New Dr. Green

Greetings all,
The Dr. Green torch has officially been passed. I'm Jessie Kathan, aka Dr. Green K. I'm very excited about taking up this position and continuing the blog.

A little bit about me:
I just started my junior year in high school in Moraga, an extremely small suburb in the Bay Area. When I'm not staring at my computer screen, I enjoy reading, hiking, and cooking (badly).

I've been writing for the Green News for a couple of years, and right now I'm on the Editorial Board. I'm passionate about saving the environment, but by no means do I claim to be the epitome of environmental consciousness; I freely admit that much of my food is inorganic, and ocacasionally - very occasionally - I use an unreusable water bottle (Al Gore have mercy). However, I'm enthusiastic about making my own lifestyle more environmentally friendly, and educating others along the way.

I'm eager to explore new ways this blog can grow, and I want a major part of it to involve you, the readers. Please comment on any of my posts and, if you are in need of any environmental advice or have topics like to see covered, email me at jessie.kathan@gmail.com

~Dr. Green K

Goodbye, Dr. Green T!

Hello everyone,

I'm hoping you're all enjoying what's left of summer vacation; however, if you're back in school, then I wish you a wonderful academic year! Starting this Fall 2010, I will begin my education at the University of California-Berkeley as a Business Administration major in the Haas School of Business. Unfortunately, this new pathway from community college will be a lot more stressful, tiring, and time-consuming on my life. With this being said, I will be stepping down as Dr. Green T from The Green News.

It has been a fantastic last two years serving The Green News. I began as a regular writer of this online newsletter, submitting monthly articles on environmental subjects that interested me. Within 6 months, I was given the opportunity to take on the role of Dr. Green T for The Green News. What an honor. I feel this responsibility and committment has been truly wonderful as I've been presented a canvas in which to create my own works for the general public to read and acknowledge.

I'm excited to see Dr. Green's Blog move forward with each and every person who decides to take on the role. It is absolutely a fantastic experience and I thank The Green News for letting me be the one to grow from it. :) Stay green, everyone!

Peace&Love,
Dr. Green T

Community Supported Agriculture

Hello Everyone,

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), ever heard of it? I hadn't until just today when my Internship Coordinator pulled out a fresh piece of corn from her lunch bag, and explained how much great produce she was receiving this summer! Let me explain briefly. CSA has become a convenient and popular way for consumers to purchase local, organic produce from a farmer directly over the last 20 years. Basically, a farmer will offer a box of fruits and vegetables that are in season for which a consumer will pay a weekly charge for a nutritious and environmentally-friendly goody bag.

If you check out this site here, you can learn more about the advantages to both consumers and farmers, the shared risk, variations, and more!

My Internship Coordinator explained how she purchases from "River Dog Farms" which is located in Capay Valley; however, they deliver their produce to farmer's markets all over the Bay Area for you to pick up from and enjoy. They pride themselves on growing organic food as their site explains what is organic food, why choose organic, and how to sign up for their veggie box deliveries. Click Here if you're interested to learn more and check out their beautiful photo gallery for a better idea of the concept! :)


In addition to "River Dog Farms," there's the "Full Belly Farms" which is the one I'm signing up for because they have farmer's markets near my apartment and a cheaper, more flexible rate for the veggie box deliveries than "River Dog Farms." However, "River Dog Farms" does have its own qualities that "Full Belly Farms" does not, but my vote still goes to "Full Belly Farms." Anyways, "Full Belly Farms" is also located in Capay Valley, and they sell to both restaurants and farmer's markets. "Full Belly is also home to many outreach activities, including educational tours, school group visits, and the much-acclaimed annual Hoes Down Harvest Festival." Interested in signing up for this veggie box delivery? Click Here.

Hope this blog was educational for many of you because buying from local, organic farms decreases carbon emissions from the trip of delivering produce and prevents the risk of obtaining a disease from pesticides sprayed on your fruit and vegetables. Maybe now I'll see some of you guys at a local farmer's market purchasing veggie boxes! In any case, have a wonderful summer, everyone! :D

Peace&Love,
Dr. Green T

BARTastic!

