Autonomie Project’s Blog

This Sunday marks the most watched television event of the year: Superbowl Sunday! So as the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers face off in the warm Tampa sun, most Americans will gather around their televisions sets and indulge in snacks and beer. So is there a way to keep your Superbowl party green and vegan? Of course there is! We have put together a quick list of how to green and veganize your Superbowl Party! So sit back and enjoy your Sunday, root for your team, and keep your conscious satisfied. 

Biodegradable and Recyclable Party-ware

Most of the time when we through parties the last thing we want to deal with is washing dishes. So many people usually end up buying throw away plastic and paper silverware, plates, and napkins. Instead of going for the plastic, try out biodegradable plates, silverware, and napkins. There are many companies that make these items such as World Centric and  Nature Friendly. The eco friendly party supplies can also be found at most Whole Foods locations. Not only will this help green your Superbowl Bash, it will make cleaning up all that much easier. If you do use biodegradable supplies, be sure you compost the items rather than sending them out with the regular trash!

Vegan and Organic Snacks

Superbowl parties are usually filled with snacks like wings, pizza, and chips! But there is a way to enjoy your Sunday with healthy, organic, and vegan. Great healthy snacks to serve are organic salsa and chips, organic hummus and carrots, and organic veggies and fruit! But you can also use vegan appetizer substitute such as Health is Wealth Vegan Buffalo Wings, Health is Wealth Vegan Nuggets, Health is Wealth Vegan Egg Rolls, and Nate’s Meatless Meatballs. You can even serve several Toffuti Pizzas, Amy’s Cheese-less Pizza, or make your own! Finally you can serve some great dips and party foods. There are tons of great vegan recipes out there. Here are a few of our own: Vegan 7 Layer Bean Dip, Vegan Spinach Dip, and Vegan Potato Salad.

Green Refreshments

Watching football inevitably brings beer! There is one great company, New Belgium, which happens to be a favorite beer of AP’s! This is a worker owned co-op that makes great beers through wind power and are delivered in soy powered trucks. We suggest you try the Fat Tire or Trippel. If your guests would rather drink wine, consider serving vegan or organic wines. And finally if your loved ones choose not to drink, be sure to serve alternatives for them such as organic soda, like Blue Sky or sparkling cider. 

Clean Up!

After the new champion has been crowned and all the party goers have gone, the worst part of a get together starts: the dreaded clean up! Just a quick reminder to compost all left over food products and used biodegradable dishes and flatware. Also, be sure to recycle all beer bottles, soda cans, and wine bottles. You can use recycled trash bags and cleaning products. Check out Seventh Generation or Method for several of these products. Be sure your clean up is just as green as your party!

Just in time for Superbowl Sunday, we wanted to share a favorite party dish! This is a simple and tasty treat that will please your guests, especially the vegan ones! This has been a family favorite for years in my family and since going vegan I have made it every year! So grab your Organic Tortilla Chips and dive in. Goes great with beer too!

Vegan 7 Layer Bean Dip

While down in DC for the inauguration, we decided to check out some of the local vegan options. One that caught my eye was Soul Vegetarian Restaurant. Being from Boston, there isn’t much soul food around or at least not vegan style. It was quite an adventure to find the restaurant as it was not in a central local. The print out we had stated it was right near a metro stop, however we had to walk about 10 blocks, which isn’t SO bad, but when its the dead of winter it can be worth it! The entire menu is vegan and their take on soul food really is excellent. Even with the walk, we were thoroughly impressed! And so is DC apparently, as the restaurant won 2008’s Best Vegetarian Dive in the Washington City Paper.

