Utilizing natural elements to balance water.
We are committed to making water pure.
BY MICHAEL GEYER
I bet that most people have never thought about describing water as being selfless. After all, it’s just a compound element or a form of matter… right? It doesn’t interact with us, walk the children to school, or carry on a conversation. So how could it be expressed as selfless?
Water is truly one of the greatest blessings to humankind and is also a great example of selflessness. It’s an element that serves almost every living creature on the face of the planet in more ways than one and expects nothing in return. It’s like an eternal touch of love that reaches out to everyone and everything in existence without hesitation. Its daily uses are abundant and necessary for life on many different levels. Yet, despite its presence since the beginning of time there isn’t and hasn’t been a single person across the globe that knows everything there is to know about it. An element so powerful it can wipe out an entire city with ease and still provide for the most delicate life. Its state of existence in the different environments it serves varies quite drastically. Each environment it serves has a well thought out recipe of ingredients specifically meant for the life around it and within it.
If only water could talk… I could imagine the stories it could tell. It’s the one element that keeps providing us all life, century after century, and without this one element our life would cease to exist. Exceptional Water Systems continuously strives to better understand the different characteristics of water every day. We seek to provide that clean, safe, and healthy water environment for all that pursue it. We utilize nature's most powerful sanitizer and oxidizer on the planet to treat water, and that element is ozone. We also utilize some of nature's most abundant gasses like carbon dioxide to manage the pH in the water. By utilizing these natural elements, we create an environment not only great for people, but for animals and vegetation as well.
If you would like to learn more about our systems and how they can help you, please feel free to contact us at www.exwsystems.com or call us at 480-694-4709. Exceptional Water Systems… continuously thriving to provide Healthy Water for Humanity!
44
18 Bright Ideas
How proper lighting can benefit your home and well-being
HOME
20 Eco-Chic Shacks
Follow these three companies to make your home stylish and Earth-friendly
22 Smart Thermostats
Save energy and money this summer
SAVOR
38 Recipes
Merkin Vineyards Scottsdale’s Heirloom
Tomato Bruschetta & The Larder + The Delta’s Grilled Kanpachi
40 Pulling Down Clouds
An inside look at the Tohono O’odham Nation’s sacred saguaro fruit harvest
44 A (Green) Star is Born
The Michelin Guide’s newest distinction
48 Get Cooking!
These outdoor cooking gadgets will be the star of your next backyard gathering
TECHNOLOGY
50 No Cords, No Gas — No Problem! These battery powered yard tools have plenty of power
WWhen I was a young girl, my bedroom was my own personal hideaway, which I used to retreat and recharge — even then I understood what it meant to have a space to call my own. As an adult, my home has always been my respite from the outside world. Even when it’s filled with the frenetic pace of nightly activities like homework, family dinner prep, and the occasional need to meet a looming work deadline, I have ownership over my space, and I get to say what happens there for me. The sense of security that comes with that awareness is something every human deserves.
My husband and I each owned our own homes prior to dating, and those spaces — although inhabited at different times together — always belonged more to one of us than the other. When we finally bought our current house together last summer, we recognized the opportunity to create a home that is equally ours. The process of defining spaces where we can each find comfort, solitude, and peace — my stepson included — has been an exercise not so much in determining physical boundaries out loud but feeling out the rooms and places that make us feel safe and secure and nurture an energetic peace.
As our home was purchased from another loving family, it’s also taken time to adjust to a place where six other humans lived out their daily lives. Little by little, the energy from the previous family has faded, truly making way for the three of us and our two little fur kids to settle into this new abode of ours. Small changes like lighting fixtures, cabinet knobs, paint, and a new kitchen backsplash have also helped to make our new house feel more like “us.” But when I look around at the projects that are still on our list, I know how much more it’s going to take to make it feel complete.
That’s why I’m so happy to present this summer’s home and garden issue. I’ll be using the advice, tips, and tricks included in these pages to keep working on our home. From implementing different lighting to create a peaceful environment (page 18), to working on our new backyard oasis with sustainable ideas inspired by architect Jason Boyer (page 25), I’ve got some big ideas brewing. We might even consider investing in a new outdoor kitchen gadget (page 48) in advance of all of the poolside entertaining we’ll be doing this summer.
While you’re perusing these pages, make sure to take a deeper look at our far-out piece on Earthship homes (page 28) and — for an especially feel-good story — pay special attention to our highlight on Grand Canyon University’s partnership with Habitat for Humanity (page 12).
Whether your upcoming plans include a family vacation, solo escape to somewhere remote, barbecues with friends, or a whole lotta home improvement projects like mine, may happiness be bestowed upon your doorstep all summer long.
Thanks for reading,
Shelby Tuttle
Managing Editor
Cassie Hepler is the owner and publisher of lifestyle and travel blog ExplorewithCassie.com, as well as a multimedia journalist, photographer and professional model and actress based in Phoenix, Ariz. She also works with TikTok as part of its #learnontiktok educational fund. Learn more about her at www.cassiehepler.com.
Michelle Talsma Everson is a freelance journalist who believes that communication is an art, where the right messaging can tell impactful, vivid stories. Using that art, she has built a career as a journalism and public relations professional in the Valley. Her work has been seen in magazines, newspapers, and online outlets across Arizona and nationally for over a decade. Learn more about her writing at www.mteverson.com.
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Green Living magazine is a monthly publication by Traditional Media Group, LLC. Periodical rate postage paid at Scottsdale, AZ. Publisher assumes no responsibility for contributed manuscripts, editorial content, claims, reviews, photographs, artwork or advertisements. The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors and forum participants do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the company or official policies. Entire contents © 2022 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 $25 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.
James Barlow, the President and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona, was live on Instagram with Green Living to discuss his mission of bringing people together to build hope, homes, and communities. Read our online exclusive for the full Q&A session to learn more about the nonprofit’s neighborhood preservation programs, repair programs for the elderly, and sustainability practices.
Explore the health, community, and flavor benefits of seasonal eating with Jason Dwight, co-owner and executive chef of Persepshen. Find out how consuming locally grown, fresh produce packed with nutrients can improve overall well-being and combat hidden hunger. Indulge in the delightful flavors that come with seasonal eating.
Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona Troop 122 collected over 500 pounds of film plastic in just six months as part of NexTrex's Community Recycling Challenge. Their efforts included partnering with local schools and businesses to establish convenient drop-off locations. This impressive project saved about 40,500 plastic bags from landfills.
Green Living was pleased to attend the Caring for the Earth Dress Rentals grand opening on Sunday, May 7. The Tempebased company rents special occasion dresses for children two years of age or older, and for adults who wear size 4 or smaller.
Green Living had the honor of receiving the prestigious Purpose Driven Award at the Green Light Solutions 10th anniversary event. We are grateful to be recognized as a purpose-driven media company for more than a decade.
MIT scientists have engineered ultra-thin fabric solar cells that can convert any surface into a power source. They are printed using electronic inks similar to printing designs on a T-shirt and have the potential to revolutionize the clean energy industry.
The cities of Tempe, Mesa, and Phoenix were all honored by Salt River Project with a platinum designation as SRP Sustainable Cities. The award recognizes commitment to sustainable growth while supporting SRP’s environmental policies and goals.
Modern Mills created a natural building material nearly indistinguishable from wood. ACRE is made from rice hulls, diverted from landfills in a process that is phenol-, formaldehyde-, and adhesive-free. It is a durable and sustainable alternative to wood that can be used indoors and outdoors.
As part of the City of Vancouver’s Sea2City Design Challenge, the North Creek Collective, led by architecture firm MVRDV, put together The Sea Rise Catalogue, featuring possible interventions that adapt the area’s current waterfront buildings and infrastructure to mitigate the encroaching water.
Rubbee, a micro-mobility startup founded in the mid-2010s has created a conversion kit that turns a normal bicycle into an e-bike. There are three e-bike conversion kits, including the Rubbee, Rubbee 2.0, and the new Rubbee X, which comes in three configurations for different performance and price points.
Uncork your wine bottles, enjoy your wine and then reuse the bottle with a Plant Nanny stake. An innovative babysitter for your plants, these nifty plant stakes utilize quick-connect adapters that adjust to different bottle sizes to slowly release water near the plant’s root system. Instead of watering above the soil, subsoil watering improves root development and makes roots strong. Plant Nanny is based in New Hampshire and also offers stakes for plastic bottles in addition to their own hand-blown fluted glass reservoirs. www.plantnanny.com
Upgrade your drinkware, kitchen products, and your fishing gear with Toadfish eco-friendly coastal products. Toadfish offers a wide range of products from filet knives, tumblers, seafood utensils, can coolies, and more. Our team’s favorite is a fold-up cutting board with a built-in knife sharpener that comes in two sizes. For every product sold, Toadfish replants new oyster beds that help clean coastal waters and protect coastal ecosystems through its “Put ‘Em Back” movement. To date, Toadfish has planted over 280,000 square feet of oyster beds, which is enough oysters to filter over 82 million gallons of water per day. www.toadfish.com
Marley’s Monsters’ UNpaper Towels are made from soft, absorbent flannel fabric that come in a variety of prints, can be reused, and are machine washable. Since debuting the product nearly 10 years ago, the company estimates that 15 million single-use rolls of paper towels have been diverted from landfills. Marley’s Monsters also offers a line of reusable kitchen and dining accessories, bathroom necessities, and mom and baby products. Material scraps left behind from the creation of larger products are used for smaller items like coasters, placemats, dish cloths, mop pads, and more. In addition to using organic and natural materials, the company also employs eco-friendly packaging and shipping practices. Marley’s Monsters is based in Eugene, Oregon and is woman-owned. www.marleysmonsters.com
Ditch your one-time, chemically-packed makeup remover wipes for Greenzla’s reusable makeup remover pads. These pads come in a pack of 20, are made from bamboo cotton, and are machine washable. Greenzla also carries other bamboo-based products like toothbrushes, and cutlery. The company sources sustainable materials for its products, utilizes low-emission manufacturing, and works with like-minded organizations to ensure products meet environmentally friendly and fair trade standards for health, beauty, and foodbased items. Packaging is recycled and biodegradable. www.greenzla.com
Say goodbye to mismatched plastic containers and lids and say hello to Bee’s Wrap Beeswax food wraps. Simply use your hands to shape the wraps around food to create a protective, breathable seal and store in the fridge, on the counter, or in a lunch bag. Created in a variety of different sizes, bags, and container covers, the wraps are reusable and can be cleaned in cool water with a mild dish soap and left to air dry. Made of GOTS-certified organic cotton, responsibly sourced beeswax, organic plant oil, and tree resin, they can last up to one year. Bee’s Wrap is a certified B Corp company and member of 1% for the Planet. It also partners with organizations to remove plastic from oceans, protect pollinators, and encourage environmental stewardship through education. www.beeswrap.com
VVolunteers descended on a West Phoenix home at 7 a.m. on a Friday morning in May. Within an hour, the house was sporting a new blue wall color in addition to a fresh new coat of paint on the exterior window trim. Soon, the house will have new windows installed.
