that GREEN blog

Whether you’re a hippy from way back, or just riding the trend of the times, Green is definitely in. Savvy moms win cool points and save cash by being eco-conscious and teach kids important life lessons about caring for the planet.

Go Green for Lunch – Ditch boring brown bags and send your kids off to school with a lunchtime statement. When you pack your kids’ lunch in eco-friendly food containers, like those made of cloth or stainless steel, you ease your deliveries to the landfill. As a bonus you might also save you a pretty penny when you stop buying those disposable containers. There are many chic steel latch tins available that come in an assortment of colors, and the hand latch even transforms the tins into the cutest lunch pail. Not only are these reusable containers a style statement, they’ll keep your perfect PB&Js from getting smooshed. Your child will appreciate not having to eat mush for lunch and you can be satisfied in reducing your child’s exposure to harmful chemicals found in plastic containers.

Give Rewards for Recycling – When in doubt, money talks. Encourage your kids to earn their allowances by participating in green chores like recycling. They’ll find out early that being green can be easy on the wallet! Home recycling services are still picking up speed in some parts on the country, so you might not know what your local municipality offers. And if you are really a penny pincher, you might even get a couple bucks out of your recycling habit. Some recycling centers will give you cold hard cash for turning in clean cans or bottles. Contact your local recycling centers to find out their policies.

Donate & Buy Second Hand – When you and your family are done with items, like clothing, toys, or furniture, donate the items to an organization of your choice. Check out many national organizations that take donations, and give back job-training opportunities. There might also be a local cause that could benefit from your lightly used items. Let your kids in on why donating is a good thing and tell them how people will benefit from their generosity. But there’s a flip side to the secondhand scene. Also teach your kid early not to be ashamed of owning secondhand items. Thrift and vintage shops are a fun way to get something unique. Take advantage of the fact that many retro styles are in fashion right now. And the bonus: Your dollar will go a lot farther than at the mall!

Secondhand shopping is great for furniture, too. Do you really want to drop $200 on that Pepto-pink dresser your 5-year wants? There are plenty of ways to indulge her creative spark without breaking the bank on furniture you probably won’t use for many years. Skip the department store and purchase a sturdy piece of used furniture at your local thrift store or antique shop. Customize the piece with a new paint job or a change of hardware. The time you spend on the project together will good ol’ bonding time away from the TV.

Make Quality a Priority – Being green doesn’t have to mean giving up glamour (thank goodness). A hip, eco-conscious mom knows that quality over quantity means you get to treat yourself and your children to high-end, well-made items. Instead of getting a lot of cheap or trendy things that will have to be replaced often, go for the good stuff in classic, durable styles. Add spice and personal flair with a few choice items from inexpensive sources like the aforementioned thrift or consignment shops. When you buy luxe, you might have to spend a bit more upfront, but you’ll see the savings over time, as you’ll have to buy less often. It’s also great opportunity to show your children the importance of taking good care of their belongings so that they can be used and loved for years. But buyer, beware! There’s a fine line between paying for quality and paying for label names. Browse various online forums to read up on products and find out what other customer’s think.

I’m Fia Caballero. I have a life long love affair with tiffins. I have collected numerous examples of the “tiffin” from a multitude of countries. Each and every one is functional and beautiful and a unique example from the country they came from.

With the holidays fast approaching, many people are ramping up to prepare for decorating, celebrating, and, of course, gift giving. Those who are concerned about the environment have more options than ever this year to ensure that their gifts are not going to have long-lasting negative effects on the world.

Celebrating
1. Decorating
At this time of year, the decorating options abound. From plastic banners to plastic trees, it can be a real dilemma to be both festive and environmentally conscious. Luckily, some of the best decorations this time of year are natural, and you can find all kinds of wonderful, naturally-biodegradable options in your backyard and supermarket. Fruits like cranberries and oranges make a big statement when placed in large glass containers, and holly and evergreen boughs can be draped over almost everything to add color and fragrance to your home. The most important thing is to try and think about decorating from a natural standpoint so that when the holidays are over in your home they don’t live on in your landfill.

2. Place Settings
It’s true that disposable place settings make clean-up a breeze during the holidays, but plastic and Styrofoam plates, cutlery and cups end up clogging our landfills with materials that almost never decompose. Luckily, there are choices for the eco-friendly hostess. Look for recycled and/or biodegradable options instead. Products made from corn are durable and useful, but the break down in a landfill after a few months. By using these products instead of paper, plastics and Syrofoams means less energy is used to create them and there is almost no damage to the environment.

