Merry Green Christmas, Everyone!

Cut Flowers and the Environment ...

For many, beautiful arrangements of fresh cut flowers are a must for a holiday table. Bouquets of unusual flowers make easy gifts ... grab a bundle from most supermarkets or order a bouquet online to be delivered. Whether one needs a hostess gift, something for a special someone or a gift for the "hard to please", cut flowers will accommodate. That's what the $40 billion a year, cut flower industry tells us. What they don't tell us is how bad they are for the environment.

Most cut flowers, approximately 79%, are grown in South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. They are grown in climate controlled greenhouses using pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides ... including DDT and methyl-bromide which are banned in the U.S. These substances have been linked to health problems such as skin conditions, respiratory problems, impaired vision, and birth defects. Many of the people who staff the greenhouses, and who come in contact with the flowers on a daily basis, are now suffering from these problems.

Not only are workers being hurt ... the environment is suffering as well. Methyl-bromide has been linked to the destruction of the ozone layer. DDT usage has caused serious problems for many animal and bird populations. Small amounts of these chemicals are dangerous ... most greenhouses, however, aren't using just a little ... they are using a lot. It contaminates the ground and water, hurting animal and fish populations and it reduces the amount of drinkable water in many communities.

Once the growing stage is complete, the cut flowers are sent all over the world. They travel far distances, and as we've talked about before ... anything that travels a long distance is causing pollution and using a lot of resources to make the trip. An estimated 500 million make their way into the U.S. In order to pass inspection upon entry, they are often sprayed with more toxic chemicals so that no bugs or insects make the trip ... and so that each and every blossom looks it's best. Florists in this country touch these flowers and are reporting skin rashes and breathing problems.

There's still more ... once the flowers get to a florists shop, they are typically arranged using floral foam which helps to hold them in place. This foam is a petroleum bi-product that off gases formaldehyde when soaked in water. It is also non-biodegradable. A leaf shine product is typically used to shine up the greenery ... this is an aerosol product and aerosol products hurt the environment.

What about the flowers produced in the U.S.? Are they better? While they may not use banned chemicals, many farms and greenhouses use a lot of pesticides. These are harmful ... to the earth and all of her inhabitants.

So ... should one forgo cut flowers as a gift? Not necessarily. Look for organic flowers, grown locally if possible. Make a point of asking about that beautiful bouquet ... is it arranged with floral foam ... is it sprayed with anything. And by the way ... many live plants are grown in the same conditions so ... know where your product comes from. Basically, use the same guidelines buying cut flowers and plants as you would buying food.

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

Wrap it up ...

The U.S. Postal Services recommends that packages be sent out no later than December 15th to ensure that all those green gifts (you did go green, right?) reach their destination on time. Even if your packages are staying local, you'll probably be thinking about wrapping soon. So here are a few tips on boxing, wrapping, and sending those packages in a earth friendly way:

Boxing

• Many gifts don't need to be boxed at all. Things like books, games, tool boxes, etc., can be wrapped as is.
• Make the box part of the gift ... for example, a tin bucket makes a great container for garden tools. Giving kitchen items? Wrap them up in a roasting pan.
• Use cereal, pasta or salt boxes ... just give them a good shake to clean them out.
  
• Check under your bed ... I'll bet there are some previously used boxes from years past under there.
• Check with shoe stores ... many of their containers get recycled or tossed out.
  
• Need to add some packing inside the box? Rather than use those Styrofoam "nuts", which are totally bad for the environment, try using popcorn (popped, hold the salt and butter), peanuts in the shell, or hard candy (wrapped). Recycled paper also makes a great filler ... as do rolled up t-shirts or socks.
  

Wrapping

• Got maps lying around? They make great, colorful wrapping paper ... and if care is taken, they can be folded up and used as ... well ... maps. Here's a fun idea ... use a bright pen to "map" out some fun places for your recipient to visit.
• Make the wrapping part of the gift. Dish towels work beautifully ... as do colorful scarfs. Ties can be used to "tie" up the package instead of a ribbon. For kids gifts try cute T-shirts, shocks or knitted hats.
  
