March 2010 Archives

Recently I visited some friends and family living near San Antonio Texas to learn about life on a farm, organic gardening and raising animals. In addition to the hands on education I've been getting, I've also taken on a few new books offering complementary knowledge. Some of the books are more serious and dry with hands on instruction while others offer a fun spiritual awakening approach but still touch on the practicality of green local living.

One such book entitled "Farewell My Subaru" follows a retired journalist named Doug Fine who decides to uproot and move to New Mexico. He wants to use less, ultimate zero, oil and get in touch with living off the land, getting everything he needs to survive as locally as possible. I'll admit, as a long time Subaru owner, the title and cover caught my attention right away and I'm happy to report that the contents of this book were no letdown. From the day Doug found two baby goats using Craigslist, I knew I could relate.

Farewell My Subaru had me laughing out loud, sometimes in the middle of the night after long days of clearing Mesquite (an indigenous weed with gnarly thorns that can harm cow digestion) out on the ranch in Texas. At times when all I wanted to do was rest, this book kept me going and illuminated the fun, often goofy sides, of "making it" on the land. The author comes off as a sort of goof ball who isn't afraid to admit that he's out of his element. His primary goal is to successfully raise some goats so he can make ice cream one day.

From his high flying adventures precariously crouched on a windmill, putting up solar panels, to the surprise midnight flooding of a custom built solar hot water heater, to more sentimental moments about relationships, love and a neighbor who has cancer, this book is pretty real and raw in its contents but it keeps a light heart all the way through. It offers an alternative to long days in the office making plastic widgets and super gung-ho outdoorsmenship. A nice "happy medium" somewhere in the middle.

The importance of community and connection to animals, earth and friends really stands out in this book. Everyone seems willing to pitch in and the characters are all real characters in the way they interact and offer something unique. At one point the river between home and town is flooding and the author has to make several crossings by foot. An older neighbor watches from his porch and comments on past floods as the author nearly drowns. Moments like this took the reality edge off and read like a humble comic strip.

One unique approach this book took in order to get across the sheer magnitude and seriousness of waning oil resources and environmental consequences is to insert shocking quotes throughout each chapter. One minute the author is talking about buying a new truck to convert to bio diesel and the next you're being told how much fuel Americans use on a daily basis. These factoids, while depressing and almost overwhelming at times, serve to connect the reader to the severe reality being faced in the world. Hey, this is true! But here, laugh a little and consider this "wacky" adventure.

Well, the adventure doesn't seem so wacky by the time it's through and even if sustainability isn't your thing or you're already living in a grass hut, this book is a lot of fun. The goats alone are worth the read. One minute they're eating Doug's coveted roses and the next they are in danger of being eaten themselves by natural predators. There's a lot of meaning and self reflection being passed along here but even so, the entertainment value is huge and I would certainly read a sequel if one existed.

This book offers uplifting fun adventure while still maintaining a connection to serious realities. It will likely have you smiling and laughing, looking at yourself in a new, un-intimidated light thinking "if he can do it, maybe I can too!" and wondering "what does goat milk ice cream taste like?" Thanks Doug :)

Part 1 of A Green Zoo Series by Erin Reilly: The Denver Zoo is a great place to take your children and spend the day. Every little kid loves looking at exotic animals they may never get a chance to see otherwise. The babies are especially popular, and draw large crowds year round. The Denver Zoo is famous for such baby animals as the polar bears Klondike and Snow. Now, they are quickly becoming well known for being the first zoo in the United States to have a certified Sustainable Management System for all of their operations.

"As an organization dedicated to wildlife conservation, [the] Denver Zoo is trying to be as environmentally conscious as possible, in every facet of our organization. We're encouraging others to do the same. It's amazing how small changes can result in tremendous positive impact, especially when many people practice them over time," says Denver Zoo President/CEO Craig Piper on the Denver Zoo website (www.denverzoo.org).

One of the many ways that the Denver Zoo is working to be as environmentally conscious as possible, is by selling a product called Zoop. What is Zoop, you ask? Well, according to A1 Organics, Zoop is a 100% natural composted fertilizer and soil conditioner. It is made from Denver Zoo animal waste, and thus eliminates the zoo's need to dump the waste in landfills.

Each can of Zoop is three pounds and costs $9.99 at the Kibongi Market gift shop. As the A1 Organics website says, one scoop goes a long way, so a three pound container will last you a pretty long time. The Zoop itself is odorless and of high quality. It can be used for indoor or outdoor plants.

In order to market this product, the Denver Zoo brought in McClain Finlon Advertising. In an online article by Al Stewart that was published in Adweek, sales of Zoop increased significantly after McClain Finlon created a series of silly ads. One such ad, the article explains, shows a rear view of a zebra, an elephant, and a rhinoceros with a caption that reads "made fresh daily". One of the ads was featured on the show America's Funniest Animals on Animal Planet.

So, if you are interested in an earth friendly fertilizer for your garden this spring, come buy some Zoop from the Denver Zoo. Not only will you be helping the environment, but a large part of the proceeds from your purchase of Zoop goes to helping support the animals of the Denver Zoo who helped in the creation of this earth friendly product.