View of SitorSquat Application

How many of you have to “hold it” until you get home because you can’t find a bathroom or you refuse to use a public bathroom?  Personally, I am a “got to go girl.” After 4 kids I am ready for adult underpants.  Well, the Sit and Squat Mobile App and website is a dream come true for us frequent bathroom users and parents with small children.

This application is available all over the world through the website but is dependent on users to rate and add public restrooms to the site.

The only bad thing about this app is it is now only available for iPhones, iPads, and Blackberry users.  Obviously, andriod users don’t have to go the bathroom. (See But the website said they are working on an app for the Droid.  Wouldn’t you know it? I have a Droid!)

Never fear, you can text the word, “sitorsquat” to DOTCOM (328266) and follow the instructions to find the closest public restroom.  Whew.  That’s a relief.

An Example of a SitorSquat Toilet Description

Before You Say Ewww.

People rate the toliets (sometimes) and list the hours of operation.  The maps contain different color toilet icons.

• Green means it is open.
• Red means the bathroom is closed at the time of day you are searching
• Yellow/Orange means the application isn’t sure of the hours of operation.
• Blue means you click a particular toilet.  It changes back to one of the above colors.

Should I Squat or Sit?

Disclaimer About Squatting

Social Share Your Toilet Comment

How Can Businesses Team with the Squat Team?

Other Apps:

Join the Conversation

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Could MSG Be Lurking in Your Doritos & Soup?

Innocently, I started writing an article about using old chicken bones to make chicken stock to avoid sodium, BPA, and MSG.  The more I delved into the the MSG subject, it became apparent how evasive MSG has become in our food.  The more I researched the angrier I got.  I too, “Ms. health Nut,” had been duped.  Simply looking for MSG as an ingredient wasn’t enough.  Worse yet, MSG can lead to obesity.

I have Been Duped to Believe I am Eating MSG Free

Maybe you are like me.

• You tell restaurants no MSG when they prepare your food.
• You read labels and look for the words, monosodium glutamate or MSG.
• When you see the words, “no MSG added”  you feel rest assured you are safe.

Why is MSG added to Food?

MSG is “the sodium salt of the naturally occurring glutamic acid.”   In my opinion, Monosodium glutamate is the new salt. Like salt, it enhances food’s taste.  However, using MSG won’t increase your sodium levels.   So, yes be forwarned about what is in your low sodium products.

How does glutamate make food taste good?  According to a 2009 study conducted by Edmund Rolls, he concluded that glutamate makes food taste better due to its interaction with our brains.  The study revealed:

“Glutamate is thus a flavor enhancer because of the way that it can combine supralinearly with consonant odors in cortical areas in which the taste and olfactory pathways converge far beyond the receptors. Cognitive and attentional modulation of the orbitofrontal cortex also contributes to the pleasantness and appetitive value of umami.”

Brain trickery for lousy food.

Common Names for MSG

In the US, the FDA only requires food companies to list added Monosodium glutamate to their ingredient labels.   Some of its alias names according to the Australia’s government agency, NSW Food Authority, are:

•  L -glutamic acid
•  Monosodium glutamate, L-
• Monopotassium glutamate, L-
•  Calcium glutamate, Di-L-
•  Monoammonium glutamate, L-
•  Magnesium glutamate, Di-L-
• Disodium guanylate, 5’-
•  Disodium inosinate, 5’-
•  Disodium ribonucleotides, 5’-

Note, the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, Standard 1.2.4 — Labelling of Ingredients requires manufactures to list MSG or flavor enhancer  by either the name above or a numerical number assigned to the chemical.  See here for the list.

I don’t know about you but that is whole lot of names to remember. By the way, there will be a quiz after this article to see how many names you can remember.

Hidden MSG-What They Don’t Tell You Won’t Hurt You

Okay, I thought I was out of the woods.  All I had to do was remember all of the Monosodium glutamate’s aliases and I was good to go.  As I continued researching, I found out that  free glutamate is added to our food.  Here is the rub.  It is hidden.

Free glutamate?  You have got to kidding.  Just put a stake in my heart now.  It is just so much easier.

 What the Heck is Free Glutamate, Anna?

