An ancient Chinese art of placement, Feng Shui literally translates as ‘wind-water’. This science balances the five elements – earth, metal, water, wood and fire, correcting the flow of energy in your environment thus setting the stage for positive happenings. It has successfully been applied by companies like Walt Disney, HSBC, Citibank, etc.

The environment in homes and offices is constantly influenced by the ‘chi’, i.e. the energy that comes in. This has a direct impact on the occupants and various aspects of their life such as health, success and opportunities.

The goal of Feng Shui is to make certain that the chi is flowing properly in your environment. When the energy is aligned, occupants are more successful in their lives and businesses. Before getting down to the life changing process of implementing Feng Shui in your home or office, it is vital that you prepare for these changes to occur. One of the basic ways in which you can do this is by getting rid of clutter.

Clutter can be defined as possessions that you don’t use any more. These are often objects that we believe may one day be useful, broken items that we intend to repair someday and old clothes that we hope to fit into again.

Everything in your house has the potential to raise or reduce your personal Chi or energy. Each area of your home has a symbolic meaning with which you resonate at a deep level. Clutter and untidiness causes constriction and inertia in the corresponding aspects of your life.

Clutter blocks your progress in the areas of opportunities, wealth and relationships. Putting things out of sight is not the solution. The stagnant Chi will still be present. Cleaning the clutter from your environment creates a free flow of chi which in turn brings abundance into every aspect of your life.

The following are simple and powerful tips that anyone can implement in their environment without a consultant and reap the benefits immediately:

1) Sitting and sleeping in your auspicious direction will not only increase your abundance but will also have a positive effect on your health and well being.

2) Broken gadgets should be repaired or disposed off as these will cause the chi to stagnate. This in turn causes various aspects of your life to stagnate as well.

3) Washing the floor with salt water at least once a week will keep the bad energy at bay.

Make the Most of Your Living Area
1) The energy coming through the front door is an important factor that determines how happy and prosperous the occupants will be. Make sure that there are no obstacles in the path of the flow of chi.

2) Placing a frog with a coin in his mouth at the entrance of your home will invite abundance and opportunities for you and your family members.

3) While most plants, especially upward growing ones are auspicious in your environment, cactus plants should be outside your home.

Create a Comfortable Environment in Your Bedroom
1) A bedroom mirror that reflects the bed creates serious problems. From relationship problems to severe health problems, these are avoidable simply by removing the mirror or by covering it completely at night

2) Remove any water images from the bedroom. The same principles that apply to mirrors in your sleeping area are valid here.

3) Do not place your bed under overhead beams since this causes headaches.

Bathroom, Toilet and Corridors
1) Keep your bathroom and toilet doors closed and place a framed mirror outside the bathroom door to prevent wealth and opportunity from being drained out.

2) Placing a bowl of sea salt in your bathroom will eliminate negative chi from this area. The salt has to be changed every two days.

3) Use a six rod metal wind chime in the center of a long corridor to break the flow of harsh chi.

Enhance the Energy in Your Office Space
1) Keep your work desk a clutter free zone and deal with any outstanding back log of bills, memos, paperwork etc. Doing so will create opportunities and possibilities.

2) Position your desk so that you are able to sit with a solid wall behind your back to ensure that you have support in your business.

3) Avoid sitting directly in front of the doorway since the harsh energy will come straight to your table bringing a lot of problems and obstacles directly to you.

Things to Keep in Mind while Buying a House
1)Avoid buying a house facing railway tracks, located near a police station, hospital, open drains, graveyards, etc as these are inauspicious and bring in a lot of harsh chi. This causes severe health problems.

2) Bathrooms located in the middle of the house can cause your energy to drain away, leaving you feeling tired and lethargic.

3) Avoid buying a home with an entrance that is below street level. It is difficult for beneficial Chi to enter this type of building.

