SUSTAINABLE IN THE CITYHOW URBAN DWELLERS ARE SAVING THE PLANET

THE CHICAGO RIVER PROBLEM

HOW TO HOST A TREASURE TRADE

5 APPS THAT WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE

LIFTTHE JULY 2011

SINGING SELLOUTS • MAIN STREET OF AMERICA • THE RISE OF 3D • THE RESURGENCE OF THE ALBUM • HOW TO BUILD CREDIT • A TASTE OF WINE COUNTRY • WILL BLONDE OR BRUNETTE MATCH THESE JEANS? •HOW TO GROW POTTED VEGETABLES •PRETTY IN PINK EARRINGS • COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AND BALANCING BUDGETS •PICTURE PERFECT FRAME • SNEAKY WAYS TO SAVE MONEY ON YOUR TAXES • REAPPORTIONMENT: YOUR REPRESENTATION IN GOVERNMENT • RECYCLING DOS AND DON’TS • FASHION RETRO-BUTION • RISOTTO: READY FOR ANY OCCASION • GLEE GOES ORIGINAL • BATMAN COMES TO FACEBOOK • PLAN A CHEAPER GETAWAY • PARKS AND REC BLOOMS LATE • DECIPHERING ECO-TERMS • GREAT EATS ON THE COAST • THE GAME-CHANGING GAMBINO • A SOCIAL DISASTER • BALLAD OF A REBUFFED BALLERINA • STALK YOUR SENATOR • CUTE AS A BUTTON CRAFTS • THE SKINNY ON ATM SKIMMING • ECO-CONSCIOUS CLOTHING • EASTER FOR GROWN-UPS • THE LIFT’S SUMMER MOVIE CHOICES • WRIGHT’S MIDWEST MASTERPIECES • EXTREME SHOPPING SAVINGS • ADVERTISING GETS INTELLIGENT • HISTORY OF MAY DAY • JUDD ATTACKS HIP HIP • MILWAUKEE’S ART OF MIXOLOGY • RAYGUN: THE GREATEST STORE IN THE WORLD • CELEBRATE EARTH DAY • HIP HANDMADE SOAP • THE CIA LOSES ONE OF ITS OWN • THE TWITTER ATTACK: HOW OBAMA IS STARTING WARS • DETROIT IS MOVING FAST •UNDER THE RADAR MOVIES • ROCK YOUR RAIN BOOTS • TAKE A STAYCATION • PESKY PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS • MOBILE MEALS MAKES IT BIG • HOW TO SPLIT THE BILL • KE$HA: GOOD OR BAD INFLUENCE • GLITZY GLITTER PAINTING • YELL AT YOUR CELL • COINS OF CHANGE • MCDONALD’S KEEPS RONALD • WALKING THE DAIRY STATE • GLEE REBOOT • TIPS FOR AN EPIC ROAD TRIP • THE SHY SINGER’S GUIDE TO KARAOKE • HOW TO SCORE BIG AT FLEA MARKETS • LACY FLOWER HEADBAND • HOW TO NAVIGATE ON ETHNIC MENU • POLITICAL ECOLOGY • DRESS UP YOUR MATE •MIDWEST SUMMER MUSIC GUIDE • THE NEW MUSIC OF APPALACHIA • SINGING SELLOUTS • MAIN STREET OF AMERICA • THE RISE OF 3D • THE RESURGENCE OF THE ALBUM • HOW TO BUILD CREDIT • A TASTE OF WINE COUNTRY • WILL BLONDE OR BRUNETTE MATCH THESE JEANS? •HOW TO GROW POTTED VEGETABLES •PRETTY IN PINK EARRINGS • COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AND BALANCING BUDGETS •PICTURE PERFECT FRAME • SNEAKY WAYS TO SAVE MONEY • REAPPORTIONMENT: YOUR REPRESENTATION IN GOVERNMENT • RECYCLING DOS AND DON’TS • FASHION RETRO-BUTION • RISOTTO: READY FOR ANY OCCASION • GLEE GOES ORIGINAL • BATMAN COMES TO FACEBOOK • PLAN A CHEAPER GETAWAY • PARKS AND REC BLOOMS LATE • DECIPHERING ECO-TERMS • GREAT EATS ON THE GULF COAST • THE GAME-CHANGING GAMBINO • A SOCIAL DISASTER • BALLAD OF A REBUFFED BALLERINA • STALK YOUR SENATOR• CUTE AS A BUTTON

LIKE OUR MAGAZINE?

VISIT www.theliftmag.com FOR MORE AWESOME CONTENT, BLOGS, NEWS, AND DISCUSSIONS.

EDITOR IN CHIEF Lindsay Fullington

MANAGING EDITORAaron Knapp

EDITORSErika Owen

Lindsay Scarpello

SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTORAshley Brandt

DESIGNERSKerri Sorrell

PHOTOGRAPHERSGazelle ArgaDavid BusseNick Rienzo

WRITERSSammi Dittloff

Jared HalversonBrittney Horn

Brian HuhnSamantha Walker

THE LIFT

Popular culture usually stereotypes Midwesterners as simple farm folk. We bake apple pies, wave at passersby, and enjoy life without ever leaving the small country towns we grow up in. While the rest of the country may see us this way, we know that the Midwest is anything but boring. We have hip clothing stores, exotic food, and yes, we even get cell phone reception.

This issue of The Lift highlights the people, places, and things that make up the Midwest. From a 24-year-old Wisconsin mayor (page 6) to the brave man who did laundry in his bathtub to save the planet (page 32), Midwesterners are reaching far beyond the Great Plains and changing their communities, their states, and their country.

Get a taste of the Midwest with our guide to the best micro-breweries (page 16). Tune in for the sweet Midwestern music of Coldspring Drive (page 8). Then drool over the trendy clothes from a cheap Midwestern vintage store (page18). The Midwest is rocking out and The Lift is there to record the ride.

Be sure to check out www.theliftmag.com for more fun content and blogs.

Lindsay Fullington

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Special thanks to: Lori Blachford, Sue and Dave Fullington, Lucy and Tom Huhn, Jeff Inman, Jeff and Sue Knapp, John Tyborski, Jill Van Wyke.

Cover photo: The picture, drawn by Brian Huhn, demonstrates the ability of the individual to make an impact on their environment, no matter how small the changes.

2 JULY 2011

PEOPLE

THINGS

PLACES

TABLE OF CONTENTS5

6

8

2528

2423

13

20

DRESS LIKE A QUEEN

A HERO’S GUIDE TO THE OFFICE

COMING OF AGE

LIFE-SAVING FASHIONS

A SWEET LULLABY

CASH IN ON CRAIGSLIST

FIVE APPS TO MANAGE YOUR DAY

IN HOT WATER

Liven up your wardrobe with quick tips from $tarrina Murphy.

It’s a bird, it’s a plane...it’s Bob from the IT department? Learn how superheroes can help you get ahead in the workplace.

A young mayor is making big changes in his Wisconsin town.

What you wear may have a bigger impact on your health than you think.

Coldspring Drive is rocking out in the Milwaukee music scene.

This website could help you score big bucks in no time. See our tips how.

You hold the power to organize your entire life in the palm of your hand.

With a system that relies on dumping raw sewage, the city of Chicago must reexamine its ways.

These small Midwest towns pack a big-city punch.

10

18

29

SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY

VINTAGE VOGUE

TECH ENDANGERED SPECIES

Three couples give advice on how to make a relationship work when politics get in the way.

Hip fashions and cheap prices are the main attraction at this retro clothing store.

Technology is evolving faster than ever. See which devices will soon be extinct.

16You’ll be heading for the bar as soon as you read about these Midwest breweries and their unique beers.

OFF THE BEATEN PATH

HOPPIN’ BREWERIES

www.theliftmag.com 3

FEATURES

One man sets out to prove that city-living is more sustainable than the suburbs. His week-long journey was tough, but worth it.

Put old favorites to good use by exchanging them with friends. Our tips provide everything you need to know to host a hip treasure trade.

A Milwaukee, Wisconsin, organization is making healthy food accessible and affordable. Plus, its strong volunteer program is inspiring a whole community to understand where their food comes from.

32

38

44

SUSTAINABLE IN THE CITY

HOW TO HOST A

GROWING POWER

TREASURE TRADE

PEOPLE

DRESS LIKE A QUEEN

PEOPLE

STORY BY ERIKA OWENPHOTOS COURTESY OF $TARRINA MURPHY

Spice up your drab duds with drag fashion.

Lady Gaga is right when she says: “Don’t be a drag, just be a queen.” Today’s drag queens are some of the most fashion-forward people, and

their style is anything but boring. While taking drag style from the runway to your closet may seem like an extreme move, it can be one of the freshest ways to amp up your wardrobe. So, while you’re getting out your summer wardrobe, bring a new element to your look—and let drag queen $tarrina Murphy help you do it.

Accessories

The easiest way to take your style from fashionable to fashion icon is to accessorize. A fun scarf, a wrist full of bangles, or a standout belt adds a pop to your wardrobe. “Accessories are easy to forget about, but they always add a little punch to an outfit,” $tarrina, 23, says. While drag seems gaudy and overdone to some, the queens aren’t the only ones that can take accessories

too far. “Just rock a funky necklace or bracelet or two,” $tarrina says. Just because you own a hat, shoes, and belt in the same color doesn’t mean you should wear them all at the same time. Choose one eye-catching accessory, and then keep the rest of your accessories subtle to avoid a fashion faux pas.

Creativity

Have you ever seen a drag queen and thought to yourself, “I own that exact same dress at home?” No. That’s because drag queens know that the best way to get noticed is to be creative with their clothes. $tarrina is currently turning a rain poncho into a skirt. Even if you don’t have a creative bone in your body, you can still breathe new life into old favorites. “Maybe it’s using a busted necklace that you still love and turning it into cute earrings or an old belt into a cuff,” $tarrina says. “Think outside the box.”

Confidence

$tarrina knows the sexiest thing in the world is confidence. She has

been rocking the Des Moines, Iowa, drag scene for three months and she never leaves home without it. “I think the biggest thing with drag fashion isn’t really the clothes or accessories, it’s the confidence,” she says. “It’s loving and owning what you’re wearing and thinking, ‘I look effing hot.’” So, whether you’re taking your shoes to a new height or just messing around with a bright eye hue, owning your style and feeling comfortable in it is the best way to rock whatever you’re wearing.

$tarrina Murphy showcases her unique fashion for a night out.

•

COMING OF AGE STORY BY AARON KNAPPPHOTOS COURTESY OF JUSTIN NICKELS

This politician is changing the face of his city, despite his young age.

