Daily Loaf

“Dream Momma, I am starting to dream about you! In my dream I was going to a place, near a lake, to receive three awards.  You were there.  I asked you if you were waiting for me and you replied you were.  I went to pick up the three awards but the only one that I was interested in was broken. A silver strip had come undone and the prize was missing parts of it.  It was in the shape of a shadowbox filled with jet-black small stones, like aquarium gravel.  In the middle of the shadowbox were two dark female figures highlighted in silver.  Some of the stones had leaked out the back of the prize and I was upset by that.   Suddenly I had a Milky Way candy bar and a red leather purse in my hand.  I accidentally dropped them as I was approaching you and had trouble picking them up.  You said let’s eat here by the water. The place seemed like it was in a foreign land but we both agreed it was not.  I had this dream early in the morning after I read last week that you were presenting at the Positive Aging Conference.” (sic)

Dream Momma is flattered that she has entered your unconscious as a symbol of sorts.  Read the rest of this entry »

Let us assume for one moment that water was a precious commodity, as rare as gold itself. How would we treat it? Would we bathe our infertile landscape with it? Expend perfectly clean water to dispose of our waste? Throw it away after scantly using it in the sink while doing dishes?

Now let us live in reality. Realize that already this resource is such a thing. For we live way above our means at almost 500 gallons a day for the average American. Most human beings on this planet use less than 100 gallons, and by 2025 water will be a scarce resource for nearly three-quarters of the population due to exponential growth of use and depleting glaciers.

In my previous post about South Central Asia, I spoke also about the resource war that could erupt over water. With recent fires in California as well as sandstorms in Australia, more than ever resilience in a water supply will be crucial for our success in the future. We must adapt to a goal of using less water and utilizing it more efficiently.
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Jen and I had our weekly meeting (READ: daily IM-ing during work hours) regarding our posts for CL and decided that since I am suffering through an injury I could provide you all some insights on how to make it through an injury of your own. Physically making it through is one thing, mentally making it through is another.

The week before last I headed out with the running group to get in a nice 22 mile training run. At about mile 9ish the ankle starting hurting. By mile 13 it really hurt. Did I stop? Hell no. At 18 miles I had to throw in the towel and have been babying it ever since. Read the rest of this entry »

I was floating in a black sea. The whole earth was water. I thought…uhh, shit. The sky was beautiful, dark, space as far as the spirit can conceive…stars, galaxies, gas clouds all perfectly visible. Then a HUGE fireball (what, a sun?) approaches, nay, careens through space at my head. I dive into the water, wondering how deep I can go, how long i can hold my breath in this wonderfully dark, safe abyss of wet. And I have trouble going down. I float. Dammit! Why am I floating? I need to swim down to safety! Well then I think, Oh, I should breathe … need air … and then notice I can breathe just fine in the water. The fireball hits … and all goes dark. I am still breathing, chillin’ under water. I guess the fireball put itself out in the water. The stars shine again … Read the rest of this entry »

What’s the buzz on the latest issues in the Green Community? Check out what you may have missed this last week:

Sustainable beer 101: A guide to growlers- Benefits of refillable beer jugs far exceed the lure of fresh tap beer.

Refresh your mind, body and spirit by reconnecting with nature- Living in such a busy world these days overloaded with technology leaves little time to get back to the basics and connect with the planet we live on. Take some time out of your busy schedule and reconnect with nature, which will balance you physically, mentally and spiritually.

Ronald McDonald gets a pie in the face from PETA protester- Ronald McDonald takes one in the kisser from a PETA protester who is against McDonald’s “controlled-atmosphere killing” of chickens.

St. Petersburg College and Tampa Bay green building chapter announce partnership- St Petersburg College’s Corporate Training Office announced a partnership with the Florida Gulf Coast Chapter (FGCC) of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to provide a comprehensive sustainable building operations training course based on the LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance rating system.
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Looking for something green-related to do this weekend? Look no further than our own Green Community Calendar.

World Cafe- Fridays, 7:30-9:30 pm. This week’s question: “How has being the change I want to see in the world changed me?” For more info, visit the World Cafe website. Starbucks Cafe- 4th St. N. and 89th Ave N., St. Petersburg.

Ellenton Farmers Market- Saturdays; 8 am – 1 pm. Ellenton Farmers’ Market will be the largest year-round market in florida that specializes in “green” natural, organic and environmentally friendly products that makes for a healthier lifestyle and a better environment. Located just North of the Prime Outlet Mall in Ellenton, Florida (exit 224, Old Exit 43, off I – 75).

Guided Hike at Weedon Island Preserve- Saturday, August 15; 9:00 am – 11:00 am. Guided hikes through coastal mangrove and upland ecosystems of the Preserve are held on most Saturdays of the month. Join us to learn about the coastal environment and the early residents of Weedon Island Preserve. Be sure to bring water and a snack for this 2-hour hike. A hat and closed-toe shoes are also recommended. Reserve your space by 2 pm on the Friday prior to the tour of choice. This event is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is required. Recommended ages: 6 and up. Weedon Island Preserve- 1800 Weedon Drive N.E. St. Petersburg, FL 33702. (727) 453-6500.
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One of the largest producers of excess carbon dioxide — the cement industry — might get a green facelift in the next few years.

It is estimated that manufacturing conventional cement creates about 5 percent of global CO2 emissions (even more than the airline industry) by heating limestone and other ingredients to super-high temperatures. Some new cement companies are looking to change the process significantly and either lower or counter their CO2 production.

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What’s the buzz on the latest issues in the Green Community? Check out what you may have missed this last week:

St. Petersburg College’s new Natural Science, Mathematics and College of Education building is certified LEED® Gold- St. Petersburg College recently announced that for the second time in as many months, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has awarded LEED Gold certification for one of its new campus buildings.

Best of the Bay of the Day: Best organic smoothie- Believe it or not, algae and bee pollen add up to a delicious drink called the Spirulina Power Buzz. Read this to find out where to get one.

Tips to improve gas mileage (and save some green)- Do you have a lead foot or drive an inefficient automobile?  Here are a few simple tips to improve gas mileage and save a bunch of green!

Living Sustainably in Tampa Bay: Darren Brinkley, owner of REAL Building- Brinkley is the owner of REAL Building and home that he built for his family in St. Petersburg is the first home in Florida to achieve the LEED for Homes Gold Rating.
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Having grown up on the beach, I learned that I could never completely shake the sand out of my shoes.  I am forever imprinted with a stong connection to a shoreline. I was thrilled to discover the lastest project of one of my favorite websites – Treehugger.com.  They have introduced Blue August – a month long dedication to the water on our planet.

With water covering more than 70 percent of the globe and yet drinkable water in precious short supply, this is a most timely topic to dive into. You will discover the magnificent beauty and horrifying destruction of the lifeblood of the oceans – coral reefs. They take us on an in-depth look at marine life, water purification, rivers, and everything associated with impacting our beloved beaches.
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Our love for fancy, multi-layered toilet paper has major environmental consequences. Did you know that what you wipe with has a huge impact on the world?

I bet most of you probably never thought about it, but it takes a lot of trees just to wipe your butt. Millions of trees are cut down each year, then turned into pulp and bleached just to make that soft, cushy two- and three-ply toilet tissue that most of us deem a necessity in our lives.

I came upon this entertaining little video that really puts into perspective what goes into what we wipe with and “how our love for incredibly soft and fragrant paper is causing more environmental harm to the world than our love for gas guzzling SUVs, big houses, or fast food.”

Video after the jump
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I couldn’t help but comment on the Comic Con fan who made a video of himself asking St. Petersburg’s own Megan Fox if she’d like to do a celebrity sex tape with him.  That took balls.  I’d have liked to see a better picture of him.  I mean, if he was cute, why the hell not?  Oh yeah, not everyone can do the fuck buddy thing.  I forget that I have a knack for running through men like water runs through faucets.

(video after the break)

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Hi Dream Momma. I’m female and live in Chicago. Here’s my dream. I was out on Lake Michigan canoeing and a lot of other people were canoeing, too.  Here and there people started getting out of their canoes and into the water and I was wondering how they were going to get back into their boats. It looked very refreshing to be in the water and everyone was having fun.  Eventually it became clear that the water was draining out of the lake as the people who were out of their canoes were suddenly able to stand on the bottom.  Finally, the entire lake drained out and we were all standing around with our canoes.  The bottom of the lake (that we were now standing on) wasn’t flat – it was very hilly.  Eventually it started to rain and we were happy because we thought the rain would fill the lake up again but it wasn’t actually raining it was snowing snowflakes that were perfectly shaped little stars that we were catching in our hands.  We were all amazed.

Congratulations Chicago dreamer, you have had a life’s journey dream. Here are some of the archetypes that indicate that: Read the rest of this entry »

What’s the buzz on the latest issues in the Green Community? Check out what you may have missed this past week:

Stretching your diet and exercise comfort zone: moving through a plateau: contributor Kelly Rothwell lists a few ways to work through your diet and exercise plateaus.

Greenpeace comes to Tampa with bad news about Florida’s emissions: Joshua Michael Poll takes a look Greenpeace’s report that Florida is one of the biggest emissions producers in the world.
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Have you ever heard the Vietnam-era quote, “war is not healthy for children and other living things?” It is a staunchly obvious and painstakingly reasonable appeal that cuts to the ethical core and casualties of war.  I read an article this week that reminded me of it, but instead of war, the murderous culprit in this story is climate change.

