Why use toxic cleaning products when you can use healthy, nontoxic and safe cleaning alternatives? Here are some green cleaning ideas to help you be clean, healthy and make a planet difference:

All-Purpose Cleaner
Seventh Generation and Sun & Earth make non-toxic cleaning products which you can use for kitchens, bathrooms, tubs, floors, counters, tile, carpets, spills, stains, and other.

White Distilled Vinegar
Inexpensive and versatile, white distilled vinegar is a very powerful nontoxic disinfectant. Use it to remove stains, grease, mildew, wax buildup, polish some metals, clean coffeepots, toilet bowls, brick, stone, and windows. Also, one tablespoon during rinse cycle makes a fabulous fabric softener.

Window Glass Cleaner
Seventh Generation makes a wonderful nontoxic window cleaner.

Baking Soda (sodium bicarbonate)
Use baking soda to deodorize every room of the house, unclog drains, removes certain stains, and clean and polish jewelry, chrome, silver, copper, tin, stainless and tin.

Hand Dishwashing Liquid
Seventh Generation, Ecover, Earth Friendly, and Sun & Earth produces eco-friendly dishwashing liquid that can be used to clean pots, pans, dishes, glasses and anything else you don't want in the dishwasher.

Automatic Dishwashing Detergent
Seventh Generation makes a great nontoxic dishwashing detergent.

Laundry Liquid
Earth Friendly, Seventh Generation, & Ecover, all make eco-friendly nontoxic laundry liquid.

Lemon Juice
Use as a natural deodorizer and cleaner for aluminum, copper, porcelain and clothing.

Table Salt
Use to remove rust and, when combined with lemon juice, cleans copper. When salt is combined with vinegar, it polishes brass.

Hydrogen Peroxide
Use in diluted form to remove stains from dirty whites and other clothing/fabrics.

Happy cleaning!

Natural homemade health care remedies are less expensive and healthier than many commercial products. Let's take a look at some nifty recipes:

Oatmeal Bath
After a day in the sun, soothe your sunburnt skin in a warm bath with a cotton satchel filled with old-fashioned oats.

Hot Oil Treatment
Before washing your hair, place several tablespoons of olive oil or jojoba oil to your dry hair, comb your hair, put on a shower cap to allow the oils to penetrate the hair shaft and jump in the shower. After several minutes, remove the cap and give your hair a shampoo wash.

Sugar Exfoliate
Mix together olive oil, almond or jojoba oil and white sugar, creating a thick paste, and then add a few drops of your favorite scented oil. Afterwards, apply to dry parts of your skin and exfoliate, leaving your body smooth and moisturized.

Yogurt Mask
Plain, whole milk yogurt is a wonderful facial cleanser, leaving your face with a glow.

Chamomile Eye Beautifier
Get rid of your puffy eyes by placing chilled steeped chamomile tea bags on your eyes.

Go refresh and pamper your being with one or all of these homemade remedies. Enjoy!

Have you ever considered how much corn we consume and how fattening it is? Did you know that carbon in our body actually originates from corn or that corn is an ingredient in many food and industrial products? In "King Corn", a 2007 documentary, two recent college graduates plant corn and follow it's way through the supply chain right to your dinner plate. Government subsidies, corn crops are genetically modified and glazed with pesticides, resulting in harrowing outcomes for all consumers, including obesity, diabetes and other health related diseases.

Losing any nutritional value corn once had, corn is now harvested for high fructose corn syrup, used in lieu of table sugar and found in breads, spaghetti sauce, cookies, juices, gum, beer, and so much more. Although table sugar consumption has fallen, sweeteners have increased by 30%, largely due to corn syrup. Indeed, cheaper food is also unhealthy food, leading to obesity, diabetes and other health related diseases.

In addition, unlike years past, most cattle eat a corn based diet on huge feedlots, instead of having the freedom and ability to roam land and graze. As a result, the American people now eat corn based meat, a fattening starch alternative to grass based meat.

So what is the fat truth of modern day corn in America? Unfortunately, corporations financially benefit greatly from corn, while the rest of us contend with the pounds around the middle. Is it any wonder why diabetes has become a crisis in America? Let's stop the corporate insanity and boycott all food and drinks made with corn. There is a supply because there is a demand. Let's just stop demanding corn so the cattle and our bodies fare better.

Ready?

“If you’re standing in a field in Iowa, there’s an immense amount of food being grown, none of it edible. The commodity corn, nobody can eat. It must be processed before we can eat it. It’s a raw material—it’s a feedstock for all these other processes. And the irony is that an Iowa farmer can no longer feed himself.” —Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore's Dilemma

Let's take a closer look at every day products made with corn:

Corn Starches
Industrial uses: Adhesives, Cardboard, Construction Materials, Detergents, Paper, Textiles, Plasterboard
Food and drug uses: Antibiotics, Aspirin, Baked Goods, Candies, Condiments, Mixes & Instant Preparations, Processed Meats, Puddings
Corn Syrup
Industrial uses: Adhesives, Animal Feed, Bookbinding, Laminated Building Products, Enzymes, Leather Tanning, Lubricating Agents, Metal Plating
Food and drug uses: Baby Food, Bologna and Hot Dogs, Chewing Gum, Cookies & Crackers, Dessert Mixes, Fruit Drinks, Canned Foods, Cereals, Medicinal Syrups, Pickles, Salad Dressings, Seasoning Mixes
High Fructose Corn Syrup: Carbonated Beverages, Fruit Fillings, Cereals, Frostings, Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts, Pancakes, Pastries, Relishes & Sauces, Syrups & Dessert Toppings
Dextrose
Industrial use: Antibiotics, Enzymes, Coatings, Insecticides, Organic Solvents, Plasticizers, Shampoo
Food and drug uses: Brownies & Baked Goods, Canned Fruits, Cheese Spreads, Cured Meats (such as bacon), Dessert Mixes, Intravenous Solutions, Jams & Jellies, Soda Fountain Preparations, Marshmallows, Soups
Fermentation and other chemical products: Ethanol, Citric Acid, Lactic Acid, Essential Amino Acids, Sugar Alcohols

Links:
http://www.iowacorn.org/index.html
http://www.corn.org/
http://www.acga.org/
http://www.soyatech.com/corn_facts.htm
http://goefuel.com/cornfacts/index.html

Recently, I listened to an interview with Montreal-based writer Adam Leith Gollner about his new book, The Fruit Hunters: A Story of Nature, Adventure, Commerce, and Obsession. Goliner traveled around the world in pursuit of the history of fruit, leading him to discover "the miracle berry", a cranberry-like fruit that turns sour into sweet. When you eat the the miracle berry, you can eat an entire lime, for example, and it will literally be sweet. That's right. Imagine, no more mouth watering response when you think about biting into a lime as it becomes as juicy and sweet as an orange! Imagine! Not surprisingly, due to possible corporate interests, this amazing fruit has yet to reach consumers. In fact, this miracle berry was banned by the FDA in early 1970's, even though it could easily be an easy and all-healthy alternative to sugar. See the interview with Amy Goodman on Democracy Now!

In 2001, when petroleum prices began to spiral upwards, Ricardo Asturias in Guatemala saw an opportunity with biofuels. With a background in agribusiness and petroleum, Asturias knew that alternative fuels would be a promising investment and he had just the plant oil in mind, the nonedible fruit of the Jatropha tree (Jatropha Curcas), called the piñon. This small tree grows in abundance in Guatemala and has had little every day use but is known for its success in preventing erosion and deforestation. Asturias is quite confident that the piñon, and other renewable sources of energy, “will result in an agricultural revolution in our countries.”

