AfricanKelli

« Home

You may have heard of the Farm Bill; it’s been in the American news a bunch lately. Last week the Senate approved it by a large margin. The House passed it a day earlier. Today it is supposed to reach President Bush’s desk, where it is anticipated he will use his trusty veto. Thankfully, it seems Congress has enough votes to overturn his veto if that occurs.
I won’t get into the specifics of the politics behind keeping or vetoing this bill from the President’s perspective (or reported perspective), but I will say that as a relatively new advocate in the food banking community, I am so relieved this bill has finally made its way through Congress and will be soon funded. It is controversial. There are subsidies for the farming industry that don’t make sense, but there is a silver lining that does.

In a nutshell, this legislation influences every single American’s life. It addresses food prices (expected to jump 5% this year) by increasing nutritional programs by more than $10 billion. This helps get more food in food pantries and more people who qualify for food stamps enrolled. This isn’t socialism by any means; if there is anyone who advocates for the community — not the government — to be responsible for helping the needy, it’s me. However, there are gaps in that philosophy that I’m not solving anytime soon and this funding will help in the meantime.

It also helps make sure that senior citizens — many of whom are homebound — get fresh fruits and vegetables. The majority of those Arizonans (80,000) who go hungry each day are children and the elderly. That makes me a bit sick to my stomach.

This morning I volunteered to take photos of a gleaning project in the far West Valley. Talk about collaboration — prisoners from the nearby facility are used as volunteers to pick crops from fields donated by a local farm. Duncan Farms has certain fields it plants and then sets aside for food banks state-wide. Today these ladies picked cabbage, which will be sent to food banks this afternoon and hopefully placed in food boxes for anyone in need tonight. My favorite part about this gleaning system is that there is little waste. A lot of the produce within this program would otherwise end up in a landfill and there is nothing more disgusting to me than the fattest nation in the world throwing away food. As one of my colleagues said yesterday, “Hunger in America isn’t a supply issue; it is a distribution issue.”

If you want to reduce the food waste in your community, check out this blog. And if you’d like to see what the average American family throws away each month, take a deep breath and then click here.

If you are interested in helping your local food pantry, the best items to donate are: canned meat, canned fruits and veggies, peanut butter and juice in containers that won’t break.

On a side note, if you are ever feeling a bit unfeminine, spend your morning with a bunch of female inmates in a sweaty, dirty, hot, farm field. You’ll skip away feeling like the most delicate, fragile ballerina to ever get her slippers dusty.

~K

I’m swimming in work this week and not spending much time behind the Singer or skillet, so I thought I’d instead share a few new environmental resources for Arizonans who may be interested.

- For those on SRP time of use plan, May 1 was the kickoff for the new “on peak” energy hours. I’ve used this plan for quite a while and it saves me boatloads of money, especially in the summer with air conditioning bills. For example, my May bill is less than $35. Granted, my home is tiny, but incorporating a few of their energy saving tips has saved me green.

- SRP is also offering a new tree planting program. For $3 a month you can plant 72 Ponderosa pines in Arizona. Your donation is matched by SRP and the trees will be planted to offset our carbon use. The 72 trees are equivalent to the offsetting of 26 typical households. Giddyup.

- Urban gardeners, there is a fantastic new resource I’m just learning about. Have you heard of this guy? How about his classes? This week’s include raising city chickens (on my agenda soon enough) and using minimal water for vegetable gardening.

Rad! Soon enough I’m going to have my own raised beds full of veggies. Until then, I’ll just keep taking these community lessons and creating the best plan.

FYI — no community dinner this week, peeps. I’m in Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon tomorrow. I’ve got a feast planned for next Thursday. Save the date.

Cheers,
K

Pachamama is beloved in South America and I find the idea of an earth goddess looking over us endearing. Rather than bemoan all the recycling we should be doing for Earth Day (Soapbox tone noted, Erin), I’ll say:
Querida Pachamama,
Thanks for all the cool stuff here on this third planet from the sun that doesn’t cost a dime: dark African nights with the Milky Way strung across the sky in a tangle of cosmic creation; the first sight of an ocean or the Grand Canyon, sunsets in Phoenix in August when the sky seems to be on fire, butterflies swirling about when you are on a long hike, silky white saguaro blooms gathered in late Spring crowns, shocking peonies, forests of tall pine that smell like butterscotch, animals so pretty they make you blush in awe, the smell of the desert after a long rain, monsoon season, honey, coffee, grapefruit, wine and the humans who once upon a time came up with the bagel/tortilla/bakery.
Gracias Mama Earth!

