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Natural Separation: Al & Tipper The Gores No Longer

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June 7, 2010 – 8:47 am

Environmental news is an all-embracing category – and so it needs to be in order to sustain longevity of popular interest and legitimacy even. Hey we can’t count emissions all day and expect that people won’t eventually get tired. NaturalBuy.com has got to stay fresh you see, like the necessary dynamics in a healthy marriage.

So, this being said, we shall consider Al and Tipper’s separation worthy of the NaturalBuy.com canvas.

“After a great deal of thought and discussion, we have decided to separate…This is very much a mutual and mutually supportive decision that we have made together.”

E-mailed the Gores.

The 40-year marriage of these high school sweethearts slowly eroded like too many coastlines, after losing the 2000 presidential election and the near-death of one of their children. The erosion was slow and subtle.

Being on the road so often made the 62-year-old former vice president and Nobel Peace Prize laureate increasingly isolated from his wife.

The word “Gore” became synonymous with climate change in the 21st century. Gore won a Nobel Peace Prize and an Oscar for his revolutionary documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” in 2007, which is responsible for the neo-environmental movement.

In the movie which grossed $49,000,000 and cost about $1,000,000, Gore discusses the scientific opinion on climate change, as well as the present and future effects of global warming. He famously stresses that climate change “is really not a political issue, so much as a moral one.”

Al and Tipper agree that if either the environment or a marriage need to be saved, the former is the more pressing.

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Sickness Sprouts Up Across America – Alfalfa Is To Blame

May 31, 2010 – 8:06 am

“Inside Bay Area” reporter Mary Clare Jalonick reported that an evil supply of Alfalfa sprouts were recalled because of salmonella poisoning. These Caldwell Fresh Foods raw sprouts had been sold to more than 400 Wal-Mart stores in 15 states around America: in Alabama, California, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, Oregon and Wisconsin.

The recall came too late. The federal Centers for Disease Control told us that the salmonella sprouts sickened at least 22 people in 10 states – eleven persons in Cali and one Oregon baby. The dangerous vegetables were sold in seven stores in California which weren’t Wal-Mart stores, including Trader Joe’s. They were sold to restaurants, delis and other retailers.

Two sprout eaters were sickened in Nevada and two in Wisconsin. Arizona, Oregon, Idaho, Illinois, Missouri, New Mexico and Colorado each had one sickened sprout eater.

Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious infections in those with weakened immune systems. It can cause diarrhea, fever and vomiting – it can be fatal.

75 Wal-Marts in Illinois, 56 Wal-Marts in Georgia and 47 Wal-Marts in Louisiana purchased the sickening sprouts. The rest of the stores were spread through the other 12 states.

According to Mary Clare Jalonick:

“The alfalfa sprouts were sold in plastic cups and plastic bags under the Caldwell Fresh Foods brand, plastic cups under the Nature’s Choice brand and plastic containers under the California Fresh Exotics brand”

Alfalfa sprouts are grown in a warm, humid environment, which increases the chances of salmonella, listeria or E. coli infection.

For future reference: children, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems should avoid eating raw sprouts of any kind, including alfalfa, clover, radish, and mung bean sprouts.

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The Green Light Is On Kool-Aid

May 27, 2010 – 9:01 am

The popular drink known as Kool-Aid was invented by Edwin Perkins and his wife Kitty in Hastings, Nebraska, in the United States of America.

Its predecessor was a liquid concentrate which was called Fruit Smack. In an attempt to reduce shipping costs, in 1927, Perkins discovered a way to remove the liquid from Fruit Smack, leaving only a powder. This powder, he called Kool-Aid. The production was moved to Chicago in 1931 and Kool-Aid was sold to General Foods in 1953.

Hi-C is a similar product. A juice drink made by the Minute Maid division of The Coca-Cola Company. Niles Foster created Hi-C in 1946. Ecto-Cooler was a Hi-C product tie-in with the cartoon series The Real Ghostbusters, based on the 1984 live-action film, Ghostbusters. It is green. The company struck a deal in 1987 to promote the series by developing a special green fruit drink. Well, the drink was successful beyond all reckoning and continued after the series’ 1991 cancellation to be produced for more than a decade.

