Marine life faces 'acid threat'
By Julian Siddle
Science Reporter, BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7745714.stm
Man-made pollution is raising ocean acidity at least 10 times faster than previously thought, a study says.
Researchers say carbon dioxide levels are having a marked effect on the health of shellfish such as mussels.
They sampled coastal waters off the north-west Pacific coast of the US every half-hour for eight years.
The results, published in the journal PNAS, suggest that earlier climate change models may have underestimated the rate of ocean acidification.
Ocean pH
Professor Timothy Wootton from the department of ecology and evolution, University of Chicago, in Illinois, says such dramatic results were unexpected as it was thought that the huge ocean systems had the ability to absorb large quantities of CO2.
"It's been thought pH in the open oceans is well buffered, so it's surprising to see these fluctuations," he said.
The findings showed that CO2 had lowered the water pH over time, demonstrating a year-on-year increase in acidity.
The research involved taking daily measurements of water pH levels, salinity and temperature, off the coast of Tatoosh island, a small outcrop lying in the Pacific Ocean, just off the north-western tip of Washington state, US.
As well as measuring physical factors, the health of marine life present in the coastal ecosystem was also tracked.
Professor Wootton says biological factors were missing from previous models of ocean climate systems - and that life in the ocean, or in this case on the ocean edge, can also affect seawater pH.
"Over a short time, biology is affecting pH, through photosynthesis and respiration, but current models don't include biological activity as part of the story," he explained.
Calcium carbonate
Every summer, Professor Wootton returned to the same sites on Tatoosh island's windswept coasts, to look at the abundance and distribution of life at the water's edge. He was especially interested in barnacles, algae and the dominant species, the Californian mussel.
The mussel has a calcium carbonate -based shell, which can be weakened or even dissolved by exposure to acid. Professor Wootton says the increase in acidity may be responsible for the decline in mussels noted in the study.
"Patterns show the chances of mussels being replaced are higher than for species without calcified shells," he said.
Other species quickly move into the space previously occupied by the mussels - though one of these species, the barnacle, also has calcified shells.
To explain this apparent anomaly, Professor Wootton says the decline of the dominant species allows a window where another species may thrive - though he expects this to be temporary as the interloper too will eventually be affected by the increasing acidity.
"In the short term, the long term decline is offset by the release from competition," he explained.
It's going down 10 to 20 times faster than the previous models predicted
Professor Timothy Wootton, University of Chicago
Chemical oceanography
The researchers say they were surprised that the plants and animals in their study are so sensitive to CO2 changes. These organisms live in the harsh inter-tidal zones, they may be submerged under water, exposed to the sun, then lashed by waves and storms.
Professor Wootton says the most troubling finding is the speed of acidification, with the pH level dropping at a much greater rate than was previously thought.
"It's going down 10 to 20 times faster than the previous models predicted," he says.
The research team are now working together with chemical oceanographers to see how their coastal observations can be matched with large scale observations, to try to explain why the decline in pH levels seems to be happening so quickly.
"We actually know surprisingly little about how ocean acidity is changing over time, we need a broader network of measurements," said Professor Wootton.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Cost to tackle Ocean Acidification: just $237 billion
Cost of Tackling Ocean Acidification: Just $237 Billion
New Documentary Examines and Offers Solutions for the Sleeper Environmental Issue of Our Time
by Ned Sullivan
November 25, 2008
http://www.thedailygreen.com/print-this/living-green/blogs/easy-tips/ocean-acidification-55112503
The electrifying redemption of America’s revolutionary declaration that all human beings are born equal sets the stage for the renewal of United States leadership in a world that desperately needs to protect its primary endowment: the integrity and livability of the planet.
— Al Gore, The New York Times (Nov. 9, 2008)
The results of the recent election promise a sea change in how the U.S. confronts the most daunting challenge facing us — reducing greenhouse gas emissions. President-elect Obama has made it clear he intends for America to lead by example in efforts to halt climate change and its potentially disastrous consequences, including extreme coastal flooding, sweltering temperatures and cataclysmic storms. As he said during the campaign:
“The issue of climate change is one that we ignore at our own peril. There may still be disputes about exactly how much we’re contributing to the warming of the earth’s atmosphere and how much is naturally occurring, but what we can be scientifically certain of is that our continued use of fossil fuels is pushing us to a point of no return. And unless we free ourselves from a dependence on these fossil fuels and chart a new course on energy in this country, we are condemning future generations to global catastrophe.”
Part of this catastrophe — the acidification of our oceans — gets very little attention. That should change shortly. Hudson Valley filmmaker Barbara Ettinger and her husband, Sven Huseby, are putting the finishing touches on an eye-opening film (which I originally wrote about Sept. 18, 2007) showing how the huge amount of carbon absorbed by our seas is decimating fish, shellfish and coral reefs. Without immediate action, experts predict more than one million aquatic species will become extinct within the next century.
There is hope. A Stanford University scientist interviewed in the film says technology already exists to slay the two-headed monster of climate change and ocean acidification. The cost: $237 billion. That’s just a third of what Congress approved for the banking system’s bailout, or two-thirds of what Americans spend eating in restaurants each year. It goes without saying that the return on such an investment would be astronomical.
Climate change demands the same urgency that compelled our leaders in Washington and across the globe to work together to tackle the world economic crisis. Nothing our elected officials do — whether in the U.S. Capitol, our statehouses or our town and village halls—must be allowed to take precedence. It’s incumbent on us as citizens to hold them accountable until we achieve the sea change necessary to ensure all future generations can begin life on a healthy, welcoming planet.
New Documentary Examines and Offers Solutions for the Sleeper Environmental Issue of Our Time
by Ned Sullivan
November 25, 2008
http://www.thedailygreen.com/print-this/living-green/blogs/easy-tips/ocean-acidification-55112503
The electrifying redemption of America’s revolutionary declaration that all human beings are born equal sets the stage for the renewal of United States leadership in a world that desperately needs to protect its primary endowment: the integrity and livability of the planet.
— Al Gore, The New York Times (Nov. 9, 2008)
The results of the recent election promise a sea change in how the U.S. confronts the most daunting challenge facing us — reducing greenhouse gas emissions. President-elect Obama has made it clear he intends for America to lead by example in efforts to halt climate change and its potentially disastrous consequences, including extreme coastal flooding, sweltering temperatures and cataclysmic storms. As he said during the campaign:
“The issue of climate change is one that we ignore at our own peril. There may still be disputes about exactly how much we’re contributing to the warming of the earth’s atmosphere and how much is naturally occurring, but what we can be scientifically certain of is that our continued use of fossil fuels is pushing us to a point of no return. And unless we free ourselves from a dependence on these fossil fuels and chart a new course on energy in this country, we are condemning future generations to global catastrophe.”
Part of this catastrophe — the acidification of our oceans — gets very little attention. That should change shortly. Hudson Valley filmmaker Barbara Ettinger and her husband, Sven Huseby, are putting the finishing touches on an eye-opening film (which I originally wrote about Sept. 18, 2007) showing how the huge amount of carbon absorbed by our seas is decimating fish, shellfish and coral reefs. Without immediate action, experts predict more than one million aquatic species will become extinct within the next century.
There is hope. A Stanford University scientist interviewed in the film says technology already exists to slay the two-headed monster of climate change and ocean acidification. The cost: $237 billion. That’s just a third of what Congress approved for the banking system’s bailout, or two-thirds of what Americans spend eating in restaurants each year. It goes without saying that the return on such an investment would be astronomical.
Climate change demands the same urgency that compelled our leaders in Washington and across the globe to work together to tackle the world economic crisis. Nothing our elected officials do — whether in the U.S. Capitol, our statehouses or our town and village halls—must be allowed to take precedence. It’s incumbent on us as citizens to hold them accountable until we achieve the sea change necessary to ensure all future generations can begin life on a healthy, welcoming planet.
Oceans Growing Acidic 10x faster than Expected - from Carbon Emissions
Oceans Growing Acidic 10 Times Faster Than Expected
Carbon Emissions Don't Just Cause Global Warming
by Dan Shapely
November 25, 2008
http://www.thedailygreen.com/print-this/environmental-news/latest/ocean-acidification-47112501
The rate of acidification of the oceans is 10 times faster than previously predicted according to a new study that adds to a growing list of dire assessments and predictions for the oceans.
The world's oceans are growing acidic at a rate 10 times as fast as predicted, according to a new University of Chicago study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The study also reinforced what we already knew: Ocean acidification results from the same thing that is driving global warming: carbon dioxide emissions. Oceans absorb the lion's share of our pollution, but not without consequence. As the carbon dioxide is absorbed, it forms carbonic acid, which at certain thresholds can prevent marine life from forming calcium carbonate shells. The most likely target will be Arctic plankton that form the basis for the entire food web, but ultimately coral and many other species will be affected, either directly or indirectly through the loss of food.
Further, as oceans become saturated, they may absorb less carbon dioxide, leaving more of it to fill up the atmosphere, where it helps trap the sun's heat near the Earth's surface, fueling global warming.
The new study is based on nearly 25,000 measurements taken over eight years, and amounts to one of the most thorough studies to account for rising acidity. It also documented, on Tatoosh Island in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Washington, the effects of acidification: The number of mussels and stalked barnacles dropped as acidity increased, while populations of other smaller-shelled and nonshelled creatures increased.
The study adds to a growing list of dire assessments and predictions for the oceans. A recent assessment by a Scripps Institution of Oceanography oceanographer, for instance, predicted that overfishing, acidification, habitat destruction, global warming and nutrient runoff from farming would conspire to drive oceans back toward a primordial state, dominated by the likes of algae and jellyfish.
Carbon Emissions Don't Just Cause Global Warming
by Dan Shapely
November 25, 2008
http://www.thedailygreen.com/print-this/environmental-news/latest/ocean-acidification-47112501
The rate of acidification of the oceans is 10 times faster than previously predicted according to a new study that adds to a growing list of dire assessments and predictions for the oceans.
The world's oceans are growing acidic at a rate 10 times as fast as predicted, according to a new University of Chicago study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The study also reinforced what we already knew: Ocean acidification results from the same thing that is driving global warming: carbon dioxide emissions. Oceans absorb the lion's share of our pollution, but not without consequence. As the carbon dioxide is absorbed, it forms carbonic acid, which at certain thresholds can prevent marine life from forming calcium carbonate shells. The most likely target will be Arctic plankton that form the basis for the entire food web, but ultimately coral and many other species will be affected, either directly or indirectly through the loss of food.
Further, as oceans become saturated, they may absorb less carbon dioxide, leaving more of it to fill up the atmosphere, where it helps trap the sun's heat near the Earth's surface, fueling global warming.
The new study is based on nearly 25,000 measurements taken over eight years, and amounts to one of the most thorough studies to account for rising acidity. It also documented, on Tatoosh Island in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Washington, the effects of acidification: The number of mussels and stalked barnacles dropped as acidity increased, while populations of other smaller-shelled and nonshelled creatures increased.
The study adds to a growing list of dire assessments and predictions for the oceans. A recent assessment by a Scripps Institution of Oceanography oceanographer, for instance, predicted that overfishing, acidification, habitat destruction, global warming and nutrient runoff from farming would conspire to drive oceans back toward a primordial state, dominated by the likes of algae and jellyfish.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
101 Reasons For Being a Vegetarian
I give 100 reasons to you for being a vegetarian!!!
source: http://informationarena.blogspot.com/2008/11/i-give-100-reasons-to-you-for-being.html
ONE HUNDRED & ONE REASONS TO BE VEGETARIAN
PEOPLE
1. Every year in the UK we feed our livestock enough food to feed 250,000,000 people while in the world 30,000,000 people die of starvation
2. 20 vegetarians can live off the land required by one meat eater
3. Every 3 seconds a child dies of starvation somewhere in the world
4. If Americans reduced their meat consumption by 10% it would free 12,000,000 tons of grain - enough to feed 60,000,000 people (the population of Great Britain)
5. If all Americans became vegetarian, it would free enough grain to feed 600,000,000 people (the population of India)
6. Intensification in animal farming has displaced 1,000,000's of people from their traditional lands - eg. indigenous people in south & central america, native americans in north america & crofters in Great Britain - this is continuing today
7. People displaced from their lands into cities succumb to dietary deficiency, diseases, parasites & opportunistic diseases
8. In third world countries 1 in 10 babies die before their first birthday
9. The UK imports ?46,000,000 worth of grain from third world countries to feed our livestock
10. Due to overgrazing 850,000,000 people live on land threatened by desertification & over 230,000,000 already live on land so severely desertified that they are unable to sustain their existence & face imminent starvation
11. 1,000,000,000 people in the west gorging on meat & dairy leave 1,000,000,000 to waste away & 3,500,000,000 teeter on the brink
LAND
12. If they continue to clear American forests to raise cattle at the present rate, in 50 years there will be none left
13. 1 acre yields 165 lbs of beef or 20,000 lbs of potatoes
14. 8/10 of cultivated land in the UK is used to grow food for animals (14,732,000 hectares)
15. It takes 16lbs of high protein soya to produce 1 lb of beef
16. Since 1945 in the UK we have lost 95% of flower meadows, 50% of ancient woodlands, 40% of heathlands, 50% of wet lands & 224,000 km of hedgerows all due to animal farming
17. Pressure on land due to meat farming leads to soil erosion 6billion tons/year in the USA
18. If everyone went vegetarian upto 90% of land used for animal farming could be taken out of production & used to replant woodlands, leisure activities etc.
19. 25% of Central america's forests have been destroyed for cattle grazing since 1960
20. Between 1966-1983 38% of the Amazon rain forest was destroyed for cattle grazing
21. 90% of cattle ranches established on cleared forest land go bankrupt in less than 8 years as the land becomes barren due to nutrient loss & overgrazing
22. Overgrazing by cattle is destroying the land & increasing desertification, nearly 430 million acres in the USA alone has suffered a 25-50% reduction in yield since first grazed
23. An inch of topsoil takes 200-1000 years to develop - yet in the USA they have lost around 1/3 of their prime topsoil in 200 years (around 7 inches) due to animal farming
24. Land will be lost due to rises in sea level due to global warming due to animal farming
AIR
25. The destruction of the rainforest by cattle farmers is destroying the lungs of the planet & reducing the worlds capacity to replenish our oxygen supply
26. The 1,300,000,000 cattle in the world emit 60,000,000 tons of methane per year (methane is a greenhouse gas & leads to global warming)
27. Burning of forests, grasslands & agricultural waste associated with animal farming releases 50-100,000,000 tons of methane per year
28. Combining these figures, 25% of methane emissions are due to animal farming (not including the billions of sheep, pigs & poultry so the real figure is much higher)
29. Fertilizer used to grow crops to feed to animals releases nitrous oxide - thought to account for 6% of the greenhouse effect
30. Fertilizer, weedkiller & pesticides sprayed on crops enter the atmosphere creating a noxious carcinogenic cocktail
31. CFCs are released into the air from refrigeration units used to store decomposing flesh (meat), milk & butter - CFCs are destroy the ozone layer
32. Ammonia from animal urine also pollutes the atmosphere
33. CO2 is released by burning oil & petrol in lorries, ships, abattoirs, dairies, factories etc. associated with meat & dairy production
34. Emissions from large chemical plants which produce fertilizer, weedkiller & other agricultural chemicals are also poisoning our air
WATER
35. 25 gallons of water to produce 1lb of wheat & 2500 gallons to produce 1lb of meat
36. UK farm animals produce 200,000,000 tonnes of slurry (liquid excrement) every year, the majority of which ends up in our rivers
37. Bloody waste water from abattoirs ends up in our rivers
38. In the USA every second humans produce 12,000 lbs of effluent while farmed animals produce 250,000 lbs
39. Nitrates & pesticides used on crops grown to feed livestock end up in our rivers
40. Meat & dairy farming uses 70 litres of water per day per animal in the UK or 159,250,000, 000 litres per year in total
41. The water used to produce 10 lbs of steak is equivalent to the average consumption of water for an entire household for an entire year
42. Depletion of groundwater reserves to grow crops for animals & to supply abattoirs will lead to greater water shortages
43. Aquafers (stores of underground water) in the San Joaquin valley in the USA are being drained at the rate of 500,000,000, 000 gallons/year to produce meat
44. 18% of all agricultural land in the world is irrigated & as global warming increases (partly due to animal farming) it will cost $200,000,000 to keep these systems going
45. The water used to produce a 1000 lb beef steer is enough to float a Destroyer battleship
46. The liquid waste from the various parts of the meat & dairy industry flow into the rivers & from there into the seas polluting them & encouraging huge algal blooms to grow
EFFICIENCY
47. To produce 1calorie of energy from meat takes 60 calories of petrol, whereas growing grains & legumes to directly feed people produces 20 calories for each calorie of fuel used ( thats 1200 times more efficient)
48. Meat & dairy farming uses billions of gallons of oil to run tractors, fuel ships & lorries (to move animal feed & animals), pump billions of gallons of water to irrigate fields & run slaughterhouses, power refrigeration units to prevent the corpses from decomposing & to power sewage plants to clean up some of the pollution produced
49. Cattle convert only 6% of their energy intake (mainly grains & soya) into flesh, the remaining 94% is wasted as heat, movement (which is why they keep many animals in very close confinement) , hair, bones, faeces etc
50. 1lb of beef takes 1 gallon of petrol to produce
51. A family of four eating beef for a year uses enough petrol to run a car for 6 months (obviously depending on how far you drive!)
52. If the full ecological cost of meat was passed onto the consumer - the price would be quadrupled (at least)
53. The EC spends ?100,000,000's to subsidise animal production resulting in lakes of unwanted milk & mountains of unwanted meat & butter. This money could be better spent encouraging organic fruit, vegetable & grain production
54. In the USA in 1979 145,000,000 tons of crops were fed to cattle resulting in only 21million tons of animal bodies - the cost of the wasted crops was $20,000,000, 000
55. Between 1950 & 1985 grain production in Europe & the USA increased massively but 2/3 was fed to animals
56. 70% of all grain is fed to animals
57. Eating vast quantities of animal flesh, eggs, milk & butter is a luxury that most of the planet can not afford
ANIMALS
58. Fishing with drift (and other modern) nets weakens & destroys ecosystems by indiscriminately killing billions of sea creatures & disrupting the sea bed
59. Fishermen's nets kill 10 times as many other animals as the fish they are hoping to catch
60. Fish caught in nets die an agonising slow death of suffocation
61. Each year 15,000,000,000 land animals are slaughtered for food & an unknown but much larger number of sea creatures (including 1000's of dolphins caught accidentally)
62. Chickens are crammed into battery cages with upto 3 other birds, they are unable to even spread their wings & many can not even stand up
63. Unwanted male chicks (because they can't lay eggs) are gassed or pulped while their sisters go to the battery sheds
64. Chicks are debeaked without anaesthetic to prevent them injuring each other in the unnaturally confined conditions they are kept in - this is equivalent to having your fingernails pulled out without anaesthetic
65. Modern farming methods using growth hormones & artificial lighting mean that many chickens out grow their bones, resulting in fractured & broken legs
66. Sows are kept tethered in stalls 1.3 x 1 metre on concrete or slatted floors - they can not even turn around
67. Poultry raised for meat are kept in windowless broiler sheds, with around 20-30,000 in each shed, they live in an area of 10-20 cm square - fighting due to overcrowding is common & like battery hens they commonly suffer from supperating bed sores
68. Broilersheds are artificially lit 23 hours a day to produce rapid growth
69. Animals travel between farms & to slaughter in overcrowded transporters with no food or water - resulting in stress, injuries & deaths - legal requirements are widely ignored
70. 95% of poultry suffer injuries before being killed & 30% suffer broken bones
71. Problems with stunning practices mean that many animals have their throats slit while still conscious (around 6% of cattle or 200,000 per year) & are then dipped in tanks of scalding water (to loosen feathers, bristles etc.) again while fully conscious
72. 4000 animals die spurting their blood out every minute in a British slaughterhouse
73. Calf leather comes from animals killed at just 2 weeks old
74. Cows were fed on the ground up remains of other cows & sheep - the result is thought to be BSE (mad cow disease) in the USA cattle are fed partly on recycled plastic pellets
75. Cows only give milk for 10 months after they have a calf - so they are routinely artificially inseminated (ie. mechanically raped) to keep them pregnant & milking - their calves are taken away (usually at 12 hours old) for meat or export to veal crates
76. Cows would naturally live upto 20 years but are slaughtered after 5-7 years when their milk production begins to fall
77. In the UK animals are killed by first being stunned with electricity or a captive bolt gun (ie. a bolt is fired into their heads) before having their throats slit & being plunged into boiling water - all this happens on a production line with the animals being hung upside down from a moving conveyor belt - this is factory farming
78. "Animals are those unfortunate slaves & victims of the most brutal part of mankind" - John Stewart Mill (philosopher)
79. Veal calves are confined in stalls in the dark, unable to move & are fed on pigs blood , chocolate & dried milk (we are drinking the rich fresh milk of their mothers)
80. Cows naturally produce 5 litres of milk per day for their calves - under the intensified systems of modern farming they produce 25-40 litres per day - resulting in swollen & inflamed udders - at this rate they are soon worn out
81. Large areas of land are under monoculture to grow crops to feed to animals - these areas are wildlife deserts supporting fewer & fewer species.
HEALTH
82. Vegetarians have a 20% lower rate of mortality from all causes (ie. they live longer & don't get sick as often)
83. Meat is full of traces of antibiotics, hormones, toxins produced by stress & pesticide residues that become concentrated from all the crops they have eaten
84. Fish contain heavy metals & other pollutants -many of which originated on farms
85. The world health organisation recommends a diet low in saturated fat, sugar, salt & with plenty of fibre - exactly what you get on a vegan/vegetarian diet
86. Farmed animals contain upto 50% saturated fat in their bodies
87. Vegetarians have 24% reduced risk of getting heart disease & Vegans a 57% reduction (heart disease is the biggest killer in the UK accounting for 50% of deaths)
88. Obesity is rare in vegetarians, obesity is related to many diseases
89. Vegans & vegetarians have lower blood pressure & cholesterol levels - high levels are associated with heart disease, strokes & kidney failure
90. Vegetarians have a 50% reduced risk of dying of diabetes
91. Vegetarians have a 40% reduced level of cancer than the general population thought to be because they have a higher intake of vitamins A,C & E
92. Vegetarians have a reduced risk of developing gall & kidney stones
93. 80% of food poisoning is due to infected meat (faeces, bacteria etc.) after all meat is decomposing flesh - most of the rest is due to salmonella in eggs
94. Osteoporosis due to calcium loss from bones is mainly due to the sulphur content in meat & casein protein in milk that cause calcium to be lost in the urine - the countries with the highest meat & dairy consumption are those with the highest levels of brittle bones
95. 50% of people do not have the enzyme to digest milk properly & milk allergy is related to asthma & eczema
96. Meat eaters have double the rate of Alzheimers disease as Vegans & Vegetarians - some people also think that Parkinsons disease is also linked to meat eating
97. Egg yolk is a dense concentration of saturated fat & the white is high in albumin protein associated with leaching calcium into your urine. Butter is 80% saturated fat, cream is 40% saturated fat & cheese is 25-40% saturated fat
98. Meat eaters are two and a half times more likely to get bowel cancer than Vegetarians
99. The cling film used to wrap meat in supermarkets & butchers contains chemicals linked to falling sperm counts in men
100. Chinese people (living mainly on a vegetarian diet) consume 20% more calories than Americans but Americans are 20% fatter
101. Of 2,100,000 deaths in the USA in 1987, 1,500,000 were related to diet (i.e. meat & dairy)
AND I COULD GO ON !
If you've read this far, I hope that you are beginning to see that the Meat & Dairy industry is a major contributor to misery on this planet. It is destroying the health of people in rich countries, starving those in poor countries, it is torturing & killing billions of animals every year and in the meantime it is one of the major factors in the destruction of the environment - so what does the meat & dairy industry have to say in it's defence?
Well their only real point is usually "Meat is tasty" - fair enough a lot of people enjoy the taste of meat - but there are plenty of delicious alternatives (just consider the huge range of vegetarian dishes in Indian cooking - one of the oldest & most sophisticated cuisines in the world) and if you really crave meat & dairy, nowadays there are plenty of healthy non animal alternatives - just look in the supermarket & health food shop. So I hope you will agree it's pretty pathetic to consider all the evidence & then say "well I know you're right about the environment & health & the animals - but I just love my meat
source: http://informationarena.blogspot.com/2008/11/i-give-100-reasons-to-you-for-being.html
ONE HUNDRED & ONE REASONS TO BE VEGETARIAN
PEOPLE
1. Every year in the UK we feed our livestock enough food to feed 250,000,000 people while in the world 30,000,000 people die of starvation
2. 20 vegetarians can live off the land required by one meat eater
3. Every 3 seconds a child dies of starvation somewhere in the world
4. If Americans reduced their meat consumption by 10% it would free 12,000,000 tons of grain - enough to feed 60,000,000 people (the population of Great Britain)
5. If all Americans became vegetarian, it would free enough grain to feed 600,000,000 people (the population of India)
6. Intensification in animal farming has displaced 1,000,000's of people from their traditional lands - eg. indigenous people in south & central america, native americans in north america & crofters in Great Britain - this is continuing today
7. People displaced from their lands into cities succumb to dietary deficiency, diseases, parasites & opportunistic diseases
8. In third world countries 1 in 10 babies die before their first birthday
9. The UK imports ?46,000,000 worth of grain from third world countries to feed our livestock
10. Due to overgrazing 850,000,000 people live on land threatened by desertification & over 230,000,000 already live on land so severely desertified that they are unable to sustain their existence & face imminent starvation
11. 1,000,000,000 people in the west gorging on meat & dairy leave 1,000,000,000 to waste away & 3,500,000,000 teeter on the brink
LAND
12. If they continue to clear American forests to raise cattle at the present rate, in 50 years there will be none left
13. 1 acre yields 165 lbs of beef or 20,000 lbs of potatoes
14. 8/10 of cultivated land in the UK is used to grow food for animals (14,732,000 hectares)
15. It takes 16lbs of high protein soya to produce 1 lb of beef
16. Since 1945 in the UK we have lost 95% of flower meadows, 50% of ancient woodlands, 40% of heathlands, 50% of wet lands & 224,000 km of hedgerows all due to animal farming
17. Pressure on land due to meat farming leads to soil erosion 6billion tons/year in the USA
18. If everyone went vegetarian upto 90% of land used for animal farming could be taken out of production & used to replant woodlands, leisure activities etc.
19. 25% of Central america's forests have been destroyed for cattle grazing since 1960
20. Between 1966-1983 38% of the Amazon rain forest was destroyed for cattle grazing
21. 90% of cattle ranches established on cleared forest land go bankrupt in less than 8 years as the land becomes barren due to nutrient loss & overgrazing
22. Overgrazing by cattle is destroying the land & increasing desertification, nearly 430 million acres in the USA alone has suffered a 25-50% reduction in yield since first grazed
23. An inch of topsoil takes 200-1000 years to develop - yet in the USA they have lost around 1/3 of their prime topsoil in 200 years (around 7 inches) due to animal farming
24. Land will be lost due to rises in sea level due to global warming due to animal farming
AIR
25. The destruction of the rainforest by cattle farmers is destroying the lungs of the planet & reducing the worlds capacity to replenish our oxygen supply
26. The 1,300,000,000 cattle in the world emit 60,000,000 tons of methane per year (methane is a greenhouse gas & leads to global warming)
27. Burning of forests, grasslands & agricultural waste associated with animal farming releases 50-100,000,000 tons of methane per year
28. Combining these figures, 25% of methane emissions are due to animal farming (not including the billions of sheep, pigs & poultry so the real figure is much higher)
29. Fertilizer used to grow crops to feed to animals releases nitrous oxide - thought to account for 6% of the greenhouse effect
30. Fertilizer, weedkiller & pesticides sprayed on crops enter the atmosphere creating a noxious carcinogenic cocktail
31. CFCs are released into the air from refrigeration units used to store decomposing flesh (meat), milk & butter - CFCs are destroy the ozone layer
32. Ammonia from animal urine also pollutes the atmosphere
33. CO2 is released by burning oil & petrol in lorries, ships, abattoirs, dairies, factories etc. associated with meat & dairy production
34. Emissions from large chemical plants which produce fertilizer, weedkiller & other agricultural chemicals are also poisoning our air
WATER
35. 25 gallons of water to produce 1lb of wheat & 2500 gallons to produce 1lb of meat
36. UK farm animals produce 200,000,000 tonnes of slurry (liquid excrement) every year, the majority of which ends up in our rivers
37. Bloody waste water from abattoirs ends up in our rivers
38. In the USA every second humans produce 12,000 lbs of effluent while farmed animals produce 250,000 lbs
39. Nitrates & pesticides used on crops grown to feed livestock end up in our rivers
40. Meat & dairy farming uses 70 litres of water per day per animal in the UK or 159,250,000, 000 litres per year in total
41. The water used to produce 10 lbs of steak is equivalent to the average consumption of water for an entire household for an entire year
42. Depletion of groundwater reserves to grow crops for animals & to supply abattoirs will lead to greater water shortages
43. Aquafers (stores of underground water) in the San Joaquin valley in the USA are being drained at the rate of 500,000,000, 000 gallons/year to produce meat
44. 18% of all agricultural land in the world is irrigated & as global warming increases (partly due to animal farming) it will cost $200,000,000 to keep these systems going
45. The water used to produce a 1000 lb beef steer is enough to float a Destroyer battleship
46. The liquid waste from the various parts of the meat & dairy industry flow into the rivers & from there into the seas polluting them & encouraging huge algal blooms to grow
EFFICIENCY
47. To produce 1calorie of energy from meat takes 60 calories of petrol, whereas growing grains & legumes to directly feed people produces 20 calories for each calorie of fuel used ( thats 1200 times more efficient)
48. Meat & dairy farming uses billions of gallons of oil to run tractors, fuel ships & lorries (to move animal feed & animals), pump billions of gallons of water to irrigate fields & run slaughterhouses, power refrigeration units to prevent the corpses from decomposing & to power sewage plants to clean up some of the pollution produced
49. Cattle convert only 6% of their energy intake (mainly grains & soya) into flesh, the remaining 94% is wasted as heat, movement (which is why they keep many animals in very close confinement) , hair, bones, faeces etc
50. 1lb of beef takes 1 gallon of petrol to produce
51. A family of four eating beef for a year uses enough petrol to run a car for 6 months (obviously depending on how far you drive!)
52. If the full ecological cost of meat was passed onto the consumer - the price would be quadrupled (at least)
53. The EC spends ?100,000,000's to subsidise animal production resulting in lakes of unwanted milk & mountains of unwanted meat & butter. This money could be better spent encouraging organic fruit, vegetable & grain production
54. In the USA in 1979 145,000,000 tons of crops were fed to cattle resulting in only 21million tons of animal bodies - the cost of the wasted crops was $20,000,000, 000
55. Between 1950 & 1985 grain production in Europe & the USA increased massively but 2/3 was fed to animals
56. 70% of all grain is fed to animals
57. Eating vast quantities of animal flesh, eggs, milk & butter is a luxury that most of the planet can not afford
ANIMALS
58. Fishing with drift (and other modern) nets weakens & destroys ecosystems by indiscriminately killing billions of sea creatures & disrupting the sea bed
59. Fishermen's nets kill 10 times as many other animals as the fish they are hoping to catch
60. Fish caught in nets die an agonising slow death of suffocation
61. Each year 15,000,000,000 land animals are slaughtered for food & an unknown but much larger number of sea creatures (including 1000's of dolphins caught accidentally)
62. Chickens are crammed into battery cages with upto 3 other birds, they are unable to even spread their wings & many can not even stand up
63. Unwanted male chicks (because they can't lay eggs) are gassed or pulped while their sisters go to the battery sheds
64. Chicks are debeaked without anaesthetic to prevent them injuring each other in the unnaturally confined conditions they are kept in - this is equivalent to having your fingernails pulled out without anaesthetic
65. Modern farming methods using growth hormones & artificial lighting mean that many chickens out grow their bones, resulting in fractured & broken legs
66. Sows are kept tethered in stalls 1.3 x 1 metre on concrete or slatted floors - they can not even turn around
67. Poultry raised for meat are kept in windowless broiler sheds, with around 20-30,000 in each shed, they live in an area of 10-20 cm square - fighting due to overcrowding is common & like battery hens they commonly suffer from supperating bed sores
68. Broilersheds are artificially lit 23 hours a day to produce rapid growth
69. Animals travel between farms & to slaughter in overcrowded transporters with no food or water - resulting in stress, injuries & deaths - legal requirements are widely ignored
70. 95% of poultry suffer injuries before being killed & 30% suffer broken bones
71. Problems with stunning practices mean that many animals have their throats slit while still conscious (around 6% of cattle or 200,000 per year) & are then dipped in tanks of scalding water (to loosen feathers, bristles etc.) again while fully conscious
72. 4000 animals die spurting their blood out every minute in a British slaughterhouse
73. Calf leather comes from animals killed at just 2 weeks old
74. Cows were fed on the ground up remains of other cows & sheep - the result is thought to be BSE (mad cow disease) in the USA cattle are fed partly on recycled plastic pellets
75. Cows only give milk for 10 months after they have a calf - so they are routinely artificially inseminated (ie. mechanically raped) to keep them pregnant & milking - their calves are taken away (usually at 12 hours old) for meat or export to veal crates
76. Cows would naturally live upto 20 years but are slaughtered after 5-7 years when their milk production begins to fall
77. In the UK animals are killed by first being stunned with electricity or a captive bolt gun (ie. a bolt is fired into their heads) before having their throats slit & being plunged into boiling water - all this happens on a production line with the animals being hung upside down from a moving conveyor belt - this is factory farming
78. "Animals are those unfortunate slaves & victims of the most brutal part of mankind" - John Stewart Mill (philosopher)
79. Veal calves are confined in stalls in the dark, unable to move & are fed on pigs blood , chocolate & dried milk (we are drinking the rich fresh milk of their mothers)
80. Cows naturally produce 5 litres of milk per day for their calves - under the intensified systems of modern farming they produce 25-40 litres per day - resulting in swollen & inflamed udders - at this rate they are soon worn out
81. Large areas of land are under monoculture to grow crops to feed to animals - these areas are wildlife deserts supporting fewer & fewer species.
