2 GOING GREEN | Sunday, December 19, 2010 commercialappeal.

com

What’s in this issue ...

Practically
15 green
Examples of living
from days gone by
are humbling

Decorating,
18 wrapping
made simple
Consumers hungry
4 for fresh, local meat Last-minute
Surge of interest, demand
20 gifts can be
for West Tennessee beef but green, too
is it worth the price?
Cutting down
Whole Foods brings meat sustainability
labels to market for the new year. PAGE 8 25 on holiday
Winter greens pack a wallop in nutrition
and flavor. PAGE 11 hoopla

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Going Green is a special online publication of
The Commercial Appeal. We welcome your comments and suggestions. Follow Going
Green on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoGreenMemphis.
Editor: Kim Coleman, 529-5243, goinggreen@commercialappeal.com
Community Editor: Emily Adams Keplinger, keplinger@commercialappeal.com

On the cover: Photo by Mike Brown, The Commercial Appeal files. Ben Meis feeds one of the family's angus bulls,
Hamburger. The bull was slaughtered and the meat was sold to clients of Harvest Home Nutrition and Farms.
The Commercial Appeal Sunday, December 19, 2010 | GOING GREEN 3

The Green Page

Program
Green greetings:
Celebrate the
holiday season with
friends and loved
ones this year and
give back to the
earth with the help
of the nonprofit
Arbor Day
Foundation. Send
holiday greetings
and plant a tree – all
at the same time –
by using the
Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal files
Foundation’s Give-A-
Bird watchers Margaret Jefferson, left, and Ed Tree Cards. Give-A-
Thomas, right, look for water fowl. Tree Cards are
unique in that every
card plants a tree in
Events one of the nation’s
Making it count: The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) helps forests in honor of
researchers understand how bird populations have changed the recipient. By
over the past century — and anyone can participate in the sending Give-A-Tree
event. The CBC takes place in “count circles” that focus on Cards, you help
specific geographic areas. Every circle has a leader, so even replant forests that
a beginner birdwatcher will be able to count birds with an have been
experienced birder, and contribute data to the longest- devastated by
running wildlife census. If your home happens to be within wildfires, insects
the boundaries of a count circle, you can count the birds and disease. Give-A-
that visit your backyard feeder.To join a Christmas Bird Tree holiday cards
Count in your area, visit birds.audubon.org/get-involved- come in 21 varieties,
christmas-bird-count and click on “Count Date Search” to some of which are
find a count circle near you. Detailed instructions for joining available in boxed
a count can be found at birds.audubon.org/documents/cbc- sets of five or 10
circle-sign-instructions-participants. cards. This year, you
Green Cleaning: Join The Commercial Appeal columnist can send Give-A-Tree
Deanna Caswell for a green cleaning products class on Jan. Cards using your
11 from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Memphis Botanic Garden. $20 favorite picture with
($15 for MBG members). Prepayment due by Jan. 7. the foundation’s
Students mix and take home eight different household new photo cards. To
cleaners to try. These products are easier on the planet and purchase holiday
the wallet. Students need to bring spray bottles and lidded gifts that give back
containers to class. Call 636-4128 for a list of the products to the earth, go to
that will be made, to register, and for a supply list. arborday.org.
4 GOING GREEN | Sunday, December 19, 2010 commercialappeal.com

Chris Desmond/The Commercial Appeal files

Neola Farms is home to registered Angus cattle of the highest quality. The beef
is receiving widespread attention because of its exceptional taste and texture,
and is showing up on the menus of upscale Memphis restaurants.

Out of the ‘box’

West Tennessee producers find market for local beef
COMMENTARY
By Kjeld Petersen
For some time now, arguments have
waged regarding the benefits of locally
produced beef to our environment, local
economy and health.
Along the way, West Tennessee beef
producers selling their products at
specialty grocers, farmers markets and
through subscription programs are
seeing record sales. Consumers are
willing to go out of their way — and
pay significantly more — for local beef.
But why is local beef more expensive
than the highly descriptive “box” meat
The Commercial Appeal Sunday, December 19, 2010 | GOING GREEN 5