The restaurant is nestled right near Howard University and upon reading reviews and as the name suggest we expected a full restaurant. When we arrived it was just a small take out place with limited seating. We didn’t mind this setting, it just wasn’t what we were expecting! The staff was friendly, laid back, and talkative. And the prices are totally worth the trek! Anywhere from $4-$9! They have daily specials that include several soy alternatives like pepper steak, tofu nuggets, and spaghetti with protein balls. Plus, our favorite baked mac n’ cheese! On top of the daily specials they also have everyday sandwiches, tacos, and pizzas you can order.  It does take a bit of time if you are ordering anything other than the daily specials, so be prepared to wait. My only complaint was that all the food is served in Styrofoam containers. Hopefully they will look into compostable containers for the future.

Baked Mac N Cheese Special

We decided to share the daily special of Baked Mac n’ Cheese, Green Beans, and Tofu Teriyaki and we also ordered a BBQ Tofu Sub which came with Candied Yams and Jerusalem Bakes! All of these dishes were quite delectable and filling! The Baked Mac n’ Cheese melted in our mouths and it is seriously the best vegan mac n’ cheese I have ever had! The BBQ tofu was really good as they baked the tofu in strips, smothered them with BBQ sauce, and wrapped them in a thick pita with veggies. Mmmm mmmm that sub was good! We also really enjoyed the candied yams, they were just sweet enough and we usually only eat that dish at Thanksgiving! This was the first time we had tried the Jerusalem Bakes which were thick potato wedges with a breading around them. It was definitely a filling meal!

On top of their service counter they have stacks of all types of vegan cakes made by the local bakery Sweet-n-Natural, located in nearby Maryland. The cakes ranged from cheesecake to carrot cake, but we decided to go with something a little less standard called a PinaColada Cake! The cake tasted exactly like what you would think! A whole lot of pineapple and coconut, but still very sweet and very moist. This was definitely a great end to our meal and we even had a little left over for breakfast the next day!

The restaurant also does brunch on Sundays. We were unable to attend this time, but according to locals the brunch is worth checking out! On a flyer we picked up it listed American favorites such as pancakes and cornbread. Next time we are in DC we will definitely have to check it out.

So if you are in the mood for greasy down home soul cooking, we suggest you check out Soul Vegetarian Cafe in DC. The food is perfect for that great comfort food in the winter or for long study sessions.  Let us know your experience or your favorite dish!

Soul Vegetarian Restaurant

2606 Georgia Ave NW
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 328-7685

Yesterday it was reported that the conflict in Israel and Palestine continue despite efforts by the world community to push a cease fire. And today news reports announced today that Obama’s advisors landed in Israel to help ease the tension and hopefully work towards some peace. With all this negative news coming out of the region, it can be a bit depressing. 

So today we wanted to bring you a bit of good news about Palestine. At the end of December 2008, it was made public that Palestine will begin selling their first fair trade product: olive oil in 2009! This is great news for the region as the farming and production of the product is expected to help economic growth as well as helping to lower the unemployment rates. Helping to ease these problems as well as some water and agriculture issues is the focus of the fair trade products. It was also mentioned that in February of 2009 a delegation will be held in the West Bank to begin talks about starting an agricultural hub in Palestine.

To purchase fair trade olive oil and other Palestinian products check out Caanan Fair Trade products. This news may be  the beginning of many fair trade products to come out of the occupied territory. With war raging in the region and economic failure, it seems like we never hear anything positive about Palestine. But hopefully this piece of good news will lead to others. As our politicians work on easing tensions, we hope fair trade initiatives can pave the road to economic and social recovery. And a true olive branch of peace can be extended.

As I mentioned last week, I headed to Washington on Sunday January 18th to witness this historic inauguration as well as partake in some celebrations! I just wanted to take a moment to share my experiences with you. Without sounding too sentimental I want to say that I could not possibly express in words the feeling and buzz that engrossed that city for the four days I was there. I have never witnessed such an overwhelming and inspiring moment, especially caused by one man. And an American politician at that! But the country is ailing and this is exactly the shift we need.

