Fun on the Farm

A free outdoor festival in North Branford features hayrides, a tractor pull, and great food

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Yes, You Can Recycle That!

Smart resources for reducing trash at home

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The Grass is Always Greener

How to care for your lawn organically

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Oil Slick

courtney dumais

The recent oilrig explosion and leak in the Gulf of Mexico has left ocean lovers and environmentalists alike simply heartbroken. But more than that, it raises the questions of ecological impact, responsibility, as well as the reconsideration of plans to expand offshore drilling. On April 29th, nine days after the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded and caught fire, the Obama Administration deemed the explosion and subsequent oil leak an event of “national significance.” The explosion claimed the lives of 11 workers and The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimates that about 200,000 gallons (5,000 barrels) of oil are leaking into the Gulf per day. Windy conditions...

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CSA's: Get ‘Em While They’re Hot!

by Eileen Weber

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An Earth Day Lecture from RFK, Jr

by Eileen Weber

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A Mild March

Was last month warm or was it just me?

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Pink Paradise Put Up a Parking Lot

By Courtney Dumais

Just two weeks ago, I wrote with pride and enthusiasm when sharing Fairfield University’s efforts to reduce its’ carbon footprint. Today, however, I write with sadness—even a sense of embarrassment—as I return to a less-green campus. While student were away for Spring Break, the University moved forward on new construction plans, commencing with the expansion of a parking lot and the subsequent slaying of trees.

The plans include the construction of two new dormitory buildings and the renovations of two older buildings. Together, the projects will cost $60 million and will result in the addition of 232 more beds on campus. The large-scale plan, announced to students on December 15th in the form of an e-mail, will...

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The Plastiki

An unconventional ship sets sail

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Food Miles

by Courtney Dumais

Today, the agricultural industry looks nothing like it did fifty or one hundred years ago. The changes that have taken place have revolutionized farming and have transformed it into a scientifically manipulated, outsourced process. According to Lester Brown’s Plan B 3.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization, the world’s grain harvest has increased from 630 million tons in 1950 to 2 billion tons in 2008, with the help of science and a growing application of chemical fertilizers.

While each advancement made since the industrial age seems justified in attempting to address growing populations and increasing demands, consequences of the current system are evident in the environment and in human health. If valid, why have...

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Soft drinks: Not so soft on your health

by Simon Pipek

It is kind of old news. Soft drinks are bad for you. The sugary beverages you and your family drink are empty calories used to satisfy your thirst. Paradoxically, the syrupy liquids don’t actually quench your thirst. They merely make you long for more.

While consuming soft drinks in moderation isn’t necessarily harmful, Americans drink 50 gallons of soda per year. That’s not moderation. Personally, I do not drink any soda at all and I am sure I am not the only one. But for others, soda is all they drink. They consume double or triple the amount of the average consumer, which makes them addicted to sugar and prone to obesity and and diseases like diabetes and heart disease as well as severe joint problems. For children, this...

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Farming: The Ultimate Green Job

“You have to leave the land better than when you found it,” said Fred Monahan, who runs Stone Gardens Farm in Shelton with his wife Stacia. The couple sustainably grow vegetables using an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) system. They raise cows and chickens. They compost and use their animal manure to enrich the soil. The land, originally a dairy farm until the mid 1990s, evolved to become the thriving farm it is now. “The economic downturn hasn’t affected us,” said Monahan.

But that’s not the case for a lot of farmers in Connecticut, particularly in the dairy industry. When a gallon of milk costs nearly twice to produce than its revenue, dairy farmers have been tightening their belts. And in some cases, they can’t tighten them enough....

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Drop the Bottle

By Courtney Dumais

We grab one for the road, on the way to the gym, or simply to quench our thirst. It's a luxury many of us take for granted. But this little culprit is really just a wolf in sheep's clothing: The single-use plastic bottle. It may be convenient, but it's an environmental nightmare.

Though some eco-friends have switched from the plastic bottle to a reusable bottle, many are guilty of succumbing to the ease of purchasing a bottle of water or a case from the supermarket. Many ask, so what? What could possibly be so terrible about a nice cold bottle of water? Well I've outlined a few reasons to drop the bottle.