While traditionally an apple red color, old-fashioned Kool-Aid may come in other colors as well. Green is a personal favorite. Here is a recipe for a Green Kool-Aid Cocktail:

2.0 oz – Mandarine Napoleon Orange Liqueur

2.0 oz – Vodka

2.0 oz – Blue Maui Maui Blue Hawaiian schnapps

Use Blue Maui Schnapps. Mix together and stir.

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“The Battle for the Light” a short story

May 25, 2010 – 10:41 am

Once upon a time there was an evil man who wanted to steal all of the light on planet earth. He wore a crown made of sulfate crystals which attracted rays from the sun. He kept it all locked up in a special room underneath his palace; and for many years the planet went without light. Until, finally one day emerged from the darkness, a fierce militia. The whole time they had been hiding underground with a pack of elephants; living on rehydratable food and slowly gathering the strength to defeat the sorcerer.

They had dug all of the way to the planet’s core, lowering the elephants down along with them; and there they gathered their energy. They practiced not thinking about their beloved brethren, as any show of emotion would weaken their spirits.

Finally, one day the militia created a device which shot all of the way back to the earth’s surface, to the evil palace, to the underground room, and even to the crown of the sorcerer.

After destroying the crown with the very light which it served to absorb, they collected the recaptured rays, filled them in a giant stone box, and returned it to the planet, thinking that they would save whatever was left of humanity and nature above ground. But they found it was already too late; and so they saddled up their elephants and headed for the palace, thinking that the sorcerer would pose no threat without his crown.

What ensued was a melee, a fierce, fierce melee; the likes of which the planet has never seen. The sorcerer still had enough left-over ultra violet matter to create weapons. The militia, using nothing but their bare fists and the whipping tail of the elephants, were able to pin the sorcerer in a corner of the room which had been previously used for storing the light.

“I see that you have successfully pinned me, perhaps I have underestimated your race”

Said the sorcerer. He put out his hand in a show of peace and one of the militia men went to embrace it, but the head of the militia stopped him.

“You fool he is trying to trick us!”

Exclaimed the leader.

And sure enough at that moment the sorcerer reached for one of his ultra violet guns and shot the one member of the militia, but the rest of them jumped on him and seized all of the weapons; turning them on the sorcerer, and putting him to death.

They hung the sorcerer on the gate of his palace and took turns defiling the corpse, as it swung back and forth. Then they roasted it and fed it to the elephants, who were not vegetarians.

The militia rejoiced and began to procreate and build a new civilization. And in time, with all of the light shining down on the planet once again, the trees and the forests began to grow, new life was found, of course the elephants were honored by the people with the gift of a boundless terrain.

They founded a global holiday on the anniversary of the sorcerer’s defeat; and they sang this song:

“FIRE SONG DANCE DELIGHT
IN REBORN LIFE SPLENDID DELIGHT,
SEE THE SPIRIT FEEL IT IN THE AIR,
CALL IT YOUR OWN AND IT SHALL DISAPPEAR!”

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The Green Light Is On Wine

May 23, 2010 – 10:38 am

Ever since Julius Caesar ruled much of the world, the wine business has been huge. In 2009, California alone sold 554 million gallons domestically and abroad. But back when Caesar was toasting his latest military victory they probably weren’t thinking about the ecological effects of a 100 B.C. vintage. By the same token, their vineyards weren’t maintained with the same chemicals and pesticides which are used by most modern wineries use.

These days, you will have to look a little harder to find a wine which is not synthetically manipulated in any way, be that man-made fertilizers, pest deterrents, or chemical-laden bottling processes.

But while they are hard to find, they are indeed out there: more and more winegrowers are now producing organic grapes using low-impact and biodynamic viticulture procedures. They are also upping the sustainability of their properties by controlling erosion, irrigation, and fertilization with the long-term health of the earth in mind.

