Clever Uses for Spent Spices

I have many more spices in my spice cabinet than I actually use, and most have been there for years. Ground spices lose their volatile oils after a time and shouldn’t be kept longer than a year or two.   I’ve even heard 6 months.  Many of mine are way past their potency and won’t add much flavoring to food; yet, I can’t just throw them away.   I recently read an article with some clever uses for old spices, a few of which I want to share with you.

To freshen your carpet (and your vacuum), you can sprinkle old spices like cinnamon, thyme, cloves or nutmeg directly on your carpet and then vacuum up.  What a perfect alternative to a toxic room freshener!  Try a small area first to make sure the spice colors won’t stain your carpet before applying to the entire rug.

Strong-smelling spices are often used in insect repellents, and the same theory holds true in the garden.  Sprinkle your old pepper, oregano, sage, peppermint, cayenne, chili powder, etc. around your rows of plants to keep insect pests away.  It won’t hurt your plant and is definitely worth a try.  Gardening is often a battle between mother nature and man, like on our farm where we have at least 25 geese and goslings, as well as rabbits, hedgehogs and even a fox who all seem to eat the vegetables as quickly as they come up.  Chili powder, red pepper and cayenne apparently keep squirrels, rabbits and other animals away as well.  I just spread old pepper flakes around our corn – I’ll keep you posted about its effectiveness.

Here’s an unlikely tip. According to Organic Authority, adding a few teaspoons of black pepper to your laundry load will keep colors bright and prevent fading.  Why not?  It’s certainly not toxic and may prolong the life of your clothes.

Enhance your summer cookouts by adding your old spices to the charcoal.  Cooking them helps to release the remaining volatile oils. You’ll love the extra boost of flavor and the aroma.  You can also toss freshly picked herbs right into the charcoal.  I especially like rosemary.

The pigment from nutmeg, paprika, cinnamon and turmeric make safe, natural paints when mixed with water.  Or place old spices in a sachet to freshen your dresser drawers.

Specialty tea and spice stores selling small jars of spices or spices in bulk are gaining popularity.  Farmers’ markets sometimes sell spices too.  I prefer to buy them in smaller containers so I know that I can use them up before they lose their potency.   But if not, I really like the idea of reusing old spices in fun ways.

Information compiled from Earth911.com, Kathryn Sukalich, 10 Ways to Use Up Old Spices.

 

Eco-Friendly Travel

Occasionally a fellow blogger will ask to do a guest post on my blog.  I wholeheartedly embrace the idea of supporting other bloggers, especially with the same message.   The post below is written by Sam Marquit, an independent “green” contractor and co-author of Fair Marquit Value. His post is about environmentally responsible tourism, an important topic in this mobile world of ours. 

Centre (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In the past, I have been lucky enough to have the funds to build my own home.  I used green building materials to create an eco-friendly home. What makes me more interested in environmentally design is how these buildings are used. In recent years, more tourism companies are becoming more interested in developing sustainable ways to run their businesses. Tourists are also joining in this pursuit. As a result, more tourism agencies around the world are offering environmentally friendly tours and hotels are reaching for LEED certification.

In Asia, there are more events and opportunities that offer community engagement. These programs are dedicated to resource efficiency and wildlife conservation. By focusing on cultural preservation and community development, they are able to create a responsible approach to tourism. There is now an event known as the Wild Asia Responsible Tourism Award. This award provides recognition for companies that provide Asian-based accommodation. Each award is for a different topic ranging from wildlife conservation to resource efficiency.

To receive one of these awards, Asian-based businesses have to do things like serve local foods. They could install faucets and shower heads that are designed to conserve water by shutting off automatically. A top spot for many tourists is Las Vegas. Long known for its status as “Sin City”, Las Vegas is actually developing some of the best eco-friendly resorts. The most eco-friendly hotel in America is located in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Palazzo reuses its own waste and has other elements installed to reduce their carbon footprint. While these efforts are a step in the right direction with the construction of new green hotels in Las Vegas. More organizations need to use the same procedures.

