Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Sustainable Heroes - September

Alanis Morissette

Alanis Morissette is known for her work as a musician and singer, but also for her environmental advocacy and advocacy for healthy mind and body.  During a summer tour with Barenaked Ladies, together they worked to benefit the non-profit organization Reverb.  The organization creates custom programs to "green the tour itself" and educating concertgoers on how they can help the environment. While touring, she uses bio-diesel buses to get from city to city.

In 2003, Morissette was given the Environmental Media Association Missions in Music Award.

She face a long battle with eating disorders over the course of her life, but has beat the disease and has become a spokesperson and advocate on the dangers of eating disorders in order to educate others.  After becoming a vegan in 2009, Morissette ran a marathon to raise awareness on eating disorders and to support the National Eating Disorders Association.

Alanis Morissette narrated a film on global warming, called The Great Warming.

Learn more about Alanis Morissette at Alanis.com.

Monday, September 15, 2014

What does "human food" taste like to animals?

Laura Moss, a contributor at Mother Nature Network published a fun article about food and if "human food" taste the same to animals as they do to us.  According to the article, the ability to taste certain flavors varies with each type of animal.

The number of taste buds differs by species. Humans have about 10,000:

  • Birds generally have very few taste buds. For example, chickens have only about 30.
  • Dog's have around 1,700, while cats average just under 500.
  • Herbivores (cows and pigs) have humans beat. Cows have around 25,000 while pigs have 14,000.
  • Catfish have more than 100,000 taste buds that line their body and are concentrated around their mouths.
Read more the full article on MNN.