Since he was nine years old, Justin Nickels has dreamed of helping people. It was at that age in 1996, when he saw the film Independence Day and he knew how he could accomplish

that dream. As he watched aliens lay waste to New York City and the rest of the world, Nickels was inspired by the character of U.S. President Whitmore, played by Bill Pullman, who rallies the American survivors to decisively defeat the extraterrestrial invaders. That inspiration has stuck with Nickels ever since. “I wanted to be President,” Nickels says.

Nickels is now 24-years-old and the mayor of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, a small city of 35,000 people on the shore of Lake Michigan. He may not be the youngest mayor in the U.S. or even Wisconsin, but he has started a trend of getting

young people of Manitowoc involved in local politics. “When I was elected to the [city] council in 2005, the average age of the council was 58, and the mayor was there for 20 years,” Nickels says. “Today, the 20-year mayor is gone, we’ve had nine new council members, and the average age is 33 or 34. So, we changed drastically.”

Although his political success has brought a fresh wave of youth involvement in local politics, each new step up the political ladder brings higher stakes and forces Nickels to re-convince voters that he is just as qualified as rivals that are three-times his age. “Age doesn’t matter—all that matters is what I’m going to do for you,” is what Nickels, then 18, told voters during his campaign for Manitowoc City Council.

In that campaign, Nickels’ first, he faced a 16-year-incumbent while he was a senior in high school. “I had to have a parent’s excuse to get out of class,” he says. Nickels went door-to-door in his district of 3,500 people, listening to people talk about the issues that were important to them, spelling out his plans for the city council, and assuring voters that he would “listen first, act second.” In spite of rhetoric accusing him of being too young, he convinced enough voters and won the seat in the council. He took office a month before he graduated high school.

“At the end of the day, I just

want to be able to put my

head on the pillow and say

that I made a difference in

someone’s life.”

—Justin Nickels

PLACES

6 July 2011

Nickels sits at his desk and prepares for a busy day.

“I’m not smart enough to

be a doctor, I’m not patient

enough to be a teacher, but I

can talk long enough to be a

politician.”—Justin Nickels

Justin Nickels isn’t the only young politician out there. Each year, younger people are becoming more interested in politics and have great ideas on how to make a difference in their communities. Here are some other notable young mayors.

MORE YOUNG POLITICIANS

READ MOREat www.theliftmag.com

Once he graduated from high school, Nickels juggled his duties on City Council with classes at the University of Wisconsin-Manitowoc, a part-time job at a grocery store, and another part-time job officiating high school basketball, cross- country, and track, eventually earning enough money to move out of his parents’ house.

After three years on the council and having just become Council President, Nickels decided to go a step further and run for mayor. “The council and mayor had been there forever, and we just needed a change of pace and some new ideas,” he says. “Being on the council I could see our finances, what we were doing, what we weren’t doing.”

Nickels’ most pressing issue was to invest in parks and public services that would increase the quality of life in Manitowoc and convince his young professional peers to stay in Manitowoc. “The common theme among individuals like myself in Manitowoc is that there’s nothing to do in Manitowoc,” he says. “We see a lot of people my age leaving, but then coming back when they want to raise a family because it’s a small community, it’s got big-town amenities, it’s safe, it’s clean, and it’s a beautiful location.” At the same time, Nickels saw that the city needed to cut a deficit that had been increasing for two decades and had grown to $80 million.

Although the mayor who had been in office for 20 years decided to retire, Nickels still had to face four much older candidates, including the City

Council’s most senior member and a professional educated at MIT. “The biggest thing that I had to overcome was my age and experience,” he says. “People brought that up all the time, but I told them ‘You may say that I’m 22, but where are your ideas? What are your plans?’”

Nickels came out on top in the primary election, limiting the field to him and one other candidate, and after a “rough” campaign won the mayor’s office by a margin of 15 votes. Since then, Nickels has reinvested in parks, cleaning up Manitowoc’s shoreline and renovating the city-center, all while cutting the deficit for the first time in 20 years. As mayor he acts as both the face of the community, cutting ribbons and attending events, and the administrator, drafting budgets and overseeing departments.

As for Nickels’ dream of becoming President, that’s a long way off since the U.S. Constitution requires the President to be 35 years old. However, being President is only a way to accomplish his real mission: to help people. “I’m not smart enough to be a doctor, I’m not patient enough to be a teacher, but I can talk long enough to be a politician—so, this is how I’m helping,” he says. “At the end of the day, I just want to be able to put my head on the pillow and say that I made a difference in someone’s life, ten people’s lives, a hundred people’s lives, my own life.”

If he is ever in doubt as to whether his efforts are paying off, he recalls a speech President Obama gave in Manitowoc in January praising the innovations that Manitowoc has made in recent years. Obama says: “This is a place that’s been doing what America has always done throughout its history—you’ve reinvented yourself.”

For those who would follow in Nickels’ footsteps, he says “don’t”. “You shouldn’t follow others,” he says. “You should set your own course. If someone follows in my same footsteps, then how are they any different to the world? If they do something greater than what I did, go for that.”

Mathias Harter was elected at the age of 24 to La Crosse, Wisconsin. With no political experience, he defeated the incumbent mayor and a local alderwoman.

Trey Joy was elected at the age of 19 to the city of Smith Center, Kansas. Joy was inspired by his high school government teacher and is the youngest mayor elected in Kansas. He won through a write-in campaign.

Derek Merrin was elected at the age of 21 to the city of Waterville, Ohio. He is a teaching assitant at Bowling Green University and is pursuing a master’s in public administration.

Romaine Robert Quinn was elected at the age of 19 to the city of Rice Lake, Wisconsin. He won the election by 121 votes and now divides his time between his office and his studies at the University of Wisconsin-Barron.

Jacob Reuter was elected at the age of 27 to the city of Epsworth, Indiana. With little experience, Reuter was appointed after his predeccesor died of cancer.

PEOPLE

www.theliftmag.com 7

Justin Nickels speaks to his constituents in Green Bay.

•

There are millions of small town bands that want to make it big in the music industry, but a limited amount of those bands actually get a chance to play in

front of thousands of people. Local Milwaukee, Wisconsin, band Coldspring Drive has gotten that chance, which they hope will turn into their big break. “We want people to hear our music,” says guitarist Kevin Wolffersdorff. “There are too many amazing bands that go unnoticed and overlooked, and we want to be one of the lucky ones that people pay attention to.”

This Midwest band started out as a pop-punk band and have since evolved to include a soft, piano-rock sound blended with their original style. This blend of genres allows Coldspring Drive to play a wide variety of songs, from exciting, up-tempo numbers to slow, heartfelt ballads, like their most popular song, “Lullaby,” which is reminiscent of songs by one of their favorite bands, Jack’s Mannequin. “We strive to create music that creates an adrenaline-driven atmosphere while still implementing the beauty of piano and acoustic guitar,” they wrote on their Facebook page.

A SWEET LULLABYSTORY BY BRITTNEY HORNPHOTOS COURTESY OF COLDSPRING DRIVE

This Midwest piano-rock band is moving on up after the gig of a lifetime.

8 July 2011

PLACES Coldspring Drive’s six members provide a unique mix of sounds.

This year they have the coveted opportunity to play at Summerfest, a 10-day music festival in Milwaukee that features hundreds of bands and boasts an attendance of up to 100,000 people per day. Band members include Jeremy Sigrist (piano/synthesizer/vocals), Kevin Wolffersdorff (guitar), Dustin Fuerst (guitar), Jake Ulatowski (drums), Richie Lyon (vocals/acoustic guitar), and Devin Fuerst (bassist).

Wolffersdorff and Ulatowski are the roots of the band, having been friends since childhood. “We’ve played together in several bands since we were 10 and 11 years old, respectively,” Wollffersdorff says.

Eventually, Ulatowski met Lyon at a concert, and the band Coldspring Drive was formed in 2009. Along the road, they picked up Sigrist and Fuerst which pushed the band towards in a new direction. “Since then, we have evolved and grown to include a piano/synth sound and a dynamic guitar,” Wolffersdorff says.

They believe that this new sound gives them an edge over the rest of the pack of bands that are struggling to get the attention of a record label. “We have two amazing

singers that can harmonize quite well with each other,” Wolffersdorff says. “Our use of piano adds an extra dynamic to our overall sound.”

One characteristic of the band that makes them stand out from any other band is that they mostly sing uplifting, non-derogatory songs. Also, they are writing songs about different life-issues than just about romantic relationships. “With recent influences of losing those closest to us and experiencing new life on the road and in new cities, our newest songs bring energy to the band,” the band wrote on its Facebook page.

Although their most popular songs focus on romantic relationships, they would rather base their songs on basic, yet important life experiences that are universal to everyone, and less on overdone topics. In addition to emulating Jack’s Mannequin, they also gain inspiration from bands such as Something Corporate, Mae, Holiday Parade, and A Rocket to the Moon. The influence of these bands is evident in some of their ballads that feature a strong piano sound.

With themes ranging from friends and family to struggles and successes, Coldspring Drive’s songss strive to give people a warm feeling

whenever they hear it. Some of their favorite aspects of performing are the appreciation from the audience, the rush that they feel right before heading onto stage, and talking to people after a show to hear their comments. In addition to devoting time to the band, they also go to school in the Milwaukee or Madison areas majoring in everything from engineering and firefighting to marketing and graphic design. It can be difficult at times for them since they don’t all live near each other, but their passion for creating quality music trumps any problems that may come up.

This passion also gives them the drive to score some gigs. “You don’t have to look far to find somewhere to play,” Wolffersdorff says. “It isn’t hard to book shows, especially during summer, whether it is at festivals, battle of the bands, or even house parties.” With a busy summer ahead, Coldspring Drive is planning on recording an EP or full-length album, as well as playing some more shows. Though they have a small fan base right now, they are hoping it will drastically grow with playing at Summerfest.

The Midwest is a great place for music. Check out these other music artists from the Midwest that made it big.

Illinois: Andrew Bird Fall Out Boy Plain White T’s

Indiana: Michael Jackson

Michigan: The Raconteurs The White Stripes

Minnesota: Bob Dylan

Wisconsin: Bon Iver Violent Femmes

MIDWEST BIG SHOTS

www.theliftmag.com 9

PEOPLE

Coldspring Drive shoots its first music video for the song “Lullaby.”

•

SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMYSTORY BY SAMMI DITTLOFFPHOTO BY GAZELLE ARGA

These couples are looking past the party lines to make their relationships work.

Every relationship has its deal-breakers. Maybe the guy you’ve been dating just told you he’s a passionate vegan and you love Big Macs. Maybe the girl you like

can’t stop talking about her cat, and you’re besties with Fido. Almost any personality trait or interest can make a good relationship turn sour if a person cares enough about it, and politics is one of these interests. Most people wouldn’t dream of dating someone that voted for the other guy in the election, but we found three couples who are making it work—despite their political agenda.

