In September I followed a raw food and juice diet for 15 days. During that time I dabbled in some raw recipes. I made raw tabouli using cauliflower and I made raw carrot cake! One of the best recipes that I found is this Rawsome Breakfast Mix and I wanted to share it! I found the recipe at vegweb.com and and still make it for breakfast at least 3-4 times a week. This is my version, but you can substitute different fruits and nuts to suit your own tastes. (for example, in Sept I used a peach instead of the pear and it was amazing)
Ingredients:
small handful of raw cashews
small handful of dried cranberries
1 organic apple
1 organic pear
1 stalk of organic celery
small handful of organic spinach.
In a food processor, chop the cashews and cranberries until course. Add the rest of the ingredients and chop until the pear and apple are small chunks. Top with a sliced banana and a sprinkle of sunflower seeds.
If this version isn't sweet enough for you, add a drizzle of agave nectar or maple syrup and enjoy!
It's simple and delicious and it keeps me full until lunch time! Hope you get to try it!
It is that time of year again friends! The time of year where countless individuals wake up before dawn to battle other deal hounds at the mall. Where people stand in line.. after line..after line, listening to the same holiday songs on rotation singing from the ceiling. Kids are crying, people are bickering, strangers are glaring..all with the same goal - to get the best deals on merchandise in hope that these items will put smiles on the faces of family and friends this holiday season.
If you're shopping this weekend, please try to shop small...and by that I mean try to shop small businesses. If you really want to occupy Wall Street, shop at your locally owned businesses and not the super stores. This Saturday has been deemed Small Business Saturday to support this cause. You can find more information about the Saturday event and a list of local businesses here: http://smallbusinesssaturday.com/
It's going to happen, as it does every holiday season...the parking lots in the mall will be full until January. My family doesn't exchange gifts anymore...with the one exception of gifts given to my nephews who are age 5 and age 2. Last year instead of exchanging gifts my family pooled some money and gave to Heifer International. This year I'm guessing we will do the same.
My nephews will get presents from me but for everyone else, my family and my friends...instead of giving you a present this holiday season, I vow to BE present. I vow to be present when I'm with you...to listen, to look you in the eyes. When I'm in a conversation with you, I vow to stop the other things in my life from taking my attention away from you. I vow to put away my phone. I vow to forget about my grocery list and my work load and my plans for tomorrow and my regrets from yesterday. I vow to be present with you through the good moments and the bad moments. I will be present with you when you make me laugh and present with you if you make me upset. I will be present with you because I am grateful to have you in my life through all of our present moments.
Safe shopping and eating! If you find yourself in a crazy shopping crowd or unpleasant family conversation, breath deeply and remember, be present.
Hey Friends. I've been locked out of my blog since April. I know.....it's September. Things have been crazy this spring/summer with starting a new job and trying to "win" this Eco-Challenge and all! But, excuses aside...we "won"! Well we all "won" the challenge! Each family did an awesome job. We each made huge reductions in our environmental impact and we all learned so much in the process.
Here are our results from the ENACT Greener Faster Challenge:
Natural Gas Usage:
Our 2009 therms/yr- 254
Our therms/yr from August 10’-August 11’- 212
We did 76% better than the Madison average of 856 therms/yr. Not to mention we did 17% better than 2009 alone.
Electricity Usage:
Our 2009 kwh/yr- 5,934
Our kwh/yr from August 10’-August 11’-4,233
We did 32% better than the Madison average of 7, 200 kwh/yr! The great part is that we improved by 29% from 2009.
Average weekly recycling- 8.6lbs
Average weekly trash-5lbs
Miles Driven:
Odometer reading on August 1, 2010-56,888
Odometer reading on August 1, 2011-66,661
This means we drop 9,773 miles a year. This is 25% better than the average Wisconsin car owner who drives 13,000 miles a year. Since there are two of us driving this one car we each did 65% better than the average Madisonian. Not too shabby!
Organic and Local Food: Our average grocery trip was 85% local and organic
Water:
Our 2009 water total for six months- 28,257gallons/yr
Our water usage based on per person for August 10’-August 11’- 25,586gallons/yr
We improved our water usage by 10% and are now 47% better than the Madison average. ..
