Vegan Pizza

This is my new FAVORITE!!!

Pizza dough (I use Trader Joe's already made pizza dough you roll it out yourself, but use whatever you like)

Pizza sauce.. again whatever moves you

Lot's of veggies - I like mushrooms, zucchini, bell pepper, sun dried tomatoes, onion, and olives (I said it was a lot) LOAD 'EM on!

And the non Cheese: RAW Cashews! About a handful.

Put it all in the oven for about 10 to 15 minutes. (follow package directions for the dough you use - and check often because you don't have melted/browned cheese to be your guide.

So this is a slack recipe (my favorite) and I can whip it up while the babies are snoozing and have time to eat and clean up too! YUM!

CFLs and Mercury...

Being the good little stewards of greenness I'm sure most of you have already heard the news that the compact fluorescent lightbulbs that everyone is touting as environmental contain mercury. I was disappointed to hear this, but did some research. There is a risk, but according to Wendy Reed, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, in the long run the CFLs produce less mercury than the coal-fired power plants.

Check out this link to NPR.

The EPA is working with the retailers that sell the bulbs to start recycling programs as well. Ikea is the only one that has stepped up to the challenge so far. Apparently in some states it is illegal to throw away the bulbs, but even in those states few make the effort to recycle them.

GE is also concerned - though the levels of mercury are small in each individual bulb if the sales explode like anticipated (thanks to the BIG GREEN push) the levels of mercury hitting the garbage cycle will be huge. GE is looking at ways to decrease the amount of mercury and come up with better ways to recycle it.

Recipe-less Soup

I found some excellent guidance on how to just 'throw together' some soup without a recipe. I'm no chef and I'm excited to try this. You can check it out at The Mommy Spot. Diane shares lots of great advice there! This soup is veggie and I love that she uses the veggies that are typically discarded after making the stock. You get all the nutrients and they stay out of the garbage or composter!

Vegan/Vegetarian Diet Considerations

The research continues. I am reading "Becoming Vegan" by Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina and I feel that if we/I am going to promote vegetarian/vegan lifestyle I need to point out important things you need to be aware of while adopting this lifestyle.

This book is a great resource. I've enjoyed the fact that it doesn't just wax poetic about how wonderfully healthful the vegetarian/vegan diet is... it also points out the pitfalls and things you need to look out for. They also give scientific information in easy to understand terms. Nutrition and healthful lifestyle is similar to this whole 'green' thing in that it can get rather overwhelming. For me living the vegetarian/vegan lifestyle kind of dumbs it down for me. It really ends up helping me to make consistent choices - I can't really eat most processed foods when I'm staying away from animal products so the choice is made for me. :)

Two main topics of consideration when adopting a vegetarian/vegan lifestyle are B12 and Essential Fatty Acids (Omega 3 and Omega 6)

B12

Vitamin B12 helps build genetic material and is important for cells that reproduce rapidly - such as red blood cells, it protects the sheaths around our nerve fibers and working together with other B vitamins it converts foods to energy that our body can use. In addition B12 helps rid the body of homocysteine which if built up in the body can injure the inner lining of artery walls leading to heart disease. - excerpt from Becoming Vegan.

Non-vegetarians get B12 from the flesh of animals that have eaten things containing the bacteria and fungus that create B12. Vegetarians that consume eggs and dairy don't need to worry about this as much as vegans. Vegans need to supplement with B12 either through foods high in B12 (though these sources have proved to be unreliable - such as algae, spirulina, alfalfa, various greens, and seaweeds) or fortified foods. One good option is Red Star Vegetarian Support Formula Nutritional Yeast Powder or Flakes or other nutritional yeast supplements. You are looking to get between 3 and 6 mcg a day. Check labels of soy milks and cereals as fortification levels vary.

Essential Oils

Essential Oils

When considering a vegan/vegetarian diet you must consider your intake of Essential Fatty Acids - specifically Omega 3s. Omega 6s (Linoleic Acid) are plentiful in most diets - particularly vegetarian/vegan diets - they are found in seeds, walnuts, grains, sunflower, safflower, corn and grapeseed oils. Omega 3s (alpha-linolenic acid) are found in foods that we don’t eat in large quantities such as flaxseed, hempseed, canola oil, walnuts, butternuts, greens and soy. Polyunsaturated fats are not considered essential oils because we can make them in our body from their parent fats – Omega 6 and Omega 3 – or consumed from foods. In the Omega 6 family we can either convert linoleic acid to arachindonic acid (AA) or consume it directly from animal products. In the Omega 3 family we can convert alpha-linolenic acid to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) or consume them directly from fish or microalgae. Though polyunsaturated fats aren’t technically called essential they ARE essential and we need to be aware of them.. particularly DHA. DHA is a structural component in the brain, the retina of the eye and sperm. Low levels of DHA have been associated with neurological and behavioral disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). Plant foods provide very little if any Omega 3s with the exception of single celled ocean plants and seaweeds and I don’t know about you, but I don’t eat a lot of those.