more commonly available? And why is

it so difficult to find particular cuts of
meat from local producers when the
butcher counter at the local grocery has
every type of steak, chop or roast
imaginable?
The answers lie at the heart of the
problem with the American beef
industry and in the growing success of
local beef producers.
Any discussion about the high price
of local beef in comparison to generic
“box” beef must begin with asking why
generic beef is low-priced in the first
place. In today’s marketplace the top
four processors — IBP (owned by
Tyson), ConAgra, Excel (owned by
Cargill) and National Beef — control
more than 85 percent of the market.
Having this much control over the
marketplace allows these corporations
to drive consumer prices in whatever
direction they like, regardless of the
supply of cattle, price of fuel or other
considerations.
Given that American per capita beef
Karen Pulfer Focht/The Commercial Appeal files
consumption has been on a five-year
slide (we still consume 100-plus pounds Locally produced organic meats fill
of beef per person each year in the U.S. the freezer at the Midtown Farmers
and even more in Tennessee), the top Market on Union.
four are holding down or lowering
prices as a way to encourage sales. be cheap, it will be.
We can talk all we want about how Local beef producers — who may
the government subsidizes the price of process only 3,000 head of cattle a year
corn (the primary food of “box” meat in comparison to one of the top four
cattle), allows for giving cattle steroids, who may process 10,000 head of cattle a
growth hormones and antibiotics (to day — have to charge more for their
bring cattle to market weight faster and products. And given that the ranchers
therefore at lower cost), and ignores don’t own their own USDA-inspected
many health, labor and other federal processing plant, there is a surcharge
guidelines in regard to cattle producers for the processing as well. But an even
and processors. The bottom line is, if more important difference between our
the top four want beef for consumers to local beef and “box” beef are the cattle
6 GOING GREEN | Sunday, December 19, 2010
Michael Lenagar prepares to load Angus ground beef in his truck for delivery
from Neola Farms in Tipton County.
themselves and how they are raised,
fed, processed, aged and ultimately
marketed as ground beef, steaks or
roasts.
Local cattle operations — like Neola
Farms, located just north of Memphis in
Brighton, Tenn., or Donnell Farms in
Jackson, Tenn. — take every step in the
process seriously and without taking
the shortcuts the “box” producers and
processors use.
The cattle raised are Black Angus,
known for their high percentage of fat
marbling (which is an integral part of
commercialappeal.com
Chris Desmond/The Commercial Appeal files
the flavor of beef) which typically
results in what we call “prime” beef (or
the highest voluntary grade). But the
Angus herds our local ranchers raise are
different from other similar herds in one
important way.
Our ranchers work within specific
genetic breed lines to ensure that they
know the exact origin of an individual
animal. This ensures selective qualities,
such as size and fat composition, as well
as objective qualities, such as disease
resistance and freedom from genetically
transferable abnormalities, as much as
The Commercial Appeal
possible.
It is a part of the process these
ranchers see as essential to the
sustainability of their herds and
their businesses, even though many
Black Angus ranchers view it as an
unnecessary, added expense.
Local ranchers are also
unquestionably committed to a
program of “no steroids, no
hormones and no antibiotics” in
raising the animals destined for the
marketplace.
Avoiding steroids and hormones
means it takes longer for animals to
reach market weight on a diet of
pasture grass and corn (often
grown right on their own ranch).
Avoiding the use of antibiotics
means that animals must have
room to live (antibiotics are
required to fight the diseases that
come from animals being raised in
very close confines such as those
found in a top four feedlot). Again,
care and quality cost more.
And then back to the processing.
By raising and processing only
3,000 head of premium, genetically
traceable, no-steroid, no-hormone,
no-antibiotic Black Angus cattle a
year, there’s not as much to go
around and not every cut of beef is
available.
Specialty cuts come at an even
higher cost than normal market
processing, and without a proven
need for them (most specialty cuts
were originally developed by the
“box” meat industry in order to sell
more beef) they will not be
produced.
Restaurants and hospitals call
Sunday, December 19, 2010 | GOING GREEN 7
Where to find local beef
During the winter months, local beef from
the producers below can be found on a
wide variety of restaurant menus across
the city. And, even though the farmers
markets have closed for the season, you
can still buy local beef through a number
of stores, listed below — or directly from
the ranch, if you call ahead.
Donnell Century Farm Black Angus Beef
Jackson, Tenn.
(731) 427-3059
donnellbeef.com
Call for local grocery availability.
On-farm delivery by appointment only,
Jackson and Agricenter Farmers Market
dates are to be determined. Donnell also
runs the Century Farm Adventure, a
hands-on farm experience throughout the
fall for families. More information on the
farm adventures is available at (731)
424-4526 or online at
donnellcenturyfarm.com.
Neola Farms Black Angus Beef, LLC
neolafarms.com
Available at Miss Cordellia’s (Harbor
Town) and Trolley Stop Market (Midtown).
Winter farmers markets dates are to be
determined.
What they said
“These big guys can do anything they
want to the price of beef. They take every
shortcut and use every advantage they
have to try and keep us (local beef
producers) out of the marketplace. But
still people line up for our beef, West
Tennessee beef.”
— Michael Lenagar, owner of Neola Farms
Black Angus Beef, LLC
8 GOING GREEN | Sunday, December 19, 2010
operations like Neola and Donnell
every week looking for more local beef
because of its unique qualities and
freedom from additives.
Consumers line up early at farmers
markets across West Tennessee
hoping to be in time to purchase their
favorite cut.
And international consumers —
such as the Japanese and EU
countries (which do not allow imports
of American
“box” meat due
to the health
concerns about
how cattle are
raised and
processed) are
beating a
serious path to
the door of our
local producers
and
processors.
All in all,
Nikki Boertman/The there are
Commercial Appeal files
substantial
Restaurant Iris uses reasons for
Neola Farms’ beef
local beef to
and local pork in its average just a
Fried Boudin.
few dollars
more per
pound than the “box” meat found at
the grocery. And rightfully so, because
our local beef — our beautiful,
