BOTANIC NOV. - DEC. 2016
CULTIVATE TOMORROW
THE BEST SUCCULENTS IN AUSTIN
EAT OUT RESPONSIBLY Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC 1
2 BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
A FARM TO TABLE EXPERIENCE Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC 3
4 BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC 5
CONTAINER GARDEN
GREEN BEAUTY
pg. 18
pg. 46
DEFINING CLIMATE CHANGE
BOTANIC BOOKSHELF
pg. 30
pg. 11
SUCCULENT CUPCAKES
BALL MOSS
pg. 24
pg. 48
EAST AUSTIN SUCCULENTS pg. 34
6 BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
GREEN CREAM pg. 70
LIVING SUSTAINABLE
EAT THIS pg. 53
pg. 78
GARDENS WORTH TRAVELING FOR pg. 82
CLIMATE CONVERSATION pg. 72
THE BUZZ ABOUT BEES
GREEN PRODUCTS pg. 80
pg. 66
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC 7
EDITOR’S Letter
D
Nov. - Dec. 2016
ear reader,
My name is Eva Frederick, and I am a journalist, plant and cupcake fanatic, and the editor of Botanic Magazine. I am so glad you’ve picked up a copy, and I want to tell you a little bit about the process of building the product of love, hard work and recycled paper that you now hold in your hands. My wonderful partners and I founded Botanic in 2016 with one goal in mind: to create a guide and resource for Austinites and Texans in general who want to live in a beautiful, environmentally friendly way. We want to show you that a sustainable life doesn’t have to be crunchy-granola in shades of green and beige--it can be vibrant, exciting, and a whole lot of fun. In the following pages, you will find stories on environmental issues intermingled with lively restaurant guides and recipes and profiles on local Austin businesses. One of my favorite stories in this issue is by our very own creative director Hayden Pigott, and introduces a few restaurants in Austin that follow sustainable principles. Another is by social media director Jules Lawrence. Jules talked to local beekeepers to gain some insight on America’s favorite pollinators and the plight they are facing. Our publisher, Arielle Landau, dove deeper into the climate change issues we see in the media, and our marketing director, Khortlyn Cole, crafted a guide to help passionate students find a career in sustainability. In the wake of the recent election, it is important now more than ever that we prioritize making our own lives as environmentally friendly as possible, because it is hard to know what the future holds in terms of climate change mediation and more. If you’ve read this far, I know that you too, share our values of living in a way that is sustainable and as impact-free as possible. I hope you enjoy flipping through the pages of Botanic magazine, and I especially hope that you find inspiration, even in the slightest thing, to make your life a little more green.
Sincerely,
Eva Frederick botanicmag@gmail.com 8 BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC Arielle Landau Publisher Eva Frederick Editor-in-Chief Khortlyn Cole Marketing Director Jules Lawrence Special Projects Director Social Media Director Hayden Pigott Creative Director Published by BOTANIC Published at issuu.com/botanicmagazine For SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES, call 713-446-2054 For BACK ISSUE ORDERS, call 239-470-6858, or email botanicmag@gmail.com For ADVERTISING INQUIRIES, call 713-446-2054 For EDITORIAL INQUIRIES, call 254-592-5819 BOTANIC Magazine: 2210 Pearl Street #204, Austin, Texas 78705
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC 9
BOTANIC.COM CLICK THIS | NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2016
FARM STAND
BOTANIC.COM/UTFARMSTAND Multiple times a semester at the University of Texas at Austin, students throw a Farm Stand. It takes place on the East Mall and features vegetables from multiple local farms. The most prominent being the UT Microfarm. Go to our site to see a video all about the process.
SUBSCRIBE BOTANIC.COM/SUBSCRIBE Want sustainable tips in your inbox every Monday? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and find out which light bulbs to switch your lamps to as well as ideas on how to start your own compost heap.
SHOP
BOTANIC.COM/GIFTGUIDE2016 Looking for the perfect sustainable gift for your friends, family, and others this holiday season? Look no further than our 2016 Botanic Gift Guide. It comes complete with things for everyone in your life. 10 BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
SUBSCRIBE facebook.com/botanic-magazine instagram.com/botanicmagazine twitter.com/botanic-mag
BOTANIC BOOKSHELF
The Urban Homesteader: How to Create Sustainable Life in the City, featuring Make Your Place, Make It Last, Homesweet Homegrown, and Everyday Bicycling Too often, we find ourselves among forests of buildings instead of forests of trees, struggling to carve out a space in our one-bedroom apartments for a small potted herb garden. We sit in traffic for hours, wishing there was a way to live in more environmentally friendly way, without moving out the country and living on a solar-powered organic farm. Enter The Urban Homesteader, a hands-on set of guides to living sustainably when you live in the midst of an urban jungle. In this affordable mini-library, you can learn to make your own soap, perfect your gardening skills, and carry your groceries and family on your bicycle, from four books written in lighthearted, witty tones. $24.66 on Amazon
Cradle to Cradle by William McDonough and Michael Braungart Cradle to Cradle was written in 2002 by McDonough and Braungart, two leaders in sustainability in both America and oversees. The book looks at industrial business and creates blueprints for an eco-friendlier industry. They title it the, “Next Industrial Revolution,” they’re designs for the industrial revolution are sustainable, safe, and renewable. It is a great read, and a beneficial read, for leading industrial workers in America. $17.62 on Amazon
The Green Book: The Everyday Guide to Saving the Planet One Simple Step at a Time by Elizabeth Rogers The Green Book was the highlight of 2007 in Cypress Lake Middle School; everyone was reading it. The entire student body seemed to want to live a sustainable life and this book promised how to do it in a few simple steps. The Green Book is the perfect starting point (or addition) for your sustainable library. It uses real life celebrities to tell the reader how to live their best green life. $11.85 on Amazon
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC 11
#HAPPYCOWSNOTHAPPYMEALS
12 BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC 13
14 BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC 15
16 BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
HEALTHY EATING SUCKS. SO WE MADE IT BETTER.
