Green Living August 2015 by Green Living AZ magazine

August 2015

Your conscious life

M A G A Z I N E

GREEN IS THE NEW BLACK

Q&A WITH ACTRESS ALYSIA REINER

TIPS FOR A GREENER SCHOOL YEAR TREASURES 4 TEACHERS NONPROFIT ALSO INSIDE: Desert Ark Brings Desert to Classroom Local School Makes Healthy Changes Tips For Trash And Monsoon Season Wildly Sustainable Arizona Zoos

greenlivingaz.com Green Living magazine is printed by a Forest Stewardship Council certified printer.

Martha M. Grout, MD, MD(H), Founder

“

Dr. Grout tested me for sensitivity to certain foods. After deleting those offending foods from

Martha Grout, MD, MD(H) leads a holistic medical practice in Scottsdale, Arizona. Dr. Grout has 25 years in emergency medicine, and for the last decade, she has been a homeopathic physician. Dr. Grout and her team are dedicated to the natural treatment and reversal of chronic disease.

my diet, and following a healthy diet my health has improved dramatically. Thank you Dr. Grout, and thanks also to a friendly and caring staff! - O.P., Scottsdale, AZ

”

Tr e

Mental

e.g., cognitive function, perceptual patterns)

Spiritual

e.g., meaning & purpose, relationship with something greater than self

t en

the Whole P g at in t i a

Emotional e.g., emotional regulation, grief, sadness, anger

Physical

e.g., assimilation, structural integrity, communication, transport, energy

Truly Integrative Healthcare The Arizona Center for Advanced Medicine is the Southwest’s most diversiﬁed integrative medical center. We integrate the best of alternative and traditional medicine to educate and empower you on the road to health. Led by Medical Director Martha Grout, MD, MD(H), the center is dedicated to the reversal of chronic illness.

Rekha Shah, MD, MD(H) Rekha Shah, MD, MD(H) is board certiﬁed in Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, as well as in Medical Acupuncture. She has been practicing medicine for over 30 years, with experience in allopathic medicine, acupuncture, homeopathy, and training in functional medicine.

Nic Peters, MD Dr. Nic works with children, young adults, and their families coping with chronic health issues. By using science, clinical wisdom, and innovative tools, Dr. Peters can identify the underlying causes of chronic diseases and treat using safe and effective, complementary evidence-based treatments, behavior and dietary changes to re-establish optimum health.

Debi Murphy, PA-C Debi Murphy, PA-C, supports the team at the Center and enables them to work more efﬁciently with patients. She tries to learn as much as she can about each unique patient’s condition. She is especially interested in treating female hormone issues and patients afﬂicted with Lyme disease.

Brent R. Korn, D.O. Brent R. Korn, D.O. has been board certiﬁed in Internal Medicine and practicing medicine for 14 years, the last 5 of which have been devoted principally to the practice of integrative medicine. He is also an adherent and proponent of orthomolecular and “life extension” medicine.

2 greenliving | August 2015 ArizonaAdvancedMedicine.com • 480-240-2600 •

greenlivingaz.com 10200 N. 92nd St. Suite 120, Scottsdale

departments

August 2015

Live Green 4 Local School Boosts Students’ Health and Wellness 6 Q&A with Actress Alysia Reiner 8 Arizona Zoos Go Wild with Sustainability Efforts 10 Tips From Don’t Trash Arizona 12 Treasures 4 Teachers Helps Arizona Educators

20 Work Green 14 15 16 18 20 22

Learning to Live with Less Water Bringing the Desert into the Classroom Goodwill’s Zero Waste Efforts Tips for a Greener School Year A Different Type of Green for Arizona Casinos The Sharing Economy Part 3 ON THE COVER August 2015

Your conscious life

M A G A Z I N E

GREEN IS THE NEW BLACK

Q&A WITH ACTRESS ALYSIA REINER

greenlivingaz.com Green Living magazine is printed by a Forest Stewardship Council certified printer.

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In anticipation for our September 5-year anniversary issue, we present a throwback white background cover as homage to Green Living’s earlier style. Alysia Reiner, star of the Emmy award winning show “Orange is the New Black,” graces our cover and tells us about being an ecoconscious mom in her Q&A on page 8.

28 Play Green 24 Exploring the Culture of the Mexican Baja 26 Book Review 28 Growing a Sustainable Future 30 Recipes 33 Cool & Outrageous Stuff 34 Green Scenes 38 He’s Green, She’s Green 40 Tribute to Laurel May Bond

August 2015 | greenliving

M a g a z i n e Your conscious life

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M a g a z i n e

PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Your conscious life ASSOCIATE EDITOR CREATIVE DIRECTOR DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS M COPY EDITOR Your conscious life ADVISORY BOARD Vince Alfaro Valerie Crosby Jon Kitchell Mary McCormick Eric Olsen Lori Singleton

Dorie Morales Amanda Harvey Crista Alvey Jeffrey E. Stein a g a z i n e Rachel Luman

Anton Camarota, Ph.D. William Janhonen M Derrick a g aMains z i n e Natalie Morris Cecilia Rosales

CONTRIBUTORS Jennifer Burkhart Anton Camarota Jim Lane, Scottsdale Mayor Alysia Reiner Terri Schlichenmeyer Jenna Spackeen MEDIA CONSULTANTS Alisha “Bee” Forrester-Scott Franchesca Lane

John Burkhart Rodric Hurdle-Bradford Jim Miller David Schaller Danna Spackeen

Tom Hencz Gary Moss

CREATIVE INTERNS Kyle Gannon Fred Lee

Kara Good

EDITORIAL INTERNS Roxanne Bowers Rachel Gossen Maria Fabiola Portillo Amber Starr Sara Weber

Megan Goodwin Cara Pencak Kourtney Seaton Daisy Vargas

PHOTOGRAPHY INTERN

Kristen Stowe

SALES/MARKETING INTERNS Rachel Angulo Jeff Dionot Nicole Vaughn

Sierra Bourne Adam Munson

SOCIAL MEDIA INTERN

Michael Kelleher

CONTACT US AT: Main: info@greenlivingaz.com Advertising: sales@greenlivingaz.com Editorial: submissions@greenlivingaz.com 480.840.1589 7575 E. Redﬁeld Road #219, Scottsdale, AZ 85260

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Please recycle this magazine Green Living magazine is a monthly publication by Traditional Media Group, LLC. Periodical rate postage paid at Scottsdale, AZ. Publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited or contributed manuscripts, photographs, artwork or advertisements. Entire contents © 2015 Traditional Media Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of content in any manner without permission by the publisher is strictly prohibited. Opinions expressed in signed columns and articles do not necessarily reﬂect the views of the publisher. Submissions will not be returned unless arranged to do so in writing. One print subscription is $39 per year or digital subscription is $12 per year. Canadian orders please add $13 per year for shipping and handling. International orders add $22 per year for shipping and handling. Bulk and/or corporate rates available. No representation is made as to the accuracy hereof and is printed subject to errors and omissions. Green Living magazine is printed on recycled paper.

