This year, we planted a vegetable garden and have been in constant amazement at the miracle of life happening in our back yard. I was so enthralled with my first full-grown snow pea, that I had to take a picture of it to share with you. However, in addition to the life that is our plants, there is other not-as-welcome life: the inevitable garden pests. Critters with teeth have been nibbling and insects have added decorative holes to our greens. Wanting to keep to our commitment of maintaining a natural garden, we refuse to buy pesticides, and have planted thing like marigolds and hot peppers, which are supposed to deter interlopers. However, it became apparent that we had to take a bit more aggressive action, so I pulled out the neem oil, which I keep in stock for the production of some of my bath and body products. Neem oil is extracted from the tropical neem tree. I had read a while ago that it is a very effective insecticide, miticide and fungicide, and is listed as okay for use in organic production. According to Plant-care.com, neem oil has the following features: Broad spectrum insecticide/fungicide/miticide controls insects and mites including whitefly, aphid and scale, Controls fungal diseases including black spot, rust, mildew and scab. For indoor/outdoor use on ornamental plants, flowers, vegetables, trees, shrubs and fruit and nut crops. Mountain Rose Herbs says that it biodegrades rapidly in sunlight and within a few weeks in the soil. Neem oil has very low toxicity to humans and pets, but it is not recommended for internal use. I had also read that rosemary and lavender are effective pesticides, plus they smell better than neem, so I decided to include the in my natural pesticide. Here is my recipe: Mix 1 gallon of water with 2 tablespoons of neem, and 1 teaspoon each rosemary and lavender essential oils (I used organic version of all the oils). You can also add a couple of tablespoons of phosphate-free liquid dishwashing soap. Mix thoroughly and pour into a spray bottle. Spray over every part of your plants, mixing frequently to keep the oils and water from separating. By the way, these Sprayco spray bottles, which I buy at my local family-owned hardware store, are made in the US from recycled materials and provide jobs for handicapped individuals.

Post written by: Herban Lifestyle, LLC a GenGreen Certified Business Member

Thanks to Modern Eco Homes, where this blog entry by Katie Nielsen originally came from, and they reached out to us, wanting to share their findings and learn from yours. Enjoy, and please share your eco holiday finds below in the comments

In 1621, the pilgrims at Plymouth celebrated the ending of a successful growing season with a harvest feast, an event that is generally considered the “First Thanksgiving.” They were joined by several Native Americans who had taught the pilgrims how to harvest foods and survive the harsh winter. The feast included foods locally grown and produced by the pilgrims such as duck, lobster, swan, native berries, boiled pumpkin, squash and a variety of other vegetables.

Jean Leon Gerome Ferris’s iconic painting depicts the first Thanksgiving celebration.

Today’s modern Thanksgiving celebration is a far cry from that first harvest feast where the settlers farmed, hunted, and gathered everything they consumed. Today’s traditional feast is a far more industrialized affair, comprised of pre-packaged foods that likely travel hundreds of miles before it ends up on your table.  In fact, it’s estimated that most of the foods consumed in the U.S. travel more than 1500 miles before being sold to consumers. The ability to shop a season-less global food market may be convenient but our incessant appetites and rapidly expanding food chain is taking its (hefty) toll on the environment primarily because of the immense transportation impacts. We have long forgotten what it’s like to eat as prescribed by Mother Nature, as those very first settlers did.

That’s why this year we’re challenging you to a 100-mile eco Thanksgiving! The traditional holiday for giving thanks presents the perfect opportunity to get back in touch with the original roots of the harvest celebration and make your meal local. That means everything you use to prepare your feast should originate within…you guessed it, 100 miles!

For some, preparing such a feast solely from local ingredients may sound daunting but pulling off a 100-mile Thanksgiving is far easier than you think; you just have to know where to look.

Find a Local Bird

The Turkey

Believe it or not, the traditional Thanksgiving bird is raised in most of the lower 48 states, which means most of us can find a local turkey from a farm within 100 miles. Check out Heritage Foods USA or Local Harvest’s Turkey Search.

