Boise Co-op - Boise's Green Grocery Store Since 1973 » robin

Salute! It’s Festa Italiana time!

robin — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 16:34:11 +0000

Why an Italian food festival in Boise, you ask? Well, when you think of great cuisines of the world, Italian certainly has to come to mind. There is so much about the food culture of Italy that matches our own philosophy as a grocery store: get it local, get it fresh, make it simple, make it tasty…and accompany it with good wine whenever possible.

It was, in fact, that latter sentiment that inspired Festa Italiana. For awhile now, the Boise Co-op Wine Shop has been working with Small Vineyards, a group that describes itself as follows:

“We are seekers of those outstanding small vineyard wines. Most importers would never give these wines a second thought, regardless of quality, because there is not enough to make a brand. Think of Small Vineyards as your personal wine detectives in Italy. We typically taste 200 to 300 wines each month, but only fall in love with one or two. Those we bring home, so that you, too, can discover them.”

To which we must add, God Bless You! If you can’t get behind a cause like this, what can you endorse?

To advance this cause, Small Vineyards has organized Festa Italiana events in a number of markets where people are passionate about great food and wine, bringing together a variety of local vendors and producers to provide a cross section of Italian cuisine. In the case of Boise, we realized that this cross section could conveniently be found in one single culinary venue: the Boise Co-op! So, here’s what we have planned for Saturday, August 27, from noon to 5 pm. For a sneak peak at some of the Italian wines we’ll be featuring at this year’s Festa Italiana, click here for a video with Leil Cardoza from the Boise Co-op Wine Shop.

Sip Vino with an Italian Wine Maker

The Boise Co-op Wine Shop will once again play host to renowned Italian wine maker Antonio Sanguineti, whose last name we’re pretty sure translates into something having to do with contentment…but then, consider the fact that his motto is, “May we all die young, as late as possible.”

Say Cheese!

The Co-op Deli Cheese Department will once again assemble a sampling of Italian cheeses to pair with our wine selections. While Jane the Cheese Lady is busy finalizing the line up, we have it on good authority that it will once again include Piave Vecchio, an aged cows milk cheese (think sharp cheddar) that like its cousin Parmigiano Reggiano is terrific with crisp apples, a good baguette, or grated over pasta. We’ll be telling you more about the other cheeses to be featured in the days preceding Festa, so stay tuned for more details from Jane the Cheese Lady.

Italian Sushi and Other Delights

We’ll have other Co-op Departments on board as well to bring you a sampling of la dolce vida, Mediterranean style – one that last year included olives, peppered jam, and biscotti that you’ll want to dip in that next cup of espresso (and yes, we have Italian Roast coffee beans, pisan). This year we’re getting our Sushi Bar in the act with some fusion rolls that will introduce the Ginza to Genoa. And if you make your way through all that, you can round out the day with tastes of our Trovare Gelato!

Win a Bike!

In case we haven’t given you enough reasons to make the scene on August 27, we’ll throw in one more: a chance to win the sweet ride in this picture. Rest assured we’ll find some appropriate goodies to put in the basket along with your little dog Toto, who based on his name is obviously from the Old Country as well. Show up, enter the drawing, sip some great wines, nosh on cheeses, fusion sushi and other comestibles…and who knows, you might just pedal away on a new cruiser bike. If you can think of a better way to spend a summer afternoon, please invite us! We’ll bring the wine.

Come see us at the Co-op Wine Shop on August 27 from noon to 5 pm for a taste of Italy.

“Life is a combination of magic and pasta” -Federico Fellini

Sustainable Seafood

robin — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 20:06:40 +0000

Be conscious of what you consume!

Overfishing and other destructive practices are eliminating many of the fish species we currently consume – but alternatives exist and many fisheries are working to improve. You can make an impact, just by choosing one type of seafood over another.

Monterey Bay Aquarium’s “Seafood Watch” program was designed to spread awareness about sustainable seafood, guiding consumers and businesses to make conscious choices for healthy oceans. Their up-to-date recommendations are science-based, peer reviewed, and use ecosystem-based criteria, indicating which seafood items are “Best Choices,” “Good Alternatives,” and which ones you should “Avoid.”

Seafood Watch raises consumer awareness through consistently updated pocket guides, website, mobile applications and outreach efforts. With close to 200 partners across North America, including the two largest food service companies in the U.S., restaurants, distributors and seafood purveyors are encouraged to purchase from sustainable sources.

