"As Anna Lappé reveals in this important book, we must be conscious of what we eat - not only for our own health, but for the health of the planet. When it comes to climate change, junk food may prove even more destructive than S.U.V.s. Lappé's message is timely and empowering." - Eric Schlosser, Fast Food Nation
"Diet for a Hot Planet
by Anna Lappé
foreword by Bill McKibben
Bloomsbury, April 1 2010
The era of climate-change deniers may (almost) be behind us, but a new battle has just begun. As we grapple with global warming, we will face increasing controversies over which industries are most responsible for the greenhouse gases of most concern and which actions and policies will most help us mitigate the crisis.
In these heated debates, the food industry hasso farmanaged to stay out of the climate-change hot seat. Most of us dont think about our lunch when we think about global warming.
In Diet for a Hot Planet, Anna plunge into the heart of this eras newest food fight with a simple message: if we are serious about addressing climate change, we have to talk about food."
Thursday, 29 July 2010
Wednesday, 28 July 2010
Fresh Cantaloupe for breakfast! Delicious and nutritious, even expeditious
My morning routine has really improved since the cantaloupes started ripening. There is nothing finer than a fresh melon for breakfast. I picked one today that is as big as a football (an American one that is, more like a rugby ball for you Brits) and promptly ate half of it for breakfast. The sense of well being that comes from eating fresh, organically grown food right from my garden is immense. No breakfast television, we don't have any TV service, no schedule hurrying me along, we don't have 9 to 5 jobs, just a cool slightly foggy morning, dew on the grass, birds chattering away and wholesome food for my body and soul. This is where it's at!
According to the Self Nutrition website Cantaloupe is high in fiber, niacin, B6, Folate, and very high in potassium, vitamins A and C. It is also high in fruit sugars but as with any fruit when consumed with the fiber the sugar absorption is slowed, thus cantaloupe is low on the Glycemic index. It is apparently also mildly anti-inflammatory. Over at Juicing for Health.com they tout the anti cancer and heart disease benefits of Cantaloupe due to it's high amounts of anti-oxidants. Here are some of their highlights for eating cantaloupe;
"Anti-coagulant: A unique compound in cantaloupe helps decrease the viscosity of the blood, hence preventing the abnormal formation of blood clots in the cardiovascular system.
Arteriosclerosis: Regularly consuming vitamin C retards the development of hardening of the arteries.
Cancer prevention: The high vitamin C content acts as a good anti-oxidant that protects cells from damages by free radicals. Regularly drinking juices high in anti-oxidants keep cancer at bay, especially against intestinal cancer and melanoma.
Cataracts: The natural vitamin A from beta-carotene in this juice lowers the risk of cataract and generally helps improve your vision too.
Cholesterol: Drinking juices high in anti-oxidant has been proven to fight the oxidative stress that is the main culprit in oxidizing the LDLs in the blood.
High blood pressure: Potassium in this rockmelon helps excrete sodium, thus bringing down high blood pressure especially in those with salt-sensitive hypertension.
Immune system: The strong content of vitamin C stimulates white cells to fight infection, naturally building a good immune system.
Insomnia: A special compound in cantaloupe relieves the nerves and calm anxieties. A help for insomniacs.
Menstruation problems: For women, drink this wonder juice around the time of menstruation and it will help reduce heavy flow and clots.
Muscle Cramps: A deficiency in potassium can cause muscular cramps and greater susceptibility to injury. Drink cantaloupe juice to prevent these.
Pregnancy: The high content of folate (folic acid) prevents neural tube defects in infants.
Quit Smoking: The natural nutrients and minerals found in this juice provides a synergistic combination that helps the body recover from nicotine withdrawal of one who is trying to quit smoking. Smoking also quickly depletes the vitamin A in a smoker, but cantaloupe juice can help replace it with its beta-carotene.
Stress: When going through a stressful period, keep this musky melon on the side and drink its juice regularly. The potassium content helps to rebalance and normalize the heartbeat. This in turn sends oxygen to the brain and regulates the body's water balance.
Water retention: Especially in pregnant women. Muskmelon juice helps your body excrete excess sodium, thus reducing water retention."
According to the Self Nutrition website Cantaloupe is high in fiber, niacin, B6, Folate, and very high in potassium, vitamins A and C. It is also high in fruit sugars but as with any fruit when consumed with the fiber the sugar absorption is slowed, thus cantaloupe is low on the Glycemic index. It is apparently also mildly anti-inflammatory. Over at Juicing for Health.com they tout the anti cancer and heart disease benefits of Cantaloupe due to it's high amounts of anti-oxidants. Here are some of their highlights for eating cantaloupe;
"Anti-coagulant: A unique compound in cantaloupe helps decrease the viscosity of the blood, hence preventing the abnormal formation of blood clots in the cardiovascular system.
