Eco-Chick · The modern girl's guide to living green & fabulous.

Greenpeace TV

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by Jennifer Cross · 02/21/06

According to a survey by Salary.com, the average worker admits to wasting 2.09 hours per eight-hour workday (not including lunch and scheduled break times). Participants in the survey sited “personal Internet” use as the biggest distracter from their workday.

It is well known that the Internet does have the ability to beckon us away from end-of-the-month budget reviews, proposals with a 5 p.m. deadline and other important work-related duties that we are actually paid for. It’s essentially inevitable. But at least now there is a way to waste away your 2.09 hours, be entertained, and become better informed about environmental issues, and it’s through Greenpeace TV.

The Friday the 13th ad that can be found on Greenpeace’s UK site urges us to “Tell Tony Blair nuclear power is not the answer to climate change.” We are encouraged to do so by watching a highly convincing act of terrorism whereby a highjacked plane flies straight into a nuclear power plant while a British family watches from the seashore.

Another great ad that will eat up three minutes and 29 seconds of your day is told to us from the perspective of some great apes. The spot begins when a family’s house is torn apart with a chain saw (an analogy to the ape’s ancient forest being sawed down by international loggers). The apes pose the great question, “Why destroy ancient forests for wood and paper when it could all come from responsibly logged wood and timber?” That’s a great question indeed.

In addition, you can eat up your time by watching clips about everything from E-Waste in Hong Kong to the fictional Greenhouse Olympics. They are well-produced, high quality and likely will bring you a better chuckle than skimming through listings on match.com

budget, climate change, Eco-Chick, Home, lunch, nuclear, nuclear power, paper, produce, reviews, tv, video, waste, wood

OBEN is OPEN (in Barcelona)

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by Jennifer Cross · 02/07/06

The 100% recyclable placemat at my table read: “El primer restaurant amb tots els plats 100% ecologics de Barcelona.” For those that don’t speak Catalan, that means: “First 100% organic restaurant in town”

Continuing with my series exposing every organic resource available to eco-chicks passing through Barcelona, today I lunched at OBEN (Organic, Biologic, Environmental, Natural). Based on my placemat, I was expecting an organic meal, though I wasn’t expecting the meal to be in the sleek, modern restaurant that it was. Further – and also surprisingly — the ambiance lacked toes peeking out from Birkenstocks, and instead featured ties peeking out from suits.

During lunch time in Spain, the menú reigns. Lunch is typically a meal consisting of a first and second dish, dessert, a bottle of wine and bread. An average menú in Barcelona is 8EUR. OBEN’s happened to be 9.95EUR — not exactly a price for those traveling on a shoestring.

El menú, however, was extensive, offering five choices for each dish (not all are vegetarian). I opted for the amanida d’ esparrecs (asparagus salad) to start, the spaguettis amb bolets (spaghetti and mushrooms) as my main dish and a very unimpressive crep d’ albercoc (crepe with jellied fruits). The portion sizes were small (to be expected in Spain), but the service was quick and attentive (not to be expected in Spain). The food was tasty and not too filling, making it a menú worth the extra few euros. (There are two locations for OBEN)

Go There: Restaurant OBEN ; Via Laietana, 28 08003 Barcelona
                                                                                      Call: +34 93 295 50 69

Go There: Restaurant OBEN Torrijos, 53 08012 Barcelona
                                                                                      Call: +34 93 237 37 13

Eco-Chick, Food, fruit, fur, lunch, Organic, restaurant, shoes, spa, style, Tea, travel, vegetarian, Wine

Organic in BCN

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by Jennifer Cross · 01/28/06

Spain is the world’s #2 tourist destination following France. In 2003, 51.8 million vacationers descended upon Sunny Spain to bask in the Mediterranean rays and bathe their brains in the best sangria the world has to offer. Not to mention the food — Paella, Jamon Iberico (Iberian Ham), tantalizing tapas, and more olives than you can shake a branch at. 

That is all fine and good for carnivorous vacationers eager to slap some fresh salami on their pan (bread) and call it a day. What’s left for those who elect a more organic existence and opt out when it comes to flesh eating carne time? A week-long sustenance on wine from a box and some nuts? Perhaps a few years ago, but even in a slow-to-change country that clings dearly to its three hour lunch break — things are changing.

Spaniards are slowly becoming more open to wholesome living as evidenced by vegetarian alternatives popping up on even the most traditional menus, organic storefronts squeezing their way between carnicerias, and strictly vegetarian restaurants cropping up.

Over the next few postings we will take a look at eco-friendly stores and restaurants in Barcelona. We will focus specifically on Barcelona because it is arguably the most cosmopolitan city in Spain, (those who hail from Madrid will beg to differ), and it is where your faithful correspondent currently resides.

bath, car, eating, Eco-Chick, Food, lunch, Organic, restaurant, spa, vegetarian, Wine