tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51736689865336999212012-02-16T12:01:10.525-06:00"Black is for the color of our skin, green is for the land of our birth." as the song says. Resources for those of us who are Black and want to live Green (Eco-friendly, socially conscious).Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.comBlogger541100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-29809923871332969172010-04-27T14:43:00.001-05:002010-04-27T14:43:54.665-05:00

Its been almost a year since I posted. That is sad and if you don't read this blog anymore that's ok. I've mentioned that Tara and I are early adopters of the green lifestyle. We've both been doing various things for the better part of a decade. Simple things like recycling and composting, buying recycled products, more natural products, etc.. Earth Day is one of the things we've both done for

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-57251247126597490722009-05-31T19:43:00.011-05:002009-06-05T16:56:11.105-05:00

My native plant gardening has morphed slightly into habitat building.My initial attraction to native plant gardening was the lack of continued work needed. In theory you plant something according to its needs and you're done. Almost all native plants are perennials so they only get stronger. After that I liked the idea of using local products, local retailers for those products and I liked having

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-3030807873959892002009-04-17T08:37:00.003-05:002009-04-17T09:07:37.900-05:00

New MTA 60-foot hybrid bus on display at Nashville Earth Day FestivalThe Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) will join Nashvillians celebrating the environment at Nashville Earth Day Festival activities on Saturday, April 18, in Centennial Park.MTA will display one of its new 60-foot hybrid buses on-site to promote the use of public transit to help improve air quality and reduce

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-82236490304424331762009-04-16T14:31:00.003-05:002009-04-16T14:51:05.515-05:00

So we move from one enviro-centric Sat to the next. Earth Day is always a blast. I see it as a "welcome to spring day". This year will be very different. We are going to Centennial Park with Julia & Johnders. There will be all sorts of vendors and activities. We might even stay late enough to see the absolutely adorable and wonderfully soulful (talented goes without saying) Susan Tedeschi. We'll

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-57041054392543771502009-03-13T15:34:00.002-05:002009-03-13T15:58:03.236-05:00

You can't write a book like "The Green Collar Economy" and not be considered for a high level position in this adminstration. When Obama started talking about green jobs, back on the campaign trail, I knew if he were elected he would tap Van Jones for something.

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-28209083519731444362009-01-20T09:41:00.003-06:002009-01-20T10:29:07.953-06:00

Tara and I work hard to be considerate citizens, friends and now, parents. There is a lot to that. There is the compassion for the individual, attention to the relationship and the dedication to bring it to the world. We try to support local, beneficial retailers and manufacturers as much as possible. Through various name changes I have have looked to Green America for all sorts of information.

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-45657067091298914292009-01-20T09:08:00.002-06:002009-01-20T09:41:18.454-06:00

My carbon footprint is HUGE when it comes to electronics. I'm an audiophile geek. I love my soundsystem. It meant a lot more before I met Tara b/c she's not so interested and if she's home the system is usually playing at a volume too low to mean anything. :-(I'll live but if I were only a bachelor again...All that said I recently found out my footprint was bigger than I imagined. I have a big

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-70959140609402167772008-12-23T16:36:00.008-06:002009-02-28T11:42:47.450-06:00

I am a middle class person. I grew up middle class and I maintain a great deal of the middle class ethic. I admit its classist but I work hard to overcome it. I try not to assume things about people based on where they live or how they speak. I try maintain a level of cognisance about where I come from and what I expect. One of these things is Goodwill/Thrift-store shopping.I grew up with the

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-26985541639440075972008-12-10T10:06:00.003-06:002008-12-10T11:16:53.827-06:00

She was born 12/9/08 @ 3:22am. There is more of the story and more pictures to come.As you can see baby and mother are healthy & happy.

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-90396335624913444312008-12-08T11:05:00.003-06:002009-02-13T09:06:29.196-06:00

I still don't consider myself a gardener but I am trying to landscaping in a sustainable way and many of the commandments listed below work for me too.Ten Commandments of Eco GardeningThou shalt conserve water: gardeners have to conserve as much water as possible. Use a rain barrel to collect run-off rainwater throughout the year and recycle household “grey” water from baths. Watering deeply is

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-9865810714223926892008-12-06T09:51:00.001-06:002008-12-06T09:53:45.421-06:00

This is exactly what we have been talking about. People look at us with disbelief and confusion but we are not crazy.5 unexpectedly green gifts for babyWe recognize that even in our circle of progressive friends our level of commitment to doing things in a socially & ecologically responisible way is higher than most. Tara and I come at this from from different backgrounds but we both see it as

