Smells Like Green Spirit

My grandmother owned a dryer, and the gal was no environmentalist, but as a kid I remember playing catch in her backyard in Georgia under her clotheslines of sheets. I imagine there was just something she loved about the smell of sun dried clothes. I wish I had a big backyard with a clothesline, but as long as I’m crammed in a tiny apartment in Chicago, it’s unfortunately not an option for me.

Here are some ideas that you and I can do to save energy while drying clothes…

• Of course, the first and best way to dry your clothes is to let nature do the work! If you have space, a clothes line is the ideal way to dry your clothes. If you don’t have a backyard, you can purchase drying racks in a variety of different sizes to dry clothes indoors somewhere. I have a clothesline that I can hang across my shower (hooking one end to the showerhead and one end to the shower rod at the other end) made out of a bungee-like cord and clothes pins.

• Only dry full loads so you’ll use your dryer less often…but don’t overfill!

• I always thought my mom was just nagging when she’d go on and on about cleaning out the lint trap in the dryer…but apparently your dryer will suck up around 30% less energy if you keep the lint trap clean.
  • P.S. Fun Lint Fact - Lint is a great fire starter, even better than kindling, so if you have a fire place or are an avid camper, you can recycle the lint by reusing it!

• I didn’t know that those moisture sensors really worked, but apparently they do! Put your dryer on the automatic setting so it stops when the job’s done. Less exposure to unnecessary heat will protect your clothes from damage too. It’s like killing two birds with one dryer sensor.
• Another way to decrease drying times is to separate different materials on the auto-sensor cycle. Heavy towels and blue jeans take longer to dry than lighter materials or smaller items like undies, so separate your stuff!
• You spin me right round baby, right round…put your washing machine spin cycle on high if you can to start dryin’ them clothes before they hit your dryer.
• Who would’a thunk it: Throw an already dry towel in with the load of clothes to absorb some moisture and speed up the drying time of your clothes. You can even leave the towel in the dryer, so it’s there anytime you need it. Unless you wash your clothes at a laundromat like me, in which case, not such a good idea.
• Take a quick look outside at the state of your dryer vent. If the vent doesn’t close properly, then air can leak in from the outdoors and mess with your heating and cooling bills. If the vent is filthy and clogged, it will decrease the efficiency of your dryer, and take longer for things to get dry.
• There is information about do-it-yourself dryer venting on this website: http://www.doityourself.com/scat/clothesdryervent
• If you have enough stuff, running dryer cycles back to back helps your dryer use the residual heat from the previous load.
• Instead of keeping your dryer in a freezing tundra or cold garage, keep it in a heated room if you have a choice about it, so your dryer can work more efficiently.
• Gas dryers use less energy than electric dryers, or so I hear, so keep that in mind when purchasing one.
• Here are websites about products that claim to help with drying costs and energy expenditure, so check them out if you are in the market for such a thing (note: I’ve not tried either of these myself):
  • The dryer box at www.dryerbox.com says it is a system for more efficient dryer venting
  • And Spin-X at www.spin-x.com is a centrifuge drying system that was apparently even featured in Time Magazine as an appliance that will pay for itself in saved money! Check it out.

• Finally, two other ways to save money on dryer costs are to join a nudist colony so you don’t have any clothes to wash, and to not ever wash your clothes at all, which is what I try to do.

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I have never heard more hype for any restaurant in all of my life, and as the first certified organic restaurant in the Midwest, and the fourth one in the entire country, the buzz is well deserved. The mastermind behind the organic pizzaria, located on 2056 W Division Street, is Michael Altenberg, the mind behind Campagnola in Evanston and Bistro Campagne in Lincoln Square (neither of which I’ve been to yet).

I’ve dined at Crust three times, and the waitstaff there is so nice, Altenberg either pays them in Prozac,  or they love their job. As popular as the restaurant is, I’ve never had to wait for a table, though all three times I’ve visited around lunch time. The decor is a little unimpressive, a little bare, a little boring, but it is open and bright, and there is plenty of outdoor seating.

Though I’ve yet to try anything alcoholic there, organic mint juleps, martinis and beers might just tempt me back one of these days.

