A 2013 Yale University Study Indicates that
Coloradans Believe in Global Warming

Article Published in Denver Post Opinion (YourHub)

Do Coloradan's Actually Belief in Global Warming? A 2013 Yale Study Says Yes

Hi, one of my recent articles was published online. Here is an excerpt:

There is only one thread tying all Coloradans together. Whether we ride with the HOG (Harley Owner's Group®) or hike Spruce Mountain (a beautiful and rigorous trail just south of Larkspur); whether we are a farmer, Flatiron runner, or a butterfly hunter at the Denver Botanic Gardens - we love our outdoors.

Do we believe our outdoors are suffering the consequences of global warming? A Yale University study of 800 Coloradans revealed that yes, we do. Seventy percent of those surveyed believed that global warming effects are experienced in Colorado through reduced snowpack and subsequent increase in droughts. Further, 66% percent believed that wildfires could also lay some blame on global warming (Yale University, June 2013 study, p. 3).  Keep Reading this article  - you will be taken to the Denver Post Newspaper website

Colorado Mountain Pine Beetle Infestation Report Now Available

The rest of the Colorado Mountain Pine Beetle Infestation Report is now available. Colorado Mountain Pine Beetle Report Now Available: Causes, Consequences, and Cures to read, please click here.

About the Author: Allison Frederick writes on environmental and sustainability related issues, particularly as they relate to environmental psychology and green brand strategy.

Free White Paper: Create Effective Change: Green Tech Case Study in Web Communications

Sample Survey Result of Green Technology Company Website

Introduction: How is an organization perceived by those who may be potential customers but who are also outside of the the core industry of that organization? How can they improve this perception?

Central to creating effective change requires understanding how an organization is perceived by industry outsiders and often requires the utilization of existing tools in a different manner than in the past.  The solicitation of industry outsiders does not imply that these parties are not potential customers or investors.  On the contrary, they include key decision makers such as corporate financial executives, board members, grant approvers, municipal officials, politicians, corporate procurement officers, and green technology advocates. These parties all have either created or have access to established platforms to assist an organization in "spreading the word."  The term industry outsider also includes the general public who stand to recognize that an organization can provide solutions to energy and environmental issues important to them.  Reaching these audiences through carefully crafted (and low maintenance) communication messages that focus on the "benefits" of an organization’s technology as opposed to focusing on "how" an organization’s technology works lies at the core of our recommendations for creating powerful, effective change. Continue reading by accessing this free white paper...

This report is written based on the survey results of two website comparisons. One website was the organization’s existing business website. This organization produces highly technical machinery that can be applied to a number of pressing environmental and energy-efficiency problems. The second website was a test website prepared by GRIPS, LLC (GReen Idea Protection Strategies).  The second site was designed with Customer-Centric Focus (as described in this report). The purpose of the survey was to measure the website visitor’s comprehension of the organization’s products and services and to measure whether the website visitor was motivated to share information about this organization to others. This report also includes valuable communication approaches and potential environmental consumer psychology which can be applied across a number of industries.

About the Author: Allison Frederick writes on environmental and sustainability related issues, particularly as they relate to environmental psychology and green brand strategy.

The Attraction of Influence in Communicating Environmental Issues

What resonates with me about the field of Environmental Psychology (or ecopsychology) is the role of influence. Influence is at the core of each of the theories and Influence is what we want to achieve when we are communicating about environmental issues.

Needless to say, Influence does not infer that we are influential in the direction we desire, in fact, we could unwittingly be influential to our opposed direction. So how can we have more confidence in achieving the kind of influence we are interested in?

In pulling apart the underbelly of influence (I refer to an underbelly because underneath our preferred word lies a concept, even we environmentalists prefer to avoid) is the "Cause/Effect" law.

At the heart of ecopsychology theory are two questions: 1) What is the cause? 2) What is the effect?

Now, to revert to my statement that even environmentalists shun the Cause/Effect law, before any disagreements arise to quickly, I refer to green technology innovation. As humans, one thing we love is something new (once we finally embrace it, that is). We rush head-long as if in love. We rapidly make decisions with little thought of the consequences (effect), because we are so convinced that our technology (cause) is the solution.

Millions of dollars later, our innovation tar pit traps our hopes and dreams, financial capital, careers, and public confidence. Our mammoth technological revolutions jut out of the quagmire like abandoned beasts. But these failures, unfortunately, are not forgotten, as the public and some of the media retort, "Oh, it was green? It failed? Of course, green never works." The refusal to be completely honest in our green technological development process, our overlook of the weakness of our systems, creates our own legacy of skepticism and buffers the ability of the exceptional green technologies to garner sufficient financial investment and public adoption.

Deeply incorporating the Cause and Effect law into the innovation design process may seem expensive, tangential, or even painful – but it is part of responsible innovation. Taking the time to consider the consequences of our darling technology, and identifying its limitations (or even problems) is as unromantic as staring into the face of an attractive person you just met (and you think you want to date), only to suppose and develop a laundry list of "why nots." Essentially, saying, "Look, I know we just met and I really like you already – but before I kiss you, let's get things straight – tell me all about your baggage." It is a buzz kill.

But no matter how fond of them we are, our environmental messages, services, and technologies aren't prospective mates. No matter how exciting they seem at first, they are actually our tools of Influence. In order to Influence in our preferred direction, we must muster the courage and take the time to scrutinize our innovations in light of the Cause and Effect law. In doing so, we can abandon a concept earlier (if need be), preserve our precious resources; or we can push forward with all our energy as we are now armed with an explored, tested case.

One of the favorite metaphors among environmentalists is the Butterfly Effect; wherein even slight behaviors (causes) of say a butterfly flapping its wings, can be felt (effect) at significant distances from its source. At least at the level of cognition, we recognize the validity of the Cause and Effect law, but that recognition all too often fails to permeate to the level of our behavior. When it comes to our own personal favorite habits or ideas, isn't it tempting to think they are exempt from this law?

About the Author:  Allison Frederick writes on environmental and sustainability related issues, particularly as they relate to environmental psychology and green brand strategy. 

Donkeys Abandoned - but this story has a happy ending...they were rescued

An animal rescue facility in Franktown took in 20 skinny, but still cute donkeys who were abandoned in an open public field. According to the Castle Rock News-Press (May 30, 2013 edition), the owner has already been identified and he lives in Crowley County, which is due east of Pueblo.

Many animals in Colorado have suffered from the drought conditions, which according to the US Drought Monitor, the Southeast portion of Colorado is designated as "exceptional drought area," which is anything but exceptional and is the worst rating on the monitor's scale (USDA, 2013). Not only are wild animals pressed to find adequate water and vegetation, but animal owners are under stress to keep their animals fed. Anyone who cares about the well-being of the animals in Colorado needs to be aware of this issue and consider financially supporting the animal rescue facilities. You can help support the newly rescued donkeys for as little as $20 – that is just one dollar per donkey. 

Please visit Dumb Friends League, Harmony Equine Center in Franktown, Colorado to make your donation.

References 
Dumb Friends League, Harmony Equine Center. Donate to help the animals in our care. Retrieved from https://secure2.convio.net/ddfl/site/Donation2?df_id=5220&5220.donation=form1 on May 30, 2013.

Staff Report. (May 30, 2013) Donkeys Rescued after being abandoned. Castle Rock News-Press. A Colorado Community Media Publication, Volume 11 (10).

USDA-CO Dept of Agriculture. (May 30, 2013). Colorado Hay Report. Dept of Ag Market News. Photo Credit: By Håkan Dahlström from Helsingborg, Sweden (Donkey ears cropped) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

About the Author: Allison Frederick writes on environmental and sustainability related issues, particularly as they relate to environmental psychology and green brand strategy.

Only 3 Percent of Trash Hits Landfills in Denmark...Where Does Their Trash Go?

Amagerforbrænding waste incineration and power plant

As a kid we had a trash incinerator in our backyard and although it was no longer permissible by the town we lived in to use the incinerator to burn household garbage, probably because individual homes burning trash in a burner without air filters created significant health concerns as it relates to particulates in the air and air pollution, I still found the trash burner in our backyard fascinating. Like an impenetrable fortress, the three foot cement tower was the focal setting for many Barbie® and Star Wars® mis-adventures and rescues.


Thus began my lifelong fascination with trash. Seems strange to be sure, but solving the problems behind how to reduce garbage (through recycling, repurposing, reduced packaging, using biodegradable materials, and buying in bulk) has, to me, always seemed like one of the most critical and fundamental elements of a sustainability plan and lifestyle.

Perhaps that is why the visit to the Amagerforbrænding waste incineration and power plant was so interesting. While the name Amagerforbraending is a mouthful for non-Danish speaking people, the name is a composite of the word forbraending, which means combustion, and the name of the island that houses the plant, called Amager.

Keep reading this article from its original source: http://www.allisonfrederick.com/files/ArticlesbyAli/Alternative_Energy_Denmark_Using_Trash.html.

About the Author: Allison Frederick writes on environmental and sustainability related issues, particularly as they relate to environmental psychology and green brand strategy.

