Adrian was the first star I’ve seen in real life who I actually recognized (besides Phil Collins, but that doesn’t count). Let me take myself back… it started off as a frigid afternoon in Park City, UT during the winter of 2007 Sundance Film Festival and I was in some fancy eco lounge place. All of a sudden things warmed up and I felt a tinging sensation in my toes, so I gracefully looked up in slow motion and there he was. Oh, Adrian. At that juncture of my life I had seen exactly 1/2 of one episode of Entourage, plus I have Prosopagnosia, so it was a big deal that I recognized somebody, even Adrian.

Adrian uses his star power to bring to light how easy it is to be green (contrary to what Kermit the Frog says), now that’s eco-fabulous. Take for example Planet Green’s Alter Eco, THE eco lifestyle and makeover series. Think DIY channel immersed in green…sustainable, LEED, roof sealant made from recycled tires, reclaimed hardwood. Furthermore, Adrian and film producer Peter Glatzer founded SHFT, touted as, “A new media platform offering original video series, curated shopping, and a host of resources that speak to a modern, inspirational, eco-conscious lifestyle.” Yes!

As if Adrian doesn’t already have enough going on, he’s also an outspoken supporter and host of fundraising events for the organization charity:water which brings clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations. Now this is a guy you can bring home to mom, especially if your mom is Rachel Carson or Julia Butterfly Hill.

Who knew being green could be so sexy? Actually we did.

-Heather, the eco-bag girl

Refreshing Watermelon Recipe

The stuff you’ll need:

4 cups of cubed, seeded watermelon

Juice of 1/2 – 1 lime

1/4 cup of chopped fresh mint

*Optional (for some but not for me) Add 1/2 cup of high end organic vodka!

The how to:

Just throw it all together and mix gently in a big bowl, cover and let it sit for an hour or so in the fridge before enjoying. Ahhh!

Hot Watermelon Recipe

The stuff you’ll need:

2 cups cubed, seeded watermelon

2 tablespoons chopped onion

3 tablespoons Anaheim chile, seeded and chopped

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

The how to:

Now head on over to the farmer’s market and pick up an organic, locally grown watermelon. If you have any fun watermelon recipes please reply below and share them with us.

…or what do we mean by it these days? A definition from the World Dictionary is; “A combining form representing ecology in the formation of compounds (ecosystem; ecotype); also with the more general sense “environment,” “nature,” “natural habitat”. Yeah, so? So, what I mean by eco is sustainable, green, environmentally friendly, you know… reduce first and foremost, then reuse, and recycle as a last resort.

I aspire to be one sassy, eco-savvy, walk my talk, not too judgmental, coolio sista!  So I’m going start blogging once per month about my eco-endeavors in hopes of keeping myself on the path and perhaps inspiring someone else along the way…or not. I’ll share one simple thing that can be done each month that I believe will help our fabulous Mother Earth which, in effect, helps us!  Woot-woot, love the win-win sitchies!

OK, so what exactly can be done to become more “eco” without completely and utterly changing our lives in such a way that makes our lives more difficult to live right now, in other words how can we ease into it gracefully? Well, lots. Start by being conscious. If you are going to buy a bottle of water and then throw the empty plastic bottle into the garbage, be conscious of what you’re doing. The next time you might decide to save the bottle until you can recycle it, and the time after that you might remember to bring your own fabulous, reusable water bottle. Yee-haw, now we’re startin’ to live sustainably!

I’m going to suggest options that allow us to reduce- reduce the amount of stuff we use, reduce our carbon footprint, reduce how we might be living our lives in a non sustainable way. So, this month let’s do something fun and easy during the summer months, like ride our bikes! In effect we can reduce the amount we drive our cars. There are options, people…ride a bike, take public transportation, work from home (this is a great excuse to use that new fangled modern technology), walk, skateboard, and fill up all of the seats when you carpool. Think of all you’ll save instead of  paying $3.699 per gallon at the pump, and that’s not even  the real cost of gas. The real cost would be closer to $15.00 per gallon when you factor in costs such as the environmental, climate, health, and security cost of gas coming from Saudi Arabia to our gas tanks in America.

This month I will drive my car 50% less than I have been in the past several months. Last year, when I lived a lot closer to town and my office, I would go weeks without using my car, happily and without thought. Now I need to get myself back in the habit, that’s all. With all of the amazing bike paths in Boulder it’s really more fun and easy to ride than drive. I get to look around and enjoy my commute and with parking factored in it takes about the same amount of time as driving a car. I even bought a bike pannier (hmm, my next English Retreads design?) and a basket so I don’t have any excuses about stopping by the farmers market or grocery store on my way home. Loving it!

What is your goal to become more “eco” this month??