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August 2015

Editor’s Note

Follow Green Living magazine and stay in touch with the newest topics on sustainability! /greenlivingazmag @greenlivingaz /greenlivingaz /company/green-living-az-magazine /greenlivingaz

Dorie and Amanda met Alysia Reiner and her husband David Alan Basche at Natural Products Expo West

To waste, to destroy our natural resources, to skin and exhaust the land instead of using it so as to increase its usefulness, will result in undermining in the days of our children the very prosperity which we ought by right to hand down to them amplified and developed. – Theodore Roosevelt

he idea of leaving the world a better place for our children is not a new concept. Theodore Roosevelt shared the aforementioned quote during the Seventh Annual Message to Congress in 1907. Educators, lawmakers, celebrities and others have all shared their wisdom on the subject throughout the years, and the human race continues to slowly make progress in baby steps, while occasionally taking two steps forward and one step back. For our August Back to School issue of Green Living magazine, we focus on several local schools that are doing what they can to make a difference both for the lives of children and the livelihood of the environment. We’re featuring a spotlight on southern Arizona school Stanfield Elementary’s green efforts and the inspiring story of the principal who suffered a heart attack and then decided to get in shape and share the same healthy habits with his students. We also covered Banner Children’s Academy, a private school in Tempe that teaches important lessons through its ECO program. Also included in this issue are tips from local school district officials on how to effectively green your school year; a roundup of eco zoos; Treasures 4 Teachers nonprofit; tips from Don’t Trash Arizona on how to minimize highway litter this monsoon season; Goodwill’s zero waste efforts; the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum’s Desert Ark educational outreach program; and much more!

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As you also may have noticed, we have the talented and stunning Alysia Reiner on this month’s cover. You probably know her as Fig the Assistant Warden from “Orange is the New Black,” or from her role in the critically-acclaimed film “Sideways.” But what you may not know is that she’s a true eco-conscious mama and takes sustainability and conservation very seriously. It’s no secret that many celebrities live a green lifestyle or are invested in the conservation of planet Earth – Bill Gates recently invested $2 billion in renewable energy projects and Leonardo DiCaprio has donated millions to ocean conservation efforts. Reiner is another eco-conscious celebrity who aims to make the best decisions for her family and for the planet. Read her Q&A in this issue to learn more about her and her family. We also featured her husband and fellow actor, David Alan Basche, in our June issue. If you haven’t read his story yet, be sure to check it out online or in print. I hope you enjoy these stories in our Back to School issue, and I hope you learn something too. I’d also like to make the bittersweet announcement that our talented Creative Director, Crista Alvey, is leaving the Green Living team. Her efforts and dedication these past three years have been amazing. Her husband recently earned his Doctorate degree from Arizona State University and we wish them both great success and happiness in their future endeavors, wherever it may take them.

Amanda Harvey Associate Editor

August 2015 | greenliving

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Giving Back

TREASURES 4 TEACHERS HELPS ARIZONA EDUCATORS BY RACHEL GOSSEN

arbara Blalock looks happily upon the aisles filled with recycled office supplies at her warehouse, as educators search for materials they need for their classrooms. Once a project started in her garage seven years ago, now Blalock has grown her nonprofit, Treasures 4 Teachers, into a successful organization that aims to provide Arizona teachers with reused school supplies at little to no cost. For a low annual membership fee of $35.00, anyone who works directly with students in an educational capacity has access to the “free zone,” $5.00 bags full of supplies, other priced-as-marked items and die cut and laminating machines for use. On average, Arizona teachers spend $1,000.00 out of pocket annually on school supplies for their students. Upon learning this, Blalock began the challenge of creating Treasures 4 Teachers. “The idea came from finding out that teachers don’t have the supplies they need, but companies and businesses have an abundance of supplies that they don’t use,” she said. Blalock first reached out to Intel, asking for any surplus office supplies. She quickly received shipments of various items that she would store in her garage and give to teachers. Soon, other corporations began doing the same, and Blalock’s garage began to overfill. In 2010, she relocated the project to a warehouse and officially became a registered nonprofit. By repurposing supplies that would otherwise be left in storage or thrown away, Treasures 4 Teachers to-date has saved 2.1 million cubic feet of waste from entering landfills. Everything within the warehouse has been donated to Treasures 4 Teachers, including the shopping carts teachers use to gather items. Blalock, her staff and 50 Treasures 4 Teachers volunteers recently moved from a 4,000-squarefoot space to a 12,000-square-foot warehouse in Tempe to accommodate the growing amount of donations. Educators can find not only basic supplies, such as markers and binders, but also some recycled materials that have been turned into innovative kits by Blalock’s team. One example Blalock is very proud of is a wooden marker holder. “A screen door company was donating a bunch of wood to us. One of our volunteers made it into a rectangular shape, drilled holes in it, and now it can be a marker holder. So now,

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what was once something that they didn’t know what to do with, is being used for the classroom,” she said. They also have DVD cases they have turned into personal dry-erase boards for Barbara Blalock, founder of students and iced Treasures 4 Teachers tea bottles converted into colored pencil holders, with the sharpener glued to the bottle cap so it never gets lost. Treasures 4 Teachers is about to get busy as the school season approaches, but Blalock is ready. A school supply drive by Progressive Insurance, as well as the donations she receives from several corporations, has the organization stocked. Blalock often finds that people want to help, but aren’t sure how. She suggests buying a membership for a teacher in need. While the $35.00 fee isn’t a major hardship for most teachers, there are some first-year teachers who do need the help. Blalock knows the organization will only grow from here. With word of mouth spreading the news of Treasures 4 Teachers among educators and a mobile program bringing supplies to teachers during the school year, Blalock is seeing an influx in both donations and memberships. The nonprofit currently has 3,000 members, which has resulted in 120,000 students impacted through the program. Treasures 4 Teachers has also expanded to Tucson through an affiliate program. Blalock hopes to someday have more affiliate locations around Arizona, and possibly even nationally. “The beauty of it is that you’re able to generate the donations within your own community,” she said. “The word spreads so quickly, and when people hear that they have a place to take their stuff that’s going into the hands of teachers and students in addition to preserving the environment, they’re like, ‘I’m in’.” For more information or to ﬁ nd out how you can get involved, visit treasures4teachers.org. Rachel Gossen is currently pursuing a journalism degree at Chapman University in California. Photos by Mackenzie Cushine