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC 17
R GA E DN
A question and answer with an Austin container gardener Eva Frederick
18 BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
T
his month, Botanic sat down with Carolyn Thompson, an Austin resident who, for the past few years, has been practicing a sustainable type of gardening that lets her have the garden of her dreams in a small space: container gardening. Thompson has several large pots on a balcony of her house where she grows seasonal produce such as lettuce, peppers, and herbs, which she uses in her cooking. BOTANIC: What made you want to have a garden in big pots? THOMPSON: Well I always wanted to have a garden, but on our property there is no place that you can have one that has good soil and good sun, except on this man-made perch, or deck, and the sunlight there is perfect for it. And when we were redoing the house, I said, “Can I put a rooftop garden in?” and they said “Yeah, it will be a container garden.” So we got different pots of different sizes and then worked from there, but we change it up seasonally because the conditions in texas are pretty harsh, so you really have to, in the summer, have summer things in there, and in the winter, we have winter things in there. B: What are some of the advantages of having a container garden? T: We have all-fresh herbs all the time, like rosemary, chives, all of the things we normally cook with, so I can just walk down and trim a bunch of stuff off and it’s all fresh and organic. In the winter we have all kinds of lettuce, so two to three times a week we will make a fresh salad from our own stuff, which is really nice. Collard greens, kale, red-leaf and greenleaf lettuce--it is nice having it acces-
sible and we don’t have to buy it, let it sit in the fridge and watch it go bad. We can just get it and use it as we want it. B: What are some of the disadvantages? T: Well it does require a lot more attention, so when you are using containers rather than having an in-ground or raised ground [garden] bed you have to be a lot more in tune to the condition of the soil. You have to make sure you have the right nutrients in there, because they get depleted a lot more easily in a pot, since it’s not all mixing together. And then you have to water it. We have a drip system, so it’s on our irrigation. It is not a sprinkler system, so it still uses less water, but it comes on several days in order to adequately water it, so it uses a lot of water. The next level would be the hydroponic system, which is then sustainable on its own but then that is a whole new level, with fish and water and other stuff. Another advantage is just the fact that it is out there and it’s so pretty and it makes you feel good that you are growing something that is not just a flower or bush or a shrub. It’s like, “you can eat that if you want it, if you want some fresh mint for your tea, just take it.” Its nice. B: So you think this is feasible for people who live in apartments, or other places where they just don’t have the space? T: Yes so there is a big movement in downtown to do these rooftop gardens. There are a lot of restaurants in downtowns now where some of the chefs have rooftop gardens, especially in New York. I don’t know if you’ve heard about those, but they grow all their own
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC 19
20 BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC 21
food so it is farm to table, from their own farm. And it can be done but you have to work on it. It becomes kind of more of a renaissance approach to cuisine and the culinary arts. The guy who did all our landscape lighting when we redid our house is putting forward to the City of Austin this proposal to take the Seaholm building, which has True Food Kitchen and a Trader Joe’s, and turn the whole rooftop of that into a hydroponic garden so it could teach other people in the city how to use sustainable gardening for their own purposes. I think a lot of people don’t realize that they can. They think that in a downtown space there is no green space, but you can have it, even on your patio. I think it is always worth it to try it. B: What is one thing that really makes 22 BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
this type of gardening sustainable? T: It kind of forces you to eat seasonally, which is how you’re supposed to eat in the first place. When you plant a garden whether it be an inground garden or container garden or whatever, if it is outside then it is exposed to the natural elements of the environment so you have to plant what will grow in your zone, which means that naturally it produces things that grow at a certain time of the year. That means that we have those things to eat, so we end up eating seasonally from our garden. If it’s wintertime, what we can grow out in that area tend to be greens, dark leafy greens lettuces, that sort of thing, but not berries. It’s seasonally what works here, so we kind of tend to be at the mercy of what is available to use. That makes it sustainable.
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC23
24BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
SUCCULENT TREATS A guide on how to make these succulent cupcakes Eva Frederick
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC25
W
hether you’re deciding what to bring to a party, looking for a fun family project, or just hoping to make the green life a little bit sweeter, this cupcake recipe fits the bill. Start with a batch of ready-made cupcakes. These are made with chocolate cupcakes, but any flavor will work. Coat the top of the cupcakes in icing, and roll in crushed graham crackers to give the appearance of sand or gravel. Set the cupcakes aside.
26 BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
Take out the fondant and knead to soften. Once pliable, add a small amount of green food coloring and pull and knead the fondant to blend in the color. When you have achieved the desired shade of green, roll the fondant out to a little more than â…› inch thickness. Use the flower-shaped cookie cutters to cut pieces of fondant of varying sizes.