MENU

Vegetarians can get their fill of greens on several salads including the Sun Salad (rainbow seaweed, carrots, cucumber, miso-plum vinagrette)  and the Sweet Basil Salad (fresh-pulled mozerella, tomato, red onion, basil). The sandwich menu has two vegetarian options: the Grilled Cheese (kalona cooperative cheddar, brioche bread, tomato basil soup) and the Californian (fire-roasted green chiles, muenster, tomato, avocado, artichoke, poilane bread and mayo).

Finally, we come to Crust’s specialty, its wood oven cooked flatbread pizza, the blackened bottoms of which always leave my fingers a little…well…blackened, and more than satisfied. Vegetarian pizzas include the Wild Herb and Cheese, the Shroom (roasted shrooms, goat cheese, tossed baby spinach), the Basilico (melted tomatoes, bechamel, fresh mozerella, and basil), and the El Greco (feta, artichoke, kalamata olive, red onion, roasted tomato).

There are plenty of meat and seafood options for any omnivores including the Brown Derby salad (chicken, bacon, egg, cheddar, avocado, tomato, russian dressing), sandwiches like the Pulled Pork and the Tall Grass Beef, and flatbreads like the Flammkuchen (caramelized onion, bechamel, caraway seed, slab bacon) and the Mexicali Blues (wood-fired shrimp, chihuahua cheese, pico de gallo, cilantro).

This visit, I split a large Caesar salad with my fella, and ordered the Wild Herb and Cheese flatbread. The Caesar salad is amazing.  I could eat the shaved Spanish manchego cheese all day long, and the “poilane crouton” was like the refined, elegant cousin of melba toast.

I’ve had several of the non vegetarian pizzas here in the past — including the Flamkuchen and the Mexicali Blues — and I didn’t love the Wild Herb and Cheese pizza I ordered this time quite as much. It was still very good, and I am eagerly awaiting my next visit, where I’ll try either the El Greco or the Basilico.

For dessert, we split the vegan chocolate cake, which was nice, but probably not as good as it would have been had we ordered it a la mode. Next time!

PROS

C’mon! It’s certified organic!

Nice staff

Locally grown ingredients

Consistently good food

Vegetarian and meat options

Reasonabley priced

CONS

I’m happy to report there are none to speak of

WEBSITE

www.crusteatreal.org

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Although little can feel scarier than a drunk friend shooting off a firework that spins dramatically close to one’s head, what about the more subtle danger of fireworks…the environmental impact?

We can all make an educated guess — they are probably not good for the enviroment. They are smoky! They light up in brilliant colors that suggest they are made from all types of scary, toxic chemicals! They make loud noises that, if you are celebrating the Fourth of July in the ghettoes of west Humboldt Park, Chicago like I was, sound just like the gun shots going off down the street.

Sure, fireworks are probably no good for us, for the little fishies in the sea, or for the birdies and kittens of the world, but just how bad are they? And, since I don’t want to be a big party pooper and yell at my friends to not celebrate the Fourth, what can I do to offset the pollution caused by Fourth of July celebrations?

AIR POLLUTION
Air pollution is the biggest environmental downfall of the Fourth of July. Perhaps you’ve noticed that after a night of setting off fireworks, not only are all the dogs in the neighborhood visibly shaken, but there’s a haze that hangs temporarily in the air.

“The bright colours and effects in fireworks are produced by a cocktail of chemicals. Fireworks emit light, heat and sound energy along with carbon dioxide and other gases and residues. The exact emissions will depend on the firework, but as gunpowder is a main component sulphur compounds are emitted, along with small amounts of particulates, metal oxides and organic compounds (including minute amounts of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, dioxins and furans).” (Taken from Source 2 on list below)

That doesn’t sound very reassuring.

The short term air pollution that results from fireworks can affect anyone with respiratory sensitivity. However, it’s the bonfires that are also burned in the summer months, especially those burning cardboard and wood with paint or chemicals on them that lead to more damage in the air.

After complaints from the neighboring communities of Anaheim, California, Disneyland began to use fireworks that were set off by some sort of an air pressure mechanism. (Source 4) Would it be possible to market fireworks to the public that use air pressure instead of gun powder? I have no idea. But it seems like a good idea!