ROB AND CHRIS

Rob met his wife Chris when they were in college. Rob was working at the YMCA as a camp counselor where Chris was also a lifeguard. They worked a few summers together before they started dating in 1991. They now reside in Waukesha, Wisconsin.

While politics can be a main discussion point when getting to know someone, Rob and Chris didn’t find out about each other’s political leanings until well into their relationship. “I think that our differing political views first became evident once we both had been working for several years and once we had children,” Rob says. Now being in their early 40s, finding this out about one another after years of being together didn’t matter to Rob. “Politics has very little to do with our relationship at all,” he says. Rob is a Republican and Chris is a Democrat, but Rob said he’s less set in his ways. “I am the one who has swung from Moderate to Republican and back to Moderate,” he says.

Rob and Chris believe you fall in love with a person because of who they are, not what they believe in. “We both have a desire to help children and those who are less fortunate,” Rob says. “We both also want to raise our children to be happy, healthy adults.”

CAILIN AND BRIAN

Cailin, 28, met her husband, Brian, 32, through mutual friends at a party. They quickly learned that they had different political preferences. “I’m sure it was in one of our first ‘getting to know you’ conversations,” Cailin says.

Although they have different views, Cailin and Brian have found a unique way of addressing what can sometimes turn into a heated argument. “It’s more of a joke between us,” Cailin says. “Sarcasm has a secure place in our relationship, so the terms ‘Bleeding Heart Liberal’ and ‘Right Wing Nut Job’ are used whenever possible.”

And while many couples try to change each other’s views, Cailin and Brian relalize that that’s not the way to a succesful relationship. “If they, for some reason, decide to change their political views, it won’t be because of your constant nagging,” Cailin says.

OLIVIA AND DARRYL

Olivia, 26, met her husband, Darryl, 36, in 2003. She was working at a Starbucks when he walked in. “I was in high school and he was ‘involved,’ but I said to my fellow barista that I would marry him someday,” Olivia says. They ended up on the same volleyball team four months later, started dating in September 2003, and have been together ever since. Olivia is a Democrat and Darryl is a Republican.

Olivia and Darryl didn’t find out about each other’s party until they had been together for a year and a half. Olivia was surprised that Darryl

10 July 2011

PLACES

was a Republican. “Darryl was not what I pictured a Republican should be,” she says. “I always thought I could pick one out of a crowd, but I’m finding that you can’t judge a book by its cover.” Although the couple was shocked at first, they developed a respect for the other person’s views. “I think when we first found out what each other’s views were, we tried to change each other,” Olivia says. “But you grow up and mature and then it hits you—that you can be in love and your different political views can co-exist. Now when it comes down to voting, we never ask each other who we voted for. We share a hot fudge sundae, clink our spoons, and offer ‘may the best candidate win.’”

Even with the political difference, for them, the important things are what they have in common. “We like a lot of the same kinds of movies, we love our doggies, we both love desserts, we love to laugh,” Olivia says.

HAPPY ENDING

Even though politics can be a heated stage, these couples make it work. Some couples like Rob and Chris choose not to discuss their politics if they think it will cause problems. “If there are constant disagreements, it might be better not to discuss

Politics may seem like a silly thing to get in the way of dating someone you love, but many times, politics emcompasses a person’s beliefs, values, and ideas of the future—and that can be a deal-breaker. Here are some tips for making your relationship work, despite what your partner believes.

MAKE IT WORK

Remember what you share. Focus on what you have in common when things get heated, rather than revisiting your differences.

Don’t make it personal. When discussing politics, make sure not to attack the other person’s views or beliefs. You can criticize your loved one’s opinion without criticizing who they are.

Know when to give up. You won’t always reach common ground or even come close to seeing the other person’s point of view. Sometimes agreeing to disagree is necessary.

Don’t expect change. You’re both entitled to your opinion and should be able to express it. You can argue your point, but don’t force your loved one to change.

Joke about it. Politics can be serious, but shouldn’t get in the way of having fun. In the next election, take light of the situation and turn politics into something you can laugh about.

Share the love. Every time you debate politics, follow it by saying what you appreciate about one another. Small gestures can speak volumes.

ideas at all, “ Rob says. Other couples like Olivia and Darryl choose to focus on what they have in common rather than what they disagree on. “You fall in love with the person, not their views,” Olivia says.

www.theliftmag.com 11

PEOPLE

•

PLACES

IN HOT WATER STORY BY JARED HALVERSONPHOTOS BY NICK RIENZO

It runs through the heart of one of the biggest cities in the world, connects the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River, and is an industrial and recreational stronghold for city residents. But the river that once changed the face of Chicago is bringing greater attention to one of the nation’s great cities—and not for a good reason. For the first time ever, the conservation organization American Rivers has added the Chicago River to its annual list of America’s Most Endangered Rivers.

The pollution problem

The manmade Chicago River system runs 156 miles and flows southwest from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi. The river courses through urban and suburban communities and forest preserves and parks. Each day, 1.2 billion gallons of partially treated industrial and human waste is dumped into the river. This accounts for 70 percent of the river’s water. This extreme amount of pollution makes the Chicago River the fourth-most polluted river in the U.S. “Fact is, you cannot have a third-world river running through the heart of

a world-class city,” wrote Ann Alexander, senior attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council, in her blog.

In 1900, the district built a canal system that reversed the flow of the Chicago River. The river that originally emptied into Lake Michigan now flows unnaturally to the Mississippi. This was done in order to divert sewage away from Lake Michigan, where Chicago residents get their drinking water. Chicago is one of the only cities in the U.S. that doesn’t disinfect human waste before discharging it into the city’s waterways.

www.theliftmag.com 13

PLACES

Above: This sign is posted all along the Chicago River. It cautions residents and visitors against using the river for recreational purposes. Through the rivitalization of the river, there’s hope that people may be able to come in contact with the river without health risks.

Photo courtesy of William Ross

Allegedly, the wastewater’s trip to the Gulf of Mexico allows the sun and warmer temperatures to kill harmful bacteria found in the water. But in reality, it’s only spreading garbage and toxic waste down the country and its connected waterways.

But conservation groups are finally making a wave in the fight for a cleaner Chicago River. They filed a suit against the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago to force the city to stop treating the river like a sewer. Current guidelines set by the Clean Water Act regulate treatments of waste, but the Chicago water district argues that since the waste is discharged into a manmade system, it shouldn’t have to follow the same rules. Under pressure, the water district agreed to more stringent water quality standards in a June vote. A cleanup of the waterway is currently estimated at $72 million for germ-killing equipment.

Although the Chicago River is one of the most polluted rivers in the U.S., it’s still much cleaner than it was decades ago. In the last 10 years, Chicago has spent over $100 million refining public access areas. Riverwalks and waterfront parks have brought Chicagoans closer to the river, making it even more urgent for the river to be cleaned up. Surrounding cities like Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Lenaxa, Kansas; and Aurora, Illinois, have started to reduce sewer overflow through a green infrastructure. Protesters and officials are urging Chicago to follow suit.

Asian carp

Pollution isn’t the only issue facing the Chicago River and its connected waterways. Asian Carp from the Mississippi are traveling upstream towards Lake Michigan. These fish, which were once confined to the Mississippi, now have a path toward the Great Lakes because of the artificial Chicago River. These fish invade the Lakes, reproduce rapidly, and threaten native species. This imbalance in the Great Lake’s ecosystem could hurt tourism and fishing industries.

In order to find a solution, the Army Corps of Engineers is studying the carp’s migration and is searching for ways to prevent their spread. The Army Corp’s study is expected to be completed by 2015, but Illinois senators and environmentalists want the study to be completed much sooner, citing the carp problem as a pressing issue.

But not everyone is positive of the impact the carp have in Lake Michigan. “I am not sure that the carp will do well in the lake and become as big a problem as some have predicted,” says Arthur Brooks, professor of aquatic ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. “Its a big lake and there is hardly enough food for the fish that live there now.” However, Brooks says “it is better to be cautious and safe.”

Currently, there is an electric barrier system 35 miles from Lake Michigan to defend against the

carp. Electric currents are released through the barrier, causing the carp to turn around and swim the other way. But if the voltage is too strong, the carp die, and if too little, the fish can pass right by and on to Lake Michigan. Higher voltages also put the canal barge operators at risk when they touch water.

One of the proposed solutions is re-reversing the river, but this action would once again allow sewage to flow into Lake Michigan and the drinking water. According to the Army Corps, the only permanent solution would be a hydrologic separation of the Mississippi River Basin from Lake Michigan, which would completely end the flow of water between the two. There is currently a bill being pushed through Congress to start construction on this project within the next year.

As each day passes, more pollution is dumped into the river and more carp find their way into the Great Lakes. The hope for the Chicago River to become a place of recreation instead of destruction may seem like an uphill battle—but if people come together to restore the river’s beauty, things could change. With a lot of effort and money, the river can once again be the center of Chicago living.

14 July 2011

PLACES

READ MOREat www.theliftmag.com

Below left: This strip of river in downtown Chicago runs along the old warehouse district. It shows what once was a thriving and industrial river trade. Although the river was the reason for such successful business hundreds of years ago, that same industry is one of the causes of the pollution that now plagues the river.

Below right: A stark juxtaposition to the old industrial district, the Wrigley Global Innovation Center was built along the river in 2005. The building was just LEED Gold certified last year, which marks their commitment to global sustainability. New buildings like this are popping up on the river in an effort to attract visitors.

•

www.theliftmag.com 15

PLACES

Above: A small broken-down dock sits almost unusuable and dangerous along the river. A group of ducks swims through muck and garbage in their search for food.

Far above: The algae and murky water is caused by Asian Carp, which feed along the bottom of the river and kick up dirt and sand.

Above right: A lone water bottle floats down the river through downtown. This is just one example of how people treat the river like a garbage.

Right: A metal scrap yard sits right next to the river. On windy days, scraps and garbage fly down to the river where the current takes it downstream.

HOPPIN’ BREWERIES STORY BY BRITTNEY HORNPHOTOS BY GAZELLE ARGA

The Midwest is home to some of the best micro-breweries in the U.S.

Three Floyds Brewing CompanyLocation: Munster, Indiana

Three Floyds may seem like a small-town brewery, but their beers sure do pack a punch. Three Floyds was founded in 1996 by Nick and Simon Floyd with the help of their dad Mike. The three had grown tired of drinking the boring craft beer in their area and wanted to create beers that were unusual and unique. Their beers range from pale ales with a mango citrus taste to imperial stouts with a Mexican vanilla coffee flavor. In 2000, they expanded their facilities, and Three Floyds now has a brewhouse and pub. You can tour the brewery for free and enjoy their bar, which has 40 beers on tap and a full menu. Check out their website for more info: 3floyds.com.