The night before the inauguration I was lucky enough to attend the Manifest Hope (sponsored by MoveOn.org, Obey, and SEIU) party. The party was in celebration of the inauguration and artists had filled the gallery with some powerful pieces all inspired by Obama’s campaign. They were also themed around three major ideas that MoveOn.org is focusing on: Healthcare, Worker’s Rights, and Green Economy. The party was exciting and featured awesome performances by Santogold, Moby, and De La Soul. I even mustered up the courage to introduce myself to Moby and talk about veganism. I also briefly met Arnold Schwarzenegger as he strolled through the gallery. Even Rosario Dawson was attending and looked stunning(I’m a big fan of hers)! She was rockin out with the music and was more than nice to all of us commoners! The crowd was energized and we were all excited for tuesday’s events! We met a lot of great people from all over and we even sung Goodbye to Bush. The party raged until the wee hours of the morning as we all headed home for a few hours of rest.

The next morning I awoke and braved the crowds and frigid weather to make my way to the National Mall. It was about 17 degrees out and I had to walk about 10 miles through freeway ramps, tunnels, through bushes, and even over fences to make my way there! We stood in the cold for hours with millions of other Americans of all races, creeds, and economic status. Even though people were standing and walking for hours, the mood was jubilant. Everyone was helping and looking out for each other. Even the riot police and national guards were calm and so nice. They were not yelling at anyone, they just smiled and asked us all where we were from. I have never witnessed anything so moving. After hours of standing in the cold and being packed so tight with people we couldn’t breathe, I realized I was no where near a jumbo screen or speakers. So my friend and I decided it would be best if we jumped into a local bar so we could actually hear his speech. We experienced the best of both worlds, with the crowd raging outside and inside the bar, we watched the groundbreaking ceremony.

Obama may not be perfect and I may not agree with everything he does, but the man is competent and inspiring. To watch that many people brave the weather and travel from far off lands just to hear him speak brought tears to many eyes. He brings a new era of hope and responsibility to our country. We can only hope he lives up to his promises. I hope the optimism lasts but that people still challenge him, as he is human, and a politician at that. Let’s not forget what unwatched power can bring. And the road ahead will not be easy, but at least I feel relieved that our nation lays in the hands of an intelligent and inspirational man. I will never forget that day.

We took over the freeway tunnels!

Where we hung out with massive crowds!

Braving the cold for Obama!

The morning after–Obama’s house now!

Some Obama Swag from the Streets

Sporting Autonomie at the Manifest Hope Party

De La Soul working the crowds at the Manifest Hope Party

Dancing on Stage with Moby at the Manifest Hope party

Meeting Arnold as he made an appearance through the gallery

Manifest Hope Gallery

Obama inspired sculpture of wires

A New Era of Responsibility

If you are anything like us, yesterday was a total wash when it came to getting work done.  The Autonomie team was either braving the crowds at the inauguration (go Gina!) or completely glued to the tv all day long.  We were just totally intrigued by this special moment in our nation’s history and are truly excited for all that is to come in 2009 and beyond!

One thing that of course caught our attention as owners of a Fair Trade fashion company was all of the commentary on the clothing worn by the Obamas throughout the day.  Who wasn’t gossiping over Michelle Obama’s inauguration day dress made by Isabel Toledo and then the stunning gown she wore, danced in, and tripped on at all 10 inaugural balls.  If you’re not up on the fashion scoop, Michelle’s ball gown was designed and made especially for her by new up-and-coming designer Jason Wu.  It seems that critics across the board are applauding Michelle for her Big Day outfit choices for not only herself, but also for her 2 young daughters, Malia, age 10, and Sasha, age 7.

The totally adorable and brightly colored winter coats donned by the girls as they watched their father be sworn in as the next leader of our country were made by none other than J.Crew’s new kid’s line Crew Cuts.  While Malia and Sasha’s coats were made especially for them and no other little girl will be able to wear the exact same thing, Michelle is still getting praised for not only how ultra cute the girls looked, but on her choice of using a very accessible and relatively affordable fashion brand unlike First Moms in the past.  While typical inaugural day fashions cost upwards of $1,000, Michelle’s use of an everyday clothing company found in malls across the nation has endeared her more to the American public than ever before.

