More Hip Than Hippie #258 - No No Nanofood!

"Officially, the FDA says there aren't any nano-containing food products currently sold in the U.S. Not true, say some of the agency's own safety experts."

75% of American adults know little or nothing about nanotechnology, yet it affects our everyday lives. A three-part series by AOL News entitled The Nanotech Gamble spells out the science as well as the money behind it and the risks it poses, especially in food. The Hipsters put on their lab coats and examine the issue. Also, Dori books the Chicken Chick, Val sings her favorite song ever and Joan Jett still rocks!

Beer and Chocolate:

Beer: How can you go wrong with something called Hop Juice? This potent 9.4% Double IPA from Left Coast Brewing Co. is a big-ass bottle of delicious!

Chocolate: We love, love, love the creamy magnificence of Dagoba Chocolate. However, we've learned not to mix beer with Mint in any way. After quaffing our Hop Juice, we merrily munched the dark chocolate and organic mint with rosemary essence. And it was good.

Hip News and Finds

Finds:

• Val's Favorite Thing! If you have a toddler, you need a Munchie Mug. This spill-resistant snack cup keeps those cereal nuggets out of your seat cushions with a soft fabric flap that's easy on little hands. No more picking pretzels off your pants! (Unless you enjoy that sort of thing...)
• Big screen green. When you head to the movies this summer, look for biodegradable, compostable 3D glasses. Let's hope they don't cost as much as a ticket to a 3D movie.

Hip News

• Pop secret. PepsiCo is on the lookout for the next sweet thing. They're racing to find a calorie-free natural sweetener for carbonated drinks before lawmakers put a tax on sugary beverages.
• Bad buzz. After a bad winter, honeybees are still in decline. A new study shows their pollen and hives are laden with pesticides.

Teenie Weenie Greenie™

Banish the bugs! If ants are invading your home, try putting out some corn meal. They'll take it back to the nest for a family feast...and a fatal case of indigestion.

 

No No Nanofood!

'Nanofood' describes food which has been cultivated, produced, processed or packaged using nanotechnology techniques or tools, or food to which manufactured nanomaterials have been added. Untested nanotechnology is being used in more than 100 food-related products currently on the shelf.

• Nanotechnology is the science of matter that's too tiny to see.
• Potential benefits of nanotech include the ability to trace outbreaks of foodborne diseases.
• Nanotech particles are already found in products such as sunscreen, bandages and clothing.
• A British report called for more studies of the risks of nanofoods, citing safety shortfalls and corporate secrecy.
• A poll by Hart Research indicated most Americans are unaware of nanotechnology or its use in food.

 

Listener E-mails

 

 

 

 

• Brian in Tennessee shares the latest bad news about HFCS. Liver scarring? Really?
• Katie in Texas loves her round sock dryer and gives a plug to Austin's own Yarn Harvest.
• Shaun in Australia offers a clip from Futurama that solves global warming! He also recommends watching Bill Gates' energy discussion at the TED talks, and extols the virtues of the KeepCup.
• Jay found an article about new designs for fish farms that use other sea creatures to consume waste.
• Sara in Virginia sent us 9 Surprising Uses for Beer. Yes, we remember Body On Tap!

 

 

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More Hip Than Hippie is sponsored by Greenfeet.com.

 

More Hip Than Hippie #257 - Farmed Salmon Exposed!

Salmon farming imperils the environment, the fish and the health of the consumer.

Crowded feedlots filled with feces? Overuse of antibiotics and pesticides? Greedy corporate disregard for regulations? No, we're not talking about the US ag industry. Salmon farms in Norway, Canada and Chile (and the US) employ these spurious means to feed America's appetite. The Hipsters dive into the murky waters with both eyes open. Also, Dori contemplates chicken ownership while Val coins a new More Hip slogan!

Beer and Chocolate:

Beer: This noble gent is the Hop Czar from Bridgeport Brewing Co. We're normally fans of the Imperial IPA, but Dori found herself making "hop face".

Chocolate: The chocolate pairing may be to blame. Q.Bel All Natural Chocolate Covered Wafers are light and flaky like non-toxic Kit Kats, but that subtle hint of mint doesn't work well with beer.

Hip News and Finds

Finds:

• Id-vertising. Val recommends the BBC series Century of the Self, a documentary examining the use of Freudian psychology by advertisers and marketers. Bring your own cigar.
• Farm to fork. Students at the University of New Hampshire can study both food and sustainability in the new EcoGastronomy program. Eat Free or Die!

Hip News

• iPoison. Those shiny touch-screens on your Apple gadgets may cost more than you think. Chinese factory workers exposed to n-hexane are suffering nerve damage, paralysis or worse.
• Sticker shock. Need a little help choosing a home? The Energy Performance Score (EPS) is a new labeling system that lets you compare houses based on energy consumption, similar to miles per gallon for vehicles.

Teenie Weenie Greenie™

Stay sharp! Tired of dealing with dull shaving razors? For disposables, James in PA suggests drying the blade after each use to extend its life, or employing a pair of jeans. Glenn in Texas sends his straight razor to a 'honemeister' and recommends the Straight Razor Place for tips and info (for women too)!

