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unplug magazine asks you to unplug from your current modes of thought and look at life in a new way, whether this means unplugging from our toxic consumer culture, mainstream society, the tv, or a limiting mindset. author megan prusynski explores life's alternatives and discusses activism, progressive thinking, and moving towards a "green" & sustainable life.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

"Eco-friendly" Cars are Coming

VW hybrid dieselI've been watching the posts on gas2.0, a Green Options blog about the bio-fuel revolution, and I suddenly have the desire to get new wheels. Some companies, like ZAP and Hybrids Plus are working on converting hybrids to plug-in hybrids for gas mileage up to 120 miles per gallon. The ability to plug hybrids in is even closer to all-electric vehicles, which are also on the horizon. And volkswagen has just announced that it will be releasing a diesel-electric hybrid, which I'm very excited about, as I dream of volksvegan II. It gets nearly 70 mpg and it's about time someone took an efficient diesel engine and combined it with hybrid technology to make the best of both biofuels and hybrids.

But after looking at all these shiny "greener" cars, and their price tags, I can't help but feel like maybe car lust really isn't all that green, no matter what kind of cars we're talking about. The American Dream is heavily based on car culture, and many families have more cars than drivers in their households. I'm all about having more sustainable choices, and like to use them whenever possible, but along with new choices comes the dilemma of what to do with old cars that these new ones replace. Planned obsolescence has long been marketing gimmick used by the auto industry, making old models seem outdated just by rolling out the new ones. This leads to cars, and countless other products, being put to waste long before their useful lives are truly over. It also leads to cheaper products that aren't built to last as long as they should, and "replaceable" or "disposable" products that in previous generations were used for decades or longer. In reality, nothing is ever truly disposable. There is no such thing as "out of sight, out of mind" on this small planet. We can't escape our waste.

We rely on cars more than we realize, and I don't just mean to get around. The way our communities are planned and structured is based on roads and the cars that travel on them. Suburban sprawl is very much a car-centric problem. It's rare to be able to work, go to school, live, and eat all within a few blocks. Cities are compartmentalized into zones for industry, business, retail, and living. This is not how things used to be, it's evolved along with the automobile.

Unfortunately, living without a car can be difficult if not damn near impossible for many people. This is why I'm glad that there are more sustainable cars being developed. However, I think all too often car ownership is seen as a right, not a privilege, and one that is often abused. Reducing our fossil fuel usage and its disastrous effects is an important part of combatting climate change. But just switching to different cars is not going to solve the problem. We need to re-think our relationship with cars, our public transportation system, even the way our communities are designed. And we need to get over our obsession with shiny hunks of metal with wheels that guzzle petrochemicals and spew pollution.

Here are some ways we can start re-thinking our relationship with our cars and reduce our use of fossil fuels:



There are lots of little steps you can take to reduce your fossil fuel usage. After you've reduced the use of your car, you can consider upgrading to a greener model when it's time. Don't get rid of the car you have (unless it's a Hummer, then by all means, replace that evil thing and start reversing your karma) unless it is absolutely time to replace it, or unless you have more cars then you need. Make every effort to repair and maintain your car to keep it on the road longer. New cars take a lot of new materials and pollution to make, so buy used whenever possible. Consider getting a diesel (the engines are more efficient) so that you can run bio-diesel in, or a hybrid. Sadly, the dreamy diesel-electric hybrids are still a few years away, so we'll have to keep dreaming (and saving) for those.

These suggestions are based on the premise that reducing should come before re-using and recycling. If we reduce our demand for fossil fuels by using our cars less (and by using fewer cars), that will have a greater impact than simply changing the type of car we drive. Question yourself every time you reach for your keys: could I walk instead? Do I really need to make this trip now or could I combine it with another? Could I carpool? Do I even need to own my own car when I could share one? There are countless ways to reduce pollution and gas usage, all it takes is a little ingenuity and the courage to change the way we think and live. A small step in the right direction is certainly better than stubbornly doing nothing. Change is good!

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posted by Megan | 9:55 PM | 2 comments | buzz on this post | stumble it | digg it

Monday, February 11, 2008

Community Gardening and Local Food

It's been a while since I've posted, a lot has changed in the last month or so. I moved to the beautiful Mendocino Coast in Northern California and we're just settling in. So far I've been really impressed with the level of green consciousness here. There are quite a few organic and vegetarian restaurants, we actually get paid to recycle bottles (and we don't have to sort the recycling for curb-side pickup), and I've gotten involved with a great local non-profit group called Noyo Food Forest. My partner is taking a class on organic gardening from them, I am hoping to help them with some graphic design work, and they're starting a community garden near us that we are going to be a part of. We are really excited to be a part of the organization and get some organic veggies planted in the community garden. This area is certainly inspiring!

Being involved with Noyo Food Forest has been a great experience so far. They are an organization that began a learning garden next to the local high school where they teach classes on organic gardening, grow organic food for the high school cafeteria, and sell organic produce at farmer's markets in the summer. Their goal is to turn unused, empty fields in the area into thriving organic gardens that bring the community together.

Yesterday I volunteered with a group from Noyo to prepare a vacant lot for the community garden, where we hope to have a small plot of organic veggies and herbs. We cleared the land, shoveled poop (not a glamorous job but a big part of organic gardening and it really wasn't that bad), and started sheet composting over the garden site. The spot is beautiful and gets plenty of sun, and the workday went well. I met new people involved with the organization and learned a lot about organic gardening and what it takes to start a community garden.

Noyo Food Forest got me very excited about organic gardening and eating locally. Community gardens are a wonderful thing. Not only do they allow people to grow their own food (especially people who can't a garden at home), they're a great way to meet new people, get outside to commune with nature, and reduce your carbon footprint. Since eating locally helps reduce fuel needed for food transportation, it's a win-win situation. Many towns have community gardens and/or CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) programs, so even if you can't garden in your backyard, there are still lots of options for getting locally-grown organic food. CSAs are a great way to support local farmers. They usually entail subscribing to the program, and local farmers will provide a box of seasonal produce each week during the season.

