Only 1 More Day Till Earth Day

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Tina's Groove by Rina Piccolo, dist. by King Features Syndicate

Ok, this is the eve of Earth Day 2009 and I've asked you twice... what are you going to do for Earth Day?

If you're still not sure, do as the character Tina does in the cartoon above; just pick one thing to change in your daily routine. Stick with it, see how it goes, and then if you get comfortable with it you can add another. Perhaps you can quit eating meat, if not completely then for one meal per day or one day per week. Maybe you could cut way back on your water use, or buy less stuff, or plant a tree, or use reusable cloth bags, or start a compost pile. I would love to hear about a new idea that you've come up with so I can try to add it to my lifestyle changes. I am a work in progress. Join me. Let's make it the start of a new striving, a new energy towards change. Go to this website if you want to follow a 30 day series to "a greener you." Do it for the children.

2 Days Till Earth Day

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Family Circus By Bil & Jeff Keane, dist. by King Features Syndicate

Eventually those of us who are living on this planet will die. I even hate thinking about it, let alone saying it out loud but it's a sure thing. Our children and grandchildren (hi Cyrus!) will be handed a world of our doing... our creation for better or worse. Although most people don't seem to want to think about it (because then they'd have to admit there's a problem) some of us are aware of the damage our wasteful lifestyle has caused to the health of the earth. The problem for the latter group is that I don't think many of us feel powerful or knowledgeable enough to know what to do about it. Everything I've blogged about in the last two weeks during this countdown seems radical and hippie-ish, kind of like "Oh... you're one of those." So if these changes aren't mainstream do they stand a chance of happening?

Yes. We need to raise the next generation to be better than ours. They'll have to be. In a comment Shirin wrote on my "6 Days Till Earth Day" post she confessed to how much she enjoys a long hot shower, and I agreed with her. But the changes are necessary and as I said in my answer to her, "It's impossible to be perfect, but it is possible to be better." Each of us just has to decide how much better we want to be and then make it happen step by step.

Part of the solution to making that next generation better and smarter is to make knowledge of the environment a routine part of their basic education. I don't know if you remember me blogging about "Sustainable Dave," but he's a humorous environmentalist and a regular guy. He said one of his wishes is for mandatory "...environmental education in all schools–public, private, and beyond. And I’m not just talking about a course, but a concerted effort to make the environment a part of the entire school experience so that upon graduation, an understanding of the fragile balance in which we need to exist is instilled in every student." - Dave Chameides

Be a part of the solution.

3 Days Till Earth Day

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Saeed and I finally made it to the Matthews Community Farmers' Market. I've been wanting to go since January but either freezing cold weather, visitors, or pure laziness stood in the way. This market includes about 40 vendors that grow/produce their foods within a 50-mile radius of Matthews, NC, therefore qualifying it as locally grown. During the cold months they open two Saturday mornings per month; now that growing season is upon us they're open every Saturday.

Buying locally grown/produced food reduces your carbon footprint because the food doesn't have to travel so far to get to your table. The other day I posted a picture of a fruit salad I made with the mango coming from Mexico and the kiwi fruit from Italy. How much airplane and truck gasoline did that fruit salad cost?

Back to the market... We got up early because I'd read that some of the items, such as asparagus this weekend, go quickly and are gone within the first 30 to 45 minutes. We arrived shortly after 7:15 (yawn) and it was still pretty cold. Look at Saeed in his short-sleeved shirt, ready for the 75*F predicted high.

Saeed is carrying empty egg cartons from home. I remember reading in Barbara Kingsolver's book "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" that folks who raise eggs don't buy cartons; they expect the buyer to bring them, so we did. That's a great book by the way, very interesting.

I bought three tomato plants from this fellow. Notice his sign says "heirloom" plants. Heirloom plants are grown from seeds that have not been genetically manipulated to form monoculture (all the same) crops. Typically, because they are produced the natural way through open pollination, the plants are hardier, more resistant to pests and diseases, and have adapted to their environment. Using this method increases biodiversity and lessens the chance that a pathogen can wipe out a whole crop of something. We'll have to see if my new little heirloom tomato plants can survive me and my ungreen thumb!

This lady's sign said, "Earth Friendly Veggies and Herbs," a very clever sign to appeal to people like me.

The guy next to her (on the right) sold hot peppers dehydrated from last year's harvest. His sign says "As Hot As Possible" and he had samples of homemade salsa. Notice he's not wearing a jacket either... maybe his hot salsa keeps him warm.

