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Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Boston Green Drinks Meets Tonight

Boston Green Drinks  - October Happy Hour

Despite Sandy, it looks as though there is going to be a good crowd at tonight's meeting of Boston Green Drinks! 

When: 6 pm - 8 pm, Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Where: Kingston Station, 25 Kingston St., Boston, MA 02111
What: Join the conversation with sustainability professionals and hobbyists.  Enjoy a Drink at Kingston station and build your connection with our green community!Boston Green Drinks  builds a community of sustainably-minded Bostonians, provides a forum for exchange of sustainability career resources, and serves as a central point of information about emerging green issues.  We support the exchange of ideas and resources about sustainable energy, environment, food, health, education.


Unfortunately, I can't make it - heading up to a show at the North Shore Music Theater! But have fun and make good connections!

Monday, October 29, 2012

Green Hurricane Prep

Sandy is about to hit hard, so its time to do some last minute preparations in as eco a way as possible.

image courtesy of livescience.com

1. Skip bottles of water. Fill up your brita, a pitcher, and fill a pot of water on the stove. No need to buy jugs of water at the store, its  a waste of plastic and gas.

2. Small leaks? Don't use paper towels. Use washable rags made from old bath towels or thick clothes.

3. Make extra ice. Before your power goes out, stock up on ice so you can keep your perishable food cold for a while after you lose power.

4. Use soy or beeswax candles. Candles made from paraffin pollute your indoor air and are made from petroleum derived materials.

5. If you're replacing batteries in your flashlights, make sure to dispose of old batteries properly - do not simply throw them in the trash! Look up on your town hall website how to dispose of batteries in your neighborhood.

Friday, October 26, 2012

Event: Sustainable Development at the French Cultural Center


To celebrate la FĂȘte de la Science, the French Cultural Center is thrilled to welcome Paul Colonna, teacher at the prestigious College de France. Professor Colonna, also known as le Pape de la Chimie Verte, will discuss our energy needs and how this represents an important challenge for sustainable development, focusing on the point of the sustainable bioenergies in developed countries. Since the turn of the century, global interest in the production and consumption of biofuels (essentially ethanol and biodiesel) has been growing. In fact the topic encompasses wood energies, biogas and biobased chemicals. The interest has been caused on the one hand by environmental concerns, the need to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, and on the other hand physical limitation of fossil carbons, interest in diversifying the energy mix, and reducing ecotoxicity of chemicals. Professor Colonna will consider questions that have recently arised about potential impacts of bioenergies, such as competition with food supply, risks of losing biodiversity, reduction of water quality and availability. To create an interesting exchange of ideas, Professor Robert Kaufmann, Director of the Center for Energy and Environmental Studies at Boston University will also present his views on this subject. Talk will be followed by a reception.



WHAT: Sustainable Development: Challenges and Issues
Celebrate la FĂȘte de la Science with a talk on American and French approaches to sustainable development.

WHERE: French Cultural Center
               53 Marlborough Street, Boston, MA
               www.frenchculturalcenter.org

WHEN: Tuesday, October 30, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Members and students with valid ID: $7 Non-members: $12
RSVP Required: 617.912.0400

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Alternative Transportation: ZipCar

One of my favorite things about Boston is that it is such a walkable city. Why pay for a cab when you can easily get to your destination in a quick bike ride, or a relaxing walk? The only problem: winter. Boston's bike sharing program, Hubway, shuts down in the winter, and walking becomes less relaxing if you have to do it in freezing temperatures. The T is usually a good option, but the green line can be awfully slow sometimes, and lets face it, there are a lot of places the T doesn't go! This is where ZipCar comes in. ZipCar is a car sharing program that is great for people that can't (or don't want to) have cars in the city.


Zipcar is committed to providing members with socially responsible, sustainable alternatives that support the global environment, their communities and city livability. According to a recent Zipcar survey, there was nearly a 50% increase in the use of public transportation after becoming members – in addition to a 10 percent increase in cycling and 26% increase in walking. According to Frost and Sullivan, vehicle miles traveled per driver is reduced almost 50% when car owners switch to car sharing, which reduced CO2 emissions. They also report that, on average in North America, each car shared replaces at least 15 cars on the road.

