Mario and I set out this afternoon to identify and pick a large selection of wild edibles from our property and neighboring fields. We were able to learn about a lot of wonderful plants that have up to 50 times more nutrients than even the most nutritious organic we could buy from local farms.

We picked, washed and even dehydrated many for future use. We made a Wild Smoothie and only had to add some fruit to sweeten it up.

This inspired us to also cultivate and tend some beds in our organic garden here at Kale University by planting only Wild Edibles for optimal health.

Markus Rothkranz has a great field book out there to help you identify these amazingly nutritious plants.

We picked so many types, I didn’t have room to mention them in the recipe below. Two of our favorites are Thistle and Nettles.

Image Source: http://farm1.staticflickr.com/224/495192005_7a608811e0_d.jpg

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The #OneSmallAct questions were:

• Q1. What’s your favorite way to save water? Quick shower? Faucet off when brushing teeth? Rain garden? #onesmallact
• Q2. At work what is the #onesmallact you’d do 1st to reduce energy, save on office supply bills, banish waste?
• Q3. Out to lunch at park. Sunny day. What #onesmallact are u sure to do before u leave? And while ur there?
• Q4. Have u tried to reduce ur meat consumption by just 1 day a week? Got any recipes/tips to share? #onesmallact
• Q5. What is your favorite item to recycle, big or tiny? What’s on your recycle to-do list? #onesmallact
• Q6. Name #onesmallact for smart healthy efficient living that we haven’t shared yet. And why we should all do it?

Here are some of our favorite answers from last night.

Smile at people all day long. #OneSmallAct. Happier people make better choices in all areas, including eco consideration.

— Blythe Metz (@BlytheRAW) June 7, 2012

If avg family of 4 eats half as much meat, they avoid as much CO2 as not driving a car for 6 months! #OneSmallAct #climate

— Concerned Scientists (@UCSUSA) June 7, 2012

a MUST! RT @mom4everandever: get kids involved- make it a natural thing in their life not forced #onesmallact

— Mommybites (@Mommybites) June 7, 2012

RT @EcoWoolworth: A1-I water my garden early in the morning so it doesnt evaporate when its hot outside later #OneSmallAct

— Aarica Ann (@MyEdibleGardens) June 7, 2012

Buying #organic & #fairtrade items whenever possible helps planet and people. Every little bit counts. @Mommybites #onesmallact

— WS Badger Company (@BadgerBalmUSA) June 7, 2012

Always!! RT @BeStrawesome: Use glass straws instead of #plastic disposable straws! (I make them strawesome.com ) #onesmallact

— Brad Wyman (@bradwyman) June 7, 2012

Love it! RT @EcoDesignGirl: @Weleda @mommybites Fav way to save water? Double up in the shower ;o) #onesmallact

— Kale University (@KaleUniversity) June 7, 2012

What #OneSmallAct can you do to help?

It just takes us all doing our part to help keep this world happy. If we all do one small act every day, we’ll make a large impact on the health of the world.

The post How #OneSmallAct Can Change the World appeared first on Kale University.

We’ll be at EarthFair with 40,000 at Balboa Park in San Diego volunteering in the signature-gathering stage of the California initiative to label GMOs that’s wrapping up right now. What are your plans for Earth Day? Have you changed any of your habits to help the Earth? Here’s a list of films you might want to check out with your family this weekend!

• Thrive
• Tapped
• No Impact Man
• Dirt
• Food Inc
• The Future of Food
• Fresh
• Fuel

Watch Earth Days on PBS. See more from American Experience.

Image Source: 1

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Jim Kor talks a little bit about his background as an engineer and how the whole project got started. He explains how we need far less energy than we currently use, therefore, giving us the ability to gracefully scale back. It’s going from something that was just over-complex and stripping it down to basic functionality.

Urbee is designed to be environmentally sustainable. This is because it can efficiently store and use exactly the amount of solar and wind energy you can collect on a one-car garage in one day. If you want to go farther in a day, you can use its ethanol powered engine. Why is this so great? An average “sedan” uses 12 times more energy than Urbee. This alone is worth a lot in sustainability and in your wallet.

