Category: Products

Local company plays it Green Safe

I always find the most helpful reading materials while waiting on carryout at Mudgie's Deli in Corktown. Greg Mudge's countertop has introduced me to tour de troit, Grown in Detroit and The Greening of Detroit among others. The latest of lunchtime lessons: Michigan Green Safe Products.

Based in Detroit, Michigan Green Safe Products carries Earth-friendly alternatives to the traditional petro-based atrocities. According to my friendly flier, here's a breakdown of products. I found this particularly fascinating!

PLA "Corn:" Cold cups, lids, straws, souffle cups, deli/food containers, cutlery, hot/soup cups and sushi containers

BAGASSE "Sugar cane:" Plates, bowls, to-go clamshells and compartment containers

POTATO STARCH: Cutlery, forks, spoons and knives

PAPER "Recycled": Coffee grips, paper towel, napkins, toilet paper, facial tissue, can liners, stir sticks, ecoflame, "green" sterno, "green" cleaning supplies, shopping bags and produce bags.

My favorite miscellanous item? "Biodegradable Dog Poop Bags"!

It occurs to me that many of these items cater to the food service industry. But think about Michigan Green Safe Products when you plan that fabulous Chinese New Year party or a co-worker's birthday bash. The amount of non-biodegradable waste produced by a simple soiree is just brutal!

Shop online for a full range of very reasonably-priced products or buy local. Select Green Safe Products are sold at Plum Market locations in Bloomfield and Ann Arbor.

So, I am thanking Greg for whipping up the most taste-tastic Ivey sandwich yet AND for again making an education out of my 10-minute lunch break!

Category: Community

Say what you want about Detroit, but ...

There are some really great things going on here. Today, on my lunch break, I made the short trip from my downtown office to the final Grown in Detroit farmers market* of the season at Wayne State University.

I returned with a bag of arugula for a co-worker, a bunch of kale to cook at home, lunch from the Russell Street Deli stand at the market, and a cup of hot cider. Wow! What a haul! On my way back, I passed The Hub of Detroit bike shop and the Birdtown community garden.

I know there's a lot wrong with the city. And the suburbs. And the city/suburbs. But, I can't look away when I see these little seeds of hope -- each a testament to community members who believe we can grow and change in a positive way and have taken action to make that brighter future a reality. And, besides the dappled sunlight, crisp air and colorful produce at the market, I couldn't help but notice something else: The variety of people shopping and enjoying the day together -- black, white, Muslim, men, women, young, old, you name it. Maybe that's because good, fresh, healthy, affordable food is something everyone appreciates. The farmers market seems like a great equalizer in a land of great disparity. Fine, call me hippie-dippy. But, I think getting everyone together is the way to move forward.

There are a lot of young people opening up shops, working as activists, farming, creating art, voting and paticipating in the city and the Metro area, and to all of them, I say: Please stay. Don't give up! Please keep bringing people together and help make this city and this region be the best it can be.

*In January, Russell Street Deli will open a lunch stand inside the engineering building at Wayne State University, according to a fella working at their market stand.

Category: 2009 Society of Environmental Journalists conference

An energy haiku

Ants work in the lab

Cutting leaves, tending fungus

Will they save the world?

During a trip to the Department of Energy's Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, we observed a study being conducted on leaf-cutter ants. Scientists are observing how the insects disassemble leaves and break the pieces down to feed a fungus on which they, in turn, feed. The hope is that the ants' ability to break down cellulose can be harnessed to develop alternative fuels that use biomass instead of petroleum.

What is biomass? Basically, it is leftover plant parts - think corn husks. Biomass is difficult to break down, which has hampered its development as a widespread fuel source. But, the ants may teach us a quicker way to break down this material. The advantage of fuel created from biomass, as opposed to ethanol made from corn, is that it doesn't cut into the food supply. It simply takes leftover products and makes them useful again!

Pretty cool, huh?!

To learn more about lead scientist Cameron Currie's ant research, including another study on the ants and antibiotics, check out this video:

Category: Events

Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit conference this weekend

The Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit will be hosting their fifth annual conference this weekend. "Bioneers" as they call themselves promote practical environmental solutions and innovative social strategies for restoring the Earth's ecosystems and healing our human communities. Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit helps promote collaboration and networking among southeast Michigan individuals and organizations working on sustainability and eco-justice issues.

The workshops will be held at Marygrove College with tours nearby. The tours highlight places including: WARM Training Center, urban garden tours put on by the Greening of Detroit and a Riverwalk tour given by the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy. The one I am most interested in and will be attending is the Cass Community Social Services'Mudmats from Tires - Recycling Motown Style.' They train and employ homeless people to make mudmats out of abandoned tires that they recycle. Two subjects close to my heart.

