A Touch of the News

• How do you know where your produce comes from? There is currently no labeling law, but this fall, a new federal law will require that fresh food is labeled by country of origin.

• Walmart has bought more and more local produce in the last couple years ($400 million worth this year). In the summer about one fifth of all produce is locally grown (in the state the store is in).

• Scientists are working on the problem of mercury in CFLs (in case they are broken or don't get recycled). They have come up with ideas for cloth or plastic for packaging or clean up that would capture the mercury.

• If you're trying to get drunk really fast, drink cocktails with diet soda. Alcohol gets to the bloodstream 15 minutes faster with artificially sweetened drinks!
  

• Phyto-nutrient citrulline in watermelon (among other benefits) has Viagra-like effects on blood vessels. This nutrient is found in higher concentrations in the rind. Watermelon pickles anyone?
  

New Milk Jugs: Coming to a Store Near You?

As shipping prices increase and environmental awareness grows, many products will be redesigned with efficiency in mind.

This New York Times article, Solution, or Mess? A Milk Jug for a Green Earth highlights a redesign of the gallon milk jug.

Old milk jugs could not be stacked, and required crates to deliver. Crates had to be returned and washed to reuse. The shipping methods are labor-intensive and not very efficient.

New square shaped jug

• can be stacked and shipped on pallets
• cuts labor in half
  
• cuts water use by 60 - 70%
• fewer deliveries (more fit on a truck)
• keeps milk fresher
• costs less (10 - 20 cents a gallon)

The one complaint? It's hard to pour. People spill it when they first use it.

I say get used to it, we will be seeing more products changing their packaging for more efficiency.

A Touch of the News

• Flooding in the Midwest was made worse by cornfields recently converted from CRP land and continued building on floodplains.

• New kitchen appliance allows you to scan empty containers and create a grocery list, and items are delivered to your door. It also reminds you which containers can be recycled. Sounds interesting, I wouldn't mind less trips to the grocery store, but I think delivery in my area is a way off.

• The debate over raw milk goes on. Supporters list the benefits and try to legalize selling it in all states, and the FDA lists the risks.

• Home Depot will now collect CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs) for recycling. IKEA also collects them, and as I mentioned in an earlier post, you can search for your nearest recycling location at Recycleabulb.com.

• Greenpeace rated 18 major electronics companies in its Guide to Greener Electronics. Ratings are based on practices including using toxic materials, recycling programs, and political lobbying to decrease greenhouse gas emissions.

Please Don't Take My Bananas!

I eat a banana every morning first thing. If I'm in a hurry but starving I grab a banana for the road. I snack on trail mix with banana chips. Bananas are cheap, filling, easy to eat, extremely portable, and good for you. They don't have a very long shelf life, but there's always banana bread.

I have been ignoring the little green voice in my head that says bananas are not so good for the environment. After reading the article Yes, We Will Have No Bananas, I can ignore it no longer. I may have to start looking for a banana alternative, or save them for a special treat (Although, even at $1/lb they are still cheaper than most fruits, unless they are on sale. It's difficult to find a balance between convenience, price, and environmental benefits).

"ONCE you become accustomed to gas at $4 a gallon, brace yourself for the next shocking retail threshold: bananas reaching $1 a pound. At that price, Americans may stop thinking of bananas as a cheap staple, and then a strategy that has served the big banana companies for more than a century — enabling them to turn an exotic, tropical fruit into an everyday favorite — will begin to unravel.

The immediate reasons for the price increase are the rising cost of oil and reduced supply caused by floods in Ecuador, the world’s biggest banana exporter. But something larger is going on that will affect prices for years to come.

That bananas have long been the cheapest fruit at the grocery store is astonishing. They’re grown thousands of miles away, they must be transported in cooled containers and even then they survive no more than two weeks after they’re cut off the tree. Apples, in contrast, are typically grown within a few hundred miles of the store and keep for months in a basket out in the garage. Yet apples traditionally have cost at least twice as much per pound as bananas..." More Interesting Banana Info

Fast Food Industry Hurts Southern Forests

Southern forests of North America, the most threatened forests in the US, supply 60% of US paper (15% of global). Over 30% of native Southeastern plant communities have become endangered.

Fast food restaurants are leaders in consumption of paper products and contribute to waste in landfills and litter on roadsides.

The Dogwood Alliance, formed to increase awareness of the problems that Southern forests face. Their new campaign No Free Refills targets food packaging in the fast food industry.

To reduce their impact on the environment, the Dogwood Alliance suggests Fast Food Retailers

• reducing packaging
• use 100% post-consumer recycled boxboard
• not use paper from endangered forests or industrial pine plantations
• recycle waste
  

Examples of Progress:
Americans use 15 billion disposable hot beverage cups every year.
Starbucks now uses 10 percent recycled post-consumer cup (instead of non-recycled paper). This will save 11,000 tons of wood and 47 million gallons of water.

