Genetically Engineered Trees – The Increasing Threat

(A MUST SEE) The Growing Threat of Genetically Engineered Trees – Award winning documentary film explores the growing global threat of genetically engineered trees to our environment and to human health. The film features David Suzuki, who explores the unknown and possibly disastrous consequences of improperly tested GE methods.



Click to learn more about the great dangers of GMOs:
http://beawarebechange.blogspot.com/2012/09/genetically-modified-organisms-biggest.html


Additional research on GMOs: Health Guide: GMO Research

Why Is the Global Economy Still Relying on Child Labor / Slavery?

Besides politicians and corporations, consumers are one of the main responsible's for human rights abuses, among other problems. Choose ethical and ecological products and pressure politicians to change / enforce laws and corporations to produce ethical and ecological products and services. 

Boycott all corporations that abuse people, animals and nature.

In 2012, approximately 21 million people worked in forced labor worldwide, including in industrialized nations like the United States. More than one quarter of these people were children. Overall, 215 million children labor worldwide, half of them in dangerous industries, often without adequate employment and workplace protections.

74 countries have been identified as locales where child labor and forced labor are used, and much of it occurs in the context of production of basic commodities highly valued in the West, including coffee, chocolate, gold, cotton, beef and sugarcane. Children are also forced into sex work and domestic labor like cleaning and caring for children.

While the United States might have officially ended slavery with the Civil War, slavery, forced labor and related exploitative labor practices endure across the world, including in the U.S. In fact, the use of such practices has actually increased worldwide in recent years. What’s going on? Why is the global economy so heavily reliant on forms of labor that should have gone out with the dodo?

The answer to this troubling question is a complex one that lies in part in the demand for cheap, readily-available goods across the West. Companies rallying to meet this demand are also driven by internal pressures for profit, with demands from their boards and shareholders. Their desire to profit at all costs mean that they cut corners when it comes to sourcing, protecting their workers, monitoring working conditions and ensuring that their products are produced without the use of slave, forced, child and other kinds of exploitative labor.

Groups like the International Labor Organization that are concerned with the use of exploitative labor in the U.S. are attempting to address it with tools like a free program for businesses that want to commit to sourcing their labor more responsibly, but they aren’t making much headway. They’re going up against a complex and interconnected system that pits business against children and workers from marginalized populations like ethnic and cultural minorities.

Complying with the standards involved in ensuring that a supply chain remains free of exploitative labor and the use of children means careful monitoring and high levels of transparency. It also requires giving up some profits, something many companies are reluctant to do — after all, many relocate specifically to the Global South in order to evade oversight and increase profits thanks to lower labor costs and other operating costs.

The only way to change the culture of labor is to increase pressure on companies to do the right thing by their workers. Members of the public can push for slave and child labor-free goods, demanding products produced ethically, but this requires a functional and accurate system for identifying and certifying products, to prevent companies from simply claiming that their products meet standards when this is not in fact the case.

Another, and potentially far more effective, mechanism for getting children out of the workforce and into school where they belong is the application of shareholder activism. In shareholder activism, individuals and groups buy up blocks of shares and coordinate together to vote on key issues when a company brings them to shareholders for the vote. They can force people off the board, elect representatives who will promote their interests and force a company to behave with more integrity and accountability.

This kind of activism can require deep pockets, especially for multinationals, but it can be a profound way to send a message. As one company begins to establish a more responsible industry standard and customers turn to it, competitors will be forced to do the same, even if it means a drop in profits. That can create a snowball effect of change, and make the world safer for children.

Not sure about how much this affects you personally? Use the Slavery Footprint tool to get a grim and personal look at how many slaves work for you. Enter some details about your habits and lifestyle, and it will provide information about the kinds of people involved in the production of the goods and services you use.

Related articles:

Does Your Cell Phone Support Child Labor?

Read more:
http://www.care2.com/causes/why-is-the-global-economy-still-relying-on-child-labor.html#ixzz2RlEw2JG3

A História Secreta da Obsolescência Planeada - Documentário a não perder

IMPORTANTE A NÃO PERDER | DIVULGUE

A História Secreta da Obsolescência Planeada - Como as empresas enganam o consumidor e prejudicam o ambiente:

A Obsolescência Programada é uma estratégia económica imoral utilizada pelas empresas a nível mundial, que de forma deliberada, visa fazer com que a vida de um produto tenha a sua durabilidade muito limitada de forma a que o mesmo avarie rapidamente e o consumidor seja obrigado a voltar a comprar o produto de uma forma regular.

