No time like the present!

You know that feeling when you’ve waited so long to do something that you lose your mojo to do anything at all?

Well, yesterday I received a letter from Al Gore. He wrote to thank me (along with the 3000 others he trained to give his climate change slide show presentations) for the work we've done educating people about climate change. He also implored us to continue our work in reaching people during this critical time "..to preserve the healthy climate balance on which our civilization depends".

Nothing like a personal (well, personally signed at least!) letter from the honorable ex-vice president to get one's environmental mojo back in gear!! I had been struggling for months, with fits and starts, to get active on this blog again. With more than a handful of half finished entries sitting on my computer (all filled with extremely insightful ideas and useful tidbits for my expansive fan base :), I have been stuck in a state of limbo... unable to commit to any subject matter... or much of anything for that matter!

No shock here, but it's been a bit of a metaphor for my life. During the past four months of unemployment (aka: sabbatical, as I like to call it) I have truly enjoyed the rest, rejuvenation, self reflection and personal freedom that I had been craving. This time off was truly "a good thing" (thanks Martha) in my life.

But, like any good thing, moderation is key. And my lack of structure, although well earned and whole heartedly embraced, has peaked in its usefulness in my life. Too many half written blog entries, half finished business ideas and half cleaned out closets line my path, and now focus is required to move forward.

So spring finds this Green Bee "honing" in ("honey" in Dutch, btw!) on the pollen to fertilize what is next in my life.

And what is that, you ask?

On the professional front, starting next week my passion for health and healing (both people and the planet) will be quenched by going back to school to study massage and bodywork! I am excited to get some structure into my life, to be back in a learning environment, to connect with other like-minded folks, and to add another healing modality to my quiver of health resources.

And on the green front, in addition to a recommitment to this blog, I will be doing a climate change presentation at Framingham State College on Earth Day! My first such presentation in almost a year, my goal is to make this a useful and inspiring message to the generation who holds the sustainability and viability of life on this planet in their hands. I will post the time and location of this event shortly in case you are local and interested in attending.

So, stay tuned! I am back! Check in for updated musings, green and otherwise, of this Green Bee’s journey to a fulfilling, sustainable and wellness centered life.

Meanwhile, an action step to leave you with.....

This April 22^nd is the 40^th anniversary of Earth Day!!! Don’t let this one pass without taking some action as a positive change agent…. sitting by the sidelines just doesn’t cut it anymore… we need a revolution.

Be a patriot, and check out http://earthdayrevolution.com/ then spread the news on Facebook, Twitter and all your other resources. And don't forget to sign the petition!

Thanks for all you do.

Poly-blogomous

What's the scoop with blogs... is it acceptable to have more than one, even if they're on the same topic?

A month ago I was invited by a friend to join a group of 50 professional 'green' people to blog on greenopolis.com - a website focused on making the world a better place by offering education/inspiration on recycling, conservation, sustainability... well,you know the drill.

I couldn't refuse the invitation.... as a newbie in the blogosphere, I was excited to expand beyond my committed, yet intimate group of followers (that'd be YOU) to reach a wider audience with my personal escapades in green living.

But something happened as my inbox filled with emails from the administrator reminding me to post... I had all these great blog ideas, but couldn't write them down! Do I write them on my own blog? On Greenopolis? Where oh where do my allegiances fall?

Meanwhile, my life got more complicated (FYI: Looking for a new job if any of you have any suggestions!), and my silence became harder to break. Yes, I was still mono-blogomous, but in reality I became a victim of abstinence.

That was until yesterday.....I took the plunge with a story that has been brewing since 350.org day.... that rainy Sunday where my guilt for inaction took its toll, and I found an environmental action in my home town that has opened my eyes to the environmental issue of STYROFOAM....

So, for your environmental enhancement, here's my other post... and don't hesitate to follow me there as well. Who knows... perhaps I'm clever enough to keep both uniquely interesting!

Even if you don't own a hybrid.....

Would you think to rent one?

Last month my daughter, niece, sister-in-law and I drove 1200 miles from Portland, Oregon to San Francisco, w/ several awesome stops along the way. It was an all girls road trip extraordinaire, with side splitting laughter, spontaneity and flexibility, scarey winding roads, spectacular night skies, amazing redwoods, waterfalls and ocean views, great meals, great wine, comfy beds and one unfortunate speeding ticket.

We decided to have a laid back attitude, booking only our flights (barely weeks) in advance, and trusting the rest would "come together" in the end. But as our departure day neared and we had not yet rented a vehicle (a responsibility that I had promised to take on), I began to panic.

With out a doubt I wanted to rent a hybrid. I wasn't sure if a Prius would be big enough for all our luggage and a week's worth of comfortable traveling, even though my 2001 was not an accurate reflection of the newest model... but I did figure we'd fit easily into a Ford Escape Hybrid. I'd seen those at car rental lots before, and in the Portland area there'd have to be a plethora of choices! Right? Well.... maybe not.

