I Am Drooling When Do the Goods Arrive?

Hard to believe that it is halfway through April already, where did the first third of 2010 go?! But because it is spring and the sun is starting to shine, buds are popping out on trees and temperatures are finally at the place where I can forgo my fleece lined jacket for a windbreaker, my mind has wandered to fresh fruits and veggies!

There are multiple towns surrounding me with pretty decent Farmer’s Markets that provide all kinds of offerings from the expected items, such as lettuce, to unexpected little treasures like scallops by the pound.

Because I am drooling for some fresh produce I figured everyone else is too! If you’re in the northwest suburbs of Boston, here is as comprehensive a list of the local Farmer’s Markets that I could track down.

In the meantime, I’m keeping an eye on the pots full of lettuce, basil and cilantro seeds Matt just planted over the past couple weeks. But I know what they say about a watched pot!

Medford Square Market -- Every Wednesday from June through October, 12:00 - 7:00. Corner of Riverside Ave. and River St. Not just for food: crafts, performances and community networking abound!

Davis Square Farmer’s Market (Somerville) -- Opens May 26, 2010. Every Wednesday from Memorial Day through Thanksgiving, 12:00 - 6:00 through October, 12:00 - 5:00 during November. Corner of Day St. and Herbert St. Parking is tight in this neighborhood, luckily the red line T stops right at Davis Square!

Harvard Farmer’s Market (Cambridge) -- Every Tuesday from mid June through late October, 12:30 - 6:00. Located at the corner of Oxford and Kirkland St. This by far is the least car friendly Market on the list. Multiple bus lines and the red line all stop at Harvard Square, trust me, take them! Note: Debit is accepted here.

Belmont Farmer’s Market -- Every Thursday from 1:30 - 7:00, opens June 10, 2010. Located at the corner of Cross St. and Channing Rd. right in Belmont center. Take the commuter line (purple) which stops right at Belmont Center or park in the lot.

Arlington Farmer’s Market -- Every Wednesday from 1:00 - 6:30 through early October, open until 6:00 through last Wednesday in October. Located in the Russell Common Parking Lot at the corner of Mystic and Chestnut. This is my favorite market by far, though not huge, the people are awesome and I can get seafood!

Winchester Market -- Every Saturday from 9:30 - 1:30 from the second Saturday in June (12) through the end of October. Located on Winchester Town Common, Waterfield Rd., parking is spotty, take the commuter line or park in the Aberjona lot. Includes local produce, performers and craftspeople. (Note: I had no idea this one existed until researching for this post but it may become a new favorite since they even offer gift certificates!)

Lexington Farmer’s Market -- Opens June 1, runs through October 26, every Tuesday from 2:00 - 6:30 at the corner of Mass Ave and Fletcher Ave. Opening day looks to be a celebration with a local radio station DJ and performances from a drum corps and tap dancing troupe.

Want the skinny on Market locations, start dates, times or other info on those not covered here? Well then get on over to the Federation of Massachusetts Farmer’s Markets and sign up for the weekly email list. Or friend them on Facebook!

Closing the Carbon Loophole

President Barack Obama calls for clean energy; investing in it and the workers who will create and install these advances. He sees that the future of the planet depends on closing the loop and expresses those thoughts for the world to hear.

On a day like this, Earth Day, it is more important than ever to act on both the local and global levels to ensure our clean energy and economic future.

This is from President Obama’s press conference on April 14, 2009.



Happy Earth Day everybody!

How Do You Plan to Celebrate Earth Day?

Wednesday April 22, 2009 is the thirty ninth annual Earth Day -- an effort that began as a grassroots movement started by one concerned man, Senator Gaylord Nelson, when he announced the plan for a “teach-in” demonstration while speaking at a conference in Seattle back in September 1969. On April 22, 1970 approximately 20 million Americans took part in Earth Day celebrations, due to the efforts to spread the word across the country, led by Denis Hayes. As of now this event is held in upwards of 1,000 countries and celebrated by approximately one billion people world wide.

With such an amazing turn out it makes me wonder exactly what people will be doing tomorrow to celebrate, show support or simply commemorate this day dedicated to our planet.

We have nothing specific planned in our home because we attempt to treat each day of the year as if it were Earth Day and approach our lifestyle from a place of conscious thought as to what impact our actions might have on future circumstances. However, with that said, here are some of the things we do consistently that can easily be adopted to begin your own celebration for the planet:

♥ Recycle
♥ Turn off unused lights
♥ Unplug unused appliances
♥ Drive only as necessary
♥ Complete errands on one day as opposed to spreading out driving
♥ Take public transportation
♥ Ride a bike
♥ Eat less meat
♥ Use market bags and forgo plastic
♥ Switch utilities to wind power

This is a small fraction of things that can be done to place annual focus on the planet but if ever there was a great time to start it would be tomorrow on Earth Day! Share what you will be doing tomorrow to commemorate this world wide day of awesomeness!

Cast Your Vote for Earth Hour

Two of my loyal blog readers, Charmaine and Julie, both asked me within the past three weeks to discuss Earth Hour and although the date is still a couple weeks out there is no harm in planting the virtual Green seed now then discussing it again closer to the date and time of the event.

So what is it, when is it and how do we all get involved?

The first Earth Hour was hosted by Australia in 2007 as a way to reduce electricity consumption by requesting that residents of the country simply turn off their lights, unplug their non-use appliances and live as electricity free as possible for one short hour. In 2008, a remarkable 35 countries jumped on board to take part in this phenomenon and significant reduction in electricity was achieved across the globe. Many of you may remember seeing announcements (some featuring Anderson Cooper of CNN) discussing this global call to action on the last Saturday in March. Here is a video from last year’s campaign discussing the issues from Australia’s World Wildlife Fund (WWF), a supporter of the initiative.



This year more than double 2007 numbers, over 80 countries representing over 900 cities worldwide, will take part. Now that is a growing global awareness! Earth Hour hopes to receive 1 billion votes from individuals for this year’s event. So the question is -- what constitutes a vote?

A pledge to turn our lights off and unplug appliances from 8:30 - 9:30 PM on Saturday March 28 is all it takes!

