Adventures in Eco-Living

Living Organically (and Affordably)

The birth of our baby boy a year and a half ago brought new joys and dreams, but also new worries. We have always eaten healthy food, mostly organic, and much of it homegrown, but suddenly it seemed like not enough. Foods that I didn't mind eating before now seemed wrought with chemicals and impurities when I set them before my baby.

But where to start? Trying to switch to completely organic foods seemed overwhelming and expensive. Of course, there is always something else that can be found organically, for a price. To simply substitute what we were eating with an organic version could easily have doubled our grocery bill. So, then, how can a frugal family find a way to eat food that is both healthy AND affordable? We wanted this to work not only for us, but also for others interested in doing the same.

I truly believe that if there is only one aspect of your lifestyle that you can put extra effort and extra expense into, it should be your diet. Food is so very important to our health. And our agricultural and livestock systems here in the US are becoming unhealthier by the day. Food that was once nourishing and tasty is now shipped halfway around the world, pumped full of pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics, or other chemicals, genetically modified, and damaging to our health. Eating organically grown food has never been more important.

So then back to the question: how do we  cost-effectively make our diet healthier? We have spent the last year taking a close look at our purchases, our eating habits, cooking methods, and sources of food, to come up with a realistic plan. Over the next month or so, I plan to write about how we are "organicizing" our life. I had originally planned this as just a post or two, but quickly realized that there is so much to write about. So instead, I've made it a theme. Here's a quick roadmap of where this will all go:

Why organic?
If you are going to be rehabbing your diet, it is important to know why you are doing it. The stronger your reasons, the more likely you are to stick to the plan. For us, it was easy: babies and young children are much more susceptible to the dangers of pesticides, herbicides,  and antibiotics and growth hormones in meat and dairy. My husband and I both agreed that we wanted our son to start life with a clean slate, free of all those nasty chemicals for as long as possible. In addition to that, we wholeheartedly believe in farming practices that nurture this beautiful world of ours and keep its inhabitants safe and healthy.

Need more motivation? See The Top 10 Reasons to Go Organic, or check out the Organic Consumers Association for info.

Plan a Garden
Hands down, the cheapest way to get organic food into your tummy is to grow it yourself. And trust me, you do not have to be a master gardener to do this. When my husband and I moved from the city to the country, neither one of us had ever had a garden before. And in that in that first summer, we grew enough not only to eat all summer and can for winter, but also to give away wheel barrels full of veggies to our neighbors.

You can start small, with just a few key veggies that your family enjoys, or if you are brave and have the room, try to grow a large enough variety to meet much of your family's needs. And with a baby in the family, a garden provides a very affordable way to make delicious, healthy baby food with minimal effort (pick, wash, puree, freeze).

Some of our favorite gardening resources include Peaceful Valley, Mother Earth News, and Kitchen Gardeners International.

Join a Health Food Store Co-op
We aren't able to find much organic food around here, out in the rural countryside. It took some time, but we finally figured out how to source the organic items we cannot grow ourselves. My husband works in Kalamazoo, and so we became members at a health food store co-op there, Natural Health Center, since he is able to stop in on his way home from work (saves me the cost of gas of an extra trip). As members, we receive a 20% discount, which brings the prices down quite close to non-organic items at a regular grocery store. In addition, they offer bulk items that are very affordable.

Farmer's Market
Even if it's not organic, buying local produce is a healthy choice for both you and the environment. When food does not have to be shipped across the country, it can be picked at the peak of freshness, rather than in a totally unripe state. Farmer's Markets offer competitive prices, delicious produce, and the chance to buy large quantities when a fruit or veggie is in season and then can or freeze what you don't immediately need for later use. I had never realized that asparagus is sweet and juicy until we moved out to the country and bought asparagus that was picked that day. What a difference from the asparagus we had been used to in our Chicago grocery store!

Raise Your Own Chickens
Even if you live in an urban area, you might still be able to raise your own hens, as long as you have a yard area where you can build a small coop. Many urban centers now allow residents to keep a limited number of hens (usually no roosters, though, for obvious reasons). There is absolutely nothing better than the flaming orange yolks of healthy, homegrown chicken eggs.

Join a CSA
This is an especially good option for those who don't have either the space or the time to grow their own vegetables. A CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) membership entitles you to a box of fresh-picked veggies every week or two all summer long. You generally receive whatever is in season. This is a great way to support small, local farmers and to build a connection with your food. Many CSAs offer farm visits, volunteering opportunities, and some of the freshest, tastiest food around. Local Harvest is a great website for finding a CSA, organic farm, farmer's market, or other sources of organically-grown food.

We'll be taking a look at these ideas, as well as a few more, over the next month to see how they can help a family eat more healthy, local, and organic food without breaking the bank. We'll have resources, tips, stories, recipes, and hopefully lots of sharing from others who are living organically and loving it. Stay tuned!

County Fairs: A Slice of American Pie

This past week we have had the pleasure of attending one of our favorite summer events: the Allegan County Fair. Fair days...wandering the maze of tents and trailers, the greasy aroma of sizzling fair food tempting us off in untold directions...getting lost in the hum-drum of happy fair-going families... strolling aimlessly through bustling 4-H animal barns, a quaint Historical Village, and endless odd and unusual spectacles that especially please our 1-year old son (who loves to feed the goats, but is still too young for the camel rides).

County Fairs have deep small town roots and are truly an American icon....catch one this summer if you still can!

 

All in all, a day filled with rainbows!

Sustainable, Recycled Christmas Gift Bags and Holiday Gift Wrap

(Note: This is a partial re-post about homemade gift wrap from last season, with some new ideas added.)

As the temperature starts to dip here in Michigan, thoughts hesitantly start leaning toward the upcoming winter months. Could it be that's it time to start planning for the holiday season already?

It seems like people everywhere are trying to tone down the consumer feel of this most traditional of holiday seasons. Amidst the craziness of holiday gift-giving, we might stop to ask ourselves how we can make this holiday a little greener.

Every Christmas, I get this uneasiness in my stomach as the mega-clean-up after present opening begins.... usually we are at a large gathering of friends and family, and an enormous number of presents have been opened, wrapping paper torn to shreds, ribbon thrown to the floor in a mad scramble to see what's inside. And, of course, after all that jubilation, no one wants to stop and separate the recyclable from the non-recyclable, and so it all just gets stuffed into garbage bag upon garbage bag full of paper, ribbon, and cardboard boxes.

