The problem with outsourcing ethically-farmed anything to third party companies. This news should shift how ethical fashion operates and considers liability for wrongful marketing.

The New Zealand Merino Company, now rebranded as Zentera, has quietly removed the phrase “world’s leading ethical wool brand” from its website, a notable change that comes after a disturbing investigation by PETA Asia-Pacific into the company’s ZQ-certified wool supply chain, PETA reports to Green Prophet. Zentara, according to its website, supplies wool for 30 leading fashion brands. They are a supplier that CSR VPs have come to rely on for annual and quarterly reports.

They have changed wording on their website and say that their wool is “grown with care.”

ZQ, which now stands for “Zentera Quality,” is Zentera’s official wool certification label, marketed as a standard for animal welfare, traceability, environmental stewardship and social responsibility. Big brands which feature their products as ethical and “kind” are sold by brands including Allbirds, icebreaker, Smartwool (I love their socks), Mons Royale who touts “we are going regenerative!”; and Untouched World, all of which publicly market items made with ZQ- or ZQRX-certified wool.

For years, wool has been sold to consumers as the natural, sustainable alternative to synthetic fibers. But when “ethical” becomes a marketing shield rather than a measurable reality, the industry has a serious credibility problem. (We buy sweaters from babaa in Spain).

If you go to some of the companies that use ZQ wool they are still celebrating the “eco credentials of their suppliers, like with SmartWool, this screen capture taken April 1. This is not April Fool’s.

PETA Asia-Pacific says it went inside 11 farms and shearing sheds in New Zealand that produce ZQ-certified wool, which it describes as “a sham certification standard developed and owned by The New Zealand Merino Company.” According to the animal rights group, investigators found that “shearers kicked, beat, and stomped on sheep and threw them down chutes. One worker slammed a sheep’s head against a hard wooden board three times.”

Green Prophet reached out to Zentera 24 hours ago and there has since been no reply for our request to comment.

The allegations do not stop at the shearing shed.

PETA says that sheep from ZQ-certified farms whose fleece production had declined were later sent to slaughter, including to a slaughterhouse owned by Silver Fern Farms. There, according to the organization, sheep were “forced onto conveyer belts, electroshocked in the head, and violently killed.” In its account of the footage, PETA says the stunning process was at times inadequate and that some sheep appeared to show signs of consciousness after their throats were cut. One worker laughed at dying sheep when blood was pouring from its eyes.

The group says it has submitted evidence from the farms to New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries, calling for investigation and charges over what it describes as apparent violations of animal cruelty laws. Green Prophet has not independently verified the footage or the full scope of the allegations, but the claims are serious enough to put pressure on every brand still using ZQ wool as a reassurance label. We have reached out to Zentera for a comment.

Among the most shocking findings documented by PETA Asia-Pacific were claims that “workers whipped, tackled, and hit sheep with various objects, including a ski pole,” and that “sheep were left with gaping wounds that were stitched up without painkillers.”

“One worker laughed at a sheep as blood ran down their face from an eye injury,” PETA told Green Prophet.

The investigation also describes overcrowding so severe that one sheep was allegedly “smothered to death,” after which “her wool was still shorn to be prepared for sale.” In another alleged incident, “a farmer slit the throat of a conscious sheep after the animal spent days struggling and collapsing. Her body was dumped into a trash pit.”

These are not the kinds of images consumers picture when they buy a merino sweater labeled “ethical.”

And that may be the larger story here.

Fashion has become adept at swapping one moral language for another. “Natural.” “Regenerative.” “Ethical.” “Responsible.” These words can reassure shoppers who want to avoid petroleum-based fast fashion, but they can also obscure what is happening to animals in industrial supply chains. Wool may biodegrade but that does not automatically make it humane.

For brands relying on ZQ-certified wool, the Zentera rebrand raises uncomfortable questions. Was the removal of the “ethical wool” claim a routine repositioning, or a quiet retreat from language that no longer withstands scrutiny?

Either way, the burden now falls on fashion labels, outdoor brands, and luxury houses using certified merino to explain what exactly they mean when they ask consumers to trust them.

Because if “ethical wool” can include animals who are, in PETA’s words, “kicked, punched, killed,” then the label may not mean much at all.

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Remember PETA? The group of animal activists that threw paint on fancy women wearing fur to shame them out of fox stoles and mink?

The same animal rights group – People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals – is once again finding targets for animal abuse and this time it’s H&M. PETA sent Green Prophet a press release that they are filing a shareholder resolution that asks the fashion giant to reinstate a ban on mohair, the fiber made from Angora goat hair.

“H&M can’t claim to care about animals while supporting the mohair industry, which mutilates, whips, and drags terrified goats to their deaths,” says PETA President Tracy Reiman. “The only humane materials are vegan, and PETA is calling on H&M to ban mohair immediately.”  

The move follows a new investigation by PETA Asia, which the group says shows goats being beaten, cut and left injured at farms certified under the Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS), a certification system meant to ensure animal welfare in the supply chain. According to PETA, one of the farms investigated supplies fiber through BKB, one of the world’s largest mohair exporters and a partner to global apparel brands.

The dispute highlights a familiar cycle in the fashion industry. In 2018, H&M suspended the use of mohair after reviewing earlier undercover footage from farms in South Africa that appeared to show rough shearing practices and the slaughter of goats. The company later reintroduced mohair in 2020, saying it would only source the fiber from farms certified under the Responsible Mohair Standard.

“I struggle to understand the contradiction of PETA,” says Alexander Smith, the Founder of Alexander Night, London College of Fashion Bespoke, “they seem to go hard on animal welfare yet they give their PETA certificate to brands who use vegan (plastic) leather, polyester and other synthetic materials that in my opinion cause more harm to animals than the leather and fur industry because they harm every single life form on the planet and will continue to do so for the 100+ years they’re on it.”

