So you thought cooking had to be done with electricity or gas, right? Except for making the occasional sun tea, that’s how most of us prepare food. But there are so many more possibilities out there! Here are a few:
Solar cookers and info on solar cooking:
Solar Household Energy, Inc. (Run by a woman in my neighborhood!)
Gaiam solar cooker
SolarOvens.net
Earth Oven:
A book about making your own wood-burning earth oven, which apparently makes a mean sourdough bread.
Riding a bike can make one quite philosophical. Or maybe that’s just me. If you haven’t heard yet, I have a new bike. A Trek 7.2 FX, if that means anything to you. And I’m bound and determined to use it so much that it will pay for itself. It shouldn’t take long for it to save me money and conscience as it reduces my carbon footprint and reliance on any fuel except human-power.
So first off, I’ve noticed that the bike is like another being. It’s like a child or a partner who is amusing to spend time with, but who you have to get to know. I have to know, for instance, how she likes to turn, how fast she can stop and go, and how to lock her up so no one will sweep her off her feet and steal her away. And, when walking her through doorways and down hallways, she’s like a blind friend who needs to be considered and given a wide berth. (But unlike a blind friend, if I fail at these operations, the spiky pedals will take paint off the walls or the door jamb. Eep!) Continue reading
Some aspect of my life (and probably yours) always suffers. If my life were a basket full of newborn hamsters, there would always be a runt that didn’t make it. Eating well, exercising, seeing friends and family, saving money, feeding the soul and creative energies… one of them always becomes the runt of the litter.
Yesterday, I did yoga and went for a run and entertained at home instead of spending money out. Today, I went out to socialize, fighting my introvert tendencies. It was all good, but tonight I found myself driving the short distance to my activity and eating take-out too late at night. Two boo/hiss-worthy actions. Luckily, what I got out of it is the realization that there will always be a runt–a commendable value that you just have to push away from the proverbial water bottle hanging from the proverbial hampster cage and let die. So what’s to be done?
To be good to yourself and to the planet while staying sane, I believe, you have to decide what can become the runt. I think most people do that. They have a few sacred values (or, to continue the metaphor, a few precious baby hampsters that stand out in their bug-eyed, hairless glory), that cannot be ignored. Perhaps its sticking to a vegetarian diet or spending time with family every weekend or never setting foot in a vehicle that runs on anything but human power or recycled cooking oil.
Phew. I feel better already. Some of the litter will always survive to make Mama proud. And as for the rest… well, sweet dreams. We’ll miss you, but not enough to buy an extra hampster bottle.
Two little somethings for the kiddies and the grown-ups, both to help you consume green.
1) Green buying and investing
A great resource for this is Co-op America. As part of your Earth Day celebration, check them out. You’ll find tips on social investment, the Green Pages directory of Earth-friendly businesses and products, and more.
Co-op America is good for the grown-ups because it gives practical ways to go about your normal business more sustainably. Want to paint your bedroom? The Green Pages will tell you where to buy environmentally-friendly paint. Want to invest in socially responsible companies, but not sure which will deliver with dividends? Check out their investing resources. It’s a very adult way to consume with integrity and preserve the environment for our kiddies.
2) Green food
Who hasn’t wondered what Dr. Seuss’s green eggs and ham tasted like? Well, here’s a way to find out. A kid-pleaser, for sure, but you could also think of it as a gourmet twist on omelets or scrambled eggs for the adults. When my dad used to make this, he was even more excited about it than the kids who were going to eat it. The scallions are my innovation. I don’t think he’d mind. Continue reading
Let’s talk about sustainability. And let’s talk about how New has become a bad word. And let’s talk about how I’m writing this on my new, beautiful MacBook, sipping fair trade coffee in a vegan café. Our lives are full of choices, causing many of us to constantly weigh our net impact. We are forever asking: Buy new? Or scrimp, save, and settle?
Paper is just one part of this question. I consider a page printed on only one side as a piece of paper only half used. I’ll gladly stick it in my printer and use the other side. My sheet of paper is committing the noble act of turning the other cheek. Continue reading
On CSAs:
Glory be–I’ve found one! Bull Run Mountain Vegetable Farm, which adheres to organic growing principles and has a DC pick-up location, still has shares.
I like what I’m reading on the website and the email exchange I’ve had with a rep (the grower?). I’m getting a two-person share because it cost just a tad more than the one-person share and I thought it would be fun to split it with someone. So if you live in DC, you may be getting an email about that. Continue reading
It’s local, it’s fresh, and often it’s organic. How can you say no to community-supported agriculture?
My mom gave me my first CSA experience when I was a kid. We joined the Phillies Bridge Farm CSA, which is right off Route 208 in what uninitiated folks might call the Middle of Nowhere. It’s actually in the town of Gardiner, NY, home to a few thousand citizens, cows, apple trees, and Kiss My Face.
Every week, Mom and us kids drove out there at an appointed time and went into an aging shack brimming with veggies. Whenever I smell a fresh bunch of basil, I’m back there, reading the chalkboard to figure out what would comprise our share that week. I often had the job of picking out the best three yellow squashes or finding the apples that were good and tiny, the way I liked them. Continue reading
You Are Delicious 