But my friend Kim has come up with an eco-solution! Even if her family doesn't recycle the wrapping paper (which I'm sure she would, but when you're at someone else's house, or not there at all when they open their gifts, it's a little imposing to insist on recycling), she re-used old Trader Joe paper shopping bags, turned inside out, and decorated by hand, instead of new, used only once wasteful wrapping paper. And isn't it cute, too?!

Other possibilities: get an old atlas from a thrift store, and wrap in the map pages. Or the funnies from the newspaper always make good wrapping paper, too. And if you're into gift bags instead of wrapping paper, we now carry recycled paper gift bags at The Greater Green.

Here are a few of our new designs, now available through World of Good. Click on the name of the bag to view the listing and read more about each bag:

Dashing Reindeer 30% Recycled Paper Gift Bags

Fiesta 50% Recycled Paper Gift Bags

Ivy Lane 100% Recycled Paper Gift Bags

The idea is simply this: to avoid using new resources to wrap something. Reuse, recycle, reduce.... in any way you can, and the more creative, the better! Got a cool idea? Please share!

Why We Raise Our Own Meat

We love our animals here on the farm, and that includes the ones we will be eating. We treat them with respect, honor their sacrifice, and grant them the dignity of a life lived to its fullest (albeit a short life, it is a good one). 

We have countless visitors here, many of them from the city, who criticize this way of life: "How can you eat an animal you raise and love?" My response to that is simply, "How can you eat an animal that suffered a miserable existence in a factory farm, where it couldn't even turn around because conditions were so crowded, where it laid in its own excrement and was pumped full of nasty steroids, hormones, antibiotics, and chemicals?" (As of yet, not one of these remarks have come from a vegetarian. Having spent 15 years myself as a non-meat eater, I would not have much of an answer to someone who has made that ultimate sacrifice in the name of mercy towards animals.)

But I am at a moral crossroads in my life, having reverted back to eating meat: either I face up to where my steaks come from, or I don't eat them at all. If I can't stomach the idea of killing an animal for my dinner, then I shouldn't be eating meat, plain and simple.

As millions of us file into the grocery store each day to buy our meat, it appears we have lost touch with where it comes from. That nicely packaged steak WAS a cow, and those delicious looking pork chops WERE once a pig, and unless you are buying free-range or organic meat, I guarantee you that animal probably had a miserable life in a factory farm (especially if it is cheap meat).

Look at the difference in photos. The one above is our pigs, hanging out in their pasture, with a sprinkler hose running so that they can cool off and wallow in the mud (a pig's absolute favorite thing to do). Here is the typical way a factory farm pig spends its days:

 

No, it will not be easy to butcher our pigs. I love them. I wake up every morning and look forward to their antics. I talk to them, croon them, scratch their backs. And I also give immeasurable thanks for their sacrifice. They will die so that I may live. In return, I will give them fresh air and grass and room to wallow and roll and play, and all the healthy food they can possibly eat, and I won't give them hormones or steroids or chemicals or antibiotics that they don't need. And I won't yell at them, or hit them, or denigrate them in any way. And when the end has come, I won't force them into a truck and drag them to a cold and heartless slaughterhouse- instead, the butcher will come here and let them die in peace, in their home. It may not be much, but it is the least I can do.

I have come to realize our here in the country that part of my mission in life is going to be to help raise awareness of our food culture. I am not saying we should stop eating meat (although, in truth, I think that would be grand), because I realize there are many, many people who will not go that route for their own perfectly justifiable reasons (like me). But I do believe we need to open our eyes to the horrors of factory farming and stand up for our food, insisting that we treat the animals we eat with dignity and respect, if not for the sake of the animals' well-being, then for our own health. Factory farmed meat is not healthy for us or the environment!

Here is a video that is not too gruesome (believe me, there are some horrible videos of factory farms out there that make me sob), but gets to the point:

Crate Confinement Video from the Humane Society

And if you need yet another reason we need to end factory farming, check out this article on the link between factory farming and potentially deadly disease outbreaks among humans:

Huffington Post Article About Swine Flue Outbreak and Factory Farms

Blueberries by the Bushel- It's Finger-Pickin' Good!

Every year our very kind neighbors invite us over to their house to pick from their enormous, 80 year-old blueberry bushes. What a treat! And this year has been exceptionally good for blueberries, with all the rain we had this spring. Gobs and gobs of giant, juicy morsels....is there anything better??

Unfortunately, it has become so popular around here to plant blueberries that the market is now flooded with them, driving the price down to only 29 cents per pound. We've heard of some small farmers around here that aren't even going to have their berries picked this year, because they can't make any money when the going wholesale price is that meager.

It's amazing to think of what most people pay for blueberries in the store- a lot more than the current wholesale price, that's for sure. So who is all that profit going to? Unfortunately, not the farmers, who do all the work and take on all of the risk. And even more unfortunately, current market prices are hardest on the small family farms, who simply cannot compete with the larger corporate agribusinesses.

So if you are looking to eat some tasty blueberries this summer, why not go straight to the source? Support your local farmers by shopping at Farmer's Market, where farmers get a fair price and nearly all of the profit (which they rightly deserve- farming can be brutally tough work), or find a local U-Pick farm and take the family for a fun day of berry picking (and eating!). It's one of the best way to get super fresh produce (which you just can't get in the grocery store) while helping small farmers survive.

Earth Hour Tonight!

Don't forget to join the international movement in support of ending global warming! Earth Hour is a global action event, and its organizers are hoping to rally one billion people worldwide to "Vote Earth" by switching all lights off for one hour tonight. Over 74 countries and territories have pledged their support!

It's easy! All you have to do is turn off your lights from 8:30 to 9:30pm (your local time). Plan something fun and make an event of it: a campfire, playing cards by candlelight, flashlight tag.... the possibilities are endless! We'd love to hear your ideas- please share!

Check out the Earth Hour website for full details.

Have fun and Happy Earth Hour everyone!!

Why Shopping at Thrift Stores is Green

I've been meaning to write a post about why shopping at thrift stores is one of the best ways to reduce your carbon footprint. So many people want to live a greener lifestyle, but don't want to spend money on the often more-expensive, new, eco-friendly options. But the truth is there is a very affordable way to shop green, that even supports the good work of many non-profits. Read on....

