Gaia: How to Save the World

Things You Can Do to Evolve The World

http://roderick.gaia.com — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 20:52:27 GMT

It's not about Saving The World. It's about evolving. Us (you and me and everyone else here) evolving. The planets gonna be here for awhile - she might be in a lot worse shape, but the point is that we have to evolve. Now.

Every step in the right direction helps. Baby steps are massive for some people. But taking one baby step (ie switching to flourescent bulbs) - and feeling great about the quality of light and the reduced energy bill - is actually massive because of the snowball effect. The point is to take a step.

I disagree with my old friend's opinion about being child free - and she knows this - but I do agree that we have to begin thinking about the big picture and taking the steps that matter most, now.

And here's where I'd like to respond to Inukshuk's point about Bush. Yes, vote for the next guy. But to rest your hopes for change with a nationally elected leader is not a big solution. Being a local leader is (which it sounds like you are, Inukshuk :~)

Be a leader, or support a local leader you believe in, and get things done in your neighborhood. Take your baby steps first, if you haven't already. Stop eating beef by discovering the amazing feeling and health benefits you get by going vegan. Create a personal vision and embark on your path, if you haven't already. Create a community vision and inspire people to do something simple and meaningful, like start an organic veggie garden.

One thing we lack around the world, in my opinion, is local leadership. Screw national presidents - yes, they're important and have some capacity to change things - but your neighborhood is where it's at.

Be the change!

Begin evolving the world by evolving your own world. Your home. And your Community.

For me, that's the biggest step and the greatest contribution that anyone can make.

Re: Polar bears face certain extinction and yet...

http://Oceann.gaia.com — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 02:17:17 GMT

I agree whole-heartedly! How DO parents who do nothing to save the world look into the eyes of their children? And how can they bear to think of their children's chldren? And theirs? Leaving a legacy is what we all should be concerned about. Not a parent, nor will I ever be, by choice, a parent - I still have a great feeling of responsibility to the future generations - (which is why I choose to be child-free) - and want them to have as good or better a world than we have. Doesn't everyone? If not, then why not? How can we heal selfishness?

An idea I am trying to launch

http://isaacson.gaia.com — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 16:18:11 GMT

Please see my blogs:

A call to action! (Attention angel investors/venture capitalists)

and

A call to action! (Part 2 - more specifics)

to see how I am planning to get homeless youth off the streets.

Peace,

Marc

Polar bears face certain extinction and yet...

http://anandaarts.gaia.com — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 05:21:16 GMT

the federal administration saw fit to auction off an enormous tract of Alaskan territory to big name oil companies for oil drilling (http://www.adn.com/front/story/307588.html).

If the malignant greed of the government ignores the many voices of protest and disregards the imminent peril of wildlife, what can be done? As polar ice-caps diminish, bear cubs drown. More drilling for oil in their habitat greatly increases potential for hazardous oil spills, no guarantees to protect wildlife and the rapid demise of one of the world's fierce and majestic animals.

I wonder what parents will tell their children a few years hence when asked, "What did you do to help the polar bears?" Will we be able to say we resolved to drive our cars less, we used public transport, we actively worked to advance more eco-friendly fuel options, we refused to buy from environmental terrorists?

Our failure to be respectful stewards of this most precious and beautiful earth will not be easily forgiven by our offspring. And if they indeed survive, they inherit a desolate, ravaged planet, testimony only to our arrogance and self-absorption.

Doing nothing is criminal and complicit in the mindless voraciousness and disrespect for the sanctity of life that characterizes the current U.S. leadership.

Re: How about a Awakening Truth?

http://arosieworld.gaia.com — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 09:02:11 GMT

Areté
I saw this film too! :) And you are right it was very well done! Many authors have explored these topics but this movie did make things flow together very well. You should watch America: from freedom to fascism

its all very interesting and something to give a lot of thought to.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1656880303867390173

Love and Light,
rosie

Re: How about a Awakening Truth?

http://ian-maleny.gaia.com — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 08:08:01 GMT

And how long will the change last?
I am being very serious.
()

Jan. 11, 2008 Day of Action to Close Guantanamo Prison

http://shelivesintheforest.gaia.com — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 23:25:40 GMT

Witness Against Torture, a member group of UFPJ, has been a leading force in the efforts to shut down the detention center at GuantÃ¡namo. Now they are organizing what promises to be an important day of protest on Friday, January 11, 2008. More information about the plans for activities in Washington, DC, that day -- as well as what you can do locally -- are included in the message below.

