Tag: water
Green Diva Vegan Recipes – Cashews, Creamy Cheesy Yum
As some of you may know, I’m back to my vegan roots and have been kicking the cheese habit – again (15 days, but who’s counting?). Whether you are a vegan, vegan wannabe, vegetarian or are an omnivore and love delicious food, you might appreciate the power of the mighty cashew and it’s amazing versatility.
Did you know these yummy kidney-shaped nuts are actually the seeds of the cashew apple that grow on the cashew tree? The tree is indigenous to coastal Brazil, but of course made its way to Asia and Africa where they are now also cultivated – thanks to some 16th-century Portuguese explorers. While we don’t eat the cashew apple, it is considered a delicacy in Brazil and in some Caribbean island countries.
Cashews are potent little beasts, sometimes referred to as “nature’s vitamin pill.” They are lower in fat than most nuts, but of the monounsaturated fat, it contains oleic acid, which is the same heart-healthy fat found in olive oil. Cashews are touted to be very heart-healthy, high in antioxidants, good for weight loss, and can help reduce risk of diabetes. Wow. These things are also supposed to help reduce risk of gallstones and according to OrganicCashewNuts.com, the “chemicals in cashew nuts kill gram positive bacteria, a pervasive mouth affliction that causes tooth decay, acne, tuberculosis and leprosy.” Wow x 2! There’s even more information about the health benefits this website about healthy foods.
Now, I’ve been in love with cashews before ever seeing all this interesting information. One reason is that when I was doing a raw food, vegan type thing back in the 80s, I learned how to make cashew yogurt from my friend Steve Meyerowitz (aka Sproutman). I forgot that we used to make nut cheeses too. So, last week I made a fairly decent nut cheese that was close to what we used to make. The thing I remember from back then, was that you could get pretty creative with flavorings.
So, I decided to focus on cashews last week in the Green Divas Test Kitchen.
Cashew Yogurt – Healthy Creamy Vegan Goodness
This stuff is divine. Can be used in place of yogurt, cream or sour cream with great results in many recipes. My daughter eats it plain and LOVES it. There are a variety of recipes, but this is how I was taught by Sproutman, and it worked, so I’ve stuck with it all these years.
Ingredients
1/4 c. organic millet
2 c. filtered water
1 c. raw organic unsalted cashews (pieces are fine)
Soak the millet in the water (preferably in a glass container w/ a loose lid or cloth covering) for about 8 hours (or until kind of foamy at the top) – should be done in the most humid-place possible (if it isn’t a hot humid day out, I put mine near the washer & dryer). This makes rejuvelac, a grain-based healthy liquid loaded with all kinds of beneficial bacteria and enzymes. Rejuvelac can be made from a variety of grains, but I found I liked millet. To test your rejuvelac, according to Anne Wigmores Hippocrates Health Drink recipe, ‘rejuvelac should have a pleasant yeasty smell with a lemon-like flavor’.
Once you’ve achieved rejuvelac, place the cashews in a good blender and fill water to just cover the cashews. blend to a nice smooth, even consistency. Sometimes you have to add either rejuvelac or cashews to get it right. Put early stage cashew yogurt in another glass container with a loose covering – again, humid placement is good. Let stand for at least another 8 hours. It should be a little bubbly when it is done. Put it in the refrigerator – NOTE: I reserve a little for a couple of tablespoons to use as starter for the next batch.
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Green Diva Vegan Recipes – Cashews, Creamy Cheesy Yum
Arsenic in Organic Rice and What You Can Do About It
Rice is a staple grain for many cultures all over the world. For many, organic products are believed safer than traditional items so organic rice products were believed safe and healthy. Recently, however, inorganic arsenic was found in organic brown rice syrup. Environmental Health Perspectives reports ingestion of inorganic arsenic in drinking water causes cancer and the Arsenic Health Effects Research Program at UC Berkeley produced a slew of research pinpointing the adverse effects of ingesting inorganic arsenic. Some potential health effects include, but are not limited to cancer of the skin, bladder, lung, liver, and kidney. Evidence also suggests that arsenic is a cause of chronic respiratory disease and adverse effects on reproductive outcomes and child development have also been reported. So what are consumers to do?
