Stories by Jill Richardson

Jill Richardson is the founder of the blog La Vida Locavore and a member of the Organic Consumers Association policy advisory board. She is the author of Recipe for America: Why Our Food System Is Broken and What We Can Do to Fix It.. subscribe to Jill Richardson's feed

Have Corporations Hijacked the Word 'Sustainable'?

Posted on: Jan 26, 2011, Source: AlterNet

Why we should not let Monsanto and friends decide the standards for sustainability.

Do We Have to Live Like Peasants to Be Truly Sustainable?

Posted on: Jan 4, 2011, Source: AlterNet

There has to be a happy medium between living as a poor peasant in an adobe hut and living in a McMansion while driving a Hummer. But how do we find it?

Leaked Memo Sheds Light on Mysterious Bee Die-Offs and Who's to Blame

Posted on: Dec 10, 2010, Source: AlterNet

The culprit may be a pesticide that the EPA has allowed on the market despite the fact that the company which makes the pesticide has failed to prove it is safe.

Bluefin Tuna's High Price Tag (up to $100,000) Means They've Been Fished to the Brink -- Can We Save Them?

Posted on: Nov 22, 2010, Source: AlterNet

This week an international commission is meeting to determine the fate of the Atlantic bluefin.

Why the Biggest Thanksgiving Lie May Be the Turkey on Your Table

Posted on: Nov 19, 2010, Source: AlterNet

As our food has become more processed and industrialized, so has Thanksgiving dinner. Sadly, it's the turkey itself that has changed the most since the time of the Pilgrims.

While U.S. Politicians Play Dumb About Climate Change, One Country Is Being Pushed Past the Tipping Point

Posted on: Nov 19, 2010, Source: AlterNet

Many Americans hardly feel the impact of the climate crisis. To see the impact of the climate crisis on a daily basis, head south to Bolivia.

Industry Front Group Gets Taxpayer Money to Convince You to Eat Pesticide-Laden Food

Posted on: Oct 7, 2010, Source: AlterNet

Thanks to the USDA, your hard-earned money has been given to a special interest group representing giant agribusiness and its pesticide company cohorts.

Are Organic Eggs Really Healthier and Tastier and from Happier Chickens than Conventional Eggs?

Posted on: Oct 5, 2010, Source: AlterNet

In the best cases, the eggs are healthier for you, and more ecologically and humanely produced than the conventional alternative. But which are the best?

Which Are the Healthiest and Most Sustainable Fish to Eat? Here Are Three Ways to Find Out

Posted on: Oct 1, 2010, Source: AlterNet

It used to be so easy to choose your fish, based on taste, availability and price. Not anymore.

Why Your Natural, Organic Soap, Cosmetics and Other Personal Care Products May Be Bad for You

Posted on: Sep 20, 2010, Source: AlterNet

Personal care products can contain harmful ingredients. Even some labeled 'natural' and 'organic' aren't that good for you. Here's how to find the real deal.

The Creepy Science Behind Genetically Engineered "Frankenfish" About to Enter Our Food Supply Unlabeled

Posted on: Sep 13, 2010, Source: AlterNet

This salmon would be the first genetically engineered animal to enter the U.S. food supply, and the science behind its approval process is frightening.

Out of Control Egg Producer Flouts Regulations: Consumers Deal with 500 Million Salmonella-Tainted Eggs

Posted on: Aug 24, 2010, Source: AlterNet

This problem extends beyond the egg industry and is typical of nearly every sector of food and agriculture.

How Your Toothpaste, Soap and Make-Up Can Harm Your Health

Posted on: Aug 20, 2010, Source: AlterNet

Triclosan and triclocarban are widely used in antibacterial soaps, body washes, deodorants, lip glosses, dog shampoos, shave gels and even toothpastes.

The Pet Food Charade -- Pet Food Marketing Targets Pet Owners Emotional Needs and Not Pets' Health

Posted on: Aug 16, 2010, Source: AlterNet

Much of what determines pet food ingredients and labeling claims is marketing to pet owners and not the needs of actual pets.

Is the News Coming From the Gulf Too Good To Be True? Unfortunately, Yes

Posted on: Aug 10, 2010, Source: AlterNet

Thad Allen may be struggling to find the oil, but that's not because it's all gone.

The Ploy to Promote Genetically Engineered Seeds and Pesticides to Poor Mexican Farmers Is Impoverishing Their Communities

Posted on: Aug 6, 2010, Source: AlterNet

The author takes a trip to Mexico to see the 'green revolution' firsthand -- and what she finds is shocking.

Why Is the Obama Administration Parroting Monsanto Talking Points?

Posted on: Jul 18, 2010, Source: AlterNet

Something's very wrong when the chief scientist at the USDA says we'll have to start farming parks, forests and golf courses if we don't switch to biotech.

Meet the Food Industry Front Groups That Push for Carcinogens in Your Food

Posted on: Jul 6, 2010, Source: AlterNet

Pseudoscience, front groups and smear campaigns against scientists questioning industrial agriculture are used to convince the public that chemical-ridden food is safe.

