Sustainable Living Expo

Thought I'd note down and share some excellent and valuable ideas learned from the Sustainable Living Expo (Epic) on Saturday, May 14, 2011.


Baking without eggs (substitution):

- 1/4 cup applesauce or mashed banana
- 3 Tablespoons of silken tofu
- 2 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of water

Nutritional Yeast: Available as flakes or powder, it adds a cheesy flavour to all sorts of foods and is fortified with vitamin B12

Seitin - wheat meat, versatile, hearty and chewy.

Tahini: versatile Mediterranean paste made from ground hulled sesame seeds.

Tempeh: whole soybeans, sometimes mixed with grains , richer than tofu.

TVP: textured vegetable ( or soy) protein made from soy flour, cooked under pressure, extruded and tried.

Substitute butter for Earth Balance vegetable margarine


Seachoice.org = Canada's Seafood Guide to choosing sustainable seafood choices:

Some items noted to Avoid:
Farmed:
- ( International shrimp/prawn, tiger)
- Atlantic Salmon
- Tilapia (China, Taiwan)

Some of the best choices that made the list:
- US Tilapia
- CDN/US Wild crab
- Canadian Sablefish
- Cdn/US albacore tuna

Bees
- Population of bees are depleting at a rate of 20% per year. Some things you can do to help:

- Plants are bee friendly (http://www.thedailygreen.com/going-green/tips/bee-friendly-plants)
- Limit the use of pesticides

Fairtrade

Look for the fair trade logo to support products derived from social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries make better trading conditions and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to producers as well as higher social and environmental standards. It focuses in particular on exports from developing countries to developed countries, most notably handicrafts, coffee, cocoa, sugar, tea, bananas, honey, cotton, wine, fresh fruit, chocolate.

Some of my favourite fair trade merchants that I sampled:

- Camino chocolates
- Salt spring Coffee