May 25, 2011

I heart Coriander Girl

You know what makes planning a wedding so darn fun? Working with people like Alison from Coriander Girl. Alison is our florist and she’s a real gem.

Despite my limited flower vocabularly, she’s the kind of person who just makes me want to jump up and down with excitement when we’re talking flowers. And her Parkdale shoppe is the sweetest. THE SWEETEST! It’s an inspired combination of country charm and English whimsy, just perfect.

You know what else? Alison is a reuser! She uses beautiful antique vessels for her arrangements. Think tea cups, mason jars, milk glass vases and apothecary bottles. Her designs are fresh, creative and so, so pretty. But perhaps the thing I love most about Alison’s floral designs is that they remind me of the beautiful chaos of my grandmother’s English-style garden.

Grandma spent hours tending to her colourful gardens and I used to love getting my hands dirty alongside her. I was an expert “dead header.

“My “vision” for our wedding flowers is one that incorporates the elements that I so loved about Grandma’s garden. We’re not working from a colour palette, instead we’re hoping that all the various colours, shapes and sizes of flowers that worked so well together at Grandma and Grandpa’s house will also work just as well on our harvest tables at the Gardiner.

I knew Alison “got” my style when she told me that she had saved the same photos of bouquets and table arrangements from various wedding blogs that I had sent to her for inspiration.

I can’t wait to see what she designs for July 2!

Oh! And here’s a tip for getting “better value for dollar” (a classic Mr. Green phrase) if you’re planning your wedding:

Instead of renting vases from a florist, opt instead to buy your own. I checked out a couple of different florists before we decided to go with Alison* and each one of them quoted a few hundred dollars for vase rental and I thought: if I’m spending that kind of money I want to, at least, get to keep them!

In the end, Mr. Green and I probably spent more time than either of us really wanted to hunting for vases. But spending less than $100 on our vases (read: drinking glasses) made our adventures through Chinatown, various antique and second-hand stores, and Ikea on a Saturday worth every penny! 

Of course, we tried to do the reuse thing first, but we just couldn’t get the quantity we were after (thank you Ikea). BUT since we own the vases, we hope that our guests bring the arrangements home to enjoy and that they reuse the vase in their own home.

We are getting so excited for July 2!!!

*Alison’s vases were a little too whimsical for the modern style of the Gardiner.

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February 21, 2011

Duh dum duh dummm …

Mr. Green and I looking a little windblown and very excited!

It’s true! Mr. Green and I are engaged! His proposal caught me completely by surprise (awesome) and we’re both over the moon excited to be getting married. On July 2, I’ll become Mrs. Green! Imagine?!

We’re in full planning mode and that’s why I’ve been a little absent from Greener at First Sight.

Speaking of plans, many people are wondering whether we’re planning a “green” wedding. Well, we’re certainly keeping the environment in mind as we plan our day, and we’re doing our best to be as green as possible.

So far, I’ve bought a beautiful dress that won’t be travelling by coal powered boat from China; instead, my dress will be made right here in Toronto. Yay for Becker’s Bridal! We’re getting married at Trinity Chapel and hosting our reception at the Gardiner Museum where Jamie Kennedy will serve up a local, sustainable, and delicious dinner – it might even be completely vegetarian! Note: both locations are accessible by the TTC for the more adventurous – and green – travellers.  

There are oodles and oodles of blogs out there with heaps of ideas for the big day. I’ve been browsing a handful of them and some are even geared toward green weddings, like Eco Beautiful Weddings and Dream Green Weddings . With so many choices and so much inspiration out there, it’s been difficult making decisions!

Flowers and invitations are next up on our radar … stay tuned for details!

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January 9, 2011

Here’s to an even greener 2011!

 

Upcycled chop sticks! Idea and Photo credit: Danny Seo, dannyseo.com

We’re nine days in to 2011 and while the holidays – ah, the holidays – seem but a distant memory now, I’ve yet to declare any resolutions for 2011. I’ve been trying to think of ways to take this greener living thing to the next level (surprised?) and in so doing, I was reminded of all the greener things I did and learned in 2010. I’ve come a long way, baby!

That’s why instead of making grand resolutions to make dramatic changes in the year ahead, I’m resolving to continue along the greener path I’ve set for myself and look for a few new ways to live greener.

For instance, inspired by recent design show marathons and green living expert, Danny Seo, I’m resolving to reuse items I already have and try my hand at upcycling!

