She’ll naturally ’shout it out’

Add comment September 30th, 2009

Michelle VanSchelven of Rockton has won the bottle of Nature’s Source natural laundry stain remover and will review it for us! Thanks to all who entered.

This is more than you’ve probably thought about toilet paper

Add comment September 26th, 2009

When you buy toilet paper, you don’t think about the fact that a tree fell to make it (and probably an old one).

Same thing goes for paper, I suppose, except often paper is made from recycled products. TP, not so much.

I read a story from The Washington Post that can be summarized in one sentence:

Big toilet-paper makers say that they’ve taken steps to become more Earth-friendly but that their customers still want the soft stuff, so they’re still selling it.

But it’s actually a long piece full of interesting data:

– Toilet paper accounts for 5 percent of the U.S. forest-products industry, compared with 26 percent for paper products and 3 percent for newspapers.

– If you want to be green about your toilet paper, go to the bathroom away from home, where you have no choice. That “cheap stuff” uses recycled fiber about 75 percent of the time. Compare that with 5 percent fully recycled stuff for what you buy for your home.

– By 2011, Kimberly-Clark says 40 percent of the fiber in all its tissue products will come from recycled paper or sustainable forests.

I’ll try the recycled stuff once, I guess. I’m not ashamed to admit that I like my Cottonelle. Marcal, which says “soft is overrated,” asserts that strength is more important.

This issue makes the whole “over” or “under” debate seem so 20th century.

Taking the LEED in Rockford

Add comment September 25th, 2009

In May, we wrote about the Rock River Water Reclamation District’s new $9 million building at 3501 Kishwaukee St., Rockford, which is seeking gold LEED certification (the second-highest level and the city’s first public-building designation).

Today, there is a ribbon-cutting and tours (the building includes a $240,000 interactive water exhibit that is expected to educate more than 1,200 kids a year); call the office at 815-387-7400.

Again, what’s LEED? From the U.S. Green Building Council:

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria….

LEED is a third-party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.

Again, what’s the RRWRD? According to its press release:

(The district) provides wastewater treatment services covering nearly 88 square miles of Winnebago County and serves more than 240,000 people in Rockford, Loves Park, Machesney Park, Roscoe, Cherry Valley, New Milford, a small part of Rockton and a number of unincorporated areas of Winnebago County.

Again, where did the money come from? From our archives:

It was paid for by a multimillion-dollar bond sale, proceeds of which are also being used to pay for sewer expansions allowing for growth southeast and southwest of Rockford to Baxter Road and Interstate 39.

This move allowed the district to convert another building into a pump station, saving $2 million by avoiding new construction. However, the cost of this project went over original estimates by $3 million, according to our previous reporting.

The Incredible Shrinking Garden

Add comment September 23rd, 2009

I sure love the Midwest and its seasonality.  The fall cycle takes place invariably in the execution of weeds, spent vines, brown harvested sweet corn stalks, and  green bean debris.  The weeds are all tilled under in the process.  Hopefully most were tilled under before the seed heads matured.  Weed whipping held most at bay when hand weeding became tedious and not worth the effort. The plants had already made their fruits.  Rows become fewer, and the garden seems to shrink. The Guinea fowl are still delighting in the never-ending supply of Japanese beetles and are supplementing their diets with the weed seeds.  They spend their days “working”.

Late planted lettuces, turnips, broccoli, green beans, and cabbages are coming to maturity.  The tomatoes are lifeless lumps in their beds.  There’s still a lot of tomato out there, although the last big rain seemed to “rain disease” on the vines.  The serious pickers and tomato lovers will salvage the ugly fruits, chop out the bad spots and make wonderful bruschettas and flavorful sauces out of the garden ripened fruits.  Peppers and tomatillos have come into their own abundance.

Our usual challenge is just when is a melon perfect for picking.  For the last few weeks we pick a few here and there, but now the first tendril on the watermelon has turned brown.  The cantaloupe is ready when the vine slips off the melon attachment. Oh my.  Hidden under the vines were about 200 perfectly ripe fruits of all sizes.   The melon options are fantastic when home grown.  We have red, yellow, and orange watermelons.  All have a tender rind, not good for shipping in big brown boxes, so seldom found in the big grocery stores.  Check out the farmer’s markets! Picking day is also tilling day.  The vines and weeds go with the tilling, leaving another flat place in the garden to receive wonderful organic manures and composts.

Potatoes and onions are still in the ground and can come out any time.  Our little V-plow, lovingly dubbed the “potato popper”,  is a back saver.  Onions, fortunately, sit on the surface and just need to be lifted.  Onions like to dry on the surface for a couple days.  Potatoes would turn green if left in the light for very long.