• Use leftover wallpaper or drawer liner.
• Instead of a bow, how about a compact fluorescent light bulb. Now there's a bright idea.
• Speaking of bows, look out your window for package decorations ... a sprig of holly, a cluster of pine cones or a display of winter flowers. Your yard may be a treasure trove of beautiful ornaments.
  
• Check the library (they sometimes toss out or give away items), thrift stores and Good Will for books and magazines. Look for ones with colorful pages and interesting patterns ... and use them as wrapping.
  
• Do you get catalogs or holiday fliers? Look closely ... they may be the perfect holiday paper.
  
• If your house is like mine, you have a few pillow cases around that seem to have lost their mates. And who wants to put mismatched pillow cases on their bed (oh how gauche). Use these as gift bags ... and if they are a little too big ... trim them down.
• Need gifts tags? Cut them out from the Christmas cards you received last year. Another idea ... use old photos and write on the back of them ... not only will you be reusing an item which has probably been sitting in a drawer, you'll be passing on wonderful memories.

Sending

• FGX is a shipping company which is undertaking a year-long effort to make its operations greener. And that's not all ... they promise to get your packages to their destinations in a faster, cheaper and greener way. Check them out at http://www.fgxusa.com/ .
• Plan ahead ... I've read that using ground transportation is more environmentally friendly than using overnight services. It's a lot cheaper, too!
• If you're giving gifts to friends and family close by ... hand deliver them. Who knows ... maybe you'll get a hot cup of cider or mulled wine for your efforts.

And finally, these ideas:

• Keep any boxes you receive for future use.
• If you use ribbon, regardless of the package size, measure out enough to wrap around an average box ... perhaps a shirt or sweater size box. That way, your recipient can save it and use it again.
• Carefully remove paper ... and reuse it.

"Wrap it up" green and it'll be a very bright Christmas!

As always ... I'd love to hear from you!

Green gifts for kids

Today is an exciting day. This post is written by Small Footprints (that would be me) and our bloggy friend at Wellness KIDS (http://wellnesskids.blogspot.com/). If you haven't stopped over at Wellness Kids, I encourage you to do so. There are some great articles about keeping our kids safe ... posts about what goes in and on their food ... information about using air filtration systems in the home ... and how cleaning one's home can be harmful. And here's the thing ... the information presented there is not only important for kids ... it's important for adults and the planet, as well. So, if you have a minute, stop over there and say "hello".

When it comes to special holidays and celebrations, it's easy to set aside our green efforts and opt for ease and convenience. That is especially true when thinking about gifts for children. Let's face it ... kids are bombarded with commercials for the latest gizmos and gadgets ... many of which contain less than environmentally friendly materials or are energy gluttons. And "green" gifts aren't always easy to find ... or on our children's list to Santa. Before giving up on green gifts, consider these ideas:

From Wellness KIDS, we have these wonderful suggestions:

I love the challenge of finding gifts that stimulate the mind, encourage creativity, are fun, and good to our planet. If you Google “eco-friendly gifts for kids”, you’ll find lots of great online retailers carrying a wonderful variety earth-friendly natural wooden, fabric and other types of toys. This year I tried to think of gifts that are not only natural or recyclable, but items that actually use or teach how to make use of recycled materials, and/or do something beneficial for our planet. Here are 5 of my favorite kids’ gift ideas this year:

$8.76 - Recycled Crafts Kit

I absolutely love this one. Get the book, Recycled Crafts Kit, by Laura C. Martin and pack it in a decorated recycled box along with lots of great recycled materials to be used in the projects from the book. The book is full of great information about waste and recycling, as well as fun projects for kids to make. Cheap, educational, fun, and eco-friendly! What more could you want?