Vision of Sustainability

Seafood Watch helps to sustain wild, diverse and healthy ocean ecosystems that will exist long into the future. Consumers and businesses are encouraged to purchase seafood that is fished or farmed in ways that doesn’t harm the environment. When there is scientific uncertainty, Seafood Watch errs on the side of conservation.

Why Do Seafood Choices Matter?

Nearly 75% of the world’s fisheries are fished to capacity, or overfished. Our seafood choices have the power to make this situation worse, or improve it. Seafood Watch recommendations don’t hinge on any single issue. Instead, they consider the fishery, habitat, species, management, and a host of other factors that affect each species. In this way, Seafood Watch offers a complete vision of sustainability.

How Does Seafood Watch Develop Recommendations?

A team of scientists research government reports, journal articles and white papers. They also contact fishery and fish farm experts. After a thorough review, sustainability criteria is applied to develop an in-depth Seafood Watch Report. All reports are reviewed by a panel of experts from academia, government and the seafood industry and are available on the website. From these reports, the seafood recommendations are created.

Visit the website for more information about the movement, a complete list of Seafood Watch recommendations, sustainable recipes, and much more!

Boise Co-op proudly adheres to the “Seafood Watch” recommended alternatives for our seafood offerings and pocket guides are available at our Meat Department counter.

Where are our turkeys coming from?

robin — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 18:08:17 +0000

It’s almost Thanksgiving, and our turkeys will be arriving any day! We are proud to carry Shelton’s fresh, free range and drug free turkeys and Shelton’s frozen free range certified organic turkeys,
set to arrive November 15 or 16, but there could be freight delays, so keep checking back for the official word on turkey arrival. In the meantime, learn where our turkeys will be coming from and those who’ve loved and nurtured them:

Shelton’s Turkey Ranch started in 1924 with one hen and one tom that had been given to Mr. & Mrs. Shelton as a wedding gift. It evolved into a champion breeding facility that received many awards for body conformation and feather color. As an offshoot of the trophy breeding business, the Shelton family began growing holiday turkeys for the folks in the Pomona Valley of Southern California. As demand for the broad-breasted Shelton turkey grew, the emphasis was placed on growing turkeys for the holiday market.

Shelton’s turkeys are grown in free range conditions, and birds are ALWAYS raised without the use of antibiotics or artificial growth stimulants! Hand evisceration techniques are also employed: most companies use machines which is quicker, but very sloppy. A machine can slip and puncture the bird which can begin contamination and bruise and or damage the bird.

Shelton’s is a family business. All of the ownership and all of the upper management are made up of one family. They now have third generation Flanagans involved in their little family business. In addition to their own family, they support several other family agricultural businesses.

In addition to the natural foods market, Shelton’s poultry products are used in some of the finer restaurants on the West Coast. Shelton’s turkeys are known for quality and consistency.

This Thanksgiving, provide only the best for you and your family. Look for Shelton’s turkeys at Boise Co-op Meat Department and rest assured that you purchased quality and purchased consciously!

For more information on the turkeys, how to prepare them, and holiday recipes, visit www.sheltons.com

Happy Thanksgiving from Boise Co-op!

** Please keep in mind that there are no special orders on turkeys, all are available on a first come first serve basis and they sell out quickly! For more information, please call Boise Co-op Meat Department at 472-4516**

How much do YOU know about Earth Day?

robin — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 18:57:38 +0000

April 22nd is Earth Day, as you surely know. We at the Boise Consumer Cooperative encourage you to take a minute and think about some fun Earth-Day related facts that will hopefully provide some good food for thought for the remaining 364 days of the year…

Obviously the idea is energy conservation through reduction of waste, where waste is unavoidable, and re-using and/or recycling materials that can be re-used and/or recycled.

For our part, the Boise Co-op, in cooperation with Idaho Power’s Commercial Building Retrofit Incentive Program, has over the last year upgraded over 90% of the stores lighting. In addition, we have upgraded the efficiency of product coolers, made improvements to climate control and made the containment of refuge and grease abatement far more efficient.

These efforts have helped the store to become “greener” which has in turn resulted in significant cost savings.

The retrofit lighting project alone accounts for an estimated cost savings of over $15,000 per year in improved energy efficiency,

according to the Co-op Facility Manager Don Watson and the Idaho Power representative for energy conservation.

