Walmart is also trying to innovate its shipping fleet with hybrids, biodiesel, etc. They estimate they could save $300 million.

Super Seasonal Special

Last Saturday night, we had an abundance of zucchini from a friend’s garden, some staple items in the cupboard, and not much else. So, we whipped up this dinner and let me tell you, every bite was delicious. I call it the Super Seasonal Special for a few reasons. 1) It’s super because it’s a complete meal – 1/4 grains, 1/4 protein, 1/2 vegetable. 2) We used seasonal vegetables – zucchini and onions fresh from local gardens. 3) It’s based on Pete’s Harbor Special from the Student’s Vegetarian Cookbook.

Super Seasonal Special

• 1 can of (vegetarian) refried black or pinto beans
• cooked brown rice
• 2 small zucchini, sliced
• one onion, chopped, divided
• 1 can of tomatoes (or 2 fresh, which would have been better)
• some pepicha (not necessary, but we got it with our City Fresh share, so we thought we’d use it) or cilantro

1. Cook the rice according to directions. About 50 minutes. Or use leftover rice.

2. In a medium/large skillet, saute the onion in olive oil. Put 1/2 the onion in a bowl for salsa.

3. Make the salsa: mix sauteed onion, tomatoes, and cilantro or pepicha. Taste and adjust however you like.

4. Add the zucchini to the onions in the skillet and cook until soft. Heat the refried beans in a saucepan.

5. Spread beans on a plate. Top with rice, zucchini/onion mixture, and salsa. Enjoy!

Mmm…. eat it with tortilla chips. We like unsalted Garden Fresh Gourmet.

The plastic used for glasses weighs 35 grams, which is the equivalent of almost four years’ worth of daily contacts (9.125 grams for daily lenses). But when you throw in all the extra stuff you need for contacts — the cases, solution, and a backup pair of glasses, glasses seem to be a greener choice. And glasses can be donated.

In the end, the article finds that the difference between glasses and contacts is minimal and can be offset by recycling the plastic and cardboard associated with the contacts.

Animals

My other main concern with a new product is whether it’s made from animals or tested on animals. Turns out, contact solution has an animal byproduct and is tested on animals. Ew. The good news is, Clear Conscience offers a contact lens solution that is free of animal products and testing . Yay! It’s available at Mustard Seed, Whole Foods, and more. (Check with your eye doctor before switching solution.)

After a trial run with contacts, it turns out I’m a glasses girl.

Liter of Light takes empty pop bottles, fills them with water and a little bleach (to prevent mold), and installs them in the roofs. The result is similar to solar light tubes and it allows people to have light in their homes throughout the day, without electricity.

Good.is explains how it works: ”plastic bottles refract the sun’s rays, scattering about 55 watts of light across a would-be pitch black room.”

(The video on Liter of Light is even better!)

It’s difficult not to be dreaming about water during this record-breaking summer in Oklahoma. Rain has been practically non-existent and there hasn’t been a single day this July below 100 for the high. The grass is brittle, the garden (not to mention the dog) is panting, the ground is cracking and even well-established trees are drooping with the heat and lack of water.

Which makes the fact that just this past spring my partner, Kel and I, finally installed a rain-water collection barrel, ironic. We’d talked about it a few times over the preceding 3 and half years – years with plentiful rainfall – but as with many of our projects, it got pushed aside for other seemingly more pressing things. The rain barrel now sits empty – dry as a bone. But it’s good to know it’s there when and if the rains return to this part of the state.

When I say it was a fairly simple project to complete, I mean that it was a lot of work for Kel, but not so much for me. I like to think of myself as the idea and encouragement person. He’s the hands-on person. The first thing we had to do to get our contraption up and running was to install gutters on one side of our work shed. We’d seen rain gushing off of the roof so many times that we knew we’d get a good amount of water off of it. Kel did the math and it turns out that collecting half of the rain run-off from our shed – a 20’ x 25’ building – would yield approximately 125 gallons of water (calculating that we’d lose about 20%) during a storm that dropped approximately 1” (figure this amount by putting up a rain gauge) – and again, that’s just for the half of the roof we guttered. If your math skills, like mine, are stuck somewhere in the third grade, you can find a good rain collection calculator here:http://www.csgnetwork.com/rwcollectioncalc.html. 125 gallons was enough to have us eyeing the house (already guttered) as well as the other big rain run-off roof: our 60’ x 40’ barn – but those projects will remain on the “to do” part of the list for a little while yet.

After we installed gutters on the shed (which also put an end to the battering the flowers alongside the wall were taking each time it rained), we hauled out from the barn one of four 275-gallon containers we bought locally through craigslist. These containers can be found all over Oklahoma (and probably elsewhere) and go pretty cheap if you keep your eyes open and are willing to bargain. Ours had been filled with mineral oil – so the water we collect will be safe on plants, but of course, we wouldn’t drink from it. Once the container was in place – elevated with some wooden pallets we’d inherited from the previous owners of our ranch – it was ready for a hose to be attached to the spigot. The hose and coupler are a bit out of the ordinary, but easily obtained online or through a farm supply company.

Now all we need is a long, soaking rain to refresh the pastures, the flowers, vegetables and trees – and to fill up that thirsty rain barrel for the next dry spell.

A great way to get ideas for new food and new ingredients is to go to small, ethnic markets. We went to the European Market in Cleveland’s West Side Market last weekend and found a pound of dried whole peas for less than $2. (I plan to sprout those peas.) There were many more treasures there for really low prices.

On Sunday, we stopped at the Near East Market in Cuyahoga Falls to see what they have. We love Lebanese food so we knew we’d find some fun food. We bought some Persian tea for a school project and red lentils for $1.79. The rose jam from Turkey is indescribably delicious. I can see the rose petals! The real treasure is the date syrup. It’s a great substitute for refined sugar because it’s super sweet. They had a fantastic selection of rice, beans, tubs of olives, vegetables, and so much more.

Do you have a favorite ethnic restaurant or market?

If you’re like me, you’ve been running at least one dehumidifier in your house for months. And, like me, you’ve been pouring the water down the drain. Clean, fresh water. Down the drain. There’s got to be a better way.

Idea of the day: instead of dumping the dehumidifier water down the drain, use it in the garden! Water saved, plants nourished. Pour it straight onto the grass, into pots, or store it in your watering can for the days when we don’t see 5 inches overnight.

You probably thought of this years ago.

You can take donations there now and after the store opens. This store will sell electronics, appliances, bedding, drapes and towels, clothes and more.

Akron area Salvation Army stores fund the Adult Recovery Center, a facility for men who struggle with substance abuse, chronic homelessness, unemployment, etc.

See the Beacon Journal for the full story.