Forage for local food

This little overlooked flower is often thought of as a pest or weed. It's not, you've just been missing out. Foraging for local food is a great way to get back in touch with what is edible. Dandelion greens (thick leaves) are delicious too in a salad or steamed. Make sure that you're foraging out of the range of weed killers and pesticides.

Fried dandelion blossoms

36-48 large dandelion blossoms
1 cup flour
1 cup ice water
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tblsp egg replacer

Remove as much of the dandelion stem and greenery as possible without damaging the blossom itself. Heat oil (I prefer coconut oil) in a skillet on medium high. Mix flour and salt in a bowl. Add ice water and stir. Blend in egg replacer. Use tongs to submerge dandelion blossoms in batter and drop in hot oil. Fry in shifts.

Ditching the bottle for a travel friendly shampoo in France

Ethically Engineered -- Vegan No Bottle Shampoo Bars got a little write up for the French magazine Réponse à Tout!
My No-Bottle Shampoo was featured: http://etsy.me/Kz18QR and can be seen below as the yellow lemon scented circular bars.

Je suis très heureux maintenant!

How do I recycle safety razor blades?

 

So you've made the switch from plastic razors to refillable double-edged safety razors!  Outstanding!  The plastic razors filling our landfills averages about 2 billion annually by EPA estimations.  That's a lot of needless waste.  Especially when you consider the cost of making them, and the carbon impact, or their leaching toxins.  

 

But how do you safely recycle the used safety blades after their use?  Those after the perfect wet shave have often relied upon what is called a Razor Bank.  They can still be found in stores but are mostly considered vintage items and often look like whimsical little porcelain jars shaped like a barber.  But you don't need these.  You need an enclosed tin that can easily be tossed in the recyling bin when it's full of old blades.

 

 

 

This project costs pennies and took approximately 20 minutes (plus drying time).

 

I stopped at my local grocery store and purchased a can of coconut milk.  Look for a tin can that you commonly would purchase and that contains only liquid (vegetable broth, tomato soup, etc) because you're going to pour that liquid out into a reusable container for later use in cooking and recipes.

 

Score the label carefully with a sharp knife. Please do use all cutting tools in a safe manner.  I do not recommend using your double edged razors to cut the label off the can.

 

After you score the label, simply unwrap the tin. 

 

Use a pencil, sharpie, or oil pencil to mark a line on the top of the unopened can.  This will be the slot that you use to drop old blades into the tin can.

 

Carefully use a chef's knife or tin shear to cut the slot in the top of the unopened can. 

 

NOTE: Face the cutting edge of the blade toward the center of the can in the direction you wish the slot to be cut. The backbone of the blade will force the cutting edge in the correct direction.

 

Gently move the knife back and forth once you have pierced the tin so that you open a nice wide slot and ensure that all sharp edges are safely tucked inside the tin can..

 

Drain the contents into your reusable container and put away for later use.  Rinse the tin by running hot water through the new slot you've made in the can. 

 

If you have label glue on the can, you can remove it with Goof Off or sometimes just peel it off with your fingernail.

 

As it is, your blade bank is now fully serviceable; however, you may want to decorate it.  Your choice.

 

If you do choose to paint it, may I suggest you use a low-, or zero-VOC paint, and make sure the area that you are working in is well ventilated.  Got to keep you clever and fierce! 

 

When the can dries, you can add lettering or put some bitchin' pin stripes on it.  Start adding your safety razors as they become dull, and once the tin is full, you can recycle the whole thing.  As our friend Dasha noted, this idea also works for recycling bottle caps and other common small household metals.

Have fun and Enjoy!!!After seeing a considerable number of threads recently regarding blade banks and disposing of spent razor blades I decided to show how to make a simple yet effective blade bank for under 50 cents. It is very easy, safe and ready for the recycle bin when full.

There are a few that can be purchased for a buck or two plus shipping or you could find some more fancy vintage banks in an antique shop or even Ebay but I would rather spend my money on razors and soaps. It’s great for the frugal (tight wad) shaver. I’ve heard of folks using glass jars which was really disturbing to me. Wet hands on glass do not go well together and as it gets full, it takes only a minor tap and the glass can shatter. 

 

This project cost 33 cents and took approximately 20 minutes minus drying time.

 

I stopped at my local grocery store and purchased 3 cans of store brand broth (liquid only) for a 1.00 as they were on sale.

 

Once home I scored the label carefully with a sharp knife. I thought about using a DE blade to do this (after all, this is B&B) but opted for the knife with as I just so happen to have this nice vintage Gillette Office razor knife, go figure!

 

After I scored the label I simply unwrapped the can. 

 

Using a pencil, I marked the top of the can where I wanted to make the slotted opening.