This energy conservation project represents one aspect of the Co-op’s commitment to reducing the over-all footprint of energy waste and general negative impact upon the environment – a complement to our rigorous waste reduction and aggressive recycling programs employed on a daily basis at the Boise Consumer Cooperative.

WATER

· About 75 percent of the water we use in our homes is used in the bathroom. (California Energy Commission, 2006)

· Letting your faucet run for five minutes uses about as much energy as letting a 60-watt light bulb run for 14 hours. (EPA, 2008)

· Leaky faucets that drip at the rate of one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons of water each year; A leaky toilet can waste about 200 gallons of water every day. If your fixtures have leaks, you should get them repaired! (EPA, 2008)

· The average bathroom faucet flows at a rate of two gallons per minute. Turning off the tap while brushing your teeth in the morning and at bedtime can save up to 8 gallons of water per day, which equals 240 gallons a month. (EPA, 2008)

· A full bath tub requires about 70 gallons of water, while taking a five-minute shower uses only 10 to 25 gallons. (EPA, 2008)

· If your toilet is from 1992 or earlier, you probably have an inefficient model that uses between 3.5 to 7 gallons per flush. Newer, high-efficiency toilets use less than 1.3 gallons per flush — that’s at least 60 percent less water per flush! (EPA, 2008)

· If just 1 percent of American homes replaced an older toilet with a new WaterSense labeled toilet, the country would save more than 38 million kilowatt-hours of electricity — enough electricity to supply more than 43,000 households for one month. (EPA, 2008)

· Most people realize that hot water uses up energy, but supplying and treating cold water requires a significant amount of energy too. American public water supply and treatment facilities consume about 56 billion kilowatt-hours per year — enough electricity to power more than 5 million homes for an entire year. (EPA, 2008)

· If all U.S. households installed water-efficient appliances, the country would save more than 3 trillion gallons of water and more than $18 billion dollars per year! (EPA, 2008)

· The average washing machine uses about 41 gallons of water per load, whereas newer, high-efficiency washing machine models use less than 28 gallons of water per load. (EPA, 2008)

· The typical single-family suburban household uses at least 30 percent of their water outdoors for irrigation. Some experts estimate that more than 50 percent of landscape water use goes to waste due to evaporation or runoff caused by overwatering!

· Consider installing a drip irrigation system to water your lawn and garden. These systems use between 20 to 50 percent less water than conventional in-ground sprinkler systems. They are also much more efficient than conventional sprinklers because no water is lost to wind, runoff, and evaporation. (EPA, 2008)

· If one out of every 100 American homes was retrofitted with water-efficient fixtures, we could save about 100 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year — avoiding 80,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions. The greenhouse gas savings would be equivalent to removing nearly 15,000 automobiles from the road for one year! (EPA, 2008)

· Between 1950 and 2000, the U.S. population nearly doubled. However, in that same period, public demand for water more than tripled! Americans now use an average of 100 gallons of water each day — enough to fill 1,600 drinking glasses! (EPA, 2008)

· A recent government survey showed that at least 36 states are anticipating local, regional, or statewide water shortages by 2013. (EPA, 2008)

ALUMINUM

· Recycling one aluminum beverage can saves enough energy to run a 100-watt bulb for 20 hours, a computer for 3 hours or a tv for 2 hours.

· The aluminum beverage can returns to the grocer’s shelf as a new, filled can in as little as 90 days after collection, remelting, rolling, manufacturing and distribution.

· An average of 113,204 aluminum cans are recycled every minute of every day.

· Recycling one ton of aluminum saves 37 barrels of oil.

· Recycling 125 aluminum cans saves enough energy to power one home for 1 day.

· It takes 4 tons of ore to produce one ton of aluminum.

GLASS

· It takes approximately 1 million years for a glass bottle to break down in a landfill.

· In the U.S. today, 34% of all glass containers are recycled.

· Most bottles and jars contain at least 25% recycled glass.

· Glass never wears out – it can be recycled forever.

· Recycling glass saves 25-32% of the energy used to make glass.

· Glass containers save 9 gallons of fuel (oil) for every ton of glass recycled.

PAPER

· Americans use over 67,000,000 tons of paper each year, or 600 pounds per person.

· It takes more than 500,000 trees to produce the newspapers Americans read each Sunday, yet only 30% of all newspapers are recycled.

· Recycling one ton of paper saves 17 trees, 3 cubic yards of landfill space, 2 barrels of oil, 7,000 gallons of water and 4,100 kilowatt hours of electricity – enough energy to power the average American home for 5 months.