Author: Leo Velloz
About the author: Leo Velloz is a Feng Shui Consultant and founder of ‘Holistic Studio’ where he helps people achieve their goals and enrich their lives through Feng Shui, Aura Scan, Meditation, Healing . He has completed his Masters in Feng Shui under Lillian Too in Malaysia. You can contact him at leovelloz@gmail.com or visit his website at www.holisticstudio.com

Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/bahi_p/9705942/

I ask you to consider honoring Mother Earth everyday. We can not continue to take from our resources and never give back in return. There needs to be a balance in nature. We have moved so far away from living in harmony with nature. The foods that we eat no longer come from the local community. We drive when we can walk or bike. We make several trips when they could be minimized. We spray pesticides and bug killer like they do no harm. We consume to try to fulfill a deeper need…

Where will it stop? How much ’stuff’ do we truly need? How big do our homes need to really be? How many cars do we need? When will we begin to live in harmony with the earth that nurtures us? We in North America are perhaps spoiled and lazy and it is time to wake up and realize that you can make a difference in many ways. Be an example to your children and grandchildren.

You can help celebrate earth day every single day in so many small ways. If you will just do it. If you aren’t ready to move to the woods and live in a yurt with a composting toilet and no electricity like some of us that’s okay, but you can still make a difference! Here are a few ways to help you begin celebrating the earth each and everyday and you may just have fun doing it:

1. Join Freecycle. Freecycle can be found online at www.freecycle.org You can join your local group to give away things that you no longer need or get the items you need from others. It’s all free!

2. Shop at thrift stores. By buying second hand clothes and household goods you save the environment and help various causes. Finding a local thrift store in your community helps your local area too.

3. Bike, walk or take transit. Do you really need to drive three blocks to the market? Come on, you can use the exercise and may enjoy the moment by meeting a few folks along the way. And if it’s too far to walk or bike then try transit.

4. Buy local organic food, eat wild foods or grow a garden. Buying local organic food not only helps your community farmers but saves on the transportation of food and helps you by getting fresher and healthier food into your body…putting you in sync with the area of the earth that you live on. Growing your own garden is the best for those that are willing and even better is to eat ethically harvested wild foods.

5. Recycling is so easy these days. You can recycle just about anything. Be creative.

6. Plant trees. For all the trees we cut down…lets plant a few in their place. They help us breathe.

7. Have a green baby. Come on mamas use those cloth diapers and cloth baby wipes. They are so much easier then you may think with snaps and velcro. The money you will save is amazing and they are healthier for your baby as well as Mother Earth. Try elimination communication.

8. Use the library. Instead of buying more magazines and books use the library. There is interlibrary loan if they don’t have what you are looking for in your community. Just ask and they will help you out.

9. Hang your clothes on the line. There is nothing like the smell of fresh laundry coming off the line. You can turn it in to a totally zen moment when you are outside hanging the clothes. Saving on your electricity and enjoying the simplified life is not so bad.

10. Use cloth shopping bags. So, you probably think only granola, sandal wearing folks use cloth bags to go to the market…well, yeah some of us are but come on and join us. Those plastic bags can be easily replaced with creative cloth bags. Some places are even banning the plastic.

11. Use eco friendly cleaners. There are many eco cleaners that are found in your local health food stores or even your markets. However, you can easily make your own with some simple household goods such as vinegar and baking soda. Much better for you and the earth.

12. Make your home more energy efficient. Spend the extra money for making your home more energy efficient and it will pay off in the long run. Check out your area for possible tax incentives as well.

I could go on and on with ideas as I sit here, but you get the idea. You can all do something. So, if you don’t mind please do you part. We are all in this together and the sooner that we become cooperative and live in harmony with the earth and each other..the happier and healthier we will be. Celebrate earth day everyday by making a difference…in whatever way you choose.

Author: Lisa R. Marshall
About the author: Lisa R. Marshall is the facilitator of Path to Nature….honoring life through whole health, natural living, herbal healing, sacred celebrations & journeys. Path to Nature’s vision is to help people recognize their ability to empower themselves. She is a also a mother and doula. Lisa is a facilitator to those who want to make changes in their lives. Visit http://www.Pathtonature.org for further information or to contact the author.

Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/aussiegall/759309122/

Organic lawn fertilizers have brought new options to homeowners who desire both a green lawn and a green lifestyle. Environmental issues continue to be a concern in our society, and good citizens everywhere are doing all they can to preserve the health of our beautiful planet. Using organic fertilizers instead of chemical products is an easy way to make a difference, and many would be surprised at the effectiveness of the organic solutions. Listed below are some of the many proven benefits of natural fertilizers and insecticides.

Organic Lawn Care is Safer for Your Family
The most obvious value to using an organic lawn fertilizer is to preserve the safety of your family members and animals. Commercial lawn treatments are a cocktail of dangerous chemicals and poisons that cling to shoes, skin, and hair. Even the most cautious application can result in an accidental poisoning. And if you can protect your family and pets from exposure, it is often impossible to prevent wildlife and other organisms from ingesting these chemicals.

Bio-Degradable
Scientifically engineered chemicals react with our planet in very unnatural ways. Almost every naturally occurring resource on earth has the capacity to break down and return value to the environment. Man-made chemicals on the other hand are much harder to dissipate, and often form more potent by-products in the process. Every commercial brand chemical fertilizer contains compounds that are not only initially toxic, but ultimately breakdown and multiply into more toxins.

Less Waste
A major flaw with chemical lawn fertilizers is their “kill everything” approach to lawn care. These herbicides and pesticides may indeed kill unwanted nuisances like dandelions and ants, but they also destroy thousands of helpful organisms such as bees, earthworms, and beneficial microorganisms. Even if your lawn was comprised of 50% weeds, then you would still poison the soil in the remaining 50% with unnecessary chemicals. With organic lawn fertilizers, there is no concern for toxic runoffs or harmful integration with other organisms.

Organic lawn care is not only the best choice in terms of safety for your family, but it is also an effective alternative to chemical fertilizers. The proper application of organic fertilizers and pesticides will keep your lawn green and disease free. And as an added benefit to “going green”, organic formulas can save a substantial amount of money. Many effective formulas can be created in your kitchen with inexpensive ingredients found at your local grocery store. For more resources on how to implement an organic lawn treatment schedule, visit http://naturallawnfertilizers.com and http://naturallawnfertilizers.com

Author: Xavier Gallery
About the author: Make your own natural fertilizers and pesticides by using the resources available at Natural Lawn Fertilizers

Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/mbatchelor/478131082/

Planting your own vegetable garden also allows you to know exactly how healthy or dangerous the foods is that you are eating. Store bought produce for instance, is often grown on farms which use chemical fertilizers and poisonous pest control methods. Plants absorb whatever is put onto them or into their soil as they’re growing, so if you’re eating produce which has had chemicals and toxins used on it, those chemicals are also in the plant itself, and are being fed to your body.

When you grow your own vegetables in a home garden though, you can choose to use organic growing methods which are much safer for both the environment, you and your family.Growing a vegetable garden starts with planning. You’ll need to decide first what vegetables you plan to grow in your garden. If this is the first time you’re growing a vegetable garden, try to start small so you can get a feel for how much of each thing is needed as you become more experienced. A nice way to get started with your first vegetable garden is to select three to five of your families favorite vegetables and plant just those the first season.

Next you’ll need to decide where you will place your vegetable garden. You’ll need both plenty of space and plenty of sunlight to grow vegetables. Vegetables need at least five to six hours of full sunlight each day, so figure out where in your yard that much sun is available, then see if there is enough room there for the number of vegetables you intend to grow. If your vegetable garden will be small, you can probably choose a planting location which is only about three to four feet square.

Once you have chosen your location you can prepare the soil for your vegetable garden. You can create raised garden beds to plant your vegetables in if you’d like, and this will make preparation and care easier. If you’re planting in the ground though, you’ll need to turn the soil, remove all weeds, roots and large rocks, then mix some healthy compost into the soil so your vegetables will have the nutrition they need while growing.