Use Locally Grown Produce

Locally-Grown Produce

If you live in New England or Washington, delicious, juicy apples can be purchased from a local apple farm. You can find fresh potatoes if you happen to live in Idaho or leafy greens (think lettuce, arugula, cabbage, etc.) in New Mexico and citrus fruits in Arizona and Florida. Research local produce that’s available near you and incorporate it into your meal. The Natural Resources Defense Council offers an Eat Local search, where you can determine what’s fresh near you depending on the season.

Dairy Products

From milk to cheese and ice cream to top the pie, dairy products can be found at local dairy farms located in most states. Not sure what farms are within 100 miles of you? There are a handful of national dairy chains (such as Winder Farms) or you can contact your local dairy council who can refer you to farms in your area.

The Booze

Wine that perfectly complements dark turkey meat will be easy to find if you’re within 100 miles of Napa Valley. For the rest of us, getting our hands on local spirits may be a bit more challenging but certainly not impossible. DrinkLocalWine.com offers a plethora of info on regional wines throughout the country and the Brewers Association can locate microbreweries in your area. To make your Thanksgiving booze even greener, try finding local organic spirits.

Purchase Local Organic Spirits

The Stuffing

Instead of purchasing this traditional Thanksgiving side dish from the prepackaged box, try making a homemade vegetable stuffing using produce found at a local farmers market. There are more than 4800 farmers’ markets operating throughout the continental United States and chances are, there’s one near you. Local Harvest allows you to easily search for farmers’ markets in your area by zip code.

With few exceptions, everything you need to make your Thanksgiving feast (or acceptable alternatives) can be found within a 100-mile radius. Such exceptions generally include spices and coffee, which for many are fundamental to the quintessential Thanksgiving feast. The November holiday was instated to literally give thanks and celebrate blessings but its true meaning is often overshadowed by the impending and often expected feast that accompanies it. The idea behind the 100-mile Thanksgiving is to prepare and enjoy the celebratory meal while significantly reducing your carbon footprint. We encourage you to try new, scrumptious dishes entirely composed of local ingredients. Your 100-mile feast doesn’t have to be a traditional Thanksgiving – it just has to be one that you can enjoy in the company of your family and friends.

Are you planning a 100-mile Thanksgiving? We want to hear from you! Share your ideas, tips, and tasty recipes using only locally-produced foods in our comment section! We’ll post some of our favorites on our blog. Can’t wait to hear from you!

Rooftop gardens are a unique idea gaining popularity. They add to the beauty of a landscape, provide a bio-diverse oasis in the middle of a city, offer new options for city gardening, and now, scientists have also discovered rooftop gardens curb carbon emissions in small amounts.

Kristin Getter, a scientist with Michigan State University, collaborated with a group of scientists in a new study that measured carbon levels in plant and soil samples. Researchers collected data from 13 rooftop gardens ranging from one to six years in age in Michigan and Maryland over a two-year period. They discovered rooftop gardens absorbed up to 375 grams of carbon dioxide per square meter. This doesn’t sound like a lot per garden, however, if you increase the number of gardens throughout a city, over time, the collective impact could help further reduce carbon emissions.

Researches calculated that putting rooftop gardens throughout a city the size of Detroit (approximately 1 million in population)  “would remove as much carbon from the atmosphere as taking 10,000 mid-sized SUVs and trucks off the road for a year,” according to New Scientist magazine.

Rooftop gardens also reduce heating and air conditioning costs, and last two to three times longer than standard roofs because they are protected from ultraviolet radiation and extreme fluctuations in temperature, that often cause roofs to deteriorate. In addition, rooftop gardens make good use of rain water, which pools on the roof of flat top high rises and causes them to rot. This also contributes to the bottom line of energy conservation.

“Rooftop gardens are slowly growing more popular in cities, increasing by more than 35 percent from 2007 to 2008 in the United States, and representing more than 3.1 million square feet installed last year. In Germany, widely considered the leader in green roofing, some 12 percent of all flat roofs are green, with the German green roof industry growing 10 to 15 percent annually,” according to Live Science.

So what’s the catch?

Starting a garden on the roof won’t immediately lower your carbon footprint. Greening conventional roofs requires special materials, which also involves changing some of the carbon-emitting materials currently in place on the rooftop. “It takes seven years for the roof to off-set the carbon used for its building materials and become truly carbon negative. Developing low-carbon building materials could bring the turn around time down to two or three years,” adds Getter.