Glutamates are naturally occurring in certain food such as Ripe peas, mushrooms, peas, Parmesan cheese, and corn.  However, the glutamates found in these products are bound amino acids.

On the other hand, chemically synthezied glutamates are created from foods such as corn, molasses and wheat.  These foods “are hydrolyzed, autolyzed, modified or fermented using chemicals, bacteria or enzymes” to create glutamates.  Yes, living better through chemistry.  (Or maybe eating better through chemistry.)

So Wouldn’t all Natural and Chemical Glutamates be Harmful?

Dr. Russell Blaylock, a board-certified neurosurgeon and author of “Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills,” explains in  an interview with Natural News  the difference between naturally occurring glutamates in food such as tomatoes and chemically synthesized glutamates.  Although the quote is lengthy, it really sums up the harm of chemically synthesized glutamates.  He states:

“However, when you hydrolize them, this is when glutamate becomes danagerous.  Sure, but you see, all of these types of glutamate are bound. They’re in oligosaccharides, polysaccharides. They are bound in amino acids groupings. They’re not free amino acids. If you have it as a complex protein, you absorb it in your GI tract. In the GI tract, there are almost no free amino acids if you eat foods such as tomatoes. The level of free amino acids is nil; it’s almost all absorbed as combined amino acids, and then it’s only broken down in the liver, where it’s released in very low concentrations that the body can deal with. It was never meant to have free amino acids in such high concentrations.

Well, when you hydrolyze them — or you use yeast extract or enzymes to break down these various proteins into their free, released amino acids — they’re not natural any longer. What you’ve done is artificially release the amino acids in an unnatural way, and when they enter your GI tract, they are absorbed as free amino acids, then your blood level of that glutamic acid goes up significantly. As I said, it can go up as high as 20-fold, in some cases 40-fold. Your blood brain barrier is not constructed to handle such high levels of glutamate, because it doesn’t naturally occur that way. It can handle the lower levels, but it can’t handle these very high levels. So this argument, “Oh, it’s natural,” is just a lot of nonsense.”

Hidden MSG.  Link to Obesity?

Why do we care about MSG?  In a 2008 study, researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Northwestern University, Guangxi Medical University, and Yu County Hospital found that there was a link to obesity and the consumption of MSG.

“MSG intake was significantly related to prevalence of overweight. This study is of public health interest because MSG is increasingly used worldwide. This study also provides the first human data on this issue and raises a concern about MSG use and body weight in addition to allergenic effects.”

Other Effects of MSG

Although the effects of MSG are highly debatable in the medical community, there are several articles and books that indicate additional effects of the use of MSG.  Livestrong’s article reports that a diet high in MSG may cause stomach cancer.  Discovery’s Fit and Health article reports a study linking MSG to damage of the retina.  In addition, some people have reported headaches, chest pain, nausea, and other symptoms.  Son #2 has migraines once in a while. I think they were induced by MSG.

So why Isn’t Free Glutamates Required to be on the Label?

As noted above, the FDA requires that if MSG is added to the food, it must be included in the label.  However, the FDA defines “natural flavoring” as

“(3) The term natural flavor or natural flavoring means the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional. Natural flavors include the natural essence or extractives obtained from plants listed in 182.10, 182.20, 182.40, and 182.50 and part 184 of this chapter, and the substances listed in 172.510 of this chapter.” [Source.]

The words, “protein hydrosalate” threw up a red flag. According to the FDA, protein hydrosalate contain 5 to 20% free glumate, and are used in the same manner as MSG in canned vegetables,  soups, and meat.  (Note, the FDA resource is a PDF attachment to SustainableTable.org since it is no longer on the FDA’s site.)

So, I got a little suspicious.  Do you blame me? I am not the only one.

Truth in Labeling Campaign, a not for profit organization, indicates that hidden MSG is in many other ingredients.  They state,

“Even if a manufacturer tells you there is no MSG in a product, there may be autolyzed yeast, hydrolyzed pea protein, carrageenan, sodium caseinate, enzymes, and a whole slew of other ingredients that contain or create processed free glutamic acid (MSG) during manufacture.” [Source.]

