ecocentric|blog

Recipes From the Box: Baby Bok Choy and Broccoli Soup with Roasted Potatoes and Carrots


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As some of you may know, I've recently ordered the Veggie Only box from Fresh Farm To You, (check out: Local, Organic, and Fantastic )  a veggie box delivered to my house every week. Well, some of the benefits to the box is receiving a bunch of veggies that I wouldn't have normally bought, and having the opportunity to experiment with them in the kitchen.

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A Few Items From the Last Box
Our last box, that was delivered Tues, 16th and contained the following...
1.5lbs   baby bok choy
1 head of broccoli
1 lb of new potatos
and a bunch of carrots

A little back ground:
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I tried to make baby bok choy soup last week and it was a terrible disaster! I believe Jon referred to my soup as sludge...
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The challenge:
To make a soup that isn't referred to as sludge!

The recipe:
1 lb baby bok choy
1 head broccli
1.5 C. veggie stock
1.5 TBS of sour cream (usually use 1/2 C. heavy cream but I didn't have any.)
2 cloves garlic
dill to taste
4 carrots
about 3 hand fulls of new potatos
EVOO
S/P to taste
Clean, Chop, Steam, Roasts, Puree, and Serve

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The outcome!
An all organic, local, and fantastic soup that could not have been easier! Although, I have to admit, my favorite part was the roasted potatoes and carrots, this soup is a great way to get your veggies for the day.


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Additional Links:
Farm Fresh To You

Connecting with others, sharing ideas, building community

Green or Green-washing? You be the Judge

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You've seen the adds, companies proclaiming to be green when you really know they are just green-washing!! Let's expose them! Talk about them !Post the company or adds in question and let us decide  if they are green or just green-washing.





What is your ecocentric thing?

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What is your ecocentric thing? Share what you do in your own way to save our planet. Maybe someone has the answer... 

Local, Organic, and Fantastic – Farm Fresh to You Delivers

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I, like many, have made a New Year's resolution: To eat more organic food in 2010.
And because my resolution involves eating rather than dieting, I felt I had a good shot at keeping it. Who knew it would not only be easy to keep but inspiring as well, thanks to my decision to order a box of local organic veggies from Farm Fresh To You delivered right to my door every Tuesday.

Farm Fresh was founded in 1992 by Kathleen Barsotti and Martin Barnes delivering goodies right from their family farm, Capay Fruits and Vegetables in Capay, Calif.  Now a statewide collection of farms collaborates to deliver exceedingly fresh (as in dirt still clinging to the roots and skin) organically grown vegetables right directly to your home or office.

So Many Options

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They have a wide variety of box sizes and fresh produce options: small mixed, regular mixed, veggies only, more veggies only, fruit only, etc. and prices start at $25 per delivery.

I get the more veggies only box delivered every two weeks and split it with my boyfriend. We were getting the veggies only box but after the first week it was obvious, if we put our minds to it, we could eat many more veggies than that box could hold. However, if you’re thinking of signing up, I suggest starting with one of the smaller options, you can always upgrade from there.

Learn to Love to Cook

The other benefit to ordering a box of veggies? I am finally out of my cooking rut! Actually, it’s more accurate to say “my eating rut,” because truth be told there was not much cooking going on at chez Carrie before Farm Fresh. Now, when I am delivered a bunch of uncooked red beets, I can’t bear the thought of them going to waste, so out come the beet recipes to figure out all the great and various things – from soups to salads to polenta – that you can do with them.

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Additional Links


Cold Comfort: Home Energy Audits

Even though it’s late October and this past weekend was a balmy 80 degrees here in the East Bay – I clocked a Monarch butterfly outside our four-story window in North Oakland a few days ago – right now there’s a blustery 30+ mph wind blowing. I’ve had to bundle up as I listen to the gusts blast through these maddeningly leaky single-pane windows; I'm wondering how much heat’s going to get lost once winter hits for real.

Whether you live in a home or an apartment, in urban, suburban or exurban splendor or something less than, it’s no secret that energy costs and the carbon outputs that go with them can soar as the weather heads toward its extremes. Are you tired of feeling clueless and victimized by your monthly energy bills? Want increased comfort in your home and improved air quality to go along with that potential money savings?

Carrie discovered local startup Building Solutions

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(here they are in all their green glory at right) at the recent Green Expo in SF and I think they're on to something. The four-year-old Redwood City-based company has a rather unique spin on bringing technology to bear in home energy audits or “home performance contracting” as its tagline somewhat awkwardly reads.

Building Solutions press materials state that the average home emits three times as much CO2 as an automobile, so one could conclude that making your home more energy efficient can have a big impact on air quality, indoor and out, while keeping money in your pocket instead of the coffers of Big Power and Big Oil.

What to Do, Technically Speaking?