PETA argues the certification does not adequately protect animals and is now using shareholder activism to push the issue back onto the company’s agenda. Shareholder resolutions are a tactic increasingly used by environmental and social campaigners to force companies to address ethical concerns at annual meetings.

Peta showed “12 South African farms that revealed goat kids crying out in fear as they were roughly handled and shorn, and a worker slowly cutting the throats of fully conscious goats with a dull knife and then breaking their necks.”

Mohair has long been prized by fashion brands for its soft, glossy fibers used in sweaters, scarves and luxury knits. But it has also become a target for animal welfare campaigns.

According to PETA, nearly 300 fashion retailers have banned mohair in recent years following investigations into the industry. Those companies include Zara, Gap, Banana Republic, UNIQLO and Ralph Lauren, among others.

The question is whether campaigns like this still carry the same influence they once did. In the late 2010s, PETA investigations helped push several fashion houses away from fur, angora wool and exotic skins, accelerating the rise of plant-based textiles and synthetic alternatives.

Today the debate is shifting toward sustainable materials, circular fashion and lower-carbon textiles, where animal welfare is only one piece of a larger environmental conversation.

If you want to shop sustainable fibers, try my favorite sweater maker babaa. I own 3 sweaters. Look for mohair in second hand shops or your grandma’s closet.  Want to get involved? Download this animal empathy kit and share it with your friends.

The post PETA pressures H&M to ban mohair again after new farm abuse investigation appeared first on Green Prophet.

Berlin still feels like the last cool city humans can be human before everything moves into the cloud. We took a five-day family trip with a Green Prophet mindset — low-impact, curious, no interest in polished tourist loops.

Generator Hostel is often recommended as a budget option for families in Mitte. We considered it but felt that Mitte is too far from it all, and instead contacted eco-leaning hotels to see who had space. Circus was full. Orania was almost full and offered a family room for 750 Euros, still well beyond budget. Michelberger, noted for its regenerative farm on the outskirts of Berlin, had two loft rooms available for a family of four, 300 Euro, — booked immediately. The location was excellent, the brunch breakfast was an added 24 Euro each (you can choose each day), and if you have time to linger, this farm-to-table option is worth it.

A cafe on the other side of the hotel offers a great place to have a cappuccino and a buttery croissant. Artists, designers and fashion types also pop in off the streets by day, and to hear DJs (and sometimes) live music by night. At Michelberger you are in the center of it all without leaving the hotel. I’ve never felt that way before, except once at a $10 a night hostel in San Jose, Costa Rica. I am too old for bedbugs and 7 people to a cramped dorm room.

Every other night a bean bag room on the 5th floor turns into a movie house called the Forest Theater, upgrading your trip to the feeling of a global nomad without having to travel to Chiang Mai. We peeked in on a film at 8pm and it was packed.

The loft bed setup in Michelberger made the room feel like a treehouse. We took 2 rooms for a family of 4, but 3 could fit comfortably if you are planning on being out of the room by day. Climbing up into the king bed every night felt like a repeat moment of “okay, I can live like this.” Beds and pillows were excellent.

Note on scent: the hotel uses aromatherapy-type smells in the rooms, lobby and common areas. They’re from natural oils and noticeable. If you’re scent-sensitive, just be aware — it’s part of the Michelberger identity.

Breakfast at Michelberger is a meal you actually remember. Sourdough bread, jams, vegetables, cheese, the best apple I ate in my life,  — a lot of it coming from the hotel’s own farm. It reminded us of farm stays in Sweden like Stedsans: real food, not hotel buffet food. Designers we know travel to Berlin and mark this place as THE place to brunch and we get why.

The Michelberger building used to be an East German factory. Now it’s full of laptops, fashion people, and families like us who are tired of standard hotels. You hear multiple languages at every table. The shared spaces are active but not chaotic. It’s rare to walk into a hotel and feel like you are part of something bigger.

Simple but good touches: Dr. Bronner’s soap in the rooms, mesh shelves, big desks, nothing overly designed but everything considered. My husband says that’s the German way.

The location is ideal — right next to Warschauer Straße S-Bahn and U-Bahn. From there you can get anywhere in Berlin or to the airport without thinking. Michelberger is in the quirky Friedrichshain district and it’s a walk or a two-stop tram ride to the Kreuzberg district.

Berlin from Michelberger — Walkable, Raw, and Full of Side Missions

RAW-Gelände is minutes away — graffiti walls, skate ramps, concerts, bars operating out of shipping containers, and informal market days where Berliners unload boots full of old Doc Martens and Adidas. Bargain and bring a hood or umbrella because Berlin weather shifts every hour.

Once a 19th-century train repair yard (the Reichsbahn-Ausbesserungs-Werk), this abandoned industrial strip is now one of the last true subcultural zones left in central Berlin. Since being taken over by artists and outsiders in the late ’90s, it’s evolved into a graffiti-covered hub packed with clubs, bars, an indoor skate park, a climbing gym, and a Sunday flea market. It feels less like a tourist site and more like Berlin holding onto its rough edges on purpose.

Skatehalle inside RAW is a full skatepark indoors with sessions for different skill levels and even wheelchair sessions. Teens will not be bored.

Dog Shit Park nearby (nickname earned) is where you meet people actually living in Berlin, not touring it. We met Collin there — former snowboard film guy — who said, “You look like you want to skate and spray paint. Why did you come here? Too bad not earlier, I could have shown you the alternative Berlin” in a way only Berlin locals can.

