CT Green Scene

The Cross that Matt Built

by Eileen Weber

Sometimes we forget that nature can be its own spiritual experience. We are so absorbed in our own technological lives, texting away with reckless abandon. But taking the time to be in a natural setting can make all the difference to your health and your mental well-being. And whatever your personal or spiritual beliefs are, no one can dismiss that when you see plants and flowers grow that something greater than us is at work.

Matt Calkins, the pastor at St. Timothy’s Church in the Greenfield Hill section of Fairfield, thinks nature is what brings us closer to God. “We are connected to the Earth and we have a responsibility as humans to care for it,” he said. “When a branch breaks from the vine, it dies. Just as we do when we break from God.”

Calkins, along with some help from parishioners and the local Boy Scout troop, designed and built an open-air log chapel, a meditation labyrinth, a pergola and picnic area, and an organic teaching garden. All of the materials were either reused or made from felled trees when the group cleared the land. The garden functions as a teaching tool for the Small to Tall nursery school within the parish as well as a CSA for the parishioners. Calkins said the first 10% of the crops will go to the Connecticut Food Bank.

The Science of Life: Ayurveda

by Dr. Amy Wiesner

Over 5,000 years ago, the seers in India observed life and organized their observations into a system called Ayurveda, Ayur meaning “life” and Veda meaning “science”. Like many of the topics we discuss on this site, ayurveda is about healthy living. Whether it's eating organic foods or decreasing the toxins in our environment, we focus on improving our own vitality through good living practices.

According to Ayurveda, everything in the world is composed of the five elements: water, fire, air, ether and earth. These elements represent the qualities of energy or matter. These elements affect us both internally & externally and imbalances affect our health. The body, mind and consciousness have to be balanced for complete health, thus the elements in and around us must be balanced. These philosophies of Ayurveda are very similar to those of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Ayurveda even has it’s own version of acupuncture to help balance people!

Lemonade! Only 25¢!

With Memorial Day weekend right around the corner, we will soon be in the thick of hot, summer weather. And with it comes the ubiquitous lemonade stand. What could be better? Refreshment and capitalism all at the same time. Makeshift venues hastily manufactured by tiny hands from cardboard, tablecloths, and the odd lawn chair, summer wouldn't be summer without them.

The excerpt below is from Jenn Savedge at Mother Nature Network. She makes a fair point about how unfriendly lemonade stands can be for the environment. Just the debris from the leftover cups is enough to scare any green mom from letting her kids enjoy a rite of childhood.

How to green your lemonade stand
Jenn Savedge
Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Warmer days are barely here and my daughter has already started begging me to let her set up a lemonade stand in the front yard. She and her friends ran a stand last year and they still talk about every doting customer, every hard-earned sale, and every drop of fun they squeezed out of that day. So I'm sure there will be another sale for us just around the corner.

If you're not careful, lemonade stands can be a bit of an eco-nightmare. Between the mounds of disposable cups and the pre-packaged lemonade mix with high-fructose corn syrup, there's not much redeeming about your average stand. Here are a few tricks we use to make our lemonade stands and little greener, cleaner and sweeter.

Click here to read more about her tips for a greener lemonade stand.

Image courtesy of planetgreen.com

Long Island Sound Coastal Clean Up

Celebrate Long Island Sound Day by volunteering for a coastal cleanup with Save the Sound.

On Friday, May 27th, the Connecticut Fund for the Environment is sponsoring a the clean up day at Long Wharf in New Haven at 2:00 p.m. Volunteers will pick up trash at the beach preserve. Cleanup supplies and refreshments will be provided.

All are welcome. For more information or to RSVP, please call (203) 787-0646, ext. 113, or email kbroatch@savethesound.org. You can also find the event on Facebook.

End of the World?

by Eileen Weber

With all this hype about the end of the world and Judgment Day, I'm just wondering what the environmental impact will be from this "massive annihilation" we're expecting this weekend? Surely, all that fire and brimstone will adversely affect climate change. Think of all those greenhouse gases.