· Producing recycled paper requires about 60% of the energy used to make paper from virgin wood pulp.

· Every day, Americans buy 62 million newspapers and throw out 44 million. That’s the equivalent of dumping 500,000 trees into a landfill every week.

· If everyone in the U.S. recycled just 1/10th of their newsprint, we would save the estimated equivalent of about 25 million trees a year.

· In the manufacturing process of recycled paper

· 74% less air pollution is generated

· 35% less water pollution is generated

· 58% less water is required

· 64% less energy is required

· One ton of high-grade recyclable paper can substitute for approximately 3 tons of wood in making new paper products.

· Every year more than 900 million trees are cut down to provide raw materials for American paper and pulp mills.

PLASTIC

· Plastics require 100 to 400 years to break down in a landfill.

· Producing new plastic from recycled material uses only two-thirds of the energy required to manufacture it from raw materials.

· For every 7 trucks needed to deliver paper grocery bags to the store, only 1 is needed to carry the same number of plastic grocery bags.

· By using plastic in packaging, American product manufacturers save enough energy each year to power a city of 1 million homes for 3 _ years.

· As much as 40% of selected plastic parts from damaged or discarded cars are repaired and reused.

· Over 1.5 billion pounds of post-consumer plastic bottles were recycled during 1999, accounting for 22% (by weight) of all plastic bottles produced in the U.S.

· PET bottles (soda & water) and HDPE bottles (milk, laundry detergent) are the most commonly collected plastic materials in community recycling programs.

· 95% of all plastic bottles in the U.S. market are manufactured from PET or HDPE. 56% of recycled PET finds a market in the manufacture of fiber (carpet & clothing). 29% of HDPE recycled bottles go into making new bottles and 18% goes into the plastic pipe industry.

· Recycling 1 ton of plastic can save 1-2 thousand gallons of gas.

· Every year we make enough plastic film to shrink-wrap the state of Texas.

STEEL

· Recycling tin and steel cans saves between 60-74% of the energy used to produce them from raw materials.

· 1 ton of recycled steel saves the energy equivalent of 3.6 barrels of oil, and 1.49 tons of iron ore over the production of new steel.

· Steel cans were recycled at the rate of 58% in 2001.

· The amount of steel recovered through recycled packaging in 2001 (nearly 1.5 million tons) would yield enough steel to build 185,000 steel framed homes.

· In 2001, nearly 2 million tons of steel was recovered from recycled appliances.

· The steel from the more than 39 million appliances recycled last year yielded enough steel to build about 160 stadiums the size of the new Pittsburgh Steelers stadium.

· In 2001, there were 26 cars recycled every minute across the U.S.

· Each year steel recycling saves the energy equivalent to electrically power about 1/5th of the households in the U.S. (or about 18 million homes) for 1 year.

· Every ton of steel recycled saves 2,500 lbs. of iron ore, 1,400 lbs. of coal and 120 lbs. of limestone.

· Annually, enough energy is saved by recycling steel to supply Los Angeles with electricity for almost 10 years.

· You can make 20 cans out of recycled material with the same amount of energy it takes to make 1 new one.

BATTERIES

· Battery acid is recycled by converting it to sodium sulfate for laundry detergent, glass and textile manufacturing.

GENERAL

· The average person throws away 4 pounds of garbage PER DAY.

· Paper is the most common item found in our trash.

· Product packaging accounts for 1/3 of our trash.

· Solid waste disposal is the third largest municipal government expense after police protection and education.

· The nation’s annual generation of municipal solid waste rose steadily from 88 million tons in 1960 to 232 million tons in 2002.

· Recycling all of your home’s waste newsprint, cardboard, glass and metal can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 850 lbs. a year.

· The garbage in a landfill stays for a for about 30 years.

· In 1995 over 200 of the world landfills were full.

· Each person throws away approximately four pounds of garbage every day.

· One bus carries as many people as 40 cars!

· More than 1/3 of all energy is used by people at home

· Most families throw away about 88 pounds of plastic every year

· We each use about 12,000 gallons of water every year

· 1/3 of all water is used to flush the toilet.

· The 500 million automobiles on earth burn an average of 2 gallons of fuel a day.

· Each gallon of fuel releases 20 pounds of carbon dioxide into the air.

· Approximately 5 million tons of oil produced in the world each ear ends up in the ocean.

