Anton's Greenhouse: a tale of ice and honesty

March 2009 is going out like a lion. All over Chicagoland we are blanketed by a sheet of snow.

Last Sunday, however, the temperatures soared to 58 F, causing some eager gardeners, myself included, to run to the nearest greenhouse. I checked out Anton's, which is in a secluded neighborhood location off Pitner Avenue in Evanston, Illinois. One wonders how it could have survived over 50 years as it is definitely well off the beaten path. Anxious to begin planting a vegetable garden, I spoke to the owner, asking him if I couldn't lay in some cool-weather crops, lettuce, chard, spinach, sugar snap peas. Rather than "clinch a sale," he shook his head, speaking reason and weather.

"You know, I wouldn't mind selling you some cool weather crops, but there's a freeze comin' in next weekend."

I looked incredulous, "What?" I questioned.

"Uh, huh, they're saying up to 4-inches of snow in some places, and temperatures in the mid 20's. Now, these crops can stand some cool weather -- but not a freeze. I know you're wanting to start planting -- but I hate to sell you something that's just going to die on you -- and then you'd have to come back again and start all over."

The owner's wife stepped into the greenhouse, and I spoke to her. "Well, I came in to buy some
veggies and get started planting, but I'm having to twist your husband's arm to sell me something. I can't believe they're talkin' snow again!"

"Well, " the owner said, " If you really want to get going, I can sell you some of these onion sets. You could get them in the ground and in five weeks, you'll be eating delicious onions. I just love the taste of them. And, ya gotta remember..." he added a final warning, " It is still the end of March, and this is Chicago.

Okay, I thought. Onion sets it would be. At least I wouldn't go home empty handed -- I'm a newbie regarding gardening, next to this third generation professional. Even though it was a balmy nearly-sixty-degree day, I'd take his advice.

But as I left carrying a one pound sack of onion bulbs, I thought to myself,
"You know, he could have sold me a lot of veggie packs without saying a word about snow, ice, and freezing temperatures. I wouldn't have known the difference.

Not until this Sunday, when I would awaken to a blanket of snow, mouring the loss of plant life in my backyard..... but still, I would have gone back. He could have made a double profit on me, but then.... that would have been less than honest."

I thought of AIG, Bank of America, Merrill Lynch.... and all that has been bought -- sold --- speculated upon in recent days.... much underhanded finagling, grasping, and hoarding....

and then here is Anton's... a small greenhouse in Central Evanston -- a father and son hand-me-down business -- where the values of honesty and service stand side by side with
profit-making.

If there is greatness in the human soul, it's not to be found in the mega-corporate model, "The take all you can get while the getting is good." No, I'd put my money -- even when its not wanted -- on the Anton's of this world, who won't make a profit if it's at another's expense.

going dark

March 28, 2009
Vote with your lightswitch to save Planet Earth.

Starting at 8:30 PM in New Zealand, over 70 countries have agreed to turn off lights to
vote for Planet Earth this Saturday, March 28, 2009.

This initiative began in Australia in 2007 and is sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund to send a message to our leaders that we need to concentrate fully on planetary conservation initiatives and must work concertedly to curtail global climate change.

According to Bill McKibben, the earth is now at 380 parts per million CO2 in the atmosphere... For life to continue on earth as we know it, we need to target the number 350 ppm. Yet, global leaders are considering signing an agreement to limit CO2 emissions to 450 ppm. What is this about?

For some time now, visionary Lester R. Brown of the Earth Policy Institute has had a do-able program to reduce emissions while building the economy. He has written two books Plan B. 2.0 and Plan B 3.0 which present his plan in great detail. Yet, we are currently engaged in space exploration to find another "earth" out there somewhere... Why waste this funding at a time when we might better spend this money to conserve Planet Earth? Why can't we appreciate and learn to take care of the unique and beautiful planet that we call home ?

In case you don't already know... cars = climate change

Auto Travel is a Major Contributor to Climate Change

How Far?
US Cars and light trucks travel annually the equivalent of 10 million trips
to the moon or 2.6 trillion miles.

How Efficiently?
U.S. autos average fuel economy is 19.6 miles per gallon. That means that on average, each car burns just over 600 gallons of gasoline per year.

What’s this about Carbon?
Gasoline contains 5.3 pounds of carbon per gallon, essentially all of which ends up in the atmosphere as CO2 when the fuel is burned. The average U.S. car puts over a ton and a half of carbon into the air each year.

That’s more than the amount of carbon in a coal train 50,000 miles long – enough to stretch 17 times between New York and San Francisco.

A matter of justice?
Collectively, U.S. cars and light trucks emit more than 333 million tons of carbon dioxide yearly or more than one-fifth of the nation’s total CO2 emissions. With only 5 % of the world’s population and ownership of 30 % of the world’s automobiles,
we contribute 48% of the world’s automotive CO2 emissions.

Alternatives?
Walking, Cycling, Transit, and Car Sharing.

Join others for a day of eco-justice action meant to reduce our auto emissions by participating
in an Alternate Transportation Day. (You may wish to extend this to a month – or a year!)

Along with those who care about Earth Stewardship within your faith community, why not consider walking, taking mass transit, or biking to your House of Worship this week?

Any serious effort to fight global warming must include cutting auto emissions.

Statistics:
Global Warming on the Road: The Climate Impact of America’s Automobiles
Environmental Defense Fund

Some sites worth checking out

Here are some sites worth seeing --

www.irreplaceablewild.org/

http://www.globalonenessproject.org/

http://www.theforgivenessproject.com/project/about/

http://www.thepangaeaproject.org/joomla/

www.350.org/

Let me know what you think.....

Community

"We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us.
When we see land as a community to which we belong,
We may begin to use it with love and respect."

Aldo Leopold 1887-1948

And it is to this community of those belonging to the land that I hope to connect.