You are currently browsing the monthly archive for August 2008.
I don’t really like tomatoes, but this is one way I’ll eat them. It’s a great dressing. :)
What You Need
1 Cup Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (I myself prefer the Certified Bragg Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar)
1 cup organic canola oil (I like Spectrum)
1/4 cup organic honey
1 medium organic tomato, peeled, seeded, minced
2 tablespoons chopped, fresh, organic parsley
2 tablespoons chopped, fresh, organic basil
2 tablespoon organic Dijon mustard
2 cloves minced, organic garlic
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
What To Do
In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients and whisk until well blended. Transfer to some covered container and refrigerate for an hour at least. Serve chilled.
I knew I should have bought that tomato today…
Oh well.
-Cara
I am going through bookmarks from an old hard drive I brought back to life a few weeks ago. This is not the first entry influenced by said hard drive. It is turning out to be a great resource.
This lovely gem I just found is Julian Lwin of LwinDesign’s site. He has great stuff like this BioBench and…
…this re-claimed HOPE laundry liquid bottles, low energy florescent tube lamp.
Cool.
-Cara
Ryuichi Ogino (OGI), according to his site…
Born and raised in Tokyo, Ogi relocated to the Bay Area and received a BFA in Illustration from the California College of Arts & Crafts (CCAC) in 2004 only to realize that his passion is not in illustrating.
His works are diverse and incorporate a variety of mediums (from handmade paper-clay toy figures, acrylic paints, wood, lined paper, and canvas, to digital renderings). To pin down his style would be to minimize its scope as it merges genres.
Now back in Japan, he exhibits internationally, moving between Tokyo and the West Coast. He has more recently shown his works at Project, Rean, Giant Robot, Receiver Gallery, Compound, White Walls, and Park Life.
I really like the close ups…I could live in that room…with a bit extra….
Art.
-Cara
Yes, another Ecological Footprint Calculator, but this one has birds, music, animation. I really like it. If everyone lived like me we would need 2.9 planets. I need to work on that.
Currently they have calculators available for the U.S. and Australia. Click here to see how your living habits relate to your use of the planet’s resources.
Nice.
-Cara
Veja is a Paris-based company producing shoes in Brazil. I love the look of their shoes. They are fairly traded and organic. These shoes are made from natural latex rubber, vegetable-tanned leather and organic cotton. They use wild rubber trees that are only found in the Amazon, by supporting wild latex production they help prevent deforestation in this region. Veja also supports two cooperatives of small organic cotton producers.
If you’re in NYC, LA or Pittsburgh you can find them in these stores:
– Takashimaya NYC, 693 5th Avenue, New York
– Ekovaruhuset, 123 Ludlow Street, New York
– American Rag, 160 S. La Brea Avenue, Los Angeles
– Equita, 100 43rd st. Suite 114, Ice Factory, Pittsburgh
My favorite are the organic cotton Veja Tauá collection.
That’s all.
-Cara
Every now and again I will write an entry on how to make your computer more green. Today’s entry is about saving energy by optimizing your system’s fan speed, temperature, and voltage. A free and excellent way to do this is to use SpeedFan 4.35. It is a great monitoring system, where you control the setting to save energy.
You can find this freeware on FileHippo.com.
Cool down.
-Cara
My mom sent me this site, VivaTerra – Eco Living with Style, the other day. She told me she received a catalog that might be interesting for my blog. That the site features things for the home that are made from recyclable or renewable resources. She said, “They have pretty things, but we do not need anything.”
I was impressed that she thought I might be interested in this company enough to write about it, but what I was most impressed reading was, “…but we do not need anything.” Anyone that knows my fantastical mother knows she loves to shop for clothes, home furnishings and the like whenever possible. This was the first time I ever heard her say we don’t need anything! :) The fact that she takes my writing somewhat seriously was pretty fresh as well. You know not matter what, we all want to do right by our mothers, we want them to be proud of who we are and what we do. Well, I do.
On top of all that, I also like the site! The Wooly Owl is awesome!!! According to the Viva Terra web site, the owl is, “Hand-spun and hand-knitted by women in rural Kenya, this plump, huggable owl is dyed with plants grown in the women’s gardens. The money they earn pays for glasses when it was discovered that some women were knitting inches away from their eyes because they couldn’t see correctly. Now they see a prosperous future before them and their children, thanks to the program that enables them to create these adorable wool owls.” It is eco and sustainable in the sense that someone may not need the product, but may love it. In loving it, they help women, who by doing something positive, get something in return they need to survive and enjoy their life, sight. That my friends is pretty fresh.
