Wine for the Eco-Conscious Consumer

If you’ve ever looked for organic wines at a store, you know how difficult they can be to find. For health-conscious shoppers and environmental enthusiasts, the lack of organic wines on offer can be frustrating.

The Los Angeles Times recently carried out some research into why there aren’t more organic wines available to consumers. In the article “Why isn’t more wine ‘organic’?” two reasons are given for the lack of organic wines in stores – and one is believed to be that there is a flaw in the organic wine labeling system.

According to OrganicConsumers.org, for a wine to carry the USDA organic seal it must be made from organically grown grapes, and the bottle cannot contain added sulfites. It may still have this label if the bottle contains naturally occurring sulfites, but the sulfite level must be less than 20 parts per million. In non-organic wine, upwards of 350 parts per million may be present. Sulfites are a natural byproduct of grape fermentation so most wines contain some level of sulfites. They can also be added as a preservative in non-organic wines.

A wine is grown organically when there are no pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, chemical fertilizers or synthetic chemicals added to the soil or vines.

Wines that are grown organically but contain added sulfites cannot be labeled as USDA organic. However, the label may state that the wine is “Made with Organically Grown Grapes”. Many winemakers settle for this category because they believe sulfites are necessary to maintain the wine’s flavors and prevent mold problems.

Organic winemakers, such as the popular Frey Organic Wines, disagree; its company website states:

“There is no great secret to making wine without sulfites, it has been done for 8,000 years.  The methods are essentially the same as all other winemaking, minus the use of sulfites, an industrial synthetic additive. We take this approach because we know that quality fruit and careful attention during fermentation and aging are the only ingredients needed to make great organic wine.”

Many people’s concern about sulfites stems solely from the fact that they are a chemical additive. Others avoid sulfites because they are allergic to them. According to the FDA, about 0.4% of the US population is “highly allergic to sulfites”.

The World Health Organization established an “acceptable daily intake” range for sulfites to be 0 to 0.7 mg per kg of body weight. Therefore, a 152 lb person may safely consume 49 mg of sulfites a day, according to the World Health Organization.

Irregardless of the sulfite debate, organic wine and wine “made from organic grapes” is free from pesticides.

According to PAN Pesticide Database, common pesticides used on grapes grown for wine include sulfur, petroleum distillates, copper hydroxide, mineral oil, potassium bicarbonate, ammonium sulfate, methyl bromide, isopropyl alcohol, diuron, phosphoric acid and more.

Because of the use of pesticides in conventional wine, organic wine is healthier for your body as well as for the planet.

The USDA states, “Organic wine is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations.”

Environmental Victories in 2010

Our earth endured a slew of environmental disasters in 2010 ranging from the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico to toxic sludge engulfing areas of Hungary and floods in Pakistan. Despite all negative environmental outlooks there were still environmental victories in 2010 and many came in the form of legislation.

California voters rejected Proposition 23 in November
The industry-backed Proposition 23 would have blocked the Golden State’s Global Warming Solutions Act. The original act was part of a 2006 law that requires California’s greenhouse gas emissions to be reduced back to 1980 levels by the year 2020. The law includes incentives for cleaner cars and renewable energy. Proposition 23 would have overturned this law. This victory ensures California will continue to work towards a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas pollution by 2020.

Restrictions on tailpipe carbon pollution passed
In April the Obama administration released new automobile standards that will go into effect in 2011. The standards set a limit on tailpipe carbon pollution from cars and light trucks. The limitations will raise fuel economy for car fleets, and the restrictions are the first ever greenhouse gas emission standards imposed on car companies by the federal government.

President Obama signs the Child Nutrition Act
The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act makes children’s school lunch options healthier and allows more students to enroll in free or reduced-cost meal programs.

Wolves win in the West
After wildlife conservation groups lobbied for change, a federal judge ruled that gray wolves in Montana and Idaho must be placed back on the endangered species list. This ruling saved hundreds from mass killing.

Hybrid and electric cars continue to gain popularity
Hybrid and electric cars gained significant buzz and popularity in 2010. As more fuel efficient cars become available on the market, the technology advances and prices tend to drop, making the cars more affordable.

YAHOO’s Green New Home for Computing

10 months ago YAHOO completed work on a big green new home in Lockport, New York housing 50,000 servers for the high traffic web company.  The appropriately named Yahoo Computing Coop (YCC) is modeled and designed based on a simple chicken coop idea and subsequently is about as green as computer server buildings come.