Tater Tots Aren't Vegetables: Why Do We Feed Our Kids Crap?

Posted on: Jun 24, 2010, Source: AlterNet

School lunches are a big part of many children's diets, yet the system is under-financed and USDA guidelines are warped. So what will we do about it?

Life After Oil: Cuba Can Teach Us How to Live Without Our Dirty Fossil Fuel Addiction

Posted on: Jun 18, 2010, Source: AlterNet

The crisis in the Gulf is only the most recent reminder that we have to begin imagining a post-carbon future.

Is Our Obsession with Weight Misguided? Here's What Really Matters When It Comes to Good Health

Posted on: Apr 12, 2010, Source: AlterNet

A popular author says that fitness, nutrition and socioeconomic status are far more important than weight in determining health risks.

What You're Eating Could Make or Break Our Planet -- 7 Principles of a Climate-Friendly Diet

Posted on: Apr 4, 2010, Source: AlterNet

Anna Lappe talks about her new book "Diet for a Hot Planet" and explains how to change our diet so it becomes part of the solution, not the problem.

Behind the Shady World of Marketing Junk Food to Children

Posted on: Mar 22, 2010, Source: AlterNet

Marketers spend billions attracting kids to junk food they hope will become a lifelong brand attachment. But the effect on kids' health can be costly.

Outrage in San Francisco: City Gives Residents 'Organic' Compost Containing Toxic Sewage Sludge

Posted on: Mar 4, 2010, Source: AlterNet

The city's actions are a wake-up call that the entire nation regularly consumes foods grown on fields fertilized with sludge.

Are School Lunches Setting Kids Up for Obesity and Poor Nutrition?

Posted on: Feb 24, 2010, Source: AlterNet

The Obamas are taking on childhood obesity by tackling problems with the National School Lunch Program. But will their fixes be enough?

Does Fair Trade Coffee Lift Growers Out of Poverty or Simply Ease Our Guilty Conscience?

Posted on: Feb 10, 2010, Source: AlterNet

Is the Fair Trade movement just a marketing scheme or does it truly provide a living wage for coffee growers?

Shrimp's Dirty Secrets: Why America's Favorite Seafood Is a Health and Environmental Nightmare

Posted on: Jan 24, 2010, Source: AlterNet

The environmental impact of shrimp can be horrific. But most Americans don't know where their shrimp comes from or what's in it.

Too Fat to Serve: How Our Unhealthy Food System Is Undermining the Military

Posted on: Dec 14, 2009, Source: AlterNet

Americans have become so overweight that a large percentage of young people no longer qualify for military service. How did we get here?

White House Garden Won't Make Up for Obama's Nomination of Pesticide Lobbyist for US Chief Agriculture Negotiator

Posted on: Nov 25, 2009, Source: Commonweal Institute

Obama's statements about food and agriculture trend moderate to progressive, but his nominations for top positions in his administration tell a different story.

The Battle Over Raw Milk: Let's Ditch the Hysterics and Give People a Choice

Posted on: Oct 28, 2009, Source: AlterNet

Few foods provoke such strong reactions (for and against it) as raw milk. Find out why.

Is Whole Foods Sustainable or Just a High-Priced Hoax? I Took a Job There to Find Out

Posted on: Aug 17, 2009, Source: Ig Publishing

Was Whole Foods truly sustainable, or was it just a high-priced version of the same food one could find in a conventional supermarket?

Is Obama's Plan for Tackling Hunger Just Another Chance for Big Ag and Biotech to Cash In?

Posted on: Aug 10, 2009, Source: AlterNet

There's good reason to fear that Obama's new global food security effort may do more harm than good for the world's hungry.

Salmonella in Peanut Butter, Melamine in Milk -- How Do We Know What's Safe to Eat?

Posted on: Feb 24, 2009, Source: AlterNet

One can go vegetarian, buy organic, or avoid processed foods, but it is hard to truly avoid all of the dangers that lurk in our food.

Corporations Have Big Plans to Profit from Global Warming

Posted on: Oct 6, 2008, Source: AlterNet

A bunch of multinationals have figured out how to make their pollution-based businesses seem like the solution to the climate crisis.

Pet Food Politics: Why Our Pets Still Aren't Safe

Posted on: Sep 9, 2008, Source: AlterNet

The author of <i>Pet Food Politics</i> exposes how the '07 pet food crisis happened and why it is a sign of a larger problem with our own food system.

Are Organic Foods Getting Too Pricey for the Middle Class?

Posted on: Aug 28, 2008, Source: AlterNet

Even Whole Foods and its upper-middle-class customers are feeling the pinch.

Is Your Organic Food Really Organic?

Posted on: Aug 6, 2008, Source: AlterNet

Imported foods found with unacceptable pesticide levels have drawn attention to the USDA's shoddy certification process.

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