For more giving back articles please visit greenlivingaz.com/givingback

August 2015 | greenliving

Health & Wellness

FIGHTING OBESITY

LOCAL SCHOOL BOOSTS STUDENTS’ HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Lineberry, implementing a health and wellness program for his students was a top priority to improve the lives of children academically, physically and emotionally. Lineberry’s passion to promote wellness started in 2006, after he suffered a minor heart attack at school as a principal in North Carolina. He was overweight and out of shape. This eye-opening experience was a catalyst for change in Lineberry’s life, and he set out to improve not only his health, but the overall health of his school staff and students. The health and wellness program at Stanfield Elementary, located in Southern Arizona, began with the elimination of sugary, high-calorie foods. It then continued through the planting of school gardens and increased physical activity on campus. Part of the school’s efforts stem from the nonprofit Shape Up U.S. and their Hip Hop Healthy Heart Program for Children, a “K-6th grade comprehensive wellness

BY KOURTNEY SEATON

n 2003, the Surgeon General of the United States released a statement addressing our nation’s obesity crisis: “It’s the fastest-growing cause of disease and death in America. And it’s completely preventable.” For Stanfield Elementary School principal Dr. Chris

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Nic Peters, MD works with children, young adults, and their families coping with chronic health issues. By using science, clinical wisdom, and innovative tools, Dr. Peters can identify the underlying causes of chronic diseases and treat using safe and effective, complementary evidence-based treatments, behavior and dietary changes to re-establish optimum health.

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Health & Wellness

curriculum...to integrate a full-spectrum of self-discovery and self-esteem techniques in addition to health and wellness information,” according to their website. The techniques include stress reduction, creativity building, positive group dynamics, critical thinking, character development and community involvement. The challenge is how to find time to integrate health and wellness into the curriculum without adding time to the schedule. “It doesn’t have to be major change in order to bring about significant results,” Lineberry said. Soon after Lineberry started at Stanfield, the students planted a garden with a large community involvement,

including donations from local companies for labor and soil. The result was 22 seedbeds of corn, cucumbers, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, melons, lemons, and native gourds grown by the Native American club. During the summer, community members are able to pick from the garden that is estimated to feed up to 20 families a month. Daily physical activity is also part of the classroom curriculum. “We do a lot of movement throughout the school day. I encourage my teachers to integrate kinesthetic learning as often as they possibly can [in addition to P.E. class],” Lineberry said. In the cafeteria, the school feeds 65 percent of the students breakfast and 97 percent of them lunch every day. By educating students on the impact of the food they eat, they are given the choice to make a change, Lineberry said. In 2014, Stanfield was recognized as the first school in Arizona to receive the Gold Award of Distinction from the USDA-FNS (Food and Nutrition Services) for health and wellness initiatives. Future plans for Stanfield include expanding the garden to include fall crops and a pumpkin patch along with a partnership with the University of Arizona to begin a composting project. For more information, visit roadrunners24.net. Kourtney Seaton is currently pursuing a journalism degree at the ASU Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Find more health & wellness articles at greenlivingaz.com/health

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[SECTION green lifeNAME]

GREEN BLACK is the new

Q&A WITH ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK STAR AND ECO MAMA ALYSIA REINER

he Green Living team had the pleasure of meeting Alysia Reiner at the Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim this March. There we connected with the TV star and her actor husband, David Alan Basche, whom we featured in our June guy’s issue. This green power couple are a true inspiration to everyone interested in or already passionate about living more sustainably. We spoke to Alysia about her journey in motherhood and how she keeps her family healthy and eco-friendly. Also, don’t miss her delicious organic salmon sushi hand roll recipe on page 30! WHAT LED YOU TO EAT ORGANICALLY AND USE NATURAL PRODUCTS? I think I became more and more conscious about food and product choices as I was making more decisions for myself, as opposed to what my parents were doing. And then, of course, when I was trying to conceive and literally “be a home” for a human, I became even more aware. Having had friends who had trouble conceiving, I was very aware that pregnancy is such a gift, and being the healthiest nest you can be is so key.

NOW THAT LIV IS GETTING OLDER, WHAT ARE SOME THINGS YOU HAVE LEARNED ABOUT KEEPING KIDS HEALTHY AND TEACHING THEM TO MAKE ECO-CONSCIOUS DECISIONS? I think it’s so important to empower children to make their own decisions – to educate them about how and why you make your decisions about food or cleaning products, or any eco choice. We don’t talk about “good” or “bad,” but instead we look at “loving” and “healthy” choices, both for our bodies and for the planet.

YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE WOMEN’S PRISON ASSOCIATION, AND LAST SEPTEMBER YOU BROUGHT YOUR 6-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER LIV TO HELP STUFF BACKPACKS FOR KIDS WHOSE MOTHERS ARE INCARCERATED. CAN YOU TELL OUR READERS MORE? I love volunteering with Liv, and teaching her to be of service is a huge part of parenting to me. We do everything from cooking at our local Food Bank For New York City to working with the Women’s Prison Association. I was humbled when they awarded me the Sarah Powell Huntington Leadership Award recently.

8 greenliving | August 2015

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[SECTION green NAME] life

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OBSTACLES OF SENDING YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL WHERE YOU NO LONGER HAVE FULL SUPERVISION OVER WHAT SHE’S EATING OR BEING EXPOSED TO? I think it’s tricky. For example, Liv’s teacher in Los Angeles uses jelly beans as a reward when kids are good. But again, I think it comes down to instilling good habits and trust [in children]. It’s about lovingly educating kids so they make choices out of self respect and love for themselves, not out of guilt or to make you – the adult – happy. It’s all about moderation. One jelly bean, not 100!

classrooms, and the amount of waste decreased by 95 percent! We sell composters for the home, reusable snack bags and BPA-free water bottles. We changed the soap from that yucky pink stuff to a non-toxic biodegradable one in Liv’s classroom and at the Lower School, and we’re hoping to roll it out to the whole school soon. We’re currently doing a food audit – seeing how we can improve the quality of our food for both the health of the kids and the planet. We are now looking at our next projects and dreaming of a community garden at the school. My best friend Erin Schrode started Teens Turning Green, which has amazing resources and inspiration.

WHY DO YOU THINK IT’S SO IMPORTANT TO TEACH YOUNG CHILDREN ABOUT CONSERVATION AND MAKING ECO-CONSCIOUS DECISIONS? Our children are our future. They will be the guardians of our planet, and they need to have a sense of what that responsibility entails as early as possible. And kids need to have that sense of responsibility ingrained, so it’s not something they question but is just a given. Earth is in jeopardy, our water supply is limited, and our children have to know how to save us.

CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT HOW YOU ARE TEACHING THE KIDS AT YOUR DAUGHTER’S SCHOOL TO MEDITATE AND DO YOGA? It’s actually a funny story – I did a pilot show for Amazon called “Down Dog” where I played a healer and yoga teacher. I was telling Liv’s teacher about it, and I think she thought I was an actual yoga teacher, so she asked me to come teach the class – of course I said yes! I have taught stretch and meditation in the past, and it was a joy to be able to bring it to Liv’s class. We had one class that had a yoga animal theme, one that focused on fun breathing exercises and how breathing can calm or energize you, and recently I read them the book “Moody Cow” and taught them to make a mindfulness jar.

ARE LIV’S FRIENDS ADOPTING THE SAME THOUGHTS AND PHILOSOPHIES ON SUSTAINABILITY AND HEALTHY EATING? A lot of them are, yes, and they teach each other! CAN YOU TELL OUR READERS MORE ABOUT THE GREEN COMMITTEE AND YOUR INVOLVEMENT AT LIV’S SCHOOL? We do great work and I’m so excited about all the changes we’re making. It’s a team effort, and I love that our school, Bank Street School for Children, is so willing to embrace change. We started recycling and composting in the

Alysia and Liv stufﬁ ng backpacks at the Women’s Prison Association greenlivingaz.com

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IS THE BIGGEST SUSTAINABILITY CHANGE WE CAN ALL MAKE IN THE WORLD? WATER, WATER, WATER! Awareness and conservation of this precious resource is key. For more on Alysia Reiner, visit alysiareiner.com.

For more green life ideas visit greenlivingaz.com/greenlife

Alysia, David and Liv at the Food Bank for New York City August 2015 | greenliving

animals

ARIZONA ZOOS GO WILD WITH SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS BY ROXANNE BOWERS

rizona’s zoos are a go-to source of entertainment for people of all ages, but what visitors don’t often notice are the efforts that go on behind the scenes, including sustainability initiatives. These zoos work hard to educate visitors on the importance of the conservation of both animals and the environment.

and reuses by repurposing building materials and fencing used for animal enclosures and other building projects in the park. outofafricapark.com

their unwanted denim to be reused and made into insulation, preventing 23.8 billion pounds of clothing from being dumped into landfills each year. Profits benefit giraffe conservation efforts. Out of Africa also actively recycles

OUT OF AFRICA WILDLIFE PARK – CAMP VERDE Out of Africa participates in the Jeans for Giraffes program, where visitors to the wildlife park can donate

PHOENIX ZOO – PHOENIX The Phoenix Zoo offers multiple programs to conserve the environment, such as the Recycle Your Cell Phone and Ink Cartridges programs as well as the Green Team group, comprised of zoo staff, who introduce projects and ideas to make the zoo more sustainable. The Phoenix Zoo also recently began a partnership with the City of Tempe, allowing Tempe to donate tree branches from landscaping projects to the zoo that can later be turned into mulch and donated back to the city once the animals are done with them. As you walk through the Phoenix Zoo, you may also notice the various plants and gardens located around the animal exhibits. These herbs,

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animals

fruits and vegetables are not just for decoration – they’re used as treats and extra food for the animals as behavior incentives. Additionally, the zoo’s hard work in water conservation has helped to decrease their water usage by 20 percent. phoenixzoo.org REID PARK ZOO – TUCSON Reid Park Zoo in Tucson is another example of a community leader in

sustainable energy, with various programs dedicated to both animals and the environment. Educational conservation programs include the Seafood Watch Program, which promotes sustainable fishing and farming practices. Tucson Electric Power has worked with the zoo for more than 20 years on numerous building projects, including animal enclosures and the Conservation Learning Center, which was the first building in southern Arizona to be awarded the LEED Platinum Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The solaroperated Learning Center is made from recycled construction materials and is home to the zoo’s many conservation education programs. The zoo also introduced a graywater system in 2008, which collects rainwater that can be used for irrigation and utilities. The Reid Park Zoo’s café,

Zoofari, uses paper plates, napkins and other materials made from recycled plants. reidparkzoo.org Roxanne Bowers is currently a candidate for a bachelor’s degree at Arizona State University’s School of Liberal Arts and Sciences. She is a local writer passionate about sustainable living.

For more articles about animals visit greenlivingaz.com/animals

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reducing waste

DON’T TRASH ARIZONA

MONSOONS AND HIGHWAY LITTER DON’T MIX BY SCOTTSDALE MAYOR JIM LANE

he rain is pelting the windshield. The wind is blowing so hard you fight with your steering wheel. In the middle of it all, you try to dodge the cardboard box that just tumbled in front of your car and struggle to see around the plastic grocery bag that just latched onto your windshield wipers. Summer storms that occur during Arizona’s monsoon season introduce a new layer of peril for Valley drivers, particularly when litter finds its way into the mix. Don’t Trash Arizona, a joint effort of the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) and the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), is reminding Valley drivers that our seasonal storms pack enough of a punch to send litter airborne, which increases the risk of car accidents during an already dangerous time of year. Making matters worse, litter left on our roadways can clog storm drains during heavy downpours. The toxic chemicals found in commonly littered items, such as cigarette butts and plastic packaging, can seep into our water supply when mixed with heavy rains. While the Transportation Research Board estimates that about 45 percent of highway litter is unintentional, litter is always preventable. The litter found on Valley highways is enough to fill 9,250 trash bags each month, or about 1.2 million pounds each year. It costs taxpayers about $3 million to clean up roadside litter each year, in Maricopa County alone. There is a bright side. You can be part of the solution. To avoid being the source of trashed highways, significant traffic delays or even devastating accidents, Don’t Trash Arizona has three helpful tips for staying safe on the roads this monsoon season:

12 greenliving | August 2015

• USE LITTER BAGS. Summer is a great time to hit the open road with the family. With road trips come snacks that can easily become litter. Instead of throwing your empty chip bag out the window, toss it in a free, reusable litter bag provided by Don’t Trash Arizona. With the help of these litter bags, you can keep our desert litter-free and safe this monsoon season. • SECURE YOUR LOAD. Before heading out, be sure to use bungee cords, straps, heavy rope or tarps to secure any load you may be pulling. Check the bed of your truck for any loose trash before getting on the road, and keep the inside of your car clear of empty bags and loose papers so they don’t fly out if you open your windows. • SEE A HABOOB? PULL ASIDE AND STAY ALIVE. Heavy dust storms and torrential downpour can reduce visibility. In these situations, check traffic around you and then safely pull off the roadway. If you are parked alongside the road, turn off all lights, including emergency flashers, and take your foot off the brake pedal, setting the emergency brake in place. Be sure to have all passengers remain in the vehicle with their seat belts fastened while waiting for the storm to pass. Don’t Trash Arizona offers more information on the hazards of unsecured loads on their website, donttrashaz.com. W.J. “Jim” Lane is the mayor of Scottsdale and the chair of the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG). MAG, in cooperation with the Arizona Department of Transportation, implements the Don’t Trash Arizona program in the greater Phoenix region. Don’t Trash Arizona is a litter education program designed to address the environmental, economic, safety and health effects of roadway litter.

