Change The World Wednesday

Welcome to another edition of Change The World Wednesday. If you're new to our weekly challenges, please click HERE for a little background and information.

Lately my thoughts have been leaning towards starting a garden and enjoying fresh herbs and vegetables. As we talked about last week, whole foods are good for us and the environment. So, with that in mind, here's this week's challenge:

This week prepare at least one meal using only whole foods (if it's processed, labeled "low-fat" or "enriched", or includes ingredients that you can't pronounce ... it's not "whole". Instead, look for fruits, vegetables and whole grains.)

Or,

If that isn't challenging enough for you, eat only meals made with whole foods for one entire day.

Or,

Still not challenged enough? Okay ... your challenge is to go the entire week eating only meals made with whole foods.

So ... are you up for this tasty challenge?

Speaking of challenges, did you turn out the lights for Earth Hour (last week's challenge)? This year we decided to spend the hour enjoying the quiet ... we turned off everything, didn't light candles and instead spent a lovely hour simply appreciating the night. Let's check in with our Honor Society:

Mrs. Green took the challenge and wrote a wonderful post entitled "The Biggest Climate Awareness Campaign Ever". She and her family not only turned off the lights, they turned off electricity into their house ... and they extended the hour by keeping everything off until the next morning.

T.Rusk4u joined us! She also shared that her parties have gone green. Instead of paper and plastic, she's opting for glass plates, bowls, cups and inexpensive flatware.

Our friend Ange, took the challenge ~ she had a dinner party that night and they ate by candle light. Bet it was lovely!

Marcy celebrated Earth Hour ~ Family Style. Her post includes some great pictures! Thanks, Marcy ... it looks like it was fun!

Argentum Vulgaris decided not to join in Earth Hour. He has some valid concerns about candles and their carbon emissions. It's a good point ~ replacing an Eco-friendly activity with a non-Eco-friendly one doesn't work. May I suggest using soy candles or ... just enjoying the darkness for an hour. Thanks for raising our awareness, AV.

Kira took the challenge and emailed everyone she knows to spread the word. While she wasn't as successful at turning off the lights as she had hoped, I think she did a great job.

Thanks, Everyone!

As always, I've Stumbled and Tweeted your posts.

WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD ... ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!

Moving?

Most of us have moved at least once in our lifetime. While it can be an exciting adventure, it's also a lot of work ... sorting, packing, cleaning (oh my). It's also less than environmentally friendly because ... let's face it ... it takes resources to move our stuff from one location to another. It takes packing materials and containers, fuel to haul our stuff and cleaning products to leave that space nice and tidy for the next occupant. In the new place we're faced with what to do with boxes and packing materials and an influx of junk mail (we'll talk about that later). So here are a few "green" moving tips:

Plan Ahead

• Sort through everything and identify items that are truly needed. Everything else can be sold at a garage sale, donated to charity, offered on Freecycle, etc. The less stuff one moves, the less weight ... and that means less fuel.

• Gather moving materials and containers. Rather than buy new packing boxes and bubble wrap, check with the local grocery store or liquor store for usable boxes. Many people offer used packing materials on Craigslist and Freecycle. Keep an eye out for people moving into your area and ask them for any boxes which they no longer need. Consider things you already have ... towels, sheets, pillows, etc. can be used instead of plastic bubble wrap or Styrofoam "peanuts". Check with moving companies who may offer reusable containers and wrapping materials.

• Take a little time to plan your travel route and choose the most fuel efficient of your choices.
  

The Move

• Rent the smallest truck possible and ask the company if they offer fuel-efficient vehicles.

• If personal vehicles are being used, make sure that tires are inflated properly and plan for as few trips as possible.

Cleaning

• Clean windows, mirrors and floors with vinegar.

• Use a 50/50 solution of baking soda and vinegar to scrub down bathrooms and kitchens (including the refrigerator and oven).

• Sweep patios/decks rather than using a leaf blower.

The New Home

• If the new home needs cleaning, use environmentally-friendly products.

• Check to see if anything needs fixing (water leaks, window caulking, etc.).

• Once unpacked, recycle any moving boxes and materials ... again, think about offering them on Freecycle or Craigslist. Perhaps the moving company will take them back for reuse. As a last resort, break them down and take them to the nearest recycling center.

