Grist | Topics | 8 Results

RESULTS		Results 1 – 8 of 8
Headline	Author	Published	Section
PLU Perfect On the mysteries of produce code numbers	Umbra Fisk	11 Oct 2004	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, I recently learned that the UPC numbers on produce indicate whether the item is conventionally grown (beginning with a 4), organically grown (beginning with a 9), or genetically modified (beginning with an 8). I like to buy organic, locally grown produce at my local health food store whenever possible, but recently at a large grocery story I noticed some tomatoes with a UPC number that began with a 3. What ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, food, food and agriculture, GMOs, green living, organic food (all these topics)

Ante-Plastic On food storage	Umbra Fisk	11 Dec 2003	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, I recently read about the possible effects of plastics on women and the fetuses they may be carrying. I'm ready to change my ways, but I'm not sure how. Do you have some good suggestions about other ways we can package our leftovers or pack foods for lunch at school and work? Natalie Portland, Ore. Dearest Natalie, Time to go old school, perhaps literally. If plastic is the problem, the answer may be one compound word: ante-plas ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, food, food and agriculture, green living, green products (all these topics)

Hail Magnetron! On microwaves	Umbra Fisk	17 Nov 2003	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, We recently bought a new (to us) house and acquired a microwave oven. Having gotten this far in life without one, we figured we wouldn't use it all that much. Ha. We use it all the time. It's just so much faster than heating things on the stove. I do wonder, though, which is more energy-efficient. Is it more eco-friendly to heat milk for a minute in the microwave, or five minutes on the gas stove? And is there anything to the pe ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy, energy at home, energy efficiency, food, food and agriculture, green living (all these topics)

It's Not the Size of the Carrot... Advice on choosing carrots	Umbra Fisk	28 Oct 2003	Ask Umbra
Dearest Umbra, I'm curious how they make those mystical little carrots that are just the right size for snacking. Are baby carrots actually harvested that small, or are they carved out of bigger carrots? If they're carved out of bigger carrots, where do all the shavings go? Bottom line: Am I supporting a wasteful production process when I buy baby-cut carrots or is my green consciousness just a tad bit hypera ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, food, food and agriculture, green living (all these topics)

No Way, Solae! On engineered soy products	Umbra Fisk	15 May 2003	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, I don't know if you'll have time to answer this question, but while purchasing 8th Continent soymilk my husband noticed that there was Solae in it. After some research on the Internet, we discovered that Solae is made by DuPont and is a genetically engineered soybean, but we were unable to find anything negative about it. Do you know anything about Solae and if it is dangerous? Sincerely, Heather Anne Sacramento, ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, food, food and agriculture, GMOs, green living (all these topics)

The Organic Verses On organic food and farming	Umbra Fisk	26 Nov 2002	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, I try to buy organic food where possible, but I notice that there is often a tradeoff with other factors. For example, organic food has often been shipped further and/or is more heavily packaged. How do I assess those tradeoffs? Ellen Watertown, Mass. Dearest Ellen, As I've mentioned before, the USDA national organic standards came into effect last month, an event that has caused both rejoicing and concern in t ...
Topics: advice, agriculture, Ask Umbra, CSAs, farmers markets, food, food and agriculture, green living, local food, organic food, sustainable ag (all these topics)

Just Spray No On fruit sprays and organic food	Umbra Fisk	26 Nov 2002	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, The tangerines I bought recently had this on the label: "Thiabendazole and/or orthopenylphenol and/or imazalil used as fungicides, and coated with food-grade shellac based wax or resin to maintain freshness." Presumably the shellac stays on the skin and does not affect the fruit, but what about the other products? What are these products and do we know what the impact of spraying or putting them on the ...
Topics: advice, agriculture, Ask Umbra, food, food and agriculture, green living, industrial ag, organic food, toxics (all these topics)

Now We're Cookin' With Gas Advice on eco-friendly grilling	Umbra Fisk	06 Sep 2002	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, What sort of grill (charcoal or gas) is the fairest of them all -- speaking from an environmentalist's viewpoint, of course! R. Widiss Dearest R., Gas. I gather that lively debate exists in the barbecue set over which yields better flavor: the briquettes, with their flavorful smoke and irregular heat, or boring old gas, which cooks evenly and imparts fewer smoky (aka burnt) flavors to the object de g ...
Topics: advice, air pollution, Ask Umbra, energy, food, food and agriculture, green living, natural gas (all these topics)

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