In New York City, hotels are starting to catch on to the theme of environmental sustainability. These hotels are dedicated to reducing their carbon footprint and developing a self-sustaining design. They are also notable for their waste recycling facilities. The Ink48 Hotel even developed a program known as Earthcare. At this facility, members can meet and discuss ways to have a positive impact on the planet. It is through programs like these that the landscape of tourism is changing. As more individuals become enlightened about the environment, additional hotels will change their design.

Even though the world has a long way to go toward environmental sustainability, there are changes taking place now that will have an impact. In Las Vegas, there are 124,000 hotel rooms available. The 40,000,000 visitors to the city could begin making an impact on the environment by choosing to stay at hotels that are environmentally friendly. Each traveler has the chance to vote with his or her wallet. If enough people demand environmentally sustainable lodging, hotels will have an incentive to adjust.

Farmers’ Markets Are Back!

It’s that time of year again; farmers’ markets are back!  Lettuces, kale, swiss chard, pea greens, radishes, strawberries – there’s lots of early spring produce, especially with greenhouse grown vegetables.  You can also get locally raised eggs, meat, and poultry, fresh-baked goods, locally produced cheeses, potted plants and herbs, handcrafted soaps and lotions, and artisanal items.  Every week it’s something different.

I’m thrilled that the farmers’ market concept has caught on.  The average food travels 1500 miles from farm to plate, consuming large quantities of fossil fuels and generating major CO2 emissions. Produce is picked unripe, then gassed to ripen, or processed using preservatives or irradiation, losing important nutritional value.    With farmers’ markets, food is grown locally using organic or sustainable farming practices and picked at peak ripeness.  Fresh and nutritious, there is nothing tastier than a vegetable or fruit straight from the farm.

Photo by: Wikipedia

There are many other advantages.  When you shop at a farmers’ market, you are supporting local farmers and the local economy. The farmer sells directly to the customer; middlemen are eliminated and the farmer gets to keep more of his profits.

In this era of prepackaged foods, there is little direct connection to our food.  At a farmers’ market, you meet and get to know the people who grow your food and they get to know the people who eat the food they grow.  Today’s children will grow up understanding that their food doesn’t just come in a plastic bag from a giant supermarket, instead someone actually plants the seeds, cares for the tender plant and then harvests the fruit or vegetable.

Mashpee Commons Farmers’ Market

Farmers’ markets bring the community together; they are a place for neighbors and friends to connect.  Participating local musicians, food trucks, art shows, and children’s activities make food shopping a real event.

Local farms help preserve open space, protect the land and promote healthy ecosystems.  With sustainable farming, the soil isn’t contaminated with toxic chemicals, keeping our waterways safe.

I participated in the Mashpee farmers’ market on Cape Cod last weekend answering green living questions.  Shoppers and vendors were happy, enjoying the warm summer day.  Customers chatted with the farmers and admired the fruits of their labor.  One vendor even sings opera! Farmer’s markets provide an old-fashioned respite from our fast-paced, wired lives.

Mashpee Commons Farmers’ Market

So, take a break and visit the farmers’ market in your town.  You’ll enjoy more than the delicious and nutritious produce grown in your area, you’ll enjoy the whole experience.

If you are in the Mashpee area on Cape Cod, stop by the Farmers’ Market at the Mashpee Commons and say hi.  I’m there most Saturdays – the market runs from 1:30 – 6:00!

Some information compiled from winchesterfarmersmarket.org.

 

Our Tainted Meat Supply

I want to share with you this important article about our meat supply published by the Environmental Working Group.  For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Environmental Working Group, or EWG, they are the leading environmental health research and watchdog organization.   Their mission is to “see that Americans get straight facts, unfiltered and unspun, so they can make healthier choices and enjoy a cleaner environment.”  They offer extensive consumer guides to safe cosmetics, healthy cleaning products, pesticides in produce and safe sunscreens, to name a few.

Below is a portion of their report.

Superbugs Invade American Supermarkets

For the PDF version of this report, click here.

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are now common in the meat aisles of American supermarkets. These so-called superbugs can trigger foodborne illness and infections that are hard to treat.

