The Strange, The Funny, and The Sporting Food Festivals of Europe and the USA and yes – Down Under! – Part II

In Part I we looked at the oddest food festivals in the USA.  Let us now consider some of the most unusually inventive food-themed festivals in Europe – and yes, Down Under.  Once again see if you can guess the Name of the festival or its Country of origin or both.  Good luck and good pickings!

(1) Held in the Valencian town of Bunol every August for the past 67 years, it is the world’s largest vegetable fight known for its red pulp. NAME THE FESTIVAL AND THE COUNTRY IT IS HELD IN.

(2) Held every February in the province of Turin in the foothills of the Alps, this peculiar three-day festival is known for its tradition of throwing a particular citrus fruit between organized groups. NAME THE FESTIVAL AND THE COUNTRY IT IS HELD IN.

(3) Held every spring at Cooper’s Hill in the Cotswold region for over 200 years, this downhill racing festival follows a wheel of dairy product that can reach speeds of up to 70 miles per hour. NAME THE FESTIVAL AND THE COUNTRY IT IS HELD IN.

(4) Held every January, this Down Under festival features men and women flinging a particular fish weighing between 8 to 10 kilos as far as they possibly can. NAME THE FESTIVAL AND THE COUNTRY IT IS HELD IN.

(5) Held every December in Oaxaca since 1897, this festival features a folk art competition of sculptures made from a carved vegetable that is fantastically transformed into religious, historical and mythical scenes. NAME THE FESTIVAL AND THE COUNTRY IT IS HELD IN.

(6) Held every March at the western port town of Hokitika close to Greymouth and the southern Alps of this island, this festival features stalls of bizarre wild foods ranging from insects and ferns to sea gull eggs and sheep testicles. NAME THE FESTIVAL AND THE COUNTRY IT IS HELD IN.

(7) Held every August and filled with gaily colored paper lanterns, bibs, and hats and traditional drinking songs, this traditional but rowdy five hundred year old Nordic party festival is all about a freshwater crustacean similar to a lobster. NAME THE FESTIVAL AND THE COUNTRY IT IS HELD IN.

(8) Established in 1653 and held every October alongside the Weimar Beer Festival, this singular street fair is filled with medieval stalls of local crafts and local bands playing around the clock, and most of all – wreaths of this pungent smelling vegetable. NAME THE FESTIVAL AND THE COUNTRY IT IS HELD IN.

(9) Held annually since 1971, this village fair and edible vegetable-shooting contest uses lung-powered pieces of tubes and laser sights to hit a target made of putty from a distance of 12 yards. NAME THE FESTIVAL AND THE COUNTRY IT IS HELD IN.

(10) Held every autumn since 1743, this Nordic seafood festival begins with a competition for the “Pickled Fish of the Year” whilst selling local artisanal handicrafts like birch and maple wood kitchen utensils, regional food products such as jam-packed pancakes and wild honey from Lapland and this particular Baltic fish in every imaginable form – in a jar, in a can, in a sandwich, in soup, deep-fried, and even on a pizza. NAME THE FESTIVAL AND THE COUNTRY IT IS HELD IN.

(11) Held biennially in February in the town of Chinchilla, this one-of-a-kind fruit sporting festival features a unique brand of fruit tossing, fruit skiing, fruit Ironman, fruit ball games, fruit bungee, fruit bullseye, fruit splitting, and pip spitting contests for the entire family. NAME THE FESTIVAL AND THE COUNTRY IT IS HELD IN.

(12) Held every February in the Flemish town of Geraardsbergen, this Celtic festival celebrates the onset of spring with a parade, a blessing of the hill, the hurling of ring-shaped bread rolls, and the symbolic drinking of live tiny grey fish immersed in red wine. NAME THE FESTIVAL AND THE COUNTRY IT IS HELD IN.

(13) Held every weekend between October and November, the ancient Piedmont town of Alba, an important wine center, celebrates this subterranean mushroom with parades, musical bands, medieval costumes, and donkey races. NAME THE FESTIVAL AND THE COUNTRY IT IS HELD IN.

(14) Beginning in 1445 and held ever since on “Shrove Tuesday” (also known as Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday – the day preceding the first day of Lent), the women of the town of Olney race from the market square to the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul with this food item and frying pan in hand. NAME THE FESTIVAL AND THE COUNTRY IT IS HELD IN.

Answers:

(1) La Tomatina – Spain

(2) Ivrea Orange Festival or Battle of the Oranges – Italy

(3) Cheese Rolling Festival-England

(4) Qantaslink Tunarama Festival-Australia

(5) Night of the Radishes-Mexico

(6) Hokitika Wildfoods Festival – New Zealand

(7) Crawfish Party – Sweden

(8) Weimar Onion Market Festival – Germany

(9) World Pea Shooting Championship – England

(10) Baltic Herring Festival – Finland

(11) Chinchilla Melon Festival – Australia

(12) Krakelingen Festival – Belgium

(13) Alba Truffle Festival – Italy

(14) Olney Pancake Race – England

The Strange, The Funny, and The Sporting Food Festivals of Europe and the USA – Part I

Late November is almost upon us and once again Americans across the country are readying their table for that ubiquitous paragon of poultry – a large roasted turkey with assorted culinary accoutrements. Known as Thanksgiving Day or “Turkey Day”, the turkey has gradually become the reigning mascot of this holiday tradition but if one looks closely – there are other unusual festivities in both Europe and the USA that feature a particular creature or foodstuff as part of its celebration. Here in Part I, we shall look at some of the oddest food festivals in the USA. See if you can guess the State of origin or the Name of the festival or both. Good luck and happy gobble, gobble!

(1) Held every summer for the past 66 years, what five-day food festival celebrates a luscious red crustacean sometimes called the “Cockroach of the Sea”? Festivities include a big parade, an international crate race, cooking contests, US Navy ship tours, and wonderful displays of local crafts. NAME THE FESTIVAL AND THE STATE IT IS HELD IN.

