Frank Mentesana, Facilitator of EcoSPACES

Imagine a school that has a 4500 sq. ft. rooftop garden where kids not only learn about growing food sustainably, but grow food that is used in their lunches - all while making the connection between farming, food and healthy nutrition . . .

With the help of faculty like, Frank Mentesana, St. Philip’s Academy in Newark, New Jersey has created such a program and they call it EcoSPACES (Eco-St. Philip’s Academy Cultivating Environmental Sustainability).

Frank is a former food stylist and co-founder of Manhattan restaurant, Once Upon a Tart. As a father, he got involved in his son’s school by helping them create a garden and when he heard that St. Philip’s Academy was developing a program to help teach better nutrition and farming to the kids, he jumped at the opportunity to get involved.

Since getting involved in 2008, he has turned the once-ornamental rooftop garden into one that produces food and has helped teachers develop plots relevant to their curriculums. For example, as third graders learned about Native American history, they planted a “Three Sisters” garden of corn, beans and squash and used their harvest to create traditional meals.

Tonight the Green Divas will be talking with Frank Menesana about what’s going on at St. Philip’s Academy and what’s next on the menu . . . Don’t miss tonight’s show!

Thursday, March 11, 2010
7 – 8pm EST
HomeGrownRadioNJ.org

Twenty plus years ago I moved to Austin Texas.  Almost immediately I gave up my New Jersey hair spray and bought myself a pair of Birkenstocks.  I worked at a small coffee shop and rode my bicycle to work.  I was a supporter of the hippie feel, and laid back lifestyle.

Then arrived my first child, and along with her a minivan and a multitude of equipment.  Still wore the Birkenstocks, but my lifestyle changed.

Forgive me Mother Earth for I have sinned.  I have over the years been guilty of using paper towels, paper plates, and store bought diapers.

The convenience has been too tempting for me to resist.

Now that I am at the age where all of my children are out of diapers and I am not yet in them, I have become a more aware of what is going on outside of my own little universe.

I remember a commercial back in the 1970’s that showed a Native American by the side of a littered highway, he looked on in disgust as the collective “we” have soiled his land.  A small tear falls from his eye.

That campaign was so successful that recently when my sixteen-year-old daughter was driving and the car in front of her threw a plastic bag out of their window she was appalled. She honked her horn, and when the offenders did not react, my daughter did.  She pulled over, got out of the car and picked up the trash herself.

So how come everything else about going green seems so difficult?

I want to help the earth be around for a few more millennia.  Barring the Aztecs are wrong, and no immediate asteroid is on its way for a visit.

I began doing some research.  With the help of a friend and my fiscally responsible brother we, as a family have made some changes.

I have replaced most light bulbs in the house.  We no longer buy paper towels.  And most recently we have become champions of unplugging.  Anything that holds a charge gets completely unplugged when not in use. 

I try to buy organic fruit, but always balk at the price.

My neighbors have compost, and I have looked into making one myself, but does that truly make a difference? 

I am fortunate that I live in a city where we have curbside recycling. Each house was given a very large bright blue bin with wheels (were they recycled themselves?).  This bin hold two weeks worth of paper, plastic, glass, cans, anything with the numbers one through eight on it inside the little triangle.  No sorting, no washing.  Throw it in, and voila!  Be a good citizen.

There are certain “green” things I absolutely will not do.  I will not now, or hopefully ever use an item called a Diva Cup for my monthly flow.  I am nowhere near that evolved.

It is a fact that my thumb is black.  I can’t grow anything.  I have tried.  I am not much of a cook to begin with, planting my own garden would be pointless.  I have no more idea what to do with rosemary than admire the smell.

I shop at thrift stores, out of necessity rather than consciousness.

When Al Gore’s movie, An Inconvenient Truth, came out I watched it waiting with anticipation to see what changes I can make at home.  I was saddened with each new scene of Big Al getting on his private jet.  At least I waste fuel in economy.

More disappointing was the only suggestions made were during the credits.

I am taking baby step, starting with Birkenstocks, and maybe someday ending with making my own soup stock.

Well, I’ve never seen such a beautiful array of fresh fruit – kiwis, avocados, mangoes, blood oranges, tangerines,bananas, pears and apples.  Each piece was picture perfect, blemish free and aromatic!

Who are The FruitGuys?  The FruitGuys, a green and sustainability-focused company, delivers farm-fresh, organic and conventional fruit to offices and homes across the country. The FruitGuys works very closely with local farmers to help them succeed and employ green practices. During peak season 70-90% of the fruit mixes offered are locally grown within the regions they serve (East Coast, Midwest, West Coast) and go from the farm to home or office within 3-4 days.

