Sustainable Food Archives – The Green Optimistic

Eco-Friendly Meat is Here… And No Animals Were Harmed in its Making

Ovidiu Sandru — Thu, 02 Dec 2021 07:59:01 +0000

If you’ve been following the news for, oh, the last 30 years or so, you should be well aware of the sorry state of our planet. The need for major changes in order to stave off ecological disasters is clear to all but those who refuse to see. Battery-powered public transportation could go a long […]

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The Environmental Impact of Food Waste

Ovidiu Sandru — Thu, 11 Feb 2021 13:21:20 +0000

Up to a third of all food produced is wasted, though that food could easily feed the hungry. This percentage varies. For example, up to 80 percent of food is lost in production due to pests and food that rots because they lack refrigeration. Food waste also wastes the resources used to produce food. Let’s […]

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How Restaurants Can Become More Sustainable

Ovidiu Sandru — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 10:33:13 +0000

There is an estimated 22 to 33 billion pounds of food waste produced by restaurants every year. And this is only food waste. The bags full of paper wrappers and plastic cups are similar in volume. Let’s look at how restaurants can become more sustainable. Find New Things to Recycle Your business may already recycle […]

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3 Easy Ways to Prevent Food Wastage

Ovidiu Sandru — Fri, 28 Jun 2019 13:46:25 +0000

When we’re trying to reduce our carbon footprint, it’s natural to focus on the obvious. Cars, plastic, coal, and cattle farming are all among some of the most potent threats to the Earth. Which is why so much attention is paid to recycling, the banning of single use plastics, electric cars, and plant-based diets. However, […]

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GMO Wheat Escapes Lab, Grows in the Wild

Matias Prieto — Wed, 12 Jun 2019 13:19:46 +0000

It’s not the first time. In the late-1990s, agriculture company Monsanto began developing wheat genetically modified to resist the company’s Roundup weed killer. Monsanto ended the project in 2004, and to this day, no one is allowed to sell genetically modified wheat in the United States. But on Friday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed the […]

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Clothes made of orange peel and pineapple

Effie P — Fri, 05 Apr 2019 17:25:19 +0000

If the words “Pinatex” and “Orange Fiber” remind you of cocktails or fruit salads, you may want to reconsider. Pinatex is a company that produces alternative textiles to substitute leather using pineapple leaves. Orange fiber similarly substitutes silk from orange peels, and BLOOM foam turns algae into foam for shoe soles. The companies are partnering […]

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The 5 Watts of Hydroponic Farming

Matias Prieto — Tue, 19 Mar 2019 11:51:18 +0000

In this article, we will analyse what is a hydroponic system, how does it work, when you should create your own hydroponic garden, who can do it and why to choose this system among traditional ones. What is Hydroponic Farming? It is a method for growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions in water, without soil. […]

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Mobile app tracking down toxic additives in food and cosmetics

Effie P — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 07:09:03 +0000

No matter how meticulously you may be reading product labels at the supermarket, can you be sure that you are updated on complicated code names of chemicals and on the potential health effects of each of the listed ingredients? Ingredio is a mobile app designed to help customers make informed choices. It uses a verified […]

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Food for thought, not for waste

Effie P — Sun, 30 Dec 2018 21:26:44 +0000

Agriculture is the second largest emitter of greenhouse gases, contributing to global heating and climate extremes that directly impact food security. The FAO reports that more than 80 percent of the total damage and losses in agriculture are caused by drought. The same report shows an increase in world hunger since 2015, bringing us back […]

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Coca Cola Signs Deal to Use Captured CO2

Mila Luleva — Fri, 21 Dec 2018 14:36:10 +0000

Coca Cola will be using carbon dioxide captured from the atmosphere in their fizzy mineral water. Carbon capture has been a quite hot topic in the last couple of years. Numerous companies have been trying to make use of the unwanted atmospheric gas in various industries. Products range from mattresses, to jewelry, and even carbon […]

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The World’s Most Advanced Vertical Farm Opens

Matthew Fiala — Sat, 20 Oct 2018 05:13:13 +0000

Intelligent Growth Solutions (IGS), the creators of a vertical farm in Scotland, claims to be the “world’s most advanced indoor farm”. The company is boasting to deliver significant cost savings compared to rival facilities. The indoor farm is the first from IGS, nevertheless, IGS claims that it has a system of power and communication technologies […]

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Walmart Uses Blockchain Technology to Track its Lettuce

