March is Water Month!

Why water? Often our greatest blessings are things that we take for granted until they are threatened. Unlike much of the world’s citizens, in Mountain Lakes we are lucky knowing that there will be ample, quality water in our taps any time that we turn them on. Yet, in order to preserve this peace of mind into the future, we must learn to protect this precious resource now.

All this month, this blog will feature articles and tips surrounding water issues.  To get started, visit the Nature Conservancy's interactive map to explore how different threats have an impact on watershed ecosystems.  

Clean Coal

This was posted on The Reality Blog from the folks at the Alliance for Climate Protection.

Landscaping is for the Birds

Why should we care about the birds?  Because diverse bird populations are a direct mark of a healthy ecosystem--their lack of habitat is an indication of forest health and their declining numbers can be a barometer of  pollution.  Birds benefit the environment by being agents of seed dispersal, voracious consumers of insects and rodents, and important to pollination.  The Bird Education Network states, "People benefit because an environment that birds can thrive in is a healthy environment for humans."

What can YOU do to help the birds?  NJ Audubon provides a list of Ten Tips for Backyard Habitats.  A backyard habitat reduces the amount of your lawn which provides absolutely NO benefit to wildlife (except for deer & geese).  If you choose native plants and shrubs, not only will you provide food for the birds, you will help replenish the understory in our woods.  An extremely helpful online state-by-state plant finder (listing natives and invasives) can be found at eNature, and the U.S. Department of Transportation provides a comprehensive NJ list.

Whatever you do, don't plant invasive barberry or burning bush... their seeds are also dispersed by birds but the plants choke out what little native understory plants the deer don't eat.

Landscaping Saves Energy!

Did you know that winter is a great time to assess the "bones" of your garden?  We all know that trees and shrubs can soften the hard lines of our homes, but, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, they can help us reduce our heating and cooling costs as well.  

Shade--by planting deciduous trees with high crowns to the south-east of your home and trees with low crowns to the west and south-west, you can decrease your air conditioning costs by 10% in 5 to 10 years.  It's best to leave the south area of your yard open to allow passive solar heating in the winter.  Remember to plan for shade around driveways, walkways and patios because those surfaces radiate and retain heat.

Windbreaks--can lower windchill near your home and trap snow to lessen drifts.  Use dense evergreens and shrubs with low crowns and plant to the north and north-west of your home at a distance of two to five times the mature height of the tree/shrub.  

Planting shrubs near your foundation creates air pockets that act as insulation in winter and summer.  It's important to leave at least one foot of space more than the mature width of the shrub to prevent moisture problems (and leave elbow-room for maintenance).

So, what to plant?  The Native Plant Society of New Jersey offers a list of native plants for Morris County and you can view our previous discussion about why to use native plants here.

Be My Green Valentine!

Did you know that over 1 billion Valentine cards are sent annually?  That's a lot of trees!  Here are some suggestions to celebrate sustainably:

For the kids--homemade decorated cookies  or lollipops are a sweet solution and scads of ideas for making your own valentines can be found at  Family Fun.  The most fun (and messy) idea is for plantable Valentines found at Thrifty Fun .  

Flowers--if you aren't aware of the eco-issues surrounding the cut flower industry, you should at least be concerned about bringing these pesticide-laden lovelies into your home.  You can help enact change by seeking out flowers with the Veriflora certification--ask for them at your favorite florist or online at Organic Bouquet. 

Food--the Obama's chef, Sam Kass, believes in healthy and local food which is a much-needed boost to the local food movement.  Show your family some love every day by serving locally-produced organic food!  The February issue of Bon Appetit gives us a Valentine's Day menu that's easy enough for the kids to help as well as 50 ways to Eat Green.  Try to avoid take-out:  besides being laden with fat and salt, the plastic clamshell containers, disposable chopsticks or plastic cutlery, packets of condiments and napkins are definitely not eco-friendly.  If you haven't visited this site already, Planet Green has a valuable Food & Health section where a search will provide recipes for some take-out favorites like this one for Spring Rolls.

