Nobel Peace Prize Awarded to Three Women Leaders

What could be a better posthumous nod to Wangari Maathai than the recognition of three outstanding women leaders and activists for the Nobel Peace Prize?  The winners were Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, fellow Liberian and peace activist Leymah Gbowee, and Yemeni pro-democracy campaigner Tawakul Karman.  The Nobel Prize Committee announced that collectively, these women are being honored for their "non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights to full participation in peace-building work." President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Leymah Gbowee  

Besides Maathai, there have been nine other women awarded this distinction.  This year's award winners demonstrate, as Maathai did, that women of color can make powerful changes in the world by having the courage to speak their truths.  Their focused tenacity in the face of political and violent opposition is inspiring.  Hopefully, this award will bring increased attention to women's rights and peace-building efforts, particularly in Africa and the Middle East.  Yemeni activist Tawakul Karman

In Memoriam: Wangari Maathai

Wangari Maathai, Kenyan environmentalist and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, passed away at the age of 71.  Known around the world for her activism and advocacy for women, Maathai may be best remembered for the simple courage of encouraging women to plant trees.  She founded the Green Belt Movement in the 1970's, teaching women to plant trees as a way to maintain the fuel supply and prevent soil erosion.  Discouraged by the Kenyan government and dissuaded by her university faculty peers, she faced life's challenges with humor, grace and strength. 

Here at chocolate granola, we take a moment of silence to remember this great woman warrior, peace maker, activist.  Please see below for news coverage of her passing, interview clips and other links.

NYTimes coverage of her passing: http://goo.gl/GFS79

Environmental icon: http://goo.gl/FxmXj

Memories from her colleagues:  http://goo.gl/rJGMW

Nobel prize interview and recognition:  http://goo.gl/clKDG

Kenyan and United Nations legacy:  http://goo.gl/DcWHS

Happy Earth Day

Celebrate the 41^st anniversary of Earth Day in the Big Apple: Check out these free events across the city.  Almost all of these events are great for families of all ages.

One Stop Green Celebration: Earth Day NY  

Thursday, April 21, 2011 - 12:00pm - Friday, April 22, 2011 - 6:00pm

Grand Central Station Vanderbilt Avenue btwn 42nd & 45th Streets in Manhattan.

Earth Day NY, a two-day festival of art, music, and the environment. A large exhibit area highlights environmental groups, green businesses and kid’s activities that will include educational interactive displays.  While there, check out Recycle-A-Bicycle, a community-based non-profit organization and bike shop that provides educational training programs, encourages environmental stewardship and promotes everyday bicycle use.  Recycle-A-Bicycle will be selling recycled bicycle jewelry and crafts at Earth Day NY.

Flashing Lights, Big City        

April 22 (11 am - 5 pm)

Times Square

Head to midtown for an interactive exhibit area in Times Square highlighting green businesses, non-profits, and eco-friendly sponsors.  One exciting feature will be the CO2 E drive, a "runway show" of green vehicles.

Green Runways, Ecolux Fashion

April 22-23

Bloomingdale’s Soho location

Eco-fashionistas head to Bloomingdale’s in Soho this week through Saturday, April 23 for green fashion.  Bloomie’s Soho is hosting "The GreenShows Spring Ecolux Designer Pop-Up Shop" with ten fashion and accessories designers. The designers presenting their Spring/Summer 2011 collections include Samantha Pleet, Suzanne Rae, Ajna Collection, Robin Brouillette, H. Fredriksson, Artists and Revolutionaries, The Battalion, and 2011 Ecco Domani Fashion Fund winner for sustainable design, STUDY by Tara St James, Sprout and The Sway. 

Grow a Green Surprise

Saturday, April 23, 2011 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Central Park Conservatory

If the weather permits, take the little tykes to Central Park for their Recycled Container Gardening.  Bring a clean empty soup or vegetable can.  The park will provide the craft materials and plant to turn these cans into beautiful planters.  All ages welcome.  Your little ones will enjoy getting their hands dirty with this fun, creative project.

Dreaming of a Cleaner Planet

Friday, April 22 at 3:30 pm
Battery Park
Kids can make a dream catcher out of plastic container tops and other recycled materials at the Battery Park City Library, Manhattan's first green LEED certified branch.  Free for ages 4-10.

Celebrate Earth Day in Brooklyn

Saturday, April 23 11 a. -5 pm (raindate Sunday April 24) 

IKEA Erie Basin Park, Red Hook

Join Brooklynites for the Ceremonial Launch of the Giant Floating Earth Ball, which symbolizes a commitment to mitigating the impact of climate change.  The EnviroMedia Mobile Mobile- The Amazing Traveling Nature & Maritime Museum presents several activities including live music, public tours of the Mobile Nature and Maritime Museum, e-recyvling and an Aquatic Ecology Lab.

