TMDL. No, it’s not some newfangled programming code, but an acronym you’re likely to be hearing quite often nonetheless in the days–and years–to come. Tonight, you’ll have a chance to learn what one local jurisdiction, Fairfax County, is doing to help establish its part of the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for the Chesapeake Bay. 

The County will hold a public meeting to address its role in development of the complex EPA initiative, which would set restrictions on nutrient and sediment pollution throughout a 64,000-square-mile watershed that includes six states and the District. A regulatory tool of the federal Clean Water Act, the Chesapeake Bay TMDL will be backed by a series of accountability measures to ensure compliance.

In a letter to the Water Protection Division, EPA Region III, the chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Sharon Bulova, offers the board’s input for development of the TMDL. Stating that Fairfax County is the most populated local jurisdiction in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, with “…a long history of progressive environmental management,” she notes, “…we are following with great interest recent developments at the federal level to increase the pace of efforts to restore the Chesapeake Bay.”

As cited in Bulova’s letter, the Chesapeake Bay Protection and Restoration Executive Order (signed by President Obama in May 2009) is helping create a new era of federal leadership in restoring the Bay. Both Senate and House legislation being considered could help set standards for stormwater management to facilitate consistency across state and local lines. 

Noting how “Improvements can and should be made in how urban and suburban stormwater is managed,” Bulova includes a caveat that “Goals should be realistic and attainable, focusing on parameters reasonably within the control of local governments and organizations to influence.” 

To learn more about the “ABC’s” of the TMDL, read the full letter and/or attend the public meeting tonight, Monday, Dec. 14 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Falls Church High School’s Little Theater, 7521 Jaguar Trail, Falls Church, Virginia.

Ah Christmas, a time to gather the family together, drink hot chocolate and decorate your beautiful tree. Many of my fondest holiday memories include helping dad staple-gun Christmas lights to the outside of our home.

Unfortunately, you might want to shy away from including children and the elderly in these activities in the future. CNN has uncovered a disappointing fact about Christmas lights, they contain a potentially lethal level of lead.

Like in fake Christmas trees, manufacturers use lead to stabilize the PVC chemical they use to build Christmas lights. The scientific analysis done by CNN was completed at Quantex Laboratories and uncovered lead levels on the lights that even surprised Dr. Leo Trasande of New York’s Sinai School of Medicine.

“There is no level at which lead exposure is safe,” Dr. Trasande said. “Even at one microgram/deciliter — the lowest level in a person’s blood stream that we can detect — that level has been associated with cognitive impairment in children.”

Often, children will help put up the Christmas tree and will then put their hands in their mouths, instantly carrying lead to their bloodstream and organs. Of the four brands tested, Wal-Mart’s showed the highest concentration of surface lead.

Unfortunately, the level of lead on these lights is totally legal because the US government, through the Consumer Product Safety Commission, has not created rules that forbid such lead concentrations. If you want your kids to help with the decorations this year (and why wouldn’t you?) make sure they only hang ornaments, wear gloves, and wash their hands.

For the full CNN story go HERE.

Photo Credit: Flickr CC User Chris_J

Winter Squash: Take Three

Apparently, acclaimed cookbook author Martha Rose Shulman and I are on the same wavelength. In November, she too acquired several winter squash and has been cooking them in a variety of ways. You know what they say about great minds.

When it came time for me to devour my two little butternut squash this week, I knew I wanted to avoid the obvious but delicious soup option. I wanted to combine them with some tatsoi I got in a bonus CSA delivery and some ginger I had just gotten at the farmers’ market, but I wasn’t sure where this was headed. I looked at the New York Times’ invaluable online Recipes for Health for inspiration, and immediately seized on Shulman’s recent recipe and made just a few tweaks, including the addition of tatsoi and omission of sesame seeds.

Just a note about peeling butternut squash: I peeled my squash with a vegetable peeler before slicing them in half. Only then did I remember that I needed to get rid of everything surrounding the beautiful orange flesh, so I proceeded to slice off a tough layer with a knife. The rest of the preparations were a breeze.

Butternut Squash With Soba

Serves 5

• 8 ounces tofu (firm works best but I used soft and enjoyed it)
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 2 small or 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced (about 4 cups)
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce to taste
• 1 small bunch tatsoi, chopped
• 1/2 pound buckwheat noodles (soba)
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

Cut tofu in 3/4-inch slices and wrap in a clean kitchen towel. Set aside for 10 minutes. Chop into 3/4-inch cubes.