In a world where even our food choices are political and every choice we make has enormous consequences, it makes sense to simplify our eating habits. Going back to agriculture's roots by gardening at home or in a community garden, buying locally-grown produce, and eating organic are all ways to simplify your food consumption all while reducing pollution and emissions. Green living has never tasted so good!

If you've ever had a garden, you know that not only is gardening a great stress-reliever and a way to connect with your natural environment, but garden-fresh produce tastes simply amazing. In your own garden (or a community garden that you're involved in), you know what is put into the soil and the plants. You have more control over what you grow, so you can grow organically to be sure there aren't any nasty chemicals getting into your body. There are so many benefits to being involved in a community garden or having your own. Stay tuned for more updates on our involvement with Noyo Food Forest and our forays into organic gardening. I hope that community gardens continue to increase in popularity and spark a true food revolution!

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posted by Megan | 3:12 PM | 0 comments | buzz on this post | stumble it | digg it

Sunday, December 23, 2007

The Importance of Gratitude

In my travels this summer, I visited many delicious restaurants and sampled all kinds of yummy vegetarian grub. But my favorite restaurant experience was Cafe Gratitude in Berkeley. This cafe serves mostly raw, vegan, organic food prepared with love. I first heard of it when my friend Crystal traveled to the Bay Area for a summer and got a job there. When she got back, I could tell she was a changed person. And she brought with her the recipes for some of the most amazing live food desserts I've ever tasted. I had to check this place out.

We visited Cafe Gratitude with our friend Jake when we were visiting the Bay Area. It is a unique restaurant in that it is based more on attitudes and beliefs than food itself. According to their site:

Cafe Gratitude is our expression of a world of plenty. Our food and people are a celebration of our aliveness. We select the finest organic ingredients to honor the earth and ourselves, as we are one and the same. We support local farmers, sustainable agriculture and environmentally friendly products. Our food is prepared with love. We invite you to step inside and enjoy being someone that chooses: loving your life, adoring yourself, accepting the world, being generous and grateful every day, and experiencing being provided for. Have fun and enjoy being nourished.


The restaurant is based on a board game called The Abounding River that the owners invented to teach others about their view of "being abundance." This view is based on the concept that you create your own reality and that your perception of the world shapes it. The game encourages people to think differently about what they have and what they want - to adopt a view that we live in a world of abundance, not scarcity. Most important to this viewpoint is gratitude (hence the name of the cafe). Giving thanks and being grateful for what you already have is key to getting what you want in life.

Not only is the food at the cafe extremely delicious and interesting, the entire experience puts a smile on your face. All items on the menu are affirmations such as "I am Beautiful," "I am Rejuvenated," or "I am Abundant." When you place your order, you say these affirmations out loud, sending positive energy into the universe. The atmosphere is welcoming and warm, the food is nourishing and healthful, and the philosophy behind the restaurant is a unique perspective that is very much needed in today's world.

During the busy Holiday season, I find this message of abundance and gratitude especially poignant. With all the stress, wanting what we don't have, overspending, and consumerism, it's refreshing to take a step back from it all and count your blessings. There are so many things in life to be grateful for, and it's important to take time to acknowledge the wonderful things you already have before complaining or wishing for things that you don't. There will always be someone with less (and someone with more) but the only way to break the cycle of desire that leads to unhappiness is to be truly content with where you're at.

I'd like to take this opportunity to share some of the things I am grateful for this holiday season: time with family, the sound of my lover's voice on the phone, old friends I haven't seen forever, the warmth of my pets when they cuddle on my bed, the big fat snowflakes falling as I walk, an over-abundance of my favorite Christmas goodies, all-weather tires that keep me safe, the many wonderful memories I have of our travels this year, the fact that we were able to find a new place to live in a little over a week, the excitement of change, getting my old job back with ease, the understanding and patience of others, free time, hot organic vegetable soup on a cold day, warm clothes, the new snowboard I have yet to ride, new books I'm excited to read, and people who read my blogs!

May you find much to be thankful for this holiday season.

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posted by Megan | 7:31 PM | 0 comments | buzz on this post | stumble it | digg it

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Tough Times Ahead: Surviving Peak Oil

Our current way of life is completely dependent on cheap oil. Despite knowing that it is a finite resource, we continue to use it in large quantities for just about every aspect of our lives, especially in America. Petroleum does not just fuel our cars, it fuels our entire agricultural system (fertilizers and pesticides are made with oil and natural gas, not to mention the fuel needed to harvest and ship food around the world) and is our main source of energy. It is even a major ingredient in many of the products we use every day - such as plastics, pharmaceuticals, beauty products, and cleaning supplies. It's not money that makes the world go round, it's oil.

Our petroleum addiction comes at a high cost: not only in the increasing costs of finding and extracting oil, but in the long term environmental effects of its use as well as the political and social harm that comes from fighting over a dwindling resource. Even though we may not run out of oil completely for hundreds of years, it is becoming more and more difficult and expensive to find and produce. If you've been to a gas station lately, you've obviously noticed the rising cost of oil. It's certainly not getting any cheaper. But what happens when oil is more expensive to produce than it is worth on the market?

