It’s Earth Day Today!

Americans have been observing Earth Day since 1970,  when some 20,000,000 Americans participated in a national “teach-in” proposed by Senator Gaylord Nelson (D-Wisconsin). Gaylord’s hope for Earth Day was to send a message to Washington that public opinion was solidly behind a bold political agenda on environmental problems.

In the decade following the first Earth Day, 28 pieces of environmental legislation were passed, including: the Clean Air Act, the Water Quality Improvement Act, the Water Pollution and Control Act Amendments, the Resource Recovery Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Federal Environmental Pesticide Control Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, and the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act!

At this moment in history, that is simply astounding!

Earth Day is a good day to pause and reflect on the state of our Big Blue Marble in Space; it is also a good day to celebrate with others or to make a lifestyle change, large or small.

In New Haven, Connecticut, where I live, Earth Day is the kick-off to a series of environmentally focused events. Here are just a few:

The New Haven Land Trust’s Long Wharf Nature Preserve Clean Up (tomorrow from 10 am - 1 pm).

The 8th Annual Rock to Rock Earth Day Ride (April 30); there is still time to join a team or support a rider (like me). 

And, the entire month of May is Bike Month. 

Whether or not we make it to an event, there are always changes we can implement in our daily lives to lessen our own carbon footprint.

Need some inspiration?

Check out IKEA's Sustainability Guide. Yes, the guide, with the tagline “A Healthier Planet Begins at Home,” does highlight IKEA’s line of sustainable products. But it also includes a number of useful tips for conserving energy in the home that do not require a purchase.

I shared some ideas of my own after the Paris Climate talks ended.

One of the easiest things you can do is eat your leftovers! Another is to leave your car at home and take a walk or a bike ride instead.

Mother’s Day is coming soon; the emails for sales and special offers are already hitting the inbox. While we make plans to honor the mothers in our lives, let’s not forget to honor the most important mother of all — Mother Earth. 

Happy Earth Day!

Earth Day Reflections on Riding the City Bus, Honest Tea Cap Liners, the Karmapa, and Small Change(s)

The original Earth Day Logo

Earth Day 2015 began as a glorious spring morning. The sun was out, the sky a bright blue, the air almost seasonally warm. I dropped off my bike to get it tuned up for the Rock to Rock Earth Day Ride. I sometimes work for a printer. They needed me today, and because the weather was so nice, and in observance of the occasion, I decided to take the city bus. It stops right outside my house and right in front of my place of employment. After leaving my bike in good hands, I had plenty of time to grab a cup of coffee at the corner store, and even enough time to enjoy drinking it while I waited. The bus came right on time.

Everyone should take the city bus now and then, with open eyes and ears. You can’t help but overhear the conversations about the challenges of being in recovery, troubled relationships, and the dreams of earning a steady paycheck, landing a job that pays $13/hr, or winning the lottery. The coffee on the bus comes from Dunkin’, not Starbucks. People are riding the bus to work, to the Dollar Store, to the Goodwill Outlet, or to the DMV. [Yes, many people who drive for a living do not own a car.]

At lunch I opened my bottle of Honest Tea to discover a very appropriate Earth Day message, an Ojibwa Prayer: “Grandfather, Sacred One, teach us love, compassion, and honor that we may heal the earth and heal each other.”

I had a project to finish. It took me longer than I had planned, and past my usual bus time. By the time I was at the stop to wait for the next one, the sun was gone and the predicted rain had started. I did not have an umbrella. The buses on this route at this time of day do not run very often. I was out there early to make sure I did not miss it; it came late. I know very well why most people with cars do not choose the bus.

I had lots of time for reflection at the bus stop and on my way home.

Taking the bus today definitely made me realize the good fortune I often take for granted. But did it make a difference in the grand scheme of things?

I thought back to an event I attended recently. His Holiness the 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje visited Yale recently as a Chubb Fellow. I had the opportunity to hear his April 7 talk “Compassion in Action — Buddhism and the Environment.” The 29-year-old spiritual leader encouraged attendees to make small changes in their daily lives as first steps in combatting climate change. He emphasized that each person must start with themselves and set an example for others to follow; this is why he became a vegetarian, despite his fondness for the taste of meat. He emphasized that we are all connected with each other and the environment in which we live, and that each positive action we make is a step away from negativity.

The Karmapa when asked a tough question admitted he did not have all the answers, and made the point that the concept of global warming is a hard sell in Tibet, where it is so cold that some people would welcome a rise in temperature.

I know that the community who rides on and/or donates to tomorrow's Rock to Rock Earth Day Ride makes a substantial difference in the world, in both dollars raised and positive energy generated. 

I hope that this blog matters, too.