It’s one more family’s home that has been renovated or repaired, its value increased, and one more that will become part of the largest ongoing Habitat for Humanity project in Arizona.
The eight-year partnership between Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona and Grand Canyon University has resulted in 483 renovated homes and
1,226 repairs from 33,277 volunteer hours contributed by GCU employees and students. GCU has raised more than $5.4 million in funding for the projects.
GCU Vice Provost Dr. Jennifer Lech has volunteered with the Academic Leadership Team since 2015. It’s one of the ways GCU can give back to the community they live in, she said.
“It’s a great opportunity not just because we give back to the community, but the staff gets to have a place they can bond over and get to know each other,” she said. “It’s a win-win for the homeowner and GCU.”
The partnership is more than halfway to its goal of bolstering economic and cultural stability by repairing or renovating 700 households in neighborhoods near GCU’s campus. The program has expanded the service area from W. Bethany Home Rd. to W. Campbell Rd. and from I-17 to N. 43rd Ave., Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona Chief Marketing Officer Dusty Parsons said.
Once a semester on a Saturday morning, 300 people, mostly students, disperse amongst 10-12 homes to help complete critical home repairs like replacing old windows and doors; painting and landscaping; re-roofing; and replacing old HVAC systems and hot water heaters.
This weekend’s project was on the smaller side but generated the same amount of enthusiasm. Executive Director of Student Disability Services Beth Jamison said GCU students and staff can see the projects they work on from campus, and the neighborhood can see GCU right back.
“We show them we want to be part of that community,” she said.
GCU’s “Lopes Go Local” program provides an opportunity for volunteerism. Most students are not required to complete a certain amount of volunteer hours. Smaller monthly and weekly projects happen on Fridays and Saturdays, where faculty and staff volunteers have the opportunity to help, as well.
Parsons said it helps students gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by
the community and can lead to a more meaningful learning experience.
“We hear time and again from both the student volunteers and the homeowners we serve that the best part is working together and taking some time to get to know each other better while tackling a project like painting or landscaping,” Parsons said.
GCU moved to Phoenix about 15 years ago and made a $2 billion investment in its campus located along the 1-17 corridor in Phoenix. It’s a neighborhood full of many cultures, with about 45 different languages spoken within 10 square miles, Grand Canyon University President Brian Mueller said. With a new financial model in place, GCU wanted to build out its university but didn’t want to leave the neighborhood behind.
“We wanted the neighborhood to grow with the university, and for our students to see that and to sit in the classroom with kids that live in this very neighborhood,” Mueller said. “I think it’s a really important part of their education.”
The structure of GCU’s Five Point Plan aims to rebuild the surrounding inner city neighborhood into a middle class community through ways in which the government hasn’t been able to help, Mueller said. Those five points include serving families in need by distributing free household goods from GCU’s on-campus warehouse; making neighborhoods safer through an 11-year, $2.2 million partnership with the City of Phoenix; improving home values through the Habitat for Humanity partnership; supporting K-12 education with free tutoring services to any K-12 student and scholarships to highachieving, low-income high school seniors; and creating 16,000 total
jobs on and off campus in West Phoenix. Eight new businesses brought another 500 jobs.
GCU had to earn the trust of local residents first, as the neighborhood had been taken advantage of before, Mueller said. GCU’s and Habitat for Humanity’s shared commitment to faith helped in that aspect.
“We were doing this because we wanted their lives to improve. There was nothing to gain from our perspective,” he said. Now, the program has become a familiar feature in the neighborhood. When about 300 people visit a neighborhood on a Saturday morning and divide up amongst 10 houses, ready to work, people aren’t surprised anymore, Mueller said.
“Nobody questions or wonders because they know who we are. They know what we’re doing, and they’re grateful for it,” Mueller said.
Improving home values could be challenging, but the partnership with Habitat for Humanity
Central Arizona has made that process almost painless. The area’s 1960s-era homes needed significant upgrades and repairs and – thanks to Habitat's building model — homeowners have seen values significantly increase.
“What you see happen
is that other neighbors will take a look at what’s going on with one home and start making improvements in theirs,” Mueller said. “The increase in the home values in this neighborhood has been amazing. It’s the largest increase in home values of any zip code area in the city of Phoenix.”
Habitat has been flexible with some home repairs. Usually, a homeowner is required to put sweat equity into the home building or repairs process, but some homeowners don’t have the physical ability, or lack family and friends to help to complete that requirement. In those cases, GCU has asked Habitat to waive the policy.
The program goes beyond homes, too. Schools with low resources are in need of gardens, playgrounds, and other features necessary to learning. Gardens providing science courses and playgrounds providing physical activity are just some of the ways that GCU and Habitat have helped. In some cases, they have rebuilt a playground in its entirety in a single weekend.
“It gives people, not just homeowners, but also kids going to schools, a sense of hope that [it’s] going to get better, and it's worth investing here or staying here,” Mueller said.
GCU Executive Director of Student Disability Services Beth Jamison and Elijah Taylor paint a new shade of blue.
BY JAN GREEN
A change in seasons can signal an exciting time to make some minor adjustments to improve your quality of life at home. Check out these quick tips to make your home healthier for you, your family and the planet!
Eliminate chemicals in your home. Cleaning products can contain harmful chemicals that linger in the air and on surfaces. Natural products like baking soda and vinegar make great cleaning products alone or together! Baking soda gets rid of odors and acts as a gentle abrasive, while vinegar acts as a natural disinfectant.
Eliminate household odors at the source. Got a sneaky odor lurking in your kitchen or bathroom?
If your dishwasher doesn’t run much, or if you have a spare bath that isn’t used often, those drains can be a common source of odor. When they're not used regularly, the water that typically seals your P-trap can evaporate, allowing sewer gasses to infiltrate your home. Try running your dishwasher on a short cycle and very briefly running the water in your sink, tub or shower to replace the water in your P-trap and reactivate the seal. While you’re at it, clean the filter in the bottom of your dishwasher frequently to get rid of any trapped food and debris. Using candles, plug-ins, or air fresheners may cover up the smell temporarily, but these products can add hazardous chemicals to your indoor environment without correcting the issue.
Save energy this summer! There are a multitude of initiatives you can take to conserve energy and reduce your carbon footprint, especially during the summer when our cooling bills can skyrocket. First, ask your local energy company to conduct an energy audit on your home. During this process, they’ll
check to ensure your doors and windows are sealed properly, and that your insulation is in good shape. You’ll want to make sure you have at least 10” of insulation on the floor of your attic, and that it is evenly distributed. Take the time to inquire with your energy provider about a time-of-use plan that can help to reduce the cost of your energy usage.
Already rocking a time-of-use plan? Make sure to use appliances during off-peak hours, and if you’ve got an EV in the garage, charge it during morning hours.
If you work from home, review all of your electronic devices for energy efficiency and replace old or aging equipment with computers and printers that employ energy saving modes. Connect all devices to a smart power strip that can be operated remotely for the utmost convenience.
Ditch that saltwater filtration system!
Saltwater filtration systems add salt to the groundwater and use a lot of additional water to flush out their systems. Arizona’s public drinking water is hard and the calcification in the water creates build-up on plumbing fixtures and doesn’t feel good on your skin or hair. To improve your water quality, invest in an alternative whole-home system that employs a multi-stage filter to include a combination of UV, copper/zinc and carbon filtration.
Making these moderate adjustments can have a sizable and positive impact on your pocketbook, your lifestyle, and our planet.
IIf you notice that your mood changes according to the lighting of the room you’re in, you’re not wrong. Lighting in your home, whether it’s artificial or natural, can impact your mood, energy level, and overall well-being.
Multiple studies show that there is a tangible connection between the quality of lighting in a home and its residents’ moods and emotions.
For example, a recent study by the journal Building and Environment showed that, “Natural lighting conditions of housing significantly impact people's perceptions of happiness and sadness, with settings that have an increased amount of daylight entering the home leading to the greatest impacts.” The same research found that incorporating natural light into every room in the house also improves emotional well-being.
In addition, research from the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health shows
that having the proper amount of daylight in the home helps its residents to have more energy during the day and sleep better at night.
How does light do this? According to the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, light is highly essential for health and well-being by how it helps regulate bodily functions.
“Light plays an important role in the function of the nervous and endocrine systems and the secretion of hormones such as melatonin,” according to the journal. “Melatonin is released by the pineal gland in a 24-hour cycle according to how much light is received, regulating the body’s circadian rhythm. In regular sleep-wake cycles, the hormone is highest at night in the dark promoting healthy sleep and lowest
during daylight promoting alertness. Disruption to these rhythms caused by a lack of daylight exposure during the day and exposure to bright lights during the night constitutes improper light exposure which affects health.”
With all the scientific evidence showing that proper lighting in the home makes a difference to our overall health, here are some tips to help you brighten your home and potentially your mood.
Make natural lighting your go-to. Natural lighting should be a focal point of designing any home. Experts warn against glare and heat, though, so be sure to mitigate those as much as possible through sheer curtains or other helpful design tactics such as UV protective screens.
When it comes to artificial lighting, consider fullspectrum light bulbs. They mimic natural light and are available in most department or home improvement stores.
Electric lighting that is made with health in mind. For spaces where natural light is minimal or unavailable, experts note that circadian lighting can help increase alertness when needed.
“Circadian lighting refers to lighting that is designed to have a biological impact on the human circadian system,” according to BIOS, an architectural lighting company. “Circadian lighting sends signals to the master clock in the brain, telling our bodies when it is daytime and when it is night and what functions to perform at various times of the day.”
Like full-spectrum bulbs, circadian lighting is available at most department or home improvement stores. You can use different tones or “temperatures” of lighting per room. Experts note that “cool light” is best for during the day while “warm light” is ideal for evening and nighttime. How do you know the difference? Bulbs are often labeled “cool” or are blue to white in tone, or “warm,” which are more yellow to orange in tone. Spaces like offices or front rooms are great for cool lights while restful spaces like bedrooms do well with warmer tones.
