Guerilla Gardening In San Diego

One of the easiest ways to beautify our city is to take abandoned lots or any unused land and plant something. Such an easy idea, actually an old idea that has found a new life. Not only are people planting native plants, called "seed bombs", but fruits and vegetables are also being planted. It's a great way to beautify and feed the city, and get adults and children alike, involved in gardening and conservation. Brilliant. The guerilla movement is nationwide. I'm just trying to think of where, in my community, seed bombs could be planted. I'm going to keep my eyes out for both the seed bombs and a place to plant them. Below is an excerpt from the UT, which tells more about the new trend called "guerilla gardening." San Diego’s first seed bomb vending machine is managed by Jim Mumford, founder of GreenScaped Buildings and a specialist in planted roofs and vertical gardens. He fashions himself as an eco-warrior who scans for new ways to get people talking about greening the urban environment. “You put two quarters in and turn the dial and out rolls a seed bomb,” Mumford said. “It’s a great feeling.” He was amazed by the interest when he took his “secret weapon” to a recent environmental fair in San Diego. “Watching the kids, it was like a magnet. They had to come over and look at it,” Mumford said. “Because of that, the parents came over and talked. ... A lot of this is really just to get the conversation going.” The guerrilla gardening movement gained attention in the early 1970s when activists in New York City made illicit plantings on blighted parcels. Its roots go back at least to the 19th century, when a pioneer nicknamed Johnny Appleseed planted the frontier with apple trees. Keep your eyes open for seed bomb vending machines. Buy your seed bomb, find a local empty lot that needs a little sprucing up, then drop the bomb. What an easy way to beautify San Diego! “Gardens, scholars say, are the first sign of commitment to a community. When people plant corn they are saying, let's stay here. And by their connection to the land, they are connected to one another.” Anne Raver quotes

It's Earth Day

I can't believe it was over three years ago that I wrote my first blog. Since then I've written over 800 blogs, and I'm still going strong. I couldn't let Earth Day pass with a mention of the things I now do without thinking, to reduce my footprint on the earth. I haven't really focused on reducing my footprint over the past year, but my good habits are making a difference and saving me some money. Here are a few of the things I do to help improve our planet. 1. Wash laundry in cold water only. Wash only full loads. 2. Empty my trunk of all the junk. This saves gas. 3. Keep the heat off at night, and add an extra blanket. 4. Close vents in rooms you don't use. 5. Cut back water usage in the yard by reducing time of automatic sprinklers by 20%. 6. Turn down the water heater about 20%. 7. Eat more leftovers. I found I was wasting so much food, but now I try to reuse leftover meat and vegetables and turn it into another meal. Most of us waste about 28% of the food we buy. 8. Composte. 9. Recycle paper, plastic and aluminum. 10. Use old newspaper wrappers for doggie poop bags. 11. Always bring canvas bags to supermarket, drug store, or anywhere you may need a bag. I hope some of these behaviors have become habits for you too. I bet you've got some other good ideas that I'd like to know about. Let me know. The more we reduce, reuse and recycle, the happier Mother Earth will be.

Eating Organic Is Simple

It used to be that you had to search for organic fruits and vegetables in the supermarket. I remember years ago when the chain markets would have a tiny little section for organics. Now, up to half of chain store produce is organic, and at specialty stores like Jimbo's, Whole Foods and Sprouts, almost everything is organic.

I love shopping the farmers' markets, and even more so now that you can speak directly with the farmers and know exactly what farm your food is coming from. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is IN. You will see these initials next to most local farms today. This tells you that the food grown at that farm is certified organic. Most of the locally grown produce is sold in grocery stores, but it can also be delivered to your home or picked up a local pick up points. Many local farms have a service, where for between $25-$45 you can pick up weekly a small, medium or large box of fresh fruits and veggies. What I like about this, beside the fact that the food is as fresh as can be, is that you get a little surprise every week. The contents of the box change depending upon what's in season. It's a great way to open your eyes to new vegetables and make you create some new dishes. Not for everyone, but for people like me that enjoy discovering new fruits and vegetables, it's perfect. I can honestly say I had never had swiss chard until about 2 years ago when it was in a box of produce that I bought.

Go to www.organicconsumers.org for a list of all the farms in our area that have this service. My favorites are Be Wise (www.bewiseranch.com), Garden of Eden and J.R. Organics. My friend Marlene recently introduced me to another farm that does home delivery. I don't know what the cost is, but if you're house bound for any reason, this is a great way to still get fresh produce. Go to www.farmfreshtoyou.com to find out more.

Whether you get a box of fresh produce weekly from a local farm, shop at local farmers markets, or just buy your food in a local chain market, keep eating your fruits and veggies. They're good for you.