For a positive start to your day, check out this example of what a stalwart crew of volunteers can accomplish.  The story about “The Big Night” aired on NPR and was shared by my cousin Joanne on Facebook. 

Happy Belated Earth Day.

Meatless Monday: Being Mindful of the Food We Eat

It’s Meatless Monday and Earth Day Eve — the perfect day to think about what and how we eat. 

Raising and transporting the food we eat requires huge amounts of natural resources. Yet, in 2010, over 30% of the total food supply in the U.S. was wasted. That’s 133 billion pounds of food, or 141 trillion calories—a staggering 1,249 calories per capita per day according to Eliza Barclay in the NPR blog The Salt! The EPA estimates that in 2011 Americans threw away 36 million pounds of food — from uneaten leftovers to spoiled produce. Clearly wasted food = wasted resources, but food that is landfilled also breaks down to produce methane, a greenhouse gas. Food waste accounts for the largest percentage of waste going into municipal landfills — 21%!

Whether we are vegans, vegetarians, or omnivores, each of us can take some steps to bring these numbers down. Here are a few ideas:

As you eat, be mindful of the resources need to grow your food, of the farmers who raised it, and the energy consumed to get it to you. The high cost of raising beef has received a lot of press, but have you ever considered how much water it takes to raise the strawberry? An infographic in Mother Jones makes it clear that every bite of food is a precious commodity.

Do what you can to reduce the carbon footprint of your food. 

• Try growing some of your own by starting as small as you like – say with an herb garden on your windowsill.
• Support your farmer’s market.
• Consider joining a CSA. 

Do what you can to cut down on your food waste.

• Check what’s in your fridge before heading to the store.
• Plan your meals ahead and shop with a list.
• Buy just the quantity you need in the bulk section.
• Eat your leftovers.

Convert your friends

Together we can make a difference.

Happy Earth Day!

On Mondays I often blog on food, food issues, or gardening in support of Meatless Monday, one of several programs developed in the Healthy Monday project, founded in 2003 in association with Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Communications. Meatless Monday’s goal is “to help reduce meat consumption 15% in order to improve personal health and the health of our planet.”

Saturday Shorts: Getting Ready for Earth Day ’14

With Earth Day on Tuesday, “How to Live a Greener Lifestyle” is a popular theme in every form of media. 

The Original Earth Day logo

I’ve been sifting through the many hints and ideas I’ve heard and read as I look for new ways to make every day Earth Day — for some small steps I can take and sustain in the days ahead.

Here are some of the things I’ve tried:

• I’m attempting to grow Red Swallowwort Asclepias incarnata, a native milkweed important to the Monarch Butterfly. The Monarch Butterfly is wholly dependent on native plants from this genus for egg laying and larval feeding. These seeds have a really long germination time (sprout time of 21-40 days). So far one seed has sprouted. [If you look carefully towards the center of the pot, you will see a tiny green shoot with the seed case on its head.]

• I am continuing to cut back on prepared foods. Today for breakfast we had oatmeal with amaranth seeds, a dish I began last night by pouring boiling water over the grains and that I cooked in the morning. [More on this in a future Meatless Monday post.]
• I continue to find good homes for good stuff I no longer need. I can’t wait for EcoWorks, Inc. to find a building and get up and running.
• I got my old-school 1972 Raleigh Super Course tuned up and ready for next Saturday’s Rock to Rock Ride thanks to Sarah at the Devil’s Gear Bike Shop in New Haven. Want to support me? There’s still time. Here’s the link to my fundraising page.

This post was in the works before my friend Pennlee sent me this link to a story in the Los Angeles Times. “Finding Ways to Make Everyday Earth Day” addresses the anxiety that comes with wanting to do the right thing and examining the consequences of the lifestyle choices we make. The article concludes with a suggestion for raising our “consumption consciousness” by looking towards Buddhist mindfulness. David Glidden, a philosophy professor at UC Riverside urges that as we peel a tangerine we “think of all the resources that went into making that tangerine. Sun, water…As you eat each segment, think of all the people who labored to bring it to your table. If you do this, you will eat more slowly and consequently consume less.” I just happened to buy a bag of clementines today. I’ll be trying to do this small thing every day until they are gone. 

Let’s make every day Earth Day. Together.

Why Saturday Short Subjects? Some readers may recall  being dropped at the movie theater for the Saturday matinee — two action-packed feature films with a series of short subjects (cartoons or short movies, sometimes a serial cliffhanger) sandwiched in between. Often the short subjects were the most memorable, and enjoyable, part of the morning. That explains the name. The reason behind these particular posts is that we are all short on time. My Short Subject posts should not take me as long to write or you as long to read (or try).

Meatless Monday: Celebrating Earth Day

Happy Monday.

