more nutrients. CookingLight has provided a few tips to get the best nutritional value from your garlic, watermelon, and tomatoes. They also have included recipes that highlight these ingredients at their most nutritive. -posted
august 1,2008

On September 4, 2008, the LA Convention Center will host a conference for The Green Action Summit. While this isn’t an event you are likely to attend unless you are a construction industry professional, it is worth noting the companies that do attend, sponsor, and exhibit at the conference. You can learn more about the event, and it’s participants at greenactionsummit.com. -posted july 30,2008

This November Californians will have the opportunity to vote on Proposition 2. If passed this initiative would change the requirements for animals living space. It would prohibit the confinement of farm animals in a manner that does not allow them to turn around freely, lie down, stand up, and stretch their limbs. A yes vote on Prop 2 will increase the quality of life for farm animals. -posted july 29,2008

San Diego Roots Sustainable Foods Project, Slow Foods San Diego, and Ocean Beach People’s Organic Food Co-op have teamed up to bring us the Food For Thought Film Series. The first film in the series, The Real Dirt on Farmer John, will show on Saturday, August 16th, in Hillcrest. The other two films in the series are King Corn, and The Future of Food, which show in September and October respectively. For more details on the film series, and to learn more about each of the films visit sandiegoroots.org. -posted july 27, 2008

Ever wonder if the little numbers on the stickers attached to your produce have a hidden meaning? Well it turns out that they do, and the good folks at the Union Tribune have unlocked the mystery. Check out this article in Street to learn how to tell the difference between organic and genetically modified produce just by looking at the number. -posted july 27, 2008