Feel Good Drinking Green

Green drinks such as green tea, green fruit smoothies are antioxidant rich and vitamin rich. Green becomes my favorite color. Everywhere I go, I see green. Today at New Year's Eve we found something green in Meijer that we would like to give it a try and share with you.

It is Bolthouse Farms's Green Goodness fruit smoothie, in a 450ml plastic bottle, green, smooth, a bit sweet and sour. The Goodness per bottle has 1 1/2 apples, 1/4 pineapple, 1/2 mango, 1/2 banana, and 1/2 kiwi fruit. The other green ingredients include green tea, spinach, broccoli, barley grass, wheat grass, Echinacea, blue green algae, Jerusalem artichoke. Quite a lot of good stuff inside a bottle, a convenient replacement or supplement to fresh vegetables and fruits. However definitely not an everyday drink for now, as my stomach need some time to get used to that acidic feeling.

Bolthouse Farms is a 4th generation farm located in California's fertile San Joaquin Valley. For more than 90 years Bolthouse Farms have been growing and harvesting premium and fresh produce. Bolthouse's green drinks, crafted from the finest fruits, vegetables and other 100% natural ingredients, are a nutritious and delicious expression of their continued commitment to responsible farming and natural health.

iGo Green!

It is Christmas!

It is the twenty-fifth of December of year two thousand and eleven, the Christmas Day of 2011.

What a year!

I wish Year of 2012, the Dragon Year, would be a year of discovering myself and getting back to my true self and living a peaceful life.

Energy-Saving Light-Emitting Diodes in Automotive Parts

A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor light source, which uses less power, emits almost no heat thus offers superior brightness and has extremely longer life span. A great choice for going green and saving energy in the long run.

LEDs are used in many diverse applications for lighting replacement, such as traffic lights, aviation lighting, and holiday lighting display. In automotive aftermarket lighting industry, LEDs have been used in particular for brake lights, turn signals, and indicators of car headlights and tail lamps.

The first stock LED tail lights were used by Cadillac, on the Deville model in 1999. From then on, these LED tail lamps have grown wildly in popularity due to both their aesthetic appeal, and improved lighting capability. Let’s face it, they’re much better looking than those dull stock tail lights – and who doesn’t appreciated a well-lit road? It’s apparent that there are many advantages to upgrading to LED tail lights for your car, including the fact that they’re much brighter, energy-saving, and they look great.

AEP Ohio's Appliance Recycling Program

One day when I was surfing the internet, I stumbled upon GridSmartOhio and learned of American Electric Power (AEP) ohio's recycling program. The program provides an incentive rebate to AEP Ohio customers for recycling their extra refrigerators or freezers.

Many people continue to use their older refrigerators for storage after they buy a new one. Those older appliances can account for approximately 15 percent of the average AEP Ohio customer’s electric use. Refrigerators and freezers manufactured before 1990 can use as much as 1,500 kilowatt hours (kWh) a year. Retiring a second refrigerator or freezer could result in savings of up to $150 on energy costs annually.

We happened to have an old freezer in our garage which I already stopped using after it was determined not so green. I signed up online for a free pickup and gave it away on my scheduled date, though the pickup guy broke it into two pieces while loading it. I received the incentive check of $35 in a month. The recycling program is still ongoing and they even have a holiday special for a check of $50 until Dec. 31, 2011.

Customers can participate in the Appliance Recycling Program by calling 1-877-545-4112 or visiting gridSMARTohio.com to schedule a free pickup. Refrigerators or freezers must be at least 10 cubic feet in size and operational at the time of pickup.

The old units are sent to an appliance recycling facility operated by JACO Environmental, so is the incentive check from. A leading, national provider of appliance recycling services, JACO’s process includes the recycling of nearly 95 percent of each refrigerator including metals, plastic, oils and the foam insulation.

Merry & Bright Holidays at Franklin Park Conservatory

Franklin Park Conservatory has a night of family fun this evening from 6pm - 9pm on December 7, 2011.

The Conservatory has been transformed into a winter wonderland with seasonal decor and twinkling lights both indoors and outside, including a display of over 1300 poinsettias of 50 different varieties, a 15-foot poinsettia tree, and over 60 evergreen trees.

