Program promotes recycling and gives value to the customer

LAS VEGAS – October 23, 2009 – The Cupcakery, Las Vegas’ premier cupcake bakery, has just launched a new green incentive program that promotes recycling and gives customers a sweet discount. In an effort to reduce
waste and encourage customers to return reusable material, The Cupcakery is offering a discount on the purchase of a dozen cupcakes in exchange for Cupcakery packaging materials.

Customers have the opportunity to receive a $2 discount for reusing or returning a dozen cupcake box, a $1 discount for a Cupcakery shopping bag and 50 cents for any small plastic container or the half-dozen box. The offers can also be combined for an even greater discount. Regular prices are $3 per cupcake and $32 per dozen.

“The Cupcakery is excited be able to help Mother Earth by recycling our products and giving customers a great discount at the same time,” said Owner Pamela Jenkins. “The discount offer is also a great way to encourage people to make the effort to recycle.”

About the Cupcakery

Baked fresh daily, The Cupcakery uses only the finest ingredients for quality you can taste. With a signature line-up of more than 16 distinctive flavors, The Cupcakery also features seasonal and monthly cupcakes. Local delivery service is available. Specialty orders, including themed and corporate logos, can be ordered with advance notice. Customers can also visit the website www.thecupcakery.com for easy online ordering, upcoming specials, contests and breaking cupcake news! Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday from 10
a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. The Cupcakery…the best little cupcakes in Vegas!

My life plans did not include single-handedly populating the earth; yet, when after four children, I found out I was pregnant again–with TWINS– that is exactly what it felt like. Since the birth of my twin boys, I have become increasingly aware of the emergent condition of our planet.

Our planet’s degraded state is due, at least in part, to over population-and more importantly over consumption. Not only do I feel an intense moral need to “do my part,” because I have a large family, I feel an intense responsibility to educate my children about the fragile state of earth, and decrease my families “ecological footprint.”

Many people feel that the answer is to limit the number of children we are able to have. However, I am amazed (and horrified) when people suggest that the means to population control includes eliminating our rights ( I had a guy in an Environmental Science class I took suggest that a way to effectively control population was to give a baby boy a vasectomy at birth). Besides our most basic rights, these types of people fail to look at the AMOUNTS of resources each person is consuming – which is inordinately high in highly developed countries such as the United States. This is at LEAST as important as the actual size of the population.

Although recently ‘experts’ have focused on the Earth’s population as the culprit of our planet’s issues, It is important to understand that when scientists or other ‘experts’ explain the effect of each person on the environment by giving a ‘per capita energy consumption,’ it is not accurate. It is the amount of resources each person consumes and the damage done by the technologies used to supply them.

While researching information on this topic, I came across several websites and various sources that contain both astounding and disheartening facts.

The “Population Explosion” is an article that was written by Paul and Anne Ehrlich. They begin their article with a quote by Thomas Hardy. “If a path to the better there be, it begins with a full look at the worst.” The degradation of Earth is rapidly turning into ‘worse’ and clearly some solutions must be found. However, these solutions do not include taking away the rights of individuals or allowing government officials to control/monitor our most basic rights and freedoms.

Paul and Anne Ehrlich define overpopulation as “…population can’t be maintained without rapidly depleting nonrenewable resources…and without degrading the capacity of the environment to support the population.” In other words, if the area is unable to sustain the people long-term, that area is overpopulated.

Although concerns about overpopulation usually centers on rapid population growth – often in poor countries — Paul Ehrlich points out that “…the impact of humanity on Earth’s life support systems is not just determined by the number of people alive on the planet. It also depends on how those people behave. When this is considered, an entirely different picture emerges: the main population problem is in wealthy countries.”

Consumers need to be informed. It is imperative that people learn to use resources in a more responsible manner. That doesn’t mean give your child a vasectomy — or throw them into the Nile at birth, it means that maybe they should reconsider before buying a Hummer, or supporting companies who have refused to be compliant with environmentally safe standards.

As parent’s we have the opportunity to make a difference every day by making choices such as carrying our own shopping bags or choosing cloth diapers over disposables (saves money too!). We also have the opportunity to have an ongoing effect well into the future by educating our children. Think about the choices we make, and examples we set on a daily basis:

* When was the last time you ordered a magazine subscription – or printed things unnecessarily?
* Do you have your monthly bills sent electronically and request that paper bills are no longer sent?
* When was the last time you bought a cup of coffee at Starbucks and they ‘double cupped’ because it was hot?
* How many plastic bottles do you throw away from water every day?
* Do you buy in bulk – or many small packages? (packaging creates more landfill)
* Do you buy vegetables and fruits from the produce section ‘loose’ instead of in unnecessary packaging?
* Do you RECYCLE?

If everyone would make an effort, it would have an enormous impact. It may not be the complete solution – but it will certainly make a difference. Our children bring immeasurable joy not only to you the parents, but to many others as well. Above all, remember that our children are our most valuable resource.