HEALTH
82. Vegetarians have a 20% lower rate of mortality from all causes (ie. they live longer & don't get sick as often)
83. Meat is full of traces of antibiotics, hormones, toxins produced by stress & pesticide residues that become concentrated from all the crops they have eaten
84. Fish contain heavy metals & other pollutants -many of which originated on farms
85. The world health organisation recommends a diet low in saturated fat, sugar, salt & with plenty of fibre - exactly what you get on a vegan/vegetarian diet
86. Farmed animals contain upto 50% saturated fat in their bodies
87. Vegetarians have 24% reduced risk of getting heart disease & Vegans a 57% reduction (heart disease is the biggest killer in the UK accounting for 50% of deaths)
88. Obesity is rare in vegetarians, obesity is related to many diseases
89. Vegans & vegetarians have lower blood pressure & cholesterol levels - high levels are associated with heart disease, strokes & kidney failure
90. Vegetarians have a 50% reduced risk of dying of diabetes
91. Vegetarians have a 40% reduced level of cancer than the general population thought to be because they have a higher intake of vitamins A,C & E
92. Vegetarians have a reduced risk of developing gall & kidney stones
93. 80% of food poisoning is due to infected meat (faeces, bacteria etc.) after all meat is decomposing flesh - most of the rest is due to salmonella in eggs
94. Osteoporosis due to calcium loss from bones is mainly due to the sulphur content in meat & casein protein in milk that cause calcium to be lost in the urine - the countries with the highest meat & dairy consumption are those with the highest levels of brittle bones
95. 50% of people do not have the enzyme to digest milk properly & milk allergy is related to asthma & eczema
96. Meat eaters have double the rate of Alzheimers disease as Vegans & Vegetarians - some people also think that Parkinsons disease is also linked to meat eating
97. Egg yolk is a dense concentration of saturated fat & the white is high in albumin protein associated with leaching calcium into your urine. Butter is 80% saturated fat, cream is 40% saturated fat & cheese is 25-40% saturated fat
98. Meat eaters are two and a half times more likely to get bowel cancer than Vegetarians
99. The cling film used to wrap meat in supermarkets & butchers contains chemicals linked to falling sperm counts in men
100. Chinese people (living mainly on a vegetarian diet) consume 20% more calories than Americans but Americans are 20% fatter
101. Of 2,100,000 deaths in the USA in 1987, 1,500,000 were related to diet (i.e. meat & dairy)
AND I COULD GO ON !
If you've read this far, I hope that you are beginning to see that the Meat & Dairy industry is a major contributor to misery on this planet. It is destroying the health of people in rich countries, starving those in poor countries, it is torturing & killing billions of animals every year and in the meantime it is one of the major factors in the destruction of the environment - so what does the meat & dairy industry have to say in it's defence?
Well their only real point is usually "Meat is tasty" - fair enough a lot of people enjoy the taste of meat - but there are plenty of delicious alternatives (just consider the huge range of vegetarian dishes in Indian cooking - one of the oldest & most sophisticated cuisines in the world) and if you really crave meat & dairy, nowadays there are plenty of healthy non animal alternatives - just look in the supermarket & health food shop. So I hope you will agree it's pretty pathetic to consider all the evidence & then say "well I know you're right about the environment & health & the animals - but I just love my meat
Monday, November 24, 2008
Study Shows Grapefruit Pulp May Reduce Risk of Osteoporosis
Study Shows Grapefruit Pulp May Reduce the Risk of Osteoporosis
(NaturalNews) Consumption of red grapefruit pulp may increase bone strength and reduce the risk of osteoporosis, according to a study conducted by researchers from Texas A&M University and published in the journal Nutrition.
Researchers castrated 42 male rats as a way to induce oxidative stress and to increase the risk of osteoporosis. One-third of the rats were then fed a normal diet, one-third were fed the same diet plus 5 percent red grapefruit pulp, while the final third were fed the same diet plus 10 percent red grapefruit pulp.
After 60 days, the castrated rats on the normal diet showed significant decreases in antioxidant status, bone mineral content and bone quality when compared with 14 uncastrated male rats. They also demonstrated increased calcium loss and higher levels of urinary deoxypyridinoline, a marker of bone breakdown.
Decreased bone mineral content and bone quality are markers of a heightened risk of osteoporosis, as are increased calcium loss and higher urinary deoxypyridinoline concentrations.
Among the castrated rats whose diet was supplemented with grapefruit, urinary deoxypyridinoline levels were lower than in the other castrated rats. While all the castrated rats underwent decreases in the magnesium and calcium content of their bones, this decrease was not as severe among the rats in the grapefruit pulp group.
Among the castrated rats not fed grapefruit pulp, lumbar calcium and magnesium levels decreased 16 percent and 24 percent, respectively. Among the rats in the experimental group, however, the respective decreases were only 10 and 16 percent. Likewise, femoral calcium and magnesium levels dropped by 7 percent each among the non-grapefruit group, but only 1 percent and 3 percent, respectively, in the grapefruit pulp groups.
The effects of grapefruit pulp were found to be dose-dependent.
An estimated 75 million people in Europe, Japan and the United States suffer from osteoporosis. Four times as many women are affected as men.
(NaturalNews) Consumption of red grapefruit pulp may increase bone strength and reduce the risk of osteoporosis, according to a study conducted by researchers from Texas A&M University and published in the journal Nutrition.
Researchers castrated 42 male rats as a way to induce oxidative stress and to increase the risk of osteoporosis. One-third of the rats were then fed a normal diet, one-third were fed the same diet plus 5 percent red grapefruit pulp, while the final third were fed the same diet plus 10 percent red grapefruit pulp.
After 60 days, the castrated rats on the normal diet showed significant decreases in antioxidant status, bone mineral content and bone quality when compared with 14 uncastrated male rats. They also demonstrated increased calcium loss and higher levels of urinary deoxypyridinoline, a marker of bone breakdown.
Decreased bone mineral content and bone quality are markers of a heightened risk of osteoporosis, as are increased calcium loss and higher urinary deoxypyridinoline concentrations.
Among the castrated rats whose diet was supplemented with grapefruit, urinary deoxypyridinoline levels were lower than in the other castrated rats. While all the castrated rats underwent decreases in the magnesium and calcium content of their bones, this decrease was not as severe among the rats in the grapefruit pulp group.
Among the castrated rats not fed grapefruit pulp, lumbar calcium and magnesium levels decreased 16 percent and 24 percent, respectively. Among the rats in the experimental group, however, the respective decreases were only 10 and 16 percent. Likewise, femoral calcium and magnesium levels dropped by 7 percent each among the non-grapefruit group, but only 1 percent and 3 percent, respectively, in the grapefruit pulp groups.
The effects of grapefruit pulp were found to be dose-dependent.
An estimated 75 million people in Europe, Japan and the United States suffer from osteoporosis. Four times as many women are affected as men.
Plants from the Mint Family Found Highly Effective Against HIV and Herpes
Plants from the Mint Family Found Highly Effective Against HIV and Herpes
(NaturalNews) Herbs from the Lamiaceae family, also known as the mint family have been shown to drastically reduce the infectivity of HIV-1 virions, single infective viral particles. A research team from the University of Heidelberg has found that extracts of lemon balm, sage and peppermint work rapidly to produce their effects in amounts that display no toxicity. The extracts were seen to enhance the density of the virions prior to their surface engagement. They also displayed a strong activity against herpes simplex virus type 2.
The researchers examined water extracts from the leaves of lemon balm, sage and peppermint for their potency to inhibit infection by HIV-1. They found that the extracts exhibited a high and concentration-dependent activity against the infection of HIV-1 in T-cell lines, primary macrophages, and in ex vivo tonsil histocultures. This effect was produced at extract concentrations as low as 0.004% without affect to cell viability.
Exposing free virions to the extract potently and rapidly inhibited infection, while exposure of surface-bound virions or target cells alone had virtually no antiviral effect. In line with this observation, a virion fusion assay demonstrated that HIV-1 entry was drastically impaired following treatment of particles with Lamiaceae extracts, and the magnitude of this effect at the early stage of infection correlated with the inhibitory potency on HIV-1 replication.
Lamiaceae is a family of potent healers
Along with the plants used in the study, the Lamiaceae family includes such healing superstars as oregano and mint. The tannins and polyphenols in these plants have strong anti-viral and anti-bacterial effects. The plants are usually cultivated in mild temperature zones such as the Mediterranean where they find needed winter protection and sandy soil. They are all featured in Mediterranean cuisine, undoubtedly one reason why people who eat the Mediterranean diet live such long, health lives. Each member of the family also has a long list of characteristics unique to it.
Lemon balm calms and sooths
The antibacterial and antiviral effects of lemon balm have made it a popular choice for the treatment of strep throat, mumps and herpes. These properties come from caffeic acid and rosmarinic acid, compounds found in the plant. When treated with lemon balm, infections do not tend to spread. Lemon balm also offers topical relief from symptoms such as redness and itching. Another study found that a cream containing about 700 milligrams of lemon balm sped healing of herpes sores by several days, providing improvement comparable to the prescription drugs used to treat herpes, but without the side effects associated with the drugs such as nausea and vomiting.
In addition to wound healing healing compounds, lemon balm contains eugenol, a natural pain reliever. Lemon balm containing ointments are frequently used for treatment of cold sores, and genital herpes.
Lemon balm is fragrant plant with leaves that give off a strong lemon scent when rubbed. Studies have found that lemon balm has a sedative effect, and it’s frequently used for treatment of insomnia, nervousness and anxiety. It has a positive effect on the stomach and digestive system, and is used to relieve gas and bloating. It has been shown to relax spasms affecting the smooth muscles such as those in the uterus and intestines, making is an effective choice against menstrual cramps and other abdominal cramping. Increased dosages can induce sleep.
Lemon balm is used for stomach complaints, cramping, flatulence or bloating as a tea using 1.5 to 4.5 grams of the herb, several times a day. It is also available as a tincture to be used at the rate of 2 to 3 mL of tincture three times a day, or the equivalent in capsule form. For sores or herpes, steep 2 to 4 tsp of crushed leaf in a cup of boiling water.
Sage boosts brain function and memory
Also known as ‘garden meadow’, sage is a 2,000 year old healer and preservative as well as a culinary favorite. It has been used to treat everything from snakebite to mental illness. Modern research has shown that sage can help reduce excessive perspiration by as much as 50 percent. The German Commission E approves sage infusions for the treatment of excessive perspiration. Most health food stores sell sage-based deodorants.
The tannins in sage make it effective against the bacteria that cause gingivitis, and some natural mouthwashes contain sage. These can be used to fight canker sores, bleeding gums, sore throat, tonsillitis, and laryngitis. In addition to being extremely effective against viruses, sage is highly effective against bacteria.
Sage has been found to boost the brains supply of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that is critical to proper brain functioning and memory. There is no coincidence that people who possess the great wisdom of age are called ‘sages’. Research is underway to determine the effectiveness of sage against Alzheimer’s disease.
Sage contains a variety of volatile oils, flavonoids (including apigenin, diosmetin, and luteolin), and phenolic acids including rosmarinic acid. Rosmarinic acid is readily absorbed from the GI tract and acts to reduce inflammatory messaging molecules like leukotriene B4. The acid contains powerful antioxidant enzymes, including SOD and peroxidase. Like lemon balm, sage is a soother of disorders of the stomach and intestinal tract. It is effective against muscle spasms and indigestion.
Sage is available in liquid leaf extract form. The usual dose is 1 tsp three times per day. For sage tea, use 1 to 2 tsp of dried leaf to a cup of boiling water. Steep for 10 minutes. The tea is useful as a gargle for sore throat or as a mouthwash for gingivitis. Drink up to 3 cups a day to improve digestion and help regulate blood sugar or to reduce perspiration.
Peppermint oil can stop tumors in their tracks
Of all the species of mint, peppermint contains the highest levels of menthol, a phytochemical that promotes the calming of muscle spasms and improved digestion. It has been used since the Middle Ages as a cough suppressant and decongestant, and is a common ingredient in many natural anti-congestant medications as well as many traditional potions such as mentholatum chest rub. Peppermint is an FDA approved cold remedy.
One explanation for how peppermint oil helps irritable bowel suffers is that the oil blocks calcium channels, allowing the muscles to relax. It also relaxes the sphincter that keeps the contents of the stomach from backing up into the esophagus. That’s why peppermint oil is often sold in enteric-coated capsules designed to bypass the stomach and dissolve in the small intestine.
Peppermint contains perillyl alcohol as a phytonutrient called monoterpene. Animal studies have shown this monoterpene to be effective in stopping the growth of pancreatic, mammary and liver tumors. It has also been shown effective against cancer formation in the colon, skin and lungs.
The antimicrobial power of peppermint rivals that of its cousin, oregano. It is effective against helicobacter pylori, Salmonella, E. coli, and Staphylococcus, as well as many fungi. And like all the members of the mint family, peppermint contains a good amount of rosmarinic acid that has been shown to block the production of pro-inflammatory chemicals such as leukotrienes. This encourages the cells to produce prostacyclins that keep airways open for breathing.
In laboratory studies, peppermint oil was found to kill bacteria that cause urinary tract infections and the herpes simplex virus. It is effective against insect bites, rashes and headaches.
Peppermint is available as bulk oil, coated capsules, soft gels, and liquid extract. Many peppermint teas are on the market.
Growing your own supply of these powerful healers
The plants of the Lamiaceae family may prefer the glorious climate of the Mediterranean, but they can be grown almost anywhere. Many people remember a stand of these plants outside their grandmother’s kitchen door before pharmaceuticals gained such favor. The plants only need to be purchased once, as they are perennials and will return year after year even in zones where hard freeze is the norm for the winter. The leaves can withstand temperature down to about 29 or 30 degrees and will survive a few nippy nights, but they need to be harvested before a sustained period of freezing cold. Harvest the whole plant and hang it in the kitchen to dry.
Plants are readily available at nurseries in the spring, or they can be bought on line. Some of the health food stores, such as Whole Foods carry organic plants in springtime. There are few things on earth that make you feel more in control of your health destiny than to know your garden is full of healing plants and herbs, and that you are able to dry them and store them to see yourself safely through the winter.
Sources:
Geuenich, S. et al, “Aqueous extracts from peppermint, sage and lemon balm leaves display potent anti-HIV-1 activity by increasing the virion density”, Retrovirology, 2008.
“Lemon Balm”, “Sage”, “Peppermint”, Vitamin Stuff.
“Lemon Balm Herb, Tea and Oil Benefits”, Nutrasanus.
“Health Benefits of Sage Essential Oil”, Organic Facts.
“Health Benefits of Peppermint”, Harvard Medical School.
(NaturalNews) Herbs from the Lamiaceae family, also known as the mint family have been shown to drastically reduce the infectivity of HIV-1 virions, single infective viral particles. A research team from the University of Heidelberg has found that extracts of lemon balm, sage and peppermint work rapidly to produce their effects in amounts that display no toxicity. The extracts were seen to enhance the density of the virions prior to their surface engagement. They also displayed a strong activity against herpes simplex virus type 2.
The researchers examined water extracts from the leaves of lemon balm, sage and peppermint for their potency to inhibit infection by HIV-1. They found that the extracts exhibited a high and concentration-dependent activity against the infection of HIV-1 in T-cell lines, primary macrophages, and in ex vivo tonsil histocultures. This effect was produced at extract concentrations as low as 0.004% without affect to cell viability.
Exposing free virions to the extract potently and rapidly inhibited infection, while exposure of surface-bound virions or target cells alone had virtually no antiviral effect. In line with this observation, a virion fusion assay demonstrated that HIV-1 entry was drastically impaired following treatment of particles with Lamiaceae extracts, and the magnitude of this effect at the early stage of infection correlated with the inhibitory potency on HIV-1 replication.