This amazing non-edible fruit is a strong source of alternative fuel; it is good for consumers and the environment.

Other Benefits of Jatropha Curcas:
- It can grow almost anywhere, with little or no maintenance or water
- It grows in abundance
- Produces year round seed, if watered
- Medicinal and industrial uses, including: soaps, cosmetics, toothpaste, high quality paper, & cough medicine.

References:
http://www.biodieseltoday.com/
http://www.jatrophacurcasplantations.com/
http://www.iadb.org/idbamerica/index.cfm?thisid=4329

All of us are experiencing the pain at the gas pump, unless you have a hybrid, hydrogen or electric vehicle. Meanwhile, oil companies are experiencing tremendous profits, thanks to many reasons, including gas guzzling vehicles, successful marketing campaigns, and starry-eyed consumers. Many consumers bought into the marketing lie that "bigger is better" and now they financially suffer at the pump, while also negatively impacting our small planet. As we look at the various alternatives to petroleum, we must ask, are biofuels really sustainable? A document prepared by the House of Commons Environmental Committee (January 2008), addresses this very question. The fact is that biofuels are contributing to a global food crisis. According to a recent article in the Guardian, "Biofuels have forced global food prices up by 75% - far more than previously estimated - according to a confidential World Bank report obtained by the Guardian."

Considering the growing rhetoric of the depletion of oil reserves, let's take a look at the pros and cons of five sources of biofuels: corn ethanol, sugar-cane ethanol, cellulosic ethanol, algae biofuel, and biodiesel.

Corn Ethanol
Pros: Could reduce US reliance upon oil imports and decrease greenhouse gases.
Cons: Production is energy intensive and the price of corn, meat and grain have gone through the roof. 450+ pounds of corn are required to fill a 25 gallon tank with an ethanol (enough calories to feed one person for a year!).

Sugar-Cane Ethanol
Pros: Less energy to produce than corn and yields more per acre than corn.
Cons: Requires a warm, rainy climate to grow.

Cellulosic Ethanol
Pros: Made from wood chips, nonfood crops, and farm waste.
Cons: More expensive than sugar or corn and very energy intensive.

Algae Biofuel
Pros: Algae grows quickly and can produce 30x more energy than other biofuel alternatives.
Cons: Growing algae is expensive. The technology is not yet developed to make extensive fuel from algae.

Biodiesel
Pros: Made from vegetable oil, like canola and soy, and animal fat. Unfortunately, it requires 90% more energy to create it than to use it. Biodiesel is estimated to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40-80%.
Cons: Boosts "agflation".

Related articles:
U.N. Says Food Plan Could Cost $30 Billion a Year (New York Times, June 4, 2008)
All Biofuels Are Not The Same (Washington Post, June 16, 2008)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jul/03/biofuels.renewableenergy

When do you believe life begins? The moment a baby is born? Or, like me, do you believe that life begins at conception? I am firmly convinced that our lives begin at conception. Indeed, babies in the womb deserve to be protected and valued. I'll always value life in the womb and the sacredness of life, no matter what laws or culture dictate. My value of life comes from the knowledge of a Creator and that we are all made in His image, not based upon the laws or opinions of men. Babies in the womb are dependent upon the mother for protection. It's time for us to speak for the unborn and their right to live.

Let's agree to value and protect the baby in the womb.

Tree tea oil (melaleuca alternifolia) is a natural remedy and wonder, healthy and green, and a powerful antibiotic. I am crazy about tea tree oil! A mere couple of drops with lots of water can soothe and heal your body, or clean your home. Here's how your body and home can benefit from tea tree oil:

• Cuts
• Scratches
• Mouth sores
• Nail fungus
• Stinky feet
• Acne
• Athlete's foot
• Deodorizer
• Bug Bites
• Eczema
• Household cleaning
• Lice
• Yeast infections
• MRSA

Indeed, crunches and sit-ups are always a great way to tone and flatten your stomach, but did you know you can also speed up the process of by eating certain types of food? Five food groups, when also combined with water, will help to burn off belly fat. God has given us a natural and healthy food supply chain. Let's go back to the source of healthy living and stop the insanity and addiction to man-made and processed food.

Let's take a look at five natural food wonders:

1. Vegetables: Your mom always told you to eat all your veggies and now you can be grateful she encouraged you to do so. Vegetable are incredibly healthy for you! Because they are fiber-rich, veggies fills your tummy, while also reducing the amount of sugar flowing in your your bloodstream and decreasing insulin. On top of these benefits, some veggies are also loaded with anti-oxidants and lower the chance for cancer. Stick with dark green and leafy vegetables, and let God's delicious vegetables perform its wonders.

2. Nuts: Many of us grew up hearing that nuts were so fattening and therefore a weight gainer. Yet, research has proven that nuts contain healthy fatty acids, fiber and protein, all controlling appetite and reducing belly fat. Next time you are hungry, grab some fiber-rich almonds, filling your hunger while burning belly fat.

3. Avocados: Yup, it is true, your beloved guacamole is healthy for you! Loaded with monounsaturated fatty acids, avocados help to lose excess belly fat. So, the next time you make a sandwich, consider using avocados as a spread instead of the real fattening one, mayo. Hold the mayo, but load the avocado. By the way, try avocado, monterey jack cheese and alfalfa sprouts on whole wheat bread. Yum!

4. Yogurt: Research tell us that calcium-rich foods, like low-fat milk and yogurt, expedite the metabolism process, helping to burn off the dreaded belly fat. It is thought that calcium-rich foods reduces the amount of fat absorbed by food. One of my favorite meals is a bowl of Trader Joes non-fat vanilla yogurt with frozen cherries. Yummy!

5. Wholegrains: Stop buying and consuming fattening white breads and pasta, and load up on whole-grain breads, rice, cereals and pasta. You'll lose belly fat and reduce your chance of heart disease. When I was a child, my father always spouted the benefits of wheat bread, while my mom bought white bread. One day, my father was so fed up with it, he grabbed the white bread and squished it like an accordion, calling it a dough ball as he did so. We giggled, but from that day on, we only consumed whole wheat bread.

Let today be a new beginning for you. Start burning belly fat by incorporating these delicious fat fighting foods into your diet. Before you know it, you'll be reducing belly fat and be belly flat, easily and without great effort. In addition, you can stop the corporate greed that not only makes millions off processed food, but contributes to the rising rate of cancer and other health maladies.

Eat off God's natural creation and be healthy, in more ways than one.

Thank you, God, for your creation and healthy, organic food!

This weekend I saw the movie "The Visitor", and it is one of my favorite films ever. "The Visitor" is a reminder that one's life can be forever altered in a moment, simply by meeting people in the most unlikely of ways. The main character of this movie, Walter, is a Professor of Economics who, upon making a business trip to New York, stumbles upon unlikely friendships. The film is about relationships, love, friendship, cultural differences, and the underworld of illegal immigrants. It is a touching film that will surely make you laugh, cry, and speak out against deportation of some illegal immigrants. The cast of characters are wonderfully crafted, intertwined, and unusual.

Many illegal immigrants are simply seeking political asylum or a better economic future for themselves and/or family. Should we deport every illegal immigrant? No, only those who commit crimes and/or have ties to terrorist activity. Often, illegal immigrants risk their lives to come to the United States, with the hope that they will have a better life. Let's provide ways for illegal immigrants to earn a legal income and gain education, so they can have access to a better life.

