The Red, White, and Green

Photo via Flickr: MSVG

Is there anything more festive than a snow-covered house lit up with holiday lights? I’ve loved the twinkly strings ever since I was little, even though my mom would only buy them in the clear variety and tastefully drape them over a potted palm in our living room. (Because of course, everyone knows that clear lights are acceptable Chanukah decorations; multicolored lights would be crossing the line.)

What’s not so festive, however, is the electricity bill most people get after the holiday season — those innocent little lights are wattage wasters! According to WholeBuffalo, a new website that’s like a Consumer Reports for green products, holiday lights in the US consume more energy in the month of December than the amount of solar power we produce in an entire year.

Luckily, the solution is a simple one: Switch to LEDs. They use 75 percent less energy and look just as good as old-school incandescents. (For proof, check out this Christmas light show. The 14,260 LED lights employed use so little power, they’re all run from the same outlet.)

Just don’t forget to recycle your old ones: Send them to HolidayLEDs.com, and receive a coupon for 25 percent off the purchase of a new LED set. Now that’s the sustainable spirit!

–Jennifer Grayson

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Photo via Flickr: Edyta Materka

I’m sorry to come back from the holiday weekend with sobering news, but when I read this yesterday it took my breath away: One billion people (a billion people!) may lose their homes by the end of this century because of climate change. This, from a new report by Oxford University scientists to be released today at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Cancun, Mexico. (Would you like a daiquiri with your doom and gloom?)

From The Observer:

Researchers such as Richard Betts, head of climate impacts at the Met Office, calculate that a 4C rise could occur in less than 50 years, with melting of ice sheets and rising sea levels.

According to François Gemenne, of the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations in Paris, this could lead to the creation of “ghost states” whose governments-in-exile would rule over scattered citizens and land lost to rising seas.

The Cancun conundrum? The report points out that even if consensus is reached on curbing carbon emissions, it won’t be enough to stop global temperatures by rising at least 2 degrees Celsius — the “magic number” for avoiding catastrophic climate change.

And, according to the research, blue may be the new green: Up to 3 billion people — a third of all people on our future earth (according to population projections) — could lose access to clean water supplies.

In the face of the news that we may soon become climate refugees, it’s easy to become paralyzed into inaction. Don’t. One-fifth of all global greenhouses gases are caused by livestock production. That means you can change the world right now by going meatless this Monday.

–Jennifer Grayson

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You don’t have time to read a blog post — you’re too busy defrosting the Tofurky and rolling out pate brisee! (Although those who eat the former would likely never indulge in the latter.) Still, I’ll leave you with this brilliant Thanksgiving ad from the Offlining campaign, which I covered back in June.

A device-free day is not only good for the environment (information and communication technology contributes to two percent of global CO2 emissions — as much as the aviation industry), it’s good for your relationships. The people you love like to know that they’re important enough to have more than two minutes of your undivided attention. I promise, they’ll be thankful.

–Jennifer Grayson

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Photo via Flickr: Pink Sherbert Photography

Forget the turducken: For cash-strapped Americans, even a turkey may be out of the question this year. This, from the latest results of the First Command Financial Behaviors Index, which shows that nearly 40 percent of us will be planning a leaner (i.e., less expensive) Thanksgiving. That’s up just a crumb from 39 percent last year.

I hate to rejoice in the news that Americans are suffering; I have several family members who have been out of work for some time now. But not surprising in a consumption-based economy, what’s bad for our bottom line is good news for the planet. Especially when it comes to holiday-based household waste, which increases, on average, by more than 25 percent from Thanksgiving to New Year’s.

Among the scrimping strategies for this year’s Thanksgiving:

• Dining with immediate family only (20 percent)
• Staying closer to home (19 percent)
• Spending less on food (12 percent)
• Going to someone else’s house for dinner (10 percent)

Less popular plans of action include going potluck style (9 percent) and spending less on decorations (8 percent). Only 1 percent plan on canceling Thanksgiving altogether.

Of course, just because you’re downsizing doesn’t mean dinner can’t be delicious. Check out these tips for Thanksgiving on a budget.

–Jennifer Grayson

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Now that I’ve surpassed Meatless Monday and am giving weekday veg an honest shot, I’ve found myself relying more on grains to get the calories I need. That’s not so easy though, since I try to eat gluten-free most of the time. I’ve never actually been diagnosed with celiac disease, but I just don’t feel great when I eat wheat.

Obviously, I’m not alone: Judging by the number of gluten-free foods flooding the marketplace, you’d never know that only 1 percent of Americans are actually suffering from the disease.

While there are plenty of gluten-free substitutes for foods that normally contain wheat (pizza crust, pasta, bread), I’m not much of a fan; I’ve always thought it’s much tastier to embrace the foods of cultures that are naturally GF (e.g., risotto rather than pasta; biryani instead of naan).

That is, until I discovered Ancient Harvest Quinoa pasta. Made from a blend of organic corn flour and organic quinoa flour, this isn’t some mushy gluten-free excuse for a pasta — this is the real deal. And believe me, I’ve tried a lot of GF pastas. They all suck. Ancient Harvest tastes like real pasta, the texture is like real pasta, plus it’s high in fiber so it really stays with you. I find mine at Whole Foods, but you can order it online here. Buon appetito!