And, I'm assuming post-Judgment Day will mimic the fires of Hell, so please expect a hot summer this year.

A few questions that have been gnawing at me: How do you pack for the end of the world? Should you bring clean underwear, or is that simply a waste of time? And if the end of the world doesn't come, do the believers get to drink the blue Kool-Aid? I mean, how disappointing would that be? You sold your home, quit your job, gave away all your worldly possessions, only to find out you're just homeless, broke, and stupid. Kind of a bummer, isn't it?

Operation Trashdown: The Benefits and Ease of Composting

by Ilene Moyher

Welcome to Operation Trashdown, a concept for creating a cleaner earth. Everyone can help by adopting the "less trash" mindset in their shopping and daily routines. Considering what's in landfills and in our oceans (read interesting facts about The Great Pacific Garbage Patch), here are some ways each person can help reduce the amount of trash created and save money, too!

Composting of household trash– it’s easy to get started and maintain, can reduce the amount of household garbage by one-half (it did in my house), and creates great soil for garden use. It may seem ‘icky’ at first, but in reality composting creates less messy garbage and is as simple as throwing food and paper scraps into a container then adding them to a pile in the backyard.

Eat Chocolate

By Brittany Shutts
   
Maybe the Mayans and Aztecs were onto something when they started making drinks from this delicious bean. Chocolate should not be relegated to the level of gumballs and gummy bears. This sweet treat contains antioxidants, nutrients, and serotonin-increasing carbohydrates. It is conducive to both health and happiness, and should be eaten without guilt.
   
Chocolate is good for your heart. To the alarm of their patients, doctors in Australia tried prescribing a bar of dark chocolate a day to treat hypertension. Some patients complained that it was too hard to eat that much chocolate in one day, while others could not accept it as a treatment. There seems to be a method to their madness. A study at Harvard Medical School observed a 32% lower risk in heart failure in women who ate one to two servings a day of quality dark chocolate a day.

Juice? Who Doesn’t Love Juice?

Brittany D. Costa

Always curious to see how I can better myself, I did my first cleanse in 2008 and in the past three years I have accomplished three cleanses. And within the next couple of days, I will endure yet another. Each time I do it, I typically change up my methods and experiment with different varieties: Master Cleanse, Liver Detoxification Supplements, Water…  I have researched and looked into different types such as BluePrintCleanse and Dukan Diet. It seems everyone from Catherine Middleton to Whitney Houston (cough) is “cleansing”.

The typical reaction I receive when mentioning to my friends what I’m doing is a little anxious—and dare I say with a vague note of disgust—at the mere sound of the word…. Cleanse. Let’s not dismiss the fact that this is one of the biggest trends since Manolo Blahnik Patent Leather Mary Janes (which I thought was just an urban shoe myth), but I digress.

Socially & Environmentally Responsible Shoes?

by Dr. Amy Wiesner

You want to do more to be socially and environmentally responsible with your wardrobe, but where to begin? Considering it can take 1,000 years for a standard shoe to degrade, not to mention the toxins from the glue used to make the shoe seeping into the earth...

Begin with your shoes!

There has been a surge in responsible shoe manufacturing. This is fantastic for a couple of reasons--these shoes can be made of recycled, organic, non-toxic and biodegradable materials. Some companies are making sure their shoes are not being made in sweat shops and others are using sustainable resources as well. There are even vegan shoes made without any animal components.

Hartford's Summer of Solutions

Every summer, youth gather in communities across the nation for the Summer of Solutions — a project of the non-profit Grand Aspirations that serves as a training ground for its participants and a launching pad for solutionary visions. With the support of local partnerships and a national network of fellow solutionaries, participants create self-sustaining projects that have a direct impact on their communities and that serve as models for others to build on.

The Summer of Solutions is a grassroots, volunteer-based, people-powered program, and we rely on people just like you for just about everything — from the project expertise, to the local partnerships, to the financial support for the young people dedicating their summer to building solutions.

2011  CTGBC AWARDS PROGRAM "Building Green Despite the Odds."

CALL FOR ENTRIES

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO MAY 13th, 2011

A. DESIGN AWARDS 2011
Recognizing excellence in intelligently designed and constructed high performance, energy efficient buildings.

