health4earth

Precycle This Holiday Season

“How much waste are you purchasing” Minnesota Pollution Control

Plastic bottles and plastic bags litter our oceans, lakes, streams, and our countryside. This is a serious worldwide problem. What are some ways we can generate less plastic litter and less landfill trash?

On America Recycle’s Day I am posting my tips to precycle. When you precycle you make wise purchases that lead to less waste.

Below are my suggestions to encourage precycling, and you might be surprised to find you are already be doing the precycle drill.

First, always bring your reusable bags shopping, and resist all plastic bags.

Second, choose products that use minimal packaging, and packaging that can be recycled. Many corporations are making an effort to reduce packaging and offer packaging that can be recycled. Be sure you recycle as much packaging as possible.

Third, carry your own reuseable water bottle. The number of plastic bottles I see in the trash is shameful!

Always choose glass products over plastic. Glass products can be reused, they don’t have the harmful chemicals of plastic and they can be made into new glass bottles.

Fifth, Bulk purchases allow you to get just the amount you need, and I fill my reusable containers with bulk items. Nuts, spices, oatmeal, tea, grains, beans and laundry soap are great bulk items. Whole Foods and coops have recyclable/compostable brown paper bags for bulk items. Placing your bulk items in a “one use” plastic bag negates the environmental advantage of bulk purchases.

Sixth, use washable reusable cloth bags for produce purchases instead of plastic bags, and avoid products on styrofoam trays wrapped in plastic film.

Finally, always use cardboard egg cartons. They can be composed or cut up and used as mulch around plants. They can also be reused/refilled at some stores.

Recycle everything possible, and return all plastic bags to locations that collect and recycle them.

Please share your tips for precycling

http://terracyclecommunity.com/2013/11/05/5-ways-to-reuse-at-home/

http://www.ways2gogreenblog.com/2013/05/30/how-to-live-green-to-protect-yourself-and-the-planet-earth/

http://myplasticfreelife.com/

http://earth911.com/art-entertainment/plastic-free-life/2 Interview with Beth Terry

The Ocean Reacts to A Warming Climate

Looking at this above chart, it is not surprising there are super storms on our oceans. Tens of Thousands are paying for the price of carbon with the loss of lives, homes, and destruction of their world.

I am grieving for the people of the Philippines. What a horrific storm for this Pacific island to withstand. As Typhoon Haiyan was destroying the Philippines, individuals in Minnesota were meeting to plan how to adapt to our changed Minnesota climate. Is it possible for the Philippines, Hawaii, Florida or other ocean locations to adapt to super storms like this? It seems impossible to adapt to a winds of 195 miles an hour or mountains of water washing over the land. Without a doubt the warming and rising oceans played into this disaster. Residents reported, “Surges of water as high as the trees.” Can humans continue to inhabit land with the threat of such devastation? Yes, they are paying for the cost of carbon pollution with their health, their lives, and the loss of their world as they know it as they become climate refugees.

http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Scientists-warn-of-hot-sour-breathless-oceans-4981452.php

I thought the extreme weather event I experienced in 2012 was frightening when thunderstorms kept rolling across Duluth and northern Wisconsin for 2 days and 3 nights. The heavy rain, thunder and lightning just wouldn’t stop! Today I am happy to be land-locked.

Please contact the Philippine Red Cross, Team Rubicon, or UNICEF to donate and find out about other ways to help.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jamie-henn/super-typhoon-haiyan-is-a_b_4239206.html?utm_content=buffer02f50&utm_source=buffer&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Buffer

While this storm was pounding and destroying life on the islands of the Pacific, Minnesota leaders were meeting to discuss how to adapt to Minnesota’s changed and changing climate. How are we going to adapt and prepare for climate change? The average temperatures on earth continue to rise. 2013 will be the 37th consecutive year with a global temperature above the 20th century average. These rising temperatures allow the air to hold more water, More water in the air creates more of these extreme weather events. In Minnesota we have droughts alternating with floods.