When considering a DHA supplement you need to look at the source. Most DHA / Omega 3 supplements are derived of fish. If you are following a vegetarian/vegan diet these won’t work for you. You want to find a supplement that is derived of microalgae such as Dr. Udo's DHA.

Interesting Tid Bit about Vitamin D

Did you know that Vitamin D can be sourced from either animals or plants. I had no idea there were two basic types. Vitamin D2 is plant based (mushrooms, certain seaweeds and yeast) and Vitamin D3 is animal based (fish, sheep's wool, hides or other animal parts such as cow brains). If you choose to avoid animal products all together (and for you vegetarians out there) you need to be careful with some fortified soy milks and food products. When reading labels generally vegetarian products will specify D2, but if they don't you are looking for ergosterol or ergocalciferol on the ingredients list. If precalciferol or cholecalciferol are listed then the Vitamin D in the product is D3 or animal sourced Vitamin D. D3 is usually used in Milk so if you are vegetarian and drink milk and eat eggs, but avoid animal products you might want to check your milk label.

All of this being said, I am not a doctor or nutritionist (maybe some day) so take my statements for what they are... the research finds of a non-professional. I highly recommend that you do your own research and definitley recommend Becoming Vegan by Brenda Davis, RD and Vesanto Melina, MS, RD

Conflict Free Diamonds

Getting ready to ask that special someone the BIG question? Coming up on a big anniversary and just love to buy diamonds??? Check out Brilliant Earth - they create beautiful jewelry using conflict free diamonds and they give 5% of their proceeds to African communities negatively effected by the diamond industry. You can also check out their site to learn more about these negative effects.

Another alternative to buying new diamonds is to hit your local pawn shop or estate sale for beautiful antique rings. It is rather affordable. We got my ring at A & S Jewelry in Seattle, WA. They are jewelry brokers. So my ring isn't MY grandmother's, but it's SOMEBODY's grandmother's. A great hint for recycling. :)And we couldn't beat the price!

Inspiration from a mainstream couple in Seattle

I came across this article from our good friends Todd and Julie. (thanks Todd)

Regular people are out there doing what we aspire to do... they are normal mainstreamers - meaning they aren't over the top living off the grid, they could be your neighbors! You can check out this Seattle Times article to learn more about what this Seattle family is doing to decrease their footprint.

We give you lists and talk about what you can do, but I think 'seeing' another family do it makes it seem that much more attainable. As they state in the article choose one thing you can do and once it becomes a habit either go further with that goal or establish another one.

If you want a starting point you can check your carbon emissions w/ the EPA Personal Carbon Emissions footprint calculator. Make adjustments to see what a big impact little things make.

My big struggle these days is paper towels. We never used to use them, but when the kids started eating it was just SO much easier to grab a paper towel to clean them up. I did start making some rags to use specifically for this purpose, but fell off the wagon. I need to get back to that. On a positive note I purchased some cloth napkins - now I need to find a place to store them and get to using them.

We all have our struggles, but families like the Seattle couple featured in the article give me inspiration to try a little harder! If gas gets to $4/gallon it should make it a bit easier to strap on the sneakers and hoof it to wherever I need to get.

Spinach and Leek White Bean Soup

Spinach and Leek White Bean Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 4 leeks, bulb only, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 (16 ounce) cans vegetable broth
• 2 (16 ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 cup whole wheat couscous
• 2 cups packed fresh spinach
• salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and garlic; saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, cannellini beans, bay leaves and cumin. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, and stir in the couscous. Cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in spinach and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

How's that diaper pail smelling latley?

Green mama that I am I use cloth diapers... any of you w/ kids knows how that odor changes as the kids start to eat solid foods. WOW! I couldn't believe the difference between breast milk poops and solid food poops - maybe I would have waited well past the recommended 6 months to start solids had I known!

I used a dry pail for my diapers in the beginning and I noticed a foul odor not too long after they started eating solids. This odor wasn't just the poop... it was the diaper. When the kids would have a wet diaper the diaper would STINK really bad... not just like pee, and they were causing bad rashes on both kids. I couldn't figure it out. I stripped and stripped and stripped the diapers again and that odor just HUNG ON! I was getting really frustrated because I really didn't want to give up on the cloth diapers, but I also didn't want the kids to STINK and have horrendous diaper rash (which cloth is not supposed to cause)!

