Consuming some fish has its benefits, such as providing a low-fat, high-protein meal.  Oily fish are full of omega-3 fatty acids which:  help maintain cardiovascular health; reduce tissue inflammation and alleviate the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis; and play an important role in prenatal and postnatal neurological development.

Fish that are high in omega-3s, low in environmental contaminants and are eco-friendly include:  wild salmon from Alaska, Arctic char, Atlantic mackerel, sardines, sablefish, anchovies, farmed oysters, and  farmed rainbow trout.   Other foods rich in omega-3’s include walnuts, wheat germ and ground flaxseed.

Human health concerns include:  ingesting too much mercury, PCB’s, lead, dioxins, DDT, and dieldrin, which can lead to birth defects, neurological problems and cancer.  These substances find their way into our waterways via stormwater runoff, industrial and municipal discharges, agricultural practices and pesticide use.

Detrimental effects on the ocean environment include:  the spread of parasites and disease to wild marine life near fish farms; damage to the habitats where fish feed and breed; the death of bycatch (unwanted or unintentional catch) which limits the rebuilding of depleted fish populations; overfishing which means catching fish faster than they can reproduce.

Seafood to avoid includes:  Chilean sea bass; some tuna; grouper; orange roughy; rockfish; farmed Atlantic salmon; imported Swordfish; Atlantic cod; imported king crab; Atlantic flounder/sole; Atlantic halibut; octopus; imported shrimp/prawns; Asian tilapia; red, silk, vermilion, and imported snapper.  Also, look for the Marine Stewardship Council label for sustainable seafood.

Visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s website for more information and a pocket guide to the best and worst seafood choices.  Check out the Environmental Defense Fund’s sushi pocket guide here.

Buying the food: opt for locally grown or organic food & beverages.  Now is the season to visit farmer’s markets and local farms for the freshest foods. Reusable shopping bags are great for holding a lot of goodies from the market.

Getting ready:  If you’re hosting a backyard barbecue, mow the lawn with a reel mower and clean the patio furniture, kitchen, and barbecue with natural cleaning products.  Non-toxic and biodegradable citrus-based cleaners are great grime and grease removers.

Bug-free zone:  To ward off mosquitoes, ticks, flies, gnats, and no-see-ums, use natural bug repellents and avoid those that contain DEET.  You can make your own from essential plant oils or purchase them online or at some retail stores.

Cooking:  Try something new and unusual like a pollution-free solar cooker.  Or, opt for a propane grill, which burns cleaner than wood or charcoal.  Keep in mind that charcoal grilling produces air pollution and cancer-causing compounds in meat.  If you must use a charcoal grill, opt for organic brands of natural briquettes.  Avoid conventional liquid fire starters as they are toxic petrochemicals that emit harmful volatile organic compounds.  Don’t forget to compost your kitchen scraps!

Setting the picnic table:  Use real tableware, or look for plates, bowls, cups, and utensils that are biodegradable, compostable, or made from recycled content.  Avoid petroleum-based plastic ware since it won’t biodegrade for centuries.  Soak up barbecue sauce with paper napkins made with recycled content, or better yet, with machine-washable cloth napkins.  Wash in cold water with natural laundry detergents, then air-dry outside on the clothesline or inside on a towel rack.

Walk it off:  A nature hike after a big meal will keep your energy up.

Cleaning up:  Pack up leftovers in reusable glass containers.  Don’t forget to Keep America Beautiful:  Recycle what you can and properly dispose of other refuse so that wildlife doesn’t ingest anything that may be harmful.

photo courtesy of Tony the misfit

This year’s theme is “Everything Is Better When It’s Fair”.  Each time you purchase products that carry the Fair Trade label, such as coffee & tea, wine, chocolate, sugar, olive oil, bananas, flowers, and crafts & gifts, you are doing something that makes a difference.  To learn more or to look for events planned in your area, visit Green America or the Fair Trade Resource Network.

“While PTFE itself is chemically inert and non-toxic, it begins to deteriorate after the temperature of cookware reaches about 500 °F (260 °C), and decompose above 660 °F (350 °C). These degradation products can be lethal to birds, and can cause flu-like symptoms in humans.”

PFOA is a compound used to make PTFE and in 2005 had been found to be a “likely carcinogen” by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  It has also been linked to contaminated ground water near Dupont’s manufacturing plant (the only maker of PFOA in the U.S.).  PTFE cannot, as of yet, be made without the use of PFOA. (PTFE is also used in stain-resistant carpeting and clothing).

So, if you’re concerned about the environmental and human/animal impacts that PFOA and PTFE have, here are some alternatives:

• Cuisinart’s Green Gourmet.  This ceramic-based (free of PFOA, PTFE and petroleum), non-stick, scratch-resistant cookware is even packaged in 100% recycled, and recyclable, cardboard materials.  It is oven and broiler safe too, and the coating will not peel or flake off.  It comes with a limited lifetime warranty as well.  I’ve used the 12″ skillet and found it to be fanatastic.  It cooks evenly and no butter or oil is needed at all.
• I’ve also tried and loved the 8″ frypan by GreenPan, invented by chef and restaurateur Todd English.  Also, PFOA- and PTFE-free, this pan is lightweight, non-stick (even when cooking a sticky gooey concoction like I did!), scratch-resistant and dishwasher-safe.  It’s coating will not peel or flake either.
• Another brand, Starfrit Alternative Cookware, is dishwasher safe, is made with 99% recycled aluminum and is also ceramic-coated to provide a non-stick surface.  Its label is made of recycled paper and sets of pans come in re-usable, recycled plastic bins.

