Cooking With My Urban Agriculture

One more thing before the summer begins-- Let's not forget the most important lesson that this class has taught us: sustainability is possible. Everyone has their own role, whether being a mindful/organic producer or a conscientious consumer, knowledge is the key to doing your part. Kingsolver has taught us the value of home grown edibles and I have been looking forward to using this recipe since I planted those seeds in late February... It comes from The Soup Bible and I used the early tomatoes from my mom's garden, together with a handful of basil from my own gardening endeavors. Most of the rest of the ingredients came from the Farmer's Market.

Tomato and Fresh Basil Soup (serves 4-6) --I was only feeding 3 so I used a little less of everything

1 tbs olive oil

2 tbs butter

1 onion, minced

2 lbs ripe tomatoes, chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

about 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock (we used vegetable)

1/2 cup dry white wine (didn't use this.. oopsies.)

2 tbs sun-dried tomato paste (I actually got a package of them from the Veggie Bin and mushed em up/blended them together.. figured it was the same thing...)

2 tbs shredded fresh basil (I had about 1/2 cup), plus a few whole leaves on top to make it perty

2/3 cup heavy cream

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1) Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan until foaming. Add the onion and cook slowly for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft, but do not let brown.

2) Stir in the tomatoes and garlic, stock, white wine, and sundried tomato paste, with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat, half-cover the pan, and simmer slowly for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to stop the tomatoes from sticking to the bottom.

3) Process the soup with the shredded basil in a food processor or blender. Press through a strainer into a rinsed pan. (I didn't do this–just chopped about 1/2 cup of my fresh basil and added it into the soup pot).

4) Add the heavy cream and heat through, stirring: Do not let the soup approach the boiling point. Check the consistency and add more stock, if necessary. Adjust the seasoning to taste, pour into warm bowls, and garnish with whole basil leaves.

Environmental Crisis

All the front page news of greed and homicide doesn't seem as bad as what's going on in the Gulf of Mexico. I don't want to ruin anyone's mood, but this catastrophe has been on my mind a lot lately. It seems unreal. People refer to it as an oil "spill" like it's a contained or set amount of oil that has spilled and the action is through. There is no question about how devastating this will be. It makes me wonder what kind of policy those oil rigs adhere to. If the BP rig didn't have a back up plan, no mechanism to stop the oil in case of disaster, do you think they're alone? I imagine not. This is a serious flaw in the oil business because it seems like this could have been prevented or mediated by such restrictions.
The only thing to do from here is bring all the possible resources we have to fight the havoc that is being wreaked on our coastlines. One of those resources is our hair. I found an interesting site that detailed their plan to help out: http://www.mercurynews.com/top-stories/ci_15040135?nclick_check=1
In the article, they say The Matter of Trust organization has a warehouse for all the hair that is being sent from all around the world. This could do a little to help the clean up because each strand has scales on it, and those scales attract oil molecules, letting the water filter out. They can stuff wads of hair in pantyhose and drag them along the coastline to sop up some of the oil, then wring them out and use again. I think the article should send an advertisement to all hair salons asking them to PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER.
This is the largest environmental crisis our generation has seen. It will continue to get worse before anything gets better, and support for these kinds of relief organizations is crucial. I have called my old barber and told her about the efforts, I encourage everyone to spread this word and find more ways to help out locally.

Begendings...

Hello Everyone:) It's summertime! Congratulations to all who are graduating this weekend!
I have really enjoyed this class. Barbara Kingsolver is a new favorite-- I've never rushed out to by other books by the author of a school text before! The life she has made in Appalachia seems ideal and while most of us will probably not be able to feed our families all year round locally, it's a nice goal to have. The climate we have here in Charleston also offers us more opportunity than most with two grow seasons for lots of produce. True we can't have cherry trees, but the loquats are pretty tasty this time of year! Also, the mulberries are ripe and juicy, right outside my house. It's at the corner of Smith and Bull if anyone feels like foraging. Yesterday I was raining berries on passerbys as I grabbed and picked at the branches above them.
The garden is looking great! I will also be here this summer and stopping by frequently to weed and water. I think a water collection system is a good idea. I've got my eye out for receptacles in the trash piles of people moving out. If we can find where the water falls most, I'll put one out as soon as I get my hands on something appropriate. Also, there's quite a bit of wood in the dumpster by my house, anyone want to make a sign with me? I know people are graduating and going separate ways, but I think I'll be painting on Monday.
One more thing-- I'll be in town for a month and I am very interested in putting hours in at Ambrose Family Farms. Tomorrow my mom and I will be going out there to check things out, but I normally do not have a car. Ande, do you have room in a vehicle? I work about 3 days a week so there's plenty of time to go get dirty (and fed)!
Anyways, have a great summer, I hope to be seeing everyone around town!

