Category: Health

By Mercy Baron

Without a doubt, the gourmet food truck scene is one of the hottest trends rolling right now in the gastronomical world. Between the TV offerings of, The Great Food Truck Race on The Food Network, and Eat St on The Cooking Channel, to President Obama tweeting about his fave truck in D.C., (D.C. Empanadas) you just can’t get any more au courant with a hopefully, long lasting fad.

It all started just a short four years ago here on the West Coast, with the Kogi BBQ truck in Los Angeles. I remember reading about it when I still lived there and was hoping to catch up with it someday, but never did.

In the beginning of 2010, the Southern California Mobile Food Vendors Association (SoCalMFVA) was created, becoming the first organization started to protect the rights of gourmet food truck owners.

by Jill Richardson / PR Watch / August 28, 2012

A decade and a half after farmers began planting the first genetically engineered (GE) crops, the future is clear. The scientists who pioneered genetic engineering thought of themselves as environmentalists, creating products that could reduce pesticide use. Instead, they have simply perpetuated the same “pesticide treadmill” as their pesticide-peddling counterparts resulting in the application of a greater volume of ever more toxic pesticides.

By John Lawrence / San Diego Free Press
I wrote a previous article in the San Diego Free Press about genetically modified (GMO) foods. One might ask, “What is the purpose of genetically modifying a food item.” Is it to enhance the flavor? Is it to make it more nutritious? Well, no, not really.

The sole purpose of modifying corn and soy products is to make them resistant to pesticides and herbicides. Monsanto’s Roundup Ready soy seeds grow into plants that will not be killed when Roundup is sprayed on the soy field which kills every other thing in the field EXCEPT the Roundup Ready soy plant.

How is climate changing?

Warming of the climate system now is unequivocal, according to many different kinds of evidence. Observations show increases in globally averaged air and ocean temperatures, as well as widespread melting of snow and ice and rising globally averaged sea level. Surface temperature data for Earth as a whole, including readings over both land and ocean, show an increase of about 0.8°C (1.4°F) over the period 1901-2010 and about 0.5°C (0.9°F) over the period 1979–2010 (the era for which satellite-based temperature data are routinely available).

Nuclear expert Daniel Hirsch speaks on Saturday, August 25, 2012

The crippled San Onofre nuclear reactors pose an unacceptable and unnecessary risk to our environment and our communities. They leave Southern California Edison ratepayers footing a 670.8 million dollar bill for critically-flawed steam generator equipment.

Professor Daniel Hirsch, will speak on “The Risks of Restarting the Damaged San Onofre Nuclear Plant” at two presentations, on Saturday, August 25, 2012. Both programs are free and open to the public.

The daily fishwrap conducted a poll very recently of foodies’ choices of Mexican fast-food establishments. And our Robertos’s on Voltaire received an ‘honorable’ mention by Charles Kaufman, baker, owner of Bread & Cie Café, and here it is:

The Roberto’s in Ocean Beach. I go off on their fish taco. If you’re in an “I don’t want to eat healthy” mood that’s the place you want to drive-thru. I love it.

Today, Tuesday, August 21st, there is an important meeting of the Steering Committee of the San Diego Airport Authority group that oversees land use in the airport area.

There is a draft plan being discussed that potentially allows for 50 plus more plans per day, more noise, more airplane routes and over more areas. Formally called the Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan (ALUCP) Steering Committe, it will meet today

By Eugene Davidovitch / Americans for Safe Access

BACKGROUND: On October 7, 2011, at a press conference in Sacramento, US Attorney Laura Duffy, along with several other US Attorneys, announced a statewide crackdown on medical cannabis cooperatives, collectives, gardens, and others.

Without citing any specific violations in state law, Duffy’s office claimed all were out of compliance and would be targeted for eradication including those fully licensed and regulated by local government and law enforcement.

By Anthony Gucciardi / Natural Society / August 18, 2012

Monsanto is doing its absolute best to ensure that you do not know what you are putting into your mouth, now confirmed to have donated $4.2 million in an attempt to fight the California GMO labeling initiative that could very well put them out of business. You see, if people actually knew that they were consuming genetically modified ingredients, they would simply stop buying the engineered products on a massive scale. Monsanto simply cannot have that, which is why it is doing its best to squash any possibility of a successful labeling initiative (along with a conglomerate of corporate entities).

It is already well known that the general public is highly supportive of GMO labeling in general, with many polls finding that around 93% of the population is supportive of knowing what is in their food.

Monsanto’s genetically modified sweet corn will soon be arriving on grocery store shelves of the world’s largest retailer, Walmart Stores, Inc., and will not be labeled as such. Despite an onslaught of consumer pressure, the company confirmed late last week with the Chicago Tribune that it has no objection to selling the new crop of Monsanto’s genetically modified (GE) sweet corn.

For more go here.

Editor: The following was lifted off People’s online newsletter.

This month, Ocean Beach People’s Organic Food Market celebrates its 40th year as a retail vegetarian grocer.

Our story began in 1971, when a group of liked-minded people met at a beachside picnic table to discuss the idea of creating a place where the community could purchase whole, minimally processed, organic (when available), vegetarian food at affordable prices.

Today, as a bastion of sustainable and environmental living practices, People’s operates out of a 12,000 square foot, award winning “green” building, providing the very best in organic and vegetarian food.