Food Waste in America – The Facts

The facts about our food… Last Week Tonight does a great job of bringing us the news in an engaging and amusing fashion. It’s one of my favorite ways to digest news and learn about absurd situations we, as Americans, have found ourselves in. The Food Waste episode was particularly jaw dropping so I’ve revisited …

How Jeans Are Made – A Quick Overview

How much do you appreciate a pair of jeans… Jeans are everywhere all the time. They are by far the most popular choice of clothing around the world. They range all the way from Levi’s classic 501’s to diamond studded jeans valued at $1.3 Million. Yes, that’s right, there is a pair of jeans by …

Drinking Responsibly – The Sustainability of Craft Beer

Barley, Yeast, Hops, Beards, Independent, Local, Handcrafted, … Sustainability? Along with all the other great qualities of craft breweries, social responsibility and environmental stewardship seems to be ingrained in the culture too. Craft breweries are appearing on every corner and we can’t get enough. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better…BAM!… sustainability. And they …

Ecolabelling – Know Your Environmental & Social Product Labels

Do You Look for These Eco Labels While Shopping? Do you know what they mean… About Eco Labels Ecolabelling refers to the small seals usually found around the edges of products that denote product attributes such as certified organic, fair trade, or cruelty free.  These eco labels are a form of sustainability measurement that help consumers make …

Conscious Consumer Index – Social Responsibility Survey Infographic

Overall, the growth in social enterprise continues, but slowly. I’m a bit surprised to find out that the conscious consumer movement is not growing faster. I expected a more significant increase since younger generations are becoming more active and environmental and social issues have seen more coverage in the media. I was especially shocked to see …

Guide to Buying Sustainable Fish – Seafood Watch App

Yes! There’s an app for that… Shopping for fish is tough for a conscious consumer. There are a lot of conflicting points of view in the scientific community around the fishing industry – farmed fish, wild caught, stock estimates, size limits, bycatch, mercury… There is always a new report to demystify the last and make me more …

Shipping vs Shopping – The Impact of Buying Online or In Store

Should I shop online or go to the store? I’ve always been curious about what has a bigger environmental impact – ordering something online and having it shipped to my house OR just going to the store to get it. Of course there are so many variables every case is different, but in general what’s …

Study Reports: BPA Found in 2/3 of Canned Goods

New Study Reveals BPA in 2/3 of Canned Goods A research study testing 192 canned goods revealed that 67% of the cans tested contained BPA-based epoxy in the in the body and/or lid. The negative health effects of BPA have been a public concern for a long time, but there is very little transparency around the presence …