This clever vendor wrote quotes on the edges of the wooden shelves. In case you can't read them: " A good farmer is nothing more nor less than a handy man with a good sense of humor" (E.B.White); "Nature is always a flower" (Oliver Wendall Holmes); "A good gardener may have some weeds" (Thomas Fuller); and "If you obey all the rules you miss all the fun" (Katherine Hepburn.)

Beautiful flowers. I resisted buying these (it was hard) because our own yard is full of flowers.

Some of the vendors were artisans, such as an artisan soap maker, a chocolatier, a pastry maker, and this lady from whom Saeed was unable to turn away: the artisan bread maker. (notice I got his jacket out of the car) She cut him a slice...

... and he tasted heaven. We bought a baguette that we ate at home with Saeed's homemade lentil soup - mmmmmmmmmmmmm.

I wish I'd gotten a picture of the cute boy who sold us these eggs. His parents own Hinson Farms in Monroe, NC, and this is his egg business. He must have been 10 years old. When I quizzed him on the types of hens he owns he repeated six breeds with some difficulty (can't blame him - they had very strange names like Orpington and Barnevelders) but what was important to me was that they were truly free-range eggs. We've been buying what I thought were cage-free eggs for years only to find out that these "happy" chickens may not be so happy afterall. Saeed and I have decided to buy only truly cage free, free range eggs from local small family farms.

As much as we enjoyed our first trip to this market we would like to find some closer to home. Matthews is 32 miles away and qualifies as "local" (which is loosely defined as within a 100 mile radius) but it makes sense to check out the more local markets. Trouble is, the word on the street is that they're not as good, so we'll have to do some research.

If you are interested in learning about why purchasing locally grown items is important or if you're interested in becoming a locavore, here are links to "10 Reasons To Eat Local Food", to the PBS series called, "10 Steps To Becoming A Locavore," a link to a mapping tool to help you visualize your 100 mile radius, and a wonderful link that I found (which I think Rita sent to me over a year ago and I lost it) that lets you type in your zip to find local farmers' markets, CSA's, co-ops, farms, and other similar information. And remember, the small local farmers benefit too. I'd rather give my hard-earned cash to a local family farmer than to Con-Agra, wouldn't you?

I want to say one thing. Do not mistake me for someone who does this all right. I estimate that VERY LITTLE of what we eat actually comes from within 100 miles of our table. I am only just waking up to these issues and beginning to get my feet wet. One of my questions has always been whether it's better to eat local food that is not organic, or organic food that comes from far away. The answer to that question is actually very complex and not the same in each instance. But let me tell you what I have learned about food that is true in almost every instance: a vegetarian diet goes the farthest in protecting the planet from greenhouse gases, pollution, water usage, land erosion, and is, therefore, the best choice if you care about your impact on the earth. And you know? It's a heck of lot easier to be vegetarian than it is to find local organic food unless you grow it in your own back yard. That leads me back to my ungreen thumb.... I-(

4 Days Till Earth Day

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Blondie by Dean Young and John Marshall, dist. by King Features Syndicate

OK, THIS one we all can do! Conserve energy by taking a nap! It's been a long hard week and saving the planet is hard work. See ya tomorrow.

5 Days Till Earth Day

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Retail by Norm Feuti, dist. by King Features Syndicate

Although the doctor's office where I work is typical (I guess) in size, it is owned by a large hospital system. Everything we do has to go through the system which I like to refer to affectionately as "The System", like "The Borg." Making changes in The System takes time and decisions must go through all the right channels. I'm not complaining; it's a very successful and high quality hospital system.

Our office (and probably our System) clearly does not consider the environment in it's decisions. It freely uses paper plates, styrofoam cups, and plastic wear for all food/drink related activities. One of the physicians and I discussed that we would like to begin, at the very least, a recycling program in the office... but how? Who would remove the recycled products? What physical set up could be developed? I admit that when an easy solution didn't appear we sort of dropped the issue.

Well, I decided to put my money where my mouth is. I emailed our practice manager with my idea to eliminate all but the necessary (cups for patients to swallow pills, cups for patients to pee in, etc.) disposable goods and substitute these with real plates, cups, and cutlery that could be washed and reused. We do, in fact, have this set up in the RH office because I brought in our family's old plates, bowls, and utensils when we bought a new set of dinnerware some years ago. I use these items all the time. My coworkers? They use the disposable stuff. I mentioned to my manager that not only would this save our practice money but that it would reflect well on our practice if we started our own green revolution*, and what better time than for Earth Day 2009?