Yellow is not Green

Jeana found this on WiseBread.

In this day and age of the internet, free Google 411 and a host of other paperless directory services, what use do the big, fat phone directories serve? I don’t know about you, but when I get those large plastic bags filled with 3lb phone books, I usually put them straight in the recycling bin. We never use them. Now a website similar to the National No-Call registry is asking you to sign up and stop receiving these archaic books.
The facts speak loud and clear; the massive amount of money and resources the phone directory industry sucks up is phenomenal. This, from YellowPagesGoesGreen.org :
• 540 million directories are printed annually in the United States.
• The average weight of each directory is 3.62 lbs.
• 1.79 directories are printed for every man, woman and child in the US.
• The phone directory industry is worth over $13 billion in the US (that figure doubles to $26 billion worldwide).
• It takes 24 trees to make 1 ton of paper.
• It takes over 19 million trees to make half a trillion directories.
• It takes 380 gallons of oil to produce that ton of paper (over 7.2 billion barrels per 500,000,000 books).
• 3 cubic yards of waste are taken up by one ton of paper (that equates to 1.6 billion lbs per 500,000,000 books).
• Over 270,000 cubic yards of landfill are taken up per 500,000,000
• 7,000 gallons of water go into the production of one ton of paper.
• 4,000 kilowatts of energy are also needed to make that ton of paper (3.2 billion KW hours/500,000,000 books).
So much money, so many resources, all for nothing.  However, if we all do something about it, maybe we can speed that process up.  Simply click on this link and you’ll be directed to an opt-out page where you can opt out of both the yellow and white pages. 

Green Dinner Table Talk

Did you know?….that you can cook your family’s meal without the use of gas or electricity. The solar oven “Sun Cook” can reach temperatures up to 400 F, with sunshine alone. For more fun facts and photos about this style of cooking visit http://solarcooking.ca/ .

Did you know?…..that the energy efficiency of a one-mile urban trip by bicycle, when the cyclist is fueled by meat (which contains the embodied energy required to produce and transport one mile’s worth of meat energy to the cyclist’s home), according to one analysis, is equivalent to 31 miles per gallon.
But…the energy efficiency of a one-mile urban trip by bicycle when the cyclist is fueled by bread is 300 miles per gallon

Did you know?….Germany currently generates more solar power than any other country, in spite of having more cloudy days than sunny days.

Did you know?....Portugal has just plugged in Europe’s largest wind farm, located in its northern highlands. Cervantes would have loved it…..imagine Don Quixote and 120 wind turbines. Jointly, these turbines provide enough electricity to power one million homes. Other green projects under way in Portugal include a second, smaller wind farm; the world’s largest solar photovoltaic farm (in the south); and the world’s first commercial wave power plant. Vive Portugal!

Did you know?...The California EPA Air Resources Board has approved the scoping plan for California’s Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32) as of December 11, 2008. The plan includes a renewable energy standard, adoption of a low carbon fuel standard, green jobs bills, water conservation, and sustainable forest and agriculture plans. Go California! [You can locate this 142 page plan at http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/scopingplan/document/psp.pdf ]


Submitted to the GCP blog spot by Louise F.

Meatless Monday

Happy New Year!  I'm in the midst of taking down the decorations and wanted to comment on how much I liked with the LED lights I used this season.  Unlike strands I'd purchased two seasons ago, the newer lights I got this year were easy to find and reasonably priced.  I was pleased with the brightness of the lights, although the white-only strands had either a blue or green cast to them.  What I found incredible was that each strand used so little energy that the manufacturers allowed 43 strands to be hooked together, compared to a maximum of three strands of incandescent lights.  That completely solved the extension cord problem that I've had in the past.

Did you know that eating lentils at the new year is supposed to bring you prosperity?  A quick online search reveals this custom began with the ancient Romans, possibly because lentils resemble small coins.  The following is a recipe I've been using for over 30 years and is a family favorite.  It is adapted from the More-with-Less Cookbook which I stumbled upon as a new bride and, thankfully, taught me how to really cook "from scratch".

