Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes

Whether you are planning a meat-free Thanksgiving or just want to supplement your meal with healthy and vegetarian-friendly side dishes, this New York Times feature (recipes included) should help you plan your menu.

While cooking without butter, cheese, eggs or milk may sound like an impossible feat at Thanksgiving time, some cooks may enjoy the challenge. Jason Wyrick, a Phoenix chef who specializes in vegan cooking, offers two delicious recipes — a mushroom roulade and a gnocchi with pumpkin sauce — that are likely to tempt everyone at your holiday table, whether they are meat eaters, vegetarians or vegans.

Mr. Wyrick, 36, who learned at age 28 that he had Type 2 diabetes, says he was able to reverse his diabetes by following a low-fat, vegan diet. He publishes the online magazine Vegan Culinary Experience. He notes that the mushroom roulade recipe requires several steps and can be time consuming, so he prepares the marinade for the mushrooms early in the day.

“It is well worth the wait, especially when I have guests,” he said. “The nothing-else-exists looks of culinary ecstasy on their faces reminds me why I became a chef.”

How Green Was My Turkey?

Slate's Green Lantern column tackles the question of what makes a bird eco-friendly. The discussion is pretty involved, and includes questions of local vs. organic. Here's an excerpt:

Organic turkeys, which haven't been given antibiotics, are a popular choice among green-minded consumers such as yourself (though apparently more due to the potential health implications than anything else). There is certainly a growing body of evidence that organic farming techniques may increase agricultural yields over the long haul, by maintaining soil and water quality. However, these findings apply primarily to crops, rather than animals. And you'll have to pay a significant premium to go organic: When shopping for his bird this past weekend, the Lantern was disappointed to find organic turkeys going for at least a dollar more per pound than their Grade A counterparts. (Slate's own Sara Dickerman discovered a few years back that the extra cost doesn't necessarily translate into a tastier turkey.)

If cash-flow problems put organic turkeys just outside your reach this November, you can still green your festivities by breaking slightly with tradition: Instead of serving turkey, serve a couple of nice chickens. According to a landmark Cornell University study from 10 years ago, it take 13 units of fossil fuel to produce a single unit of turkey protein; for broiler chickens, on the other hand, the ratio is a mere 4:1.

Whatever you end up eating, have a great holiday!

Greening the Holidays--Regifting?

Jodi Newbern, the author of Regifting Revival: A Guide to Reusing Gifts Graciously, claims that re-gifting doesn't have to be tacky:

Regifting not only helps preserve your wallet and the environment, but – if you do it right – your friendships. Here are eight last-minute gift ideas you can find around the house that your friends won't find tacky.

Read more about re-gifting and get re-gifting suggestions in this Daily Green article.

Environment a Focus of Parliament of World's Religions

The Parliament of the World's Religions will include several environmental themes in their meeting in Melbourne, Australia, December 3-9, 2009. The complete list of subthemes for the meeting include:
Healing the Earth with Care and Concern
Indigenous Peoples
Overcoming Poverty in an Unequal World
Securing Food and Water for All People
Building Peace in the Pursuit of Justice
Creating Social Cohesion in Village and City
Sharing Wisdom in the Search for Inner Peace
Begun in 1893 and designed to promote peacemaking and Interreligious understanding, the Parliament will next meet in 2014 and is currently looking for a meeting site. Learn more at their website.

Eco-Justice Blog is back in business!

I began this blog in 2006 while I was working for IREJN, the Interreligious Eco-Justice Network. I left that job in 2008 and ceased blogging, but have continued to receive comments on the blog since that time, so I have decided to resume this blog as an independent environmental blog.

Furnace Rebates In CT

New Hotline Allows Residents to Take Advantage of Furnace Rebates
Call 1-866-940-4676 to request rebate application materials
Consider replacing your home furnaces before this winter's heating season to take advantage of a new state rebate program created by the General Assembly in 2007. Under the program, Connecticut families with household incomes up to approximately $100,000 can receive a $500 rebate toward the purchase of a new, energy efficient furnace or boiler for their home. Families earning up to $200,000 may also be eligible for smaller rebates. "Most homeowners don't consider replacing their furnace unless it breaks down," said Senator Duff. "But the reality is that replacing an inefficient furnace can help save hundreds of dollars on energy costs, especially during the winter heating season. This program is designed to make it easier for middle-income families to replace their old furnace or boiler with one that meets a higher efficiency standard."Senator Duff added, "With projected prices for heating oil this winter expected to be around $5 per gallon, it's important that we do all we can to be prevent what could be a crisis for many Connecticut families. I'd expect the demand for this rebate program to be very high over the next few months, and I urge all of my qualifying constituents to take advantage of this opportunity very quickly."Forms and instructions for applying for the rebates will be available from the state Office of Policy and Management within two weeks. However, interested residents can begin immediately calling toll-free 1-800-940-4676 to request the forms, which will be mailed to home addresses. The rebates are available for qualifying furnaces and boilers installed any time after July 1, 2007. Yesterday, the State Bond Commission approved $5 million to fund the program, which is expected to help about 100,000 middle-income Connecticut families this year.
Interfaith Power and Light is a religious response to global warming with chapters in 26 states and Greater Washington, D.C. Find a link to your local chapter at http://www.theregenerationproject.org/State.
Check out the National IPL Blog.
Find discounts on energy saving products at http://www.shopipl.org/

