Whether you believe or disbelieve in global warming, I think it is safe to accept the fact that mankind has drastically altered the landscape of Mother Earth. From the air we breathe, the water we drink and the seeds that we plant, man has managed to lower the vitality of the Life Force of this planet.
Much of what man does is out of ignorance and arrogance. We have put faith and trust in our governments, expecting that they will govern for the highest good of all. We have trusted companies that mine our resources, grow our food, and manufacture products and pharmaceuticals for our everyday health and well being. We are unaware that many of the products that we consume or use, have been created with practices affecting the quality of not only our lives, but that of Mother Earth and her creatures.
As we become aware of our harmful actions, people ask, "What can I do?" This page will contain information on taking simple steps to begin the change you wish to see. There will be links to companies that are environmentally responsible. I ask that you support them so they may flourish and the healing of Mother Earth may continue.
I will periodically focus on a topic to educate you on what is happening. This is not to place blame, but to help you move forward and empower you with knowledge. With this knowledge you can make informed choices and vote with your purse so change may come to those companies with unsustainable practices in farming and manufacturing. An educated citizen will have the facts and can vote responsibly for men and women who will make intelligent decisions and create environmentally sound legislation.
Healing Mother Earth starts with you, set the example for your children as they are the future. The changes starts with you; magnify that by millions of "you" and see the change. The mission of this page is to educate you about the power of collective thought, prayer, meditation, love and service.
This Month's Focus: Our Insatiable Demand for Energy
We as a nation have an insatiable demand for energy. But the current main sources that supply our energy needs are not infinite. I am a child of the Oil Embargo in the early '70's. To this day, I plan my driving schedule, always mindful of how much gas I use. I was a supporter of investing in alternative energy, but I along with others fought a losing battle as our wise leaders insisted that to search and develop renewable/alternative sources of energy was too expensive. Influenced by oil and coal companies who insisted that their product was cheap and unlimited, our elected officials did little or nothing to support research and development in alternative methods.
Today, coal and oil are no longer cheap and I mean that in more ways than just the cost for a barrel of oil or a ton of coal. We have citizens who have lost their lives in the service of their country to protect our oil interests, we have coal miners who have lost their lives mining coal, we have towns, rivers, and environments destroyed by the residue of coal mining.
And today, investing and developing in alternative methods is more expensive than it would have been over thirty years ago. But we are at a crossroads, and we must now choose to continue on the path and see the continued destruction of the environment and ultimately to us, our lifestyle and the future of our descendants, or invest in a better future for us and our planet.
Many of us would like to live "green", but have heard that it is too expensive and the best they can do is recycle. It is a myth that "Living Green" is expensive. There are many products on the market that can be purchased at reasonable cost that will save the environment and save you money. You can have both.
Here are just a few ways you can save your environment and your expenses.
Sun Rise Solar Attic Fan: this unique, solar-powered vent fan pulls the heat right out of your attic, increasing the efficiency of the air conditioning in the rest of your home by up to 30%.
Smart Strip
Vampire Power, not the one that drinks your blood, but the one that sucks electricity from all electronic devices that are plugged in, but not in use. Vampire power is about 10% of your electric bill. The Smart Strip automatically switches off some outlets, such as a printer or video game console, when you turn off your TV or computer, while keeping others, such as a fax machine or DVR, turned on. Pays for itself in savings quickly and can save you hundreds over the course of its lifetime.
These are just a few of the many products available to consumers:
- water filters that remove contaminants, chlorine, fluoride and other toxins.
- shower heads that remove the chlorine, a toxic gas that was used in WWI as a chemical warfare agent.
- aerators can save a typical household approximately 20 gallons per day or 7,300 gallons per year.
- dual flush toilet conversion kit, so simple, a man can do it. This can save a family of four 17,000-25,000 gallons of water per year, a possible savings of $125 a year on your water bill.
- Turn off the lights when you leave the room even for a few minutes.
- Inflate your tires to the proper pressure.
- Turn down the water heater to 120 degrees, it will still kill bacteria.
- Turn off your car when stopped for trains or delays, idling for 10 seconds wastes more gas than is needed to start your car up. American idle away 2.9 billion gallons of gas a year!
- Clean your furnace filters/change them every three months.
- Wash clothes in cold water except excessive dirty clothes and bed and bath linens.
- Use rechargeable batteries.
- Clean your refrigerator coils, your refrigerator, even energy efficient ones will hog energy if the coils are dusty and air cannot circulate.
- Make sure your refrigerator and freezer seals are intact.
