Kale Smoothie Mustache!

A kale smoothie makes a body good.  This is my new saying since starting my smoothie addiction two weeks ago. For months, I heard that smoothies make you feel energized throughout the day.  And gulp, they do.  I swear.

And guess what the secret is?  Kale.

Kale is a regular powerhouse of goodness.  Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD states that

“[o]ne cup of kale contains 36 calories, 5 grams of fiber, and 15% of the daily requirement of calcium and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) 40% of magnesium, 180% of vitamin A, 200% of vitamin C, and 1,020% of vitamin K. It is also a good source of minerals copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus.”

Powerhouse indeed.  Now before you turn up your nose since kale tends to be bitter, I promise you that you won’t taste it.

The Recipe:

My Kale Smoothie

Here is my favorite vegan protein smoothie recipe based upon a regular size blender.  Make 2 servings:

• 1 cup and half of  berries:  strawberries, blueberries, or your favorite fruit.  I have used blueberries, apples, strawberries, and plums.  If you don’t want to measure, I usually load the blender with about half fruit.  (You can use frozen fruit too.  No need to defrost.  Just skip the ice below.)
• Add a banana if you want extra sweetness.  It really doesn’t need it.
• One  and half cups of water.  Use more or less depending on how thick you want the smoothie. I like to make my smoothies thin.  (You can also use coconut milk or the milk of your choice.)
• 2 Tablespoons of Chia Seeds.  Great Omega 3 source.    (You can use flax if you want.)
• 2 Heaping Tablespoons of Nutribiotic Rice Protein Chocolate.  (One heaping teaspoon is 12 grams of protein, 1 gram of sugar, and 2.5 grams of carbohydrates.)   You can use whey or hemp powder instead.  I can’t eat dairy or whey.  (See note below.)
• 2 scoops of Greens Today, each scoop contains 1500 milligrams of spirulina.  (See here about the benefits of spirulina, a blue/green algae.)
• 1 cup or 5 stalks of  organic Kale or any other greens.  Take the leaves off the stems.  (Keep the stems to make Chicken or Vegetable stock.)
• 2-3 ice cubes.  (Note, skip this if you used frozen fruit.)

Add a couple of pieces of ice and you are ready to drink.

I don’t add any sugar since it doesn’t need it.  If you want to make it sweeter, add a banana.  I store frozen ripe ones in my freezer.  A regular banana works great too.

Did my kids like it?  No, because it was green probably from the spirulana powder.  You could simply add more fruit to disguise the “green” look.  Blueberries do a great job of disguising the “green” color.

Rice Powder Protein

You might be wondering why I  use a rice protein product?  Dairy and I don’t get along.  The product is GMO free, vegan and gluten free and is available in vanilla, plain, and chocolate flavor. (Vanilla and plain come in certified organic varieties.)  The chocolate variety is not organic.  However, during my conversation with the Company, they confirmed that all of the ingredients were organic but not certified.

As for the rice, you are probably saying, “wait a second, Anna.  Don’t you have an issue with the rice and arsenic?”  The Company told me that their rice is sourced from China which has arsenic regulatory limits.

Some of My Green Gals’ Recipes

Listed below are my green gal friends’ recipes.  You will notice they don’t use protein powder. I just like it since I am less hungry when I use it.

•  Good Girl Gone Green’s Orange Strawberry Smoothie Delight and Chocolate Mint Grasshopper Smoothie
•  Ecofriendly Family’s Mango Avocado Kale Smoothie (uses soy yogurt)
• Nature Moms’ 35 page e-book for kid-friendly smoothies. (affiliate link)

 Join the Conversation:

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Lunch Line Documentary about the National School Lunch Program

Lunch Line, a film produced by Michael Graziano and Ernie Park, reaches deep down into your soul to shine a light on the issues surrounding the National School Lunch Program started in 1946 (See the trailer here.)  Every day,  the Program feeds 32 million children, in which only a dollar is spent on the actual meal. Listen to the below podcast or video as Graziano talks about the film and the issues surrounding the Program.