I strongly encourage everyone to get over to the Earth Hour website and sign up to take part in this amazing global initiative. In addition, there is Facebook Group dedicated to Earth Hour with almost 150,000 members and they are also on Twitter, Myspace, YouTube and Flickr so no matter what networking means we are attached to we can find and join them.

Together we can effect real change so let’s spread the word now and get as many people on board this March 28th ride as we can!

What Is the Harm In Dumping My Expired Medication?

After posting my findings on how awesome Tropicana is to do their little part to get Green, I was surprised to read a comment from Julie regarding my disposal of the expired medication cluttering up my bathroom.

“You haven't been dumping them down the toilet or into the trash, I hope. Old meds, be they prescription or OTC, should be taken to a pharmacy/drugstore to be properly disposed. Otherwise, they'll more likely end up back in our water supply or "infecting" our soil. Just a PSA!”

As a kid we were always taught not to take any medications that had expired as they could be dangerous and/or not even work to help with the problem we were facing. I have always thrown away anything that was old or washed it down the sink, as I’m sure a lot of people out there have, because it was what I had always done when replacing with a fresh bottle so Julie’s comment woke me up. Because I am a gal who likes to have all the facts in order before I either debate or take the advice of someone else, I decided to do some research into what Pharmacies do with expired medications once we return them into their capable hands.

There are a slew of websites out there who all offer the exact same advice -- do not flush any medications down the toilet as waste treatment facilities do not have the capacity to handle filtration of every type of drug and those drugs could end up back in the public water supply so a local pharmacy, doctor or hospital should be contacted to retrieve and properly dispose of the medications. It was just as Julie had recommended!

My first stop was directly to the Walgreens website as this is the most prevalent local pharmacy in the area. I was surprised to learn the Federal government released drug safety disposal methods almost two years ago. Please feel free to visit the page where I gained the information that various governmental agencies endorse. In the end I visited approximately six online sources and discovered that most pharmacies who do accept these drugs end up sending them out to be incinerated.

Through this research I did come across some information that raised my red flag meter -- “don’t believe everything you read”; each of us needs to use our best judgment to dispose of old medications in the safest way possible for both the environment at large as well as our own personal environment. Two examples of scary information follow. I will point out however that not everything was scary, these websites also contain exceptional tips. Again, listen to your gut.

☼ “there are organizations that donate expired medicine to third world countries. Even though your medicine may have expired, it may still be good long past the printed date. (Only professionals can determine this.) Rather than have it waste away in your medicine cabinet, why not donate it where it will be put to good use?” From wiseGEEK. I believe that redistributing expired medications, prescription or not, is completely illegal so this is something I would love clarification on if anyone has additional information.

☼ “If you're tossing liquid medication, you can minimize the chance that a child will drink it by putting something terrible-tasting in it, like cayenne pepper.” From Baby Center. This is a tip for how to prevent little ones from getting their hands on medications and it sounds a little odd to me. Yes cayenne pepper is a strong flavor however the child would have to drink the liquid to know this was in there. Unknown ounces might be ingested before they stop tasting it.

The best suggestions I came across today came from About.com as they seemed rational, logical and truthful. I am not endorsing any one method over another but I will certainly do my best to be mindful of the local and global environmental impact my drug disposal has in all future instances. Again, we all make personal choices in these matters so the more information we can be armed with on all sides, the better.

Celebrate Green Celebrities!

No I do not mean Kermit the Frog (although I did just read about the fact that ten of his relatives were recently discovered) I am talking about Greenies! Celebrities who care about the planet make me very happy even if I am not familiar with their body of work because they are using their well known voice to spread the word about a strong sense of community caring.

This morning I read that Miley Cyrus received a Porsche Cayenne as a Sweet Sixteen present from her mom. The car formerly belonged to her Mom and even though Miley enjoyed the benefit of recycling, the environmental impact was not thrilling her so she traded it in for a shiny Toyota Prius. In addition to her eco-mobile the singing and acting starlet also has a song called “Wake Up America” which will be released as a single soon and basically tells everyone to get the clue that we only have one planet so we should probably take care of it. Right on Miley!

A couple days ago Ginger posted some information that peaked my interest in Leonardo Dicaprio. Turns out he is quite the environmental activist with a website dedicated to sharing information on global warming and what we can do to help reduce its effects, links to films he has created with regard to global warming and water (he narrates as well) and links to multiple resources for organizations or foundations which he supports. Who knew Leo was so hot (and by hot I mean concerned with our planet)?!

I have discussed others before such as Edward Norton or Jason Mraz but these are just the celebrities who I am personally drawn to. Since I am not considered a fan of Miley Cyrus or Leonardo Dicaprio but applaud them wholeheartedly for their environmental efforts I decided to do a little digging to see who else might support such endeavors that I may not be aware of. What I discovered is that to care about our planet does not mean being the stereotypical “Tree hugging Hippie” of the past; eco-conscious celebrities are vast and varied. Some of those I discovered who care are: Bonnie Raitt, Dave Matthews, KT Tunstall, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Ozzy Osbourne, Hilary Clinton, Jay-Z, Sting, Walter Cronkite, Morgan Freeman. And this is just the very tiny tip of the iceberg!

Here is a great collection of names and what each are personally involved in environmentally:
http://www.allamericanspeakers.com/Green_Celebrities_&_Green_Speakers.php

Bottom line is we all have a voice, we can all discuss the issues that are dear to us and take our own action to make necessary changes in order to save our planet it is just that people of a certain status of fame are better equip to reach a larger audience and for this I am granting every single one of these concerned celebs Four Green Leaves!



Thanks celebrities for spreading the word on a global scale so we can all take action on a local one. You rock!

Polar Ice Shelf in Immediate Trouble

We all know that the Polar Ice Cap is a hot topic of environmental conversation due to its rapidly decreasing size due to rapid melting however just a few short hours ago this video was released on YouTube by Sky News out of the United Kingdom detailing that the west side of Antarctica is melting faster than originally thought. This news story has taken two spots on the front page of their website this morning. Certainly, as a small land mass, in comparison to the United States for example, the UK is concerned with what the melting could mean for their shores and island on the whole.

Please pay special attention to the line when the reporter mentions it could collapse in days.

Everyday People Making a Green Impact – Spotlight on Ginger Cooke

Yesterday Melissa discussed how all of us can take baby steps toward making a difference and cited a question posed by the moderator of the Ayer Local screening:

“What can you as an individual/your family/your community do to change things?”

