A Conversation With Nell Newman

Nell Newman's chickens were distracting her; something, possibly in the neighbor's yard seemed to be bothering them, she said. I was in New York and had just called to talk to her about her latest enterprise, her new book The Newman's Own Organic's Guide to the Good Life (Villard, 2003), but for that moment I felt I was in Nell's California kitchen, worrying along with her about the chickens. A wonderful story-teller with an infectious sense of humor, Nell truly does know the secret to a good life. She thrives it seems on the care and feeding not just of a flock of skiddish egg layers, but a clutch of other passions - that includes Newman's Own Organics, a socially-responsible business that she founded, and many, many good causes. And so we spoke of her new book:

WG: In the first chapter of Guide to a Good Life, you refer to how you worked to restore to its natural habitat the peregrine falcon - which came near to extinction because of DDT. You and the other scientists on the project thought it would be interesting to test your own blood as you did the falcon eggs. Tell me a bit about your interest in falcons and how the results of the blood tests made you feel. Did the results change your way of thinking, sharpen your resolve or focus you in your work?

NN: The peregrine was a favorite since I was young. Learning that it faced extinction because of DDT, the first synthetic pesticide of the postwar era, was eye-opening. It was a strange concept for an 11 year old, that growing food could have such a negative impact on life. I later studied human ecology at the College of the Atlantic (where my professor described what we do as "human ecologists make their own niches" ). With the peregrine project, we would remove from the nest those eggs that were thinned by DDT, hatch them in incubators, and then returned the chicks to their mothers. We analyzed for contaminants the eggs that didn't hatch. That's when we got the idea to test our own blood for contaminants. We all tested positive for various banned pesticides; mine had DDT, PCBs and chlordane.

When I go and speak now, I tell people that we all have background levels of numerous toxins. It's a constant reminder of how important it is to eat organic and to eat local. While we can do very little about the toxins already in our soil, our water and ourselves, we can definitely stop adding more.

WG: When it comes to the food we eat, what is your greatest health and/or environmental concern? Does it affect what products you buy, which you'll insist are organic, the quantities you'll consume, etc?

NN: Plastics...well, really, my greatest concern is biotech...I am very concerned about the proliferation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into the nation's food supply without hard science establishing their safety. Experts have made clear that we don't have the where-with-all, the means with which to do all the necessary tests. I find it also very worrisome that companies don't have to tell consumers that a product is made from genetically engineered crops. GMO's are now so ubiquitous in conventional agriculture, that the only way to know that your food is grown and processed without the use of GM seeds is to buy certified organic food. I am lucky. Living as I do in Santa Cruz, I can raise my own chickens and eat all organic food that's in season and mostly locally grown.

WG: You mentioned plastics...

NN: The more I read about plastics, the more careful I have become. I recently stopped storing our food in plastic. I packed my boyfriend's lunch this morning in a glass container with a rubber top that I just bought. When I microwave, I cover the container with a paper towel.

WG: You note your concerns about GMOs. The Green Guide Institute just conducted a survey of a cross-section of the American public in which an overwhelming number of respondents said they wanted labeling of genetically engineered food. Why do you think we can't get this simple right-to-know measure to pass here in the US? What more is needed to win labeling rules?

NN: The law unfortunately is contradictory on this. The Food and Drug Administration claims that genetic engineering is no different than the selective breeding of plants and animals that man has conducted for thousands of years, and so therefore no label is necessary. I think legal action - a class action suit - by a group that has been adversely affected by genetically altered crops may be the only way by which to stir the U.S. out of a deep sleep on this issue. Other countries have been more effective at getting tougher rules for GMOs. I recommend Ken Roseborough's Non-GMO Source (www.non-gmosource.com) for information on what's happening.

WG: Your dad brought you a plastic bag drying-stand. My Dad, coincidentally, made me one. They - your Dad and my Dad -- are about the same age. Do you think our generation lost a bit of the conservation ethic that our parents seem to have?

NN: I laughed when my Dad gave me the bag stand. Didn't know what it was. It looks a bit like a wooden antenna. We still laugh about it. I used it a bit in college, but I'm afraid I lost it when I moved west. Now I use a different bag drying technique -- I turn them inside out, shake them and throw them in the corner. When they're dry, I reuse them.

I guess it's true we have lost a certain conservation-based way of life in just one generation, but I have faith. There are people out there with a conservation ethic. My book uses lots of examples - real people examples -- to show how we can be more conservation-minded without feeling we are depriving ourselves. It's not preachy. Preaching to people doesn't work.

WG: You devote an entire chapter to shopping and make some simple suggestions. What do you think is the most important?

NN: Probably the first - "Spend time and energy before dollars and fuel." Having knowledge makes you think twice. I recommend the web as an information source. It is the perfect tool for researching stores, prices, and product features. But be careful about accuracy. There is a lot of unreliable information on the web.

WG: You tell great stories in your book. And use humor so well. Tell us where that comes from and how it helps you take on the work that you do and the commitments that you make.

NN: Humor comes in handy. My advice: laugh at yourself. Be self-critical and humble. It helps you to talk to others about issues, about the changes we all are working to bring about. When you can see your own shortcomings, you are better able to help others.

WG: So, on to surfing. Mindy Pennybacker, The Green Guide's editor is a surfer. What's the big deal? Has it shaped how you feel about the environment?

NN: I started surfing 7 years ago. It's hard to resist; I've got the ocean right here. It's remarkable exercise and a great way to commune with nature. It's also a difficult and enlightening sport, not to mention addicting. Surfing is an aerobic sport. It's hard for a person my age to keep up muscle tone.

WG: Thank you Nell. I so enjoyed talking to you and reading The Newman's Own Organics Guide to a Good Life. There is so much in it that we didn't get to cover today; I loved the chapter on pets, and as I mentioned earlier, I found all the stories so entertaining. You share a great deal about yourself and provide very thoughtful practical advice about how to create a good life. I am sure many Green Guide readers are going to want to read this book. It's incredibly useful. Thanks.

To purchase The Newman's Own Organic's Guide to the Good Life, click here.