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-79618458941435848722008-10-21T12:28:00.004-05:002008-12-23T20:40:06.231-06:00

I've been really quiet.The baby prep is occupying a lot of time and the baby blog is occupying a lot of my words...so for today I present a list of lesser known recyclables I got from Co-Op America1. Appliances: Goodwill accepts working appliances or you can contact the Steel Recycling Institute to recycle them.2. Batteries: Rechargeables and single-use: Battery Solutions3. Cardboard boxes:

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-6197821156140243082008-09-27T12:32:00.003-05:002008-12-23T20:04:32.520-06:00

Tara and I are pregnant!As with the rest of our lives we are trying to consider the impact of our actions in a socially and ecologically conscious way.

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-10051693998455681422008-06-27T11:15:00.003-05:002008-06-27T11:41:05.882-05:00

In April, G Johnson left a comment about dishwasher soap.We use 7th Generation dishwashing soap and Earth Friendly Product's WaveJet stuff for the spoting. They are a pretty good combo. I would have to look again but I don't ever remember seeing a recipe for a dishwasher soap.

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-61286020380630144492008-06-27T09:51:00.005-05:002008-06-27T11:11:12.336-05:00

Last weekend I decided to look around for a few more plants (this really is becoming an obsession).I heard a lot about Gardens of Babylon which is located at Farmer's Market and I know of at least a couple of garden shops on Dickerson Rd. I trotted over to Farmer's Market and boy was I disappointed?!!? They had a much larger variety of plants than Home Depot or Lowes but it was the same old stuff

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-25301567016228535312008-05-05T14:40:00.001-05:002008-05-05T14:42:12.020-05:00

This is a duplicate post from my other blog.I don't have a lot to add here but read what Marjorie has to say and boycott Nestlé, Pepsico and all those companies!Now I know, not all companies are purely evil but some took a sharper right turn towards it than others. I also understand that the corporate decisions are not made by the workers and I don't really want them to suffer b/c of any action I

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-48737602906440175652008-04-29T10:46:00.004-05:002008-04-29T11:15:41.385-05:00

Tara has been working to rid our personal space of plastics connected with food. Last year or earlier this year she bought a crapload of Pyrex storage containers and she has been reusing the hell out of water bottles, peanut butter jars, etc. A couple of weeks ago she decided we should start taking our own containers to Chicago Gyro.For those who don't know nor read my other blog, Chicago Gyro is

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-78712966303014315152008-04-25T14:25:00.004-05:002008-04-25T14:43:07.541-05:00

At the beginning of April Tara implemented a "no TV day". The goal was to have one dedicated day for not turning on the TV. Her point was that she felt she watched too much TV. She has lots of shows she keeps up with, I don't have that many but I do watch as many movies as she does. We didn't push ourselves too hard. We chose Wednesday. I get home from yoga around 8pm, she goes to bed about 9pm,

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-75979095088127002462008-04-11T15:24:00.004-05:002008-04-11T15:58:59.956-05:00

A few months ago I got deep into using baking soda, vinegar and essential oils to clean everything. There are some really good books on this subject but the one I found most appealing was Green Clean: The Environmentally Sound Guide to Cleaning Your Home by Linda Mason Hunter.It started with vinegar. Both of our bathrooms have ventilation issues and mold on the shower grout is a battle we

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-63606972958816397212008-04-10T09:46:00.003-05:002008-04-10T11:38:41.838-05:00

We have had a crapload of rain since winter and the plants are loving in. Late last spring I plants some new plants (alumroot, ninebark, and eco-lacquered spider) and they struggled through the summer drought and didn't impress during fall but this spring they are going nuts, especially the goldenstar/eco-lacquered spider. I bought four or five and one didn't make it through the summer at all,

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-59167240857176060962007-11-05T17:49:00.000-06:002007-11-05T18:09:33.317-06:00

I saw Dan In Real Life this weekend. It was sweet. I like Steve Carell and he's good at playing kind of a grown-up version of those Adam Sandler characters...loveable, goofy, not-too-self-aware...but smarter. The movie takes place in some NE coastal town, NJ or NY or possible MA. It's one of those everybody goes home to the parents house things. About 3/4 the way through the movie there is a

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-11738253548667448542007-09-05T10:52:00.001-05:002008-06-27T09:51:02.592-05:00

On a certain day, month and year one should observe the ceremony of tree-planting. Thus, one fulfils one’s responsibilities, serves one’s fellow-beings which not only brings happiness but benefits all.-His Holiness the Dalai Lama, October 1993

