OK, so you’re eating green and proud of it – you buy organic veggies, hormone-free milk, grass-fed beef, antibiotic-free chickens, and free-range eggs. Don’t negate what’s on your plate by sautéing your tofu in a Teflon pan – it may not stick, but there’s a good chance it could make you sick.

Some scientists claim PFOA – the chemical used to make Teflon – can increase your risk of chronic diseases such as cancer. Although the potential health risks remain controversial, its hazardous environmental effects are better known. Tefflon is one of the most persistent synthetic chemicals, with a half-life of one thousand years.

Here’s a summary of Planet Green’s “Top Green Kitchen Tips”:

Make It Last


Choose cookware and utensils that stand the test of time and won’t have to be thrown away with your leftover casserole. Teflon may have a long half-life, but it has a considerably shorter shelf life. Go for stainless steel or cast iron instead. Though a bit of an investment, a good cast iron skillet will last for generations.

Energy Smackdown: Gas vs. Electric

If you’re a gas devotee that’s shopping for a new stove, know that the lower the BTU output, the more energy-efficient your stove will be.

With electricity, the most efficient stoves are those that use induction elements, which transfer electromagnetic energy directly to the pan, leaving the cook-top relatively cool, and using less than half the energy of standard coil elements.

Standard electric coils – those spiral types we’re all used to seeing – are at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to energy efficiency. If you have an electric stove, opt for the most efficiency-efficient model possible, then purchase green power to support electricity from clean, renewable sources.

Green your Appliances

Energy-efficiency upgrades are coming fast and furious to many new appliances. More often than not, an efficient dishwasher uses a lot less water than washing dishes by hand. Check out How to Green Your Dishwasher, and Planet Green’s series on when to repair (and when to recycle) old appliances.

When it does comes time to replace your old-faithfuls look for the Energy Star rating on each of your new appliances. 

Energy Efficient Cooking

Preheating is almost prehistoric – newer ovens fire up pretty quickly. If you’re roasting or baking something that’s a little flexible when it comes to cooking time – not souffle -  you can put it in right away, then turn the oven off five or ten minutes early.

Green Kitchens Can Be Clean Kitchens


There are plenty of natural cleaning companies that produce non-toxic, biodegradable, plant-based detergents (see How to Green Your Cleaning). You can always create your own cleaning products using everyday ingredients such as vinegar and baking soda, which combine to make a great all-purpose, non-toxic cleaner.

Click here to read the full article from Planet Green, compiled by Team Treehugger.

It’s becoming a little easier to munch on locally grown organic produce, and with a few label-decoding tricks the savvy consumer can sus out the sustenance value of most packaged foods and where they came from. However, in our consumer-crazed society it’s not just what we eat that’s turning up the heat on our planet. How do I know if my toddler’s “Tickle-me-Elmo” was made a million miles away from Seasame Street, or if the chemicals in my household cleaners are wrecking havok on the health of my family and the planet?

Unfortunately, unless you’re prepared to carry out a full due diligence on every item in your shopping cart (or you’ve got a masters in molecular biology), these questions have been difficult if not impossible to answer. It’s true, I’m guilty of subscribing to the notion that ignorance is bliss – who can possibly decipher the molecular components of mascara, and when it comes to lashes, bigger is always better, even if it applies to the cosmetic company’s carbon footprint. 

But alas, there’s no longer any excuse to unwittingly wreak havok on the environment, support poor labor conditions, or buy carcinogenic cleaning products. Need to know which bathroom cleaner has the least amount of harmful chemicals, was made by a team of fairly treated laborers, in a neighboring state?

Introducing The Good Guide, where a team of scientists and analysts have tracked down the products that have the least amount of adverse effects on our health, social communities, and environment.

The GoodGuide has rated a bevy of products –  from bathroom cleaners to baby food, cosmetics, medicines and toys – giving them all a score between 1 and 10 (10 being the best and 0 being the worst). Good Guide scientists have collected data from around the world on chemical ingredients, products, brands, factories, companies, industrial sectors, and even countries.

Here are some of the criteria used to calculate a product’s overall rating:

Health Performance

- Cancer risks

- Reproductive health hazards

- Mutagenicity

- Endocrine disruption

- Respiratory hazards

- Skin and eye irritation

Environmental Performance

- Environmental emissions and their impacts on air, water, land, and climate

- Natural resource impacts

- Environmental management programs

Social Performance

- Compensation

- Labor and human rights practices

- Diversity policies

- Working conditions

*Here are Good Guide’s top 3 rated household cleaning products:

1. Miessence Buzz Free Zone Personal Spray

2. Method Glass Cleaner

3. Seventh Generation Natural All Purpose Cleaner, Free…

*Here are Good Guide’s top 3 best hair care products:

1. Dr. Bronner’s Magic Organic Citrus Hair Rinse

2. Dr. Hauschka Neem Hair Oil

3. Burt’s Bees Rosemary Mint Shampoo Bar

 Click here to find Good Guide’s other top rated products.