Where are your windows? The Building and Environment journal study found that people are happier in a room with a window that faces the sun. Window size was also a big factor (the bigger the better). “It is necessary that we find energy-efficient solutions that are able to maximize light gain while minimizing energy consumption,” according to the study.
Experts note that there are many home décor choices that can be made to boost the positive effects of natural lighting. For example, if you don’t have a lot of natural light, position mirrors or reflective artwork to play off the light you do have. Also, you may want to do something as simple as regularly washing your windows inside and out. In addition, specific color palettes, such as lighter tones, help to reflect natural light better.
With some attention to detail and design choices made with light in mind, your days may be brighter and your nights more relaxed.
Creating a repurposed, recycled, and ethically friendly home doesn’t have to look shabby or break the bank. That slab of marble hanging out in someone’s backyard can be reimagined as a gorgeous table. Those plastic parts that look like trash can transform into beautiful art fixtures for lighting. With eco-conscious home design, treating Mother Earth with the utmost respect is always in style. Here are three companies making it easy for homeowners to be Earth-friendly and chic at the same time.
Ecopreneur and founder of the design firm Home Front Build, Steve Pallrand and his team have launched CarbonShack, an LA-based design firm with a super team of environmentally focused architects, tradesmen, and data-analysts.
“No choice is free from impacts or consequences. We choose our materials not only to highlight the beauty of the natural world but to understand our role in the ecosystem,” Pallrand says. “When we design, we reach beyond aesthetics and begin with the methods of production in order to reduce negative environmental impacts.”
The company’s first ever design, called Casa Zero, serves as a case study for a new definition of green building. By integrating principles of high efficiency, low-impact materials, and natural aesthetics, Casa Zero provides environmental solutions for a variety of issues that remain unresolved by conventional green design. Learn more at www.carbonshack.com.
The furniture industry is currently the third largest user of virgin wood globally, contributing significantly alongside the paper industry to deforestation. Furniture also accounts for 12 million tons of bulky waste in U.S. landfills alone every year.
Jerri Hobdy, founder and designer of MENO Home, a sustainable furniture and home decor company, looks to identify waste reduction.
“The vision for Meno Home was to help people curate gorgeous, unique interiors with more truly sustainable furniture options,” she says. “To do so, we offer a timely mix of 21st century vintage that allows clients to layer in with our in-house line of clean, locally-made furniture. We reduce waste by keeping pieces from the landfill, any any time we refurbish, we do so to the same clean, chemical-free standards that we hold our in-house line to,” said Hobdy.
There are currently thousands of unregulated chemicals used in furniture production, such as highly-fluorinated
chemicals (flame-retardants), VOCs (like formaldehyde), and other chemicals of concern to human health such as PVCs and antimicrobial coatings. In addition to eliminating these materials of concern from their products, MENO Home aims to reduce the use of plastics and virgin synthetic materials, and to design using as many truly renewable raw materials as possible.
MENO Home both sources vintage and manufactures made-toorder pieces only in North America to keep the transportation footprint of its pieces as small as possible. The company notes that it’s working to offer more in-house designs that push the furniture industry closer to the circular economy. Learn more at www.menohome.com.
GOODEE is a B-Corp-certified online marketplace offering a curated selection of essential homewares and lifestyle products for better living from around the world. The company’s values of “good design, good people, and good impact,” dictate the brands they source, collections they curate, and products they design for the company’s in-house label. Most importantly, they connect people and communities with a common purpose through the platform.
“We conceived GOODEE three years ago, as we felt that many extremely skilled and underrepresented ethical
makers desperately needed a platform to connect them with an equally committed conscious consumer,” said GOODEE Co-Owner Byron Peart.
He launched the website in 2019 with his twin brother, Dexter.
“As Black designers and entrepreneurs ourselves, who had previously built a lauded ethically designed accessories brand for more than a decade, we recognized early on how undervalued our voices and creativity were being woven into the sustainability conversation and were determined to make a significant change in the design landscape,” said Byron.
In 2007, the twins founded the brand WANT Les Essentiels, but shifted in 2018 to allow this new venture to take shape; assisting smaller, meaningful brands dedicated to offering sustainable solutions for modern living.
“It is very exciting for the two of us (and our very diverse team at GOODEE) to be now able to bring a fresh perspective and point of view to the conversations surrounding the need for an urgent shift in ethical production and conscious consumption,” said Dexter.
In addition to highlighting its own line of home goods, GOODEE also curates a unique mix of Black artisanmade pieces from around the world ranging from cushions and baskets, to clothing, bedding, lighting, and more. Learn more at www.goodeeworld.com.
Madera ding chair. Photo courtesy of Meno Home
Long handle dustpan and brush set by Iris Hantverk.
BY SHELBY TUTTLE
If you're looking for a great way to manage your energy bill as temperatures start to rise, consider a smart thermostat for your home. According to the EPA, smart thermostats can save users an average of 8% on their energy bill.
Their secret? The ability to turn off the AC and heat more often than regular thermostats, many by using geofencing or location sensors to detect when you’re home or away. When the thermostat detects that there’s no one home, it switches to an energy-saving mode to adjust the temperature automatically — down in the winter and up in the summer. Read on to learn more about the features of today’s smartest thermostats.
• Voice control enabled with embedded Siri or Alexa smart speaker
• Smart sensor included
• Recyclable packaging
• Set up via mobile phone instruction (no paper manual included)
• Three-year manufacturer warranty
Cons
• Pricey in comparison to other models offering similar features
Pros
• Built in motion detection to control airflow based on which rooms are occupied
• Auto switch between home and away modes
• Indoor air quality sensor that monitors volatile organic compounds (VOCs), estimated carbon dioxide (CO2) levels, and relative humidity
• Mindfully designed and built to last 10 years or more
• Works with Apple HomeKit and leading smart home ecosystems
Pros
• Enabled with motion detection
• Works with Google assistant and Alexa
• Available smart sensor add-on
• Four dial finishes to match your home decor
• Nest “Farsight” detection picks up presence in the home and allows users to see their thermostat's target temperature or the current time from up to 20 feet away
Cons
• Not compatible with Apple HomeKit
AMAZON SMART THERMOSTAT - $80
Pros
• Reports energy usage
• Affordable
• Minimalist design
• Voice command integration available through Amazon Alexa Cons
• No remote sensor
• Not compatible with Apple HomeKit or Google Assistant
HONEYWELL HOME T9 SMART THERMOSTAT$180
Pros
• Geo-fencing enabled to determine when residents are home or away
• Measures remote humidity, proximity, and temperature
• Works with Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit
• Remote room sensor included
• Easy set up
• Dual-band Wi-Fi
Cons
• Doesn't integrate directly with other Honeywell smart devices
WYZE PROGRAMMABLE SMART WIFI THERMOSTAT - $75
Pros
• Easy set up via Wyze app
• Compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant
• Necessary C-wire adapter included
• Works with Wyze family of devices
• Provides energy-saving tips and usage reports
Cons
• Light on features
• Must use C-wire to install
• Not compatible with Apple HomeKit
Arizona residents experience more than 300 days of sunshine annually –which gives us plenty of time to enjoy our backyards year-round. Luckily for eco-conscious homeowners, there are many ways to make your backyard as green as possible – and we don’t mean just the grass.
“A sustainably designed home means your home is working smarter, not harder, creating less of an impact on the environment and saving you money while maximizing its livability,” explains Jason Boyer, FAIA, founder of Boyer Vertical, an architect-led real estate development firm that brings sustainably minded, architecturally significant projects to life.
According to the sustainable architectural experts at Jonite, a leading manufacturer of innovative and decorative architectural stone grating products, “Environmentally sustainable design is the philosophy of designing physical objects, the built environment, and services to comply with the principles of ecological sustainability. Its core idea is to eliminate wastefulness and minimize environmental impact through architecture design.”
Some of the principles of sustainable design include utilizing the proper materials that are energy efficient, locally sourced if possible, and built to last.
“Many recycled and renewable materials are not only good for the earth, but they also require less maintenance,” Boyer adds. “Wood-look decking has been around for a couple of decades but now the material technology has evolved into exterior wall cladding, deck tiles, planters, and even outdoor furniture. Made from 95% recycled composite material, these products are popular because they require no staining and sealing and are UV-resistant.”
“A newer cladding product that I’m geeking out on is ACRE from Modern Mill (www.modern-mill.com). It’s a 100% recyclable product made from upcycled rice hulls and manufactured in the U.S.A. You can find high-quality outdoor all-weather furniture
made of some of these same materials that are both comfortable and easy to maintain,” he recommends.
He also shares that another personal favorite is Loll Designs (www.lolldesigns.com), which features sustainable outdoor furniture.
“Keep it simple,” Boyer advises when it comes to outdoor sustainable architecture. “I like to design outdoor spaces with different zones for dining and lounging, then accent them with focal points like a fire pit, fireplace, or a water feature. Incorporate a clean open space with low-maintenance turf, functional and aesthetically pleasing shade structures,
increasing air-conditioned indoor square footage,” Boyer says. “… The secret sauce that makes these spaces work is careful consideration of the space, home, or building’s orientation to the sun.”
Another idea is also to look for opportunities to use home orientation to provide self-shading areas in the backyard. At KARMA, one of Boyer’s projects located in North Central Phoenix, he notes that “the shade from the second story of the home creates a cool backyard area that makes it enjoyable to sit out by the pool and enjoy dinner or an evening cocktail –even during the hot summer months.
He also suggests something novel: incorporating movable walls of glass. “First, it enables you to easily connect the indoor and outdoor areas, extending the living space of your home. Second, air flow is a great way to bring cool air in and allow warm, stagnant air to circulate out. This can be done through cross-ventilation through operable skylights as well as open doors.”
and outdoor grills that let you easily extend your living environment outside.”
“Look past the trends and select timeless materials for your home,” he advises. “Focus on quality over quantity and consider durable materials with recycled and rapidly renewable content where possible. Work with your architect and/or landscape architect to develop a planting plan that complements your lifestyle and softens the space.”
One way to make your backyard and home more sustainable is by utilizing integrated indoor-outdoor connections that allow homeowners to extend their living space to the outdoors.
“By expanding living space outdoors, you provide a greater variety of healthy ‘rooms or spaces’ that can be enjoyed throughout the day and night—without
“It’s also important to note that there are cost effective operable exterior glass wall/ exterior door products out there; I recommend consulting your architect or builder when considering your options,” he continues. “Finally, make sure you minimize the glass, or glazing, on the east and west sides of the home in a Southwest climate like Arizona. This will minimize the heat gain and reduce energy use, resulting in lower utility bills.”
Overall, Boyer says that good design matters when it comes to sustainable backyards and any part of your home. “It will impact both your quality of life and your resale value,” he advises. “Hire an architect capable of orchestrating all these elements into your best living environment. Hiring an architect for a sustainably built home commands a premium, but it is a solid investment. A properly designed home will not only impact your quality of life but also provide a good return when the time comes to sell your home.”
Although inconceivable for some, over the last several years, reality TV has celebrated and even popularized the concept of living off the grid. Show participants make a trip to a home-improvement center, load up their trucks, trailers, and SUVs with the parts they’ll need, and haul them to their hilly and wooded Eden — free of smokestacks, powerlines, and landfills.
The stash they’re bringing in might include two-byfour planks, wallboard and nails, caulk, aircrete, and windows, but it might also include recycled glass bottles and cans, or tires saved from landfills. At the site, they might even whip up some adobe, a clay and straw cement which native Southwestern peoples have been using for centuries.
They might even be building a self-sustaining Earthship — a structure conceived by architect Michael Reynolds in the early 1970s. Through thoughtful site selection, proper scaling, and use of recycled and natural materials, it provides heating and cooling. With a high-efficiency solar system, including arrays and batteries, it offers electricity. And, this eco-home can use water from wells, streams, rivers, and rain cisterns. It can also process sewage for the gardens.
“If each home were to address what humans need for basic sustenance, we wouldn’t need all that infrastructure. Each building would be an independent vessel, like a ship in space or at sea.”
—Michael Reynolds (Earthship Founder)One of the reasons Reynolds built the first Earthship home a half century ago was environmental consciousness. In the 1960s and 70s, the country was experiencing eco-catastrophes such as Love Canal in New York, Valley of the Drums in Kentucky, the Cuyahoga River fire, and the Santa Barbara oil spill. They were all over the news, like the baseball scores from last night. We experienced them the same way we did Walter Cronkite interviewing young soldiers in the jungles of Vietnam while we comfortably ate dinner. Back then, though, Earthships and other ecodwellings were
described as “beatnik,” “hippie,” “alternative lifestyle,” “survivalist,” and “deadbeat” among mainstream Americans. Only “that kind” of Haight-Ashberryinspired person would pursue environmental principles deep into the hills of New Mexico.
But today, Earthships are returning, some even gentrified to attract the professional millennial or Gen Zer. One example developed by Reynolds is the Phoenix Earthship — a 5,300-square-foot three-bedroom home appointed with many luxuries, which recently sold for $1.5 million in California.
“Earthships are full-package homes. Sustainable, autonomous vessels that offer an opportunity to have what I call ‘sustenance’ — comfortable shelter, water, electricity, food, and the treatment of garbage and sewage. And, they won’t fall apart in the next hurricane,” Reynolds says. “They’re already pretty easy right now to do. And those things can only get better.”
An Earthship isn’t a type of building; it’s Reynolds’s trademark. His architecture and construction company is Earthship Biotecture in Taos, New Mexico.
When he began, the new architect, aghast at the environmental crisis we were creating for ourselves and our future, began experimenting with “biotecture,” a combination of architecture and biology, as Paolo Soleri was doing with his arcology (architecture and ecology) in Arizona.
Reynolds’ first home, Thumb House, was constructed of 70,000 beer and soda cans wired and mortared together; it was powered by early solar panels. He was not discouraged by some of the guffaws; he’s still building them now — on the cusp of 80 completed homes. He has created thousands of high-performing earthquake-proof homes and other buildings, including offices and schools worldwide.
Lucas Johnson, a Tucson-based associate for Vali Homes in Phoenix, notes that the core principles of Earthship homes are more relevant today than ever: passive solar heating and cooling; solar and wind power for onsite clean energy; onsite sewage treatment; natural and recycled materials; water harvesting; and food production. Today, other healthier lower-carbon materials such as straw bale, natural plaster, and rammed earth are used.
Vali Homes LLC is a development company and sustainability consultancy group focused on creating healthier homes with contemporary design, energy efficiency, and aesthetics. Combining architecture, science, and nature, the company incorporates biophilia, biomimicry, Passive House principles, and other sustainability-driven concepts into its designs.
According to Philip Horton, co-director of the Center of Building Innovation, and clinical associate professor of architecture at Arizona State University, “I believe that this concept might be resurgent, in part because it brings together a number of other areas of growing focus, including earthen construction, such as rammed earth and earth blocks; the circular economy (upcycling waste materials); zero energy/zero carbon (or at least reduced emissions); healthy environments, particularly indoor air quality; and locally sourced food.”
In 2013, Horton worked with students on a Solar Decathlon house called SHADE: Solar Homes Adapting for Desert Equilibrium. He is also a Senior Global Futures scientist.
Horton notes that some of the privately owned Earthship homes in Arizona — located near Tucson, and in Wickenburg and Kingman — are faring well, even after a number of years in harsh climates. Most Earthship homes, however, are in New Mexico, where Reynolds lives and works.
Johnson says, “People are justifiably frustrated with conventional approaches to home construction. Typical homes consume a lot of resources to build and to operate. They also have extremely high lifecycle carbon impacts. Despite all these impacts, conventional homes have also failed to provide healthy, comfortable living spaces.”
Johnson has contributed to more than 10,000 highperformance building projects including deep-energy retrofits of large commercial buildings and net zero passive houses.
“I began this kind of work to reduce our collective carbon impact, but I now focus equally on creating resilience to a changing climate while pushing for the right to comfortable, healthy, and affordable homes as a core element of social justice,” he says.
Johnson adds that conventional homes are also built in a manner that tends to abuse or undervalue the labor required to build them. For instance, the typical construction process includes using a large volume of materials that contain chemicals on the Red List, a comprehensive list of chemicals known to have negative human health interactions.
“Workers are exposed to these chemicals often while rushing through a project without the proper protection. The workers are not fairly compensated for the risks they are taking, and their hard work often goes unappreciated by management and the future occupants,” he says.
In addition, conventional home development is not effective at creating community, and the homes are not typically made from local resources, which further disconnects them from the places they are being built, he says.
Further, “The increasing instability of our climate, combined with stubbornly high prices for construction materials, are also failures of conventional construction. This drives people to explore alternatives such as Earthship homes, even when those alternatives are built from literal trash.”
Reynolds has been assiduously building Earthships for 55 years.
“So, I see that we are constantly surging and are in crescendo rather than spiking at the moment. What’s happening now is that we have had COVID, war in Ukraine, and there’s an overall unhealthy mental and emotional state that’s causing people to feel insecure,” he says. “People feel insecure with the government, with the economy — an Earthship is the possibility of security in all the uncertainty.”
For 29 years, Kirsten Jacobsen worked for Reynolds, impressed with his work after reading about it in the New York Times while in college. For the last five years, she and a business partner have owned Eco Build Lab in Taos, which helps people determine the kind of alternative housing that best suits their lifestyles and budgets.
Eco-home pioneers such as Reynolds did not have the sophisticated systems those living off grid have today. For instance, solar cells were expensive and not very productive, creating a need for highdemand fluorescents and halogens. Today’s systems power very efficient LEDs.
“To live off the grid in the ’70s involved a little more effort, toil, and discomfort,” she says with a smile.
Today’s off-gridders may have been prompted to take the leap to living a more disconnected life through the experience of power failures and black-outs.
“They’ve realized how vulnerable we all are,” Jacobsen says. “They’ve found that the paradigm of being connected to the grid isn’t so hot.”
People are also concerned about other risk factors associated with living connected to public utilities: toxins and chemicals in water supplies; an increasingly higher cost of electricity, and increasingly lower standards of service. They aren’t seeing a high concern for health, which, particularly since COVID, is so important for consumers. Today’s eco-home residents also cite the effects of the typical balloon-frame home of the 1970s with sick building syndrome and toxic mold, she adds.
“It’s been a war with counties, with states, with concepts, with dogma, with regulations,” Reynolds says. “It’s been [an] uphill climb for 55 years. Fortunately, we’re pretty good climbers.”
For more information about Earthship homes, visit www.earthshipglobal.com/design-principles.
SSustainable goals and innovative solutions were top-of-mind at the 2023 Future of Sustainability in Arizona Summit conceived and organized by Green Living and Gensler.
The event took place on April 21 at the Arizona Science Center and started with a networking breakfast sponsored by SRP. Throughout the day, leading experts posed both environmental challenges and solutions to audience members for consideration. Panels focused on the nexus between carbon reduction and water and finding innovative sustainable solutions to the ongoing climate crisis.
Gensler Managing Director and Principal Martha de Plazaola Abbott highlighted the importance of the event as she welcomed attendees in her opening remarks.
“This event gives people the chance to hear from key leaders about critical issues and current perspectives on the sustainable future of Arizona,” she said.
The Arizona Science Center was the perfect location to host a sustainability event. President and CEO Guy Labine noted in his welcome address, “When it comes to solving the climate crisis, we must encourage our
communities to do better. Organizations like ours have a responsibility to lead by example while also educating the public on sustainability.”
In her keynote speech, The Honorable Mayor Kate Gallego highlighted Phoenix’s commitment to net zero carbon emissions by 2040. She also highlighted Super Bowl LVII, which had a 92% conversion rate for zero waste. She hoped the event was a sustainability touchdown for Phoenix when the world was watching.
Gallego touched on the event’s sustainability highlights, including a robot de-packager that converted organic packaging material into compost, autonomous vehicle and electric vehicle sponsors, and a massive tree planting project along the Salt River and at the Phoenix Zoo.
“We want to be known for being a laboratory and leading the way in sustainability,” Gallego said. “If we are going to be the most sustainable desert city we
can't always be following, and so we try new things in the area, and we’ve been proud to showcase them to the world.”
She also touched on November’s bond referendum, which includes investments in sustainable transportation, greener city buildings, and the Salt River waterfront. The latter project received a federal grant that will make the waterfront more active and welcoming.
The first panel of the day was the most requested topic from last year’s audience. Carol Hu from the Greater Phoenix Economic Council moderated the panel on carbon and water reduction targets. The conversation centered around strategic planning, converging public and private sector efforts, how personal goals flow into business goals, and how success is measured.
Arizona Water Company Vice President of Water Resources Terry Sue Rossi talked about the 1980 Arizona Groundwater Management Act that helped to establish safe yields for groundwater by 2025. Safe yield means the amount of water that is pumped out of the ground is equal to or less than the amount of water naturally replenished back into the aquifers. It trickles down to management plans, industry sectors, and regulations, she said.
“It’s important that what we do is sustainable, because we know that the eyes are on us,” she said.