Learn about arsenic contamination in rice and some things you can do to keep your family safe.
Where Does Arsenic Come From?
As reported in Environmental Health Perspectives, arsenic-based pesticides were once used in south central United States cotton farms to control boll weevils. Arsenic-based pesticides are banned but residual arsenic still contaminate the soil. Today, rice paddies replace the cotton but pick up some of that residual arsenic.
[CC Image from Emily Barney via Flickr]
Brown rice syrup is often used in granola bar recipes
Arsenic in Organic Rice Products
Arsenic was reported in the water supply, and more recently, has contaminated organic brown rice syrup, a product often marketed to kids and families as a safe sugar replacement. Rice labeled organic is assumed to stand free of toxins, when that is far from the truth. A Dartmouth study revealed some products containing organic brown rice syrup as the major ingredient contained high levels of the cancer-causing compound, inorganic arsenic. The items tested included organic toddler formulas, cereal bars, and high performance energy products.
{cc photo courtesy of Seven Morris on Flickr}
Rinsing rice of impurities
Reducing Arsenic Exposure
Green Blogger Anna Hackman of Green Talk was outraged by this discovery, and spearheaded a Change.org petition to set arsenic limits for rice. Anna advises families to read ingredients labels looking for brown rice syrup and talk to your child’s pediatrician about their formula needs. It may be possible to change formulas or even make your own. Brown rice syrup is also found in energy bars where 2-3 bars per day can exceed the EPA water standard for arsenic. Hackman goes on to explain that arsenic excretion occurs in 2-3 days so your child may not need testing. If you have a well you should have the water tested for arsenic. You can also wash your rice thoroughly, soaking and rinsing it until the water runs clear. Cycle through grains instead of using only rice as a staple. Couscous, quinoa and millet are good substitutes to use as a breakaway from rice.
{cc photo courtesy of moirabot via Flickr}
Is rice a regular staple of your diet? How do you feel about the information in these studies?
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Arsenic in Organic Rice and What You Can Do About It
A water flosser your teeth and Mother Earth will love
We recently covered water flossers and soon after thought the topic warranted further investigation about their energy efficiency. Inevitably they all use minimal amounts of electricity but one that stood out among the rest. The Profloss Water Flosser fell in a league of its own and lead the way as a true eco-winner.
Here are a few ways the electricity-free Profloss Water Flosser is greening oral health.
The Profloss water flosser connects easily.
Energy Efficient Water Flosser
Without electricity or batteries, Profloss Water Flosser operates through the power of water. With no reservoir, water comes directly from the faucet allowing a more hygienic solution with comparable water use of traditional water flossers.
Compact Design Saves Counter Space
One method eco-minded individuals green their home is by removing clutter. Many families are also moving to smaller homes with less storage space. As a handheld unit, the ProFloss Water Flosser does not take up valuable counter space and comes with a compact travel case making storage easy. It quickly attaches and detaches from the faucet storing away when not in use. Some may prefer its lack of a reservoir offering a more hygienic solution for the bathroom since the toilet lid doesn’t always get closed and germs can spread up to six feet from the toilet. That reservoir might make the perfect landing pad for bacteria.
This Water Flosser is Kid-Friendly
Green Living Ideas discussed children’s dental health regarding fluoride and its potential health concerns. If you have reduced your child’s exposure to fluoride than water flossing is another method for lowering their risk of dental caries. It’s small size makes it a good choice for children’s smaller hands as well adding some fun to oral care. It is virtually noise-free making it acceptable for little ones who are fearful of loud, strange noises. Some water flossers are even uncomfortably loud for adults. Since water flossers are a great tool for braces, this water flosser will help wearers clean where traditional floss just can’t reach.
Affordable Tooth Care
Water flossers are more expensive than most oral care tools, it’s true, but they are a valuable tool for dental hygiene. If you’re not yet willing to spend a good deal of money on a traditional water flossing unit than Proloss’s flosser is a good starting point. For under $20 you can cost effectively add water flossing to your daily dental regimen.