The End.
-Cara
This is a shout out to Marine. She is into brown sugar everything. Don’t over cook them, unless you like crunchy cookies. This recipe makes fifty 4-inch cookies. If the cookies harden before you have a chance to remove them from the baking sheet, put the sheet back in the oven for a few seconds to soften the dough for easier removal. They are thinner and crisp.
What You Need
- 1 pound (4 sticks) organic unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for baking sheets
- 3 cups packed organic light-brown sugar
- 1 cup organic granulated sugar
- 4 organic large eggs
- 2 teaspoons organic pure vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 cups organic all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- 2 teaspoons organic baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups organic chocolate chips
What To Do
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with Silpat baking mats or parchment; set aside. Cream butter until smooth; add sugars, and beat until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Into a large bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Slowly beat dry ingredients into wet mixture. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Drop 2 to 3 tablespoons dough per cookie onto prepared baking sheets; space dough at least 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. Bake until golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheets, and allow to cool on baking racks.
I want a cookie.
-Cara
This video is an example of how when you do something good, good things happen. In just two weeks of Greenpeace starting this campaign, Unilever received tens of thousands of protest emails from around the world. The video “Dove Onslaught(er)” took off faster than anything Greenpeace had ever done before. Greenpeace’s forests campaigners were invited to meet with senior executives at Unilever headquarters on Friday 9 May 2008.
The meeting with Unilever, according to Greenpeace’s web site, was a positive first step by the company.
- Firstly, Unilever agrees to support an immediate moratorium on deforestation for palm oil in South East Asia.
- Secondly, the company also agrees to use its leadership role within the industry to “aggressively” build a coalition of companies to support the moratorium. This includes them lobbying all the major players within and outside the Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) including the likes of Kraft, Nestle and Cadburys.
- Thirdly, they agreed to put urgent and substantial pressure to save forests onto their palm oil suppliers on the ground in Indonesia too. Once the suppliers are on board with the moratorium then we have a real chance of stopping rainforest destruction.
- And finally, Unilever agreed that they would lobby the Indonesian government to support the immediate moratorium.
Greenpeace campaigners will work with Unilever for the next six months (starting May 2008) to bring together a major coalition of companies to make the moratorium a reality.
That’s cool.
-Cara
I’ve known about this site for awhile. I recently brought back to life a 300 gig hard drive. On this drive were old unsorted bookmarks, and here is where I rediscovered RightRides.
The RightRides program, they offer women, transpeople and gender queer individuals a free, late-night ride home to ensure a safe commute to or through high-risk areas in NYC. To call for a ride, the dispatch number is (718) 964-7781.
In their Safe Walk program, they offer walking escorts for any one who doesn’t want to walk alone.
Nothing wrong with that.
-Cara
When I was a kid growing up the “Save the Whales” protesters were the stereotype for hippies and do gooders of the 70’s. In fact, before there was the term “green”, “save the whales” had that same feeling. The same type of people, just a different time This entry is a tribute to all those who have struggled and fought to save the whales!!!
Whale Call Incorporated are still fighting the good fight. Here are some petitions they list on their site.
Petitions
To support the efforts of Councilor Greg Best of Wyong Shire to protest Whaling
Target: The Japanese Embassy
To educate the Japanese public through the use of global Sister City relationships
Target: Mr. Shinzo Abe, Japanese Prime Minister, Japanese Government and Royal Family
Tell Australian PM to say NO to Japanese whaling in Australian Antarctic Territorial waters
Target: John Howard, Prime Minister, Australian Federal Government
The Mad Mermaids have their own thing going on…
Then there is Whales.org. Their mission is to be the global voice for the protection of whales, dolphins and their environment.
Save the whales.
-Cara
Manhattanhenge
In July I wrote an entry about Manhattanhenge. It is a time when the whole of Manhattan becomes its own Stonehenge. You can read more about it here. Marine and I went to check it out on July 11th and I took these pictures around 45th and 6th in Manhattan. A hundred years later, I have finally cleaned up the shots and put them up on my Flickr. Enjoy the miracle of Manhattanhenge through my eyes.
