Sweden Opens World’s First Mall for Repaired and Recycled Goods

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A new generation of recycling has now gone from local drop-off centers to a shopping mall that sells only repaired or upcycled products. The new recycling establishment, ReTuna Återbruksgalleria, has nothing to do with the fish; instead, it was named after the Swedish town in which the building is located, Eskilstuna, Sweden. The facilities contain both a recycling center and a shopping mall. Customers can donate the items that they no longer need, then shop for something new – all in one stop. Dropped off goods are sorted into various workshops where they are refurbished or repaired accordingly. Products are then sorted into 14 specialty shops that include furniture, computers, audio equipment, clothes, toys, bikes, and gardening and building materials; all garnered from second-hand products.

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Being an Environmental Optimist When Things Seem Bad

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I wasn’t born an optimist. At least I don’t think so. Not sure what the balance of nature versus nurture is, but until my mid-20’s, I was one of those annoying people that had a knack for finding the worst-case scenario in every situation. There was a tectonic shift in my world-view not long after I made it through the quarter century mark. And I began what has been another quarter century plus challenge to retrain my neuropathways to seek out the positive in all situations. Most days, the glass is half full; some days my opinion on the status of the water in the glass is neutral; and occasionally, the glass is just dry (heavy sigh) — the plight of human existence? Here are 6 ways to be an environmental optimist despite the sometimes tragic and overwhelming news.

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Paul Stamets Holds The Patent That Could Destroy Monsanto And Change The World!

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In 2006, a patent was granted to a man named Paul Stamets. Though Paul is the world’s leading mycologist, his patent has received very little attention and exposure. Why is that? Stated by executives in the pesticide industry, this patent represents “the most disruptive technology we have ever witnessed.” And when the executives say disruptive, they are referring to it being disruptive to the chemical pesticides industry.

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The Greenhouse of the Future — Grow Your Own Food Year-Round With This Revolutionary System

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With drought, economic instability, erratic weather and interruptions in transportation a very real threat, it really doesn’t take much to have the food supply disrupted. As the famous proverb says: “Necessity is the mother of invention.” Taking this proverb and running with it, a team of innovators from Quebec, Canada have developed an eco-friendly and exceptionally cost-effective solution to our food woes — The Greenhouse of the Future. Combining the principles of Earthships, aquaponics and passive solar greenhouses, Gendron — along with friends, Christian Désilets and Curt Close — designed and built a radically different food growing system. Not wholly surprising, they christened it The Greenhouse of the Future.

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A GMO Label That Doesn’t Say “GMO”?

Republicans and Democrats on the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee have struck a deal that would create the first nationwide standard for foods containing genetically modified organisms. Under the agreement, consumers may still have difficulty figuring out if the food they are buying is genetically modified because it wouldn’t mandate printing “GMO” on the exterior. Instead, the agreement would offer three options for disclosure: text on the packaging, a symbol, or an electronic link that would direct consumers to a website for more information.

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Study Finds Climate Change Threatens Global Nutritional Health

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A study launched last week in the Lancet found that as many as 529,000 people may die as a result of changes in diet, weight, and health due to climate change impacts on food production. This study is a first and critical step forward in examining how those climate-induced impacts on food production will in turn affect nutrition and health.

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How Student-Run School Gardens Are Gaining Ground as a Teaching Tool

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Student-run vegetable and herb gardens are an “entry point” to enjoying school more and diving deeper into subjects. Studies have also indicated that children who grow their own food are more likely to eat fresh fruits and vegetables; additionally, research shows links between gardening and higher student achievement in science. Here are many organizations that encourage schools around the world in supporting students in cultivating gardens.

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Here’s Your Exclusive Interview with Nell Newman: Women As Game Changers Summit

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Nell Newman is the daughter of actors Paul Newman & Joanne Woodward and co-founded Newman’s Own® Organics: The Second Generation® with her father in 1993. Here’s an exclusive interview with Nell Newman as part of the “Women As Game Changers” Summit.

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How To Do Organic Food on a Budget

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Whether you have more time than money, more money than time or you’re on a budget and busy, here are some ways you can begin to incorporate eating healthy, organic food into your life while not breaking your bank.

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Picturing Women Farmers

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Audra Mulkern writes and photographs “The Female Farmer Project” — a chronicle of in-depth stories about the rise of women working in agriculture across the country and around the world.

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