Baked Lentils with Cheese

serves 6

375° for 1 hr., 15 min.

Combine in shallow 9 x 13" baking dish:

1 3/4 c. lentils, rinsed

2 c. water

1 whole bay leaf

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/8 tsp. each  dried marjoram, sage, thyme

2 large onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 c. canned tomatoes (approx. one 14 ounce can)

Cover tightly and bake 30 minutes.  Uncover and stir in:

2 large carrots, sliced 1/8" thin

2 stalks thinly sliced celery

Bake covered 40 minutes until vegetables are tender.  Sprinkle on top:

3 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Bake, uncovered, 5 minutes until cheese melts.

Thoughts for a Greener Hanukkah

A dear friend of our family is a rabbi, and as I was gathering material last week for this entry, I emailed him for his perspective. Rabbi Andrew Goodman shared these thoughts about Hanukkah: "... from the most basic level, Hanukkah is an important celebration for two reasons... neither of which are gift giving. On one hand, the holiday commemorates a victory over oppression from the Greeks. It commemorates religious integrity and standing up for/fighting for what you believe in and knowing when to act in the face of imminent annihilation. On the other hand, there is the theological importance of the miracle of oil, which should only have lasted for one day lasting for 8. From both of these perspectives, I think that a strong argument can be made for greening your life. We are aware of limited resources and should never forget the importance of having these most basic needs, and thus need to guard them. Also, as the Jews fought the Greeks, we too need to fight (not literally) for our existential longevity. Without our earth, we will not be able to survive and so, this threat is akin to the Greeks... and we too must act."

So how can you make Hanukkah a bit greener?  Here are a few tips I've gathered:

• shop for vintage menorahs, dreidels, gifts at antique stores, thrift shops or eBay.  Shop online for sustainable dreidels and menorahs
• shop for locally grown and organic potatoes, cheeses & other ingredients
• candles-- beeswax candles  burn slowly and are odorless, smokeless and virtually dripless; or look for them locally 
• fair trade gelt sources:  Chocolate coins can be purchased online at Serrv and Global Exchange. They are also available at Whole Foods and Wegmans stores.
• Green menorah campaign 
• A Light Among the Nations 
• suggestions for 8 days of environmental action to commemorate Hanukkah
• Thinking Outside the Gift Box  -- green gift suggestions

Holiday Dinner gone Local!

Recently, Louise D. and I had a chat about the importance and benefits of buying food locally and she told me about all the fresh goodies found at Hamilton Farms.  She's followed up by writing this description of her T-day dinner:

I procured the majority of my Thanksgiving dinner at Hamilton Farms and nearly everything was marked Jersey Fresh. They had wonderful new potatoes which I mashed with their skins on and used some more of them in our traditional "Aunt Sally's potato rolls". The waxed turnip was delicious and the first time there wasn't a speck of turnip left over ( hint- I mash it with butter, milk, salt, pepper and the secret ingredient a sprinkling of sugar). The carrots were incredible ( they still had the
tops on) and I love to cook/mash them with parsnips, which I also got at the farm. For those I mash them with the milk, butter, salt, pepper and some freshly grated nutmeg. The apples were all Jersey Fresh and I bought 1/2 bushel- so we will be having lots of apple items in the near future. My apple pie was sweetened with fresh local honey that I also got at the farm. My trick there is, you sweeten the pie with the honey and then sprinkle about a table spoon of sugar on the top of the pie. I bought the pie pumpkins- cut them in half- took the seeds out which I roasted ( yum yum) put them upside down on a baking dish and baked for about an hour. I then ran the pumpkin through the food processor and just added the other ingredients as well and the filling was ready for the crust. There were fresh Jersey cranberries, onions, celery, butter, milk, eggs, etc. I was checking out ( no lines) and said "if only I could get my turkey here". The answer was "you can". Those need to be ordered in advance but there were still 2 left- so I took them both and of course they were Jersey Fresh as well. Hint on cooking turkeys- I cook them in a brown paper bag. They take about 1/2 hour less time to cook, don't require basting ( none of that energy lost opening and closing the oven door), come out moist and tender and clean up is a snap. I didn't even have to soak the roasting pan. There was very little fat and the juice made wonderful gravy.

