Integrating Green

05 September 2011

Watch It...Now!

You can currently view Forks Over Knives on Netflix instant play. Go there, play it, watch it...now! When you are done, check out Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. You can thank me later.

08 February 2011

Food

Some helpful food tips:

http://shine.yahoo.com/event/financiallyfit/14-ways-to-save-money-on-groceries-2447559/

And some delish vegetarian recipes:

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/want-to-eat-healthy-try-these-8-vegetarian-meals-2448539/;_ylt=AhcSo4eE3gAoCOKqPTy7zxhhbqU5

20 January 2011

Happy New Year

Happy 2010! I've been busy continuing my quest to be green.

In 2010,

* I joined a CSA

* Planted my first garden, and

* Switched to all organic meats and veggies (a huge hit to the wallet but worth it in the long run)

In 2011, I will,

* Expand my garden

* Buy more organic/eco friendly clothing, and

* Continue to educate my children on the importance of living green throughout their lives for their own health and that of this lovely planet we live on.

What have you done/will you do?

Happy Green Living!!!

15 September 2010

Apple juice seems to be a common staple for kids, but have you ever looked at the label...have you ever really read where the juice comes from? Organic and non organic apple juice sold in the US often comes from other countries such as Germany, Austria, Italy, Hungary, Argentina, Chile, Turkey, Brazil, and/or China. Have you ever wondered how long ago that apple juice was made, under what conditions, and how much of it is actually apple juice, rather than water or some form of sugar? On top of all of that, the following article points out that it also contains arsenic:

http://www.slashfood.com/2010/03/19/apple-juice-contains-high-levels-arsenic/

Your best bet is to get yourself a professional grade blender (Vitamix or Blendtec) and a juicer (Omega, Green Star, Jack Lalanne, Breville, or break the bank with a Norwalk). That way you can purchase the produce yourself (hopefully from local sources) and enjoy it without added water, sugar, preservatives, dyes, etc. Nothing beats a home made cup of juice or smoothie.

Cheers!

16 August 2010

Salt

Apparently salt has a lot more uses than I could ever imagine, some of them quite natural like:

Repair walls.
To fill nail holes, fix chips or other small dings in white sheet-rock or plaster walls, mix 2 tablespoons salt and 2 tablespoons cornstarch, then add enough water (about 5 teaspoons) to make a thick paste. Use the paste to fill the holes.

Deter patio weeds.
If weeds or grass grow between bricks or blocks in your patio, sidewalk, or driveway, carefully spread salt between the cracks, then sprinkle with water or wait for rain to wet it down.

Check out the following article to find out more wonderful ways to use salt.

http://shine.yahoo.com/event/green/46-smart-uses-for-salt-2270681/

Be sure to check out the links below the article to find out uses for beer, baking soda, and white vinegar.

14 August 2010

Plastics - Midway Atoll

PBS highlights photographer Chris Jordon's documentation of the effects of plastic on the Midway Atoll near the Great Pacific Garbage Island.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/environment/an-ocean-of-plastic/2686/

And here is a link to the Midway project website for more information:

http://www.midwayjourney.com/

Documentaries Worth Watching

Here, in no particular order, is a list of documentaries I think are worth watching. Some of them are available online for free while others can be viewed via Netflix. A Delicate Balance can be seen online for $5 US.

1. Food Fight - http://www.foodfightthedoc.com/foodfight.html

2. Dirt - http://dirtthemovie.org/pages/all-about-dirt

3. A Delicate Balance - http://www.adelicatebalance.com.au/

4. Fresh - http://www.freshthemovie.com/

5. Killer at Large - http://killeratlarge.com/main.html

6. King Corn - http://www.kingcorn.net/

7. The Garden - http://www.thegardenmovie.com/

8. The Power of Community - http://www.powerofcommunity.org/cm/index.php

9. The Real Dirt on Farmer John - http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/realdirt/film.html

10. The Future of Food - http://www.thefutureoffood.com/

11. Food Stamped - http://www.foodstamped.com/

12. Garlic Is As Good As Ten Mothers - http://www.lesblank.com/more/garlic.html