Earth Overshoot Day

Earth Overshoot Day: On Saturday, We Exceed Nature's Budget

Have you heard?  Humanity is going into debt this Saturday, August 21, 2010. Every thing we collectively do past this date depletes environmental capital, putting us into ecological debt. In other words humanity is using resources beyond the capacity of the planet to sustainable regenerate them.  Humanity now uses 150% of the resources the Earth can generate annually.

Global Footprint Network explains it like so:

The fact that we are using (or "spending" natural capital) faster than it can replenish is similar to having expenditures that continually exceed income. In planetary terms, the results of our ecological overspending are becoming more clear by the day. Climate change - a result of carbon being emitted faster than it can be reabsorbed by the forests and seas - is the most obvious and arguably pressing result. But there are others as well: shrinking forests, species loss, fisheries collapse and freshwater stress to name a few. "If you spent your entire annual income in nine months, you would probably be extremely concerned," said Global Footprint Network President Mathis Wackernagel. "The situation is no less dire when it comes to our ecological budget. Climate change, biodiversity loss, deforestation, water and food shortages--these are all clear signs that we can no longer finance our consumption on credit. Nature is foreclosing."

What do you think should we be concerned?

Website: www.footprintnetwork.org/earthovershootday

posted by Allergy Free and Cheap Like Me! at 1:32 PM 0 comments

Easy Vanilla Pudding!

This super simple pudding tastes better than box pudding and best of all its dairy & egg free!  It’s so quick to make you can whip up a batch (or two) anytime!

***For the chocolate lovers out there, to make this recipe into chocolate pudding simply add 2 heaping teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder to the sugar and milk mixture and omit the vanilla extract at the end!

Makes 2 1/2-cups

Ingredients:

2 1/2-tablespoons arrowroot starch

1 1/3-cups rice milk

1 egg yolk equivalent (I used Ener-G egg replacer)

1/2-cup sugar

Pinch of salt

1-teaspoon vanilla

How to make It:

{    Dissolve starch in 1/3-cup milk, whisk in egg yolk replacer.

{    In a saucepan, mix together sugar, salt and remaining 1 cup milk. Bring to boil.

{    Slowly whisk 1/4-cup hot milk mixture to the starch mixture. Then slowly whisk this mixture into remaining sweetened hot milk in the saucepan.

{    Over medium heat continue whisking pudding until it thickens. Remove from heat and add vanilla.

{    Pour pudding into cups or bowl and refrigerate until cool.

{    Enjoy!

posted by Allergy Free and Cheap Like Me! at 1:22 PM 0 comments

Yummy Pizza Crust!

This delicious pizza dough is so easy to make you will want to make pizza for every meal! There are so many options for toppings and sauces, let your imagination run wild! And of course the best part is the crust is gluten, dairy, egg & soy free!

Makes 1 large pizza or two small individual pizzas.

Dry Ingredients:

1 tablespoon dry yeast granules

2/3-cup sorghum flour

1/2-cup tapioca flour

2 teaspoons xanthan gum

1/2-teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning

Liquid Ingredients:

2/3-cup warm rice milk

1/2-teaspoon agave nectar

1-teaspoon olive oil

1-teaspoon cider vinegar

How to Make It:

{    Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

{    You have two options here, if you have a pizza stone*, place it in the oven on the bottom rack, leaving the main rack free. If not just preheat the oven.

{    Combine all dry ingredients in the mixer, including yeast.

{    Mix on low briefly then add in the liquid ingredients.

{    Beat the ingredients for two minutes on medium speed.

{    If the dough bounces around the mixer, it is too dry, add a little extra rice milk until it mixes smoothly.

{    Prepare a metal pizza pan or your pizza stone* by greasing it with a little olive oil.

{    Scoop out your mixed dough with a spatula and place it in the middle of your pizza pan. You can either make one large pizza or split the dough in two to make two smaller individual pizzas.

{    Put a little bit of olive oil on your hand and press out the dough into your desired pizza shape, round, rectangle, whatever you would like. Leave a little rim around the edge for the crust to hold the toppings.

{    Bake crust for 15 minutes, watching it to make sure it doesn’t over brown**.

{    Remove from the oven and cover your pizza(s) with toppings then either pop it back in the oven or move it onto the pizza stone and bake it for at least another 10 minutes or until the pizza is done.

{    That’s it!  How Simple! Enjoy your yummy pizza!

