Leftover Sausage Links

I’ve got a backlog of articles and links I just can’t imagine deleting or not sharing. I wanted to blog more in depth about some of these issues, but just don’t have the time right now. So here’s a roundup of what I’ve been waiting to post with minor commentary by yours truly.

Coffee may prevent heart disease– I’m always looking for more proof that my addiction is actually good for me.

Put Down That Glass of Organic Milk and Forget about Sipping Silk Soymilk!– Organic just doesn’t mean what it used to. Many farms that produce the “organic” milk are not much better than industrial dairy farms. The soy in your soy milk may be coming from Brazil and China, if that’s your answer. It’s hard work trying to eat ethically.

Appetite for Gratitude: How to Eat with Intention– “Someone once asked Sister Caroline Sullivan the question: “Do you treat an onion the same way you treat a soul?” She quickly, enthusiastically, replied with a resounding “yes.” Sullivan is on a passionate mission to assist people in seeing eating as spiritual, resulting in a greater reverence for all of life.”

Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Agriculture– Interesting graphics and studies on the contribution of agriculture to climate change.

350– a recently launched site “to increase the pressure on political leaders not just to respond to warnings about global climate change, but to introduce 350ppm atmospheric CO2 the target – the level recommended by the most recent scientific guidance.” Looks very cool.

Locavor-ism Discussion: what does localism do for you?– Some good links to discussions in the blogosphere on locavor-ism.

Rebuilding itself, New Orleans is reconstructing food community– So much is happening (or not) in New Orleans’ process of rebuilding. Here’s a look at the state of the food system.

One nation, underinformed (and one state underwater)– Important information about the recent midwest flooding that the mainstream media is not reporting. There are serious threats to health and safety because of what is entering the waterways.

Chipotle Goes Loco for Local– We ate at Chipotle for Father’s Day and noticed that they had pulled tomatoes before we heard about the salmonella outbreak. We also noticed they had some local items on the menu. Kudos to Chipotle!

Budget Hero– “an interactive game that lets people explore the major issues of the election by changing the federal budget to match their stands on issues and values.” (HT God’s Politics)

The Pitfall of Forest Offsets?– A critical look at the real impact of planting trees to offset climate change. Is there any solutions that don’t have a dark side?

Guerrilla gardener movement takes root in L.A. area– The book Guerrilla Gardening: A Manuelfesto is on my list of books to read. This would be a fun hobby to take up if we move to the city.

The Last Bite: Is the world’s food system collapsing?– This article covers a lot of ground and does a really good job of putting different pieces together and asking good questions.

The Poor Get Diabetes, the Rich Get Local and Organic– The situation used to be reversed. The rich were fat because they could afford more and fattier food, while the poor didn’t get enough to eat. These days the poor end up with the most unhealthy foods (think “red drink”), while only the rich can afford the best organic local foods. I’m not sure that’s the whole picture, but a good article.

Farm Hands Down– In order to become truly sustainable we’re going to have to deal with the labor crisis and immigration issues. This is where I got the idea for Farm For America.