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June 25, 2009

Montana Trails Create Greener, Healthier Communities

By Eat Right Montana

Mention the words Montana and trails in the same sentence and most folks will immediately think of Big Sky country’s miles of hiking opportunities. While hiking in Montana’s local, state, and national parks can be a wonderful outdoor experience, walking and biking on city trails is fast becoming the Treasure State’s way to encourage both family fitness and greener communities.

"Community trails, like Main Street to the Mountains (www.gvlt.org/trails.html) in Bozeman, give residents an easy, active way to connect with nature, as well as with our friends and neighbors," says Ted Lange, Community Trails Planner with the Gallatin Valley Land Trust. "Urban trails are places to relax and exercise; to ride a bike or walk to work, school, or the store; or just enjoy being outside with friends and family. For fun and recreation, as well as greener transportation and public safety, Bozeman’s trails have become an essential element of the community’s quality of life."

Like Bozeman, cities and towns across Montana are developing and improving their trails. Here are a few examples of the rapidly expanding system, with sites for online information and maps:
   Billings - Bike Net: Trails for People - www.bikenet.org/
   Great Falls - River’s Edge Trail - www.thetrail.org/
   Kalispell - Great Northern Historical Trail - www.railstotrailsofnwmt.com/
   Missoula - Area Trail Guide - www.missoulian.com/specials/hikebike/index.html
   Shelby - Roadrunner Recreation Trail - www.shelbymt.com/roadrunner_trail.htm

Eat Right Montana urges all Montana families to use these easy trail tips for summer fun:

  • Get a map and go play: Think of a trail walk or bike as a mini-vacation - close to home, cheap, and good for the planet too! See how many miles of trails you can explore before school starts again.
  • Support your local trail organization: Most in-town Montana trails are a public-private partnership and they need your help to succeed. Check the web site for trail work days or fundraising events.
  • Take time for a trail on your next trip: Traveling around the state this summer for work, shopping, or family visits? Take an hour to get some fresh air and discover an unexpected trail treasure.

Cathy Costakis, Physical Activity Coordinator for Montana’s Nutrition and Physical Activity Program (NAPA @ www.montananapa.org), also supports in-town trail use as a win-win-win strategy. "Walking or biking along one of Montana’s urban trails is a fun way to improve personal health and community health at the same time. Using your legs instead of your car enhances your fitness level, while reducing dependence on fossil fuels and improving the quality of our air and water."

Five Simple Ways to Go Green When Eating Out

Eating in restaurants and take-out meals are regular routines for many families. With just a few changes, you can make eating out nearly as green as eating at home. These five easy eco-habits can help make your community a greener place.

  • Walk, bike, carpool, or take the bus. Changing your mode of transportation to and from restaurants can be a major way to reduce pollution - and to save on fuel costs at the same time! By using foot or pedal power, you can also burn some of the extra calories that often creep into restaurant meals. If you are meeting friends or family, organize a carpool or take the bus together.
  • Support local farmers and ranchers. Local foods are fresher and better for the environment (fewer food miles for shipping and storage). Buying foods locally also promotes economic development by keeping dollars within local communities. Check out Montana farm-to-restaurant successes at www.westernsustainabilityexchange.org/whatwedo/farm_restaurant.shtml. 
  • Order just what you can eat. Experts estimate that Americans waste as much as 25 percent of the food produced in the US. Super-sized restaurant meals are a major contributor to food waste in landfills and to expanding waistlines. To reduce waste (and your bill!), order an appetizer as an entrée, share items, and choose a child (or senior) meal whenever you can.
  • BYO (bring your own) reusable containers. Imagine how many Styrofoam, plastic, and cardboard containers are thrown away after just one use for food or drinks. Switching to a reusable cup for coffee or water can make a serious dent in throwaways. Bringing your own clean container for leftovers can also help. Ask local restaurants to use more recyclable or compostable containers.
  • Get a doggie bag (or a compost bag). Got scraps left on your plate? After you’ve fed any appropriate meat and bones to your dog or cat, consider feeding plant-based food scraps to your compost pile. Ask for the usual doggie bag (or discreetly bring a clean reusable bag from home). Remember that brown bag scraps (from school or work) can also be brought home for composting.

Five Easy Ways to Create Walkable/Bikeable Communities

Do you wish that your children or grandchildren could safely walk or bike to school like you did? Would you like to walk or bike to work more often? Do you want a safe, neighborhood place to enjoy an evening walk with your dog or your friends?

  • Understand the issues. Creating safe ways for families to walk and bike is one important way to create healthier environments and healthier people. Making the needed changes in sidewalks, crosswalks, streets, and trails will require support and action by citizens. The Active Living Resource Center (www.activelivingresources.org) has background information and how-to strategies.
  • Speak your mind. Local changes happen when concerned citizens speak out on issues that are important to them. When you are concerned about the safety of sidewalks, bike lanes, or trails in your neighborhood, talk to the folks who make the decisions. Call the local planning department or your representative on the city council. Attend public forums or meetings on the topic.
  • Write a letter, send an e-mail message. You can also share concerns and questions in writing. Short, personal letters and messages are best. Since pictures can have major impact, consider adding a photo from your phone or digital camera. Photos are a great way to shine a light on problems that make walking or biking unsafe and unpleasant, such as dangerous crosswalks or trails that end abruptly.  
  • Get involved with a local trails group. Many communities have groups that are actively working to develop and support multi-use trail systems. They usually have detailed local maps and they always need volunteers for trail projects and fundraising. Need to locate a local trail for walking or biking? Use the Rails to Trail Conservancy’s free national trail map and finder at www.traillink.com/.
  • Walk (and bike) the talk. The easiest and most powerful way to help create walkable/bikeable communities is to be a role model. When you and your family walk and bike more, you reduce emissions from your car and improve the fitness level of your bodies. You also have the chance to smell the lilacs, visit with your neighbors, and maybe even have a conversation with your kids!

