Live Green Twin Cities

July 28, 2010

Looking for a way to dig in to the earth, get your hands dirty, and be rewarded with real, good, farm-grown food? Join the Crop Mob on Saturday, July 31, at 10am, for a weeding session at Riverbend Farm in Delano, where families, farmer wannabes, and food lovers will gather to help on the farm and then enjoy a free lunch courtesy of Common Roots.

July 26, 2010

Last year we told you about how guerrilla gardens were springing up all over the world, taking root in the UK where thousands of vegetable patches are finding homes on empty plots of land. Now guerrilla gardening is taking root in the Twin Cities, sprucing up parkways, abandoned lots, and neglected cityscapes.

July 21, 2010

Want to make the electricity you use in your home or business greener? Find out if your utility company offers a green electricity program (sometimes called green pricing), a plan that lets you use electricity from renewable sources like wind and solar.

July 18, 2010

Spending money for high-priced beauty goods got you down? Here are some all-natural, green alternatives, cooked up in your own kitchen, where you can reconnect with the fun side of personal grooming--no animal testing, no major money down the drain, no junky packaging or ludicrous marketing campaigns.

July 13, 2010

Feel intimidated by the concept of "local food"? Don't know the difference between garlic scapes and kohlrabi? Or just simply want to learn how to eat healthier? You're not alone. Join like-minded folks this Saturday in Lowertown St. Paul for a tour of the St. Paul Farmers' Market, food prep demos, and discussions about urban farming, the ethics of eating, and more.

July 12, 2010

If you're anything like me (and my deepest sympathies if you are), you open your CSA box, call the insides all "lettuce," and later learn it was full of bok choy, collard greens, and garlic scapes. Bok choy and collard greens? In Minnesota? It's entirely true, and how they came to be popular this far north is a fascinating story.

July 08, 2010

What sorts of things can you do with those phone books piling up on your porch? The ones you never wanted in the first place? One local blogger has a few answers. And until an opt-in alternative becomes a reality, a rising crop of phone book artists from all over are providing unique tips on turning waste into useful objects--and shot puts.

July 07, 2010

The University of Minnesota Morris campus has always been a green trendsetter: Since 2000, the campus has been a national leader in clean energy and sustainable food initiatives. Now, with the upcoming installation of additional wind turbines, the Minnesota campus aims to set the standards for energy efficiency.

July 07, 2010

Not sure if you can recycle that cereal box? (Hint: You can.) Don't know where you can recycle batteries? What about that fridge? Never fear. We offer you an easy guide to finding recycling info, disposal drop-off sites, tax incentives, energy-saving resources, and more.

July 06, 2010

Laptops, cell phones, game systems, iPods and all of our favorite must-have consumer electronics suck up about 15 percent of our entire household power use every day. And according to reports from the International Energy Agency, that number could triple by 2030 to total the equivalent of the current residential power consumed by Japan and the U.S.

July 02, 2010

Local, sustainable food is important, but it's not always accessible or affordable, especially for low-income families. But that's about to change for many Minnesota residents.The big Minneapolis Farmers Market  joins the Midtown Farmers Market and the Northeast Farmers Market in helping bring low-income families and healthy foods together.