Are you boycotting BP?

Many people are picketing BP gas stations with the intention of hurting the oil companies deep pockets.  Even artists and rock groups are joining the boycott bandwagon.  There’s even a Facebook group that aims to organize a nationwide boycott of the brand – all to voice the public’s discontent with the way BP has managed the disastrous oil leak in the Gulf.  You yourself may have thought of bypassing the station on Old Roswell Rd. on the way to the 400, even though your tank was on “E”.   That’ll show them, right?  Wrong.

Oil is a globally traded comodity and there is just no way to be sure which company is responsible for the gas that goes into your car.  It only becomes BP-branded gas when additives are put in, usually at the filling station.  And if BP runs into a surplus of those ingredients, it’s very easy for them to just sell them off to other stations.

Consumer protests actually have no real effect on BP’s bottom line.  In fact, when people do boycott BP stations, the only people that end up getting hurt are the innocent gas station operators that have nothing to do with the oil spill.  As the New York Times pointed out…

“BP doesn’t actually own any gas stations. It licenses the BP brand out to independent station owners in a franchise model, and collects a relative pittance from the deals. So if you withhold your business from your local BP station, you’re really only hurting the local businessman or chain who owns that particular store. And what they’re being punished for is the mistake of signing up with BP instead of ExxonMobil or Sunoco.”

Sorry folks…the only real way to hurt BP’s pockets are to quit using petroleum based products all together.  And I’m not sure if the majority of the public is ready for that.  What do you think?

Don’t waste water

Wasting water is an easy way to watch your money go down to drain. But there are several ways to fix this.

First off, take a minute and listen for the soft, “drip… drip,” sound coming from your sinks or shower. The NRDC estimates that leaky faucets wastes about 3,000 gallons of water a year.

The organization recommends checking for a leaking toilet by placing food coloring in the tank and then waiting 30 minutes to see if it appears in the bowl. If it does, it’s time to fix the leak.

You can also check for leaks by reading the water meter when no one is home and you know that no appliances are in use. If you check it a little later and the numbers have gone up, it could also indicate a leak.

Great tip, right?  I just came across it in an article entitled Earth Day Tips: 7 Easy Ways to Conserve Energy and Save Money with some great advice.  Follow the linke to read more.  Enjoy!

In-Season Produce: Zucchini Yogurt Multigrain Muffins

We now know that buying in-season fruits and vegetables, particularly produce that has been grown locally, is better for our environment (and probably our taste buds and bodies too).  But it also provides an exciting opportunity to try new foods and to experiment with seasonal recipes!

Check out this recipe for Zucchini Yogurt Multigrain Muffins.  If you make it, shoot a picture of your finished dish and upload it to the Rosemont Facebook page.  Anyone interested in having a community cooking contest?

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 207 | Total Fat: 7.6g | Cholesterol: 27mg

One GREAT weekend, several GREAT events!

Alright Rosemont, this coming weekend is one of those weekends that make you love Atlanta. For the next few days, no one in the metro-Atlanta area can use the excuse that they couldn’t find anything fun to do. Music: check. Arts: check. Sports: check. Food, beer and wine: check. Outdoors: check. Traffic: check (hey, everything comes at a cost). It’s all here for the taking. Here is what you need to know:

Sweetwater 420 Festival

If listening to great music, sampling new microbrews and relaxing with your friends at a park (all for the low price of $5) sounds enticing, you’ll want to check out the Sweetwater 420 Festival schedule of events at Candler Park this Saturday, April 17 from noon to 10 p.m. and Sunday, April 18 from 12:30 to 8 p.m. Also to note, The Sweetwater 420 Festival is “pet friendly” as well as a very “green friendly” event. While Sweetwater is a local Atlanta brewery, and organization named Planet 420 (hence, Sweetwater 420) sponsors the event to promote education of earth friendly practices. Sounds like a win-win for all.

One of the coolest things about Sweetwater 420 is that the festival is located just two blocks from the Candler Park MARTA station. Head to the closest MARTA station and there is no need to worry about traffic or parking!

Atlanta Dogwood Festival

Along with serving as the unofficial start of spring, the historic Atlanta Dogwood Festival provides the opportunity to spend time with friends and family while providing a creative marketplace for many Atlanta artisans, as well as other artists from around the country. It goes on all day at Piedmont Park from April 16-18. Unfortunately, no pets are allowed.

