by Tao Oliveto, Carrboro, NC

Nice story, Sami, but you had me worried for a moment when you almost gave in to your craving for a convenient – but unsustainable – meal!

Call it another of my eco-peeves, but I do strongly believe that it IS time for all of us living convenient lives to think in terms of “sacrifice”. And why not? According to Merriam-Webster, sacrifice is simply “the surrender of something for the sake of something else”. And isn’t that EXACTLY what we have to do to bring back a way of living in harmony with the earth and our resources?

We need to surrender our polluting cars for the sake of our air and climate. We need to surrender hot tubs, long showers and/or washing our cars for the sake of a dwindling water supply. We need to surrender a cheap burger for the sake of our small, local farmers who provide us with healthy food in a sustainable way. But don’t all of these things provide a bounty of rewards on the other side – both for the present and future? In actuality, it’s really only extreme convenience that we need to sacrifice and somehow, this kind of convenience always, but always, has a downside.

For many people, there are times when local and/or organic food just isn’t available and some compromise needs to be made. But even then, there are lesser ways of giving in than to jump on the ‘just give me a burger’ wagon. After all, the factory-farms of agriculture are some of the most horrifically NON-sustainable things happening in the U.S. today and one that threatens the health of our bodies as well as the planet. The use and misuse of water, land, hormones, antibiotics and pesticides are huge in this industry, along with the abusive situations for animals. Mad Cow Disease – need I say more?

I’m happy your ‘gotta find dinner’ story had a happy ending, Sami, and it sounds like it brought about a new level of awareness for you. After all, you don’t just “get what you pay for”, but you get what you plan – and sometimes sacrifice – for. Bon Appetit!

by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC

Sometimes I feel so lucky… wait, that’s how I started my last post here. Well, I guess it must be true then. So what’s got me counting my blessing this time? Bratwurst. Let me explain…

Jenni and I had been having one of those busy/crazy weeks, so we figured it’d be nice to grab a bite to eat somewhere. We opted for ACME on Main St in Carrboro, mostly because it was close by. Now, I’d never been to ACME before, so I wasn’t sure where they stood in terms of sustainability issues such as local and organic food. And, I admit, on this particular night, in this particular moment, I didn’t care too much. I just wanted to eat and I didn’t want to cook, so I probably wouldn’t be asking too many questions about where my burger came from. Or so I thought…

As it turned out, I didn’t need to ask. The menu was laden with local and organic delights, including a sampler plate of Heirloom tomatoes and cheese from the farmers’ market, as well as locally-raised meat selections, including an amazing brown turkey fig tart with amaretto mascarpone. I finally decided on the homemade bratwurst from Eco Farm, served with onion relish and fries. In terms of eating, everything was now pretty much spot on – and the hormone/chemical-free bratwurst was delicious. But that’s still not what made me so happy.

As we were finishing up our meal, who should walk in but John and Cindy Soehner of the same Eco Farm from whence my dinner came. Jenni is acquainted with them and it was such a pleasure to say ‘hi’ and to thank them for raising the pig that I had just eaten. Though John and Cindy were there to eat – not talk shop – we did have the opportunity to learn a little about that pig’s life in the woods of North Carolina. To me, this sums up what eating sustainable food is all about. It’s not about personal sacrifice, restriction or regression – it’s about reclaiming a vital part of our culture and humanity and understanding where our food comes from. It’s about knowing, respecting and thanking the people that bring it to our tables. (And it’s about turning our back on lung-destroying popcorn once and for all.) Fortunately, it’s also about eating great bratwurst.

Sometimes I feel so lucky… did I already say that?

by Tao Oliveto, Carrboro, NC

I’ve been vegetarian and/or vegan for most of my life (since age 16). I’ve extensively studied and experienced the ethical, environmental and health issues, problems and benefits involved in meat and dairy consumption. I understand that most of what goes horribly wrong in the beef and dairy industry happens in factory farming. Without going into the details here, I’ll let you connect to the links and just tell you, It’s worse than you think.

