February 2011 - Vol 8, No 2
Written to show our Mother Earth that we are thinking about her over this month of showing our loved ones how much we care.
Using books to make a better world
We all have books collecting dust somewhere in our homes, but no one wants to just throw them away, so we end up selling them at yard sales for a quarter. What about selling them to a really worthwhile cause? Better World Books, a social enterprise focused on eliminating illiteracy, is buying books by the pound; all you do is box them up, ship them out and they take it from there. They also sell used books (at a nice discount), so you can exchange your old books for ‘new’ ones and help stamp out illiteracy while saving a few trees from a terrible fate. They also sell textbooks, so if you are a student looking a vicious textbook bill this semester, check them out and save some money for pizza. To learn more, visit their Website at www.BetterWorldBooks.com.
Monsanto buying another seed company
Any of us who are gardeners in any capacity should know that Monsanto is buying up the little seed companies one by one, thus forcing us to buy their chemically-laden, genetically-altered seeds and one more has fallen prey to the giant. The company is Seminis and if you’ve ever eaten a Celebrity, Big Beef or Sweet Baby Girl tomato, a North Star, Red Knight or Fat ‘n Sassy pepper or a Yellow Doll or Jade Star watermelon, then you have Seminis to thank for the seed that started it all. Monsanto announced in January of 2005 that they were buying Seminis for $1.4 billion in cash and assumed debt, but Monsanto is known for its use of genetically modified crops and advocacy of biotechnology means that Monsanto will be a major player in the vegetable seed market for the first time. Many companies are choosing to not carry the seeds that Monsanto sells, so before you order seeds from your catalog or buy them at the local supplier, check to see who owns the company. A little homework goes a long way in ensuring that your family eats healthy vegetables this summer.
Oklahoma getting greener every day
There are many Websites out there geared toward helping us do a little better by our planet, but something we are thrilled to see is the number of Websites popping up here in Oklahoma. One of the sites that really caught our attention is www.greenokla.com started up by Lisa Sharp, a Freelance Writer and Environmental Activist. The Website has links to other green sites, recycling information, companies who are green, resources and blog sites. It’s worth a second look if you have resolved to do more but don’t know where to start. Lisa can even help you plan a green wedding or reduce your office waste.
We asked Lisa to give us some information on what made her want to do what she does and she replied, “Green Oklahoma was started because I spent so much time searching for green information in Oklahoma. I knew others must be having to do the same and likely some were just giving up. There was a need for one site that brought together green news from around Oklahoma and had a directory of businesses and other resources around the state. I have found people are more willing to make green changes when they are easy. The more time someone has to search to find information the more likely they will just give up. By putting all of the information in one place I hope to make being green easier for Oklahomans.”
If you would like to contact Lisa, e-mail her at gogreenokla@gmail.com. Lisa is doing so much to get the word out about how to be a better steward of the planet we call home, so we give her a big green star. Go Lisa!
Where can you get good veggies in winter?
My husband and I were in the local grocery store the other day and we noticed that the vegetable and fruit selections were good, but very few came from U.S. sources, never mind finding any from Oklahoma. That got me thinking that there must be an alternative to buying grapes from Chile. Lo and behold, a few days later, I got an e-mail giving me just the information I was looking for!
You can start with the local food co-ops, namely the Oklahoma Food Co-op where membership is quite affordable and they have a great selection of locally-grown fruits, vegetables and some wonderful soap, to name only a few things they offer. Check them out at www.oklahomafood.coop. There is so much to see on their Website, you’ll be glad you visited.
Another site worth checking out is www.uaoklahoma.com. They have all kinds of canned goods, meat, produce and more just ripe for the taking. If you don’t mind a bit of a drive, you can see them live at Market C Parking Lot in OKC (located at 401 NW 23rd at 23rd & Hudson) every Sunday from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
If you are looking to take a trip over to Oklahoma City one of these Saturdays, be sure to check out the OSU-OKC Farmer’s Market open all year round from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. located at 400 N. Portland Ave. (in the OSU-OKC Horticulture Pavilion). You can find all kinds of locally-grown veggies, fruits, meats and more. Just be sure to make the most of your trip and spend the day in OKC so you can save some fossil fuel.