Best of all is the Conservatory's exhibitions of lush plants in Himalayan Mountains, Tropical Rain Forest, Desert, and Pacific Islands; and best of the best is the breathtaking Chihuly Collection of Glass Artwork.

It is interesting to read the history of Chihuly exhibitions at the Conservatory. I Feel lucky and blessed by the Friends of Conservatory, who in 2004 purchased most of the Dale Chihuly pieces included in the 2003 exhibition as a permanent collection for Franklin Park Conservatory. It is the largest collection owned by a conservatory or botanical garden.

Gingerbread Houses we voted

At Mrs. Claus' Kitchen

  
15-foot Poinsettia Tree

Chihuly Collection of Glass Artwork

Black Friday Today!

Black Friday 2011 is approaching its end by the time I write this post. This year Kohl's is on top of our shopping list, then JC Penny Outlet Store, then Walmart.

Just Dance 3 Wii game is the one on top of the kids' list, and they had it today. It was amazing to watch them dance together and perfect their dancing skills. Very good way to sweat and stretch! I tried once on the Mermaid with Nosaj, and he has been the best in the house. Already a four-star dancer!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving in Year 2011!

Today, November 24,  is the fourth Thursday of November, 2011, the official day of Thanksgiving Day in the US.

I am thankful for having food to eat and a house to live. I am thankful for having two kids to keep me alive with hope to see them grow up and be independent with their own lives.

This Thanksgiving holiday I decide to shop less and eat less. I would walk routinly and stay fit for the rest of Year 2011.

Shop only what you need, not what you want. This is the way to go green with Earth's limited resources.

HikeOhio

HikeOhio - get off the couch and outta the house...

HikeOhio is a Meetup group for walking and hiking in Columbus, Ohio, USA. Founded on August 25, 2008, it currently has 1,361 members.

This group is for anyone who likes to hike and walk on nature trails, backpacking trails and just about anywhere in the great outdoors. All those who are dedicated to hiking excursions in Ohio, with a focus on leaving no trace of litter on our lands can join us! We will get together for evening hikes on metro parks trails, gather for day hikes in the Ohio State park and forest system and maybe even do overnight trips if anyone is interested. Lace up your hikers and hit the trail with us!

Proudly joined on November 21, 2011.

If interested, here is HikeOhio's calendar for the upcoming events.

Be Kind to the Earth This Holiday Season

Thanksgiving Day is around the corner, the holiday season of Year 2011 has already started. Black Friday special sales of Walmart, Target and Staples are already out. What can we do to be kind to our Earth and its environment this holiday season?

Holiday Cards: Every year 2.65 billion holiday cards are sold in the U.S. Choose ones that contain recycled content, even better, send eCards!

Shopping Bags: Lots of grocery and mall shopping trips are expected. Why not take your own tote bags? Unlike store bags, they're easier to carry and can hold a lot more than just a few items. Sometimes you realize until you are ready to check out that you forget to take out those tote bags in your trunk. It is okay, good habit takes time to settle down. Choose paper bags instead of plastic bags, try to reuse the plastic shopping bags at home.

Catalogs: Call the companies and ask to be removed from their mailing lists. Or log on to the company's web site and choose the eCatalogs. If each household canceled ten mail order catalogs, it would reduce trash by 3.5 pounds per year!

Wrapping Paper: While a package wrapped in shiny paper may look festive, just think how wasteful it really is to use the paper once and then throw it away. Try to buy wrapping paper made of recycled paper. Or get really creative and use old maps or the Sunday comics to wrap your gifts.

Any other ideas? Your comments are welcome!

11/11/11

Today it is the eleventh day of the eleventh month of the eleventh year - Year 2011. Yep, it is 11/11/11, and I wrote a check of $11 for Einnoie's Fiddle Fusion T-shirt in lime green. Haven't seen so many ones since 11/11/1911, exactly one hundred years ago.

Gotta do something special to this special day. I bought a pair of Skechers' Shape Up ProBlade Extreme All Terrain Design shoes in Black /Hot Pink, which I have been longing for such a pair of walking shoes for quite a while.

Skechers' Shape-ups are designed to help:

• Maximize Calorie Burn
• Firm Buttock Muscles
• Improve Posture

All Terrain design can also help burn calories and provide support and protection for rugged excursions.