Peace,

Leslie Cagan
National Coordinator, UFPJ

"Immediately close the detention center at GuantÃ¡namo Bay, Cuba,
and either release its inmates or bring them before an impartial tribunal."
â€" United Nations Human Rights Commission

CALL TO ACTION

We declare January 11, 2008, six years after the first prisoners arrived at Guantanamo, an International Day of Action to Shut Down GuantÃ¡namo. In Washington, DC, we will hold a permitted demonstration at the National Mall followed by an orange jumpsuit procession to the Supreme Court. There will also be solidarity demonstrations in Chicago, Miami, London and Paris, with more being added every day. We invite you to come to Washington and participate, or else join or plan an action in your own community. We also encourage people around the world to wear orange t-shirts, armbands or other orange clothing on January 11th to mark the date.

JOIN US IN WASHINGTON, DC

Friday, January 11, 11:00am. (National Mall).

The day involves several elements:

Demonstration at the National Mall. Witness Against Torture has teamed up with Amnesty International and the National Religious Campaign Against Torture to hold a permitted demonstration on the National Mall at 11:00am. (Gather at 12th street NW between Madison Dr NW & Jefferson Drive SW - near the Smithsonian Metro Stop.)

"Prisoners of GuantÃ¡namo March." Hundreds marched in last year's procession
A provocative street theater performance involving people wearing orange jump suits and black hoods. We will march from the National Mall to the Supreme Court in an orderly silent procession hauntingly evoking the moral disgrace that is GuantÃ¡namo. With your help, we will form a prisoner contingent including as many protesters as there are prisoners.

Funeral Ceremony at the Supreme Court. Following the procession to the Supreme Court, we will hold a Funeral Ceremony to remember the four men who died in custody at GuantÃ¡namo and to mourn the death of Habeas Corpus. Like last year, some may choose to risk arrest. To participate, please consider attending an orientation meeting on Thursday, 4pm, at St. Stephen and the Incarnation Church (1525 Newton Street, NW) or come early to the National Mall for an orientation and rehearsal at 10:00am. Please let us know in advance if you are willing to participate in either the Prisoners Contingent, Nonviolent Direct Action, or both. Email jan11@witnesstorture.org or call Matt Daloisio at 201-264-4424.

For up-to-date details as well as information about housing, food, rides and directions, legal support and much more, please visit our website at http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=KcnPe1lIjQXPcM%2Fta%2FWEhNcwg%2Bixqqk6.

WEAR ORANGE ON JANUARY 11TH!
Wherever you are on January 11th, we encourage you to wear orange to raise public awareness and strengthen the movement to demand an end to torture and indefinite detention. Consider wearing one of Witness Against Torture's Orange "Shut Down GuantÃ¡namo" T-shirts, an ACLU arm band, or even an orange jump suit.

JOIN THE GROWING NUMBER OF LOCAL VIGILS - ATTEND OR ORGANIZE AN ACTION IN YOUR COMMUNITY
If you can't join us in Washington D.C., please consider attending or organizing a vigil, march or a public forum in your community. Actions are currently planned in 30 cities, including New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Miami, London, Paris and elsewhere.

Visit http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=jbIGLMk5uIb00rQWxbVsW5AAAAmDI8X6 for up-to-date details about solidarity events, as well as to find ideas for actions, to post to our calendar, or to download flyers and other resources.

WHO WE ARE
Two years ago Witness Against Torture drew international attention after it walked to GuantÃ¡namo to visit the prisoners. Upon its return, the group has organized vigils, marches, nonviolent direct actions and educational events to expose and decry the administration's lawlessness, build awareness about torture and indefinite detention, and forge human ties with the prisoners at GuantÃ¡namo and their families.

