A rift in slow food reveals big growing pains.

The foodiverse was all atwitter over this article from Chow last week. A rift has been forming between two factions within Slow Food USA, a non-profit organization that promotes the pleasures of the table, artisanal food production methods, sustainable agriculture, and direct connections between producers and consumers.

On one side is what we’ll call the Alice Waters faction that thinks food is too cheap to keep farmers who are doing the right thing in business and that people should prioritize food over consumer goods – and pay more for it. On the other side is some of the newer leadership of Slow Food that seeks to counter the charges of elitism that have continued to dog the organization, and to broaden its appeal to a younger, broker, and less well-connected demographic.

Think $20 pasture-raised chickens compared to Slow Food’s Recent $5 meal challenge. In some ways, switching its focus to value, rather than preciousness has helped Slow Food. Membership is up. But, according to the Chow article, donations are down from well-heeled donors who are unhappy with the organization’s new direction.

Critics insist that Slow Food must reach more people or risk being irrelevant to most of the population. Anna Smith Clark, The San Francisco Bay Area Governor of Slow Food agrees, but also thinks the laser-like focus in the media on higher profile elements around Slow Food do the organization a disservice. She points out that ordinary members within the organization are continually finding ways to disseminate the ideals behind Slow Food to different groups.  “There’s nothing written about the people who volunteer hours of their time planting the seeds of change in their communities among their friends and family members, or working with like-minded organizations,” says Smith Clark.

Discussions about Slow Food tend to focus on the need of reaching two specific groups: low income people and well-off foodies. For low income people the message is that it doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming to cook local, organic, real food, while the message for foodies is that when they fetishize taste, no matter the cost, they leave out a huge proportion of the population, for whom their message is useless.

As Slow Food grows up and the focus shifts away from its famous founders, there’s a third group that it will be crucial to reach: The enormous swath of the population with plenty of money to pay for good food, but who simply doesn’t care. This group doesn’t care about farmers, doesn’t care where food comes from, doesn’t care if it has additives, doesn’t care if it has too much packaging. Some probably doubt that organic is even healthier. Let’s call them the honey badgers of the consumer food market.  They really don’t give a sh*t.

If you’re a foodie living in a foodie bubble, you might forget these people exist. To remind yourself of the reality, go to a high-end conventional grocery store in any town in America, look at the cars in the parking lot, and watch what people put in their carts. It’s not a rarity to spot someone walking to a late model Mercedes or $70,000 Escalade with a grocery cart full of hundreds of dollars’ worth of processed, packaged food. Stacks of hot pockets, multiple giant boxes of Froot Loops, cases of Coca-Cola, jars of cheese dip, enormous bags of chips, and nary a fresh (or even frozen) vegetable in sight. Now go hang out around the parking lot of a fast food outlet in any well-off suburb, and notice how busy the drive-thru is.

So how does Slow Food reach those people? Smith Clark says people gravitate to the ideas of Slow Food around any number of issues, from concern for farm workers to childhood obesity. They get little tidbits of knowledge from community, news, friends, and family members, and at some point, the flashbulb lights up: “What are you going to do with the money in your pocket?” I ask if there isn’t some way to reach these people more quickly than these myriad individual conversations.

“I think that’s why it’s called Slow Food,” replies Smith Clark.

The honey badgers of the consumer food market vote. Changing the food system so that it is fair for both farmers and eaters is going to mean breaking the stranglehold the food industry has on food policy. Good food advocates need to reach the honey badgers and convince them that organic, sustainable food is not only better, but it’s also worth paying for, spending time cooking, and going to the polls for. Until then, you can pay all you want for chicken and heirloom vegetables at the farmers’ market, but the fast majority of food will still be processed, a lot of family farmers will still be impoverished, and those $20 chickens will continue to reach only a niche market. It’s going to take time. That’s why it’s a movement, not a revolution.

ALSO CHECK OUT:

Be Still my Beeping Crackberry: In Defense of Slow

Slow Fashion Alchemy

Slow, Meet Furniture. Furniture, Meet Your Maker.

