Are you still wiping your ass with virgin forests?

Are you using toilet paper with 100% recycled paper content? Or are you still using that plush extra-soft toilet paper?

Do you realize that those 'cushiony soft' papers come from virgin trees, many taken from irreplaceable old-growth wilderness? That means every time you buy toilet paper you are supporting the cutting of precious trees, you are taking home trees. In this time when our environment is exploited and considered nothing more then a source for raw materials, this is the ultimate insult! We are wasting our precious environment and endangering ourselves and all future life on earth for temporary, instant material gain, in this case slightly softer toilet paper.

Trees are the 'lungs' of the earth. Deforestation is a crucial issue and an incredibly dangerous obsession of modern industry. All over the world forests are being slashed and burned for irresponsible agriculture. Even when trees are replanted in logging, it takes minutes to kill a tree, but hundreds of years to grow to full-size. Trees are absorb and hold carbon-dioxide, but when we cut them down, all of the carbon-dioxide absorbed is released back into the atmosphere. This wanton and ill-planned tree killing has to be checked, it needs to stop. Better, more sustainable farming techniques need to be implemented and people need to start using alternative fibers for paper products, including recycled paper.

If this is the first time you are realizing how wrong and selfish it is for humans to kill trees and destroy forest ecosystems for TP, then I implore you to make the right choice from now on and use only 100% recycled paper toilet tissue. If you are balking and defending the softer toilet paper and fully intend on continuing to buy it, you need to recheck your priorities. Does the texture of what you wipe on your ass mean more then clean air for future generations? Is that the legacy you want to be part of- selfish fools who create pain and suffering for all others and the yet unborn generations? People who thought life was about material consumption, that the only measure of what is right is what one can monetarily afford? We cannot afford to think this way as a species. We need to evolve if we want to prevent lots of suffering for ourselves and others.

Marcal's Small Steps 2-ply (they make a 1-ply, but I think 2-ply is actually more efficient and much softer) is available at the local grocery store, is 100% recycled, and is very affordable. If its not soft enough for you and you think that you "need" the plusher paper, you should eat more whole grains. If you eat a high fiber diet you'll be pleasantly surprized- you'll be more regular and you'll be neater too, less wiping required.

The well-being of the earth should come before personal taste at all times, considering that we ALL depend on her well-being for our survival.

How to Boycott Palm Oil and Save Orangutans + Rainforests!

by - Jocelyn Broyles care of care2.com

It came to my attention not that long ago (sometimes I’m very behind in these things) that Palm Oil is one of the world’s largest ongoing environmental disasters and the primary destructive force behind the rapid extinction of the orangutan. The good news is, each and every one of us can help put a stop to it.
In order to plant palm trees that produce oil-rich seeds, virgin rain forest in Indonesia, Sumatra and Borneo is clear cut. What remains is burned. This sounds bad at the outset, when you just think about the trees, but much worse when you think about the animals that live there, including orangutans. They are the world’s largest tee-living primate, spending 90% of their time in the branches and not on the ground. Their homes are cut down, and they are subsequently killed by hand or by fire. Hundreds of orangutans are slaughtered this way and dozens of babies orphaned each month, leaving us with a bleak 62,000 left in the world. It is estimated that they will be extinct in under 20 years at our current rate of palm oil consumption and planting. The orangutans are the biggest looser in this proposition, but many other animals are also dying from loss of habitat, fire and outright killing, including Sumatran Tigers, Sumatran Rhinos, Pygmy Elephants and Bornean Red Carnivores.
The palm oil industry presents other environmental problems including air pollution, and according to PalmOilAction.org, “This year Indonesia will be included in the Guinness Book of Records as the country which pursues the highest annual rate of deforestation. Currently an area of forest equal to 300 soccer fields is being destroyed every hour in the country.” Three hundred soccer fields every hour is a hard thing for me to get my head around, but it’s enough to make me read my ingredients before I buy.
That’s the sneaky thing about palm oil – we are often unaware it’s in our products, from cosmetics, to food to biofuel. We all heard about the two girl scouts, Madison Vorva and Rhiannon Tomtishen, who made news by asking Kellogg Company, the makers of Girl Scout Cookies, to stop using palm oil in its famous brand; and I found several great resources full of information on other products using palm oil:
Other Ingredient Names Used to Describe Palm Oil:

• Sodium Laureth Sulphate (Can also be from coconut)
• Sodium Lauryl Sulphates (can also be from ricinus oil)
• Sodium dodecyl Sulphate (SDS or NaDS)
• Palmate
• Palm Oil Kernal
• Palmitate
• Palm Oil in Cosmetics
• Elaeis Guineensis
• Glyceryl Stearate
• Stearic Acid
• Chemicals containing palm oil
• Steareth -2
• Steareth -20
• Sodium Lauryl Sulphate
• Sodium lauryl sulfoacetate (coconut and/or palm)
• Hydrated palm glycerides
• Sodium isostearoyl lactylaye (derived from vegetable stearic acid)
• Cetyl palmitate and octyl palmitate (and anything with palmitate at the end) [1]

Foods/Brands Using Palm Oil:

