Blogs

Amy found this quiz interesting and thought we all might too. Enjoy Sierra Club's approach to helping us cook more eco-friendly. If you get 100% of the answers correct, good for you (and consider having us over for dinner)!
http://www.sierraclub.org/howgreen/cuisine

Over the years men have asked us why there isn't a green group for guys already in Austin. My answer is always "You could get one going if that's something you want to be a part of!" I would love to see what kind of group and activities men would create along these lines!

We received an email recently from a male who wrote: "I really like your group. Can y'all recommend anything similar in Austin that men can get involved in?" We are not currently aware of an organized group or network of men who meet around environmental issues and do similar activities. There is, however, a loosely organized, self-identified group called Green-Gos. There is no leader that I know of or any specific way to contact them except through AustinEcoNetwork. What I mean by this is that guys receiving AustinEcoNetwork's email postings about upcoming activities decide what they want to participate in.

First, if you are reading this and you are not already on AustinEcoNetwork's email list, then you really need to know about it. It will keep you informed about upcoming environmentally oriented events in Austin. Brandi Clark maintains that list and posts announcements. It will "plug you in" immediately. To subscribe, go to http://www.austineconetwork.org/

In early 2009 GreenGirls.net will be inviting men to participate in a tree planting activity in Pease Park, which will happen sometime around February. A group called Friends of Pease Park is organizing that event, so we will be helping them out. We recently adopted the street segment adjacent to the park, so the park is becoming a second home for our group. The tree planting event will be a great opportunity for green-minded guys in Austin to come meet some of the GreenGirls who are volunteering for this event. Does this idea interest you? Stay tuned.

The Internet makes it easy for people to find GreenGirls.net and easy for us to grow and communicate to our subscribers. Of course, this kind of work is done on a volunteer basis, but it is very rewarding. If you would like to discuss the idea of starting your own group and web site as well as what it takes to keep the site and your group happening and growing, we would be happy to discuss this with you. Go Green-Gos, make it happen!

Wouldn't it be great if we all grew up in a learning environment where individuality and demonstrated intelligence were completely supported? Unfortunately, many women today were educated in schools where peer pressure and trying to be like everyone else, maybe even downplaying one's intelligence just to be popular, was considered the norm and a measure of one's success. Who knows what the world would look like today if during those early years in school we were all given frequent opportunities to shine, to be unique, to ask many questions, and to pursue curiosities and dreams?

Imagine a world where our leaders make protecting our planet's precious natural resources a top priority. That world appears to be coming, and women will be crucial in bringing it about. Women inherently understand the connection between the health of our children and the health of our planet. All that may be missing is how to raise our awareness of how our daily choices can make all the difference in what we create and what we leave behind.

We are just beginning to reach out to mothers and daughters who would like to get connected, educated, and inspired around this topic, how we can use precious resources more wisely to live lightly on the earth and preserve it for future generations.

I recently learned about Girls School of Austin, a local private school for girls (grades K-8), through a mother of one of the girls attending the school. I told her a little about GreenGirls.net, how our group had adopted a street and was planning a cleanup event. She expressed an interest in involving her 10-year old daughter more in volunteer activities related to the environment. She also suggested that I contact the school to discuss how the girls could be more exposed to green principles, ideas and examples, and how mothers and daughters might be involved in GreenGirls.net events in the future. To learn more about the school, I watched GSA's video download at http://www.thegirlsschool.org/ and was inspired by girls speaking on camera.

Soon thereafter I met with the head master for Girls School of Austin as well as one of the teachers. We talked about what the school was already doing in the way of environmental education and activities. We also talked about possible topics for guest speakers in their classrooms. For example, a worm composting workshop would be ideal for launching a live, hands-on science classroom project. Or a talk that educates and inspires girls to think a little differently about how powerful they can be as consumers, citizens, and leaders in their community. Or maybe an introductory talk about what it means (and how it feels) to be green. Our group can also be helpful by inviting young women and girls to speak to our group, to share their ideas, inspire others and practice their leadership skills. The possibilities are endless.

Over the past several years, our group has been blessed by the expertise and passion of women speaking on various topics related to the environment. We will continue to have guest speakers at many of our breakfast meetings. Whenever possible, let us consider how we can bring mothers and daughters together to learn new things, do fun things, and take action together. We need each other to be successful.

This is an exciting time for the green movement. Let's continue to be creative, share our talents and passions, and inspire each other!

Recently my boyfriend and I had the pleasure of visiting the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado. Although most of the buildings on the property were off limits to public visitors, we were able to do a self-guided tour within the visitor center. Several exhibits provided mini examples of how electricity is created, stored, and delivered, as well as examples of several generations of materials and their efficiency ratings. There were also videos showing product testing of solar panels and wind turbines, where they extensively test designs and materials prior to mass production and market introduction. It was quite impressive just how far we have come in terms of inventions and applications despite the uphill battle the industry and NREL have faced in terms of the lack of meaningful and sustained financial support.

