Go Green
Rockford Woman editor Jennie Pollock knows that we’re not going to transform our lifestyles overnight, but she looks for ways big and mostly small to protect our planet. Read about her experiences (she’s tried giving up plastic and meat, for example) and share your possible solutions here. |
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Add comment October 24th, 2009 06:55am Jennie Pollock
CNNMoney reports this week that the Department of Energy says more independent testing for the Energy Star appliance labels is needed.
For example, one LG fridge rated itself twice as energy-efficient as it is.
Still, officials stand behind the program and its benefit to the planet (and your pocketbook).
Add comment October 23rd, 2009 02:07pm Andrea (Andy) Hazzard
When I started vegetable gardening, I ordered the big catalog from Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah, Iowa. Their mission is to preserve heirloom garden seeds. This means that the green tomatoes that someone grew long ago in the hills of Western Kentucky, or even in more distant corners of the world, are available to us today.
Thousands of varieties and thousands of years of combined selection bring us to the present. There are several seed banks around the world that store seeds. They are effectively storing a map of the evolution of food. Every living thing contains genetic code, and with food in particular, human and natural selection have shaped that code over hundreds and even thousands of years. For plants, adaptability is an insurance policy to guarantee that there will be a next generation of their species.
Consider modern tomatoes and field corn. According to the 1937 Yearbook of Agriculture published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, “Of about 40 varieties that had attained a distinct status prior to 1910, a third were productions or introductions by the Livingston Seed Company. If we add those varieties derived directly from Livingston productions and introductions, it appears that half of the major varieties were due to the abilities of the Livingstons to evaluate and perpetuate superior material in the tomato.” That’s not very much genetic diversity, especially considering that there are thousands of varieties of tomatoes that were derived from the work done by the Aztecs since 500 BC.
Attempts to preserve all those varieties means that there is much more genetic material to work with. Most people dislike the taste of winter tomatoes from the store, and part of that comes from forcing them to grow out of season. Other factors include breeders selecting for ship-ability, uniform size and color, appearance (no cracking), disease resistance, plant size, days to maturity, and even cold tolerance. Unfortunately, lost in all this is taste.
Having heirloom ancestors allows us to manipulate the genetic code even more, so that perhaps someday there will be a tomato with all the desired traits and good taste. Modern corn varieties have been bred to respond to petroleum-based fertilizers, namely nitrogen, as it was cheap and plentiful after World War II. As efforts continue to wean ourselves off of the dwindling supply of oil, we will undoubtedly reach back into history and use some of the ancient varieties to breed new characteristics into our modern varieties.
I urge you to support heirloom growers and heirloom seed companies. Don’t judge food by its color; judge it by its uniqueness, its smell and how it and tastes. Is it really necessary for every tomato to be nearly the same size, shape, and color? Variety is the spice of life!
Andy Hazzard
Hazzard Free Farm
First Hand Harvest CSA
Local Food Systems Coordinator
University of Illinois Extension
Add comment October 23rd, 2009 05:38am Jennie Pollock
Having stayed in a hotel this week, I wondered again why they make so many little bars of soap that go to waste after a use or two (like why can’t they just refill liquid soap dispensers?).
Someone is doing something about it, according to The Associated Press. Former refugee Derreck Kayongo has collected 10,000 pounds of soap from 60 hotels to melt down and distribute in Uganda. Soap that saves lives by combatting diarrhea and disease.
To learn more about the Global Soap Project:
Donations may be mailed to Global Soap Project, P.O. Box 94021, Atlanta, GA 30318.
Add comment October 22nd, 2009 03:29am Jennie Pollock
Gas is no longer $4 a gallon, so you’re not seeing as many “ways to improve your gas mileage” these days.
I recently thought about my abandoned experiment to stick strictly to speed limits (just like I “gave up” meat and plastic for a week) to see how people reacted. Why would this come to mind? Because I was driving my husband’s new Prius, which regulates your acceleration when you are in “eco” mode.
According to fueleconomy.gov, gas mileage takes a big dip above 60 mph.
So how much can you save? Each 5 mph over 60 mph is like paying an additional 24 cents per gallon for gas. Overall, you could save 18 to 59 cents per gallon, depending on what kind of driver you are.
Just a good reminder.
Add comment October 21st, 2009 05:06am Jennie Pollock
That’s what Administrator Lisa Jackson told NPR last week when the agency revealed its 2007 “endangerment finding.”
Written while President Bush was in office, the document says greenhouse gases are dangerous and need to be regulated under the Clean Air Act.
Jackson said the Obama administration, which accepts this need, is putting an increased emphasis on the public health effects of greenhouse gases. That’s why you see more of a legislative push on energy and fuel standards.
Add comment October 20th, 2009 10:06am Jennie Pollock
My friend Kari Shimp emailed me a few weeks ago to show me that her daughter Samantha made “junk art” at her preschool. She laughed when she saw my business card glued on the base.
So I asked how that all came about and e-mailed the teacher, Mrs. Kim Zaphel at Parker Center in Machesney Park. She happened to get my card from my daughter’s former kindergarten teacher.
See my Q&A below and maybe you can try this at home with your little ones…
What inspired the “junk art” project?