Other vineyards are cutting back on their packaging and consumption. Some small local wineries offer neighborhood customers an energy efficient alternative to vintages shipped from overseas. So whether you are looking for that perfect party chardonnay or just a Merlot for sipping after a busy week, it is now easier than ever to green your reds and whites.

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Surprising New Cancer Survey

May 18, 2010 – 7:30 am

According to a shocking new study, the cost of treating cancer in the United States almost doubled over the past two decades.
However the cost of cancer drugs is not necessarily the cause. While the price of new cancer treatments is indeed soaring, researchers conclude that the rising costs were mostly driven by the growing number of cancer patients.
Researchers also found that private insurers now cover a greater share of cancer treatment costs — actually about 50% — while patients’ out-of-pocket costs have taken somewhat of a dive over the last two decades.
Cancer Cell
The study is first to combine national cancer costs for all variables of payers and see how they have transformed over time. The figures are reported in 2007 dollars.

The costs of cancer treatment rose from nearly $25 billion in 1987 to more than $48 billion by the end of year 2005.
The rise in costs is due to an increase, over 20 years, in how many cancer cases there are reported. The researchers made use of data from national telephone surveys done in 1987, and from 2001 through 2005, which collected information on medical conditions as well as who paid the bills. More than 164,000 people participated in the survey.

The study, however, did not offer precise estimates of how the number of people treated for cancer changed from the late 1980s to the early 2000s. It showed, however, dramatic increases in the number of cancer cases covered by the government’s Medicare and Medicaid programs. Medicare has consistently covered about a third of the U.S’s cancer costs. Medicaid accounts for only 3%.

Also found by the researchers:
The percentage of cancer costs from inpatient hospital care fell from 64% to about 27%. A shift to less expensive outpatient care and cost containment efforts by large health insurers, assisted in keeping down increases in the costs per patient.
The proportion of cancer costs which were paid by private insurers climbed from 42 to 50%.
The proportion of costs paid out of the pocket of patients — including co-payments and deductibles — dropped from 17 to 8%.
The percentage of Americans with private health insurance has been shrinking and recently hit its lowest point of 50 years. While the proportion of cancer treatment costs paid by private insurance rose.

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Gray Whale Moved to Israel

May 17, 2010 – 7:24 am

Researchers were stunned last week when a gray whale was sighted in Israel. It is believed to be the first such sighting outside the Pacific Ocean in 300 years!

Typically, gray whales are only found in the Pacific Ocean. After years of hunting, they vanished in the North Atlantic around the 17th or 18th centuries.
In order to be spotted in the Mediterranean Sea, the gray whale traveled “a huge distance from its natural habitat thousands of kilometers away,” and one researcher said it was “bizarre in the extreme,” per BBC.

Researcher Phillip Clapham of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said:

“There are really only two explanations: that there has been a relict population in the N Atlantic that no one has noticed (virtually impossible), or (more likely) that this whale came down through the ice-free Northwest Passage and is now hopelessly lost.”

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Aisle-Crossing Climate Bill Has been Unveiled

May 16, 2010 – 7:23 am

Because of disagreements about offshore drilling and immigration reform, a key Republican senator negotiating with Democrats on a climate change bill that it is “become impossible” to get the legislation passed right now.
Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina is the one doing the complaining:
Kerry & Lieberman

“Regrettably, in my view, this has become impossible in the current environment…I believe there could be more than 60 votes for this bipartisan concept in the future. But there are not nearly 60 votes today and I do not see them materializing until we deal with the uncertainty of the immigration debate and the consequences of the oil spill.”

Sixty votes are needed in the Senate to overcome such filibusters:

In April, Graham threatened to withhold personal support for the climate and energy legislation because he was peeved that Democrats said that they would take up a rewrite of immigration policy; which forced his Democrat partners, John Kerry and Joe Lieberman to postpone unveiling the legislation, which aimed to cut emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases 17% below 2005 levels by the year 2020.
Kerry and Lieberman have since decided to unveil the bill on May 12th.