Lamiaceae is a family of potent healers
Along with the plants used in the study, the Lamiaceae family includes such healing superstars as oregano and mint. The tannins and polyphenols in these plants have strong anti-viral and anti-bacterial effects. The plants are usually cultivated in mild temperature zones such as the Mediterranean where they find needed winter protection and sandy soil. They are all featured in Mediterranean cuisine, undoubtedly one reason why people who eat the Mediterranean diet live such long, health lives. Each member of the family also has a long list of characteristics unique to it.
Lemon balm calms and sooths
The antibacterial and antiviral effects of lemon balm have made it a popular choice for the treatment of strep throat, mumps and herpes. These properties come from caffeic acid and rosmarinic acid, compounds found in the plant. When treated with lemon balm, infections do not tend to spread. Lemon balm also offers topical relief from symptoms such as redness and itching. Another study found that a cream containing about 700 milligrams of lemon balm sped healing of herpes sores by several days, providing improvement comparable to the prescription drugs used to treat herpes, but without the side effects associated with the drugs such as nausea and vomiting.
In addition to wound healing healing compounds, lemon balm contains eugenol, a natural pain reliever. Lemon balm containing ointments are frequently used for treatment of cold sores, and genital herpes.
Lemon balm is fragrant plant with leaves that give off a strong lemon scent when rubbed. Studies have found that lemon balm has a sedative effect, and it’s frequently used for treatment of insomnia, nervousness and anxiety. It has a positive effect on the stomach and digestive system, and is used to relieve gas and bloating. It has been shown to relax spasms affecting the smooth muscles such as those in the uterus and intestines, making is an effective choice against menstrual cramps and other abdominal cramping. Increased dosages can induce sleep.
Lemon balm is used for stomach complaints, cramping, flatulence or bloating as a tea using 1.5 to 4.5 grams of the herb, several times a day. It is also available as a tincture to be used at the rate of 2 to 3 mL of tincture three times a day, or the equivalent in capsule form. For sores or herpes, steep 2 to 4 tsp of crushed leaf in a cup of boiling water.
Sage boosts brain function and memory
Also known as ‘garden meadow’, sage is a 2,000 year old healer and preservative as well as a culinary favorite. It has been used to treat everything from snakebite to mental illness. Modern research has shown that sage can help reduce excessive perspiration by as much as 50 percent. The German Commission E approves sage infusions for the treatment of excessive perspiration. Most health food stores sell sage-based deodorants.
The tannins in sage make it effective against the bacteria that cause gingivitis, and some natural mouthwashes contain sage. These can be used to fight canker sores, bleeding gums, sore throat, tonsillitis, and laryngitis. In addition to being extremely effective against viruses, sage is highly effective against bacteria.
Sage has been found to boost the brains supply of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that is critical to proper brain functioning and memory. There is no coincidence that people who possess the great wisdom of age are called ‘sages’. Research is underway to determine the effectiveness of sage against Alzheimer’s disease.
Sage contains a variety of volatile oils, flavonoids (including apigenin, diosmetin, and luteolin), and phenolic acids including rosmarinic acid. Rosmarinic acid is readily absorbed from the GI tract and acts to reduce inflammatory messaging molecules like leukotriene B4. The acid contains powerful antioxidant enzymes, including SOD and peroxidase. Like lemon balm, sage is a soother of disorders of the stomach and intestinal tract. It is effective against muscle spasms and indigestion.
Sage is available in liquid leaf extract form. The usual dose is 1 tsp three times per day. For sage tea, use 1 to 2 tsp of dried leaf to a cup of boiling water. Steep for 10 minutes. The tea is useful as a gargle for sore throat or as a mouthwash for gingivitis. Drink up to 3 cups a day to improve digestion and help regulate blood sugar or to reduce perspiration.
Peppermint oil can stop tumors in their tracks
Of all the species of mint, peppermint contains the highest levels of menthol, a phytochemical that promotes the calming of muscle spasms and improved digestion. It has been used since the Middle Ages as a cough suppressant and decongestant, and is a common ingredient in many natural anti-congestant medications as well as many traditional potions such as mentholatum chest rub. Peppermint is an FDA approved cold remedy.
One explanation for how peppermint oil helps irritable bowel suffers is that the oil blocks calcium channels, allowing the muscles to relax. It also relaxes the sphincter that keeps the contents of the stomach from backing up into the esophagus. That’s why peppermint oil is often sold in enteric-coated capsules designed to bypass the stomach and dissolve in the small intestine.
Peppermint contains perillyl alcohol as a phytonutrient called monoterpene. Animal studies have shown this monoterpene to be effective in stopping the growth of pancreatic, mammary and liver tumors. It has also been shown effective against cancer formation in the colon, skin and lungs.
The antimicrobial power of peppermint rivals that of its cousin, oregano. It is effective against helicobacter pylori, Salmonella, E. coli, and Staphylococcus, as well as many fungi. And like all the members of the mint family, peppermint contains a good amount of rosmarinic acid that has been shown to block the production of pro-inflammatory chemicals such as leukotrienes. This encourages the cells to produce prostacyclins that keep airways open for breathing.
In laboratory studies, peppermint oil was found to kill bacteria that cause urinary tract infections and the herpes simplex virus. It is effective against insect bites, rashes and headaches.
Peppermint is available as bulk oil, coated capsules, soft gels, and liquid extract. Many peppermint teas are on the market.
Growing your own supply of these powerful healers
The plants of the Lamiaceae family may prefer the glorious climate of the Mediterranean, but they can be grown almost anywhere. Many people remember a stand of these plants outside their grandmother’s kitchen door before pharmaceuticals gained such favor. The plants only need to be purchased once, as they are perennials and will return year after year even in zones where hard freeze is the norm for the winter. The leaves can withstand temperature down to about 29 or 30 degrees and will survive a few nippy nights, but they need to be harvested before a sustained period of freezing cold. Harvest the whole plant and hang it in the kitchen to dry.
Plants are readily available at nurseries in the spring, or they can be bought on line. Some of the health food stores, such as Whole Foods carry organic plants in springtime. There are few things on earth that make you feel more in control of your health destiny than to know your garden is full of healing plants and herbs, and that you are able to dry them and store them to see yourself safely through the winter.
Sources:
Geuenich, S. et al, “Aqueous extracts from peppermint, sage and lemon balm leaves display potent anti-HIV-1 activity by increasing the virion density”, Retrovirology, 2008.
“Lemon Balm”, “Sage”, “Peppermint”, Vitamin Stuff.
“Lemon Balm Herb, Tea and Oil Benefits”, Nutrasanus.
“Health Benefits of Sage Essential Oil”, Organic Facts.
“Health Benefits of Peppermint”, Harvard Medical School.
Funny: You Know you are a Raw Foodist When...
You Know You Are a Raw Foodist When…
September 16th, 2008 by Steve Pavlina
http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2008/09/you-know-you-are-a-raw-foodist-when/
… your microwave oven has been converted into a sprout and herb garden.
… you can’t remember the last time you visited the “other side” of the grocery store.
… you measure the time since your last illness in decades.
… you spend more time thinking about digestion than sex.
… you consume your own body weight in less than a month.
… you believe that $5 is a fair price for a 3-oz piece of chocolate.
… you feel confident that you could survive on Gilligan’s Island — and you know you can make a better coconut cream pie than Mary Ann.
… your diet is a combination of the diets of bonobos, cows, and plankton.
… you can identify every item in the produce section.
… the grocery checker has to look up the codes for half of your items; the other half she must ask you to identify.
… you gladly offer to “help out” any friends with fertility problems; they decline because they just want one baby, not a litter.
… you fantasize about a raw foods version of Costco.
… you store produce in your oven.
… you’ve turned down lunch invites for logistical reasons.
… your blender costs more than your car (and has a better warranty).
… you own functional kitchen equipment made of bamboo.
… you weight train by grocery shopping.
… your last remaining addiction is a bean.
… you spell juice fasting with an extra e.
… you don’t believe in pre-detox sex.
… you can make a salad from your backyard, even if you don’t have a garden.
… you know how to cure cancer, heart disease, and diabetes… but no one believes you.
… something in your kitchen is currently underwater.
… you know the difference between raw and really raw when it comes to foods like almonds, tahini, and agave nectar.
… it disturbs you when people start talking about really, really raw.
… you want to try solar gazing soon.
… you refer to the Food Network as the Horror Channel.
… your diet helps restore the hearing you lost from using your blender.
… you call yourself a chef and/or coach even though you’ve never been to school for either.
… you know what Cassandra felt like.
… your first name is an emotion, an adjective, or an insect.
… you shop for clothes in the children’s section.
… your bathroom is devoid of reading material.
… vegans ask you, “But where do you get your protein?” (Some things never change.)
… you qualify potential dating partners based on their level of toxicity.
… your job title begins with the words raw, eco, or alternative.
… your health care practitioner’s job title ends in -path or -ist.
… your crackers cost more than $1 per ounce.
… you meet a breatharian and have to ask, “But where you do get your protein?”
… your breakfast smoothies include items from six continents and four oceans.
September 16th, 2008 by Steve Pavlina
http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2008/09/you-know-you-are-a-raw-foodist-when/
… your microwave oven has been converted into a sprout and herb garden.
… you can’t remember the last time you visited the “other side” of the grocery store.
… you measure the time since your last illness in decades.
… you spend more time thinking about digestion than sex.
… you consume your own body weight in less than a month.
… you believe that $5 is a fair price for a 3-oz piece of chocolate.
… you feel confident that you could survive on Gilligan’s Island — and you know you can make a better coconut cream pie than Mary Ann.
… your diet is a combination of the diets of bonobos, cows, and plankton.
… you can identify every item in the produce section.
… the grocery checker has to look up the codes for half of your items; the other half she must ask you to identify.
… you gladly offer to “help out” any friends with fertility problems; they decline because they just want one baby, not a litter.
… you fantasize about a raw foods version of Costco.
… you store produce in your oven.
… you’ve turned down lunch invites for logistical reasons.
… your blender costs more than your car (and has a better warranty).
… you own functional kitchen equipment made of bamboo.
… you weight train by grocery shopping.
… your last remaining addiction is a bean.
… you spell juice fasting with an extra e.
… you don’t believe in pre-detox sex.
… you can make a salad from your backyard, even if you don’t have a garden.
… you know how to cure cancer, heart disease, and diabetes… but no one believes you.
… something in your kitchen is currently underwater.
… you know the difference between raw and really raw when it comes to foods like almonds, tahini, and agave nectar.
… it disturbs you when people start talking about really, really raw.
… you want to try solar gazing soon.
… you refer to the Food Network as the Horror Channel.
… your diet helps restore the hearing you lost from using your blender.
… you call yourself a chef and/or coach even though you’ve never been to school for either.
… you know what Cassandra felt like.
… your first name is an emotion, an adjective, or an insect.
… you shop for clothes in the children’s section.
… your bathroom is devoid of reading material.
… vegans ask you, “But where do you get your protein?” (Some things never change.)
… you qualify potential dating partners based on their level of toxicity.
… your job title begins with the words raw, eco, or alternative.
… your health care practitioner’s job title ends in -path or -ist.
… your crackers cost more than $1 per ounce.
… you meet a breatharian and have to ask, “But where you do get your protein?”
… your breakfast smoothies include items from six continents and four oceans.
Who Will Help? - by Heather Havey, M.A.
"Who Will Help?" by Heather Havey, M.A.
This is the vow for the Friends of Compassionate Earth Awareness, a group of people who have devoted themselves to caring for and honoring Earth and all of its inhabitants. To join this group, please visit their site at www.ourbelovedearth.com/friends.html
Who will help the animals?
Who will help stop the poisoning of the Earth?
Who will help the rivers that are filled with pollution?
Who will help the oceans that are heating up?
Who will help the trees that are being cut down?
Who will help the air that is being filled with poisons and greenhouse gases?
Who will help all the reefs that are bleaching and dying?
Who will help promote alternative energy - solar power, wind power, geothermal power?
Who will help promote local organic farms and farmers? Who will help people to be treated with kindness, care, and respect? Who will help to feed everyone? Who will help to bring comfort? Who will help us all to learn ways of living that honor all life and create beauty, rather than harm or destruction? Who will spread the idea of peace through kindness? Who will spread love rather than fear in this world?
Who will help? This is your answer...Say to yourself....
Who will help the animals? I will help.
Who will help stop the poisoning of the Earth? I will help.
Who will help the rivers that are filled with pollution? I will help.
Who will help the oceans that are heating up? I will help.
Who will help the trees that are being cut down? I will help.
Who will help the air that is being filled with poisons and greenhouse gases? I will help.
Who will help all the reefs that are bleaching and dying? I will help.
Who will help promote alternative energy - solar power, wind power, geothermal power? I will help.
Who will help promote local organic farms and farmers? I will help.
Who will help people to be treated with kindness, care, and respect? I will help.
Who will help to feed everyone? I will help.
Who will help to bring comfort? I will help.
Who will help us all to learn ways of living that honor all life and create beauty, rather than harm or destruction? I will help.
Who will spread the idea of peace through kindness? I will help.
Who will spread love rather than fear in this world? I will help.
We cannot expect random overstressed politicians to save the world. We ALL must save the world, one person and one animal and one plant at a time. Our world is a Garden of Eden and we treat it like it is a fallen, sinful place; this is our greatest error. Our world is our greatest gift, and it is healed and upheld in its true essence when we live as Christ and the great spiritual teachers live: LIVE LOVE.
Every choice you make - makes a difference!
Please make a vow to yourself, that you will practice making a difference.
The world REALLY needs your help.
The world REALLY needs your love and care.
This means - the world really needs your compassionate ACTION. With your every step, your every choice, you either help or you harm. Just try; do the best you can. Try harder. Put your passion into it. You can do amazing things! When you throw one starfish back into the ocean,
you save that one starfish's life. Every life makes a difference. Every choice makes a difference.
This is a choice to live from a deep place of spirit - faith - and courage, rather than from the fear that most of the world lives by. This is the place that motivates all the great spiritual leaders of our world: Jesus, Buddha, Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr, and so so many more. You can live this way also. Every moment of kindness makes a difference; the world needs your love and care.
Please join us. Make a vow: "I will help." We are the Friends for Compassionate Earth Awareness; join us. There is no cost. It is simply a vow that you will care for the life around you. This will be our shared passion, action, and mission, and together we can inspire each other. It will be a never-ending process, for there is much love and care that is needed in our world.
For more information, please see www.ourbelovedearth.com or www.peacethroughkindness.com.
This is the vow for the Friends of Compassionate Earth Awareness, a group of people who have devoted themselves to caring for and honoring Earth and all of its inhabitants. To join this group, please visit their site at www.ourbelovedearth.com/friends.html
Who will help the animals?
Who will help stop the poisoning of the Earth?
Who will help the rivers that are filled with pollution?
Who will help the oceans that are heating up?
Who will help the trees that are being cut down?
Who will help the air that is being filled with poisons and greenhouse gases?
Who will help all the reefs that are bleaching and dying?
Who will help promote alternative energy - solar power, wind power, geothermal power?
Who will help promote local organic farms and farmers? Who will help people to be treated with kindness, care, and respect? Who will help to feed everyone? Who will help to bring comfort? Who will help us all to learn ways of living that honor all life and create beauty, rather than harm or destruction? Who will spread the idea of peace through kindness? Who will spread love rather than fear in this world?
Who will help? This is your answer...Say to yourself....
Who will help the animals? I will help.
Who will help stop the poisoning of the Earth? I will help.
Who will help the rivers that are filled with pollution? I will help.
Who will help the oceans that are heating up? I will help.
Who will help the trees that are being cut down? I will help.
Who will help the air that is being filled with poisons and greenhouse gases? I will help.
Who will help all the reefs that are bleaching and dying? I will help.
Who will help promote alternative energy - solar power, wind power, geothermal power? I will help.
Who will help promote local organic farms and farmers? I will help.
Who will help people to be treated with kindness, care, and respect? I will help.
Who will help to feed everyone? I will help.
Who will help to bring comfort? I will help.
Who will help us all to learn ways of living that honor all life and create beauty, rather than harm or destruction? I will help.
Who will spread the idea of peace through kindness? I will help.
Who will spread love rather than fear in this world? I will help.
We cannot expect random overstressed politicians to save the world. We ALL must save the world, one person and one animal and one plant at a time. Our world is a Garden of Eden and we treat it like it is a fallen, sinful place; this is our greatest error. Our world is our greatest gift, and it is healed and upheld in its true essence when we live as Christ and the great spiritual teachers live: LIVE LOVE.
Every choice you make - makes a difference!
Please make a vow to yourself, that you will practice making a difference.
The world REALLY needs your help.
The world REALLY needs your love and care.
This means - the world really needs your compassionate ACTION. With your every step, your every choice, you either help or you harm. Just try; do the best you can. Try harder. Put your passion into it. You can do amazing things! When you throw one starfish back into the ocean,
you save that one starfish's life. Every life makes a difference. Every choice makes a difference.