This Friday marks the 41st observance of Earth Day, a day of environmental activism organized by Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin. 

Inspired by a tweet from the Elm City Market, a community owned food co-op scheduled to open in New Haven this summer, I propose a sustainable feast to honor the day.

Strawberries are seasonal in CA in Feb.

If you live on the West Coast, your farmers’ markets are already overflowing with Spring produce — from strawberries to new potatoes and greens. If you live in New England, the pickings are slimmer, but at the last CitySeed market in New Haven, offerings included winter spinach, parsnips, radishes, and carrots. You may not be able to craft an entirely local feast, but even in New England you can certainly find one or two local ingredients to incorporate into your meal.

Elm City Market provided a link to a page on the Organic Valley site where Regional Earth Dinner menus are posted. 

Another excellent source for inspiration for Earth Day or upcoming spring holiday menus is Simply in Season, by Cathleen Hockman-Wert and Mary Beth Lind, which features recipes using locally grown seasonal foods. The book's sections are organized by the seasons of the year. This is one of my most treasured cookbooks. Its recipes are simple, foolproof, and delicious.

Happy holidays. Happy eating.

Have a great week. And please come back soon for more food news and culinary adventures.

I try to blog on food or food issues each Monday in support of Meatless Monday, one of several programs developed in the Healthy Monday project, founded in 2003 in association with Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Communications. Meatless Monday’s goal is “to help reduce meat consumption 15% in order to improve personal health and the health of our planet.”

Shopping to Save the Earth??????

This is not now nor will it ever be a site that encourages wanton shopping. But there are occasions when we just have to shop. With Spring and Summer weddings coming up fast, it’s Shower Season—gifts needed.

The Environmental Task Force (ETF) of the United Church on the Green in New Haven recently put together some “Green Living Bags” for an Earth Day Silent Auction (proceeds to buy a new, energy-efficient dishwasher and some stainless so we can forgo paper and plastic at church events). These bags include a number of our “small steps best in show” discoveries of the past year.

It struck me that these bags could be an inspiration for do-it-yourself shower gifts.

The Green Living Bag pictured here (total value $45) contains:

• One reusable shopping bag (from Whole Foods)
• Two heavy-duty spray bottles filled with green cleaners (made by the ETF) + recipe so the recipient can make his or her own refills. Get the most durable bottles you can find. These came from Home Depot.
• One, two-pound box baking soda (a main ingredient in many do-it-yourself cleaners)
• One can Bon Ami polishing cleanser (found at the supermarket in the cleanser section)

• One dishwashing brush (from IKEA)
• One pack Super Amazing Kitchen Cloths (found at Trader Joe’s)
• Two books:
      • Green Cleaning for Dummies
      • Food Rules, by Michael Pollan
• One, two-pack 11 watt CFL lightbulbs (from IKEA)

This bag is a great base, but you might want to add a few more things or mix it up for a shower gift.

Here are some useful tips:

• Consider the recipient (s). Do they cook, for example?
• Be mindful of your budget.
• Try to give useful things, and if at all possible, include at least one something that will last for years. I have been married for a long time and can still recall those who gave me some of my most treasured wedding gifts.

The following suggestions are all in the “affordable” range.

• You might consider this cute product I have only seen online. The original Spaghetti Scrub is partially fabricated from recycled materials and comes in course (corn cobs) and gentle (peach pits). It is available in some stores, but none local to me. The quick-drying scrub will last 3-6 months and can be sanitized in the microwave. It just has that wedding shower look.

• Or an elegant Italian water bottle with a swing stopper for the dining table.

• Or a cast iron pan (see my post of February 21.)

• Or a cookbook. Cooking in Season is a great one that not everyone knows.

• Or a pepper mill from William Bounds, Ltd. Made in Torrance, CA, these mills  have an “innovative mechanism" that functions by crushing, rather than by grinding the peppercorns. They have a lifetime guarantee and are a thing of beauty.

The possibilities are endless. Have some fun thinking of ways to encourage the new couple to join you On the Road to Greenness.

The Times They Are a-Changin'

How our lives in the US have changed since the first Earth Day!

There is less soot in the air. Cars are equipped with pollution control devices. Rivers no longer burn. We recycle now.

But let me say it again. How our lives in the US have changed since the first Earth Day!

In 1970, the population of the US was 203,302,031. On January 1, 2009, the population in the US was estimated to be 305,529,237.

In 1970, the average size of a single family home was 1,400 square feet, with 3.1 people in the average household. In 2007 it was 2,507 square feet for 2.6 people.

In 1970, there were approximately 170,000,000 registered automobiles in the world. In 2009, there were 246,000,000 registered in the US.