Millstream Brewing CompanyLocation: Amana, Iowa

In what once used to be a small German Pietist settlement lives a brewery that currently has 18 national and one international award for their artful and European hand-brewed beers. If you’re one for brewing history, this place is beer gold. Carroll Zuber and brothers James and Dennis Roemig opened Millstream Brewing Company in 1985 with the help of world-renowned brewer Joseph Pickett Sr. They produce some of the finest Midwest beers, including Oktoberfest, Back Road Stout, and Windmill Wheat, each reminiscent of historic German brews. Check out their website for more info: millstreambrewing.com.

PLACES

16 July 2011

Lakefront BreweryLocation: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

It all started in a garage in 1987 as a friendly competition between two brothers, Russ and Jim Klisch, as to who could brew the best beer. The brothers soon realized that they both had a knack for brewing and turned their competition into a joint business venture. As sales increased, they bought the Lakefront Brewery on the Milwaukee River and began working together to brew innovative beers, including the first bottled fruit beer since prohibition and the first certified organic beer in the U.S. Lakefront Brewery also has one of the best brewery tours in the Midwest. They hand you a beer before your tour, during your tour, and after your tour, giving you the luxury to enjoy their classic beers while learning about their facilities. Check out their website for more info: lakefrontbrewery.com.

Bell’s BreweryLocation: Kalamazoo, Michigan

Bell’s Brewery began brewing their quality craft beers in 1985 in a 15-gallon soup kettle, making it the oldest craft beer brewery east of Colorado. In 1993, they became the first Michigan brewery to serve beer by the glass in Eccentric Café. The café is connected to the brewing facilities and offers visitors a chance to dine with special beers that can only be found in the brewery. Their popular beers range from herbal and floral mixes to dark chocolate and coffee flavors. Throughout the week, you can enjoy entertainment at the café, such as live music and burlesque shows. Check out their website to learn more: bellsbeer.com.

PLACES

www.theliftmag.com 17

READ MOREat www.theliftmag.com

•

ReThreads clothing store offers unique recycled styles at cheap prices.

Racks of vintage clothing in all the colors of the rainbow line the walls. A shoe section boasting brands like Coach and Ralph Lauren invites shoppers inside.

Behind the counter, a newly traded Louis Vuitton Monogram canvas top handle bag waits to be carried out by a new owner. Retro décor, old Life magazines, and refurbished furniture create a hip atmosphere.

ReThreads in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is the go-to store for amazing brand names and vintage clothing at affordable prices. Located in Milwaukee’s Riverwest district, this buy/sell/trade store was founded by Beret Isaacson and is a family-owned business. It carries an outstanding selection of used and recycled vintage clothing from the 1920’s through the 1970’s, as well as modern fashion pieces and accessories for men and women.

While many other stores have had the idea of buying and selling used clothes, ReThreads put a new twist on the idea—making it affordable and fashionable. Vintage is all the rage these days, but no one wants to buy a stained dress for a week’s wages. ReThreads gives consumers the option to buy previously owned clothes, shoes, purses, hats, jewelry, home décor, and hair accessories at a reasonable price. But even with so many options, it’s easy to see which style is most coveted. “Our biggest attraction in the store is our jeans,” says Sara Gilbert, the store’s general manager. “Anyone can come in here and get a nice, gently used pair of True Religion jeans for about $100 less than they would have to pay at the retail store. It’s great.”

ReThreads also buys old clothes for resale. As long as the clothes are in good condition and slightly hipper than your grandma’s old cat sweater, ReThreads buys them at 30 percent of the selling price or lets you take store credit for 50 percent of the total value. Not only is this incentive to trade in your old clothes for some badly needed cash, but it also encourages shoppers to spend their money on a new outfit. “What’s old to you may be new to someone else,” Gilbert says.

With so much trading and recycling of clothes, it’s no wonder that one of the goals of ReThreads is to contribute to an eco-friendly world. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 11.9 million tons of textiles were sent to landfills in 2007. With the buying and selling of old clothes, ReThreads is giving new life to some of those duds that would otherwise have been thrown away.

STORY BY SAM WALKERPHOTOS BY GAZELLE ARGA

VINTAGE VOGUE

PLACES

18 July 2011

When the store does buy new clothes, they make sure that they are made with sustainable organic fabrics in labor-friendly environments. And they bag your newly bought clothes in recycled bags. The building they lease is also made with 90 percent old steel and concrete.

ReThreads has recently expanded to East Lansing, Michigan, and Madison, Wisconsin, furthering the trend of recycling clothes. Gilbert has high hopes for the Milwaukee store and the new stores will continue to grow in their respective communities. Even though the store is popular among students on Milwaukee’s nearby college campus, there is definitely room for more people to discover the benefits ReThreads offers. “As long as you dress for your body type and you are comfortable, that’s all that matters,” Gilbert says.

READ MOREat www.theliftmag.com

Upper right: Known for their unique and recycled décor, ReThreads showcases a fun chair display.Lower right: Organized in a rainbow of colors, a mix of vintage and modern shoes are tucked in a comfy corner. Below: Funky mannequins sport inspirational outfits topped with retro hats and old-fashioned ties. Opposite: With the tagline “buy, sell, trade,” ReThreads invites all who pass inside for a new outfit or some cash for trading in clothes.

PLACES

www.theliftmag.com 19

•

AMANA COLONIES, IAJust 20 miles southwest of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, through beautiful farmland and across peaceful rivers, sits Amana Colonies. The quaint community was founded as a Utopian and self-sufficient society by German Pietists in 1855. Although the communal and religious life ended in the ’30s, Amana Colonies continues to offer a unique glimpse of German history and culture. Sit down for a family-style dinner with other guests to enjoy a hearty meal of meat, potatoes, and bread—a German staple. Specialty food shops have delicious homemade chocolates, cheeses, beers, and wines. Local craftsmen give a nod to the sustainable history of the Colonies and still produce handmade furniture and pottery, which promise a more unique and sturdy build than the cookie-cutter décor found in department stores. The shopping district is thriving in the Colonies, so antique- and art-lovers will be happy with the numerous stores and cheap finds. Live theater is a big hit for visitors and the 1,600 residents, offering everything from comedies to musicals. While you’re there, spend the night in one of the many cozy bed and breakfasts, most of which feature a home-cooked meal. Some even have period décor dating back to the 19th century to provide every visitor with an authentic experience. Or pitch a tent at the camping grounds and explore the hiking trails along the Iowa River, where bald eagles, pelicans, and wild turkeys are a common sight. MACKINAC ISLAND, MI

Isolated from the mainland by everything except a 30- minute ferry ride, this island is perfectly preserved in a time of leisure and innocence. The island is less than four miles wide but has a history longer than most U.S. cities. Starting as a Native American settlement, it quickly became a trading center for British fur traders. During the Revolutionary War, it served as a British fort, and the island still houses several of the original cannons. The landscape is diverse, and a bike or carriage ride around the island (no cars allowed) reveals forests, picturesque bluffs, sandy beaches, caves, and swamps. Skull Cave hid a famous fur trader during the war. And Arch Rock, Devil’s Kitchen, and Sugar Loaf are magnificent limestone creations dating back to the Ice Age. The island is famous for Victorian-style white mansions that serve as hotels. The most renowned, The Grand Hotel, has the world’s largest front porch at 660 feet and has been a summer vacation destination for everyone from Mark Twain to JFK. Although the island only has 600 full-time residents, it still offers plenty to do. Visit one of the history museums or the butterfly exhibit. Rent a sailboat and fish or golf on one of the three courses. The restaurants on the water serve scrumptious foods and drinks, everything from hot dogs to impressive seafood dishes. For dessert, indulge in the island’s famous fudge.

GALENA, IL by Sammi DittloffLocated in the northwest corner of Illinois, Galena was recently listed as one of the top Time Warp Towns in the U.S. It’s home to a former home of Ulysses S. Grant, a blacksmith shop that has been open and working for over 100 years and the DeSoto house, the oldest operating hotel in Illinois. The population of 3,429 knows how to provide each visitor with a historic experience. You can stay in the Farmers’ Guest House, a bed and breakfast dating back to the 1800s. Wake up to orange tarragon croissants or caramel French toast, and enjoy wine and cheese every evening at 6. If you’re not a history buff, saddle up at the Shenandoah Riding Center, and guide a horse through beautiful countryside and forests. Indulge in a massage at Magi Health Therapeutic Massage while sipping local wine. At night, hit up Miss Kitty’s Grape Escape for live music, Bloody Marys, and a quiz show.

DOOR COUNTY, WIWith 300 miles of shoreline, the peninsula of Door County, Wisconsin, is one of the best Midwestern areas to enjoy sun, sand, and surf. Marinas sit at every turn, offering boat rentals for fishing, swimming, and sailing. Take a kayak or canoe ride down Lake Michigan or the bay of Green Bay. If the water is calm, paddle into ancient limestone caves, one of which has the skeleton of a shipwreck. Then enjoy a beautiful sunset over the water that silhouettes lighthouses in the distance. The County is also home to five state parks, which makes the peninsula the perfect place for camping, hiking, and biking. Door County is famous for its sweet and plump cherries. Go to one of many cherry orchards and pick your own or enjoy a big selection of cherry jams, juice, wine, and desserts. At night, enjoy a double-feature under the stars at the Skyway Drive-In Theatre. Or take a haunted pub crawl and drink pints at four taverns with a scary history. Then settle in at a waterfront resort or a quiet bed and breakfast for the night.

PLACES

by Lindsay Fullington

by Lindsay Fullington

20 July 2011

OFF THEBEATEN

PATHThe notion of bright lights, big city doesn’t entice everyone—sometimes, you wanna go where everybody knows your name. Here are our picks for thebest Miswestern small towns. MACKINAC ISLAND, MI

Isolated from the mainland by everything except a 30- minute ferry ride, this island is perfectly preserved in a time of leisure and innocence. The island is less than four miles wide but has a history longer than most U.S. cities. Starting as a Native American settlement, it quickly became a trading center for British fur traders. During the Revolutionary War, it served as a British fort, and the island still houses several of the original cannons. The landscape is diverse, and a bike or carriage ride around the island (no cars allowed) reveals forests, picturesque bluffs, sandy beaches, caves, and swamps. Skull Cave hid a famous fur trader during the war. And Arch Rock, Devil’s Kitchen, and Sugar Loaf are magnificent limestone creations dating back to the Ice Age. The island is famous for Victorian-style white mansions that serve as hotels. The most renowned, The Grand Hotel, has the world’s largest front porch at 660 feet and has been a summer vacation destination for everyone from Mark Twain to JFK. Although the island only has 600 full-time residents, it still offers plenty to do. Visit one of the history museums or the butterfly exhibit. Rent a sailboat and fish or golf on one of the three courses. The restaurants on the water serve scrumptious foods and drinks, everything from hot dogs to impressive seafood dishes. For dessert, indulge in the island’s famous fudge.

