Articles Written by Andrew Phillips

I thought a professor lied when he said the only way he survived graduate school without falling into debt was by eating canned beans for every meal. Yet 5 months into grad school, I can see where desperation hit. While beans are a healthy, vegetarian protein, I was not so devoid of hope. It has to be possible as a student to eat at Whole Foods on a budget, right? Testing and proving this theory brought me into foreign territory, one teeming with hormone-free meat and overpriced produce. The foreign lands of Whole Foods. My mission: To claw my way out with a bill less than or equal to $54.90, which is the U.S Department of Agriculture’s low-cost one-week food plan for a 19-50 aged man. Known Success Rate: Unreported, but there have been many a credit card casualty. Wildlife to Avoid: Twenty-something year-old vegans. Although a pleasure to view in their natural habitat, this species is hungry and their movements can be unpredictable. Important Note: Nutritional health is a subject in which everyone has an opinion, and this writer is not an expert but a survivor in this task. Find out if I survived, after the jump.

It is awkward to be a vegetarian in the company of carnivores. I’m out to eat with my parents, in town visiting, and we’ve stopped for a bite to eat. And I am realizing for the first time since adopting my new diet what it means to be a man and a vegetarian in America. The waitress asks me if I’m a vegetarian after she takes my order. Although in the grand scheme this isn’t a big deal, I do notice that when my father orders meatloaf, she does not say, “Carnivore, huh?” In these questionable moments when I feel like I’ve committed a social taboo, I realize how important my meat-free decision is for my own personal growth. By giving up meat and seafood for the forty days of Lent, I can challenge my religious discipline AND my own preconceived notions about the dietary expectations of an American male. Read on as l examine my clumsy metamorphosis into a vegetarian, and find out more about my journey:

When you think about the city of Philadelphia, I doubt fresh produce, large gray chickens or a rotund pig named Milkshake rarely come to mind. If you haven’t been to Greensgrow Farms, you are missing out. Not only do they have Milkshake and chickens, Greensgrow Farms is a cool agricultural oasis that presents a verdant contrast against the gritty Philadelphia backdrop. Greensgrow Farms offers local fresh produce through farm stands and mobile markets, a much-desired alternative to the processed foods in our chain supermarkets.  Located at 2501 E. Cumberland Street,  Greensgrow Farms offers a variety of events, classes, and workshops about eating healthier and living a more sustainable lifestyle. Find out about my recent chicken workshop & 10 things YOU need to know to raise backyard chickens:

I have a confession to make. Deep breath. Here it goes. When I was a small kid,  I used to trap insects in a bug catcher. Then, I read James and the Giant Peach.  James and the Giant Peach is an adventure about a young boy who crosses the Atlantic with his best friends, who just so happen to have many legs and an exoskeleton. My days as a bugnapper were officially over. This experience taught me how important books are in shaping the values of children. However, I’m not the only one who can benefit from the lessons of my transformation. What literature can you use to introduce environmental lessons for your kids? Find out the 6 best children’s books to raise young environmentalists, after the jump!