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It may not be as eco as you think

The Cornucopia Institute, an organic watchdog organization, has released a report (PDF) on the "organic-ness" of 68 dairy name brands and private labels. While cow-conscious consumers might assume that the word "organic" on the label means that their milk mustache comes from a happy cow grazing in non-pesticide-laden pastures, that's not always the case; guidelines for organic certification can be variously interpreted, and the USDA is lax on enforcing regulations. Says the Cornucopia press release:

[The report] profiles the growth and commercialization of organic dairying and looks at the handful of firms that now seem intent upon taking over the organic dairy industry by producing all or some of their milk on 2000- to 6000-cow industrial-style confinement dairies.

The report finds that while the majority of name-brand organic producers do hold to high legal and ethical standards, 20 percent garnered a "one-cow" substandard rating (out of a possible five).

A booming, lucrative $15 billion market for organic food and a severe national shortage of organic milk are two factors that industry observers mention as driving the "get organic milk from any source" philosophy.

The top companies -- Aurora Organic Dairy and Dean Foods, which owns Horizon Organic, Organic Cow of Vermont and Alta Dena -- did not respond to the survey that Cornucopia sent out, for which they received a score of no cows. The two producers control 60-70 percent of the organic dairy market.

Read a New York Times article on the report or search for your favorite organic dairy provider on this alphabetical list.

Me and Elizabeth Kolbert

Elizabeth Kolbert is the author of Field Notes from a Catastrophe, based on three well-received articles she wrote for the New Yorker (the articles are no longer available online, but you can read an excerpt from the book here; Grist reviewed it here.) It's a journal of her travels to various parts of the world being directly impacted by global warming, along with a clear-eyed assessment of global-warming politics in the U.S. It's probably the best single book on climate change to date.

I'll be chatting with Kolbert tomorrow. What should I ask her?

The Mustache and Lugar

Chip mentioned The Mustache's latest column here. A couple of people wanted to see excerpts, as it's hidden behind the $elect subscription wall.

The basic point of the column is that "Dick Cheney and Big Oil" have taken control of the energy debate by defining "realism" with ...

... this patronizing, pat-you-on-the-head view about alternative energy -- hybrids, wind, solar, ethanol -- which goes like this: "Yes, yes, those are all very cute and virtuous, but not realistic. Real men know that oil and fossil fuels are going to dominate our energy usage for a long time, so get used to it."

But, he says, there are signs of strain in the Republican coalition. More groups on the right are coming to realize that leaving oil behind -- and fast -- is the only "realistic" option if we want to avoid serious pain down the line.

Mostly, though, the column amounts to, "hey, look at Lugar's speech!" Sen. Dick Lugar (R-Ind.) makes the same points more eloquently. I'm including a long excerpt below the fold, but I encourage you to read the whole thing.

On spiritual environmentalism

A few weeks ago, I sat down for a long chat with Rabbi Michael Lerner. The first half -- most directly related to environmental issues -- is here. The second half, wherein in we discuss general spiritual and theological issues, is below.

In his new book The Left Hand of God (you can read an excerpt here), Lerner says the religious right offers what he calls the right hand of God: a stern authoritarian father, who punishes sin, demands self-reliance, and inspires fear. The political right has gained momentum and adherents in recent years, Lerner says, because only conservative Christianity has been vocally and unapologetically addressing the spiritual needs of Americans, their quest for meaning in a materialist, consumerist culture.

Lerner thinks progressives should offer an alternative: the left hand of God, a loving, nurturing presence that forgives imperfection and inspires a sense of hope and wonder.

Umbra on free-range chickens and eggs

Dear Umbra, I just read your column on organic syrup, and you made a comment about the futileness of the phrase “free range.” I always try to buy free-range eggs and, whenever possible, the same with chicken. Am I wasting my money? Jeff PrittsSt. Louis, Mo. Dearest Jeff, Yes, basically. There is a chance that […]

Rabbi Michael Lerner calls on environmentalists to develop a spiritual vision

As we strolled through downtown Seattle in search of coffee, Rabbi Michael Lerner casually pointed over my shoulder and said, “That’s where I was in jail.” Rabbi Michael Lerner. Photo: Mark Werlin. He was referring to his membership in the Seattle Seven, a group of Vietnam War protesters whose 1970 arrest and trial sparked a […]

Do You CEO What I CEO?

American firms lag on addressing climate-change risks, study finds Looking for a smart 21st-century investment strategy? Consider how 100 of the world’s largest companies are preparing to compete in a “carbon-constrained world.” A new report from Ceres, a coalition of environmentalists and institutional investors, concludes that European and Asian firms operating in countries already regulating […]

At Long Last: More of the Same

Bush administration backs industry-friendly chemical-security rules After years of foot dragging, the Bush administration is now backing federal security regulations to protect the nation’s chemical plants from terrorist attacks — but critics say the new rules may as well have been written by the industry itself. Speaking Tuesday at a forum organized by chemical-industry spokesflacks, […]

The Sound of One Species Clapping

Humans responsible for fastest rate of extinction since dinosaurs Human beings continue to dominate “Survivor: Earth,” voting other species off the island at a blistering pace. “In effect, we are currently responsible for the sixth major extinction event in the history of earth, and the greatest since the dinosaurs disappeared, 65 million years ago,” sums […]

What the Left Hand’s Doing

A conversation with Rabbi Michael Lerner on spirituality and environmentalism As long as the environmental movement neglects the spiritual realm, says longtime activist Rabbi Michael Lerner, it’s going to keep losing. It’s got to go deeper, to offer a more meaningful vision for why people should reorient their lives in ways that are gentler on […]