Go Organic

Organic Ice cream in Boulder

2007-09-06T09:49:00.000-05:00

If you were wondering about the long gap between my last post and this one, it is only because we were in Colorado for about 10 days. Its a wonderful place, especially in the Rockies. One starts to realise what is at stake, in terms of environment, when one is upclose to the nature. Anyways, while we were in Boulder, CO; we came across a wonderful, small, family-owned Ice cream shop, which specialised in making yummy organic ice creams. It is appropriately named as BLISS. They have a wide variety of ice cream flavors and my personal favorite is Ginger. If you stay in Boulder area, I will say you are lucky to have this shop so close to you, but if you are just visiting Boulder, I will suggest you visit this shop for your ice cream dessert.

Here is a link to their website- http://blissorganic.com/blissful/index.html

Environmental effects of Insecticides/Herbicides

2007-07-31T15:32:00.000-05:00

Use of artificial chemicals, such as herbicides and pesticides has increased over the years. This has known to cause a lot of problems to, both, our environment and us. In my last article dated May 31, 2007, I cited numerous scientific studies, which informed us about the dangers of using these chemicals on our health. In this article, I am going to try and elucidate how these chemicals harm our environment.

A study performed by researchers in Southern Illinois University, concluded that the quantities of organophosphorus pesticides present in the environment could be harmful to the yellow-legged frog, Rana boylii.
In a Chinese study, effects of using acetochlor and urea, both when mixed together and by themselves, on earthworms were evaluated. The study concluded that toxicity of acetochlor increased with concentration and higher urea concentrations were strongly toxic to the earthworms. At higher concentrations, a combination of urea and acetochlor had a synergistic toxic effect.
A paper published in Greece discerned the different aspects of honeybee poisoning with anticholinesterase insecticides.
A Brazilian study positively concluded that the herbicide Roundup adversely affects the reproductive function of wild ducks by altering the structure of the testis and also by changing the hormone levels in serum.
A Polish study observed that exposure of Cyprinus carpio (a fish) to a concentration of Roundup 20-40 folds lower than that used in practice caused numerous changes in the Mitochondria suggesting that Roundup is harmful to the fish.
According to a study perfoemed in Brazil, during pregnancy and lactation, rats exposed to Roundup produced male progeny who had decreased sperm count and increase in sperm abnormalities along with dose-related decrease in serum testosterone levels.
In yet another study from Brazil, maternal exposure to sulfentrazone was concluded to cause neuromuscular and behavioral problems in rat pups.
A study conducted on Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells in India concluded that use of cypermethrin (Type II pyrethroid), dichlorvos (organophosphate) and pendimethalin (dinitroaniline herbicide) chemicals caused DNA damage and cytotoxicity.
A Hungarian study performed on chicken embryos concluded that administration of herbicide containing 2,4-D along with cadmium led to embryo mortality and along with copper led to developmental anomalies.
A study conducted in Germnay, studied the effects of metazachlor on aquatic macrophytes (water plants) and concluded that a single exposure of metazachlor to these plants had long-term effect on the aquatic ecosystem.
Atrazine a commonly used herbicide in USA was shown to be an immune disruptor in northern leopard frogs.
A Hungarian study conducted to study effects of pesticides and their photo degenerative products on soil microbes concluded that the pesticide caused significant changes in the soil microbiota.
A study performed in Mexico on Nile tilapia (a fish) using diazinon, an organophosphorus pesticide, concluded that the pesticide is immunotoxic to this fish.
Effects of chlorpyrifos (an organophosphate) and deltamethrin (a pyrethroid pesticide) on rats was studied by a team in Turkey and they concluded that both pesticides caused liver damage, which was dose dependant and that deltamethrin caused more damage than chlorpyrifos.
Zebrafish were used to study the effects of organochlorine pesticides by a team in Brazil. The results showed that these pesticides had an effect on growth and gill morphology of the zebrafish.
Effects of carbofuran (carbamate insecticide) and diazinon (an organophosphate insecticide) on the flight times of homing pigeons was studied by a team in US and they concluded that carbofuran had a more pronounced increase on the flight times of the birds as compared to diazinon and was dose-dependant.
As concluded by authors of a study conducted in US, extended exposure of mice to two pyrethroid pesticides (deltamethrin and permethrin), resulted in increased DNA fragmentation, which is a marker for apoptosis (programmed cell death) via a pathway involving dopamine.

Use of artificial insecticides and herbicides has been increasing over the years. Most scientific studies describe the horrifying effects of these chemicals related to short term exposure compared to the number of years of use. The adverse effects of rampant use of these harmful chemicals over long term needs to be evaluted but in the mean time awareness needs to be generated among the common population regarding the harm done by use of these chemicals.

To read in detail about the studies presented in this article please click here.

Organic Pesticides contd...

