[Get Involved Tuesdays] Volunteering at National Parks

Image via Conservation Corps

Fresh air, helping others, and being in some of the most beautiful land on earth: yeah, that sounds pretty good, doesn't it? And with so many people out of work and confused about where their lives are going, why not give a volunteer opportunity a national park a shot?

Find all the opportunities here.

If you can't just get up and leave everything behind, look at other ways you can do your part.

[Green Thursdays] Shark Fin Soup Ban

Shark Fins

Sen. Leland Yee (D-CA) promoting shark fin soup

Have you heard about "finning"? It's when fishermen go out into the ocean, catch a bunch of sharks, cut off their fins for human consumption, and then throw the sharks back in the water to die. Then they can the stuff or sell it fresh in markets. California, following Hawaii's lead, is now trying to ban a popular dish, shark fin soup, from being served in restaurants. Read more about the possible ban and the practice of finning and take a side.

[Green Thursdays] Eco Decor: Mason Jar Lanterns

Check out this tutorial on making lanterns out of mason jars. Such a pretty idea for summer.

Find all the details at Chez Beeper Bebe

[Green Thursdays] Grow an Indoor Herb Garden

If you're a little scared of gardening, then start with the basics: Indoor herb gardening. You can create a garden on your windowsill or a hanging garden in a sunny spot. I've always loved to grow my own basil (Thai and Italian). That way, I can go grab some to flavor up a salad, pizza, stir fry, fried rice, and so on. Plus, herb babies are insanely cheap. Find them at your local farmer's market for about one dollar or at a gardening store near you.

The best herbs for indoor gardening are: mint, rosemary, basil, thyme, and sage


Read about which containers work best, and go to some pretty pictures for inspiration!

via the Telegraph

via Slipsters Blog

via sfgirlbybay

[Green Thursdays] GreenIsSexy.org

I stumbled upon this blog a few weeks ago while looking for ways to save water in my house, and now I keep coming back for all the practical, energy-saving tips. GreenIsSexy.org is run by three women, one of whom just so happens to be the lovely Rachel McAdams.

Check out all the interesting articles about things like how much water goes into making one pair of jeans (now you might think twice about buying yet another pair of Rock & Republics), the gross stuff in our air fresheners, and which fonts save the most ink.

[Get Involved Tuesdays] Green Volunteers

Photo via Habitat for Humanity

Are you looking for ways to get involved in your community and help the world at large? Do you want to save animals, keep trees alive, maintain parks and public spaces, or get rid of all the ridiculous waste in your life (including your ex-boyfriend who keeps texting you)?

Take a look at this article on GreenBiz.com. It lists all types of environmental volunteer opportunities: overseas, on the political scene, at green festivals, and so on. The most valuable resource I found was Treehugger, which, like Idealist.org, lists environmental volunteer opps.

So get to researchin'. I can't guarantee that taking on one of these volunteer gigs will help get rid of all those annoying text messages from what's-his-face, but you'll definitely feel like you're doing you're part to save the world, even if just a little bit.

[Get Involved Tuesdays] Celebrate Earth Day in Style

There are all kinds of fun ways to celebrate the earth this year! You can find tons of eco-friendly and earth-conscious deals and programs that will let you love the earth without being a total hippy (not that there's anything wrong with that either).

1. Visit a National Park this week. All 394 are free until April 24! 
My California recommendation: Sequoia National Park. Giant sequoia trees; absolutely mesmerizing.

Photo via CC

2. Get a free Starbucks coffee when you bring in a travel mug on Earth Day, April 22. Sure, it's Starbuck's and Starbuck's kinda sucks, but it's also free, and I am not one to judge free shit.

3. Read about the 100 Mile Challenge, in which you pledge not to eat any foods that have been shipped over 100 miles to get to your plate. It's a fascinating challenge, one that Barbara Kingsolver took on in her book, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. Or ease yourself into seasonal, sustainable living by checking out the Planet Green website. 

4. Donate your phone to the Verizon HopeLine project, which donates the money to people who are victims of domestic abuse. I mean, you're not using that Nokia anyway, and throwing it in the garbage makes the planet super angry. 

5. Buy some stuff from Etsy vendors who are part of the EcoEtsy network. I mean, you wanted to buy some cute jewelry anyway. It might as well be eco-friendly.

Bike Ring from uncorked

[Green Thursdays] I Can Haz Sustainability?

My co-workers created these images to support our effort to get a shuttle to/from our office, which is 4 miles from the nearest public transportation option. How awesome are the people I work with? I'm currently doing some research on public transport for corporations and writing up a proposal. No seriously.

[Green Thursdays] My Own Little Urban Garden

A few months ago, I said in defiance that I was planning to start my own backyard urban garden. I live in a postage stamp of a house in Bernal Heights, but my roommate and I (okay, mostly my roommate -- she has quite the green thumb) have succeeded in waiting out the winter months and have done our planting for the spring. Here are a few shots of what we've done with the place. It's all in containers right now, but we plan to use some raised beds soon, once things get a lil crazy back there. 