I’ve always enjoyed making things and exploring my artistic side so, upcycling – turning things you already own into something new and beautiful – seems to be the perfect challenge for creative, crafty me.

And I know Mr. Green will be a fan of upcycling. After all, he’s the guy who goes searching for “treasure” when we’re out exploring the city. He’ll stop at the top of people’s driveways to explore their discarded items or excitedly pull me aside to examine the remains of renovation projects. Mr. Green isn’t all that motivated by the thought of finding items to reuse or turn into something new. Nope, he’s hoping to find the next windfall item for Antiques Roadshow. I think he’s convinced he’s going to find a Picasso at the side of the road.

Check out some of my inspiration here and consider how you can turn things you might otherwise have discarded into something new and inspired.

You know what they say, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure …

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December 23, 2010

A brilliant idea, a one year anniversary (!), and a recipe for green cookies

 
It really feels like Christmas out there, doesn’t it?! I’ve been trolling the shops, baking treats and wrapping presents all day. I’m feeling pretty beat, but I wanted to share a few things before I hit the hay…
 
1. I may have won the real vs. fake Christmas tree debate this year, but maybe next year Mr. Green and I will buy a REUSABLE Christmas tree! A dear reader pointed me to a little Williamsburg gardening shop that will deliver a small potted Christmas tree right to your door. Imagine? After you’ve enjoyed your sweet little blue spruce, you return it and Rose Red & Lavender will replant the tree at their farm in West Virginia. Bonus: you receive 30 per cent of your money back in store credit. 
 
Intrigued, I wanted to see whether there was something similar going on here in Toronto. Bad news: there doesn’t seem to be. However, there are two boys from Burnaby B.C. who started their own rent-a-Christmas-tree company, Evergrow. They wanted to provide a way for people to have greener Christmas. Like Rose Red & Lavender they will deliver your tree to your door and after you’ve enjoyed it, they’ll replant it and you can use it again next year. They’ll even rent you a tree overnight for an evening party! What a brilliant idea.
 
Anyone from the TO-area know anything about farming Christmas trees? I have an idea…
 
2. I’ve been blogging for A YEAR! Can you believe it? The year really has flown by and looking back, I think this little project has helped me think “greener.” I’ve certainly learned a lot and I feel more aware of environmental issues. I think what I realize now, more than ever, is how individual actions can have far-reaching influence, especially when it comes to how we spend money. It wasn’t all that long ago that the only place to find “green” or environmentally friendly products was in specialty stores. And now it seems wherever you turn – restaurants, clothing shops, grocery stores etc. – there are greener alternatives, and that’s because we, the consumers, have asked for them.
 
Thank you for faithfully reading and coming along with me on this journey. Keep the comments, suggestions, and ideas coming – I so appreciate your support.
 
3. I want to share a favourite recipe for what my family calls, “Green Cookies.” These are Christmas-time cookies and are actually called “Holly Berry Cookies,” but when my brother and I were little it was simpler, and more descriptive, to just call them “green cookies.” They are delicious and one of the best cookies to make this time of year because there is no baking required! Also, all said and done, these take 15 minutes to make, max. How great is that?
Ingredients:

½ cup butter

30 large marshmallows

½ tsp vanilla

1 ½ tsp green food colouring, don’t stop adding the colouring until you get a rich green colour

3 ½ cup Corn Flakes

Candied cherries cut in quarters, or so

Method:

Melt butter and marshmallows over low heat, stir lots

Add vanilla and food colouring, take off of heat

Pour melted mixture over corn flakes, stir like crazy

Drop rounded tablespoons onto wax or parchment paper. Trick: use a greased spoon

Top with cherries

Allow to set and cool … Enjoy!

Well, I think this is it for me until after the holidays, so…A very Happy Christmas to All, and to All a good night.

 

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December 21, 2010

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

From the crowded streets full of harried shoppers, to the heaping mountains of diet-busting treats, to the twinkling lights in my neighbourhood, it’s clear that Christmas really is just around the corner and everyone is getting in the spirit. That includes Mr. Green and me. In our house, ‘tis the season for eating, drinking and debating whether a real or fake Christmas tree is better for the environment.  

Last year we bantered back and forth, attempting to convince the other that we had the greenest answer when it came to decking the halls.

I believe that a real Christmas tree is the smartest choice for the planet and, perhaps surprisingly, Mr. Green disagrees. He believes that the polyethylene branches of a fake tree are the most responsible environmental choice.