In October of last year Ginger answered that call to action by single handedly leading the charge in her own place of employment to have recycling bins installed. Below is the reprint of her original interview.

It is important to note that Ginger does not work for an environmentally focused company; she is in accounting at a large automotive corporation in Colorado. She truly embodies what it means to make a difference on our planet and I hope others will take a cue from her actions and fight for the betterment of the Earth in their own offices, cities, towns and states. Take action – write letters, create proposals, pick up trash in the street – every little bit helps and that is something Ginger takes pride in working towards every day.

How long ago did you become interested in a more eco-friendly lifestyle?

I'd have to say that my interest really began to form about 3 years ago. I moved into a 1 bedroom apartment by myself and the owners didn't have a recycling program. I did a little research on recycling for apartment living and realized that Denver’s not all that up and coming in the green movement quite yet. There are virtually no apartment complexes in this area that have a recycling program for their residents and that really weighed heavily on me. Recycling is supposed to be one of the easiest ways to reduce and re-use so I decided that I would begin looking into different ways I could make a difference as one person and perhaps spread the word through example. That’s when I began blogging too. I wanted to write about environmental and energy saving tips I’d found and implemented for myself.

Do you remember the first green effort you personally completed?

It seems small, but I was so proud of myself. While in that apartment I found a free recycling dumpster placed by the Shriners next to a grocery store and I would carry all of my recyclables to the dumpster every week. I started keeping a recycling bag at work and I would do the same from there. It felt really good that I had made an effort and was doing something that was good instead of turning my head because it was inconvenient at times. It just blossomed from there.

When did you first approach the powers that be in your office to discuss setting up a recycling program?

Back in February of this year we were currently recycling paper, but that was all. We give out free bottled water and there are so many plastic bottles that get thrown away and it's pretty heartbreaking to have to tell a customer that no, there's no recycling container, sorry.

How did you approach the topic (written proposal, mounds of research, etc)?

The company I work for is really great, they have this program set up where a representative from each department gathers ideas and suggestions from their co-workers and takes them to a committee to discuss, plan and possibly implement these new ideas. That’s when I first planted my seed. I was told that if I did the research and got all of the details worked out then we could have a recycling program at work. It was pretty simple actually; I called the waste company we use, asked a few questions and found someone to provide me with all of the details. She faxed me everything I needed from programs, plans, pricing and dumpster sizes and I was on to the next step of getting the actual approval.

What was their initial response?

The approving manager seemed a little hesitant at first because we'd have to find room for another dumpster and it would add more expenses every month. I heard from a representative of the committee I mentioned above that he was going to approve it anyway; then he moved and we got a new manager. After we presented him with all of the same information he was very enthusiastic, but didn't want to spend the money so it stopped there...it was about May by this time.

What motivated you to continue to pursue this venture even after meeting with resistance?

I never really gave it up; I just let it sit and waited for another opportunity to present itself. Then, last month my comptroller and I both noticed that our trash service was doubling in cost every other month. One month it would be about $300 and the next, $600. We’d never noticed before because frankly, we'd never really been watching our expenses so closely until money began getting so tight (there's my silver lining around the economy cloud). Our bill was doubling every other month because of the frequency we'd have to call and have it emptied. I started wondering that maybe we could curb that cost by recycling. It makes sense, right? Less waste = less roll-off dumpster service = less money.

Did you involve the help of others in the office to champion this effort?

Yes! I absolutely couldn't have done this by myself. A couple of days later, a co-worker came to me and asked me where that plan went since she hadn't heard anything in a while. I explained the situation and made a copy of the information for her so she could give it a whirl too. She went to another representative of that committee who hadn't heard of the plan before because he had just joined. He came to me and asked me some questions so he could present it again. I told him what had been discovered about the trash service and he presented it in such a manner to show that, in the long run, we would actually be saving money because recycling is considerably cheaper than trash service.

What did it feel like when your proposal was finally approved?

It felt like a victory for the planet! I think I did the wave right there in my cubicle.

Were the other employees immediately receptive to the idea of recycling at work?

The news spread around the whole store and there were a lot of excited people that I didn't even know were supporters.

Do you find that it is being adhered to?

Well, we're still in the roll out stages since this just happened recently. We have to have the dumpster delivered and set up recycling containers in the store. I have a feeling it will really take off though. When I first transferred to this location last year, hardly anyone was using the boxes we have placed for paper shredding and they were just throwing all of their paper in the trash. They didn't know that everything that got shredded in those boxes was recycled. Since that word has spread we've had to add more boxes because they're always full now. I think this will be the same way.

What are some other ways you are green in your own daily life?

I take public transportation 3 to 4 times every week to lessen the demand on oil and create fewer emissions...I get a lot of reading done too. :)

I only use household cleaners, detergents, body care and cosmetics (pretty much everything) that are free of petroleum products, bleach and are 100% plant based.

I buy organic and items made from recycled materials when I can.

As my light bulbs run out, I replace them with energy saving ones and I try to unplug electronics when they're not in use so they don't leak energy when they're not even on.

I make an effort to never use disposable water bottles and to use my own cup when I buy coffee or tea away from home.

I’d have to say though, that the biggest effort that I’ve completed is to transform my diet and my lifestyle and go 100% vegan. It’s not just good for people and for the animals that we eat, but raising and feeding those animals for human consumption really takes a large toll on the environment.

Are there other Earth friendly causes or programs you are attempting to institute at your job or other locations?

Next up at work: the transition from bottled water for customers to a water cooler system....one step at a time, right?

I’ve recently written a letter to Starbucks on their website encouraging them to curb their excessive water usage and to make recycling mandatory in all of their United States locations. I encourage anyone and everyone to write them as well. We need to make a big voice to be heard with such a large corporation. Use my letter or email it to everyone you know and have them get involved as well.

I’ve also recently joined a local animal rights group and have gotten involved in raising money for farm sanctuary, a non-profit animal rescue, and for yesonprop2 in California, which is coming up in this November’s election.