Please visit www.twinpregnancyinfo.com for facts about pregnancy, pregnancy with multiples, as well as parenting and relationship advice.

______

Kelliann Bateman

Kelliann has writing expertise in the areas of health, fitness, and nutrition. Kelliann also has intimate knowledge of high-risk pregnancy, twin and multiple birth, and maternal health. She is founder and editor of both TwinPregnancyinfo.com and FitWithTwins.com, where expectant and new mothers find the latest information on pregnancy with multiples and post-pregnancy fitness. For further information please contact Kelliann at kelliann@twinpregnancyinfo.com

Green Feng Shui

The “Going Green” trend continues to gain momentum and, hopefully, will soon be embraced by all cultures as our “new normal.” Some countries have already adopted policies that protect not only animals, but also plants as we see in Ecuador. Other countries have a farther way to go and will only travel at the speed of capital gain.

The influx of tourists to China for the Olympics exposed poor air quality and a lackluster attitude towards environmental and public health. Ironically, Feng Shui, the ancient art of placement and how environment impacts our fortune in life, originated in China thousands of years ago. There’s a lot we can learn from the ancients when it comes to social and environmental consciousness.

In Feng Shui, the color green is associated with springtime and growth. The direction for spring is the east where the sun rises. The element for the east is wood, which has a creative energetic quality that exemplifies the spirit of family. Numerically, this area is represented by a three which is symbolic of a father (1) and mother (2) coming together creating a child (3).

Feng Shui literally means “wind and water.” Our quality of life is directly related to the quality of our air (wind) and water.

To have a greener, healthier home a good first step is to improve air circulation. Studies show that indoor air pollution is far more prevalent and harmful than outdoor pollution. There are some easy fixes. Dust ceiling fans and run them each day for at least 15 minutes to circulate air throughout the house. Have your air conditioner units balanced and serviced annually, changing air filters regularly. Every so often open the doors and windows of your home to let in fresh air—especially on rainy days.

Be very intentional with what you invite into your home in terms of toxins. Obviously, do not allow smoking in your home. Plants are helpful in cleaning and cleansing the air and give the uplifting feeling of spring and growth. Avoid plants that are pointy like cacti and aloe because they give off sharp, shooting energy and can cause irritability and arguments. Use cleaners that are truly natural. Avoid synthetic air fresheners. I recommend organic oil diffusers and soy candles instead. Citrus is a natural astringent and as a scent, studies show a direct effect on clarity of mind and the feeling of cleanliness.

For suggestions on improving the Feng Shui in your home in terms of the element of water, look for upcoming issues of Green Living Nevada!

To learn more about Feng Shui visit www.TamarasGarden.com. Tamara Tyrbouslu is a Feng Shui and real estate consultant who inspires people to create personal and professional environments that support their goals and dramatically improve their quality of life. To hire Tamara, you can reach her directly at (702) 682-398 or TamaraLarisa@aol.com. To book Tamara as a speaker, contact Elta (702) 767-4525 or visit www.EventsbyElta.com.

Once a hangout for local slot players who stayed for the diner specials, the Roadhouse Casino at Boulder Highway and Sunset Road is attracting a new crowd – but they’re looking for fresh vegetables and organic products.

The new Henderson farmers’ market is open 4-8 p.m. Thursdays through the summer beside the old Henderson casino, which has been shuttered for several years. The outdoor market is drawing traffic not seen since the days of loose slots and the meatloaf special. And maybe not even then.

I headed there for the late May grand opening to experience the atmosphere of hip foodies and carnival-style offerings like Cajun barbecue and funnel cakes. The market also provides a favorite Vegas time-killer: people watching.

“It looks like the community is going to support it and that’s the great thing,” says Dan Garrison, a farmer and the market organizer.

You can find deals here: three red bell peppers for $2; two baskets of strawberries for $5. And observe the characters: Those who cling to the belief that an organic oil cures all and that all you need is that Tea-rrific jar of green tea to calm your life. A countercultural 1960s revolutionary hocks incense. All you have to do is ask around and you’ll find hidden stories in the corn. Retail therapy has never looked so home grown.

And maybe there’s no time like the present to relive better days. Curt Shepard, a 64-year-old Las Vegas man, is selling reminders of his psychedelic past while he waits to go back to work as an at-risk youth counselor. He sits in the shade of a Bob Marley wall hanging.

“It reminds me of the good times, it reminds me of friends, it reminds me of the movement of people during that time,” says the former Deacon for Defense, a 1960s black power civil rights group active in the South.

Vendors like Shepard don’t seem to mind sitting outside in 100-plus degree heat selling products that seem like luxuries during a recession. I don’t mind paying 50 cents more here for berries, knowing that my money is supporting a central valley farmer and his children, who are right there helping stock the table. But I know I won’t be taking flying lessons in that one-man glider parked at the front of the market. But the flight instructor attracts curious shoppers.

