Posted by: johnny_a
in MyBlog on Oct 29, 2008
BSI British Standards, the UK's National Standards Body,has launched a new standard that allows businesses to assess the carbon footprint of their goods and services throughout their entire life cycle. This standard, called PAS 2050, is a consistent way of counting the greenhouse gas emissions embedded in goods and services throughout their entire life cycle - from sourcing raw materials, through to manufacture, distribution, use and disposal. and play a greater part in fighting climate change, thanks to a new standard launched by BSI British Standards, the Carbon Trust and Defra.
The aim of the new standard is to help businesses move beyond managing the emissions their own processes create and to look at the opportunities for reducing emissions in the design, making and supplying of products. This will then help businesses make goods or services which are less carbon intensive and ultimately develop new products with lower carbon footprints.
Posted by: johnny_a
in MyBlog on Oct 06, 2008
The summer harvest season is nearing its end, which means it's time to sign up for your local Winter CSA. This year, Bialas Farms of New Hampton, NY will be my "root cellar", holding onto my "storage crops" such as potatoes, onions, shallots, leeks, turnips, beets, carrots, and winter squash. I'll also receive my share of cabbage, kale, spinach and greenhouse greens and herbs.
The Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) movement in the United States originated in 1986, when two groups of people got together at the Indian Line Farm in Massachussetts, and the Temple-Wilton Community Farm southern New Hampshire. These communities, which coincidentally started during the same year, were both influenced by the European-born philosopy of "Biodynamic Agriculture", which took root in the 1920's. (1) Both farms are still active today.(2)
CSA is made up of a group of individuals that contribute monetary funds, and sometimes "help days", to a local farm in exchange for a share of the harvest throughout the growing season. This "spiritual share" of the local farm is a great way for CSA members to connect to the land, participate in their own food production, and actually meet the people that are helping to put food on the family dinner table. (3) The winter CSA helps them to maintain these connections as they interact with farm and farmer during their regular "pick up" days, that usually run from November through February.
