We Add Up is proud to have worked with The Westin Michigan Avenue to produce shirts that promote the green initiatives of the hotel chain.  As part of our custom program, they picked the actions that they most identified with and We Add Up printed their Westin logo on the sleeve of each shirt.  Their team members now are part of our We Add Up count and have sequential numbers!  Here is a note from the hotel on the fun and educational program they put together for Earth Hour this past weekend:

“Here at Team Westin Michigan Avenue we are taking a new, progressive approach to waste management. This approach involves a process called vermicomposting to help recycle our waste. In this process we take leftover kitchen waste such as fruit peels, cardboard egg cartons and paper etc., and we throw them into a container full of worms.

The worms then eat the leftover waste, leaving behind rich, organic material that is then used to enrich our rooftop garden. Our rooftop garden houses such herbs and vegetables as cilantro, parsley, basil, thyme, rosemary, bush beans, lettuces, and tomatoes which are then used for client events and in our associate cafeteria.

On March 30, we had a pre Earth Hour celebration, a “Green Scene” back door break - to bring attention to our recycling program to all of our associates. Our Green Team wore organic t-shirts made by a company call We Add Up. We then gave each associate a 10 oz container of enriched vermicompost material to plant their wild flower seeds that were attached.

On Saturday, March 31^st to celebrate Earth Hour, we gave each guest arrival an oatmeal raisin cookie, packaged in locally sourced, organic paper bags with a special Earth Hour logo. We communicated to guests what happens during the hour and shut down most of our power within the lobby, lighting it with candles instead.

We are looking forward to celebrating Earth Day with our guests and associates and planting our roof top garden next month!”

Everyone is probably busy getting ready for Thanksgiving, shopping, cooking, baking and cleaning. I picked up my turkey this afternoon, which was an event in itself, being that I haven’t made or eaten turkey in 10 years. This year I thought I’d break with my normal vegetarian diet and make a traditional meal, but I knew I had to get a bird that was sustainable, cruelty free and not laced with hormones and chemicals.

I set out to order an organic turkey, thinking that would be my best bet, but discovered the Heirloom or Heritage birds, as well as more shocking information about conventional turkey. I’m sharing what I learned, so if you haven’t purchased your turkey yet, hopefully you will take this info into consideration.

Industrial turkeys, produced in factory farms by large corporations, comprise 99% of the turkey sold in supermarkets today. Since the 1960’s the choice has been one breed, the Broad-breasted White and since then has been bred to have even more breast meat and grow to market size quickly. These turkeys are unable to stand up or move, their breasts are so large. Unable to mate, reproduction is done by artificial insemination. They are fed grain and other disgusting things, totally unnatural to their diet, along with hormones and antibiotics. As most know, their living conditions are inhumane.

Most people don’t know how cruel and unnatural their turkey’s life is, but I think most would find it even more surprising that these turkeys are dry and have no flavor. To make them tasty and moist, ALL supermarket turkeys are injected with oil, salt and turkey flavorings. You are not getting a real food, but a processed, chemically laced product.

Largely due to the Slow Food movement, Heritage birds are making a comeback. A certified Heritage, or Heirloom turkey is one that can flap its wings, move around, can perch above the ground at night, and express its natural behaviors. They also eat nutritious food, without antibiotics or other chemicals, and food natural to them such as grubs, insects and grasses. These turkeys have a rich flavor, beautiful plumage, and are biologically diverse. They are more costly, because of the way they are raised, and it takes 24 -30 weeks to get to market weight, as opposed to 18 weeks to get a conventional turkey to a whopping 32 pounds, but those who have tasted the Heritage Breeds say they are worth it. I am really looking forward to finding out!

There are about 10 breeds of turkey still existing from the United States and Europe, developed over hundreds of years, that are the ancestors of the Broad-breasted White used in the factory farms today. Identified by the American Poultry Association’s turkey Standard of Perfection in 1874, they include The Standard Bronze, Bourbon Red, Narragansett, Jersey Bluff, Slate, Black Spanish, and White Holland.