Although I’ve experimented with variations of vegetarianism over the years, as a whole, I follow macrobiotic philosophy, based on the consumption of whole grains and plant foods, sea vegetables, smaller amounts of seeds, nuts, fruits, traditional condiments and, in some cases, occasional animal foods. Mostly, it’s a process of eating whole foods mindfully and continually finding balance.

I’ve learned more about local farming since moving to a small town (2 years ago) where local farmers participate in the Farmer’s markets, CSA and provide food for the local co-op. And, after sincere contemplation, I’ve begun to occasionally indulge in locally produced meat and dairy. Intellectually, adding locally-raised eggs, dairy and meat back into my diet works for me – I am still eating food that was organic, free of hormones and antibiotics and comes from animals who were raised humanely. I also enjoy knowing the farmers that provide this for our community and consciously wish to support their efforts and livelihood. However, once the novelty of new foods wore off, I’ve found my desire for animal food falling off again, too.

According to macrobiotic philosophy, we are what we eat – physically, mentally and emotionally. Meat is good for physical strength and for maintaining an aggressive edge over the challenges in life – getting things done. Possibly some lifestyles or work demand this, but too much of it can throw us into a state that becomes too combative or tense. Animal products in general are very acidic and very yang – or contractive. Accordingly and theoretically, it can feed self-centeredness and dull sensitivity, deplete the body of other nutrients and stress the digestive organs. Personally, I found that raw cheese was easier to digest but any other slowed me down. Organic eggs taste delicious, but eating them often makes me edgy. When I’m especially tired from physical work, a little meat perks me up, but otherwise, it doesn’t suit me.

While our food choices should always follow environmental and ethical reasoning, when it comes to individual health and happiness, the important thing is knowing the effects of what you consume and and learning from them. Since I’ve gone back to eating some meat, I’ve noticed an increase in intensity in my life – some of it welcome and some of it not so much. When it comes to animal products – for me, less is more and I’ve learned about myself from my experience.

Macrobiotics means “big life” and requires a study of the self as a whole – life, work, personality and situation and being aware of how to balance all of it to a sustainable place. Living, eating and thinking this way is a big job – but one with more rewards and less limitations than you could possibly imagine – both for yourself and the world.

by Tao Oliveto, Carrboro, NC

If I really wanted to believe it, I swear the animals have been speaking to me, you know, sort of looking out for me. First, at the beginning of the Summer, as the drought set in and I learned of my mom’s illness, I found myself filled with fears about the future. It was during one of my many morning hikes that I saw an owl in the tree above me. I’d noticed it before, but this time, it was sitting in a branch just a few feet above me. I stopped and we looked at each other intently for several seconds. As I walked on, I kept looking back, seeing the head turning slowing and the yellow eyes following me up the hill. When I returned home, this is some of what I read about my owl friend:

Owl represents the illumination that brings wisdom which comes from seeing what others cannot. Use your powers of keen, silent observation to intuit a life situation. The owl can can show you how to speak the whole truth.

A month later, I was pretty stressed about the continued oven-like weather and didn’t know how I could reconcile dying trees and dried up creeks with my water-loving self. On this day in the woods, I found two turtles directly in my path. I went home and opened my animal medicine book to this: Turtle is the oldest symbol for planet earth and the personification of the goddess energy. Be mindful and remember the cycle of give and take – the protection that earth employs through evolution. You can protect yourself from hurt by going inside. The turtle’s two homes, earth and water remind you to place your feet firmly on ground, but also to flow with your situation harmoniously.

A week later, after a particularly rocky couple days, I decided to pull an animal card for guidance and I drew the Grouse in the inverted position. This is what I read: Many Plains Indian tribes dance the Grouse Dance, following a spiral, which is the ancient symbol of birth and rebirth. Learn how to harmonize your life dance with Mother Earth’s cycles. The Sacred Spiral will take you to the Center and is one of the oldest known symbols for personal power, vision and enlightenment.

