Better Tasting Through Food Science?

It's official: Food manufacturers will put HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) in ANYTHING!

Planning to make baked brie stuffed with brown sugar and dried cherries for a holiday gathering last weekend (thanks to Dell Rae for the recipe suggestion), I bought a box of "Pitted Tart Cherries" from the Sunflower Market bulk department. Much to my surprise, I noticed an ingredient list on the box when I got home that read as follows:

INGREDIENTS: red sour cherries, high fructose corn syrup and/or sugar, sunflower oil.

Why the hell are we adding sugar to cherries that are supposed to be TART! Does Garvey Nut and Candy (the makers of this product) actually think we can't handle the inherent tartness of a tart cherry? Isn't that the reason we buy tart cherries ... to get the tartness?

Never mind that these cherries were plump, chewy and displayed an almost juicy texture you never find in dried fruit ... or the fact that Marc and I consumed nearly the whole box last night with cereal (I didn't end up making the brie as my parent's dining table was already overflowing with 7-layer dip, pickle roll ups, Aunt Tish's famous dill dip and other classic holiday delacies).

4 Cans + 15 Minutes =

Best Soup Ever!

We're smack-dab in the middle of yet another Colorado snow storm today. It's been snowing steady since 5am this morning (or maybe before, that's just when I got up) and I figure nothing says lovin' like a pot of my new favorite soup on the stove when Marc gets home from his hellish commute from Cheyenne: Veggie Mexican Tortilla Soup.

The recipe is simple:

1. Saute some chopped red onion and garlic in a little bit of olive oil in your favorite big soup pot until it is soft.

2. Stir in a couple TB of tomato paste (this will give it extra rich tomato flavor, but if you don't have it, there's no need to call out for Chinese - leaving it out won't turn the soup into crap)

3. Now's the time to add any spices you might have on hand. Ground cumin is a fav of mine, but we're out (who thinks to buy spices on a weekly grocery run?) so I threw in a little chili powder and called it good.

4. Stir in a cup or so of frozen corn.

5. Here come the cans! Gently stir in the following:
One can black beans (drained and rinsed ... and organic of course!)
One can pinto beans (drained and rinsed ... and organic of course!)
One can vegetable broth (again, you can skip this and just add an empty bean can's worth of water)
One can (a big one) chopped tomatoes with green chiles (do not drain). I use a pint of the T&Cs grown and canned at AuNaturale Farms in Nebraska (the folks' place) but you can use any fine supermarket substitution.

6. Add more roasted green chiles to taste (these are typically found canned in a grocery store, or frozen at my house).

7. Set to simmer and get ready to chow down!

I like to have this with cornbread, too ... but since we have no butter and I'm not about to go out we'll be skipping it tonight.

Oh yes ... and I suppose you're wondering what about the "Tortilla" portion of the Veggie Mexican Tortilla Soup. Well, traditionally I think the soup has corn tortillas chopped up into it to thicken the broth ... or sometimes you see them fried up on the top for garnish. I do not do either of these things. Use your discretion.

My Paraben-Free Soapbox

Well, it's been a month since my last post and not because I've been short on topics to rant about. But that's probably why I've avoided posting lately.

In the madness of holiday marketing (now conveniently with a "green" twist), I've found myself getting flaming mad ... and that's not what my blog is supposed to be about. This isn't a ranting forum. I want to share my discoveries, challenges and triumphs of living a green lifestyle. I don't want to become the Angry Environmentalist (similar to the Angry Vegan in edgy temperment, but who eats much better).

And so, I have stayed off my soapbox this month ... oh and how it has been hard. That being said, here are a few of the highlights from this year's holiday season:

1. REI's "Give Green" Email campaign: http://www.rei.com/email/gearmail/gm112707.html
2. "It's the thought that counts! Belated Eco-Gifts" on The Today Show: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/22388703/
3. Green Gift Guide on iVillage: http://slideshow.ivillage.com/igo_green/green_gift_guide/ecofriendly_gifts_for_everyone.html
4. Allstate's Green Insurance: http://slideshow.ivillage.com/igo_green/green_gift_guide/ecofriendly_gifts_for_everyone.html

The Weather Outside Is ...

... Delightful?? In a scary, global warming sort of way.

It's 8:48am on December 4 and it is currently 61 degrees outside.

Guess I'll be taking a hike today instead of heading to the gym.

Local Schmocal

My brilliant idea of having a local Thanksgiving feast was more difficult to execute than I had previously thought.

After researching various CSAs in Fort Collins, I found one, Grant Family Farms, who was going to be selling produce at one last winter market. Last Saturday, Marc and I drove all the way to the south side of town (gasp!) to check out the market, taking place in a church gymnasium. Once I got Marc convinced to walk into the church, we quickly realized there wasn't much in the way of local Thanksgiving items to be had. Grant Family Farms had some squash, sweet potatoes (which I'm already getting from AuNaturale Organics, my parent's farm) and some beets. None of the items on my list.

There was also a wide assortment of honey and salsas, soy candles and handmade bags .... again, not on the list.

So, I resigned myself to hosting an ORGANIC Thanksgiving instead. I picked up the vast majority of my produce at King Soopers, which was a real coup in my book. Spent about $116 on pretty much everything I needed. Then, I stopped by Whole Foods to get the bulk items (nuts, spices, dried fruit) and dairy (gourmet cheese, Greek yogurt, etc.). After being chastised by the cheese girl for not knowing that Bigham Hill Dairy has been out of business for the past two years, I cashed out at WFM for a whopping $72.

I was able to procure two local items for the feast: Organic, Colorado-Grown Brussels Sprouts ($6.99 lb.) and Morning Fresh Heavy Whipping Cream ($3.29 pint). I feel comfortable enough telling you that I hesitated on the Sprouts. Fortunately for me, the cashier couldn't tell the different in local sprouts and he only charged me the price of conventional sprouts, $2.79 lb. Yes!

The Hunt Is On

Thanksgiving is just one week away and the Angelos are hosting the big family dinner. This year we are going to have both families here, which is really exciting! Marc's parents and brother are driving out from San Diego and my folks from Nebraska will here. And of course, Justin, Courtney and the girls will be making the trek from 5 blocks away.

All this traveling got me to thinking ... why not take on the 100 mile diet this Thanksgiving and offer our far-flung guests a Colorado-grown feast! So, I'm starting to research where I can buy all the stuff we're going to need. Fortunately, my parents operate a near industrial size organic garden, so they'll be providing farm-fresh sweet potatoes, Yukon gold taters and sweet corn.

From what I found on LocalHarvest.org, there are bunch of local farms still open that should be able to fill my cornucopia with Brussels sprouts, green beans, onions, salad greens and beets. One even has farm fresh eggs. Hazel Dell Mushrooms in Windsor is supposedly amazing, and even though I really can't handle the fungi, I'm considering making a dish just to utilize the local favorite.

As for appetizer, I'll stop by the Bingham Hill Cheese in Fort Collins for a delectable treat called the "Poudre Puff," a delicious creamy, fresh cheese that is really good with a bit of fig jam on a Nita Crisp cracker.

Nuts, flours and such will be harder to find "local" but I think if I shop at the Food Co-op, I can at least support my local retailer.

The bird is what poses the problem. I've only been able to find one local turkey purveyor and it's in Haxtun, Colorado ... far outside my 100 mile radius.