Just to give you an idea how deceptive labels can be check out Truth in Labeling list of soups which shows you where there is hidden MSG. (Check out the organic ones too on the list.) Don’t think you are out of the woods simply because you buy organic products.

List for Hidden MSG

Living Without, a magazine for people with allergies and food sensitives lists the following ingredients that have MSG in them:

These ALWAYS contain MSG These very OFTEN contain MSG

These ALWAYS contain MSG

Autolyzed yeast

Calcium caseinate

Gelatin

Glutamate

Glutamic acid

Hydrolyzed protein

Monopotassium glutamate

Monosodium glutamate

Sodium caseinate

Textured protein

Yeast extract

Yeast food

Yeast Nutrient

These very OFTEN contain MSG

Barley Malt

Calcium caseinate Bouillon

Gelatin Broth

Glutamate Carrageenan

Glutamic acid Enzyme-modified substances

Hydrolyzed protein Flavoring

Monopotassium glutamate Flavors

Monosodium glutamate Malt Extract

Sodium caseinate Malt flavoring

Textured protein Maltodextrin

Yeast extract Natural flavor/flavorings

Yeast food Natural pork/beef/chicken flavoring

Yeast Nutrient Pectin

Protein-fortified substances

Seasonings

Soy protein

Soy protein isolate or concentrate

Soy sauce

Soy sauce extract

Stock

Vegetable gum

Whey protein

Whey protein isolate or concentrate

When I originally read the list, I am surprised my family couldn’t hear me say “holy sh*t.” I had been eating a mound of MSG.   If you want a printable chart, see this chart linked to one of the Healthy Home Economist’s posts.

Health Food Claims

Think You Are Out of MSG Woods With Health Foods? Think again.

Many health foods contain hidden MSG.  Natural News reported about the MSG contained in veggie burgers.  Many contained autolyzed yeast extract,  hydrolyzed vegetable protein, and yeast extract.  All those names are on the list above.

Rule of thumb.  Print the form above.  Check the labels.

So, now I understand why my sons tell me that food at a restaurant tastes so good.  Their taste buds are accustomed to MSG, the hidden enhancer.

Join the Conversation:

• Do you avoid Monosodium glutamate?
• Which health food do you avoid?
• Were you as shocked as I was about the prevalence of MSG in our food?
• How does your country handle the MSG labeling issue?
• Add to the conversation.

Photo by BC’s Mom (soup)

Photo by Peter Woodman (Veggie Burger.)

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One of ioby's local green projects

Erin Barnes is a green gal next door.  What is a green gal, you might ask?  She is someone who is simply an ordinary woman who is creating much needed change in the world.  This green gal rolled up her sleeves and set out to change the world one block at a time.   How so?  Barnes is the co- founder and executive director of ioby, a local fundraising platform where local projects are funded by neighbors.  But it isn’t just about the project. It is about bringing neighbors together.

Ioby stands for “in our backyard ”  currently based in NYC.  However, if  Barnes has her way, the concept will go national.  If you listen to Barnes during her 6 minute video interview, you have no doubt that ioby projects will start sprouting up all over the country.  (Listen to the podcast by clicking here.)

Why ioby?

Barnes stated,

“[w]e know people care about the environment, but their most prominent option is to purchase something. Buying a table or a new light bulb leaves a lot of people thinking, ‘Now what?’ They are hungry to get their hands dirty,” says Barnes.

Erin Barnes, co-founder and Exec Director of ioby

Partners Cassie Flynn, Brandon Whitney, and Barnes who met in Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies  saw the need for local impact in changing the world.  Hence, ioby was born as a place where local funders and people who seek change in their neighborhood meet.

 ” ioby connects change with resources. It enables all of us to invest in change—then see (and live with) the return on our investment. These pages aren’t glamorous. There are no celebrities, no large-scale protests. There are everyday neighbors taking small steps—bringing sunlight, open space, fresh food and greenery into our backyards.”

Although there are matching funds donations, the majority of the projects are funded by local $10 and $20 donations.  Thus far, the Company has brought together funders and 86 projects  in which $132,000 was raised. The average donor lives two miles from the projects.

If you or your company wishes to donate, pick a project here.

How Does ioby work?