All Nations Are Joining in the Fight for a Better Environment

This video from the Scottish Environmental Minister is inspiring to watch as he details their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by the year 2050 as well as their impending marine bill and use of renewable energy resources. It is a global issue and it is fantastic to see that many other nations, large and small, are not only aware of the threat but that they are taking steps to do their part to better the planet for all living things. Way to go Scotland!

EcoTarium in Worcester Massachusetts is a Hidden Jewel

This morning I awoke excited to have the weekend arrive because we had no real plans and the entire day ahead of us but I had no idea we would find such a wonderful eco-friendly museum through so many random circumstances. I checked some email over coffee and then flicked on the television to discover one of my favorite local shows was on -- The Phantom Gourmet. Local eateries are rated and reviewed and this morning they were reviewing the hottest burger joints in and around Boston. One of the places they discussed was 5 & Diner in Worcester. Matt and I have been itching for some yummy diner food since we left Long Island so we got ready and hit the road.

As soon as we got off the highway my eye caught sight of a sign reading “EcoTarium” and we both agreed it might be something fun to check out after lunch since we were already in the area. We ate, it was yummy and served in a traditional fifties style with juke boxes at every table and home made whipped cream on the chocolate shake, and then we headed out to find out just what this EcoTarium was.

The museum was located about two miles from the highway and there were clear signs leading us right to it. We pulled up to the gate to discover the admission was only $10 for adults and $8 for children (3-18, under 3 are free). After we paid we had to wait for a minute as the Explorer Express Train passed by. As we walked up to the entrance to the museum we passed two living barred owls and two bald eagles in outdoor habitat locations.

The museum was fantastic inside with handicap accessibility through ramps and elevators to each floor and in the separate coat room just past the Information desk there were wheelchairs available for use. The main level also included a gift shop with lots of eco-friendly and educational toys and items. As we toured through the museum we encountered the Thinking Globally, Minerals, Old Growth Forest, Tide Pool, Freshwater and Africa rooms which were jam packed with animals, both live and staged, in their natural habitats as well as critical planetary information and tips for conservation. Throughout the entire museum were square boxes clearly marked for waste, paper or cans. After hanging out inside we walked down to the outdoor living habitat of the river otter who was so adorable and certainly showed us how much he loved to play and interact with people.

My only disappointment in the EcoTarium was the restrooms. The accessibility would be difficult for a wheelchair as the entrance hallway was rather narrow and there were no hand dryers, only paper towels. I was hopeful the towels were created from recycled paper.

Please check out the photos and video from our trip below and if you are in the Massachusetts area I highly recommend checking it out for yourself. Hours are Sunday 12:00 - 5:00, Tuesday - Saturday 10:00 - 5:00 (open year round except New year’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas eve and Christmas Day). In addition to the museum and grounds there is a Planetarium, The Explorer Express Train, Animal Encounter and lunch as well as a wildlife path (outside) and many additional hidden treasures which we sadly did not have enough time to enjoy this time around.

Because of the accessibility, ease to find and available information for children and adults alike, not to mention the really reasonable admission price, I am granting EcoTarium Four Green Leaves! I applaud this fantastic museum for their innovation and look forward to a return visit really soon.

The MISSION of the ECOTARIUM is to promote appreciation, increase knowledge and foster stewardship of our New England environment by stimulating learning about the world in which we live.

Further Exploring Milk Paint

A couple days ago we went over a home improvement list and one of the items I mentioned as being a Greener option to latex based paints was milk paint. I received a comment from Ginger, my favorite Vegan With A Purpose, who raised an excellent point with regard to obtaining the milk for the paint. She said:

okay, i have to say it: i can definitely see how milk would be a much safer option than some nasty chemical, but considering how much land space and food it takes to sustain one cow for that milk, not to mention the consequences to her and her children, i don't think i'd call it environmentally friendly. i do like that brick wall finish though. :)

First off, thanks for the compliment on the brick (latex, fyi). Second what an interesting point with regard to the environment! It is no secret that, although I have greatly reduced my intake of anything with a face, I am still a carnivore so this was something I had not considered. In addition, I pride myself on being environmentally aware as I do my day job of painting so I was even more intrigued to dig into this question with gusto!

Ginger you raise a very interesting point with regard to milk based paints. I must admit that I have never used these paints (primarily why I suggested to try Eco Spec) so I went digging to do more research on their composition, mostly to see if milk paint is actually made from milk.

Milk paints generally come in pigmented powder form and are mixed with a liquid. The milk comes from salts of casein (the protein found in cow's milk so yes, in its truest form milk paint is actually made from the proteins of milk). The casein is the binding agent which allows the pigment be transferred to a hard surface (this is why once the powder is wet it will actually spoil, just like milk).

Before I lose everyone let me share a few key points about paint and some of the terms associated with it.

Paint is typically made up of three substances: Pigment, Liquid and Binder. When we go to a home improvement store and pull a pre-mixed can of Navajo White off the shelf we are purchasing tint (pigment), water (liquid) and latex (binder). Pigments can be derived from sources found in nature (blueberries, grapes) or created as chemical compounds in a factory. The liquid (water, oil, milk, etc) is used solely as a carrier to ensure the pigment can move across a surface and it will eventually evaporate. A binder holds the pigment and liquid together and is generally a resin of some kind (an organic substance derived from plants) which allows the pigment to attach to the liquid for application.

A fourth substance sometimes used in conjunction with paint, but not always included, is called Extender. Common uses are: for increasing length of drying (open time) or leveling (ability to spread) such as glaze, to act as a mildew resistant and, moisture repellant. When selecting extenders be sure to utilize similar properties to the selected paint -- “water and oil don’t mix”!

It is important to note the subsequent evaporation of the liquid in a paint is where the bulk of VOC will come into play. VOC stands for volatile organic compounds and are the gasses emitted into the atmosphere as a liquid dries (evaporates). This is why many painters choose to avoid alkyd (oil) paints as their solvent make up is higher. Paint might be dry to the touch in an hour or so but paint will not fully cure (dry & bond) for at least 30 days, if extenders are added it is longer and all that time gasses are being released into the space it inhabits.

So with all that said, why is milk paint a less safe alternative since it likely utilizes 100% all natural based ingredients?

