neyards, founded in 1335, are light and sparkly, just the
ticket for watching fireworks. And check at your farmers' market or look
here
for organic wines made in
your own region. For green grilling foods, read on.
Choose cutlets from a fowl who's led a natural, unconfined, beaks-on life, and meat from cattle who not
only knew what grass is, but spent most of their lives on pasture. We don't want any products from
animals who've been dosed with antibiotics, overuse of which is leading to the rise of
antibiotic-resistant
bacteria
. And we do want the freshest in-season vegetables, free of pesticide residues, grown by local or
regional farmers. Here's how to find 'em:
* Type in your zip code to find local, sustainable, organic meat, dairy and produce from nearby farmers'
markets, butchers, farmers, stores, and restaurants, at the wonderful
Eat Well Guide
site of Sustainable
Table, which also produces the award-wining
Meatrix
film series.
* Look for the following labels on poultry and meat. None permit antibiotics or growth hormones, or
feeding of animal parts to animals.
*
American Grassfed Association
: Cows, sheep, goats eat grass, period, and standards require they
spend most of their lives outside in the pasture. Will soon be third-party-certified by the Food Alliance
(see below).
*
Animal Welfare Approved
: This label, which is exclusive to family farms, guarantess outdoor living to
cows and chickens alike and recently received top ratings from the
World Society for Protection of
Animals.

Certified Humane:
Oddly for a humane label, pasture time is not specified, although comfortable shelter
and gentler handling are. *
Food Alliance Certified
: Sets clear ecologically responsible standards for vegetables, fruits and animal
raising. Pasturage and humane slaughtering are required .
*
USDA Organic
: Better for you, but not necessarily for the animals. They eat only 100% certified organic
grass, corn or grain, but, while they're required to have "access" to pasture, this is not clearly defined
the way it is with the labels above.
Now for that other food issue! In the annals of barbecue, "carbon" could mean either torched meat or
charcoal (charbons de bois, per the French, who will be grilling like mad, too, on July 14th, their own
Independence Day). Nowadays, it also signifies the carbon footprint of our barbecue
fuel
and food.
According to Bon Appetit Management's cool food calculator, which assigns points to the Greenhouse
Gas (GHG) emissions caused by foods, 4,500 points a day is a "high carbon" diet. BAM suggests we try
for more like 2500 a day, or at least reduce our current tally by 25%. Now to the 'cue.
Choose a 4 oz. grilled beef tenderloin and you blow out the top of the BAM thermometer at 7,500
points. Top round, on the other hand, is 4,000 points. But grilled chicken only runs you 579 points and
grilled seasonal vegetables, only 95 points. Try it yourself by clicking
here.

For a quick foodie read, seeTracey Ryder's "A Free-Range, Local Chicken in Every Pot," in the summer
issue of Cliff Feigenbaum's
Green Money Journal
. She's the publisher of
Edible Communities
, a series of
50 regional eating guides with recipes based on local foods.
And Happy 4th of July weekend. Cluck-cluck!
Posted on Jul 3, 2008 at 11:35 AM