Thanks so much to Anne Nardi at ENACT for showing us the way as well as to the other families who participated in the competition. ENACT is looking for families to participate in the Challenge next year! The challenge is to reduce your environmental footprint by 41% of the Madison average. As an incentive, there are great prizes to be won! This year Mike and I won a gift certificate to Planet Bike and to DreamBikes in Madison!
Though the Greener Faster Challenge has come to an end, our challenges continue....
I plan on continuing by posting environmental/health related items as they catch my attention.
It looks like it will be a cold and rain filled weekend...but it is April and Spring is in the air!
The Dane County Farmers Market kicks off the season this Saturday on the square. I'm guessing we will see a lot of plants, cheese, and maple syrup! And maybe some pie and baklava! http://www.dcfm.org/
If the weather is not cooperating with you on Saturday and you're looking for a warmer place to mingle, the Isthmus Green Day event is being held at the Monona Terrace from 9am to 5pm. Check out free samples from local "green" businesses and meander through the booths! Learn about "green" building, "green" commuting, "green" eating and "green" living! There will be cooking demonstrations as well as national speakers on the main stage. ENACT will be there as well as some of the participants from the Greener, Faster Challenge. Check it out...it's a good time. http://www.isthmus.com/theguide/details.php?event=23307Green Day Event
Tickets are $5 at the door Free admission for children under 12, and if you walk, take the bus or ride your bike. Bring donations for Goodwill and get in free, too!
I haven't finished reading "The Body Toxic" yet...but to continue discussions on my intention to be a more informed consumer, here are some great tips for reading personal product labels.
I'm in the process right now of finishing all of the personal care products that I currently have in the home and my intention is to purchase organic/natural replacements when I finish the products I still have. As of today, I've only had to replace my face-lotion. It was slightly traumatic shopping around for a new lotion as I've been using Aveeno Face Lotion for over 10 years.
Aubrey Organics Sea Buckthorn & Cucumber with Ester-C Moisturizing CreamINGREDIENTS: Coconut Fatty Acid Cream Base, Organic Aloe Vera, Topical Ester-C®, Organic Rosa Mosqueta® Rose Hip Seed Oil, Organic Evening Primrose Oil, Canadian Willowherb Extract, Cucumber Extract, Aubrey's Preservative (Citrus Seed Extract, Vitamins A, C and E), Organic Shea Butter, Sea Buckthorn Oil, Cucumber Distillate, Lavender Water.
I've highlighted some of the potentially harmful ingredients in these two products....well actually only in the Aveeno product because the Aubrey product doesn't contain one that I'm aware of. There are 4 different paraben products in the Aveeno lotion.
What is a paraben and is it potentially harmful? Here's a good over-view From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paraben The verdict is still out, however, I think there's enough evidence for me to decide that I would like to avoid putting parabens on my body.
Specifically I found this to be interesting:
Sun exposure
Studies indicate that methylparaben applied on the skin may react with UVB leading to increased skin aging and DNA damage.
WAIT, WAIT, WAIT!
There's methylparaben in the Aveeno Positively Radiant lotion. Lotion that I've been putting on my face for 10 years in hopes that it would help me become and then remain positively radiant. It contains methylparaben...an ingredient that may increase skin aging and DNA damage when reacting with UVB rays?
So Aveeno- is that the beauty of science + nature?
A 4oz bottle of the Aubrey Organics lotion costs about $2.00 more than the 4oz bottle of Aveeno.
Do you have any styrofoam sitting around the house? You know...that pesky white packaging material that you can't seem to throw away because you know it will never break-down and "return to nature".
Bring it to the Madison city transfer station, 121 E. Olin Ave on Saturday March 26th from 9am-1pm and it will be recycled/reused by Uniek Inc., a Waunakee picture frame and wall decor maker! They will be collecting the block-type styrofoam but not the packaging peanuts.
If you have packaging peanuts sitting at home you can drop those off at UPS stores to be re-used or crumble them into the bottom of your potted plants when planting to use instead of rocks for drainage.