Look to the sun.
-Cara
If so Meet the Bloggers Dot Org is very pleased to tell you that Michael Moore will be their special guest this Friday, August 22.
You can suggest text question or video questions for Michael Moore here. The best questions for him will win a Moore trademark hat (signed by Moore himself), or an autographed copy of his new book Mike’s Election Guide 2008
Hmmm…. I don’t have a question yet. I might watch it just to get Michael Moore inspired again. I haven’t really been super pro Michael Moore, like I used to be, not sure why. I remember I used to tell people I would intern for free for this guy and I rarely do anything for free. :)
Get inspired.
-Cara
This exciting, new entry is about recycling business cards. When I went to the Brooklyn Renegade Craft Fair at McCarren Park Pool not to long ago I picked up a million vendors’ business cards. I grabbed them so I could check out their web sites, see more of their wares, review their business structure and the design of the cards themselves. Marine and I have a few projects going on right now and are always looking at what other people are doing, or if someone else had the same idea, etc. We are almost done visiting every site, now the question is, what am I going to do with all these business cards from the Fair? Oh yeah and cards from old jobs as well. :)
Let’s find out together…
- One of the first solutions I found was Steve Patterson. Steve is a man with an obsession and that obsession is business cards. You can learn about him and this obsession through his site. You can send your old cards to him here: Steve Patterson, PO BOX 27840, Knoxville, TN 37927-7840. Go Steve!
Build It and They Will Come
- Number 2 is build a level three Menger Sponge. Yes, that’s right a super fresh three-dimensional fractal curve…nice. Thank you Dr. Jeannine Mosely (an MIT Ph.D. in electrical engineering and computer science and a career in three-dimensional modeling) for this and other cool stuff you do.
- If you’d rather start small check out BussinessCardAhedra and learn how to build your own business card polyhedra.
- Last but not least, a few small, fun things you can do to recycle your card are, bind together a few business cards and draw a short, animated flip film, take 52 of the business cards and create an awesome deck of cards, or if you have cards where only one side is printed on, take old magazines and make a collage on the printed side and put your info on the blank side.
See, recyling is fun.
-Cara
Here’s a small, simple tip to save energy. When you come home from grocery store and it’s time to unpack all those groceries and put them away, separate them into piles. There should be a pile for the refrigerator, a pile for the freezer and a pile for the pantry, cabinets, etc. That way you are only opening the doors once and for a short period of time.
Think fast.
-Cara
Look what I found…
You can recycle your Phones, iPods, PDA’s and Cameras to a variety of charities. I have not used them yet, but when I do I’ll post more about it.
Just a F.Y.I.
-Cara
On Saturday’s I am the site manager at a farmer’s market in Manhattan. I really like the job. You meet cool people and are around great food. Anyway, here are some picture’s I took at the market on July 19th of this year. There was a chef’s demo going on that day.
Eat local.
-Cara
I’ll admit I have not really been inspired recently. I have had a lot going on lately and have been making up for lost time, in doing so, I of course lost time. Anyway, I was wading through a multitude of e-mails I fell behind on, which led me to this fresh site, Do The Green Thing. It’s a winner ladies and gentlemen. Every month they come up with a new video that represents one green thing you can do for that month.
I’ve watched two so far and laughed, which I love to do! They are out of London and an independent, not-for-profit fed by grants from foundations and individual contributions.
Also, I think Green Things are adorable.
This month’s video about not buying into marketing and advertising facade about bottled water…or anything for that matter, was done superbly. It was funny, not preachy, well done!
Drink the real deal, drink water!
-Cara
I am not what you would call a wolf person or even a dog person for that matter, but my Aunt Cheri always loved wolves and what they stood for. She was also a respectable and talented Shiloh dog breeder, with the greatest heart.
My Aunt Cheri painted awesome pictures of wolves (and other things). I have one in my office, it is so fresh, they are in the woods, their eyes are intense. My Grandmother, Aunt Cheri and her daughter, my cousin Renee (who was my age) died in the last few years all around the same time. The eyes of these wolves each remind me of one of these people. It is unfinished, but my parents had it framed for me as a gift. It is a way I hold onto my grandmother, aunt and cousin.