A Obsolescência Programada começou primeiramente com as lâmpadas, que antes duravam décadas trabalhando ininterruptamente (como a lâmpada que está acesa há mais de cem anos num posto dos bombeiros dos EUA) mas, depois de uma reunião com o cartel dos fabricantes, passaram a fazê-las para durar apenas 1.000 horas.
Essa prática generalizada a nível mundial que foi aplicada em quase todo o tipo de produtos, tem graves efeitos sociais e especialmente ambientais, e gerado montanhas de resíduos, transformando algumas cidades de países de terceiro mundo em verdadeiros depósitos tóxicos, sem referir a matéria prima, energia e tempo humano desperdiçados.

VER DOCUMENTÁRIO:

12 Tips for Choosing Greener & Safer Toys

Help protect the environment and protect children - 12 Tips for Choosing Greener & Safer Toys:

You’re probably careful about avoiding choking hazards and other common safety issues with toys, but did you know there are a wide variety of synthetic chemicals and heavy metals that could be in them? From lead and cadmium in paint, plastics, and jewelry to xylene, toluene, and phthalates in play cosmetics–when did toy boxes become a toxic minefield?

Make your toy box healthier for your child and the planet. Here are 12 ways you can reclaim the fun and reduce worry when it comes to playtime.

1. Go au natural. Look for safe toys made of natural materials like solid woods (with no finish or a non-toxic finish) and organic textiles (like cotton, wool, and felt).

2. Simplify. Buying fewer toys is eco-friendly. It’s better for the planet (and your pocketbook!).

3. Re-purpose. Can something you already have be used as a toy? An empty box or set of stainless steel bowls can provide hours of safe and happy play, depending on the age of your child.

Cat Toys from Reused Household Items

4. Look for items that will last. Safe, high quality toys may cost a bit more, but they will last much longer and can be handed down to younger children. Also, if you decide to sell them, you’re more likely to make your money back.

5. Read labels. Before you buy, ask yourself “What’s this toy made of? Where does it come from?” Get to know a toy before you buy it. This is important for pet toys, too.

6. Look for local. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by buying local as well as healthy. If you’re shopping globally, opt for European, Canadian or Japanese toy imports. Other countries may have lax toy safety regulations.

7. Opt for open-ended toys. Look for items that encourage creativity and are capable of being used for many different types of play. Wooden blocks, colorful scarves, smooth stones, and even cardboard boxes are fun, safe toys that can be the foundation for innumerable creative adventures.

Make Paper Dolls from Recycled Materials

8. Avoid cheap jewelry and kids’ cosmetics. Both of these types of dress-up products are high-risk. Cheap jewelry often has high lead levels and kids’ cosmetics can have any number of questionable and unsafe chemicals.

9. Purge plastics. Okay, this is nearly impossible these days, but make your best effort. If you do buy plastic, look for safer plastics like those labeled #2, #4, or #5 in the chasing arrows symbol usually found on the bottom of the product. Not labeled? Call the manufacturer. This is key for buying safe pet toys, too, as they’re obviously chewing on toys–a direct route of ingestion.

10. Text for Healthy Toys. HealthyToys.org is a database to help you find safe toys. You can even access it from your mobile phone. Just text keywords and you’ll receive information immediately regarding any testing that’s been done to determine whether or not a particular toy is safe. They even rank pet toys by safety.

11. Sign-up for recall alerts. The Consumer Product Safety Commission posts recalls online, as does the website Recalls.gov. If a toy you own is recalled, take it out of rotation immediately and follow the company’s instructions on how to get a safe replacement.

12. Have fun! Playtime isn’t about what you have, it’s about what you do. Get down and dirty with your kids. Laugh and simply enjoy spending time together.

