Lifestyle

My favorite part of autumn CSA shares are all the squashes & pumpkins that are abundant. Besides amazing recipes like butternut squash risotto & gnocchi, soups and delish gourds, there's another hidden gem to savor: the seeds. It's so simple to make! Find out how, after the jump.

Happy Halloween from Green Philly Blog and our mascot, Pounce DeLeon.

Hey there, readers! I went to Nashville this past weekend to learn some awesome digital marketing "stuff" at Keen Digital Summit, created by one of my fav bloggers Kristin Luna. Between eating local, trying out the bike share & learning, I didn't have a chance to blog some more awesome green advice. We'll be back tomorrow, and coming soon to the blog: a trial in bike sharing in other cities, which is a preview for Philly! ;-) See ya soon!

Halloween is right around the corner, where most of the population loads up on the dangerous high-fructose corn syrup & sugar-filled candy treats. What can you give out to the neighborhood kids instead of original candy? Here's a few suggestions:

I'm just a little bit addicted to music festivals. My idea of a perfect day is one filled with live music, yummy (preferably local) food, perhaps some cocktails, a few friends and sunshine. From Lollapalooza to Bonnaroo to Firefly, GPB sure knows how to catch the best music festivals out there. Know what will make an eco conscious gal in a blissed-out festival mood feel even better? When she notices all of the green measures being taken to help make the event sustainable.  Last weekend at weekend two of Austin City Limits music festival, I took note. Austin City Limits 2013 Greening Efforts:

Trying to limit the disposables is an easy thing to get into the habit. We've already mentioned how to stash a BYO cutlery in your purse or on the go. Bring in a reusable 'set' for the office: Silverware (knife, spoon, fork), coffee mug & a small dish or bowl in case you need to heat up your lunch. It also comes in handy for the day your office or fav vendor drops off a lunch to enjoy. Readers, do you stash an office eatery set? Any other tricks you have?

Nothing's worse than rainy days to damper our clothes (and soul) and shock us into autumn. Take advantage of the rain falling outside and use it to your advantage. I'm talking rain barrels. Even as it's getting cooler. How to Use a Rain Barrel:

I'm a long-time Jack Johnson fan and as the years go by I seem to appreciate him more and more. There is just something about the cute native Hawaiian's soothing voice and sweet often quirky lyrics that makes you want to stop sweating the small stuff, and go make some banana pancakes.  For me and many fellow fans Jack Johnson = mellow. And who couldn't use a little more of that feeling? The fact that he is one of the most environmentally conscious artists around just puts the guy over the top. In Between Dreams and Brushfire Fairytales will probably always be my favorite albums but his latest From Here to Now to You includes some repeat worthy tunes as well. Johnson's green efforts on his last few tours have garnered attention from us and other environmentalists. And it seems like he and his crew (Johnson credits his wife, Kim, for many of the initiatives)  are hoping to make his current 2013 tour the greenest yet. Read on to learn about what Johnson and crew are doing to advocate environmentalism on tour.

Last week I mentioned to ditch the chopsticks when ordering from an Asian restaurant. But we all get the inevitable pair due to missed instructions, habit or a friend's gift. How can you reuse chopsticks?