As Ginger indicated it is all about the cows. To raise just four cows it is advisable to garner upwards of two acres of land. (Sadly I could not locate the exact proportion of casein to additional substances so I was not able to determine an exact number of milk required to produce one bag of paint, but for kicks let’s say it is the four). In this projection, for every bag of milk paint we would need two acres of land. These four cows would need to be fed and given water as well…and then look out for the methane gasses produced. It is estimated that upwards of twenty percent of the methane found in the atmosphere is simply from cows breathing. The more cows, the more they breathe, the more methane, the quicker that ozone layer deteriorates.

So what is a good faux finisher, painter, homeowner and environmentalist to do?

We weigh the options and determine the most environmentally sound one for our own personal benefit. Ginger is a vegan, therefore would be hard pressed to ever consider using a dairy based substance on her wall. Although not a vegan, I am concerned with the environment which leads me to use latex based paint for a few reasons.

First, more methane is produced from cows than harmful gasses are produced in the creation of latex based paints. Second, since milk paint would spoil if left to its own devices, a sealant top coat is required. That is twice the water to wash brushes and twice the product being created. Third, latex paint is readily available meaning I can purchase it from a local source if I so choose, which reduces transportation to get it to me. Finally, I am not nervous about the health risks to my respiratory system or the emission of VOC into the atmosphere due to the introduction of products like Eco Spec or other paint labeled as No VOC (be mindful that some chemicals are still emitted even with Zero VOC paints).

The bottom line is always “think globally, act locally”. Consider the overall environmental impact to the planet but make smart choices based on your own personal environment.

It Is Showing Up Everywhere

Last night I went to my first event in about five years at the TD Banknorth Garden here in Boston. The Bruins were playing Atlanta and we were invited to go because my Aunt had inadvertently purchased two extra tickets. On the way in we were running a little behind so we managed to get to our seats in just enough time to watch the B’s take the ice.

The game was fantastic, although I am not much of a fan of the sport because the penalties are a mystery to me (I do not even really know what icing is sorry to say!) and other than the puck ending up in the goal of the opposing team I am blissfully unaware of much else going on. When that puck entered the other net four times last night though I definitely cheered.

The Bruins, who are currently in first place, won the game 4-2 and we hung around for a few extra minutes after the end to ensure the largest of the crowd dissipated before we made our way out. As soon as we came out of our exit from the stands I spied something excellent placed all around the outer rim of each level of the Garden:


Cool! These bins are for bottles and say on the side “A Greener Garden”; the word Garden is in the standard yellow lettering on the outside of the venue. These would be hard to miss while walking around due to their fun shape and on the front is a slot just big enough for a bottle to slide through. There would be no way to confuse this with a trash can.

They are sponsored by the owners of the Garden & Bruins, Delaware North Company a hospitality management firm. I have searched all over the internet for what company actually produces these fun bottle shaped recycle bins but to no avail. Well whoever you are bottle shaped recycle bin creator I am giving both you and the Garden a Three Leaf Rating for your innovation in design and installation, encouraging even the largest crowd of crazed hockey fans (or basketball, concert goers) to do the environmentally responsible thing. Outstanding!

Raising My Hand In Class

A couple days ago I interviewed Ingrid McEntire and she left me a comment which I received this morning that got me thinking about our opportunities and how we will pursue making changes in our environments. She said:

Hope that everybody, especially the Children, make now a better world through recycling....In school their should be a class "Creative Recyling". Green Leaf should contact the new President to inspire this.Great job Creations By Ingrid

Creative recycling classes. Genius!

Parents should be responsible to provide their children with the initial desire to make green choices, to open their eyes to the state of the planet and what we can do to help fix it but it is important to remember that children are far more easily influenced by what they watch their parents do they what they hear them say.

What are we teaching the youth of the nation about getting greener and where are they learning the lessons? I fully agree with Ingrid that this type of subject matter should be taught in schools (Attention all art teachers!) but if it is not, are positive lessons being taught at home instead? Do we follow through on our own statements -- practice what we preach?

With the advent of the Green Collar industry taking a major foothold, are we preparing our children with abilities that will ensure they can garner these positions or are we instead telling them that “green is good” while we throw away the plastic water bottle we just drank someone else’s tap water out of?

I make every effort to live as green a lifestyle as possible but I do admit, there are things about my living habits that are less eco-friendly than I would prefer them to be. Generally speaking, the reasons for this are financially motivated as our family is in a moderately precarious monetary position just like so many others across the world. It comes down to weighing what our own personal tradeoffs are:

Can we pay our bills, buy groceries, contribute to charity, cook a meal for family or friends - yes.

Is there a little extra left over so we can get on the somewhat higher cost wind power option from the electric company, buy locally grown and organic foods, send larger donations as we usually do every year at the holidays, share fabulous bottles of organic wine at dinner - not so much.

I do not have children so I am only responsible for myself, that is, in my own home. If I choose to drink out of a plastic water bottle while I open the refrigerator door for ten minutes then throw that bottle in the trash when it is gone there is no one to call me out on my actions; I am not spreading a message of disposable waste to an impressionable younger person so Ingrid’s comment really got me thinking about even the most basic message of recycling -- bins in schools.

There are a lot of questions here that I sadly have no answers for at this time but in an effort to open my own eyes to what our youth are learning about eco-friendly practice I am setting out on a mission. Over the course of the next few weeks my goal is to visit the principal of each school in my home town and ask just two questions:

Do you provide recycle bins for students to drop in all potentially recyclable items (paper, plastic, metal, etc.)?

If no, why not?

We are a smaller town so the tour should be quick and efficient (saving as many emissions as possible people!), something I can likely complete in one day. In my town there are seven grammar schools (K-5), one junior high school (6-8) and one high school (all public). I do not know what can of worms I will be opening by approaching this issue, perhaps I will find out that none of the schools have this available resource and begin a lobby in my town to ensure installation of such bins (as well as proper removal by the town DPW). Perhaps I will discover that all of the public schools here already participate in recycling and laugh that I am so behind the curve since these bins have been in place for years. Either way I am looking to educate myself as to how educated the students here are in the ways of green.

Anyone want to join me in your own hometown and report back on your findings? Do you have kids and want to share your own story? I would love to hear how some of today’s parents are encouraging green behaviors in their own homes and share those stories. In the meantime, wish me luck on my new adventure, I will let all of you know how it goes.