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-62019645107857872007-08-23T09:29:00.001-05:002007-08-23T16:51:55.071-05:00

It's been quiet around here. I'm not sure why, just haven't had a lot to say. Its been too hot to say anything. I've been too tired.Enough of the blah blah woof woof. He's something I found recently and I am proud to say that I do most of it...10 Ways to Go Green and Save Money1. CFLs. Change all your light bulbs.2. Energy-efficient appliances. Energy Star3. Buy used if possible. There are

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-83800481142837876332007-08-18T10:17:00.000-05:002007-08-30T13:47:57.452-05:00

I've been pretty quiet on the green front but let's talk about summer. Its hot, I mean really hot. In Nashville its also really dry. I can't remember the last good rain. What that means for me is a lot of time inside with air conditioning and a lot more watering of plants.We have two air units. One heatpump for up and one furnace/forced air for down.Step one for proper heating and air, as it was

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-57495224965646051112007-08-05T12:26:00.001-05:002007-08-05T12:26:58.190-05:00

Part of being a good "green" citizen is living the "Reduce, Recycle, Reuse" mantra. In Nashville we are fortunate enough to have curbside recycling in most neighborhoods. They pickup paper, aluminum and plastic. I have faith that these items are actually being separated and recycled. I'm sure I could find out if I wanted to but I have faith. You'll notice they don't pick up glass. Well that's

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-9900488712162266872007-08-02T11:06:00.000-05:002007-08-02T12:43:35.395-05:00

We are meat eaters. A lot of people think because you eat healthy you have to be vegitarians, that is far from the truth. What you do have to watch is where your meat comes from. I can't say more than anything else but meat, the kind most of us eat, is enhanced, manipulated and man-handled. In addition to that the big American farms use an extraordinary amount of resources to raise consumable

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-12029318766311136882007-07-25T11:21:00.000-05:002007-07-25T11:30:22.763-05:00

about the Green Press Initiative. This is possibly the hardest part of being green for me. I can easily give up cars, eat local, wear and use green clothes and eco-friendly stuff but I do not want to give up books, magazines and CDs.Here is something that might help people like me.Powell's, there's hardly a better bookstore.Harry Potter goes green.

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-88512838421146555722007-07-19T15:28:00.000-05:002007-07-19T15:38:52.614-05:00

Did you know that most food in supermarkets travels 1500 miles and generates 5 to 17 times more carbon emissions than food grown locally? Or that big box retailers only put $14 back into the local economy for every $100 spent in their stores, but locally owned businesses put back $45 of that same $100? How about that small farms use far less pesticides than large farms?The Center for a New

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-81758329226189539422007-07-08T13:59:00.000-05:002007-07-08T15:33:05.775-05:00

I've talked some about food about how my wife & I are part of a CSA and most everything we buy after that comes from Wild Oats or the Turnip Truck. I've also mentioned eating "in season" and/or local foods. I considered healthier b/c you limit shipping time thus its fresher. It's healthier b/c you limit the need to add chemicals that will maintain or increase shelf life. Now there seem to be even

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-82953995145818799722007-06-22T17:49:00.000-05:002007-06-22T17:58:00.046-05:00

I love beer. I don't drink it as much as I used to b/c I spend my money on other stuff and Tara says I snore (louder) when I drink. Is that too much info? Anyway, there are all sorts of cultural considerations with beer and ecological ones - it is made with grain which means you can grow organic ingredients. Of course, there is also the microbrew factor...local product, blah blah woof woof.My

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-71935380065456940912007-06-22T17:17:00.000-05:002007-06-22T17:45:06.655-05:00

Over on Blog Blog Woof Woof, I've talked about the crappy part of my Episcopal Heritage but here we see the good side. Richard Chartres, the 132nd Bishop of London, is one of the Church of England’s most outspoken members on climate change issues. We recently featured news of his personal attempts to cut his own carbon emissions, but how is his fast progressing? The Guardian recently visited him

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-42452490909814724572007-06-20T12:06:00.000-05:002007-06-20T13:54:48.791-05:00

The great water debate.I have never been a bottled water kind of person, except when it comes to sparkling...I love me some San Pellegrino (at least they use glass bottles). If I was on a road trip or out for awhile I would probably buy a bottle but only b/c of portability.Tara is a filtered water kind of person but she learned somewhere along the lines to buy in bulk. She would buy a jug, fill

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-48855369515148371262007-06-07T15:09:00.000-05:002007-06-20T13:45:54.642-05:00

Nashville has limited options for organic food, the largest, most extensive selection is at Wild Oats of which there are two. Both are on the SW or West side of town closets to the richest of the rich in Nashville. The closest of the two for me is completely across town, about 12 miles, not convient and not terribly practical or eco-friendly. Fortunately my wife goes to church near there and can

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-31375824451634093582007-06-03T16:16:00.000-05:002007-06-06T15:45:12.675-05:00

This tip is close to my heart. I love my coffee. I never seem to get enough. If you work in an office ceramic mugs works great. If you work in a retail type establishment where you might have a locker I would suggest a travel mug with a top. The purest coffee making process is the coffee press. Try it.