(2) Known as a powerful seasoning, a relative of the onion, prized by the Egyptians for culinary and medicinal purposes and known for its repellant properties against vampires, what three-day festival celebrates this pungent herb? NAME THE FESTIVAL AND THE STATE IT IS HELD IN.

(3) A member of the sunflower family, introduced to the New World by Christopher Columbus, and sometimes referred to as ‘rabbit food’, what food festival celebrates this leafy vegetable which Americans consume at the rate of 30 pounds per year? NAME THE FESTIVAL AND THE STATE IT IS HELD IN.

(4) Of Native American origin and common in the southern United States, what three-day food festival honors this thick corn-based porridge with contestants rolling in it, grinding it, and eating it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? NAME THE FESTIVAL AND THE STATE IT IS HELD IN.

(5) A member of the nightshade family, first cultivated in Central and South America over 6000 years ago, what two-day festival celebrates this type of pepper used in enchiladas, stews, and sauces?  NAME THE FESTIVAL AND THE STATE IT IS HELD IN.

(6) Held the second weekend of each November, what food festival features a green mascot indigenous to the bayous of this state? Festivities include a queen’s contest, carnival, parade, live music, and of course this tailless amphibian’s racing and jumping contests. NAME THE FESTIVAL AND THE STATE IT IS HELD IN.

(7) Held in the Midwest every July, this three-day food festival features a fun-loving polka parade, a Precision Lawn-mower drill team, a twirling Babushka Brigade, a Polish Princess, and dancing dumplings and dumpling tosses – all in honor of this Eastern European handmade dumpling popularized by immigrants coming to America in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. NAME THE FESTIVAL AND THE STATE IT IS HELD IN.

(8) First introduced in Chattanooga, Tennessee in the 1930’s, this round marshmallow-filled graham cracker cookie pastry is celebrated each year on the third Saturday of June along with soft drink, Royal Crown Cola, in a one-day Southern classic extravaganza. Festivities include a 10-mile run, games, contests, cloggers, Country music and bluegrass, and dozens of food stalls and arts and crafts booths. NAME THE FESTIVAL AND THE STATE IT IS HELD IN.

(9) Also known as “Shroomfest”, what four-day food festival in this mile-high state celebrates a foodstuff grown in darkness? Festivities include people dressing up like delectable fungi, cooking demonstrations, and guided hikes in fungi hunting. NAME THE FESTIVAL AND THE STATE IT IS HELD IN.

(10) Held every September, what bizarre food festival features wild game commonly found dead along the road such as armadillos, deer, rabbits, porcupines, possum, raccoons, squirrels, groundhogs and bears? Festivities include a 5K run, a dog show, a beauty pageant, duck races, musical shows, and arts and crafts. NAME THE FESTIVAL AND THE STATE IT IS HELD IN.

(11) Held every September at the Museum of Natural Sciences, what southeastern food festival features insects as the sole gourmet item? Festivities include live bands, a street carnival, a nocturnal insect tour of moths, fireflies, katydids, face paintings for kids, beekeeping workshops, buggy dishes and exhibits and roach races. NAME THE FESTIVAL AND THE STATE IT IS HELD IN.

(12) What three-day food festival in May features one of the oldest rattlesnake hunts in the world? Festivities include a horseshoe tournament, a poker run, live music, caboose rides, helicopter rides, a town-wide garage sale and snake measuring contests. NAME THE FESTIVAL AND THE STATE IT IS HELD IN.

(13) Beginning in the Depression and held every July since 1935, this three-day event celebrates this tart-flavored fruit with an arts and crafts festival, a Grand Day parade, royalty coronations, a 5 mile run, and a pig roasting at the end.  NAME THE FESTIVAL AND THE STATE IT IS HELD IN.

Answers:

(1) Maine Lobster Festival – Maine

(2) Gilroy Garlic Festival – California

(3) Yuma Lettuce Days – Arizona

(4) World Grits Festival – South Carolina

(5) Hatch Chile Festival – New Mexico

(6) Rayne Frog Festival – Louisiana

(7) Whiting Pierogi Fest – Indiana

(8) RC Cola and Moon Pie Festival – Tennessee

(9) Telluride Mushroom Festival – Colorado

(10) The West Virginia RoadKill Cook-Off – West Virginia

(11) The Bugfest – North Carolina

(12) Okeene Rattlesnake Roundup – Oklahoma

(13) Hopkins Raspberry Festival – Minnesota

Unusual Global Eco-Alliances That You Should Know About!

Even though we are all citizens of the same world, it may not be so obvious to most of us of the ‘names’ of certain orgnizations that have coalesced together in recent years to tackle the problem of protecting our planet – specifically the continual global assault on our environmental resources and the health of all of its inhabitants. Call it “planetary justice” if you like, but behind the scenes these six organizations are transforming the way we live and look at this world as human beings whilst building a more sustainable greener planet. There is much to do to preserve just our own local communities and societal heritage here at home but we at Cherltons Green Guide cannot but help to give a high approbation to these wonderfully inspiring multi-dimensional, interdisciplinary “eco-global alliances”. They are as follows:

1. The Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves – http://www.cleancookstoves.org/ Being an American, I take for granted my quiet GE electric cooktop stove.  But did you know that 40% of the world’s population in parts of Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean still cook over open fires and on rudimentary cookstoves? – And they are using dung, brush, charcoal, and crop residues as their cooking fuel?  The shocking truth is that the smoke from these solid fuels causes a wide range of illnesses from respiratory infections to cardiovascular disease, from lung cancer to child pneumonia, from increased cataracts to low birth-weights.  Another words four million people die each year from household cooking smoke each year.  Hence, the goal of this organization is “to foster the adoption of clean cookstoves and fuels in 100 million households by 2020.