Right now, we're growing: 

• Strawberries
• Swiss chard
• Cherry tomatoes
• Thyme/Rosemary
• Mixed lettuces
• Potatoes
• And lots of other stuff that I can't even identify because my roomie has done some of her crazy magic back there, and I no longer recognize the plants I so lovingly picked out at Flowercraft.

The backyard entrance 

Flowers and herbs

Edible Weeds

Our Thriving Tomatoes

[Green Thursdays] Green Links

Some green, DIY, sustainable links from around the web:

1. DIY decor from The Drifter and the Gypsy



2. Ecofriendly wedding and pregnancy articles by FitSugar



3. Self Magazine's Green Living Guide (This is a bit dated, but it's one of my favorite magazines :-) )

[Get Involved Tuesdays] CUESA

Photo via CUESA Website

Ever wonder who organizes the Ferry Building Farmer's Market or all those helpful recycling sheets inside of San Francisco offices? Why, CUESA, of course. CUESA stands for the Center for Urban Education and Sustainable Agriculture, and they organize everything from SF markets to classes on sustainable cooking, to beekeeping courses. They even have a handy seasonal eating guide on their website that helps you understand how your food got from a farm onto your plate.

It turns out they continually seek volunteers. So if you'd like to get involved in all the cool acts of political eating in and around the Bay Area, check out the CUESA Volunteer Page. They need people with skills ranging from photography to web design to administrative.

[Green Thursdays] Eco-Friendly Water Bottles

With the warm summer months ahead, hydration and health are key. I've been looking at new water bottles for trips to the gym and beach since my plastic ones will apparently cause an early death. My friend told me about the new glass bottles covered in silicone and I am down to buy. The glass is BPA-free and doesn't give the water a weird taste and the silicone makes it more durable. Here are a two I'm considering:

LifeFactory Glass Beverage Bottle with Matching Cap and Silicone Sleeve - $22

Takeya Classic Glass Water Bottle with Silicone Sleeve - $22 at Amazon

[Green Thursdays] How Sustainable is IKEA?

IKEA just released its yearly Sustainability Report today, and while it boasts that the company "reduces CO2" and no longer sells incandescent lights, consumers need to read these sorts of corporate marketing materials with a very large grain of salt. Or enough grains of salt to season beef stew.

The fact of the matter is that if you want cheap things, there is a trade-off. Of course, I recognize that this is coming from the girl who lusts after platform shoes but refuses to pay full retail. Everything in moderation, I say (instead of owning the 60 pairs I want, I have about 6).

But IKEA cannot possibly provide all of the furniture that it provides consumers with for such a low price without some societal trade-off. For instance, it harvests its wood in China and Russia, and we have all heard about the atrocities that happen at overseas manufacturers when low-cost is concerned. IKEA claims to have "forest patrollers", but they only have about six of these people for the entire company. Can you imagine six people overseeing all of the crap that gets produced at all of the manufacturing locations world-wide? You can read more about this topic in the book Cheap by Ellen Ruppel Shell, or in some articles by her in The Atlantic.

The further problem with IKEA, and I would say this is probably the most threatening to the environment and the idea of sustainability, is the mindset that the store instills in us. It encourages a throw-away culture. What, your BJURSTA kitchen table just snapped in half? Throw it in the dumpster, and buy another one. I mean, you only paid $200 for it anyway. Maybe you'll even upgrade to a more expensive IKEA model that will last all of five years, instead of two (unless you live in a frat house. Then I give all IKEA furniture a six-month lifespan).

Furthermore, I don't know if you've noticed, but IKEAs never seem to be located near your house. There's an explanation for that: IKEA puts its stores in places where property taxes are low, and the corporation therefore doesn't have to pay as much in taxes back to the community. But a trip to IKEA is usually a day- or half-day-long occassion. In college, I once drove an hour and a half in LA traffic to buy some barstools from the IKEA in Burbank. And how much did I waste in gas and time? I don't know if I could put a number on it. But I could have picked up some barstools from a neighbor on Craigslist or a local garage sale.

All I'm saying is that we need to hold IKEA's self-declaration as a sustainable corporation up for scrutiny. Don't believe everything you hear, and don't expect their couches to be comfortable either.

[Green Thursdays] Ireland's EcoVillage

Photo via ConstructIreland

Today is a really green Thursday because it's St. Patrick's Day! I'm not Irish, but I do like Jameson, Guinness on tap, and verdant countrysides.

This morning, I read about the first ecovillage currently being constructed in Ireland, called Cloughjordan (say that ten times fast... if you know how to speak Gaelic).The community includes its own farm, 114 low-energy homes, workspaces, and a school where the members of community and tourists alike can learn about permaculture, organic farming, and sustainability.

In reading this, I also found out that Europe has its own ecovillage network. If America has something like this, I want to move there, like, tomorrow. Otherwise I need to get a visa and move to Europe.

Read more about the project in the ConstructIreland article and on their website, The Village.

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I know this day is not historically about getting wasted, but since when did Americans care about history anyway?

Ohhh, yeahhhh. Or maybe not.