You are the best!

Thanks for such a good semester. I learned right along with you and from you (some of these blog posts are fascinating!). I love that you've left behind a garden. I will do my very best to keep it going, but if you are going to be around this summer, let me know so that we can share the labor and the fruits of our labor.

Happy summer!

TB

P.S. I'm teaching Environmental Sociology during Summer I. I'll waive the prerequisites for good students. If you know anyone who is looking for summer classes, please share this with them.

and one more thing

In GIS, Rachel, Jennifer, and I created a foodshed map. Check out our website:

http://sites.google.com/site/groupprojectgis449/

Class is finished, but there is more work to do

Hello everyone,

It's finally summertime! Hooray! But let's not forget about our garden. It will continue to need watering and weeding. If all of us who will be here in the summer will check in every once in a while, I bet we can get some really delicious tomatoes, squash, and peas. I'll be around for anyone who needs me.

My summer plans:
The Farm: I will be working long hours at Ambrose Family Farms, where we picked berries as a class. I am thrilled to be working on a farm. So far, I have spent prob five days total between exams and graduation things working in the fields and meeting new people. Please stop by some day this summer. It is a great place to be. We always have fresh picked vegetables to buy and something to U-pick. Soon we will have blackberries and blueberries. Delicious!

Volunteer: Also look out for Lowcountry Local first. They are around everywhere in our community and often have cool events happening. Continue to buy locally :)

Market: I also hope to see everyone at the farmers market. It's a wonderful venue for community interaction. I love going on Saturdays. And if you can't make it Saturday- there's a market on Tuesday in Mt. P and on James Island sometime and in N. Charleston too.

I have really appreciated the time to get to know others interested in growing food. I look forward to seeing everyone around. Thanks for the positive experience.

End of Class

As Im nearing the end of my college education Im thinking back on some of the most memorable classes. I would have to say that in addition to my archaeological field experience this class will rank right up in the top. Throughout the semester I always looked forward to going to this class and felt that all of the readings were so easy to get into that it never felt like homework. I enjoyed the guest speakers, our class book discussions and seeing our garden take shape. The field trip to Ambrose was an awesome way to end the class and tie in material to a functioning farm. I had always done the upick farms with my family but to be able to talk to the actual farmer and see how he thought was more than I ever expected. It was nice to take the time and see the different crops and methods that Mr. Ambrose was trying. Gardenening was a hobby that I had always shared with my father. But since his death I had just stuck to flowers. So for me personally this class took me back full circle and rejuvenated my love and interests in gardening/farming. I liked the comment Dr. Burkett had made as we sat at the bogarden for one class. It was something to the effect that she had grown up with a basis of environmentalism but it was her hope to add on to that experience and teach her little ones even more. I liked that because it sums up what this class has given me-a beginning and future additions to my love of the environment. The impact of this class is undeniable-one cant help but to view products in the grocery differently, and its a good thing. I find myself constantly talking to people around me about agriculture and food choices. I can see the impact it has made on those around me as they strive to become more aware and make better choices. The experiences of this class have not only affected me but those close to me as well. Its great to watch things grow!

Organic Fertilizer

I just recently moved into a place with my own yard-so this year I have planted a nice big garden. One that is comparable in size and plant types to the one me and my father had always had when I was little. But the one thing I am interested in changing is the fertilizer. I know growing up we had always used 10-10-10. All fertilizers have three numbers on the label which indicate the fertilizer analysis, or "percentage by weight" of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, in that order. Therefore, a 50 pound bag of fertilizer labeled 20-10-5 would contain 20% nitrogen (10 pounds), 10% available phosphates (5 pounds), and 5% soluble potash (2.5 pounds). I wanted to be truly natural since I have planted seeds from a seed exchange put out by Clemson and sold at Angel Oak nursery. I do remember a few years my dad had tried cow manure and chicken manure (which always smelled foul) but they did not seem to give the plants the boost that the combination fertilizers had. I did notice Mr. Ambrose used chicken manure on his crops. So I have been looking around for alternatives. I found a really cool website:http://www.the-organic-gardener.com/organic-fertilizer.html. This site gives good information on various organic gardening topics from fertilizing to mulch. One product Im interested in is called Milorganite which is composed of heat dried microbes and contains organic nitrogen and environmentally friendly phosphorous. Im still learning about what to use and Im sure it will be a matter of trial and error. I would be interested to see how much of an impact this fertilizer would make by maybe only treating half of the garden.