Boxed Pro Floss water flosser
Deal for Green Living Ideas Readers
Profloss is offering Green Living Ideas readers a 20% discount on their Profloss Water Flosser purchase. Simply use this code at checkout: GRNLVNG20 This coupon will expire on May 31, 2012. Visit their website for more information about the ProFloss Waterflosser.
Is cost a concern when researching water flossers? What type of brand and model do you own, and are you happy with it?
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A water flosser your teeth and Mother Earth will love
Be an Eco Friendly Appliance User
The appliances that are in our homes – washers, dryers, fridges and stoves – play a major role in our lives. They do a lot for us, from cleaning dishes, clothes, storing food, and more, but what you may not realize is they add to your monthly electric bill and they put increasing power demands on your local power company.
Buying energy efficient appliances and using your existing appliances in a more responsible and eco friendly manner will help you to lower your monthly power bill, take pressure off your local power company and help reduce your impact on our environment. Here are some tips and suggestions about making your appliances as eco-friendly as possible whether that involve buying new appliances or using and maintaining them in an environmentally friendly and responsible way.
Ready to Buy
Buying a big ticket item like a new home appliance is a major commitment. When you’ve decided that it’s time for a new appliance then look for a few things that will make your appliance eco friendly:
Features/Settings: The latest appliances have a lot of extra features, buttons and settings that you may or may not need or want. A few common energy efficient features you will need are: cold water setting on the washer, air drying for the dishwasher, and energy saving for the dishwasher.
Size: The larger the appliance, the more power that will consume when working, so think twice about getting that heavy-duty washer.
Energy Star: This program was designed by the US Department of Energy and the Environment Protection Agency. The label appears on many home appliances that these two agencies have designated as being more energy efficient than their older counterparts. Appliances with the Energy Star label can cost more than 40% higher than regular appliances; however, they will reduce by half your daily energy usage.
Energy Saving Tips
Your current appliances can be transformed into energy efficient machines by looking at how they are used in your household.
Disconnect: Appliances such as the coffee maker, microwave and other devices continue to draw power even when you hit the ‘off’ switch. This is a known energy waster referred to as phantom loads. You are paying to power these devices that are supposedly ‘off.’ Unplug the appliances that are not being used.
Frequency: Start with taking a calendar and for one week write on it what appliances were used. Now, ask yourself a few questions: Could those dishes have been hand washed? Do I really need to do laundry on three different days? Depending on your family/lifestyle it can be possible to cut down on the frequency you use your appliances which will help to power your energy and power consumption. For example, only run the dishwasher, washer/dryer when you have full loads of items that need to clean. Instead of using the stove’s burners for boiling water, dig out the electric kettle or use the microwave (microwave’s use much less power than the stove). Use the microwave to reheat leftovers.
Settings: Most of our appliances have a lot of features that you may or may not need to use. For example, if you pre-rinse your dishes before putting them in the dishwasher then there is no need to use that setting on the dishwasher. Also, select the no-heat drying option as the dishes will dry in the dishwasher like they would air drying on the counter.
Laundry: Laundry is a common chore that is a big user of water and power in our home. To help lower the power bill then here are a few suggestions: Wash clothes in cold water to reduce power consumption. When you wash clothes in hot water about 90% of the power goes to heating the water. Instead of using the dryer to dry clothes, hang them outside and give your clothes that clean fresh smell. If you have more than one load to do each day then do them together to use the heat from the first load to dry the next – thereby reducing the power used to dry the next load.
Care and Follow-Up
Be aware that your appliance use is a big part of being an eco friendly appliance owner. This is important to provide your appliance with a long and happy life.
Appliance Checkup: You take your car into the garage for regular maintenance, so why not give your appliances a proper tune up? Read your appliance’s owner manual, as it will explain regular cleaning you can perform to maintaining your appliance such as, cleaning out the dryer vents, vacuuming the fridge’s coils, using vinegar in the dishwasher, coffee maker as a natural cleaning product.