Eligibility
Project entries must be completed works. The project does not need to be located in CT but either the owner, architect, contractor or other member of the design team must be based out of CT. Project does not need to be 100% completed but does need to show that significant “green” strategies will lower the impact of the project

Entry Categories
Projects may be entered for judging in one of the following three categories:
Residential, Commercial, Public / Institutional

Projects may be either new construction or renovations.

For more information, click here.

Questions? Contact Kristy O'Hagan at kohagan@sctgbc.org.

DIY Skincare Experiments

by Brittany Shutts

After years of warfare against my skin, I have transitioned into a routine that is radically different. In high school, I was plagued with acne and endured face steaming, microdermabrasion, and prescription ointments. I tried numerous cleanser/toner/moisturizer combinations. Due to the mélange of products and treatments that ousted the oil and singed away the blemishes, my face was feeling pretty raw and irritated.
   
When I first read about the questionable ingredients riddling many personal care products, I started to notice parabens, dyes, and artificial fragrances on the labels of the bottles on my sink. Thus began my quest for something that would keep my face in tip-top shape without polluting it with carcinogens.

COLUMBINES & COLORS: A SPRING AWAKENING CELEBRATION OF FLOWERS AND MEMORIES AT FORT HILL FARMS

Come celebrate the warm spring days and beautiful colors of spring flowers at Fort Hill Farms’ Columbines & Colors event in Thompson on May 14th and 15th from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. In addition to the thousands of blooms at the farms’ Quintessential Gardens, nature lovers, photographers and artists from all over are invited to come view and capture the landscapes and celebrate the riot of colors on display. Free guided Garden Tours by Kristin Orr will be given at 9a & 2p each day.

Cracking Down on Chemical Regulation

by Brittany Shutts
   
It is overwhelming to consider the quantity of potentially harmful chemicals in our environment and the products we use. Some people seem driven to paranoia by the constant flow of new information regarding the risks of products and chemicals they once believed to be safe. From water bottles to baby bottles, the checklist of products to be wary of continues to grow.
   
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is appealing to the government to crack down on the regulation of chemicals. They claim that the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 needs to be rewritten to require that chemicals be tested before they are released in products. The AAP also wants a “post-market surveillance system” to look out for potential health complications once the chemical is on the shelves. A similar system is already used for prescription drugs.
   
Rather than testing chemicals before they reach the consumer, a chemical entering the market is, in a way, innocent until proven guilty. Unless the government can provide adequate proof of a substance’s “unreasonable risk,” it remains on the market. A great deal of damage can be done before a chemical is put to trial.

jammin' at audubon greenwich

There is “Music In The Garden”: A fun, family-friendly music event in support of the "Armstrong Court Community Organic Garden"
 
Sunday, May 15
3:00-6:00 pm
 
The Armstrong Court Community Organic Garden ’s “Music in the Garden” series kicks off Sunday, May 15th, from 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm. at Greenwich Audubon. They are proud to welcome the return of Greenwich’s own, Jesse Terry, as well as fellow award-winning, singer/songwriter, Michael Logen. Both recording artists have toured extensively and their unique styles truly create magic in the garden when they perform together!
 
Besides the wonderful entertainment—and in keeping with the garden’s fresh food mission—light, healthy fare will be served, along with wine and sparkling water and. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet the Armstrong Court gardeners, who will be happy to talk about their experience in this unique, multi-cultural garden.

Operation Trashdown

by Ilene Moyher

Operation Trashdown is a regular column Moyher conceptualized. Each entry will be the next step in the quest for a cleaner planet.

Welcome to Operation Trashdown, a concept for creating a cleaner Earth. Everyone can help by adopting the ‘less trash’ mindset in their shopping and daily routines. Considering what's in landfills and in our oceans (read interesting facts about The Great Pacific Garbage Patch), here are some ways each person can help reduce the amount of trash created and save money, too!

