Cheesemaking Giveaway

About six weeks ago, I was reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, when I became obsessed with the idea of making my own cheese. "It'll be awesome!" I decided. And so, I set about to order the supplies for cheese: rennet, citric acid, and most egregiously, cheesecloth. (The rennet and citric acid are at least food. The cheesecloth, not so much.)

But even the cheesecloth would have been fine, had I actually, you know, used it. Except I didn't. The box has literally been sitting unopened for over a month. I am so not going to make my own cheese.

But maybe you are? If you want to try your hand at making mozarella, please leave a comment. I will select one person to receive my cheesemaking supplies. Included are the rennet, citric acid, and the butter muslin, so all you'll need is your own thermometer and a pot. And some milk. Read here to find out how to make the mozarella.

ETA: You have until Wednesday, July 2nd at 8:00 am to enter.

Consuming Under The Greenfluence

Yesterday, there was a bit of a conflagration over at No Impact Man. Colin had a post up about how we "APLS" now have a new name. Yes, yes, we needed another one, and apparently the new name is "Greenfluencers." Doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, does it?

Weird name non-withstanding, this "Greenfluencer" thing seemed pretty cool. According to a Porter Novelli report, Greenfluencers are pretty important people. In fact, the report states that more and more, average consumers are turning to Greenfluencers to find out what and what not to buy:

Consumers can rely on Greenfluencers to sniff things out in a way that they may not trust brands and organizations to do- not just the issues but also the issues behind the issues; not just what corporations are saying, but also what they're not saying.

Sounds pretty good to me. But there's more:

They are active, not passive. They join, rally, lobby, write letters and generally believe strongly that collective and personal actions can impact global warming.

They stand out not just for their interest in the environment but also for their overall up-and-at-'em attitude to life... In short, what they lack in numbers they more than make up for in energy and presence.

Well that definitely sounds neat! And consistent with my idea of "APLS" or "Greenfluencers." The report thus concludes that corporations should pay attention to Greenfluencers and do their best to woo said demographic.

Great! Sign me up! I will gladly tell corporations how best to woo me. So I'm all set to leave a nice comment telling Colin how much I like this post, and how great this seems. And ... then I see the comments.

Turns out, I was in the minority in thinking this whole "Greenfluencer" thang was cool. And a lot of the commenters, far from thinking being a Greenfluencer was neat, found the whole thing very, very objectionable. Comment after comment talked about how "real" environmentalists don't consume, and how this was all very bad greenwashing.

Really?

Let me tell you something. Unless you are hiding your money underneath your bed, you too are probably a participant in a consumeristic society. The bank you use is likely a multinational bank traded on the stock exchange. The money you deposit in the bank is used by the bank to make a loan to someone else. And if you have a 401(k), or stocks or mutual funds, well, those are all corporations. To suggest that "real" environmentalists aren't consumers is patently absurd. Very few people have the wherewithal or the inclination to completely disengage from the system. Thus, in my view, it's imperative to find ways to achieve a sustainable life within the system. And that means engaging corporations instead of ignoring them and hoping they go away.

I also take umbrage with the idea that environmentalism is some sort of exclusive club and anyone who is not hard-core need not apply. Take my friend Honda. She's not as eco-insane as I am, but she recycles and buys recycled products. She brings her own bag to the grocery store, she tries not to turn on her a/c in the car, and she limits her a/c use in the house. Is she a non-consumer? No. Does she try to buy less while buying more consciously? Yes. Is she an environmentalist? I would say so. Is she the kind of person we eco-types need in our camp? Definitely, yes! Honda is exactly the type of person we want to attract. And while she's smart, and caring, and can definitely be "greenfluenced," she is going to want to buy things here and there. But she would also be willing to pay more for things produced in a more sustainable fashion. And in my mind, that's where Greenfluencers come in.

Now being a Greenfluencer doesn't mean that you have to lie down and let corporations walk all over you. It doesn't mean succumbing to greenwashing. Rather, being a Greenfluencer means positively engaging with companies rather than avoiding them. Take for example, The Take Back The Filter project I mentioned yesterday. I'll let you in on a little secret. Beth drinks her water straight from the tap. For that matter, so do I. Neither of us, personally, feels the need for a Brita filter. So why didn't Beth start an "avoid Brita and just drink tap water" campaign? Why ask Brita to recycle filter cartridges?