I called and googled every major car rental company (most of which are all owned by the same parent, by the way) only to find that that no hybrid SUV's were available for a one way trip with a drop off at the San Francisco airport. However, I could get a midsize SUV from any of these companies, no problem. 18 Miles to the gallon. But we'd all fit. Without any credit card needed to reserve one, I finally relented and held the cheapest option I could find, and continued my hybrid search.

Many frustrating hours later, I booked the only hybrid vehicle I could: A Prius. I totally ignored the little images on the website that showed a Prius holding only 3 pieces of luggage comfortably. I thought if we packed light enough and our bags were all small enough (who was I kidding!), perhaps we could jam it all in. And I wouldn't have to embarrass myself on this blog by admitting I'd rented a gas guzzling SUV. Again, no credit card needed, so with two vehicles booked, our options were open.

While we waited in line at the Hertz rental kiosk I had time to run to the lot and look inside the Prius to get a sense of the trunk space ... such a disappointment. No way would all our stuff fit in there. I trudged back to the group, defeated.

We were up next. I explained to the patient woman in the Hertz uniform our woeful story of wanting a hybrid but having too much luggage for the Prius. Other than a gas guzzline SUV, what did she suggest? She turned to her monitor, typed for a few minutes and said: "How would you like a Nissan Altima Hybrid? We don't usually have them but someone just dropped it off from out of state. The trunk holds 4 suitcases"!

I was ecstatic! We all agreed we had some great trip karma.... well, for the most part. As we walked up to our beautiful "race car red" hybrid Esther said: "Oh no, it's red.

The color most frequently pulled over for speeding!"

It could have happened to any of us, Esther... sorry it was you!

On a final note... the more we as consumers ask for green options, the more will become available. Next time you or someone you know needs to rent a car, ask for a hybrid. Perhaps the next person who needs a hybrid SUV will get one!

You CAN recycle that water filter!!

How many folks out there have a Brita water pitcher and throw your filters away when it's time to replace them? (A scarier question however is, how many of us keep using the filters in our pitchers long after they expire?? )


Well, I'll fess up that up until a week or so ago, I didn't really think about what to do with these filters... I mean, I've been a Brita pitcher user for at least 8 years or so, ( or however long they've been out) and not once have I lamented over not knowing what to do with the used filters. I guess I figured, one every 3 months, how big a deal is it really?


Until now, of course. Now that I am accountable to the world (or at least 4 of you!) via this blog, I find that I am acutely aware of many things that previously slipped under my radar.


So this past week when I changed my filter, I put the old one aside, remembering that I'd read something somewhere about how to recycle these.... hmmm, where did I see that article? Oh yes, in my favorite magazine, body+soul! I was psyched to find, on page 24 of the July/August issue that you can recycle these filters, "along with any other hard-to-recycle #5 plastics, through Preserve's Gimme 5 program."


Preserve is the company that takes Stonyfield Farm yogurt cups and uses the recycled plastic to make toothbrushes, razors, tablewear, etc.... Check them out at http://preserveproducts.com/ At their site you can find if theWhole Foods near you is a Gimme5 location , or how you can mail your #5 plastics directly to Preserve.

I encourage you to visit their site, as it is also full of information about their process and products, and how they assess their "greenness" through a third party Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). An LCA measures all aspects of a product's sourcing, manufacturing, packaging, usage and disposal process, giving a true measure of the REAL impact of a product on the environment and resources. Daniel Goleman talks about this in his book "Ecological Intelligence"... a great read for those really interested in understanding the impacts of their choices... and the power of their pocketbook.


Ok, now that I've sent you all over the internet for more information I will leave you to consider this: What is one thing that you've been thinking about doing greener... but you just haven't done it yet?

It could be as simple as buying a truly green product to support an authentically sustainable company, or as in depth as working to convince YOUR company to become aware of its carbon footprint.

What would it take for you to move in that direction... starting today? What shift do you need to push you past the point of complacency into action? Can you imagine how empowering it would be to take that action and know that you have acted in accordance with your vision for a better world?

Go ahead, give it a try... and let me know about it.

When does green really mean GREEN?

"It's a simple and delicious way to prepare salmon" my friend Samara said. "All you need is a grill pan, olive oil, salt and pepper, and it comes out perfectly every time."

When I looked at her quizzically she said "You do have a grill pan, don't you?"

"You mean a broiler pan?"