Going Green At The Y

I go to the Y almost everyday, and I usually stop for a cup of coffee at their coffee and tea bar after working out. The Y provides free tea and three different kinds of coffee. Well, recently I noticed a new sign next to the coffee and tea. It asked members to bring their own container for coffee and tea, and here's why. The Ecke Y in Encinitas uses 18,000 cups per month! That means they are using and throwing away (not recycling) 216,000 cups per year. And this is just one Y. I started thinking about the ramifications of using this amount of cups for the Y and immediately went to my cupboard to get one of the many reusable containers I have. I plan to carry it with me to the Y, just like I would a water bottle. Then I can drink coffee or tea before or after my workout, guilt free.

Now I'm thinking about how many gyms there are just in this area, and how much paper is being wasted and thrown in landfills just from gyms. It must be millions of cups every year, and it's just not necessary. It's really no different than bringing your own reusable bags to the market. By now most of us are in the habit of carrying reusable bags with us at all times and using them at the supermarket. We can do the same for our coffee and tea at the gym, or for that matter at Starbucks or Coffee Bean. (or your favorite coffee shop) Several years ago our weight management group started bring reusable containers to the local coffee house for our Monday meetings. Not only did we save a paper cup, but the coffee shop always gave us free refills because we brought our own containers.

All of this is just habit. It's just one more thing to carry in your car. Then the challenge is to remember to bring it into the gym or Starbucks or the market. Change is difficult, but this is a habit worth developing. Think of the cups we can save every year just by this one little change. If you see me at the Y or a coffee house without my own cup, please remind me of what I said here. I AM going to make this change, just as I did with canvas bags a few years ago. I hope you can too.

The Value of Beets

Over the past several years I have been experimenting with new fruits, grains and vegetables, and have discovered some wonderful foods I formerly knew little about. One such vegetable is the beet. Oh, I knew about beets, but all I knew was that I bought them in a can and put them in my salad. Going to Farmers' Markets has definitely improved my IQ when it comes to food knowledge.

Beets have been cultivated since the 2nd milllenium, however, their popularity declined when spinach became popular. In the 19th century, beets became a widely cultivated commercial crop and became the main source of sucrose extraction for producing table sugar. The beet is high in nutritional value and low in calories, can be eaten hot or cold, sweet or sour. The leaves can be eaten too, much like spinach. Beets contain potassium, iron, manganese, magnesium and Vitamin C. Today farmers are producing red, white, yellow and orange beets, all with similar nutritional value.

The difference between a canned beet and a fresh beet is similar to the difference between canned fruit and fresh fruit. Not only is the taste of a fresh beet so much better, but the texture is completely different. Fresh beets are firm, whereas canned beets are often soft and mushy.

Here's what I do with my beets. First, I buy both red and yellow beets to add contrast to whatever I'm making. I break the leaves off the top and save them for dinner. I wash them, steam them like spinach with a little olive oil, salt and pepper, for a lovely side dish with any entree. To cook the fresh beets, follow this method for great results every time. Fill a large pot with water, bring to a boil. Put the beets into the boiling water, reduce to medium heat, and cook for about 45 minutes (this is for medium- large beets). Rinse and cool, then pull skin off beets with fingers. Do not use a knife. There is no need. The skin is easily removed with your fingers.

So now, what are you going to do with your beets? Here are two ways I use beets in salads.

Pickled Beets

Take two beets, one red, one yellow and cube. They're slippery, so be careful. Place in plastic container. Add 2-3 Tablespoons of vinegar+ 1 Tablespoon of sugar. Mix into beets, then cover and store beets for up to 2 weeks in refrigerator. I use them on salads almost every day. They're absolutely delicious. If you're watching your sugar intake like me, substitute Splenda (or equivalent) for the sugar.

The rest of the beets I simply slice in rounds (similar to what you get in a can) and refrigerate for future use. I use them in salads or heat them and serve them as a side vegetable with dinner.

One final way to use beets is to take a raw beet, peel it (a big pain), then take the little kitchen instrument that you make curly carrots with and use it to make long, curly beets. It looks very pretty on a salad, but it's hard to do. It's much easier to just cook them and store them for future use. I've got some great recipes for salads using beets which I will share with you at another time. For now, my standard lunch salad consists of either spinach greens or a combo of lettuces, 1 cooked red potato cubed, lots of pickled beets, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, red peppers, and a scoop of cottage cheese. I use an oil and vinegar dressing, or Paul Newman's low fat balsamic vinegrette, just a little and it's great. The salad is packed with every vitamin you can think of, it's low in calories and very satisfying. Enjoy.

America's Foodiest Town 2010: Boulder, Colorado

Hardly a day goes by that we don't see a new list of "Bests." Best places to live, best cities to find a job, best cities to find a husband, etc. Well, Bon Apetit recently named Boulder, Colorado America's Foodiest Town. I'm not exactly sure what that means. It doesn't mean it has the best restaurants or the best chefs. What it means to me is that it's a town where food is a way of life, from farm to consumer, from local farmers market to the dinner table.