 

Now, with a large knife, (I choose this chef knife) I placed the tip on the end of the mark I had made.

 

I gently tapped the handle with the palm of my hand to cut or punch the slot in the top. 

 

NOTE: Face the cutting edge of the blade toward the center of the can in the direction you wish the slot to be cut. The backbone of the blade will force the cutting edge in the correct direction.

 

I moved the blade slightly from side to side so I was insured the edges of the slot rolled under so there would be no shape edges, and removed the knife to reveal a nice, clean slot.

 

I then drained the contents of the can in a bowl to save it for use at a later time.

This may take a couple minutes and you may need to shake the can to help drain. I then rinsed the can with some hot water. (Necessary? I don’t know but I did it anyway).

 

At this point you may find some label glue residue. I simple used a little Goof Off and a paper towel and cleaned it right off. If you don’t have any Goof Off or something comparable, you can soak the can in hot water for about 5 minutes and it will wipe right away.

 

At this point your blade bank is ready to go or if you’re like me, you might want to dress it up some and paint it.

I found some spray paint leftover from another project I had done some time ago and opted to use it. I was a light tan with actually was used to paint the heater cover in my bathroom so it made for a nice match but you can use any color you enjoy. After all, you’re making it for you.

I took a paperclip (bent into a hook shape) and tied it to a piece of string to allow it to hang for spraying and drying.

 

Make sure when spraying you are in a well-ventilated area. I choose to spray mine right out in the back yard hang from a tree branch.

 

Once the bank is dry (I used 1 hour paint) you can either use it as it is or take it yet another step and add other things to further customize your bank.

While the bank was drying I rummaged around the house to see what I could find to trick out my new bank. I found some ¼” vinyl artist tape that I had used for some signs and a little gold leaf paint for lettering (BTW, I really suck at lettering).

 

After a couple more minutes my bank is done. It may not be a fancy as a store bought bank yet for under 50 cents it’s going to do just fine. It will hold a few years worth of spent blades and I don’t need to worry about anyone getting hurt by them, and it’s totally green!!!

 

Have fun and Enjoy!!!After seeing a considerable number of threads recently regarding blade banks and disposing of spent razor blades I decided to show how to make a simple yet effective blade bank for under 50 cents. It is very easy, safe and ready for the recycle bin when full.

There are a few that can be purchased for a buck or two plus shipping or you could find some more fancy vintage banks in an antique shop or even Ebay but I would rather spend my money on razors and soaps. It’s great for the frugal (tight wad) shaver. I’ve heard of folks using glass jars which was really disturbing to me. Wet hands on glass do not go well together and as it gets full, it takes only a minor tap and the glass can shatter. 

 

This project cost 33 cents and took approximately 20 minutes minus drying time.

 

I stopped at my local grocery store and purchased 3 cans of store brand broth (liquid only) for a 1.00 as they were on sale.

 

Once home I scored the label carefully with a sharp knife. I thought about using a DE blade to do this (after all, this is B&B) but opted for the knife with as I just so happen to have this nice vintage Gillette Office razor knife, go figure!

 

After I scored the label I simply unwrapped the can. 

 

Using a pencil, I marked the top of the can where I wanted to make the slotted opening.

 

Now, with a large knife, (I choose this chef knife) I placed the tip on the end of the mark I had made.

 

I gently tapped the handle with the palm of my hand to cut or punch the slot in the top. 

 

NOTE: Face the cutting edge of the blade toward the center of the can in the direction you wish the slot to be cut. The backbone of the blade will force the cutting edge in the correct direction.

 

I moved the blade slightly from side to side so I was insured the edges of the slot rolled under so there would be no shape edges, and removed the knife to reveal a nice, clean slot.

 

I then drained the contents of the can in a bowl to save it for use at a later time.

This may take a couple minutes and you may need to shake the can to help drain. I then rinsed the can with some hot water. (Necessary? I don’t know but I did it anyway).

 

At this point you may find some label glue residue. I simple used a little Goof Off and a paper towel and cleaned it right off. If you don’t have any Goof Off or something comparable, you can soak the can in hot water for about 5 minutes and it will wipe right away.

 

At this point your blade bank is ready to go or if you’re like me, you might want to dress it up some and paint it.

I found some spray paint leftover from another project I had done some time ago and opted to use it. I was a light tan with actually was used to paint the heater cover in my bathroom so it made for a nice match but you can use any color you enjoy. After all, you’re making it for you.

I took a paperclip (bent into a hook shape) and tied it to a piece of string to allow it to hang for spraying and drying.

 

Make sure when spraying you are in a well-ventilated area. I choose to spray mine right out in the back yard hang from a tree branch.

