55 Varieties of Organic Veggies in New White House Garden

Michelle Obama, along with a class of local fifth-graders, broke ground on the White House vegetable garden yesterday. A number of individuals and organizations have urged the Obamas to make a difference by planting an organic presidential garden, including the petition based organization, The Who Farm, as well as chef and organic food activist Alice Waters. 

Ms. Waters has requested action from the White House for more than 15 years. Until now, a small rooftop garden during the Clinton administration and Laura Bush's order for organic groceries have been the closest answers to her call. 

The 1,100-square-foot White House Kitchen Garden serves a number of purposes and is the first real veggie garden to grace the White House lawn since Eleanor Roosevelt's victory garden more than half a century ago. At least 55 types of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and berries from the garden will feed the First Family and serve as ingredients for all the meals prepared for White House functions.  A portion of the crops will also supply a nearby soup kitchen.

The White House Garden's primary function, however, is to place a priority on healthy eating habits and to improve the health of America as a nation. The First Lady also stresses how important it is to her that her own family has access to a variety of healthy, locally-grown fruits and vegetables. 

Watch the Ground-Breaking Via YouTube

Send a thank you to our First Family for taking the first steps toward change! Remember to visit the Green Connoisseur for the latest information on environmentally-friendly luxury - and don't miss our upcoming feature on Alice Waters in April.

Image credit: Joyce N. Boghosian/The White House

Of Tea and Trade

Tea is both a luxury and a necessity.  A luxury since it cannot be grown anywhere near where I live (except for a small plantation in South Carolina).  A necessity because it carries me through the day, calms when I need calm and excites when I need energy.  

The venerable anthropologist Sidney Mintz, in his amazing book Sweetness and Power, charts the history and significance of sugar production since the Columbian Exchange, but he rightly suggests that we can't talk about sugar without talking about tea, the most important non-alcoholic beverage in the United Kingdom and many of its former colonial holdings.  Tea and sugar, produced through slave labor in the Caribbean, became the mainstays of the English working class, and yet they also represent the refined, the social, and the ceremonial.  In its history, though, controversies have always surrounded the labor used to produce tea.   Given that, it's actually no surprise to see a well-established fair trade movement for tea.  What is fair trade and what is organic, however, don't always connect.  

Convergences do happen: Zhena's Gypsy Tea, which has been at the forefront of the Fair Trade argument, just this week announced  that their new CEO would be Don Gaidano, who led Rachel's Organics and Horizon Foods in the last ten years.   This move comes at an important juncture in the fair trade and organic tea movement. While the acreage being dedicated to organic tea production has risen 44% in the last year, the issue of sustainable labor remains problematic.  Recent case studies and news from  a British Times investigative report suggest that workers on tea plantations in India, Sri Lanka,  Kenya, and Bangladesh are still working under colonial conditions with very little trickle-down of simple benefits like laundry baskets and gas cylinders for cooking.  

At the same time, Assam News in India reports that there is a growing international demand for certain teas, including the traditional Singpho tea, marketed as "Phalap" and grown in Guwahati, which is produced organically.  A joint venture by a local NGO and a private Canadian company, the goal of the project is also to get young workers involved in the overall production process.  It would be great to see that kind of initiative happening in the US market as well: the South Carolina plantation may have good labor conditions, but it is not organic.

One interesting fact about premium organic tea companies is that they are often run by young eco-entrepreneurs.  Two of my favorites, Ocean of Tea and Tea Guys, have energetic and enthusiastic owners who defy the image of staid English matrons or wizened Indian yogis sipping slowly.   While most of their items are well labeled (certified or not), feel free to ask about fair trade labor practices before you order.  Unlike the bigger companies, you will more than likely get an answer!

photo from the website: planet tea

Luv My Woobie! Has Gone Green

Shopping for new parents this holiday season or looking to pamper your precious little one? Today, a great deal of luxury retailers are discovering the beauty, convenience, and benefits of environmental friendliness by utilizing sustainable and renewable materials when creating their retail masterpieces. At the ABC Kids Expo in Las Vegas that recently took place last September, Luv My Woobie, Inc. pulled the curtain back on their Organic Collection of high-end baby products. Now, parents can choose an organic blanket and matching burpie made from eco-friendly cotton fabrics and bamboo – something I've never heard used in the production of children's clothing. Speaking of bamboo, did you know that it is one of the most sustainable and renewable crops in the world? Plus, it is hypoallergenic and antimicrobial. Overall, I think the blankets make a perfect addition to the Luv My Woobie Silk Brocade and Cotton Collections. Each Luv My Woobie! blanket measures 36" x 36" with a convenient pocket and Velcro closure. Satin binding elevates the level of security and comfort for the 'green' baby in your life. Within the Organic Collection, you can choose from three different styles: the Chloe, Jaden and Sage. Green happens to be my favorite color, so the Sage blanket naturally caught my eye. Luv My Woobie, Inc. is also known for satisfying the needs of fashion-conscious mommies, so I'm sure the Chloe will turn a few heads as well.