Grapes

In the words of Ed Begley, Jr., "pick the low hanging fruit".  By that he means to make the easiest green changes first.  Well, today I sorta took that advice literally, yet by accident!  I chose Rainforest Alliance Certified http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/agriculture/certification red grapes at the grocery store.  They are delicious and nutritious, and by happenstance, they are also sustainable, which is of course a win/win for all.  I wanted to learn more about the Rainforest Alliance Certification, so I looked it up and was surprised to learn that more than two million farmers, farm workers, and their families directly benefit from the Rainforest Alliance Certification.  Rainforest Alliance Certification ensures that those who are certified address the three pillars of sustainability "environmental protection, social equity, and economic viability."  To become Rainforest Alliance Certified™, farms must be audited by the independent international certification body, Sustainable Farm Certification, Intl., which certifies to Sustainable Agriculture Network standards.  Oh, and did I mention, that the holey plastic bag (so that the grapes can breathe) is also recyclable #4 LDPE or Low-density polyethylene?  You can bet it will be returned to the grocery store on my next trip and placed in the recycle bin near the entrance door ;) 

Last Chance for Free Mulch!

Looking around there are many houses with their Christmas lights on, but here in New England we've been experiencing an unusually warm fall.  Just this week the temperatures have been in the 60s!  The freakishly warm weather allowed me the opportunity to get some yard work done this past weekend, get some fresh air, and get a dose of Mycobacterium vaccae, nature's prozac :)  http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2010/10/m-is-for-mycobacterium-vaccae.html   Besides continuing tree cleanup from the October storm that snapped the leaf laden trees like twigs, there was still raking to be done, and lots of general cleanup. As they say, a gardener's job is never done. 

What to do with all those leaves?  Don't bag them up and put them in the trash!  That's like throwing away a gift from nature, free mulch :)  When I have an area where I want to create or expand a flower bed, I simply rake the leaves to that area, and mound up a pile about 10-24".  I leave the leaves there over the winter, and the rain and snow pack down the leaves, and instead of having to remove grass to create the bed, the worms and leaves do the work for me.  In other areas, I use a thick layer of leaves to prevent weeds from growing, and it is one less area that we have to mow.  I also use leaf mulch around the base of trees.  As the leaves breakdown, they release nutrients into the soil.  During the winter months the leaf mulch helps to insulate the tree, and during the warmer months, the mulch helps to maintain moisture around the roots of the trees. 

Some gardeners choose to chop up leaves with a mower or leaf blower/vac.  If we happen to be mowing a section of the lawn, we take advantage of the leaves being collected and chopped.  Then we empty the bag with grass/leaves where we want it.  You can use a 3-4" layer of leaf mulch blanket to tuck in your perennials for the winter, and nourish the soil in preparation for springtime.  Don't forget to add some leaves to your compost pile while you're busy raking.  In fact, you might want to rake a small pile of leaves next to your compost bin, so that you can scoop some leaves on top of your "greens" each time, layering for optimum composting. 

If I'm lucky, the weather will hold, and I will be able to get back to the yard work, tuck in a few more newly  planted perennials for the winter, and get another dose of Mycobacterium vaccae.  I hope you'll take advantage of nature's free mulch gift too ;)   Happy raking!

Grand Canyon Adventures Continued

Hiking into the Grand Canyon from Hualapai Hilltop to Supa

After visiting Grand Canyon West and the Hualapai Tribe this July, (read more about our adventures at Grand Canyon West at http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2011/08/july-was-blur.html) we traveled about 36 miles on the dirt road to nowhere, and made it to historic Route 66 (Here It Is! The Route 66 Map Series).  We stopped and toured Grand Canyon Caverns, and were told it is the largest dry cavern in the US.  After taking an elevator down 21 stories, our guide showed us selenite and limestone crystals, a mummified bobcat, and the remains of  "Gertie" a 15 foot, 4 inch, giant ground sloth.  That evening, we drove a bit farther to Route 66's historic Seligman, and had a delicious, filling dinner at Westside Lilo's.  Hubby and I also enjoyed a well deserved, ice cold, refreshing beer (there are no adult beverages on Indian Reservations) :)   We picked up a few supplies, and then returned to Grand Canyon Caverns Inn for the night.  We filled our Camelbak Hydration Bladder, put them in the fridge, checked our backpacks for supplies for the upcoming hike into the canyon, and turned in for the night (that's an over simplification of the process of getting all 6 of us prepped, but you get the idea.) 