Zipcar currently has over 1,200 vehicles in more than 325 locations in the Boston/Cambridge area; which includes environmentally friendly vehicles such as the Toyota Prius, hybrid and Altima hybrid, along with useful utility vehicles like the Ford Escape and Toyota Tacoma.

image courtesy of Blast Magazine

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Green Tea on the Go: Teas' Tea


I recently tried sample of Teas' Tea half & half green tea. It is delish! As many of you may know, I am a huge tea fan, but I am often discouraged by pre-bottled teas because they are often very sweet and are much more caloric than brewing it at home. I was pleasantly surprised with Teas' Tea because it wasn't too sweet and the flavors light and refreshing. It is still about 100 calories per bottle, but it can be a nice treat. My favorite was the half & half green tea with peach and my least favorite was the half and half green tea with coconut (but I'm not a huge fan of coconut water - if you are, you'll probably love this tea.) 

The company that produces Teas' Tea, ITO EN, has a detailed portion of their website dedicated to their corporate social responsibility initiatives. They have both environmental sustainability and human health and community goals. Even though I try to avoid purchasing single-serving beverage bottles, it is good to know that this is at least a responsible option. 

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Required Reading: Gorgeously Green by Sophie Uliano


Not unlike Starre Vartan's Eco Chick Guide to Life, Gorgeously Green is a fun, girly, and informative guidebook to making your daily life as sustainable as possible without giving up style or little luxuries. The 8-step guide is a great resource, I want to carry a copy with me whenever I go shopping! It has lists of chemicals and products to avoid, product recommendations, and even recipes. The book also corresponds with Sophie's website Gorgeously Green - which has countless more green lifestyle ideas. The book and the website have checklists and quizzes to test your progress (like a girls-only version of Practically Green). 

Gorgeously Green is a New York Times Bestseller and has been recommended by many of the world's most stylish women (I mean, come on, the foreword is written by Julia Roberts!). Its easy to see why people love this book - it is super user friendly. I highly recommend checking out a copy from the Boston Public Library or surfing the website. 

Monday, October 22, 2012

Solarizing Mass Communities

All across Massachusetts, homeowners and business owners are making the decision to install solar PV systems. Many of these projects are sponsored by programs like Solarize Mass and Renew Boston as part of Governor Patrick's goal to have 250 MW of solar PV installed by 2017.

Solarize Installation

A great way to learn about these projects and to learn about upcoming educational events is by subscribing to the Solarize Mass newsletter. Sign up here. Since Solarize Mass is a program of Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, the newsletter is also a great way to learn about other clean-energy happenings (like wind and biogas projects). 

Friday, October 19, 2012

Creating a Green Bedroom

Today we have another guest post. This one comes from IntelliBED:

When a person is trying to lead a green lifestyle, it is important to incorporate the idea into decorating and furniture choices. Having an environmentally friendly bedroom can be healthy and help the planet at the same time. Here are a few green bedroom design ideas.

When decorating a room, slapping paint on the wall is usually the first thing to do. What most people fail to realize is that many paints give off harmful chemicals into the air. To avoid this problem, it is best to search for no VOC paint.


Secondly, in order to conserve energy, it is important to make sure that each room in the house is properly insulated. Filling up cracks in walls or gaps surrounding windows will definitely help to conserve energy. In the end, better insulation will lead to lower electric bills each month.
To cover the floor, there are many brands of carpets and other flooring products made from recycled materials like old plastic bottles. Bamboo and cork are two other alternatives to consider since they are renewable resources. For people who are looking to add vibrant color to the floor area, there is also recycled glass tile available.


Instead of buying all new furniture, it is more sustainable to remodel old pieces. Painting old wood dressers or nightstands will add a new look to the room. It may also work to repaint your existing headboard. Reupholstering chairs and recovering old pillows will be much less expensive than buying new furniture and helps the environment. It is also fun to use antiques as accent pieces around the room. Using plants in the space will also help purify your indoor air.


IntelliBED is the best mattress

Of course, one of the most important parts of the bedroom is the bed itself. Some mattresses on the market also help keep the environment clean. The chemical free mattress from Intellibed is a great option  that uses natural materials with patented Intelligel Technology. This type of mattress relaxes pressure points known to cause pain and properly supports the back. Hospitals have been using mattresses like this for years because of the hypoallergenic, antimicrobial, and nontoxic properties.
Along with the mattress, it is good to  consider bedroom linens. Organic linens are the simplest way to keep a bedroom environmentally friendly.  Normal cotton linens contain pesticides because of both farming practices and the manufacturing process. Harsh chemicals are used to make the fabric softer to the touch, yet pollute they environment and can affect human health. Using organic cotton sheets will help avoid this problem.


