How we roll

December 30, 2008 – 4:00 pm

how-we-roll

You’ve had a taste of our Feats and Eats, but how about Streets? How do we get around?

Well, we use our legs! We put the pedal to the metal, shake our thangs, and (in a pinch) hop on the bus. We have been officially car-less since November 2006. That’s when my car died. Goodbye burden and hello endorphins.

Where would we be without our bikes? No freaking where. Our bikes have really revolutionized our lives and made things like this blog possible. Going to Farmer’s Market? Carrying all of our food? AS IF! We are restless creatures – walking and waiting for the bus gets OLD. So, we ride.

Now this may seem like no great feat. We hear you. However, we live in Los Angles where the concepts of time and distance are skewed by cars and edge city syndrome. The bike lanes/shoulders are scarce, the roads are a sorry mess, and drivers are moody. Yeah, people in these parts think commuting cyclists are lunatics, but that’s just cause they’re jealous. ;)

We didn’t start riding long distances in traffic overnight. We started gradually increasing distances back in college as we moved further and further from campus. We partook in the vintage bike club… We rode beaters with no lights and no helmets… (Ah, youth.) L’s bike was stolen outside of my house and she had to use an old mountain bike… I converted to fixed gear. We moved, got married, time passed and here we are. Most of the time it’s less than 10 miles to get where we need to go (a distance that had once been a luxury event) – close enough to make it reasonable and just far enough to keep us out of trouble.

The more we ride the more serious we get about bike safety. I couldn’t imagine riding without a helmet now (It is scary enough to ride in LA traffic with drivers who don’t see you or don’t care (or want to brutally murder you)) and we are constantly questioning if we have enough lights. We invested in quality bags that will allow us to carry more with our breaking our collar bones. Heck, we are even thinking about getting bicycle licenses!

The point is that you can get around Los Angeles without a car, even if you live more than 5 miles away from your job. We do everyday.

By Matthew | Posted in Streets | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Farmer’s Market: December 21

December 22, 2008 – 11:22 pm

csa-122108

  • Baby Spinach
  • Beets
  • Chard
  • Kale
  • Kohlrabi
  • Mustard Greens
  • Radishes
  • Romaine
  • Tomatoes

fruit-122108

  • Ha’s Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Ha’s Fuji Apples
  • Ha’s Granny Smith Apples
  • Ginger
  • Persimmons
  • Raisins
By Matthew | Posted in Eats | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Eco-billing

December 19, 2008 – 1:38 pm

The truth is that I am a fairly cynical guy. I try to be an upbeat optimist, but we all know the deep dark truth. As a rule I don’t entirely trust businesses. I think they are looking out for themselves and their profit first and foremost. I think all of these “green” campaigns are based on half assed environmental responsibility and are ultimately just done to promote the brand and not the environment.

For example, at a company I once worked for, as part of their “green” month they gave everyone a cheap ceramic mug to replace paper cups. But they didn’t actually get rid of paper cups. And the ceramic mugs were cheaply made in China at a factory that probably pollutes a ton. Nice guys!

With all of that being said, I really liked this message I got from T-Mobile when changing to a paperless bill:

restoration-project
Sign up for Paperless Billing from T-Mobile, and you’re not just saving a tree, you could be doing your part to plant one. As a thank you for helping us to be more eco – friendly, T – Mobile will plant a tree on your behalf with the Arbor Day Foundation. Your tree will be part of the Restoration Project, planted where it’s needed most — in damaged regions like Southern California and New Orleans, where trees aren’t growing back on their own.

Maybe I’m a sucker, but I kind of believe them. Granted this is a ploy, but I am happy to 1) not get a bill in the mail and feel guilty about the paper used, and 2) for a tree to be planted on my behalf.

“But Matthew!” you say, “I don’t have T-Mobile!” Well, maybe you should pressure your mobile carrier to follow suit. Standards are created by demands.

By Matthew | Posted in Feats | Tagged , | Comments (6)

Farmer’s Market: December 14

December 16, 2008 – 8:22 am

csa-121408

  • Baby Spinach
  • Beets
  • Chard
  • Kale
  • Kohlrabi
  • Mustard Greens
  • Radishes
  • Romaine
  • Tomatoes

fruit-121408

  • Butternut Squash
  • Fuji Apples
  • Garlic
  • Jerusalem Artichokes
  • Persimmons
  • Raw Honey
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Tangerines
By Matthew | Posted in Eats | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Today Laura is 23…

December 12, 2008 – 9:11 am

onemonth

And I couldn’t be any happier. I’ve know Laura for 10 years now! Since I first met her, I thought she was the coolest, most intelligent person I would ever meet. And did I mention that she is adorable too? Her freaking tiny hair? Man!

Laura, you are the most sincere, talented person. You don’t f around, you mean business. You put 100% of yourself into everything you do. You laugh at my weird dances. You are made of good. You are always conceptual and esoteric.

And this is for you (on your cañada):

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Happy Birthday Lover!

weirds

By Matthew | Posted in Feats | Tagged , | Comments (2)

MIY Tooth Powder

December 9, 2008 – 3:02 pm

I am a firm believer that most things are better for you if you make them yourself. I like knowing every ingredient and it’s function within the product, how it will effect my body… things like that. I am also a sucker for quirks. Unusual tastes or general cringe-factors? NBD. In fact, most of the time I will prefer said product to it’s far less endearing counterpart.

