The Red, White, and Green

Here at The Red, White, and Green, we’re pretty obsessed with finding reusable bags for nearly every conceivable purpose — dry cleaning, produce shopping, looking stylish — and figured we had pretty much surveyed the entire market. That is, until loyal reader SH sent us a photo of her latest green bag find: the reusable wine tote.

Up until now, I had either been nestling wine bottles in between my groceries and praying that they didn’t break on the way home or taking those small paper wine sleeves (and reusing them as very skinny lunch bags). This bag, with its six compartments, is sheer genius — why haven’t I seen these before? It’s also sturdy as heck, made of ultra durable and machine washable polypropylene.

Unfortunately, the one pictured above is only available online for wholesale purchase (maybe you can find one at your local liquor store, like Chicago suburb–based reader SH did), but you can order a similar one at EcoBags.com. 

The only downside to these is my wallet (well, and maybe my liver); I’m going to feel compelled to fill all the bag’s compartments every time I run out for a bottle of vino!

–Jennifer Grayson

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Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park; Photo: Jennifer Grayson

Looks like you better hustle up and plan that camping trip: Thanks to his blue-pencil veto authority, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger cut an additional $6.2 million from the California state park system on Tuesday — in addition to the $8 million already designated by the legislature — which is expected to result in the closure of more than 100 state parks. (The original estimate was for 50 closures; no small potatoes, but still considerably easier to swallow than the prospect of shutting down over one-third of the state’s 279 parks.)

It has not been revealed yet which parks and beaches will be shut down; in the meantime, state park officials and nonprofit organizations are working to secure private funding in order to keep them open. 

At this point, I’d be grateful to see a corporate sponsor step in (Coca-Cola Canyon?) if it meant stopping the devastating snowball effect — lost jobs and admission revenue, decreased tourism, increased wildfires — that is sure to result from these closures.

Hey, here’s a novel idea: Since Gov. Schwarzenegger’s poor fiscal decisions are largely responsible for the state’s economic crisis, why doesn’t he host a Hollywood fundraiser to come up with the $14.2 million? I’m sure he could even cough up his own sizable (and tax-deductible) contribution. 

Since this isn’t likely to happen anytime in the near future, here’s what you can do:

• Through the California State Parks Foundation, send a letter to your legislators urging them to keep state parks open (you can do this even if you live out of state). 
• If you work for a large company, spread the word about the need for corporate sponsors.

–Jennifer Grayson

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With modern-day victory gardens increasing in popularity, thanks to Michelle Obama’s White House edible garden and the realization by millions of cash-strapped and out-of-work Americans that growing your own food is a lot cheaper than a trip to the supermarket, plantings have been cropping up in the most unlikely of places. Check out this parking strip vegetable garden I encountered during my morning constitutional:

Evidently, Los Angeles isn’t the only city to boast city street–grown tomatoes: The Seattle Times reported last week that parking strip gardens have become a familiar fixture in the city since the Seattle Department of Transportation revoked its permit requirement for these plantings.

Unfortunately, if you live in LA, you run the risk of having your garden shut down: I checked with the LA Bureau of Street Services, and at present, only grass and tree plantings made by the city are permitted. (Don’t worry, owners of the garden above; I sure as heck am not going to report you.) 

–Jennifer Grayson

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My Fresh Summer Frittata -- low carb and gluten/soy free; click on photo for recipe

I don’t know if it’s because I live in Los Angeles, land of the wheatgrass shot and diet-obsessed (at my favorite breakfast spot, the waiters actually assume you want egg whites; I always have to specify whole eggs), or the rising incidence of food allergies, but a few friends have recently confessed that their dietary restrictions have made it difficult for them to embrace Meatless Monday.

“I can’t eat carbs — I only have three weeks to slim down for a wedding,” said one friend. “Aren’t grains the staple of a vegetarian diet?” Another friend with celiac disease was worried she’d go hungry: “There’s so little I can eat as it is,” she opined. But if you know where to look, and are willing to experiment beyond your eating comfort zone, you can find wonderful recipes for even the most spartan of diets. A few ideas:

Celiac disease/gluten-free. While it is possible to find gluten-free substitutes for foods that normally contain wheat (pizza crust, pasta, bread), I think it’s much easier — and more satisfying — to embrace the foods of cultures that are naturally vegetarian and gluten-free. Think of the legume-based stews and rice of Indian cuisine (chana masala, dal); Italy’s polenta and risottos; and the hundreds of ways to cook tofu, which the Chinese call “meat without bones.” My favorite recipe resource: Karina’s Kitchen, a blog about gluten-free cooking, with an entire section devoted to vegan and vegetarian recipes. 

