Cut flowers are a multi-billion-dollar business globally, closely linked to social events and holidays, such as Christmas, Hanukkah and Mother’s Day, and to happy and sad occasions, like weddings and funerals… And then there’s Valentine’s Day. By Paul D. Larson, University of Manitoba The Conversation In the United States alone, an estimated $1.9 billion worth […]
If you take an interest in ethical consumerism and plan to treat someone special this February 14, what dilemmas lie ahead? You might already be conscious of getting child labour and slave-free chocolate, a recycled card, even fair trade gold, and perhaps vintage or conflict-free diamonds if it’s a very special year. But what about […]
It’s Christmas 2020 and COVID-19 is unfortunately still here. Many people are visiting loved ones, including vulnerable family members. So, to try to keep our loved ones safe during this festive period, there are two questions we need to answer: what’s the best thing to do for me and my family this Christmas? And if we […]
Christmas Eve is almost here, and among the many treats of the season are chocolate and hot cocoa. While these traditions provide a hefty dose of sugar, there’s a bittersweet side to chocolate’s history, too. By Kelley Fanto Deetz, University of California, Berkeley The Conversation This year, at Stratford Hall Plantation in Westmoreland County, Virginia, […]
Environmentally conscious consumers often ask me whether a real Christmas tree or an artificial one is the more sustainable choice. As a horticulture and forestry researcher, I know this question is also a concern for the Christmas tree industry, which is wary of losing market share to artificial trees. By Bert Cregg, Michigan State University […]
If you’re shopping for a live Christmas tree this year, you may have to search harder than in the past. Over the last five years Christmas tree shortages have been reported in many parts of the U.S. Christmas trees at Twin H Tree Farms in Bloomington, Indiana. Indiana University/James Brosher, CC BY-ND By James Robert […]
By now, most of us are aware that much of the food we eat, in one way or another, contributes to the climate crisis. From food production and waste, to food consumption and diets – the way we produce, eat, store, discard, source and harvest our food can all play a direct role. By Ximena […]
Spread the cheer with our holiday themed cards! Print, send, or share them with your friends and family. Happy holidays from NOAA’s Office of Education. We wish you a safe and cozy holiday season. By NOAA Happy holidays! Explore all of the educational materials NOAA has to offer in our resource collections. (Kaleigh Ballantine/NOAA Office of […]
America certainly has an abundance of food, even though many Americans do not. We face a momentous choice of whether to pursue a food future rooted in the ethic of sustainable agri-culture — or one based on the exploitative ethic of agri-industry. By Jim Hightower Otherwords What better symbol of agri-industry’s vision of “food” than the […]
On Thursday, Nov. 26, 1789, George Washington woke early. Assisted by his enslaved valets – William “Billy” Lee and the young Christopher Sheels – he powdered his hair, put on his favorite black velvet suit, tied his white neckwear and donned his yellow gloves. By Maurizio Valsania, Università di Torino The Conversation Finally ready, he […]
If you’ve got one of those families—nuclear or extended—in which talking politics at the dinner table brings out the glares and knives, or you just get bored hanging around the in-laws and outlaws of your own little clan on Thanksgiving, perhaps you can turn the whole affair into a language experiment that everybody can participate in. […]
Sex, income, religion and politics – these are some of the biggies on the list of taboo topics during polite discussion. Even a conciliatory tone doesn’t always protect you if the subjects are spicy. When singer Katy Perry tweeted post-election encouragement to reach out to family members who supported the other candidate, she was skewered […]
Like many people in this unusual year, I am adjusting my family’s holiday plans so that we can all be safe during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. I am an epidemiologist and mother of four with a large extended family. Given the serious nationwide resurgence of COVID-19 infections, gatherings of family and friends over the upcoming […]
Please try to keep in mind as you shop this holiday season: Fair Trade doesn’t just apply to African villagers and Amazon tribes – it also applies to the folks who grow our food here at home. By Jeremy Bloom An interesting note from a farmer who tried switching from big-breasted flightless corporate turkeys to heritage birds: […]
It’s been a weird mixed bag of a year, but we still have a lot to be thankful for… And as we officially enter the season of holiday cheer, holiday shopping and holiday excess, can we all think about the planet, too? By Jeremy Bloom They say that green is the new black, but that […]