See, I've been shopping at thrift stores for quite some time now, since high school, in fact (approaching two decades ago...). At that time, I was on a limited budget, and my friends and I were also looking for funky (or so we thought) retro-styled clothing that was a little different than the 90s clothing so popular in the regular stores.

In college the thrift store became a mainstay in my life, because I was really on a budget, and I was undergoing this hippie-style revolution that entailed countless hours of sifting through other people's old throw-aways to find that unique shirt, that perfect skirt. It was perfectly acceptable, because many of my friends were on very tight budgets and did the same.

Then I moved to Japan, the consumer capital of the world, where everyone buys everything new. They wouldn't even take dogs that were "used"- animal shelters were non-existent (I discovered this when I took in a stray puppy, and no one would adopt her). We searched far and wide and finally found an upscale second-hand shop that catered to foreigners, where you could buy a very gently (or not-at-all) used shirt for $20. I definitely was not getting my thrift store fix there....

And then something interesting happened. After three years, I came back from Japan, and most of my friends had good-paying jobs and blossoming careers that "required" clothing to boot. I watched in amazement as one of my friends, who used to shop at thrift stores, spent $175 on a pair of jeans. It was suddenly "uncool" to shop at thrift stores. Why buy other people's junk when we could now afford to buy new?

The thing is, now that I am in the business of eco-friendly, people often ask me what is the most green option to buy. And you know what? Just about any item that was meant to last that you can buy, no matter how green or organic or natural, is not as green as buying from the local thrift store. Using new materials to produce products that are already in existence is wasteful, unless of course the already-existing product is toxic or harmful to the environment in some daily way.

Remember the mantra "Reduce, reuse, recycle"? The first more important thing we can do is reduce the number of resources and the amount of energy needed to support our lifestyles. In other words, cut down on the "stuff" that we really don't need. The next step, reuse, means that we should reuse something already in existence instead of buying something new whenever possible. The thrift store is the perfect manifestation of that mantra!

Let's take a coffee maker, for example. After scouring local thrift stores, I found a small Krups cappuccino maker, barely used, with instruction manual, for $5. I am always very picky about buying used items. If there are any signs of mold, deterioration, or lack of cleaning or proper maintenance, I pass. If an item looks like it was used extensively, I usually pass. Any foul odors, pass. Any missing parts or pieces, pass. Basically, anything that couldn't pass for a new item to the unknowing, and I look for something else.

I indeed thought a got a great deal, but that's not the only reason I shop at thrift stores. See, if I had gone to my local Macy's or Meijer's and spent $50 a new machine, I would not only have wasted more money, but also the materials, the (most likely) Chinese under-age factory labor, the energy required to manufacture it, and the energy used up in shipping it overseas (it's REALLY hard to find any electronics/appliances not manufactured overseas these days). Since there aren't any real "green" options for a cappucino maker, there wasn't any point, in my opinion, to buy new. Had I been looking for a new fridge, on the other hand, I would probably search for an Energy Star new appliance because the new ones are so much more energy efficient.

It's like this: the most eco-friendly water bottle you could possibly use is a re-used glass bottle or jar. The most eco-friendly clothing you can wear is actually re-used, purchased-at-the-thrift-store items or hand-me-downs (even new organic items use up resources and energy to produce). The most eco-friendly dishes? You guessed it- a set from the local second-hand shop or your grandma's old set (which, if your grandma is anything like my grandma, is most likely in perfect condition).

The problem is that many people have associated shopping at thrift stores with being cheap and as "dirty". There are many, many people that have to shop at thrift stores, because they can't afford new items, so perhaps some people see not going to thrift stores as some sort of "accomplishment". And as for being dirty, well, sure, there are some stained and old items that I would not even consider touching. But for the most part, there are lots of items that simply sat in someone' closet, never to be seen again for years. Many items still even have tags on them. All it takes is a good washing or sanitizing, and you're ready to go. And don't forget, new items in the store are often covered in various chemicals that were either part of the manufacturing process, or were sprayed on to protect the product from bugs and mildew during shipping. Not exactly "clean", if you ask me.

What have I purchased at the local thrift store in the last few months? Here's are just a few of my latest finds:

Krups Cappuccino Maker, like-new, $5
Panasonic Bread Machine, older model but like-new condition, $10 (which we use every day now)
Sunbeam Warm Steam Humidifier/Vaporizer, like-new condition, $5
Patagonia organic cotton long-sleeved men's shirt, like-new, $3.99
Hand-crocheted nativity scene, $1
Christmas decorations, various, $0.25-$5
Gap Wool Sweater, like-new, $3.99
Land's End men's wool sweater, like-new, $3.99
20-piece set of Gibson dishes with snowflake pattern, $6

And an added bonus.... many thrift stores, like The Salvation Army's, are run by non-profit organizations helping those in need. By shopping at their second-hand shops, you are helping to support the good work that they do!

So these days, when going green is becoming wildly popular, let's not forget the humble thrift store. It's the best way you can recycle and reuse, and show your commitment to using fewer resources and reducing your carbon footprint while saving money!

Choosing a Safe Water Bottle

With all the news lately about BPA contamination in plastics, it's no wonder that consumers are wondering what a safe choice might be for their families. Here is a brief summary of what we at The Greater Green recommend, based on the latest research and findings:

The best choice right now would be a glass water bottle. Consider reusing a glass juice jar that you purchased (filled with juice) and then ran through the dishwasher to sterilize it. There are absolutely no contamination concerns with glass, and it is easy to clean. Additionally, glass can hold just about any type of liquid. The one catch, of course, is that glass is breakable. A clever idea: wrap your glass jar in a hand towel before putting in your backpack or duffel bag, and then you can also use the hand towel throughout the day in restrooms,etc.

If glass will not work for you, your best bet is appearing to be stainless steel water bottles with no liner (liners can themselves cause problems), like the ones available at The Greater Green, 20 oz Stainless Steel Water Bottle with Carabiner, that is the perfect size for that on-the-go lifestyle. It fits in most cup holders in cars, attaches to a belt loop or backpack, and is perfect for hiking, biking, or even just running errands. Stainless is extremely crack- and break-resistant, and does not stain easily. Additionally, at less than ten dollars, these bottles are an affordable choice, especially when you consider that if well-taken care of, these bottles will certainly last for years For optimum performance, we recommend you only use your bottle for water (which will help keep it cleaner, too), though you can safely fill it with other cool liquids as well. Manufacturers do NOT recommend putting hot liquids into these bottles (use an insulated thermos for that).

