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Your Eco-Friendly Guide to College Living Today is Friday, May 18, 2012

CampusGreenly

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What Rules Your World?


Apr08

I sit here, at a coffee shop in Denver,  next to a man who believes that the world is driven by two things: “vaginas and cash slash gold” (his words, not mine). Talking to him and hearing his mocking disdain for organic foods, the power of yoga, and leg shaving  makes me want to run from this world and into one that’s driven by the seasons, water, food and love.

This week, I came across some information about an organic farm in Colorado. I had no idea where this place was, what they did, or how they did it. There wasn’t a  heck of a lot of information about living on this particular farm. So I’m really not sure what compelled me to reach out and write to them. I’m not sure why I filled an email with an accurate description of myself and hit the send button.

I’ve never worked on a farm, and know absolutely nothing about gardening or preparing meals for hungry farm hands. I’ve never promoted a farm or networked within those circles. I truly don’t have a clue as to why I sent that message. I wouldn’t be making any money there. I’m sure it’s not the best place to meet a man. So in the coffee shop capitalists’ world, nothing should have driven me to this place.

But my world seems to be ruled by fate, destiny, and synchronicity. It’s ruled by the energy of others and the way their words and ideas play in my mind. The owner of the farm, Wayne, got back to me and said “I have a feeling you’re supposed to be here for some reason.” I have a feeling Wayne doesn’t say that to everyone who sends him an email. I had the feeling that I was supposed to be there too.

I’d be working in the kitchen, teaching yoga and helping out in the office while I carry on with my writing gigs and start applying for easy scholarships for next year. It’d be a lot of work, but I’d be nestled in the beautiful rockies, near Aspen on a farm with a river running through it.

So why does it seem like I’m holding out on saying yes to Wayne’s proposal? For a long time, I thought that being present in this modern world was  necessary to give an opposing viewpoint, to bring the light in to those who wouldn’t otherwise see it. But I’m beginning to feel like that doesn’t work. Perhaps I’m not strong enough in my own beliefs yet. Perhaps I need some time on the farm, to learn what’s written in the soil, to hear what songs the river has to sing. Maybe I’ll find my own “vaginas and gold slash cash” there and my world will start spinning for a whole new reason.

What rules your world?

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Good Lookin’ Countertop Composters For Your Dorm Room


Mar30

When you’re living in a dorm, it might seem like there are awesome eco-friendly things that you could be doing, but they’re just not accessible right now. Composting can seem like one of those things that you’ll do when you’re older. Sometimes we say to ourselves, “When I have a house, I’ll grow my own food, compost all of my waste, and leave the smallest footprint that I can muster. Everything will be solar, and my roof will be made out of coke bottles.” That vision is all well and good, but there’s a lot to be said about how our behavior now will affect our decisions down the road.

If we wait ten years and jump into a huge composting project, there’s a chance that we’ll get overwhelmed. But I have some news for you... You don’t have to wait. You can start taking baby steps right now. There are tons of super cute composting bins that you can keep in your dorm room. They’re small, which is necessary for those of us who keep small quarters.  Most countertop composters use charcoal filters that will keep your dorm room from getting stinky due to your compost bin (unfortunately, it won’t do anything for your roommate’s smelly sock pile). So, before we get older, let’s get in the habit of breaking down some waste, and let’s do it in style.

The Norpro Ceramic Compost Keeper: This little fire hydrant inspired composter is only $27 on Amazon. It has a charcoal filter that’s good for six months. It holds a gallon of waste and is a perfect size for a composting beginner.

The Norpro Stainless Steel Composter: If you want to invest an extra $5 in your composter, stainless steel is the way to go. It’s lighter, easier to clean and it will fit in with modern dorm decor.
Exaco Trading ECO-2000 2.4 Gallon Kitchen Compost Waste Collector: This one’s twice the size of those other composters, so if you have a single occupancy or if you’re taking CTU online classes while living in a studio with a little more room, this countertop composter is perfect. Plus, it’s only twenty bucks! Sure, it may look like a miniature garbage can, but there’s something charming about the fact that instead of going into one of those things and heading to the landfill, the waste in here can go right back into mama earth to be used as food.

Do you have a composter in your dorm room?

