is this fish for real?

I'm going to let this video speak for itself. This fish is pretty freakin' wild.




Read more about Macropinna microstoma (aka, Barreleye) at PopSci.

handmade in brooklyn, the old-fashioned way

Since making it a priority to shop at the farmers market every week, I'm more appreciative of certain things. For one, I appreciate where food comes from, and really, where other things come from as well. I think more about who produced things and how. I'm more gung-ho about supporting locally made products.

There's a great article in the Times detailing the Brooklyn culinary movement, comparing it to 1970s Berkeley in its return to the traditional way of doing things. Some of the gastronomic arts highlighted: pickling, hand butchering, chocolate making, knife crafting. It warms my heart to support local/handmade products in response to the proliferation of mass-produced, made-in-foreign-lands goods. Whether I'm eating a salad at Franny's made from farmers market greens and locally made cheese, chowing down a grass-fed burger at Diner, or crunching on deliciously spicy Mean Beans from Rick's Picks, there's a great sense of satisfaction that I'm supporting people who care a whole lot about what goes into what they're making.

The next step in my appreciation for all things local was to bring it all even closer to home. I've begun cooking more at home, baking, and making other things with my own two hands. I now save veggie scraps to make stock (I made about 10 quarts less than a month ago and have already gone through it all making soups). I've been experimenting with muffin and dessert bread recipes (ingredients are as local and organic as I can get). Unfortunately I missed the really good end of summer pickling season, but I plan on taking advantage of it this year. And I've started making crafts as well.

Why buy it if you can make it, or remake it?

Some of my projects...

Inspired by a picture frame I saw on Etsy, I made this picture frame out of vintage upholstery buttons, linen, and an old frame I had lying around. (I'm the little one on the right.)


I've been wanting a neckwarmer that would fit under my coat better than a scarf would. So I taught myself to crochet using the Stitch 'N Bitch book and crocheted this one using super-soft Peruvian highland wool. So cozy!




I read recently that crochet can only be created with human hands. So when you see something crocheted, you know that no machines were involved (except for maybe the spinning of the yarn).

I also wanted to freshen up an old bookcase we had, so I got some milk paint (in Soldier Blue) to do the job.


I think I've got the DIY, crafting bug, and I think I like it.

PS. I just found this great green crafting blog, Crafting a Green World. Exciting!

action, action, we want action!

Things are not looking up for our feathered, finned, and furry friends. Climate change, overfishing, and pollution are posing a threat to these magnificent creatures. But you can do something to help. Get involved. All it takes is a couple of key strokes and a click to help save species on the brink.

Help birds survive global warming
[National Audobon Society via Care2]
For the past 40 years, as our climate has warmed, birds have shifted their winter ranges further and further north. This ecological disruption is yet another wake up call that we must act quickly to solve the climate crisis. The birds' northward movement is another signal that climate change is here and action is needed now.

Save sea turtles from reckless fishing practices
[Defenders of Wildlife]
Bottom longline fishing in the Gulf of Mexico has resulted in the death and injury of hundreds of imperiled sea turtles. Snagged by razor sharp hooks on fishing lines that span anywhere from four to nine nautical miles, loggerhead and other threatened and endangered sea turtles are drowning and dying right now in the Gulf of Mexico.

Help imperiled coral reefs and tropical forests
[World Wildlife Fund]
You can help protect coral reefs and tropical forests -- two of the most valuable and threatened ecosystems on the planet -- by urging your members of Congress to cosponsor the Tropical Forest and Coral Conservation Act.

Say YES to sustainable seafood
[World Wildlife Fund]
Consumer demand for sustainable seafood can act as an extremely powerful incentive for better fisheries management. If you buy or ask for seafood that comes from sustainable sources, you are helping to protect our marine environment and, at the same time, ensuring that seafood can be enjoyed for many years to come.

Protect endangered species from coal mining
[World Wildlife Fund]
Coal mining is devastating Appalachia and harming endangered aquatic life. Widespread and increasing mountaintop removal mining -- a form of mining in which entire tops of mountains are removed and the debris is dumped in valleys and sometimes directly into streams -- is despoiling hundreds of miles of rivers and streams within the Southeast Rivers and Streams ecoregion, which World Wildlife Fund has identified as one of the richest, rarest and most biologically important ecoregions in the world.

developments: eco stuff from around the web

New growth forest promising, but not as plentiful as the real thing [NY Times]

All-in-one home recycling center saves space, but at a price [Gizmodo]

Light on the horizon: new LEDs that are affordable and built to last [TreeHugger]

Bad news for old king coal (good news for the planet) [Daily Kos]

adorable diy undies just in time for valentine's day

I love it when you can transform something old and boring into something super cute and useful. Here's a little video from Clare Bare -- indie lingerie maker extraordinaire featured on ThreadBanger. It's underwear that you can make yourself from an old shirt, just in time for a happy heart day. Enjoy!