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Building Solutions tests include evaluation of soft building envelope and duct leakage, analyses of energy use and air quality, appliance efficiency ratings and a thorough inspection of mechanical systems, insulation, and general building integrity. The company’s contractors bring a proprietary web-based software application to take data from each home via blower door and duct blaster tests (pictured at right) to create a custom report designed to educate the homeowner based on his or her budget and priorities.

There is an array of ways to improve your home’s efficiency, starting as simply as “tightening the envelope” by air-sealing attics and crawlspaces, installing double-pane windows, furnace and duct systems and replacing old water heaters and non-Energy Star-rated appliances to more involved solutions such as radiant floor heating and renewable energy sources like solar-thermal water heating.

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It all sounds pretty technical, and it is, but the Building Solutions guys understand the need to bring it down to basics for the average motivated homeowner and they are eager to partner with qualified contractors interested in working with the software solution.

In addition to consumer education Building Solutions has a three-pronged approach to get the message out and grow business: continue to improve the software (they’re beta testing a new release with improved reporting); and target general contractors specializing in HVAC, solar installation, solar thermal plumbing (bottom photo) as well as home energy auditors.

And there is reason to be optimistic.

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Levi Blankenship, Building Solutions director of marketing, pointed out to me the other day, “We have seen an increase in testing this year despite the economy. We’ve more than doubled sales volume 2007-08 and expect to do the same this year.”

And where better to look for growth than the East Bay’s poster area for green innovation: Berkeley.

According to this SF Chronicle article from April 2009: “Within the next few years, (Berkeley) is likely to mandate that all homes meet strict energy standards. In many cases this would mean new double-paned windows, insulation in the attic, walls and floors, a new white roof that reflects heat, a forced-air furnace and high-efficiency appliances.”

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In anticipation, Building Solutions just finished a “Start at Home” series of workshops to educate Berkeley home owners on saving energy and money, improving indoor air quality, financing energy efficiency retrofits and taking advantage of incentives and rebates.

Levi wrote in an email about the latest workshop, “We gave a presentation on the blower door test. The turnout was very good. They set up 50 chairs originally, but needed to add more as the meeting time approached and people continued to roll in. I would say there were between 60 and 75 people there, including Berkeley's mayor.”

There aren’t that many win-wins when it comes to cost savings and environmental impacts but getting a great grade on your home performance test appears to be one of them.

Additional links

Building Solutions

Energy Star tax credits & rebates info

Incentives and policies that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency

custom cabinetry

Who knew that the Bay Area was so close to the largest cabinet shop on the west coast. ecocentric|design just partnered with Sacramento Cabinets to design a custom line of bamboo cabinets. We use a Ply Boo, local San Francisco based company to supply the FSC certified bamboo, and non toxic glues, adhesives, and finishes so you can breath easy in your new kitchen.

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photos provided by: Geoff Hindin,
cabinet builder extraordinaire and all around fabulous artist

As I discussed previously in: The Devil Wears Stilettos on ecocentric|blog.com, bamboo has a tendency to dent from dirt and debris left on the floor. But on a vertical surfaces like cabinets, shelving, or wall paneling debris can be safely wiped away without a problem.

To schedule an ecocentric consultation or for more information on our ecocentric|kitchen program, please email us at carrie.ecd@gmail.com and help us, help you make the world a little greener.

No one does it like Vetrazzo

When it comes to doing their part to save the environment, no one does it better than Vetrazzo. Vetrazzo is a recycled glass countertop manufacture based in Richmond Ca..Below are some images I took from a tour of their plant.

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It is often hard to tell from small samples and even harder from pictures, but the movement and color variation in these pieces can rival any natural stone.

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An image from Vetrazzo's sample sale. These smaller pieces make great table tops, cutting boards, hot plates... gifts

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Each slaps is 9' x 5' x 1.25" and contains 500 lbs of recycled glass.

Just one of the many bags of glass not going to the landfill

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Can you see the piece of the Corona lable? A Vetrazzo countertop will definately give you something to brag about. To learn more about Vetrazzo read:Vetrazzo: True Counter Culture on ecocentric|blog.com or email me at carrie.ecd@gmail.com

Vetrazzo: True Counter Culture

OK, I'm going to say it and I don't care who hears (or in this case reads) ...

Granite and marble countertops, floors, tabletops and even building facades are -- say it with me -- passe, over, so very "been there, done that." Let's move on people! Honestly,
how long can we continue ripping up majestic mountains for the sole purpose of displaying our kill on countertops? This is America, let's use a little of our innovatory sprit to come up with a more enlightened solution.

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Beauty and Brains

For those sick of the common countertop, how it looks and where it comes from, this Bay Area company offers enough innovation coupled with its concern for the environment that when your touring its site and reviewing its product line, our future actually seems to get brighter, maybe it's all that glass.