Last week, I was sitting on the deck answering an email from my neighbor who was asking others to help “host” the abundant butterfly larvae found in her yard. I hadn’t seen many butterflies this Summer with the flowers and plants all dried up, but just then, one landed at my feet. In animal medicine, Butterflies represent the art of transformation. If the Butterfly is speaking to you, you should ask yourself what needs transforming in your life. Be where you are in this process and wait for clarity. (It rained a few inches here the other day. My larvae are now catepillar size and happily munching on potted parsley on my porch.)

The journey continues, but it seems like I’ve got plenty of company.

(These are mere excerpts from Animal Medicine lore, summarized in my own words. To learn more about Animal Medicine, go here.)

by Tao Oliveto, Carrboro, NC

I believe in magic. Well, if not magic, then the power and possibility of manifesting what we want and believe. And I have personal experiences to back me up. There’s the one where my dog’s badly torn knee ligament, which had not responded to any other treatment, was healed overnight by an Intuitive (2,000 miles away). And the time the ongoing invasion of ants left my house when asked politely.

Well, here’s something for the pragmatists out there. I joined Book Crossing recently – an online group that encourages the exchange of books through random and anonymous giving. I normally, and yes, pragmatically, enjoy the exchange of used books. But adding a bit of mystery to it felt more fun – where would your book end up and with who?

So, I joined the group, wrote my name and email address in a book cover, along with instructions to “please take me” and left it on a table in a coffee shop. What book did I choose to hand out? As you can guess, I’ve collected many dog self-help books over the years, so I grabbed one off my shelf that I had purchased used and found a little too scientific for my purposes – it was called “The Dog’s Mind”.

A week or so later, I received an email from the person who picked it up. He saw my note, but was confirming that I had really meant for someone to take this book home to keep. Once he was convinced, I learned that this person had acquired 3 dogs and this obscure book was on his reading list. He was grateful, but I was overjoyed!

Maybe it’s not the power of magic that will change the world, maybe it’s the power of giving – or both.

by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC

Sometimes I feel so lucky. Not only did I get a chance to celebrate my recent green wedding to my beautiful lady, on a goat farm, with good folks all around, but when it came time to give us gifts, we realized that our friends really know us. So many people spent both time and love thinking up gifts to celebrate our marriage in ways that made sense. Many items were handcrafted, others local, and many were even created by the gift givers themselves. Two gifts in particular stand out, both for their originality, their appropriateness and their downright sweetness.

The first of these I will touch on only briefly, as I am sure that Jerry and Tracey are heartily sick of the attention that they are receiving for their decision to further offset my honeymoon flight (having already purchased a TerraPass) by foregoing air-conditioning for the month of June. As Jerry says, it feels weird to get noticed for doing something that just makes sense. Nevertheless, given the fact I had previously sworn I would never fly again and then finding myself in love and in North Carolina, I was supremely grateful for Jerry and Tracey’s loving and thoughtful gift. I’m now considering asking them to forgo eating for the next year so I can buy that Hummer I’ve always wanted~

The other gift that stood out as being ‘so us’ came from Jenni’s sisters, Sarah and Laura, cousin Jessica, and Sarah’s boyfriend, Andy. We knew they were spending a day building something for us, but what that something would be we had no idea. Then it arrived – a 3ft x 4ft wooden cage, with ‘crack house’ scrawled on the side. At first I was a little mystified – was this the groom’s new sleeping quarters? All became clear when I noticed the baskets attached to the back of the structure. They’d made us a chicken house, and had even bought three little chickens to live in it. Both Jenni and I have secretly harbored dreams of owning chickens one day, but had both been putting it off until we got our own place (at least that was our excuse). This gift spurred us on to take the plunge and what a joy it’s been!