Hamilton Farms is a wonderful resource that is right in our back yard- open daily including Sunday. The produce store will be open through December and then open again April 1st.

Thanks, Louise!

Christmas Trees

Is it December already?  Here are some thoughts about the different choices surrounding your tree:

• 85% of artificial trees begin in overseas factories, contain metals and plastics that sometimes include PVC or lead and ultimately end up in landfills which make them the least eco-friendly choice.  If you already own an artificial tree, keep using it or donate it to someone who will.
• Potted or ball and burlap trees could be a good choice if the tree is maintained under the proper conditions:  the tree should be adaptable to our climate, stored away from the wind and sun, not be allowed to freeze, remain indoors for only 7 to 10 days, kept moist but not flooded, and decorated with lights that don't give off any heat.  After the holiday, the tree can't go directly outdoors into freezing temperatures; remove it to a sheltered location for a few days to acclimate.  It is often wise to dig the hole where the tree will be replanted early and cover with mulch to keep the soil from freezing.  Remember a 6 foot tree with root ball could weigh as much as 250 pounds.
• The Arbor Day Foundation supports the use of traditional Christmas trees because the trees "are a renewable, sustainable resource, provide jobs in rural areas and support American families, provide the usual benefits of trees, including oxygen, CO2 uptake, erosion control, and wildlife habitat, help preserve open space and are biodegradable and recyclable." (taken from the November/December 2008 issue of Arbor Day.)

If you choose a traditional Christmas tree, consider supporting local growers for the freshest tree possible and remember to recycle that tree after the holiday!  For more Green Christmas tips, visit this page at the National Geographic site!  

Zero Water Filter with Almost Zero Waste

from the National Geographic Green Guide
by Mary Logan Barmeyer

We've heard again and again that it's time to kick the plastic water bottle habit and head back to the tap. Despite evidence that our tap water is highly regulated and just as safe as bottled, news about pharmaceuticals and chemicals in drinking water or pipes that may contain lead, or even just bad tasting tap, can make us wary of getting our water straight from the faucet. Although most water filters can't eliminate every contaminant, they can help reduce them. But are unrecyclable water filters any better for the environment than recyclable plastic bottles? Not if you can recycle them.

Zero Technologies recently launched a recycling program for filters, the only program of its kind in the country. Ninety percent of the materials in its ZeroWater filters are recyclable--even the filter media are recycled for use in wastewater-treatment plants--and they can be shipped back to the company in their original packaging in exchange for a discount on replacements. (Zero is also one of the only companies to offer filter bottles made of glass, although the ABS plastic used in their other products has been tested to ensure no chemicals leach out).

ZeroWater's carbon and ion-exchange filter reduces dissolved solids in water down to zero parts per million, which you can test with a total dissolved solids (TDS) meter that comes with the filter. The filters are also NSF certified to remove lead, chlorine taste and odor, mercury, hydrogen sulfide, chromium, aluminum, zinc and iron.

ZeroWater filters are available online at www.zerowater.com. Half-gallon pitchers are $39.99, and larger 2.5 gallon bottles are $119.99 for glass or $99.99 for plastic.

Click for information on the Mountain Lakes drinking water supply and Mountain Lakes Consumer Confidence Report .

Prescription Drug Disposal

An Associated Press investigation shows vast array of pharmaceuticals -- including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones -- have been found in the drinking water supplies of at least 41 million Americans including 24 major metropolitan areas -- from Southern California to Northern New Jersey, from Detroit, Michigan, to Louisville, Kentucky.  So many prescription drugs -- and over-the-counter medicines like acetaminophen and ibuprofen -- in so much of our drinking water is heightening worries among scientists of long-term consequences to human health.

