Community Seeds Eco Magazine encourages people to make small changes that they are able to make; changes that would not have been made without a little information and encouragement. We want people to become more socially, environmentally and community conscious. We also want to provide people a way to collaborate with others for a common cause. Being green has a broad range of definitions, as does sustainable living. To Community Seeds, sustainable living not only means taking care to preserve the earth’s resources and care for the environment, but also taking care of ones health, caring for the local community, and caring for communities around the world. Most people agree that we should not use all of our resources faster than they can be replenished. Any small change made will contribute to this lifestyle goal. Community Seeds offers direction and tips on small changes that can be made. After all, small changes can make a world of difference.
Winter 2010 - 2011 Eco-Magazine Thinking Globally, Living Locally C ommunity S eeds FREE www.communityseeds.com Scaling Down on "Stuff" Scaling Down on "Stuff" Keep Fit This Winter Strategies For Staying Active Keep Fit This Winter Strategies For Staying Active Eco Friendly Alternatives Eco Friendly Alternatives Remarkable Reusing Tree Netting Helps Fight Oil Slicks Remarkable Reusing Tree Netting Helps Fight Oil Slicks New Years Resolutions How About A New Tradition? Ice Loss Confirmed Locals Explore Vanishing Glaciers Ice Loss Confirmed Locals Explore Vanishing Glaciers New Years Resolutions How About A New Tradition?
Transcript
Winter 2010 - 2011
Eco-Magazine
Thin
king
Glo
bally
, Li
ving
Loc
ally
Community Seeds
FREE
www.communityseeds.com
Scaling Down on "Stuff"Scaling Down on "Stuff"
Keep Fit This WinterStrategies For Staying ActiveKeep Fit This WinterStrategies For Staying Active
Staff PhotographersTracy Lynn Cahn of Tracy Lynn Photography
DeAnna Holman
Proof EditorCarrollAnn Davis
InternsEddie Sherman
Jamie Danno
On the CoverKaleb Casey, of Chico, gets a Christmas tree in Lassen, CA
Welcome
All articles, photos, advertising, words, design and images are the property of Community Seeds and Community Seeds Publishing as published and may not be reproduced without permission. Community Seeds Publishing reserves the right to edit all content submitted. Although property of Community Seeds, no division of the company may be held liable for its specific content.
Promoting Sustainabilit y
TheCommunity Seeds Foundation
Promoting Sustainabilit ywww.communityseeds.org
CSF is managed, in part, by:
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A Note From the EditorWinter Brings Change
As we publish this issue, we are quickly approaching our three year anniversary. At the risk of sounding cliche’, it is amazing how fast time has flown by and how much we have done in such a short time. We have developed a close relationship with our readers who have emailed us, written articles for us, and have shared their ideas with us about trying to live a more sustainable lifestyle in this 21st century. We also have developed a supportive relationship with the local community. We have had interns from CSU, Chico, and we have had many students and professors write articles for many issues. In spite of our non-aggressive sales approach, we have had some advertising support through word of mouth and our reputation has preceded us. Finally, I am grateful to the magazine staff, who have donated their time and given us overwhelming support. I want to thank each and every reader, writer, advertiser, intern, and staff member for the support and confidence you have given Community Seeds. 2011 will bring great change for Community Seeds Eco Magazine. Many opportunities have presented themselves, which may include bringing on a new publisher who would take the magazine to the next level of professionalism. We will focus more on local communities, but we will continue to reach out to those committed readers from around the globe. Articles will continue to be relevant to all people who wish to make small changes to better their lives, regardless of geographical location. Community Seeds will continue to be a forum in which people can write articles and share ideas on how to live in this modern world and yet make a difference. Community Seeds Eco Magazine is happy to continue to connect to the community, while learning how to be greener, healthier and more socially aware. We look forward to the new year and the positive changes that can make the magazine better! I hope you enjoy the winter issue as much as I have enjoyed putting it together. As I always say, I want to encourage people to share their stories, informational articles, artwork, photos, music, advice and knowledge with Community Seeds Eco Magazine. Please continue to email us with testimonies and suggestions.
Happy holidays and see you in the spring!
DeAnna HolmanEditor-in-Chief
Publisher
From the Editor
Community Seeds . Winter 2010 -20114
Features 8 Ice Loss Confirmed Locals Study Vanishing Glaciers
18 Scaling Down on “Stuff” Eco Friendly Gifting Alternatives
46 Keep Fit This Winter Strategies For Staying Active
34 New Years Resolutions How About a New Tradition?
True Life21 Remarkable Reusing Tree Netting Helps Fight Oils Slicks
24 Green Business Meets the Arts Japanese Artist Shares Hers Gift
Contents
2 Magazine Information
3 Note From the Editor
6 Issue Contributors
28 Crafts
32 Festive Fun Photos
42 Community Photos
50 Calendar Links
56 Advertisers Index
57 Be in the Winter Issue!
Winter 2010-2011
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Features 8 Ice Loss Confirmed Locals Study Vanishing Glaciers
18 Scaling Down on “Stuff” Eco Friendly Gifting Alternatives
46 Keep Fit This Winter Strategies For Staying Active
34 New Years Resolutions How About a New Tradition?
True Life21 Remarkable Reusing Tree Netting Helps Fight Oils Slicks
24 Green Business Meets the Arts Japanese Artist Shares Hers Gift
Easy Being Greener12 Green Alternatives: Wrapping Paper
17 Paper Recycling: Get the Facts
18 Giving Greener: A New Gift Exchange
22 Green Products: Earth Friendly Finds
24 Green Business: Atelier Kanawa
Eco Friendly Crafts29 String Your Paper: Making Paper Beads
30 A Valentine Treat: Chocolate Roses
31 Yogurt Bottle Reuse: Snow People
Family34 Annual Lists: A Family Tradition
36 Your Child’s Science: Project Survival Tips
Making a Difference38 Emily’s Locks: A Child’s Donation
Healthy Living44 Pick-Me-Ups: 5 Energy Tips
46 Staying Active: Ways to Keep Moving This Winter
49 Portion Distortion: Serving Sizes
50 Herb Gardens: Indoors or Out
53 Know Your Herbs: A Handy Herb Guide
Cook’s Corner55 Gluten Free Muffins: Sweet Potato and Chocolate Chip
56 Potato Gratin: Fragrant Fennel
56 Warm Goodness: Red Lentil Soup
34
Departments
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Contributors: Fall 2010DeAnna Holman Editor-in-Chief, Owner, Publisher, Web Designer, Mother of Three & Wife.DeAnna holds a BS Degree in Gerontology from USC, a California Teaching Credential and Science Supplement From CSU, Chico, and an AA Degree in Liberal Studies/Photo Journalism from Grossmont College in San Diego.
Amy Behlke Associate Editor, Writer, Links Coordinator, Mother of Two, and Wife. Amy holds a BA Degree in Liberal Studies from CSU, Chico, a California Teaching Credential From CSU, Chico, works full time teaching 6th grade and writes grants.
Greg Holman Writer, Environmental Advisor, Father of Three, Husband. Greg is a Science Teacher, Writer for EnergySeeds.com, Grant Writer, Workshop Facilitator for the National Energy Education Development Project, who holds a BA and CA Teaching Credential from CSU, Chico.
Deanna Zachrich Mother, Wife, Volunteer, Artist, Gardener, and Writer; Deanna lives in northwest Ohio with her husband and daughter. She is a regular contributor to Community Seeds. She believes green living does not have to be difficult. Deanna shares her ideas on her website at www.TheBigGreenEasy.com.
Tracy Cahn Tracy is a professional photographer who enjoys photographing families, weddings, pets, and events. She has joined the staff of Community Seeds Eco Magazine as a photographer. A Paradise, CA resident, Tracy is a Mom, a Wife and the Owner of Tracy Lynn Photography.
Mary Portis Dr. Portis is a professor and department chairperson in the Health and Community Services Department at California State University, Chico. She has worked with youth of various ages, promoting health and wellness with such projects as the Health Academy, and Read Across America.
Jamie Danno Intern, daughter, sister, aunt, and optimist. Jamie studies Organizational Communication and Recreation Administration at CSU, Chico. She is very active on campus and in her sorority, Alpha Delta Pi. She has a passion for event planning, catering, and maintaining a healthy, eco-friendly lifestyle.
Kayla Cook Kayla is the Media Coordinator/Program Assistant for Network for a Healthy California—Sierra Cascade Region, a freelance writer and a Chico resident. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English and has a certificate in editing and publishing.
