where is everybody?

Today's farmer's market run was rather unsuccessful. Hanna (downgraded from hurricane to tropical storm) kept most of the farmers away. I don't blame them, it looks pretty menacing out there.

We wanted to get eggs from Flying Pig Farm. They had none, in fact, nobody had them. The mushroom guy wasn't there. Our favorite meat suppliers weren't either. We grabbed what we could -- some squash, radishes, a couple heirloom tomatoes, micro-greens, and bread. Looks like we'll have to rely on the supermarket a little more heavily this week.

The looming storm also kept us from going to a friend's barbecue, her house a little over an hour north. It's really coming down now. I think we made the right choice.

timbuk2 sale

If you're in the market for a new bag, Timbuk2 (known for their durable messenger bags) is having a big sale. Their eco-friendly "grown" line is made from hemp and recycled PET (plastic). All of their bags -- even the conventional ones -- are PVC-free.

Wiki Laptop Case
Was $55, Now $35.75

Classic Messenger (x-small)
Was $110, Now $55

Classic Messenger (small)
Was $130, Now $84.50

Classic Cargo Tote
Was $100, Now $65

you don't need green to be green

The other day, a friend of mine brought up the common misconception that in order to be eco-friendly, one needs money. There's really just one thing that I practice to live a sustainable lifestyle: mindfulness. And I think mindfulness in this case can be broken down into 3 actions: a) plan ahead, b) consume less, and c) do your research. Here are a few guidelines that I live by...


Plan ahead
(or, be prepared)

1. BYOE: Bring your own everything, everywhere

• This includes, but isn't limited to: reusable utensils, reusable drinking containers, shopping bags, and lunch
  
• You don't have to go out and buy special portable utensils, just borrow some from home
• Buying a $20 reusable water bottle and filling it at home or at a water fountain is a heck of a lot cheaper than buying a $1 bottle everyday (or even every week if you're one of those people who refill disposable bottles).
  
• Same goes for coffee and tea -- brew it at home or at the office and drink it in a mug
  
• Your shopping bags don't have to be anything fancy, most of our bags were giveaway totes. Even just reusing plastic grocery bags will keep the garbage out of the waste stream for a little longer

2. Plan meals

• If you know what you're going to eat ahead of time, you'll buy only what you need
• If you go to the supermarket on a full stomach, you'll be less likely to buy stuff you don't need
  
• Plus you'll keep food out of the landfill where it produces methane, a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change (according to the EPA, methane is 20 times more damaging to the environment than carbon dioxide)
  

3. If you can grow it yourself, do

• You'll save money, fuel, and carbon output
• Plus, you'll know where your food is coming from
• If you don't have your own garden, try a community garden

4. Compost if you can

• You'll keep food out of the landfill (see item number 2) and create rich food for your vegetable garden
• Learn how here
  

5. Keep your car maintained, and hypermile

• If you have a car, keep it clean and the tires full -- both of these simple things can help save gas
• Hypermiling is a tactic people use to save fuel. Find out more here
  

Consume less, live more

1. Buy less stuff

• Especially new stuff, or stuff made overseas
• I promise, life will be just as fulfilling without that 5th pair of sneakers or giant flatscreen TV or beauty product, or whatever it is you're thinking of buying. I know, I'm a recovering shoe addict and impulse buyer myself
• Of course there are times when you need stuff, or maybe you like collecting stuff as a hobby. Just use your judgment and buy used whenever you can. Shop at eBay, craigslist, or FreeCycle (this one's free!)
  

2. Eat less meat

• It's pricey, has a huge impact on the planet, and isn't all that healthy in large quantities
• Greens and grains are healthier and generally cost a lot less (they also taste good once you get used to them -- especially the fresh ones)
  

3. Eat and drink less junk

• Junk food is highly processed, so a lot of energy and resources go into making it
  
• And it's full of bad stuff
  
• Trust me, you'll feel better in the morning if you don't reach for that jumbo bag of Doritos and 32 oz Gatorade. It may seem cheap and tasty now, but just wait 'til you get those medical bills in 20 years

4. Think before you...

• Print or copy: Can you read it on the computer? Can you copy double-sided?
  
• Purchase: See number 1
  
• Toss: Can that thing you're about to throw away be reused or recycled? Maybe somebody else could use it if you don't want it anymore. If it's toxic, dispose of it properly (find out how at Earth 911)
  
• Drive: Can you walk, bike, or take public transportation instead?

