globalbriefs Greening Garbage Activist Turns City Food Waste into Rural Soil Jeremy Brosowsky had an epiphany at a Milwaukee, Wisconsin, greenhouse a few years ago that set him on a more sustainable path: “What if we could take our garbage and grow food in it?� He was in the Midwest to learn about urban agriculture at Growing Power, the pioneering urban farm of McArthur Genius Fellow Will Allen, and was considering starting a rooftop agriculture business. Allen’s emphasis on the importance and elusiveness of fertile soil intrigued him. “If you don’t dramatically improve the soil, you cannot grow food in cities,� Brosowsky realized. His solution was to create Compost Cab (CompostCab.com), a Washington, D.C.-based service that picks up and delivers urban food waste to local farms for composting. Nearly 100 cities already divert food waste from landfills, but Brosowsky emphasizes, “Composting is not just about waste reduction. It’s about food production, education, jobs and creating social benefits.� He hopes to roll out Compost Cabs in other cities.
Information Overload Organic Food Labeling Causes Confusion A recent Harris Poll of 2,276 U.S. adults showed that concern for the environment is growing, but Americans may not be ready to spend more for organic food. More than half think that labeling food or other products as organic is just an excuse to charge more. Yet more than half of respondents also believe that organic foods are healthier than non-organic. At the same time, only 23 percent know what the term “dirty dozen� means in regard to organic food; it’s the Environmental Working Group’s annual list of foods consumers should always buy in organic form due to high pesticide levels in conventional farming.
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Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Edition
NaturalCinci.com
Sinking Reptiles World Turtle Day Sounds Alarm Since 2000, people around the globe have celebrated World Turtle Day, held this year on May 23, to increase respect for and knowledge of the world’s oldest creatures. Susan Tellem, co-founder with Marshall Thompson of American Turtle Rescue (ATR), states, “These gentle animals have been around for about 200 million years, yet they are rapidly disappearing as a result of the exotic food industry, habitat destruction and the cruel pet trade.� They believe that turtles may be extinct within 50 years and suggest ways to increase their chances for survival for future generations: ■Never buy a turtle or tortoise from a
pet shop; it increases demand from the wild. â– Never remove turtles or tortoises
from the wild unless they are sick or injured. â– If a tortoise is crossing a street, pick
it up and gently place it on the other side in the same direction it was headed. â– Write legislators about keeping
sensitive habitats preserved. â– Report cruelty or illegal sales to a
local animal control shelter. â– Report the sale of any turtle or
tortoise less than four inches long, which is illegal throughout the U.S. For more information, visit Tortoise.com or Facebook.com/AmericanTortoiseRescue.