Low carb. Admittedly, a low-carb diet is a challenge as a vegetarian, but remember that we’re only talking about one day a week here. Egg-based dishes are always a good source of vegetarian protein (try my Fresh Summer Frittata), as are tofu stir-frys (just skip the rice, and add lots of crunchy vegetables). And remember: A low-carb diet may help you lose weight in the short term, but overall, vegetarians tend to be slimmer than meat eaters. 

Allergic to soy. Again, the vegetarian recipes of Indian and Italian cuisine are a great place to start, because they rely on one of the most nutritious vegetarian sources of protein: beans. (Anti-aging expert and frequent Oprah guest Dr. Perricone names beans in his top 10 superfoods, thanks to their low-glycemic rating and beneficial phytochemicals.) And yes, soy is a bean, but there are hundreds of other varieties for you to try; for a unique treat, check out these resources for heirloom beans.

Got another dietary concern preventing you from enjoying Meatless Monday? Post a comment and I’ll make some recommendations.

–Jennifer Grayson

More Meatless Monday posts:
Meatless Monday: Think Mediterranean
Meatless Monday catching on worldwide
Meatless Monday includes fish?
Meatless Monday: What’s for dinner?

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Organizing for America (OFA), the grassroots volunteer organization that is working to support President Obama’s agenda, has been hard at work during this week’s Health Care Week of Action, phone banking and canvassing door-to-door to show Congress that there is broad support for health care reform.

30Barack, my local group of volunteers from California Congressional District 30 in Los Angeles, has been partnering with OFA on health care reform; but even before then, the group has been working to fulfill the president’s vision of community service — especially environmental service. (Check out my weeding and tree planting skills in the video, below.)

Want to get involved in green events in your community? Check out the president’s United We Serve website, where you can search by topic for local volunteer opportunities.

–Jennifer Grayson

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Recycling 3-D movie glasses may not be the most profound of environmental issues — certainly not as pressing as global warming or fish disappearing from our oceans — but I was very pleased to see this recycling bin at my local movie theater the other day.

It means that attitudes are really changing; people (and companies) are starting to think about the environmental repercussions of their everyday actions, no matter how small or inconsequential they seem. And you know what? With 3-D films like Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs already grossing over $580 million worldwide, it’s not a trivial issue; that’s a heck of a lot of plastic glasses that would otherwise have made their way to the landfill.

But how, specifically, are the glasses recycled? A spokesperson for RealD, the company that makes the 3-D glasses, informed me that every pair dropped in the recycling bin is sanitized and then reused, while those glasses that are broken or no longer functional are melted down to be recycled into other plastic products. Recycling bins are also provided to every theater worldwide using the glasses.

Now if only they could do something about those popcorn tubs…

–Jennifer Grayson

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More proof that the urban gardening movement is taking hold: Rick Bayless, celebrity chef extraordinaire and proprietor of Chicago’s Frontera Grill (one of my favorite restaurants of all time) is offering tours of his organic garden to the public this summer. 

The garden, which is situated on three adjoining lots in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood, has become a model in the community for commercial urban food production. The hour-long evening excursion is offered for a reasonable $20 per person, and includes Bayless’ extensive outdoor kitchen, container plantings, the restaurant’s organic vegetable garden, composting systems, and more. 

Alas, every evening tour for this summer is completely booked up, but groups as small as four can schedule a weekday visit. So play a little hooky in the heat: Take that summer Friday off, gather a group of friends for a garden outing, and hit up Frontera afterwards to taste that agriculture in action. Unemployed? Take a tour of the garden and get inspired to start your own edible urban oasis. (You may as well take advantage of that extra time on your hands, and think of all the money you’ll save by growing some of your own food!)

–Jennifer Grayson

Read more about Rick Bayless’ organic garden.

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Natural cotton reusable produce bag from EcoBags

I’ve amassed quite a collection of reusable totes over the years that I never fail to take with me to the grocery store, farmers market, and for shopping errands around town (I even have a little expandable one that I keep in my purse for unexpected purchases, though those have become few and far between given the current economy).