Just how green is the YCC? It uses over 99% natural cooler-system free air and doesn’t use any air chillers; it also uses less than 1% of the total consumed energy on cooling.  The facility uses 40% less water than conventional server facilities.  The location of the coop is also allows it to use clean hydroelectricity from Niagara Falls.   The YCC maintains a Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) ratio of 1.08 while the industry standard PUE is 2.0.

The chicken coop design is capable of providing naturally cooler air due to a few specific choices and some basic physics.  First, the building is angled to take advantage of natural wind to focus and funnel the air currents.  Next, the location provides ample days each year with preferred weather to keep temperatures cool.  Finally, the building is designed to maximize air flow by its shape, length, and structure.

The big energy efficient server home is a win-win situation for Yahoo.  Not only does the company save money on lower energy bills and the general cost of the building itself, but it is also legitimately better for the environment and substantially lest wasteful.  The company saves big by not having to build/buy massive cooling systems that use outrageous amounts of water as well.

All-in-all this is a great move for YAHOO.  They are lowering their environmental impact, helping their bottom line, and making a big difference for their potential customers who value being green!

2,000 Re-Uses for Beer Boxes!

This morning, a friend sent me a link to what might be the cleverest uses of beer boxes I have ever seen.

Earlier this summer, German architecture students at the University of Applied Science in Detmold designed (website in German), realized, and constructed BOXEL.  The pavilion is constructed in one week by students out of over 2,000 beer boxes that have each been in use for over 10 years donated from a local brewery; the boxes will be recycled when the pavilion is disassembled.

Boxel was conceptualized by Henri Schweynoch in his response to an impromptu competition from Prof. Marco Hemmerling.  The building shape is based on a minimal surface and is organized along free form geometry.  The structure is held together by a series of slats and screws with the additional support of bracings in some of the upper areas.  The three base points of the structure also are concrete lined boxes as load-bearing points.

These students have demonstrated (even unintentionally) great ways to reuse common items.  Organic Bug supports reusing and recycling objects in useful ways.  After 10 years of use, these beer boxes were given one last task before they find themselves recycled – what a great example of being green.

Snack Food Trying To Be A Little Greener

Sun Chips of Frito Lay is making quite the crunch this week.  From Facebook, to twitter, to the Wall Street Journal there is a steady buzz about all the noise that Frito-Lay has been making with their green line of snacks.  Sun Chips is definitely making positive strides toward a greener treat from their packaging to their actual products.

Seven months ago Sun Chips began mass distribution of their products in a newer noisier bag.  The bag is made out of a plant-based material, polylactic acid, and claims to fully decompose in about 14 weeks if put into hot active compost (pretty good compared to the nearly 100 years it takes typical chip bags).  The polymer used to make the bags has a higher “glass transition temperature” which basically means that it’s more brittle than rubbery.

One of the current production plants for Sun Chips has also transitioned to Solar Energy to help lower their environmental impact.  In Modesto, CA 145,000 bags of Sun Chips are produced and ready to ship each and every day.  The plant in Modest is one of eight separate facilities that creates and packages the noisy treats; don’t get too excited because they have a long way to go, but their efforts should be celebrated for now.

Despite their green efforts, they have yet to make the transition to an organic product.  Perhaps that will be their next step.  Don’t let anybody trick you into thinking snacks like this are “healthy,” but Sun Chips are definitely less bad for you than some of their competition.

All-in-all, Frito-Lay is making some great steps in the right direction.  Hopefully people can ignore the noisy bag due to the positive impact that it can make over the alternatives.

For more eco-friendlier products, swing over to Organic Bug for everything from organic gluten free sweet brownie treats to jewelry made out of recycled glass!

More Sunscreen Tips and Commentary From SustainLane

By now, you probably have heard about the findings from a recent study from the Environmental Working Group about sunscreens.  Many of the major brands tested by the EWP in 2010 Sunscreen Guide,  failed to make the grade.  These findings inspired a post from us last month: Is Your Sunscreen Providing Enough Protection? - and inspired me to pay better attention to my own personal summer skin care for myself and family.

SustainLane, a wonderful source of eco and health news & commentary, came out with their own recommendations and tips as a result of this study.  Though the 2010 summer season is coming to a close; we felt like this information was relevant and important enough to pass on to our readers and friends.  Here are some guidelines to choosing safe sunscreens from the article Is Your Suncreen Safe :

1. Don’t rely on SPF ratings. As we said, SPF only accounts for UVB-ray protection, which means the higher the number the more likely it is that you’re being misled about the protection. Part of the reason the EWG slagged this crop of sunscreens is because many are making claims of SPF 50 and over. In fact, some are promising SPF as high as 100 this season. (Insert eye roll here.)

