Going Hybrid with a 2009 Honda
So I was driving my 1997 Jetta home from Christmas shopping and my clutch pedal hit the floor and didn't pop back up. Fortunately, I was able to gently guide my vehicle to the curb where I had it towed to my auto mechanic. The next day, my mechanic told me it would cost me nearly $1000 to fix. It was then I knew it would be better to just get a new car than fork money into a vehicle whose blue book value was a mere $1200. Within 24 hours, I sold my Jetta and leased a 2009 Honda Hybrid. Needless to say, the quickness of it all had my head spinning. I am thrilled with my new Hybrid, including its blue tooth technology and satellite linked navigation system. It is a beauty and drives like a gem, while being gentle and kind on the environment.
If you are thinking of getting a new car, do all of us a favor, and go hybrid.
Exercise and the Brain
Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John J. Ratey, MD, is a fantastic and interesting read about how exercise improves the mental circuits of the brain to naturally combat stress, improve critical thinking, memory and more. From walking to running, one's brain can be strengthened and altered for optimum performance. Although there are aspects of the author's beliefs I disagree with, specifically his Darwinian and evolutionary beliefs, I found Spark to be informative and inspiring. Instead of reaching for the chocolate chip cookies, go jump rope or get on your treadmill and work out your stress while rewiring your brain. Your body and mind will begin to crave exercise more than being a couch potato.
Happy exercising!
In Everything Give Thanks
Today is Thanksgiving and I am reminded of the power of giving thanks for our blessings. I am grateful to God for my life experiences. I am thankful for trials and tribulations as they have refined me and helped develop my character and watered the seed of hope within me. I am thankful for forgiveness, healing, love, mercy, family and friends.
Life is not easy or fair all the time, but we can choose to be people of blessing, people of gratitude, people of love, and people of thanksgiving all the time. Start today. Give thanks.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
"...in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
2 Corinthians 4:15
"...the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God."
Colossians 3:15
"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful."
Hebrews 13:15
"Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name."
Be Healthy and Conscious by Greening Your Food!
When we think of being green we often neglect to consider our eating habits and food supply chain. Start or continue your green living by the following:
Sustainable food choices
Buy and consume organic foods, free from pesticides, fertilizers, hormones and antibiotics. Download the Good Food Guide for free at http://www.coopamerica.org/PDF/CAQ60.PDF.
Support green businesses
Buy your sustainable food products from businesses in the National Green Directory (http://www.coopamerica.org/pubs/greenpages/)
Support fair trade foods
Eat with a conscious by buying fair trade food (http://www.coopamerica.org/programs/fairtrade/).
Cook at home
That's right, by cooking and baking from scratch, you can help all of us go green. Eat lots of fresh fruit and veggies and eliminate or reduce your consumption of red meat. Did you know that red meat contributes to green house gasses? Yup.
A 2006 report from the LEAD Initiative (Livestock, Environment And Development), supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and other major "mainstream" organizations, outlines how meat consumption is contributing to a messy environment.
Some key findings:
1. Meat production in 2050 will double the amount produced in 1990
2. Livestock provides 1/3 of human protein intake
3. Grazing lands take up 26% of ice-free land
4. Feedcrop production is 33% of all arable land
5. 70% of previously forested land in the Amazon is taken up by pasture
6. Livestock accounts for 9% of all human activity related carbon dioxide emissions
7. Livestock is responsible for 37% of all human activity related methane emissions
8. Livestock account for nearly 2/3of human related ammonia emissions
9. Livestock are responsible for over 1/2 of the USA's erosion and sediment issues.
10. Livestock account for 20% of the Earth's animal biomass
11. 30% of the earth's land surface is now occupied by livestock versus wildlife
Read more here.
The Story of Stuff
Do you ever wonder where your stuff comes from and why you have so much stuff, yet have less leisure time than ever before?
Taken from StoryofStuff.com:
From its extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this is hidden from view. The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. It'll teach you something, it'll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever.
