Nelvin Flores Salonga my friend and amazing photographer took these pics on a friday after his job with his friends Rica and Sulem for me. This is raw spare of the moment magic.
To see more pics [Read more...]
6 Common Packaged Foods You Can Make Yourself
January 12, 2012 By
article via
Even the healthiest of us rely on convenience. It’s not that we’re necessarily lazy, but supermarkets make it so easy to grab a box of this or a bag of that. Blame the bright lights or whirring sound of the cash register for disorienting shoppers, but not only are pre-made foods not the healthiest, they create excessive packaging waste and actually cost a whole lot more in the long run. Here are six “convenient” store bought foods you can easily make at home instead.
Hummus: A small 8 oz tub will cost you over $3 at most supermarkets. For about the same price, you can quadruple the recipe without the packaging. And, it’s actually super easy: Cook 2 cups chickpeas until tender (soak for 4-6 hours before cooking), then blend with 3 tablespoons olive oil, juice of 2-3 large lemons, ¼ cup sesame tahini and your favorite spices (most people add a lot of garlic, but it is my sworn enemy). Add a teaspoon of vitamin C powder to give it an extra tang. Puree in blender and serve!
Salsa: Another dippers delight that is also packaged in ridiculously small containers for the price. If you grow peppers or tomatoes during the summer, making salsa is a great way to enjoy the bounty throughout the year, virtually for free, too. Olé!
Non-dairy milk: You’ll spend at least $2-$4 on a 32 ounce container of almond, rice or soy milk at the store, when you could easily soak almonds, blend and strain at home and avoid the packaging and preservatives (yes, even in the “all natural”). Sweeten and flavor to your liking and save some cash.
Bread: Most every kitchen used to bake bread or tortillas or biscuits. There is something magical about a fresh out of the oven preservative-free whole grain bread that’s never touched a plastic overwrap and costs just pennies to make. Bake several loaves a month and freeze them, or make it a weekly ritual.
Granola: Most cereals are factory machine extruded, sugar-laden, fortified nightmares in boxes. Whole oats, dried fruits and nuts, a dusting of coconut and maple syrup bake up incredibly fast for a hearty and nutritious home-baked granola for a fraction of supermarket prices and a whole lot healthier, too. Try our Super Food Granola Recipe (gluten-free).
Condiments: We buy so many jars of ketchup, mustard, bbq sauce and mayonnaise that refrigerators now come with shelving fitted to hold them all. Make small batches from scratch for a fraction of the cost and an upgrade in flavor without preservatives or gnarly unspeakables allowed in factory made food.
VOTE FOR MUD BARON!!
January 11, 2012 By
2011 Winner of #Green Shorty. Launching #startup of a green schools @donorschoose. Pig farmer+dahlia rancher @sanpedroscictr. Banish’er of asphalt 4 kids in LA.
Mud Baron is not only a friend of Broccoli City’s, but he is truly a guy who lives by his word. Mud goes to different schools in the inner city of LA to promote healthy living and making sure the kids are eating healthy foods. He has planted gardens all over a LA, and he is trying to expand. Lets help him by voting for him to win this year’s Shorty awards for #food. CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR MUD BARON
Photo Of The Day
January 3, 2012 By
We are the beneficiaries of an impossible dream. Let’s act accordingly in 2012.
LIVE with purpose….
3 Ways To Detox Your Life In 2012
January 3, 2012 By
2012 is here and we’re offering some dope ways to kick off your year on a healthy note!
1) Know What You’re Eating
When possible, opt for organic foods. They are grown and processed without using synthetic chemicals, sewage sludge, or radiation. Familiarize yourself with the so called “Dirty Dozen” list to find out which pieces of produce typically contain the highest amount of pesticide residue.
2) Choose Better Personal Care Products
There may be more VOCs in your personal care products. There is a good chance that other toxic chemicals are hiding under the term ‘fragrance.’
3) Free Yourself of Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde is linked to a number of health issues, including asthma and cancer. It’s often emitted over many years from certain pressed wood furniture pieces, carpet adhesives, and paint. It is also found in hair straightening treatments, kids’ dishware made of melamine resin, air fresheners, wrinkle-free bedding, dry cleaned clothes, and nail polishes. It’s important to seek out formaldehyde-free products and to ask your beautician about the products your using
More tips to come!
And The Air Yeezy 2 Release Date Is…
December 21, 2011 By
Although one has yet to be specified, we do know that they are scheduled to drop some time in March. We’ll keep you posted, of course, but start preparing your camping gear now!
Eco-friendly ideas to wrap up the holiday season.
December 9, 2011 By
By Cy Tottleben, Local Correspondent / The Mother Nature Network
I received a friendly reminder from my local recycling company this week that wrapping paper (even if it is marked as recyclable) does not meet the standards for paper mills and is not accepted at our facility.