There are many ways to make home's decoration clean and green. The bedroom can be a space filled with green ideas, including the mattress. Intellibed has developed a unique technology that is all natural and environmentally sound. With a little creativity and research, the bedroom can be the healthiest and most relaxing room in the house.

Author Bio:
This article was written by Princess Galsim, health and home improvement ambassador for IntelliBed. IntelliBed is a leader in Intelli-Gel mattresses, which master the art of sleep. Get chemical free mattress from Intellibed and experience the true meaning of healthy sleep.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

A Pocket Guide to Safer Cosmetics

These are super-helpful, pocket-sized shopping tips for cosmetics pulled from the EWG 2011 Safer Cosmetics Guide:


Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Buzzwords: What is "Fracking"?

Both presidential candidates mentioned natural gas in last night's debate. Energy independence is certainly a hot issue in this election and they both discussed the possibility of using natural gas as a means to bring the United States to  independence. What the candidates did not mention, however, is how much of this natural gas is likely to be harvested - via fracking

image courtesy of USAToday.com

Fracking is the use of high pressurized fluid to fracture rock layers to release natural gas and petroleum. It was first used in Texas in 1998 and has gained recent interest as a way to get access to previously inaccessible gas reserves. 

Critics are concerned about the environmental impact of fracking. There are major possibilities that fracking could contaminate drinking water and increase air pollution. In addition, large amounts of water are needed for this process which is seen as wasteful. To learn more about other health and environmental consequences of fracking, click here.  

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

How to Make a Green Cleaning Kit


Today's post on green cleaning comes from a guest author. Enjoy!



The commercial cleaning products of today are chock full of toxic and harsh chemicals which should be avoided whenever possible. Although their formulas are usually very effective their long-term effects and hazards posed if applied the wrong way make them a danger you don't really need in your home as long as you can avoid them by using natural alternatives. You'll be surprised at how much can be done by using the products our ancestors used for centuries without resorting to commercial products and at how much of a cheaper alternative they actually are. Here are some tips on what you will need to get the kit ready:

Baking soda, distilled vinegar (white), washing soda, tea tree oil, liquid soap and some glass jars and spray bottles.

Using the aforementioned you can make a few useful products of your own, for example:

Mixing baking soda with the liquid soap until they are blended into a creamy texture will provide you with an excellent way to clean your bathtubs and sinks. It has a clear texture and won't leave anything behind since the baking soda will dissolve as you wash it away with water. You should usually make some of it only when you use it, however you can store it if you place it in a glass jar and add some glycerol to keep it moisturized. The added benefit of this cleaning alternative is its extremely reduced toxicity compared to the usual scrubbers sold commercially.


A great way to make window cleaner is by mixing about half a table spoon of liquid soap with three spoons of vinegar and about two cups of water. The mixture can be placed in a spray bottle and it will do the exact same thing commercial products do and is much cheaper to make obviously. The soap will help you clean away the streaks left behind by those products as well, so adding it to the mix works great.

Cleaning your oven has always been a very unpleasant task right? Well by mixing a cup of baking soda with water and some of the liquid soap mentioned earlier you will have a perfect way of cleaning the fat and grime that collects inside ovens. Just sprinkle enough water and then baking soda to cover the bottom of it and spray some water until the mixture is wet. Let the whole thing sit overnight and wipe it away on the morning. You'll find out it loosens and dissolves the worst of the mess inside. You can clean the rest by using liquid soap and water.

Polishing furniture is also possible by utilizing these products; just add half a teaspoon of oil (olive oil, sunflower oil or whatever strikes your fancy) and a quarter of a cup of vinegar or just lemon juice in a glass jar and use the mixture to polish surfaces. It can be easily stored within the jar for a very long time and reused at your leisure without losing its properties.

Vinegar can also be used as a deodorizer to kill unwanted smells and contrary to what you may believe its smell will dissipate with a few hours after drowning out the unpleasant smells it was meant to cover. It can also be used to kill most common mold, reportedly up to 82% of what we encounter in our kitchens and bathrooms.

As you can see there are plenty of opportunities and alternatives to commercial cleaners, so try them out and see for yourself!

Monday, October 15, 2012

More Green Finds


Bamboo games and tech accessories! I love finding unexpected eco-items while out shopping. I spotted these green goodies while up in Brattleboro, VT for the weekend.