Eddie Sherman Veteran of the United States Air Force, and recent graduate of CSU, Chico, with a major in music: Eddie is a bikeaholic with a love for the outdoors and an interest in sustainability. He interns with Community Seeds, applying his skills as a writer, photographer, designer, journalist and editor.
Contributors
Community Seeds . Winter 2010 -20116
Contributors
Kelly Levin Kelly graduated from CSU, Chico, with a degree in Business Administration and a Multiple Subjects Teaching Credential. She is a mother of three adorable boys and teaches kindergarten in Paradise, CA. Kelly loves creating crafty projects with her sons and her students.
Susan Burke March Registered and Licensed Dietitian, Susan Burke March, MS, CDE, is a dynamic speaker, accomplished author, enthusiastic media representative and committed professional counselor, dedicated to helping people learn strategies to improve their health and accomplish their weight goals.
Holly NevarezMother of three, Wife, and Active Community Member. Holly currently works as a Professor at Chico State in the Department of Health and Community Services. She helps run the Harvest Food Drive for the Jesus Center and serves on the Board of Director
CarrollAnn Davis CarrollAnn works with Community Seeds Eco Magazine as a Proof Editor and Writer. She is the Editor’s mom, a math tutor, Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator, Vice President of her local PTA, greeting card designer and maker, mother of six and grandmother of twelve.
Not Pictured:
Contributors: Fall 2010
Kuniko Kanawa Kuniko Kanawa is an eco friendly, professional Tsumami Kanzashi (traditional Japanese hair ornament) artisan and certified Kimono consultant of the All Japan Kimono Consultant Association. Her hair ornaments are displayed at The Japanese American National Museum.
Anne Benoit- Retired after 32 years of teaching at Ridgeview High School in Magalia, California, Anne and her husband established a Christmas tree farm in 1981. Anne stays busy with tree farming and tending the pet donkeys, goats, turkeys, dogs and cats. Anne chairs the northern section of the California Christmas Tree Association, is a Sierra Oro Farm Trails participant, and volunteers for North Valley Animal Disaster Group.Kenny Leichester- Owner of patioshoppers.com, an online shop which has one of the largest selections of outdoor furnishings.
Jessika Whitmire, Mary Yang and HouaKa Lee- Students in the Health and Community Services Department at California State University, Chico.
All contributors are named on their corresponding articles.
Jodi Putnam Jodi Putnam is a senior at California State University, Chico, majoring in Health Education. She is a single mother of a one year old boy named Evan. She lives in Glenn County with her son, dog, cat and three chickens.
If you would like to send an article, please include a short bio, along with your photo (and photos to go with your article). Send articles (doc) and photos (jpg) to [email protected].
For additional guidelines, please go to www.communityseeds.com or send us an email.
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Community Seeds . Winter 2010 -20118
It’s Easy Being Greener
Retreating GlaciersA Fact-Based Visual on Climate Change
By Greg Holman
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It’s Easy Being Greener
In November, my wife and I had the opportunity to see the California State University, Chico, Performance: “Orville Schell & David Breashers, A Multimedia Presentation: Climate Change in the Himalayas.” Although not familiar with Orville, I knew David Breashears as one of the climbers on Everest during the 1996 climbing disaster, in which eight climbers were killed in a blizzard. When the blizzard hit Mount Everest, Breashears and his team were in the middle of filming the first ever IMAX movie to be shot on Everest. Knowing about this historic film and Breashears’ background as a mountaineer and filmmaker was enough to “peak” our interests.
Climate Change has proven to be a debated topic – even within my own family. I am always interested in getting more information to help me formulate an educated opinion.
What struck me first about both presenters is that they are fact-based people, just like me. What they have done is taken several pictures in the Himalayas over the past two years in order to mirror pictures from huge expeditions from up to over 100 years ago. Sure, we can compare satellite pictures in the past few decades, but that will not give up a sense of vertical changes.
Their pictures were amazing. Not only the sheer scale and beauty, but the loss of ice is indisputable. We are talking several hundred vertical feet of ice. Gone.
I strongly encourage everyone reading this to visit the links at the end of this article. Mr. Schell and Mr. Breashears have assembled an incredible team that has created interactive pictures for interested people to compare originals to those taken by their expedition. The question whether there is climate change or not is put to rest with their work.
The interesting thing about the presentation was that they were not pushing any agenda other than education. Yes, something must be
At around 17,000 feet in Tibet, Breashears holds a photo taken by climber, George L. Mallory in 1921, comparing it to the remnant section of the Main Rongbuk Glacier and the north face of Mount Everest in the background.
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It’s Easy Being Greener
done, but the more who know about this, the more likely we are to make the changes we need. Yes, the future looks bleak. We can either give up, or start now. Their philosophy was much like that of this magazine: simple changes can be made, and, compounded by many of us making these changes, huge gains can be made.
You see, the debate about climate change is much like the debate about fossil fuels. Some say that it is too late to make the dramatic reductions in emissions, and others say we have a matter of decades. In my opinion, we actually have a common ground. Most people agree we must make a change. Why not make that change now?
For a look at the evidence, please use the following links:
Project Overview - Visit http://sites.asiasociety.org/riversofice/. I strongly recommend the viewing the following links (to the right on the website): Interactive, The Exhibition, and Videos.
A link to the Chico State event site (Kudos to them for organizing such an International-scale event in our small town!):http://www.csuchico.edu/sustainablefuture/conference/keynotes.shtml
David Breashears Website:http://davidbreashears.com/
The Jannu Glacier, in Nepal, as photographed in 1899 (left), by Italian mountaineer Vittorio Sella and in 2009 (right) by David Breashears. In 110 years, the glacier, located below the 25,295 foot Mount Jannu in the Kangchenjunga region, has virtually disappeared (Sella photo courtesy of Sella Foundation).
The Kyetrak Glacier, located on the northern slope of the 26,906 foot Cho Oyu in Tibet, as photographed in 1921 (top) by Major E.O. Wheeler and in 2009 (bottom) by David Breashears. In the past 90 years, the glacier has retreated and melted so drastically that a lake has formed where once there was ice and snow (Wheeler photo courtesy of Royal Geographical Society).
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It’s Easy Being Greener
A view of some of the remaining ice pinnacles from the Main
Rongbuk Glacier. Notice the man climbing on one of the
pinnacles (upper right). It gives a sense of the scale of the
pinnacles.
David Breashears’ 2007 photograph of the Main Rongbuk Glacier, zoomed in, showing the retreat of the glacier and the remaining pinnacles of ice.
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It’s a boy! Who would have thought that those three words could change my life so much? Not just in caring for, feeding, and cleaning up after him, but in the way I look at the world now. Are those green beans Grandma is feeding him organic? How many chemicals are
there in laundry soap? Is that Tupperware sippy cup BPA free? His father says I am over thinking all this, but I just want him to be happy and healthy. It makes me look at our environment and what his world will be like for him in forty years.
“His”name is Evan, and a couple weeks ago, he turned one. His birthday was a pretty
normal day in his young eyes- other than the fact that he got to eat cake and mommy and daddy didn’t have to argue about whether he could or not. He got a few presents: plastic ones, much to my chagrin, and in the aftermath of the thank yous and wrangling those things out of their totally unnecessary packaging, I noticed the garbage. There was a small mound of used tissue and wrapping paper, a bow here and there. I realized that a few minutes of Evan’s pleasure could equal a lifetime in a landfill. Not to mention all of the natural resources and energy that went into the making of this, now “garbage.” I thought about Christmas coming up and wondered what that joyous event would create in our
Greener Alternatives to Wrapping PaperBy Jodi Putnam
Photo Courtesy of www.squidoo. com
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Grandparents and aunts especially love getting a gift covered in the renderings of 5 year olds.
Old paper shopping bags work well. Some already have holiday decorations on
them. You can also turn them inside out to make a plain “I love the earth” statement. This is another chance for your little artist in the family to have at it. There is nothing like a blank brown canvas for expressions of holiday or birthday cheer.
Fabric is great to use instead of paper. It is durable and very reusable. You can
use old sheets, pillow cases, fabric scraps,
and yard sale finds. If you are extra handy and are good with a needle, you could sew the fabric into gift bags. They have a good chance of being reused by the recipient – or even passed on as a gift to someone else. Not so handy with a needle? Then just use the fabric as traditional wrapping paper and tie with a bow. Also, dig around your house. Have one of those paper gift bags from two
It’s Easy Being Greener
house in the terms of wasted paper.
