And being an eco-chick, she realized that older and plainer shoes could be upped into works of museum-quality art with a flick (or two hundred) of her magical paintbrush, rather than pushed to the back of the closet.  So she launched The Painted Sole, a company that custom paints and accessorizes your very own shoes for you.

How does it work?

You’ll request a consultation which can take place on the phone, in person, via email or skype, and Gillian will shoot you a price quote.  Gina will even send you beautiful design ideas or you can thumb through her inspiration book online.

You may already have an accessory in your wardrobe that is ideal for transformation, or you bought yet another pair of simple black boots on sale that could really use a kick in the heels, or you want Gina to paint your dream wedding slippers to perfectly match the velvet paisley of your Betrothed’s suit.  This couture foot work ensures that nobody else will be wearing your shoes!

Via DailyWorth.com by MP Dunleavey
Jenny Newcomer, founder of LobotoME.com (organizational products) paid off $15,000 in debt last year by working the eBay system to her advantage.  And you can too.  Here’s how;

As an entrepreneur and mother of two young kids-and with a bundle of student loans to pay off-Jenny decided to get radical about generating income using eBay.

Here’s her five-step selling strategy:

1. Get the goods. Go through your house, basement, attic, garage and make an inventory of items to sell. Note the size, weight, materials, and other details of each one.
2. Get pix. Take good digital snaps of each item; the better the photo, the better the price. Work in batches of 10.
3. Prep to ship. Before listing, get accurate estimates of shipping costs online at www.usps.com or www.ups.com. Set up your PayPal account.
4. Price It. Research sales of similar items on eBay so you can set a fair opening price.
5. Sell it! Log on to www.ebay.com and click on the “Sell an Item” tab, and list the items, one by one. (Newcomer says: “Once I got into the rhythm, I could post 10 items in an hour.”)

Cash money, yo.

Thinking you want to try it? Jenny has written a detailed step-by-step guide. Get it here.

DailyWorth is a free daily personal finance email for women.  They deliver practical tips, empowering ideas and the occasional kick in the pants.

Goldenberries are Nature’s version of a Lemonhead candy. Navitas Naturals Goldenberries are tasty and nutritionally packed with anti-inflammatory bioflavonoids, vitamins A and C, and protein.

Organic Goldenberries, $5.99 @navitasnaturals.com

These rain boots won’t drop your divatude at the door with a puddle.

Gold Rubber Wellington Boots, £55 @wellie-boots.com

Gold mining practices are a bit sketchy (read all about that here.) Skip the real thing and opt for recycled chains like this bracelet from Dirty Librarian Chains.

Media Bracelet from Dirty Librarian Chains, $95 @kaightshop.com

The chicness of this aluminum gold bar doorstop will hold your door open or your papers down in bling-y style.

Gold Bar Door Stop, $99 @fitzu.com

Cover your eyes in bright gold shadow for a warm glow.  How to do the rest of the face?  Rim the outer and inner lashes (lower and top) with either dark brown or black liner and tons of mascara.  Keep the rest of the face clean with bronzer and a sheer gloss.

Urban Decay Eldorado (vegan) bright gold eyeshadow w/ gold sparkle, $17 @sephora.com

A simple boybeater tank or rocker teeshirt will dress down this skirt.  Or pair it with a silky floral top for a spring wedding.

Gold Mine Skirt, $52 @modcloth.com

Scour vintage stores, ebay, or Grannies house for antiqued gold mirrors to sex up your boudoir.  Or pick up a new-antique on sale online - like this one below.

Angelina Antique Gold Mirror, $169 @overstock.com

This is one of our favorite shoes for Spring. Totally gorgeous, totally eco/ vegan.

Atlantis, $250 @olsenhaus.com

Makes 24 cupcakes

What You Need for the Batter:

4 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
2 cups unbleached sugar
4-1⁄2 teaspoons baking soda
3⁄4 teaspoon sea salt
1-2⁄3 cups filtered water
1⁄3 cup fresh lemon juice
1⁄3 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon vanilla

What You Need for the Frosting:

3⁄4 cup non-hydrogenated margarine
5 cups powdered sugar
1⁄4 cup non-dairy milk of choice
1 teaspoon vanilla

What You Do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together pastry flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together water, lemon juice, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir well to combine.

2. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners. Carefully fill each liner nearly full, leaving just a little rim of paper showing. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes in the tins before transferring to a rack to cool completely.

3. To prepare the frosting, in a large bowl, beat margarine for 1 minute using a mixer. Add powdered sugar, non-dairy milk, and vanilla, and beat 3 to 5 minutes or until very light and fluffy. Use a small spatula or knife to spread the frosting over the tops of the cupcakes.

via vegnews.com

Have your nails been peeling or cracking or does your hair look dull after a long, cold, dry winter full of lots of late nights out and too many glasses of wine? With two children and a household to maintain (not to mention work), I am constantly washing my hands, helping with art projects, cooking, and the like. I also like to run outside (yes, even when it is cold!) By February my hair looked dull and my nails were peeling- I had officially become a mess!!! Aside from slathering lotion on your hands, putting conditioner on your hair and taking a multi-vitamin, just what did I and can you do to get the glow again? You won’t believe it but the simple answer is add cucumbers to your diet!!!

Cucumbers are very high in silicon, which is essential for building and maintaining strong nails, bones, teeth and promoting hair growth. Cucumbers are also a good source of vitamin A, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin C, vitamin K, the vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, folic acid and last, but not least potassium!

Because cucumbers are high in water, which helps replenish lost fluids, they are an ideal food to have before or after a workout and on very cold, dry days.  Cucumbers are also the ideal hangover food, not only replenishing the fluids you have lost during drinking but also the potassium and B-vitamins. Cucumber juice is like healthy Gatorade!  Cucumbers are also a good pick-me-up in the afternoon due to the carbohydrate content and B-vitamins. And, at 45 calories per cucumber, they won’t break your diet!