3. Food
When planning your menu choose organic and locally-grown foods, which require less of energy to get to your table and leave less of an impact on the Earth’s resources. Foods certified USDA Organic are produced without the use of petroleum-based pesticides and fertilizers. Additionally, they are based on meat not treated with antibiotics and growth hormones, both of which have been shown to pollute water sources like lakes, rivers and the ocean. Genetically modified organisms, which reduce biodiversity, are not used in Organic foods. Finally, Organic foods do not undergo irradiation to kill bacteria.

4. Drinks
At the very least, remember to have a recycling bin available at all of your holiday gatherings so that all those cans and bottles can be easily recycled by your guests. You may also want to seek out some great organic and natural choices when it comes to the drinks themselves. From sodas to wines, you can seek contents and packaging that are more environmentally friendly. For example, Whole Foods carries an organic wine packaged in Tetra Pak paper-based cartons.

Gift Giving
1. Intangible Gifts
Some of the most eco-conscious gifts are those that don’t involve any wrapping paper. These gifts provide resources that last long after the holidays are over and are an excellent way to give someone something that does good for the world. Ideas include: donating time or money to a charity that means something to the recipient; buying carbon offsets on behalf of the recipient; planting a forest in the recipient’s name; or sponsoring an endangered animal.

2. Educational Gifts
If you have people on your list who have expressed interest in being more green, but simply don’t know where to begin, you can give them something that helps them become more aware of the Green movement. Almost all bookstores carry a broad array of choices, including books like “Green Goes with Everything: Simple Steps to a Healthier Life and a Cleaner Planet.” If the recipient enjoys cooking, you could try one of many organic food cook books, like “The Organic Cook’s Bible,” and if he enjoys gardening, “Organic Gardening for Dummies” might be a nice choice.

3. Traditional Gifts
You don’t have to look far to get wonderful traditional gifts like toys, linens and clothing that don’t negatively impact the environment. For example, you can find clothing made of organic cotton in many major retailers today. Bamboo towels, socks and bathrobes are amazingly silky-soft, and have antibacterial properties in addition to being environmentally sound. Wooden toys built from sustainable trees are also an excellent choice for children.

There are many healthy, green options available on the market for the holidays, so make the extra effort this year to pick products that will bring joy today without negatively impacting our tomorrows.

Virginia Ginsburg specializes in research related to ecologically-sound life and business practices. She writes about green living and socially-conscious investing. Her company, Green Baby Gifts http://www.greenbabygiftsonline.com , specializes in gifts that are both beautiful and ecologically-sound.

Holidays on the Green Side

Wondering what to get the person on your Christmas shopping list this year that loves everything about cooking and entertaining?  There are some eco-friendly items on the market that will make great gifts for any kitchen aficionado.  They range from manual blenders and glass straws for the extreme environmentalists to attractive bamboo cutting boards and serving platters for those that may not yet be on the green track.  Give one of these gifts that will surely be remembered while also doing your part to help save the planet by supporting earth-friendly products.

Clay Cookware
Using clay cookers in the oven is a very old method and is still the most sustainable.  Made from a naturally available resource, this cookware option uses very little energy.  They can be returned to the earth when they are no longer useable by simply breaking them into pieces.  This cooking technique is also very healthy as the food retains all of the nutrients and vitamins since it cooks in its own natural juices; no additional fats or oils are needed.  These cookers are easy to use.  They just need to pre-soaked in water for about 10 minutes and put into the oven before turning it on to avoid rapid temperature changes.  Clay cookware is available in most major department stores or you can find handmade items at craft shows.  It is best to buy items that are not glazed as there is a potential for lead, especially if the item is imported.

Nonstick Pan Alternatives
Avoid those potentially harmful synthetic chemicals used in traditional nonstick pans with one of these options.

Cast Iron Pans
If seasoned correctly, by lightly oiling and then baking, these pans really are great non-stick cookware.  They hold heat wonderfully and also add a little iron to your diet.

Enameled Cast Iron
More non-stick and do not require seasoning, but they are usually more expensive than cast iron.