Thursday, October 11, 2012

Newton Restaurant to Celebrate Food Day on Oct. 24

Food Day is a nationwide series of events to celebrate a movement towards affordable, healthy, & sustainable foods. This year, Food Day will take place on October 24th. There are a bunch of Food Day events in the Boston area, but one that particularly caught my eye is the locally themed dinner hosted by Lumiere Restaurant in Newton.


Every Day is Food Day – October 24, 7:00 PM
($45/person; $15 for beverage pairing)


Let local, in-season ingredients shine with a menu that includes:
• Roasted Local Carrots with Cranberry-Maple Chutney
• Tagine of Vermont Veal, Local Root Vegetables and Maine Golden
Eye Beans with Dried Local Apricots and LumiĂšre Preserved Lemons
• Lanni Orchards Apple Crumble with Maple Sugar Ice Cream and
Molasses Caramel
• Beverage Pairing: Pretty Things Beer

Looks yummy, and like a fun way to celebrate the local harvest season.

To find out what other Food Day events are happening around town, see the events page.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Best of Boston: Green Websites!


Boston Magazine does a great job of rating everything in Boston each year. We look to these lists for restaurant suggestions, salons, the best boutiques, and just about everything related to Boston lifestyle. However, there is one thing missing - in my opinion at least - a list of local lifestyle websites! There are large compilations of Boston blogs on websites like Boston Blogs and Boston Bloggers but I've decided I'm going to turn my "Links and Resources" page into a list of Boston's top 100 green websites. These websites can be blogs, government sites, nonprofit sites, online apps and more  - anything as long as they serve as an online green living resource to people in the Boston area (or people around the world, but is based/written in Boston). If you have suggestions for my list, please comment!

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Butternut Squash: 4 Fall Vegetarian Recipes

Fall foods are my favorite. They're often warm, rich, recipes using local vegetarian ingredients. Below are four fantastic looking recipes using butternut squash as the main ingredient. I will definitely be trying these out over the next couple of months.


Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Lasagne

Ingredients (1 serving)
1 cup cubed peeled butternut squash (cut into about 1/2-inch cubes)
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tsp butter
1 tsp flour
1/3 cup 1% milk (preferably organic)
1 oz (about 2 Tbsp) soft goat cheese
1/4 cup 1% whipped cottage cheese
2 pinches ground nutmeg
1 no-boil lasagna noodle, cut into thirds (widthwise)
2 Tbsp shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss the cubed butternut squash with olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Lay in an even layer on a baking sheet and cook, turning halfway through, until soft and lightly browned, about 30 minutes.

Reduce oven heat to 350°F.

Lightly grease an individual baking dish.

Heat butter in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking, for 30 seconds. Add in the milk and cook, whisking, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in soft goat cheese until fully melted. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in a pinch of ground nutmeg.

In a small bowl, season cottage cheese to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in a pinch of ground nutmeg.
Spoon about 1 Tbsp of the goat cheese sauce into the bottom of the prepared dish. Top with 1 piece of noodle. Spread half of the cottage cheese over the noodle.

Evenly scatter half of the roasted butternut squash over the cottage cheese and top with about 2 Tbsp of the goat cheese sauce.

Repeat the layers, starting with a second noodle piece followed by the remaining cottage cheese, remaining butternut squash, another 2 Tbsp goat cheese sauce, and ending with the final piece of noodle. Top with the remaining goat cheese sauce and shredded mozzarella.

Bake at 350°F until cheese is bubbly, about 20 minutes.

Let stand at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before eating.



Butternut squash vegetarian chili


Ingredients
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 red bell peppers, chopped (or equivalent jarred roasted red peppers)
1 small butternut squash (less than 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
ground sea salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2+ tablespoon chopped chipotle in adobo* (start with 1/2 tablespoon and add more to taste, I thought mine was just right with 1 tablespoon)
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
14-ounces canned diced tomatoes, including the liquid**
4 cups cooked black beans or 2 cans, rinsed and drained
2 cups OR one 14 oz. can vegetable broth
2 Avocados from Mexico, diced
cilantro (optional, for garnish)
3 corn tortillas for crispy tortilla strips***

Instructions
In a 4 to 6 quart Dutch oven or stockpot, sautĂ©e the chopped vegetables (onion, bell pepper, butternut squash, garlic) in one to two tablespoons of olive oil on medium-high heat. You’ll need to stir the ingredients every few minutes so they can cook evenly.