That's where peak oil comes in. Simply put, peak oil is the point at which, on a global scale, we extract the most oil from the earth that we ever have or ever will. It represents a halfway point in the earth's oil supply, not an end. The problem is that the second half of the oil that we have not yet extracted is more difficult to get to and more expensive as well. According to wikipedia:

Peak oil is the point or timeframe at which the maximum global petroleum production rate is reached, after which the rate of production enters its terminal decline. If global consumption is not mitigated before the peak, the availability of oil will drop and prices will rise, perhaps dramatically. M. King Hubbert first used the theory in 1956 to accurately predict that United States oil production would peak between 1965 and 1970. His model, now called Hubbert peak theory, has since been used to predict the peak petroleum production of many other countries, and has also proved useful in other limited-resource production-domains. According to the Hubbert model, the production rate of a limited resource will follow a roughly symmetrical bell-shaped curve based on the limits of exploitability and market pressures.

Since our current lifestyles are so dependent on oil, a decline in its availability (and a rise in the cost of getting the last half of it) will have dramatic effects on society. America got a glimpse of peak oil in the early 1970s during the oil crisis, when there were long lines at the gas pump and President Carter began urging Americans to curb their energy usage. But when that crisis blew over, it seemed as if Americans forgot it ever happened. Instead SUVs surged in popularity and oil and energy use rose even more. It's as if we're ignoring our impending doom, and doing nothing to prepare for the drastic changes that peak oil will bring.

Of course, society does not have to be doomed by peak oil, which many scientists say is coming soon, if it's not already here. Some major changes will need to be made, most notably in the way we think and the way we live. But we can survive if we focus on alternatives for our energy, transportation, and agricultural needs. One group dedicating their time and resources to finding a solution to peak oil and climate change is The Community Solution. This organization advocates "culture change, conservation and curtailment" to survive this crisis. The Community Solution states:

Through reductions in resource consumption, dramatic conservation and curtailment of energy use coupled with an increase in local community living we can survive peak oil and create a sustainable world in its wake.

And they offer an example of a society that has had to face severe shortages in oil and lived to tell about it: Cuba. In 1991, the Soviet Union fell, and since the US placed a trade embargo on Cuba, a Soviet ally, their supply of petroleum was abruptly halted. Energy shortages and famine spread, but luckily Cubans have since figured out a way to get by on less energy and less petroleum. They returned to organic farming, creating small-scale local farms all over the island and in every empty plot of land in urban areas. They turned to bikes and public transit for transportation and alternative and more sustainable forms of energy production. Food production, education, and industry became much more localized. Cuban communities began to thrive, taking care of each other and supporting themselves. What happened in Cuba offers a glimpse of what a post-peak oil society might look like, if we learn to consume less, help each other, and return to more traditional and ecological ways of farming and living.

You can watch The Community Solution's documentary "How to Survive Peak Oil: The Cuba Model" as a six part series on YouTube. It shouldn't be surprising to anyone that reducing our energy consumption and finding alternatives to our petroleum addiction lead to a more sustainable way of life. This is what Cuba has done, and although their journey is still evolving, the rest of the world may soon be adjusting to peak oil's effects.

Let's hope that we can learn to live as sustainable, efficient, localized communities as the peak oil crisis approaches. The days of cheap oil will soon be over, but that doesn't mean that society will end. I believe we will learn from the "oil age" that we can't rely on finite resources or short-term solutions. If we're going to be in it for the long haul, we're going to have to work together, with each other and with the earth. We will have to learn to work with nature and not against it, and this learning process begins with a new way of thinking and seeing the world. Let's start now!

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posted by Megan | 4:17 PM | 0 comments | buzz on this post | stumble it | digg it

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

'Tis the Season

As the holiday season approaches, it's obvious the corporate consumerist machine is hard at work distilling desire in young and old alike. Christmas decorations and ads begin popping up before Halloween has passed, and each year they seem to come earlier and earlier. Their message: buy, buy, buy. As a result, many Americans end up deeper and deeper in debt, especially this time of year.

This is why time of year gives me a headache. Christmas means a lot to my family, and my mom always asks for a wish list, which I reluctantly put together although each year I feel more and more like the last thing I need is more stuff. Gift giving is part of our family tradition, and I do think gifts during the holidays are a great way to show friends and family how much you love and appreciate them. So it's always a dilemma at holiday time: to buy (supporting a system I don't agree with) or not to buy (possibly making myself look like scrooge).

Luckily, there are alternatives to buying into the corporate consumer holiday game. Instead of buying gifts from big box stores or corporations that get rich at the expense of people and the environment, the discerning holiday shopper can buy gifts from locally owned stores, local artisans, shops that focus on sustainability, or co-ops carrying fair trade and organic products. There are more and more choices for conscious consumers every day.

Other options include homemade gifts (although these take some time and preparation), home baked organic goodies, or "coupons" for services you can give to loved ones (such as a massage or yard work). I have given my homemade hemp soap, massage oil, or gemstone jewelry as gifts on several occasions, and food is always a good choice for someone that seems to have everything. I have also donated money to non-profit organizations in my gift recipient's name, a gift that can be very meaningful especially if the cause is something they are passionate about.

As "Black Friday" approaches and millions of people flock to the malls and the big box stores, I hope to stay at home and think up alternative gift ideas for everyone on my list. Black Friday has come to mean "Buy Nothing Day" (one of my favorite Adbusters campaigns) to me. It's certainly a perfect day to boycott consumerism. I hope you can resist the sales this Friday and start creating a more meaningful and less wasteful holiday season for you and yours.

On a related note, I must recommend a very delicious and completely cruelty-free centerpiece to your Thansgiving meal: TOFURKY! It has been my holiday staple for several years, and is entirely vegan despite its very convincing turkey taste. Give the turkeys something to be thankful for this year and try leaving them off your plate. (A hint from my kitchen: Tofurky is very easy to make if you follow the directions, but I recommend basting liberally and often with olive oil, soy sauce, and herbs for a juicy, delicious Tofurky even your meat-eating relatives will enjoy).