That being said, the "bad ones", those illegal immigrants who commit crimes, need to return to their home country, where they can be locked up in prison. Why should our prison system be burdened with illegals, while our tax dollars are spent supporting their incarceration? Send them home. On the other hand, as I've stated, let the moral and law abiding immigrants flourish and prosper.

Remember, somewhere down your line, your family immigrated here too, legal or not.

Awhile ago I did a post titled, "Green and Natural Health Care Products" and at the time, I confess, I was not using natural make-up. I decided to finish off my existing foundation and powder before investing in all new organic make-up. Well, this morning I finally ran out of both, so I ran out to Sephora and bought my first ever, long desired, mineral based make-up. Bare Escentuals is a fantastic, non-chemical line of make-up products that wear naturally, benefiting one's beauty and health.

Funny, I feel a bit like I did when I knew I was going to wear make-up to school the first time; I'm going to wear my new make-up to church tomorrow! Silly me, I know!

Isn't it about time you went natural with your make-up? Buy some here and see a video about Bare Escentuals here.

The other day, I told my brother I wanted to get a beach (road) bike to toodle around town and shop, while getting exercise. He told me about Xtracycle, this awesome SUV bike, created and designed for such a need. Not only can you carry groceries, but camping gear, a surf board, a guitar, and so forth! Save money, boycott gas when you can, and get your body in better health.

Buy one here and check out this video below:

Get involved in helping the suffering in China by giving to the following organizations:
American Red Cross
P.O. Box 4002018
Des Moines, IA 50340-2018
(800) HELP-NOW

AmeriCares
88 Hamilton Ave.
Stamford, CT 06902
(800) 486-4357

Direct Relief International
27 South La Patera Lane
Santa Barbara, CA 93117
(805) 964-4767

Mercy Corps
Dept. W
P.O. Box 2669
Portland, OR 97208
(888) 256-1900

Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) and the deadly typhoon

The military dictatorship in Myanmar refuses outside help as their greed for power and selfish insecurities takes precedence over the needs of the majority. It is a disgusting reminder of the filth of corruption, greed and sinfulness of man. Read the NY Times article and see the video for more information.

Consider helping the Myanmar people by financially giving to the following humanitarian relief agencies:
Care International
151 Ellis Street, NE
Atlanta, GA 30303-2440
USA
Tel: 1-404-681-2552, 1-800-521-CARE
Fax: 1-404-577-5977

Direct Relief
Direct Relief International
27 S. La Patera Lane
Santa Barbara, CA 93117
Phone: 805-964-4767
Fax: 805-681-4838

Save the Children
2000 L Street NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20036
202-640-6600

What are your thoughts about this? I really like reducing the landfill but I am not crazy about the RFID chip. Nothing is private anymore.

I finally got around to adding the Fair Trade Federation member logo on this site, after applying, getting approved and paying my annual dues. I've been so busy with my new day job (as a director for an educational company), that I've not had time to blog or update my websites.

Globally Minded can now be found on the Fair Trade Federation directory. Being a part of a growing movement of socially conscious buyers and consumers is very gratifying because I know fair trade works, improving and empowering artisans and families we support.

Globally Minded fair trade and handcrafted jewelry is available for wholesale and retail. We really prefer to market our jewelry in retail brick and mortar stores. Sales of our products benefits Globally Minded Works, Inc., a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit, supporting women and children in Guatemala.

Although we live in a world of injustice and inequality, fair trade and equality for all are worthy causes to support. Join our efforts to make life better for all; commit to buying fair trade handcrafts, gifts and products.

Did you know that although a fresh coat of paint may perform wonders to the look and feel of a room it can also be detrimental to your health? Think about the last time you painted a room or house and the trouble you had breathing, especially when the air was stagnant. Indeed, standard paint is toxic for the planet and our bodies. In fact, the nasty effects of paint fumes can impact the body for up to 3 years! With this in mind, the next time you go to paint your room, house, or office, use eco-friendly paints.

Learn more from the EPA and start shopping for eco-paints here.

Here is a video abstract from Season One of PBS television show called "Building Green," hosted by Kevin Contreras, exploring the basics of eco-friendly paints and green brands.

Globally Minded gives 15% of its profits to Globally Minded Works to help children learn in the Highlands Guatemala. We believe that helping a child to read, write and think opens up new possibilities and opportunities, while alleviating the affects of poverty. We market and sell our fair trade, handcrafted, eco-friendly jewelry via Amazon and when you buy $25.00 or more, your purchases are eligible for Free Super Saver Shipping. Buy our jewelry for you or your loved one today and make a difference in the lives of those struggling in poverty.

To give you an idea of the splendor of Lake Atitlan, here is a clip:

• Benzene - Found in inks, oils, plastics, paints, detergents, synthetic fibers, etc.
• Formaldehyde - Found in plywood, grocery bags, waxed paper, fire retardants, etc.
• Trichloroethylene - Found in inks, varnishes, & adhesives
• Carbon monoxide - Found in unvented kerosene and gas heaters, leaking chimneys and furnaces, tobacco smoke, automobile exhaust from attached garage, gas stoves, & generators and other gasoline powered equipment.

Bamboo Palm (Chamaedorea seifritzii)

Chinese Evergreen (Algaonema modestmu)

English Ivy (Hedera helix)

Gerbera Daisy (Gerbera jamesonii)

Janet Craig (Dracaena)

Marginata (Dracaena marginata)

Mass Cane/ Corn Plant (Dracaena massangeana)


Mother-in-law's Tongue (Sansevieria laurentii)

Pot Mum (Chrysantheium morifolium)

Peace Lily (Spathuphyllum "Mauna Loa")

Go shopping, clean your air and live free!

• Dr. Bronner's Castile Liquid Soap-Peppermint
• Nurture My Body Shampoo ~ fragrance-free
• Nurture My Body Shampoo
• Burt's Bees Grapefruit & Sugar Beet Shampoo
• Kiss My Face Natural Styling Gel, Upper Management
• Perfect Organics Mandarin Rose Coconut Body Glow

• Mountain Girl Botanics Aspen Spa Soap
• Dr. Bronner's Castile Liquid Soap-Peppermint

• Tom's of Maine Natural Baking Soda Toothpaste with Propolis & Myrrh, Peppermint
• Nature's Gate Toothpaste-Creme Peppermint
• Desert Essence Tea Tree Oil Toothpaste

• Sure Invisible Solid Antiperspirant & Deodorant, Unscented
• Avalon Organics Roll-On Deodorant, Peppermint

• Terressentials 100% Organic Pure Cocoa Butter
• Perfect Organics Orange Ginger Shea Butter

We have all been tricked (brainwashed) into believing bottled water is more pure and fresh than tap water; a brilliant yet deceptive tactic of corporations to fatten their profits. Streams, fountains, and other "fresh" landscapes on their labels further convince us that the water is really pure. In 1999 the NRDC tested 1000 bottles of 103 brands of water (most recent major report of water bottle safety) and the organization discovered that:

1. At least one of the samples of 1/3 of the brands contained chemical or bacterial toxins, including carcinogens exceeding state and industry standards.
2. Samples of two brands were contaminated with phthalates, exceeding the EPA standard for tap water!