While I was staying at my mom's for the month of March she was talking to me more about Shaklee and shared a list of uses for Basic H2. On that list was the recommendation to use a wet pail with 1 teaspoon of Basic G and 1/4 teaspoon of Basic H2 to cut down on odor. I thought what the heck, I'll give it a shot... and it not only eliminated (not just cut down... ELIMINATED) the diaper pail odor it solved my smelly / rashy diaper problem.

I had already been keeping the pail in the bathroom and away from babies so I don't have to worry about curious kids knocking the pail over and drowning themselves. So word of CAUTION: if you are going to try this please please please move your diaper pail to a safe location where kids won't have access to it. Having it in the bathroom makes it easier to dump the poop in the toilet anyway!

And just for fun here is the list of uses for the best cleaner in the world: Basic H2

PHOSPHATE-FREE NON-POLLUTING
100% Organic Non-Toxic
Biodegradable Non-Irritating
Not a Soap Non-Magnetic
Not a Detergent Non-Volatile

SUGGESTED USES ONLY

HOUSEHOLD

General Cleaning: Use ½ teaspoon to quart of warm water. It cleans kitchen doors, woodwork, walls, ceilings, etc.

Appliances and Bathroom Fixtures: Use ¼ teaspoon to pint of water. It leaves refrigerators odor-free and sanitary. Great for bathroom tile!

Windows, Mirrors, All Glass: Use 1 – 2 drops in 4oz spray bottle. Wipe dry with paper towel. Do not use a lot of Basic-H or glass will smear.

Dishes: Use ½ teaspoon in the dishpan. Fill dirty pans with water, add ½ teaspoon Basic-H2 and let stand to loosen stuck particles.

Automatic Dishwashers: Use Shaklee Dishwasher Concentrate.

Floors: Use 1 tablespoon to a gallon of cold water, wring mop and wipe up dirt. Leaves floor shining. To remove wax use Basic-I.

Dusting: Squeeze sponge out of solution of ¼ teaspoon to pint of water. With almost dry sponge, wipe of dust, fingerprints, candy spots, etc. Or use spray bottle and clean cloth. Everything disappears from furniture, leaving wax finish beautifully bright and non-magnetic, making it unnecessary to dust as often.

Fruits and Vegetables: Use ¼ teaspoon to pint of water. Wash and rinse. It removes residues of poisonous sprays and grime of handling in transportation. Also removes grit from leafy vegetables.

Woolens, Silks, Nylons, All Fin Fabrics: Use ½ teaspoon to basin of water. For spots, apply a drop or two directly on the spot and press in with thumb. Immerse garment in cold water solution of 1 teaspoon per gallon of water, let stand a few minutes, then rinse by squeezing water through and laying out to dry.

Spot Remover: Apply Basic-H2 directly on spotted area. Use a toothbrush or finger to rub Basic-H2 into area. Wipe off with damp cloth or rinse in basin of water (Coffee, lipstick, ink, grass, etc).

Frying Vats: Use ½ cup to 3 gallons of water. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. It dissipates stubborn crusts without damage to vats.

Concrete and Mortar Mix: Use ½ oz. to a gallon of water. Makes cement and mortar spread easier and smoother, set harder.

Knives: Use a few drops on cutting stone for sharpening knives. Keep moist and add as needed. Doesn’t clog stone, which is very important in sharpening tools. Stone rinses free of residue.

Phonograph Records: Use same solution as for glass. Clean with soft, dry cloth. It leaves no residual magnetism.

Wallpaper: Excellent in removing wallpaper.

Aquariums: Use 1 teaspoon per quart of water. Clean coral, rocks, entire aquarium with Basic-H2 solution. Rinse thoroughly.

Diapers: Use ¼ teaspoon of Basic-H2 and 1 teaspoon of Basic-G to pail of water. It eliminates odors in the washroom when diapers must stand.

Fish Odors: Use ½ tablespoon per quart of water. Basic-H2 cleaning solutions work wonders around boats, docks and other “fishy” places.

Boat Algae: Use ½ tablespoon to gallon of water.

Spray Snow or Poster Paint on Windows: Remove it with ¼ teaspoon to quart of warm water.

PERSONAL

Protecting Hands: Apply at full strength to hands for lasting protection as an industrial skin guard. It is great as invisible gloves before painting.

