Just in time for back to school season, Earth Day Network has come out with a list of suggestions for students, teachers, and parents to green their schools. Even as the trees start to change colors, these activities are sure to keep many communities green.
- Teachers can have students patrol to check that lights are off in vacant rooms, and make signs or stickers such as “Flip the switch when leaving!” as a reminder to turn off lights.
- Use Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL’s) or LED bulbs and have students compute energy savings.
- Keep air vents clear and up to date and work with custodians to fix drafty rooms; ensure that furnace filters are cleaned often.
- In winter, close classroom doors to trap heat in.
- Make sure computers are programmed to enter “sleep” mode when inactive, and avoid screen savers. Turn off computers when the day ends.
- Urge students or faculty to start a recycling program for the school
The increase in global carbon dioxide emissions is not just damaging the Earth’s climate, but also threatening the very fabric of our oceans. Today, The Nature Conservancy, along with a dozen of the world’s top marine scientists, introduced key findings and recommendations to tackle ocean acidification as part of the “Honolulu Declaration on Ocean Acidification and Reef Management” revealed at the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force meeting in Kona, Hawai‘i.
Two major strategies emerged as the backbone of the Declaration resulting from the workshop:
- Limit fossil fuel emissions - stabilization of atmospheric CO2 is the most logical step to address ocean acidification impacts
- Build the resilience of tropical marine ecosystems and communities to maximize their ability to resist and recover from climate change impacts, including ocean acidification.
Green School, Bali: An international school rooted in holistic education & environmental stewardship
Green School opens on 1 September 2008 for children in Preschool and Kindergarten through Year 8 with students and faculty from Bali and 16 countries around the world. Here in Bali, Indonesia, we are building a new school where Western and Indonesian students can learn together to become more curious and more passionate about their education and our planet.
Green School's beautiful eight-hectare, environmentally sustainable campus in Sibang Kaja is bisected by the Ayung River, on whose western bank are the School's classrooms, libraries, laboratories, and kitchens. Aquaculture ponds, organic vegetable gardens, edible mazes, and permacultural gardens are interspersed throughout the vast campus, which is built entirely of low-impact and environmentally conscious materials such as bamboo, alang-alang grass, and traditional Balinese mud walls. Read more...
Greetings to Ode readers worldwide! I am one of 34 students studying at the KaosPilots International Education in Aarhus, Denmark. As part of our fourth semester (last spring), my team and I lived and worked in Shanghai, China. Our mission was to explore the term "Social Innovation".
We heard from the experts, we investigated on a street level, we discussed, shared and eventually...we wrote! Read more...
We all know the sense of belonging and safety that comes from being a part of a community-how it nurtures our identity and fosters our aspirations. Few of us have experienced anything beyond a brief and partial separation from our community of friends, relatives, home and chosen paths-the elements that give meaning, purpose and direction to our lives. Read more...
Are you a high school student active in or interested in environmental issues? The Weather Channel is sponsoring the Forecast Earth Summit in Washington D.C., to educate the next generation about climate and environmental literacy.
Twenty high school students will win free trips to attend the Summit where they will participate in several activities such as creating public service announcements for The Weather Channel, building and launching a boat made from recycled materials, and meeting with environmental leaders and scientists. Read more...
"When all else is lost, the future still remains" - Christian Bovee
What have you lost? A house? A car? A loved one? Innocence? Hope? Faith? Happiness ... or maybe you have just lost interest altogether - in everything.
However painful or disheartening it may have been to suffer a loss, the good news is that "lost" is a past tense word. It's done. It's finished. Outside of playing it over and over again in your mind with dead-end, "what if" scenarios, you cannot experience the loss again. What you DO have is what is important, ad what you DO have is that most-important, unwritten, unpainted, blank piece of canvas that is your future. It remains, and it will be what you choose to make of it: that includes the next hour, the next day, the next week, or the next fifty years. Read more...
Theo Jansen unleashes his Strandbeest, ice shelves are melting in both poles, and we bring to you new Truly Useless Crap! Read more...
In Nigeria many are building up camps at gas stations so that they can buy cooking fuel. The situation is so bad that women and children may end up spending their whole day just queuing up to get the now expensive fuel. Most fuel stations sell a liter of kerosene at fifty naira Nigerian money but at the black market (that’s the situation where you buy kerosene at unauthorized sites in the country), kerosene is sold at three times the pump station stipulated price.