Matthew Fiala — Wed, 17 Oct 2018 08:40:05 +0000

Previously, when dozens of people across the country got sick from eating contaminated romaine lettuce, Walmart did the most sensible thing: It cleared every shred off its shelves just to be safe. However, Walmart & IBM are envisioning a fully transparent 21st century digitized food system. Walmart announced that it would be using a blockchain, the […]

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The Climate Change Friendly Diet: Less Beef

Ally Munda — Fri, 12 Oct 2018 21:08:22 +0000

It’s not new news: eating beef is not the most environmentally responsible dietary choice. In fact, reducing or eliminating beef from your diet altogether can be the most powerful individual choice you make to combat climate change. Ballpark figures place the carbon footprint of the entire food industry at around 30% of the world’s total […]

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UK Giants Pledge to Halve Food Waste by 2030

Matthew Fiala — Mon, 01 Oct 2018 19:26:49 +0000

The United Kingdom has started a new government-backed plan to cut the amount of food that is wasted annually in Britain – estimated to be 10 million tonnes with a value of 20 billion pounds. Tesco, Nestle and Coca-Cola were among the 70 leading companies to sign up for the plan that promises to halve […]

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Plastics in Your Life Might Be Causing Reproductive Problems

Matthew Fiala — Fri, 21 Sep 2018 20:13:52 +0000

Twenty years ago, scientists realized that a common chemical in plastic named BPA (bisphenol A) leached out of plastics and caused reproductive problems in exposed animals. This resulted in the removal of BPA from many plastics used in bottles, cups, and other items. However, a recent study shows that BPA-free alternatives also cause chromosome damage […]

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Africa Will Soon Lead the World in Sustainable Agriculture

Matthew Fiala — Tue, 18 Sep 2018 16:47:37 +0000

At the Africa Green Revolution Forum recently held in Rwanda, leaders from government, business, civil society, and farmers discussed ways to advance resilient and sustainable agriculture that will feed 1 billion people in sub-Saharan Africa today, and more than 2 billion by 2050. Resilient, sustainable, and well-connected agriculture is essential to providing people with access […]

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Fishing Ban Possible in International Waters to Save Biodiversity

Matthew Fiala — Tue, 18 Sep 2018 16:28:59 +0000

The Earth’s oceans have been over-fished, leading to decreased biodiversity, with current practices being unsustainable. Fish populations have been shown to rebound quickly following well enforced fishing bans. In fact, many experts believe fishing will only be sustainable if marine reserves, where fishing is banned, is expanded significantly. That’s why some activists and scientists are […]

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Pheromone-Based Pest Control Could Be the Wonderful Future of Agriculture

Arsenij Percov — Mon, 06 Aug 2018 12:00:33 +0000

Conventional insecticides are extremely harmful to the farmer, pollinating insects, and consumers ( residue on fruits and vegetables). Therefore, the world is looking for an alternative, safer way to protect the plants from pest insects. One of them is pheromones . One of the most promising methods is mating disruption by releasing a small amount […]

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New Class of Eco-Friendly Herbicide Discovered in Fungal Genome

Guest Contributor — Mon, 16 Jul 2018 19:08:37 +0000

As weeds continue to develop herbicide-resistance, it is becoming increasingly important to find alternatives to combat these pests. In a new study, a team of researchers from UCLA Samueli and the Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry have discovered a potentially very useful product in a fungal genome. This could lead to the first new class […]

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Bugs Production Revs Up as Alternative Protein Source for Fish, Chicken, Pets

Janina Lazo-Cruz — Thu, 24 May 2018 05:40:36 +0000

THE PROBLEM: PROTEIN SOURCE SHORTAGE As people become financially capable, their food preferences shift from more plant-based to more of animal-based. With the world’s booming human population, the middle class is flourishing and hence, meat demand is growing with it – by 40 percent in just the last forty years. The problem is, this increasing […]

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Adding Crushed Silicates while Farming may Lower CO2 in Atmosphere

Jose Aguilar — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 10:27:03 +0000

From an industrial standpoint, applying the strategy that provides the overall best results for a determined production process, after proving itself through time, is termed “best practice”. The best results reflect cost-effective, safer, more sustainable operations. If these premises are applied to decisions on which techniques and technologies should be combined on a particular undertaking […]

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80 Percent of Food Traders Fail in Saving Bees and Consumers’ Health from Pesticides

Janina Lazo-Cruz — Sun, 18 Mar 2018 18:07:36 +0000

Last month, it was reported that “roboBees”, which can actually pollinate artificially, have been developed by Japanese researchers. The motivation for this effort is the fact that forty percent of bees’ species, our natural pollinators, are nearing extinction. One major factor driving their extinction is the uncontrolled usage of pesticides in conventional agriculture. In the […]