For more on the benefits of safe and healthy playtime with your kids, read more here:

Healthy Child’s Play: Time to Get Serious about Goofing Off

Read more: 
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/12-tips-for-choosing-greener-safer-toys.html#ixzz2RUKPyA7Z

HOME - The world is our home | HOME - O Mundo é a nossa casa

TRAILER HOME:

Full documentary bellow - Please share widely
Documentário completo abaixo - Por favor partilhe massivamente

HOME - THE WORLD IS OUR HOME:

A MUST SEE DOCUMENTARY - We are living in exceptional times. Scientists tell us that we have 10 years to change the way we live, avert the depletion of natural resources and the catastrophic evolution of the Earth's climate. The stakes are high for us and our children. Everyone should take part in the effort, and HOME has been conceived to take a message of mobilization out to every human being.
This visually dramatic special illustrates the planet's fragile state entirely from a birds-eye view in stunning high definition. With spectacular aerial views from more than 50 countries, viewers will see the extent of human impact on our landscapes. And not a moment too soon: In the past 50 years -a single lifetime - the Earth has been more radically changed than by all previous generations of humanity.

HOME has been made for you : share it! And act for the planet.
HOME official website: http://www.home-2009.com

WATCH DOCUMENTARY:
Option 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqxENMKaeCU
Option 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4XA8A-aUyQ

HOME - O MUNDO É A NOSSA CASA:

DOCUMENTÁRIO A NÃO PERDER -  Home é um excelente documentário artístico sobre o ambiente, que contem imagens de uma beleza impressionante. Foi produzido pelo jornalista, fotógrafo e ambientalista francês Yann Arthus-Bertrand, e lançado em 2009. O filme é inteiramente composto de imagens aéreas de vários lugares da Terra. Mostra-nos a diversidade da vida no planeta e como a humanidade está ameaçando o equilíbrio ecológico.
Vivemos em tempos excepcionais. Os cientistas nos dizem que temos 10 anos para mudar a maneira como vivemos, evitar o esgotamento dos recursos naturais e a evolução catastrófica do clima da Terra. As apostas são altas para nós e nossos filhos. Todos devem participar no esforço, e HOME foi concebido para levar uma mensagem de mobilização para cada ser humano. Maravilhoso documentário com belíssimas imagens e linda música de Armand Amar. Excelente para ser passado numa sala de aula, certamente irá despertar muitas consciências para os perigos do actual rumo civilizacional. HOME mostra as origens da vida no planeta e o equilíbrio existente entre as espécies. Revela a actuação do homo sapiens, que em apenas 50 anos, dos seus 200 mil anos de existência, está mudando completamente as características da vida no planeta, que existe há 4 bilhões de anos. O filme clama pela atitude do indivíduo e da união de força dos povos para que ainda possamos salvar o que restou dele. Este filme é um alerta e uma declaração de amor ao nosso lar: a Terra.
Todos devem participar no esforço, e Home foi concebido para levar uma mensagem de mobilização para cada ser humano.

Website oficial do HOME: http://www.home-2009.com

VER DOCUMENTÁRIO:



Opção 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00xcQDTr1RM
Opção 3 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4XA8A-aUyQ

Earth Day (April 22) - Learn how we can protect the planet

Nature + Humankind + Animals

Make the Connection

A MUST SEE | PLEASE SHARE

Do Your Part and Protect the Earth - Think Globally, Act Locally

"Be the change you wish to see in the world" - Mahatma Gandhi

LEARN WHAT YOU CAN DO:

