CHICAGO-After four months of voting Bee Balm has emerged triumphant over Purple Coneflower and Nodding Onion as the One Seed Chicago for 2010. Area gardeners who voted for their favorite prairie plant will soon receive a free seed packet in the mail. Anyone who didn’t get a chance to vote can still request a free packet by visiting oneseedchicago.com. Bee Balm was the clear favorite for Chicago gardeners who wanted to help declining honeybee populations by planting Bee Balm.

“The past few years have seen an interest in the health of insect pollinators as a sign of a breakdown in our agricultural systems of production,” says Michael Thompson, Farm Manager at the Chicago Honey Co-op. “Providing habitats with nectar forage for pollinators is a positive way to help with the decline in pollinating bees and other invertebrates.”

NeighborSpace, through One Seed Chicago, will distribute over one million seeds for Monarda fistulosa, commonly called Wild Bergamot, Bee Balm or Horse-Mint. This native perennial has many advantages in the garden.

“Native plants attract native birds and insects and help to increase biodiversity in your garden,” says Jennifer Davit, Director and Horticulturalist at the Lurie Garden at Millennium Park. “Our native plant friends are more adapted to their local surroundings and can handle the Chicago area’s fluctuations in climate and weather.”

In addition to helping the honeybee population, participating in One Seed Chicago serves as a unifying symbol for the City’s gardening community, showing in one small way what’s possible when we Grow Together.

“By planting a common seed, backyards, windowsills, community gardens and balconies across the City will be linked together in a season-long celebration,” says Ben Helphand, Executive Director of NeighborSpace.

Each packet of Bee Balm seeds invites Chicagoan’s to get involved in one of the City’s hundred of community gardens. “Join the community by planting 2010’s One Seed Chicago. Grow deep roots by getting involved in a garden near you.”

Bee Balm Introduced to Great Fanfare

Bee Balm was unveiled at the 18th Annual Green & Growing Fair at the Garfield Park Conservatory on April 24, 2010. Thousands of gardeners and urban greeners attended the fair to learn about urban gardening and meet the winner of One Seed Chicago 2010. Within the span of two hours NeighborSpace handed out over one thousand specially printed seed packets containing Monarda fistulosa seeds. Many more sowed seeds for Monarda fistulosa and created plant labels in the hands-on “rot pot” workshop. The workshop highlighted One Seed Chicago’s 2010 theme of sustainability in the garden by using recyclable and reclaimed items to create artistic plant labels.

Requesting Free Seed Packets

Everyone who voted between January and April 1, 2010 will receive their seed packet in the mail. Gardeners and educators in the Chicago area who did not participate in voting can request a free seed packet be mailed to them at www.OneSeedChicago.com while supplies last.

Growing Together by Staying Connected

Throughout the growing season on the One Seed Chicago website gardeners will receive gardening tips and news about events created to celebrate the 2010 winner. Participants are encouraged to visit the website and grow together with their fellow Chicagoans.

Origins of One Seed Chicago

One Seed Chicago is a project of NeighborSpace in partnership with GreenNet, Chicago’s community greening coalition. In 2008 the program handed out 10,000 sunflower seeds. In 2009 they distributed 100,000 blue lake pole green beans. Now in its third season, the program aims to encourage even more Chicagoan’s to get involved in gardening. From Rogers Park to South Chicago; from the Loop to Austin, we can all Grow Together.

About NeighborSpace

NeighborSpace is a nonprofit urban land trust dedicated to preserving and sustaining community managed open spaces in Chicago. Their growing network of gardens provide thousands of people the opportunity to grow fruits, vegetables and flowers; to restore habitats; and create unique gathering places in their own neighborhoods. NeighborSpace’s partners in the community can rest assured that the land will remain dedicated to conservation and their efforts will never be displaced. For more information, please visit www.neighbor-space.org .

I learned about this project a while ago and keep meaning to post something about it on here but keep forgetting so here it is.

It’s such a great idea and something people should really try to incorporate into their normal routine. Instead of going to some big chain store to buy things try to find a smaller independent store to support. Instead of going to Starbucks go to the local coffee shop. Invest in your community and support your neighbors. Even if you don’t have a lot of money, your money has power.