• File a temporary change of address with the Post Office instead of a permanent address change. Here's an interesting fact ... the Post Office sells lists of permanent address changes to advertisers (they don't bother with the temporary ones). So, to prevent an influx of junk mail, file a temporary, rather than permanent, address change.

Moving can be the adventure of a lifetime, a beginning and an opportunity. With a little thought, it can also be earth-friendly.

As always ... I would love to hear from you!

Friday Film Fest ...

Here are some ideas for growing your own whole foods ... in limited space:











Have a great weekend!

Change The World Wednesday

Welcome! If this is your first visit, please click HERE for information.

How did you do on last week's challenge to return usable containers to the supermarket and/or reuse containers in the bulk items department? Was it easy, difficult, any problems? Let's see what our Honor Society had to say about it:

Aine Butler-Smith joined us this week. She gets creative with reusable containers at home. For example, she decorates glass containers and uses them as holders for candles, potpourri, candy, etc.

Ann lives in New Zealand and shares that even her garden center promotes reuse ... they take back used pots and seedling boxes. By the way, Ann posted a very interesting article entitled To Dam or Not To Dam. It's a thought-provoking read.

Argentum Vulgaris, who suggested this challenge, reuses his egg carton ... and his example is catching on. Read about it HERE.

What A Card has reusable mesh produce bags, which she tries to remember to carry to the store. She talks about it in THIS ARTICLE ... she also talks about our previous challenge on saving water. It's an interesting look at what happens when usable water is no longer available and the horrifying anti-green results.

EcoGrrl buys in bulk ... her store carries all kinds of bulk items including shampoo and body lotion. Rather than use the containers provided, she's going to use her pretty containers from home ... and she's moving from plastic to glass. Her focus will be on buying as much as possible each time she shops thereby reducing waste even further.

Heather started paying attention to how people shop and noticed how many plastic bags were being used for relatively small amounts of produce. In THIS POST she offers some earth-friendly alternatives, including making bags of various sizes. Have you ever heard of Fog Harvesting? Heather wrote about it HERE in support of our water conservation challenge. It's really interesting!

Both Heather and EcoGrrl talked about bringing glass containers to the store to refill with bulk products. I have a question for you two ... how did that work? Did the store accommodate you? Inquiring minds need to know! :)

Bob and Rosemary joined us this week. They recycle, use cloth bags, and don't take the plastics for produce. Great job, you two!

Ange takes a trolley/caddy bag to the markets for food. She shares that there's an added benefit to using them ... they are much better ergonomically.

I knew that this challenge would appeal to Mrs. Green who, in addition to a blog on all things green, writes one called My Zero Waste. In THIS ARTICLE, she offers suggestions on how to reduce packaging waste including this one: Shop Naked.

Thanks to everyone who participated! As always, I've Stumbled and Tweeted your articles!

So ... ready for a new challenge?

This week we're making a statement ... joining a world-wide movement to support the earth. Here's your challenge:





March 27th, 8:30 pm (your time), turn off the lights for an hour. Are you in?

WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD, ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!

Grow your own whole foods ...

Happy Spring! We are now officially past winter (I can hear the applause). Increasingly the days will be become warmer and we'll see more sunshine. It's the time of year when my thoughts turn to planting a vegetable garden and anticipating whole foods at my finger tips.

Last week we talked a bit about whole foods ... how they are an Eco-friendly alternative to processed foods. Here are a few interesting facts:

• Eating whole foods, preferably organic, results in a lower risk of many types of cancers and chronic diseases, and promotes healthy aging and higher energy levels.
  
  
• Consuming fruits, vegetables and whole grains rich in antioxidants translates into a lower incidence of cataracts.
  
  
• Whole foods contain high levels of minerals and vitamins.
  
  
• They are loaded with antioxidants which protect the body from free radicals (these are the culprits which promote diseases).
  
  
• Plant based whole foods contain Phytoestrogens, a special class of phytonutrients that include isoflavones and lignans. Phytoestrogens have been found to protect against certain cancers, most notably breast cancer.
  
  
• They are loaded with dietary fiber and resistant starches making them essential to intestinal health and help prevent colon cancer.
  
  
• Whole foods contain no artificial ingredients or preservatives.
  
