Inspired by Leuwam’s pickled grapes, I decided to give this pickling thing a try. You guys! I want to pickle everything now. Since this was my very first time pickling anything, I thought I’d play it safe and try some simpler recipes. A little googling and a chat with Liz left me with two recipes that felt pretty manageable. Of course, I can never leave well enough alone, so here are my adapted versions!

I’ve got the recipes along with a bunch more pickle pictures over on my blog!

<3,
Becky

If we believe that being vegan is important, being the most effective advocate for the animals must be seen as even more important! The impact of our individual veganism – several hundred animals over the course of a lifetime – pales in comparison to what we have the potential to accomplish with our example. For every person inspired to change their habits, the impact we have on the world multiplies!

He really stresses that it’s about effective change and really focuses on the big picture. I’m basically in love with this bit from the last part of the article:

Situations are subtle and opportunities unique, thus there can be no set answers. But if our decisions are guided by a desire to accomplish the most good, we each have enormous potential to create change.

I fully agree with this post…it’s not about a list of ingredients but living by example and hoping folks will see that it’s possible to change their habits without giving up happiness.

You can check out his whole post over at Vegan Outreach. It’s definitely worth the read!

<3,
Becky

So! You can imagine my joy when I came across this awesome article on Re-Nest about growing your own in a tiny space! All you need is some wood (maybe pallets would work?), seed potatoes (that’s potatoes that have sprouted eyes), soil, and fertilizer.

A commenter even says that instead of building the box, you can start your potatoes inside an old tire. As the plants grow, you just stack more tires on top! I’m not sure how you’d go about getting at the spuds that grow towards the bottom this way, though.

Check out the whole article, including directions on how to construct the box and some fun potato facts over at Re-Nest!

I’m not sure if I have it in me to build something so ambitious this year, but it’s definitely got me thinking about planting some potatoes! I didn’t realize you could grow them in spring and summer. For some reason, they seemed more like winter plants. Maybe the next time I take too long making it through a bag, I’ll plant the sprouty ones instead of composting them!

<3,
Becky

This one has pomegranate fruit bar solar panels and a wind turbine!

More solar panels here – this time made of chocolate! I think this one is my favorite. I love the green roof and the tiny recycle bin!

The only thing that would have made this even better would have been if they’d given bonus points for organic ingredients. Or maybe for vegan houses? Oooooh!

[Images by Nancy Wegward for The New York Times]

<3,
Becky

This post about the results of the poll had one item in it that really caught my interest:

Buy food that is as close to its original form as possible. The most food is processed, the more it costs. A box of cereal costs far more than plain oatmeal. Flavored rice mixes are way more expensive than plain rice.

I think this pretty much summarizes the best way to eat sustainably and deliciously. Buying these raw materials locally is a huge part as well, of course, but the general principle really hits home to me.

The rest of the article is also great, and the blog is worth putting on your list of weekly reads.

xo,
liz