~K

P.S. I’m sporting my Chacos and birdie messenger bag today and trying yet again to make sense of the public transportation available to East Valley residents who work downtown. Carpooled in, bussing/walking home. I’ve got my camera ready for another fun urban adventure.

A stack of vintage linens found at a Boy Scout garage sale this weekend, including those flags I turned into bags.

This is where everything comes full circle. So, how can craftiness improve the public’s health? Well, a bit of creativity always helps when trying to use, eat, drive and waste less. Crafty — in a Beastie Boy use of the word — is a compliment to all folk who use their creativity for the betterment of humanity, not just to fulfill their own desires. They thrift to find materials instead of heading off to yet another big box store. They spend the extra 20 minutes waiting around the bus stop to use public transportation in lieu of driving their own car. They move closer to work to minimize the commute. They bring cloth bags to the market. They wear hand-me-down clothing with pride.

These could have easily been thrown away, but thankfully they were at the sale. I used the disposible casserole to deliver that chicken pot pie. The jars I filled with sun tea and lemons and delivered to friends. The paper bags I’ll use for wrapping during the next year.

If we in the “developed” world use, eat, drive and waste less by instead looking at what we have and really need, we’ll improve our community’s health locally, nationally and globably. We’ll let less go into landfills. We’ll become less of a disposible culture. We’ll respect well-made products instead of cheap consumables. We’ll have cleaner air and rely less on oil from any country. We’ll eat until we’re statisfied instead of until we’re stuffed, know that taking food home in a doggie bag means spending less on food (and a bigger belt) tomorrow. We’ll have more money for organizations that matter to us. We’ll live simply so others can simply live.

An Army bag that I’m going to use this summer, when — fingers crossed — I’ll be traveling through Africa. A new trip is brewing… All these items cost $4. I gave them $7 because that’s what I had in my wallet. I would have spent that on the jars and dish alone at the market!

Imagine if the United States was once again known for our philanthropy, geneorosity and creativity? That’s that land (and people) I love.

~K

I wish for “green” gifts.
Cloth napkins anyone? How easy are these to put together! Just grab any heavy-weight fabric, such as decor, and cut rectangles of the size of your liking. Double fold the hem and stitch away, or single fold the hem and zigzag/serge stitch along the edge. Bundle with a pretty ribbon and voila — and end to the purchasing of paper napkins.

When I received a set of fabulous cloth napkins from Meg this year, I knew what I was going to do with that stack of toile fabric that had been gathering dust in my studio. Three hours later, I’ve got six more gifts wrapped and under the tree.
{Technically, my tree is fake and 2 feet tall, also a nod to the green movement. So, they are on the mantel.}

How are you being green this holiday season?
~K

P.S. Anyone in Phoenix know where I can buy fresh cranberries? I’d even take frozen over the canned/jelled variety. They are the last remaining ingredient on my Christmas dinner menu and I am kicking myself for not picking up a couple bags two weeks ago when I saw them at the market. You find them and I’ll trade you baked goods of your choice!
*UPDATE* I found them! Thank you Tambra and Erin!

Brown bag to be reused in the spirit of being green + international posting box. $37 for all countries, up to 20 pounds.

When Donna emailed in August asking if I’d be interested in a Secret Santa Swap, I thought, “Sure!” I didn’t have to mail anything until December and that seemed so far away. October was kinda busy. And then November rolled around and I got wrapped up in Urban Dares and ditching Ruby for a kayak. Even though Donna has got this international swap exceptionally organized and even kept us all up to date with postal delivery times around the world, I started sewing yesterday. It needed to be in the mail tomorrow.
Procrastination is how I roll.

I wanted this gift to be artsy, but also earthy. I took a well-loved handbag I had and added some pink and orange love, paired it with a sweet zippered pouch and stuffed that international postage box nearly to my 20 pound limit. My recipient will receive chocolate, yarn, a design book, a journal, an ink pen, a quilted pillow case and a lucky giraffe in addition to the purse.

