herd of white and black cows on grass field

Butter and vegan alternatives in Ireland

Whenever I come home to Ireland I have the dilemma of which kind of butter to buy: conventional dairy-based butter or plant-based vegan butter. In California, the choice is pretty straightforward – it’s now fairly easy to find good-quality, ethical and affordable vegan butters. In Ireland, however, the choice is not so clear, as I’ll explain over the next couple of posts. Or at least it wasn’t a clear choice at first… Continue reading Butter and vegan alternatives in Ireland

Marathon (imidacloprid) used on ornamental plants kills bees

Marathon is a formulation of the neonic insecticide, imidacloprid, that’s commonly used on ornamental plants in nurseries, garden centers, and homes across the US. A 2021 University of California paper shows that the application of Marathon, even at 30% of the recommended dose, killed 90% of leafcutter bees. Continue reading Marathon (imidacloprid) used on ornamental plants kills bees