A Sustainable Kitchen brings people together to learn, share, innovate and discuss sustainable strategies for everyday life. Welcome to the table!

Friday, August 31, 2012

2 Quick & Delicious Recipes For Your Labor Day BBQ

WATERMELON WITH BALSAMIC SYRUP AND FRESH MINT
 

Reduce 1 cup of balsamic vinegar by 1⁄2 to 1⁄3 over medium heat. Cool and reserve. 

Cut a small ripe watermelon into 1 1⁄2” cubes and chill well. 

Chop about 20 fresh mint leaves. 

Drizzle cooled balsamic syrup over the chilled watermelon and top with chopped mint.






SALAD OF SUMMER GREENS WITH A STONE FRUIT OR BERRY VINAIGRETTE 

Vinaigrette 
1 cup ripe fruit or berries (peaches, plums, apricots, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries all work well, but do not mix in the vinaigrette)
1⁄4 cup honey 

1⁄4 cup good red wine vinegar 
1⁄3 cup extra virgin olive oil 
1⁄2 tsp. dijon mustard 
1⁄4 tsp. chili, ground or fresh (chipotle works well blackberries and peaches and jalapeno with strawberries) optional
salt and pepper to taste 


Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until well combined. 

Salad
5-6 cups greens (a mix with spinach and/or arugula works well) 

1 cup toasted pecans 
1-1 1⁄2 cups of fruit or berries (match the fruit in the vinaigrette or use a combination that works well together like blackberries and peaches)
 

Combine greens, fruit and nuts together. Toss with just enough vinaigrette to lightly coat.
 

Thursday, August 30, 2012

We Learn Here and Where We Learn Matters

Green Apple Day of Service- Join Us September 29th

The first annual Green Apple Day of Service, hosted by the Center for Green Schools, brings together advocates from around the world, including students, teachers, parents, USGBC chapters and community members in support of healthy, sustainable schools through service projects in their communities.

Visit mygreenapple.org to find or start a project in your community, show your support for our movement, connect with others who are already taking action and share your story with us.

Back to School Blues? This Will Cheer You Up

Environmental Charter High School, Lawndale, CA

What is a green school? ECHS knows it goes beyond the buildings. 
It's about holistic education and partnerships in their community. 
It's how 97% of their graduates exceed the admission requirements of the UC/CSU System despite the fact that 80% are also financially disadvantaged.

They are one of only three Green Ribbon Schools in Southern CA. This award recognizes excellence in environmental and sustainability education. Some highlights include:
  • A recycling rate of over 85%
  • CHPS & LEED EB Certification
  • 25% class time is outdoors in a recycled-concrete urban outdoor amphitheater
  • Students worked with permaculture experts to create a natural stream that now runs through the center of the urban campus
  • A group of students successfully presented a proposal to change food vendors to one that supports the school’s mission, with locally grown food, low-waste compostable packaging, and healthier food
  • Students made their own biodiesel fuel
  • Students invite their community into their lessons, hosting composting workshops and campus tours, and engaging in projects to restore the L.A. watershed
I recently toured ECHS and here's what I saw.

"Plastic Bags Blow" reads the sign on Fluke, the recycled boat that students helped create out of 700 plastic bottles, 1000 plastic bags, a junk car seat, and sail made from 50 polyester shirts. It sailed from Sana Barbara to San Diego to raise awareness about the 100 million + tons of plastics in our ocean.
A water catchment system collects 600,000 gallons of water a year from 11" of rain.
Students tend to raised gardens, chicken and rabbit coops, and green walls.
A student-run bicycle repair shop encourages students and staff to ride rather than drive. 

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Introducing Contributing Editor Annette Eason, C.S.B.A.: It's In The Bag

Meet A.S.K.'s Founder Annette Eason, C.S.B.A.