Stainless Steel
A much more non-stick option than cast iron, but can be quite pricey.  The types that have an aluminum or copper core help in even heat distribution.

GreenPans
This is a fairly new item on the market and has earned a Good Housekeeping Seal.  It uses a new non-stick material called Thermolon and claims to be the first environment-friendly, PFOA-free, PTFE-free non-stick cookware.  However, it uses a ceramic-based nano non-stick technology and there are varying opinions about the safety of nanotechnology.

Manual Powered Appliances
Reduce household energy consumption with these kitchen appliances that require no electricity, only some effort on your part.

Manual Drip Coffee Makers
Easy to use, simply pour almost boiling water over the grounds.  Many people actually prefer these coffee makers to the automatic drip ones.  They allow for great control over the strength as you can add as many grounds as you wish without worrying about spillover.  It is considered a classic tradition by some to make coffee this way.

Manual Juicers
More and more people are becoming interested in juicing fruits, vegetables and things like wheatgrass, sprouts and leafy greens.  Many say it gives them a greater sense of energy, vitality and health.  Juicers literally chew fruit and vegetable fibers and break up the plant cells.  The result is a concentrated juice with more fiber, enzymes, vitamins and trace minerals that are immediately absorbed by the body.  A manual juicer uses a single gear, is gentle and efficient.  There is no exposure to heat and the slow speed eliminates oxidation so enzymes and nutrients are preserved.  They are also usually easier to clean and take up less space.

Manual Blenders
Another rather new product is a manual blender called the Vortex.  There are two speeds so it can be used to crush ice or as a food processor.  The c-clamp securely fastens to a flat surface.  The base and blades are made of stainless steel.  As an added bonus, the base even fits inside of the pitcher to create a compact 9” unit perfect for travel.

Bamboo Kitchen Accessories
Bamboo is the world’s fastest growing plant and can grow up to 3 feet per day.  It is one of the most renewable resources known as it does not need replanting.  The extensive root system of this grass constantly sends up new shoots so it naturally replenishes itself.  Compared to hardwoods that have a 30 to 60 year growth cycle, bamboo grows back after harvesting and can be re-harvested every 4 ½ years.  Bamboo is growing in popularity and playing an important role in the reduction of timber consumption since it is an excellent substitute for wood products.  It is very durable and can even withstand more stress than steel.  There are many bamboo kitchen accessories available such as, cutting boards, bowls, plates, serving platters and utensils.  The hardness of bamboo makes it less porous than hardwoods so it soaks up less water which also means less bacteria for you to worry about.  In addition, these products are less likely to scar with a knife and create places for food and germs to hide.  When purchasing bamboo items, be sure to look for those that do not use artificial dyes or stains.

Cloth Napkins
If we all gave up only one paper napkin a day, we could save a billion pounds of paper waste from going to landfills every year.  An astonishing fact from The Green Book: The Everyday Guide to Saving the Planet One Simple Step at a Time by Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas M Kostigen.  Aside from being eco-friendly, a nice set of cloth napkins adds a decorative touch to the home.  Look for those made of hemp, linen or organic cotton.

Glass straws
Help reduce the amount of plastic leaching into our landfills, food supply and oceans by using a glass straw instead of disposable plastic ones.  There are various brands on the market, but be sure to check out Glass Dharma.  They come with an unbreakable guarantee, carrying case and have cute designs.  Think this is a little over the top?  Then consider this.  As of March 2008, McDonald’s serves an average of 52 million meals per day.  Yes, per day.

Whether you are looking for an unusual gift or a more classic gift one of these items will make a fabulous choice and you will feel good about your purchase.  This holiday season show your loved ones that you care about their health and our planet.

Michele Dupper is Mom to her almost 2 year old son and the owner of Truly Organic Beauty.  She lives in sunny FL and has been transitioning to a green lifestyle since starting a family. Michele enjoys educating others about living a more natural lifestyle that is beneficial for the health of our bodies as well as our planet.

Holidays

Keep the kids busy when they are home from school for the Thanksgiving holiday with these eco-friendly projects.  They will enjoy getting creative with you while also gaining a deeper appreciation for Mother Earth.  As an added bonus, your earth-friendly holiday gift wrapping paper, cards and gift tags will be ready in plenty of time.