• Balance Bar
• Ben & Jerry’s
• Check out our “Candy List”
• Clif Bar
• Enfamil Products
• Food Crisps
• GeniSoy
• Girl Scout Cookies
• Glenny’s
• Harmony Premium Trail Mix
• Harmony Yogurt Flavored Raisin Nut Mix
• Jell-O No Bake Homestyle Cheese Cake Desert
• Jewel Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Little Debbie
• Luna Bar
• McDonald’s
• Mercer Vanilla Waves
• Met-Rx
• Milk (various products may contain Vitamin A palmitate)
• Mrs. Fields
• Nissin Noodles / Ramen
• Odwalla Soy Milk
• Pepperidge Farm
• Power Bar
• Quaker
• Raspberry Danish Fine Baked Goods
• Russell Stover
• South Beach Diet foods
• Soy Milk (various)
• Sun Ridge Farms
• Sweet’N Low
• Sunshine Cheez-it
• Walkers Snacks
• Whole Foods brand pie
• WorldWide Sport Nutrition
• Zone Perfect [2]

Personal Care Products/Brands Containing Palm Oil:

• Accem Scott
• Aloette Cosmetics
• Avon
• Borghese
• Bumble & Bumble
• California Baby
• Channoine
• Clinique
• Cornelia
• Cover Girl
• Day & Night Minerals
• DebLynne Soaps
• Dial
• Dr. Bronner’s
• Earth Therapeutics
• Ecco Bella Botanical cosmetics
• Genome Cosmetique
• Herbal Essences
• Hoffmans House of Treasure
• Island Soap Company
• Isomers Laboratories (makeup)
• Jerome Alexander cosmetics
• Juice Beauty
• Kiss My Face Big Kiss Organic Palm Oil Soap
• Lancome
• La Serie (beauty products)
• Mary Kay
• MD Skincare
• Mountain Country
• Neutrogena
• One With Nature
• Palmer’s
• Prai Beauty Products
• Protameen
• Pur Minerals
• Regena Cell’s Anti-Aging Cream
• Revlon
• Sappo Hill Skin Care Products
• Senna Cosmetics
• Sensaria
• Sephora
• Skin Biology
• Skin Scope
• Soma Therapy products
• South of France
• Tasha and Co.
• Urban Decay cosmetics
• ZENMED [2]

More Reading On Palm Oil:
“The Guilty Secrets of Palm Oil: Are You Unwittingly Contributing to the Devastation of the Rain Forests”
Palm Oil: An Environmentalists Perspective
How You Can Help or Take Action:
Great Ape Trust
Centre For Orangutan Protection
Orangutan Conservancy

- Jocelyn Broyles

[1] All data on palm oil alternative names taken verbatim from PalmOilAction.org
[2] AngelFire.com
Headline image from PalmOilAction.org. “These companies have verified that all of the products displayed as at 3/4/07 contain palm oil or a palm oil derivative.”

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/how-to-stop-buying-palm-oil-and-help-save-the-orangutans.html#ixzz1LyNY83ju

Toxicity of Perfumes, Air Fresheners etc

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/toxic-effects-of-perfume.html

Please follow the link and read up on "fragrance". It can mean any combination of up to 500 dangerous chemicals! Its in so many soaps, cleaners, shampoos, other cosmetics, air fresheners and of course cologne and perfumes!

Use 100% pure, natural essential oils instead, and buy only 100% natural products for home & body.

My family uses Biokleen All-purpose Cleaner concentrate at various strengths as dish soap, hand soap, well-diluted with essential oils for shampoo, and we use Biokleen's laundry detergent. We are very healthy and happy! We also sometimes use Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap, especially in addition to Biokleen in our shampoo mix, ust a few drops. Dr. B's is a great hand & body soap, gentle and soothing on the skin!

4 Questions about your milk...

FROM CARE2.com Please check out Care2.com, an amazing place to quickly sign petitions, glean info on subjects that matter to your heart and soul and do a little good in the world while you are online..........

______________________

With many people now buying milk, cheese and other dairy products at local farmers' markets -- directly from the farmers themselves -- it is easy to be misled into believing that the animals who produced the milk are free of the pain and suffering inherent in factory farming.

Simply because the cows were fed organic feed or allowed to graze on grass without pesticides or weren't forced to ingest hormones or antibiotics like their sisters on conventional farms, does not mean they weren't abused.

Below is a list of questions to ask your local dairy farmer, or seller, about their operation. These questions will allow you to make more informed decisions on where, or how, you spend your money.

Do your cows eat grass or are they fed organic feed?

Cows have evolved over millions of years to eat almost nothing but grass. Farmers feed cows grains in order for them to gain weight or so they produce more and/or sweeter milk. Grains are hard for cows to digest and lead to chronic digestive problems.

Another reason a farmer might feed their cows grains is because the cows are confined and have no access to fields or grass. Have you ever driven past feed lots with cows crammed together, standing in their own waste, with no grass in sight? Well that could easily be an organic dairy farm.

Do you separate the baby calves from their mothers?

Virtually all commercial dairy farms take the baby calves away from their mothers within a few days of giving birth. Separating a mother and her baby is an extremely traumatizing experience for the mother and her newborn. The reason farmers take the baby away is so they can steal the mother's milk that was intended for her child.

