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3 Easy Ways To Thank A Farmer This Thanksgiving

By Judy Gerber

Thanksgiving Week,  is also National Farm-City Week (November 19 – November 25, 2010). It’s a week designed by the National Farm City Council to highlight the important roles that urban and rural partnerships play in food and fiber production and to enhance the links between farm families and urban residents.

Since 1955, the President of the United States has annually proclaimed the week leading to and including Thanksgiving Day as National Farm-City Week.

This makes it a great time to thank our local farmers because without them, we would have no fresh food or most of the products we use on a daily basis. Many people, especially those who grow their own food may think that agriculture doesn’t directly affect them. But, this is simply not true. From the time you crawl out of the cotton sheets on your bed in the morning, until you brush your teeth at night, agriculture is there. And, if we want a sustainable system of agriculture then we must do all we can to help support and protect it.

First, educate yourself on farm issues. This means learning all about legislation and policy. A good starting point is to familiarize yourself with the Farm Bill. Also check out the issues and actions that are the focus of family farm organizations like Farm Aid and American Farmland Trust. The mission of both of these groups is to keep family farmers on the land. They not only advocate on behalf of legislation, but also support our small and family farmers in numerous ways.

Next, make sure whenever possible, that you buy directly from farmers. Even those of us living in urban areas can shop at a local farmers’ market or join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture).

Buying from farmers not only helps them keep farming, but it helps keep the dollars in the local economy. You can also look for locally grown produce and other foods when shopping at the supermarket. Look for “Buy Local” or “Locally Grown” signs showing that the food was made in your region or at least, your state. If you don’t see them where you shop, then ask where your food is grown, and if it isn’t grown locally, ask them to change their buying habits and buy local.

Use social media to thank our farmers, to spread the word and encourage others to thank them as well. Are you on Twitter? Then send out a message with the #ThankAFarmer hashtag in it. Or, share links to Farm Aid or other farm organizations on your Facebook wall and encourage others to do the same.

Judi Gerber is a University of California Master Gardener with a certificate in Horticultural Therapy. She writes about sustainable farming, local foods, and organic gardening for multiple magazines. Her book Farming in Torrance and the South Bay was released in September 2008.

 

The Green Halloween

Halloween can be a pretty wasteful holiday if you let it, but it doesn’t have to be! And you don’t have to give up the spooky good times to keep it green.

 From costumes and candy to decorations and clean-up, there are lots of places where you can make more sustainable choices this Halloween. Of course, you don’t want your green routine to take the fun out of this spooky day. I think that one of the keys to getting folks on board with making eco-friendly life choices is showing that not only is it better for the planet, but it’s delicious and festive, too!

 Whether you’re just going trick-or-treating or if you’re planning a full-on Halloween shindig, we’ve got you covered so that you can reduce your waste without cutting back on the fun!

Green Trick-or-Treating 

 
Planning to head out and collect candy? Instead of a boring plastic pumpkin, you and the kiddos can make your own candy-collecting bag out of recycled materials. Here are a couple of tutorials to get you going:

• Turn a thrifted pillowcase into a customized treat bag. You can make this even more fun by letting the kids embellish their bags with cut out spooky shapes. Either sew them on or attach with fabric glue.
• Make a recycled felt trick-or-treat bag. You can find Kunin recycled felt online - it’s made from plastic water and soda bottles that would have otherwise been landfill-bound!
• Transform an old tank top into a treat bag: turn the tank inside out, sew across the bottom to seal it up, flip it right side out again, and you’re ready to trick-or-treat! If the tank top is too long, you may want to cut the bottom down a bit before sewing, so it won’t drag on the ground.
• Use a basket. Thrift stores usually have pretty hefty stashes of baskets, which are perfect for collecting candy! If you want to get crafty, you and the kids can decorate your baskets to personalize them!

If you’re planning to stay in and hand out candy, you’ve got a great opportunity to make a positive impact.  Opt for fair trade chocolates and candies that are sweetened with real sugar. Your local co-op or health food store will have plenty of options, or you can find fair trade candy online. Just remember: a lot of parents will be wary about letting their little ones accept unwrapped candy, so you’ll want to go for “bite sized” treats, unless you want to give out full sized candy bars!

Eco-Friendly Costume Ideas

Store-bought Halloween costumes are often far from green. Usually, they’re heavy on the plastic and polyester, and to keep the price down, they tend to involve sweatshop labor. This year, you can whip up your own DIY costumes, and you don’t even need sewing skills to do it!

• Got a little superhero in your life? Make him a simple, felt mask out of the Kunin recycled felt we mentioned on the previous page! You can complete the costume by pinning on a pillowcase "cape" and a felt superhero badge.  Voila!
• For an easy witch costume, dress your little one in all black, give her a broom, and whip up a witch's hat out of an old coat hanger.
• Grab a couple of cardboard boxes from the recycle bin, cut arm holes in one, eye holes in another, and decorate to make a quickie robot costume that you can recycle or compost when Halloween is over.

