organic

I read an interesting article in Metropolis last night, "Going Local" by James Howard Kunstler.

I encourage you to read it.

It sent me off on a slightly different tangent of reflection. We are inundated by "green" and we all try to stay on track as encouraging gentle lifestyles in a positive way without sinking into greenwashing’s shiny consumerism or the hoarse blaring of a death-toll message shouted in spittle mouthed fear.

But there was just something there, in this article, that made me think about what my own identity of "green" is, and how it has changed.

Many here were green before there was "green"- I mean, you’re talkin’ to a girl who grew up with a family farm, who always had a vegetable garden and composting, and whose family had solar panels in the ’70s.

What changed?

For myself, my vegetables became not just a pleasure and addition to our table, but where, in an urban environment, I carefully plan and rely on fresh produce from our garden.

It was the perplexing realization that I do not have the *right* in my city to have minigoats for milk or hens for fresh eggs in my large, fenced-in back yard- that just bothers me! I strongly feel that every human should have the right to rely on themselves for sustenance, and as someone committed to helping those less fortunate, it frustrates me that these families with meager incomes don’t have the right to provide their families with fresh eggs and milk.

Having children, it was the knowledge I gleaned from information on GMOs, hormones in meat and milk, pesticides, and the horrible factory farm conditions and the great respect for life I have that led me to only purchase meat from people I know whose animals are free-range and naturally fed, to raise heirloom vegetables, save seed, and patronize our neighbors’ farms.

It was the shock of reading about how our seed companies are purposely creating vegetables and grains that will not produce viable seed so that you (and farmers) will have to purchase their seeds each season!

It was the fun of a science experiment:
I giggle over solar cooking, yet it has changed my life. With two young children whining to stay outside instead of forcing them indoors so momma can make dinner, I now just throw food in the solar oven and… go off and play!

The cold frames I use enable me to defy cold weather, giving the seeds just enough more heat to resist freezing and get an early start on production.

And as someone in the green building industry, it was the disgust I felt as I saw endless tracts of vinyl, huge, ugly, inefficient houses being the major choice a home buyer has, and even then they are out of financial reach for most first time home buyers.

So, there you have it, my latest musings as I stand up on the cafeteria room chair to rant…

So, who is gonna kick me off today?
; )

With all the talk of building and buying green, how about eating green? There's a growing trend (or maybe I'm just late) of people who only want to buy local or nearby food and produce. They are called "localvores".

According to a Canadian researcher named Vicky Blatt, "If you’re buying green, you should consider the distance food travels. If it’s travelling further, then some of the benefits of organic crops are cancelled out by the extra environmental costs."

We try to buy at minimum 90% organic, to make sure that we're not putting dangerous chemicals in our bodies, but this localvore concept adds a whole other layer of awareness that's important too. According to localvores.org and the guy's relentless research, organic produce is "racking up" more miles than conventional produce in many cases.

So, what do you do? Whatever you can, really. Awareness is always the first step. Read signs in your produce department and buy things in your state as much as possible. It supports the local farmers, economy, and reduces your carbon foot print. What better way?

Also, try going to your local farmer's market! They are a joy to go to, reminiscent of how people used to shop in the old days. Produce is fresher and mostly organic. We have 3 great farmer's markets here in Austin where they sell other wares, baked goods, hormone-free, grass-fed meat, raw or low pasteurized milk, cheeses, as well as the vegetables at usually way less than Whole Foods (in Austin, where they were founded, there's a local motto for them, "Whole Foods, for the healthy and the wealthy").

Besides making our own garden for our consumption, there's still something you can do to be as green as you can!

And something interesting to know for you carnivores, have you ever tried grass-fed meat? I'm a foodie, and its out of this world. You see, cows by nature like and want to eat grass. That's what they are supposed to eat until farmers started feeding them grains and hormones to fatten them up. Cattle aren't even designed to eat grains (who knew!) and also aren't supposed to be fat creatures! Look at these lean guys.

Even organic meat isn't as tasty. Because even though they are eating organic grain feed, it's still GRAIN FED. And not only that, grass-fed meat has more Omega-3 fat and is naturally more lean too! I just made tacos with grass-fed ground beef, and couldn't believe the taste difference.