The next best option for a safe water bottle would be aluminum bottles like SIGG, with an epoxy-resin liner. Though SIGG insists that their liner is totally safe, they will not reveal their patented liner. And because of all of the problems that have arisen lately due to lack of full disclosure with other products, we have opted to no longer carry SIGG this year. Also, the SIGG bottles were nearly twice as expensive as the stainless steel ones we now carry.

 Our third choice for safe water bottles is the PLA Corn Resin Bottle. Now, this bottle serves a slightly different purpose, because it comes with a charcoal filter that makes the PLA bottle reusable for about 3 months, at which point it is compostable (though only in a commercial compost). We like the filter, because it means you can fill up with tap water wherever you are. Though PLA is not the perfect plastic, it is a good first step in creating sustainable plastics that are not so detrimental to the environment. We have discussed PLA at length in previous posts. Clicke HERE to read all about it.

Near the bottom of our list are the polycarbonate bottles. Because of contamination concerns with Bisphenol-A, we do not recommend these bottles. Please keep in mind that many baby bottles are also affected by the BPA concerns, so please look for BPA-free bottles, like those made by Born Free.

And, of course, the very last resort would be regular disposable plastic bottled water. First of all, this bottled water is often just plain old tap water anyway. And we now know that only a small fraction of plastic bottles actually enter the recycling stream, so we have a major problem with plastics that will potentially last for millions of year.  Read all about it in The Problem with Plastics.

Lifting the Ban on Chinese Poultry? Yuck!

Would you believe there is a possibility that the ban on Chinese poultry imports could be lifted? This, as we hear about the more than 50,000 sick Chinese infants from contaminated baby formula. It's time start seriously re-considering how much of our food is processed overseas, in plants that are turning up with gross violations of safety standards.

I was at the grocery store the other day and picked up a bag of frozen, wild-caught Alaskan salmon. I turned it over and it said "Product of China". How (and why) is Alaskan salmon a product of China??? I am starting to feel very uncomfortable with Chinese food imports. And besides, we are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of building local food systems for the health of our communities, our planet, and our bodies. And China is definitely not local....

The past year or two has shown us that Chinese safety standards are NOT up to par with our own. Additionally, we are seeing way too many jobs being lost to overseas factories because of cheaper labor. If we are going to protect our economy and ensure jobs for our workers, we do not need to be increasing the list of food imports coming in from China. Food is something that we definitely can, and should be, growing and processing locally.

 
U.S. inspectors have previously discovered filthy and unsanitary conditions at Chinese poultry processing plants (among other facilities there, apparently), and there have been ongoing problems with Chinese food safety standards and the entire inspection system. With the dangers of chicken and salmonella, not to mention chicken and avian flu, we do not need to be considering importing chicken from China.

Of course this has become an issue thanks to large corporations, like Tyson and Cargill, that are currently pressuring Congress to lift the ban, because they are building poultry factories in China and want to be able to sell that chicken to US consumers. But enough is enough....

Please visit the Food & Water Watch's petition page to sign this very important petition, urging Congress NOT to lift the ban on poultry imports!

Click HERE to learn even more about this issue from the Food & Water Watch Blog.

"Everything's Cool": The Global Warming Debate in a Time of Disinformation

Last night I attended one of a series of documentary viewings on our nation's "Addiction to Oil", where we watched and discussed the documentary, "Everything's Cool".

We have finally reached a day and age in which most of our citizens believe that global warming is a real threat to our planet (recent polls suggest as many as 85% of Americans). But it has taken years and years to convince the general public of the dangers of imminent climate change, and it is NOT because the science was faulty, or the research inconclusive. Rather, the global warming debate was a direct result of intentional attempts by Big Oil and the energy industry to position global warming as theory rather than fact. 

How do you convince a country that the conclusions of eminent scientists are somehow mistaken? Some of the under-handed tactics which the energy industry employed included paying "pseudo-scientists" (scientists that are being paid by powerful interest groups rather than through impartial funding) to argue against the science of global warming (which, by the way, has been proven by hundreds of world-renowned scientists); creating new conservative think tanks and organizations whose sole purpose is to argue against global warming; and altering (and even suppressing) official climate reports to make them sound less definitive. The idea was that if the general public believed there was actual debate as to the veracity of the global warming issue, then they wouldn't take it seriously.... until now.

The Documentary "Everything's Cool" does a fabulous job of explaining the history of the global warming debate, following a number of important journalists, scientists, and environmentalists from 2003-2007, including Bill McKibben, Ross Gelbspan, Dr. Heidi Cullen, Michael Shellenberger and Ted Nordhaus, and Rick Piltz.

From the "Everything's Cool" website: "EVERYTHING'S COOL is a film about America finally "getting" global warming in the wake of the most dangerous chasm ever to emerge between scientific understanding and political action. While industry funded nay-sayers sing what just might be their swan song of pseudo-scientific deception, a group of global warming messengers are on a high stakes quest to find the iconic image, the magic language, the points of leverage that will finally create the political will to move the United States from its reliance on fossil fuels to the new clean energy economy - AND FAST."

This was a powerful and inspirational film (though to be honest, it's also a little depressing, too, to learn about the subversive forces at work against the movement and how powerful they have been).  It was also humorous and entertaining, which is nice to see in a documentary. Definitely a must-see!

Urging Global Warming Debate Questions

We only have 50 or so days now until the election.... in past years, out of thousands of questions that were asked by media and debate moderators, only a small handful had anything to do with global warming and the current energy crisis. And this year, with one of the candidates publicly proclaiming that "I’m not an Al Gore, doom-and-gloom environmentalist blaming the changes in our climate on human activity," it is more important than ever to bring the topic to the forefront of discussion!

Environmental Defense Fund is sponsoring a petition that is urging debate moderators to ask about clean energy and global warming. This is our chance to let them know that we want tough environmental questions, and we want the moderators to push for specific, jargon-free answers that clearly outline candidate's plans to tackle both the current energy crisis and global warming. Click HERE to sign the petition.

Like others I've talked to, I often get angry when I hear people denying global warming, which does not help my argument in any way.

