Why didn't anyone tell me that last week was National Pollinator Week? The festivities ran from June 22nd through the 28th, but we can still celebrate pollinators by planting some pollen-rich wildflowers in our backyards!
There's been a lot of media coverage about Colony Collapse Disorder, the mysterious phenomena that is wiping out whole hives of European honey bees, the pollination workhorses of industrial farming.
I recently interviewed Ed Flanagan, the president of Wyman's Blueberries, for Tonic, and we discussed the importance of bees for wild blueberry pollination and how the agriculture industry is responding to CCD.
I don't know anybody who actively dislikes the farmers' market. However, I do know plenty of folks who don't take full advantage of markets near them. Are you one of them?
Don't be! This time of year is perfect for stocking up on fresh fruits and vegetables. In-season produce is often more affordable than you think. In fact, you might be surprised at how many meals you can make with just $20 worth of food from your local market!
Not sure what to shop for? Or maybe you're just not sure what certain fruits look like when perfectly ripe. This article has a few tips for not only choosing, but using delicious farmers' market fare. Additionally, you might benefit from these tips on how to save money when you go (who knew those quarters you've been saving could save you money?).
It's time for Green Confessions. I was just cleaning my microwave and had an urge to toss it out and buy a new one.
It wasn't that dirty, it was just taking more elbow grease and energy than I had at the moment to get the mysterious dried stuff off the walls. And new stuff is shiny and pretty!
Don't worry, I finished cleaning it, with all natural biodegradable soap and water. But I have to admit, the temptation was there.
One of the biggest discussions in the eco-community is about food. Choosing organic, eating vegetarian one a day week or growing vegetables on your back patio are all common changes people are making to reduce their impact and improve their health.
Just like businesses are discovering that green practices are good for the bottom line, a lot of us are learning that eating healthier is connected to making environmentally-friendly choices. A few weeks ago I wrote about Good Guide, a site that helps you figure out ingredients, environmental practices and how a product compares to similar brands. They just came out with a helpful list of 10 tips for Eating Healthier. Some of the ideas are common sense like avoiding processed foods and checking the sodium levels -- hint, lower sodium is better, even if salty = tasty!
Some of the other ideas include eating low on the food chain, which is another reminder that red meat is probably best limited to an occasional snack, and watching out for bright, artificial colors. Sure, hot pink M&Ms might be festive, but the dye that makes them so vivid might also contain some nasty compounds. In fact, Europe is considering eliminating some colors from use in foods!
I have to admit that as a resident of San Francisco, with our "no plastic bags" rule, high Prius-density, and museum with a grass covered roof, I always took our green primacy for granted.
With this attitude, you can just imagine my surprise when I heard that Philadelphia plans to take the title of "Greenest City in America" for themselves! They want to make Philadelphia "the city of the future" with smart energy, environmental and social policies.
Local businesses need our support, but it can feel overwhelming. There are so many, and if you're like me, you only have so much to spend. Should you blow your budget in one favorite store? Or make a tiny purchase in all of them?
The 3/50 Project breaks it down and makes it easy. The premise is that you choose three independently-owned local businesses that you would truly miss if they were no longer around. Then, shop there. Step one, check!
Each month, aim to spend $50 in these three businesses (and you can choose three new ones each month, if you like). From the 3/50 Project website: "If half the employed population spent $50 each month in locally owned independent businesses, it would generate more than $42.6 billion in revenue." That's a major impact considering you're not being asked to spend all that much!
As you can probably guess from the title, the Smart 2 be Green post is a reminder to all of those summer vacationers and day trippers not to leave their used butts on the beach. In fact, those nasty, non-biodegradeable tidbits probably do more damage there than on a city street! So if you must smoke, plan to pack out your debris.
This resonated for a couple of reasons. First, because I used to be a blissfully unaware smoker, tossing butts out windows and into streets with abandon. I am mortified to remember how much littering I did! My green guilt can only be assuaged through hours of volunteering to clean up beaches and parks. Goodbye sleeping in on the weekends!
The other reason is that last week, our beloved San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newson (or as we like to call him, Mayor McHottie) proposed a "clean up tax" on every pack of cigarettes. His perspective is that discarded cigarettes make up 1/4 of the trash on city sidewalks and gutters, and it's fair to ask the smokers to foot the expense of cleaning it up.
As a former smoker, and recovering litterer, I'm with Gavin. Whatever your opinion on smoking, anyone who grew up with Iron Eyes Cody and the Keep America Beautiful campaign, plus "Give a Hoot, Don't Pollute" is going to be with me on this one. You don't have to quit smoking (even though you should) but one way or another you do have to take responsibility for your trash!