 

Once the bank is dry (I used 1 hour paint) you can either use it as it is or take it yet another step and add other things to further customize your bank.

While the bank was drying I rummaged around the house to see what I could find to trick out my new bank. I found some ¼” vinyl artist tape that I had used for some signs and a little gold leaf paint for lettering (BTW, I really suck at lettering).

 

After a couple more minutes my bank is done. It may not be a fancy as a store bought bank yet for under 50 cents it’s going to do just fine. It will hold a few years worth of spent blades and I don’t need to worry about anyone getting hurt by them, and it’s totally green!!!

 

Have fun and Enjoy!!!

Are Girl Scout cookies killing orangutans?

Source:  Grist

Please take a look at the article above from The Grist.

Below you will find my reaction to it's over simplified reporting.  In reading this article from The Grist one can easily be outraged at palm oil, cookies, The Girl Scouts, or all of the above.  However, it's once again, economics to blame.  Well, economics and the global affects on agribusiness.

Palm oil is the problem?  Girl scout cookies are the problem?  Really?!?!  An ingredient produced by the planet and little girls are to blame?  C'mon; the growing practices are to blame.  Look...I make products with sustainably grown/sourced and fair wage palm oil from a Columbian Co-op and have for a few years due to their bio-sphere positive agricultural practices.  Never once did I say to myself that the ingredient is to blame or that little children were to blame.  I just switched to a better, and more ethical producer.  

Nature or nurture?  It's not me.  It's how I was raised.

Look; it's just plain bad reporting to say things like "palm oil, the No. 1 culprit behind deforestation in Southeast Asia, particularly Indonesia and Malaysia."  Palm oil is not an evil to stamp out.  The GROWING PRACTICES are!  Support the users and producers of ethically grown and bio-diverse palm oil.  Don't just make statements, out of hand, that encourage consumers to blame a product.  Go the extra step and tell them to look for ingredients and growing cooperatives that do not contribute to rain forest deforestation, invest in adult education, build evaporation awnings to protect valuable irrigation water, and protect animal habitats.

Look I understand it's easy to vilify and tear down a product like palm oil; but if you really understood how much good this product does in our daily lives; from common baked goods to Soaps and detergents, Candles, Cosmetics, manufacturing and transportation lubrication, biodiesel, glue, printing inks, textile industry just to mention a few.

In addition to oils extracted from the oil palm fruit, other parts of the tree can be used in industry. For example, leaf fibers and empty fruit bunches are used to produce chipboard and plywood. After plantations are cleared out, the trunks of old palms can be used to make furniture.

Look, I'm all for bringing the attention to problems a affecting change but oversimplifying and demonizing a great product from the earth like palm oil is not the way to do it.

Tell your readers to look for sustainably grown products and to support businesses that "get it".  Tell you readers to vote with their dollars.  Put down the candy and cookies made with deforestation palm oil.  Sure, it's the cheapest.  Pick up the products that may cost a little more due to organic (reduced yield) farming, vegan, fair wage or fair trade, carbon neutral, or chemical free (no parabens or petrochemicals or toxins that harm the grown water or bioculture and travel up through the food chain).  Then email the Girl Scouts of America and tell them that you will buy more when they switch ingredients and that you are willing to pay for the extra cost.  Sustainable agriculture practices, humanity, species and the planet are worth it.

Each day the power of the mind amazes me with new and wonderful records broken. A Swiss led team of engineers and researchers has managed to complete a 26 hour flight in a Solar Powered plane called the Solar Impulse. Huge solar panels stored the power during the day and the plane amazingly flew overnight. The news of the Solar Impulse's accomplishment is remarkable and they were able to reach a hight of 28,000 feet. Plans are in the works to circle the globe with a new plane and work will begin on that project soon.

The panels Joe and I use to power our facility pull in 15% of a charge even at night. Simply amazing. However, we hope these efficiencies will be seen as the vault bar to raise higher and higher each week, month, and year as we embrace renewable energy. It is simply amazing to be living in during what the scientific community agrees is a tipping point. Each day I am looking for signs that the compassionate evolution is indeed occurring and today's landing has filled me with renewed optimism that a 'Manhattan Project' of green technology can push us forward in the struggle to maintain and improve our precious bio-sphere.

In Chicago, vegan and don't have a lot of money to waste?

Check out the Chicago Vegan Co-op buying club to get discounts and wholesale pricing.  Buy in bulk or get your friends together and chip in on some Daiya Cheese for pizza night or pick up those great vegan hikers for the upcoming trek.  Saving money is fun and an ethical plant based diet should be rewarded.  Tell all your friends.

http://chicagoveganco-op.wikispaces.com/