PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A hands-on way to save the planet is to use up every scrap of food in your kitchen. And we do mean every scrap.
While you may be composting peels, pits and other appropriate castoffs from your culinary activities, the fine folks at IKEA are going totally hardcore with their new online cookbook "The Scraps Book," full of recipes from well-known chefs that turn your compostables into cuisine.
Blend corn husks into a chicken polenta dinner! Add richness to a chocolate cake with banana peels! Chow down on a "pulp burger" made from leftover ginger, bruised apple cores and skins, overripe beets, carrot ends and old beans! You’ll never look at kitchen scraps the same way again.
Almost half of the food we buy gets tossed, and the IKEA effort notes that 63% of that is perfectly edible. Go rummage in the back of the produce drawer – and bon appetit!
Soak up the sun
"Pennsylvania" used to be synonymous with "coal." Now the state is making what Gov. Tom Wolf claims is the biggest government solar energy commitment in the country.
Farmland in the central region of the state will be sprouting seven solar arrays that will provide about half of the state government’s electricity starting in 2023.
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It’s called "Pennsylvania PULSE." Not only does the initiative not cost the state a dime upfront, it will create 400 construction jobs and extra streams of income that can help farming families stay on their land. And the reduction of annual carbon dioxide emissions statewide will be the equivalent of taking 34,000 cars off the road.
Not. Too. Shabby.
The solar panels on the fields in Columbia, Juniata, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder and York counties won’t interfere with farming around them and won’t contaminate the soil. When the 30-year leases are up, the whole thing can be dismantled and revert to agriculture.
Lights off
Save some more power Saturday, March 27, and join Earth Hour.
The annual "lights-out" event is a symbolic show of support for the planet. Originating in Sydney, Australia, in 2007, Earth Hour has spread to more than 180 countries, with tens of millions of people joining in.
Power down at 8:30 p.m., and go out and enjoy the almost full moon. Lights off, Earth on!