The production, transportation and disposal of plastic water bottle containers creates a surprising amount of environmental...

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Green Wherever You Go

Last week, my husband and I flew down to

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Fruit At Your Fingertips

It’s hard to think about picking fresh fruit...

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Tremendous Turkeys from Whole Foods

I caught a cooking show that nearly stopped my heart: Paul Prudhomme, famed chef from New Orleans, deep fat-frying a turkey. After injecting butter-laden gravy under the bird’s skin with a cooking needle “to marinate it from the inside”, he dunked the carcass in a vat of boiling oil. I had a small myocardial infarction just watching it.

But why not deep-fry it? Who wants a dry turkey anyway?

That’s why Whole Foods Market in Westport held a turkey tasting event last Friday. With so many options to choose from, here was an opportunity for consumers to find the turkey they liked best. As an added bonus, Analiese Paik, founder of

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Don't Miss Terra Verde

Taking place in Branford on October 3.

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Sound Plate Program Raided

Sound plate program raided

Smart Choices: A Pig with Lipstick

Recently, some of the major food manufacturers launched a new label for food called “Smart Choices.”

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The Dandelion

Unlikely Gastronomy from the Suburban Jungle

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Giant garbage patch in the Pacific Ocean

Researchers are analyzing possible negative effects on marine life.

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Ready or NOT!

I'll be the first to admit that I'm extreme when it comes to what I feed my kids

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Camouflage Green: The Unknown Gardener

I like to think of myself as someone who doesn’t miss much. Not about everything, mind you, but specifically around food related issues.

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Is Your Food FRESH?

A friend of mine bought into a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) this summer. But this week, she was going to be on vacation and wondered if I would like to take her share. Sure, why not? I had thought about buying into a CSA. But, I reconsidered. I thought my family wouldn’t eat that much food. What’s the point of fresh food if it goes to waste?

But I stopped off at the CSA this week and picked up beets, baby carrots, leeks, peaches, nectarines, yellow squash, zucchini, and red eggplants. A vegetarian feast! I used the eggplant and squashes in a ratatouille. (Delish.) I will make soup with the leeks. (Yum.) The nectarines I will grill and serve with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of local honey. (There is no expletive to suitably describe this one.)

With all that luscious organically grown food, the word “fresh” comes to mind. That’s exactly the kind of eating we should be doing, at least according to Ana Sofia Joanes. She is the producer and director of FRESH: New Thinking About What We’re Eating. Originally opening on May, the film debuted in Southport Wednesday night at the Pequot Library.

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Backyard Chickens

Some say it’s because of the recession. Others say it’s an increased interest in organic food. Others look at it as a way to help the environment. Either way, there are a growing number of homeowners that have a backyard chicken coop.

For chicken enthusiasts, these birds are not just dinner. They say they make great pets and their waste can be used as fertilizer for any vegetable garden. Kind of like killing two birds with one stone, so to speak.

According to an article dated July 15th in The Wall Street Journal, homeowners are increasingly turning to raising chickens as a way to economically benefit from the free eggs. But those opposed to backyard coops say it draws unwanted pests like raccoons and coyotes. Barbara Palermo, a chicken owner and resident of Salem, Ore., said that in her opinion the pros outweigh the cons. "In 24 hours, it will be an egg and fertilizer," she said.

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Trash the Trash Bags?

Longfellow once quipped in a poem that into every life a little rain must fall. So it is, I feel, with plastic. Like everyone else who flexes their Reduce-Reuse-Recycle muscles, I do what I can to rid my life of the offending polymer.

But there’s one plastic item that’s tough to let go of: Trash bags. I use a lot of them. I have three kids and three dogs, two of which are puppies and make a big mess. (If anyone knows where I can find a biodegradable doggie diaper, let me know.)

My answer to the trash bag dilemma has been to purchase the post-consumer eco-friendly kind. I know that at least I’m using repurposed material. But there are two big problems I have with them: cost and performance.

