28 May 2010

Be Prepared to be RAWKED!~

Opening 2nd week of June 2010!!

Rawk Star Cafe
32522 US Hwy 19N
Palm Harbor, FL 34684
727-772-7295
www.rawkstarcafe.com


Eat Like a “Rawk” Star

Come in a check out our Raw-to-Go selection of conveniently pre-packaged Organic RAW-VEGAN Food Items …for ANY time of the day! We also have Hand-Crafted Raw Chocolates, Desserts and Snacks…ALL freshly made in house!! We make GOING GREEN easy …from the inside out!!
I'm PROUD of them and honored to be part of this shining moment! We will RAWK you!!~
Let's RAWK on!~

23 May 2010

Clothes Swap - A Smart Way to be Green and Glam!


Old clothes shouldn't die. They should find new life with a proud new owner. How? By swapping clothes!

Clothes swap is a new eco-community trend that explores creative reuse through the recycling of used clothing.

Several of my friends and I are planning a Clothing Swap event next weekend in Austin, TX. We are hoping it will be successful. Planning to be in the area? Bring your unwanted clothes to Gateway Community Center on June 5th.

Not in the Lone Star state? Don't fret, there are many ways to become involved in this new trend:

One blog suggests how you can start doing this...

1. Declutter. Clean out your closet and find items to swap
2. Find. Find your buddies who are doing the same... and see if they all are interested in looking for events to swap clothes. Or create your own if you feel like you have enough buddies/people to attend. You can find through...
* View upcoming swaps in community bulletin boards
* Look up clothing swap in your area on this website
* Word of mouth (or hand)
* On Facebook or Twitter
3. Attend. Bring unwanted but fab items in great condition
4. Get pampered. Relax, mingle, and be creative which clothes would look good with those red shoes you just bought.
5. SWAP. Take home your favorites for FREE
6. Feel great. Relish new-to-you items and help a local charity
7. Share. Tell your story on EcoDeaf!

And, a video of what it looks like... (sorry, I tried to find captioned ones- but you can get basic idea from viewing this video).

Happy Swapping!

21 May 2010

Fantasy Challenge! Show a Fantasy World at DeafNation World Expo

Fantasy Night Deaf Nation World Expo

During the DeafNation World Expo in Las Vegas (July 18-23, 2010) this summer there will be an ASL entertainment contest for "Fantasy Night."

Elise "Lisi" Whitworth invites EcoDeaf readers to submit a video showing a fantasy of a thoroughly sustainable and healthy world/lifestyle. Are you up for the challenge of creating a piece that attracts attention to this fantasy? Information about this contest is at Fantasy Night Contest. Click on the link to learn how you can 1) gain 15 minutes of fame, 2) win $500, and 3) increase awareness about issues important to you and our world.

She insists, "Even if the eco fantasy video doesn't win, this would gain a lot of good exposure to issues and spread awareness as we get our audience to vote for Fantasy Night winners. I really hope someone submits something!"

Deadline for submission is Monday 5/31/10

When you submit your piece, let EcoDeaf know!!




17 May 2010

Toilet paper roll: A new use!

Do you enjoy photography? Experimenting with new ways of taking pictures?

An EcoDeaf reader shares another use for an used toilet paper roll.

The toilet paper roll can be transformed into a photography tool by creating a pinhole in it and fastening it onto the lens of the camera. It can be taped onto the camera or held with your hand.



This will create a pinhole effect, focusing the viewer's attention to a specific element in the picture. It also can be used for vignetting by adjusting the image's brightness around the edges of the image

Experiment away!




14 May 2010

Peak Oil - Visually Explained

Decyhpersmc shared the video of excellent summary on oil dependency on YouTube. This video explains how the production of oil and plastic materials are connected.

decyphersmc — April 26, 2008

"A quick 3 minute video visually explaining Peak Oil, what oil is used for, and what the future may hold with regards to Peak Oil. This is the culmination of my year-long thesis project looking at how Graphic Design can help communicate a complex topic such as Peak Oil."

Peak Oil - How Will You Ride the Slide?