Boulder has won just about every shiny happy lifestyle award a city can. Healthiest, most educated, most bicycle friendly and now foodiest. It turns out that, along with having fit, smart and eco-conscious citizens, Boulder is home to a number of innovative food companies, including Celestial Seasonings, Izze Beverage Company, Bhakti Chai, Evol Foods and several top-tier restaurants and one of the best farmers' markets in the country. This small town of just over 100,000 is a bellwether of a changing food culture across our land.

I love to visit Boulder. It's the perfect combination of rugged outdoor activities (biking, hiking, tubing, skiing), to beautiful walks down Pearl Street, to Saturday visits to the Farmers' Market, to just sitting outside having coffee at one of the many independent coffee houses. It's got an intellectual atmosphere, lots of bookstores to browse and so many wonderful restaurants. I have written about some of my favorites: The Kitchen, Salt, Happy Noodle, and each time I go there I try to try one or two new eateries. I will be there in December and hope to return with more reviews from America's foodiest city. Does food just taste better after exercise? Does all that clean air build up your appetite? You bet it does. Going to the farmers' market on Saturday morning is one of my favorite activities. I love going with my kids as they know everyone in town and buy many of the products for their business from local farmers. It's a real happening, something we don't have going on here in San Diego.

As much as I love Boulder and their small community, I think I'll stay right here in sunny San Diego, where on November 17, 2010, it is 75 degrees and sunny. No, we don't have the restaurants or the foodie community that Boulder does, but we've got WEATHER. Good restaurants and good chefs will come our way, they already have started, and local interest in producing fresh, sustainable foods will develop. For now I'll get my Boulder fix a few times a year when I visit Phil, Deborah and Lennon.

Solving Everyday Problems With The Noble Cucumber

Recently the New York Times higlighted creative and fancy ways to solve common problems with the cucumber. I learned so much from this, and hopefully you will too. Using the cucumber to solve many household problems will save you lots of money, so give the amazing cucumber a try.

1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day. Just one cucumber contains B1,B2, B3, B6, folic acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium and zinc. Who needs a multi vitamin?

2. Try a cucumber as an afternoon snack for a quick pick me up. Cucumbers are a good source of B vitamin.

3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up when you take a shower? Try rubbing a cucumber slice on the mirror. It will elminate the fog and add a soothing, spa-like fragrance.

Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices of cucumber in a small pie tin. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.

4. Do your shoes need a shine? Rub a freshly cut slice of cucumber over the shoe. It's chemicals will provide a shine that not only looks great but also repels water.

5. Looking for a "green" way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean. Not only will it remove years of tarnish but it will bring back the shine.

6. Made a mistake using a pen? Use the outside of the cucumber as an eraser. It also works great on crayons and markers.

7. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeeky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub on the squeeky area. Voila! The squeek is gone.

8.Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out to the pool, try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along the problem area for a few minutes. The phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming the outer layer and reducing the visibility. It works great on wrinkles, too. Sorry, it's only temporary.

Oh, by the way, the cucumber is also great to eat. It's a wonderful diuretic and cleanser. I cannot vouch for the reliability of any of these remedies, but heck, I'm willing to try them.

How Often Do You Change Your Oil?

Old habits are hard to break. Who doesn't remember their father going out to check the oil in the family car? I'm not sure dad even knew what he was doing, but someone way back when to him it was important to check the oil regularly. What would happen if you didn't have an oil change every 3,000 miles I don't know, but we all bought into the 3,000 mile number.

Recently consumer advocates and environmentalists are saying that changing oil that often is not necessary. I have read that cars from 2003 and newer do not need the oil changed so often. Oil chemistry and engine technology have improved to the point that most cars can go several thousand more miles before changing the oil. A better average, says Philip Reed, senior consumer advice editor for Edmunds.com, is 7,500 between oil changes and sometimes up to 10,000 miles or more.

The California Integrated Waste Management Board ran public service announcements for several years about the 3,000 mile myth, urging drivers to wait longer between oil changes. Although the information is a few years old, the board has a list of cars on its web site and how often they need oil changes. The concern is not only the cost to drivers, but the environmental impact of throwing away good oil, said Mark Oldfield, a recycling specialist for the agency.

What actually happens if you don't change your oil? Well, it doesn't run out, it simply gets dirtier and dirtier. It's like mopping the floor with a bucket of dirty water. Blackstone Laboratories in Fort Wayne, Indiana, one of the best known places for engine oil analysis, will send you a free kit. You send back an oil sample and for $25 they'll tell you all sorts of things about your car.

Most experts talk about the type of driving as a determining factor in how often to change the oil. Stop and go driving means more oil changes than longer-distance driving, for example. As always, you should consult your owner's manual for their recommendations. Many automobile makers are recommending more mileage between oil changes.

Old habits are hard to break, but this is a good one to examine. It will save you money and even though many dealerships recycle used oil, it will help reduce waste in the environment. My 2007 Saab is ready for an oil change, but I plan to wait another 1,000 miles.

Isn't The Internet Great?

