Green Thinking Blog

Last night I was flipping through my first issue of Plenty Magazine (I mentioned it in my 4th of July post), and I saw an ad for World Water Monitoring Day (WWMD). Naturally, I had to find out more details. According to their colorful website, WWMD “is an international education and outreach program that builds public awareness and involvement in protecting water resources around the world by engaging citizens to conduct basic monitoring of their local water bodies.” WWMD is coordinated by the Water Environment Federation and the International Water Association.

On September 18th through October 18th, people all around the world take the initiative to test their local water bodies for quality factors such as temperature, acidity, clarity, and dissolved oxygen. One they get their results, the information is shared on the WWMD website.

So, how do you test the water? Well the easiest way is to buy one of the test kits offered for $13.00 (plus $7.20 U.S. shipping). You can order online or by phone with a credit card. The test kits can be used for a group of 5-10 people so you and your friends or family can split the cost.

What kind of water can you test? The test kits are designed for fresh water locations including bays, canals, creeks, ditches, drains, estuaries, lakes, ponds, reservoirs, oceans, rivers, springs, straights, streams, and wetlands. Wow, is anyone else amazed at all the different names of fresh water bodies?!

To get started, you can visit the Participate page on the website and follow the four easy steps:

1. Register your site.
2. Prepare your monitoring equipment.
3. Monitor your site.
4. Report your data.

If you’re like me, you’re wondering if using the test kit is hard. The WWMD site stresses that the test kit is easy for children and adults to use, so that’s a good sign. Visit the website and you’ll see smiling young faces that let us know that we can handle the job.

The data collected from 2005, 2006, and 2007 is also available for your review. Last year 46,000 people in 43 countries participated.

Lake Parón, Caraz, Peru

While at home this evening, I perused a book called A Little Green Book of Environmental Quotes and Comments.  Here is what I found:

A quote by Arch Buchwald, an author, stated in 1970.  How did he know what would happen back then?    (p. 89)

And Man created the plastic bag and tin and aluminum can and the cellophane wrapper and the paper plate, and this was good because Man could then take his automobile and buy all his food in one place and He could save that which was good to eat in the refrigerator and throw away what had no further use.  And soon the earth was covered with plastic bags and aluminum cans and paper plates and disposable bottles and there was nowhere to sit down or walk, and Man shook his head and cried: “Look at this Godawful mess.”

I also found a great lesson for us all.  Joseph Wood Krutch, a writer, was quoted in Time (p 97):

Don’t blow it - good planets are hard to find.

And Jacques Barzun, a historian, gives us hope from The House of Intellect in 1959 (p 87):

If civilization has risen from the Stone Age, it can rise again from the Wastepaper Age.

I believe Jacques also means we can rise from the Oil Age, the High Consumption Age, the Wasteful Age, the Ungrateful Age, we just need to try.

Thanks for reading…that equals trying.

I subscribe to Simple Shoes email updates, and I recommend you do too.  Today I received an interesting food for thought - about fish.  According to the email, an article in the journal, Science, has researchers predicting that fish will be obsolete by 2048. 

If you are anything like Laurel & I, we LOVE our seafood.  If we had a choice we would eat seafood everyday, but apparently, the idea of that happening is being threatened by unsustainable fishing practices. 

The Blue Ocean Institute has listed a guide of what fish are the most abundant and recommended for eating by the Marine Stewardship Council. 

The guide lists that Alaskan Salmon, Walleye Pollack, Sablefish, and Western Rock Lobster are among those certified as the best environmental choice.  These species are abundant and their fishing methods have little impact on their habitat or the environment.

On the other hand, farmed Atlantic Salmon, Snappers, Atlantic Halibut, Grouper, and Chilean Sea Bass are listed as having a variety of problems.  These species are either overfished, have poor management, or their farming methods cause a serious environmental impact.

Visit the MSC website to find out which fisheries are certified with safe practices, where to buy, and what to cook.  They also list delicious recipes, check out this one for MSC certified Halibut by Frosta (mmm):

Halibut fillets with Japanese mountain pepper and mango on rhubarb chutney

Serves 4

Ingredients

So, next time you go to the fish market, or the seafood counter, or out to dinner, do your research.  It could be one of your last delicious meals that has fish if practices don’t improve-and QUICK!