Celebrate Earth Day in the Bronx 

April 22-23

Earth Day Garden Walk
April 22, 2011

Wave Hill 

Celebrate Earth Day with the family by participating in this kid-friendly garden walk. Hunt for early-blooming flowers, creepy crawly critters and other signs of spring with a garden interpreter.  Ideal for ages 6+.  Free with admission to grounds: $8 adults, $4 students/seniors, $2 children 6+; admission is free until 12pm.

April 23, 2011
Wave Hill Ecology Building, 10 am -1:00 pm

Artist Miwa Koizumi will show garden visitors how to reuse colored plastic bags and recycle them into rain hats, rain gear and Earth Day flags and flowers for a festive Earth Day parade. The event is free and admission to the grounds is free until noon.



Last Minute Green Valentine's Day Ideas

You've waited till the last minute and need to come up with a great last minute Valentine's Day gift.  Whether the thought of Valentine’s Day makes you giddy or roll your eyes, take a little time out this season to remind that special person how much you care.  If you live in the NY area, you know that New York is a delightfully romantic city – the art, architecture, restaurants and parks all set the stage for a romantic night out on the town.  Celebrate Valentine’s Day in an earth-friendly way.  You can keep all the romance while making new eco-chic memories.

 

UPON A STARRY NIGHT

New York has plenty of naturally romantic scenery.  You can bundle up and enjoy a walk through the snow-covered trees in Central park.  Wander indoors through one of the city’s numerous museums.  This Valentine’s Day, look up for romance at the American Museum of Natural History’s Hayden Planetarium Space Theater.  Their Romance Under the Stars night includes a champagne and hors d’oeuvres cocktail hour with the Josh Rutner Quartet.  Following the cocktail hour, lean back and watch a narrated tour of the night sky.

SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF THESE

Someone you care about has candy-coated dreams.  Indulge yourself or your loved one with organic chocolates.  Vosges Haut-Chocolat offers delicious organic or vegan truffles in beautiful purple recycled or recyclable packaging.  Vosges’ commitment to making delicious organic chocolate is matched by their green mission – their New York boutique is powered by renewable energy.  Have a long-distance admirer?  Shop online at Theo Chocolate.  This Seattle-based company offers organic, fair trade chocolates.  While they are well known for their chocolate bars, Theo’s Casonova Caramel collection is sure to please with four different caramel flavors.   Prefer cupcakes to candy? Try Babycakes. This vegan kosher Big Apple bakery makes yummy cupcakes, brownies and cookies with all-natural and organic ingredients.

COLORING KIDS

Even if you do not celebrate Valentine’s Day, your kids may want to get cards or candy to exchange at school.  The Stubby Pencil Studio has a great creative option.  They offer Valentines cards with cute animals and messages that are made from recycled paper.  Your kids can color the cards and personalize the messages.  Also, for each dozen of “Color-n-Kids” Valentines cards, the Stubby Pencil Studio is including twelve tasty Yummy Earth organic lollipops.  This set was a hit with my nieces and nephew.  Your kids will be also a hit at school! 

LET LOVE BLOSSOM

Valentine’s Day is the most important day of the year –for florists.  If you want to send a beautiful bouquet, it is not too late to send a great organic bouquet.  Gardenia Organic is one of the oldest, most reputable sustainable New York florists and is a VeriFlora preferred retailer. Their “Modern Romance” arrangement features deep-colored roses that takes a chic twist on a traditional bouquet.  Want to create a unique arrangement or decorate your apartment with your sweetheart’s favorite flowers?  You can work with the florists at Stem NYC.  Their sustainably grown flowers and dramatic arrangements are a favorite for city event planners.

THE WAY TO A MAN’S (OR WOMAN'S) HEART

Few experiences are more romantic than a candlelit dinner.  If you are a wiz in the kitchen, whip up a homemade meal with organic or locally produced ingredients and set the stage with aromatic soy candles.  If you would rather go out to eat, there are plenty of amazing options.  For a fun and flirty dinner, try DirtCandy.  Their cozy and contemporary restaurant will win over your special one with their inventive vegetarian menu.  For a more traditionally romantic setting, take off your boots and kneel for a delicious meal at Hangawi.  This Korean gourmet restaurant offers a prix fixe vegetarian Valentine’s menu that will wow your senses.

Have a Merry Green Holiday!

There are many ways to celebrate the winter holidays in style while leaving a lighter, greener footprint. Here’s Chocolate Granola’s 2010 guide to greening your holidays.   Although many of these suggestions are for the NY and DC metro areas, they can definitely apply elsewhere.