Yes, it is. I am constantly amazed at the variety of ways the internet can be of use to me. Forget the cute jokes, sappy letters and facebook postings that you're bombarded with, and concentrate on how the internet can be used to communicate and inform. I decided I wanted to blog about the many environmental events taking place in the San Diego area, and saved myself hours of research by discovering one web site.

If you're at all interested in environmental issues and organizations that are working on behalf of our planet, you need to check out this site. You might come across an organization that is doing something you're interested in. Gardening, planting, cleaning up beaches, protecting marshes, recycling electronics, constructing new, efficient homes and buildings, they're all happening in our town. Go to www.sdeln.org and you'll find it all. The web site is San Diego Area non-profit environmental events and organizations directory. Most importantly the site has a calendar of events for the current month. Click on something that interests you and all the information is right there. For example, the Tijuana Estuary Bird Walk takes place every month, so I clicked on it to find the details. Time and place were revealed and the difficulty of the walk was also addressed. No, it's not in Tijuana, but in Imperial Beach, almost as far away.

The site opened with a great quote from Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), which I will share with you. "We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately." That's as relevant today as when it was written, 250 years ago.

Other interesting organizations mentioned on the calendar include, San Diego Coastkeep Beach Cleanup, South Bay Green Scene, and lots of gardening and planting groups. Another great organization that was not mentioned on this web site is Solana Center. On September 25 and October 23 they will have an electronic waste recycling event. If you have any electronic equipment to recycle, this is the place to unload it. Check out www.solanacenter.org for more information. The internet saved the day again. It only took me 15 minutes to write this!

Where is Our Summer Weather?

I'm sitting here on another cloudy morning, the last day in July. By now I have usually been to the beach a dozen times, boogie boarding or just enjoying the sun. To date I have have been boogie boarding twice, and the water has been so cold I had to wear a wetsuit! What's happening? I heard that this was the coolest July in 77 years. But go back east and it's hot, hot, hot. I just returned from Colorado, known for hot dry, summers, but 101 degrees, that's ridiculous. So the east and middle states swelter, and we're still wearing a sweater. I tried to find out WHY this is happening and all my research cited global warming.

I looked at www.climatechange.ca.gov and found lots of research, statistics and forecasts for the future. What I got did not explain why part of the country is so hot and the westcoast is so cool, but it did give me some good information. California is responsible for producing 1.4% of all the greenhouse gasses in the world. That's pretty significant, so we must be part of the solution. Legislation over the past 10 years has definitely moved toward positive change, but change is so slow. Changing car emissions and factory emissions is necessary, but why make change so slow? Some of the reductions in greenhouse gasses are not mandatory for 10 years!!!

Global average temperatures increased over the past 100 years by about 1.1 degrees F. There is at least a 90% chance that the 1990's was the warmest decade for the planet since 1861 and the beginning of instrumental records. There is strong evidence that most of the warming observed fover the last 50 years is attributable to human activities. Each of the last nine years has earned a spot in the rankings of the 25 warmest years on record.

Rising temperatures will potentially effect California water and forest resources. Warming would raise the elevation of snow levels with reduced spring snowmelt and more winter runoff. Added winter runoff is generally not storable because of flood control needs. Climate change in CAlifornia will result in a higher frequency of large damaging fires. Regional climates that are hotter and drier will result in increased pest and insect epidemic within California's forests. Finally, less fog in the northern part of the state has adversely effect the forests, due to less moisture and humidity.

The answer is not clear or easy, but it seems obvious to me that we should be doing everything humanly possible to convert to electric energy for our cars. If we did nothing more, this would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 33%, according to the EPA. I'm looking forward to the acceptance of several new electric energy cars that will be out this year.

If you haven't already seen it, I urge you to rent the movie "Who Killed the Electric Car?" and see how what the government and big business did to the electric car in the 1990's cost of 15 years of development. Just another example of how it's all about money. See the movie and you'll know exactly what I mean.

So back to my original question, why are we having such a cool summer, cool ocean temperatures, while the rest of the country is sweltering? If you have an answer, please let me know. I'm thinking that August and September may be scorchers. We'll see.

Food Expo Part 3

Drinks, drinks, drinks. I had no idea Americans could drink so much fluid, and the drinks I'm going to tell you about aren't even alcoholic! Coffee, tea, water, sparkling drinks, aloe drinks and Kombucha are just some of the liquid refreshment I sampled.

My favorite aloe drink was T'best, an aloe vera drink with real pulp in it. In addition, it contains plenty of vitamins, minerals and amino acids. For 60 calories per serving, it was delicious. It's a huge seller in Korea, and is just entering the American market. Look for it.

Kombucha was new to me until a few weeks ago, and is now available everywhere. It is made by many companies, including High Country Kombucha and Hain Celestial. What is it you ask? It's a fermented tea meant to detoxify your system. It contains live cultures from the Himalayas. I did not like it at all. They kept telling me it's an acquired taste. I'm not sure I want to acquire the taste for Kombucha. It tastes like vinegar. Honest. It comes in several flavors, including passion flower, lemon myrtle, honesuckle and koji berry. It can be found at Jimbos, Seaside Market, Sprouts and Frazier Farms. You've got to try it at least once. It's the new "in" drink.

