Make Organic Food Choices With Acronyms For Fruit and Vegetables

Dirty Dozen of Fruit & Veggies

Annually, the  Environment Working Group releases a list called the Dirty Dozen, which displays fruits and vegetables with high pesticide content.  This information gives you the option to purchase organic replacements or grow  fruit and "veggies"  at home. 

2011 Dirty Dozen Fruits and Vegetables

Dirty Dozen Honorable Mention

Following the Dirty Dozen list of fruits and vegetables can became complicated with a busy life.  To solve them problem, add acronyms to your "dirty list."  PLACCKS & PIBBS  are used for the 2011 list  fruits and vegetables.  

Acronym List for Grocery Shopping

NOTE: Because I rarely shop for nectarines, I left them out of my acronyms, even though it was #6 on the high pesticide list.   In the future, I  will plan a garden to grow the items on the Dirty Dozen list.






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Green Reading List

Green Reading List For The Fall

My green reading list is important because most of these books require application and action.  I will spend the rest of the year reading environmental books from various areas of the green movement, and follow-up with a future review or demonstration.  In addition, I will do further study on natural cosmetics; and gardening (container and raised-bed).  


CATEGORIES

• Going Green / Green Living
• Food
• History
• Green and Sustainable Building
• Business
• Urban Farms and Gardening

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Picture Yourself Going Green
Erinn Morgan
This book is broken down into an eight week  "going green" program with areas ranging from cosmetics, energy, clothing, food,  pets, transportation, and more.

Freedom Colonies: Independent Black Texas in the Time of Jim Crow
Jack and Doris Smothers
I always wanted to learn about black Texas homesteads, which were quite different from the culture of sharecropping post-slavery.  Having a great-great grandfather who owned one of these homesteads, I'm embarrassed to say I knew little about his life.


The New Rules of Green Marketing
Jacquelyn Ottman
I'm only reading this for career reasons. I expected to learn about marketing tactics and a lot of new terms, but I'm getting a compassionate and well-rounded view of responsible green marketing.  This isn't a greenwashing manual! 


Vegan Soul Kitchen
Bryan Terry
 Web worker and author, Anne Zelenka, suggested vegan and vegetarian meals when traveling in her book Connect!   She mentioned how these meals were more flavorful, and I agree!  I plan to go vegan for a season, but I want to try new recipes.  Why not start with soul food!  I expect to get a twist on my grandmother's recipes from Vegan Soul Kitchen with an amazing flavor. I will document meals I cook from this book!


The Complete Idiot's Guide to Green Building and Remodeling
John Barrows
This is another career book for me.  The title sounds intimidating, but I find it to be as much a "green your home"  as  a "building and remodeling book."  I can't wait to review and share what I've learned.  Hopefully, I can give multiple demonstrations.


Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer
Novella Carpenter
I recently finished this book.  Novella Carpenter gave us a window seat into her urban farm experience in Oakland.  There's no way you can read this book and not get inspired to start gardening or urban farming. Expect a review soon!

Hip-Hop & The Green Movement

GREEN FOR ALL

Green For All  just released another video that merges the hip-hop community and the green movement.  The mission for Green For All is to "build an inclusive green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty."  

I speak frequently about the disconnection between the green movement and different economic classes.  I believe Green For All's mission spans beyond class and reaches out to the youth.  By merging with youth-oriented entertainment communities such as hip-hop, I expect to see more awareness with this age group.


According to the book, The New Rules of  Green Marketing, computer savvy millennials are very responsive to the green movement; and more likely to relate global warming to human activities and purchase green and organic products.    I truly hope to see entertainment, corporate, and non-profit organizations channel their efforts into "greening" urban communities! 

Recycle & Reuse: The Jelly Jar's Versatility

Glass Jars: Eco-Friendly & Reusable

The jelly jar has been a sustainable, reliable, keepsake in my life.  I still have childhood memories of nearly frost-bitten fingers from ice cold beverages served in reused jelly or preserve jars. Sadly, plastic became the be-all-store-all utility replacement for it.

Recently, the tides have changed.  The jelly jar has risen again for reusable items after studies linked BPA (bisphenol-A) to health threats in infants, children, and pregnant women.


I listed various ways to use your old jelly jars below!

1. Jelly...of course! Don't forget jams, preserves, marmalade, and peanut butter and other nut butters.
2. Bug & Slug catcher:  While gardening,  add a little beer in jar; dig a hole; and catch all of your plant-eating slugs. 
3. Beverages: Lemonade and kool-aid with fruit slices are popular summer drinks for children.
4. Candles
5. Candy: Gum balls, gummy bears and jelly beans were the best!
6. Insect catcher: Do you remember poking ventilation holes on the top of your jar when you caught a lizard, grasshopper, or firefly?
7. Beauty storage: Glass jars are great for  body scrubs or bath salts.
8. Penny Jar or change jar:   Who needs a piggy bank when you can see your coins!
9. Arts and crafts: Do you remember adding glitter or paint to one of your jars?
10. Honey:  I'll never forget watching the image of Pooh Bear on TV as a child with a jar of fresh honey.
11. Container gardening and growing seedlings. 
12. Terrarium, a mini indoor garden.
13. Vase or flower holder
14. Oils, ointments, or recycled oil storage:  Do you remember old bacon grease being stored in jelly jars?
15. Tip soliciting jar
16. Raffle jar
17. Time capsule container