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Sustainable Meals for Busy Students: Oven-Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Author: Alev Studenikina ‘23

Everyone loves sweet potatoes! They can be cooked in a variety of ways and taste especially wholesome in the Fall season with the anticipation of Thanksgiving.

While, sadly, most of us right now cannot savor food marvels like Curried Sweet Potato & Lentil Stew or Maple Glazed Sweet Potato Cake made by the Campus Dining chefs, sweet potatoes are such an amazing ingredient that even a simple dish can be mouthwatering. 

Also, did you know that sweet potatoes are the way to go in terms of sustainable food production that would address the challenges of feeding the world population? The sweet potato “provides more calories per hectare and per growing month than all the major grain crops” while containing vitamins A, C, B6, manganese, potassium and antioxidants. After the discovery of the Covington sweet potato variety, well-suited to the climate in North Carolina, billions of pounds of sweet potatoes can be grown annually in this state, and sweet potatoes are farmed in other states such as California, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Louisiana. This means that sweet potatoes are relatively locally grown for many people in the USA, giving them a lower overall carbon footprint compared to other foods.

Enough of the facts – here is a simple recipe for healthy and delicious oven-baked sweet potato fries!

Ingredients:

  • 2 sweet potatoes
  • Vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
  • Salt (to taste)
  • Spices (turmeric and paprika, to taste)

Steps (15 min prep time + 30 min in the oven):

Step 1: Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

Step 2: Wash the sweet potatoes and cut them into approximately fry-sized pieces.

Step 3: Line a tray with baking paper and transfer the sweet potato pieces onto it.

Step 4: Add a drizzle of olive oil, plus the salt, turmeric and paprika.

Step 5: Mix everything together so that each piece gets coated with the oil and spice mixture.

Step 6: Spread the pieces out on the tray so that there is some space between them (otherwise they will not get a nice crust). I could fit one cut-up sweet potato on the tray, so I baked the two in turns.

Step 7: Put the tray in the oven for 25-30 min. After 20 min, turn on the grill setting or the fan inside the oven to dry out the “fries” a bit.

The result:

There was actually more from the two sweet potatoes that I used, but these “fries” are irresistible when they are just out of the oven, so quite a few were gone before I got to take this picture!

This series is brought to you by student group, Greening Dining

Fast Facts About Fast Fashion

Author: Eve Cooke ’22

Image Credit: Gatis Sluka, 2020.

What is fast fashion?

Fast fashion—like fast food—is cheap, easy to get your hands on, and not that good for you or the environment. Merriam-Webster defines fast fashion as “An approach to the design, creation, and marketing of clothing fashions that emphasizes making fashion trends quickly and cheaply available to consumers.” Fast fashion companies can sell their clothing at such a low price because the environment and the workers who make the clothes are absorbing the cost. To maximize profits, fast-fashion companies underpay and overwork their workers, cut corners on quality control and workplace safety, and produce environmental emissions that pollute our air, water, and land.

There are several organizations that are dedicated to reforming fast fashion companies and educating consumers, including the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and Fashion Revolution. As consumers and citizens of the world, we have the power to take action against fast fashion. 

Here’s a list of some of the other hidden costs behind fast fashion, along with ways that you can take action to mitigate the damage caused by this industry:

What can we do?: Join the Fashion Revolution and support their campaign to pressure fast fashion companies to put an end to forced labor from their supply chains, pay their workers a living wage, provide safe working conditions, and to be transparent about who makes the clothes they sell.

What can we do?: Remake, an organization dedicated to ending fast fashion, suggests that “[by] doubling the life of clothing from one to two years, we can help reduce emissions from clothing production and disposal by as much as 24%.” You can also try to only buy clothing that you need and that you will wear over and over again. If you have the resources, supporting ethical and sustainable brands and investing in durable pieces is a really great option, but making thoughtful and careful purchases is also an important way for anyone on any budget to shop more sustainably.

Follow Mend on Instagram for sustainable fashion and repair tips!

Remember to take care of the clothes you already have by repairing rips or missing buttons and altering or upcycling clothes you don’t wear anymore. If you want inspiration or information about repairing and upcycling clothes, check out Mend’s Instagram (@tigers_who_mend).

What can we do?: Try to buy second-hand clothing. If you are in Princeton, check out Greene Street or the Nearly New Shop. You can also buy and sell used clothing on various websites and apps such as eBay, Depop, Etsy, ThredUP, and Poshmark. Vintage clothing is also an affordable way to find high-quality and unique clothing on a budget. If you are cleaning out your wardrobe, try swapping clothes with your friends or selling your clothing online. That way your clothes will wind up with someone who will actually wear them!

Want to learn more about fast fashion? Join Princeton Mend and John-Hopkins University on November 13th to watch and discuss The True Cost!