Many times a mother cow will call out for days trying to find her stolen calf. The sound of a grief stricken mother cow for her calf is heart breaking. Perhaps ask the farmer about that?

If the farmer claims that they don't separate the mother and calf, I'd be skeptical. Ask how it is financially feasible to run a dairy farm that way?


What do you do with all the male calves born on your farm?

Because male animals don't produce milk, they are virtually worthless to dairy farmers. Only one bull is needed at a time in most dairy farms, but since almost half of all calves born will be male, what happens to them? Most dairy farms sell male calves to crated veal farms where the calf will be chained or tied up, placed usually in a dark wooden crate or another tight spot to restrict movement, and fed an iron-deficient liquid diet so that when he is slaughtered several months later, his meat is pale in color.

If they aren't sold to a crated veal operation, they more than likely will be sold or raised as Rose-veal. Rose-veal only differs from crated veal in that the calves aren't restricted as much (although they usually remain tethered) and have access to sunlight.

What do you do when a cow's milk production slows down?

Most dairy farmers will slaughter cows after four years, or when their milk production begins to drop. Farmers want the most profitable animals possible and therefore don't wish to keep around cows that produce less milk. Dairy cows are usually sold to slaughterhouses and are ground up into hamburger meat at four years old, even though many can easily live longer than 20 years. If a farmer claims they keep all their older cows and/or bulls, they must have a tremendous amount of money and land, since keeping nonproductive animals is extremely costly, as any farm sanctuary can confirm.

Ultimately what it comes down to is the fact that cows don't produce milk for humans to drink; they make milk for their babies, just as every other mammal does. Dairy farming is inherently an abusive industry because it imprisons animals and forcibly takes what does not belong to us.

Drinking cows' milk is also a rather perverse act when thought about. Drinking the lactation of another species is strange enough. But to drink the milk of a 1,000 lb, non-primate animal, completely covered in hair and who eats grass, is even stranger. Any claim that drinking cows' milk is "natural" should be met with great suspicion.

To make your life simpler and spare the lives of dairy cows, skip the cows' milk, cheese and butter and eat plant-based "milks" instead.

Is This Factory Farming's Tobacco Moment?

Will Allen's article on Factory Farming- Is This Factory Farming's Tobacco Moment? A good read, pass it on to those that think the standard American cheap food cancerous way if life is normal and good.

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_20581.cfm

The Yoga of Sustainability

CHAPTER 5: SHOP WISELY

It is not the case that we can just spend our way out of this environmental crisis. Yoga also contends that seeking fulfilment through grasping, through seeking material accumulation with no practical need is futile, and will cause more emptiness or stress then joy. When we buy that new thing, the joy is often quick to fade into boredom, regret or general disappointment. If we still identify with the falsification that owning material objects is equal to owning more happiness, then we'll then covet, desire and possibly buy, some other non-esential thing, repeating this cycle.

But, we do need to buy things sometimes. Food and cleansing agents, and at certain times, tools, refrigerators or clothing. There are a couple items unique to them which each person needs to feel good about themselves and have a proper sense of wholeness, that are otherwise non-essential. Too many people don't know what these items are for them because they just buy everything they want indescriminately and consider these "creature comforts" essential.

This is the problem. We have a uniquely disposable consumer culture. Never before have we ever ignored or applauded such waste. And never before have we had so many insecure, depressed or anxious people either. The two are correlated- the rise of the capitalist ideal of owning the biggest pile of stuff as a sign of status & the empitiness remaining when the newest object isn't new and exciting. So much in our lives is considered meaningless and disposable that our lives seem a bit less meaningful too. We've learned to get all of our self-worth and joy from objects, others or our external appearance. Since these will never provide lasting joy, they are inevitable sources of dissatisfaction.

So what we need to do is question our consumer habits. We must assess our true need- & what we are really seeking. And if we decide that a purchase is truly warranted, we have a duty to inform ourselves with objective and accurate sources how and where we can obtain that product in a manner that does not support & condone negative environmental, social and ethical issues. If we like it or not, in our country, what we spend our money on is seen as a vote for more of the same. Packaging and labels are not there to help us make informed choices about what we purchase, they exist to compel us to buy. That's it. And its everything the label doesn't say that is usually the most important information.

THE SIN OF OMMISSION: Here is listed some of the most nasty hidden facts. While these are generalizations in each category, they are HIGHLY COMMON & often nearly the rule unless specifically addressed on the packaging.

ANIMAL-TESTING: assume all make-up, beauty products like shampoos, contact lenses & solution, and even cleaning chemicals have been tested on animals, and not nicely. Make sure these products have explicitly been labeled "no animal testing".

CHILD-LABOR: unless your chocolate bares the Fair-Trade certification or specifically addresses it, assume that workers are not fairly compensated for grueling hours of labor and more of these workers are likely to be children then you think.
Also buy Fair-Trade red, black, green or white teas as well.

UNCALLED FOR RAINFOREST DESTRUCTION & UNFAIR PRICES: buy shade-grown coffee, since coffee naturally loves to grow under the rainforest canopy, but is often grown in clear-cut forest areas. It does not make sense. Coffee also can be bought Fair-Trade or organic, both ensuring fair prices & proper environmental resect.

