…And I’m back. Classes got a little crazy this summer and I didn’t have the mental energy to keep to my posting schedule. But I should be only half as busy in the fall, so I’m hoping to keep this up, too. I’ve got so much content built up for you!

I’ve also got a month’s worth of interesting news links, but I’ll just pick the best for you.

• Types Of Dipshit You Will Meet – Boston Biker. I almost got doored this week (for the first time) by a taxi driver, so this really resonated.
• I Made Bread! It Was Easy. You Can Too. – Cheap. Healthy. Good. I really, really want to make bread, so I’m putting this up aspirationally.
• Produce Info, Storage Tips and Recipes – Boston Organics. Two of the peaches I bought at the farmers market went moldy on my counter, so I really need to study this.
• Not your grandma’s strawberries – Grist. Our vegetables have less nutrients than in 1950.
• Publishing Gives Hints of Revival, Data Show – New York Times. Yay! My Kindle is not killing book publishing; it’s actually helping it.
  
• Across Europe, Irking Drivers Is Urban Policy – New York Times. Isn’t Boston traffic enough of a disincentive to drive?
• The invasive species war – Boston Globe. Yes! The environment is always in such a state of flux that I wonder how people choose a specific era that is somehow more “natural” than others.
• A clean new era for Boston Harbor – Boston Globe. A giant storm water storage tank will prevent Boston’s sewer system from overflowing in heavy rains.

That’s all for now. I promise I won’t go incommunicado again, so send me anything interesting you come across this week.

From now until July 31, Cambridge Energy Alliance is offering $125 toward the purchase of a new Energy Star air conditioner if you recycle an old, inefficient air conditioner. View the voucher form for more information. Open to Cambridge residents only.

I *love* the Sprouts of Hope. They’re an environmental group made up of Cambridge middle school students, and they’re really active.

• Using Our Book to Teach about Energy – Sprouts of Hope. The Sprouts’ book Energy Lite is included with all Kill-a-Watts borrowed from Cambridge libraries.
• Students Take on the STARS Reporting Process – AASHE Blog. Students at Unity College talk about their experiences helping measure their school’s sustainability.
• Is it more eco-friendly to see movies in a theater or on DVD? – Slate. I’m kind of a homebody, but if I walk or take my bike to the theater it wins out.
• Quick Tip: Summer Heat-Soak Solutions for Cars – Right Home Today. The inside of a car can reach 140 degrees.
• The Costs and Savings of Bicycle Commuting – Get Rich Slowly. I love breakdowns like this. I definitely didn’t spend this much on accessories for my bike, and it’s saving me $59 a month in T passes.
• Eco Web Hosting – Eco Living Advice. They don’t even mention AISO, which is the one I chose.
• Our white walls explained – The Zero Waste Home. Yes! I find my unadorned walls relaxing. I don’t understand why my lack of decoration bothers other people so much.
• JP should accept Whole Foods, but hold it to its commitments – Boston Globe. I don’t live in JP, so my opinion matters for bupkis, but I really don’t understand why people are getting so worked up over this.
• Coke and Pepsi’s plant-based bottles still damage the environment – Slate. I have always wondered why everyone goes so crazy for plant-based plastic.
• Biodegradable Products Bad for Climate? – Triple Pundit. Yes, they are, if you throw them away. And since most of them can’t be composted in backyard composters, you probably will.

That’s it for today. If you find anything interesting this week, please share.

I can’t believe I haven’t posted this recipe yet. Almond date balls are my go-to snack in the summer, because they’re cool and—although they taste like chocolate chip cookies—they’re not that bad for you.

Mmmmmm.....

Almond Date Balls
(adapted from Cheap Healthy Good)

1 cup whole almonds
1 cup date pieces
3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt

1. Soak the dates and almonds in cold water for a few hours. Drain.
2. Blend the almonds and dates together until crumbly.
3. In a medium bowl, combine date mix, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, chocolate chips, and 1/2 cup coconut.
4. Put remaining 1/4 cup coconut in a separate bowl. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and coat with coconut.
5. Set balls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Chill in freezer until firm.

I was really gratified when they went so fast at class last week!

I’ve officially experienced my first serious bike malfunction. On the way to class tonight my chain slipped off and got wedged in the hub.

Please ignore the rust.

I feel like an idiot, because I knew the chain was loose. It had slipped a few times and even fallen off once, but I was able to get it back on relatively easily. I made a mental note to take it to Cambridge Bicycle to be tightened, but I just didn’t get around to it.

Luckily there was a bike shop just a few blocks away from where this happened (ATA Cycle). They’re going to do some serious maintenance on it, and I’ll pick it up tomorrow. I should really learn to so some of this myself, but as you can see from the rust on the chain, I can’t even be trusted to do the simple maintenance that I do know how to do. What can I say? I’m not a gearhead. I don’t have the urge to fix my own car; why should I want to fix my own bike? On the other hand, I do take my car in for regular check-ups…