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posted by Megan | 9:03 PM | 2 comments | buzz on this post | stumble it | digg it

Monday, October 08, 2007

The Importance of Water

Grizzly FallsAs I travel, I have been thinking a lot about water. It's hard not to think about it when I regularly have to worry about keeping our water jugs full of pure drinking water. This summer we visited water sources such as the Columbia Ice Field, a huge field of ice with several glaciers feeding major rivers that carry fresh water from the heart of the Canadian Rockies to the Arctic, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans. We also visited Glacier National Park, where glaciers are receding at such an alarming rate that I've read the park's namesakes may disappear entirely within my lifetime.

Water of course is the source of all life and something that makes our planet unique. We are mostly water, after all. Visiting bodies of water like Crater Lake in Oregon and the Pacific Coast in California after seeing the glacial sources of it have reminded me how sacred and essential fresh water is, and how much I take it for granted. In the future, wars won't be fought over oil, but water. As global warming continues to change our lives and our planet, our great reserves of water will melt, and fresh water will become a scarce resource. Already water battles are being fought in the third world, where access to fresh water is limited, especially for the poor. And yet you can see it encased in plastic in machines all over America, a basic need and human right being sold and marketed like any other commodity.

Water is becoming an increasingly important issue, with many environmental and human rights implications. Like oil, it is a resource that is easily hogged by affluent nations and taken for granted by most people. When we need water, we just turn on a faucet, but it's not so easy to obtain fresh potable water in the slums of India or the desert villages of Africa. Meanwhile commercial farms gobble up water while polluting aquifers with pesticides and fertilizer residue, endangering the very lives of future generations. With our water resources dwindling, we’ll have to figure out new ways to feed ourselves and ensure that everyone has fresh water to drink. We'll have to answer some tough questions: Who owns the earth's fresh water? Who decides how to divvy it up? How can we justify watering our lawns when there are people who can't even get water to drink?

Thinking about water is, of course, not enough. I am increasingly trying to be more conscious about the water I use, conserving as much as possible. We'll all have to start conserving and paying more attention to how we use this precious resource as time goes on. Some ways to conserve water are:


Feel free to share your suggestions for conserving water by commenting! :)

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posted by Megan | 1:55 PM | 2 comments | buzz on this post | stumble it | digg it

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Inspiration from Other Veg-Heads

Being on the road for the last couple of months (and about to be again as of tomorrow), I have found it sometimes difficult to stick to an organic vegan diet, especially when dining out. We have been blessed that our volksvegan van is equipped with a fridge, two-burner stove, and sink so we can prepare yummy vegan grub when we're camped out. But often, finding organic vegan options have been a challenge. Luckily, health food stores and Co-ops could be found in most larger cities throughout Canada and Montana, so we'd stock up whenever we ran into one. We did manage to find a few vegetarian restaurants as well, such as the wonderful Nourish in Banff, Alberta, and vegan restaurant Paradox Cafe in Portland, Oregon.

Since returning to Boise while our bus was in the shop, we have been visiting the Co-op regularly (although we certainly miss "our" Co-op in Moscow) and preparing some yummy vegan meals for my parents like spicy Indian dahl and seitan-mushroom stroganoff (the latter from one of my favorite cookbooks, Vegan With a Vengeance). We have also had the internet while we were here, so I've been seeking support from other veg-heads and found some great articles!

First up, I have been really enjoying Colleen Patrick-Goudreau's blog on Green Options, on the subject of compassionate cooking. From recipes to tips on being vegan in a non-veg world, Colleen is full of great ideas on how to eat well and help animals. And while I'm on the subject, Green Options is a great resource for living sustainably and greening your lifestyle. It's really grown since the launch in February, and I was lucky enough to be a part of it, writing on green art & design for several months before leaving on our trip. I hope to return once we settle this fall, so keep your eyes out!

I also stumbled upon a great article on the blog "pink rabbit says" by vegan animal rights activist Ari Moore. How to Get Vegan and Stay Vegan is an insightful look in transitioning to a vegan lifestyle without it being a pain in the ass. I know Ari through the Animal Rights group on flickr, so if you're a flickr addict who loves animals, be sure to check it out!

And in other news, unplug officially has a new domain name, so update your bookmarks: unplugmagazine.com. The old (longer) url will still work, but this is much nicer. I'm not sure how much work I will be doing on the unplug site until the volksvegan adventure winds down, but stay tuned for my observations during our trip on the blog!

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posted by Megan | 2:42 PM | 0 comments | buzz on this post | stumble it | digg it

Friday, August 10, 2007

Some Reflections From My Volksvegan Adventure...

As you can probably tell, I haven't been getting regular internet access lately. As I travel around in the "volksvegan" with my partner and our pooch, I have had some great experiences and gotten a much needed break from civilization.

Beautiful BlueOur journey took us through Canada's Rocky Mountains and quite a few National Parks. The Rockies are beautiful and still rather pristine, although the footprints of humankind (huge golf courses, ski resorts, mining and lumber operations) are prevalent. We went to Kootenay, Banff, Jasper, Yoho, Glacier, and Mount Revelstroke National Parks. The best part was the chance to backpack through wilderness, see beautiful scenery and wildlife, and reconnect with the natural world.

The torrent of tourists we saw flooding the parks is evidence of humankind's need to connect with and experience nature. It's odd that people can have so much reverence for the glaciers, lakes, mountains, and wildlife protected in parks, but so little regard for the what's best for these places. We were disappointed by some of the scars left on the earth as we visited the parks. Parks Canada sets up backcountry campgrounds that minimize the impact caused to the natural landscape, but we were shocked at how some people tried to build extra fire rings, left trash, and eroded the trails with packs of horses. Well, we were also shocked by the price of the backcountry permits, but let's not talk about that...

