![Image: Pesticides at home. Photo By AdmeLERT [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons](http://greenopedia.com/wp-content/uploads/Pesticides-150x150.png "Pesticides")
We often think of pesticides as something that conventional farms use to protect their crops from insects, fungi, weeds, rodents, bacteria, and other unwanted pests. But we also use pesticides in our homes, sometimes without realizing it. For example, some cleaning products and disinfectants commonly used to kill germs and bacteria are actually considered pesticides. Pesticides can be useful tools for dealing with unwanted or harmful creatures, but they can also have harmful and unintended side effects. What defines a pesticide? A pesticide is any substance intended to kill or control a “pest”. The term includes herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides, and can be synthetic or biological, or bioengineered into genetically modified (GM) seeds. While chemical and GM pesticides can...
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Using Waste Water Treatment for Clean Renewable Energy
Water is our most valuable resource, but it’s shrinking fast due to global population growth and the effects of climate change. M2 Renewables have created technologies that use a micro-screen to remove solids at the very beginning of the waste water treatment cycle, allowing for unwanted waste water to be reused for cooling towers, industrial treatment and even irrigation for food and plants. The economic and environmental cost savings of this waste water treatment process are significant. And there is additional benefit to the process. M2 Renewables and Pyromex, a gasification plant in Germany, use solid waste from the beginning of the waste water treatment process to produce a clean synthetic gas, converting 99% of organic waste into emission-free...
The Importance of Preserving Biodiversity
Mass extinctions don’t necessarily happen instantaneously after a single catastrophic event. In fact, right now the world is undergoing the greatest loss of species since the dinosaurs. This loss of biodiversity poses a serious threat to the well being of both humans and the environment. What is biodiversity? The most basic measure of biodiversity is the variety of species in an ecosystem. More generally, it refers to the total variability within species (genetic differences among individuals) and of species (the number of different species). Today species are becoming extinct 1,000 times faster than the natural rate, resulting in enormous losses in biodiversity. The benefits of biodiversity Modern medicine, agriculture and industry all rely on a healthy degree of biodiversity....
Damage from Longline Fishing and Trawling
Most people are aware of the destruction of rainforests and other above-ground habitats, but we don’t always think about the devastation under the sea that results from commercial fishing techniques. Longline fishing and trawling are two of the most destructive fishing methods used today that destroy our ocean’s landscape and its inhabitants. Longline Fishing Commercial longline fishing equipment consists of one main line up to hundreds of kilometers in length with more than a thousand smaller lines attached to it. Each of these smaller lines has a baited hook hanging approximately 5 meters below the water surface, which is shallow enough to attract sea birds diving for food. During the twelve to twenty-four hours that this longline fishing device...
Clean Technology: The Innovative Culture of Toronto
Future360 gives us a quick tour of Toronto’s culture of investment and innovation in clean technology and urban sustainability. MaRs Discovery District is a catalyst of innovation that offers mentorship and capital to Clean Tech entrepreneurs. Toronto Stock Exchange Ventures incubates Clean Tech companies and connects them to leading investors. Enwave uses water from the bottom of Lake Ontario to cool buildings sustainably, lowering energy costs up to 90%. Planet Traveler emits 75% less carbon than traditional hotels and aims to be the greenest hotel in North America.
Green Tech Revolutionizes the Future of Sustainable Building
Sarah Backhouse presents four revolutionary companies that are focusing on sustainable building. DIRTT (Doing It Right This Time) is a sustainable interior design firm that produces modular wall systems that offer flexibility and reduce waste. Eaton Corporation produces residential charging stations that cut a standard EV charge time roughly in half. Project Frog creates highly-designed permanent buildings that clip together quickly and uses only 10% of the dumpster space of traditional building. Urban Green Energy provides localized wind power to residential homes using their Vertical Access Wind Turbine to produce clean energy from wind in any direction, while lowering your electricity bill by 25%.
![Image: Simple rainwater harvesting system. Photo: Joseph Mischyshyn [CC-BY-SA-] via Wikimedia Commons.](http://greenopedia.com/wp-content/uploads/Rainbarrel-150x150.jpg "Simple rainwater harvesting system. Photo: Joseph Mischyshyn [CC-BY-SA-] via Wikimedia Commons.")