Some of the organizations endorsing the Jan 11 Day of Action include:

    Act Against Torture
    Bill of Rights Defense Committee
    The Catholic Worker
    Center for Constitutional Rights
    CodePink
    Declaration of Peace
    International Federation of Human Rights
    National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance
    Network of Spiritual Progressives
    Pax Christi USA
    Peace Action
    School of the Americas Watch
    Torture Abolition and Survivors Coalition
    United for Peace and Justice
    US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation
    Voices For Creative Nonviolence
    War Resisters League
    World Can't Wait
    ...and more. See a full list of endorsers.

DONATE
Please make a contribution to help cover the costs of the January 11th event. You can donate online or send a check made out to "Witness Against Torture" to Mary House Catholic Worker, 55 E. Third Street, New York, NY 10003.
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=Zk68A9FOKSO0ek%2FrkZZayJAAAAmDI8X6

Help us continue to do this critical work: Make a donation to UFPJ today.

UNITED FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=0bk2yhauBoiWV0J3KCc5sJAAAAmDI8X6 | 212-868-5545
To subscribe, visit http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=eT8k8zlqNpJyR%2FXsl70k2ZAAAAmDI8X6

Time for Citizens to Take Back Money Power

http://seek2know.gaia.com — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 03:55:47 GMT

Thanks for the Awakening to Truth post, I just saw a little section after the first hour of the movie zeitgeist. I've been actively engaged in searching for 9-11 truth within the first month of the incident and diseminating information on a wide variety of cover-ups and conspiracy.

Now I feel It is imperative for citizens to get educated everyhere how to create a sane monetary system locally and regionally through public private partnership. Money of the people by the people and debt-free and usury (compound interest free) 100% trust money backed by the resources, labor and commons of the area.

See my blog on Deep Conscious Capitalism and share it globally, so exploitation and war and poverty of the innocent can end. There is plenty in this earth, noone has to die, maimed or exploited for the filthy greed of a few! Join my transforming capitalism pod here or visit

http://conscious-capitalism.blogspot.com

Share it widely. Thanks.

Peace

How about a Awakening Truth?

http://philosophy.gaia.com — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 21:13:26 GMT

Please take a moment to watch this film: ZEITGEIST

It's quite life changing...

Bio-fuels and Global Warming.

http://ian-maleny.gaia.com — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 06:40:58 GMT

Feeding food to motor vehicles while millions are starving and millions more are under-nourished is not a solution to global warming. What is needed is a change in attitude and lifestyle by those responsible for the polluting.

Re: who's gone raw on here

http://Oceann.gaia.com — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 16:39:42 GMT

cool!
there are many raw vegans on zaadz, including me (mostly - still do some steamed veggies too).

keep telling others to help save them from these dreadful diseases!

God provided everything we need in order to heal everythihng.

i recommend The Hallelujah Diet - visit here_
http://www.hacres.com

Reduce Paper Use

http://shelivesintheforest.gaia.com — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 16:26:00 GMT

Saving paper means saving forests which we need to slow climate change. The Ancient Forest Friendly website, http://www.ancientforestfriendly.com/ , has the following guide to reducing paper use (http://www.ancientforestfriendly.com/paper-efficiency/home).

A Practical Guide to Increasing Paper Efficiencies

In this section you'll find practical ways to make your paper use much more efficient. Paper efficiency means you are acting smart about your environmental and financial resources. We ask this of our signatory companies, but individuals can practice paper efficiency as well.

The three R's of waste reduction are Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. The first ‘R' is the most resource efficient of them all.

At Home and Work

read newspapers online, read magazines from the library or buy digital magazine subscriptions,
have your name removed from catalogue mail lists,
post a ‘no unaddressed mail' notice on your post box and don't print your emails.

And here are more tips for around the office:

Photocopiers

Set photocopy machines to double-sided by default. Your photocopy technician can perform this simple service.
Introduce codes for use of photocopiers. This will provide everyone with insights to their consumption by tracking the paper consumption of various departments. This is particularly helpful and motivating when working towards increasing efficiencies. Add a little incentive to your paper efficiency drive - set up inter-departmental competitions or annual targets for each department based on the previous quarter/year's consumption.
Adjust photocopy machine for recycled paper to avoid any potential of copier jamming. Your photocopy technician can perform this simple service.
When purchasing new printers and photocopy equipment, ensure they can easily print double sided.