The alarm went off at 4am.  Uggh.  But, we needed to get an early start to reach the trail head and hike when it was cooler.  We woke the groggy crew, ate breakfast, inserted the Camelbaks into the Kelty backpacks, made sure the packs were adjusted, and packed the car.  We traveled down dark, vacant Route 66 a short distance to our 62 mile turnoff to Hualapai Hilltop.  The kids dozed, and the sun peaked out from behind the hills, and hubby watched for cattle in the road.  We arrived at Hualapai Hilltop just after sunrise, and were excited to begin the 8 mile hike into the canyon and the village of Supai, which is part of the Havasupai Reservation.  (Note: The name Hualapai Hilltop was confusing at first because we'd just come from the Hualapai Reservation at Grand Canyon West, yet Hualapai Hilltop is the trailhead leading down into the Havasupai Reservation, and the Village of Supai.)

The first mile and a half, was a series of steep, loose rocky switchbacks, and it was easy to loose your footing.  I recommend packing an Ace Bandage or two,  as well as a first aid kit with instant ice packs, and Band-Aid Advanced Healing Blister Cushions.  Thank goodness, we were prepared with these items because we ending up using them all even though we had proper hiking shoes and socks. It's almost inevitable when hiking on uneven, rocky terrain, for that distance!

We stopped and took lots of pictures along the way, but it's hard to do justice to the amazing, natural wonder of landscape that is the Grand Canyon, the varied terrain, the altitude, and the vivid colors.  I wish I could say that the kids were all soaking up the natural wonders around them, but alas there is always one who is less than enthused, which made the hike take a little bit longer than planned.  We took extra breaks to adjust hiking shoes, snacks, water, etc. to help along the way, and even the picture breaks provided short rests. 

After the mile and a half of switchbacks, the terrain leveled out, but the "soil" was made up of small to medium red rocks that are the result of canyon washouts.  At this point it was getting warm, and we made sure to sip water from the Camelbak hoses to keep hydrated.   The canyon walls stretched up to blue sky, and it was surreal to think that we were walking in the Grand Canyon that was formed 6 million years ago!  We did our best to stay in the shadiest parts for as long as possible, and the Columbia omni-shade shirts and hats helped to keep the sun off our skin, and wick away the moisture (Columbia Men's Bahama II Long Sleeve Shirt), 

I'm not going to lie...8 miles in July, in the Arizona heat, with temperatures in the mid-90's makes for a long 4 hour hike.  The last mile, as we approached Supai and began to see and hear water, seemed especially long because we really didn't have any idea how close we were to the village at that point.  When we finally reached Supai, I'm sure we looked like most tourists; we were hot, sweaty, exhausted, and a few were cranky.   But the icy cold drinks we sipped while we waited for lunch to be prepared in the nondescript air-conditioned Cafe began to revive us little by little.  And let me tell you, those expensive, calorie packed burgers and huge tacos were worth every penny.  Our lunch hit the spot, and helped to recharge us.  


We checked in to the Havasupai Lodge (don't bother trying to check in early), changed into bathing suits, and geared up for one of our ultimate destinations, and hiked to the first waterfall, Rock Falls a 30 foot waterfall.  After watching others jump off a small ledge underneath the main fall, we put on water shoes, swam over, climbed up the rocky edge, and leaped through the fall as the water from above prickled our skin.  It was exhilarating!  We watched as several courageous souls jumped from the top of the falls.  Rosebud and Rhody, wanted to jump, and we climbed to the top with them, to check it out.  OMG, it was high and scary!  First Rosebud, then Rhody launched off, jumping out so as not to hit the rock at the top that jutted out.  My heart was in my throat as they leaped into the beautiful, turquoise water, and I couldn't breathe until I saw them surface again (which seemed to take forever!).  They both amazed me with their bravery and for seizing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I hope they will always remember the thrill of jumping, and the adrenalin rush as they plunged into breathtaking Rock Falls.