1. Get a water-quality or consumer-confidence report from your local water utility. If you have well water, get it tested every year. You can also call the EPA's toll-free Drinking Water Hotline at 800.426.4791. or visit the website for the Campaign for Safe and Affordable Drinking Water at www.safe-drinking-water.org.
2. Reconsider drinking from the office watercooler. First, it is rarely, if ever, cleaned. Second, they are made of polycarbonate and have the nasty potential to leak bisphenol (BPA), a chemical that causes neurological and other problems. Recent research linked the BPA to a variety of disorders, including breast cancer and obesity, and one disturbing 2007 study, published in the journal PLoS Genetics, found that BPA exposure can cross generations.
3. Get a reusable stainless steel container and fill it up with your own tap or filtered water. Check out Klean Kanteen, SIGG, Greenfeet, and New Wave Enviro.
4. Never drink bottled water exposed to hot temperatures.
5. Buy only bottled water when necessary and make sure it has the NSF logo on it.

Go Green on the Little Things is a 7 part series, providing various tidbits and advice about green living and choices for the following: home living, office spaces, school, shopping, health and beauty, money and finance, and buildings.

Today, we are finishing up our 7 part series with Go Green on the Little Things: Health and Beauty. Looking good on you does not necessarily mean your look is good for the environment. Did you know that consumers use about 200 pounds of plastic a year and that 60 pounds of it is just packaging that we discard? The health and beauty industry is a whopping $160 billion dollar a year industry and not very keen on caring for the planet in their big packages and unnatural products or toxins they use. Let's take a look at how you can green your planet in the area of health and fitness with the following steps:

1. Showering: Drop your showers to once a day instead of two and save about 200 gallons of water, or 30,000+ gallons a year.
2. Exercise Outside: Leave the electrical elliptical and treadmill and run outside when you can.
3. Swimming: Swim in saltwater (saline) or solar-ionized pools instead of chlorinated ones; healthier choices for your skin, eyes, hair, and lungs, as well as the environment.
4. Baby Oil: Instead of baby oil (which is made from petroleum), use oils produced from the seeds of nuts and fruits.
5. Shampoo and Conditioner: Use the 2-in-1 and save on plastic, time, water and money.
6. Deodorant: Avoid anti-perspirants as they use aluminum salts to seal your pores, a toxin to the body and costly ingredient to mine (dig, unearth!).
7. Eyeliner: Use eyeliner contained within wood chips versus encased in plastic.
8. Foundation: Use foundation in recyclable glass containers.
9. Lipstick: Make sure you lipstick made from plants instead of from paraffin waxes, synthetic oils and toxic coal tar dyes.
10. Hair Dye: Choose semi- or demi-permanent dyes made from plants versus synthetic dyes.
11. Mascara: Choose mascara made from plants and minerals versus petroleum.
12. Perfumes/Colognes: Switch to natural botanical perfumes and colognes. Most perfumes and colognes are derived from petroleum.
13. Razors: Buy recyclable razors, saving on packaging and energy.
14. Soap: Forget the liquid soap as the packaging is expensive and wasteful; stick with bars of soap.
15. Sponges: It's time for us to return to the good old reusable hand cloth, saving money on the packaging and production of the synthetic nylon sponge.

Go Green on the Little Things is a 7 part series, providing various tidbits and advice about green living and choices for the following: home living, office spaces, school, shopping, health and beauty, money and finance, and buildings.

Today, let's discuss Go Green on the Little Things: Money & Finance. There are easy steps you can take to make the world greener, simply by making wiser choices with money and finances, reducing waste along the way.

1. Socially responsible investing and advisors: These days it easy to find socially responsible companies and opportunities to invest your resources. Click here to get started.
2. E-Checks & E-Payments: Paying electronically reduces paper usage with a point and click.
3. Electronic Tax Filing and Refunds: It's time for you to do your taxes electronically. Buy TurboTax, file online and get your refund back without a shred of paper (tree) exchange!
4. Online Banking: Forget the paper statements, it is dated! Take care of all your banking on the internet and place a hold on your monthly statement.
5. ATM Deposits and Withdrawals: Forget the paper receipts and make a difference (remember, you can check your balance and activity online!).

Go Green on the Little Things is a 7 part series, providing various tidbits and advice about green living and choices for the following: home living, office spaces, school, shopping, health and beauty, money and finance, and buildings.

Today, let's discuss Go Green on the Little Things: Buildings. Constructing eco-friendly, green homes are becoming imperative, as well as modifications and upgrades to one's existing home. We are living in an age where the conservation of resources is proving vital to the sustainability of human life. Let's look at some simple ways you can green your home:

Garden and Landscape

1. Gravel, wood chips, nutshells, or other salvaged materials make great covering for your patio, walkways and paths, allowing for water to seep into the ground instead of water running off your property.
2. Minimize the removal of vegetation to help prevent soil erosion.
3. Keep the landscape of your property planted with natural vegetation in order to reduce the emissions from gas powered tools required to maintain lawns.
4. Planting leafy trees to shade your home could help you reduce your air conditioning usage during summer months.

1. Air Conditioning: Buy an Energy Star System, saving 20-40% on your energy usage.
2. Cooling/Heating Systems: Use a programmable thermostat to control energy usage.
3. Reflective Roofing: Save money by making your roof an energy powerhouse.
4. Lighting: Use motion sensors and light dimmers to save energy.
5. Solar Panels: With tax credits and rebates, you can get free energy from the sun.
6. Solar Water Heaters: Think of it this way - why pay for hot water when you can harness it naturally?

1. Carpets: Buy carpet made from recycled products, such as plastic bottles.
2. Bathroom Countertops: Buy 100% recycled countertops.
3. Drywall: Save energy by buying at least 75% recycled content or synthetic gypsum or fly ash.
4. Dual flush Toilets: Save water by installing low flush toilets.
5. Glass Tiles: Buy 100% recycled glass instead of using ceramic tiles.
6. Bamboo Flooring: Forget the wood floors, use bamboo; it grows abundantly and quickly.
7. Insulation: Buy 100% recycled insulation.
8. Kitchen Countertops: Choose durable composite, paper stone, terrazo, stainless steel, or tile countertop with 50-100% recycled content.
9. Linoleum Floors: Made from 100% natural resources, it is a much better alternative to the petroleum-derived vinyl flooring.
10. Paint: Use 100% recycled paint.
11. Pavement: Make sure you use porous pavement so water can seep into the earth versus running off.
12. Windows: Double pane windows will prevent precious heat from escaping your home easily.
13. Wood: Use recycled wood or at least wood that is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

1. Furniture: Buy used, refurbished, or antique items.
2. Textiles: Use recycled fabrics versus polyester fabric.

Go Green on the Little Things is a 7 part series, providing various tidbits and advice about green living and choices for the following: home living, office spaces, school, shopping, health and beauty, money and finance, and buildings.

Today, let's discuss Go Green on the Little Things: Shopping. Even as the US economy is shaking, we are still the world's top consumer nation. With 6.6 billion people on this small planet, just imagine the amount of refuse collected on a daily basis. Manufacturers require a vast amount of energy and water for production, as well as waste, and this is long before the products reach you and me, the consumers. Along with buying tons of products a year, we also produce tons of waste (literally) as a result of packaging and discarding used products and other.

Grocery shopping
Before you begin your grocery shopping, make sure you buy an eco-friendly, reusable bag(s). When you buy your food, consider this: less is more. Less packaging is much better for the environment and will help to make the planet greener. Also, shop for your fruits and vegetables at your local farmer's market. Buying bulk foods will also help to reduce packaging waste.

Natural Colors and Cotton
Did you know that the process of dyeing fabric is highly toxic? Therefore, consider natural colors. Also, buy organic cotton clothing, thereby eliminating the use of toxic fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides.

Fair Trade & Eco-Friendly Gifts, Coffee, Clothing
Buy fair trade clothing, accessories, coffee, tea and other fair trade goodies. Visit the Fair Trade Federation or Trans Fair for additional fair trade information. Also, use Co-op America's Business Network Directory to find green products.

