Making an Itty Bitty Impact with a Green Wedding - Part 3

Hand painted signs add their personal touch

As part of their green wedding plans, Mike and Tonia had their honeymoon on beautiful Kauai. 


They have made it a green honeymoon by staying at the vacation home of friends and by cooking most of their meals. Don't grimace yet, they do have plans for dining out. 

They are making it even greener and helping our economy by shopping at a local farmer's market they've located ahead of time. This in turn rewards them with fresher and better tasting produce.

It's good practice to "shop where you stay" when on trips. You can shop where they sell local produce - grocers, farmer's markets, and health food stores. You can also shop where the sell local retail and wholesale items.

What I appreciate most about Mike and Tonia is their pre-planning. It allowed room for when things didn't go as planned so they still had time to make changes. I call that sustainable planning and living.

Read more about the last week of their green wedding plans at: Itty Bitty Impact - Getting Married the Green Way III 

Check it out:

Getting Married the Green Way Part I

Getting Married the Green Way Part II

Itty Bitty Impact - website

Itty Bitty Impact on Twitter

 Itty Bitty Impact on Facebook 

Photography by:

Sydnee Bickett

Making an Itty Bitty Impact with a Green Wedding - Part 2

Mike and Tonia have already said their “I do’s” and on their beautiful honeymoon. They’ve been married a whole wonderful 4 days. It must bring back many memories for those already married.

In Part 1 we introduced their plans for a green wedding. Here in part 2, you’ll be taken through some of the challenges they faced. For example, choosing not to use disposable papergoods left only one caterer choice. 

On the other hand, they stuck to their choice for low-impact and found great rewards. In making some of their own decorations, there’s time spent together. Online save-the-date sites and rsvp’s by email help eliminate paper waste.

Let’s not tell all. Read about Tonia’s ring and all they finished planning at her website. 

Read all about it:

Getting Married the Green Way II - by Tonia Simeone of Itty Bitty Impact

Itty Bitty Impact on Twitter (Tonia)

Itty Bitty Impact on Facebook (Tonia)

(Adpated from my Examiner article)

Making an Itty Bitty Impact with a Green Wedding - Part 1

Engagement Photo by Sydnee Bickett

We hear about decreasing our carbon footprint, being environmentally friendly and wonder, “how?”. Well, Tonia is owner and creator of Itty Bitty Impact website. She has found many ways to help us discover the ease of going green one step at a time. Even featuring video on how to easily make your own cleaner.

Green, budget-friendly, and a few days away:

A “Green, budget-friendly, off-the-hook-awesome party for 300 people” is exactly what Tonia and Mike are having. They set out to make it as low-impact on our planet as possible and a beautiful celebration with loved ones. Well, they have been more than successful.

As you are reading this article, they are at less than one week before their memorable day and Tonia is off to her last cut and color. She and Mike have just finished a Triathalon over the weekend.

She takes us along on their “green wedding” adventure. She shares other resource sites that will be of help along with tips for dinnerware, email announcements, and even favors! I’m already getting great ideas for parties, gatherings and the like.


Thank You Mike and Tonia for letting us follow along on your awesome adventure :D

Getting Married the Green Way - Part 1 (Tonia's post)

Itty Bitty Impact on Twitter (Tonia)

Sydnee Bickett Photography 

(Adapted from my Examiner article)

Leslie Ashburn – Macrobiotic Chef, Whole Foods Sensei and Community Activist

These past few months I’ve been privileged to meet so many wonderful people making a difference here in Hawaii, on the mainland, and all over the world. I’d like to introduce you to one of them. This amazing woman is changing the health and lives of hundreds of people. Meet Leslie Ashburn owner of Macrobiotic Hawaii.

Leslie has set out to teach everyone possible how to have healthy balance in every area of life. Where food is concerned, she wants us to know that healthy eating does not have to be boring at all. It is flavorful, fun, and adds quality to our lives. “What makes me feel good, is that in eating a diet that is plant-based, close to the source, local, and organic whenever possible, that we are doing good for our bodies, for the Earth, and fighting the corporate food system.”
 

The power of being in tune:
 

Leslie says that, “When we choose to avoid processed and refined ingredients that lead to chronic illness we feel so much better, physically, emotionally, and morally as well. We always have a choice in what we put into our bodies, and by starting to connect how we eat with how we feel and our value system, then we can achieve great health and happiness. Understanding the energetics of food is another layer of freedom and empowerment!"
 

Balanced living:
 

When she is not teaching or on personal chef duty, Leslie attends conferences. She is wise enough to surround herself with empowering coaches and people to better herself and her profession. It’s not all work for her. She knows just how to balance all that giving by taking care of herself by running, hiking, yoga and going to the beach. She makes sure to nurture her friendships with some hanging out time too. If she’s not already amazing enough, this adventure girl is into motorcycles, mountain bikes and horseback riding!
 

Heart for community and food activist:
 

Leslie shares her heart: “Community, democracy, and fair food are very important to me and I support Kokua Market's efforts to reach out to the public about co-op principles and the unique niche the store serves in the community because of its business structure. Part of my role is helping to organize fun and educational events such as free farm tours, movie nights with films educating the public about food and sustainability, bike repair workshops, and cooking demonstrations.” She also plans vegan and macrobiotic meet-ups and events (see below for links).