Arteriosclerosis: Regularly consuming vitamin C retards the development of hardening of the arteries.
Cancer prevention: The high vitamin C content acts as a good anti-oxidant that protects cells from damages by free radicals. Regularly drinking juices high in anti-oxidants keep cancer at bay, especially against intestinal cancer and melanoma.
Cataracts: The natural vitamin A from beta-carotene in this juice lowers the risk of cataract and generally helps improve your vision too.
Cholesterol: Drinking juices high in anti-oxidant has been proven to fight the oxidative stress that is the main culprit in oxidizing the LDLs in the blood.
High blood pressure: Potassium in this rockmelon helps excrete sodium, thus bringing down high blood pressure especially in those with salt-sensitive hypertension.
Immune system: The strong content of vitamin C stimulates white cells to fight infection, naturally building a good immune system.
Insomnia: A special compound in cantaloupe relieves the nerves and calm anxieties. A help for insomniacs.
Menstruation problems: For women, drink this wonder juice around the time of menstruation and it will help reduce heavy flow and clots.
Muscle Cramps: A deficiency in potassium can cause muscular cramps and greater susceptibility to injury. Drink cantaloupe juice to prevent these.
Pregnancy: The high content of folate (folic acid) prevents neural tube defects in infants.
Quit Smoking: The natural nutrients and minerals found in this juice provides a synergistic combination that helps the body recover from nicotine withdrawal of one who is trying to quit smoking. Smoking also quickly depletes the vitamin A in a smoker, but cantaloupe juice can help replace it with its beta-carotene.
Stress: When going through a stressful period, keep this musky melon on the side and drink its juice regularly. The potassium content helps to rebalance and normalize the heartbeat. This in turn sends oxygen to the brain and regulates the body's water balance.
Water retention: Especially in pregnant women. Muskmelon juice helps your body excrete excess sodium, thus reducing water retention."
Friday, 23 July 2010
Thursday, 22 July 2010
Video - The Story of Cosmetics by Annie Leonard
"The Story of Cosmetics, released on July 21st, 2010, examines the pervasive use of toxic chemicals in our everyday personal care products, from lipstick to baby shampoo. Produced with Free Range Studios and hosted by Annie Leonard, the seven-minute film by The Story of Stuff Project reveals the implications for consumer and worker health and the environment, and outlines ways we can move the industry away from hazardous chemicals and towards safer alternatives. The film concludes with a call for viewers to support legislation aimed at ensuring the safety of cosmetics and personal care products."
If you want to check if your favorite concoctions are really bad for you check out Environmental Working Group's "Skin Deep" Database
If you want to check if your favorite concoctions are really bad for you check out Environmental Working Group's "Skin Deep" Database
Wednesday, 21 July 2010
Ted Talks - Brian Skerry reveals ocean's glory -- and horror
"Photographer Brian Skerry shoots life above and below the waves -- as he puts it, both the horror and the magic of the ocean. Sharing amazing, intimate shots of undersea creatures, he shows how powerful images can help make change."
Tuesday, 20 July 2010
The Future of Food
Check out this video
The Future of Food by Deborah Koons Garcia
Thanks to the Organic Consumers Association for the heads up. Here is an excerpt of what they have to say about this informative film.
"The Future of Food has been a key tool in the US and international anti-GMO grassroots activist movements. The film premiered at Film Forum in New York City in 2004 and has played all over the world in theaters, at film, food and farming festivals, and community gatherings, including a screening in Minneapolis with Ronnie Cummins, Mark Ritchie and Deborah Garcia on the panel. The film is acknowledged for its role in educating voters and the subsequent success of passing Measure H in Mendocino County, California, the first local initiative in the country to ban the planting of GMO crops. There are now hundreds of GMO-free zones."
The Future of Food by Deborah Koons Garcia
Thanks to the Organic Consumers Association for the heads up. Here is an excerpt of what they have to say about this informative film.
"The Future of Food has been a key tool in the US and international anti-GMO grassroots activist movements. The film premiered at Film Forum in New York City in 2004 and has played all over the world in theaters, at film, food and farming festivals, and community gatherings, including a screening in Minneapolis with Ronnie Cummins, Mark Ritchie and Deborah Garcia on the panel. The film is acknowledged for its role in educating voters and the subsequent success of passing Measure H in Mendocino County, California, the first local initiative in the country to ban the planting of GMO crops. There are now hundreds of GMO-free zones."
