recycling in the D

I have recently fallen in love with Eastern Market. It's no secret that it's a Detroit gem, but I feel the need to spread the love.

It all started with Styrofoam. Stupidly abundant, non-recyclable styrofoam. Or so I thought! (the non-recyclable part...it really is EVERYWHERE). I discovered earlier this year that styrofoam is indeed recyclable, however most waste management companies don't accept it because the post consumer product isn't worth much money so it isn't worth it to them to process it.

Recycle Here! is a phenomenal recycling program in Detroit. I won't go on about it...read about it here, but I will say that the best part (in my eyes) is the mobile recycling program. And that's where Eastern Market comes in. On the first Saturday of the month, the Recycle Here! truck is parked in the parking lot on the corner of Wilkins & Russell (by Chase bank). The logo on the truck is hard to miss.

I'm lucky enough to have curbside recycling pickup in my city, but because Oakland County doesn't recycle Styrofoam, I use the mobile facility at Eastern Market to responsibly dispose of it. I collect from work as well as from home and I am continuously amazed at how much I collect each month.

Ok, that's the theme-appropriate portion of my blog...the rest will be a small highlight of my solo trip to the market last weekend.

It was a beautiful, sunny Saturday and I just didn't want to be stuck in the house. I knew I'd have to rake up a yard full of leaves later that afternoon, so I decided to enjoy my morning at Eastern Market. It happened to be the first Saturday of the month, so I loaded up my car with the Styrofoam I had collected over the past several weeks. I parked near the truck and unloaded the goods first before heading down the block to where the action is.

I grabbed a coffee from the coffee cart, and strolled past the tables of produce and flowers. I didn't need to buy much that day, but took the opportunity to grab a fresh stalk (?) of brussels sprouts and a spaghetti squash (two of my favorite autumn veggies!) I also decided to buy a beautiful pot of mums to leave at my dad's grave during my visit later that afternoon. So I didn't walk away with an abundance of produce like I had a few weeks prior during my visit with Mom and Jason, but walking through the market alone without a shopping list was in itself very enjoyable and inspiring. I was able to really take in the beautiful colors, the rich aromas, and the energetic sounds of the crowd, and feel proud and excited to walk through the sheds with my peers and neighbors.

adding some fresh color to the fake flowers my Grandma planted (yea...I know...)

Gave a couple to my Dido (Grandpa) too.

My $10 bounty from a few weeks prior

(these veggies contributed to a pot of beef stew, two homemade pizzas, two omeletes, a pot of pasta and a crap load of roasted brussels spouts (split between 3 people.) )

bye bye summer

It's been almost a month since I've posted anything, so I'll start back with something light...a back to school assignment of sorts! I invite anyone who reads this to respond with their lists!

Autumn Favorites

Sweatpants and hoodies

Chilly nights

Pumpkin flavored everything

Clove and cinnamon

Winter squash

Thanksgiving Dinner

Changing leaves

Visits to the Cider Mill

Warm rainy days

Brussels Sprouts

Big pots of soup

Deep earth tones

Getting back into the yoga mood

Hot tea in the evening



Autumn not-so-favorites

Cold misty rainy days

Wanting to turn the furnace on even though I know it's too early

Boyfriend's cold house, especially his bathroom...brrrrrrrrr

Short days

Wet leaves stuck to the bottom of my shoe

Football (I wish I cared, but I don't)

Knowing that I'll be cold pretty much consistently for the next 7 months

my mission is clear

I decided 9 months ago to go back to school to study Dietetics with the ultimate goal of becoming a registered dietitian. I was interested in the science of food and how it affects the body. I learned a lot about healthy eating mainly through Weight Watchers, and it finally hit me that since I understood and enjoyed nutrition I should pursue a formal education.

The question always arises about what I plan to do once I become certified, and I hem and haw...weight loss consultation, food allergy or diabetes research and support are a few the possibilities I've voiced. (Oh yeah, and part of me secretly dreams of being the Dietitian on the set of the Biggest Loser, or the diet "expert" who appears on Oprah or the Today Show from time to time...don't judge me.) I don't know how my career will play out, and I'm fairly certain I'll spend at least a little bit of time working in a hospital, but as a result of recent events I think my focus has been cleared up a bit. The bottom line is prevention.

I am currently shopping around for individual health coverage (a rant that will saved for another time) and two questions have been consistent in every conversation I've had so far. Before I even reach the application process, I am asked if I smoke and for my height and weight. Before they delve into my detailed medical history, those two questions determine the pricing bracket that I fall into for my monthly premium. I guess it doesn't surprise me, nor should it surprise anyone else. We all know the medical risks that smoking and obesity pose. There are so many things that can go wrong with my body in my lifetime...why am I going to help that process along and pretty much assure myself health problems by smoking or maintaining a poor diet?