Shape Up While You Walk. Go green and walk in fresh air every day.

How to Make Full Use of Halloween Pumpkins

Don't waste the Halloween pumpkins while having fun trick-or-treating.

Nosaj and Einnob went to a playdate with their First Lego League (FLL) team members last night, and came back with two big orange Halloween Pumpkins from the host.

Nosaj decided to get up early this morning to carve his pumpkin, and he DID it, for his first carved pumpkin ever.

We pan fried the pumpkin carvedout and microwave roasted the pumpkin seeds, and we made full use of the Halloween pumpkin!

We are going to bake pumpkin rice cake sometime later. Hopefully I can find time to type the recipe.

Chobani Greek Yogurt - Nothing but Good

Last week when I shopped Meijer's for its organic milk ($6.29, price increased recently following Kroger),  I saw somthing new on sale in the yogurt shevles - Greek Yogurt! Wow, something from the faraway land Greece! I thought of giving it a try so I bought four cups of this Chobani 0% Greek Yogurt. $1 each cup. Four different flavors: strawberry, blueberry, peach, and pomegranate.

Today we finally tasted the Greek Yogurt, which is thick and creamy, a bit sour and sweet. We also got a chance to look carefully of the label. Chobani is its brand, Greek Yogurt but made in New York, all natural but not organic, fruit on the bottom, pomegranate seeds present in the cup but not grounded, double amount of protein (28% per cup, 14 grams) compared to regular yogurt, no rBST (what is this? - my guess is either growth hormone or antibiotics), etc.

So, what’s Greek about Chobani Greek Yogurt?
Many people including me think that “Greek yogurt” refers to WHERE Chobani makes their yogurt; however, it’s actually describing HOW Chobani makes it.

Unlike some Greek Yogurt companies that add ingredients to their yogurts for texture, you won’t find any thickeners, gelatins or stabilizers in Chobani yogurt. Instead Chobani uses a centuries-old straining technique to remove excess liquid. This is why Chobani is so ridiculously thick, creamy and packed with two times more protein than regular yogurts. Hail to the Greeks…Greek Yogurt that is!

Mustafa Dogan is Chobani’s Master Yogurt Maker. He’s an artisan armed with years of yogurt-making experience and is responsible for crafting the rich, deliciousness that is Chobani.

Mustafa custom blends special yogurt cultures just for Chobani. These special cultures are added to the milk which is then strained with care to create yogurt that's outrageously creamy, and ridiculously high in protein.

This unique straining process is what makes Chobani Greek Yogurt “Greek” and full of flavor and health benefits:

· Only natural ingredients. Free of preservatives and artificial flavors.
· Free of synthetic growth hormones. (Milk from cows not treated with rBST)
· Includes 5 live & active cultures, including 3 probiotics.
· Made with real fruit.
· Twice the protein of regular yogurts.
· A good source of bone-building calcium.
· Gluten-Free and Kosher-Certified.
· Safe for people with corn, nut and soy allergies.

Resources for Green Business

Here are some online resources for green business - you either want to start a green business of your own or look for a green job or simply are curious of some going green tips or green products.

1. GreenBiz.com: News on green businesses and sustainable business practices.

2. Green Dream Jobs: The leading green job service for renewable and clean energy (solar, wind) jobs, green building jobs, organic jobs, and all environmental and sustainable jobs.

3. Greenopia: A guide to doing everything you do - greener.

4. GreenPeople.org - Eco-friendly products and services.

Celebrate Growth by Design at Franklin Park Conservatory

Today, August 8th, 2011 is the celebration of Growth. By Design - the transformational mater Plan for Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens coming to an end.

In front of the beautiful glass John F. Wolfe Palm House, we saw Monarch Butterfly release (all female), we had wonderful music performed by ProMusica Chamber Orchestra with a dramatic backdrop of colorful illumination.

The concert features Mozart's Divertimento No. 11 in D Major, K. 251, Pergolesi's Sinfonia to L'Olimpiade and Haydn's Symphony No. 48 in C Major (Maria Theresa). All three works were written for festive occasions, perfect for tonight's celebration of growth and harvest. They feature instruments with great projection, including resonating trumpets and drums in Pergolesi and Haydn. I wondered why there is oboe but no clarinet; there is a concertmaster for violin I but merely principals for other instruments. Einnob pointed out no saxophone, either, which made me shut my mouth then. Now it came to me the reason might be saxophone was a later invention, not known to neither Mozart nor Haydn.