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Green Cooking: A Delicious Double Entendre

This will be the first calendar year of my adult life where I didn’t work full time in professional cooking and it feels a bit strange. And while I don’t miss it that much, I think the saying starts ‘you can take a cook out of the kitchen….’

Over the last couple of weeks I’ve discovered that the skills that were once assets in making good food can double in living a Green lifestyle. If the idea of the Green chef is hard to imagine, it shouldn’t be. No matter the style of restaurant, the rudimentary job description of a chef is pretty much the same everywhere: serve stellar (…or amazing, immaculate, extraordinary) food that looks good, tastes good, and makes the restaurant money. Home cooks can think about it as making as much good food as possible for the least possible money. Even if you don’t believe there are Green chefs, this idea should sound familiar.

To be successful in professional kitchens, you have to monitor what doesn’t get used as much as what does. Beginners in the culinary world will miss the hidden creative and financial potentials of uneven vegetable cuttings and leftover fish portions and assume them to be garbage. Put those same items in front of a veteran cook and in a short time—together with bacon, potatoes, water, herbs, sea salt and a few liters of cream—you might have a traditional Cape Cod Chowder for patrons over the next few nights. Soup is known to be better the day after it is made, and keeps for almost a week in the fridge!

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Cleaner Air? Plant A Tree

A few weeks ago, we had a large maple tree taken down in our backyard. It was diseased and leaned a bit too precariously toward my neighbor’s roof line. Without it, our lawn, which is about the size of a snow shoe, does look a little bigger. And certainly, we have more sun. But I must admit, I miss it. I also have a twinge of guilt about removing a tree.

It’s a well-known fact that trees help keep our air clean. They absorb carbon dioxide and contaminants in the air. They emit clean oxygen for us to breathe. They shade us and keep us cool.

These strong points are not lost on many environmental groups who wish to plant more trees worldwide. The United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) launched their Billion Tree Campaign in which they hope to plant seven billion trees by the end of this year. They are well on their way so far with over four billion already planted.

According to a press release from the UNEP, groups around the world have committed themselves to planting more trees. The Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture planted 687 million trees last year. In Turkey, government and non-governmental organizations as well as a number of civilians planted over 300 million trees in 2008.

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Green Screen

I love summer. As a kid, I remember those hot, humid days. My friends and I would head for the beach, lay out and compete with each other for that Savage tan! Remember that tin foil looking thing people put under their chins to get better rays?

Now, I slather myself and my family in 14 layers of sunscreen, long sleeves and a big hat. Short of wearing a HazMat suit and beekeeper’s headgear, we’re totally covered. Who cares if we sweat profusely? At least we won’t get skin cancer.

That, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is precisely the point. On their web site, Andrew C. von Eschenbach, M.D., Commissioner of Food and Drugs for the FDA says, "For more than 30 years, consumers have been able to identify the level of UVB protection provided by sunscreens using only sunburn protection factor or SPF values." The FDA is hoping to upgrade the sunscreen labeling into a 4-star system. With this proposal, "Consumers will also now know the level of UVA protection in sunscreens, which will help them make informed decisions about protecting themselves and their children against the harmful effects of the sun."

The American Cancer Society will be the first ones to tell you that skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma) is the most common of all cancers. According to that organization, skin cancer accounts for nearly half of all cancers in the United States. More than 1 million cases of non-melanoma skin cancer are found in this country each year. This year, they estimate that nearly 70,000 new melanomas will be diagnosed in the United States alone.

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Green Gas

Biofuel For every car ride, bus trip, or vacation par avion, we expel greenhouse gases from fossil fuels into the air. We are heavily dependent on foreign oil. We still use coal as a source of power. We have irreparably changed our climate as a result.

But according to a Washington Post article dated October 20, 2008, there are some companies that are trying to make a difference. Alternative fuels such as ethanol derived from corn or diesel derived from algae are taking center stage.

But fuels based on crops like corn have their own environmental price tag. The farming process of those “macro-crops” uses fossil fuels to get the job done.