I’m glad they’re spreading the word, because I’ve certainly been guilty of this in the past. While I prefer the more reusable gift bag, nothing is as thrilling for children than shredding the wrap on their holiday or birthday presents and uncovering the gift beneath. My family has always accommodated this thrill, knowing we could put the paper on the curb and send the fibers back into the recycling process.
The internet provides mixed messages about gift wrap. Many sites say that some of it can be recycled, as long as it is not one of the foil types, coated in plastic, and is stripped of all tape and embellishments. According to the Hendricks County, Ind., Waste Management District, “In general, wrapping paper is not recyclable. Often the ink used to produce wrapping paper isn’t simply on the paper’s surface. Many times the paper is ‘beater dyed’ which means the color is actually in the pulp of the paper. The de-inking process used to recycle most other types of paper is not effective at removing ink from paper that has been beater dyed. Many types of wrapping paper are very thin and contain few good quality fibers for recycling. Additionally, wrapping paper is often laminated and/or contains glitter, tape or other additives that cannot be recycled.”
Keep your gifts gorgeous but green
If you love the game of creating a beautiful mystery with gift wrap on special occasions, don’t fret. Gift wrap can be reused. It wasn’t so long ago that this was rather commonplace. I remember Christmases at my grandmother’s house, where she always made us open our packages carefully and fold the paper afterward so she could store it until next Christmas and bring it out again. We passed bags to collect bows, and usually only the tape went to waste. Some keep the cardboard tube from the paper and roll the delicately used portions back up for easy storage. If you’re like me and have questionable organizational skills, but are great at wadding, many papers can also be ironed when you’re ready to wrap again.
Alternatives to traditional gift wrap are endless and can create some very memorable presents. Here are some popular ideas:
- Paper grocery sacks. While some of these have printed surfaces, they usually offer plenty of space for kids to draw a picture or to scribble greetings for the receiver of the gift, saving the use of a name tag as well.
- Reusable shopping bags. My customers taught me this one. Every year we sell hundreds of these, many with NFL logos or other branding. But I can count on one hand how many I see returned to the store for shoppers avoiding plastic bags. During a conversation with a customer last year, who had her cart piled with them, she pointed out that they were only a dollar, so much cheaper than reusable paper bags, and could be used over and over for anything. Fantasic idea! In an effort to encourage my family to ditch plastic bags, I did the same last year. My adult gifts were all wrapped in cloth bags.
- The newspaper. Don’t become a hoarder on my account, but save up a good pile to get you through the holidays. The comics are always a favorite for children, and they still get that thrill of ripping open their gifts. You can even use the inserts for this project, including store ads and the weekly magazine.
- Junk mail, or any other waste paper you would send to the recycling facility. Get creative with it!
- Go to the thrift store and find something interesting, like old maps or some really memorable fabric.
- Stick one gift within the other. Almost like stuffing a stocking with treasure, you just have to use your imagination. Giving a tackle box? Put his new tie inside it. A purse? Fill it with a new MP3 player.
- Buy an alternative wrap, such as the fabric ones sold at Lyziwraps. Support a small business in the process!
Remember that many boxes you accumulate through the year are also great for gift giving.
While your waste management facility might accept wrapping paper, using alternatives is the eco-friendly way to go. Keep the trend going by having contests among gift givers for the most creatively designed packaging. Children love arts and crafts projects and will be incredibly proud to present their hard work as a gift — a great lesson when teaching them to reuse and recycle.
ORDER YOURS
December 9, 2011 By
Soft Ecosmart Crew Neck Sweatshirt Up to 5% recycled polyester from plastic bottles. (FREE SHIPPING)
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GET YOURS
Photo Of The Day
December 8, 2011 By
Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, this album should definitely be part of your music collection….
Kicks for Kids v5 Charity Shoe Drive!!!!
December 5, 2011 By
Join us Sunday, December 18th from 5p-10p at the 9:30 Club in DC for our fifth annual Kicks For Kids Charity Shoe Drive & Concert!
The Kicks for Kids program is a collaborative community effort to help support children less fortunate in the Washington DC Metropolitan area by way of shoes! There are plenty of holiday coat drives and food drives, but very rarely do you see initiatives to support our feet. Last year, your donations pushed us over 400 pairs of new shoes that were later donated to the Children’s National Medical Center (200 pairs), So Others Might Eat (100 pairs), and R&B Star Mya’s foundation (100 pairs).
Kicks for Kids v4 2010 Recap: http://bit.ly/k4k2010recap
This year, we are partnering with the Children’s National Medical Center again with plans to provide for our youth spending their Christmas holiday in there. In addition, we plan to donate sneakers to the National Children’s Center whose mission is to provide a lifetime of opportunities for people in our community with developmental disabilities to live full, meaningful and productive lives.
To support our cause this year, we have a special LIVE performance from Maybach Music Group artist Meek Mill!! along with DC’s own Gods’illa, Pro’Verb, Kingpen Slim, Mz Sasha and more!! In case thats not enough free music for you, we got BLACK ALLEY closing out the show!!!