Videos of select farmers The FruitGuys works with can be seen here.  Also, all fruit is packed in earth friendly crates, constructed with recycled cardboard and printed with soy based inks.

Here in the Northeast it’s a temperate climate.  It is recommended for optimal health to eat mainly cooked fruit in the colder months.  So, I decided to make a pear and apple crisp. It was a winter weekend and we all were craving something warm and sweet.  Topped it with some vanilla soy ice cream and boy was it yummy!  Here is the recipe:

Pear & Apple Crisp

6 – 8 cups pears and apples sliced (I leave the peel on – could be 6 or 7 pieces of fruit)
2-3 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
dash of each allspice, nutmeg and ground cloves
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
5 TBSP melted butter
1/4 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Combine sliced fruit in 9-inch square pan. Sprinkle with sugar. Mix together remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Sprinkle over top of fruit and pat into place. Bake uncovered 35-40 minutes or until top is crisp and light brown and fruit is bubbling. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

A couple of good reasons to switch to an eco-friendly, green cleaning service. Conventional cleaning practices utilize . . .

• 8 billion pounds of chemicals that are hazardous to your health and to the environment
• 4.5 billion pounds of janitorial paper products, consuming tens of millions of trees
• 1 billion pounds of tools and equipment, filling 40,000 garbage trucks headed to landfills

Yikes! These statistics are found on the website of EcoMaids, a greener professional cleaning service company. EcoMaids offers residential and commercial cleaning services, but is committed to using healthier cleaning products and more eco-friendly practices in general.

Often, this is one of the first things people do when beginning a more ‘green’ lifestyle. Using biodegradable, environmentally friendly and non-toxic cleaners is a great way to reduce dangerous and unhealthy chemicals in our lives and in our environment. EcoMaids uses the Options for Life non-toxic cleaning product line and offers the products to their customers as well.

In addition to offering a full-line of standard cleaning services, EcoMaids also offers Truly-Green Wash & Fold Laundry service . . . It all appeals to me!

EcoMaids is a relatively new cleaning service franchise with operations in several States (see EcoMaids locations here). Those of us fortunate enough to live in northern New Jersey, have access to the first EcoMaids based in Essex County.

The owner is willing to travel outside Essex . . . I’m going to give them a try!

eat. blog. be merry!
gd meg

The Green Divas will have Lisa Fahay and Peter Troast back on the air tonight to talk about the value of monitoring our energy usage and how easy it now is to do.

We first met Peter and Lisa about a year ago just after they shared their family’s energy consumption through the Internet for a week (I think it was a week). They live with their kids (and their Jack Russell Terrier) in Maine, and run a wonderfully informative website – EnergyCircle.com – and business that offers detailed, EASY-TO-UNDERSTAND advice on creating home energy efficiency. They also provide the tools to do the job from the products to great vidoes on installation and energy efficiency how-to’s.

Green Dude Scott and of course, GD (silent) Jessie will be in the house and as always we’ll have some fun music so tune in and turn on a friend!

Thursday, January 28, 2010
7 – 8pm EST
HomeGrownRadioNJ.org

by Green Diva Jean

TerraScope is an earth-centered forecast based on a combination of Tarot readings using astrological sun signs. Green Diva Jean Brookwell is a regular guest on the Green Divas Radio show.

This TerraScope is an overview for the year 2010.  It speaks of themes and opportunities that will be present this year.  As always it is for you to consider and decide for yourself what your course of action will be.  It is after all your life and living it is your challenge.  Honor your choices.  

 Celebrate 2010!

Aries (March 21-April 19)  You have a three-pronged theme this year.  1.) Do what you want.  2.) Go in your own direction.  3.) When difficulties arise, accept and transcend them.  If you had done what others wanted you to do, difficulties would still have arisen.  They are part of life. Expect them and deal with them. 

Taurus (April 20-May 20)  Your theme this year is Peace.  Chief Joseph, after seeing how repeatedly fighting injustice had killed most of his braves stated, “I will fight no more.”   Declare a truce and begin to live it.  First become peaceful with the easiest person or situation.  Then continue to practice on more difficult ones. 

Gemini (May 21-June 20)  Your theme this year is the practice of Partnership with everyone and everything.  Partners work together for mutual success.  When one is lacking, the other jumps in and supplies what is missing.  You are attempting to teach yourself a joined way of living.  Practice becoming a secret and silent partner. 