Compost Station. One of ioby's funded projects

Have a project?  First check out to see if you meet the Companies’ criteria. Then post your idea. ioby adds 8% to the budget for administrative costs such as credit card fees and postage.  Then the fun begins for project teams to solicit funds.  The beauty of the projects is that it brings neighbors together whether funding or getting their hands dirty.

Learn more about their 2011 heroes here.  Listed below are a few examples:

“In 2009, Stacey and Bee wanted to start a decentralized project where underutilized snippets of backyards, rooftops, community gardens, school grounds, and other open space could be converted into places for food production. With Molly and Martha they produce vegetables, eggs, flowers and new farmers and chicken apprentices!” (pictured above.)

And

“In the 1970’s the Bronx burned.  In the 1980’s the Bronx became the birthplace of break dance, rap and hip-hop.  In 1996 Troy Lancaster arrived to take out the trash.  If you know Troy you know that chatting for a while and getting trees are just some of his many special talents.  With a big empty lot cleaned and tree planted, the birds started to arrive.  Troy worked with neighborhood and planted more trees, plants and flowers.  More migrating birds flew by.  Each year the Dred Scott Bird Sanctuary uses approximately 900 lbs of bird seed to help and encourage the migrating flocks while educating neighborhood residents.  Troy is currently looking for donations for his ioby project.”

Take Aways:

I asked Barnes what advice could she give to others.  She said ask  for help when forming your organization.  The NY environmental community was extremely collaborative.  After I learned what Barnes did, I replied via email that it must feel amazing to get up in the morning.   And she replied that she has a good life.  Yes, she created it not only for her but others.

Join the Conversation:

• How do you feel about ioby?  Do you see a need in your neighborhood?
• What’s your take away about what Barnes accomplished
• Does she inspire you?
•  What characteristics inspire you?

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Inspiration

Over the years as I penned Green Talk, I have met the most inspiring  people who have used their life story to create a business or mission to help others. You know the ones that make your neck hair stand up when you talk about them?  They might be your neighbor, friend or relative.  We all have them in our lives.  And the Earth is a better place because of them.  Amen.

In the last year, a voice inside started to bug me.  It would whisper to me, “Anna, tell their stories.”

I would then push that voice aside since I had enough work on Green Talk to last me for two lifetimes.  Who has time?  By the way, whose stories?  Do I need meds?  Am I working too hard that I am hearing voices?  If they take me the sanitarium, will it be green?  That’s the last thing I need to do.  Green a sanitarium while being in an organic straight jacket. Voice, get a life.

http://youtu.be/sHTsQ9qePrQ

Again, the voice started getting louder.  ”If you build it, people will come.“

Wait a minute.  Voice, are you James Earl Jones?  Is this baseball movie? Isn’t the phrase, “if you build it, he will come?”   I hate baseball.  Sorry to all of you who love it.  It is simply boring. Voice, I don’t get your message.

Voice thinks.  Boy, she is dumber than a recycled content door knob.  Sometimes, she is such a squirrel.  Who cares if she hates baseball?

A few Months Pass and Then

A few months later, Voice keeps getting louder and louder.  Sometimes I can’t drown it out.  I am starting to think the meds idea is a really good one.

The voice:  ”Why did you start Green Talk?  To inspire?  Create Community?  To and be educated?”

Okay voice.  Yes. Yes, and HELL YES.  (For those of you who don’t know me, read my about page.)

Then the voice would say “tell their stories.”

Whose stories?  Crap.  I thought this is what I do on Green Talk.  Am I totally missing the boat here? I tell the stories of companies, products, and people.  I am a regular storyteller for crying out loud.  Please leave me alone, Voice.  I am too busy.

The Voice would just sign.  A heavy sign and think, she ain’t getting it.  Where is the 2 by 4 piece of lumber when you need it?

Voice, What Do You Want From Me?

Okay, Voice what do you want from me? You are driving me crazy. I don’t need you do this. I have four cavemen.  They drive me plenty crazy.   And let’s not forget the hubby.

Plus, I am working my fingers off at Green Talk.  The lone She wolf.  Sometimes, I think no one is listening. There is crickets around my comments despite my increase in internet traffic. I get defeated, hurt, and angry all at the same time.  I wonder why am I wasting my time probably once a month.  (Okay, maybe like twice a month…)

So what do you want from me, Voice.  Now I know how Brittany Spears feels. Voice wants a piece of me.