Background Information about the Film

This movie neither advocates for or against the lunch program but provides a timeline of its evolution, the challenges the program faces, and future opportunities.  The directors  pepper interviews throughout the film from school food service experts, activists, students, and government officials.

My favorite part of the film was the interwoven journey of six children from one of the toughest neighborhoods in Chicago.  These students won the contest to fix the school lunch using only $1 per meal for ingredients.

My Recommendation

I found the film extremely moving and provided clarity about the program. However, certain parts of the film were heartbreaking especially when the issues of  poverty and hunger are discussed.  School lunches are sometimes the only meal a child receives for the entire week.  Without spoiling the movie, film does address the costs associated with the program and organic food use in school lunches.

There are three ways you can see the movie.   Host a screening for your community or school.  (See details here.)   Individuals can purchase the DVD for $19.95 or preview the film at at a screening event  listed on the Lunch Line website.   This film is a must purchase for school’s environmental programs, parent organizations, and those who wish to continue the National School Lunch Program debate.    Trust me. You will not be disappointed.

Stay tuned for another film from Parks and Graziano called Resistance, the story about antibiotics.  Given, their last collaboration, you won’t be disappointed.

Related articles on the Web:

• School Lunches Get a Makeover (sys-con.com)
• New Law has School Districts Reworking Lunch Menu (kstp.com)
• Pink Goop Beef Is Invading School Lunches: USDA Buys 7 Million Pounds of the Slime to Feed Kids [Food] (gizmodo.com)
• My Response to Beef Industry Defense of Pink Slime.  (thelunchtray.com)
• New Federal Regulations Call For Healthier School Lunches (philadelphia.cbslocal.com)

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Dandelions Waiting to Be Picked

Is your yard riddled with dandelions?  Instead of cursing those cute yellow moppet tops, consider harvesting the greens and flowers.  Yes, my friends, you have real gold out there.   What a great way to get your kids outside to play with the added benefit of picking your dandelions.  From your harvest,  you can make dandelion jelly (coming up on the blog,) enjoy the greens,  or simply discard them.  But first, let’s talk about how to get your kids dandelion pumped.

Suggestions to Get Them Excited

When I was young, my father would pay us $10 each to pick the dandelions.  I guess his theory was if you pulled the flower head off, it couldn’t go to seed.  No seeds, less dandelion.  Worked for me as I pocketed the money.

Since being small and closer to the ground, pulling the heads were fun.  Now, that I am older with more parts that hurt, dandelion flower pulling isn’t an activity that I relish.

Here are some ideas on how to get your kids pumped to pull dandelions:

• Offer a prize for who can pick the most dandelions.
• Pay them by the bucket.  Give little ones smaller buckets.
• Time them and make it a game.
• Create a treasure hunt so when they reach a certain amount in the bucket, they get another clue or treat.
• Turn the sprinkler on them as they pick the dandelions.

Pulling the Dandelions Advice

Join the Conversation

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Green Talk: Practically Green Helps Business Increase Sustainability

Previously, I interviewed Susan Hunt Stevens, the CEO of Practically Green, about how her company’s online game could change the world of sustainability.  Hunt compares her online game of earning points similar to the LEED rating system (a green building accreditation system) or weight watchers.  What fascinated me was how PG has successfully licensed the game to businesses to encourage sustainability within their organizations.  Talk about “game on” at the work place especially for those competitive employees or departments.

Listen to Susan in the below video and podcast as she explains the impact she is seeing in businesses that are using her product.  

Be sure to listen to Segment 1 of Susan’s initial interview regarding the goals of Practically Green.  In addition, coming up on Green Talk is the last segment of Susan’s interview in which she provides advice about operating a start-up.

Join the Conversation:

• Thoughts on gaming to create more sustainable work places?
• Would you consider using this online portal to help your company?
• Are you a personal user of Practically Green?
• How do you feel about the bottom up policy of engaging employees?

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Juicy Joy Book

Do you feel you are living someone else’s life other than your own?  I sense people’s unhappiness in conferences and workshops..  Everyone seems to want a more rewarding live.  When an email about Lisa McCourt book  Juicy Joy: 7 Simple Steps to Your Glorious, Gutsy Self crossed my desk, a bell went off in my head.  Could Lisa shed some light on the unhappiness in the world?