One solution for proper medicine disposal is offered by SMARXT DISPOSAL. TM This public awareness campaign is a public-private partnership between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the American Pharmacists Association, and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.  They recommend that you follow your medication prescriber’s instructions and use all medications as instructed. If you do not use all of your prescribed or over-the-counter medication, you can take a few small steps to make a huge impact in safeguarding lives and protecting the environment by disposing of unused medicines properly:

• DO NOT FLUSH unused medications and DO NOT POUR them down a sink or drain .
  
• Be proactive and dispose of unused medication in household trash. When discarding unused medications, ensure you protect children and pets from potentially negative effects:
  
• Pour medication into a sealable plastic bag. If medication is a solid (pill, liquid capsule, etc.), crush it or add water to dissolve it.
  
• Add kitty litter, sawdust, coffee grounds (or any material that mixes with the medication and makes it less appealing for pets and children to eat) to the plastic bag.
  
• Seal the plastic bag and put it in the trash. 
  
• Remove and destroy ALL identifying personal information (prescription label) from all medication containers before recycling them or throwing them away.
  
• Check for Approved State and Local Collection Programs. Another option is to check for approved state and local collection alternatives such as community based household hazardous waste collection programs. In certain states, you may be able to take your unused medications to your community pharmacy or other location for disposal.
  
• Consult your pharmacist with any questions.
  

New Jersey does not currently have an operational program to allow for donation of unused prescription drugs for redistribution to needy individuals.
If you want to donate unused medication, contact the The Starfish Project,  they will pay for all shipping costs of medications. If you would like to donate medical supplies, contact them and they can provide you with information on other organizations that collect medical supplies.

Making Fast Compost with Leaves

Bonnie found this article from Horticulture Magazine:  
Deciding to have an organic garden means doing two things: avoiding harmful chemicals and improving the soil. For many, banning chemicals comes as a no-brainer. Why would anyone choose to spread stuff that is hazardous to his or her personal environment? On the other hand, improving the soil, a huge part of organic growing, gets less attention than it deserves.

An important difference between “conventional” and “organic” growing is that conventional growing feeds the plant, while organic growing feeds the soil so it can feed the plant. Healthy soil provides everything a plant needs; the healthy plant shrugs off attacks by insects and diseases. A conventionally grown plant is a botanical junkie—it has to get that chemical fix or it will wither. Its immune system is weak, so without chemical protection, it dies.

Happily, soil improvement is cheap, easy, and guaranteed to be effective. Good soil is alive, literally. When school classes visit my garden or farm, I hold a double handful of compost out to the kids and tell them, “There are more living things in this than there are people in the world!” Their eyes pop open, but it is true. And the presence of beneficial microorganisms makes the difference between good healthy soil and the lifeless growing medium you find in some farm fields.

To bring soil back to life—or, rather, to bring life back to the soil—you just have to add vegetative matter. Compost is the classic method, but this is the best time of year to do it the easy way. Take all those leaves that fall from your trees, run over them with the lawn mower to chop them up a bit, and then spread them all over your garden, about six inches deep. Clear some space, a few inches wide, around the stems of trees and other perennials to keep mice from burrowing in. If you can get some straw or seaweed, spread those around too.

This is called sheet composting. By spring, most of what you laid down will have decomposed to make a lovely layer of worm-rich humus filled with beneficial organisms. Rake any still intact material aside as a basis for a new compost pile. Gently (you don't want to hurt those worms!) scratch the rotted material into the top three inches of the original soil, or plant right into it.

Do this every year, and your plants will thrive. No chemicals needed!

A Greener Cuppa Joe

Jeana drinks a lot of coffee! She always has a pot going in the kitchen but recently saw something on a website about energy usage and coffee makers. This website estimated that the average homeowner wasted $200 a year keeping coffee warm, this doesn’t include the cost of brewing the coffee. Her solution – use a Thermos to keep the coffee warm. Now she brews a pot of coffee, then transfers the liquid to the Thermos and unplugs the coffee pot. She has hot coffee all day and some extra money in her pocket!

She also started buying coffee from an organization called Grounds for Change. They sell organic, fair trade, shade grown coffees and are members of 1% for the Planet. The coffee she uses is grown by a women’s co-op. The only downer is that the coffee is shipped from Poulsbo Washington, which is adding to carbon emissions but she tries to offset this by buying a large quantity at a time (10-15 pounds).