An analysis by the Environmental Working Group has determined that government tests of raw supermarket meat published last February 5 detected antibiotic-resistant bacteria in:

These little-noticed tests, the most recent in a series conducted by the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System, a joint project of the federal Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and U.S. Department of Agriculture, found that supermarket meat samples collected in 2011 harbored significant amounts of the superbug versions of salmonella and Campylobacter, which together cause 3.6 million cases of food poisoning a year.

Moreover, the researchers found that some 53 percent of raw chicken samples collected in 2011 were tainted with an antibiotic-resistant form of Escherichia coli, or E. coli, a microbe that normally inhabits feces. Certain strains of E. coli can cause diarrhea, urinary tract infections and pneumonia. The extent of antibiotic-resistant E. coli on chicken is alarming because bacteria readily share antibiotic-resistance genes.

Not surprisingly, superbugs spawned by antibiotic misuse — and now pervasive in the meat Americans buy — have become a direct source of foodborne illness. Even more ominously, antibiotic misuse threatens to make important antibiotics ineffective in treating human disease. In the past, people who became ill because of contact with harmful microbes on raw meat usually recovered quickly when treated with antibiotics. But today, the chances are increasing that a person can suffer serious illness, complications or death because of a bacterial infection that doctors must struggle to control.

The proliferation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria poses special dangers to young children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems.

This is scary stuff!  I’m not suggesting you have to become vegetarian to avoid these foodborne illnesses – after all vegetables can be contaminated too, especially when coming from long distances. (It is a good idea to go meatless a couple of days a week at least!)  Instead, be a smart meat consumer and opt for organic or grass-fed, grass- finished meats.  They are usually raised without unnecessary antibiotics and in a more humane and sanitary environment.  Ask your butcher or supermarket how the meat was raised and buy local meat when you can.  And always make sure you meat is cooked thoroughly.

Information compiled from ewg.org.

 

 

 

 

 

LED Light Bulbs – Their Time Has Come

Just as we all have made the switch to compact fluorescent bulbs (I hope!), along come LED light bulbs, which are now the most energy-efficient, eco-friendly, and long-lasting.  And they are affordable!

LED bulbs last about 25 times longer than incandescent bulbs and 3 times longer than CFLs. LED bulbs and diodes have a life time operational expectation of about 30,000 hours, or 11 years of continuous operation or 22 years of 50%.  Imagine not changing a light bulb but once every 20 years or more!

What’s more, you can cut your electric bill by 80 – 90%.  With a LED bulb, at least 60% of the electrical energy is converted to light.  Conventional incandescent bulbs convert 20% or less into light and the rest is lost as heat, which is why they are so hot to touch.

There are also more advantages.   CFL bulbs take a few minutes to brighten.  LEDs are bright immediately.  The color of the LED lights has improved immensely too – you can choose either whiter or warmer bulbs. And they are durable and dimmable.

Unlike CFLs, which contain toxic mercury, LED lights are free of toxic chemicals with zero UV emissions.

I just bought the CREE home LED bulb from Home Depot.  It looks almost exactly like a conventional bulb and only cost $10. CFL bulbs were a great interim energy-saving bulb, but now it’s time to make the switch to the eco-friendly LED light bulb.  You will pollute less and save money – you and the earth have everything to gain!

Information compiled from The New York Times New Reasons to Change Light Bulbs,By DAVID POGUE Published: March 20, 2013,

http://www.ledluxor.com/top-10-benefits-of-led-lighting,

http://www.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-tech/sustainable/led-light-bulb2.htm

 

 

Green Candles (and I don’t mean the color!)

An aside: On a quintessential Patriot’s day, the face of the historic and prestigious Boston Marathon was changed yesterday by a horrific act of terrorism.  My heart goes out to the three people who were killed, those who were wounded, their families and all the runners who trained so hard and long and were unable to finish the race.   This tragedy, this shock, will not break the spirit of the hearty and resilient New England people.