Cancer (June 21-July 22)  The theme this year is the practice of Kindness and Happiness. Why?  Because when you are kind, you feel happy!  If you hold thoughts of kindness in your mind and ponder them, you will find that when faced with a choice between kindness and any other response, you’re lovingly kind!

Leo (July 23-August 22)  The theme for you this year is the practice of No Difference.  At the beginnings are the seeds of the ends.  Out of painful circumstances come joyful results.  A naughty child or wild teenager becomes a wonderful adult.  This year you practice seeing beyond the obvious and through all the judgements.

Virgo (August 23-September 22)  Your theme this year is to practice learning to Live Your Own Life.  You are to stop thinking of yourself as Mighty Mouse, and give up living his theme song, “Here I Come to Save the Day”.  Your spiritual strength and power are drained by living the thoughts in that song. 

Libra (September 23-October 22)  Your theme this year is Gentleness.  You are intuitive, intelligent, insightful and have a great desire to alleviate the pain of others.  However, you also have so much unresolved pain that you sometimes tend to use a “slash and burn policy” in your efforts to be helpful.  It doesn’t work! 

Scorpio (October 23-November 21)  Your theme this year is to practice Recognition of Your Own Abilities.  In order to do this you most likely will have to give up your tendency to blame others.  Blaming keeps you in a prison of self-pity and inaction.  Use your Abilities and you’ll soon discover more of them. 

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)  Your theme this year is practicing the Power of Abundance.  It is a difficult challenge because of the widespread belief in loss and lack.  You’ll find yourself having to correct your thoughts of scarcity.  There is always more than enough.  Search for the plenty. You’ll find it. Persistence pays off. 

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)  Your theme this year is the two lines from Rudyard Kipling’s poem If,

“…If you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two impostors just the same;”  Please note that the operative word is impostors and not disaster.  Once you recognize the impostors, you are free for life.

Aquarius (January 20-February 18)  Your theme this year is the practice of Understanding rather than wishing to be understood.  The lack of being understood is not what causes you problems.  The real problem is caused by your desire to be understood.  It is easy for you to understand.  Now understand that they don’t understand!  

Pisces (February 19-March 20)  Your theme this year is the practice of Gratitude.  Meister Eckhart said, “If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.”  Practice saying thank you in all situations and under all circumstances.  Say it aloud and say it silently.  Watch what happens!   

 Jean Brookwell can be reached by writing to us: info@thegreendivas.com.

Here in the Northeast, it has been cold and dry for many weeks now.  This can create problems for the sinuses.     I find that the key is keeping them moist and free of dust and irritants.

My 2.5-year-old, Benjamin,  and I have both been suffering with sniffles and irritated noses for the past week or so.  Here’s what I do to make him more comfortable:

• Keep the humidifier running in his room overnight.
• Make a massage oil from sweet almond oil (1 oz.) with a drop or two of Thyme essential oil.  I rub this on his chest, back, a bit under his nose and a drop behind each ear morning and night.
• A daily bath with a drop of Thyme or Eucalyptus essential oil in it.
• Or, make the bathroom steamy by running the hot shower for a few minutes, then sit and play in the bathroom for 15 or 20 minutes.
• Try to avoid mucous-producing foods like dairy and wheat and sugar.
• Get 15-20 minutes of fresh outside air when it’s not below 20 degrees or too windy (which we’ve had a lot of this year).

Here’s what I do for myself:

• Clean sinuses with saline water at least twice daily using the Neti Pot. This can be a little awkward at first, but once mastered very effective.
• Use Xlear, xylitol nasal spray.
• Drink lemon tea – take half a lemon, squeeze juice into mug and drop whole piece of lemon in to the mug, cover with boiling water and let steep 5 minutes, add a teaspoon of good local, raw honey.
• Drink a blended herbal tea or infusion of Nettle, Rose Hips and Mullein.
• Keep a pot of water simmering on the stove (sometimes with a cinnamon stick and a few cloves) to moisten the air.
• Sleep propped up on pillow to avoid post-nasal-drip coughing.

Most health food stores will carry the Neti Pot, sweet almond oil and the essential oils mentioned above.  All can be found online of course.  My favorite resource for herbs and oils is Mountain Rose Herbs.

Happy New Year and happy breathing.  GD Jen

Sitting here toe-tapping and grooving to christmas music, surrounded by the many holiday craft projects the girls and I have started (but not exactly completed yet), I am inspired to finally sit and write the post I’ve been promising . . . the one with some ideas for greener gift giving.