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC27
28 BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
To make them look more like succulent leaves, take a knife and cut in between the petals towards the center to make longer “leaves.” Pinch the ends of the leaves with your fingers to create points. Make the centers of the plants by forming a small ball of fondant and surrounding it with tiny leaves. These can be hand-shaped since they are too small to cut with the cookie cutter. Layer the succulent leaves from largest to smallest in the mini cupcake tins. They should like this: Allow the fondant succulents to sit in the open air so they dry and harden a little bit. Test to see if they are hard enough by removing one from the cupcake tin and checking if it maintains its form. Once they are ready, gently set the succulents on top of the graham-crackercovered cupcakes. If you’re worried about the cupcakes staying together, melt a little bit of white chocolate and use as glue to attach the succulents to the cupcakes. Enjoy your tasty succulent treats! Find our fondant recipe at botanicmagazine.wordpress. com
SUPPLIES:
Ready-made cupcakes Wilton icing dye in moss green Ready-made Wilton fondant Rolling pin Your favorite icing Crushed graham crackers
Flower shaped cookie cutters in varying sizes Mini cupcake tins White chocolate for “glue” (optional)
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC29
30BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
DEFINING
CLIMATE CHANGE
What is this hot button topic all about Arielle Landau
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC 31
C
limate change. Many people hear rising, which is a vital sign for climate change these two words being thrown according to climate.org, and causing an around. They see legislation increase in flooding for cities on the shore. We being introduced to Congress on are also seeing melting glaciers, droughts, and climate change, they see posts all stronger heat waves. over social media regarding the compound One town that has seen the negative word, but but do people really understand the impacts climate change has on our population dangers of climate change? is Barrow, Alaska. Barrow has seen a decrease While reading an abundant amount of in ice coverage since the early 2000s. The ice articles, tweets, and posts on climate change, is consistently thinning out, and decreasing you might think to yourselves, “So what? What during the autumn months, causing an is the harm with warmer winters and colder increase in the amount of open water there is, summers.” Unfortunately, climate change is and increasing the amount of flooding Barrow more serious than warmer winters, but before has during the fall. A decrease in ice also delving into the dangers of climate change it is affects jobs for Barrow residents, and effects important to make sure that people cli-mate those who make hunting a living. Barrow understand exactly what climate residents are forced to adapt to the change that /klimit/ change is. they are experiencing, but it is not too late for noun Climate is different than every other region. the weather weather. According to NASA, In order to prevent weather is, “short-term changes we conditions prevailing the serious damages that see in temperature,” and climate is, in an aera in general or come from climate change “weather averaged over many years.” we need to change our Climate varies from region to region, over a long period lifestyles. We need to be along with varying from season more renewable with our to season. Climate change is the average energy. Be more efficient. Switch to LED temperature of the earth, and the changes lightbulbs, do not use hairspray bottles, cut seen in the average temperature in the earth. down on waste, and get more involved in local We are currently are seeing an increase in a climate change groups. It is important to be warmer climate. According to NASA, Earth’s informed, and it is important to educate others temperature has increased over one degree on climate change. It is topic that is not going Fahrenheit in the past 100 years. away, and it is a danger to our planet Earth. It Even though that one degree does is up to us to change, and it is up to us whether not seem like a big impact on our Earth, we or not we want the Earth’s climate to keep have already seen the negative effects climate increasing, or if we want it to be at normal, change has on our planet. Sea levels are healthier, climate for us to live in.
32BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
Big Bend National Park in December Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC33
34BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
AST AUSTIN SUCCULENTS THE EXTREMELY POPULAR SUCCULENT SHOP OPENED ITS DOORS FOR US Eva Frederick
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC35
W
alking through the greenand how best to care for each of them. houses at East Austin “There are so many different kinds, and Succulents is like enterI couldn’t tell you the names of all of them, but ing a kaleidoscope of exone day I’ll get there,” she said. “I get excited otic plants. Cacti stand like when we get people that come in and do have spiny sentinels over pale-green succulents a passion and a knowledge for it, and they with explosions of geometric foliage, and every come here and ask me really intense questions three feet contains its own microcosm of flora and we get into a back and forth.” of every color and texture. East Austin succulents began more “When people come here for the first than 7 years ago, somewhat by accident. The time, they typically will spend about two hours owners had a backyard succulent collection because there is just so much to see,” said which began to expand past what they could Alley Floyd, general manager of East Austin handle. They began selling the succulents on Succulents. the weekends at farmers markets, then de Floyd, who is compact and athletic cided that they could support a small retail with a shock of blue hair, did not have a typical operation. In 2010, they moved to their current career progression. She location, where they share a “We take our time to go to graduated with a degree large lot with another Austin specialized nurseries throughout in music history and went nursery, Tillery Street Plant on to work as a veterinary the southwest that concentrate on Company. succulents as well and try to find technician for five years “It is two nurseries on the most bizarre and crazy things.” the same property,” she said. before she made her first foray into the world of succulents. “Tillery Street was here first and couldn’t fill “[About 7 years ago], there was a cacall of the space that was here, so invited us to tus farm out in Dell Valley that had posted on open up our retail operation here as well.” Craigslist that they were looking for a farm East Austin Succulents takes up the uphand out at the cactus farm,” she said. “I went per left-hand corner of the larger nursery lot. out there and interviewed with the guy, and he Three long, canopied greenhouses house the said, ‘Well you seem to want to do this, but I thousands of plants from all over the world, think you are too small.’ So I showed up every collected by Floyd and the owners. day for a week and worked. At the end of the “We take our time to go to specialweek I was hired.” ized nurseries throughout the southwest that The cactus farm went out of business a concentrate on succulents as well and try to few years later, but Floyd was hooked. When find the most bizarre and crazy things,” she she began working at East Austin Succulents, said “We have everything from the little plant she jumped head-first into learning about the you can buy at HEB to the plant that you can staggering variety of succulents on the market, maybe find one person selling it on Ebay once
36BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC37
38BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC39
40BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
a year or something. If you are looking for something really weird and bizarre that you have never seen before, we are going to have that.” Outside of the succulent greenhouses, the foliage changes dramatically. Instead of compact desert flora, the lot outside bursts with a huge assortment of fruit trees, flowers, vines and decorative shrubs. This is Tillery Street Plant Company. A smaller greenhouse across the lot is an interior designer’s dream, filled with tropical houseplants with huge, dark green leaves like expensive leather. Tillery Street also specializes in the lush, green foliage of native plants, which are a must for environmentally friendly gardening, said Lindsay Mare, general manager. “They’re adapted to this region, so you have to maintain them less,” she said. “They can take a lot of sun, which is good in Texas, and they don’t need a lot of water. It is a more sustainable way to garden.” Mare has been working at Tillery Street from the beginning, when they started six years ago. As general manager, she is in charge of managing employees, ordering and caring for the trees, shrubs and flowers, and helping customers find the perfect plant. “I didn’t grow up being really interested in plants,” she said. “Actually it was something I figured out after I had a couple of jobs where I was working inside --I realized that it was much more important to me to be outside working in nature.” Mare is tall and willowy, wearing worn out denim cutoffs and dark green hiking boots. She fits right in among the plants with her
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC 41
42BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC43
“WE ARE A
44BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
LOCAL BUSINESS”
low-key fashion and natural look. “Usually people that work in plant nurseries aren’t mainstream sort of people,” she said. “We are all pretty funky and interested in weird things, so I think we bring it to the table with the nursery. Everyone that works here is a family. It just started with myself and one other girl--there were only two employees that worked here, and we just tried really hard to make it inviting and help customers.” Tillery Street has recently gained popularity as an Austin nursery, and the business is finally flourishing like the plants they sell. “We are a local business and we really struggled for the first few years,” she said. “We are just now finally making it work. We try to be really active in the community--we just had yoga here last week, and we did gardening classes ger for the first time last year.” The colorful jungle of foliage at Tillery Street make it a haven for those seeking peace through yoga, as well as a crowd of others. “We
do fiddlesticks concerts here in the back for kids on the weekends, usually families come,” Mare said. “Sometimes there are sweat lodges, there are men’s drumming circles in the back, we used to have events here during South By, we have artists set up her for east austin studio tour-we are pretty active. It is really nice to interact with so many people from the community. They come in here and they just want to learn.” And the employees at Tillery Street are more than willing to help people learn about the plants they offer. “People think they can’t garden in an apartment--if you don’t have any experience, just like come in,” Mare said. “If you think you’re bad at taking care of plants, you just haven’t found the right one yet, so just come and talk to someone [at Tillery Street], and we are happy to help.”
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC45
GREEN BEAUTY The best beauty products to use if you are trying to live a more sustainable life
L
Khortlyn Cole iving your best beauty life often means compromising your ethics for the top products. That is, until today. A little bit of research shows that cruelty-free, paraben-free, vegan brands are breaking into mainstream beauty as companies become more transparent. But you millennials already knew that, right? The Intelligence Group released a study that found three quarters of us research products before buying them. Here we’ve compiled some of the best beauty products(fashion, makeup, and skin care) that fit your sustainable lifestyle.
ANTONYM MAKE-UP BRUSHES
CHARLOTTE TILBURY
Charlotte Tilbury leans toward the high end spectrum of make up products, but they are well worth the price. All products are
Antonym brushes can be compared to top brands like morphe or sigma, the only difference is all brushes are eco friendly and cruelty free. The bamboo handle of Antonym brushes are ecofriendly and the synthetic bristles keep the softness expected of a quality brush. Contour brush #3, pictured, is great for a sleek, sharp contour look.
cruelty free.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation, $44, is a weightless full coverage foundation with a “magic” shade matching formula.
YES TO
TOO FACED
All Too Faced products are cruelty free. Too Faced sells synthetic brushes and vegan friendly makeup options as well.
BURTS BEES
BURT’S BEES donates 10% of their website sales to a foundation that saves the endangered bees. None of their products are animal tested. With products ranging from chapstick to body wash, BURT’S BEES has products for all over the body that save the bees.
Better Than Sex Mascara is one of the many vegan friendly options that offer long, voluminous lashes.
Yes To’s charcoal mud mask is great for spot acne treatments or all over the face as a detoxifying mask.
OBEY
Starting with clothes, Fair Trade is all about the ethical exchange of goods. Essentially, the workers behind the company use organic agricultural practices that make their working environment safer. They’re also paid a fair, living wage and aren’t ruled by union. Pictured, pays a percentage of their sale to the workers that created the goods.
46BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
YES to is a drugstore skin care company with products made from natural formulas based in fruits and vegetables. All products are paraben free and in recyclable packaging.
BECCA
BECCA’s products are not only cruelty free, but BECCA participates in research to prove that cruelty free products are more reliable.