Because of this exorbitance and most often the non availability of the petroleum derivative, people in most urban areas have now resulted to using fire wood, coal, and other fuel derivatives as an alternative cooking fuel, despite the tedious routine of using firewood, most women claim that firewood and coal is a far cheaper cooking gas than kerosene which can simply fill the can of a China made cooking stove. Read more...
Calling all college graduates: this fall Idealist.org will host 16 Graduate Degree Fairs for the Public Good across the United States, where potential applicants can meet with representatives from graduate programs. Each event will also offer a set of workshops that will describe the various degrees, illuminate the application and financial aid process, and guide attendees in how to transition back to school.
At each of the fairs, you will meet representatives from 60 to 120 of the leading nonprofit-related graduate programs in the country, representing degrees ranging from MPAs and MBAs through Law, Social Work, International Relations, Urban Planning, and many more. Read more...
Over the past year I have heard numerous contemporary spiritual teachers, such as Eckhart Tolle, Deepak Chopra, and Marianne Williamson, predict a profound shift in consciousness accompanied with an evolution to the next stage of humanity.
Where? When? How? I wanted to know. Could it be the fervor of an election year and promise of change? Could it be related to the intriguing prophecies of 2012 which predict a major transformation? Read more...
I'd like to suggest trying a one day "giving" experiment.
The idea simply would be for one 24 hour period to lay down all of our own desires, wants, selfish interests of any kind, and completely be unselfish, and do whatever would be helpful and beneficial to anyone we come in contact with during that 24 period. Read more...
The same day I began reading this month's Ode about energy generation and green energy I heard the most beautiful interview on National Public Radio on ethanol and other fuel alternatives.
The program was Science Friday and in it the host interviewed a biofuel advocate, David Blume (author of "Alchohol Can be a Gas"). I would highly recommend Ode put Mr. Blume on the short list of people to interview for future articles---if only to hear him paint beautiful pictures of a world where alternative fuels are promoted on a local grass-roots level and alternative fuel sources are plentiful and actually environmentally beneficial. Read more...
When I was a kid, which was conveniently during a time I lived in Hawaii, I became obsessed with starfish. What stunned me most was their ability to, rather quickly, shed and regenerate a limb. I wondered if it hurt to do this, or if it was some sort of everyday occurrence. I noticed the same thing about geckos and their tails and sea cucumbers that would vomit out their own internal organs. All of these biological feats are meant to be life-saving, so I imagine shedding a limb or spilling out one's guts isn't taken too lightly in the animal kingdom, but I cannot tell you how many quivering gecko tails wound up in my hands sans rightful owner. Read more...
BBC Journalist Christine Jeavans has challenged herself to give up plastic for a whole month. This is certainly a large feat when you think about all of the coffee cup tops, grocery bags, water bottles - not to mention babies diapers that people use everyday. Can it be done? Keep up with her challenge on her blog here.
Read full story:news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7535500.stm
Read more...
China's cheap gas leads to more SUV sales, find out where to take a walk in your neighborhood, and make your office sustainable with People Cube. Read more...
"The past is never completely lost, however extensive the devastation. Your sorrows are the bricks and mortar of a magnificent temple. What you are today, and what you will be tomorrow are because of what you have been." - Gordon Wright
All of us have experienced, (or likely know someone who has experienced - especially in today's volatile world), some type of devastation in the past. Perhaps it took the form of the violence of war, crime, or domestic abuse. Or maybe it was economic ruin, or the loss of a loved one or a failed relationship. Read more...
Did you know that all the world's faiths are filled with wisdom for work? That major media (e.g., Fortune and Industry Week) have reported favorably about the trend to integrating spirit and work? That when you bring spirit to work, work is more ethical and satisfying; and you typically have more time and energy for a rich life?
The Spirit and Work Resource Center (/www.spiritandworkresourcecenter.com) is filled with examples of how to fill any job, anywhere, with integrity, purpose and great joy. We've recently expanded our free online resources. Here you will a recommended books list; links to articles including an interview with Huston Smith on the wisdom of all the world's religions for work, and a FAQ sheet. New resources are being added weekly. Read more...
If one understands the basics of how the human body works, then most assuredly they paid attention during health or biology class. As we quickly take a deeper look inside the body both science and spirituality agree we are energy beings or energy centers as well as flesh, blood and bones. This is why defibrillators (devices which give an electrical charge) can either stop or start the heart. Read more...