Heat a tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick wok over medium flame, and stir-fry the tofu until lightly colored, about three minutes. If you’re using soft tofu, cook a few more minutes. Remove from the wok and set aside. Add the second tablespoon of oil and cook onion until it softens, six to eight minutes. Add the squash and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes. You should be able to pierce butternut pieces with a fork but they shouldn’t be mushy. Add the garlic and ginger, and stir-fry for a few minutes. Add tatsoi, mirin and soy sauce. Cook for just a couple of minutes.

Bring four quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the soba noodles and stir a couple of times to prevent sticking. Cook for about six minutes. Soba should be tender but not soft. Drain and toss with the sesame oil to reduce chances of sticking.

Serve soba topped with squash mixture.

Photo Credit: Flickr CC User (and author) bornOKthefirsttime

If you’ve been searching Target, Macy’s and the Pentagon City mall for that perfect gift, but you keep leaving empty handed, it’s time to think local. Starting December 4-23, DC will host its annual Holiday Market in Penn Quarter (8th and F Streets NW).

This festive shopping experience brings 150 local artisans and hundreds of unique gifts to downtown DC. The event will be an opportunity to support local businesses while enjoying entertainment and special treats!

Everyday, the Holiday Market will open at noon and will close at 8:00pm. You can see a list of the exhibitors and learn more about the market on their official website.

Photo Credit: Flickr CC User justindc

Everyone knows the responsibility of decorating the White House for the holidays falls on the First Lady. For her first year in the role, Michelle Obama is bringing a green flair to her duties by integrating lots of eco-friendly choices into the traditional festivities.

Today, Mrs. Obama unveiled the official White House holiday decorations to the public. The 800 glass ornaments that will decorate the 18 foot Douglas Fur Christmas tree in the Blue Room are recycled from previous administrations. Rather than buy new ornaments, the White House sent these older ones to communities around the U.S. and instructed residents to give them new life with images of local landmarks.

In addition to recycling ornaments, Mrs. Obama has asked that energy-saving LED lights be used around the White House.

The famous gingerbread White House will include a replica of the First Lady’s organic garden and all desserts created by the White House culinary team will be made using honey from the official White House beehives.

The First Family is expecting 50,000 visitors to tour the White House during the holiday season. If you are one of the lucky few, enjoy the replica of the Obamas’ dog Bo, standing guard on the gingerbread White House lawn.

Photo Credit: Flickr CC User rexhammock

December has arrived in Washington. All us snow bunnies are eagerly watching the Capital Weather Gang’s snow predictions. While we dream of the white Christmas that will probably not happen, let’s think about the green Christmas that should.

This holiday season its really easy to incorporate some eco-thinking into your routine. Newsweek has some great tips on doing just that…

Photo Credit: Flickr CC User thefost

Winter Squash: Take Two

Another Thanksgiving has come and gone, and odds are pretty good that you crossed paths with a pumpkin pie. But did you get to enjoy pumpkin any other way? This winter squash makes delicious soup, chili, pancakes, muffins, cookies and gnocchi. And it is fantastic as a ravioli filling. This week, I made a somewhat labor-intensive but scrumptious pumpkin ravioli and tomato sauce (onion, garlic, red wine, canned tomatoes, bay leaf, dried oregano and basil), and used the shortcut miracle that is wonton wrappers.

Pumpkin-Ginger Ravioli

Serves 6

• 1 small/medium pumpkin (five or six pounds), halved and seeded
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 shallots, minced
• 2 tablespoons ginger, minced
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
• 1 package wonton wrappers (48)

Homemade tomato sauce

Preheat oven to 375. Place squash cut side down in a baking dish. Pour in water to a depth of a quarter inch. Bake until fork easily pierces squash, about 45 minutes. Allow it to cool a bit so you can handle it. Scoop out flesh and put in food processor. Puree until fairly smooth (OK if some little bits remain).

In a small skillet, melt butter. When it bubbles, add shallots and ginger and cook until they start to brown. Pour into food processor, add Parmesan and pulse a few times.