SOIL AND WATER POLLUTION
Historically, scientists have found that the impact of fireworks in soil and in water is typically negligable. However, the residue of fireworks, if shot over a large body of water is falling right into said body, and the much of the residue that settles from the air is going to be swept into our water systems. AND, many fireworks contain a scary compound known as perchlorate. What the heck is that you ask? Well…

“Fireworks, rocket fuel and most explosives contain a key ingredient called perchlorate. Perchlorate also is found in some kinds of bleach and herbicides. The Environmental Protection Agency lists it as a “contaminant of concern,” because it stays in water for a long time, has been found at high levels in groundwater and has been found to affect thyroid function in fish. That some municipalities have found perchlorate in ground and drinking water throughout the United States has raised questions about fireworks as well as other sources.” (Source 4)

I guess the easy answer would be to purchase fireworks that don’t contain perchlorate, but with many fireworks being manufactured in China where ingredient labels might be nonexistant, and no governmental regulations regarding what goes into fireworks here in the States…what to do?

WHAT WE CAN DO
1. I’ve never actually contacted the government about anything before, except once I called the IRS to see if they’d received my tax return. But doesn’t it seem like it would make sense to push for some type of regulation over the manufacturing, sale, and importation of fireworks that are less harmful than others, as well as the use of air pressure launched fireworks for large public fireworks displays?

Since this blog is about my becoming more green, I’m going to find out how to do something like that, and get back to you, dear reader. If you have any suggestions, please let me know.

2. Since the burning of fossil fuels is some of the worst air polluting that goes on these days, after a few days of shootin off fireworks and burning all types of weird things in a backyard bonfire, it makes sense to, for the next week, not drive a car if you are normally a driver. I don’t have a bike right now, but for the next week, I’m going to walk and take the bus every where to do my part.

3. Donating to or volunteering for a charity that works to offset air and water pollution like…
(Note: I don’t endorse any of these charities, these are just some ideas.)

* GLOBAL GREEN www.globalgreen.org - Created by President Gorbachev, “Global Green USA is a national environmental organization addressing three of the greatest challenges facing humanity:
Stemming global climate change by creating green buildings and cities.
Eliminating weapons of mass destruction that threaten lives and the environment.
Providing clean, safe drinking water for the 2.4 billion people who lack access to clean water.”

*NATIONAL SOCIETY FOR CLEAN AIR AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION - nsca.org.uk
Located in the UK, the NSCA “is the environmental protection charity supported by pollution control professionals. We are working towards better management and reduction of environmental problems through policy development and education.”

*CONSERVATION FUND - www.conservationfund.org
The Conservation Fund “forges partnerships to conserve America’s legacy of land and water resources. Through land acquisition, sustainable programs and leadership training, the Fund and its partners demonstrate balanced conservation solutions that emphasize the integration of economic and environmental goals.”

Source 1: http://www.angelfire.com/co3/NCFS/science/environmentalimpact.html

Source 2: http://www.nsca.org.uk/pages/environment_facts/firework_effects.cfm

Source 3: patent for decreased environ impact http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/5339741.html

Source 4: http://www.sherwoodgazette.com/sustainable/story.php?story_id=118341896338967800

Source 5: perchlorate http://www.sciencedaily.com/upi/index.php?feed=Science&article=UPI-1-20070529-12203800-bc-us-fireworks.xml

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Passing through St. Louis, my friend Jaime led us to an adorable looking diner located in the park of St. Louis called Cherokee Street Antique Row that she’d found online. Antique Row was (surprise, surprise) littered with antique stores, vintage shops, an art gallery that at the time was housing an opening for the School of Visual Arts in NYC’s MFA show, and several restaurants including Shangri-La.

Shangri-La is located at 2201 Cherokee Street, and walking in felt like walking into a B-52’s song, or an instant transport into the 1960’s. Beaded curtains hung from the ceiling along with psychadelic looking decorations, and the chairs were covered with all sorts of vintage looking fabrics: paisleys and other wild prints. Though none of the patterns or decorations matched, per se, everything had a congruent color theme that led to a fun, retro atmosphere that made me want to redecorate my entire apartment.