Begone, evil spirit! Begone! OK, so that’s not how a typical acupuncture treatment begins (at least in my clinic). Even for possession. And when we talk about possession in Chinese Medical terms, we’re not usually referring to an evil spirit or the devil, like in the movie “The Exorcist”. Instead, we’re referring to an internal possession of the mind. This internal possession occurs when a person is unable to control their own thinking, resulting in a pattern of compulsive thought and behavior. Read more...
Community-based tourism generates lucrative revenues for poor or native communities in developing countries while enabling travelers usually accustomed to chain hotels and beachfront resorts to learn about traditional cultures. Pictured: A room at the Posada Amazonas lodge in Peru’s Esé-eja community of Infierno. Read more...
Dear EarthTalk: How does congestion toll pricing, used in some cities around the world, cut down on vehicle traffic and promote green-friendly public transit? -- Bill Higley, via e-mail
Despite increasing green awareness and steadily rising gasoline prices, Americans and other denizens of the developed world—not to mention millions of new Chinese and Indian drivers hitting the road every week—are loath to give up the freedom and privacy of their personal automobiles. But snarled traffic, longer commute times and rising pollution levels have given city transportation planners new ammunition in their efforts to encourage the use of clean, energy-efficient public transit. Read more...
We are a small group of filmmakers and digital media practitioners who have been concerned for some time about Tibet’s struggle for independence as well as China’s treatment and lack of recognition for the basic human rights of native Tibetans.
With the Olympics being held in China this year we, like many people around the world, hoped that such an event would help ‘shine the light’ on Tibet’s plight. Read more...
Mandakini and Prakash Amte have been conferred the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership, for serving the medical, education and livelihood needs of remote tribal communities in Maharashtra for over 30 years
Prakash Amte and his wife Mandakini, both doctors, have been awarded the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership 2008. The Magsaysay Award, given annually by the government of the Philippines, is considered to be the Asian Nobel. Read more...
Two photographers are heading off on a trip around the US to photograph offbeat festivals. They are traveling in an old airstream hitched to a diesel truck, which they will run on vegetable oil. You can even help fund their project by purchasing a print from their website!
Some of the festivals on their list:
- Hairy Chest, Legs, and Beard Contest in Fairbanks, Alaska
- All-Night Gospel Singing in Bonifay, Florida
- Machine Gun Shoot in Westpoint, Kentucky
- Toboggan Championships in Camden, Maine
- Little People of America Convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota
- The Quiet Festival in Ocean City, New Jersey
- The World Senior Games in St. George, Utah
Natalie Portman releases her vegan footware line. China get the greenlight to import African ivory, and Randy Olsen talks about his movie Sizzle: A Global Warming Comedy.
Read more...
Creative alternative fuel sources lead the news these days for good reason. From Switch Grass to industrial scraps we are waking up to the possibilities all around us for closing the loop on waste and energizing our ventures in the process. Here is a great story about researchers at Clemson University using microbes to digest the 20 million rotting peaches that are wasted each year in South Carolina. The result: hydrogen fuel from peaches for tractors to harvest peaches. What's not to love about that loop?
For more information please click on this link: www.clemson.edu
The Pickens Plan is blowing in the wind and Green Gadgets: We tell you where you can recycle your gadgets Read more...
As we head steadfast to the year 2012, the age of Aquarius or age of awareness, I notice the blend of science and spirituality becoming more apparent in mainstream society. Media outlets geared towards the average Joe now host an increasing number of movies, books, TV shows and the like around the subject of the unseen power of the human thinking potential.
How much power do our thoughts really have? If one would agree that we are energy beings housed in physical, flesh bodies then one might also agree that each individual energy being is connected to a much larger universal energy that thinks (has intelligence). These deeply held thoughts become beliefs which in turn spurs creation. If this is true then our thoughts are as powerful as we believe them to be. In this light, our beliefs may very well be the most valuable thing that we own. Read more...
GreenEdge Kids (www.greenedgekids.com) is a brand new website devoted to eco-friendly and stylish fashions for kids, sizes 2-12. The site is filled with information about organic cotton, hemp, recycled fabric, organic wool, soy, made in USA, fair trade, etc. It allows you to Shop by Conscience, by Brand, by product category or by size.