After preparing the soil, you’ll need to make planting rows, or long mounds of soil, to plant your vegetables in. These rows should run east to west so they’ll get the best sun and water exposure. When you start planting seeds or starter plants, be sure to put those that will grow the tallest at the north side of your lot, so they won’t shade the smaller plants too much during the day. The smallest plants should go on the south side of your vegetable garden plot, and progressively taller ones should be planted across.

Author: Adam Fletcher
About the author:
Please visit my great new website Gardening With Adam It is a great resource for enthusiastic gardeners and will guide you through the whole gardening process.

Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/cleverswine/165309490/

Click here to read the full article at KennebecJournal.com

Sheryl’s comment:
The article contains stories of individuals who were tested who were surprised to find out how truly toxic they were despite eating organic, detoxing their homes and otherwise leading a healthy lifestyle.

It is depressing and frustrating that these chemicals are so pervasive in our atmosphere and homes that we cannot escape them entirely. While many choose to ignore the problem, I will not give up. I believe it is critical to not only “plug the boat” so to speak by detoxing your food, skin care and environment, but it is equally as important to bail out your boat as much as you can or you will still sink. By that I mean it is important to detox your body with all the available options we know of such as chelating therapy, sauna, colon cleansing, raw food diets and more.

There are thousands of skin care products on the market today. Many people are switching to organic skin care in addition to food items because they are aware that chemicals and toxins are quite easily absorbed by the skin. Skin care manufacturers are highly aware of this trend and are beginning to market their skin care products as “natural”. The term “natural” on skin care or food products is an unregulated term and does not mean a thing. Many of the synthetic items that are put into the products for skin care are actually carcinogenic and eventually build in your body until you get cancer and diseases in the later years.

If you cannot afford organic skin care or wish to stick with your tried and true items then read the labels carefully. Here is a list of potentially dangerous chemicals commonly found in skin care items.
Two ingredients that are used as preservatives are called imidazolidinyl and formaldahyde. The imidazolidinyl urea is the ingredient that is used in fingernail polish, fingernail hardeners, and makeup. These two ingredients are both related to negative reactions of the skin. Any perfume that is made from synthetic ingredients should not be used on the body. You should try to find perfumes that only have natural ingredients in them or are made from essential oils and essences to use on your skin.

Methyl Paraben is a preservative that is used excessively in products and is thought to be irritating to the skin. Xenoestrogen is an estrogen disruptor and carcinogen that impedes fertility and may cause cysts in the breast. You need to be careful with butyl, ethyl, and propyl paraben also. Isopropyl alcohol can give you an anti-bacterial cleaning but you should be aware that it comes from petroleum. It is not one of the things you should use for your all-natural ingredients.

Methylisothiazolinone is also a preservative used in skin products. There are no things known about this particular ingredient except that it is not natural. Paraffin is also a petroleum product and should be avoided in the products you put on your skin and the candles you use. It is also used in products such as creams for the face, products to remove hair, pencils used for the eyebrows and lips, and more.

Propylene glycol is also made from petroleum and comes from glycerin that is made from vegetables and is common for moisturizing the skin. Sodium lauryl sulphate is a detergent that is used for cleaning, will leave the skin feeling dry, and will irritate the skin. It is a part of the sulfur family.

The right thing for you to do is to either purchase certified organic skin care products or use only natural ingredients and make own skin care products. Mother Nature gives you the best ingredients that you can use for natural skin care for your face and skin. You can use things like honey for a good moisturizer. You can add oatmeal and yogurt to the honey and you will have made yourself the best exfoliant you can get. Hemp oil is also a wonderful thing for you to use to hydrate your face. Tea tree oil is wonderful for your skin all over and works to kill germs. It can also be great for treating blemishes and cuts.

The best thing about organic products for your skin is that it is easier for you to make it right at home than it is to buy it. It will help you to have more time and money and will give you the best for your body that you can.