The programming and selected order of tonight's works were chosen to offer a variety of moods to accompany the James Turrell lighting exhibit, though I have to say the mood was not always festive and happy. The blue light came first, followed by green, then pink or purple. Sometimes it looked distant, boring, and cold, sometimes it was bright and up-lifting. There were more times with simple one or two colors. I thought of my life in Columbus, Ohio and realized such kind of life is what I long for and have enjoyed.

The kids are kids. They enjoyed the hide-and-seek and tap game first with lots of running and sweating, then music in the background.

Thanks, Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanic Gardens.

Volunteers of America - Donate

Six bags of clothes to donate were picked up by the Volunteers of America truck on July 6th. Four bags of papers to recycle were collected to deliver to the recycle bins next to the Sawmill Meijer in Dublin.

Bedrooms were reorganized and bathrooms were cleaned. Pictures were switched, and the manner expectation was given. Almost ready for the days ahead.

Just some little things to touch here and there. That's it!

Red, White, and Boom Goes Green

Happy 4th of July 2011!

Red, White & BOOM! is "Going Green" for the 2011 event in partnership with Ohio Department of Natural Resources and Rumpke Recycling, continuing the recycling option, after recycling over 11 tons and 490,000 beverage containers in 2010!

The central Ohio's largest firework show event featured 250 recycling containers throughout the area. The 96-gallon wheeled carts are green and easily identified by the bright yellow lid with a hole cut in the top. People in attendance can recycle the same materials as they do at home in their recycling bins, including: aluminum cans; plastic bottles #1-7; paper such as programs, newspapers, magazines and beverage cartons; napkins; plastic utensils; plastic plates and Styrofoam. 

A New Chapter Ahead

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Time to sort out old stuffs in the closets, the basement and the garage. Start Today to mark a period to the past and look forward to the future.

Clothes seldom worn. Toys no longer used. Shoes outgrown. Electronics and small appliance overstocked. Textbooks and papers from college.

Donate. Recycle. Reuse.

Green Little Cats

It is trendy to be green, and so how about greening your little cute cat?

Here are eight good reasons to green your cat's lifestyle by adopting organic cat foods, organic cat litter, and making your own cat toys from recyclable materials. I admit, it might be very expensive to green your cats all at once and all. So try some tips one at a time and make yourself and your little cat friends comfortable at the same time.

By Holly Tse, Green Cat Expert

#1. Your cat will eat a healthier diet.

Making the switch to organic cat food is healthier for both your cat and the planet. Organic foods are produced without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics, hormones or genetically modified organisms. Your cat will enjoy the benefits of eating natural foods without chemicals or artificial additives.

#2. You can strengthen the bond between you and your kitty, have fun, save money and save the planet.

Instead of buying handfuls of cat toys made overseas, upcycle materials you already have around the home. Leftover yarn can be knitted into simple wooly squares. A toilet paper roll can be cut into a bunch of rings. A paper bag can be crunched up into a fun ball.

Use your imagination, experiment and have fun. Your cat will appreciate the new toys as well as the increased attention. You'll also be diverting materials from the landfill and saving money by making your own toys. Just be sure that the materials you use are safe for your cat to play with, recycle the toys when they show sign of wear and always supervise your cat during playtime.

#3. You'll reduce your cat's and your family's exposure to chemicals in the home.

Many household cleaning products contain strong chemicals that can leave trace residues in your home if they are not thoroughly rinsed away. Given your cat's propensity to spend large amounts of time on surfaces that you regularly clean (e.g. counters, sinks, floors), it makes sense to switch to earth-friendly household cleaners.

Do a simple web search for how to clean with vinegar and baking soda and you'll discover that these two simple and natural ingredients can take care of the majority of your household cleaning requirements.

#4. You can cut down on unnecessary shopping trips.

Shopping can be fun, but shopping for cat food and litter is usually a chore. Plan your shopping trips so that you can stock up a few months in advance.

Buy food and litter in the larger-sized containers. These usually use less packaging materials than buying the same amount in smaller containers and as an added bonus, you'll often save money on a per volume basis.