Well, it's because Beth recognizes that a lot of people do want filtered water. She's realistic. And so, instead of trying to boycott Brita, she's trying to engage Brita. In essence, Beth is using her "greenfluence" to make Brita a more sustainable company for us all. Would it be easier for Beth to just say, "Don't consume. Avoid Brita." Sure. But would she reach fewer people with that message? I think so.

Ultimately, I'm a non-consumer because I believe that this is the right thing for me, right now. And I write about my positive experiences with non-consumerism in the hopes that other people will be inspired by my actions. I love it when someone tells me, "I almost bought this thing, but then I thought, Arduous wouldn't buy it, so I didn't." I think that's great! I like to think I'm helping provide a road-map to an alternative life-style that people can choose to follow to whatever degree they desire. Part of my job as a Greenfluencer is to act as a role-model for a life based more on consuming experiences, and less on buying stuff.

But ultimately, these are my choices, and this is what is right for me, and I don't pretend to know what is best for other people. We all have to make our own decisions, and we all have to follow our own path. And even those of us who consider ourselves environmentalists may approach things in different ways. Some may focus on growing their own food, but will happily shop at H&M. Others will give up air travel, but will continue to drive a less efficient car. And really, that's okay. Because as a wise Thistle once said, "it’s better to be hypocritical than apathetic when it comes to the environment."

So that's why I'm happy to be a Greenfluencer. Even if I think the name is kinda dumb. Ah, well. At least it's better than YAWNs.

People Promoting

There's a movement afoot! It's clearer and clearer. Every day it seems like people are organizing at the grass roots level. Check it:

The Magnificent Burbsarino (that's her magician name) is hosting a Yahoo! Group designed to help people take baby steps towards the One Tonne Lifestyle. If you are interested in "doing more," but are unsure where to start, The Burb (that's her wrestling name) can help you out.

Meanwhile, plastic diva Beth Terry is continuing her quest to get Brita to recycle their filters. Did you know that Brita makes the most popular pour through filter cartridge in North America? Did you know that in Europe, Brita has created a recycling program for filter cartridges, but that here, Clorox (which owns Brita in North America) refuses to do the same? Did you know that I once performed in a short sketch wherein Big Brother used Brita filters to spy on people? Okay, the last one wasn't strictly relevant, but the point is, you should check out the Take Back The Filter website. And if you're an American or Canadian, I strongly urge you to sign the petition and ask Brita to recycle their filter cartridges.

In other news, a group of bloggers recently started an environmental book blog, an offshoot of Green Bean's Be a Bookworm Challenge. There you'll find tons of resources for environmental reading as well as links to various book reviews. I can't wait to see what all they may do with the site!

Not enough homework for you all? You want more! More! Check out No Impact Man's post from last Friday, and then go call your Congressperson asking him or her to halt the construction of new "dirty" coal plants. It will be more scary than you thought, and then afterwards you'll wonder if you could have been any more incoherent. But you will have done it! And that's the most important thing, really.

And while you're at it, why not drop your Congressperson an email as well asking him or her to uphold the ban on offshore drilling. Visit the Crunchinator's website for details and a sample email.

And after all that, take a few seconds to ogle the awesome retro furniture at this store. Beautiful furniture at Ikea prices! Did I mention that given that the furniture is retro and used, this store is also a non-consumerist's dream come true?

And after THAT, hell I don't know. Take a break. You've earned it. Read a trashy magazine. Have a drink. Go watch Wimbledon. (Second round and it's already gotten exciting! Anyone else watch that awesome match between Ivanovic and Dechy?) Or else, I hear that "soccer shit" is still going on....

So do your homework and check out these great sites, and then sit back, relax, and enjoy the rest of your day.

Flotsam and Jetsam

I ended up NOT sending the scrub with my letter to The Body Shop. I really, really wanted to, but I decided that I might get a more positive reception if I didn't. Besides the person who opens the package is not the one who made the decision to carry the scrub, and I would imagine it would be disconcerting to open the mail and have a half used scrub in there. But here is the letter I sent both to Customer Care and the president of The Body Shop America:

June 23, 2008

Attention Customer Care:

I am a longtime customer who recently purchased a facial scrub from The Body Shop- the Vitamin C face polish. My decision to buy a product from The Body Shop stemmed mainly from my apparently mistaken belief that The Body Shop was an environmentally sensitive company.

I’ve been buying Body Shop products for about 10 years now, and I have watched the slow erosion of the ecologically-minded company I once loved. But when I found out that the face polish contains polyethylene or microplastic that is killing sea life, I was horrified.