Author: Judy Wellsworth
About the author:
Find more info on Anti Aging Skin Care Products and Facial Skin Care. Bestskincarereviews.com is a comprehensive resource to get help to protect your skin and more about skin care.

Additional resources:
Check the safety of your commercial skin care and cosmetics at Skin Deep

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More and more tea varieties are available as organic. Every variety of tea, whether Black tea, Green tea, White tea, or Oolong tea, is cultivated in some regions under protocols of organic cultivation. This trend has much to do with a return to the source need which has taken the world by storm in the recent years.

Organic tea is grown following strict rules of organic cultivation, using only natural elements in the treatment of the soil, fertilization process and providing natural light instead of any artificial light source. It makes no use whatsoever of destructive chemicals, preferring to go the natural way and encouraging nature to provide for better crop cultivation. Chemicals are known to destroy not only the land where they are used, but also the surrounding ecosystem.

Organic cultivation of tea contributes to improved soil fertility. The use of natural fertilizers such as compost, natural organic matter and plants provide all the nutrients and elements needed by the soil to grow better crops. It has been noted that organically grown crops produce a better yield. Organic cultivation also makes use of natural methods of pest control such as little bugs and insects like the pest-controlling spider. Associated with traditional methods like crop rotation and mulching, a more eco-friendly cultivation is thus ensured.

The benefits of organic cultivation of tea also overlap onto the surrounding ecosystem and live habitat around the area. Wildlife is allowed to thrive, and there is less risk of pollution by harmful chemicals. The natural cultivation of the land means that nothing damaging makes its way into the water table, nor does the soil itself suffer from the use of artificial additives. Animals and human are thus protected, and are also provided with a better environment, free of harmful pesticides and other chemicals, some of which may pose serious heath hazards.

Organic tea is also said to retain most of its inherent benefits. Hand picked and processed the orthodox way, the teas carry a quality standard which is not attained by conventional tea manufacture.

Author: Mayoor Patel
About the author:
Mayoor Patel is the writer for the website OrganicTeaUniverse.com and Organic-tea.tea Please visit for information on all things concerned with Organic Tea

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One of the hottest trends in home buying and home building right now is the “green home” – a green home is green because of the design features which make it more energy efficient, including high insulation values, how it’s meant to integrate into its local landscaping and how it’s constructed.

If you’re considering constructing a new home, consider going green. A lot of green construction initiatives are out there, which advocate building everything from pre measured, pre-fabricated parts. The savings for this are two fold – the first savings is in ease of construction. By building everything from pre-measured parts, you save on labor and assembly. You also save on garbage hauling fees.

The second place where you save is avoiding building waste in your local landfill. Most homes are constructed by bringing raw lumber on site and cutting it to fit over the course of construction. The same (to a lesser extent) is done with flooring, drywall and siding. Good green construction techniques use the mantra of “measure twice, cut once” to its logical extreme, and can eliminate construction waste (and the attendant fees) by as much as 80%.

Green construction also ties into how the house is designed as a home and living space, and how it uses energy. A house can be precisely placed to maximize thermal warming in the winter, and shade placement in the summer. Similarly, green construction helps with energy bills.

By building the houses out of precisely measured prefabricated components, the insulation effects can be greatly improved – most homes, when it comes to insulation, have the equivalent of two full sized doors open in terms of air flow.

Green construction, done right, solves this problem, and a well insulated home is less expensive to heat in the winter, and cool in the summer. Proper heating and cooling design/installation methods are a major contributor to good green construction practices.

A more recent trend in green construction is photovoltaic cells as an integral component of construction, rather than as an unsightly add on to the home. These can reduce utility bills (through net-metering) or provide cash flow to the home owner through an offset-tariff, and will, over the course of 20 years or more, pay off the cost of their investment.

Ultimately, doing a green home means doing a completely green home – you can’t do it part way. it doesn’t mean you have to “give up” the life style – but it does mean an initial investment in planning and a commitment to hold on to the home for a while to recoup your investment.