When you’re gonna want it:

• Chow on during a fabulous movie, like Exit Through the Gift Shop.
• Crumble on the yummy popcorn you bought from the farmers market.
• Set out to snack on throughout the day, if you don’t eat it all straight out of the oven.

What you’re gonna need:

• 1 bunch of curly kale
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt to taste
• Other fun flavors like crushed red pepper or Bragg Liquid Aminos or lemon pepper

How it’s done:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Rinse and dry the kale, then remove the stems and tough center ribs. Cut into large pieces, toss with olive oil in a bowl then sprinkle with salt and perhaps one of the other fun flavors. Arrange leaves in a single layer on two large baking sheets. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until crisp. And now would be the time to add some delicious & nutritious brewers yeast, if you’re moved to do so.

What are you waiting for, go eat your cruciferous veggies (and then make sure you check your teeth in a mirror for green stuff)!

For a long time now I’ve had this sense of needing to put my nose to the grindstone and to be (or at least appear to be) busy all the time. I’ve developed quite the case of ADD; at work, home, social situations, even while trying to sleep. Ugh, the damn computer and iPhone, not just mine but everybody’s! There is always something to do. Even if I’m just on my computer, I have five different programs running. And forget about being non ADD online, one thing leads to another to another to another and two minutes later, before I know it, I’m staring at a YouTube video of a bunch of kids singing “Hoppy Birsday” to a cat named Papa who is propped up in a chair like a human, wearing a tie… wait, what was I looking for online?! Humph!

I can’t be content just being, I have to be doing. I do, therefore I am.

Summer is a time for me to slow down and enjoy what is here…now. I’m realizing that I can’t keep working harder and harder so that then, then I can do what I really want to do. I need to slow down and make some space so that I can know what I really want to do right now– yes? Perhaps I’ll realize that with a little more space and relaxation, I’m already doing exactly what I want. Breathe, space, let go, and let whatever happens…happen. Bada bing, bada boom!

And now I think I’ll pull my chair into a nice, shady spot outside, put my feet up, and sip on a cold glass of water infused with some fresh mint and a slice of lemon, ah hell, while I’m at it I’ll throw a few cucumber slices in there. That’s it…nothing more. See ya there.

So just what is the significance of Cinco de Mayo…a great excuse to party, to go on the Thursday Night Cruiser Bike Ride dressed in a sombrero and poncho while finally feeling normal about sporting your Donavon Frankenreiter mustache, or is it to drink yummy margarita? Sure, but why else is this date so important to Americans? I’m not one to spout historical facts (how factual are our history books, really? And my spouting probably leans more in the direction of factitious or even a bit fictitious), but a little curiosity and the convenience of Wikipedia got me excited!

Apparently we might not be the big, huge world super power that we are today had the Mexican army, which was half in size and poorly armed, not defeated the French army, the world’s best at the time, on May 5, 1862 at the Battle of Puebla. Here’s my wikistanding of the sitchy… Napoleon III wanted to break up the American Union so he hatched his evil plan of trying to establish a Latin Empire in Mexico in order to help the Confederates, yikes! But alas, his plan was foiled, yay! Here’s what actually went down; Mexico defeats France at the Battle of Puebla, then a little back and forth between Mexico and France  fighting to rule Mexico with Mexico winning in the end (with a little help from ours truly, the US). Apparently the lack of invasion of the US by France, as well as the lack of help for the Confederates from France allowed the US to build its army and smash the Confederates. Hallelujah..slavery abolished! The end.

Oh, I know, it’s mostly a bunch of “he said”, “he said” at this point. I mean 149 years is a looonnng time ago and I’m pretty sure there’s no one left alive to verify any of this.  At least we now know that Cinco de Mayo is not a celebration of Mexico’s Independence Day, which is September 16th, but that’s a whole other story. Anyway, let’s raise a toast…to being in the know (as far as we know) about why we’re celebrating tonight!

-ms. english, the bag lady

I never thought I’d look forward to my next oil change, but I am. No, really, I am.  I actually felt my heart skip a beat when I gazed up as I was driving down highway 36 and saw… not snow falling in mid April (yawn, happens every year in Colorado), not my fave eco celeb Adrian Grenier gazing at me from his Prius, and not the hot guy I’ve had a crush on for a year– it was the sticker in the corner of my windshield showing me I only have 500 more miles until my next oil change. Yes- soon it will be my lucky day!

Yes please Mr. Carhugger, whisper sweet somethings in my ear…”bio-degradable oil”…”energy intervention & 53 point inspection”…”dual stage oil filter”…uh-huh, “moving parts made slipperier due to biodegradable boron based engine additive”. For a good time call Green Garage- the ”eco-friendly full service auto repair. Gentler on your wallet, easier on the environment.” Duh, finally.

Here are a few eco driving tips Green Garage has to offer:

1. Avoid “jack rabbit” starts: the U.S. EPA estimates that a few seconds of accelerating quickly can use as much gas as driving for several minutes at more steady speeds.

a. This can save you more than $1 per gallon and reduce your CO2 emissions by up to 33%.