I love candles – the light they cast, the ambiance they create, their ability to make an ordinary event special.  But – conventional paraffin wax candles contain toxic chemicals.  Paraffin is actually a petroleum byproduct, the sludge from the bottom of an oil barrel.  It’s then bleached with 100% industrial grade bleach, dyed, and often scented with synthetic fragrances, all of which contain microscopic particles that can cause cancer and respiratory problems when inhaled.  What’s more, 40% of candles on the market contain lead wires inside their wicks.*  According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, “a candle with a lead-core wick releases five times the amount of lead considered hazardous for children and exceeds EPA pollution standards for outdoor air.”  Most often, the candles with lead wicks are scented candles. We all are aware of the problems associated with high levels of lead exposure – hormone disruption, behavioral problems, learning disabilities, and health problems.  Additionally, soot from paraffin wax candles can damage computers, electrical appliances and your home.

100% beeswax candles

As with most things, there are safer and healthier alternatives.  Vegetable-based wax candles with cotton wicks, like soy-based candles, are a non-toxic alternative to paraffin candles.  So are 100% beeswax candles, which are not only non-toxic, but are actually healthy for you.  I recently learned from a bee farmer that beeswax candles release negative ions as they burn.  Negative ions are nature’s air purifiers and are commonly produced in waterfalls, electrical storms and mountain regions.  They attract positive ions, particles that are positively charged like dust, pollen, mold and airborne germs.  The negative ions neutralize the positive ions so they no longer circulate in the air.  People with allergies, sinus problems and asthma have reported significant improvement in their symptoms after burning 100% beeswax candles.  Seems crazy, but honey is an ancient, nutrient-rich, natural healer; therefore it makes sense that beeswax is a healer too.

Get some toxin free candles today – you’ll breathe easier!

*Lead wicks have been officially banned in the United States since 2003, but that does not mean that candles manufactured in China or elsewhere don’t contain lead wicks.  Look for lead-free labels.

Information compiled from http://www.greenamerica.org/livinggreen/candles.cfm, http://www.babybellies.ca, and www,queenbeehoney.com.

 

 

 

Moving Today!

I’m typing this post in and amongst the movers who are packing my china and prized possessions and loading the van for this much-anticipated moving day.  Everything is going to either our charming, but much smaller apartment, to our Cape house or to storage.   All except my computer that is.  So, what has this experience of selling and moving from a family home of almost 30 years taught me?  Well…

• Go through your house at least every 5 years as if you were moving and get rid of things!
• Keep only things that you love, that are beautiful or that are sentimental.
• Remember, some things have to be a memory.
• And most importantly, reduce consumption – go for quality, not quantity.

It’s a bittersweet time for me – I’m excited about the next chapter of my life, but sad to see the old one close.  Such is life, right?

I’ll be back next week with a new green tip!

Turn Off Your Lights!

EARTH_HOUR_3FingerClub_6560 (Photo credit: \!/_PeacePlusOne)

Saturday, March 23 marks the 7^th annual Earth Hour when people from around the world turn their lights out for one hour from 8:30pm – 9:30pm.   Earth Hour started with one city and has grown to over 7000, with one country to seven continents, and with two million people to hundreds of millions of people.

Earth Hour was created to:

·     “To unite people and show our desire to protect the planet.

·     To encourage and empower people to take action beyond the hour itself

·     Create an interconnected global community and build on the momentum and action for a sustainable future.”

Earth Hour “has grown to become the largest mass participation event in history.”

This Saturday, why don’t you turn off your lights and encourage your family, friends, coworkers and neighbors to as well. It’s a small step with a big impact.  Visit www.earthhour.org for information, challenges, suggestions, kids’ activities and more on helping to build a sustainable future.

Lights out!

Information compiled from earthhour.org

 

 

Single Use Products

If you think about it, single use products make no sense at all. That’s part of the problem. In our throwaway society, we don’t think about it. Continuing the theme of my recent post about eliminating aluminum foil and plastic wrap, I’ve listed below other products you can try cutting out (or at least cutting back on).

