When our electric toaster broke, I did a post about my attempt to fix it and my search for non-electric alternatives. This led to my conversation on this week’s episode of the Root Simple Podcast with Ed Dulles, inventor of the DeltaToast, a stove-top alternative to the conventional electric toaster. We discuss Ed’s transition from the financial services industry, from someone who “writes emails” to being a “maker” of tangible objects. In the conversation we also cover how Ed took the DeltaToast from concept to market. I’ll do a review of the DeltaToast soon, but let me just say that it’s esthetically pleasing, fold-able, easy to clean and repair. It’s also made by Italian workers who make a living wage. During the podcast we also discuss:

• Brustolina, an Italian stove-top toaster
• I reference the Ted Talk by Thomas Thwaites on building a toaster from scratch

If you want to leave a question for the Root Simple Podcast please call (213) 537-2591 or send an email to [email protected]. You can subscribe to our podcast in the iTunes store and on Stitcher. The theme music is by Dr. Frankenstein. Additional music by Rho. A downloadable version of this podcast is here.

On the Valentines day episode of the Root Simple podcast, Tara Kolla, owner of Silver Lake Farms discusses why you should care where your flowers come from. Tara grows and sells flowers right in the heart of Los Angeles. You can find her flowers at the Hollywood Farmers Market and at a pop-up that will take place at Valerie in Echo Park on February 13th and 14th. During the podcast we discuss:

• Marsala, the Official Pantone color of 2015
• Andean Free Trade Agreement
• The Fifty Mile Bouquet by Debra Prinzing
• Sue Keating and sweet peas
• Hashtags: #losangelesgrown, #slowflowers and #cagrown
• Silver Lake Farms on Instagram

If you want to leave a question for the Root Simple Podcast please call (213) 537-2591 or send an email to [email protected]. You can subscribe to our podcast in the iTunes store and on Stitcher. The theme music is by Dr. Frankenstein. Additional music by Rho. A downloadable version of this podcast is here.

Joanne Poyourow of Environmental Change-Makers tells the story of her part in trying to ban GMO seeds in Los Angeles. During the show Joanne mentions: