Get Ready for Earth Hour

Posted on by Sacha Cohen

Can turning off the lights for one hour across the world send a message about climate change? The World Wildlife Fund thinks so.

During Earth Hour, hundreds of millions of people around the world will come together to call for action on climate change by doing something quite simple—turning off their lights for one hour.

Join the movement on Saturday, March 27 from 8:30 p.m– 9:30 p.m by turning off your non-essential lighting. Sign up online and be counted as part of Earth Hour 2010. Gallaudet University, The National Cathedral, the NAACP, and the Four Seasons have already agreed to participate in this global call for action on climate change. Will you join them?

Earth Day-Inspired Fashion

Posted on by Sacha Cohen

Guest post by Heidi Strom Moon of the Closet Coach.

Armour sans Anguish

Every Earth Day, articles are written about “green” and sustainable fashion, from Bono’s Edun line to those totes that proclaim (perhaps a bit too loudly?) “I Am Not a Plastic Bag”.

Many make a single green fashion purchase and consider it their contribution for the year; they’ve done their “duty.”

But truly eco-friendly dressing goes a deeper than that — and is almost as easy as tossing your recyclables in the ubiquitous big blue bin. In fact, if you’re already trying to live green, you can take a cue from the well-known 3 Rs: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

Reduce

Listed first, in spite — or because — of being the most difficult to achieve, “Reduce” calls on us to use less stuff in the first place for multiple reasons.

So, the fashionista says with a tremble, does this mean you want me to … shop and buy less? It seems daunting, but think of it another way: all of the top stylists will tell you to transform your wardrobe by first editing (reducing) your clothing inventory, and then carefully supplementing the remaining pieces with a few, well-chosen, high-quality, classic items.

So this idea of reducing isn’t so new after all. The hardest part is focusing on key foundational items and ignoring the constant allure of the cheap, the trendy, and the on sale right now.

Reuse

Reusing takes a little more ingenuity. As you take stock of the contents of your closet, and remove the items you rarely wear, are there any that could be brought back to life? Are they in need of mending? Could your trusted tailor transform the silhouette into something more current? Could you rescue a boring or worn-out sweater with the artful application of buttons or beads?

Recycle

Recycle is a close cousin to Reuse when it comes to clothing. After all, you can’t place last season’s trendy top in the big blue bin.

But if you can’t reuse an item and make it wearable, can the fabric and materials serve another purpose?

Stockings with holes are often recycled by transforming them into practical applications. And Dad used to tear his old T-shirts into strips to use for waxing the car.

Going a step further, garments can be recombined and redesigned entirely. In addition to recycling your own garments, you can shop for new items that are made from reclaimed materials–such as the tops and dresses from Armour Sans Anguish and numerous other Etsy stores that embody the reuse and recycle ethos.

Finally, consider these principles not so much a new way to live, but a proud return to yesteryear. Ask any grandmother who lived through the Depression or World War II how they made do when materials or money was scarce. To them, the 3 Rs weren’t a slogan; they were a way of life.

Winter Farmer’s Market Finds

Posted on by Sacha Cohen

Guest post by Carrie Madren

Some of the DC-area farmer’s markets stay open year-round, giving locals an opportunity to sample fresh winter vegetables. In season are apples (stored in cool temps), beets, cabbage, carrots, onions, parsnips, potatoes, rutabagas, sweet potatoes, turnips, and winter squash.

Among the best ways to prepare a cold-weather bounty is roasting it with savory dried herbs and spices, and with a flexible recipe such as the one below, you can throw together whatever vegetables you have on hand for a scrumptious side dish.

Roasted Winter Vegetables

6-8 cups winter vegetables: beets, carrots, onions, potatoes, rutabagas, sweet potatoes, turnips, winter squash (peeled and cut in 1-inch pieces or slices 1/2-inch thick)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp dried or 3 Tbsp fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme, parsley, oregano

Directions: Toss ingredients together (keep onions separate, as they will roast faster; add them to the pan 10 minutes into the baking time). Spread in a single layer on greased baking pans. Roast in a preheated oven at 425 degrees until tender, about 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with roasted garlic sauce (see below).

Roasted garlic sauce: Remove loose papery layers from outside of a whole garlic bulb but do not peel. Slice off top of the bulb, exposing the tip of each clove. Place on a square of aluminum foil and drizzle with 1 Tbsp olive oil or just season with salt and pepper. Wrap tightly and bake alongside the vegetables until tender. Squeeze soft roasted cloves into a small bowl, mash with fork, and stir in 3/4 cup plain yogurt.

