The Picture Behind The Title of This Blog

The picture of the barn in the morning mist is one I took a couple of years ago on my friends' 300+ acre farm in Wisconsin. Their kids are grown and they have regular jobs down Illinois way, if being a doctor and a writer can be considered regular. 

So when his family's farm became available, they bought it. How many of us have wanted to do something like that? Purchase the place where we grew up? Well, they went and did it. Now they live and work in the Chicago suburbs during the week and hang out at the farm on weekends. 

Needless to say they have help. There's the guy who plants the fields and brings in the crops. And another guy who tends to the cows. That's because they decided to raise grass fed Angus and harvest [the new euphemism for slaughter] a few from time to time for people who have room [and money] for half a side of organic beef in their homes. Meanwhile, they've been focused on completely renovating the original farmhouse and outbuildings. 

I tasted the beef and it's delicious. I have also tried Bill Kurtis' Tall Grass beef, but that beef tastes like fescue in comparison. As if someone took a perfectly good piece of meat, then covered it with the smell of grass clippings.

With the farmers' markets getting under way, I just thought it would be nice to show some solidarity with a way of life that's fast becoming extinct -- the family farm. I love the barn they restored. And they added this Amish fence. 

This Is Unexpected

This was just posted on the League of Conservation Voters Facebook Page

ICYMI: Senator Sheldon Whitehouse wrote a great editorial breaking down reasons why Congress should craft policies to #ActOnClimate – and he corrects some polluter lies along the way. Read it here: http://bit.ly/1pN1ie1 

If you would like to show your support for Senator Whitehouse’s efforts to address climate change, you can do it here: http://wefb.it/xKcryy

Burt's Buzz - Official Trailer

Fans of Burt's Bees' homespun products will enjoy this trailer for an upcoming documentary about the guy who thinks a good day is when no one shows up.  Read about Burt and the movie HERE.

DELETING UNWANTED EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS

If you were a follower of the former blog, Go Green Northbrook with the URL -- gogreennorthbrook.blogspot.com -- you might be receiving email notifications from a brand new blog with that exact same name and address. 

That blog is NOT associated with the Go Green Northbrook organization. It is written by someone named Reginald Ricca. And he posts about health issues, not green issues. 

In addition you may also be receiving email notifications from this blog, Go Green Activist. 

So -- how do you get rid of all those emails notifying you that something has been published? On a blog you may not want to follow? Go to the bottom of the email notification and click on UNSUBSCRIBE. It's that easy. 

Sorry for the inconvenience. 

The current Go Green Northbrook blog associated with Doug Gerleman's group has been integrated into the gogreennorthbrook.org website. You can view it HERE.

This blog -- Go Green Activist -- is no longer affiliated with Go Green Northbrook. 

Confused? We were too. You can thank the folks at Blogger. 

Support Your Local Farmers' Market

Eschew the Plastic Bag. Choose a Reuseable.

Teenaged Activist Abby Goldberg posted a letter she sent to the Evanston, IL aldermen who have been hemming and hawing about a ban on plastic bags for a long, long time. Read and learn what your town can do to wean themselves from plastic to reusables.

Come on City of Evanston Illinois Government! You've got this! Make a reusable bag Evanston's bag!

I couldn't make a community meeting last night about plastic bags, but I sent the Aldermen of Evanston a letter and the local newspapers. Here is a portion:

Board, community and committee meetings show that you know legislation can work. You also know that recycling and other incentives are not working. Recycling is put on a pedestal whenever the word ban is mentioned. Because you know, if we were all a little more thoughtful and brought our plastic bags back to the store, we wouldn’t have a problem. This is easier to believe than changing our habits. It is easier to believe then having our retailers, legislators and bag makers be responsible for a solution! It is easier to believe than having you and everyone else who cares about this issue come together and actually work out the best and maybe difficult ordinance. We are living in a world where we want to do what is easiest and cheapest with no thought to the consequences. I am here to tell you that sometimes the hardest things are the right things to do! We cannot wait and wish that all retailers do the right thing and stop giving out plastic bags and we cannot wait any longer for bag makers to take responsibility for their product. I am glad you know that the city needs to take action now.
Although we cannot wait any longer, we must take steps to do it correctly. The good news is that since many communities have adopted plastic bag legislation, the hard work has been done for you. Examples of great legislation that is working is in place in other U.S. cities and other countries. The best proven legislation is either a ban on plastic bags with a fee on paper or simply a fee for all types of carryout bags. This type of legislation guarantees a change in consumer behavior with no financial burden on businesses. A free bag of any kind is not part of the solution. Legislation that addresses all bags is the solution.

It is my greatest wish that Evanston work with all who have experience, knowledge and commitment to this issue. You need to work together because you all want what is best for the environment and the city. You are all the solution to plastic bag pollution. Please know that I am willing to help to help in any way I can.
Thank you,
Abby Goldberg

The Promise of Solar Roadways: Scott Brusaw at TEDxSacramento

Here's the SOLAR ROADWAY WEBSITE with every video you've seen show up in your Facebook feed. And some you may have missed, like this one.