I could tell my Barefoot Contessa loving friend was only partly surprised by my culinary naivete. But that's what friends are for, right? To love you for all that you are, and aren't. So Sam lovingly explained the ins and outs of grill pans...including the necessity of the stove top to oven variety and the non-stick surface. I cringed at the thought of buying a Teflon pan given all of its health hazards... but she said her sister had bought a cast iron one and it did not do as good a job. The non-stick surface, she said, was key.

I had to give this some some serious thought...this was the perfect addition to my Friday night dinner party, but I needed to explore more online.

Fast forward to yesterday midday... I needed to get out and buy some salmon and my grill pan, but time was running out before my friends were due to arrive, and I had not done any research on line.... so I ran (drove, actually) to Bed, Bath and Beyond to see what I might find.

There, in its own little section labeled "Green Gourmet" by Cuisinart, were half a dozen pieces of cookware touting 100% recycled packaging, and "eco-friendly" marketing jargon. Immediately, the doubt entered: Have I discovered the option of my dreams? Or just a cheap (well not so cheap) marketing ploy.

Let me just pause in my story here to say that I am IN the advertising and marketing business. For the past 16 years I have helped companies reach consumers looking for green/natural/organic products. Although for the most part my clients are the ones with the authentically green products, I am well aware of those who are not. "Greenwashing", the subtle and effective ways companies tout qualities (no matter how insignificant) to gain green consumers' trust, has become the rage. So immediately my "green-dar" started beeping and I wished I had done my homework before walking into the store.

• PTFE and PFOA Free Nonstick Cooking surface (Sounds good, eh? But is this the stuff that makes Teflon hazardous?)
  
• Ceramic based Petroleum-Free Nonstick Conserves Oil Consumption (OK, this one makes me laugh... conserves what kind of oil consumption? Petroleum or cooking oil? Was this lack of clarity purposeful? Some one in their marketing department needs to fix this bullet point)
  
• Scratch-Resistant Nonstick surface won't peel (OK, well at least I do know that I don't want pieces of any surface in my food, so this sounds good)
  
• And then, the absolutely meaningless jargon that always hits the target: "Eco-Friendly" Ceramica non-stick interior.
  
• And the kicker: Packaging made from 100% recycled materials.

OK, so I had to make a choice (I think I covered my choice making challenges in my prior post!), and I was running out of time. Thoughts: Am I being bamboozled and falling for meaningless claims? Am I supporting the greenwashing trend by buying based on their bullet points? Will this pan be as good as a Teflon one, and will my salmon come out like Sam said it would? And, since I really don't cook that often, does it really matter?

After deliberating for far too long, I made the purchase (with out the 20% off coupon that went out with the recycling earlier that morning) and headed over to Whole Foods to buy the ingredients for my dinner. I was thrilled that they had Fresh (not previously frozen), Wild (not farm raised) Salmon, and that it was on sale!

Dinner, along with the rest of our evening was a huge success; including enjoyment of the fire pit once it stopped raining. I did, however, pay dearly this morning for my overindulgence in mixing beer, gin and tonics and Frangelico, but used my recovery time today to research what I now think was a good "green" purchase.

Oh, and on the subject of Wild vs Farm raised fish, some words of wisdom:

It's probably NOT the best idea on a first date to ask the waiter if the grilled salmon dish the guy has just ordered, and that you are now considering, is farm raised or wild. That is if you want to see him again ... :)

How Green do I really have to Bee??

Subtitle: Part II of the Fire Pit Story

First, let it be known to all that I sometimes have a hard time making decisions. (those who know me well might mock my "sometimes" qualifier)

Second, let it be said there is a very happy ending ... in my yard sits a lovely fire pit awaiting this evening's gathering (weather permitting). But this fairy tale ending was not without its green judgmental dragons to be slain.

As per my last post, my search for a gently used fire pit included pinging a few folks on Craig's list, an email to my town list, and joining Freecycle!

It took about 12 hours for my Freecycle membership to become active, and when it did I posted a "WANTED" email. I got one response from someone suggesting I use cement bricks and build something fireproof. Ya right..."Thanks for your suggestion" was my reply.

From my town list I received one offer for a loaner (which I shared in my last post), one suggesting that I check with the fire department to see if they're legal ("thank you for your suggestion"), and another letting me know Walgreen's had them for 50% off.. around $14. ("Thanks for the info!"). A fourth neighborly email said she thought she had what I was looking for, and she'd send a photo if I'd like. ("Yes, I'd like! And how much are you asking??")

Before I heard back from my local option, a phone call came in from my most desired Craig's list option. I really liked the design of this one and had already imagined me and my friends gathered around it... 'Yes, it is still available, and you can come by tonight or tomorrow" $50 - non negotiable, and a 45 minute drive.. without traffic. "Great, I'll call you back with when I'll come by, just working out my schedule"

Only 20 minutes later, an email with a picture of a barely used, clean and simple fire pit popped into my email box. "Is $25 too much?" and only 5 minutes away.