EXPLOITED CRAFTSMEN: buy only fair-trade indigenous art and handicrafts from foreign countries- especially those in Asia, Africa & South America. Make sure these artists were compensated fairly for their hardwork.

SWEAT-SHOPS: assume all clothing & footwear not made in the US, Canada or EU and all manner of objects made in China especially to have been made by underpaid workers in unfair, unsafe factories. Buy American made to vote for more jobs in the US and less outsourcing to foreign countries.

SAVE POUNDS OF CHEMICALS FROM BEING DUMPED ONTO THE EARTH: buy only organic cotton, because cotton is heavily pesticided. Bamboo is an eco-friendly wood alternative, but the process to make it into clooth is chemical & energy intensive. Hemp is a very earth-friendly clothing fiber- not as water hungry as cotton. Organic clothes cost more, but we are used to sweatshop labor prices. Buy sweatshop free hemp or organic cotton or secondhand clothes. Do research before trying new eco-friendly fibers to make sure they are truly friendly.

JET-SETTING PRODUCE & DISAPPEARING FARMS: if your going to buy non-local out-of-season produce, such as Californian organic strawberries in Winter or otherwise non-local produce, such as South African oranges, keep in mind that your produced was either trucked or flown into the area, from possibly 1500, or many more miles away. Truck transport is bad enough for the environment, flying is even worse. Eat local & seasonal produce from your local farmer's market-pay your farmer the money he deserves for his work-instead of him getting 4 cents of the dollar you spend at the grocery store. Support your local farmers.

CAFO MEAT, MILK, AND EGGS: remember that you can assume that all dairy products, eggs and meat at fast-food joints, restaurants and most if not all at your chain grocery stores came from CAFO'S- not your local farm. Always choose local animal products. Know what farm your food came from. If you truly cannot afford local animal products go vegan, eat only home cooking and pack your lunches. You'll be healthier, it's much cheaper and there are numerous recipes online to help you.

TOXIC OUTGASSING: unless you buy specifically zero VOC products or find a green wet-cleaners, assume that paints, plywood, particleboard, wood paneling, carpets/carpet pads, insulation, finishes, solvents, adhesives, air fresheners, dry-cleaned garments, synthetic fabrics, cleaning products, body care products, art & hobby supplies, mothballs, insecticides and aerosol products are putting dangerous volatile organic compounds into the air we breathe. These can make you sick. They are poisonous. Eliminate them or find alternatives.

HOW TO SHOP MORE WISELY:

After considering the above specific situations, here are a few more general guidelines:

DO YOU REALLY NEED IT? Honestly, can you repair or repurpose what you already have or just go without it?

IF YOU REALLY NEED IT, HOW CAN YOU BUY IT WITH THE LEAST NEGATIVE/MOST POSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL & SOCIAL IMPACT? Buy it second-hand. Buy locally grown or made. Purchase 100% recycled paper products or use cloth (old clothes make great rags, cloth napkins, cloth diapers, cloth wipes). Buy organic, fair-trade, shade-grown and or biodiverse. Buy in bulk with the least packaging possible. Glass is better than plastic- try & avoid plastics as much as possible. Make as little trash as possible and try & reduce what you have to recycle- lowest total waste.

BUY HIGH QUALITY, TAKE CARE OF WHAT YOU HAVE, DISPOSE OF IT RESPONSIBLY. Buy things that will last, don't buy disposable or poorly made items. Respect what you own and treat it with care, helping it to last. Fix or repurpose broken items. Donate, pass on, share whenever possible. Recycle properly all appliances, electronics, paints, chemicals, batteries and compact flourescent lightbulbs. Never throw these things into the trash.

Applying mindfulness to our consumption will greatly reduce our burden on the planet, save us time and money, prevent stressful clutter, and possibly improve our health and well being. Mindfully making wise purchases can help us to positively impact farmers and artisans all over the world, voting for fair wages & humane standards in factories and fields. We can support local farms & the local economy.

However, to do so, we must walk the talk. The capitalist system never turns a blind-eye to the almighty dollar. Every single dollar we spend counts. Every single one votes for what we want. Like it or not, this is our reality. So we cannot ignore the burden of responsibility. Our dollar can vote for what we believe is right or what we loathe, but the choice is ours when we make EVERY purchase. Put your money where your heart and mouth are. Use your power wisely at all times.

The Yoga of Sustainability: a simpler, healthier, happier world

CHAPTER 3: PROTECTING LAND

There is interconnection among all things in nature, and so, there is similarity in protecting all elements. Protecting the air & water is protecting the land- be mindful not to use, drop or dump batteries, chemicals, electronics, plastics, pharmaceuticals and the like outdoors or elsewhere.

Most of us see dirt as inanimate, but that couldn't be further from the truth. In a teaspoon full of healthy dirt one could find thousands of microorganisms, easily. It is the bacteria present in soil that "fix" nitrogen for the plant's natural fertilization. Adding chemical fertilizers destroys this system & makes the soil naturally barren, dependent on chemical's for its fertility.