· The energy we save when we recycle one glass bottle is enough to light a traditional light bulb for four hours

· For every 2000 pounds of paper (1 ton) recycled, we save 7,000 gallons of water free from chemicals.

· Recycled paper requires 64% less energy than making paper from virgin wood pulp, and can save many trees

· Every ton of paper that is recycled saves 17 trees

· The amount of wood and paper we throw away is enough to heat 50 million homes for 20 years

· Earth is 2/3 water. but all the fresh water streams only represent one hundredth of one percent.

· 14 billion pounds of trash is dumped into the ocean every year

· It takes 90% less energy to recycle aluminum cans than to make new ones

· 5 billion aluminum cans are used each year

· 84 percent of all household waste can be recycled.

· Computers pose an environmental threat because much of the material that makes them up is hazardous. A typical monitor contains 4-5 pounds of lead.

· Each year billions of used batteries are thrown away in the United States. This constitutes 88% of the mercury and 54% of the cadmium deposited into our landfills

· Approximately only 10 percent of every landfill can be cleaned up.

· Ivory comes from dead elephants, its best not to buy it.

· Fur coats often come from endangered animals, it’s best not to buy them.

· One gallon of motor oil can contaminate up to 2 million gallons of water. so dispose of properly!

· Here is an example of the water we use everyday:

3-7 gallons for toilet,
25-30 gallons for tub,
http://www.planetpals.com/50-70 gallons for a 10 minute shower,
1 washing machine load uses 25-40 gallons,
1 dishwasher load uses 9-12 gallons

· Here is an example of how long it takes some things take to break down:

plastics take 500 years,
aluminum cans take 500 years,
organic materials, take 6 months,
cotton, rags, paper take 6 months.

Please keep these recycling and waste facts in mind over the course of your day – remember, we ALL must do our parts to keep the world a green and environmentally healthy place to live!

**For more information about Earth-friendly products available at the Boise Co-op, click here.

-Dylan Haas

Todd’s New Deli Update!

robin — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 16:05:36 +0000

When I returned to the Co-op after a two year absence, I was
pleased to see that two of my pals were still there, and going to
be working with me. Jane, the Deli’s resident Cheese buyer, has
been privy to the local food scene for many years.

When apprised that I would be covering the Co-op Deli contribution to
What’s New for the monthly Newsletter, the first item about which Jane
wanted to express excitement was that of the Ballard’s cheese offerings,
a family run company operating out of Gooding, Idaho. “Who knew that
Gooding is the home of such a delicious line of LOCAL cheeses?” was
Jane’s rhetorical comment.

Ballard’s Dairy has been producing cheddars, feta,
swiss, and a halloumi-style Greek cheese since 2004.
Jersey Cows provide the rbst-free milk. After kindly providing several
samples for the Co-op deli and the faithful customers to taste, Jane
took it upon herself to add the Ballard brand truffle-salt cheddar to
the wares available in the deli. Ballards developed the truffle-salt
cheddar in collaboration with food distributor RITROVO who supplies
them with the truffle-flecked sea salt used in this cheese. The result
of marrying this unique salt with the Ballard’s Jersey cow milk is just
outstanding, and has been an unmitigated smash hit when sampled at the
demo table inside the Co Op in days past.The price is $16.99 per pound,
and is hand cut by the Ballard’s into roughly half-pound packages. This
truly is a cheese that competes with the finest cheddars out there,
whether from England or the New World. Trust me!
Also available from Ballard’s are the Jersey Dream (Greek Style )
Feta, the Holy Cow Swiss, and the Pepper Cheddar, all priced at $6.99
per pound. (You can see how truffles and sea salt can affect the price of
a cheese).

Another friend of many moons is Lucy, a fellow
Piscean who has been our head of the Co-op Bakery,
home of all things sweet and wholesome, for almost 3 years, after
tenures in the Wine Department and the Co-op bookkeeping office.
Lucy and the deli bakery is on the verge of churning out batches of Hot
Cross Buns, a sweet treat who’s history dates back to before the dawn
of America; the first recorded use of the term Hot Cross Buns is evident
in 1733, although it is believed that the buns marked with a cross were
eaten by the Saxons even earlier than this, in honor of the goddess Eostre
(the cross on the top is thought to have symbolized the four quarters of
the moon). Quickie history lesson folks: “Eostre” is probably the origin
of “Easter, and Good Friday, with the cross on top signifying the
Crucifixion. These yummy buns will be offered in 9 piece pans, ready to
reheat if you wish. At $6.99, They will go fast!