healthy, natural and maybe even
pampered West Tennessee Black
Angus beef — is worth every penny
for all the right reasons.
Kjeld Petersen is a contributing editor to
Edible Memphis Magazine and was a
founding board member of the Memphis
chapter of Slow Food USA.
commercialappeal.com
Selling
standards
Meat labels address animal
welfare, consumer concern
By Monica Eng
Chicago Tribune
Whole Foods Market harbors the
same hopes for its chickens that many
parents do for their kids: That they’ll
get plenty of fresh air, live at home until
they reach maturity and avoid gaining
weight so fast that they can’t walk.
These are a few of the animal welfare
practices the retailer hopes to encourage
with a humane meat-rating system being
piloted in the South and scheduled for
national expansion early next year. If the
five-step, color-coded labeling system
works as planned, it could allow Amer-
ican consumers unprecedented levels of
specificity when it comes to choosing
meat to match their principles.
Developed by the Global Animal
Partnership, a nonprofit group made up
of farmers, scientists, retailers, sustain-
ability experts and animal welfare ad-
vocates, the rating system aims to ad-
dress growing consumer concerns over
the way animals are raised for food.
Its five-step approach establishes
baseline standards for all meat sold in
the store, while offering producers an
opportunity to achieve higher ratings as
The Commercial Appeal
The meat counter at select Whole Foods in the South will carry meat labels in
2011 that rank the product based on sustainability practices.
their animal welfare standards improve
based on the program’s benchmarks.
So, for example, the highest rating (5+,
colored green) would go to a chicken
that, among other things, had been bred,
hatched and raised on a single farm, lived
year-round on pasture with at least 75
percent vegetation and had legs that were
healthy enough to support it by the time
it reached market weight. And the lowest
rating (1, colored yellow) would reflect
adherence to several dozen baseline pro-
visions about feed, antibiotics and treat-
ment, but also a provision that the animal
must not have been caged or crowded.
Slightly different standards are in place
for pork and beef, but all three categories
emphasize animal comfort and health,
pasture time and remaining on one farm,
even through slaughter. Although most
organic standards are not part of the pro-
gram, organic producers can and have be-
come GAP certified as well.
Sunday, December 19, 2010 | GOING GREEN 9
Chester Higgins Jr./The New York Times
While Whole Foods Market was the
driving force behind developing the
standards, GAP executive director
Miyun Park believes they will move well
beyond the chain, spurring “massive im-
provements in the way animals are
raised in this country.”
Numerous surveys, from universities
to Gallup to the Farm Bureau, show that
Americans have developed a heightened
interest in farm animal welfare. Concern
over the topic has fueled several recent
ballot initiatives, popular movies
(“Food, Inc.”) and books (“Eating An-
imals,” “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” and
“Animal Factory”).
“We get an enormous amount of ques-
tions from customers who want to know
everything about the meat and animals,
really detailed questions,” said Anne Mal-
leau, global animal production and wel-
fare coordinator for Whole Foods Market.
But the program is also aimed at cus-
10 GOING GREEN | Sunday, December 19, 2010
tomers who don’t want the gory details so
much as assurances that their “food has
been humanely produced,” Malleau said.
Although the company has no set
formula for pricing GAP levels, it did
share some examples from an Atlanta-
area store that started rolling out the
program in 2009. Grain-fed rib-eye
steak rated a Step 1 costs $14.99 a
pound, while a pound of local grass-fed
rib-eye, rated Step 4, costs $15.99. And
Canadian bone-in pork chops rated Step
1 cost $6.99 a pound, while a pound of
local bone-in pork chops rated Step 4
cost $7.99.
Whole Foods says that about 1,000
farms have been or are going through
third-party GAP auditing, and a few hun-
dred are awaiting the process. Most are
small, regional producers, but they also in-
clude big, national names like Pennsylva-
nia-based chicken producer Bell & Evans
(Step 2) and Niman Ranch pork produc-
ers, which are still in the auditing process.
Bell & Evans chief executive Scott
Sechler said he’s been unimpressed
with humane certifiers in the past.
“But these are a very picky, detail-
oriented bunch, and if they stay true to
their word, this is going to be a real,
honest and complete program, one that
makes sure people are doing it right
from the day the animal is hatched to
the day it’s put to sleep,” said Sechler,
who has spent more than $300,000 for
his audits so far. “But if it goes haywire,
I’ll be the first one to jump off.”
When Sechler says “sleep,” he is re-
ferring to the new slow-induction anes-
thesia system his company, which has 8
million chickens, has announced it will
introduce in the spring.
Unlike government regulation, the
commercialappeal.com
GAP program is all carrot and no stick,
offering entrepreneurs very specific
credit for gradual improvements. In
turn, they access the famously generous
wallets of Whole Foods’ customers.
“This is the first time we get to see
how much the public is willing to pay
for specific practices,” said PETA con-
sultant and GAP board member Steven
Gross. “Let’s say I’m a meat eater and I
think animals should live on pasture; I
would buy a three and above. Or maybe
I just want to make sure they don’t live
in cages; I would buy a one or a two.”
Although consumers have different def-
initions of “sustainable meat,” even loose
definitions add up to a tiny fraction of the
nation’s meat supply. But GAP says there
are 140 million animals raised annually
under its certified standards. Gross ex-
pects the number to double next year.
Still, mainstream meat representa-
tives remain dubious.
“The GAP program is basically a ‘free-
range’ program,’” said Richard Lobb
spokesman for the National Chicken
Council, which runs its own auditing pro-
gram. “Only a few producers in the Unit-
ed States follow the free-range model.
Most feel that the needs of the birds can
be more efficiently met in a well-venti-
lated, enclosed structure.”
As GAP assembled a board to create the
standards, it called on folks from all over
the meat map, from ranchers to vegans.
“When we started the meetings, I sat
right next to a rancher wearing my PETA
shirt, and he thought I was the devil in-
carnate,” remembered Gross. “But over
time we realized that our goals are the
same. We both want the farmer who treats
his animals well to succeed because, in the
end, that will reduce animal suffering.”
The Commercial Appeal Sunday, December 19, 2010 | GOING GREEN 11