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These RoboBees from Japan Can Legitimately Pollinate the Earth

Janina Lazo-Cruz — Sat, 03 Mar 2018 22:05:21 +0000

With natural bees being reported as dying at an unprecedented rate, researchers have come up with the idea of developing “RoboBees” or bee-like drones that can perform artificial pollination. A team of Japanese researchers from the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) has recently designed these artificial pollinators using horsehair, drones, and […]

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The Only Country on Earth That Uses Resources Sustainably

Nicholas Say — Tue, 20 Feb 2018 06:21:25 +0000

A recent study conducted by a bunch of ‘University Types’ from the University of Leeds found that Vietnam is the only country on earth that is even close to using resources sustainably, and ensuring a good quality of life for its citizens. The study isolated a number of factors to quantify ‘quality of life’, and […]

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Spiders consume an astonishing 800 million tons of insects per year

Jose Aguilar — Wed, 13 Dec 2017 18:41:53 +0000

It is a huge biomass compared to what humans run through in fish and meat per year, a mere 400 tons, or half the spider´s insects yearly ration. These unique organisms, otherwise consider pests themselves, would bear dire biological implications were they to disappear. Just think of nature´s work of replacing spiders with other predators, […]

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How Sweet Potatoes Could Save The World!

Nicholas Say — Sat, 21 Oct 2017 18:37:12 +0000

You may have heard about the explosion in human population, rising oceans leading to lower food crop production and the famine that many are suffering from around the world. For most of the latter 20th century the solution to starvation was to send food, and not to address the core of the issue. The underlying […]

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How to Save Bananas from Extinction

Guest Contributor — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 19:24:33 +0000

Most people will agree that bananas are some of the cheapest fruits around and that they can be found in stores all over the world. However, we would be wrong to assume that they will be around forever. Banana plants face an extremely serious fungal disease called Panama Disease Tropical Race 4(TR4). A large number […]

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Chemical Company Fights Ban on Its Pesticide Connected to Crop Damage

Janina Lazo-Cruz — Sat, 09 Sep 2017 21:38:21 +0000

After being linked to the damage of soybean and other crops throughout the US farm belt, the herbicide dicamba is prohibited to be sprayed in Arkansas by April 15 of next year. Monsanto Co., a seller of dicamba, filed a petition requesting Arkansas officials to refuse the said date of banning the herbicide. Discontinued use […]

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Permaculture Offers Solution To Farming In Extreme Heat

Nicholas Say — Mon, 17 Jul 2017 20:00:00 +0000

Temperature records are being smashed across the US southwest. Last month Arizona set new record high temperatures three times, and as a result of the heat there have been many unfortunate consequences. In addition to the humorous pictures of mailboxes melting, many people have died, and wildfires have damaged property across the state. As of […]

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Bananas Wasted at Alarming Rate In The UK!

Nicholas Say — Sat, 20 May 2017 19:55:13 +0000

The love of bananas in the UK is well documented, but what you may not know is that they are by far the most wasted food every year. Of the 15 million tones of food that is wasted annually in the UK, 20% of it is bananas. It all comes down to buying and eating […]

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OOHO: The New Way of Thinking Edible, Bio-Degradable Water Bottles

Guest Contributor — Sat, 29 Apr 2017 20:09:22 +0000

How many times have you been strolling around in beautiful natural environments and you saw plastic bottles dumped around? How many times have you been dreaming about a world without plastic? If you love the environment and our astonishing nature, I believe your reply to those questions is: ALWAYS! Well finally it looks like we […]

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Selina Juul Helped Denmark To Cut Food Waste By 25% In 5 Years

Nicholas Say — Fri, 03 Mar 2017 20:42:58 +0000

Denmark is showing the world just how much food we waste, and shamefully it is easily preventable. An amazing woman named Selina Juul is the mastermind of this revolution, and she knows how to apply leverage to get what she wants. In the last 5 years, Denmark has cut their wasted food by 25%, and […]

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Common White Food Additive Highly Disturbing to Our Guts

Ece Polat — Thu, 23 Feb 2017 14:58:30 +0000

Binghamton University found that when nanoparticles of titanium dioxide were exposed to the small intestine cells, the cells’ ability to absorb nutrients and block pathogens were drastically decreased. The founding holds importance on daily life, as the substance can be found in from gum to bread. The exposure lasted over four hours, and the amount […]

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How to Chill a Beer Without a Refrigerator

Nicholas Say — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 20:34:09 +0000