Other fun things to find on any given day in the Deli: Fruit and
yogurt parfaits, currently being made by Brandi, the lovely Deli Manager
herself. Offered in 9 oz. cups, at $2.99 these parfaits are a great idea
for a “grab and go” Breakfast – conveniently found in our “grab and go”
retail case! Made with the freshest fruits available each morning, and
low-fat vanilla yogurt, they are already a huge hit with Co-op customers
and employees alike!

Another new item that has hit the deli shelves in the last month,
grilled paninis have been wafting their succulent scents throughout the
market, making the entire store smell delectable and delicious. These
exceptional new lunch menu additions are available from 11am-2pm at the
Deli salad counter. Although the paninis menu began as simply Italian
meat and cheese or Chicken Pesto, Brandi has been “ziggin’ and zaggin’”
trying out various delectable combinations, testing whatever fresh and
interesting ingredients she has at her beck and call on any given day.
Build on Village Loaf and/or Ciabatta breads from Zeppole, always
keeping the Panini pieces local, these sandwiches are $7.99, and
absolutely delicious! Another way the Co-op is your North End
lunch time destination.

Look for the Ballard family cheese tastings and sales at the Capital
City Public Market on Saturdays downtown, and watch for further exposition
from me about other cheese offerings coming from the Ballard family
available at the Boise Co-op deli in future newsletters.

Take care deli-faithful!

Todd Giesler

Boise Co-op Has Gardening Classes!

robin — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 21:36:19 +0000

Happy Spring, everyone! We’re thrilled to offer a brand new series of classes for the home gardener, just in time for growing season! Three of our favorite local farmers will share their wisdom!

Classes are $20 each for Boise Co-op members, and $25 each for non-members.
Classes will be held at the Fort Boise Senior Activities Center, 690 W. Robbins Road (near the Elks Rehab Center). Space is limited, so sign up early! Please sign up at the Co-op Customer Service Desk, or by calling 472-4500.

Growing Spectacular Vegetables
with Josie Erskine of Peaceful Belly Farm
Thursday, February 24, 6:30 – 8:00 pm
http://www.peacefulbelly.com
Always wanted to grow a vegetable garden but not know where to start? Have questions about tomatoes and all the different types? This class is for you. Come learn a few insider tricks on making your veggie garden rock. Josie Erskine from Peaceful Belly will pack as much information as she can in a class about veggie gardens and how to make yours better. We will talk about choosing the right plants for your yard. What compost to use. Drip irrigation systems and so much more.

Save Water and Go Native in Your Landscape
with Diane Jones of Draggin’ Wing Farm
Monday, February 28, 6:30 – 8:30 pm
http://www.waterthriftyplants.com
This class will provide you with the basics for transforming a traditional lawn-based landscape into a yard with more beauty, more life but less water and less work! Slides will be used to illustrate different approaches to xeriscaping (“xeri”=”dry”), including the appropriate use of native plants.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Driven to Sustain…A World-Record Breaking Journey for Sustainability

robin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 19:50:55 +0000

Cloe, Tyson, Ken and Patrick

Boise Co-op was recently honored with a visit by Driven to Sustain founders Tyson Jerry and Cloe Whittaker as they make their world record breaking journey for distance on alternative fuel in a van they’ve converted to run on waste vegetable oil (WVO). They stopped briefly at the store to refuel with vegetable oil, 80 gallons generously donated by Boise local Patrick Crow.*

Driven to Sustain is a non-profit project designed to educate environmental sustainability in schools and promote global environmental awareness in the media. As they travel, Tyson and Cloe are visiting as many sustainable initiatives as they can, learning about the very best practices in sustainable living. Meeting experts in climate change, education, the environment, sustainability, and the “green” movement, Tyson and Cloe are sharing what they learn with students in classrooms coast to coast. The van, nicknamed “The Green Machine” by some and “Veggie Van” by others, has taken Cloe and Tyson on their epic journey to visit every Province and State. While Cloe and Tyson were in Boise, they were 82% of the way to the record- right now, they are on the way to NYC to break the current record and then will continue on to do a “Victory Lap” through Canada.

Follow them on their journey as they BREAK A GUINNESS WORLD RECORD FOR DISTANCE ON ALTERNATIVE FUEL! Visit their website at http://www.driventosustain.ca. You can also follow them on Twitter and Facebook as well for continuous updates of their journey and mission.