The hunt continues ...

Soy Good!

Last week I got a 30% off coupon from Lucy and seeing as I was about to become unemployed (November 2 was my last day at the disaster formerly known as Wild Oats Markets), I decided I needed some more "casual" clothes.

Because I'm trying to shop from only local stores these days, I justified buying from a national chain by purchasing a shirt made from the eco-friendly fabric, Soy. And soy am I happy! The soy fabric is soft and comfy, like cotton - only better. The website calls it "casually chic" ... which is exactly the look I'm going for to work from home.

I'm afraid I'm going to be wearing it everyday. BTW, that's not me in the picture.

NBC Makes It Easy To Go Green

Or, at least that's what they're trying to do this week during "Green Week."

Matt, Anne and Al from The Today Show spent yesterday at the "ends of the earth" telling stories of penguins, polar bears and melting ice caps. Nothing we haven't heard before, but I suppose the target audience was a bit different and it's always good to create awareness outside of the tree hugger set. Moms control their households and would be the ones to actually make a change for reducing carbon emissions.

NBC.com also changed the color palette on their site to green tones. Now that's eco!

NBC even turned The Biggest Loser "green" last night. I'll admit it, this is a guilty pleasure of mine and with Tivo on my side, I really enjoy the hour I spend with the TBL contestants and trainers while sitting on my couch. I even caught Marc getting interested one night.

Back to the "green" show .... Instead of the typical Top 5 Trainer Tips before commercial break, the trainers shared ways to be more eco-friendly: recycling cans and paper, unplugging computers and video games ... basic stuff, nothing out of the ordinary but that's good, too. There are a lot of beginners out there.

There was also a banner on the bottom of the screen with tips - although I only saw this one: "Eat Vegetarian Once a Week. It will save water and energy." Nice!

At dinner one night (on the show), Jillian (one of the trainers) gave her team a talkin' to about the importance of eating organically and choosing foods from local farmers markets. She was obviously passionate about the topic and hit all the right points about transportation issues, fuel costs and she even spoke to how organic food is better for your body (wow!) and the earth. Overall, it was so great to see her bringing that to everyone's attention.

Where I get a bug in my pants is that you hear Jillian saying, "see everyone, it's important that we live as eco-friendly as possible" and you see Jillian sitting at the dining table (at their house, mind you) with her team and everyone is eating with plastic forks and drinking from those red plastic keg cups.

This is a prime example of how hypocritical this whole mainstream "green" movement is. They focus on one thing - organic food and then eat it with disposable, petroleum-based products. It doesn't make any sense! Why would you think it's ok to eat with throw-away items at you're own house??

One more stupid thing NBC tried to pull: There was a promo for some thing the Heroes cast was doing to plant a tree and "save the world." They showed a person from the cast watering the newly planted tree with the water left in his PLASTIC WATER BOTTLE. When will people get it?

So Much Stuff

Sometimes I just get completely overwhelmed by all the CRAP we have in our lives.

It struck me today as I was taking a break from sitting at my new Pier 1 office desk and staring our new 24" wide screen flat panel computer to put away a pile of laundry that consisted of one of Marc's 10,000 pairs of bike shorts. As I was cramming said shorts into an over-stuffed spare dresser placed conveniently in the "high performance" closet which is also bursting with jackets, sweaters, shoes and all sorts of other rarely used items (wedding dress excluded), I heard the Tivo ping a notice that it was going to start recording a new program.

The other day, Marc said if we move again, we'll definitely have to hire movers. That depresses me.

When I was in college, I left furniture behind in my trashy little houses because I just didn't need it. I moved in a single trip, borrowing the guy of the moment's truck and donating anything that wouldn't fit to neighbors and street corners. Now, our closets are overrun with "someday we might want it" things and our rooms are bursting with gadgets and miscellanea of all types.

While I wouldn't trade our red couch for any of the Goodwill specials I had in college, it would be nice to get back to a simpler time with less stuff.

I've Seen Fire and I've Seen Rain

Southern California is engulfed in flames, fueled by the Santa Ana winds.
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2007/news/wildfires/index.html

Heavy rains, up to 8 inches just yesterday, flooded New Orleans businesses and resulted in waist-high water in some parts of the ravaged city.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/nation/5237278.html

It's going to be 75 tomorrow in Denver.

And people still think Global Warming is a "theory"?

Magazines = Good Readin'

I LOVE magazines. I used to subscribe to several - Vegetarian Times, Women's Health, Organic Style (now defunct) and it was always such a joy to discover a new magazine amidst the bills and junk mail. It's been awhile since I've experienced the excitement of seeing a fresh magazine cover in the mailbox ... until today!

The first copy of my Mother Earth News subscription arrived today! Hoorah! And guess what article popped out at me as I was flipped through to pull out all those annoying stiff card thingys? A story about Kiva.org and Microlending. Am I good or what?

I'm sure this magazine will lend some great ideas for my green living - I see something about cage free eggs, recipes for sensational soups and perhaps some tips about composting ... but I also know as hard as they might try over there at Ogden Publications, there's going to be no shortage of out-there crunchy granola type of suggestions. Which I will happily include on my blog for sheer shock value. Take this, for example, from the "75 Inspiring Ideas to Live On Less and Love It" article:

"Avoid paying rent by finding a live-in elder care position. There's always someone desperate for reliable help, and often there are no qualifications needed other than compassion."

"Instead of shopping, scavenge. Watch the curbs at the end of the semester in a college town. If you live near a high school, try talking to the janitor the last day of school when they're cleaning out the lockers." -- You know, for Chapstick, old Algebra homework and if you're lucky, you might score some random tampons.

This one though, I like: "Rediscover the radical notion of a public library: Get books, music and movies for free!" I always say I'm going to go to the library instead of shelling out $25 for the latest book club option. This month I mean it! Maybe I'll even ride my cruiser bike and put the books in my basket.

I might have a little bit of crunchy granola hippie in me yet.

Give a Little

For the cost of a week's worth of lattes (well, not "mine" since I drink fair trade organic coffee brewed in my Cuisinart at home) - or one night of dining out with your honey - you can help make difference in the life of a far-off entrepreneur. Cue Sathy Struthers, you say? No, this isn't one of those "pennies a day adopt a kid from Ethiopia" things. Stay with me.

For my birthday, my sister Lisa gave me a $100 gift certificate to a website called, Kiva.org. The mission of Kiva is to work with third-party microloan providers to connect givers (that's me!) with small business owners around the world.

If you're not familiar with the microcredit concept, it is the extension of very small loans (microloans) to the unemployed, to poor entrepreneurs and to others living in poverty who are not considered bankable. These individuals lack collateral, steady employment and a verifiable credit history and therefore cannot meet even the most minimal qualifications to gain access to traditional credit. Microcredit is a part of microfinance, which is the provision of financial services to the very poor; apart from loans, it includes savings, microinsurance and other financial innovations. Muhammad Yunus launched the modern version of these loans and won a little thing called the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his efforts.

There are some really amazing people on the site - like this guy, Jose Muentes from Guayaquil, Ecuador. He has a recylcing business and needs $675 to buy equipment and supplies.
http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=21193

Marc spends that on motorcycle tires every few months. I'm actually really embarrassed to admit that.

