More than ever, meat is making the headlines and growing numbers of people are becoming more informed and passionate about what they eat. The facts are compelling: contamination cases are on the rise, obesity has become pandemic in the United States, and the animal agriculture sector is responsible for more human-induced greenhouse gas emissions than the entire transportation sector.

Gristle is for the growing number of people–from omnivores to vegans–who are thinking twice about the consequences of our industrial factory-farming system of raising animals for food. Multi-platinum musician Moby and leading food policy activist and expert Miyun Park have brought together fifteen of the country’s leading voices on this issue–an eclectic group from such diverse backgrounds as farming, workers’ rights activism, professional athletics, science, environmental sustainability, food business, and animal welfare advocacy–who together eloquently lay out how and why industrial animal agriculture unnecessarily harms workers, communities, the environment, our health, our wallets, and animals.

In the tradition of Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Gristle combines hard-hitting facts with a light touch and includes fascinating charts and illustrations depicting the stark realities of America’s industrial food system.

After just posting about the NY E-Waste event, I started to research where to recycle electronics  in LA and guess what I came across?  A website for safe drug drop-offs at local sheriff stations.  Shit, I’d normally be too paranoid to post anything having to do with drugs and the po-po but this is for a good cause, right?

From the website No Drugs Down The Drain:

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, in conjunction with the Los Angeles County Departments of Public Health and Public Works present the “Safe Drug Drop-Off” Program.  The program provides an opportunity for residents to safely and anonymously surrender any unused or expired prescriptions, over the counter medications, “SHARPS” (needles), or any other controlled substances.  There will be no questions asked (wink*wink).  We just want to get it off the streets.

Drop off  at your own risk!

Today is World Water Day so get ready for a flurry of water related posts.

Brita and Nalgene (the real BPA-free reusable bottle-cough*SIGG*cough) teamed up to create the FilteForGood pledge to reduce bottled water waste.  Together, filtered water and a reusable bottle are a solution for going green at home and on the go.

Take the pledge and fill your reusable bottle instead of the landfill.

About World Water Day

March 22 was first deemed World Water Day in 1993 by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) as an international day of observance and action to draw attention to the role that freshwater plays in our world and lives. Today’s reality is that one in eight people in the world don’t have access to safe water, millions of women and children must still spend several hours a day collecting water from distant, often polluted sources, and 2.5 billion people live without a toilet.

To do something about that UN-Water has chosen Clean Water for a Healthy World as theme for World Water Day 2010. The overall goal of the World Water Day on 22 March 2010 campaign is to raise the profile of water quality at the political level so that water quality considerations are made alongside those of water quantity.

Last night in an attempt to pull myself away from my own drunken pity party of downloading picture hell, I turned on the boob tube and stopped dead in my remote tracks once I caught glimpse of the hot piece above.  It was CNN Heroes of 2009 and I got a quick reality check of people with real issues and the ones that are doing something to help.

Bartender Doc Hendley is providing clean water to communities worldwide. Through creative fundraising, his nonprofit Wine To Water has brought sustainable water systems to 25,000 people in five countries.

Jordan Thomas, 20, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, lost both of his legs in a boating accident in 2005. Since then, his Jordan Thomas Foundation has raised more than $400,000 to provide prosthetics for children in need.

Efren Peñaflorida gives Filipino youth an alternative to gang membership through education. His Dynamic Teen Company‘s 10,000 members have taught basic reading and writing to 1,500 kids living in the slums.

Thowin’ in this clip of Maxwell performing just because..um..it’s Maxwell!  Swoon.

Check out the rest of the heroes and their inspiring stories here.

Alright guys, it’s time for ya’ll to start paying attention to toxic chemicals too. This is what HealthDay Reporter had to say about the penis fun times killer:

Exposure to high levels of the controversial plastics chemical bisphenol A (BPA) significantly raised the risk of sexual dysfunction, including impotence and low sex drive, among Chinese factory workers, a new study has found.

The researchers stressed that the workers were exposed to BPA levels about 50 times higher than what most Chinese or Americans would be exposed to in everyday life.