2. Eco Health Alliance – http://www.ecohealthalliance.org/ Being a Texan, I am all too familiar with the recent outbreaks of the West Nile virus being reported in the media in this part of the country, but did you know that 60-75% of emerging infectious diseases that affect humans originate in animals? And that two thirds of these animals are wild animals? Hence, the goal of this global, non-profit organization is to prevent the transmission of these EID’s (Emerging Infectious Diseases) from becoming pandemic. And at the same time, this organization is determined to protect the delicate ecosystems of endangered wildlife species as the link between these two goals is interrelated and can affect both human health as well as global biodiversity.

3. Global Climate Change Alliance – http://www.gcca.eu Living in Texas, I am very aware that 94% of the state is abnormally dry. But did you know that weird weather patterns are also adversely hitting the ‘Least Developed Countries’ (LDC’s) such as Cambodia, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Rwanda, Guyana, and the ‘Small Island Developing States’ such as the Solomon Islands, Seychelles, Maldives, and Jamaica? Even though these countries have contributed the least to green house gas emissions? Hence, the goal of this European Union-sponsored organization is to both provide informational exchange and technical and financial support to developing countries on ways to build and integrate a “climate-resilient low-carbon economy”, to incorporate “disaster risk reduction strategies” and to support investments in renewable energies and land resource protection and adaption programs.

4. Trusted Adventures Alliance – http://www.trustedadventures.com/about-us.php Being an experienced world traveler in search of unique one-of-a-kind travel adventures whose touring itineraries typically combine eco-sports such as hiking, biking, walking, rafting and kayaking with cultural anthropological immersions into traditional indigenous communities, I have found it best to partner up with tour operating companies that are internationally known for their responsible travel practices, exceptional guest services, and uncompromising quality. Such is the case with these nine independently operating travel companies –Austin-Lehman Adventures, Wildland Adventures, ROW Adventures, The Wayfarers, Myths and Mountains, American Safari Cruises, Western River Expeditions, Ciclismo Classico, and Great Alaska International Adventure Vacations – all of whom have joined together to “provide authentic, transformational travel experiences” for individuals, families, and groups with the aim of “preserving our planet and its cultural heritage”. To ensure sustainable travel experiences for the future and promote existing local economies, this organization has also been active in funding conservation programs, libraries, and “cleaner” motorized boats – again with the aim of protecting natural resources and world communal heritage throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa.

5. Global Human Ecodynamics Alliance – http://www.gheahome.org Being a cultural anthropologist myself by training, I am fascinated by the field of “Human Ecodynamics” which looks at “the past and present global interactions of humans and the natural world, using fields of inquiry and methods of investigation from anthropology, archaeology, sociology, geosciences, climatology, biological sciences, art, history, and political science.” Hence the goal of this organization is to foster – “working groups” – interested researchers from an array of backgrounds and studies who voluntarily collaborate with each other around a particular project and a common purpose – the biological and sociological interactions of humans and their ecosystems over space and time. Two such collective examples of these working groups now under discussion are: 1) “the issue of coastal erosion as it affects human communities past and present” and 2) “global climate change and the attendant serious threats to the global archaeological record”.

6. Global Green Grants Fund – http://www.greengrants.org/ Like most Americans, I do my bit everyday in giving to charities that support animal rights and promote land and ocean conservation efforts right here in the USA – but this association of “changemakers” does a great deal more! It is a public charity that funds eco-related projects primarily in the developing world and emerging economies – projects that address “toxic contamination, destruction of natural resources, disappearance of water, food, and work and displacement from traditional lands”. Their mission in essence is “to mobilize resources for global environmental sustainability and social justice” and since 1993 they have been doing just that – making nearly 6,000 grants to youth groups, tribal councils, and non-governmental organizations who are in need of basic educational resources and infrastructure and “green” leadership.

Unleash Your ‘Inner Artist’ with Landscape Painting Courses or “Plein Air” Painting Workshops!

What better way to be inspired by nature than to immerse yourself in an outdoor setting – painting sensational scenery with internationally renown instructors! Here are but a few tempting workshops to whet your artistic appetite.

COURSE DESCRIPTION: PLIEN AIR WORKSHOP – “FOLLOWING AND PAINTING THE LIGHT”
*LOCATION – CHAMPAGNE & BOURGOGNE REGIONS OF FRANCE
CLASS SIZE: MAXIMUM OF 7
SKILL LEVEL: OPEN TO ALL LEVELS
DATE: AUGUST 4-18, 2012 (TWO WEEKS)
TUITION: 3400 EUROS
INSTRUCTOR: JAMES RICHARDS
CONTACT: Kristina@labonneetoile.com
WEBSITE: http://www.labonneetoile.com/index.html

COURSE DESCRIPTION: TUSCANY LANDSCAPE PAINTING, DRAWING, SCULPTING, & EATING
*LOCATION – MONTORNO & SERAVEZZA, ITALY
CLASS SIZE: MAXIMUM OF 12
SKILL LEVEL: OPEN TO ALL LEVELS
DATE: August 17-28, 2012
TUITION: $3,300 USD
INSTRUCTOR: KURT SCHWARZ
CONTACT: 1-703-521-0595 or info@montorno.com
WEBSITE: http://www.montorno.com

COURSE DESCRIPTION: PLEIN AIR PAINTING
*LOCATION: TAOS, NEW MEXICO, USA – 7000 FOOT ALTITUDE
CLASS SIZE: MAXIMUM OF 12
SKILL LEVEL: BEGINNER TO INTERMEDIATE
DATE: Sept. 29-Oct. 1, 2012 TWO DAY BEGINNER CLASS-TUITION: $275.00 USD
DATE: Oct. 2-7, 2012 FIVE DAY INTERMEDIATE CLASS-TUITION: $585.00 USD
HOUSING: KACHINA LODGE IN TAOS
INSTRUCTOR: RICHARD GALLEGO
CONTACT: TAOS ART SCHOOL – tas@taosartschool.org
WEBSITE: http://taosartschool.org/begin_pleinair/beg_pleinair.htm

