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After much deliberation, our new six-session food systems course has a title! The curriculum team is busy putting on the finishing touches and in the next few weeks, Hungry for Change: Food, Ethics and Sustainability will be rolling off the presses. Hungry for Change is the perfect course for those of us who know that our eating choices are important, but want to delve deeper into the intricacies of our food system.
From climate change to the rights of Florida tomato farmers to the global geopolitics of food, Hungry for Change examines how the availability of food and its production, distribution and consumption are the workings of a deeply complex system that is affected by and affects all of us. Some have wondered the differences between Hungry for Change and our other food course, Menu for the Future. On these differences, Curriculum Director Lacy Cagle writes:
“Whereas Menu puts the focus on the “you” in our relationships and roles in food systems, Hungry puts the focus on the systems. We really wanted to emphasize the complicated interconnections among politics, health, social justice, ethics, and environmental impact in food systems, while still looking at how we contribute to and what we can do to change these systems.
There’s also a difference in the writing styles selected. While more of the readings in Menu are narratives and stories (i.e. authors like Barbara Kingsolver and Wendell Berry), more of the readings in Hungry for Change are a bit denser and expository (i.e. authors like Lester Brown, Daniel Pauly and Marion Nestle).”
Hungry for Change also includes Action Plans, a great way to help participants commit to lasting change. From podcasts to interactive websites, our new course provides excellent additional resources for those who are Hungry for more. Check out the Hungry for Change flyer here! You can expect a late September arrival – stay tuned for more details!
For more information or to pre-order a copy of the book, you may call our office at 503.227.2807 and speak with any member of the outreach team.
Home solar systems are definitely a worthwhile, long-term investment. A great way to take full advantage of those lovely rays of sunshine is through the installation of solar panels. Installing a solar energy system in your home can be a daunting task for a number of reasons. Who is the best company to purchase from? How much does installation cost? What the heck is a photovoltaic, grid-connected system? Solar energy systems can be expensive to install but there are currently more tax incentives available than ever before. The Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Energy is a great resource that lists important information and incentives by state. Home solar systems are becoming increasingly common and as they continue to shift into the mainstream, prices will continue to decrease.
As always, we’re thrilled to have you following along with us — we greatly appreciate your participation and your interest in making every day in April Earth Day!
Thanks for tuning in to Day 4 of Oil and Our Lifestyles: A Month of Action! In this first week, we are sharing tips for reducing home energy use. Today I invite you to reduce energy through slowing down and relaxing:
- Rather than sending emails to your friends and family, sit down in the evening and write a letter
- Instead of watching television, play a game with your kids or simply share stories from your day
- Eat a leisurely meal by candlelight, rather than being surrounded by artificial light
- Rather than blow-drying your hair, let it air-dry
- Make tomorrow’s lunch and lay out your clothes the night before — this might give you that extra bit of time in the morning to choose an alternate form of transportation like walking, taking the bus, or biking
- As the weather begins to warm up this spring and the sun begins to shine, hang your clothes outside rather than using a dryer
As readers of our EarthMatters blog, members of NWEI, and likely current and past participants of our courses, we know you’re passionate about leading sustainable lifestyles. Because of this, we’re excited to journey with you as we remind ourselves of the myriad opportunities to consume less, and live more intentionally.
An easy way to reduce your energy usage at home is to switch over to more efficient appliances. Doing a bit of research in advance can save you a lot of time and money when you’re ready to make a purchase. Refrigerators consume more electricity than any other appliance, so today I will share some tips to help you start saving energy today with your existing refrigerator:
- Transfer frozen foods from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before you want to use them: this will help cool the compartment and reduce energy usage
- Wait until food has cooled before putting it into the refrigerator
- Vacuum the coils on the back frequently
- Temperature settings can typically be reduced in the winter
And if you’re in the market for a new fridge, here are some quick purchasing tips:
- The less accessories, the better! Ice makers and water dispensers are unnecessary and sap a lot of energy
- Look for freezers that are on the top or bottom, rather than the side
- Avoid auto-defrost models
Rather than disposing of your appliance, you can recycle it! Learn more about recycling all types of home appliances on the Energy Star website.
Happy Saturday and thanks for joining us for Day 2 of Oil and Our Lifestyles: A Month of Action!
Did you know that heating and cooling systems put 150 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year? This is a major contributor to global climate change and a reminder that individual actions can have global effects.
Proposed Action for April 2nd Follow some of these simple steps from the U.S. Department of Energy to reduce emissions and lower your utility bill:
- Set your thermostat as low as is comfortable in the winter and as high as is comfortable in the summer.
- Clean or replace filters on furnaces once a month or as needed.
- Clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters, and radiators as needed; make sure they’re not blocked by furniture, carpeting, or drapes.
- Bleed trapped air from hot-water radiators once or twice a season; if in doubt about how to perform this task, call a professional.
- Place heat-resistant radiator reflectors between exterior walls and the radiators.
- Turn off kitchen, bath, and other exhaust fans within 20 minutes after you are done cooking or bathing; when replacing exhaust fans, consider installing high-efficiency, low-noise models.
- During the heating season, keep the draperies and shades on your south-facing windows open during the day to allow the sunlight to enter your home and closed at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.
- During the cooling season, keep the window coverings closed during the day to prevent solar gain.
Thanks again for checking in and we’ll see you tomorrow!
Ryan Harper
Deborah McNamara
Kerry Lyles
Mike Mercer
Lacy Cagle
Carolyn White
Rob Nathan