*Cooking the pizza crust on a metal pizza pan and then moving it onto a warmed pizza stone helps cook the crust and makes for a bit of a crispier crust. However, if I am in a hurry I usually just cook it straight on the pizza stone from the get go!

**If you would like you can wrap your precooked pizza dough in some freezer wrap and freeze. Just take out the frozen pizza dough in the morning and it will be thawed and ready to add toppings to by the time dinner rolls around! What could be easier than that?

posted by Allergy Free and Cheap Like Me! at 5:18 PM 0 comments

Creamy Rice Pudding

This creamy rice pudding is delicious, vegan and super simple to make. Eat it as a dessert or re-warm it for a quick yummy breakfast.

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

1-cup white basmati rice

1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt

3 1/2 cups rice milk

1/2-cup organic cane sugar

1 slightly heaping tablespoon arrowroot

1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom or cinnamon if you don’t have cardamom hanging around!

Pinch of fine sea salt

How to Make It:

{    Combine 1 1/2 cups water, the rice, and the salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

{    Cover and simmer over very low heat 8 to 9 minutes, until most of the water is absorbed. Check frequently and stir to make sure it doesn't stick.

{    Add 2 1/2 cups of the rice milk and the sugar. Continue simmering on low heat for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, until the rice is soft and most of the milk is absorbed. You want a spongy texture, with no bite. Remove the rice from the heat.

{    Pour 1/4 cup of the remaining rice milk into a bowl and whisk in the arrowroot to dissolve. Add the vanilla extract and cardamom.

{    Pour the arrowroot-milk mixture along with the remaining 3/4-cup rice milk into the hot pudding and stir to combine. Add a pinch of salt. Serve warm or at room temperature. If it seems a little runny put the mixture back on low heat and warm until it thickens up a bit.

{    Enjoy!

posted by Allergy Free and Cheap Like Me! at 5:30 PM 0 comments

The Life of a Plastic Bag

Here is something that might bring a smile to your face about something serious and very near and dear to my heart, the plastic bag and ultimately the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Heal the Bay released this “mockumentary” narrated by Academy Award winning actor Jeremy Irons which follows the travels of “one of the most clever and illustrious creatures: the plastic bag. 

All kidding aside, the Environmental Protection Agency estimated 3,960,000 tons of plastic bags, sack and wraps were produced in 2008. Of those, 3,570,000 tons (90%) were discarded. It is estimated that an average individual uses around 130 plastic bags per year. And, if you haven’t heard about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch read my blog post about it here.

posted by Allergy Free and Cheap Like Me! at 1:07 PM 0 comments

Why Buy Organic?

Organic vs. Non-Organic

To buy organic or not to buy organic is a question many of us ask ourselves. In these financial times it is sometimes hard to justify the higher cost of buying organic to ourselves. The following is a list of items that are found to have higher pesticide levels and are healthier to buy organic and also a list of items you can get away with skipping their organic versions if you are on a tight budget.

When you SHOULD buy organic:

1. Celery


2. Peaches


3. Strawberries


4. Apples


5. Blueberries


6. Nectarines


7. Bell peppers


8. Spinach, kale & collard greens


9. Cherries


10. Potatoes


11. Grapes


12. Leafy greens

13. Carrots

14. Pears

15. Meat

16. Milk

17. Coffee

When you can SKIP it:


1. Onions


2. Avocados

3. Sweet corn

4. Pineapples


5. Mangoes


6. Sweet peas


7. Asparagus


8. Kiwi fruit


9. Cabbage


10. Eggplant


11. Papaya


12. Watermelon


13. Sweet potatoes


14. Broccoli

Why Buy Organic?

Although selectively choosing which products you buy organically saves money, doing so also misses an important point: buying organic is about more than keeping pesticides out of our bodies. It is about supporting a system of sustainable agricultural management that promotes soil health and fertility which nourish plants, foster species diversity, helps combat climate change, prevent damage to valuable water resources, and protects farmers and farmers’ families from exposure to harmful chemicals. In this sense, buying organic is a commitment to the bigger, more complex picture of which our personal health is a part.

In thinking about which organic products to buy, consider this: instead of focusing your organic purchases on a particular category of items, choose organic versions of the products you buy most. Whether that is milk, produce, or personal care products, buying organic will not only help reduce your exposure to harmful pesticides and fertilizers, but also support a system of agricultural management that is great for the planet.

So simply in my opinion if you can afford to go organic, DO, it’s worth it.

posted by Allergy Free and Cheap Like Me! at 11:47 AM 0 comments