I have not owned a refrigerator for years. How many? Search me, I have no idea. Long enough to have forgotten the last time I had one. As a result of this, I tend to rely on other people’s refrigeration systems. I love cold beer. Sure, there are other things that I need refrigeration for. […]

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How to Grow Organic Onions in Egg Cartons

Nicholas Say — Mon, 30 Jan 2017 19:41:31 +0000

Anyone that likes to cook already knows how important onions are for great, flavorful food. But growing onions is easy, and there are so many kinds you can plant in your garden this spring. Onions break down into three colors, white, yellow and red. Within these three colors there are a wide variety of shapes […]

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How to Avoid Wasting Food and Money – Three Essential Tips

Nicholas Say — Mon, 16 Jan 2017 21:33:27 +0000

Imagine that you were going to work every day, and when you got paid, as soon as the money was in your hand, you took 40% and burned it. That sounds really self-defeating to me. If you don’t want that money, why work the hours in the first place? No sane person would ever do […]

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Australian Desert Farm Uses no Freshwater, Soil or Fossil Fuels to Make Food

Mila Luleva — Mon, 17 Oct 2016 19:19:36 +0000

Sundrop Farms produces healthy, sustainable food in the middle of the Australian Desert, without using pesticides, fossil fuels or fresh water. The scarcity of food resources in many parts of the world is one of the major population threats. Agricultural lands deplete continuously, as climate change and inappropriate agricultural practices cause intense soil degradation and […]

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Food Waste Fast Facts – Why is Food Being Wasted

Natalie Pullen — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 05:40:12 +0000

. What is food waste? Food waste is food that is thrown away, lost or uneaten. The reasons for food waste are numerous, and occur at the various stages in the food supply chain from production, processing, retailing to consumption. In low-income countries, most loss occurs during production, while in developed countries much food – […]

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Do Fruit and Vegg Taste Better in Europe?

Mila Luleva — Mon, 15 Feb 2016 22:04:39 +0000

Is it true that Europeans get better tasting fruits and vegetables than the Americans? According to science, yes. Initially, I was a bit hesitant to write this piece for a two main reasons. The first one is the fact that I have never eaten American vegetables, and the second one- I definitely have a lot to […]

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Electric Food Truck Leads the Way to Sustainability

Mila Luleva — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 09:36:21 +0000

All-electric food truck in Philadelphia leads the way to sustainable, pollution-free, eating. Food trucks are very convenient, and few can argue that often the little vehicles appear exactly when people most need them. But truth to be told, most food trucks are highly polluting. With their diesel engine running pretty much all the time, the amount of […]

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New farmerless “farm” to break ground in Japan

Guest Contributor — Fri, 22 Jan 2016 20:59:35 +0000

Japan will break ground on a new farmerless farm this summer. This indoor, fully automated farm will produce up to 17,000 heads of lettuce per day. The lettuce is grown in hydroponically, automated systems essentially cutting labor in half . The 3500m green building being built by Spread, will utilize several energy saving technologies including a 30% electric reduction by […]

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Australian Wine Industry Devastated by Climate Change

Guest Contributor — Sat, 16 Jan 2016 22:21:29 +0000

Australia is experiencing climate extremes in the Eastern and Western agricultural regions making vineyard owners very nervous. Eastern Australia, one of the countries longstanding regions for producing grapes is experiencing torrential rains. Rainfall is way above average in the region. Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia had its highest rainfall levels on record greatly affecting the […]

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5 Home Preservation Methods to Get Through the Winter (Or Any Time of Year)

Annika Tostengard — Thu, 26 Nov 2015 19:14:22 +0000

Farmer’s markets are closing up for the year, and if you ended up with too much produce, here are some surprisingly simple home food preservation methods to get the most out of what local fresh produce is still available. 1. Fermentation Food that is preserved using fermentation actually does spoil, but the chemical processes produce friendly, rather […]

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3 Projects Making Fundamental Changes to Agriculture

Annika Tostengard — Mon, 23 Nov 2015 05:32:59 +0000

The Sustainable Food Lab’s winter newsletter this year highlights some programs that will lead the agricultural industry in developing new sustainable systems to feed the world and make fundamental changes to the way the world grows its food: 1. Cocoa and Coffee Companies Plan for Climate Change Food companies need to understand their supply chains: […]

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The Value of Energy in Developing Countries

Annika Tostengard — Thu, 19 Nov 2015 20:48:44 +0000

Here at Green Optimistic, we’ve talked about biomass stoves before. While the Mayon Turbo Stove doesn’t advance the design, it demonstrates how energy value plays a large part in attracting interest in renewables. In developing countries, importing fossils fuels can be a challenge. Since it is so expensive to cook without a fire, that in turn […]