Do What You Do Best

Then the Voice says, “do what you do best.  Storytell and inspire.”

Then I got it. I don’t know how, but  I really did. The LED went off in my head. (Nice color too.)  What did I get?  I decided to create a series about women who inspire me.  Women who are our neighbors.  Not women who are television stars or are repeatedly in the paper.  Good old,  ”stop yapping about it and do something about it women.”  You know who they are.

The Green Gal Next Door.  She is ordinarily extraordinary.

She is so damn inspiring.  She decide to Go Big and NOT Go Home.

My Hope?

My hope with this series?

• To inspire you. Not just women.  Inspire you to live your dream. Heck, if they can do it, so can you. Being green means so much more than building a green house.  It means to live simpler, healthier, fulfilled and being kinder to Earth.
• Give you hope that we will be okay.  These women are forging ahead to make life better for all of us.
• Support their organization to help them build that field of dreams.  (Love that movie.  Okay, truth be told, I love Kevin Costner, but don’t tell hubby.)
• Make a difference.  It is the simple changes that count.  Start small.  One step at a time.
• We are all in this together.

Could I use Some Help?

I hate asking for help.  I am afraid of hearing the word, no.  Here’s where I need help:

Video work is hard work.  I see this series having a life of its own.  Please consider the following:

• Please give me feedback about the Green Jane Next Door videos.  I am keeping them to 5 minute which for a rambler like me is soooo hard.
• Consider sponsoring the series or asking your business sponsor the series so I can make the series more polished.
• If you feel inclined, please donate through the PayPal button on the side bar.
• Give me names of women who are healing the Earth in some way. I am trying to focus on not for profit companies or individual woman.
• As for businesses, I haven’t figured this part yet.  I walk a fine line at Green Talk about supporting it and not doing a pay for play option.  However, like your business, I need to support Green Talk.  Again, any of you who have a suggestion about how to deal with businesses, I am all ears.  There are some great women entrepreneurs I would like to feature.  Want to tell me privately, please contact me through my form.

Photo by SweetOnVeg

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Walnut Vegan Soy Free Meatballs

Years ago, I ate the most delicious vegetarian walnut meatballs with cheese in a recipe.  Cheese and I don’t really get along and I have yearned to replicate those meatballs for sometime.  Over the holidays, I decided to tinker with two different walnut recipe to make them dairy and soy free.  Well, I think I did it.

Before I give you the recipe, note, that this recipe is a 2 day recipe since you want to soak both the walnuts and oats for easier digestion. Soaking with an acidic medium helps breaks down the phytic acid of legumes and grains. [Source.] This acid inhibits mineral absorption in the intestines.  (For an interesting read, see Katie at Kitchen Stewardship’s article.  She really makes it easy to understand.)

Soaking Oats

To soak oats, follow these instructions.    You will need to adjust the amount of the ingredients to half since I only used one cup of rolled oats.  Don’t use the quick cooking oats.  Also, note, I don’t eat dairy so I used vinegar.  You can use cidar vinegar, lemon, or vinegar.  If you eat dairy, you can add whey.   To soak the oats, I used the following recipe:

1 cup of Organic rolled oats  (Those who have gluten issue, make sure your rolled oats are gluten free.)

1 cup of  warm water

1 tablespoon of vinegar

1 tablespoon of freshly ground wheat, buckwheat, rye or spelt.  (For Gluten free intolerance sufferers, use buckwheat.)

I didn’t realize I need to do this last step until I read Amanda Rose’s article, “Oats and Phytic Acid.”  In fact, she doesn’t recommend using whey or any dairy products.  Her method is simply adding a complimentary grain as noted above to the mix.  How do you soak your oats?

Let the mixture sit for 24 hours on your countertop. (No less than 7  hours according to Sarah of the Healthy Home Economist.  Note, she doesn’t use the complimentary grains.) Cover the mixture.  The oats will absorb all of the water and they will be sticky.

(By the way, see here for another oatmeal recipe that sounds yummy.)

