The wisdom of the Cuppow

Mason jar to-go
I was just reading the Feb. 1 issue of More Hip Than Hippie, the always-interesting greenzine by Dori and Val over at Greenfeet.com that gets delivered to my inbox. Mentioned in it is the Cuppow, a BPA-free, 100 percent recyclable lid that fits onto a reusable wide-mouth canning jar, turning it into a travel mug. This invention, as Dori and Val point out, is “a genius idea.” Seriously. Those of us who love to drink out of canning jars can now haul our hot or cold drinks around in our cars, on our bikes, etc., without worrying about spilling. And the Cuppow will run you only $7.99.

Because there’s no way of knowing just how popular this brand-new, patent-pending item is going to be, designers Joshua Resnikoff and Aaron Panone politely write, “In the event of larger than anticipated sales volumes, it may take up to 2 weeks to restock and satisfy orders beyond our initial stocked quantity. Thank you for your patience.”

Go to http://cuppow.com for more details and to order.

Check out the seed swap
One of my favorite gardeners, GRUB’s Sherri Scott, just told me that GRUB and Chico Permaculture Guild are hosting their third annual, free Seed Swap on Sunday, Feb. 26, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., at the GRUB Cooperative (1525 Dayton Road).

“Bring seeds and plant divisions to share potluck-style, envelopes, and pen (although it is not mandatory to participate),” wrote Scott in a recent email. Seeds—heirloom, organic, non-GMO—from Redwood Seeds in Manton will be for sale, as well as veggie and herb starts. At 2 p.m., the good folks from Redwood Seeds will give an hour-long presentation on seed-saving.

“There will be info stations and a kids’ area during the event,” said Scott, adding that “there is limited parking, so carpooling or riding bikes are encouraged.”

See http://grubchico.org and www.redwoodseeds.net for more info.

Get out there and exercise for a good cause
Fleet Feet Sports (241 Main St.) is gearing up for its third annual Habitat Home Run, to be held on Feb. 11. The event—a benefit for Habitat for Humanity of Butte County—consists of a 5K timed race, a 5K “fun walk” and a kids’ fun run. The kids’ run starts at 9 a.m., and the 5K race and walk begin at 9:20, at the One-Mile Recreation Area in Lower Bidwell Park.

To learn more about the Home Run and about the good work that Habitat for Humanity does locally, constructing homes for low-income families, go to www.buttehabitat.org. There’s also information on the site about how to register ($30 for the 5K run/walk, and $20 for the kids’ fun run). Volunteers are still being sought to help at the Feb. 11 event.

Also, if you visit Fleet Feet through Feb. 11, mention Habitat for Humanity and 10 percent of your purchase will be donated to Habitat.

Oh beautiful for smoggy skies, insecticided grain,For strip-mined mountain’s majesty above the asphalt plain.America, America, man sheds his waste on thee,And hides the pines with billboard signs, from sea to oily sea.

—George Carlin

We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if mankind is to survive. —Albert Einstein