Boxhagener Platz (Boxi) is a short walk — calm park on weekdays, full flea market on Saturdays. RAW on Sunday felt more alive and less curated than the Boxhagener Platz, with stuff that can be bought on a Chinese website and sold as trinkets.

We ate mostly vegan and Berlin makes it easy. 1990 Vegan Living — Vietnamese-style vegan bowls, tofu panko sticks — easy crowd-pleaser. About 100 Euros for a family of 4 including alcohol. You can’t make reservations and if you have a chance, choose a table on the right side if you like action and people watching.

Iro Izakaya (vegan tapas and sake) was my husband’s top meal of the entire trip. It’s supposed to be Japanese but tasted like an Asian fusion restaurant. Also about 100 Euros for a family of 4 dinner. The kids still like ramen, so noodles and Asian food was an easy way for us to please all. A ramen bowl was about 15 Euros. I didn’t love the broth and had much better vegan ramen in Japan. You can’t please everyone all of the time.

Museums weren’t a focus, but the Vintage Computer Museum was a hit (Computerspiele Museum) — kids can actually play old Sega and arcade games without time limits. DDR Museum gave the kids a practical picture of East German life — like a kibbutz apartment but with more 70s wallpaper. It was my way to warn them about Communism.

Useful Stops for Teens and People Who Like Real Shops

• Green Fuzz – non-vintage alt clothing store, actually interesting.

• Wollparadies Fadeninsel – right next door, full of hand-dyed wool, very Waldorf-friendly.

• Voo  – scent and ceramic heaven, items look like they were pulled from a flea market but priced like art objects (just look, don’t commit).

• Search and Destroy Skateshop – for kids who actually skate, not just wear skate brands.

• There are vintage shops everywhere but they feel overpriced for someone who shops vintage in small charity shops in Canada. Even Humana, with its outlets around Berlin are very overpriced. Pop in though if you need a sexy dirndl costume for Octoberfest or a pair of Lederhosen.

Train rides in Berlin double as people-watching. Watch out for BVG tourist passes bought through an app. We made an expensive mistake, spending $250 for a 3-day local tram pass for our family. We mistakenly bought the pass that included museums free of charge, and one of the days all the museums were closed. We hadn’t intended on going to any of the museums that were free with that pass. I reached out to customer service and they said the passes are, sadly non-refundable. Try and research the passes and what you need online before your trip, and I suggest buying single ride tickets the first day you are there, to see if it’s worth for you to buy any passes. In some instances taking an Uber on short trips made it more worth our while.

Beyond that unpleasantness, the trains are great and easy to navigate. A little less easy for me than Japan.

Multicultural, relaxed, with vegan döner and kepap stands at almost everywhere outside of them. We tried Indian food one night at in Oranienstraße at Amrit (not far from the station) and it was forgettable, but a Pakistani taxi driver later told us where the “real” places were— filed for next time.

If You’ve Got a Few Days and Don’t Want the Usual

• Use Michelberger as a base and explore everything within a 20-minute walk before you even consider museums. We heard that the Natural History Museum is great for kids –– the aquarium too. But our kids have travelled to so many large cities from Toronto to Bangkok, where these kinds of copy-paste museums seem to be a carbon copy of each other and a place to go when you need to kill time and not get the true vibe of the place.

• Sit at RAW for an hour or a few and just watch. Get to Holstmarket 25. We didn’t make it, but it’s earmarked for our next stay.

• Let teens spend a session or two at Skatehalle while you explore Boxi or grab coffee. Book in advance so you aren’t disappointed. Skatehalle offers a beginner’s session for kids for 20 Euros on Sunday mornings from 9 to 11. My son loved it. They have a number of drop in times throughout the week.

• Mauerpark on Sunday for markets and karaoke

• Look up what’s on at SO36 or About Blank instead of Googling “best nightlife.” We caught a show with the teens at Prachtwerk. Berlin works better without lists.

• We didn’t get to the Liquidrom or Vabali spas this trip. The kids needed our full attention. Next time we will look for events at the Tempelhofer Feld, an old airstrip turned into a giant public park, and maybe a hike to Teufelsberg in Berlin, a man-made hill in the Grunewald Forest that is home to an abandoned Cold War listening station used by the US and its allies.

• Rent a bike and drive around without a plan.

Michelberger, designed by re-use architects: Jonathan Tuckey Design in 2018, is the best home base if you can stretch to it. From there, Berlin unfolds itself without needing much planning. Don’t sweat it by booking trips.

::Michelberger

The post Stay at Michelberger in Berlin, your home base for the last cool city on earth appeared first on Green Prophet.

In the next wave of regenerative agriculture, the farm is no longer a grid of efficiency but a living circle—with the human spirit at its core. Instead of replacing the farmer, AI and robotics now orbit like silent companions, extending our hands rather than erasing them. A rotating robotic arm moves through the plot not as a master, but as an assistant, guided by ecological intelligence and human intuition. This is not automation for profit—it’s a return to sacred design, where technology becomes humble, circular, and in service to the soil, the grower, and the wider web of life.

During Covid, when the world lost its bearings and I feared the global food distribution system would snap like a dry twig, I did the only sensible thing a mother could do: I built a garden. Not a Pinterest garden, but a functional, wartime-style victory garden (download the original here), a mashup of raised Middle Eastern circular plant beds with permaculture herbs spiraling from the center, borrowing wisdom from desert farmers and American agricultural resilience manuals from the 1940s. We planted beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, molokhia (it grows faster than hemp), lettuce, zucchinis, melons and more.

The reward wasn’t just food security — it was witnessing life return. Birds began swooping low to take a peek and eat bugs during the day, chasing the pollinators that came to kiss the flowers. A watermelon I planted was one day the  size of an egg and then ballooned into a full, striped universe almost overnight, as if showing me how quickly life responds when humans step back and design with respect. Life happens!