BTW, if you're not handy with the sewing machine you can get a pair of these fancy pants on etsy.

big changes a-comin'

Lately, my posts have been pretty sporadic to say the least. Well, there's a reason for it. There are gonna be some big changes coming soon to this here blog. I'm really excited about them and I hope you'll appreciate the useful tools that are coming your way.

I'll be posting here occasionally in the mean time.

So stay tuned!

what every tree wants

Sun, air, water, soil. It seems so simple, right? Not so for a street tree in the big city. Trees here in NYC can have it pretty rough. But we need them. They clean our air and provide us with fresh oxygen. Their canopies, however modest, provide us with shade during the hot summer months. And street trees are a resting place for migrating and residents birds, providing us with an opportunity to watch nature run its course.

It's easy for us city dwellers to pass trees without a second thought -- we're often too busy going somewhere, texting and walking, or too busy minding our own business to notice.

But trees have needs and we need to tend to them.

This is what trees don't like:

1. Dog poop and pee (no it's not fertilizer and water!)
2. Tree guards that will eventually gird them (and then kill them)
3. Plant beds that come too high above the root line (rot!)
4. Rock salt, aka, halite or sodium chloride (damages the roots)*
5. Cars driving into them (ouch)
6. Compacted soil (so thirsty!)

*better alternatives include calcium chloride and coarse builder sand.

Street Tree DON'T

Sure, the guard saved it from a car's bumper,
but this London Plane may someday grow
into this tall guard

Street Tree DO

This guard allows the tree to grow out if it needs to

I learned all of this at a couple of workshops -- one put on by Trees New York and the other by the city's MillionTreesNYC program. If you're interested in caring for street trees, check with these organizations for free workshops throughout the year. City trees need all the help they can get!

happy heart day gift ideas

I think that if you're lucky to have someone special in your life, you should treat every day like it's St. Valentine's Day. But I do like the ceremony of the so-called Hallmark holiday -- exchanging small tokens of affection, enjoying a quiet dinner together, sharing words of love and appreciation.

If you're celebrating the day with your Valentine, skip the Whitman's sampler and bouquet of (pesticide-full) roses for something a little more original and, of course, eco-conscious.

Adopt a penguin
These adorable and threatened flightless birds
are a symbol of fidelity; they're known to mate for life. You can make a symbolic adoption through the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and get one of these cute plush Emperor penguins for your sweetheart. ($50 tax-deductible donation)

Tell them they're hot
Here's another one from WWF: an organic cotton t-shirt that makes both a compliment and a statement. Telling your love that they're "hotter than they should be" with this shirt helps WWF's climate and conservation efforts. ($50 tax-deductible donation)

Bejewel them
Show off to your lady with this gorgeous recycled metal peacock cuff bracelet from Alkemie. Made in California. ($170 from eConscious Market)

Pick flowers that make a difference

Share the love with your Valentine and a worthy organization with Organic Style's charitable organic flowers. Choose your favorite org, including Defender's of Wildlife, Co-op America, and Heifer International. (Starting at $44.95)

Tea for two
Mighty Leaf's
Organic African NectarTea is full of soothing anti-oxidants on account of the Rooibos (African Redbush) tea leaves and tropical fruits and blossoms. It's a perfectly sweet way to wind down after a romantic dinner for two. (4 oz loose tea, $9.95)

Whisper "olive juice"
But then tell them how you really feel. If your lover is an olive lover, this organic olive sampler from VivaTerra will win them over. (small, $19)

Indulge them with organic chocolate
Chocolate is said to be an aphrodisiac and has been shown to activate mood lifting agents in the brain. Well you've hit the chocolate happiness mother lode with this Organic Chocolate Decadencefrom VivaTerra. ($110 including root bowl)

Give a hoot!

Give your sweetie a good reason to write little love notes to you with this adorable notebook made of sustainably harvested birch wood and 100% recycled paper in the good ol' USA. [$18 at ELSEWARES]

Acquire a unique antique

From Victorian Valentine Cards to Buddhist love amulets, you can find something unusual and one-of-a-kind at an antique shop or on eBay.

Got any other Valentine's gift ideas? Give your two cents in the comments thread below.

phonebook shmonebook

Who needs 'em anyway?
Unless you're artist Long-Bin Chen, and have the skill to carve up these polluting wastes of ink and trees into the beautiful Buddhas below, you probably don't even look at a paper phone book anymore.