“Green roofs are also more expensive initially, but are much cheaper in the long run once you consider their energy offset benefits,” adds Brad Rowe, also a researcher at Michigan State University.

Currently, Germany and other countries provide government incentives for creating rooftop gardens, and Canada and Russia have also moved forward with rooftop gardening techniques. Some U.S. Cities (New York, Chicago)  have already incorporated rooftop gardens into their landscapes – and even supply local farmers markets and restaurants with the produce. Perhaps the U.S. would consider adding amendments to the current energy bill to provide a clear benefit for creating and maintaining a rooftop garden.

There is also the question of who is responsible for maintaining the gardens? One solution is that people living in the building can take turns, or urban planners/homeowners can choose plants that don’t need to be watered or maintained heavily. Either way, the garden needs some TLC beyond being a great idea, and the more people who show interest and incentive in creating one, it can make an impact beyond aesthetics.

For more information check out:
greenroofs.com
greenroofs.org

http://greenroofs.com/Greenroofs101/index.html

Katrina Pfannkuch
Buzzword Communications, LLC

About the author: Katrina Pfannkuch is a writer, Reiki Master and entrepreneur who lives to write and create. She started Buzzword Communications to pursue her passion for excellence in communication and satisfy her entrepreneurial spirit.

Helayne Seidman for The Washington Post Photo credit

by Katrina Pfannkuch

Cars that run on hydrogen are not necessarily news, but technology in development to better manage hydrogen storage and resources has gotten pretty creative. In fact, it’s one of the biggest challenges for scientists today, and they have come up with some “out-of-the-box” ideas that are not only effective, but cheap and eco-friendly.

Let’s start with hydrogen storage. According to CleanTechnica.com, a car with a 20-gallon hydrogen storage tank made from carbon nanotubes or metal hydrides– two of the best solutions so far, but very expensive — adds $30k respectively to the price of the vehicle. Not only is that cost prohibitive in terms of development, but its not practical for the consumer. In addition, its difficult to store enough of the fuel on-board to give the car a cruising range similar to that of gasoline or diesel fuel. The current storage options also require placing the hydrogen under extreme pressure, which adds significant weight to the vehicle and increases the potential for explosions.

Presenting the solution…chicken feathers?

Scientists at the University of Delaware were researching the potential of keratin derived from chicken feathers to improve the performance of the microcircuits required for hydrogen fuel use. Instead, they unexpectedly discovered that by heating the keratin fibers in the feathers they could strengthen the structure of the storage tank enough so that it’s comparable to the strength of nanotubes needed for hydrogen fuel storage. The best part — ALL the tank requires is chicken feathers as raw material, and costs only $200.

This solution also provides a great (and only) way to dispose of the 2.7 billion kilograms of chicken feathers generated each year by commercial poultry operations. The new method can also help turn chicken feather fibers into a number of other eco-products like hurricane resistant roofing and lightweight car parts, as well as bio-based computer circuit boards. Talk about recycling at its best!

Introducing pee-power

With a new and eco-effective way to store and transport the hydrogen fuel, scientists are also exploring other sources of hydrogen-based fuel. According to Discover.com, using a nickel-based electrode, scientists can create large amounts of cheap hydrogen from urine that could be burned or used in fuel cells.

They discovered that one molecule of urea, a major component of urine, contains four atoms of hydrogen bonded to two atoms of nitrogen. Stick a special nickel electrode into a pool of urine, apply an electrical current, and hydrogen gas is released. “A fuel cell, urine-powered vehicle could theoretically travel 90 miles per gallon,” said Gerardine Botte, a professor at Ohio University developing the technology.

Botte’s current prototype measures 3×3x1 inch and can produce up to 500 milliwatts of power. However, Botte and her colleagues are actively trying to commercialize several larger versions of the technology.
This is the first time anyone has ever considered ways to produce, store, transport and use urine economically. “The waste products from a chicken farm for example could be used to produce the energy needed to run the farm,” said John Stickney, a chemist and professor at the University of Georgia.

For livestock farmers who are required by law to pool their animals’ waste, large scale prototypes could turn that urine into power within six months. Smaller versions likely won’t be available until after that, so the average consumer probably shouldn’t start saving their pee just yet.