Now, in a strange and beautiful echo of my inherited Dutch farming ancestry, a Dutch industrial designer, Floris Schoonderbeek, is proposing a new way to farm — in circles, not squares. They call it Circle Farming, an invention that I see it as a technological reverence for something ancient. Farming in circles in the Middle East isn’t new. Look from above and you will see circular crops irrigated in Libyan deserts. 

The Al Khufrah Oasis in southeastern Libya, near the Egyptian border (photo above is from 2004), is one of the country’s largest agricultural developments and a distinct geometric landmark of pivot irrigation is easily spotted by astronauts aboard the International Space Station. Since only about 2 percent of Libya’s land receives enough rainfall for farming, the project relies entirely on fossil water pumped from a deep underground aquifer. In tandem, the Libyan government launched the Great Man-Made River project to transport these groundwater reserves to the coast to support population growth and industrial expansion.

Today, parts of the system are still functioning, but years of conflict. the death of Gaddafi, and lack of maintenance have reduced its reliability. While water continues to reach some agricultural and urban areas, the original vision of full capacity and expansion has largely stalled.

But the Dutch, famous for stubbornly living and growing on land that is supposed to be emerged are updating the instead of plowing rectangles with tractors, a robotic arm is fixed at the center of a 30-meter circle. It moves slowly, like a clock hand made of steel, pulling familiar agricultural tools behind it — for weeding, watering, even harvesting — except now without carving brutal tire tracks through the earth. The land between circles is left untouched — a commons for insects, wildflowers, birds, even humans to linger. Farming becomes a woven pattern instead of an industrial grid.

Each circular strip holds a different crop, creating a precision-farming mandala that’s both productive and biodiverse. Sensors and AI whisper data back to the farmer — moisture here, pest pressure there — giving advice like an oracle rather than a command chain.

Workers aren’t expected to bend and break their spines in the fields. Instead, they lie belly-down on suspended beds attached to the rotating arm, gliding over the crops with dignity — hovering like dragonflies as they weed, prune, harvest by hand. It turns farming from grunt labor into something closer to communion with the land.

This model is being designed for small peri-urban farms, the exact kind of places that struggle to compete with industrial agriculture but carry the soul of food sovereignty. It’s automation not as replacement, but as companion. A bridge for urban people longing for meaningful work, who might rather float over lettuce than sit under fluorescent lights answering emails for a salary that buys them tasteless tomatoes.

This is the new agricultural aesthetic: not tech versus nature, but tech in service to a more intelligent form of nature-culture. Circular design — which ancient farmers, Bedouins, and mothers like me already knew — is returning, this time with robotics and AI strapped in for the ride. What happens when farming becomes beautiful again? When robots don’t dominate, but make room for birds, wildflowers, kids, rest, and wonder?

Greenhouse farming which allows the farmer to adjust micro-specific conditions to the plant is a market dominated by Dutch and Israeli technology. Will the Dutch own regenerative farming? Given the history of farming and efficiency in both of these countries, it will be technology that will be available to all of humanity.

Read up on the history of Dutch irrigation farming

In Israel: Simcha Blass and the perfection of modern drip irrigation in Israel

::Circle Farming

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Not a trend, and not just a community: why Lagoon Valley’s green build may be the blueprint for sustainable living

As the winds of change blow through housing markets and climate conversations alike, more people are asking how—and where—to live in ways that reflect their deepest values. For those seeking community, conservation, and connection, a quiet revolution is taking shape in Northern California. #Vanlife had its day, and global nomadism is lonely. Lagoon Valley might be the natural next step for people looking to live sustainably in a regular-sized green home and community.  

We first reported on Lagoon Valley in 2022 when the idea of a sustainable, conservation community on the edge of Vacaville sounded more like a dream than a blueprint. Readers loved the idea of a local community farm within walking distance, and neighbors sharing similar conservation values, like farm-to-table and community supported agriculture without having to join a cult or commune. Now, after years of planning, the vision has become reality—and the Lagoon Valley model is gaining international attention and we have an exclusive interview with its lead developer and dreamer Curt Johansen. 

85% wild, 100% intentional

The homes—ranging from cottage-style bungalows to age-qualified residences with ADUs—follow rigorous green build principles. They’re designed to meet or exceed California’s already high standards for energy and water efficiency, integrating solar, thermal-pane windows, energy-star appliances, and wastewater-saving systems. 

But Lagoon Valley goes beyond checklists and LEED points for green builds. It’s an experiment in sustainability and conservation communities as a lived experience. A walkable town center, an upcoming organic farm-to-table hub, and clustered neighborhoods that reduce land disturbance are just some of the features aimed at helping residents reconnect with the land and each other. And it’s a place which considers all ages and all kinds of people from families with babies and toddlers to teens and seniors. 

A shift in values, not just real estate

From Europe to the Pacific Northwest, we’ve been tracking the rise of conservation communities—places where long-term ecological thinking drives planning, not short-term gains. Lagoon Valley adds a uniquely Californian flavor to this trend, blending progressive design with deep ecological awareness. It’s not just a real estate offering, it’s a cultural reset.

Conservation has too often been outsourced or compartmentalized. Lagoon Valley developers are saying, what if it’s central? What if your home, your walk, your food, your school, your view—what if all of that is part of the regenerative whole?

Be inspired by our in-depth interview with Curt Johansen, where we dig deeper into the lessons Lagoon Valley offers for the future of green build communities. We’ll explore how developers, planners, and residents alike can reclaim stewardship—and why this model may hold the key to a more sustainable, meaningful way of life.