Thank You

This blog started out as nothing more than an idea based on a desire to share information about how fantastic we can make our local and global environments if we all give a little heart and soul to the cause. I have been sharing snippets and bestowing Leaf Ratings for just under two months now and I guess it must be going ok because my little corner of the virtual world just received over 1500 hits!

It is not enough to simply thank everyone who has made the effort to follow, subscribe, read, comment and contribute to this eco-journey we are all on together so instead I would like to happily grant a Five Leaf Rating to all of you as a sign of my most sincere gratitude for your support.

Every bit of happiness and joy is sweeter when I share it with all of you!

“The Present…

…is the ever moving shadow that divides yesterday from tomorrow. In that lies hope.”
~ Frank Lloyd Wright

There is no moment like the one we are living right now and we choose to live it in the best way we know how -- as the grateful and generous people we have become! This video is just under nine minutes but it includes such soothing music and wonderfully inspiring quotes from so many interesting people it flew by faster than I would have expected. The quote I liked best came in at about 7:30, so true! I hope everyone takes a few minutes to relax and enjoy this calming but uplifting video during such a go-go-go weekend of shopping, and please feel free to come back to it anytime the time is right to be quiet and reflect. Have a wonderful weekend full of smiles everyone!

Growing Up Green - From Portland to Boston

While chatting with Bridgete recently she suggested that since she was raised in Portland, Oregon it might be nice to do a feature on how she grew up in such an eco-conscious state and what her comparative impressions are of Boston, Massachusetts now that she is living here. One might think it would be difficult for a city such as Boston to achieve the distinctive title of Greenest City but in truth it would not be all that tough, it would just require a firm dedication to create a better environment by all the residents. After reading her interview everyone will want to start making strides to green up their own cities and snatch that title away from Portland!


Where did you reside prior to moving to Boston?

Portland, OR, aka the Number 1 greenest city in the US.

What is it about Oregon's environmental efforts that most inspire you?

Honestly, it's that everyone recycles. It's such a simple thing with such a huge impact. And everywhere you go, it's clear that the whole state has figured that out. You don't have to harass your school or your employer to have recycle bins - they're just already there. And the same goes for getting recycling pick-up in your area - it just comes with the trash pick-up, no questions asked. It's so great to see an entire community step up and at least do that one thing for the environment, even if some individuals don't do anything else.

Do you remember taking part in environmental practices when you were a kid? How old were you in your furthest back memories?

Earth Day was this huge thing at my elementary school. I don't even remember what we did, but we had a whole day of environmental activities. I think one year we planted trees...in first grade, maybe. Also while I was in elementary school, I remember sorting through the recycling with my mom every week -- this was in the early days when you had to separate everything -- cans, plastic, paper, glass -- and put all the different types into separate paper bags and put the bags in the yellow bins for the curb. And we had to take off the labels from soup cans and stuff, as well as the bottoms, and smash them flat before those could go out. To make the sorting easier we ended up getting separate bins for inside the house where we'd put the cans, already unlabeled and smashed, and then a bin for plastic. Glass we'd just set aside since we didn't usually have much glass, and the newspapers went in a pile and then were easily slid into the bag when the time came. I think all this started when I was about six or seven. I'm leaning towards six...

Tell me a little about what it was like to grow up in such a progressively green environment.

It's not even something I really thought about, it was all second nature. Words like greenhouse gases and biodegradable are part of everyday language there. And there are so many things that I didn't even realize were great until I left. For one, the city has a fabulous public transportation system -- when you take into account the entire system, buses and trains and all of it, it's apparently the best in the country -- and people use it. I didn't even learn to drive until I was 19 and that was only because I was a bit outside the city for school and wanted to be able to go home more often. I have several friends who didn't have their licenses until their early 20s because they stayed in the city. When you consider the fact that Portland is a Western city where everything is more spread out, that really says something about how functional the transportation system is there.

There's also the recycling I talked about before. It's also kind of a status symbol to own a hybrid, and even if you don't, you get bragging rights for getting great gas mileage or rarely using your car so you only fill it every few weeks. Oh, about cars, there's a really rigorous emissions test you have to put your car through every two years to see how much nasty stuff it's putting into the air. If it doesn't pass, you can't update your registration until you fix whatever is making your car put out even more nastiness than it should.

Other things...about a month ago I learned that apparently in some cities people go grocery shopping more than once a week, but in Portland, just about everyone has their weekly shopping day. Some even have it down to every two weeks. Then there's the common practice of planning your errands so that you make a loop -- stopping at some places on your way to the farthest place, then going a different way home to stop at the other places on your way back. And finally, one of the busiest places downtown is Saturday Market, which is kind of like an ongoing fair -- it's an outdoor market that runs every Saturday and Sunday from April to December (yeah, okay, so it's not nearly as cold in Portland as it is in Boston) and people set up stands with all sorts of organic soaps and candles and such, then you have the up-cycled clothes or the stuff that's made from all-natural fabrics and organic dyes, and people who make their own jewelry by melting random bits of glass. I could go on, but I think you get the picture.

What are some eco-activities you enjoy most in your new city?

I do like that the T gets you where you want to go, even if it is a bit irregular and has a lot of random delays. But what I really love is walking. Downtown Portland is actually a pretty great walking area, but it rains so much that you don't usually want to. And then in the rest of the city everything is too spread out from that Western urban sprawl so you can't really get anywhere by just walking, even when it's actually not raining. So I really love that everything is so compact here so if I'm pretty close I don't even have to deal with the T. Unless it's mid-December and I'll freeze to death if I have to walk another block. =)

How could Massachusetts and the rest of the world take a cue from Oregon to green themselves?

Well, first for Boston: if you're going downtown, why on EARTH would you ever bring your car? Have you SEEN the traffic? Seriously. I know if you're actually driving in downtown you probably have lived here forever so you can handle it, but why would you want to when the T is so convenient? And so much better for the environment, I might add. Also, put out recycling bins for the general public, next to the trash cans on the sidewalks. And as for the rest of the world, I'd say the first step is to recycle. That's where we started, and now Portland is the greenest city in the US. We started by caring just that little bit, and then we realized how good it felt to be good to the environment, so we wanted to do more. So we did. So really. Recycle. You can invent eco-friendly cars and put up wind turbines and solar panels and everything all you want, but if you can't get your community to all pull together and do that one little thing then that good feeling isn't going to spread. People won't buy the hybrid cars if they don't care, and they won't notice that their electricity is now more green if they aren't the ones generating it, so they won't start caring. I guess that goes back to "think globally, act locally." Get your community, even just your workplace or school, to start doing just that one little thing and watch the greenness grow.