This is the latest installment in Vanessa Barrington’s weekly column, The Green Plate,  on the environmental, social, and political issues related to what and how we eat.

Image: Lifesupercharger

The post Slow Going at Slow Food (And That’s the Point) appeared first on EcoSalon.

EVENT Join EcoSalon and SF’s craziest cyclist at Swig next week for a good time, a good cause and a chance to win an iPad and other prizes!

By now, you’ve probably heard of the AIDS/LifeCycle: a 7-day, 545-mile bicycle ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles, starting June 5. The 2500 riders who participate, in addition to riding thousands of miles to train for the event, also raise money to benefit the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center.

Join EcoSalon as we sponsor one (slightly crazy) Zach Morvant of San Francisco’s Anatomy Creative. Zach is joining the ride this year, but, wait for it…he is riding a single speed bike, otherwise known as a ‘track bike’. (For the uninitiated, that is a stripped-down, single-speed, fixed gear machine.) To train, he’s been rising with the sun to ride up Hawk Hill before work, and recently charged Mount Tam via Four Corners to East Peak (which is reportedly “the hard way”…we’ll take his word for it).

To reach his $3000 fundraising goal, Zach needs our help: he’s got $1500 to go.

Good cause? Good time? You know we are so there.

EcoSalon is proud to co-host an event this Tuesday, May 31st at San Francisco’s very own Swig. ‘The Last Mile Fundraiser’ will feature some coveted items for raffle as well as discounted drinks, and, of course, Zach. Your $20 donation at the door gets you two raffle tickets. Additional raffle tickets will be sold for $10 a piece. Bonus? Top shelf susty cocktails with Fair vodka will be poured for just $3.00. Limited quantity, so get there on time!

Raffle prizes include: An iPad, a bottle of biodynamic bubbly, fair trade vodka from Fair, a $75 gift certificate from our favorite eco fashion boutique, Ecocitizen, a $75 gift certificate from EcoSalon’s stylish sister company, eco-chic home goods retailer VivaTerra, Giants’ tickets and other surprises.

Who, what, when, where: Everyone (including you!), “The Last Mile Fundraiser”, May 31st, 2011 6-9 pm, Map

Mark your calendar – we’ll see you there, sister!

Thanks to our friends at Swig for their hospitality. Special thanks as well to @LA, Fair, VivaTerra and Ecocitizen. All donations are tax deductible and receipts will be provided.

The post AIDS Lifecycle ‘Last Mile Fundraiser’: Good for a Cause, Good for the Planet appeared first on EcoSalon.

We all know that buying fair trade items aids underprivileged communities across the world, but what exactly does this entail on the other side of the transaction? According to the basic standards enforced by the International Fair Trade Association, these organizations must:

Generate opportunities that will help producers who suffer from an economic disadvantage.

Exercise transparency and responsibility in areas of management and commercial affairs.

Work towards the independence of its producers.

Offer its producers reasonable pay.

Ensure that both genders are empowered.

Provide a healthy and safe setting for work.

Enforce the laws of child labor.

Utilize environmentally responsible materials and means of production.

Maintain reputable trade relations.

Promote the practice of fair trade.

For a more comprehensive understanding, visit IFAT.

Like the label “organic”, “fair trade” can be complicated, however. We’ll be exploring this issue further, so sign up for our RSS feed to stay in the know.

Image: James Jordan

The post What Is Fair Trade? appeared first on EcoSalon.

It takes the inhabitants of rural villages in Bolivian regions like Alto Plano or the Central Highlands two hours to walk to the nearest town. Because of this isolation, these people must rely on a craft that doesn’t require goods from distant urban areas. Fortunately, they have everything they need right at their fingertips.

These skilled artisans, members of the environmentally responsible organization Circle of the Sun, share the remote expanses with herds of Alpaca. The soft fur from these gentle mammals is the perfect material for weaving, as it is warmer than wool and hypoallergenic. Plus, with 22 natural shades to choose from, there’s no need for toxic dyes. (Although occasionally plant dyes are used, but those are eco and safe.) Stay warm this winter while supporting fair trade with the handmade Absolutely Alpaca scarf from Original Good.