Companies like Florida-based PetroAlgae are working hard to find a sustainable solution to the problem. They produce “micro-crops” of algae that are broken down into a fuel source and a protein base. The product can be used to fire up a 747 or it can be extracted as a protein filler for animal feed. And who knows? Rich in amino acids, you may find these protein isolates in your next strawberry smoothie some day.

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Green Underpants

Sometimes silly ideas pop into my head and I feel a great urge to pursue them. I’ve written about organic wine and farmers’ markets. I have toyed with climate change and water pollution. Now for a truly gripping topic: eco-friendly underpants.

While I can’t say that I spend countless hours contemplating the fabric on my bum, it turns out other people have. There are plenty of options out there for those seeking a little green on their posterior. With fabrics made from corn, soy, hemp, bamboo and recycled plastic bottles, there’s something for everyone.

And that’s particularly true for men’s briefs and boxers. A New York Times article dated April 27, 2006 stated, “Many men will recognize their underwear as the most environmentally friendly piece of clothing they own, given their proclivity, as Jerry Seinfeld once noted, to wear it until it disintegrates.”

Clearly, the trend to go green has been gaining momentum in a range of areas, not least of all clothing. A number of online shops sell organic cotton apparel. But lately, the biggest craze has been with fabrics made from bamboo. A sustainable crop, bamboo is a sturdy and reliable material.

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Green in Any Color

I thought I should start my first article by defining “green.” The official definition is a: relating to or being an environmentalist political movement b: concerned with or supporting environmentalism c: tending to preserve environmental quality (as by being recyclable, biodegradable, or nonpolluting.

Pretty much what I thought, but I was excited to learn that there was a more than a touch of grey to the whole concept (note “c” above). In other words, there’s not just one definition of what’s “green” or not. This is what really gets me excited about food and food culture--especially here in the Farmington River Valley--is that there are so many variations of it. So it’s this many-flavored point of view that I bring to this blog and my own take on what’s “green” in my neck of the Connecticut woods.

Consider what I know of off the top of my head: There are no fewer than five fantastic farms (some to be discussed in future posts) within 10 miles from my place, not to mention a ferocious Farmers’ Market culture from Norfolk to Southbury that has just kicked off the summer season. Add in countless community events, restaurants, and my neighbors’ gardens…well, suffice it to say there is no shortage of gustatory glam to share with you. Weirdly enough, however, I found my first inspiration of the season in my P.O. Box: A bright pink postcard announcing the 58th Annual Strawberry Festival at the North Canton Community United Methodist Church. Since I love strawberries (eating some right now, as a matter of fact) and they mentioned homemade biscuits, I decided to check it out.

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Hungry for Change

After six long years of work, award-winning filmmaker Robert Kenner has released his film “Food, Inc”., an expose of the ugly underbelly of our nation's food system. Prepare to be shocked, disgusted, and jolted into reality. The film’s ads promise that “You’ll never look at dinner the same way.”

Food policy advocate and movie co-producer Eric Schlosser (remember “Fast Food Nation”?) along with food advocate and author Michael Pollan, best known for his books including “The Omnivore's Dilemma” and “In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto”, are the movie's stars alongside the entrepreneurs and farmers that make up our food system.

Robert Kenner and Michael Pollan were interviewed on NPR and the short but information-packed interview summarizes the movies main points including the dangers of factory farming, the hidden costs of cheap food and how the two relate to our national health care crisis. I was shocked to hear Michael Pollan say that 90 percent of Americans want food labeling to include genetically modified ingredients, yet Monsanto has successfully lobbied Congress and the government against it. Ninety percent of us! How can we make informed purchases if we don’t know what’s in our food? The movie insists they don’t want us to know.

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Reality Check

I started this blog two years ago when I was gripped by fear--the paralyzing sort that came as a result of being shaken awake by numbers spiking off charts in Al Gore's documentary.

It was as if a bucket of ice cold water was splashed in my face, and I felt in my bones that every day I was selling my children a lie. A lie that our society can be run on fossil fuel indefinitely and without negative impact. A lie that they will always have clean water to drink and enough to spray on their children on hot summer days. A lie that the mattress and pillow they sleep on at night is safe to breathe. A lie that the food on the super market shelves is healthy and safe to eat.