Last night I was trying to perform some simple arithmatic to figure out the cost per person from a trip I was just on.  Simple is the word to look at - it may have been simple when I was in 5th grade, but not now!  In fact, I couldn’t even remember how to begin a long division problem let alone come up with a wrong answer.  This got me thinking…

We are all very aware that keeping our body healthy is a imporant for our well being, and in turn, the world.  What we put into our system, whether or not we exercise, where we buy our food, all affects the world in which we live…but what about our brains?!  That affects the world too!

WebMD says that physical exercise is good for your brain as well.  Exercise will release happy feelings, aka dopamine that will help your mood, alertness, and feelings of well-being. 

ProHealth recommends Neurobics, a form of working the brain that helps it rewire itself.  According to the article, to be a neurobic exercise, it must involve one or more senses in a novel way, engage your attention, and add an unexpected element to a routine activity. Here are some of the tips they give:

• Smell something different in the morning than your routine coffee.  Try vanilla or peppermint for a change.  I think I will smell my new Sage Citrus Soy candle…mmmm
• Use a different hand for your morning routine.  If you are right handed, brush your teeth, brush your hair, and eat breakfast with your left hand.  Lefties, do the opposite.
• Learn Braille to determine your floor on the elevator.

Challenge:  Try these exercises at home!

2nd Challenge (mostly for Kate): Relearn long division!  Check out FreeMathWorksheets.net to create your own challenge, or enhance your skills.

You might remember one of our first posts on Green Thinking Blog was about a wonderful eco t-shirt company called Tees for Change (see Tees for Change are Lovely). To make way for their new Fall 2008 line, they have put six of the women’s organic t-shirts on sale for $20 each and all jewelry on sale for 25% off.

Tees for Change shirts are made from organic cotton or bamboo and each t-shirt sale plants a tree. Fabulous! Act quickly if you want a shirt on-sale, because they’re sure to sell out fast.

Click here to get to the shirts on sale. Click here to get to the on-sale jewelry. The sale ends August 31, 2008.

I read an interesting article in the July 2008 issue of Publix Greenwise Market magazine. Apparently, one of the best ways to create a clean, non-toxic air environment in your home is to bring some plants inside. NASA has been using this trick since the 1980s when it completed some research on using plants to clean air in space capsules. It worked, and the research found that plants help metabolize chemicals by using them for food and energy.

A lead scientist on the NASA study, Bill Woverton, Ph.D., says bringing plants indoors is even more important today because “houses are more tightly sealed than in the past and contain a higher percentage of synthetic materials and products versus natural products.” The synthetic materials actually emit chemicals into our air indoors. Other recent studies confirmed plants can help reduce the level of pollens, dust, and allergens and keep humidity at a healthy range. Even more studies found that houseplants help reduce systolic blood pressure, increase productivity, decrease pain, and improve healing after illness or surgery. Simply amazing!

The GreenWise article said any kind of plant is fine to bring inside, just pick what fits you and your lifestyle. My tip is to figure out where you want to put the plants before you hit the store. This way you’ll know what to look for on the labels. Does the plant thrive in bright sunlight, partial sunlight, or low light? Here are a few suggestions from the article with a little help about how to take care of each:

• Ivy - Grows best in bright light, but avoid direct sun. Two-tone ivy likes more light than all-green ivy. Allow soil to dry before each watering.
• Calathea - Enjoys moderate light (put near a window facing east or north). Direct sunlight can burn up the leaves. Keep soil moist and mist the plant to provide a very humid environment.
• Fern - Likes low light and does well in a window facing north. Too much light will do damage. Mist the plant often. Allow soil to slightly dry before each watering.
• Croton - Keep in a warm place with good light, but not in direct sun. The light will help the leaves maintain their pretty range of colors. Allow soil to slightly dry before each watering.
• Anthurium - Likes bright light. Mist the plant often to provide high humidity. Allow soil to dry before each watering.
• Fittonia - Enjoys low light and windows facing north. Mist often to maintain high humidity.