After the first frost, we’ll snip off the sweet  potato vines and “mine for gold”. We wait patiently for the parsnips to sweeten after a hard frost, and have topped off the brussel sprouts so the plant’s energy will feed the growing sprouts.  The late crops are starting to look lonely as the garden shrinks.

Local food is still abundant, just changing with the season.  Take advantage of the fall harvest by visiting local markets and the Openfields Dinner Series.  There are only three dinners remaining.  Visit www.extension.uiuc.edu/winnebago for the details. ?

Have fun cleaning THAT up

Add comment September 23rd, 2009

The scene hardly looks real: Red dust blowing over the bridge and Opera House in Sydney. Australia is suffering through its worst dust storm in 70 years.

The city’s particle pollution recorded its worst day ever today as the interior of the country suffers from its worst drought. The mess is reportedly clearing already.

The BBC has a gallery if you want to check it out.

Bad news, good news

Add comment September 23rd, 2009

I was going to do a small entry about the Revolution Cafe at the nCenter, which is a two-minute walk from the News Tower (220 S. Madison, Rockford).

I had eaten lunch a few times there, the food was great (like the turkey wrap above, or the beef ginger soup I tried) and Jim Green, who rang me up, said that the bags and takeout containers were eco-friendly.

Bummer. It’s closed now. That’s what I get for waiting a few weeks.

You can still try the same sandwich fare at the Y Cafe inside the downtown YMCA (815-987-2268). And the cafe expects to start putting up “healthy vending machines” at the Y and other businesses. I’ll have to go there and do more reporting.

Any other businesses big on organic/local food or green takeout products?

Want to win a new product?

4 comments September 22nd, 2009

Every now and then, people dump “green things” on my desk.

This week? A bottle of Nature’s Source natural laundry stain remover. I’m willing to give it away via random drawing if you e-mail me at jpollock@rrstar.com by noon Wednesday, Sept. 30. It also comes with a $1 off coupon for your next purchase.

Warning: If you win, I’ll expect you to write me a little review on how well it works. It comes from the makers of Shout, so I have high hopes for it.

The Web site says:

(It) combines simple, biodegradable ingredients into an effective and natural fabric-care solution. It contains no ammonia, bleach, phosphorus or dyes and is safe for all colorfast washables—so you can feel good about using it on your family’s clothes.

The bottle says it uses plant-based, biodegradable cleaners and is safe for all colorfast fabrics. Saw it listed for sale online for $4.99 for a 26-ounce bottle.

If you only read a few graphs about the U.N. climate change summit

Add comment September 22nd, 2009

These graphs from the AP story summarize it pretty well:

Today’s U.N. summit and the G-20 summit in Pittsburgh later this week seek to put added pressure on rich nations to commit to greenhouse gas cuts and to pay for poorer nations to burn less coal and preserve their forests.

(President Barack) Obama sought repeatedly to hold everyone accountable. He said developed nations such as the United States have a “responsibility to lead” but rapidly-growing nations must do their part.

If you have time for two more:

Obama sought to show U.S. resolve ahead of crucial talks in Copenhagen in December, when nations will try to reach a new global treaty to address climate change. …

“It is true that for too many years, mankind has been slow to respond to or even recognize the magnitude of the climate threat. It is true of my own country as well,” Obama said. “We recognize that.”

Running + water = Saving H20

1 comment September 19th, 2009

I still have to buy one of those Sigg bottles (Christmas idea!), so I usually just refill a plastic bottle when I go to the gym or the soccer field.

The Rockford Christian cross country team, which drinks a whole lot of water, has gone green this season by using refillable bottles and bringing a cooler to meets. If they want sports drinks, they use individual flavor packets in their own bottles.

I love this quote from Brenda Young’s story:

“It’s definitely out of my comfort zone,” Rockford Christian coach Randy Moore said. “It’s going to take time for them to adjust, but everyone is on board. Some are really good and some forget. But just like cross country, you have to train. You have to train the body and now we have to train the mind to recycle.”

Any other teams doing something cool like this?

Five courses with a view of the golf course

Add comment September 18th, 2009

Reminder that the September Openfields dinner series will be hosted at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, at Noonan’s (Aldeen Golf Course, Rockford) — the catering is by Five Forks Market. Register here or call 815-986-4357; cost is $55 for five courses.

If you can’t make it, two more chances for locally grown and made cuisine are Oct. 8 at Cru and Oct. 24 at Kiki B’s.