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ROC and ROC Projects in the News

ROC in print and on radio, TV, and the web.

Sonoma County Farm Uses Social Media to Cut Food Waste and Increase Profits

May 12, 2013 Roots of Change

 One family farm in Sonoma County is using social media to try to [increase profits] that and reduce food waste at the same time.

Tasty, and Subversive, Too

May 11, 2013 Roots of Change

 Now a cheeky trio of artists have turned fruit trees into cultural symbols as well. The group, known as Fallen Fruit, recently planted what is being billed as the state’s first public fruit park in an unincorporated community with neatly clipped lawns outside Los Angeles.

Why An Immigration Deal WonÕt Solve The Farmworker Shortage

April 30, 2013 Roots of Change

The Salinas Valley in Northern California grows about 80 percent of the country’s lettuce, and it takes a lot of people to pick and pack it.

The Diet-Climate Connection: How the Foods We Eat Affect the Planet

January 11, 2013 Roots of Change

A new public radio project, called “The Diet-Climate Connection” examines how the environment is affected by the foods we eat and the food system that produces them, in some cases emitting substantial greenhouse gases.

California relaxes laws so entrepreneurs can sell homemade food

January 8, 2013 Roots of Change

Food is a less-talked-about but equally thriving avenue of entrepreneurship in the city. To support “entrepreneur development” and the budding slow-food (as opposed to fast-food) movement, new legislation approved in September and effective from the start of 2013, allows chefs to sell food cooked in a home kitchen.

California rice ahead of curve on reducing greenhouse gases

January 7, 2013 Roots of Change

California rice grower Tom Butler is on a fact-finding mission. For four years, he has been applying two new practices to his Sacramento Valley fields.

Local Produce Increasingly Preferred To Organic, Consumer Survey Shows

September 26, 2012 Roots of Change

A recent survey of grocery shoppers commissioned by Whole Foods Market gives new credence to a belief that's taken hold in the sustainable food movement over the past few years: when it comes to consumer preferences, local is the new organic.

Beyond Farmers Markets: Why Local Food Belongs on Grocery Shelves

September 6, 2012 Roots of Change

There are tremendous untapped opportunities for producers to sell their products locally, further fueling the U.S. economy and expanding agriculture's impact.

Vertical farm: Farmer takes crops to new heights

September 5, 2012 Roots of Change

Alegria Fresh is the first hydroponic, vertical farm on the West Coast, and Cutter is hoping to become a model for high-yield, resource-efficient growing. The farm – 150 7-foot-tall towers that hold more than 8,000 plants – produces everything from arugula to zucchini, and in only 1,200 square feet.

Connecting kids to water and wildlife

August 31, 2012 Roots of Change

The project provides a living laboratory for students from kindergarten through high school. The young scientists conduct field studies in the ranch's restored wetlands—testing water quality, identifying wildlife, collecting insects, practicing mapping skills and helping maintain the private conservation area.