There are also three days worth of speakers on subjects such as permaculture, sustainability, health and energy.

Saturday and Sunday are also filled with workshops from presenters speaking on local economies, food, transition, beekeeping, communities, small farms and a whole lot more!

Category: 2009 Society of Environmental Journalists conference

A challenge for urban (and suburban) dwellers

"There are two spiritual dangers in not owning a farm. One is the danger of supposing that breakfast comes from the grocery, and the other that heat comes from the furnace." -- Aldo Leopold in "A Sand County Almanac"

During a session Sunday we were lucky enough to talk with conservationist Aldo Leopold's biographer, two of his children (respected scientists in their own right), a former chief of the U.S. Forest Service, and famed author and farmer Wendell Berry. During the discussion, a questioner asked how Leopold's philosophy of land ownership fit into the modern world, where the majority of people are city dwellers. How can people form a connection to the land when they have no or little interaction with it?

The answers included by participating in community supported agriculture, shopping at farmers markets and volunteering in natural areas. We have the opportunity to do all of those things here in southeastern Michigan whether by buying a plot in a CSA farm, shopping at Eastern market or donating our time at a Metropark or urban farm.

The day before the Leopold session, I had the opportunity to explore the farmers market in Madison, Wis., which we were told is the largest of its kind in the United States. The market encircled the state Capitol and was packed with people interacting with farmers, who did their best to show people, through photos and words, the land from which their food came. What a powerful statement, I thought, to have this market outside the Capitol. And, then I remembered that Michigan now has its own Capitol market.

So, we city Michiganians have ways to connect with the land, and the state is offering us encouragement. The question being, how can we appreciate something we don't know and if we don't know something, why would we act to conserve it?

But, following the Leopold session, questions about the author's land ethic continued to be the topic of informal discussion. Some wondered aloud whether the question had been correctly interpreted or if the real issue wasn't whether it is time for us to abandon the idea of land ownership as the core of our national character.

What do you think? How can urban and suburban dwellers best connect with the land? Is Leopold's land ethic outdated?

Category: 2009 Society of Environmental Journalists conference

Al Gore and more

Former Vice President Al Gore was cautiously optimistic in a speech Friday about the United Nations climate change summit that will be held this December in Copenhagen. He warned that our dependence on carbon-based fuels can be linked to not only climate change, but also economic turmoil and security threats worldwide. However, he pointed to promising areas of innovation that could help us wean ourselves off our dependence on carbon-based fuel, including greater efficiency, recapture of waste heat, battery advancements and solar, wind, and geothermal power. He noted that China - while often seen as a major polluter - has been making an effort to embrace these non-carbon fuel options and will be watching the U.S. closely in Copenhagen.

The ex-veep's appearance wasn't without controversy. One questioner came to the microphone to ask Gore about alleged inaccuracies in his film "An Inconvenient Truth," but was cut off after pressing his point. He cited a British court ruling and statistics that he said show polar bears, which the movie painted as threatened, are actually increasing in number. Gore denied the inaccuracies and asked, "Are you saying the polar bears are not in danger?" The questioner replied, "Are you denying the polar bear numbers are up?" "Are you saying the polar bears are not in danger?" Gore rattled back. They went on like this until the moderator broke in and moved the conversation along.

The moderator, by the way, was New York Times environment reporter Andrew Revkin, who contributes to the fabulous blog "Dot Earth."

To hear Al Gore's speech, compliments of Wispolitics.com, CLICK HERE.

Category: 2009 Society of Environmental Journalists conference

Something dirty's brewing in Canada

Did you know Canada replaced Saudi Arabia as the No. 1 oil supplier to the U.S. 7 years ago? Neither did I until I met Andrew Nikiforuk on Thursday in Madison, Wis., at the Society of Environmental Journalists conference. Last night, he won the prestigious Rachel Carson Environment Book Award for his work on "Tar Sands: Dirty Oil and the Future of a Continent." Today, I just happened to meet him in the stairway when I asked for directions to the registration table! He is very nice! Watch this video to learn more:

Category: Agriculture

Drink coffee, save the rainforest?

Drink coffee, save the rainforest? I am not sure it is that easy, but it is something I would like you to consider if you drink coffee.

Coffee not grown in a sustainable manner means many trees and forests will be removed to clear land for the coffee plants. One-third of the world's rainforests already have been cleared for various reasons during the last 50 years.

Why not be conscious about these facts and support farmers with better agricultural practices? Just makes sense to me. I hosted a brunch recently where we sampled one such coffee. The Arbor Day Foundation Specialty Coffee Fair Trade and organic. Made from beans grown by the Mexico Ismam Co-op in Chiapas, Mexico. Since 1992, more than 2 billion square feet of the world's rain forests have been preserved through the Arbor Day Foundation's Rain Forest Rescue program.