For more articles about reducing waste visit greenlivingaz.com/waste greenlivingaz.com

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August 2015 | greenliving

water

LEARNING TO LIVE WITH LESS WATER BY DAVID SCHALLER

earning to live with less water can be more difficult for some than for others. While the key to living with less water is to make certain we capture and make the highest beneficial use of all that nature offers us, it is not always intuitive how best to proceed. For some, learning to live with less water may require a considerable amount of unlearning. For newcomer or native, it can be naively believed that water, even in Arizona, is plentiful, that the desert can be made to mirror much wetter places, and that whatever inconveniences bubble up as supplies get stretched will be soon overcome by advances in technology. None of this is true, and yet the awareness that we are facing the need to live with less water isn’t matched by a set of operating instructions on just how to do this. Most of us have never had to live with less water. The barriers to learning are thus higher when there is more to unlearn. Children, however, are generally quick to absorb new topics, and they benefit from having far less to unlearn than adults. We know that the young are best reached by educational material and approaches that correspond to their current developmental stage, rather than a one-size-fits-all curriculum or metric. In Tucson, thousands of elementary school students have received age-appropriate water conservation education flowing from a partnership between Tucson Water and the Environmental Education Exchange. The goal: to create the building blocks of water awareness in young people before habits of an earlier era can take hold. Showing how this is done, the partnership delivered three unique programs to almost 17,000 students during the 20142015 school year. For first-time water learners (first through third graders), “Da Drops” combines classroom learning on

the water cycle and water supply concepts along with at-home activities appropriate for their ages. Students in the next three grades received a combination of interdisciplinary lessons on urban water supply and water as a limited resource, as well as at-home activities in a program called Our Water, Our Future. Finally, sixth through eighth graders wade into the intricacies of Tucson’s unique water situation, water use, recycling and conservation through the El Tour de Agua education program. Since 1983, the three programs have reached more than 200,000 students in school districts across the Tucson region. Teachers can schedule presentations and download related materials at outreach-scheduling.org.

Photo courtesy of Watershed Management Group

Even more water learning is underway in Arizona through the efforts of organizations like the Watershed Management Group. From its beginnings in southern Arizona, the group’s successes now reach the north, including projects in Prescott and Flagstaff that showcase water harvesting, stormwater retention and erosion control practices. Watershed Management recognizes the instructional power of demonstration projects, and its venues now include high traffic areas like the Lake Havasu Aquatic Center, the Adult Center of Prescott and Ponderosa High School. For smart water management practices to become mainstream, many more examples will be needed. While learning is never easy, there is a lot at stake as we seek out ways to live in a place with less water. Classroom learning and demonstration projects are moving toward mainstream instructional tools. Implementation is the crucial final stage and, as in all learning moments, is left as an exercise for us all. David Schaller is a retired environmental scientist living in Tucson where he writes on climate, water and energy security.

Photo courtesy of Environmental Education Exchange

14 greenliving | August 2015

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education

THE

deSeRt

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BRINGING THE DESERT INTO THE CLASSROOM BY JIM MILLER

part from a traditional school, museums and zoos provide a unique opportunity for learning, unmatched by anything taking place in a formal classroom. Museums and zoos encourage Free Choice Learning, where students are exposed to an unstructured environment that piques their curiosity, allowing them to learn at their own pace, in their own way, according to their own interests. Not only does this type of environment provide a broad range of learning opportunities, but the experience itself can be more indelible. For a place like the Desert Museum, the difficulty with this type of learning is location; not every school can bring its students to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum “campus.” This prompted the museum to create the Desert Ark Outreach Program, which effectively brings the museum to the classroom, giving students a firsthand look at what the museum – and the Sonoran Desert – has to offer. The Desert Ark program started more than 50 years ago, and has brought live javelina, bobcats, snakes and other animals to local schools, giving students the opportunity to get up close and personal with the unique desert inhabitants that populate our

region. One of the early Desert “Arks,” a 1963 Studebaker station wagon, still greets visitors at the museum entrance. Since 2002, the current Ark has sailed to schools, libraries, Boys & Girls Clubs and senior centers across southern Arizona, reaching about 200 schools and 14,000 students of all ages per year. The chance for a young student or older adult to observe a skunk, ringtail, porcupine, military macaw, Gambel’s quail or gopher snake can become a life-changing experience. Extending the museum’s message about ecology, conservation and the unique nature of the Sonoran Desert to a new audience can instill a lifelong curiosity – not just about the desert, but about the natural world and our place in it. Curious teachers who would like to experience the entire Desert Museum have an opportunity to do so this summer. As a special thank you to teachers everywhere, the Cool Summer Nights program on Saturday, August 22 celebrates Teacher Appreciation Night. Any pre-K to 12th grade teacher with a valid school ID receives free admission to the museum, a Sonoran Desert poster and a 10 percent discount at the museum gift shops. The Desert Ark program is only one of the many outreach programs the Desert Museum has used since it opened to spread the word about this unique environment, not just to people in Tucson, but all across southern Arizona. The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum’s goal is expressed in its mission statement: To inspire people to live in harmony with the natural world by fostering love, appreciation and understanding of the Sonoran Desert. If they learn something about themselves along the way, that’s even better. Jim Miller has been a professional writer for more than 40 years and has been published in dozens of magazines in both the U.S. and Europe. He has been a docent at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum since 2005.

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August 2015 | greenliving

[SECTION NAME]

GOODWILL’S ZERO WASTE EFFORTS BY AMANDA HARVEY

ave you ever wondered what happened to that t-shirt with a hole in it or that book with the missing pages that you donated to Goodwill? Fear not – it most likely did not end up in the landfill, thanks to the efforts of Mike Dizinno and the Retail Operations Center (ROC) in Phoenix. If a product in stores does not sell after five weeks it gets transferred to the ROC. The ROC acts as a resource center for extremely marked down items on one side, and as a processing warehouse and sorting facility on the other, which is operated 24/7, 365 days per year.

The goal is to not send anything to the landfill, says Dizinno, the Director of Logistics for the Goodwill ROC. As we toured the facility, a line of people waited outside to be let in the retail area. Most of these patrons buy items to then repurpose for their own use or to resell. Many of these items are sold by the pound at rock-bottom prices in hopes that someone will get use out of them. If items do not sell, they get transferred to the warehouse and are sorted by like item to be sold off to brokers, and mainly get shipped overseas. Donated computers, cell phones, printers and other electronics are collected and sent back to Dell – which Goodwill has a

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education

TIPS FOR A GREENER SCHOOL YEAR BY SARA WEBER

ith the upcoming school year comes the potential for a serious environmental conundrum: How can faculty, students and families work together to reduce their school’s environmental impact? A school is obviously a place in which lights, paper, pencils, water bottles, trash and other green-fiend nightmares run rampant. To help placate some of these fears, Green Living magazine asked local education experts to share some advice on how they’ve encouraged faculty, students and parents to contribute.