This is a choice to live from a deep place of spirit - faith - and courage, rather than from the fear that most of the world lives by. This is the place that motivates all the great spiritual leaders of our world: Jesus, Buddha, Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr, and so so many more. You can live this way also. Every moment of kindness makes a difference; the world needs your love and care.
Please join us. Make a vow: "I will help." We are the Friends for Compassionate Earth Awareness; join us. There is no cost. It is simply a vow that you will care for the life around you. This will be our shared passion, action, and mission, and together we can inspire each other. It will be a never-ending process, for there is much love and care that is needed in our world.
For more information, please see www.ourbelovedearth.com or www.peacethroughkindness.com.
Reduction of Outdoor Lighting
Reduction Of Outdoor Lighting
February 1, 2001
http://www.energy.ca.gov/efficiency/lighting/outdoor_reduction.html
Governor Davis (CA) issued Executive Order D-19-01 stating, "substantial amounts of electricity are consumed through unnecessary outdoor lighting by retail establishments after business hours, including but not limited to, shopping centers, auto malls and dealerships." The Executive Order requires retail business to substantially reduce unnecessary outdoor lighting wattage during non-business hours.
Reporting Possible Violations
Possible violations of the Governor's Executive Order should be made to your local law enforcement agency such as local police or sheriff's department. Please do NOT use 9-1-1 for reporting violations. Instead, check the pages in the front of your phone book and use the non-emergency phone numbers of your local law enforcement agency.
Strategies Developed by the Energy Commission
These are provided as examples of measures that businesses may want to consider to maintain illumination necessary for the safety of the public, employees, and property, while reducing total electrical usage.
There are four ways in which light (therefore energy) is wasted:
To have non-essential lighting energized especially after hours. Controls can greatly reduce the amount of energy consumed by exterior lighting.
Using energy inefficient equipment.
Sending light up into the atmosphere either by direct light or by reflected light. By using completely shielded (or IESNA cutoff) area or wall-mounted luminaires, light goes down instead of up.
Over lighting. Not only does over lighting waste energy, it may create light adaptation hazards.
Quality exterior lighting involves selecting the correct equipment for the project, not over lighting, providing uniform lighting for security reasons, and minimizing the glare (non-productive light).
Examples of Measures
The following examples are measures that businesses may consider to maintain illumination levels necessary for the safety of the public, employees, and property, while reducing total electrical usage.
Evaluate existing exterior lighting systems and identify non-critical lighting. Clearly label all switching devices to save time and help employees identify which lights should be shut-off at specific times.
Use only energy efficient lamp technologies wherever possible such as metal halide, induction lamps, high-pressure sodium, and linear and compact fluorescent sources. Avoid using fluorescent sources that are not suited for low temperature operation in cold climate zones. Avoid using mercury vapor lighting systems. Incandescent sources should be avoided unless they are integrated with a control mechanism that significantly limits the time that they operate.
Use IESNA recommended light level ranges. Use the lower recommended values in order lower energy usage, yet stay within recommended values. Abnormally bright lights can create glare and deep shadows, which can make seeing extremely difficult. Illumination ratios between areas should be minimal (e.g., less than 10:1)
Locate outdoor lighting where it is needed. For example, locate outdoor lighting below tree canopies, not above.
In parking lots, use efficient and cutoff lighting fixtures that emit no light above the horizontal or into the sky, fixtures that emit no more than 2.5 percent of the lamp lumens upward. Use cutoff lighting fixtures for all lamps greater than 2800 lumens. This will minimize wasted light going up into the atmosphere.
In signage and retail, use color contrast to attract attention, rather than high levels of illumination. Provide reflective surfaces for lettering or other elements that need to be illuminated at night and illuminate only the lettering, not the background.
Lighting Controls
There are a number of excellent automatic lighting controls that may be used to turn off exterior lights when appropriate:
Daylight controls, or photo sensors, used to turn off lights whenever adequate daylight is available.
Energy management systems and timeclocks, used to limit lighting to within certain operating hours.
Timer switches, used to turn on lights for only short duration.
Motion sensors, used to either turn on lights, or turn up lights that have been dimmed, whenever an occupant is present.
Examples of possible uses of lighting controls
Evaluate and set specific outdoor lighting, as appropriate, to automatically lower or turn off after the close of business to the public, and/or after all employees have left the premises. After business hours, lower light levels to minimal levels, just enough to detect movement and provide sufficient security. Use timers, motion sensors, or an energy management system to turn-off or reduce lighting.
Some security lighting can be activated with motion sensors so that lights come on only when someone is in the immediate area (consult with local law enforcement). Energy efficient lamp sources ideal for motion sensors include fluorescent and induction lamps. When using "on-off" motion sensors for security lighting, avoid the use of sources that require a period of time to achieve full brightness (HID sources such as Metal Halide or High Pressure Sodium). Incandescent sources can also be an effective source for this type of application since it will only operate a limited time and is not sensitive to temperature effects.
HID sources can work well in conjunction with motion sensors that offer two levels of lighting (also called stepped ballasts or hi-lo). In these applications, the low level light is provided when no motion is detected. When the motion sensor detects motion, it triggers the lighting to go to the high light level. The hi-lo lighting may be appropriate in parking lots, parking structures, and in areas where safety and security are important.
Turn off display, advertising, and specialty lights after retail hours (for example after mid-night).
Other Information
The Lighting for Exterior Environments, PR-33-99 by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America is one of the most helpful publications on exterior lighting. It can be ordered from their website www.iesna.org or by calling 212-248-5000, extenion 112. Please be sure to refer to publication number RP-33-99. Cost is around $45.
You can also find a wealth of free information on California International Darksky Association website at www.skykeepers.org/index.html. Here you'll find suggested lighting ordinances, actual ordinances, and examples of good and bad outdoor lighting.
A National Equipment Manufacturers Association (NEMA) white paper includes information about common practices on outdoor lighting and how to prevent outdoor lighting problems. The paper can be found at: http://www.nema.org/products/div2/white_papers.html.
For more information about reducing outdoor lighting, please contact:
California Energy Commission
Energy Efficiency and Demand Analysis Division
Nonresidential Buildings Office
1516 Ninth Street, MS-26
Sacramento, CA 95814
Gary Flamm 916-654-2817
Maziar Shirakh 916-654-3839
February 1, 2001
http://www.energy.ca.gov/
Governor Davis (CA) issued Executive Order D-19-01 stating, "substantial amounts of electricity are consumed through unnecessary outdoor lighting by retail establishments after business hours, including but not limited to, shopping centers, auto malls and dealerships." The Executive Order requires retail business to substantially reduce unnecessary outdoor lighting wattage during non-business hours.
Reporting Possible Violations
Possible violations of the Governor's Executive Order should be made to your local law enforcement agency such as local police or sheriff's department. Please do NOT use 9-1-1 for reporting violations. Instead, check the pages in the front of your phone book and use the non-emergency phone numbers of your local law enforcement agency.
Strategies Developed by the Energy Commission
These are provided as examples of measures that businesses may want to consider to maintain illumination necessary for the safety of the public, employees, and property, while reducing total electrical usage.
There are four ways in which light (therefore energy) is wasted:
To have non-essential lighting energized especially after hours. Controls can greatly reduce the amount of energy consumed by exterior lighting.
Using energy inefficient equipment.
Sending light up into the atmosphere either by direct light or by reflected light. By using completely shielded (or IESNA cutoff) area or wall-mounted luminaires, light goes down instead of up.
Over lighting. Not only does over lighting waste energy, it may create light adaptation hazards.
Quality exterior lighting involves selecting the correct equipment for the project, not over lighting, providing uniform lighting for security reasons, and minimizing the glare (non-productive light).
Examples of Measures
The following examples are measures that businesses may consider to maintain illumination levels necessary for the safety of the public, employees, and property, while reducing total electrical usage.
Evaluate existing exterior lighting systems and identify non-critical lighting. Clearly label all switching devices to save time and help employees identify which lights should be shut-off at specific times.
Use only energy efficient lamp technologies wherever possible such as metal halide, induction lamps, high-pressure sodium, and linear and compact fluorescent sources. Avoid using fluorescent sources that are not suited for low temperature operation in cold climate zones. Avoid using mercury vapor lighting systems. Incandescent sources should be avoided unless they are integrated with a control mechanism that significantly limits the time that they operate.
Use IESNA recommended light level ranges. Use the lower recommended values in order lower energy usage, yet stay within recommended values. Abnormally bright lights can create glare and deep shadows, which can make seeing extremely difficult. Illumination ratios between areas should be minimal (e.g., less than 10:1)
Locate outdoor lighting where it is needed. For example, locate outdoor lighting below tree canopies, not above.
In parking lots, use efficient and cutoff lighting fixtures that emit no light above the horizontal or into the sky, fixtures that emit no more than 2.5 percent of the lamp lumens upward. Use cutoff lighting fixtures for all lamps greater than 2800 lumens. This will minimize wasted light going up into the atmosphere.
In signage and retail, use color contrast to attract attention, rather than high levels of illumination. Provide reflective surfaces for lettering or other elements that need to be illuminated at night and illuminate only the lettering, not the background.
Lighting Controls
There are a number of excellent automatic lighting controls that may be used to turn off exterior lights when appropriate:
Daylight controls, or photo sensors, used to turn off lights whenever adequate daylight is available.
Energy management systems and timeclocks, used to limit lighting to within certain operating hours.
Timer switches, used to turn on lights for only short duration.
Motion sensors, used to either turn on lights, or turn up lights that have been dimmed, whenever an occupant is present.
Examples of possible uses of lighting controls
Evaluate and set specific outdoor lighting, as appropriate, to automatically lower or turn off after the close of business to the public, and/or after all employees have left the premises. After business hours, lower light levels to minimal levels, just enough to detect movement and provide sufficient security. Use timers, motion sensors, or an energy management system to turn-off or reduce lighting.
Some security lighting can be activated with motion sensors so that lights come on only when someone is in the immediate area (consult with local law enforcement). Energy efficient lamp sources ideal for motion sensors include fluorescent and induction lamps. When using "on-off" motion sensors for security lighting, avoid the use of sources that require a period of time to achieve full brightness (HID sources such as Metal Halide or High Pressure Sodium). Incandescent sources can also be an effective source for this type of application since it will only operate a limited time and is not sensitive to temperature effects.
HID sources can work well in conjunction with motion sensors that offer two levels of lighting (also called stepped ballasts or hi-lo). In these applications, the low level light is provided when no motion is detected. When the motion sensor detects motion, it triggers the lighting to go to the high light level. The hi-lo lighting may be appropriate in parking lots, parking structures, and in areas where safety and security are important.
Turn off display, advertising, and specialty lights after retail hours (for example after mid-night).
Other Information
The Lighting for Exterior Environments, PR-33-99 by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America is one of the most helpful publications on exterior lighting. It can be ordered from their website www.iesna.org or by calling 212-248-5000, extenion 112. Please be sure to refer to publication number RP-33-99. Cost is around $45.
You can also find a wealth of free information on California International Darksky Association website at www.skykeepers.org/index.html. Here you'll find suggested lighting ordinances, actual ordinances, and examples of good and bad outdoor lighting.
A National Equipment Manufacturers Association (NEMA) white paper includes information about common practices on outdoor lighting and how to prevent outdoor lighting problems. The paper can be found at: http://www.nema.org/products/
For more information about reducing outdoor lighting, please contact:
California Energy Commission
Energy Efficiency and Demand Analysis Division
Nonresidential Buildings Office
1516 Ninth Street, MS-26
Sacramento, CA 95814
Gary Flamm 916-654-2817
Maziar Shirakh 916-654-3839
12 Ways to Green Your Black Friday
12 Ways To Green Your Black Friday
Easy tips for saving money, your sanity and the environment.
Shopping ideas for black Friday, Christmas shopping ideas, Thanksgiving Friday shopping tips
http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/12-ways-to-green-your-black-friday-491119?src=nl&mag=tdg&list=dgr
http://www.thedailygreen.com/print-this/environmental-news/latest/12-ways-to-green-your-black-friday-491119
Black Friday...it’s the day after Thanksgiving that so many retailers rely on to help them go in the black by selling us on the need for salad shooters and other gadgets and gizmos for stuffing into stockings. It can be a fun day...and it can also be a green day with just a few ideas.
1. Car pool to the mall. Make it even more fun by shopping with a couple of family members or friends...it saves gas, reduces carbon and makes parking easier.
2. Buy American-Made. Not only does this reduce the chance of purchasing lead-laced toys, or lead jewelry, it reduces your personal carbon footprint by not buying products shipped in from far-away lands. Plus, it supports a fellow American factory worker.
3. BYOB. Bring your own shopping bags. Don't laugh-everyone's doing it.
4. Skip the drive-through. Idling your car puts pollutants into the air. So don’t use the drive through; stop the car and walk into the fast food joint. Better yet, grab a salad at a locally-owned restaurant.
5. Shop local retailers. Support local stores run by local people. It's a way to support a thriving local economy; a very green concept whose time has come.
6. Shop online. The internet is open for business everyday, including Black Friday, with plenty of deals and steals. (Expect the best Web deals Cyber Monday.)
See tips 7-12.
7. Buy green gifts for the holidays. Support the manufacturers who are jumping on the sustainability train and look for the great new eco-items that are out there. From fragrances to clothes to home spa luxuries, you can find green alternatives to most things you are looking for..
8. Forget gift cards. The dormancy charges, the forgotten balances...and even the potential for fraud make these cards a bad deal for you. Plus, they’re often made of plastic and will live on in landfills for ever and ever.
9. Start a stay-at-home Friday family tradition. Keep the family thing going one more day. Stay home and make gifts, holiday treats, things to give that cost less and come from the heart.
10. Send holiday e-cards. Save a tree and save a stamp and send a holiday e-card. Your posse will be impressed and, Gramps, your kids will stop calling you a Luddite.
11. Give a starter kit of eco-friendly gifts. Put together a collection of goodies to help your friends and family members get started going green. Think of the very first green steps and include things such as: a collection of cfl light bulbs, a pound of organic fair trade coffee, a power strip for fighting the energy vampire at home, a tire pressure gauge, all put in a cool looking shopping tote bag they can use for their own grocery trips all year.
12. Spend less and donate more. Put the heart back into the holidays this year. Remember what you're celebrating by remembering the less fortunate. Wait 'til you see how it makes you feel!
Easy tips for saving money, your sanity and the environment.
Shopping ideas for black Friday, Christmas shopping ideas, Thanksgiving Friday shopping tips
http://www.thedailygreen.com/
http://www.thedailygreen.com/
Black Friday...it’s the day after Thanksgiving that so many retailers rely on to help them go in the black by selling us on the need for salad shooters and other gadgets and gizmos for stuffing into stockings. It can be a fun day...and it can also be a green day with just a few ideas.
1. Car pool to the mall. Make it even more fun by shopping with a couple of family members or friends...it saves gas, reduces carbon and makes parking easier.
2. Buy American-Made. Not only does this reduce the chance of purchasing lead-laced toys, or lead jewelry, it reduces your personal carbon footprint by not buying products shipped in from far-away lands. Plus, it supports a fellow American factory worker.
3. BYOB. Bring your own shopping bags. Don't laugh-everyone's doing it.
4. Skip the drive-through. Idling your car puts pollutants into the air. So don’t use the drive through; stop the car and walk into the fast food joint. Better yet, grab a salad at a locally-owned restaurant.
5. Shop local retailers. Support local stores run by local people. It's a way to support a thriving local economy; a very green concept whose time has come.
6. Shop online. The internet is open for business everyday, including Black Friday, with plenty of deals and steals. (Expect the best Web deals Cyber Monday.)
See tips 7-12.
7. Buy green gifts for the holidays. Support the manufacturers who are jumping on the sustainability train and look for the great new eco-items that are out there. From fragrances to clothes to home spa luxuries, you can find green alternatives to most things you are looking for..
8. Forget gift cards. The dormancy charges, the forgotten balances...and even the potential for fraud make these cards a bad deal for you. Plus, they’re often made of plastic and will live on in landfills for ever and ever.
9. Start a stay-at-home Friday family tradition. Keep the family thing going one more day. Stay home and make gifts, holiday treats, things to give that cost less and come from the heart.
10. Send holiday e-cards. Save a tree and save a stamp and send a holiday e-card. Your posse will be impressed and, Gramps, your kids will stop calling you a Luddite.
11. Give a starter kit of eco-friendly gifts. Put together a collection of goodies to help your friends and family members get started going green. Think of the very first green steps and include things such as: a collection of cfl light bulbs, a pound of organic fair trade coffee, a power strip for fighting the energy vampire at home, a tire pressure gauge, all put in a cool looking shopping tote bag they can use for their own grocery trips all year.
12. Spend less and donate more. Put the heart back into the holidays this year. Remember what you're celebrating by remembering the less fortunate. Wait 'til you see how it makes you feel!