I like this cartoon shared by Oilyboyd on YouTube. It is a very visual message. Are we ready to give up our oil dependency?


Oilyboyd — November 17, 2007


"We've already burned through almost half the world's supply of oil. How will we ride out the slide down the other side of Hubbert's Curve?"

13 May 2010

What Can We Do to Reduce Our Oil Dependency?

Tony Brucato explains in sign language about how the oil spill in Gulf of Mexico negatively impacts our ecosystem and suggests the four ways that we can do to reduce our oil dependency.



After watching the video, please share your ideas and suggestions of different ways in reducing our oil dependency for cleaner planet and better future.

Namaste!

09 May 2010

Composting is so Easy, Deaf 1st Graders Show you How!

Jarrod and Estelina, Deaf six-year-old 1st graders at the California school for the Deaf talk about composting in American Sig Language.
Many thanks, @yatesburns for permission to post on EcoDeaf!

08 May 2010

Cutting your Hair? Reuse it for the Gulf Oil Spill!

Watch this fascinating 3-minute educational video about how our hair collects oil quickly and can help lessen the impact of oil spills like the recent one in the Gulf of Mexico. Makes sense... you shampoo because hair collects oil! That means it can collect petroleum oil spills too.

Make sure when you have your hair cut, to combine your hair with others at the salon and have them mail hair to Matter Of Trust non-profit organization.

01 May 2010

Going Green with MyPyramid

Sandy Graham shares a fact sheet made by the United States Department of Agriculture's MyPyramid website.

MyPyramid logo


The contents of that fact sheet are below. For direct access to the fact sheet go to www.mypyramid.gov/downloads/TenTips/GoingGreenTipsheet.pdf or http://goinggreenwithmypyramid.blogspot.com/2010/04/going-green-with-mypyramid.html

Did it ever occur to you that your daily food choices can impact the environment? Food has a lot to do with the environment—probably much more than you’d think. From farm to table, there are many points where green decisions can be made.

1. Buy directly from a farmer

Check out your local farmer’s market or join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). Look for local sources of fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, cheese, or eggs. They may have traveled fewer miles and contain less packaging, thereby saving energy.


2. Buy in bulk

Shop in stores that sell foods in bulk bins to reduce solid waste and resource use. Food co-ops often offer many grains, flours, beans, nuts, dried fruit, soup mixes, and ready-to-eat cereals in bulk. Buying in bulk may be cheaper, too.


3. Reduce food package waste

Buy larger sizes. Omit single serve containers and juice boxes from your grocery list. Buy milk and yogurt in the largest container you will use. Recycle: take your own shopping bags to the store!


4. Look for the USDA Organic seal

When shopping, look for the USDA Organic seal. It assures you that the agricultural products marketed as organic meet strict standards. Organic crops are raised without using most conventional pesticides or petroleum-based fertilizer. Animals raised on an organic farm must be fed organic feed and given access to the outdoors. They are given no antibiotics or growth hormones.


5. Eat seasonally

Plan your meals around the vegetables and fruits that are in season in your growing area. Seasonal fruits and vegetables can be less expensive, too


6. Vary your choices in meat and beans

Sometimes use nuts or beans, such as kidney, pinto, or garbanzo beans, to vary the protein in your entrée. Less energy is used to produce them, compared to the energy used to produce meat or poultry.


7. Start a vegetable garden

When you grow your own food, you control the use of pesticides and omit the need for transportation or packaging. If you have a small space, try herbs on your windowsill or other vegetables in pots.


8. Think natural

Buy foods in their natural state or minimally processed, such as rolled oats instead of instant oatmeal, or fresh chicken instead of chicken nuggets. This reduces the fossil fuels needed for processing. It can lower your calories, too.


9. Drink tap water

Eliminate individual water bottles from your grocery list. Buy a reusable water bottle and fill it with tap water. Water from your tap is free. The processing, packaging, transportation, and storage of bottled water uses more fossil fuel and bottle disposal adds to household waste.


10. Cook at home

Cook at home more often rather than getting take-out