I'm happy to say that she thought it was a great idea and that she'd look into what services the Borg, I mean the System has in place, if any. I'll let you know if my efforts pay off.

Ghandhi said for us "...to be the change you wish to see in the world" and I hope I can do that. It should be successful... according to Winston Churchill, "You can always count on Americans to do the right thing - after they've tried everything else." :-)

(*green revolution is a term that originally meant a transformation of agriculture, first used in 1968. These days this term has come to mean environmentally savvy lifestyle changes.)

6 Days Till Earth Day

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(warning: this post contains humor)

Dennis The Menace Created by Hank Ketcham, drawn by Marcus Hamilton and Ron Ferdinand, dist. by King Features Syndicate

As I mentioned in my first countdown to Earth Day post one change we can try is to use less water. Dennis the Menace is all for that, but Americans are particularly water wasteful. Here are a few tips to reduce water misuse:

1) take shorter showers. A four-minute shower uses approximately 20 - 40 gallons of water (!) Turn the shower off while you soap up, shave, or whatever else you may do in the shower (I'm not asking.) Consider installing a water-saving shower head which are easy to install... easy for husbands to install. You (your husband) can also install low-flow faucet aerators which is the single best home water conservation method (and also the cheapest!) In the '60s there was a program the hippies promoted called, "Shower With A Friend." This too will save water, just be careful of unintended consequences*(please see comment at bottom)

2) turn off the water while you brush your teeth... does anyone really let it just keep running? You'd be surprised. At work I watch my coworkers just let the water run for all sorts of reasons. I have to really watch myself; I say something if it's appropriate, but I don't want to turn into the Water Nazi. So don't let the water run no matter what you're doing: washing vegetables, shaving, rinsing hand-washed dishes, etc.

3) run your dishwasher/washing machine only once it's a full load. Some people I know cram too much into their machines, but we won't go there. Consider buying Energy Star washers and consider a front loading machine, both factors that increase water savings.

4) minimize your use of garbage disposals. They need a lot of water to work properly and you could be composting (see yesterday's post) instead!

5) water your lawn only if it needs it. How can you tell? If you step on it and the blades of grass spring back up it doesn't need watering yet. If the blades stay flat then water, but deep-soak your lawn where it will do the most good. A light sprinkling will probably evaporate and cause shallow root systems. Also, water early in the day if possible, late in the day is OK too, but midday is the worst. And please, don't place your sprinkler so you're watering your driveway or the street (duh)... I see that all the time in my neighborhood.

6) better yet, get rid of all that grass. American lawns are nice to walk on/play in, but they are disasters ecologically. Consider planting native species of bushes, trees, flower beds, etc. which can survive with the local rainfall and don't require additional watering. Native plants are also more disease resistant. You can put a layer of mulch or compost (there's that compost again :-)) around the base of the plants to help retain moisture.

7) don't run the hose while washing your car; attach a sprayer head which allows you to run water only when it's time to rinse. Also, don't use the hose to wash off the sidewalks; use a broom or a blower if the area is large.

* it was shown that showering together often increased the birth rate approximately nine months later. Please be aware that every extra human life on the planet increases the pollution output and demand for resources. Please practice safe showering. :-)

Some fun water conservation facts:

* Most people in North America use 50 to 70 gallons of water indoors each day (eek!)
* Indoors, 3/4 of all water is used in the bathroom (so get out of the bathroom)
* In the average home, the toilet accounts for 28% of water use. (consider an outhouse, just kidding)
* Running a sprinkler for two hours can use up to 500 gallons. (get rid of the grass; grass is for smoking, again just kidding)
* As much as 150 gallons of water can be saved when washing a car by turning the hose off between rinses. (if you use a commercial car wash they use recycled water, plus it's fun to sit in the car and pretend you're being attacked by a roller of yellow snakes)
* Washing a sidewalk or driveway with a hose uses about 50 gallons of water every 5 minutes (c'mon, go wash your dishes and leave the outside to Mother Nature.)

7 Days Till Earth Day

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The Lockhorns by Ray Billingsley, dist. by King Features Syndicate

Very funny. I think after all these years of complaining about her cooking, Mr. Lockhorn should take Mrs. Lockhorn out to dinner for the rest of their married life.