Plastic doesn’t biodegrade. So when that face polish goes down the drain, those teeny bits of plastic eventually land up in the oceans fully intact. Once in the ocean, the plastic can be accidentally swallowed by a whole host of marine animals. Please note, that our sewage systems do NOT treat water to remove microplastic, so the plastic does not get removed during treatment. For further reading, see this article at Slate: http://www.slate.com/id/2193693/.

I know that The Body Shop holds “protecting the planet” as one of its values. So I was deeply disappointed to see that The Body Shop is actively destroying sea life with this project. I urge you to pull this product and any other products that contain polyethylene. Scrubs can be made in ecologically sensitive ways. For example, St. Ives Apricot Scrub or Burt’s Bees Deep Pore Scrub use natural
ingredients that do not harm marine life.

I hope that I can remain a Body Shop customer. I have been using your Vitamin E moisturizer for years now, and it would be a shame if I had to discontinue using your products. But I simply cannot continue to patronize The Body Shop if you continue to carry products containing polyethylene.

Thanks for your time

Let's see if I hear anything back. In other news, A Crunchy Tribute is almost coming to an end. We've reached almost $2,000 in donations. If you have been meaning to donate, but haven't gotten around to it, do it soon! I'm going to donate again, so Crunch, there will be another Lunapads kit coming your way.

Happy Wednesday!

Confidential to Equa Yona, do you still want that book? I emailed you, but haven't heard from you. Email me your address! You can reach me at arduousblog (at) gmail (dot) com.

A Need For More Public Parks

On Sunday, Miss V and I decided to go see Kung Fu Panda at the Glendale Americana. For those of you who have never heard of the Americana, it's basically like the Grove or Santana Row. Essentially, it's a European-styled outdoor shopping mall complete with fountains, tacky interesting statues, a playground, and luxury condos above the stores.

On Sunday, the Americana was packed. But what was remarkable was that the stores themselves weren't crowded. Instead, everyone was outside, sitting on the grass, hanging out by the fountain, or watching their kids on the playground. And while there were plenty of people eating on the Cheesecake Factory's outside patio, there was a conspicuous lack of shopping bags.

It seemed like everyone had gone to the mall ... to sit outside on the grass.

I'm not exactly sure why no one was shopping on Sunday. It could be because of the recession, or because the Americana mostly features upscale expensive shops like Barney's and Kate Spade. But I can tell you why people flock to the Americana all the same. It's because there's a paucity of public parks in LA. With a few exceptions, such as Griffith Park or MacArthur Park, there are relatively few neighborhood parks in Los Angeles where you can sprawl on the lawn and read a book or throw a ball around with a friend.

Now I know, I know. Lawns aren't eco-friendly in a drought-prone area like LA. But the truth is, people like grass and trees, and a village green is much more eco-friendly than everyone having their own backyard lawn. And especially in a place like Los Angeles, where it's sunny all the time, people need more spaces where they can enjoy the outdoors.

Unfortunately, land is also expensive, and so instead of getting more parks, we end up with outdoor malls. Contrast this with Prague, where I went two summers ago. Prague is famous for its old buildings of course, but it is also justifiably famous for its parks and gardens. And there are parks EVERYWHERE. And if you turn into a random alleyway, chances are good you will land up in some public garden.

I read once that one of the reasons the Czech are so outdoorsy is because when the Communist Regime controlled the media, people headed outdoors because it was the only place to escape the government.

But even those of us in messy capitalist democracies need to escape outside now and then. We all need time to lean against a tree, or to teach our child how to throw a frisbee. It would be nice if we could have more parks, but until then, people are going to make do. 

And so people will probably continue to visit the Americana and not shop. Because LA didn't REALLY need another mall, but we desperately needed that patch of green.

Hidden Plastic in My Face Wash

All right guys. I admit, when it comes to all those face products, I'm kind of an idiot. For years, I washed my face with Noxema until a friend of mine told me I had to stop because I wasn't twelve. Since then, I switched to Neutrogena Cream Cleanser, and have been using that, and a moisturizer/SPF and that's it. No exfoliant, no toner (I just learnt what toner is, though, so I'm very proud), no foundation. I'm very no muss, no fuss.