You will be so inspired by the example of the teens in this video! They are the semi-finalists and winners of Project Polar Bear, a contest run by Polar Bears International, a non-profit dedicated to "conservation through research and education" and sponsored by Frontiers North's Tundra Buggy Adventure, a company that runs tours to see polar bears in northern Canada.
As finalists, the four teams visited the San Diego Zoo and were lauded at the award ceremony in the video. The contest challenged teens to find ways to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide produced by their communities. Working in teams of two or three, with an adult advisor, the teens came up with ideas like:
Giving talks at schools, local businesses, senior citizen centers, and anywhere else that people would listen, teaching people about the relationship between carbon emissions, global warming and polar bears. Public speaking finalists Brendan McKelvy and Tony Pittavino represented the Pittsburgh Zoo.
Creating a "Don't Be Idle" campaign, asking parents at all of the area schools to shut off their cars when waiting to pick up their kids. Since one minute of idling equals a pound of CO2, finalists Emily Carlson, Jacob Shimkus and Sierra Sweigert from the Oregon Zoo, saw huge results every day in the parking lot after school.
Putting coins back in circulation -- really! By getting 800 pounds of coins out of the coffee can under sinks in Winnipeg, Manitoba, sisters Rebekah, Rachael and Miranda Vickery helped reduce the number of coins that needed to be minted, eliminating the corresponding environmental impact. This, and ten other good ideas, earned the sisters second place.
The winning idea was a website, created by passionate animal lovers Brandie Farkas and Emily Goldstein, from Louisville, KY. Part of the Louisville Zoo website, their Project Polar Bear site offered educational information, a journal, a polar bear quiz, and most importantly a place where you can pledge to make simple lifestyle changes to reduce your CO2 output. Actions include unplugging unused electronics (go do this now!), using cold water for laundry, and driving 55 mph, which saves a surprising amount of fuel.
As one of the Vickery sisters said in the video, "I'm only one person, but I'm still one person." She and all of the teens who participated in Project Polar Bear prove that even one or two people can accomplish great things with a great idea and a positive attitude!
It's high spring and green is sprouting all around. This is the time of year that so many of us city-dwellers envy our country -- or even suburban -- cousins who have a personal patch of green where they can cultivate flowers, tomatoes, and rabbit-bait like carrots and lettuce.
One of the gifts of the green movement has been an increase in Community Gardens. While not limited to urban settings, they can be a great resource for people who don't have any other way to get their hands dirty. You can visit the American Community Gardening Association website to find a community garden near you.
Volunteering at a local park is another way to get a gardening fix. With budget cuts at the state and local levels, parks that depend on government funding will need volunteers more than ever. VolunteerMatch.org can help you find a flower bed that needs mulching in Chicago, IL, or a monument that needs tending in Austin, TX.
If your green thumb is desperate for ownership despite a lack of land, how about a windowsill herb garden? If you have a sunny spot and enough space for a few pretty pots, you can get a kit that lets you grow herbs or flowers in a confined space. Or you can make your own, using anything from empty jars to yogurt containers, a bag of seeds and some potting soil.
For a mere $15 application fee, you can get a certificate that confirms your garden is a "NWF Certified Wildlife Habitat™"
Okay, it's a little more involved than just paying a fee, but not much. And if you already have wildlife visitors -- deer, bunnies, foxes, squirrels or birds -- your yard probably already boasts many of the elements required for certification:
Food Sources: native plants that bear fruits, berries or seeds
Water Sources: like a birdbath or pond
Places for Cover: this can be a man-made birdhouse or particularly dense shrubbery
Places to Raise Young: more shrubbery, or a pond
Sustainable Gardening: yes, your compost pile counts!
In addition to the official looking certificate -- which is personalized, so it's perfect for framing -- you also become a member of the National Wildlife Federation, with a one-year subscription to the magazine and the quarterly e-newsletter. Plus your name gets listed in the National Wildlife Federation's registry of certified habitats. That's public acclaim!
You can even order a sign to post in your yard once it's been certified. Maybe squirrels can't read, but your neighbors can. They will be impressed, and maybe even motivated to certify their yards. You could trigger a bonanza of wildlife havens!
If you're ready to take your love of wildlife to the next level, visit the online application on the National Wildlife Federation website and get started!
Happy Earth Day! In 1970, 20 million Americans celebrated the first Earth Day, thanks to an inspired idea from U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson and a strong response from the fledgling grassroots environmental movement.
Today the green movement is practically mainstream, with hybrid cars, LEED buildings going up across the nation, and a Sigg bottle in every backpack. But there is still plenty of work to be done to keep our planet healthy, and today is the day to think about the big and small ways you can go a little greener.