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-19058446499333942572007-05-28T12:53:00.001-05:002007-06-07T11:48:05.482-05:00

The more I read Buddhist Philosophy the more I recognize Christianity. With the right Pope the Catholic Church can stay closer to the these universal principals than anyone can imagine. It looks like the Church has the right Pope.Whispers in the Loggia: On the Environment: A VP's "Inconvenient Truth" = The Vatican's "Inescapable Reality" The fourth Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-38661885397607121102007-05-16T09:46:00.000-05:002007-06-06T15:41:26.901-05:00

We struggle with our houseplants. Neither Tara nor I have terribly green thumbs, we just let the plant do what it does. Outdoors we've been far more successful with this technique than indoors but we keep trying. I've mentioned over on Blog Blog Woof Woof that we used Feng Shui as a guideline for interior color choices. Another common "cure" for household ills is the use of houseplants. In Feng

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-11934742287292878872007-05-15T09:59:00.000-05:002007-05-15T10:31:37.028-05:00

Working in a library gives me the opportunity to see all sorts of books I wouldn't necessarily know about. Just yesterday one came through that I have decided to check out in an effort to present you with solid, researched info on the topics at hand. The book is from 2001, it is called Green Living by Sarah Callard & Diane Mills.In the introduction they present 5 principal changes we should all

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-81668536282082399122007-05-14T15:14:00.000-05:002007-05-14T15:30:55.592-05:00

When I first started this blog I couldn't decide whether I wanted to call it Black & Green or Green & Black. I decided on Black & Green with the knowledge that some of the finest chocolates I have ever tasted come from Green & Black's I didn't want to take the chance of infringement. Of course, now that I am touting their glory maybe I can get some samples. Please?!?! Thanks to Marjorie for

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-21015916685996943852007-05-13T16:15:00.000-05:002007-05-13T16:42:31.675-05:00

Last summer Tara and I started a landscaping project. We tore down a decaying wood fence along the property line and decided to replace it with shrubbery. Like most novices we went to Home Depot and bought some shrubs we liked. I had done research and thought I was getting native Tennessee plants but I was WRONG. More to this later. Most didn't do very well, which we figured was because it was

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-79867114411247104552007-05-12T22:53:00.001-05:002007-05-13T16:46:00.341-05:00

Thanks to The Hip and Zen Pen for the Ten Things You Should Never Buy Again 1. Styrofoam cups2. Paper towels3. Bleached coffee filters4. Overpackaged foods and other products5. Teak and mahogany6. Chemical pesticides and herbicides7. Conventional household cleaners8. Higher octane gas than you need9. Toys made with PVC plastic10. Plastic forks and spoonsTechnorati Tags: eco-friendly, shopping,

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-69194031199784828802007-05-10T09:04:00.000-05:002007-05-10T09:33:27.906-05:00

I've just added a widget for the "Daily Bite" to the sidebar and I highly suggest checking them out regularly or signing up for the daily bite in your inbox. These guys do lots of research for the tip of the day. If they suggest something to buy they always give you multiple options. Great source.Ideal Bite: a sassier side of green

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-14470110144782232002007-05-09T09:27:00.000-05:002007-05-09T09:30:18.998-05:00

I have problems with mold in the shower. I try and try with natural cleaners but to no avail.Hopefully these National Geographic suggestions will help: Fight Mold Without Chlorine

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-69492332171081877772007-05-07T10:02:00.001-05:002007-05-07T11:59:10.789-05:00

I read a lot of Buddhist philiosophy and as I see it, the prime directive is that by living better you will affect change all around you. I struggle with this, one because it's hard but also because sometimes it doesn't seem to be enough. I just finished the essays in Someday We'll All Be Free by Kevin Powell. He lays out, in a very personal way, that things are fucked up. The realities he

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-10920866206535071832007-04-30T17:37:00.000-05:002007-04-30T17:47:20.604-05:00

National Geographic's Green Guide Ten Tips for Earth Day: Preserving Biodiversity.Yes, Earth Day has passed but of course, in my world "everyday is Earth Day." So there. :-PSeriously, these are good. I've already discussed a few and I actually do some of them but hadn't thought about talking about them here...for example, paperless bills.