To find out, I pulled out my trusty lap top, clicked away, and found some
interesting facts. According to The Recyclers Handbook, half of the paper Americans consume is used to wrap and decorate gifts. The Environmental Protection Agency says that from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day, household waste increases by more than 25%. Added food waste, shopping bags, packaging, wrapping paper, bows and ribbons all add up to an additional 1 million tons per week to our landfills. In Chico, the landfill on Neal Road is expanding just to hold all of the garbage that residents create. The garbage pile located there is one of the largest man-made structures in the County. I won’t even start on the Christmas cards Americans use, which alone could fill a football field ten stories high! Upon learning these facts, I instantly vowed that I would not even touch a roll of wrapping paper for my son’s second Christmas. Instead, it will be reusable bags, re-used wrapping paper and less waste for us.
If you are still reading at this point, it may be because you are feeling a bit like me:
worried about all the waste, our landfills, and looking for alternatives to “Green” your Christmas. Well, any occasion that you would give a gift, could be greener. I found some good alternatives.
Sunday comics make a great alternative. They would be good gift wrap for kids
and adults. Do not be surprised if the gift opening is delayed to read the Garfield strip. Comics are cheerful, colorful and can be covered with 100% biodegradable cellophane to make them look a little more finished. Children’s drawings also create a customized look. They are not just for decorating the refrigerator anymore.
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birthdays ago? Re-use it! Re-using an item, like a gift bag, doubles the life of that item. It cuts green house gasses and saves natural resources, like trees.
So what else could be used? Try using bubble wrap. I get tons of it from mail
order purchases and never know how to recycle it. Can you think of a better wrap for a child’s toy than bubble wrap? You can also use old maps, old calendars, aeronautical charts, marine charts or topographical maps. Left over wall paper you have in the garage, or wall paper samples from local stores work great, too. Your local newspaper office may have newsprint roll ends that you can purchase for just a few dollars. Sometimes they will even let you have them for free. They are usually about 36 inches wide and perfect for gift wrap. Small gifts could even be wrapped in scrapbooking paper scraps.
Other ideas include putting all the gifts in a basket or container. Buckets, plant
pots, cooking pots, vases, old food jars, empty coffee cans, decorative cans, and re-usable shopping bags make great gift wrappers. Even empty toilet paper rolls could be used for items like lipstick or earrings. Putting your gift into a different product’s box could create a happy surprise. Winter gifts can be wrapped in scarves, towels or throw blankets.
Toppers and ribbon can be found in nature and can be re-usable, too. You can
use pine tree branches, wool yarn, sprigs of berries, or even wildflowers. Bows can be made from twine, strips of newspaper, old neck-ties, hair clips, picture frames, toys, candy, shoelaces or even mismatched earrings or brooches. Anything that adds movement or sparkle will work.
So, are you ready to try any of these ideas? Have some of your own? Really, the
possibilities are endless and this is a great chance to get creative. Just remember to think “re-usable” or “re-purposeable.” Look around your house (and yard) for inspiration and do not be afraid to use part of the gift itself as wrapping. Using these new ideas may even save you time and money while keeping trash to a minimum.
With my newfound information and creative ideas, I hope to reduce the
garbage in my cans this year. If I train him early, maybe Evan will never miss the traditional holiday wrapping. It is the thought (and gift) that matters anyway right? Maybe someday, when he can talk that is, he will look at me with those big blue eyes and say, “thanks.”
The amount of wood and paper we throw away •each year is enough to heat 50,000,000 homes for 20 years.Each ton (2000 pounds) of recycled paper can save •17 trees, 380 gallons of oil, three cubic yards of landfillspace,4000kilowattsofenergy,and7000gallonsofwater.Thisrepresentsa64%energysavings,a58%watersavings,and60poundslessofair pollution!The 17 trees saved (above) can absorb a total of •250 pounds of carbon dioxide from the air each year. Burning that same ton of paper would create 1500 pounds of carbon dioxide.Toproduceeachweek’sSundaynewspapers,•500,000 trees must be cut down. RecyclingasinglerunoftheSundayNewYork•Times would save 75,000 trees. If all our newspaper was recycled, we could save •about 250,000,000 trees each year. If every American recycled just one-tenth of their •newspapers, we would save about 25,000,000 trees a year. If you had a 15-year-old tree and made it into paper •grocerybags,you’dgetabout700ofthem.Abusysupermarketcouldusealloftheminunderanhour!Thismeansinoneyear,onesupermarketcango through over 6 million paper bags. Imagine how manysupermarketstherearejustintheUnitedStates.The average American uses seven trees a year in •paper, wood, and other products made from trees. This amounts to about 2,000,000,000 trees per year! Approximately 1 billion trees worth of paper are •thrownawayeveryyearintheU.S.Americans use 85,000,000 tons of paper a year; •about 680 pounds per person. The average household throws away 13,000 •separate pieces of paper each year. Most is packagingandjunkmail.
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It’s Easy Being Greener
Gift exchanges are a great way to save money because you are only buying for one person instead of several. I say, let’s take the gift exchange to a greener level! Most of us
understand how a typical gift exchange works: put everyone’s names into a bowl and let everyone pull someone else’s name from the dish. There is usually a specified amount the gift-to-be-purchased should cost to keep all the participants happy. Why don’t you take your gift-giving arrangements to the greenest level by deciding no money should actually be spent this year? Decide to “green-up” your Christmas (or other holidays or birthdays) while saving some green.
There are so many cousins in my family that all our kids have a gift exchange of their own at
Let’s Make the Season of Giving a Little GreenerBy Deanna Zachrich
Christmas. The kids range in ages from three to twelve years old. Instead of having each child purchase a gift for one of their chosen cousins, we decided that swapping toys and other fun items would be more cost-effective and save us all from more “stuff.” You know, all those things that eventually end up where all the other unwanted toys go – no, not the Island of Misfit Toys – the landfill. When children choose to give something to another child that was once special to them, they get the opportunity to experience true giving. We wanted a green gift exchange that could help our kids understand that Christmas is about sharing and giving to others, not accumulating more stuff.
Uncertain whether or not my daughter would be as excited as I was about this earth-friendly gift exchange, I explained to her that she needed to find several items throughout her room to give to
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her little cousin for Christmas. Once she realized she did not need to give up her most prized possessions (she keeps her Legos under lock and key), she quickly found several toys that were in great shape that she no longer found interesting, but that her little cousin would love. She found a few books that she seemed too old for suddenly, a stuffed animal she no longer played with (it did look cute but definitely lonely on her shelf for the past several months), some fairy stickers, a few beaded bracelets she decided were too cutesy for her, and a hot pink purse that she said screamed her little cousin’s name.
We wrapped most of the bracelets inside the purse, leaving one to add to the top of our tower of gifts with ribbon. We decorated and personalized a plain white pillow case with all things girly, including her cousin’s name. We placed the fairy stickers inside the books and then placed those into the pillow case gift bag, along with the stuffed animal and purse. We tied the pillow case with a cute ribbon and added the last bracelet for added charm.
Her little cousin loved seeing her name so brightly displayed on her “gift bag” and her excitement continued as she opened the pillow case to find her new holiday treasures. The hidden stickers inside the books and bracelets in the purse were added surprises.
My daughter had such a fun time putting together her little cousin’s gift and she loved watching her cousin open it all up. She put a lot of thought into the items she chose to give her. I think she really understands now that gifts have nothing to do with how much you spend. She knows the thought and love behind any gift is what really matters.
It’s Easy Being Greener
“She knows the thought and love behind any gift is
what really matters.”
Here are a few suggestions to get your own greener gift exchange
rolling this holiday season:Let the adults “draw” names for all 1. the kids. Pairing up kids with similar ages makes it much easier for this green gift exchange to work. It is simple to have an older child choose items for someone younger, but not as simple the other way around.Keep the receiver in mind. As with 2. any gift, you want to keep the person in mind who will be receiving the present. Encourage your child to really think about what that person would like or want to play with.Wrap it! Kids love opening gifts. 3. Discovering what is inside is a big part of the whole excitement for them. You can keep it green without using traditional wrapping paper. Reusable bags, the comics section of your newspaper, colorful pencil boxes, recycled wrapping paper, lunch boxes, T-shirts, and even personalized pillow cases are great alternatives (See the article on gift wrap alternatives on page 12).
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It’s Easy Being Greener
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Looking for uses of package waste, such as protecting young plants from rabbit or bird damage, would be another re-use of the Christmas tree netting. I feel that keeping packaging out of the landfill and finding other uses for waste should be in our thoughts, before we make our purchases.
Christmas Tree Netting Helps Fight Oil Slick
By Anne Benoit
During the Deep Water Horizons oil spill this summer, fellow Christmas tree farmer, Steve Mannhard of Summerdal, Alabama, used his Christmas tree baling machine and netting to make hay booms to absorb oil. He used the same netting we use here at Mountain View Christmas Tree Farm, in Paradise, CA, to help compress the trees for easier transport and set up. Until Steve got a call from Orange Beach Alabama, off the Gulf of Mexico, we had no idea the netting could also be used to make sausage rolls of shredded hay.