M is not as easily wooed. I have a feeling some of you are the same way.

So, what’s wrong with regular toothpaste?

1. Apparently store bought toothpastes block your enamel from recoating itself while you sleep at night (which might explain my sensitive teeth). What about organic ones? Glycerine is in all tooth pastes and is so sticky that it takes 27 washes to get it off. Teeth brushed with any tooth paste are coated with a film and cannot properly re-enamelize.

2. If you are using a flouride-free toothpaste without SLS and other yucky ingredients, you are likely paying a lot for toothpaste. (If you don’t understand why someone would want toothpaste without flouride, then you may want to check into it. When I found out that Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Austria, France and The Netherlands have banned fluoride, I figured it was something worth looking into. Here are a few articles to get you started: Weston A. Price Foundation articles and Dr. Mercola’s site .)

3. You didn’t make it!

The best part of about Make It Yourself Tooth Powder is customization through experimentation. Here is a basic recipe with a few suggestions for modifications. Got any other ideas or a fun story? Please share.

MIY Tooth Powder
1/4 cup Baking Soda*

1 tsp Salt (we use Himalayan pink salt)

2 – 20 drops essential oil (experiment!)

optional: coconut oil for creamy consistency, myrrh powder for superpowers, ground lemon peel for flava, hydrogen peroxide to kill the bacteria, stevia for sweetness

Now all you have to do is wet your brush and dip it in your concoction, brush, and then feel like you just had a professional cleaning. Easy enough, yeah? If you’re not into dipping, try using a scooping device to brace and smear your creation.

While baking soda cleans teeth and removes stains without damaging tooth enamel, salt helps draw out agents that contribute to decay, lessen the reactions of sensitive teeth from hot or cold, and curb gum bleeding. Baking Soda also acts as an anti fungal agent and neutralizes plaque acids.

Yes! We can now check off number 3 of our ten things.

*Other cool uses for baking soda

By Laura | Posted in Feats | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments (4)

Where does our recycling go anyways?

December 8, 2008 – 6:43 pm

Although I would definitely call Laura and I avid recyclers, I have for the longest time been very confused about how our recycling gets sorted (or if it even gets sorted). In Azusa, they apparently sort the recyclables from the trash (which I’ve never believed). And I remember in Florida, they had separate bins for newspaper, cans, and bottles. But now we put all of our recyclables in a big blue bin with our neighbors. What’s the deal? Well, I will tell you.

I recently came across a video by RecycleBank that answers all of our questions. The video outlines the process of how our recycling is separated and processed. I suggest you click through and learn about it. It is as complicated as you would imagine.

By Matthew | Posted in Feats | Tagged , | Comments (0)

South Central Farmers

December 8, 2008 – 6:36 pm


Image from Wikipedia

We’re easily excited. There’s just no hiding it. So, you can imagine that we are quite a site to see as we race up to the CSA booth all sweaty and smitten, stuffin’ our bags like bandits behind the tents at the crowded Hollywood Farmer’s Market all giggly about ALL THE GREENS!!! Hey, it’s our deal. It has changed us. It tells us what we will eat for the week (fun!) and it keeps us in touch with the earth around us.

The South Central Farm was originally created from the ashes of the L.A. riots in 1992. It was the largest urban farm in the United States until its destruction in 2006. The farmers struggle exposed the fault lines in American society, raising crucial and challenging questions about liberty, equality, and justice for the poorest and most vulnerable. The farm is now located in Bakersfield. Currently there is development of a Forever 21 warehouse and distribution center on the original plot.

Although we would love to grow our own food, supporting urban farmers feels as close as we can get.

If you live in the Los Angeles area, you should order the CSA.

By Laura | Posted in Eats | Tagged , | Comments (3)

Ten Things

December 8, 2008 – 12:59 am

Inspired by These Days in the French Life, 40 steps on the personal path to green, and 10 things we decided to celebrate the rebirth of w.b.t.e.o. with something we can all sink our teeth into. That’s right, folks, we’re givin’ you the facts. Ten of ‘em. It’s your job to think about the greater implications. Here’s a few to whet your whistle.

Fact: We live sandwiched between Beverly Hills and the La Brea Tar pits.

Fact: We don’t own a car.

Fact: We walked through a crowd of people laughing at us as when we were carrying a package of toilet paper home from CVS.

Ready for some more? Good. Here’s a list of ten things that we are doing and ten things that we would like to start doing (as the good lord tarries). Check it.

We do:

  1. Eat locally and seasonally
  2. Buy thoughtfully
  3. Use our legs
  4. Carry our load
  5. Make things
  6. Hang dry
  7. Not waste
  8. Buy in bulk
  9. Eat in
  10. Cut hair

We would like to:

  1. Forage
  2. Grow food
  3. Make toothpaste
  4. Get our sewing machine fixed
  5. Assemble self watering containers
  6. Save and exchange seeds
  7. Compost for reals
  8. Utilize public spaces
  9. Become experts
  10. Use networking resources to exchange and barter goods and services

They say that when an activity is fun, good for the environment, and also affects personal health or well being it’s much easier to maintain. We agree.

We do what we like. We do what we care about. It works. You in?

By Matthew | Posted in Feats | Tagged , , | Comments (8)