Other links to check: http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2011/08/july-was-blur.html
http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/Havasupai Mooney Falls2012.html
and http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2012/04/mooney-falls-return-trip.html

Rock Falls in the Grand Canyon, north of Supai

Rock Falls - 30 foot waterfall

Rhody jumping from the lower ledge, through Rock Falls

Rosebud and Rhody seize the day and jump from the top of  Rock Falls!

Rock Falls - the "stairs" up to the 30' jump

Rock Falls from a distance

Weathering Hurricane Irene

Hurricane Irene 2011

When Hurricane Irene came storming her way up the east coast, I'm not sure we thought we'd actually be in the dark...or at least not for as long as we were.  We prepared as best we could; we bought gallons of drinking water, froze Ziplock bags full of water, stowed all the outdoor chairs, tables, soccer nets, etc.  Hubby filled the second propane tank for the grill, and bought some canned goods and non-fridge food.  I did extra loads of laundry ahead of schedule, filled up the dishwasher and ran it, and gathered every candle and match book in the house.  We charged the electronics and cell phones, gathered the flashlights and batteries, and filled the bathtub with water.  We were prepared for the worst, and hoped for the best.  And then at 10:50 am on Sunday, we lost power.

I'm proud to say we weathered Hurricane Irene and the loss of power for 82 hours with as much green grace as we could muster.  We lost several trees, and large branches, and a section of fence was knocked down, and ultimately had to toss several pounds of meat, but luckily there was no damage to the house, and we still had running water.  For the first few hours, it felt like we were on an adventure, "Survivor Irene", but when the hot water ran out, the electronics ran out of charge, and the kids got bored playing board games, the forced "green" adventure turned the adventurers a bit grouchy.  Personally, I'd never experienced a power outage for 82 hours, and it really made me appreciate all the everyday things that we all typically take for granted in a developed country. 

We made due with less.  No electricity.  No hot water.  No microwave.  None of the modern conveniences we are accustomed to, switching on the lights, running the dishwasher, toasting a bagel, boiling water, reheating food, cooking, making coffee, throwing in a load of laundry, watching TV to name a few.  Keeping food cold in the cooler, washing dishes in cold water, and drying them in the sunlight, and later reading and functioning by candlelight made us feel like we'd stepped back into the 1800's.  At 6am on Monday morning, hubby began searching for more ice for the coolers.  He drove all over to find it, (none of the surrounding stores were open or had ice, so he drove further to a town we knew still had power), and to look for a generator at Home Depot or Lowes.  Of course they were sold out, but he put us on a waiting list to rent a generator to keep the food in the main fridge/freezer from spoiling.  28 hours into the outage he was able to rent one, and we were able to plug in the fridge, and a second extension cord to recharged cell phones, iPad, and iPods. 

As time went on, we developed a great appreciation for the power and appliances that we usually take for granted.  On the fourth day without electricity, we decided to try to boost morale (we were all quite grouchy by the time evening rolled around), and used the second generator plug to watch one of my favorite chick flicks,  Sweet Home Alabama.  We'd just about finished the movie, when the lights and fans came on!  The kids whooped and hollered, and we breathed a collective sigh of relief that we'd weathered Hurricane Irene.  Let's hope that the predictions from NOAA, for a higher than usual incidence of hurricanes and tropical storms, misses the mark, and we can pick and choose green choices a la carte instead of "a la Hurricane". 

Baring it All

I think Vanessa Farquharson, author of the eco-chic book, Sleeping Naked Is Green: How an Eco-Cynic Unplugged Her Fridge, Sold Her Car, and Found Love in 366 Days would agree that "Bare" by Solo is a great line of products. Farquharson's book, which is organized so that I could read it in short snippets (which is key when you have the distractions of 4 kids, a household to run, and work), is definitely one of my favorites.  We were already implementing many of her ideas on our own, but I learned lots of green tips, and have implemented the ones that make sense for my family...A la Carte Green style  of course :)  I wonder if Vanessa knows about the Bare products?  Anyway, I digress...