English: Reusable shopping bag (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1. Plastic bags – The movement to bring reusable bags food shopping is becoming well established. In fact, some cities and towns have eliminated them all together or charge for plastic bags. Start bringing reusable bags on your other errands as well. Make it a challenge to always bring them with you. Earmark some for food, some for clothes, etc. (Don’t forget to occasionally wash your reusable bags too.)

2. Plastic food baggies – They are hard to live without, but you can wash and reuse them a couple of times. Reusable cloth sandwich and biocompostable baggies are more available now as well.  Rule of thumb:  plastic and food don’t go together.

3. Paper Napkins – Cloth napkins are prettier, more durable, and certainly more eco-friendly than paper ones. Aim to use cloth napkins at most meals and keep recycled paper ones only as backup.

4. Paper Plates and Paper Cups – There is no doubt about their convenience, but they are totally wasteful, and plastic ones aren’t biodegradable.  For outdoor (or indoor) dining, consider dishwasher and oven safe enamelware. Lightweight and unbreakable, enamelware is perfect for camping or picnics too and comes in fun designs.

5. Plastic Water Bottles – There is no reason to buy plastic water bottles. They shouldn’t be reused and they don’t biodegrade. Use glasses at home and stainless steel or BPA-free water bottles for transporting.

6. Facial Tissues – This is one of those single use items you probably just want to cut back on rather than eliminate. I gave my husband some old-fashioned handkerchiefs and he loves them. Use them a few times, throw them in the wash and then reuse!

7. Dryer Sheets – There are lots of alternatives to conventional dryer sheets that aren’t made with chemical fabric softeners and soaked in toxic fragrances. Several natural brands use vegetable derived softening agents and essential oils instead. Reusable dryer balls made with PVC-free plastic or felt make the most sense to me – they soften clothes without chemicals, reduce drying time and save energy.

Cutting back on or eliminating single use products helps not only the earth, but your pocketbook as well. What single use products have you eliminated from your daily life? Email me – I’d love to know.

SodaStream

As a follow up to my post,  “Is Carbonation Good or Bad?”  I want to tell you about the SodaStream home soda maker.  Tired of lugging home, storing and recycling cases of heavy seltzer bottles, I thought I would give one a try.

Tall and sleek, it fits nicely on my countertop and under the overhead cabinets. I had heard that they are easy to use and they really are!  Once you set up the carbonator in the drinksmaker, you simply fill the carbonating bottle with cold water (I use filtered water.), screw it in to the carbonator, press the button on top three times (4 for more carbonation) and seconds later you have delicious seltzer water.  If you want flavored seltzer or soda, you add the flavoring afterwards.   Just slowly pour it into the tilted soda bottle, close and gently shake.  I tried the cola flavoring and the lemon line.  Both were good – the cola flavoring tasted just like coke.  While I avoid foods with artificial flavorings, I was glad to know they are made without high-fructose corn syrup or aspartame.

I noticed that the fizziness stays for a couple of days, though you’ll definitely finish the bottle of seltzer long before it goes flat.  Another plus, the carbonator bottles never need washing, only a quick rinse with warm water, if that.

When the carbonator is empty, you can take it to any participating retailer where they will sell you a full one for the price of the gas contents only.  Bed Bath & Beyond, Best Buy, the Bon-Ton family of stores, Crate and Barrel, Kohl’s, Macy’s, Staples, Sur La Table, Target, Wal-Mart, and Williams-Sonoma are some national retailers that carry exchange carbonators.

I try not to clutter my kitchen with extraneous gadgets, but SodaStream I highly recommend.  It’s practical, simple-to-use, no-fuss and good for the environment – no energy is wasted by transporting billions of gallons of soda and seltzer every day, nor are there empty bottles thrown into the landfill.   Give one a try – Starter kits start at $129.00 and include a home soda maker, 1 reusable BPA-free carbonating bottle with fizz-preserving cap, 1 60L CO2 carbonator which makes up to 60 liters or 50 cans, and a sodamix taste sampler with 6 flavors (they have over 50!)

As their marketing materials say, “it just makes good sense”.  It really does.