Well, the other day, I was at the mall dealing with one of my many iBook issues, when I saw a Body Shop store. Aside from my face moisturizer which I tend to stock up on, I don't really buy much from there. But I seemed to remember the store as being somewhat environmentally responsible. I even remember being able to refill your bottles back in the nineties. (You can't anymore.) And at one point, they had had a cucumber face wash that I had used to wash my face for a couple months. I was in college at the time, so it had been too expensive to use on a daily basis, but I remembered liking it, and hell, I can afford a little more than Noxema now. So I went into the store to see whether they still carried it.

They didn't carry the cucumber face wash anymore, but the saleswoman recommended a Vitamin C face polish scrub thing. Now looking back, I'm not sure why I was so stupid, because I KNOW that you all have written about face wash. And yet, at that moment, everything I had read went flying out of my head. I couldn't remember what was bad and what was okay. I vaguely thought laurel sulfate was perhaps something to avoid, but I couldn't remember why or if I was confusing laurel sulfate with something else. (I wasn't.)

Anyway, the point is, I bought the stupid Vitamin E face polish scrub. "Because," I reasoned, "It's from The Body Shop. It MUST be better than Neutrogena. At least it's in a bottle made from 30% post-consumer plastic."

Reader, shoot me now. Because what I have to tell you is so embarrassing, I'm not sure I can stand to go on. But to keep you from making my mistakes, I'll continue.

So I started to use this damn scrub thing. And ... you guessed it, it irritated the hell out of my skin. "Crap," I thought. "This is NOT going to work." But at this point, I'd already bought the face scrub, and I NEVER just throw stuff away. So I kept using it, and hating it, and wondering if my skin was doomed. Finally, I started using a face wash sample Honda gave me, and my skin started to clear up, but I still felt compelled to use the face scrub a couple times a week since you know ... I didn't want to WASTE it.

And then, my friend DJ sent me an article about face scrub. Now you probably know this because you're not an Eco Dunce. But apparently, these face scrubs contain microplastic or polyethylene, and it's killing the sea life.

As soon as I read the article, I was panic stricken. HOW, HOW, had I not known about this? I mean, this is the kind of thing that should have been new to me 7 months ago! Not NOW. I read Fake Plastic Fish every damn day! How did I miss both this and this article she links to on her HOME PAGE?!

So, I went home, and sure enough, it contains polyethylene. My horrible face scrub that irritated my face is also killing sea life. Wow, isn't that awesome! Let's not discuss the irony that I gave up my beloved Neutrogena for this product because I assumed (stupidly and incorrectly) that it would be more eco-friendly than Neutrogena.

So I threw away the face polish. Then I fished it out of the trash, because I decided instead that I'm going to send it back to The Body Shop with a letter explaining why I'm sending it to them. Let's see how they defend the fracking polyethelene when they claim that one of their five values as a company is to protect the planet.

I'll let you know if I ever get a response (I'm not holding my breath.)

In the mean time, if anyone can recommend a good face wash, I'm in the market for something. Ideally a cream cleanser, but if it's not causing me to break out constantly while killing plankton, it will be a step up from my last face wash.

Easy Green: The Alt-Consumerist Guide To Gift Giving

One of the questions I get asked a lot is, what have I been doing about presents for the past year?

Well, the truth is, that presents are on the list of exempted items. I made an exception for presents because I was trying to make this year as easy on my friends and family as possible. I figured that since they're not non-consumerists it wasn't fair to hold them to my rules.

But, as the year progressed, I started to realize that I was generally able to buy nice gifts for people that weren't durable items. 

Here's the thing about presents. How many of you have a pile of crap that other people gave you that you never ever use? 

Yeah, me too. So instead of giving people stuff they'll never use, why not give them a different kind of gift?

So without further, ado, here's my alt-consumerist gift giving guide:

Gifts for babies (Good for baby showers or early birthdays):

• Okay, let's be honest here. These gifts are not strictly speaking for baby. They're generally for Mommy and Daddy. So one of your options here is to cut to the chase. Instead of buying the parents yet another baby monitor, consider pooling in with some people for a gift certificate for a cleaning service. Other options in this vein could include food, a gift certificate for a massage, etc. Or hey, how about offering your baby sitting services a couple times a month so that Mom and Dad can have a date night without (too much) worry.
  
• If you want to get something for the baby, consider making part of the gift. If you're crafty you could knit a hat or crochet a blanket. If you're like me, and the least crafty person ever, don't despair. For Bean's first birthday, I bought a used copy of my favorite childhood book. Then, I recorded myself reading the book on a CD, and I sent both the CD and book to her. I live too far away to read to Bean in person, but I figured the CD was the next best thing.
  