To honor my Aunt I want to give a shout out to the wolves and include some links for you all to click on and take a positive action.
Tell Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to end aerial hunting of wolves!
Send a message to Alaska Governor Sarah Palin urging her to end the state’s unfounded aerial hunting program immediately. There is a video on this petition I don’t really recommend watching as it is people aerial hunting these beautiful wolves and them suffering. It is horrible. I made it through two seconds and can’t get the image out of my head…SIgn it…really…. I wonder if Governor Sarah Palin watched it.
Outrageous: Gov. Palin’s $400,000 Propaganda Plan
Alaska Residents Only – Tell Governor Palin that you oppose the Alaska state-funded campaign to support aerial gunning.
Tell your Representative to sign on as a cosponsor to the Protect America’s Wildlife (PAW) Act!
Tell your Representative to sign on as a cosponsor to the Protect America’s Wildlife (PAW) Act to put an end to Alaska’s brutal aerial hunting program — and prevent programs like it from spreading.
Support a National Wolf Recovery Plan
Help ensure a lasting future for wolves in Greater Yellowstone and the Northern Rockies and provide a needed boost for wolf recovery and management efforts in the Southwest, Northeast and Pacific Northwest.
Sign the petition to support sensible, science-based management of struggling Southwest wolves!
Southwest wolves are struggling to survive: the latest population count confirms only 4 breeding pairs, and 52 wolves total, in the wild! Sign the petition to support sensible, science-based management of struggling Southwest wolves.
Bark at the moon.
-Cara
I love to read, but rarely read an actual book, so when I do I like to publicize it. You’re welcome! :P
Here is my review of, “Water For Elephants”.
My review
rating: 4 of 5 stars
I thought it was a great book. Every time I picked it up I was not disappointed, that was a bonus.
I found the circus and individual characters to be quite interesting. I could have cared more for Jacob and Marlena’s relationship than I did. It was never a great romance. I also thought she wrapped up the ending pretty fast and perfectly, but I don’t mind that part. :)
Photo From The Persnickety Palate
I love pie crust more than pie, so here is my favorite organic pie crust recipe. This recipe makes two 8- to 10-inch crusts.
What You Need
1 cup (about 2 sticks) unsalted organic butter, plus more for pie plate
2 1/2 cups organic all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out dough
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon organic sugar
What You Have To Do
- Cut each stick of butter into eight pieces, and refrigerate until needed.
- Place the flour, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl, and mix to combine.
- Add the chilled butter. Using a pastry blender, incorporate the butter into the flour mixture; the mixture should resemble coarse meal with small pieces of butter, the size of small peas, remaining visible.
- Drizzle 2 tablespoons ice water over the flour-butter mixture, and blend. Repeat with an additional 2 tablespoons water. At this point, you may have to add more water: When a handful of dough squeezed together just holds its shape, you’ve added enough; if the dough crumbles, continue incorporating water, 1 tablespoon at a time, checking the consistency after each additional tablespoon.
- Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface. Divide into two equal pieces, and place on two separate sheets of plastic wrap. Flatten, and form two disks. Wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
- Lightly dust a clean, dry work surface with flour. Place the chilled dough in the center of the work surface, and dust the dough as well as the rolling pin with flour. Position the rolling pin on the center of the disk, and begin rolling the dough away from you. Give the disk a quarter turn, and roll again. Continue turning and rolling until you have an even 1/8-inch thickness. Turning the dough as you roll will prevent it from sticking to the work surface. A dry pastry brush is handy to remove any excess flour during and after the rolling process.
- Lightly butter the pie plate. To minimize stretching when moving the dough, roll it around the pin, lift up, and unroll over the buttered pie plate. Using your fingers, gently pat the dough into place. Trim any excess dough with a paring knife or kitchen shears, leaving a 1-inch overhang; then fold dough under to reinforce the edge.
I love pie crust…
-Cara
In this game you play the role of the eco-friendly, political science major. The game revolves around your crazy, carnivore roommate who is attempting to fry your beloved pet goldfishes. Your objective is to save your pets before they are fried to a crisp. You have three lives (an additional life is added every 5,000 points) to save them all. It gets harder as the slothful, immature, and unintelligent roommate throws more and more fish into the frying pan at once.