The styles are adorable, and hard to believe they're eco-friendly...green style for kids has come a long way! By providing the very latest in kids' eco-fashions, GreenEdge Kids makes is possible to be green...look good...and play hard. Read more...
Boredom is that frustrated sense of having nothing interesting to do. It is the companion to loneliness and depression for when we are bored we no longer feel good about our self.
Here are six steps to get your energy revved up and to recapture a lively sense of yourself. Read more...
Please take a few minutes to view my website, "Doing Good, While Doing Business." It features businesses that give back to the community in a variety of different ways. You may see it at www.changethemold.com.
Thanks, Myrna Read more...
This year's edition of Sfinks (festival for world music just outside Antwerp) was number 29, making it one of the oldest of its kind. The program was a mixed bag with quite a few disappointments but also some remarkable highlights.
By far the most surprising of those was a magic performance by Cryptonique, the bellows duo of composer and accordion player Fabian Beghin and diatonic harmonica virtuoso Didier Laloy, both hailing from Wallony, the French speaking part of Belgium. I was already familiar with their repertoire from the excellent CD Cryptonique they released in 2006, but their spectacular live performance rendered that album bleak in comparison. Read more...
I'd like to share with you Laughter Yoga, as it profoundly uplifts my life. Laughter Yoga has connected me with that inner place of well-being from which springs joy. As a physician/healer I am still blown away by the power of Laughter Yoga to heal, uplift, and create well-being. Everyone can practice it. Besides it's fun! Read more...
What constitutes pain and confusion in love and physical attraction? Why do we often find ourselves in agonizing situations despite the primary magic of an intimate association?
Emotions are an integral part of our social and civic self, but we are often conditioned to restrict and push it away, and maintain a stoic facade. The words ‘stiff upper lip’ are not conjecture; we often fall prey to it and end up with a stiffer heart and soul. Read more...
Great Leader seems always to be first defined as what we don’t have at the moment. Descriptions include decisiveness, courage and a fervent wish to serve the definers particular ethnic or economic group. And because everyone wants someone who believes in the same truth they believe, getting at what constitutes true leadership requires some study. I got caught up in this endless circle recently with a couple of friends. Reaching no consensus with them, I decided to do a reality check with Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, one time Roman Emperor. Read more...
Peace is like a baby we wanted to be born and grow in our lives. It has growth stages nurtured like a child's with love and care, wisdom and faith. This peace process and outcome is what we really need and want in our lives made more meaningful.
Do we look for wisdom to nurture peace by knowledge? We realize it’s not what we know that gives peace. It’s in the wisdom of contradictions when we react to situations in unloving ways, by judgments and preconceived ideas, without seeking the truth that lies behind biases. Wisdom to find peace is in forgiveness, of ourselves for mistakes and not persecute ourselves and others with what we can’t change in the past but in the present with new-found courage. Read more...
A major new fund has been created at The Pittsburgh Foundation to support The Pittsburgh Promise, a program designed to help students and families of the Pittsburgh Public Schools plan, prepare and pay for education beyond high school at an accredited post-secondary institution within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The Pittsburgh Promise serves to inspire and motivate Pittsburgh Public Schools students to “Dream Big” and “Work Hard” in order to improve the prospects for their future. Read more...
The EPA drops the value of human life. Greensburg, Kansas rebuilds into a sustainable emerald green city. Check out the latest news in alt autos: Stella, Tesla, Tata Nano, Prius, and more. Read more...
An expert in body/mind healing says that the secret to happiness, health and long life is as simple as breathing. It is so simple that anyone can master it with a little practice. There are no gadgets to buy or clubs to join to reap the benefits. You don’t even have to visit your doctor for a prescription. Does this sound too good to be true? Well, for once it isn’t!
According to Zen Yoga master, Aaron Hoopes the art of deep breathing has been called by a variety of names: conscious breathing, abdominal breathing, dynamic breathing and even belly breathing. Mr. Hoopes calls it Smart Breathing in the updated and expanded 2nd Edition of his book Breathe Smart. He calls it smart because it has immediate rewards, costs nothing and is a no-lose endeavor. It makes you feel good while you do it in the short term, and in the long term you will find yourself living a more energized, healthy and peaceful life. Read more...
