Grist | Topics | 23 Results

RESULTS		Results 1 – 23 of 23
Headline	Author	Published	Section
Different Beasts On organic vs. natural foods	Umbra Fisk	31 Mar 2008	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, I'm trying to convince my sister that there is a difference between all-natural and organic products, and she doesn't think there is. I'm pretty sure there is a difference, I just don't know what it is. I look at the ingredients of some of the food she buys that she says are "natural" and I wonder how these products are able to claim that! What are the qualifications for something to be labeled all-natu ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, consumerism, food, green living, green products, organic food, shopping (all these topics)

Cash and Carroty On joining a CSA	Umbra Fisk	10 Mar 2008	Ask Umbra
Umbra, I have heard mention of community-supported agriculture programs but don't really know what they are. The name sounds very cool, but can you let me in on the specifics? Bryties Redding, Calif. Dearest Bryties, The springtime alarm is sounding, and your question is perfectly timed. Some of you might be experiencing hints of spring right now, some not (like me! I'm in a secret location where the all-time snowfall record is under t ...
Topics: advice, agriculture, Ask Umbra, food, green living (all these topics)

The Bees' Needs On organic honey	Umbra Fisk	05 Mar 2008	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, I was looking for a nice, local, organic honey to use in reworking some recipes so that they didn't use sugar. So I headed to Whole Foods, and was stuck looking at a honey in a plastic container labeled organic from Brazil, and a local product in a glass container but not labeled organic. And I started wondering -- what makes honey organic? I mean, bees fly. How do you know what plants they ate or pollinated unless you've cag ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, food, green living, organic food, shopping (all these topics)

The Ripe Stuff On organic bananas	Umbra Fisk	27 Feb 2008	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, Why are organic bananas always smaller and almost always greener than non-organic? BG Tallahassee, Fla. Dearest BG, Hmm. Fresh organic fruits and vegetables often differ in appearance from their conventionally grown kin. They're the hippies of the produce world: unwaxed, expressing their individualism, coming to the produce stand as they are, lumps and all. Although I notice this has changed some over the past couple decade ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, food, green living, organic food, shopping (all these topics)

Buzz Kill On Jell-O shots	Umbra Fisk	05 Dec 2007	Ask Umbra
Greetings, A very important discussion among my colleagues this week: is it better to purchase reusable, petroleum-based products (plastic) or to use paper disposables? Specifically, we're talking about Jell-O shot cups. A recent (and brilliant) invention is this little plastic shot cup with a twistable ring inside. Ostensibly, a flick of the wrist will free even the most stubborn Jell-O shot and allow hours of fun. Some of my friends have argu ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, food, funnies, green living, recycling (all these topics)

Give Grease a Chance On cooking oil, again	Umbra Fisk	03 Dec 2007	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, You missed a fantastic opportunity to promote biodiesel use of the cooking oil. There are many people collecting frying oil from restaurants and the like, and perhaps the reader could find a person collecting as well. Check newspaper ads for persons collecting or check the restaurants in your neighborhood for who is collecting. Thanks for the great articles. Keith McCready Waterloo, Iowa Editor's Note: Oh, how Umbr ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, biofuels, food, green living (all these topics)

Fry, Fry Again On used cooking oil	Umbra Fisk	26 Nov 2007	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, It's always nice to look through cookbooks and to watch cooking shows that feature yummy deep-fried food, and I have often been tempted to try and cook my own creations. However, no one ever seems to mention what they do with the used cooking oil, especially after deep-frying. What is the best way of disposing the oil? I do not want to tip it down the sink, and adding it to compost will suffocate the earthworms. Perhaps it' ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, food, green living, waste (all these topics)

Java Script On reheating coffee	Umbra Fisk	21 Nov 2007	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, As a web developer for a certain respectable online magazine somewhere in the Pacific Northwest, I drink a lot of coffee to keep me alert and my very demanding employers happy. However, in my constant imbibing of the dark elixir, I'm concerned about the energy use involved. Specifically, I can only drink coffee piping hot, and sometimes when I take a break from being wired and resume my regimen, what little coffee is left is i ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy efficiency, food, green living (all these topics)

Into the Wild On tossing food waste	Umbra Fisk	10 Oct 2007	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, I am a college student. I eat a lot on the go. Not fast food or boxed meals, but when I leave my dorm I usually grab an apple, banana, or other fruit/veggie to eat as I walk to my destination. I don't compost, instead I just throw the banana peel or apple core into the bushes. I like the thought that maybe one day my apple core will become an apple, or that my banana peel will help nourish that piece of ground/animals in t ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, education, food, green living, waste (all these topics)

You Are What You Buy On the impact of food purchases	Umbra Fisk	19 Sep 2007	Ask Umbra
Hi Umbra, I practically live on Lean Cuisine (that brand specifically -- they are frequently on sale for $2 each). In my community, the plastic tray is recyclable, as is the cardboard box. The only thing that goes in the trash is the film that covers the tray. Microwave time averages five minutes per entree. Total dirty dishes: one fork. I have a friend who swears I'm a hypocrite -- that cooking is "better" ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, ecological footprint, food, green living (all these topics)

Gilled Complex On vegetarian remorse	Umbra Fisk	12 Sep 2007	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, I've been a vegetarian for almost 10 years. I started when I was 15, on pretty much a whim just to see if I could do it, but since then I've come to appreciate what I'm doing for my body and the planet. Lately, though, whether from boredom or subconscious protein cravings, I've been thinking about reintroducing fish to my diet. For convenience, variety, and health, I think it could be a good thing. But I don't want to go ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, food, green living (all these topics)

Frigi-Dare On refrigerator downsizing	Umbra Fisk	23 Jul 2007	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, Two of our favorite Brit-coms are Keeping Up Appearances and As Time Goes By. It is hard for an American not to remark that in both households, which seem quite affluent, the refrigerator is short, and fits beneath the kitchen counter: nothing so grand as what passes for normal in American kitchens. Do most Brits and Europeans in fact have in their kitchens only counter-height refrigerators? And if so, are they therefore ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, energy, energy efficiency, food, green living, health, shopping (all these topics)

Lady, Bugged On fighting pests with pests	Umbra Fisk	16 May 2007	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, I have a pest problem in my backyard -- specifically, some tiny (but apparently hungry) insect is making lace out of my basil leaves. I do not want to use pesticides for many reasons, not the least of which is that I cook with the herbs I grow. I think I have found a "natural" solution, but I wanted to consult you first. My garden-supply store sells praying-mantis egg cases ("The natural pest control s ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, food, gardening, green living, toxics (all these topics)

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)

Big League Ew! On chewing gum	Umbra Fisk	26 Jun 2003	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, I shudder at the triviality of the question, but so far nobody I've asked has been able to provide a satisfying answer. So here it is: Is chewing gum biodegradable? Can I spit it on the compost instead of sticking it under the chair? Would green stalks sprout from the gum-spot-riddled sidewalks if we didn't trod them down? I hope you can finally reveal the secret of what is the core of the matter, besides spearmint and sweetener ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, food, 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)

Give Yourself a Wedgie On recycling beer bottles with lime wedges	Umbra Fisk	21 Jun 2002	Ask Umbra
Most Honorable Umbra, Knower of All Green Things: Am I unwittingly hampering the recycling process by twisting that lime wedge into my bottle of beer? The dang things are tough to get back out! Humbly yours, Jill Brooks Dearest Jill, Please be assured that I thoroughly investigated your problem. I started with Personal Solutions. I have a pile of limes I keep down here to fend off scurvy, and I spent som ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, food, green living, recycling (all these topics)

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