Mail

Wherever possible shift to electronic bills and online application forms. For clients who require hardcopies, print double sided bills and application forms.
Reduce the basis weight of the paper - it will save postage costs.
Where possible, reuse envelopes for correspondence. Use address labels to cover original information.
Use inter-office envelopes which can be re-used multiple times.

Computers and the Paperless Office! Use your computer to reduce paper consumption not increase it!

General Office Use

Reduce the basis weight of the paper used in the office and for promotional use. E.g. switch from a 60lb sheet for general office use to a 50 lb sheet.
Post memos on a central bulletin board.
For editing processes, have several people edit the same document using different colour ink and track changes.
Use single sided waste paper for printing drafts.
Maximize formatting by reducing font size and increasing margins.
Buy 100% post consumer recycled copy paper. Many brands are available and they work well in today's machines.

Company Documents and Reports

Reduce size of printed pieces by working with your designer and printer to try creative formatting to maximize use of parent sheets for printing.
Post reports electronically.
Reduce the basis weight of paper used.

Faxes

Use fax stick it forms rather than cover sheet.
Use plain paper faxes
Program your machine to eliminate printed confirmation sheets
Format fax carefully so that excessive pages are eliminated.

Re: Green Actions You Can Take At Home

http://shelivesintheforest.gaia.com — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 02:13:15 GMT

GREEN TIPS FOR THE KITCHEN

Here are some things you can do in your kitchen, to stop global warming. These suggestions are from the British Channel 4 website: http://www.channel4.com/science/microsites/E/environment/help_1.html .

Tips for being green in the kitchen

Quick tips

Don't overfill the kettle
If you're making tea for one, only use that amount of water. If you're making tea for two, use that amount and so on. Overfilling the kettle wastes needless energy.

Don't waste food
This might seem like an obvious point, but a survey by Braun found that YUBBIES (Young Urban Bin Baggers) waste £865m of food every year by letting it go stale or out of date. One in six people wastes more than 10% of their average £42 weekly groceries shopping. Salad and fresh vegetables are the most likely items to be thrown away.

Eat your leftovers
The Braun survey also showed that people in the UK no longer keep leftover food for another meal, preferring to bin it or feed it to the dog instead.

Let food cool down before refrigerating it
This saves energy. Also, only keep the fridge door open for as long as you need to.

Make your own lunch
Not only will this save you a lot of money, but also you'll use less packaging than a sandwich shop.

Only wash full loads in the washing machine
Only ever wash full loads of clothes instead of half loads to save water and energy.

Replace ordinary light bulbs with energy efficient ones
They might cost more initially, but they last much longer and are significantly better for the environment.

Recycle
As well as buying recycled products, get in touch with your local authority to find out about recycling schemes in your area. Pretty soon you'll be required to sort your rubbish anyway, so why not start now?

Re-use items
Bottles, carrier bags and refillable containers don't have to be thrown away - they can all be reused. Many supermarkets now offer 'bags for life'.

Think twice before you put something in the bin
Can it be reused or recycled?

Turn the lights off when you leave a room
This is one of the easiest things anyone can do - and the difference it can make to the amount of energy we consume is considerable.

Use refill packs
Most washing powders, liquids, fabric softeners and dishwasher products have refill packs rather than buying the large plastic bottle over and over again.

More tips

Buy less processed foods
Processed foods are often over-packaged, so try buying more fresh items.

Buy locally produced food where possible
Locally-produced foods don't have to be transported, making them a considerably more environmentally-friendly option by far.

Buy products with less packaging
Less packaging usually means less waste - although how environmentally friendly a product is also depends on how the product was packaged and transported originally.

Don't pour oil, fats and harmful chemicals down the sink or toilet
Inside drains lead to a septic tank or sewer system, where water will be treated. But some chemicals and substances won't be broken down and will still end up back in the sea or rivers. Inside drains and toilets should not be used to dispose of hazardous waste or chemicals - go to your local dump where they will be disposed of properly.