Make that change:
 

“My observation is that community is fundamental to making a change toward a healthier lifestyle. I would encourage people to make friends with others who lead a similar lifestyle to have this support. 

It's also important to look carefully at one's belief systems to find beliefs that are limiting them from moving forward, identifying how strong 'health' is in their overall value system, and committing to clearing the emotional component.”
 

Check it out:
 

You can learn more about Leslie’s background, training, see past and upcoming events/classes, and other services she offers by visiting:

Leslie's website at Macrobiotic Hawaii.
Leslie on: Twitter, Facebook, and her blog - Naturally.

Ruby Roth- That's Why We Don't Eat Animals and Kauai Girl!

Once a Kauai farm girl and now Mom, artist, illustrator, author and activist via Los Angeles, Ruby Roth is educating our children about how their choices can make a difference for our world. Her heart is clearly evident in the human footprints and animal paw prints made together on the front and back covers of her book.

Childhood influences on Kauai Farm:
Before she was even born, her parents had a farm on beautiful Kauai. She remembers they lived there on and off throughout her childhood. “We spent nearly three years on the farm there when I was twelve, surrounded by macadamia nut trees, papayas, avocados, citrus, and lychee–the best foods ever.” It developed in her a deep respect for the land, animals, and the planet.


Living out Loud:
Ruby has been living a vegan lifestyle for 7 years now and attributes part of that to living on their farm, “eating that way subconsciously fosters a deep respect for life off the land, which I used to put two and two together later in my life when I became vegan.” Now, she is actively teaching this to our children through her book. She believes that children have a natural connection to nature and animals, “but are not presented with facts that actually allow them to live in line with those feelings.” This wonderful book does just that and does it beautifully. She is also passionate for the health of our children with childhood obesity and diabetes on the rise.


When asked how kids respond to her books’ message she shares, "Children show incredible interest and great insight...they come up with great questions and thoughts about the subject. I think kids enjoy being let in on what seemed to have been a “secret” kept from them. They feel empowered by the truth."

Gems in this book:
You’ll find truthfulness about everything from factory farmed animals to world hunger and environment. Even adults will be educated to more well-informed choices. Rather than use fictitious talking animals, facts and emotions are translated in a way our children can understand. Here are some examples:


Farm factory animals compared to free animals: 


Free animals - use instincts, fly, snuggle, celebrate with gestures and noises.


Farm factory or caged animals – are scared, sick, over-weight, separated from their families, flocks, or packs, unable to thrive, and be healthy.


World Hunger:
The food and water saved by growing organic veggies could feed the hungry people all over the world.


Environment:
How cattle farms waste water and pollute the ocean and sky.


The book closes empowering us with two things: 1) To know that our freedom to choose natural foods changes our lives and our planet. 2) A call to action list of resources in “What Else Can We Do” on the last page and at her website.


Check out more on That’s Why We Don’t Eat Animals:
Official Website (has great page on animals and you can also sign up for email udpates)
Facebook Page (updates as well along with animal issues, and more)
Amazon Page (Media reviews, book info, order info)


Even more to check out:
No Kill Network
Animal Shelter.Org
Article on Hawaii joining with www.farmsanctuary.org

This post is adapted from my column in the examiner.

Pictures used by permission.

MACH Smoothie, No Bake Brownies, and Julie Morris

Just before the detox/fast, I discovered this yummy no bake brownie recipe by Julie Morris and am addicted (sing "addicted" :D).  I'll include our tiny variation at the end of this blog.  I also concocted a smoothie recipe while enjoying the detox/fast and...you guessed it, I love it! So simple.  I'll post it at the end of this blog as well.  But first...


I met Julie in our Vega Community...Go Vega!  She shared her free e-recipe book download  and I've been bugging her every since at Vega and on Twitter :D  I've enjoyed being in contact with her.  She's such friendly person.

She is a natural food chef based in Los Angeles and an awesome writer as well.   Her cooking show is very informative and pleasant to watch.  In her videos, she shares nutrition information and extras on specific ingredients.  Julie is also a Navitas Naturals sponsored chef.  How cool is that?!  I had no idea of all I'd find out when I first contacted her.

David and I want to try so many of her recipes, but where to begin?  Right now, we have non-vegan neighbors asking to try the brownies.

Please enjoy visiting her site and share it with everyone you know. 



Jeri's brownie variation (see Julie's site for original recipe)

½ cup pitted medjool dates
½ cup raw walnut pieces
¼ cup cacao powder (¼ cup Vega Whole Food Health Optimizer in Chocolate)
pinch sea salt
(1 tbsp hemp seeds/nuts)
½ cup Navitas Naturals Sweetened Cacao Nibs, or regular raw cacao nibs

(after shaping, dust the brownies in the chocolate optimizer and top each with 1-2 Goji Berries)


Jeri's MACH Smoothie
(pronounced Mock - David came up with that name for it's energy boost)

8 oz. Coconut water
1 tbsp Hemp Protein Powder
1 tbsp Maca Powder
1 tbsp Coconut Oil
1 tbsp. Almond Butter
1 Banana (I prefer apple banana for its taste)

Put it all together in a blender, and blend until smooth and creamy.  Tastes like Peanut Butter shake.

As always, be creative and do send us your variations.  We enjoy new.