So, when I saw my tired, peeling nails and dull hair I went to work. For a few weeks, every day I would have cucumber in salads, in juices (my favorite was celery, cucumber and pear), and even sliced in my water. By the end of the two weeks, my nails are not peeling, my skin is much more supple and my hair definitely has improved its texture. Try adding cucumber to your diet and see an immediate difference!

Nutritional consultant Katherine Pennington, Be in Balance, offers holistic health and lifestyle counseling in New York for women and men who want to lose weight, gain energy, sleep better, reduce stress, get in shape and achieve a greater sense of well-being, balance and happiness in their lives and those of their families.  For more information, please visit her website at www.be-n-balance.com or  send an email to katherine@be-n-balance.com.

The Cinnamon Snail, an Organic Vegan food truck just hit the streets of Dirty Jersey, and boy are us Manhattanites jealous! The truck operates five days a week (weather permitting), serving Hoboken NJ.  The truck’s owners are working at getting a permit to run the truck in Brooklyn next, so Williamsburg hipsters, keep your bow-ties tied and ready. Chef Adam Sobel, the truck’s captain has dreamt of bringing gourmet vegan fare to the streets for eight years. For the past three years, Sobel has run Certified Orgasmic, New Jersey’s only Organic Vegan full service catering company.

Photo Courtesy of Abigail S. Bean

The truck’s menu has been designed to bring nourishing, elegant vegan food to the streets.

Some of the trucks most popular dishes include:

• Creole grilled tofu sub on toasted baguette with arugula, caramelized onions and grilled tomato.
• Red wine roasted tempeh with white truffle mashed potatoes, greens, porcini mushroom gravy and garlic confit.
• Smokey portabello carpaccio, on semolina fennel bread with kalamata olive tapenade, arugula, and capers.

In addition to elegant lunch options, The Cinnamon Snail also offers a complete breakfast / brunch every day until 11:00. The truck’s large display is filled every day with fresh hand crafted vegan donuts, pastries, and specialty desserts.  Yuuuuuuum.

The Cinnamon Snail stays in touch with it’s customers using social networking sites, so you can tell them what you did or didn’t love and find out where they are every day. They are able to post their locations, specials, and other up to date information this way.

You can follow them on twitter here or watch them on Facebook here.  And you can keep dreaming of a utopic time when instead of a McDonald’s at every corner, we will have a place to grab something healthy to eat.  In the meantime, support small businesses like these so they can grow and franchise.  It benefits our bods, the environment, and (of course!) the animals.

FREE DONUTS FOR GIRLIEGIRL ARMY READERS!!  When you mention GirlieGirl Army to whomever is at the helm of the truck, you’ll get a free donut.  How’s that for recessionary love?

Bon appetit!

We are currently totally obsessed with Funky Monkey Snacks, an all-natural, mostly organic, real fruit made using a freeze-drying process that creates “Fruit That Crunches!®” while retaining the fruit’s vitamins and natural goodness. Each ounce of Funky Monkey contains three servings of fruit, providing healthy, convenient, and decadent tasting snackage that everyone in your fam will go bonkers for.

Funky Monkey Snacks Variety Pack (Pack of 12) $26.58 @ amazon.com

And get this; Funky Monkey Snacks are simply made from 100% fruit, are gluten-free, wheat-free, dairy-free, peanut and tree nut free, vegan, raw, and contain no added sugars, colors, flavors or preservatives. Funky Monkey is available in seven flavor varieties, including Applemon^TM (Apple with Cinnamon,) Bananamon®(Banana with Cinnamon,) Carnaval Mix^TM (organic banana, organic pineapple, apple and papaya,) JiveALime®(Pineapple with Lime,) MangOJ^TM(Mango and Orange Juice,) Pink Pineapple^TM (Pineapple and Guava,) and Purple Funk® (Banana with Acai.)

And we love that this company is committed to fighting childhood obesity with incredible program initiatives to help kids!

These have been Kid, Husband, and Dog tested at GGA HQ, and everyone has raved and begged for me.  These snacks are addictive and will become as de rigeur for your cabinet as kombucha and raw almonds, you’ll see.  Try ‘em once.

And GirlieGirl Army Members Can Win a year’s worth of Funky Monkey Snacks (12 cases total!!) by leaving a comment below telling us why you want ‘em.

You must be a GirlieGirl Army Subscriber to enter.  If you aren’t one and would like to enter, sign up here first, then leave your comment below. The winner will be chosen by the Funky Monkey Team by April 4th 2010 and will be notified via email and in the comments area below.

• RECIPE: Raw Chocolate Covered Strawberry Shake
• Dump flat, icky, winter hat head: Wash Winter Right Outta Your Hair!
• The 1 Vitamin Most of Us Are Deficient In
• Dear Me, I am So In Love With You Today
• Is it possible to Green Your Taxes?
• From last week: “Got Plants: Is Animal Protein Necessary?” You read the blog, but now read the comments! They are getting juicy and outrageous!  Chime in.
• Give Me Shelter: Is a No Kill Nation Possible? And what we can do to change things.

