Any in-season eater will tell you that spring has officially sprung when the asparagus show up at the local farmers markets. Here in the Midwest, asparagus is often one of the few veggies ready when farmers markets open in the spring. Not only are they tasty, but they are low in calories and high in nutrients such as folic acid, beta-carotene, vitamin C, and potassium. This is a simple, yet sublime preparation that will showcase the flavor of this phenomenal veggie.

Balsamic Asparagus

• 1 lb fresh asparagus spears, washed and ends trimmed
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. On baking sheet or in baking dish, drizzle asparagus with olive oil, then toss with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Roast in oven for ten minutes, then drizzle with vinegar. Return to oven, roast 2-3 more minutes, until spears are bright green and "popping" in the oven. Spears should still have crunch.

Tip: Asparagus will tell you where the ends should be trimmed. Just bend in half gently–wherever the spear snaps is where you should trim. Compost the ends or add them to a veggie stock.

Proving that sustainability is a priority for today's young people, two colleges are incorporating sustainability into their graduation ceremonies. Grads at Dickinson College in Pennsylvania took pledges of sustainability at their commencement, while Ohio's Oberlin College took the first step in a five-year plan to make Commencement/Reunion Weekend completely carbon neutral.

At Dickinson, grads signed sustainability pledges, vowing to recycle more and conserve resources. Those who signed pledges, about a fifth of the graduating class, wore green ribbons on their commencement gowns to signify their committment to sustainability. Dickinson itself has significantly increased the amount of sustainabilty measure the university is taking, and even boasts an alumni group specifically committed to sustainabilty on campus. The school has operated an environmentally-friendly apartment complex, dubbed the "Tree House", for fifteen years, and has a Campus Sustainability Specialist on staff.

Oberlin wants to green its actual commencement ceremony by implementing such changes as printing graduation programs on 100% post-consumer recycled paper, biodegradable tableware and local and organic food at dining events, available carbon offsets for travelers, and CFLs in outdoor lighting. Oberlin students will also have green ribbons on their gowns signifying their committment to sustainability. Future measure include widespread composting for all food and tableware waste over the course of the weekend, and university-fascilitated ride-shares for those travelling to and from Oberlin. Oberlin even has a "sustainability portfolio", documenting the campus's committment to sustainability.

For those that believe that young people today are focused only on themselves, measures like the ones at Dickinson and Oberlin are visible reminders of this generations committment to creating a sustainable future. With college and university presidents pledging to fight climate change, it's inevitable that other schools and students follow suit.

With farmers markets opening up here in St Louis, it's time to get out those recipes that taste so much better with fresh, local produce. One of my favorites is this light summer pasta dish, which I modified from a Moosewood Cookbook to suit my own tastes. The raw sauce, with sweet tomatoes, basil, and creamy fresh mozzerella, starts with the classic Caprese salad flavors and adds a little something extra. On those hot summer days, it's best served room temperature.

Summer Pasta

2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered

1/4 cup minced parsley

2 tbsp fresh basil

1/4 cup minced red onion

1 garlic clove, minced or pressed

1/4 cup chopped Kalamata olives

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 lb short pasta (I use penne rigate or farfalle)

2 cups asparagus spears, chopped into 1" sections

1/2 cup-1 cup fresh mozzarella cheese or soy cheese, diced into 1" cubes

Directions

1. Bring large pot covered water to boil (don't forget to use your lid!).

2. While the water is heating, combine tomatoes, parsley, basil, onions, garlic, olives, oil, S & P, and vinegar in a large bowl.

3. When the water is boiling, stir in pasta, cover, and cook for 2-3 mintues. When water boils again, add asparagus spears and cook for 8-10 minutes, until asparagus are tender and pasta is al dente. Drain.

4. Combine pasta and asparagus with tomato mixture. Add cheese and toss together. Serve lukewarm.

Later in the summer, I like to add a cup of fresh sweet corn to the mix. You can use any combinations of herbs, veggies, and cheeses. Served with crusty bread and a salad, this pasta makes a great light lunch. It has also been my go-to dish to bring to backyard barbeques and potlucks.

One of my favorite things about spring is the opening of our local farmers' markets. Your diet has as much impact on our enviornment as the car you drive, because much of conventionally-grown food travels thousands of miles to get from farm to table. Shopping at your local farmers' market decreases the amount of miles your food travels, supports local agriculture, and supplies your table with food that is almost always fresher and tastier than what you would find at the grocery store.

Not only can you find seasonal produce, but many farmers' markets have locally-produced meats, eggs, dairy products, honey, baked goods, salsas, jellies, and jams. In fact, many chefs either shop at farmers' markets or have working relationships with local farmers because they know that fresh and local produce is of a higher quality. New to farmers' markets? Don't worry. With a few guidelines, you can easily become a regular in no time.

Walk the entire market before buying. You can get a feel for what's in season this week, compare costs, and get ideas for meals using different items.

Bring cash. Although I've seen vendors who accept plastic and checks, err on the side of caution and bring real dollars–small bills are even better.

Don't be afraid to talk to the farmers. Unless it's insanely busy, farmers are almost always willing to answer questions about their products and growing methods. Is their produce organic? Where is their farm located? When were these tomatoes picked? What do they feed their cows? What's a good way to cook this veggie? I would have never discovered sunchokes if I hadn't asked a local farmer about them. Also, developing a relationship with a certain farmer has its benefits. Some vendors will hold back your favorite produce if you are a regular.