The best would be to get grass-fed, no hormone/antibiotic free beef. Trust me, you'll never go back. More information on grass-fed beef, go here.

The holidays are the time of year we really want to dig in, cozy up, and enjoy home life. The good news is that Thanksgiving is an easy holiday to green, thanks to its emphasis on the rustic and bountiful. Decorating with organic gourds and corn, for instance. If you're planning on entertaining more people than you currently have forks for, try using biodegradeable party plates and cutlery, or if you have a good eye, comb the local thrift stores and create a table full of mis-matched, folksy charm, as Martha recommends. If you want to indulge yourself, or need a cool hostess gift, how about some organic table linens?

What to eat is the big question. Writing for Grist, sustainable farmer Tom Philpott has a few entertaining words to say on whether it's best to channel Alice Waters or be an Angry Vegan. You could join Treehugger's 100-Mile Thanksgiving Challenge, and compose your meal out of ingredients sourced within a hundred miles of your home. If you're stumped as to how to find a local bird, try EatWild, which can help you find grass-fed meats wherever you live. For recipes and more, Epicurious has a guide to thanksgiving dinner that includes wisdom from Gourmet and Bon Appetit, rivalled only by the Cook's Illustrated Thanksgiving Survival Guide.

And while you're giving thanks, consider giving as well to America's Second Harvest, the national food bank network.

I shot and edited this piece as the first in a series of pods I'm producing on San Francisco area businesses that are taking 'Green' initiatives. This first piece is on Eric Corey Freed, owner of Organic Architect, a design firm in downtown San Francisco. He specializes in designing and re-designing sustainable buildings and interiors. He was most recently featured as a speaker at West Coast Green in San Francisco.

This is a piece that was produced by myself and Fanshell Media for Marin Organic, a non-profit organization in Marin County, California. One of it's many endeavors is a Organic School Lunch program; a service which delivers fresh, farm-grown produce, dairy and meat directly to schools from the farms they do business with. Their food benefits over 12,000 students in Marin County every week. You can visit them at www.marinorganic.org.

An overflowing bouquet of fragrant roses on a hall table, a cat sunning itself on a windowseat... These are the tiny perfections that make home life magical. And while there is nothing quite so refreshing to the soul as burying one's face in a basket of fresh flowers, it's fair to say that the last thing one wants to take away from the experience is a noseful of pesticides.

One of our favorite blogs, Keetsa! (you have to smile just saying their name), has posted a link to LocalHarvest, which offers a search engine designed to help you locate organic fresh flowers near where you live. As the site says:

The flowers grown by LocalHarvest family farmers are not only fresher than those grown in faraway greenhouses --- they are healthier for the people who grow them and healthier for the people who buy and enjoy them.

In spring and summer months, you might also try your local farmer's market. Or, of course, you can grow your own! For passionate, opinionated gardening advice to inspire and spur you on, you can't do better than the fantastic group blog, Garden Rant.

from bannersbyricki.com

Moles, Chapter 1

Back when my gardening took place on an exposed corner lot in industrial NW Portland, people would often stop by to declare “We could never do this! We live in the country, and the animals destroy everything!” Guess what? We now live in the county. Today, I will share with you a piece of writing I did when we lived in the city, and tomorrow I will update you on my newly countrified stance. Consider the rare and elusive mole. If you have an expanse of lawn regularly punctuated by domes of fresh earth, you may dispute the use of the word “rare”. Think about it. The mounds are evidence of mole activity, sure, but how many times have you seen the critter himself? I’m pretty sure you would have a hard time maintaining a high level of indignation if ever you came face to face with one of the little fellers. A mole has a gray coat leaning towards brown…one of those subtle tones favored by Calvin Klein. It is eiderdown soft. Mr./Ms. Mole looks like a puff of smoke with a delicate, pink snout and a pair of outsized paddle-shaped front paws specially adapted for tunneling. Moles are classified as insectivores, meaning they exist on a diet of many of the culprits you are hot to exterminate. With their tunneling, they improve soil aeration and drainage, all the while circulating soil minerals. So what’s the harm of a mound or two, on balance?