Soaking the Walnuts

I soak all of my nuts since it is easier for me to digest. Add a little bit of salt to the water.

Soaking breaks down the enzyme inhibitor in the nuts.  In addition, they are easier to work with in raw recipes.  Normally, I fill the water over the tops of the walnuts  and soak for at least 8 hours.  Some people also let them sprout for a couple hours thereafter.  I didn’t in this case.

My Combination Recipe

I combine a raw walnut zucchini recipe with another walnut recipe.  By the way, if you want to stop the raw recipe, that is okay. I tasted it before I messed with the recipe.  It tasted amazing.

Here is my recipe:

1 1/3 cups raw walnuts soaked for several hours
2 tablespoon nutritional yeast  (Not Brewers Yeast.)
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons Tamari low sodium, gluten free  sauce.  (You can use soy sauce if you want.)
2 teaspoon garlic
Minced 1 teaspoon thinly sliced green onion (white part only)  (Note, this was in the original raw recipe and I just kept it in.)
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh parsley
1 cup of soaked rolled oats
1/2 medium onion (You can add a whole one if you like)
Hand full of Daiya Vegan Mozzarella Cheese, optional. (I love this cheese.)

2 Teaspoons of Poultry Seasoning.  (Here is how to make your own. Really simple.)

Strain the walnuts and use the water for your plants.  Then chop the walnuts in a food process.  Combine the walnuts and all the other ingredients in a bowl.  Spray your hands with PAM since the mixture will be sticky and hard for you to make the balls.

Make the balls about 1 inch and place them on a cookie tray.  I ended up making about 30 balls.  Cook them at 375 for 30 minutes.

If you have any leftover mixture, just put it on the tray.  If it burns, it is still delicious.

You can play around with this recipe by deleting the green onions and  adding more onion.  In addition, you can add more Daiya for a cheesier taste.

Add sauce!  I have to say these balls were delicious.

Join the Conversation

• Do you soak your grains and nuts? If so, how?
• Do you have a favorite vegan faux meatball recipe?
• Have you ever made Walnut Balls?  If so, link or state your recipe in the comments.
• How do you think the dish would taste with Miso instead of soy sauce?

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Bring Home the Christmas Tree

For almost five years, I have been dispensing green advice.  A regular Green Dear Abby.   It just seem like yesterday that I started Green Talk.   But, five years is a lifetime when it comes to web content.  During those years, information and company change.  As I updated my articles, I realize my old holiday advice that I have been doling out like cookies  is still relevant today.  Some call this type of content evergreen.  No pun intended.  (Well, maybe.)

So here is a sprinkle of five years to make your holidays greener.  Note, this is a sprinkle of advice.  I am leaving the door open for you to give me your favorite green holiday advice.  I know you have some ideas in this department.

Let’s Start with the Presents

How many of you out there still haven’t finished your holiday shopping? Hmm. I am counting at least 10 with their hands up. Each year, I bet your list seems to grow.  So, how can you give green gifts to all of your friends and relatives without breaking the bank?  See my ideas on “Green, the New Color of the Holiday Season.“

In my article, I explored a host of alternative gifts. Think about the gift of time, museum memberships or a subscription to their favorite gardening magazine.  (Hint. Hint.)  Whose says one box fits all?

How About Wrapping the Gifts?

You might be wondering do I need to wrap all of my gifts with recycled content wrapping paper?  My philosophy?  It is great you are thinking about using recycled content wrapping paper but there are other ways to wrap your gifts in sustainable ways.

How so?  Check out my article “To Wrap or Not.  That is the Ecofriendly Present Question.”  (Sheesh.  What a philosophical question.)  You’ll see my simple way of addressing this issue.  Sans plastic.  You all know what I think about plastic?

Don’t forget the Gift tags or Bows

Did you know you don’t need to buy gift tags? Each year you probably get a dozen greeting cards.  Use the greeting cards to make gift tags.  How?  See Reuse Your Greeting Cards to Spread Joy to Others.”  Reusing your gift cards never looked so good.

Why stop there?  How about the bow?  Yep.  You guessed it.  You can green those too.  In fact, you can make your own out of a magazine.

Don’t Forget the Christmas Tree!