BECCA’s pressed Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal is one of the most popular highlight products with approvals from beauty guru’s and celebrities around the world.
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC47
MOSS Turning an overlooked plant into valuable research Eva Frederick
48 BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
W
illiam Niendorff is a passionate advocate for overlooked plants.
His most recent obsession is with the familiar, spiky-looking colonies of ball moss that adorn trees across Texas. Many people look right past them, but when Niendorff sees the pale green plants, he sees untapped potential. “Tillandsias are remarkable plants, and they are really misunderstood, so that is a reason I wanted to study them,” Niendorff said. For the past two years, Austin resident Niendorff has been investigating ball moss, Tillandsia recurvata, as a plant to be used for plant-covered roofs, or green roofs. Niendorff, who initially received funding for the project through UT’s Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, worked on the research under the late Mark Simmons, who was the Director of Research and Experimental Design at the Wildflower Center. Green roofs can regulate temperature, substantially reduce energy consumption and provide an aesthetically pleasing habitat for native insects and other animals, according to a 2001 study in Energy and Buildings. Currently, most green roofs are made with soilbased plants, such as grasses or succulents. These urban oases can be found around Austin already—they adorn the Austin City Hall, several office buildings, and hotels downtown. Niendorff’s idea of using a rootless, completely soil-free plant is a new concept in
green roof design. “One of the greatest things about Tillandsias is that they don’t need soil at all, which means that if you’re using them for a type of green wall or green roof, you don’t have to worry about that extra weight on the structure,” Niendorff said. In his recent study, Niendorff created threedimensional models to test the ball moss plant’s capability to provide the traditional advantages of green roofs, such as temperature control, decreased runoff and habitats for native species. The study proved that ball moss green roofs are feasible projects, and Niendorff plans to conduct further trials to explore the most efficient models. The ball moss models are low maintenance and obtain water from the air, nitrogen from bacteria and other nutrients from blown dust. Ball moss is not actually a moss, but an epiphyte, meaning it does not affect its host plant. Since they obtain everything they need independent of a host, ball mosses can grow on almost anything — ¬trees, rocks or wire models. Niendorff’s models are constructed around metal frames, and instead of being restricted to a single layer, the plants can be arranged in many different configurations. “One of the things that I like most about my project is that it’s ridiculously simple,” Niendorff said. “It’s a concept that already works in nature.” One downside to the project is that the ball moss green roof models contain only one species of plant, while most green roofs are
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC49
50BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
composed of several different species. Diversity in green roofs is an advantage because it makes the system more adaptable to change in environmental conditions. The next step for Niendorff’s project is investigating the logistics of ball moss green roofs, and finding out which arrangements work best. Niendorff also wants to explore the public’s opinion on ball moss through surveys at the UT School of Architecture. He is eager to see data on what people think of ball moss, especially since the plant has a history of being unpopular. “Lady Bird Johnson actually had them removed from the trees at the Wildflower Center because she herself hated them, so I think it’s kind of funny that I’m doing a research project on them [through the Wildflower Center],” Niendorff said. Niendorff hopes to publish his research next summer and his paper will add to the small amount of literature on ball moss available. Niendorff said even books written specifically on the genus Tillandsia make little to no mention of ball moss. “Ball moss is a discarded plant, which makes it so exciting for me,” Niendorff said. “It’s like how to turn trash into treasure.”
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC 51
52BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
EAT THIS A DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO AUSTIN’S SUSTAINABLE RESTAURANTS
HAYDEN PIGOTT
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC53
O
dd Duck is one of the best options in Austin if you are looking for a sustainable meal. When you walk in you are greeted by a welcoming staff and you have options to dine at the bar, inside, or on their outdoor porch. Definitely get one of their hand-crafted sodas to begin your meal. The Lemongrass is a refreshing blend of summer and fall. Order the Native Corn and Whole Wheat Sourdough with House Cultured Butter and Kale Salad as a starter as well. The best item on the menu, by far, is the Grilled Mustard Green Pizza which comes with their habanero ranch dressing to dunk or cover your pizza in. The ranch adds a kick of spice to finish off each bite. Don’t forget to order the Coffee Crossiant which is flaky, buttery, and the perfect way to end a meal. 54BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC55
56BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
H
illside Farmacy is one of the best breakfast restaurants in Austin. Their simple Big Brekkie is a wonderful way to start your day. It features local farm eggs, bacon, homefries, arugla and toast. The toast gives a nice crunch on the outer-edge but is soft and chewy on the inside. The eggs are buttery and the bacon is a crispydream. Hillside soucrces from places like Durham Ranch, Springdale Farm, Ringger Family Farm and Texas French Bread. If you are going on the weekend make sure to get up early because the wait can be crazy, especially during season.
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC57
O
dd Duck’s sister restaurant, Barley Swine is an absolute treat. Their outdoor seating is perfect for a crisp fall night. Start off your meal with the Zucchini that features apple, goat feta, and field pea spread. It starts off salty, gets sweet and ends with a little kick. It is incredibly refreshing. The best item on the menu is by far the Hatch Chile Cheese Pretzel. It comes warm and as soon as you bite into it the cheese oozes into your mouth and you immediately get hit with the hatch chile. Grilled Potato with pickles, mustards and peanut ranch are the ideal next portion of your meal. They offer a cool palate cleanser after the pretzel. End your meal with the Ricotta dumplings which feature charred eggplant and fresno chile. They are soft and warm, leaving you feeling like you are eating a home-cooked meal. They feature foods from Fruitful Hill Farm, Houston Dairymaids, Phoenix Farms, and Johnson’s Backyard Garden.
58BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
C
ontigo Austin is the best place to host your next dinner party or birthday brunch. The restaurant is mainly outdoor seating so don’t go on a rainy day. Start your meal with the popcorn because it is perfectly spiced and the peanuts are delicious. If you are there for dinner get the grilled cheese as the cheese is from a local farm and the bread is perfectly toasted.
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC59
60 BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
O
lamaie is an interesting place. It is southern food but it doesn’t boil down to what you would normally think of as southern cuisine. Lunch is the best time to try what they are offering. Get the Lunch Fixe, you get to try three of their plates and their phenomenal biscuits. The Country Fried Cornbread with gulf shrimp remoulade and garlic chive is a good way to start your meal. The shrimp remoulade is refreshing and opens your palate for future courses. The Grilled Pimento Cheese Sandwich with B&B pickles is huge for a three plate meal so get ready to have leftovers. Lastly, for your own sanity, order the Biscuit and Gravy with a sunny side up egg, sorghum and country sausage. It is by far the best thing in the whole restaurant.
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC 61
T
exas French Bread is known in Ausitn for its sustainable baking and it doesnt’t stop there. At breakfast you can order fresh banana nut pancakes with farm fresh butter that will jump start your day. For lunch make sure to get a sandwich on their in house-baked bread with chips and salsa. Add a homemade ginger cookie to your meal and your mind will be blown.
62 BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
E
ast Side Pies gives off that food-truck vibe but it is a brickand-mortar location. You walk into a tiny space to order your pizza and then choose a table outside. You can order farm-to-table pizzas that are featured daily or get one of their classics like pepperoni. The pizzas are huge and come with really thin slices that are easily foldable. The sauce tastes more like pasta sauce but it makes for an interesting flavor. It kind of reminds you of your grandma’s homemade ravioli.
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC63
S
alty Sow is somewhere everyone seems to have been. Michelle Obama went for the fries and you can always hear hipsters near you discussing what to order. The Duck Fat Fries are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The bernaise sauce compliments them immensely. The chicken thighs come moist and crunchy. They taste a little bit like happiness mixed with rosemary. End your meal with the buttersotch dessert because it will rock your world. There is something pure and innocent about it that is the perfect combo of salty and sweet.
64BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC65
THE BUZZ ABOUT BEES Thoughts on the looming bee extinction Jules Lawrence
66 BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
A
bout 2 months ago, seven species of yellow-faced, wasp-like Hawaiian bees became the first bee to be placed on the endangered species list in the United States. While these bees are responsible for a certain degree of solitary pollination, they are not honeybees and not responsible for the mainstream pollination of the food that we eat. But don’t let that tidbit give you a false sense of security. The endangerment of these bees bringing to light the current dangers that face honeybees in America, which are quite alarming. The honeybees are going through a process called colony collapse disorder or CCD. CCD is the phenomenon where the majority of worker bees in a colony either die off or leave their queen behind and very few bees to care for the hive. John Swan, the current vice president of the Travis County Beekeeper’s Association and owner of Wicked Bee Apiary and Removal Services, says that a number of factors contribute to this effect; taking away the bees’ native food sources, spraying them with toxins and chemicals and introducing them to new parasites are among them. “The bees have so many hardships against them right now with the lack of food, all the pesticides and then the natural predators and bests and natural diseases, that they just can’t cope,” Swan said. Honeybees in the United States are
responsible for one third of the food we eat today. Almost all fruits and vegetables are primarily pollinated by honeybees and all nuts in the United States are as well. Beekeepers are hired to bring their bees to the fields of farmers and larger agricultural conglomerates for the purpose of pollinating their crops. 75 percent of all agriculture needs to be pollinated in some way, and the bees are the most productive way of doing it. “An almond orchard can produce five pounds of almonds per acre if they don’t have bees,” said Les Crowder, a world traveling beekeeping guru and author of “Topbar Beekeeping”. “They can produce 3500 pounds per acre if they do have bees.” That’s an immense difference, especially when it makes up one third of the food Americans eat. But the pesticides that the bees are being sprayed with are the primary issue that are causing the population of bees to decrease at concerning rates. The toxins act as a fertilizer would; their goal is to enable the bees to be as efficient as possible in pollinating crops. Neonicotinoids are one of these toxins. They negatively affect the neuro-transmitters in the bees’ brains, which affect their motor skills in that they can’t find their way back to their own hives and colonies and they can’t taste the nectar of that flowers produce. This means that they cannot figure out which flowers are producing the nectar needed for pollination purposes but also to feed them-
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC67
selves and their colonies. And just like any other living thing on this planet, if they don’t get enough food, they die. Toxins in fertilizers and other chemicals sprayed on plants also contribute to the mass decrease in honeybee populations. The bees take in these chemicals when they take in when they pollinate crops or flowers. Not only does this harm themselves because their natural food source is plagued with foreign chemicals, but it harms the bees in the hive that all depend on that food to survive. When the bees mate, those chemicals can be transferred from bee to bee and even into the larvae, which are brought into the world infected with these chemicals or killed before they can even become grown bees. With the bees taking in chemicals that slowly kill them and the imminent threat in the decrease of crops and foods that we eat on a daily basis, Swan says the biggest concern is that there is little being done to prevent these problems. There is an effort being made by the government in which farmers are paid to plant milkweed and other plants that give bees a natural and detoxified source of food, but the issue is generally being ignored. “The bees have just become a product,”
he said. They are no longer being considered living creatures.” Honeybees are being trucked all around the country for the purposes of pollination. They are fed corn syrup after having all of their natural food sources stripped from them and they are constantly being sprayed and infected with pesticides, insecticides and other chemicals that are killing the bees by the hundreds of thousands. These conglomerates and farmers and even some beekeepers who trying to maximize profits are destroying the very creatures that are making them money in the first place. “Bees, on their own accord, are marvelous creatures,” Swan said. “But mankind’s intervention is really where the problem starts. We are the biggest part of the problem.” With one third of our food supply on the line, and fruits and vegetables and nuts providing key nutrients that humans need to live and function healthily, bees need to not just survive, but thrive. The disregard for enormous amounts of damage humans are doing to honeybees has dire effects on us all. “We have to find a non-toxic way to live,” Crowder said.