COURSE DESCRIPTION: FLEXIBLE SUNDAY MORNING OUTDOOR PAINTING LANDSCAPE
*LOCATION: VARIOUS SPOTS IN WESTERN CONNECTICUT, USA
CLASS SIZE: MAXIMUM OF 10
SKILL LEVEL: BEGINNER TO INTERMEDIATE TO ADVANCED
FLEXIBLE DATES: August 4, 11, 18, 25, Sept 9 and any Sunday in September.
TIME: 8:30AM -11:30AM
TUITION: $140.00 USD FOR THREE CLASSES
INSTRUCTOR: SAM D’AMBRUOSO
CONTACT: TRAVELING PALETTE ART WORKSHOP at 203-758-9660
WEBSITE: http://www.dambruosostudios.com/artclassesinct.html

Multicultural Environmentalism At Work – The Preeminent Green Royals of Morocco, Monaco, and the Middle East!

There are a handful of royals right now who are using their unique sovereign status to draw attention to a variety of eco-causes. And in this article, we shall look specifically at the “Green Royals” of Monaco, Morocco, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia who are making a difference in “greening” their homelands – homelands with such allure and exotic fascination that many an old Hollywood movie has been aggrandized by using these places as the centerpiece of their story.

One of my favorites is “Casablanca”, a stirring wartime romance and adventure film set in northern Africa in 1942 featuring acting celebrities Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. Today, however, the city of Casablanca is now independent of French rule in the Kingdom of Morocco and its current king is Mohammed VI. And since 1999, his sister, HRH Princess Lalla Hasna, has been presiding over many an environmental initiative including the national campaign to protect the country’s 3,500 kilometers of Atlantic and Mediterranean coastline and most notably as Chairwoman of the “Mohammed VI Foundation for the Protection of the Environment” – the rehabilitation and reopening of “Hermitage Park” in Casablanca last year.

And for those of you who are adventure-loving moviegoers, who can forget the final climatic scenes of the action-packed 1989 Steven Spielberg film, “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” featuring the ancient cliff-carved monastery at Petra, Jordan? Lost for centuries, this rose-red colored city of stone is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. But not lost in the environmental annals of achievement is the present-day royal family of Jordan, five of whom are major players in the sustainable development of Jordan’s eco-tourism attractions and energy independency:

1) His Royal Majesty Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein is currently involved in one of the most ambitious eco-projects in world history called the “Sahara Forest Project” – an ambitious project to turn the deserts of Jordan into a verdant oasis utilizing saltwater-cooled greenhouses, a solar panel plant, algae cultivation facilities and halophyte or salt-loving plant cultivation units.

2) The king’s wife, Her Royal Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah, is both the Founder and Chairwoman of the “Jordan River Foundation” which empowers Jordanians – especially women and children – with economic opportunities realized thru the promotion of native eco-handicrafts i.e. baskets, mats and native furniture made of local banana leaves and cattail reeds. She is also a strong supporter of organic farming and her country’s plan to convert up to 5% of Jordanian farms by 2014.

3) The king’s step-mother, Her Royal Majesty Queen Noor, is the Co-Founder and Patron of “The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature” (RSCN) whose mission is to bio-manage the natural resources of Jordan and protect its wildlife species and the biodiversity of the wilderness regions of the kingdom. Her environmental achievements are many – 1) the establishment of twelve nature reserves, 2) the creation of more than 500 environmental school clubs throughout Jordan’s school system, 3) the integration of biodiversity concepts into school curricula, and 4) the socio-economic development of rural communities by creating job opportunities through eco-tourism, craft production, and other nature-based businesses. She also founded the “Aqaba Committee for the Protection of the Environment” and helped establish the Gulf of Aqaba’s Marine Science Station which houses an aquarium and carries out education and research projects. Internationally, the Queen is Patron of the IUCN, (the “International Union for Conservation of Nature”), the oldest international conservation organization in the world, and a board member of the WWF, ( the “World Wildlife Fund International”), the largest, privately supported international conservation organization dedicated to protecting the world’s wildlife and wildlands. In addition, Queen Noor is the Founding President and Honorary President Emeritus of “BirdLife International”, and Trustee Emeritus of “Conservation International”. Here in the USA, she is a director on the global board of “The Hunger Project” and an Ambassador for “Future Harvest CASA”, (the “Chesapeake Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture”) which promotes “profitable, environmentally sound and socially acceptable food and farming systems that work to sustain communities.”

4) The king’s uncle, Prince Hassan bin Tala, is a big supporter of a massive renewable energy project called “Desertec” which calls for the building of massive solar arrays throughout the Middle East and North Africa which could supply one-sixth of the European Union’s electricity needs. His aim is to seek energy independence for Jordan and to transition its people away from a fossil-fuel civilization to a solar-energy civilization.

5) The king’s aunt, Princess Basma bint Talal, is the Founder of both the “Royal Botanic Garden of Jordan” whose mission is “to preserve native plants and ecosystems, and promote biodiversity research and environmental learning” and the “Royal Marine Conservation Society of Jordan” whose mission is “to contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of the marine environment in Jordan through conservation programs, advocacy, education, outreach and empowerment”. She is also the chair of the Jordan Royal Ecological Diving Society and the National Environment Wildlife Society.