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Foodfully – How to Reduce Food Waste with a Smartphone

Annika Tostengard — Wed, 11 Nov 2015 19:17:42 +0000

Food waste can leave a pretty big carbon footprint. The farther the food had to travel to get to your fridge, the bigger the footprint. However, the health issues surrounding healthy eating become more and more critical and adds another dimension to food management. It can feel overwhelming to navigate through a busy day, only to […]

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Unsurprisingly, Media Overstates Link Between Bacon and Cancer

Annika Tostengard — Wed, 28 Oct 2015 06:41:07 +0000

Yes, the World Health Organization (WHO) now states that eating processed meat like bacon and sausage can cause cancer. However, that certainly does not mean that it is “as big a threat as cigarettes”, as one headline on the subject read. The WHO’s list of carcinogenic, or cancer-causing, substances doesn’t address the degree to which they […]

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4 Ways Local Agriculture Can Benefit from Environmental Management

Guest Contributor — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 09:08:06 +0000

Environmental management is the conscious effort to reduce strain on our world caused by man. Humans produce waste, build large buildings, and consume a lot of products. Professionals in the environmental management field help companies and governments reduce their carbon footprint and protect natural resources. In our modern times, environmental management efforts are often directed […]

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Food Companies Demand Climate Agreement from Congress

Annika Tostengard — Mon, 05 Oct 2015 04:34:03 +0000

Ten global food companies urged both the United States and world leaders to design an international agreement to address climate change in a joint letter. Released on October 1, the letter was coordinated by Ceres and signed by the CEOs of ten major companies including Nestlé and General Mills. Mindy Lubber, president of Ceres, expressed […]

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Smart Floating Farms Could Revolutionize Food Production

Annika Tostengard — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 06:22:04 +0000

To fight the impending food crisis, an architecture company in Barcelona has come up with a design for a floating farm. As the global population rises and both land and water become scarce, sustainable farming will become even more difficult than it is now. Smart Floating Farms, as they are called, could revolutionize food production. […]

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8 Ways to Keep Vegetables and Fruit Fresh

Annika Tostengard — Fri, 04 Sep 2015 19:16:12 +0000

Wasting food is bad for the budget and the environment. Here are a few ways to keep your food fresh longer so that you can avoid throwing it away later. 1. Wrap Greens in Tinfoil For crispy vegetables such as lettuce, broccoli, or celery, wrapping them in tinfoil will keep the crunch for longer. Broccoli […]

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3 Indirect Ways Sustainable Food Makes the World Better

Annika Tostengard — Thu, 03 Sep 2015 05:22:44 +0000

Everyone knows that sustainable foods are better for the environment and that the lack of pesticides and antibiotics make them a safer choice for humans, too. However, buying from sustainable farms has invisible, indirect benefits on entire communities of people. Here are 3 non-obvious reasons to support sustainable farms: 1. It Helps Small Businesses Factory farms […]

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San Diego Padres Food Trucks Lead in Sustainability

Annika Tostengard — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 19:33:19 +0000

When professional sports come to mind, “environmentally-conscious” does not usually follow in the same line of thought. Large parking lots, bright lights and plenty of trash are much more commonly associated with sports stadiums. However, the San Diego Padres’ food trucks are working to change this reputation, and have made several important steps toward making the ultimate […]

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Heroic Food: Helping Veterans through Sustainable Farming

Annika Tostengard — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 11:22:27 +0000

American farming is in somewhat of a crisis, seeing as 30% of farmers are currently over the age of 65 and only 10% are younger than 35. At the same time, American veterans often face a multitude of challenges when they return home from the traumatic environment of war. Enter Heroic Food and Ennead Architects/Ennead […]

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3 Tips for Picking the Best Fish to Eat

Annika Tostengard — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 09:26:29 +0000

Overfishing and pollution caused by the fishing industry have made it almost impossible to enjoy a salmon filet without feelings of guilt. However, the undeniable health benefits of eating fish make it an important part of a healthy diet. By carefully considering the types of fish you choose to eat, however, you can enjoy seafood while making a minimal […]

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8 Sustainable Weeds You Can Eat

Annika Tostengard — Fri, 31 Jul 2015 07:20:52 +0000

Don’t let that biomass go to waste! Weeds are not good for the garden, but not all of them need to be thrown away. Some can actually be used as a food source. With all the pesticides and other methods of keeping weeds away, simply eating them seems like a much more sustainable way of […]

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