Hi Everyone,

I missed writing my blog last week, because I was mourning the passing of my very dear friend. During times like these, we need to let go of all the things we think we need to do, and just focus on the essential things that we must do. Being in the moment, giving love and receiving love, is all that I could manage. Luckily, I had a few angels back at the homestead, keeping things going and tending my garden. I came back to a bounty of vegetables, and have spent the last few days harvesting, washing, prepping and cooking. And cooking, and cooking! I made a years worth of pesto, and still have more basil to harvest! The Swiss chard and kale continue to give, no matter how much I pick, along with the cucumbers, mizuna greens and arugula. I just picked my first eggplants, peppers, squash and large ripe tomatoes in every color! There is something very healing in the power of the garden, and having your hands in the soil. I’m starting to feel like myself again.

Last night, I saw Al Gore’s new documentary film, An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power. As you can imagine, we are now 10 years past the first film, and the reality of our warming planet is becoming clearer and clearer, with the science to back it up. (Check out the article on the front page of Tuesday’s NY Times!) That’s why it’s imperative that we all do our part to protect our planet. Hopefully, all of you have taken advantage of the free audit available from LI Green Homes, to make your home more energy efficient, and many people are installing solar panels on their roofs and buying energy efficient cars, but what about the foods we eat? One thing that is not discussed often, but needs to be, is the enormous amount of greenhouse gas emissions that comes from the industrial production of meat and dairy. That is why it is so important for everyone to reduce their intake of animal products. I don’t expect everyone to go vegan, but we all need to step up to the plate and realize that the planet can not support everyone eating the amount of meat that Americans consume. We all need to make some adjustments for the good of the planet, and reducing your meat intake is a great way to begin. Even if you just start with one day a week, and join the campaign for Meatless Monday. Imagine the impact that could have on the planet, if everyone gave up meat for one day each week! It would be enormous! Most of the info in the film I was very aware of, but what I did not know, was that Al Gore has been training people to become climate activists for the past 10 years. He has personally trained over 12,000 people from around the world, as part of his Climate Reality Leadership Corps program. The next training, which some of you might be interested in participating in, is taking place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from October 17-19, with support from the Heinz Endowments. For more info on this, click here!

Eating Green is important for our health, but getting out into the green is just as important, for peace of mind, exercise, and our nature fix. That is why, it is my pleasure to invite on this week as my guest, Michael Vitti, the Founder and President of Concerned Long Island Mountain Bicyclist (CLIMB) and Long Island Greenways and Healthy Trails (LIGHT), both non profit advocacy organizations that help create recreational trails away from traffic and the concrete jungle. CLIMB has built and currently maintains over 175 miles of mountain bike trails across Long Island without a mountain in sight! Michael is also a delegate of NY State Trails Council that helps create statewide policies on recreational trails, and they are an affiliate of Trips For Kids, a non profit organization that helps gets kids from the inner city out on mountain bikes, where they learn how to get over obstacles on the trail and hopefully they can use these skills to overcome obstacles in life. Join us on Thursday to learn more about the invigorating sport of mountain biking!

Remember, my show is recorded live, every Thursday, from 10-11 am, EST.  To tune in, navigate to PRN.fm and click the “Listen Live” button on the left. Also try downloading the PRN mobile app, and take the station with you wherever you go! If you want to call in during the show with any questions for me or my guest, the call in number is 888-874-4888.

If you can’t tune in at that time, you can listen to the show in the PRN archives, or through a direct phone line to my archives. Just dial 1-701-719-0880, and you can listen to the past 5 weeks of shows! Of course you can also access the shows through my website, or through iTunes. Please “like” iEat Green’s Facebook page and feel free to rate the show and leave comments on iTunes and on my website. Thank you all for your support.

With love and gratitude,

Bhavani