Sustainable Food Festival Cooking Up In Monterey

Posted on May 15, 2012 by quest

Food lovers, culinary experts and chefs from across the country will convene in Monterey, California from May 18-20 for Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Cooking for Solutions, a premier event celebrating the use of sustainable food. On the night of May 17, eleven top chefs from ARAMARK Parks and Destinations will showcase their culinary talent at the Aquarium using regional ingredients and sustainable practices in a special Meet the Chefs Reception. ARAMARK, which manages the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s dining experiences in partnership with award-winning Napa Valley chef and restaurateur Cindy Pawlcyn, is bringing together chefs from its portfolio of parks, resorts and cultural attractions to take part in this weekend’s festivities and participate in this prestigious event. Invited guests attending the Meet the Chefs Reception will dine on a menu featuring fresh, local and seasonal ingredients while learning more about the protection and conservation of the environment.

“It is an honor for our chefs to be invited to participate in the Meet the Chefs Reception,” said Brian Stapleton, vice president of food and beverage, ARAMARK Parks and Destinations. “We look forward to providing guests with an extraordinary menu and memorable evening that reflects the chefs’ passion for cooking with sustainable ingredients.”

“Monterey Bay Aquarium has dedicated itself to educating the public about the importance of protecting our environment and natural resources,” said Bruce W. Fears, president, ARAMARK Parks and Destinations. “We also have deep respect for the environment and are delighted to have our chefs participate in Cooking for Solutions, which is widely regarded as one of the country’s finest sustainable food festivals.”Programs and events, such as Cooking for Solutions and Meet the Chefs, allow ARAMARK to demonstrate its commitment to protecting and improving the environment. ARAMARK believes sustainability is a process and has implemented environmental management practices and systems within the areas of food purchasing, supply chain, building operations, energy and water conservation, transportation and waste management.

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Urban Farmers Growing Cities

Posted on May 3, 2012 by quest

Independent filmmakers and food activists Dan Susman and Andrew Monbouquette traveled the country producing, Growing Cities, a documentary about urban agriculture in America. After growing up in Omaha, Nebraska near factory farms and fast food outlets, they resolved to seek out the people who were growing food in a healthier, more sustainable way. “Everyone is really tired of hearing about all the problems with our food system,” says Susman, age 24. “So we figured it was time to show off the people who were doing something positive, right in their own backyards.”

He and his childhood friend, Monbouquette, also 24, visited more than eighty urban farmers—from rooftop gardeners to backyard chicken keepers to vegetable farmers – who are working to transform the way this country grows and distributes its food one vacant city lot at a time. GROWING CITIES asks how much power it has to revitalize our cities and change the way we eat. The film follows two friends on their journey across the country as they meet the men and women who are challenging the way this country grows and distributes its food, one vacant city lot, rooftop garden, and backyard chicken coop at a time.

Along the way they learn that this grassroots movement takes many forms – from those growing food in their backyards to activists seeking a meaningful alternative to the industrial food system, and more. At its core, the film asks people to re-imagine what’s possible in urban settings and consider creating GROWING CITIES of their own—places that are healthier, more sustainable, and socially just.

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Jamba’s Got Juice With Youth

Posted on April 27, 2012 by quest

Jamba Juice Company a leading healthy, active lifestyle company, together with the National Gardening Association (NGA), announced the 2012 recipients of the Jamba “It’s All About the Fruit and Veggies” Grant Award Program. The announcement was made at a press conference and tour today at the Girard Children’s Community Garden in Washington DC.

“We’re proud to once again join the NGA to recognize educators, volunteers and local government leaders dedicated to teaching America’s youth about gardening and caring for the environment,” said James D. White, Chairman, President, and CEO, Jamba Juice Company. “Educating children early in their lives about the origins of fruits and vegetables and the importance of maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle is a good first step in the fight against childhood obesity.” “There is a growing disconnect among our youth between health, nutrition, and the food they eat,” added Mike Metallo, President and CEO, National Gardening Association. “Youth gardening programs, like Jamba’s “It’s All About The Fruits and Veggies” school garden grants, help to bridge that gap by turning book knowledge into hands-on experiential learning. We are delighted to be partnering with Jamba Juice in this important program and appreciate their commitment to encouraging everyone to form a healthy relationship with the foods they eat.”

Administered by the National Gardening Association (NGA), the grant program is designed to provide funding to local school and youth-focused community garden programs as a fun, innovative way to promote nutrition education, sustainability, and healthy lifestyle choices through garden experiences. The program also offers youth valuable, first-hand knowledge of how to seed, maintain and harvest fruit and vegetables. Out of 800 applicants, twenty grants were awarded by Jamba Juice and the NGA this year including three Washington DC youth gardening programs. The winning gardening programs demonstrated excellence in the areas of planning, community engagement, sustainability, and a strong dedication to promoting health and nutrition among youth. Winning applicants will receive packages valued at over $500 which includes gardening tools, a composter, raised bed, seeds, a curriculum and funds to purchase plants and soil amendments.

