Wow... just, wow. I had the privilege of listening to an excellent webinar hosted by GreenBiz.com focusing on what they call The Resource Optimization Imperative. Representatives from PricewaterhouseCoopers and Hara discussed how effective environmental management is becoming a make or break issue for businesses' competitive advantage.
Honestly, there wasn't necessarily anything truly revolutionary in the webinar, but it was full of practical examples, and reinforcement of my passion: sustainability along the supply chain.
I'll post the link to the recap if the email includes permission to do so.
6.28.2010
a brief digression on food
Considering that my first-ever personal blog was centered on food and cooking, I spend remarkably little time here on discussing food. So I give you a brief synopsis of one of the highlights of my weekend.
At the Durham Farmer's Market, they held the second annual Chef's Challenge, in which three local chefs were asked to create a dish based on a secret ingredient announced that morning. This year's secret ingredient? Squash. The contenders? Justin Rakes from Four Square, Billy Cotter from Toast, and Dave Alworth from Guglhupf.
Chef Rakes gave us some sort of shredded zucchini dish (I missed the first round), that was good, but seemed very incomplete, flavor-wise.
Chef Cotter prepared a puree of squash and red pepper, among other things, topped with little roulades of grilled zucchini squash stuffed with homemade ricotta, served with some sort of squash, tomato, and onion salad (I missed the description on this one, too, but it was an herby, vinegary little salad that was bright and tart). This, as with all of Billy Cotter's creations, was delicious. I have said before and will say again: that ricotta is a religious experience.
Chef Alworth presented a dish of squash and two-cheese (local goat and farmer's, I think) ravioli topped with "corn maque choux" (not sure why the "corn" epithet, since it's traditional), and I'm drawing a blank on what the sauce was.
Alworth gets major props for creating ravioli in 1.5 hours under an outdoor tent, and the entry was fantastic, but in the end, Billy Cotter took home the trophy. Having sampled all three, I understood why. The man sure knows how to play to an ingredient's strengths!
Judges Elizabeth Shestak of The Durham News, Lex Alexander of 3Cups fame (and former owner of Wellspring Grocery, which was bought out by Whole Foods in the late 1990s), and famous foodie Andrea Weigl of the N&O presided over the competition, with Frank Stasio of NPR fame acting as emcee.
All in all, another event that makes me love Durham. Congrats to Billy Cotter, and many thanks to all competing chefs.
At the Durham Farmer's Market, they held the second annual Chef's Challenge, in which three local chefs were asked to create a dish based on a secret ingredient announced that morning. This year's secret ingredient? Squash. The contenders? Justin Rakes from Four Square, Billy Cotter from Toast, and Dave Alworth from Guglhupf.
Chef Rakes gave us some sort of shredded zucchini dish (I missed the first round), that was good, but seemed very incomplete, flavor-wise.
Chef Cotter prepared a puree of squash and red pepper, among other things, topped with little roulades of grilled zucchini squash stuffed with homemade ricotta, served with some sort of squash, tomato, and onion salad (I missed the description on this one, too, but it was an herby, vinegary little salad that was bright and tart). This, as with all of Billy Cotter's creations, was delicious. I have said before and will say again: that ricotta is a religious experience.
Chef Alworth presented a dish of squash and two-cheese (local goat and farmer's, I think) ravioli topped with "corn maque choux" (not sure why the "corn" epithet, since it's traditional), and I'm drawing a blank on what the sauce was.
Alworth gets major props for creating ravioli in 1.5 hours under an outdoor tent, and the entry was fantastic, but in the end, Billy Cotter took home the trophy. Having sampled all three, I understood why. The man sure knows how to play to an ingredient's strengths!
Judges Elizabeth Shestak of The Durham News, Lex Alexander of 3Cups fame (and former owner of Wellspring Grocery, which was bought out by Whole Foods in the late 1990s), and famous foodie Andrea Weigl of the N&O presided over the competition, with Frank Stasio of NPR fame acting as emcee.
All in all, another event that makes me love Durham. Congrats to Billy Cotter, and many thanks to all competing chefs.
6.24.2010
interesting news
Proposed new food guidelines are more focused on less.
As the blog's author notes, there'd need to be some major changes in policies, but here's one blogger crossing my fingers.
As the blog's author notes, there'd need to be some major changes in policies, but here's one blogger crossing my fingers.
Sustainability as Savior
Apparently, sustainable business isn't just a passing fad. In fact, 93 percent of CEOs from 766 businesses surveyed said they think sustainability will be key to their future success, and 81 percent have incorporated it into daily operations in some form, a la Newsweek.
While I think that sustainability as a concept still isn't well understood by many in business, they're starting to catch on that strategic efforts to lessen environmental impact and improve communities can be, well, strategic.
While I think that sustainability as a concept still isn't well understood by many in business, they're starting to catch on that strategic efforts to lessen environmental impact and improve communities can be, well, strategic.
wait, what?
So Chinese LGBT activists are picking up/ramping up the good fight. Which is, obviously, good. But one thing I found just fascinating was this snippet:
Li’s research in cities suggests about 91% of people are happy to work with gay colleagues – a higher rate than in US surveys – and that 30% back gay marriage.
6.21.2010
the times, they are a-changin'
In sustainability news, HBR brings yet another report on how businesses are going to have to shape up or ship out on the sustainability issue, this time because of the ginormous disparity of values between current CEOs and the replacement crop.
Interesting times, these.
Interesting times, these.
a step in the right direction
Filed under "it's about doggone time," the Department of Labor is preparing to extend FMLA rights to LGBTQ employees.
Maybe I live in a bubble, or maybe it's because I have so many LGBTQ loved ones, but I can't understand why, in 2010, there are so many loud, angry voices trying to dehumanize and deny the queer community. Here's hoping for a sea change in the next few years.
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