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Moby on veganism
“I think that the only reason I don’t look like I’m a 130 years old after a lifetime of touring so much and living in hotel rooms, and drinking too much, is that I’ve been a vegan now for 22 years. Normally friends of mine, when they wake up and they’re hungover, they go out and have bacon and eggs and smoke cigarettes. When I wake up, I have a smoothie and vegan burritos. So for anyone who plans on drinking a lot or taking drugs, I do advocate a vegan lifestyle to try and offset it a little bit.”
– Music artist Moby in a recent interview with Black Book magazine.
– Music artist Moby in a recent interview with Black Book magazine.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Soaring Forests - or Stumps...2 million acres of US forest are in danger!!
Reject the Bush Administration's plans now by clicking here
President Bush's final day in office comes in exactly two months and his Administration is clearly aiming to use the remaining time to get as many environmental rollbacks on the books as possible.
An extreme case in point: The ancient forests of western Oregon, now under threat of large scale, industrial clearcut logging.
You can help us protect Oregon's ancient forests from last-minute handouts to the timber industry. Take action now!
This isn't just about a small plot of land. The Administration's plan endangers more than two million acres of ancient forests of cedar and fir, home to black bears and deer, as well as endangered birds like the marbled murrelet and spotted owl. It's an area whose trees, wetlands and thousands of miles of rushing rivers act as a buffer against encroaching changes from global warming.
The Bush Administration's proposals would fragment this old growth ecosystem with the desolation of stumps and logging roads.
We're already having an impact – through our efforts, the Bush Administration reversed itself and finally agreed to accept public comments on this plan. Now we need to flood the Administration with letters in opposition to this radical plan.
Don't sit idly by. Speak up to reject the Bush Administration's plans NOW.
Time and time again, we have successfully kept this Administration from wreaking havoc on our nation's wilderness. It would be a travesty if, during the last days of the Bush Administration, we lost such a legacy through inaction.
In these final days of 2008, let's do all we can to save Oregon's ancient forests.
Thank you for your commitment.
Sincerely,
Kathy Kilmer
The Wilderness Society
President Bush's final day in office comes in exactly two months and his Administration is clearly aiming to use the remaining time to get as many environmental rollbacks on the books as possible.
An extreme case in point: The ancient forests of western Oregon, now under threat of large scale, industrial clearcut logging.
You can help us protect Oregon's ancient forests from last-minute handouts to the timber industry. Take action now!
This isn't just about a small plot of land. The Administration's plan endangers more than two million acres of ancient forests of cedar and fir, home to black bears and deer, as well as endangered birds like the marbled murrelet and spotted owl. It's an area whose trees, wetlands and thousands of miles of rushing rivers act as a buffer against encroaching changes from global warming.
The Bush Administration's proposals would fragment this old growth ecosystem with the desolation of stumps and logging roads.
We're already having an impact – through our efforts, the Bush Administration reversed itself and finally agreed to accept public comments on this plan. Now we need to flood the Administration with letters in opposition to this radical plan.
Don't sit idly by. Speak up to reject the Bush Administration's plans NOW.
Time and time again, we have successfully kept this Administration from wreaking havoc on our nation's wilderness. It would be a travesty if, during the last days of the Bush Administration, we lost such a legacy through inaction.
In these final days of 2008, let's do all we can to save Oregon's ancient forests.
Thank you for your commitment.
Sincerely,
Kathy Kilmer
The Wilderness Society
Recipe: Vegan Chocolate Truffles
Christina Applegate, a longtime vegetarian and PETA supporter, has just recently shared her delicious vegan truffle recipe with the world and we think it’s pretty awesome. The secret to this recipe is the vegan cream cheese — which nowadays you can find just about anywhere!
3 cups powdered sugar
1-8 oz. vegan cream cheese, softened
1 ½ tsp. vanilla
Ground nuts, unsweetened cocoa or toasted flaked coconut
12 oz. organic semi-sweet chocolate, melted in a double boiler or on the lowest power in the microwave, stirred frequently.
1. Beat the “cream cheese” until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until well-blended.
2. Add the melted chocolate and vanilla and mix well. Refrigerate for about 1 hour.
3. Shape into 1-inch balls and roll in the nuts, cocoa or coconut. Chill in the refrigerator.
Makes about 5 dozen truffles.
3 cups powdered sugar
1-8 oz. vegan cream cheese, softened
1 ½ tsp. vanilla
Ground nuts, unsweetened cocoa or toasted flaked coconut
12 oz. organic semi-sweet chocolate, melted in a double boiler or on the lowest power in the microwave, stirred frequently.
1. Beat the “cream cheese” until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until well-blended.
2. Add the melted chocolate and vanilla and mix well. Refrigerate for about 1 hour.
3. Shape into 1-inch balls and roll in the nuts, cocoa or coconut. Chill in the refrigerator.
Makes about 5 dozen truffles.
FOOD NOT LAWNS: A Better Way to Live - by Heather Havey M.A.
FOOD NOT LAWNS: A better Way to Live by Heather Havey, M.A.
The idea of the neatly-manicured, grass-dominated "lawn" was popularized by wealthy families in 18th century Europe. Most people could not imagine wasting so much space. While a lawn looks sparce, neat, or elegant, it is quite harmful for the environment in multiple ways:
(1) Destroys habitat for birds, animals, bees, beneficial insects, etc
(2) Contributes to global warming because people cut down most or all of the trees
(3) Wipes out such a wonderful opportunity to grow your own organic fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, or any food-bearing, beautiful plants.
(4) Lawn care maintenance is time-consuming and also pollutes via lawnmower fumes, leafblower fumes, and the application of deadly poisons (pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, etc) which kill not only weeds but also bees, insects, butterflies, birds, animals, and eventually humans.
(5) Is visually boring compared to the endless beauty of growing a diverse yard filled with food-bearing plants, shrubs, trees, flowers, and so on that COULD fill your yard.
"Food Not Lawns" is a movement that began in the northwest US by a group of dedicated, Earth-loving, caring people who realized that our popular notions of yard care simply do not support a healthy planet. Many people around the country are beginning to realize these lessons and making the change-0ver to sustainable, natural living.
What we have to realize is that our current way of living is destructive and not sustainable. We face limited and greatly diminishing natural resources on all levels of life, and if we do not change our ways, then we will lose more than half (or more) of species on this planet and we will also contribute to more human suffering, starvation, and disease through promoting and choosing destructive patterns.
Now that we know a better way, let us choose it.
Not only is it a better, healthier way, but it is also a more beautiful way.
And there is NOTHING so wonderful as watching your own plants grow from seed or from babies, taller and stronger into strong adult plants. Even more so, to walk out into your yard and pick your own organic vegetables or fruits, that you have nurtured with water and compost and sunlight and love, to eat at your table, fills your day and your whole meal with such gratitude and love.
So let us all begin to live closer to nature. If you have a lawn, you are so lucky! Because now you can convert it into a living, thriving, healthy, diverse and beautiful garden - a paradise right in your own yard.
Send your friends & loved ones earth-friendly ecards!
Share this article: Food Not Lawns: A Better Way To Live by copying and pasting this link into your email or on your site.
The idea of the neatly-manicured, grass-dominated "lawn" was popularized by wealthy families in 18th century Europe. Most people could not imagine wasting so much space. While a lawn looks sparce, neat, or elegant, it is quite harmful for the environment in multiple ways:
(1) Destroys habitat for birds, animals, bees, beneficial insects, etc
(2) Contributes to global warming because people cut down most or all of the trees
(3) Wipes out such a wonderful opportunity to grow your own organic fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, or any food-bearing, beautiful plants.
(4) Lawn care maintenance is time-consuming and also pollutes via lawnmower fumes, leafblower fumes, and the application of deadly poisons (pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, etc) which kill not only weeds but also bees, insects, butterflies, birds, animals, and eventually humans.
(5) Is visually boring compared to the endless beauty of growing a diverse yard filled with food-bearing plants, shrubs, trees, flowers, and so on that COULD fill your yard.
"Food Not Lawns" is a movement that began in the northwest US by a group of dedicated, Earth-loving, caring people who realized that our popular notions of yard care simply do not support a healthy planet. Many people around the country are beginning to realize these lessons and making the change-0ver to sustainable, natural living.
What we have to realize is that our current way of living is destructive and not sustainable. We face limited and greatly diminishing natural resources on all levels of life, and if we do not change our ways, then we will lose more than half (or more) of species on this planet and we will also contribute to more human suffering, starvation, and disease through promoting and choosing destructive patterns.
Now that we know a better way, let us choose it.
Not only is it a better, healthier way, but it is also a more beautiful way.
And there is NOTHING so wonderful as watching your own plants grow from seed or from babies, taller and stronger into strong adult plants. Even more so, to walk out into your yard and pick your own organic vegetables or fruits, that you have nurtured with water and compost and sunlight and love, to eat at your table, fills your day and your whole meal with such gratitude and love.
So let us all begin to live closer to nature. If you have a lawn, you are so lucky! Because now you can convert it into a living, thriving, healthy, diverse and beautiful garden - a paradise right in your own yard.
Send your friends & loved ones earth-friendly ecards!
Share this article: Food Not Lawns: A Better Way To Live by copying and pasting this link into your email or on your site.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Simple Ways To Afford Your Green Lifestyle! - by Heather Havey, M.A.
Simple Ways to Afford Your Green Lifestyle! - by Heather Havey, M.A.
The economy may be challenged, and our own wallets may also be challenged, during these times. However, we still would like to eat right. It is more important than simply a desire to eat well; it is a non-negotiable. It is your Life we are talking about!
That said, the NUMBER ONE excuse that I hear from people is that they "can't afford to eat healthy." I have a few responses to this that I hope will really help us all!
So you understand where I am coming from: We are all in this together, and I feel your pain. I live as a monk, a very simple lifestyle with very few possessions and low income, and I understand the challenges that can be presented for our wallets in this endeavor towards healthy, holy living. But, we can do it! Here are some helpful tips...
(1) Pay now, or pay later! You can pay a little more now for organic produce and natural foods lifestyle, or you will pay later in feeling tired, feeling bad, and having high medical bill potentials.
(2) Buy local, from farmers...or grow your own organic vegetables/fruits. Local farmers are going to charge you significantly less for their products than you would pay in a grocery store, health food store, or coop. So seek out your local organic farmers, CSA farms (Community Supported Agriculture), and so on. Another option is to grow your own organic vegetable garden. Local foods do not have to be shipped cross country or around the world, so they can be sold to you much cheaper. It is okay to choose local produce that does not have organic certification, as long as they grew them "unsprayed" (without applying pesticides).
(3) Plant fruit and nut trees all over your property. Not only will this make the birds and squirrels happy, but trees protect smaller shrubs and crops from harsh weather conditions, and provide healthy habitat for many types of life. Also, you will get hundreds of fruits each year off of every single healthy tree. Planting trees helps not only your and your family, helps not only the animals and plants, but it also helps the world to combat greenhouse gases and global warming! Trees release more Oxygen into the atmosphere, and we are clear-cutting the entire planet right now. WE DESPERATELY NEED TREES! And they will lower your grocery bills! If you have enough trees, you could even sell your fruits and nuts locally, and MAKE money off your trees.
(4) Buy bulk! Bulk bins make items SO much more affordable, and they give us the double benefit of saving on packaging materials and plastic bags. Many, many items - ranging from cereals, beans, grains, chocolates and desserts, herbs, spices, honey, nut butters, and even household items like soaps, shampoos, and cleaning products are available at health food stores in bulk bins.
(5) Eat Natural Foods. Though organic foods may SEEM expensive, really they are a much better deal than conventional produce. The reason for this is that they are far higher in nutritional value than conventional produce, so you get far more nutrition for your penny. Also, they have no poisons within them, so they are not filling your muscle tissues with small amounts of poison that build up over time to break down your health. Also, the most expensive food choices out there tend to be the most highly processed, and least healthy, ones. So when you go shopping, simply choose the most natural, whole, raw, and organic choices that you can.
Some ideas include eating fruit salad, vegetable salads, smoothies, juices, and sandwiches or wraps that you make yourself at home. These options are endless, are all natural, support your own health and the health of the planet, and cost less overall. Meat and dairy are the most expensive choices out there that you can make.
(6) Adopt a vegetarian or vegan diet. Diet is a personal choice that everyone must make, but veg choices are the healthiest and the most afforable choices out there.
(7) Grow your own food. It is actually very easy to grow food. It does not take much time after you set things up. All you really need is a small pot or seed sprouting tray, some basic soil, a little soil nutrient (organic fertilizer or compost or manure compost), seeds, and love. You can grow quite a few things indoors. Pepper plants (bell, or jalapeno, or other types) grow very beautifully and well indoors. So do most herbs and many other plants. I am currently even growing starfruit trees all over my room because it is too cold at nights for baby trees where I live right now. Plants need sunlight, water every few days, nutrients occasionally, and love. With half an acre of land, you could grow enough food for six families or more. A little land, and a little love for it, can go a LONG way. To get started, get some organic or heirloom seeds from Seeds of Change.
(8) Prepare your food at home rather than eating out. You will save a lot of money doing this - on gas, on tips, on restaurant food costs, and so on. It is easy, it is fun, and it is a wonderful bonding experience to either cook for your family/friends or cook with your family/friends.
(9) Bring your lunch to work/school rather than eating out there. You can ensure that you eat much more healthy choices this way, and it will cost you far less than it would to eat out everyday at work or school.
(10) Live simply, and eat simply. The more simple the meals you make, the less they will cost. Also, simpler meals tend to be healthier meals. The simplest and easiest lifestyle, and one of the world's healthiest, is to be an organic raw foodist grazer. This means that you eat only raw, organic fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and grains, and you simply snack on items whenever you feel like it. Your body will become cleaner and healthier, you will feel more energy, and you will lose weight if you need to. You will feel great. Simplicity and quality are the keys.
(11) Love, Love, Love. This is the answer for everything: for your own body and health, for the plants and trees and wildlife, for our friends and family, for the soil, for the entire world. The more we live with love and regard for others in our hearts, the happier and healthier our worlds will be. And best news yet! Love is totally free and an unlimited resource.
Aloha, have a blessed day, Heather Havey
Please send ecards to your friends and family.
The economy may be challenged, and our own wallets may also be challenged, during these times. However, we still would like to eat right. It is more important than simply a desire to eat well; it is a non-negotiable. It is your Life we are talking about!
That said, the NUMBER ONE excuse that I hear from people is that they "can't afford to eat healthy." I have a few responses to this that I hope will really help us all!
So you understand where I am coming from: We are all in this together, and I feel your pain. I live as a monk, a very simple lifestyle with very few possessions and low income, and I understand the challenges that can be presented for our wallets in this endeavor towards healthy, holy living. But, we can do it! Here are some helpful tips...
(1) Pay now, or pay later! You can pay a little more now for organic produce and natural foods lifestyle, or you will pay later in feeling tired, feeling bad, and having high medical bill potentials.
(2) Buy local, from farmers...or grow your own organic vegetables/fruits. Local farmers are going to charge you significantly less for their products than you would pay in a grocery store, health food store, or coop. So seek out your local organic farmers, CSA farms (Community Supported Agriculture), and so on. Another option is to grow your own organic vegetable garden. Local foods do not have to be shipped cross country or around the world, so they can be sold to you much cheaper. It is okay to choose local produce that does not have organic certification, as long as they grew them "unsprayed" (without applying pesticides).
(3) Plant fruit and nut trees all over your property. Not only will this make the birds and squirrels happy, but trees protect smaller shrubs and crops from harsh weather conditions, and provide healthy habitat for many types of life. Also, you will get hundreds of fruits each year off of every single healthy tree. Planting trees helps not only your and your family, helps not only the animals and plants, but it also helps the world to combat greenhouse gases and global warming! Trees release more Oxygen into the atmosphere, and we are clear-cutting the entire planet right now. WE DESPERATELY NEED TREES! And they will lower your grocery bills! If you have enough trees, you could even sell your fruits and nuts locally, and MAKE money off your trees.
(4) Buy bulk! Bulk bins make items SO much more affordable, and they give us the double benefit of saving on packaging materials and plastic bags. Many, many items - ranging from cereals, beans, grains, chocolates and desserts, herbs, spices, honey, nut butters, and even household items like soaps, shampoos, and cleaning products are available at health food stores in bulk bins.
(5) Eat Natural Foods. Though organic foods may SEEM expensive, really they are a much better deal than conventional produce. The reason for this is that they are far higher in nutritional value than conventional produce, so you get far more nutrition for your penny. Also, they have no poisons within them, so they are not filling your muscle tissues with small amounts of poison that build up over time to break down your health. Also, the most expensive food choices out there tend to be the most highly processed, and least healthy, ones. So when you go shopping, simply choose the most natural, whole, raw, and organic choices that you can.
Some ideas include eating fruit salad, vegetable salads, smoothies, juices, and sandwiches or wraps that you make yourself at home. These options are endless, are all natural, support your own health and the health of the planet, and cost less overall. Meat and dairy are the most expensive choices out there that you can make.
