Attention all IPhone users!

As I continue to make my life greener and healthier, I've begun to realize how difficult and confusing this can sometimes be. So many product labels claim to be "natural" or "organic" when they do not have the proper certification to make these claims. Even those labels and brands that are reputable still have an ingredients list that I cannot pronounce. Often times I come home and scour the Internet to make sure that I am not being greenwashed.

My friend Elena offered up a solution. GoodGuide, a free IPhone app, allows users to scan barcodes of the products they are purchasing to get instant ratings on health, social responsibility, and environmental impact. It also gives an overall rating, taking all of these elements into account. Makes me want to run out and buy an IPhone right now!

Not sure if other smart phones have apps similar to this...anyone?

Road Trip to Connecticut

I travelled up to Washington Depot CT (hello, small town living!) to visit one of my wonderful friends from California. Her mom is years ahead of me in terms of greener, healthier living, and I came back with a few tips and resources to spread around.

1) Food Inc. - If you haven't already seen this documentary, I would recommend it. Exposes the meat and farming industries in a pretty big way. Of course, you have to take all documentaries with a grain of salt, but I was shocked at some of the footage, and it made me continue to reflect on the types of food I put into my body.

2) Omnivore's Dilemma - A friend of mine recommended this book, and others by the same author (Michael Pollan). Then, I went to CT and Meg's mother and a girl at the farmer's market both mentioned it and said it was definitely worth the read. So, that's next on the library list (after Kathy Griffin's autobiography, because let's face it, I need to mix in some laughs with my "research").

3) Bragg's Amino Acids - An alternative to soy sauce, this stuff is seriously good. And good for you. Meg's mom cut up tofu into "steaks", squirted some of this stuff on them with some garlic powder, salt and pepper, and pan fried in olive oil them for 3-4 minutes a side. Amazing.

Mix all of this together with fresh, home grown raspberries (hello pie!), a lovely health food store, a sporadic farmer's market on the side of a windy road, and wonderful company, and you've got yourself a great time in small town America.

Book Review #1

I've been taking out books from the public library, conveniently located across the street from my apartment (a green act in itself, walking to the library, renting books instead of buying). The first book I read is a very concise, yet fact-filled guide to living a smarter, more environmentally and health conscious life.

Do One Green Thing by Mindy Pennybacker is now on my high recommendation list.

The book is separated into four parts: Food and Drink, A Green and Healthy Home, Personal Care and Apparal, and Transportation. Each part has pertinent chapters, which highlight the link between our personal health and the health of our planet. Each chapter begins with a simple suggestion of "One Green Thing" related to the given topic; generally something easy that everyone can do without much thought or impact on their day-to-day lives. Pennybacker then answers FAQ's about the topic, and includes (my personal fav) "Choose It/Lose It" lists. These lists highlight green choices you can make, and non-green choices to avoid, including rationale for each.

Throughout the writing, there are also sections explaining the science behind why certain products or choices are greener (ie better for your health, the planet, and/or social justice), sample shopping lists (!), the author's top picks, and explanations of the differences between truly green labels vs. "greenwashing" labels (which I found to be very helpful/eye-opening).

I was particularly impressed by the author's non-judgemental tone throughout the writing. She admits that she is not perfect, does not follow every "rule", and instead focuses on making little, lasting changes that have a large positive impact. Kinda takes the pressure off!

GO READ THIS BOOK. It is extremely user-friendly, and contains a wealth of knowledge for beginners and experts alike.

Bonus #1: There is a recommended reading list at the back of the book.

Bonus #2: It's printed on recycled paper, so I don't feel as guilty for going out and buying it after renting it from the library. I plan on using it as a guide for many of the choices I am starting/continuing to make.

Bonus #3: Ms. Pennybacker also has a blog! http://www.greenerpenny.com/.

Local Growing Love

To piggyback off of my "Dirty Dozen" post, I would like to highlight the importance and deliciousness of getting your grown goods at your local farmer's market.

While it's important for our health to buy organic, it's important to our environment to eat locally when possible. For inclusion in most farmer's markets, food must be grown within 100 to 200 miles of where it's sold. As a result, farmer's markets cut down on greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution from fossil fuels burned to transport food over long distances. It also tends to cut down on the amount of packaging materials used for the fruits and veggies, supports your smaller, local farmers, and is generally cheaper to buy most products than the grocery store. It's a win-win for everyone.

The hitch is, not all farmer's markets guarantee organic produce, so it's important to do your research.

I'm looking forward to hitting up my first farmer's markets in NJ this weekend: Point Pleasant and Belmar. I had an amazing market in California within biking distance, where I stocked up on organic fruits, veggies, honey, hummus, tzatziki sauce, and grass fed bison (for the boy). I hold high standards, so I'm hoping the Garden State measures up!

Make sure you bring your reusable bags to tote your loot, and walk/bike ride to the market if you can!

Bonus Fact: In Iowa alone, non-local produce travels an estimated 1500 miles from farm to plate (versus the 56 miles for locally grown food). This translates to 4 times as much fuel and releasing 4 times as much greenhouse gases, according to a 2001 study by the Leopald Institute for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University. (Source: Do One Green Thing by Mindy Pennybacker...more on this excellent book later)

Power Ball Update

We finally tried the power ball recipe I posted a little while back...they are awesome! I used dried cranberries and dark chocolate chips as my add-ins this time around, and they are perfect. Next time I am going to use a little less than 1.5 cups of add-ins; it was a little too much "stuff" and it became hard to hold everything together.

I ate two for breakfast this morning at 8:00, went on a 13 mile bike ride, it's now 10:45 and I'm still not hungry...which, for those of you that know me, is a big deal. So give em a try and let me know what you think!

The Dirty Dozen

With summer in full swing, most of us are taking advantage of all of the fresh fruits and veggies available. A study came out in May, conducted by the Environmental Working Group (an organization of scientists, researchers, and policy makers), which highlighted fruits and veggies that contain high levels of pesticides. They dubbed these culprits "The Dirty Dozen", as they contain at least 47 different chemicals when conventionally grown. It is recommended that you try to buy organic for the following products, unless you want to consume a chemical cocktail:

The Dirty Dozen
celery
peaches
strawberries
apples
domestic blueberries
nectarines
sweet bell peppers
spinach, kale and collard greens
cherries
potatoes
imported grapes
lettuce

On the flip side, they also created "The Clean Fifteen", which are safe to consume in non-organic form:

The Clean Fifteen

onions
avocados
sweet corn
pineapples
mango
sweet peas
asparagus
kiwi fruit
cabbage
eggplant
cantaloupe
watermelon
grapefruit
sweet potatoes
sweet onions

I know, it's expensive to buy organic, even at my beloved Trader Joe's. Maybe start with a few on the Dirty Dozen that you regularly purchase to begin the switch. To keep you in check, you can download a free pocket guide to take to the store with you!