Annette Eason is the principal of EASONDESIGNGROUP, a sustainably focussed design collaborative located in Venice, CA that specializes in remodeling and
renovation for both residential and commerical spaces. EASONDESIGNGROUP is constantly striving to expand the role of sustainability in all aspects of design.  Annette is the first designer in California to be certified as a Sustainable Building Advisor. She is also a former chef who owned her own restaurant and is a sustainable food advocate. Annette is the founder of A Sustainable Kitchen, although she still prefers instigator.

It's In The Bag, Annette's Choices:  
I am the acknowledged design geek/nerd in the group so my choices have some serious hurdles to jump. I am also that person whose reusable bag was always in the wrong place. If I was at the store, the bag was in the dryer at home, or if I was at the farmers market, it was in the car five blocks away. Yes, I was one of them, I freely admit it.
What I needed was a bag that I could always have in my bag, something compact, strong, that had a good capacity and that looked good. My choice for the last 6 or 7 years, the Baggu Bag.                   
Why Baggu? It folds up into a little flat pouch and I always have at least three with me. It's strong and made of nylon so it's light and washes and dries in a flash. It has the capacity of two normal grocery bags and it comes in a great assortment of patterns and colors. People are always asking me about them when they see them. There are a couple of cons. For one, they are made in China. Also, they are completely unstructured so they can fold-up. One real plus is when they have come to their end of usefulness, you can return them to Baggu for recycling and they give you a small credit towards a new bag. Baggu Bags are $7.50-9.00, depending on how many you buy. Find them at baggubag.com and various retail outlets.Because the Baggu Bag is so unstructured (and I am such a design geek/nerd) I have been looking for more structured bag for real heavy duty use that still meets all my design requirements. This year I found it.
It is the reusable tote from Mimot Studio, designed by Thomas Im. It is made of Tyvek (yes building people, the stuff they wrap houses in) with nylon handles. It still folds up, just not as small as Baggu. It is super strong, still really light, not as washable, but when you need a big bag with structure this really does the job. It comes in some nice color combos. I have the brown with white handles. They also have a recycling program. And again the con, they are made in China. Mimot Studio bag is $10.00 at mimotstudio.com.

Sustainable By Design

Not A Metaphor

A Sustainable Kitchen is a metaphor, but that does not mean we are not interested in the real thing. On the contrary, we are very interested. Of all the rooms in your home, the kitchen carries the largest carbon footprint. That also means it has the greatest opportunity for improvement using sustainable design strategies. We will be doing a series on how to take advantage of those opportunities. Whether you just want to improve what you have or you are starting from scratch, there will be sustainable design strategies that will work for you.


Before
After
Photos of sustainable kitchen remodel by EASONDESIGNGROUP


So what makes a kitchen sustainable? 
Material choices: Cabinetry, countertops, cork floor
Appliance choices: Water filter & Energy Star appliances
Lighting choices: LED and CFL, natural daylighting, a skylight and opening up a wall to share the daylighting with the adjoining dining/family room
Budget choices: Staying on a tight budget because sustainable does not need to be more expensive

What really makes any kitchen sustainable? 
What you bring into it, your food choices and a holistic attitude that is open to looking at things just a little differently. More to come.....

Thursday, August 23, 2012

The Power of One

A Call To Action

Never underestimate the power of one. 

One action, one person, one good idea.

Today we want you to exercise your power. 

Sign a petition, watch a video, garden, shop at a farmers market, recycle. 

Be inspired because even the smallest act can have impact.

We are giving you a lot of options today, some local to California, but with the potential for international impact.




Recognition of Small Actions

Pam Warhurst "How We Can Eat Our Landscape"




AB 298 CA Plastic Bag Ban Vote on 8.31.12

The mockumentary produced by Heal the Bay will give you the giggles. 
Let's be serious for a moment though. 
On August 31, Sacramento will be voting on AB 298 banning single use plastic bags in convenience stores throughout California.

If you haven't signed the petition yet, it's not too late.
No excuses ! 