Henrietta, Agatha and Martha are now firmly entrenched as part of the family. They are yet to start laying, though they should reach ‘womanhood’ soon. They are already providing a steady stream of future compost, and an endless source of amusement. Even Bela, our cat, loves to sit near them and keep them company (he licked his lips a few times when they first arrived, but he’s never really seen them as lunch). And in terms of hassle, we never should have worried. They roam free in our yard, coming in at night to their comfy coop. We occasionally fill their food and water bowl and throw out a few scraps from the kitchen to supplement their diet. They’re not exactly the geniuses of the animal world, but there’s something calming about watching a chicken scratching around for bugs. I had wandered what I’d make of chicken-keeping, but I admit that I’m definitely hooked. Maybe we’ll get a goat for our anniversary…

Anyhow, as I say, sometimes I just feel so lucky. Getting someone a gift is so often thought of as just ‘going shopping’ – we’re so pleased to know folks who can think outside of the box and beyond the basket.

by Tao Oliveto, Carrboro, NC

Back in October of 2006, National Research Council reported that bees, bats and other pollinators are disappearing from North America. At that point, shortages already existed, putting crops and other plants at great risk and further disrupting an already out of balance eco-system. Recent information shows that things are not improving, with mites and other maladies continuing to kill off bees in large numbers.

More mysterious, is the development of widespread CCD or Colony Collapse Disorder, where bees abandon their hives almost overnight. Studies and speculation of causes point towards pesticides, GMOs and even cell phone use. Bottom line? No bees, no food. The End.

Studies on bee populations and research on solutions has continued. Scientists are developing a food supplement for bees, made with essential oils of lemongrass and spearmint, a formula that helps bees resist the pathogens carried by mites – an immune booster of sorts. Other solutions are being explored, such as the breeding of wild bees. The government will hopefully become involved (better late than never, we may say) in response to a bill recently introduced to Congress by Senator Barbara Boxer of CA. The proposal would give funding for research to protect the bee population.

What can we do to help? Plant gardens with bee-friendly plants, such as Beebalm/Buckwheat and Clovers, to ensure food supply for bees in your area. Educate your friends and neighbors about the importance of Honeybee preservation. Love the health benefits of local honey? Bee-farming at home is not as difficult as it may sound. Convince friends and neighbors to co-operatively manage a few hives and reap big rewards with shared efforts. My co-housing community just had our first honey harvest last week, collecting enough honey to fill 50 jars of “Arcadia Gold”. It took just 2 bee suits and 6 people a half day to complete the job. Fun – and no stings – were had by all.

Apartment dwellers and other non-bee types can pitch in by making sure to purchase only organic and non-GMO products, keeping pesticides, and other chemicals out of the food supply for both people and pollinators. Learn more about bees, here.

Let’s give Bees a chance.

by Tao Oliveto, Carrboro, NC

Speaking of toothbrushes in landfills – what about all those tubes that can’t be recycled? I switched to natural toothpaste long ago and enjoy the benefit I get from essential oils and other natural ingredients, but I’ve been long considering the whole DIY idea for toothpaste because I’ve never found a way to recycle the tubes (or get all the paste out of them). Well, I’m sorry that I put it off because I’ve discovered not only that it is super simple to do, but it’s good for your dental health.

The only ingredients I didn’t have on hand was vegetable glycerine, which was easy to find at the food market. Here’s the basic recipe from OraMedia Dental Self-Sufficiency: Mix 3 parts baking soda with one part sea salt. Add an essential oil for taste and/or therapeutic benefit. This can be used as a tooth powder. If you prefer a paste, add 3 tsp. of vegetable gylcerin to each 1/2 cup of powder and enough water to make a paste. (Apparently, gylcerin can require extra rinsing for demineralization so some people prefer to substitute plain water.)

Additional ingredients and variations is where it really gets fun and therapeutic! You can substitute raw apple cider vinegar for water in the above recipe and/or moisten your toothbrush with hydrogen peroxide before using powder or paste. The OraMedia site is also a great resource for research and testimonials. (I’m hoping to find a version tasty enough for pets.)

There are many variations to help you match your needs. For instance, you can also add:

Vit. C powder – antioxidant

Clay – alternative to baking soda

Tea tree oil – anti-bacterial

MSM powder – soothes gums

My own experiment included coconut oil, which gave the paste a creamier texture and a great taste. This site says that making your own toothpaste or powder can provide a year’s worth of use (for a family of 4) for about $1.50! Wow.

I’m just happy to be tube-free! Here’s smiling at you!