Seminar on Bio-Fuels/Heating Alternatives in CT

Seminar on biofuels and other alternatives for home heating!
The Solar Energy Association of Connecticut announces a seminar on biofuels on Saturday, August 30 at 2 PM. It will take place at Flamig Farm, 7 Shingle Mill Rd in West Simsbury. Please register by calling 860 233 5684 www.solarenergyofct.org
Interfaith Power and Light is a religious response to global warming with chapters in 26 states and Greater Washington, D.C. Find a link to your local chapter at http://www.theregenerationproject.org/State.
Check out the National IPL Blog.
Find discounts on energy saving products at http://www.shopipl.org/

Greening Connecticut Cities and Towns

Green Goals for Buildings in our Communities:
A Program for Connecticut Towns and Municipalities
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
8 am to 1 pm
AIA Connecticut, 370 James Street, New Haven, CT 06513 Sponsored ByAIA Connecticut Committee on the Environment
AIA Connecticut Building Performance and Regulations
Connecticut Clean Energy FundConnecticut Energy Efficiency Fund
Breakfast and Lunch will be served
Fee: $20 Directions and additional information are at the AIA Connecticut website, www.aiact.org. Please click on September 17 on the calendar. Registration Deadline: September 13, 2008.
Program:Introduction: George Fellner, AIA
Green Guidelines' Benefits: Ross Spiegel, FAIA
Overview and Case Studies: LEED®, Energy Star(TM) , Green Globes(TM) , SB07 Rating Systems: Greg Bergmiller; Michele Helou, Associate AIA; Alan Lagocki, AIA; Rusty Malik, AIA; Linda Reeder, AIA; Tom Roger, Gilbane Building Co. Funding Strategies: Jennifer Janelle, Esq., Shipman and Goodwin, LLCIncentives and Programs: David Ljungquist, CCEF; Fred Wajcs, CEEFAIA Tool Kit for Mayors: Gwen Emery, AIA Connecticut ParticipantConnecticut Building Code and Regulations: Lisa Humble, AIA, State Building Inspector; Louis Free, AIA, State Codes and Standards

John Grim to Speak Sept. 24

Noted environmentalist John Grim will be the keynote speaker at the annual Sacred Trust Forum, Co-sponsored by Hartford Seminary and Connecticut IPL/Interreligious Eco-Justice Network.

Learn more about the event (and register online if you wish) here.

Interfaith Power and Light is a religious response to global warming with chapters in 26 states and Greater Washington, D.C. Find a link to your local chapter at http://www.theregenerationproject.org/State.

Check out the National IPL Blog.

Find discounts on energy saving products at http://www.shopipl.org/

Google Maps Walking Directions

Perhaps it is a sign of the times, but those who walk to destinations whenever possible will be pleased to learn that Google maps has a "walking" option when searching for directions.
Here's how it works: Go to maps.google.com and choose the "walking" option. The travel time reflects walking speed instead of driving time.

Interfaith Power and Light is a religious response to global warming with chapters in 26 states and Greater Washington, D.C. Find a link to your local chapter at http://www.theregenerationproject.org/State.Check out the National IPL Blog.


Find discounts on energy saving products at http://www.shopipl.org/

Gore calls for Carbon-Free Grid in the US

According to an article in the New York Times, Al Gore has called on the United States to switch to clean sources for electric power by 2020. (See excerpt of article below.)
Dot Earth: The (Annotated) Gore Climate Speech
Former Vice President Al Gore said on Thursday that Americans must abandon electricity generated by fossil fuels within a decade and rely on the sun, the winds and other environmentally friendly sources of power, or risk losing their national security as well as their creature comforts.
“The survival of the United States of America as we know it is at risk,” Mr. Gore said in a speech to an energy conference here. “The future of human civilization is at stake.”
Mr. Gore called for the kind of concerted national effort that enabled Americans to walk on the moon 39 years ago this month, just eight years after President John F. Kennedy famously embraced that goal. He said the goal of producing all of the nation’s electricity from “renewable energy and truly clean, carbon-free sources” within 10 years is not some farfetched vision, although he said it would require fundamental changes in political thinking and personal expectations.
“This goal is achievable, affordable and transformative,” Mr. Gore said in his remarks at the conference. “It represents a challenge to all Americans, in every walk of life — to our political leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, engineers, and to every citizen.”
Interfaith Power and Light is a religious response to global warming with chapters in 26 states and Greater Washington, D.C. Find a link to your local chapter at http://www.theregenerationproject.org/State.Check out the National IPL Blog.
Find discounts on energy saving products at http://www.shopipl.org/

Go,Team Carbon-Reduction!

A New York Times article talks about Carbon Rally, a website that enables you to join forces with like-minded friends and family to reduce your carbon footprint. An excerpt is below:

I ended up at CarbonRally.com, a site that promised to make me feel good about what I do to save energy instead of feel guilty about what I don’t.
Or, as Jason Karas, the founder, put it, “We’re not going to make you upload your utility bills and measure your carbon footprint and learn fundamentally negative information like, here’s all the really bad stuff you do.”
CarbonRally, which began nine months ago with a single proposal to give up bottled water, now offers a few dozen ways that individuals — or teams — can save energy. For instance, keeping tires properly inflated on an average car that travels 12,000 miles a year will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 29.1 pounds a month.
The site offers an extensive explanation for its calculations. What leapt out at me was a statistic: a car with properly inflated tires will use 1.5 gallons less gas monthly.
That came out to $83.16 a year — or more, if gas prices rise. We needed a family team.

Interfaith Power and Light is a religious response to global warming with chapters in 26 states and Greater Washington, D.C. Find a link to your local chapter at http://www.theregenerationproject.org/State.Check out the National IPL Blog.Find discounts on energy saving products at http://www.shopipl.org/