Serves 8
(Recipe courtesy “Simply in Season” by Mary Beth Lind)

Arlington Farmers Market
North Courthouse Road and 14th Street (courthouse parking lot)
703-228-6400 (George Parish)
Saturdays, year-round: 9 a.m.-noon, January-April

Bethesda Central Farm Market
Elm Street between Woodmont Ave. and Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, MD
Sundays, year-round, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Clarendon Farmers Market
Wilson Boulevard and N. Highland Street, Arlington (Clarendon Metro Station)
703-812-8881
2-7 p.m. Wednesdays, year-round

Columbia Pike Farmers Market
South Walter Reed Drive and Columbia Pike (Pike Park in front of the Rite Aid)
9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sundays, winter season

Del Ray Farmers Market
East Oxford and Mount Vernon avenues
703-683-2570 (Pat Miller)
9 a.m.-noon Saturdays, winter season
pmiller1806@comcast.net

Dupont Circle FreshFarm Market
20th and Q streets NW
202-362-8889
Sundays, year-round: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Jan. 3-March 28

Eastern Market Outdoor Farmers Market
225 Seventh St. SE
202-698-5253 (Barry Margeson)
7 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, year-round

Kensington Farmers Market
Howard Avenue (Kensington train station parking lot)
301-949-2424 (Shirley Watson)
8 a.m.-noon Saturdays, year-round

Montgomery Farm Women’s Cooperative Market
7155 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda
7 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, year-round

Takoma Park Farmers Market
Laurel Avenue between Eastern and Carroll avenues
10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sundays, year-round

Organic Beer, You Say?

Posted on by Sacha Cohen

UPDATE: This event has been rescheduled for Friday February 12th!

Our friends over at The DC Green Connection are partnering with the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and Peak Organic Brewing Company to bring you a special networking event featuring organic beer. Tim Adams, co-owner of Peak Organic (brewed in Portland, Maine), will give a short overview about their brewing process and talk about what makes their product organic.

Along with copious amounts of frothy goodness, you will be able to mingle with current SAIS masters students and alumni and explore topics ranging from Copenhagen COP15 outcomes to the latest initiatives in carbon financing and market developments on alternative energy.

The details:
When: Friday, February 5. Doors open at 5:00 pm. A short program begins at 6:30 pm. Doors close at 9:00 pm.

Where: Johns Hopkins University SAIS – Nitze Building (1740 Massachusetts Ave NW, Paul H. Nitze Building, Kenney Auditorium)

RSVP: To http://www.meetup.com/The-DC-Green-Connection or email dcgreenconnection@gmail.com

Price: $10.00 DCGC Members* & Students, $15.00 Non-Members (Includes 2 beer tickets).
(Non-member fee includes 2010 membership discount).

Details: Please bring an official ID to show the guard in the lobby where you will also register for the event and pick up your drink tickets.

More Info: Contact organizers Samit Shah (281.723.8190) or Monika Thiele (206.790.1769)

Local Restaurants for Local Kids

Posted on by Sacha Cohen

Guest post by Andrea Northup

Support locally-owned restaurants, the sustainable local food economy, and DC-area kids by participating in the DC Farm to School Network’s Local Restaurants for Local Kids Fundraiser on Friday January 22.

Select area restaurants will be donating a portion of their proceeds to the DC Farm to School Network, which works to bring healthy, local produce into DC public school cafeterias.  By simply enjoying a delicious snack, cocktail, or dinner at one of the great participating restaurants, you will help to improve access to healthy, tasty, and local foods in area schools.

DC Farm to School Network volunteers will be available at the restaurants to answer questions or chat with you about our work. For volunteer opportunities, contact Lauren@dcgreens.org.

Participating restaurants include:

Busboys & Poets, 5th and K Street NW (Mt. Vernon Sq. Metro); 14th and V Street NW (U St. Metro); 4251 S. Campbell Ave,  Arlington, VA.

Coppi’s Organic (from 6pm-11pm), 1414 U Street NW (U St. Metro)

Eatonville, 2121 14th Street NW (U St. Metro)

Bar Pilar, 1833 14th Street NW (U St. Metro)

Farmers & Fishers (All day!), 3000 K Street NW (Georgetown Waterfront—Foggy Bottom Metro)

Clyde’s, 3236 M Street NW (Foggy Bottom Metro); 707 7th Street NW (Gallery Place Metro); 5441 Wisconsin Avenue, Chevy Chase, MD (Friendship Heights Metro)

PS-7 (Lounge from 4pm-2am), 777 I Street NW (Gallery Place Metro)

Bread and Brew (5-8pm in bar), 1247 20th Street NW (Dupont Circle Metro)

Cafe Saint-Ex, 1847 14th Street NW (U St. Metro)

ris (Proceeds from seasonal cocktail and appetizers after 4:30pm), 2275 L Street NW (Foggy Bottom Metro)