Archive for the ‘Green Living’ Category

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31 Ways to Throw A Green Holiday Party

Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009

The holidays are here – tis the season to be jolly. Entertaining is at its peak during the holiday season. And garbage-creation is also at its peak: between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve, Americans produce 25% more trash – about 5 million extra tons – than at any other time of the year.

This year, consider hosting a zero-waste holiday party in celebration of the season. You’ll find you not only conserve resources; you’ll save some green as well. How? It’s easy: just check out our list of simple, sustainable party tips and tactics designed to ensure a memorable gathering.  From invitations to decorations, party favors to clean-up, we’ve got plenty of holiday party strategies to help you put a little more green into this greenest of seasons.

Invitations

  • For party invitations, consider using a free online service such as www.evite.com. With its free electronic invitation service you’ll save time and postage – and the cost of paper invites, too.
  • If you still want to send out paper invitations, choose those made from recycled or tree-free paper (such as hemp or rag). Better yet, recycle last year’s greeting cards and use the fronts as postcards for your holiday get-together. Not only will you end up with fun, unique invitations — you’ll save on postage, too! Didn’t save last year’s cards? Begin with this year’s and you’ll start a fun and planet-friendly tradition.

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Handmade Tortillas – Fast, Cheap and Easier Than You Think

Sunday, September 20th, 2009

I love tortillas. They’re a staple in my family’s pantry because they’re inexpensive, portable and a great way to use up leftovers.  I mean have you ever had a warm tortilla filled with leftover heated mashed potatoes, sautéed mushrooms and a sprinkling of blue cheese? Its heaven deliciously wrapped up. A few months back I was reading an article on making your own tortillas. It intrigued me. I also discovered that tortillas are healthier than I thought.  Here are some interesting statistics from the Tortilla Industry Association: Flour Tortillas:

  • Are a low-fat food.
  • Contain iron & other B vitamins.
  • A flour tortilla averages 115 calories and 2-3 grams of fat per serving.

Corn Tortillas:

  • Are a low-fat, low-sodium food.
  • Contain calcium, potassium and fiber. I recommend organic corn masa whenever possible.
  • A corn tortilla averages 60 calories with 1 gram of fat per serving.
  • Corn is gluten-free. This makes for a great alternative to bread for those with gluten allergies.

After seeing how easy they are to make and that they wouldn’t kill my daily calorie count I figured I needed to own one.  I waved my magical purchasing wand and Wa-lah! We are now carrying a quality tortilla press at Greenfeet.com.
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Community Gardens. A Rogue Gardener’s Story.

Thursday, September 3rd, 2009

I recently read in our local weekly that a new Community Garden has started here in Chico. I mentioned it to a friend of mine who I figured would be excited about such a development. Instead, she looked at me quizzically and asked “what’s a community garden?” Apparently, I had some explaining to do.

A community garden is simply a piece of land gardened by a group of people to grow vegetables, flowers, trees, etc. It can be anywhere – a vacant lot, school, or church grounds. It may be in the middle of nowhere or smack dab in the middle of an urban hub. A community garden is a glorious thing bringing both people and food together. It’s an opportunity for folks without proper gardening space to enjoy the pleasure of home grown food. According to CommunityGarden.org there’s a lot to love about community gardens. Here are a few benefits a community garden offers:

  • Improves the quality of life for people in the garden
  • Provides a catalyst for neighborhood and community development
  • Stimulates social interaction
  • Encourages self-reliance
  • Beautifies neighborhoods
  • Produces nutritious food
  • Reduces family food budgets
  • Conserves resources
  • Creates opportunity for recreation, exercise, therapy, and education
  • Reduces crime
  • Preserves green space
  • Creates income opportunities and economic development
  • Reduces city heat from streets and parking lots
  • Provides opportunities for intergenerational and cross-cultural connections

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Sun, Sun, Summertime Sun. Tips To Work WITH The Sun – Not Against It

Friday, May 29th, 2009

This week on More Hip Than Hippie, Dori and I cover some of the moreunusual ways to get the most of the intense summer sun. Take a listen and let me know what you think.

Work WITH The Sun - Not Against It

Work WITH The Sun - Not Against It

I think my most favorite tip of the show is to learn a new skill like preparing a raw food meal. I can see many of you pulling back from your monitor, scrunching your face and saying “what is she thinking?” Well…… I’m working to embrace new things and new ways of eating. I’m also working to lose a few pounds and eating raw foods is a darn good place to start. An added bonus is that true raw food recipes don’t require heating up your house (or your grill) to prepare. That keeps your AC unit from working overtime.

Here’s the deal. We’re not talking a simple veggie platter here but rather dishes that integrate raw foods into them. Some of you may profess to eating a true raw food diet where nothing is heated above 116 degrees Farenheit. I’m not quite that diligent. However, I do believe that including raw food dishes into your daily routine can help improve nutrition, health and overall well being. So, what sort of raw food recipes am I talking about? Here are a few to get your brains a thinkin’:  Tomato Cups made from the onslaught of tomatoes that are about to hit your garden, crunchie taco made from avocados and lettuce, and Butternut Squash Soup made with butternut squash and mangoes. Yum.

Now, as I said before, I have no interest in giving up my carnivore status any time soon. But, I will say that I have been working to integrate smaller portions of higher quality meat into my diet while increasing veggies, whole grains like Quinoa and more beans (sorry, honey). Why? I’m 42 and would  like to age gracefully. A good healthy diet will help. I think.

So, check out the show. I’d love to read some of your best tips on working with the sun, not against it, this summer. Bet other readers would like to read them too. Come ‘on, leave a few won’t you?

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Our House, Is A Very, Very, Very Green House

Wednesday, May 20th, 2009

scott_wolf1Location, location, location. That’s the mantra I grew up with having a mom in real estate. It still rings true, even in this tumultuous economy. Beyond location, what about ‘green’ homes? Does having green features increase the value of your home? Does it help your home to sell faster?

This week on More Hip Than Hippie, Dori and I interview Scott Wolf, an eco-broker and certified LEED Accredited Professional (and the smiling dude in the picture). Scott shares practical tips and advice on everything from defining a ‘green’ home to preparing and marketing your green home if you’re getting ready to sell. He even gives tips on how to KNOW you’re buying a truly green home.

I really enjoyed our conversation with Scott. He suggests looking at your home holistically. By this he means recognizing that your home is a system. And there are three areas to examine within this system:

  1. Resources – natural resources consumed and required such as water and power.
  2. Health – indoor and outdoor as related to chemicals, pollution, etc.
  3. Environmental  – use of recycled materials, reducing landfill, repurposing, etc

So, what are a few tips to create a ‘green’ home if you don’t have the budget for solar panels or other high budget improvements?

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