Cleaning Hands: Put a few drops in palm. Rub thoroughly over both hands and add a little water. Continue with usual washing action. Add a touch more water as needed and rinse. Removes tobacco stains, onion and garlic odors. Variation – mix ¼ Basic-H2 and ½ water in a 4 oz squeeze bottle.

Gum: Use full strength to remove gum from skin or carpeting.

Painting and Dyeing: Apply full strength to hands before painting or dyeing. Paint or dye will wash off easily. Be careful not to get Basic-H2 in eyes.

Shoe Cleaner: Use 1 drops on a wet cloth. It will not remove wax. Shine with dry cloth.


AUTOMOTIVE

Washing: Use ½ tablespoon to gallon of water. Wash small area at a time, and hose off. Wiping dry is not necessary. Wipe windshield, windows and chrome with paper towels after rinsing. Bugs and road grime float away.

Engines: Use ½ oz to one gallon water to clean engine. It will not affect paint, gaskets or insulating material. Best results can be achieved when the engine is hot for fastest drying of the ignition system.

Battery Terminals: Use ¼ teaspoon to pint of water. Spray on battery terminals, let soak for 2 minutes and clean with wire brush. Use full strength Basic-h on battery terminals to avoid corrosion or galvanic action.

Automobile Radiator: Use ½ tablespoon to radiator full of water or anti-freeze. This prevents rust.

MISCELLANEOUS

Air Filters: Use ¼ teaspoon to quart of warm water. Air filters are cleaned with excellent results, leaving them free of dirt, oil, or chemical residue.

Rose Bushes: Use ½ teaspoon to gallon of water. Spraying rose bushes will protect them from red spider and other diseases, and also fertilize them.

House Plants: Use a few drops in water. Water plants and they will flourish. Use to wipe down leaves also.

Green Lawns: Use 1 tablespoon to “ortho-type” bottle applicator full of water. This should let 2 gallons of water through applicator to spray on lawn like liquid fertilizer.

Outside Windows: Use ½ teaspoon to “ortho-type” bottle applicator full of water. This should let 2 gallons of water through applicator to spray on windows and screens.

Humidifiers: Use 1 or 2 drops in water to help prevent rust and scum.

Water Soluble Gum Tape: Use 2 to 3 drops in a 16 oz spray bottle, or tape dispenser with water tank.

Ironing: A few drops in steam iron will keep the jets and interior clean.

Plumbing: Will keep pipes open and clean when used regularly. It emulsifies grease and can eliminate cleaning of grease traps.

ACCESSORIES

Toilet Bowl Cleaner: Fill toilet tank dispenser with Basic-H2. Place in toilet tank. It will automatically release a measured amount of Basic-H2 when you flush, to keep toilet bowl clean for months.

Basic-G: Can also be used in toilet tank dispenser full strength or diluted. Basic-G cleans with biodegradable agents while it disinfects and is even veridical when used as directed. Basic-G will deodorize bathroom areas, garbage cans and other areas where bacterial growth can cause unpleasant odors. Basic-G is concentrated for economy.


IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER!!

Basic-H2 is the most economical cleaner you can buy. One quart makes 192 gallons of cleaning solution by following directions.

Do Not Use More Than Recommended. A little goes a long way! Save $$!

Basic-H2 contains no acids, no alkalis, no kerosene or solvent, and has no offensive or detergent odor.

Basic-H2 has s pH factor of 6.5, right in the range of human skin.

Basic-H2 makes water many times wetter.

Basic-H2 is a fantastically versatile cleaner. The successor is soap!

Basic-H2 does not hinder bacterial action of septic tanks or cesspools.

DO NOT put fingers or foreign matter into Basic-H2 container. Large amounts of bacteria can cause degrading action and weaken your cleaner.

If a heavy-duty cleaner is required, use Basic-I.

In extremely stubborn areas of grease or stains, use Shaklee At-Ease scouring cleaner.

Shaklee, the first company in the world to be Climate Neutral(TM) certified

Shaklee is the first company in the WORLD to become Climate Neutral certified thus making a net zero impact on the environment. Shaklee is now buying 100 percent green energy or renewable power to meet its purchased electricity needs.

Shaklee will purchase its green or renewable power from San Francisco-based 3 Phases Energy, a renewable energy supplier. Renewable power is derived from a sustainable source such as wind, solar, or geothermal energy.

You can link to the entire story HERE.

I am so happy to know that I am contributing my small part to this company by "Shaklee-izing" my home. I now use their cleaning products (GET CLEAN), their skin care (ENFUSELLE), their make up (MINERELLES) and am now looking into the NUTRITION products.

The Green Girls will start offering their products under their own site soon.... stay tuned!