This market is still small – it will have about seven farmers driving from California, Utah and Idaho for the Southern Nevada weekday markets before making the trek home for their own weekend markets.

Garrison says the “gateway to Henderson” is the perfect place to pull over for some California blueberries, organic white nectarines and cherries from his family farm.

The barrel-chested Fresno farmer resupplies a vendor with heads of corn. He drops one on my foot while attempting to stock, talk and sell.  He offers me a Brooks cherry – the first variety to ripen before the summer – with a shiny red skin and a sweet and tart flavor. “It’s the best crop we’ve had in Brooks in four years. Bings [cherries] will be out in about three weeks. But now these cherries are phenomenal.” And with that, Garrison was off. He had to go pick up the bread guy, a local baker, whose truck has just broken down on the side of the road.

Henderson isn’t little anymore, but it may not have the culinary diversity for vegan Chef Mayra Trabulse, who often finds herself educating shoppers on vegan eating.
She attributes the crowd around her tent to savvy social networking skills (5,200 Twitter followers, 600 Facebook friends).

“A vegan is a person who chooses to not eat animals or animal by-products,” she repeats to William Tye, a retired bridge builder who lives in Henderson .

“I eat everything,” he says, as his wife pulls on his sleeve. “I was brought up that way. You were taught to eat everything and not to throw anything away.”

Perhaps this is an argument that even the quick-witted Mayra will not attempt: no, you don’t throw away the meat, you don’t even buy it, I could see her thinking. She moves on instead to the virtues of 100 percent organic balsamic oil.

“People tend to think if you don’t have a recipe, you can’t function,” Chef Mayra says. “Just open your fridge and see what you can put together. There is no science. A zucchini and a cucumber. They get along. Trust me. They are friends. Tomatoes, avocados – they are friends. Put it in a bowl and do that rather than potato chips.”

She combines cucumber, avocado and tomatoes with the oil and tarragon, oregano, marjoram and mint paste.

Tye is one of the first to line up to taste. This isn’t what he’s cooking at home, but for a warm evening at the Henderson farmers’ market, it cools him off.

“It looks really good,” he says before taking a fork-full of the salad.

Experience the Henderson farmers’ market at 2100 N. Boulder Highway every Thursday evening.

By Becky Bosshart

When I met Chef Mayra, I instantly felt her positive energy and enthusiasm for living a green, environmentally-conscious lifestyle comprised of healthy and flavorful food. Her accomplishments, culinary training, and professional experience enable Trabulse to educate clients and teach healthy eating habits.

Chef Mayra grew up in Mexico City, half Cuban and half Lebanese. After receiving degrees in both Psychology and Education, Chef Mayra completed professional training in Culinary Arts in Miami in 2000. She honed her skills in restaurants, under two excellent Caribbean executive chefs, learning the secrets of Caribbean spices and flavors of the South. With phenomenal drive, she earned certifications in Fitness Chef, Sports Nutrition, Macrobiotic Cooking, Vegan and Vegetarian, Holistic and Feng Shui cuisine.

As she cooked in restaurants, Chef Mayra experimented with recipes from various cuisines and worked as a personal chef. Chef Mayra examined food, and questioned its impact on the body and the environment. She explored options that made sense for healthy eating and a green world.

In 2004, Chef Mayra began transitioning to vegetarianism and completed the transition to vegan in 2006. Believing in “compassionate cuisine” that is green and environmentally responsible, Chef Mayra educates others on reducing animal suffering, waste, and the carbon footprint on the planet. Seeking a holistic approach with the veganism movement, she is passionate about bringing back flavor with wholesome animal-free and organic foods.

She wants “to reprogram people to cook without microwaves, boxes, and processed foods.”

With strong academic credentials and a wealth of experience, Chef Mayra has more than 11 years expertise in the healthy eating and cooking industry. Specializing in Caribbean and Southwestern cuisine, Chef Mayra delivers her own signature style with explosive flavor. Her delectable, healthy dishes from wholesome animal-free and organic food have earned her the name “Dr. Flavor” by many professionals.

Chef Mayra provides a wide range of services for clients including: Pantry Management, Food Demonstrations, Caribbean-themed parties, Romantic Dinners for Two, Organic Baby Food and more. By teaming up with Certified Fitness Trainers, she addresses sports nutrition trends including weight management, body composition, meal planning and diet, analyzing overall health, fitness and optimal energy.

Truly an entrepreneur, Chef Mayra wears many toques such as food and health writer, radio show guest, personal and private chef, instructor and much more.  She is a member of Women Chefs and Restaurants and the Personal Chef Association.

To book Chef Mayra e-mail the chef’s project manager Email: Cindy@MyChefMayra.com. You can reach the Chef directly 702 372 4709. Call the Chef’s Event, Public Speaker,Booking and Information Line 702 722-0113. For more information, visit Chef Mayra’s website, http://www.mychefmayra.com/ or call (702) 372-4709.

Contributed by Joan Black