:: HOT ON OUR GLAMAZONIAN RADAR ::

• It’s like we are 21 again and living on the Lower East Side (when it was still cool)… brightly colored rainbow hair is in again on the Runways!  So break out the Manic Panic and go-go color!
• Feeling depleted?  Consider it a wake up call to slow down, rest and fill your body with vital nutrients and light from above.  Read more.
• Make your own vegan cheese.
• Has hell frozen over or has W Magazine finally realized that Faux Fur is where its at?
• 39% of bagged salads have too much fecal bacteria.
• Join renowned actorvist James Cromwell (Babe, 24, W) and author Karen Dawn (Thanking the Monkey) for Sunset Sangria to Save Japan Dolphins in Los Angeles, CA; Saturday, March 6, 4-6:30pm. RSVP: http://www.earthisland.org/thecoveparty/
• We all know real workaholics never rest, and now their secret is out: the Workaholic Pillow! Workaholic Pillow is a cushion hiding in book shell. Perfect for the bookworm in your life who needs a good nap.
• While women may fret over recent findings that only 12 percent of a woman’s eggs are left at the age of 30 and three percent at 40, a new test may help them decide when to start trying to conceive. Australian researchers have developed a simple hormone test, called the “egg timer,” to detect the number of eggs in the ovaries.
• In case you think animals are dumb; new study proves elephant matriarchs can learn to recognize at least 100 other unseen elephants by voice alone.
• This podcast on infanticide in history will blow your mind.  Turns out all children prior to the 19^th Century were abused.
• Business advice from Van Halen.
• Dog fighting out, bird fighting in? Finch Fighting: A New Breed of Animal Cruelty.
• DING DONG! The Hummer Is DEAD!
• On Feb 24, 2010 people broke into the Grayson County Humane Society, in Leitchfield, KY stole money and checks, released two cats in the office and then put a cat aggressive dog in with them. When the dog finished killing the cats they turned their attention to beating her within an inch of her life.  Click here to learn how to help.
• 15 Fabulous Ways to Reduce Food Packaging.
• Eat Yer Veg Cupcakes: a good-for-you recipe for cupcakes loaded with veggies!
• Oprah’s Great Closet Cleanout: We’ve all got closet issues-even Oprah. Now, she’s saying farewell to dozens of her old clothes and auctioning them off on eBay to benefit the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa. Learn more here.
• Safe ways to get rid of that (toxic) dust in your home.
• As if NY needed more awesome vegan restaurants (but keep ‘em coming, we say!) Terri vegan cafe opens in the Flatiron area.
• These chic ankle boots  by Vivienne Westwood channel the military theme seen on autumn catwalks, and look great with leggings or skinny jeans and a peacoat. Fun and vegan alternative to the wellie.
• Killer Whale kills trainer, and we are not surprised. Whales should not be used for exhibition or captive life. Killer Whales need the wide open oceans and not human companionship.
• Creepy: 7 Foods Banned in Europe Still Available in the U.S.
• A ballerina-inspired gym shoe, the adidas by Stella McCartney Ordlie is a chic slip-on in a gorgeous grape color that will be perfect for spring.  And they are under $100.  For Stella.  Get on it.
• 5 reasons why Vogue Curvy actually isn’t any different than its skinnier counterpart.
• Fur: The Anti-Green Textile of the Season.
• You dreamt it… but now it’s here. Ready to eat vegan cookie dough?  Yep.
• How to Send Tents and More to Haiti Now.
• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) sufferers might find some relief with a gluten-free, vegan diet. A study published in Arthritis Research & Therapy found the diet helped reduce inflammation and pain.
• Natural Food Industry Giant, UNFI, Refuses to Sign Sustainability Pledge.
• Dog Saves Life of 3-Year-Old Girl Lost in the Woods.
• The GOP’s likely nominee for Illinois governor, state Sen. Bill Brady, came under fire Wednesday from a leading animal-rights group for pushing legislation to allow the mass killing of stray shelter animals in gas chambers.

:: RECIPE OF THE WEEK ::

Kale Chips
Crazy healthy, nuttily addictive, and the cleanest way you’ve ever been naughty… you’ll be making these bad boys regularly and feeling no shame.

Ingredients:

• 1-2 big bunches kale
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon oil
• Coarse salt and Nutrirional Yeast (to taste)

Directions: Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Wash and de-stem kale. Chop or tear into bite size pieces. Spread onto baking sheet. Pour the apple cider vinegar, oil and seasoning (1-2 tablespoons) onto kale. Mix to coat all pieces. Bake for 10 minutes or until crispy. Eat asap!

:: THE HOOK UP ::

NEW YORK: RESCUZILLA FUNDRAISER SAVING ONE DOG, ONE DRINK AT A TIME! March 5, 2010 7pm-10:30pm Galway Hooker Lounge, 7 East 36th Street, NYC Join us March 5th at the Galway Hooker Lounge at 7 East 36th Street in Manhattan, NY to raise funds for Rescuzilla Animal Rescue.  We currently have 3 awesome dogs in our group - all rescues from NYC’s Animal Care & Control - see attached pictures. There is a $10 door charge which gives you lots and lots of drink specials! There will also be a raffles and prizes and most importantly…you will be raising funds for dogs in need! We have had great success in the last few months but in order to continue we need $$$! So even if you can’t attend please contribute via our Chip-In page: http://rescuzilla.chipin.com/rescuzilla-dogs There will be a raffle with prizes from generous donors like Brietling Watches, Fancy Shmancy Stationery, Jessica Leigh Photos, MyBeautyberry.com, Rescue Chocolate, Les Compaganons Wine, Candle 79 Restaurant, Guiding Eyes for the Blind, Pet Town, Calling All Pets and many more.. All money raised goes directly to helping dogs - no ifs, ands or buts there. Please help Rescuzilla continue to help animals in need! Facebook link for event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=485037310704

===========

SHELBY CO, KY: FREE NO KILL SEMINAR: SAVE HOMELESS ANIMALS BY SPREADING THE WORD ON HOW NO KILL CAN AND DOES WORK IN SHELTERS! Saturday, March 6, 2010 5 to 7pm in Shelby Co, KY Register under “News and Events” at www.shelbycountynokillmission.com

