November 19th, 2009 02:11pm
Margaret Larson
11/18/09
Community gardens, neighborhood gardens, Plant a Row for the Hungry gardens-all serve a similar purpose and maybe are just redundant names for the same thing. The common theme: a place-based effort to produce small fruits and vegetables for individuals, groups, or those less fortunate. The idea of sharing the labor, cost and tools for the sharing of the harvest is appealing to many who may not want to do the solitary garden thing in their backyards, but look instead to a social opportunity offered by a community garden.
Last spring, the Register Star’s Jenny Pollock contacted me for a list of community gardens in the area. I didn’t have one, and determined that one did not exist. We are looking to change that and have begun a process to map community gardening in our area. A survey form has been developed and is available on Extension’s website http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/winnebago. Those without internet access can request a copy from the office by calling 815-986-4357. Because there is such interest in community gardening in its many forms, we plan to compile a listing which can be accessed to find places to garden, types of projects, and other information. Driving this project is our desire to provide technical expertise, educational opportunities, and other assistance to groups. U of I Extension staff, Master Gardeners, Master Composters and other volunteers will be involved and lending their expertise and know-how as needed.
A partnership between Extension, Neighborhood Network, and the Rockford Department of Human Services was recently formed, and together we will be supporting “Roots Rock Community Gardening Program.” Last week an informational meeting was held and the 30 or so in attendance got to meet U of I Master Gardener Jeff White, the energy behind this program. Jeff told the audience “we want to help you establish your new garden or make your existing garden better. We will provide you with a series of workshops covering planning and planting the garden, weed and pest control, and finally, harvesting and preserving the bounty of the garden using safe food preservation techniques.” Through this program, we hope to see more neighborhood groups establish gardens, more families involved in gardening, and of course, more produce donated to those in need through the Plant a Row for the Hungry program.
Correction: The movie “Fresh” will be shown on Thursday, December 10 at 7 p.m. at the movie theater in the Rockford Museum Park (former Storefront Cinema).
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Margaret Larson is the Director of the U of I Extension Offices in Winnebago andStephenson
Counties. She has been active in supporting the local food system in the region and most recently began working with the Illinois Department of Ag to form a statewide Farmers Market Association in
Illinois.
November 19th, 2009 07:41am
Jennie Pollock
If you’re heading into the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago over the holidays, you have the last chance to see the “Smart Home: Green + Wired” exhibit. It closes Jan. 3.
It features a rooftop garden, solar panels and a climate control system.
November 18th, 2009 01:02pm
Jennie Pollock
That’s the headline I take away from this week’s Associated Press/NBC Universal poll.
According to the AP story:
A solid majority of Americans recognize the need to help the environment, although there are some things — like buying a hybrid car or taking mass transit — that people often talk about, but don’t necessarily act on.
What the numbers show (again, according to the story):
– 72 percent were very likely to recycle cans and bottles.
– 63 percent were very likely to turn down thermostats.
– 62 percent were very likely to buy energy-efficient appliances.
– 59 percent were very likely to use cold water for clothes washing.
– 59 percent were very likely to buy recycled paper products.
– More than half said it would help the environment if people brought their own shopping bags to stores, and 46 percent said they were very likely to do so, while 25 percent ruled it out.
– More than 6 in 10 people said they thought car pooling or using mass transit would help the environment. Yet only 3 in 10 said they were very likely to do it, and 4 in 10 said they were not at all likely to car pool or take mass transit.
– About 45 percent of those surveyed embraced the idea of gas-electric hybrid cars, but only 1 in 5 would be very likely to buy such a vehicle, and half said they were “not at all likely” to buy one.
My observations:
1. I understand the challenge of carpooling and mass transit: I don’t do either here.
2. I don’t totally buy the complaint that hybrids are “too expensive” — the Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight start in the low $20,000s. While that is out of the price range for some, it’s in line with a lot of cars I see on the highway.
3. I can’t believe more people don’t recycle. That’s why I still find cans and bottles and jars in the garbage.
So I ask…
Do you see most people making a real effort to "go green"?