And who can forget acting royal, Grace Kelly, in Alfred Hitchcock’s memorable romantic thriller, “To Catch a Thief”, set in 1955 along the French Riviera? Today her son, Prince Albert II Grimaldi, better known as the “Green Prince”, is the Founder of the “Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation” whose commitment to sustainable and ethical projects around the world is reflected in his foundation’s mission: to combat climate change and develop renewable energies; to combat the loss of biodiversity; to combat desertification in Africa and improve universal access to clean water. Closer to home, one of the aims of the “Green Prince” is to have all future car races in the “Monaco Grand Prix” be fueled by biofuels and not gasoline. Towards that end, Monaco now has the highest state subsidies in the world for electric vehicles and hybrids as well as the highest concentration of electric-charging stations in the world for its land mass area of .7 square miles (or the size of New York City’s Central Park): 333+ stations for four-wheeled vehicles and 145+ stations for two-wheeled vehicles. Another innovation in new environmental technology applications that has come about under the auspices of Prince Albert is the Monaco-made invention of “Seawater Heat Pumps” which today produce 17 percent of the total energy consumed in the Principality of Monaco as well as the world’s first official fleet of electric “Smart Cars”.

And lastly, who can forget the Hollywood 1962 film classic, “Lawrence of Arabia”? Although Director, David Lean, shot this epic adventure in Morocco and Spain, the spectacular sand dunes shown across the big screen might as well have been the Arabian desert of Saudi Arabia in the eyes of many a westernized viewer. Today Saudi Arabia is proudly ruled by King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al Saud, who two years ago, decreed that a new renewable energy city be built called the “King Abdullah Economic City” along with the “King Abdullah University of Science and Technology” whose prestigious research facilities are focused on both solar and nuclear technologies and environmental issues.

Thus finding innovative solutions to key environmental and energy-related problems now has “royally green ambassadors” actively committed to ecologically-responsible alternatives.

Ten of China’s Ongoing Investment Efforts in Renewable Energy!

DID YOU KNOW THAT …..?

1- It is official: China is now the world’s largest consumer of energy, surpassing the US in 2009, according to the International Energy Agency. It is now poised to spend $473.1 billion on clean energy investments in the next five years. China also wants 20 per cent of its total energy demand to be met by wind and solar by 2021.

2- In terms of solar power, China is projected to surpass Germany in 2013 as the world’s largest market for solar energy. As of 2011, China produced three-fifths of all the solar panels in the world and exported 95% of these panels much of them going to the United States.

3- Located in the northwestern province of Gansu, in the ancient garrison town of Jiuquan on the old Silk Road, wind turbines now stretch into the desert landscape with the capacity to generate 6GW of wind energy – roughly equivalent to that of the whole UK. The plan is to more than triple that number by 2015, when this area could become the biggest wind farm in the world.

4- China is now in the midst of constructing the largest offshore wind farm in the world in its northern Hebei province. With an investment of 913 million, the wind farm will consist of 100 units of 3 megawatts offshore turbines. It will be located near Puti Island in Bohai Sea and completed in 2015. When it goes into operation, the wind farm will generate 752 million kilowatt-hours of electric power annually.

5- Since 2009, China has embarked on the largest Green Hotel Plan in the world – building 10,000 green hotels over a four year period – 1000 green hotels in 2009, 2000 green hotels in 2010, 3000 green hotels in 2011, and 4000 green hotels in 2012.

6- China, the world’s largest automotive market is planning to become the electric vehicle mecca of the world – producing one million electric cars by 2020. To meet the challenge of sustainable mobility, both Iranian investors and Chinese industrial units announced just this month a joint venture to manufacture electric cars in Shanghai in an attempt to reduce air pollution in Iran. Meanwhile, Germany’s automaker, Daimler AG, and China’s battery and car producer, BYD Co., will be launching a new electric car brand next year called the “DENZA”.

7- Since 1978, China has been planting a series of forest strips called “The Green Wall of China” designed to hold back the expansion of the Gobi Desert. This green program is scheduled to be completed by 2050 and 2,800 miles in length.

8- The world’s largest sustainable city or eco-city, Tianjin, is now being developed with the hottest energy-saving technologies. Located 93 miles southeast from Beijing, it will extend 30 square kilometers, equal to half the size of Manhattan Island in the USA, and be home for 350,000 residents.

9- Beginning this year, China’s government is set to invest $25.2 million to explore and evaluate shallow-lying geothermal energy spots in 29 provincial capital cities across the country. In addition, water investments are set to double in the 12th Five Year Plan (2011-2015) with more than $4.54 billion being allocated for water and wastewater treatments.

10- Last October, Air China and American-based aerospace company, Boeing, conducted China’s first sustainable biofuel flight on a Boeing 747 – a two hour overland flight from Beijing Capital International Airport using jatropha-based aviation biofuel developed in southwest China by PetroChina blended together with Honeywell’s UOP Green Jet Fuel. Air China and Boeing are now working on plans for a trans-Pacific flight between China and the USA with biofuel sourced from both countries. In addition America’s Boeing has signed a collaboration agreement with China’s National Energy Administration for further study of regional biofuel development.

But China isn’t the only country undergoing a green revolution – we shall now look to Monaco, Morocco, and the Mideast in our next posting and the efforts being made there by the ruling families of each region – known today as the “Green Royals”.

Long Before the US Navy Rolled Out The World’s First Hybrid Warship and Algae-Run Riverine Boats — There Were the Vikings!

Yes, that’s right – the fearsome but fearless Vikings of Middle Ages yore were indeed the world’s first eco-amphibious special operations team – precursors of today’s “United States Navy Seals” – both in their ability to navigate covertly and scout out landing beaches and their success in raiding and recycling coastal defenses.   Our argument is based on four recent scientific discoveries: 1) Their use of calcite crystals in open-sea navigation 2) Their recycling of broken and captured metal weapons 3) Their portable reuse of local building and boating designs and materials and 4) Their reliance on animals for land intelligence and land mobility.  Let us now look at these eco-elements of Viking warfare and travel.