Even so, they said the study adds to a growing body of research that shows that the ubiquitous chemical may be harmful to humans. BPA, used to make polycarbonate plastic (hard, clear plastic) and epoxy resin, is found in electronic and medical equipment, cars, sports safety equipment, and food and drink containers, including plastic bottles and the lining of cans.

Read the rest of the story here.

Last night I stepped out with Anna Griffin (www.cocoecomag.com) to Alicia’s book signing at the Stella McCartney store. (♥-♥-♥)

If you want to pick up her book, The Kind Diet, she’ll be doing two more book signings this week.

Thursday, October 15
7:00pm
BOOK SOUP
8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069

Saturday, October 17
1:00pm
BARNES & NOBLE (SANTA MONICA)
3rd St. Promenade, 1201 3rd St, Santa Monica, CA

Visit her site for more info: The Kind Life

Ladies, I just can’t. But if you can..go to Green Daily to learn more.

posted by thuy

Lunch Encounters of the Third Kind from Parent Earth on Vimeo.

“Lunch Encounters” launched the One Tray campaign depicting the cafeteria tray as the conduit for a reformed school food system that supports healthy children, local farms, and smart schools. “Lunch Encounters,” a spoof of Close Encounters of the Third Kind was made to raise awareness for the upcoming reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act.

The videos are clear: if you want a healthier America, take action at onetray.org. Every child deserves the opportunity to eat food in school that ensures their health and well-being and Farm to School programs are one solution to incorporating healthier foods into school meals.

Source The Vibe.Social Vibe

Just for health food fun, check out the map below showing the distance from the nearest McDonalds in the lower 48 states. Who’s lovin’ it?

Source Serious Eats Created by Stephen Von Worley

Posted by thuy

Well ain’t this a bitch? We’ve touted and praised our beloved BPA-free Siggs several times on our blog, only to get hit below the skirt with the sad news that Sigg has indeed had BPA in their lining all along!

In a letter from the CEO, Steve Wasik, dated Sept. 1^st, the company verified that the rumors that bottles manufactured prior to August of 2008 do in fact have liners containing bisphenol A – a chemical that may adversely affect human health.

Jen and I have spent a pretty penny on our Siggs. At $20+ for one container, we thought it was well worth the investment for our health and for the environment. We’ve given them out as gifts to several friends and have suggested them over any other brand over and over. Hell, we even mentioned them in a holiday gift list for Dame Magazine. FML!!

See links below for more on the big fib. For now, please note that Sigg is offering to replace your tainted bottle with a new one by sending it in to their headquarters. But eff that! That means you pay for shipping. It’s not stated on their website, but you can also take your Sigg back to any Whole Foods. Hurry up because it ends at the end of this month. No receipt necessary. Just walk on up to the customer service counter, tell them you got juked and would like to exchange yours for a new one.

Below is an example of the different linings. The bottom two with the bronze color lining are the older ones (with BPA.) The top two with the light greenish lining are the newer ones (w/out BPA.) If any of yours match the coloring of the bottom bottles, hightail it to your nearest Whole Foods immediately.

I’m guilty of being a Sigg whore. And I want to thank them for giving it to me in the back door with no lube. Now I gotta go down to the free clinic on Monday and make sure I don’t have BPA cooties. Damn you Sigg and damn your Keith Haring series that you got me hooked on like crack!

Suggested reads: CEO “I so sowwy” and How Sigg lost my trust

Posted by thuy

Monsanto= EVIL. And they’re not too happy about their portrayal in Food Inc. From their site:

Welcome to the Monsanto Fact site about the movie Food, Inc.

Food, Inc. is a one-sided, biased film that the creators claim will “lift the veil on our nation’s food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that’s been hidden from the American consumer.” Unfortunately, Food, Inc. is counter-productive to the serious dialogue surrounding the critical topic of our nation’s food supply.

And they even provide a fun lil’ quiz for you to take. It says I lost but I got every single one of those answers right.

Go see Food Inc.

Posted by thuy