  
• The healing properties of whole foods are non-toxic and inexpensive. For example: apples help reduce cholesterol, bananas strengthen the stomach lining against acid and ulcers, and bell peppers help to fight off colds.

Eating whole foods is definitely healthy! So, how do we get them? We can shop the perimeter of a supermarket or get them at a farmer's market. Or, we can grow them. Growing them has some definite advantages ... read on:

• It's economical ... for the price of a package of seeds (approximately $2.00), you'll get fresh produce throughout the summer. If you share seeds or use ones from previously grown crops ... the price is even less. Imagine ... for the price of one head of lettuce in the market, you can get an entire season of lettuce.
  
  
• It's healthy ... growing your own veggies means you control what goes on them. You get to decide if chemicals touch your food and, hopefully, you'll opt for organic gardening methods such as the use of lady bugs to control aphids and other pests.
  
  
• It's good for the earth ... rather than traveling across country to reach your grocer's shelves and adding to air pollution, your veggies reside just outside your kitchen door. And no processing such as chlorine washes for your veggies ... just pick them, rinse them and eat.
  
  
• It's educational ... children love to garden and watch things grow. Having a garden is a wonderful family activity and one which teaches children about sustainability.
  
  
• It's fun ... we loved digging in the dirt as children and I'm betting that most of us (perhaps secretly) love it as adults.
  
  
• And ... if we compost, we recognize an additional advantage: composting reduces waste. It's a wonderful way to nourish a home garden and it saves landfills and waterways.

This spring, consider growing your own whole foods .. it'll be good for you and the earth!

As always, I would love to hear from you!

Do those Twinkies hurt the earth?

We all know that some ingredients in our food are less than healthy. For example:

Hydrogenated and Partially Hydrogenated Oils create trans fats which increase LDL (bad) cholesterol in the blood and decrease HDL (good) cholesterol. They have been linked to heart disease, strokes, and contribute to diabetes. A 2% increase in calories from trans fats can result in a 23% increase in the risk for heart disease.

High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) has been linked to insulin and leptin resistance. Insulin resistance is when your body doesn’t use the sugars that you eat correctly. Leptin resistance is when your body no longer recognizes when it is full. HFCS has been linked to Diabetes and Obesity.

Inorganic phosphates, chemical additives designed to improve the texture of foods such as meats, cheeses, beverages and bakery goods, have been linked to lung cancer.

The list could go on and on! Artificial ingredients pose potential health risks. That, in itself, is enough to steer clear of them. But wait ... there's more ...

These ingredients, found in most processed foods, hurt the environment as well. Yes, processed foods require a lot of natural resources to make them attractive and convenient ... but the problem we're talking about today is the danger to the environment when these artificial ingredients end up in our landfills and leach into the soil and waterways. What happens when animals ingest these chemical additives?

Higher than normal levels of phosphates can make aquatic systems so productive that they choke themselves out. Hydrogenated & partially hydrogenated oils have been known to cause emphysema, respiratory distress, anemia, constipation, irritability, and blindness in animals. Mice who have ingested high fructose corn syrup have shown reproduction problems and heart disease.

The fact is that artificial ingredients hurt everything ... our health, the environment and everything that lives.

So ... today's tip is easy ... eat whole foods ... foods which are unprocessed and unrefined, or processed and refined as little as possible before being consumed. Eat fruits, vegetables and foods as close to their natural form as possible. Shop the perimeter of the supermarket rather than the center (most processed foods are located in the center of the store).

We no longer have the luxury of making our food choices based simply on our health ... we now must consider the environment and all living creatures when we decide between processed foods and whole foods.

As always ... I would love to hear from you!

Change The World Wednesday

Welcome ... if you're new to our weekly challenges, please click HERE for information.

My bloggy friend, Argentum Vulgaris from Tomus Arcanum, offered two suggestions this week ... one is for a challenge (which we'll talk about in awhile) and the other is to post challenges a bit earlier so that our friends in other parts of the world will actually get the post on ... or close to ... Wednesday. It's a good suggestion so, from now on, Change The World Wednesday will be posted at 12:02 am (eastern time) on Wednesdays. Thanks, AV!

