FACTS

• NASA scientists estimate that turf grass is the single-largest irrigated crop in the United States. According to the Cristina's study about 128,000 square kilometers or nearly 32 million acres of the United States are covered with turf grass.
• A 2002 Harris Survey suggests as a nation we spend $28.9 billion yearly on lawns. To put that into a personal perspective that translates into approximately $1,200 per household
• 50 -70% of all urban fresh water is used for watering lawns. More than half this amount is wasted, because of inappropriate timing or dosage. Nearly all the water used could be save by appropriate use of native landscaping that does not require any watering beyond natural rainfall.
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• 78 million households in the United States utilize garden pesticides.
• $700 million is spent annually on pesticides for lawns in the US.
• 67 million lbs of synthetic pesticides are added to lawns in the US each year.
• We use three times as much pesticide on our lawns per acre as we do on our agricultural crops.
• $5.25 billion is spent on fossil-fuel-derived fertilizer for U.S. lawns. The majority of this fertilizer is wasted because of improper timing or dosage and becomes a source of pollution to surface or ground water. Most of this expense and pollution could be eliminate by proper timing, proper dosage, or intelligent use of compost and other organic fertilizers.
• A typical power lawnmower pollutes as much in one hour as driving an automobile for 20 miles. This can be greatly reduced by using 4-stroke gas lawn mowers or electric mowers. Where feasible, it can be totally eliminated by using a hand-powered reel mower.
• 60 to 70 thousand severe accidents, some fatal, result from lawnmower use, as well as significant damage to human hearing.
• 580 million gallons of gasoline are used for lawnmowers. Much of this goes to pollute the air by evaporation, or to harm vegetation and surface or ground water by spillage.

Check me out on the Bust Blog:

Blood & Nuts Toast is a super-easy, healthy breakfast or lunch. Blood Orange season is leaving and won't be back until November! They pack a sweet, intense, vitamin-C, potassium and antioxidant punch that compliments the earthy, savory, protein and acidophilus-teeming nut cheese, and the dense, artisan bread.

The directions are simple: Toast the bread, put a slice of nut-cheese and a sliver of orange on top! Viola! Simple enough for a child, yet sophisticated enough for a discerning palate.

Some of my favorite breads right now are the yeast-free Men's Bread & the Hemp Bread from French Meadow Bakery. French meadow also makes delicious vegan carrot cake, and other products.

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The Nut Cheese can be purchased at VeganEssentials.com

I got my organic  Blood Oranges at the 4th. St. Food Coop in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. If you're outside of New York, check you local farmer's market, coop, or grocery store. Blood oranges are a mutation of the sweet orange, and contain a pigment typically found in other fruits and flowers, but not usually in citrus.

• 1 large bundt pan or mini bundt pan (you can also use more boring shapes like a loaf)
• 1/4 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening, room temp (spectrum is great)
• 3 cups unbleached, organic white flour
• 1 cup agave nectar
• 1/2 cup almond or rice milk
• 2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
• 1/2 cup prepared egg-replacer
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp salt
• large container of organic strawberries
• Can of soy-whip or box of MimicCreme or Soy Whip in-a-box

1. Combine dry ingredients: flour, salt, baking powder.
2. With a mixer (or by fork), combine shortening with flour mixture.
3. Add egg-replacer, almond milk, vanilla,  and slowly pour in agave.
4. Combine evenly, and pour into greased pan.
5. Cook on 350 for about 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Let cool for at least 20 minutes, remove from pan.
7. Add whipped topping (prepared, if necessary)and cleaned & diced strawberries.