#5. Litter tracked all over your home can become a thing of the past.

Rather than cover your entire home with litter catching mats, cut down on tracking by switching to a pellet shaped eco-friendly cat litter. Pellet shaped litters are made from recycled paper, pine, and other fibrous-based renewable materials. The pellets tend to stick less to paws, resulting in much less litter leaving the box.

#6. Small changes add up to huge benefits for the environment.

If you reduce the amount of cat litter you use by just one scoop a week, it would add up to approximately 10 lbs a year. That's a small change with the potential to compound dramatically.

According to a 2007 survey by the American Veterinary Medical Association, over 35 million American households own at least one cat. If each household reduced their annual litter usage by just 10 lbs, approximately 175,000 tons of cat litter would be diverted from waste streams each year.

#7. Your cat can be the inspiration for others to follow.

Once you experience the benefits of greening your cat, it seems selfish not to share them with your cat loving friends. Many people don't green their cats simply because they lack information. If your friends see how easy it is for you to green your cat, your experience may inspire them to follow suit.

Plus, you'll have another excuse to talk about your cat in public. And, since cats love being the center of attention, your kitty will enjoy being the poster kitten for your local eco-cat movement.

#8. It's now easier than ever to green your cat.

You no longer need to live in Berkeley, California or Portland, Oregon to find a huge selection of earth-friendly cat products. Some major brands now offer an eco-friendly line of cat food or litter. The green movement has also spawned a huge industry of smaller companies offering unique and sustainable cat products. You'll find green products both online and at many pet stores.

Mother's Day on Ohio Free Fishing Day 2011

The second Ohio Free Fishing Day is also Mother's Day. I have a bunch of yellow roses with orange tint,my favorite! The kids also wrote me wonderful poem, drew nice pictures. Thanks!

This afternoon we went fishing again, at the above dam area next to the reservoir bridge. Nosaj continued his luck with blue gills using earthworm as bait. Einnob incidentally caught a white bass without realizing it, as it happened shortly after she cast the fishing line with minnow as bait.

At the end of two days of Ohio Free Fishing 2011, we caught one catfish, two white bass, and eight blue gills.They gave so much fun to our kitty cat Thunder. However, he was not interested in the steam-cooked fish gills and internal organs this time. Shall I try to give him raw fish to eat?

Ohio's Free Fishing Days 2011

Today, May 7th, is one of Ohio's free fishing days in 2011.We went fishing near Columbus Zoo in the afternoon. The Below Dam area was loud and overflown with rapid water. Our hearts sank in disappointment.

After an hour it started to rain so we decided to move up to the above dam area. Nosaj got lucky and he caught all three blue gills! He shared with me his experience: when he reeled in a bit and made the bait move that was when he felt the fish biting! Good for him!

Nosaj was still very excited during our late dinner time even though it was too late to clean and steam the fish for him to enjoy. His look was like dreaming with total satisfaction. Very funny! I guess he was really disappointed but pretended he didn't care when Einnob caught one fish and ate it all on Easter.

Don't forget tomorrow May 8, 2011 is another Free Fishing Day in Ohio.

Our house got the new painting, moroccan brown for the trim, and sierra redwood for the front door.It turned out very nice warm looking!

America By the Numbers

Our local newspaper is delivered every Thursday. Besides the newspaper, store ads, there is so called PARADE I come to like and read every time for some interesting information. Here is some numbers of America I would like to share with you related to Green.

• Washington, D.C. is the most vegetarian friendly city. (Source: PETA)
• Vermont leads the nation in daily consumption of fruits and veggies - 29.3% of adults eat the right amount. Next are Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, then California. (Source: America's Health Rankings).
• Portland, Oregon has the best bike culture. (Source: U.S. Dept. of Transportation Report)
• Austin, Texas is the city with the biggest spenders, though not so green. (Source: Bundle Report)

Top Six Green Cars in America

Our 1997 Toyota Camry has been aging quickly, and cost us several garage trips to fix this or that recently. Thus, we are thinking to trade-in Camry for our next family vehicle. I would like it to be a fuel-efficient GREEN CAR, so I did some home work and came across the following list of top six greenest cars in America.