===========

ROCK IT OUT: A NIGHT TO BENEFIT NEW YORK’S FARM ANIMAL SANCTUARIES sponsored by The Ethical Eating Group at All Souls produced by Lindsay Wolf Saturday, March 6th @ 7PM Reidy Hall at All Souls Church 1157 Lexington Ave at 80th St. (Basement Level) Come out to support and celebrate two of New York’s Farm Animal Sanctuaries - The Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary in Woodstock, NY (www.woodstockfas.org)  and Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, NY (www.farmsanctuary.org)! Live performances by: Jay Stolar (of Julius C.) Cristin Milioti (of Broadway’s Lieutenant of Inishmore and Coram Boy) Kaylin Lee Clinton Whitney Wolf Melissa Lusk and Matt Roi Berger Grace McLean Shaina Taub Lindsay Wolf and Neimah Djourabchi. Enjoy wine, hors d’oeuvres, a chance to win one of our many raffle prizes, as well as homemade baked goods from our in-house bake sale! $10 pre-sale $15 at the door (cash only) Pre-sale tickets can be purchased at: https://www.mycommunitytickets.com/event_info.asp?eventid&496 Ticket includes one free raffle ticket, and all proceeds will be directly donated to these two amazing organizations.

:: ADOPT ME ::

If the animals are on this list that means that they are URGENT and may  be killed at their shelter for lack of space if people like us don’t adopt or foster them.  Note that transport from State to State can usually be arranged with rescues.  PLEASE FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO YOUR FRIENDS! Its one of the cheapest easiest and most effective things you can do to help animals.

************************************************************

CHATSWORTH, CA: Absolutely gorgeous long haired Black/White Cat Winky A1091111 Needs Out of West Valley Shelter - Owner Died,  now needs new home. Pix and info here.

MERCER COUNTY, NJ: 2 wonderful friendly black and white male cats (best of friends!) need homes.  CONTACT: Jessica Johnson  (609) 683-2086 Jajohnson@ets.org

MAPLE SHADE, NJ: Starving friendly cat out on street needs rescue.  Contact: SAvedWhiskers@aol.com

TETERBORO, NY: Sweet Seniors in Bergen County,NJ need homes. The Bergen County Animal Shelter in Teterboro, NJ is has a great number of the dogs who are sweet, beautiful animals yet they are being passed over merely because they are no longer pups.  Senior dogs make the best companions - they’re quiet, calm, usually housebroken and SO grateful for their second chance.  Much easier to take care of than a bouncy little pup.  Unfortunately, many people don’t realize this and senior dogs languish in shelters for months, overlooked while the young dogs go off to new adoptive homes.   If there’s anyone out there who is considering adding a new canine companion to their family, please visit the Bergen County Animal Shelter in Teterboro, NJ.  There are many wonderful seniors there who deserve their second chance.  The list includes:

Molly - This 10 year old lab mix came in because her owner was moving. She told us Molly is housebroken and good with other dogs. Molly has had demodex since a puppy, and may have a flare-up when stressed. We’ve found Molly to be super-sweet and easy going - good with all sorts of people. ID 72332  URGENT! http://www.petfinde r.com/petnote/ displaypet. cgi?petid= 13955715

Francesca came in with an adult male lab when her owner was forced to sell his home. He told us Francesca is housebroken and good with other dogs. She is 10-11 years old beagle and quite overweight. Friendly and eager to come out of her kennel, she walks nicely on leash and typical of her breed, wants to smell everything. She was OK with handling, but will snap if pushed far enough during veterinary care. Because of this, we recommend a home with no toddlers. Calm and easy-going, this senior beagle has good social skills. She will need regular veterinary care appropriate for a senior pet.  ID 74547 http://www.petfinde r.com/petnote/ displaypet. cgi?petid= 14851884

Biscuit is a 8 year old stray cocker spaniel. He did wonderfully on his behavior evaluation, but has several medical issues, including severe tartar on his teeth and a serious ear infection. Potential adopters will need to speak to our veterinarian and be able to afford the medical care necessary for this dog. They should also be familiar with the breed and be able to provide regular professional grooming. Biscuit may not be a good choice for a condo or apartment, as he can be vocal. ID 75718 http://www.petfinde r.com/petnote/ displaypet. cgi?petid= 15673312

Phoebe - Turned in as a stray, Phoebe is about 7-9 years old and is an interesting- looking mix, with some pit bull and possibly some sight hound in her. She is quiet and cautious with strangers, but warms up with the people she knows. Phoebe would prefer a calm and quiet household with owners who have a relaxed life-style. No small children, but quiet teenagers should be OK, and a potential adopter should have some dog experience.  ID 75903 http://www.petfinde r.com/petnote/ displaypet. cgi?petid= 15754796

Capone is 14 years old and weighs 48 pounds. Calm, happy, friendly and sweet, this lovable pit bull looks at everyone passing his kennel hoping to be taken out. His owner told us he is housebroken and good with children and with other dogs. He loves going for a walk and he’s still in good shape, so he should be a great companion for someone looking for a well-behaved, calmer dog. Children would need to respect his age, but we think he might enjoy a family where he can get lots of attention.   ID 76100 http://www.petfinde r.com/petnote/ displaypet. cgi?petid= 15856019

Ginger - This 10 year old German Shepherd Dog came in when her elderly owner could no longer care for her. Ginger is calm, friendly and smart and responsive to her handler. Her ideal home would have previous experience with this breed and no children under 12 years old. Please check back for pictures.  ID 76088 http://www.petfinde r.com/petnote/ displaypet. cgi?petid= 15856036

Rosie - This stray cocker spaniel weighs 29 pounds. Her vision is affected by cataracts and her adopter should be prepared for the extra veterinary care needed by an older dog, as well as regular grooming and ear care needed by all dogs of this breed. Rosie is not overly social, but enjoys petting and attention. She seems like a calm, relaxed girl who would make a nice companion. Rosie may not be tolerant of living with kids, but should be OK if kids visit. Please check back for pictures. ID 75794.

