Being Gentle on the Earth

Aprill 22 is Earth Day.  That would be today.  It almost passed me by.

I did partake in one Earth Day activity: the Origins face wash exchange where I went into an Origins store, traded in an empty face wash bottle and in return, got a full-sized Checks and Balances frothy face wash for free.  Being "green" does have its perks, especially on Earth Day.

I wouldn't consider myself to be a "green" goddess, but I do try to be gentle on the earth and it's quite easy.  Here are five simple things that you can do as well:

1. Use a recycled aluminum water bottle, such as a SIGG (I like their fun designs). Plastic water bottles are horrible for the environment and are contributing to the notion that water is a commodity. Water is free. Everyone should have access to it.  If we continue paying for it, companies will continue to sell it and only those who can afford it will be able to get it.  A downward spiral, if you ask me.
2. Use power strips for your electronics and shut them off when you leave the house. This has saved me mucho dinero on my electric bill.
3. Recycle. Paper, plastic and metal. All the cool kids are doing it.
4. Reuse. I have a cabinet full of takeout containers that I use as Tupperware.  Plastic is horrible for the earth. Did I say that already?
5. Reduce. Quit buying stuff. Or if you're going to buy stuff, give something away to someone who needs it. Or re-sell it at PPF Consignment (my sister's store). And when you do buy stuff, bring your own bag with you.

One of my favorite "green" activities is my farm-share, otherwise known as a CSA or Community Supported Agriculture.  What is a farm-share?  Well, it's quite different from a timeshare or a Hamptons share, although it does take place over the summer.  A farm-share a community that financially supports a local farmer and in return, CSA members receive a share of the crops that are harvested from the farm.  My CSA has a membership option for people who use food stamps.  I really, really value the notion that fresh, organic produce should be affordable/accessible and am happy to be subsidizing the membership cost for lower-income folks.  Goodness knows that Hampton summer shares are not built this way!

In my CSA, the farmer's name is Zaid and he owns Norwich Meadows Farm in Norwich, NY.  From June through November, Zaid and his team harvest crops for the CSA as well as local NYC Greenmarkets, like the one in Union Square.  Each week, Zaid delivers a portion of those crops to my CSA pickup location.  So, during harvest season, I get a weekly share of fresh, organic veggies from the farm.  I stop in at the location, pick my own vegetables, weigh them and bring them home with me. Cucumbers, kale, tomatoes, squash, onions, potatoes, carrots, fava beans... It's like a weekly culinary adventure because I never know exactly what I'm going to get.  Sort of like ChatRoulette with produce.  Horrible joke.

Being a part of the farm-share has allowed me to experiment with new recipes and familiarize myself with vegetables I have never heard of (like purslane) and would never have the courage to cook on my own.  A few years ago, I was extremely intimidated by eggplant and now I can pan-fry it like a pro.  In the coming months, you will be seeing many of my farm-share goods featured in future recipes.  Yum!

Please allow me to step onto my soapbox for a moment, I will be quick. CSAs are good for the earth and for you because it reduces your carbon footprint in many ways: local vegetables don't need to travel as far to make it to your dinner plate, organic farming reduces the amount of harmful chemicals in the atmosphere and because you're picking up the veggies from a central distribution point, there is no need for storing or warehousing inventory.  Most importantly, the nutritional value of the produce is much higher because the crops you receive are seasonal and literally, fresh from the farm. Okay, I'm done. If you'd like to learn more about CSAs in the NYC area, please visit JustFood.org

Happy Earth Day everyone!  We all share this space.  Let's be good to it and let's be good to each other.