I often hear the argument that somehow this fight against global warming infringes on personal freedoms. As if continuing to live with callous disregard for our planet and the other people (because, really, this all comes back to the politics of selfishness) is somehow one's personal right.

When I advocate for environmental issues, protecting our planet and our eco-systems, and social justice for all peoples the world over, I am not just doing so for me. I am doing it because I believe there is a universal truth, and it involves caring for each other, caring for our planet, and living a respectful life with honesty, integrity, and morality. All major religions challenge us to live such a life. When I hear the politics of Big Oil, Big Spending, and corporate globalization, it is usually a politics of greed, material wealth, and personal gain. When I hear nay-sayers ask why they should believe in global warming, what I really hear is, "What's in it for me?"

I've been told that assuming others are acting selfishly is a self-righteous and selfish thing to do in and of itself.... and I don't mean to point a finger. I am simply asking us all to challenge ourselves to live a life that is not about "me", not about "us" and "them", but rather about "We"- what we can do together, what we can do to help each other, and what we can do to make our planet not just a healthy and safe place for some, but for all.

What do you say to someone who doesn't believe in global warming?
I personally know and am related to a number of people who do not "believe" that global warming is real. To them I say this:

If you believe that, despite YEARS of research done by world-renowned scientists, we are not heading toward a global warming crisis, and wonder why should we make all these changes for something that doesn't exist, then please consider this: if I am wrong and you are right, then we have made a number of changes that are beneficial to both people and the planet, created healthier environments for our families, cleaner air to breathe, built local food systems that give people greater access to healthy locally-grown food, lessened dependence on foreign oil, created millions of new jobs in the booming alternative energies field, encouraged people to live healthier lives full of bicycle rides and long walks and exercise, and developed new technologies that help us live with a smaller carbon footprint. These changes have both PERSONAL and GLOBAL benefits.

If I am right, however, and you are wrong, and we continue to do nothing about global warming, we will find ourselves in the midst of a worldwide crisis. Sea levels will rise, destroying entire coastal communities. Entire species will go instinct, as delicate eco-systems will be destroyed by the changing climate, pollution levels will reach all-time highs (have you seen how people in many pollution-laden developing countries have to wear masks as they go about their daily business?), and numerous other very serious, negative consequences will ensue. So I ask you this- why not go the route that only has POSITIVE outcomes, even in the unlikely event that it turns out to be a false alarm? See, it doesn't matter if we are right or wrong about global warming- everything that environmental advocates are urging us to do is good for our health, our happiness, and our planet. It's a win-win situation!

For an excellent overview of the science behind global warming, click HERE.

For a thorough look into the history of global warming denial, click HERE.

And lastly, No Impact Man says it way better than I do: he gives a great list of all the wonderful things that would happen if we treated global warming as a crisis, but it turned out it wouldn't- a must read! Click HERE to read his post.

The Truth About rBGH: One More in the Millions Against Monsanto Campaign

I was recently invited to lead a class at a local church as part of a series of workshops on consumerism. I chose to discuss some of the issues surrounding the health and safety of our food, how agriculture affects our environment, and, in particular, the effects of rBGH use in dairy cows. I realized this is an issue I just HAD to blog about! There is so much to this discussion, but here's the gist of it:

BGH, or Bovine Growth Hormone, is a naturally-occurring hormone in female cows, responsible for the production of milk. In the 1930s, it was discovered that injecting cows with additional BGH would stimulate prolonged milk production, resulting in a 10-15% overall increase. At that time, BGH was extracted from bovine cadavers, and was thus a natural hormone.

About 15 years ago or so, Monsanto started creating an artificial BGH, using genetically engineered e. coli. The result was recombinant BGH, or rBGH, with the "r" indicated that this is NOT a naturally-occurring hormone, but rather a genetically engineered one.

In 1994, this rBGH was marketed to dairy farmers as the "ultimate" answer to maximizing profit. It was welomed with open arms, and was administered to millions of cows. In fact, it still is. Despite inadequate testing for human safety, despite causing medical problems in cows administered rBGH, and despite the fact that we are, and have been for quite some time, in a state of over-production of milk that is driving the price down for dairy farmers (and therefore do not need to be artificially stimulating more production). So how on earth did rBGH become so widespread?

The most testing that was done for human safety involved 90 days of exposure to lab rats! And it was with this testing in hand that the FDA signed approval for rBGH without a second thought (this is a testament to how powerful Monsanto is). rBGH is banned in most other industrial countries, including the European Union, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Japan, with harm to animal welfare being cited as the main cause (rBGH causes increased incidence of mastitis, lameness, and other painful health problems). Huh??? Are we the only ones who care so little about the health and well-being of the animals we mass breed for food production? Additionally, though rBGH itself has not been definitively linked to health problems in humans, cows given this artificial hormone have increased levels of Insulin Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1), which HAS been preliminarily linked to cancer in humans.

Additionally, we are just starting to understand that rBGH, because it is not exactly the same as BGH, with a one amino acid chain difference, can cause immune hypersensitivity in some people, resulting in severe auto-immune, or allergic, responses. In fact, this issue is being researched as a possible outcome of eating ANY genetically-modified foods: because they are not exactly identical to natural forms, sometimes our bodies don't recognize them, and treat these molecules as "foreign invaders", creating an allergic response. We are seeing a huge increase in allergies in children, and this is one possibility that we need to look at more closely...

But the issue with rBGH goes even deeper. When some small, independent dairies started promoting their milk as "rBGH-free", Monsanto actually backed some of its dairy customers in a lawsuit, stated that "hormone-free" was mislabeling. And they won!! And so we now find that some milk and cheese, in certain states, has to add a disclaimer that "no significant difference has been found between milk made from cows given rBGH and those not given rBGH"- and as a result, many dairies choose not to add the label at all. Huh???? Monsanto somehow won the right to keep us from knowing that cows were raised naturally, organically, because that was "mislableing"???

I start to get infuriated at the whole situation, and then I remember who we are talking about. Monsanto. Global terrorist. Their list of laurels includes Agent Orange (and by the way, Monsanto NEVER paid out one penny to vets who sued them for permanent damage, deformities in their children, cancer, and the like), Round-Up, a majority of all genetically-engineered plant patents, NutraSweet, and rBGH. Their website claims they "help farmers grow yield sustainably so they can be successful, produce healthier foods, better animal feeds and more fiber, while also reducing agriculture's impact on our environment." And they use the words "growing yield sustainably" as their motto. What a bunch of &*%@!