Athabasca GlacierOne of the most enjoyable parts of my Canadian visit was seeing so many glaciers, icefields and pristine lakes. The glacier-carved mountains and lakes show the power and magnitude of ice and snow. I visited the Columbia Icefield's Athabasca Glacier and marveled at the sheer magnitude of the place, but I was saddened to see how quickly it was disappearing.

The Canadian Government is definitely not in denial about climate change, which I was happy to see. Signs around the Columbia Icefield explained how not all of the glacial melting is part of a natural cycle, global warming caused by humans is melting the glaciers faster than ever. The signs even mentioned ways people could help reduce their global warming impact and protect important glaciers and icefields that provide fresh water to so many people. The Columbia Icefield feeds many glaciers and is a triple continental divide, sending fresh glacier water to the Pacific, Atlantic, and the Arctic Oceans.

It was amazing to see such an important and precious place and walk upon a melting glacier. It reminded me how important it is to protect the delicate balance of nature and live in symbiotic harmony with the earth that sustains us. So, crowds of dumb tourists aside, I enjoyed my Canadian Rocky Mountains experience and continue my "volksvegan adventure" refreshed and enlightened by it.

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posted by Megan | 11:38 AM | 0 comments | buzz on this post | stumble it | digg it

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Dreaming of a Sustainable Summer Road Trip

Well, I've posted about it on my life blog, our volksvegan adventure blog, and I pretty much can't shut up about it. So I might as well mention it here too. We're hittin' the road for the summer!

Scenes from Bus WindowThe best part of the trip, of course, is that we are traveling in a moving experiment in sustainable travel, our "volksvegan" bus that runs on waste vegetable oil and bio-diesel. I'm very excited about this trip and will be blogging from the road as often as I can. We may even document our trip on video and make a documentary. We're visiting sustainable communities and towns we're interested in moving to in the Northwest on our trip, and doing a lot of backpacking and basking in nature along the way.

We took the bus on a test run to the Okanogan Family Faire Volunteer Summit this past weekend, and you can read about that little adventure on Our Volksvegan Adventure, which I will be updating frequently on our trip. You can see some pictures of the process of converting our bus in this flickr photo set.

We hope to leave in mid-June, so there's just a few more weeks of planning and working out the volksvegan's kinks before we embark on a quest for greener travel and free fuel. Stay tuned!

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posted by Megan | 3:56 PM | 0 comments | buzz on this post | stumble it | digg it

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Recent Sources of Inspiration...

I am getting ready to leave for a vacation to Spain (of course I offset the carbon emissions of my flights!) but I had to take a break from packing and finishing up projects to share two recommended sources of inspiration I have encountered recently.

The first is a film: The U.S. vs. John Lennon. It's about John Lennon (obviously) and Yoko Ono and their revolutionary art and music. Being a huge fan of the Beatles, I was surprised at how little I knew about John Lennon's political views and post-Beatles music. Let's just say he is my new hero! He was a self-described "Peacenik" and used art and music to open minds, reach out to others, and shed light on important issues. This film has renewed my belief that art can truly change the world. Of course, the end is sad, since such a wonderful, revolutionary, creative, and inspirational person was murdered and thus silenced (wait, you all knew John Lennon was dead, right?). But overall the film is uplifting and inspiring - and sheds some light on the 60's and 70's era of radical politics and music, but not enough change...

The second inspirational item is the book Diet for a New America: How Your Food Choices Affect Your Health, Happiness and the Future of Life on Earth by John Robbins, which I have been reading for months and just finished. This book is not new by any means, it was written in 1987, and I must admit that I wish I had read it years ago. This book is revolutionary. Robbins examines the typical American diet (namely an obsession with meat, eggs, and dairy products that pads the pockets of the industries that produce them while robbing everyone and everything else). Diet for a New America is very well-researched and based on solid science, all presented in digestible language. Basically, the point of the book is that our country's meat-centered diet is the hidden cause of many of today's biggest maladies: world hunger, overuse of water, the destruction of the world's forests, our deadliest diseases (including heart disease, many forms of cancer, diabetes, obesity, and many more), our reliance on foreign oil, pollution, soil erosion, depleting resources, unmeasurable animal suffering, and even a dwindling economy. After examining every possible effect of our meat-centered diet and especially the post-WWII industrialization of farming, Robbins ends on a positive note. There is a solution that will in time reverse many of the diseases we are afflicted with, make our lives more sustainable, boost our economy, and ensure clean food, water, air, and land for future generations: a shift in the American diet-style towards a plant-based diet. Even reducing our reliance on meat for food by 10% can have an enormous impact. Not that I really needed any more convincing to be vegan, but this book is life-altering and very enlightening (although I must admit parts of it were hard to get through and often left me in tears - yes, the truth is harsh).

I will end this post with a quote from Chief Seattle, which appears at the end of Diet for a New America and is one of my absolute favorite quotes:

The earth does not belong to man:
Man belongs to the earth.
This we know:
All things are connected
Like the blood which unites one family.
All things are connected.
Whatever befalls the earth
Befalls the sons of the earth.
Man did not weave the web of live.
He is merely a strand in it.
Whatever he does to the web,
He does to himself.

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posted by Megan | 9:17 PM | 0 comments | buzz on this post | stumble it | digg it

Monday, March 05, 2007

You Really Can't Be a Meat-Eating Environmentalist

Al Gore may be getting flack from the press lately about his energy usage, but why has no one brought up the fact that his meat eating is actually causing more environmental damage than his energy-guzzling mansion?

According to a new report published by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the livestock sector generates more greenhouse gas emissions as measured in CO2 equivalent - 18 percent - than transport. It is also a major source of land and water degradation.

Says Henning Steinfeld, Chief of FAO's Livestock Information and Policy Branch and senior author of the report: "Livestock are one of the most significant contributors to today's most serious environmental problems. Urgent action is required to remedy the situation"

With increased prosperity, people are consuming more meat and dairy products every year. [You can download the report here.]