Students participate in the FUSD Water Festival

MUSD uses propane-powered school busses MESA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT (MUSD) MUSD recently obtained 90 propane school busses and is steadily working toward becoming a paperless district. Jeanne Vandemark, director of transportation at MUSD, spoke about what their district has implemented and seen success with in the past few years. Some of their most successful endeavors include the following: • Reduce idle time for busses by encouraging drivers to turn off the engine whenever stopped for extended periods of time. Parents are also encouraged to do this when picking up or dropping off their students. • Work to make the school district paperless by using electronic forms whenever possible. • Enable and encourage families to organize a carpooling system.

18 greenliving | August 2015

FLAGSTAFF UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT (FUSD) Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs play a vital role in environmental studies at FUSD. One of the ways they encourage students interested in one of these fields is through hands-on gardening and water programs. FUSD’s district relations coordinator Karin Eberhard said many of the food grown in these gardens helps feed neighboring communities. She also had some tips and tricks for schools looking to take on a similar goal: • Implement a Walk or Bike to School Day. • Build gardens and greenhouses that involve students in the process. • Utilize the community assets and programs. This is particularly true when partnering with city and county programs. • Support the teachers in their efforts. Parents are great resources, and when they know their skills can be used by the teachers to enhance their teaching it is a win-win for everyone.

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education

TUCSON UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT (TUSD) Moses Thompson, the school garden and sustainability program coordinator for TUSD encourages students to get their hands dirty and familiarize themselves with the process of growing plants and food. He has some other tips to get kids involved with their school’s green initiatives: • Empower students to support and monitor energy usage by turning off lights when leaving the classroom and keeping doors and windows closed while heating and cooling is turned on. • Work with students to set up a classroom recycling program, or an energy patrol to monitor school-wide energy use and recycling. • Introduce potted herb gardens to the classroom or outside the classroom door as a simple way to connect students with plant life and food production. • Be agents of change in making schools more sustainable! Meet with teachers and administrators to talk about what’s possible and explore ways to bring the community in for support. • Do your homework and see what other schools are doing in the realm of sustainability, talk to your school staff about feasible entry points and organize your friends to help make it happen! Get creative with recycling by looking beyond paper and plastic THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (ADEQ) In addition to the school districts, ADEQ is working to reduce impact and raise awareness among residents. Their efforts range from air quality awareness to advanced recycling techniques, and almost everything in between. Julie Ann Finke, Caroline Oppleman and J.B. Shaw shared tips for how schools can educate students and parents, while providing creative solutions: • Use contests to inspire students and parents to recycle. • Get creative with recycling by looking beyond paper and plastic water bottles. Things like technology (or “e-waste”) and extra food can be recycled, and other material can be upcycled or repurposed. • Let students participate in the process. There are many opportunities for projects, online classes and other interactive ways to get students involved. These certainly aren’t the only ways schools and students can make the classroom greener, but they’re a good start in the right direction. Projects, both big and small, can improve a school’s environmental standing and inspire students to take their attempts and apply them to other areas in life. Sara Weber is a master’s candidate at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication studying both print and digital platforms. She has written for other Arizona magazines and recently reported on the sustainability of construction plans in Nicaragua.

TUSD teaches students how to grow plants and food

greenlivingaz.com

Read more articles about education at greenlivingaz.com/education

August 2015 | greenliving

[SECTION energy sector NAME]

A DIFFERENT TYPE OF GREEN FOR ARIZONA CASINOS BY RODRIC J. HURDLE-BRADFORD

hen the word “green” is mentioned in the same sentence as casinos, you might think of cash, credit cards, credit lines and ATM machines. Well, there’s a new kind of “green” on the table. Casinos across Arizona have made a commitment to green building practices in various ways, from on-site recycling at Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino in Chandler to Casino Del Sol’s Sustainability Education Empowerment Development (SEED) initiative in Tucson. Casino Del Sol has become the state’s leading example of how a casino property can develop and expand with the environment in mind. SEED has implemented standards across Casino Del Sol to conserve natural resources, reduce waste, decrease pollution and conserve energy. As part of the SEED implementation, Casino Del Sol installed energyefficient LED and compact fluorescent lights, composting services and occupancy sensors for lighting. “Our goal is to provide Arizona hotels with the tools and incentives to be as ‘green’ as possible, and to communicate

that Arizona has a surplus of options for environmentally conscious visitors,” said Debbie Johnson, president and chief executive officer of the Arizona Tourism and Lodging Association. “With their continuous and ongoing sustainability efforts, the Casino Del Sol resort, spa and conference center is a shining beacon in our efforts to put Arizona on the map.” Another resort putting Arizona on the “green” map is the We-Ko-Pa Resort, which includes the popular Fort McDowell Casino. The We-Ko-Pa was the first full-destination resort in Arizona to be recognized as LEED registered in 2011 with the U.S. Green Building Council. When guests arrive at the We-Ko-Pa, they immediately experience many of the LEED features, including a smoke-free facility and the use of environmentally safe cleaning products to maintain the indoor environmental quality. Behind the scenes, the commitment to a great workplace is equally strong, as kitchen waste is recycled into compost for organic farming and water is conserved for a stormwater management and irrigation system. The resort also works with specific vendors that practice green initiatives. These practices have been successfully implemented across the property, from the We-Ko-Pa golf course, several restaurants and, of course, the popular casino. So, the next time you walk into a casino and think about “green,” take time to appreciate the eco-friendly efforts before grabbing your wallet! Rodric J. Hurdle-Bradford is a freelance writer based in Arizona and Nevada. He covers casinos, energy, entertainment and real estate. He can be contacted at rodric@vegasluxuryvip.com. Photos courtesy of Casino Del Sol

For more green energy sector articles visit greenlivingaz.com/energy sector

20 greenliving | August 2015

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business

THE SHARING ECONOMY PART 3

FINDING GREEN BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES BY ANTON G. CAMAROTA, PHD

ne of the most important aspects of the sharing economy is that many emerging business models are well suited to starting a green business. These business models fall into two general categories: those which facilitate transactions that result in greater access to a product or service instead of ownership, and those which enable peer-to-peer transactions that connect the unused capacity of individuals with demand arising from their peers. Renting and reselling goods are examples in the first category, and carpooling and Wi-Fi hotspot sharing are examples in the second. One of the budding areas for green business in the sharing economy is solar electricity and hot water. The potential market for this form of business is in the billions of dollars annually. The two most feasible sharing models are solar gardens, where a community of 50 to 100 homes shares the power generated by a local solar array, and has onsite shared solar for a multi-unit building. These arrangements are the least expensive use of solar photovoltaic technology, and economies of scale drive the per-watt price down to the minimum possible. The limiting factor for the growth of this sector of the sharing economy is the plethora of confusing and sometimes conflicting regulations in the U.S. Another emerging green business model with extremely high potential is in health care, and is exemplified by companies like Heal in Los Angeles and Pager in New York City. These businesses are taking advantage of the fact that there is an average 20-day wait to see a primary care physician across the U.S., and demand for non-emergency home visits is increasing due to an aging population. The business model is similar to Uber, but instead of calling for rides, users call for in-home visits by board certified doctors.