. . .

About the author: Katrina Pfannkuch is a writer, Reiki Master and entrepreneur who lives to write and create. She started Buzzword Communications to pursue her passion for excellence in communication and satisfy her entrepreneurial spirit.

A couple of weekends ago, there was an article in our local paper about how many suburbanites are turning to raising their own egg laying hens. I was reading it rather lazily until a quote from a neighborhood hen-lady jumped out at me: “Most people think they have to have a rooster to get eggs, but that isn’t so; hens will lay eggs without a rooster, the eggs just won’t turn into chicks.” Say what? Why didn’t somebody tell me this? Do you know how many eggs I eat a week, and do you know how expensive range free, organic eggs are a dozen? I was instantly caught up in this newly discovered phenomenon.

I approached my husband and asked, “Honey, did you know you don’t have to have a rooster to get eggs from a chicken?” He looked up warily and shot back,” So?” Long story short, Sat. March 21, 2009  we made a trip to the country and purchased 10 one day old fuzzy-butted chicks from a farmer who agreed to also build us a coop. The little peeps were first kept in a home-made “brooder”– a large Rubbermaid tub with a feeder, waterer and brooder heat lamp– in our dining room for the first couple of  weeks. Then we moved them into a larger, cardboard box which we moved into the garage.

After another couple of weeks, we got a second large box, cut out the middle and made them a great little chicken condo by putting the two boxes together.They will stay in a brooder until they are about 5 weeks old, at which point they can be put out in their coop, which will have an attached chicken “run”, an enclosed, predator safe “cage” of sorts that will allow the chickens to range comfortably without being loose to wreak havoc in our neighborhood.

Supposedly as few as 3-4 hens will produce enough eggs for a family of 4, but we are shooting for 4-5 hens so hope to have eggs to spare for family and friends (why did we purchase 10 chicks? because many local farmers cannot “sex” their chickens-meaning they can’t tell the roosters from the hens- until they are older; hence the ratio of getting hens is 50/50).

We have been totally smitten with these adorable, curious little babies! Hopefully within 4 months I will be gathering my own range free, organic eggs! If you are interested, I found a wealth of info at www.backyardchickens.com.

By Ambassador Michelle Brooks
http://www.BuySoapNutsHere.com
http://girlsgonegorgeouslygreen.blogspot

On March 3, 2009 a school in Longmont, Colorado, got the green light on a parent- and student-inspired greenhouse project that will provide a space for teachers to communicate traditional subjects in a non-traditional setting.

Flagstaff Academy is a Preschool – Middleschool public charter school within the St. Vrain Valley School District with a mission to provide a science and technology-focused liberal arts curriculum that promotes excellence, teamwork, respect, and a lifelong love of learning.

First envisioned by Flagstaff parent Leha Moskoff, the greenhouse will provide an opportunity for students to participate in hands-on learning experiences that bring science and the environment to the forefront. Flagstaff Academy currently uses an integrated and challenging curriculum based on the Core Knowledge curricular sequence.

“The greenhouse will provide a living classroom for the teachers at Flagstaff to be creative with,” said Moskoff. “It provides a hands on approach to learning that many students require to truly learn a skill. And, the greenhouse will be mostly filled with edible plants that many students have never liked or tried.  Being a part of the growing process, from start to finish, creates a connection to the food we put in our bodies.  Children are more likely to try vegetables if they help grow them.  If we can introduce healthy food choices to our children, imagine the health of our future!”

The proposed greenhouse will be a 33-foot geodesic dome-shaped structure with 850 square feet of usable space- enough room for a class of 30 students. The dome will be manufactured by Colorado-based Growing Spaces Growing Domes, is able to be assembled in one weekend. Thanks to grassroots fund raising efforts by families at the school, Whole Foods Market in Boulder, has already pledged $750 toward purchasing the structure and volunteered manpower to assemble the greenhouse on build day. After hearing about the school’s approval of the project, Moskoff’s classmates at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition also pitched in by donating over $1,000 in just over an hour. These student donations were generously matched by IIN’s administration to equal $3,000.

At the request of the Flagstaff’s Board of Directors, Moskoff carefully reviewed the school’s course work for grades K-5 and identified at least three topics in each year that would directly relate to the greenhouse. In addition there are hopes of raising garden produce for use at the school.