Arizona Water Company serves small communities, and Rossi focused on the company’s flagship program with the City of Casa Grande that was launched in 2021. The Save It program’s goal is to reduce the community water footprint by 15% to lessen the dependence on groundwater. The two entities developed structural conservation measures to be implemented by the city.
“It’s not just about sustainability, but affordable water supply, affordable housing. All of these are important to creating the kind of communities we need to have,” she said.
Personal values flow into business values, especially for panelist Ben Timbrook, senior principal construction engineer at Northrup Grumman. As a parent of a two-year-old, he wants a clean, environmentally friendly world for his daughter to grow up in.
“Our industry utilizes a lot of raw, precious materials and resources,” he said. “When those things are [threatened], it impacts our manufacturing and impacts our customers. Sustainability is vital to our industry.”
Rosa Inchausti, the first female deputy city manager in Tempe, said strategic planning has been the city’s standard. It’s important to identify strategies and then communicate them clearly.
What’s more effective than incentives is meeting people where they are, she added. Talking to people early in the strategizing process is key.
“You can work out those differences, but I find that people are willing to do more to help you reach those goals when you’re honest, humanitarian about it, and you explain it and watch how they row the boat with you,” she said.
After the panel, Arizona State University graduate student Melissa McKinley presented a snapshot of her capstone project, “The Beauty of Biodiversity.” McKinley is a masters student in the landscape architecture program, and she’s publishing a handout that empowers people to make the right gardening decisions throughout urban Arizona. The handout gives advice on how to plant a pollinatorfriendly landscape.
As the Valley expands rapidly, desert habitats are destroyed and plowed through, leaving little room for wildlife corridors, she said. Her motto, “When you plant what they know, they know where to go,” encourages planting native species, especially
pollinators such as saguaro cacti, ironwood trees, native mesquite trees, and others.
“What’s important [is that] desert animals, flora, and fauna have co-evolved for millenia, so they
dashboard that gathers data on the campus’ carbon emissions, energy consumption, and water usage from campus facilities. Finally, the campus vegetation project (spearheaded by Byland in his freshman year) brings native plants to campus. Next year, they plan on installing a vertical plant wall.
Other projects include promoting composting, water quality, gardening, and local education and sustainability. Overall, it contributes to the university’s pledge to be carbon neutral by 2040, he said.
“Our efforts, though seemingly small, can make a large punch in the fight toward a more sustainable future,” he said.
Scottsdale Councilwoman Solange Whitehead moderated the second panel on innovative sustainability solutions.
“We know in Scottsdale, we know in Arizona, our environment is our economy, and the more we do to protect it, the more we have a strong, wonderful state to look at,” she said.
understand what they need,” she said. “When we plant non-natives, we kind of discourage that and disconnect this habitat further.”
Pam Giannonatti spoke, Kroger Corporate Affairs Manager/Fry's Division who also sponsored the event, next about their social impact program: Zero Hunger Zero Waste. In 2022, they rescued over 2,300 tons of edible food and donated it to food shelves. If the food isn’t eligible for donation, it goes into the food waste recycling program. That food is collected on a daily or every-other-day basis and feeds the herd at Stotz Dairy. Last year, 3,000 tons of food was put into the program.
Fry’s has partnered with local schools, too. They helped Garfield Elementary School install a garden and create a compost program. They also supported the University of Arizona’s rooftop garden and food pantry.
Before the second panel, University of Arizona geoscience junior Tyler Byland talked about several different campus projects that Students for Sustainability has worked on. The group has taken on three main projects that benefit the UA campus and Tucson.
The first is a retrofit project that upgrades or replaces existing light structures on campus to energy efficient lighting. The second is an interactive energy
Whitehead asked Ed Zuercher, managing executive director for the Maricopa Association of Governments, how the City of Phoenix managed to get residents on board in 2018 when they increased garbage rates. At that time, Zuercher was the city manager.
He said the city approached it by the value proposition for residents, which was reducing harm to the environment. The value of protecting the environment outweighed the cost of the increase. Phoenix was able to create a better byproduct, cleaner recyclables, tapped into their local market, and created new jobs, Whitehead added.
In his role at Maricopa Association of Governments, Zuercher said operating as a region is more beneficial for all residents because similar problems have no borders. The biggest topic right now is Proposition 400 Extension, which is a regional transportation tax paid for by the Maricopa County voters to create the transportation system that’s in place today. Before the tax contributes to transportation again, the legislature has to approve the proposition to go to voters.
On the I-10 corridor from Los Angeles to Houston, Phoenix has the most intense urban development, along with suburban, ex-urban and rural areas, so planning has to accommodate all of those.
“We’re all linked together in this region, and we realize we’re all going to fall and rise together,” he said.
The next frontiers the region will need to address are air quality and homelessness, Zuercher said. It’s all tied to economic success.
“We know great transportation has built a great economy,” he said. “Air quality is an important component of quality of life, which builds a great economy, and when we’re not all sharing in the upside of the economy, and we have people falling out into homelessness, that’s the issue we have to address to be a great region.”
Senior Adviser to the President of ASU Wellington (Duke) Reiter talked about the benefit of installing solar panels over parking lots. ASU’s solar panels draw 75 megawatts per hour from Phoenix’s 300-plus days of sunlight. Recently, Pat’s Run, which supports Tillman scholars, started and ended under those solar panels. “If you’re taking something that captures energy from the sun and turns it into something we can use on campus, while also creating public spaces where people want to gather, you’re getting a ‘three-fer,’” he said. “People want to be there, they’re cooler in the shade, and the energy being captured there, we’ll use later that day.”
Talking about his initiative, Ten Across, Reiter said people have to think proactively about infrastructure and sustainability. Ten Across is a media platform that offers diverse perspectives and information on proactive decisionmaking for resilience and sustainability.
Students are leading the way, especially when it comes to their future.
"We’re trying to make everything possible for them to achieve the success they want in their life, career, and around issues of resilience, sustainability, and the environment,” he added.
Kim Luu, who oversees environmental and social governance at semiconductor manufacturer Onsemi,
said the days of environment versus business are over. She said they’re seeing more partnerships and interaction across the board.
“What we’re seeing now in business is that it’s good business strategy, not only because customers are asking for it, consumers are asking for it, but it builds resilience within our company,” she said.
About 75% of Onsemi’s revenue came from sustainable products, and the company has a net zero by 2040 commitment. Luu said Onsemi’s intelligent sensors can make electric vehicles charge faster, give them more range, and allow for decarbonization; reducing the barrier of entry for people who want to switch.
Onsemi CEO Hassane El-Khoury recently signed a science-based target initiative to set near-term targets, which means the company has realistic and actual milestones to move toward net zero, Luu said. A short term goal that has worked for the company is selling wastewater sludge for cement manufacturing.
Gov. Katie Hobbs closed the day with a keynote speech. She highlighted recent sustainable goals passed by her administration, including negotiations on Colorado River allocations, expanding the tree canopy,
cleaner air and improved resiliency (with a new Office of Resiliency), and natural hazard mitigation.
“We know that our economy and quality of life depend on leadership addressing these risks. We know that people’s lives depend on our leadership,” she said.
COURTESY OF MERKIN VINEYARDS SCOTTSDALE
Ingredients
1 small green heirloom tomato, sliced thin
1 small red heirloom tomato, sliced thin
1 small yellow heirloom tomato, sliced thin
4 oz Crow’s Dairy chevre, sliced
1 clove garlic
3 cloves balsamic-marinated garlic, thinly sliced
2 balsamic-marinated shallots, sliced
6-8 slices of French bread
1 clove of garlic, cut in half for rubbing
Directions
Brush both sides of the French bread with olive oil and toast over medium-high heat. Once the bread is toasted, remove it from the heat and rub both sides with a plain clove of garlic. Place one layer of cheese on the bread, then place one slice of each color of tomato onto the cheese layer. Layer the shaved slices of marinated garlic down the middle of the tomatoes and add the marinated shallot slices on top of the garlic. Serve and enjoy.
Ingredients
2 cups balsamic vinegar
1 cup water
1 pinch sugar
1 pinch salt
Directions
Heat vinegar and water together, add sugar and salt and stir until dissolved. Pour over thinly sliced garlic and shallots and let marinate for three days in the refrigerator. Will keep for up to two weeks.
COURTESY OF THE LARDER + THE DELTA YIELD: 2 SERVINGS
Ingredients
1 cup cooked Anson Mills Carolina Gold rice
1/4 cup cooked sea island field peas or your favorite black eye peas, cooking water reserved
1 tablespoon trinity (recipe online)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
(2) 6 oz kanpachi tails, scaled and rinsed under cold water (may substitute any white flaky fish under one pound)
Canola oil
Olive oil
Directions
Prepare a grill for medium heat. While you’re waiting for the grill to heat, heat a cast iron pan on medium heat for five minutes. Add a thin layer of canola oil and then cooked rice to the pan. Let sit untouched for one to two minutes, then lower heat to medium-low and season the top of the rice with black pepper, being careful not to disturb the pan — you want the rice to crisp on the bottom but not burn.
Working in a separate pan over medium low heat, add a thin layer of olive oil, then add trinity and sweat for one minute. Add cooked peas and two ounces of the cooking liquid.
While rice and peas are heating, place kanpachi tail on cutting board and make two crossmarks on each side of the fish with a sharp knife to ensure even cooking. Season fish with salt and white pepper and place on grill, being careful not to burn or char the fish. You want an even cook and for the fish to be perfectly crisp and golden brown. Rotate/flip fish tail to ensure even cooking on all sides.
Once the rice is golden brown and crispy, combine with the peas, toss to mix together and set aside.
Plate fish tail over or alongside Carolina Gold rice with and red eye gravy on the side. Pour gravy over fish just before digging in. Visit www.greenlivingmag.com/grilled-kanpachi for the entire recipe, including the Holy Trinity and Red Eye Gravy instructions.
BY REBECCA L. RHOADES
At 7 a.m. on an early summer day, the sun already is beating down oppressively on a flat patch of arid land in Southern Arizona. In the dappled shadow of a palo verde tree, brother and sister Dallas and Lynn Liston prepare to welcome the day’s harvest. The rhythmic cadence of a gourd rattle breaks the silence, and the siblings begin to sing.
The melodic tune, sung in the Listons’ native Tohono O’odham language, is a traditional blessing that asks for good harvests and rain — and that gives thanks to the Southwest’s iconic saguaro cactus that brought them to the national park that bears its name.