Unique to soil is the concept of errosion, the preventing of the washing away of precious topsoil. Whenever you are out enjoying nature, RESIST THE URGE TO REMOVE OR MOVE ROCKS OR TO WALK OUTSIDE OF MARKED NATURE TRAILS. IF WALKING IN AREAS WITHOUT MARKED TRAILS, FOLLOW A WATERWAY OR NATURAL TRAIL. DO NOT PICK WILD PLANTS. In your yard, never spray chemicals on your lawn, even herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers. As we've seen, they destroy the ecosystem of the soil, making it more prone to washing away.

Try to landscape your yard with indigenous plants. Importing plants from other climates can actually wreak havoc on ecosystems. Just like introduced animals can multiply unchecked & ravage landscapes, so too can can introduced plants choke out native plants that occupy an important niche in the local ecosystem. TRY LANDSCAPING WITH ONLY INDIGENOUS PLANT VARIETIES: local healing herbs, perreniel herbs, heirloom fruit trees, berry plants and local wetland grasses in pond areas. Working with native plants increases pest & weather-resistence, reduces watering needs & gives you an opportunity to create aesthetically-pleasing habitat for birds, butterflies & mammals. Learn about indigenous plants & local habitats online, or request them at your local nursery.

When growing food plants, choose heirloom variety seeds. These seeds, unlike hybrid or genetically-modified seeds, will adap generation after generation to resist blights, droughts, pests and to adapt to changes in weather. These seeds will develop richer, more complex tastes, more nutrients & more resistence, evolving with every generation. When each plant's growing season is complete you collect the seeds & plant again. Heirloom vegetables are amazingly diverse & hearty. Our current grocery store globalized unnatural & insecure food system tends to cultivate one variety of each food plant, letting the other varieties disappear. Commercial seeds are bred in labs by scientists who manipulate genes, usually concerning themselves with qualities such as conformity of size & shape, and ability to prolong shelf-life. As grocery store tomatoes & red delicious apples show, taste is not as important. Likewise animals are bred for ability to grow bigger, faster and on a diet of corn. Many of these CAFO prisoners never see sunlight & have forgotten how to breed. PROTECT BIODIVERSITY & FOOD SECURITY BY GROWING HEIRLOOM VARIETY PLANTS & BUYING OR RAISING HERITAGE VARIETY LIVESTOCK ANIMALS. IF YOU CAN'T GROW YOUR OWN, PROTECT THE LAND BY BUYING ONLY LOCALLY RAISED ANIMAL PRODUCTS & VEGETABLES AT FARMER'S MARKETS & COOPERATIVES.

Do not cut down mature trees unless they are severly damaged or pose imminent danger. If you are clearing trees to build a home, use those trees to build furniture or floors. Smaller trees can be moved if they are growing too close to ther trees to be able to mature or are growing too close to a foundation. Try to transplant them in early Spring, sooner than you may want to be out there, but at the ideal time for the tree. If you can't transplant a young tree that absolutely cannot stay, cut it down as early as possible. Once trees reach about ten years old they start trapping larger amunts of carbon dioxide, which is released when they die. If an older tree has to be cut down use the wood for a special fire or building project if you can.

When enjoying nature, MAKE SURE TO CARRY-OUT ALL FOOD & TRASH CARRIED IN. DO NOT FEED ANIMALS IN WILD PLACES. It's hard to resist, but don't feed animals in parks (like ducks in Congress Park). This difficult to understand, but feeding animals in wild places makes them learn to prefer & depend on human food sources, forgeting to forage. Also, in the case of ducks, increasingly they may be reticent to migrate, and face Winter starvation. In addition, increasing the population due to the extra food source increases feces, which upsets the land & water balance. Land and water ecosystems are able to process only a certain amount of waste- naturally the amount of foods avaiable will maintain the proper population density of all creatures to support their life & absorb their waste to enrich the environment. Messing with the natural equilibrium harms the animals & the land.

Protecting the land and life it supports by respecting the delicate but deeply interconnected relationships between microorganisms, plants, minerals, animals, insects, sun, air, & water. All of the concepts that sustain healthy air and waterways will apply to protecting the land as well. Use your mindfullness to guide you in respectful interaction as a part of, not apart from, the ecosystems of Earth.

The Yoga of Sustainability: a simpler, healthier, happier world

CHAPTER 2: AIR

Luckily, America caught on with air protection fairly early on, relatively speaking. Unfortunately G. W. Jr was the most environmentally incompetant president this country has ever seen, and so our Clean Air Act has been weakened. However; we've never had strict enough regulations to help in the most necessary ways. One victory, is that the EPA fought to classify Greenhouse Gases as a threat to the safety of Americans, and thus, obtain the power to regulate them. But, as in all matters, our mindfulness can guide us faster and better than regulations.

In the home, outgassing of toxic, often unnoticed fumes from new paint, carpets & furniture are making people ill. Called "sick building syndrome", this toxicity is dangerous, especially in professional building with no direct air exchange with the outdoors. Do you know that "nice" new carpet smell, new paint job smell, new home smell, new car smell..? That is out-gassing, & so is that smell of plastic, vinyl, and anything similar.