Dispose of your fridge properly
Many old fridges contain chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which contribute to the hole in the ozone layer. If you need to dispose on an old fridge, contact your local authority.

Grow fresh food in your garden
Like locally-produced foods and products, there is no transport involved here, so you can't get much greener.

Repair damaged goods
Half of electrical goods that go to the dump only need minor repairs - and it will probably cost you less than buying a replacement.

Reuse plastic and glass bottles and jars or take them to a recycling bank
Containers like bottles and jars don't always have to be thrown away or recycled - you can reuse them, too.

Separate your rubbish
Recycling is going to become a bigger part of all of our lives, so why not start separating your rubbish for recycling now? Contact your local authority to find out when your nearest recycling point is - there might even be a local collection service available.

Shop environmentally
Books like The Good Shopping Guide list the most eco-friendly products and brands to buy.

Use and buy energy efficient appliances
Products like fridges and washing machines have energy labels on. Categories 'A' and 'B' are the most energy efficient and use less water. Anything rated below rating 'D' is being phased out and should be avoided - it will cost you more and will use more electricity.

Use low temperatures on your washing machine
This saves water and energy.

Re: Green Actions You Can Take At Home

http://shelivesintheforest.gaia.com — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:00:35 GMT

I think there are many different ways to become green. So I cannot agree that there are only two ways to do it -- by becoming a vegan and by not having children, save by adopting.

I have two teenagers, so the option is a bit late, and one I would not have taken at the time anyway. My husband and sons would never become vegetarian, let alone vegan.

However, I do get all my electricity from a green energy source: Bull Frog Power. We buy local and or organic. I have switched over most of the products we use to organic or natural. We use the subway to go to work and doctor/dentist/etc. appointments. We can walk to the grocery store and corner store and shopping and to our sons' doctor (dentist & eye doctor are one and two subway stops away).

We have energy efficient appliances, compact fluorescent bulbs, turn off lights and other devices when not in use. We use reusable bags rather than plastic.

I get all my books from the library. I haven't bought any clothes or clothes related item for myself the whole year. I got a membership for the David Suzuki Foundation for my birthday this year and other "green" related items.

I am also on a Green Committee at work and believe I have been of some assistance there in getting the organization to save paper, electricity and other resources. I have almost completed switching over all of my investments to socially responsible ones.

Now the worst shame in North America are President Bush and Prime Minister Harper and the way they are running away from the Kyoto agreement. However, the capital markets and pressure from individual and institutional investors are already forcing companies who do not want to go green to go green or go greener.

I think many cities, provinces or states, individuals, organizations, businesses are already making or continuing to make changes. It is too bad Bush and Harper have their heads either in the oil fields or under the tar sands but so it goes. We all better do a better job of electing the next heads of state in Canada and the United States.

who's gone raw on here

http://joshrawla.gaia.com — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 21:31:22 GMT

Who is raw here? I've just started a raw vegan diet after finally becoming a vegetarian in the last few months. I was inspired by a link my friend sent me about going raw to reverse diabetes. Many of my family members are diabetic and I knew that if I didnt change my eating, I would become diabetic as well. Take a look at the trailer on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSuqCMld00w Josh

Ask Carla

http://Oceann.gaia.com — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 15:06:43 GMT

Visit AskCarla.com to check out eco tips before you shop and before you donate.

She's a brilliant nutritionist, consumer advocate, and advisor on all things green, eco,

and healthy!

Make All Your Choices Compassionate and You WIll Thrive!

Re: Green Actions You Can Take At Home

http://Oceann.gaia.com — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 15:45:50 GMT

Yes, these are fine for baby steps in saving the world, and yet without the giant steps necessary - the two vital steps in greening to save our world - nothing will change.

These are, of course, stemming human overpopulation and greening our food.

As even hosts on news stations note, why don't these so-called eco and green leaders, like Gore, like Suzuki, and others who profess to love our planet and want life to continue with some quality for all - why don't they take the two steps that actually will save it?