I ended up spreading my $100 around to 3 different people:
Koleti Poasa in Somoa who needs stuff for her taro plantation. http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=21130

Hamis Mchika in Tanzania who is a local tailor and specialized in making suits. He needs an electronic sewing machine to boost his business. http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=21793

Luisa Julia Lopez Espejo in Peru needed capital to invest in her grocery store/restaurant/boarding house. Her story is really cool. http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=21858

I encourage all my loyal readers out there (a-hem ... anyone?) to check out the site. There are some amazing stories to read and it's a wonderful opportunity to do something meaningful with a little bit of money.

Going Green for 26.2

Courtney and I ran our first ever (and perhaps only) marathon on Sunday - The Denver Marathon. The course twisted and turned its way through the city streets, big green parks and back into downtown. Despite the drizzling rain and 40 degree high, it was a beautiful way to see the city.

Of course, with 26.2 miles ahead of us, we had plenty of time to ponder the experience and consider ways to green-ify the marathon. The water/Gatorade stations were expertly placed about every 2 miles on the course - leaving behind a river of green and white cups crushed in the gutters. To do our part, Courtney and I shared a cup of water at each station - they were too big for us to want to drink the whole thing and we saved one cup of trash at each stop!

We also think there should be a Green Marathon to raise money for some sort of community organization. It would be easy enough to make a run carbon neutral and Clif could bring their organic bars and energy drinks. Then, we'd just need biodegradable corn cups or make runners carry their own bottles that could be refilled at each stop.

Go Gore!

Al Gore and the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change won the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for work to raise awareness about global warming.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/10/12/nobel.gore/index.html


Fuck yes! Need I say more??

Afternoon Delight

I had the pleasure of dining in the White Wave office cafeteria for lunch today, and I must say it was a pleasure indeed!

When you think of a "cafeteria" you might envision gloopy trays of mystery meat, hairnets and cartons of lukewarm milk. While there was plenty of Horizon Organic milk (and it's dairy free counterpart, Silk) available at this cafe, the food was knock-your-socks-off good. Or, at least pretty darn good for $5 served up in a cafeteria in a business park.

The cafeteria boasted 4 hot plate options which today included: Seafood Bouillabaisse, Roasted Vegetable Tart with fingerling potatoes and green beans (my option), Pizza and Asian Chicken Stir Fry with Soba Noodles. For the less adventurous there is also a make-your-own sandwich bar, smoothie bar, latte bar and an organic salad bar. They're just missing the happy hour cocktail bar! Most everything on the menu is organic or at least all-natural. The cookies and bars looked freshly made.

And the tray dump included bins for composting, mixed recycling and trash. Now that's what I call an office perk!

Doggie Bag

You don't realize just how much trash there is around your neighborhood (and I don't mean Whisky Tango neighbors) until you take a walk with a puppy.

eKo manages to identify (plus stop and smell) every bit of "food" and trash you can imagine. Matchbook covers, candy wrappers, BK french fry boxes ... there is so much miscellaneous trash along our walking route that you might otherwise walk over, unnoticed.

I guess I need to start carrying a trash bag with the poop bags. Fun.

Fill 'er Up!

There's a new "R" to add to the eco credo: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, REFILL.

Cartridge #57, tri color ink, for my HP 2210 all-in-one printer was running low. My attenpts to print the incriminating photographs from last night's birthday soiree were turning out with heavy green overtones (and no, it wasn't the color our skin had turned due to the excess of sushi or sake).

Marc was running to Walgreens to pick up something else, when my mind's eye recalled a sign at the store advertising "ink cartridge refills, available in minutes." I decided to give it a go. 10 minutes later, 2 encounters with grumpy Walgreen's employees and witness to 1 even grumpier Walgreen's shopper, I had my newly refilled tri-color cartridge ready to print. For just $15!

Pictures are printed beautifully and ready to send to fellow birthday partiers.

One downfall of Walgreen's' refilling process: They insist on putting the cartridge in one of these over sized paperboard boxes for customer tracking. Lose this box and Walgreen's has a pretty spiffy refill process.

Nail In the Coffin

It's my 30th birthday today. Or as my brother's wacky math goes, I'm 29 for the second time.

Seeing as my schedule at "work" is pretty light these days, I decided to celebrate by taking the day off heading to the nail spa for a mani/pedi.

I know, I know - nail polish is toxic nasty stuff. And I even selected my colors from the OPI brand which is one of the worst on the EWG's list. Top it off with the darkly named "callus eliminator" goo the girl slathered on my feet, and I gave myself the gift of phalates and formaldehyde. That's gotta be good for me as I enter my reproductive years.

No one's perfect. And my nails look goooooooooood.

Bobbing for Frankenstein Apples

Fall is nipping at our noses - with crisp morning air, shorter days and that kind of warm, glowing light that seems to shine at just the right angle, giving even the deadest of potted plants a wonderfully beautiful brightness.

It also means that my all-time favorite apples (yes, I have a favorite apple - don't you?), the "explosively crisp" Honeycrisp, is available at my local natural foods markets. Seems as though these beauties are only around for a few weeks in the fall, and seeing as they are THE MOST DELICIOUS APPLE I will ever bite into, I don't mind paying $3.99 a pound for them. An outrageous price once you learn these are not organic. In fact, they shine with the glisten that can only be layers of wax and pesticide.

As Marc was heading off to work this morning, he refused my reluctant addition of a Honeycrisp to his brown bag lunch, as he already had some inferior Gala apples at work. Was I relieved! I mentioned that these apples were "invented" in Minnesota to which Marc keenly noted, "So, this is a genetically modified organism?". I wasn't so sure.

It's definitely a hybrid - produced from Macoun, Honeygold and Keepsake apples. But any food that isn't a heirloom is technically a hybrid ... does that make it a GMO? I needed to do some research.

According to Wikipedia (the resource for all information. or at least quickest access), a HYBRIDis:

Crosses between populations, breeds or cultivators within a single species. This is often used in plant and animal breeding. In plant and animal breeding, hybrids are commonly produced and selected because they have desirable characteristics not found or inconsistently present in the parent individuals or populations. This rearranging of the genetic material between populations or races is often called hybridization.

Mass agriculture popularized the use of conventional hybridization to increase yield many folds. Often the handful of breeds of plants and animals hybridized originated in developed countries and were further hybridized with local verities, in the rest of the developing world, to create high yield strains resistant to local climate and diseases.

It all sounds well and good, but hybridization had led to great loss in genetic diversity and biodiversity as a whole. Hence the movement toward heirloom varieties of fruits and vegetables.

GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISM (on the other hand?) is:

An organism whose genetic material has been altered using the genetic engineering techniques generally known as recombinant DNA technology. With recombinant DNA technology, DNA molecules from different sources are combined in vitro into one molecule to create a new gene. This modified DNA is then transferred into an organism causing the expression of modified or novel traits.

Genetic Engineering today has become another serious and alarming cause of genetic pollution because artificially created and genetically engineered plants and animals in laboratories, which could never have evolved in nature even with conventional hybridization, can live and breed on their own and what is even more alarming, interbreed with naturally evolved wild varieties.

GM food is of concern for the future when diverse genetic material will cease to exist to be able to further improve or hybridize weakening food crops and livestock against more resistant diseases and climatic changes.

In summary - it seems as though natural hybridization is an OK thing, as it's cross-breeding two existing species and not genetically altering anything (which seems more permanent?). But genetically modifying food to our whims can lead to disastrous consequences.

