Hi – my name’s Tony. My good friend Alex has called on me to add some turbo charge to his blog. I hadn’t planned to get involved – it just happened! Truth be told, it’s probably my own fault. Originally, I had planned to concentrate on writing feature articles, such as the one I wrote recently on The Organic Answer to Climate Change. But last week I let Alex know that the Organic Guide blog was in need of a dash of pepper (and maybe a few other organic spices!) To my surprise he agreed. He asked me to start writing regularly. So, here I am.

Who am I? I’m basically just an Australian guy that loves to look after his physical, mental and spiritual health. As far as I can tell the best way of doing that is to ramp up on the organic side of life, increase your vitamin intake, minimize the nasty chemicals, get a moderate amount of exercise and practice your faith.

At the moment I live in Sydney but I also spend quite a bit of time in San Francisco, where I’m heavily involved in the music and entertainment industry.

I don’t profess to be the world’s leading expert on organic standards or anything. In fact, some of my friends might even question why I’m writing about organic living at all. You see after graduating as a Chemical Engineer from The University of Sydney I worked for a few of the big fellas (multinationals) that were churning out some of the least organic, most putrid, chemically-enhanced food products you’d ever care to look at. But no more! I’ve been on the dark side and vowed never to return. I’ve witnessed first hand just how ugly large-scale manufacturing can be. To be honest, I don’t know how I did it for the four years that I did.

I guess if you were to describe me in a nutshell you’d probably say that I was a social activist, neo-classical, anti-GMO, organic-living guy that loves music with all his heart!

By the way, if you’re wondering about the “I’m blogging here…” reference in the right hand sidebar, it wasn’t my idea. I’ve got to thank Alex for that one! Dustin Hoffman’s my favorite actor and I’ve been known to watch (and re-watch) Dustin’s movies like they’re going out of style. Marathon Man, Midnight Cowboy, and All The Presidents Men are probably the three greatest films ever made… according to me!

Ciao – Tony

Climate change has brought with it a raft of terms that, unless you’re involved in the field, are unlikely to be common knowledge. To co-incide with the release of The Organic Answer to Climate Change, I thought it might be useful to provide a glossary of commonly used climate change terms. Even though the list is by no means complete it does provide a decent lead into the topic. Like it or not, it looks like we’re all bound to hear a lot more about climate change in the years to come. If you’re keen to learn more right now, you might like to check out Dr Glen Barry’s Climate Ark Blog and also the Climate Change Action blog. Both of these are excellent resources. In the mean time, here are those terms…

Abatement – Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, or enhancement of greenhouse gas removal from the atmosphere by sinks.

Afforestation – Planting of new forests on lands not recently forested.

Biosequestration – The removal of atmospheric carbon dioxide through biological processes, for example, photosynthesis in plants and trees.

Carbon capture and storage – Technology to capture and store greenhouse gas emissions from energy production or industrial processes. Captured greenhouse gases have the potential to be stored in a variety of geological sites.

Carbon – Carbon refers to the six major greenhouse gases.

Carbon dioxide – A naturally occurring gas; it is also a by-product of burning fossil fuels and biomass, other industrial processes and land-use changes. It is the principal anthropogenic greenhouse gas that affects the earth’s temperature.

Carbon dioxide equivalent – A standard measure that takes account of the different global warming potentials of greenhouse gases and expresses the cumulative effect in a common unit.

Carbon footprint – A measure of the greenhouse gas emissions attributable to an activity; it is commonly used at an individual, household or business level.

Carbon market – A generic term for a trading system in which countries, organizations and individuals buy or sell units of greenhouse gas emissions in an effort to meet limits on emissions.

Carbon offset – carbon offsets represent reductions in greenhouse gases relative to a business-as-usual baseline. Carbon offsets are tradeable and often used to negate (or offset) all or part of another entities emissions.

Carbon sequestration – The long-term storage of carbon dioxide in forests, soils, oceans or underground. Studies have found that organic farming has the capacity to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store as soil carbon.