But Mr. Lockhorn makes a good point - uneaten food items shouldn't be thrown away in the garbage. Since they biodegrade relatively quickly the best thing you can do is to compost your "inedibles." There are many sites to help one learn how to go about composting, but basically you just designate an area in your back yard (or in a special bin made for composting) to layer your kitchen scraps with some yard refuse and voila! You can make nice rich, dark compost to enrich your soil. There are a few rules, such as not using dairy, meat or eggs (egg shells are OK) in your compost and these rules can be found on the sites.

Remember the cycle of life and help it along. Instead of wasting all that good carbon breakdown material return it to the earth where it can do some good. Composting can be very satisfying and make your soil so rich that your garden/plants grow strong and healthy.

Here's a link to an introductory article about how to go about starting a compost pile. It's called "Compost 101: Don't Start A Garden Without It!" There are many other great sites so don't stop with this one if you need more info.

8 Days Till Earth Day

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Six Chix by Margaret Shulock, dist. by King Features Syndicate

Many butterfly species are on the verge of extinction. Sad but true. The rate of animal extinctions has increased in recent times due to several factors including habitat destruction, over exploitation, and introduction of non-native species.

Why should we save plant and animal species from extinction? Other than the fact that they have a right to exist for their own purposes, we benefit from the biodiversity of increased numbers of species. About 40% of all medications are derived from natural compounds from plants. Approximately 100 species go extinct daily and we've only screened about 5% of known plant species for their potential medicinal use.

There are an estimated 80,000 species of edible plants on the earth, with only 20 species being used currently to produce 90% of our food. Wild relatives of these species contain essential disease-resistant materials that could provide much needed food crops in the event of a disaster, such as a fungus outbreak on our corn crops.

Plant and animal species are the basis for our varied ecosystems. We depend on these ecosystems for our very survival because of their roles in purifying our air, cleansing our water systems and providing us with food. When species become endangered it's a sign that our ecosystems are in trouble. When one species disappears it is estimated that it affects 30 other species.

Plant and animal species and their ecosystems provide us with quality of life in the form of tourism, recreation, and spiritual fulfillment. Every year millions of Americans spend billions of dollars to see, photograph, and enjoy wildlife. This biological diversity is a part of our national heritage and an invaluable and irreplaceable resource.

Our quality of life and that of future generations depends on our preservation of plant and animal species. So you see, decisions you make about your lifestyle choices affects much more than just your life; it affects everything. Everything.

9 Days Till Earth Day

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How many times do we, in our efforts to be effective, actually make it harder than it has to be?.....

Safe Havens By Bill Holbrook, dist. by King Features Syndicate

How many times are things that are good for you also beautiful?

Marvin by Tom Armstrong, dist. by King Features Syndicate

Plant a tree! If you own a yard you can plant a tree. All you need is a shovel and 15 minutes.

The Arbor Day Foundation has a nice list of benefits trees provide such as
~ saving energy by reducing air conditioning needs
~ breaking down carbon dioxide (which contributes to global warming) bonds to release oxygen
~ decreasing water run off and soil erosion
~ increasing habitat niches for other living things
~ increasing property values
~ reducing our stress levels as measured by blood pressure and muscle tension within five minutes after visualizing a tree (Dr. Ulrich at Texas A & M)
~ and they're beautiful! (that's my contribution!)

Trees can make a world of difference.

10 Days Till Earth Day

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Ok, 10 more days. So have you decided what you're going do to celebrate Earth Day?

Well, if everything I've put up so far hasn't given you any ideas perhaps you want to just get in touch with your artistic side. We are often motivated more by creative, positive messages than gloom and doom sermons. Today we'll look at some of the art generated by celebrators of Earth Day.

These first two are from the NOAA website (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) but I don't know who the artist(s) is. I wish I could reproduce them bigger - the details are stunning.

I'm afraid I don't know where I got this. It really will take people from every continent to save our planet.

The winning entry by Belarusian 11 year old Hanna Kutuzava in the 2007 Earth Day art contest. She titled it "We Have But One Way."

I don't remember where I got these next two images but they clearly illustrate the concept that your food choices affect global warming and the health of the planet. I guess even art can project gloom and doom!

This one is one of my favorites. It's copyrighted by R. Kanatnikov.

From the More4Kids website.

From an Earth Day art contest in Bulgaria 2007, also one of my favorites.

Don't know where I got this but it's cool.

From the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy website.

Several of my family members and friends are very artistic. I would love to see a creation in honor of Earth Day... any takers?