The waitstaff that day consisted of several young people, maybe college or high school students (Sorry if i guessed wrong! I’m really bad at guessing ages), who all seemed to be taking obvious delight in working at Shangri-La.

The menu begins with an endearing message, a “foodosophy” from the restaurant’s creator…

“What Iʼve tried to create here is a place where I always wanted to go and eat but one that I could never find. I donʼt want it to feel “trendy,” just fun. The food is not New American, Neo-Ethnic, Fusion or anything else. Itʼs simply what I like to fix for myself at home; my version of home-cooked food. I do not think of myself as a chef nor do I want to be considered one—thatʼs too complicated…”

…as well as a list of awards the restaurant has received over the years including “Best Vegetarian Restaurant in St. Louis.”

Menu:
Their menu choices included items such as the Best Veggie Burger In Town, the Decadent Grilled Cheese, salads like the C.A.M.P. Cobb and the Celestial, an African Spinach Stew, burritos, and an all day breakfast menu including Creme Brulee French Toast and the Veggie Quiche of the Day (also apparently named the best in town).

Omnivores might find solace in several pescatarian options including the Salmon burger, the Van Dyke salad which includes a salmon patty, and the breakfast egg dish called Patrice’s Slammin’ Salmon plate.

I ordered the veggie meatloaf. Not always being a fan of meat imitators, I was a little wary, but real meatloaf is one of my favorite foods, so I thought I’d give it a go. Worse scenario, I’d eat dessert afterwards if the meatloaf was gross. However, I was happy with my choice! The veggie loaf came next to a pile of mashed potatoes and green beans. I really liked my choice, and left stuffed, although just to be super picky, the potatoes and loaf could have used a tiny bit more flavoring. I still loved it though, and would definitely order it again.

Jaime ordered the Vegan Pulled Pork Sandwich with the corn on the cobb and oven baked fries sides. I tried this, even though vegan bbq sauce sounded suspicous to a lover of real bbq, I found it to be very good.

All in all, I would go back again in a heartbeat, and the next time I’m in St. Louis, I’m going to do just that.

Pros:
Fun atmosphere
Good music (I think it was all great 60s tunes while we were there)
Sweet, happy waitstaff
Healthy, award winning food
Located in a cool part of town (Just down the street, we hit an art opening, and saw a rockabilly/swing band called Hudson and the Hoo Doo Cats perform in the back of a vintage shop where we also got free beers!)

Cons:
I thought a few things tasted a tiny bit plain, but this is seriously me just finding something to complain about, as everything was very, very good, very good for you, and very filling.

Website:
www.theshangriladiner.com

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I always thought that leaving the lights on, or leaving the fan running during the day only affected the pocketbook by increasing my electricity bill…but according to carbonfootprint.com electricity is one of the largest producers of carbon emissions. Oops!

Many have been the nights where I’ve slept with the light on because I’ve heard a weird noise and been freaked out, or left the tv or radio on to keep the cat company. I didn’t realize that this had an effect on the environment…obviously my use of electricity is an easy thing to change, and a quick way to reduce my carbon footprint!

A chart on carbonfootprint.com lists the largest household electricity users, with hair dryers, tumble clothes dryers, and microwave ovens using some of the greatest amounts of energy. Bummer. I blow dry my hair almost every day, and eat many microwave meals. Much to the chagrin of my loved ones, but to the delight of the enviroment I don’t do laundry often enough.

What can I do to reduce my electricity usage?

1. The simplest thing is to not leave things on when I’m not using them: lights, fans, tvs, radios, etc.

2. Use low-wattage bulbs for my lights.

3. Blow dry my hair less. (Not willing to give this one up completely!) Maybe even wash my hair less, so I don’t need to even dry my hair.

4. Not keep my a/c unit as cold when I do use it.

5. Unplug my cellphone when it’s done charging.

6. Shut my computer down when I’m not using it.

I don’t have room in my small apartment to hang all my clothes out to dry instead of tumble drying them…but maybe I could work on this.

Any other ideas?