For more information on any of the dogs listed, contact Doris at Pupkit3@aol. com or Alice at AliceAKrieger@ aol.com.  Rescues, please visit the shelter’s website  at http://www.co. bergen.nj. .us/bcas/rescue. html to see their rescue policies before contacting the shelter.

PHILA.PA: URGNT! Bonded one-eyed Rotti & pitty mix left at shelter, Please crosspost, Senior Hazel too! Charlie and Snicker are bonded!!! Beautiful Hazel is still waiting, too!!!  Please contact ASAP Jsweeney@pspca.org or nsmith@pspca.org or  additional contact:  Christine crisley1@prodigy.net OR  267-252-1254. PLEASE CROSSPOST FOR THIS MIDDLE AGED BONDED PAIR, SURRENDERED BY OWNER, THEY LOVE EACH OTHER AND SHOULD STAY TOGETHER! Charlie- URGENT Charlie (09356587) is a 5-7 year old one-eyed Rotti-Lab mix that is already neutered. Charlie is a goof ball that demands attention with his wacky antics. We’re not exactly sure how Charlie lost his eye, but it makes him even more adorable.  Charlie does have some issues in his back end that may either be hip dysplasia or some other manageable but long-term issue. Snickers (see below) and Charlie are a bonded Pit and Rottie pair that have been to ACCT several times in the past few weeks and their owner decided to sign them over to us. Charlie is an attention hog (luckily Snickers doesn’t mind) as he will sometimes push her out of his way to get closer to you.  He is very attached to Snickers and looks for her when she’s not around, so we would ideally like to keep this bonded pair together but would consider splitting them up. Charlie has also lived with small dogs before and is supposedly ok with cats. Photos at: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2785/4354438798_538ed2c7c6_b.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4013/4354438796_aaf62f64f6_b.jpg

Snicker- URGENT: Snickers (0935658) is a chunky, already spayed female 3-5 year old happy go lucky mastiff-pit mix with a playful, friendly attitude. She walks well on the leash and likes to explore her surroundings before coming up to people for affection. Snickers loves everyone she meets and is great with kids and other dogs. She has some very slight and manageable food guarding issues, but we think this will subside as she becomes more comfortable in her surroundings. Snickers enjoys the company of other dogs and seems ok with cats. Snickers and Charlie are a bonded Pit and Rottie pair that have been to ACCT several times in the past few weeks and their owner decided to sign them over to us. We would love for Snickers and Charlie to stay together but would also place her individually. Snickers has also lived with small dogs before and is supposedly ok with cats. Photos at: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4065/4354438808_3dc7c31e62_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4063/4354438806_c0301583a1_b.jpg

Hazel: Hazel (09599079) is a senior Bull Terrier-Pit Mix that needs your help! Hazel is a sweet old gal that is around 10 years old, she was surrendered because she is now too old for them to care for. Hazel may be developing cataracts, but otherwise seems healthy. She’s house broken and very, very sweet. Hazel has lived with children and other dogs, and would like to live out her last years with a caring, loving family. Photos at: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4061/4354434060_5d11244146_b.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4010/4354434054_b8db33c1dc_b.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4039/4354434048_4a74f704e5_b.jpg

ACCT 111 Hunting Park Ave. Philadelphia, PA please contact ASAP Jsweeney@pspca.org or nsmith@pspca.org or  additional contact:  Christine crisley1@prodigy.net OR  267-252-1254

MEADOW LONG ISLAND, NY: 10 kittens need placement. If you can help this family to place one or more of their furry family, contact MICHELE MYERS 516 445 7555 myers051@verizon.net

LONG ISLAND, NY: Sweet senior male boxer mix, Chino, needs temp new home now. contact is :  gizzygizmo@OPTONLINE.net

LOS ANGELES, CA: Two feral kitties need rescue now!  Urgent! At east valley shelter.  They need socialization. Could be pts any time now.  Urgent.  Hope there is still time. Please call donna asap at: (818) 782-3386 or cell (818) 481-2581.

LOS ANGELES, CA: North Central Skye Terrier mix Kiki needs a forever home.  Pix and contact here.

MARION, ARKANSAS: Two sponsored Bullies Lonnie and Lindy are in danger and need another miracle. Please rescue, adopt, foster or crosspost for Lonnie and Lindy if you can
http://www.lizardmarsh.net/2010/03/marion-arkansas-two-sponsored-bullies.html

MIAMI ,FL: Two senior black foreclosure dogs need home together,
Please rescue: http://www.lizardmarsh.net/2010/02/miami-fl-two-senior-black-foreclosure.html

HARTFORD, CT: Poor very sweet pittie jersey lost her home & is so sad in boarding!  Jersey is a precious 1 1/2 yr old red nose Staffordshire Terrier. She recently lost her home after a new baby arrived and is scared and confused stuck in a kennel. If you can open your heart and home even as a foster,please contact me at 860-869-7235 or e-mail squeee3@hotmail.com References, a home check and follow up visits will be required.Thank you-Donna Truhn

NEW YORK, NY: URGENT:  6 MONTH OLD rednose pittie puppy could be euthed any day - has a COLD. Ej is a sweet, beautiful, 30 lb energetic pittie pup and we have no idea how he’s been at the shelter long enough to get sick.  He’s drop dead gorgeous but an active puppy, as you’d imagine.<br><br>A VOLUNTEER WRITES EJ’s owner left him with a friend and never came back for him. Poor pup–he wants to get out of his cage and explore the world (and lap up the attention) so much! As any 6-month-old is, EJ is ridiculously cute and filled with tons of energy  (he’ll need some leash training) but nothing that a bit of exercise won’t fix. This is one crazy cuddler, and it’s a shame that his desire to give affection is being wasted in a cage at the shelter. The woman who surrendered him said he was very friendly and loved women, men, kids, and other dogs. What more can you ask of a dog? We do NOT know how he will be with cats and probably no small kids would be best for now, until we know him better— please, if you can help, apply to foster at www.louieslegacy.org/foster ASAP!  EJ has KENNEL COUGH, a minor but highly contagious respiratory infection— please make sure your dogs are VACCINATED and that you can separate him from them! Thank you so much for wanting to help an urgent puppy! http://s16.photobucket.com/albums/b25/emilygear/?action=view&current=EJ.jpg

