Eco-Scrapbooking

-written by EcoDeaf contributor, Summer Crider

Ever heard of eco-scrapbooking? It's a hobby of mine, as well as other eco-scrapbookers. Growing up, I'd often go to my Grandma's huge bookshelf full of photo scrapbooks and look at the years that have passed. You learn so much history, so much about your family through just looking at the photos.
I'm also a paper pack-rat, saving everything from program books to holiday cards to souvenirs. I hate throwing things away, knowing I could use them- to refresh my memories.
So I put them all in a scrapbook. My definition of a Eco-Scrapbook is putting everything you already have together. I reuse a lot of my late Grandmother's scrapbook paper, magazines that my friends don't want, and put them all in use. I haven't gone to any art or scrapbook stores to purchase anything (I just go in them to look for some ideas)...
It's not that hard- all you need to do is be creative. Maybe if you're a pack rat, like me, it's easier.
Well, have a look at some of my Eco-scrapbook pages!



















To read more about Eco-Scrapbooking, look at this neat blog.

Your New Year's Resolution

by Willia May Wille, a long time RawFoodist and one of few certified Deaf Yoga Instructors - for her EcoDeaf profile click here

It is typical of many people to make resolutions at the beginning of any year to improve the quality in their lifestyle and of course to improve their health. It is normal for everyone to want to feel well, happy and prosperous. It is our birthright. Yet we do not know the right way because of our current civilization now steeped in technology. Instead of living with nature, we spend most of our time indoors using computers and watching televisions for hours at a time. No wonder we are down with different ailments because we lose contact with Nature which is our best teacher.

Good News is that there are more and more raw food movements educating us the truth about raw foods that can heal us better than cooked food. Loren Lockwood taught the eight laws of Optimum Health which can improve our life in general. 

The eight laws are:

1. AIR - deep breathing is the most important.

2. SUN - we would benefit from more time in the sun daily.

3. WATER - pure water without any chemicals.

4. RAW FOOD DIET - our human body is designed to eat raw food and not cooked food.

5. EXERCISE - at least one hour of exercise daily to improve our blood circulation, to make use of all our muscles otherwise they would atrophy and to prevent obesity. Now in the USA one in every three person is obese!!! Yoga is the best because most of our muscles are stretched.

6. REST - Regular hours of sleep is important to "recharge" our brains and our energy levels.

7. FASTING - for the best method for detoxification, fasting gives our body an opportunity to do a through "housecleaning".

8. EMOTIONAL POISE - It is significant to improve our attitude with deep gratitude with so many blessings that we have. Without the ideal attitude, the seven laws are wasted!

Green America's Green Gift Guide for Valentine's Day

If you're one to give gifts for Valentine's Day, an EcoDeaf reader has directed us to Green America's website that has links to businesses that offer specials on green gifts. Green America (formerly Co-op America) is the organization that has offered the Green Festivals across the country that often have ASL interpreters at various venues.  Click on the Valentine's Day icon above to go to the Valentine's Day Green Gift Guide!

the pinch at the pump cliche

written by EcoDeaf contributor, Shay Bertling

Sure, we might be letting out a collective sigh of relief this winter as gas prices sink to levels that we haven’t seen in years, but this summer fuel craze coupled with the economy on a downward spiral was enough to raise alarm on the drawing boards of many American companies that associate their services or products with the availability and cost of gasoline that gets pumped to us from whatever country that we have control over at the time.

One of those notable companies is the ZipCar franchise, headquartered in Boston and co-founded in 2000 by Robin Chase. Since then, the franchise has rapidly increased in popularity and by the end of 2002, 170 Zipcars were streaking around Boston, New York, and Washington, to annual revenues at the tune of $2.1 million. Every year, ZipCar increases its prices by 3-5% and with gasoline climbing at the rate of 36% annually, can’t expect to keep up with the trend and continue to turn a buck for long.

Gas prices are going to keep going up. You’ve heard of peak oil, No? Wiki it. The first line will tell you that “this is the point in time when the maximum rate of global petroleum extraction is reached, after which the rate of production enters terminal decline.” How it will happen is not so important as what will happen when it does. We need to curb this appetite for oil. Fortunately, many people feel the same way and strategies are everywhere.