There’s a great article in Scientific American about a burgeoning form of responsible leisure travel called culinary eco-travel, “a new breed of gastronomic vacation, different from the languid style of those château-and-bistro foodie tours. The goal is to experience food not just as a diner, but as a gatherer, gardener and member of the kitchen staff.

Regardless of the destination, the mantra of culinary ecotourism remains simple: the food you prepare and eat should be always grown locally, and always be in season. These low carbon-impact rules can apply even at home, combining the harvest of your backyard garden with seasonal products from local farmers markets. But when you’re itching to travel, a small yet growing network of eco-friendly tour operators and inns can stir a little edgy romance and adventure into the idea of responsible gastronomy.”

Click here to read the full article in the Scientific American.

There’s an oinking great article in the Indypendent about fast food fanaticism, our addiction to the highly manipulated tastes of manufactured foods, and the appalling environmental effects of factory farming – “While bacon’s harmful effects were once limited to individual consumers, its production in vast porcine cities has become an environmental disaster. The system of industrialized hog (and beef and poultry) farming that has developed over the last 40 years turns out to be ideal for breeding novel strains of deadly pathogens, such as the current pandemic of swine flu. If a new killer virus appears, like the Spanish flu that killed tens of millions after World War I, factory farms will have played a central role in its genesis.”

Click here to read the full article in the Indypendent.

If you’re jetting about on commercial airlines these days, it’s likely you’re flying the “un-environmentally friendly skies.”  Even the infrequent flier might have spotted the lack of sorting or separation when it comes to discarding various in-flight detritus – everything from bread crusts to candy wrappers and aluminum cans get thrown into the same trash bag.

According to an article in Scientific American, these aluminum cans add up – in fact – stack these soda suckers together and you could build nearly 58 Boeing 747s each year, that’s 4,250 tons of aluminum. And the amount of paper that’s discarded could fill a football field-size hole 230 feet deep, that’s a 72,250-ton paperweight. The 30 largest airports in the country, with the help of the airlines, create enough waste to equal the trash produced by cities the size of Miami or Minneapolis.

Unfortunately, as is the case with most commercial pursuits, counting pennies is often more important than calculating carbon footprint. However, if there’s something to be gained from going green, companies are quick to jump in the recycling bin. It’s in the best interest of hotels to limit the amount of sheet and towel changes – it saves on service and on laundry soap, which in turn conserves electricity and water. However, the airline industry has little economic incentive and even less government pressure to go green.

Many airports were built several decades ago, when the green movement had not yet hit its stride. Therefore its infrastructure is not set up to accommodate recyclable materials. Interestingly, it actually costs more money to dump in a landfill than it does to put recyclables on the commodities market and get some money back.

There are various approaches to recycling in-flight trash. One such method, called commingled recycling, uses a machine that separates trash post-flight, so reusable materials don’t even need to be sorted onboard. While most airlines are have been “caught with their fly down” when it comes to environmental diligence, there are some exceptions. Delta and Jet Blue airlines are in the process of leveraging the commingled recycling service throughout their aircrafts.

Hopefully the Government Accountability Office will issue a report this fall recommending the regulation of airport recycling. If an airline you’re flying with doesn’t offer a recycling program, why not stash your soda can and paper napkin in your purse and discard it when you disembark – just one small step after a long-haul flight. 

Click here to read the original article in Scientific American

We did it! Obama said “Show me the movement,” and that’s exactly what we did this Labor Day. Three hundred and five public potlucks – a “virtual march on Washington”- were held in all 50 states. Over 20,000 friends and families across the nation banded together to send a clear message to Congress and the USDA  that kids need REAL and nutritious foods to be part of the federal feeding programs.

Under past presidential administrations, the federal feeding program has been a dumping ground for surplus commodity food products, and the standards for the foods allowed in the programs have become a political hot potato (feeding programs are still receiving these commodity food dumps, as this week’s $30 million USDA purchase of more pork for nutrition programs illustrates), writes Obama Foodorama. A huge number of school lunch advocates are seeking big changes in the federal feeding program, and the movement has gained a lot of traction over the last year.

With the help of my friend Erica from the Brooklyn Food Coalition, we organized an eat-in in my neighborhood – Williamsburg! We had an incredible turnout – around 75 people. We had approximately 60 people sign the petition, and a whopping 50 letters were written to congress demanding that they get REAL food into school lunches! 

Everyone put so much effort into making an array of nutritious and delicious dishes for us all to share. The staff of Bridget showed impeccable hospitality throughout the day, and donated their space. Silkstone Catering provided delicious seasonal/local/organic food, as well as tables and chairs, and beautiful recyclable plates/cups/napkins/cutlery for the day. 

The kids had a blast participating in the cooking demonstration with Annie and her team from Growing Chefs! The fresh basil and walnut pesto was delectable – and was so fresh and fun to prepare. The screening of the movie ” What’s on you plate?” fit in perfectly with our theme of getting REAL food into schools. We watched in awe as two savvy 11 year old girls from NYC tracked the source of their food, and asked the hard questions about food and disease, and the quality of meals they’re being given at school. 