In my mind, the toxic plastics and energy required to produce, then ship a fake tree, usually all the way from China, makes using the real thing the greenest choice. And surely based on how you dispose of the tree alone, composting vs. a lifetime in a landfill, would tip the scales in favour of a jaunty pine or balsam tree.

On the other hand, Mr. Green believes that chopping a tree down every year – robbing the planet of its environmental benefit – is wasteful and he’d rather reuse a fake tree for 15 years than chop 15 real ones down. He tells me that once the fake tree is manufactured it is “inert,” meaning it won’t have any more affect on the environment. I wasn’t buying that, so asked him about how harmful it is to have landfills full of plastic trees with branches leeching harmful chemicals into the soil and water systems. He simply replied that our landfills are sophisticated enough to dispose of plastic trees safely. 

Last Christmas the debate ended in a draw, but this year with more on the line – we actually were planning to buy our first tree together – our debate continued over many days and until we reached a decision.

Drum roll please …

Thanks to some internet sleuthing on my part and with the help of some Montreal environmental consultants and David Suzuki, we bought a real tree!

It’s a handsome little Douglas Fir that we found on the cheap and happily carried home on the subway – the urban equivalent of driving out to the woods and bringing your freshly chopped tree home on a sleigh.  

Mr. Green trimming the tree

Recently, Ellipsos, a sustainability research firm, conducted a life-cycle assessment of real and fake trees, and they found that a fake tree would have to be reused more than 20 times to be greener than buying a real tree annually.

Another thing to consider is that Christmas trees are grown like crops, with the sole purpose of being harvested and later enjoyed in people’s homes. And in the years before they become the focal point of holiday decorating the trees provide a natural home to birds and other species, all while generating oxygen and cleaning the air.

Christmas tree farms also preserve valuable green space and farmland from developers. And for people who have farmland that can’t support other crops, farming Christmas trees offers a viable way to make a profit.

The final point goes to one of the Ellipsos researchers:

“When you really consider it, if you exchange a couple of days of commuting by car with carpooling or riding a bicycle, you’ll completely overcompensate for whatever the impact of the tree is,” he said. “It’s not such a big deal. Enjoy your tree, whichever one you prefer.”

It seems that this Christmas Mr. Green got a little greener and we got to pick out our first real tree together. And for those of you who are wondering, the LED light battle is one I can’t win. But despite the blue-ish glow of our white twinkle lights, our tree looks just lovely. Don’t you think? 

Our first "green" tree!

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November 15, 2010

Dinner Tonight

 

Sweet Potato Black Bean Bake

Two months after moving in with Mr. Green the most common question I’m asked about our adventure in cohabitation relates to what we eat at home. I grew up in what might be described as a meat-centric home where meals were planned based on how the beef or pork, chicken or turkey was prepared. And though long-ago I began preparing and enjoying vegetarian meals, I still tended to eat meat the majority of days. Of course, my diet changed when I moved in with Mr. Green.

At home, I eat like a vegetarian.* I’ve come to know intimately the lentil and bean family, and now count tofu and tempeh as a food group. I seek out vegetarian recipes and get excited when I come across one that has a meatless take on an old favourite, like stew or bourguignon – even burgers. Mr. Green and I enjoy cooking together, and look forward to testing out recipes and new flavours in our kitchen.

Tonight was no exception. We modified a favourite black bean dip recipe a friend shared to come up with our very own Sweet Potato Black Bean bake.

Sweet Potato Black Bean Bake

1 clove garlic

2 tbsp oil of your choice

1 diced onion

½ diced red pepper (we used green, but would have preferred red)

2-ish tbsp chilli powder (to taste)

2-ish tsp cumin (to taste)

1-ish tsp dried chilli flakes (to taste)

1 large sweet potato quarter-inch diced

½ can diced tomatoes

1 cup corn (frozen or canned is fine)

1 can black beans

1 cup shredded cheese (we used goat cheese cheddar)

½ cup chopped cilantro Juice of half a lime

Method

Toss chopped sweet potato in oil with a dash each chilli powder, cumin, chilli flakes. Bake until soft but not mushy, about 20 minutes at 400F.

Sauté garlic in oil until fragrant, but not browned. Add onions and sauté until onions are soft and see-through.

Add pepper and chilli, cumin, and chilli flakes. Stir to coat onions. Continue to cook until spices release aroma.

Add tomatoes, corn, black beans and cilantro and cook until liquid from tomatoes is mostly absorbed. Simmer and adjust seasoning.