100 Simple ways to help change the world!


1. Open an ethical bank account with Smile/Co-OP www.smile.co.uk or
http://www.co-operativebank.co.uk
2. Invest your other savings ethically www.eiris.org
3. Change your electricity supplier to a renewable one
http://www.npower.com/yourhome/green/juiceandwindpower or
http://www.unit-e.co.uk
4. Buy local http://www.buylocalfood.co.uk
5. Buy less! Save yourself time and money as well as the planet
www.buynothingday.co.uk
6. Buy organic www.soilassociation.org
7. Eat seasonal food www.foodlinks.info/buying/VegSeasons.php
8. Volunteer www.csv.org.uk
9. Give to charity www.charitychoice.co.uk
10. Buy fair trade www.fairtrade.org.uk or www.maketradefair.com
11. Get on your bike – get fit, get around and see the world at an entirely
different pace www.sustrans.org.uk
12. Compost your garden and kitchen waste in a heap or a wormery.
Reduce the waste you send to landfill sites and get lovely compost for
your plants into the bargain! - www.compost.org.uk or
www.wigglywigglers.co.uk
13.Get a rain butt and use the water to give your garden a drink not the
hose
14. Grow stuff, indoors and out, to eat, clean the air in your house or to
give to friends instead of cut flowers www.permaculture.co.uk or
www.ecocities.net/Gardening.htm
15. Install a nesting box/bird table or feeder to attract feathered friends
www.rspb.org/gardens/whatyoucando/nestboxsmallbird/index.asp
16. Carbon neutralise your holiday. For further details visit
futureforests.com, chooseclimate.org, carbonneutral.com.
17.When on holiday: ask for your towels to be washed every other day, or
less, instead of every day (only 17% of people do this when on
holiday)
18.Switch off your air conditioning when you are out for the day (only
18% of holiday-makers do this). If just 50% of people did, it is
estimated that across the world 5m tonnes of CO2 emissions would be
prevented each year.
19.Use water sparingly when abroad. The average tourist uses as much
water in 24 hours as a villager in the developing world uses in 100
days.
20. Follow Tourism Concern's traveller tips; put money into local hands by
drinking local beer and fruit juice rather than imported brands; stay in
locally owned accommodation; stick to footpaths, don't stand on coral,
and don't buy products made from endangered animals or plants; wear
respectful clothing; and always ask people if you can take their
photograph www.tourismconcern.org.uk

