GreenPepper Blog

Mistress Mary, Quite Contrary

2010-07-09T07:51:49-07:00

By Beth Starkin, GreenPepper

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been somewhat fascinated by the idea of growing my own produce. Maybe it’s the corn my brother planted in the backyard as a child, which my mother is constantly reminding me of (he will always be the better child), or maybe it’s the tomatoes and zucchini we would get from friends’ gardens, which were always so yummy, but I’ve always wanted my own garden. Alas, my adult life has been spent in urban or suburban apartments, where growing vegetables never seemed like an option.

There was a failed attempt years ago at having an herb garden on the fire escape. But apparently, only chives were hardy enough for the harsh summer sun on the fourth floor (those chives do still reappear annually, though). Now that I’m in California, I have a renewed interest, and have started a small garden in my living room. It’s yet to be seen whether my efforts will yield any fruit, but I’m trying my hand with tomatoes, blueberries, basil and rosemary.

Seems I’m part of a larger trend of urbanites gardening, either in small yards, on fire escapes and decks, in sunny corners of their living rooms, or even in actual farms on city property. And though I didn’t do it to be part of a movement, it’s exciting to be part of this greening of our cities.

Personally, I was inspired by the Hayes Valley farm, a surprisingly large farm where the former freeway ramp was. Watching asphalt turn to lettuce was amazing and I wanted to get in on the action and see if I could turn my apartment into a farm. And while I may not having a huge impact on the planet, I feel like I’m doing what I can to make both the earth and my apartment better places.

Planting veggies on the living room floor may not be for everyone, but for me it’s been a fun adventure and a lesson that we can all have an impact, no matter how small. Have you had a similar experience? Tell us about it.

Sporting a Green Conscious

2010-07-07T18:34:16-07:00

By Leah Hardesty, GreenPepper

Days after I finished my last triathlon, I thought about the massiveness of such an event and how it impacts the environment. I can’t even count on one hand how many bottles or cups of water I sipped from and threw away (most people toss on the ground; I consciously tossed in the trash when I could). And I never once saw a recycle bin, which seems logical at the very least with the amount of paper and plastic being used. I also couldn’t help but wonder how much energy it took to produce my precious little finisher’s medal, or the giant flood lights they had lit at the finish line (this was an Ironman; most people finish after dark).

With an average of 20,000 runners at a marathon and 2,500 athletes at a triathlon, these events are huge. They’re also huge carbon suckers. Thousands of water bottles, cups, food wrappers and scraps are often left behind after 40,000 feet trampled through; leaving a sizable contribution to landfills. And that’s just the trash. Let’s not forget about the energy consumption to put on such an event, the race bibs worn by athletes, the travel from athletes afar, the goodie bags full of fliers…the list goes on.

After a little research, I learned that some race organizations have taken environmental stewardship seriously, and are working to make these events more sustainable. Back in 2007, The Council for Responsible Sport (ReSport) was created, which provides an independent, comprehensive certification for sustainable athletic events. ReSport helps event directors incorporate environmental responsibility into their events. They have established a set of standards in six primary areas: waste, climate, equipment and materials, community and outreach, health promotion and innovation.

Since the inception of ReSport, countless marathons and triathlons across the U.S. have qualified under these standards as a “green sporting event.” Marathons in Austin, Portland and Los Angeles, and triathlons in San Francisco, Boulder and Philadelphia, to name a few, are on the list. If you are an environmentally-conscious athlete, you can do your part by supporting these races. For more tips on how you can be a green athlete, check out this Runner’s World article or visit pro triathlete Chris Lieto’s Green Athlete blog.

And if you’re not a runner or triathlete, think about how your sport, whether it’s tennis or lacrosse or fencing, could reduce its carbon footprint. I mean, it makes sense, right? Those who enjoy the outdoors should pay respect to the outdoors. Take action now and turn what you love doing most into a way of showing love for the environment.

Pack it In, Pack it Out

2010-06-30T13:34:57-07:00

By Trish Taylor, GreenPepper

While at the beach this weekend, I was drinking a can of Fat Tire beer that had a couple of sayings that caught my eye. The first was Wind Powered and Employee Owned. New Belgium, the maker of Fat Tire, sounds like my kind of company. Who knew beer could be so sustainable?

The next saying on the can I noticed was Pack it In, Pack it Out. I said it out loud and then asked, “wonder what that means?” My beachmate said, “You don’t know what that is? That means anything you take with you – hiking, camping, etc, you should take back out with you.” I knew I loved this beer but then I became really intrigued by the company.

New Belgium Brewery, based in Ft. Collins, CO, states on its website that they are alternatively powered. They have been wind powered since 1999; they have a process for treating wastewater to get two byproducts – methane and nutrient-rich sludge. They use that methane to power an onsite heat and power engine to create electricity and heat for the brewery.

They even made their brewery process more efficient by using a brew kettle that heats thin sheets of wort (key beer ingredient) rather than the whole kettle at once. They soon plan to reduce their water usage by 10 percent – hmm, couldn’t they use that to make more beer?

The best part is the culture New Belgium has created among its fans. With its main beer named Fat Tire, you can only guess that many carbon conscious cyclists are big fans. Each year, the company hosts Tour de Fat in various cities celebrating bicycling as a viable form of alternative transportation. They power the stage with solar power and serve beer in compostable cups. Plus, one attendee who donates his/her car gets a New Belgium cruiser.

It just goes to show simple choices, even beer, can lead to a more sustainable way of life.

Americans want energy reform, but we don't want to pay for It

2010-06-26T04:09:22-07:00

By Beth Starkin, GreenPepper

This week’s NYT article about energy and the economy made me cry a little bit in my coffee. It seems that Americans are all for energy policy reform and alternative energy, but are not willing to pay higher prices at the pump to make it happen. Don’t get me wrong – it’s great, really great, in fact, that most American’s are finally getting behind energy policies that will lessen our impact on the environment and that support for alternatives is increasing. However, it’s sadly delusional to believe we can make it happen without at least making some sacrifices, both in our lifestyles and with our wallets.

There was a time when our country would band together and do whatever was needed to keep America the leader it always has been and ensure our way of life. But it seems that of late, that “can do” attitude, has become a “you do” attitude – as in, you find a solution; I’m driving my Suburban to the mall to buy stuff I don’t need, which I will carry home in plastic bags – don’t you dare tell me I can’t or shouldn’t or that it should cost more.

Ironically, it’s going to be this refusal to compromise that forces even greater sacrifice in our country, as our wealth and status crumble under the weight of our unsustainable way of life. It’s time we all realize that we can’t have both – be a world leader and be wildly selfish. The strongest leaders are those who see that sacrifices must be made and have the courage to follow through.

And we can’t expect that by stomping our feet and demanding a political fix that the problem is just magically going to go away – we need to force the change, both by forcing the government to take action and by taking action in our own lives. A problem this big can only be fixed if we are all on board and doing our part. I hope Americans can find the strength to continue to be the great leader we’ve always been before it’s too late.