The netting was tied at one end and gradually pulled while the hay was stuffed into the baler. So, instead of Christmas trees, wrapped up for transport home, what emerged were 25 ft. long sausages of hay wrapped in netting. Neatly tied at both ends, the booms were deployed in the water in front of the approaching oil slick. The use of the hay booms proved successful in this application, in sheltering back bays, inlets and marshlands to help protect these very environmentally sensitive areas. Steve commented, “Most of us
living on the Gulf coast have felt so helpless and frustrated that there wasn’t more we could do to either help stop the leak or clean up the mess, so it felt good to help out a little in this unique way.”
We have been searching for netting made of a dissolvable plastic for our tree farm, but so far this item is not produced. Until dissolvable plastic netting is made, we should continue to find ways to reuse the netting. Using the netting in the oil spill application put it to good use, or re-use.
It’s Easy Being Greener
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Earth Friendly
Picture This!These recycled magazine picture frames are made from magazine copies that would otherwise have been discarded. The magazines are rolled by hand, cut and shaped into newsworthy home décor. Available in two sizes to hold a 4x6 photograph or a 3x3 photograph. A fun gift idea for the environmentalist who has everything.Available www.perpetualkid.com and www.calliopeboutique.com$20-$25
Mind Your Own BeeswaxTraditional birthday candles are petroleum-based, heavily-dyed and drip the unknown onto the delicious icing. For your next party, pick up a pack of beeswax birthday candles and enjoy the all-natural ingredients. With these, you will not worry if they melt down to your cake.Available at: www.twotheroot.comand www.Greenfeet.com.$3-$6
Paper Jewelry?Designed by eco friendly, artisan, Kuniko Kanawa, these pieces are made from natural wood materials and Chiyogami papers ( a type of Japanese paper decorated with brightly colored, woodblock-
printed patterns and is often used for origami). Kanawa puts something on the back side so the jewelry is reversible because
“having something special where it is not easily visible” is traditional Japanese fashion style. Unique and stylish- the perfect gift!
Available at www.atelierkanawa.com $13-$30
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It’s Easy Being Greener
That’s How We RolldB Super E-spec is a part of Yokohama’s eco-friendly tire line. This ground breaking tire is the world’s first orange
oil tire, reducing the need for petroleum materials. Yokohama has managed to reduce rolling resistance while maintaining an appropriate amount of road grip. Orange
oil and natural rubber in this provide efficient air retention, decreases road noise and create an eco-friendly product
without compromising performance. Available through various dealers.
Visit http://www.yokohamatire.com/tires/e-spec.aspx for a dealer new you.
$4-$20
Revolutionary MouseThis innovative green product looks good and operates
smoothly. The environmentally friendly optical mouse is hand-carved out of 100% natural bamboo and is
biodegradable . Connects via USB Port and is compatible with Windows 2000/Windows XP/
Windows Vista/Windows 7 and MACUnique, Elegant and Trendy
Available at websites such as digitaletc.com and Amazon.com.
$18-$30
Attention Bicycle Enthusiasts! Tri-Flow, makers of great PTFE based bicycle lubes, degreasers, and cleaners has a new, eco-friendly product! 90% of Tri Flow Soy, made with soy oil and PTFE, will biodegrade in approximately a month’s time. This is one way to keep your green mode of transportation even greener! Available in most bicycle shops, cycling equipment websites and from the Tri-Flow website at website www.triflowlubricants.com. $5.39 - $13.99
Community Seeds . Winter 2010 -201124
FOCUS on Green Business and the Arts
Sharing the Art of Tsumami KanzashiArticle Sent to us by the Atelier Kanawa Studio
Kuniko Kanawa, a Japanese artist, Kimono Consultant and Entrepreneur living in the Los Angeles area, works from her eco friendly studio, Atelier Kanawa, as the only authentic Tsumami Kanzashi artist amongst English speaking communities.
TSUMAMI KANZASHI HISTORY
The history of Kanzashi (ornamental hairpin) goes back as far as the history of Japan, 3000 years ago. The derivation of the term “Kanzashi” is from “Kami-zashi,” meaning “hair stick.” People decorated their hair with flowers when they were inviting Deities. Another theory is that it was derived from the word “Ka-zashi,” meaning “flower stick.” In the prehistorical Jomon era (approx. 1000 B.C. to 300 A.D.), it was believed that a supernatural power inhabited this thin stick. Wearing this stick as a charm against evil spirits became the origin of Kanzashi.
It was during the Edo period (1603-1867) that current styles of Kanzashi had been formed. Among varieties of Kanzashi in
w w w. c o m m u n i t ys e e d s. c o m 25
It’s Easy Being Greener
this period, Edo Tsumami Kanzashi was made mainly for maidens to wear for occasional celebrations of the beauty of the seasons.
Today, Tsumami Kanzashi is worn by Maiko / Hangyoku, young girls under the training to become a Geiko / Geisha. They add to the fun of a banquet by dancing, singing, and playing Shamisen. In their custom, the seasonal Kanzashi is chosen based on the month. For example, they wear plum blossoms in February, cherry blossoms in April, and wisteria or iris in May.
Tsumami Kanzashi is also worn for celebrating new years, coming-of-age ceremonies, weddings, performing classical Japanese dances, and celebrating “Shichi-Go-San,” the celebration for children who are becoming the age of three, five, and seven.
Tsumami (pinching) is the technique to pinch or pick up a two dimensional piece of silk fabric and construct a three dimensional object. Tsumami consists of two types of methods called Maru-Tsumami (round pinching) and Kaku / Ken-Tsumami (sword shaped pinching).These techniques were traditionally utilized by maidservants in the imperial court since the middle of the Edo period. Eventually, the style
spread all over Japan. Tsumami Kanzashi was often depicted in Ukiyoe pictures. Habutae silk, a plain woven silk, has been traditionally used to make Tsumami Kanzashi.
In the Edo era, there were five major styles of Kanzashi: Hana-Kanzashi, Mimikaki-Kanzashi, Matsuba-Kanzashi, Tama-Kanzashi, and Hirauchi-Kanzashi. Hana-Kanzashi was derived from a centuries old “Ka - zashi” flower stick, and was the most gorgeous style. Edo-Tsumami Kanzashi belonged to the Hana-Kanzashi category.
Mimikaki-Kanzashi was named after the ear pick. It was useful to scratch the itchy scalp after styling the hair. Matsuba-Kanzashi was named after the falling pine needle since the leg of
Community Seeds . Winter 2010 -201126
the Kanzashi resembles it. Tama-Kanzashi was basically the Mimikaki-Kanzashi with a ball, with either one or two legs. The Tama (ball) was made of coral, agate, gold, silver, ivory, and glass. Hirauchi-Kanzashi was named after the word “hirauchi” which means “thin and flat” and
Tsumami Kanzashi , Continued
was mainly made of silver. Their frames were shaped round, tortoiseshell, diamond, or flower. Additionally, they formed fretworks or curves of quite thin lines of a family crest or flower crest.
w w w. c o m m u n i t ys e e d s. c o m 27
ABOUT KUNIKO and the ATELIER KANAWA STUDIO
“Atelier Kanawa” means “the studio to produce Japanese harmony and peace.” It is run by Kuniko Kanawa, a professional Tsumami Kanzashi artisan and certified Kimono consultant of the All Japan Kimono Consultant Association.
In 2007, Kuniko became a professional Tsumami Kanzashi artisan through intensive training by one of only five acknowledged Tsumami Kanzashi artisans in Japan; none of whom were accepting new apprentices due to the critical issue over supply and demand. Luckily, Kuniko’s extraordinary passion to preserve this inexpressibly beautiful traditional art led her to be accepted as a private pupil even after her master stopped accepting pupils due to illness. She passionately trained Kuniko by entrusting her to pass this art on to future generations.
In the same year, Kuniko officially became a certified Kimono Consultant of the All Japan Kimono Consultant Association through Sodo Kimono Academy. This certificate is approved by the Ministry Of Education/Science and Economy/Industry. She has taught Kimono classes, dressed her clients, worked for the opera “Madama Butterfly,” and has produced Kimono shows.
Kuniko has been studying to dye Kimono patterns using the Bingata Katazome style. Bingata is the traditional Japanese method of dyeing fabric in Okinawa (southern part of Japan), using a resist paste applied through stencil. The term “Bingata Katazome” is the divided form of a combination of Kata (pattern or stencil), and Zome, from the verb Someru (to dye). Only natural ingredients are used in Bingata Katazome, such as ink, soy juice for diluting ink, brushes, and fabric.
