tag:www.naturalawakenings.com,2005:/categories/green-living?page=46Green Living Green Living | Natural Awakenings Magazine Page 46Healthy Living Healthy Planet2019-08-28T16:14:48-04:00urn:uuid:df83ef99-0013-41bf-a327-89f24a71da0e2019-08-28T16:14:48-04:002019-08-28T16:14:48-04:00Arts & Crafts : with a Mission2010-09-02 16:01:42 -0400Center for American Progress<h3>Is one person’s trash really another’s treasure? According to a Durham, North Carolina-based arts and crafts store, it is.</h3><p> </p><p>The Scrap Exchange lets people explore their creativity while helping out the environment. The exchange was founded in 1991 as a sustainable art supply store that takes unwanted materials from businesses and community members and resells them as arts and crafts supplies. Materials sell for 50 to 70 percent off their retail prices, and popular items include paper, fabric, office supplies, marble scraps and CD cases. The idea is to promote environmental awareness and creative expression by providing high-quality, low-cost materials for artists.</p><p>The Scrap Exchange also provides an in-house art gallery to show off the work of local artists who turn recycled materials into crafts such as handmade bags, metal sculptures and jewelry. Classes in artistic skills like quilting and collage also are available. Plus, the store offers children’s birthday parties that give kids a chance to invent fun projects with their friends while teaching them about taking care of the planet.</p><p>The Resource Center in Chicago is another nonprofit organization that is encouraging creative repurposing of materials. Its Creative Reuse Warehouse (CRW) finds and recovers rejected items and byproducts that local businesses treat as waste. They donate these materials to Chicago area schools, service organizations, performance companies and individual artists. It’s a win-win situation for the CRW’s donors and recipients—donors get a tax deduction and recipients obtain materials to teach classes and create artwork that they may not have been able to afford otherwise.</p><p>Similar programs are available throughout the country. The Scroungers’ Center for Reusable Art Parts has graced San Francisco since the 1970s; participants learn about different crafts and art techniques in its unique workshops. Creative Reuse Pittsburgh, a relative newcomer, collects reusable discards from businesses and other organizations in its region, offers hands-on creative arts programs and hosts booths at local arts festivals.</p><p>Add up the mental, emotional, social and environmental benefits of artful hours used to turn trash into treasure and the lure of time well-spent at a creative reuse center is nearly irresistible.</p><p>This article was created by the Center for American Progress (<span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.AmericanProgress.org"><strong>www.AmericanProgress.org</strong></a></span>).</p><p> </p><p>Click here for <strong><a href="http://%20%20/Natural-Awakenings/September-2010/Ready-Resources-of-Reusable-Stuff/%20%20">Ready Resources of Reusable Stuff</a></strong></p><p>Click here for <strong><a href="/Natural-Awakenings/September-2010/More-Green-Crafting-Ideas/%20">More Green Crafting Ideas</a></strong></p><p> </p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>urn:uuid:e0d6fc92-64de-4a79-b994-d2fea13f8fad2019-08-28T16:14:45-04:002019-08-28T16:14:45-04:00Ready Resources of Reusable Stuff: Some of the centers listed below also accept individual donations of suitable items for reuse.2010-09-02 16:01:22 -0400Anonymous<p> </p><h3><strong>Art From Scrap</strong></h3><h4>Provides arts and crafts materials reuse store, environmental education and arts program. <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.ArtFromScrap.org"><strong>www.ArtFromScrap.org</strong></a></span> in California</h4><p> </p><h3><strong>Arts & Scraps</strong></h3><h4>Offers reusable industrial scraps to the public. <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.ArtsAndScraps.org"><strong>www.ArtsAndScraps.org</strong></a></span> in Michigan</h4><p> </p><h3><strong>Creative Reuse Pittsburgh</strong></h3><h4>Accepts donations of materials from manufacturers, retail stores, radio stations, hotels, offices, grocery stores and universities. <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.CreativeReusePGH.blogspot.com"><strong>www.CreativeReusePGH.blogspot.com</strong></a></span> and <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.ConstructionJunction.org"><strong>www.ConstructionJunction.org</strong></a></span> in Pennsylvania</h4><p> </p><h3><strong>East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse</strong></h3><h4>Collects and redistributes materials for education, creative projects and arts and crafts. <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.CreativeReuse.org"><strong>www.CreativeReuse.org</strong></a></span> in