Growers and Grocers

When it comes to organics, Newman’s Own has been a forerunner since ‘93 when the organization first began, with Paul Newman’s daughter, Nell, front and center.  Started with seed money from her father, their first organic product was pretzels.  Now, some 15 years later, the company has surpassed everyone’s expectations. In an interview with Marie […]

When my son was born six years ago, I knew very little about “going green” and didn’t give much thought to being especially environmentally friendly.  Now with my 1-year-old daughter, the times, they are a’changing.  Her room is filled with clothing, toys and other items that are organic and environmentally friendly, as is our house in […]

Jeffrey Steingarten, food critic for Vogue, measures the progress of society by examining the amount of calamari we consume as a nation.  He argues that the more squid we eat, the more sophisticated we are as a nation.
Normally a fan of the man’s work, I think he misses the mark with this rating.  Short of […]

I still believe in handwritten notes.  Sure, email and texting is my daily lifeline. But handwritten notes are personal and thoughtful. Whether at work, or in my personal life, I find the little extra time I take for handwritten communication makes a longer lasting impact.
For the last several years, I have looked to American Stationary […]

When it comes to being environmentally aware, I’m the first to admit that I hadn’t much thought of it in terms of my gardening.  I mean, really, how more environmentally friendly can the actual act of gardening and growing as local as your own backyard really get, right?  The thought of a more “green” mulch […]

This gloomy winter has been made much tastier thanks to my Chamomile Desjardins hot sauce.  After tasting every variety from mild to outrageously hot, we settled on Blue Nose, a mix of habaneros and blueberries. It’s so delicious on everything that our supply is quickly dwindling. Good thing the weather is shifting towards spring (I […]

I’m a big fan of Danny Seo and his columns and books.  He’s a great advocate for the “go green” movement, particularly amongst the younger generation.  In an issue of Country Home magazine, he gave a few helpful tips on being green with wildlife.  I’m planning to get a birdbath this spring, so will definitely […]

Sometimes “going green” is like eating healthier, it costs more.  A lot of times, it also saves money too, in the long run, but we can’t do it all.  For example, while solar panels on your home are a great way to be energy-efficient, it’s a large expense that not everyone can afford.  It’s all […]

Seeing how it’s February already, I’d better get cracking on the daily recommendations that author Jodi Helmer puts forth in The Green Year: 365 Small Things You Can Do to Make a Big Difference for easy green living. The key to the whole enterprise is small steps. A quick glance through the book, which showed […]

I am all about a new trend in the produce aisle at your local grocery store: selling produce alive.  I figure that when it comes time to ruthlessly slaughtering tomatoes on the vine or living basil, I should get to do the killing.  Maybe that makes me a culinary sociopath.  I’m not sure.
All kidding aside, there […]