I hope this helps you make your choice. I know it’s late, so if you already have your bird in hand, please remember this for the next holiday and be sure to pass it on. If you haven’t picked up your bird yet, I saw that my Whole Foods did have some Heirlooms in the case, so there is still time. I got the largest Heirloom they had today, almost 18 lbs., and it was a big deal for me, not having eaten meat in over 10 years! This is going to be interesting.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! We are so grateful for all the efforts you make that ADD UP to make the world a better place.

Judy

We Add Up Champion organization, Holistic Moms Network, sent us some awesome pics in their t-shirts!  That is HMN social networking coordinator Julie Wagner on the left and director Nancy Massotto on the right with their children.  They also let us know about a special May discount to join the Holistic Moms Network - get $5 off only in May in honor of Mother’s Day.

If you have ever felt alone or different because of the choices you make as a holistic-minded parent, then you actually have lots of company! The Holistic Moms Network was founded in 2003 by moms who were parenting to a different beat – raising their children with natural health and sustainability in mind. HMN founder Nancy Massotto discovered how powerful it was to connect with other parents who shared her interest in living a holistic, green lifestyle. “The experience of being in a community with others who had similar passions was very empowering,” she explains. “Like We Add Up, the Holistic Moms Network joins our voices together and shows us how the choices we make as individuals really do make a difference!”

So many parents are on a journey to a healthier, greener lifestyle. The organization now has more than 120 Chapters across the United States and continues to grow by leaps and bounds, giving us great hope for the future! Although we don’t all follow the same paths to get there, we share a common goal to make a difference in our health and the health of the planet. At HMN, it doesn’t matter how green you are. Being in a supportive community will help raise awareness and may encourage you to make new changes or simply to stick with the ones you already have chosen!

We Add Up is thrilled to partner with this wonderful organization. Check out our We Add Up “Holistic Mom,” “Holistic Dad,” “Holistic Kid,” and “Holistic Baby” tees!

That’s We Add Up co-founder (and Mom of the mother/daughter team) Judy Pezdir!  Judy has now hand printed over TWENTY THOUSAND shirts!  Unbelievable!!  If you’ve ever received a We Add Up custom numbered shirt, Judy printed it.  We’re a small operation on a big mission and everything we do we do with heart.  Judy embodies that heart.  We’re so excited to reach this milestone.  Thank you to all of you for your support.  We’re 20,000 strong and growing!

Featuring:  Janet G., from Kokomo, IN.

“Our raised bed organic garden gives us a wonderful source of healthy, fresh fruits and vegetables all through the spring, summer, and fall, and I freeze and can as much as possible, so that our garden provides good food for us through the winter, too.  Not only is our garden a source of fresh organic food for us, it’s also one of the ways that we do our part to help the environment.

Our garden has 25 organic raised beds, and our goal is to grow as much as we possibly can, from early spring and right on through late fall.  We added three hoop houses last fall, and they allowed us to extend the gardening season into early December.  We’ve always overwintered our spinach, even before we had the hoop houses, and this year we had fresh spinach in one of the hoop houses in mid-February–even earlier than usual!  We continue to add new vegetables and fruits to our garden, and we’re continually learning new organic methods that increase the harvest and keep our environment safe from dangerous chemicals.  This year, we’re also adding vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers to the beds that surround our house, so that those beds will become an “edible landscape,” rather than only ornamental beds.

We’re also adding four beehives to our property this year.  Our bees will help increase productivity in the garden, but even more important is the fact that we’ll be nurturing our honeybees and will be adding our effort to those of thousands of other beekeepers who are working to save the bees.  To provide healthy foraging for our bees, we’re going to plan white, red, and crimson clover all over our property, and we’re going to plant as many bee-friendly flowers and herbs as we can make space for.

Just looking out the window and seeing our garden–green and growing and beautiful–is part of what keeps us gardening.  But it’s more than just the beauty.  It’s knowing that we’re growing healthy, organic food right here, with our own hands.  There’s nothing like harvesting our own fresh produce and eating it while it’s at the peak of flavor and nutrition.  And it gives  us peace of mind to know that the food we eat from our garden is free from chemicals and GMOs and that growing our own food is reducing our impact on the environment.