[Psst... you can catch some of his work as part of the exhibit Second Lives: Remixing the Ordinary at the Museum of Arts & Design now through April 19, 2009]

Laura, a supereco follower from Mohegan Lake, NY, asks:

Is there something I can do about the 547 (and counting) phone books I've collected? It makes me sad to think of all the yellow and white trees that are killed.

Yes, Laura, there is...

Just a couple of months back I recall getting an Ideal Bite tip with the answer to this exact question.

To stop receiving phone books, register at yellowpagesGoesGreen.org. A note to city dwellers: in that big ol' pile of yellow pages stacked up in your building lobby is a phone book with your name on it, help make the pile smaller by registering and then telling your neighbors.

To recycle those behemoths, check out Earth911 (or just put them with your paper recycling)

Get more tips for stopping phone book delivery [Huffington Post]

getting involved

Was anyone else inspired as much as I was by Obama's call to service? I mean, isn't this what the country has been needing -- someone who is going to take the lead and guide people to work hard for the country they love? It's like we've all been in a kind of idle for the past 8 years, waiting for someone to tell us how we can help fix things. Not that a lot of people haven't been doing great things for the world for the past 8 years, but there's definitely been a lack of leadership from our governmental representatives.

So I've been thinking a lot about how I want to contribute. I already have a few ideas for specific issues I'd like to tackle. In case you need some ideas, I've put together a little list of ways you can help make the world a better place (a Michael Jackson song suddenly comes to mind):

ReCharge America
The ReCharge America movement is a call to act close to home, well, literally in your home. They lay out a simple 10 step plan for outfitting your home in order to save energy -- from swapping incandescent bulbs for compact fluorescents to switching to renewable energy through your electricity provider. Once you take the steps toward reducing energy use in your home, it's easy to help your friends and family. Get to steppin'.

Power Past Coal
The Power Past Coal project is a collaborative effort to end the country's dependence on the dirty fossil fuel. You can start your own action, or join an existing one.

Be a Conservation Advocate
What does it take to be a conservation advocate? Passion, motivation, and a little elbow grease. Anyone can do it. You don't need an advanced degree in Ecology or any other field for that matter. It can be really daunting to think about, but you really could become an advocate with the right guidance and a little self education. Read Conservation International's guide on becoming a conservation advocate to learn more.

repurposed sign gives birth to new-old restaurant

[Image: David F. Gallagher of Lightning Field]

I was walking up Flatbush Avenue a couple of years ago when I noticed this great old sign in a window attached to an empty store front. In gold leaf lettering it read "Prime Meats." My first thought was, I hope someone saves that sign, it's just too great to get rid of.

Walking past that same building this week, I noticed the sign was gone. In fact the whole face of the store was gone; only plywood and building permits were visible. I got a little sad for that old sign, but kept a glimmer of hope that someone had salvaged it.

Then I was looking on New York magazine's site and on the first page of the restaurant section -- the sign! And in front of it, two restaurateurs known for their delicious use of local foods: the two Franks of Frankies Spuntino.

One of the Frankies spied the sign just as I had, and thankfully had the perfect spot for it. Inspired by the restaurants of yesteryear that procured goods locally, the Frankies are opening a new place called, of course, Prime Meats, right by the old one in Carroll Gardens.

You can read the preview info here.

I can't wait to try it, and see that old sign in a new-old place.

the simple truth about coal

And the truth is... it'll never be clean. Coal is a dirty substance. It's polluting and devastating to mine, and polluting to burn. It dirties our water supply with mercury and our air with carbon dioxide. It is a leading contributor to climate change.

So what can you do about it? Speak out against it. I know, I know. It can be scary to speak up. It's much easier to fret it and forget it. But that won't make the problem go away.

Check out This Is Reality to get the facts about coal and then sign up to be a part of the movement that puts a stop to the dirty burning fossil fuel. This Is Reality has a, if I dare say, cute and simple website that makes it all clear. The little canary will show you the way.

stop gas flaring in nigeria

At the same time Chevron runs ads urging you to “leave the car at home more,” it is wasting massive amounts of natural gas by burning it in the open air. In Nigeria, these poisonous gas flares release toxic fumes day and night, causing asthma and cancer and worsening global warming.

I just signed a petition at http://www.foe.org/gas-flaring and hope that you will join me, and thousands of other activists, to call on the Nigerian government to put a stop to this horrible practice.

Thank you!

[via Friends of the Earth]