Sustainability - Our Green Health

The Advantages of Organic Farming Vastly Outweigh those of Conventional Farming

13/10/202105/05/2021 by Tom van Oosterhout

The advantages of organic farming vastly outweigh those of conventional farming. However, the conversion from conventional to organic food production is one of the most challenging endeavors of the 21st century.

To illustrate the truth of both these arguments, I will explain what the challenges are of the conversion. I use the results from a research assignment two of my colleagues and I performed in 2002 and 2003 in The Netherlands.

A provincial board decided to join the national endeavor for an organic agricultural area of 10% in 2010. The most obvious expansion of organic agriculture in this province is that of organic dairy farming.

Attract Wildlife to our Garden to Promote Biodiversity in a Diverting Way

10/10/202130/04/2021 by Hannie Mommers

Global biodiversity is in decline. Apart from all the major culprits of this decline, the way we want our gardens to look is also contributing. So even when this is just a small share, why not attract wildlife to our garden to help biodiversity?

In narrow-occupied areas in the Netherlands and Spain, and probably in other countries as well, the owners tile their small stamp of a garden with ceramic tiles or even concrete slabs. There will certainly be insects and birds in such a bare area from time to time. However, they will be gone in no time.

Go for a Green Lifestyle and Invest in Powerful Future Generations

28/04/202128/04/2021 by Tom van Oosterhout

Why go for a green lifestyle and invest in future generations? Perhaps the more important question is, how to go for a green lifestyle. And why for future generations?

The answer to this second question is fairly simple. When we want to go for a green lifestyle, this can only be achieved with major disruptions to our personal lives. This is why we have to start to dream about our green future, and with this dream in mind make small steps to get there. But where do our dreams start?

Imagine no Possessions? Some can, and Develop Extraordinary Ideas

26/04/2021 by Hannie Mommers

On a website, I read a very negative story from someone who accused John Lennon of being unrealistic. Imagine no possessions? That person couldn’t imagine life without possessions being possible and “John Lennon was naive anyway to think it was possible”.

Others have an open mind and come up with surprising solutions. Such a person is the German-Dutch architect Thomas Rau.

I first heard about his ideas during a study day at the Mosa ceramic factories in Maastricht, the Netherlands. Mosa is a company that is already advanced in shaping the circular economy. Rau goes one step further than the circular economy. I’ll explain how in this article.

9 Tips to Reduce Packaging for Consumers (and Listening Producers)

04/10/202123/04/2021 by Hannie Mommers

The first time I wanted to order at Amazon I waited until I had 5 items I needed. I could have saved myself the trouble because these items were delivered on several days by 4 different deliverers. And the amount of plastic I had to throw away afterward was HUGE.

Instead of complaining, being wiser after some eye-opening conversations I had with businesses about customer service, I decided on my own strategy to reduce packaging: “I used my feet” and searched for more environmentally aware shops.

How Clothing and Health are Related in Unusual Ways

04/10/202121/04/2021 by Tom van Oosterhout

The opening sentence of the book Clothing and Health: An Elementary Textbook of Home Making, is: “Our clothes are important for they help to keep us well. … Sewing is an art that all girls should learn. If we know how to sew, we can keep our clothes in order and always be neat and attractive in appearance.”

The book was published in 1920 and exclusively targets girls. In 1920 in the US, women spent over a billion dollars a year on textile materials alone.

To be neat and attractive, are not the only arguments the book introduces to explain why women should know how to sew their own clothes. Arguments that still carry some weight from our perspective: to know how to sew would make women aware of the costs of clothes, and the durability, and whether the clothes are comfortable. Perhaps it’s good to add that this also applies to men.

Easy Sustainable Living Ideas – Pick 1 or 2 and Start Living Green

09/07/202114/04/2021 by Hannie Mommers

In How do we Personally Try to have a Sustainable Lifestyle? I listed the 45 sustainable living ideas we practice at the moment. Some still take effort, the rest we have been doing for so long it has become second nature.

Here I am listing other ideas to go even more green. In reality, this article is mainly written for ourselves as a reminder and inspiration – sorry reader – although I do hope I am able to inspire you as well. 🙂

Apart from the ideas I have myself, I have browsed the internet and listened to the tips friends gave. A great source was this article: 100+ Simple Tips To Live A More Sustainable Lifestyle.

Conventional Farming versus Organic Farming: the Unfair Comparison

18/09/202109/04/2021 by Tom van Oosterhout

Conventional farming versus organic farming is an unfair comparison. Hannie and I are organic fans. For us, organic is the only truth about food. We want conventional farming to convert to organic, and we want this NOW. Some very relevant questions need to be asked about conventional farming. We also need more organic converts.

Farmers, the agricultural industry, and many consumers believe that the conversion from conventional to organic agriculture is too complicated. Most people shy away from complicated, specifically when it comes to food. The responsibility is firmly put in the hands of the government. However, most governments make unfair comparisons between conventional and organic farming.