Could she give some nuggets to my readers who are searching as well?  Watch the video or listen to the podcast below.

Prior to my video interview, I did my homework.  Why would McCourt create a self development book when she already was a personal development expert?  In fact,  when other teenage girls were dreaming about boyfriends, Lisa was taking notes from self-development books.  Talk about committed growth.

In my opinion, Lisa’s life seemed fulfilled and rewarding.  She is an accomplished children’s author and has sold over 5 million copies.   As she puts it, she had the wonderful hubby, great kids, and a great life.  But something was wrong and then her whole world fell apart until she found herself.

Lisa’s transformation took four years.  However, given Lisa’s book and online forum club, Real Club,  you won’t be going through it alone.  Note, you do not need to read the book to be part of the Real Club, an online course/forum which costs $10 per month.

Listen to Lisa in the above interview as she explains about the book, the course, and  shares her own epiphany about her  life.  Why should you be stuck in a life that isn’t working for you anymore?

Join the Conversation:

• Do you feel your life is in a rut?
• What do you think is holding you back?
• What kind of life do you envision for yourself?

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Searaser Harnesses Ocean Waves

Welcome guest poster,  Mathias Aarre Maehlum.

The team behind Searaser, a device that converts wave energy into useful electricity, claims it will generate electricity even cheaper than fossil fuels and coal. Are their claims rooted in reality, or is this just another hype within renewable energy? Let’s take a look closer at this technology.

What is Wave Power?

Wave power can be defined as the transport of energy as a result of wave on the ocean surface. There are two contributors to wave power: Ocean currents and the tide (rise and fall of ocean levels caused by the gravitational fields of the Moon and the Sun). The worldwide potential of wave power is estimated to be around 2 TW!

How Does a Searaser Work?

A Searaser acts almost as a “bicycle pump” and is used to pump water from the ocean to higher levels, thereby converting wave energy into potential energy, which we can use much in the same way as we do hydroelectricity.

Water that is higher than a reference height (higher potential energy), can be converted into kinetic energy (motion) by dropping it downhill through pipes. The next step in the process is to convert the kinetic energy into electricity, which easily can be done with a turbine and generator. This is a well-established technology with high efficiency rates – we’ve been doing it for decades.

I hope it is clear that the Searasers themselves does not generate electricity, but only elevate the water. A Searaser consists of the following main components:  Two buoys that are attached to a piston.

The idea is quite simple.   As waves come in, the upper piston is forced upwards by buoyancy since it is floating on the water surface. As the wave passes, gravity pulls the same piston back down. This is how the device got its analogy “bicycle pump.”

Pumped Storage Plant

The Benefits of Searaser

Generating electricity with the help of Searasers is obviously green – there are no climate gas emissions involved, at least not after construction and installation. The ocean water that is elevated has to return to the sea for us to generate electricity, it is therefore also a renewable source of energy. This is also true for other technologies that harness wave energy.

So what is so special with Searaser?

Simple design and cheap components pushes the energy prices for the end users down. I have to admit that I haven’t seen anything else in wave power comparable to Searasers when it comes to simplicity.

Additionally, electricity generation is happening well above the water surface in the generators. In other words, the effects of corrosion on electrical components are negligible, which further helps bringing costs down.

One of the problems with today’s ways of harnessing renewable sources is that they are highly unpredictable. Wind and solar power are fluctuating sources of electricity and we have to do reach significant technological breakthroughs before we reach affordable efficiency rates with energy storage – the solution to stability and the base load demand. Searasers has the advantage that pumped water hydro is well established.

Downsides

One would expect that the there’s a whole range of downsides with the Searaser-technology, as it usually is with ways of harnessing energy. Hydroelectricity has long been blamed for disrupting the ecosystem by altering the natural flow of rivers. Wind turbines are infamous for killing birds. However, this is not the case with Searasers nor any other wave power device.