It is a project that most Rising Stars classrooms at Parker Center create often. I can’t take credit for the idea. We work together and share great ideas. I don’t know who started this idea, but I use it for many reasons.
1. It is low-cost. We just need massive blobs of glue!
2. Parents and students feel like they are contributing to the classroom (at no cost to them) when they send in toilet paper and paper towel rolls, empty water bottles, drive-thru drink holders, empty containers and lids.
3. Students see that they can make beautiful creations out of items that they normally would have thrown away.
4. It is a very open-ended project with no right or wrong answer. I have never had 2 projects look alike. They are as unique as the children who make them.
Did they come up with anything notable?
A few students named their projects. N called hers “a tunnel for hamsters.” S said hers was “skyscrapers in a big city.” Because the structures are usually too big or fragile for backpacks, we handed them out at parent/teacher conferences. Many parents laughed and joked about it looking perfect on their fireplace mantle. Some parents thought they would make great gifts for the grandparents. The students were proud to show their parents their creations.
Did they enjoy the project? What did they learn or like the best?
The students’ favorite part was in the creating. They got to use all the glue they wanted and as much junk as they could fit together.
The activity brought about all sorts of language from the 3- 5-year-olds. “This circle won’t fit here.” “It’s too big.” “I put it next to this one.” “Why does it keep falling over?”
I think the educational part of the project was to show families that children can take free recycled junk from around the house and create with it.
1 comment October 15th, 2009 09:17am Jennie Pollock
Rockford College will be selling “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” reusable water bottles the week of Oct. 19 in the Burpee Center.
The cost is $5; you can get one for $3 if you donate a canned good or sweatshirt.
Proceeds will help the college’s Arbor Day project and St. Vincent’s Church in Byron, which is holding a fundraiser to help the homeless.
Add comment October 15th, 2009 08:17am Jennie Pollock
Submitted photo: Volunteers Earl DeLong and Debbie Okeson load clothing brought to Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful’s Fall Clothing Drive.
Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful reports that 2,020 people dropped off clothing and other goods to 168 volunteers at last weekend’s Fall Clothing Drive at Hilander stores and the Forest Hills Lodge.
“This event is the perfect opportunity to help those in need by finding a new home for outgrown school clothes and other items that no longer fit or are needed. With the current economic conditions, second hand clothing in good condition is in high demand,” Lori Gummow, executive director, said in a news release.
Next spring’s date? May 8.
Add comment October 15th, 2009 08:12am Jennie Pollock
Earlier (here, here and here), I wrote about the Oct. 23 Green Ball at Cliffbreakers.
If you want to see what the Tesla Roadster (part of the green car show there) will look like, see above.
Green Ball Chairman Phillipe Forcioli said in a news release: “This Rockford event is one among several that Tesla is participating in Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, Chicago, London, Monaco and Munich.”
Again the event coasts $24 per person. Call 815-282-3033.
1 comment October 13th, 2009 11:36am JoAn Todd
The farmers markets are starting to wind down this time of the year however, you can still find an abundance of winter squash in many colorful shapes and sizes. There are many available and some of my favorites are Hubbard, Acorn and Spaghetti.
Selection
Winter squash unlike summer squash has a hard skin, which is inedible. They are harvested at a mature age and can be stored for 3 months or longer.Look for firm squash that feels heavy for its size. For a quality squash, choose one that has a smooth, dry rind and is free of cracks or soft spots. Look for rind that has a dull appearance. A shiny rind indicates that it has been picked too early or has a wax coating. Slight variations in color are not important.
Winter Squash is Good for You
An excellent source of beta-carotene (converted to Vitamin A in the body). A good source of fiber and vitamin C, as well as antioxidants. Low in calories
How to Use Winter Squash
There are many varieties of winter squash and most of them are eaten cooked. Their hard shells and seeds are not eaten. All winter squash bakes well and steaming works well for cut pieces.
Butternut
Winter squash, such as butternut, is at its best in the fall. Not only is it sweet and richly flavored, this vegetable is packed with powerful antioxidants. I like it because of its nutty flavor and it can be skinned with a vegetable peeler, which makes it easier to cut and prepare than some of the other varieties. A butternut has an elongated bell-shaped and usually measures about a foot long. Baking enhances its sweet, moist and nutty flavors. You will find it in local markets from now through March.
Spiced Roasted Squash
This technique—roasting cubes of peeled squash until they are lightly caramelized—makes a simple but stellar side dish.
Note: peeling and cutting hard squash can be a chore, but don’t let that dissuade you. You can purchase ready-peeled squash, packaged as halves or cubes, in most large supermarkets.
2 cups cubed (1-inched pieces) peeled butternut squash (9 oz.)
4 boiler onions (1 ½ inch diameter) , peeled and quartered
2 tsp. olive oil
¾ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. ground coriander
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. salt, or to taste
1 Tbsp. lime juice
2 tsp. chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan with cooking spray.Combine squash, onions, oil, cumin, coriander, cayenne and salt in a medium bowl; toss to coat. Spread vegetables in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast, uncovered, turning several times, until vegetables are tender and browned in spots, 25 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl, sprinkle with lime juice and cilantro, and toss gently to coat.
Yield: 2 (3/4-cup) servings
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