Second Hand Shopping
Buying used goods is a fantastic idea to curb waste, while taking hold of a unique items and saving money. Indeed, you can find used and almost new products for a fraction of the cost of a new item. In addition, used items usually come without the packaging, another way to reduce waste and green the planet. So the next time you need to buy something, consider shopping at a thrift store, garage sale, eBay, Craigslist, local want ads, and other. You may be delightfully surprised with the price, product and one-of-a-kind gift for you or your loved one!

Health
Homeopathic medication is an eco-friendly alternative to over-the-counter medication. Not only are homeopathic treatments better for the body, they are also better for the environment as the production of drugs emits toxins, negatively impacting our water, soil, and air.

So these ideas, if applied, will help you become an eco-friendly, socially responsible, and savvy consumer!

Happy shopping and making a difference in and for the world at the same time!

Go Green on the Little Things is a 7 part series, providing various tidbits and advice about green living and choices for the following: home living, office spaces, school, shopping, health and beauty, money and finance, and buildings.

Today, let's discuss Go Green on the Little Things: School. US college and universities are said to create more than 3.5 million tons of waste year, 2% of our nation's total waste problems. These statistics don't even include high schools, junior high or elementary schools! A majority of the waste, as you might imagine is paper (art, copy, tests, exams, study guides, research and more) and food (cafeteria food and vending machines). So let's look at how schools can join the rest of us to green the earth, simply through better decisions:

• Getting There: Bicycle, carpool, walk, skip, run, or scooter your way to class.
• Food: Donate your cafeteria food to people in need (tons of good food are literally thrown away and the hungry continue to go without).
• Markers: Use water based markers as they have nontoxic ink with refillable heads.
• Pencils: Use pencils made from recycled material in lightweight or reusable packages.
• School Supplies: Always buy recycled products for binders, folders, paper, etc. Remember to reuse rubber bands but don't buy them as they are made of crude oil.
• Textbooks: Buy used and sell back at the end of the year.
• Vending Machines: Bypass the temptation and save calories and the landfills. If you do drink a soda, recycle the can.
• Whiteboards: Use whiteboards over chalkboards as chalk is horrible for asthma sufferers and other respiratory illnesses.

Go Green on the Little Things is a 7 part series, providing various tidbits and advice about green living and choices for the following: home living, office spaces, school, shopping, health and beauty, money and finance, and buildings.

Today we'll look at Go Green on the Little Things: Office Spaces. Water, electricity, paper, print cartridges, e-waste, disposable packaging, office supply waste, toxins and more all have an impact upon the environment. Let's look at some easy ways you and your colleagues can make the planet greener:

• Coffee or Tea Break: Buy fair trade coffee, pour cream and then coffee into your own mug first so you don't need the plastic or wooden stirrer, and bring your own mug instead of wasting a paper or styrofoam cup.
• Electricity: Turn off lights, printers, computers and all other electronic products when not in use.
• Getting to Work: Consider carpooling, public transportation, bicycling or walking to work (let's not give oil companies more money than necessary).
• Meals: Bring your own lunch to work in glass containers and use silverware and not plastic utensils (good for your waistline and for the environment!).
• Paper and Envelopes: Use recycled paper products so more trees can stay here on earth.
• Pens: Buy refillable as disposables are not recyclable nor biodegradable.
• Printers: Print on recycled paper, double-sided, for tree's sake.
• Rubber Bands: Recycle rubber bands but try to avoid buying them as they are made out of crude oil.
• Stamps: Buy e-stamps and forget the machine, ink and maintenance fees.

Go Green on the Little Things is a 7 part series, providing various tidbits and advice about green living and choices for the following: home living, office spaces, school, shopping, health and beauty, money and finance, and buildings.

Today, we begin our 7 part series with Go Green on the Little Things: Home Living. Did you know that on average, you create 4.5 pounds of trash every day?! In addition, Americans use more than twice the amount of water and energy per person as anyone else in this small world. In order to be better stewards of our limited resources, below are some recommendations to begin living a more eco-friendly lifestyle, right in the comfort of your home environment:

• Compost: Add your scraps of fruit, vegetables and coffee grounds to your garden to help your garden thrive and create a deeper topsoil.
• Food Storage: Store your food in glass or porcelain containers, instead of using plastic. It will be healthy for the planet and for your body, as chemicals from plastic transfer to food.
• Junk Mail: Stop the insanity of unwanted junk mail by going to www.dmaconsumers.org/cgi/offmailinglist.com and registering your information. Recycle your remaining mail.
• Dry Cleaning: Tell the cleaners to hold the plastic and when you pick up your clothes, bring your own hangers.
• Grow Your Own Garden: Fruits, vegetables and herbs are so much better fresh and you can save money and gas! If you can't grow your own garden, consider buying your produce at a Farmer's Market.
• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: From paper to aluminum cans to clothing, do the right thing and reduce, reuse, recycle.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and big corporations, like Walmart, are aggressively promoting compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs because: 1) a 20-watt CFL provides as much light as a 100-watt incandescent bulb, 3) they are 10 times more expensive than incandescent light bulbs, and 4) they will make a lot of money for corporations and shareholders.

The downfall of CFL's include: the cost, the toxic amounts of mercury, and the lack of proper recycling programs for this toxic product. In addition, if you break a CFL, you will be required to pay thousands of dollars for a hazardous clean up crew because mercury is a potent neurotoxin. Indeed, it is a very toxic chemical, for anyone who gets in contact and breathes the vapor, but even more so for children and babies in the womb. In Britain, the UK EPA urges its citizens to vacate a room for fifteen minutes because of the dangers of mercury.

So what are the dangers of mercury? After only one large breath of mercury vapor, the lungs become the main target of mercury poisoning. Other potential symptoms include: headache, cough, kidney damage, bronchitis, metallic taste, chills, vomiting, mouth sores, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, shortness of breath, swollen gums, weakness, confusion, chest tightness, and pneumonia. In light of these awful health dangers, can you believe the packages don't even mention these hazards?

Corporations must be held accountable for the proper disposal of these toxic CFL's. Why should consumers be required to pay for the hazardous clean up a product made with mercury? Something is seriously wrong here. The least GE and other manufacturers should do is to find a cost effective, safe, and easy way to dispose of their product. Although the EPA is actively encouraging retailers to step up and get involved in the proper recycling of CFL's, only IKEA has such a recycling program in place. Indeed, it is the moral responsibility of retailers of CFL's to provide proper handling and recycling of such toxic materials.

NPR's All Things Considered "CFL Bulbs Have One Hitch: Toxic Mercury" podcast

What comes to your mind when you think about technology? Do you ever ponder what happens to electronics once they are discarded? In 2005, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimated that between 1.5 and 1.9 million tons of electronics, or e-waste, were thrown out, including: monitors, keyboards, hard drives, televisions, cell phones, and VCR's. Per year, it is estimated that the world produces as much as 50 million tons of e-waste! The EPA believes that 30 to 40 million PC's will be destined for "end of life management" for each of next few years.

The EPA estimates that 70% of discarded computers and monitors and 80% of TV's end up in the US garbage dumps. Such e-waste continues even though many states prohibit such toxic dumping. What kind of toxins are produced from e-waste? Mercury, lead, chromium, barium, arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, and more. At the same time, valuable metals, like gold and silver, can be found in items such as motherboards. Indeed, for these precious metals alone, it makes environment and economic sense to recycle the motherboard, all the time.