California</h4><p> </p><h3><strong>Extras for Creative Learning</strong></h3><h4>Redistributes excess inventory, outdated stock, overruns or seconds to teachers, group leaders, parents and artists. <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.EXCLRecycles.org"><strong>www.EXCLRecycles.org</strong></a></span> in Massachusetts</h4><p> </p><h3><strong>Hudson Valley Materials Exchange</strong></h3><h4>Serves as redistribution center and creative resource for materials suitable for art, education and construction. <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.HVME.com"><strong>www.HVME.com</strong></a></span> in New York</h4><p> </p><h3><strong>Materials Exchange Center for Community Arts (MECCA)</strong></h3><h4>Accepts and distributes donated scraps and discards for reuse in art projects. <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.Materials-Exchange.org"><strong>www.Materials-Exchange.org</strong></a></span> in Oregon</h4><p> </p><h3><strong>Materials for the Arts</strong></h3><h4>Serves New York City as its premier reuse center. <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.MFTA.org"><strong>www.MFTA.org</strong></a></span> in New York</h4><p> </p><h3><strong>Materials for the Arts Program </strong></h3><h4>Offers suitable items gathered by The Monroe County Solid Waste Management District’s Reuse Division to nonprofits, churches, schools and artists working on community projects. <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.MCSWMD.org"><strong>www.MCSWMD.org</strong></a></span> in Indiana</h4><p> </p><h3><strong>reDiscover</strong></h3><h4>Community resource center recycles business discards into children’s learning tools. <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.reDiscoverCenter.org"><strong>www.reDiscoverCenter.org</strong></a></span> in California</h4><p> </p><h3><strong>The Resource Center</strong></h3><h4>The group’s Creative Reuse Warehouse collects overruns, rejects and byproducts from businesses and industries to redistribute as educational and artistic resources. <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.ResourceCenterChicago.org"><strong>www.ResourceCenterChicago.org</strong></a></span> in Illinois</h4><p> </p><h3><strong>The ReThink + ReUse Center</strong></h3><h4>Makes business and industrial materials donations available to parents, teachers and artists. <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.RethinkAndReuseMiami.org"><strong>www.RethinkAndReuseMiami.org</strong></a></span> in Florida</h4><p> </p><h3><strong>The Scrap Exchange</strong></h3><h4>Collects clean, reusable industrial discards and donated materials from individuals for creative reuse. <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.ScrapExchange.org"><strong>www.ScrapExchange.org</strong></a></span> in North Carolina</h4><p> </p><h3><strong>Scrounger’s Center for Reusable Art Parts (SCRAP)</strong></h3><h4>Redistributes unwanted materials collected from businesses and individuals to teachers, parents, artists and organizations. <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.Scrap-SF.org"><strong>www.Scrap-SF.org</strong></a></span> in California</h4><p> </p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>urn:uuid:f06d959d-d819-4a39-8fc8-96d2b5ce9b5c2019-08-28T16:14:31-04:002019-08-28T16:14:31-04:00Legislative Imperative: On October 10, citizens around the world will launch global work parties to reverse climate change. Find out how and where to get on board.2010-09-02 16:01:00 -0400Anonymous<p>On October 10, citizens in communities around the world will launch global work parties aimed both to reverse climate change caused by dangerous levels of carbon dioxide emissions and send a clear message to governments that it’s past time for elected officials to get busy.</p><p>Citizens will put up solar panels, insulate homes, organize bicycle rides, plant trees and advance other ideas for the types of local and global solutions needed to address the current climate crisis. “Our message is: If we can get to work, so can our lawmakers,” says Bill McKibben, environmental author and founder of 350.org, the group that is rallying the 10/10/10 work party events via the Web.</p><p>Last year, 350.org orchestrated an international day of action that saw 5,200 events in 180 countries support the goal of reducing CO2 levels from 390 parts per million (now 392 ppm) back to a tipping point of 350 ppm. Leading scientists, beginning with pioneering researcher Dr. James Hansen of NASA, maintain that if we can get back to 350 ppm, we have a shot at climate safety.</p><p>Get on board at <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.350.org"><strong>www.350.org</strong></a></span>.