Below is a must read op-ed by Mark Seely of the University of Minnesota about Minnesota’s changed climate.

http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentaries/230905781.html Climate Changed, by Mark Seely

http://www.ipsnews.net/2013/11/jordans-farmers-struggle-to-weather-climate-change/

http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20131107/climate-talks-poland-will-open-amid-flurry-new-scientific-warnings

http://www.rtcc.org/2013/11/11/its-time-to-stop-this-madness-philippines-plea-at-un-climate-talks/

IPCC chairman: Are we prepared to “pass on a lousy, spoilt and defiled planet” (theguardian.com)

Everything is Interconnected

Climate Change in the News

Everything is interconnected. Pollution in China affects weather and ocean levels everywhere else on earth.

A year ago was the Super Storm Sandy, and climate change just won’t go away! Sandy was the 2nd most expensive storm ever for the United States! Because of the rising oceans, the damage of these storms will just continue to increase. But this was not the only extreme weather event in the past year – floods, drought and many forest fires also added expense to tax payers and the cost of insurance. And most important the loss of human lives. It is a reality that we are all paying for extreme weather. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/29/hurricane-sandy-impact-infographic_n_4171243.html

This is from meteorologist, Paul Douglas in the Startribune on 11-3-13 :

It is a fact that the growing season in Minnesota is 2 weeks longer than it was just a few years ago. “It is what we don’t know that makes scientists nervous. The unknown unknowns. The Arctic is warmer than any time in the last 120,000 years – the Pacific Ocean is warming faster than any time in the last 10,000 years. Everything is connected, How will this impact us? Great question. Climate volatility is favoring all-weather now.”

In Alaska, October also has set records for warmth and rain instead of snow:

http://www.climatecentral.org/news/alaska-roasts-during-october-reigniting-wildfire-16678

Some scientists are worried that climate change is going to affect our food supply in the future:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/climate-change-threatens-world-food-supply-panel-warns/article15230594/

And yes, pollution is harmful to us all:

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2013/11/an-8-year-old-girls-lung-cancer-is-attributed-to-air-pollution.html

Have a Happy Sustainable Halloween

Dracula (first edition cover), Bram Stoker's v... — Dracula (first edition cover), Bram Stoker’s vampiric novel, a reference for gaslight fantasy literature. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Bran Castle by some accounts is where the Hollywood version of Dracula was born. A novel written in 1897 by Bram Stoker created an infamous legend about Count Dracula based on a real Prince Vlad Tepes (1431-1476). I visited this castle in Transylvania a month ago.

Will Dracula be visiting you on Halloween? I love the creative costumes that come to my door. The best are the imaginative creations made from the reuse of old clothes and what you have around the house. Remember to reuse, eliminate plastic, and recycle.

What types of sustainable healthy treats have you passed out?

Below are some terrific ideas for a healthy sustainable Halloween:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/10/30/green-halloween/3318561/

http://sustainablefortbragg.com/2013/10/11/steps-to-a-spooky-and-sustainable-halloween/

http://www.sustainablebabysteps.com/green-halloween.html

http://blog.honest.com/green-halloween/#wwftw131030

The Cost of Extreme Weather

The Price We Pay For Carbon Pollution

We are all paying the cost carbon pollution with our health, our taxes, our climate, the loss of wildlife and our insurance. I am posting this excellent video in honor the Cost of Carbon week that has just concluded.

The National Research Council is pleased to present this video that explains how scientists have arrived at the state of knowledge about current climate change and its causes.

http://nas-sites.org/americasclimatechoices/videos-multimedia/climate-change-lines-of-evidence-videos/

Important Reads from the Past Week

Pollution is a human caused factor creating the reality of climate change and harming the health of all people, our oceans, and all living things. See articles below:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57607795/study-climate-change-will-significantly-impact-ocean-health-by-2100/?wwftw1 New research shows that human impact on the climate will heavily influence marine habitats by 2100, supporting a study earlier this month that showed coral reefs could be extinct by 2050.

http://www.mn2020hindsight.org/view/we-all-pay-pollutions-costs?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=pollution Pollution is expensive and we are all paying the costs to our lives, environment and through higher taxes. And….

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/17/us-cancer-pollution-idUSBRE99G0BB20131017 The World Health Organization has come out saying that pollution causes cancer.

http://www.startribune.com/local/228250501.html Minnesota is trying to adjust for the future to the changes in the climate for the north woods. What new trees might thrive or will the north country become prairie?

