Mayors urge President Obama to Act on Climate Change

Mayors focus on "local warming," urge Obama to act | Yahoo! Health All of climate change is local, but mayors of American cities want President Obama to assume more visible leadership in pushing for real action on the climate. In the interim they are working on their own local solutions to mitigate and manage the effects of a heating climate. Heat waves, floods, drought and infrastructure under pressure, are just some of the issues that mayors must address. Let's hope we hear more about the president's plans on climate change this weekend.

Arab Spring Spawns Middle East Youth Climate Change Movement

Arab Spring Spawns Middle East Youth Climate Change Movement Interesting.

African American Youth Takes The Lead In Growing Her Green Business

Successful 12-Year-Old Entrepreneur’s Advice to Newbies: ‘Know What Your Ideas Are’ | Techyville
I continue to see Maya Penn of Maya's Idea Shop featured in need articles and thought that it was about time for me to give to give her a shout out on Black and Into Green. She is the most productive 12 year old that I know!! Her advice featured in the above Techyville article is inspiration for us to keep  plugging away at our green living, advocacy and business goals for 2013. Love her ideas about keeping a journal of your ideas. I keep a memo on my smart phone of problems that I've identified that need a product or process solution. All great businesses are founded on problems that need to be solved, though there are some problems that we didn't even know we had until someone developed the idea (though, not always guaranteed to be a profitable business). Anyway, let's all show Maya some love and put her site on our blog roll and support her Etsy shop. You go, Maya!!

Paid Green Internships at The Nature Conservancy

Park Ranger Internship

Hello! It's that time of the year again. Internship applications are starting to open up. Thank to my famous friend, Rue Mapp, of Outdoor Afro, I was alerted to some paid green internships for high schoolers and college students that are available at the Nature Conservancy. There are even internships specifically targeted to diverse demographic groups, in recognition of the changing faces of America. These environmental organizations are recognizing the need to nurture a love for nature in what has been a historically ignored demographic - people of color. Need to ensure a future base of volunteers, donors and employees, right? You will need to type "internships" in the keyword search bar in the career section, as internships are not listed. Some internships start as early as February, but most start June 2nd. You should also continue to visit the site to look for new postings.


From my Android phone on T-Mobile. The first nationwide 4G network.

Fiscal Cliff Deal Extends Some Green Programs, Gives Up On Farm Bill

Fiscal Cliff Deal Extends Some Green Programs, Gives Up On Farm Bill. Well, we all survived the fiscal cliff mess, for now. A few environment related programs survived and few did not. The commuter tax break was maintained - this allows you to have money deducted pre-tax from your paycheck to cover a limited amount of public transportation expenses. Tax credits for plug-in motorcycles and energy efficiency home renovations or home purchases, survived. Items in the farm bill that would have supported healthy, sustainable farming practices fell off of the cliff. For more specific details read the article that I shared from Sustainable Business.

Happy New Year!!

Wishing all of my readers a blessed, happy and very green new year! Thank you for being you and doing what you do. Looking forward to a great year of spreading the green gospel and encouraging others to take care of this great earth that God has given to us and having some fun while doing it!

Gloria

Hungry Man Tested Black Bean Veggie Burger

Black Bean Veggie Burger on Toasted Bun

So my handsome son is home for winter break and has announced that he is eating a more plant based diet - this from the person whom lived to argue vegetarians down about the value of meat,  even though our meat was limited to poultry and fish. I was quite pleased that he has taken the first steps towards more humane and environmentally friendly eating. My uncle likes to tease that me and my dad eat like goats. LOL! One more to add to the herd, I guess. The problem was that my son is very tall and requires some filling food on a college budget and with beginner cooking skills, so I knew veggie burgers were the answer. Being the loving mother that I am, I searched high and low on the web for a simple, budget and man friendly veggie burger recipe. Alas, pictured above is the black bean burger recipe that I felt worthy of this momentous occasion. I added some of my own touches, including, spices, mustard and Worcester sauce.The plan was that we would prepare the veggie burger together, so I could teach him the basics. He had other plans. :(  Being that I was hungry, I commenced to whipping up this recipe on my own. The first hint that this was a success, was the comment, "That smells good". They were quite beautiful, I must admit. After a few bites he exclaimed, "These are really good." Ya Yuh! The final test of a man friendly burger is when the hungry one departs from the couch and the Internet to come into the kitchen and utters these words, "Now how do you make these?" VICTORY IS MINE!!!! It was a great day in my household. We discussed veggie burger basics, variations and eating strategies. I put another batch in the frying pan, while he watched and did the flipping and he ate a second one. That is when you know it's getting real in here....

Hit me up with your favorite vegetarian college food recipes.

 

Another Reason To Eat Your Greens To Kick Off The New Year!