I've been wrestling with this issue for several years. I first switched to a single-serve brewer but didn't like all the used pods it created. When that broke, I switched to a brewer that let me fill my own pod which was messy and that machine broke because the instructions stated that the machine had to be left on all day which I didn't do. I also became concerned about the water being in contact with plastic. This summer I switched to using a french press. This method brews excellent coffee and only requires the energy used to boil the water (on the stove or electric kettle). It can also be used to brew tea. According to Ideal Bite, about $400 million goes to electricity used for coffeemakers in the US. I've been getting my coffee from the SmartWorld shop in Denville.

Those Pesky Bottle Caps

We all know that we should NOT keep bottle caps on plastic bottles when we recycle them, right?  Bonnie has forwarded this information from Wini Applegate,
Garden Club of NJ-Environmental/Conservation Chairman, National Garden Clubs, Inc- Environmental Schools Chairman:

"Good news in recycling!  Until now, plastic caps have been tossed in the garbage, on the ground or in the water. The Aveda Company launched a new program to recycle plastic caps. It is a win-win situation.  Plastic caps will be reused in making new caps and containers for their products. Applause for Aveda!

In the first week that I became involved with spreading the news, I was heartened by the positive reaction. I was also amazed to find out that so many were recycling plastic containers WITH THE CAPS ON, thinking that this was the proper thing to do. Actually there is no provision for the cap to be recycled and if it does not pop off during compression the bottle is tossed from the conveyer into the garbage and ultimately into the landfill.

Plastic caps have been one of the largest number of items collected at clean ups, according to statistics. Here is a very small item, that we can work together collecting that will make a difference. Please spread the word to your local municipality, library, county recycling department, schools, churches, businesses, clubs and organizations. I will be interested in your response and reaction."

Planning a Garage Sale? Have Items to Give Away?

then remember to visit our Free Market website & keep those items out of the landfill!  Sorry, Mountain Lakes residents only.  Just follow the link in the second box in the column on the right.  Questions? Email Susie Laker.

Green-o-Ween!

This is copied from Low Impact Living.
Make Your Halloween Less Scary

Posted by Lisa Borden

Some things are scary: ghosts, goblins, vampires and bats.  And some things are really scary: Genetically modified foods, toxic face paint, and insane piles of garbage.  
And then there is the combination of all of these into one massive event: Halloween.

Halloween produces more boos, eeks, screeches and ding dongs than I can now handle…so, in an attempt to make sure my kids don’t hate me, my neighbours, family and friends don’t ridicule me (although I have gotten used to this by now), I inspire each of you to have a less scary Halloween.

I am pleased to share a few of my own simple initiatives/suggestions for a smarter Halloween. I hope you’ll read, adopt as many as possible and pass them along.