The Tohono O’odham people have lived in the Sonoran Desert for thousands of years, and they have harvested the saguaro’s fruit, known collectively in O’odham as “bahidaj,” for much of that time.
“We harvest a lot of things from the desert that we use for basketry and for food,” Dallas says. “In all aspects, where we get our food from is important to us, but this is a bit more special. Prickly pears grow everywhere. But the bahidaj is only in certain areas, and the harvest time is just a small window.”
This harvest is not done just for sustenance. The Tohono O’odham rely on it to usher in the monsoon season. It also marks the tribe’s new year. While the undertaking is not as common as it used to be, the act
of picking saguaro fruit and the harvest ceremonies remain central to the tribe’s culture.
Encompassing more than 90,000 acres split between two districts that flank the city of Tucson, Saguaro National Park has the largest concentration of saguaros (Carnegiea gigantea) in the world, according to Jesús García, an education specialist at Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, which offers public workshops on how to harvest saguaro fruit. Endemic only to the Sonoran Desert and parts of northern Mexico, the plants thrive on rocky slopes with southern exposure and in hot, dry climates that receive between three and 15 inches of rain annually.
A staple of Western movies and imprinted on generations that grew up watching the exploits of Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner, saguaros are one of the world’s most recognized cacti. The quirky green giants tower over the surrounding ecosystem, projecting a distinctive anthropomorphic form thanks to their expressive arms that extend outward in Seussian shapes. They’re also federally protected, and killing, damaging or removing saguaros from the park, or any public land, can result in a hefty fine and even jail time.
For the Tohono O’odham, saguaros are more than a source of food. The stately columns, known
as “ha:san,” (pronounced “hashan”) are believed to possess human spirits. “There are stories in our tradition that talk about how the ha:san are people,” Lynn says. “So we respect them as such, and we don’t want to harm them in any way. Because of that, they give us fruit and produce things to help sustain us in the desert.”
Each June, as temperatures soar as high as 115 degrees, O’odham families gather as they have for centuries in the park and on their nearby tribal lands to pick the fruit. They return to the same areas each year and will camp out for a week or longer, gathering fruit, feasting, and connecting with extended family members. Lynn notes that during the pandemic, many families harvested fruit in the park because they could not return to their homes near the Mexican border. They stayed in ancestral “wattos,” or ramadas, that have survived generations to protect them from the blistering sun.
“A key ingredient to the bahidaj is dry heat. The hotter it is, the more the harvest will come,” Dallas explains. “When it’s really hot, we know we’re going to have a plentiful harvest.”
To collect the fruit, which typically grow at the top of the saguaros, sometimes as high up as 15 feet, the O’odham use long picking sticks called “kuipad,”
which are fashioned from saguaro ribs (“vapai”) and greasewood or creosote bush (“segai”). The segai crossmember is attached at an angle to the vapai with baling wire.
“There’s so much symbolism in the things that we do,” Lynn says. “We use creosote for the crossbar because it is symbolic of the rain we want to bring.” Anyone who has spent time in the Sonoran Desert during a monsoon season is familiar with the earthy aroma that perfumes the air following a rainstorm. “The creosote makes the desert fragrant,” Lynn adds.
“When we use the kuipad, when we’re pulling down the fruit, we say we’re pulling down the clouds,” she continues. “The whole process is a reflection from the earth to the sky. We pull the clouds, and then down comes the rain.”
Harvesting is done in pairs. One person uses the kuipad to hook and pull down the fruit; the other
over their hearts. The empty husk is placed on the ground facing upward, calling to the rain.
Each saguaro can produce as many as 150 fruits. The ruby red pods, about three inches in length, mature in late June and early July. When ripe, they split open, revealing a fibrous pulp full of thousands of tiny black seeds.
“Not all saguaro fruit taste the same, depending on the different stages,” Garcia explains. As the fruit ages and darkens, it becomes sweeter. The taste is mild, not tart, like a fig. “When they’re completely caramelized and dried up, they’re at their sweetest,” he notes. Formic acid from ants that eat the fruit can result in sour notes, while rain can bring about fermentation and cause a tangy flavor.
Traditionally, women process the fruit, but the entire family partakes in the harvest. The Listons recall harvesting fruit in the park as children. “We all came together — aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents. We would have a huge camp, and we would celebrate,” Lynn remembers. “Villages would come together and dance and pray for the rain.
“Now we gather together as a family,” she continues. “We sing the rain song, we dance, we toast the new year. After the fruit is gathered, when it’s still fresh and in the bucket, we add water to it and make a punch.”
catches the fruit in a container. “Our ancestors would use baskets or pottery to collect the bahidaj,” Dallas says. Today, the most common vessels are five-gallon plastic buckets.
The first fruit to be picked is used as part of a blessing. In addition to their traditional Native beliefs, Catholicism is a primary influence on the Tohono O’odham, the result of Spanish explorers who arrived in their lands in the late 1600s. Lynn and Dallas rub the pulp of their first fruit on their shirts, directly
Afterward, the fruit is processed into syrup, jam, or wine. Eight gallons of fruit produce about 30 ounces of syrup. According to Lynn, the syrup often is used on pancakes and ice cream and even in smoothies. The seeds, which are separated from the pulp, are ground into a meal that is used to make porridge or bread or added whole to salads for some extra crunch.
Preserving this ancient tradition is important for the Liston siblings, as well as the Tohono O’odham Nation as a whole. “Our elders would say that if nobody goes out to pick the bahidaj, there is not going to be any more,” Lynn says. “The ha:san give of themselves in order to ground us and bring us together. In a way, it’s like how a mother will give her all for her children.”
She continues, “In one of our stories, there is a little girl who turned into the ha:san because she was neglected. The harvest is her saying, ‘Come see me, come take my fruit.’ And because we don’t want our children to be neglected, because we don’t want our desert to be neglected, we come out and pay our respect. The sounds of our children picking and laughing and talking to each other reverberates in the ha:san.”
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Today, organizations such as Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and the International Sonoran Desert Alliance in Ajo help spread knowledge of the harvest to non-Native residents and visitors. Non-members of the Tohono O’odham Nation can only participate in the harvest in Saguaro National Park if they are with a tribal member, although if they have saguaros in their own yards, they are allowed to pick any fruit those cacti produce.
For the Listons, it’s important to educate the public about their traditions. “Our mom and grandma encouraged us to share, to get out there and become educators,” Dallas says. “This land is giving, but it can also take away. So we need to become informed about the land and to have respect for it.”
For more information, visit www.desertmuseum.org or www.isdanet.org.
BY REBECCA L. RHOADES
EEver since intrepid adventurers took their first automotive trips across the country, people have sought suggestions on where to stop for a bite to eat. And for more than a century, discriminating travelers have turned to the Michelin Guide for a list of the best fine dining establishments across the globe. Now, Michelin is recognizing food that doesn’t just taste great but that’s also great for our planet through its latest designation: the Michelin Green Star.
The origins of the iconic Michelin Guide hark back to the early years of the automobile.
In 1889, Andre and Edouard Michelin founded a tire business in a small town in France. Today, that eponymous company is the second largest tire manufacturer in the world. To increase demand for automobiles — and, therefore, Michelin tires — the brothers printed a booklet that included maps, instructions on tire repair, and a list of restaurants, hotels, mechanics, and gas stations throughout France.
The guide, and its restaurant reviews, became increasingly popular, and more editions were added, with the first U.S. version published in 2005.
In 1926, the brothers began to award stars to fine dining establishments that were listed in their guide — and the prestigious Michelin Star was born. By 1931, a hierarchy of one, two, and three stars was introduced, all based on the quality of cuisine. According to the Michelin Guide, one star denotes a very good restaurant in its category, two means excellent cooking that’s worth a detour, and three
is the crème de la crème, described as “exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey.”
Almost 100 years later, Michelin continues to publish its annual guide, or “red book” as it is commonly called, and receiving a revered star still is considered a top industry honor. The guide also showcases Michelin Recommended restaurants — ones that are above average but not at star level — and, since 1997, Bib Gourmand eateries, those that serve good food at reasonable prices.
More than 16,000 restaurants worldwide are showcased this year in Michelin Guides. Of those, 447 are honored with the Green Star.
Introduced internationally in 2019 and rolled out in the U.S. one year later, the Green Star honors restaurants that are leaders in sustainable gastronomy.
According to Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guides, sustainability is an important part of the vision and corporate strategy of The Michelin Group. The company increasingly uses biosourced and regenerated materials such as corn husks, waste wood, and plastic containers in the production of its tires and other products.
“Michelin’s goal is to be carbon neutral in all areas of its business by 2050,” he says.
Poullennec points out that the Green Star is not a culinary distinction like the star or Bib Gourmand but instead a complementary one.
“Any restaurant from the Michelin Guide’s selection — no matter its culinary distinction — can receive a Michelin Green Star if its involvement in sustainable gastronomy is particularly
impressive and inspiring,” he comments.
Recipients of the Green Star are selected based on research and data collected from Michelin Guide inspectors who visit the eateries anonymously. While there are no set requirements for achieving a Green Star, awarded restaurants have established day-today environmentally friendly initiatives, such as food waste reduction, recycling, reducing reliance on single-use products, cooking with seasonal and local produce, and the promotion of local and ethical ingredient sourcing.
“The restaurants selected are those which, for the Michelin Guide, have a truly virtuous global approach or implement inspiring initiatives in the management of their establishment dealing with many topics like the origin of the products; the respect of seasonality; the initiatives to reduce or valorize food waste; the capacity of the teams to sensibilize the clients to their sustainable approach; and much more,” Poullennec explains. “By awarding some restaurants with a Michelin Green Star, we want to indicate to the clients the most committed establishments that offer not only a very nice gastronomic experience but also an inspiring and impacting one when considering sustainable gastronomy.”
Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Tarrytown, N.Y., is no stranger to Michelin’s accolades. The two-star restaurant, which opened in 2004 on a working organic farm that was once part of a sprawling Rockefeller estate, is considered the gold standard for farm-to-table fine dining. The Michelin Guide reads, “The tasting menu offered here echoes the farm’s seasonal best and might very well change the way you think about food.”
Badger Flame Beet dish from Blue Hill at Stone Barns.Blue Hill received a Green Star in 2021.
A more environmentally conscious culinary world is the goal for Blue Hill’s chef Dan Barber. “That way of thinking is the engine that drives everything we do,” he says.
Barber points out that the restaurant sources local organic grains, such as wheat, for its breads and buys rotation grains, including buckwheat, barley, millet, and rye, from farmers who support soil health. But the chef is known especially for his zero-waste philosophy and promotion of consuming the whole vegetable or animal.