Don't rule out non-organic produce. I make a point to buy organic produce when I can, but sometimes small farmers don't get certified because of the costs involved. That doesn't make their produce a bad choice. Oftentimes, their growing methods are just as rigorous as "certified organic" methods. Local food is almost always a better choice for the environment–given the option, I'd choose a locally-produced conventional tomato from a farmer I trusted over a certified organic one shipped in from California.

BYOB. That's right–bring your own bags. No need to add to the plastic floating around, and saving farmers money on bags saves you money on produce.

Be considerate of other market patrons. Some farmers have a cult-like following. If the line is long, don't take ten minutes with your questions and browsing–keep it short or come back when the line has died down. And please observe the lines–I've had pushy, rude, people cut me in line without so much as a glance in my direction, and nothing kills the festive spirit of the market more than rudeness.

Make your shopping a social event. My favorite local market has live music, guest speakers, ready-to-eat food like smoothies and crepes, yoga, and treats for dogs and kids. Chances are, you'll see the same patrons every week. These community events are a great way to meet new people who may have similar interests as you. Also, they are a great place for kids to learn about where food comes from and to be exposed to new types of fruits and veggies.

Check out multiple markets. If you are fortunate enough to have more than one market in your area, make a point to check them all out. There will probably be some overlap in the vendors, but you just may find that one great combination of products that make one market your personal favorite. Don't rule out smaller markets either: they are often less crowded and more laid back than their bustling, bigger counterparts.

I'm getting excited just thinking about perusing fresh asparagus, sungold cherry tomatoes (THE BEST TOMATOES EVER), and purple potatoes, with a fresh cup of coffee and my dog. To find a farmers market near you, try FarmersMarket.com or the USDA's Farmers' Market Drectory.

Children today have a disconnect as to where their food comes from. For many kids, their favorite food comes from a drive-through. Because our food travels so many miles, and often hardly resembles the actual plants and/or animals from which it came, it's no wonder that kids have no concept of agriculture, let alone the environmental impacts of industrial agriculture.

However, programs that bring gardening to schools are launching all over the country. Children of all ages are making a connection between what they eat and where it comes from, teaching them about ecological principals, fostering environmental stewardship, exposing them to fresh fruits and vegetables, and encouraging them to eat lower on the food chain.

The Edible Schoolyard at Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School in Berkeley, California, is one of the pioneer programs of school gardening. Founded in 1994 by school faculty and renowned chef Alice Waters, students in grades 6-8 are involved in every stage of gardening, and the garden is seamlessly integrated into the curriculum across disciplines.

At the Maplewood-Richmond Heights Early Childhood Center in Maplewood, Missouri, preschoolers are participating in a program called "Seed to Table", part of the school's Reggio Emilia approach to education. Students help prepare garden beds, plant seeds, tend crops, harvest produce, and prepare the food into meals they eat in their child-sized kitchen. "The children love the school garden and want to help in every way. They are so enthusiastic and capable," said Debi Gibson, nutritionist at the school. "We planted a flower, herb, and vegetable garden this year, including carrots, peas, eggplants, cabbage, lettuce, tomatoes, broccoli, and squash." The students also practice composting, completing the cycle of food.

Programs such as these help students realize at a young age that good food is simple, and comes from the earth that we all have a responsibility to nurture and protect. For more information, check out The Edible Schoolyard's resource site or KidsGardening.org.

During our school's waste audit, lunch waste was a large percentage of what was thrown out daily. All of those individually wrapped chips, cookies, pre-packaged cracker and cheese combos, and juice boxes add up, as do the plastic and paper sacks they are packed in. In fact, it has been estimated that the average school-aged child packing a lunch generates 67 pounds of waste per school year. Fortunately, parents and children can easily reduce their lunch waste using several techniques that will not only curb excess packaging, but encourage their kids to eat less processed foods as well, and probably save time and money.

First, forget about disposable lunch bags, cutlery, and napkins. Reusable bags are inexpensive–simple cloth bags can be found for a few dollars at grocery stores, or at local discount stores. Most people already have silverware, and if you don't want to chance losing your good silver in Susie's school's trash, you can pick up a cheap second set from a secondhand store.

Second, get rid of other disposable containers. Instead of plastic baggies, try reusable containers. Plastic containers with locking lids have become so cheap that even if a child occasionally throws one away, it's no big deal, and a variety of sizes and shapes allows for almost anything to be safely packed (the sandwich-shaped containers awesomely protect, virtually eliminating soggy, smashed sandwiches. Bonus!) Thermoses, which are often included with children's lunch bags, eliminate waste from juice boxes or pouches and soda cans. For the more stylish student, check out LaptopLunches and their Japanese-inspired bento boxes.

Third, buy lunch food that is minimally packaged. Fresh fruit needs no packaging; just wash and go. Although it's tempting to buy individually packaged chips, yogurt, or applesauce, one large container has less packaging and is much cheaper per serving. This is a perfect opportunity to teach kids how to pack their own lunches. Even small children can help, and taking part in the lunchmaking process gives kids ownership of their lunch, and they'll be more likely to eat it all.

These lunch techniques don't have to be just for kids–many adults take their lunch to school (including us teachers!) You can do the same thing. For ideas on easily packable, minimally packaged and processed foods, and more information on organizing school-wide waste-free lunches, check out Waste Free Lunches.