Precautionary Principle Gains a Foothold in Mendocino County

Northern California's Mendocino County became the second county in the country to adopt an environmental Precautionary Principle Policy, which is a "guiding framework for decision-making that anticipates how actions will affect the environment and the health of future generations."

Friend, Britt Bailey, Director of the Environmental Commons says: “I am very proud of today’s decision. For the past eight months we have been involved in the study of this Principle in concert with county officials. We all knew we liked the ideas behind the Principle but were unsure how the values could be placed into daily decision-making. In the end, we have built a relationship with our government—and this relationship has allowed for thoughtful discussion and an increased understanding of the ways in which we can work together to protect the beauty and ecology of our county as well as the values of its residents.”

Find out more here.

Ay, There's the Grub--Bryant Gets Grilled at Grist

Bryant breaks it down for us at InterActivist. Pop him more questions here.

Edens Lost & Found

My brother, Anthony, was one of the founders of this site. Check it out for my review of a new PBS series and companion book that show how cities are turning green.

The American Paradox

Michael Pollan has a great, short-and-sweet, article in Time with six simple tips for choosing healthy foods in a toxic food environment. He asks this question, which I've always thought aptly gets to the heart of the insanity of what we're doing to our bodies: "We spend only 9.7% of our income on food, a smaller share than any other nation. Is it a coincidence we spend a larger percentage than any other on health care (16%)?" I'm reviewing his new book The Omnivore's Dilemma now for The New Scientist. I'll tell ya when the article is published. -abl

Starbucks: How Fares Thee?

Another reason to steer clear of the omnipresent chain: A friend of mine just sent me this little caloric tidbit. After watching a gaggle of pre-teen boys chow down on a mid-afternoon snack of strawberry frappuccinos and egg, ham, and cheese sandwiches at a local Starbucks, she did this quick tally:
Frappuccinos=580 calories for a grande
Sandwich=500 calories for a ham, egg, and cheese.
So, that's 1,080 calories for an afternoon bite. Makes me wonder how many inches Starbucks has added to the American waistline. Anyone want to do that math?