“The sense of community that transpires from a shared goal is powerful,” said Moskoff.  “It makes us all feel good and like we are truly creating a better world for ourselves and our children.  For me, this is what fund raising is all about.  If someone is able to donate funds for our greenhouse, I encourage you to do so.”

The Greenhouse Committee at Flagstaff Academy is currently looking for grants, corporate sponsorships, and individual donors to help them reach their goal of $23,000 for the purchase of the “classroom” greenhouse. Interested parties should contact Flagstaff Academy at (303) 651-7900 or by mail at 1841 Lefthand Circle, Longmont, Colorado, 80501.

- The Team at GenGreen

Here in Northern Colorado, we are lucky to have access to a variety of great resources for learning about sustainability. The folks at the Rocky Mountain Sustainable Living Association, who bring us the RMSLA Fair every fall, have just kicked off a workshop series that’s bound to be a hit with environmental enthusiasts and novices alike.

Two different sets of workshops are offered this year. One is called The Sustainable Building and Energy Series, and the other is The Abundant Backyard Series. Here is a quick rundown of the different workshops and their areas of focus:

Intro to Renewable Energy for Homeowners and Businesses: March 28-29

Attendees of this Fort Collins workshop will learn about the full scope of energy use, service and demand. They will explore solar resources and their applications in passive, thermal and photovoltaic energy systems as well as study wind energy systems, geothermal, energy storage, and off-grid and grid-tied systems. This workshop will also cover the economic considerations of the renewable energy investment, including cost, rebates, incentives and rate of return. Cost is $225 for the 16-hour event.

Home Energy Efficiency: 9 a.m. April 4 in Fort Collins

Individuals will learn how to assess and audit their own energy use by making changes to lifestyle habits that affect it. This eight-hour class costs $95.

Green Building Design: May 18-21

This four-day workshop will focus on sustainable site assessment and blueprint reading, green construction methods and techniques, natural building techniques, water conservation planning, energy conservation methods, and sustainable materials and finishes. This workshop costs $515 and will be held in Fort Collins.

Basics of Poultry Management – Home Grown Eggs: Noon March 1, 9 a.m. April 11 and 5 p.m. June 11

If you’ll be taking advantage of the newly approved ordinance allowing Fort Collins residents to raise chickens in their backyards, this is the workshop for you. Topics include chicken coop space requirements, equipment and feed options, chicken physiology and gardening synergy. This four-hour class costs $40 and will be held in Fort Collins.

Chicken Coop: A Home for Your Flock: Noon, March 15 in LaPorte

Attendees will learn to build a coop by using salvaged and repurposed materials. Some of the other topics discussed will include passive solar possibilities, weather protection, and predator proofing. There will be hands-on assembly demonstrations. The cost of this four-hour class is $50.

Biointensive Gardening — Grow More Vegetables on Less Land: 10 a.m. March 29 and May 3

This workshop will help gardening enthusiasts learn how to maximize their food production for the space they have. Other topics include compost production, mulching, plant propagation, crop rotations, compan-ion/succession/inter-planting, seasonality, local-ized sustainability and seed saving. This four-hour class is $50 per person and will be held in Fort Collins.

Bee Guardianship — Introduction to the Top Bar Method: 10 a.m. April 12 in Fort Collins

Attendees will learn how to create a top bar hive for the backyard. The cost for this four-hour class is $60.

To register for any of these workshops or to learn more about RMSLA, go to www.sustainablelivingassociation.org.

By Charisse McAuliffe, founder and CEO of GenGreen LLC.

GenGreen Ambassadors are highly motivated, eco-conscious individuals across the country that promote awareness of the mission of GenGreen and GenGreen Life.com in their communities, and we are extremely proud of our stellar group of volunteers!

As part of a Green Living Challenge, Ambassador Verda A. Davis created these delicious recipies using locally grown produce from her CSA and is nice enough to share them with us all!

(Mostly) Locally Grown Greek Pasta

Verda says: Items noted as CSA are from a Community Supported Agriculture program.  During the 2008 summer season, I owned a share of Three Springs Farm (http://www.threespringsfarmcsa.com) about an hour and a half from where I live.  With the abundance of veggies from the farm, I became quite adept at freezing things.  Below are items from the CSA and how I froze them a few months ago, in order to enjoy the bounty today!

*Tomatoes (CSA):  Basic recipe for sauce, good to freeze.
Half tomatoes and place in baking pan.   In food processor, combine garlic cloves (co-op), basil (a friend’s garden), parsley (CSA), chives (CSA), (basically any herbs available, which will compliment the dish, dried and/or fresh), and olive oil.  Make a paste, enough to cover tomatoes thickly.  Vary the basil types to customize the tomatoes, for example, for this Greek style pasta, I used cinnamon basil.  Bake at 400? F for 45 minutes.

*Roasted eggplant (CSA) paste: good to freeze
Eggplants can be roasted whole in a 425?F oven (cut tops and bottoms off).  Bake until soft, 30 to 40 minutes.  Let cool for 15 minutes or so, then peel off the skin and puree or finely chop the flesh.  This paste is also great for making Baba ghanoush, or mixing with dill and yogurt for a Greek style dip.

*Roasted red peppers (CSA):  good to freeze
Roast whole peppers under low broiler.  Core and seed.  Can rinse to remove seeds.

*Green and black olives (co-op olive bar), quartered/sliced.

*Kenny’s Cheese (locally produced), peppercorn asiago, shredded (optional)

*Whole wheat fettuccini (freshly made by a friend!)

While cooking pasta, heat tomatoes, a few spoons of eggplant paste, red peppers (chopped), red onion (chopped, locally grown, from co-op), olives, and stir well.  Additives can be tailored to style of dish, and what is on hand.  Layer cooked pasta, shredded cheese and sauce.  Optionally, you can top it with crumbled feta cheese obtained from the co-op. Yum!

Spinach Chicken Baked Salad

Verda says: All items obtained from the co-op, and locally produced items were used when available (in this case, all except vinegar).

•    2 organic boneless skinless chicken breasts
•    Diced organic onions
•    Diced organic red peppers
•    Balsamic vinegar, enough to cover the above in a shallow baking dish
•    Organic spinach leaves

Bake all, except spinach, at 400? F for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven; baste chicken and veggies with vinegar from baking dish.  Cover chicken with spinach leaves, filling baking dish as much as possible.  Sprinkle some more balsamic over the spinach.

Bake 10 more minutes.

Remove from oven; stir down spinach, baste chicken and veggies with vinegar from dish, and fill the entire dish once more with fresh spinach leaves.

Bake 10 more minutes. Remove from oven.

Spoon wilted spinach into serving dish.  Drain as much liquid as possible.  Place chicken and remaining veggies on bed of lettuce.  Serve chicken with spinach as a side dish, or serve chicken and wilted greens over fresh spinach leaves.  Little or no extra dressing will be necessary, but balsamic vinaigrette would be recommended.

If you’ve watched any TV in the past 6 months, you’ve probably seen those ludacris ads put out by the Corn Refiners Association. If not, give this one a whirl so you can be properly indignant about what I’m going to tell you next.

Spluttering for a logical response to that propaganda? Excellent. Now try this news on for size.

On Monday, January 26, the scientific journal Environmental Health published the results of two (not one, but TWO) studies conducted by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy. The study tested high fructose corn syrup and found that “almost half of tested samples of commercial high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) contained mercury, which was also found in nearly a third of 55 popular brand-name food and beverage products where HFCS is the first- or second-highest labeled ingredient.”

“Mercury is toxic in all its forms. Given how much high-fructose corn syrup is consumed by children, it could be a significant additional source of mercury never before considered. We are calling for immediate changes by industry and the [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] to help stop this avoidable mercury contamination of the food supply,” said the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy’s Dr. David Wallinga, a co-author of both studies.

That’s right folks, we no longer have the luxury of being poisioned only by salmon and peanut butter. Now, literally hundreds, even thousands, of the prepared products we unfortunately consume every day are silently poisioning us as well.

Of course a rubuttal was immediately posted on the Corn Refiners Association’s official campaign website.

“This study appears to be based on outdated information of dubious significance. Our industry has used mercury-free versions of the two re-agents mentioned in the study, hydrochloric acid and caustic soda, for several years. These mercury-free re-agents perform important functions, including adjusting pH balances,” stated Audrae Erickson, President, Corn Refiners Association. “For more than 150 years, corn wet millers have been perfecting the process of refining corn to make safe ingredients for the American food supply.”

Somehow, I highly doubt that an “Open Access, peer-reviewed, online journal that considers manuscripts on all aspects of environmental and occupational medicine, and related studies in toxicology and epidemiology” would risk it’s reputation by publishing an article with “outdated” and “dubious” information. Of course, it’s happened before, but I’m sceptical.

According to an article in the Washington Post, “in the second study, the agriculture group [IATP] found that nearly one in three of 55 brand-name foods contained mercury. The chemical was most common in HFCS-containing dairy products, dressings and condiments.”

And the real sucker punch of it all? “The bad news is that nobody knows whether or not their soda or snack food contains HFCS made from ingredients like caustic soda contaminated with mercury. The good news is that mercury-free HFCS ingredients exist. Food companies just need a good push to only use those ingredients,” Wallinga said.

This is why environmentalists support local, sustainable, ORGANIC agriculture. This is why we urge you to grow your own food. This is why we oppose genetically modified foods and the big, untouchable corporations that are sneakily poisoning the earth, the water and OUR CHILDREN by producing these foods. It’s because such atrocities are committed with no thought of the health and well being of the American people, and because these corporations are encouraged to behave in this manner by government subsidies and by YOU when you buy these products. Remember: you are what you eat!

- The Team at GenGreen

Most people are familiar with hydroponics, a method for growing plants in nutrient rich water instead of soil. It’s the technique behind those upside down herb gardens they advertise on late-night TV and the big, red tomatoes available in the dead of winter at conventional grocery stores.

Less people are familiar with aquaponics, a bio-integrated system that links recirculating aquaculture with hydroponic vegetable, flower, and/or herb production. In case I’ve already lost you, here’s a better description from the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service:

“In aquaponics, nutrient-rich effluent from fish tanks is used to fertigate hydroponic production beds. This is good for the fish because plant roots and rhizobacteria remove nutrients from the water. These nutrients – generated from fish manure, algae, and decomposing fish feed – are contaminants that would otherwise build up to toxic levels in the fish tanks, but instead serve as liquid fertilizer to hydroponically grown plants. In turn, the hydroponic beds function as a biofilter – stripping off ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, and phosphorus – so the freshly cleansed water can then be recirculated back into the fish tanks. The nitrifying bacteria living in the gravel and in association with the plant roots play a critical role in nutrient cycling; without these microorganisms the whole system would stop functioning.”

Whew! So basically, an aquaponic farmer sets up a sort of symbiotic relationship between plants and fishes, with each taking at turn filtering out contaminants and bacteria from the one common ingredient- water.

According to the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service (formerly known as ATTRA), the concept of aquaponics is catching the attention of fish farmers, hydroponic farmers and greenhouse growers alike. The reason?

-Hydroponic growers view fish-manured irrigation water as a source of organic fertilizer that enables plants to grow well.

-Fish farmers view hydroponics as a biofiltration method to facilitate intensive recirculating aquaculture.

-Greenhouse growers view aquaponics as a way to introduce organic hydroponic produce into the marketplace, since the only fertility input is fish feed and all of the nutrients pass through a biological process.

Beyond these practical applications, some have taken the functional requirements of aquaponic systems and used them to inspire an experiment in local, sustainable agriculture, recycling and art called the “Farm Fountain.”

Farm Fountain is a system for growing edible and ornamental fish and plants in a constructed, indoor ecosystem. Based on the concept of aquaponics, this hanging garden fountain uses a simple pond pump to circulate vwater through 2-liter plastic soda bottles that serve as planters and continuously recycles the water in the system to create a symbiotic relationship between edible plants, fish and humans.

Click here to watch a video of the Farm Fountain 4 in action at Te Papa Tongarewa, the national museum of New Zealand.

Wanna know more? Check out these cool sites:

http://www.farmfountain.com

Aquaponics– Integration of Hydroponics with Aquaculture

http://www.backyardaquaponics.com

- The Team at GenGreen

(Images from www.farmfountain.com and www.backyardaquaponics.com)