If we lose our small businesses we lose what makes our neighborhoods and cities unique. I’ve noticed this when traveling to new cities and am looking around and see chain after chain after chain. Pretty soon every city will be the same, with the same 10 stores and the same 10 chain restaurants.

Check our the 3/50 Project and tell others about them.

This week I came across this article in the Chicago Reader about the garbage issues facing the city of Chicago. Honestly it was a little depressing. Mayor Daley is constantly up on his little pedestal saying how ‘green’ the city is and how he’s committed to making Chicago the greenest city in the country but we still don’t have a fully functional citywide recycling program. Granted he has implemented a few good ideas like having green roofs on some city buildings but overall he hasn’t done enough.

My neighborhood is one of the few that actually has the ‘Blue Bin‘ program but my building can’t get one because we have 13 units. We pay for our own recycling pick-up from an independent company. The problem is that we can’t recycle every thing that you can recycle using the city’s blue bin. We can only recycle #1 and #2 plastics in the shape of a bottle. No yogurt tubs, no margarine containers.. It’s not a huge deal but I think it’s silly that our neighbors who have 2 people living in their house get this huge cart to use and can recycle pretty much everything and we have to pay for a private company to come out to get our and we can only recycle a fraction of what they can.

And so I’m happy to have a little bit of power. I’m really happy my neighbors are excited about composting. I’m hoping it’s not too difficult to get people in the habit of doing it and doing it right.

There was a nice article in the Chicago Tribune early in the week. Check it out here.

If you want to keep up to date on this issue consider becoming a fan of No Foam Chicago on Facebook or join their mailing list.

I have been working with No Foam Chicago over the past few months mostly in a web site updating capacity. They are a fantastic group of people who have been working really hard to get this ban passed.

I’ve been settling into the routine of a new job and also helping out over at NoFoam Chicago with updating their website and research. So needless to say things have been a little hectic here.

Things should be getting more manageable in a few weeks and I’ll be back in the saddle!

Happy Holidays and thanks for visiting!

~Jasmine

I’ve been trying to get into a community garden here in the neighborhood and am looking forward to maybe next year being my year. The garden at 61st street has been kind of in limbo due to a pending construction project at the University of Chicago. Currently the garden is on University property and they are trying to find a new home for it or try to keep it where it is. I got an email update yesterday saying that they might try to expand the number of people who can have plots by breaking it up into several different locations throughout the neighborhood.

I’m a little bummed that I didn’t get into the garden this year but we did get to plant some tomatoes and chard at my parents’ place in WI. I’m going to check on the tomatoes on Thursday. Hopefully they’re ripe!

When you don’t have you’re own outdoor space you’re at the mercy of others to some extent. Ideally I’d just dig up the front or back yard and plant a garden there but I’m not sure my neighbors would be into it. Our yards are completely wasted space. Maybe next year I can talk them into letting me carve out some gardening space, or maybe they’d be more into having some hens in the yard. Eggs for everyone!

Leaf blowers have always kind of gotten on my nerves. They are noisy and incredibly wasteful. What’s so terrible about having a leaf on your sidewalk anyway? What about a broom or a rake?

It seems to me like they are they equivalent of using a bazooka to kill a fly.

Today as I sit in my house enjoying a lazy Saturday morning there’s a symphony of leaf blowers blowing dust and dirt all over the neighborhood. The warm breeze blows the exhaust in my window. Lovely.

So I’m going to do something about it instead of just complaining. I wrote my alderman this morning and have started doing some research on how to get a ban on leaf blowers passed in my neighborhood. I’m also talking to our management company about having our maintenance people not use leaf blowers on our property.

The thing that makes me a little crazy about the whole issue is the same neighbors I see outside with their electric or old fashioned human powered push mowers are the some of the same people who have landscaping companies out there blowing leaves around.

Why are gas leaf blowers so offensive?

They pollute the air. A single gas-powered leaf blower can emit as much pollution in a year as 80 cars. It’s not just the emissions that pollute the air it’s also all the stuff they stir up into the air.

