GRN EVENTS

Turkey Day: Take that Butterball and STUFF it

By Karen Chi, Intern

the fantasy

the reality

We all know that the centerpiece of most Thanksgiving dinners is a beautifully roasted, succulent turkey. We see turkeys nowadays going for less than a dollar a pound as a Holiday “deal.” As a conscious buyer, I’m awed at the impossibly low prices and wonder just how many cutbacks it took to make this turkey so cheap… not only a cost of a life but it’s probable lowly existence in a factory farm. I won’t go into details as I’m sure many of you already know the horrible conditions of a factory farm like the photo above illustrates.

I know it’s difficult for many of us to ask our families to completely drop the turkey traditional, so how about taking a more sustainable approach? Try local markets, such as Mother’s or Jimbo’s, for locally raised turkeys, and if you can splurge a little, go as far as an organic bird. Last year for Christmas I bought a vegetarian-fed, locally-raised, and cage-free bird that was a hit at the dinner table. Simply put – do what you can to be green and give thanks!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Posted in Going Green

It’s National Food Day!

By Chrissy Gray, Event Planner

If you ask me, every day should be food day! But I guess one day is better than none, right? So today celebrate all things healthy, organic, and sustainable when it comes to food during National Food Day! Here in OC there are tons of events to check out. Several of our favorites include:

The Sustainable Plate at Chapman University

Avanti Cafe’s Food Day Special Meal

Native Foods Celebrates Food Day

If eating organic, sustainably produced food is important to you, consider becoming active in your community with the Label GMO’s campaign. Proponents of GMO’s say that without them, world hunger is inevitable. The reality is, that the problem is not food shortages, it’s food distribution. GMO’s will not help this. In fact, it’s been shown that they often deliver yields that are no better, and often worse, than conventional crops. Moreover, there were no human trials conducted before genetically modified crops were even introduced into the U.S. food supply! That means that the health effects of most GM food products have never been fully tested. Scary stuff indeed! Voice your concerns about GMO’s and help to make labeling mandatory!

Posted in Events: Food, Going Green, Sustainability

The Week Ahead 10.10.11

By Chrissy Gray, Event Planner

Tired of the same boring routine? Check out The Week Ahead and bring a little spice back to your life.

Monday 10.10

Get ready to fire up your taste buds for a week of eco-restaurant hopping. Ecorazzi Eats Restaurant Week is celebrating sustainable, vegetarian, and vegan restaurants October 12 to 19, 2011. All over the country, many of the most popular eco-eateries are offering specials, including 3-course prix fixe meals to 20 percent off (or free) desserts or appetizers. Although there aren’t many restaurants in Orange County participating (sigh) a few of my absolute favorites are, including Avanti Café, True Food Kitchen, and the Seabirds Food Truck.

Tuesday 10.11

Beginning as a call to action from Adbusters, an anti-consumerist organization, on September 17th, people of all races, backgrounds, political and religious beliefs, began to organize in nonviolent protest, starting a movement called Occupy Wall Street. These men and women represent the 99% with the goal of ending the greed and corruption of the wealthiest 1% of America. Occupy Wall Street is a leaderless resistance movement that has now spread to cities across the world, including several in Orange County, San Diego, and Los Angeles. Stand up against the financial crisis affecting America today and let your voice be heard!

Wednesday 10.12

The Laguna Hills raised retro-soul singer, Aloe Blacc, will be performing live at Detroit bar tonight. His newest album, Good Things tackles issues such as “joblessness, homeless, the misappropriation of wealth, pillaging of resources, and a universal lack of compassion from the capitalism at-large” and reflects his desire to promote social change with songs like “Politician” and “I Need a Dollar.” With the perfect blend of hip-hop and soul, Aloe Blacc is definitely worth checking out!

Thursday 10.13

Ok, so let’s get serious here – who doesn’t love Huell Howser? He’s pretty awesome, right?! And this Thursday the goofy host of many of PBS’s favorite travel shows – including California Gold – will be live in person at Chapman University. Admission is free, but space is limited, so be sure to arrive early.

Friday 10.14

Celebrate the launch of Locale Magazine’s Holiday issue at the OC Mart Mix in Costa Mesa. With a $20 donation at the door, benefiting the OM Foundation, receive complimentary Crow Bar burgers, cocktails, and beer. Entertainment by: The Lucky Lonely, Ugly Paint, Allensworth, and Micah Brown. The party will be held outside around the fire pits so dress warmly. The cute shops at the OC Mart Mix will be open during the event, and food trucks will also be there for those of you who are extra hungry. RSVP required.

Saturday 10.15

Be sure to check out the Orange County Museum of Art’s exhibit State of Mind: New California Art Circa 1970, which just opened this week. State of Mind is the most comprehensive exhibition to date to focus on Conceptual art in both Northern and Southern California and features more than 150 works of art, the exhibition includes installations, photographs, works on paper, videos and films, artists’ books, extensive performance documentation, and other ephemera.

Sunday 10.16

Want a fun way to entertain the kiddos for the afternoon? Take them to The Cube, a.k.a the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana. One of their newest exhibits, the Eco Challenge, teaches visitors how to make environmentally conscious shopping decisions based on packaging and production, as well as how to properly recycling different types of waste and how to avoid hazardous materials. The cool, interactive exhibit is a blast for kids and adults alike.

Posted in Art, Fundraisers, Going Green, Music, Sustainability, Weekly Events