Now, on to that holiday sewing I’ve been thinking about…
~K

Today is Blog Action Day where bloggers around the world are encouraged to post about the environment — one of my favorite topics to discuss. There are many ways I’ve modified my behavior in the last few years to be more green — like bringing my own grocery sacks to the store and my own cup to the coffee shop — and a few other changes I’ve only recently noticed that could be considered environmental.
Yesterday I met some friends for breakfast at a bagel shop 20 miles from my house. By riding my bike, I saved a gallon of gas round trip. I washed my car yesterday at the $.25 coin operated spot and literally ran like mad to make it happen within the initial 4-minute $1.25 time slot. I am also trying to consume and eat less, recognizing every little bit adds up.
Ultimately, what I think we need to remember is that we cannot shop ourselves green with new light bulbs or hybrid cars. We cannot eat ourselves thin with 100-calorie packs of crackers. We cannot pull ourselves out of financial ruin by shopping sales that “save.” Nice marketing ploys! If we make these choices because they fit in our budgeting, nutrition, environmental plans — that is another story. Simply, I think we can focus on using less and walking more — those two things alone will make us all healthier.
Crafting, the do-it-yourself movement, cooking at home and gardening are forms of domestic sustainability that work toward these two goals. One day, I will grow much of my own food, live on solar power, trade my car in for a mountain bike and live with the seasons.

~K

Dear Mama Earth,
I know I’m one of the 6 billion humans you are trying to support on limited resources at the moment, and I also know I’m not any more deserving of your attention than the rest. But if I could just get your ear for a second, I’d appreciate it.
Here’s the thing — I live in the country that consumes the most, with the least thought. However! We once were great stewards of the land and we can be again. We are getting much smarter about this, even if we were the last to RSVP to the Kyoto party. I’m certain our next president will make sure we show up early to such affairs in the future. With an appetizer.
I’m sorry I haven’t been more mindful of you. I’m sorry I’ve neglected to recycle at every opportunity and that I’ve consumed out of boredom and not need. I’m sorry that I haven’t done more to change policies to be kinder to you, and in turn, my neighbors.
So, here’s my vow to you, Mama Earth:
{Raise your left hand and say it with me!}

As your friend, I promise to consume (eat, drive, etc…) only when necessary. I promise to stop and actually smell the roses, notice the sunrise and be thankful for all of the natural beauty that surrounds my daily routine. I promise to vote for leaders who are thoughtful of you. I promise to shop locally and support small business. I promise to plant indigenous species. I promise to go to the pound when I want a pet and not a designer puppy warehouse. I promise to always work for peace first. I promise to use what I have, be thrifty, walk whenever possible, and scream from the mountaintops that we can change the tide. I promise to tread as lightly as possible.

Thank you Mama Earth, for your abundance and patience. I don’t want to see other people; I’m thoroughly in love with you.

xoxo,
Kelli

Today, a shout out to all the green inspiration I’ve seen sprouting up this week.
Sharon and her kindergarten students in Texas are taking recycling to a new level.
Keesha has overhauled her daily routine to cut out the crap.
Carrie is cleaning house and demonstrating the power of composting.
Rachael reminds us all of the old camping rule that makes such sense at home too — mellow yellow.
And June, oh June. She who regularly inspires me artistically shares her recipes and motivation for cutting out chemicals and making her own environmentally friendly cleaning products. Yeow!
Bravo ladies!

These are just a few of the many great ideas you’ve shared this week. Thank you so much for pushing me to be better! Speaking of, today I’m telecommuting. Tomorrow? The bus. Wish me luck!

~K

Who wants a fabulous new market bag? Apparently throngs on the East Coast do. I’d love one of those, but my Frida bag fits the bill. Not only does this bag keep me from bringing home a ton of plastic ones, but I know that when it is full — it is time to leave the market. If I buy more than one bag, I end up throwing out produce at the end of the week because I couldn’t get to everything in time.
Frida and I have a weekly date at the market by my house. The clerks roll their eyes when they see me coming. Yet, more and more people are following the trend, so I guess they’ll just have to be more patient. This size reminds me to consume only what I must, which I think one of the most important principles of being good to the earth.

A few other photos from my home, simple ways I’m trying to use less:

Appliances unplugged when not in use.

Drying my clothes on a clothing line and rack, rather than in a dryer. This has a double benefit this time of year because the dryer really heats up my laundry room.

Thankfully, ceiling fans help keep my air conditioning bill manageable. The key is to use these only when you are home. More great tips here.

I recycle everything I can.

I always have one of these with me. If I am out and can refill one of these, rather than take a disposable cup, I do. Every bit helps. I think bottled water is pretty ridiculous; my parents own an RO water company and I’m spoiled with tasty tap water that’s been filtered. Tap water rocks.

What do you do to consume less?
~K