• Green homes retain resale value very well.
• Green construction is more than energy efficiency.
• It also leads to a long-lasting, healthier home and lifestyle.

Author: Ed Bishop
About the author:
Ed Bishop brings over thirty years of experience to the art of designing and installing engineered living environments for homeowners and offers the widest array of solutions to improve the safety, comfort, quality and efficiency of new and existing homes. Please visit heating-and-air-conditioning-guide.com

About the Image: The native grass, Microlaena stipoides, makes a good drought-resistant lawn.

Photographed for the Powerhouse Museum exhibition, Eco-Logic: creating a sustainable future. Source: http://flickr.com/photos/powerhouse_museum_photography/2023116775/

Source: Wall Street Journal Online:

“Drivers of hybrid cars frequently get a discount on their auto-insurance policies just for being “green,” but one insurer argues that such discounts makes sense, and money.

Now, Farmers insures about 90,000 hybrid cars in the U.S, or about 7% of all hybrids sold in the last decade, according to figures compiled by research company Edmunds Inc. “

Read the full article at: Wall Street Journal Online

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The traditional wedding is expensive, extravagant, and elegant. The bride and groom will pay a large amount of money to create an elegant, romantic, and fairytale wedding. Today we are seeing increasing numbers environmentally conscious brides and grooms choosing green weddings.

Green weddings show the initiative, awareness and responsibility to take care of our environment. Green weddings are also known as environment friendly, or eco friendly weddings. A green wedding theme inspires the guests, relatives and friends to do their part to protect and care for the environment.

Green Wedding Ideas

Use a recycled wedding band. Fair trade stores, pawn shops and thrift stores may sell recycled gold for wedding bands. Antique shows, auctions, and shops may also carry some lovely wedding bands.

Arrive in style with a hybrid car. The hybrids use a fraction of fuel compared to conventional cars. Organize car pools for the guests. The car pool will take several cars off the road and pollutants out of the air. Set the wedding ceremony and wedding reception close together (or in the same location) so the guests do not have far to go for the next itinerary.

Ask for the print shop to use recycled paper for wedding invitation. Recycled paper and stationary is now widely available. For a paperless wedding invitation, the bride and groom may consider online wedding website.

Rent, or borrow the wedding dress from friends or relatives. Renting or borrowing the wedding dress allows the wedding dress to be reused or recycled. Sometimes you can find excellent deals on new or “like new” wedding dresses on eBay.

The quality of digital photography is often as good as a traditional film camera without the toxic hazards associated with film and developing. The wedding photographers can often get the same results with digital camera. Digital photography also allows the bride and groom to screen unwanted pictures and create an online wedding album.

Reuse the wedding flowers. The wedding flowers from the church may also be used at the wedding reception. Try to use wedding flowers that are available locally and seasonally to reduce fuel costs.

Try to use organic wedding flowers to reduce the use of pesticides.

Use dishes that are reusable and washable. If it is impossible to use reusable and washable plates, spoons and glasses, then easily biodegradable plates, spoons and glasses are an excellent alternative.

There are caterers who specialize in organic dishes. Using only organic ingredients, the chef or cook creates the appetizing dishes for the wedding reception to enjoy. The organic wines, spirits, champagne, beer, soft drinks and juices will quench the thirst of the guests.

Toss only biodegradable and bird friendly wedding favors such as paper, nuts, wheat and rice. The nuts, wheat and rice will feed the birds and squirrels.

Choose eco-travel for your honeymoon. The ecotourism is also known as ecological tourism. Experience the adventure local culture, wilderness, flora, and fauna. Ecotourism promotes recycle of biodegradable materials, efficient use of energy,conservation of water supply, reforestation, evalution of local culture, reduction of waste, education of ecosystem, reproduction of endangered species and reversal of global warming.

Author: Dennis Estrada
About the author: Dennis Estrada owns wedding advice & destination wedding traditions and destination wedding etiquette website.

Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/koalie/2560862862/