How do you take initiative to spread the word about being green?

Well, I'm working on figuring out how to get recycling pick-up for my apartment complex right now. That's kind of my priority at the moment. Right now Vanessa and I, two rather clean people, have a couple bags of recycling waiting until we have the time to go find where to drop it off. It's rather irritating to have it lying around, but I can't just throw that stuff away. It goes against my nature. I guess other than that, it's just talking to people. Telling them to shut off lights (or doing it myself, including in other people's homes). Sometimes what helps is to explain how much money you save with certain green acts, like using passive solar energy from your windows to warm up your house, and not turning the heat way up just to get it warm faster, it will do its job just fine if you set it to the temperature you want the house to be. Or in the summer, check whether you actually need to run the air-conditioning or if it's cool enough outside to just have the windows open for the night. Around here, Boston has really beautiful summer evenings, so spend the evening outside while your house cools off from the windows you opened. Especially in this economy, people like saving money, so they like to hear that being just a little more green will actually help them do that.

What is the one eco-act you do everyday that readers could also do to lessen their impact on the environment?

Okay, I'll say something besides recycling because I think you all got the point there. I make efforts to stop wasting electricity. I turn off lights when I leave the room. Same goes for the TV. And everything is off when I leave the house. Also, in the summer, I don't run the AC when I'm not home, and I try to avoid using it as much as possible even when I am home. As for heat, I at least turn it down when I leave. In the early fall/late spring I'll turn it off completely, but the general character of winter in Boston prevents me from turning that into a year-round practice. Oh, I turn down the heat when I sleep too. You actually sleep better in a slightly cold room with a nice, big, warm blanket.

Photos courtesy of Portland Ground: Pictures of Portland Oregon

Movie Spotlight: Idiocracy

An Army Librarian (Luke Wilson) addicted to television, and a Prostitute (Maya Rudolph) who calls herself an artist, are dubbed as the two most average people on the planet and chosen to participate in a top secret governmental experiment where they would be placed in hibernation chambers for a full year. Through a series of ludicrous twists that only Mike Judge (Beavis and Butthead, Office Space) could conceive, the Colonel in charge of the experiment is arrested, the military base is demolished (with the chambers still inside of course) and the debris from the deconstruction taken away so a Fuddruckers can be built on the site.

Through narration we are taught that being smart is not exactly a requirement for procreation and a series of graphs points out how the birth of morons begins outpacing the intelligent, essentially creating a completely dumbed down society. Fast forward 500 years into the future to the year 2505 when the great garbage avalanche takes place, bringing the hibernation chambers with it and the main characters are reintroduced into society. By a miracle of chance, they are now the smartest people on the planet.

This is where my environmental brain kicked into high gear. The garbage was piled so high it created mountains taller than the Alps and I sensed it might not be too far off from reality if something were not done now to offset it. Additionally the world had become one big advertising campaign where everything was sponsored by something and that something was not always the right choice. For example, the entire planet drank nothing but a liquid containing electrolytes which took over many of the government agencies and began claiming it was the best solution for everything, including watering plants.

The outcome of the movie is of course very predictable and it is typical Mike Judge fashion -- a cult style classic comedy but sadly not speaking to the mainstream. I will challenge that association however by giving this movie a Three Leaf Rating, reminding ourselves how important it is to take care of our environments -- the planet, local businesses and our free thinking minds -- so we do not become the type of society that begins naming our children after popular products like corn chips or luxury cars. Oh wait, that has already begun.

Wine Is Just Recycled Grapes

Last night it was my pleasure to be invited to the first meeting of the newly formed Bennetts Brook Green Group. Melissa has decided to get off her duff and get mucho involved in spreading the word about all things environment so with the help of her neighbor Julie, some suggestions from the cool gals at EnviroMom and a passionate desire to buck the perception that suburban moms do not care about the planet, the group met at her place last night.

There were twelve of us in total and a mix of not only gender but age as well! Her neighbor directly across the street is definitely over fifty and proudly admitted to having been doing this type of stuff for years (most notably saving all his coffee grounds to utilize for his acid loving garden plants). If possible the three guys who showed up were possibly even more vocal than us gals. Yippie!

The forum was open, more a share and chat style, but still maintained a loose organization of topics, themes and issues that Melissa and Julie shared responsibility in putting out there. If I did not know better there is no way I would have known this was their first meeting. It all flowed seamlessly.

Most of the food and drink were organic options (from the beer to the wine to the coffee to the crackers) and since she was not sure how many people would show up Melissa also purchased plastic cups, which she made a point to mention would all be washed and reused or recycled. After some quick introductions and a little snack it was time to get down to business.

The night began with an introduction to how and why the group formed, an impromptu discussion of local organizations and potentially forming a neighborhood share style program where sharing of tools or even grocery shopping will become forefront instead of everyone driving all over to do these things individually or purchase items used only once when a neighbor might have it to lend.

Later in the evening we shared our confessions of what we all do that we wish we did not (I of course admitted to smoking and was surprised that some attendees would not have thought of this as environmentally harmful). Everything was shared from driving large gas gulping SUVs (due to the size of her family of six and not finding an alternate reliable option as of yet), to tossing paper to (shock!) not recycling at all. The good news is that clearly we all want to change those ways or we would not have been in attendance.

The confession portion of the evening was the perfect segue into what each of us are currently doing to, as Melissa put it, “get off the fence” and get involved by doing. Melissa has signed up with 41pounds.org and will let us know how it works as soon as her kit arrives. Other attendees have begun sending credit card offers back in the enclosed prepaid envelope (I also know someone who does this and it greatly reduced the number of offers he received), using Mrs. Meyers cleaning products and composting.

When I first asked Melissa to allow me to interview her for Green Leaf Reviewer she was nervous that as a “suburban mom” she would be flamed for trying to say she was environmental. Well to be perfectly honest, if anything, it made me more excited to interview her and last night was the culmination of proving that no matter where a person chooses to live they can still be interested in helping the planet; no matter what a person drives they might just be doing 1000 things to offset that impact. The first step, just like Julie and Melissa showed us last night, is to stop talking about it and simply make the change in our own lives because how does that saying go again? Oh yeah…

Even the longest journey begins with the first step.

