- Article
- By Melissa Breyer
- April 15, 2008
- Tips
I recently considered the post-dinner party mess in my kitchen and wondered if tossing that mountain of food-glooped dishes in the trash might not be more energy-efficient than actually washing them. How does one tackle this scenario in the most eco-friendly manner? Hand wash or dishwasher? Rinse or just scrape? Overload or stack neatly? Fortunately, before the holiday parade of parties started, I came across a book entitled Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings, which promises to save me money while I am saving the earth. Hurray! Here is the book’s authoritative and accesible advice for “Using a Dishwasher for Maximum Energy Savings.”
The dry cleaning industry started in the 19th century, and volatile liquids such as gasoline and naphtha were used to clean clothing and linens. Clothing is washed with a liquid, it’s just not water. The flammability of those early solvents led to the use of other solvents, and today eight out of 10 professional dry cleaners in the United States use the chemical perchloroethylene (commonly called perc) to clean clothes. And although perc is less flammable, it is still an awful chemical to have so prominently in our lives. It is outlawed in many countries, and California plans to phase out perc by 2023, with a ban on new perc equipment in effect soon.
- Article
- By Melissa Breyer
- January 3, 2007
- Milk
One day my husband announced that he wanted to buy a cow so that we could drink raw (non-pasteurized) milk. Now this wouldn’t be a new animal for our farm, since we live in New York City. Hmmm. And, isn’t pasteurization a good thing? The debate about raw milk versus pasteurized is a heated one, and comprises the second part of our series on milk. Here’s what I found about raw milk (and whether or not we bought the cow).
- Article
- By Melissa Breyer
- November 7, 2006
- Preserving
If you have a big pantry and a knack for sterilizing jars—praise to you. For the rest of us, freezing is a splendid way to take advantage of the lovely fruit, vegetables and herbs that are abundant now. The freezing process itself does not destroy nutrients, and although the texture might not translate exactly the same after thawing—the flavor of farm stand strawberries in the middle of winter is a thing of beauty. By preserving local products you cut down on imported produce off-season. This means that you are doing more to support your local economy and importantly, cutting down on your food miles—the number of miles that food travels from the farm to consumer.
- Article
- By Melissa Breyer
- April 17, 2006
- Milk
For many, milk is nearly as fundamental as water—the definition of “wholesome” in a glass. The choice has traditionally been simple: whole or skim? But as the scientific and political debates about different kinds of milk increase, so do the options. The choices are confounding. In this first of a series of three on milk, find out the one sure thing we recommend about milk.