1. Since Halloween involves community…support yours. Buy your organic pumpkin at a farmers market, or better yet, pick your own. Growing a pumpkin takes an awful lot of pesticide and pumpkins take up lots of space in landfills and release greenhouse gases as they decompose. Make full use of your entire pumpkin by roasting the seeds (yummy and very healthy), make a soup or pie, and compost the pumpkin when you’re done.
2. Walk, do not drive. Stick to your neighbourhood…talk to your neighbours and enjoy the crisp fall air. It’s a bonus to get some exercise into your busy day.
3. Use a costume you already have in your possession, or borrow one.
4. If you do not have costumes already, make your own costume (and NO face paints – check all makeup at the Environmental Working Group’s  Cosmetics Safety Database!) Remember dressing as a ballet dancer or hockey player? Easy. Plus, I really cannot understand choosing to put on an off-gassing, store-bought, made-in-china, phthalate laced, over packaged mask!  Some costume ideas that are bright, easy and comfortable: a Whiteboard (all white clothing with a pen on a string around your neck and people can sign…now that is interactive!), a Compact Florescent Lightbulb (again, all white clothing with skinny white balloons in twisty shapes on your head), a Ghost (with an organic cotton sheet of course), a Jelly Fish (dressed in pink while opening and closing an umbrella).
5. Instead of turning on every light in your house, use old cans (Eden Organic uses cans that are bpa-free for their non-acid foods by the way) and punch holes in them, fill them with organic soy or beeswax candles and see what you can create (all reusable year after year…just keep adding to your collection).
6. Treats are treats. Kids love treats. You love your kids. What to do??? Every store has those colourful boxes lined up on shelves ready for us to buy (think of the resources wasted right there!). I shudder to now think of the artificial colours and flavours, refined, over-processed ingredients and dyes (that I know will be banned someday), that I put into my body. Try these: Glee Gum or Yummy Earth Lollipops – natural + even nut-free! Or how about giving away pencils made from recyclable materials? (Stop rolling your eyes!)
7. Of course, use a reusable bag. (you can always use a pillowcase too). And, if you do not yet have one, get a RuMe bag already! They are gorgeous, and it’s a reusable bag that even a man will use, imagine that! There is a size for everyone in your family from mini to macro, they fold right up to tuck away into your purse, briefcase, glove compartment or drawer and you’ll use them throughout the year.
8. Walk around with a solar charged, crank powered or shake and shine flashlight. A fabulous range of products powered by alternative energy that every household should have anyways in case of emergency (think solar energy powering your blackberry and shortwave radio).
9. Beware of phantom power. It’s sucking the life out of your bank account and the environment. You thought your electronics were all off at home? They are not really off, they’re just on stand-by. Exorcism procedure: Unplug stuff! (or use a power bar and shut it down completely).
10. Reduce everything, reuse as much as possible and recycle the balance (which is, hopefully not much).

So, be scary, but don’t spook our cherished kids and precious planet. A Happy, healthy and safe Halloweening to you all.

An after/other thought:

We know it’s not “safe” to give out unwrapped treats + fresh foods, but how is an over-packaged, over-processed piece of candy any safer?

About the author: Lisa Borden is an eco-advocate and mother of three, whose business is a direct reflection of her commitment to better, more responsible living. Her full-service marketing firm, Borden Communications + Design Inc. is based in Toronto and takes great pride in being an ethical business providing exceptional ideas.

Meatless Monday

We've already talked about the importance of eating locally.  After a season of enjoying the flavorful difference in locally grown & organic produce, I feel the choice to be a no-brainer:  I get superior taste and freshness, the local farming industry gets a boost and my household carbon footprint is lessened.  In fact, I've been feeling a bit smug until I had a chat with my friend who has been a vegetarian since Oprah had her run-in with the cattle industry.  She pointed out that, not only was some beef raised under questionable conditions, but that it was a major contributor to greenhouse gasses.  Recently, Carnegie Mellon researchers said: "We suggest that dietary shift can be a more effective means of lowering an average household's food-related climate footprint than 'buying local.' Shifting less than one day per week's worth of calories from red meat and dairy products to chicken, fish, eggs, or a vegetable-based diet achieves more GHG reduction than buying all locally sourced food."

I've been hearing about Meatless Mondays but was surprised to learn that it was the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that came up with idea to support their "Food will Win the War" campaign in 1917!  Back then, they needed the food to feed our soldiers overseas.  These days, we wage war on our dependence on foreign oil AND global warming.  In her 1971 book, Diet for a Small Planet, Frances Moore Lappé states that "it is possible to implement an end to the gross waste of literally millions of tons of high-grade protein" and "to enjoy nutritionally sound protein from the richer and far more abundant sources that the earth provides."  Eating meatless one day a week also has significant health benefits.  All that is well and good, but at the end of a busy day, it has to be a dish that is quick to get on the table and the family has to like it! I'm going to commit to Meatless Mondays and to posting good recipes when I come across them.  Here's one I tried last week which I found in the Sept. '08 issue of bon appétit (p.64).