Portobello and Red Pepper Quesadillas

Portobello-and-Red Pepper ‘Quesadillas’

This Candle Café specialty will wow anyone who tries it.

For the Bean Purée:
1 cup white, black, or pinto beans (or use canned)
1 1-inch piece kombu (seaweed found in Asian markets or health food stores) (I use canned so no sea weed)
1 minced garlic clove, or 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. chili or chipotle powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

For the Filling:
2 large portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 12-inch flour tortillas
1 small red onion, very thinly sliced
2/3 cup grated soy cheese (you can obviously use REAL Cheese - I substitute the cheese for Avocado)

• First, prepare the bean purée. Pick over and rinse the beans and put them in a bowl with the piece of kombu, add enough water to cover by about 2 inches, and set aside to soak for 6 to 8 hours or overnight.
• Drain the beans, reserving the kombu, and transfer them both to a soup pot. Add 6 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer the beans, uncovered, for 40 to 50 minutes, until just tender. Drain and set aside, reserving about a cup of cooking liquid.
• Transfer the beans to a food processor or blender. Add the garlic, chili powder, sea salt, lime juice, cilantro, and a bit of the cooking liquid and pulse until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings. The purée can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.Prepare the quesadilla filling: Toss the mushrooms and pepper in olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Place on a baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 30 to 45 minutes. Set aside.
• Assemble the quesadillas and bake until warmed through, about 15 minutes, turning once. Or, for a crisper result, broil or grill the quesadillas for about 5 minutes per side. Cut into quarters and serve at once.

Makes 4 servings

From The Candle Café Cookbook
by Joy Pierson and Bart Potenza with Barbara Scott-Goodman
Get more vegetarian recipes from VegCooking.com.

Earth Day in review!!!

I'm not sure about your part of the world, but here in Midwest America we had FABULOUS Earth Day weather. The family spent a GOOD part of the day outside... to include an evening on a blanket plopped down in our front yard. The neighbors were out and we all got to spend some good time together after mostly not seeing each other over the winter.

We're all charged up by Earth Day... ready to do all of the things that Oprah recommended in her show:

From changing to energy efficient light bulbs (CFLs) to buying Shaklee's Get Clean Home Health Kit

but my question to everyone is... will this be akin to new years resolutions? As soon as the mass media stops talking about it on every channel of the tv and radio will you forget and go back to your non-green ways?

Our hope here at Green Girl's Guide is that you will check back often for your daily dose of what to do next! For your reminders and inspiration to continue on w/ your resolutions of yesterday!

We've got one planet it's up to us to keep it green!

We are thinking and working on ways that we can better support your need to be GREEN so please give us any ideas and feedback about what you need to keep you motivated. Is it product you are looking for? If so, what products would you like easy access too? Is it information? Give us some hints and we'll do our best!

30 reasons to become a vegatarian

I found this video at www.goveg.com - it focuses more on animal cruelty/rights than it does on health and the environment, but it has a powerful message. I am WARNING YOU... this has some very graphic footage... if you are queasy or faint of heart you shouldn't watch it, but if you don't watch it b/c you don't want to see animals slaughtered and you eat meat... you might want to think about that and at least visit www.goveg.com




Watch more videos at PETA.org

recycle then compost

I was over at my friend Marie's and had a "DUH" moment. I walked by her crock pot and saw a bunch of frozen veggie scraps and a chicken carcass cooking away. I asked her what it was and she said that whenever they make a salad or any dish w/ veggie scraps instead of throwing them out they put them in the freezer then when they have a chicken carcass they put it all in the crock pot to make stock! Wow... DUH! How easy! I could make veggie stock instead of buying it from the store and having to throw away the container... and all from SCRAPS that I would either throw away or compost!

After you use the scraps you can compost them (veggie stuff only, unless you have a GREEN CONE... then you can toss that bird in there too!).

Thanks for the GREAT idea Marie!

Green Home items

Here are some things you can do around the house to "green up" the place.

1. Switch from your plastic food storage containers to glass (as the plastic wears out of course - don't just throw perfectly good Tupperware in the garbage - creating unneeded waste - b/c you want to replace it.) Here are some resources for glass food storage containers: Crate and Barrel, Cooking.com, Kitchen Etc., and Wisementrading.

BECAUSE: Not only does glass not leach harmful toxins into your food it is made with out the use of petroleum and can be recycled easily into more glass again and again and again.