Plant Breeders Rights Can Promote Sustainable Agriculture

InternationalPlantBreedersRights.com > Types of Protection for Plants > Plant Breeder's RIghts (PBRs) and Plant Variety Protection (PVPs)

Plant Breeder's Rights are a specialized form of intellectual property protection that allows for the protection of rights for distinct varieties of plants. While some countries call this type of protection Plant Variety Rights, they are generally the same type of protection and the application process is the same. The application process involves a detailed survey of the plant variety's characteristics and the questions vary greatly among different countries. In general, however, many countries try to follow the guidelines of UPOV, the International Union of New Plant Varieties.


Filing for international plant breeder's rights can be time consuming and taxing on the plant breeder and their team. Precise measurements and testing requirements, including detailed comparison of similar plant varieties means that the best way to start off a successful and even enjoyable application process is to be organized from the start and identify your goals. Anticipating what countries your organization may be interested in for seeking protection and then reviewing the specific characteristic data required can literally reduce the process to file an application by years.

In addition to proper planning, assembling a knowledgeable team that keeps your particular goals in mind is vital to managing the costs associated with plant breeders rights applications as the costs can mount rather quickly if careful cost-effective decisions are not considered when developing a strategy.

In addition to Community Plant Variety Protection (Europe), plant variety rights (U.S. and Brazil, for example) and plant breeder rights, many companies include well thought out licensing arrangements and a trademark strategy that takes into consideration the unique (and often unknown) requirements for trademark protection of plant varieties.

Plant Breeder's Rights certifications are tools that can help promote sustainable agriculture. Many people are surprised to hear that it can take ten years to develop a strong, new plant cultivar. That is ten years worth of plant material, salaries, and other expenses. Developments of drought tolerant plants and nutrient rich seeds requires significant investments in time and money so to encourage innovation in the horticultural and agricultural industries, there must be some level of incentive as is offered through various forms of intellectual property laws.


GRIPS has the experience to lead your organization through a well-thought-out plant breeders right strategy. To learn more, please visit: InternationalPlantBreedersRights.com

Green Idea Protection website takes on new look at www.GreenIdeaProtection.com

We finally have a new website that will explain how we can best help your organization protect your inventions and build a successful brand.  Please visit http://www.greenideaprotection.com/

http://www.greenideaprotection.com/

Thanks!

Allison Frederick is an Intellectual Property Educator and Innovation Marketing Consultant for GRIPS - GReen Idea Protection and Sales. She offers risk management assessments for renewable energy and green energy technology companies and her company also provides technology companies effective, affordable marketing strategies to produce attractive requests for proposals, investor materials, product manuals, and product promotion materials.

Colorado Mountain Pine Beetle Infestation: A look at causes

Part of a Series...
Introduction


The Mountain Pine Beetle infestation in Colorado’s mountains has killed more than 1.5 million trees in the past decade adversely impacting Colorado’s ecology, economy, and aesthetic. The consequences of the infestation shall be extensive, long-term, and costly in many respects. This review explores the etiology of the infestation, responses to the infestation, environmental and economic impacts, and offers a multi-pronged approach for present and future management.

Methodology

A significant amount of the reviewed literature is sourced from official government- or university-produced literature, including National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), U.S. Forest Service, Colorado State University, Environmental Protection Agency, Colorado Governor’s Energy Office, and United States patents and publications. The remainder of resources for this review derive from peer-reviewed literature as it pertained to forest management and the mountain pine beetle.

The Nature and Extent of the Infestation

For more than 150 years, the state of Colorado has enjoyed densely-colorful evergreen forests and subsequently benefits from substantial tourism revenues relating to its abundant forests and National Parks. However, since 1998 , Colorado has suffered from a severe infestation of Mountain Pine Beetle (MPB) or dendroctonus ponderosae hopkins, which has since reached epidemic proportions and is devastating the state’s scenic landscape.

Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) are tall, thin, deeply colored evergreens. Pinus contorta means “twisted pine.” The subspecies found in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado is latifolia. Lodgepole pines thrive in abundant sunlight and in cold, dry climates such as those conditions found in Colorado.

The current epidemic is not the first time Colorado pine has suffered from an infestation. A less severe outbreak of MPB in the mid-1970s proved to be relatively self-limiting, possibly due to, in part to less extreme weather conditions than what co-exist with today’s epidemic.

By 2009, sixty-eight percent of the Colorado lodgepole pine forest were infected by MPB. Today, residents, scientists, and government officials remain concerned because infestation is now spreading to other prevalent Colorado pine species, including Ponderosa Pine and spruce and fir trees. Management approaches to the infestation have ranged from no intervention to intense pesticide spraying. Yet the reason the rate of infestation has slowed among lodgepole pines appears to be because there simply aren’t many more lodgepole pines to be consumed. It is estimated that it will take fifty to one hundred years before the landscape aesthetically recovers. To be continued...

References cited:

[1] Ciesla, W. et al.  The Health of Colorado Forests: Special Issue: Threats to Colorado's Current and Future Forest Resources. Report (Colorado State Forest Service and United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, 2009).

[2] United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Forest Service: Nature & Science. Trees – Lodgepole pine: Plants and Trees. (n.d.) Retrieved July 30, 2011, from http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/!ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gjAwhwtDDw9_AI8zPyhQoY6BdkOyoCAGixyPg!/?navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&cid=fsed_009750&navid=150130000000000&pnavid=150000000000000&ss=110402&position=Feature.Html&ttype=detail&pname=Boise%2520National%2520Forest-%2520Nature

[3] Ibid.

[4] Mc Cambridge, W.F. et al. Ponderosa Pine Mortality Resulting from a Mountain Pine Beetle Outbreak. Research Paper RM-235 (United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Colorado, September 1982).

[5] Ciesla, W. et al.  The Health of Colorado Forests: Special Issue: Threats to Colorado's Current and Future Forest Resources. Report (Colorado State Forest Service and United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, 2009).

[6] Kaufmann M.R. et al. The status of our scientific understanding of lodgepole pine and mountain pine beetles – a focus on forest ecology and fire behavior. GFI technical report 2008-2 (The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA., 2008).

About the Author: Allison Frederick writes on environmental and sustainability related issues, particularly as they relate to environmental psychology and green brand strategy.

A High Chess IQ? Implementing Biofuel and Biodiesel Sustainably

Problem solving includes looking forward, employing what we at GRIPS call “Chess IQ.” Chess IQ is a person’s ability to think ahead. A person who acts by thinking only one step ahead has a low chess IQ. A person who acts, thinking of possible outcomes and consequences three steps ahead has a relatively higher Chess IQ.


Building a business is challenging but building a sustainable business with consideration of your business impact on the environment, social strata, and longevity requires a significant investment in commitment, thinking, research, planning, and metrics. A sustainable business plan is not written and placed in an investor binder, never to be consulted again. Instead, it must be referred to continuously as the benchmark for all business decisions. Thus, the commitment, thinking, research, planning, and metrics chain is a constant loop serving as a guide for daily business operations and strategy.

The Corn-Soy biofuel experiment is a recent example of a strategy that gained significant investment, commitment, and publicity but the overall plan demonstrated a low Chess IQ. In retrospect, we see that stop-gaps were not put into place and little consideration seemed to be given to basic economic principles such as supply and demand in the food-fuel cycle, and land use displacement, or what the International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) refers to as Indirect Land Use Change – (ILUC).

IUCN’s well produced, animated video leads the viewer along a high Chess IQ path, using the bio food-fuel model as a demonstration. The video takes into consideration efficiency, land use displacement, and distribution – all three considerations are normal business supply-chain considerations. This video is an excellent teaching tool to help people begin to think about development a sustainable approach to biofuel energy solutions.

Allison Frederick is an Intellectual Property Educator and Innovation Marketing Consultant for GRIPS - GReen Idea Protection and Sales. She offers risk management assessments for renewable energy and green energy technology companies and her company also provides technology companies effective, affordable marketing strategies to produce attractive requests for proposals, investor materials, product manuals, and product promotion materials.

BioMass Energy Intro Guide: Great for Your Board, Venture Capitalist Proposal, and Other Investors

The National Wildlife Federation released a free pdf publication entitled “Growing a Green Energy Future: A Primer and Vision for Sustainable Biomass Energy” (March 2010). This full color 40 page publication is an excellent introduction to the Biomass Energy initiatives and industry. It would be an excellent referral publication for board members, venture capitalists, and other investors who are new to the biomass energy industry.


It is appears to be a very honest survey of the industry including an exploration of what I call the “ethanol experiment,” where massive investment and legislation fueled a strong emergence of an alternative fuel source before analysis of the overall economic impact could be assessed.

The publication explains biodiesel (from corn and soybeans), “first generation” biofuels, biomass energy sources including forest or woody biomass, crop biomass, and waste biomass. The publication also proposes sustainable management strategies that include newly developed assessments of overall greenhouse gas costs in producing biomass energy. Read “Growing a Green Energy Future: A Primer and Vision for Sustainable Biomass Energy” by the National Wildlife Federation.

Author: Allison Frederick


Allison Frederick is an Intellectual Property Educator and Innovation Marketing Consultant for GRIPS - GReen Idea Protection & Sales. She offers risk management assessments for renewable energy and green energy technology companies and her company also provides technology companies effective, affordable marketing strategies to produce attractive requests for proposals, investor materials, product manuals, and product promotion materials.

New Look, New Mission

There is a real need for renewable energy and green tech companies to manage not just natural resources but also financial resources committed to intellectual property. This site will give you resources to help you with this task.

Bailey Real Estate: Where Greenpeace & NRA Co-Mingle

Small Mountain Town Review of Bailey, Colorado: Rated "A"

There is one value Greenpeace and NRA members have in common - their love of the outdoors.

They relish the benefits of "getting away from it all" to enjoy the wilderness. They have respect for nature (each in their own way) and understand her power.

Colorado is a unique state in that it attracts everyone who loves the outdoors, no matter their political affiliation or beliefs on the proper "use" of the outdoors. As an incredibly large state, fortunately, there is room for us all.

It is interesting, really, how much a Greenpeace or Sierra Club type person and a hunter or NRA member do have in common. They both have profound respect for how awesome nature is. They both have respect for cycles of life. Now, of course, the conclusions they draw from their love of the outdoors are frequently on opposite ends of the spectrum, but they both come from the same starting point - love of the outdoors.

As a native Coloradan (both an NRA member and a Sierra Club advocate), I am always searching for that little piece of paradise I can call home. I look at cabins for sale and mountain land for sale all the time. I am searching for a piece of property that is secluded enough for me to co-habit with wildlife and hear nothing but humming birds humming and my own breathing. But, as a practical, city-dweller, I do not want property that is so far away from Denver that I rarely visit.

One town, Bailey, Colorado, offers the chance for a part-time mountain dweller to escape from the city and enjoy the mountains on the weekends and on vacations. Located on Highway 285 (same road as Hampden Avenue), the town is a focal point for fishermen, kayakers, hikers, motorcyclists, and even bird watchers.

It is about a 30 minute drive from the western suburbs of Denver and downtown Bailey. Drive another hour beyond downtown Bailey and you'll find yourself in Breckenridge (traveling the back way through Fairplay and Alma -and what is great is that you can go skiing without having to deal with the horrible I-70 weekend traffic). Bailey is centrally located to delve further into the mountains for skiing or hunting, or for driving down to Denver for the day.

Wisely, local, full-time residents keep the benefits of their little mountain jewel to themselves and do not readily advertise that Bailey is one town just beyond the Denver foothills that is feasible for daily commuting to work in Denver, and living daily in the wilderness.

One resident summed it up saying, "I love it up here. Every night after work and on the weekends I just let the pressures of my job in the city lift off my shoulders. The air is clean and it is so quiet."

So what is the real estate in Bailey like? The prices vary greatly - from $150,000 to an easy 2 million. Affordable properties that offer seclusion on well-maintained county roads, with a modern, bright home and acreage are rare and sell quickly.

One such "cabin" home, located on 10 acres with views from every window and southern exposure, is for sale for $450,000. The new owner of this home doesn't have to compromise. With most mountain houses, you have to make a compromise: either you have a lot of trees and no sunlight in the home, or lots of sunlight but no trees. In this spectacular home, you have the best of both worlds: plenty of mature trees but also plenty of sunlight!

If you've been searching for Colorado mountain properties then you know that there seems to be three options. Buy a mountain property with gorgeous land and a dark, run-down old house, buy a beautiful mountain home on a small lot, or pay nearly a million dollars to get both a beautiful house and gorgeous, private land. That is what makes this property so unique. It is affordably priced and has the land and has a beautiful, sunny home. Click here to take a virtual tour of this home.

Skyrocketing energy prices over the last few years have further united naturalists and outdoorsmen. An outdoorsman is attracted to homes and cabins that are off –the- grid, meaning the house has its own energy and water sources and is not dependent upon municipal or outside companies to supply power and services. They like off-the-grid homes because they like being in control and do not want their lives to be subject to the whims of any outside organization.

A naturalist is also interested in self-sufficient houses because the buildings have less impact (footprint) on the land with fewer pipes and poles drilled into the earth to transfer water, sewage, and power from an outlying company.

This home can appeal to both survivalists and naturalists because of the cost-effective, off-the-grid, self-sustaining features. This property for sale has: emergency generator hook up system, 300 gallon water storage reserve system for the well, well water and septic system, house currently runs on propane; however a natural gas line has been installed up to the house, pre-wired alarm security system and Qwest High Speed (OK, more vital to city-dwellers looking for a second home perhaps). With just a few modifications, this home can be completely independent.

When Your Quiet Mountain Getaway is Close Enough to Call Home

As an avid nature lover myself, I do hope that you find your own bit of paradise. Perhaps living in Bailey, Colorado will offer exactly what you are looking for. Perhaps this home nestled in Pike National Forest in the Rocky Mountains will be quiet enough to be your mountain getaway but close enough to call home. Click here to learn more about this property.

Cooped Up in Chicken Coops

California chickens may get to spread their wings.

There is a new proposition in California that stipulates that animals caged for food consumption must have larger cages. People are rarely aware of the living conditions of the animals we eat. I strongly believe that eating a stressed out animal leads to poor human nutrition. We understand how stress ravages our own bodies, why would we think it would be different for animals?

We use the term "cooped up" and now I know why. The standard cage size per hen is the size of a 8x11 piece of paper. Can you imagine having your food and water dish in the front of a piece of paper and the rest of your living space in the back of a cage the size of a piece of paper? Proponents of this cage size say a chicken has "plenty of room" to turn around in their cage.

Proposition 2 will stipulate that a chicken must at least have enough space to spread its wings. This size change will impact large chicken raisers but can contribute to a higher quality egg. Companies are given up to six years to help companies transition to more humane accommodations.

This proposition will affect other animals as well.



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There is a new resource in town:
Denver Metro Living at its Finest:
Life in South West Douglas County
Lifestyle, Events, News and Gossip, and Real Estate for Castle Rock, Sedalia, Louviers, Larkspur, and Castle Pines and Castle Pines North in Colorado

Read more about Proposition 2 in California.

Watch YouTube videos on Prop 2 - against animal cruelty.

Mona's Restaurant Denver: Review

If you are a regular shopper of a natural grocery and if you've cut out trans fats and other preservatives out of your pantries at home then you may find that going out to eat often makes your stomach churn and leave you feeling sluggish. Even though I love going out to eat I've noticed that I have to be even more careful of the choices I make or else I will feel awful afterward, even if the food is delicious. Breakfasts are an even greater challenge as the oils restaurants use to make eggs are often incredibly greasy and rancid.

I am pleased to say that Mona's Restaurant in Denver offers a great, healthy, simple gourmet menu. I went to the new location on South Broadway a few Sundays ago. A friend of mine suggested the place. I took a look at their menu online but didn't find it too exciting at first glance. They have a seemingly basic menu and I braced my gut for the usual dinner fare.

I was in for a nice surprise. We didn't have to wait for a table at 11:30 on a Sunday morning.
I chose the Davinci's Crab Cake Florentine and was pleased that the muffin was replaced with a bed of steamed spinach. My breakfast was delicious. They also support local ranches by offering free range chicken, and meat without antibiotics and added hormones. It isn't easy to find restaurants that are making that commitment here in Denver. Their eggs are also free-range, antibiotic free. Even though I eat organic, grass fed meats at home, I've become vegetarian when I go out so that I can avoid corporate farmed meats so it was a refreshing change to be able to choose for any of the meat items on the menu.

Colorado Green Living - Green living for your health not just for our beautiful Colorado environment.

Green Babies, Sage Moms: Book Review

Green Babies, Safe Moms: The Ultimate Guide to Raising Your Organic Baby (2008) by Lynda Fassa, Founder of GreenBabies.com, an organic baby and kid clothing store.

This book is for anyone who is interested in changing their life into a more non-toxic, organic, sustainable lifestyle. You do not have to be a mother or father expecting a new child to glean excellent advise from her easy to read book.

I am not a mother nor do I intend to be, but long ago I decided that I should behave as if I were pregnant. What I mean is, if doctors and manufacturers say that pregnant women shouldn't eat tuna, drink coffee, or take certain medications and nutraceuticals because they may harm the baby, then I decided that my health (without a baby growing inside) is just as valuable and therefore, I shouldn't consume those things. It was tough giving up tuna and other fish that tend to host high levels of mercury. It was even more difficult to give up coffee but I believe that I enjoy a greater level of health because of it. Similarly, readers of Green Babies, Sage Moms can benefit and make their bodies and environments less toxic, or at the very least, become more aware of the bombardment of pesticides, herbicides and other chemical onslaughts and the unsustainable, consumptive lifestyle many of us lead.

Fassa enlightens us on organic foods and the chemicals incompatible with human life in cosmetics, perfumes, and hair products. She also talks about the use of pesticides used in cotton production and she touches on the burdens of waste in our trash dumps and how to improve indoor air quality by using non-toxic cleaners.

The book is full of resources and commentary by other green industry leaders. It is a quick read and is hopeful and not a "doom and gloom, scare the pants off you" book.

Green Babies, Safe Moms: The Ultimate Guide to Raising Your Organic Baby should be available in your local library (that is where I pick up my copy) or through Amazon.

Safe Green Living - Because not all sustainable living is healthy for humans.
Tips for non-toxic, organic, sustainable green living.

Colorado Needs "Water Day" Earth Day Reflections

The different domains of the globe can be separated by categories: earth, air, and water. Earth Day celebrates all three domains collectively in an attempt to encourage each of us to nurture and respect our own relationship with the environment. But in Colorado there seems to be a more pressing concern, our water, or better said, the lack of it.

Yesterday afternoon I watched a small dark grey plume of smoke over a ridge in Castle Rock. I later learned that two residential homes were burned but at the time I felt the sickening dread of "fire season". My family was intimately involved in the Hayman Fire in 2000. Dread, fueled by slippery winds and erratic fire paths, toyed with our emotions and our property for days. Would we be spared? Sadly we watched acres of gorgeous Colorado mountain terrain be swallowed up in a voracious fireball.

Our arid climate not only fuels fires but also the pine beetle devastation that has stripped our ski slopes, leaving the scrawny brown remains of the once evergreen, majestic trees. What can we do to preserve the purity of our Colorado water and conserve our water?

Ideas:

"Grass-roots" Green Technology
This idea is personally untried, but our new lawn care specialist is about to help us conserve water on our lawn. The soil beneath our Castle Rock lawn is claylike. The clay chokes plant roots and makes it very difficult for plants, trees, and grass to grow. Each year our new lawn has progressively gotten worse. We watered as much as we were allowed (per water restrictions) but the wind and arid climate seemed to siphon off the water we put on it. We watch our water glaze over our grass, onto our sidewalk and down into the city drain just like a watershed. This fast water path leaves behind our still yellow-green grass. Frustrated, we researched weather-based irrigation systems but then our new eco-friendly lawn management consultant recommended that we put top soil on the grass so that the nutrient rich soil can work its way down into our clay soil and help break up the death-gripe of our dirt. Several applications throughout the summer should not only feed our lawn but also help with water absorption so we can stop watching the run-off pool on our sidewalks.

Advanced "Green Technology"
For those of you attracted to gadgets, our low tech suggestion of adding topsoil may not be that exciting. Many new LEED certified green homes include a water irrigation system that uses a satellite connection to receive weather reports at your home. The irrigation system then self-regulates the amount of water needed to keep your landscaping alive and healthy. Use of the water-weather monitoring software system may mean that you do not need to follow water restriction calendars. Check with your town’s water department to see what the restrictions are.
Looking for more?
Harmony Lawns – Non-toxic lawn care – serving Castle Rock and ParkerThey offer low emission lawn care and their rates are affordable. Contact them now to get on their summer schedule.

WeatherTRAK ET plus system:
Read their article entitled: Is Your Irrigation System Killing Your Landscape?
WeatherTRAK Smart Irrigation - Save Water & Your Landscape
to find out more about their self-regulating water irrigation system.


Ten Steps to Non-toxic Lawn CareThis article is featured on the Breast Cancer Research and Education Fund website.

Colorado Green Living - Green living for your health not just for our beautiful Colorado environment.

Happy Earth and Water Day!

What is "Green"?

Everyone is going green...

"Green" is the now popular phrase that describes a lifestyle, commitment, and philosophy toward sustainable living. The idea is to minimize human impact on the environment by reducing the amount of waste and toxins each individual produces so that we pollute less, destroy less animal and plant habitat and leave a smaller garbage legacy.

Everyone is talking "green" including HGTV who is giving away a "green home", Wal-Mart, who is now carrying organic cotton bath towels, and yesterday my national chain grocery store gave me some documentation about how their company is "going green".

To me, the phrase green is synonymous with sustainable living, it is just easier to say. Sustainable living means that you take the resources from the earth that you need without leaving toxic sludge or minimized resources for future generations. The idea is that our grandchildren will not be forced to deal with polluted waters, burgeoning waste dumps and depleted soils just so that we could have all the consumer goods and lifestyle we want.

Is Green a Fad?I hope not. While our interest and commitment in environmental issues wanes and waxes over the years, developing a habit of contributions like recycling, buying energy saving appliances, recycling computers and cell phones, using rechargeable batteries, supporting local farmers and ranchers by purchasing their food directly at farmers markets, nourishing your family’s body and mind with organic foods, and reducing our use of water and electricity are habits we can integrate into our lives and they truly will make a positive difference in the world – especially if many of us do it.

