Organic food: a rant from my desk in Copenhagen

One of the lead stories in the NYTimes last week reported on a Stanford University study of organic fruits, vegetables and meats. The decades-long study concluded that organic foods are not substantially more nutritious than conventionally grown products, and may still contain some trace of pesticides (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/04/science/earth/study-questions-advantages-of-organic-meat-and-produce.html). I read the article and the subsequent op-ed piece by Roger Cohen (Sept.7) with jaw dropped, because both the Stanford study and the opinion piece had so completely missed the mark about organic foods.

How incredibly limited to view the production of food solely in terms of the costs and benefits to the individual consumer! What about the impact on the planet and on climate control, for chrissakes! As Mark Hertsgaard points out in a story related to the Farm Bill -- and not in reaction to the organic foods study -- conventional farming is a leading contributor to greenhouse gasses. (see http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/13/opinion/the-farm-bill-should-help-the-planet-not-just-crops.html)  Conventional monoculture farming practices also leach the soil of moisture, which further contributes to extreme drought. In other words, so what if we're creating catastrophic weather conditions for ourselves and future generations - as long as my peas cost a little less and carry an acceptably low level of pesticides.

And what about the workers who must apply the pesticides and handle the products covered with pesticides day in and day out? Maybe a significant trace of pesticides don't leach through a banana's peel into the fruit itself, but how many hands are on those bananas before we peel it? Years ago, I heard Eric Schlosser speak at Princeton about his landmark book, Fast Food Nation. While he was gratified that many readers had eschewed fast food in favor of sustainably grown products as a result of his book, he was shocked that there wasn't more outrage about the working conditions fostered by conventional agriculture and slaughterhouses. For him, this was the biggest take-away from all his research on the subject.

In Copenhagen right now, there is a very personable poster around town explaining that public kitchens, which prepare the food for Copenhagen's nursery schools, senior centers and meals for shut-ins is now 75% organic, with a goal of achieving 90% by 2015. Copenhagen will then have the most sustainable municipal food service in the world.

Billboard in Kongens Nytorv about Copenhagen Community Kitchens

If one then goes to the website for the Copenhagen public kitchens,  http://www.kbhmadhus.dk/ , it becomes clear that the 90% benchmark is part of a larger sustainable energy plan for the city - a plan which includes more and better public transportation and bike paths, and increased reliance on incinerated trash and windmills for energy. One will also find menu plans and seasonal charts of local fish and produce for use by parents - because local foods use fewer fossil fuels to travel to your table.

Some of the 1,750 food service workers employed by Copenhagen public kitchens

The emphasis on organic, locally sourced food in Denmark is not just occurring at the public level. It is part and parcel of what makes the restaurant scene here so vibrant. The "new Nordic" restaurants such as Noma and its progeny are buoyed by a compelling world view about food, where it should come from and how it should be grown. As a result, the food is remarkably fresh and delicious. You can taste the outdoors in the salads and the seafoods we've had the pleasure of eating here. Even humble root vegetables - locally grown potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, beets, and black radishes - are taking a star turn in these restaurants because they taste of the earth, and not because of some extraordinarily complicated preparation.

Whether public or private the overriding message in Denmark is clear - it's about the planet, stupid. Keep an eye on the big picture, including the food you eat,  and everyone is better off.

A tour of new architecture in Orestad Syd

We having been dragging friends and family to see the 8 House and other notable building projects in the new city of Orestad for a few years now. But on Sunday, we went on a tour professionally-led by the Danish Architecture Center of the city's southern section, and now have some more info to match our amazement (http://www.dac.dk/da/service-sider/kalender/).

Tour group under Metro in Orestad with Ramboll building in background

The city has roots going back to the 1930s, when talk first began creating a rail-link between Copenhagen and southern Sweden, and the implications that would have for development in the Kastrup/ Amager Faelled area south of the city. By the time the Oresund Bro linking Denmark and Sweden opened in 2000 (http://uk.oresundsbron.com/page/976), metro lines and city plans for Orestad were already in place on a former military site. A Finnish-Danish design group was selected and established a plan which included mixed educational, commercial, housing and cultural sites in a series of bands moving out from the metro line and incorporating three new urban centers. Green building practices were an important standard and all buildings were to be 600 meters or less from a metro entrance.