“We need to reframe our definition of waste,” Barber says. “For example, 190 million acres of corn and soy is fed to cows. That is the very definition of waste. Single-purpose chickens, also fed on corn, is a waste.”
“Food waste doesn’t just mean vegetable peels, and our interest is in reframing a wasteful food industry as a whole,” he continues. “We do this beginning in the field and pasture: grass-fed beef and grass-fed milk — not fed a lick of grain — and waste-fed pigs that are fed scraps from the kitchen, expired dairy, and the spent grains from local breweries. And we work with
vegetable and grain breeders to develop delicious varieties that give better yield, are blight-resistant, have lower input, and require less energy to produce.”
Diners at Blue Hill are even served using “bone china” dishware crafted by Pennsylvania artist Gregg Moore from actual bones that are leftover in the kitchen. Recently, Moore developed what he calls “200% bone china.” Broken or chipped bone china from the restaurant is ground up and recycled into new dinner plates. “It’s taking an approach that even a zero-waste philosophy doesn’t go far enough,” Barber says.
One of the newest additions to the Green Star club is The Restaurant at Justin. In December 2022, the elegant eatery, which is nestled among the grape-covered hills of Justin Vineyards & Winery in Paso Robles, California, received both a Green Star as well as a coveted Michelin star.
The kitchen is run by chef Rachel Haggstrom, who is celebrated for her upscale farmto-table cooking style and use of fresh, local, seasonal produce, most of which is grown on-site. According to Haggstrom, 95% of the menu’s ingredients are sourced locally — from either the winery’s 26-acre garden,
Grass-fed bone china and soil charger place setting at Blue Hill. Photo by Alice Gao
which includes a 150-tree orchard, edible flower fields, vegetables, herbs, and an apiary, or from a community of Central Coast purveyors.
“I love watching each day as ingredients cultivate within the garden, steps away from The Restaurant, to then translate to the plate, and finally how that dish not only nourishes the person but also their soul,” Haggstrom said in a press release announcing the Green Star designation.
Blue Hill at Stone Barns and The Restaurant at Justin are two of only 13 Green Star restaurants in the U.S. They join such elite culinary powerhouses as Noma and Alchemist in Denmark, Maaemo in Norway, La Côte Saint-Jacques in France, L’Effervesence in Japan, Dill in Iceland, and The French Laundry and The Inn at Little Washington, both in the U.S.
Eleven of America’s Green Star restaurants are based in California.
According to Poullennec, while the U.S. is not as advanced as other parts of the world when it comes to sustainable gastronomy, the Golden State is leading the way in eco-initiatives. “California has several restaurants that are clearly role models for the industry and for us all, in terms of sustainability,” he says. “The fact that the state has such a high concentration of Michelin Green Stars is testament
to the culinary scene’s strong commitment to the environment.”
Barber adds that one of the main reasons the U.S. lags in culinary sustainability is because it lacks cuisine that reflects its local ecology— which he says is at the core of a responsible regenerative way of cooking. “Chefs have a chance to change that,” he explains. “They can create community around food by cooking in a way that celebrates their regional landscape. Establishing an intimate relationship between food and place is essential to any cohesive food system — and to what will be on our plates in years to come.
“People are becoming more demanding. They want to know where their food comes from and how it was grown,” he continues. “We’re hard-wired to want the kind of story the big food chain can’t provide. The Green Star existing at all is a reflection of that.”
So the next time you’re planning a crosscountry road trip or an international vacation, and you want to sample the region’s best cuisine — while also supporting innovative and eco-minded chefs — visit guide.michelin. com and look for the green clover emblem that designates Green Star restaurants.
JUSTIN chef garden. Photo courtesy of JUSTIN
SSummer is here, and it’s the perfect time for backyard entertaining. Whether or not you have an outdoor kitchen, there are multiple ways to host a fun outdoor get-together — using everything from a pizza oven to an aluminum can to cook a healthy meal. Read on to learn more about some handy outdoor kitchen gadgets that are sure to elevate your next party.
You may never realize that you need an outdoor pizza oven until you experience one of these bad boys. The new Ooni Karu 12G Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven is not only portable, but it offers versatility in the way you cook. While wood or charcoal can provide a traditional experience, authentic smoky flavors, and a wider range of cooking temperatures, gas is the way to go for a fuss-free bake. Meanwhile, the powdercoated carbon steel shell offers weather-resistance and durability. It also features a thick, 15mm cordierite baking stone that allows outdoor cooks to whip up
12-inch pizzas at 950 °F in just 60 seconds. The oven also can be used to bake bread or to cook meat, fish, and vegetables. $429, www.ooni.com
Made to use with the Breeo X and Y series smokeless fire pits, the SearPlate Griddle is a high-heat cooktop attachment that allows for easy entertaining. Made with carbon steel for its heat retention and nonstick qualities, the griddle also has built-in wooden handles. It comes pre-oiled so it’s primed and ready for your first cookout. From $180, www.breeo.co
New to the Weber line, the Lumin Electric Grill is a portable tabletop grill that delivers high temperatures (up to 600 °F) for authentic barbecue flavors. Supremely versatile, the Lumin sears, smokes, steams, thaws, and warms food — all in one sturdy, durable, and easy-to-store design. Perfect for those who are prohibited from using gas or charcoal grills on their balcony, the Lumin is also great for those who want easy cleanup. Additionally, the grill can be used to keep food warm, so guests can serve themselves buffet-style. It’s available in a variety of colors and two sizes. From $429, www.weber.com
Born from the cattle-drive tradition of cooking in a cream can, the CanCooker Original uses the power of steam to cook a healthy meal on almost any heat source, such as stovetops, campfires, and barbecue grills. Built from food-grade anodized aluminum, the cooker produces deep-penetrating steam that cooks food to perfection. It also features riveted heavy-duty handles, a vented lid that relieves excess pressure, and safety clamps that keep the lid in place. The
CanCooker has a capacity of four gallons and can feed up to 20 guests. $119, www.cancooker.com
With all of this outdoor cooking, you’ll surely need some cold drinks to accompany your delicious hot meals. Newly released, the Permasteel 80-Quart Rolling Patio Cooler with Removable Basin is available in black, azure, white, and teal — the line’s newest and most popular color. Not only stylish but also functional, the powder-coated steel cooler can fit 110 12-ounce cans or 50 bottles, and it keeps drinks cold for up to 36 hours. In addition to a built-in bottle opener and cap catcher, the cooler also has swivel wheels, locking casters, and a drain plug. From $200, www.permasteel.life
BY BHOOMI JAIN
MMaintaining a well-manicured yard has long been a priority for many homeowners, but the traditional tools used to achieve landscape perfection may help keep your yard clean while doing the environment dirty. In recent years, however, battery-powered lawn and yard tools have emerged as a popular alternative to their gas-powered counterparts. These innovative tools offer numerous benefits, not only for the environment but also for the convenience and ease of use they provide to homeowners.
Traditional gas-powered tools, such as blowers, chainsaws, trimmers, and mowers, lag far behind modern automobiles in terms of efficiency and emissions. While automobile manufacturers have made significant advancements in improving efficiency and reducing emissions for their gas powered engines, the lawn and garden tool industry has had limited regulations to incentivize them to enhance the efficiency of their engines. In addition to emitting harmful fumes, nitrogen dioxide, and nitric oxide, the extraction and processing of oil for gas-powered tools has substantial environmental consequences. On the other hand, most electric tools generate minimal to no emissions during operation. As such, it is generally believed that the more environmentally friendly choice is a battery-powered alternative.
These rechargeable wonders are powered by lithiumion batteries, which produce no direct emissions, reducing your carbon footprint and creating a
healthier outdoor environment. Battery-powered yard tools also offer unmatched convenience and ease of use for homeowners. These tools eliminate the need for the gasoline, oil, and spark plugs used in gas–powered tools, streamlining the maintenance process and reducing the risk of spills and leaks. Moreover, battery-powered tools are significantly quieter compared to gas-powered counterparts. The absence of loud engine noise ensures a more pleasant and peaceful yard maintenance experience, minimizing disturbances for yourself and your neighbors (including feathered and furry friends).
Battery-powered tools also offer convenience over tools that require them to be plugged in — eliminating the need for power cords or cables and offering greater mobility and flexibility while working in the yard. With battery-powered tools, homeowners can effortlessly move from one area to another without the hassle of locating power outlets, untangling, or tripping over cords. And while battery
powered tools are nothing new, the advancements in technology have come a long way in recent years. New designs include more battery cells which equal more power, in addition to improvements in charge time, run time, and even lifespan of the tools themselves.
EGO Power+ is a leading manufacturer known for its high-performance and reliable battery-powered tools that claim to have all the power of gas tools powered by its industry-leading 56V 10.0Ah ARC Lithium™ Battery. The company’s extensive range of tools includes lawn mowers, trimmers, leaf blowers, and chainsaws, with a range of seven battery sizes that can be used interchangeably between all EGO Power+ tools. Each battery also comes with a three-year warranty. These tools are designed with user comfort in mind, featuring ergonomic handles and lightweight construction that reduces fatigue during extended use.
Greenworks is another popular brand in the battery-powered yard tool market which offers brushless tools as its standard. Brushless tools carry an advantage of reductions in both noise and heat, making necessary maintenance less frequent. Their lineup includes an array of tools such as lawn mowers, string trimmers, hedge trimmers, snow blowers, power washers, leaf blowers, and more.
Black+Decker is a well-established brand that offers a wide range of battery-powered yard tools. From lawn mowers and string trimmers to hedge trimmers and leaf blowers, Black+Decker tools are designed to provide efficient and reliable performance. Their battery technology allows for longer run-time and quick charging, ensuring homeowners can complete their yard tasks with ease.
For those looking for professional-grade batterypowered yard tools, STIHL is a renowned brand known for its durability and performance. STIHL
offers a selection of battery-powered tools, including chainsaws, trimmers, and blowers. These tools deliver exceptional power and are built to withstand rigorous use, making them a favorite among landscaping professionals and homeowners with larger properties. Home Depot’s in-house Ryobi brand also offers a wide range of battery-powered yard tools, including lawn mowers, trimmers, pole saws, backpack blowers, and more that provide reliable performance and cater to various yard maintenance needs.
In short, with growing concerns over climate change and environmental sustainability, using batterypowered yard tools can eliminate harmful spills, emissions, and unnecessary waste while promoting a greener future.