To assemble ravioli, it’s helpful to have a lot of surface area and a cup with a little water to seal wonton wrappers together. Place a few wrappers on a cutting board or counter and fill with about a tablespoon of pumpkin filling. Dip your finger in water and run along edges of wrapper. Place another wrapper on top and press sides down firmly and push out air bubbles. Try to avoid laying a wrapper on a wet surface and repeat until you use up all your filling or wrappers. The pumpkin I had made just enough filling for 24 ravioli, perfect for the standard package of 48 wrappers.

Bring medium pot of water to boil. Cook ravioli just a few at a time for about two minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and drain in colander. Serve with tomato sauce.

Photo Credit: Flickr CC User (and author) bornOKthefirsttime

You probably already know that effective January 1, 2010, the District will begin charging shoppers 5 cents for every plastic bag used at the grocery or liquor store. Most of that money goes to cleaning-up the Anacostia River, but the general goal is to reduce the number of plastic bags that clog our rivers, waste petroleum and crowd our landfills. If you’re a low-income DC resident, you can get free reusable bags from the city. Get info on bag giveaway days & locations, as well as general information on the bag ban on the Skip the Bag, Save the River website.

Using the carrot vs. stick metaphor, the DC government has chosen to use a stick to encourage the use of reusable bags by implementing a plastic bag fee. Whole Foods, however, is using a carrot to get its customers on the reusable bag bandwagon. Right now, if you bring reusable bags to Whole Foods, they will reduce your total grocery bill by 7 cents per bag. It may not be much, but it’s better than paying extra for plastic bags!

Photo Credit: DC Government

Its that time again, time to make the decision whether to pull out your old boxed fake tree and start attaching those color coded wire branches, or drive down to the farmer’s market and tie a real tree to the roof of your car.

Maybe you never though much about it, but there are some pretty significant differences between fake and real trees when it comes to their impact on the health of your family and the environment. Since this blog is all about living green in DC, let me explain those differences, they might surprise you!

Your first instinct might be to think fake trees are better for the earth because they are “renewable.” Although they are used year-after-year, the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) used to create them is horribly destructive to the planet and relies on gasoline as its base. You can learn more about PVC HERE.

Additionally, PVC manufacturing generates multiple types of carcinogens. Because 85% of America’s fake trees are produced in China, this manufacturing process is even more unregulated and unruly.

We all know how China loves its lead. This love extends to your fake tree. Lead is used to strengthen the otherwise weak PVC. The Children’s Health Environmental Coalition has warned consumers that fake trees shed lead-laced dust. That’s why your fake tree will probably contain a warning not to inhale or eat any dust or parts that may come loose. So much for eating out of that box of chocolates sitting under your fake tree this year.

Real trees aren’t perfect either. Because farmers may use pesticides or fertilizers to improve growth time and crop abundance, real trees could contribute to pollution of lakes and streams. Not to mention the annual waste generated by all those trees dumped on January 2nd.

Your best bet is to buy your real tree from a Farmer’s Market where a local farmer can testify to whether the tree was grown organically or with chemicals. After you are done with the real tree, chop it into smaller pieces so it is easier for garbage processing. Go to THIS SITE to find tree recycling areas in your community. If you can, buy your tree at a farm where its roots are still in tact a week before Christmas and re-plant it in your yard after the holidays.

I hope that makes your decision over which Christmas tree to use this year a little easier.

Find out more HERE.

Photo Credit: Flickr CC User codepurple

Thanksgiving is coming up and while it is often a time of excess, it shouldn’t be a time of waste. Let’s focus on what you can do to make your Thanksgiving get-together greener.

1. Go Reusable — Avoid disposable plates, flatware, glasses, napkins and food packaging. By using your regular dishes and reusable storage containers you save money and garbage.
2. Encourage Recycling — You’ll probably be serving wine, beer and soda at your dinner. Leave out labeled baskets or cans so your guests can easily recycle their empty containers.
3. Buy Local & Organic — Try the farmers market first. Buy local and organic ingredients that conserve more gasoline and keep chemicals out of the ground.
4. Carpool Guests — If you’re guests are coming from the same area, cut down on traffic, pollution and drunk driving issues by organizing a carpool.
5. Be Energy Efficient — Your house will warm up with all that cooking and all those guests. Keep the heat off if unnecessary and crack a window rather than running the A/C if it gets too warm.

Photo credit: Flickr CC User dracobotanicus