Rain Barrels

I have been interested for awhile in a more efficient way of watering all of my flowers and garden plants. Concerns over using treated water and then paying for it of course were at the top but also rain water has always made plants thrive. I have seen a few rain barrels for sale like at whole Foods but they are a bit pricey (@100 bucks). So I have decided to make my own-also thought it would be a good idea for some of our community gardens. There are two starting points-1)you could get a 55 gallon drum free from some of the geothermal or directional drilling companies because they contain an environmentally friendly soap made of different types of plant polymerst hat they use which can be washed out with minimal residue. 2)Or you could buy a large yard waste can(at least bigger than 30gallons). Next you will need some sort of screen (1/4in mesh screen) on the top to filter out any debris that could taint the water or clog the faucet. The barrel will need to have about a 2 inch lip on the top for the placement of the screen and for a bit of diversion for the water to collect (like a collection dish). Then you will need a hose fitting ( a basic faucet)and pvc fitting to connect inside the barrel (costs about 5 bucks for both fittings including the seal). Most rain barrels I have seen have an additional pvc fitting for overflow to prevent stagnation. The overflow could be faced out towards the garden to direct water flow (will keep the screen from deteriorating) In essence for a maximum of 20 bucks you could make your own rain barrel and save money on the water bill while recycling water. The plants love it!

More about asparagus..

It seems that I shared some similiar excitement with Kingsolver in seeing asparagus being grown. I have always loved the taste of it but had never known what it looked like in the ground. Also when I tasted it, it made me think of the part of our readings that discussed how people dont really know the wide variety of flavors that can be found in natural foods due to GM seeds. I had never had truly fresh asparagus and there was definitely a difference in taste. I found out that back in the 1920's Charleston used to be a hub for asparagus. We had our own variety named Palmetto asparagus. Im not sure what caused it to disappear but one can imagine the difficulties that can arise in having a crop that takes 2-3 years for the seed to develop into a crown. But once it does take hold, an average crop can last about 12 years. In the late 90's a few local farms (including Ambrose) re-introduced this once local crop. Asparagus is ready to be picked about the same time the azaleas bloom and when all the pine pollen covers everything in yellow-the end of the season for asparagus is around Mothers Day when plants are allowed to "fern" out. Im really glad there is a renewed interest in our local farms and hope that everybody will ahve the opportunity to taste the difference.

Water & Barbara Kingsolver

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/04/water-is-life/kingsolver-text/1

I read this a couple of days ago...If you like Mrs. Kingsolver I'd take a look at it. It is in the new National Geographic!

Since I will be leaving Charleston here in 3 days (and really bummed about it) I've been thinking how much I will miss having the farmer's market, or at the very least, Whole Foods so close by. I'll be going home to Atlanta for a few months, and frankly that's a dearth for fresh food, but then I'll be starting at UGA in the fall and was hoping to find either a CSA or farmer's market there too. Localharvest.org is a great site for anyone else in my position--you can search by place and it gives you locations of farmers markets, CSAs and restaurants that utilize local food. I'm looking forward to being on my own and also having the chance to fully control where I get my food, hopefully starting to make good decisions that will stick with me for life. I really enjoy cooking, but I'll be cooking for one from now on, and the cool thing about incorporating fresh produce into your meals as much as possible, is it allows you to easily buy just what you need. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle really emphasized the satisfaction in getting your food locally and seeing meals happen start to finish, I look forward to trying some of their recipes!

*On a side note--I finally got to try raw milk this past weekend--SO good, and not thick or weird tasting at all :)--Check it out in Marion Square on Saturdays

Organic farming in India

So I was reading an article here that was discussing the major shift in farming in India from conventional methods to organic. The article noted that the country has some 300,000 organic farms, which sounds like a good amount to me, and that brought a couple things to mind: first, if its obvious to farmers in India the health as well as financial benefits of going organic--why is it such a hard sell in America? Second, they mentioned how many of these farmers are selling to countries all over where consumers will pay a premium for the food. So, although I know a big part of our class the semester was about eating local, in part I do feel better knowing that my willingness to spend more on food means a farmer in India can afford to not use pesticides and help his environment and health. I'm not sure where the balance is with this--but it points out how our choices as consumers really do have tangible effects, not only in our communities, but abroad as well.