LINCOLNTON, NC: Unbelievably cute newborn puppies - tons of purebreds and mixed breeds - all need out of high-kill-rate shelter. CONTACT: Kacy momo@hughes.net 828-737-7911 OR 704-736-8734  plackey@lincolnsheriff.org

YORK, SC: Shi-Tsu, Siamese, Spayed/Neutered, Seniors/Puppies .All Waiting For A Loving Homes Contact: York County Animal Control 803.818.6500 Tracy.Morgan@Yorkcountygov.Com Animal.Rescue@Yorkcountygov.Com

I need to buy a new computer, but I know that there are major issues with electronics–including human rights issues (particularly in the DR Congo) as a result of the mining for the metals that make our electronics work. In all other areas of my life (I ride a bike and public transportation, I’m vegan, I reduce and reuse and recycle, etc.), I try to be a very conscientious consumer. But I have no idea how to even start in this area. Do you know anything? Is there a Fair Trade seal for electronics?

Thanks!

Eli W.

Hi Eli,

That seems like a pretty straightforward thing to ask, and being sort of a truth-seeker, my research led to some very uncomfortable territory, so put on your virtual seat-belt - because what you are about to find out is that the electronics industry can rival the holocaust when it comes to mining in Congo, where over 5 million people have died and hundreds of thousands of women are raped and mutilated, children are sent into mines, and civil war, militias, occupations, and illegal smuggling has wreaked havoc on people, animals, and ecosystems. It is considered the deadliest conflict since WWII, but, while there is no certification yet for “conflict-free” and “green” electronics, there is a glimmer of light in this incredible darkness.

Welcome to the Machine

One of the first things we should ask seems obvious. What is a computer? Because of the internet and related things like networks and interconnectivity with other electronics, it’s not such a cut and dry question anymore. Many technologies intertwine to create the “technosphere” that most modern humans live in - where almost everything we do is mediated by some form of computerized technology. Even socializing, renting a movie, and just buying a head of broccoli is both mediated by computers and provides data to corporations and governmental agencies. We are visible to satellites, connected through our cellphones, and accounted for at every ATM, university, airport, train station, and taxi. Your ethnicity, favorite TV show, credit history, every website you visit, every job you’ve had or applied for, and what you had for lunch 5 years ago are all kept on file in computers and accessible at any time. What happens to all this information that is gathered? In this “age of surveillance”, computers have become more than just fancy word-processors on our desks. They are our keepers, and we are becoming parts of a larger machine with an agenda. It’s scary stuff if you’re someone who wants to change the status-quo - like an environmentalist.

“The idea that technology is neutral—that it doesn’t have social, political and environmental characteristics—is really dangerous…If computers enable you to do your work a little better, I don’t argue with that. But it’s an illusion for us to believe that our use of the computer will somehow change the centralized system of power. For those who would like to see equitable and sustainable systems develop, the use of the computer amounts to a net loss, not a net gain.” - Jerry Mander

This is a controversial statement, but the net gain from using computers as an activist tool is questionable in comparison to the environmental and social net loss. Why we are all doing this less-risky activism (blogging and facebooking) as opposed to participating in direct action asks a much deeper question that is suitable for another article.

More sinister aspects of the computer business include planned obsolescence: things being designed to serve no use at a future date so you must buy more. Computers are like a two-way mirror, and there are people on the other side who know exactly what you’re doing and figuring out how to make money on that. A widely held belief is that technology is neutral. That it can be used for good or evil depending upon who is weilding it. When we consider where most technology develops from, we find that those providing the research and development funds are governmental agencies, especially the military and corporations, thus every techology is planned to be utilized in warfare and to make money.

The trouble is that scientists are trained to evaluate new technologies only with a rudimentary cost-benefit analysis. Why aren’t we grounding our scientists in ethics? Why aren’t we requiring that they learn evolutionary biology — a far better basis for evaluating technology than some kind of pie-in-the-sky cost-benefit ratio? - Carolyn Raffensperger

In a larger context, it’s almost impossible to participate in modern society without the moderation of a personal computer or electronics that connect you to the grid - from identification cards to hidden chips in consumer products. Even my dog has a microscopic locator chip in his neck. It would not be difficult to implant every child with one.

Let’s get back to practical part of your question, Eli. Physical stuff. One big environmental problem with computers is that we live in a disposable culture where the technology changes so quickly that keeping up requires frequent upgrades. Since it’s often cheaper to purchase a new computer than to have your old one retrofitted, an incredible amount of computer waste accumulates in landfills, or is recycled in developing countries where hazardous computer waste poses significant risks to those disassembling them and those living, eating, and drinking near dump sites and recycle plants. A UN University Report cited that in 2004, the average PC required 10-times the weight of the final product in chemicals and fossil fuels. Those chemicals are highly hazardous and include lead, arsenic, antimony trioxide, polybromiated flame retardants, selenium, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, and mercury. Now, as computers get smaller, you’d think the impact would lessen, but quite the opposite has happened. According to the BBC, the same report found that manufacturing a 53 lb computer with monitor needs at least 530 lbs of fossil fuels to provide the energy, and 50 lbs of chemicals. Add to that, 1.68 tons of water, and your PC that may be only 6 years old, used up the weight of a military cargo truck in raw materials before it even left the factory!