Ponder that as you - if you do actually care = take the big two steps that will save our lives-
Go Vegan and Go Child-Free and/or adopt.

Distilling this all down to why we have chosen to destroy our planet and to continue to do so at unprecedentedly terrorizing rates - to blame are our inborn appetites plus our unwillingness to stop continuous over-consumption despite the facts.

While baby steps are better than none, only going all the way, and FAST, will help anything at all.

How to cure this and save the world?

Address our appetites, our greed, and our spirituality.

If your own spirituality doesn't include all beings on Earth, all places, all things, and if it merely pays lip service to compassion, then think again.

Compassion and logic will save the world.

Those lead us to the reality: that each of us needs to examine his or her own soul and decide to do what is necessary to save what we profess to love.

Go Vegan. Go Child-Free - these are the ways , combined, to save our world.

To Green IS to Vegan IS to be Child-Free and/or adopt.

To Eco IS to Vegan IS to be Child-Free and/or adopt.

Green Actions You Can Take At Home

http://shelivesintheforest.gaia.com — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 23:13:28 GMT

The David Suzuki Foundation website has a ton of useful information about: Solving Global Warming, Protecting Human Health, Conserving Our Oceans, Protecting Our Health, and Building A Sustainable Economy. Dr. Suzuki is a Canadian scientist, professor, broadcaster, writer, and is one of the people referred to in the 11th Hour movie. Here is the general site for the David Suzuki Foundation:

http://www.davidsuzuki.org/

The section of the site called "What You Can Do", is divided up into the following parts:
At Home, At Work, Go Carbon Neutral, Take Action, Join Climate News email list, Take the Nature Challenge. Here is the part about what you can do at home.

http://www.davidsuzuki.org/Climate_Change/What_You_Can_Do/

WHAT YOU CAN DO: AT HOME

Simple changes in our everyday lives can help slow climate change. For an excellent overview of actions you can take to reduce your carbon footprint, please download our brochure, 10 ways you can stop global warming, reduce energy consumption and make a difference (PDF). Together, we can make a difference.

What you can do:

Reduce your home heating and electricity use. A more energy-efficient home will lower your utility bills and reduce the emissions that cause climate change. Find out how you can increase energy efficiency in your home through the EnerGuide for Houses program.
Choose energy-efficient appliances. New refrigerators, for example, use 40 per cent less energy than models made just 10 years ago. Find out more
Check the Canadian government's Auto Smart ratings for the next car you intend to buy to make sure it's fuel efficient and low polluting. A typical SUV uses almost twice the fuel - and releases nearly twice the emissions - of a modern station wagon, although both seat the same number of passengers. Visit the Canadian Annual Office of Energy Efficiency EnerGuide Awards to find the most fuel-efficient vehicles.
Walk, bike, carpool or take transit to get to one of your regular destinations each week.
Learn about the impacts of air travel and consider vacationing close to home.
If you are moving, choose a home within a 30-minute bike, walk or transit ride from your daily destinations. A convenient place to live reduces the amount you drive, which means you'll lower your greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants.
Take care of your trash. Composting all organic waste - and recycling paper, cardboard, cans and bottles - will help reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with landfills.
Eat wisely. Choose foods that are local, organic and low on the food chain whenever possible. Make the most of seasonal foods.
Learn about how to plan a green, low-carbon wedding.
Take the David Suzuki Foundation's Nature Challenge to learn more about other ways you can help protect the environment.
Go Carbon neutral!

Did you know?

Standard light bulbs give off 90 per cent of their energy as heat. New compact fluorescent "spiral" bulbs are 75 per cent more efficient and fit in standard sockets.

If you combined all the "heat leaks" in an average Canadian home, you would have a hole the size of a basketball! Proper weather stripping and caulking of doors and windows can reduce heating bills by 25 per cent.

A typical car produces three times its weight in carbon dioxide emissions - a major greenhouse gas. Light cars produce fewer emissions and cost less. Annual fuel costs average $648 for a new Volkswagen Jetta and $2,067 for a Ford Expedition 4x4.