MADISON, IN by Lindsay FullingtonSitting right on the Ohio River, Madison quickly rose to prominence during the 19th century with the arrival of the steamboat and river trade. Beautiful homes and high society moved in quickly after. Although Madison’s population is now only hovering around 12,000, it’s one of the most preserved cities in the U.S., boasting 133 blocks of historic buildings and monuments. You can even spend the night in an old mansion, or opt for a cozy bed and breakfast or the traditional hotel. Enjoy a year-round farmers market in the middle of the historic district. Grab a bite to eat at the Broadway Hotel and Tavern, Indiana’s oldest tavern at 177 years old, or venture down to the river to enjoy lunch at the Madison Lighthouse Restaurant, which has a great seafood menu and view. If you’re the adventurous type, Madison has plenty of hiking trails, many with special pit-stops. Take the Indiana Wine Trail to experience six wineries tucked in rolling hills. Or run along the Underground Railroad trail where you can see the path slaves took on their journey north. At night, visit a local bar for live entertainment, featuring anything from Celtic music to classic rock.

With 300 miles of shoreline, the peninsula of Door County, Wisconsin, is one of the best Midwestern areas to enjoy sun, sand, and surf. Marinas sit at every turn, offering boat rentals for fishing, swimming, and sailing. Take a kayak or canoe ride down Lake Michigan or the bay of Green Bay. If the water is calm, paddle into ancient limestone caves, one of which has the skeleton of a shipwreck. Then enjoy a beautiful sunset over the water that silhouettes lighthouses in the distance. The County is also home to five state parks, which makes the peninsula the perfect place for camping, hiking, and biking. Door County is famous for its sweet and plump cherries. Go to one of many cherry orchards and pick your own or enjoy a big selection of cherry jams, juice, wine, and desserts. At night, enjoy a double-feature under the stars at the Skyway Drive-In Theatre. Or take a haunted pub crawl and drink pints at four taverns with a scary history. Then settle in at a waterfront resort or a quiet bed and breakfast for the night.

PUT-IN-BAY, OH by Sam WalkerThe unique village of Put-In-Bay, located on South Bass Island in Lake Erie, is the perfect place for the young at heart. The island is small enough to walk around, but golf carts are the preferred choice of transportation for the 200 residents. Put-in-Bay is one of the best places for perch and walleye fishing. Hop on a fishing charter, or choose the more thrilling jet skiing or parasailing adventure. Try to strike it rich at the gemstone mine or tour a crystal cave. Or enjoy an amazing view of the village and a 1917 carousel from the 352-foot Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial. The only franchise eateries in the village are Dairy Queen and Subway, so there are a plethora of options from traditional bar and grills to pizza joints and ice cream parlors. Once the sun sets, the “Key West of the North” comes alive with the sounds of unique bagpipes, steel drums, and strolling barbershop quartets.

PLACESby Lindsay Fullington

by Lindsay Fullington

www.theliftmag.com 21

THINGS

Your Photo Is R

eady for G

litter

Follow in Clark Kent’s footsteps with this workplace advice.

In the past decade, film companies have readapted the stories of many comic book heroes. Some of these films, like The Dark Knight and Spider-Man, have become instant

classics. Others like The Spirit and Elektra are barely recognized. No matter how appreciated or lucrative these films are and whether the hero uses super powers, brains, or inexhaustible wealth, the theme of all these stories is overcoming overwhelming odds. Although there aren’t superheroes in real life, we can still take a page from the comic books to apply to our personal lives. Here are some dos and don’ts we’ve learned from superheroes to help us get ahead at work.

Do: Help co-workers who are struggling

The mission of every superhero is to help those in need, but you don’t have to take on mobsters or warlords. All you have to do is show a co-worker how a new program works, take a newbie on a tour of the office, or treat a friend who’s having a bad day to lunch.

Don’t: Get in over your head to fight injustice

Sure, some heroes without super powers see injustice and take matters into their own hands,

STORY BY AARON KNAPPILLUSTRATION BY BRIAN HUHN

A HERO’S GUIDE TO THE OFFICElike the Green Hornet. For these heroes, personal risks are necessary, but then again, so is your job. If you see someone get commended or promoted for work that everyone knows they didn’t do, don’t be the office vigilante and take matters into your own hands. These people will probably be put in their place without your help, so just let it be. Calling your bosses out on incompetence or laziness might reflect badly on you.

Do: Keep control of your emotions

Although many superheroes have difficulty controlling themselves, nobody wants a Hulk in the office. If you’re upset with a co-worker, take a cue from X-Men’s Professor Xavier and always stay calm and composed. Try talking to your boss, a friend, or invest in a rubber stress ball.

Don’t: Choose a theatrical way of saving the day

Let’s face it. It would be really cool to single- handedly land a plane in the middle of a packed baseball stadium like Superman does in Superman Returns, but in real life, those kinds of theatrics are a nightmare for everyone else. If you’re in a crisis at work, just calmly resolve it and don’t pretend like you’re more than just human.

Do: Innovate more efficient working methods

Some heroes like Batman and Iron Man do all of their crime fighting without any super powers—only brains and lots of money. Emulate these heroes and look at how you might save yourself and your co-workers time by doing tasks more

efficiently. Check out a book on Microsoft Access and see if you might be able to enter information into your database more efficiently, or try taking a course in html writing. Small steps like that could bring your office up to date.

Don’t: Put yourself in danger

Superheroes like Spider-Man are often in the wrong place at the wrong time and get bitten by genetically modified spiders. While some argue “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” in the real world, radioactive material will not make you stronger, so avoid work hazards at all costs.

Do: Take credit for your work

Take a page from Tony Stark/Iron Man’s book and take credit for your work. While it may seem romantic to be the man of mystery, it doesn’t do you much good, and you’ll probably get passed up for a promotion. Humbly accept credit for what you do, but don’t forget to give credit to anyone who helped.

Don’t: Let promotions go to your head

As Spider-Man’s grandfather said: “With great power comes great responsibility.” Once you get to a place where you’re in charge of a lot of people, don’t use it to manipulate them or inappropriately flaunt your authority. Your subordinates are still part of your team and if you’re going to succeed, you need them to succeed, as well.

THINGS

www.theliftmag.com 23

•

These styles have your back—literally.

Sure, we all have that one outfit that we just can’t live without— those raggedy jeans that bring back memories of camping in college or that T-shirt from your favorite

band’s concert. Soon, those shirts may literally become a piece of clothing that your life depends on. Scientists and fashion designers have been working hard to make clothes that can do more than just resuscitate your wardrobe. And these styles are way cooler than Sketchers Shape-Ups. Check out these styles that can improve and protect your physical health.

Check your vitals

Joseph Wang, a U.S. scientist, is working at getting his life-saving innovation into your pants. The new underwear uses biosensors in its waistband to track heart rate and blood pressure. It was first invented for the battlefield to monitor injured soldiers. Wang is hoping to bring his skivvies to the market soon, so anyone with a

STORY BY ERIKA OWENPHOTO BY LINDSAY FULLINGTON

heart problem can keep tabs on their vital signs. And seniors can forget about those less-than- fabulous Life Alert necklaces. With this underwear, you’ll never have something as important as this going on in your pants again.

Choose colors wisely

We often match our shirt to our skin tone or hair color. The color of your duds has a much more profound effect on your body than just bringing out your eyes, though. What color you wear makes a big difference on how you feel. Pantone.com, the world-reknowned authority on color, says that wearing red will cause you to see red. This color quickens breath and speeds up your heart rate, making you angry and agitated. It can also make you appear heavier. To lighten up physically and emotionally, try blue. It causes the body to produce calming chemicals for deep relaxation, as well as reduces appetite. And if it’s concentration you’re looking for, wear yellow.

Become bulletproof

Camouflage is so last year. But you can still get the look (and protection) of a soldier with the

seamless look of a cotton tee. Researchers from the University of South Carolina have created a bulletproof vest with the softness of your favorite worn-in T-shirt. The fibers in the shirts are injected with boron, the third strongest known material. Boron is also used to protect army vehicles, such as tanks. While the shirt may be lacking in the flexibility department, they’re definitely a step up from the boxy, unattractive vests we see on soldiers now. While the shirts are not yet available on the market, it’s a potential technology to admire.

Lather up

The sun’s rays are stronger than ever these days. While we may think a pair of pants and a shirt prevent the sun from reaching our skin, our clothes are only providing protection the equilavent of an SPF 6 sunscreen. Luckily, the Solar Protective Factory is manufacturing sun-proof clothing in everything from shirts to shoes. The synthetic fabric contains a strong sun blocker to protect against 97 percent of the sun’s rays. The Solar Protective Factory is making clothes for Nike, L.L. Bean, and Disney, so you can dress in your normal fashions while reducing the risk of skin cancer.

LIFE-SAVING FASHION

THINGS

24 July 2011

•

CASH IN ON CRAIGSLISTSTORY BY LINDSAY SCARPELLOPHOTO BY GAZELLE ARGA

Bulk up your bank account by selling on this popular site.

Whether it’s the perfect couch for your new apartment or a job posting for part-time work, Craigslist has it all. This online

community for free classified ads has been around since 1996, but has become a huge hit in recent years with poor college students and all those trying to make a quick buck. In this rough economy, Craigslist is an easy way to get rid of your junk—and have someone pay you for it.

Max Plenke turned to Craigslist to lighten his load when he moved to Las Vegas for a new job. “I sold a couch, a table, drum microphones, two fixed gears, my scooter, and my motorcycle,” Plenke says. “It’s been totally profitable.”

One advantage of selling on Craigslist is that it’s local—no more sifting through pages of products for one in your area. Kate Malo of Des Moines, Iowa, has sold everything from a rug to a Jeep

on Craigslist but with none of the difficulties of shipping to far-off places. “It is mostly local, so no shipping, bidding, or personal account info hassles,” Malo says. “There’s no commitment. If I put something up there and get a buyer interested, but then decide not to sell, that’s my choice. No strings attached.”

Despite the uncertainty involved in selling on Craigslist, its focus on local markets makes selling much quicker and easier than on rival sites like eBay and Amazon. If you’re looking for a quick sell without stress and the high cost of shipping your products to buyers, Craigslist is the place for you. “Craigslist is when you want to sell something now,” Plenke says. “I only use local sites because shipping is the lamest, especially on big goods.”