Take, for example, just the growing production of vegetable-based biodiesel that contributed $4 billion dollars to the American economy last year. Pumps are cropping up all over the world to supply motorists with this preciously beneficial alternative to conventional diesel fuel, which is used in much of the heavy machinery that rumble behind the stage of our prosperity. The advantage of using biodiesel is unmistakable, burning much cleaner, kinder, and more efficiently in all kinds of motors from the one in our grocery getter to the one in the plane that carries you overseas, not even to forget the one in your public transit bus, your train, your asphalt paver, your cruise liner, your ski lift, your farmer’s tractor, your.. Just think about it. Leaps become bounds.


Educate yourself at http://www.biodieselsustainability.com/ and improve your car-ma!

Change.org

Today, January 20th, 2009, is the day of change.
President Obama promises to make many positive changes
for our country and the world.

What Do You Want To Change In The World?

Change.org is a social action network
where you can

1. Learn About Causes
2. Connect To Good People & Non-Profits
   
3. Take Action

Help President Obama make the changes
by taking actions for good causes.

Need ideas? Click here.

What are the changes and causes that you support?
Please leave a comment.

Love Thyself: The Message from Water

Deaf vlogger, Jill Lestina, did a vlog on her website about a book called "Love Thyself: The Message from Water III", written by Dr. Emoto. She asked Ecodeaf to share this vlog with the Eco-Deaf community. We thank you, Jill, for sharing this information with us, for showing us a great example of how humans and nature are emotionally connected.

Green World News

Written by EcoDeaf contributor, Shay Bertling

Wondering what everyone else is doing about the enivronment?

Go to www.grist.org

This site incorporates a variety of news feeds from all over the world, each of which focuses on ideas and activities that promote a greener earth for all of us. What attracted me was a comedy section offering articles that look like they were excerpted from The Onion, and various cartoons that mock clueless polluters or cleverly satirizes common, everyday pollutants that America is reluctant to sacrifice.
Their news section also analyzes various aspects of environmental activism and features a muckraker section that call out various political blunders–even lies– and brings attention to the people who are in power and aren’t really doing what they said they’d do about environment preservation.

Of course, there’s an ask column section: there is A to Green, which features a great number of ways to lead a green(er) lifestyle; a feed on weekly recipes that are both environmentally friendly and healthy while also mouth-wateringly delicious; and the grist list is a fun reference for green “top-ten” lists similar to those of Joshua Weinstock’s (in Buff and Blue), except that these lists actually benefit the community and environment!

There’s also a discussion forum with a diverse list of topics to choose from, number one being Barack Obama, but others include dumbassery (funny), green washing and polar bears on top of environmental justice, gas prices and coal, just to name a few things that www.grist.org covers.

Movie Review: Bio-Dome (1996)

To escape from winter blues, consider renting the movie Bio-Dome (1996) [PG-13] starring Pauly Shore and Stephen Baldwin. The two college slackers did not want to participate in Earth Day activities with their girlfriends, so they pulled a stunt to get out of it. After the slackers found out their girlfriends set them up at a red herring location, they ended up inside a Bio-Dome mistakenly for a mall when one of them had to go to the bathroom badly. Then they discovered they were sealed inside the Bio-Dome with a team of scientists in a year long ecological experiment. The scientists welcomed the duo as part of their team but quickly learned they were not ecology-conscious as they showed almost no respect for the Bio-Dome. Did the slackers adapt to their new habitat or not? Watch the Bio-Dome (1996) movie to find out if you haven't seen it yet.

See the closed captioned Bio-Dome movie trailer


Thank you very much, Bill Creswell, for close captioning the movie trailer.

What is Weather Glass Barometer?

Dan Murdoch explains what the weather glass barometer is and how it works. It can forecast what the weather will be like in the next two or three days. If you are interested to learn more about different weather barometers after viewing the video,
go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barometer

If you are using a weather glass barometer at home,
please share your experience with us.

Thank you, Dan Murdoch, for sharing this video on YouTube.
Source: here

An Hydrologic Engineering Project

How do Boston and Chicago compare in their efficient use of water?

Alexander Balsley, a Northeastern University senior majoring in civil engineering, reports based on his trip to Chicago as part of his Hydrologic Engineering course. Further discussion and inquiries are welcome.