The key with an eco-friendly costume is to get creative! Hit up your local thrift store to find fun, second-hand elements. You can also look for costumes on sites like Freecycle or Craigslist, or arrange a costume swap with friends to reuse costumes from previous years.

Eco-Halloween Decor 

If you’re throwing a Halloween shindig, you’re going to need some spooky-ooky decorations! Sure, you could head to the party store, but most of the supplies you find there are intended to be used once and tossed. They’re also often made from plastic and other not-so-eco materials. With a little bit of planning, you can whip up your own green Halloween decor that will last for more than just one holiday! Here are some decoration ideas to get you started:

• Spookify your tabletops with a Mummified Glass Candle Holders.
• Raid your fabric scrap bin and whip up some super simple, fabric bunting!
• Good old Jack-o-lanterns are an eco-friendly choice. When the party's over, toss them into the compost bin.
• Go for natural decorations like gourds, pine cones, leaves, sticks and twigs.

With just a bit of planning and a pinch of crafty know-how, you can make Halloween as green as it is spooky!

PCTG News: 12 Common Sense Ways to A Greener Autumn

Via Lighter Footstep

The arrival of autumn means cooler temperatures, darker evenings — and a last chance to get your home ready for winter. Here are twelve ways to get started!

If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, you’ve probably already noticed the first hints of autumn: a blush of color in the leaves; earlier sunsets; and cooler evenings. The winter constellations are slowly creeping higher in the night sky, and it won’t be long before we’re all involved in the downhill rush toward the holidays.

Spring and autumn are the “fix-up” seasons, as we make ready for big changes in the weather. What you do over the next few weeks can make a tremendous difference to the size of your environmental footprint through the winter. So we’ve put together a few autumn to-do items to get you started. Sharpen your pencil — and start checking a few off your list!

In the home

Checking wall insulation

• Check your weather stripping. You should do this twice a year. Look for cracks and deterioration, and verify that door seals are tight.
• Review attic insulation, particularly if your home is over 20 years old. This is the area in which you can make the most dramatic savings in annual heating bills. Take a ruler into the attic. If you have less than a foot of insulation, you probably need more.
• Seal window air conditioners. Once you’re past warm weather, unplug and seal your window units. If it’s practical, store them. This will also allow you to seal your windows with energy-efficient plastic film.
• Replace incandescent bulbs with CFL or LED lighting. Shorter days and cooler temperatures means more time spent indoors. If you’ve not already re-lamped with energy efficient bulbs, now is the time.
• Install a programmable thermostat. Smart temperature control can easily save 10% of your annual heating and cooling bills — a significant reduction in your household’s carbon footprint. Basic programmable thermostats can be purchased for less than $30, so you’ll recover you investment very quickly.

In the yard

• Start a compost pile. Compost heaps need both green and brown matter to get cooking — but there’s no shortage of carbon-rich leaves in the fall. Grab then while you can.
• Consider planting trees. Some varieties do well in the gap between summer’s heat and the real onset of winter. Consult your local nursery or agricultural agent for advice on what sort of trees might be appropriate for autumn planting.
• Bring your summer herbs indoors. There’s no reason not to enjoy fresh basil, mint, and rosemary through the winter months — and having some green indoors will remind you of spring. It takes a few weeks to transition herbs to indoor living, so start before the weather turns.

In your car

• Most automobile owner’s manuals recommend a switch of engine oil weights between seasons. If you did this last summer, switch to your car’s recommended winter weight as soon as the weather cools.
• There’s really no such thing as a “safe” antifreeze, but if you’re getting your radiator flushed before winter, ask for a propylene glycol (PG) formula. It’s less toxic to children, pets, and wildlife than ethylene glycol (EG) coolants.
• Do you have a roof rack for carrying summer recreational equipment? Remove it until next year. Roof racks decrease your vehicle’s aerodynamic efficiency and hurts fuel mileage — particularly at highway speeds. While you’re at it, check you car for any unnecessary summer items, such as coolers or picnic gear. No need to burn fuel by carrying unnecessary weight.
• Evaluate your tires. Worn tread and improper tire pressure aren’t just bad for fuel economy — they’re not safe, particularly if you live in an area where highway icing is likely. Inspect, rotate, and balance. Whip out your tire pressure gauge at least once a month and check all four corners.

We’ll make this list a baker’s dozen: If you’re shopping for sweaters, jackets, and winter wear, start at your local secondhand store. It’s not just price — though shopping the thrift shop and rummage sale circuit can save your hundreds of dollars — it’s putting perfectly good clothing back to use, rather than consuming fresh resources. You may also be supporting a worthy local charity or civic group with your purchase.

So there’s a start. Once you get into autumn “green-up” mode, you’ll probably think of other small projects. Get to them before Jack Frost beats you to it. And here’s wishing you a rich, warm, and Earth-friendly autumn.

Do you have some autumn tips to share with the PCTG community? Please add your best practices in our Comments section!