Vetrazzo is a recycled glass countertop manufacturer located in Richmond, Calif.
Its sustainable story is rooted in its very location -- the Vetrazzo factory is housed in the old Ford plant, built in 1930 and named in 2008 to the National Registry of Historic Places, out on Point Richmond adjacent to the Rosie the Riveter Museum now being built. The company has planted a small victory garden in honor of the WWII Jeeps, tanks and other military vehicles produced in that plant that were absolutely crucial to the successful war effort back in the day. And perhaps it's locale is also a good reminder that Vetrazzo is in a bit of a war of its own: how to get people to not just talk about "being green" but to actually put their hearts, minds and money where their mouths are when it comes time to build or remodel.
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As you enter the factory, it's filled with giant bags that say,
"FOR PEANUTS ONLY." But peanuts, whether edible or of the styrofoam variety, are not involved in the manufacturing process, rather the bags are a post-industrial waste product from peanut farmers. James Sheppard, our personable tour guide and co-owner of Vetrazzo, said the bags would typically be used once and discarded because they contained a food product. Now, along with the tons upon tons of glass that Vetrazzo recycles, they also prevent these giant bags from ending up in the landfill.

500 Pounds of Glass In Every Slab

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Oh, did I say tons of glass, I meant MEGATONS.
Vetrazzo has created a network of used glass suppliers all over the country including the Bay Area's CRV recycled glass (including clear glass such as baby food jars and pickle jars, colored glass from beer bottles, wine bottles, blue Skyy vodka bottles, and the red glass lenses that usually come from traffic lights and, during our tour, beautiful ruby spheres salvaged from a San Jose Airport runway. And all that broken "fused silicate" is bypassing the landfill; and it gets better: Vetrazzo will recycle its used countertops, keeping the material out of the landfill for good.

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The glass aggregate is mixed with a secret recipe of Portland cement and other stuff
. I asked James if they incorporate fly ash and he said the company considered it but the post-industrial byproduct contains lead. Enough said. Once Vetrazzo has the mix, it is poured into a mold and polished to an absolutely beautiful finish. The sustainable story of each slab only adds to the intrinsic beauty of the product. With many combinations of glass colors and mix colors to chose from, this product can pull together any kitchen, bath, bar or fine-dining establishment; plus it's a truly great conversation piece.

Warning to the Trade

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One thing to be aware of, especially if you're ordering large quantities and want the slabs to match, remember to specify slabs from the same batch. Otherwise, the glass-color ratio could vary and therefore slightly alter the look of each slab.

Despite the product's inherent upsides, it's not all smooth selling at Vetrazzo as sustainable products can be wallet-challenging when compared to Home Depot's offshore sourced granite or composite countertops, for example.

Certainly, Vetrazzo is not the least expensive material you can put on your counter, but it is made in the USA and local to us in the Bay Area. Also, the Vetrazzo factory is paying a fair Bay Area wage with full health benefits and when you get right down to it, what's more sustainable than that?

Additional Links:

california energy calcs

New to ecocentric|design: California Energy Calculations!
ecd can now provide our clients with 24 hour or same day energy calculation for the state of California.

So, whether you're building a new home, or building an addition, ecocentric|design can help you get your project built.

For more information on the 2008 Energy Standards go to:
California Energy Commission
or email us at www.carrie.ecd@gmail.com

LEED AP + WHAT!

You may have heard the rumor; the USGBC has changed the structure of the LEED exam process! I know the idea of an exam send most people over the edge but this is actually good news. The USGBC has created multiple levels to the accreditation process to better suit the needs of all those within the green building profession whether they are participate in the certification process or not.


The levels of certification are as follows

LEED Green Associate:

This exam is designed for the professional in the fringes of the green building industry such as, real estate agents, city planners, or possibly sale representative of a sustainable building material.

In order to take the exam one must document their position within the industry, pass the exam, and then pledge to complete 15 hours of green building continual education within two years years by enrolling in the Credential Maintenance Program (CMP).


LEED AP+:

This is a 2 part exam and consists of the following specialties:
Building Design and Construction (BD+C)
Interior Design and Construction (ID+C)
Operation and Maintenance (O+M)
Neighborhood Development (ND)

Of course this section is most similar to passed LEED exams and would be the path to chose if you are in the green building profession as one who will be working on the front lines of a LEED project or projects.

In order to take the exam one must document their position within the industry, pass the exam, which consists of two parts: The first part is the same exam as the Green Associate, focusing on general knowledge. The second part is passing a specialization exam of your choosing. Once passed, the candidate must pledge to complete 30 hours of green building continual education within two years by enrolling in the Credential Maintenance Program.

LEED Legacy:

This option is for those of us that are already LEED AP. Let me be clear, our work is done we do not need to do anything, we are LEED AP and always will be. HOWEVER, if you chose to become LEED AP+ you have a couple options:

1. Enrolling in the Credential Maintenance Program and committing to continual education before June 2011.

2. If you so desire you can also take part 2, the specialization section of the LEED AP + exam and commit to continual education.

I hope this helps clear up a few questions or concerns, for more information, contact me at carrie@ecd.gmail.com