I loved last week's challenge because it was all about awareness. We challenged ourselves to let the water trickle from the faucet instead of running it full blast. It sounded simple but I found that it meant being "in the moment" and "conscious" of my actions ... and a lot of turning the water pressure down after initially blasting it. It's a habit which I will continue to work on.

Let's see how our Honor Society did with it:

In this POST, Argentum Vulgaris shares 5 ways in which he is saving water. Here's #1 on his list: 3 minute showers. Wow!

Ange took the challenge. Since water in France is expensive, she's highly motivated to conserve. By the way, Ange wrote a couple more articles on our challenge about antiquing (read them HERE and HERE). Be sure to stop by and check them out ... she includes pictures and I must say ... Ange truly turns cast-offs to treasures!

Also from our antiquing challenge, Mrs. Green offers us this POST. In it she suggests a bunch of ways to get/give used things and she also reminds us that the very best purchase is no purchase ... so only buy when an item is really needed. Thanks for the reminder, Mrs. Green!

For our water challenge, Mrs. Green wrote an article entitled "Conserve Water". She offers some wonderful suggestions ... I particularly found the "Recycle Your Veggie Water" fascinating. It just shows what a bit of thinking and planning can do.

Le-Chat joined us and wrote an article about her Rain Barrel. She offered some suggestions both in that article and in her comments on last week's challenge. One idea that I thought was particularly interesting was to use water from the shower, or from a rain barrel, to flush toilets. Brilliant!

Kate is, by her own admission, obsessed with saving water. So much so that she has started a "Stream Team" in her town to bring awareness to the Ipswich River and the water use issues it has. For now, she's dealing with the Ipswich River in another way ... it's flooding. See these posts (HERE and HERE) for some great photos of what's happening in her town. We hope your basement continues to stay dry, Kate!

Sinclair joined our challenge and posted about it HERE. Thanks, Sinclair!

EcoGrrl is being very conscientious about water. One of her ideas is to empty the dog's water bowl into a plant rather than down the drain. Nice idea! I have to warn everyone ... if you go to EcoGrrl's blog, be prepared ... she has posted pictures of her cayenne truffles with chili flakes on top. They will definitely make you drool!

Green Gal joined us and wrote this PIECE. She noticed that the kitchen sink got the most use and that the faucet typically got turned on to full power. She also talks about a recent program she watched ... a documentary called Summit on the Summit which hopes to raise awareness to the issue of unclean drinking water in Africa.

Cathy took our challenge. She's thinking of posting a sign in the bathroom to remind everyone to save water. While I was browsing around Cathy's site, I noticed a page on Green Tips ... WOW! Cathy includes all kinds of information so, if you get a chance, swing by and check it out!

Millenniumhealth joined us and wrote about our challenge HERE. She shares that Spain has been dealing with drought conditions for the last 6 years ... so saving water is important. At her house, rain water is collected into large containers. If you've ever thought that rain barrels aren't worth it, listen to this ... Millenniumhealth collected enough water in one day of heavy rain to last her family an entire summer.

In What I Planted This Week, Rewinn shares what went into the ground recently. And ... he also shares that his veggies are being supported by water reused from dish washing or collected in various containers when it rains. He lists a few reasons why this is a good idea so check it out!

Kira, whose blog prompted our water challenge, was off and running and then ... tragedy struck ... a water leak to the tune of 5 gallons an hour. Read about her Water Trauma, HERE. We're keeping our fingers crossed for you, Kira!

Wasn't that good? I don't know about you, but I always learn new things from our Honor Society. Thanks to everyone who participated! I've Stumbled and Tweeted your posts.

As I mentioned earlier, Argentum Vulgaris offered us a suggestion for this week's challenge. It's a great idea and I'm taking him up on it. Here it is:

This week, make use of returnable/reusable containers at the market. If your store takes back bottles (or any other containers), return them. If bulk shopping is available, reuse the bag/container for your next purchase. If you buy veggies and use the store's produce bags, keep the bags and reuse them on your next trip.

Or ...

If this is an activity which you do on a regular basis, please write a post about other ways to reduce container waste when shopping.

So what do you think? Are you up for this challenge?

WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD ... ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!

Spring is in the air ...

In the last few days, I've had some welcomed visitors ... a beautiful pair of Eastern Towhees have returned after wintering elsewhere.

(Photo from All About Birds)










On our walks we see crocuses sprouting ... and Marmots are beginning to peek out of their burrows.