21. When cleaning the house: Avoid all the expensive and dubious
chemicals such as the ‘Mr Muscles’ of this world as they often contain
anti-bacterial agents more dangerous than the bacteria they are
designed to eliminate! Instead why not make effective cleaning
products yourself from cheap, easily available household products.-Make a window cleaner by mixing vinegar with water; or neat,
with a few drops of tea tree oil, it can be used as a disinfectant.
 Try baking soda as an all-purpose cleaner or scourer, salt as an
abrasive for cleaning pots and pans, and lemon juice as an
alternative to bleach. Just re-label your old spray bottles to
dispense them
 Use bicarbonate of soda to deodorise carpets or with white
vinegar to scrub stainless steel, clear drains, remove tea stains
from mugs and remove permanent marker pen from skin.
 Vinegar is a good replacement for limescale remover. Unscrew
your showerhead and leave it in vinegar overnight; the next
morning it will be free of limescale.
22. If you must buy cleaning products then use biodegradable or
environmentally friendlier products such as Ecover Squirteco, an allpurpose
cleaner that relies on plant- and mineral-based surfactants to
provide its cleaning oomph, and Ecover washing-up liquid
www.ecover.com
23. Get your family and workplace to perform a waste audit to determine
how much they throw away. Hopefully, this will shock them into action.
www.globalactionplan.org
24. For recycling to work, recycled goods have to be a profitable industry.
Do your bit by buying recycled goods whenever possible.
www.recycledproducts.org.uk
25.If practical, build or set aside an area dedicated to sorting recyclable
waste.
26. About 80% of what we throw away is recyclable. Find your nearest
recycling point at www.wastepoint.co.uk
27.Crush the rubbish you send to the landfill as small as possible. This
way, it will take up less space.
28.Try to avoid drink cartons that are made of a paper/polyethylene mix,
which are notoriously hard to recycle.
29. Rid yourself of junk mail, sign-up with the Mailing Preference Service
(www.mpsonline.org.uk tel: 0845 703 4599).
30. Get inspiration from others. See how New Zealand is putting the rest of
the western world to shame with its Zero Waste policy
(www.zerowaste.co.nz).
31.Be careful to note the subtle difference between various "mobius
loops" - the circle of arrows seen on packaging. Only arrows with a
dark background mean that the item is made with recycled materials.
Arrows on a light background mean the item can be recycled - a big
difference.
32.When buying plastics look out for the following recyclable types: PET
(polyethylene terephalate), HDPE (high-density polyethylene) and
LDPE (low-density polyethylene).
33.Follow the lead of Friends of the Earth and the Women's Environmental
Network which urge you to post excessive packaging to the guilty
firm's HQ.
34.Avoid buying anything that boasts on its packaging that it is disposable
- gloves, paper towels, cleaning cloths, bin liners, nappies, plastic cups.
35.Buy products with less packaging
36.Buy in bulk
37.If you use the dry cleaner, ask them to put several items in one plastic
covering.
38. If you can't think of a use for something you don't want, take it to a
charity shop.
39. Re-use good packaging such as paper, boxes, bags and bubble wrap or
wrap gifts in fabric and tie with ribbon; both are reusable and prettier
than paper and sticky-tape.
40.The best way to re-use is to repair rather than throw away.
41. Get children interested in our waste problem. Start by getting them to
visit www.recyclezone.org.uk
42. Buy your own bee hive: without bees the planet would last for only 60
years (and honey is good for your health) www.bbka.org.uk
43. Use a nappy washing service: they use 32% less energy and 41% less
water than home washing. UK Nappy Helpline: 01983 401959
44.Slow down. Driving at 50mph uses 25% less fuel than 70mph.
45.Wash your clothes with your flatmates' instead of wasting water on
half-empty loads.
46.Turn down your central heating and put on a jumper.
47.Install a new condensing boiler, they are up to 30% more energy
efficient than traditional systems
48.Take a brisk shower, not a leisurely bath, to save water.
49. Hold a Tupperware party. Airtight food containers can be reused;
sandwich bags and plastic wrap cannot. www.tupperware.com
50.Choose energy-efficient appliances when you replace old ones.
51. Buy compact fluorescent light bulbs. They last eight times as long and
use a fraction of the energy. www.saveenergy.co.uk
52.Join a library instead of buying books.
53.Get to know your neighbours; they are more likely to keep your home
safe than energy-guzzling security lamps. You might even like them!
54.Recycle your car oil at a recycling depot or petrol station rather than in
your driveway; it contains lead, nickel and cadmium and oil in the
drainage system covers water in a thin layer suffocating life
underneath.
55. Let them carry you off in a biodegradable cardboard coffin, saving
trees, instead of burning your body at the crematorium.
www.naturaldeath.org.uk
56. Raise your glass to organic beer; conventionally grown hops are
sprayed up to a dozen times a year. www.stpetersbrewery.co.uk
57.Take the plunge and move in with your partner so you light and heat
one home rather than two.
58. Give a colleague a lift to work; if no one is going your way, join a
carshare scheme to find a passenger. Www.liftshare.com
www.carclubs.org.uk
59.Cook for friends. Large quantities of food use less packaging than the
same quantity in individual portions (and take less energy to cook).
60. Copy Government Ministers by holidaying in Britain (but unlike them,
skip the follow-up trip to Tuscany) there are thousands of amazing
places to visit right here on our own little rock (no promises on the
weather!). www.visitbritain.com
61.Refuse plastic carrier bags, or at least reuse them. Cloth bags are
better.
62. Donate your leftover paint to a community project; Britons fail to use
6.2m litres of the paint they buy each year.
www.reuze.co.uk/paint.shtml
63.Drink tap or filtered water, not bottled. It is no accident that ‘Evian’ is
naïve spelt backwards!
64.Invest in a washing line; tumble dryers devour electricity.
65. Put a ‘hippo’ or plastic coke bottle full of water in your toilet cistern to
reduce the flush volume and save water www.hippo-thewatersaver.
co.uk
66.Turn off TVs and stereos instead of switching them to standby.
67.Lighten up: paint your walls a pale colour, so you need less artificial
light.
68.Only flush toilets if really needed; follow the Australian maxim: "If it's
yellow that's mellow, if it's brown flush it down."
69.Improve the ambience and dine by candlelight, saving electricity.
70.Insulate your home. Cavity wall insulation can cut heat loss through
the wall by up to 60%.
71. Buy from companies with eco-friendly policies; boycott those without
www.ethicalconsumer.org
72. Soak up the sun; even in Britain, solar panels can produce a surprising
amount of energy. www.solarcentury.co.uk
73.Clean the back of your fridge. Dusty coils can increase energy
consumption by 30%.
74.Avoid air travel; it produces three times more carbon dioxide per
passenger than rail.
75.Choose a car with a 3-way catalytic converter, to reduce nitrogen
oxides and hydrocarbons emissions by 90%.
76.Ban blinds. Heavy curtains keep in more heat in winter.
77.Change materials as well as rooms; MDF and chipboard release
formaldehyde, a carcinogen. Buy sustainably produced wood instead.
78.Cut up the plastic rings from packs of beer; they are invisible in water
so wildlife can choke on them or trap themselves.
79.Bring a mug to the office instead of using polystyrene cups.
80.Snap up a 36-exposure film instead of 24, reducing waste from
packaging and processing. Better still get a digital camera!
81.Cancel that expensive gym membership and walk to work instead.
82.Drink more water, most of us are dehydrated most of the time
83. Reflect! Take time out from your day and spend 15 minutes thinking
about yourself, your friends, family and the rest of the world, a great
way to reduce stress (hopefully) and be more positive
www.stressbusting.co.uk and www.calmcentre.com
84. Improve yourself! Do a course of study or activity at your local
education centre…learn a language, how to dance the fandango or knit
sweaters from the fur of obscure south american mammals
www.learndirect.co.uk
85. Get out of debt if you can, we all get into difficult financial situations
but there’s always a way out. www.nationaldebtline.co.uk or
www.cccs.co.uk
86. Be independent. Set up your own business, be your own boss and do
something you really believe in www.businesslink.gov.uk
87. Work flexibly, get a work:life balance www.w-lb.org.uk
88. Buy wood only from sustainable sources www.fscoax.org
89. Vote! Get out there and make your voice and opinions count! –
www.electoralcommission.gov.u k
90.Smile
91.Buy chocolates from proper chocolate stores, so they are not
individually wrapped
92.Pretend Christmas has come early; turkey is more likely than chicken
to be produced in the UK, while British-grown brussel sprouts require
less transport than Kenyan mangetout.
93.Tell your friends and family about this list of simple things to do
94. Switch off your television and go out and do something less boring
instead in a ‘Why don’t you’ style www.whitedot.org
95.Laughter is the best medicine – see the funny side of life
96. Do something amazing, donate blood www.blood.co.uk
97. Carry a donor card and enable someone to www.uktransplant.org.uk
98. Buy only Marine Stewardship Council accredited fish products
www.msc.org
99.Don’t fill the kettle to the brim every time you make a cuppa – save
energy by only boiling as much as you need
100.Instead of buying yourself an expensive new outfit swap your clothes
with your friends to reinvigorate your wardrobe

