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Cutting down on milk and meat protein are top ways to lower an individual's carbon footprint, said Janet Ranganathan, VP of science and research at the World Resources Institute. She is the lead author of a report published today that explores how dietary changes in the world's wealthiest nations can affect the environment. The average American consumer is eating 83 grams of animal-based protein a day, well above the daily recommended amount of 51 grams. The research calls for bringing that overconsumption back in line with global average levels. Using computer modeling, the report's authors calculated that if 2 billion...

(VIDEO-AT-LINK)Pushing pause on that mission to simplify, McDonald's has moved in the other direction and unleashed a whole family of different-size Big Macs. Yesterday, the original size was joined by smaller and larger extremes in two test markets, Dallas and central Ohio. Columbus Business First reports the trio will remain on store menus until June 6, at which point the chain will see how customers reacted. At the more petite end is the new Mac Jr., a single-layer sandwich supposedly designed to be easier to eat, although the menu has six plain, smaller-size burgers already. The largest size has been...

First, don't be intimidated, because it's easy! Easy Method:1 4-5lb Corned Beef Brisket from the market in the Cryo bag1/4 cup black pepper corns1/4 cup Coriander Seeds2 Tbsp Mustard Seed1 Tbsp Garlic PowderDirections:1. Unwrap brisket, rinse and soak in large pan of fresh cold water for 1 hour2. Combine all seeds and pepper corns into a coffee grinder and grind courseAdd to little bowl with other ingredients and stir. That's your rub.3. Remove brisket, dry thoroughly and cover in the rub. Let sit in fridge for 1-2 hours...dry4. Start you smoker during this time. Smoke at 250deg (I use mesquite,...

The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you. This thread is non-political, although you will find that most here are conservative folks. No matter what, you won't be flamed and the only dumb question is the one that isn't asked. It is impossible to hijack the Weekly Gardening Thread. Planting, Harvest to Table(recipes)preserving, good living - there is no...

East Setauket [Long Island, NY] farmer, Bob Benner and his family have learned to live off their 15 acres of land since 1977. "We learned, made, and had our own heat. We made our own food. We made our own clothing. We raised a garden," he said. With six mouths to feed on a tight budget, Benner began raising certain farm animals as a source of food. Over the years, Benner's farm has evolved into a popular attraction for strawberry picking, birthday parties, and class trips for kids. Which is how Kimberly Sherriton, a mother from Commack, got involved with...

Last fall Michigan lawmakers passed and Gov. Rick Snyder signed a package of bills aimed at protecting franchise businesses from a ruling by the National Labor Relations Board. The ruling was unprecedented, with the American Bar Association saying that it would mean “an end to franchising as we know it.” Franchises – McDonald’s restaurants are the best-known examples – involve a local business, a “franchisee,” that licenses brands and trademarks from another company, called a ‘franchiser.” Trade association experts say this popular business model accounts for nearly 500,000 Michigan jobs. Earlier last year the NLRB ruled that franchisers like McDonald's...

ARLINGTON, Iowa (Reuters) - Tim Burrack, a northern Iowa farmer in his 44th growing season, has taken to keeping a wary eye out for unfamiliar vehicles around his 300 acres of genetically modified corn seeds. Along with other farmers in this vast agricultural region, he has upped his vigilance ever since Mo Hailong and six other Chinese nationals were accused by U.S. authorities in 2013 of digging up seeds from Iowa farms and planning to send them back to China. The case, in which Mo pleaded guilty in January, has laid bare the value -- and vulnerability -- of advanced...

Head to the far side of the 19th arrondissement in Paris, on metro line 7. Walk across a large, grimy square and look for a tall set of metal doors under the highway overpass. When you see the bright green painted pony, you’ll know you’ve arrived at the Freegan Pony restaurant. It’s clearly not your usual Parisian dining locale. In fact, it’s an illegal squat, set in a cavernous dark space. It’s as urban-gritty as it gets, furnished with long wooden tables, sofas and cushions, dimmed lights and occasional loud music. Since it opened last November, the restaurant has been...

Here’s one way to grow food in an urban environment: Raise a school of tilapia in a tank. Filter out the nitrogen-rich waste, and let naturally occurring bacteria transform it from ammonia into nitrate. Run that naturally derived fertilizer beneath the roots of greens, herbs and peppers. Let the veggies flourish beneath LED lights. Harvest the vegetables. Later, harvest the fish. Cook and serve. Known as aquaponics, this complicated but efficient ecosystem is the latest attempt at making agriculture commercially viable in New York City—even though it has a spotty history, a not-quite-proven track record and plenty of skeptics. “We...