</p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>urn:uuid:e4ed0f24-99d2-4f0f-8e44-46801df261312019-08-28T16:14:33-04:002019-08-28T16:14:33-04:00Gulf Update: Citizens Move to Ban Toxic Oil Dispersants as Options. Take Action via online petition.2010-09-02 16:01:00 -0400Anonymous<p>In response to British Petroleum’s use of toxic chemicals to disperse the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, American citizens are asking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to immediately delist products of concern from the National Contingency Plan Product Schedule. This would include removing such dispersants as an approved method of dealing with an oil spill. Products of concern are defined as those that contain any substances known to be a human health hazard or that have not been proven to be nontoxic to wildlife species relevant to the area where they will be used.</p><p>Sign the petition at <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/delist"><strong>www.ipetitions.com/petition/delist</strong></a></span></p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>urn:uuid:bb13aa9a-39a1-4059-bb71-f37592ba2e7b2019-08-28T16:14:53-04:002019-08-28T16:14:53-04:00Not So Eco-Friendly Skies: Green America ranks major airlines on their recycling efforts. You can help encourage them to do more.2010-09-02 16:01:00 -0400Anonymous<p>According to the National Resources Defense Council, nearly 75 percent of in-flight generated waste is recyclable, but only 20 percent actually gets recycled. Green America’s consumer watchdog website, ResponsibleShopper.org, reports that airlines could recycle nearly 500 million more pounds of waste each year, half of it in-flight waste. Some airlines say they’re making progress, yet none collects and processes all the major recyclables of aluminum cans, glass, plastic and paper, or has a comprehensive program to minimize packaging and compost food waste, according to Green America’s recent review.</p><p>“For concerned consumers looking to spend their travel dollars wisely, airline waste may be the ultimate example of, ‘What goes up must come down,’” comments lead researcher Victoria Kreha. Green America’s airline rankings for recycling, from best to worst, are: Delta, Virgin, Southwest, Continental, Jet Blue, American, British Airways, Air Tran, United and US Airways.</p><p>Beyond the environmental benefits, recycling airline waste would create jobs nationwide; according to Colorado Recycles, recycling creates six times as many jobs as does landfilling.</p><p>Take action at <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.GreenAmericaToday.org/go/AirlineRecyclingReport"><strong>www.GreenAmericaToday.org/go/AirlineRecyclingReport</strong></a></span>; email executives at listed airlines and report how flight attendants answer when asked about company recycling policies.</p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>urn:uuid:d6dab949-ebda-46a7-9595-a0103a62f81f2019-08-28T16:14:15-04:002019-08-28T16:14:15-04:00What's Best for Baby's Bottom: Cloth Makes a Comeback2010-07-28 03:00:00 -0400Anonymous<p>Millions of new parents in the 1960s thought they had found the answer to their prayers in the mess-free convenience of disposable diapers. Sales of Pampers, Huggies and other brands continued to soar during the following decades. Sadly, so did a host of related problems: tons of soiled plastic diapers that could potentially contaminate groundwater packed the nation’s landfills; infant health concerns surfaced, including rashes, allergies and new respiratory and immune system worries; delayed toilet training became an issue.</p><p>In more recent years, a growing number of parents have determined that the greenest, healthiest and most economical way to cover baby’s bottom is with cloth, and new products are truly innovative.</p><p> </p><h3>Not Your Nana’s Nappies</h3><p><br>Today’s “smart cloth” reusable diapers sport snaps, buttons and Velcro, rather than pins, and include a naturally absorbent liner (often made of organic cotton or hemp fleece) under the cover. Much preferred over the rubber overpants of older products, these leaner, greener nappies use water-resistant covers of merino wool, nylon or polyurethane laminate that don’t leak, sag or smell (admittedly, use of smaller amounts of manufactured fabrics still isn’t perfect). Some diapers even combine the liner and cover into one washable unit.</p><p>Cloth diapers cost more upfront than disposables—they range from $6 to $18 each—but offer long-term savings. According to the Sierra Club, most parents who opt for home laundering will spend a total of between $400 and $1,700 for diapers, laundry supplies, water and electricity to get baby from birth through toilet training; disposables can run up to $2,500. (Click on the Cloth Diaper Resources link at DiaperDecisions.com for a helpful cost comparison guide.)