So the whole rBGH issue, with the recent public outcry, has resulted in Monsanto selling off rBGH, announced a few weeks ago. Go figure. Too much trouble to keep hiding the truth from the public. Why Eli Lilly has paid $300 million for the rights to the rBGH label "Posilac", I'll never know. It's amazing how much money there is to be made by damaging the planet, its animals, and its people.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Want to know more about Monsanto's crimes against the planet and help stop their gloabl terrorism, as it has frequently been called? Check out the Millions Against Monsanto Campaign for every dirty little thing you wanted to know, and an important petition that you should sign.

Check out the Food and Water Watch's article "rBGH: Anything but Green".

BTW, there are a number of major chains that have, under public pressure, recently refused to sell rBGH milk, including Walmart, Costco, Kroger, and Chipotle, to name a few. If you shop/dine at those stores, be sure to tell the store manager how happy you are that they are supplying rBGH-free milk! And be sure to sign this petition, thanking ALL of the declared rBGH-free stores across the nation.

Our Tomatoes are Uglier than Yours!

Look at those tomatoes! Cracked, mis-shapen, full of unusual oranges, purples, and yellows.... what's with the ugly tomatoes??!!

They're heirloom tomatoes, of course! So what's the deal with heirlooms? They certainly do not conform to the current idea of a "perfect" tomato: round, red, and crack-free. But there was a time when tomatoes were not that "perfect", and along the way, a lot has been sacrificed in terms of flavor and nutrition in order to get them that way. But recently, many people have been re-discovering heirlooms.

The first time I ever grew heirloom tomatoes, I thought I'd done something wrong. They were deformed and lumpy, cracking, and never turned fully red. We literally threw many of the first tomatoes we picked into the compost, waiting for one that came out "right". Little did we know we were throwing away some of nature's gems!

Much of the store-bought produce you see these days in supermarkets has been genetically modified. (Click here to read our post on some of the major problems  with genetic engineering.) They have been bred, cross-bred, and modified for one of a few particular purposes: to harvest earlier, to transport better, and/or to have more disease resistance. Flavor and nutrition are after-thoughts. If a tomato can't handle being transported 1500 miles while still arriving in good condition, it is virtually useless in today's world of agribusiness. The reason you don't see heirlooms in the stores more is simple: they are delicate, bruise easily, and could never withstand the journeys that our average veggies make these days.

Some heirlooms go back a few decades, some centuries, and some, like Black Aztec Corn, go back thousands of years. Growing heirlooms is like taking a stroll back in time, connecting us with the early farmers of history. There is deep connection between us and the earth that manifests itself in a plant that has been grown (and remained unchanged) for that long...

For all their ugliness, heirlooms far outweigh conventional varieties for their flavor alone. One bite of one of our Cherokee Purple Tomatoes, with their deep and delicious tomato flavor, or Yellow Currant Tomatoes, sweeter than candy, and you will understand The Way of the Heirloom. Once you have discovered heirlooms, you may just never go back.

Looking to learn more about why heirlooms are the healthy choice for our planet? Check out Seed Saver Exchange, where you can learn about the importance of preserving genetic diversity, and also order some heirloom seeds of your own! And if you are in the Southwest Michigan Area, check us out at the Allegan Farmer's Market on Thursdays, from 8:30 am -1:30 pm, at the corner of Cutler and Water Streets.

Turning the White House Lawn into a Garden: An Inspiring Video on YouTube

I've just watched a very cute and inspiring video from Kitchen Gardeners International, called "This Lawn is Your Lawn".  Roger Doiron, the founder of KGI, has started a campaign to convert part of the White House lawn into a garden. Sound crazy? It's actually been done before, when First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt grew her Victory Garden in the 1940s. She inspired thousands of Americans to do the same, until nearly 40 percent of the nation's fruits and vegetables were being grown in these Victory Gardens at a time when food and other resources were scarce.

Today about 1/3 of all greenhouse gas emissions comes from the production and transportation of agriculture. Kitchen Gardeners International is asking that the next President lead by example, turning a good portion of the White House grounds into edible landscaping to feed his own family and local food pantries and shelters. What an example that would set! As the price of oil skyrockets, thus resulting in higher food costs, it is making more and more sense to eat locally-grown (if not home-grown) food.

The video is only about 5 minutes long. Click HERE to watch it. You can also just go straight to the petition at EatTheView.org.

Enjoy!!

Home Depot Offers CFL Bulb Recycling

Hooray! I no longer have to save my burned out/broken CFL bulbs in a bucket in my laundry room! Home Depot has announced that it will now collect UNBROKEN, no longer usable CFL bulbs for safe disposal at all of their stores nationwide (all 1,973 of them). You can read the press release here.  Ikea also accepts CFL bulbs for recycling, but there is no Ikea anywhere near little Grand Junction, sadly.

This is a huge step toward responsibly managing the mercury that is present in CFL bulbs. Though there is only a small amount of mercury in each bulb, because of the huge popularity of CFLs recently, we would soon be faced with an environmental hazard if everyone simply tossed them in the garbage.

Please remember that you cannot bring in broken bulbs to the Home Depot - that would pose a safety hazard! If you break a CFL, use the same precautions that your high school chemistry teacher (hopefully) used when your clumsy lab partner (that was me, actually) dropped a thermometer and broke it. Don some gloves, sweep the mess into a sealed container, and take it your local hazardous waste disposal center.

Rising Gas Prices: The Downsides and Upsides of Rethinking Our Oil Dependency

There's no doubt we are all trying to deal with rising gas prices in various ways. I woke up this morning and read a series of opinion pieces in the New York Times dealing with the consequences of the rising prices, and it got me thinking, because there are indeed a lot of outcomes, many of them different for different people. So I thought what I'd do is start a list of the effects I can think of (starting with ones that affect me as an individual), and would love it if anyone who stops by would add something to the list, especially some way that you have been personally affected. I also thought it would be interesting to do a downside/upside commentary, as well, to start thinking about what good could possibly come of it all....