Tonight is the River Alliance of Wisconsin's Wild and Scenic Film Festival. The films begin at 6:30pm at the Majestic Theater downtown Madison. I've been to the past two festivals and the films are always inspirational and entertaining, plus proceeds go to the River Alliance. Check out this year's selection here. Wisconsin River Alliance
Enjoy a beer and a chance to win some door-prizes during the show! We will be there!
I'll be boarding a jet-plane to Colorado this weekend for some snowy fun, but, for those who are left behind here are several opportunities to entertain yourself.
CANOECOPIA- at the Alliant Energy Center. If you are in the market for new spring toys, go purchase that new Stand-Up-Paddleboard or a new paddle for your kayak or do some browsing of all the newest gear! If you are not interested in spending loads of money, there are presentations through the day ranging from Wilderness First Aid to Yoga for Kayaking to Stories of Paddling in New Zealand or Paddling the Yukon River. It costs $10.00 to get into CanoeCopia but once you are in, all presentations are free. Plus you can get a beverage and some nachos for the shows. mmm...nachos.
Last year Mike and I watched the film- Tales of the Last River Rat featuring Kenny Salwey. He is back this year and will be presenting his film Saturday at 2:30pm and 3:30pm and also Sunday at 12:30pm.
Kenny Salwey has lived close to the land on the Mississippi river and is an expert trapper, fisherman, hunter and herb collector. He is an author, woodsman and river guide and I think he would get a long quite well with my father. BBC-Natural World-Mississippi, Tales of the Last River Rat
The film is beautifully put together and would get even those who love winter the most ready for spring.
Bike-O-Rama- at the Alliant Energy Center Arena Building. Looking for a new bike?
My sister bought her bike at Bike-O-Rama last year and got a great deal! Bike-O-Rama is free to enter and right next to CANOECOPIA so you can hit both with one stone. BikeORama
Madison Rally for your Rights-Tractorcade
Farmers will be joining the rally on the square this Saturday around 12:00-noon and they're bringing their tractors! I think it's obvious that our rural communities will be hurt by the cuts Scott Walker is proposing to education, BadgerCare and the Buy Local Buy Wisconsin program. Come out and join them to help support the working and middle class families in Wisconsin. When you're done rallying in solidarity with our local farmers, please remember to support them by continuing to buy local!! I wonder if Joel Salatin will fly in and join the party....
MACSAC ( Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition) CSA Open House.
This Sunday from 1-4pm at the Monona Terrace. This is a free opportunity to come meet local farmers that provide CSA shares! Learn about your options for a CSA-share this year and sign up!
This reminds me that Mike and I need to sign up for our CSA this year...before all the shares are taken.
Don't forget that your Health Insurance Company might reimburse you for a portion of your share! It's good for you and good for our local farmers!
Last month, we were focusing on Saving Water.
The average person in the US uses 80-100 gallons of water a day and most of that water is actually used to flush the toilet.
Now, that's a lot of H2O!
Here are a couple of things that can help reduce the amount of water going down the drain without spending a lot of coin.
Capture cold water from the shower that you would normally let run down the drain.
- When you start your shower, capture the cold water with a bucket and place the bucket next to your toilet. Next time you go to the bathroom, instead of flushing the toilet, pour your captured water into the toilet bowl (which triggers the toilet to flush). You've just reused that shower water and saved a couple of gallons by not flushing your toilet!
We have just started using this trick-and it's surprisingly easy and hassle-free. Visitor's might question the bucket of water next to the toilet...so feel free to share the helpful hint with inquiring friends.
-Here's another trick. When you start the shower, plug the drain and capture this water in the bottom of the tub. Wash your delicate "hand-wash in cold water" items in the tub before your shower. You probably have been putting that task off anyway...so you might-as-well reuse this water. So go...and get after it before you jump into the shower in the morning. You'll walk out the door with a nice sense of accomplishment, guaranteed!
Convert your regular toilet to a low-flow toilet for free.
