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From Iowa’s apple orchards, a delicious heirloom and a recipe for stuffing

This column is an excerpt from Friese’s new book A Cook’s Journey: Slow Food in the Heartland.   Truly scrumptious: the “red delicious” apple’s heirloom antecedent.     Photo: Kurt Michael Friese   One cool spring morning about 1880, a farmer in Madison County, Iowa, named Jesse Hiatt was walking the rows of his young […]

Despite industry lobbying, EPA toughens lead pollution limits

Federal regulators announced Thursday a sharp reduction in legal levels of lead emissions, rejecting pleas by industrial battery recyclers who told White House officials earlier this month that they could be put out of business by tough new limits. “Our nation’s air is cleaner today than just a generation ago, and last night I built […]

Florida’s Action Team on Energy and Climate Change unveils full plan to halt warming

The full report from Florida’s Action Team on Energy and Climate Change that we mentioned yesterday is now available. Its release was celebrated today by both business and environmental leaders in the state. The 608-page report outlines 50 specific policy recommendations that the state should enact in order to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. If […]

Tesla ousts second CEO in two years and plans to cut staff

CNET reported on Wed. that Tesla chairman Elon Musk bumped CEO Ze’ev Drori from the top slot and will take over his position while continuing to focus on product development. Drori didn’t last long in the limelight, as he came to the company in late 2007 after Musk ousted the other former CEO and Tesla […]

Green groups to release sustainable sushi guides

Three conservation groups will release their guides to sustainable sushi next week in an effort to inspire sushi consumers to take ocean and species health into consideration when deciding what to eat. “Every sushi restaurant serves some sustainable items. We’ve created the tools so people can find those good choices — and enjoy them!” said […]

Candidates talk energy in the final debate, but don’t stray from their usual talking points

The third presidential debate yielded nothing new from Barack Obama or John McCain on climate or energy policy, but both candidates pointed to an environmental issue to demonstrate their independence from their respective parties. Barack Obama and John McCain. When McCain challenged Obama to name a major issue on which he’s differed with Democratic leaders, […]

Debate climate question

At tonight’s debate, moderator Bob Scheiffer asked a question about energy independence and "climate control" (oy). The answers never really touched on climate at all and quickly drifted far afield from energy. Here’s the exchange, from CNN’s running transcript: Schieffer: Let’s go to — let’s go to a new topic. We’re running a little behind. […]

The hyper-consolidated poultry industry might consolidate even more

Just four companies — Pilgrim’s Pride, Tyson, Perdue, and Sanderson Farms — slaughter and pack nearly 60 percent of the meat-chickens raised in the United States, reported [PDF] the researcher team Mary Hendrickson and William Heffernan.  That dominance gives these corporate giants what economists call monopsony power — the leverage to dictate to their suppliers […]

Tim Kaine and George Allen debate energy and enviro policy on behalf of the presidential candidates

Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, an Obama supporter who was rumored to be on the short list for VP, and former Virginia Gov. George Allen, a McCain supporter, took part in a debate today on energy and environmental issues, speaking on behalf of the two campaigns. Gristmill contributor Miles Grant live-blogged the event, and it sounds […]

Snippets from the news

• U.S. will stop exporting mercury. • Groups release sustainable sushi guides. • Podcars are coming to New York. • Tesla Motors replaces CEO. • Popularity of tap water forces Pepsi to cut jobs. • EPA unveils 2009 fuel economy guide.