Refrigerators are an energy-hogging home appliance. Replacing a 10-year-old refrigerator with a new EnergyStar-approved model would save enough energy to light your home for more than three months.

Encourage your local government to move towards energy efficient communities. Encourage your city to expand transit and other alternatives, make city operations more energy efficient and encourage compact development instead of sprawl. Tips on contacting political representatives.

Re: The Most Important Thing To Green !

http://Oceann.gaia.com — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 21:31:14 GMT

Think of the world as one household. The house is small, the income fixed, and they cannot move. The family already has a child, and cannot feed another, and yet they think of having another child. Either the quality of life will suffer and each will have less food, they will put one out to starve, close the windows, and not heed his cries, or they will stop having children.

Stop Human Overpopulation

GetFixed.org

ChildFix

EcoChildFree

See how Eco-Eating Can Solve All Problems

The Most Important Thing To Green!

http://Oceann.gaia.com — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 18:48:37 GMT

Greening is the aim all of us Earthlings who are deterined to save the world are focusing on.
What actually is Greening?
To Green is to restore, to renew, to replace, and to protect the Greenness, that is, the Life, on our planet.
To Go Green means to care. To consider the whole of life first, which is the only logical thing to do, since to do otherwise is basically to pull the rug out from under ourselves and everyone we love.
So, Greening is loving oneself!

Your body craves green food - fruits, veggies, grains, seeds, and nuts - and they taste, obviously, much, much better than dead carrion flesh!
Any of the meals you're accustomed to can easily today be Veganized - turned into Green Meals - and while you're saving your health, you're also saving the world!

How does this work?

First of all, the soul craves compassion toward all our fellow beings, so this brings your spirit to a point of joy!
Then, your body thrills to being fed vibrant, colorful, healthy plant foods while you stop feeding yourself roadkill or toxins, and your body begins to renew itself magically!
Then, the years peel off your face and form, the pounds melt, and a younger, more energetic, and slender you is revealed!
Then, the satisfaction of knowing that, by each Green Meal, you've saved lives - both human and all other animals' lives - supplies you with a feeling of belonging in the world like you've never before experienced! A kinship with all Life brings a completeness of Spirit that only true Compassion to All Beings can bestow!

By saving land otherwise given to grazing of cattle for the cruelty industries, you are saving arable land for grains and vegetables to be grown, as they were in the past, in order to feed the huge populations of humans now starving due to the usurping of those lands.
So, by eating Green Food, you are causing crops to continue to be grown in order to feed hungry people.

Since the cattle raising also is the cause of the most major air and water pollution in the world, then you, by Greening Your Food, are creating cleaner air and water, addressing that solution too!

Keeping trees up is another life and planet-saving cause of Greening Your Food, and along with the soul, the body, and the saving of people, other animals, and the planet itself, there is the great taste of Vegan Food!

So, what is the most important thing to Green?
It's your Food!
Your Food is You - what ( and, sad to say, Who), you eat is what you are.
Yes, you are what you eat.
So, if you eat what our bodies were designed to eat - it's always a "what" and never a "who" - always plant-based foods, Green foods, then, not only will you thrive, stay alive longer, be brighter - yes, Vegans are brighter, tests prove! - look much younger, be able-bodied and agile, feel great, and be more productive and happier, but you'll also be Saving Our Planet by Greening Your Food!

For More on Greening, Visit These Sites:

Greening

It's Better To Green Your FoodThan Your Car.
Why? Read This.

Choices

GoingEco

Green Your Food and Save The World

And - to quote TreeHugger.com - in their illustriuos article,
How To Green Your Meals

"Meat is the most resource-intensive food on the table and eating less of it can be the single most green move a person makes. Producing meat requires huge amounts of water, grain, land, and other inputs including hormones and antibiotics, and leads to pollution of soil, air, and water. A pound of beef requires around 12,000 gallons of water to produce, compared to 60 gallons for a pound of potatoes. If you're a meat eater, for starters, try cutting out a serving of meat each week. Going vegetarian or vegan is a profoundly meaningful environmental choice, and it's done wonders for Chris Martin and Prince.Back To Top Λ"