GD Meg’s holiday rant
First let me begin by saying that the focus on the material and commercial aspects of the season is wearing thin for me and not just because my purse is thinner this year either. I personally just don’t need any more junk (BTW, good food and handmade gifts do NOT count as junk) to figure out how to use, store, recycle or re-gift without hurting any one’s feelings. Either people are lying to avoid my ranting, or most of my friends and relatives are feeling similarly.

I’m afraid to get started on the whole decorating thing . . . Look, I love little white twinkling lights and the smell of fresh pine and there is nothing like a sparkling christmas tree with the lights low and the fireplace glowing warm. But, what the heck is going on with these houses and yards covered in lights and every christamas character ever invented lit-up, with the exception of Jesus and his folks of course. And if I never see a blow-up Mickey Mouse santa bobbing and weaving on some one’s front lawn, I’d be a very satisfied scroogette.

Perhaps I’m a little bitter because we had a flood last year and almost ALL our decorations were destroyed. It was kind of hard to say goodbye to the stocking that was knitted for me when I was born and all the tacky and wonderful ornaments and things that were collected and gathered over the years going back to childhood. Oh well . . . a heavy sigh . . . letting go and moving on.

Now is my chance to practice the minimalist/simplest holiday I’ve been working towards.  For the past couple of years we’ve put up one REAL pine wreath on the back door (sometimes I breakdown and put one on the front too). We love the smell of pine, so I use pine boughs and garlands all over inside the house and leave the lights for the tree. The girls and I sometimes paint the huge windows in our room where the tree is.

Okay enough of ranting.

Simple, thoughtful and perhaps more sustainable gift ideas

Make It
We’re not all Martha Stewart, but if I can come up with reasonably easy and fun gifts to make, a baboon could do it. Trust me. Here are a few crafty gifts my tolerant family and friends have received from me over the years:

• Cranberry Chutney – if you want the recipe, you’ll have to write me for it (and I’ll have to dig it up), but it was relatively easy and everyone loved it (and it came in handy for holiday party gifts too).
• Kaluha – Yup. Made it from scratch. Back in my alcoholic days, I found a recipe and all I remember is that it involved a lot of vodka and sugar. Something about vanilla beans . . .
• Family Recipe Book – This was an ordeal 25 years ago when I did it, but with the advent of the Internet, email and cell phones, I think it will be a little easier to gather the best recipes from all the far-flung aunties, etc.
• Family Event Calendars – My sister started this one and did it by hand for years. With all our birthdays listed, I still managed to forget someone. I tried it by computer a few years ago and it was fun.
• Antique Tea Cup Candles – I had a few random old tea cups that were beautiful but chipped and I decided to buy some wax and make some candles in them. I collected more from garage sales and antique shops – the broken or chipped ones are cheap.
• Handmade Ornaments – We did this before it became as popular as it seems to be now! Fun to do with the kids.
• Handmade Soap – Gotta love Michael’s craft store – everything you need to make the basic soap. I added some things from the garden. You can get all kinds of healthy ingredients. Get creative.
• Knitted Stuff – My family got a lot of scarves and hats last year since that was all I knew, but with the right yarn and a little creativity, you can make these warm fuzzy gifts work. There are lots of patterns for useful items and people seem to LOVE them. Visit my knitting inspiration and friend, Yarny Old Kim for great ideas.
• Baked Stuff – I suck at the cookie thing, but I have a few baked items I’ve begun to master, so I’ve armed myself with some cute small loaf pans with lids and my unsuspecting friends and family will find out what that is about in a couple of weeks.

Share It
Instead of giving ’stuff’, perhaps giving to those in need is the best way to honor the reason for the season. Here are just a few of my favorite ways to share in some one’s name:

• Heifer International – The gift of livestock!
• Habitat for Humanity – Donate money, shop at one of their awesome ReStores
• FeedingAmerica – Formerly Second Harvest – A great way to help those that might be hungry this season
• E+Co – Healthy energy for developing nations
• Local Giving – Find you favorite local charities and keep it close to home!

If You Have to Buy It . . .

Where to find it

• BuyGreen.com - One of my favorite green shopping sites. They have a great rating system that helps to understand the sustainability of a product from end-to-end. Check out the English Retread bags, the Vy & Elle bags, Mandala Record Bowls, and the many products for family, home and office.
• UncommonGoods.com- A great place to find unusual and crafted recycled and re-purposed goodies. Unique gifts for anyone. Love the organic cotton Pooh quote pillows and while we’re on the topic of poo . . . check out the Horse Poo Paper journals.
• VivaTerra.com- One of my very favorite places to shop for beautiful eco-friendly gifts. I buy natural crystal ornaments and give some of them (I keep some too) every year. They have great jewelry too.
• TerraCycle.net – This innovative company has found a way to turn garbage into great products. In addition to their signature worm poo fertilizer, they have a myriad of products for kids and adults made from old juice box and food packaging. Lots of very sustainably made gifts for home and office.
• SweetOrganicsandNaturals.com – A nice selection and variety of gifts, eco-friendly wrapping options.
• PeopleTowels.com- A new concept in personal hand-washing/drying. Great stocking stuffers!