In 1991, six Wall Street professionals established Minds Matter in New York City to mentor high-achieving, low-income high school students who had the potential and ambition to pursue a college education, but who lacked the resources to achieve that dream. Since then, Minds Matter has grown into a national organization with chapters across the United States in Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois; Denver, Colorado; New York City, New York; and Portland, Oregon. In the 2008-2009 school year, Minds Matter will launch a new Chapter and open its doors to students in Cleveland, Ohio!
The organization's services have also developed into a comprehensive three year curriculum for high school sophomores, juniors and seniors. Each year students are guided through valuable lessons in Academic Preparedness, Writing & Critical Thinking and Test Preparation. Read more...
Dear EarthTalk: I was intrigued to hear that there were a number of ways one could modify or construct a roof on a house or office facility that would provide great environmental benefit. Can you enlighten? -- Bill Teague, Menlo Park, CA
Most buildings are designed to shed rain, and as such are built with hard, impenetrable roofing surfaces. As a result, rainwater bounces off and collects as runoff, picking up impurities - including infectious bacteria from animal waste as well as harmful pesticides and fertilizers - on the way to municipal storm sewers, which in turn eventually empty out into local bodies of water. Read more...
More and more we're hearing that would-be vacationers are staying home this year in favor of the "staycation". It's a matter of striking a balance and not going too far off the all-or-nothing vacation deep end. Because in the end whether it's a vacation or a staycation, it's all about living, that rich life experience, that Leafpond Moment. So if you would like a vacation but can't get away, watch our video Leafpond Moment. Read more...
People suffering anxiety often focus on fearful thoughts of losing control or going crazy. Thoughts can trigger anxiety but it is the body's response to the threat conveyed by our thoughts or our senses that accounts for anxiety. Some of those reactions include: increased heart rate, sweating, choking sensation, tightness in body, nausea, numbness, chills or hot flushes. Fortunately, it is through breath therapy that we have a means to calm our body and relieve the pain.
Breath therapy is a kind of mindful breathing whereby in different ways one focuses on breathing and simply notices it. This kind of breathing connects to chi, the body's powerful healing energy. As this connection happens it can evoke a warm tingling or a subtle vibration that eases pain, calms emotions, invigorates energy, improves digestion, and contributes to restful sleep. Read more...
I have heard and experienced too, that everything turns rosy when one falls in love. The proverbial rose tinted glasses, rosy dreams, pink roses, and the blush on the lover’s cheeks! I have read many books on relationships, human psychology, have observed people, studied human behavior, have worked with centers that do ‘paid listening’ for the broken hearted and have listened to many stories of love getting bruised, with ennui, neglect and emotional asphyxiation. True, that everything looks pink in its initial stages, but turns blue with carelessness, extra carefulness, neediness, unfair expectations, suffocating possessiveness and at times, just for no reason at all.
I have written some motivating articles on the intricacies of relationships in various journals; perhaps involuntarily taking on the mantle of being a ‘so called expert’ on the subject. Well, even after all this I cannot vouch for being ‘the expert’ in relationships, because the fact is that it is difficult to figure out people and something as fragile as “feelings”. Human mind is a never-ending mystery, and so is the heart. Read more...
Buying a product can sometimes seem like a self-indulgent process: you purchase it, take it home and that is that. Your wardrobe may become a little more expansive or your living room a little more decorated, but that is about all that will change. Today, however, with increased opportunities and abilities for global collaboration, markets are being created based on the inspiring idea that purchases have the potential to do more than just become something to own. Products now have the capacity to actually do good. Read more...
Tree growth in the Arctic Tundra increases climate change, rival corporations are lightening the load on the roads by truck sharing deliveries in the UK due to high gas prices, and take a look at some new green gadgets. Read more...
Scholar, futurist, and activist Riane Eisler explains the potential of an economic system based on caring rather than domination. By giving economic value to life-sustaining activities like parenting, an economics of caring provides a more realistic view of human life and suggests policy that is more coherent with human nature. Read more...
A trip for those who like to experience culture, adventure and beauty and believe in "responsible tourism".
Embark on a walking camel safari set in the middle of 400 miles of vast mountain ranges in Kenya lead by honorary game wardens and nomadic Samburu warriors. Discover an Africa few encounter. Trek pure unspoiled land. A luxurious camping adventure complete with hot candlelit showers, delicious meals and personally tailored experiences. A once in a lifetime opportunity that will be talked about for years to come. And all this to benefit one of Kenya’s most renowned charity’s, MEAK (Medical and Educational Aid to Kenya). Read more...