 

Farmed Salmon Exposed!

Two-thirds of the salmon consumed by Americans is farm-raised. A farmed salmon's life is very different from that of their wild counterparts. Learn how these fish farms impact their environment and your health.

• The lifecycle of a wild salmon is fascinating!
• Salmon farms crowd thousands of fish into open net-cages in coves along the coast.
• Multiple antibiotics are fed to the fish, along with treatments for sea lice.
• Until recently, Chile was the biggest supplier of farmed salmon in the US. Disease killed their industry.
• Buyer beware: there's no such thing as organic salmon. Not even from Loch Duart.
• Make good choices with the help of Seafood Watch. Find businesses who don't sell net-cage farmed salmon at Salmon Supporters.

Listener E-mails

• Veggie Liz in NYC is bummed to hear that bamboo fabric and agave nectar aren't as green as we thought. Raw agave? Um, not so much. Sorry!
• Tina in Texas found a plant-based Easter Egg Coloring Kit from Eco-Kids.
• Adele in Ontario (eh!) wants to get the skunk smell off her dogs. Most home remedies have hydrogen peroxide, so your pooch may go blonde!
• Rob in Kentucky will try his hand at growing stevia, but wants to avoid the licorice taste. Any Hipster tips?
• Leanne in Vancouver, BC (eh!) fervently hopes she can feel good about buying the delicous tenderloin at Costco. We give it a thumbs up!
• Elan in New York loves Klean Kanteen but misses his CamelBak spout. Keep your eyes peeled for cool new spouts from KK this year.
• Chrissy in Charlotte, NC shares a couple of gems--applique with used dryer sheets and a Chocolate Guinness Cake from Nigella Lawson. WE KNOW!

Twitter goes green on #EcoMonday! Follow us on Twitter: GrnDiva, MoreHipDori and JRich9 at your service! Add us to your friends on Facebook and MySpace!

Remember to vote for us at Podcast Alley, and leave a glowing review at iTunes!

More Hip Than Hippie is sponsored by Greenfeet.com.

Stevia - The Bittersweet Story

Stevia-based sweeteners are touted as "natural", but often don't bear much resemblance to the plant itself.

You've seen "stevia" in the supermarket and on beverage labels, under a variety of names. Is it safe? Who put these sweeteners on the market? The Hipsters respond to a listener request for details and discover a bit of controversy. Find out how a little plant from Paraguay became the object of corporate lust and regulatory wrangling!

Beer and Chocolate:

Beer: Rejoice! Sierra Nevada Brewery celebrates 30 years of excellence with the first in a series of collaborations. Fritz & Ken's Ale is a smooth dark stout produced with Fritz Maytag of Anchor Brewing Co. We're in heaven!

Chocolate: The beer paired very well with a bar of Endangered Species Dark Chocolate with Cacao Nibs. Rich in texture, this ethically traded treat is perfect to share with a friend.

Hip News and Finds

Finds:

• Val's Favorite Thing! Get glowing with an exfoliating Honey Face Mask. Made from unfiltered orange blossom honey and pure essential oils, this truly natural mask hydrates skin and even tastes great! Coupod: Save 15% on this product by entering Greenfeet promo code BEESKNEES at checkout! Order by March 31, 2010.
• Where the wild things are. Ready for "Rebel Monkeys" and "Thunderbeast"? The Nat Geo Wild channel premieres in the US on March 29th. Rawr!

Hip News

• Fanplastic. Scientists have developed a new plastic that can be recycled more than once.

Teenie Weenie Greenie™

Purl of wisdom! From Listener Liz: "Knitters, check out local thrift stores for sweaters you can recycle! There are a ton of tutorials online for this. Many stores don't know what they have, and you can find good quality cashmere, wool and other fibres that can be dismantled and reknit into wonderful new projects!"

 

Stevia - The Bittersweet Story

Adam in Sevierville, TN writes:

"I heard your podcast on fake sugars, and know to stay away from them. But I've been wondering about the no calorie natural sweeteners like the Stevia plant. Are these safe? Will they destroy my insides, or are they like some crazy drug?"

• A member of the chrysanthemum family, Stevia rebaudiana is also known as sweet leaf.
• Stevia is sold only as a dietary supplement, not a sweetener, because the FDA says it's an unsafe food additive.
• Two popular sweeteners, Truvia and PureVia, are produced by processing a part of the stevia leaf, rebiana (or Reb A).
• When the FDA granted their petition to approve rebiana as a sweetener in 2008, food giant Cargill Inc. partnered with Coca-Cola to make Truvia, while sweetener giant Merisant partnered with PepsiCo to make PureVia. Enliten Reb A sweetener is made by Corn Products International.
• A study by WHO found that stevia is not only safe, but also potentially beneficial for treating hypertension (page 45).
• You can find pure stevia extract in products like NuStevia. Better yet, grow your own!