While we agree with the critics that it’s wonderful to see Michelle Obama not let the celebrity-dom of the White House get to her head and continue to shop in all-American locales, we are hardly handing out the accolades when we feel Mrs. Obama could have made a much bigger statement by dressing her daughters in outfits not made in sweatshops.  It’s true that Fair Trade and/or eco-friendly children’s fashions are much more difficult to find than just paying  a visit to the local mall, but they are no less adorable or affordable (like this Organic Baby Cardigan from Fair Indigo) and would have made enormous strides for the ethical fashion movement towards building more awareness and peace around the garment industry.  No doubt Crew Cuts sales of little girls’ jackets will soar through the roof after yesterday, so why not channel that celebrity power to some of the smaller, grassroots do-gooder companies that are so very aligned with Mr. Obama’s values and mission and are working tirelessly to bring positive change to both America and the world?

Now don’t get us wrong….we LOVE, love, love the Obamas.  How could you not?  They’re a beautiful, smart, loving and competent family.  The perfect face for America in 2009 and honestly, a breath of fresh air.  But we do hope that in the very near future, Mrs. Obama will start making headlines about supporting Fair Trade and eco-friendly fashions for her daughters.  Now wouldn’t that get some well-deserved attention from the media!

Nicholas D. Kristof’s op-ed piece in the January 14, 2009 New York Times titled, “Where Sweatshops Are a Dream” has inspired a flurry of disagreeing letters and comments from the public. In case you missed it, Kristof argues that sweatshops provide a great opportunity for those in extreme poverty and that the jobs in sweatshops are far better than rag-picking in a toxic landfill all day. Therefore, his logic extends, more sweatshops should be created. I’ll give him that there are worse things in this world than sweatshops, like being machine-gunned or maybe forced into prostitution. While this might make sweatshops a better alternative, it is certainly no solution, nor is it even a good or just alternative, especially when we have the means to do better.

Instead of arguing the many points raised in his piece, I’ll re-post below some of the thoughtful reactions from others. All responses below are selected excerpts from the letters to the editor and comments posted on the New York Times website.

• -Nicholas D. Kristof is absolutely right. Sweatshops are much better than a sharp stick in the eye. But when jobs aren’t a pathway out of poverty, they create an asymmetric, unsustainable global economy of producer countries and consumer countries that can stand on its head only so long.

• -He [Kristof] misses the point: Cambodian garment shops are among the best in Asia because of a deal done with the United States in a trade treaty signed in 1999. In return for access to the American market, Cambodia agreed to abide by core labor standards, including the right to form a union and to bargain collectively. As result, the industry grew rapidly and so have unions in Cambodia.

• -Nicholas D. Kristof seems not to understand that the No. 1 reason for imposing higher labor standards on imports isn’t to improve living standards abroad but to maintain them here. Americans shouldn’t be asked to compete with workers who think that toiling long hours under abysmal conditions is still better than living in the dump.

• -As I get older, I think of the options you pose as a choice between different levels of Hell. Is this the best we can do in 2009? Is this to be considered progress and the fruits of modernity?

• -And by the way, the situation of the garbage pickers in Steung Meanchey is a bit more complex than depicted in the article. It’s related to the difficulties of making a living in the countryside, to land seizures, to government corruption, to monopolization of natural resources by a small circle of elites, to lack of democracy, to post-conflict issues involving displacement and resettlement. In other words, international forces can and should play a much more positive than they do now but many domestic changes need to occur in order for the garbage pickers of Steung Meanchey to disappear.

• -Sweatshops do not advance the next generation. It is people’s desire to create a better life for their children that motivates an individual to work hard and make that happen, in spite of the sweatshop mentality. I wonder if those people losing jobs here in the US will accept or work hard at a professional job for half pay of what they formally were paid – and to tell them there are many who will take your place if your don’t is not a justification for such treatment. Poverty creates social unrest. You are clearly well educated, please revisit your national and personal history.