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Good Green Documentary: 180 Degrees


Mar12

There are tons of documentaries out there that portray humanity’s misuse of resources, intense air, water and earth pollution, food waste, and general abuses of the planet. I’m a huge fan of a bunch of those movies, but much of the time, they can be a little heavy handed and negative. When I watch films that wag their finger at me, I usually get a bit put off. I mean, I’m already watching the documentary to learn about things that I could do differently. I’m not watching it to get a massive guilt trip or to hear about how awful humans are. I’ve got that stuff on lock down. I get it. We’re not doing what’s best for the planet. Corporations are strong arming citizens. We’re just like the Mayans. Yada, yada, yada. I totally get it and I’m sure you do to. It sucks. So let’s do something about it.

It’s great to be informed, but sometimes, I just want to see what’s beautiful about this place and how great humans are. I want some inspiration for ways that we can live without being engaged in the planet’s (and our own) destruction. I flipped on the documentary 180 Degrees South hoping to get some travel inspiration (I’m thinking about becoming a travel nurse), but the film went much deeper, and explored our connection to growing societies in the past. It documented the demolition of our present resources, waterways and landscapes without pointing the finger or bogging you down with negativity.

180 Degrees follows a climber to Patagonia on an interesting adventure that puts him face to face with the incongruousness of the developing and natural worlds. In this space, he attempts to explore the reconciliation between the two. It’s one part travel doc, one part nature doc, one part adventure doc, and one part eco doc. The combination of all four make it a well rounded exposition on the subject of ecological preservation.

It was truly a moving documentary that made you want to do more than put a compost bin on your kitchen counter. It inspires you to see the world, to connect with others, to stand up for this planet that gives us everything that we could possibly need. It inspires you to soak in natural beauty in every form and to immerse yourself in the challenges and gifts that are abundant on this gorgeous planet of ours.

Have you seen 180 Degrees South? What did you think?

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Green Mat Splurge: Manduka Black Mat Pro


Feb19


Ooooh lawdy. I've been getting ready to head off to yoga teacher training next week and I've been on the hunt for a new yoga mat. I went to roll up my mats and realized that they just weren't going to do for a month long stint of yoga. They are both ready to be either retired, or wrapped in canvas and given a burial at sea.

One of them is totally tore up from the floor up. It has given me two good years of service, but it's time for it to take a break. It's kinda smelly. It's as thin as newspaper, and it may just tear in half at any given moment.

The other one was a Christmas gift. As soon as I opened it, it seemed as if there was something amiss. It smelled like it had been soaked in the BP oil saturated gulf of Mexico (too soon?). After playing a game of private investigator, I discovered that the mat had some kind of chemical anti-stank coating on it that kept it from absorbing your sweat. This was odd, but I tried to break it in without thinking too much about it. Not only did I slip all over the place, the smell was awful. As soon as the smell went away, the mat started falling apart.

C'est la vie. Now that I'm on the market for a new practice mat, I want to chose wisely. I don't want to roll around in chemicals, and I'd really like to make sure that whatever mat I'm using is good for the environment. It'd be really cool if it lasted longer than a month.

Of all of the reviews that I've read, and all of the product descriptions that I perused, one really stood out. It's called the Manduka Black Mat Pro and it's the Ferrari of yoga mats. It comes in two lengths, 71" and 84". I sprung for the extra $24 for the extra inches to accommodate my 6'1 frame. It's also extremely eco friendly.

Word of warning. It's pretty spendy at $108. But it also has a lifetime warranty against wear and tear, so this baby will pretty much pay for itself over the next several decades. But if you’re not ready to go Black Mat Pro, there's a cheaper, lighter version called the Ecomat Pro that goes for $65 and still has that same lifetime warranty.

Do you use an eco friendly yoga mat?

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Fair Trade Beauty Product: Vanilla Patchouli Butter


Feb12

Last week, I talked about an amazing fair trade product that I love. If you remember it, you’ll remember that it was extremely affordable. This week, I just can’t keep quiet about another holistic beauty product that you can find in your coop or health foods store. Bear in mind though, this one hits the opposite end of the spectrum. It is a super splurge.

I rarely splurge on anything that I’ll have to replace in a few months, or on anything that has an expiration date, but (spoiler alert) this was completely worth it. I was going through the after effects of my break up and I was officially feeling like crud. I just wanted to feel like myself again. Nay, I wanted to feel like a better version of myself. I wanted to feel like a cleaner, more posh version of the woman I was in my past life. But I still didn’t want to put on anti-persperant or slather on a face worth of animal tested products to make that happen.

I was visiting a friend in Iowa, who runs the wellness department in an amazing little coop called Wheatsfield. And while I was there, I let on that I wanted a new beauty regimen to make me feel lovely. I told her I needed to take better care of myself and stop scrimping on beauty products. She pointed me in the direction of evanhealy’s line of natural and holistic beauty products.