2. Use cast iron (the original non-stick) instead of non-stick coated pots and pans. You can get cast iron pots and pans at any good retailer. Check out Williams Sonoma or Crate and Barrel. And for those of us that are a bit more thrifty - JC Penney also carries some really nice looking cast iron. The good news is that when cast iron is cared for properly it lasts forever. My mom has plenty of cast iron that is much older than I!

BECAUSE: The use of non stick coated pots and pans has not yet been proven to cause problems for humans, but the development and application of these coatings does create perfluoroocrtanoic acid which has been shown to cause developmental problems in lab animals. Cooking in cast iron can increase the amount of iron in a food by around 80% - good news for all of us veggies out there. Plus it cooks things very evenly and can go from stove top to oven.

3. Purchase some reusable bags. Karen and I have used the following bags and REALLY like them: Envirosax, good size w/ nice handles that fit over your shoulder. They come in awesome prints (b/c you want to look good carrying your bags) and roll up nice and small. And the lady that developed them is SUPER COOL. Chico Bags, almost exactly the size of a shopping bag, hold about 20lbs, come in fun colors, stuff (I'm better at stuffing than folding) into an attached little bag for easy storage and have a hook to hook them on about anything. Cafe Press, you can get one w/ your Green Girl splashed all over it! This one is large w/ long handles that will go over your shoulder as well. It doesn't fold up as small, but it says GREEN GIRL on it! Come on! :)

BECAUSE: Decrease the amount of bags hitting the land fill by using yours over and over again!

4. Switch to non-toxic dish washing detergents such as Shaklee or Seventh Generation.

BECAUSE: Conventional detergents pollute the water supply with chlorine and phosphates.

5. As your incandescent bulbs burn out replace them with compact fluorescents - CFLs.

BECAUSE: They last longer - about 10x longer - and will cost about $30 less over the life of the bulb. Yeah, less energy therefore less money leaving your pocket! One CFL can save 450 pounds of emissions from a power plant over its lifetime.

6. Use recycled toilet paper!

BECAUSE: According to the Natural Resource Defense Council we are destroying valuable habitat to make our disposable paper products - "But if every household in the United States replaced just one roll of 70-sheet virgin-fiber paper towels with 100 percent recycled towels, 544,000 trees could be saved."

7. Change all of your household cleansers from conventional cleaners to either natural "around the house" cleaners (see below) or to a non-toxic environmental variety like Shaklee (have I beat that horse enough yet? Can't help it ... it's what I use and I believe in their products.) Some natural cleaners you could use around the house include vinegar, baking soda and good old fashioned elbow grease.

BECAUSE: Conventional cleaners contain many harmful chemicals that are not only introduced to our water system, but are released into the air in YOUR HOME while you use them.

8. Install a rain barrel to collect run off water. Here are some options: The Rain Saver: Quite a pretty option as rain barrels are concerned. Clean Air Gardening: This site has ALL KINDS of barrels.

BECAUSE: m The more water you can conserve from rain water the less fresh water you use on your lawn and the less water that has to be processed in a water treatment plant!

This Moment on Earth - the Kerry's

John and Teresa Kerry were featured on This Week with George Stephanopoulos (click HERE to view the video) promoting the environment and their book This Moment on Earth about REGULAR folks impacted by toxicity in our environment and what we as REGULAR folks can do to help fix it.

According to the Kerry's we have 10 years to make this right before we have a major catastrophe. John Kerry is saying that the US needs to take a stand and be the leader and research to do better by the environment. It's expensive, but it's only going to get more and more expensive as we wait. It makes me think about visits to the dentist where I'm told I need a crown... it's expensive, but not as expensive as waiting until I have an absess and need both a root canal and a crown... hmmm.

Watching some of the highlights from the book - namely the info about Rick Dove and his experience while he was fishing (watch the video) has solidified my decision to go Vegetarian. Yes, I've decided to go that way. :) I've already been eating that way for a bit and I even feel better. Now I have to decide whether or not to take my family (well, my kids I can't make my husband change the way he eats) with me.

I plan to check the book out when it hits my local library and will share more about it then.

Is there an answer?

I am reading Garbage Land and I've got to say so far it's a bit dismal. Is there no answer to the question of what to do about our mounting garbage problem? Our garbage is just piling up everywhere creating all kinds of problems. It is unlikely that we can count on the majority of the public to take up composting their own materials and it isn't cost effective for municipalities to do it so that's not likely to happen. I'm still excited about my Green Cone and the prospect of doing my small part, but this book is making me frustrated about the big picture. I'm not done w/ the book yet and am awaiting her big answer / solution to the problem - though I doubt she has one. I think the real answer is for each of us to be more conscious about our decisions and how the impact the whole. We can't eliminate our garbage, but we can decrease it. Don't buy individually packaged products, buy bulk where we can... to coin a marketing term for the recycling campaigns... reduce, recycle, reuse!