Source:  Answers.com

Its owners are committed to sustainable wine-making and harvesting practices and plan to construct the new building to meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards.

Green features will include a geothermal system, natural daylighting, efficient lighting, and locally-sourced and recycled-content building materials.  The new building is expected to be completed before the fall harvest.

Source:  GreenBuildingsNYC

So, what’s a java drinker to do? You can use your power as a consumer to purchase, and increase demand for, “shade-grown” coffee and experience the many benefits:

• “Taste. As the coffee beans mature more slowly in the shade, natural sugars increase and enhance the flavor of the coffee.
• Healthier. Next to tobacco, coffee is sprayed with more chemicals than any other product consumed by humans. Shade grown coffee is most often organically grown, free of harmful chemicals.
• Promotes healthy environment. Shade grown coffee requires little or no chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides. The shade trees filter carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, and aid in soil moisture retention which minimizes erosion.
• Provides bird habitat and greater biodiversity. Migrating bird populations have been in rapid decline since the introduction of “sun” coffee and the consequent destruction of rainforest for more coffee plantations. As many as 150 species of birds have been identified on shade coffee farms.
• Helps sustain rainforests. Shade coffee farms are, for the most part, organic and sustainable.”

Shade-grown coffee can be found in many supermarkets and also online, and is priced just a little higher than regular coffee.

If you’re a decaf java drinker, you may be surprised to learn that all decaffinated coffee is not the same.  According to Care 2 Make a Difference, there are four ways to remove the caffeine, and not all of them are appetizing.  “Two methods of decaffeination use the solvents methylene chloride and ethyl acetate. These are the two solvents that have been approved for use in the United States by the FDA. Methylene chloride is a carcinogen. Ethyl acetate doesn’t pose any risk to the consumer. ‘Naturally decaffeinated’ is a better way to go.  The first of these two methods is the ‘Swiss water process’ which uses pure water, and the second is use of water and carbon dioxide.”

One more helpful tip is to avoid bleached coffee filters which may contain small amounts of dioxin.  Unbleached filters and re-useable gold filters are readily available.

Source:  EarthEasy

photo by Kanko

1. Carpool to your dining destination.

2. With all the household activity and cooking going on to warm up your home, you may actually be able to save a little energy by turning down the heat a few degrees.

3. Before the tryptophan takes you away to la-la land, turn off the lights and TV to offset some of that abundant oven and stovetop energy consumption.

photo by Kevin Tostado

1. Don’t forget the reusable shopping bags when doing your grocery shopping.
2. Purchase local and organic foods, wine, and beer for the feast.
3. When cleaning the house, opt for natural, non-toxic cleaning products.
4. If traveling to your Thanksgiving destination is necessary, opt for the most fuel-efficient vehicle and make sure tires are properly inflated. You can also purchase carbon offsets to neutralize your transportation impacts.
5. Make your guests feel special by using cloth napkins that can be washed again and again. If you are buying new, look for ones made from sustainable fabrics like organic cotton, hemp, and bamboo.
6. Save some energy and dine by candlelight. Soy-based candles scented with essential oils are the most natural option.
7. Recycle beverage containers and anything you can, & compost fruit & veggie scraps.

Photo by Bev Sykes

Composting has many benefits including suppressing plant diseases and pests, and reducing the need to add chemical fertilizers.

You don’t even need to purchase an expensive compost bin, although there are some really nice ones on the market, but you do need a dedicated place in the yard to locate it.

1. Choose a level area ideally away from roof drainage and out of direct sunlight, and dig up the grass in a 3 foot square section. You can enclose the spot on 3 sides with chicken wire or remnant lumber (leave spaces for air circulation) or just place the composting materials directly on the ground there.
2. Add a mixture of ‘browns’ (carbon-based material) and ‘greens’ (nitrogen-based material) in roughly equal amounts so that microbes & earthworms in the pile can work their magic. A good balance of these materials will also minimize odors coming from the compost pile. ‘Browns’ include leaves, twigs, fireplace ashes, newsprint, and cardboard. ‘Greens’ include fruit & vegetable scraps (including has-been jack-o-lanterns!), pesticide-free grass clippings, coffee grounds & tea bags, and eggshells.
3. Aerate the pile with a pitchfork or shovel about once a week. This also helps to avoid odors.
4. Make sure the pile is damp, but not soaking wet (if it is drenched, turn the pile a few times).
5. After a few months of the pile breaking down and heating up, it will look like rich, dark soil and be ready for the garden and flower beds!

Source: This Old House

Photo by Alan Levine