When I finally pushed the sticker shock aside, this Whipped Patchouli Vanilla Shea Butter caught my nose and I couldn't put it down. It smells unbelievable. I wish I could shove it in your face over the internet, because that’s absolutely what I would do if you were here.

The Shea Butter is harvested from a group of widows in Africa. It is then whipped up in small artisan batches over a 4-6 hour period while essential oils are added. Now that I think about it, if anything deserves a $29 price tag, it’s this stuff.

Have you ever tried this whipped shea butter?

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Fair Trade Product Review: Alaffia Hair Lotion


Feb05

There are some things in this world that you can’t help but push on other people. This is especially true when you find something that’s eco friendly or fair trade and it’s awesome. This is especially, especially true when you find something that’s all of that and it’s inexpensive to boot.

Fair trade products can be expensive. What are you going to do? Providing a fair wage for workers costs a little more than shoving them into factories, and working them to the bone for almost nothing (we’re looking at you Foxconn).

If you’re a college student, you’re usually looking for the cheapest product available. Even though this may save you some mulah in the short term, it usually supports a system that practices the art of short cutting and making things that must be replaced as soon as possible. This not only costs us all something in the long run, the product you purchase is usually designed to last for a short amount of time.

That’s definitely not the case with our first Fair Trade Beauty Product. At first glance, this bottle of hair lotion may seem expensive ($8.95), but it lasts forEVER. It’s a leave in conditioner that replaces the conditioner I used to use. Now I just shampoo and apply this after my shower. A bottle normally lasts me around 8 months and I have pretty long hair. I know that sounds crazy and I’m a little shocked too. I knew a bottle of this stuff lasted a long time, but I just did the math. I have a half a bottle left and I got it in mid October. I got my first bottle of this about a year and a half ago, so it adds up.

And yes, I remember the exact dates that I bought this hair lotion. Why? Because it’s that memorable. First off, it’s vegan. Secondly, I’m constantly getting compliments on how great my hair smells. Even though I’m not very good at getting regular hair cuts, my hair stays smooth and shiny all year round.

On top of all of that stuff, it’s so Fair Trade it’s sick. The Alaffia company employs women in Africa to craft their shea butter products. They also deliver bicycles to the area so young girls have transportation to and from school. On top of all of that, they work to help keep maternal mortality low in the community by giving pregnant women access to a doctor or a nurse midwife before and after the birth of a child.

Feel good hair, brought to you by a feel good company, that makes your wallet feel good and full? What’s not to feel good about?

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What Do You Do When You Can’t Recycle?


Jan29

Recycling 7

 

For the past few months, I’ve been living in places where you can’t recycle. Can’t. Recycle. Let me repeat it again. Can’t. Recycle.

Apparently places like this still exist. There are huge corners of the world where there’s no recycling pick up and unless you have a vehicle of your own, you can’t get your garbage to the place where the recycling magic takes place.

At first, I was kind of in denial. I couldn’t even think about it, so I just turned my brain off. I didn’t think about what happened to the garbage after it left my hand and went into the garbage can. I closed my eyes and washed away every thought that pertained to waste. When it would creep in, I would abandon the thought because this whole thing was “just temporary” and I’d be in a place with recycling sooner than later. Then, when another move landed me in a second place without a recycling bin, I told myself that yet again.

After awhile, I started thinking, “Oh well, what good is recycling anyway? Reduce and reuse are the biggest pieces of the puzzle, so I’ll just concentrate on those.”

But now that I’ve been here for a few weeks, the thought has been creeping in more and more. It’s been several months since I’ve been able to recycle any of my garbage, and I’m beginning to have dreams in which I am suffocated by my own waste. Trust me, that’s not a fun way to wake up.

So, I’ve been trying to do what companies normally try when they can’t cut out their waste production. I’ve been offsetting my carbon/garbage footprint. I’ve been trying to be more careful about packaging waste and I’ve been walking evvvverywhere. But are the blisters and bags of bulk rice really enough?

What do you do when you can’t recycle?

 

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My First Freegan Experience


Jan17

groceries in transit

After several months of researching food waste in our nation, talking about the film Dive, and working on getting in touch with our home town grocery stores to see what we can do, I finally had my first personal experience with freeganism.I wish I could say that I threw caution to the wind, grew a pair, cracked open a dumpster, and went to town, but alas, my first freegan food items pretty much fell into my lap. After last week’s post, I wandered down to the local organic grocery store to see if I could afford to shop locally in my temporary neighborhood (I’m house sitting at the moment).

