A Little List

Happy 4th everyone!

Today's issue will be short and sweet, because Kellan & I are going out with my mother to celebrate! Park & fireworks :)

So here's a small list of quick little switches you can make towards a greener lifestyle:

- This may seem like common sense, but WALK WHERE EVER YOU CAN! Other green blogs might encourage you to purchase an eco-friendly car, but as much as I'd love to do that (and love for everyone else to, as well), I know that it's just not in the cards for some of us. So for a more realistic switch, realize and embrace the fact that your greatest source of transportation is your own two feet! Walking, biking, roller blading, whatever your pick. Walk to close destinations; not only does it save you gas money, but cutting your vehicle emissions helps the planet!


- I mentioned this in the previous blog, but SWITCH TO REUSABLE SHOPPING BAGS! How many lots like THIS do you see on a daily basis?

Regardless of how good you are about properly recycling plastic bags, they often still wind up caught in trees, clogging gutters, dirtying our streets. This is harmful to our planet and wildlife and there aren't enough clean up projects running. Reusable shopping bags cost about $1 at most places. Buy one each shopping trip and pretty soon, you'll no longer need to use plastic!


- You'll hear me say this a bajillion times, but SWITCH TO ORGANIC! Organic is the way to go. By purchasing non-organic and GMO foods, you're funding the people who are poisoning our food and making us sick and adding to the cycle. Make the switch and if enough people do it, with a higher demand for organic foods the cost will become lower and lower.


- Do your research! Nowadays, I research anything I plan on purchasing. You'd be surprised how many green options are out there for you!


-If you are a gardener, STOP USING PESTICIDES AND MIRACLE GROW IN YOUR GARDENS! These chemicals are known to be harmful and there is a much cheaper way to keep your plants healthy and bountiful- used coffee grounds! Stop throwing away the grounds after you're done brewing. Keep them and spread them around your plants. It saves you money, room in your garbage can and is much better for the Earth! Did you know that Starbucks has a program where they save their grounds and leave bags of them for customers to take home to their gardens? GO STARBUCKS! ;)


- Most of all- think. Re-imagine things. You can come up with your own solutions for around the home and cutting down your footprint. There are plenty of resources that help make a green conversion simple!

Lastly, here are some links for you!

Disney Offers Green Tips!
Treehugger.com offers a plethora of info!
Organic Farming Movement
ReUseIt.com!


Enjoy the fireworks! :)

Looking for a cheaper way to eat more veggies and fruits?

CSA is the answer! But what is a CSA program, exactly?
Well, CSA stands for "Community Supported Agriculture".

Basically, farmers make a certain amount of subscriptions available to the public. People purchase these subscriptions or memberships and are then entitled to a weekly share of the crops that the farm produces throughout the farming season, which is usually about 20 weeks, beginning in the spring.

I recently found out about these programs, while researching farmers markets. Unfortunately, most farms offering CSA's in my area have already sold out of their shares- but there's always next year! Any who, in my research I found that you can purchase a full share (3-4 people) or a half share ( 1-2 people). The price for these programs can be anywhere from $250-$600 per season. Some farms base pricing on a sliding scale determined by income and some even offer the option of paying a deposit and payments throughout the season. The farm I was especially interested in was called Scratch Farm in Cranston, RI and for my family size, I would pay $250. This is an amazing deal for FRESH and organic produce!

Normally, for 4-5 months worth of organic fruits and veggies for my family, I'd pay anywhere between $800-$950 in that time! Save $700 bucks? I'll take it!

Another advantage besides pricing is the fact that you're receiving these crops at their peak! Freshly picked directly from a farm and into your homes. No irradiation, no traveling through various states (or even countries) while the nutrients and vitamins are ruined!

Do your family a favor and look into a CSA program.

For more on CSA's, visit :
What is a CSA?


AND to search for CSA's (and farmer's markets)  in your area, visit:
Local Harvest !!

Keep an eye out for the next few articles in the works! An update on my organic farming adventure and an entry on recycling!

Irradiated spices- not the way to go !

Let's get right to the point. Most spices that are grown in other countries are being irradiated. What does this  mean? It means that they are being exposed to ionizing radiation in order to kill any insects, viruses, bacteria or microorganisms in them. While this may sound like a good thing, although these spices do not become radioactive, there are some inevitable chemical changes in this food. So are you really consuming paprika? Who knows. But its chemical make up says otherwise.