Video - Fire and Ice: Permafrost Melt Spews Combustible Methane
"Complete video at: http://fora.tv/2009/08/18/A_REALLY_In...
Environmentalist Dan Miller discusses a possible environmental threat from methane gas contained within melting permafrost. Miller claims the melting permafrost contains twice as much CO2 as Earth's entire atmosphere.
-----
Dan Miller's presentation focuses on why the UN IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) reports are actually best case scenarios. For example, IPCC climate models do not include the effect of melting permafrost releasing greenhouse gases, even though the permafrost is melting now and it holds more greenhouse gases than all that mankind has ever released.
Another example is that IPCC predictions of sea level rise only take into account thermal expansion of the oceans and melting of glaciers; the largest factor, disintegration of glaciers, was not included because it is hard to model. The result is that sea level rise will likely be substantially higher this century than the IPCC predicts.
Miller discusses several other potential catastrophes that are not included in IPCC predictions and also discusses tipping points that could put climate change solutions out of our reach in years or decades, the psychology of climate change, and why it is difficult for people to respond to the threat posed by a warming earth.
His talk concludes with a discussion of ways to address climate change and the risks and opportunities that companies face due to the climate crisis. - Berkeley Cybersalon
Dan Miller is Managing Director of the Roda Group. He is the former president of Ask Jeeves, Inc., a Roda Group affiliate company. He is currently working with a number of Roda Group affiliated companies to assist them with their business development efforts. Mr. Miller sits on the Board of several Roda Group companies.
At the end of 1994, Mr. Miller retired from his position as Executive Vice President of TCSI Corporation (Nasdaq: TCSI), a company he co-founded with his Roda Group partner, Roger Strauch. Mr. Miller retired from the Board of Directors of TCSI in June of 1997. TCSI is a leading provider of integrated software products and services for the global telecommunications industry.
Prior to TCSI, Mr. Miller was a systems engineer at Hughes Aircraft's Space and Communications Group where he was responsible for designing communications payloads for commercial communications satellites."
Environmentalist Dan Miller discusses a possible environmental threat from methane gas contained within melting permafrost. Miller claims the melting permafrost contains twice as much CO2 as Earth's entire atmosphere.
-----
Dan Miller's presentation focuses on why the UN IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) reports are actually best case scenarios. For example, IPCC climate models do not include the effect of melting permafrost releasing greenhouse gases, even though the permafrost is melting now and it holds more greenhouse gases than all that mankind has ever released.
Another example is that IPCC predictions of sea level rise only take into account thermal expansion of the oceans and melting of glaciers; the largest factor, disintegration of glaciers, was not included because it is hard to model. The result is that sea level rise will likely be substantially higher this century than the IPCC predicts.
Miller discusses several other potential catastrophes that are not included in IPCC predictions and also discusses tipping points that could put climate change solutions out of our reach in years or decades, the psychology of climate change, and why it is difficult for people to respond to the threat posed by a warming earth.
His talk concludes with a discussion of ways to address climate change and the risks and opportunities that companies face due to the climate crisis. - Berkeley Cybersalon
Dan Miller is Managing Director of the Roda Group. He is the former president of Ask Jeeves, Inc., a Roda Group affiliate company. He is currently working with a number of Roda Group affiliated companies to assist them with their business development efforts. Mr. Miller sits on the Board of several Roda Group companies.
At the end of 1994, Mr. Miller retired from his position as Executive Vice President of TCSI Corporation (Nasdaq: TCSI), a company he co-founded with his Roda Group partner, Roger Strauch. Mr. Miller retired from the Board of Directors of TCSI in June of 1997. TCSI is a leading provider of integrated software products and services for the global telecommunications industry.
Prior to TCSI, Mr. Miller was a systems engineer at Hughes Aircraft's Space and Communications Group where he was responsible for designing communications payloads for commercial communications satellites."
Monday, 12 July 2010
Video - Climate Denial Crock of the Week part 1
"Support Climate Denial Crock of the Week:
Go here -
http://www.greenmanstudio.com
Climate Change will have profound implications for the security of every nation.
Experienced military experts have come to some conclusions on what's coming.
General Gordon Sulllivan
Former US Army Chief of Staff
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5wa...
Rear Admiral David Titley
Oceanographer and Navigator of the US Navy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2yvky...