See a teaser here:
See the 20-minute video here.
Enjoy!
Wanna Know the Big Deal about Fair Trade Coffee?
Are you in the dark about why fair trade is the only ethical trading relationship? The Stanford Center for Social Innovation recently interviewed David Funkhouser, the Strategic Outreach Coordinator for TransFair USA, to discuss the history of fair trade, its impact upon coffee producing nations, and what Transfair, the only third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the US, does to promote and manage equitable trading relationships between producer cooperatives, exporters, purchasers, and consumers.
Listen to the interview or download the podcast here.
Safe & Nontoxic Cleaning Products
Why use toxic cleaning products when you can use healthy, nontoxic and safe cleaning alternatives? Here are some green cleaning ideas to help you be clean, healthy and make a planet difference:
All-Purpose Cleaner
Seventh Generation and Sun & Earth make non-toxic cleaning products which you can use for kitchens, bathrooms, tubs, floors, counters, tile, carpets, spills, stains, and other.
White Distilled Vinegar
Inexpensive and versatile, white distilled vinegar is a very powerful nontoxic disinfectant. Use it to remove stains, grease, mildew, wax buildup, polish some metals, clean coffeepots, toilet bowls, brick, stone, and windows. Also, one tablespoon during rinse cycle makes a fabulous fabric softener.
Window Glass Cleaner
Seventh Generation makes a wonderful nontoxic window cleaner.
Baking Soda (sodium bicarbonate)
Use baking soda to deodorize every room of the house, unclog drains, removes certain stains, and clean and polish jewelry, chrome, silver, copper, tin, stainless and tin.
Hand Dishwashing Liquid
Seventh Generation, Ecover, Earth Friendly, and Sun & Earth produces eco-friendly dishwashing liquid that can be used to clean pots, pans, dishes, glasses and anything else you don't want in the dishwasher.
Automatic Dishwashing Detergent
Seventh Generation makes a great nontoxic dishwashing detergent.
Laundry Liquid
Earth Friendly, Seventh Generation, & Ecover, all make eco-friendly nontoxic laundry liquid.
Lemon Juice
Use as a natural deodorizer and cleaner for aluminum, copper, porcelain and clothing.
Table Salt
Use to remove rust and, when combined with lemon juice, cleans copper. When salt is combined with vinegar, it polishes brass.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Use in diluted form to remove stains from dirty whites and other clothing/fabrics.
Happy cleaning!
The Fat Truth of Corn
Have you ever considered how much corn we consume and how fattening it is? Did you know that carbon in our body actually originates from corn or that corn is an ingredient in many food and industrial products? In "King Corn", a 2007 documentary, two recent college graduates plant corn and follow it's way through the supply chain right to your dinner plate. Government subsidies, corn crops are genetically modified and glazed with pesticides, resulting in harrowing outcomes for all consumers, including obesity, diabetes and other health related diseases.
Losing any nutritional value corn once had, corn is now harvested for high fructose corn syrup, used in lieu of table sugar and found in breads, spaghetti sauce, cookies, juices, gum, beer, and so much more. Although table sugar consumption has fallen, sweeteners have increased by 30%, largely due to corn syrup. Indeed, cheaper food is also unhealthy food, leading to obesity, diabetes and other health related diseases.
In addition, unlike years past, most cattle eat a corn based diet on huge feedlots, instead of having the freedom and ability to roam land and graze. As a result, the American people now eat corn based meat, a fattening starch alternative to grass based meat.
So what is the fat truth of modern day corn in America? Unfortunately, corporations financially benefit greatly from corn, while the rest of us contend with the pounds around the middle. Is it any wonder why diabetes has become a crisis in America? Let's stop the corporate insanity and boycott all food and drinks made with corn. There is a supply because there is a demand. Let's just stop demanding corn so the cattle and our bodies fare better.
Ready?
