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Marine is designing a crazy cat palace of some sort, so we went to Home Depot yesterday to look for stuff and get ideas. One of the materials Marine wanted to use was PVC…
I almost fainted. :) Marine this entry goes out to you. :* You’re welcome!
There’s an awesome documentary, Blue Vinyl (Netflix has it…just saying…), I watched a million years ago, that schooled me on the evils of PVC.
The most informative site on PVC. - http://www.pvcfree.org/
PBS TV’s “Trade Secrets: A Moyers Report“, a documentary that exposes workplace, and environmental poisoning. Some stuff about PVC and other such things in this one.
And last, but not least, a good read, PVC- A Health Hazard From Production through Disposal.
It’s a shame, I love the new shower smell, the smell of a new car. I can’t tell you how many times I inhaled that smell…deeply.
No PVC for us!
-Cara
I am all wrapped up in this cat condo business. In doing some research today I found this attractive cat, functional, object of art, scratching post, cat tree, a hiding spot, and condo all in one. It is on the pricey side for something my cats will drool on and destroy, but I still think it’s hot. It’s designed by Warren Lieu for One Form Design.
Specs
Dimensions:
Exterior: approx. 28″L x 21″W x 15″H
Interior cavity: 25″L x 18″W x 13.5″H
Materials: 83 laser-cut double wall corrugated cardboard shapes, hand-laminated into the final pod.
Scratch it up.
-Cara
I know it’s blasphemy, but I am not really feeling anybody…I’m not feeling this Obama or McCain.
I need to get into it, research the candidates and see which one is less of an ass. I feel like I should go Democrat as the last Republican has been such a disaster and lately these Republicans have been somewhat evil, working all the angles in a negative, self-fulfilling way. Their focus is on money and power, not on people and definitely not on the planet.
On the other hand, Democrats seem to be wishy-washy, very easily bullied, controlled, not very organized and somewhat dull. Where has all the revolutionary spirit gone?
Both sides aren’t super fresh or exciting to learn about, but I am speaking out of ignorance, you never know what may come around the corner….well sometimes I know, but on occasion things surprise me.
I’ll list some sites I intend to use for research in case anyone else out there is stuck like me or just interested. If I happen to come across anything, i will update this entry with more on this issue.
Here’s some 2008 Campaign Research Links:
I want to get excited about elections and not feel doomed to choose between Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dumb.
What to do…
-Cara
Recycle Mania is a flash game and a pain to play, but I like the challenge. It is easy to get the papers….everything else is a challenge. You need to learn the tricks and way to move.
Here’s some stuff from the site…
RECYCLE MANIA
by Roman Sandoval
Did you know you can make energy out of what you recycle? You can do your part by testing your reflexes and see how much you can recycle in a minute! Be prepared because this game moves fast!
MORE FACTS ABOUT RECYCLING
Every day American businesses generate enough paper to circle the earth 20 times.
Each ton of recycled paper can save 17 trees, 380 gallons of oil, three cubic yards of landfill space, 4,000 kilowatts of energy and 7,000 gallons of water–how many swimming pools is that?
Americans use more than 67 million tons of paper per year, or about 580 pounds per person. So, if we recycled all of the paper that we use, we could save over 1 billion trees every year. Which brings us to the next cool fact:
One tree can take out up to 60 pounds of pollutants from the air each year. So if we save all of those trees by recycling, we can help the environment and improve the quality of the air we breathe tremendously.
This simple thing–making sure that paper and cans and other recyclables go into the right bins–can have a huge impact and can begin to address the problem of global climate change.
Recyling is fun!
-Cara
These cracker are good. I myself cut them in any shape I want to. You can even use cool mini cookie cutters. I love them with anything.
What You Need
3/4 cup organic, unbleached white floor
1/4 cup organic fresh mango purée
1 tablespoon organic canola oil
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon organic coriander powder
What To Do
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a mixing bowl combine all the ingredients together to form a dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough 1/16th inch thick and cut into 3 inch squares for the perfect crackers. Prick each cracker 3 times with the tines of a fork to prevent puffing during baking. Bake the crackers on a lightly oiled baking sheet for 5 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp. Remove crackers from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
So good.