The cheapest way is to install some sort of weight in the toilet’s tank. The weight will take up space and displace the water so less water is required to fill the tank. You could purchase a number of gadgets to do this or if you don't want to spend any money you can use a soda or 1/2 gallon milk container. Fill the container about halfway with something heavy (rocks/marbles) and place the cap back on. Place the container into the water (in the tank of your toilet). Just make sure it’s not obstructing any of the components of the toilet. Ta'da! You'll be saving water and money in no time!
Check your toilet for leaks.
So you're not sure if your toilet tank is leaking. Try putting a splash of food coloring in the tank. If, next time you go to the toilet the water in the bowl is a that same bright blue or green, you have just discovered a leak. A leak that is costing you money and wasting water. Good work Sherlock...now go call a plumber!
Get an aerator for your sink faucet.
Aerators reduce the water coming through the faucets by mixing it with air. The aerator separates a normal single flow of water into tiny streams of water and the water flow is reduced without feeling a reduction in water pressure. Easy to install...and they're cheap! Typically $1.00-$3.00.
Time your showers
Do you know anybody who insists that it only takes them 10 minutes to get ready for work...and this includes a shower? Usually, I've found that those people have a skewed perception of their abilities in the morning. I have never made such a claim but I was curious to see how long I stood in the shower every morning.
I've recently moved the kitchen timer into the bathroom and I've been timing my showers. I set the timer for 6 minutes and every time so far I've gotten out of the shower before the timer went off.
See, there's no need to dilly-dally.
Try it at home!
If you have any other hints..I'd love to hear them. The word on the street is that a low-flush toilet is one of the prizes in our Greener Faster Challenge!
Event Date:Saturday, March 5, 2011 - 12:00pm - 3:00pm
Taking place at:
Wisconsin State Capitol
Madison, WI
Musical guests: MICHELLE SHOCKED and JON LANGFORD of the MEKONS
Speakers:
Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin
State Rep. Kelda Helen Roys
Kabzuag Vaj of the community justice advocates at Freedom, Inc.
Leland Pan of the Student Labor Action Coalition
Jim Goodman of Family Farm Defenders
Paul Soglin and David Cieslewicz
Matt Nelson of Color of Change
MCs Patrick Depula with Sarah Ben Manski
. . . additional speakers and music,TBA.
First they came from the public sector unions. And we stood up for the unions, because we knew the rest of us were next.
The drama continues to unfold in Wisconsin under our new Governor Scott Walker. He announced the 2-year budget yesterday, and while there are deep cuts to education and local governments there are also substantial changes that will no doubt affect the environment. Specifically, state mandated recycling programs would be eliminated under the new budget. Well, I was tired of sorting my recycling anyway. Thanks Scotty!
But seriously, I'm struggling to understand how making huge cuts to our public schools and programs (for the future) like recycling will quote "benefit our children and grandchildren." And as Scott Walker said in his Budget Address, "we need a commitment to our future, so our children don't face even more dire consequences than what we face today."
How does completely eliminating a mandated recycling program that has been in place for 15 years affect any of us in a positive way?
I have been completely consumed by the on-goings here in Madison WI over the past week so I've been totally ignoring this blog! I don't want to turn this political...however I believe I've shown my distaste for Governor Walker in the past...so it may be no secret. Also as a member of the middle-class and someone who tends to lean to the left politically, I'm fighting for my fellow public employees and the future of the Democratic Party.
Also, as a public employee, I'll be immediately affected by this Budget Repair Bill. Though it is my opinion that we will all be negatively affected.
Here's a great video with a great song. Some of the individuals in this video have become familiar faces here in Madison as they've helped ignite the rallies day after day.
Bike Sharing is a program that has taken off in Denver and Chicago. B-Cycle Stations have bikes for rent! The Stations are typically set up in convenient areas around town. You walk up to the Station, swipe your credit-card or B-cycle card if you've purchased one, a bike unlocks electronically from the Station and you bike away. When you're done riding, find another Station, roll the bike into an available spot and wait until it has been securely returned! http://www.bcycle.com/
I think this is a great opportunity for Madison! And we have an opportunity right now to become B-Cycle's second largest program in the country!