–Jennifer Grayson

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[Watch Harmony trailer on Vimeo]

It’s been said that with great privilege comes great responsibility, but not many in said position take that old adage to heart. (Bush tax cuts, anyone?) So it’s encouraging to see arguably one of the most privileged men on our planet working so hard to protect it.

I’m talking, of course, about HRH the Prince of Wales, whose enviro documentary Harmony premieres tonight on NBC as part of the network’s Green Is Universal week. The film focuses on the disconnect between ourselves and nature as the source of the current global environmental crisis, and offers solutions as to how we can restore that balance.

For those who doubt that a man who lives in a palace can know anything about communing with nature and solving the climate crisis, think again: the Prince has spent over 25 years as an organic farmer; was named a “Hero of the Environment” by Time Magazine; addressed last year’s Copenhagen climate conference; and even interviewed Al Gore about climate change long before the former vice president made it cool.

Will the film be a royal success, especially for the American television market? So far, The New York Times says maybe not. But I’ll be tuning in to take a closer glimpse at the man who will be king and his message.

–Jennifer Grayson

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Last night, I wasn’t ashamed to be sampling a bottle of Three Wishes cab ($1.99 at Whole Foods — who could resist!?), but two sips in, I was seriously rethinking my purchase. Shall we say cherry cough syrup? Manischewitz has more sophistication.

There was one redeeming quality about the bottle, though, that I probably would have noticed earlier had I not been buzzed from swigging the sweet stuff down at a faster pace than usual: a special label printed with the words “Eco-Glass.”

This is the first I’ve heard of Eco-Glass, but the concept is so simple I can’t believe no one has thought of it before: Made with 25 percent less glass than standard wine bottles, Eco-Glass bottles hold the same amount of wine — they just weigh less. And because less weight means less fuel required for transport, the result is a lighter carbon footprint. Brilliant!

According to the American Association of Wine Economists, how wine is transported is an even more important environmental consideration than whether it’s grown organically. If that’s the case, I’ll drink to Eco-Glass.

–Jennifer Grayson

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I like the Nicobella truffle variety box, with six flavors: Walnut Flaxseed Crunch, Sunflower Banana Butter, Pumpkin Chai, Blueberry Almond, Ginger Green Tea, and Pure Cocoa Bliss

Looks like the holidays are going to be lean and green this year: With the US economy still at a standstill, my entire extended family has decided to keep holiday presents small and thoughtful. Fine by me; I’ve long contended that one of the biggest contributors to global warming is all the stuff we buy.

So thank goodness for small (and sustainable) indulgences! My latest obsession, Nicobella dark chocolate truffles, are the perfect pick for considered green gift-giving. They fit the bill on all eco-counts: organic, fair trade, locally made, vegan, natural — even the packaging uses vegetable-based inks and is FSC-certified.

They’re even healthy: In lieu of the traditional cream and sugar ganache filling, Nicobella truffles are infused with antioxidant-rich ingredients like pumpkin and sunflower seed butter, and sweetened with agave nectar or brown rice syrup. Take a closer look:

But most important, they’re delicious. I mean, beyond delicious. (My mouth is actually watering as I write this.) And at $13.50 a box through the Nicobella website or Abe’s Market, I can afford to throw in a little holiday giftie for yours truly!

–Jennifer Grayson

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[Watch video on PlugInAmerica.org]

Those who read me regularly know that I would be first in line for the new all-electric Nissan Leaf, were it not for the three years of payments still left on my what-was-I thinking-with-the-manual-transmission-in-trafficky-Los-Angeles Volkswagen Jetta.

I, however, am an early adopter when it comes to all things green; what will the rest of America think of these new plug-in vehicles when they hit the mass market in just a few short weeks? Will electric be the new hybrid?

Plug In America hopes so. The nonprofit organization is releasing a series of witty public service announcements over the next few months, aimed at easing Americans’ anxieties about electric. Spearheading the Mac-v.-PC spoof spots? Alexandra Paul, of Baywatch fame. (She also happens to be a founding Plug In America board member.) My favorite of the PSAs, so far, is “Ocean Crude” (watch, above; and wait for the last line).

If these 30-second spots don’t work their magic, then maybe the bad economy will: It costs a mere penny a mile to drive an electric car.

–Jennifer Grayson

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I’ve written before about the challenge of being both environmentalist and mother; perhaps nowhere are the two harder to reconcile than at a baby shower. (It’s called a “shower” for a reason, after all — the deluge of baby goods can sometimes seem endless!)

We think we need all this stuff, but the truth is that babies grow up so fast and have such basic needs that their parents usually end up with piles of unused clothing and toys that wind up getting tossed in the trash.

So for my special event, I wanted to do things differently and have a “green” (which actually means mindful) baby shower, and luckily my friends, family, and American Baby magazine climbed right on board. Going green wouldn’t mean that we all had to be grinches; it just meant giving extra thought to a celebration and registry that would be healthy for both baby and planet. Check it out (click here for the full-sized version):

Cover and story reprinted with permission from American Baby® magazine. ©2010 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved. All photos: David Tsay.

Thank you to everyone at American Baby, my friends at Apples & Onions LA, Auntie Em’s Kitchen, and the brilliant David Tsay (and of course, my friends and family!) for making the day so beautiful.

–Jennifer Grayson

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