A Touch of the News

• As of Feb. 17, 2009 my television will not work when the US switches to digital. Darn. Millions of people will have to buy new television sets or adapters to replace older sets, or (gasp!) not be able to watch tv in every room of their house!

• Scientists are working on more effective and longer lasting alternatives to DEET, now that they have figured out how the chemical works to repel insects.

• Mats made of human hair and oyster mushrooms can be used to clean up oil spills.

• The Guerrilla Gardening Movement is planting gardens on the sly in public areas. They even use seed bombs!

• A promising biofuel made with algae and saltwater could power existing cars in the next five years.

Old Appliances Giving You Green Guilt?

I know my old appliances are not the most efficient, but I don't think I could give them up completely. Some, like the dishwasher and washing machine, are actually more energy and water efficient than washing by hand.

More efficient appliances are the answer, and there are all kinds of new models on the market. I don't know about you, but I can't really afford to replace all of my perfectly functional appliances with shiny new ones. So, I have to learn how to make the most of what I have.

A cleverly titled article in the NY Times, caught my eye, and helped ease my green guilt a little.
If Your Appliances Are Avocado, They Probably Aren’t Green - New York Times:

"Besides the money, is this really a good idea environmentally, to get rid of an appliance that is operating just fine to buy another one, even if it does have better energy standards?"

Appliance Info in the article from the Energy Star program:

• When to Replace: Appliances over 15 years old should be replaced
• Around 80% of the appliance is recyclable- check to see if your appliance stores and local government have recycling programs
• Most appliance part are recycled even if brought to the landfill
• Scrap prices are up right now- you probably won't have trouble finding someone to take the old one off your hands.
• Refrigerators: Do not put your old fridge in the garage to keep your 12 canned beverages cold, it's very inefficient. If you need it occasionally or a party or holiday, only turn it on when you really need the space.
• Washing Machines: Front load models are more efficient. They use less water and spin more out to reduce drying time.
• Dishwashers: Hand-washing uses more water than a full dishwasher. Avoid rinsing before you load, let the machine do its job! The rinse and hold feature uses less than a gallon of water (how much water goes down the drain when you leave the water running and to rinse everything?).
• Dryers: Unfortunately not much can be done to make these appliances use less energy. The only alternative is to hang your clothes out to dry, which is becoming more popular.
  

One more surprising tidbit from this article:

“You can save $50 to $100 a year just by turning off the screen saver,” and letting the computer go to sleep.

Changing How We Eat: The Protein Plan

Eating locally grown food is important for health and the environment. My household is working on finding local farmers to buy our meat and dairy products from, and plan to grow and store much of our own produce. However, after using environmental footprint calculators, and reading things like this...

NPR: Is It Better to Eat Locally or Eat Differently?: Talk of the Nation, May 9, 2008 · When it comes to greenhouse gas emissions, what you eat may be more important than where that food comes from. A new study in the journal Environmental Science and Technology indicates that replacing the calories from red meat and dairy products with calories from chicken, fish or vegetables could have the same impact on greenhouse gas emissions as shifting to an entirely locally-grown diet.

...I am becoming aware that we need to also cut back on our meat and dairy consumption. Fortunately, my boyfriend (meat and potatoes kind of guy) is very supportive of the Sustainable Living Challenge, and we are working to change our diets.

The Protein Plan:

• Lunches- Instead of meat and cheese we now have sandwiches with peanut butter and jelly, hummus, or egg salad (all homemade but the peanut butter).

• Dinners- 3 nights of week we have meat and 4 nights a week we have a bean dish (Sometimes leftovers incorporate both).
  

• Meat- Beef will be locally raised and at least somewhat grass-fed, and we will also try to eat more poultry and fish.

I have found that the new Protein Plan saves time and money. Meat takes longer to thaw out and cook and the storage time is less than meals made with the other protein sources. Per ounce of protein, eggs and beans are less expensive than meat. Peanut butter can be a little expensive for the natural stuff, but I love it. I hope to eventually be able to harvest wild growing nuts in my area, which will cut down on the cost.

I have come up with lots of great bean recipes, which are fun to make, delicious, and very good for you. I will be posting some soon. If you know of any good egg or bean recipes, please add a comment.

Cutting down on dairy may be a little harder though- we are Wisconsinites. I am making my own yogurt, and will soon be trying this method of homemade butter, but we are really big fans of milk and cheese. Think the neighbors would notice a cow in the back yard?