Rainwater Harvesting: Putting Rainwater to Good Use
What is Rainwater Harvesting? Rainwater harvesting is the process of collecting water that falls during a rainstorm, usually by redirecting its path from rooftops, troughs or pipes into a collecting container. Depending on the complexity of the harvesting system, the container may be anything from a small rain barrel to an industrial-sized storage tank. The harvested rainwater is then reused for various purposes, providing a very inexpensive and eco-friendly supply of water. Although most of the earth is covered in water, 97% is undrinkable sea water and another 2% is trapped in glaciers or otherwise unavailable. That leaves less than 1% of the earth’s water for us to use, but we are using it faster than it can naturally...
The Value of Watershed Management
A Broad Approach for Water Management When all sources of water within an area (both above and below the ground) drain into the same place, scientists call this area a watershed. For example if a stream, a flow of groundwater, and snow-melt from a nearby mountain all end up in one lake, that entire region is considered one watershed. By definition then, a watershed can be large or small, and can take any shape because nature forms its boundaries. Also, because each source of water in a watershed is linked, it is understandable that scientists take a broad water management approach to monitor and maintain these resources as a whole. This comprehensive methodology is called watershed management. In the...
FlexEnergy Converts Harmful Methane to Clean, Renewable Energy
FlexEnergy uses a proprietary technology to convert harmful greenhouse gases into continuously clean, renewable energy. The company is finding new applications for its FlexTurbine technology, and currently targets landfills and oil fields to create emission-free energy from previously unusable and harmful greenhouse gasses like highly-potent methane. FlexEnergy is making good things come from waste products, and is quickly creating new green jobs for direct workforce technicians and assemblers.
Revival of Solar Thermal Power
eSolar’s Solar Thermal Power Generation collects solar energy in 24,000 sun tracking mirrors (heliostats). It then reflects the sun’s heat to thermal receivers, converts water to steam, and uses that steam in a conventional steam turbine to generate 5 megawatts of clean renewable electricity, enough to power 2,000 homes. eSolar differentiates itself via its low cost, prefabricated heliostats & modular field layout which allow their technology to deploy like building blocks and quickly reach utility-scale power generation. The company aims to demonstrate the technology for global use and has partnered with General Electric (GE) on a project to bridge the gap between dirty fuels and clean energy.
Desalination of Seawater Can Do More Harm than Good
As the earth’s climate changes and sea levels rise, sources of fresh drinking water become less available. Moreover, because the world’s population is growing, there is an even greater need of drinking water solutions. One answer to this challenge is ocean desalination, a process that removes salt and other minerals from seawater, making it safe to drink. Desalination seems like a viable solution. But as it turns out, its environmental effects can be devastating. Treatment Plants in the Ocean Ocean desalination plants are located just off the coast, where their intake pipes suck in billions of fish, eggs, and other small organisms every day, along with the seawater. Once these living organisms enter the machinery of the desalination plant,...
Being Aware of VOCs
What is a VOC? VOC stands for “Volatile Organic Compound”. Organic compounds make up all living things and are essentially any molecules containing carbon and other elements, such as hydrogen and oxygen. You can find organic compounds naturally in the environment, or they can be man-made. Whether natural or synthetic, organic compounds are “volatile” if they can be vaporized and emitted as a gas at normal room temperature. A common example of a natural VOC is the gas emitted from pine trees, which creates the distinct smell of a pine forest. Synthetically produced VOCs are created by various chemical reactions and intended for use in (and then emitted into the air by) household and industrial products. Common VOCs in...
![Image: Sunlight reacting with certain chemicals in the lower atmosphere form bad ozone. Photo: Deglr6328 [CC-PD-USGOV-NASA.] via Wikimedia Commons.](http://greenopedia.com/wp-content/uploads/Ozone_hole_sept2000-150x150.jpg "Sunlight reacting with certain chemicals in the lower atmosphere form bad ozone. Photo: Deglr6328 [CC-PD-USGOV-NASA.] via Wikimedia Commons.")
Ozone as an Air Pollutant
Ozone is an unstable gas found in low concentrations in both the upper and lower parts of the earth’s atmosphere. We often hear about the depletion of the ozone layer, which refers to the upper part of the earth’s atmosphere and is the “good” ozone that we need to preserve. Alternatively, the ozone in the lower part of the atmosphere is the “bad” ozone that pollutes the air. Good Ozone versus Bad Ozone Good ozone in the earth’s upper atmosphere (stratosphere) protects us by acting as a barrier to harmful UV rays. On the other hand, sunlight reacting with certain chemicals in the lower atmosphere (troposphere) form bad ozone. Motor vehicles, industrial processes, household solvents and appliances emit toxic...