One solution that is being discussed in the book are Anaerobic food digesters. These are enclosed vertical tanks that take up far less space than a landfill. The tanks are hooked up to dewatering and gas collection systems. Food and waste is 'cooked' in the cylinder until it is about 90% decomposed then it is moved to an aerobic system (I believe just in open air) for it to be converted to compost. This compost is made up of about 40 percent carbon dioxide and 60 percent methane. This can then be converted to energy.

Nantucket, Mass. came up against some real problems with their unlined landfill in the late 80s and was in the position to make a change. They hired Waste Options to implement an anaerobic food digester and have been able to divert about 86 percent of their garbage from the landfill into the digester and are going a step further and taking the old landfill and putting it in the digester to convert it to compost. You can check HERE for the full story!

I'm not sure that this is the answer for ALL locations, but it shows a great amount of promise. Now I need to research to see if others are looking into this as an option... surely the success of Nantucket's operation is no secret! I read about it..

So I think the NOW answer is for each of us to REDUCE, recycle and reuse wherever we can... while the long term answer is being worked on. I know there are bigger things we can do ... like lobby our local governments etc... the squeaky wheel gets the oil.

Vegetable Ragu

What's this got to do w/ the environment? Well, in line with the discussion about vegetarianism I've been looking for good recipes and found this one and thought it would be fun to share some recipes as I go... try if you wish!

This particular recipe is modified from Rachel Ray's 2,4,6,8 Great Meals for Couples or Crowds.

Polenta w/ Vegetable Ragu
1 large head of cauliflower, cut into bite sized florets
3 T EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
Salt and Pepper
6 cups vegetable stock
1 large fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 red bell peppers, seeded and sliced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup raisins
1 head of escarole, washed and coarsely chopped (they didn't have this so I used mustard greens)
Parmigiano-reggiano cheese
Polenta (I used the kind that comes in a tube that you slice and prepare according to package directions)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Arrange cauliflower on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle generously with EVOO, then season with salt and pepper, tossing around to coat. Roast the cauliflower for 15 minutes, or until it is lightly browned and tender.

Place large skillet over medium-high heat with 3 tablespoons of EVOO. Add the fennel, onions, garlic, bell peppers and red pepper flakes and season with a little salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until the veggies are approaching being tender. Add 2 cups of veggie stock and bring up to a simmer, then continue cooking for 4 - 5 minutes.

While that is cooking slice your polenta and either pan fry it or bake it for about 15 minutes. (follow the directions on the package for desired results.)

Add the roasted cauliflower, greens (mustard, chard, escarole or whatever you prefer) and the raisins to the skillet of veggies, toss to combine and continue to cook for about 4 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by half.

To serve place 2 or 3 slices of polenta in a bowl and cover with the veggie ragu then sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano. Serves about 6.

GET CLEAN

Okay… so I’m 31 now.. (ouch) and you know we are always supposed to listen to our mom b/c ‘mommy knows best’, but we also know that deep down inside we want to disagree w/ mom… just because. Well, MY mom has been selling Shaklee products for some time now and I’ve always kind of let it all go in one ear and out the other… 1. Not a big fan of cleaning so any cleaning talk was useless to me (ha) and 2. I’m my own woman and didn’t need my mom telling me how to do things…. Ha ha

Fast forward: I’m a wife, mom, home owner and let’s face it I’ve got to start cleaning this house!!! I’ll summarize the story as to how I got to using Shaklee products. Post birth of my babies my skin was a wreck… even more of a wreck than it had been previously… now in addition to my lovely acne I had I now had a not so attractive RIDUCULOUSLY dry patch on my face. Mom and I traveled together and she went on and on about Shaklee and finally I said, “okay.. I’ll try your stuff while we’re on this trip.” (in my mind thinking this SO isn’t going to work) Well, IT DID! The dry spot cleared up in less than a week and I was sold. Mom had talked about the environmental aspects of Shaklee all along, but I hadn’t done the research on my own. Now that I was going to order my own Enfuselle (another post to be done in the future RE: skin care, but if you are looking for info now click here to be directed to the website.) I was going to do my own research. WOW Shaklee is one environmentally conscious operation. This led me to look into their cleaning products.. Mom had sung their praises as well, but I was leary about the shipping cost. After what I read about Shaklee and their environmentally conscious business practices I felt it might be worth it. Not only is it worth it… it’s cost effective because the products are so concentrated. I’m not paying for them to ship a bunch of water. I don’t’ have to have a bunch of different cleaners. Basic H works on almost everything.