Once at the grocery store, I usually forgo the plastic produce bags for larger items like chard and bunches of carrots; a little dirt in my canvas tote doesn’t matter since I wash them regularly. But the other day at Whole Foods, when I reached for a plastic bag in which to place a handful of loose mushrooms, I suddenly felt like a hypocrite. Even though the WF produce bags are made from 100 percent recycled plastic and I can put them in my recycling bin at home, if I’m going to embrace reusable bags, I may as well go all the way, right? 

Amazingly, my local WF doesn’t sell reusable bags for fruits and veggies (although it’s not that surprising, since I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone use anything but the plastic ones they offer in the produce aisle). Luckily, you can find a great selection of reusable produce bags online. A couple sites I like:

• ReusableBags.com offers a range of options, including an organic cotton net version that’s see-through for fast checkout, and an organic cotton muslin one that’s handy for bulk bin items like rice and nuts (both come in two sizes). The site also sells SmartCycle fine mesh bags made from recycled plastic bottles, which are machine washable and last up to 15 years.

• EcoBags makes lightweight sacks from certified organic cotton in an assortment of styles and sizes (including the cute printed one, above). The bags have a drawstring closure and are machine washable.

Got some old sheer curtain fabric lying around and and a bit of ambition? You can even make your own, thanks to this handy guide from Mother Earth News.

–Jennifer Grayson

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It’s with a heavy heart that I report that Dodo, the stray kitten we were fostering, has died. We had taken him to the animal clinic yesterday after noticing that he had started limping, but the vet didn’t see anything immediately wrong with him. The plans were set to take him to his new home this morning, but Dodo suddenly appeared despondent late last night, was having difficulty breathing by the time we woke up this morning, and didn’t make it much longer after that. 

I know mortality rates are high among feral kittens, but I really thought this little guy would make it. 

I would like to mention Purrfect Solutions, the amazing cat rescue organization that had agreed to take Dodo. If you’re looking for a kitty to adopt, this all-volunteer-run shelter is known as one of the most loving in Los Angeles. You can also help them win a $20,000 grant by voting for them in The Animal Rescue Site $100,000 Shelter Challenge (it’s free).

–Jennifer Grayson

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"Dodo," the stray kitten we found hiding on the tire of a car

I’m sorry to admit that I’m not really a cat person (probably because I’m violently allergic), but when my husband found a tiny stray kitten hiding on the tire of a car parked on our street yesterday, my heart just melted. Of course, we couldn’t leave him there to be crushed once the owner of the car came back and drove away, but it was quite an ordeal trying to maneuver the kitten out of there. He seemed terrified, and hissed and scratched as we pulled him out. 

Thankfully, there’s a cat boarding house on our block, so we took him over there to ask for advice on what to do, since we’ve never really even been around cats before, let alone a possibly feral kitten. I just assumed that it would be easy to find him a home. Who wouldn’t want an adorable baby kitten, right? 

What the woman working at the boarding house told us was grim: The kitten, which she estimated to be only 3-4 weeks old, was most likely born on the streets to another stray. We could try to find a place for him at a no-kill shelter, but most of those would probably be filled up. She urged us to try to foster him until we could find him a good home, since taking him to a regular Los Angeles shelter meant almost certain death. This was confirmed later when, after trying to find a no-kill shelter to no avail (every last one of them was filled beyond capacity), my husband called a regular shelter. “Don’t worry, we don’t kill them for 10 days,” the worker there said. Gulp.

Thankfully, we found a good home for the kitty (now temporarily christened Dodo), and are taking care of him until the new owner can pick him up on Sunday. But most animals aren’t that lucky: The Humane Society estimates that between 3 and 4 million dogs and cats are euthanized each year.

“Have your pet spayed or neutered” is a familiar refrain (thanks, Bob Barker!), and it’s still the most effective way to confront the crisis of animal overpopulation. Aside from the obvious consequences for the pets who never find a home, overpopulation is both an environmental and public health threat: stray animals get into trash and contribute to litter, their waste ends up in our water supply, and uncontrolled breeding is partly responsible for more than 4.5 million dog bites in the US each year. 

Want to do your part? Get your next pet from an animal rescue or shelter and make sure it’s spayed or neutered. Extra credit: Check out this handy guide on how to green your pet.

–Jennifer Grayson

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