The Future of Green Cars: Luxury Hybrids and Pulse Plug Technology
Future360 explores green cars and eco-friendly transportation with Fisker Karma and the Pulse Plug. The cutting edge in green cars: Fisker Karma ‘s electric vehicle goes from 0 to 60 in under 6 seconds, has the power of a V8 with better fuel efficiency than a Prius, uses reclaimed wood for its sleek interior, charges via a curved solar roof, and is completely silent. Pulstar® Pulse Plug is the first major advancement in spark plug technology in over a century, using capacitors to store energy and release it at precisely the right moment to optimize fuel efficiency in vehicles from Harley Davidson to Prius.
![Image: Black carbon effects our health and environment. Photo: Dr. Edwin P. Ewing, Jr. [CC-PD] via Wikimedia Commons.](http://greenopedia.com/wp-content/uploads/SmogNY-150x150.jpg "Black carbon effects our health and environment. Photo: Dr. Edwin P. Ewing, Jr. [CC-PD] via Wikimedia Commons.")
The Effects of Black Carbon on Health and Climate
Black carbon is essentially the “soot” left behind after inefficient burning of coal, wood and other fossil fuels or biofuels. A considerable amount of black carbon comes from the open burning of forests and savannas, usually for agricultural and commercial use. Other sources include diesel engines used for industry and transportation, in-home heating and cooking in low-income countries that use wood or coal, and industrial boilers used to generate electric energy and heating. These little particles of soot have the ability to affect both health and climate. Black carbon is the second largest contributor to climate change after carbon dioxide and is a significant part of the haze often seen above crowded cities. However, because black carbon only remains...
Clean Tech & Green Building Collide in Silicon Valley
John Picard and Sarah Backhouse show us four companies that bring clean tech efficiency to buildings. Lunera Lighting provides digital LED fixtures that lower energy costs & increase quality by creating digital daylight. Soladigm’s dynamic glass changes from clear to tinted on demand, increasing energy efficiency & worker productivity. Cypress Envirosystems builds wireless gauge readers that can retrofit old gauges at refineries or nuclear plants in as little as 15 minutes and have an 18-month payback. enLighted Inc. enables energy-efficient lighting decisions to be made locally by every fixture via its sensor network, saving 65-75% in lighting costs and creating a source of green jobs with its low tech installation process.
![Image: Prometheus silkworm - one of the types of caterpillar used in silk production. Photo: Public Domain [CC-PD, PD-US] via Wikimedia Commons.](http://greenopedia.com/wp-content/uploads/Silkworm1-150x150.png "Prometheus silkworm - one of the types of caterpillar used in silk production. Photo: Public Domain [CC-PD, PD-US] via Wikimedia Commons.")
Cruelty-Free Silk: Fact or Fiction?
Conventional silk always involves cruelty, but conscientious consumers should be aware of some issues with “peace silk,” as well. Severe Inbreeding Conventional silk, as well as some “peace silk,” comes from the bombyx mori caterpillar, or silkworm. This caterpillar does not exist in the wild. Humans have domesticated it for so many centuries that it cannot survive on its own and requires constant human care. Cruel to the Silkworm Most silk on the market is reeled, made by unwinding the caterpillar’s chrysalis (cocoon). To keep the caterpillar from developing into a moth, thereby emerging and breaking the fibers, producers steam, boil or exposed the chrysalis to dry heat. This kills the caterpillar by essentially burning it to death. Producers...
How Green is Silk?
Silk is a natural fiber made from the cocoon of the bombyx mori caterpillar, also known as the silkworm. Although silk is ‘natural,’ there are some things to keep in mind if you are looking for a high-end fabric. Where Does Silk Come From? Location Impact Asia produces nearly all of the world’s silk, which greatly raises the carbon footprint of silk sold to consumers on other continents. A handful of silk weavers still remain in Europe. However, they produce only small batches of very high-end goods and the silk itself may still come from Asia, therefore carrying the same carbon footprint. In fact, silk labeled “Made in Europe” may be purchased in China or India, stored in Europe,...
How Green Is Your Carpet?