They have named their cleaning product campaign Get Clean – meaning not only get your house clean, but get our planet clean.

The products are safe for you to use.. no harmful chemicals and therefore no horrible odors… no more having to turn on the fan in the bathroom just to do the job. No more rubber gloves or worrying about your kids being close by or following behind and touching before everything has dried and gassed off.

Quoted from the Shaklee website: “Go to your cupboard right now. Pick a cleaner, any cleaner. Does it contain chlorine, phenol, ammonia, or formaldehyde? These—and more—may be toxic. Toxic as in dangerous, as in hurtful, as in not very clean at all.”

Shaklee cleaning products have:

* No napthalene
* No kerosene
* No formaldehyde
* No phenol
* No cresol
* No lye
* No hydrochloric acid
* No sulfuric acid
* No petroleum distillates
* No benzene
* No ammonia
* No paradichlorobenzene
* No sodium hydroxide
* No butyl cellosolve
* No phosphoric acid

There products are also good for the planet.

Quoted from the Shalkee website: “Get Clean™ products use biodegradable cleaning agents, which means they break down easily instead of hanging out in the ground for hundreds of years. They also have no phosphates, borates, nitrates, or other stuff the planet doesn't appreciate. And by making them superconcentrated, we leave you to add water so we can subtract waste. This has tons of implications. Literally. Less weight to ship. Less product to use. Less packaging to throw away. So you can get that clean feeling about your house, knowing you're keeping the planet clean, too.”

Shaklee cleaning products have:

* Sustainably sourced natural ingredients
* Biodegradable
* No chlorine
* No phosphates
* No nitrates
* No borates
* No animal testing
* Recyclable packaging
* Recyclable wipes
* Recyclable dryer sheets

Some statistics from the website convinced me that purchasing the products on line and paying to have them shipped was worth the cost – and was actually a wash – because it helped me to achieve some of my personal goals for 2007: decreasing the amount of waste the I send to the landfill and decrease my environmental footprint. Here are the statistics that I found astonishing:

“108lbs of packaging waste stays out of landfills when you buy the Get Clean Starter Kit versus conventional ready-to-use cleaners.”

“248 pounds of greenhouse gas are eliminated when you buy the Get Clean Starter Kit versus conventional ready-to-use cleaners.”

I ordered the starter kit and I’ve gotta say I LOVE IT! Not only is it well packaged – hey come on .. I know it’s just cleaning stuff, but the fact that it looks good makes me feel good.. I don’t know why – it gets the job done and only drops of it are needed to perform hard tasks. Basic H rocks my cleaning world. You mix it in different degrees to clean different things… like windows vs. bathroom (all-purpose cleaners). I got my stuff in mid October and am no where near going through the Laundry detergent, Basic H, dish soap, hand soap, Nature Bright, fabric softener or scour off paste (love this stuff for hard to clean stuff... the sink, caked on cooked on stuff on pots and pans) . I did order more dish detergent, but for some reason we run the dishwasher a lot.. how does a family of 2 (+ 2 9 month olds) go through so many dishes?

I will stop going on and just direct you to the place to go for all info about Getting Clean and staying Green!!!! It even comes w/ a cute little caddy and cleaning rags… LOVE IT! Click HERE.

So here I am saying it for the world to see... Mom, you were RIGHT! AGAIN!

Thank you...

Thank you to everyone that has responded via comments and sent emails to both Karen and myself with both ideas and encouragement. We are both very excited about this. It would be an understatement to say that my head is spinning with ideas of what to share here. I've got some great stuff from a lot of you!

Sorry for the minor glitch ... we are trying to drop the 'blogspot' from our name and use just our domain name of greengirlsguide and I guess I did something wrong. We are back on with blogspot for now, but will hopefully get it all worked out. If you set up RSS feeds don't worry they will still work after we get moved.

Go Green,
Laura

Okay...

So I lay in bed last night contemplating the whole vegetarian thing and felt I left you hanging out there with my last post. I have eaten vegetarian in my past - for non-environmental reasons, but have since left that life behind. Current info has me considering vegetarianism again, but I wouldn't make that extreme choice lightly. We were designed to be omnivores... I am built to eat meat - granted I don't think humans were built to eat the VOLUME of meat that we eat. Is going veg the best all around taking into consideration both the environment and my health? Do I need to be so extreme to make a difference in our planet? Is just cutting back on the amount I eat enough? I think the answer is probably yes, but know that I AM looking into this and will report back any findings!