DOWNSIDE: Obviously, rising gas prices means that we are cutting back on travel. Living out in the country, I have to travel 12 miles to get to any decent sized store (and unfortunately, my choices then are Walmart and Menard's). If I want something fancier, like say, a Borders or a Bed, Bath, & Beyond, we'd be looking at 40 miles each way. And if I want to visit family (living in Chicago), we're talking 140 miles each way. So obviously, we don't make any of those trips as much as we used to.

UPSIDE: Neighbors have started calling when they are going to the grocery store or into town, asking if either a) we need anything, or b) we'd like to come along to save on gas. We are becoming a very fuel-efficient little community! People everywhere are increasing their use of public transportation systems, bikes, scooters, and their legs (walking!)- all much greener options. The popularity of gas-efficient models (which have been available for awhile, but not necessary until now) is rising. Our 2003 Matrix gets 37 mph on the highway- that means that 5 years ago, there were cars that had excellent gas mileage, but they just weren't super popular.  As we demand higher fuel efficiency, the auto industry will be forced to make more and more of their vehicles meet these higher standards (which, of course, they are fully capable of doing, but are under major pressure from the oil industry NOT to do).

DOWNSIDE: It seems like everything is connected to the price of oil. Food is getting more expensive, because the costs associated with raising it and transporting it are very oil-dependent. Energy costs are rising in general (propane just went up almost 80 cents a gallon from this time last year- and we use about 500 gallons per year).

UPSIDE: We are all searching for cheaper, more sustainable options. Shopping at farmer's markets eliminates the middle men, making fresh, wholesome veggies more affordable. People are thinking things like, "Why not buy surplus veggies now while they are fresh and cheap and in season, freeze them, and then eat them in winter so I don't have to pay to have my food shipped halfway around the world?" We are seriously considering each purchase we make. Items that are cheaper and not long-lasting. That means we buy less "junk" and more high-quality, sustainable items. Instead of a couple of cheaply made shirts, I might buy one durable hemp shirt that will have a longer life.

DOWNSIDE: Businesses are having to cut back on "extraneous" expenditures, like marketing, decorating, security systems, etc.  That means that other businesses in those industries are suffering, because their services are being cut from budgets.

UPSIDE: Not sure here... is there one?

DOWNSIDE: The cost of fertilizer for farmers is rising, making it even more difficult for them to survive.

UPSIDE: Farmers are starting to consider organic fertilizers, like those made from fish and kelp, that are not so dependent on the price of oil. It no longer makes sense to use soil-depleting chemicals when healthy and effective alternatives are finally cheaper.

DOWNSIDE: Large farms use gas and diesel to power their heavy machinery, which they simply cannot operate without. This is a huge burden for farmers, and is slowly resulting in rising food prices all around. And not just produce. Meat and dairy, as well, are becoming more expensive to produce.

UPSIDE: Smaller, organic farms tend to be less oil-dependent. The price of organic meat, dairy, and produce use to be much higher than conventional, but the price gap is disappearing. This means that more people are starting to consider buying organic and local.

DOWNSIDE: Many conventional household products include synthetic ingredients that are derived from petroleum. This means that items like cleaners, plastics, synthetic fabrics, and other common items are becoming more expensive.

UPSIDE: Natural, sustainable, and organic cleaners, clothing, upholstery and household items are no longer appearing as expensive, and many people are considering these options.

I'm going to stop my list here, but I imagine that you might be able to add some ideas to my list. Please do!! And if possible, keep it positive by providing an alternative that can help us beat these rising costs of living. Let's help each other out!

Cartoon courtesy of Harry Campbell, New York Times

The Latest on Tomatoes Being Recalled

If you missed our first post about the tomato recall, you might want to check it out before reading this. We are adding some more of the factual information about the recall, for those wanting to know more specifics, since a bit more has come to light. (And, by the way, the best way to avoid this recall is to visit your local farmer's market and buy your tomatoes from there! If you live in the north, like we do, they will still be greenhouse tomatoes, but as long as they are grown by a local farmer, you should be safe. Check out LocalHarvest.org to find a farmer's market near you- they should be in full swing by now!)

(The following information is being summarized from an Associated Press article dated June 10, 2008.)

It seems that the source of the salmonella outbreak has yet to be identified. the latest report I've heard is that 167 people have  contracted the unusual strain of salmonella known as "Salmonella Saintpaul", with at least 23 of them being hospitalized. One man with the bacterial infection has died, but the official cause is being labeled as cancer, with salmonella infection as a contributing factor.

The recall is for the following types of tomatoes: red plum, red Roma or round red tomatoes, unless they were grown in certain states and countries. Tomatoes from the following states and countries are NOT being affected by the recall: Arkansas, California, Georgia, Hawaii, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Belgium, Canada, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Israel, Netherlands and Puerto Rico.

Federal officials believe that cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, tomatoes sold with the vine still attached and homegrown tomatoes are likely not the source of the outbreak. If you know someone that grows their own tomatoes, great! Eat those! If you can find a local farmer at a farmer's market, there you go! it seems that since the tomatoes in question have been affecting major supermarket and restaurant chains, they are coming from a large, commercial agribusiness-type farm. That's of course my own speculation, but it seems such widespread contamination would not occur unless it were the case.

But, yes, the truth is that as of today, no one seems to know for sure where the outbreak is coming from. Think organic, people! I'm willing to bet that it's most definitely not from an organic farm.

And, while I've got you here reading, I'm going to throw something at you that we organic farmers (and, frankly, every person I know) are very concerned about. It seems pesticide giant Monsanto is trying to pull a fast one again. "Bowing to pressure from Monsanto and the agro-toxics industry, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced May 21 that it plans to eliminate pesticide reporting at the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)", which would mean that we, the public, would no longer have a right to know how many or what kinds of chemicals are being sprayed on our foods and land. CLICK HERE to take action through the Organic Consumers Association against this dangerous move!

(BTW, if you're wondering why Monsanto would want to do that, here's a hint: Monsanto owns Round-up, and the patents for their new geneticallly-engineered breed of "Round-up Ready" (resistant to Round-up) corn, which means that farmers can now spray one of the most toxic chemicals that is still legal all over their fields, in quantities never imagined possible. Think cancer, PCB poisoning, respiratory illness, skin diseases, breastmilk contamination, and more. Want to know more? Check out our post "The World According to Monsanto".

Toy Safety Recalls Have Parents Worried: Safe and Eco-friendly Toys and Games Seem to be the Answer

The shock waves from all the recent toy recalls are just astounding. Parents these days find themselves questioning nearly every toy they purchase, wondering if there is a potential hazard, like lead paint, lurking  within, and how these toys were even allowed to get to market in the first place.