Countless homes have wall-to-wall carpet for comfort, warmth, or muffling noise. Carpet seems easy enough to maintain, but how green is it? Carpet Materials Nylon: The most common material used for carpeting. Durable, but derived from petrochemicals. Polyester: Nearly as durable as nylon, but also made from petrochemicals. Carpet made from PET polyester may be recyclable. Acrylic: Less common than nylon or polyester; also chemically derived. Olefin/Polypropylene: A strong and static-resistant material, but somewhat coarse. It is made from petrochemicals generally found in cheaper, industrial-style carpets. Wool: Still used by some higher-end manufacturers. Conventional wool is far from ideal, and organic wool is not perfect either, but wool does have greener origins than most synthetic materials. Note, however, that...
Better than Bleach: Hydrogen Peroxide
Despite its widespread use, ordinary household bleach (sodium hypochlorite) can be toxic. When it comes into contact with other cleaning agents, chlorinated VOCs can form. These VOCs are dangerous and can be carcinogenic. However, there is a safer, greener alternative to bleach: hydrogen peroxide. (For simplicity’s sake, “hydrogen peroxide” refers to a 3% mixture of hydrogen peroxide.) Hydrogen Peroxide Breaks Down Safely The name “hydrogen peroxide” may sound like a dangerous chemical, but it isn’t. Hydrogen peroxide molecules are composed of two hydrogen and two oxygen atoms, and they break down into harmless oxygen and water after use. It is also odorless, meaning there are no irritating fumes. It is also an ideal cleaner for people who are allergic...
![Image: Linen is light on the environment and cool on you. Photo: FlyGirl555 (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.](http://greenopedia.com/wp-content/uploads/Linen-150x150.jpg "Linen is light on the environment and cool on you. Photo: FlyGirl555 (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.")
Linen: The Coolest Green Fiber
In the heat of summer, even the lightest cotton can sometimes feel too warm. Nevertheless, there is a cooler fiber: linen! Linen is Natural Linen is made from the fibers of the flax plant and has been made into clothing for more than 10,000 years. You can dye linen with natural or conventional dyes, but because flax fibers have so much natural color variation, it isn’t necessary to dye linen if you desire an ivory, ecru, gray or tan shade. Because dyeing any fabric requires a water bath and rinsing, choosing undyed linen saves water. Linen requires less processing than silk or synthetic fibers, and is hypoallergenic. Farmers grow most linen for industrial uses, but increasing demand for organic...
Renewable Power Solutions by Xtreme Power
It isn’t always sunny or windy outside, so these renewable power sources are not always predictable or immediately available. Xtreme Power in Austin, TX uses proprietary power cell technology to transform variable solar and wind power into a smooth output that can be more readily absorbed into the power grid. Xtreme Power is a cradle-to-cradle manufacturer that requires all materials shipped to the field to be returned to them for recycling. The company then reuses the raw materials to make new power cells.
Some Facts About Recycled Wool
Recycled wool items are popping up everywhere, from Etsy to Patagonia. This is not surprising since the demand for recycled materials and natural products has never been higher. Wool is a natural fiber, and recycled wool certainly sounds greener than new wool. Environmentally, recycled wool is not a bad idea, but there are a few things consumers should note. What Does “Recycled Wool” Mean? Under the United States’ Wool Products Labeling Act, “recycled wool” refers to wool reclaimed from new fabric or fabric used by consumers. Labeling laws vary outside of the USA, so recycled wool might come from factory-discarded fabric scraps or thrift-store sweaters. “Recycled wool” does not refer to wool that has been reused (i.e. an old...
The Dark Side of the Wool Industry
Selective Breeding and Shearing Most wool comes from wrinkly-skinned Merino sheep, selectively bred to produce greater volumes of wool. Wild sheep naturally shed their fleece in the spring, but Merino and other domesticated breeds cannot, and must be shorn. Ranchers pay sheep shearers by volume, not by the hour. Most shearers work as quickly as they can, and many sheep are handled roughly or injured in the shearing process. Wild sheep are also shorn before they naturally shed their fleece, and often while it is still very cold. An estimated one million sheep die each year from exposure, and many contract pneumonia. Shearing could be replaced by bioclipping, a process that does not require blades. It is safer for...
Is Wool Really Green?
Because wool is made from animal hair, it is a natural fiber. However, “natural” does not always mean 100 percent green. Ecological Impact of Sheep Farming Farmers in the desert areas of the Australian outback grow much of the world’s wool. Sheep farmers in these areas often have to irrigate their grazing pasture because there is not enough naturally occurring water. If the farmers irrigate improperly or to excess, salt levels in soil can rise thereby endangering the land of becoming barren. Sheep are ruminants and excess grazing can upset an already-delicate ecosystem and result in barren land. In areas that do not grow plants that sheep naturally eat, their food must come from somewhere else, which raises their...