Want more ideas? Head on over to Associated Content for their list of The Best Indoor Plants for Your Office or Home.

What else can you do to ensure your air at home is healthy?  Use less cleaning chemicals and bug sprays, keep it well ventilated, and check that your humidity is beweeen 30% and 50%.

Hmm…I wonder what kind of plants this house has inside? The outside is completely covered!

It seems to me that “Green Cuisine” is the newest trend to the diet world.  But it shouldn’t be just a trend.  I first heard the term while in the frozen foods section.   I purchased a delicious version of General Tso Shrimp-a complete kit-with a sign stating it was:  GREEN CUISINE.  So, turned it over, and took note of the company’s web address.

Contessa Premium Foods’ home page actually has a link called Green Initiatives.  To click it shows a company with their values in order - at least from what I can tell…This company boasts the first environmentally LEED-certified frozen-food manufacturing plant in the world!  What does this mean? It means that the food manufactured in this plant is completely carbon neutral & made no foot prints on our Mother Earth in its creation.  They practice aquaculture and are 100% turtle safe.  The company supports wildlife efforts, including sea-turtle conservation projects. (check out saving a turtle)  Not only that, the company uses recyclable materials & practices recycling in their operations.

I went a little further & Googled Green Cuisine only to find a plethora of links come up!

Imagine my surprise when I ran across an article by the Union of Concerned Scientists that featured my favorite restaurant in my home town - Food Dance Cafe in Kalamazoo, MI!  (Yes, there really is a Kalamazoo.)  Food Dance Cafe & other restaurants have begun to feature locally grown products year-round.  Its fresh & supports community. What could be greener?

The term also refers to the practice of growing your own Microgreens, or in simple terms, things like arugala, cress, snow peas, herbs, and edible flowers…

With a focus on health, look for more health-conscious ideas and information on your cuisine at Laurel on Health Food.

Ah & MMM, what a great term:  GREEN CUISINE.  If only Green Eggs & Ham could taste this good….

Attention eco-fashion lovers! I’ve rounded up a few of my favorite earth-friendly clothes, shoes, and accessories for you. The best eco-friendly finds are vintage or second-hand items that don’t require new resources to make. But, there always comes a time when you need something new. Maybe you’ll find a little green fashion inspiration here. I tried to choose classic pieces that weren’t ridiculously expensive.

Chica Rosa Bag - This adorable clutch would be great for a night out or as a handy makeup bag. The outside of the bag is made from 200 recycled aluminum can tabs and nylon thread. The inside has a nylon liner and a zipper to close it. Get it at Elsewares for $36.

Women’s Yuri Jacket - I think this basic black jacket is worth the $116 because you could find SO MANY occasions to wear it. It would be great paired over a button-down for work, or you could be saucy and wear it alone like the girl in the picture for a night out. Available in black or white, the jacket is made of 100% hemp muslin with a 100% silk lining.

Women’s Del Forte Denim Daphne Shorts - I love the dark denim and the cuffs on these long shorts. I also love how the girl in the picture is rockin’ some pointy toe pumps with them. They’re made of 99% organic cotton and are on sale for $68. That may be too pricey for a lot of people, but these were too cute for me not to mention!

Women’s ‘Cushee’ Flip Flops - These casual flip flops are made from hemp and recycled rubber. They come in sand, chocolate, or black colors. They look super comfy too! I really like the sand ones with the pink sole. $25 from Simple Shoes.

Women’s Organic Fine Jersey Short Sleeve T - I bet this baby-tee is super comfortable with its organic fine jersey material. The little green contrasting stitch on the shoulder is a cute touch too. $18 at American Apparel (a sweatshop-free company).

Women’s Loyale Temalpaid Pant - These yoga/dance/workout pants are low-rise and come with free shipping. Grey with purple or blue stripe at $55 from Pangaya. 92% Organic Cotton.

Men’s CAReen Shoes - These kicks are made from recycled tires and organic cotton. They come in muted colors including classic taupe, olive, espresso, and black. $65 from Simple Shoes.

Men’s Gap (PRODUCT) RED™ empowered T - I really like this basic off-white tee with the subtle block letters that spell “empowered.” The material is 100% cotton, and half of the proceeds go to the Global Fund to help fight AIDS. $24.50 at Gap.