(6) Adopt a vegetarian or vegan diet. Diet is a personal choice that everyone must make, but veg choices are the healthiest and the most afforable choices out there.
(7) Grow your own food. It is actually very easy to grow food. It does not take much time after you set things up. All you really need is a small pot or seed sprouting tray, some basic soil, a little soil nutrient (organic fertilizer or compost or manure compost), seeds, and love. You can grow quite a few things indoors. Pepper plants (bell, or jalapeno, or other types) grow very beautifully and well indoors. So do most herbs and many other plants. I am currently even growing starfruit trees all over my room because it is too cold at nights for baby trees where I live right now. Plants need sunlight, water every few days, nutrients occasionally, and love. With half an acre of land, you could grow enough food for six families or more. A little land, and a little love for it, can go a LONG way. To get started, get some organic or heirloom seeds from Seeds of Change.
(8) Prepare your food at home rather than eating out. You will save a lot of money doing this - on gas, on tips, on restaurant food costs, and so on. It is easy, it is fun, and it is a wonderful bonding experience to either cook for your family/friends or cook with your family/friends.
(9) Bring your lunch to work/school rather than eating out there. You can ensure that you eat much more healthy choices this way, and it will cost you far less than it would to eat out everyday at work or school.
(10) Live simply, and eat simply. The more simple the meals you make, the less they will cost. Also, simpler meals tend to be healthier meals. The simplest and easiest lifestyle, and one of the world's healthiest, is to be an organic raw foodist grazer. This means that you eat only raw, organic fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and grains, and you simply snack on items whenever you feel like it. Your body will become cleaner and healthier, you will feel more energy, and you will lose weight if you need to. You will feel great. Simplicity and quality are the keys.
(11) Love, Love, Love. This is the answer for everything: for your own body and health, for the plants and trees and wildlife, for our friends and family, for the soil, for the entire world. The more we live with love and regard for others in our hearts, the happier and healthier our worlds will be. And best news yet! Love is totally free and an unlimited resource.
Aloha, have a blessed day, Heather Havey
Please send ecards to your friends and family.
What To Do With Your Leftover Food - by Heather Havey, M.A.
What To Do With Your Leftover Food by Heather Havey, M.A.
When you eat, firstly and most importantly, EAT ORGANIC FOOD. This is EXTREMELY important, because any other choice is filled with some degree of poison. In some cases, up to 30 or more poisons are used on a single crop!!! In my opinion, eating a conventional vegetarian or vegan diet (one that is not organic), is JUST as dangerous for your health, if not more so, than eating meat and dairy and lots of processed foods.
Secondly, what should you do with your leftover ORGANIC food? =)
The answer is Simple, and Wonderful!
YOUR LEFTOVER FOOD CAN FEED EITHER THE SOIL OR THE ANIMALS.
Birds love to eat seeds, breads, anything made with flour, chunks of fruit or nuts, pasta, and so on.
Squirrels also love nuts, seeds, and vegetables.
If you dump food, do it away from your house, because rats and mice and other animals ALSO love food remains, so you don't want those lingering around and digging holes under your house...simply because it can cause challenges for you in a garden or even with plumbing or electrical if they get into walls or dig under the house.
Throw food remains into nearby woods, if that is an option.
Also, if you compost, simply throw the food remains into your compost bin. Then the micro-organisms and insects will help you to build healthy, new soil for use in your garden.
It's really quite wonderful to consider how you can feed and support local wildlife and health of your own soil, simply by giving all your food remains back to nature.
Aloha; have a blessed day, Heather Havey
Send your friends uplifting and beautiful ecards.
When you eat, firstly and most importantly, EAT ORGANIC FOOD. This is EXTREMELY important, because any other choice is filled with some degree of poison. In some cases, up to 30 or more poisons are used on a single crop!!! In my opinion, eating a conventional vegetarian or vegan diet (one that is not organic), is JUST as dangerous for your health, if not more so, than eating meat and dairy and lots of processed foods.
Secondly, what should you do with your leftover ORGANIC food? =)
The answer is Simple, and Wonderful!
YOUR LEFTOVER FOOD CAN FEED EITHER THE SOIL OR THE ANIMALS.
Birds love to eat seeds, breads, anything made with flour, chunks of fruit or nuts, pasta, and so on.
Squirrels also love nuts, seeds, and vegetables.
If you dump food, do it away from your house, because rats and mice and other animals ALSO love food remains, so you don't want those lingering around and digging holes under your house...simply because it can cause challenges for you in a garden or even with plumbing or electrical if they get into walls or dig under the house.
Throw food remains into nearby woods, if that is an option.
Also, if you compost, simply throw the food remains into your compost bin. Then the micro-organisms and insects will help you to build healthy, new soil for use in your garden.
It's really quite wonderful to consider how you can feed and support local wildlife and health of your own soil, simply by giving all your food remains back to nature.
Aloha; have a blessed day, Heather Havey
Send your friends uplifting and beautiful ecards.
Chemotherapy Kills 27% of Sick Patients; Doctors Urged to Stop
Chemotherapy Kills 27% of Sick Patients; Doctors Urged to Stop Killing People with Chemo
Doctors ‘rely on chemo too much’
Patient having chemotherapy
Some 80,000 patients undergo chemotherapy each yearDoctors are being urged to re-think their approach to giving chemotherapy during care at the end of life.
A review of 600 cancer patients who died within 30 days of treatment found that in more than a quarter of cases it actually hastened or caused death.
The report by the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death said doctors should consider reducing doses or not using chemotherapy at all.
England’s cancer tsar Professor Mike Richards said he was “very concerned”.
The group of patients the independent group was looking at represents 2% of the 80,000 people who receive chemotherapy each year.
This report provides very disturbing information about the safety of treatment for incurable cancer
Professor Jane Maher, of Macmillan Cancer SupportThey were all severely-ill patients for which the chemotherapy was mostly being used to manage their condition rather than in an attempt to cure the cancer.
After examining case notes, the group said that 35% of patients received good care.
But it found that in 27% of cases it hastened or caused death - the toxic nature of the treatment can lead to a range of problems, the most serious of which is an infection called neutropenic sepsis.
Report co-author Dr Diana Mort said doctors should be more “cautious in prescribing chemotherapy for very sick patients”.
And she added: “The process of consent may require more than one discussion.
“Patients must be made aware of the risks and side-effect of chemotherapy as well as the potential benefits.”
Transfer arrangements
The report also criticised the facilities made available to patients with nearly half being admitted to general medicine wards during the last 30 days of life rather than a specialist cancer unit.
The authors recommended where hospitals did not have specialist units they should put in place transfer arrangements to centres that did.
Professor Jane Maher, chief medical officer at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “This report provides very disturbing information about the safety of treatment for incurable cancer.
“It shows that doctors and nurses need to be much better at helping patients understand the pros and cons of such powerful treatments in the last year of life.”
Professor Richards said he was “very concerned”.
“I am asking all chemotherapy service providers to consider these reports urgently and to reassess their own services immediately against the measures we have set nationally.”
But Dr Peter Clark, of the Royal College of Physicians, said while lessons could be learnt it was important to remember that chemotherapy carried “substantial short and long-term benefit” for the majority who undergo the treatment.
Obama Cites Global Warming, Renewable Energy as Top Priorities
We already knew that President elect Barack Obama is serious about tackling climate change and switching this country to renewable energy as quickly as possible. Tuesday, in a surprise video appearance at an international conference on climate change convened by California Gov. Schwarzennegger, Obama reconfirmed his dedication to both issues.
Obama addressed the audience in taped remarks repeating his campaign promises to reduce greenhouse gases by 80% by 2050, and invest $150 billion in new energy-saving technologies. Watch the video below:
From The New York Times:
“Now is the time to confront this challenge once and for all,” Mr. Obama said. “Delay is no longer an option. Denial is no longer an acceptable response.”
“My presidency will mark a new chapter in America’s leadership on climate change that will strengthen our security and create millions of new jobs in the process,” Mr. Obama said.
State officials and environmental advocates were cheered that Mr. Obama choose to address climate change as only the second major policy area he has discussed as president-elect. In a press conference and television interview last week he said that his first priority as president will be to revitalize the economy.
This is great news for people who feared that the need to focus on the economy would, by necessity, put global warming and renewable energy on the back burner. Those of us in favor of the Green Collar Economy idea, however, are well aware that finding a solution to these three issues means addressing all at once. Now, we’re just waiting for Obama to offer a high-level position in his administration to Van Jones,
Link [The New York Times]
HERO: Macedonians Plant 6 Million Trees in one Day!!!
A renowned Macedonian Opera singer, Boris Trajanov, UNESCO's 2005 Artist for Peace, has successfully initiated the planting of six million trees in a single day to replace those lost in wildfires."If Macedonia, a country of two million people, can plant six million trees, we can only imagine how many trees can be planted in other, bigger countries," Trajanov told Reuters.SKOPJE (Reuters) - Thousands of Macedonians took to the hills and forests on Wednesday to plant six million trees in a single day as part of a mass reforestation drive in the Balkan country.
The main aim of the campaign was to replant Macedonia's forests after extensive wild fires over the past two summers, and organizers trumpeted the scheme's environmental benefits at a time of global warming.
"Our goal is to make Macedonia "greener" and make people more aware of the needs of this planet," said Macedonian opera singer Boris Trajanov, who initiated the project.
From Macedonia's official Tree Day website:The purpose of this initiative is to plant more than 2 million tree seedlings corresponding to the population of the Republic of Macedonia in a single day, on March 12, 2008. The action shall be entitled « Tree day ».Trajanov says he hopes to extend the reforestation project across the Balkans.
For this purpose we have also created an Initiative Board, composed of about one hundred renown citizens, distinguished members of society, creators of public opinion, artists, representatives of the scientific milieu, music stars...
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Alice Walker's letter to Barack Obama
Nov. 5, 2008
Dear Brother Obama,
You have no idea, really, of how profound this moment is for us. Us being the black people of the Southern United States. You think you know, because you are thoughtful, and you have studied our history. But seeing you deliver the torch so many others before you carried, year after year, decade after decade, century after century, only to be struck down before igniting the flame of justice and of law, is almost more than the heart can bear. And yet, this observation is not intended to burden you, for you are of a different time, and, indeed, because of all the relay runners before you, North America is a different place. It is really only to say: Well done. We knew, through all the generations, that you were with us, in us, the best of the spirit of Africa and of the Americas. Knowing this, that you would actually appear, someday, was part of our strength. Seeing you take your rightful place, based solely on your wisdom, stamina and character, is a balm for the weary warriors of hope, previously only sung about.
I would advise you to remember that you did not create the disaster that the world is experiencing, and you alone are not responsible for bringing the world back to balance. A primary responsibility that you do have, however, is to cultivate happiness in your own life. To make a schedule that permits sufficient time of rest and play with your gorgeous wife and lovely daughters. And so on. One gathers that your family is large. We are used to seeing men in the White House soon become juiceless and as white-haired as the building; we notice their wives and children looking strained and stressed. They soon have smiles so lacking in joy that they remind us of scissors. This is no way to lead. Nor does your family deserve this fate. One way of thinking about all this is: It is so bad now that there is no excuse not to relax. From your happy, relaxed state, you can model real success, which is all that so many people in the world really want. They may buy endless cars and houses and furs and gobble up all the attention and space they can manage, or barely manage, but this is because it is not yet clear to them that success is truly an inside job. That it is within the reach of almost everyone.
I would further advise you not to take on other people's enemies. Most damage that others do to us is out of fear, humiliation and pain. Those feelings occur in all of us, not just in those of us who profess a certain religious or racial devotion. We must learn actually not to have enemies, but only confused adversaries who are ourselves in disguise. It is understood by all that you are commander in chief of the United States and are sworn to protect our beloved country; this we understand, completely. However, as my mother used to say, quoting a Bible with which I often fought, "hate the sin, but love the sinner." There must be no more crushing of whole communities, no more torture, no more dehumanizing as a means of ruling a people's spirit. This has already happened to people of color, poor people, women, children. We see where this leads, where it has led.
A good model of how to "work with the enemy" internally is presented by the Dalai Lama, in his endless caretaking of his soul as he confronts the Chinese government that invaded Tibet. Because, finally, it is the soul that must be preserved, if one is to remain a credible leader. All else might be lost; but when the soul dies, the connection to earth, to peoples, to animals, to rivers, to mountain ranges, purple and majestic, also dies. And your smile, with which we watch you do gracious battle with unjust characterizations, distortions and lies, is that expression of healthy self-worth, spirit and soul, that, kept happy and free and relaxed, can find an answering smile in all of us, lighting our way, and brightening the world.
We are the ones we have been waiting for.
In Peace and Joy,
Alice Walker
© 2008, Alice Walker
Dear Brother Obama,
You have no idea, really, of how profound this moment is for us. Us being the black people of the Southern United States. You think you know, because you are thoughtful, and you have studied our history. But seeing you deliver the torch so many others before you carried, year after year, decade after decade, century after century, only to be struck down before igniting the flame of justice and of law, is almost more than the heart can bear. And yet, this observation is not intended to burden you, for you are of a different time, and, indeed, because of all the relay runners before you, North America is a different place. It is really only to say: Well done. We knew, through all the generations, that you were with us, in us, the best of the spirit of Africa and of the Americas. Knowing this, that you would actually appear, someday, was part of our strength. Seeing you take your rightful place, based solely on your wisdom, stamina and character, is a balm for the weary warriors of hope, previously only sung about.
I would advise you to remember that you did not create the disaster that the world is experiencing, and you alone are not responsible for bringing the world back to balance. A primary responsibility that you do have, however, is to cultivate happiness in your own life. To make a schedule that permits sufficient time of rest and play with your gorgeous wife and lovely daughters. And so on. One gathers that your family is large. We are used to seeing men in the White House soon become juiceless and as white-haired as the building; we notice their wives and children looking strained and stressed. They soon have smiles so lacking in joy that they remind us of scissors. This is no way to lead. Nor does your family deserve this fate. One way of thinking about all this is: It is so bad now that there is no excuse not to relax. From your happy, relaxed state, you can model real success, which is all that so many people in the world really want. They may buy endless cars and houses and furs and gobble up all the attention and space they can manage, or barely manage, but this is because it is not yet clear to them that success is truly an inside job. That it is within the reach of almost everyone.
I would further advise you not to take on other people's enemies. Most damage that others do to us is out of fear, humiliation and pain. Those feelings occur in all of us, not just in those of us who profess a certain religious or racial devotion. We must learn actually not to have enemies, but only confused adversaries who are ourselves in disguise. It is understood by all that you are commander in chief of the United States and are sworn to protect our beloved country; this we understand, completely. However, as my mother used to say, quoting a Bible with which I often fought, "hate the sin, but love the sinner." There must be no more crushing of whole communities, no more torture, no more dehumanizing as a means of ruling a people's spirit. This has already happened to people of color, poor people, women, children. We see where this leads, where it has led.
A good model of how to "work with the enemy" internally is presented by the Dalai Lama, in his endless caretaking of his soul as he confronts the Chinese government that invaded Tibet. Because, finally, it is the soul that must be preserved, if one is to remain a credible leader. All else might be lost; but when the soul dies, the connection to earth, to peoples, to animals, to rivers, to mountain ranges, purple and majestic, also dies. And your smile, with which we watch you do gracious battle with unjust characterizations, distortions and lies, is that expression of healthy self-worth, spirit and soul, that, kept happy and free and relaxed, can find an answering smile in all of us, lighting our way, and brightening the world.
We are the ones we have been waiting for.
In Peace and Joy,
Alice Walker
© 2008, Alice Walker
tiny homes in a land of foreclosures...
Because the way of this land currently is:
I recommend that you consider living more like this:
For more info: tinyhomes.net or tumbleweedhouses.com
I recommend that you consider living more like this:
For more info: tinyhomes.net or tumbleweedhouses.com
autumn
"I like spring, but it is too young. I like summer, but it is too proud. So I like best of all autumn, because its tone is mellower, its colours are richer, and it is tinged with a little sorrow. Its golden richness speaks not of the innocence of spring, nor the power of summer, but of the mellowness and kindly wisdom of approaching age. It knows the limitations of life and its content."
by Lin YutangTuesday, November 18, 2008
Recipe: Raw Dessert - Hostess Cupcakes
Shannon's Hostess with the Mostest Cupcakes
source: rawgoddesshealthy.blogspot.com
2 cups nut flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4-1/2 cup date paste or leftover raw caramel
2-4 Tbsp. coconut milk (I used almond mylk)
generous drizzles of agave nectar, to taste
1/2 tsp. vanilla
dash of sea salt
*a batch of raw whipped icing
*quick and easy chocolate icing
In a large bowl, combine the nut flour (a mixture of finely ground nuts of your choice combined with leftover nut pulp from making your favorite nut milk; I like using finely ground almonds, mixed with a little hazelnut and Brazil nut pulp), cocoa powder (use the raw cocoa powder if you can get it, which is not the same thing as just grinding up some cacao nibs) and sea salt. Stir with a whisk or use an electric mixer.