Curt Johansen is the Development Director of Lagoon Valley, Northern California’s first conservation community. A longtime advocate of sustainable development, Johansen brings decades of experience designing and managing environmentally responsible, mixed-use communities across California. 

He is a founding partner of UrbanSmart Growth and has led major projects such as Bay Street in Emeryville and the redevelopment of American Canyon in Napa County. His work is rooted in the principles of Reconciliation Ecology—integrating human communities within natural ecosystems—and emphasizes long-term stewardship, biodiversity, and affordable housing. Johansen is known for championing patient capital and regenerative land-use models that prioritize people, place, and planet.

Green Prophet: You’ve said Lagoon Valley turns traditional development ‘on its head.’ What does true land stewardship look like when people are no longer separate from nature, but part of the ecosystem?

A: True land stewardship in Lagoon Valley means recognizing that humans are an integral part of the ecosystem, not separate from it. Instead of dominating or circumventing nature, we actively work to integrate our community within wildlife habitat corridors. Inspired by the principles of “Reconciliation Ecology,” Lagoon Valley minimizes its impact on the environment while allowing residents to learn from and coexist with diverse species of native plants and animals. 

Lagoon Valley becomes a living laboratory where residents reconnect with nature through activities like hiking, birdwatching, and biodiverse agriculture — revitalizing our innate “biophilia,” or love of nature. This not only preserves biodiversity but also enhances residential quality of life, making Lagoon Valley a pioneering model for community-driven, harmonious coexistence with nature.

How did your team ensure that the cultural and ecological memory of the land guided development, not just the economic bottom line?

A: Significant time and financial resources were employed to understand culturally historical conditions, including the avoidance and mounding above obsidian flakes along with careful reconstruction of Native American stream locations. Also, extensive plant and wildlife habitat areas were restored to the master plan, in lieu of far more invasive prior development approvals, to remain as open spaces.

With 85% of the land preserved as open space, how do you measure success—not just in terms of real estate sales, but in community well-being and biodiversity?

A: Recognition by State biologists regarding the success of our new Wetland Preserve has been a strong measure of biodiversity flourishing. Our residents are consistently attracted to the community’s conservation/open space commitments, ranking community open space as the most prominent amenity of the community, and they are engaged with actively getting involved in conversations around ecological literacy.

How can Lagoon Valley become a replicable model for other developers, especially those working in climate-vulnerable regions where affordability and conservation often clash?

A: The potential for success with any attempt at a medium-to-large scale, live-work-play conservation community requires a willingness to cooperate with development innovation on the part of the municipal jurisdiction involved with oversight approvals. On the equity development side, the model is replicable when one has patient capital providers that understand the long-term value return from conservation communities. I have been blessed with two amazing partners who understand and support my work.

Community-Supported Agriculture and education programs are part of the plan. How do you see food, farming, and learning as tools for rebuilding human-nature relationships?

A: Over many years I have observed closely the effect Community Supported Agriculture has on neighborhoods that support their CSA. One important effect is resident bonding around farm-to-table, healthier family eating habits. When kids (and adults of all ages) experience the careful and hard work it takes to produce healthy vegetables and fruits, they also notice a big difference in quality between organic food locally grown from what they buy from the industrial ag system that ships food products an average of 1,300 miles each day and loses to spoil almost one-third of its output. 

I had the great pleasure of meeting Wendell Berry to glean what insight I could from his inimitable wisdom regarding proper farming, and it was transformative. He helped me understand that true knowledge of place is intrinsically tethered to a true knowledge of local agriculture, and that for farmers who bring to the local market products from quality soil, without pesticides or herbicides, without pollution, grown and harvested with labor paid a living wage, it is worth the small extra cost to residents because of the long-term benefits to their health and the “social community glue” CSAs provide.

In your view, what role do residents play in shaping and sustaining this vision? How do you cultivate a sense of responsibility beyond just living in a ‘green’ neighborhood?

A: Fostering sustainable behaviors in green communities still requires altering existing behaviors, and that comes from instilling a problem-solving, communally-activated approach to prompting healthier behaviors. When resident leaders are trained to present win-win outcomes for their neighbors, it can be inspiring to see how positive outcomes can be recognized and emulated. Creating opportunities for environmental volunteerism in activities that appeal to neighbors helps residents to get to know the open spaces surrounding them more intimately, which in turn invests them in taking greater care of these sacred places.

What advice would you offer to cities or developers who want to transition from extractive models of building toward regenerative, community-centered development?

A: If I had the power to do so, I would require every land developer and every public servant with influence in land planning to visit existing conservation communities and see the difference over time between how home values appreciate instead of depreciate and how residents are generally happier in their neighborhoods. So many of us suffer in varying degrees from the idea of Nature Deficit Disorder. Physically visiting and interacting with residents living in sustainable communities is paradigm-shifting.

We often hear concerns that sustainable communities might sacrifice resale value or long-term investment. What are you seeing—or expecting—when it comes to property value in a place like Lagoon Valley, where ecological integrity is part of the design?

A: Home resale values in successful conservation communities typically outpace the overall market. A good example close to Lagoon Valley is Village Homes in Davis, CA, which has been around for almost 50 years and continues to thrive both ecologically and financially for its residents who are passionate about preserving the many sustainable features embedded in their community’s planning. Other notable conservation communities that have thrived in many ways, including the appreciation of home values, include Prairie Crossing just north of Chicago and Serenbe, just south of Atlanta, to name a few. Sustainability in communities is increasingly seen as long-term enhancement of property values, whereas depreciation is still the norm in many markets where the negative long-term social impacts of conventional, unsustainable development increase over time.

Do you have a childhood memory of being in nature/wishing you were in nature that informs the work you do today? 