Gift Wrapping Paper
Brown grocery bags make appealing gift wrapping when creatively decorated.  Simply cut the bags into squares and tape together as needed to wrap the present.  The kids can get imaginative with different ways to embellish the paper.  Here are some ideas to get them started:

-Crayons
-Stickers
-Glitter
-Pictures from old magazines, catalogs and cards.
-Pressed Leaf or Flower Stamps
-Sponge Stamps (Cut sponges into shapes.)
-Potato Stamps (Cut a potato in half and carve a simple shape or use a
metal cookie cutter and then cut away the potato surrounding the shape.)

Ornament Gift Toppers
These shiny little ornaments are the perfect finishing touch to that special present and the children will have a blast making them.  Even better, they can be altered and made into pins or magnets.

Supplies
½ cup salt
1 cup flour
½ cup water
Rolling pin
Cookie sheet
Toothpick
Miniature holiday cookie cutters
Acrylic paints
Glitter glue or glitter paint
Ribbon

Instructions:
1)  Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
2)  Mix together, salt, flour, and water until dough is formed.
3)  Knead the dough on a floured surface until the mixture is elastic and
smooth.  Add more flour if the dough is too
sticky.  Do not add too much flour or the dough may dry out and crack
before you bake it.
4)  Roll out the dough to about ¼” thick with a rolling pin that has been
dusted with flour.
5)  Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes.
6)  Use a toothpick or small straw to make 1 or 2 holes at the top of the
shape, depending on size.
7)  Place all shapes onto an ungreased cookie sheet and place into the
preheated oven for 2 hours.
8)  Remove from oven and allow them to cool completely before painting.
9)   When the paint is dry, use glitter glue or glitter paint to put a
sparkling cover coat on your ornaments.
10)  When dry, thread ribbon through hole and tie in a knot in the back.

Recycled Paper for Cards & Tags
Your little ones will learn about the importance of recycling with this craft and see how easy it is to make beautiful recycled paper.  They can use the paper to create holiday cards or gift tags to go along with the wrapping.

Supplies:
Used paper
Blender
Glitter
Food Coloring
Pressed leaves and/or flowers
Wire mesh screen
Rolling pin
Cornstarch

Instructions:
1)  Cut paper into small shreds.
2)  Soak shredded paper in warm water for about 2 hours.
3)  Put soaked paper into blender.
4)  Add glitter and a few drops of food coloring.
5)  Blend until mush.
6)  Pour into a bowl and add small quantities of pressed leaves and/or
flowers.
7)  Spread it out on a flat, fine-holed, wire-mesh screen and use a
rolling pin to flatten it.
8)  Smear a tablespoon of cornstarch over the paper to increase its
strength.
9)  Allow to dry – in the sun if possible.

Michele Dupper is Mom to her almost 2 year old son and the owner of Truly Organic Beauty (http://www.trulyorganicbeauty.com).  She lives in sunny FL and has been transitioning to a green lifestyle since starting a family. Michele enjoys educating others about living a more natural lifestyle that is beneficial for the health of our bodies as well as our planet.

Making your Holidays Green

Images of big, beautiful turkeys with colorful plumage and tail feathers are everywhere during the Thanksgiving holiday season.  For many of us, eating a turkey with the family on this holiday is a time honored tradition and in some special way makes us feel very connected to our ancestors.  However, the turkeys that were most likely served on this holiday in the past were quite different than the majority served today.  In fact, if you are under 50, you have probably never even tasted one of these turkeys.  Now referred to as heritage turkeys, they are the distant relatives of the common Broad-Breasted White industrial breed of turkeys now sold in 99% of grocery stores and until very recently they were almost extinct.

Our modern commercial turkeys were popularized by poultry processors in the 1960’s because of their large quantities of white meat, the preference of most Americans.  They were also desirable because of their white feathers which do not discolor their skin.  Unfortunately, to promote the meat development, their bodies and growth rates have been altered so most of them are full of growth supplements as well as antibiotics.  They now have unnaturally large breasts, short breast bones and short legs.  The majority of them are so large that their legs cannot support their own weight and they are not able to walk.  They must be bred through artificial insemination because they are no longer able to breed naturally.  So, basically, these birds just sit in one place and eat until they reach their market weight so that we may enjoy their tender meat.