-From nonoise.org

Street dust includes lead, organic carbon, and elemental carbon according to a study conducted for the ARB. The Lung Association states “the lead levels are of concern due to [their] great acute toxicity… Elemental carbon…usually contains several absorbed carcinogens.” Another study found arsenic, cadmium, chromium, nickel, and mercury in street dust as well. The ARB states that a leaf blower creates 2.6 pounds of PM10 dust emissions per hour of use, and based on this a report from the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District states that leaf blower dust is responsible for two percent of our PM. Blowers are widely used in residential areas where many people are exposed.

They’re really noisy. A normal decibel level, considered acceptable in residential areas, is about 60 decibels (60dB). Every increase in decibels means noise that is 10 times louder. Leaf-blowers usually generate about 70-75 dB. According to the U.S. EPA this level of noise actually degrades quality of life by interfering with communication and sleep, leads to reduced accuracy of work and increased levels of aggravation, which can linger hours after exposure.

They worsen allergies and asthma and irritate the lungs. Because they operate at such high velocities, leaf blowers stir up the mold, allergens, and dust particles that otherwise have been tamped down with rain and decomposition.

They waste gas. Two-stroke engine fuel is a gasoline-oil mixture, thus especially toxic. Rakes and even electric-lawn blowers offer a petroleum-free alternative.

Some alternatives to gas leaf blowers:

Leaf sweeper. It picks up leaves and puts them into a  bag as you roll it over your lawn or driveway.

If you just have to blow leaves around, choose electric.

Electric leaf blowers are lighter, quieter and vibrate less than gas units. An electric motor drives the fan, so there’s no need to mix fuel or refill. Smaller and medium-sized yards are especially good candidates for electric blowers. There are two types:

Corded leaf blowers provide constant power as long as you have access to an electrical outlet. The attached cord limits mobility so this may not be the best choice for a lawn with lots of trees. Look for a cord retention system to prevent the cord from being accidentally unplugged during use. Also, use an electrical cord that’s rated for outdoor use.

Rechargeable/battery-operated leaf blowers are good alternatives for smaller areas or jobs. They work well on solid surfaces like driveways and garages. They’re limited by their run time and the fact that they move less air than larger models.

If your landscaping company gives you trouble and says it’ll be less efficient and more time consuming, send them this.

Grandmother Proves Rake and Broom as Fast as Leaf Blowers

Yesterday I was reading an article on a group of people here in Chicago who are trying to get the city to ban stryofoam. Yay! Finally!! I was completely shocked and appalled to learn that Chicago Public Schools serve school lunches to it’s 400,000 students everyday on DISPOSABLE POLYSTYRENE TRAYS. I could not believe what I was reading. Seriously?

When I was in school we had reusable plastic trays. They worked just fine.

This is not only a disgusting disregard for the environment but an enormous waste of money! I found a website that sells similar trays and they cost about $37 for 500 trays. That’s about $29,000/ day. Five days a week. No wonder our schools are in such financial trouble. Holy crap!

What kind of message is this sending to children? Why did this switch happen? Why is my tax money being spent on this?

Styrofoam is another huge pet peeve. When I worked downtown my office was right across the street from this place that was kind of like a convenience store but they had a little salad bar and some prepackaged sandwiches etc. From time to time I’d go in there in the morning to get a muffin before work and would see person after person filling up giant styrofoam cups with coca cola and then piling salad fixin’s into a big styrofoam clamshell container. It pissed me off quite honestly.

Then I’d go to work for a few hours and go out to lunch at Corner Bakery and see person after person grab the prepackaged salads or sandwiches pay for them and eat them there instead of just ordering a sandwich ‘for here’ and having it come on a plate. Day after day I watched people getting up from their tables leaving behind a massive pile of plastic containers and paper and huge piles of napkins they grabbed and only used one. It made me crazy.

I had to try to stop myself from yelling at people..

I really wanted to do an installation art piece in a major office building downtown of a huge pile of Starbucks cups and to-go containers so people could see how wasteful is was. The average office worker probably goes to Starbucks (or other coffee place) at least once a day. Then at lunch they probably go to a fast food place where their food probably comes in a plastic or styrofoam container or wrapped in paper and put in a plastic bag. Add in all the paper napkins, condiment packets, soy sauce in a little plastic container, the plastic lined paper cup your soda comes in and don’t forgot the lid and the straw too. That’s just 1 day for 1 person. Multiply that by how many days a year those people are working, and multiply that by how many thousands of people work in offices in downtown Chicago. It’s insanely.. well insane.

