Talking about milk ...
I don't know the answer to above question but the following article tries to figure it out: Milk packaging.
I always get a gallon of milk in plastic. Plastic is the only option at the supermarket. Buttermilk and cream come in cartons though. What bothers me most about the plastic is that it takes up a lot of space when stored for return to the bottle deposit. I am not sure if I could return them flattened (after stomping on them). In Germany milk is mostly sold in 1-litre square cartons, we don't have the bulk-size packaging. In the GDR we had glass bottles or the wobbly plastic bag that was put into a reusable open-top plastic container that prevented the bag from collapsing once opened. Do I have a preference? No. Size matters though because once the packaging is open you have to consume it, well you should have to. I know our milk spoils but I have heard a story from someone who left an opened milk container in the fridge for months (she forgot it at her holiday condo in Arizona) and it did not spoil. Even months later it had not even changed consistency! Yuck!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Organic Milk
The Organic Box sells organic milk from Saxby Foods, an Edmonton business. In its latest newsletter they list all the organic dairies the milk comes from as well as some of the standards of how the cows are fed. The Edmonton Journal recently had an article on Saxby Foods too which is quite interesting. For example, does Saxby Foods not only sell their organic milk (and soon other dairy products) via independent retailers such as the General Earth's Store they also sells through the Safeway brand O Organics. As much as I dislike Safeway for being just another huge chainstore, it is the closest supermarket we live to and knowing that this milk is from local farms and processed by a local creamery makes me somewhat more inclined to buy it. Being a wholesaler the milk is also less expensive compared to other stores, unfortunately.
In the newsletter I also hear from the infamous genetically modified crops again. Since most pasture crops are already contaminated with GMO farmers are currently fighting to keep GM alfalfa out of the country. Alfalfa is at the moment still a very important food for organic cattle. If it becomes GMO contaminated organic farmers might be forced into what they usually try to avoid: feed grain. Looking at the link to the Organic Alberta Association an article catches my eye immediately: Conservatives continue to block vote on moratorium on GM Alfalfa Of course it's the effing Conservatives who spoil it, quote: “Conservatives are trying to play both sides of this issue because they know farmers want GM alfalfa stopped, but Conservatives don’t want to cross Monsanto. Presumably, Conservatives delayed the vote so that an election could save them from having to take immediate action to stop GM alfalfa.”
Too bad I can't vote and I am not convinced yet that there's enough smart Canadians to not tick the C box but this is just unbelievable. How can they even think about pleasing Monsanto, at the same time putting a large part of the organic food industry at risk of survival. Eating anything non-organic seems already almost suicidal to me and with a growing demand for organic food one really hopes the turn will come and people stop buying crap food so farmers stop growing crap food, I mean food stuffed with toxins. This would also stop the contamination of our soil, water and air with all those toxic chemicals.
In the newsletter I also hear from the infamous genetically modified crops again. Since most pasture crops are already contaminated with GMO farmers are currently fighting to keep GM alfalfa out of the country. Alfalfa is at the moment still a very important food for organic cattle. If it becomes GMO contaminated organic farmers might be forced into what they usually try to avoid: feed grain. Looking at the link to the Organic Alberta Association an article catches my eye immediately: Conservatives continue to block vote on moratorium on GM Alfalfa Of course it's the effing Conservatives who spoil it, quote: “Conservatives are trying to play both sides of this issue because they know farmers want GM alfalfa stopped, but Conservatives don’t want to cross Monsanto. Presumably, Conservatives delayed the vote so that an election could save them from having to take immediate action to stop GM alfalfa.”