Standing in front of these exhibits, I could not help but feel that a dark cloud is lifting, knowing that our new leaders understand fully the urgency of developing and implementing clean, renewable energy sources. Just think, we will soon no longer be facing roadblocks to accelerated progress toward clean, green energy solutions for the common good. Perhaps it is time that we take a moment to celebrate this pivotal change in course and speed, and then immediately jump in and participate in every way possible toward the creation of a newly transforming, sustainable economy and culture.

For more info about NREL, go to http://www.nrel.gov/

Being a Naturopathic Doctor with focused studies on Environmental Medicine, I am all too aware of the chemical pollutants found everywhere in our ecosystem. At Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, I was bombarded with information on chemicals and their detrimental effects to the health of parents, children, and our communities. Armed with this new information, I began purchasing organic foods and non-toxic cleaning products. Then, like many of you, I was overwhelmed by the number of changes and the task of becoming “green” was daunting.

During my clinical training, I began seeing patients that were very sick. Their illness was not due to a virus or a tumor, they were sick as a result from one single chemical or the combination of multiple less harmful chemicals, which we are all exposed to. My goal is to prevent people from getting to this point through creating awareness of small changes we can all make to sustain healthy communities. We must be aware of each harmful chemical, motivated to change our environment to prevent illness, and be willing to ask tough questions. Questions like:

• Why are our childhood cancer rates increasing, when only 10 – 20% are caused by genetic abnormalities?
• Why are our daughters having their periods at younger and younger ages?
• Why is there such a dramatic increase in Asthma, Allergies, and ADHD?

We can no longer stand back and watch our health as a whole decline. I educate patients on potential risks of chemicals and teach them strategies to limit their exposure, therefore preventing potential illnesses. Prevention is especially important for families with a history of asthma, allergies, and cancer. The best way to have a role in prevention is to start with you and your own home.

Thanks to Christopher Gavigan and the organization Healthy Child, Healthy World; creating healthy homes and communities has gotten easier for all of us. His book, Healthy Child Healthy World; creating a cleaner, greener, safer home provides everything a parent needs to know including:

• a layout on how to make changes
• Reasons why cleaning up our environment has health benefits for the entire family
• Special attention to the harmful chemicals found in our homes used daily.
• Suggestions that minimize and simplify our household products
• Fun recipes and ideas to involve the whole family

Anything going into our bodies should be as clean as possible and this book explains how to obtain clean food, water, and air. The book is an easy read helping parents create a healthy atmosphere for their children. Although it is focused on children, I believe anyone with a desire for health and change could benefit from this book. The content of the book is well researched and scientific-based. Throughout the book there are reputable websites and resources to assist you with your changes. In addition, there are celebrity excerpts showing how making changes can be simple. Overall, I recommend this book and will suggest it to those interested in making healthy changes.

Sincerely,
Dr. Rhonda Steinke, ND
Naturopathic Doctor
www.healthtn.org

For those greengirls who could not make it to the March meeting...Dr. Rhonda Steinke, ND presented a powerpoint on pollutants in our environment and their effects on health. The talk was extremely informative and also alarming in some ways! The unfortunate truth is that these chemicals and hazardous substances are an inseparable part of our daily lives...they are all around us.

Dr. Steinke covered solvents, pharmaceuticals, pesticides and heavy metals and what she called "terrible toxins" in our environment and explained what parts of our bodies they affect and what diseases they can cause. The good news is there is something we can do to help our bodies deal with and expel these toxins. We have the option to purify our water and air, eat more organic foods, buy farm-raised meats, and help our body's natural mechanisms to expel these harmful substances.

Dr. Steinke's presentation is available for download here. More info on natural health is available at Dr. Steinke's web site at http://www.healthtn.org.

*New* info on the South Austin Food Co-op (as of Nov 08). This week we're filing our Bylaws and Certificate of Formation. We're going to be a real, legal entity! Now comes the fun part--finding member-owners.

I recently manned a table at the Intercooperative Council's music fest and the question I most often heard was "Where are you?" Here's the answer--on paper. The location for a food store is a VERY critical decision, and we're not just going to jump in anywhere. We intend to conduct a feasability study, but as the name implies, we definitely intend to be south (of the river at least).

If you want to find out more about us, please visit southaustinfoodcoop.org and sign up to receive our newsletter updates.
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Please email me if anyone is interested in learning more! Thanks

I wanted to share with the group that I recently discovered that the City of Austin accepts cardboard in curbside recycling. They did not accept the pizza box I left in there, but they take cereal boxes, cookie boxes etc. Basically they will take any box that you get from the grocery store which has packaged foods. I collect these in a brown paper bag and leave curb side along w/ the other recycables! Less in the landfill :-) PLease spread the word.

Check out my personal blog to see more of my writings at

http://laurenoakley.blogspot.com/

Hi everyone. My name is Lauren. I am a student journalist and I will be writing for GreenGirls' blog to gain experience and also put my writing toward a great cause. I look forward to meeting everyone and helping to make our world a better place by reaching out through my writing. Enjoy!