1-    Icelandic Spar – Ancient Norse legends tell of Vikings sailing the seas using a mysterious ‘sunstone’ to navigate by night and day.  Now, an international team of researchers from the University of Rennes in Brittany, France believe they have found the answer to this age-old myth in the form of a transparent calcite crystal called “Icelandic Spar” – commonly found in Iceland and Scandinavia.  In this case, the crystal was found aboard an Elizabethan military shipwreck that had sunk in the English Channel during the time of the Spanish Armada in 1592.  Because a large cannon on board the vessel would have interfered with a magnetic compass, this crystal was used instead.  When light passes thru the crystal, the light is split in two and by rotating the spar towards the sky for a point where the beams line up, one is able to ascertain the position of the sun within a few degrees even when there is thick cloud cover.  Hence, this clear Icelandic spar crystal with optical bi-polarization properties allowed Vikings to navigate and sail around the world without having a magnetic compass or being able to see the sun with the naked eye.

2-    A Viking DIY Recycling Center – On Sept. 20, 1066, in the village of Fulford, located just on the outskirts of York, England, Viking King Harald Hardrada of Norway along with 10,000 of his men battled their way against the Anglo-Saxon Northern Earls of Edwin and Morcar and violently throttled them.  Fate completely reversed itself when five days later King Harold Godwinson of England and his fast-moving army defeated these very same Viking invaders at the Battle of Stamford Bridge.  The question then arises – what was the Viking army doing between battles to better prepare themselves as archaeologists have found hundreds of pieces of swords, axe heads, arrowheads left lying around the vicinity of Fulford as well as several “smithing hearths”?  Experts now believe that the unearthed metal artifacts had been purposely gathered together by Viking iron workers and blacksmiths after the first battle had ceased and were now in the process of recycling these metal objects when suddenly they had to drop everything to rush to Stamford Bridge on the border of North and East Yorkshire.

3-    Viking Longships and Longhouses – Whether on land or sea, Vikings were master craftsmen of wood – especially in the art of joinery.  Just as benches were used to run alongside the planked walls of their rectangular-shaped longhouses, the standard ‘clinker’ designed longship of up to 30 rowing benches were the pride of Viking Kings and Earls.  Indeed the lightweight design and structure of these long-shaped raiding machines with their shallow-draft hulls and symmetrical curves of bow and stern allowed any longship to land on any beach, penetrate any waterway in Europe yet be carried over portages, and reverse direction quickly without having to turn around the ship.  Note: that on expeditionary voyages to regions where wood supply was limited, Viking longhouses were made of turf or peat as can be seen in the new “Settlement Exhibition” in Reykjavik, Iceland or in some cases stone slabs were used for construction materials as in the newly discovered Viking longhouse on Orkney’s West Mainland at the Bay of Skaill.

4-    Viking Land Intelligence & Mobility – Just as the Viking god, Odin, the god of Warriors and Battle, used two talking ravens to gather information about news of the wide world, Viking mariners carried and released caged ravens on their ships when they were out of sight of land.  These birds would instinctively head for land giving the sailors a course to steer.  The Vikings also used their collective knowledge to identify where they were by the types of seaweed floating on the ocean, the types of seabirds flying overhead and the presence of whales and seals. They also carried with them an impressive array of animal-based modes of transport for when they landed – live horses in some cases, and Viking skates, skis, and sledges made from the foot bones of horses, cows, and elk for frozen terrain.  And once on land, with their formidable single-grip shields, swords, spears, and axes, the Viking raider’s goal was to grab as much valuable booty as possible before an effective defense could be raised.  Thus their hit-and-run tactics presaged our American amphibious assault procedures by over eight hundred years.

Comparing Medieval Green Jobs of Yesteryear with the New Millennium Green Jobs of Today!

There has been such a spate of articles written on the web recently predicting the best “green careers” of the future that it got us to thinking about the “green occupations” of yesteryear – specifically during the Middle Ages – a time in which 90% of the population were farmer peasants tied to small plots of land owned by their feudal lords. There were, however, craft guilds and merchant guilds that provided a higher status and a better way of living but at the same time there were threatening outbreaks of the bubonic plague and wars which coupled with medical ignorance made certain eco-related jobs very dangerous indeed such as the “leech collector” and the “ratoner” or “rat catcher”. Let us now take a look at some of the environmentally-conscious jobs of medieval yesteryear and see which ones are comparable in scope to those of the “green-collar jobs” of today and our sustainable future.

1- Today’s “FORESTER” is yesteryear’s medieval “VERDERER”: An Official in Charge of the Royal Forest whose main duty was to protect the habitat of deer and boar for the crown.
2- Today’s “ECO FASHION DESIGNER” is yesteryear’s medieval “CLOTHIER”: A Clothes Designer for the Nobles that required having a knowledge of various fine and expensive materials
3- Today’s “LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT” is yesteryear’s medieval “GARDENER”: The Medieval Gardener’s work was critical to the safety and protection of his lord’s castle. He was responsible for the upkeep on the infra-structure and physical appearances of the lord’s castle and estates which included digging defensive ditches and keeping the castle walls clear of ivy and or anything else that could be used to climb the castle walls.
4- Today’s “VEGAN NUTRITIONIST” is yesteryear’s medieval “HERBALIST”: The Medieval Herbalist was usually a member of a religious order such as a Monk or Friar whose work included growing, cooking, boiling, drying, and steaming plants, roots, and herbs that were natural healing agents for maintaining and improving a person’s health.
5- Today’s “CLIMATOLOGIST” is yesteryear’s medieval “ASTROLOGER”: Many medieval astrologers were highly respected scholars who carried around special almanacs and star charts from which they could predict weather systems and the growth of crops for a local area.
6- Today’s “BICYCLE MECHANIC” is yesteryear’s medieval “LORIMER”: a Maker of Horse Gear adept a making small ironware.
7- Today’s “WASTE DISPOSAL MANAGER” is yesteryear’s medieval “RAG AND BONE MAN”: A medieval person who would travel down the streets with a wheelbarrow or horse-drawn cart into which people could throw their rubbish for a small fee or favor.
8- Today’s “GREEN INTERIOR DESIGNER” is yesteryear’s medieval “GLAZIER”: A medieval stained-glass artist who would cut, fit, and paint glass into windows and doors.
9- Today’s “ENVIRONMENTAL ARCHITECT” is yesteryear’s medieval “DRY STONE WALLER”:
A medieval person who would build stone walls utilizing stones taken from the fields and fitted together tightly without any cement or mortar to make boundary markers, field walls, or enclosures.
10-Today’s “SOLAR INSTALLATION TECHNICIAN” is yesteryear’s medieval “LAMPWRIGHT”: A medieval person who made and installed lanterns and lamps in medieval castles and lodges.