Too bad I can't vote and I am not convinced yet that there's enough smart Canadians to not tick the C box but this is just unbelievable. How can they even think about pleasing Monsanto, at the same time putting a large part of the organic food industry at risk of survival. Eating anything non-organic seems already almost suicidal to me and with a growing demand for organic food one really hopes the turn will come and people stop buying crap food so farmers stop growing crap food, I mean food stuffed with toxins. This would also stop the contamination of our soil, water and air with all those toxic chemicals.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
ReSkilling Edmonton
The Prairie Chapter of the Sierra Club was host of the film White Water, Black Gold. One of their representatives, Chelsea, pointed out that they are aiming to start up an initiative called ReSkilling Edmonton. Apart from reconnecting generations its main purpose is to teach young(ish) people the skills of the elderly such as canning fruit, fixing things in the household, mending clothes etc. Might sound really boring but those are the skills that can prevent a lot of stuff from going to the landfill or food being wasted. I think I established often enough in my posts that there is no need to throw everything out because it's been used a couple of times, does not look new or is out of fashion (at least for the current season). I still fix my socks. My husband wears his T-shirts with holes in them - nothing I approve of but at least he does not simply dump them. Good thing he hates shopping. We wear all of our clothing for many years (which can make for funny deja-vues on old photos). Actually, I know quite a few people that sew and knit - way to go. But I also know people, my family, who had to knit, sew, preserve, fix for many years, until capitalism took over and brought with it plenty of cheap products. I did not learn any more how to cook because we had convenience food in the freezer. Unfortunately they jumped right onto the train and buy more than they can possibly use, throw out way too much still good stuff and don't seem to understand the consequences of these actions. They (over-)enjoy the abundance. There's a worry of mine. With poorer countries striving to reach the Western lifestyle many important skills will get lost. These people will also consume more, use more, dump more of everything. Will they get the message that this is the wrong way? Maybe if reskilling initiatives like in Edmonton grow big, they set a new trend and help to send out a warning to developing countries.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Earth Hour is no excuse to be environmentally conscious
On Saturday we had yet another Earth Hour. it's the hour of the year where you are meant to unplug appliances that aren't being used and turn off the lights. Although in several buildings of the City of Edmonton the lights were turned off the electricity usage in Edmonton went up by 1% during Earth hour. There was a hockey game at Rexall Place! Apparently Earth Hour does not work when certain sports events are on. To me, it simply proves what happens everyday everywhere over and over again - people make up excuses! There is an excuse for just about anything if you don't want to do it, no matter if it's out of laziness or a "good" reason. We all make up excuses as we go along, don't we. But if many people can't even suck it up for an hour, how are they ever meant to change the way they live?
More deaths (likely) from oil spill
Here's an article on dead dolphin's in the Gulf of Mexico. The deaths, half of them newborn or stillborn dolphins, seem to be related to the BP oil spill last year. Not much lab work has been done and the US government does not want people to know. I can only hope the issue does not get swept under the table silently. We ought to know about the deaths, the reason and if it is the oil in the water, or the chemicals to "treat" the oil, then somebody needs to be held accountable. I just had to think about two of my recent posts about the oil tankers in the Queen Charlotte Sound and the threatened Orcas off the coast of Vancouver. Surely, two things that don't go well together.
Friday, March 25, 2011
One spill, two spill, many spills
This post is related to the film White water, Black gold but looks at the transportation of crude oil via pipelines and tank ship.
Pipelines: There's one huge oil pipeline that goes from Northern Alberta through the middle of Jasper National Park all the way to Vancouver. There's been a pipeline for a long time but it has been enlarged to transport more crude in recent years. How could Parks Canada and the Canadian government ever agree to such a pipeline? The company who built it, Kinder Morgan, had a pipeline leak in the middle of Vancouver a few years ago. Imagine the road breaks open and a huge black fountain goes up right outside your door - that's what the footage from the incident looked like. Enbridge has had 8 major pipeline leaks since 1992! These two companies now want to build the Northern Gateway pipeline, 11,000 km long, from north of Edmonton across massive mountains, and important rivers all the way to Kitimat at the Pacific coast. Would you trust them? Unfortunately, the representative from the National Energy Board of Canada, asked about when a pipeline was last refused building permission, replied that she would have to go back in the records to find out when that might have happened. With other words, all pipelines get approval, no matter what the public's opinion is - given the public finds out before construction begins in order to raise their concern.
Once flown through the Northern Gateway Pipeline the oil is meant to be shipped to Asia on tank ships. Apparently, 60% of all oil is transported on tankers. They are considered fairly safe. That they are not "bomb-proof" shows one of the latest accidents of a tanker stranded and broken apart: Oil Spill in South Atlantic Threatens Endangered Penguins
This accident happened 1700 km off the South African coast near a group of isolated islands that are home to a rare species of penguins. The penguins can't be removed for treatment due to fears that they might pick up diseases that their bodies can't deal with because they have never had exposure to the virus/ bacteria. The islands are pretty inaccessible too, which does not help rescue operations but has obviously protected the penguins fairly well so far. Estimates say that 10% of the 200,000-penguin population are already covered with oil! --- Back at the Western Coast of Canada, the Queen Charlotte Sound is a maze of beautiful islands, has lots of rugged coast as well as rough weather. Would you believe there will never be a tanker accident there?
You might wonder now how the oil should be transported since I agree trucks, trains and air planes don't seem safer and the first two can't cross water. Don't do it. There is no such devastating risks in the transportation of energy from renewable sources such as solar, wind, biomass, or geothermal. Probably pipes were safer if they were kept in better shape and leaks avoided by tougher pipeline checks but the oh so irresponsible oil corporations will not take appropriate steps unless they are forced to and monitored. Would you expect this from a government that is strongly in favour of the oil industry?
Pipelines: There's one huge oil pipeline that goes from Northern Alberta through the middle of Jasper National Park all the way to Vancouver. There's been a pipeline for a long time but it has been enlarged to transport more crude in recent years. How could Parks Canada and the Canadian government ever agree to such a pipeline? The company who built it, Kinder Morgan, had a pipeline leak in the middle of Vancouver a few years ago. Imagine the road breaks open and a huge black fountain goes up right outside your door - that's what the footage from the incident looked like. Enbridge has had 8 major pipeline leaks since 1992! These two companies now want to build the Northern Gateway pipeline, 11,000 km long, from north of Edmonton across massive mountains, and important rivers all the way to Kitimat at the Pacific coast. Would you trust them? Unfortunately, the representative from the National Energy Board of Canada, asked about when a pipeline was last refused building permission, replied that she would have to go back in the records to find out when that might have happened. With other words, all pipelines get approval, no matter what the public's opinion is - given the public finds out before construction begins in order to raise their concern.
Once flown through the Northern Gateway Pipeline the oil is meant to be shipped to Asia on tank ships. Apparently, 60% of all oil is transported on tankers. They are considered fairly safe. That they are not "bomb-proof" shows one of the latest accidents of a tanker stranded and broken apart: Oil Spill in South Atlantic Threatens Endangered Penguins
This accident happened 1700 km off the South African coast near a group of isolated islands that are home to a rare species of penguins. The penguins can't be removed for treatment due to fears that they might pick up diseases that their bodies can't deal with because they have never had exposure to the virus/ bacteria. The islands are pretty inaccessible too, which does not help rescue operations but has obviously protected the penguins fairly well so far. Estimates say that 10% of the 200,000-penguin population are already covered with oil! --- Back at the Western Coast of Canada, the Queen Charlotte Sound is a maze of beautiful islands, has lots of rugged coast as well as rough weather. Would you believe there will never be a tanker accident there?
You might wonder now how the oil should be transported since I agree trucks, trains and air planes don't seem safer and the first two can't cross water. Don't do it. There is no such devastating risks in the transportation of energy from renewable sources such as solar, wind, biomass, or geothermal. Probably pipes were safer if they were kept in better shape and leaks avoided by tougher pipeline checks but the oh so irresponsible oil corporations will not take appropriate steps unless they are forced to and monitored. Would you expect this from a government that is strongly in favour of the oil industry?
White Water, Black Gold
is a film by David Lavalee, who was born & raised in Alberta, is a hiking guide on the Columbia Icefields, teacher, film maker and more. I watched this film about great Canadian waterways and the dirty tar sands yesterday at an Edmonton theatre amidst a bunch of rather old residents of the province Alberta. Alberta has been in the spotlights more and more often recently because of the disastrous environmental consequences of the tar sands operations but not much has changed. I was surprised to see lots of white haired people in the theatre. They did not match the types of person I have seen at other tar-sands-related events. I'm glad different generations get concerned and want to be informed though.