A Touch of the News

• From the Gristmill: Depending on your car, slowing down (from 70 down to 65 mph) can reduce fuel consumption by 8.2%. Speeding doesn't really get you there all that much faster anyway. Jackrabbit starts are also a culprit of fuel consumption.

• Grist reviews less-toxic nail polishes. Conventional nail polishes contained toluene (linked to birth defects), formaldehyde (carcinogen and air pollutant), and dibutyl phthalate (DBP- linked to reproductive problems). (Note: Nail polish in general does not work in my world. Want the least toxic option? Go natural- file every now and then, eat good, and moisturize.)

• Nonprofit group Climate Counts ranks companies on their eco-friendliness.

• The second most commonly used weedkiller, Atrazine, may cause hormonal problems in humans. Atrazine is already banned in Europe.

Sustainable Living Challenge

This blog is a record of my journey to add a little bit of 'the way it used to be' to my modern life. I want to get back to when we, didn't spend so much money we don't have on things we don't need. Back when we went outside, knew our neighbors and saw more wildlife. Back to shopping on main street, and eating real nutritious food.

Sustainable Living Challenge
This year, my sister Sarah and I have been working on (and just now getting organized) our personal plans to become more sustainable. We will be reporting our progress in our newsletter Handcrafts & All Things Green. Sign up for updates there by entering your email in the top left corner (be sure to watch for an email confirmation in your inbox!).

Basic Goals of the Sustainable Living Challenge:

1. Be Healthy
2. Maintain an Efficient and Sustainable Home
3. Benefit the Environment
4. Save Money
5. Support Community
6. Live a Simple & Enjoyable Life
7. Encourage and Inspire others

We made goals based on our different situations, but we challenge you to come up with your own Sustainable Living Challenge. Feel free to add comments or email us anytime.

The Science Behind Microwaving

On Food and Zapping - New York Times:

"To make the most of the microwave, it helps to know its quirks, and ways to work around them."

Here is what I learned today about microwaving (some of it I knew, but I didn't know why!):

• Water is quick to absorb microwave energy, then heats the other stuff around it. (This is what makes eggs explode and butter splatter)
• Microwaving is not a great way to cook meat, fish, or eggs because it's too easy to overcook
• The microwave can cause moisture to quickly evaporate, you can cover the food to keep from drying out (but leave a vent hole)
• Glass or ceramic is best, plastic can hold color or flavors and leach chemicals, and can melt if used with oils or fats
• Sparking from metal is from the metal too close to the microwave wall, or two pieces of metal too close together (think tines of a fork)
• Microwave energy cooks instantly through about an inch deep
• Foods don't brown in the microwave (unless totally dried out), it's more like steaming

Another article also had some good recipe ideas for microwaving veggies and desserts.

Give Us a Nudge Towards Green

Great article today in the NYTimes! I got really excited because it just makes so much sense. Marketers know how to get consumers to behave a certain way, so why can't we apply that to convince consumers to be greener?

About the Human Brain:

"We’re not good at making immediate sacrifices for an abstract benefit in the future."

But

"With the right prompting, we’ll make sacrifices for the common good and perform acts of charity that we’d never do for any amount of pay. We’ll reform our behavior strikingly to conform with social norms."

They found that associating behavior with actual costs (like conserving energy), comparing behavior with social norms, and just giving people a nudge in the right direction, could do quite a bit towards decreasing our carbon output.

So, lets get some marketing people on this! I hope to see more of this soon!

Are We Ready to Track Carbon Footprints?
Published NY Times: March 25, 2008

How to Recycle CFLs

We recently replaced most of the light bulbs in the house with Compact Fluorescents. I'm looking forward to the energy savings (up to 75% less energy!) and not replacing bulbs as often (last up to 10 times longer!), because my high ceilings require ladders to get to the ceiling lights.

They don't light up quite as quick as conventional bulbs, but you get used to it. I like the quality of the light too, it's good for reading and I swear the plants in the 'Jungle' (aka dining room) look extra vibrant green. (It could also be the worm compost I've been feeding them, more on that later!)

I had heard most people don't realize that the CFLs contain mercury and should be recycled. I had also heard that it was difficult to find a place to recycle them, but no longer, now there is a website where you can find a recycling location. Recycleabulb.com is a network of over 550 locations where you can return your bulbs. I found that my local ACE hardware store (ACE is one of the sponsors of the program) will take them, no charge!

UPDATE: 3/27/08
My CFLs are still going strong, looking good, and my electric bill has gone down. Coincidence? Maybe, but I'm not complaining.
I found some more information on CFLs at Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs – A Tale From Dust to Dust
If you're still not convinced, see this data from the article:
"If a CFL bulb lasts for longer than 50hrs, then the total life cycle energy consumption of the CFL will be lower than that of an incandescent bulb even though they are more complicated to make."