In your home, USE ONLY ZERO OR ULTRA-LOW VOC PAINTS, FINISHES AND WOOD STAINS. Voc's or volatile organic compounds, are just that, volatile. Its worth the extra money to protect your health and the earth.

BUY SECOND-HAND FURNITURE, REUPHOLSTER YOURSELF WITH NATURAL MATERIALS, OR BUY NEW UNFINISHED FURNITURE MADE OF SOLID WOOD OBTAINED FROM CERTIFIED SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY PRACTICES. And unless you install all natural, cruelty-free wool or fiber carpeting, (such as hemp, coconut or similar renewable, untreated plant fibers) DON'T INSTALL CARPETS. They trap allegens, dirt and grime anyways. Bamboo or cork floors with ultra-low or zero voc varnish are the way to go.

Whenever you smell that "new product" smell, its most likely harmful. In order to smell something, you are inhaling particles of it, so it can have an impact on your health over time. EVEN SYNTHETIC FRAGRENCES, COLOGNES, PERFUMES & THE FRAGRENCE OF CONVENTIONAL SOAPS & SHAMPOOS, DISH SOAPS & LAUNDRY DETERGENTS, & FABRIC SOFTENER ARE ALL UNHEALTHY FOR YOU AND THE EARTH.

That which you place on your skin is absorbed into your body, so be mindful of what you use. USE 100 PERCENT PURE ESSENTIAL OILS INSTEAD OF PERFUMES OR COLOGNES. You can find recipes online to make your own signature scent.

Laundry should be washed in a biodegradable, perfume free, ultra concentrated detergent such as Biokleen brand. Use Borax to whiten, never bleach. USE SEVERAL DROPS OF ESSENTIAL OIL ON A DAMP WASHCLOTH & A PAIR OF DRYER BALLS TO GIVE LAUNDRY A FRESH SCENT, SOFT FEEL AND FASTER DRYING TIME. EVEN BETTER, 70+ PERCENT OF THE YEAR LAUNDRY CAN BE DRIED ON THE LINE FOR A FRESH SCENT THAT MAN CAN'T FAKE WITH CHEMICALS.

All natural, certified organic shampoos, conditioners & soaps should be the only kind you use for your body & the precious bodies of your loved ones. Do not trust vague labelling- certified organic is the only proven qualifier of natural quality. Legally, the word natural is meaningless. Beauty products should say specifically that they are not tested on animals and do not contain animal ingredients. Aveda & The Body Shop are leaders in ethically & environmentally responsible products. In addition, they shouldn't contain any petroleum products, phosphates, and should be marked as biodegradable. Many people question the safety of proplene glycol & SLS (sodium laurel or laureth sulfate).

If the perfumes that smell "good" in your bath & beauty products are unhealthy for you & the earth, its not hard to imagine that the noxious smelling home cleaning chemicals are even worse. Take all of these terrible things in to your local tranfer station or call the local DEC office to find out where to take for proper disposal. USE ONLY A COUPLE TRULY NATURAL PRODUCTS TO REPLACE A WHOLE HOUSE FULL OF TOXIC ONES. Replace window cleaner with either white vinegar & water wiped with a clean rag, a dry piece of newspaper, or water with a light touch of soap and a clean rag. YOU CAN USE AN ULTRA-CONCENTRATED ECO-FRIENDLY SOAP, such as Dr. Bronner's or Biokleen as varying strengths TO DO ANYTHING from wash the car, the dishes, the floors, counters, porcelain & appliances to hand washing as well. In fact, Dr. Bronner's can be used on hair & body as well!

Anything you spray into the air gets around, harming those who breathe it, and washing into the water supply as well. PLEASE DO NOT SPRAY YOUR LAWN. PLEASE DON'T USE SPRAY PAINT- YOU CAN USE ZERO VOC PAINT IN A SPRAYER.

Camp fires are a pleasure, but also a privelege. Brush fires are convenient, but not an excuse to burn trash. PLEASE DO NOT BURN PLASTICS, METALS OR PRINTED PACKAGING. IF YOU ARE BURNING BRUSH OR HAVING A BONFIRE, USE NATURAL BRUSH & UNTREATED WOOD. BE RESPONSIBLE & DON'T BURN OFTEN.

BECOME FUEL EFFICIENT and carpool, consolidate errands and walk & drive less. Get an electric scooter if it fits your lifestyle, ride your bike, or take public transportation. These tips will cut down on greenhouse gas pollution. So will working from home (telecommuting) and keeping your vehicle well-maintained. To get the best fuel economy keep your tires properly inflated and DRIVE 55. Its hard to do, but DRIVING THAT TEN mph SLOWER BOOSTS FUEL ECONOMY BY UP TO 20%!

Likewise, A WELL-INSULATED HOME & PROPERLY MAINTAINED HEATING SYSTEM (PROFESSIONALLY CLEANED EACH YEAR) HELPS TO INCREASE HOME ENERGY ECONOMY. Update windows, use recycled paper based Green Fiber insulation, or castor oil based spray foam to keep your home energy efficient, reducing fossil fuel related air pollution.