November 17th, 2009 06:25am
Jennie Pollock
That’s what the Dutch government wants to do (in case you missed the brief in the paper over the weekend).
The payoff? According to Wired:
– No ownership or sales taxes, which are about 25 percent of the price of a new car there.
– A 10 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions as people drive less and avoid peak traffic times (meaning less congestion, too).
Parliament still must sign off on the plan, which would cost about 7 cents per mile.
The “green tax” might not fly. After all, it requires GPS tracking. And opponents say it would unfairly hurt business drivers, according to AP.
November 16th, 2009 10:20am
Jennie Pollock
The one from Home Depot that says you can get a $3 voucher toward new holiday lights if you bring in your old ones? I caught it last night.
Too late! That offer only ran Nov. 5 through 15. Sharing in case you were thinking of doing this.
It’s an annual program, so watch for it next year.
November 16th, 2009 06:37am
Jennie Pollock
I wrote this fall that I was saddened by the closing of the cafe at the N Center, just a block away from the News Tower.
But I managed to track down Michael Wasserman, who is still doing the same good food at the downtown YMCA. The location is called the Y Cafe; the business is called Juice Energy Cafe (JUICE is an acronym for Jesus Unleashed is Creations Energy) and has been there since December 2008.
You can find soups, sandwiches and more there; Wasserman said pairing with the Y makes sense because both he and the organization support a healthy lifestyle, and he and the fitness instructors have developed a good relationship. Since this is a green blog, not a food blog, I asked about the eco-friendly aspects of his business:
You use greenware to-go containers and cups? ”They are made from a corn-based plastic and are biodegradable. Our forks, spoons and knives are made from potatoes…. It is good stewardship. I believe these choices make a difference to the members at the YMCA, and the young people coming through really think it’s cool. The greenware costs a little more going in but will probably save in cost later. It is good to use less petroleum in our products.”
What about the menu? “We buy organic foods where possible, we use low-sodium turkey and we choose good, quality meats. We try to buy everything fresh, not processed. Our soups are low sodium and made fresh daily. We offer a traditional and vegetarian soup.”
And drinks? “We use fresh fruit in our smoothies and sweeten with honey when possible. We juice using organic carrots and other fresh vegetables. Our Italian roast coffee is organic and fair trade.”
What else is popular? ”We just added a sushi choice for the week that has been received well. Our organic oatmeal and fresh fruit and yogurt parfaits topped with our homemade granola are going strong.”
What’s next? “We are working with a local company to refurbish vending machines to offer our fresh foods at other locations.” He adds that he continues to work on making his menu healthier and better, too.
Cafe hours are 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. It is open to Y members and their friends (who must sign in at the front desk). Call 815-489-1272.
November 13th, 2009 05:02am
Jennie Pollock
I got a press release reminding everyone that Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful’s Recycling Center in Roscoe will be open from 9 a.m. until noon Nov. 28, the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
Lori Gummow, executive director, also says something important to keep in mind this time of year: “According to the EPA, between the Thanksgiving holiday and the new year, Americans throw away 25 percent more trash than during any other time of the year. This increase in trash amounts to 25 million tons, which makes the recycling effort all the more important.”
The Recycling Center is on the frontage road, one-half mile north of McCurry Road and Illinois 251 in Roscoe. It accepts:
– Glass containers: Food jars and bottles only (green, brown and clear). No caps or lids.
– Plastic containers: Bottles coded #1 and #2 with “necks and shoulders” and six pack rings.
– Laser/ink jet cartridges
– Metal cans: Food cans only.
– Aluminum: Cans and scrap (foil, pie tins, etc.)
– Corrugated cardboard
– Phone books
– Paper: Newspapers, sale ads, junk mail, paper bags, office paper, computer paper, chipboard and magazines.
– Cell phones
November 12th, 2009 11:41am
Jennie Pollock
The Hoo Haven Wildlife Rehabilitation & Education Center is celebrating its Renewable Energy Project with an open house from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday at 10823 Cleveland Road, Durand.