Eve Cooke ‘22 is a Mend Leader and EcoRep for the Office of Sustainability

The Value of Shopping Local

Author: Claire Wayner ’22

This fall, I’ve been experiencing a lot of hopelessness about environmental work. From the wildfires in California to the rampant deforestation of the Amazon, it seems as if our planet is collapsing around us. COVID-19 and the lockdown has made me feel even more like a small cog in a big wheel. What can I possibly do to make amends, to heal this planet and our crumbling climate, when I’m stuck at home?

To my surprise, being at home has taught me a lot about how I can reduce my own impact on the planet through personal lifestyle changes. One small example of that is my increased efforts to shop locally. I’ve been visiting a weekly farmer’s market and farmstand, buying items like in-season tomatoes, peaches, and eggplant. In many cases, what we’ve bought has been cheaper than at the grocery store – not to mention that it is fresher and tastes better. In other cases, like the occasional meat we’ve bought, I’ve felt better about my personal carbon footprint, knowing that the meat traveled less of a distance and wasn’t raised on deforested land in the Amazon.

Park City Farmer’s Market in Utah.
Photo Credit: Claire Wayner

Shopping for local food has also helped me to feel more supportive of my community. Grocery stores are large, brightly lit, and often sterile-feeling. Especially during COVID’s lockdown, I’ve been itching for social interaction. By shopping local, I feel more connected to the food production process, knowing where my food has come from and knowing that my payment is going to directly benefit farmers in my area. 

Buying local is also not limited to food. Many businesses near you are probably suffering because of the economic lockdown. By patronizing local establishments instead of ordering what you need online, you’re helping to keep your city alive while minimizing your carbon footprint (online shopping adds a lot of emissions when it comes to transporting the goods to you). Check out your local bookstore, or order a meal from a local restaurant (in my next blog post, I’ll talk about how to recycle a lot of the single-use takeout waste you get).

Park City Farmer’s Market in Utah.
Photo Credit: Claire Wayner

So how have you been shopping local? Leave us a comment with a photo or two!

Good News Friday 10/30/20

Author: Grace Liu ‘23

Welcome to the second edition of our Good News Friday series! Whether you’re excited about or dreading the results of the election, we can all use some good news. Here are a few happy happenings in the sustainability sphere to brighten up your week:

“Solar panels in the mist” by OregonDOT is licensed under CC BY 2.0
  1. China chooses carbon neutrality: In a surprising announcement at the annual UN climate meeting, President Xi Jinping committed China to reach carbon neutrality by 2060. This decision could lower global-warming projections by 0.3 degrees Celsius, the largest reduction ever estimated as the result of a policy change, according to Climate Action Tracker.  Every country that commits to carbon neutrality adds pressure on other nations to join this global effort. Currently, the US and India are two of the biggest economies outside of this committed carbon-neutrality group.

“Inside the Eelgrass beds” by eclectic echoes is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
  1. Seagrasses save ecosystems: As part of a 20-plus-years project, researchers and volunteers from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and The Nature Conservancy have spread more than 70 million eelgrass seeds over the salt marshes off the southern end of Virginia’s Eastern Shore. The eelgrass beds have grown to cover 3,612 hectares, and long-term monitoring of the restored areas reveals a thriving and resilient ecosystem, with the seagrasses acting as a carbon and nitrogen sink. The researchers say that the success of this project provides a glimmer of hope for ecosystems and the climate.

“Snow Leopard” by Sideshow_Matt is licensed under CC BY 2.0
  1. Legislation restores leopard populations: Despite their resilience and superb hunting abilities, most leopard species are endangered due to habitat degradation and poaching. However, according to collaborative research from the University of Copenhagen and colleagues from China, leopard populations in northern China are on the mend. This population rebound is linked to the Chinese government’s 13th five-year plan, which was implemented in 2015 to restore biodiversity in the area.

Even though the news is filled with debates and disasters (or disastrous debates), there is always hope hidden in the margins. If you’d like to share some Good News with us, submit an article by contacting one of the Blog Editors.

Sustainable Meals for Busy Students: No Parm Eggplant Parmesan

Author: Kara Steele ‘21

Have you ever been to your local farmer’s market? Going to the farmer’s market can be a really fun way to support local businesses and connect with the community (especially now since they are mostly outdoors and socially distanced). Visiting farmer’s markets can also be a good way to learn more about the crops grown in your area as markets often offer local, seasonal produce. While it is fun to try new things and eat super fresh food, eating local, seasonal food can also reduce your environmental impact and food waste. By eating food grown closer to you, you can reduce the energy needed to transport the food to you and reduce necessary packaging. Eating local can also minimize food waste as over 50% of food waste happens when the food is in transit or storage.