wintergreens
Cold-loving plants
easy local option

By Melissa Petersen
Special to Going Green

Even in winter, we still

have plenty of local food
options. Pecans, honey, meats
and dairy products are all
available year-round. Winter
squashes, such as hubbard,
acorn and butternut, have
“winter” in their name for a
reason — they store well over
the cold months — as do
sweet potatoes, white
potatoes, apples and pears.
And of course there are
greens, those lovely, cold-
loving leaves that the South
made famous.
I grew up with cooked
spinach splashed with
vinegar, but never enjoyed
kale, collards, turnip and
mustard greens until I
reached my thirties.
When finally introduced to
the fantastic world of greens,
I didn’t know any better and I
Melissa Petersen cooked my greens quickly —
Kale has a myriad of health implications no three-hour cook times.
including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and Read my lips: Greens do not
cholesterol-lowering benefits. have to be cooked to death.
While I enjoy cooked-all-
afternoon-with-a-hamhock
12 GOING GREEN | Sunday, December 19, 2010 commercialappeal.com

greens as much as the next person, I

invite you to give minimally cooked
greens a try.
Because they grow well in the vicinity,
there’s a good chance that even the
unmarked greens at any grocery store
are relatively local. Or you might be
lucky enough to have some growing in
your own garden, and you can’t get more
local than your own backyard.
Kale is sweet and gets sweeter as the
weather gets colder. Its flavor is
reminiscent of broccoli. The curly leaves
cook quickly, but need no cooking at all
as evidenced by the kale salad on Whole
Foods’ salad bar (one of my favorites).
Swiss chard is a mild-tasting, lemony Green Strudel
green that prefers short cooking times.
With red, yellow, white or green veins,
chard adds a bit of color to monotone collards in your favorite spinach dip
dishes. The large leaves are excellent to recipe (my favorite is Gina Neely’s) and
use for making rolls (think cabbage rolls, no one will know they are eating
but prettier and tastier). Be sure to cut collards.
out the thick, tough stems. Nettles, creasy greens, spinach, beet
Mustard greens are bitter and greens, sorrel and dandelion can all find
peppery. Cooked alone, they are not for their way from your yard or market into
the timid palate. Try cooking them with the pot.
a mixture of other greens to add some Wash greens in several changes of
sweetness. Or take a tip from B. J. water before cooking or eating raw.
Chester-Tamayo, owner of Alcenias. She Young greens are smaller, more tender,
stirs chow-chow into her greens, adding require shorter cooking times and
spice, sweetness and some vinegar generally have milder flavors than older,
tanginess in one fell swoop. larger leaves.
Turnip greens can be sharp-tasting — The key to enjoying our long season
almost like horseradish. Mixing them of greens is to get creative. Add them to
with sweeter greens such as kale or mac and cheese, wilt them in smashed
spinach balances them out. potatoes or rice, stir into soups, quickly
Arugula is peppery (and one of my stir-fry them with other vegetables, or
favorites). The tender leaves can be layer them into a grilled cheese
added to anything or served raw. sandwich or quesadilla.
Collards have huge leaves which do With so many greens to choose from,
well with long cooking times (they hold there’s no reason you can’t eat “green”
their texture and color well). Substitute all winter long.
The Commercial Appeal
Italian Arugula Salad
This simple salad is one of my
favorites. I first tried it at a
restaurant in Portland, Ore., but
I’ve heard it’s a staple in many
parts of Italy.
8 thin slices bresaola (dry-cured beef),
prosciutto or dry salami
2 cups fresh arugula
Juice from 1 lemon
Olive oil
Freshly shaved parmesan cheese
Lay 4 slices of bresaola/salami
on each plate. Top with arugula.
Drizzle with a few teaspoons of
olive oil and fresh lemon juice. Top
with plenty of shaved parmesan
(use a vegetable peeler to get long
shavings) and serve immediately.
Makes 2 salads
Baked Kale Chips
There are versions of this
addictive recipe all over the place
lately. Serve them as an appetizer
or as a garnish on meat, pasta or
vegetables. Mine never make it to
the dinner table; we end up eating
them right off the baking sheet.
4 cups kale leaves, cut or torn into 4-inch
pieces
1
/4 cup olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Wash kale and dry very well (a salad
spinner works great). Place leaves
in a large bowl and toss in 1/8 cup
olive oil. Mix well to coat the leaves,
adding more oil if necessary.
Shake off excess oil (leaves should
be slightly glossy, but not dripping
Sunday, December 19, 2010 | GOING GREEN 13
with oil) or place on a paper-towel
lined plate to absorb excess oil.
Place leaves in a single layer on
a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Season generously with salt and
pepper.
Bake for 10 minutes, gently turn
leaves over and bake for another 5
minutes or until kale is crisp, but
still green. The leaves will crisp a
bit as they cool slightly. Serve
immediately.
Green Strudel
This idea came from Chef
Patrick Reilly of the Majestic Grille.
I heard him talk about it and
started experimenting. Greens
lovers will enjoy it as an entrée,
but it also makes a good side dish.
3
/4 lb. greens (use a mixture or your
favorite), chopped
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. olive oil
4 ounces fresh goat cheese (mozzarella or
feta also works)
1 onion, chopped
3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
Dash of hot sauce
Salt and pepper
2 sheets of puff pastry dough, defrosted
1 egg, lightly beaten
Grated parmesan cheese
1
/2 cup roasted red peppers, drained and
chopped
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Add olive oil to a large skillet and
warm over medium-high heat.
Add onion and sauté until
translucent and soft (but not
brown). Stir in garlic and cook for
another minute.
Add vinegar and half of the
greens. Stir constantly.
14 GOING GREEN | Sunday, December 19, 2010
When the greens have wilted a
bit, add the remaining greens to
the pan and continue to cook
until the greens are wilted and
dry (no liquid at the bottom of
the pan), about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and season
with salt, pepper and hot sauce.
Cool for about 10 minutes.
Lay puff pastry sheets flat on a
parchment-lined baking sheet.
The dough will have fold lines
dividing it into thirds.
In the center section, crumble
half of the goat cheese. Repeat
with second pastry sheet. Spread
half of the roasted peppers on
top of the goat cheese on each
pastry. Pile half the cooked
greens mixture (squeezing out
liquid if necessary) onto the
roasted red peppers.
Brush the outer third of the
pastry sheet with beaten egg.
Roll the strudel up into a log —
toward the egg-brushed section.
Carefully score the top of the
strudel with a sharp knife — the
cut shouldn’t go all the way
through the dough — a few “X”
shapes work well.
Repeat with second pastry.
Brush pastry tops with beaten
egg and sprinkle with grated
parmesan cheese.
Bake for 30 minutes until
pastry is golden brown. Remove
from oven and let rest for 30
minutes before using a serrated
knife to cut into 2-inch slices.
Serve warm or at room
temperature.
commercialappeal.com
Turnip Greens with Sausage
My husband loves the whole turnip,
but I really only like the greens. This
dish works for both of us and is
delicious over creamy polenta or grits
(stone-ground, local grits of course).
Any mixture of greens works and you
can leave out the turnips entirely. Don’t
fret over the exact measurements of
greens. I just fill the pot.
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. bulk pork sausage
4 cups chicken broth
1 bunch turnips with greens (peel and chop
turnips, chop greens)
3 cups collards, chopped
3 cups kale (about ½ bunch)
1
/8 cup apple cider vinegar
1 to 2 tsp. dried chile flakes
2 tbsp. stone-ground mustard
Salt and pepper
In a large dutch oven, over
medium-high heat, add olive oil and sauté
onions until soft. Add garlic and sausage
and cook until sausage is browned and
completely cooked. Add chopped turnips
and broth. Cover and reduce heat to a
simmer. Cook for 10 minutes.
Add greens, vinegar and chile flakes.
This is a lot of greens to pack into a
pot so you might have to wilt them in
batches to get them to fit.
Cook, stirring frequently until greens
are tender and bright green (about 10
– 15 minutes). Remove from heat and
stir in mustard.
Taste and season with salt and
pepper. Makes 8 generous servings.
For the leftovers, add canned white
beans and some extra broth to make a
hearty winter soup.
The Commercial Appeal Sunday, December 19, 2010 | GOING GREEN 15