Its new Photo Voltaic Green Energy System can generate and store electricity — and lower bills, which helps Hoo Haven care for orphaned, ill and injured wildlife. In fact, on the first day of solar power, the electric meter ran backward.
A $30,000 grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation provided more than half of the funding. Steven J. Herdklotz, one of Hoo Haven’s founding directors, designed and installed the system.
Real-time graphing and power generation data will be available soon on www.hoohaven.org. This will be useful for teachers and students interested in alternative energy.
If your group wants to tour the facility, call 815-629-2212.
November 12th, 2009 01:27am
Constance McCarthy
While the hard freeze may have wiped out a lot of veggies, the activities of the Local Foods Work Group continue apace. In October I went to the national conference of the Community Food Security Coalition in Des Moines with Margaret Larson, director of our county’s Extension office. Over 600 people attended, all with an interest in local foods, but from so many different angles, including food policy, agriculture policy, just treatment of farm workers, academics, nutritionists, economists, farmers, food pantries, farm-to-cafeteria programs, and neighborhood revitalization. One highlight was the speech by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, about exciting changes that are afoot at the U.S.D.A. We returned to Rockford with our heads full of ideas for new projects that we’ll start to tackle over the winter.On December 10, 2009, our group will host a showing of the movie Fresh as part of Terra Madre Day. First, the movie: it’s a new documentary that celebrates farmers, consumers, and business people nationwide who are reimagining and transforming our country’s food system. “Forging healthier, sustainable alternatives, they offer a practical vision for a future of our food and our planet.” (www.FreshTheMovie.com) It’s been shown in Chicago and Madison, as well as at numerous film festivals, and now it will finally be coming to our area. For details on the showing, check the Extension’s website at web.extension.uiuc.edu/winnebago.Terra Madre Day is being organized by Slow Food International to promote access to good, clean, and fair food; agricultural biodiversity; small-scale food production; environmentally responsible food production; and fair and sustainable trade. Groups around the world will be hosting events including communal meals, excursions to producers, and film and cultural events. While we’ll enjoy the movie in our own community, we’ll also be part of something much larger. Think globally, act locally, as they say.In response to a desire in the community to learn more about local foods, our Local Foods Work Group will host a symposium on Saturday, March 20, 2010 in Rockford. The keynote speaker will be Terra Brockman, founder of The Land Connection (a group that promotes community-based food systems in the Midwest) and author of a new book, The Seasons on Henry’s Farm. Several breakout sessions will also be offered. Things are still in the planning stages, but mark your calendar and check the Extension’s website for updates.Speaking of updates, winter is also the time when we review the northern Illinois local foods directory to be sure that all the information is current. If you or a local producer you know would like to be included, contact the Extension office or visit the website. There is no charge to be listed, as the aim is to support local growers and producers, as well as to help folks find local sources for a wide variety of foods. Whether you’re looking for veggies, fruit, meat, eggs, honey, maple syrup, or grains, you won’t have to go far for local goodness.
November 11th, 2009 10:45pm
Jennie Pollock
Five out of the seven Republican candidates for governor don’t believe that global warming is caused by human activity — you know, pollution from cars, factories and power plants.
Read for yourself:
1. “I don’t accept the premise that man is the cause of global warming, if global warming even exists,” Kirk Dillard, a state senator from Hinsdale, said at a candidate forum last week.
2. Dan Proft, a Chicago-area public relations consultant, said Al Gore and other global warming activists are “kind of enviro-terrorists.”
3. “Global warming is not created by man and anybody who says that, it’s just bad science. It’s not true,” said Bob Schillerstrom, chairman of the DuPage County Board.
4. “We have great opportunities in this state and anyone who voted for cap-and-trade voted to penalize Illinois families and workers and should apologize for it,” said state Sen. Bill Brady of Bloomington.
Count out the two Democratic candidates (Pat Quinn and Dan Hynes) and the GOP’s Jim Ryan. One other Republican, Andy McKenna, hasn’t taken a stand.
OK, somehow, a fifth Republican was missing from this story…. Makes about as much sense as disagreeing with science. Guessing it’s businessman Adam Andrezejewski.
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