I walked into the small shop and tried to subdue my sticker shock. I tried to remember that I was living in a large city, and that it was just something I would probably have to get used to. I started budgeting in my mind, trying to figure out if I would be able to swing it, or if I’d be eating polenta and beans until the end of time. When I rounded the corner, I saw a barrel with a bunch of wilted produce, shrivelled potatoes and loaves of bread on top of it. The sign said, “Free food! Yes... Free! No... We’re not kidding! Take it!”

The odd thing is that I read the sign and walked right past it. I thought that it would be wrong of me to take anything from the pile. I figured that I didn’t need it as much as the next guy. I mean, I don’t even qualify for grants. But then I started thinking. I may not need it, but if I don’t take something, than who will? If I walk right on by and nobody wants the loaf of old bread, then wouldn’t I be contributing to food waste?

So, I grabbed the bread and some green beans. Then I purchased some polenta and almond milk and took it all home. And you know what? Eating it didn’t feel wrong or odd, or even gross. It was actually nice to put my toe in the water as far as freegansim is concerned. I’ll now be a regular at the free pile at the local organic market, and who knows? Maybe I’ll end up in a dumpster someday. Here’s hoping.

 

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Dive In!


Jan10

 

So, I finally finished watching Dive last week. I talked about the first part briefly in the last post, but the second part of the film gave a wholly different perspective on dumpster diving and it was compelling enough to  revisit the topic. I have to say that it was definitely worth spending the scant 54 minutes that filmmaker Jeremy Seifert takes to make a great point about waste in our nation. The documentary really sheds some light on many issues in our food system and in our economic system in general. One of the main points: grocery stores throw away around the same amount of food that would eliminate hunger in this country. Seifert makes a good point about the carelessness such behavior displays.

In our country, we send good food straight to the landfill while many people suffer from hunger. There’s clearly something wrong with this picture. But why is this happening? Why don’t grocery stores just send their food straight to homeless shelters and food pantries? In Dive, Seifert tries to figure this out and to remedy it. Watching his struggle to find the motivation from grocery stores, is curious, to say the least. There’s always something a little off-putting when companies won’t talk about issues like this. It always seems as if they’re hiding something.

It seems that there’s a lingering misconception, namely that grocery stores have to throw food away because of liability issues. Many people, grocery store managers included, may not realize that the Good Samaritan Law, that passed into law during the Clinton administration, relinquishes them from any liability. The same law that protects you from being sued if you administer the Heimlich maneuver or mouth-to-mouth incorrectly, gives grocery stores the same protection when it comes to donating their food waste to people in need. If this is the major issue, then it seems that there’s a simple remedy. We could him-and-haw about how awful this is. Or we could do something about it.

Next week we’ll talk about ways you can get involved in solving our nations waste/hunger issue. I promise, none of them involve you plowing head first into a giant blue dumpster. But if you want to, that’s completely awesome too.

Have you seen Dive? What did you take away from it?

 

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Dumpster Diving: Super Gross or Super Heroic?


Jan08

Garbage Dumpster

 


I've touched on food waste a couple of times in the course of writing this blog and personal food waste is always on my mind. Recently, I met a dude who told me he spent a lot of time out east doing dumpster dives and cooking for the homeless. To the latter statement, I thought "awwwww" to the former I thought, "Huh?/Ewwwwwww."

I guess I've never really met anyone who said one of their hobbies was to jump into a giant trash bin behind the whole foods, so I really didn't understand that that was a thing, let alone that it was a thing you could spend a lot of time doing. It so happened that the documentary Dive was all cued up on my parent's Netflix ready to show me what this whole thing was all about.

Dive follows around a bunch of young divolutionaries (new word!) who leap headfirst into trash for their breakfast, lunch and dinner. Yes, this sounds gross. I'm with you if you think that it sounds like one of the most disgusting ways to sustain a lively hood. However, a few minutes into the documentary, you start to see that these folks are living the life. They survive on a better diet than I could ever afford and they do it all for free. This documentary will teach you how to be a dietitian straight from the dumpster. Now I can't say that I made it all the way through the film. They all could have succumb to some odd food poisoning in the end, for all I know. My dad got home and I promptly turned it off before he started to fear for my sanity and wonder where his dinner came from.

But what I did see really sticks with me. There are people out there who are doing something about American food waste by getting out of the food system all together. They’re not just writing for a little vegan recipe blog; they're rescuing our food from the landfill. Now, back to the I met. He was taking it a step further and cooking the food to give to people who live on the street. That sounds pretty effin sweet.

So what do you think? Is dumpster diving gross or revolutionary?

 

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