On the contrary, heritage turkeys are raised dining on fresh grass and insects.  They walk, fly, breed, raise their own chicks and even help control farmer’s pest problems.  They are prized for their flavor, texture and beautiful plumage.  The heritage breeds of turkeys are the Standard Bronze, Bourbon Red, Jersey Buff, Slate, Black Spanish, Narragansett and White Holland.   Raising heritage turkeys is more time consuming and costly, but it preserves genetic variety and keeps alive an American culinary tradition that dates back to the first years of English settlement.  According to the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, turkeys must meet all of the following criteria to qualify as a heritage turkey:

1. Naturally mating: must be reproduced and genetically maintained through natural mating, with     expected fertility rates of 70-80%. This means that turkeys marketed as “heritage” must be the result of naturally mating pairs of both grandparent and parent stock.

2. Long productive outdoor lifespan: must have a long productive lifespan. Breeding hens are commonly productive for 5-7 years and breeding toms for 3-5 years. They must also have a genetic ability to withstand the environmental rigors of outdoor production systems.

3. Slow growth rate: must have a slow to moderate rate of growth. Today’s heritage turkeys reach a marketable weight in about 28 weeks, giving the birds time to develop a strong skeletal structure and     healthy organs prior to building muscle mass. This growth rate is identical to that of the commercial     varieties of the first half of the 20th century.

Raising the turkeys in this way is not only more humane, but also results in a much more flavorful bird.  There are four factors that influence flavor in animals – the fundamental underlying flavor of its meat, its age, how it was raised, and what it ate.  Older animals have more flavor than younger ones and heritage turkeys are allowed to grow at a much slower rate, about twice as long, than the commercialized Broad-Breasted White.  The more an animal moves around, the more interesting its flavor.  Obviously, turkeys raised on a pasture get much more exercise than those sitting in buildings unable to walk. Turkeys that have a diet of green grass, plants, and insects have a deeper taste than birds fed exclusively a grain diet.

In addition to great flavor, roasting a heritage turkey to perfection is much easier than the industrialized white.  Since they have smaller breasts there is a better balance between the dark and white meat so the white meat cooks quicker than the dark meat and there is no need to cover the breast with foil to keep it from drying out while the rest of the bird cooks.  If the breast is covered during roasting, it should be done with oiled parchment paper, not foil, which is then removed 30 minutes before the turkey is finished roasting.  Heritage turkeys are leaner and smaller so fast cooking at high temperatures is a better method than slow roasting all day long.  They should be cooked at 425-450 degrees F until the internal temperature reaches 140-150 degrees F.  Remember not to let the tip of the thermometer touch the bone. (Note: This is different than the USDA recommendation of 160F-180F, but these temperatures will dry out a heritage turkey. Heritage birds are freer of disease and bacteria so they do not need extreme temperatures to make them safe for consumption.)  The reduced cooking time will not allow stuffing to become fully cooked so cook the stuffing first and place inside the turkey before roasting.  Alternatively, you can experiment with adding a piece of quartered fruit like an orange or an apple inside the turkey instead of stuffing.  You can also try adding butter or oil under the breast skin to add flavor and moisture during roasting.  As always, bring the bird to room temperature before cooking and be sure to let it rest for 10-15 minutes before carving.

Thanks to the efforts of organizations like the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy and Slow Food USA, heritage turkeys are increasing in popularity, but in the late 1990’s they were on the brink of extinction.  They realized that we must eat them to save them because the more we eat, the more there will be.  By continuing to eat heritage turkeys and supporting the breeders the quality of the birds will only improve.

Instead of injecting or deep fat frying a commercial white turkey for added flavor why not enjoy a naturally flavorful and moist heritage turkey?  Splurge once a year and make your Thanksgiving feast special.  It will require some planning on your part if you would like to try a heritage turkey as they are not always readily available.  It may be too late to buy one for this years Thanksgiving as the farmers usually need to know by February, but now is the perfect time to look into options for 2009.  Visit the Local Harvest website at www.localharvest.org to locate a farmer in your area or to purchase online.  You can also check with The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy for farmers near you.

Michele Dupper is Mom to her almost 2 year old son and the owner of Truly Organic Beauty (http://www.trulyorganicbeauty.com). She lives in sunny FL and has been transitioning to a green lifestyle since starting a family. Michele enjoys educating others about living a more natural lifestyle that is beneficial for the health of our bodies as well as our planet.

Holidays