Check out the original Story of Stuff. A MUST SEE for anyone who wants to know how everything is made.

Miner holding coltan

Conflict-free electronics? Just days ago, Foreign Policy released an article claiming that there is finally some light at the end of the tunnel for Congo, with introduction of two major pieces of draft legislation: , the Conflict Minerals Trade Act in the House and the Congo Conflict Minerals Act in the Senate. Further initiatives to expand the Kimberly Process for conflict-fee diamonds to include minerals used in electronics are being considered by the Congolese, Rwandan, and Ugandan governments.

Congo’s conflict, the world’s deadliest since World War II, is not really a war — it’s a business based on violent extortion. There are numerous armed groups and commercial actors — Congolese, Rwandan, and Ugandan — that have positioned themselves for the spoils of a deliberately lawless, accountability-free, unstable, highly profitable mafia-style economy. Millions of dollars are made monthly in illegal taxation of mining operations, smuggling of minerals, and extortion rackets run by mafia bosses based primarily in Kinshasa, Kigali, and Kampala. The spoils are tin, tungsten, tantalum, and gold, minerals that go into laptops, cell phones, MP3 players, and jewelry stores in the West. Armed groups use terrifying tactics such as mass rape and village burning to intimidate civilians into providing cheap labor for this elaborate extortion racket. - ForeignPolicy.com

Mining the metals for computer parts in various parts of the world has caused incredible social problems. In the Philippines, entire villages have been torn down to access metals like gold used in electronics. Indonesian authorities recently discovered a shipment of nine 40-foot shipping containers of e-waste that had been illegally sent from the U.S. state of Massachusetts. India, China, and Africa are most affected socially and environmentally by electronics graveyards. But the most notorious social situation has unfolded in the DR Congo. Coltan (short for Columbite-tantalite) is a dull, black, metallic ore used by large corporations and is the cause of armed conflicts. When refined, it is the vital element used to make electric capacitors within laptop computers, mobile phones, pagers, and other electronic devices. Rwanda has occupied the eastern DR Congo to prevent DRC from exploiting its own coltan supply. In addition, A 2003 United Nations report charged that a great deal of the ore is mined illegally and smuggled over the country’s eastern borders by militias from Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda. What’s worse is that children and prisoners-of-war commonly do the hard labor. Sony’s Playstation 2 is the notorious cause for the price of coltan to soar. Sony claims not to use Congolese coltan, but that claim is shaky at best. Up to 80% of the world’s coltan supply lies beneath the Congo and everything from your cell phone to your computer probably has parts from this tumultuous area. “Kids in Congo [are] being sent down mines to die so that kids in Europe and America could kill imaginary aliens in their living rooms,” said Ex-British Parliament Member Oona King in an article by Yahoo. Genocide, rape, child labor and western apathy are explored in an article for The Sunday Independent by Johann Hari. You can watch Amy Goodman’s interview of Johann Hari on Democracy Now:

“This war was launched by nations that sensed - rightly - that our desire for coltan and diamonds and gold far outweighed our concern for the lives of black people. They knew that we would keep on buying, long after the UN had told us time and again that people were dying to provide our mobiles and games consoles and a girl’s best friend.” - Johann Hari

Estimates of the Congo’s fraction of the world’s coltan reserves range from 64%^source to 80% ^source. Environmental impacts of the global demand for coltan have resulted in the destruction of the reainforest and national parks to decimation of endangered animals.

“In order to mine for coltan, rebels have overrun Congo’s national parks, clearing out large chunks of the area’s lush forests. In addition, the poverty and starvation caused by the war have driven some miners and rebels to hunt the parks’ endangered elephants and gorillas for food. In Kahuzi Biega National Park, for example, the gorilla population has been cut nearly in half, from 258 to 130.” - United Nations Report

Who is using Congo’s coltan? Almost every electronics company.

The easiest thing you can do right now is click this link and follow the instructions:

Learn more about the conflict and what you can do at The Enough! Project.

Electronics Waste Stats:

a still from "Exporting Harm: The High-Tech Trashing of Asia"

• Electronic waste is a fast growing category of municipal solid waste ^source
• E-waste grows globally by 40 million metric tones a year ^source
• About 3 in 10 consumers replaced their computer last year ^source
• An estimated 50 million tonnes of E-waste is produced each year ^source
• Computer waste in India alone will grow by 500% from 2007 levels by 2020^source
• The USA discards 30 million computers each year ^source
• 4 million computers are sent to “die” in China annually ^source
• In the United States, an estimated 70% of heavy metals in landfills comes from discarded electronics ^source
• The U.S. National Safety Council estimates that 75% of all personal computers ever sold are now gathering dust as surplus electronics.^source

A growing number of Information Technology (IT) vendors and users are moving towards Green Computing. The major goals of Green IT is to continually reduce hazardous materials and chemicals used, increase energy efficiency, and design for recyclability and biodegradability.

What to do about “greening” electronics:

Before we talk about greening electronics, it’s important to remember where this technology trickles-down from:

“A surprising amount of the cool stuff we use every day has its origins in research done by the likes of NASA and the military. Big governments are often willing to shell out the big bucks to give their fighting forces and space programs a technological edge, and while few of us will ever encounter the resulting products in their original form, almost all of us use some of the übercool gear that’s a direct spin off from this research.” - Brett Jordan

“If three hundred years of chainsaws, CFCs, depleted uranium, automobiles, genetic engineering, airplanes, routine international trade, computers, plastics, endocrine disrupters, pesticides, vivisection, internal combustion engines, fellerbunchers, dragline excavators, televisions, cellphones, and nuclear (and conventional) bombs are not enough to convey the picture, then that picture will never be conveyed.” -Derrick Jensen

Still, there has been significant movement toward making “greener” electronics. I prefer “less deadly” to “greener”, but I don’t think Apple would have a winning campaign of their new, “less deadly” iPods or laptops. Greenpeace International offers an invaluable Guide to Greener Electronics that bases ranking in three major areas: Hazardous materials reduction, takeback and recycling programs, and reducing climate impacts. This is the most comprehensive analysis I came across, but again, there is no centralized, third-party certification system yet, and it is crucial to be aware of greenwashing when considering any of these companies’ claims. Nokia and Sony Ericsson are leading the pack by far, but they mainly focus on cell phones. For computers, Toshiba ( in 3rd place) is the greenest, and Apple (5th place) has made strides, but still has a way to go.