Hey everyone,

You know what's so great about the Bay Area that many people seem to take for granted? Our Bay Area Rapid Transit also known as BART. It's pretty amazing that we have this piece of public transportation that extends from San Francisco Airport all the way to Pittsburg/Bay Point, Richmond, and even Fremont.

I know some people are afraid to take BART because it can seem confusing, but if you go onto their website here, then you can quickly check train arrival and departure times to best map out your BART adventure! Once you become a regular BART attendee, the whole process of purchasing a ticket, finding which train to take, and knowing where to get off will be easy as pie.

It's interesting how much of a positive difference taking public transportation can do for not only our environment, but our wallets too! A roundtrip ticket from Lafayette to San Francisco is $8.90 which is amazing considering how much it would be to drive with the cost of gas, bridge toll, and pollution to take into acount. TO figure out how much it would cost for you to take BART everyday, Click Here.

We are fortunate enough to have this amazing piece of public transportation at our disposal as it stretches across the Bay Area to cities many of us have never even been to. It's also exciting to notice how all these Bay Area cities are all connected by one thing: Bay Area Rapid Transit, BART.

Peace&Love,
Dr. Green T

New Leaf Paper

Hello everyone!!

Hopefully, you're all getting prepared for school to begin session! However, are you ready for more note-taking in your classes, wasting countless pieces of paper? It's interesting how many people don't pay attention to the fact that we're using up vital resources everyday without a care in the world.

Did you know that "China, India and the rest of Asia are the fastest growing per-capita users of paper, but they still rank far behind Eastern Europe and Latin America (about 100 pounds per person per year), Australia (about 300 pounds per person per year) and Western Europe (more than 400 pounds per person per year)"? (Shapley) It's crazy, but there is something we can all do to help!

I have recently discovered this site called, New Leaf Paper, where they off a wide selection of coated, uncoated and office paper, many with 100% post-consumer recycled content and Forest Stewardship Council certification. New Leaf Paper was also first to market with 100% post-consumer papers of unparalleled brightness and printing specifications, including the first-ever 100% post-consumer recycled coated papers, book publishing papers and more.

You don't necessarily have to order New Leaf Paper products because there are plenty of others companies out there that are manufacturing recycled, environmentally-friendly paper for your writing needs. Just do some research, but if you're still unsure as to why to switch to recycled paper, then Click Here to learn more about "15 Facts About the Paper Industry, Global Warming and the Environment." Hope you all are having a wonderful summer vacation! :)


Peace&Love,
Dr. Green T

Works Cited:
Shapley, Dan. "15 Facts About the Paper Industry, Global Warming and the Environment." thedailygreen. Hearst Communications, Inc., 02 Oct 2007. Web. 10 Aug 2010. http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/7447.

The Wonders of Biking

Hello Everyone!!

Hopefully you had an exciting month of July considering that August is right around the corner. Most of us understand what August entails...a new session of school. Now how can one go about starting off their school year in the most eco-friendly way possible? By biking to school!

I plan to start off this year right, and by that I mean living a more environmental lifestyle. By biking to school everyday, you will receive countless benefits for not only our Earth, but for ourselves too. Here are some of the many advantages that come with riding a bike...

1. A bicycle has virtually NO carbon footprint. Unfortunately, we generate massive amounts of carbon dioxide which enter our Earth's atmosphere and meddle with the natural balance. Interested in comparing your carbon footprint from before you begin your biking lifestyle with after? Then Click Here.

2. Regular bicycling helps with personal weight management -- new full-time bicycle commuters can expect to lose an average 13 pounds their first year of bicycle commuting if they maintain the same eating habits.

3. Bicycles are a great means to see the world. Ever truly notice the architecture of a building you pass by everyday when you're driving? When you slow down your life, you get a better chance of experiencing every single moment to the fullest. Riding a bike will open your eyes to the little treasures our world offers.