Deck the Halls with Sustainable Decor
Whether you are having holiday parties or simply sprucing up your home, think about using natural decorations.  Carefully arranged branches or seasonal fruit can make a dramatic statement or cozy up a plain corner.  Almost any combination of cones, fruit or twigs looks impressive in a clear glass container.  Try making a centerpiece of  soy candles.  Candlelight softens large spaces and makes even the smallest apartment seem romantic. There are many naturally scented soy candles.  Soy wax burns cleaner and longer than paraffin wax.  Try de-luxe’s Maison scented candles or Self Essentials’ aromatherapy soy pillar candles.  Both companies use 100% pure soy wax made from soy grown by American farmers.  

While I do not have a tree in my apartment, my fond holiday memories include my Dad singing carols and decorating the tree with old family ornaments.  For those who associate the season with crisp smell of pine cones and evergreen leaves, consider buying your wreaths or trees from responsible growers.  Green in Vermont, which services Brooklyn, New York and Licking Creek Trees in the Washington, D.C. area are some of the farms which use certified organic farming practices and offer Christmas trees.  

Adorn your tree or wreath with energy efficient LED-lights.   While the initial cost is higher than traditional bulbs, these bulbs will save you up to 90% in electricity costs!  That’s a nice way to save some green while lighting up the winter nights.  Check out Environmental Lights, they offer a multitude of LED lights for inside or outdoor usage.  After the holidays, remember to recycle your tree!  The NYC Department of Sanitation conducts special collections for Christmas trees every January.  Your tree will be mulched and recycled to support other city plants.  If you live in New Jersey, consider getting your tree from the 14^th Street Garden Center.  They will deliver your trees and pick them up for recycling afterward.

Bag an Apple
You will surprise and delight vegans and techies alike with Matt and Nat accessories.  These bags are cool enough to impress the fashionistas, durable enough to endure the morning  commute and not made using any animal products.  Think Marc Jacobs meets Seattle sensibility.  These forward thinking designers consistently put forth classy collections that are full of thoughtful detailing.  According to their website, each product contains at least one recycled element.  Many of the fixtures are made of antique brass and the 100% recycled suede lining  is made from recycled plastic bottles.  Matt and Nat recently began offering special bags for Apple products.  What makes a Mac even cooler?  Putting it in a sleek, socially responsible bag.

Go Vintage
Going vintage is not just for Williamsburg hipsters.  It is more eco-friendly to reuse than to purchase new items.  It keeps good quality items from being tossed into landfills, reduces the resources it takes to produce and ship new products, and is often less expensive than buying new, more cheaply-made made stuff.  But no one said you have to give up style to be green.  Often you will get better quality and more unique pieces at a vintage store.  Some of my favorite handbags and shoes are my mother's from the seventies.  A worn leather bag or briefcase adds sophistication and character to any outfit.  Legacy, a NY store, offers online shopping for designer or signature vintage pieces.

Looking to put a twinkle in your loved ones' eyes?  Give accessories that make a statement.  There are many chic and beautiful vintage jewelers.  Whether you are looking for casual cocktail rings or estate jewelry, there are tons of options.  

Experience Gifts
Give the one thing that no one else can give them - your undivided attention.  Treat your loved ones to dinner and a show.    If you are a great cook, grab the ingredients from your local farmer’s market and make a memorable meal.  Not exactly Alice Waters in the kitchen?  Don’t worry, a lot of restaurants are locavore-friendly.  Find a restaurant that serves fresh, seasonal ingredients.  The Savoy in Soho is a great place for winter dining.  After enjoying a savory meal, head uptown for the shows. I love seeing Alvin Ailey in December.  Go on a night when they are performing “Revelations”; it always brings down the house.  Have little ones?  Take them to ice skating in an outdoor rink.  Maybe you can start a new seasonal tradition.  The entire family will have a blast and you can relive the experience again and again.

Been there, done that?  What about making your gifts together?  Paint a ceramic.  Knit a sweater.  Bake tasty treats.  Make homemade soap or scented candles.  There are lots of kits for the craft lover in your household.  This year, join them in making homemade gifts.  They do not have to be perfect. The fun of making something together will be a present in and of itself.

Pay it Forward
What do you give the person who has everything? Maybe this year you give them the warm feeling that comes from being altruistic.  Millions of people are suffering from natural disasters.  Instead of buying more stuff, give a gift of hope.  Donate to a favorite charity instead.  Many charities will send notices explaining exactly what was given on your behalf.  If Waiting for Superman made you cry, donate to a classroom through DonorsChoose.org's Classroom Project.  Feeling like you want to give to farmers? Heifer International provides agricultural families worldwide with marketable farm animals.  Give a flock of chicks, a goat or a water buffalo.  Bet no one in the family ever got one of those before!  Not sure what to give but think your in-laws might be less than thrilled with a card saying thanks for the gaggle of geese? The UK-based organization WorldVision has a catalog of “must have gifts” that features numerous ideas for much needed charitable gifts.