To cut back on waste, ask

‘What would Wilders do?’
THE CHILDREN AND I listen to audio
books in the car, and this month, it’s
“Farmer Boy” by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
I’m absolutely blown away by their
greenness.
The theme that keeps repeating over
and over is “waste is sinful.” When
Almanzo feeds candy to the pig,
he worries that he will get in
trouble for “wasting candy on a
pig.” And when he’s carrying
eggnog to the field workers, he is
careful not to spill because “waste
is sinful.”
When the family eats
watermelon, they save the rinds DEANNA
for pickles. When they preserve CASWELL could go to the scrap collection at
apples, they save the cores and
peels for cider. They even refuse Practically out to the box in the garage? Do I
to buy horses with too much Green
muscle, because they don’t need
super-strong horses for their farm, and
“feeding all that muscle would be a
waste.” (Can you imagine if we applied
that to our cars?)
If the Wilders are right, I have a
serious character defect. I don’t make
cider from cores and peels. I feed all our
leftover bits to the chickens and goats,
which the Wilders would find appalling.
Even more appalling would be all the
times I’m too tired to truck the leftovers
out to the pen, and just dump them in
the trash instead.
I recycle all the metal I can, which the
Wilders would have saved up and sold
for scrap, but again, sometimes I’m just
too tired to dig through the trash.
And I almost never make it to the
store to recycle my plastic bags or to
Whole Foods to recycle my Number 5
plastic. (Maybe if I wasn’t pregnant, I
wouldn’t be so tired, but I
seriously doubt it. I think I was
this lazy before.)
And every time I clean out the
attic or garage or our drawers, a
certain portion of it reaches the
donation center, but at some
point, it all starts hitting the can.
And all those old clothes that
Goodwill. Do I truck that sock
even have a box in the garage for
that? (Note to self: Designate box
in garage.)
Just the thought of not wasting
anything is overwhelming. So many
useful items pass in and out of my hands
in a day. But what a happy problem,
right? We could have so little that we are
forced to avoid wasting anything or go
hungry.
In “Little House on the Prairie” and
“Little House in the Big Woods,” Laura’s
family was more like that. They had to
use every bit of the animal, because they
needed every bit for food, clothes, tools,
etc. But in “Farmer Boy,” the Wilders are
16 GOING GREEN | Sunday, December 19, 2010
“rich folk.” They have wall-to-
wall carpeting and machine-
woven clothes. They could afford
to buy most anything they
needed.
The Wilders could easily
afford to leave a field or two for
the weeds, to not save ashes to
make lye for soap, to not milk
the cows. But they didn’t. They
even tapped every maple tree on
their property for sap. My
parents have maple trees. Not
once in 30 years have we
collected the sap.
The Wilders produced more
potatoes and butter and rags than
they could use in a month of
Sundays, but they never let those
resources go to waste. They treat
them with the same dignity they
treat the goods they actually
need, and donate or sell the extra.
Can you imagine? Did you
know that from every rotisserie
chicken you get at Kroger, the
carcass can be used for stock and
then the leftover waste bones
dug into your flour beds? Heard
of bone meal? Do I do that? No.
I am humbled by Laura Ingalls
Wilder. Regardless of how green I
go, I don’t think I’ll ever approach
that level. How about you?
Deanna Caswell is a local writer
who blogs at
littlehouseinthesuburbs.com. Her first
book, “First Ballet,” was released this
year by Hyperion. Caswell and her
husband, Jeff, live in Collierville. She
practices eco-friendly living while
raising their three children, along
with pygmy goats and chickens.
commercialappeal.com
For boutique
owner, old is
new again
By Emily Adams Keplinger
keplinger@commercialappeal.com
Marjorie Steele is a retail veteran.
Formerly she was the owner of Kids
Klassics, a children’s consignment store
in Collierville. That store closed 15
years ago, and since then Steele has
opened and managed several other
businesses.
But the boutique bug continued to
bite, and in March 2010, Steele found
just the spot to open another
consignment store.
The vintage building in the Olde
Towne portion of Olive Branch had
been the home of several businesses,
and was most recently used as a church.
But as the congregation outgrew the
space, the spot opened up, and its
location provided instant charm and an
easy destination for shoppers, as well as
consignors.
With nothing but empty racks and
word-of-mouth publicity, the Green
Boutique opened its doors at 9086
Pigeon Roost Road. The store takes its
name from its chosen mission of helping
others recycle their gently worn
The Commercial Appeal Sunday, December 19, 2010 | GOING GREEN 17

Marjorie Steele is the owner of the Green Boutique, a consignment shop in Old
Towne area of Olive Branch. The store takes it name from its "green" practices,
as consigning items is another means of recycling.

clothing and accessories. become shoppers themselves, so

The Green Boutique specializes
in ladies clothing, handbags and
shoes, and other accessories, as
well as children’s clothing. And the
“My Special Occasion” room offers
pageant dresses, prom dresses,
mother-of-the-bride ensembles and
black-tie or special party attire.
Steele explains, “I’ve always been
conscious of being kind to the
environment, and in today’s
economy, it just makes sense to
recycle rather discard. That idea
seems to be really taking hold, as
more and more people are bringing
me their gently used items. And of
course, many of the consignors
the business perpetuates itself.”
Recently the shop offered a way
to put a green spin on the holidays.
“A mother and daughter came in
together during the holiday
shopping season. Each made
several selections and placed the
items on the counter. Then they
left the main room, returning
separately to Christmas shop for
each other. Buying consignment
items this way meant they each
would get something they wanted
under the tree on Christmas
morning — and it made their
holidays a little greener, by saving
money, too,” says Steele.
18 GOING GREEN | Sunday, December 19, 2010 commercialappeal.com

RETRO STYLE
WHEN IT COMES TO CREATING ECO-
FRIENDLY HOLIDAY DECORATIONS, the
possibilities are limited only by your imagination.
Decorating guru Sandy Sandler knows how to
reuse even the most common household items and
turn them into something beautiful.
“You don’t have to go out and spend a lot of
money to decorate,” she said.
The Commercial Appeal Sunday, December 19, 2010 | GOING GREEN 19