</p><p>Organic cotton diapers, the ultimate green choice because they help reduce pesticide use, are also more expensive than conventional cotton diapers, which is why budget-minded parents often elect to buy gently used diapers. Conventional cotton is considered an environmentally wasteful crop to grow (though its effluents are far less hazardous than those from the plastic, pulp and paper industries), so green diapers are frequently made of hemp or bamboo, natural fabrics that feel soft against baby’s skin.</p><p> </p><h3>Best for Mother Earth and Baby</h3><p><br>Saving dollars is a key concern for most families, but caring parents’ need to both protect baby’s health and preserve the quality of the planet for their children are of equal importance. Yet, according to the National Geographic Society’s Green Guide, 95 percent of U.S. families still use disposables, which get sent to municipal landfills in the amount of 3.5 million tons per year. Along with the diapers goes the untreated sewage, creating potential health risks. In addition, dioxin, a toxic byproduct of pulp and paper bleaching used in making most disposables, is a concern. More, disposables consume virgin pulp from an estimated 250,000 trees every year—also going straight from babies’ bottoms into landfills.</p><p>The toxic stew smoldering underground isn’t the only uncomfortable problem—the Green Guide notes that aboveground, animal studies have linked emissions from disposable diapers’ fragrances and plastics with infant respiratory problems and symptoms of asthma. The biocide tributyltin, which can be absorbed through the skin and lead to immune system damage and disrupted hormone function, has been detected in disposables, and diapers are not routinely tested for the substance.</p><p>Most disposable diapers also contain polyacrylate crystals, or super absorbent polymers (SAP), that absorb up to 800 times their weight in liquid, turning into gel when wet and keeping baby dry and protected from diaper rash. If the diaper breaks open, though, the gel may end up on skin or in baby’s mouth, leading to skin or gastrointestinal irritation. Plus, because SAP allows diapers to retain lots of liquid while keeping baby’s bottom dry, the child may have a harder time recognizing when he or she is wet, and thus take longer to potty train than an infant wearing cloth.</p><p> </p><h3>Newest Innovations<br><br> </h3><p>New hybrid diapers now feature cloth outer pants that are free of latex, chlorine and fragrance, and smaller, disposable inserts made of absorbent wood pulp and polyacrylate (still a potential concern). The inserts can absorb up to 100 times their weight in liquid. Because they don’t contain plastic, many can be composted, thrown in the trash or even flushed, although not in septic systems. Hybrids can be useful for traveling and are accepted at some day care centers that don’t have the resources to deal with cloth diapers.</p><p>Companies that sell cloth diapers have reported sales increases of 25 to 50 percent over the past few years as eco-savvy parents convert from disposables. These newly green moms and dads are determined to ensure an Earth- and baby-friendly “bottom” line.</p><p><em>Barb Amrhein is an editor with Natural Awakenings.</em></p><p> </p><p>Cloth Diaper Resources</p><p>• <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.AllAboutClothDiapers.com"><strong>www.AllAboutClothDiapers.com</strong></a></span><br>• <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.ClothDiaperBlog.com"><strong>www.ClothDiaperBlog.com</strong></a></span><br>• <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.ClothDiapersMadeSimple.com"><strong>www.ClothDiapersMadeSimple.com</strong></a></span> <br>• <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.DiaperJungle.com"><strong>www.DiaperJungle.com</strong></a></span><br>• <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.DiaperService.RealDiaperIndustry.org"><strong>www.DiaperService.RealDiaperIndustry.org</strong></a></span><br>• <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.GreenBabyGuide.com"><strong>www.GreenBabyGuide.com</strong></a></span><br>• <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.RealDiaperAssociation.org"><strong>www.RealDiaperAssociation.org</strong></a></span></p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>urn:uuid:50bcc7f9-8637-4938-b6ca-a1d3b02cec722019-08-28T16:14:13-04:002019-08-28T16:14:14-04:00Report Card: Students Like to Pick Green Colleges2010-07-28 02:06:00 -0400Anonymous<p>In The Princeton Review’s latest College Hopes & Worries Survey, 68 percent of students said they value having information about a college’s commitment to the environment. From a pool of almost 700 U.S. colleges and universities, the organization identified the country’s 371 exemplary green colleges of 2010 (up from 286 in 2009). Key criteria include a healthy and sustainable quality of life on campus, preparation for employment in a world facing environmental challenges and overall commitment to environmental issues.