Like most people, I have great intentions, but sometimes life gets so hectic that I fall back on old (bad) habits. In honor of Earth Day, here's my reminder list of regular life stuff I can do to make a difference every day. Feel free to add your ideas in the comments!
B.Y.O. Cup -- whether you're drinking coffee, tea or water, skip the disposable cup and fill up a mug or water bottle. Did you know that Starbucks coffee cups are not recycleable or compostable? That means over 2 billion cups get sent to landfill, just from that one chain!
Try a green diet for a day -- or a week! Eliminating meat from a meal once in a while cuts down on your carbon footprint, and can be surprisingly tasty, too. Think local and organic, and remember that the farmers' market is your friend!
Seafood lovers, remember to check the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch List before you bake, broil or fry. As delicious as Chilean Seabass may be, it's endangered so we all must abstain.
Ask what your power company can do for you. Does your local power company offer alternative energy options? How about rebates? Take a minute to check; you might be surprised to find that you can save money, and help the planet. And remember, a lot of those Energy Star appliances also help with taxes, too!
Break Up With Your Car for a Day. Americans have a love affair with their vehicles. But even if you have the most energy efficient hybrid or biodiesel car available, a little space is good for every relationship. Walk, bus or bike it once in a while.
Unplug -- If you're not using it, it doesn't need to be plugged in. Maybe even go a step further, and take a break from the TV, video game, or computer. You could play cards, go for a walk, or take a nap.
Let it air dry -- Nice weather has arrived in most parts of the country. Try hanging your load of laundry on a line instead of using the clothes dryer. While you're at it, how about letting your hair dry naturally, too? Come on, one day of wild frizzies won't kill you!
Seriously, do you still have "regular" lightbulbs? Swap 'em out for compact fluorescent bulbs! They're even dimmable now.
Volunteer to plant a tree, landscape a park, or clean up a beach -- however you'd like to help, there is a non-profit in need of your skills. A quick search at VolunteerMatch.org will find you the volunteering opportunity of your dreams!
There's been a lot of talk about shelters since the Obamas got their adorable new dog, Bo. Whether you agree with the decision to get the First Dog from a breeder or not, you're probably pro-shelters. Everyone is pro-shelters, right?
Zootoo is an online community dedicated to pets and petlovers, and they are definitely fans of shelters. So much so, that they're holding "elections" to pick the shelter that will get a a million dollar makeover. Nineteen other shelters will also receive prizes ranging from $5,000 to $50,000. And this is the second year that they're holding this contest!
This week is the third and final phase of the contest, when America gets to pick the winning shelter from the top 10. Want to have a say in which one wins a million bucks? Visit the Zootoo Shelter Makeover II site, register (it's free, but they insist that you upload a photo) and you can vote up to ten times every day, between now and Friday.
I grew up volunteering at the local "Animal League," walking dogs on Saturday mornings. I remember my mom helping to organize bake sales and flea markets to help raise money for the basics. Small, local shelters depend on the kindness of neighbors to survive. Fifty dollars is a big deal to most of them, so even that $5k prize will make a huge difference somewhere!
Really, all of the shelters deserve your love and assistance. Since I'm a big believer in acting locally, I'm giving my votes to my (sort of) local choice, the Butte Humane Society in Chico, CA. Above is a video explaining why Butte is the most deserving of the top 10, and I hope you vote for them, too!
The Humane Society of the United States and Pedigree are partners in Shelter Makeover II, and co-sponsors include PETCO Foundation, HomeAgain, and more. Check out the page of organizations supporting this great contest and give them a little reciprocal love in return for helping so many pets who are still waiting for their forever homes.
Creating a more earth-friendly environment especially where patients go to heal is something I've been waiting to see. In a place that uses loads of energy for lighting and equipment plus plenty of chemicals to sanitize spaces it would be nice to see it try greener strategies wherever it can. In the seaside town of Split, Croatia a new medical center has been designed by 3HLD. Taking the typical structure they then added green spaces inside the building as well as a protective outer shell that acts as a sunscreen. The additional connection to nature ensures patients and doctors are never far from natural light, natural ventilation or gorgeous seaside views.
CARB, or the California Air Resources Board to the layperson, has been on somewhat of a regulation rampage so far this month. A couple of weeks ago, CARB started batting aroudn the idea of banning of all dark colored paint jobs in order to lighten the load on your car's A/C, and therefore improve air quality (supossedly).
California's tire industry argues that the regulation -- which requires pressure readings and times listed on all invoices -- will be burdensome and expose mechanic shops to new forms of litigation from trial lawyers.
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