Welcome to the Summer Issue 2016 of the Almanac!
I won’t be able to write my usual longer intro since I am in the midst of packing up my house and moving! Hope you enjoy this issue of the Almanac Newsletter!
I had a great chat with EWG President Ken Cook, who is one of my heroes, so it was an honor to be featured in the EWG site. This past March, EWG shared the great news that General Mills has announced that it will begin labeling GMO ingredients in all their products! This is an incredible victory for consumers everywhere, and it wouldn’t have happened without you. You’ve raised your voices, and Congress and corporate giants are listening. They’re remembering our nation’s founding principle.
No, it’s not “E Pluribus Unum.”
It’s: The customer is always right.
Many of the foods we eat depend on pollination from honeybees. But bees are in trouble, and so are beekeepers — replacing lost hives is expensive. Some have come up with a new source of funding: Adopt A Beehive – Save a Beekeeper. Read the whole story here.
The stylish and cool lifestyle designer Jenni Kayne interviewed me for her Rip and Tan blog. In it, you’ll see photos of my house, which is now almost all packed up, including the large Peter Keene polka-dot piece hanging in my living room. Read it on Rip and Tan.
Have you been hearing about forest bathing recently? Forest bathing is a way to support well being through sensory immersion in forests. Go for a long walk in the woods!
Read all about it here: Forest bathing.
I’m passionate about reducing the amount of waste my household creates, so I’m always trying to come up with creative ways to repurpose or reuse the waste, whether it’s glass wine bottles or yogurt jars. I recently published a blog about Repurposing and I shared in it some of my own efforts and many great ideas from other sources.
I like Dr. Glen Barry, and the fascinating and inspirational essay he wrote titled “On Ecology and going back to the Land.” Please take a few minutes to read it.
Just like birds and many other animals who spread seeds wherever they go, so can we… by using Biodegradable coffee cups embedded with seeds that grow into trees when thrown away!
Watch the video at Preciousplastic.com which shows this completely wonderful innovative idea about how to recycle plastic by allowing people, anywhere in the world to transform plastic waste into valuable things.
Do you know about the site What is Missing? Designed by artist Maya Lin as her last memorial to create an awareness about the present sixth mass extinction of species, connects this loss of species to habitat degradation and loss, and emphasizes that by preventing deforestation, we can both reduce carbon emissions and protect species and habitats. What is Missing? is a wake-up call and a call to action. It shows how we can help protect and restore nature, reimagine our relationship to the natural world, showcasing how we could live in ways that balance our needs with the needs of the planet.
In the works: Congress is considering a law that would standardize expiration dates, potentially saving tremendous amounts of food waste.
Do you want to laugh?! Before continuing onto the next sections of the Almanac, have a look at a blog I posted of some favorite eco & animal cartoons. They have all made me laugh and I hope they make you laugh too! Many of them are from the wonderful New Yorker magazine.
Have a wonderful next few months including a great summer!
All the best,
Priscilla