Thanks, Alex, for sharing!

Barack Obama responds to vegan question (Subtitled)

When Barack Obama was running for president, he talked about how our food-system is affected by the consequences of climate changes. He recognized Americans need to eat healthier food by including more vegetables in their diet. Barack Obama responds to vegan question in the subtitled video above. 

After viewing it, please share your opinions and thoughts with EcoDeaf.

Thank you VeganFuture for sharing this subtitled video on YouTube.
Much appreciated.
Source: here

Peace

Another wonderful video produced by treesofone - thank you for allowing EcoDeaf to post this wonderful video about the importance of peace for all!

Global Green Lodgings

written by EcoDeaf contributor, Shay Bertling

The traveler in me couldn’t resist seeking out ways to help preserve the environment as I endeavor to appreciate all the natural beauty this earth has to offer.

Ecotourism is described, by the International Ecotourism Society, as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well being of local people.”

First, Fodor’s Green Travel is an excellent basis for reference, which features not only green places to sleep but green places to eat, bathe, shop and view, plus it offers tips on how to travel greenly and promote greening everywhere you go!

One free, and surefire way of reusing lodging: employ couchsurfing.com! A free, non-profit global network, this site allows friendly samartarians to register their couches on the site, and travelers looking for a place to stay in a given location may consult and peruse the site for any potential free places to sleep. Not only does this save money but a natural interaction between different cultures and people is something to be benefitted from also! These residents probably have much more knowledge about their local communities than the hostel owners or hotel managers, and would have a lot of wisdom and suggestions to impart to any traveler that comes their way.

Another nifty and thrifty site for green lodging and ecotourism is http://www.ecotourismlogue.com/ which features an extensive list of green places the environmentally conscious traveler would want to know about!

The top five green lodgings (yes, pricey but if you got the money to distribute…) I came across are as follows:

1. Nihiwatu Resort, Indonesia. Small and exclusive, this resort features 175 hectares of tropical forest and rice terraces along with grasslands, plus a private beach! A local factory provides bio-diesel made of coconuts that power this resort. Bungalows start at $385 per night.

2. Tassia Lodge, Kenya. Built with low impact materials (no trees were cut down for this) by local labor, this lodge uses solar power, serves communal meals on a pool veranda with breathtaking views. Starts at $385 per person per night, but offers a variety of outdoor things to do.

3. Amazonat Jungle Lodge, Brazil. Ecotourism here provides locals with a way to make a living other than farming and logging, because of the remoteness of the Brazilian state Amazonas. The rain forest is an excellent backdrop to the small, 36-guest lodge, and three night stays start ath $555 per person.

4. EcoCamp Patagonia, Chile. The Torres del Paine National park (revered throughout S. America) is within walking distance to this 30-guest resort, and guests stay in geodesic dome structures that are similar to the local people’s huts (The Kawesquar). A three day trip package starts at 1,069 per person, which is actually similar to a spring break trip to Cancun, when you factor in all the money that will be spent on booze and widely-distributed illegal drugs!

And 5. Sauvte Under Canvas, Botswana. Run by a safari outfitter, Conservation Corporation Africa, this camp offers a safari where zebras, cheetahs, lions and wildebeest are common sights during daytime trips. At night, campers take hot water bucket showers under the african sky, and all starting at $350 per person per night.

"Seven Step Process for Effective and Lasting Change"

Change is in the air!

Change is on the hearts and minds of most Americans
and . . . the world.

Change is coming to the White House.

Are you REALLY ready to make a change?

A transformational workshop and Inner Visions Institute Open House

Join Rev. Dr. Iyanla Vanzant
for this Free ASL-Interpreted workshop.

Learn about our Spiritual Life Coaching
and Ministerial programs.

Saturday, January 3, 2009
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Choice Center
10720 Columbia Pike (Route 29)
Silver Spring, MD 20910

Please RSVP by Friday, Jan. 2nd
enroll@innervisionsworldwide.com
240-238-2355

www.innervisionsworldwide.com

She's AMAZING! This is ASL interpreted and it's free! Inner Visions got me to where I am today, and I am SOOO grateful to them!
~ Meghan Shannon