Note that medieval era jobs were a reflection of medieval era measurements – in many instances measurements were the same ones used during the height of the Roman Empire – hence it would take a few more centuries before scientifically-based measurements would truly have an impact on the development of environmental careers i.e. emissions management, wastewater management, toxicology, hydrology, and pollution control. As for the next generation of green-collar jobs, nanotechnology promises to be the next breakthrough in the development of tomorrow’s sustainable way of life. We can only hope that a regulatory framework to assess and control environmental risks of this technology’s atomic and molecular dimensions will be accompanied by prudent lessons learned from our past.

Bamboo Doggy Bowls, Kitty Catnip Fortune Cookies, and Green Pet Spas! – What Next? – My Pets’ Eco-Friendly Christmas Wish List!

Yes, my dog, Fido, and my cat, Clippy, are going green this holiday season. But they are not the only ones – so are most American Pet Owners everywhere! Not surprising as most American pet owners like me consider their pets as full members of the family – a fact numerically reflected in the 2011-2012 National Pet Owners Survey by the American Pet Products Association (APPA) – which shows that 62% of all American households own at least one pet and that all of us pet lovers will have lavished $50.84 billion on our adorable family pets by the end of this year! Wow-Meowy-Whoof-Whoof!

But I wonder sometimes – who is teaching whom in our vis-à-vis family relationships with our pet dogs and cats and our other Christmas loving pet creatures? For today’s Pet Products are much more than just a piece of string to play with the family kitten or a piece of wood to play fetch with Fido. Here then are some of the greenest trends in Pet Toys, Pet Accessories, and Pet Services for Cats and Dogs:

-Pet Toys Made From Sustainable Materials

More and more pet toys are being made of environmentally safer materials devoid of synthetic chemicals and processes like organically grown cotton and hemp. But the greenest trend in pet toys is exemplified by the use of recycled plastic bottles for dog toys and old corrugated cardboards for cat toys which help to cut down on our pet’s Carbon PAW Print and save on energy consumption.

Fido loves to crunch on empty water bottles so this year, I am going to give him a ‘Water Bottle Cruncher” from shopfatcat.com that will fit over all my empty plastic water and soda bottles in my recycling bin. And since Clippy loves to scratch on my worn-out Empire style daybed with the frazzled French-knotted embroidery, I am going to give this young tomkitten her own ‘Cardboard Cat Scratching Post with Catnip’ from arcatapet.com with treebranch-shooting ‘rag tag tassels’ made of burlap, ribbons, and jute whose creation I replicated from addicted2decorating.com.

-Personalized Pet Accessories that Promote Eco-Paw Chicness

It is astonishing to see the number of pet websites that offer monogrammed high-end designer pet clothing, engraved water and food bowls, exquisitely perfumed cat litter boxes, and luxury dog boutique beds – BUT – along with this selection of posh pet accessories – there are a myriad of eco-paw chic accessories that offer environmentally friendly alternatives.

This Christmas, Fido, has already ordered online his own holiday pet accessories – a ‘Personalized Soy Dog Leash’ made from 100% soy fiber from fetchdog.com and a comfy ‘Eco Slumber Bed’ made of 100% recycled fiber fill from westpawdesign.com. As Clippy is more of an indoor feline fashionista, her holiday wish list is much longer and includes a cotton ‘Gingham Dress with Matching Cap’ and a cathead-shaped cardboard ‘Kittypod Mini Lounge’ from kittypod.com. In addition, Clippy specifically wishes to have scoopable ‘Feline Fresh Pine Litter’ from planetwiseproducts.com as well as some ‘Natural Wheat Litter’ from Swheatscoop.com placed in her biodegradable dome-shaped cat litter pan.

-Personalized Pet Services that Reduce Stress, Speed Healing, and Support Healthy, Happy, Social Interactions

All across America, the demand for Full Service Pet-Related Daycare, Pet Boarding, and Pet Grooming facilities has outstripped the supply of such pet-related care services. One unexpected source that has stepped in to address this problem is Pet Friendly Hotel Chains. People like to travel and many won’t travel without their pets. So giants like ‘InterContinental’ Hotels & Resorts and ‘Marriott’ Hotels & Resorts now offer pet services as well as smaller hotel chains like ‘Hotel Indigo’, ‘Novotel’, and ‘Staybridge Suites’.

Fido’s first stop after getting his eco-pooch check-in gift is the eco-friendly pet dog grooming salon at ‘The Alexis Hotel’ in downtown Seattle, Washington which includes eco-friendly pet shampoos and conditioners and pet-sitting services. You can check out their pet-friendly info at  www.alexishotel.com/. Not to be outdone, Clippy prefers the complimentary companionship of the goldfish bowl at ‘Hotel Monaco’ in downtown Seattle along with its fun and colorful seascape décor inside the lobby. Be sure to check out their pet-friendly registration form at www.monaco-seattle.com/.