Chicago Plastic Bag Ban Not Ideal, Says Ban the Bag Activist, Jordan Parker

Bring Your Bag Chicago activist, Jordan Parker, did her own science project at home to make a point. After several months of being composted, one of Chicago's future "biobags" is still taking its sweet time to decompose -- not a good sign for Chicago's version of a "Ban the Bag" ordinance. So take a reusable bag[s] when you go shopping. ANYWHERE. As smart environmental solutions go, it's a no-brainer. 

LAWN GONE -- Book It

This is a plug for another book. In an attempt to wean our own lawn off poisonous synthetics, we've already shared one book we found, The Organic Lawn Care Manual by Paul Tukey. We also recommend his documentary, A Chemical Reaction, about how a small town in Canada said no to synthetic pesticides and the whole country joined them. 

We hope it will give you the courage to make the switch from bee and butterfly killing lawn chemicals [i.e., Round Up, 2,4-D and worse] to natural, organic products. And still get the same lush green, weed-free results. Like Paul Tukey did. You can watch his HOW-TO videos at his website, www.safelawns.org.  

But let's say you want to take weed-free one step farther. You've decided that maybe you don't want a lawn anymore. Too much time and money. Yes, we know, them's fightin' words in suburbia.

And yet, here's a book that makes a great case for doing just that. LAWN GONE. And doing it without annoying the neighbors so much they want to take you to court. For a quick synopsis of the book, we copied all the Amazon.com sales points/arguments/marketing do-dah in favor of buying this book and going cold turkey. We also recommend reading the testimonials published in the book. 

LAWN GONE • Low Maintenance, Sustainable, Attractive Alternatives for your Yard

FROM AMAZON.COM's SALES SHEET --

A colorful guide covering the basics of replacing a traditional lawn with a wide variety of easy-care, no-mow, drought-tolerant, money-saving options that will appeal to today's busy, eco-conscious homeowner.Homeowners spend billions of hours—and dollars—watering, mowing, and maintaining their lawns. You don’t have to be one of them. Free yourself with Lawn Gone!, a colorful, accessible guide to the basics of replacing a traditional lawn with a wide variety of easy-care, no-mow, low-water, money-saving options. It includes:
•  alternative grasses that seldom (or never) need mowing
•  drought-tolerant, eco-friendly landscapes
•  regional plant recommendations for all parts of the country
•  artificial turf that looks like the real thing
•  step-by-step lawn-removal methods
•  strategies for dealing with neighbors and HOAs
•  ways to minimize your lawn if you’re not ready to go all the way

Whether you’re a beginner or expert gardener, green thumb or black, Lawn Gone! provides realistic choices, achievable plans, and simple instructions for renovating your yard from start to finish.

What Will It Take?

If I had to bet, I would say there are two chances that Northbrook [or any suburban] residents will stop using herbicides and pesticides on their lawns and gardens anytime soon. 

Slim. And. None. 

Not that that residents who enjoy the perks of a lush landscape wouldn't like to use something else besides Roundup or 2,4-D, but the only alternative to slowly poisoning ourselves, rewiring our children's DNA, and contaminating the our water supply seems to be getting down and digging those unwelcome broadleaf invaders out by hand. And maybe a grapefruit knife. 

Having spent my summers during childhood doing exactly that, I can assure you that reverting to old school techniques is probably Not. Going. To. Happen. 

Paul Tukey, who wrote, produced, and stars "A Chemical Reaction," which warns about the hazards of using chemical lawn products, has written a definitive organic lawn care manual [pictured below] for establishing an organic lawn [ORDER HERE]. 

His website, www.safelawns.org is an excellent resource for learning how to wean yourself and your yard off the faster and easier, but more dangerous and deadlier alternative. Not to rub it in, but just in case you want to feel even more guilt about the damage caused by the lawn chemicals you're tempted to use, read THIS. Then learn even more about them HERE. 

Our suggestion: Take baby steps -- 1] Buy the book. 2] Read it. 3] Instead of using chemical lawn products four times this year, cut back to two times. Or one. Or none. In fact, why not just skip this year? 

 

Arborist Christopher Mest, a natural lawn care manager, is an expert in organic lawn care. He will be at the screening of "A Chemical Reaction" on May 30th at the United Methodist Church at the corner of Cherry and Western. The movie starts at 7:00 PM. Bring your questions. Leave your lawn at home.

One more request. Between now and then, don't do anything to your lawn but water it and mow it. Maybe pull up a few weeds by hand. Come watch Paul Tukey's informative movie. Then listen to what Chris has to say about the changes you can make. And give them a try. 

Your grandchildren will thank you.





                                                                                   •Contributed by Judy Linklater