But there is hope..

www.nofoamchicago.org

If you live in Chicago check them out. If you don’t, see if there’s a similar group in your city. There are so many alternatives to styrofoam that are much smarter and less toxic. There’s no reason why it should still be in use on such a large scale.

For the past year or two my allergies have been building and building. I was never allergic to anything as a child but things change as you get older. I definitely have some tree pollen allergies and wine. Red wine is worse but I’ve noticed white wine makes me have a sneezing fit too.

This spring they were pretty bad and I started taking an OTC allergy medication. It helped but I don’t really like taking medications unless I really have to. My allergies aren’t pleasant but it’s not like they interfere with being able to function and do daily activities. So I stopped taking the medication and I’m back to watery eyes and sneezing.

My husband keeps trying to get me to do something about it and heard from a co-worker that eating local honey can help with allergies. It’s a folk-remedy and it doesn’t work for everyone but I’m willing to try it and see if it helps.

The theory behind it is that the bees who live around you are collecting pollen from the local plants and flowers and bits of that pollen is in the honey.  The honey acts as an immune booster and can help reduce your reaction to those pollens over time. I’ve read a few different articles and people suggest taking a small amount at first, maybe starting with a half teaspoon a day and increasing it to 1 or 2 teaspoons. You should ideally start the process a couple months before the pollen season.

It seems like it would work. It’s kind of the same idea behind allergy shots. You expose your body to a small manageable dose of the allergen so when you are exposed to a large amount you are better equipped to dealing with it.

So the hunt began for local honey. I remember reading an article a while ago about the City Hall apiary and their famous ‘Roof Top Honey’. I also read that it’s really hard to track down and pretty pricey, though the proceeds do go to Gallery 37 which is a great organization.

I decided to just take a look at the grocery store yesterday and try to find some local honey there. They had some from Indiana, close but not close enough.

After a little more digging I found the Chicago Honey Co-Op! It’s located about 13 miles from my house. Can’t really get much closer than that. I’m going to buy some this week and start the experiment.

A little disclaimer here.. I’m not a doctor. There is no scientific evidence that this will work and if you have really severe allergies this might not be the right answer for you.

I will definitely post an update on my progress. If anyone else has tried this and has any opinions or tips please let me know!

What’s so bad about this, right? They’re cute, non-toxic, BPA-free and recyclable. Great! No, not really. Antimicrobial isn’t that great. It’s a nicer way of saying pesticide. This is one of my ongoing rants that my husband is suscepted to on a regular basis. It’s time to share that rant with the world.

I find myself on at least a weekly basis yelling at the TV during some cleaning product commercial. They seem to imply that you are a bad mother, or bad wife, or a bad person if your house has one surface that’s not  sanitized to hospital standards. We don’t need our houses to be like a microchip manufacturing clean room.

As a country I think we Americans are completely and totally OBSESSED with sanitation and making everything antibacterial. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. You should be aware of food safety in your home kitchen and make sure you wash a cutting board that had raw chicken on it before you cut some fruit. Absolutely, 100% behind that.

What I have a problem with is all the wasteful sanitizing wipe stations set up at the grocery store. I have a problem with the big plastic carts at Target for kids, you know the ones that look like cars, covered in Microban. I have a problem with so many commercial cleaning products being antibacterial.

Not all bacteria is bad. We don’t want to kill it all.

The more we spray these antibacterial products around the more of a problem we’re making for ourselves. Remember a while ago when there was a lot of talk about the over use of prescription antibiotics?  These medications worked for a while but then the viruses changed and became resistant. Same theory here. Antibacterial soaps and cleaners work. Some say they will kill up to 99.9% of harmful bacteria. The bacteria that’s left are the stronger ones. It’s survival of the fittest. We easily kill off all the weaker bacteria and are only left with the nasty ones which will breed and multiply forcing us to use stronger and stronger pesticides in our homes.

I think this is a problem. Maybe I’m the only one..

So back to the dog bowls.. Please don’t feed your dog out of plastic. Especially if it’s treated with antimicrobial agents. Stick with the good ol’ tried and true stainless steel and wash them out a couple times a week.