So what of my beloved Honeycrisp apple? Seems to be that this is a child of scientific hybridization - not genetic modification ... so I'm safe for now.

The Cup Concern

My dad had the opportunity to be the opening performer for a somewhat famous songwriter named Jack Black on Friday night. The event was taking place in what seemed to be a refurbished farm outbuilding in the small town of Loomis, Nebraska. So, naturally, I had to be there.

After sipping on two barely chilled beers, I decided to switch to water - which was served up in a large Styrofoam cup. I didn't know people were still using these (outside of the occasional small town malt shop)! I have to admit the cup kept my water wicked cold and the ice was still in tact hours later on the drive home. But I couldn't help but feel guilty for the using the cup (surprise surprise). Why didn't I think to bring a water bottle with me instead?

To assuage my guilt I quickly started thinking of the alternative ways I could continue using the cup. Despite its everlasting nature in landfills, it wouldn't stay in top drinking form forever. Instead, the cup is now in use as a dog food measure-er.

Am I obsessed with these little details? Does one Styrofoam cup really make a difference? It does to me.

See - it's not just the cup. It's the idea of the cup. It's the raising of consciousness - the fact that I'm thinking of alternative ways to transfer fluids to my body or reuse different, everyday items.

I'm not obsessive. Right?

A Tale of Two Stickers

I'm babysitting my neices tomorrow, so I ran out to Whole Foods to pick up some kid-friendly, yet organic, snacks. Along the way I was driving behind a pickup truck with a variety of religious inspired bumper stickers. One that stood out read, "Abortion is not a Right. It's a Wrong."

I was annoyed by this truck's expression of the first amendment (even if he was using his right to remove rights of another) and silently ridiculed the driver for needing to put this religion on display.

On the way back home I was behind another truck, this time with a pro-green slogan on its bumper. The tag line (which I can't remember now) made me smile and think, yeah - that's what I want to read.

But it occurred to me that both bumper stickers are annoying... to someone. Why do we insist on using our cars to scream who we are and what we believe in?

Do either drivers really think they are converting fellow road ragers into believing like they do just because they post a sticker?

Doing a Load of Laundry

The greenwashing of American manufacturers has begun. Seems like everyone is green these days. Green builders. Green credit cards. Green handy man (seriously: www.ecohandyman.com). Even the Emmys called themselves "The Green Emmys" for no apparent reason. But what does it all mean?

I spent an hour exploring the Rocky Mountain Sustainable Living Fair today looking for an answer. I listened to the publisher of Mothering Magazine talk about the "Top 20 Things to Live More Sustainably" which was a list originally published in GreenGuideToGo.com with killer tips such as "recycle" and "compost". According to the schedule she was supposed to present about raising healthier kids in a sustainable way. By the pacing of the hippie moms with their toddlers in hemp-woven slings, I guess they were expecting something different, as well. I wandered around the expo, meeting vendors from the Fort Collins area and checking out who my fellow sustainable-living folks are.

There were a LOT of Birkenstock sandals, a TON of kids in badly sewn aprons and a big line at the New Belgium beer tent. I didn't see anyone like me, even though every Prius in town must have been in the parking lot.

I was impressed especially by the enormous trailer giving out samples of Annie's Organic Cheddar Bunnies and the rows of alternative building and energy suppliers. There were eco magazines, clothing shops and all sorts of consumer goods. The highlight of the day, though, was the Hydrogen Hummer.

I know that people are going to buy crap. I buy a lot of crap myself. And if you're going to buy something, you might as well make a sustainable choice. I think it's great we have a variety of options available to us when we're ready to make a purchase decision that is good for the environment.

What I'm wondering about is this recent rash of greenwashing taking over the retail world. What does it mean to be "green"?? To me, a green product/service is one that minimizes the impact on the environment. That means it is: reused, recycled, harvested in a sustainable way, doesn't add more crap to the landfill, doesn't pollute or reduces the pollution we put into the environment.

More simply put - living green is just living more simply with common sense. I guess it is easy being green.

This Video Is Cool

If Natalie Portman, Chloë Sevigny and Kyra Sedgwick can screw in a compact fluorescent lightbulb, why can’t we all?
Check out the video by clicking here.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid687239786/bclid1138334468/bctid1138037371

A Greener Way to Shop

Wow, I can't believe it's been a month since my last post. A lot has happened in the last four weeks, most notably my consumer boycott for the month of July. I didn't give any indication of this plan in previous posts because - well, I was pretty sure it wouldn't stick.

I heard a story on NPR about how this group of people who refused to buy anything but absolute necessities for a year. I just spent about 20 minutes trying to find the story to link to, to no avail. The general idea is that these 1000+ people committed to not buying anything other than food, housing, etc. and the "must-haves" to get by for a whole year. One woman in the story sheepishly admitted she bought a pair of running shoes because she needed them for work. She's a dog walker by trade.

I thought I'd try it for a month.

The first week was a bit of a struggle. I'm not a compulsive shopper by any stretch of the imagination, but I did get an email from Banana Republic on day two of the experiment highlighting the season's hottest jean that I simply had to have. I almost postponed the kick off of the buying boycott to get the jeans ... but I refrained. Just like any addict, I had my doubts about making this work at first. But the more I said no to buying, the easier it became. It got to the point where I wasn't' even interested in looking at most stuff. And that's a pretty big feat considering my office is on a mall, for crying out loud.

I'm sure buying pre-made pizza dough at Whole Foods or dinner out at Suehiro's shouldn't really be considered "essential" but it all falls under the category of food to survive, so I did flash some plastic for those luxuries. Overall, though, the month off of buying was a success and wasn't that hard to pull off. You can do anything for a month. A year ... now that's another story.

I got my wide leg trouser jeans from BR this week.

Don't Call Me a Martyr

But I sure do make some sacrifices for my new green life.

You might remember how I gave up my beautiful Saturday for the plumber to come fix our leaky shower. And it wasn't even MY shower that was dripping.

Today, I opted out of a free trip to Chicago for a conference on how to better utilize our online sale flyer. My reasons for RSVP-ing "no" include (in order of importance):

1. I was going to be getting on a massive United jet twice in just two days - making the carbon pollution from taking a plane seem absolutely ridiculous. And I don't think Wild Oats reimburses for carbon off-setting purchases.

2. The conference seemed kind of like a waste of time - what with less than a full day of events.

3. Chicago in August?

4. I'm probably not even going to be employed here in August.

Mr. Rooter to the Rescue!

Did you know:
A pesky faucet leak can waste serious water! Just one drop per second can add up to 165 gallons per month.

I have no doubt the drip-drip-dripping shower in Marc's bathroom was flushing this much water, or more, down the drain each month. So, a couple weeks ago I made the ultimate enviro-sacrifice. While Marc went on a mammoth 6 hour mountain bike ride with a group of other pyschos, I spent my beautiful summer Saturday at home ... waiting for the plumber.

Three visits from Mr. Rooter, a new shower head, a hole in the wall of the linen closet, some sort of new valve on the pressure thing and $500 later, our bathroom is leak free!

Thrill of the Grill


Marc and I are firing up the grill four out of five nights a week now that the umbrella is perched and our summer deck is in full swing. I'm putting away at least a full onion (grilled to sweet perfection) each week and Marc has mastered the art of creating a marinade out of virtually nothing for his organic chicken habit.