All lies.

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No More Waste. Period.

A friend of mine sent me a link for a product that was reviewed on IdealBite.com. It was a menstrual cup, a device meant to be 100% leak-proof during a woman’s period. While admittedly I felt a little squeamish, I was also intrigued.

With a list of reusable menstrual cups like DivaCup, MoonCup, MiaCup, Lunette, and The Keeper, there are plenty of options on the market. Using one of these cups stops the waste of tampons, pads, and liners from ending up in landfills. Many of the products we have grown up using don’t break down, especially those products that include a plastic backing.

For quite some time, tampons have been associated with toxic chemicals. Tampons have also been directly linked to Toxic Shock Syndrome, an illness caused by a bacterial infection from the use of hyper-absorbent tampons for an extended period of time. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, a sunburn-like rash, fever, dizziness and possible fainting from a drop in blood pressure.

According to some estimates, the average woman in her lifetime can use enough feminine hygiene products to fill a dump truck. And that’s just one woman. Think of the millions of other women who are doing the same thing every month. Millions of non-biodegradable feminine products are thrown out in the garbage or flushed down the toilet causing residual plumbing problems. Suddenly a silly concept becomes an important environmental statement.

Based on the comments Ideal Bite received, there’s not a single woman who has used the product that gives it a negative review. Some have said it takes a few times to get used to it. But once you get the hang of it, it’s simple, easy, and leak-proof. What more could you want?

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Book Swap

If you’re like me, you have enough books on your bookshelf to choke a horse. Occasionally, I’ll sift through them and take some of them to the library. But for the most part, I stock my bookcases with the books I buy. They just sit there, staring at me like lonely children waiting to play a game.

But there is hope for the pack rat that lurks in all of us. With web sites like Biblio.com, BetterWorldBooks.com, and PaperBackSwap.com, your used books won’t go to waste. They recycle old textbooks, paperbacks, and in some cases, CDs and DVDs. You got it? They want it.

Biblio.com, a company based in Asheville, North Carolina, purchases used, rare, and out-of-print books to sell online. They have been in business since 2003 and recently launched their U.K. version earlier this year. With a range of topics, you can get art and architecture to poetry to science to religion to health and fitness, and everything in between.

It’s a great site to go to if you belong to a bookgroup or, even better, if you’re a student living on a shoestring budget. Just a cursory look for a classic like Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter gave a long list of copies available for only $1. For a starving college kid living off Mac and Cheese and Ramen noodles, that leaves enough cash in your pocket for beer.

Even better, Biblio announced in 2007 that it would reduce the carbon emissions in their shipping process to become carbon neutral. “While we view carbon offsets as a part of an overall strategy to ensure that our business does not harm the environment and the climate,” says Biblio.com CEO Brendan Sherar in a company press release dated October 8, 2007, “we also recognize that reducing our carbon footprint is far more important than offsetting.”

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Climate Change: Picturing The Science

Kudzu. Native to Japan and southeast China, it’s the “plant that ate the south” in the lower half of the United States. But what if you saw a picture of that very same kudzu flourishing, say, somewhere on Long Island? Then that’s a product of global warming.

Last night at the Westport Public Library, David Downie, Professor of Environmental Studies at Fairfield University, hosted a lecture featuring Gavin Schmidt and Joshua Wolfe, co-authors of Climate Change: Picturing the Science. Schmidt is a climatologist for the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and Wolfe is a freelance photojournalist.

Together, they portrayed the visible effects of environmental damage specifically as a result of greenhouse gases. Drought. Fires. Severe storms. Shrinking glaciers and a rising water table. A dried up Lake Chad and a drying out Colorado River. Scary scenes of what has already taken place and what we already cannot change.

“The science debate should be over,” said Downie of whether or not to believe that there is global warming. “This is now down to political will. This is about policy change.”

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French Wine: Might Be Red or White, But Is It Green?