A: Until the age of 9, I was a city kid living in New York with lots of concrete in my neighborhood and not much nature. But I was fortunate to have relatives who owned a small family farm on Long Island, when one could take the train for a visit. I still recall vividly my first taste of an organically grown, vine-ripened tomato, many of which my Italian grandmother would use to make spaghetti sauce for the family. It was magnificent and I’ve never forgotten that revelation.

Thank you Curt! 

As cities face the twin pressures of climate instability and housing crises, Lagoon Valley reminds us that sustainability doesn’t mean sacrifice: it means design with intention. It’s a reminder that large-scale development, community and ecological integrity don’t have to be at odds. With 1,300 acres of preserved open space, a thriving local food vision, and a blueprint guided by civic participation, responsibility, and care, this new housing development project shows that living in harmony with nature isn’t just possible—it’s desirable.

To learn more about Lagoon Valley, visit their website: https://lagoon-valley.com/

The post Rewilding the Suburb: Lagoon Valley’s Profound Plan for Conservation Community in California–– An Interview with Developer Curt Johansen appeared first on Green Prophet.

We love Dr. Bronner’s sustainable and regenerative chocolate. Chocolate lovers are always on the lookout for new and exciting flavors, and camel milk chocolate is quickly gaining attention as a delicious and sustainable alternative to traditional dairy-based chocolates. But what makes camel milk chocolate special? Where can you buy it? And why is camel milk considered a more sustainable choice? Let’s explore.

What Does Camel Milk Chocolate Taste Like?

Camel milk chocolate has a distinct flavor that sets it apart from regular cow’s milk chocolate. It is often described as being creamier, with a slightly salty and caramel-like undertone. The natural sweetness of camel milk allows for reduced sugar content in chocolate, making it a healthier option for those looking to cut back on added sugars.

Additionally, it lacks the strong aftertaste that goat’s milk chocolate can have, making it an appealing choice for those seeking something new yet familiar.

Why Is Camel Milk More Sustainable?

Lower Environmental Impact – Camels require significantly less water than cows, making them a more sustainable option in arid and drought-prone regions. They can thrive in desert environments where other dairy-producing animals would struggle, reducing the need for artificial irrigation.

No Need for Intensive Farming – Unlike large-scale dairy farms that often contribute to deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions, camels can be raised in natural desert ecosystems without destroying native flora and fauna.

Nutritional Benefits – Camel milk is rich in vitamins and minerals, including iron, vitamin C, and B vitamins, while being lower in fat and lactose than cow’s milk. This makes it a suitable alternative for those with lactose intolerance or those looking for a more nutrient-dense dairy source.

Where to Buy Camel Milk Chocolate

If you’re curious to try camel milk chocolate, several brands and retailers offer this unique treat:

Al Nassma (UAE) – One of the pioneers in camel milk chocolate, offering a variety of flavors including whole milk, dark chocolate, and nut-infused varieties. Available online and in select luxury stores worldwide.

Dubai-based chocolate shops – Many specialty confectioners in the UAE sell camel milk chocolate, making it a must-try if you visit the region.

Amazon and Online Specialty Stores – Some online marketplaces offer camel milk chocolate for international delivery.

Local Health Stores and Gourmet Shops – Some high-end or organic stores may stock camel milk chocolate, particularly in regions that promote sustainable and ethical food choices.

Can camel milk work in a keto diet?

Camel milk can be considered keto-friendly in moderation. One cup of full-cream camel milk contains approximately:

• 100 calories
• 5g protein
• 8g carbohydrates
• 5g total fat
• 3g saturated fat

Since the ketogenic diet typically limits daily carbohydrate intake to 20-50g per day, camel milk’s 8g of carbs per cup may fit within that range if consumed in moderation. However, compared to other keto-friendly dairy alternatives like almond milk (which has fewer carbs), camel milk is on the higher end in terms of carbohydrate content. If you’re strictly following a keto diet, it’s best to use camel milk sparingly or opt for a lower-carb alternative.

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A new UN report shows that nearly 1.4 billion hectares of land (just over 10 percent of the total global land area) are already impacted by salinity, with an additional one billion hectares at risk due to the climate crisis and human mismanagement. Soils became saline from water overuse. Aquifers become brackish and precipitation that is lacking cannot replenish the natural balance back to the soil, making them unsuitable for farming. This Saudi Arabian company Iyris is working to solve agriculture on brackish (salty aquifers and land).

So who are the worst-affected?

Today, 10 countries: Afghanistan, Australia, Argentina, China, Kazakhstan, Russia, the United States, Iran, Sudan, and Uzbekistan account for 70 percent of the world’s salt-affected soils.

The Global Status of Salt-Affected Soils report was presented today during the International Soil and Water Forum 2024 in Bangkok. The event discussed an action plan for halting and reversing soil degradation and water scarcity.

Excessive salinity reduces the fertility of soils and severely impacts environmental sustainability. In the countries most affected by this issue, salinity stress can lead to crops yield losses – such as rice or beans – of up to 70 percent.

Related: are US aquifers damaged beyond repair?

This comes at a time when there is an urgent need to boost food production to feed a growing global population.

The report estimates the area of salt-affected soils at 1 381 million ha (Mha), or 10.7 percent of the total global land area. It further estimates that 10 percent of irrigated cropland and 10 percent of rainfed cropland are affected by salinity, although uncertainty remains high due to limited data availability.

Models of global aridity trends indicate that, under the existing trend of temperature increase, the affected area may increase to between 24 and 32 percent of the total land surface. The vast majority of aridification is expected to occur in developing countries.