• -Perhaps some working conditions are better than others, but that still doesn’t make them right. How much more effort would it take to make the work place safe, hours tolerable and child labor controlled? It sort of feels like listening to the argument that waterboarding isn’t torture because it doesn’t leave permanent scars. Sweatshops are sweatshops and we who buy their products need to be mindful of the conditions the workers are being forced to endure.

• -Carried to its logical end, we would all be working in sweatshops eventually, because what you advocate is nothing more than a race to the bottom. More factories – yes! But with internationally accepted standards, or they will bring us all down to a debased level.

• -Whenever I’ve read your pieces on sweatshops, I’ve always wondered: how did a nice guy like you get stuck in such an argument? I’ll try to be brief: You are right that sweatshops are really a symptom of poverty (or to be more precise, capitalists taking advantage of poverty). But so is prostitution. Where does that fit in your hierarchy of jobs? How about slavery? Might that not be considered better than scavenging in a dump as well?

It is great that Kristof’s work has brought forth lively reactions on such an important matter. I’m very happy that he exists… in the op-ed world and not in the ‘deciding’ world. You can view his column and continue to follow the discussion HERE.

Washington DC is gearing up for the millions of people (myself included) heading there to partake in the inauguration celebration. With the influx of people in the city, they are buckling down for long crowds as well as tons of trash! So what will they do with all that trash? The city and inauguration event staff have taken on thousands of volunteers to ensure the trash around the city is picked up. On top of keeping the streets clean, the plan is to recycle most if not all of the trash collected during the celebration. Along with the trash collection,  this green team will be collecting the manure left behind from all the horses ridden by the police. The manure will then be sold to local farms.

On top of the recycling program, Obama’s inauguration celebration includes some great other green moves such as recycled paper used for invitations and all materials used for catering the dinner will be recyclable and biodegradable. All attendees are asked not to drive and expected to take the Metro, even in full evening gear. 

There are also several Green Inauguration Balls planned including one on Monday featuring Al Gore and one planned for tonight featuring entertainment from Wyclef Jean and hosted by several groups including Discovery Channel’s Planet Green and Green Corps. 

Finally, during the parade, several floats are recycled from previous parades intentionally to reduce waste of making new floats. The heat shields intended to keep the parade participants warm on the bitter winter day will be donated to local homeless shelters after the event.

So these changes may seem small and won’t stop global warming per se, but it sets an example and possibly a tone for how Obama’s administration will take Green seriously. For the very first time a president has worked along with the EPA to make sure the inauguration has the smallest impact possible. If that isn’t a sign of things to come, than I don’t know what is! See you all in DC and let’s celebrate our democracy in an eco-friendly way!

In just a few more days, we will welcome a new president and hopefully we will see the change we voted for! This weekend in the DC area there is all kinds of parties, events, and parades going on in celebration for the inauguration. If you are down in the are we highly suggest you check out DC Manifest Hope Gallery. Sponsored by MoveOn.org, SEIU, and Obey, the gallery is featuring political and inspired art work by a number of artists who exude the message that Obama carried through his campaign. 

The art is supposed to push into action three main areas of reforms, and all three are important to us here at AP: Worker’s Rights, Healthcare Reform, and the Green Economy. The gallery will be open Friday January 17th through Monday January 19th from 10am-6pm to lead up to the inauguration. 

So if you are in the DC area, please come by the gallery!: meet some people (Gina from AP included), check out the art, and maybe even get inspired. Hope to see you soon! It’s going to be an interesting weekend to say the least.