Additionally, you can purchase tickets for the Homegrown Comedy Binge as well as the Friends of Dogwood Pavilion food and wine tasting experience. Participating restaurants include: Dolce, Nakato, Geisha House, Pacci, The Sun Dial, Taqueria del Sol and many others. Piedmont Park is also very much accessible by MARTA.

Sports

If basketball is your thing, snatch up a ticket to see the Atlanta Hawks first game in the 2010 NBA Playoffs. They start their best-of-seven series against the Milwaukee Bucks at Philips Arena on Saturday, April 17 at 5:30 p.m. The Atlanta Braves also have a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies at Turner Field this weekend on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (April 16, 17 and 18).

I usually check craigslist first to see if I can snag a good deal on tickets!

In-Season Produce: Markets near Rosemont

Do you shop for your fresh food and produce locally? If not, you may want to give it some serious consideration. Although today’s global market allows us to buy foods grown almost anywhere in the world at any given time, this option is not the most sustainable.

Buying in-season fruits and vegetables that are locally grown helps to eliminate the environmental damage caused by shipping foods across the country – and in some cases – the world. Not only does your food dollar go directly to the farmers, but you’re able to enjoy the health benefits of eating fresh, better tasting, unprocessed produce. According to the National Resources Defense Council, in-season foods for the state of Georgia (and surrouning areas) include:

Blueberries Cabbage Carrots Greens Snap Beans Strawberries Vidalia Onions Yellow Squash Zucchini Asparagus (Tennessee) Bananas (Florida) Broccoli (Florida, North Carolina) Cantaloupe (Florida) Cauliflower (Florida) Celery (Florida) Chinese Cabbage (Florida) Collards (Tennessee) Cucumber (Florida) Eggplant (Florida) Endive (Florida) Escarole (Florida) Gourds (Tennessee) Grapefruit (Florida) Herbs (Tennessee) Honey (Tennessee) Honeydew Melon (Florida) Indian Corn (Tennessee) Kumquat (Florida)

Leafy greens (North Carolina) Limes (Florida) Mamey Sapote (Florida) Mixed Greens (South Carolina) Mushrooms (Florida, Tennessee) Okra (Florida) Onions (Florida) Oranges (Florida) Papaya (Florida) Peanuts (North Carolina) Pecans* (Alabama) Peppers (Florida) Potatoes (Florida) Radishes (Florida) Scallions (South Carolina) Squash* (Alabama, Florida) Sweet Corn (Florida) Sweet Potatoes * (Alabama, North Carolina) Tangelos (Florida) Tangerines (Florida) Tomatoes (Florida) Watermelon (Florida)

Here is a short list of markets that sell fresh locally grown foods near the Rosemont area. If you can suggest any other markets, leave a comment and let the community know!

Markets near Rosemont

Going Green: Tighten your skin with natural products

Check out this easy Do it Yourself recipe courtesy of The Daily Green…

Lemon Egg-White Mask

• Juice from 1/2 a lemon (strained)
• 1 egg white

Beat together the egg white and lemon juice for 3 minutes.  Apply directly to your face, avoiding the eyes.  Leave on for 30 minutes.  Rinse off with warm water.  Makes 1 application.

Fogelman Management Group is focused on spreading the word about Going Green, a term that signifies the social movement towards environmental conservation, protection and improvement. It’s all about making simple lifestyle choices that will lessen our negative impact on the Earth. Making and using home products with organic materials is just one way to we can make a difference.

Stay tuned to the Rosemont blog throughout the month of April for more tips on how you can play your part.

Super Bowl Go Green Ideas

Are you wanting to throw a greener Super Bowl party this year? One of the great things about having a green Super Bowl party to watch the Saints and the Colts is that it will save you money. Yes, of course it will help with the environment as well. Avoid using plastic cups and paper plates. Also, you don’t have to over prepare your menu. Keep things simple like pizza or hot dogs. For more ideas click here.

Are You Seeing Green?

Do you wear glasses? Well, there aren’t that many fashionable eyeglasses out there for us “go green” minded individuals. Things are changing though. You should check out ICU Eyewear to see how they are changing how people look at green eyewear. Click here to see how companies like ICU Eyewear are making environmentally friendly practices easier to see.