If you haven’t gotten a Christmas Tree yet, here are some nifty ideas to keep those evergreens from being cut down.   Remember Charlie Brown’s Christmas Tree?  Well, these unorthodox Christmas tree ideas are a little bit prettier than wrapping Linus’ blanket around that scraggly tree.  In fact, my suggestions are pretty tame compared to people who have made trees out of books or beer bottles.

Think rent a tree, buying a live tree, or maybe a rosemary bush.  The smell is heavenly.

Moving onto the Festivities.

Try and keep the waste to a minimum.  I know it is hard when you are expecting a crowd.  Sure, the best thing is to use china plates, silverware, and napkins.  However, you might be expecting a crowd.  No one like to be stuck in the kitchen washing dishes.

So, if you want to go the paper plate way, consider buying Chinet’s compostable plates.   I wash mine off, and bury them under my leaf piles.  Once I buried about 80 plates. It did take some time for the plates to decompose!

What about all the plastic silverware?  I hand-wash mine and reuse it over and over. If hand washing is not your thing, consider using them when you plant bulbs as markers  (Straws work great too. )  In fact, I use them to mark my seedlings to remind me what I planted.    You know, I believe in re-purpose, re-purpose, and then re-purpose.

Oh, don’t forget to read my 18 Ways to Cure the Unwanted Gift Blues.  It is still one of my favorite articles.

Everyone gets unwanted gifts…

Join the Conversation:

• How do you make your holidays greener? Let me have it!
• What are some of your favorite recipes?
• How do you make your presents greener?
• Any great family traditions you would like to share?

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Vegetable Peel Broth. Check out my Video Below!

What do you do with the skins of your vegetables? You know. After you make that big salad or vegetable soup? Did you realize that they could have a second life before they are banished to the composter?

For years, I peeled carrots, chopped off the bottom of celery, and tore off garlic and onion skins. The skins would enviably end up in a bowl bound for the composter. Deep down inside, I knew these skins had another purpose. The skins are full of nutrients. Throwing in the composter just seemed like a waste.

Then one day it hit me. How about using them to make vegetable stock? The good part of using my “peels” is I could control the salt content of the broth.  Take a look at how much salt you are eating when you use canned or Tetra Pak stock. Shocking.

As I pondered this idea, I found very little guidance on the web as to which vegetables to use.  Nor could I find out if there is a magic ratio of certain vegetables to others. All I learned was do not use potato skins since it makes the stock taste too earthly. Honestly, I really didn’t understand what that meant.

The Sweet Beet suggested adding onion, celery, carrots, garlic clove, and additional spices to your “peels”.  Although her recipe sounds great, I tried the au natural method.

I Flunked My First Peel Base Soup Attempt.

My first attempt of making peel stock was a disaster. Once the peel soup idea started to percolate in my mind, I started saving the skins in a freezer bag. When the bag was full, it was time to make soup.

Everything but the kitchen sink when into the crock-pot. Carrots, celery, potato, onion, garlic bottoms and skins, mushrooms and even turnips. If a vegetable looked limp, it ended up in the crock-pot. Then I covered the skin disaster with water and let the brew cook for eight hours.

When I opened the lid, I was so excited. There I stood.   Beaming and patting myself on the back and admiring my creation.

Guess what? Boy was I delusional. One sniff of this brew could scare off any unwanted animal from my property.

I guess I should have listen to the “don’t put potato skins” in the pot advice.

However, this failed attempt didn’t deter me.

Second Attempt. Knowledge is Power.

So, I blew my first attempt. No lost. There is always another try. I began my squirrel- like habit of storing my peels in the freezer. In a short time, I had a bag full of potato free skins.

All the peels were thrown in the crock-pot. Even the limp carrots. Then I turned on the crock-pot on low, filled the pot up with water, and forgot about it for 24 hours! Oh man, was I on a roll. I burnt the vegetables! Check out my video below that gives you a peek at my concoction.

However, I was able to salvage the stock. It smelt worse with the burnt vegetables, but once I strained it the smell went away.

Finished Vegetable Peel Broth

What did it taste like? For some unknown reason, the brew tasted like a mushroom broth. Strangely, I didn’t throw in any mushrooms. I stored the broth in old glass spaghetti sauce jars in the refrigerator. I estimated that a pot full of vegetable peels makes about 4 cups of broth.

