Read Up!Mike Mitchelson Editor, Food Service News You’ve seen the trucks: Sysco, Reinhart, U.S. Foodservice and others, transporting food to restaurants across the country. And, yes, it’s true. Even here in the Midwest, your food travels on average from 1,200 to 1,500 miles to get to your plate, depending on which survey you wish to believe. Those 1,500 miles are often…
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BlogBy David Riviera
I am a meat eater. My uncles and cousins raised hogs for as long as I can remember. My parents bought their meat from local butchers with livestock direct from the farms. Meat and potato meals were the staple of our diet. I know and understand the climate impacts of producing meat, but it is a tradition tied to generations of my family’s livelihood. I’m no stranger to plant-based meals. Vegetarian and vegan options are often available at many large conferences and events, and these menu choices can be found on a wide variety of local restaurant menus. I think…
By Heidi Meyer
There are many ways to be a conscious consumer and to leave a smaller footprint on our planet. One thing we all buy a lot of is food. We all have to eat! With seemingly endless trips to the grocery store week after week, we vote with our dollars as we choose which foods to fuel our bodies. These choices affect not just what is produced and what we see on the store shelves, they also directly impact the environment. I started my green journey by focusing on buying organic whenever available after learning about this option while earning my…
By Kate Marnach from Tare Market
Have you heard the phrase “zero waste” before? If not, you’re not alone, but this trash-free movement is quickly gaining traction around the world, thanks to the realization that we are steadily drowning the planet in trash. Over the past few decades, we have all heard talk about switching to green energy sources, reduction of water use, and ceasing the use of harmful chemicals and pesticides–but what about our trash production? Until a few years ago, I had never heard of zero waste and never really thought a whole lot about the trash my family was producing, though I considered…
Sponsored by UW River Falls Sustainable Management Online Programs Presented by: Family of Trees panel Join us for a discussion on what environmental justice looks like in our community and…
Sponsored by UW River Falls Sustainable Management Online Programs Presented by: Unny Nambudiripad from Our Wellness and Liberation Taking care of the earth starts with taking care of ourselves! Please…
Sponsored by UW River Falls Sustainable Management Online Programs Presented by: – Kristine Kvamme, Do It Green! Minnesota – Colleen Hetzel, MPCA – Kim Erickson & Ashley Kennedy, Zero Waste…
Sponsored by UW River Falls Sustainable Management Online Programs Presented by: – Amanda Goetsch, Program Manager at University of Wisconsin Extended Campus – Angela Whitaker, Program Manager at UW-River Falls…
Sponsored by UW River Falls Online Programs in Sustainable Management Presented by White Bear Lake Seed Library Founder Pam Larson Frink Learn how to save vegetable, flower and native plant…
Picture your favorite places in Minnesota. What will they look and feel like in the future with a changing climate? Join us for a presentation and discussion on Minnesota’s changing…
Establishing an organics recycling program is a great way to reduce the amount of trash an organization or household disposes. Organics include all food waste and non-recyclable or food-soiled paper products and can make up approximately 25 percent of what we throw away. This article offers tips on how to…
Many people do not realize that rain carries pollutants from our houses, yards, streets, sidewalks and parking lots to the nearest storm drain, leading directly to local lakes, streams and rivers. Rain gardens are designed to have a center depression to help rainwater seep into the soil. This infiltration helps…
An average child will go through 8-10 diapers a day until the age of 30 months. That’s about 8,000 diapers, and a cost of about $2,500! A good set of 20 cloth diapers will cost an average of $350 and can be used for future children or even resold. Cloth…
Home-packed lunches can be fun, healthy, and green, with very little time or money required. A child’s lunch, including organic fruit, requires less than five minutes on average to prepare and could cost as little as $1.00 per day-compared to over $2.25 for school lunch. Try these suggestions to green…
Preventive and non-toxic pest control strategies are not only better for the environment and your wallet, but also human health. Before the advent of toxic aerosol sprays and poisons post World War II, many people used passive and more natural means to control pests by deterring and preventing their entry….
Travelers can generate a lot of waste and pollution, even with the best intentions. But it isn’t hard to make a few changes that can help us avoid a lot of trash and otherwise green up our time away from home. It is our responsibility to take care of the…
If your office doesn’t have a recycling program, consider being a catalyst for big change by starting one yourself. See our full list of tips on how to get started (including identifying a Recycling Coordinator and selecting a Recycling Company) in our article, Green Your Office.
Arts and crafts materials can be hazardous to your health and the environment. Even though the Labeling of Hazardous Art Materials Act of 1988 requires stringent labeling of hazardous materials in art supplies, many materials are out of compliance. This article offers tips to help you choose safe art supplies,…