#1: Honda Civic GX

Mileage: 24 city, 36 hwy, per gallon-equivalent

Emissions are a major factor in the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy's "Green Car" rankings, which the group has published annually since 1998. That's why the Civic GX tops the list despite fuel economy figures that are lower than the others. It runs on compressed natural, which is much cleaner burning than gasoline.

Emissions are why you won't find any diesel-powered cars on this list. Despite being very efficient, and much cleaner than they were in the past, diesel engines still emit more pollution than the most fuel-efficient gasoline cars.

#2: Nissan Leaf

Mileage: 106 city, 92 hwy, per gallon equivalent

EV rage: 100 miles

The Leaf burns no fuel at all, running purely on electricity. Electric power plants do burn fuel, and that's a factor taken into account in the ACEEE rankings. That's why the Leaf ranks second to the clean-burning Honda Civic GX.

#3: Smart ForTwo

Mileage: 33 city, 41 hwy

The ForTwo, a two-seat car, relies on small size, light weight and a tiny three cylinder engine to get a great "Green Score." Besides contributing the car's fuel efficiency, weight itself was a big factor in the ACEEE's scoring. The assumption is that heavier cars create more waste and emissions in their manufacturing and disposal than lighter cars.

#4: Toyota Prius

Mileage: 51 city, 48 hwy

Hybrid cars rank highly based on fuel economy, but they pay a penalty because of their heavy battery packs. Cars that use nickel-metal batteries, as the Prius does, pay a higher penalty in the rankings because their batteries contain more toxic substances than do the lithium-ion batteries used in most plug-in cars.

#5: Honda Civic Hybrid

Mileage: 40 city, 43 hwy

Because its hybrid system operates differently from that in a Prius, the Civic Hybrid is more efficient in highway driving than in the city. It's also less efficient overall.

#6: Honda Insight

Mileage: 40 city, 43 hwy

Honda launched the Insight as a less costly competitor to the Prius. Despite being a smaller car, its fuel economy is the same as the Civic Hybrid.

Swai Fish Recipe - Pan Fried Swai Fillet

Pan fried swai fillet is one of our family's recent favorite fish.

Fish are a great source of protein. They contain healthy fats that will reduce your cholesterol and improve your health. Fish also contain omega-3 fatty acids that help keep your heart healthy and may even improve your mood. Fish have been shown to be an important diet of many long-lived peoples around the world.

As a way to eat less red meat, we have tried different kinds of fish to pan fry, grill, or bake. Salmon, Tilapia, Perch, Mahi Mahi, Flounder, etc. Their tastes are less satisfactory, we eat them just for the sake of healthy foods, and they are pricey. Finally we settle down to Swai, a white-flesh fish with a sweet mild taste and light flaky texture. Surprisingly, swai is a river-farmed catfish produced in southeastern Asia, particularly Vietnam. It is available at our local Chinese grocery stores, $5.99 for a 2 lbs package.

The way I prepare fish to cook is all the same: marinate the fish fillets with cooking wine, salt and pepper, and ginger powder. It is easy and quick to cook: preheat frying pan with a coat of olive oil, lay the marinated swai fillets, cook three minutes with cover until it is turning golden brown; flip the fillets and cook another 2 to 3 minutes, and it is done! A bit of butter can be added at the beginning or at the end for flavor. What end up on our plate every time is super tasty fish, moist and flaky, no disappointment at all.

Oatmeal Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

A pinch here, a pour there, and you'll smell goodness in the air. That is what I just did: I am baking my favorite oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

Here are the ingredients:

1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 cups quick-cooking oats
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup chopped walnuts
40 semisweet chocolate chips

Step 1
In large bowl, mix brown sugar and butter until blended. Beat in vanilla and egg until light and fluffy. Mix in oats, flour and baking soda; stir in chopped walnuts.

Step 2
Roll tablespoonfuls of dough and press it flat, add one chocolate chip in the center, lay onto ungreased cookie sheet in 4 x 5.

Step 3
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Repeat step 2, have another 20 cookie doughs.

Step 4
Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly and remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Once cookies are cooled, store in an air tight container.

Notes: Some changes I made from the original recipe.