But today I read a little post on Lime.com about how grilling can be toxic for the environment. Can it be true? Is my beloved Aussie 4 grill (with the unmatched ability to move from charoal/hickory chips to gas in a single motion) wronging Mother Nature? I did some research to find out.

Here's what I uncovered:

• Backyard grilling with gas is more energy-efficient than an indoor oven, since ovens take time to preheat.


• Natural gas and Propane are hands-down the most eco-friendly (chalk one up for the Aussie's easy lighting propane function)


• Both charcoal and wood burn dirty, producing tiny soot particles that pollute the air and can worsen chronic heart and lung problems (take one off for the Aussie when we throw in a couple hardwood brickettes to smokify the chow)

Looks like we'll be able to grill on guilt free for another day, as long as we save the use of the hardwood smoker chips for extra special events. Like more beer can chicken.

Please note: A beer can was not actually shoved inside this chicken. A Blue Sky All-Natural Jamacian Ginger Ale can, filled with Sam Adams Holiday Lager, was used instead. The can was reused from the recycling bin and the beer has been waiting to serve a higher purpose as it was not consumed at the last TWO Angelo Christmahanukwanzaa parties.

Death of a Tree

Those damn neighbors are back at their environmental evils again!

As if washing the pavement wasn't bad enough, they opted to cut down one of their shade-providing, oxygen-producing, carbon-dioxide-absorbing trees from the front of the house! What a travesty. I noticed the tree was ground down to a 3" stump, leaving behind a lonely looking ring of well-placed landscaping rock.

I can only assume that the tree was removed because it was causing two small brown spots in the lawn. Which wacky Mrs. Manager had a sprinkler going full boar on for over an hour. I don't think I need to mention that half the spray was going down the gutter.

When I came out front to move my own spot watering sprinkler tonight (aptly placed to not sprinkle any unnecessary spots, I might note), they were standing in front of my driveway, examining the "shape" of the beautiful Locust tree in their front yard. Of course they quickly scurried back across the street without making eye contact or responding to my "hi there!" quip.

I can only imagine what that tree will look like tonight. I'm going to send Marc out today to get a picture before they destroy it. Maybe he can even catch the act. Stay tuned ...

More Antics from Crazy Neighbors

Good thing I live in suburbia, otherwise, I might run short of content for the blog.

There is a couple who live across the street that we only see on the rarest of occasions. Once in awhile they trek to the mailbox in the light of day. They park both cars in the garage, so we mostly see the dad (yes, they have a kid) behind the wheel of the super stylie mini-van, presumably on his way to work as manager of Bed, Bath and Beyond (the reason I know this is not because I've actually had a conversation with these people, but because the super-friendly, know-it-all neighbor catty-corner from us seems to have gleaned this information from an unnamed source).

The exception to this routine is Saturday morning. Each week,The Manager ventures out in non-descript yard clothes for his mowing ritual, which culminates with a marathon driveway washing session. For this, he stands on the driveway and gently hoses away all the pesky grass clippings that have blown onto the pavement. After about 20 minutes of this water-wasting fest, he moves on to the sidewalk in front of his house for 10 minutes more (see photo). He seems so relaxed when he's doing this "chore" I'm certain it's his way of unwinding after a long week of folding towels and organizing shelves of "as seen on TV" kitchen gadgets.

Why he can't pick up a broom at BBB with his wicked manager discount and sweep the clippings away, I will not know. But, it appears that my picture taking, although I was stealthily hiding in my garage to get the paparazzi-like shot you see above, has driven him to take on his OCD driving washing on Thursday afternoons. I've seen him on those days I "work from home."

Which Is Worse? Fertilizer or Extra Watering.

As we Colorado folks enter the dry, dismal days of summer in the high desert, we are faced with browning lawns and the tough decision of what to do to salvage the remnants of our Kentucky Bluegrass patches.


Now, the obvious eco option would be to not have a lawn at all. Tear it out, replace it with xeriscaped native grasses and let nature take its course. But, I have not gone that far just yet and thus have to deal with keeping our lawn up with the Davis'. Or at least looking better than the aforementioned dandelion farm next door.


So the question today is: Do I fertilize the lawn with chemicals that can leach potentially toxic substances into the ground water with the belief that said chemicals will refresh the lawn without extra water - or, do I forgo fertilizer and simply water the lawn more often?

The Scott's brand Weed 'n Feed fertilizer bag would have me believe that making my lawn green is "earth friendly" because "green grass is providing more photosynthesis." But, as I carried my bag of Weed 'n Feed around the Home Depot, its acrid smell burned my nose and carried with it an incredible sense of guilt. Nearly driven to tears, knowing this was not the right choice for our yard, I came across a section of green-er lawn alternatives. After reading labels about a product made up of worm poop, I went with Scotts Organic Choice lawn food. Unfortunately this is not a vegetarian product (which strikes me as weird, but explains Affrey's interest in nibbling the pellets) as the protein ingredients are all “non ruminant” and are derived from poultry (primarily) and swine byproducts.

This stuff is made from primarily protein ingredients derived from Hydrolyzed Feather Meal, Meat Meal, Bone Meal (bovine-free), Blood Meal and Sulfate of Potash.

• Nitrogen: derived from feather meal, blood meal, meat meal, bone meal
• Phosphorus: derived frm bone meal
• Potassium: derived from sulfate potash, which is a mined mineral from the Great Salt Lake

While not exactly as green as the worm poop would have been, I feel it was a good compromise. My lawn is getting an extra dose of natural nutrients, but without the chemical weed killers I can do without (my trusty digger is still fully functioning). A bonus is that this product was designed for use in organic farming and has been approved by the FDA.

Which Is Worse?

Today, I'm introducing a new segment to the blog called, "Which Is Worse?" In these periodic postings, I'll be examining the lesser of two environmental evils. Because, after all, living a green life is about making changes, not sacrifices.

Which Is Worse?
Getting sunburned which will lead to wrinkles, skin cancer and generally looking like leather by the time I'm 50.

OR

Using toxic sunscreen laden with cancer-causing parabens and other compounds.

The Coppertone Sport SPF 15 sunblock I'm so fond of (it sprays on!) is listed on Skin Deep as one of the 37 worst I could choose, due to sunblock instability, those nasty cancer-causing parabens, loads of fragrance and more. So, while I'm blocking myself from melanoma, I may be giving myself some other form of cancer thanks to the super-absorbing nature of the toxins in this sunscreen.

The skin is our largest organ. Every time we slather conventional, fragrance-laden products on our skin, they are rapidly absorbed into our systems.

So, what's a sun-loving Colorado girl who just got two suspicious moles removed for testing to do? Get a new sunscreen.

Skin Deep has a list of 128 recommended sunscreens - and they aren't all the $50 a bottle versions. Oil of Olay, Banana Boat and Coppertone products make the list. As do some great baby varieties.
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/browse.php?sunscreens=1&best=1

Time for me to lather up and hit the trails!

Holy Cow

A century ago, the average cow produced 1700 quarts of milk a year. Today, the "average" cow squeezes out a massive 8200 quarts of the white stuff.

The reason our super heffers are producing so much milk these days is not just because they've become extra-generous. Instead, our conventional milk farmers are pumping thier black and white beauties with rBHD - a synthetic, bovine growth hormone created by our genetic modifying friends at Monsanto.

Here's a good summary of the issues surrounding the use of rBHD from the book, "What's In Your Milk?" by Samuel S. Epstein, MD:

rBGH (recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone) is a genetically engineered, potent variant of the natural growth hormone produced by cows. Manufactured by Monsanto, it is sold to dairy farmers under the trade name POSILAC. Injection of this hormone forces cows to increase their milk production by about 10%.Monsanto, supported by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), insists that rBGH milk is indistinguishable from natural milk, and that it is safe for consumers. This is blatantly false:

• rBGH makes cows sick. Monsanto has been forced to admit to about 20 toxic effects, including mastitis, on its POSILAC label.


• rBGH milk is contaminated by pus, due to the mastitis commonly induced by rBGH, and antibiotics used to treat the mastitis.


• rBGH milk is chemically and nutritionally different than natural milk.


• rBGH milk is contaminated with rBGH, traces of which are absorbed through the gut.


• rBGH milk is supercharged with high levels of a natural growth factor (IGF-1), which is readily absorbed through the gut.


• Excess levels of IGF-1 have been incriminated as a cause of breast, colon, and prostate cancers.IGF-1 blocks natural defense mechanisms against early submicroscopic cancers.


• rBGH factory farms pose a major threat to the viability of small dairy farms.


• rBGH enriches Monsanto, while posing dangers, without any benefits, to consumers, especially in view of the current national surplus of milk.

The risks of cancer to consumers and particularly their children, especially those enrolled in the Public School Lunch Program, are undisputable.

If you're buying organic milk and other dairy products (good for you!) you know you're not taking in any rBGH. But these days, even some of the conventional milk producer are rejecting the hormone use. Alta Dena cottage cheese and Ben & Jerry's ice cream are just two of the major brands who offer their creamy delicious products produced from milk "provided by farmers who pledge not to use rBGH."

Yet another good excuse to buy a $4.99 pint of B&J ice cream. I'll take a scoop of the Oatmeal Cookie please ...

Meet the 'Bachers

Mr. Redenbacher needs to get with the Organic Kettle Corn program. Sure, it's impressive that the geeked-out popcorn maker offers Organic Microwave Popcorn at my local conventional grocery store (never mind that the Organic version comes with only 2 bags per box, as opposed to the 3 bags in regular 'corn ... for the same price). But where is the organic kettle corn in his "green" offerings?

Every brand of micro-corn has an assortment of flavors in its arsenal: cheddar, butter, butter lite, movie theater butter, artery-clogging butter ... and yes, kettle corn. That slightly sweet, slightly salty satisfier that has moved from the State Fair to our living rooms. And yet ... the makers of said popcorn have not yet forayed into making an organic version. A shame, indeed.

So, tonight, after returning Marc's 2-day late movie to Safeway (yes, they have one of those instant renta boxes) I browsed the 3 full shelves of microwave popping corn and settled on a particular variety of Orville Redenbacher's Gourmet Popping Corn: Smart Pop! Kettle Korn. It was the only one made without hydrogenated oil.

I guess you can chock one up to old four-eyes after all.

Buying Piece of Mind

Seems like everyone is talking Carbon Offsets these days. Or, as I call them "A Green Living Strategy for People who don't want to do without their polluting ways."

Laurie David played down her private jet trips across the country by saying touting her "offsets" purchases.

The band Gomez operates a "carbon neutral" tour by buying offsets when they have to travel via modes outside of their biodiesel tour bus.

For those of you sitting in the dark right now, trying to limit your energy consumption - here's carbon offsetting in a nutshell:
You give money to groups/organizations who are implementing emission-reducing programs to make up for the pollution you are emitting. You pay for emission-reductions elsewhere instead of reducing your own actions. Hence my name ... "A Green Living Strategy for People who don't want to do without their polluting ways."

For example: Marc drives his Xterra to Cheyenne 3 times a week, which results in 17,255 lbs. of Co2 emitted into the atmosphere each year. Carbon Offsetting suggests Marc should buy a "Road Tripper TerraPass" for $79.95 (per year) to make up for his wasteful ways. According to TerraPass.com, "TerraPass funds clean energy from sources like wind farms, methane capture facilities, and more. By replacing energy from fossil fuels with clean energy, TerraPass reduces carbon dioxide emissions. These reductions balance the emissions from your car."

So, instead of suggesting Marc inconvenience himself to carpool more often, they just ask him to throw money at encouraging "other" people to use renewable resources. Maybe Marc should consider carpooling and taking that money he would spend on $3.50 / gallon gas to buy wind credits for his house. That way he would be reducing energy consumption in TWO places: gas in car and dirty coal-generated electricity at home.

I guess that's just too much work for us.

Dandy-Lion Fun

Noxious dandelion killing sprays are for lazy people.

For just $3.67 (cost of the cheapest digger tool at the Depot) and 5 hours of my time, I dug up all the brilliant yellow flowers I could find on our yard. Sure, I'm sunburnt and tired, I have a little blister on my thumb and I'm probably going to have to do it all again next weekend thanks to the dandelion farm my neighbors are apparently growing in place of their lawn, but there is a certain amount of satisfaction that comes from plucking each of those little buggers up from their cozy little spot in my grass.

As I was crouched in the grass with my little digger tool, I started wondering why restaurants/grocers charge a premium for gourmet dandelion greens. Maybe I should start a dandelion farm. Even I could make that grow.

The Miracle Worker

I'll admit it. My shower can get kind of gross. I despise scrubbing the tile walls and I let it get pretty bad before I'll get down and dirty with the cleaning.

Today, however, I discovered a miracle shower cleaner that will keep my rain locker bright, shiny and funk-free without scrubbing (or toxic smells). I sprayed Seventh Generation Bathroom Cleaner (natural citrus scent) on some of the darkest spots on my tile grout (don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about) and without the slightest bit of elbow grease, the gunk was gone!

I sprayed this sweet smelling cleaning product all over the shower and within seconds everything was white and gleaming. Did I mention there was no scrubbing?

Best of all - it's make without chlorine, petroleum based solvents, glycol ethers, phosphates, acids, caustics, dyes or perfumes. no unpleasant fumes, no harmful residues and is safe for the environment (biodegradable).

It's not often you can get excited about cleaning.

Cold Pizza

Friday night at the Angelo's typically means stepping out to the local brewpub - Coopersmith's for a beer and some relatively healthy fare.

Last night I enjoyed a wood-fired pizza (they do this great thing with crushed peppercorns in the crust) but after 3 pieces, I was ready to pack it up. Tyler (the server) brought me an over sized Styrofoam box (plastic #5) to serve as my doggie bag.

A simple piece of tinfoil would have sufficed and it makes me wonder why restaurants still insist on utilizing environmental evils such as these take out boxes. Is it really necessary to encase your half a pizza in a bomb-proof clamshell box? But rather than bemoan the restaurant take-out industry, I will learn to ask for tin foil when it's necessary ... or weigh the cost of leaving those slices behind rather than add to my trash pile with a hard-to-recycle item.

After all this pondering ... I forgot the box on the table, anyway.

Mercury Is On the Rise

Did you ever do that experiment in high school where the teacher would break open a thermometer and let you push around the balls of mercury? Ah, the good old days.

Today, scientists are uncovering a host of health issues related to mercury contamination - including attributing the rise in autistic kids (1 in 150 is now diagnosed) to environmental toxins, such as mercury.