Bogarden (cont.)

Well, here is an update on the Bogarden.
Some things are still being over run by Septoria Leaf Spot fungus, namely the tomatoes and possibly the red and green leaf lettuce. We have been wanting to do is remove the tomato plants that appear to be affected by the fungus and plant bush or pole beans because they supposedly have a way of fixing the soil; hopefully, we will figure this out soon. Also, the new tomatoes are hopefully going to be companion planted with marigolds, chives, and onion to hopefully maximize health...as the master gardener has suggested... here are some pics of the garden...the poor tomatoes...aphid/bug damage...and urban agr. new beds with lots of toma toes...(also the master gardener advocated for planting two or three tomato plants together..they don't seem to mind) anyhow, slowly but surely...we might get a water system figured out by next week but, still looking for ideas and resources...
hope all is well
: )

Omnivore's Dilemma

So I started reading The Omnivore's Dilemma the other day. I really love the way Michael Pollan has structured the book around three different food chains, the industrial, the organic, and one that is entirley local. i'm still in the industrial food chain right now, and he covers a lot of the same ground that Katz covered in Underground Food Movements. It still shocks and appalls me how much corn we really eat. Its everywhere and in almost anything. I don't know if anyone saw the movie 'The Informant' with Matt Damon, but his character works for Archer Daniels-Midland and he jokes and quizzes his son about the prevalence of corn in so much of our food. We really are trapped in this maze where we have no idea where our food comes from (beyond "the grocery store." it saddens me when I try to encourage others to buy local or to at least be more aware of what they are eating and they just shrug their shoulders and eat another McNugget.

review of the wild scenic film festival

Hey!
I ran into a couple of yall at the Wild and Scenic Film Festival which was awesome; all in all, it was a pretty good turnout. The films were short and sweet and drove home some of the issues that we've been discussing in class. The first film, "A Sheltered Sea", dealt with conservation efforts on California's coast. Much like how National Parks set aside large portions of forests, rivers, mountains, etc., they speak of the action being made to establish marine refuges right off of the coast. If anyone took Environmental Policy, this was an excellent example of the plethora of stakeholders that go into making this happen. It really explored the need for community forums in which all who have a stake in the designated area have a chance to express their opinion. This resonated well with a lot of the efforts being made in Charleston to promote sustainable seafood - the Sustainable Seafood Initiative is trying to do similar things, like designate refuges, particular areas that are set aside, so as to allow certain populations of fish to maybe increase their population numbers after being fished unsustainably.
There were some other shorts on reducing paper and plastic consumption and another on the power of 'Fun' - apparently something as simple as 'fun', is the easiest way to change people's behavior...who would have thought.

The last film, a longer version of the Greenhorns film about young farmers, was well documented but poorly edited. (Maybe we got a rough draft) But, as we saw in class, it documents the revolution of young farmers that are popping up across the county - on rooftops, in industrial dead zones, in beautiful country sides. The longer version included a new segment on the super efficient rooftop garden that is in Berkley, CA. It is an urban intensive garden located on top of an abandoned warehouse and they have food being taken out of the garden and into restaurants, csa boxes, and farmer's markets about every other day. It is impressive and something that the Bogarden should aspire to.

All in all, there was a good turnout and I think the films and the tabling that took place outside were beneficial for local community members to get an idea of how they can support local food.

City Paper Article

It was so awesonme to read the article in the City Paper about Lowcountry Local First's growing New Farmers Incubator Pilot program. More recognition of this is exactly what is needed for the program to prosper. I feel certain that there are young people out there who would love to learn more about farming but just don't know how to go about it. Nikki Seibert's story is really inspiring. She has a Masters in Environmental Science from CofC and gave up whatever career she might have had following that to pursue her love of growing.

The interviews with Sean Brock and Fred Neuville were also fantastic. I've met Sean Brock several times and he really is that passionate about local produce. He really sets a standard among chefs with his attitude and actions regarding the local food scene. That he gets up at the crack of dawn to get his hands dirty should really be a wake-up call to chefs who just sit back on their laurels and make half-hearted attempts to buy local. The people are aware of what is available to them the more new farmers and chefs we will have who are dedicated to staying local.

