Appreciate what you have: The Minature Earth Project transforms influential Donella Meadows "State of the Village Report" into moving video

A version of this with a different sound track is available at the Miniature Earth Project.

Meatless Monday Recipe-White Bean and Arugula Salad with Lemon Dill Vinaigrette

White Bean and Arugula Salad with Lemon Dill Vinaigrette

To make vegan, leave out the cheese. If you don't like dill, substitute with thyme or parsley. Serve with crusty bread, and you have a light meal to compliment the summer heat.

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp minced fresh dill
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
Coarse sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 bunches arugula, trimmed and roughly chopped
1 can white beans, such as cannellini or Great Northern, rinsed and drained
1 yellow bell pepper, halved, seeded and thinly sliced
Shaved Parmesan cheese for garnish

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, dill, garlic, and salt and pepper. Add the arugula, beans, and yellow pepper and toss to combine.

2. Garnish the salad with shaved Parmesan cheese and serve.

Found: Treehugger.com; Fresh Food Fast by Peter Berley

Beautiful and inspiring site, Earth Album, combines google earth with flickr for pictures of sunsets around the earth, even Texas

This site is a beautiful restorative. With a combination of Google Earth and Flickr it allows you to click on a world map and call up photos hosted by Flickr which include sunsets.

Earth Album Alpha

Photo by Flickr user stilllearninghowtofly-WW tribe psychiatrist

Watch "The Corporation" on Hulu.com. 2006 Documentary examines the nature of corporations and their effect on society and the environment.

Watch the entire documentary on Hulu.com with limited commercial interruption.

Meatless Monday Recipe-Broccoli and Bowties

Broccoli and Bowties

1 lb. dry farfalle pasta 2 cups broccoli florets 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced Juice and zest of 1 lemon 2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. pepper 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rapid boil, then add the dry pasta. Cook according to package directions, drain, and set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, bring about 4 cups of water to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook about 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.

3. Place a small sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the oil and garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice, zest, salt, and pepper.

4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta, broccoli, lemon-olive oil sauce, and toasted pine nuts. Toss until well coated and season with additional salt and pepper if desired.

Found: VegCooking.com (PETA)

Makes 8 servings

Green Expert Coming to Austin

Carol Venolia, author, columnist, and eco-architect extraordinare will be in Austin next week for three events that are open to the public. Carol's latest book (with co-author Kelly Lerner), "Natural Remodeling for the Not-So-Green House" is a very popular and well regarded book on how to go green without building new. With one speaking event on Thursday, June 17th and two events on Saturday, the 19th, you have plenty of opportunity to hear from one of the leaders and most respected authorities in the green building and remodeling movement. Go to the Design~Build~Live website, the sponsors of these events, for all the detailed information you need regarding topic details, workshop information, times, tickets, and locations.

WWF video demonstrates how littering has consequences

It All Comes Back To You - Click here for more blooper videos

Meatless Monday Recipe-Spice Market Sweet Potato and Lentil Packets

Spice Market Sweet Potato and Lentil Packets

Serves 4; 30 minutes of fewer; Gluten Free; Vegan

Sweet potatoes and lentils get cooked in a curried broth inside packets for a lightly spicy dish. Serve with quinoa.

I made the full recipe, and it makes a lot of food! I suggest, if you are not serving this for a party, you might want to half the recipe. I actually served it with home-made tortillas. (The recipe will follow after this one.)

2 cups finely diced sweet potato

1 large red bell pepper, diced (1 1/2 cups)

1 cup fresh green beans, thinly sliced (I substituted peas)

1/4 cup golden raisins

2 Tbs. hot sesame oil (I used regular, the dish turned out sweeter then spicy)

1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

2 Tbs. minced fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1 tsp. curry powder

1 1/2 cups cooked lentils or 1 15-oz. can lentils, rinsed and drained

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place 4 16-inch lengths of foil on work surface. Fold foil in half from short side. Unfold. Shape corners and edges of one half into semicircular "bowl" with 1/2-inch sides. Coat insides of foil with cooking spray.

2. Combine sweet potato, bell pepper, green beans, and raisins in medium bowl. Add oil, and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

3. Whisk together broth, ginger, garlic, and curry powder in a small bowl.

4. Divide sweet potato mixture among packets; top with 1/3 cup lentils. Pour 1/4 cup broth mixture over lentils, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Fold other half of foil over ingredients, and crimp edges in overlapping folds until packets are sealed. Transfer packets to baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes.

5. Transfer to plates. Let each person open packet carefully-escaping air will be hot.

Per packet: 265 cal.; 9 grams prot.; 7 grams total fat (1 gram sat. fat); 43 grams carb.; 0 mg chol.; 253 mg sod.; 10 grams fiber; 13 grams sugar

Found: Vegetarian Times May/June 2010

Home-made Tortillas

6 cups flour

1 t. salt

1 T. baking powder

8 T. shortening

1 3/4 cup warm water

Mix salt and baking powder into flour. Add shortening. Mix well. Slowly add water to flour. Knead mix and separate dough into many small balls. Knead each ball again. Flatten each ball into a patty. Then roll it to make it round and flat. Place it on a hot grill, turning it two or three times until it is well done. Tortilla should be soft. Makes about 2 dozens.

Manuela Enriquez-June 16, 1918

Canadian Broadcasting Company 2007 documentary "The Denial Machine" examines global warming deniers.

From the CBC:

In the past few years, a firestorm has engulfed the debate about global warming. This issue has pitted science against spin, with inflammatory words from both sides. Former Vice-President Al Gore’s recent Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his work on global warming, only served to heighten the rhetoric on both sides of the debate.
iceberg
Some scientists believe that global warming will not be devastating to the planet.

How could scientific fact, which many believe could determine the very future of the planet, become a political battleground, left versus right, environmentalist versus climate change sceptic?
Global warming: potential costs?

A 2006 British report estimated that the projected costs of global warming to be as costly as both world wars and the Great Depression added together. Yet, with such consequences, some scientists still insist that climate change, if it is happening at all, could be a good thing.

The Denial Machine investigates the roots of the campaign to negate the science and the threat of global warming. It tracks the activities of a group of scientists, some of whom previously consulted for Big Tobacco, and who are now receiving donations from major coal and oil companies.
Who is keeping the debate of global warming alive?

The documentary shows how fossil fuel corporations have kept the global warming debate alive long after most scientists believed that global warming was real and had potentially catastrophic consequences. It shows that companies such as Exxon Mobil are working with top public relations firms and using many of the same tactics and personnel as those employed by Phillip Morris and RJ Reynolds to dispute the cigarette-cancer link in the 1990s. Exxon Mobil sought out those willing to question the science behind climate change, providing funding for some of them, their organizations and their studies.

The Denial Machine also explores how the arguments supported by oil companies were adopted by policymakers in both Canada and the US and helped form government policy.