So, do you see where I'm going with this story??

Do I make the "greener" choice.. save gas, money, time and buy locally OR buy the one I have coveted from the moment I saw it? And if I choose the less green choice, what do I tell the bloggisphere? Should I make a decision based on what THEY might think of me? How much does what it looks like really matter? What if I travel all that way and I don't really like it? Will one of them be upset if I buy from the other? Should I try to see the local one first? You can see, my mind is not a pretty place sometimes.

But herein lies a true dilemma if one chooses to really think about it: How much influence should the "green-ness" of our options affect our purchase decisions?

Ok, sometimes it's obvious: Do I buy the Hummer or the Hybrid? Buy compact florescent or incandescent? Wash in hot or cold water? Turn off my computer for the night or leave it running? (Please, turn it off ;)

But other times, not so much: Locally grown or Organic? Take the train or the bus? Spend $150 on a pair of Organic cotton jeans or $30 on sale at the Gap? Travel 10x the distance to get what I want, or pick up what's right around the corner?

I guess it's a matter of scale and differential that takes me from the no brainer decisions to the mental gymnastics I went through for this. It's exhausting to weigh every decision from this perspective, but the more I involved I get in the green movement (and the more this blog holds me accountable) the more clear it is that every choice, even the smallest ones, are an expression of my values.






And yes, making the greenest choice possible is one of my values... and pretty high on the list at that.


But this time, aesthetics won out.

And by the way, if you or anyone you know is looking for a barely used, well cared for fire pit for $25, I know where there's still one for sale.

Happy Friday!

Going greener... it's all in the mind shift

So, when it comes to living greener, I've found that most changes happen from small shifts in perspective. That is, what is it that I am doing, wanting, needing, eating, buying that I can do in a greener, more conscious way? Once you start looking at one part of your life that way, you begin to see all the other impacts and possibilities... a cascading domino effect...



A case in point.



Friday night I am having some friends over... a group of women I went to overnight camp with on Martha's Vineyard when I was a teenager. I've decided that to really put us in the mood I want to get a fire pit so that we can have a campfire in the backyard, roast some marshmallows, make s'mores.... only this time we'll be drinking gin and tonics instead of bug juice! :)



So, I'm on the prowl for a fire pit... the ones I've liked on line won't get here in time (ok, I'm a procrastinator!) So last night on the way home from work I did a little shopping. I'm in Lowes looking at firepits... What are they made of? Where are they made? Will this be a good investment or just a seasonal throw away of money? Do I really even like the options? There are plenty here, I'll think about it and come back... let's check out Target.



Here's where the first mind shift comes in... Target is the next mall over... I instinctively go to get into my car and drive over and am struck by own laziness! WALK OVER! (And then you can blog about what a good doobie you are! ) So, with just a few intermittent raindrops falling on my head, I walk over, find NO firepits, and walk back to my car feeling very full of myself for getting a little exercise and keeping my car where it is.



But when I get home I think, this is really not that blogworthy, especially so early in my blogdom when I am trying to give a good impression of who I am.... I mean, walking 5 extra minutes so I don't have to move my car is a good idea, but really, who would be impressed with this?



So tonight, I'm on the phone with my sister (the same one who helped me put my composter together) and I'm telling her about my firepit odyssey and she asks: Have you looked on Craig's List???



OMG, I hadn't even THOUGHT of Craig's list... how could I have been so shortsighted??? I LOVE buying things second hand... I'm on Craigslist every week looking for yardsales (where I did see a fire pit a few weeks ago, but unfortunately did not buy it!!!) So I zoom on over, search firepits, find a few options out there, make a couple calls and send out a couple of emails. Someone emails me back.. her pit is already taken, but have I tried FREECYCLE?



FREECYCLE??? Wow, what a great idea! So first I had to join, and now my "membership is awaiting approval by the group owner" so I have not had a chance to search yet, but but I am excited to be entering a new world of used products. I will keep you posted on my success!



And finally, once on freecycle I remembered that I had one more option: my local community email group. I have seen so many people use it to promote their businesses, ask for help/apartments/resources, give away products.... why not put the word out there and see what's right in my own back yard?



So, to recap:

1. Walk instead of drive whenever you can.

2. Really consider your purchases: Do you need it? Is there a locally or sustainably made option? And can you buy it second hand? (http://www.craigslist.com/ )

3. Is there anything you don't want anymore that you can give away for free instead of adding to the landfill? (http://www.freecycle.org/ )

4. Are there resources right in your own community that you can access?



PS: I just heard back from a friend who's on my town email list offering to let me borrow hers for the night if I'd like. How great is that? My first choice is to find one to keep through the above resources, but if not, the girls and I will still be washing down s'mores by a campfire with our G&T's!!