I just read the news about the third doping case at this year's Tour de France: Italian rider Riccardo Ricco has tested positive for the banned blood-booster EPO. And of course, as it happens so often with sportsmen who are associated with artificial performance-enhancing measures, Ricco was "booed by spectators when he was taken off the Saunier-Duval team bus by police Thursday," the AP report said.
Poor Ricco! I don't think using drugs was such a great idea, but I do feel we need to ask ourselves some serious questions before we condemn him. After all, in the rest of society, performance-boosters have become increasingly commonplace. Read more...
Feeling guilty about the carbon emissions that you caused by attending that London meeting in person rather than by videoconference? Unsure how to make it up to the planet without being taken for a ride by a carbon cowboy?
Part of the trouble with carbon offsets
Hawaii has become the first state in the nation to require that all new homes come equipped with solar water heaters. The new law will apply to homes built after January 1, 2010, and add about $5,000 to a home’s cost. Solar water heaters pay for themselves in a few years because they cut average electricity costs by 30-35%. Israel and Spain also require solar heating in all new homes.
Source: World Business Alliance (www.worldbusiness.org) Read more...
Another highlight of the Sommelo Festival in Finland was Jouhiorkesteri, otherwise known as the Horse Hair Orchestra.
Thanks to musician, instrument maker and researcher Rauno Nieminen another ancient instrument has been revived from museological hibernation. This time it's not the kantele - a plucked zither which, according to recent theories, has been derived from Celtic lyres - but the jouhikko, a bowed lyre which has been in use around the Baltic Sea until the beginning of the 20th century. Its strings are stopped by simply resting the finger on them instead of pressing them down on a fingerboard. Read more...
One of the most popular 80’s pop classics, “Every breath you take”...by Sting often made me wonder: Is it really a song of love? Or of resentment and an obsessive need to possess?
If you listen with close attention, “Every smile you fake, every vow you break, I’ll be watching you...” speaks of vicious possessiveness and furious resentment. Read more...
When it comes to babies, safety is a priority for parents. We make sure the crib is sound, that we use safe mattresses and bedding, that toys are safe... But many of us are overlooking one key danger that lurks in the nursery -- and throughout our homes.
Many household cleaning products contain hazardous ingredients, which, if inhaled, ingested or absorbed through the skin, can cause everything from eye irritation to death. It's important to look at the ingredients on all cleaners used in the nursery (and in the home in general) -- if they are disclosed, because some of the chemicals they contain (and what they can do to you) may surprise you.
Just got back from a wonderful festival called Sommelo, taking place in Finland (Kuhmo) and across the Russian border in Viena Karelia (part of the republic of Karelia).
This annual event, founded in 2006 by singer and song collector Pekka Huttu-Hiltunen, focuses especially on the old Karelian tradition of runo singing, epic songs with a typical meter of eight syllables. The young Finnish artists who are now reviving this ancient art form, study not only field recordings and transcriptions, but also visit the last remaining runolaulaja (female runo singers) still living in remote vilages in Viena Karelia. Read more...
Between the 10th and 24th of September David and Cinthia, two of the FairMail teenage photographers are coming to the Netherlands for a big promotional campaign. During these two weeks they will be visiting different fairs, festivals and shops to tell the positive story behind FairMail.
Our clients in the Netherlands have the chance to win a private meeting with David and Cinthia! They will be visiting the winner together with the two initiators of FairMail. That can be at home to have breakfast together, or meeting in a nice cafe nearby in the evening. During the 'Meet and Greet' you will have the opportunity to personally get to know David and Cinthia and ask them whatever you want to. Maybe you can even give them tips on what pictures to take in the future! Read more...
I draw this comic about a fictional couple. They face existential struggle daily! Well, 3 days a week. But, somehow Ellen's optimism always pulls them through.
The Aravind Eye Hospitals in south India have contributed significantly to preventing debilitating blindness. Aravind was recently awarded the $1 million Gates Award. It all began with late Dr Govindappa Venkataswamy's dream. Ramesh Menon tracks down the pioneer.
Read full article: www.indiatogether.org/2008/jun/hlt-blindness.htm Read more...
US driving is declining. Nantucket Sound wind power battle. Prius ads let you get away with murder. And check out the latest in weird stuff. Read more...