4. Reduces deforestation for planting of rubber plantations and bio-fuel crops, because bicycles use very little rubber and fuel/lubricants. :)

5. Reduces noise pollution -- even without a muffler bikes are quiet, creating a quieter community.

6. Reduces water pollution -- bikes don't drip brake fluid, anti-freeze, transmission fluid, toxic dust, etc.

There are so many more qualities a bike can offer that a car can not. These are only a few of the countless benefits, and if you're interested on reading more on these advantages, then go to the link in the Works Cited section of this blog to check them out! :D

Peace&Love,
Dr. Green T

Works Cited:
Mozer, David. "60+ Benefits (Advantages) of Bicycling." International Bicycle Fund. ThinkHost, 2010. Web. 30 Jul 2010. http://www.ibike.org/encouragement/benefits.htm.

Red, White & Blueberries!

Hello everyone,

What's coming up in about 3 days? Independence Day! That wonderful holiday that reminds us every year of how lucky we are to live in a free country. With this in mind, what do you believe will be a great way to celebrate this festive occasion? With some delicious treats made with in-season fruits, an eco-friendly idea because it allows you to utilize local produce which reduces CO2 emissions from the travel.

A fun dessert to create for your Independence Day experience is the Food Network's "Red, White, and Blue Trifle" and "Flag Cake." Both of these treats consist of raspberries, strawberries and blueberries, in season summer berries for your liking.

Red, White, and Blue Trifle

Ingredients:
● 1 box red velvet cake mix, about 18 ounces (if you can't find red velvet cake use 1 box chocolate cake plus a bottle of red food coloring)
● 1 (16-ounce) tub whipped topping
● 2 pints blueberries
● 1 pint strawberries, tops removed

Prepare the Red Velvet Cake mix as instructed on the packaging, and allow to cool afterwards. With a knife, cut the cake into 1-inch square pieces and line the bottom of the trifle bowl with half of the cake squares.

With a spatula, spread about a 2-inch layer of whipped topping on top of the cake squares. Layer about 1 1/2 pints of the blueberries on top of whipped topping. Layer the remaining cake pieces on top of the blueberries forming a second layer of cake.

Using a spatula, spread remaining whipped topping over the cakes pieces. Decorate the perimeter with the strawberries; placing the strawberries cut side down. Sprinkle the remaining blueberries on top of the trifle inside the strawberry perimeter. Voila! A decadent treat for the whole family to enjoy. :)

Flag Cake

Ingredients:
● 18 tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
● 3 cups sugar
● 6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
● 1 cup sour cream at room temperature
● 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
● 3 cups flour
● 1/3 cup cornstarch
● 1 teaspoon kosher salt
● 1 teaspoon baking soda

For the icing:
● 1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
● 1 1/2 pounds cream cheese at room temperature
● 1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted
● 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

To assemble:
● 2 half-pints blueberries
● 3 half-pints raspberries

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour an 18 by 13 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed, until light and fluffy. On medium speed, add the eggs, 2 at a time, then add the sour cream and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and stir until smooth.

Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool to room temperature.

For the icing, combine the butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mixing just until smooth.

Spread three-fourths of the icing on the top of the cooled sheet cake. Outline the flag on the top of the cake with a toothpick. Fill the upper left corner with blueberries. Place 2 rows of raspberries across the top of the cake like a red stripe. Put the remaining icing in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe two rows of white stripes below the raspberries. Alternate rows of raspberries and icing until the flag is completed. Pipe stars on top of the blueberries.

I serve this cake right in the pan. If you want to turn it out onto a board before frosting, use parchment paper when you grease and flour the pan.

Hope you all enjoy these wonderful 4th of July treats!! Happy Independence Day. :)

Peace&Love,
Dr. Green T

Works Cited:
Garten, Ina. "Flag Cake." FoodNetwork.com. Food Network, n.d. Web. 1 Jul 2010. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/flag-cake-recipe/index.html.

Lee, Sandra. "Red, White, and Blue Trifle." FoodNetwork.com. Food Network, n.d. Web. 1 Jul 2010. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sandra-lee/red-white-and-blue-trifle-recipe/index.html.