$25 - Gardening Kit

Buy a great gardening book for kids, like Roots, Boots, Buckets & Boots: Gardening Together With Children by Sharon Lovejoy ($11.16 on Amazon.com). For about $25, you could get the book, and pack it together with some great kid-sized gardening gloves, a trowel, a pot and some seeds. Or you could go all out and provide and all the items needed to do one of the great gardens in the book. This is a great way for parents to spend time with their kids, for kids to learn the wonderful art of gardening and to add back to nature.

$50 - “Adopt an Animal” at www.worldwildlife.org

Give the gift of giving. Make a $50 donation to the World Wildlife Fund in your (or another) child’s name. 82 cents of every donated dollar goes toward the World Wildlife Foundation’s conservation efforts.

A $50 symbolic adoption includes as a thank you gift: A plush, stuffed animal, a species spotlight card, an adoption certificate, a 5”x7” color photo of the chosen animal and a drawstring gift bag. Choose from 80 available species. Or you can send an adoption card and allow the recipient to choose their own favorite animal. Order by 12/17/08 for arrival by Christmas.

Note: For a gift closer to home, support your local zoo. Many zoos have great adopt-an-animal programs too! Some of them include great behind the scene tours and other great benefits. Check your local zoo for more information.

$64/$84 Earth Friends (theearthfriends.com)

These adorable dolls are made entirely from organic or recycled materials. They are just the kind of soft, loveable dolls that become instant favorites with children. There are nine boys and girls to choose from. Each Earth Friend arrives with his or her own little backpack with a tree planting kit inside.

$1299 – MacBook

Okay – it’s a high-end gift, but I just saw the commercial for the new MacBooks and was amazed. Kids love Macs because they are great for gaming and graphics programs, plus they are sleek, streamlined, cool-looking and seemingly immune to viruses and spyware.

Now there is another reason to love MacBooks. According to Apple, they are the most environmentally friendly notebook computers in the world. The new version of their most popular MacBook can run on just one quarter of the power of a single light bulb!

According to Apple’s website, each new MacBook is designed with the following features to reduce its environmental footprint:

• Arsenic-free glass
• Mercury-free LED-backlit display
• Brominated flame retardant-free internal components
• PVC-free internal cables
• Highly recyclable aluminum and glass enclosure
• Up to 41 percent smaller packaging

So, if your kid has been especially great, this would be one heckuva gift!

A BIG THANK YOU to Wellness KIDS for those great ideas. Are you ready for some more? OK ... read on. These come from Small Footprints:

• When buying holiday gifts for the kids keep in mind that it’s better to buy products that are made of organic cotton and wood.

• It's OK to give slightly used gifts. Look for items that are in good shape and that don't contain toxic materials.
  

• Have a little artistic genius on your list? Buy earth friendly ... and animal friendly supplies.

• Bedding ... what kid doesn't like to jump into a bed with his favorite cartoon characters on the sheets? Look for organic, Eco friendly materials in colorful, playful designs.

• Furniture ... when I was a kid, my parents got us a little table and 4 chairs. It was kid-sized and we thought it was just about the coolest thing in the universe. I'm sure that they thought we'd eventually do homework on our little table ... we, however, imagined tea parties and art projects and car tracks and table games and ... well, you get the idea. So ... how about some kid friendly, earth friendly furniture. Look for organic wood and non-toxic paint.

• For the outdoor kid (and those wonderful nature hikes), consider a backpack made from natural or recycled materials.

• How about a LED flashlight ... after all ... what would ghost stories around a campfire be without one. There are green varieties available which are solar powered and still others which are kid powered (a crank is used to power it up).

• For the little ones, how about a fun, animal shaped toothbrush. Recycline has a series called Preserve Jr. Check out their link below in the list of resources.
  