No day goes by without reading an article about the damage that’s being done to our earth by chemical farming and the increasing use of GMOs and monocultures, and those stories can be very discouraging.  But when we go out to work in our garden and we see the beauty and the bounty all around us, and we know that so many other gardeners feel the same as we do, that gives us hope that more and more people will join us in learning and caring for the earth.  And together, we WILL make a difference!”

Thank you for sharing your amazing garden with us, Janet!

Do you love to garden?  Join the We Add Up count and get your “Garden” shirt here.

Cecilia G. and family from Bergamo, Italy.

“Try to leave this world a little better than you found it” - Robert Baden Powell

Our family has always been quite concerned about the environment, as a lifestyle habit: we’ve always recycled, tried to minimize energy consumption, tried to use our car only when strictly necessary.. Lately my mum started purchasing local, organic and eco-friendly products through a buying club, which greatly increased our family’s involvement in conscious choices about our consumption. In the family garden there is now a compost and a vegetable garden. I don’t live with them anymore, I moved to Chicago, but these actions are now rooted in me so I also recycle, bike, line dry, buy local… I am lucky my landlady even has a compost in our backyard so I’m also doing that!

What keeps you going?

We love nature and we just can’t accept to harm the environment so badly. Doing something that helps the planet, while also enjoying a healthier lifestyle and even better food simply seems the right choice.

What gives you hope?

The world is slowing starting to see it: we can’t go on this way, because it’s a loss for everyone. When this will be really clear I’m confident that human kind will find the inspiration and the skills and the strength to do whatever change is needed to save the situation. But it’s crucial that we understand this and start the process as soon as possible, because we’re losing huger value every day. I’m convinced that everyone’s individual effort makes a difference, both in itself and for the “contagion” effect that it can have on others.

Thank you, Cecilia!

“My Glacier backpack trip was epic, to say the least.  I have to remember to look at my photos frequently to keep my head in the right direction.”

On an epic backpacking trip to Glacier National Park, Rob L., an avid recycler, composter, and tap water enthusiast from Ohio, had plenty of time to reflect on the beauty of our natural world and what gives him hope.

Rob’s philosophy? “We only got one Mother Earth baby. Some of the changes we are making to our world are not able to be reversed. I don’t think most people want this legacy passed on to our kids. I get real afraid to look into that crystal ball sometimes.”

“Photographs do no justice to any place of grandeur. Glacier National Park is hands down overwhelming. One really needs to spend a few days in the true interior, away from the pavement. All I can say is you realize you are not top of the food chain as a human being. We were mere guests in the big house that the Grizzly lives! Some parts of the trails can be a bit treacherous, it is hard at times to not be ooing and awing at some mountain peak and lose footing on a steep section of trail.”

“We are lucky our forefathers had the inclination to set this National Park aside so we can experience it as our Native American’s did, for the most part. When I say for the most part, the few remaining glaciers may be a thing of the past if our climate continues the path its on.”

Rob describes his “little contributions to help our big planet.” He dutifully drives his plastics, glass, newsprint, and cardboard to his local recycling center, ever since curbside pickup was taken away. He also created a compost bin by wiring three wood pallets together and turning it with a pitchfork every so often. As far as plastic water bottles, he absolutely hates them and calls them one of the worst recycling nightmares on the planet.

“What give me hope are organizations like We Add Up (we swear, we didn’t make him say this). I feel there are so many people who are willing to be kinder to our earth, but whether out of ignorance or laziness, need to be reminded of better habits. I just hope our children see the value of conservation. Yes, breaking some bad habits may not be convenient or politically cost-effective (in the present). We seem to hear a lot of “green” talk these days from the powers that be, unfortunately I think it is hollow rhetoric. The energy that has been generated by lots of grassroots groups from the ground on up, is going to have to be the driving force.”

Rob highly recommends his outfitter, Glacier Guides, because “they are a very class act. They are all about conservation - everything was packed in and back out. Our guide Andy was top notch; very professional, awesome personality, very conscientious of all our little needs, and he cooked up gourmet meals on a white gas backpack stove.”