From the monthly archives:
As I mentioned before, this past Saturday I participated in a group hike on Mt. Diablo led by Hall Newbegin from Juniper Ridge. I finally got around to editing the photos from the hike, which you can see here. The hike was about seven miles long, though we stopped frequently to look at and learn [...]
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Yeah, we all know that drinking water bottled in plastic is bad. Sometimes it’s unavoidable, like when you’re traveling (just remember to recycle the bottle). But it’s best not to make a habit of it. We use a Brita pitcher container in our house, which mostly just makes the water taste better. And though we [...]
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This past Saturday I was privileged to go on a hike led by Hall Newbegin, president and owner of Juniper Ridge, one of my favorite companies of all time. The purpose of the hike (besides, well, hiking) was to listen to Hall talk about native plants and wildflowers that grow on Mt. Diablo, which is [...]
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One thing I always have on hand is a good lip balm. I do not like chapped lips one bit. They feel icky, they flake, and it’s gross. And it’s not good to neglect my skin, especially my puckers which are very delicate and sensitive. Since my lips are obviously very close to my mouth, [...]
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Well, I’m off for a mini-vacation to San Francisco for the next few days. It’s only an hour from where we live, but I’m going to stay in a hotel and visit a couple of museums. I was lucky enough to find a place to park that’s near where I’m staying, though everywhere I’m going [...]
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Yes, today is Earth Day. And nobody’s going to let me forget it: I’ve been receiving at least ten press releases a day about it. Some companies have merchandise sales they want to promote, and others want to plug what their company is doing for the holiday. Everyone seems to have an Earth Day schtick, [...]
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Though I’ve written about my love of yerba maté many times before, I haven’t yet addressed the traditional Argentiniad method of enjoying maté: the gourd. Drinking maté from a gourd is an overwhelming experience, one that combines the magic of caffeine with the feelings of fellowship derived from the group dynamic. I’ve only done it [...]
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For awhile, I hunted high and low for the perfect shower gel. I like bar soap just fine, but I normally prefer a liquid soap and shower puff. The problem is that it’s a real challenge to find a pure, healthy shower gel. I’d find one with no parabens, but it would contain sodium lauryl [...]
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Yesterday one of the blogs I read daily pointed me to this UPI article that relates the story of two Girl Scouts from Ann Arbor, Michigan. The two girls decided to stop selling Girl Scout cookies when they learned that the cookies contain palm oil, notorious for being harvested on large plantations that cause harm [...]
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I almost forgot to remind you guys that the Pangea Organics Earth Day 2008 sale is going on for the entire month of April. (Thanks to Jenni for reminding me about it.) I went to our Whole Foods in town and bought facial cleanser and mandarin rose facial cream, my two favorite products from Pangea. [...]
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Ted and I returned this morning from a company retreat at the beach in Marin. It was a beautiful and relaxing weekend, full of good food, lots of barbecuing, and epic Scrabble matches. There was a lot of cooking going on, and the one thing I noticed was how much food waste went into the [...]
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You’re a farmer. You’re resisting the giant agro-corporations, who are ready to swoop in and buy up your farm at the first opportunity. You’re fighting to stay afloat in a system that rewards over-production (and under-compensation), forcing you to rely on government subsidies in order to turn a profit. The subsidies are dwindling because of [...]
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Over the weekend Ted and I purchased and assembled a large compost bin in our backyard with the help of one of our closest friends, Kevin. (Thanks, Kevin!) It’s made from 100% recycled plastic, and it’s similar to this composter at Costco, though ours cost about $60. We found a bunch of rotting leaves and [...]
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Have I mentioned before that I have a killer sweet tooth? It’s not that I need dessert frequently, and in fact I generally eschew sweets after meals. My particular brand of sweet tooth hits rarely, but it hits hard. As a result, I love candy. Candy is super-sweet, and my favorites have always involved chocolate [...]
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*Note: Today’s post was written by Chris Robb, my brother-in-law and fellow Santa Rosa resident. Besides Ted, I count Chris as my best friend. He brings new perspectives to our conversations about organics and sustainability, and I’m continually inspired by his passion for the environment. Chris is new to this whole blogging thing, and I [...]
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