Kuniko is currently working on her Tsumami Kanzashi book, partially as a memorial for her Tsumami Kanzashi master. This book will be very remarkable for introducing primarily “the authentic Tsumami Kanzashi” as well as the modern Kanzashi and its artisan field, focusing on how we should preserve our culture.
Besides working on her book, Kuniko has been producing Chiyo-gami and Origami jewelry, fused glass jewelry, and Japanese embroidery.
EXHIBITION
Kuniko Kanawa’s work can be seen at the Japanese American National Museum. Maiko’s monthly Hana Kanzashi mini exhibit can be seen at the Japanese American National Museum Store through January 2011. The museum is located at 369 East First Street, Los Angeles, California 90012 {Phone: (213) 625-0414 or 1(800) 461-5266}. Admission is free to enter the store. The museum store is closed on Monday and Tuesday, opened Wednesday – Sunday from 11a.m. to 5 p.m and Thursday from 12p.m. to 8 p.m.
Kuniko Kanawa’s jewelry, hairpins and accessories can also be viewed and purchased at her website http://www.atelierkanawa.com and through ETSY at http://www.etsy.com/shop/AtelierKanawa?ref=seller_info .
It’s Easy Being Greener
Community Seeds . Winter 2010 -201128
It’s Easy Being Greener
Crafting is a hobby many people enjoy. One simple way to lead a more environmentally friendly lifestyle is by taking all that creative energy and spending some time on a few great “green” crafts.
Amy Behlke
Reuse and Get CraftyGet creative with recyclable yogurt bottles when you make this easy snowman. It’s a great indoor winter activity for kids!
Fashionable PaperUse scraps of wrapping paper, magazines, catalogs or colored paper scraps and create beautiful beads for necklaces, bracelets or decorating. This easy craft is fun for everyone, and it is a good way to reuse paper!
CraftsGreenWinter
HERSHEY'S | Experience HERSHEY'S KISSES TV Commercials and Spread the Love
Share a Special MessageSend a Customized HERSHEY'S KISSES Message
http://www.hersheys.com/kisses/experience.aspx (2 of 3) [12/7/2010 10:47:49 PM]
You are about to leave for another site that may contain things for adults as well as kids. Do you want to leave or stay?
You are leaving: KISSES!
A Gift From the Heart Make a homemade gift for your loved one this Valentine’s Day that is beautiful and yummy! Use your kisses and make a beautiful, edible bouquet of roses.
By Kelly Levin
By Amy Behlke
By Mary Yang and HouaKa Lee
w w w. c o m m u n i t ys e e d s. c o m 29
Paper Bead Making By Amy Behlke
You’ll Need: Junk mail such as catalogs or • magazines- glossy, colorful pages work best Glue stick • White glue • Toothpick or other small cylinder, • such as an ink pen refill String or wire for creating your • beaded jewelry
Instructions:
Find some colorful, glossy pages in 1. old magazines, catalogs or junk mail. Cut one 4-inch by 1-inch triangle 2. out of the paper for each bead you plan to make. Rectangles will work to create a different shape.Apply glue from the glue stick to the 3. narrow end of the triangle. Use your toothpick or small cylinder 4. to roll the triangle from the wide end up to the glued end. Make sure the narrow end is secured 5. well to the bead so it does not come unraveled and then slide it off of your cylinder. “Seal” your bead using one part 6. white glue to three parts water. Painting this solution over your bead will protect it from the elements and keep it from unraveling. Let the beads dry and then string 7. your beads to create beautiful, one-of-a-kind jewelry or combine the paper beads with other beads for more variety. Make necklaces, eye-glass holders, earrings, bracelets, bookmarks, etc. - The sky is the limit!
It’s Easy Being Greener
Community Seeds . Winter 2010 -201130
By Mary Yang and HouaKa Lee
It is easy to make a bouquet of chocolate roses for those you love on Valentine’s Day!
CraftsGreenChocolate Kiss Roses
Visit bridalbuds.com for a photo tutorial.
Red roses are a traditional Valentine’s Day gift. Here is a craft that allows you to stay with tradition, plus crate a fun activity for everyone, by making Hershey’s Chocolate Kiss Roses.
Materials:Hershey’s KissesBiodegradable Cellophane (any color of your choice)Shish Kabob SticksFloral TapeFake LeavesScotch TapePair of Scissors
Directions:Using your scotch tape, tape two Hershey’s • kisses together, bottom to bottom. Stick the pointed end of your Shish Kabob • stick into the top of one of your Hershey’s kisses. Cut a 4 ½ by 4 ½ inch square out of • cellophane.Place the tip of your Hershey’s Kisses in • the middle of the cellophane. Now, wrap and twist downwards, making sure your cellophane is wrapped tightly. Wrap your floral tape around the bottom of • the Hershey’s kisses, securing the cellophane in place. Add two fake leaves at the bottom of the • Hershey’s kisses and secure them with your floral tape. Continue to wrap the floral tape around the • Shish Kabob stick until you reach half way. Add additional leaves and secure it with the floral tape and continue to wrap the rest of your stick. The first rose is the hardest. Once you go • through the steps, each new rose will be easier to make.Special Tip:
If the Hershey’s kisses are too soft and difficult to work with, trying sticking them in the freezer for a few minutes until they are firm.
Crafts, Continued
w w w. c o m m u n i t ys e e d s. c o m 31
By Mary Yang and HouaKa Lee
Yogurt Bottle Snow PeopleBy Kelly Levin
If you find yourself with a lot of recyclables and you want to find crafty ways to re-use some of them, here is a holiday craft you may find fun.
It uses the little bottles from Danimals yogurt drinks. It is perfect for the winter because it is a snowman project!
Use your Danimals yogurt drink containers to make little snow people. First, take off the label from the bottle. Clean your container and make sure it is dry.
Paint the top of the container with black paint. Cut out circles from black foam, and cut another little circle inside so that it could fit over the top of the container. If you want, you can let your kids do everything else. They can add buttons, sequins, pom-poms, and anything else you have in your stash of craft stuff. Colored Sharpie pens
write nicely on the container, too. The scarf can be made from scraps of foam or little scraps of fabric. Have the kids glue a little black circle on the top of the hat (the top of the container) once they finish everything else. Tacky glue works well -the plastic is a little slick for regular Elmer’s glue. I am sure the kids will think of something else adorable while they make their little snow people!
It’s Easy Being Greener
FunFestive
FunFestive
Community Seeds . Winter 2010 -201134
Family
It seems New Year’s Day is just another holiday to celebrate.
Everyone makes a generalized resolution, knowing that they said the same thing last year. Everyone celebrates the past year and becomes hopeful for the next. Not for my family. New Year’s Day is one of the most celebrated holidays in our house. After the usual festivities of New Year’s Eve, we spend New Year’s Day together discussing our ‘annual lists.’ These lists are a bit more intimate than a typical New Year’s resolution, but less serious than a bucket list. The lists are personal
and each individual creates one. Annual lists include things we want to experience, achieve, and admire in life. They can be short or long term, serious or humorous, personal or general.
To start the day off, we all have a moment to ourselves
to write down our lists for the upcoming year. After everyone has made their list, we sit together over snacks and take out both of our lists-- the list we just created and the list from the year before. One at a time, we summarize the previous year’s list and how
each goal turned out. The whole family discusses things that we have accomplished, are currently working on, and still dream about. Having an open conversation throughout the afternoon allows each person to remember what he or she may have forgotten. It also creates a supportive environment to share goals with one another while creating optimism for future lists and the continuous effort of reaching goals.
Last year, a resolution that I accomplished was handwriting
letters as opposed to simply
A Family Tradition for New Year’s DayThe “Annual Lists” By Jessika Whitmire
w w w. c o m m u n i t ys e e d s. c o m 35
Family
emailing everyone. I felt that writing letters gave a personal touch to my letters; however, I forgot that I achieved this until my family brought up the fact that I had handwritten every letter I had sent to my family members throughout the past year. Without this discussion, I would have never realized I accomplished this goal on my list. An example of a resolution I have not accomplished is throwing a pitch at a major league baseball stadium. I know that this will most likely not happen, but I like dreaming of the thought and my family cheers me on. Knowing I have support behind my dreams makes me feel like I can dream big and do anything.