“If you’re standing in a field in Iowa, there’s an immense amount of food being grown, none of it edible. The commodity corn, nobody can eat. It must be processed before we can eat it. It’s a raw material—it’s a feedstock for all these other processes. And the irony is that an Iowa farmer can no longer feed himself.” —Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore's Dilemma
Let's take a closer look at every day products made with corn:
Corn Starches
Industrial uses: Adhesives, Cardboard, Construction Materials, Detergents, Paper, Textiles, Plasterboard
Food and drug uses: Antibiotics, Aspirin, Baked Goods, Candies, Condiments, Mixes & Instant Preparations, Processed Meats, Puddings
Corn Syrup
Industrial uses: Adhesives, Animal Feed, Bookbinding, Laminated Building Products, Enzymes, Leather Tanning, Lubricating Agents, Metal Plating
Food and drug uses: Baby Food, Bologna and Hot Dogs, Chewing Gum, Cookies & Crackers, Dessert Mixes, Fruit Drinks, Canned Foods, Cereals, Medicinal Syrups, Pickles, Salad Dressings, Seasoning Mixes
High Fructose Corn Syrup: Carbonated Beverages, Fruit Fillings, Cereals, Frostings, Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts, Pancakes, Pastries, Relishes & Sauces, Syrups & Dessert Toppings
Dextrose
Industrial use: Antibiotics, Enzymes, Coatings, Insecticides, Organic Solvents, Plasticizers, Shampoo
Food and drug uses: Brownies & Baked Goods, Canned Fruits, Cheese Spreads, Cured Meats (such as bacon), Dessert Mixes, Intravenous Solutions, Jams & Jellies, Soda Fountain Preparations, Marshmallows, Soups
Fermentation and other chemical products: Ethanol, Citric Acid, Lactic Acid, Essential Amino Acids, Sugar Alcohols
Links:
http://www.iowacorn.org/index.html
http://www.corn.org/
http://www.acga.org/
http://www.soyatech.com/corn_facts.htm
http://goefuel.com/cornfacts/index.html
Your Cleaning Products: Are They Toxic?
Have you ever considered that your household cleaning products may be toxic for your body? Unfortunately, many chemicals used in cleaning products are very harmful and toxic and really need to be banned from the market. Conventional cleaners, from chlorine bleach-based detergents to drain cleaners, have been associated with numerous childhood health problems, including ADHD, asthma, birth defects, and reproductive problems. Let's take a look at common ingredients found in conventional household cleaning products and the impact they may have on your body:
Aerosol propellants: carpet cleaners, air fresheners, spray starches, furniture polish and waxes, insecticides, conventional oven cleaners, and upholstery cleaners. These types of aerosol propellents cause irritants to eyes, throats, and lungs, contributing to asthma and other lung diseases.
Alkylphenolic compounds: all-purpose cleaners and laundry detergents. These compounds are endocrine disrupters, proven to mimic hormone estrogen and reek havoc on a woman's hormones regulating reproductive and development.
Ammonia: conventional window cleaners, metal polishes and cleaners, furniture polishes and waxes. Ammonia irritates the eyes, skin and respiratory system, resulting in respiratory problems, like pulmonary edema, bronchitis, and pneumonia. In addition, ammonia can cause cataracts and corneal damage, chemical burns, and skin cancer.
Chlorine bleach and chlorine byproducts: dishwasher detergents, tub and tile cleaners, toiletbowl cleaners, laundry detergents, and other. This is one of the primary causes of household poisonings in the US.
Formaldehyde: air fresheners, disinfectants, and spray starches. Formaldehyde is a carcinogen in humans, and can severely irritate or burn eyes, nose, skin, throat, lungs, and mouth. In addition, this toxin contributes to asthma, skin allergies, and even pulmonary edema.
Perchlorethylene, or PERC: carpet cleaners, spot removers, degreasers and dry-cleaning fluids. PERC is a bioaccumulative toxin, meaning it can be stored in our fat tissue. When inhaled by pregnant women, this toxin can be very damaging to babies in the womb and contaminate breast milk.
