Green Options » almonds

Global Honey Bee Population Increasing, Despite Local Losses

Michael Ricciardi — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:34:52 +0000

Foragers coming in loaded with pollen on the hive landing board.

In 2007, large commercial beekeepers started reporting big drop-offs in their bee colony populations. By 2008, estimated colony losses of between 30 and 70% were being reported, as a flurry of bad news about bees made the media rounds.

The loss since then of over 40% of the nation’s commercial honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies–most seemingly due to so-called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD; caused most likely by the IAPV virus)–ushered in predictions of dire consequences for valuable crops around the world due to a lack of pollinators.

But a recent analysis of global honey bee populations (by Aizen and Harder*) shows a 45% increase in total numbers since 1961. The data for this analysis came from a global database of managed honeybees. The same researchers note, however, that the global stock of honey bees is growing slower than the global demand for them–which comes primarily from the cultivation of “luxury” crops like fruits and nuts. The the year round demand for items like cherries, mangoes, almonds and pistachios is far out-pacing world-wide production, leading to the perception of a shortage of pollinators.

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Almond Industry Goes Nuts for Solar Power

Tina Casey — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 01:26:07 +0000

A leading California almond processor, the Minturn Nut Company, has completed the installation of a 403 kW solar power system on its main warehouse facility in Le Grand, California. The system was designed and installed by Cenergy Power, a specialist in agricultural solar applications. California supplies all - that’s right, all - of the almonds grown in the U.S. and almost 80% of the world’s almond supply. With Minturn handling more than 50 million pounds of almonds last year alone, it’s only a matter of time before other almond growers follow Minturn’s leap into sustainable energy.

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Vegan and Vegetarian Protein Builders

Lucille Chi — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 09:21:36 +0000

If you are a vegan and want to build up your protein intake here is a guide to grains, beans, nuts, and veggies that will help. Remember to seek out local and organic whenever possible.

Grains and beans are a truly remarkable way to add protein to a meat and dairy free diet. Quinoa (pictured in a field above) has nine grams of protein. Tempeh is a vegan food that has 41 grams of protein in a cup. Sometimes it is made from cultured organic soybeans, water, organic barley, organic brown rice, and organic millet, like this lightlife tempeh. Here are more grain facts:

Quinoa (shown growing in the image above) has 9 grams of protein
Bulgur, cooked into cup has 6
Brown rice, cooked into a cup has 5

Sunflower seeds make great additions to salads. 1/4 cup of sunflower seeds (pictured below) has six grams of protein.

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Eating for Energy - 5 Helpful Foods

Amy Bell — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 21:28:23 +0000

The foods we eat have a direct impact on our overall energy.

Think about how you feel after having certain foods.

A greasy fast food meal more than likely leaves you tired, sluggish, and possibly feeling guilty, while a meal full of complex carbohydrates, healthy protein and fats, and fresh fruits and vegetables leaves a person feeling satisfied and energized.

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How to Make Homemade Almond Milk

Tiffany Washko — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 18:26:18 +0000

I am not a big fan of pasteurized milk, even organic. It just seems like milk flavored water with much of the nutrition and all of the enzymes being killed during the pasteurization process. For several years now we have opted to buy raw milk or make homemade almond milk instead. Both are much healthier and easier on the stomach. Conventional milk is not an option for me in fact as the moment I drink I get dehibilitating stomach aches. To me this means I just shouldn’t be drinking it.

Making almond milk is incredibly easy once you get your system down and my kids think it is incredibly delicious. They will drink it straight, add it to cereal, or use it to make chocolate milk or banana milk smoothies. Since I use raw organic almonds, I get to rest easy knowing that their milk, or “mylk” as many refer to it, is healthier for their little bodies and healthier for the planet. Nuts are an essential fuel for the body too. To make it I just follow these simple steps:

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How to Handle the Peanut Butter Recall? Try Almond Butter Instead.

Mary Casper — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 22:36:13 +0000

With each of the recent salmonella outbreaks, I seem to develop a mysterious, if wholly unfounded, distaste for the culprit in all its manifestations. When it was spinach, I switched my salad to Caesar and stocked up on romaine. Then with tomatoes, I let my sandwiches suffice with crunchy cucumber instead. Despite the guidelines that usually accompany a recall, I’m happier to just abstain from the afflicted species for awhile until the buzz dies down

Now with peanut butter on the outs, you may find yourself seeking a B-list nut butter just to be safe. Technically speaking, jars of peanut butter are still in the clear. The thing is, peanut butter is already the lowliest of the nut butters and actually a legume butter, despite its popularity in the American market. So consider this latest epidemic an opportunity, if you will. If you’re with me, I’d like to introduce you to a more sophisticated escort to that jam in your sandwich: butter from almonds.

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Natural Remedies for Morning Sickness

Jennifer Lance — Mon, 12 May 2008 13:08:54 +0000

About 50% of pregnant women suffer from morning sickness during their first trimester. If you have suffered from the nausea and vomiting like I did throughout both of my pregnancies, you know it isn’t really “morning” sickness, but all day sickness. My midwives were wonderful at suggesting natural remedies to ease my suffering. The following suggestions for herbs, foods, and lifestyle practices are from my own personal experiences and from a great list of natural remedies posted on Mothering.

Herbs that Alleviate Morning Sickness

Ginger is well-known for its nausea reducing qualities, and many women have had success with ginger tea for relieving their morning sickness. The herb I found most useful was peppermint. I drank my own blend of herbs for a pregnancy tea (I’ll be posting that recipe soon!), and the peppermint really made me feel better. You can drink the tea cold or hot, depending on what makes you feel better. Fennel seeds also relieve queasiness, whether in tea or simply chewing on the seeds. Slippery Elm is another herb that may calm your stomach.

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