After everyone has had an opportunity to talk about
their list from the previous year, we move to our current annual lists that we have just created for the upcoming year. Everyone gets time to talk about their new goals, resolutions, and dreams, and the conversation is open for positive feedback. Positive feedback can include saying you like someone’s resolution(s), reinforcement that they can accomplish them, and stating that they are proud of them for what they have done and what they want to do. It is important to insert the rule that there can be no negative words or attitudes expressed toward another’s resolutions. No matter how one may feel about someone’s dream, it is their dream, and every family member must respect it. This rule and the process of speaking in positives helped me as a child to learn to dream big while respecting the big dreams of others.
Participation in each person’s list makes the family become
more of a family unit. The discussion introduces topics that are not normally shared in our busy lives and each member learns surprising things about the others. Most importantly, annual lists provide a unique way to display love, affection, and a sense of pride towards others.
Annual lists could seem overwhelming the first
couple of times, especially if a family has not done this type of communication activity before. For the first year, I would suggest that everyone write down three funny resolutions that they want to accomplish. This helps everyone ease into the new activity and feel more comfortable being honest about his or her goals and ambitions. An example of a goal releasing any awkwardness or embarrassment in the group was done by my mom the first year we started this tradition. One of her resolutions that first year was to learn all of the words to the song, The Gambler. That broke the ice and we all started laughing. Then all of the kids (including myself ) made an attempt to sing the song and fifteen minutes later, we had the song down. Not only did my mom complete one of her goals, we all had a great moment together and it created a fun environment to feel comfortable enough to discuss our annual lists. On a side note, every year since then we all sing that song during one point of the afternoon.
There are different ways to store a pile of lists. When I was
younger I decorated a shoebox
and created an ‘annual box’ in which to store all of our lists. Other families make a capsule kind of box and store it until New Year’s rolls around. Keeping the lists in one place ensures that all the lists are available at the end of the year. In the past couple of years, we have kept the box in the same place so if we have photos or anything related to the lists, we put it in the box so it can be remembered and shared with others on that day. This past summer, I hiked up Multnomah Falls by myself as one of my annual goals. When I got back from the trip I put a picture of me at the falls into the box, and I am looking forward to sharing that picture with my family.
I was eleven years old when my family started the tradition of
our annual lists. I am twenty-six this year and I still look forward every year for our annual list afternoon. Our New Year’s days together as a family have been some of the greatest memories I have from my childhood and I hope to share this tradition with my own family in the future.
Community Seeds . Winter 2010 -201136
do with these chickens? My daughter knows there is a difference in taste and color between fresh eggs and store bought eggs. Based on this knowledge, she came up with the question: “Are there differences between the eggs from different breeds of chickens?” We came up with a list of possible differences between the eggs which included: size, weight, color, and taste. We wanted to compare these factors with the five different varieties of chickens our friend owns.
My daughter turned in the idea to her teacher. The teacher loved the idea, but said we had too many factors. She helped my daughter narrow the topic. The scientific question we were asking was, “Does the weight of an egg depend on the weight of the chicken?” Based on the question my daughter needed to write a scientific hypothesis. My daughter theorized that a heavier chicken would produce a heavier egg.
Our teacher sent home a list of ideas. This was a helpful starting point (see Topic Ideas). We quickly eliminated some topics based on my daughter’s interests. We also added to the teacher’s list by brainstorming for our own ideas. My daughter decided to narrow the list of topics by only considering those that involved animals. Many of my daughter’s ideas were terrific, but much too complicated for our purposes. For example: she wanted to race different breeds of dogs (or cats, rabbits, or hamsters) to see which was the fastest. This would require us to find and test many different breeds of an animal, which seemed like a large obstacle. We had to investigate what we had available to us so we could narrow our topic to a realistic experiment. A friend told us about a child she knew who tried to find out which type of cereals chickens like the best. This really excited my daughter and gave her LOTS of ideas. We have a friend with over a dozen chickens that are a variety of different breeds. What could we
At my child’s school, all fourth graders are required to complete a
science experiment. Our child’s teacher was very supportive and sent home many suggestions and directions; however, this assignment needed to be primarily completed at home. This was my first science experiment since I was a child myself, so the assignment surprised and intimidated me. In the end, not only did we complete the project, but the process was terrific! My daughter learned about our topic, received an A, and the science experiment became a bonding experience for all involved.
Hopefully this article will help you if you are faced with the same dilemma. Even if your child’s school does not have these requirements, performing a science experiment with your child would be a great learning experience for both of you.
Ask a QuestionThe first thing you need is a topic.
Surviving Your Child’s Science Experiment
By Holly C. Nevarez
Surviving Your Child’s Science Experiment
w w w. c o m m u n i t ys e e d s. c o m 37
The ResultsThe teacher holds a science fair in the evening where each child presents his/her project. The presentation consists of a tri-fold display showing the question, hypothesis, steps, results, and conclusion. Students are required to create at least one graph to demonstrate their findings. My daughter chose how to organize her tri-fold and colors for the display. She did all the typing and picked which pictures she wanted to use. I helped her with the logistics, such as font sizes and centering on the page.
It turned out that her hypothesis was false. Larger eggs came from smaller chickens. We went online to find out why this would be true and learned that chickens that are bred for the purpose of producing eggs weigh less because they have less meat. Chickens that are bred for their meat weigh more and produce smaller eggs. Armed with this new knowledge, my daughter presented her science experiment at school and was able to explain why the hypothesis was false. She was very proud of herself and her work, and so were we.
ConclusionI was so nervous about this project, but it turned out really great! Not only did we survive, we thrived! It was fun for our whole family (and our friend with the chickens) to work through all the steps. In the end, we all learned about the chickens and their eggs.
If you are faced with creating a science project, I suggest you take it slowly. Start simple, figure
out what your child likes, and consider what you have
available to you. Have your child break the process
down into simple steps. Hopefully, you will have
as much fun as we did and will learn
something too!
Topic IdeasWhich detergent gets out • stains the best?Which paper towel is strongest • when wet? Does the flavor from one flavor • of gum (or brand) last longer than another?How does food coloring affect • white carnations? Or celery?How long does it take for mold • to grow on bread? Different effects of light, dark, moisture, temperature etc.Effects of friction on speed of • rolling objects – which surface lets a marble roll fastest/farthest?What liquid boils the quickest? • Water? Salt water? Sugar water?What is the best shape of a • paper airplane for distance?
Write Steps to Test the Hypothesis My daughter came up with these steps:
Collect 5 eggs from each type 1. of chickenWeigh each chicken2. Weigh each egg3. Find the average weight of 4. each type of eggCompare chicken weight to 5. egg weight
We called our friend who owns the chickens and asked her to save five eggs from each breed so that we could come and weigh them. Once the eggs were collected, we went to visit and
brought a postal scale with us. My daughter weighed the eggs from each breed and found the average weight of that breed’s eggs. To weigh the chickens, we weighed my daughter and then weighed her as she held each chicken. We subtracted her weight to find the weight of the chicken. She took pictures of each egg and of each breed of chicken. With all of our data and pictures we were ready for step four. My daughter calculated the average weight of each type of egg and colored in a graph to show which egg weighed the most. She made a second graph demonstrating the weights of the chickens
Family
Community Seeds . Winter 2010 -201138
Making a Difference
Emily’s Locks of LoveBy DeAnna Holman
M y daughter, Emily, has always had a big heart. She is kind and empathetic to anyone who is facing, or has faced,
any type of adversity. I have always said that she was born a humanitarian. For someone so young to have such understanding of giving brings tears to my eyes and warms this mother’s heart. I could not be prouder.
One project of giving that Emily has worked on is donating her hair. A few years ago, she had a friend in preschool
that had Alopecia. Alopecia is an auto-immune disorder that causes the hair follicles to shut down. This disease has varying degrees and affects 4.7 million people in the United States alone. Alopecia may not always progress to complete hair loss. Currently, there is no known cause or cure for Alopecia. Knowing this child and having had discussed this disorder, Emily became aware that many kids have hair loss for different reasons. She asked many questions and we discussed cancer and other reasons children may lose hair. We also discussed ways
w w w. c o m m u n i t ys e e d s. c o m 39
Emily’s Locks of Love, Continued
that children with hair loss cope with it and how they may have the option of getting a hairpiece made from hair donated by other children. She became intrigued and immediately said that she wanted to donate her hair.
Emily decided to forgo future haircuts until her hair was long enough to donate. As the year passed, her hair
grew fast. We visited a local beauty salon and were able to get information on required length of donated hair, where we could send the hair, and what agencies accepted hair. She got a slight trim to keep the hair healthy and she continued to let her hair grow into the next year. We researched the non profit programs that accept donated hair and decided on donating to Locks of Love.