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-41973152674997507182007-04-30T10:30:00.000-05:002007-04-30T10:31:40.542-05:00

I got this tip in my inbox this morning:Make HER do it instead. Call a Home Energy Rater - a specialist who finds out how efficient your place is and can estimate how much you'll save by making specific improvements.If you want to see how energy efficient your home is I suggest following through with something like this. Ideal Bite suggests hiring a Home Energy Rater which will cost b/t $250 and

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-61753879006457703592007-04-27T10:00:00.000-05:002007-04-28T14:29:17.191-05:00

Mmmmm, food. Sometimes there is nothing better than a good (fill in the blank). This is also an area you can have the most impact with the smallest amount of effort.Think about the food we eat. It comes from somewhere, it takes energy to produce and it creates waste. It impacts how you feel, which impacts what you do and so on.In my household we eat organic and local foods as much as possible. My

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-57700004501522996242007-04-25T08:56:00.000-05:002007-04-25T09:49:44.083-05:00

This concept mirrors the "buy black" movement that shows up every few years. Whenever you spend money check what the sources are. Buy items you conscious says are "drama free". Support items, manufacturers, and retailers who support treat their product, employees, customers, and environment with respect, fairness, and honesty.If you don't know about a certain company just ask or go to the

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-54553127212881104692007-04-23T09:31:00.000-05:002007-04-24T11:21:42.676-05:00

I've started this blog with cheap & simple changes you can make. Changes that don't really seem like changes. There are behaviors you can modify, there are substitutes you can make and you don't have to spend much money. Here are some notes about clearing out the toxins from your cleaning stash.My parents grew up in an era when America discovered the power of the chemical. They could buy

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-14933048638354350342007-04-23T00:24:00.000-05:002007-04-24T11:16:32.901-05:00

Easy stuff you can do to help the environment, your wallet, and your energy bill:1. Turn off electrics and electronics when not in use...if you're not going immediately back to watch the TV or play on the computer then turn it off. Turn the lights off when you leave the room.2. Only run dishwashers and washing machines when they are full.3. Stop eating out, especially fast food. You will save a

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-70425006811704604022007-04-23T00:17:00.000-05:002007-04-24T11:14:28.482-05:00

Looks like I'm 18min late but I hope everybody did something earth friendly to celebrate Earth Day. I didn't; I left the TV on when I wasn't in the room, I drove to Home Depot, I ate fast food.So you see that I'm not perfect but I keep trying. Hopefully, I can make up for it tomorrow.

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-7187939728265307292007-04-16T10:15:00.000-05:002007-04-30T10:35:04.044-05:00

You hear people ask the question whenever they see something ethnically focused. Why is there a Miss Black America or the NAACP or a Black Student Union? Well, historically there were or black-focused and black-organized variations of white institutions and organizations b/c Blacks didn't have access, or Blacks didn't have enough political/social/economic power to be heard. To change that they

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-77649220634749402772007-04-16T10:01:00.000-05:002007-04-30T10:34:14.519-05:00

I am still setting up things and part of that is organizing and defining what my intentions and desires are. So let me define some of the basic concepts for this blog.Black - people of African descent, which most Anthropologists will say that includes everybody on the planet. I have a BA in Anthropology so I will use this all inclusive definition BUT I will focus on issues more closely associated

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-74407342451379259872007-04-15T22:52:00.000-05:002007-04-30T10:33:33.073-05:00

I was a kid who grew up outside. I was a Boy Scout for almost 10 years. I went camping or hiking or canoeing or backpacking once a month during those years. I loved animals and trees and bugs and rain. I also had a love/hate relationship with snakes, which still continues to this day. My Dad hunted some, fished some, gardened some but no matter what he was doing he spent most of his free time

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5173668986533699921.post-74864291160440888202007-04-15T13:08:00.000-05:002007-04-24T11:01:29.401-05:00

My goal with this site is to create a resource for an eco-friendly lifestyle and community. I will focus on issues and solutions for all sorts of issues but I will emphasize those that relate mostly to African-Americans, both urban & rural, low & high ends of the economic scale.Comments are needed and welcomed. I want to know which are the issues of concern for you.

Jai Sandershttps://profiles.google.com/109092818074581589840noreply@blogger.com0