So - I started to do some research to find where I might be getting my mercury from. The biggie for me is fish. Here's a nifty calculator to figure out the amount of mercury you might be getting from your sushi: http://www.mercuryexposure.org/index.php?page_id=36.

General rule of thumb is to eat fish lower on the food chain - salmon, rainbow trout, oysters, striped bass (farmed), pollock, flounder, sole, Alaskan king crab, perch, clams, scallops, shrimp, catfish, haddock and tilapia are all good to eat. These fish typically have loads of healthy Omega-3s and Selenium and piddly mercury levels. Canned tuna is saddled with mercury ... which saddens me because I just got this great wasabi canola mayonnaise that would make for excellent tuna sammies.

I also discovered this list of Sources of Mercury on www.mercuryexposure.org.
Here are some highlights:

Flu vaccines (you can ask for a mercury-free flu shot): http://www.vaccinesafety.edu/thi-table.htm
Latex paint
Laxatives
Mascara (a lot of cosmetics were on the list, but no brands ... further research needs to be done on this one)
Tattoo pigments
Cleaning solvents, including: Ajax, Comet, Lysol Direct, Soft Scrub, Dove soap, Ivory and Joy dishwashing liquid, Liquid Murphy's Oil Soap. (I have no doubt at least one of these products is in our cabinet).

It's Not Lucky Charms, but ...

... discovering Organic Honey Bunches of Oats at Target today was a real score. Taste testing revealed a deliciously crisp, lightly sweet cereal - although I'm pretty sure they skimped on the honey nut clusters in the organic version and replaced them with more wheat flakes. Regardless - it made for a tasty before-bed snack.

Post enthusiastically features it's other "sensible solution" food items on the side of the cereal box:
Select Apple Cinnamon Harvest Cereal - Organic
Grape Nuts - Organic
Kraft Macaroni & Cheese - Organic (I wonder if it's still neon orange)
Oscar Mayer Smoked Uncured Beef Franks - Natural (whatever that means) with no Nitrate or Nitrites Added

You Grow Girl

I wouldn't say I have a "black thumb" ... but it's far from being green. My parents have the innate ability to make anything grow. They sprout tiny little rosemary shoots from virtually nothing. My herb garden is like harvesting the dried spice aisle at the grocery store. So, try as I might - growing my own basil and tomatoes in the backyard is a dream I will probably never realize.

So, what's a girl to do if she wants to eat organic and buy locally, but the Farmers Markets are, well, shall we say - less than satisfying? Join a CSA (Community Supporting Agriculture)!

CSA is a relationship between local farmers (producers) and community members (consumers). Consumers pay an annual fee to help cover the costs of the farm. In return, they receive a weekly share of the harvest. This arrangement provides fresh healthy and nutritious food for the consumer while guaranteeing financial support for the grower. Members also share with the farmer the risks and rewards of working with the verities of nature.

I found a CSA right in FC ... about 2 blocks away, as a matter o' fact. For $350, we can get our share of farm fresh fruits, veggies, herbs and more once a week from May - October. And best of all, we can ride our cruiser bikes to pick it up. Reduce fossil fuels, eat seasonally, support local growers. It doesn't get much better than that. Or, does it? ...

By volunteering just 3 hours a week of my time in the garden, I can get a $150 discount on our produce! Happy Heart Farms here I come!

Another Good Reason to Eat Organic

Less chance of getting funky stuff in our food supply.

This whole pet food recall situation is getting bigger by the day. 100 brands of the “cuts and gravy” style food have been recalled by Menu Foods of Canada, including popular labels sold at Wal-Mart, Kroger and other large retailers. I just checked the MenuFoods website for the list of recalled brands ... and Affrey's old food (Iams) is on there! http://www.menufoods.com/recall/product_dog.html

Last Friday the FDA announced finding melamine as a contaminant in wheat gluten from an unnamed source. But what does that mean to the average consumer? We know how to read labels on the back of an Adams Peanut Butter jar - but dog food? That's when I'm extra glad that we feed Affrey organic dog food from Pet Promise.

Pet Promise (like a lot of organic dog foods) uses NO wheat gluten in any of their products - so it's safe for Affrey to munch (in moderation, she IS on a diet afterall). And no, that was not a paid advertisement ... although if you're reading Pet Promise, sending a coupon my way wouldn't hurt!

Sure, organic food has its share of issues. I don't need to remind anyone that the e.coli spinach thing of last year was traced back to Earthbound Farms. But at least you know it's all natural weird stuff ... not rat poison.

Plastic Bags Home On the Range?

On my commute to Boulder, I drive by lots of great scenery.

One of my favorite spots is on the edge of Loveland: across the street from a horrible shopping plaza with a giant King Soopers, various fast food joints, Walgreens, gas stations and a Starbucks (natch), is a small reminder of how things used to be:

a big green field where a small herd of cows graze and generally spend their days loitering about.

It's such a peaceful scene, and because it is juxtaposed with the busy streets of commerce, its impact is even greater on me (for those 5 seconds when I'm driving past anyway).

Yesterday, though, my serene cow pasture was spoiled - literally. I noticed there were some colorful blobs out in the field ... and as I looked closer, I realized these weren't some new tool for feeding cattle - but hundreds of plastic bags. The fence was layered with them. Wal-Mart, Target, King Soopers ... all those seemingly harmless light plastic bags were hung up and blowing about in my peaceful little picture.

I'm not sure what happened - maybe someone didn't have their load covered on the way to the dump or maybe the cows made a run for some T-Bell. The point is, if you look - you'll see these plastic bags all over the place! There's one in a tree behind my house. Just last night I saw my neighbor pulling Safeway bag after bag out of the back of his SUV.

The average American uses about 900 grocery bags per year. Less than 1% are recycled. Now, I'm no saint. We definitely have our share of plastic shopping bags stuffed under the kitchen sink for Marc's lunch sacks and poop pick-up, but I'm making it a personal commitment to rid ourselves of plastic bags by July 1, 2007. You heard it here first.

That means accepting those "she's a crazy hippy" looks when I stroll into Target for tampons with my canvas Wild Oats bag. But that's the price I'm willing to pay to clean out that mess under the sink, and in the cow pasture.

You can pick up a canvas bag at any old natural foods store these days. But if you'd prefer to go logoless, here are some things I found:

EcoBags
LL Bean (classic)
Timbuk2 Cargo Tote
Sherpani Urban Bags

Hey Neighbor, How Does Your Garden Grow?

After months of suffering under 5 foot drifts of snow, all those perennials I broke my back (and bank) planting last summer are peeking their brilliant little green fonds through the layers of rotting leaves and dried grass. There are even a few odd crocus bulbs blooming in the front rocks (I planted them 2 falls ago and had all but given up on the little buggers).

And along with all these sweet signs of spring come the vicious thorns of weeds. It seems as though the thistle, dandelion and ground ivy have taken off more vigorously than most anything else in the yard. So - I spent my sunny Sunday morning plucking more weeds than a cross-dresser does eyebrow hairs to give the new shoots a fighting chance. Let's say I went about it the old fashioned way.

My neighbors, however, do not seem to appreciate this hands-on approach.