It seems that the most common factor in the recent toy recalls is that they were manufactured in China. According to Consumer Product Safety Commission spokesman Scott Wolfson, 60% of all recalls (not just toys) are for products made in China. As for toys, it's even clearer: of the 24 CPSC recalls in 2007, all of them were for products made in China. But that number doesn’t even come close to the number of voluntary recalls issued by companies themselves, hundreds of them in 2007 alone. It’s no wonder: according to the Toy Industry Association, approximately 80% of all toys in the US are manufactured in China. Yikes!!

And another troubling factor: even some of our most popular toy brands, brands that I grew up with as a kid, are issuing recalls: Fisher Price, Mattel, Thomas the Train. It seems to be getting difficult to know who and what we can trust to be safe for our children.

To see a complete list of CPSC recalls since 1975, click here. It is a very eye-opening experience to see how many products make it to market, only to be recalled shortly thereafter. Whatever happened to thorough safety testing before a product hits the shelves?? Apparently, the CPSC does not have the authority to test the safety of products before they become available to the public- they leave that up to the manufacturer! Well, it appears that Congress is finally seeing something wrong with that, and tougher Safety Bills are now on the table for lawmakers to vote on. You can send your Congressman an urgent message of support for tougher safety regulations by clicking here. The link will take you t o a Care2 petition urging stronger consumer product legislation.

Amidst all this recall turmoil, there is a bit of sunshine. Wonderful new, green products are sprouting up all around us, including in the toy department. It's making more and more sense to turn to eco-friendly, green companies, because they usually have much higher safety and health standards than conventional companies do. Green businesses seek to source locally whenever possible, and when not, try to source from Fair Trade Certified and inspected sources; they use recycled materials, eco-friendly dyes and paints (read: NO lead), and natural materials; and they have founded their businesses around a commitment to our health and safety.

One such company that makes safe and eco-friendly games for kids (and, actually, adults, too!) is BioViva, distributed by KVale Games. We are thrilled here at The Greater Green to be carrying one of their exceptionally adorable games for youngsters aged 3 and up called My First 3 Nature Games. Made of recycled and safe materials, and manufactured in Canada (NOT China), this game is also extremely educational in nature, teaching kids early concepts about the eco-systems that surround them. We hope that this new game provides comfort for parents out there who have been shaken by all of these recalls!  

Take Back the Tap

I've just read a wonderful report put out by the Food & Water Watch (FWW) entitled, "Take Back the Tap". In this eye-opening report the FWW clearly explains why we need to redirect our energy toward creating healthier and safer public water systems, rather than allowing water to become privatized and sold as a commodity.

We currently often pay more for bottled water than for gasoline (if you can believe it!), when perfectly drinkable water comes right out of the tap in most places. Bottled water actually has fewer federal regulatory standards mandating testing and quality control than tap water, and so contrary to what many people think, it is usually not healthier, cleaner, nor purer than tap water. (And as many people already know, certain brands, like Dasani, are actually just selling filtered tap water!)

Basically, bottled water companies have been preying on the fears of people as to how safe their drinking water really is, and through extremely successful marketing and propaganda campaigns, have made the general public feel good about buying bottled water. But there is really nothing good about it.

In addition to the 8.3 billion gallons of bottled water that Americans drank in 2006, which took approximately 17 million barrels of oil to produce, and of which  only an estimated 15-28% ended up being recycled (the rest doomed to thousands of years of existence in a landfill), we are now learning more about harmful toxins that can leach out of plastic bottles and into your water (or food). And all of this waste and contamination costs us dearly! The going rate for water is now as high as $10/ gallon, if purchased in small bottles, which is more than double the cost of gasoline!

The myth of "purity in a bottle" needs to be stopped! We are threatening the future of our water systems by allowing privatization of water, which ultimately will lead to less federal funding of municipal systems.  Here are a few things you can do:

• Read "Take Back the Tap" here, chock-full of facts, research, and well-articulated discussion about the tap vs. bottled water debate.

• CLICK HERE to sign the Food & Water Watch's petition to protect America's water.

• CLICK HERE to help stop the push towards water privatization in California.

And if you have some other ideas/suggestions, please let us know by leaving a comment below!

Helping Seniors Receive Their Tax Rebate

Though this posting is a little off-topic for a green blog, I believe it is very important information, and besides, helping those in need is a huge part of building sustainable, lasting communities. Most of us know a senior citizen who could benefit from the following information:

Since many senior citizens no longer file a tax return, it seems there has been some confusion as to whether or not they can then receive the rebate check that is a part of the recent economic stimulus package passed by Congress. Anyone who does not normally file a tax return is still eligible, but they MUST follow these steps (courtesy of Michigan Congressman  Fred Upton):

"It is important to remember that in order to qualify for a tax rebate check, one must file a tax form for 2007. Individuals who have already filed a federal tax return on more than $3,000 in income for 2007 do not need to take any further steps to receive their rebate—only those folks who normally do not file a tax return must fill out the two page 1040A form to receive their check from the IRS. The steps are simple for these folks, particularly seniors on Social Security, who do not regularly file income taxes:

• Write the words “Stimulus Payment” across the top of a 1040A Form.
• On the 1040A Form, fill out the label section with your name, address, and social security number.
• In box 14a, fill out your actual or estimated Social Security income for 2007.
• If you want your rebate check to be a direct deposit, fill out lines 44 b, c, and d.
• Sign the return and mail to:
     
                    Department of the Treasury
                    Internal Revenue Service
                    Kansas City, MO 64999-0015

There are only two manners in which the IRS will disburse the rebate: via direct deposit or check in the mail. Individuals will determine for themselves on the 1040A Form on how they will receive their money from the IRS. The IRS strongly recommends that seniors file no later than April 15, 2008; however, the final deadline for filing is October 15, 2008."

And finally, Congressman Upton warns that there are scam artists making phone calls to unsuspecting citizens asking for bank information. NO IRS OR GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE WILL BE CALLING OR EMAILING ANYONE ASKING FOR SUCH INFO! The only way to receive your check is by filing the appropriate 1040 form, following the steps above.

Please pass on this info to anyone who could benefit from it, and if you have something to add, please feel free to leave a comment!!