Heal and Pager doctors are on-call from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. seven days a week. The customers download a smartphone app, register for the service, and then send a request for a house call for a non-emergency situation. The doctor and their assistant arrive in 60 minutes or less for a flat fee of $99.00 for Heal and $50.00 for Pager. Users obtain prompt treatment and avoid a trip to the doctorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office or to the hospital. Doctors get a better understanding of lifestyle choices that may be affecting a patientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health as well as the ability to treat patients holistically in a more relaxed, nonclinical environment. A third green business model is based on peer-to-peer lending, which offers high interest rates for investors and has the potential to completely usurp the traditional banking model. In 2014, according to The Business Insider, $6.6 billion in peer-to-peer loans were made. This form of lending is especially attractive for renewable energy facility construction and operation, as many traditional lenders view these projects as too high a risk, especially at the local level. The Abundance Company, which made more than $12 million in loans last year, lends specifically to renewable energy projects worldwide. Its most recent project is a solar garden installation in Scotland that promises investors a 7.5 percent return for 20 years. Next time: The Sharing Economy and the Promise of Green Living. Dr. Camarota is Executive Director of Tellari, an Arizona-based research and educational organization dedicated to helping business leaders build sustainable companies. anton@tellari.com tellari.com Illustration by Fred Lee

Read more business articles at greenlivingaz.com/business

Heal in Los Angeles offers users in-home visits by board certified doctors. Doctors get a better understanding of lifestyle choices that may be affecting a patientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health as well as the ability to treat patients holistically in a more relaxed, non-clinical environment. 22 greenliving | August 2015

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August 2015 | greenliving

travel

EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY

EXPLORING THE CULTURE OF THE MEXICAN BAJA BY DANNA AND JENNA SPACKEEN

e hope that last month’s article about traveling the Baja peninsula has inspired you to start packing your bags and mapping out your route! In this follow-up we intend to leave you hungry and thirsty for the local ‘comida’ (food) and ‘bebidas’ (drink) that the Baja has to offer. First stop…Tecate, a charming city situated just 40 miles southeast of San Diego. As the name implies, this town is home to Tecate beer, one of the most popular ‘cervezas’ in California and Mexico. Production of this beer began in 1943, and touring the Tecate brewery and enjoying a cold one in the beer garden is a must.

24 greenliving | August 2015

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travel

You may notice that the beer tastes better than the Tecate that comes from your fridge. Well, you are right! The Tecate imported into the U.S. is actually brewed in Monterrey, Mexico, so it is made with different water and it contains less alcohol than the beer that is brewed in the town of Tecate. After enjoying cervezas in Tecate, be sure to continue your Baja journey by heading south on Route 3 into the Valle de Guadalupe. Welcome to Mexico’s very own ‘Ruta Del Vino’ wine country. This majestic landscape full of rolling hills and grapevines is home to dozens of vineyards. While wine tasting in the Baja may come as a surprise, the art of wine making was introduced to Mexico in the 16th century with the arrival of the conquistadors. Whether you are a wine connoisseur or simply want to enjoy some Mexican vino, there are many wine tasting opportunities to be found. Some of the wineries are reminiscent of California’s Napa Valley with their chic architecture and modern methods of production, while other wineries are no more than simple, rudimentary structures located off the beaten path down a dusty, unpaved road. Two of the most accessible wineries that are clearly visible from Route 3 are L.A. Cetto and Domecq. Another great aspect to tasting wine in the Baja is that some of the wineries have adopted organic methods of production and it is possible to find wines that are sulfite-free.

Whether your Baja adventure takes you to the tranquil Sea of Cortez or the wild Pacific Ocean, be sure to sample the local cuisine. For seafood lovers this region is a gastronomic paradise. While seafood is prepared in a variety of ways, you’ll be sure to find fish tacos on every menu. Baja stakes claim as the birthplace of the fish taco, and there is nothing more satisfying to the palette than a soft tortilla wrapped around fillets of fresh fish, shrimp or lobster that slept in the ocean the night before. If seafood is not your pleasure, you can always feast on tacos made with beef carne asada, rotisserie pork or chicken, where the meat is likely free of hormones. Sipping and sampling your way through the Baja will definitely add flavor to your adventure and satiate your taste buds. We wish you the best on your exploration of the wondrous Baja! Danna Spackeen is a home maker who divides her time between her house in Sandy, Utah and her casa in Puerto Peñasco, Mexico. She is an avid ocean-lover and her favorite place to explore is the Baja. Jenna Spackeen, Danna’s daughter, is a marine scientist working on her PhD at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, where she is studying the impacts of climate change on phytoplankton. Photo by Jenna Spackeen

Find more travel destinations at greenlivingaz.com/travel

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August 2015 | greenliving

book review

THIS IS WHAT YOU JUST PUT IN YOUR

MoUTH? BOOK BY PATRICK DI JUSTO REVIEW BY TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

orborygmus.That’s the technical term for what you’re experiencing now: great big rumbles from ‘neath your navel. Snarls from your stomach; a reminder that it’s snack time. Aside from sugary-salty goodness, though, and a feeling of satisfaction, what will you consume? To find out, read “This is What You Just Put in Your Mouth?” by Patrick Di Justo, and hang on to your gut… The coffee pot is close, so let’s start out with a cuppa joe, which includes an ingredient that “helps give real butter its flavor” and one that actually keeps bacteria off your teeth. So far, so good. Real good, in fact, so you might follow it up with something sweet to get you through your day, complete with “artificial human salivary enzymes,” perhaps topped with a product that contains “a high percentage of air.” Uhhh, or maybe not. How ‘bout something cheesy – some “cheese, processed cheese, cheese food, [or] cheese spread” – each of which are different, says Di Justo. Or salty, which might contain three ingredients that cause addiction in lab rats. If you’re watching your weight, though, beware: federal regulations state that a serving size is generally based on what a 4-year-old can consume. And expiration dates? Nope. There’s “no federal regulation to date food at all,” according to DiJusto. Well, now your appetite is gone; in fact, you might want to lie down somewhere…Or maybe you just need to be with friends, so put in your contacts (the solution for which may contain a product used with anticancer drugs) and mascara (which you definitely do not want to wear near a magnet!) and

