Carrot & stick - scoop - kudos and criticisms of current events concerning nutrition and the environment - Brief Article

a CARROT to:

* Vermont's Intervale Foundation for winning a $747,000 federal grant to build a digester to turn cow manure into methane gas, a renewable fuel. "If small farms could convert waste to cheap, green energy, not only would they manage their waste streams but [they would] be more independent and financially secure," says Guy Roberts of Burlington-based Intervale, which will develop the digester.

* Brazil for creating a 25-million-acre "conservation corridor" linking 12 protected wilderness areas. By establishing the world's largest protected park, Brazil has set "a new standard for Amazonia and the world, says Conservation International's Russell Mittermeier. The area is home to 500 bird species and several primate species.

* The Center for Science in the Public Interest for its study of the fat content of ice cream treats, published in the September 2003 issue of Nutrition Action Healthletter. Among the worst is Ben & Jerry's Peace Pops, which have 260 calories, 16 grams of fat and 9 grams of saturated fat.

a STICK to:

* Former President Jimmy Carter for commenting that African leaders are "gullible and ill-informed" in their opposition to the use of genetically modified (GM) food from the US in food aid programs. In a speech in Tokyo, Carter said critics are "misguided or deliberately lying" in their warnings.

* The US Federal Trade Commission for reporting to Congress that Smirnoff Ice, Mike's Hard Lemonade and other sweetened malt beverages known as alcopops are not being marketed to underage drinkers. Alcopops are "bridge" products to move entry-level consumers from soft drinks toward hard liquor, the Center for Science in the Public Interest contends, noting that three times as many teens as adults even know about alcopops.

* The National PTA for allowing John H. Downs, Jr., Coca-Cola's chief lobbyist, onto its board of directors at a time when the soft drink company is fighting the efforts of parents to remove sugary drinks from schools.

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