Next, add about 1/4 cup of the date paste or raw caramel (I happened to have some leftover after making these raw caramel apples; usually its the other way around), 2 Tbsp. of the coconut milk (although any thickened nut milk will do; I bet Brazil nut milk would be lovely in this) and the vanilla. Whisk/mix, paying close attention to the consistency of the batter.
Add agave to taste, and more of the date paste and coconut milk as needed. Whisk/mix to combine. The batter should be moist, but not so damp that it requires "baking" in a dehydrator (although you could if you desire).
Divide the batter into 3 sections to make life-size cupcakes (these are not the one-bite mini muffin kind), and remove a few pinches of dough from each one. Form the three sections into cupcake shapes, leaving a melon ball size valley in the center.
Fill the cupcakes with raw whipped icing and top them of with the excess dough. Carefully blend in the seams.
Ice the cupcakes with a quick and easy chocolate icing (agave thickened with cocoa powder to reach the desired consistency). Allow to set in your refrigerator.
Then, pipe a swirl across the top with more of the whipped icing (you can use a squeeze bottle or cut a hole in a Ziploc bag, if you don't own piping bags and tips). Enjoy every last bite :-)
Whipped Cream
1 cup cashews or a mixture of cashews and macadamia nuts
1 cup + 2 tablespoons fresh coconut milk (simply blend 1 part dried coconut with 3 parts water in high speed blender)
1/8 - 1/4 cup honey or agave nectar (depending on how sweet a tooth you have)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon vanilla
Pinch sea salt
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1 tablespoon lecithin powder*
Blend all ingredients except coconut oil and lecithin until smooth. Add oil and lecithin and blend until thoroughly mixed. Set in fridge for about 1 hr.
For chocolate whipped cream, just add cacao and or carob powder.
You might be a bit thirsty from all that chocolate cake. Why not enjoy a Choco-Tini with your cupcakes? :) Kidding! This edible tini/parfait combines chocolate sauce, chocolate cream, and whipped cream, with raw chocolate shavings on top. Doesn't it remind you of Carmi's Chocolate N Cream Charlotte - which looks amazing and I am hoping to try at her place during our upcoming visit! :D
source: rawgoddesshealthy.blogspot.com
2 cups nut flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4-1/2 cup date paste or leftover raw caramel
2-4 Tbsp. coconut milk (I used almond mylk)
generous drizzles of agave nectar, to taste
1/2 tsp. vanilla
dash of sea salt
*a batch of raw whipped icing
*quick and easy chocolate icing
In a large bowl, combine the nut flour (a mixture of finely ground nuts of your choice combined with leftover nut pulp from making your favorite nut milk; I like using finely ground almonds, mixed with a little hazelnut and Brazil nut pulp), cocoa powder (use the raw cocoa powder if you can get it, which is not the same thing as just grinding up some cacao nibs) and sea salt. Stir with a whisk or use an electric mixer.
Next, add about 1/4 cup of the date paste or raw caramel (I happened to have some leftover after making these raw caramel apples; usually its the other way around), 2 Tbsp. of the coconut milk (although any thickened nut milk will do; I bet Brazil nut milk would be lovely in this) and the vanilla. Whisk/mix, paying close attention to the consistency of the batter.
Add agave to taste, and more of the date paste and coconut milk as needed. Whisk/mix to combine. The batter should be moist, but not so damp that it requires "baking" in a dehydrator (although you could if you desire).
Divide the batter into 3 sections to make life-size cupcakes (these are not the one-bite mini muffin kind), and remove a few pinches of dough from each one. Form the three sections into cupcake shapes, leaving a melon ball size valley in the center.
Fill the cupcakes with raw whipped icing and top them of with the excess dough. Carefully blend in the seams.
Ice the cupcakes with a quick and easy chocolate icing (agave thickened with cocoa powder to reach the desired consistency). Allow to set in your refrigerator.
Then, pipe a swirl across the top with more of the whipped icing (you can use a squeeze bottle or cut a hole in a Ziploc bag, if you don't own piping bags and tips). Enjoy every last bite :-)
Whipped Cream
1 cup cashews or a mixture of cashews and macadamia nuts
1 cup + 2 tablespoons fresh coconut milk (simply blend 1 part dried coconut with 3 parts water in high speed blender)
1/8 - 1/4 cup honey or agave nectar (depending on how sweet a tooth you have)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon vanilla
Pinch sea salt
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1 tablespoon lecithin powder*
Blend all ingredients except coconut oil and lecithin until smooth. Add oil and lecithin and blend until thoroughly mixed. Set in fridge for about 1 hr.
For chocolate whipped cream, just add cacao and or carob powder.
You might be a bit thirsty from all that chocolate cake. Why not enjoy a Choco-Tini with your cupcakes? :) Kidding! This edible tini/parfait combines chocolate sauce, chocolate cream, and whipped cream, with raw chocolate shavings on top. Doesn't it remind you of Carmi's Chocolate N Cream Charlotte - which looks amazing and I am hoping to try at her place during our upcoming visit! :D
Raw Food - What To Add to Flavor Your Food
For sour taste, add: lemons, cranberries, rhubarb, lemon grass, sour grass, sorrel, tomatoes, sauerkraut, nut or seed yogurt, or apple cider vinegar
For sweet taste, add: dried fruit such as figs, dates, prunes, raisins; fresh fruits such as ripe banana, mango, peach, pear; apple juice, orange juice, raw agave nectar, raw honey, or fresh stevia leaves
For spicy taste, add: garlic or onion shoots, cloves, ginger, mustard greens or seeds, radish, horseradish, cayenne pepper, wasabi, seaweed, and/or herbs - fresh or dry - such as basil, dill, cilantro, rosemary, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and peppermint
For salty taste add: celery, cilantro, dill, parsley, sea vegetables (dulse, kelp, nori, arame, celtic sea salt)
For bitter taste add: parsley, celery tops, endive, garlic, onion, dandelion, bay leaf, sage, poultry seasoning, cayenne pepper
This comes from one of the most awesome raw food books ever: 12 Steps to Raw Foods: How to End Your Dependency on Cooked Food
For sweet taste, add: dried fruit such as figs, dates, prunes, raisins; fresh fruits such as ripe banana, mango, peach, pear; apple juice, orange juice, raw agave nectar, raw honey, or fresh stevia leaves
For spicy taste, add: garlic or onion shoots, cloves, ginger, mustard greens or seeds, radish, horseradish, cayenne pepper, wasabi, seaweed, and/or herbs - fresh or dry - such as basil, dill, cilantro, rosemary, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and peppermint
For salty taste add: celery, cilantro, dill, parsley, sea vegetables (dulse, kelp, nori, arame, celtic sea salt)
For bitter taste add: parsley, celery tops, endive, garlic, onion, dandelion, bay leaf, sage, poultry seasoning, cayenne pepper
This comes from one of the most awesome raw food books ever: 12 Steps to Raw Foods: How to End Your Dependency on Cooked Food
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Learning and Living Organic Lifestyle with WWOOF
source: Learning and Living Organic Lifestyle with WWOOF
(NaturalNews) Since 1971, people are living and learning sustainable lifestyles thanks in part to WWOOF - World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. Founded by Sue Croppard, WWOOF was created with the goal of giving city dwellers a weekend opportunity to re-connect with nature and support organic agriculture.
WWOOF organizations publish listings of organic farms and gardens that host volunteers - providing food, housing, and in-field education in exchange for help from the volunteers. WWOOF has now become an international movement across six continents and more than fifty countries with programs ranging from weekends to seasonal and year-long stays.
Sue Croppard, founder of WWOOF, intends that through WWOOF people can get first hand experience of organic farming, give assistance to organic farmers, get into the countryside, strengthen the organic movement, form links between city and rural dwellers, and "facilitate inter-cultural understanding between people of different nationalities".
WWOOF is used by many to live sustainable lifestyles; living on a self-sufficient farm allows someone to live without driving and paying for food that was shipped from hundreds if not thousands of miles a way.
Wwoofing is also a method for low-cost traveling - since it is a volunteer arrangement, a person does not need a visa to work in a foreign country. Staying at hotels and hostels can be very expensive especially for long periods of time.
Also, those who wish to work in environmental advocacy may have trouble finding adequate work that pays enough for city-life. Through work-stay programs individuals do not have to concern themselves with rent, food, and may even improve their health through the hours of exercise under the sun.
What does Wwoofing look like?
There are over seven hundred farms affiliated with WWOOF in the USA alone and hundreds more in the world. The WWOOF listing contains wide diversity in location and farm type. If one wants to make sure they get the food they want, it is good to work at the farm that grows it.
There are farms that demand strict vegetarianism and grow nearly all their own food and there are also farms that focus on raising cattle or sheep for meat and purchase and trade for the rest of their diet with other local farmers.
Charan Springs Farm in Cambria, California grows lettuce, broccoli, brussel sprouts, mushrooms, watercress, tangelos, blood-oranges, chard, and five varieties of avocados. Charan Springs also offers medicinal hot springs. There are typically around a dozen people staying at Charan Springs.
Some farms in the tropical regions such as Hawaii and Costa Rica offer housing and organic food in exchange for as little as sixteen hours per week of work. Wwoofers are not paid for their time, but the cost might be profitable to some to eat a purely organic diet and live on a fifty acre ranch a stone`s throw from the Pacific Ocean.
Rebekah, a "wwoofer" at One Love Gardens, a farm on the Big Island of Hawaii said:
"The simplicity of life at `One Love` was brilliant: bathing in the fresh mountain stream and eating almost only what we grew, turns me on to a blessed and sacred way of being. To know that this way of life is still possible and is happening, in our crazy 21st century world opened the doors of my mind."
However, not all organic farms sound like vacations and expectations of the exchange are made clear before a person comes to volunteer. While wwoofers may work a four day sixteen hour work week on the Big Island... at a bio-dynamic farm near Grass Valley, California wwoofers are expected to wake before dawn to work fifty hours a week.
Another farm called Heaven and Earth Farm in Nevada County, California offers organic food, housing which consists of a trailer or tent, and a $50 a week stipend in exchange for forty hours of work per week. The specifics are made clear in the WWOOF guide.
What can people learn with WWOOF?
Educational opportunities vary from farm to farm and depend on season and length of stay. If one comes to a farm during harvest time the work might be limited to picking fruit or preparing vegetables to take to market. However there are many different activities that go on at any given farm.
Food preserving, planting, marketing, community living, green construction, alternative energy, animal husbandry, and permaculture are just some of the skills wwoofers can learn.
Heated in Aprovecho
"A great experience, but it can get dirty," said Elizabeth M. of Dayton Ohio, having wwoofed throughout California and Oregon. "It can be like any other co-housing situation with conflicts and house meetings, sometimes things got pretty heated in Aprovecho". Aprovecho, in Cottage Grove, Oregon, practices sustainable forestry and researches furnace design.
For some, wwoofing creates space for meditation and work on personal growth; much of the farm-work such as weeding by hand can be done by a single individual, so the farmer may instruct the wwoofer where to work and leave to work somewhere else at the same time.
"These are the survival skills of pioneers"
Says Verona Bass of her UK wwoofing experience: "Some of the most satisfying moments are when I can do lateral thinking to solve practical problems, to use 'logistics'. Sometimes the right tool is lacking, or a wheelbarrow can't go over the terrain but some sort of dragging device will work better. I think these are the survival skills of pioneers, and we may yet need to become more inventive to re-use what we have available but in altered ways."
Bass continues, "Wwoofing slows me down. I engage with the moment in a way not easily achieved anywhere else. When I've been working with my head down, and I straighten up for a while, looking over a long quiet view of hills, fields, a loch, or an estuary, I breathe in and feel privileged."
For more information visit WWOOF.ORG.
(NaturalNews) Since 1971, people are living and learning sustainable lifestyles thanks in part to WWOOF - World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. Founded by Sue Croppard, WWOOF was created with the goal of giving city dwellers a weekend opportunity to re-connect with nature and support organic agriculture.
WWOOF organizations publish listings of organic farms and gardens that host volunteers - providing food, housing, and in-field education in exchange for help from the volunteers. WWOOF has now become an international movement across six continents and more than fifty countries with programs ranging from weekends to seasonal and year-long stays.
Sue Croppard, founder of WWOOF, intends that through WWOOF people can get first hand experience of organic farming, give assistance to organic farmers, get into the countryside, strengthen the organic movement, form links between city and rural dwellers, and "facilitate inter-cultural understanding between people of different nationalities".
WWOOF is used by many to live sustainable lifestyles; living on a self-sufficient farm allows someone to live without driving and paying for food that was shipped from hundreds if not thousands of miles a way.
Wwoofing is also a method for low-cost traveling - since it is a volunteer arrangement, a person does not need a visa to work in a foreign country. Staying at hotels and hostels can be very expensive especially for long periods of time.
Also, those who wish to work in environmental advocacy may have trouble finding adequate work that pays enough for city-life. Through work-stay programs individuals do not have to concern themselves with rent, food, and may even improve their health through the hours of exercise under the sun.
What does Wwoofing look like?
There are over seven hundred farms affiliated with WWOOF in the USA alone and hundreds more in the world. The WWOOF listing contains wide diversity in location and farm type. If one wants to make sure they get the food they want, it is good to work at the farm that grows it.
There are farms that demand strict vegetarianism and grow nearly all their own food and there are also farms that focus on raising cattle or sheep for meat and purchase and trade for the rest of their diet with other local farmers.
Charan Springs Farm in Cambria, California grows lettuce, broccoli, brussel sprouts, mushrooms, watercress, tangelos, blood-oranges, chard, and five varieties of avocados. Charan Springs also offers medicinal hot springs. There are typically around a dozen people staying at Charan Springs.
Some farms in the tropical regions such as Hawaii and Costa Rica offer housing and organic food in exchange for as little as sixteen hours per week of work. Wwoofers are not paid for their time, but the cost might be profitable to some to eat a purely organic diet and live on a fifty acre ranch a stone`s throw from the Pacific Ocean.
Rebekah, a "wwoofer" at One Love Gardens, a farm on the Big Island of Hawaii said:
"The simplicity of life at `One Love` was brilliant: bathing in the fresh mountain stream and eating almost only what we grew, turns me on to a blessed and sacred way of being. To know that this way of life is still possible and is happening, in our crazy 21st century world opened the doors of my mind."
However, not all organic farms sound like vacations and expectations of the exchange are made clear before a person comes to volunteer. While wwoofers may work a four day sixteen hour work week on the Big Island... at a bio-dynamic farm near Grass Valley, California wwoofers are expected to wake before dawn to work fifty hours a week.
Another farm called Heaven and Earth Farm in Nevada County, California offers organic food, housing which consists of a trailer or tent, and a $50 a week stipend in exchange for forty hours of work per week. The specifics are made clear in the WWOOF guide.
What can people learn with WWOOF?
Educational opportunities vary from farm to farm and depend on season and length of stay. If one comes to a farm during harvest time the work might be limited to picking fruit or preparing vegetables to take to market. However there are many different activities that go on at any given farm.
Food preserving, planting, marketing, community living, green construction, alternative energy, animal husbandry, and permaculture are just some of the skills wwoofers can learn.
Heated in Aprovecho
"A great experience, but it can get dirty," said Elizabeth M. of Dayton Ohio, having wwoofed throughout California and Oregon. "It can be like any other co-housing situation with conflicts and house meetings, sometimes things got pretty heated in Aprovecho". Aprovecho, in Cottage Grove, Oregon, practices sustainable forestry and researches furnace design.
For some, wwoofing creates space for meditation and work on personal growth; much of the farm-work such as weeding by hand can be done by a single individual, so the farmer may instruct the wwoofer where to work and leave to work somewhere else at the same time.
"These are the survival skills of pioneers"
Says Verona Bass of her UK wwoofing experience: "Some of the most satisfying moments are when I can do lateral thinking to solve practical problems, to use 'logistics'. Sometimes the right tool is lacking, or a wheelbarrow can't go over the terrain but some sort of dragging device will work better. I think these are the survival skills of pioneers, and we may yet need to become more inventive to re-use what we have available but in altered ways."
Bass continues, "Wwoofing slows me down. I engage with the moment in a way not easily achieved anywhere else. When I've been working with my head down, and I straighten up for a while, looking over a long quiet view of hills, fields, a loch, or an estuary, I breathe in and feel privileged."
For more information visit WWOOF.ORG.
About the author
David Hestrin forages for anywhere from all to half of his diet. He loves learning about how people lived thousands of years ago and how to live today and into infinity. He also enjoys speaking in third person and realizing that our bodies are all secondary characters in others life stories so we can let go of self importance and realize greater glories.
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