The City Council will be considering this program at its February 1st Meeting!
Please contact your City Council Representative and tell them you support this program!
Madison WI Water Utility began testing for Chromium 6 after an environmental group claimed it found this possible carcinogen in our drinking water. The city of Madison's tests found it too. Chromium-6 is the same chemical compound found within the water of Hinkley California which was brought to everyone's attention by the involvement of Erin Brockovich and of course the movie staring Julia Roberts.
Hinkley California's levels peaked greater than those found in our wells, but I'm still concerned! The current EPA standard for total Chromium is .1mg but they do not yet have guidelines for Chromium-6 specifically.
There were 12 samples tested from four wells in the Madison area. All of them tested positive for Chromium 6. The well that supplies all of my drinking water at home tested with the highest levels of Chromium-6.
Our well has 2.11 ug/l of total chromium and 1.73 ug/l Chromium-6 which converts to 0.00211 mg/l total chromium and 0.00173 mg/l chromium-6. So if you trust the EPA's current assessment of safe drinking water (total chromium levels of 0.1 mg/l) our wells should be fine.
According to Wikipedia, however, the Average levels of Chromium-6 in Hinkley were recorded as 1.19 ug/l with a peak of 3.09 ug/l. That average of 1.19 ug/l is less than the amount my well contains.
Also, if the wells are safe according to EPA standard, why has this been in the news? I guess the answer may be because EPA is currently drafting new guidelines for chromium 6 and they are expected to be released within months. It is an expectation that the EPA will be tightening drinking water standards.
I'm interested to see what the EPA comes up for as a standard for Chromium-6 and I'm currently looking at water filtration systems that remove it. I don't want to start drinking bottled water at home because it's such a waste of resources but I also want to make sure that I'm protecting my health.
It looks like the best water filters that I've found so far that remove Chromium-6 are going to run a couple hundred dollars. This is not exactly what I had planned on purchasing with a portion of my tax return...however I believe it's worth it.
I'm still reading "The Body Toxic" and I feel a greater desire to be pay attention to these issues more closely as they affect my health and the health of my neighbors!
This issue also ties into my New-Years resolution to try and be a more informed consumer. As a consumer of Madison tap water from Well number 14...I'm trying to stay informed.
However, I must admit that all of this converting parts-per-million and parts-per-billion to ug/l to mg/l is completely draining me!
It's the new year! Time to make a resolution or set an intention on how I'd like to live, love and interact in 2011. One of my New Years Intentions is to become a more informed consumer. I feel like I've made giant improvements in the way that I eat by doing some research to find out where my food comes from and making better decisions. Our household is currently purchasing 80-90% organic or local in the grocery store. I feel great with the choices I have been making when it comes to the food I put into my body.
I stopped eating meat at the age of 13 but just this last year I've started adding some fish to my diet to improve my Omega 3 and Protein consumption and I'm feeling great! We've been purchasing most of our fish at the Willy Street Coop and we've recently made the switch to sustainably caught canned tuna for sandwiches and salads. Mike asked me the other day if I could tell a difference between the Wild Planet canned tuna http://www.wildplanetfoods.com/ versus the standard and cheaper StarKist brand. I noted that I just feel better eating the Wild Planet version and it does taste and look better too! I think it's definitely worth the extra $2 a can. I will continue to do my research on other grocery products through the new year, however, now that I have the focus and knowledge to make better choices in the grocery store, I think it's time for me to move onto other consumable products!
Questions I intend to ask myself this year: What are the ingredients in my shampoo, conditioner, lotion, makeup, and toothpaste? Are any of these known carcinogens or do they mimic hormones like estrogen? What exactly does that non-stick pan have in/on it? What are the ingredients in my cleaning products? What about the saran wrap? Do I need all of this plastic in my house? Where were these clothes made? And by whom?
I've been wanting to do a sweep of my cosmetics and lotions for a while and switch to more natural products. The more natural products are of course a bit more expensive than the name-brands from Proctor & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson so I need a push. Also, I've always wanted to be more informed about the clothing choices I make to ensure that I'm not supported sweat-shop labor.