From tree branches to old ornaments,

Sandler can find a way to make them part of a
simple yet elegant decor.
Tie a bow around a jar filled with greenery
or even tree twigs for a centerpiece.
Old Christmas tree ornaments can be used
in a similar way, though a larger container,
such as a vase may be needed.
A terra cotta pot can easily be turned into a
nice topiary centerpiece by filling it with
pinecones, cranberries and other colorful fruit.
“I’m a huge proponent of using things that
are reusable,” Sandler said.
Sandler started a nonprofit organization
called Crafts4Kids when she realized that arts
and crafts aren’t offered in schools.
Many of her decorating tips are on the
Crafts4Kids website, C4K555.org.
Items shown under the Thanksgiving
section can be made into holiday decorations
by simply switching the colors used. Hints to wrap your holiday
String old ornaments together and drape gifts frugally, creatively
them over handrails to dress up a staircase, or
spread fresh greenery across a mantle. ✱ Use scraps of fabric to wrap presents.
Sandler suggests buying an old wooden tray ✱ Paper bags or craft paper can be
from a yard sale or thrift shop and jazzed up as great gift wrap: First wrap
decoupaging it with family photos from past the gift and then decorate.
holidays.
A wreath can be made from old CDs, ✱ Don't have enough of one wrapping
greenery picked up around the yard or cuttings paper to wrap an entire present? Make
left over from the family Christmas tree. a mosaic of wrapping paper. Embellish
For decorating the tree, string popcorn or the seams of the wrapping paper with
cranberries together to use as garland. ribbon, beads, or colored duct tape.
Backyard wildlife can reuse it when it’s cold ✱ Instead of buying pre-made bows
out and food is scarce. make your own. For an additional frugal
With a simple recipe for dough, bake element, you can even repurpose
ornaments in the shape of stars, trees or scraps of different ribbon to create a
snowmen and hang them by ribbons on the tree. unique bow.
They can be decorated with nontoxic paint.
When old ornaments have lost their flare ✱ Make your own gift tags from last
and you’re ready to replace them, even if you year's Christmas cards: Embellish the
don’t reuse them in a centerpiece or wreath, gift tags with buttons, candy, scraps of
there’s another way to recycle them. ribbon, or glitter.
Sandler suggests getting together with "Gift wrapping does not have to be an
neighbors and having an ornament swap. expensive tedious process," Sandler
“What was theirs and old, is now yours and says. "A little imagination and love is all
new,” she said. that is needed."
Suzanne Thompson, Special to Going Green SandySandler
20 GOING GREEN | Sunday, December 19, 2010 commercialappeal.com

Dreaming of a green
Christmas? It’s easy to do
By Stacey Greenberg seated, maintain better balance, and have
Special to Going Green a smoother ride. On top of that, the bikes
are incredibly fun and good-looking.
Good news for you procrastinators. The Townie model showcases the flat-
You can still get a “green” gift for your foot innovation in its purest form, and is
loved ones, even if you wait until the Midtown Bike’s best seller. Manager
last minute. For a gift to be considered Daniel Duckworth has been selling
green, it should be made from sustain- Electras for seven years and rides a
able or reclaimed materials, or help its Townie to work each day. He says that it
owner lead a more sustainable exis- is a bike that just begs to be ridden
tence. When choosing gifts also think everywhere and suggests a 3-7 speed
about who’s making it and how far it bike for beginners. Color choices range
has traveled in order to find its way from black and white to blood orange,
under your tree. pink and lilac.
Before kids can become commuters
Electra bikes and bike themselves, they need to tag along with
accessories Mom and Dad. A low-cost accessory can
With the opening of the Shelby Farms turn a recreational bike into a more
Greenline, the city’s commitment to functional bike. The Midtown Bike
opening more greenways and Company
striping more bike lanes, the has a wide variety of
must-have item this holiday accessories for the Electra
season is a sporty new including front and
Electra bicycle. Electra’s backseat additions, pull-
patented Flat Foot behind trailers, wire baskets
Technology and lights.
allows the For information on
rider to sit Electra Bikes and
upright and accessories, call,
pedal with full Midtown Bike
Company, 509 S.
power and Main, 522-9757.
ease. You can
put your feet
flat on the
ground when
The Commercial Appeal
Vintage clothing and
collectibles
Want to get a unique outfit for the
clotheshorse in your life? Downtown’s
newest boutique, Hoot + Louise, features
hand-selected vintage items that come
dry-cleaned and tailored to fit a modern
esthetic. Dresses and boots are their most
popular items, but don’t overlook the
collectibles like a rust-colored vintage
pitcher and mugs and the Chelsea Hogue
jewelry made from collectibles.
For more information, call Vintage Clothing
and Collectibles, Hoot + Louise, 109 G.E.
Patterson, 746-8683.
American-made clothing
American Apparel operates the largest
apparel manufacturing facility in North
America, in downtown Los Angeles. The
South Main location has a variety of
colorful accessories for the people on
your shopping list — even if you don’t
know their sizes. Look for the Circle Scarf
that can be worn 12 different ways and
comes with directions, fingerless gloves,
Memphis socks in a variety of colorful
stripes, bow ties, knit ties and hooded
scarves.
For more information, call American
Apparel, 528 S. Main, 528-1722.
Eco-boxed wine, artisan spirits
Looking for an earth-conscious gift for
the wine lover in your life? Pick up a box
of wine. The latest wine boxes hold 3
liters, which is the equivalent of four
standard bottles — meaning less waste.
Less energy is required to create a box
than to manufacture a bottle, which also
requires a cork.
Sunday, December 19, 2010 | GOING GREEN 21
With the box there are fewer steps, less
packaging needed, and less energy used.
The boxes contain plastic “bladders” that
can keep the wine fresh for up to a
month.
For more information, call Joe’s Liquor
Store, 1681 Poplar, 725-4252.
Regionally produced chocolate
Looking for a gift for someone with a
sweet tooth? Look no further than the
chocolate aisle at Whole Foods. They
carry select varieties of Olive & Sinclair
chocolate bars, which are slow-roasted
and stone-ground in small batches in
Nashville. Select single-origin beans are
combined with pure brown sugar for a
smooth and robust flavor that is truly
unique. Try the 67% Cacao, 75% Cacao,
Sea Salt, or Salt & Pepper bar.
If those don’t sound exciting enough,
pick up a Vosges candy bar. The Vosges
Haut-Chocolat boutiques in Chicago, New
York and Las Vegas run on 100 percent
renewable wind energy and they use
sustainable and biodegradable packaging.
22 GOING GREEN | Sunday, December 19, 2010 commercialappeal.com