• Toys never go out of style. Here are a few options (be sure to look for Eco-friendly materials and minimal packaging):

• Fuel cell racing cars (they run on water ... wow)
  
• Wooden building blocks or balls
  
• Stuffed animals
• Science kits
• Crayons made out of soy wax
• Did you know that ToysRus has an Eco-friendly line of toys? Yep ... it's true!
  

• Don't forget about homemade treasures (again ... made with Eco-friendly materials):

• Scarfs, hats and mittens
• Clothing
• Stuffed dolls and animals
• Books (for a very cute book, check out our bloggy friend at Musings from the Fishbowl
  
• Candies and cookies
• Doll houses and furniture
• Kid friendly jewelry
  

• Get the kids involved and help them make gifts for the people on their list.

For additional ideas and resources, check out the Internet. Here are a few suggestions:

• http://www.recycline.com/preservejr.html
• http://www.zrecommends.com/detail/the-2008-z-recommends-mostly-green-pretty-cheap-holiday-gift-guide/
• http://www.toysrus.com/
• http://www.greenandmore.com/gifts-for-kids.html
• http://www.nrdc.org/greenliving/guides/holiday.asp
  

Just remember ... with any gifts, consider packaging and materials. With a little effort and creativity, you can give the little ones on your list a gift that will not only bring smiles to their faces, but will make the earth happy as well.

As always ... I'd love to hear from you!

Vegan Recipe - Panettone

Panettone is an Italian Christmas bread. In my house, it is a must for the holidays. We start thinking about it in October ... bake some for Thanksgiving ... and again for Christmas. Occasionally, we make another for New Year's Day. While I'm sure one could make this in a bread machine ... we make ours by hand ... kneading tons of love into the dough. This version leaves out the eggs, butter and milk and replaces them with a guilt-free, planet-friendly ... delicious and festive treat.

I hope you'll try it!

Panettone

1/2 c. warm water
2 tsp. regular baking yeast
1/4 tsp. real Spanish saffron
1/2 c. regular soymilk
1/4 c. light unbleached or white beet sugar
3 T. good-tasting non-dairy margarine
grated zest of one orange (organic, if possible)
grated zest of one lemon (organic, if possible)
1/2 T. anise seed
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. pure almond extract
3/4 tsp. salt
2 and 3/4 c. unbleached white flour
1/4 c. wheat germ
1/2 c. golden raisins
1/2 c. chopped dried apricots
OPTIONAL: 1/3 c. chopped lightly toasted almonds or pine nuts

Add the yeast and saffron to the warm water in a cup and let sit 5 or 10 minutes, until bubbly.

In a small saucepan or a microwave, heat the soymilk until it is just hot, with bubbles around the edges. Add the sugar and margarine and stir to dissolve. When the soymilk has cooled down a bit, add it to the yeast and water. Pour this into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer with a bread hook. Place the anise seed on a square of waxed paper and fold part of it over to cover the seeds. Crush the seeds with a heavy rolling pin.

Add the citrus zests (white only), crushed anise seed, vanilla, almond extract, and salt to the bowl. Stir in the wheat germ and 1 cup of the flour. Beat well for a minute or two, then gradually add the remaining flour. Knead with a dough hook or by hand on a floured surface (adding as little flour as you can get away with-- oil your hands and the surface, if necessary) for 5-10 minutes. Place the dough in a lightly-oiled bowl and turn it over to coat the top. Place the bowl in a large plastic bag or cover with a clean, damp tea towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours.

Turn the risen dough out on a lightly-floured surface and pat it out into a flat rectangle. Sprinkle the surface with the dried fruits and optional nuts, if using. Roll up the dough jelly-roll style, then fold up the ends. Knead the dough gently by folding and rolling until the fruit, etc., are well-distributed throughout the dough.

Tuck under the edges of the dough to form a ball. Place this on a greased heavy cookie sheet or pizza pan (or even a large cake tan with low sides). Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. With a razor blade, cut a cross in the top of the dough about 1/2" deep. Bake for 30 minutes in the center or upper half of the oven, or just until the loaf is a deep golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Cool on a rack before slicing.