MANIFESTHOPE: DC

January 17th-19th, 2009
10:00am – 6:00pm

3333 M Street NW, Washington DC 20007

I must have walked on the streets after sundown at least 200 times last year, with the sidewalks well lit, helping me find my way. I did my fair share of driving on roads and crossed a few bridges. I took many walks down pretty paths in public parks, admiring a variety of horticulture. I was excited at least 4 times hoping that scientific research may shed light on the purpose of human existence. My loans from the state school I attended are not psychologically or financially overwhelming me. I voted, swam at the beach, drank tap water – Oh! – and last year was the first time I called 911.

It was one of the most satisfying experiences to date. My neighbors had a get together and by about 3 am it had devolved into a bottle throwing game, many of which were breaking on my building. I mean, I’ve broken bottles in my day, but I’ve done so with respect, and intention. There was none of that here, just idiocy, and that is what made me the most upset. So I dialed 911 and told the person on the other end of the line what was happening. After about 15 minutes, 10 really big guys with guns showed up and made them stop throwing bottles at my house. I couldn’t believe how user friendly this service was and it was totally free. Amazing, that alone has got to be worth a couple of hundred dollars. How many places in the world have a service like that?!

In any case, what I’m saying is that, I guess I don’t really mind paying my taxes. For the most part I can see a good deal of value. Of course it’snot always so easy on the conscience, paying for those things which our real freedoms rely: bailouts, torture, surveillance, mothers of all bombs, and barbed wire. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to choose from a cafeteria plan as to where our tax money would go, earmarking our share for programs we want? But that’s not here yet. So instead I’ll try to be happy about a number of tax incentives which help battle my pessimism by encouraging people to do the right thing, especially during these economic woes. Specifically, there are tax incentives to reduce energy waste and switch to green technology. Yes, the US government and many state governments will give you money to go green. Here are the most recent additions and a few you might even be in a position to take advantage of, this year or next:

The federal Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 allows a $500 credit for installing energy efficient measures for 2009. Covered technologies include water heaters, furnaces, boilers, heat pumps, air conditioners, building insulation, windows, doors, roofs, and circulating fans used in a qualifying furnace. The Act also extends a 30% credit for solar energy systems, solar hot water heaters and fuel cells through 2016. While it’s a little superfluous to continue any credits past 2012, such a nice discount might help facilitate that purchase you’ve been thinking about. And if it pushes people and corporations in the right direction, that’s great!

The Residential Energy Conservation Subsidy Exclusion, allows you to exclude from personal income any subsidies from utility companies used to aid in the purchase or installation of a product used to help conserve energy. Its like saying out of state purchases over the internet for green items is exempt from sales tax.

If you are thinking about a new car the Tax Credit for Qualified Hybrid Vehicles might be the icing on the cake for that purchase you’ve been planning! Credits can range up to $3400! Be sure to do your research, get the proper dealer and IRS forms and watch out for the AMT. For more information and to see the qualifications check out the IRS summary.

Individual states also offer a wide variety of incentives for going green. Some in New York include credits for heating with Bio-Diesel, exemptions from property and sales tax for purchases and upgrades to greener technology. In Massachusetts you’ll be exempt from personal income from the sale of a patent or royalty income from a patent if its deemed “beneficial for energy conservation or alternative energy development.” Good to consider if you have an invention in the works. In California there are a number of local loan programs that extend favorable terms if you want to borrow money for the installation of renewable energy systems. Be sure to check out what your state offers in green breaks!

On the corporate side there are even more incentives for homebuilders, manufacturers, building owners and other entities to improve their behaviors when it comes to energy use. Both federal and state governments offer many grant and bond programs for a variety of different projects. If you’re thinking of starting a business, there could be many ways to help subsidize the startup costs just by doing the right thing.

As loop-holey and esoteric as some of these rules may be, going green has made it in the tax code and it appears that its likely to increase under the new administration. Its makes me feel better that change is happening for the better and hopefully moves like these will make more people switch to green!  Its moves like these that make a difference in the end, plus it can’t hurt to save a buck or to yourself! The existence of these incentives helps ease my negative energy toward taxes and government, not unlike calling 911 and obtaining satisfaction.