head down for your favorite libation (which could cause irregular heartbeat). Or maybe you’ll just skip it all to spend time with the dog (and feed him something that’s “deliberately stinky”) or the kids (and give them what “attempts to artificially re-create something that already exists…”). Bon appétit! “If you’re looking for shocking stories of the gigantic corporate conspiracy to poison America…you’re reading the wrong book,” said the author. Without intending to scare, he says he looked at various products with curiosity and the notion that knowing what’s in our products is better than not knowing. It can’t be an accident that he also entertains readers, then, can it? I don’t think it is: in this collection of Wired magazine articles, Di Justo is hilarious, as he explains how he learned what’s inside everyday products, not just food. What he finds may surprise and delight you (and disgust you). For sure, you’ll read ingredient labels a whole lot closer. Depending on how you look at it, this is a consumer’s dream, or a nightmare. Either way, it’s a twisted, fun and very eyeopening book to have. “This is What You Just Put in Your Mouth?” will give you food for thought – and it may make you growl. Terri Schlichenmeyer, also known as The Bookworm, is a professional book reviewer. Terri has been reading since she was 3 years old and she never goes anywhere without a book. She lives in Wisconsin with her two dogs and 14,000 books.

For more book reviews visit greenlivingaz.com/bookreviews

PATRICK DI JUSTO

26 greenliving | August 2015

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green kids

BANNER CHILDREN’S ACADEMY GROWING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE BY CARA PENCAK

hat did you learn in grade school? Most likely, you learned how to read the food pyramid and the reasons behind our Thanksgiving celebration, but did you learn how to grow your own food? Students at Banner Children’s Academy of Education and Development – a private school for students experiencing academic and emotional difficulties, including Autism and Asperger’s syndrome – are learning exactly that. In a program called the Environmental Conservation Outdoor Education class (ECO for short), students are taught how to live sustainably by maintaining an onsite garden and using the harvested veggies to prepare meals to share with their classmates. In 2009, Sue Cullumber created the ECO class; she was inspired by her time spent in the Galapagos Islands, teaching students in a program that “was all about recycling and reusing,” she said. When Cullumber returned to the States, she planted salsa gardens with her students and grew tomatoes, cilantro, peppers and garlic. Since then, the garden has expanded to fit more veggies; for example, students recently grew mint to make mint-chocolate-chip ice cream and lemon balm for tea. The program has grown by adopting

other sustainable practices, like recycling and composting, as well as creating recycled art projects. At first, the ECO class was held inside a small room at Banner Behavioral Hospital, where the academy was originally located. The tight space made it challenging for Cullumber and her students to prepare their meals: “When I first started cooking with the students…we did not have a stove,” she said. With just “a one-burner hotplate, as well as just a toaster oven we did the first Taste of the Garden [event].” To prepare for the event, ECO students used the veggies in the garden to make pico de gallo for everyone in attendance. Now, students have more space to cook, as the school relocated to Tempe last August. “When we first moved here, we were amazed because the rooms are so much bigger,” said Thomas Dean, a 10th grade student at the academy. “I got down here and I was ready to jump in.” Teaching students to grow and prepare their own food encourages them to stay away from processed food. “We make stuff that is fresh so [the students] realize that you don’t have to just buy packaged stuff and make it in the microwave,” Cullumber said. “My favorite part is using the items from the garden and learning you don’t need everything that’s store bought,” said Dean. “[You can] make food that tastes good and still keep it healthy.” Everything growing in the garden is seasonal, including the recently planted watermelon and cantaloupe. Melons grow fast in Arizona’s warm and sunny months and, according to Cullumber, the melons in the garden have “really gone crazy.” Before the melons grew, they were just tiny seeds buried underneath a pile of dirt, but with time comes great things: “I really like seeing that,” exclaimed Jon Wong, an 11th grade student at the academy. “One day, you see the garden and you’re like, ‘I’m never going to get it like the farmers do.’ And over the weekend, we come back and we’re like, ‘It’s a jungle!’” Wong’s enthusiasm shows that students in the program learn other virtues as well, including patience. Cara Pencak is a local writer with a strong connection to our natural world. In December, she will graduate from Arizona State University with an English degree and a technical communication certiﬁcate. Photos by Heather Santella.

Find more green kids articles at greenlivingaz.com/greenkids

28 greenliving | August 2015

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recipes

CHINA MIST ICED TEA MOCKTAIL PINEAPPLE PARADISE Iced tea is a refreshing staple in summertime, but these delicious tea cocktail and mocktail recipes from China Mist will have you wishing for endless summer nights. iNGreDieNTs 5 ﬂuid ounces China Mist Organic Pineapple Lychee Iced Black Tea 3 ﬂuid ounces guava juice

2 ﬂuid ounces orange juice Sliced pineapple for garnish

DirecTiONs 1. In a whisky glass ﬁlled with ice, combine tea and juices. 2. Stir and garnish with pineapple. Serving size: 10 ounces (1.25 cups)

ORGANIC SALMON SUSHI HAND ROLL Alysia Reiner, star of Netﬂix’s “Orange is the New Black,” shared this fun recipe that she makes at home with her daughter, Liv. iNGreDieNTs Cooked organic brown rice Cooked or canned wild salmon Organic chopped spinach Organic toasted sesame oil

Alysia Reiner’s daughter, Liv.

Organic gomasio or sesame seeds Organic low-salt tamari (soy sauce) Small sheets of seaweed

DirecTiONs 1. Warm the spinach and the rice, chop the salmon, and put together in a large serving bowl. 2. Add sesame oil, tamari and the seeds to taste, and mix all together. You can serve each person a scoop on their plate or bowl. 3. Place the seaweed sheets on a plate, as well as optional slivered cucumbers, carrots and sprouts. 4. Layer the ingredients as you like on the seaweed and roll. Now everyone can make their own hand rolls! Kids love it, and it’s made of delicious “superfoods!”

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recipes

CHINA MIST ICED TEA COCKTAIL TEANI iNGreDieNTs 3.5 fluid ounces China Mist Blackberry Jasmine Iced Green Tea 2 fluid ounces lemonade 1.5 fluid ounces vodka 0.5 fluid ounces simple syrup 2 lemon wedges

Amanda

Dorie

DirecTiONs 1. In a sugar-rimmed highball glass ﬁlled with ice, combine tea, lemonade, vodka, simple syrup and squeezed juice from one lemon wedge. Stir and garnish with a lemon. Serving size: 8 ounces (1 cup)

Jeff

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