Carbon sinks – Natural or man-made systems that absorb and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, including trees, plants and the oceans.

Climate change – As defined by the UNFCCC, a change in climate that is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and that is in addition to natural climate variability over comparable time periods.

Cogeneration – The production of two useful forms of energy such as high temperature heat (for hot water or space heating) and electricity from the same process. Also known as combined heat and power.

Deforestation – The conversion of forested land to an alternative, non-forest use.

Emissions – The release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

Greenhouse effect – The trapping of heat by naturally occurring heat-retaining atmospheric gases (water vapour, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane and ozone) that keeps the earth about 60 degrees farenheit warmer than if these gases did not exist.

Greenhouse gases – Gases that cause global warming and climate change. The major greenhouse gases (GHGs) are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulphur hexafluoride.

Hydrochlorofluorocarbons – Compounds containing hydrogen, chlorine, fluorine and carbon atoms. Although ozone depleting substances, they are less potent at destroying stratospheric ozone than CFCs.

Hydrofluorocarbons – Compounds containing only hydrogen, fluorine and carbon atoms. They were introduced as alternatives to ozone-depleting substances in serving many industrial, commercial and personal needs. HFCs are emitted as by-products of industrial processes and are also used in manufacturing.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – Established in 1988, the IPCC surveys worldwide scientific and technical literature and publishes assessment reports that are widely recognised as the most credible existing sources of information on climate change. The IPCC also works on methodologies and responds to specific requests from the UNFCCC’s decision-making bodies.

Kyoto Protocol – An international treaty negotiated under the auspices of the UNFCCC. It enetered into force in 2005. Among other things, the Protocol sets binding targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by individual developed countries to be met within the first commitment period of 2008-12.

Low-emissions technology – Technology which produces a product with minimal greenhouse gas emissions. The term is commonly used to refer to power generation technologies (such as renewable, nuclear and clean coal generation), but applies equally to other sectors including transport and agriculture.

Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) – A group of artificial chemicals comprising only carbon and fluorine. These chemicals were introduced as alternatives, along with hydrofluorocarbons, to the ozone-depleting substances. PFCs are also emitted as by-products of industrial processes and are also used in manufacturing.

Reforestation – Conversion of land used for purposes other than forestry to forested land.

Sequestration – The removal of atmospheric carbon dioxide, either through biological processes (for example, photosynthesis in plants and trees).

UNFCCC – United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. An international treaty adopted after the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 and aimed at achieving the stabilisation of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.

For me, one of the disturbing trends associated with the festive season is the increasing levels of credit card debt that many of us feel compelled to rack up in order to show our affection for friends and loved ones. It doesn’t need to be that way. In fact, there are some strong arguments to suggest that it shouldn’t be that way. With the exception of children, who tend to fall victim to the strain of peer pressure and the relentless bombardment of advertising from toy companies and department stores, most of us are happy at this time of year with modest, thoughtful gifts. If you’re struggling for ideas, and you’re keen not to face January 2008 with astronomical credit card bills, hopefully some of these “spend time not money” gift ideas can help make the festive season a genuinely celebratory experience.

Take an older friend to the local farmers market – a trip to the local farmers market, while not a novelty for everyone, might be a fantastic way for some older folk to enjoy your company and the atmosphere of the market. Farmers markets’ are a great place to interact, share stories, and learn from some of our older folk. It’s also a great place to pick up some fresh produce to cook up a storm upon your return home.

Arrange a visit to an organic farm – visiting an organic farm, depending where you live, provides a great opportunity for children to see what life is like on a farm. There’s nothing quite like seeing the face of a young child who’s seen a cow for the first time. Many children who live in urban areas only have very limited opportunities to connect with nature these days. Consequently, many of them haven’t seen the scale and beauty of a working organic farm. Why not arrange a day trip, perhaps arranging for a couple of families to take the trip.

Support a good cause – buy a friend membership of their local organic association. It’s a great way to meet like-minded people and may just start them off on a fantastic journey of organic discovery.