About the oil spill in the Gulf, Senator Graham said:

“Some believe the oil spill has enhanced the chances energy legislation will succeed. I do not share their view…When it comes to getting 60 votes for legislation that includes additional oil and gas drilling with revenue sharing, the climb has gotten steeper because of the oil spill.”

Senators Kerry and Lieberman released the following joint statement which comes as news to the relief of Graham:

“We appreciate Senator Graham’s statement of his continued commitment to passing comprehensive energy independence legislation. Over the past several months we have worked with Senator Graham and he has made a significant contribution to construct balanced legislation that will make our country energy independent, create jobs and curb pollution. Senator Graham has been our partner in building a broad-based coalition of support for legislation that can pass the Senate this year…”

“…Over the last three weeks, we all understand Lindsey has been busy with the immigration issue and we understand his feelings on that issue, but during this period we’ve continued working, moving forward, and talking in great detail with our Senate colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and with the environmental and business communities. We’ve continued to work with the Senate leadership and the White House, and we believe we’ve made new progress on the path to 60 votes…”

“We are more encouraged today that we can secure the necessary votes to pass this legislation this year in part because the last weeks have given everyone with a stake in this issue a heightened understanding that as a nation, we can no longer wait to solve this problem which threatens our economy, our security and our environment. Our optimism is bolstered because there is a growing and unprecedented bi-partisan coalition from the business, national security, faith and environmental communities that supports our legislation and is energized to work hard and get it passed. We look forward to rolling-out the legislation next Wednesday and passing the legislation with the support of Senator Graham and other Republicans, Democrats and Independents this year.”

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The Green Light is on Beer

May 11, 2010 – 12:45 pm

We are on the heels of the hot sunny summer season – and what with global warming, things are only going to be getting hotter. Let’s face it, you’re going to want something cold to drink – and if you’re anything like me, you’ll go for a beer.

Since environmentalists love The Ancient Brew of Hops, in our environmentally aware time we’ve witnessed a boom in green, organic spirits, sustainable and renewable energy-powered breweries.

There’s a lot that you can do to be a green drinker: you can support sustainable and even solar powered breweries, you can drink strictly organic, pesticide-free beers. And by God steer clear of excessive packaging in cans and bottles.

Luckily, organic beer is a growing force in the booze industry. If a beer bears an organic label, that means that it has been certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It adheres to strict, legally binding farming regulations. It means that you can expect the barley and hops to be organically grown: no toxic pesticides, no chemical preservatives and no artificial fertilizers. Drinking and buying organic is also a nice way to support more sustainable agriculture, and even to contest global warming.

Look out for beer companies that are going the distance to achieve environmental responsibility. For instance, Sierra Nevada, powers its brewery with solar power, while Anderson Brewery in Chico, could well be the first truly 100% sustainable brewery. Or check out Cascade Green, an Antipodean beer company that offsets its emissions by 100%. Plus they’re delicious beers.

Bottoms up.

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Gulf Mess

May 6, 2010 – 11:43 am

Two congressmen will be holding hearings to investigate how well companies have responded to the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico – still stubborn to clean-up operations.

U.S. Representatives Henry Waxman and Bart Stupak sent letters requesting the testimony of officials from BP America,Transocean and Halliburton. BP is the one who operates the rig, which is actually owned by Transocean. Halliburton was working on the rig just shortly before the explosion happened.

A date has not actually yet been set for the hearings which will look into how recovery efforts are going, and what the companies’ safety measures were before the April 20 blast which caused the spill.

The explosion that happened on the Deepwater Horizon, which is operated by BP, killed 11 people. The oil spill which resulted from the explosion is seriously threatening the Gulf Coast’s delicate ecosystem.

The historic environmental protection bill is now in danger. A new focus is being put on the perils of offshore drilling.

The bill calls for new offshore drilling – a concession by environmentalists. But with the tragedy in the Gulf growing daily, even conservationists who have waited a decade for the legislation are now saying that it is bound to fail if offshore drilling remains in the bill.

Now would be a good time for Obama to start making noise about the search for alternative energy.

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