Before anything, get some garlic roasting. I cut off the top third of the head of garlic, drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil, and roast for an hour at 350 degrees.

Butternut squash has a talent for destroying even my sturdiest peelers, so when you take this beauty home from the farmers market, I recommend removing the outer layer with a knife. Chop up the squash into hearty chunks and set aside.

Meanwhile, put a generous dollop of butter (I used about a third of a stick) in to a stockpot and caramelize about half an onion, diced. If you’re feeling frisky, add a sprinkling of brown sugar.

When onions are soft, add in the squash and cover with stock (I find that organic vegetable, chicken, or beef stock all work well.) Gently simmer until squash is very soft when pierced with a fork.

Add about a third to half the roasted garlic (I’m sure you can think of a good use for the rest!)

Run the entire mixture (stock and all!) through a food mill or simply mash with a potato masher till smooth. Season to taste with generous pinches of salt, pepper, cumin, ginger, and – if you want to crank up the heat – cayenne. For a creamier soup, stir in organic milk or cream.

I like to garnish with parsley and gorgonzola crumbles, but get creative.

Rose Thornton is the producer of Mission: Sustainable.

1. Computer. The computer is the central tool for those working in an office. Computers in the business sector unnecessarily waste $1 billion worth of electricity a year. Make it a habit to turn off your computer—and the power strip it’s plugged into—when you leave for the day. During the day, setting your computer to go to sleep automatically during short breaks can cut energy use by 70 percent. Remember, screen savers don’t save energy.

2. Light. Artificial lighting accounts for 44 percent of the electricity use in office buildings. Make it a habit to turn off the lights when you’re leaving any room for 15 minutes or more and utilize natural light when you can. Make it a policy to buy Energy Star-rated lightbulbs and fixtures, which use at least two-thirds less energy than regular lighting, and install timers or motion sensors that automatically shut off lights when they’re not needed.

3. Paper. The average U.S. office worker goes through 10,000 sheets of copy paper a year. Make it a policy to buy chlorine-free paper with a higher percentage of post-consumer recycled content. Also consider switching to a lighter stock of paper or alternatives made from bamboo, hemp, organic cotton, or kenaf. Recycle toner and ink cartridges and buy remanufactured ones. According to Office Depot, each remanufactured toner cartridge “keeps approximately 2.5 pounds of metal and plastic out of landfills…and conserves about a half gallon of oil.” And…go paperless when possible!

4. Office supplies. Make it a policy to purchase office supplies and furniture made from recycled materials. Some popular retailers: The Green Office, Green Earth Office Supply, and Conservatree.

5. Indoor environment. Workers have shown to be more productive in a setting where they feel more in control of their environment. Ideally, there should be a thermostat in each individual workspace, so that the temperature can be lowered to save energy. Or, for the building as a whole, the A/C should be used as minimally as possible.

6. Coffee. An important part of the workplace as we all know. Remember to B.Y.O.C. for coffee breaks!

I also have one further suggestion for those who want to go the extra mile…

The Green Office topic was suggested to me by my roommate who became frustrated while working at a PR firm. She noticed that even though the company prints thousands of press releases and uses huge quantities of paper, no one had suggested printing double-sided. In response, her and another intern brought their ideas for reform to the head office: print double sided for clients,  make note to clients that the firm is following a green office plan, and print all internal documents on used paper. My advice is: don’t be afraid to speak up with your ideas. Share these tips with your colleagues. Even more importantly, if you can, get a hold of some company numbers and calculate out the savings for the firm. Make a powerpoint and present it, emphasizing how being green can benefit the company; show them that you are serious. Take the tip of the day and work to be green!

(Facts taken from the Sierra Club.)

A place for businesses looking to be involved in the growing green economy: http://greenbusinessnetwork.org/

Arielle Gervasi is an intern with Mission: Sustainable

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Links for more information on the question topics below. (Spoiler alert!)

http://greenbusinessnetwork.org/

http://www.epa.gov/osw/partnerships/wastewise/about.htm

http://www.epa.gov/smartwaylogistics/transport/index.htm

Arielle Gervasi is an intern with Mission: Sustainable

It’s been a bit over a month since I’ve written because I took some time off to backpack through France with “le boyfriend.” Tough life – I know.

Right before I left, Jon Sumple, the director if Mission: Sustainable said something along the lines of ‘Number one, have a great time. Number two, bring back some ideas about sustainability in Europe.’

Sure I rode the Paris metro, “commuted” through vineyards by bike, passed endless rows of wind turbines from the window of one of Frances many excellent high speed trains…..but most of all, I ate.

As a (some might say) anal planner, I couldn’t help but look up every single market day in all the towns we’d visit and read up on local delicacies from each region. Thus, our itinerary included a farmers market at least every other day. Here’s a sampler of some of my favorite farm-fresh/artesian sustainable picnics:

1. Antibes picnic (eaten outside the Picasso museum overlooking the Mediterranean Sea): black olives marinated with Mediterranean spices, green olives with lemon confit, artisan “biologic” (organic) baguette, aged unpronounceable cheese, marinated sun-dried tomatoes.

2. Avignon picnic (eaten with the brooding Palace of the Popes at our backs, overlooking the Rhone River): vegetable quiche with tomatoes confit, eggplant, leeks, onions, and mushrooms and fresh made lemon tart (the tartest I’ve ever tasted.)