While it may be hard to make a living using Craigslist, it’s the perfect tool to make a quick buck without a lot of hassle. But making the sale isn’t as easy as throwing up a quick post. Here are five tips to selling successfully on Craigslist.

Do your research. Make sure you do a quick search to find a reasonable price for the item you’re selling. A quick sweep of Craigslist items similar to yours will help you determine which price is right.

Post strategically. You can only re-post every three days, so make sure you post strategically. Choose a time you think the most people will see your post, usually in the early evening or on the weekends.

Be detailed. Don’t scrimp on information—it’s important to include everything pertinent to the sale that you know about the item or service you’re selling. This can include anything from the condition (be honest) to where you originally got it.

Sell well. Always include a picture and make sure it’s a good one—most people want to see the item they’re potentially buying and they want to see what condition it’s in. Shady pictures won’t get your stuff sold.

Meet in public. Never give someone you’ve met over the Internet too many personal details. By meeting in public to execute the exchange, you’re securing your own safety.

HOW TO SELL

THINGS

www.theliftmag.com 25

•

STORY BY LINDSAY FULLINGTONPHOTOS BY GAZELLE ARGA AND DAVID BUSSE

At some point, everyone has to graduate from Ramen and boxed mac and cheese. Once you score the real job and the cool apartment, it seems a little wrong to go home every night and pour yourself a bowl of cereal and eat it using the one spoon you own. But jumping into the wide world of cooking can be daunting—and expensive. Our guide for the must-have items for every new cook will help you be a top chef in no time.

1Measuring cups and spoonsEyeballing the amount of liquor you pour into your mixed drink may be fine, but eyeballing ingredients in your dinner usually doesn’t end well. Having a good set of plastic measuring spoons and cups is the key to giving your dinner the right blend of ingredients.

Cutting boardWhile you may think the knife marks on your countertop add character to your kitchen, cutting food on anything but a cutting board can wear down knife blades. Plus, cutting boards can also double as hot pads and serving blocks. Choose a bamboo board, which looks classy and resists harmful bacteria.

2

10 ESSENTIALS FOR THE NEW COOK

THINGS

26 July 2011

Chef’s knifeThis standard knife can do everything from dicing veggies to slicing meat, so it’s the only cutting tool you need in your kitchen. Opt for an 8-inch blade with a big handle to protect fingers.

3 Wooden spoonWooden spoons are the grandfather of kitchen utensils. They stir, they serve, and they can even be used to eat cereal. Plus, they don’t scratch your pans or get hot when you leave them on the stove.

4

Sauté panSometimes you just can’t fit all the needed pots and pans on your stovetop. Lucky for you, sauté pans are so big they can fit multiple ingredients and are great for both veggies and meat. The high sides guarantee minimal spills. Buy a non-stick pan to avoid burning food while cooking.

5 Slow cookerWho wouldn’t want an appliance that does the cooking for you? Turn this baby on before you leave work and come home to a delicious meal. Slow cookers can do soups, casseroles, and desserts all with minimal effort on your part.

8

Pyrex casserole dishNo bakeware on the market can boast being able to cook both casseroles and brownies, except this glass dish. It’s the perfect shape and size for a variety of meals, including chicken breasts, desserts, and noodle dishes. It also doubles as a tupperware container for storing leftovers.

6

Food processorIt takes time to chop, shred, and knead. In our busy schedules, having an appliance that can cut veggies, puree fruits, and knead dough is vital to eating dinner before bedtime. Some food processors can even blend for quick smoothies.

9

Mixing bowls Unless you’re one of those people who avoid recipes that involve too many ingredients, at some point, you’ll have to mix things together. Choose a large mixing bowl to ensure all your ingredients will fit. You can also use mixing bowls as fancy salad or soup containers.

7 How to Boil Water by Food Network KitchensThis beginner book offers easy tips, hints, and short-cuts in easy-to-understand language. With more than 200 pages of delicious and simple recipes, you’ll be impressing family and friends in no time.

10

THINGS

www.theliftmag.com 27

•

5 APPS TO MANAGE YOUR DAYSTORY BY JARED HALVERSONPHOTO BY DAVID BUSSE

Organizing your life is easy with these cool tools.

Life is complicated. On any given day, we have a million things on our plates. With school, work, and a social life, it’s hard to remember what we need to do, when we

need it done, and where we need to be. And paging through your planner at 1 a.m. to see when that project is due is frustrating and a waste of time. But don’t worry. In today’s digital world there’s an app for everything. Check out these top websites and apps to manage your schedule, so you have more time for other things—like life.

Tungle (Grade: A-)

Welcome to the Tungle. This website is made to handle your business—literally. It allows you to connect with different business organizations, making it easier to schedule appointments with your coworkers. It automatically updates your schedule as you make changes and allows others to see the best times to meet you. Although Tungle (tungle.me) can be a little complicated, it synchs with most online calendars and is available for all major mobile devices.

Google Calendar (Grade: B+)

Google is doing it all these days. Google Calendar (google.com/calendar) is a free website-based scheduling program that allows you to share your calendar with others and sends you notifications when events occur. So say goodbye to the series of texts you have to send to figure out when your peeps are free for a movie night—just share your calendars and plan away. Google Calendar also synchs with your iPhone or Android, so you can check your schedule from anywhere. Although you have to have a Gmail account, the simple format might be worth it.

Allrecipes.com (Grade: A)

By the end of the day, grocery shopping is the last thing you want to do. But before you throw a frozen pizza in the oven for the third time this week, check out Allrecipes.com. This website allows you to enter on-hand ingredients and generates recipes you can prepare. You can search by type of cuisine, preparation time, and dietary concerns. Allrecipes.com also helps with your shopping list by letting you pick menu options for the week and generating a list of ingredients you need. Check out their Dinner Spinner app to randomly search meals or plan menus on the go.

Gift Organizer by Amazon (Grade: A-)

It’s hard enough to remember your own birthday, much less other people’s. Throw in weddings, holidays, and anniversaries, and you’re totally screwed when it comes to remembering dates and buying gifts. Gift Organizer by Amazon (amazon.com/gp/gift-central) allows you to organize important dates and shop for gifts. The website reminds you of upcoming events, lets you search other users’ wish lists, and tracks the items you purchase from the Amazon store. You can search for gifts by price, age, relationship, and occasion. And with the wide range of items Amazon sells, you can be sure your present is more thoughtful than a lotion and candle set.

Week Calendar by UtiliTap (Grade: A+)

Probably the most convenient app for Apple users since iTunes, the Week Calendar by UtiliTap (utilitap.com/weekcalendar) is one of the best productivity apps out there. Even with the $1.99 price tag, Week Calendar is the go-to scheduler. It syncs with your iCal or Google Calendar and can be used on the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. The app uses the infamous drag-’n-drop tool and allows users to color code different events for a clean and easy approach to planning.

Google Calendar makes planning your schedule easy and colorful.THINGS

28 July 2011 READ MOREat www.theliftmag.com

•

TECH ENDANGERED SPECIES LISTSTORY BY ERIKA OWENPHOTOS BY GAZELLE ARGA

These gadgets will soon be going the way of the dinosaurs.

It’s hard to keep up with technology. It seems as soon as you buy the latest device, another one is there to take its place. Some of these technologies unquestionably improve our lives,

such as the “backspace” button that our parents could scarcely dream of as they plunked away on typewriters. Other new technologies may come at a cost to quality, as some music traditionalists say occurred when we left vinyl records in the dust. However, innovation moves us on, and soon, some of the technologies we grew up with will be obsolete—extinct faster than the dodo bird. So prepare yourself—if you covet any of these technologies, then here’s a newsflash: They’re rapidly making their way onto the endangered species list.

CDs

I remember the first time my parents got out a dusty record player and put on The Beatles’ A Hard Day’s Night album. I felt like I was looking at

a foreign object. It’s likely that our kids will look at CDs the same way. Last year, CD sales went down a shocking 20 percent, while digital music album sales went up 13 percent and currently account for 27% of all music sales, according to Nielson SoundScan. Not only have digital music sales skyrocketed, but the amount of people who own digital music players jumped to 47 percent over the last five years.

Anticipated Year of Extinction: 2025. It only took CDs about 10 years to overtake vinyl in sales. We think CDs have a little more staying power, but as older generations get acclimated to the new digital technology, we think digital music sales will leave CD sales by the side of the road.

TVs

Although it’s hard to imagine a Friday night without your eyes glued to the TV screen, our reliance on television for entertainment and news is already shifting. A 2010 Pew survey shows that 41 percent of people get their news online, instead of the nightly TV news. This percentage is rapidly increasing every year. And for the first time ever, the Internet was the main news source for people under the age of 30. Not only that, but a 2008 study by the Integrated Media Measurements Inc. found that 20 percent of people watch some of their television online.

Anticipated Year of Extinction: 2050. As people discover there’s less advertising online, they’ll make the switch over to watching TV shows and movies on their computers. Plus, it’s quicker to get the news you want when you want it online instead of waiting an hour for the weather.

Keys

How many times have you seen a crime flick where a government agent gets into a secret room by pressing their thumb on a pad? This technology, called biometrics, can actually be used as an alternative to keys for everything from opening your car to withdrawing money from the bank. There are currently three cars on the market that have this technology and it’s becom-ing more and more popular. It’s a safe way to keep your identity in check while eliminating the need to carry a million keys.

Anticipated Year of Extinction: 2100. This technology’s extinction date may be farther in the future. Biometrics costs a lot of money and when companies make the switch to using this security method, people will have to comply with giving their fingerprint (something some people find a little too personal). But eventually, it’ll become more standard and much more convenient.

THINGS

www.theliftmag.com 29

•

FEATURES

SUSTAINABLEIN THEcity

www.theliftmag.com 33

FEATURES

STORY BY BRIAN HUHNPHOTOS BY GAZELLE ARGA AND DAVID BUSSE

One city-dweller pushes himself to the limit to live completely eco-friendly for one week.

It had been a long and rather interesting week. I sat on my porch sewing a patch onto an old button-down shirt. I could have easily taken the bus up to Wal-Mart or the mall to

just buy a new one, but why waste a good shirt if you can still sport it around town after a few easy mends? Being at the tail end of a week-long experiment to prove one can live a practical and sustainable life in the city, I didn’t have much of a choice anyways.

The challenge

When people hear the word sustainability, they typically don’t think of a crowded city filled with car fumes and mounds of litter. Instead, people think of sprawling green space and fresh air with Henry David Thoreau driving his new hybrid car to his suburban home. But I grew up in the suburbs and can tell you that they’re not so green. So for one week, I set out to prove that cities have much more to offer in terms of living a more sustainable life than suburbs do, with the intention of inspiring the environmentally-conscious everyman toward eco-greatness in their tiny apartments in the city.