“THE BEES HAVE JUST BECOME A PRODUCT,” HE SAID. THEY ARE NO LONGER BEING CONSIDERED LIVING CREATURES.”
68 BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC69
GREEN
70BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
CREAM SWEET RITUAL IS MAKING SUSTAINABLE ICE CREAM DELICIOUS Arielle Landau
V
egan ice cream is hitting the streets of Austin thanks to Amelia Raley and Valerie Ward’s ice cream parlor, Sweet Ritual. For those ice cream snobs, like myself, I understand your hesitation when you hear the words vegan ice cream, but there is nothing cringe worthy about this ice cream parlor. From the second I walked in I was hit with smells of coconut, cocoa, and honey. From exotic flavors like unicorn poop to the usual vanilla and chocolate my stomach, and taste buds, were ready to conquer the vegan ice cream world. The colors of each flavor were so vibrant, and I could not help myself but try every flavor on the menu. I ordered the unicorn poop, a coconut base Ice cream with pink food dye, rainbow sprinkles, and hard candies. Every bite I took was magical. It was full of flavor and texture, and the color of it was beautiful. No ice cream flavor has ever lived up to its name like this one. Not only does Sweet Ritual sell vegan products, but they use compostable bowls too. It’s green, it’s fun, it’s innovative, and it completely surprised me. Nothing about my experience was how I would expect vegan ice cream to taste, but I am glad I tried it because it was delicious!
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC 71
CLIMATE CONVERSATION THE REEF IS NOT DEAD Eva Frederick
72BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC73
E
The Reef is definitely in trouble, but it is too arlier this year, Outside Magazine soon to pronounce it dead. published an article that went viral. Kristopher Wilson is an environmentalPeople all over the world shared it, scientist-turned-journalist and professor at and many heartfelt posts resulted, The University of Texas at Austin. Wilson but the article was not true, and said that while this kind of journalism is eyeit was not constructive journalism--it was an catching and sensational, it is not a good way obituary for the Great Barrier Reef. to raise awareness for conservation efforts--in With its vibrant corals and strange fact, it does the opposite. and wonderful wildlife, the Great Barrier “I don’t think [this kind of ] hyperbole Reef is often cast as a posterchild for helps, because people get fatigued if they feel diversity. It stretches over 2300 kilometers like there are all these environmental disasters across Australia’s northeastern coast, and and nothing they can do about it,” Wilson encompasses 3000 individual coral reefs and said. “Then, people 1050 islands. It 2016 saw the largest bleaching event on record, aren’t likely to feel is the world’s which affected around 93 percent of the Reef, and very compelled largest living killed 22 percent of the corals across the to do something, structure. In 2300 kilometers ofthe Great Barrier Reef. whereas there are recent years, plenty of things we however, large can do to help protect the reef.” Wilson visited sections of the reef have suffered bleaching, the southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef this which occurs when algae, which lives summer, and found it thriving--a far cry for symbiotically with the coral, dies. This turns the bone-colored bleached sections described the vibrant coral white, and it often dies soon in the Outside article and others like it. “The after. Bleaching can be caused by warmer “sky is falling” kind of reporting, that doom water temperatures, which are increasingly and gloom, people thought that motivates becoming a problem as the global climate people, but in fact it does the opposite,” he warms. said. “People will kind of throw their hands in 2016 saw the largest bleaching event on the air and go, ‘why bother?’” record, which affected around 93 percent of the Wilson said that this can be true for Reef, and killed 22 percent of the corals across stories on various aspects of environmental the 2300 kilometers of the Great Barrier Reef, issues. “Sometimes they are overblown, and according to Coral Reef Studies by the Arc people just throw up their hands and go, ‘I Center of Excellence. guess I’ll never see that,’” he said. “So I don’t But still, that means over three quarters think it is a very constructive way to get people of the Reef remains, and Australia is currently to act, if that’s the goal.” working on conservation efforts to save the To remedy this problem in parts of the reef that are still alive and vibrant.
74BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC75
environmental communication, Wilson recommends readers to take in information like this with a grain of salt, and journalists to change the way in which they cover these issues “I think sometimes we need to just do straight reporting, which is just cause and effect,” he said. “We can explain what it is that’s happening and then try to explain why it’s happening, and i think sometimes journalism and especially environmental reporting can focus on solutions instead of just the crisis.” The reef obituary sparked a small frenzy among climate scientists and others who share Wilson’s view that this kind of reporting does not help the Great Barrier Reef. Many said that this kind of misinformation could cause people to give up hope, when they should be taking action to help save the reef. Australia’s government is working hard to preserve the Great Barrier Reef, and
76BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
conservations include the Reef 2050 Longterm Sustainability Plan, a collaboration between industries and Australian researchers, and laws prohibiting some practices that can be damaging to the reef, such as dredging and waste disposal in reef areas. Scientists are already seeing results--pesticide runoff has been greatly reduced, and teams have developed plans to improve species protection and cut down on numbers of the crown-ofthorns starfish, an invasive species in the reef. And this involvement will continue indefinitely. Within the coming decades, Australia will invest over $2 billion in research on sustaining the reef, according to Australia’s Department of the Environment and Energy. The Great Barrier Reef obituary reached a mass audience, but it stands as proof that it is important to be careful of believing every article about climate issues. Yes, the Great Barrier Reef is in danger, but it is certainly not dead yet.
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC77
LIVING SUSTAINABLE
Six easy tips to help live a sustainable life Arielle Landau
C
reating a greener tomorrow might sound like a complete change in your daily routine, but with these six quick, and easy, steps, you will be able to decrease your carbon footprint without changing your whole lifestyle.
#1
Switching to LED Lightbulbs
According to Boston University’s Sustainability, LED lightbulbs last longer than regular lightbulbs. They are also more efficient than regular lightbulbs by cutting energy consumption by 80% or more. LED lightbulbs last 25% longer than a regular lightbulb, and they are more cost efficient.
#2 Compost
Composting is one of the cheapest ways to help maintain a sustainable life. Gardening is a leading hobby for many Austinites, and composting is an easy, inexpensive way to create mulch and soil for your plants. All you have to do is throw your leftovers and leaves into your compost, and you can create your own soil in your own backyard. Adding compost to your garden improves your soil, and creates a healthier development in your plants.
78BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
#3 Install Solar Panels
This tip is a little more time consuming, and a little more expensive, but installing even one solar panel into your roof allows you to create more renewable energy for your house, or business. Just one panel is worth around $130.00 on amazon.com, but the amount of energy being collected through your panel will be worth the money.
Electronics, #4 Unplug Newspaper Wrapping Paper #6 Turn off Lights As simple as this sounds, these are two things many families forget. Just by turning off the lights after leaving a room, and unplugging electronics after using them, you can easily save electricity. These are two things that you can do that doesn’t require money or time, but it does save plenty of money.
#5 Go Electronic
Another easy way to be more sustainable is by using less paper. Scan everything to your desktop, archive your papers, and take notes online. There are many online sources you can use to help go paperless such as Google drive, or Enote. Both of these sources are connected to the cloud and will allow you to save all of your typed out writings, and helps you decrease the amount of paper used in your household.
Ever since I was younger I have been taught the importance of recycling. Whenever I had a birthday party I would always wrap a gift with newspaper instead of wrapping paper. It was a great and easy way to recycle. It was also fun to pick out specific sections to wrap my gifts in depending on the person the gift was for. Recycling newspapers is just one of many quick ways to create a more sustainable life without having to change your whole lifestyle. These are just a few of many tips that can help create a sustainable life. For more tips on living a greener life check out Botanic’s Facebook page by searching Botanic Magazine. Also look at the facebook page to calculate your own personal Carbon Footprint.
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC79
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
BOTANIC
GREEN PRODUCTS SNOWCASTLE SOAP
This creamy, softly made soap with soothing rose and benzoin resinoid makes it soothing on dry winter skin. It also features a marzipan scent that is perfect for the season. $7.95 at Lush.com
CHRISTINGLE BODY CONDITIONER Smooth this pale blue peppermint and menthol crystal body conditioner all over to hydrate and cool skin. It features jojoba oil, murumuru and shea butter. $14.95-$26.95 at Lush.com
80 BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
PEEPING SANTA BUBBLE BAR
This Santa comes complete with chocolate chip eyes and layers of hydrating butters in the middle. There is a mouth-watering strawberry perfume to entice your senses. $6.95 at Lush.com
THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS REUSABLE BUBBLE BAR
This warming cinnamon stick will turn your bath into a bubble-filled utopia. It is full of punchy cinnamon leaf and clove bud. $8.95 at Lush.com
THE PERFECT VENUE.
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC 81
GARDEN WORTH TRAVELING FOR
KEW GARDENS in LONDON, ENGLAND
W
hen you first enter Kew Gardens you are transported to a lush, incredibly green landscape. Flowers are blooming in all shapes and colors around you, birds are chirping happily, and antique greenhouses rise above the tree line. You can hear children running around with their parents, climbing up to look over the tree-tops while grandparents rest on benches below just enjoying the quiet outdoors. Kew Gardens is part of the Royal Botanic 82 BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016
Gardens system of the British royal family. On the property you can visit Kew Palace where multiple royal relatives lived and grew up. The gardens have sustainable practices and have education programs in place to teach visitors how to live a green life. They are aware of climate change and are working their hardest to help prevent more erosion of the world we live in. Kew Gardens is located at Richmond TW9 3AB, UK. Their hours vary based on the seasons, check their website, kew.org.
Nov. | Dec. 2016
BOTANIC83
84 BOTANIC Nov. | Dec. 2016