She Said: I'll admit I wasn't crazy about the idea of a sensory deprivation “float” tank. It was hard to imagine myself being comfortable in a space like that, especially when I deal with claustrophobia. To my surprise, there were many ways to customize the experience so I didn't feel like I was suffocating in a sardine can! I was able to adjust the lighting in the room and in the tank. I could choose music, nature sounds or silence; and keep the tank lid fully open, partially open or closed. Initially I chose “jungle” nature sounds, but found it too distracting. Same with the lights, so those went off too. I had to try the authentic experience of complete darkness and silence — I used the earplugs, too. Right away, after fully closing the lid, I felt panic set in. It was a disorienting feeling, not being able to see. Not to mention, it was warm and stuffy. I tried to calm down, but needed to vent the lid for fresh air and also saw a sliver of light from the room's door, which helped instantly. Finally cozy, but a little fidgety, I tried to zen out. I'm not used to doing “nothing.” Most of us can agree that we're always doing and going, often with sensory overload! Surprisingly though, in there, my mind was able to focus on the present instead of to-do lists or worries. Instead, my focus was diverted to the sound of my breathing, my heartbeat, the soothing feel of the warm water on my skin, or the sound of my hair swishing against the halo-shaped foam pillow. It was easy to think about what I was feeling and hearing, and my mind wandered only once. That's unusual for me! Then all of a sudden, I was fast asleep and dreaming. And what felt like a minute later, calming music started to play to indicate my session was over. I slowly ambled over to my private shower to wash off all the salt, and chose some hot tea on the way out. I felt incredibly serene and totally chilled out for several hours afterward. Every inch of my skin just felt, "Ahhhhhh." What an awesome chance to tune out the world and truly relax the mind and body. I highly recommend it!
How would you like to experience an hour of total relaxation, where your mind can tune out the world, and your body can be relieved of stress and possibly even pain? We found out there exists such a place, and it may be only a short drive from your home. A “float” tank, which can usually be found at a local health spa, is an enclosable pod filled with body-temperature water and epsom salt. Honestly, after trying it, we wish we had one in our home. We'd make it mandatory for us and our kids to take one daily! Bring on the chill vibes!
HeHe Said: Imagine for a second that you could just turn the whole world off for an hour. All sounds off, lights off, heck even gravity. That's exactly what it felt like in this sensory deprivation float tank. I stepped inside and closed the lid, and the world disappeared. The high salt content in the water made me feel almost weightless. The water and air in the tank were heated to near body temperature, so I couldn't feel any difference in temperature or touch on my skin, and there was so little light in the room that I couldn't tell if my eyes were open or closed. And just like everything else, all my external stressors just switched off, and my mind immediately went inward. I spent nearly the entire hour focused on my heartbeat and breathing. I was meditating, whether I wanted to or not. After an hour, I emerged from my cocoon like a beautiful butterfly, rinsed off in a private shower, and walked out of the spa feeling refreshed and re-centered. This really was a profound experience that I think everyone should try at least once in their life. The ability to take a time out in our over-stimulating world is priceless.
We Got Tanked! And you should, too!
Experience a celebration of freedom and culture at the Phoenix Juneteenth Festival! This annual event honors the legacy of African American history and achievements. With a range of activities for all ages, the festival features live music, dance performances, food vendors, community groups and schools, free health screenings, educational workshops, the finest authentic soul food, and much more. Whether you're interested in learning more about the history of Juneteenth or simply want to enjoy a day of fun and entertainment, the Phoenix Juneteenth Festival has something for everyone. Learn more at https://azifoundation. wixsite.com/phxjuneteenth.
Get ready to travel back in time to the 1950s with the hit musical "Bye Bye Birdie." Follow the story of rock 'n' roll heartthrob Conrad Birdie and the chaos that ensues when he's drafted into the army. With catchy tunes, colorful costumes, and energetic dance numbers, this Broadway classic is sure to have you tapping your toes and humming along. Don't miss out on this fun and entertaining show at the Hale Centre theater in Phoenix. Visit www.haletheatrearizona.com for more info about the event.
The Queen Creek Olive Mill is celebrating the season in the grove with all things corn! The corn roast event will include featured street corn flavors, a corn-curated menu curated by the Del Piero Kitchen, a special menu by Di Oliva Italian Bistro & Bar, and live music and games in the grove. In addition, the Mill will be selling locally grown corn by the cob.
Each Saturday in June, the Downtown Mesa Farmers Market is a vibrant and bustling gathering place for locals and visitors alike. Located in the heart of Mesa, this market offers a wide range of fresh, locally grown produce, as well as artisanal products, handcrafted goods, and live entertainment. Whether you're looking for a unique gift, some fresh ingredients for your next meal, or simply want to enjoy the vibrant atmosphere, the Downtown Mesa Farmers Market is the perfect destination. Additionally, the market supports and fosters new and existing small businesses. Go to www.dtmesafarmersmarket.com for more info about the event.
Discover your inner self and connect with the spiritual world at the SoulSearch Psychic & Healing Fair! This event is a unique opportunity to meet with some of the most talented psychics, mediums, and healers in the area. Whether you're seeking clarity about your future, guidance on your spiritual journey, or simply looking to recharge and rejuvenate your mind, body, and soul, this fair has everything you need. With a range of services including tarot readings, energy healings, and aura photography, you're sure to leave feeling inspired and empowered. Learn more at www.soulsearch.io/scottsdalepsychicfair.
The annual Tilted Earth Festival at Page Springs Cellars is a wine and music festival in Northern Arizona featuring live music, local wine, and a silent auction benefiting Yavapai Big Brothers Big Sisters and Friends of the Verde River. This festival is for all ages, with family-friendly music, food, and games, as well as local Arizona wine for the adults. Tilted was created to foster the growth of culture, community, and the economy in the great Verde Valley of Arizona. Carpool with friends and you’ll be entered to win a half case of wine over $500. For more information, visit www.tilted-earth.com.
Discover the rich and diverse Indigenous cultures of the Colorado Plateau region at the 2023 Heritage Festival. More than just a market, this event offers a unique opportunity to experience the traditions and heritage of the Acoma, Apache, Diné, and more, who have inhabited the area for thousands of years. It is an all-inclusive celebration of Indigenous cultures, featuring traditional dances, music, and talks by cultural experts. Held on the beautiful, forested grounds surrounding the museum, with the stunning San Francisco Peaks as a backdrop, the festival includes an expanded artist market and main stage performances under tents outdoors. To know more about the event, go to www.flagstaffarizona.org and click on the events tab.
This June, take in the fragrant scent of lavender during the Rhumb Line Vineyard Lavender Festival. Sample products made from the on-site lavender farm and revel in the beauty of your surroundings as you sample culinary delights and indulge in local wine and beer tastings. Learn more about the healing benefits of lavender from staff as they distill batches of lavender from the day’s harvest.
For more information, visit www.rhumblinevineyard.com.
Celebrate diversity in the charming, historic town of Bisbee, Arizona during the 19th annual Bisbee Pride LGBT pride event. Join in on the excitement and festivities as the town lights up with a street fair, a parade, and dancing in the streets. With unique public and private events and an open-air festival with vendors and entertainment that lasts throughout the day, you won't want to miss this unforgettable weekend. To book the event, search www.bisbeeprideaz.com.
June 22
Looking to invest in real estate but don't know where to start?
Attend the Real Estate Deal Exchange Meet-Up and connect with other like-minded individuals. Join Cody Sperber the Clever Investor, Bryant Aplass, Forrest Blackburn, and Ben Humble, along with other top real estate investors in the business. This event is a great opportunity to learn from some of the most successful investors in the industry and network with other professionals. To know more, go to www.eventbrite.com and search for “Real Estate Deal Exchange MeetUp.”
23
Get plugged into the world's leading network for founders, entrepreneurs, executives, and business owners at the Scottsdale Arizona Business Networking event! This is the perfect opportunity to build powerful alliances, connect with potential referral partners, and share your personal message with a wider audience. Not only will you have the chance to network with other local professionals, but you'll also be part of a global support system that can help take your business to the next level. Visit https://business.networktogether.net and click on calendar for more info.
Investors have survived market swings and corrections before. But a twinge of uncertainty may have you wondering if you should get another opinion to help confirm your wealth is in the right place. That’s why we’ve made it as easy as we can to have a complimentary, face-to-face meeting with an advisor.
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Sun City Farmers Market
Closed for the summer
16820 N. 99th Ave., Sun City 85351
Carefree Farmers Market
Year Round
Fridays, Summer Hours: 8-11am Jun-Sep
1 Sundial Circle, Carefree 85377
Roadrunner Park Farmers Market
Year Round
Saturdays, Summer Hours: 7–10am Jun–Sep
3502 E. Cactus Rd., Phoenix 85032
Old Town Scottsdale Farmers Market
Through June
Saturdays, June 3, 10, 17, 24 Hours: 7 am - 10 am
3806 N. Brown Ave., Scottsdale 85251
Downtown Chandler Farmers Market
Year Round
Saturdays, Summer Hours: 7 am - 10 am
3 S. Arizona Ave., Chandler 85225
*Ocotillo Farmers Market
*new - June - August
Sundays, Summer Hours: 8 am - 11 am
2577 W. Queen Creek Rd, Chandler 85248
Ahwatukee Farmers Market
Year Round
Sundays, Summer Hours: 8 am –11 am Jun–Sep
4700 E. Warner Rd., Phoenix 85044
Farmers Market on High Street
Closed for the summer
5415 E. High St., Phoenix 85054
Verrado Farmers Market
Through June
Sundays, Summer Hours: 8 am - 11 am
N. Market Place & W. Main St., Buckeye 85396
Arizona Community Farmers Markets has been creating and coordinating farmers markets in Metro Phoenix and across the Valley for more than 33 years.
Many of our farmers markets serve as local hubs for their communities, bringing together neighbors to shop and meet up on a weekly basis. Our Roadrunner Park Farmers Market has served the communities of Northeast Phoenix for over three decades.
Our mission has always been to provide local farmers, growers and other agricultural producers with stable venues that offer them the opportunity to engage directly with customers and grow their business. We support local micro-businesses from valueadded food producers and products, to local artisans and crafters.
Our farmers markets are where folks come to enjoy what neighborhood gathering places are about - slowing down, discovering new, delicious fresh foods, and getting to know the folks responsible for bringing them to your table.
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Largest gynecologic oncology and surgical breast oncology groups in the region
Expert multidisciplinary teams treating colorectal, pancreatic, lung/esophagus, urologic and neuro oncologic disease
Leukemia, hematology and blood disorder therapies
Bone marrow transplant and CAR-T therapies
Extensive clinical research trials
Support services, dietitians, financial assistance and more