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xc0t...
http://vodpod.com/watch/3778436-navy-...
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xc0t...
http://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/nav...
http://www.climatesciencewatch.org/in...
Vice Admiral Dennis McGinn
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEPn72...
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/...
http://crazymotion.net/certianty-on-t...
National Security and the Threat of Climate Change - Report
http://securityandclimate.cna.org/rep...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfD5D_...
Climate Change and US Security
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/...
http://current.com/green/89051378_spi...
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/200...
BBC Global Observatory, National Security and Climate Change
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuZerV...
Climate change and heavy precipitation events
http://www.usgcrp.gov/usgcrp/Library/...
http://climateprogress.org/2010/06/14...
http://climateprogress.org/2010/05/26...
and extreme heat
http://climateprogress.org/2010/06/24...
James Woolsey, Former CIA director
http://fora.tv/2008/07/02/Climate_and..."
Go here -
http://www.greenmanstudio.com
Climate Change will have profound implications for the security of every nation.
Experienced military experts have come to some conclusions on what's coming.
General Gordon Sulllivan
Former US Army Chief of Staff
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5wa...
Rear Admiral David Titley
Oceanographer and Navigator of the US Navy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2yvky...
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xc0t...
http://vodpod.com/watch/3778436-navy-...
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xc0t...
http://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/nav...
http://www.climatesciencewatch.org/in...
Vice Admiral Dennis McGinn
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEPn72...
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/...
http://crazymotion.net/certianty-on-t...
National Security and the Threat of Climate Change - Report
http://securityandclimate.cna.org/rep...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfD5D_...
Climate Change and US Security
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/...
http://current.com/green/89051378_spi...
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/200...
BBC Global Observatory, National Security and Climate Change
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuZerV...
Climate change and heavy precipitation events
http://www.usgcrp.gov/usgcrp/Library/...
http://climateprogress.org/2010/06/14...
http://climateprogress.org/2010/05/26...
and extreme heat
http://climateprogress.org/2010/06/24...
James Woolsey, Former CIA director
http://fora.tv/2008/07/02/Climate_and..."
Video - Climate Denial Crock of the Week Part 2
"Support Climate Denial Crock of the Week:
Go here -
http://www.greenmanstudio.com
Our continued dependence on fossil fuels compromises the security of every nation.
Climate Deniers align themselves with those that would keep us on the cycle of boom and bust, terror and war, shortage and famine.
But the world is waking up, and the professionals who take a clear eyed view of the scientific realities are leading the way.
General Gordon Sulllivan
Former US Army Chief of Staff
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5wa...
Rear Admiral David Titley
Oceanographer and Navigator of the US Navy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2yvky...
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xc0t...
http://vodpod.com/watch/3778436-navy-...
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xc0t...
http://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/nav...
http://www.climatesciencewatch.org/in...
Vice Admiral Dennis McGinn
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEPn72...
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/...
http://crazymotion.net/certianty-on-t...
National Security and the Threat of Climate Change - Report
http://securityandclimate.cna.org/rep...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfD5D_...
Climate Change and US Security
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/...
http://current.com/green/89051378_spi...
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/200...
BBC Global Observatory, National Security and Climate Change
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuZerV...
Climate change and heavy precipitation events
http://www.usgcrp.gov/usgcrp/Library/...
http://climateprogress.org/2010/06/14...
http://climateprogress.org/2010/05/26...
and extreme heat
http://climateprogress.org/2010/06/24...
James Woolsey, Former CIA director
http://fora.tv/2008/07/02/Climate_and..."
Go here -
http://www.greenmanstudio.com
Our continued dependence on fossil fuels compromises the security of every nation.
Climate Deniers align themselves with those that would keep us on the cycle of boom and bust, terror and war, shortage and famine.
But the world is waking up, and the professionals who take a clear eyed view of the scientific realities are leading the way.
General Gordon Sulllivan
Former US Army Chief of Staff
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5wa...
Rear Admiral David Titley
Oceanographer and Navigator of the US Navy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2yvky...
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xc0t...
http://vodpod.com/watch/3778436-navy-...
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xc0t...
http://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/nav...
http://www.climatesciencewatch.org/in...
Vice Admiral Dennis McGinn
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEPn72...
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/...
http://crazymotion.net/certianty-on-t...
National Security and the Threat of Climate Change - Report
http://securityandclimate.cna.org/rep...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfD5D_...
Climate Change and US Security
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/...
http://current.com/green/89051378_spi...
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/200...