What I Learned

For my third attempt, I have learnt by my mistakes.  Third time is the charm.  Right?

• Only fill the pot up with 2/3rd vegetables and water
• Don’t use earthy skins such as mushrooms or potato peels.
• Only cook for 10 hours on low.

Join the Conversation:

• Have you made vegetable peel broth?
• If so, what type of peels do you use? Any particular ratio of certain vegetables to others?  Provide us with a link to your recipe.
• Do you make vegetable stock in a crock-pot or on the stove?

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• Celery Leaves: Cook or Discard them?
• Vegan Chicken Soup. Good for the Soul. Good for the Planet
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• Do you Know What’s in Your Food Pantry?
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Double Impact. Small Changes to Earn $ for Charities

What happens if I told you that your favorite charities could receive donations simply by you changing your habits to help the Earth.  Not one dime out of your pocket.

Anna, what do I have to do?  Just log onto Double Impact.  Choice one of the charities, and start taking their simple challenges to reduce your impact on the Earth.  Yep, that simple.

Really, Anna?  So simply turning off my lights?  Checking into a farmer’s market?  Lowering the thermostat?  That’s it?

In a nutshell.    In fact, you can even follow what your friends are doing.  And for those of you Green Earth Lovin’ Ninjas out there, make it a contest.  All in the name of Mother Earth and your fav charity.  Think as of it as a fun game. To learn more, watch my video below.

Wow, Anna.  That’s it?

Yep.  Easy, peezy.  Just sign up via Facebook.

Anna, what’s the catch?  Who’s paying for this change?  Another government handout?

Corporations.  According to the Double Impact team, corporations give money every year to charities but no one knows about it.  Jessica Alter, founder of the Company explained in 2010 brands, donated in the United States $15 billion dollars to charities.  However, at of the day, business aren’t able to show results from their donations.

So, the team created a healthy marriage between brands, consumers, and charities.  Everyone gets their needs met.  Dr. Phil would be proud.

Here is a chance for the corporations to don their super hero costumes and dole out the moolah.   Brand visibility.  You change, charities get the money, and Mother Earth gets to smile.  Sounds like a win win to me.

My Double Impact Page

Anna, what do I have to do?

Well, you can earn impact points by

• connecting your electric bill to your utility to help curb your electrical appetite,
•  taking quizzes and watching short fun videos,
• buying certain products (such as sustainable bottle through Amazon,)
•  checking in (such as a farmer’s market,)
•  or daily dos (like a aromatic dinner for two with candles.)

That’s it.  Watch my short video  as I walk you around the site and how my personal Double Impact page looks like.  I will have to warn you.  I have been kind of a slacker.

So you know, you will also get these cute reminders if you fall off the green wagon urging to come back and do some more.  Plus, the folks at Double Impact already know my friends and asks me to invite them to play along.  (Do they know someone important at Big Brother Google?)

Anna, are all the charties green? 

Good question.  The charities listed right now are Healthy Child, Healthy World (love this charity,) Breast Cancer Awareness, and Pesticide Action Network.  In fact, you can nominate your favorite charity.

Just to give you an example, over 500 people have signed up to support Healthy Child, Healthy World.  Collectively, they have earned over 100,000 impact points in just a few months.  (Note, Double Impact is a very young company.)

But what about the business aspect of Double Impact, Anna? 

So there lies the second half of the equation.  The business aspect.  Ah, a very interesting article into itself.  Hate to cut you short, but you have to read part 2 of my dissection of Double Impact.

Be sure to watch  the podcast and video interview of Jessica Alter, the founder, of Double Impact explains the Double Impact concept as well as the benefits to businesses.

Until then, go ahead and fund your charities by changing your footprint.  It’s as easy as turning off the lights.

Join the Conversation:

• Have you joined Double Impact?  If so, what are your thoughts?
• Would you join Double Impact?  If not, how come?
• How do you feel about taking simple challenge to help out your favorite charity?
• What kind of feedback can you give Double Impact?
• Don’t you just love Healthy Child, Healthy World?

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