The article below will be published in Texas Journalist in April. Future articles will be posted on the Stories page, so please check back. Let me know what you ladies think...
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From fishing in Town Lake to enjoying the smell of lilies at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center … it comes as no surprise that Austin is ranked the 10th greenest city in the nation, according to popularscience.com.

Mayor Will Wynn recently announced the completion of the largest land conservation purchase in Texas history by the City of Austin to protect more than 3,000 acres for public access.

“This land was subject to intense development and, through our efforts, we have created an amazing new opportunity to get people outdoors and active in a beautiful setting,” Wynn said in a press release.

This is not the first time Austin has spent major dollars to protect the local environment. Since 1998, this will be the 17th major conservation purchase by the City of Austin, according to Wynn.

“Austin is a city that makes protecting its natural resources one of its highest priorities,” said Jeff Francell, director of Land and Water Protection for the Texas Nature Conservancy.

Landscapes are vital to the Austin environment, but society sometimes takes that for granted, according to Ecologist Mark Simmons of the LBJ Wildflower Center.

“Austin landscapes serve as an irrigation system for our water,” Simmons said. “As the city grows, we should maintain ecological sustainability rather than trying to come up with ways to improve things.”

Simmons defined ecological sustainability as protecting and enhancing the ability of landscapes to provide services such as climate regulation, clean air and water and an improved quality of life.

As Simmons explained his recent project to restore a prairie by Robert Miller Airport, he emphasized the importance of informing the public about landscapes.

“When I proposed the restoration project, an explanation was needed of what exactly the land does to benefit people,” he said. “I believe that the number one environmental issue is that the public is not well-informed about how they can benefit from landscapes … it needs to be a part of our education.”

Simmons believes that if the public were more informed about the environment, better decisions would be made on a daily basis that would help with environmental issues.

“I feel like I, personally, can’t make a difference when it comes to environmental issues because I feel as if don’t have the resources or access,” said student Agata Matusz. “I can’t afford eco-friendly products and I don’t have time to volunteer.”

Matusz and her 1-year-old Yorkshire terrier, Oscar, go for walks several times a week at a nearby park on Shoal Creek to enjoy the pleasures of being outdoors and the relief of escaping the madness of the city.

“I think it’s important to have parks in Austin because—as a student in college living conditions—I don’t have access to a backyard, so parks are the only place to let my dog roam free,” she said.

Matusz added that she loves being in the sun and in the fresh air because it boosts her energy and helps her unwind from the stress of school.

“Austin is known throughout the nation as a green city because of its environmental activism,” said Alice Nance, Austin Parks and Recreation conservation coordinator.

According to Nance, who specializes in promoting the preservation of community wildlife habitats throughout the Austin area, doing something actively to preserve destroyed land due to
Austin urban sprawl is not only important for the environment, but for citizens as well.

“It’s vital that people connect with nature. It encourages you to exercise and to have a healthy lifestyle at a young age. It’s key to quality of life,” she said.

Transforming the outlooks of those who don’t value the environment is a high priority for Nance. She believes that once the issue starts to affect wallets and quality of life, it will convince the world as a whole to go green.

“I believe that most people feel helpless when it comes to environmental issues. If we can lay out a plan of action so people can see that they are making a difference, it would help a lot,” Nance said.

Joni Gilton, president of the environmental advocacy group GreenGirls, considers Austin a beautiful city and believes it is important to preserve green spaces in the city to give the community an opportunity to enjoy the beauty of nature.

GreenGirls is a non-profit environmental network of women who believe in adjusting lifestyles to live more lightly on the earth, in order to reduce their ecological footprints and help preserve the environment for future generations.

According to Gilton, women are typically inherited with more of a nurturing way of thinking than men and more deeply understand connections with nature. Because women need to feel secure and hopeful about the world we live in, they are typically more involved in environmental advocacy than men.

“Nature is so important for mental, emotional and physical health. It provides an escape for a lot of people to be free from everything,” Gilton said. “It’s a buffer for some peace and quiet in an overpopulated city like Austin.”

We depend on nature for many necessities, and Gilton believes that our parks, preserves and natural habitats provide many of those necessities.

“We are a part of nature just like other critters, with the exception that we possess a higher level of intelligence,” she said. “Why destroy something of which we are a part and on which we depend?”

Gilton explained how landscapes and nature offer a sense of serenity and can possibly lower stress levels to help us withstand the daily impacts of life.

“Beauty is essential to the human soul. In nature, there is a simplicity that helps us reconnect to the peace hidden within all of us,” she said.

Gilton said that Austin is one of the greenest cities in the nation and has remained that way for years thanks to the dedication of communities and city government. Convincing everyone as a whole to join in on the movement is her biggest challenge.

“We are setting examples … not trying to shame people into becoming involved,” Gilton said. “It’s important to not take nature for granted. Once we've lost a green space, we’ll never get it back.”