Locks of Love is a non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada
under age 21, who suffer from medical hair loss from any diagnosis. Their mission is “return a sense of self confidence and normalcy to children suffering from hair loss by utilizing donated ponytails to provide the highest quality
hair prosthetics to financially disadvantaged children.” The children receive hair prostheses free of charge or on a sliding scale, based on financial need.
Often people would approach my daughter and comment on her long hair. She would thank them and inform them
that she was growing her hair to donate to Locks of Love to help children who have lost their hair. Without knowing it, she would inform people of the option of donating hair and educate some on why it is important. She was also sharing her heart and showing others the true meaning of selflessness and giving.
As her hair reached a length at which she would be able to donate the required amount of hair and still have a nice
haircut, we made an appointment at a local salon. Emily was very excited and we were sure to bring a camera. The hairdresser washed Emily’s hair, combed it out, and put it into a ponytail (washing and drying before the hair appointment is also an option). Her hair was measured and then cut. She was left with the cut ponytail in her hand and a cute haircut. At that
Community Seeds . Winter 2010 -201140
Emily’s Locks of Love, Continued
moment, she seemed so grown up, and once again, this emotional mommy had a tear in her eye.
After leaving the salon with the ponytail of hair (that was to be donated), we printed out a form from LocksofLove.org.
I also printed out a certificate from the website that recognizes those who donate their hair. We requested confirmation via email, but we also had the choice of getting confirmation through the mail. We packaged up the hair and the form and mailed it off to the organization headquarters in Florida. A few weeks later, we received confirmation and a thank you for my daughter’s generosity.
As soon as Emily had received her certificate of hair donation, she turned to me and said, “I am ready to grow my
hair out again for another donation.” Again, I could not be prouder, as a mom, to have such a charitable and kind-hearted child.
Donated hair is evaluated for its usefulness according to the following guidelines:
The donated hair must be at least 10 inches •(preferably 12”) in length It must be bundled in a pony tail or braid •Hair must be free of bleach. Colored hair •and permed is acceptable.
Monetary donations to Locks of Love are tax-deductible. For more information about Locks of Love, please e-mail to: [email protected] or visit the website at: LocksofLove.org.
w w w. c o m m u n i t ys e e d s. c o m 41
Making a Difference
Moving is the best medicine. Keeping active and losing weight are just two of the ways that you can fight osteoarthritis pain. In fact, for every pound you lose, that’s four pounds less pressure on each knee. For information on managing pain, go to fightarthritispain.org.
Faces of the Community
Faces of the Community
Community Seeds . Winter 2010 -201144
Healthy Living
5 Quick and Easy Ways to Increase Your Energy
1. Cut the mochaccino! One cup of the fat-laden caffeinated coffee will weigh you down, not perk you up! Have
a café latte instead with nonfat milk: A much healthier choice!
2. Trade your croissant for a cup of cereal.Sure, a croissant is easy to grab as you commute to work, but a better strategy is to grab your favorite nonfat sugar-free yogurt and stir a half-cup of your favorite cereal
into it. It’s a fraction of the calories and fat and is much more nutritious.
3. Moms: Watch out for the kiddies! Many moms go around after their kids, eating what the kids leave over, not realizing all of the extra calories they are taking in. Serve the kids healthy food and either save the
leftovers or throw them out (composting what you can, of course)!
4. Eat every 2-3 hours. It does not have to be something big or caloric, just something small to keep your
energy levels up. Try keeping small containers of nonfat or low fat yogurt and cottage cheese in your office or home refrigerator for a quick snack. Fruit is a good snack,
as are cut up crunchy veggies. Three cups of air-popped popcorn has only about 50 calories and a sugar free hot chocolate has about the same.
5. Take a walk.Get your engine revved up first thing in the morning. You will feel more energetic for the
rest of the day and you will know that you have accomplished a goal.
By Susan Burke March, MS, RD, LD/N, CDE
w w w. c o m m u n i t ys e e d s. c o m 45
Healthy Living
Fall10-04.indd 36 7/22/2010 10:50:20 AM
Community Seeds . Winter 2010 -201146
Healthy Living
It’s winter, which means shorter days, colder weather and a yearning to curl up on the couch and watch a family favorite. While this might sound nice after a long day of work, getting up and being active can be one of the best things to do for you and your family. Not only does being active keep your body healthy, but it boosts your mood and immune system to help beat the winter blues and avoid a nasty cold.
Keeping active as a family may seem challenging, especially in the winter when kids are more prone to have the desire to play video games and watch TV rather than go outside and play. The reality is that there are plenty of fun things to do as a family, inside and outside, that will help get you the exercise needed for a healthy lifestyle.
Enjoy the snow. Take advantage of the beauty of winter and spend time outdoors. Plan a trip to go skiing or snowboarding at a nearby mountain or take the kids to a snowy hill and go sledding or tubing. If you’re looking for something more low-key, enjoy a snowball fight with the family, build snowmen, or make snow angels. You’ll have no
trouble getting your kids to be active while they’re playing in the snow, plus it’s a great way to make lasting memories during this time of year.
Play games. No matter how old you are, everybody likes to play games, so get the whole family together for game night. Game night can be more than board games. Get up and move with interactive activities, like charades, musical chairs or a scavenger hunt. Try giving games a healthy twist, for example, add interesting questions about fruits or vegetables to trivia games, such as, on average how many seeds are in a strawberry? I bet they’ll never guess the answer is 200. To make trivia active, have players do five jumping jacks or hop on one foot five times before answering. Family competition is always entertaining, so why not use it as a way to keep healthy?
Designate a space for indoor play. Pick a safe, spacious place in the house where the family has enough room to move around. Have toys that encourage active play for kids, such as hula hoops, foam balls, yo-yos or jump ropes. Get creative and alter the typical athletic games. Play a game of
Keep Your Family Active This WinterBy Kayla Cook
w w w. c o m m u n i t ys e e d s. c o m 47
Healthy Living
Nerf basketball, balloon volleyball, carpet bocce or set up empty plastic bottles and have a bowling tournament. Other great indoor play options are creating an obstacle course, having a juggling contest or playing Hide-n-Seek.
Just dance. Turn up the music and dance. Everyone loves moving to their favorite tunes. Not only is it fun, it’s wonderful for your body. Dancing burns calories, gets your heart pumping and tones and conditions your body. It’s also a great stress reliever for adults and a way to build children’s confidence and self-esteem. If your kids feel shy about dancing, start off by turning it into a game and playing freeze dance or doing the Hokey Pokey.
Relax with yoga. Yoga is the perfect indoor winter exercise and you can do it from the comfort of your own home. Although yoga might seem like purely an adult workout, it’s actually great for kids as well. This workout keeps your body healthy from the inside out by burning
calories, improving flexibility, relaxing your mind, increasing concentration and teaching self-awareness. The Network for a Healthy California offers a free booklet with yoga poses, such as the broccoli lunge and the folding quesadilla, that are great for all ages. Go to www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/cpns/Documents/Network-ShapeofYoga.pdf to download.
Doing these activities as a family helps keeps kids excited about being active, even on the coldest of winter days. While the majority of these ideas involve indoor activity, it’s important to remember that the colder weather doesn’t mean you have to stay inside. Rather than concentrating on the bad weather, think about how to dress appropriately so you can go out and enjoy the changing seasons. Pack on the layers and bring out the mittens, hats and scarves. Embrace winter by going on a scenic walk or taking a short bike ride.
In order to keep your fun, active winter days going, set goals and prepare for rainy day
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activities. Kids need 60 minutes of physical activity each day and adults need at least 30 minutes, so make it a priority to keep you and your family active. Include your kids in your own exercise routine. You might be surprised how excited kids get to do the activities you dread. For example, if you’re lifting weights, fill up bottles with water or dried beans, or use cans to make weights that are appropriate for kids.
Just by being a healthy role model for your children, you can set them up for a successfully healthy lifestyle. By making fitness fun, kids won’t even realize the wonderful things they are doing for their bodies. It may be winter, but there is no better time to get your family to take small steps towards increasing their health. Mixing this active lifestyle with a healthy diet will have your family feeling better than ever this season.
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Portion Distortion: What Does ‘Serving Size’ Mean?
By Susan Burke March, MS, RD/LD, CDE
Healthy Living
Comparing food to everyday objects, such as a tennis ball or your hand, is one great way to put serving sizes into memorable terms. For example, a 3-ounce portion of cooked meat is what health experts consider normal, and it is about the size and
thickness of a deck of cards. Here are other approximated visual comparisons.