1. I cut brown sugar from 1-1/2 to one cup.
2. I choose walnut as the main add-in instead of chocolate.
3. I add only one chocolate chip per cookie instead of one cup semisweet chocolate chips.
4. I preheat oven to 350ºF until I am ready to drop second batch of cookie dough, so to speak of being green in the kitchen.
5. It takes my oven 20 minutes to bake the cookies in the glass pan instead of suggested 9 - 11 minutes.

My thoughts on further experiments:

1. I use microwave 2 minutes 50% power to soften two sticks of butter.
2. I would like to cut butter to one and half sticks.
3. The 20 minute baking time is just right for glass bakeware, but it is overbaked for the metal cooking sheet. Next time I will try 15 to 18 minutes for the metallic pan, and continue bake for the glass pan. Perhaps, I need to invest for another metallic cooking sheet or glass pan just to be consistent.

Just got back the results of my physical exam in April. Borderline anemia and high cholesterol.

Top five foods to lower your numbers suggested by Mayo Clinic are: oatmeal and high-fiber foods; fish and omega-3 fatty acids; walnuts, almonds and other nuts; olive oil; and foods with added plant sterols or stanols.

Except for the last food which I don't have clue on sterols, what I eat is just as fine as it suggests, and the oatmeal walnut chocolate chip cookies sound like perfect fit except for the chocolate part.

P.S. Today there is this royal wedding of Prince William and Princess Kate on the other side of Atlantic Ocean. Not big deal for me, and I warn my daughter already: there is no such thing of "live happily ever after".

How You Can Transition to Vegetarian

Eating right is not only good for your waistline, but also beneficial for your mind, body and soul. As it turns out, when you eat certain food, such as natural grains instead of processed food; vegetables instead of meat; soymilk instead of cow's milk, it can especially boost Mother Nature.

After more than a year of eating less meat, I feel the next step naturally would go vegetarian (or vegan, sounding sort of like cult), though at a gradual slow pace, and for myself only, considering I have two young growing kids to feed.

Here are some tips for making the transition, shared by Actress Alicia Silverstone in her book, The Kind Diet.

Start slow. Try going four weeks without beef, chicken or pork and replacing them with "new meats" like tofu or fish. Fish leaves the body feeling lighter than beef, pork or poultry, and you will get a sense of what going veggie is like.

Make a substitute. If you find you're not satisfied, create something close to what you're craving using all-natural ingredients. Try toast with soy margarine or brown rice syrup and cinnamon for a delicious cinnamon toast. You'll get your fix while still sticking to the plan.

Give yourself a reminder. Whatever your reason for trying the plant-based diet, make sure to constantly remind yourself of your commitment; it will help kill the cravings.

My own experience: We eat more fish (swai fillets in particular, produced in Vietnam) than beef or pork. I substitute ground pork with lean ground turkey for our favorite dumplings and wontons. I bake oatmeal chocolate nuts cookies to satisfy my cravings.

Earth Day 2011 April 22nd

One year went by and today, April 22nd, 2011 is Earth Day again!

I thought to do and write something related to Green today. In the end, I just read some pages of the book The Difference by Jean Chatzky; did some bookkeeping; and practiced some piano fingering exercise - the very first one in The Virtuoso Pianist by Charles-Louis Hanon.

Feel good listening to Daniel Domb's Cello classical music. Hope the coming year is a peaceful one.

Tip to Clean Kitchen Pipes

To clear your kitchen pipes, put three Alka-Seltzer tablets down the kitchen sink, followed by a cup of vinegar. Leave for a few minutes, then run hot water. It sure does the magic work to your kitchen, the center of a home, sweet home!

Chinese Solar Companies: STP TSL YGE LDK

Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd. (NYSE:STP)
Trina Solar Ltd. (NYSE:TSL)
Yingli Green Energy Holding Co. Ltd. (NYSE:YGE)
LDK Solar Co. Inc. (NYSE:LDK)

What STP, TSL, YGE, and LDK have in common is the deep pockets of the Chinese government. Since the beginning of 2010, these four companies have received a total of nearly $26 billion in loans from their government. All four sport market caps lower than $2 billion, but all four are among the top five global manufacturers of solar cells.

The reason these companies ship more solar PV cells than any competitor except First Solar is their focus on low-cost – SunPower is not a low-cost provider. The top five low-cost providers are currently selling contracted cells for less than the spot price. This will hurt margins somewhat now. However, because they have already lowered their pricing, the impact on margins next year will not be as great. Competitors, especially from Europe, that are now seeing premium pricing are less well-prepared for the drop in shipments that is forecast for the first quarter of 2011.