If you take your used electronic equipment to a US recycling center, be aware that it doesn't guarantee that your technology will be properly disposed. Instead, your e-waste may be sold to a broker who ships it to China, the world's largest electronic graveyard. In 2001, the Basil Action Network produced a powerful documentary, Exporting Harm, exposing the environmental and human impact of exporting e-waste to China. We are polluting China with our e-refuse.

It is astounding to me that technology manufacturers are not held accountable for the environmental impact of their products. Don't you think they should be on the front lines of green e-waste recycling, given they produce it? I do! Corporations should be just as concerned of getting their product to market as much as how the eventual disposal of their products impact the environment. Instead, shamefully, many manufacturers are more interested in the short-term pleasing of shareholders than caring for the environment. A balance, in my opinion, is clearly needed.

Today, we are in desperate need of a globally socially responsible process for recycling e-waste. We are far from this, though companies like Creative Recycling Systems in the US are making headway.

In the midst of our e-waste export to China, we are outraged about the lead found in our Chinese imports. What is the difference? They give us lead, we give them toxic e-waste. Take your pick.

The Creationism and Evolutionism debate continues to grow as more and more people question the theory of evolution. I just heard about a new movie called “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed,” hosted by Ben Stein, an actor, economist, and freelance columnist for the New York Times. The film will be released in February and is described in its online trailer as “a startling revelation that freedom of thought and freedom of inquiry have been expelled from publicly-funded high schools, universities and research institutions.”

The film states that educators who recognize evidence of intelligent design in biological processes have unjustly been denied tenure, lost their jobs, or even suffered other penalties to keep God out of the educational environment, including classrooms and laboratories.

See the clip here.

The following are excerpts taken from the movie blog:
Darwinism, the notion that the history of organisms was the story of the survival of the fittest and most hardy, and that organisms evolve because they are stronger and more dominant than others, is a perfect example of the age from which it came: the age of Imperialism.

Darwinism is still very much alive, utterly dominating biology. Despite the fact that no one has ever been able to prove the creation of a single distinct species by Darwinist means, Darwinism dominates the academy and the media. Darwinism also has not one meaningful word to say on the origins of organic life, a striking lacuna in a theory supposedly explaining life.

Alas, Darwinism has had a far bloodier life span than Imperialism. Darwinism, perhaps mixed with Imperialism, gave us Social Darwinism, a form of racism so vicious that it countenanced the Holocaust against the Jews and mass murder of many other groups in the name of speeding along the evolutionary process.

I find these thoughts quite interesting and ones to ponder. What do you think? Do you believe in creationism or darwinism? What do you think about this film and do you think you will see it?

Click here for more links about the creation and evolution debate.

When one thinks of babies, a common image is a baby swaddled in disposable diapers, a $5.7 billion dollar industry. Recently, however, cloth diapers are taking the market by storm amongst eco-friendly, socially conscious consumers. The new cotton diapers hitting the market have velcro, buttons, and snaps instead of the old pins that would invariably pierce you every now and again. They also come with elastic around the openings (so you don't need to worry about messy spillage), as well as water-resistant covers made of soft merino wool, nylon or polyurethane laminate. Cost: $6-18.

The Real Diaper Association estimates that 27.4 billion disposable diapers are used in the US every year. According to research done by the Environmental Protection Agency (1998), this translates into over 3.4 million tons of waste filling our dumps. Such waste is problematic for our environment in the US, and even more so in the developing world as human waste often pollutes rivers and drinking water. As if these were not enough reasons to use eco-friendly diapers, the production of disposable diapers requires a significant amount of petroleum, chlorine, wood pulp and water (and we wonder why babies get rashes!).

So what are the most eco-friendly diapers out there? We recommend gDiapers found at Wholefoods or online. They are fashionable, washable and made with disposable inserts. See a nifty video here and buy gDiapers here.

(Click here to see the ecological breakdown differences between eco-friendly diapers and disposable diapers.)

Happy swaddling!

Have you ever wondered what the world would look like without people? This coming Monday night, January 21st, the History Channel will premier "Life After People", a 2 hour movie painting such a scenario. Similar to "Earth Before People", an article in Discover magazine (2005), the movie portrays a world where people disappear and, as a result, nature and wild animals take over. In order to create a realistic setting, the movie was produced with the help of expert engineers, archeologists, geologists, botanists, ecologists, climatologists, and biologists.

Over the course of centuries, civilizations have disappeared because of diseases, like the Ancient Maya in Guatemala, or because of "accidents", like Chernobyl. In fact, the area around Chernobyl is a strong illustration of what the world would be like without humans, even after 20 years. "From a distance, you would still believe that Pripyat is a living city, but the buildings are slowly decaying," says Ronald Chesser, director for the Center for Environmental Radiation Studies, "The most pervasive thing you see are plants whose root systems get into the concrete and behind the bricks and into doorframes and so forth, and are rapidly breaking up the structure. You wouldn't think, as you walk around your house every day, that we have a big impact on keeping that from happening, but clearly we do. It's really sobering to see how the plant community invades every nook and cranny of a city."

I find the concept for this movie a bit harrowing and pessimistic, though there seems to be growing rhetoric that the world would fair better without so many humans populating the earth.

What do you think?

Immigration, or border crossing, into the US is becoming a hot political issue. Republicans are intent upon closing the borders and enforcing immigration law, while democrats discuss guest worker programs and citizenship for illegal immigrants. Mexico and Central America account for 3/4 of the 12 million undocumented people in the US. To the shame of Mexico and other Central American countries, they fail to create enough jobs for the population. As a result, its citizens cross borders to work in the US to send money home to their families. Although both sides of the border must work on the issue of migration, Mexico and Central America must build a better economic situation so people don't feel the need to migrate the US.

Paul Rice, the founder and president of Transfair (the only fair trade certifying organization in the US), promotes fair trade coffee, tea, chocolate, bananas, rice, flowers, and other agricultural products from Mexico and other developing nations. Rice states that Transfair's goal is to to "give people the tools and market access to lift themselves out of poverty."

Globalization has increased trade and economic growth, but often the poor receive no benefit. A viable means for economic development in impoverished nations is fair trade, the equitable empowerment for the poor. Fair trade helps to make free trade more just for farmers and artisans living in poverty. When you buy fair trade products, including handcrafts, you can rest assured that the farmers and/or artisans are receiving a livable wage for their work.

With Valentine's Day coming, buy Globally Minded fair trade jewelry on Amazon and fair trade flowers for your loved ones!

In the documentary, Dr. Robert Hare draws frightening parallels between a psychopath and the modern corporation, including:
* Callous unconcern for the feelings of others
* Incapacity to maintain enduring relationships
* Reckless disregard for the safety of others
* Deceitfulness: Repeated lying to and deceiving of others for profit
* Incapacity to experience guilt
* Failure to conform to the social norms with respect to lawful behaviors

Corporations will do whatever it takes to save money and achieve their goals. With no conscience, they are ruthless in their pursuit to reign. My advice: Don't place your faith in a corporation, no matter how good, stable or enticing it looks. They'll be your friend one day and ignore you the next. Who needs a "person" like that in one's life?

Think about it. What has your experience been? Do you think corporations have your best interest in mind? Why or why not?

Go buy the movie here.

Excerpt from our acceptance email:
"Congratulations! I am delighted to welcome Globally Minded as a new member of the Fair Trade Federation. Your membership with FTF is an annual contract. FTF agrees to promote your business and your business agrees to adhere to each of our Fair Trade criteria. In accepting this membership, you're committing to following FTF's fair trade criteria in your business transactions. If you begin to work with any new suppliers, you are obligated to follow these same criteria, including establishing long-term rather than one-time trade partnerships, ensuring producers earn fair wages and have healthy working conditions, supporting environmental sustainability, and offering fair employment opportunities."