(Photo from Wikipedia)







Spring is definitely in the air! And that means that it's time to start thinking about gardening, spring cleaning and living "green" as the days move from cold and snowy to sunny and warm. Here are some ideas:

• Spring is traditionally a time to tackle those big cleaning jobs. Instead of using toxic chemicals, opt for more earth-friendly cleansers. Click HERE for ideas and recipes.
  
  
• Clean out closets and drawers and donate usable items to a charity, thrift stores or post them on FreeCycle.
  
  
• Check the batteries on smoke detectors and make sure they are working properly (okay, it's not a "green" tip but ... it's important).
  
  
• Take a look at air filters and wash or replace them as necessary.
  
  
• Plan a vegetable garden. When considering which veggie to grow, consider heirloom varieties which help to preserve biodiversity. Consider natural pest control rather than toxic pesticides (for a list, click HERE). And rather than commercial fertilizers, start a compost pile to nourish your garden.
  
  
• If you'll be landscaping your yard, opt for native plants which don’t need as much water and fertilizer.
  
  
• As the weather warms, consider these earth-friendly habits:
  
  
  • Walk instead of drive.
  • Dry your clothes outside rather than use the dryer.
  • Sweep your patio, deck or walkway instead of using an air blower.
  • Use a push mower instead of a power or gas mower.
  • Switch the direction on your ceiling fan to cool (here's a hint ... when you stand under the fan you should feel the air blowing down on you).
  • When the fireplace is no longer being used, close the damper.
  
  

Spring is a time of renewal ... so renew your commitment to a "greener" lifestyle and enjoy the warmer days ahead.

As always ... I would love to hear from you!

Warm, Tropical Breezes ...

This winter has been cold for most of us ... and snowy for many.

Are you wishing for spring?

Well ... I can't hurry the seasons along but ...

I can invite you to take a trip today ... to somewhere warm and exotic.

Would you like to join me in Brazil? Let's go!

Climb aboard my magic bus ... it can travel great distances in a flash.

Are you ready? Just click it ...

Reactions to Change The World Wednesday

Wow ... it looks like Change The World Wednesday ruffled some feathers:





Thanks to Rewinn for this amazing "news" update!

Make your own version!

Change The World Wednesday

Welcome!

Before we unveil this week's challenge, I'd like to share some information with you. On one of our recent challenges to reduce paper, our bloggy friend Ann told us that, in her area, postal patrons simply put a "No circulars or addressed mail only" sticker on their box and ... simple as that ... no fliers or mailers are delivered. So, I decided to do a little investigating as to whether the U.S. Postal Service would offer those of us in the U.S. that option. I went to their site, found a contact page and wrote them a polite email suggesting that they offer us an "opt out".

They don't currently offer that option but they wrote back to me with their suggestions for reducing junk mail. Unfortunately, we're way ahead of them and have already talked about those methods. So, I was thinking ... if a lot of us write to them and politely suggest that we be given the option to refuse advertisements, fliers, etc., perhaps they'll eventually listen. If you'd like to contact them, here's the link:

U.S. Postal Service Customer Support

Are you ready for a new challenge? This week we're going to "fine-tune" our water use. While browsing Trying for Green, a new blog by Kira (one of Honor Society members), I came across an excellent article about water ... and this week's challenge was born. Here it is:

This week, when using the faucet, turn it on at a trickle instead of full blast. Simple, right?

Or ...

If you are barely letting water run, please investigate other ways to save water and ... yep ... write about it.

By the way ... if you haven't already checked out Kira's new blog ... I encourage you to do so. It promises to be a wonderful resource for green living.

Let's check in with our Honor Society. Last week's challenge asked us to consider an antique store for our purchases ... or a second hand store. This was a fun challenge!

Kate and her husband treat themselves to one antique a year. I loved her sentiment: "... I would much rather have something old, with a story ..." Me, too!

Marcy, who gave us this fun challenge, shared that antique dealers like to make deals ... so, antique stores don't have to be expensive. Great tip, Marcy!

Brian and his wife refurbished an antique sewing table with cast iron legs. They sanded and painted and ended up with a beautiful antique which Brian's wife uses as her desk. Brian said "Plus it was great working with her on a project." Okay, Brian ... you get the "Good Husband of the Day" award!