In 1970, we did not worry about the “perils of plastics,” a cover story in the most recent issue of Time. We did have Tupperware, but plastic had not hit the grocery stores. Most babies wore cloth diapers. Bags were made of paper.

Air travel was a luxury for people, let alone flowers or produce. I was nearly 19 when I flew home student stand-by on the shuttle from La Guardia to Logan for $15 (including tax), white knuckling it the entire way.

In 1970 there were no personal computers, cellphones, or I-Pods. We now have EnergyStar and more energy-efficient forms of lighting and appliances. But we have more appliances and ever-growing energy needs.

In 1986, the Canadian government recognized that the cod catch was declining but took no action. In 1990 the cod biomass survey was 400,000 tons; in 1994, 1,700 tons remained “in a fishery that had for over a century yielded a quarter-million ton catch.”

The American Bald Eagle recovered after DDT was banned. But there are currently 409 species of animals and 601 species of plants on the Endangered Species List; an additional 165 species of animals and 149 species of plants are threatened.

Decades ago we tackled the problem of “dirty air.” Particulate emissions are not so much of a problem now.  But in 1970, we were not yet aware of the growing hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica or the dangers of the now-banned CFCs.

Most scientists now acknowledge global warming. They say that 350 parts per million is the safe upper limit for CO2 in our atmosphere. And we are now at 390. We can watch icebergs breaking apart on YouTube.

Near the end of March it was reported that an uninhabited, 81 square mile island had vanished from satellite images. New Moore Island, claimed by both India and Bangladesh, has been reclaimed by the Bay of Bengal. Sugata Hazra, director of the School of Oceanographic Studies at Jadavpur University in Kolkata, India, warns that this type of event may become commonplace; five inhabited islands in this same region could vanish in the next 10 years. The U.N. predicts that low-lying Bangladesh could lose almost one-fifth of its territory and see 20 million citizens displaced by 2050 if, as expected, sea levels rise by 3.3 feet.
 
We need Earth Day now more than ever — one with the raw energy of that very first observance. But this time the day needs to be a global call to action, followed by a global environmental decade. The battle won’t be easy, but the Earth can’t wait.

Birds Without Borders

The 40th anniversary of Earth Day is next month and a group of us had met over lunch to plan some activities/projects to commemorate the day. But before the work began, the topic of birds came up. One friend from the shoreline was already well-acquainted with the monk parakeet, which has been steadily moving up the coast since it was first noticed in Long Island in the '70s. Indigenous to South America, this species was introduced to the US by the pet trade; large numbers of them are now living in the wild, in many parts of the country. These colorful birds are noisy and messy, and they build huge, rather unsightly nests from sticks. A pair of them had just appeared in the front yard of two other friends in New Haven’s Beaver Hills neighborhood, and quite clearly were contemplating building a nest in a tree next door. The nests are huge to start. The birds live in them year-round, and once the family has established itself, the nest gets bigger and bigger and bigger; it is not uncommon for one nest to house seven pairs of birds, each with their own living unit. This did not bode well for neighborhood relations. The adjacent neighbor liked to keep his car in the driveway and always blamed our friends (who feed the birds) for any mess that happened to sully his car’s shine. Our advice was to our friends was to quit filling the feeder at once in the hope that the parakeets would fly away.

   

We returned from lunch to a close encounter of our own. We were just about to reach for the gate to the yard when we heard a loud thud of something banging against a window and beheld a swirling profusion of gray feathers. A large hawk had nabbed a lunch of his own. Startled, as we were, believe me, he soared off with his prey, pausing in the hawthorn tree, frozen, staring down at us. Too close for comfort, he left the yard, landing a few feet away in the callery pear tree on the other side of the hedge. We took a few steps in his direction, and off he flew to dine undisturbed on the other side of the highway. One less mourning dove will now be frequenting our back yard feeder.

Marsh Hawk, or Cooper’s Hawk? It's likely one of these, but I can’t be certain which one because we didn’t see it’s face — we were too startled by the proximity of the struggle to get a good look. Both are year-round residents in Connecticut. Both are good-sized birds. The book we keep handy for such occasions, a gifted copy of The Reader’s Digest Book of North American Birds, points out that the hawk’s greatest foe is the plate glass window. “When Cooper’s hawks see a window, they see whatever the glass reflects, be it sky or trees. They think they can just fly through it. Sadly, they sometimes even succeed, but the price of success is still a broken neck.” This hawk was lucky. But, then again, so were we. A hawk with a broken neck, clutching a dead mourning dove, lying in the kitchen sink in a sea of broken glass, would not have been a pleasant welcome back.

Our tiny yard is littered with gray feathers, a reminder that the boundary between civilization and the wild is ill-defined. It’s a line we cross more often than we realize.