Outside La Ravenne 19.a My family and I just returned from a long-awaited two-week vacation in France. A few lovely days in Paris bookending a stay at a country house in the middle of the Champagne region was just what the doctor ordered. The house was surrounded by vineyards consisting of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay grapes. What could be more bucolic than the pure essence of “green” Europe?

That is, until I saw the pesticide spraying. They sprayed the fields using farming equipment reminiscent of Transformers, the alien robot toys manufactured by Hasbro. The U.S. may have Extreme Sports. But France, apparently, has Extreme Farming.

These tractors have wheels large enough that, if placed on their side, would seat a party of 12 comfortably for dinner. Add to that a tall compartment where the driver sits and these “arms” that fold up like stork wings when not in use. (These contraptions provide some extra fun when passing them on winding, hairpin turns. Just so you know, a few well-placed hand gestures can transcend any language barriers.)

But it isn’t just the tractors. One balmy evening, my family and I sat outside to eat dinner on the stone patio adjacent to the open kitchen. It was exactly what I had come to the French countryside for: a light, soft breeze, the dimming rays of sunlight, mussels in white wine sauce, a mesclun salad in a light vinaigrette with a crusty baguette and a bottle of bubbly to wash it all down.

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Stamford Man Launches 5milliongreenjobs.com

Anyone want one? If yes, in what sector? Which fields interest you most? Will you look for green jobs in the areas that interest you, or those you've identified as best poised to grow?

Will you venture off on your own and start a new eco-conscious business; green up your existing company; or follow the green business trends so you know which large companies to approach in the months to come?

Will you be willing to go to school for additional training or education? Do you know where to look for training and certification programs?

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Green Day for Mom

Pink-sorbonne-lilies-pink-tulips-bouquet So what are you getting your Mom this Sunday? If you’re like most people, you’ll opt for the simple solution: flowers. You can’t go wrong with a few pretty posies on Mother’s Day.

If fresh-cut tulips fit in your plan, why not try organic ones? Organic Bouquet has a nice selection online. They have all the usual suspects from roses to lilies to Gerber daisies. According to their web site, they have “sustainably grown and certified Organic, VeriFlora or FlorVerde” flowers and stand by their commitment to supply their customers with “only the finest eco-friendly flowers fresh from our partner farms.” Mom should be so proud.

If flowers aren’t her thing, don’t despair. Look for fair trade clothing and accessories from The Fair Trade Federation. Plugging in Connecticut, Flavours Of Life popped up with sustainable gifts like their cotton and jute handbag or their tree resin beads and nickel free metal necklace. For something truly different, you may want to get her the finger piano with cymbals. Now that will be a Mother’s Day gift that won’t wilt on the dining room table!

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If Traffic Is The Problem, Is Bike-Sharing The Answer?

Could a bike-sharing program be in the works for the Hartford area? If you’re John Zito from The Green Vibration, then the answer may be yes. Zito and his wife, among other green business ventures, are hoping to start a bike-sharing program in the city’s center. There’s one teeny-weeny problem: there aren’t enough bike racks.

“This has been a little more of an investment than we thought,” said Zito of the program. With only a handful of bikes all in varying levels of repair, “We’re on a shoe-string budget.”

While Zito has an idea and a dream, there are few other details that need to be worked out before his program gets up and running. For one, he will need the full support of the City of Hartford.

According to Tim Ericson, Co-Founder of CityRyde, a bike sharing consultant firm in Philadelphia, Zito’s task will be a lot easier said than done. “Things like this can move quickly if you have the full support of the city,” he said. “It’s possible to have it up and running in six months. But more likely, it takes at least a year.”

But that hasn’t stopped other cities around the country from starting their own programs. Washington, D.C. and Seattle are two cities in particular whose programs are thriving. “I’ve used the ones in Seattle,” said Brian LaVoie, Manager of the Streets and Traffic for the City of West Hartford. “I think bike-sharing is great. If I could bike to work, I would. But, I live about 25 miles away.”

Even college campuses have been getting into the act. The University of New England, Emory University, and UC Berkeley are just a few of the schools that have successfully tackled the program.