After a much longer and better explanation of the larger plan than the one I just gave, out tour group moved on to the front of the corporate headquarters of Ramboll - a firm that was very much involved with building the Oresundbro and other large engineering projects in Scandinavia.

Mirrored sky on the facade of the Ramboll building, Orestad

As it was a Sunday morning, the building was closed and we had to peek into the soaring lobby through glass doors. The tour guide informed us that on weekdays all the buildings in the area were open to the public and generally receptive to visitors.

Next up was Copenhagen Towers, which is just across the street. So far just Phase I of the four phases this project, designed by Norman Foster and Danish partners, has been built. This phase constitutes the Crowne Plaza Hotel Copenhagen Towers, which has been distinguished as the greenest hotel in the world. Among other features, the south and western sides are lined with solar panels, they utilize ground water versus geothermal systems for air-heating and cooling, the shampoo containers are biodegradable within three months, and guests can give back to the grid when they spin on one of the bikes in the fitness center. Apparently this is one of the buildings that is particularly receptive to visitors, as they have a Walk of Sustainability throughout the building with QR codes directing you to info about their sustainability practices.

Crowne Plaza Hotel Copenhagen Towers lined with solar panels

The next stop for the group was in the middle of a field, buzzing with late summer yellow-jackets, where Denmark's largest multi-use stadium complex would be standing by 2015.

Future site of Hannemann's Quarter and Arena, with Orestad city in the backgorund

Our guide distributed maps which outlined all the development planned for this area over the next several years, including housing, schools, businesses, sports fields and a gigantic arena complex linked to the Metro lines and trains to Sweden. Thus far, only the Phase I of Copenhagen Towers, on the upper right of the map (left of the metro line) had been built.

Plan for development of Orestad Syd

We continued southward on a path through the field till we hit the "Plug n Play" - a temporary playground of sorts designed to attract foot traffic and buzz to this as-yet fully-developed area of Orestad. The Plug 'n Play has an outdoor skating oval and skateboard park, parcours park, all manner of climbing equipment, a kayak bay with water polo, as well as more traditional basketball and soccer areas. Families were unloading kids and equipment while the guide explained all this, so apparently the idea is working.

Entrance to Plug n Play Zone in Orestad Syd

Surrounding this amazing play zone were a number of small garden plots. Anyone can reserve one for a nominal fee, as long as they commit to working it and to abide to organic gardening standards.

Organic garden plots in Orestad Syd

Soon enough we had reached the southernmost point of the development, where seniors' and student housing is going up alongside multilevel parking lots. In keeping with the green standards throughout, the parking spaces planned for this area are at half the normal proportion of slots to other areas of the city. The hope is that most residents will find it more convenient to take the Metro or bike than deal with carrying bags out of a multilevel garage. But I did notice there was 30-minute parking alongside most of the established housing and a surface lot behind the 8 House.

Interior courtyard of the 8 House looking south across the marshes

Which brings us to the 8 House and one of our favorite spots in all of Copenhagen. We came across it the first time in a bike ride around Amager Faelled when it was just going it up. It looked like a ski slope or that horrid Xanadu complex in the Meadowlands of New Jersey. Later on, we found the vimeo featuring architect Bjarke Ingels ( BIG Group) describing the project and how it was conceived: http://vimeo.com/3499612.  And if we ever win the lottery, we will have to buy a unit there.

I won't bore you with my praises here. Just watch the vimeo, look at the few photos I have included and take a chance to visit when you are next in Copenhagen.

View of Viking Ship playground and marshes from atop of the 8 House

Green roofs at southern end of 8 House

Looking into the north courtyard of the 8 House.