</p><p>Fifteen institutions made the 2010 honor roll. The role models setting the standard are in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Washington.</p><p>The Sustainable Endowments Institute also offers its College Sustainability Report Card. This in-depth eco-profile for 332 colleges in the United States and Canada also evaluates how each profiled institution invests its endowment assets. The site allows viewers to instantly compare selected schools in nine categories. In 2010, the group recognized 80 extra green schools and saluted 26 as “top of their class” in endowment allocation.</p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>urn:uuid:a5a29521-224c-4fce-a399-fac6c4aad96a2019-08-28T16:17:39-04:002019-08-28T16:17:39-04:00Affordable Vacations: Five that Give Back2010-07-01 03:01:00 -0400Heather Boerner<p>Enjoy rich experiences while cutting costs and doing good for communities here and abroad. Here are some ways to travel, get involved and avoid tourist traps while walking lightly on the Earth.</p><p> </p><h3>Homestay</h3><p>Shel Horowitz has been sleeping on strangers’ floors, couches and private guest suites for decades now. In the process, he’s met peace activists, ecologists and friends with whom his family still interacts. But he’s not just couch surfing; he’s homestaying, a travel option that runs the gamut from traditional foreign-exchange visits for students to the nonprofit peace outreach program Horowitz has been involved in since 1983, called Servas (Joomla.Servas.org). The way he sees it, he’s doing his part to spread cross-cultural understanding and making travel more affordable.<img alt="" src="//cdn0.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/625659/Affordable-Travel-Kids.jpg"></p><p>There’s the time he visited Colorado on a homestay and met a couple who gave him a private tour of their collection of Native American art. Last year he stayed with the director of Guatemala’s National Park Service and another man active in sustainable development work in the country’s highlands.</p><p>“You get such a richer experience traveling with homestay,” observes Horowitz from his farmhouse in Hadley, Massachusetts. He advises prospective homestayers to verify the number of nights agreed upon and then pay a host for their hospitality beyond that, and also expect to spend time with your hosts in the evenings. Finally, be prepared for any kind of accommodations. “You have to be somewhat adventurous,” he says.</p><p> </p><h3>Home Swap</h3><p>As a renter, San Francisco resident Melanie Jones figured home swapping wasn’t in the cards for her. But when she gave it a try, she found herself in a cozy studio in Paris’ ninth arrondissement near a train station with easy access to the city’s major attractions. “It’s a <img alt="" src="//cdn2.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/625660/Affordable-Travel-Couple.jpg">unique way to connect with people who are different from us and to put ourselves in situations to see the world through someone else’s eyes,” she says. “It’s a lot easier to do that when you’re literally eating off someone else’s dishes and sleeping in someone else’s bed.”</p><p>Although scores of home-swapping websites offer to help streamline and vet potential swaps, she chose to post her ad on Craigslist. A 20-something Frenchman wanted to visit his girlfriend who was staying in San Francisco. She notes that it’s important to both trust the person with whom you’re swapping and to set ground rules.</p><p> </p><h3>WWOOFing</h3><p>The World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (<span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.wwoof.org/"><strong>www.wwoof.org</strong></a></span>) movement matches eco-conscious urbanites with organic farms around the world. You stay for free and receive some meals from the farmer host, repaying him by weeding, preparing soil, planting and even building fences.</p><p><img alt="" src="//cdn3.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/625661/Affordable-Travel-Lady.jpg">It’s a way to integrate into a community, says Lucas Weiss of Brooklyn, who has taken weekend trips to the Meadowstone Farm of Tim Wennrich, in Bethlehem, New Hampshire. Staying in a farmer’s house and eating with his family gave him a taste of life he wouldn’t have experienced if he had stayed in a motel or bed and breakfast.“We got to see first-hand how much work can get done when you have four extra hands,” says Weiss. “You really get to see the inner workings of the [agricultural] community.”</p><p>No gardening experience is required, but come prepared to work up to six hours a day, for several days. You may need to bring your own tent or sleeping bag.</p><p> </p><h3>Voluntourism</h3><p>Brooke Bailey was new to both yoga and volunteer work in 2006, but after seeing the devastation Hurricane Katrina wrought in New Orleans in 2005, she decided to do something. Bailey scheduled her yoga training sessions around days spent participating in the <img alt="" src="//cdn2.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/625662/Affordable-Travel-Volunteer.jpg">demolition, cleaning, painting and renewal work the city so desperately needed. It was her first volunteer sojourn, but it hasn’t been her last.</p><p>Bailey reports that the effort was life-changing for everyone involved: “I really learned about giving just to give and not expecting anything in return. I realized that even if they aren’t literally my community, even if they’re halfway around the world, they’re still humanity.”</p><p>Find intriguing opportunities at <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.charityguide.org/"><strong>www.CharityGuide.org</strong></a></span>, <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.crossculturalsolutions.org/"><strong>www.CrossCulturalSolutions.org</strong></a></span>, <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.earthwatch.org/"><strong>www.Earthwatch.org</strong></a></span>, <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.globalvolunteers.org/"><strong>www.GlobalVolunteers.org</strong></a></span>, <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.transitionsabroad.com/"><strong>www.TransitionsAbroad.com</strong></a></span>, <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.travelocity.com/TravelForGood"><strong>www.Travelocity.com/TravelForGood</strong></a></span>, <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.volunteeradventures.com/"><strong>www.VolunteerAdventures.com</strong></a></span> and <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.voluntourism.org/"><strong>www.Voluntourism.org</strong></a></span>.</p><p> </p><h3>Philanthrotourism</h3><p>Jill Gordon had been volunteering in inner-city Chicago schools teaching literacy for years when a friend invited her to a talk about a girls’ school in Afghanistan. That’s when she knew she wanted to take her volunteer work global.</p><p>First, Gordon joined the Chicago Women’s Initiative of CARE (care.org), a nonprofit organization fighting global poverty, to help organize <img alt="" src="//cdn3.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/625663/Affordable-Travel-Teach.jpg">talks and fundraisers for education programs; she saw some of that money at work later, when she visited remote areas of Peru. A few years ago, she visited rural India, where CARE funds schools and nutrition programs, and she was allowed to feed infants their first bites of solid food in a Hindu Annaprashan (first rice-eating) ceremony.</p><p>“I don’t know if I would have gone to India, otherwise,” remarks Gordon. “I just loved meeting the real people in India, the kids and the mothers groups. We got to see what India’s really like.”</p><p>Many nonprofits offer these kinds of travel, from Christian groups to United Way, which has an Alternative Spring Break service program for teens (LiveUnited.org/asb). To find a program that suits your interests, ask groups that you support if they offer such trips and how they’re funded, so more of your time, treasure and talent goes to the people who need it.<br> <br><em>Heather Boerner, a freelancer based in San Francisco, CA, is a contributing writer for </em><span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.gaiam.com/"><em><strong>www.Gaiam.com</strong></em></a></span><em>. Contact her at </em><span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.heatherboerner.com/"><em><strong>www.HeatherBoerner.com</strong></em></a></span><em>.</em></p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>urn:uuid:65816027-5bbd-499a-b77b-3e6bdce3cc522019-08-28T16:17:36-04:002023-12-29T10:25:50-05:00Backyard Gardening: How to Get a Lot From Your Plot2010-07-01 03:00:00 -0400Barbara Pleasant<p>Whether this is your first year growing a kitchen garden or your thumb glows green from years of use, it’s possible to quickly turn dreams of bountiful organic harvests into a reality. Even small gardens can be surprisingly productive, sometimes yielding enough squash to feed the neighborhood. These 10 tips will help you reap top harvests of superb vegetables and herbs.</p><p><strong>Shop from Your Garden First.</strong> After a lifetime of buying food in stores, you may need to change your shopping habits to accommodate the stream of veggies from your own produce patch. It makes sense to shop here first. When you plan meals based upon your garden’s abundance, much less overripe produce ends up as compost.</p><p><strong>Spread on the Mulch.