As I walked Affrey home from a rousing game of Chuck-It tennis ball chasing at my local elementary school, I noticed one of my neighbors walking through her front lawn, auspicious green and yellow spray bottle in hand, targeting her nasty lawn pests with a sharp spray of noxious chemicals. On her sidewalk, just above the street drain, is a friendly reminder to "Do not dump. Drains to Poudre river."

Never mind the run off from her chemical laden lawn.

But what are we gardeners supposed to do? Fight the weeds every Sunday, armed with only garden gloves and one of those fork things to dig dandelions up by the root? What if I want to camping instead ... will the Columbines be forced to battle the ground ivy, unaided?

Not so! There are green alternatives to those nasty sprays you'll "round up" at the local Home Depot. Look for these earth-friendly (and pest-fighting) options:

Bioganic Home & Garden
Bioganic is naturally derived blend of Thyme, Clove, and Sesame oil that is safe around children and pets.

Deadeye
Natural and environmentally-safe weed and grass killer made with all-natural products, commonly found in home kitchens, so you can use it with peace of mind.

WOW!
Contains no lingering synthetic chemicals, so your family, friends and pets can enjoy your lawn right after you apply it! As it suppresses weeds, WOW! slowly releases nitrogen to keep your lawn green and beautiful.

Bagging Plastics

The remorse over buying those damn plastic baggies at Target is still looming in me.

With my stomach growling, I reached into my lunch bag for the mid-morning snack I had planned: Organic Wheat & Flaxseed crackers with Organic Peanut Butter. I was pretty excited to get to the treat as I was remembering the buttery deliciousness of the crackers from last night.

I gingerly pulled the first cracker from zip top plastic baggie it was stored in, schmeared it with PB and popped it in my mouth. Something did not taste right. I tried a couple more crackers to confirm the off-taste. Did the crackers taste plastic-y? Yes, it was a distinct plastic taste on my crackers.

The new baggie had leached its noxious scent and taste onto my deliciously organic snack!
So, I did a little research on the toxicity of plastics (hey, things are slow at work) and I couldn't find much on sandwich bags being bad (other than for the environment since they take up to 1000 years to break down and because we reuse our bags pretty much indefinitely, I'm feeling OK).

But, as a person who brings lunch (and an assortment of snacks) with me to work everyday, I was interested to learn the following about those trusty Tupperware containers:

Some types of plastics can leach traces of chemicals into foods and beverages. These chemicals include suspected carcinogens or endocrine disruptors, which have been linked to reproductive system harm. Plastic used for containers can be identified by their recycling codes, as listed below. Most wraps on pre-packaged foods lack identifying symbols. As a precaution, you can unwrap these foods and store them in nontoxic glass, ceramic or steel bowls, or Ziploc bags (made of LDPE). Heat promotes leaching: To be safest, never microwave or heat foods in plastics.

Plastics to avoid:
#3 Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC or vinyl)
Grocery stores commonly use PVC to wrap deli meats and cheeses. Reynolds cling wrap is PVC. Appalachian Mountain spring water and some vegetable oils are bottled in PVC. And PVC's manufacture and incineration produces highly toxic dioxins, as does the PVDC used in Saran Wrap

#6 Polystyrene (PS or Styrofoam)
Yeah, hi - I thought these went out in the early 90s when even McDonald's opted for a paper Big Mac box.

#7 Other Resins, including Polycarbonate (PC)
Most clear plastic baby bottles and 5-gallon water bottles are made of PC. Bisphenol-A, an EDC in PC, has been found in water and heated infant formulas bottled in PC, as well as food cans lined with a plastic film.

(info can be found on TheGreenGuide.com)

Breaking the habit

Some habits are hard to break. Like smoking. Or drinking Diet Coke.

For me, it's shopping for common household goods at Target. Last week, I had a list of items we were out of: dishwasher detergent, trash bags and lunch baggies. The thought to shop for these at my local natural grocery never even entered my mind. Seriously. I always shop for this stuff at Target - it's ingrained in me.

And so, I walked over to Target on my lunch break, happily picked up my items and placed them in my canvas Wild Oats tote bag. I didn't even think about the implications of what I bought until several days later when I popped a detergent cube in the dishwasher.

I could have easily opted for earth-friendly Seventh Generation recycled plastic bags and Ecover Dishwasher fluid when I was grocery shopping (plus saved myself an extra trip) - but it isn't in my buying habits to shop for household goods at Wild Oats or Whole Foods. It's a no-brainer to buy the organic-labeled foods, but when it comes to other goods, I haven't trained myself yet.

So, what do I do now - with my pantry full of toxic goods? Can I take back the unopened box of trash bags (which, it turns out we didn't need anyway)?

I guess I will learn my lesson and hope to do better next time.

Green-gos in Mexico

So, I took a month off of blogging ... but that doesn't mean I've gone back to my brown-life living ways. Nope, just working away and took a little holiday to visit our neighbors to the South ... which brings me to today's Welcome Back Blogger topic: eating organic on foreign travels.

Marc and I (along with 8 fabulous friends + 2 babies) spent the last week soaking up the sun, surf, sand and our share of cervezas in Sayulita, Mexico - a sleepy little town north of Puerto Vallarta. Basically, I discovered it's impossible to eat "organic" in Sayulita. There are no artfully drawn chalkboards listing the day's organic produce at the store like you'll find at Whole Foods, but considering the ever-changing abundance of tropical fruit and vegetables available in the tiny tiendas every day, I figured it had to be coming from local growers. And in my mind, eating local produce is the next best thing to organic.

One day, Molly bought camarones from a cooler on the back of an old Ford truck in town. While this might sound absolutely disgusting to most people, we knew that the shrimp had been plucked from the ocean that very morning, from the waters right out our beachfront villa door. It doesn't get any fresher than that ... and with Lamia's spicy touch, we feasted on the best tasting shrimp I've ever had. We supported the local fishing economy, shrunk our footprint on the earth by buying locally (less fossil fuels used to transport the food) and enjoyed WILD shrimp, not the farm-raised crap pumped with man-made food and added coloring. Big win for green living!

Marc and I took the task of hunting down local food even further when we joined Captain Ching-A-Ling on the mighty barco "Nemo" for an afternoon of Dorado fishing. We (Marc) reeled in 2 massive fish that we (Me) turned into a gorgeous spread of ceviche and grilled Mahi tacos for our bon voyage dinner.


So I didn't dine on organic spring green salad with biodynamic red wine dressing, but I also didn't bring it all home in toxic plastic baggies and I had the freedom to walk to and from the market every day - talking with Carmen, the tamale lady, herself and asking Ching-A-Ling's wife, Vicky, her favorite way to prepare Mahi.

And that, my friends, is green living at its finest.

Observations on Dining Alone

I just came off of #3 of 3 solo dining experiences here in the Windy City. This time at a nuveau vegetarian joint called the Green Zebra. Delightful small plates - including fresh burrata cheese, warm blue cheese tart with pea tendrils and caraway gnocchi with Brussels sprouts and a sweet pickle garnish. Don't even get me started on the mind-bending apple bignets with Riesling reduction sauce.

But, in enjoying this amazing gourmet meal, I realized the absolute worst part about dining alone is not the tiny, conspicuous table the host always seats a single at in the center of the room ... but rather, that I didn't have someone to share the dishes with. I would gladly have given up half of my apple bignets to Marc in exchange for half of whatever delicious dessert he would have ordered ... probably the dark chocolate cake thing.