So basically, raising animals for food generates more greenhouse gases than all the cars and trucks in the world combined. This begs the question: why aren't more environmentalists vegetarian? Is changing your eating habits too difficult for even the most dedicated environmentalist? Apparently the addicition to meat is a tough one to break.

I've been researching this topic quite a bit lately, and have found that there really is no good excuse for eating meat if you claim any sort of envrionmental sensitivity. The factory farming industry is one of this country's top polluters, literally creating lagoons of shit that end up in our soil and waterways. In 1995 in North Carolina, 25 million gallons of excrement from a hog farm spilled into a river, killing millions of fish and damaging the river's ecosystem all the way out to sea. The modern industrial farming methods are not only horribly cruel to animals, they are contributing to the demise of the earth and all of us humans as well.

I've rounded up some excellent articles on the envrionmental costs of eating meat and the benefits of a vegetarian diet so you don't have to take my word for it. Here are some good reads on the subject:

I have just learned that PETA sent a letter to Al Gore with information about how he can shut up the critics and do more to stop global warming at the same time: by going vegetarian. Hey, maybe he can lose some of those post-election pounds at the same time! So, Al, what do you say? Can you drop the meat? I've got a load of recipes I can share! :)

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Monday, January 08, 2007

Living Your Ideals

Well, it's 2007. And as usual, I have a whole list of New Year's Resolutions. Who knows how many I'll actually keep, but my resolutions (and my goals, in general) over the past few years have a bit of a pattern: I want to live my ideals. I want to walk the walk, not just talk the talk. It's a constant struggle, especially because I have pretty high aspirations and I tend to dream big. In 2005, my boyfriend and I started eating organic food whenever possible, and have been shopping at the Farmer's Market and the Co-op ever since. This was also about the time he went vegetarian (after I had been veg for over 6 months), another milestone in lining up our lives with our beliefs & ethics. In 2006, our goal was to get a car we could convert to run on waste vegetable oil, a carbon-neutral way to power your car (from a renewable source). We got our diesel volkswagen vanagon and ordered a Greasecar kit, and now collect waste oil, filter it, and run our van on it. It's a work in progress of course (as any VW is).

In the spirit of bringing change in the new year, I've come up with a list of possible New Year's Resolutions that can bring your lifestyle in line with progressive ethics and sustainability. There's lots of things you can do to lessen your negative impact on the earth, and lead to a more positive impact on everything around you.

Get Informed by dedicating more time to reading up on local and world news (preferably from independent media sources) and researching issues you are concerned about. Then, put your knowledge to use by doing something about it!

Simplify your life and reduce the amount of waste you produce. There's many ways to do this, including going through your home & donating unused items to charity, repairing and maintaining the things you already have instead of replacing them, re-using containers, and simply buying less stuff. Another great way to add time to your day is to stop watching TV (I don't miss it, you won't either).

Support Causes you believe in whether it be volunteering for a local animal shelter or donating money to a charity organization. Use your skills to help organizations you support, or even get a job with one!

Change Your Lifestyle one bit at a time until you're living your ideals. Start changing your life and changing the world every day. This could mean dropping things like meat, high fructose corn syrup, or overly-processed foods from your diet. Or it could mean carpooling, walking, or riding your bike to school or work instead of driving a car. You chould start reading labels and buying sweatshop and cruelty free items. Simple changes can have huge effects!

Switch Your Lights to energy-saving bulbs (a la An Inconvenient Truth. Also switch your appliances when they wear out with energy-efficent models (look for the Energy Star logo, or come up with your own standards).

Speak Out and get more involved in issues you care about. Whether it's passing out leaflets, participating in a peace demonstration, or volunteering for a local non-profit, you can help change minds & support your community.

Be Picky when you must buy something. Look for products that use recycled or renewable materials, that are manufactured in green factories (or at least not in sweatshops), or that are Fair Trade Certified or Certified Organic. And whenever possible, but locally grown/made products from the people that produce them: you'll be helping your local economy and supporting small businesses & farms.

There are probably a million more small things you could do to turn your life into a manifestation of your ideals. These are just a few I've done or am working on. Please leave a comment if you have other suggestions to add to this list! :)

Happy New Year!

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Friday, December 08, 2006

Consumerism Season and a few links

Adbusters Buy Nothing ChristmasThe holiday madness has begun: advertising is pumped out, the malls are crowded, and people are maxing out their credit cards left & right. It's the season of spending, shopping, and generally going overboard while corporations rake in the profits. Meanwhile, there are people at organizations like Adbusters that are calling for the opposite, a Buy Nothing Christmas involving simply opting out of consumer culture and creating a new meaning for the holidays. Their efforts begin on Black Friday, dubbed "Buy Nothing Day" - a stark contrast to the busiest shopping day of the year.

I've been trying to simplify the holidays a bit the last few years, and I often give gifts of charity donations or home-made goodies. But consumerism can be hard to avoid, especially in my family. So I'm trying to make my gift dollars count by shopping locally and supporting activist organizations and sustainable companies. I've already put in an order on the PETA Catalog (there are great gifts for pets, vegetarians, animal lovers, and you can sponsor an animal in need in someone's name for a truly meaningful gift). I also came across a post on Sustainable Shopping on the blog of a fellow designer. Check out some of her very useful insights on sustainable living at SmallFailures.com.

Money is power, and how we spend our money, especially in the commercially-driven holiday season, sends a message. I advocate putting your money where your mouth is and supporting causes, organizations, and companies you believe in as you shop for holiday gifts. Other ideas include starting new holiday traditions that are less wasteful or commercial, like a recycled gift exchange or volunteering at a soup kitchen with the family on Christmas Eve. You can make homemade gifts (I'm making herbal soaps & oils, necklaces, and vegan holiday treats this year). Let's put more meaning into the season and a little less padding in the pockets of the greedy & already fortunate. Gifts of spirit, thoughtfulness, and compassion mean a lot more than any material or manufactured gift!

