The morning of my flight to New York from Tokyo my daughter, Danielle and I had a reservation to experience a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. Much to our surprise we found ourselves at the Kooman Cultural Center, for a private lesson on the traditions and expected behaviors for the formal tea ceremony. This ritual is a social event and a time to clear one’s mind of the outside world. The objective is to create a moment in time for peace, harmony and calm for the guests. It is a meditation of being and an appreciation of the tea, the host and the environment. This includes admiring the room, artwork, and tea cups. We learned that the powdered green tea has a fascinating history and is used for medicinal purposes as well as enjoyment.

As the honored guest, it was my privilege to open the sliding Shoji doors and be the first to place my naked feet upon the matted floor. Centered on the wall before me (which would be considered the “Red Bird” in Feng Shui) was a work of art. It was an elongated rectangle of fabric in the shape of a Chinese talisman. Painted on the fabric were beautiful Chinese characters. Our cultural guide for that morning explained its significance. The top figures represented the season. It was the rainy season in Japan. The characters represented thick clouds, grey skies and rain. The next set of characters represented the blue sky-the season to follow. An unexpected tear rolled down my cheek as I welled up with emotion. Our guide proceeded to explain, the current season has incredible beauty for although it is filled with cloudy and rainy days, it gives birth to the next season of blue skies. Each season depends on the one before it and creates the season to come. This is the core principal of the 5 Element Theory: Water to Wood, Wood to Fire, Fire to Earth, Earth to Metal, Metal to Water. In its simplicity is profound wisdom.

We all have times in our lives when we find ourselves in a season of thick, heavy clouds.  It is difficult to see the beauty when we are in a life crises and it seems we have an endless ceiling of grey hanging over us. Thankfully, Yin and Yang energies are constantly in motion. Soon we will wake up to blue skies which will be the seeds for our next season. Enjoy the cycles of life as you would enjoy the Tea Ceremony, with peace, harmony and calm.

Debra Duneier is an accredited LEED Green Associate, Certified Eco-Designer, Feng Shui Master Practitioner and Author of EcoChi: Designing The Human Experience. For more about EcoChi and Debra visit www.ecochi.com

Related: more articles from Debra Duneier on The Alternative Consumer

tea ceremony photo via shutterstock. com

Change is always most effective and least damaging as a gradual process. Take the environment for example. Rapid, unexpected changes in the climate can cause the endangerment and extinction of unprepared, vulnerable species of organisms. Life on Earth has been honed for billions of years via the process of evolution and has adapted to very specific conditions. Change those conditions suddenly and all hell breaks loose. The effects of the current global climate change are certainly harmful and must be addressed, but some of the remedies may only add to the problem. One of these so called solutions is the concept of artificially infusing the stratosphere with sulfate particles. 

The theory behind this idea is clever and promising – unfortunately the reality doesn’t quite add up. The stratosphere has a natural amount of sulfate particles that deflect the sun’s energy back and away from the earth, countering the effects of carbon dioxide excess which is known for trapping heat within the earth’s atmosphere. Infusing additional sulfate particles into the stratosphere would theoretically result in more deflection of the sun’s energy away from the Earth. However, the concept has been tested through various scientific models and has proven more harmful than beneficial. University of Washington doctoral student, Kelly McCusker, has shown that the injection of sulfate particles will never be able to counter all of the effects of carbon dioxide emissions. A surplus of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has a wide variety of negative effects on the environment. Trapping the sun’s energy inside the atmosphere is only one of them. Carbon dioxide increase in the atmosphere also leads to ocean acidification which in turn causes coral death along with many more biological issues, none of which will be solved simply by the addition of sulfate particles to the atmospheric composition.

Another problem also arises with the sulfate injection plan. The sudden addition of these particles into the atmosphere could result in rapid climate changes that many vulnerable, slowly-adapting organisms would not be able to survive. This could facilitate endangerment of species and extinction rather than prevent it. On the subject, McCusker said during her research, “There is no way to keep the climate the way it is now. Later this century, you would not be able to recreate present-day Earth just by adding sulfate aerosols to the atmosphere,”

Solving any scientific problem usually begins with a theoretical solution. However, this is just not the most efficient one. While searching for other ways to counteract the increase in carbon dioxide, the surest way to slow climate change is to limit our own carbon dioxide output for a more sustainable future.

source: sciencedaily.com

Looking for an alternative to plastic LEGOS? Look no further than Earth Blocks, the more organic building block. The blocks, which snap together like traditional LEGOS, are made from a variety of natural and recycled materials, including the bark of the cedar tree, compressed dust from sawn cedar logs, and coffee beans.

Due to their organic content the blocks are slightly softer than traditional LEGOS, though much… much greener.

Created by Colors Tokyo.

$30 a set @ the guggenheim online store

via: designboom

Rustic chic. Allison Cecil makes these woodsy, personalized bark rings out of 100% recycled sterling silver. Depending on your ‘crunchy’ quotient they could even serve quite nicely as wedding bands.

$104 (one ring) @ themonkeysalwayslook Etsy shop

HotLips is a hot soda pop brand, family-run and located in Portland, Oregon. They’ve been concocting fruit-based batches of refreshing bubbly since 2005 – sourcing locally grown fruit, refining the processing & manufacturing, rolling out new flavors, expanding distribution, and listening to customer’s requests for “less tiny seeds in the strawberry, please.”