What green-friendly lawn and garden pesticides are available today? I’m particularly interested in options that won’t harm my cats. -- Nancy Blanchard
Pesticides have greatly boosted agricultural yields over the last half century, so it is no wonder, given the commercial availability of many of these synthetic chemicals, that American homeowners apply 100 million pounds of the stuff each year to make their own gardens grow bigger and faster, too. Read more...
I am excited to share my new website with my fellow Intelligent Optimists. It is called myskinbetter.com and is a source of natural, self care tips and suggestions for improving skin conditions. My goal, which I hope you'll help me achieve, is to share this free information with 10,000 people in 3 months.
The site explains how environment, washing, products, the mind, diet, allergies, and more affect the skin and what simple self-care actions a person can take to improve skin. Read more...
I recently bumped into a “story” of a story, that became a book...
“Not Quit What I Was Planning ~ six word memoirs by writers famous and obscure" by Larry Smith and Rachel Ferschleiser, was inspired by the legend/story of how someone challenged Hemingway to write a story in six words or less, his response: Read more...
A group of us who have been marketing technology since the early 80’s are applying our expertise to help increase the U.S. awareness of sustainability. As part of a sustainability initiative within our direct marketing company, RED Direct, we created a prototype Web environment at www.earthsayers.tv. We saw a need and decided to fill it.
EarthSayers is a Website dedicated to the sustainability movement. The .tv denotes we feature the voices of sustainability, audio and video from across the Web, not print. We aggregate content from over twenty channels including YouTube and Blip.tv and unlike any other site, in addition to focusing on sustainability, we cover multiple formats ranging from documentaries to news to lectures to interviews. Read more...
In 2006, while still completing his studies in economics at Hampshire College, Alexander Petroff, the founder of Working Villages International, journeyed to the Ruzizi Valley in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. There his Congolese friends knew a progressive village chief who might be willing to donate land to start an eco-village for some of the victims of Congo’s ten year war
As Reiki originates in unity consciousness, so its practice also engenders the same. Let's understand how this happens. Earth and Celestial Ki are polar expressions, rather than being dualistic. There's a subtle distinction. Duality is one or the other, two oppositional forces that are separate. Water in the refrigerator is cold; water boiled in a kettle is hot. It's tough to jump from these directly to warm. Yet introduce polarity and the possibility of blending hot and cold appears. Polarity is the balance between two complementary states. It's the in-between state that can take us from duality to unity. Read more...
Prof. Robert Thurman (www.bobthurman.com) will be in Boulder, Colorado on July 23rd for a book signing and interview at the Boulder Theater. It promises to be an amazing time with an amazing man. Come check it out!
Get ready for the trip of a lifetime: yours. www.evolutionthroughvacation.com
Hi everyone! My name is Elissa. My colleague Gretchen + I have created something really fun and we'd love your input! It's called Evolution Through Vacation. And it helps transform vacations into powerful, personal development experiences. Read more...
YouTube star, Matt Harding, became a video start when he released his debut video "Where in the hell is Matt" in 2005 where he danced around the world. After 10 million people tuned in to watch Matt bust a move on an international level, Stride gum came calling and paid him to do the whole thing all over again, this time joined by his new legion of fans. Read more...
We live in a society that is fast-paced, consumer-oriented, and often impersonal. For this reason, so many people now crave personalization and celebration in life. We all remember any event that touches our emotions, that feeds us in a powerful way. Think about a wedding you attended where the vows were written by the bride and groom, the music was selected by them, the details of the celebration and ritual were carefully chosen to reflect the personalities and spirits of both the couple and their families and friends. Read more...
A group of 36 Northern California teens are taking their summer to explore their local communities in an effort to gain a deeper understanding of the issues that affect their local communities. Through the Coro Exploring Leadership Program these students will conduct formal and informal interviews of dozens of community members including district supervisors, non-profit executive directors, and prominent business owners. They will examine the communities' distinct configurations, characteristics, and cultures to answer the question
In the inner-city of Johannesburg, The GreenHouse Project is turning one urban park into a seedbed for sustainable communities. The program takes a holistic approach to the city's challenges, integrating green building and design, efficient and renewable energy, recycling, organic farming and nutrition. Read more...
How walkable is your neighborhood? Is your grocery store or coffee shop close enough to walk to or do you find the need to jump into the car every time you need a carton of milk?
Walk Score, www.walkscore.com, will rate how walkable your neighborhood is by calculating the distance your home is compared to groceries, retaruants, coffe shops and more. Read more...