Well, this could go on indefinitely, but I’ll quit there for now. May your holidays be filled with hope, great food, good friends and relatively sane family fun.

eat. blog. be merry!
gd meg

Ode magazine founders, Jurriann Kamp and his wife Helene De Puy are still busy changing the world one creative edition at a time.

The Green Divas will be talking to Jurriaan tonight, so make sure to tune in!

We’ll be talking about the special edition Ode magazine that is designed to share some of the inspired solutions for climate change with everyone in Copenhagen (and anyone who cares via FREE digital mag too) this week. 75,000 of The solutions we need now: How the renewable energy economy will halt global warming, clean up the planet, create millions of jobs and make us all healthier, issue will be distributed in Copenhagen and it is also available free online – SolutionsWeNeedNow.org.

Some of the most inspiring and influential minds offer  insights and solutions to the climate crisis (and some of the other challenges clobbering us as well) – Paul Hawken, Bill McKibben, Lester Brown, Al Gore, and others.

This issue offers information on a breakthrough project to use man-made vortices (not sure exactly what this is, but we’ll ask Jurriaan tonight!), up to six miles high, to circulate heat in the upper atmosphere and thus cool the planet. The issue also contains stories on: Dutch scientists who have developed technology to generate renewable electricity wherever saltwater and fresh water meet; ‘carbon farming’ as an innovative and simple form of CO2 sequestration; houses that generate more power than they consume; and new biofuels that don’t interfere with food production.

Please email any questions in advance to: info@thegreendivas.com or IM us during the show.

Tune in and turn on a friend!

Thursday, December 10, 2009
7 – 8pm EST
HomeGrownRadioNJ.org

According to EndBottledWater.com, our landfills are overflowing with over 26 billion plastic bottles from water every year.  Aside from the negative effects of BPA that could come from ingesting water from plastic bottles, the manufacturing and disposal of these containers are stressful on our environment and natural resources.

I would love to have a great whole-house system, but we’re not there yet. I have a Brita filter container for the fridge and frequently refill my stainless steel containers, but recently, I’ve had the opportunity to review a few amazing personal water purification systems. See what I’ve discovered . . .

Restore Clear Water System
This counter-top, pitcher system uses a double filtration method.  Using a UV Clean Technology in addition to a more traditional charcoal filter, this clever pitcher removes bacteria, viruses and microbial cysts (ick) all while reducing heavy metals, chlorine (taste and odor), and some industrial and agricultural pollutants. For about $100, it is a reasonable investment that is easy to use (once you get used to the process).

Clean Water on the Road . . .

Wellness H2O
A personal, reusable water bottle AND filter system. This bottle is made of BPA-free plastic and has a 22 oz. capacity. The filter is good for one year or 150 gallons.  They are on a serious campaign to eliminate the need for water bottles and claim one bottles replaces 1100 plastic water bottles – that’s a lot of plastic and about $1000. Not bad for a $29 investment.

Ech20 by EcoUsable
Taking stainless steel water bottles to the next level, these bottles come with their own amazing filter! The BPA-free filter insert removes 99.9% of pollutants, including biological (ick again). The Ionic-Adsorption Micro-Filtration System allows you to refill with confidence almost anywhere. The filter is good for one year or 100 gallons. A great deal for $39.

AquaSafe Straw
This super straw removes 99.9999% of waterborne bacteria including pseudomonas, escherichia coli, staphylococcus, and fecal coliforms, plus parasitic contamination by cryptosporidium, and giardia – YIKES! It is designed for travel and is promoted for water safety in the event of disaster. Chemical-free, this slightly large straw seems worth owning at $44.95.

The Wellness Wand 
Not a straw, but a filter of sorts only slightly bigger than an average pen, this magic water wand removes chlorine and other harmful free radicals from tap water. A great device to keep in your pocket or purse for restaurant dining. It really does improve the nasty taste of some chlorinated water. A good stocking stuffer @ $30.

Remember, drink responsibly.

eat. blog. be merry!
gd meg