Viovi is a new juice tea drink that comes in some unusual flavors, like pomegranete mojito, blueberry lemonade and blood orange. It's just a new twist on fruit flavored teas, this time with more unusual teas.

Kicking Horse coffee, is a new offering from Colorado. The coffee is strong and delicious, and comes in several blends, my favorite one being the Kick Ass blend.

One final drink I just loved was fresh Ginger le by Bruce Cost (www.freshgingerale.com). This was the most delicious ginger ale I ever tasted. It is made with real ginger, and the only resemblance between this and tradional ginger ale is in the name only. Look for it.

It's a shame to think that most of these companies won't survive. They can't. There is just too much competition. If the company is any good it often gets bought out by one of the big drink companies like Pepsi, Coke, or Lipton. It's so difficult for the little guy to survive. Hopefully, some of these drinks will catch on and survive, as they do give us some great new options.

The Many Uses of Petroleum Jelly

Petroleum jelly in it's raw form was a curse to the U.S. in the late 1800's. It had a parafin like consistency that stuck to the shaft of their rigs and caused them to seize up. The chemist, Robert Cheseborough created a gel by distilling thin oil rendered from the raw material the drillers liked to call "rod wax." In 1870 Cheseborough opened his first factory in Brooklyn, New York, under the brand name "Vaseline" as an ointment for skin injuries. Since that time people have discovered the wonder ointment is good for dozens of things. Here are just a few.

1. Water rings on wood furniture: rub petroleum into damaged area with your fingers and let stand for a few hours or overnight. In the morning remove excess jelly with a paper towel and buff with a soft cloth.

2. Super glue cap: often after it's first use, the super glue cap ends up stuck fast to the tube and can't be used again. Put a thick coat of jelly inside the cap threads to keep it from gluing itself shut. This will also work on any cap or lid that may stick.

3. Squeeky doors: quiet a squeaky door hinge with a coating of petroleum jelly on the hinge pin. Your door will be quiet and you don't have to worry about messy drips.

4. Hair coloring: to keep hair color from staining your sking, apply petroleum jelly along the hairline and ears before you begin.

5. Cuts and sores: when petroleum jelly first hit the market, it's purpose was to proct cuts and scrapes from bacteria and moisture.

6. Moisturizer: If you have sensitive skin petroleum jelly can be used as an all over body moisturizer. It contains no chemicals.

7. Outdoor lights: a thin coating of petroleum jelly on light bulb threads will prevent them from sticking when they need to be replaced.

8. Sticky drawers: apply petroleum jelly along the runner on a sticky drawer to make it glide freely.

9. Rough feet: If you have hard, calloused feet, apply petroleum jelly to your feet after bathing. Apply within the first few minutes before all the moisture evaporates. It will make yur feet softer, and act as a moisture barrier to keep your feet from drying out. Be careful, do not slip.

10. Makeup remover: use a tissue with petroleum jelly to remove makeup, especially mascara easily.

11. Diaper rash: use in place of expensive ointments and creams to prevent diaper rash.

12. Tight finger rings: apply to your finger and ring will easily slide off.

Why spend unnecessary money on countless bottles, cans and jars of chemical products when one inexpensive jar of petroleum jelly can do it all. It's easy on the environment, contains no allergens or chemical and is easy on the wallet. More to come later on beauty tips using petroleum jelly.

It's Earth Week Again

It seems like we just celebrated Earth Week, but it was a year ago. How time flies. It used to be Earth Day. Now they have Earth Week and Earth Month. April is Earth Month. April 18-25 is Earth Week, and Earth Day is April 22. It's a lot to keep straight. In any event may retailers are offering freebies or price reductions to get you into the store and get you thinking about conserving our planet.

Last week I told you about a number of specials for tax day. Now I have some Earth Week specials to tell you about and some websites where you can get coupons. I know I said I was getting away from telling you about coupons, but the planet is very important to me, and I will do anything I can to get people thinking about reducing their carbon footprint.

Target is giving away a great reusable bag until they run out. I was there on Sunday and they had plenty more. Walgreens is offering a $1 inkjet refill on 4/22. The National Parks Service is waiving entrance fees from April 17-25 in order to help encourage Americans to use and enjoy the parks. Great idea. The Disney Store is giving away a free baseball cap on 4/22 to anyone who comes in with six empty water or soda bottles. Scholastic. com is offering 15% off on all purchases with code AFFEARTH. Hope you can take advantage of some of these.

Also, there are many organic food companies that are offering discount coupons on their food items if you go to their website and register. A few of the many companies I found were Cascadian Farm, Stonyfield and Knudsen. Go to the website, register, and download the coupons.

Every little bit helps in these difficult times. Earth Week also raises our awareness about the planet. If you're like me, you get complacent and slip back into bad environmental habits if you're not constantly reminded. This week will remind us all that we must continue to work hard to reduce our carbon footprint.

