Chicago’s Greenheart Shop is declaring that Black Friday will be Green Friday this year at their store, which sells Fair Trade, eco-friendly and socially conscious gifts, food, clothes and accessories.

Greenheart, a non-profit cultural exchange and storefront (at 1911 W. Division) will be serving free Fair Trade wine, cocoa and snacks to shoppers. Visitors can also see a make-your-own gift wrap demonstration. The event, on Friday, Nov. 27, when shoppers traditionally swarm the stores keeping retails in the black, will run from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Those who can’t attend can still buy Greenheart products online.

The goodies sold at Greenheart benefit disadvantaged workers, coops in developing nations and support ecologically sound growing methods, like shade-grown cocoa. They include:

• 

  Clutch made of recycled saris.

  Purses and clutches made from recycled saris, such as this one made by a family of artisans near New Delhi, India, through WorldFinds, a Chicago-based organization that partners with fair trade organizations, women’s self-help groups, and small families of artisans in India, Nepal, and Indonesia.

• Beeline Honey, an all natural raw honey produced by (bees and) Sweet Beginnings, LCC, a social enterprise and transitional job program of the North Lawndale employment network in Chicago. The program helps people who face barriers to employment, particularly those with histories of criminal conviction. The Beeline enterprise helps workers establish a work history and learn productive work habits.

• Eco-friendly gift wrap that is 100 percent tree-free. Made out of recycled cotton rags, each sheet of gift wrap
  

  Wrapping paper made of recycled rags.

  offers unique colors and patterns. Customers can specify a color preference for these 22 x 32-inch sheets of wrap made by Artisans at the Eco Friendly Papers workshop in Rajasthan, India, who collect cotton waste, such as rags, and turn it into a pulp.

The shop also sells soy candles, women’s dresses, baby accessories, reusable water bottles, Fair Trade cocoa and more.

To read more about Greenheart and its work around the world, see the history on their website.

The Greenheart storefront is open  M-F 11-7; Sat 11-6; Sun 12-5; products are available online.

Ornamental gourds (Photo: Cooksgarden.com)

If you’ve cruised the produce section at the grocery lately, you probably stopped to eye the small, colorful, oddball gourds near the pumpkins and winter squash.

You might have seen the Shenot crown of thorns, looking like a squash-like starfish (below right); the winged gourd, the mini red Turban (reminding one of a very small pumpkin with a bigger pumpkin hat), and the golf ball-sized prickles, which might make you think twice before touching them.

Shenot Crown of Thorns (Photo: Reimerseeds.com)

Autumn’s wee ornamental gourds have been staples of the harvest for many years, but time and hybridizing has produced smaller, wackier (or more beautiful, depending on your perspective) ones.

We’re talking about the colorful, warty gourds in the Curcubit family (which includes squash, pumpkins and cucumbers), not their bigger, more utilitarian cousins, hardshell gourds.

Those larger hardshells have been used for thousands of years as practical tools – spoons, dippers, bowls – as well as birdhouses, masks, pipes and even musical instruments. Throughout the centuries, artists have turned Lagenaria gourds into fascinating works of art. (Check out a sampling of some.)

But for now, we’re talking about mini-gourds such as the multi-colored eggs, the Ten Commandments, apple gourds and the huggable wooly bear.

Mini Red Turban gourds (Photo: Johnneyseeds.com)

“Think of them as cucumbers with an attitude,” Judi Fleming said. She is the point person for the American Gourd Society when it comes to talking about tiny gourds.

“I have noticed the trend of the last 10 years: The traditional bi-color pears, egg gourds, spoon gourds and crown of thorns have given way to the more popular angel wings and warty gourds,” she said.

If you buy some shiny (that’s because of a coat of white varnish or shellac) mini gourds at the grocery store, don’t think about eating them. Unlike other popular edible winter squash, such as butternut and acorn, you have missed the window of opportunity for eating small gourds.

“All gourds are edible in their young stages,” Fleming said. “In fact, most European and Asian cultures think we Americans are strange in that we let our gourds get old and hard. The ornamentals can have a slightly bitter taste.”

(OK, you can bake the tiny orange or white pumpkins if you want.)

The big question: Are they organic?

Maybe, maybe not.

Organic gourds are more likely to come from your local farmer’s market rather than the big grocery store.

Whole Foods’ produce expert James Parker spoke to a company representative, saying that they buy locally grown squash and gourds when possible, “to get them to market quicker. But they can come from anywhere.”