• Use only reusable containers – not disposable bags and wraps - for food storage and packed lunches. Many reusable containers are safe for reheating and dishwasher use. If a container is not microwave-safe, transfer the food to a plate before reheating.
• Use every bag that comes into the household for storage, packing, garbage, etc. Not just grocery bags, but any bag that is clean – be creative! If you must throw away anything plastic, try to use it multiple times first, and/or recycle it. Remember, plastic never goes away.
• Use inexpensive, non-disposable dishes and utensils for outdoor use and kids’ parties, rather than disposable ones that are used for a few minutes then end up in a landfill or an ocean.

Three basics of Operation Trashdown are:

• Reuse or recycle more than you throw away
• Consider product packaging – amount of packaging and whether it’s made of recycled or recyclable materials
• When buying, make choices based on where items will end up (in a landfill? recycled? a treasured keepsake? long usage life?)

Everyone can help make a cleaner Earth by embracing the ‘less trash’ mindset in their shopping and daily routines. Think of something you may have already done or can start doing today. Please share your successes and ideas, and encourage your friends and family to think green in this way, as well. If each person adopts one or more habits to shift away from living a disposable lifestyle, and teaches the next generation Earth-friendly habits, it will make a big difference.

Today's challenge: Adopt a new practice every month. Join Operation Trashdown and start today!

Please share these tips with your email, Twitter and Facebook pals. Thank you!

Image of the Plastiki boat made from 12,500 plastic bottles that sailed around the world.

Green Yoga: What is it?

by Brittany Costa

Brittany is a guest author with her own blog, The Costa Collections, dedicated to all things green. She considers herself to be the Carrie Bradshaw of Health and Wellness. Stumbling around trying to figure out what is best in the industry, she attempts to demystify trends and relate to women of every age, stage and size. With friends and many esteemed fitness and wellness contemporaries as research subjects, she is the voice of a woman coming of age and understanding the importance of overall health, along with the crazy world that promotes it.

Below is an excerpt from a blog entry on December 8, 2010.

Sara Ivanhoe has the ability to be like many yoga instructors—she has taught mainstream classes since 1995, working at Yoga Works in Santa Monica. What does differentiate her from the masses of instructors that are out there is the not only has she completed over five teacher trainings—but also she is certified in what is called Green Yoga. “It’s important to educate and keep a beginners mind….never come to a place where I know enough and to remain the eternal student,” Ivanhoe explains. Growing up in a self proclaimed ‘hippie community’; Ivanhoe has practiced many varieties of yoga since the age of 14. “I just knew it was something that was helping me feel good.”

While most modern practitioners approach Yoga mainly as a physical discipline, they do not look into its ecological significance; the trans formative power that it could benefit of the planet as a whole. Ivanhoe explains, “There is an association called Green Yoga where the traditional idea of yoga—meaning union—is myself and something greater than myself. Since yoga is not formally a religion, then what is the union? The one thing that is greater than all of us that we share is the Planet. It is important for everyone to remember this union,” Ivanhoe continues “The practice of yoga is to remind us that we are already in union and connected to the planet. What’s really amazing and powerful about this concept is that the planet is essentially made up of elements—earth, water, fire, air, and ‘Akash’—each element is said to have a home in each individual’s chakra. Yogi’s need to be aware of chakras and see the planet is inside of us at all times, and see the union of all these elements.”

The health of our bodies depends on clean air, clean water, and clean food—traditional Yoga is grounded in this understanding of the interconnection. Green Yoga developed in the context of a close relationship with the earth and cosmos and a profound reverence for animals, plants, soil, water, and air.

Ivanhoe continues to explain: “The actual practice of Green Yoga is the idea that ‘I already am part of this eco-system.’ The way I have it pictured is a man sitting and meditating and feels this oneness with planet—separation is an illusion and he opens up his eyes and sees a tree in front of him. The way we see it is ‘that’s tree over there and I’m me over here.’ Green Yoga emphasizes the idea that this separation is an illusion; instead it’s ‘I am the tree and the tree is me.’”

To read more, click here.

Image courtesy of carolman.net.