Preventing Breast Cancer Risk By Any Greens Necessary? Watch This! | byanygreensnecessary.com




Perhaps our ancestors thought we should eat greens on New Year's Day is not only to hope for some ends in the new year, but to also be prosperous in health. By Any Greens Necessary is sharing the above article in the hopes that we eat leafy greens and cruciferous veggies like broccoli, throughout the entire year! What are your New Year's Day traditions?

Have A Very Vintage Holiday Season!

Signs of Light? Climate Change Caucus Forms in Senate

Signs of Light? Climate Change Caucus Forms in Senate

Push for World's Clothing Manufacturers to Clean Up Global Supply Chain

Push for World's Clothing Manufacturers to Clean Up Global Supply Chain Until this happens you can always follow my suggestions in my blog post on shopping ethically and consciously from earlier this week.

Great vintage and mostly Made In USA dresses from a Georgetown thrift boutique in Washingon, D.C.

Eight Budget Friendly Ways to Shop for Fashion, Ethically and Consciously

I read a heartbreaking article in the New York Times about the factory fire in Pakistan, that took over 262 lives in horrific ways (burning, boiling and suffocation). Sounds like something that would have happened in western countries at the time of the industrial revolution, when there were wild, wild west conditions in factories and laborers were the Native Americans. The entire article was basically an indictment of auditing systems that are supposed to be in play by large retailers to prevent these situations, governments that don't give a crap about poor people, poverty, greed and human indifference. I could go on, but in response to a commenter on the article who wanted to know what her options were around putting her money where her values were, I have developed this list of eight ways to shop ethically and consciously with your wallet and still look gooood. Wanna hear it? Hear it goes:

1. Shop Your Closet - clean/organize your closet and find awesome stuff that you totally forgot about! Take pictures of various clothing combinations and store in your smartphone for ideas on those days when you feel you have nothing to wear. This would be a great project for a teenager to do for you. Donate items that you don't, can't or shouldn't wear to a friend or non-profit organization.
2. Catwalk with Friends - have a fashion show with friends featuring some of those clothes from your closet that are still in good condition, but you just don't love anymore (or they don't love you...).
3. Go Thrifting - you will be amazed at what you can find at thrift and consignment shops. Great and unique jewelry, coats, formal wear, amazing shoes and designer fashions for a fraction of the cost of retail. Checkout The Thrifyshopper website for stores near you. Once you experience consignment shopping, your life will not be the same. Even well paid celebrities find vintage and retro clothing add value and zest to their wardrobes. eBay is a great source for thrift, vintage and gently used finds. My son purchased a very nice designer shirt there for $.99! Patagonia, one of the world's most ethical brands, even sells it's gently worn and lifetime guaranteed outdoor wear on eBay. Who knew?
4. Buy Fair Trade - most of us are blessed to have access to some retailers in our communities that sale fair trade goods. There are dozens of shopping sites dedicated to promoting fair trade fashions and even fair trade cities (Chicago). The problem is fair trade can be prohibitive for many of our budgets. It helps to think and shop for long term usage. How can an item be used over multiple seasons and with multiple outfits? Putting my banker hat on, I make a cost per usage calculation ($90/30 uses per year minus the cost of human suffering vs. $25/10 uses per year plus the cost of human suffering, is a pretty good deal to me). The value of eco-ethical shopping sites is that you can often get some really good deals. I recommend, JP Selects, SweatFree Shopping and Eco Fashion World to start. A caveat is that eco doesn't always mean fair trade, so be sure to look for ethical and fair trade in your filters. Another site for great scarves, hats and gloves is Ten Thousand Villages - I volunteer occasionally at the Cleveland store. I often purchase work appropriate dresses, tops and skirts from Revive. If you are in the UK, support African Fair Trade fashionistas by visiting the new Sapelle's online store.
5. Hire an Image Consultant - No really. I invested $50 for one hour with a wonderful image consultant on a color consultation and it was one of the best investments of my life! Armed with a booklet of my optimal colors, I now save time and money by investing only in colors that look great on me and work well together. AICI is the best source for locating an image consultant. If you are in Cleveland, Dawn Waldrop of Best Impressions is the best!
6. Buy Made In The USA - Now I know that there is an argument for supporting imported items as our purchases impact impoverished and disadvantaged people. But at what cost? Enough consumers will continue to purchase cheap imported goods to ensure job security for most overseas factory workers. It is however, essential to be part of a growing chorus of conscientious consumers that send the message with our wallets and our letters, that we can do better. What brands are still made in the USA? Spanx, American Apparel, some New Balance and some Lane Bryant. In addition to one of my favorites, Texture Clothing, Business Week compiled some not so familiar made in the USA brands to consider.
7. Learn How to Sew - easier said than done, but many craft stores and community centers offer sewing classes.
8. Think Minimal - Have a little fun with yourself and do this exercise. You are going on a trip in which you would be engaging in a variety of activities - meetings, partying, gallery hopping, people watching, community service - and can only take 15 items of clothing. What would you take? You may find that you really wear a small percentage of your clothes the majority of your time. So why burden yourself with buying so many clothes when you can keep life simple with 15 items that you absolutely love? You keep it fun and fresh with accessories like scarves and jewelry! I have a skirt that I can wear five different ways, including as a dress. Most of my dresses are worn year round via layering up or down, depending on the season. What would be on your list of 15? 