The post Weaving in the Circle of the Sun appeared first on EcoSalon.

I have thick, long, beautiful hair, and I favor natural, low-maintenance hair care. Generally, a little bit of coconut or olive oil rubbed into my damp hair is enough to keep it shiny, but not so after moving to the ultra-dry climate of Arizona. My hair was quickly becoming dry and brittle as the hot season progressed.

Then my friend Solana saved the day (don’t we always get the best things from our friends?). She was working at a natural cosmetic store and came to visit me with a delicious smelling container of something called Ojon oil. “It comes from a tropical nut in Central America. The Miskito tribes use it and swear by it for shiny hair.” And I can tell you, it works. Once I started using the Ojon, my hair went back to its happy, shiny self – Arizona’s scorching summer notwithstanding.

Rest assured, the Ojon company uses pure ingredients, and has a responsible business relationship with the people who work for them. The nuts are sustainably harvested by hand and over 200 people have gained full time employment in their home town, ensuring that their native forest will be saved and not destroyed for other financial incentives. Ojon oil is produced only in small batches, but you’ll be happy to know that a little goes a long way.

The post Ojon Oil Saves Your Hair and Costa Rica's Tropical Forests appeared first on EcoSalon.

Food, water, shelter – the most basic requirements to sustain human life. Thanks to catastrophic global agflation, one of these is in widespread turmoil. Lack of food is causing terrible suffering. Meanwhile in the developed world, good food is ending up in landfills. The world is out of balance.

WHAT CAN I DO? Buy only the food you use. Keep a shopping list, and aim to process all your fresh food within a week of buying it.

HOW WILL THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE? At least a quarter of American groceries go to waste. In Britain it’s an estimated one in three bags of edible food – some $20 billion of groceries each year. If you buy only the food you use, you save money and someone else gets that food. If you’re sceptical about the food reaching the people who really need it, then look at what you’ve saved in grocery bills at the end of the month, and donate a portion of that money directly to a charity or micro-loan provider.

 

It clogs our rivers and seas. It suffocates wildlife and lingers in landfills. It’s a modern scourge- and it’s become known as urban tumbleweed.

WHAT CAN I DO? There’s two things to do with plastic supermarket bags – work around them and work against them. The former is as simple as remembering to carry a tote bag when you go shopping. In the latte case, don’t ever use the plastic bags provided by your local supermarket. Drop them a note (perhaps in their suggestion box) asking why they’re still using them when they’ve been banned for over a sixth of the world’s population. There’s no need to be strident: politeness sinks the message deeper.

HOW WILL THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE? Katharine Mieszkowski’s article at Salon covers it nicely.

Getting into the car seems a matter of instinct for much of the modern world, and particularly in the U.S. – in 2001, 90% of Americans were using their car to get to work. The US auto industry relies heavily on subsidies and bailouts when things aren’t going well…and with the state of global oil reserves, things are unlikely to improve. Domestic American ethanol production couldn’t even meet a tenth of the ravenous fuel demands of cars currently on the road. The only way forward is to kick the auto habit – and every little helps.

WHAT CAN I DO? Here’s a good way to start. Whenever it’s practical to do so – walk. (Or cycle). Particularly for short journeys. Factor in an extra ten minutes travel time, and use your legs.

HOW WILL THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE? Last year, How to Live a Low-Carbon Life author Chris Goodall calculated that driving to the shops uses less carbon that walking. This statement is well-argued, logical, and completely useless to anyone but advocates of the automobile industry (it’s a damning statement on food prices, not the eco-friendliness of driving, as Goodall himself notes). Driving very short distances is fuel-inefficient: starting your car is around as much energy as idling it for one minute. Anything that reduces American consumption from a whopping 21 million barrels of oil a day is good for the economy and for the environment. And what about your own health?

When the sun falls below the horizon, modern society fights the dark. In keeping our cities and roads illuminated, we squander our precious energy reserves skywards in a blaze of candlepower we simply can’t afford. Light pollution is bad for the environment in ways we’re only just beginning to understand.

WHAT CAN I DO? At night, dim the lights and rediscover the dark.