</strong> Everywhere but in the subtropics, rain often becomes scarce in summer, so do everything you can to keep plants supplied with consistent moisture. Tomatoes, in particular, are sensitive to changes in soil moisture that can lead to black spots on the bottoms of ripening fruits. In any climate, drip irrigation from soaker hoses on the surface makes watering easy and efficient. Covering the hoses with mulch reduces surface evaporation and discourages weeds at the same time.</p><p><strong>Harvest Often.</strong> From snap beans to zucchini, vegetables will be longer and stronger if you keep them picked. Gather what’s ripe at least three times a week. Early morning is the best time to gather garden-fresh veggies.</p><p><strong>Make Plenty of Pesto</strong>. A fast-growing annual herb that loves hot weather, basil will keep producing new leaves over a longer time if you harvest big bunches just as the plants develop buds and flowers (the flowers are edible, too). If you have too much basil to use right away, purée washed leaves with olive oil and lemon juice, then cover with water in ice cube trays and freeze. Store the hard cubes in freezer bags for use in making pesto during non-harvest months.</p><p><strong>Squeeze Tomatoes.</strong> In choosing your favorite tomatoes, taste them fairly by keeping them in a warm place because cool temperatures can destroy their flavor compounds. In addition to watching the vines for ripe colors, make a habit of gently squeezing tomatoes to judge their firmness, the same way you might check an avocado or peach. Heirloom varieties, in particular, are at their best just as they begin to soften, but may become mealy if you wait too long.</p><p><strong>Taste Local Favorites</strong>. Trying new crops is always fun, especially if you know they grow well in your region. To learn more about which vegetables and herbs naturally grow well in your climate and soil, visit local farmers’ markets to see what local organic farmers are growing. Any crop that grows well in a neighbor’s field is likely to also do well in your garden.</p><p><strong>Keep Your Cool.</strong> Take on big garden tasks early in the morning or in the evening, when it’s cool. If you must work outdoors on a hot day, try freezing damp kitchen towels into a U-shape and drape a frozen collar around your neck to keep from overheating.</p><p><strong>Bet on Beans.</strong> Most vegetables are fast-growing annuals that decline after they have produced for several weeks. Replace tattered spring crops with fast-growing bush snap beans, which will promptly sprout and grow in all but the hottest climates. Where summers are sultry, there is often time to follow spring crops with a planting of edamame (edible green soybeans), which offer sensational taste, texture and nutrition.</p><p><strong>Sow More Salad.</strong> Lettuce and other salad greens often go to seed and turn bitter when hot weather comes, but a second salad season is right around the corner. Leafy greens, from arugula to tatsoi (a gorgeous Asian mustard), thrive from late summer to fall in most climates. Keep seeds left over from spring in the refrigerator and start planting them outside as soon as cooler nights arrive in late summer. In subtropical areas, start seeds indoors and set the seedlings out after the hottest months have passed.</p><p><strong>Fortify Soil.</strong> Each time you cultivate a bed, mix in a generous helping of compost or another form of rich, organic matter. Over time, the soil will become better and better, which means ever more beautiful homegrown veggies, fresh from your own garden.</p><p><br></p><p><i><a href="http://www.barbarapleasant.com/" target="_blank">Barbara Pleasant</a> is the author of numerous gardening books; this year’s release is </i>Starter Vegetable Gardens: 24 No-Fail Plans for Small Organic Gardens<i>.</i></p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>urn:uuid:c42ce606-0545-4e35-a058-309017bff7702019-08-28T16:17:43-04:002019-08-28T16:17:43-04:00Economic Security: Buying at Home Keeps America Strong2010-07-01 03:00:00 -0400Anonymous<p>Poll after poll points to Americans’ preference for locally produced goods, according to msn.com; the real question is if we are willing to look for them and pay more. A 21st-century grassroots website, StillMadeInUSA.com, provides a helping hand with an online shopping directory of American brands. Categories range from personal apparel, handcrafts and household goods to tools, sports and entertainment, and include special occasions and shop-by-geography menus.</p><p><br>“I try to buy American products whenever possible, but as a working mother of three boys, I don’t have time to drive from store to store or search for hours online,” says founder Stephanie Sanzone, explaining her website’s genesis. The Made in USA label represents a heightened concern for guarding American manufacturing jobs, worker and environmental health, product quality, consumer safety, national competitiveness and security while defending against an increasing trade deficit.</p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>