I like to think I live a relatively sustainable urban lifestyle as it is, but there’s always room for improvement. I tend to leave lights and the computer on, stare into the abyss of the refrigerator when I’m hungry, and I take long

Brian Huhn rides his newly fixed bike through his neighborhood.

34 July 2011

showers. I knew that to fully make the change from awareness to action would involve a heavy self-assessment and some strict rules. So in the days prior to my escapade, I purged my wasteful lifestyle in preparation for my week of sustainability. I fixed my bike, so I could have an alternative source of transportation. I purged my cupboards of any unsustainable foods. Goodbye, Tostitos, Wonderbread, and Lucky Charms. Instead, I stocked up my cupboards with local, fair trade, and organic food and even bought organic deodorant and toothpaste. With my basics covered, I started my week strong.

The suburb problem

Wouldn’t it be great to own your own home with a three-car garage, pool, and two acres of land to let your kids roam around while you garden? Such is the American dream, but the exile from city to suburb over the last century has led us to a car-dependent, consumer culture that is completely unsustainable. “Most U.S. suburbs have come into existence to support an American ideal of home ownership and having lots of living space at low

cost” says Kristin Sziarto, assistant professor of geography at the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee. “This is the opposite of what I think of as a sustainable landscape.”

Transportation is one of the key problems to sustainable suburb living. Cities have an abundance of public transportation in the form of buses, trains, and subways. Most people who live in the city also live fairly close to where they work, so even if they’re driving their car, it’s not a very far drive. On the other hand, people who

live in suburbs have longer commutes and also have to drive farther for basic needs like food and clothing. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, almost 25 percent of Americans live outside the county they worked in and about 75 percent of them drive to work alone.

The suburban reliance on cars has led to increases in greenhouse gas emissions and toxic smog. While suburbs may in fact have cleaner air, this can be misleading. The borough of Manhattan, which has the highest population density in the nation, emits 30 percent less greenhouse gas emissions per-capita than the national average and significantly less than the surrounding suburbs. While this is an extreme case, it proves that the simple act of being able to walk to places you want to go or taking public transportation reduces the gas emissions by a lot.

Local dining

In terms of sustainability, the Riverwest Co-op was an obvious choice for my daily consumption needs. Many of the products they sell are from

Huhn plants his farmer’s market basil in planters he made from re-purposed lumber.

“We offer the opportunity to learn about and understand the ecological system, which, ideally, influences the way people choose to live their lives.” —Meg Kelly

www.theliftmag.com 35

FEATURES

local suppliers and farmers. And organic food is the norm – so no harmful chemicals in my food, thank you. “Besides the obvious advantage of being able to walk or bike to the Co-op, the money spent there is circulated within the community to a large extent,” says Vince Bushell, a member of the Co-op’s board of directors. Shopping at the Riverwest Co-op ensures that my money goes towards helping my community thrive.

After purchasing a membership to the Co-op, I went out to restock my pantry. My groceries cost me a total of $31.70. The same type of foods at Pick’N Save totaled $29.35 with a savings card a few weeks before, and I wasn’t even getting organic or fresh food. The $2.25 difference was a small price to pay for eating more healthily, more sustainably, and with a heck of a lot more flavor.

On top of my Co-op foods, I went shopping at the Wauwatosa Farmer’s Market. There, people enjoyed freshly popped kettle corn, fresh honey, homemade soaps, and a bounty of fresh locally farmed fruits and vegetables. Although I don’t have a garden, I have plenty of porch space at my apartment for growing plants. A few days earlier, I’d build planters from re-purposed lumber to prepare for planting. At the farmer’s market, I bought a jalapeno plant, two tomato plants, and some basil plants all for one dollar each. I also got to talk to the farmers about what farming practices they used and how best to care for my plants. “Knowing where and how your food is produced is an educational process,” Bushel says. By talking to the farmers, I knew what kind of produce I was getting and learned more about planting and preparing food.

Water works

One of my wasteful habits prior to this experiment in sustainability was taking long showers. But for the sake of sustainability, my water usage had to be kept to a minimum, so I turned the egg timer to five minutes and hopped in the shower. I barely had enough time to shampoo my hair. Getting used to this definitely took some time, but now I’m taking showers on the fly.

Luckily, I found an alternative to satisfy my love of water—doing laundry in the bathtub. So I put on my swimsuit and began scrubbing away at my dirty clothes in a tub half-full of water. I’ve been using Arm and Hammer detergent because it’s dye- and perfume-free and uses biodegradable

THE RULES1. Use only bus, biking, walking, or carpool as transportation

2, Purchase only from local businesses

3. Food purchases must be organic, fair trade, locally made (within the Midwest), Rainforest Alliance, and/or Equal Exchange

4. Commodity purchases (packaging for food, as well) must be recyclable, reused, and/or organic and fair trade

5. Do not eat in restaurants

6. Keep showers below 5 minutes

7. Do laundry by hand and air dry

8. Shut off electronics when not using them

9. Grow foods suitable for climate

10. Volunteer

Huhn sews shut a hole in his shirt, so he can avoid buying a new one.

36 July 2011

materials. According to the Consumer Energy Center online, dryers are the second most energy-sucking appliances next to refrigerators. Air drying laundry could save close to $85 per year, especially for people who lack energy-efficient appliances. So instead of going downstairs and throwing my laundry in the dryer, I hung it on towels racks and the shower rod.

While organic cleaning products work good enough for laundry, I have not had the same luck with organic hygiene products. Tom’s Organic toothpaste works well, but doesn’t give you that lasting minty breath. Organic deodorant is no different—it smells good, but it doesn’t cover up any body odors. Nature’s Gate’s “advanced European formula” is still no match for a good old stick of Degree.

A helping hand

Although making changes on an individual scale is great for the environment, it’s even better to go out into the community to meet other people who are trying to make a difference. Volunteering offers the opportunity to increase your knowledge of certain issues, and, if done locally, improves the neighborhood. Volunteer opportunities are never too few around my neighborhood. The Riverwest Co-op across the street and the Urban Ecology Center across the river accept volunteers, among others.

Since I’d volunteered at the Urban Ecology Center before a few years ago, I thought I’d contact the volunteer coordinator and schedule a time for me to come in. Part of the Urban Ecology Center’s mission is to protect and use public natural areas

by making them safe, accessible, and vibrant. The Urban Ecology Center plays a key role in the sustainable development of Milwaukee and is cur-rently expanding to three locations throughout the city. Thousands of urban children are educated in issues of sustainability through the Urban Ecology Center, utilizing the parks as learning environments. “We offer the opportunity to learn about and understand the ecological system, which, ideally, influences the way people choose to live their lives,” says Meg Kelly, staff member at the Urban Ecology Center.

So, I woke up early and walked over to the Urban Ecology Center around 8:30 a.m. to catch the “Burdock Brigade” by 9:00. The “Burdock Brigade” sounds pretty intimidating, but it’s actually just a group of volunteers that meet twice a week to do simple tasks while drinking coffee and chatting.

SUMMER ENERGY

1. Awnings and window blinds cool your house naturally by reflecting direct sunlight away from your house. Simultaneously, filtered sunlight is deflected inside for natural lighting.

2. Planting trees or installing trellises for vines around the house offers natural shade and adds a healthy touch of nature

3. If you have air conditioning, keep your thermostat around 76 degrees Fahrenheit, and keep doors and windows shut for optimal efficiency

4. Refrigerators can make the kitchen even hotter if they need to turn on more often. Keep the door shut as much as possible and keep it stocked so that it can retain the cold easier.

5.If you’re a homeowner, look into updating your house. If you’re not sure about the initial cost, apply for a homeowner’s energy tax credit and remember that it’s cheaper to run an energy efficient home in the long-run.

SAVERS

Huhn doubles his bath as the spin cycle by going his laundry in the tub.

www.theliftmag.com 37www.theliftmag.com 37

FEATURES

SUMMER ENERGY

Huhn’s LEGO timer kept his shower to 5 minutes.

Huhn used an old propane tank to make a steel drum.

SUSTAINABLESUBURBS

The U.S. Energy Information Administration finds that energy consumption due to transportation makes up 27 percent of world energy consumption. Additionally, residential energy consumption is highly dependent on the size of the household, as heating and cooling often make up a large percent of usage. It’s no secret that life in the suburbs favors individual car use and large houses, but does this make the suburbs inherently unsustainable? “When viewing one’s ability to live sustainably, their entire ecological footprint is the key,” says Meg Kelly, staff member at the Urban Ecology Center. “Regardless of where one lives, they can choose to maintain a lifestyle that maximizes efficiency and minimizes their impact on the earth’s resources.”

For two hours we filtered seeds out of their pods to be planted along the river to prevent erosion.

The verdict

At the end of my week-long experiment, I reflected on the fact that we are all stewards of the lands we utilize. It’s our duty as beings on this earth to clean up after ourselves and stop wasting our natural resources. Being sustainable isn’t an easy task to accomplish and I still have a long way to go, even with the practices and habits I’ve managed to maintain from my week of sustainability in the city. The fact remains. though, that all I’ve accomplished could in no way be done in the suburbs. I would definitely need to guzzle some gasoline with a car. But all this means for suburban dwellers is that they have to put in a bit more effort than urban dwellers so that their givings might match their takings. And while some might say that working towards sustainability and reducing waste on such a small scale has little effect when compared to the waste generated by industry, one cannot deny that people bring their personal lives to work with them. And so with this week-long venture into urban sustainability, I hope that the changes I have made in my own life might inspire others to do the same.

“Being sustainable isn’t an easy task to accomplish and I still have a long way to go, even with the practices and habits I’ve managed to maintain from my week of sustainability in the city.” —Brian Huhn

•

treasureTRADE

Recycling is super chic these days. Host a party to trade your old treasures with friends. We give you the décor, the games, and the recipes for the perfect swap.

HOW TO HOST A

www.theliftmag.com 39

FEATURES

Apples to Apples:

This popular board game is a hit at every party. Use it as an unpredictable way to trade treasures. Line up the items on a table. Deal each person one less Apples to Apples card than the total number of items. Have each player lay down one of their cards facedown next to the item they think it best describes. Players should not bid on their own item. After everyone is done, have the person who brought the item pick the Apples to Apples card they like the best. The person who lay the chosen card down gets the treasure. You can also substitute Balderdash for Apples to Apples for a similar, but equally funny game.