It is clear that some people could have issues with aesthetic of the scenery where Searasers would be located, but this would be nowhere close to the same issues with coal power plants or onshore wind-farms for that matter. Searasers are not expected be a threat to the ecosystem in the sea either.

It all boils down to if Ecotricity, the company behind the Searaser technology, is able to make the Searasers cost-competitive. The end user energy prices has be on par with conventional sources of energy such as coal power, fossil fuels and nuclear.

How far is Searaser from Commercial Launch?

Searaser 1200, which is the current model, has through extensive testing showed to be able to generate as much as 932 kW under ideal conditions. A flow of power of this amount would be sufficient to provide electricity for 17, 000 homes.

Taking normal conditions into account, it would require 11,000 Searasers to cover the UK’s entire domestic power demand. Ecotricity aims to have them on the market already in 2014.

Already back in 1890, the first attempts to use wave power were conducted in San Francisco. In the last decade or so, hundreds of so-called revolutionizing ideas have been patented, most of which has been discarded and only a few reaching the final testing stages.

I think the Searasers holds a lot of promise. This is a fresh approach to harnessing wave power and numbers look good. However, if the Searaser-technology actually will pan out not can only be speculated in.

The data from this article has been taken from a slideshow that was given by the inventors in Dartmouth Wave Energy Ltd.

Mathias Aarre Maehlum

Bio of the Author:

Mathias is currently doing a masters degree in energy and environmental engineering at NTNU in Norway. He is also a writer at EnergyInformative, a site dedicated to inform about renewable energy sources (wind, solar and geothermal) and energy conservation/efficiency.

Editor’s note:  Thank you Mathias for such an interesting article.

Join the Conversation:

• What are your thoughts about this wave technology?
• Do you think it is scalable option for many countries?
• Do you feel that this type of technology will be disruptive to the ocean ecosystems?

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Honest Tea

[Note 5/4/2012:   This article incorrectly stated that Honest Tea was working toward using a PLA (plant-based polylactic acid) alternative for its bottles. It has been updated to reflect that the company is actually pursuing a PET bottle with 30 percent plant-based content.]

Honest Tea, an organic beverage company balances being profitably green without compromising its core ethics.  In my interview with CEO Seth Goldman we explored everything from its origins, to a new recycling program to the problems he has encountered running the company.  As an added bonus, Goldman shares words of wisdom for start-ups.

I highly encourage you to watch the video or listen to the podcast.  Be forewarned, the below Skype video isn’t as clear as I wished it to be; however, Goldman’s engaging conversation overshadows any technical difficulties.

Company’s Ethos

Just to give a little sip of the Company’s ethics, it strives to “create healthy and honest relationships with its customers, suppliers and the environment” as follows:

• Its products are made with organic ingredients and their tea leaves are fair trade certified.
• Products contain less sugar.
• Supports initiatives with its partners
• Goldman founded Green Bethesda, a green incubator to help foster and support sustainable businesses.
• Gave bikes to all employees to encourage health.
• Decreased packing to create lightweight PET bottles
• Bottle and pouches are phthalates and BPA free.
• Corporate headquarters in Bethesda are environmentally friendly and an open design.
• Partners with Terracycle to give 2 cents to schools for each Honest Kids pouch collected.  Other companies who sell pouch juice drinks have followed suit.

Great Recycling Program Initiative

If the above actions aren’t considered enough, on April 30, 2012, the Company roles out its new Great Recycling Program, a call to action  to encourage increased plastic bottle recycling.   Honest Tea generates approximately 20 million glass bottles and 60 million plastic bottles annually.  The International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) recently reported  approximately 32% of all PET plastic bottles were actually recycled.

A 30 foot blue recycling bin will be stationed in New York City’s Times Square for one day with a goal of collecting 45,000 bottles.  To encourage recycling, the Company will offer reward incentives.  The Company’s goal by 2020 is to recycle every bottle it produces.

Company Frustration

Despite all the Company’s accolades, Goldman’s biggest frustration is people don’t see the value of organic products.  Goldman explain sthat  studies have shown that people think “natural” ingredients are more meaningful than organic. In order to change consumer perception, Goldman feels that the organic industry needs to better educate people about the value of organics.