So there you go. No excuses for not redirecting more of our fashion dollars for the love of strangers. Tis the season!

This is one of my favorite dresses. It is from Texture Clothing and can be worn year round, dressed up or down, is very forgiving and extremely comfortable! I wear it with tights, sandals, sweaters, tees, turtlenecks, blazers, ankle boots, knee high boots, barelegged, you name it. Go to www.textureclothing.com and www.revivestore.com to purchase one for yourself.

Zinnias To Brighten Your Day

Thought I would share the last of my zinnias with you. Enjoy.

20 Best Colleges for Socially-Conscious Students - Best Colleges Online

20 Best Colleges for Socially-Conscious Students - Best Colleges Online

Kudos to the colleges that made this on the list, though I may have some pause sending my child to some of them due to their remote and non-diverse locations. I would add DePaul University to the list, what college is missing from this list?

The Vegan Mocha Angel: Raw Key Lime Pie

The Vegan Mocha Angel: Key Lime Pie This recipes looks simple and delicious! I would use a macadamia nut crust to keep it truly tropical.

ACGA and Gardener's Supply Grant Program Application

Win $1000 for your established or developing community garden by applying for the Gardener's Supply Grant. You will need to submit an application, a budget, a description and photos of your project. Deadline is January 18, 2013.

2013 Growing Green Awards | NRDC: Today Last Day to Nominate!

2013 Growing Green Awards | NRDC

Great Green Gift Idea: Knowledge

Hue-Man Bookstore | A SKU For Every Hue
My dad just hipped me to this amazing bookstore. True to its slogan, books for every hue. This kind of knowledge could be dangerous - to my wallet! Seasons greetings, folks. Give consciously.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers! I am nuts about you! Sharing a shadowy picture of a squirrel in my front yard feasting on a very large piece of fruit. Getting his Thanksgiving grub on. Enjoy your day and count your blessings!

USDA Awards First Grants for Farm-to-School Programs

USDA Awards First Grants for Farm-to-School Programs

Walgreens Launches Green Product Line

Walgreens Launches Green Product Line

Election Results Help US Move Forward, Not Backward

Election Results Help US Move Forward, Not Backward

Raw Thanksgiving Recipes

Raw on $10 a Day (or Less!): November 22, 2009: Okay, here is a menu of holiday recipes from another Blogger vegan chef, but she is a raw vegan. Not the heartiest of Thanksgiving fares, but the cranberry sauce and mushroom loaf look intriguing. You can even serve them with your cooked Thanksgiving meal as appetizers to give them a test run.

Frakenstorm Poses Risks for Coastal Cities

As I listen to the forecast of disasterous conditions for cities in the eastern coastal areas, I am reminded of a 2008 post I wrote for emPower Magazine on why African Americans should care about climate change. What was not considered at the time was the impact of rising tides and extreme weather on nuclear facilities in those areas. The short term solution is to check in with your local officials and/or FEMA to determine the best steps to take to protect you and your family/neighbors. Once this storm has passed, I urge you to make your local, state and federal officials accountible for solutions which address, prevent and/or mitigate risks associated with climate change. To get started, read this article from Sustainable Business on politicians that vote green or not and let them know that African Americans do care about climate change and it's negative impact on our communities. Kudos to publications like emPower Magazine for trying to keep these types of issues on the forefront of conversation in the black community!

Doctors Say Eat Your Organic Fruits and Veggies

Docs Say Choose Organic Food To Reduce Kids' Exposure To Pesticides : The Salt : NPR I've been saying this all month as emails about the Stanford "non organic produce no different than organic produce study",  started to make the rounds. At the very least avoid the non organic "dirty dozen". This is  why I love public radio!

Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes: Black Eyed Pea Nut Loaf with Sweet Potato Gratin &...

A Profound Hatred of Meat: Black Eyed Pea Nut Loaf with Sweet Potato Gratin &...: Another great meal from the prolific vegan chef, xCarly of the blog, A Profound Hatred of Meat. Of course she is from Portland! I gotta visit that place one day. Anyway, back to the meal. It features my favorite foods...black eye peas, nuts, fruit and sweet potatoes. The vegans at your Thanksgiving meal, will really be thankful if you surprise them with this feast! Could be a great Christmas, Kwanzaa or New Years meal too.