Musical chairs:

This kids’ games can get intense when cool prizes are on the line. After showing everyone the treasures, place them in an unseen spot and randomly number them starting with 1 and going up. Place chairs in a circle, with one less than the totally amount of people. Number the chairs randomly with the same numbers as the items. Designate someone to be in charge of the stereo. When he or she turns the music on, everyone walks around the circle. When the music stops, each person sits down in the closest chair. Whoever is left without a chair is out of the game. That person choses a chair to remove and gets the item that corresponds to the number on that chair. Continue playing until there are no chairs left. The winner gets the gift that’s left.

Guess the item:

Have everyone bring his or her item in a large paper bag. Set the bags in a row. Give each player a piece of paper and a pen. Blindfold each guest and have them take turns feeling the items in the paper bags and writing down their best guess at what it is. After each player has his or her guesses written down, the person who guessed closest gets the treasure. Have a tiebreaker? Make each person with the correct guess act out a funny skit using the item. Whoever gets the most laughs, wins.

40 July 2011

This roasted vegetable dip has the cool taste of zucchini mixed with spicy peppers and chili powder. Serve with pita chips for easy dipping.

Easy-to-make skewers are a colorful mix of cherry tomatos, fresh mozzarella, and basil. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for a finshing touch.

Juicy cantalope wrapped in thinly-sliced prosciutto is a surprising combination.

www.theliftmag.com 41

Don’t feel guilty about eating this dessert. Dark chocolate is mixed with almonds, sunflower seeds, and dried cranberries, for the perfect salty and sweet mix.

Make sure to have a lot of this sangria on hand—it’ll go fast. Peaches and grapes soak up the sweet mixture of white wine, peach juice, and liquor.

These bite-size crispy shells add the perfect crunch to soft goat cheese and cranberries.

42 June 2011

FEATURES

Our playlist:

“You Make it Easy”—Air“My Girls”—Animal Collective“Our Swords”—Band of Horses“Think I’m in Love”—Beck“Crooked Teeth”—Deathcab for Cutie“Lover”—Devendra Banhart“Saturday Day Morning”—Eels“Oh!”—Eric Hutchinson“Oliver James”—Fleet Foxes“Loud Pipes” —Ratatat“Phantom Limbs”—The Shins

The invites:

These invites are a simple and cheap. Using scrap paper, cut pieces 6 x 8 inches. Fold in half. Then cut pictures from the weekly ads to give guests examples of things they could bring to trade. Add a big arrow in a coordinating color for a bold and bright invitation.

The food labels (shown on previous pages) were made with the same paper. Writing the menu on cardstock and scrapbook marker is a quick way to put a classy finish to your table.

www.theliftmag.com 43

READ MOREat www.theliftmag.com

The bouquet:

Wildflowers picked in beautiful purples, pinks, and whites add a burst of color to the table. Leave the arrangement a little messy for a relaxed look.

The table:

Choose a natural table runner, such as burlap. Layer strips of fabric, cutting the edges unevenly to add interest. For a special touch, add ribbons in a variety of widths and balloons in coordinated colors.

The treasures:

Our party contained an eclectic mix of vintage, but still usuable items. Here, roller skates and an old-fashioned ice box sit on the table during the Apples to Apples game. No matter how many items a guest brings, make sure everyone goes home with something they’re happy with.

For full recipes, visit our website.

GROWINGSTORY BY ASHLEY BRANDT

PHOTOS BY ASHLEY BRANDT

powerThe sky is gray and dreary

and the roads are slick from the continuous rain. There are few people out today, but there is a line of cars parked along the curb.

Above: This large pool houses lake perch.

As I shut my car door, a large truck drives by and splashes me. Luckily, I’m wearing goulashes, old jeans, and a waterproof jacket. As I walk up to the Growing Power entrance, the air smells fresh, clean, and wet. Their plants have a healthy sheen to them and there is a buzz of activity.

Growing Power is a two-acre urban farm on Milwaukee, Wisconsin’s Northwest side that sells sustainable produce and livestock. It also has branches in Madison, Wisconsin, and Chicago. Its mission is to transform communities and support people from diverse backgrounds by providing safe, healthy, and affordable food. When founder Will Allen purchased the property in 1993, it was the last remaining piece of farmland in the city. An army base, as well as residential homes, now neighbors the farm, which consists of several greenhouses, small animal coups, beehives, living quarters for interns, and a retail store.

www.theliftmag.com 45

FEATURES

“IT’S IMPORTANT TO GET BACK TO KNOWING WHERE YOUR FOOD COMES FROM.”—Jacqueline Buleje

Jacqueline Buleje explains the beehives to a group of volunteers.

Below: Part of Growing Power’s natural environment, a large palm is surrounded by smaller potted plants.

Allen has been the face of Growing Power in the media over the last few years. In 2005, he won the Ford Foundation Leadership Award that came with a $100,000 grant. In 2008, he received the MacArthur Foundation Genius Grant of $500,000. He has also worked closely with the Obama and Clinton families to educate people about the importance of real food and the possibilities of urban farming. In 2010, he was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People.

While Allen has certainly earned all of this attention through hard work and his passion for urban farming, he isn’t the only one making an impact. In 2010, Growing Power had over 15,000

FEATURES

“ALLEN DOESN’T jUST WANT TO TEACH HIS VOLUNTEERS HOW TO COMPLETE A SINGLE TASK, BUT TO UNDERSTAND THE LARGER LESSON BENEATH THE PHYSICAL LABOR.”

46 June 2011

This is a greenhouse where they grow baby lettuces. It is heated year round by active decomposition of matter in the compost that they pile up the exterior sides.

people take tours of their facilities and had 3,500 volunteers. One of these volunteers is 34-year-old Jacqueline Buleje. Over the course of 9 months at Growing Power she went from a volunteer to an intern to an apprentice. She has now agreed to a three-year commitment working with 500 chickens that the farm received in December. After graduating from UW-Madison with a degree in International Poultry Science, she knew she wanted to work on a sustainable farm. “Ostriches, emus, and turkeys…that’s my forte,” Buleje says. Although she thought she would have to go to her family’s homeland of Peru to work on a farm, she instead found herself in the city of Milwaukee working for Allen’s mission.

Buleje is leading my group around for volunteer orientation; we are one of three groups at the farm to help out today. As a result of the recent media attention, there have been a greater number of volunteers showing up for Saturday morning orientations. One girl in my group came from UW-Madison to get credit for her horticultural class. One couple, both of them with blond dreadlocks, want to volunteer and then be a part of Growing Power’s Community Supported

Agriculture program. I, having been to Growing Power a few times before, have finally decided to get my hands dirty.

With enough food grown in 2010 to feed 12,000 people accounting for $500,000, there is no

shortage of work for volunteers. Allen doesn’t just want to teach his volunteers how to complete a single task, but to understand the larger lesson beneath the physical labor. Growing Power strives to teach basics of growing to community members and farmers, so they can support themselves. Going back to his roots in professional sports, he explains his philosophy as: “I’ll give you the ball and you run with it.”

As we start the volunteer orientation, Buleje explains that we are about to embark on an “edible tour.” “There are pea shoots and sunflower sprouts right here. If you don’t know what they taste like, just pluck one off and try it,” she says. She then leads us into Greenhouse 2, home to their first aquaponics system. Aquaponics consist of three different tiers. On the top tier is a sweet herb called stevia that is starting to become popular as a natural sugar substitute. The second level is watercress, which is a peppery baby green used in salads. On the bottom are Nile Tilapia fish. The system pumps the water through the levels of plants to filter out the dangerous waste so that it can be released back into the tilapia ponds for the fish to thrive in.

FEATURES

www.theliftmag.com 47

This is a greenhouse where they grow baby lettuces. It is heated year round by active decomposition of matter in the compost that they pile up the exterior sides.

These logs are used to “sprout” mushroom spores using the moisture from the aquaponics tank below.

Buckets of sifted soil give easy access for quick planting.

•

While the same greenhouses have been used for almost 20 years, their contents are always changing. The staff at Growing Power is always experimenting with new projects. Last summer, they began cultivating mushrooms. They are currently harvesting oyster mushrooms, which have proven to be a lucrative commodity. “In the last week, we’ve done over $100 in sales just on mushrooms,” Buleje says.

They are also toying with other varieties. Currently, large, dark logs hang above the tilapia tanks, where the air is the moistest, in hopes of growing shitakes. The logs have been inoculated with spores, and only time will tell if they will have a successful crop. Buleje also explains that Allen isn’t afraid to defy the laws of nature. “Will is trying to grow cucumbers in the middle of fall, which is kind of unheard of,” she says. While cucumbers are generally a spring and summer crop, the climate control in the greenhouses allows for delicate plants to be grown year round.

The livestock raised at Growing Power is for sale but must leave the premises alive. Since the farm does not have a license to kill, it is up to the consumer to learn how to butcher their chosen animal. Buleje feels that this is an important step that is lost among many Americans. “So many

people don’t know what a chicken breast looks like, because when they think about chicken, they picture a nugget,” she says. A large part of eating healthfully and sustainably is understanding the origins of your food, something that the “no license to kill policy” helps reinforce. “It’s important to get back to knowing where your food comes from,” Buleje says.

As the group disbands, Buleje thanks everyone for their time and effort. “You won’t believe how much work we have and how much we need your time,” she says. She calls Growing Power’s volunteers “vital.” “With barely 40 staff members that aren’t necessarily on-site all the time, we 100% need volunteers,” she says.

The volunteer program at the farm allows people from near and far to learn about Allen’s mission and how important local, responsible food is. Buleje is sometimes shocked to find out that some of their neighbors aren’t sure what the farm’s mission is. From composting to aquaponics, Growing Power is rich with food resources, but also educational resources. “The food revolution has inspired people to change,” she says, “and we can give them the information to do it.”

My plans are to go camping, write more poetry, and save money to go skydiving at the end of the summer. — Gazelle Arga

I’ll be working pretty much every day this summer, then trying to sneak in camping any chance I get. — Sammi Dittloff

THE LIFT’S STAFF SHARES THEIR SUMMER PLANS.

I’ll be enjoying the Midwestern wilderness with a relaxing vacation in northern Michigan and a fun hiking trip through Wisconsin forests. — Lindsay Fullington

This summer I plan on (almost) completely recuperating from my three-week journalism-driven journey in Uganda. — Erika Owen

48 June 2011

I’m looking forward to the long, hot summer days, to continue the thrill of writing, and to enjoy the Milwaukee summer scene. And taking many trips to the beach. — Jared Halverson

My plans for summer include working more while I’m off of school, summer community theater, and interning at a local arts and culture magazine, Apart from those things, it’ll be picnics and cook-outs galore.— Aaron Knapp

© THE LIFT MAGAZINE 2011