The Majestic Plastic Bag - A Mockumentary


Prop 37: Your right to know

Add caption

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Introducing Contributing Editor on Agriculture, Dr. Stephanie Georgieff

Meet Dr. Stephanie Georgieff...

Since beginning her career as a Naturopathic Doctor, Stephanie has been aware of how humans are dependent on the natural world. She finds medicine in food and botanical substances, and has been educating her patients and the public for over 25 years about the joys of healing with both. As founder of Slow Food Redlands, and host of Real Food Empire, Stephanie is expanding her message of "eating for the health of your body, your soul, the land and community."

It's In the Bag, Stephanie's Choice

I like bags that are made of thick cloth muslin, mainly because they are so sturdy. My two favorite bags are pictured here, mainly because of the messages. I like them because they are big and deep, so I can buy large bunches of beets and greens which will be sure to fit.


Pros: Sturdy, positive message, able to hold large produce
Cons : Shrink when you wash them, don't have wheels, without Hermoine Granger's Undetectable Extension Charm the bag will not magically enlarge (thanks Mugglenet for that HP reference).

You have questions, A.S.K. has answers...or we will find them

Introducing ask/A.S.K.

ask/A.S.K. will be a regular feature of the blog. 
Do you have a question about sustainability? Ask us, A.S.K.
Our knowledgeable group of editors have a wide range of expertise in sustainability, but if we cannot answer your question, we will find someone who can.

First up, Dr. Stephanie Georgeiff take on something several people have questioned, Zero Land Fill Plants. What are they, are they for real or just 'green washed'  advertising? Check out the following post to see her findings.

If you have a question about some terminology, organic gardening, building materials, anything sustainable, just ask. Send your questions to asustainablekitchen@gmail.com with ask/ A.S.K. as the subject. We will do our best to get you an answer. If we think others might be interested in the question and answer (who wouldn't be?) we will post them on the blog.

ask/A.S.K. What is a Zero Waste Factory?


From the desk of our Contributing Editor on Agriculture, Dr. Stephanie Georgieff.

One of the best definitions of “Zero Waste” is the recycling of all materials into
nature or the marketplace in a manner that protects human health and the
environment. The EPA defines “Zero Waste” as “minimizing waste and resource
consumption in order to conserve energy, mitigate climate change, reduce water
usage, prevent toxics creation and minimize ecosystem destruction.” 

I like to think of zero waste as something nature simply does within all living systems. There are a few buzzwords associated with Zero Waste: Eliminate, Minimize and Substitute.
Many large companies, particularly in Europe, are becoming aware that landfills for
garbage are quickly filling up to capacity. In order to deal with this reality, as well as
stem the rising costs of disposing of toxics and other substances, numerous large
industries are re-evaluating their practices with “Zero Waste” in mind. 

When a company wants to create a climate of “Zero Waste” they work on all aspects of their business; energy usage, toxic creation and disposal, green house gas emissions, and
usage of recycled products. There are a few companies that have actually met this
goal. One of the more famous “Zero Waste” factories in the US is the Subaru factory
in Lafayette, Indiana, where the claim is “Raw Materials go in, Subarus and nothing
else come out of a zero landfill factory.” They reuse things such as brass lug nuts
which used to be thrown away, recycle paint and plastic sludge into other useful
products, and reuse solvents. 

Some other examples of Corporate “Zero Waste” are Albertsons, which has diverted 95% of all its waste products from landfills or incinerators and a UK Nestle Kit Kat Factory with a 2015 “Zero Waste” goal which has been already been 70% achieved. Several nations, Scotland and Brazil to name a few, have ambitious “Zero Waste” goals, where the US EPA is consulting to help design and implement policies to make their goals a reality. Critics say it is impossible to achieve or too expensive, but as landfills continue to be closed and
human population rises, available land for trash is forcing many industries to
rethink their disposal practices with impressive results.

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Farm Fresh...