2. Avoid chemical sunscreens. Chemical sunscreens absorb the rays so you don’t have to, and then they sneak into your body and mess around with your hormones. Oxybenzone, a hormone-disruptor found in 97 percent of Americans according to the CDC, is one widely used active to avoid—and if you don’t want to do it for yourself, do it for the planet: Every year, 4,000 to 6,000 tons of chemical sunscreen comes off our bodies (and into the ocean), destroying the coral reef in the process.

3. Zinc is your new best friend. This is the cleanest and most effective active ingredient you can find in a sunscreen. It offers broad-spectrum protection—that means from both UVA and UVB rays—while posing absolutely no health threat. And fear not: Advances in technology mean the zinc on the market is nothing like the stuff you used to see striping your lifeguard’s nose.

4. Titanium dioxide is your new second-best friend. As an ingredient, it’s not as clean as zinc—you won’t find it in your multivitamin since it’s dangerous when ingested or inhaled—but it offers the same meaningful protection and isn’t absorbed through skin. All of the 39 EWG top-rated sunscreens featured zinc and/or titanium.

5. Beware of nanoparticles. Used in some sunscreens to make titanium dioxide appear less white on the skin, nanoparticles are a hot-button issue right now. By making them that small, there is evidence that the particles can then migrate to body tissue, where they may wreak all kinds of havoc. In Europe, companies using nanos have to say so; not so over here, though.

6. Avoid vitamin A in sunscreen like the plague. While animal studies never represent conclusive evidence for humans, when other mammals are getting cancer faster—as was shown in the FDA’s study of vitamin A and sun exposure—it’s a good idea to avoid the suspected culprit. It’s packed into a lot of anti-agers and sunscreens, and should be avoided at all costs.

7. Be wary of the other ingredients in there. Fragrance (which contain phthalates), chemical preservatives like parabens (which may or may not mess with hormones), and a host of other questionable things are found in most mainstream sun products. We’ll cover these in more depth in future columns and in our book, but in the meantime, remember that the fewer ingredients the better.

8. Don’t count on sunscreen alone. Even if you’re using the good stuff, most of us tend not to apply enough, or reapply it like we should. The false sense of security offered by sunscreen is thought to be one of its biggest threats. Which takes us to…

9. Protect your head. The EWG and any doctor with a brain will tell you as much. Hats, protective clothing and shade are still your best bet when it comes to avoiding sun exposure. But…

10. Get a little unprotected exposure. While it goes against everything we’ve been taught, some doctors are recommending we get limited exposure to the sun without any sunscreen to ensure healthy vitamin D levels. If you don’t want to risk it—and we don’t blame you if you don’t—make sure to get your D in other ways, through diet and supplements.

This is the second installment in a series inspired by No More Dirty Looks: The Truth About Your Beauty Products and the Ultimate Guide to Safe and Clean Cosmetics, a forthcoming book by GOOD’s features editor Siobhan O’Connor and her co-author Alexandra Spunt.

Plastiki, please!

So plastic floats, we all know that. Well did we also know that plastic when applied correctly and with the right amount of experts can complete a voyage across the Pacific? Probably not. Take a look at David de Rothschild’s project, Plastiki. The Plastiki is a distinctive, one-of-a-kind 60-foot catamaran made out of 12,500 reclaimed plastic bottles and other recycled PET plastic and waste products. The craft was built with many renewable energy systems, including solar panels, wind and trailing propeller turbines, and bicycle generator and was inspired by the cradle to cradle philosophy.

On March 20, 2010, the sailing vessel set off from San Francisco to sail the Pacific. The team plans on landing in Sydney, Australia and is planning to visit sites that are related to environmental importance. The locations all are sites of environmental susceptibility with issues such as global warming, rising sea levels, ocean acidification and marine pollution.

Plastiki arrived in Sydney Harbour at 11.10 am Australia time on July 26, 2010.

Fighting Obesity through Cycling

Obesity rates are increasing every day in our country and in many other developed nations around the world. Anne Lusk is a  Nutrition Research Assistant at Harvard’s School of Public Health and has published a paper revealing the ways that bicycling and walking contribute to the reduction of obesity in women while maintaining a healthy weight overall.

Last year in over half of US states, obesity rates increased. The District of Colombia was the only state to show a decrease in obesity rates and two thirds of the states have obesity rates over 25%. In this study Lusk looked at the change in weight in over 18,000 people being studied from 1989-2005. Relating to women, on average our gals in the US gain about 20 pounds every 16 years. Whoa!