Reduce food miles – the typical Christmas meal for an average family could have travelled 49,000 miles – equivalent to two journeys around the world and releasing 37kg of CO2. Why not sign a friend up to a local organic box scheme for a few weeks in the New Year and see if they like it? If they’ve over-indulged during the festive season, it’ll help them in their efforts to detox.

Introduce organic produce to a friend for Christmas – bake them an organic cake, select some organic food from the markets, or purchase them an organic basket or hamper.

Start a small organic vegetable plot – a great way to introduce basic biological concepts to children. And when the garden starts producing fresh produce, there’ll be the associated health and lifestyle benefits of eating fresh, wholesome organic produce. Besides, you and the children will have a lot of fun.

These are just some ideas. There are many, many more ideas out there that won’t assist credit card companies in their efforts to become richer. Perhaps at this time of year, we owe it to ourselves – and others – to reflect on the reasons we feel the need to hand over expensive store bought gifts that we’ve sourced from the local multi-level shopping mall. Could it be that we’re trying to over-compensate for not having spent enough time with the people we really love and care for?

The history of cane sugar has been shaped to a large extent by the plantations of the West Indies, Pacific Islands, and several regions within Latin America. Iturbe, Paraguay has recently distinguished itself as the official headquarters of the Asociación Agricola Cañera del Sur. Since the emergence of democratic government in 1989, agricultural cooperatives have become central to the lives of Paraguay’s primary producers, including those involved in the organic sugar sector.

For a variety of reasons, most sugar producers are not in a position to raise the capital required to modernise operations and secure their access to international markets where organic products are desperately sought. Smaller producers have generally missed out on the assistance provided through officially sponsored programs and there have been significant barriers on account of deficits in regional infrastructure.

Sugar cane processing depends upon availability of milling equipment and the technical expertise which has often forced small scale farmers into individual contracts with mill operators who thereby exploit their stronger negotiating position. The majority of Paraguayan sugar cane farmers work on mixed plantations which may include cotton, soybeans, corn, and other vegetables. The Asociación Agricola Cañera del Sur negotiates on behalf of its members to promote equitable opportunities for community development and access to international markets. In practical terms, this has resulted in the maintenance of local roads, educational opportunities for children, and improved medical services for rural workers.

In partnership with Fairtrade, The Asociación Agricola Cañera del Sur is able to provide a higher income and better lifestyle for many of its members. Fairtrade has also provided valuable assistance in selected development projects and the transition between conventional and organically certified agricultural enterprises.  

To follow up recent comments on the importance of cooperatives within the organic sector, it seems fitting to identify then describe a selection of these.

Organic Valley is the US based producer’s cooperative which is currently representing more than 1100 farmers, or approximately 10% of the organic farming community nationwide. Together, these farmers contribute organically certified foods such as milk, cheese, eggs, meat, soy milk, juices, and gluten free products.

In their promotional material, Organic Valley are prepared to distinguish themselves from the corporate influences which control many of the food resources distributed throughout the US today. Based on their alternative business model, Organic Valley seeks to support the integrity of rural communities and the farming units which are typically based on families on the land.

From each producer’s perspective, membership entails a commitment to the philosophical aims and democratic principles of the cooperative. Members are invited to serve on regional committees which participate in cooperative governance and marketing. A national Board of Directors is also elected to oversee the wider policy and goals of the organization.

One example of Organic Valley policy is their profit sharing model which aims to recognize the important contributions of several stakeholders. Farmers, employees, and local communities are directly provided with financial incentives to maintain their standards for ensuring quality food production. In addition to these financial incentives, farmer members can apply for additional support in management, certification, planning, and professional development.

Like other successful cooperatives, the needs of retailers and consumers are prioritised by ensuring quality products, sustainable practices and optimum supply characteristics. These determinants are almost entirely based on research and familiarity with local markets. It is a fact that some consumers will also consider the wider impact of environmental stewardship when supporting a cooperative like Organic Valley Family of Forms.