In any event, wherever you plan to spend your vacation this Christmas season, be sure to ask your eco-conscious family dog or cat what they wish for first – for who else knows better the meaning of “creature comforts”? Or else you might get a postcard in your mailbox like I just did from Fido’s ‘certified massage therapist’  – “Season’s Greetings From ‘The Ritz-Carlton’ in Sarasota, Florida ! Love, Whoof Whoof!”  Yes, the Ritz-Carlton Sarasota (www.ritzcarlton.com/Sarasota) offers a pet massage program for “The Privileged Pup” to “help your loving companion escape from the hounding pressures of their ruff world”!  Maybe it’s my turn now to check-in.

How Well Do You Know Your Hollywood Eco-Celebs and Environmentally Themed Films?

The Hollywood Entertainment Industry Has Gone Green – both On-Screen and Off-Screen – particularly since the Ecology Movement of the 1970’s and 1980’s. And Hollywood Celebrities have never been shy about making public statements about their environmental causes. So let’s test your star-gazing memories – How Well Do You Know Your Hollywood Eco-Celebs and Environmentally Themed Films?

1-Which American actress travelled the globe as an eco-tourist in the MTV series “Trippin” and was crowned “Queen of Green” by Vogue magazine?

2-Which American actor has his own brand of eco-cleaners and a reality show series that follows him as he tackles green issues in his home and with friends?

3-Which American actor is developing an eco-resort in Belize, is heavily involved in a global wildlife campaign called “Save Tigers Now” and has written, produced, and narrated his own eco-documentary, “The 11th Hour”?

4-Which American actor is a big proponent of the BP Solar Neighbors Program and has recently launched his own online fundraising site – www.crowdrise.com?

5-Which American actress and film star “mermaid” got arrested in 2006 for chaining herself to a tree for 23 days in a bid to save the nation’s largest urban farm in South Central Los Angeles?

6-Which American actor is a longtime green legend known for his good looks, his
Independent Cinema Festival, and his 2007 television series, “The Green”?

7-Which American actor is a big proponent of sustainable architecture, a founding member of ‘Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute’ and was twice named “Sexiest Man Alive” by People Magazine?

8-Which American actress is a longtime vegetarian and animal-rights activist who launched her own vegan footwear in 2008 and co-hosted the documentary, “Saving a Species: Gorillas on the Brink” with Jack Hanna, America’s premier zookeeper?

9-Which American actress and celebrated singer is an urban environmental activist who has founded an organization devoted to restoring New York City’s lost and forgotten parks and developing new ones?

10-Which American actor, known for his off-beat characters on the big screen, is a dedicated environmentalist and staunch vegan who lives in a sustainable community in Maui, Hawaii and has recently teamed up with the “Living Tree Paper Company” to promote the use of tree-free products and other postconsumer waste recycled products amongst his colleagues and friends in the entertainment and music worlds?

11-Which American actor is a longtime ocean activist best known for his television work in comedy and featured narration of The Google Earth rock star tour, “Protecting the Arctic Ocean”?

12-Which American actor is a longtime environmental activist and helicopter pilot who has a Central American ant named after him and is now involved in a mission to rescue the Colombian Jungle from environmental degradation?

13-What 1979 Hollywood Eco-Thriller starring Jane Fonda, Michael Douglas, and Jack Lemmon tells the story of a reporter and cameraman who stumble upon safety coverups at a nuclear power plant?

14-What 1983 Hollywood Eco-Thriller starring Meryl Streep, Kurt Russell, and Cher portrays the true story of a whistleblower named Karen Silkwood, a metal worker at a plutonium processing plant, who mysteriously dies on her way to meet a New York Times investigative reporter?

15-What 1993 Hollywood Family Film starring Jason James Richter and Keiko the Orca Whale pits a 12 year old boy against an aquarium owner when the boy learns that his beloved killer whale is about to be killed?

16-What 1997 Hollywood Eco-Action Thriller starring Steven Seagal and Kris Kristofferson pits a Environmental Protection Agent against big-time Corporate Polluters who are dumping toxic waster into abandoned mines in the Kentucky Hills Region and frightening the rural townsfolk into shutting up?

17-What 1998 Hollywood Eco-Drama starring John Travolta and Robert Duvall pits a personal injury lawyer against a major corporation as he seeks justice in a water pollution case brought by citizens of a Massachusetts town whose drinking water has been contaminated with industrial solvents?

18-What 2000 Hollywood Eco-Drama (based on a true story) starring Julia Roberts and Albert Finney pits a small-town law clerk against a large electric utility after coming across suspicious medical records from the nearby town of Hinkley, California where toxic chromium seems to be the culprit behind the diseases and deaths occurring amongst the locals?

19-What 2004 Hollywood Science-Fiction Disaster Film starring Dennis Quaid and Jake Gyllenhaal portrays the catastrophic effects of global warming when an American paleoclimatologist has to trek through a climate-changed ice-ravaged landscape to find his son?

20-What 2006 Hollywood Comedy Family Film starring Logan Lerman and Luke Wilson pits three kids against crooked politicians, land developers, and bumbling cops in order to save the habitat of endangered burrowing owls from destruction?

Answers: 1-Cameron Diaz 2-Ed Begley Jr. 3-Leonardo DiCaprio 4-Edward Norton 5-Daryl Hannah 6-Robert Redford 7-Brad Pitt 8-Natalie Portman 9-Bette Midler 10-Woody Harrelson 11-Ted Danson 12-Harrison Ford 13-China Syndrome 14-Silkwood 15-Free Willy 16-Fire Down Below 17-A Civil Action 18-Erin Brokovich 19-The Day After Tomorrow 20-Hoot

If you wish to learn more, register with EMA – the “Environmental Media Association” (www.ema-online.org/) based in Los Angeles, California.