Water Farms Help Consumers Find Fresh Local Food

Posted on April 23, 2012 by quest

In honor of the 41st Earth Day the Recirculating Farms Coalition released a new interactive map that shows consumers where to buy fresh produce and seafood, and decorative plants and fish from innovative farms. The organization is a collaborative group of farmers, fishermen, educators, scientists and others who promote unique growing methods – recirculating farming.”Recirculating farms are amazing – they use inventive ways to be space, energy, and water efficient,” says Executive Director Marianne Cufone. “Because they can be so eco-friendly, Earth Day is the perfect time to get the word out that these farms are operating all over the U.S. Our new map helps people find and learn about them.”

Recirculating farms are what they sound like; they use naturally cleaned, recycled water, without soil, to raise plants and fish. There are many styles of recirculating farms, but generally they all fall into three categories: hydroponic (plants), aquaculture (fish), or aquaponic (plants and fish).Though recirculating technology is not new – it is similar to that used for ages in hanging gardens, fish ponds, and modernly in aquariums – it is ever improving. Today, these farms can grow more, in less space, using rainwater and renewable energy sources like solar power. Still, they are not well known in the U.S.

One focus for the Coalition is to raise awareness about these farms. Creating a map that shows commercial recirculating farms is a way to reach out to people who want to visit and purchase from the farms and are interested in supporting local, sustainable businesses.The new map uses color-coding to identify the type of farm and provides location and contact information. It is a work-in-progress, the Coalition expects to add more farms and additional details to each entry, including what is grown and where products can be purchased if they are sold off-site.”We are always learning about new recirculating farms, and farmers are contacting and joining the Coalition. This map will expand and be an important resource for consumers who want sustainably grown, fresh local food. We are excited to debut this in time for Earth Day, to help.

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Eating Planet Squeezing The Environment

Posted on April 21, 2012 by quest

A new book published in collaboration with the Worldwatch Institute, the book will be available for free on Earth Day, Sunday April 22nd. at the Barilla think tank. Worldwide, 30 percent of food is wasted, 1 billion people go to bed hungry each night while another 1 billion suffer from health problems related to obesity. Meanwhile, young people are increasingly disconnected from how their food is grown, making solutions to the global agricultural system – which contributes one third of global greenhouse gas emissions – seem even further out of reach.

In response to these problems, the Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition (BCFN) is releasing a book, Eating Planet, highlighting the challenges facing today’s food and agricultural system, as well as the myriad of benefits that reform could bring. As Earth Day approaches, it is important to appreciate the links between technology, culture, and agriculture, and how they can help alleviate hunger and poverty. Eating Planet will be downloadable for free on Earth Day, April 22, 2012 from the Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition’s website.

“Access to food is one of the first and most fundamental of all human rights,” says Guido Barilla, Chairman of the Barilla Group. “Where food is lacking, it becomes impossible to live with dignity, and the rights to a healthy life and peaceful coexistence are undermined.”The Worldwatch Institute’s Nourishing the Planet project, an evaluation of environmentally sustainable solutions to alleviate hunger and poverty, collaborated with the Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition to produce the report. “The study’s conclusions represent a major step toward ensuring that agriculture contributes to health, environmental sustainability, income generation, and food security,” said Nourishing the Planet project director Danielle Nierenberg. “The ingredients will vary by country and region, but there are some key components that will lead to healthier food systems everywhere.” Read the article.

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Eco Friendly Travelers Growing Greener

Posted on April 20, 2012 by quest

Trip Advisor one of the world’s largest travel sites today announced the results of its eco-friendly travel survey of more than 700 U.S. travelers. The green travel trend is gaining momentum among TripAdvisor members, as 71 percent said they plan to make more eco-friendly choices in the next 12 months compared to 65 percent that did so in the past 12 months.

“Green initiatives are an increasing priority for hospitality businesses that are trying to reduce their environmental footprint,” said Jenny Rushmore, director of responsible travel for TripAdvisor. “Our survey shows that TripAdvisor travelers are interested in eco-friendly practices, but hungry for more information about which green plans and policies are actually in place.”

The travel survey found among other things that twenty percent of respondents said they would consider an “eco-tourism” trip but 17 percent said they are unfamiliar with such trips. Nearly a third of travelers (30 percent) would choose a destination for a trip because it is considered eco-friendly. And this was no surprise, Costa Rica is the most popular destination in the world for travelers interested in an eco-friendly trip. TIES a trade organization founded in 1990 has been dedicated to promoting ecotourism. It defines “ecotourism” is defined as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.”

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