Men’s Mossimo® Organic Shirt - Brown Suede - This classic button-down shirt is on clearance at Target for only $15.39 ($16.70 for XXL). Other available colors are blue stripe, green stripe, or taupe stripe.

Men’s Minimalist II Board Shorts - These solid color board shorts have a durable water repellent finish and are made from 100% recycled polyester through Patagonia’s Common Threads Recycling Program. Available for $55 in the following colors: meditation green, carbon, low tide, mars red, and blueblack. Patagonia gives 1% of profits back to the planet and is LEED-certified. Random note: Any guy who wears classic board shorts like these gets a thumbs up from me. I really dislike those cheesy hawaiian shorts.

Apollo Alliance sent me a worthwhile petition in my email yesterday. It’s no surprise that the oil companies are banking on record profits right now, and they are currently teaming up with their allies in Congress to propose more offshore oil drilling. Apollo has cooked up a new petition to tell Congress that we do NOT want them to drill on coastal protected areas. Instead, we want the money to go towards clean, renewable, and homegrown energy and more green jobs for Americans.

Here’s what Apollo Alliance had to say in their email:

“Every day, Americans pay more and more at the pump, while oil companies bring in record profits. Now, those same oil companies and their congressional allies are proposing more drilling - even though nearly every energy expert agrees this is one problem America can’t drill its way out of. The oil companies say they’re doing it to help lower the cost of gas. But scratch the surface, and you’ll find it’s the oil companies that truly benefit from new offshore drilling. Don’t let them continue to make money off of high gas prices while working Americans remain dependent on the energy of the past. Instead, tell Congress we need a real, comprehensive solution to America’s energy crisis. Let’s invest in clean, renewable energy and homegrown fuels, that will create millions of high-quality, green-collar jobs and reduce our dependence on oil. “

Are you fired up? I know I was. If so, you can sign the petition here.

What is Apollo Alliance? It’s a coalition that promotes clean/renewable energy, green collar jobs, and independence from foreign oil. Check out the Apollo Alliance website, and sign up for their email list. You can read more about the Apollo mission and how the alliance got started on their About page.

This last weekend took me to Ft. Lauderdale beach in sunny Florida. As I walked along the sandy shore I was stuck by a strange mound in the sand surrounded by construction tape.  Upon further observation, I discovered this mound was in fact an onshore incubator for sea turtles.  I said to myself, “Self, You have got to look into this further once you return home & get the scoop on these turtles.”  So. I did.

From what I have found out, in large part to Turtle Time, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to loggerhead sea turtles, is that from May until August every year these amazing creatures come ashore to lay their eggs.  The mama will dig a nest in the sand, usually about 18-22 inches deep and lay her eggs for a period of roughly two months.  When the little babies are born they are only 2 inches big and will eventually grow to be 250-400 pounds! 

So that is the easy part:  Get it on, lay some eggs, return to the sea.

The hard part comes when the babies hatch.  Sometimes they get confused with hotel lights, street lamps, car headlights, and instead of wandering off to sea and their destiny, they wander into the road and under your car tire. 

I saw signs all over the beach in Ft. Lauderdale warning tourists of the dimmed lights on streets and buildings to give the hatchlings every chance they have at surviving, and I truly thought it to be a great effort amongst the community to come together to help this endangered species. 

Tips from Turtle Time, Inc. about things you can do to help the turtles while you are on the beach:

• Do NOT shine lights on a nesting turtle! 
• Please don’t litter.  Plastic bags, balloons, soda can holders, etc. can be fatal if eaten by a turtle - or any animal for that matter.
• Close drapes or blinds after dark if your lights are visible to the beach, while this helps the turtles, this can help you too!  Create a little mood for yourself and a loved one, who knew turtles could be so romantic.

Another great resource:  Guided Turtle Walks.  While on vacation take in a little culture.  Many museums, aquariums, and community centers provide guided walks on the beach in hopes of witnessing this miracle of the sea turtle.  Ususally taking place between the hours of 9 pm - 1 am, but remember, do not bring your flashlights, and do not disturb the turtle - how would you like your business disturbed?