By Catherine Girardeau

This coming Labor Day Weekend, San Francisco will celebrate the intersection of taste, sustainability and social justice that is the Slow Food movement. Non-profit educational organization Slow Food USA is throwing a four-day party they’re calling Slow Food Nation.

SFN’s Executive Director Anya Fernald hopes the debut event, expected to draw some 50,000 people, will reach out beyond the obvious coalition of foodies, health-nuts and environmentalists to, “build momentum and demand for an American food system that is safer, healthier and more socially just.” Highlights of the festival, which runs Friday through Monday, will include the:

• “Slow Food Rocks” concert, serving up not only Gnarls Barkley and the New Pornographers but gourmet beer and locally-grown and locally-produced food;

• 50,000 square feet of “taste pavilions” for which nationally-recognized regional food experts have hand-picked authentic gastronomic specialities from every state;

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By John DeFore
Just because a green initiative pops up in the news doesn’t mean it’s new. Take a blurb in this month’s Food & Wine that puts Rhum Clément’s Première Canne Rum at the head of a list of eco-friendly spirits.
The item touted a green-extreme sounding manufacturing process that is powered by its own [...]

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By John DeFore

Conservation minded farmers might naturally assume it’s wise to get the most out of what’s available; if post-harvest waste material can be used in biofuel production, it seems to make financial and ecological use to sell it.
Not necessarily, according to a scientist at Washington State University who is urging farmers in her [...]

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By Julie Bonnin
There are many reasons to grow your own food, and recent unresolved food safety concerns about summer favorites like tomatoes and cilantro, the official herb of Tex-Mex cooking – are likely to have more folks cultivating an interest in growing edible plants.
Herbs are the perfect entry-level plant for first-time food growers. Given [...]

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By John DeFore
Vegetarians and concerned carnivores alike have long protested the way livestock is raised at many large farms. But it’s taking some time for Americans to view this not only as an animal-mistreatment issue but one that directly affects human health. The Union of Concerned Scientists has taken the issue up, and is [...]

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By Nima Kapadia

Wal-Mart, once criticized for pushing local merchants out of the picture as it installed itself in every burg and hamlet in America, has now launched an effort that could build up some local businesses, namely those run by local farmers. The world’s largest retailer has announced plans to purchase $400 million worth of local fruits and vegetables to sell in its “Supercenters” and neighborhood stores this year.

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By Catherine Colbert

Photo: Veruska 1960 | Dreamstime.com

Backyard barbecues and Shakespeare in the Park picnics are the perfect opportunities to whet one’s whistle. But before you pack your cooler or portable wine or tea party, consider ways you can enjoy your favorite beverages – during the holidays and yearlong – while also caring for the environment.

More from GRN
Sample These Organic Beverages

A growing number of companies and suppliers are tapping into the beverages market with an eye toward serving up green options. Consumers, and the environment, stand to benefit greatly from their increased focus. By purchasing organic and eco-friendly products, we’re casting our votes for the environment and ensuring that those who are devoted to organic and sustainable farming are able to maintain their commitment and thrive.

With the recent resurgence of Biodynamic farming, wine drinkers can uncork some unique wines made from holistically grown wine grapes. Biodynamics, a step beyond organic farming toward a more personal interpretation, was introduced in 1924 by Austrian philosopher and scientist Rudolf Steiner through his lectures and book, Spiritual Foundations for the Renewal of Agriculture.

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By Catherine Colbert

You sent out your Evite and now you’re working hard to make sure your house is ready for the crowd. Before you put pen to paper to create the menu for your next get-together, pour yourself a tall one, sip some Syrah, or have a spot of tea and relax. Beverage manufacturers have taken several steps toward catering to the eco-conscious. Their pertinent offerings make it an excuse, in itself, to get friends, family, and colleagues together.

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By Barbara Kessler
If you’ve been wondering about all the buzz over honeybees, here is some food for thought – or rather some thought about food: Bees play a role in one out of every three bites of food Americans eat.
Pollinators, mainly bees, but also butterflies, songbirds and even bats, perform such a critical function [...]

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By John DeFore
It may sound like a no-brainer to say that threatened fish populations stand to benefit when governments establish havens where fishing is prohibited. But since taking such actions can harm human livelihoods, proving they will have significant ecological benefit is a political must. That’s just what Australian researchers have done in a [...]

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By Harriet Blake

Independence Day brings back memories of picnics and fireworks. Lots of paper and plastic, coal or gas grilling, and a brilliant light show. Is it possible to celebrate the Fourth and remain green? Let’s take it step by step.

Photo: Elke Dennis/Dreamstime.com

Having a daytime party that makes use of natural outside light is great. Depending on what you have in mind, that may or may not work. Holding your event outdoors works best, avoiding the cost of electricity and lessening the use of air conditioning.

But if you live in a hot climate, that may not be desirable. If an evening party is more of what you have in mind, consider soy candles. Soy candles are more eco-friendly since they are not made from petroleum-based paraffin candles which contain up to 11 carcinogen compounds, labeled toxic air agents by the State of California Air Board.

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By Julie Bonnin
We know, grocery shopping has gotten complicated. But the evidence for one supermarket choice is becoming increasingly clear – milk from grass-fed cows has more health benefits than other kinds of milk.

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