My blogging semester

For the past semester I have posted a blog about growing green every week. This was a weekly assignment for The Cat Scan class. I was very new to blogging in the beginning but after four months of it I feel that I have grown more accustomed to it.

Blogging was just like writing a story for me. I tried to research topics I thought were interesting. Writing anything green, let alone writing about green agriculture, food, etc., was a topic I was completely unfamiliar with. I never knew half of the stuff I know today thanks to my blog. I also talked to many interesting and environment conscious people.

My favorite blog was one I wrote on the Santa Cruz Farmers Market. This market was nationally recognized so I became curious about it. One Thursday, I went to the market with a writing a blog in mind. I ended up meeting wonderful people selling local and unique products as well as people buying fresh and local produce and herbs. I ended up meeting a woman from the Tohono O'odham reservation. She worked for the food coop farm there. I ended up getting her contact information and I got to tour the farm. I also got to write a story about it with my friend Sara Borzatta. It was one of the coolest experiences I had.

My blog and The Cat Scan have broadened my awareness of living green. Although I do not live the greenest of lifestyle, I plan to get better at it thanks to the work I did this semester. I have gained more knowledge of what is going regarding the environment. I am more aware of what has been going on in the Tucson community, which is a direct result from my soon-to-be journalism degree and this class.

I am a firm believer that anything you do, even if it is the most minute thing, makes a difference. The gradual steps will eventually lead to bigger and better steps to help make a difference in saving the environment and the earth.

I would like to thank my peers and my professor, Jay Rochlin, for teaching me what I know today and an unforgettable last semester at the University of Arizona.

Take this quiz, Consumer Consequences, to see how many earths you need to live your lifestyle now.

Some photos to recap my semester:

Charm me with eco-friendly flowers anytime!

I never really thought twice about buying flowers until now. Why, you ask? Well, I had heard about unfair labor conditions in other countries like Columbia or the Carribean like with the flower of love, the rose, from a family friend. According to Rose Trade and the Environment, in Columbia 80 percent of the 80,000 people in the flower industry are women. They work in hazardous environments like hot greenhouses which cause medical problems like headaches, nausea, skin and finger nail infections due to pesticides and more, according to Rose Trade and Environment. Now those are some interesting statistics. It's amazing that such a beautiful smelling plant has an ugly background.

Aside from the harsh labor conditions that go along with the flower market, people are concerned with purchasing flowers that do not harm the environment. Surprisingly, there are many online florists who sell eco-friendly, organic, and sustainable flowers.

Veriflora is a certification program for sustainable flowers and potted plants. This program guarantees that these plants are produced in an "environmentally and socially responsible manner. The Veriflora certification is conducted by third party affiliate, Scientific Certification Systems. According to SCS, Veriflora "recognizes organic as the top tier in crop production practices. At the same time, it certifies measurable aspects of environmental and social performance that extend well beyond organic."

Here are some of Veriflora's standards that flower farmers must follow:
-sustainable crop production
-resource conservation and energy efficiency
-fair labor practices
-community benefits
-product quality, safety, and purity

Organic Boutique, founded in January 2001, sells flowers that are certified USDA Certified Organic and Veriflora certified. Their goal is to protect the environment and sell flowers that are naturally grown without pesticides.

On their Web site, you can browse through lots of flowers, plants, and wreaths. They had roses, lilies, or an Adopt-A-Minefield Peace wreath. Next to each item you select, the flower or plant's standard is displayed like organic, Veriflora, or Biodynamic, so you know what you are buying.

I think the more conscious and informed we are when it comes to growing plants, flowers, or whatever, we will make better more environmentally and socially safe decisions. When February 14 rolls around, note that Organic Boutique delivers in 48 states.

Compost for a better garden

Compost is organic material that can be used as a soil amendment or as a medium to grow plants.
-U.S. EPA

Composting in New Jersey was as common as mowing the lawn in my old neighborhood. Eleven years later, I still remember when my next door neighbors put a rotating compost up in the woods behind their house. The compost bin was a large cylinder that had four legs to hold it up. It was a dark green color which allowed it to blend right into the scenery. On one part of the cylinder there was a latched opening where the composting materials could go in. On the front part a handle protruded out so one could easily rotate the cylinder of compost. My neighbors would put lots of stuff in that thing like tree branches and leftover food. They would use the compost for their shrubs, landscaping, and garden. Sadly, my family never had a rotating compost bin. My dad would just throw all of the remains after he pruned the shrubs and trees in a pile in the woods.

One thing I noticed after living in Tucson is that not many people in my neighborhood have compost bins. Maybe they are not as common in the desert? My friend Jessica's mom just bought a rotating compost bin and guess what, they live ten minutes away so my assumption must not be 100 percent valid. She explained to me that there are so many things that could be composted that we throw away everyday. Banana peels, apple cores, leftover food scraps, biodegradable products, desert brush. Jessica's mom told me you could compost all of it. According to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), 24 percent of waste is yard trimmings and food residuals. Wow, that is a lot of waste that could be composted!


Although I do not know a lot about composting, I have been inspired to buy a compost bin for my family, maybe for Christmas! I don't know how much they would appreciate it but if they knew they would be living a greener lifestyle by incorporating composting into their lives, maybe they would learn to accept it!

Here are some tips when it comes to composting according to Garden Guides and the EPA:
DO compost
newspaper
tea leaves
coffee grounds
kitchen waste
hair and fur
dryer and vacuum cleaner lint
fruits and vegetables
animal manure

DON'T Compost


dairy products
fats, greases, lards, oils
meat or fish bones
sawdust
wood ashes
diseased or insect ridden plants

GardenGuides.com also has a troubleshooting section for composting like if your compost smells or if it is not heating up.

Here are some helpful Web sites to check out if you are interested in composting:
EPA Composting Wastes
How to Compost
GardenGuides
Compost Guide

Crucial Coffee Choices

Coffee beans are in my cabinet. I love the way they smell, taste and look. Hazelnut, decaffeinated, house blend. Those are just some of the types of coffee I have. I have to be honest, I am not the biggest coffee person, but I do enjoy the occasional cup but after talking with another journalism student about Fair Trade coffee, I decided to do some research on it.

The first thing I did was take a look at the bags of coffee beans in my cabinet. My Illy Fine Grind espresso and Starbuck's House blend had no sign, stamp, or seal of it being fair trade. Oh, no.

"Fair Trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogs, transparency and respect, that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers – especially in the South."
-International Federation for Alternative Trade

Basically, coffee farmers receive more money for their product. I also discovered that it is not just money that the farmers receive, Fair Trade deals with fair working conditions, environmental sustainability, direct trade, and community development, according to Fair Trade Certified.

To view the general standards for Fair Trade products, click here.

I learned that Fair Trade is so important because there are thousands of farmers all over the world that live in poverty because they do not earn enough money for their products. Transfair USA, the only third party Fair Trade certified, certifies tea and herbs, cocoa and chocolate, fresh fruit, sugar, rice, and spices.

To find Fair Trade products in your town, click here.

I found some interesting and recent articles about Fair Trade. Click here to read them.

I also found this great Web site, Global Exchange, where you can actually experience Fair Trade farming by taking a Global Exchange reality tour. You can go to Guatemala for a couple weeks to work with a Fair Trade coffee farmer.

If you want to get involved advocating Fair Trade at your University, check out the United Students For Fair Trade
. They try to get schools to sell Fair Trade coffee.

Help support local farmers by buying Fair Trade products. I know I will.