Can We Get Children to Eat Healthy?

I'm a fan of the Food Network, and several years ago I fell in love with Jamie Oliver. At the time he was a simple young man from London, cooking simple wholesome food in his apartment for his show "The Naked Chef". Today he is a superstar on a mission. He wants to change the eating habits of our youth by changing what they are fed at school. To that end he has a new program on ABC called "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution." I saw it at 9pm on a Friday night, but I don't know if that is it's permanent time.

What an eye opener. Jamie has started his mission in Huntington, West Virginia, called the unhealthiest city in America. He started with one elementary school, revising their lunch program, going into the classrooms and talking to children, and demonstrating for both parents and children why most of what they are currently eating is unhealthy for human consumption. Jamie walked into a classroom and held up several vegetables, one by one, and asked who could name the vegetable. He showed them tomatoes, cauliflower, eggplant, beets and potatoes. Not one child in the first grade class could name a single one of these vegetables. To me that is shocking. It tells me these kids have not been exposed to even the most basic fresh foods. Do they carry these foods in the local supermarket? Even if their parents don't buy fresh vegetables, don't kids learn about these foods from going grocery shopping with mom? My kids used to always ask "what's that?" as we walked up and down the fresh food section. I guess these children don't have that exposure. In any event, they sure knew what chicken nuggests and french fries were. They did not even know where french fries came from!

Jamie did a demonstration with meat patties, showing that the meat they were being served came from the worst part of the cow, contained lots of fat and cartiledge and hormones and additives. Did they still want to eat it? Yes they did. They did not care that it was unhealthy and gross.

Jamie also visited a family, all of them morbidly obese, with children at 4 and 12 already pre diabetic. The parents seem willing to try to change the family diet, and this is what it will take for them to be successful. You can't put a 12 year old on a healthy eating plan if the rest of the family is not supporting him.

The meals Jamie made for the school lunch program were vastly different than what they were accustomed to. Regular milk (no flavored milk), fresh cole slaw with carrots and raisins, pasta with cheese and fresh veggies and yogurt or pudding. Most of the kids did not like the food in the beginning. They all wanted their sugar fix from the milk and more foods high in carbohydrates. The administration of the school is going to let him continue his food program for several weeks to see if he can turn some of the kids around. He realizes he must get the parents involved, so he is doing that too.

I commend him for his efforts to revolutionize the school lunch program. This is similar to what Michelle Obama is working towards. They really have their work cut out for them. I hope they make some progress.

If health care companies would come to their senses and realize that if they had their insured eating healthier from the get go, they would not get sick as much, would not develop diabetes and other life threatening diseases, then they would have options in their coverage for nutrition education and exercise. It's certainly cheaper to pay for nutrition education or part of a health club membership than it is to pay for lifelong chronic conditions like diabetes. Good luck to Jamie and Michelle, and let's all do our part to teach the youngsters in our life about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.

Eliminate Hunger, One Heifer at a Time

In December my mom gave me a very unique gift. She had given, in my name, money to buy one goat for a family in Cameroon. When I saw the note describing the gift, I chuckled to myself and said, "What an unusual gift. She's given me a goat for Christmas!" When I actually realized what this gift meant, I was thrilled with the idea.

Heifer International (www.heifer.org)is an organization that has been around for 20 years. Their mission is to end hunger and poverty and care for the Earth. A noble idea, but difficult. Their concept is that if they give people the tools to sustain themselves, their giving will go much further than just giving money. If you give a family a cow, for example, you are not only giving them milk and cheese for their own family, but milk and cheese they can sell to buy other goods for their family. That is how Heifer International bagan, but they have branched out.

In Rwanda, with the help of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Heifer International has formed the East Africa Dairy Development Project, to help dairy farmers form cooperatives that will help them boost production, improve quality and more easily get their goods to markets.

In Chipas, the southern region of Mexico, many coffee growers were in seasonal poverty. That means that their income is not year round, as the rainy season approaches they have very little income. Over the past dozen years, many of the coffee growing communities have banded together to form co-ops, which has helped cut out the middle man and stablize prices. But even with a direct connection to the U. S., prices still fluctuated. Enter Green Mountain Coffee Roasters from Vermont, who began buying directly from the co-op. In concert with Heifer International and other agriculture groups, the communities are now provided with everything they need to make it trough the thin months; rabbits, fish, bees, mushrooms, and training in how to create local markets.

I like this idea of giving so much. Often we give to organizations and have no idea where the money is going or how it will be spent. Much is often used for adminstration. This organization brings home the old proverb, "Give a man a fish and you give him dinner. Teach him to fish and you give him food for life." Next time you feel like giving, this might be an organization to check out. If not for giving, just read about the great projects they're involved in. They're touching the lives of children and families all over the world.

Innovations That Could Make Us Greener Drivers

The U.K. seems to be way ahead of us in innovative ways to make driving greener. At least they're getting the publicity. I'm sure with our entrepreneurial spirit we're hard at work on ways to run a car without having to import oil and without spewing toxic emissions into the atmosphere.