BBC Global Observatory, National Security and Climate Change
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuZerV...
Climate change and heavy precipitation events
http://www.usgcrp.gov/usgcrp/Library/...
http://climateprogress.org/2010/06/14...
http://climateprogress.org/2010/05/26...
and extreme heat
http://climateprogress.org/2010/06/24...
James Woolsey, Former CIA director
http://fora.tv/2008/07/02/Climate_and..."
Thursday, 8 July 2010
Listen to Climate Wars by Gwynne Dyer
A bit dated but still informative look at the state of affairs, including some very interesting projections. A bit less entertaining than the Age of Stupid but worth listening to nonetheless, a good reality check.
A bit scary.
"Global warming is moving much more quickly than scientists thought it would. Even if the biggest current and prospective emitters - the United States, China and India - were to slam on the brakes today, the earth would continue to heat up for decades. At best, we may be able to slow things down and deal with the consequences, without social and political breakdown. Gwynne Dyer examines several radical short- and medium-term measures now being considered - all of them controversial."
Listen to Climate Wars at CBC Radio One or read the book. Here is a video interview from Democracy Now, my single daily news source, as well.
"Democracy NOW! - DN! As a heat wave from Boston to Baghdad to Beijing sets record-breaking temperatures in cities across the world, a new analysis says the world is headed for an average temperature rise that far exceeds pledges at the Copenhagen climate conference last year. We speak with geopolitical analyst and columnist Gwynne Dyer about his new book, "Climate Wars: The Fight for Survival as the World Overheats." Published with written permission from democracynow.org. http://www.democracynow.org Provided to you under Democracy NOW! creative commons license. Credits for this video belongs to democracynow.org, an independent non-profit user funded news media, recognized and broadcast world wide,"
Here is a fascinating debate with Mr. Dyer and Vandana Shiva on Geo Engineering over at Democracy Now!
A bit scary.
"Global warming is moving much more quickly than scientists thought it would. Even if the biggest current and prospective emitters - the United States, China and India - were to slam on the brakes today, the earth would continue to heat up for decades. At best, we may be able to slow things down and deal with the consequences, without social and political breakdown. Gwynne Dyer examines several radical short- and medium-term measures now being considered - all of them controversial."
Listen to Climate Wars at CBC Radio One or read the book. Here is a video interview from Democracy Now, my single daily news source, as well.
"Democracy NOW! - DN! As a heat wave from Boston to Baghdad to Beijing sets record-breaking temperatures in cities across the world, a new analysis says the world is headed for an average temperature rise that far exceeds pledges at the Copenhagen climate conference last year. We speak with geopolitical analyst and columnist Gwynne Dyer about his new book, "Climate Wars: The Fight for Survival as the World Overheats." Published with written permission from democracynow.org. http://www.democracynow.org Provided to you under Democracy NOW! creative commons license. Credits for this video belongs to democracynow.org, an independent non-profit user funded news media, recognized and broadcast world wide,"
Here is a fascinating debate with Mr. Dyer and Vandana Shiva on Geo Engineering over at Democracy Now!
A Windy Night
I've got a story posted over at Top-alternative-energy-sources.com. It's about a miserable night I spent listening to a hurricane destroy our renewable energy system aboard our boat when we lived in Bermuda. Check it out:
http://www.top-alternative-energy-sources.com/a-windy-night.html
http://www.top-alternative-energy-sources.com/a-windy-night.html
Monday, 5 July 2010
Saturday, 3 July 2010
Sad News: The demise of the AutoRockaWasher 5000
Unfortunately after hours of work and almost no worrying about it the AutoRockaWasher project has been shut down. I did not receive the 2.5 Billion in stimulus money I applied for, the rejection letter said something about Halliburton needing it more than me. I've tried to sell the patent but Mr Jobs didn't think it would translate to an iPad app. So it's over. We've moved our old, over 20 years old, washer up to the laundry room and are using fossil fuel to wash our clothes. We are using the greywater in the garden though.
In actual fact we just didn't have time to work at getting the clothes clean with the plunger and bucket, and our rocking chair time has diminished to next to zero. We are just too busy to do it any other way! We've succumbed to convenience.
If anyone out there has a spare million or so they'd like to invest in the idea I'd be open to discussing it.
In actual fact we just didn't have time to work at getting the clothes clean with the plunger and bucket, and our rocking chair time has diminished to next to zero. We are just too busy to do it any other way! We've succumbed to convenience.
If anyone out there has a spare million or so they'd like to invest in the idea I'd be open to discussing it.
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