Flavors include Mo’s

Bacon, Mo’s Dark
Bacon, Sugar-Free
Fire, Enchanted
Mushroom, and Black
Pearl.
For more information,
call Whole Foods Market,
5022 Poplar, 685-2293.

Project Green Fork

Combine the chocolate
and spirits with a gift
certificate to a Project Green
Fork certified restaurant for all of the
foodies in your life.
Project Green Fork restaurants
practice sustainability based on these six
steps:
Have sustainable products in place.
Set-up recycling program.
Kitchen composting.
Replace toxic cleaners with nontoxic
cleaners.
Complete energy audit and take End Imports that is made from
necessary steps to reduce energy and sustainable resources such as hemp,
water consumption. bamboo, straw and coca.
Pollution prevention. You’ll also find jewelry from
In just over two years, Project Green Refashioned, a company that is
Fork has certified 27 restaurants committed to offering products made
(including Tsunami, Central BBQ, Sekisui from previously loved, cast-off and
Midtown and YoLo) and is in the process discarded items. Each item has a story
of certifying five more. and an eco-friendly statement, plus each
piece is an original.
For a full listing, go to projectgreenfork.org.
Check out the beaded bracelets and
Sustainable jewelry, organic necklaces made from paper and the rings
and magnets made from colorful plastic
notebooks buttons.
The Memphis Zoo’s gift shop has a And who wouldn’t get a kick out of an
number of low-priced gift items for just animal-printed Poo Poo Paper notebook
about anyone on your list. They carry a or scratch pad? Poo Poo Paper products
line of eco-friendly jewelry from World are 100 percent recycled and odorless
The Commercial Appeal Sunday, December 19, 2010 | GOING GREEN 23

products made
from elephant
dung. Don’t
worry, the
company lets
the waste dry
completely
before
thoroughly
rinsing it. What’s left is the
fibrous refuse from the plant
life elephants consume — a
remarkably perfect source
material for paper production.
Olive & Sinclair chocolate bars, slow-roasted
For more information, call and stone-ground in Nashville, are available at
Memphis Zoo Gift Shop, 2000 Whole Foods.
Prentiss Place, 276-9453

LESSONS IN SUSTAINABILITY

A bike for
Christmas
Ikea’s U.S. workers get a bonus
The American arm of Scandinavian-
style furniture giant Ikea surprised each
of its 12,400 U.S. workers with a new
custom-made bike for the holidays.
“It’s been a good year for Ikea, so what
better way to celebrate our success than
to thank our Ikea co-workers who made
this happen?” said Mike Ward, president
of Ikea US. “This is our way of saying:
’Thanks, Ikea co-workers, for being
strongly committed to working together.’
“We hope this bike will be taken in the
spirit of the season while supporting a
healthy lifestyle and everyday sustainable
transport.”
There are more than 300 Ikea stores in
39 countries, including 37 in the United
States.
— Mark Glover, McClatchy Newspapers
24 GOING GREEN | Sunday, December 19, 2010 commercialappeal.com

7
green things you’re
already doing this
holiday season
By Robin Shreeves / Mother Nature Network
It would be difficult to make it from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day without
spending extra money, consuming additional resources and using more energy than
usual. Because the holiday season is filled with excess, you’ve probably read several
articles about “how to be greener this holiday season.”
It’s good to make an effort to waste less, to be greener, to be more sustainable —
whatever you call your environmental push during the holidays. I’m an advocate of
doing your best and trying to be greener every day when possible, but I’m not a fan of
using green guilt on those who don’t get it right every day.
So give yourself some credit this holiday season for what you’re already doing right.
I bet you’re doing some, or maybe all, of these green things.