Introducing Our First Farmers Market Reports

From far afield to close to home, we love a good farmers market. In fact, we can barely resist them. Big or small, there are so many reasons to love them, the produce, the people, getting to meet and talk to the farmers, supporting the local economy, building community. We will be sharing all our farmers market finds with you here as a regular feature. But we really want you to share your farmers market finds here too. Email us your favorites with a photo (jpeg), tell where it is, who the farmer/grower is and who you are (we want to give you credit!). Email to asustainablekitchen@gmail.com with Farmers Market Report as the subject. 

(Please Note: All produce featured in our Farmers Market Reports is organic or sustainably grown. It's our way.)

Farmers Market Report: Santa Monica

Santa Monica Farmers Market

When: Wednesday & Saturday from 8:30am-1:30pm
             
Where: Arizona and 3rd Street


Chilis and peppers starting and Weiser Family Farms, fire roasting with Alex just around the corner. (That's why he is smiling.) Look for them at the Sunday Hollywood Farmers Market too.
Cherry tomatoes at Gloria's. All colors each with their own flavor profile. Mixed with just a little sea salt and good olive oil, perfect summer salad.
Peak of season stone fruit at Berkart Organics. White nectarines our current favorite with chili infused honey on homemade 'ricotta'. Also look for Berkart Organics at the Sunday Hollywood Farmers Market.

Beautiful summer squash, squash blossoms and basil from Fairview Farms from Santa Barbara. Hmmm... maybe with some of that homemade ricotta and Gloria's cherry tomatoes.

Farmers Market Report: Maui Swap Meet

Maui Swap Meet

When: Saturdays 7:30am-1:30pm

Where: Maui Community College
A beautiful assortment of apple bananas, avocado, and melons grown in Kula, the upcountry in Maui.
Stunning ginger. Imagine the poke or Thai inspired dishes this could create !
Here's Amy and her famous Vegan cupcakes.
Maui's Best Honey, great for baking. Sold in all local stores except for Whole Paycheck.
I feel a BBQ coming on !
Add shrimp or scallops to the Maui onions, Thai watermelon, and super sweet Papaya for the perfect tropical ceviche.

The BEST (and Vegan) Cupcake on the Planet

I can't pass up a booth at the Maui Swap Meet that says "Best Cupcakes Ever". I'm skeptical. They're vegan? How can this be?
It's the triple-dog-dare of cupcakery. Then you meet Amy Alexander and you understand. You don't need dairy when you have coconut, guava, and macadamias. Pure, organic, and local.

The Cantalope Honey Macnut (pictured right) made me a believer. A vegan cupcake could be the best cupcake ever. Visit Amy next time you are at the swap meet and she'll brighten up your day. If you are on the mainland then at least you can check out more pics on her facebook page.

Here are some favorite quotes from Amy:

Me: If I came to your home and looked in the refrigerator what would I find? 
Amy: Sriracha and at least ten kinds of jam

Me: What is your first thought after you learn you have won the lottery? 
Amy: Are there any private islands available?

Me: What is the best thing since sliced bread? 
Amy: Nut butters and those jams that I hoard on it

Me: Tell me about a recent travel experience. What do you always make sure to pack? 
Amy: We flew into Denver with no itinerary and drove to Mt. Rushmore, saw Crazy Horse monument, over to Cody and through Yellowstone then down to Durango and Mesa Verde and back up to Denver.  After four years on an island it's really nice to take a big roadtrip. I always take my chuck taylors.

Me: If you could end one forever, would you end climate change or world hunger ? 
Amy: I like the saying "Take care of the planet and it'll take care of us".
Me: Totally agree !

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Introducing Food Editor, Katheryne Phillips

Meet Katheryne Phillips...

a private chef and owner of Katheryne Cooks. She is our food editor, and director of the kids programs we host through A Sustainable Kitchen. Constantly inspired by the bounty of fresh, local, and sustainable ingredients available here in So-cal Katheryne creates farm to table dishes for her clientele and shares her recipes on her own blog Katheryne Cooks. Join her here on our blog as she discovers some of the culinary treasures her community has to reveal. 