Just a little food for thought during the holiday season...

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Tuesday, November 28, 2006

The Facts About Eating Animal Products

I stumbled across this very comprehensive list on the internet, which basically covers reasons to go vegetarian from several different perspectives. I recently picked up Diet for a New America by John Robbins and haven't started it yet, but these are just a few of the facts from the book:

The Facts About Eating Animal Products...
by John Robbins, author of Diet for a New America and founder of Earthsave International.

The Hunger Argument:
Number of People worldwide who will die of starvation this year: 60 million
Number of people who could be adequately fed with the grain saved if Americans reduced meat intake by 10%: 60 million
Human beings in America: 243 million
Number of people who could be fed with grain and soybeans now eaten by US livestock: 1.3 billion
Percentage of corn grown in US eaten by people: 20%
Percentage of corn grown in US eaten by livestock: 80%
Percentage of protein wasted by cycling grain through livestock: 90%
Percentage of oats grown in US eaten by livestock: 95%
How frequently a child starves to death: every 2 seconds
Pounds of potatoes that can be grown on an acre: 20,000 lbs
Pounds of beef produced on an acre: 165 lbs
Percentage of US farmland devoted to beef production: 56%
Pounds of grain and soybeans needed to produce 1 pound of feedlot beef: 16 lbs.

The Environmental Argument:
Cause of global warming: greenhouse effect
Primary cause of greenhouse effect: Carbon Dioxide from fossil fuels
Fossil fuels needed to produce a meat-centered diet vs. a meat-free diet: 50 times more
Percentage of US topsoil lost to date: 75%
Percentage of US topsoil loss directly related to livestock raising: 85%
Number of acres of US forest cleared for cropland to produce meat-centered diet: 260 million acres
Amount of meat US imports annually from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Panama: 200,000,000 pounds
Average per capita meat consumption in Costa Rica, El Salveador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Panama: Less than eaten by average US house cat
Area of tropical rainforest consumed in every quarter-pounder hamburger: 55 sq. ft.
Current rate of species extinction due to destruction of tropical rainforests for meat grazing and other uses: 1,000 species extinct per year

The Cancer Argument:
Increased risk of breast cancer for women who eat meat four times a week vs. less than once a week: 4 times
Increased risk of breast cancer for women who eat eggs daily vs less than once a week: 3 times
Increased risk of breast cancer for women who eat cheese and butter 3 or more times a week vs less than once a week: 3 times
Increased risk of ovarian cancer for women who eat eggs 3 or more times a week vs less than once a week: 3 times
Increased risk of fatal prostate cancer for men who consume meat, cheese, eggs and milk daily vs sparingly or not at all: 3.6 times

The Natural Resources Argument:
User of more than half of all water used for all purposes in the US: Livestock production
Amount of water to produce a pound of wheat: 25 gallons
Amount of water to produce a pound of meat: 2,500 gallons
Cost of common hamburger if water used by meat industry was not subsidized by US taxpayer: $35/pound
Current cost of pound of protein from beefsteak, if water was no longer subsidized: $89
Years the world's known oil reserves will last if every human ate a meat-centered diet: 13 years
Years the world's known oil reserves will last if human beings no longer ate meat: 260 years
Barrels of oil imported into US daily: 6.8 million
Percentage of fossil fuel energy returned as food energy by most efficient factory farming of meat: 34.5 percent
Percentage returned as food energy from least efficient plant food: 328%
Percentage of raw materials consumed by US to produce present meat-centered diet: 33%

The Cholesterol Argument:
Number of US Medical Schools: 125
Number requiring a course in nutrition: 30
Nutrition training received by average US physician during four years in medical school: 2.5 hours
Most common cause of death in the US: Heart attack
How frequently a heart attack kills in the US: Every 45 seconds
Average US man's risk of death from heart attack: 50%
Risk for average US man who avoids the meat-centered diet: 15%
Risk for average US vegan man: 4%
Amount you reduce risk of heart attack if you reduce consumption of animal products by 10 percent: 9%
Amount you reduce risk of heart attack if you reduce consumption of animal products by 50 percent: 45%
Amount you reduce risk by changing to a vegan diet: 90 percent
Meat, dairy, and egg industries claim you should not be concerned about your blood cholesterol if it is: "normal"
Your risk of dying of a disease caused by clogged arteries if your blood cholesterol is "normal": >50%

The Antibiotic Argument:
Percentage of US antibiotics fed to livestock: 55%
Percentage of staph infections resistant to penicillin in 1960: 13%
Percentage of staph infections resistant to penicillin in 1988: 91%
Response of European Economic Community to routine feeding of antibiotics to livestock: Ban
Respons of US meat and pharmaceutical industries to routine feeding of antibiotics to livestock: Full and complete support

The Pesticide Argument:
Percentage of pesticide residues in the US diet supplied by grains: 1%
Percentage of pesticide residues in the US diet supplied by fruits: 4%
Percentage of pesticide residues in the US diet supplied by vegetables: 6%
Percentage of pesticide residues in the US diet supplied by dairy products: 23%
Percentage of pesticide residues in the US diet supplied by meat: 55%
Pesticide contamination of breast milk from meat eating mothers vs non-meat eating: 35 times higher
What USDA tells us: Meat is inspected
Percentage of slaughtered animals inspected for residues of toxic chemicals such as dioxin and DDT: <0.00004%

The Ethical Argument:
Number of animals killed for meat per hour in US: 500,000
Occupation with highest turnover rate in US: Slaughterhouse Worker
Occupation with the highest rate of on-the-job injury in US: Slaughterhouse Worker
Cost to render animal unconscious with "captive bolt pistol": 1 cent
Reason given by meat industry fo not using "captive bolt pistol": Too expensive

...So, given all of that, what can you do?