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Cafe Lulu is a hip, delighful place to grab some drinks along with some great, filling food, located on 2265 S. Howell Avenue.

photo borrowed from www.onmilwaukee.com

Expanded from its once tiny locale, the main dining room add-on now has a huge, lofty feel, with a small stage in the back for its selections of bands (which mostly seemed to be appearing on Saturday nights), and with walls that were lined with huge, fun Rauchenberg-esque paintings.

Sit at the bar, lit by the stained glass abstract-meets-art-deco style lamps if all you want is something off their extensive drink menu of foreign beers and fancy martinis (I ordered a fresh, crisp Lulu summer style beer), or grab a table to stay for dinner.

My friend and I split two similar vegetarian sandwiches. One was the Florentine Melt, which came covered in fresh mozerella, garlic sauteed spinach, and portabella mushrooms, along side a veritable mountain of an Asian Slaw - made of peanuts, cabbage, Ramen noodles, and sesame oil among other things. The other sandwich we split was the ‘Bella Grill, where the portabella mushrooms were smothered in the guiltily good boursin cheese, roasted red peppers, and fresh spring greens. It was hard to decide which sandwich was better, although I definitely preferred my side of Asian Slaw to my friends house made potato chips.

Other vegetarian friendly options included a Pizza Margherita, a Greek Pizza, the Roasted Vegetable or Calabrese Salad, or the Mideast Falafel Pita among other things.

Omnivores can easily find happiness in a Pizza Arribiata, the Half Pound Heart Attack burger, the East Indian Chicken Pita, or the soup of the day, which happened to then be Clam Chowder.

Our waiter was plenty attentive, but not overwhelming, and even though we visited around 8 o’clock on a Friday night, we were seated right away.

I would highly recommend the funky, adorable Cafe Lulu, and hope to go back soon, if not just for drinks and some more food, than to catch some music there too!

Pros:
Variety of good food
Good, consistent service
Extensive drink menu
Vegetarian and omnivore friendly

Cons:
None to speak of at this time!

Website:
www.lulubayview.com

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I went up to Milwaukee last weekend with some friends to see some bands at the Cactus Club — White Savage, Magas, and The Mistreaters — and on our way back to Chicago the next day, hungover and starving, my friends and I stopped to get some food at Beans and Barley.

The cafe and market is located on 1901 E. North Avenue, and on that Saturday, there appeared to be something like a farmer’s market out front, although since there was an unlistenable, Sheryl Crow jam going on, we didn’t investigate the outdoor activities further.

The cafe side of Beans and Barley was open and very sunny, with the walls covered in pleasant, colorful landscapes and paintings of vegetables. Although there was a fifteen minute wait for a table, it was definitely worth it.

The menu was full of amazing sounding, and amazingly affordable vegetarian options like an artichoke parmesean dip, a vegetable stir fry, a walnut burger made of walnuts and cheese, and a tofu scrambler, just to name a few. Meat lovers of the world need not be afraid though, as there were plenty of other options like the baked turkey sandwich, the cajun chicken sandwich, and the option to add shrimp, salmon or a grilled chicken breast to any salad.

I ordered the tempeh reuben, which was a delectable medley of tempeh strips, swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and thousand island dressing. As a huge fan of corned beef or turkey reubens, I was skeptical that I’d find satisfaction with a vegetarian version of one of my favorite sandwiches, but satisfied I was. The sandwich also came with a tasty side that appeared to be made of lentils, risotto, feta and tomatoes.

Two of my friends ordered the black bean quesodillas, which I must admit I was slightly disappointed by, although the tahini sauce they got for dipping their chips was delicious.

The place was packed, and we’d gotten so much food that we didn’t mind that our waitress forgot to deliver the blueberry smoothie we’d ordered, as the coffee cake served with jelly and butter did magic for our sweet tooths. Sweet tooths? Sweet teeth? Whatever.

All in all, I’d highly recommend Beans and Barley to anyone looking for cheap, delicous, and fresh vegetarian fare!

Pros:
Vegetarian/Vegan/Omnivore friendly
Affordable
Fresh
Good quality food
Nice staff
Has a market and deli under the same roof as the restaurant

Cons:
Got really, really busy on a Saturday afternoon, service declined a little as waitresses got overwhelmed

Website:
http://beansandbarley.com

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