Add cooked sweet potatoes and combine. Layer bean mixture in casserole dish with cheese. Be sure cheese is evenly distributed throughout. Squeeze lime juice over the top to taste.

Bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes. Be careful not to overcook.

Serve with sour cream or plain yoghurt. Garnish with cilantro and remaining juice from lime.

Yield: Four generous servings

Eating like a vegetarian is easy and I enjoy it. I still eat meat – my girlfriends can attest to that – but I’ve come to learn that the amount of protein derived from meat can be easily made up with “meat alternatives.” Try searching out a new vegetarian recipe and see for yourself how delicious, healthy, and green (!!) a meatless meal can be.

Some of my recipe sources:

Lots of variety, organized by ingredient for easy searching: NY Times Recipes for Health 

New find: Smitten Kitchen

Yummy recipes from Toronto holistic nutritionist: Joyous Health

Old favourite and standby: LCBO Food & Drink

*I eat, mostly, like a vegetarian. Last week on my home from work I was looking for adventure, so tucked into Cumbrae’s, my neighbourhood butcher, and walked out with lamb and hot Italian sausages. (I also tucked some designer olives in my, reusable, bag for Mr. Green). That night for dinner we made squash and mushroom risotto and I enjoyed a lamb sausage on the side.

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November 7, 2010

Composting: the new recycling

Admittedly, it’s been forever since my last post and I’m sorry about that. I want to shout to all who are listening: I’m still here! It’s been a busy summer for me and Mr. Green that culminated in a huge move for both of us at the end of August. Yes, all, Mr. Green and I now share the same, greener, roof!

The guilt I’ve felt over the last several months for not posting has been mounting, but instead of pushing me to post, it’s been paralyzing. I’ve felt that the post of my return has to be epic, as if in its epic-ness it will make up for the last several months of radio silence.

Before you get your hopes up I’m afraid this isn’t the blockbuster blog post I’ve imagined, but, hopefully, it’ll do?

Since moving in with Mr. Green, I’ve picked up a new habit: composting.

Mr. Green and I live in a building that was one of the 30 multi-unit buildings selected for the City’s organics collection pilot. We’re joining the thousands of other Toronto families that separate their fruits skins and egg shells in an effort to reduce their impact on the environment.

But I’ve learned that composting in an apartment building isn’t for the faint of heart. It requires commitment, space and some days, a strong stomach. And for us, the challenge of separating our coffee grinds from the non-recyclables also requires a little patience and a sense of humour.

When I first moved in, Mr. Green insisted on keeping the bag of food waste in the sink. He claimed that leaving the food entrails in the sink was convenient, much more so than storing them in the organics container under the sink. He  also claimed that bending down to retrieve the bag either during food preparation or when it was time to dispose of it, was just too much for him to handle – the energy requirement too great for him to consider putting the compost bag in its “home” under the sink. And then he’d wonder why we had a persistent cloud of fruit flies or a funky smelling apartment.

Despite several conversations, Mr. Green and I are still a little at odds when it comes to where our bag of food scraps should be stored, but, most days, you can find it tucked away neatly under the sink where the offensive odour of rotting rinds is contained. And on the mornings when it’s time to carry our food waste down to our building’s green container, I try to be the one who bends down, opens the cupboard door, and lifts our compost bag from its home, saving Mr. Green the extra effort, before handing the bag over to him for disposal. I’m very lucky that he recognizes the danger of carrying our compost down the hall, into the elevator, and outside to the green bin when you’re dressed for work. Our building’s green bin is pretty filthy, so the likelihood of a food scrap ending up on your shoe is high.

But is all this effort really doing the planet any good? In a word, yes.

In Toronto, organic waste accounts for 30 per cent of trash going to landfill. The City has an ambitious plan to divert 70 per cent of its garbage away from landfill, so among many other initiatives runs the largest organic waste diversion program on the continent. Last year, 2,500 fewer trucks hit the road to Michigan which meant 85,000 tonnes of organic waste were diverted thanks to the 87 per cent of Toronto homes that support the City’s plan.   

This is very good news because organic waste that ends up in landfills decompose without oxygen, producing methane – a greenhouse gas known to contribute to global warming.

At the moment, only 30 multi-unit buildings can compost, but the pilot program was so successful that it is being rolled out to all the remaining buildings over the next 18 months. Soon every Toronto home will be able to participate in the City’s Green Bin organics program.  

We all remember the recycling revolution; I think it’s time now for the composting revolution.
 

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