Photos of Athens Farmers Market taken by Caitlin Jett.

Lately I have been finding a lot of eggplant at my local farmer’s market, so I went on a hunt for some tasty eggplant recipes. The winner so far is plant-based eggplant parmesan, which is featured below.

Photo from page 103 of 30 – Minute Vegan Dinners by Megan Sadd.

Ingredient list: 

  • Two to three small to medium sized eggplants
  • Salt (1 tbsp + ¾ tsp)
  • Water
  • Flour (4 tbsp)
  • Breadcrumbs (Italian preferred)
  • Garlic powder
  • Italian seasoning
  • Pepper
  • Nutritional Yeast
  • Marinara sauce 
  • Spaghetti 
  • Optional: Parmesan or plant-based cheese

Steps:

  1. Wash and cut the eggplant into quarter inch slices. I usually use two to three small- to medium-sized eggplants. Fill a bowl with a tablespoon of salt and a quart of warm water and mix. Then add two more quarts of cold water and the eggplant slices and let sit for 30-45 minutes.
  2. Preheat the oven to 450˚F.
  3. Prepare your dredging liquid. In a bowl add about a ½ cup of water and 4 tbsp of flour and stir. 
  4. Prepare the breading. In a separate bowl, add: 2 cups of breadcrumbs, ¾ tsp salt, 1 tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 tbsp nutritional yeast, and pepper to taste. Pour this mixture onto a plate.
  5. Prepare your assembly line. Line up the bowl of dredging liquid, plate of breading, and a pan lightly greased with olive oil.
  6. For each slice of eggplant, dredge it in the dreading liquid and coat it with the breadcrumb mixture and put it on the pan. If the breadcrumbs on the plate get too saturated with liquid they may stop sticking, so mix in some dry breadcrumbs if needed.
  1. Bake the eggplant slices for 18 minutes, then flip them and cook for another 10 minutes. Check their tenderness with a fork. If the eggplant is still chewy or tough, you can cook it longer until it becomes more tender and less bitter.
  2. If you want, you can add a sprinkle of parmesan to the slices when they have about 5 minutes left to cook, but you can opt to leave this step out for a more plant-based meal.
  3. I like to serve it with marinara sauce and spaghetti, but feel free to mix and match as you prefer! Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from page 103 of 30 – Minute Vegan Dinners by Megan Sadd.

This series is brought to you by student group, Greening Dining

The Lazy Student’s Guide to Sustainability

Author: Grace Liu ’23

Do you want to help save our planet but also can’t be bothered to get out of bed? Well, this is the blog post for you! Here are some sustainability tips that require almost no effort at all.

Level 1 – Couch Potato 

Don’t want to move an inch? There are plenty of ways to be green on the internet.

Level 2 – Sweet Potato

These tips you can do from the comfort of your home. Some of them even require net negative effort!

  • Take shorter showers – Need I remind you that nobody can see your legs on zoom? “Shave” minutes off your shower time instead and save gallons of water! While you’re at it, might as well let your hair air dry instead of blow drying.
  • Eat more plant-based meals – Look, I’m not asking you to go fully vegan or anything, but do you realize how much time and effort it takes to cook a steak? You could whip up a quick veggie pasta or salad in a fraction of the time (and a fraction of the cost)!
  • Adjust your thermostat – as the temperature cools down, there’s no need to turn the heating up. Instead, cozy up with some blankets and tea/coffee/hot chocolate.

Level 3 – Hot Potato

Who’s a couch potato? Not you! Here are some quick tips for when you’re out and about.

  • Carry a reusable water bottle or utensils – Want to reduce your single-use plastic waste while safely dining out? Use a reusable water bottle or reusable utensils – all you need is a metal fork wrapped in a napkin for most meals!
  • Buy ugly produce – Reduce food waste by picking the funny looking fruits and veggies while shopping. They are just as nutritious, and it’s what’s on the inside that matters 😉
  • Bike/walk instead of driving – On the surface, this might sound like a lot of effort, but if you get your exercise in while commuting, there’s no need to go to the gym later…

Sustainability doesn’t have to be difficult. Whether you’re surfing the internet or marching in a climate strike, we can all do something positive for the planet!

“Heart potato” by cuorhome is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

Good News Friday (10/23/20)

Author: Camellia Moors ’22

It is admittedly easy to get caught up in the seemingly endless torrent of negative environmental news from around the globe, which can make positive actions feel pointless. In doing this, we can lose track of positive developments and, even worse, lose hope for our planet’s future. If you are in this position, welcome to our new “Good News Friday” series, which hopes to provide a breath of fresh air with some recent positive environmental news from around the world. 