2007-06-30T18:01:00.000-05:00

Recently, I attended a class which was on environmentally friendly pest control both inside and outside the house. Here is what they thought us:

Inside the house, use boric acid powder mixed with sugar as a bait for ants.
For spiders, vacuum your walls which have spider webs and you will have reduced their sheltering areas.
For most bugs outside (including ants), use orange oil as per the recommended directions.
When using orange oil, pepper or garlic containing sprays, always apply during cooler temperatures to avoid burning your plants.
Neem oil is extreamly efficient insect repellant too.

Organic Insecticides/ Pesticides

2007-06-12T11:34:00.000-05:00

In my last article I presented a case against using chemical insecticides, pesticides, herbicides etc... So now the question arises as to what organic methods can be used to control these problems. Every gardener/farmer has to deal with some or the other pests and weeds, there is no escape from that. But there are ways to deal with these problems without causing harm to ourselves or to our planet.

Here I will give you a list of organic insecticides available in the market or may be prepared at home. I do not have any particular brand as my choice, so you can pick any brand but just ensure that it says it is organic and check the list of ingredients. Also follow the exact directions suggested on the label. Most insecticides should be sprayed in the relative cool temperatures of early morning or late evening.

Commercial Methods:

Horticultural oil- This is a refined petroleum oil which is sprayed onto the leaves. It suffocates the insects and is relatively less toxic to humans or animals. Can cause plant leaves to burn if applied inappropriately.
Insecticidal Soap- One of the safest pesticides which can also be used on vegetables. These soaps are made of Sodium (Na) or Potassium (K) salts of fatty acids. When they come in contact with an insect, they cause the outer covering to collapse, for this reason, the insecticidal soaps are not effective once dried. They can cause plant burn if applied in excess or during hot afternoons.
BT (Bacillus thuringiensis)- This is a bacteria which is sprinkled on a plant. When the insects eat this powder, the BT toxin is produced by the bacteria in their stomach and causes the insect to die. Although safe for humans and animals, this is a very slow acting medium and hence may not be always desirable. Also it sometimes causes irritation.
Neem- This is derived from the seed of the neem tree fruit. It is sprayed on to leaves and is considered to be safest for humans. It stops the insect from maturing to adult stage, thereby preventing further insect damage. Neem should be applied during the evening hours for maximum benefit and to prevent the active ingredients from degenerating.
Pyrethrins- It is derived from Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium and is either available as a powder or in solution. This is fast acting insecticide which acts by poisoning the insects. It may also kill beneficial insects.
Potassium bicarbonate- Prevents fungal growth and can be used as a preventive method. It can remain effective for longer periods (2-3 weeks) but can also cause plant burn if applied in excess or during hot spells.

Home-made methods: Use on a weekly basis.

Soap spray- Use 2 tbsp of dish detergent in a gallon of water and spray on to plants. Do not spray too much or else you might harm the plants.
Salt spray- Use 2 tbsp common salt in a gallon of water on plants.
Garlic spray- Finely chop or mince a garlic bulb and add to a gallon of water. Add finely chopped 15 hot chilli peppers or Jalapeno peppers to this mixture. Let sit for a day, strain and spray on to plants. This spray can be stored in refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.
Garlic and mint spray- Finely chop 1 garlic buld, 15 hot peppers (red or green chilli), 1 cup fresh spearmint and add to a gallon of water. Stand for a day and strain. If needed store in refrigerator for upto 2 weeks. Add 2 tbsp liquid detergent and spray on plants. This is wide range insect repellant.
Turmeric can be added to any of this sprays to further enhance the bug repellant properties.

If you know of any other organic methods which work, please let me know. Your suggestions will help other organic gardeners or farmers too.

Fun Game

2007-05-31T15:57:00.000-05:00

Whew...After writing that long and very scientific article, I thought of having some fun. So here is a fun game to play in your next party. Take 2 bowls. Add in one bowl diced organic tomatoes and in the second bowl add diced conventionally grown tomatoes. Make sure that both organic and traditional tomatoes look and feel the same and label your bowls in a discreet manner. For example A for Organic tomatoes and B for Traditional tomatoes or vice versa. Do not let anyone know about this.

Now, when your party starts ask each guest to taste the tomatoes in both bowls separately and to let you know as to which ones were more flavorful.

Most of the food connoisseurs will guess correctly that organic tomatoes have more flavor. If you don't trust me try your first experiment on your spouse. ;-)

Harmful effects of traditional farming

2007-05-31T15:26:00.000-05:00

In traditional farming, a farmer uses wide variety of chemical pesticides, herbicides, etc... to get better crop yields. Over the years, these practices have been shown to be consistantly harmful to not only the environment but also the humans. This article will deal with the harmful effects of conventional farming on human health. Numerous studies have been performed to discern these harmful effects and here are a few examples:

In one study, exposure to organophosphorous and carbamic pesticides was linked to increased amount of depression in young children.
In another study, chlorpyrifos (organophosphate) and deltamethrin (pyrethroid) pesticides were shown to have dose- dependant effect on oxidative damage and damage to liver in rats.
In yet another study, phosphamidon, a pesticide, seemed to be toxic on male reproductive system of albino rats, if exposed for prolong period.
A study conducted in Thailand on exposure of DDT during infant growth in womb showed that DDT had some effects on the levels of thyroid hormones in infants.
In a study performed by researchers in Sweden, exposure to persistent organochlorine pollutants via diet was found to have harmful effects on the fertility in couples.
Arsenic is used in wide variety of herbicides. Japanese researchers found that MMAS (an arsenic metabolic intermediate) found in the blood of chronic arsenic poisoning patients caused extensive oxidative damage leading to cell apoptosis (suicide) in rat livers.
Exposing human trophoblastic cells to methoxychlor and DDT (known endocrine disruptors) resulted in disruption of calcium uptake by these cells leading to cell apoptosis. This was speculated to be the pathway by which the endocrine disruptors caused harm during the fetal development.
In a German study, DDT was found to be neuroendocrine disruptor as well as a functional teratogen in humans, meaning it had harmful effects on brain development and mental capacities in later life.
A Brazilian study conducted on individuals exposed to pesticides, showed that the exposed individuals had high rates of chromosomal aberrations compared to non-exposed individuals.
Imidazole fungicides were found to induce histamine release by a non-immunological mechanism in rat mast cells and cause airway constriction in guinea pigs, indicating that they can be harmful to humans if inhaled.
Maneb, an organomanganese fungicide, was found to have a depressant-like effect on central nervous system in mice.

Thus, conventionally grown food is not only harmful to the farmers who practice it, but also harmful to general population when they consume it. Organic farming practices do not allow the use of harmful chemical pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, etc. For these reasons organic produce can be said to be safe for human health.

Click here to read in detail about the studies mentioned in this article.

Will Organic food cost me whole lot?

2007-05-07T11:27:00.000-05:00

The simple answer to this question is depends on your eating habits. I am a Lacto-Ovo- Vegetarian, what it means is I eat- Dairy, Eggs and Vegetable based products only and no meats, fish etc.., because of this I cannot say how much it will cost you if you eat meat or fish on a daily basis.
Over the past 2 years, we have not noticed a substantial rise in our monthly grocery bills. I feel one of the reasons for this is that our restaurant trips have reduced to once or twice a month. All the money I save from a restaurant trip, which will serve me greasy food, I blow it on Organic food, which will be healthy and fun for me. ;-)
I know it may not seem possible for all of us to completely stop eating outside due to our busy life-style but believe me it is not impossible. There are a lot of good, healthy recipes which don't take more than 20-30 mins and for recipes which take longer time, try to use pre-cut or frozen ingredients (although buying pre-cut means, getting reduced nutritional value). Some of the other tricks involve buying canned beans without preservatives or chemical in it, making recipes which use quick stir-fry rather than slow-cook method.
For the last 2 years, I have tried lots of new recipes, some of which I improvised some of which I gave up after the first try, just because they were not worth the efforts. There are a few recipes posted on Indian Recipe Club which are quick and healthy. Most of my recipes involve fresh ingredients but you may substitute frozen, canned or pre-cut as per your convenience.
Last but not least, there are days when you just feel tired or lazy and you don't want to do anything in the kitchen, for these days make a list of fast food joints (Eg- SubWay) or restaurants which serve comparatively less greasy and healthy food and enjoy your day off ;-)

What does USDA organic certified mean for you?

2007-05-06T12:54:00.000-05:00

According to USDA defination, Organic food must be produced with emphasis on renewable resources and conservation of land and water.
Organically grown plant-based food should not use most conventional pesticides, fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge. Bioengineering (another term for Genetic engineering, GM for short) or ionizing radiation cannot be used to produce plant-based food.
Organic animal-based food such as meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products should come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. These animals should be fed with organic feed only.
Here is USDA's defination of Organic-
http://www.ams.usda.gov/NOP/Consumers/brochure.html
USDA also has defined its standards for plant and animal based foods here-
http://www.ams.usda.gov/NOP/FactSheets/ProdHandE.html
If you want to know more about what those organic symbols and number on your food mean check out the following link-
http://www.ams.usda.gov/NOP/ProdHandlers/LabelTable.htm

Why Organic?

2007-05-05T19:52:00.000-05:00

Have you ever wondered what exactly is organic? and whether it is really beneficial or just another trend? I went through these same questions couple of years back and over these years I have found that Organic food is beneficial. I know sceptics of organic trend will just shake their head but before you say 'Here we go again' I urge you to read on.

The two most important reasons why one should eat organic are:

Does not harm your health
Good for our planet Earth

On the first point, I do not know how beneficial organic food is, but I do know that all those pesticides and insecticides on traditionally grown plant food are not good for you. More about this in the following articles. Organic animal food is even better that traditional animal food, in that, there are no growth hormones, antibiotics, pesticides etc... Detailed articles about this topic will follow soon.

On the second, now that most of us are learning more about Global warming, we also know that non-organic pesticides, insecticides, herbicides etc... cause a lot of damage to the earth. They pollute our water systems, are harmful to lots of animals, and this does in the end land up causing harm to us. More about this in future articles.

So just on the basis of these two general points, I hope some of you will GO ORGANIC!!!!!