[editor's note: while the above reason is really important so is this- nobody likes it when others simulate a jack rabbit. Ever.]

2. Tighten your gas cap: did you know you could lose as much as 80 gallons of gas annually due to gas evaporating into the air??

Spring has sprung (see the tiny green sprout)!

And now I’m researching back yard chicken coops and how to raise hens. I’ve learned that the more comfortable and happy the ladies are, the more eggs they’ll lay. No problem, I love animals and can’t wait to get the hen house all cuted up and comfy cozy so they’ll enjoy their home and bust out a plethora of fresh eggs.

City Girl Farming’s top reasons to raise chickens:

• Fresh eggs!
• Fresh fertilizer!
  
• They’re Organic Bug Killers!
  
• Unlike your children, they never get too big
  
• They’re cheap (no pun intended)
  
• Free entertainment
  

This is the first step of my farmette (I’d like to call it a yokelet but that would mean “requiring but one yoke of oxen to till a small farm.” Alas, I have no yoke and not even one ox). I thought I had made the word farmette up but apparently somebody beat me to it and even added the word to Wikipedia. The entry states, “Farmetters usually rely on their tractor to plow or snow blow their driveways during the winter.” I, on the other hand, will still be using a snow shovel next winter (and let’s be honest, I’ll probably have to break out the shovel again this Spring because thats how the weather rolls in Colorado) but that won’t stop me from making my farmette dreams come true. One raised bed and a lot of chicken coop research under my English Retreads belt, I guess that officially makes me a farmetter. Yee haw!

–Ms. English, The Bag Lady

On Sunday, however, I dodged hail and sleet as I drove to Denver, then wiped snow off my car before driving back home.

It’s the Colorado way.

Luckily, our zero-waste farmers market kicked off its season on Saturday instead of Sunday. I’m in love with the farmers market; I love walking around tasting everything, popping cherry tomatoes in my mouth and lying in the grass while Boulder babies run gleefully around me. And of course, local, organic produce is the way to go. Why?

• No toxins or chemical fertilizers are used
• Less fossil fuels are required for transport
• Soil vitality is maintained
• If produce is picked ripe, it equals better taste and more nutrition
• Supports local farmers

The only cons? Somewhat higher price (but worth it!) and sometimes what we’re looking for isn’t readily available… but more and more of it will be as summer gets closer!

Here are some other awesome farmers markets, hopefully in your area:

Fort Collins/Loveland, Portland; Seattle; San Francisco; Washington, D.C./Maryland

(Posted by Amy Segreti)

“Creativity, like many things, gives back when you use it.” (Molly O’Keefe)

I was in Paris when I met Roberto. He spoke five languages, introduced me to neighborhood markets and bourgeois bars, and attempted to teach me tango (although I was too faint with awe at that point to remember any steps). He was writing a lengthy research paper about impoverished neighborhoods of Paris, and told me that in order to have time to write, he brought his laptop on his hour-long train commute.

“Even if I only get one perfect sentence out of it—it’s worth it,” he said.

Modern writers, artists and other creatives wonder where sacred creative space can fit within a fairly commute-oriented work life. Author Kelly L. Stone writes that when we have a space for creating, it becomes a safe and comfortable place for one’s muse to emerge. Much like a Pavlovian response, simply going into the space will energize the creative process.

But what can we do when our lives don’t allow us to sit home all day and create?

Believe it or not, we can assemble a portable version of a sacred space in the form of supplies: bags, drawing tools, notebooks, folders. It sounds simple, but your mind will help your muse along. It’s all about ritual and repetition.

Here are some ideas for coaxing out your traveling muse:

• designate a notebook only for your creative ideas. Don’t write to-do lists in it (that’s what your planner is for) or phone numbers. Make it sacred and it will give back to you.
• get a large purse or handbag (oh hey, we happen to have those!) and put all of your creative materials in that bag. Find a few things (quotes, photos, drawings) that are motivational to you and keep you on your path and throw ‘em in.
• for days when you’re feeling uninspired, include a token of your past success. For Heather, this is easy; she can take an actual bag (yay!). For me, I would take a writing contract or a clip of a published article I’m particularly proud of.

The important part is the power of association you’ll create almost effortlessly each time you use your traveling sacred space for its purpose. You can be anywhere; it can involve coffee or Chardonnay (like perhaps it is for me right now…). It can even be on a noisy, crowded train in Paris. If you’ve decided that this is your creation time and make it a ritual—that’s what it will be.

Note to Denver folks: check this out. It’s a free, Denver-wide, creative-space-finder (who knew?) for artists in the area.

And let us at English Retreads know—how do you create your sacred artistic space?

(Posted by Amy Segreti)