The Vision for Urbee

Taken from the Urbee site:
The Urbee design team had a vision. That vision was written out and posted on the walls of our shop. It is the fundamental design ideals we followed in working on the Urbee Car Project.

• Use the least amount of energy possible for every kilometre traveled.
• Cause as little pollution as possible during manufacturing, operation and recycling of the car.
• Use materials available as close as possible to where the car is built.
• Use materials that can be recycled again and again.
• Use parts and materials that last as long as possible.
• Be simple to understand, build, and repair.
• Be as safe as possible to drive.
• Meet the standards and regulations applicable to traditional cars.
• Be buildable in small quantities so we don’t have to wait for it to become more widely accepted before we can begin manufacturing it for the public.
• Be mass-producable so it can be built more economically once it becomes more widely accepted.
• Be affordable.
• Be visually appealing.

What’s Next?

There are many areas of our everyday life that can be stripped down to a virtually (if not fully) sustainable level. If we look around our world with fresh eyes that don’t take current ideas and technology for granted, who know’s what we can come up with. What kind of applications can you think of from the team developing Urbee?

The post Urbee, The Urban Car of the Future by Jim Kor appeared first on Kale University.

Jonathan Safran talks joins ABC’s Lateline to talk about the ethics and environmental impact of a meat diet. Part 1 of 2.

The post Jonathan Safran Foer on Vegetarianism, Lateline Australia – PT.1 appeared first on Kale University.

Jonathan Safran talks joins ABC’s Lateline to talk about the ethics and environmental impact of a meat diet.

The post Jonathan Safran Foer on Vegetarianism, Lateline Australia – PT.2 appeared first on Kale University.

How to stop global warming? This extraordinary movie made by the Nicolaas G. Pierson Foundation from Holland shows us the whole and bitter truth about the influence of the meat industry on our climate and on the devastation of our environment, water and air.

The post Global Warming: MEAT THE TRUTH appeared first on Kale University.

Pyramids of Waste, a free online documentary, speaks directly about the deliberate aim of businesses to create continued profits by making products flimsy and disposable rather than long-lasting and reliable. Parts fail and must be replaced, or better yet, the whole unit is disposed of and a new one is purchased. Little do we all know or care that the waste is largely landfilled or even shipped and dumped in third world countries.

I’m ready for a great challenge in 2011 and that is to live lighter. Less stuff, less consumption, more appreciation for the people and blessings in my life.  Less indulgence, more balance. As I declutter my life, I like to get motivation and support from books like Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui and online guides like this great article on Hybrid Mom.

Here are some more ideas and resources that have been on my mind as I make an effort to live mindfully and not buy anything carelessly.

No Impact Man was an intriguing documentary about a man who decides to live, along with his wife and young daughter, consuming minimal energy, producing minimal waste, and buying nothing new if possible.  His wife was a bit of a shopper, and their lifestyle was drastically impacted as they rode bikes instead of driving and cooked rather than eating out. Even though they definitely encountered challenges along the way, they made it a whole year on their plan and decided to continue with many of their new practices.

Joyful Furniture is a great shop in Boulder, Colorado that refurbishes old furniture and gives it a new life. What is your favorite place to find great upcycled items? I also frequent a local ARC Thrift store and Unique Thrift Store, both in Westminster, CO to get any clothes or kitchen items we need. Browsing at a Thrift Store is like a meditation to me, and I usually try to keep it under $20, considering how much of what I buy will probably end up back there within the year. Decent extension of the life-cycle though!

1st Dibs is an online purveyor of high-end vintage pieces and true antiques. I love perusing their selection, though it’s an exercise in “if I had a million dollars” type of design.  At least when you choose long-lasting, substantial pieces, you set your space up for a lifetime or more of use and love.

Architectural Digest has great tips and resources for where designers find their one-of-a-kind decor.

At Etsy.com you can explore all sorts of items that are handmade, recycled, and/or vintage. It’s a great way to support small business and get unique items that you’ll love for years to come.

Cradle to Cradle is a book I have flipped through but am reading in earnest soon (borrowing from a friend, sweet!). It looks like it should be required reading for all designers, but also anyone who cares about sustainability and wants to learn more about the life of a product.

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