What Is so Bad about Plastic Bags?
Most people know that it’s an environmentally sound idea to bring a reusable bag when shopping rather than rely on plastic bags. This ensures that merchants aren’t packaging the items in unnecessary plastic that eventually winds up in the already crowded landfills, or into the oceans and contributing to the death of many species of sea life. But plastic bags are not just for grocery shopping, so bringing reusable bags to the market is only one eco-solution. The overabundant use of plastic bags also includes: Garbage bags Sandwich and snack bags Dry cleaning bags Litter box liners and doggie poop bags Produce bags for fruits and veggies Bulk bin items Why is This Important? Consumers worldwide use anywhere from...
![Image: Smart grids offer many supply- and demand-side benefits. Photo: Weaponofmassinstruction [CC-GFDL] via Wikimedia Commons.](http://greenopedia.com/wp-content/uploads/Smart-Grid-150x150.jpg "Smart grids offer many supply- and demand-side benefits. Photo: Weaponofmassinstruction [CC-GFDL] via Wikimedia Commons.")
What is a Smart Grid?
Smart Grids are still in early development, with many aspects not yet invented. However, in theory, a smart grid will essentially become a full supply & demand system that will match the varying supply of electricity systems to the varying demands of the consumer. On the demand side, it will allow consumers to interact directly with the financial aspects of their home or office electricity consumption by utilizing new technology to understand their electricity usage and costs, and then changing their consumption behavior accordingly. On the supply side, it will allow various energy sources to interconnect seamlessly to a single system, allowing for smarter and more efficient energy production with less waste. Smart Grids will allow for safer, more...
Plastic Bags: Easy Ways to Reduce their Impact
It is estimated we use 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags per year around the world. The key ingredients in plastics are sourced primarily from already limited resources: natural gas and petroleum. It is estimated there are 315 billion pounds of plastic in the oceans right now. Only 1 to 3% of plastic bags get recycled. Recycling won’t fix the problem.
![Image: Wind power is an under-utilized resource for clean energy. Photo: Robert W. Righter [CC-PD] via Wikimedia Commons.](http://greenopedia.com/wp-content/uploads/Wind_turbine_1888_Charles_Brush-150x150.jpg "Wind power is an under-utilized resource for clean energy. Photo: Robert W. Righter [CC-PD] via Wikimedia Commons.")
The Power of Wind
Wind power is hardly a new phenomenon – humans have used wind for transportation, irrigation pumping, and grain milling for many centuries. However, it is certainly an under-utilized resource for clean energy. Electricity generated from wind power has doubled since 2008 but still accounts for only 2 percent of worldwide usage. How Wind Power Works On wind farms, turbines connect to a power-collection system. The wind rotates the turbines’ blades (not unlike the windmills of yesteryear), and this energy is collected, sent to a substation, and connected to the power grid after its voltage is raised. Excess energy can be stored and used as needed. The land between onshore turbines may be used for other purposes, for example, agriculture....
![Image: Bamboo can be a more ecological choice than most other materials. Photo: Unknown [CC-PD] via Wikimedia Commons.](http://greenopedia.com/wp-content/uploads/Bamboo-forest-in-Kyoto-150x150.jpg "Bamboo can be a more ecological choice than most other materials. Photo: Unknown [CC-PD] via Wikimedia Commons.")
The Eco-Friendliness of Bamboo
There are many species of bamboo, and they are among the world’s fastest-growing plants. If the soil and climate are right, some bamboos can grow up to 39 inches (100 cm) or more in a single day. Bamboo reaches its full height and girth within three to four months, and within three to seven years, the stalk hardens enough for use in construction. One hectare of land can yield up to 60 tons of bamboo. Trees, by contrast, can take decades to reach their full size, and yield only 20 tons per hectare. Bamboo grows in many climates and is native to Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, Australia, and the Americas. Because it is a grass, its regeneration does not require...
![Image: Hemp offers numerous benefits for us and the environment. Photo: By W. Müller [CC-PD] via Wikimedia Commons.](http://greenopedia.com/wp-content/uploads/hemp_uses-150x150.jpg "Hemp offers numerous benefits for us and the environment. Photo: By W. Müller [CC-PD] via Wikimedia Commons.")
Why is Hemp So Important?