1. Recycling. All those extra wine, 5. Borrowing holiday

beer and soft drink bottles are going
into the recycling bin, right? Those
boxes that come in the mail for gifts
you’ve ordered are getting recycled or
reused too, right?
2. Using the good plates. When you
pull out Grandma’s china instead of
buying disposable plates for your
festivities, you’re saving trees and
creating less waste.
3. Reusing gift bags from last year’s
Christmas gifts. Most people fold up
the gift bags they receive and reuse them
when they give a gift. (Even if you do it
just to save money, it’s still green.)
4. Eating your leftovers. Did you
make turkey potpie from your leftover
Thanksgiving turkey? You’ll probably do
something similar with Christmas
leftovers, too. You’re curbing food waste.
entertainment. If you Netflixed
“National Lampoon’s Christmas
Vacation” or borrowed “It’s a Wonderful
Life” to watch while you decorated the
house, give yourself a some green credit.
6. Sending e-vites. E-vites are so
convenient and so environmental. You
send invitations for your holiday party
with a touch of the mouse, your friends
and family get to reply in an easy
manner. And a few trees are saved.
7. Buying a real Christmas tree. I am
convinced that real trees are a better
environmental choice than artificial
trees. A couple of years ago, I did some
research and found that real Christmas
trees are good for the environment. So if
you’re buying a real tree, give yourself a
brownie point. Give yourself two brownie
points if your tree gets recycled.
The Commercial Appeal
By Jenn Savedge
Mother Nature Network
In my alter-ego role over on The
Green Parent, I’m hosting the third
annual holiday post for the Green
Moms Carnival
(organicmania.com/green-moms-
carnival). I’ve been fortunate
enough to be part of this carnival
for about three years now, and each
month I learn something new from
this collaboration of women as we
talk and share posts on topics
ranging from global warming, to
setting green standards, to greening
the dead.
As a group, we have covered
Sunday, December 19, 2010 | GOING GREEN 25
Holidays
without
the
hoopla
almost every aspect of greening the
holidays over the years, so we
decided to do something different
with this year’s holiday carnival.
Our theme, Holidays Without the
Hoopla, is an effort to help folks
have more merry and less madness
as they celebrate the holidays. Over
at the carnival, you’ll find posts on
everything from keeping the
holidays simple to handmade gift
and decoration ideas to holiday
traditions that mean the most to the
Green Moms Carnival members. It’s
definitely worth a look.
As for me, here’s what I’m doing
to minimize the hoopla for my
holidays:
26 GOING GREEN | Sunday, December 19, 2010
Re-evaluate everything. Every year, I go into
the holidays with some sort of plan. It’s not set in
stone; it’s just a general idea of gifts, holiday
traditions to enjoy, recipes to try and so on. But
this year is a little different. While I still have a
general plan in my head, I’m making a
concentrated effort to re-evaluate , to see if it still
fits with my desire to avoid the madness of the
season. Just this past weekend, my girls and I
decided to skip the visit with Santa in lieu of
making cookies at home. We had fun, felt festive
and shared special time together without the
anguish of waiting in line at the mall or shelling
out tons of cash for a cheesy 5-by-7 photo.
Skip the holiday cards. In the past I have sent
out e-cards to my wired friends and a handful of
pony-express cards to friends and family who are
still offline. But in this age of Facebook, YouTube
and blogs, I just don’t think my annual holiday
card is necessary. Friends and family around the
world already know about my family’s major
moments for 2010, and they’ve already seen the
most recent pictures of my kids that I posted just
a few weeks ago. So I will take a pass on holiday
cards this year and spend those hours just kicking
back and relaxing with my family.
Give back. I know it sounds cliched to say that
I’m making sure to give back this holiday season,
but I am — and I’m really enjoying it. Just ask my
Girl Scout troop. Every year we do a number of
service projects together. This year we have been
cramming in service projects every which way we
can — from holiday food drives to making
blankets for the local women’s shelter and writing
holiday cards to soldiers. And I’ve never seen the
girls so happy. Now more than ever, it seems that
there are many people in need, and many of those
people are right in my own community. It’s a no-
brainer for me to use my time and effort to help,
and I’m glad the girls in my troop seem to agree.
So far, I have to say that this holiday season has
been more relaxed, more festive, more fun and less
harried than ever before. I hope to keep up this
momentum so that my family and I can enjoy every
moment without getting caught up in the madness.
Jenn Savedge has written three books on eco-
friendly living. Read more on her green parenting
blog: mnn.com/featured-blogs/greenparenting.
commercialappeal.com
EARTH TALK
Nokia leads in
electronics
green rankings
Dear EarthTalk: Where can I
find information on which elec-
tronics and their manufacturers
are greener than others, with
regard to components, manufac-
turing processes and end use ef-
ficiency?
Now that many consumers are
beginning to care about their
own environmental footprints,
manufacturers are responding
with loads of greener offerings.
One good place to find them is
the Greenpeace Guide to Green-
er Electronics, which ranks the
18 top manufacturers of personal
computers, mobile phones, tele-
visions and game consoles ac-
cording to their policies on toxic
chemicals, recycling and climate
change. Greenpeace hopes that
by publishing and regularly up-
dating the guide they can both
educate consumers about their
choices and influence manufac-
turers to eliminate hazardous
substances, take back and recy-
cle their products responsibly,
and reduce the climate impacts
of their operations and products.
According to Greenpeace, the
top five electronics manufactur-
The Commercial Appeal
ers from a green perspective are Nokia,
Sony Ericsson, Philips, HP and Sam-
sung. These companies get high marks
with Greenpeace for eliminating or scal-
ing way back on the use of hazardous
chemicals linked to cancer and other
health and environmental problems,
which in turn makes recycling their
products less problematic.
Nokia gets top honors from Green-
peace for the second year in a row: All of
the company’s new phone models and ac-
cessories for 2010 are free of brominated
compounds, chlorinated flame retardants
and antimony trioxide, three of the most
toxic chemicals used commonly in most
mobile phones and other consumer elec-
tronics today. Toshiba, Microsoft and
Nintendo are the last-place finishers on
Greenpeace’s list for various reasons, in-
cluding backtracking on or failing to
make commitments to phase out chem-
icals used in the production of vinyl plas-
tic (PVC) and brominated
flame retardants (BFRs).
Another good place to
find info on green elec-
tronics and related
products is the new
website of
TopTen USA,
a nonprofit
organization
that identi-
fies and pub-
licizes the most
energy-efficient prod-
ucts on the market. The
goal of the group — which is
part of a global alliance of like-minded
nonprofits — is to make it easier for
consumers to find the most energy- and
money-saving models, which in turn en-
courages manufacturing innovations
Sunday, December 19, 2010 | GOING GREEN 27
that will shift the whole market in a
greener direction. Besides listing the
greenest individual models of desktop
computers, laptops, monitors and tele-
visions, TopTen USA also lists the
greenest refrigerators, freezers, dish-
washers, clothes washers and even ve-
hicles.
The nonprofit Green Electronics
Council, initially set up to help gov-
ernment, institutional and corporate
purchasers evaluate, compare and select
electronic products based on various en-
vironmental attributes, has now opened
up its EPEAT green certification
database to consumers. Some 1,300
computers, thin clients, workstations
and monitors from dozens of manufac-
turers now bear the EPEAT certification
label ensuring compliance with green
manufacturing and recycling standards.
All federal purchasers are required to
choose between EPEAT-certified models
when possible, and the database has
steadily gained traction
across a wide
range of in-
dustries.
Now con-
sumers can
freely browse
the listings to
see how vari-
ous items from
the likes of Ap-
ple, LG, Panason-
ic, Lenovo and
Sony, among others,
stack up.
Overall, Nokia does best on the toxic
chemicals criteria, followed by energy,
and does least well on e-waste issues.