Wireless charging...Every day it seems more inevitable that electric cars are our future. If true, we'll all soon become accustomed to charging up at home, at work and at the mall. Nissan, maker of the forthcoming Leaf electric vehicle, is already experimenting with ways to make the chore more of a no-brainer. Using magnetic induction-the same technology found in electric toothbrushes and pacemakers-the automaker is devising ways to charge EV batteries wirelessly. Nissan has demonstrated a system that can wirelessly charge a parked car, but the Japanese automaker is also tinkering with the next frontier: implanting induction charging strips into roads so cars can juice up on the go.

Kinetic Roads...In the U.K., the Sainsbury grocery chain is experimenting with special plates implanted in its parking lots that produce power as cars drive over them. Only a little energy is harvested from the pressure of each passing car, but tallied up, it's enough to run the grocery store's checkout counters. Application of this technology to the automobile is a long way off.

Road Train...The European Union has commissioned a three-year study to test "platooning", or automated road trains that roll down the highway in line behind a professional driver, just like railroad cars follow a locomotive engine. Here's how it works. A commuter would enter the highway and signal a convoy already heading in his direction. The driver would then relinquish control of the vehicle to a professional driver at the head of the convoy, who would guide the vehicle into line and then operate it by remote control. The driver could then let go of the wheel, write a letter, watch tv, or just relax as the car drives in tight formation with up to six other vehicles. According to the designers of the Safe Road Trains for the Environment (SATRE), platooning could save 20% on fuel consumption and cut down on commute time and congestion.

Higher-Tech Hybrids...Finally, the plug-in hybrid car is about to become a regular sight around the neighborhood. In late 2010, GM will introduce the Chevy Volt, a car that will charge up in eight hours and travel roughly 40 miles in electric mode, after which it can rely on its backup gasoline engine. Scheduled to first hit the California market, the Volt will be priced around $40,000. It seems like we're thinking in the right direction, but all this takes time and money. We've just got to be patient.

Hollywood's Going Green

Always a trend setter, some Hollywood productions are setting high standards when it comes to the environment. The leader is Warner Bros, who designed a sustainable sound stage, and has just completed the first LEED certified sound stage in the industry. What is LEED? It stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and get used to seeing that acronym because that is what buildings are now striving for.

Warner Bros has completed a 21,600 square foot stage that has received LEED certification. It incorporates numerous sustainable elements including use of sustainable, reused, and recycled construction materials and a solar electrical system now being installed. Other features that led to LEED certification included using fly ash in its concrete foundaton, energy efficient fluorescent house lighting, recycled steel and metals, and non-toxic paint and adhesives. There is a reflective roof, and solar panels are being installed. The panels will form a 100-kilowatt solar electrical system for generating clean energy. Kudos to Warner Bros for making this project a reality and and leading the way for others in the industry to do the same.

One of the other industry leaders in greening their productions is Fox's hit show "24". A year ago they boldly announced that they were going to reduce their carbon footprint-and wanted viewers to do the same. Now 365 days later, the show's producers say they've far exceeded their goals and will be the first show ever to achieve carbon neutrality.

So what exactly have they done? The long list includes replacing lighting with compact fluorescent lighting, introducing biodiesel-blended fuels to power generators and production vehicles, using hybrid vehicles, using all energy from renewable energy sources (mix of wind, hydro and solar), all scripts, schedules and other paperwork are now delivered electronically. They hope their efforts will inspire their viewers to do the same.

Keep your eyes and ears open to new buzz words like LEED certification and carbon neutrality. If the entertainment industry is doing it, the rest of us won't be far behind.

Coffee Filters....Who Knew?

A few weeks ago I got an e-mail from my friend Renee, who's always looking for something I might blog about. Well, this caught my eye, and I read what can be done with coffee filters, I was pleasantly surprised. I never really thought about what else could be done with a coffee filter other than make coffee, but my oh my, someone sure came up with a lot of uses. Many of these you'd probably never do, but there are a few good tips on the list. Since this blog is about saving money, these tips will definitely do that. Thanks, Renee.

COFFEE FILTERS

Coffee filters .... Who knew! And you can buy 1,000 at the Dollar Tree for almost nothing even the large ones.
1. Cover bowls or dishes when cooking in the microwave. Coffee filters make excellent covers.
2. Clean windows, mirrors, and chrome... Coffee filters are lint-free so they'll leave windows sparkling.
3. Protect China by separating your good dishes with a coffee filter between each dish.
4. Filter broken cork from wine. If you break the cork when opening a wine bottle, filter the wine through a coffee filter.
5. Protect a cast-iron skillet. Place a coffee filter in the skillet to absorb moisture and prevent rust.
6. Apply shoe polish. Ball up a lint-free coffee filter.
7. Recycle frying oil. After frying, strain oil through a sieve lined with a coffee filter.
8. Weigh chopped foods. Place chopped ingredients in a coffee filter on a kitchen scale..
9. Hold tacos. Coffee filters make convenient wrappers for messy foods.
10. Stop the soil from leaking out of a plant pot. Line a plant pot with a coffee filter to prevent the soil from going through the drainage holes.
11. Prevent a Popsicle from dripping. Poke one or two holes as needed in a coffee filter.
12. Do you think we used expensive strips to wax eyebrows? Use strips of coffee filters...
13. Put a few in a plate and put your fried bacon, French fries, chicken fingers, etc on them. It soaks out all the grease.
14. Keep in the bathroom. They make great "razor nick fixers."