Fall Vegetable Soup for Meatless Monday

I have just returned from 3 weeks of eating vegetable soup through Romania, Ukraine and Moldova. Even though I couldn’t always read the menu, I could communicate “legume soup” Most of the soups had potatoes, parsley and green beans. Many had cabbage. I was surprised at the lack of pasta, beans and grains in their soup. Most of the time vegetable soup contained vegetables I loved. Once in a while, chicken or beef would be an ingredient. Many restaurants would also serve a whole hot pepper separate, not like in my below picture. In this recipe I have tried to capture the best of the soups I enjoyed in my travels.

Becky’s Fall Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

1 onion

¼ small cabbage

12 small banana potatoes

4 carrots cleaned and sliced

2 celery ribs chopped

1 apple chopped or shredded. I used Minnesota organic Fireside apples.

6 cups water

2 vegan bouillon cubes

½ lb of fresh green beans

1 ¼ tsp salt

pepper and fresh parsley to taste

Suggested Directions:

Saute onion 10 minutes, Add cabbage and sauté 5 min, then add carrot, celery, potatoes, apple and sauté 10 more minutes. Add green beans, bouillon cubes, water , and salt and simmer at least 30 minutes. Garnish with a hot pepper, parsley or toasted nuts of your choice. Serves 4-5

I served with a spinach salad and open-faced melted cheese toasts, or add vegan sausage or vegan hot dogs to increase protein content.

October Surprises: Superior Views

“There is no season when such pleasant and sunny spots may be lighted on, and produce so pleasant an effect on the feelings, as now in October.”
– Nathaniel Hawthorne

A golden-orange hue color brightens the landscape, but the shortness of the days makes thoughts of winter unavoidable. Cedar Waxwings and Robins devour Mountain Ash berries, and harbingers of winter.. the Juncos, are everywhere! Nuthatch and chickadees are stocking up with many trips to the bird feeder. An active hunting fox keeps the chipmunks up in the tree branches.

A warm September has created some native plant surprises: The fall blooming Wide-leafed Asters are finished, but fresh new cone flowers, hyssop, bee balm, spiderwort, goldenrod, and even a dianthesis (not native) sport fresh new blooms. Also despite heavy wind off the lake the colors of fall have been extended as they reach full vibrancy.

The big lake moderates the fall freeze, and some flowers could bloom for a another month.

http://www.startribune.com/local/228250501.html Saving the trees of the north woods

Eastern Europe and the Environment

I have just returned from a three weeks of travelling by trains, buses, trolleys and trams through Romania, Ukraine and Moldova. Because recycling, climate change, and pollinator plants are our interests, we do our own environmental travel. and watch for best practices as something we can all learn from. This is our 6th trip to Eastern Europe in 7 years.

The best practice for our earth I observed is their farming. The patchwork and DIVERSITY of crops: Corn, wheat, sun flowers, cabbage, potatoes, and animal grazing all work together. This is so much healthier for our bees, birds and butterflies. One person told me they didn’t need to use chemicals because of the diversity of their crops! They also still use lots of hand labor and horses to pick crops.

The streets often have many pedestrians, and I love these great crosswalks.

Garbage cans are small and they generate less waste per person than most countries. We went 3 weeks using real plates, cups and the napkins are tiny. Often the toilet paper is made from recycled paper.

Recycling is dismal and plastic pollution is a serious problem. These countries lack the resources to educate and recycle like they know they should. The young men we meet are frustrated with their job opportunities and futures. With some resources Eastern Europe could be a perfect opportunity to create new green industries and jobs to recycle plastic.

The brain drain of the young is serious. Many we talk with think success is leaving their homes and moving to the United States or EU countries. Loans should be available to generate new industry around green issues. We met environmental scientists helping Moldova on energy efficiencies because of a loan from the World Bank…Perfect!!

Coco Cola and other bottle and plastic bag manufactures, should take responsibility to help support these countries to recycle the trash that their products generate!! https://health4earth.com/2012/10/22/should-the-soft-drink-industry-help-communities-recycle/

Jobs and economic hope could help Eastern Europe be economic drivers of the E U and could be good for our earth also.

http://www.romania-insider.com/only-1-percent-of-trash-recycled-romania-bottom-of-eu-league-again/53958/

Romania has less trash per person

http://www.cleanair.org/Waste/wasteFacts.html

http://www.kleanindustries.com/s/environmental_market_Industry_news.asp?ReportID=143587

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