Quinoa with Black Beans and Cilantro
4 TO 6 SERVINGS
PREP: 25 MINUTES TOTAL: 40 MINUTES
Recipe by the Bon Appétit Test Kitchen
September 2008
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups chopped white onions
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup quinoa,* rinsed, drained
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup water
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed, drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
Crumbled Cotija cheese or feta cheese (optional)
PREPARATION
Heat oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and red pepper; sauté until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in next 4 ingredients. Add water; bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until quinoa is almost tender, about 14 minutes. Add beans and 1/4 cup cilantro; cook uncovered until heated through and liquid is fully absorbed, about 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl; sprinkle with 1/4 cup cilantro and cheese, if desired.
*A grain with a delicate flavor and a texture similar to that of couscous; available at natural foods stores.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
One serving contains the following:
Analysis is based on using 1 ounce crumbled Cotija cheese per serving.
Calories (kcal) 391.35
% Calories from Fat 30.3
Fat (g) 13.16
Saturated Fat (g) 5.07
Cholesterol (mg) 25.23
Carbohydrates (g) 53.04
Dietary Fiber (g) 10.24
Total Sugars (g) 5.56
Net Carbs (g) 42.79
Protein (g) 16.20

Two notes:  1) I didn't have black beans so I substituted a can of Amy's medium chili (made with tofu) and it was wonderful, 2) this dish is a good way to sneak in more vegetables (zucchini, carrots) than is called for.

Plastics are Forever

We could all do with a little less plastic in our lives. All plastics are made from petroleum, a nonrenewable resource, and produced under extremely energy-intensive conditions. The matter is further complicated by the fact that nothing in nature, not even sunlight and oxygen, can break apart the bonds that hold plastic together, so they linger on our planet indefinitely. Rather than biodegrading, plastic photodegrades into dust, winding up in soil and in the air. In bodies of water, the plastic particles become a kind of toxic sponge, absorbing other harmful chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and the pesticide DDT. Those particles then get eaten by fish, which wind up back on our dinner plates.

RECYCLING PLASTIC:
Despite the problems with plastic, virtually all types can be recycled and used a few times before losing integrity (when the material has become too weak to recycle any more). However, confusing municipal recycling laws and limited access to recyclers who accept all types of plastic have kept recycling rates low and the amount of plastic waste in landfills high--and getting higher. In 2006, a mere 6.9 percent of plastic garbage we generated was recycled.
On a positive note, more stores are beginning to accept plastic bags for recycling, and other companies are offering to take back used plastic products. For instance, Styrofoam packing peanuts can be taken to any UPS store for reuse, and Stonyfield Farm accepts all its #5 PP yogurt cups and tubs back, reselling them to Preserve, a company that manufactures toothbrushes and reusable plastic dishes from the discarded cups.


WE CAN ALL DO OUR PART TO REDUCE PLASTIC USE:
Here are a few things to keep in mind when shopping:

-Do not buy/use single-use water bottles! Purchase reusable and widely available #2 plastic or stainless-steel bottles.

-Avoid single-use, non-recyclable disposable packaging, such as Styrofoam meat trays, and clam-shell containers. Instead buy items in bulk and portion them out into reusable containers.

-Buy food in glass or metal containers (both 100% recyclable) whenever possible.

-Take your plastic grocery bags to a local Wal-Mart or Whole Foods to be recycled or check to see if your local market recycles them.  Better yet, bring your own shopping bags with you wherever you go!

-Bring your own containers to restaurants, if you think you might have leftovers and don’t take plastic cutlery or condiment packets unless you really need them.

-Avoid plastic cooking tools; use stainless steel or wooden utensils instead.

-Buy household items, like detergent and cleaning supplies, in concentrated forms so that you get more product per package.

-Avoid all items wrapped in excessive packaging.

-Whenever possible look for products and packaging made from recycled materials. The higher the percentage of recycled content, the better.

-Pack school lunches in reusable containers and bags.

-Encourage your favorite coffee shops to provide reusable containers and enjoy your cup of coffee sitting down!

-Always recycle the plastics that you do use either at the recycling center, Swap-Shop or with ML FreeMarket. Example: toys, furniture, garden supplies.

By consistently following just a few of these suggestions you will make a difference!