Once the onions start turning translucent, turn the heat down to medium-low. Add all of the spices and canned ingredients, and stir. Cover for about one hour, stirring occasionally. Taste test for spice level and add more chipotle if desired.

By the time your chili is done, the butternut squash should be nice and tender and the liquid should have reduced a bit, producing the hearty chili consistency that we all know and love.

Make the crispy tortilla strips: stack the corn tortillas and slice them into thin little strips, about 2 inches long. Heat a small pan over medium heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and toss in the tortilla slices. Sprinkle with salt and stir. Cook until the strips are crispy and turning golden, stirring occasionally, about 4 to 7 minutes. 

Remove tortilla strips from skillet and drain on a plate covered with a piece of paper towel.
Serve the chili in individual bowls, topped with crispy tortilla strips and plenty of diced avocado. I added a little sprinkle of red pepper flakes (optional). You might want to serve this along with some chipotle hot sauce (Tobasco makes one) for the spice addicts like myself.

Notes
Serves 3 to 4. This chili is very hearty, but feel free to add another can of tomatoes or more vegetable broth if you want to thin it out a bit. Double the recipe for a crowd.
*Chipotle in adobo sauce is usually found in the Mexican section of the grocery store. I never need a whole can at once, so I use what I need and then transfer the rest to a small freezer bag, pressing it flat so that I can pull off as much as I need later.
**Find BPA-free cans of diced tomatoes if possible.
***Look for corn tortillas that contain minimally processed ingredients. There should only be about 5 ingredients listed, and wheat shouldn’t be one of them.



Butternut Squash Pizza with Crispy Sage

Ingredients (Yield = one 12-inch pizza)
1 small butternut squash (about a pound, but you will likely have leftover squash)
olive oil
kosher salt
2 cloves garlic
fresh ricotta cheese
a few sprigs thyme, leaves removed
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
10-15 sage leaves
canola oil for frying
Pre-made or Homemade pizza dough

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 400ÂșF. Remove the skin: Slice the top of the squash about 1/2-inch under the stem to create a flat edge. Repeat with the other end. Cut crosswise through the squash just above the bulb — cutting the squash into two pieces makes the peeling process easier. Note: I made only one pizza, so I only peeled the longer portion (the non bulb portion) of the butternut squash. Stand the squash (whichever piece you want to peel first) upright and, being careful not to slice off your fingers, run your knife down the sides of the squash removing the peel along the way. Repeat with bulb portion if desired. After peeling the bulb portion, cut it in half, scoop out seeds and discard. Cut the peeled squash crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices. I used a mandoline, which saves time and creates uniform pieces, but using a knife works just fine, too.

2. Place the slices of squash on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, season with kosher salt to taste, toss to coat, redistribute onto sheet in one layer and place in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until fork tender.

3. Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the garlic and add it to about 1/4 cup of olive oil. After rolling out a pizza round and placing it on a prepared baking sheet (see recipe above), brush dough with the garlic olive oil. (I spooned some of the oil into the center of the dough and then, using the back of my spoon, spread it over the dough to coat evenly.) Spread a thin layer of fresh ricotta over the garlic oil. Sprinkle with fresh thyme to taste. Top with baked squash slices. Top with grated Parmigiano. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, fry the sage. The book recipe does not give detailed instructions for this step, and after a few burnt batches of leaves, I turned to the internet for some advice. The sage leaves should take no longer than 5 seconds in hot oil to crisp up. I didn’t use a thermometer or a deep fryer, so it was a trial and error process, but I found that frying the leaves one at a time in a small sautĂ© pan filled with a layer of canola oil worked well ultimately. I had to take the pan off the heat every so often, but once I got the hang of it, it was a simple process and well worth the effort — the crispy sage adds a really nice flavor.

5. Remove the pizza from the oven and top with the crispy sage. Yum!



Fall Recipe- twice baked butternut squash

Ingredients
6 butternut squash (about 9 pounds total)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon nonfat sour cream
2 teaspoons paprika
6 fresh chives, cut into 1/8-inch pieces
3 tablespoons fresh breadcrumbs, lightly toasted

Instructions
Heat oven to 450 degrees with the rack in center. Halve squash lengthwise, and remove seeds and fibers. Sprinkle squash halves with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Fill a roasting pan with 1/4 inch water. Place squash in pan. Cover with aluminum foil, and bake until squash is tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 35 to 45 minutes. 

Remove from oven, transfer squash to a cool surface, and let cool enough to handle. Reduce oven temperature to 425 degrees.