Looking deeper into the data Ms. Lusk found that women who briskly walked or cycled every day for 30 minutes controlled their weight much easier than women who engaged in slower walking. She and her colleagues also found that even 5 minutes of cycling per day was even better than the slow walking alternative. Additionally, women who walked briskly or cycled for 4 hours or more per week had lower odds of gaining more than 5% body weight.

This telling information coupled with the need for each of us to lessen our environmental footprint has some very exciting implications and should certainly be used as a spring board to push the country in a new direction. If we as individuals learn to see this as an opportunity, in no time at all the benefits would be palpable~less air pollution and road congestion + a healthier population!

Harvard’s School of Public Health was so impressed by Lusk’s study that they allowed her team to pursue the creation of legislation in the next Transportation Reauthorization Bill to require putting at least 10 miles of bicycle tracks in every U.S. State. Though a small step, the new tracks that could be mandated in every state would be a fantastic first step for incorporating biking into your daily commute.

Regular exercise provided by the bicycle strengthens the immune system and increases production of your “feel good” hormones, improves muscle mass and burns calories. So, tip your hat to all those bikers out there and get on your bicycle, have fun, feel good and make the world a better place!

Is Your Sunscreen Providing Enough Protection?

Are You REALLY Protecting Your Skin?

A recent study from the Environmental Working Group caught my attention in a big way.   According the EWG, a nonprofit organization dedicated protecting public health and the environment with research and public information, many of the top sunscreens we depend on to protect our health may be causing us more harm than good in some cases.

How is this possible? In their comprehensive 2010 Sunscreen Guide the EWG researchers took issue with a surge in exaggerated SPF claims (above 50).  The group reports that the higher SPF claims gives us a false sense of security- so consumers are more prone to exposing their skin to the damaging rays without realizing the danger. There have also been new disclosures about potentially hazardous ingredients found in sunscreens.

So how do you protect your skin from the harmful UVA rays this summer?  First and foremost,  EWG  strongly urges the old fashioned approach when it comes to skin care:

Cover Up. Shirts, hats, shorts and pants shield your skin from the sun’s UV rays.  Sunglasses protect your eyes from the sun’s UV rays.

Stay in the Shade. Picnic under a tree, read beneath an umbrella, take a canopy to the beach. Keep infants in the shade – they lack tanning pigments (melanin) to protect their skin.

Avoid the Sun during peak hours. If possible be outdoors in early morning or late afternoon when the sun is lower in the sky. UV radiation peaks at midday, when the sun is directly overhead.

In addition to the rules above (which we all know but do not always follow), become a savvy sunscreen sunscreen shopper.  The organization provides the following recommendations:

Avoid Sunscreens that Contain the Following  Ingredients:
Oxybenzone (linked to certain cancers)
Vitamin A (retinyl palmitate) government data links vitamin A to accelerated growth of skin tumors and lesions
Added insect repellent

Ingredients to Look For: Sunscreens that contain Zinc, Titanium dioxide, Avobenzone or Mexoryl SX

Use Sunscreens that provide Broad-spectrum protection and are “Water-resistant”  for beach, pool & exercise

Use SPF 30+ for beach & pool

Download their EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Safer Sunscreens for more tips!

Check Out Blue Gold: World Water Wars

As a world we are rapidly losing our fresh water supplies and as with anything, there are massive politics behind ownership and distribution. This factor naturally worsens the situation due to the unfair distribution and withholding of water to those in need. The questions and scenarios of what will happen as water becomes increasingly scarce is answered in the documentary Blue Gold: World Water Wars.

The documentary looks at how we are using up water faster than it can be replenished through natural systems – we are mining as much as 15 times more groundwater than is being replenished, at the rate of 30 billion gallons a day. To add insult to injury, we are polluting it beyond use, destroying the wetlands that are natural filters, and blocking the rivers that carry nutrients that keep the water healthy and lands fertile. To top it all off, leading scientists state that we are essentially decertifying the world and are approximately 50 years away from a water crisis.

The solutions we’ve come up with are addressed as well. Anything from shipping water to desalination and the side effects that negate the benefits is documented and looked at.

We have to completely overhaul the way we use water if we want to avoid serious wars over this precious resource in the near future.

Our only choice as individuals is conservation, being an advocate for the world’s resources and for our future. Ultimately, the world’s water supply is at risk of disappearing rich or poor alike. If you are interested in getting informed and involved, we highly encourage you to watch this film.

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