Sierra Club Green Home

From monoculture to genetically modified crops, Queen of the Sun investigates the ramification of mass-scale agriculture and mobile beekeeping on bee populations. If you are looking for an in-depth examination of American agricultural practices, this film is a must-see. (Photo by Quisnovus, Flickr)

Most conventional pet foods contain animal byproducts that are unfit for consumption. It is important to read the label so you know what your furry friend is eating, with the first ingredient on the list being the most important. (Photo by Kara A. DiCamillo)

By knowing where the coffee process begins and ends, you as an individual can ensure that you are drinking coffee that was produced in a way that is sustainable and does not harm rainforests. (Photo by Shaun McRae, Wikimedia Commons)

Sierra Club Green Home traveled to Sonora, Mexico to investigate the fisheries that provide America’s favorite seafood. We found that shrimp is quickly becoming one of the most environmentally and socially destructive parts of our diet. But how is this so? Where is our shrimp coming from, and why should we care? Most importantly, what can we do about it? (Photo courtesy of Kino Bay Center for Cultural and Ecological Studies)

Earth Day is a great opportunity to appreciate the planet that provides for us all year long. Sierra Club Green Home has seven simple things you can do for the environment this weekend, and hopefully you will incorporate them into your daily life as well! (Photo by Lorraine Elder, Flickr)

The results of a waste-free lunch study by ECOlunchbox show that an average family using throw-aways and pre-packaged foods for lunch spend much more each year than a family that buys food in bulk and packs lunches in reusable lunchware, such as the non-leaching ECO lunch box stainless steel food containers. Yet so often these days we can’t be sure our lunchboxes are nontoxic and waste-free. It is easy to switch to environmentally friendly lunches. Why not do it? (Photo courtesy of ECOlunchbox)

The Basic Tower Garden kit comes with everything you’ll need to get growing including plant food and starter seeds. Harvesting time varies depending on what you’re growing, but because of its aeroponic system, most things can be harvested and on your table after just three weeks. (Photo courtesy of Tower Garden)

The Los Angeles Youth Built Charter School (LA CAUSA) is dedicated to the betterment of students and their home communities in East Los Angeles. Thanks largely to Tony Bautista issues of food justice, green business, bicycle advocacy and renewable energy are central to the school’s approach to improving lives of youth and increasing community health. (Photo courtesy of LA CAUSA)

For those of us who have a daily habit of hitting the local Starbucks each morning, we might be making a habit of hitting their newest chain, Evolution Fresh, for lunch as well. Two weeks ago Starbucks Corp announced that they would be launching a juice bar chain serving fresh and bottled fruit and vegetable juices as well as smoothies. The menu includes wraps, salads, and soups, with plenty of vegan and vegetarian options. (Photo Courtesy of Evolution Fresh)

When trying to conserve water, do you think about what’s on your plate? The fact that a certain amount of water is required for food to be produced is often forgotten, so the United Nations highlighted this fact for World Water Day 2012. This also varies greatly for different types of food. For example, producing one pound of beef consumes 2,400 gallons of water, while growing one pound of wheat requires only 25 gallons. (Photo courtesy of the United Nations)