[Friday Link Round-Up]

1. The NYT's Green Blog is legit and I can't believe I've only just found it. A great way to keep up with some important issues.

2. Twelve of my favorite style bloggers, including James from Bleubird Vintage and Tieka from Selective Potential, launched Delightful Dozen this week - they feature styling remixes and fashion tips.

3. On a more personal/academic note, the director of LSE, Howard Davies, resigned last night amid the Gaddafi scandal. Shocking and disappointing - I'm still not sure what I think. Here is the NYT article and the school's official announcement.

4. Fascinating WSJ article on female sushi makers making their way in a male-dominated field.

*photos/screenshots pulled from respective websites.

[Green Thursdays] Eco-Friendly Reads via Design Sponge

Design*Sponge offered up some reviews of green reading earlier this week. Check out the list here.

Definitely adding some of these books to my reading list via Design*Sponge

[Green Thursdays] Online Shopping

Since we spend so much time online, it makes sense that we all seem to have gotten on the online shopping bandwagon and there is no reason for this not to be the greenest experience ever. Here are a few of my top green sites.

1. Etsy - full of handcrafted, vintage, earth friendly gifts, fashion and decor as well as being easiy searchable and so damn cute.

2. Neerg - offers thousands of green products that are searchable by eco-friendliness, sustainability, fair trade etc. You can find everything from household goods to cleaning products to shoes. Perfection! Plus they offer a green deal of the day :-)

3. Edun - minimalist, eco-friendly clothing - light and perfect.

4. Lush - cosmetics and beauty products - a girl's heaven and so many things to try!

January Whole Living

I just picked up the most recent issue of Whole Living and it's chock full of ideas for starting the year off new and clean. I love how much they focus on DIY beauty treatments. They've also just released a new book, called Power Foods.

This is probably my favorite magazine on earth right now, even if it is from the Martha Stewart people (they keep that on the downlow).

[Green Thursdays] Smug, Green E-Mail Signatures

"Do you really need to print this email? :)"

Someone emailed me with this signature line the other day at work. My answer, “No, but would you mind your own business? kthx, dbag.”

As for myself, I’ve been thinking a while about whether or not to adopt an “environmental email signature.” During my first week at work, I had a lot of free time, so I kept trying to refine my “Please consider the environment before printing this email” signature. Every other email, I would delete it and then bring it back again in a schizophrenic panic (you don’t want to be the person with the smug, tree-hugging signature on your third day at the office!). But I finally decided to nix the signature because of that specific signature line above. How dare you ask me a smug rhetorical question like that? The question just goes ahead and assumes I’m a selfish dumbass who prints every single confirmation email I get from IT when my computer goes haywire. How rude.

I guess I don’t want these signatures to go away altogether. A few times, I have actually considered printing an email, saw one of these signature lines, and BAM! My guilt complex activated. I forwarded the email instead of printing it. But don’t be a jerk about it. Maybe try: 

“Yo, girl, please don’t print me. That would be like cutting down .00000545 of a tree.” 

Or, my personal favorite because of its directness:

“Don’t print this shit.” 

Maybe not business-friendly, but it gets right to the point.

Or, just be nice and assume that most of us aren’t printing out every single email we get anymore. I think we're all pretty mature here. Kthxbye.

[Food + Drink] Homemade Holiday Gifts from the Kitch

Welcome to the final part of our sustainable, homemade holiday gifting series! Here are some of my favorite gifts to get (and give) for the holidays. 

My overall advice with this stuff is to always go with things that are easy to package, like cookies and barks and not cupcakes with buttercream frosting. In most cases, those just make a big ol' mess and then whoever gets the messy gift will be all pissed off at you as the new year rolls around, and who wants that?

White Chocolate and Cranberry Cookies with Pecans

Start with GOOD white chocolate

Add pecans and cranberries at the finish

Package in a cute recycled basket

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter or smart balance
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon brandy or vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup white chocolate, chopped
1 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. In large bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the egg and brandy.
3. In another bowl, combine the flour and baking soda; stir into the sugar/butter mixture.
4. Mix in the chocolate, cranberries, and pecans. Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheets
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Take them out while they are still a bit doughy for the best results. Otherwise they tend to get a bit dry and no one wants that!

Marbled Chocolate Banana Bread (you can gift this right in the bread pan). This recipe adapted from Cooking Light. 

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup sugar or Splenda

1/4 cup butter or Smart Balance

3 mashed bananas (the riper the better, but lessen the sugar if they're super ripe)

1 tbsp flax seeds

3 tbsp water

1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. 

2. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir with a whisk.

3. Place sugar and butter in a bowl. Beat until well-blended. Add banana, flax, water, and yogurt and beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed JUST until moist. 

4. Microwave chocolate chips on High for 1 minute or until almost melted. Stir and let cool slightly. 

5. Add 1 cup of the batter to the chocolate and stir until combined. 

6. Spoon the chocolate batter alternately with the plain batter into an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch bread pan. Swirl batters together with a knife.

7. Bake at 350 F for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely. 

MORE AFTER THE BREAK!