-Cara
I like to do a shout-out to my city every once in awhile. Today, I am taking it to a more local level, my neighborhood health food store. Well, it’s not in my neighborhood of Spanish Harlem, but it is the closest, super-freshest health store to me, Food For Health.
I really like this place and the familiar faces that keep the store running. They have coupons on their web site, which I just discovered and love! If you are around 3rd Avenue and 92nd you should stop by. They have reasonable prices, a juice bar and solid products.
Shop local.
-Cara
MoveOn.org is cool, because they show you were they get the documentation for this video ad.
The truth is out there.
-Cara
[image source:Jim Wark]
Target: Florida Governor Charlie Crist
Sponsored by: Care2
Recognizing the environmental importance of the Everglades, the state of Florida is planning to purchase 187,000 acres of land to restore its waterways and estuaries. While this is a huge achievement in the fight for Everglades restoration, the state must go one step further.
Developers continue to submit proposals that would encroach on the Everglades, destroying many of the benefits that restoration promises. The Everglades are the home of hundreds of unique species of plants and animals, including 67 threatened or endangered species. A mere 10 percent of the former wading birds that once inhabited the Everglades still exist today.
Urge Florida Governor Charlie Crist to institute a moratorium on approving new development, mining or other changes in use that could impact the upcoming restoration project!
I grew up playing hide and seek in the Everglades. I believe the place is awesome and should be left alone.
Check it.
-Cara
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 have two cats, Zohara Lurlean and Jefferson Brooklyn and I think it is time I start to green up their lives, so here are a few cute green objects of art.
Turtle for Cat has a soft, eco friendly shell created from environmentally friendly fabric made of 85% re-engineered recycled IntelliLoft™ fibers and filled with USDA certified Organic Catnip. Turtle for Cat measures 6 inches, has a sewn-in jingling bell, and is made in Montana, USA for a smaller carbon footprint.
I can only say one thing, these are my cats’ dream lounges by Marmalade. Stop it! Constructed of multiple layers of laminated cardboard and hardboard end-panels, and all natural materials, 35% minimum recycled content. The adhesives used in their products comply with ASTM-D 4236 non-toxic materials for consumer products and made in the USA. Renewable and recyclable materials are used and they are ascetically pleasing…nice.
Last but not least it is Eco-Me cat products. Make your own natural Flea and Bug spray, Litter Freshener and Cat treats (we give you 3 recipes), plus organic catnip and natural pillow. DIY cat stuff is fun. I said it.
Spoiled cats.
-Cara
Photo From The Well-Seasoned Cook's Blog
It is an alternative to mashed potatoes I like. It reminds me of my abuela and growing up in Miami. :)
What You Need
2 organic plantains (green or yellow), peeled and cut in half
1/2 cup organic milk
5 tbsp. organic butter
sea salt and pepper to taste
6 cups of water
What To Do
Place the plantains in a saucepan with the water and cover. Boil on high for 45 minutes or until soft. Once soft, discard the water and mash with electric mixer or by hand after adding the milk, butter, sea salt and pepper.
Good times and food.
-Cara
Eco Bunnies in flash, spreading their carbon footprint message to the world. I can always use another carbon foot calculator, who couldn’t? Travelocity put this one together.
One day I hope to be named the official “Blog with the Most Carbon Calculators”…one day….
I love bunnies!
-Cara
Petition Time -Tell Congress to Ban TV Drug Ads
When I had TV I remember one of the most annoying things on the box were the pharmaceutical ads. Most prescription drugs are used to cover up your ailments, instead of healing your body and making you stronger.
I can’t remember which comedian used this shtick in his act (I think it was Chris Rock…maybe…), but he said in all these years with all the advancements in medicine how come polio is the last cure we have come up with??? lol…it is funnier than that, but you get my point. Drug companies are extremely powerful due to the wealth they have acquired from others’ illnesses. They can not make money if no one is sick. Think about it.
This petition is about getting Congress to support H.R. 6151, The Responsibility in Drug and Device Advertising Act of 2008, a bill introduced by Representatives DeLauro and Emerson that would place a three-year moratorium on advertisements for new drugs and devices. That would give enough time to see what insane side effects some of these drugs have.
Just say no.
-Cara
The Day After An Inconvenient Truth 
What Did You Say?