EcoGrrl gets all of her cast iron skillets at antique stores. She's now looking for a rocker for her new front deck.

Kira, who inspired this week's challenge, wrote a wonderful article about buying used which you can read HERE. She brings up an important point in her post ... it's important to not only buy used, but donate items which are no longer wanted. It's part of the way she simplifies her life.

Argentum Vulgaris has been shopping in "Op Shops" for years. In his post (which you can read HERE), he talks about something even more interesting than second hand stores and antique shops ... Sunday street markets in Brazil. Wow ... the pictures made me drool!

Maurie Kirschner has "antiquing" in her blood. In her post (which you can read HERE) she shares that her mom is great at searching out antique treasures. Maurie also shares pictures of her most prized antique ... an Art Deco Secretary that her husband gave her for a wedding anniversary. Okay, it looks like we have two husbands who get the "Good Husband of the Day" award!

Ange' shared that in France, 'attic sales' are everywhere between April and October ... and people "make it a day" visiting with friends and taking wine. But I'm betting that not everyone has the creative, artistic eye that Ange' has. Read this POST and see what she has transformed from something old to something fabulous! And this POST offers some more of Ange's wonderful transformations.

Aine Butler-Smith expands the "buy used" idea to include used cars. Brilliant! By the way ... Congratulations Aine on the birth of your newest grandson! Best wishes & happiness to all of you!

I knew that Le-Chat would love this challenge ... her entire blog is dedicated to reusing things which others toss out. Read about some wooden toys she rescued HERE. I agree, Le-Chat ... I'll bet there is one happy little guy playing with these treasures as we speak.

Harri Pao shared that he doesn't have antique stores near his home in Indonesia. But in a very interesting article (which you can read HERE), he talks about "Onthel" bikes ... unique and antique bikes that are sought after by collectors and used for pleasure cycling.

Rewinn shops thrift stores rather than antique shops. In Three Reasons for Thrift Stores, he offers great reasons for doing so, including the thrill of the hunt.

Remember our challenge on book swaps? Well, Brian from Eazy Cheezy wrote a piece on the various on-line swap sites. You can read that post HERE. As always, Brian does a great job of investigating sites and shares the best of them with us. Thanks, Brian!

Great job everyone ... this was a fun challenge.

I've Stumbled and Tweeted your articles.

Ready? All together now ...

WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD, ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!

"Gators Go for World Championship With Record Prices for Solar Power" by Tom Rooney

In January we met Mr. Tom Rooney, CEO of SPG Solar. At the time, he was taking issue with some comments made by Bill O'Reilly and, in the process, shared his take on solar panels (you can read that article HERE).

Mr. Rooney recently returned from a trip to China and shares his thoughts about their solar energy efforts ... and the efforts of one, progressive city in the U.S.


Gators Go for World Championship With Record Prices for Solar Power

Something’s gotten into those Gators.

First, they won back to back championships in college basketball. Then they added a national football title to the mix, along with a Heisman trophy.

Now the city surrounding the University of Florida is doing something of even greater national import. Something that just might be remembered in 100 years as the place where America began its march to world energy leadership:

The Gainseville city leaders became the first in the country to set a competitive price for people who create renewable energy with their solar panels or wind farms or whatever, and who sell it back to the local utility.

They call it a feed-in tariff, if you must know the technical term. But it is simply the price you receive for generating your own power then selling it back to the utility.

Many solar leaders regard it as the key to the next step in the growth of solar in America -- both the use and manufacture.

Which is also the key to creating energy independence and reducing carbon.

Which of course we are not doing enough of.

On a recent trip to China, I visited several large factories where they make solar panels.

I wish everyone who wishes America to be an energy super power could have seen what I saw. These factories are world-class models of efficiency and skill. Their managers, many of whom are trained in the United States are very good and getting better.

Many of the panels they make are going to places where local utilities pay premium prices for solar power generated on rooftops; there is no doubt that wherever solar owners receive higher prices, more solar power exists.

In Germany and Spain and France and Italy, the feed-in tariff is as high as 72 cents per kilowatt hour. In Germany it is the highest, that is why they have more solar than anyone anywhere.

And most of this they did ten years ago.