Prickles gourds (Photo: Johnnyseeds.com)

Right now, Whole Foods’ gourds are mostly from Indiana, North Carolina and California. “There are dozens (if not hundreds) of gourd varieties produced throughout the U.S. Some of the more common have simple names that match up with there general shape and color: apple, orange, pear, spoon, warty and egg.

“Unfortunately, the organic availability tends to be spotty, and very much local,” he told the representative.

“Yes, they can be grown organically. Any agricultural product can be produced organically if it is in compliance with the National Organic Standards,” said Miles McEvoy, director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program. Large producers of small gourds would “have to get certification from an accredited certification agency if they sold more than $5,000 of organic products.”

Growing large numbers of these gourds can be tricky, which could be one reason lots of commercial producers don’t go organic. The gourds can fall victim to a variety of bugs and disease.

Their mortal enemies come under many names: striped or spotted cucumber beetles, squash bugs, aphids and the dreaded squash vine borer. Then there are the diseases: bacterial wilt, mosaic virus, mildew and others. Fruit rot is also a problem.

Plus, since most colorful little gourds are used as decorative items, there is probably a lower demand that they be organic.

Ten Commandments gourds (Photo: Reimerseeds.com)

But you can grow them organically.

The experts at Organic Gardening magazine say all gourds can be grown organically.

“Gourds, squash and pumpkins grow very well organically. There are many certified organic seed providers, and although insect pests sometimes pose a problem, it is easy to take care of them organically.”

The gourds fare best in warm climates, but they can grow in cooler climates as well. They must be planted immediately after the final frost. The magazine’s editors advised using row covers over the plants in the first month or so, until they’re sturdy, then remove the row covers and use soapy water or a hard water spray to zap the pests.

“Gourds, squash and pumpkins are some of the plants most susceptible to absorbing and retaining pesticides, so it is especially important that they are grown organically,” said a representative from the magazine.

Wooly Bear gourd (Photo: Johnnyseeds.com)

“Plants that are shipped across the country can leave a huge carbon footprint, even if they are grown organically, so ask your grocer if their gourds are organic,” they add. If not, find a local organic farmer, they suggest.

A few tips for growing gourds:

First, they take a while to grow, and they can’t survive the first frost of fall, so very cold climates won’t suit them. They are slow growers, and they’re big and sprawling, so you need to give them plenty of room. They prefer bees for pollination.

If you need advice on growing them organically, the USDA has many resources on their website. The American Gourd Society has a cornucopia of information and links for gourd growers.

Interestingly, a Whole Foods representative said that this year, the small ornamentals haven’t been selling as well as in previous years. Plus, the grocery chain has seen an uptick in sales of the larger, hardshell gourds, such as the gooseneck and the snake.

Psyched up to get some gourds? Hurry, because after Thanksgiving they’ll vanish.

Autumn Wings blend of gourds (Photo: Johnnyseeds.com)

Resources:

Cooks Garden

Reimer Seeds

JohnnySeeds

Copyright © 2009 Green Right Now | Distributed by Noofangle Media

We’ve been munching on some new creations from Dr. Kracker, an artisan cracker company that uses whole grains, seeds and healthy oils.

Dr. Kracker’s new Culinary Crisps come in some intense flavors – Hummus Maximus, Fire Roasted Crisps, Apple Crisps and Cherry Semolina. They work wonderfully with hummus, tahini, bean, veggie and cream cheese dips, as well as hard and soft cheeses; dipped in olive oil; topped with cucumbers, apples or avocado. You get the idea. You’ll run out of crackers long before you run out of concoctions.

These new crisps are notable for their unique flavors and their crunch, and their story is a good example of how American food is turning a corner, getting back to earthier, truly healthier snacks.

Unlike those rows of crackers that cram grocery aisles, these crisps are not shy about making your mouth do a little work and tossing some super food seeds into the mix. Dr. Kracker says its trademark “uber crunch” has been honed using yeast-raised dough and special baking techniques. Crunch aficionados (and you know who you are) will find these new flavors to be a great treat.

For the uninitiated (people whose last cracker was, say, a saltine), these new “crisps” may be the perfect “gateway” cracker, providing entree into a world of organic seeds, whole flours and premium fruits with a crunch that requires some molar-power, but still snaps easily, like a baked cookie.

Company founder George Eckrich, whose family pioneered the well-known sausage label, trained in bakeries in Europe, becoming a fan of hearty breads and whole grains about the same time America was drifting away from them. That was in the 1970s, when white-flour snack products that seemed like a good idea then because we hadn’t yet glimpsed how this expansion would play out on our waists.