Brew Ha Ha!

Over the past six months I have done an extensive level of research into artists, products and companies that dub themselves eco-friendly. Many of the discoveries I have made were through the sharing of links from family, friends and bloggy friends and all of the shared information both surprised and delighted me. One of the companies that my favorite Vegan With a Purpose, Ginger shared with me was for a beer brewery based out of Fort Collins, Colorado. Could this be true? Could I have finally achieved the perfect storm of awesomeness where consumption of finely brewed beer could be an environmentally friendly activity? I pulled up their website and began the research into this unique concept immediately.

New Belgium impressed me right off the bat as the photo on their homepage shows the outside of their building and about twenty five bicycles parked in the parking lot instead of cars. They brew eight styles year round, four seasonal and one on a limited release. Right on the homepage they proclaim sustainability as a core value and they truly mean it. The company: utilizes recycled bike rims for stools in their bar, use a heat exchanger to recycle the steam created from boiling to assist in boiling the next brew, use both active and passive solar for lighting, upcycled beetle kill pine trees to line their walls, employ evaporative coolers in place of air conditioning units, they create electricity through wind power and via collection of their own methane (created during wastewater treatment), provide an employee ownership program and participate in countless philanthropic events. Talk about a fantastic company model! After discovering this wondrous company I looked for the beer in some of my local package stores but to no avail.

It occurred to me that was not necessarily a bad thing because it got me thinking if there was such a company in Colorado, ready to serve a feast of barley, malt and hopps, perhaps a similar brew house existed right here in my own state.

Of course the first company that came to mind was Samuel “Sam” Adams, brewed by The Boston Beer Company right here in Massachusetts, but because they have grown into a household name and ship both nationally and internationally they have expanded operations to their additional brewery in Cincinnati, Ohio as well. They are fervently committed to many charitable organizations (notably the Boys and Girls Clubs, Boston Urban Gardens, Cam Neely Foundation, the Dennis Leary Firefighter Foundation and Share Our Strength) and additional philanthropic pursuits. It made me happy to see such a large company (there are seventeen brews in their standard rotation, some seasonal) giving back to their local and national communities.

The next local brew master I thought of is the Harpoon Brewery who provide their beers internationally but brew in their two New England locations Boston, Massachusetts and Windsor, Vermont. This company creates just six standard beers, four seasonal and three limited edition brews but their community reach extends far further than their thirteen beers would indicate. Their own humanitarian branch is called Harpoon Helps and this division donates through beer, merchandise, monetary contribution and time of volunteers to a myriad of organizations and events throughout New England (such as soup kitchens, Greater Boston Food Bank and American Red Cross) and have just expanded their reach to include the Spread Holiday Cheer event in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Washington DC and Albany, New York as well.

Both Sam Adams and Harpoon display a commitment to their communities, as well as the people who live in them through their humanitarian and charitable efforts, but I will definitely enjoy spending some time researching smaller local brew houses doing their part to provide yummy libations without sacrificing an environmentally friendly approach, just like New Belgium Brewing.

Due to their true commitment to all things Earth and environment it is my proud honor, without ever sampling the wares, to bestow a Five Green Leaf rating to New Belgium Brewing. Hooray to them for thinking both locally and globally! Spread the word to your beer brewing friends how easy it is to be green.

One Voice, Singing in the Darkness

Those of you who are Barry Manilow fans will recognize the title of this blog as a line from one of his songs however I use it as it completely embodies just what we as environmentally aware individuals are doing to come together collectively -- sing loudly on our own so all our voices end up joining together as one in the end. There are many musicians who, through their recognizable names and faces, are fighting for humanitarian or environmental efforts so we all have a chance to survive on this planet. These are two of my favorites who not only spread their message but also live it everyday. Who are your favorite eco-musicians?

One of my all-time favorite musicians is Jason Mraz. The reasons for this are not strictly linked to his beautiful music or lyrics but to his strong planetary and humanitarian efforts as well; he genuinely seems to care greatly about the state of our planet. Not only do I support his art from a musical standpoint but I am an avid reader of his blog as well. Over the past year that he has been writing, he has shared information on his: diet change to raw foodist, carrying of a Sigg to replace plastic water bottles, support of local artists, tour in bio-diesel busses, concern that he is not very eco-friendly due to his flight paths, support of humanitarian causes and many others. One of his most recent efforts is teaming up with Bruce Parry and Brett Dennen to record a song (Long Road to Forgiveness) for Survival International. Truly inspirational.



A local act, The Grownup Noise caught my attention when a close friend told me of them and their plan to convert their 1980’s, diesel van into one that runs on vegetable oil, in an effort to save the environment as well as some cash on their summer tour. Cool! I met up with their bassist, Adam, at their kick off show in Boston and through shared information, links and photos, compiled a fantastic three part story of the entire process from installation right up through wrapping up the tour. To follow the journey please visit these three links -- Part I: The Band Gets a Van, Boston Based Band The Grownup Noise Kick Off the Veggie Van Tour and The Grownup Noise Part II: Touring, With a Side of Fries.

The inspiration for this post comes from the song by Barry Manilow, referenced above, so for those who are unfamiliar with it, here are the lyrics. It is a story about one individual starting the movement of joining together for a common purpose. We do not have to be celebrities to have a huge impact, all it takes is one effort in one town by one person and eventually all of those "ones" will add up to tons!

One Voice
Just One Voice,
Singing in the darkness,
All it takes is One Voice,
Singing so they hear what's on your mind,
And when you look around you'll find
There's more than

One Voice,
Singing in the darkness,
Joining with your
One Voice,
Each and every note another octave,
Hands are joined and fears unlocked,
If only

One Voice
Would start it on its own,
We need just
One Voice facing the unknown,
And then that
One Voice would never be alone,
It takes that
One Voice.

It takes that
One Voice.
Just

One Voice
Singing in the darkness,
All it takes is
One Voice,
Shout it out and let it ring.

Just One Voice,
It takes that
One Voice,
And everyone will sing!