A serving (cup) of cold cereal Looks like A clenched fist
A serving of hot cereal, oatmeal, or cooked grain (½ cup) Looks like A tennis ball sliced in half
A piece of bread Looks like A computer disc
A serving of fruit (medium-sized piece) Looks like A baseball
A serving of dried fruit, such as raisins or cranberries (¼ cup) Looks like A large egg
3 ounces of meat or poultry Looks like A deck of cards
4 ounces of fish Looks like A checkbook
1 cup of cooked pasta, rice, or mashed potato Looks like A tennis ball
1 ounce of shelled nuts Looks like A small handful that fits into a closed fist
½ cup of ice cream Looks like A tennis ball sliced in half
1.5 ounces of hard cheese (such as Cheddar or Swiss) Looks like 2 playing dice, stacked
1 tablespoon of butter Looks like The tip of your thumb
2 tablespoons of peanut butter Looks like Your thumb-tip plus first joint
½ cup of cooked vegetables Looks like Who cares? Eat all you like!
1 cup of raw vegetables Looks like Same for raw veggies…the more the merrier!
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Indoor/Outdoor Herb Gardens By Kenny Leichester
Although designing an herb garden is fun, it takes some work. Much of the work is not in terms of physical activity, but in terms of the research needed before the actual designing begins. You can search the internet, use various magazines and look at books for design ideas. For successful planning, it is important to make notes as you do your research. Many people keep
a garden notebook that they can refer back to in the future. You can maintain a list of herbs that you are going to buy for your herb garden and categorize them by their intended use. When selecting the herbs, you may want to select a blend of medicinal herbs and ornamental herbs. Medicinal herbs are herbs that have some medicinal value, whereas the ornamental herbs are herbs that simply increase the aesthetic value of the garden. Many herbs are used in cooking or have other household uses.
If you are planning the herb garden in your backyard, you will have to demarcate an area. To do that, you will have to take the correct measurements and make a boundary around the herb garden. The boundary can be made up of the usual fencing material or of hedge plants. These plants can be either herbs or shrubs. Having trees as hedges for an herb garden may not be as aesthetically pleasing; however, you can grow small sized trees as hedges. If you are planning the herb garden inside your home, focus on the potting of the herbs so that cleaning is easy. Growing the herbs in pots has an added advantage: You can
Healthy Living
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rearrange the herbs off and on and thus, you can continuously make different designs or patterns in your garden or home.
If the herbs are grown in the soil, you should create a pavement or path to walk around them so that they will not be physically damaged. Watering the herbs also needs caution. Gushes of water can affect the herbs, so water them gently. You can do that manually or with low flow sprinklers. Usually, when you are watering, you will have to use a watering can that has small jets. In addition to watering, proper pruning will be essential for a successful herb garden.
Make certain that the herbs get appropriate sunlight at all times. With good sunlight, your herb garden will grow properly. One thing to be noted here is that there are some herbs that are categorized as shade loving herbs. You will have to ensure that such herbs do not get direct sunlight. You can use patio umbrellas to give shade to these herbs, if outdoors.
If you feel that the herbs in the herb garden are not getting the proper sunlight, you may want to supplement the sunlight with grow lights. Grow lights can be particularly useful for indoor herb gardens, especially in the winter. Grow lights are special lights and are easily available on the market. If you do not find the lights at a market close to you, try searching for them on the internet. There are several online light shops that specifically deal in such lights. Testing the grow lights is very important. When you get them, check them by using them on the herbs and observe the herbs for few days. If the leaves are drooping, you may not have the proper indoor lighting and you should replace the grow lights immediately.
Although an herb garden needs special care, the work and research you do will be worth the effort. Your work will pay off with tasty herbs that can be used in cooking, functional herbs that can be used medicinally, or ornamental herbs that can add aesthetic value to your home or garden.
Cook’s CornerCook’s CornerDuring the winter, the time spent indoors can be used to organize your kitchen, make meals in advance and try new recipes. For fun, try something you have never tried before or try a recipe gluten free for added health benefits. All of our recipes can be made vegetarian, gluten free or Kosher. Be sure to adjust the ingredients to suit your family’s needs. Associate Editor Amy Behlke and Intern, Jamie Danno have drummed up a couple of winter recipes for you to try. If you have recipes you would like to share, be sure to send them to [email protected].
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Healthy Eating
My boys and I woke up on a cold, wet morning and were dying for some piping hot pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. When I looked in the pantry, I discovered we had no canned pumpkin. I was on a mission to find a recipe for similar muffins using canned sweet potato, of which I had two cans. While on this mission, I decided
to challenge myself even further to see if I could modify the recipe and make it gluten free. The recipe that follows is the result of my efforts. I am curious to see if these are muffins a friend’s daughter would like. She has Celiac Disease and her mom is always searching for yummy gluten free recipes to try. Give them a try and see what you think!
Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Muffins
by Amy Behlke
4 eggs¾ cup of rice milk 2 cups organic cane sugar 1 (16 oz.) can pureed pumpkin or 16 oz. mashed sweet potato (without butter, salt, or milk) 3/4 cups safflower oil 1 ½ cups of sweet potato flour1 ½ cups of sorghum or buckwheat flour1 teaspoon of sea salt2 teaspoons gluten-free baking soda2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 - 11.5 ounce package of milk chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 375 ° F.
Grease muffin pans or use cupcake papers.
In a large bowl beat eggs, sugar, sweet potato (or pumpkin), milk, and oil. In another bowl, whisk together flour, sea salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon until completely mixed. Stir in chocolate chips until incorporated in the dry mixture. Add wet mixture and stir until smooth. Place batter in muffin pans, or fill each liner, ¾ of the way full. Bake for 20 -25 minutes until cooked through.
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Cook’s Corner
2 fennel bulbs 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced 2 Tablespoons good olive oil 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter 2 pounds russet potatoes (4 large potatoes) 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream 2 1/2 cups grated Gruyere cheese (1/2 pound) 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 350º F.
Butter the inside of a 10 x 15 x 2-inch (10-cup) baking dish.
Remove the stalks from the fennel and cut the bulbs in half, lengthwise. Remove the cores and thinly slice the bulbs crosswise, making approximately 4 cups of sliced fennel. Sauté the fennel and onions in the olive oil and butter on medium-low heat for 15 minutes, until tender.
Peel the potatoes, then thinly slice them by hand or with a mandolin. Mix the sliced potatoes in a large bowl with 2 cups of cream, 2 cups of Gruyere cheese, salt, and pepper. Add the sautéed fennel and onion and mix well.
Pour the potatoes into the baking dish. Press down to smooth the potatoes. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of cream and 1/2 cup of Gruyere and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 1 1/2 hours, until the potatoes are very tender and the top is browned and bubbly. Allow to set for 10 minutes and serve.
Potato Fennel GratinSubmitted by Jamie Danno
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Healthy Eating
1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 3 garlic cloves, chopped 2 carrots, chopped (1 cup) 1/2 cup chopped fresh or canned tomato 1 celery rib, chopped 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup dried red lentils 4 cups water 1 1/2 cups gluten free chicken broth 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste
Heat the oil in a 4 to 5 quart, heavy saucepan over moderately high heat until hot, but not smoking. Next, sauté the onion, stirring until golden brown: about 5 minutes. Add garlic, carrots, tomato, celery, cumin and salt. Sauté, stirring for 2 minutes. Add lentils, water, and broth. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender: about 20 minutes. Stir in parsley and lemon juice; then season with salt and pepper.
Red Lentil SoupSubmitted by Jamie Danno
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Ace HardwareApple Blossom BabyArthritis Foundation Buy the Book Used Book StoreThe Chico Connection Coldwell Banker, Rhonda Maehl, RealtorThe Durham Community WebsiteEarthbound Farm OrganicEco in Chico Baby’s BoutiqueGrowing Up Chico Magazine In Motion FitnessMythic NO VOC PaintThe Paradise Connection Community WebSiteTracy Lynn PhotographyWatt Green Construction
Special Thanks To: In Motion Fitness ------------------------------------------------------------ www.InMotionFitness.comColdwell Banker, Rhonda Maehl, Realtor --------------------------- www.HelpMeRhondaM.com
Additional Thanks To: Susan Burke March, MS, RD/LD, CDE ---------------------------------- www.SusanBurkeMarch.comDeanna Zachrich ------------------------------------------------------------ www.TheBigGreenEasy.comThe Health and Community Services Department at California State University, Chico
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Send us an article about being eco-friendly or •community-mindedSend us photos of you and/or your family and •friends in the springSend photos of unique green products •Tell us what you like to do in the spring to be •more sustainableSend us a green craft idea•Write a book review•Send us an article on living a healthier lifestyle •Tell us how your business is being more •sustainableTell us about spring community projects•Purchase advertising•Become a sponsor•