5. Use less water and energy

• You'll end up saving money if you conserve
• Find 100 ways to save water, specific to your region, here
• See my tips for summer energy saving
  

Do your research
(Find out where stuff comes from and what it's made of. Here are a few things I've learned...)

1. Health and hygiene

• Ingredients to avoid: parabens (methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, butyl-), synthetic fragrance, petrolatum, diethanolamine (DEA), triethanolamine (TEA), sodium laurel sulfate (read more about ingredients to avoid)
• Not sure if your products are harmful? Check the Cosmetics Database

2. Cleaning products

• You can make your own non-toxic cleaning supplies with inexpensive household products, like white vinegar, washing soda, hydrogen peroxide, lemon, and oil (learn more at The Green Guide)
• Use rags (old t-shirts and towels work well) instead of paper towels

3. Food

• Eat whole, minimally processed foods
• Read the label -- avoid ingredients that you can't pronounce or that have many qualifiers, like high-fructose corn syrup or enriched bleached white flour

4. Furniture and homegoods

• Avoid furniture and paint made with off-gassing volatile organic compounds (VOCs), chemicals like formaldehyde
• Skip products made with PVC, like shower curtain liners -- opt for cloth instead
• Choose napkins, paper towels, toilet paper, and tissues made from paper, not from trees. Go with these brands that are both high quality and environmentally friendly (Marcal, Seventh Generation, Green Forest). AVOID: Bounty, Scott, Viva, Kleenex, Puffs, Charmin, Cottonelle (they're all made from trees!)
• Buy in bulk to save money and packaging
  

Keep it simple...
Another simple way to live green is to heed the 3 Rs: reduce consumption, reuse what you can, and recycle what you can't.

Find more eco on a budget tips at The Budget Ecoist

Why bother?

what the HFCS?!!!

Oh sweet propaganda. I love the qualification of "it's fine in moderation." Yeah, so is cyanide. Problem is, high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is in a lot of foods which you wouldn't expect. It's not just sugary drinks and ice pops. HFCS is in most commercially available bread, even "whole wheat" and "multi-grain" varieties. It's in that all-American condiment, ketchup.

HFCS isn't just bad for your health, it's terribly unsustainable:

Most corn is grown as a monoculture, meaning that the land is used solely for corn, not rotated among crops. This maximizes yields, but at a price: It depletes soil nutrients, requiring more pesticides and fertilizer while weakening topsoil.

"The environmental footprint of HFCS is deep and wide," writes [Michael] Pollan, a prominent critic of industrial agriculture. "Look no farther than the dead zone in the Gulf [of Mexico], an area the size of New Jersey where virtually nothing will live because it has been starved of oxygen by the fertilizer runoff coming down the Mississippi from the Corn Belt. Then there is the atrazine in the water in farm country -- a nasty herbicide that, at concentrations as little as 0.1 part per billion, has been shown to turn male frogs into hermaphrodites."

Plus...

Milling and chemically altering corn to form high-fructose corn syrup also is energy-intensive. That's not to say that corn is evil and other foods aren't; all crops require energy to grow and transport. What makes corn a target is that federal subsidies -- and tariffs on imported sugar -- keep prices low, paving the way for widespread use of high-fructose corn syrup and, in the process, keeping the American palate accustomed to the sweetness it provides.

Read the rest of the Washington Post article here.

Oh, and it's not surprising, the commercial was brought to you by the Corn Refiners Association.

see the forest for the trees

What we are doing to the forests of the world is but a mirror reflection of what we are doing to ourselves and to one another.

~Mahatma Gandhi

They are the lungs of the Earth, and they fill our lungs with oxygen. They nourish the soil and provide us with fresh water. They regulate climate. They are home to diverse and increasingly endangered life forms. They hold secrets we have yet to discover.

Forests aren't just the stuff of fairy tales, but they are heading that way. Deforestation continues at a rate of 32 million acres per year. But you can help stop it.

Protect an acre
Through Conservation International, you can protect an acre of forest for $15

Adopt an acre
Through the Nature Conservancy, you can adopt an acre for $50

Buy certified wood and paper products
Check to see if the product you're about to purchase is certified by FSC (Forest Stewardship Council). Their logo looks like this:

our next car?

It's not the Prius. But it kinda looks like that beloved hybrid. Maybe it's a little cuter (at least my bf thinks so, I happen to like the Prius).

Regardless, it's the new Honda Insight 3 and it's being publicly revealed at the Paris Motor Show next month. The one shown above is a concept, but Honda plans on having it in showrooms on Earth Day next year (that's April 22nd to those who haven't been paying attention for the last 38 years), so it shouldn't change all that much.