I for one am a huge fan of the show Biggest Loser. I admit that the speed in which these contestants lose weight is a little off-putting and extreme, and I would never wish that kind of regimen on anyone. Plus it's unrealistic. Who in the real world has the time to work out 6-8 hours per day? None of us live in a bubble like these people do duing their time on "the ranch." I also realize that ultimately this is a TV show that relies on entertainment value to capture ratings. No one is going to watch these people lose 2-3 pounds per week which is a more realistic rate of weight loss. The show would never end! That be said, I love the episode they air towards the end of the season in which the remaining contestants are subjected to a medical exam to track their progress. Very regularly we see contestants ditch their blood pressure medication and reverse the progress of diabetes, among other things. They probably add years onto their lives or at least make the remaining years more comfortable, pleasant and healthy...AND more affordable.

Study: Tanning beds as deadly as arsenic

(at least read the bolded sections if you aren't interested in the entire article)

worried about a mole? click here

By MARIA CHENG, AP Medical Writer Maria Cheng, Ap Medical Writer

International cancer experts have moved tanning beds and other sources of ultraviolet radiation into the top cancer risk category, deeming them as deadly as arsenic and mustard gas. For years, scientists have described tanning beds and ultraviolet radiation as "probable carcinogens."
A new analysis of about 20 studies concludes the risk of skin cancer jumps by 75 percent when people start using tanning beds before age 30. Experts also found that all types of ultraviolet radiation caused worrying mutations in mice, proof the radiation is carcinogenic. Previously, only one type of ultraviolet radiation was thought to be lethal.

The new classification means tanning beds and other sources of ultraviolet radiation are definite causes of cancer, alongside tobacco, the hepatitis B virus and chimney sweeping, among others. The research was published online in the medical journal Lancet Oncology on Wednesday, by experts at the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, the cancer arm of the World Health Organization. "People need to be reminded of the risks of sunbeds," said Vincent Cogliano, one of the cancer researchers. "We hope the prevailing culture will change so teens don't think they need to use sunbeds to get a tan."

Most lights used in tanning beds give off mainly ultraviolet radiation, which cause skin and eye cancer, according to the International Agency for Cancer Research. The classification of tanning beds as carcinogenic was disputed by Kathy Banks, chief executive of The Sunbed Association, a European trade association of tanning bed makers and operators. "The fact that is continuously ignored is that there is no proven link between the responsible use of sunbeds and skin cancer," Banks said in a statement. She said most users of tanning beds use them less than 20 times a year.

But as use of tanning beds has increased among people under 30, doctors have seen a parallel rise in the numbers of young people with skin cancer. In Britain, melanoma, the deadliest kind of skin cancer, is now the leading cancer diagnosed in women in their 20s. Normally, skin cancer rates are highest in people over 75.

Previous studies found younger people who regularly use tanning beds are eight times more likely to get melanoma than people who have never used them. In the past, WHO warned people younger than 18 to stay away from tanning beds.

Cogliano cautioned that ultravoilet radiation is not healthy, whether it comes from a tanning bed or from the sun. The American Cancer Society advises people to try bronzing or self-tanning creams instead of tanning beds.

a proud mother

How is it that I haven't marveled at my mom's garden all these years? I am in love with my little veggie plants and am already looking forward to a bigger and better crop next year (poor Jason doesn't know what he's in for. That's what he gets for having vast acreage!)

I screamed yesterday when I spotted my first tomato, and then again today when I noticed several teeny cucumbers. I think I'll actually be sad when it comes time to pluck them!

I think I'm most proud of the cucumbers because I grew them from seed. (i know that doesn't mean I put forth any extra effort, but it's still exciting! I remember when the leaves just sprouted and were the size of tic tacs.)

I think the peppers will be ready very soon!

My lonesome heirloom tomato. I'm sure more on the way though I have been told that heirloom plants aren't big producers, so I shouldn't expect too many.

don't step on that ant hill

Came across this in my Foundations of Management text book. Thought it was an interesting point.

"Consider this: All the ants on ths planet, taken together, have a biomass greater than that of humans. Ants have been incredibly industrious for millions of years, yet their productiveness nourishes plants, animals and soil. Human industry has been in full swing for little over a century, yet it has brought about a decline in almost every ecosystem on the planet. Nature doesn't have a design problem. People do."
William McDonough and Michael Braungart, Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things.

time for a phone upgrade?

"Americans currently dispose of 128 million cell phones a year, only 1% of which are diverted from landfills. This appalling number isn't even counted in the 2 million tons of used electronics we also discard annually. The waste from such devices contains, according to the EPA, substances that are toxic when burned. Worse, in landfills, they seep into the groundwater and never break down."
Source: Andrew Zoll, "Business 3.0," Fast Company, No. 113 (March 2007): 68.

Recycling your phone is easy because there are so many options which require little effort. You can simply leave your phone with your provider when you purchase your new one, you can donate it to a cause, or you can even sell it. (In any case, remember to erase all your data first!)

Consider one of the options below when it's time for your next phone upgrade. (46 days and counting for me...I hate my current phone!)

http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/partnerships/plugin/cellphone/cell-recycling-locations.htm
http://recyclemycellphone.org/recycle.cfm
http://www.americancellphonedrive.org/
http://www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com/
http://www.apple.com/environment/recycling/ipodrecycling/
http://www.cellforcash.com/