In Gainseville, they recently set their price at 32 cents per kilowatt hour. Interest in solar in this college town is exploding far beyond what an economist might expect from the financial incentives alone.

Which tells us that people have important economic and non-economic reasons for using renewable energy.

If only they get the chance.

A competitive feed in tariff is just the beginning. The bigger the local market for solar, the greater the chance for local manufacturers to compete.

And that is what is missing in America so far. Missing from the plans of those who hope for tens of thousands of green jobs; Missing from the folks who crave energy independence. Missing from those who say solar is the cure for carbon.

But not missing in Gainseville -- where their 32 cent per kilowatt hour is a message to the rest of the country that this is what people do who are serious about energy independence and carbon reduction.

Compare that with California, the most solar friendly place in America, where solar power owners are lucky to get 1/3 of that.

There’s always a reason why we are not going whole hog on solar. The grid is not ready. The price is too high. We have more and better energy in -- fill in the blank -- that all we have to do to get it is -- fill in the blank.

But the blanks are always years and years and trillions of dollars away. Meanwhile, Asian suppliers and European competitors are racing ahead.

Today our national leaders correctly say that America can and should be a world power in renewable energy. But business leaders in Asia feel America will not get there.

If we are going to compete -- let alone win - for this world energy championship, we are going to have to act like winners. And we can begin by acting the way they do in the hometown of the national championship Gators.

I'd like to thank Mr. Rooney for that interesting and informative article.

As always, I would love to hear from you!

Let the bidding begin ...

Last week I told you about an Art Auction for charity which I am involved with. The bidding has officially begun and will continue through March 14th ... so I'd like to personally invite you to drop by and browse the lovely items. Look closely ... you'll see some of my very own earring creations and some original art by "Art Ist".

100% of the proceeds go to Angel Faces ... it's a worthy cause.

So ... please stop by, purchase if you can, and spread the word to everyone you know!

Okay ... are you ready? Just click on the banner to enter the auction hall:




Thanks, everyone!

Vegan Recipe - Vegetarian Pho

This month's recipe is one of my favorites. At first glance it might appear to be complicated but it actually comes together quite easily and quickly. It includes the exotic flavors of Vietnam and is ... well ... goodness in a bowl. I hope you enjoy it!

Vegetarian Pho (Vietnamese Noodle Soup)

Broth (Makes 8 cups)

8 cups clear vegetable stock
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
8 medium garlic cloves, peeled and chopped coarsely
1 small onion, diced
One 1-inch piece of ginger
Two 3-inch cinnamon sticks
2 pods of star anise
2 large bay leaves

• Put stock, soy sauce, garlic, and onion in a large stockpot and bring to a boil over medium heat.
• Meanwhile, char ginger on all sides over an open gas flame or in a small skillet. Add to the stock.
• Add the cinnamon sticks, star anise, and bay leaves to the broth. Reduce the heat to low. Simmer, partially covered, for 20-25 minutes.
• Remove solids with a slotted spoon or strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Return to pot and keep hot until ready to use in soup.

Pho Bo (Vietnamese Noodle Soup)
(Serves 6)

8 cups Vietnamese style broth (see recipe above)
1 pound rice noodles
One 8-ounce package seitan, drained
1/4 cup bean sprouts
1/2 cup shredded cabbage (such as Napa cabbage)
1/2 cup tender greens, torn into bite-sized pieces
1 cup basil leaves
1/2 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
3 scallions, thinly sliced (both green and white parts)
3 Tablespoons chopped, roasted, unsalted peanuts (optional)
1 lime, cut into wedges
3 fresh red or green chili peppers, seeded and cut into thin slices
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

• Make the broth as directed. When broth has been simmering for about 10 minutes, prepare rice noodles as directed on package.
• Drain the noodles and divide them among six bowls.
• Simmer the seitan in the broth until heated through, about 4 minutes. Remove the seitan with a slotted spoon and slice thinly into six portions. Add to noodles.
• Assemble the soup by placing the bean sprouts, cabbage, greens, basil, cilantro, scallions, and optional peanuts on top of the noodles and seitan. Ladle the hot broth onto the noodle mixture.
• Serve with a plate of lime wedges, sliced peppers, and salt and pepper for individual seasoning.