HOW WILL THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE? By dimming their lights for Earth Hour 2008, Toronto residents saved an estimated 434 Megawatts (MW) of electricity – for comparison, standard nuclear power stations generate from 500 to 1000 MW.

Going green is about communing with Nature, leaving the modern world behind and harking back to a happier, more eco-friendly era when humans lived in perfect harmony with the landscape – right? Except it’s not that simple. Take the “wild” moors of Britain – many of them result from deliberate deforestation during prehistoric times. We’ve always made our mark on the planet with technology – yet recently it’s reached a scale where our ecosystem can’t adapt itself fast enough. So now it’s up to us to make amends. Should we throw away the best tools we have to do this?

WHAT CAN I DO? Buy a programmable thermostat and save 10% on your heating bills. Buy CFLs for now and LEDs later, and save energy when lighting your house. Upgrade your home, 21st Century style. Spend quality time with a crank or two! Buy and use your gadgets wisely, and keep a constant eye on the technological cutting edge of green.

HOW WILL THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE? Take renewable energy – it’s all about using the best technology science can provide. And look at the results of doing so.

Contrary to what some would have you believe, a sustainable lifestyle is not about vowing to never buy anything “non-essential” ever again. Shopping is green – but only if it’s done right.

WHAT CAN I DO? Eco-artisans and fair-traded products deserve your custom, from the beads of Project Have Hope to the fresh produce of the Milkweed Mercantile. By buying products that have an unambiguously eco-friendly component to them, and by closing your ears to the greenwashers (and their twins, the greenscourers), you can prevent profits triumphing over ethics.

HOW WILL THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE? The Fair Trade movement, for all that it should be called “Fairer Trade”, gives producers a better deal without compromising on social and environmental standards. It’s a success because shoppers often choose to buy Fair Trade over cheaper, more readily available items. It’s a great start.

Next month, the United States has a new president. He’s already been unprecedentedly vocal about his commitment to the environment – and, like all politicians, it’s his job to listen to what people want. He needs feedback to do his job well.

WHAT CAN I DO? A green lifestyle is a politicized one. You don’t have to march in endless rallies or pore over The Economist every week – but you should have a read around the most pressing issues facing your governments, federal and local. Your voice deserves to be heard – if you’re doing everything possible to live in the real world. Sustainability is pragmatic: there’s no room for unthinking dogma in today’s eco-political climate, and the best way to approach green issues is with open ears, open eyes and an open mind.

HOW WILL IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE? Because, more than ever, Washington listens.

Remember when you were a child? Your optimism and determination knew no bounds (I’ve fallen over? Well, I’ll get up again). Everything was endlessly fascinating, and nothing wasn’t worth learning about. You had more energy than you knew what to do with. Wouldn’t it be great to experience the world like that again?

WHAT CAN I DO? A thriving green lifestyle is: optimism about the effects of your personal choices, determination in the face of contrary commercial pressures, fascination in scientific innovations that will clean up our environmental impact, a willingness to learn new skills and relearn old ones, and applied energy and enthusiasm in adapting to an ever-changing modern world. Sound familiar?

HOW WILL IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE? By giving our children the future they deserve. 

Main image: Wrap

The post 24% of Groceries Get Trashed (and 8 Other Insanities) appeared first on EcoSalon.

And yes, we’ve done a zillion posts on a good number of eco-bags but I promise you, we do discriminate. The Bag the Habit bag caught my eye because it’s inexpensive and would make a great stocking stuffer or simple go-green hostess gift during the holiday party season. I also happen to think it’s good looking – which is a big plus – but it isn’t so trendy that next year it’ll look like last year’s bag.

Bag the Habit’s new collection of reusable shopping totes are made with 55% recycled polyester and are completely recyclable. They’re large enough (27.5″ H x 22″ W x 6″ D) and plenty sturdy enough for your weekly trip to the farmers market. The cushioned shoulder straps comfortably help you carry up to 30 lbs. of stuff. And when you aren’t using it, it folds into a sewn-in pocket and snaps shut into a compact 4.5″ x 4.5″ pouch. Water-resistant and available in plum, chocolate and a swirly navy and aqua floral pattern, find it at Bag the Habit’s website for $18, or $45 for three.

