Do you recognize this Acadamy Award nominated actor, aka Captain Planet? Comment to answer today’s trivia question.
Archive for July, 2011
26 Jul
The Georgia Aquarium thanks Betty White for being a “friend”
Anyone who knows me well knows that the Golden Girls is by far still my favorite television show. So this article was a no-brainer for today’s feature. The Georgia Aquarium has named its new dolphin mascot “Betty” after Betty White. A lifelong animal lover and conservationist this honor was not bestowed upon White without justification. For example, White was so moved by a visit to the Aquarium in 2010 that she dedicated a chapter in her book to the visit.
She believes that “Places like [the aquarium] are sending such a wonderful message. I always get a little discouraged when people say about zoos and aquariums, ‘They shouldn’t take animals out of their natural environment.’ But what have we done to their natural environment? It doesn’t exist anymore. The people have taken over. But a facility like this, they’re sending a message – appreciate the wildlife.”
Go Betty, thank you for being a friend (to the animals)!!!!!
Source: Ecorazzi
Photo: Zoo and Aquarium Visitor
18 Jul
Package Free Groceries
This is not my typical Meatless Monday post…but interesting nevertheless. There is a package free grocery store opening inAustin,TX. in.gredients encourages shoppers to bring their own containers but have compostable and recyclable containers on hand as well.
How it Works:
What they Offer:
- Produce
- Organic grains (rice, beans, oats, cereals, and the like)
- Spices (enough to fill your spice cabinet)
- Loose leaf tea and coffee beans
- Dried fruits and nuts
- Natural baking ingredients (flours, sugars, yeast, etc)
- Oils (olive, vinegar, and so forth)
- Dairy (milk, yogurt, eggs, cheese)
- Local beer and wine (bring your clean and empty growlers and wine bottles)
- Household items (cleaners, toiletries, etc)
All of these items will be one of the following:
- Package-free
- Package-light (recyclable packaging that’s required to ensure food safety)
and either:
- Locally grown (as in, it came out of Central Texas dirt)
- Locally sourced (coffee beans, for example, aren’t grown here – but can be “sourced” from a local roaster)
and will be:
- Organic
- All-natural (when organic is unavailable)
FAQ’s
Will deli/premade food available?
Yes, prepared foods will be available. In some cases, depending on the type of food and the means required to keep it safe, this food will be sold in either compostable, highly reusable, and/or recyclable packaging.
How do you plan to prevent cross-contamination from not-so-well-washed reuseable containers?
We’ll follow best practices and guidelines for distributing bulk foods. We’ll do everything we can and take extra steps to help minimize the risk of contamination in our store – including washing our scoopers/tongs multiple times every day and educate our customers on container safety. However, while our efforts will ensure a clean, healthy environment inside the store, we can’t guarantee flawless protection – no bulk store can.
Smaller bins and more frequent re-stocking will help minimize waste in the event a bin is deemed “contaminated.” Contaminated food will be composted and eventually sold as a compost.
How will I keep track of what my containers weigh?
The first time you bring a container into the store, we’ll weigh it while it’s empty and put a permanent (and aesthetically unintrusive) mark on it indicating its tare weight. From that point forward, we’ll always be able to calculate empty weight – filled weight to determine item cost.
How will local vendors who traditionally prepackage their products be able to sell at your store?
We’ll generally avoid pre-packaged items – while some are recyclable, our goal is to reduce the energy consumed by both landfilling and recycling and prioritizing “reuse.” However, there are some items that require minimal packaging for food safety purposes, and some for other practical means. In these cases, we’ll ensure the minimal packaging is either compostable, highly reusable, and/or recyclable.
Are you really package-free?
In short, yes. “Package-free” is a buzzword in the world of sustainable food, so it carries some ambiguity. The vast majority of the items in.gredients offers are package-free , although some items may require packaging to meet food safety requirements. Fill your containers with food or use the compostable containers we offer inside.
Will you carry toothpaste?
Yes. Toothpaste can be stored in a container that dispenses it with a small pump. We hope to carry it in the future – as well as other toiletries/household cleaners.
What if I don’t want to bring my own containers to the store?
No worries. You can use the compostable containers we offer inside to fill with food. We promote the reuse of containers to reduce waste; that’s why we encourage our customers to bring their own containers. A little planning or carrying of a precycle set in the car goes a long way to promoting sustainability.
What do you think of this concept? Sounds great but do you think it will catch on?
Source: Enviromom.com ; ingredients
15 Jul
More Trivia
I had a lot of fun reading the answers to last week’s trivia question….lets try it again.
What common social ritual produces 63 tons of CO2 and 400-600 pounds of trash?
This is an extremely popular happening, as a matter of fact if you’re reading this article I can almost bet you have been involved in this event…if not the main attraction. Comment on this post to submit your answers.
11 Jul
Meatless Monday
You know that I love infographics, for some reason seeing the information in a visual format makes it easier for me to understand. This infographic from VeganCooking.com give some interesting stats on vegans. As for any info I receive from the internet I take it with “a grain of salt” but it’s always a good way to spark conversations!
So what do you think about the info presented here? Do you think the risk of death by heart attack is that much greater for meat eaters than vegetarians or vegans? Tell me what you think.
8 Jul
Music Trivia
As a teacher I liked to give my students assignments that made them think outside the box and related to their everyday lives. One of my most popular assignments was to have the students make a CD of songs with environmental lyrics or themes. I was always surprised at the variety of songs that they submitted.
Let’s test your knowledge of pop culture. What song contains the lyrics “they paved paradise to put up a parking lot”? Who’s the artist? Comment on the post to submit your answers.
Photo: Transparent Productions