Back then the concept of artisan, European-style baking had a foothold here, which Eckrich parlayed into bakeries in Austin, Dallas and Houston. He sold his first company to Austin-based Whole Foods Market and oversaw their bakeries, training bakers and developing recipes in the 1980s and 1990s. He left to start Dr. Kracker in 2004.

Eckrich’s history gave him both a sense of the market and the culinary expertise to fill what he saw as a crack in the cracker market. The company began producing flatbreads that offered a high fiber, more nutritional alternative to existing brands. It branched out into snack crackers, adding flavors and premium seeds like flax and pumpkin that weren’t readily available in mainstream offerings. Next came Dr. Kracker’s organic Snackers crackers and then Culinary Crisps.

Eckrich says the new crackers have some “complex” flavor combinations aimed to fulfill a new perceived need in the market — for healthy fare, yes, but with zip and sophistication. He expects the Fire Roasted crisps could make a successful outing at a football party: “It answers things consumers have been asking for, a little bit of heat, that chili flavor, that crunchy crust that happens in the oven.”

We were more than happy slapping cheddar and spinach dip atop our Fire Roasted crisps; we loved hummus with red peppers and pine nuts on the Hummus Maximus crackers, though we know we won’t win any imagination awards for this discovery.  Another combo we “created,” Apple Crisps with pineapple cream cheese, made star appearances at dinner and lunch. The combos were endless.

Eckrich hopes people don’t buy them just to “be healthy” because he wants them prized for their tastes and as a true foodie, he doesn’t like to see the dining experience diminished and medicalized.

But just so you know….while savoring these slightly sweet and savory treats, you can rest assured that you’re actually eating something good for you. Dr. Kracker crackers are made with organic whole grain flours and a phalanx of naturally nutritious ingredients, like garbanzo beans, sesame seeds, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, coriander seeds, dried fruits and olive oil. They include flavors and spices you don’t find on your typical butter or water cracker, such as Garam Masala (in the Hummus Maximus) and fennel powder (Cherry Semolina). They are sweetened, when they’re sweetened, with cane sugar or molasses.

They are packed with protein and fiber. Seeded Spelt, Eckrich’s personal favorite, has 5 grams of protein per single serving. (BTW, his mom, who’s in her 80s, likes the Classic 3 Seed with 5 grams protein and 3 grams of fiber.)

All of Dr. Kracker’s products are preserved with natural ingredients and most use organic ingredients. You’ll find them to be generally higher in iron and Omega 3 oils than competitor’s crackers.

Dr. Kracker, based in Dallas, makes nine flavors of crackers, crisps and flat breads.

The bakery is certified organic by the Texas Department of Agriculture.

Dr. Krackers are available in a variety of health food stores, grocery chains, such as Sprouts and Whole Foods Market, and online. The Culinary Crisps retail for $4.99 for a 6 ounce package.

Copyright © 2009 Green Right Now | Distributed by Noofangle Media

Paper plates are not just paper anymore – they’re made of recycled plastic, or PLA-plastic derived from vegetables, or bamboo, or birch wood.

Now there’s a new entry, EarthShell paper plates made of potatoes. How do you like them paper plates? You may not know yet, they’re just rolling out in regional groceries like Kings Super Markets and Wegmans in the Northeast; Meijer in the Midwest; HEB in Texas and Smart and Finals in California. Find all the venues and pricing here.

Here’s what to like about them, though: No trees are involved (as in paper plates); they’re biodegradable (score one point over recycled plastic) and they used “bio waste” potato starches left behind when potato chips and french fries are made (make that two points).

These new made-in-America disposables are compostable, lightweight to ship, naturally white (so they require no bleach or chemicals) and they insulate hot or cold food (move over poly-sty-rene!), according to Earth Shell, based in Missouri.

So here’s the green dish on these plates: They aren’t as green as taking reusable picnic ware that you wash and, well…reuse. But for those times when that’s not going to happen – chaotic family gatherings, club meetings, last-minute game-day potlucks etc. – and you must cheat, these disposables are about as low-carbon as it gets.

So go ahead, carb-load on EarthShell. And give yourself a pat for keeping away from Styrofoam, that puffed up space age wonder than persists in landfills for, we don’t even know how long because we haven’t been around long enough to find out. Too long.

Copyright © 2009 Green Right Now | Distributed by Noofangle Media

As I unloaded my groceries onto the conveyor belt, I realized I was buying more than could fit in my reusable bags.

“Can you try to fit everything in these?” I asked, handing over my assortment of canvas totes.

“I can try,” the cashier answered. “But it’s no big deal, I can just use plastic bags for whatever we can’t fit into  the ones you brought.”

“Oh no,” I said. “No plastic bags. Please.”