-Cara
Code Pink, who knows how I found this site, but I was cleaning up my bookmarks today and rediscovered it. You’re welcome!
According to their web site,
“CODEPINK emerged out of a desperate desire by a group of American women to stop the Bush administration from invading Iraq. The name CODEPINK plays on the Bush Administration’s color-coded homeland security alerts — yellow, orange, red — that signal terrorist threats. While Bush’s color-coded alerts are based on fear and are used to justify violence, the CODEPINK alert is a feisty call for women and men to “wage peace.”
CODEPINK is a women-initiated grassroots peace and social justice movement working to end the war in Iraq, stop new wars, and redirect our resources into healthcare, education and other life-affirming activities. CODEPINK rejects the Bush administration’s fear-based politics that justify violence, and instead calls for policies based on compassion, kindness and a commitment to international law. With an emphasis on joy and humor, CODEPINK women and men seek to activate, amplify and inspire a community of peacemakers through creative campaigns and a commitment to non-violence.”
In other words, they kick ass. They have a YouTube channel you can check out, Don’t Buy Bush’s War. There’s videos of these women getting arrested by Capitol Hill police and such. They’re no joke, and I’m glad they exist.
Represent.
-Cara
I thought it would be cool to put up some of my pictures once and awhile, that go along with this blog’s point, theme, mood, or whatever you want to call it. Not only just that, but my pictures and photography web site will get some exposure, which they both could use! :)
Sometimes I will include commentary and other times, like now, I will leave the photo for you to deconstruct.
This is the view of the building across the street, from my roof, in NYC.
Unplug.
-Cara
Rainforest Action Network has 25,000 stickers, a database of household products containing the not-so-awesome palm oil (which they compiled with the help of people who love the rainforest) and a date: August 13.
Bring all three together by signing up for RAN’s August 13th Stick it to Palm Oil Day of Action.
Sign up online and you’ll get a Day of Action packet including “Warning: Product May Contain Rainforest Destruction” stickers and a step by step guide to taking part in the action. I hope the stickers are made from recycled stickers and not new paper, which comes from trees…I’m just saying.
Rainforest Action Network is also sending letters to every company that uses palm oil encouraging them to be responsible by joining forces with RAN to put pressure on agribusiness giants ADM, Bunge and Cargill to stop destroying rainforests for palm oil. They should send emails instead of letters, every piece of paper we can save is fresh…that’s right I said that too.
Help stop global warming, and support the rights of frontline communities across the world, by going here and doing what you can.
Stick it to ‘em.
-Cara
I feel a bit stuck in a rut with this blog lately and I’ve been thinking about why that is. What I came up with is themes. I think I am over the responsibility of theme days. I am going to just write whatever I feel like writing about each day. It will still be “green” and beyond, just the day’s writings will be whatever I feel like.
Like this one, instead of being about a heroine, it is about me giving up themes. I am, of course open to patterns developing..that’s different. :-) It is also about me finding a bunch of coupons for Organic Valley Farms’ products. :-D
Nice.
-Cara
This is just an update of what is going on in my life as far as the television is concerned. I still have no satellite or cable TV. I have gone on a few trips where there was a TV in the hotel, house, etc., and I was drawn to it like a bad habit. With no restraint, I would put on the E! network…there must be some trashy TV show on right now full of stars and their drama..Talk Soup perhaps…
After the first few times I wasn’t as excited, and that made me sad. Then last month I went on a family trip which included a million people and 2,000 kids and a TV in the main room that was on…a lot… I don’t miss TV anymore, in fact it is super annoying.
Here’s what I do sometimes, in the background I play really bad, “you-may-have-thought-it-good-at-one-point” shows like Charles in Charge, and Knight Rider and bad stand-up comedy on Netflix “Watch Instantly”. I play stuff to have sound around. I need to slow down.
Turn it off, see what happens.
-Cara
The Eco Zoo is pretty fresh. It has four animals that live in this tree zoo. Three are real and one is a mythological figure. It is done in one of my favorite mediums, Flash (Papervision 3D engine in Flash to be precise). Two of the animals in the zoo have gorgeous pop-up books, that teach us eco tips for a better world…well one did and the other talked about the actual animal… You can also grab the tree, climb it, and spin it. There are sun rings if you are at the right spot…I love details like that. See for yourself!
Go Japan!
-Cara
I came up with this sauce using my brain and perusing other peanut sauces on-line. It’s great on cold organic Lo Mein noodles or whatever else you want a cold peanut butter based sauce on.
What You Need
organic Lo Mein noodles (Roland Organic makes some)
1/2 cup organic peanut butter (crunchy or smooth…I myself like it crunchy style…)
1/2 cup of cold water
2 tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos
2 tablespoons organic lime juice
1 clove organic garlic, minced
2 teaspoons organic grated ginger
some salt and pepper to taste
What to Do
If you are making the cold Lo Mein noodles, in a large pot of boiling water, cook the noodles, gently separating the strands with a long fork as they soften, until barely tender (about 2 minutes). Drain and rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking; drain well. Dump into a bowl and toss with 1/2 tablespoon of the sesame oil to prevent sticking, cover, put it in the refrigerator.
Take all the above ingredients (except the noodles!) and put them in a mixer or food processor and mix well. Makes about 1 cup.
Depending on how many noodles you make or how saucy you like your noodles is how much of the organic peanut sauce you should use. I like to then put the sauced noodles in covered glass container or a covered ceramic casserole dish and let them sit around for a few hours or until the next day lunch to soak in the flavor.
Do it how you do and enjoy.
-Cara
I have written about BioBags before in my 100th post, concerning some composting ideas I had. I really think their concept is a good one, but I have still not actually tried them. :) Anyway, I came across these Biobag Dog Waste Bags and BioBag Cat Pan Liners and thought they sound like great ideas.
I don’t have a dog, but live in NYC where everyone has to pick up after their dogs. I always think about how many plastic bags these people must go through, just to throw away dog poo. This bag is a great idea. It would also be a great idea in New York City to have by every other garbage can be a compost can. Just for dog owners to throw their dog poo in, instead of throwing it into the regular garbage cans. Then the Parks Department could compost the dog poo and use it as fertilizer in all the City Parks. You’re welcome New York City Department of Parks and Recreation! :)
Here’s some info about the Biobag Dog Waste Bags from the BioBag’s site:
BioBag Dog holds the distinction of being the first biodegradable and compostable “plastic” pooper bag in the world.
[When] pet owners put 100% biodegradable dog waste into plastic bags that can take over 100 years to decompose. (I read on another site that BioBags will degrade within 45 days.)
BioBag dog pooper bags are to help divert all naturally biodegradable waste from entering our landfills.
The best solution for disposal of pet waste has always been to separate it from the bag or paper and flush it down the toilet. Using BioBags…the waste and the bag can be thrown in your backyard compost, where both items can decompose naturally; the waste and bag can be buried, where micro-organisms will quickly eat both; the waste and bag can be set at curbside with other yard waste where communities collect biodegradable waste for composting. Please check with your community for disposal options.
I think the cat liners are another great idea for people who use them. I myself do not as I have scoopable litter and then the litter pan itself gets clean out fully. I guess a bag would make it easier to clean…we will think about it.
Here’s some info about the BioBag Cat Pan Liners from the BioBag’s site:
Cat waste should not be composted, as its composition can be quite toxic (What? Toxic…I had no idea. :P). Cat waste should always be scooped from the litter box and then put in your trash. There are a number of new biodegradable cat litters on the market. We also do not recommend flushing it down the toilet because cat poop may endanger sea otters.
Using these biodegradable cat pan liners to dispose of the remaining biodegradable litter makes good environmental sense.
Biodegradable cat pan liners are non-allergenic. Cats can be allergic to plastic and other known allergens. Allergies usually build up over time from constant contact with the allergen. Calicos, Tortiseshells, Black cats and Siamese cats are more prone to allergies than other breeds.
If you suspect your cat has an allergy (red, itchy rashes), consult your veterinarian to determine the source. It is best to use hard-fired ceramic bowls, instead of molded plastic, for serving your cat food. Using a biodegradable cat litter made naturally from renewable grain crops may protect your cat from certain chemicals. Using BioBag non-allergenic liners is an environmentally safe way to further protect your pet.
Eco-pets rule!
-Cara
What happen to all the poets? I remember growing up reading, loving, and writing stream of conscious poetry that went on forever. I would go to hear poets read, speak, connect…There are not really any modern, media saturated stories about the famous, righteous poets, like Adrienne Rich, Audre Lourde, Dorothy Allison, e.e. cummings, or Alice Walker around. If there is any media they are not talking about their poetry. Nobody wants to be America’s Next Top Poet…or am I just running around in the wrong circles these days…
I’ve decided to publish a poem I like using this blog sometimes. It may inspire me, you, or somebody to write…you never know…
Muriel Rukeyser
Here is a poem by Muriel Rukeyser entitled, Looking at Each Other, I really think is powerful. Words with depth that I connect too. That’s what I miss…and meeting others who connect as well. It is powerful.
Looking at Each Other
Yes, we were looking at each other
Yes, we knew each other very well
Yes, we had made love with each other many times
Yes, we had heard music together
Yes, we had gone to the sea together
Yes, we had cooked and eaten together
Yes, we had laughed often day and night
Yes, we fought violence and knew violence
Yes, we hated the inner and outer oppression
Yes, that day we were looking at each other
Yes, we saw the sunlight pouring down
Yes, the corner of the table was between us
Yes, our eyes saw each other’s eyes
Yes, our mouths saw each other’s mouths
Yes, our breasts saw each other’s breasts
Yes, our bodies entire saw each other
Yes, it was beginning in each
Yes, it threw waves across our lives
Yes, the pulses were becoming very strong
Yes, the beating became very delicate
Yes, the calling the arousal
Yes, the arriving the coming
Yes, there it was for both entire
Yes, we were looking at each other
Muriel Rukeyser 1978
What happen to our revolution?
-Cara
According to the the Petition Site, “the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has announced plans to kill America’s wild horses rather than effectively manage our wild natural heritage.
BLM claims it can no longer afford to round up wild horses and confine them until it finds people to adopt them, and the agency wants to euthanize these majestic wild beauties or sell them to the highest bidder “without limitation” - meaning sell them to anyone, even if the bidder also plans to kill these horses.
Why does BLM need to round up wild horses and send them to slaughter? The BLM claims that the agency can’t “allow horses to multiply unchecked on the range without causing an environmental disaster.” But there are less than 30,000 wild horses on the range versus at least 3 million grazing cows. So rather than address the environmental damage caused by cattle overgrazing and expanding oil and gas exploration on our public lands, the BLM would rather placate corporate cattle ranchers who view mustangs as competition for forage, and drive wild horses - our country’s symbol of freedom and independent spirit - to extinction.
This plan is simply outrageous. Stand up for our wild horses and send a comment to BLM today. Urge our government to abide by the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burro Act of 1971 and effectively manage the land to preserve wild horses rather than kill them!”
Stop the killing.
-Cara
In 1871, when she was twelve years old, Florence’s father, United States congressman, William Darrah “Pig Iron” Kelley, (a self-made man who renounced his business activities to become an abolitionist, a founder of the Republican party and a judge, and worked for numerous political and social reforms, including the NAACP), took her to a Pennsylvania glass factory on a tour. When she went inside she observed dirty, exhausted children laboring with pots full of acid and crouching over fires in sweltering heat. She discovered that there were over 1 million children working in these hot, crowded and unsafe conditions. Every year tens od thousands of children died or were seriously injured in work related accidents. Kelley knew something had to be done.
Kelley moved to New York City where she married a fellow member of the Socialist Labor Party, the Polish-Russian physician, Lazare Wischnewetzky in 1844. The marriage ended in divorce in December 1891, after many years of estrangement (it was said he was physically and verbally abusive). She changes her name back to ‘Kelley’, and assumes custody of the three children, who also adopt her maiden name. She left Lazare and moved to Chicago (where it was easier to attain a divorce) with her children. Soon after arriving in the city she joined Jane Addams, Ellen Gates Starr, Alzina Stevens, Mary McDowell, Edith Abbott, Grace Abbott, Julia Lathrop, Alice Hamilton, Sophonisba Breckinridge and other social reformers at Hull House, an amazing group of women, whose faith, strength and intelligence made a huge difference in how women, African Americans, and children were regarded and treated.