If the looks don't get 'em, the price tag should have Prius-lovers changing their minds -- the Insight 3 starts at $19,000 and is said to get 60 mpg.

[Via Wired Honda's Got Prius Envy. Great title, no?]

cozy up to a cup

I love alliteration. I also really like multi-functioning things. The coffee cup cozy cuff fits both categories. It saves paper, it keeps your paws from getting scorched, and you can wear it. So simple, yet so brilliant.

I've seen knit or crocheted versions, quilty fabric versions, even pricey $70 wooden ones. You can make one with your own little hands if you're so inclined.


Try it!
Here are some patterns in various media:

• Knit
  
• Crochet
  
• Felt
  
• Fabric

Buy it!
If you're not crafty, or just don't have time to make one for yourself, here are some you can purchase with money:

The Cozy Corset Cuff
(available in many patterns and colors)


Frowny Joe Cozy by Monkey Travel Club
(this one's for you, Amy! It's also available in a happier mood)


Cable Knit Cozy by Pink Petal Designs
(also available in other colors)


Bacon Buddy Cuff by Ity Bity Bags
(sizzle, sizzle!)


...And a whole lot more on Etsy.

[Sources: Swap-bot, Etsy, About.com, MK Carroll, PoppyTalk, Pink Milk and Fairycakes]

foraging find: spicebush berries

My friend Anne and I went for a nice walk in the park yesterday and I couldn't help but point out all of the plants I learned about during my recent foraging class. Sassafras, lady's thumb, pokeweed, bishop's elder, hawthorne, rosehips, jewelweed, and mugwort -- we stopped to observe them all. We sampled some clover-leafed wood sorrel (see below), so bright and lemony delicious.


And we happened upon a spicebush. I was so excited to be able to identify the plant by its appearance and the scent of the berry (a sweet, spicy aroma). So we collected a few berries. I'm going to dry them out and grind them up for seasoning. You can also use the leaves, twigs, and bark for tea.

Spicebush, the berries not all quite ripe yet

I later rubbed some plantain (plantago) on the mosquito bites I acquired at our friends' barbecue. It just so happens we ate purslane salad at that shindig -- they bought theirs at the market, but we could have found some in the park, to make a Brooklyn salad as they called it.

I've been bitten by the foraging bug (I'm not talking mosquitos anymore). In a couple of weeks my boyfriend, some friends, and I are heading out with Wildman Steve Brill to get our hands dirty in Prospect Park.

It's so great to be able to identify plants, and whether they're edible, medicinal, or neither. It just gives you a different perspective on the world around you. About a month ago I couldn't tell you what any of these things were, save clover. And I can't wait to learn more.

the amazing power of vinegar

I keep a gallon bottle of white vinegar in the house at all times. Not because I only eat salads all day long (I have balsamic for that). Vinegar has an astonishing array of uses. And of course, the regular household version is non-toxic (it's edible for goodness sake!). It's also really cheap (shouldn't cost more than a couple bucks for a gallon -- in your face Clorox!). Here are just a few ways vinegar works its magic:

Fabric Softener
Add about 1/4 cup of vinegar to your laundry load. Your clothes will be soft and won't smell like a salad.

Deodorizer
I can attest to the power of vinegar as a deodorizer -- I use it to get the stink out of my yoga mat after Bikram class. I just put the mat in a bath of water and about 1/4 cup of vinegar and presto, chango -- no stinko!

Glass Cleaner
Who needs Windex? Just mix 1 part vinegar with 5 parts water and spray. It works on any glass surface.

Multi-surface Grease and Grime Remover
Use vinegar on greasy countertops, stoves, and even walls. It naturally breaks up the nasty mess. You can also use it to clean the floors. Add about 1/4 cup to a bucket of water and clean the whole house.

Mineral Deposit Remover
Wipe vinegar on the sink or bathtub to break up mineral deposits.

Weed Killer
I generally think lawns are a waste of good food growing space, and I actually like crab grass and so-called weeds like dandelion (it makes a yummy salad!) and clover. But if you've got a lawn and hate the sight of invasive plants, vinegar can kill them. The regular 5% acetic you can find in the supermarket should work, but you may have to apply more than once.

Be sure to apply the vinegar only to the unwanted plant, as vinegar is a non-selective herbicide (i.e., it will kill your grass if you're not careful). You can paint the vinegar on with a brush or spray it directly, avoiding the grass around it. Vinegar disturbs the pH balance of the soil, but only temporarily; it should recover in a matter of days. Also, be sure to apply the vinegar to dry grass on a sunny day and reapply if it rains. There are also other household ingredients you can add to make your weed killer more effective like soap and salt (read about Grandma's Weed Killer and this recipe from Thrifty Fun).