Repairs: When your car has a bad spark plug you don’t get a new car – you fix the plug. The same principle applies to your appliance. If the dishwasher starts acting up (i.e. not cleaning the dishes) then begin by researching the problem. You will be able to locate information about the issue and discover the steps to help you get your dishwasher or any other appliance back in tip top shape. Repairing your home appliance will keep it around that much longer, and it’s one less item that ends up in the landfill.
Being an eco friendly appliance owner means being aware of the decisions we make and the impact they have in our lives. Making small modifications to our lifestyle will go a long way to helping our precious earth and future generations. Start today to make changes to help build a greener future and a brighter tomorrow.
Jeremy Godfrey works at EasyApplianceParts as a Community Coordinator. He is passionate about the environment, saving money and doing it yourself.
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Keeping Our Water Clean
Water recycles over and over. Whatever we put in water now will return to us again. Our oceans are filling up with plastic trash and industrial runoff, allowing toxic slime molds and algae blooms to thrive, while killing larger life like seals, albatross birds, and dolphins.
Most of our drinking water comes from aquifers below ground, which soak in rainwater from aboveground.
Water picks up everything on its path, including toxins in the air and ground, so remember to be mindful about what you put in our water supply. Do your part to keep our water clean. Try out these tips if you need some ideas:
- Use all-natural, non-toxic homemade cleaners using baking soda, vinegar, lemon, borax, salt, soapnuts, and other natural items. Remember to use all-natural dish soap. When clearing your drain, don’t use chemical products. Instead, pour up to 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain, add 1/2 cup vinegar, and wait 30 minutes to pour 1+ cups hot water down. For super sticky drains, repeat this process a few times.
- Don’t throw pharmaceuticals down the drain.
- Don’t spray chemical pesticides or use chemical fertilizer. Instead, try some of these homemade, all-natural bug sprays to keep your plants insect-free. Buy or create your own compost to use as fertilizer. There are plenty of organic gardening resources online to help you choose the non-chemical path. All chemicals added to garden soil will end up in the water supply, through leaching into groundwater aquifers, and volatizing into the atmosphere.
- Make natural homemade paints, like flour paint.
- Don’t litter. All drains flow to the ocean. Anytime it rains, your litter will eventually be carried to the ocean.
- Walk or bike when possible. Take public transit instead of driving your car. Emissions from your car pollute the environment, which pollutes the water supply. Gasoline production is also highly destructive.
- Use all-natural toothpaste. Avoid toothpaste made with lots of chemicals. Stick to ones that use baking soda, tea tree oil, and other natural products. You can even make your own!
- Use all-natural soaps made from plants, without too much processing.
- Use all-natural laundry detergent, such as soapnuts or Dr. Bronner’s.
- Get involved! Volunteer at your local beach cleanup. Support the Ocean Conservancy or The Ocean Project.
- Learn more about the basics of the Water Cycle here.
- If you’re a business owner, green your business!
[CC Image by Cyron via Flickr]
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Keeping Our Water Clean
Why Should We Care About Water Conservation (Infographic)
Sonya’s informative post on “15 Easy Ways to Conserve Water” last week was a prelude to this Thursday’s World’s Water Day. She gave us a glimpse of some alarming water usage facts but more specifically, according to UNWater.Org,
… with rapid urbanization and incomes increase, diets are shifting. Meat consumption in particular is expected to rise from 37 kg per person per year in 1999/2001 to 52 kg in 2050 (from 27 to 44 kg in developing countries), implying that much of the additional crop production will be used as feed for livestock production. For example, 80 percent of the additional 480 million tons of maize produced annually by 2050 would be for animal feeds, and soybean production would need to increase by a hefty 140 percent, to reach 515 million tons by 2050.
In other words, with 7 billion people on the planet right now and expected increase of 2 billion by the year 2050, not only the demand for food will increase, but water to grow the food will too.
Here is more in depth look at where water is being used and why we should care about conserving water.
Infographic by Seametrics, a manufacturer of water flow meters that measure and conserve water.
Are you making water conscious food choices? Have you changed your food habits, in consideration of water? How?
[CC Image Schanlaub via Flickr]
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Why Should We Care About Water Conservation (Infographic)
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