We recently had the opportunity to test their latest handcrafted flavor, Cranberry – it’s a hit in our book. How do they do it? Fresh batches of Stevens and Yellow River varieties of cranberries from Seaview Farms arrive at HOTLIPS bottling plant in Newberg, Oregon. The berries are cooked in kettles, blended with NW grown pear juice for a happy dose of light sweetening (no other sugar is added), then it’s lightly carbonated and pasteurized. The fruit-derived soda is distributed in bottles made from 80% recycled, locally sourced glass. Just twist off the cap and Voila! Instant fruity refreshment.

We’ve drunk it straight and are happy to report that it doesn’t leave one’s mouth feeling dry or parched, like a “whole” cranberry juice can. The tartness of the cranberry is well balanced by the addition of pear juice delivering a dose of sweetness that we seem to desire when drinking soda. The carbonation also adds a nice level of sparkling hydration and refreshment, too.

Vodka lovers that we are, we also added Cranberry Soda to a shot of vodka and added a twist of lime. Very fine.

Not for bargain hunters – this handcrafted soda pop retails for $2.75/each or a 6-pack for $11. (when you buy a 6-pack, you can mix & match flavors) … buy online @ hotlipssoda.com

full disclosure: we received a complimentary 6-pack for the purposes of this trial, no strings attached.

Related: HotLips previously on The Alternative Consumer

• Oh the irony… Iran Says to Go Green as Oil Sanctions Tighten – reuters
• Sharks aren’t getting any hungrier – people are just getting in the way… Shark Attack Deaths See Spike in 2011 – livescience
• Headline of the day… Bahama’s Blue Holes Harbor Strange Lifeforms – enn
• (video) Company aims to convert solar energy into new fuels and remove greenhouse gas from the atmosphere… Converting Solar Energy into New Fuels -bbc
• Methane leaks may offset climate benefits of natural gas… Air Sampling Reveals High Emissions From Natural Gas Field – nature.com
• Vulture Restaurants Cater to Endangered Birds – msnbc

Related: more eco news on The Alternative Consumer

On a budget, or flying solo these days? Don’t let the commercialization and hype regarding Valentine’s Day ruin your mood – take heart knowing you’re not alone and be sure to treat yourself to a simple indulgence that makes you happy. Light a few candles, pour some essential oil & Epsom salt in the bath and take a relaxing soak; or call a buddy to reminisce and have a few good laughs. Move to your own beat – compile a music mix of all-time faves for your listening pleasure.

Got a few bucks to spare? Here are a few fun ways to embrace loved ones, mother earth & yourself:

(above, from top) men’s organic cotton boxers from goodandfairclothing.com (in white or black; $26). Sexy bralet & cheeky thong by g=9.8; find more of our favorite eco lingerie for her and organic underwear for men @ bynature.co.uk

(above) Heart & Stone handcrafts personalized charms, rings, key chains and necklaces for men and women; pricing varies … Tiny Tags jewelry can be customized with names, dates and birthstones; $195-$395

(above) Coco-Zen offers fresh, deliciously decadent Fair Trade Certified chocolate truffles as well as pampering body and bath products. Feast your eyes on an array of gift ideas starting at $3, or snag a Green Gift Set of either Chocolate to Eat, Chocolate to Wear or a Combo Gift Set, $64 – $110.

(above) Gifts with heart and soul – from Alex & Ani’s Charity by Design collection, pretty expandable bracelets made from recycled material; designs customized to reflect the message and beauty inherent in each organization; 20% of all sales of the Best Friends Bangles are donated to the American Heart Association. set of 2, ($48)

(above) For body-friendly pleasure, babeland.com has you covered; recharge your battery with the newly designed rechargeable We-Vibe II.

(above) Be still my beating heart … get swept off your feet with a well-deserved hot-stone massage – add a healthy dose of massage oil (SpaRitual.com) or massage balm (badgerbalm.com) to totally unwind.

Love those traditional bouquets of flowers and boxes of chocolate? Just be sure they’re Fair Trade and organic so they’ll meet with mama earth’s as well as your sweetheart’s approval; try Whole Foods or OrganicBouquet.com … Happy V-Day!

Related: more eco-friendly gift ideas from The Alternative Consumer.

With designs that bring in the outdoors, Philadelphia-based Iannone Design makes great looking sustainable furniture. Their Waltnut St. Graphic Console provides plenty of space for hiding your cable box and DVR or media storage of any sort – with an adjustable shelf, two compartments and touch release doors.

The console is made of kirei board and features a gloss white laminate with walnut veneer. Green attributes: the piece is constructed of FSC and CARB II certified plywood, sustainable kirei board (made from salvaged sorghum stalks) and finished with an FSC certified laminate. The hand-applied wood finish consists of natural oils and waxes.

The console is also available with dandelion and hummingbird graphics.

photos by Amie Schroeder

Related: more sustainable home decor on The Alternative Consumer

Show your boy in the hood some eco love … BUC’s hoodie is made with genuine earth-friendly values and delivers affordable style:

• 100% certified lightweight organic cotton
• low impact dyes (choose either grey or black)
• printed with water-based PVC-free inks
• Fair Trade made
• $34.99

What’s not to love? Hoodie Oxford @ ideologie.com

• Prince Charles Optimistic for Global Fisheries’ Future – bbc
• I’m not much of a tea drinker… Green Tea Drinkers Show Less Disability With Age: Study – yahoo! news
• How Dinosaurs Grew So Huge – livescience
• Rare caribou face off against the Tea Party… Protest Over Plans to Protect Northwest Caribou – msnbc
• Stretching the shrinking health budget… Combined Approach to Global Health has Benefits – sciencedaily
• There’s now a price to be paid for ignoring health and environmental issues… China’s Short Term Environmental Future is Bright – cs monitor