A new report by the Global Humanitarian Forum (GHF) says that global warming already kills about 300,000 people a year.  If that projection is not startling enough– or if you have more of an economic mind, and are not much swayed by stacks of human figures—the report also says that climate change costs around $125 billion in economic losses annually.
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Remember when we were suffering from drought? Back when we longed for rain drops to quench our gardens, or heck, wash our cars? Tampa City Council has eased the ban on lawn sprinkling, which ends Monday June 1st. City dwellers will fall in line with Hillsborough County residents abiding by SWFWMD’s emergency restrictions; allowing lawn sprinklers to run once a week from midnight to 4 a.m.

Our city once had the strictest regulations in the state; Council members had the foresight to see beyond the immediate crisis, to address our dwindling water supply. We all know water is one precious commodity, more expensive by the 12 oz bottle than gasoline is by the gallon. By initiating tough regulations, City Council was preparing us, forcing us, to change our water guzzling ways. Forestalling the implementation of ration cards, tandem showers, and sky high rates. Okay, maybe the latter is more likely but one thing is for sure: water rates will rise as supply diminishes. Not to mention as our aquifer falls lower and lower, so does the surface; so we should be in for some major sinkhole action. Council members Mulhern and Miranda voted against lifting the ban, with Mulhern correctly stating that, “A three-year drought is not solved by two weeks of rain”, and Miranda resigning from the Water Board in disgust.

I miss the drought and the restrictions. Okay, so I’m lazy – for months my crunchy weeds, um, I mean lawn, didn’t need mowing but beyond my front yard and personal issues, the drought and its dire circumstances prompted discussions of conservation. Read the rest of this entry »

The story of the What About Blue? organization starts with the tale of how the name came about. A group of three Tampa Bay friends wanted to raise awareness about the global water crisis. Kevin Lilly, Jesse Landis and Missy Hurley wanted to form an active group to make a positive change. “We were trying to think of names,” said Lilly. They definitely wanted something easy for people to remember them by. They realized that color-branding just might do the trick. “When I say ‘pink,’ you think of breast cancer awareness. When I say ‘green,’ you think of the environment,” Lilly said. The group started playing around with that concept, and suddenly Lilly blurted out as a color possibility: “What about blue?” And that started it all. Read the rest of this entry »

Our reservoir is essentially dry.  More than 6 major brush fires burn in the counties around us due to the dry conditions and we’re only at the beginning of the dry season.  Is anyone besides me wondering what happens next?

As I fill my 3-gallon watering can in the morning (early, within the time allowed for hand watering under St Pete’s watering restrictions) I wonder if the drought is the reason for the low water pressure in my tap.

What happens when Tampa Bay really runs out of water?  Does the water pressure get lower and lower?  Does our tap water become salty as sea water fills our aquifers?  Does it just stop running? Is someone engineering the use of rivers further North now that our own rivers are dry?  Is our water bill going to double or triple because we have to buy all our water from the de-salination plant?

While there is a patchwork of new restrictions belatedly being put in place by Tampa, St Pete and the counties, it concerns me that we have so little information about what the drought is going to mean over the coming years.

I think if ordinary people knew the actual price we are going to have to pay for water we would be showing up in droves at SWFMD meetings to demand stronger water management policies. Read the rest of this entry »

Thursday, Feb. 19: St. Petersburg Wine and Food Festival
Stroll through downtown St. Pete and experience fine wines and spirits, food samplings and jazz music. $75 VIP, $50 general. 5:30-9:30 p.m. (727-347-6133)

Thursday, Feb. 19: Vino 100 St. Pete
Hosted by Vino 100, Massage Envy and Let’s Eat, “Ladies Night Out” is designed to pamper guests with wine, massages and delicious cuisine. Free. 5-8 p.m., 5056 4th St. N., St. Petersburg (727-522-8466)

Friday, Feb. 20: Bern’s Fine Wine & Spirits
Come to Bern’s for Crush Hour, featuring seven different Japanese sakes paired with small, Japanese-inspired side dishes. $25. 6:30-8:30 p.m., 1002 S. Howard Ave., Tampa (813-250-9463)

More upcoming events after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Thursday, Feb. 12-Friday, Feb. 13: PRP Wines International
Take advantage of this Valentine’s Warehouse Sale — PRP is opening its warehouse to the public for the first of only four times this year. Stock up on their all-natural, no added sulfite wines in time for Valentine’s Day. Free. 5-9 p.m., 5910 Breckenridge Pkwy Suite F, Tampa (813-621-1911 ext 2017)

Thursday, Feb. 12-Saturday, Feb. 14: Avenue Cellars
Spend Valentine’s Day weekend at the Pre-Valentine’s Love Fest Wine Tasting. The event will feature several wines Thursday and Friday in preparation for Saturday, when Avenue Cellars invites you to share a romantic bottle of wine with your date. Free. 6:30-8 p.m., 9662 Linebaugh Ave, Tampa (813-920-9991)