Here’s a list of just some of the things that have been happening recently:

Image Credit: Lucien Wanda via Pexels.com
  1. Bye-Bye Ocean Plastic: It is no secret that plastics pollute our oceans, present on both the surface and the seafloor and worsened by the volumes of trash generated during the pandemic. Groups like the Ocean Voyages Institute and The Ocean Cleanup, however, have made it their mission to remove some of this pollution: the former recently removed the largest-ever haul of plastic (103 tons) from the Pacific Ocean, and the latter plans to present its first product made from collected ocean plastics later this month.
Image credit: images.nasa.gov
  1. Planetary Emergency: The United State’s announcement of its withdrawal from the Paris Agreement in 2017 sent shockwaves around the world, threatening future progress towards obtaining emissions goals. While that withdrawal cannot officially go into effect until November 4th of this year (one day after the election), one reason for hope for the future of global cooperation is that the leaders of 64 countries plus the European Union have acknowledged the “planetary emergency” and have pledged to undertake a variety of actions to counteract environmental degradation.
Image Credit: Kamil Szerlag via Pexels.com
  1. Climate Cases: Litigation seems to have become a common way of targeting polluters and encouraging environmental justice in recent years. One example is an ongoing suit filed by state and local governments against the American Petroleum Institute (API) which charges that API misled consumers about the climate impacts of fossil fuels. Regardless of the case’s outcome, advocates see the act of litigation alone as providing serious leverage against big oil.

It might not seem like it, but progress, even if slow, is progress nonetheless. Here’s to hoping it gets even better! 

If you’d like to share some Good News with us, submit an article by contacting one of the Blog Editors.

Sustainability on a Budget!

Author: Adam Wickham ’22

While browsing social media, it may seem like you need to buy a lot of new, sustainable gadgets and gizmos in order to be environmentally friendly. However, you don’t need to go into debt in order to be sustainable! In fact, you can actually save money through some straight-forward changes in shopping, eating, cleaning, and organizational habits. As the motto goes: reduce, reuse, recycle! While we EcoReps often stress recycling, it is even better to reduce your consumption and reuse things that you’ve already consumed! Below are some tips on how you can be more sustainable on a budget:

  1. Buy seasonally (and locally)!

Eating locally doesn’t mean you have to break the bank at an upscale supermarket like Whole Foods; it just means that you are conscious of what you eat and when it’s in season. Fortunately, when something is in season, it’s generally cheaper! While farmers’ markets offer the greatest variety, local produce carts and supermarkets of immigrant communities offer good options too if they’re available in your area. 

Here are some examples from the USDA. Price and availability vary by your region. 

  1. Clean with reusable rags and easy DIY cleaning solutions

When your clothes rip or wear out, don’t throw them away! First, try fixing them (such as with Mend), but if that’s not an option consider turning them into rags. Old t-shirts work great for dusting and cleaning (and they can even be adapted as Swiffer attachments), while old socks are great for dusting smaller areas and erasing dry erase boards. You can even make a water and vinegar cleaning solution, which is cheaper than traditional cleaning products and non-toxic!

  1. Use what you’ve already got!

In an ideal world, you wouldn’t have any single-use plastics, but you probably do. So, I’d recommend finding ways to reuse plastic bottles, glass bottles, and other containers that you already have. For example, takeout containers can be used for school supplies and other small objects. Yogurt containers can make good pencil holders, while a cut-up carton could be used for potting plants or for storage. As you may realize, I enjoy storage containers. 

I hope these tips aren’t too intimidating! For those of you who may not feel that you’re making much of a difference on a macro scale, remember that you can save money and still make a sustainable dent in your own home and community. 

Images from https://openclipart.org/

Got a Case of Cabin Fever?

Author: Matthew Lee ’22

Image Credit: Pixabay via Pexels.com

Zoom fatigue is real, and us staying locked in quarantine doesn’t help the case. These days, it is more important than ever to prioritize mental health and stress management. It can, however, be hard to find any breathing room amidst our steadily compiling assignments and deadlines. But self-care doesn’t require fancy equipment or programs. In fact, lifting your mood and lowering anxiety can simply be done by spending time outdoors.

According to registered psychologist Dr. Lynne M. Kostiuk, “Nature…slows us down, lets us pay attention to different things, and let go of others. It gives us a chance to just enjoy ‘being’.”

Research has shown that as little as 20-30 minutes of exposure to nature a day can significantly reduce your cortisol levels, leading to a less tense and more positive mindset. Your memory and ability to focus improve, and your future self and grades will thank you. Exposure to natural light and fresh air revitalize your body, and it helps give your mind the break it needs. It doesn’t have to be a long, grand hike either – just a walk around the neighborhood will do the trick.

Got a case of cabin fever? It’s time for a change of scenery. How about taking a walk today?

Matthew Lee ’22 is a Peer Health Adviser (PHA) for First College.