It's In The Bag, Katheryne's Choice

I have to be completely honest about this, I usually don’t buy recyclable grocery bags at all. In fact most of the bags that I do use were freebies. Either they came free as a shoe bag, or with another purchase of some sort.  But I can say that if I were to purchase one it would definitely be one of these super cute “Love This Planet” reusable totes by Lisa Lejia’s local Venice Based company “Get hip get green”.  With the clever eco-chic catch phrases and brightly colored letters the style of these totes is right on point. 

Love this Planet bags are so stinking cute that I would use mine at the beach, gym and farmers markets instead of a purse.  Plus I would feel good buying one of these bags even though I already over 100 that were free because a percentage of each sale is donated to the children's environmental group, The Green Ambassadors. The Green Ambassadors provide high school students with experiences that foster personal growth, community service, cross-culture and global exchange and leadership skills to tackle the most critical environmental issues facing our planet.

I couldn’t find any information on the website about where the bags are made, however I did see a review on another site noting the bags are made in China. That may be the only aspect of these adorable trendy totes that I’m not a fan of.  

To get your own check out Lisa’s websites:

Bonus Rewards

Every now and then you need a reward for making it through a tough day, or week, or month. Sometimes you get a pedicure, sometimes you drink a martini, sometimes you turn to the Internet and look up recipes with local produce you can find at your farmer's market. Maybe it's all of the above, no judgement here. On the blog, we can't rub your feet but we can share some simple, fun, ideas that you can make in your sustainable kitchen tonight. Here's the first in a series of ASK Recipes from our food editor, Katheryne.

Farmer's Market Recipe With La Nogalera Walnut Oil

Wandering around the Santa Monica Farmers market, I stumbled upon a luxurious new find: La Nogalera Walnut oil. It’s locally harvested oil from the Central California Coast made from 100% premium quality walnuts. The rich creaminess and nutty flavor of this oil would be good on almost anything. It wasn’t cheap, but you don’t need much more than a couple of drops to add substantial flavor.  Here’s just one of the dishes I have concocted with this awesome oil.

Green Beans with Porcini Mushrooms and La Nogalera Walnut Oil
Ingredients:
1 lb Green beans (washed, ends removed)
8oz Crimini mushrooms (cleaned and sliced)
3 cloves garlic (smashed and minced)
1 tablespoon La Nogalera Walnut oil
Large bowl of ice water (for blanching)
1 tablespoon olive oil
White sesame seeds for garnish
Directions:
First, you want to blanch your green beans. Blanching the beans ensures that they keep their beautiful bright green color and a bit of crispness to their bite.  To do this you will need to bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a low rumbling boil. Once the water has reached a boil, add the green beans. Boil the beans for 2 minutes or just until slightly tender. When the beans have boiled for about two – three minutes remove them from the boiling water with a slotted spoon, and place them quickly into the cold ice water bath. You want the texture to be crisp outside and soft within. Allow them to sit in the cold water for a minute, and then drain the beans in a colander.
While the beans are drying, sauté the mushrooms and garlic in a frying pan. Allow your frying pan to become hot over med-high heat before adding your oil. Once the pan is hot add the olive oil and the sliced mushrooms. Sauté for about two minutes, stir the mushrooms around, and then add a pinch of salt and the minced garlic. Turn the heat down to medium, and sauté for another two minutes - careful not to burn the garlic. When the mushrooms have caramelized, they are done. Remove the pan from the heat, and set aside.
To plate the green beans toss them in the La Nogalera Walnut Oil in your serving bowl of choice, then top with your garlic mushrooms, and garnish with white sesame seeds. This recipe is so simple and quick. The walnut oil really brings a creamy rich element to what is a normally basic side dish.  