We had 16 prizes donated from local vendors including gift vouchers, food baskets, yoga classes, kids’ music classes, and two personally signed copies of Marion Nestle’s book on what to eat and food politics. Mark Bittman also donated signed copies of his books.

Most importantly we had fun, and we got people talking about the importance of feeding our kids healthy and nutritious food in order to prevent disease, promote health, and protect the planet!

Click here to see pictures of our event. 

Click here to learn more about Slow Food’s Time for Lunch campaign. 

Click here to read a great article on Obama Foodarama about Michael Pollan’s take on the food movement. 

Click here to read an article from the Washington Post entitled “Reading, Writing, and Rigatoni.”

Watermelon juice is the go-to drink for those looking to detox or dump pounds – because it’s low in calories, but high in dietary fiber, antioxidants, vitamin C, potassium, beta-carotente, and lycopene. This hot pink mega-melon can also be used to heat up the bedroom - studies have shown it boosts libido and promotes a Viagra-like effect on the body’s blood vessels. But who would have thought watery melon juice could be converted into ethanol?

According to the Science Daily, about 20% of each annual watermelon crop is left in the field because of surface blemishes or because they are misshapen.  Researchers from the USDA-Agricultural Research Service’s South Central Agricultural Research Laboratory, have shown that the juice of these melons is a source of readily fermentable sugars, representing an untapped feedstock for ethanol biofuel production.

Click here to read the full story from the Science Daily.

The need for real school food has never been greater. Today, one in four children are overweight or obese, and one in three will develop diabetes during their lifetime. In the face of this crisis, our schools are financially struggling to feed children anything but overly processed fast food known to endanger health. For many children, school lunch is their only guaranteed meal of the day. Right now, those children are forced to choose between going hungry and being unhealthy. We can do better!

I’m organizing the Williamsburg/Greenpoint Eat-In (An Eat-In is a potluck. Eat-Ins bring people together to share a meal and show their support for a cause like getting real food into schools). Please join us this Labor Day!

When & Where: Monday, Sept 7th from 12-3pm @ Bridget, 20 Broadway (btwn Dunham Pl. & Kent Ave), Williamsburg, 11211

What: Potluck lunch (bring a dish that contains real food, is easy to prepare, and is budget friendly); Free movie screening of “What’s on your Plate”; A cooking demonstration by the team at “Growing Chefs”; Write a letter to congress and be in the running to win some great prizes donated from local vendors. 

Why: To send a clear message to congress that it’s time to provide American children with REAL food in schools.

Click here for more information on Slow Food’s “Time for Lunch Campaign” or to find an “Eat-in” in your area.

At the interactive health care strategy meeting (held on the 13th of August), Obama highlighted the link between good food and good health – even calling for a farmers’ market outside the White House.

As a mother – and someone who is working hard to get real food in schools – the quotation that really got me to stand up and cheer: “… the child nutrition legislation is going to be coming up. We provide an awful lot of school lunches out there, and we reimburse local school districts for school-lunch programs. Let’s figure out how can we get some fresh fruits and vegetables in the mix,” said Obama. 

Click here to read the full article in the Huffington Post.

If you can afford for everything in your eco-friendly shopping bag to be organic, then I say “go for it.” But let’s face it organic produce can be expensive, and with the economy in the toilet, money isn’t exactly growing on pesticide-free trees.

Buying organic doesn’t have to be an all or nothing experience. Recently, my girlfriend and her husband were thrust into a “penny-pinching panic” when they noticed the price tags at the – “holy sh*t that’s expensive” – Whole Foods Market. Instead of swapping out some of the organic food for non-organic items, they dumped their basket and ran.

Many people don’t know that while certain foods really should be organic – usually because they contain high levels of hormones or pesticide residue – you’re not sealing your fate if everything on your plate isn’t 100% naturally grown. Generally, the rule with fruit and veggies is “the thicker the skin, the less pesticides they let in.” But like all rules they are made to be broken, and there are always exceptions.

Take the panic out of shopping organic – download and print the wallet size “Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides,” or download the new iPhone app. There is also a great slide show on The Daily Green that includes advice on buying organic meats, grains, and dairy (foods that can contain high levels of hormones and antibiotics).

If buying organic isn’t in your budget, then fudge it, and stick to purchasing items on the Clean 15 list. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), by avoiding the “Dirty Dozen,” and sticking to the produce listed on the “Clean 15,” you can reduce your pesticide exposure by 80%.

The Dirty Dozen (starting with the worst offender):

1. Peach

2. Apple

3. Bell Pepper

4. Celery

5. Nectarine

6. Strawberries

7. Cherries

8. Kale

9. Lettuce

10. Grapes (Imported)

11. Carrot

12. Pear

The Clean 15 (starting with the best):

1. Onion

2. Avocado

3. Sweet Corn

4. Pineapple

5. Mango

6. Asparagus

7. Sweet Peas

8. Kiwi

9. Cabbage

10. Eggplant

11. Papaya

12. Watermelon

13. Broccoli

14. Tomato

15. Sweet Potato