Before application of vinegar (5% acetic acid)

After application of vinegar (5% acetic acid)
[Images: Todd in Texas, Garden Web]

[Sources: About.com and Garden Web]

Jellyfish Sting Reducer
Pour some vinegar on the affected area and it will kill the sting. It worked for me when I got stung in St. Lucia (something bit me real bad!).

Check out 1001 uses for vinegar [via Mizkan]

sew for yourself

Making your own duds and stuff for the home is a great way to save money and reduce the use of manufacturing resources. Especially when you're using eco-friendly textiles like organic cotton, peace silk, eco-wool or hemp. Even more so if you use reclaimed fabrics.

There are even sewing patterns that are made sustainably -- like the patterns by Amy Butler. I saw this adorable tunic/top pattern today (at Fiber Notion, you can get it here).

I don't think I'm skilled enough to make this yet, I just sort of dabble infrequently in sewing projects. But I'm going to get some practice, 'cause this pattern is seriously cute. It's also made with 100% post-consumer recycled paper without chlorine bleaching.

I might be able to swing this great handbag:


Ms. Butler's also got some free patterns up on her site, like cool quilts, pillows, and this yoga mat bag:


Be sure to make it with some nice organic canvas or super eco-friendly hemp. Or try one of these organic sateen prints from Harmony Art (via NearSea Naturals):


Check out the top 10 eco-friendly fabric sources on Etsy [by Tiny Decor]

A few more eco textile sources:

• Aurora Silk -- peace silk fabric, thread, and yarn
• Cascade Yarns -- eco wool yarns
• Classic Elite Yarns -- yarn made from bamboo
• Earth Friendly Goods -- hemp fabric and twine
• Furnature -- a range of eco fabrics
• Heart of Vermont -- organic fabrics and batting
• NearSea Naturals -- organic fabrics and notions
• Organic Cotton Plus -- organic cotton fabric, notions, and more
• Wildrose Farm -- eco-friendly overstock fabrics
• Yarn Market -- yarns made from all sorts of eco sources

eco jotting

I came across these adorable pocket-sized "garden" notebooks today by ecojot while at an equally cute little shop in Park Slope called Fiber Notion. The notebooks are made of 100% post-consumer recycled paper in Canada (sweatshop free!) and the covers come in a range of great themes designed by Carolyn Gavin.


The dyes are vegetable based and the recycled paper is chlorine- and acid-free. Plus the mill they're made in is landfill-gas powered. And to top it off, proceeds from the notebooks go to Evergreen, a non-profit group that introduces healthy and sustainable living to outdoor urban environments.

These little puppies are great for throwing in your bag, especially if you do your best thinking on the go. I haven't been able to find these exact notebooks online, but you can get other notebooks by ecojot here. Brick-and-mortar shops that carry them include Anthropologie, The Container Store, and Kate's Paperie.

growing to feed a community

In a city where few people have outdoor space to call their own, NYC community gardens become a gathering place, a sort of communal backyard and more. The gardens feed friendships and nourish bodies. In the Bronx, one particular garden yields collards and callaloo, an example of both urban agriculture and cultural integration (collards are traditional in Southern American cooking while callaloo is more common in West Indian and Latino cuisine). Members of this particular plot, the Tremont Community Garden, gather to garden, barbecue, and organize trips that fund the garden. They also sell any extra produce at a local farmer's market. [Source: New York Times]


[Image, Liz Christy Garden, © Donald Loggins 2007]

Often, the roots of a community garden spring from an abandoned lot. The Tremont garden and the first city garden, Liz Christy Garden on Houston and Bowery, began this way. Liz Christy, for whom the garden is named, and the Green Guerrillas started the urban gardening movement by, among other things, planting seed bombs in vacant lots. When the lot where the current garden stands presented itself in 1973, the Green Guerrillas dug in -- the NYC Community Garden was born.

Want to get involved?

• Find a community garden in your part of the city
• Learn how to make a seed bomb [Path to Freedom]
  

Related links

• Green Guerrillas
• Green Thumb
• NYC Community Garden Coalition

Related reading

• On Guerrilla Gardening: A Handbook for Gardening Without Boundaries
  by Richard Reynolds
• Avant Gardening: Ecological Struggle in the City & the World
  by Peter Lamborn Wilson & Bill Weinberg (Eds.)
• Gardening When It Counts: Growing Food in Hard Times
  by Steve Solomon