Not in L.A.? No problem, order the oil online at www.lanogalerawalnutoil.com

A LITTLE 'FOOD' FOR THOUGHT

   ORGANIC. IS IT IMPORTANT TO SUSTAINABILITY? TWO WORDS: PESTICIDES AND FERTILIZERS 
Always start with the soil. 
So what's wrong with pesticides and fertilizers? They seem, on the surface, to be good things. One kills pests while the other helps things grow. Remember, always start with the soil. A healthy soil already has everything it needs to help things grow. Now let's be clear, not all fertilizers and pesticides are created equally. There are organic methods of fertilizing and getting rid of pests. There are chemical methods. These fertilizers do not feed the soil, they feed the plant. But their residue stays in the soil and then gets into the water system, into streams, rivers and ultimately the ocean. In the ocean, the extra nutrients in the fertilizers promote algae blooms that then decompose and deplete oxygen needed by fish and other aquatic life. This process can potentially create "dead zones".

Pesticides are not always discriminating in what they kill. Beneficial insects and organisms can be collateral damage. Studies show that regular use of herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides decreases the number and diversity of beneficial soil life, from earthworms down to bacteria and fungi. And consider the other wildlife and the effect on the food chain. Also, increased pesticide and soluble fertilizer use correlates with increasing soil compaction and acidification. So remember, whether gardening, farming  or landscaping, always start with the soil.



Friday, August 10, 2012

FRIDAY SPECIAL

Hmmm....Maybe we should make soup tonight......


Thursday, August 9, 2012

MEET THE EDITORS: IT'S IN THE BAG

 We would like you to meet our editors. We thought a great way to introduce them would be to let them tell you about their favorite reusable shopping bag, the good, the bad and sometimes the ugly. Why is that a good introduction? Two reasons: 1- Los Angeles, our home base, recently passed a ban on single use plastic bags and is imposing a ten cent charge on paper bags. (WE are seriously proud of that. See the following post for more details and a shout out for Hawaii!) That means locals could use some recommendations on alternatives. 2- The choices are as varied as what was free to our resident design nerd's geeky choice. That just proves it's not the choice of bag that is important. The important thing is that you use it! 
 First up, Dominique Smith, our acting editor in chief.

Banning the Bag


Hawaii made history in early May 2012 and became the first state to have complete coverage by a plastic bag ban. This was quickly followed by Los Angeles which became the largest city to impose a ban on single use plastic bags along with a ten cent charge on paper bags. 
  
L.A.'s Bureau of Sanitation estimates that:
 400 million paper bags and 2.3 billion plastic bags are used each year in the city,
 21% (84 million) of paper bags are recycled,
5% (115 million) of plastic bags are recycled.

That leaves a staggering 316 million paper bags and 2.1 billion plastic bags going into landfills or worse, the ocean. And that is only Los Angeles.
But happily that will soon change and pictures like the one above will start to become a thing of the past.

 (above photo: Last stop in Los Angeles for plastics before hitting the beach and ocean. They will be heading to the landfill.)
  

MEET DOMINIQUE SMITH, ACTING EDITOR IN CHIEF: ITS IN THE BAG

Meet Dominique....

 Did you just begin to sing the song in French made popular by the Singing Nun? That's okay, it happens often. Dominique is a Southern California native who works for the U.S. Green Building Council. This means she spends a good amount of time looking at sustainability through the lens of architecture and design. She also has a 'growing' interest in sustainable food and agriculture. She joined the blog team in hopes that we all can come together to create one incredibly tasty, local, sustainable, beautiful life.
Likes: discovering new small-batch artisan coffees, authors whose books you can't put down, and lipstick that stays on through all of these adventures.
Dislikes: Green labels that don't really mean anything.

 A Note: She also has a great sense of humor, which we think is an essential quality in a good (our) editor.



It's In The Bag/ Dominique's choice




 Ever get the urge to pinch the person in front of you in line at the grocery store for paying 10 cents for a paper bag? Ever want to pinch yourself for leaving your reusable bag in the car again? I have to think that you save about $25 per year by bringing your own bag.
 Waste Management donated these bags and I have handed out hundreds of them at various events. I must admit I've kept several for myself as well. So this is the my reusable bag, the one I am currently using.