Friday, Feb. 13: South Florida Museum
Celebrate food and drink from around the world at the third annual Vinology 3-Epicure Tour. Enjoy fine wines and accompanying tasting menus, food, beer, cooking demonstrations and wine seminars. $75 (includes all food, wine, beer, seminars and a souvenir glass). 6-11 p.m., 201 10th St. W., Bradenton (941-746-4131 ext. 11)

Friday, Feb. 13: Vintage Wine Cellars
Sample 10 specialty red blends from around the world, along with bread and cheeses. $10. 7-9 p.m., 3629 Henderson Blvd, Tampa (813-879-2931)

Friday, Feb. 13: Uncorked
Uncorked will uncork a selection of luscious red wines for this Valentine’s weekend tastin, including Petite Sirah, Zin and Syrah. $10. 6:30-8:30 p.m., 2706 4th St. N., St. Petersburg (727-892-9463)

More upcoming events after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

We don’t have enough water and our water management district Swiftmud has imposed tighter watering restrictions and is now prohibiting watering of new sod. We are in a drought so it is reasonable to think that tougher restrictions would apply. Other officials are also proposing a ban on the selling of fertilizer containing nitrogen in the summer months.

Credit: Editor B/flickr.com

So if there isn’t enough water for new sod and you can’t fertilize your old lawn, anybody else find it strange that Mosaic can still legally pirate 6 million gallons a day from the Alafia? Isn’t phosphate used for, ironically, making fertilizer? Seems to me like Big Phosphate can legally rape our environment and drinking supply while Swiftmud worries about sod.

Also disturbing is that officials don’t seem concerned about the water shortage when developers and their representatives are asking for rezonings to approve new rooftops. While the housing market is still in the shitter as far as building is concerned, the behind-the-scenes maneuvering to get huge tracts of land rezoned for massive future subdivisions appears to be in full swing.

I attended a Zoning Hearing Master (ZHM) meeting last week to speak in opposition to a rezoning proposal that could give the nod to more than 1,000 new rooftops. Much of the land in question is in the rural area (requiring the expansion of county water and sewer to allow development). In addition to the impact this would have on wildlife, preservation land, infrastructure or lack of it, did anyone address the water concerns? I didn’t hear any of the planning officials mention this as a criteria as they assured the Zoning Hearing Master that this ridiculous plan met the criteria in the newly amended Comprehensive Plan. Opponents to the plan were armed with information showing otherwise as the Planning Commission staff looked up the criteria again.

I usually have faith in the Planning Commission Staff but the representatives on this night were a huge disappointment. Residents speaking in opposition smacked this one out of the park and made the high-priced attorneys, professional planners and representatives look like fools.

We don’t know the recommendation of the zoning hearing master, Ms. Belflower, yet, but she seemed to be very detail oriented and I was pleasantly surprised at her intelligent questions (sadly, I was later informed that she just resigned … I wonder if it was due to Blair’s recent bullying during the vote on her job renewal this past October). Several activists at the meeting told me she was the best ZHM the county has … figures. After she makes her recommendations, the next stop is the County Commission. The new and improved Commission, so I hope commissioners think this is as foolish as concerned residents do.

This is where I usually tell you how to contact them but it is against the rules regarding a rezoning. To be able to speak at a public hearing you have to speak or turn in a letter at the ZHM, then you have to fill out more paperwork in a certain time frame to become a party of record, and then, and only then, can you speak at a public hearing in front of the BOCC regarding a rezoning. I visited the county’s website regarding zoning to find out the dates and process and I couldn’t find out. I did click on a .pdf file zhm-1 that has the info on the schedule and process for Nov. 2008 if you look long and hard enough.

You are not allowed to speak about a rezoning to a Commissioner unless it is during the public hearing. Of course this doesn’t apply to Comprehensive Plan Amendments and other public hearings just rezonings. NICE. If you want to attend and just sit in the audience, though, that would speak volumes. It is scheduled for Jan. 13 at the County Center, according to media reports.

Also worth mentioning is that when I was navigating the Swiftmud site, I looked up the governing board. I was horrified to learn that seven of the 13 members appointed by the Governor have direct real estate/development backgrounds and one other was a name I recognized from battling to save local wetland protections. Hugh Gramling, associated with the agriculture community, was trying to destroy Hillsborough wetlands protections … and he is on the regional water management board? Nice. That is eight out of 13, you do the math. I can’t imagine why water conditions don’t seem to be a part of the rezoning process. No wonder dumping shit in the aquifer is still on the table!

Would anybody dare whisper the only real solution to our future water needs? Limiting growth! How about letting voters decide on growth issues that will certainly drain our water supply instead of appointed boards and elected officials? I don’t want future generations to grow up drinking shit!

Oh, and if we ever did have enough water……could we ever learn store it safely?