There are a few easy ways to avoid these frankenspices. The first and easiest is to buy organic! Organic foods, as a rule, cannot be exposed to any kind of radiation in the process of its production. Organic spices may cost more, but its well worth it! You can find organic spices at most grocery stores, with the best selection available at Whole Foods and Hannaford.

The other way to stay away from these irradiated spices is to start a spice garden! This is also good if you cannot find an organic option for a certain spice. An herb garden is easy to make!

All you need is:

- A windowsill that gets plenty of light
- seeds from spices and herbs of your choice
- soil (opt for organic soil, free of chemical fertilizers, and also one labeled for potting)
- small containers to plant in. You do not need to purchase little mini pots because you can use things around the house. Have an empty tuna can? Empty candle jar? Recycle, re-use!




I purchased little kits from the dollar spot at Target!



It's so easy. Just put a soil pellet in a bowl



Add water and watch the soil absorb it



Fluff soil with fork. Fill pot with soil. Press 5-6 seeds lightly into the soil. Label the container.



And there you have it! A cute little spice garden. Here's mine!



Just remember to water once a day! Don't over water!

So you see? Staying away from irradiated spices is easy!
Happy Gardening, greenies!

GMO's: To eat or not to eat.

DEFINITELY not to eat !

The sad thing is, if you consume corn, soybeans, or canola in the United States, there is a good chance that it is GM.

So what are GMO's, you ask? GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organisms. Basically, these are foods that scientists have genetically altered to possess traits Mother Nature never gave them by utilizing viruses to sneak genes into the nuclei of these organisms. Before this was possible, the only way (and healthier way) was for farmers to use breeding techniques to produce different strains and selected the desired traits from each generation that followed. Which would you rather eat?

I'm a firm believer that if you weren't born with it, you weren't meant to have it! But I also understand the necessity in finding ways to increase the crops we yield to feed our expanding population. The concern I, as well as many others, have about GMO's is this: If these genes can sneak their way in and change traits in foods, by consuming them, can they do the same and alter our own DNA?

Scientists DON'T KNOW. And call me crazy, but I'm not into taking chances with my DNA! If this fear is true, the results could be devastating, although not necessarily apparent right away.

A good example of this possibility was printed in an article of Vegetarian Times :
"...if plants that are genetically engineered to produce their own pesticides were to transfer this ability to your gut bacteria, the result could be unintended toxicity." ( pg 26-27, April/May 2011, Vol. 37, Issue 384, No. 4)

The good news is that you can avoid MOST of these foods with a little bit of knowledge.:)
I FREAKED when I read about this, 6 months pregnant. I vowed to do all I could to keep these franken-foods far, FAR away from my baby. And the answer is simple: Eat organic!

Organic foods are grown using wholesome, basic farming techniques. They are free of pesticides and chemical fertilizers. They are not irradiated or genetically modified. They are as nature intended them to be. But I will talk more about organic foods in a future blog entry.

If you are not ready to commit to an organic lifestyle, you can seek out brands that are labeled as "not GM". In the way of produce, most oranges, bananas, broccoli, and apples are not GM, however, to be safe, you can check the PLU numbers. A PLU code is the number that cashiers use to ring up fresh produce, usually a 4-digit number. If the code is preceded by the number 8, it is genetically modified.

Admittedly so, organic foods can cost a little more than their irradiated/modified/potentially toxic alternatives, but it is well worth it. Whenever I am close to caving on a better deal, I think of a radioactive Kellan with three heads and missing vital organs, and that is enough to sway me. This is, after all, for him.

I look at him, a giggly, healthy 5-month-old, and I know that someday he will appreciate it. I want him to stay this way, not small and innocent, but as healthy and unpolluted as possible. And not only that, I'd like to be as healthy as possible for him as well, so I can live a long life and be around for him. I shudder to think of what our generation will look like when we are older, sick and cancer-stricken by the crap we call food nowadays. But I am doing my part, with the hope that someday everyone will follow. :)

For more on GMO's, their potential effects, and alternatives, visit:
http://www.saynotogmos.org/

If you're interested in protesting:
(and to scare you a little, hehe ;) ):