Cross posted from my site. Enjoy.

I love lazy Sundays. It's my re-charge day and I cherish it. We all need a day to re-charge our battery and putz around in our pajamas reading, writing, thinking, dreaming... For me, throw a mimosa and a good crossword puzzle on top and it's a pretty perfect day!

I was telling my partner last night that I've been getting Google News Alerts on "green building" since only one or two stories popped up a week - if I was lucky. That isn't the case anymore! The word "trend" is used freely with "green", and I wonder how long it will take for this "trend" to "tip" to the point that it is considered the norm and no longer just a trend. If it can be by the time my youngest child is grown with children of her own I will be ecstatic!

This thought has been with me as I've been reading "The Tipping Point" this week for the 2nd time. If you haven't yet read it, I highly recommend it - it's one of my favorite books.

So now that GREEN is all around - in our faces on a daily basis, on every magazine cover, the buzz word du jour - it's time for those of us who've been here to help educate those who haven't.

Just like the trend of "organic," it will be crucial to be aware of "greenwashing" when sorting through all of the new products and services entering the marketplace. Buyer beware.

Do your homework, find reputable sources, and remember that no one has your best interest more at heart than you.

"In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations."
- From The Great Law of The Iroquois Confederacy

I'm a denim girl - plain and simple. Maybe it has something to do with being raised in the United States, where denim is as closely connected to national pride as baseball and barbeques. The source of my love for jeans is not important however, but finding just the right pair is. Considering the hundreds of denim brands (both eco and non-eco-friendly) on the market, it is clear that I am not the only one trying to find just the right pair of blues.

A few months back, I saw a collection of magazines featuring high-waisted jeans. Some of those I know were disgusted by the "trend", saying they looked like granny pants. For me, this is one of my all-time favorite styles, harking back to the epitome of American culture - the 1950s. Also, like wearing a corset, having the waistband up around your natural waist (instead of hovering just about your crotch) gives a woman a certain kind of confidence that you can't fake.

Imagine my delight when I found out that one of the best organic cotton denim collections, Del Forte, would be releasing a high-waisted jean for Spring 2007, called "Ivy". Green living magazine like Plenty featured the style months before it was to be released, making me salivate all the more. Finally, just this month, Beklina began selling these coveted pants on their website. Not one to hesistate, I snapped up a pair in size 30 (yes, I have big hips, learn to love it!) and stared at my mailbox.

Upon their arrival, I was greeted with an ever-so-sweet hand-written note, and I squeeled with joy as I removed the jeans from their packaging (all of it recyclable, by the way). Trying them on, that rush of confidence that I so enjoy filled me in record time. These pants go seamlessly from the office to the dinner table to an evening on the town. Though I am always tempted to wear them with sexy heels, my feet don't fancy that, so my hemp Converse sneakers look quite snazzy as well.

So, what's the moral of this story? You can be sexy, stylish, and green - all at the same time. :D

Image courtesy of Del Forte

[Reposted from Victoria-E.com]

New sustainable fashion brands are popping up faster than celebrity
gossip blogs. With only a handful of truly sustainable fabrics available, trying to set yourself apart from all the other eco-style companies is the key to success. Selling basic, classic organic cotton pieces for men and women, not much about New York’s District Cotton stands out … at least on the surface. While focusing on stateside production and the use of organic cotton, DC is also working on integrating certified fair trade practices and products into their line. Their simple website is quite easy to navigate, the most exciting page being for the printed t-shirts.

These T’s are about showing off your social conscience without all of the pretentiousness. The idea is to raise awareness and a little money for something that we believe in, donating 10% of the proceeds to some cool organizations.

Sponsored design contests give artists (and wanna-bes like myself)
and change to submit designs for t-shirts, focusing on a particular
social theme/issue. For the launch of the District Cotton brand, the
first contest centered around “This T-shirt supports an organic
farmer.” The winning four designs (including the Blueberry Head shown above) can be seen an purchased here, with 10% of the proceeds going to the Northeast Organic Farming Association.

The next contest has not yet been announced, but once details have been released, you’ll find them right here!

[Reposted from Victoria-E.com]