Listener E-mails

• Sandy in New York defuzzes his face with an eco-friendly straight edge razor, plus the old-fashioned soap mug and brush. We approve.
• Bridget in Chicago is excited to volunteer at the Green Festival in May. She also needs to find green attractions in the Napa/Sonoma region...anyone? Bueller?
• Rich in San Diego wants students to know they can buy and sell textbooks at online marketplace ValoreBooks.
• Kate in Wisconsin shared a funny and inspiring article about Bea, a blogger who lives with zero waste.
• Alex in Denmark returns! He and his girlfriend Inger created this animation video to promote his environmental art exhibition in Odense. Wish we could be there!
• Liz in Ottawa (eh!) unlurked herself with a novella about progressive dinner parties, upcycled art and DIY weddings. Thanks for the Teenie Weenie Greenie too!

Twitter goes green on #EcoMonday! Follow us on Twitter: GrnDiva, MoreHipDori and JRich9 at your service! Add us to your friends on Facebook and MySpace!

Remember to vote for us at Podcast Alley, and leave a glowing review at iTunes!

More Hip Than Hippie is sponsored by Greenfeet.com.

More Hip Than Hippie #255 - Geoengineering

As the rate of global warming accelerates, more politicians and pundits propose geoengineering as a possible remedy.

Fighting pollution with pollution? That's the idea behind Solar Radiation Management, which is a form of geoengineering. At the request of a listener, the Hipsters shine a light on this somewhat controversial concept and its consequences. Also, Val prepares to entertain a houseful of stinky 12-year-olds, while Dori gets her Beatlemajesty on!

Beer and Chocolate:

Beer: To say that our beer and chocolate didn't pair well this week would be an understatement. Kirin Ichiban Special Premium Reserve's light flavor might taste great with an Asian meal, but it's not one we'd grab out of the cooler.

Chocolate: On the other end of the spectrum is Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Lover's 85% cacao chocolate bar. Highly edible and much smoother than you'd think. Thanks to Charter Hipster Alison in NC, who sent this along with some lovely handcrafted goodies. Mwah!

Hip News and Finds

Finds:

• Colored bowtie. That's one of the things to watch for when you play Oscar Bingo during the Academy Awards show. We got that square, thanks to Robert Downey Jr.
• Frozen assets. What do candles, batteries, panty hose and cheap booze have in common? Among other things, you can freeze them to save money!

Hip News

• Hot air. Our hard-working reps in Congress are trying to gut the EPA's ability to regulate greenhouse gases. We can't let the poor coal industry suffer, right?
• Orange crush. Officials in the city of Orange, CA get a big raspberry! They're suing a couple for replacing their water-guzzling lawn with drought-tolerant landscaping.

Teenie Weenie Greenie™

Sow there! Spring is coming, so take the time to plant something. Whether it's a starter for your garden or some herbs in your windowsill, it's a valuable opportunity to begin sourcing your own food.

 

Geoengineering - The Sky is Falling

Christy in Bend, OR writes:

I have a potential show idea for you. I have recently been learning about cloud seeding or "geoengineering" and all of the aluminum it is introducing into our water tables. There is a movement afoot in the government to fast track legislation that would encourage more of this short-sighted solution to global warming. I am really surprised so few conscious and conscientious people know about this issue.

• Definition. "Geoengineering is the intentional large scale manipulation of the global environment..."
• Method. Solar Radiation Management (SRM) is a controversial cloud-seeding technique used to mimic volcanic eruptions.
• Effects. Any attempt to artificially mitigate climate change will have ramifications.
• Politics. The Obama administration and other governments haven't ruled out using it as an emergency measure.
• Statement. The American Meteorological Society calls for more research and urges caution.
• Alarm. Some people feel strongly that the government is already using SRM, as evidenced by chemtrails in the sky.
• Support. Proponents of geoengineering research include billionaire Bill Gates.
• Solutions. Other ideas for climate mitigation include carbon scrubbers and biochar.

Listener E-mails

• Rachel in Virginia wants to start a CSA with a grant from Pepsi Refresh. Vote for her project!
• Jenn in NC discovered she's a "yellow D" when it comes to energy efficiency. Find your score by taking the quiz at A Simple Switch.
• Tom in the UK think aspiring vegetarians will love DeliciousTV. He also shares info about town dollars and plugs his buddies at the Broken Spoke in Courtenay, BC, Canada (eh!).
• Lisa in New Jersey loves cloth napkins and shows you how to make them on her blog.
• Sara in Virginia found a cool way to reuse old fur coats: donate them to the HSUS for wildlife in need.
• George in Colorado wonders if Greenfeet will start selling chocolate soon. Sweet idea!
• Sue wants an update on biofuels. Our last stab at the topic was an interview with Springboard Biodiesel. (Vote for their Pepsi Refresh idea too!)

Twitter goes green on #EcoMonday! Follow us on Twitter: GrnDiva, MoreHipDori and JRich9 at your service! Add us to your friends on Facebook and MySpace!

Remember to vote for us at Podcast Alley, and leave a glowing review at iTunes!

More Hip Than Hippie is sponsored by Greenfeet.com.