Hemp, or cannabis sativa, is an environmentally friendly plant with numerous uses from food to fiber and more. Industrially cultivated hemp should not be confused with the psychoactive subspecies cannabis sativa indica, also known as marijuana. Hemp Growth is Healthy for the Earth Hemp can be grown without the use of pesticides, fungicides or herbicides. It requires less water to cultivate than cotton and has a higher crop yield. It is a natural weed blocker and rejuvenates itself quickly. Hemp is also 100 percent biodegradable. Because hemp plants remove impurities from the environment, they are sometimes planted for the sole purpose of cleaning up contaminants. In fact, since 1998 industrial hemp has been utilized to help decontaminate radioactive soil...
![Image: Organic cotton is not genetically modified and is much friendlier to the environment and our health than conventionally-grown cotton. Photo: USDA [CC-PD-USGov-USDA] via Wikimedia Commons.](http://greenopedia.com/wp-content/uploads/CottonPlant1-150x150.jpg "Organic cotton is not genetically modified and is much friendlier to the environment and our health than conventionally-grown cotton. Photo: USDA [CC-PD-USGov-USDA] via Wikimedia Commons.")
Why Choose Organic Cotton?
The World Produces a Lot of Cotton There are over 18,000 cotton farms in the U.S. alone, covering 10 million acres of farmland and producing 18 million bales of cotton. At 500 pounds per bale, that is 9 billion pounds of cotton produced annually in the U.S. China and India lead production with another 60 million bales (30 billion pounds) annually. Organic cotton represents less than percent of global cotton production. How Is Cotton Used? About 90 percent of cotton fibers are converted to apparel and home furnishings with the remainder used for industrial products including medical supplies. Manufacturers use the seed of cotton to produce cooking oil, meal for livestock and fertilizer. Most of the World’s Cotton is...
Why is Eating Alkaline Foods Important?
The pH level of a solution (such as your blood) is a measure of its “acidity” or “alkalinity,” where zero is the most acidic the solution can be, and 14 is the most alkaline. Your body requires a blood pH value between 7.35 and 7.45 (slightly alkaline) in order to function properly. For context, stomach acid has a pH close to 0, bleach and drain cleaner are close to 14, and pure distilled water is a “neutral” 7. Eating alkaline foods or acidic foods can alter your blood’s pH level. Why is a Balanced pH Necessary? The 7.35 to 7.45 pH level that your body requires is a very small window, and any change outside of that window forces...
The Eco Best and Worst Fish to Eat
Doctors and nutritionists often advise patients to reduce their intake of red meat and replace it with fish, in order to decrease undesirable fats in their diets and increase the beneficial omegas. But as industrialized cities continue to pollute the oceans, and our increasing demand for fish depletes their populations and destroys our underwater wildlife, eating fish has become a progressively less healthy and less viable option. There are several issues you should be aware of when making seafood choices both at home and when dining out. Mercury and Other Toxins Mercury enters the waters by way of rain and industrial pollution and then, through various processes, it is essentially ingested by aquatic plants and animals. These smaller organisms...
What is a Concentrated Animal Feed Operation, or CAFO?
The United States Environmental Protection Agency defines a Concentrated (or Confined) Animal Feed Operation as a farming operation where a large number of livestock are raised in confined environments. The term CAFO can apply to any category of livestock, including the most common: cows, pigs, chickens, turkeys and fish. Typically, corporations own CAFOs (or factory farms) and control every aspect of food production, from the animals rearing and slaughter to its ultimate packaging and distribution. This vertical integration of animal production offers excellent efficiencies for the corporations, but generates an equal amount of controversy, from the negative impact those efficiencies have on the environment and your health to the obvious health and welfare of the animals. CAFO Impact on...
Buying Humane: What Does it Mean to Say an Animal Has Been "Humanely Raised"
What does “humane” mean? Different organizations define “humanely raised” or “cruelty-free” in varying degrees, but at the very least most agree that: The animals must be given sufficient food, clean water and shelter They must have ample space to move so that natural behaviors and instincts are not restricted And their environments must not endanger their health or cause undue stress What’s the Reality Unfortunately, HFAC (Humane Farm Animal Care) reports that, “over 10 billion animals raised for food in the U.S. annually endure inhumane treatment,” inferring that farmers and ranchers are not meeting even these most basic needs. The industrialization of agriculture and the farmers’ constant pressure to meet consumer demand for low prices has resulted in massive...
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