Petroleum distillates: hand dishwashing liquid, lip gloss, perfume, plastics, paint thinners, stain removers, solvents, artificial fragrances, furniture polishes, and oven cleaners. Exposure to this toxin can pose risks to the respiratory, liver, endocrine, cardiovascular, immune and gastrointestinal systems.
Benzene, a toxic emission of burning coal and oil, has been correlated with childhood leukemia. In addition, it can damage a baby in the womb.
Toulene, is another highly toxic petrochemical solvent, and a known carcinogen, neurotoxin, and eye and skin tolerant. It can be found in an array of products, like adhesives and sealants, paint and varnish removers, vinyl flooring, undercoats and primers, bathmats, waterproofing compounds, and industrial particleboard.
Phenol: laundry detergents, all-purpose cleaners, air fresheners, disinfectants, metal polishes and cleaners, and dryer sheets and fabric softners. Known to be a mutagen and suspected carcinogen, phenol can severely irritate or burn eyes, skin, eyes, mouth, throat, lungs, and nose. Such toxins can interfere with the ability of the blood to carry oxygen, causing bronchitis. Higher exposures can lead to build up of fluids in the lungs, resulting in pulmonary edema. Internal consumption, in large volumes, can lead to cold sweats, convulsions, coma, circulatory collapse and death.
In my next post, I'll post greener and healthier alternatives for household cleaning products, so you and your body can be safe. Read another post about greening your home here.
The Miracle Berry! A Healthy Alternative to Sugar
Recently, I listened to an interview with Montreal-based writer Adam Leith Gollner about his new book, The Fruit Hunters: A Story of Nature, Adventure, Commerce, and Obsession. Goliner traveled around the world in pursuit of the history of fruit, leading him to discover "the miracle berry", a cranberry-like fruit that turns sour into sweet. When you eat the the miracle berry, you can eat an entire lime, for example, and it will literally be sweet. That's right. Imagine, no more mouth watering response when you think about biting into a lime as it becomes as juicy and sweet as an orange! Imagine! Not surprisingly, due to possible corporate interests, this amazing fruit has yet to reach consumers. In fact, this miracle berry was banned by the FDA in early 1970's, even though it could easily be an easy and all-healthy alternative to sugar. See the interview with Amy Goodman on Democracy Now!
Making Biofuel from the Fruit of the Jatropha Tree
In 2001, when petroleum prices began to spiral upwards, Ricardo Asturias in Guatemala saw an opportunity with biofuels. With a background in agribusiness and petroleum, Asturias knew that alternative fuels would be a promising investment and he had just the plant oil in mind, the nonedible fruit of the Jatropha tree (Jatropha Curcas), called the piñon. This small tree grows in abundance in Guatemala and has had little every day use but is known for its success in preventing erosion and deforestation. Asturias is quite confident that the piñon, and other renewable sources of energy, “will result in an agricultural revolution in our countries.”
This amazing non-edible fruit is a strong source of alternative fuel; it is good for consumers and the environment.
Other Benefits of Jatropha Curcas:
- It can grow almost anywhere, with little or no maintenance or water
- It grows in abundance
- Produces year round seed, if watered
- Medicinal and industrial uses, including: soaps, cosmetics, toothpaste, high quality paper, & cough medicine.
References:
http://www.biodieseltoday.com/
http://www.jatrophacurcasplantations.com/
http://www.iadb.org/idbamerica/index.cfm?thisid=4329
"Bella" Movie Review - Celebrating Life!
"Bella" is a reminder of the beauty and sacredness of life. It is a heart warming story between Jose, a handsome and former soccer pro, now turned chef, and Nina, a waitress he meets at a restaurant. After Nina confides to Jose that she is pregnant, Jose talks her out of having an abortion. This movie will leave a sweetness and lightness in your spirit, as it celebrates families, friendship and life. Go rent it.
"Bella" won the People’s Choice Award at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival.