January 17, 2008
Be More GREEN
You might have heard many people talking about "going green". The green concept is practicing and doing things that are more environmentally friendly. We have been talking a great deal about one green concept lately by eating more locally grown foods. Well there are many other ways to "go green" around our house and especially in the kitchen.
One of my biggest problems is the amount of plastic bags that I accumulate from shopping. While I try to reuse them for taking my lunch to work and as trash bags in my smaller trash cans, I still have a lot of them and ultimately they go into the garbage. There are a few stores that will take them back and recycle them, but many stores have stopped doing that because people were returning bags with garbage in them. So, to help reduce the amount of plastic bags I have, I am going to purchase some reusable canvas bags. Many of the area grocery stores are even selling them for a dollar.
The idea of the reusable bag is simple. When you go to the grocery store, bring your reusable bags with you. Ask the bagger to bag your groceries and other purchases in the bags you brought. When you get home, you don't have to worry about what to do with all the plastic bags. You just fold up your reusable bags and store them until the next time you go shopping.
A few colleagues from University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Lancaster County, Alice Henneman and Lorene Bartos, have come up with a few other ideas for "going green" while grocery shopping.
- Size matters. When choosing between a large container and several small containers that add up to the same volume: Consider whether buying the large container would serve the same purpose and save you money? For example, do you really need to buy individual boxes (and more packaging) of juice if they all are drunk in the same week and at your kitchen table?
- Gotta have a plan! Plan ahead and shop less often for groceries or shop in conjunction with other errands taking you near a grocery store. The result is a reduction in the use and cost of fuel needed to transport food.
- Practice the 3 Rs. Produce less waste AND save money by practicing the 3 Rs of reduce, reuse and recycle.
Here are three examples in relation to throwing away leftover food. Not only does tossing leftovers waste money, it also wastes the energy resources and packaging materials associated with the tossed food.- Reduce the amount of leftover food tossed by serving smaller portions of foods that frequently produce leftovers OR ...
- Reuse leftovers by serving them again in a day or two or freezing them for future use, OR ...
- Recycle leftovers into a different type of meal; for example – add that extra rice to a soup the next night.
- Don't be a "spoil"-sport. Throwing away spoiled food is related to tossing leftovers. Reduce the amount of spoiled food that gets tossed through such practices as:
- Read labels for "use by," "expiration," or "best if used by" dates.
- Refrigerate and freeze foods at recommended temperatures -- 0 degrees F or lower for freezers and 40 degrees F or lower for the refrigerator section. An appliance thermometer assures your refrigerator/freezer is maintaining these temperatures.
- Follow recommended storage times for foods. For example, some containers may specify a recommended time frame in which to eat a food after it is opened.
- Avoid buying so much food in bulk that it spoils before you can use it.
- Drink to this. Buy a reusable water bottle and fill it with tap water. Your investment soon will pay for itself.
- Bulk it up. Some products purchased at the grocery store, such as hand soap, can be purchased in big bottles that are used to refill a smaller bottle size. Reduce the cost and the packaging by refilling the smaller bottle.
Hope the next time you go to the store, you can be more GREEN!
Posted by Jennifer McCaffrey at 11:14 AM | Permalink |
January 9, 2008
Community Supported Agriculture
Since we began the conversation on eating locally grown foods, have you wondered about where you could get more locally grown foods? One way is to support a local farmer. In exchange for monetary and/or labor support, the farmer usually will share the crops that have been grown. This concept is known as Community Support Agriculture.
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) works by people giving a farmer financial support in the winter and spring months to purchase needed supplies for the growing season. Throughout the growing season, some farms accept or require labor support. When the crops are harvested, the farmer then shares what was grown to those who have provided support.
Most farms calculate the costs they need for the season and have minimum pledges of support they accept. In return of your investment, you receive a certain amount of product. However, since farming depends on nature, there is no guarantee that you will receive exactly what was outlined in the agreement.
Most CSA's grow fruits and vegetables, but you can also get meat, flowers, dairy products, and herbs, depending on the farm.
If you are interested in learning more about Community Supported Agriculture, there are many great resources at the United States Department of Agriculture, National Agriculture Library.
In Northern Illinois there are several farms that are part of CSA. Check out Local Harvest to find a farm near you. If you are interested in joining a CSA, now is the time to sign up. Be sure to watch for notices on the farms websites or call the farms directly. Some farms sell out early.
Posted by Jennifer McCaffrey at 12:57 PM | Permalink |
January 4, 2008
Workshop on locally based foods
Strategies for building locally based food systems in Illinois communities
A one-day workshop for anyone interested in strengthening their community and its economy by creating a vibrant local food system . . . including economic development directors, agricultural producers, landowners, elected and appointed officials . . . all are invited!
You have a choice of TWO dates at TWO locations for this one-day workshop:
February 11th, 2008 Starved Rock Lodge State Park, Utica Illinois
or
February 13th, 2008, University of Illinois Springfield, Illinois
There is growing interest in community or locally based food systems among a variety of key players in the food system (producers, consumers, non-profit organizations). Farmers' markets are on the rise and many consumers want to know where their food comes from. This workshop will introduce a newly developed resource guide on building local food systems for both rural and urban communities. This "how to" process outlines, step by step, how to encourage a local food system and provides Illinois examples of success. Participants will learn to:
1) Assess the state of the food system in their region,
2) Access existing knowledge about local food system activities and initiatives in Illinois,
3) Identify activities and projects that can help communities get started in building a locally based food system, and
4) Explore roles for stakeholders in the food system.
The cost is $30 per person and covers lunch (featuring local food), snacks and beverages and a copy of the Resource Guide, "Beyond the Farmers' Market: Planning for Local Food Systems."
Registration is limited to 40 at each site, so please register soon. Deadline to register is FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 2008.
To register, contact: Dee (Laboratory for Community and Economic Development staff) at 217.244.0120 or deedavis@uiuc.edu There is also more information and a registration form on the Nutrition and Health section of this website.
Posted by Jennifer McCaffrey at 11:12 AM | Permalink |
January 3, 2008
Customized Cookbooks
One of the best gifts I received over the holidays was a homemade family cookbook. This was the best cookbook I have received to date. Not only are the recipes good, but it also looks very good. The family that developed it typed up the recipes and then sent it to a company that formatted and printed the cookbook. It is so well done that I had to share with everyone the idea. If you are thinking about making a cookbook, using one of these companies is well worth it. Thanks to my mother in law for the gift!
Posted by Jennifer McCaffrey at 11:09 AM | Permalink |