Want to help their cause? Your donations will help to provide environmental education in schools across North America and promote sustainable living in the media. The span of Tyson and Cloe’s success depends on the individuals, groups, and companies who support them. To donate, or for more information regarding donations, click here.

*Patrick will soon be selling his recycled veggie oil at Boise Co-op. Stay tuned for more details, but check out his website in the meantime to learn more about recyclable oil and purchase online: www.walkingjenergy.com

HELP FOR HAITI

robin — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 17:25:19 +0000

Oxfam International: “The UN has described the Haiti earthquake as the worst humanitarian disaster in decades. After initial logistical challenges aid is now getting in. Each day Oxfam is able to reach more people.

We are now getting aid through despite immense challenges. Oxfam is working across seven sites supplying clean water, safe sanitation and temporary shelter to 92,000 people. Fifty tons of aid is to be flown in from the UK. However we still need your support to ensure aid reaches 3 million people in desperate need.

Our staff in Haiti are currently providing shovels and picks for local civil workers to clear rubble to search for trapped victims in Port-au-Prince, but the destruction continues to severely hamper aid efforts.

We have flown in 10 tons of water, sanitation, health and shelter equipment and have begun distribution, with 50 tons more on the way. Our staff of approximately 200 people in Haiti, including highly-experienced emergency specialists is supporting rescue efforts, assessing the damage, and responding with public health, water, and sanitation services to prevent the spread of waterborne disease.

Additional emergency specialists have been dispatched from the United States, United Kingdom, and Mexico, and we’re preparing to send additional stocks. Materials that will be sent include plastic sheeting and equipment for water distribution, purification and storage.

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere with 85% of the population living in poverty. Oxfam’s emergency response team for Latin America is based in Haiti, so we’re prepared with a public health, and water and sanitation team in Port-au-Prince, and are responding. We also have access to emergency supplies in Panama should they be required.

Oxfam has long experience in Haiti, and we’re rushing in teams from around the region to respond where our assistance is most needed.”

–Above text taken from the Oxfam International website, click here for more from Oxfam.

Thank you for your help.

B.U.G.S. community workshops are now available! Sign up now!

robin — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 08:51:48 +0000

The Boise Urban Garden School (BUGS) is an incredible local organization that engages youth, their families, classrooms and community through organic gardening. This learning environment is instrumental in providing much needed education about the benefits of a sustainable local food system, overall personal nutrition and health, environmental protection and awareness, and the importance of community-mindedness in the development of a local, sustainable economy.

Boise Urban Garden School is now offering Adult/Family Workshops for 2010!! Check out this great line-up:

January 23: Home Composting

The ultimate approach to “reduce (your curbside garbage), reuse (your nutrients), recycle (your waste).” And it’s not icky!

January 30: Backyard Chickens

Food, Fertilizer & Pest Control – your complete introduction to raising this amazing food source (and great pet), family-style!

February 20: Square Foot Gardening

Sustainable, intensive backyard gardening that’s fun for everyone. Great for that “postage stamp” yard, and big gardens too!

March 20: Pest Management

Techniques to beat the bugs without the chemicals for a healthier family, healthier pets, and a healthier environment.

September 18: Preservation I

Saving the harvest for winter. Freezing and canning techniques for better eating all year long.

October 2: Preservation II

Using solar dehydrators to store up more of the harvest. Drying techniques for winter nutrition and great taste.

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Sign up now to take part in these wonderful, sustainable community classes! Workshops will meet from 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Backyard Chickens will be held at the instructor’s home, 5323 Hill Rd. All other classes will be held at the BUGS site, at 4821 W. Franklin Rd. Cost per class is $40. Kids and spouses are free! Reserve your place NOW by sending a check (and noting the desired workshops on the check) to Boise Urban Garden School, P.O. Box 833, Boise, ID 83701.

More information is also available at www.boiseurbangardenschool.org or by contacting Susan Medlin at ssmedlin@peoplepc.com

It’s a Book Sale!

robin — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 14:32:16 +0000

We’re doing some New Year’s inventory cleansing, and we’re offering 35% OFF assorted books until they are gone. Included in the sale is an assortment of specialty diet books, cookbooks, and workout books. Great reading to help with your get-healthy 2010 New Year’s Resolutions! Hurry in and check it out, books may sell out fast!