Veggie Teens

Earth Day: 13 Things Teens Can Do to Go Green

Go Green Guide

(Excerpt from Veggie Teens: A Cookbook and Guide for Vegetarian Teenagers by Elyse May (aka Veggie Teen).

 Happy Earth Day! Remember to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle…in that order! Living a “greener” lifestyle today will help save our planet today for tomorrow.

13 Things to Do to Make a Difference

1. Out to Lunch: Use a reusable lunch bag and containers instead of paper and plastic.
2. Watered Down: Don’t buy individually bottled water; refill bottles instead.
3. Class Act: Recycle and reuse school supplies, paper, binders and backpacks.
4. Wear Out: Share, trade, sell and donate used clothing and accessories.
5. Bag the Bags: Minimize the use of plastic bags. Take your own bags with you when you go shopping. If you only have a few items, skip the bag altogether.
6. Water Wise: Don’t leave the water running (I know this one is hard!). If it takes time to heat, collect the extra to water for your plants.
7. Lighten Up: Replace your old incandescent light bulbs with (CFL) compact fluorescent light bulbs. Better yet, use natural light when possible.
8. Black Out: Turn off lights and unplug appliances when not in use.
9. Eat Local: Buy produce and other products grown locally. Shop at farmers’ markets.
10. Back to Your Roots: Grow your own herbs, fruit and vegetables. You can’t get any more local than that!
11. Ditch the Dump: Compost organic materials like yard trimmings and food waste into rich soil.
12. Walk ‘n Roll: Walk, ride your bike, carpool and use public transportation to reduce your gas usage.
13. Close the Loop: Recycle paper, plastic and glass, and buy goods made from recycled materials whenever possible.

Meatless Monday: Rustic Spinach, Basil, Tomato, and Feta Tart

This Meatless Monday post is based on a recipe from Veggie Teens: A Cookbook and Guide for Vegetarian Teenagers by Elyse May (aka Veggie Teen).

Rustic Spinach, Basil, Tomato, and Feta Tart

1 Pillsbury pie crust
1 cup of packed fresh spinach leaves, chiffonaded
Small handful fresh basil leaves, chiffonaded
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved (or substitute cherry tomatoes)
1/4 cup feta cheese
Kosher salt to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Unroll crust onto baking sheet (we find that a baking stone works best). Toss spinach, basil, tomatoes, and feta cheese together in a large bowl. Dump onto the center of the crust and spread almost to the edges. Fold up the edges and pinch to hold in place. Don't worry - it's supposed to look rustic! Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes; remove from oven and cover edges of the crust with foil to prevent burning. Bake for an additional 5-10 minutes.

Cut into wedges; serve as an appetizer or with  a green salad for a main course.

High school installing water refill system to reduce impact of water bottles on the environment

My high school, Desert Vista, and the whole Tempe Union High School District, is installing a Water Refill System. The info Dr. Battle our principal sent states:

"Recognizing the impact of water bottles on our environment, this strategy is one attempt to minimize the number of water bottles that enter waste systems. All schools in the district will receive three Water Refill Stations.It is our hope that more stations will be available throughout next school year."

It's a start!

I'm curious to know how you or your school is helping to reduce the use of plastic water bottles. Please share your ideas!