What does it mean for us to steward the earth and the wonders of creation? Stewardship means humans have dominion over creation, a mantle of responsibility, to tend to the earth and the maintenance of it. Obviously, I am a big advocate for stewarding the planet, including the awesome animal kingdom, flora and fauna. Along with many of you, I find great pleasure enjoying God's playground and stepping into His creative work. Clearly, when God designed creation, He did so with brilliant and majestic creativity. In fact, all of creation declares the glory of God and speaks of His wonder and power. I marvel how intricate the world is, how God crafted all the ecosystems and life to work so beautifully together, in rhythm and balance. Yet, with its amazing glory, we also see the results of human degradation.

Calvin DeWitt, Professor of Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, describes seven magnificent mechanisms God created to manage and maintain the world. DeWitt likewise contrasts these with seven damaging contributors to the environment. Let's take a look at DeWitt's analysis of the earth and its degradation.

Seven Provisions of Creation

• Regulation of earth’s energy exchange with the sun: Keeps earth's temperature at a level to support life and protects life from sun's lethal ultraviolet radiation by filtering sunlight through the stratospheric ozone layer. We'd all be burned to bits without this protection.
• Biogeochemical cycles and soil-building processes: Oxygen, carbon, water and other vital materials are cycled through living organisms and habitats, building life supporting soils and soil structure. Indeed, even our living waste is important to the eco-system.
• Ecosystem energy transfer and materials recycling: This continually operates to energize life and allocate materials. Why did it take humans so long to understand the value and importance of recycling?!
• Water purification systems of the biosphere: The earth has its own method of cleaning water. If we could only harness the earth's natural filtering system, clean water would always be available.
• Biological and ecological fruitfulness: Supports and maintains the rich biodiversity on earth by means of responsive and adaptive physiologies and behaviors. The ability to reproduce is astounding!
• Global circulations of water and air: Distributes oxygen, water, carbon dioxide and other vital materials between living organisms. We are literally dependent upon trees and plant life to breathe!
• Human ability to learn from creation and live in accord with its laws: Making it possible for people to live on earth.

• Alterations of earth’s energy exchange with the sun: Global warming is contributing to the destruction of the earth's protective ozone shield. This is very controversial, yet I do think that man has contributed to the depletion of the ozone layer, but in conjunction with the natural cycle of the earth.
• Land Degradation: Erosion, salinization, and desertification reduces the land available for crops and livestock.
• Deforestation: The removal of forests degrades the earth and living organisms.
• Water-quality pollution: Defilement lakes, rivers, oceans and groundwater.
• Species extinction: The elimination of plant and animal species.
• Waste generation and global toxification: Resulting from atmospheric and oceanic circulation of the materials that people inject into the air and water.
• Human and cultural degradation: Threatens and eliminates communities, plants and food.

The Earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof;
the fullness and everything it contains. (Psalm 24:1)

Did you know your rubbish can be a potential source of alternative energy? Integrated Environmental Technologies (IET) has created a system that converts any waste material into valuable commercial products, including eco-friendly fuels to generate electricity, a glass-like substance used to create building materials and more. IET can vaporize about one ton of garbage into approximately five cubic feet of glass! Scientists at IET placed a rubber shoe in the system and the shoe was evaporated into a small glass pellet that can be used a filler for the construction of roads! In addition, this process created nearly four gallons of gas, which can be used for alternative energy.

Their Plasma Enhanced Melter (PEM) system address two major issues: 1) waste treatment and disposal, and 2) eco-friendly sources of energy. It converts hazardous and waste material to renewable energy!

The PEM system is now being used in Washington, Hawaii, Japan, Taiwan and Malaysia. It is a cost effective, environmentally safe and efficient way to convert trash into treasure! My question is why has this technology not been implemented all over the nation?

Wouldn't you rather use this form of alternative energy than going to war? I think of the ridiculous cost of gasoline, the diminishing quantity of oil, innocent lives lost, and our dependency upon oil rich nations; I know this method is a viable way around such insanity.

See a video about their system here.

From their site:
Integrated Environmental Technologies, LLC ("IET") (www.inentec.com) provides high-tech solutions to the problems of waste accumulation and the need for clean renewable fuels. Through its proprietary waste recycling system, the Plasma Enhanced Melter ("PEM™"), IET transforms municipal (household), commercial, medical, and most industrial and hazardous wastes into clean renewable products, such as ethanol, methanol, syngas and hydrogen, with minimal environmental impact and low costs. The system exceeds the EPA’s standards for comparable facilities in all areas including: air emissions, water discharges, and solid waste generation, and comes closer to 100% recycling of waste than any other such commercially available technology.

As a result of San Francisco finally enacting a ban against plastic shopping bags and California requiring large supermarkets to sell reusable shopping bags, green entrepreneurs are creating reusable shopping bags. Traders Joes, Wholefoods, and Costco are my frequent shopping destinations and I have reusable shopping bags for each. When I forget my reusable bags I feel guilty about it; it takes the joy of being a planet friendly shopper to an ignorant consumer using more trees or causing pollution in the ocean! This brings up another planet unfriendly practice in need of eco-friendly alternatives: plastic and styrofoam packaging. Awhile ago, I saw this show on the Home Garden TV Network, where an artist recycled styrofoam plates by cutting them into various shapes to be used as cut out stencils. Naturally, I thought this to be a brilliant idea. But I am not a painter and so my plates collected and just took up space. So eventually they found their way to the garbage bin and into the California garbage dump. Now that I think about it, I'll start donating these styrofoam plates to a local school!

Become an ethical shopper by beginning with green, eco-friendly shopping bags. Buy them at one of the following online stores: Chicobag.com, MyOwnBag.com, Olive Smart Bags, or Reusable Bags.

Shop green, buy fair and be globally minded all the time.

With the depletion of oil and rising oil prices, we should all be intent upon using alternative energy, especially for our homes. Indeed, solar panels on the roof of your home will greatly benefit the planet and your finances. The initial financial investment required to go solar is worth the returns on the environment and future generations, while hedging you against future electric rates. In addition, investing in solar panels will increase the resale value of your home, making you a very happy seller. As you consider installing solar panels, let's look at price, quantity, net metering, financing, and future outlook.
PRICE
The price for solar panels varies from state-to-state, but in California, Connecticut, New Jersey and New York generous incentives are available. To find additional information about your state, click here.
QUANTITY
You can get an estimate of how much money you will save by installing solar panels by going to FindSolar.com (a joint partnership between the American Solar Energy Society, Solar Electric Power Association, Energy Matters LLC, and the U.S. Department of Energy).
NET METERING
Offset your utility bill by giving excess electricity back to the power grid. Note, however, that net-metering states only cancels out your bill and does not pay you for excess electricity you may provide. Learn more here.
FINANCING
Get a solar home equity loan versus spending the capital to do so. This is a fantastic solution, especially if the estimated savings from your utility bill and tax deductions for the loan are more than the amount of the loan.
FUTURE OUTLOOK
Although solar cells are beginning to be built into roofing materials, take heart because today's solar panels may be tomorrow's energy source for your electric or plug-in hybrid car.

To learn more about solar panels for your home, click here.

So what are you wanting for? Go solar!

May all have a loving, spectacular and meaningful Christmas with family and loved ones.
Take great pleasure in the giving and receiving the greatest of ALL gifts:

LOVE!
We love because He first loved us (I John 4:19)
FA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA

Be globally minded and make life better for all.