Pros: Large, sturdy, numerous and..FREE
Cons: You have to remember to keep them in your car since they do not fold to fit in your bag, they are not the most attractive

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

On A Mission, But Not To Mars

While the MSL's rover, Curiosity, is determining whether life could have existed on Mars, A Sustainable Kitchen is working on ways to sustain life on Earth. 
Both are fascinating and important projects. 
Both require imagination, collaboration, and innovation. 
At ASK, you don't have to be a rocket scientist to make an impact.
The mission of our blog is to connect people globally and inspire action locally. Our goal is to create dialogue surrounding important issues in sustainability. This blog is a place for architects, farmers, chefs, community groups, schools, and anyone with an interest in sustainability to meet for collaborative, accessible, holistic, and necessary conversation.

Curiosity marks our seventh Mars landing. Let's see if we can sustain seven more generations on Earth. Let's spark our imaginations, get inspired, and share what we learn along the way. Bring your questions, thoughts, and creativity with you as we set off on this sustainable adventure. Pull up a chair to A Sustainable Kitchen's blog and join us in "bringing good ideas to the table".



And Now A Word....

From Our Founder, Annette Eason.
 Whenever we do an event, someone always asks, "So where is your kitchen?" We always explain it's not that kind of a kitchen, it's not an actual place. It's more of an idea, a metaphor. But we are a place, really many places, a school, a business, the internet, a neighborhood, a kitchen table, any place people come together to learn, share and discuss sustainable strategies. Whether it's what we build, what we eat, how we use resources or how we deal with what we already have, it's all about creating solutions on a community level and sharing what we've learned. 
 When we started two years ago, we could not imagine we would be where we are today. For us it was all an experiment. We wanted to see what we could do with only volunteers, very little, well really no money, and a lot of ideas. We made mistakes, learned a lot and met  so many great people. Now we want to share what we have learned and introduce you to the people we have met. If we can do it, so can you and probably way better.
 More than anything, we want you to take what you find and learn here and use it and, most importantly, share it. Not just what you find here, but share what you have already learned, sustainable strategies you have tried, and people you have met.

So welcome to the table. We are so pleased that you found us.

What Is Sustainability?

All things sustainable are 'green', but are all things 'green' sustainable? Well, the answer is: not so much. In fact, after today you won't see the terms 'green' (unless referring to the actual color), 'earth-friendly', or 'eco-friendly' here on the blog. Why? Greenwashing. Over the past few years the media and advertisers have misused and abused these terms to the point that they have lost their original meaning.

We need a term with an expanded and encompassing definition, one that is understandable and can be widely accepted as the standard by professionals and advocates. That term is sustainability. We hope to protect it from the inevitable attempts to also 'greenwash' it by helping everyone understand its definition.

So What Is Sustainability? Sometimes called the three 'E's', this is what sustainability means to us:

Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations.

Environment
To protect the environment, minimizing the use of non-renewable resources, and using renewable resources at a rate that can be maintained.

Economy
Developing an economy that is vital and dynamic, and integrated with environmental goals.

Equity/ Social Benefit
Ensure that while achieving environmental and economic goals, all aspects of society are benefited, and no aspects of society are harmed.

That is it. Simple and elegant. But not always easily achieved. We are, if nothing else, practical and pragmatic and look at this as a guiding force and goal. It is a tool to help you access a level of sustainability.

WHEN YOU HAVE A TINY BUDGET.. GET CREATIVE

From Fundacion Oro Verde in Puerto Rico

Setting the Table


You can look forward to a note from us in your Inbox every Tuesday & Thursday (and sometime a bonus on Friday if you ask nicely). It could be an interview with one of our favorite architects, it could be an invitation to taste the work of a favorite local chef, it could be a review of a farmer's market with a recipe to try at home. We promise it will be thought-provoking, satisfying, and fun. We've got a seat for you at the table, pull up a chair and subscribe to join the conversation.