Grading. . .

Hello everyone--

I hope you've had a good exam period. I'm grading the course right now. If anyone has anything to add to the blog (to count toward your grade--you can keep positing if you would like!), you need to do so by 7 p.m. today.

TB

Local Policy Intiatives and Recommendations

Here are a few policy initiatives in South Carolina that promote our local farms, healthy eating, and sustainable agriculture.

Farm to School Act: To provide healthier food for our schoolchildren while supporting local farms. For more information on Farm to School acts, please visit Farmtoschool.org.

Charleston Green Plan This plan, with the goal to reduce the city's carbon emissions by 83 percent in 40 years, has a section on agriculture and recommends that the City should “Map urban, suburban, and rural areas, permitting local food production at all scales wherever possible, including apiaries” (p.74).

Conservation Bank: This is the state agency that leverages local and federal funds to protect woodlands/wetlands, farmland, urban parks, and historical sites. Ask your legislators to support H.4269 or S.903 which would eliminate the “death clause” language and put the Bank’s budget cuts in line with other agency cuts in tough economic times.

The American Farmland Trust has more information on efforts to strengthen local food systems. To find out about South Carolina, click here.

Food Deserts

Food deserts are geographical areas where there is limited or no access to healthy food. Demographics are typically characterized as being low-income, minority populations. There are many ways to define a food desert area, as there are many aspects to be taken into account, such as: quality, cost, and nutritional value of food; distance to places of access; transportation available and type of access available, whether it be corner stores, grocery chains, farmers’ markets, gardens, or other. People who live in food desert areas are more at risk for health problems such as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease as the most available food comes from “fringe suppliers” such as fast food chains and corner stores that have few, if any fresh produce available.

Grocery chains typically stay away from low income areas to avoid shrinking profit margins. Public policy may help with incentives to get groceries into these areas. Community efforts such as urban gardening and delivery programs may also help to alleviate some of the problems associated with food deserts.

For more information on food deserts, check out these resources:

Good Food: Examining the Impact of Food Deserts on Public Health in Chicago

Video from Time Magazine: Features Mari Gallagher, research of the project above

Good Meat

Eating animals is a very complex issue. Some cultures ban it altogether while a few consume a mostly-meat diet (such as the Inuit). The reasons as to why or why not are many – as deep as spiritual beliefs or as simplistic as resource availability. While most places in the world obtain their meat sources through hunting or raising animals on pasture, the United States and a few other industrialized countries employ “confined animal feeding operations” (CAFOs) – more commonly known as “factory farms”- in which animals such as cows are packed in a high-density confinement. This is done to produce the highest output at the lowest cost. Yet, costs regarding the environment, human health, and animal welfare are practically ignored. Also, while these operations exist to increase profits, there is evidence that they would not be able to operate if it were not for government assistance and subsidies. The Union of Concerned Scientists has issued a great report detailing the true costs of factory farming which you can find here. Also, if you want to know more, but don't have as much reading time available, The Sustainable Table has a good outline of this issue here.

Because of the prevalence of factory farming in the United States, I’m practically a vegetarian. The externalized costs of factory farming are too high for me to support, and pasture raised meat isn't always available. Also, since pasture-raised meat isn't nearly as subsidized as large factory farms, the costs tend to be much higher, which makes it out of reach for many. However, as a whole, we eat a much higher proportion of meat than we're meant to. It makes sense to me to reduce meat consumption, spend about the same or even less, and eat meat that not only is more ethically, environmentally, and socially responsible, but healthier and tastier. EatWild.com provides a directory of farms and markets that sell pasture-based meat. Here are a few resources I've found in the Charleston area for pasture-raised meat: Chucktown Chickens for chickens and eggs, Cordray's for beef, and Caw Caw Creek for pork. The farmers market at Marion Square has pasture-raised meat available, and others in the area possibly do too. My attitude is to eat good meat, or no meat at all!

Local Food and Community

When I arrive at the Stono Farm Market I’m greeted with a warm, friendly hug by Maxine, the lady in charge of the wonderful veggies I get through my Ambrose Farm CSA. Each Friday, I pick up my share at their market and café. While I could pick up a box delivered a bit closer, I drive out to Johns Island not only because I enjoy selecting my own veggies, but because I also enjoy the extra level of community interaction. It feels great to know that by being a part of a CSA, I’m not only doing better for the environment and my health, but that I’m supporting my local community and people I know.