She stared back at me. She had already stretched out a plastic bag and was ready to load.

“I have this thing,” I told her. “I just really hate plastic bags.”

I wasn’t lying. I really do hate plastic bags, and I was on the last day of my one-week challenge to only use reusable bags for every purchase I made.  I wasn’t going to let the two gallons of milk, a watermelon and a Gatorade six-pack that wouldn’t fit in my totes stop me.

“Just put the stuff that doesn’t fit right into the cart,” I told her.

I made it to the car and my groceries made it to my home without the help of a plastic bag. I learned after going a week without them, shopping bags were simply unnecessary.

I got used to the idea of refusing plastic bags at the grocery store during the year I studied in London. Some stores would charge you if you needed a plastic bag while others would give you credit if you brought your own. And it made sense to bring a sturdier bag since you’d most likely be walking your groceries back home.

Carrying a reusable bag in London was trendy and cool. The U.K. is the birthplace of the ubiquitous “I’m Not A Plastic Bag” tote created by activist organization We Are What We Do, which encourages people to use small, daily actions to change the world.

Reusablebags.com reports an estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide. That comes out to more than one million per minute. And the bags that get dumped pollute soil and water sources and are the cause of death for thousands of animals each year. Plastic bags do not biodegrade. They photodegrade, which means they break down into smaller and smaller pieces that contaminate the environment.

And paper bags aren’t much better. Research shows that more greenhouse gases are emitted during the manufacturing and transporting of paper bags than plastic bags. So the best solution is to use a reusable bag.

So the What We Do organization asked British bag guru Anya Hindmarch to create an affordable and environmentally friendly bag people could use instead of plastic or paper bags. And when 20,000 of them were released at 450 supermarkets across England in 2007, women got in line at 2 a.m. and all were sold by 9 a.m. Women in the States had a similar reaction. Within three hours of it being offered for the first time across the U.S., it had sold out of every Anya Hindmarch boutique across the nation.

Earth Day 2009 is April 22, and Amazon is launching Earth Day Savings at www.amazon.com/earthday, where customers can save on organic groceries, home products, CFLs and more. Additionally, learn how to go Extreme Green, Ease Into Green, or be Eco-Chic.

Amazon and ENERGY STAR will also host the Earth Day Sweepstakes. Five first-place winners will receive two ENERGY STAR-qualified powerhouses: a Toshiba laptop and a Brother multifunction printer. Fifteen second-place winners will receive the Brother printer. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Enter here by April 22, 2009. See Official Rules for details.

You can also celebrate with recycled and repurposed wood and plastic toys. Shop our large selection of eco-friendly toys from Spring Toys, Green Toys, Plan Toys, and more.

Pura Vida Whole Bean Coffee, French Roast, 12-Ounce Bags (Pack of 3)
Fair Trade Certified; Certified Organic; Shade Grown. The origin of Pura Vida Coffee goes back more than a decade to a small coffee shop where we first dreamed of using business as a means to help at-risk children. And because Pura Vida specializes in Fair Trade organic coffee, you help farmers sustain their families and protect the environment with every cup you drink. When you buy Pura Vida, you get more than a great cup of coffee. After searching the world for our premium beans, we carefully roast our Fair Trade coffee in small batches for unsurpassed flavor and fullness. We know and work directly with the farmers who grow our beans, and select only their best.

Product Features

Marques De Paiva Medium Roast, 100% USDA Organic Decaf, Swiss Water® Process Ground Coffee, 10-Ounce Bags (Pack of 4)

• Case of four 10-ounce bags of organic medium roast decaffeinated ground coffee (40 total ounces)
• Made with high-grown, 100% premium Arabica beans
• Sweet-toned, intense aroma with walnut and chocolate notes and a hint peach
• Produced chemical-free with Swiss Water process
• From coffee harvested in Minas Gerais, Brazil

Organically grown Highland coffee. Freeze dried instant coffee. USDA Organic. Made from 100% finest organic coffee. This fine coffee has been carefully selected and separately harvested. The processing to freeze-dried coffee is also achieved without the use of any form of preservatives or additives. Mount Hagen Organic Freeze Dried Instant Coffee (6 pack of 3.53-Ounce Jars) is the first certified organic freeze dried coffee in the world. 100% Organic certified by EcoCert in accordance with the organic standards of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This delicious coffee is of the highest quality, mild and naturally rich in flavor. Our coffees are from plantations of the best cultivation areas of the world. These highland coffees are quarantined to be organically grown without the use of any artificial chemicals such as herbicides, pesticides, fungicides or fertilizers. Packed in Germany.

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