Popular Dallas food reporter Stacy Fawcett has died, PEOPLE confirms. In a statement obtained by PEOPLE, the Plano Police Department confirmed that Fawcett, 45, and her son Josiah Utu, 17, both suffered fatal stab wounds early Friday when Fawcett's eldest son 19-year-old McCann Utu Jr. attacked the pair before stabbing himself. After the incident, a male suspect contacted police, telling the 911 operator that he had committed murder. Officers were then dispatched to the home in Plano, Texas – a suburb 20 miles north of Dallas – where they "made entry into the residence and discovered a deceased adult male...

To control the spread of lionfish, ecologists and chefs are trying to make it a mainstream meal option. American seafood enthusiasts have spent years dining on salmon, shrimp, and the occasional mahi mahi. Now a new, rather unexpected fish is starting to creep onto menus and into seafood shelves at supermarkets: lionfish. MORE FROM CIVIL EATS Civil Eats How One Visionary Changed School Food in Detroit What Happens When You Teach Math in the Garden? 5 Things to Know About the Congressional Battle over School Lunch As a growing number of people become aware of the vast environmental havoc this...

I worked for several years in a large office that included many people who were originally from other countries. We had people from India, the Philippines, China, Korea, and Africa; and our office potlucks were amazing. I first tasted Ethiopian food at one of those parties, when a young woman made 'Siga Wot', a spicy beef stew; and 'Injera', the spongy, fermented sourdough bread that is used to scoop up other foods, and sometimes used as a sort of 'plate'. To make Siga Wot, you must first have Berbere, a spicy seasoning used in many Ethiopian dishes. There are many...

The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you. This thread is non-political, although you will find that most here are conservative folks. No matter what, you won't be flamed and the only dumb question is the one that isn't asked. It is impossible to hijack the Weekly Gardening Thread. Planting, Harvest to Table(recipes)preserving, good living - there is no...

Many urban homeowners increasingly desire to keep small flocks of chickens in their backyards, and with good cause. There is no reason every family in this country that can run a flock of chickens in their backyard should not. This perfectly logical and reasonable habit—backyard chicken farming—has been buried under a great deal of hipster elitism (from many of the backyard chicken farmers themselves) and sneering derision (from their critics). Please try to ignore these detractors. If you can play host to backyard chickens, you should. It is, in many urban localities, easier said than done. This normal and praiseworthy...

I just wanted to share another FREE ebook at Amazon that I thought our Free Republic readers might enjoy. It's titled Survival Prepping: When it hits the fan, have a plan. It has some good information. Again it's FREE. There are so many good readers here, I wanted to share it. If you get a chance to leave a review that would be great but not required. The kindle has opened up a new way of keeping and reading books and I hope you enjoy the information. Enjoy! It will be FREE for the next 5 days.

The past 40 years have seen an unprecedented increase in the number of obese adults worldwide, climbing to about 640 million from 105 million in 1975. If the current trend continues, about one-fifth of adults will be obese by 2025. The rate has more than doubled for women and tripled for men, according to a new analysis published in the Lancet. Under the present trajectory, the chance of meeting a goal set by the World Health Organization to halt the increase over the next decade is, according to the study, “virtually zero.” Behind the global spike is greater access to...

A chain where business is all about moms was just named the best pizza restaurant in America. Papa Murphy’s ranks as America's favorite pizza chain, according to Market Force Information’s annual quick-service-restaurant study. This is the third year in a row that Papa Murphy's has snagged the top spot — despite the fact that its sales are nowhere near Papa John's, Domino's, or Pizza Hut's.

The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you. This thread is non-political, although you will find that most here are conservative folks. No matter what, you won't be flamed and the only dumb question is the one that isn't asked. It is impossible to hijack the Weekly Gardening Thread. Planting, Harvest to Table(recipes)preserving, good living - there is no...

“For the past 10 years, bread has been under attack.” Professor Zhou Weibiao, a food scientist at the National University of Singapore, isn’t wrong. According to current nutritional thinking, white bread is digested too fast, spikes blood sugar levels and is linked to obesity. In short, it’s the enemy of healthy eaters. Weibiao’s answer to this problem? He’s invented a purple bread. Rich in cancer-fighting antioxidants, digested 20 percent slower than regular white bread and made entirely of natural compounds, it could be the first superfood of the baked goods world. The great bake off A long-time staple food, bread’s...

I was exploring the 3,084-passenger Ruby Princess, docked at the World Cruise Center in San Pedro, when I stumbled across a dessert display and tasting -- a wondrous thing to chance upon, especially given that the theme was "Chocolate Journeys." Spread out in front of me were hundreds of dreamy desserts in all varieties of chocolate: white, milk, dark and sweet. I saw truffles, cakes, mousses, cupcakes and pastries. Multiple trays were festooned with dozens of tiny chocolate confections, each a silky, rich work of art. My ship had truly come in. As sweet and wonderful as it was, the...