Today is the last Friday of the month, which means it's also "Green Streets Day." The kids and I have participated in this initiative for the past several months. We've enjoyed finding our way to work and school/camp using 'people power.'

Green Streets Day (http://portlandgreenstreets.org/) is my favorite type of public/environmental health initiative: it is fun, it is fairly easy, and it costs nothing (or very little). It gets people out and about, exercising their bodies and minimizing their impact on the world. Portland Green Streets does an admirable job getting the word out...

"On Green Streets Day, we encourage people throughout Greater Portland to:

* Wear Something Green (shirt, pants, socks, whatever!)
* Get Around Green (walk, bike, bus, carpool, telecommute, etc.!)
* And then to Celebrate (by signing in for freebies, discounts, & raffle items from local businesses)!

We hold a region-wide party on that day, with each individual and institution - celebrating and encouraging in its own way.

So throw on something green for the last Friday of the month - and share a car ride, hop the bus, drive your bike, or put one foot in front of the other. And watch out - because you will not only do good, but feel good, too!"

I like this approach. The Portland Green Streets group wants us to enjoy our monthly person-powered commute. They aren't trying to make us feel guilty about the days on which we must use fossil fuels to get around. They simply want to help us experience an alternative.

My family and I experience this alternative regularly--especially the kids. We live close to our schools, the library, the town-sponsored summer camps and many of the playing fields. So my older kids (in seventh and tenth grade) walk and bike more often than not. Whenever possible, I accompany my second grader to school or camp along our neighborhood's wooded paths (we think she's still too small to go by herself). We chat, and occasionally take advantage of the free flowers that our friend sets out on her stone wall. Once we've gotten my daughter to her destination, I return home for my bike, and ride the two miles to my office.

There is nothing better than a bike ride on a beautiful day.

Unless it is a walk with one's second-grader on a beautiful day.

I know I'm lucky to be able to commute this way. Many people have odd schedules, or live too far away from their jobs or schools for this to be a viable option. My husband's job is forty minutes away in Lewiston, and though he has considered biking there, this simply hasn't been practical yet.

So the kids and I will carry the Green Streets torch for now, and we're happy to do it. Thanks to the Portland Green Streets group for making this monthly event something to look forward to. Our bodies and our world appreciate your efforts.

My daughter and I picked up our first share of the season at New Elm Farm in Freeport yesterday. We arrived early and thus had a few minutes to chat with Cordelia (the owner). Cordelia told us that she has twice as many farmsharers as last year, and ended up having to turn people away. Despite this, she won't likely make money this year. She calls it her "labor of love." I told her that I've had to view my medical practice the same way:).

We noticed that their strawberries are starting to ripen, and Cordelia said she hoped to be able to have some for each of the farm sharers next week. We always associate strawberries in Maine with the fourth of July, so this was exciting news.

This week our farmshare included:

* 8 radishes
* 3 shallots
* 3 heads of bok choy
* 2 heads of lettuce
* 1 bunch of kale
* 1 bag of mesclun mix

Cordelia also let Sophie cut some flowers (cosmos, daisies and irises) and select a morning glory to plant at home.

Last night we made the following with our farm share bok choy, inspired by a recipe from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian (Mark Bittman; Wiley Publishing, 2007):

Bok Choy & Broccolini with Sun Dried Tomatoes

1 head of bok choy, thoroughly washed
1 head of broccolini, thoroughly washed
3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup low sodium organic vegetable broth
2 tablespoons of capers, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup pitted olives, drained, rinsed and chopped
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes in oil, drained, rinsed and chopped
1/2-1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar

freshly ground sea salt
freshly ground pepper

Separate bok choy stems from leaves. Separate broccolini stems from florets. Cut stems into 1/2 inch pieces. Heat oil over medium-high heat in stainless steel pan. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add broccolini stems. Saute for 3 minutes, then add bok choy stems. Saute for 3 minutes, then add broccolini florets. Once the stems and florets are slightly tender, add bok choy leaves and broth. When greens are tender, add capers, olives and tomatoes. Cook until most of broth is evaporated. Add balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

We had this dish with a French lentil and fresh herb soup, followed by (store-bought) organic strawberries that had been lightly marinated with balsamic vinegar and just a dash of fresh pepper. Delicious!

With prom season and graduation upon us thoughts turn to the dangers of underage drinking and driving. The Portland Papers’ recent series about underage drinking on Maine college campuses underscores the importance of dealing with this problem. Underage drinking of alcohol has been an issue for decades, and it appears to be getting worse. The dilemma extends into our middle schools and in some cases into elementary schools. Studies show that those teens that binge drink at an early age are more apt to become alcoholics. We all know about the societal problems that arise from alcoholism. We know that drunk drivers kill people on the highways.

Some communities such as Nobleboro and Cumberland are identifying under age drinking as a community problem. Their initiatives are based on the premise that societal attitudes and behaviors must change. But they are up against the old adages such as: “boys will be boys” or “it’s a right of passage.” Other obstacles are the students’ parents. Some parents are willing to allow teens to drink in their homes, because they feel that the kids will do it any way. Other parents leave alcohol in places that are easily accessed by teens. Although it is difficult to fathom, many parents leave their kids home alone for extended periods of time, which results in an open invitation to all the partiers in town.
The other big community concern is the supplier. Most stores do not sell alcohol to minors and are diligent about carding young people. However, older friends frequently buy alcohol for younger kids, who in turn share with their friends and the opportunity to access alcohol spirals downward. Students respond to the question of underage drinking philosophically by saying that kids will always find ways to find alcohol and share it with their friends.

But how do we effectively address illegal, destructive behavior that has become so mainstream that efforts to enforce consequences are often met with resistance from parents? Do these parents truly understand the potential impact of alcohol on their child’s life? Public service announcements encourage parents to talk to their kids, to wait up for them when they have been out, and to know their friends. The commercials need to go one step further. Parents need be acquainted with their kids’ friends’ parents. Much can be learned about child rearing by a casual conversation – parent to parent. Coalitions between parents can be powerful tools in keeping kids safe, but if those parents do not pass muster, we must think twice before we let them influence our children.

Kids need clear expectations, and despite their protestations they really do want us to talk to them. To be effective conversations about risky behavior need to begin when kids are little. Waiting until they are in college is too little too late.