The Chinese companies plan to use a substantial amount of their government loans to build more manufacturing capacity. Some of that new capacity will meet demand inside China, which is expected to double its new solar installations in 2011.

Of the four Chinese companies, it is impossible to pick a winner at this point. All four are well set-up to prosper and all four could be technology leaders as well as cost and shipment leaders in five years or less. National governments are almost certain to provide more policy support for solar power, consumer costs for rooftop systems will fall, and there is likely to be a trend toward consumer leasing as well. Now is a good time to be one of the leading solar companies in the world.

I have two positions with STP and YGE.

Crocheted Squares - Mosaic Rag Rug

Crocheted Squares: main color (MC)



Nine-Square Mosaic: four colors -- blue, maroon, pink, and white



Mosaic Rag Rug: half finished

Crocheted Rag Rug - Size 3' x 5'

My largest crochet project, a roughly 3' x 5' rectangular rag rug with 135 mosaic squares was finally finished after one year's work. Five different worn-out bed sheets were reused as part of my effort of being green at home.


Inspired by the pattern of this Portugal made Christmas bed sheet, I decided to use this set of winter holiday bed sheet as the main color(MC) and mosaic small crocheted squares into a rectangular rag rug.

Supermoon March 2011

Last night, March 19, or early this morning of March 20, 2011 brought the Supermoon to the earth. No wonder I was sleepless with the extra bright moonlight.

It was said the Supermoon was closer to Earth than it has been in more than 18 years, and it was the biggest full moon of 2011. At its peak, the supermoon may appear 14% larger and 30% brighter than lesser full moons when the moon is at its farthest from earth.

Lucky us! The supermoon would not cause natural disasters, such as the Japan earthquakes, we were assured by a NASA scientist, but bigger waves, as always. So watch out for the flooding warnings along the East and West coasts.

International Women's Day 100th Anniversary

Today, March 8th, is marked as the International Women's day. Over 100 countries around the world, with the exception of the United States, are celebrating her 100th anniversary. Women's Day was first honored in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland on 19 March, 1911. It was transfered and remained on March 8 since 1913.

Women have been the driving force of the Green Movement and will continue to be the major participants all over the world, in the way Lady Bird Johnson acted as the Green Movement Pioneer in the United States.

What I meant to say here, today, is the importance of enpowering women and girls, and self-esteem and self-respect besides our duty as a mother, daughter, and wife.

My GreenSpot Pledge

I have been an official GreenSpot since December 9, 2010 - I know it is a shame to take me so long to post my GreenSpot Plege. Life has not been easy on me, but, hey, I am here to continue my commitment to the Greenspot Pledge.

Welcome to The Green Club in Columbus, Ohio. GreenSpot was founded by Columbus mayor Michael B. Coleman, where people in our city go to learn about living and working greener, and commit to doing it - in their homes, businesses, and communities.

Below is a complete list of the commitments I made in my GreenSpot application in making Columbus a healthier, cleaner, and more sustainable city.

My GreenSpot Pledge

Here's how we will conserve energy

* I will replace my regular incandescent light bulbs with high-efficiency compact fluorescent ones.
* I will drive 10 fewer miles per week.
* I will completely unplug appliances after I turn them off.
* I will turn my thermostat up in the summer, and down in the winter, or I will install a programmable thermostat.

Here's how we will conserve & protect water

* I will water my yard only once a week, keeping in mind that 1 inch of rain/water is enough to keep most lawns healthy.
* I will run my dishwasher and washing machine only when they are full.

Here's how we will reduce, recycle and reuse

* I will carry reusable bags when I shop.
* I will choose products that use less packaging and less harmful material.
* I will buy small amounts of items that have a short shelf life and bulk amounts of items that do not go bad quickly.
* I will donate unused or unwanted items instead of throwing them away-and explore thrift stores instead of always buying something new.
* I will recycle paper, steel, glass, and plastic by using my local curbside subscription program.
* I will separate my yard waste (like grass clippings and leaves) from other trash, and leave it by the curb on my assigned day or I will compost it.