SUPPORT GREEN ENERGY. Opt for renewable energy through your power provider. It is affordable- on a bill of $200, your charge for green energy will usually be around $20. It's worth protecting the environment! LOOK INTO SOLAR PV PANELS- IN NY, NYSERDA HAS A PROGRAM OF FINANCING & GRANTS TO HELP HOMEOWNERS GO SOLAR!

Being mindful of what you send into the air directly (paints, chemicals, cleaners) and indirectly (via fossil fuel use & purchases-discussed later) is crucial to protecting the air we all breathe.

The Yoga of Sustainability: a simpler, healthier, happier world

SECTION ONE: Protect

This section will focus on ways to protect our natural resources. That includes non-polluting, non-erroding and other practices of non-spoiling.

CHAPTER 1: WATER

Water is a most abused resource, both in squandering and misusing it, and in blatantly rendering it contaminated.

If we have something toxic, such as medication, to dispose of, what do we commonly do with it? We toss it into the toilet. Where does it end up from there? It ends up contaminating drinking water and entering the tissues of fish, where it can harm the individuals life, the reproductive abilities of the species, or end up in an unsuspecting human's dinner. NOTHING OTHER THAN HUMAN WASTE, TOILET PAPER OR AT WORST, FOOD SCRAPS SHOULD GO INTO THE TOILET. Call your local pharmacy and ask if they take & properly destroy expired medication.

Even that which we use to clean our home, selves & dishes can foul freshwater ecosystems. Any cleaner, detergent, shampoo, conditioner or soap that contains phosphorous/phosphates with encourage the growth of algae in the water where it ends up. This extra burst of algae growth will use up the water's oxygen and suffocate fish & other waterlife. ALWAYS USE SOAPS, DETERGENTS, SHAMPOOS, CONDITIONERS, & HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS THAT ARE BIODEGRADABLE, AND DO NOT CONTAIN PHOSPHATES.

We also have been conditioned to use poisonous cleaners throughout our home, making ourselves & waterways sick. NEVER USE TOXIC CLEANERS, BLEACH, DRAIN UNCLOGGING SOLUTIONS OR THE LIKE. INSTEAD USE A SNAKE TO CLEAR YOUR DRAIN, AND USE ALL-NATURAL, BIODEGRADABLE, SUPER-CONCENTRATED SOAPS TO CLEAN YOUR HOME. IF YOU NEED TO WHITEN LAUNDRY, USE BORAX. Your home will still shine, and the environment will be preserved. You and your loved ones will also be healthier for it.

It's not just the pipes in your house that are linking water to the rest of the water cycle, but the ground as well. Thousands of gallons of gasoline are poured onto the earth every year- from spillage at the pump to filling the lawnmower. We need to exercise great care in the handling of toxic substances. ALWAYS BE MINDFUL NOT TO SPILL PETROLEUM PRODUCTS AND OTHER HARMFUL SUBSTANCES ONTO THE EARTH- PAVED OR BARE SURFACES. It poisons the ground and groundwater. Even spillage on paved surfaces with runoff into storm drains during the next rain. Never throw garbage outdoors for the same reason- toxic substances from furniture, tires, electronics, batteries & other trash left to nature pollutes earth and water. ALWAYS DISPOSE OF REFUSE PROPERLY- RECYCLING BATTERIES, ELECTRONICS, TIRES, AND HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS. Call your local transfer station for details. ALSO, NEVER SPRAY CHEMICALS, FERTILIZERS OR HERBICIDES ONTO YOUR LAWN, AS THIS IS THE SAME AS DUMPING OTHER TOXIC SUBSTANCES OUTSIDE. Cultivate a lush lawn by leaving the blade at a medium or high level and mowing grass every 9 or so days. Mowing too frequently and too close to the ground is the same as over-grazing, and it causes the grass to die back and doesn't allow it to build strong roots. Mowing every 9-12 days leaving a medium length on the grass stimulates thick, heavy growth. If you can't stand the weeds, buy a tool to pop them out of the ground. If you don't feel like taking the time to do so, make peace with them and let go of the ego that drives you to desire a uniform lawn. That is a human ideal, and nature sees health in diversity, not monoculture.

Water is a precious resource which we Americans are blessed to have ready access to. We need to respect this abundance and stop the needless poisoning of groundwater & freshwater ecosystems.

The Yoga of Sustainability: a simpler, healthier, happier world

I feel that at this point in human history, after all of the hardships overcome by our ancestors to give us an easier, longer life, we have gone too far. I believe this mainly because our chase for convenience has taken us past ease & more liesure time to the point of epidemics of preventable diseases. Not to mention rampant anxiety, depression & multiple, concurrent environmental disasters that will cause unimaginable harm to ourselves, our future generations & all species on earth.

How inconvenient that is for us- isn't that what life is about now- mere convenience? Food's most important attribute now is ease of preparation & ingestion, not taste nor nutrition.