Five Effective Ways to Take Local Eco-Action Every Day

While REDUCE, REUSE, and RECYCLE are the cornerstones of going green, there are many other ways to help create a healthier, cleaner future for our planet. You can take action on environmental issues every day - with your pocket book, voice, and computer.  

  • REWARD businesses that think green. Enviroshopping is a very effective way to take positive action, using the purchasing power of your wallet. Enviroshopping means purchasing products and services from companies (local and national) that are environmentally and socially responsible. And, while you are shopping, let them know WHY you have chosen to support their business.
  • REJECT products with a negative impact. Purchasing power is always a two-way street. You can also refuse to buy products that are not environmentally responsible, like those with multiple layers of unnecessary packaging. When you stop buying a product and let the manufacturer know WHY, you are making a powerful statement - one that no competitive business can afford to ignore.
  • REACT by speaking up. Taking a few minutes to share your opinion is a powerful way to create change. Speak up by asking for a manager/supervisor or by calling a consumer hotline listed on a package. Thank them for something positive or make a suggestion for correcting a problem. Thanks for making it easy to recycle here. Or I love your product, but I won’t buy it again unless the package is recyclable.
  • RESPOND by writing a letter or e-mail message. Writing a short letter or message is a simple way to have a significant impact on a company or group’s environmental practices. Keep your communication concise and make positive suggestions whenever possible. To increase your impact, write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper and encourage other concerned individuals to also write about the issue.
  • RENEW your commitment to a green group. Since there is strength in numbers, you can maximize your environmental impact by getting together with others who are concerned about the same issues. Local groups can always use donations (time, money, and other resources) to increase their effectiveness. Consider joining (or starting) a “green team” at work, the local school, a club, or your place of worship.

 

Oven Baked Salmon With Snow Peas
All 2009 recipes will include at least one green food and meet the following criteria:

  • Require 8 ingredients (or less) that are easy to find and affordable
  • Involve minimal preparation time and use common kitchen equipment
  • Include a complete nutritional analysis and lots of delicious flavors

Ingredients:

  • 3 leeks, finely chopped (white parts only)
  • 2 carrots, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
  • ½ lb. snow peas (fresh or frozen)
  • 4 salmon fillets (4 oz. each)
  • 2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
  • 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
  • 3 tsp. sesame oil, divided
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 (6 oz.) bag baby spinach leaves
  • 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1 lemon, cut into quarters (for garnish)

Instructions:

  • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Tear off four large sheets (18 x 12-inch) of heavy-duty aluminum foil and lay each piece on your workspace.
  • Divide the leeks, carrots, and snow peas into four equal portions and place a mixture of each onto each sheet of foil. Top each portion of vegetables with a piece of salmon. Sprinkle ½ tsp. ginger on each piece of fish and drizzle each with ½ Tbsp. vinegar and ¼ tsp. sesame oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Fold the foil to form a “packet” around each piece of fish, leaving enough room for heat to circulate. Roll the edges to seal tightly. Place the packets on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
  • Meanwhile, place the spinach leaves in a microwave-safe bowl or platter. Drizzle the greens with fresh lemon juice and the remaining 2 tsp. sesame oil. Heat the spinach in the microwave at high power for 3 minutes, checking every minute to make sure the spinach is tender but not over-cooked. Divide the greens equally among four plates.
  • When the salmon is cooked, open the packets carefully to allow the steam to escape. Empty each packet onto each of the beds of spinach.  Garnish each plate with a lemon wedge and serve.

Yield: Four servings

Nutrition Analysis: 4 oz. fillet

  • Calories: 340      
  • Total Carb: 21 g
  • Protein: 26 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 6 g
  • Total Fat: 16 g   
  • Calories from Fat: 42%
  • Saturated Fat: 3.0 g      
  • Trans Fat: 0.0 g 
  • Sodium: 260 mg
  • Calcium: 137 mg
  • Iron: 4 mg

Recipe Source:
Printed with permission from American Institute for Cancer Research, www.aicr.org

(Dayle Hayes, MS, RD (EatRightMT2000@gmail.com) developed this information for Eat Right Montana, a coalition promoting healthy eating and active lifestyles. Past and current issues of Eat Right Montana’s monthly nutrition and physical activity tips can be downloaded free at www.eatrightmontana.org/eatrighthealthyfamilies.htm.)

(This column was produced by EAT RIGHT MONTANA, a coalition promoting healthy eating and active lifestyles by Dayle Hayes, MS, RD – EatRightMT2000@gmail.com. Past and current issues of Eat Right Montana’s monthly nutrition and physical activity recommendations can be downloaded free at www.eatrightmontana.org/eatrighthealthyfamilies.htm.)

Page last updated: 06/25/2009