Hosted by Sunni & DJ Iran
Special Guest DJs: DJ Heat & DJ Lil Mic
How to participate:
a $10 donation = one (1) pair of new sneakers for charity
when you donate $10 you receive:
One (1) free ticket to the concert
Reebok Gift Bag
Young & Reckless Collabo T-Shirt
Shoe City Discount
Donate @ http://bit.ly/k4kv5
PROMO Code : BCallday
Obama, Clinton Announce Energy Saving Program
December 2, 2011 By
Enlisting former President Bill Clinton as a partner, President Barack Obama is announcing a $4 billion effort to increase the energy efficiency of government and private sector buildings, aiming for fuel savings and job creation at no cost to taxpayers.
The proposal, to be announced by Obama and Clinton on Friday, would upgrade buildings over the next two years with a goal of improving energy performance by 20 percent by 2020. The federal government would commit $2 billion to the effort and a coalition of corporations, labor unions, universities and local governments would undertake the other half.
The contractors who undertake the work would be paid with realized energy savings, thus requiring no up-front federal expenditure.
“Upgrading the energy efficiency of America’s buildings is one of the fastest, easiest and cheapest ways to save money, cut down on harmful pollution and create good jobs right now,” Obama said in a statement.
The president will make the announcement after touring a downtown Washington office building whose owners have agreed to make more energy efficient under Obama’s plan.
The program, known as Energy Savings Performance Contracts, has been in place since the Clinton administration but has been little used. Obama’s announcement is yet another in a string of White House initiatives designed to address the current weak economy without having to seek congressional approval.
Gene Sperling, director of the White House National Economic Council, said private economic analyses indicate that the $4 billion plan could generate about 50,000 jobs over two years.
The program builds on an initiative that Obama launched in February and that Clinton led through his Clinton Foundation to get the private sector to invest in greater energy efficiency. Clinton already had announced commitments of $500 million in energy efficiency projects in June.
The Obama administration helped finance private sector energy upgrades through its 2009 stimulus program. But that money has begun to run out, and advocates of the new initiative say they hope the effort fills the void.
Joining Obama and Clinton will be Thomas Donohue, the president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a long-time proponent of the Energy Saving Performance Contracts.
“We have been pushing the ESPC program for more than a decade because this holds tremendous potential,” Donohue said in a statement. “Despite the benefits of ESPCs, the program has been grossly underutilized.”
The Broccoli City Sweatshirt Promo
December 1, 2011 By
Soft Ecosmart Crew Neck Sweatshirt Up to 5% recycled polyester from plastic bottles. (FREE SHIPPING)
Indy International Becomes The First LEED Certified Airport In US
November 30, 2011 By
(EarthTeching) – While there are many fine green terminals popping up in recent years from coast to coast, national green props must now go to Indiana for the Indianapolis International Airport (IND), as its Midfield Terminal complex [PDF] has become the first airport in the United States to win LEED certification for an entire terminal campus.
The design, construction, and operation of the Midfield Terminal complex – which includes 1.2 million square feet over its terminal, concourses, Ground Transportation Center, and parking garage – was designed with close attention to energy efficiency, sustainable design and protection of the surrounding environment. While the campus was, of course, designed with the greater good in mind (along with the cachet that LEED certification brings), the green features also add value to IND through measurable efficiency gains in energy, fuel and water use.
The terminal makes use of natural light, energy-efficient equipment and effective building control systems to save 18 percent of the energy that would be used by a conventionally built terminal complex of similar size. Sustainable, locally sourced and low-VOC materials were used throughout the complex, as were low-flow water fixtures. Construction debris generated during construction were recycled, and the terminal complex itself now features a recycling program for travelers.
The Midfield Terminal complex is the latest among IND’s sustainability initiatives, which include energy efficient lighting projects in the IND parking garage and at the Indianapolis Maintenance Center. The airport is currently working on a the construction of one of the largest airport-based solar arrays in North America, expected to produce more than 15 million kilowatt hours of power each year, slated for completion in mid-2012.
KIKKERLAND Grass Charging Station
November 23, 2011 By
Modern conveniences do have their draw backs. Take our mobile devices for example. With each cellphone, music players, Bluetooth earpiece, and etc… comes with a power cord. Soon, you will find yourself rummaging through a dozen or so cables, cords, and the likes. Solve the unsightly dilemma with a simple solution by KIKKERLAND and its Grass Charging Station. No complicate conductive recharge system here. Just coil up all the loose cords and hide them in the “plant potter”. The artificial turf above it holds up the device for ease of access. Its also a great conversation starter during holiday parties. Available in regular and mini sizes at KIKKERLAND‘s online store.via for pics [Read more...]
RECAP PICS FROM THE FREE GENIUS CONCERT AT UNC!
November 22, 2011 By
Broccoli City had a great time at the University of Chapel Hill for the Free Genius Concert, mixing sustainability with music equals fun!! check out the pics! [Read more...]