Food ... Glorious Food

Recently, to kick off the holiday season, we watched "A Christmas Carol". I love the scene where Scrooge comes out of his bedroom to find the Ghost of Christmas Present sitting atop a bountiful table of delicious food. This scene seems to represent everything we hold dear ... a table with plenty ... a generous and happy spirit ... the very essence of human kindness. In homes around the world, we try to recreate that opulence and generosity ... offering our guests much more than they could ever consume. And what is left over often becomes landfill waste.

As landfill contributions go, I've always thought that food would be less imposing than other items. After all, it will compost down and ultimately enrich the soil, right? Unfortunately ... there are problems with this thinking. To maximize the space used for landfills, the trash is compacted before being buried in the soil. These tidy bricks of garbage are air tight ... preventing decomposition. Simply put, the process of composting requires air. No air ... no compost. For landfills which allow organic materials to compost, there's another problem. We simply have too much waste. According to the EPA, methane (the gas produced by food waste) traps 23 times as much heat in the atmosphere as the same amount of CO2. Landfills account for 34 percent of all methane emissions in the U.S.

So ... how do we prevent food waste? I'm glad you asked. Here are some ideas:

• Planning a party? When entertaining, consider sending leftovers home with guests.
  

• Plan ahead ... twice. When I shop, I have an idea of what I'd like to cook during the week. This ensures that I have a use for everything ... and if I stick to my plan, everything gets used. But what happens when that dish that sounded oh so great at the beginning of the week, sounds less than appetizing today? That's where planning ahead twice comes in. Be sure that for every item purchased, an alternate dish is considered.

• Don't shop hungry ... and bring a list. Grocery stores are in the business of selling. They plan out their displays to entice us. And who can resist that box of donuts when their stomach is growling. So eat before shopping and make up a list ... it'll help avoid any impulse buying.

• Buy local produce. Have you ever purchased a bag of produce at a supermarket chain, just to get it home and find that there are rotten items at the bottom of the bag? Or how about those lovely tomatoes ... grown halfway around the world ... that are black inside? Produce in big chain supermarkets is older and typically isn't handled with care, causing many items to become bruised or broken which speeds up the decaying process. Buying produce locally ensures that the item is fresh ... which means less waste.

• Buying in bulk saves money and lessens the amount of packaging that gets sent to the landfill. However, one must use caution when buying large quantities. Ensure that the item being purchased has an adequate "use by" date. Also, make sure that the item is something you'll actually use. Most items, regardless of their shelf life, will get tossed out if, after a year or so, they haven't been used up.

• Store foods properly. If the food you purchase doesn't come with storage instructions, check out the Internet. Storing food properly will ensure it's maximum shelf life and safety ... not to mention it's taste.

• Check your refrigerator ... and your pantry. Adopt the grocer's strategy and rotate. Foods that are out of sight, usually get forgotten. Browse the contents of your food storage areas often ... at least once a week. You'll remind yourself what's there and you can move forgotten items to the front where they'll get used instead of turning into fuzzy, green stuff.

• Use what you have before shopping for more. In our house, we have fun with this. We try to use almost everything before making another shopping trip and this has generated some very creative meals.

• Cook only what is needed. If you're cooking for two and the recipe is for eight ... cut it down. Even if your family adores leftovers, there comes a point when everyone is tired of the same old thing.

• Don't toss out bits and pieces. You know the ones ... that last piece of bread in the package ... the crumpled chips at the bottom of the bag ... the peelings from the carrot you had at lunch. These things can be re-purposed. Save pieces of bread to make your own bread crumbs or take them to a park and feed the ducks. Crushed chips are great for topping a casserole or use them as coating for your favorite fried food. Vegetable peelings can be saved and turned into a natural, additive free, broth.

With a little effort, we can reduce ... if not eliminate ... food waste. And that ought to make the Ghost of Christmas Present joyous indeed.

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