The drivers of salinisation are both natural and induced by humans

The climate crisis is increasing aridity and freshwater scarcity. Rising sea levels are projected to place more than one billion people in coastal zones at risk of progressive flooding and salinisation by the end of the century. Additionallly, global warming is contributing to salinisation through the thawing of permafrost.

Inadequate agricultural practices also play a significant role. These include irrigating crops with poor-quality water, inadequate drainage, deforestation and the removal of deep-rooted vegetation, excessive water pumping in coastal and inland areas, the overuse of fertilisers, de-icing agents, and mining activity.

Global freshwater use, in particular, has increased sixfold during the last century, contributing to groundwater salinisation due to the overexploitation of aquifers for irrigation purposes.

Call for action

Since salt-affected soils account for at least 10 percent of land, their sustainable management is crucial to meet growing food demands. The report offers a series of strategies for managing salt-affected soils sustainably. Mitigation strategies include mulching, using interlayers of loose material, installing drainage systems and improving crop rotations.

Related: This sweet pea is smart when choosing a bacterial partner

Adaptation strategies include breeding salt-tolerant plants (such as halophytes, which flourish in mangrove swamps, tropical sand and cliff shorelines, and even salt deserts) and bioremediation – using bacteria, fungi, plants or animals to remove, destroy or sequester hazardous substances from the environment.

By highlighting the critical link between sustainable soil management, water quality, and food production, “the report outlines strategies for the recovery of agricultural salt-affected soils, including emerging fields like saline agriculture and salinity bioremediation,” Lifeng Li, Director of FAO’s Land and Water Division, and Jorge Batlle-Sales, Chair of the International Network of Salt-affected Soils (INSAS), wrote in its Forward.

The report also calls for a legal framework at the national and international levels to safeguard natural saline ecosystems and ensure the sustainable management of agricultural soils under irrigation, particularly in areas at risk of salinisation. The main goal is to protect productivity, quality, and overall soil health, ensuring food quality and quantity for future generations.

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Rainwater tanks have become an essential item in Israel where people are afraid that an Iranian attack will threaten their domestic water supply. But like the ancient Nabateans who knew how to sequester water in the desert, the modern Swiss collect water from farm roofs and homes to water their gardens. They may pay a tax in Switzerland, but the rain is either free or cheap and it’s charged with beautiful ions that plants love.

It might seem obvious but in countries starving and on the brink of disaster from an internal terror group taking over, Yemeni farmers are finding relief in growing their harvest but getting access to basic farming tools such as rainwater collection systems. The UN is helping give them the know how to build rainwater tanks. The Houthis in Yemen are using water as a weapon in war. But a not so sophisticated water pool can pull people out of misery

The UN reports that Yemen’s agriculture sector, a lifeline for millions and a cornerstone of the nation’s economy, has been severely affected by extreme climate change. Continued conflict with the Houthis has further exacerbated the situation, contributing to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises and widespread food insecurity.

In an effort to address water scarcity caused by climate change, two rainwater harvesting tanks were constructed in in Bait Al-Samhi Village, Dhamar Governorate, improving access to water for community members. Each rainwater tank has the capacity to hold 940 cubic metres of water.

Fouad, a farmer in Bait Al-Samhi Village, is confident that the project will significantly increase production in the coming season. He explains, “We rely on rainfall to irrigate our crops. During the winter, our lands become dry, and agriculture ceases due to the lack of irrigation water. Before the project, the situation was very difficult. We had no source to irrigate our crops after the rains stopped, which led to crop failure and financial losses. Now, after the project, the situation has changed. I can farm even after the rainy season.”

Rainwater harvesting tanks enhance food security for families by supporting farmers to reclaim degraded agricultural lands, and improve irrigation systems. Mutee, the coordinator of the local community committee, says, “Climate change has affected agricultural lands in the region. Due to water scarcity, many people have abandoned farming.”

Related: The man from Japan who watered Afghanistan

Mutee explains that the project was implemented to ensure continued farming activities of the local population, which is their primary source of income.

He adds, “The project has positively impacted community members by expanding their cultivated lands, increasing crop production, and improving their living conditions.”

Saeeda, a mother of five, pictured below, was strongly affected by land degradation due to climate change.

She says, “I grow corn and vegetables during the rainy season, but in winter, farming stops due to water scarcity.”

She explains how the rainwater harvesting tanks will enable her to continue farming after the rainy season.

“Now, I have been able to cultivate two plots of land and will increase the cultivated area with the irrigation from the tanks. Things have changed, and I feel happy when I see my farm green and the crops thriving without damage.” Saeeda hopes her land will remain green enough to cultivate several times in a single season.

The project has created job opportunities for local community members in Bait Al-Samhi, providing income and helping them to acquire new skills through a cash-for-work program.

Related: can clay jugs filter water?

Bader, a father of six and a community member who worked on the rainwater harvesting tanks project, says, “The project provided me with a temporary job for 45 days, which helped me support my family and meet their basic needs while serving the community.”

“In addition to improving agricultural production in the long term, the rainwater harvesting tanks have created job opportunities to help people financially,” says Abdullah, an engineer and project officer with UNDP’s local partner, SFD. Pictured below.

Related: 5 ways to use air conditioning water

The project has increased local farming areas and improved food security by providing approximately 124 farmers with access to alternative water sources.

A great start. Now how can all farmers get access to this beautiful and easy opportunity?

Study the opportunity to help Yemen below (in Arabic).

UNDP Yemen — Rainwater tanks bring relief to farmers in Dhamar, Yemen [AR]

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An oyster plague in oysters and now there is a worrying plague that has started in Greece, worrying farmers about their livestock. A goat plague, also known as Peste des Petits Ruminants, was detected for the first time in Greece last month. While the virus does not seem to infect humans, it is highly contagious among goats and sheep and can kill between 80 and 100% of those infected.