Its grotesque when reflected upon- its more important to us as a nation to shove quick, greasy, vulgar tasting substances down our throat as fast as possible, catch a fat or sugar or salt buzz, & then rush off. Very depraved indeed. Good thing we eat it fast, because if we stopped to taste it we'd be disappointed. I think this is typical of what our society is missing. Jimmy Carter made an amazing speech in I believe 1979, on what's wrong in our country- lack of human connection & peace of mind & no connection to nature at the expense of a capitalist & disposable culture. And now thirty years later this infection has rotted through not just communities, but our whole culture. The quest to own more things as cheaply as possible has overidden all self-control to the point of literal global disaster. Convenience & consumeristic values seem to be more important than avoiding millions of deaths, millions of climate refugees, wars over water & mega natural disasters.

I think better of my fellow humans than that. I'm not waiting for our state to ration water (although some counties in at least AZ & CA are already doing so) before I learn to live hapilly with much less. I have made the choice to live on only my share of the earth's limited resources, because contrary to ridiculous popular belief, there's only so much to go around. I believe its not right to go on wasting water knowing full well that in as little as twenty years there are going to be world-wide shortages of clean drinking water, yes, even in the mighty US. I'm not going to eat a globalized diet based on anything & everything from everywhere all at once, especially when I know that its absurd, & only cheap because the farmers & workers that make it possible are paid scratch and barely survive. Since I've actively made changes to my lifestyle I live abundantly, on a lot less money, with greater health & connection to loved ones, than ever before. This is no coincidence- it seems that the one solution to the one problem fixes all of the leaks. No catch. Eat well, live well, love well & be fulfilled.

It just takes learning, a short adjustment of a month of creating new habits & then you're off & running, and now a vibrant part of the solution & not the problem.

Martin Luther King Jr., Ghandi, Jesus, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and many other brave souls lived their lives openly fighting, at risk of their own safety, what they believed to be unjust. So can we get over our own addiction to a false sense of entitlement to grow up and think about the consequences of our lifestyles for just a minute? If we look deeply into the face of a child, or an endangered animal, how can we tell them "Sorry kid, I know you'll have to live on a few gallons of water a day, but I didn't feel like using a low flow showerhead. It's my right as an American to take 20 minute showers using 5 gallons per minute." there are people in Africa NOW that have to walk 5-8 hours a day for muddy river water. This is their water for drinking, cooking, washing, bathing & feeding animals. Let stop being the spoiled rotten brats of the world. Change comes not from the government down. Its the only virtue of the free market-what we buy & don't buy transforms industry. We change this country by the way we live our individual lives. Let's use our mindfulness to lead a peaceful revolution.

I AM WRITING MY BOOK ON SUSTAINABILITY TO THIS BLOG. IN THIS WAY, CHAPTER BY CHAPTER IT WILL INSPIRE THOSE WILLING TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION & NO LONGER THE PROBLEM. contrary to popular belief, its is less expensive overall, especially in the longterm to live sustainably. MAY THIS INFORMATION SERVE YOU THE WAY THIS KNOWLEDGE HAS TRANSFORMED THE VERY EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE. PLEASE SHARE IT WITH EVERYONE YOU KNOW. ALL I WANT IN RETURN IS FOR YOU TO TRY YOUR BEST EVERYDAY, DO A LITTLE BETTER EACH DAY, TO BE A SUSTAINER OF LIFE. Namaste

Precious Water Down the Drain

The April 2010 issue of National Geographic is all about water. Please pick up a copy of this very important issue & become informed about the true situation of the world's fresh water supply. It includes an article written by Barbara Kingsolver (Animal, Vegetable, Miracle).


We are blessed to not have to worry about water constantly. Our neighbors with wells need to be more cautious than us city folk. Our ancestors with crude wells & no indoor plumbing had to even more attuned to how much water they used. How about the women in Africa that walk up to 8 hours a day to collect polluted, murky water. That's the only water they have access to. Shouldn't we feel ashamed as we watch gallons pour down the drain as we brush our teeth?

In the next 20 years, drinking water shortages around the world are expected, including in the US. Use conservation practices now to help solve this alarming issue.

We waste more clean water per day than a person in Africa will have access to for drinking & cooking. Watch next time you brush your teeth, see how much clean water pours straight down the drain. Apply mindfulness every time you use water from now on...

-Try shutting the water off when not in direct use. (while lathering hands, dishes & body)

-When you do turn it on, try not to use such a forceful stream. Try using as little as you can.

-Be mindful when setting the level in your washer.

-Also consider flushing a little less & putting a brick in the tank of your toilet to save water with every flush.

-Buy a low flow shower head. Mine is a Waterpik brand head with great water pressure, which has a toggle button that cuts the water down to a tiny stream, just enough to keep you warm, while you shave, shampoo & soap up. The water stays mixed perfectly. It only cost around $20, and it has a cousin that has the hose attached for those that prefer that style. It uses an average of 1.5 to 2.5 gallons per minute. Tops.

-Use a head on your garden hose that can help reduce wasted water. Don't water your lawn/garden when rain is predicted.

-Grey water is non-potable water used for non-potable needs- use a dishpan to clean your dishes, and use that grey water to water your plants (use biodegradable soap or else you'll kill your plants and poison waterways). Capture some rainwater to wash your hair, water your garden, and flush your toilet. Non-heated water from your shower can also be poured into the tank of the toilet. Rainwater or shower water can be used to clean the car as well.