Gifts for Children:

• Have a hard time keeping up with the many, many birthday parties your child attends? Make life simple on yourself. Go to your local movie theatre, and pick up a bunch of movie gift certificates. Then any time your kid gets invited to a birthday, stick a movie gift certificate in a card, and you're done. After all, what kid doesn't like going to the movies?
• Other good options include gift certificates to mini golf, bowling, ice skating, Chuck E Cheese, etc.
• For a child you're close to, like a niece, nephew or cousin, or your own progeny, consider buying them a token gift (like a used book) and then taking them out as their main gift. The child would much rather have quality one on one time with Aunt Sue than another toy. You can do anything you think you'd both enjoy whether that be a picnic at the park, a fancy tea at a hotel, a trip to the zoo, or a baseball game.

Gifts for Teenagers:

• Teenagers are hard. But gift-giving is not. Hand them cash. Trust me. 
• If you really don't want to give them cash, an iTunes gift card is a pretty safe bet. 

Gifts for Friends:

• Again, friends are pretty easy. I've done all kinds of things here. One of the most fail-safe is to take your friend out to dinner. 
• But there are plenty of options here as well. Pool together with a few friends to buy a spa gift certificate. Or take your friend out to a concert, or to a play. Again, your friend would rather spend time with you, than get more stuff.
• And if your wallet is feeling a little light, a bottle of wine is always classy, and often inexpensive. (Try Trader Joe's or Cost Plus World Market for good, inexpensive wines.)

Gifts for Weddings:

• I actually love buying non-traditional wedding gifts and have pretty much stopped purchasing stuff off of registries. Because frankly, I find cheese graters sort of boring, and doesn't everyone live together before marriage these days? It's not like we're all Victorians living with our parents until we say, "I do." So how did you grate your cheese before marriage? Yeah, I thought so. So instead of buying the bride and groom a cheese grater they already probably own, why not just buy them cheese? Yes, there really are Cheese of the Month Clubs. And they are awesome. Because nothing says, "I love you," like cheese.
• In that vein, what about a Wine of the Month Club? A group of people pooled in to buy a year long membership for Honda and Mr. Honda, and they say it was their favorite wedding present.
• Oh, but there's more! Spice of the Month Club? Tea of the Month Club? Fruit of the Month Club? You name it, it probably exists!
• Okay, I get it. You are tired of the month clubs. Do I have any other options? Why yes I do. What about a CSA share?
• No food? Okay, how about movie passes so that the husband and wife can enjoy Friday date nights? Or a gift certificate for a couples massage? Or a gift certificate for a nice restaurant? Or how about chipping in with a few people and paying for a couple nights in a hotel so that the couple can have a little weekend get-away?
• And if all else fails? You know what married couples like most? Cash!

Gifts for Family:

• What does your mom want most of all? She wants to spend time with you! For Mother's Day, my sister and I flew out to spend the weekend with my mom. Now granted, that's a pretty carbon-heavy present, but on the other hand, we will all three have memories of that weekend for the rest of our lives. 
• Here's a less carbon-intense option: make a nice scrapbook for your mom filled with family pictures.
• This one is for your brother's family next Christmas. Instead of buying five presents, one for your brother, one for his wife, and three for the kids, why not just buy them a present they can all enjoy? A year long membership to the zoo or aquarium? What about a museum subscription? In addition, a lot of theatre companies now offer a subscription specifically for families for the kid-friendly shows. These are usually less expensive than the regular theatre subscriptions, and the plays are aimed at younger audiences.

Gifts for Teachers/Coaches/Etc:

• As a former SAT teacher, I can say hands down, the best gift you can give, is cash. Seriously. Even if you're not giving much, I would rather have $5 than a $5 doodad. 
• If you can't stomach giving $5 and a nice card, what about a $5 iTunes or Starbucks gift card? Even $5 will get you a couple coffees or five songs.
• Still not convinced? Okay, I'll let you buy "stuff." How about a couple nice soaps from the farmers' market? At least those are useful! Or what about a nice beeswax candle?
• There is also food. But I gotta warn you, teachers tend to get food a lot as presents. Honestly, if you feel comfortable with it, a bottle of wine would be better because the wine will keep.

Now listen. I'm not against giving "stuff" here and there. In fact, some of the best gifts I've given have been things. If you find the PERFECT gift for someone, and it happens to be a thing, go for it! But all too often, I think we buy stuff for people, stuff we're not sure they'll ever use. So on those occasions, why not think outside the gift box?