They also created a mesh produce bag made of 100% un-dyed and recycled polyester. The standard size works perfectly for bulk items like beans, coffee and oatmeal, and the large for fresh fruit and vegetables. Just think how many baggies and twist ties you’ll avoid! Buy the produce bag individually for $6 and $8, or get a set of 3 for $18 and 6 for $38. Available at Bag the Habit.

Bag the Habit products are sustainably manufactured in fair wage factories in the U.S. and Mexico. And right now you’ll get $2 off your next online purchase if you send Bag the Habit any of your old, worn-out and overused green shopping totes. They accept all brands, types and sizes.

Bag the Habit is indeed a good habit.

The post A Bag Habit Not to Break appeared first on EcoSalon.

“Cut metal work represents the wealth of Croix des Bouquets. This is what has made the city famous,” he says. “This is what God gave me to live; I support my family, I am building a house and I am providing work for others.” You can find handmade candleholders and wall hangings from Augustin and other members of the Comite Artisanal Haitien at Ten Thousand Villages.

The post Jhonson Augustin: From Apprentice to Master Artisan appeared first on EcoSalon.

With over 1,000 artisans under its wing in 150 workshops around the globe today, it’s hard to believe that Mahaguthi’s Craft With a Conscience began with one man’s determination to help those in need.

Born to a middle class family in Nepal in 1896, Tulsi Mehar was never afraid to speak his mind, openly protesting the oppression of the caste system. The Rana Prime Minister considered these sentiments anti-national and banished Mehar from Nepal for life.

Discouraged but never defeated, he traveled to India, where he joined Mahatma Gandhi in the quest for social reform. Touched by Mehar’s devotion to his beliefs, Gandhi personally wrote to the Rana Prime Minister on his behalf. Granted permission to return, Mehar immediately began the spinning and weaving project known today as Mahaguthi. Current artisans craft anything from lamps to singing bowls to shawls to earrings.

The post Mahaguthi: Crafting Towards Social Reform appeared first on EcoSalon.

People use eBay to sell more than just Juicy Couture and used plasmas – you can also find elephant ivory products and endangered animals. This fact was highlighted recently following a six-week investigation by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). The investigation, tracking more than 7,000 wildlife products listings on 183 websites in 11 countries, discovered that
eBay was responsible for two-thirds of the online trade in wildlife
animal products worldwide.

And of the over 4000 elephant ivory listings uncovered by the investigation, most of the sales took place on eBay’s U.S. site. In fact, the investigation found that more than 70% of all endangered species’ products listed online for sale happened in the United States.

eBay’s response to this disturbing news was to say “no more”. They announced that they are instituting a global ban on the sale of elephant ivory products by January 1, 2009 – and they want other web sites to do the same.

But this isn’t the first time that eBay has announced a ban on selling
elephant ivory. Just last year, following an another IWAF report, Bidding for Extinction (2007), which found 2,275 ivory items for sale on eight national eBay sites in a single week, eBay announced a ban on cross-border trade in elephant ivory. IWAF’s recent investigation and report (Killing with Keystrokes: An Investigation of the Illegal Wildlife Trade on the World Wide Web) illustrates the ineffectiveness of that ban and highlights the importance of not only global bans but also better enforcement of these bans.

This latest IWAF report believes that “a lack of stringent and enforceable legislation that clearly declares trade in endangered wildlife online as a serious criminal offence” and “weak monitoring and enforcement” are two primary reasons why this trade continues and calls on CITIES (UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) governments, internet marketplaces, internet service providers, and individuals to work harder to stop illegal wildlife trade over the internet.

Their recommendations:

Enact robust domestic legislation on internet wildlife trade.

Implement and empower effective enforcement.

Increase public awareness.

Devise new ways to monitor and curtail the online trade in endangered wildlife.

eBay’s determination to enforce a global ban on elephant ivory is a great step in making this all happen. But it’s only one small step and more action must follow.

Image: inottowa

The post Killing with Keystrokes appeared first on EcoSalon.