Wish List for the Company

If I could change two facets of the Company, it would be to reduce their use of plastic bottles and single serve juice containers. Studies have shown plastic bottles leach.  In addition, plastic products are made of petroleum products, which is not a renewable source.  Worse yet, single use products are a complete waste, literally.   Goldman argues from a packaging standpoint the pouches have less of a footprint than a glass bottle.  Alternatively, parents could buy the Company’s larger bottles and just use a reusable bottle.  Remember, the first rule of  the three “Rs” is reduce not recycle.

As for the arguments against using plastic, Goldman responds that the Company is pursing the use of parent company, Coca Cola’s 30% plant based PET bottle with the goal of using a 100% plant based bottle.

I remain skeptical about the environmental advantages of switching from the original PET bottle to a 30-percent-plant-based bottle until further study.   However, one thing I learned about Goldman, as his company grows, he compromises less.  I believe he will create a viable solution.  If not, rest assured he will be honest.

Join the Conversation:

• If you run a green company, what frustrations have you encountered?
• What have you learned from Honest Tea that you can use in your business?
• Are you more apt to buy Honest Tea products given what you learned here?
• Is my wish list achievable or am I simply being too unrealistic.

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Beautiful Healthy Rose

My roses would start the season with beautiful glossy leaves.  But by the middle of the season, the leaves would be downright ugly due to Rust, a fungal disease.  I figured my sprinkler system was the culprit since roses do not like their foliage to remain wet.

Last summer, they looked so terrible that I cut them back.  Honestly, I never thought they would grow back.   Although, I have been gardening for five years,  most of my planting experience is through trial and error.  Um,  a lot of error.

One day, my friend came over with her mom,  a true garden maven.   After looking at my roses (or what was left of them), she said “sprinkle coffee grounds around them and they will flourish.” I was desperate because my roses looked so pathetic.  It couldn’t hurt? Right?

I started taking hubby’s left over coffee grounds and sprinkling it around the roses and sure enough, they started to grow. I was amazed!

Starbucks to the Rose Rescue

Since  hubby was my family’s only coffee drinker, I needed another source of coffee grounds to give to my other plants.  Cards on the table?  My addiction needed another source.

What about Starbucks, I pondered.   I bet they would gladly give me their grounds.

When I got to the store, Starbucks must have known that gardeners love coffee grounds.  Right by the door was a wastebasket with a little sign, “Grounds for your Garden.”  I reached in and snatched my garden treasure.  You would have thought I won the lottery.

With all this happiness of my new found source of coffee grounds, I still had no idea how much to give to my rose plants. So I gave them probably more than enough to cause any human to stay up half of the night!  Come to think of it, those roses seem to stand up way to straight.

The Rose Flourished

Lo and behold, the roses continue to flourish. Was it the coffee grounds or the weather?  Or the roses were simply prospering despite my “magical” coffee grounds?

Nah, it was the coffee grounds.

I started to make weekly pilgrimages to Starbucks.  Okay, I was hooked and I don’t even drink the stuff.  (Anna, let’s get real, you became a Starbucks stalker.)  Sometimes, other gardeners would beat me to the punch and grab those darn bags.  It was a sad day in Annaville.  Even the employees at the store saw my sadness and promised to keep some aside just for me.  (Yeah, a bunch of enablers.  Love them.)

Then I started to obsessed about my other plants.   How about my hydrangeas?  They were pink and they should be blue.  Could the acidity in the  grounds turn the hydrangeas from pink to blue?  I bet.

But in the back of my what was left of my logical mind, I wondered, was I giving my plants too much coffee grounds?  Was I harming them?

Well,  I won’t spoil the answer for you even if you threaten to take the coffee grounds away from me.  You’ll just have to read Coffee Grounds, Friend or Foe.  Don’t forget to read how to compost your grounds too.

Join the Conversation:

• Do you use coffee grounds for your roses?
• If so, did you see a change?
• Do you use coffee grounds for your other plants?  If so, have you seen a change?

Photo by Parvin ♣( OFF for a while )

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