3. Beaune picnic  (eaten in a rose-lined manor house courtyard with cats lazing nearby in the sun): Fresh strawberries, artisan biologic baguette, local Delice de Pommard cheese covered in mustard seeds

3. Paris picnic (enjoyed on the lower bank of the Seine River at sunset): a Premiere Cru red wine from Pommard in Burgundy.

Thinking my way through the farmers markets in France reminds me that eating sustainably meant 3 things:

1) Know who grows – meet the farmers and artisans you buy from and ask about their practices,

2) Slow down – take time to choose good ingredients from farmers who care and savor the results,

3) Love what you eat – in France, eating is serious business and serious pleasure combined. Choose great food and be passionate about it.

Rose Thornton is the co-creator and producer of Mission: Sustainable

Since it is Renewable Week, I would like to give a shout out to The Seed Savers Exchange. Though their certificate is not the grand prize, they definitely take the cake for promoting an important farming practice. Saving seeds in order to re-plant is an integral part of a sustainable gardening system. This practice was widely used by farmers until the commercial introduction of the genetically modified seed in the 1970′s. Since then, not only have farmers begun to grow genetically modified crops almost exclusively, but they are also not allowed to save their seeds anymore, as the genetically modified seeds and their offspring belong, by patent, to the company the farmer bought them from (usually Monsanto). So, even if you don’t enter, please support the Seed Savers Exchange as they work to promote a sustainable future for us all.

Enter here.

Arielle Gervasi is an intern with Mission: Sustainable

“‘Energy use tends to follow the level of economic activity, and that level declined last year. At the same time, higher efficiency appliances and vehicles reduced energy use even further,’ said A.J. Simon, an LLNL energy systems analyst.”

The use of coal is thus declining in favor of these eco-friendly alternatives.

Help reduce your energy consumption at home and at work in order to further encourage the renewable trend:

1. Unplug your appliances when not in use. Plug home electronics, such as TVs and DVD players, into power strips; turn the power strips off when the equipment is not in use.
2. Air dry your dishes. Choose to wash by hand or just don’t use the drying cycle on your dishwasher if it comes with one.
3. Install energy efficient light bulbs. Consider using high-intensity discharge (also called HID) or low-pressure sodium lights
4. Close the window! Remember that new windows must be installed correctly to avoid air leaks around the frame. Look for a reputable, qualified installer.
5. Turn down the A/C. Turn down the thermostat when you go to bed. Or if you live in a newer model home, you may have multiple thermostats for each room; turn the heat or air conditioning down when you leave the room.
6. Consider renewable! A viable option for your home is solar power. What’s more is that you get paid for having a solar panel! Utilities are required to pay you for the power you put into the system. Visit solarhome.org for more info on how you can make solar a reality for your home.

Check out the U.S. Department of Energy’s website for more energy saving tips!

Arielle Gervasi is an intern with Mission: Sustainable

So, in honor of this concept, enjoy savings up to 25% off during VivaTerra’s annual furniture sale event. There is a wide selection of furniture on sale — dining tables, side tables, chairs, bed headboards, storage units — all featuring eco-friendly materials like reclaimed wood, old railroad ties, sustainable mango wood, and more. Long live furniture!

Shop here.

Arielle Gervasi is an intern with Mission: Sustainable

Register to become an online member of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International (it’s free to join) and you’ll be entered into a giveaway for a Gorilla Trek for Two to Rwanda with Baobab Expeditions. The prize consists of a four day/three night safari for two people that starts and finishes in Kigali, Rwanda. You’ll not only trek to see mountain gorillas; you’ll also have an opportunity to visit Karisoke Research Center, the only gorilla research center in the world, and enjoy dinner with some of the Center’s conservationists.

Enter here.

Arielle Gervasi is an intern with Mission: Sustainable

Think back to 1955. I mean, the 1955 of the hit movie Back to the Future, of course! The movie transports Marty McFly back to 1955 Hill Valley—a very different place. The downtown is the heart of the community; the city plaza with fountains, restaurants, businesses, City Hall, apartments, clothing stores, the high school; virtually everything needed for daily existence is downtown or within walking distance of downtown. The 1955 downtown Hill Valley was a walkable urban place. This stands in contrast to what is known as “urban sprawl,” where areas are spread out and almost always require wheels to get from point A to point B.

Now…back to the Walk Score, Doc!

Thanks to Walk Score, the super handy online tool that measures a neighborhood’s walkability, millions of people now know if they live in a Walker’s Paradise (with a score of over 90) or an area where it’s notably harder to get by without a car (below 70). There are over 2, 508 neighborhoods in the database!

But even more news! Yesterday, Walk Score is rolled out the Transit Score, which measures how well an address is served by public transit. The goal of this mission-driven business (Walk Score) is “to promote walkable communities for environmental, economic and health benefits,” says CEO Josh Herst, from Walk Score’s Seattle-based headquarters. “We introduced transit information so you can decide where to live and work based on services and amenities, and understand your transit options.”

Check out the Walk Score

…and the new Transit Score!

Arielle Gervasi is an intern with Mission: Sustainable

Beckons Organics is having a sitewide 40% off clearance sale on their organic cotton and hemp yoga tops and bottoms for women (dresses too!). According to the website, “It’s more than just yoga clothing, pilates clothing and activewear. It’s everyday wear for active women. “At checkout, use coupon code.

Coupon code: CLEAR

Shop here.

Arielle Gervasi is an intern with Mission: Sustainable