Organizations working towards greener and fair-tade electronics:

• Make IT Fair is a European project focusing on the electronics industry, especially on consumer electronics like mobile phones, laptops and MP3 players. We want to let young people across Europe know about the labor abuses and environmental problems that are going on right now around the world.
• Good Electronics was created to strengthen & stimulate civil society organizations and workers worldwide in their actions to improve human rights and environmental conditions in the electronics industry, with a focus on workers and grassroots organizations in production countries
• AddressTheMess.com is a Comedy Central pro-social campaign that seeks to increase awareness of the dangers of electronic waste and to encourage recycling. Partners in the effort include Earth911.org, ECOInternational.com, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency‎.
• The Electronics TakeBack Coalition is a campaign aimed at protecting human health and limiting environmental effects where electronics are being produced, used, and discarded.
• The grassroots Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition (svtc.org) focuses on promoting human health and addresses environmental justice problems resulting from toxins in technologies.
• Basel Action Network (BAN.org) is uniquely focused on addressing global environmental injustices and economic inefficiency of global “toxic trade”. It works for human rights and the environment by preventing disproportionate dumping on a large scale. It promotes sustainable solutions and attempts to ban waste trade.
• Texas Campaign for the Environment works to build grassroots support for e-waste recycling and uses community organizing to pressure electronics manufacturers and elected officials to enact producer takeback recycling policies and commit to responsible recycling programs.
• The World Reuse, Repair, and Recycling Association is an organization dedicated to improving the quality of exported electronics, encouraging better recycling standards in importing countries, and improving practices through “Fair Trade” principles.

We look forward to viewing the upcoming The Story of Electronics by the geniuses behind “The Story of Stuff” animation.

I hope this helps. As always, recycling your electronics creates lass demand for extracting new resources. Good luck out there, and we look forward to hearing your comments!

This Dessert serves 4.

Time to Prepare: 40 minutes + 1 hour to soak the peaches.

Ingredients

• 4 peaches, cut in half with stone removed
• 3 tbsp. of spiced rum
• 1 tbsp. of almond oil (olive oil can be substituted)
• 8 sheets of phyllo dough
• ¼ cup of slivered almonds

Instructions:

Draw your knife into a peach until you hit the stone. Run your knife through the peach and around the stone to cut the peach in half. Remove the stone (freestone peaches work best for this.) Place the peach halves in a mixing bowl. Toss them in the rum. Allow them to rest for 15 minutes. Add the almond oil and toss the peaches again, allowing this to rest for 45 minutes. While the peaches are resting in the oil and rum, light your grill and allow the flames to die down. Grill the peaches on both sides until they develop small browned parts (this takes about 3-5 minutes per side.) Lay 4 sets of phyllo dough out, each set 2 sheets thick. Lay 2 peach halves at one end of each phyllo set. Sprinkle slivered almonds over the peaches. Fold the phyllo over the peaches and then fold the sides over to create a phyllo pouch. Place these on a baking sheet with the folded edges down. Brush the top with the left over almond oil and rum mix. Bake these on 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Low-fat Version: Omit the oil from the peaches and grill them that way. Instead of brushing the phyllo with the oil and rum mix, spritz it with water.

Raw Version: Omit the rum, but add 1/8 tsp. of cinnamon and cloves to the almond oil. Allow the peaches to soak in the almond oil for a couple hours. You will also want to slice the peaches into wedges instead of halves. Take a tart dish and press a thin date and almond crust into it. Add the peach wedges and then cover with one more date and almond crust. Date and almond crust can be made by mixing a cup of fine almond meal with four or five smashed dates and a pinch of salt.

Presentation: I add a few sprinkles of slivered almonds and a touch of cinnamon to the plate for color, but like to leave this dessert mostly ungarnished so it can speak for itself.

Time Management: This is something that should be served immediately. If you must prepare it ahead of time, plan on baking it again for about ten minutes to re-crisp the phyllo dough.

Complementary Food and Drinks: This dessert gets into the gourmet realm, so plan on serving it after a fancy, grilled dinner; perhaps a risotto with grilled oyster mushrooms and saffron or ravioli stuffed with smoked squash.

Where to Shop: I generally use Captain Morgan’s spiced rum in this recipe. All of the ingredients should be readily available except for the almond oil, which you may need to head to a gourmet store or Whole Foods to purchase. Approximate price per serving is $2.50.

How It Works: Fifteen minutes is about enough time to allow most of the rum to soak into the peaches while the rest of the time is used to infuse them with the flavor of the almond oil. There is another reason this amount of time is used. It allows some of the juice from the peaches to mix with the almond oil and rum that invariably collects at the bottom of the mixing bowl. This creates a fragrant oil which is used to brush the phyllo. Grilling the peaches softens them and also gives them a hint of smokiness, creating a subtle balance of flavors in this dessert.

Chef’s Notes: I still have some almond oil infused with the peach juice and rum left-over and ready to use for something else. The amount of flavor the oil acquired was an incredibly nice surprise.

Recipe via regular GirlieGirl Army Contributor Jason Wyrick, the executive Chef and publisher of The Vegan Culinary Experience, the world’s only vegan culinary magazine. Check out this month’s issue and subscribe for free at www.veganculinaryexperience.com!