15. As a sewing backing. Use a filter as an easy-to-tear backing for embroidering or appliqueing soft fabrics.

16. Put baking soda into a coffee filter and insert into shoes or a closet to absorb or prevent odors.

17. Use them to strain soup stock and to tie fresh herbs in to put in soups and stews..

18. Use a coffee filter to prevent spilling when you add fluids to your car.

19. Use them as a spoon rest while cooking and clean up small counter spills.

20. Can use to hold dry ingredients when baking or when cutting a piece of fruit or veggies.. Saves on having extra bowls to wash.

21. Use them to wrap Christmas ornaments for storage.

22. Use them to remove fingernail polish when out of cotton balls.

23. Use them to sprout seeds. Simply dampen the coffee filter, place seeds inside, fold it and place it into a plastic baggie until they sprout.

24. Use coffee filters as blotting paper for pressed flowers. Place the flowers between two coffee filters and put the coffee filters in phone book..

25.. Use as a disposable "snack bowl" for popcorn, chips, etc.

OH YEAH THEY ARE GREAT TO USE IN YOUR COFFEE MAKERS TOO.

Go Green and Save Money

I usually think of going green as a way of helping the environment, but at a higher cost. This is not necessarily so. Check out some of these energy saving ways to help Mother Earth and save you money at the same time.

1. set your thermostat a few degrees lower in the winter and a few degrees higher in the summer. Unplug appliances when you're not using them. Wash clothes in cold water whenever possible. As much as 85% of the energy used to machine-wash clothes goes to heating the water.

2. Take shorter showers to reduce water use. Install a low flow showerhead. Install a faucet aerator on each faucet. This conserves both heat and water, while maintaining high water pressure.

3. Walk or bike when possible.

4. If you eat meat, add one meatless meal a week. Meat is one of the most costly items in your shopping cart. It's even more expensive when you consider the related enviornmental and health costs. Buy locally raised, humane, and organic meat, eggs and dairy whenever possible. Purchasing from local farmers keeps money in the local economy. Whatever your diet, eat low on the food chain. This is especially true for seafood.

5. Skip the bottled water. Use a water filter to purify tap water instead of buying bottled water. Not only is bottled water expensive, but it creates large amounts of container waste.

6. Borrow instead of buying. Borrow from libraries intead of buying personal books, videos and movies. This saves money. Share power tools and other appliances that are infrequently used.

7. Make your own cleaning supplies. The big secret: you can make very effective, non-toxic cleaning products whenever you need them. All you need are a few simple ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, lemon and soap. This is a huge moneysaver.

Finally, check out the web site http://www.blogger.com/www.worldwatch.org for up to date information on going green and many more tips. If you just pick up one idea from this or other articles on the subject, change will come.

Junk in Your Trunk

If you're like me, your trunk is full of unnecessary junk. Well, it's not really junk, but it's stuff you don't need in there all the time. My trunk is a perfect example. I have the following items in my trunk at all times: golf clubs, golf cart, boogie board, wet suit, 2 yoga mats, several canvaas bags, a sweatshirt and lots of assorted stuff I have no need for. This is weighing down my car and reducing the good mileage I should be getting. According to http://www.fueleconomy.gov/, for every extra 100 pounds you carry in your care, you effectively reducing its gas mileage by 2%. While this doesn't sound like much, over time the cost certainly will add up.

There are numerous other steps you can take to improve gas mileage and by following just a few of these you can improve your gas mileage by 10%. That will certainly make a difference. Here are a few more tips to increase your mileage.

1. Keep your tires properly inflated. As simple as this sounds, most of us don't check inflation regularly. Underinflated tires require more energy to roll. Properly inflated tires will add about 3.3% to your fuel economy.

2. Don't drive aggressively. Braking hard and accelerating fast will reduce your mileage. Keep your acceleration even and your braking steady. Keep your speed even.

3. Take extra weight off the car. Besides cleaning the trunk, take off the roof rack and remove miscellaneous item from the interior of the car. Heavy books, boxes of cd's, and toys all add up and add weight.

Asside from getting all of the excess items out of your car, there's one more thing you can get rid of to help increase your car's gas mileage-removing the spare tire..around your waste. Considering it doesn't matter how you get rid of the extra weight your car is carrying around, if you can drop a couple of pounds yourself, it'll be good for both your car's fuel economy and your health. My first job this weekend is to clean out my trunk, then I'll go to work on my spare tire.