In 1899 Kelley helped establish the radical (for its time), watchdog group, the National Consumer’s League (NCL). The main objective of the organization was to achieve a fair minimum wage and a limitation on the working hours of women and children. Kelley, the first head of the NCL, traveled the country giving lectures on abhorrible working conditions in the United States; this helping to educate consumers, so they in turn put pressure on companies, who were prospering off their paychecks.
An example of this type of “pressure” was the NCL White Label, thought up by Kelley. The program offered the NCL’s White Label for display in advertising and businesses to employers whose labor practices met with the NCL’s approval for fairness and safety. The NCL then urged consumers to boycott all companies that failed to meet the NCL’s standards.
[Two girls wearing banners with slogan "ABOLISH CH[ILD] SLAVERY!!” in English and Yiddish, one carrying American flag; spectators stand nearby. Probably taken during May 1, 1909 labor parade in New York City.
George Grantham Bain Collection (Library of Congress).]
In September 1905, Kelley joined with Upton Sinclair and Jack London to form the Intercollegiate Socialist Society. Over the next few years she was a frequent speaker on American campuses. This led to meeting Frances Perkins, a students she recruited to the cause, who was eventually to become the country’s first woman cabinet minister and responsible for bringing an end to child labor in America.
[Mine Kids]
Some other groups Kelley was involved with dealt with women’s suffrage and African American civil rights issues. Kelley helped to establish the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in 1909. A committed pacifist, Kelley opposed USA involvement in the First World War and was a member of the Woman’s Peace Party (WPP) and the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF).
Kelley wrote several books including, Some Ethical Gains Through Legislation (1905), Modern Industry in Relation to the Family (1914), The Supreme Court and Minimum Wage Legislation (1925) and Autobiography (1927).
Florence Kelley, 74, died in Germantown (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) on 17th February, 1932.
Florence Kelley is someone who inspires me.
-Cara
The World Wildlife Fund eco-ad thought up by Saatchi and Saatchi, Copenhagen, Denmark, utilizes the movement of shadows on a billboard to demonstrate how global warming will lead to rising water levels with a cut canopy and the movement of the sun.
I love when someone does something different.
-Cara
The last few Sundays have been games, games, and games, so I decided it was quiz time.
It’s the Green Quiz straight out of Yale. This one is all about product consumption and disposal, and its impact on the world. The design is clean and done well.
It’s fun.
-Cara
This mac and cheese is so good. The way you cook it makes it crusty on top. I switch the cheeses around to experiment.
What You Need
3 tablespoon organic butter
12 oz organic Gruyere cheese, coarsely grated
12 oz organic extra-sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
1 pound organic elbow pasta, boiled in salted water, until just tender, drained and rinsed under cold water
1/8 teaspoon organic cayenne
sea salt
2/3 cup organic whole milk
What to Do
1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Use 1 tablespoon butter to thickly grease a 9 by 13 inch backing dish. Combine the grated cheeses and set aside 2 heaping cups for topping.
2. In a large bowl, mix the pasta, cheeses, cayenne and salt to taste. Place in prepared pan and evenly pour milk over surface. Sprinkle reserved cheese on top, dot with remaining butter and bake, uncovered, 45 minutes. Next raise the oven’s temperature to 400 degrees and bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until it looks crusty on top and bottom.
Good summer fun.
-Cara
We all need a calculator now and again, most of which contain replaceable batteries or are disposable. As I have said before there is no such thing as disposable, so here is my calculator solution, a H2O’s Water Powered Business Calculator.
To maintain a constant supply of energy simply refill as the water evaporates, they say typically every 2-3 months. The H20 water-powered battery is eco-friendly and all the components of the calculator are recyclable.
I haven’t tried this yet, I will update when I do, to whether it rocks or not
Water powered is fresh.
-Cara
It has been a few weeks since I’ve done a new mix, so I put together some songs for your listening pleasure. It is cathartic for sure. Hope you enjoy.
Sing out loud.
-Cara