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Is This a Recession or An Opportunity?

There’s great controversy these days about the economy. Is this a recession? Are we on the cusp of another depression? Or are things about to bounce back?

Whether we like it or not, the state of the economy has a direct impact on the environment. When consumers have money to burn, they don’t think about being eco-conscious. But when money is tight, however, suddenly reduce-reuse-recycle sounds like a novel concept.

Last Thursday evening, Robert Costanza, the Gund Professor of Ecological Economics at the University of Vermont and director of the University's Gund Institute for Ecological Economics, gave a lecture at the Aloysius P. Kelley Center at Fairfield University. His main point was illustrating global recession as an opportunity to create a sustainable and desirable future. There are many environmental and economic benefits that healthy ecosystems can provide our society.

“This is an opportunity to reassess where we are,” said Costanza. “This is not just about the immediate past or the immediate future. We need to take a much longer look at civilization for sustainability. We need to understand the past better in order to make things more sustainable in the future.” Costanza quoted Charles Darwin, the 19th century English naturalist best known for his theories on natural selection, when he said, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.”

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The Archenemy: Plastic

I have three kids, two dogs, and whole lot of chaos at my house. My mornings start with getting the kids up, throwing in a load of laundry, making breakfast, feeding the kids, dropping them off at school, and cleaning up the mess when I get home. With any luck, I end my day with enough sanity to germinate for another tomorrow.

While I try to be eco-conscious as much as possible, I think I still throw out too much plastic. Our town only accepts some of the plastics, not all. They take #1 and #2 bottles, but none of the other plastics that litter my countertop. So that means the rest is going into the garbage. It makes me wince every time.

I could lull myself into complacency and tell myself that at least I’m doing something for the environment. Perhaps ignorance really is bliss. But sometimes, it takes a little wake-up call to remind us of what throwing out plastic really means.

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Posted at 12:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Earth Day Rush—and a Personal Wish

As happy as I am to see the "green" wave swell beyond what I could have imagined, I'm equally disappointed by the mad rush to throw together "Earth Day" events because it's THE thing to do. Department stores, shopping malls, furniture outlets and companies who go against Mother Nature all year long--have targeted April 25th as the day to wash away their eco-sins and start anew.

It's as if a light bulb goes off in a late March staff meeting when someone realizes Earth Day is in April and one valiant soul takes it upon him or herself to lead the effort.

If I can be so bold as to make a wish: I hope that Earth Day 2009 brings with it a complete understanding of the depth of our planet's ailments and how they relate to our physical well being, the renewed determination necessary to deeply change our habits, and an unwavering commitment to put Planet first.

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Putting the Green Back into the Economy

The environment is one industry that continues to grow despite what happens on Wall Street. If it’s green, it’s growing.

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Edible School Gardens

We have an epidemic. No, it doesn’t involve an incurable virus or Dustin Hoffman in a Hazmat suit à la Outbreak. However, it does involve kids, their parents, and the schools they attend.

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Posted at 02:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A Local Guide to Green Food

Looking for great places to get organic food? Try the Fairfield Green Food Guide. Founded by marketing whiz and food and wine enthusiast, Analiese Paik, the web site has taken the organic food market by the horns since its inception in January.

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Organic Wines: Part Deux

Eileen antes up for a second time, trying to find an organic wine that's tasty enough to drink.

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New Green Wedding Website and Contest!

After many months of work, I am delighted to announce the launch of the new Green Bride Guide website! It still needs a lot of work, but the main site is up and running.

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Posted at 10:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Organic Wines: Are They Any Good?

A few of my neighborhood buddies gathered at my house this past weekend for a wine tasting. While it’s not unusual for my neighbors to be seen huddling around my kitchen counter for a glass or two, this time the wine was organic.

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Posted at 02:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Casinos Up In Smoke

Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun, should be smoke-free by October 2011. This comes as good news for fans of fresh air. To casino owners, however, it is a death knell to their revenue base in a bad economy.

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Posted at 12:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Need A Ride?