Although I have seen several oil sands films there was still something new in this one, and it was very much up-to-date, including some of the most recent tar sands issues. Of course, in the film there were lots of well-known faces such as Dr David Schindler, Dr Kevin Timoney, Dr. John O'Connor, George Poitras ... activists, scientists, authors, first nations ... there were also representatives from Suncor!, the Alberta government and the National Energy Board which was surprising because they tend to avoid these films for obvious reasons.
David Lavalee basically followed the imaginary drop of water that originates from a glacier off Mt Snowdon and follows it across the Columbia Icefield into the Athabasca River all the way to Fort McMurray and beyond to the Beaufort Sea. A lot of controversy comes up on the way. It was all there again, the toxins in air & water, the dead or deformed fish, the large number of rare cancers in downstream communities, the leaking tailings ponds stuffed with arsenic, mercury and PAHs, the destruction of boreal forest ... the lies that come with the tar sands. Apparently, the corporations in the tar sands are only allowed to take out 3% of the water flow of the Athabasca River - that's with high water though. In January when the river is frozen and the water under the ice is especially vital for the fish to survive industry wants 30% of the flow. Suncor used to have glorifying signs up along the tailing ponds road to inform visitors of their heroic tar sands operations but these signs disappeared since hundreds of birds died on the tailing ponds and Suncor was fined $3.3 Mio (half a day earnings for them). Curious visitors are not wanted any more on this road.
After the film Lavalee pointed out the reverse alchemy of using natural gas to produce tar sands oil - it's like turning gold into lead. He also added that conventional oil produced 100 barrels from the energy of 1 barrel. At the tar sand they need 1 barrel to produce only 2 barrels - where's the point? For him the tar sands are an indicator that peak oil has passed, the same as the production of shale gas is a sign that the peak of natural gas has passed - rear mirror view, he called it.
There were a lot of good quote in the film but I don't have the memory to bring them up here. One of the worst comments though came from the Suncor spokesperson at a first nation's community meeting. She apologised for not having showed up at the last meeting but the good thing about it was that instead of muffins she ordered KFC this time. Nobody smiled.
to be continued ...
Although I have seen several oil sands films there was still something new in this one, and it was very much up-to-date, including some of the most recent tar sands issues. Of course, in the film there were lots of well-known faces such as Dr David Schindler, Dr Kevin Timoney, Dr. John O'Connor, George Poitras ... activists, scientists, authors, first nations ... there were also representatives from Suncor!, the Alberta government and the National Energy Board which was surprising because they tend to avoid these films for obvious reasons.
David Lavalee basically followed the imaginary drop of water that originates from a glacier off Mt Snowdon and follows it across the Columbia Icefield into the Athabasca River all the way to Fort McMurray and beyond to the Beaufort Sea. A lot of controversy comes up on the way. It was all there again, the toxins in air & water, the dead or deformed fish, the large number of rare cancers in downstream communities, the leaking tailings ponds stuffed with arsenic, mercury and PAHs, the destruction of boreal forest ... the lies that come with the tar sands. Apparently, the corporations in the tar sands are only allowed to take out 3% of the water flow of the Athabasca River - that's with high water though. In January when the river is frozen and the water under the ice is especially vital for the fish to survive industry wants 30% of the flow. Suncor used to have glorifying signs up along the tailing ponds road to inform visitors of their heroic tar sands operations but these signs disappeared since hundreds of birds died on the tailing ponds and Suncor was fined $3.3 Mio (half a day earnings for them). Curious visitors are not wanted any more on this road.
After the film Lavalee pointed out the reverse alchemy of using natural gas to produce tar sands oil - it's like turning gold into lead. He also added that conventional oil produced 100 barrels from the energy of 1 barrel. At the tar sand they need 1 barrel to produce only 2 barrels - where's the point? For him the tar sands are an indicator that peak oil has passed, the same as the production of shale gas is a sign that the peak of natural gas has passed - rear mirror view, he called it.
There were a lot of good quote in the film but I don't have the memory to bring them up here. One of the worst comments though came from the Suncor spokesperson at a first nation's community meeting. She apologised for not having showed up at the last meeting but the good thing about it was that instead of muffins she ordered KFC this time. Nobody smiled.
to be continued ...
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