Fostering strong community ties help in promoting local foods and in increasing education and awareness about food systems and sustainability. The importance of social ties is also evident at farmers markets. They provide an excellent opportunity for city-dwellers to interact with those in charge of providing food. There’s something about the open air, sunshine, and smell of delicious, local food being cooked that brings smiles to people’s faces.

Below is a picture of what I got from my CSA last Friday, including arugula, broccoli, mustard greens, mesculin mix, sweet onion, and bok choy. I also got a pint of strawberries, but those were gone by the time I remembered to take a picture. I also have a few pictures from the Marion Square farmers market last Saturday. Visiting these places was a great way to start the weekend!

A Change In Habits

What a great semester! I learned so much—from essential gardening techniques, to deep philosophical ideas concerning environmental change. What has stuck with me most though, is the power of community efforts and the meaning that they hold. This semester, we have found a lot of community-run organizations that are dedicated to improving the environment, and hearing about them was very inspirational. Small, grassroots efforts are the basis of change and with out them, many of the successes we’ve achieved today would no longer exist.

Learning the behind-the scenes of industrial agriculture has encouraged me to change my own eating habits, and I feel that it is doing the same for many other concerned Americans. As habits change from individual to individual, they will begin to gain recognition and hopefully reach a nationwide transformation. While driving down James Island the other day, I noticed a couple of little local produce shops. Besides being compelled to stop, I felt warmth with these stands and feel that they will play a critical role as the food movement continues.

I will be doing Semester at Sea in the fall and am taking a class on sustainable urban development. It will be very interesting seeing the other development methods implemented around the world. I find it paradoxical that a major component of urban development is urban gardening, which in fact is retrogressing to our past. I find that the environmental movement will call for a lot of that, where development is often turning back to our roots and retrieving simplicity.

Our garden was a great success and I’m excited to see the college along with the city of Charleston progress to a local agriculture supported system. Like Jen mentioned in an earlier post, the green patches around the city would be great as mini vegetable gardens—which would also add aesthetics to the city! With the new gardening methods I have learned in this course along with ethical ideas concerning food, I am excited to spread awareness and begin my garden in DC this summer. Good luck with your vegetables!

A Late Review

On April 20^th, Charleston Green Fair was hosting a Wild & Scenic Film Festival. They showed four different environmentally focused documentaries, and then offered a dinner hosted by WOK. What a great event!

As I really enjoyed the four documentaries they played, they also had short clips in between the movies on other environmental efforts. And while asking the opinions of my roommates, who are average college students not familiar with local agriculture, found that these small clips were what really got their attention.

One clip in particular that I enjoyed was by Volkswagen called “The Fun Theory.” Most everyday people do not even realize when they are being environmentally harmful, but just do it because it is what they are used to. “The Fun Theory” by Volkswagen makes those environmentally better choices easier by incorporating fun into them. In this particular example, an average stair case next to an escalator was replaced with a keyboard, which played a different note at every stair. With this in place, more people took the stairs rather than the elevator; because it was fun and appealing. I feel that simple ideas such as this one would be a very good way to encourage everyday people to make decisions that are more environmentally friendly, without even realizing it. These are the very ideas that can help reduce the cultural norms that implicate harm on our environment.

Another small clip was about a Youth for Environmental Change Group. They were passing out CFC light bulbs while announcing how florescent light bulbs are better for the environment. This front line activism is a simple way to get people’s attention and to encourage people to make simple changes to their lifestyle. Using a compact fluorescent light bulb over a regular one can save up to 600 lbs of coal a year.

I will be traveling to Italy in May to also participate in front line activism, where I will be contributing to a sustainability fair in central Rome. My group and I will be conducting workshops to help the Italians be more environmentally friendly. Some of our main goals are to have people reuse everyday waste. For example, making vases out of old wine bottles, or using broken plates to make a mosaic. If we are successful in this mission, we will have people look at trash in a different way, which I think could make a big impact on the environment. This new mindset combined with waste technologies will help our planet move to a zero-waste policy.

Essentially, I feel that every environmental effort, from passing out free light bulbs, to our garden here on campus, are the grassroots efforts that will drive the environmental movement and lead our community, society, and globe to an eco-friendly environment. It is the community efforts from where it all begins, and they hold the power to make lasting changes.