1. Consider a vegetarian or vegan diet, or at least reduce your consumption of animal products. For information about going veg and recipes, check out GoVeg.com, Veg Paradise, VegCooking.com, Veg Source, Veg Web, or The Vegetarian Society. There are tons of veg options nowadays, so get adventurous & try them out!

2. Educate yourself about what really goes into your food, how it is produced, and where it comes from. Buy organic, fair trade, and locally produced food if possible. Check out Farmer's Markets, where you can ask farmers directly how the food was grown.

3. Learn everything you can and then share what you learn with others. The meat & dairy industries do a good job of hiding the secrets of food production from the public, we need to do our part to make sure that information is available.

4. Get involved! There are many ways you can become an activist for the environment and animals. Check out Earthsave International or PETA's Action Center for ideas.

5. Remember that one of the easiest ways to make your voice heard is through your spending. Support companies and organizations you believe in and that are bettering the world, shop cruelty-free, research the companies you buy from, and boycott companies you don't agree with.

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Tuesday, August 08, 2006

Sustainable Transportation

My boyfriend and I have just begun our journey towards a more sustainable mode of transportation. We got a diesel VW van and are converting it to run on bio-diesel and waste vegetable oil (WVO). In the process I'm learning a lot about alternative fuels, and I can't figure out why everyone hasn't caught on to this yet! Bio-fuels are carbon-neutral (because the plants grown for fuel take in as much carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as burning the fuel produces). They also have lower emissions, fuel crops can be grown domestically (i.e. no foreign wars needed) which produces jobs and boosts the local economy, and is one step towards curbing global warming. Plus, any diesel car can be converted to run on bio-diesel with only a little modification (diesels can run on a blend like B20 without any modification) and waste veggie oil with a bit more work. We're hoping to set up our VW with 2 fuel tanks: one for WVO and one for bio-diesel (or diesel if we must use it). The engine has to warm up & start on diesel/bio-diesel, then switches over to grease after it is warm enough, which means that our "Volksvegan" (as I like to call it) will be the perfect road trip mobile! We are so excited about this project that I've set up a blog to detail our conversion to grease, restoration of our bus, and our many greasy travels: so check it out!

Country Drive in the Grease Car!Bio-diesel and WVO systems only work on diesels, but there are other promising bio-fuels such as ethanol that can be used in gasoline engines. WVO systems are relatively affordable from places like Greasecar or Frybrid, and can be installed by a mechanic or anyone with a bit of mechanical skill and patience. Seneca's brother Andy just installed one on his 1975 Mercedes Benz, and we took it for a country drive the other day to test it out. The engine runs a bit better than it did previously (bio-diesel & WVO are natural engine lubricants) and yes, the exhaust does smell like french fries! We are in the process of doing our conversion now, after putting in a new canvas for our pop-top made of hemp and organic cotton. We've already secured a few sources for used fryer grease, and have started to filter & collect it. It seems that even used veggie oil is becoming a sought-after commodity as greasecars become more common (plus I live in Moscow, home of the University of Idaho which has done extensive research on bio-diesel, so it's pretty popular here).

I'm hoping that bio-fuels and other forms of alternative, sustainable transportation catch on quickly and soon become the norm. I've read about countless other "greasers" converting their diesels to run on WVO and hybrids are becoming more popular (although they're still not that sustainable—I call them transitional—since they require gasoline). With rising gas prices, hopefully people will start waking up and changing how & what they drive. Of course, even more good could come from dismantling the car-based society our oil-addicted culture has created. That would take a re-thinking of the way we design cities and communities as well as a shift away from the self-centered, independent thinking that permeates the American mindset. In a small town like the one I live in, it is possible to walk or bike for most errands, and we have a bike trailer that holds a large load of groceries, so I try to run errands using that most of the time. I wonder how long it will take until people are willing to make sacrifices and get off their lazy butts in order to live more sustainably and start reversing all the damage we've caused our planet....

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Monday, April 24, 2006

Some Earthday Thoughts

Earthday has come and gone, but environmentalism is something that must be kept alive all year long. I certainly hope people think of the Earth on more than one day a year, but the sad truth is many people seem to ignore the natural world and our ties to it. Moving towards a more sustainable society is something that each of us must participate in each day. I am working on an article on "Practical Environmentalism" which will explain why living sustainably is not only helpful to the environment, but efficient, economical, and enjoyable as well. So to start off the brainstorm, here's a short list of easy practical ways to live more sustainably, in honor of every day being Earthday!



So these are just a few off the top of my head but obviously there are a million different ways people can live more sustainably, most of them are relatively painless, so there's no excuse not to start now! Of course there's more drastic measures you can take, like living in a totally sustainable house like an Earthship or not owning a car. These things have more impact and may require more sacrifice, but who knows, maybe eventually they'll be the norm? With a change in mindset and lifestyle, I see a much greener future...

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Sunday, July 17, 2005

Earthship!

I want an Earthship! What a concept, a self-sufficient eco-friendly dwelling made of recycled and reclaimed materials. It looks like something we might be living in after the fall of capitalism...

I stumbled upon the Earthship site yesterday and I've been intrigued with the idea ever since. Reading about these houses and colonies sounds like a futuristic utopian green dream. I want the one in British Columnbia, but unfortunately I don't have $250,000. If more people lived sustainably, produced their own energy and grew their own food, less people would be promoting corporations that sell garbage we don't need. It certainly would be a lifestyle shift for most of us. The Earthships prove that living sustainably and self-sufficiently is possible. :)

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