A few months ago, a friend of mine asked me if I wanted to carpool to a meeting we were both attending. I said, “Carpooling. It’s the new 'Driving Alone!'”

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Moving The Green Way

For many who lead a green life to begin with, moving can pose its problems. The average move consists of approximately 20 small boxes, 20 medium boxes, and 5 large boxes.

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Home Green Home

It’s cool to be green. I admit that’s probably stating the obvious. But for people who want to be green with their own homes, it sometimes gets a little tricky to find the right products.

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Posted at 04:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If You Build It Green, They Will Come…

Did you know 18% of overall indoor water use and 37% of just the hot water use comes from household showers? Did you know that unhealthy air is found in 30% of new and renovated buildings?

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Posted at 07:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Have You Heard of Hydroponics?

Hydroponics, from the Greek words meaning “water” and “labor,” is a method of growing plants, mainly fruits and vegetables, without soil.

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The Winner’s Cup Is Green

For the month of January, three towns in Fairfield County are having a little friendly competition to see which one is the most energy conscious.

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Wants vs. Needs: What's the Diff?

About once a year I have to work hard to fight off a hankrin' to make a large purchase. One year it was a new house in the country, last year it was a new Mac and this year, a spankin new Prius.

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Posted at 03:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Bagging It

“Green” bags have become a growing phenomenon, and a not too shabby one at that. I see so many people these days taking the time to bring recycled and reusable bags to the grocery store.

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What’s For Lunch, Mom?

The alarm rings. Another school day. Get up. Feed the dogs. Make the breakfast. Set out the lunchboxes. A few minutes later, my three daughters bound down the stairs in their fuzzy pajamas. Still shaking the sleep from their eyes, I hear, “Mom, can I have hot lunch at school today?”

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Gobble, gobble

Turkey, turkey, turkey. Perfectly browned, positioned on a fancy platter, and ready to eat. Thanksgiving is all about the bird.

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What's in Season CT?

Had any cherries or strawberries lately? Bet they don't taste half as good as they did over the summer.

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CT GreenScene Celebrates One Year!

Join us for our 1-year anniversary event with Tesla at Windermere!

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The Greener Halloween

Don't know what to do with those leftover holiday pumpkins? Learn how to have a Greener Halloween!

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Alternative Energy: Going Native

With the current political campaigns focused on the downturn in the economy, people are tightening their belts. As a result, alternative forms of energy have come to the forefront.

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Is Solar Power the New Electricity?

Consumers are turning to solar power to meet their energy needs.

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Communities Growing the Smart Way

The gaining momentum of green communities.

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Week of September 14 - 20

A lawn mower that not only works automatically, but gives off no carbon emissions.

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Week of September 7 – 13

Sit Back, Relax and Drink Shade Grown Coffee.

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About This Blog

Can't seem to get enough green? Worry no more, for the fate of the planet is surely in good hands with environmentally-conscious blogs like CT Green Scene around. Providing earth-friendly news, ideas and events, CT Green Scene won't disappoint even the most diehard grassroots activist.

Read more at CT GreenScene

Recent Posts

• Fun on the Farm
• Yes, You Can Recycle That!
• The Grass is Always Greener
• Oil Slick
• CSA's: Get ‘Em While They’re Hot!

Archives

• August 2010
• July 2010
• June 2010
• May 2010
• April 2010
• March 2010
• February 2010
• January 2010
• December 2009
• November 2009

Founder

HEATHER BURNS-DEMELO is an environmental activist, journalist and sustainability strategist whose mission is to educate, inspire, and help individuals, government, and businesses to take steps—however small—toward smarter living.

She is the founder of CT GreenScene, where she works to encourage people to integrate practical, sustainable living at home and work. She is also founder of Fairfield County GreenDrinks, monthly social networking meeting for people interested in meeting others who are interested in the environment.

Contributors

EILEEN WEBER has been a freelance writer for the last few years. She has a master's degree in journalism and a professional background in publishing. She has written numerous articles for magazines, newspapers, newsletters and web sites. She lives in Fairfield with her husband, three daughters, two dogs and whole lot of chaos.

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