To get myself pumped up enough to put some serious energy into this endeavor I have picked up the book "The Body Toxic" by Nena Baker.
I just started reading it last night. The book digs into how the hazardous chemistry of everyday things, from our carpet, office chair, television, lotions, seat-belts and water bottles potentially threaten our health and well-being. Mike picked up the book last night when he saw it and said sarcastically, "Well that looks uplifting". I laughed! Truth...this is not uplifting. Luckily, I'm not looking for a feel-good story here, but rather some information that will outrage me enough to take some personal action. There are hundreds of chemicals in each one of us. We were born with some of them as they traveled through the umbilical cord while we developed in the womb and others we've accumulated. Scientists who are currently studying this phenomenon call it the Chemical Body Burden. Even those born after the DDT pesticide was banned may have DDT in their system as grasses and other products sprayed with DDT were consumed by animals and the animals held onto these chemicals for a period of time in their system, later those animals were consumed by humans who held onto these chemicals for a period of time and those humans had babies who may be born with trace levels of DDT. Are these trace amounts harmful to us? What about when we add this trace amount of DDT to trace amounts of 100s of other chemicals? It appears that we all have this Chemical Body Burden, I only want to learn how to make better choices to reduce mine.
Here's a link and video clip that have helped with my determination to fulfill my intention.
If you don't want to go down this road with me...I understand. However, I'm charging full speed ahead to a place full of more natural products and less synthetic chemicals...at least this is my intention!
Madison Children's Museum needs some items that you might just be throwing away or recycling this week. Have any CDs or CD cases you were thinking about tossing? How about a couple shoe boxes, bubble wrap or ribbon from the holidays? Do you collect sea-shells when you go on vacation only to realize you have no place to put them when you get home? Drop them off at the Museum and they'll be used for educational purposes, plus you will keep these items out of the landfill!
From their Website:
Wish List
Art Studio
To keep in line with our Sustainability Initiative, Madison Children’s Museum tries to use as much recycled and nature-based materials as possible in art projects. Please help us by collecting the following things at home.
For our recycling station: Cardboard tubes, yogurt/plastic containers, water bottles and caps, plastic and paper bags, egg cartons, spools, corks, film canisters, used CDs/CD cases, paper, yarn scraps, ribbon, string, twine, twist ties, fabrics, plastic containers, packing peanuts, bubble wrap, electrical or craft wire, dowels, craft tiles, shoe boxes, small cardboard boxes, and carpet squares.
For our nature-based station: Pine cones, cotton, hemp strings, pieces of wood, pebbles, river stones, dried fall leaves, dried flowers, acorns, sticks, twigs, vines, empty eggshells, sea shells, volcanic rocks, starfish, and seeds.
Materials not accepted include: Anything glass, pill bottles, computer and television monitors, and anything potentially dangerous to children.
If you have items to donate to the museum, please leave them at the front desk on your next visit.
Visitor Services
Items needed: Child’s wheelchair, weighted blankets. Please call 608.256.6445, ext. 149, to arrange for drop-off of your donation.
Rooftop Ramble
Items needed: Apparel for the Cultural Coat Closet (coats, wraps, footwear, and accessories from many cultures, countries, and climates throughout the world); good-quality juicer; hand-crank ice cream maker; flip-lid canning jars; acrylic specimens (animals, insects, plants, flowers); antique egg collecting basket; nature collections; fossil and rock collections; kid-size cooking implements (wooden spoons, bowls, small cast iron frying pans and pots); enamel cups, plates, pitchers, and bowls; small-sized silverware; magnifying glasses; heirloom/rare seeds; and books about chickens or pigeons.
Please drop off at the front desk or call 608.256.6445, ext. 142.
Dear Sentry Grocery Store at Hilldale, No I do not want a free Sunday Newspaper. Please stop asking.
That is all. Kind Regards, Melanie
(On average, a year's worth of newspaper (one paper per day) produces 550 pounds (250 kilograms) of waste paper. An average New York Times Sunday edition produces 8 million pounds (3.6 million kilograms) of waste paper.)