I am not a coffee drinker but all my guests were and they used a large French press I have (I do drink tea!) to make two pots of varying strengths. Everyone found the aroma mild and airy and the body was mild with a sweet aftertaste - unless that was stuffed French toast! Faith nailed it when she said it was a "coffee for tea drinkers" and everyone agreed. At that comment, even I had to try it. It was indeed very mild to my palette with a slight cocoa flavor on the end. A nice accompaniment to brunch indeed and it can help make a difference to a farmer and the planet, so I fully support it.

According to the Daily Green, for those who buy coffee grown in the traditional manner, under the shade of rainforest trees, one cup of shade-grown coffee can preserve more than two square feet of rainforest. Shade-grown coffee is also bird friendly in that the trees are a natural habitat and reduce the coffee plants' need for fertilizers and herbicides. All of this combined helps to promote biodiversity.

Prince Charles and musician Sting have even teamed up to save the rainforest and they want to help you send messages to key leaders demanding action now to stop rainforests being chopped down. These messages will be presented at the United Nations Climate Change Conference this December in Copenhagen.

It is understood that the countries destroying their rainforests are not doing for spite but to earn a living. The suggested remedy is to educate and pay these countries to keep their forests through programs not as an act of charity or aid but as an act to help save the planet. The aim is to slow the destruction of the world's rainforests by one-fourth by the year 2015.

Won't you do your part, even if it is just a simple cup of joe?

Category: Green Alley

Green Alley bollards and lighting

Dan and Tom have worked to match the bollard style we plan to use in the Green Alley with that of the historic street lights on Woodward Avenue in Midtown. Maintaining consistent community aesthetic in the alley has been an important consideration. Our plan is to have them in black, made of aluminum, thereby preventing rust. There will be four bollards at each end of the alley. The two center bollards would be removable.

Another consideration is access for emergency vehicles. Dan is working with the Detroit Fire Department to ensure they do not have any concerns with the bollards' use and the access required for their vehicles. The bollards are collapsable, so we hope the fire department will find them acceptable.

Additionally, we are engaging Relume (a Michigan-based lighting technology company) to help with the lighting of the alley. They did the lighting for the city of Ann Arbor and are a nationally recognized leader in LED lighting efficiency. Some of the challenges in the alley are providing effective lighting between the buildings and minimizing opportunities for theft or destruction. We are looking to identify effective solutions that meet our lighting requirements while providing the least impact on our environment.

• More Images

Category: Farm at Catherine Ferguson Academy

Garden sale at the Catherine Ferguson Academy

I take beekeeping classes in the city, as Detroit is a wonderful place to raise bees with all the wildflowers and lack of chemicals used on them, as well as on the urban farms and the many vacant lots. Detroit is a great place for little bee populations to survive. The classes I take are taught at the Catherine Ferguson Academy, which is a Detroit Public School for mothers-to-be and young mothers.

The school is named after Catherine Ferguson, a freed slave who, around 1814, opened a school to help the poor children in her neighborhood, where she taught until her death in 1854.

The school still upholds the idea of helping students who are underprivileged. The curriculum is designed toward parenting classes and nursery care with a supportive environment to enable young mothers to attend high school.

The school's farm is full of grazing goats and sheep, a horse, foul - that's chickens and ducks to you city folk - rabbits and, of course, the bees. The students learn to plant and tend garden plots that surround the horse paddock, which used to be a running track next to the little red barn.

The farm idea is from the mad scientist teacher Paul Weertz who, as word goes, had a vision to create a holistic curriculum based on getting back to the basics of what is taught on a farm. This also includes teaching the students important life skills, like parenting and college preparation.

Although Weertz is an urban farmer who, besides the farm on Selden has 7 acres off Mt. Elliot where he grows hay for the animals, he lives in a world where inner-city kids usually grow up without the slightest idea where fresh food comes from. At the farm, they can learn first-hand by growing it themselves!

In a city like Detroit without good grocery stores, it is important to teach students, especially young mothers, about the importance of health and nutrition from food. Numerous reports have been written about grocers closing in the inner city, leaving few options for good fresh food. This school teaches students by giving them hands-on experience with plants and animals about how to feed their families through what they produce.

In addition to growing the food, the students are learning to harvest it and, starting Thursday, Sept. 17, will be selling it, which will give them the full understanding of how a farmer operates from seeding, to marketing to selling. On Thursdays, around 3:30 or 4 in front of the school, the students will sell their wares. The school is located at 2750 Selden Street in Detroit.