Back to the Baring it All...Solo's "Bare" is being used by the eco-conscious, eco-forward Bentley University to promote sustainability throughout the campus in their dining areas and throughout their catering department.  To accomplish this, Bentley uses paperboard Bare cups for coffee.  The coffee cups are compostable, and made with renewable resources. 

I decided to investigate Bare a bit more, and upon review of the Bare Solo website, I discovered that they have a whole line of products; the "Bare is Strong" 10" renewable plates made with plant-based renewable materials; the stylish "Bare is Elegant" 10"compostable plates, 8.25" lunch compostable plates, 6.7" compostable desert plates, 20oz compostable bowls - are  all made from renewable sugar cane, and are compostable; the "Bare is Natural" 14oz compostable cups are made from bio-based plastic (made from plants like corn); and the "Bare is Clear" line of 18oz recyclable cups, which are made from 20% post-consumer recycled plastic.

IMHO, Solo's Bare line of products has shown that being eco-conscious, and having eco-forward thinking, and eco-forward convenience can be sexy and sustainable at the same time ;) 

Popeye and Olive Oyl would be proud

In the old cartoon, Popeye the Sailor, the hero Popeye downs cans of spinach to have super human strength, while his girlfriend Olive Oyl swoons over him. 

Today we know that Popeye was a pretty smart sailor because spinach is an excellent source of fiber which lowers your risk of diabetes and heart disease, Vitamin A which contributes to good vision, and Vitamin C and Folate which contribute to the reduction of fatigue.  It is also a good source of Vitamin K and Manganese, which contribute to healthy bones, and Potassium which helps maintain normal blood pressure. 

The trick is to sneak these health benefits into meals.  We add fresh spinach into salads, and wilt spinach with olive oil (Popeye's girlfriend Olive Oyl would be so proud), and we also get the kids to eat spinach disguised in a yummy spinach dip, that we dip veggies into.   For me, fresh, dark green, spinach is preferable to the canned kind that Popeye loved, but however you can get the kids and yourself to eat it, spinach is the ultimate green, so give it a try. 

We've purchased fresh spinach in various packaging, sometimes plastic clam-shells that can be recycled, and sometimes pre-packaged plastic bags.  The other night, I offhandedly checked the spinach bag, and was delighted to learn that Fresh Express (pre-packaged spinach and salads) uses "an eco-friendly wash that cleans salads better than traditional chlorine wash" and comes in a #7 recyclable pre-package bag!  I couldn't believe that the bag actually had a recycle symbol since so many bags that can be recycled do not.  Fresh Express scored points with me because not only is the spinach healthy for us, they are using a healthier rinse, and the bag can be recycled to boot.   I think Popeye and Olive Oyl would be proud too ;) 

Green Project of the Day - deux

As I mentioned, I'm in de-clutter mode!  And that means yet another green project is getting done.  The ideas are always flowing, but the energy to accomplish things isn't always equal to the brain activity that comes up with things...

So back in June, I made a gorgeous (imho) quilt for my god-daughter, which was quite green (I'll explain in a minute).  There were a bunch of  leftover squares from that project, so I decided to get one more green project out of the material, and make a second quilt for a new 2nd cousin.  Fast forward...I finally took the time to lay out the pieces to see if I had enough, and lo and behold there are enough pieces so I can just get started sewing!

Enough pieces left from prior project to make green project deux

The front of the quilt is completed

Why do I consider these quilts green?  All of the material (except the batting), is recycled from previous projects.  11 years ago my talented mother made a reversible bed spread, curtains, and dust ruffle for Tiger Lily when she shared a room with Rhody (we are talking baby Rhody).  At the time we bought enough material for the someday possibility of needed 2 matching reversible bedspreads (when Rhody was out of the crib).  As it turns out, we were lucky enough to be able to do an addition on the house, and thankfully Tiger Lily moved out into her own room a LONG time ago.  So my Mom returned the unused material, I've been storing it all this time, and have finally put it to good use in the two quilt projects.  The coordinating fabric, is also "green" because I got it from Recycling for Rhode Island Education (RRIE) http://www.rrie.org/    (see also http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2010/02/recycled-centerpieces-trash-to-treasure.html )

Now if only recycled thread were readily available...