Green Means RespectNative American's have a legacy of respect for Mother Nature. Their culture and stories warned that what we take from the earth, we must replenish. Going green means that we have respect for ourselves, our families, other humans, other life forms, and the earth.

Looking for more?

Tips for non-toxic, organic, sustainable green living.

Shades of "Green" - Deciding Who is Eco-Friendly

Shades of "Green"- Deciding Who is Eco-Friendly

Today I read a newspaper article criticizing Whole Foods shopping market. One criticism is that they shouldn't sell produce from other countries, presumably because of the fuel it takes to bring such a shipment to the United States and then distribute it to other stores. While this is a sound argument, it makes me think that we should keep in mind that going green is subject to interpretation. Each person and company decides to what degree they want to help save the environment.

Some people make seemingly drastic choices like giving up their automobile. We may think they are noble because of their choice (or crazy). They offset their carbon footprint but then someone else that is even more devoted to environmental responsibility will argue, "Yes, you gave up driving but you still use fossil fuels when you take the smog producing buses and trains. You should give that up entirely and ride a bicycle, like me." This more eco-friendly person smugly commends himself for how earth-sensitive he is.

Then, his woman friend decides he is too proud of himself and she condemns his choices because his bicycle is made by adorable, poverty stricken children in factories insensitive to fair-trade agreements. And what is worse; consider the amount of fuel it took to ship his bicycle to him. What a waste of natural resources. "What you should do is walk everywhere, like I do," she loftily proclaims. I can see the reasonableness of her argument too but what about the shoes she uses to walk around in? Where did they come from? How many parts and from which places did the materials come from? What environmental impact did the dye residues have that were used to make her trendy "earth-friendly" turquoise shoes?

There is an ideal, eco-friendly society, and then there is where we truly are. Our societies are so far removed from native earth living, that it is honestly unrealistic to expect that everyone must completely revert back to that lifestyle. If someone would like to join an earth commune then that is great but to judge others and dismiss their own efforts at environmentally sensitive living or criticize companies that are bringing organic foods to the masses is juvenile and egotistic.


We wrap up our criticism in a stifling environmental blanket that thinly disguises the American love-hate relationship with success. Most all of us want to be successful and often that success is measured in freedom and some degree of wealth and fame. But when someone becomes too successful, we act like a blood thirsty crowd in old black and white films, yelling and swing pitchforks and torches, claiming "Kill that profiting (successful) beast!"

I believe in living in harmony not only with the earth, but with each other and with our selves. If you personally believe it is wrong to eat produce from other countries because of the fossil fuel costs, then you can chose to only buy local foods rather than criticize the companies that provide both options. The beautiful thing about America is that the choice is entirely up to you. I hope we will always have that choice.

Safe Green Living, Examining the controversies and misleading information about going green and earth-friendly living.

Organic Baby Gifts: Clothes, Non-toxic Toys

Organic Baby Gifts: Bed Linens, Fun Outfits, and Safe, Non-toxic Toys

Give babies a true fresh start. Why expose them to man-made chemicals before their immune systems have a chance to adapt to life in our toxic world.

Does it seem a little excessive to buy organic clothing? Read about the chemicals incorporated into fabrics and clothing here. Flame retardants, pesticides, and formaldehyde are just a few examples of the chemicals in non-organic clothing. Decide if you would like to give your baby a non-toxic start. Organic clothing is still a new industry so the prices can be a little high. Because of the higher prices, organic baby clothing and bed linens make for excellent gifts.

Colorful Organic Onesies - Kimono style, Long sleeve, bodysuit style, short sleeve



Keep Baby's head warm, protected and comforted, organic cotton baby hats


Organic cotton baby pants, long


Organic Bunting Blankets

Organic baby clothing must be tightly worn in order to be considered safe by federal authorities. They are afraid loose baby clothing may be a fire hazard and that is why most baby clothes are treated with flame retardants. Keep your baby away from flames, cigarettes, and avoid the need for chemically doused clothing.



Organic Baby Wrapping Blankets



Organic cotton diapers, washable wool diapers



Bamboo Baby ProductsBamboo is becoming more and more popular. Thomas Edison planted hundreds of bamboo tree varieties on his summer property in Fort Meyers, Florida. He was trying to find an affordable natural rubber source. We are still finding new ways to use bamboo.



Organic Baby Gift Baskets
Wow them with these ready-made baskets.



Non-toxic teething toys -
some made from 100% organic Egyptian cotton, soft veggie toys, stuffed animals



Organic Baby Bedding and Linens Mattress protectors, organic wool mattresses that help regulate the baby's body temperature...