Use a spoon to scoop baked flesh out of each half into a large bowl, leaving a 1/4-inch border around six of the halves so they will keep their shape. To the bowl, add sour cream, paprika, chives, and remaining teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix with a handheld electric mixer or potato masher until smooth and well combined. Season with salt and pepper. 

Fill six squash halves with mixture (discard remaining six empty halves). Sprinkle tops with toasted breadcrumbs. Bake until golden brown and warm throughout, 20 to 30 minutes. Serve.




Monday, October 8, 2012

Sustainability at Paris Fashion Week

The runway of the Chanel show at Paris fashion week was lined with huge wind turbines, and the catwalk was made to look like solar panels. Chanel head, Lagerfeld,  chose the turbines for their sleek modern design and because "energy is the most important things in life." He said that the turbines were chosen more for aesthetic reasons than political ones, but I am a fan of the set-up nonetheless!

Chanel, Spring/Summer 2013, Paris Fashion Week, eco-fashion, sustainable fashion, green fashion, ethical fashion, sustainable style, solar panels, solar power, wind power, wind turbines, Karl Lagerfeld



Friday, October 5, 2012

Boston Local Food Festival is on Sunday


The Boston Local Food Festival is this Sunday, October 7th on the Greenway from 11 am to 5 pm. Hope to see everyone there!

What You’ll Find at the Festival

  • Freshly harvested produce and seafood from farmers and fishermen
  • Scrumptious, $5 servings, featuring locally grown foods
  • Entertaining demonstrations and competitions by chefs and other food experts
  • Lively local music of many cultural tastes
  • Tastings of Bay State hand-crafted wines and locally crafted beer
  • Engaging exhibitions and playful activities for the kid in all of us
  • Interactive workshops featuring local food leaders
  • Food-inspired arts and crafts
  • Recycling and sustainable practices for minimal waste

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Ozoshare: Facebook for the Eco-Savvy

Yesterday I created an Ozoshare account for Boston Green Blog, and I am very excited to start using it. Ozoshare is a social networking site that is set up like facebook, but it is specifically for green-minded people and organizations. It is a great way to network and share articles and information. Each individual/organization has a profile or "bio" page on which they can post photos, videos, links, and status updates (all relating to environmental issues of course). Instead of "friends", Ozoshare calls connections "partners" because it implies everyone working together for the same goal. Partners can see each other's posts and comment on them. Boston Green Blog has 17 partners so far!


If you're interested in using social media to learn more about green living, you should definitely check out Ozoshare. If you make an account, be sure to become partners with Boston Green Blog! See my Ozoshare profile here. 

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

In My Fall Bag

In the summer, my purse is packed with chemical free sunscreen, shwood sunglasses, and a re-usable iced coffee tumbler. However, I need a whole different set of items to be green in the fall:

image courtesy of ecobags.com

1. Its always good to keep a folded up back in your purse so you can shop or stop at farm stands without using plastic bags.

2. We've made it through the summer drought, and now we're in for a rainy fall. Better carry an umbrella (like this one by Totes made of 70% recycled materials).

image courtesy of realsimple.com

3. Iced coffee season has sadly passed, so pack a warm liquid travel mug for your pumpkin lattes.

image courtesy of drugstore.com

4. With cold weather comes dry skin and chapped lips. Be prepared with Eos organic lip balm. 

image courtesy of Ecolissa.com

5. Since October and November weather can change rapidly in New England, its always good to have a scarf or sweater on hand. I love this Indigenous Loop Scarf made from organic cotton. Available at Ecolissa.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Celebrate Local Agriculture at the Topsfield Fair

This week is the Topsfield Fair! Since I grew up nearby, the fair was always one of my favorite childhood activities. Now that I'm older (and less inclined to go on the rickety-looking rides) I see the fair as a wonderful celebration of local food and agriculture. Its easy how many farms there are in Massachusetts, and the fair does a great job of highlighting them. Not all local farms are organic, or "green," but its still feels good to support the local economy.

Plus, the fair had more recycling bins around than I've seen in the past! Make sure to check out the fair soon, it ends on the 8th!

See baby calves in the cattle barn.

Visit the hatchery and see chicks being born.

And everyone's favorite - the giant pumpkin!

Monday, October 1, 2012

The All New Boston Green Blog

How do you guys like the new look/desing?! I'd love to here from you. Leave comments here or on Facebook or Twitter!


And again, thanks to Suz for the greatly improving the site!