To combat the spread of the plague first found in the 1942, Greece has banned the movement of goats and sheep around the country, made up of a mainland and about 6,000 smaller islands. Greece also shares a 150 mile border with Turkey –– also a lover of goat and sheep meat.

“The movement of sheep and goats for breeding, fattening and slaughter is banned throughout Greece,” said Greece’s agriculture minister Costas Tsiaras said.

New infections are active in the central Larissa region and in Corinth in the south.

The ban had been introduced “with the aim of limiting the spread and eradication of the disease”.

The ministry also said an investigation was under way to determine the source of the plague, and it may be from imported meat.

If a case is found an entire group of livestock from the farm must be killed. Since July 11, about 7,000 animals have already been culled according to the BBC.

Greece is a goat loving country and has the highest number of goats in Europe. The milk from Goat and sheep is used to make feta cheese – a trademark Greek product.

Goats are also loved by Muslims. Read our story about a family’s goat slaughter for Eid.

PPR was first reported in Ivory Coast in 1942 and has since spread globally.

The Slow Food Movement defines Slow Meat

 

There are some very good arguments for Slow Food and eating food grown from smallhold farms, regenerative farms and which are grown locally. Globalism has created an influx of invasive pests. These diseases and insects are kicking down forests in Canada, they are infecting lakes and seas (jellyfish and zebra mussels) and they are affecting our meat and milk.

Looking for solutions? These farmers define animal farming and food in new old ways. Click here.

The post Goat and sheep plague threatens Greek meat industry appeared first on Green Prophet.

With the proliferation of urban beekeepers I asked myself: Is it safe to eat beeswax from the honeycomb? I told some friends I had a hive and several of them asked specifically for the honeycomb with living, raw honey in it. Commercial honey, we know is pasteurized, so the healing enzymes in honey are killed. But honeycomb is “just wax” I thought. Won’t it get stuck in my intestines or merge with my teeth? Surely they just mean to chew on it like bubblegum?

But, no. Several people I spoke with said that honeycomb is good for you and it’s sought out as a natural medicine. Beekeeping expert, Yossi Oud, from Bees for Peace, Israel told me that beeswax is good for your teeth and your throat and you should it with natural honey. Scientific studies (linked below) confirm this.

For centuries, bee-derived products such as propolis, honey and beeswax from the honeycomb have been used as natural therapies in folk medicine due to their properties and their high content of bioactive compounds. Today, there is renewed interest in apitherapy due to its preventing and healing properties for wounds, rheumatism, and gastrointestinal disorders.

Is there any scientific research out there to support any of these heath claims? In a recent study from Egypt published in Veterinarian Medicine sheep were fed beeswax as part of their diet and the results were impressive and included  reduced carbon emissions and better health outcomes for the animals:

The researchers write that beeswax inclusion in the feed formulation is good for sustainable farming. Beeswax in feed “enhanced the nutrient digestibility by enhancing rumen fermentation and decreasing the ammonia emissions,” they wrote.

Feeding farm animals beeswax is regenerative farming

The use of 4 g/day of beeswax supplementation in growing Assaf lambs could promote zootechnical performance, nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation and thus lower the cost of feed formulation and support the sustainability of lamb farming.

In this study researchers investigated pesticide residues in honey and beeswax.  As bees forage miles away from the hive, it is hard to create 100% ecological honey unless you live in a forest with a large organic buffer.

The scientists concluded in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry that “the food consumption of honey and beeswax contaminated with these residues considered separately does not compromise the consumer’s health, provided proposed action limits are met. In regard to residues of flumethrin in honey and in beeswax, “zero tolerance” should be applied.”

How can consumers check for contamination? How can you know flumethrin wasn’t used?

Flumethrin is a pyrethroid insecticide. It is used externally in veterinary medicine against parasitic insects and ticks on cattle, sheep, goats, horses, and dogs, and against the treatment of parasitic mites in honeybee colonies. It is commonly used to treat varoa mites.

According to Merck who makes the product, flumethrin is toxic to organs, should not contact your skin, eyes, or be breathed. It may damage an unborn child. According to the Government of Canada, this material isn’t a danger to health if used correctly. But how many beekeepers might make a mistake and contaminate a hive and all the honey with the material?

What does it do to the fitness of the hive?

Whenever we ask a question, we find so many more questions waiting to be solved.

If your honey is organic, you might be spared from potential toxins. You can treat mites with natural formulations from chamomile tea, salt and honey, to dusting with organic demerrara sugar and using oxalic acid vapors.

Eat beeswax with honey and olive oil

Some studies suggest that beeswax might help lower cholesterol levels, it may prevent infections, and help protect the stomach from ulcers caused by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

This review of existing studies on eating beeswax or honeycomb showed an antimicrobic effect of beeswax against Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica, Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger: “these inhibitory effects are enhanced synergistically with other natural products such as honey or olive oil.”

Beeswax can be used for a variety of other natural uses. I made sunscreen using beeswax honeycomb and tea. You can cut it with a seed oil that’s low on flavor and use it as a wood polish. It’s great for kitchen tables that get a lot of wear and tear. And you can make natural candles from beeswax. Most candles you buy today are parafin and derivatives of fossil fuels. Better to have some natural wax in your life.

So what are you waiting for? Miriam visited a beehive and got swarmed. I started a beehive and it’s been an ever-ending discovery into nature, the environment, and to myself.

And yes, the honey test works. Want to know if your honey is real or fake? Try this test.

Want to try to eat other non-organic food to see if it helps your health? Have you tried charcoal in your ice-cream or diatomaceous earth?

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