Be globally minded and make life better for all.

So what are you doing for BloggersUnite?

Rules: 1) one gift per household, 2) post a comment our Globally Minded Blog between now and 12/24/07, 3) drawing will be held on on 12/26/07, 4) 5 winners will be selected and notified on 12/27/07, 5) winners will be highlighted in a future blog post, 6) names of the winners (and, if applicable, website/blog) will be required to disclose winners, 7) mailing addresses will be required so we can send your Globally Minded prize, 8) prizes will be shipped anywhere in the continental US via regular mail, 9) prizes are not necessarily shown in our catalogue, and 10) comment as much as you'd like (genuine comments only, no spamming).

I just rented Amazing Grace, the inspiring story of William Wilberforce, a Cambridge graduate turned politician and philanthropist, who tirelessly advocated for the abolition of slavery in England during the late 17th century. During college, he became friends with William Pitt, who later became the future Prime Minister. In 1780, both Wilberforce and Pitt joined the House of Commons and four years later, Wilberforce became a Christian. Passionate with the rights and justice for all men, Wilberforce became a strong voice for African men, women and children who were forced into a life of servitude and abuse by English plantation owners. Although he contemplated leaving politics, William Pitt and John Newton, a former slave trader turned abolitionist minister and the one who penned the song "Amazing Grace", convinced Wilberforce to remain and to become the chief parliamentary abolitionist speaker. This single decision to stay in politics and advocate for slaves became his lifetime legacy.

Not surprisingly, Wilberforce's campaign to destroy the slave trade in England was wrought with opposition, especially by those who feared an economic and political collapse of their beloved country. Wilberforce fought this battle with faith, courage and a conviction; he believed that every human had a God given right for freedom and dignity. Just three days before his death on July 29, 1833, Wilberforce received the glorious news that the Emancipation Bill was passed by the House of Commons. He lived to see his years of work change the course of history.

Fast forward more than 170 years, the world is still plagued by slavery. Studies show that modern day slaves number 27 million, including men, women and children. The Amazing Change is the call to action today.

In closing, I'd like to remind you of the words to the song that inspired Wilberforce's call to justice:

AMAZING GRACE
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That sav’d a wretch like me!

I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears reliev’d;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believ’d!

Thro’ many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promis’d good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call’d me here below,
Will be forever mine.

"Amazing Grace" is a well-known Christian hymn. The words were written late in 1772 by Englishman John Newton. They first appeared in print in Newton's Olney Hymns (1779), which he worked on with William Cowper.

Former Vice President Al Gore won the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for efforts to "build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change." There is growing rhetoric that climate change could have a devastating impact on living conditions for animals and mankind, including a mass exodus from areas deficient in natural resources to areas rich in natural resources. This type of migration has the potential of inciting wars and conflict within states and between countries.

During Gore's Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, he said "It is time to make peace with the planet". On Friday, Gore attended a news conference stating, "We face a true planetary emergency. The climate crisis is not a political issue, it is a moral and spiritual challenge to all of humanity."

Sounds to me like Gore thinks climate change is a religious issue. Thoughts?

December 10th marks the start of a year-long commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR), established by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1948. The 2008 Human Rights theme is "Dignity and justice for all of us." All countries have accepted the UDHR as a standard for human equality and value. However, it is critical for individuals and communities to accept and act on these principles. We have come a long way with human rights but we are far from a world free of discrimination. A contract does not change the behavior of people. Change begins with a heart decision and manifests itself in a change of behavior.

My faith tells me that each life is of value: born and unborn, rich and poor, male and female, educated and non-educated, literate and non-literate, strong and weak, young and old, and on and on.

Yes, it is good to promote Human Rights Day, and, more so, to act upon it and make life fair, just and balanced for all. Let's begin within and seek to encourage all people around us of their value, dignity and importance in this world.

What are your plans to be globally minded, promote dignity and justice, and make life better for all?

• Natural resource efficient
• Energy efficient
• Clean air friendly, and
• Water efficient

Decrease Your Utility Bill

• Use energy efficient compact florescent light (CFL) bulbs. Merely changing 5 of your most frequently used lights keeps $100+/year in your pocket.
• Program your thermostat 78 degrees plus in the summer and less than 62 degrees in the winter. This could save you $100+/year.
• Weatherstrip your doors and windows from any air pockets, saving $100+/year on your utility bill.
• Replace your heating and cooling filters and you'll save another $100+/year.

Use Green Products

• Think globally and buy locally, while reducing fuel consumption, packaging and plastics.
• Buy energy efficient appliances and cut your energy bill $50/year per appliance.
• Reduce water usage by using low flow toilets and water heads, installing aerators, fixing drips, and incorporating native plants in landscape.
• Improve your indoor air quality with natural cleaning products like baking soda or vinegar.
• Use wood alternatives, specifically rapidly renewable products: bamboo, linoleum, recycled content tile or non-volatile organic compounds carpet and wood products from sustainable managed forests, such as those certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.
• Use rapidly renewing floor materials like cork, eucalyptus, or bamboo.

1. With Byrd at the Bottom of the World: The South Pole Expedition of 1928-1930 by Norman Vaughan
2. My Life of Adventure by Norman Vaughan

1. http://www.normanvaughan.com/
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_D._Vaughan
3. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5061204
4. http://www.serumrun.org/
5. http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2005/may/17/antarctica.climatechange
6. http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/0504/excerpt5.html
7. http://www.markkatzman.com/documents/Vaughan.jpg

• The National Biodiesel Board
• Biodiesel & SVO Discussion Forums
• PlantDrive

Support fair trade. Help the poor. Make a difference. Be globally minded.

International Justice Mission | Rahab Ministries | Love146

1. Select a destination that intrigues you (research is always good)
2. Buy a plane ticket and a Lonely Planet Guidebook, and
3. Pack your belongings (light is always better), and go!

• Global Volunteers: They work in over 200 countries and 6 continents. Live and work amongst local people for 1-3 weeks.
• Habitat force Humanity International: Help build homes for people!
• Amigos de las Americas: Youth and college age students can travel to Latin America and volunteer in areas of health, education and environmental service projects.
• Global Vision: Expeditions, volunteer, and training projects in over 15 countries, inluding: Brazil, China, Ecuador, Mexico, Namibia, Nepal, and South Africa.

• Pueblo a Pueblo
• Common Hope

1. Reduce and reuse - Hand-me-downs are in! These days you can buy used clothing on eBay and upscale used clothing stores, as well the local Goodwill.
2. Buy fair trade apparel
3. Look for clothing with the UNITE label (the union created from the merger of the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees and the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union)
4. Check their source - Co-op has a directory that is quite useful
5. Go deeper - Co-op America has a Responsible Shopper Directory to help you identify socially responsible companies.

1. Silence on the Mountain
2. Searching for Everado
3. Blindfold's Eyes: My Journey From Torture To Truth
4. I, Rigoberta Menchu: An Indian Woman in Guatemala
5. Bitter Fruit: The Story of the American Coup in Guatemala
6. To Save Her Life: Disappearance, Deliverance, and the United States in Guatemala
7. Guatemala: Blood In The Cornfields
8. A Forest of Kings: The Untold Story of the Ancient Maya
9. The Ancient Maya
10. Popol Vuh: The Definitive Edition Of The Mayan Book Of The Dawn Of Life And The Glories Of Gods and Kings
11. The Code of Kings: The Language of Seven Sacred Maya Temples and Tombs