Notes:

• We often substitute dried shitake mushrooms for the seitan, adding them to the broth for the entire cooking time.
• Try cubed, firm tofu for added protein and variety.
  
• Experiment with vegetables you might have on hand ... cut them thinly, similar to a stir-fry preparation.

If you have a vegan recipe which you'd like to share with Reduce Footprints' readers, please send it to the email address listed in the side bar. We publish a vegan recipe on the first Friday of each month.

Change The World Wednesday

Welcome to our weekly challenges ... if this is your first visit, please click HERE for information and a list of all challenges.

Last week our challenge was to go "paperless" and pay our bills electronically. So, how did it go for you? Here's an interesting fact: "In one year, by switching from paper to electronic billing, statements and payments, the average American household would save 6.6 pounds of paper." ... PayItGreen for Consumers. Now imagine how many households there are in the world. That's a lot of paper! Making the switch to online billing is another example of a small action having a huge impact.

Let's see how our Honor Society did:

Kira already pays bills online. She mentioned that paying bills reduces stress because one can schedule a payment ahead of time and not have to worry about getting it in the mailbox. Nice to have you back, Kira ... and thanks for accepting the last couple of challenges, as well. We look forward to hearing how those went for you!

Brian is paying about 80% of his bills online and would be paying 100% if he were given the option. He mentioned that paying bills online helps with budgeting because one can track payments.

Maurie Kirschner stopped in. She also pays bills online and says that it reduces the amount of "stuff" in her home. By the way, Maurie ... were you able to get the post office to stop putting mailers in your mailbox? If so, we'd love to hear about it!

Joe Todd took the challenge. He recently went to an art exhibit about "cut paper" and plans to post about it soon. Looking forward to that, Joe!

EcoGrrl pays her bills online and shared that some places even offer a discount for doing so. She also had great advice for those paper bills, or any mail, that we can't get rid of ... recycle them ... even the plastic magazine wrappers. Great advice EcoGrrl! By the way ... EcoGrrl has been a long-time, consistent participant in our challenges and I'd like to encourage all of you to drop by her site and check it out ... it is eclectic, interesting and always heart-felt.

Mrs. Green wrote an excellent article on the Pros and Cons of Paperless Billing. I was particularly interested in the "cons" because, as Mrs. Green points out, electronic billing isn't without it's problems. I hope you'll check out her interesting article.

Heather took the challenge and wrote this wonderful article: Find News Online or Swap Paper Editorials. She also said that her mother has converted to electronic billing and loves the ease, money savings and tree savings. Thanks to both you, Heather, and your mom!

Pondering4cat stopped by. Regarding a previous challenge where we sent e-greetings out, Pondering Cat offered another site: Ojolie eCards. Thanks, Pondering Cat!

Ann came by. She'll be posting her Save the World Wednesday/Think Green Thursday article soon ... this week's post will be about eating parts of the pumpkin plant ... that ought to be very interesting!

Ange dropped in and shared that, in France, some of her bills arrive through email but companies will typically also send the bill through "snail mail". While France may not be up to speed with electronic billing, they do offer direct debit. Just a reminder ... on a previous challenge Ange offered to trade French magazines for ones you might have sitting around ... well, that offer remains open so get those magazines out and contact Ange through her blog.

Great job, everyone! I've Stumbled and Tweeted your articles! If you are a member of any social networks, please pass the word about our Eco-friendly challenges!

Okay ... last week I promised to move on to something other than saving paper. This week's challenge was suggested by Marcy, from Cooking Rut, who said "I grew up with parents who were antique dealers. Most (not all, but most) of the furniture we had was purchased at auctions. Basically, we had a house full of antiques. Even sofas were purchased used. If you think about it ... buying antiques (or purchasing used furniture) is very green. You can buy lots of household items at antique stores -- glassware, dishes, old tools, hardware, old sinks/bathtubs, etc." So here's the challenge:

This week consider antique stores for household purchases. If you've never been in an antique store, visit one to see what items they offer. If you need a couch, table, tools, dishes, etc., check out an antique store before buying new.

Or ...

If you don't have an antique store in your area, don't need to buy anything this week, or find antique stores too costly, write a post about all the various resources for finding previously-owned items.

Doesn't this sound like fun? A challenge to go antiquing!

That's it for this week!

WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD ... ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!