This list compiled by FUTERRA with the help of Friends of the Earth
and Leo Hickman’s Guardian column on ethical living

www.futerra.org

101 Ways To Live More Ecologically

1. Avoid disposable in favor of reusable
items.
2. Avoid drying rags in a clothes dryer.
3. Avoid power appliances when handpower works.
4. Avoid highly processed foods.
5. Avoid using styrofoam—it can't be recycled.
6. Avoid watering driveways and sidewalks.
7. Be responsible and creative with leftover foods.
8. Buy in bulk goods to reduce wasted packaging.
9. Buy energy efficient electric appliances.
10. Buy foods without additives.
11. Buy foods without preservatives.
12. Buy food and goods from sources you trust
13. Buy large quantities to reduce shopping trips.
14. Buy living Christmas trees.
15. Buy locally grown food and produce.
16. Buy organic, pesticide-free foods.
17. Compost your food scraps.
18. Discover and protect watersheds in your area,
19. Don't burn trash or other smoky materials.
20. Drain cooking grease onto paper bags, not paper towels.
21. Drive a fuel-efficient car.
22. Drive less: walk, bicycle, carpooland use public transportation.
23. Eat foods low on the food chain; avoid meat.
24. Eat more natural, nutritious foods.
25. Educate elected representatives on ecology.
26. Exercise regularly.
27. Explore and learn about your bioregion.
28. Grow your own food, even a small amount.
29. Hang dry some or all of your clothes.
30. Heat your home less and wear warmer clothes.
31. Heat your home more with renewable energies.
32. Hold a potluck dinner to discuss local ecology.
33. If you use a dishwasher, turn off the drying cycle.
34. Install a water-conserving device in your toilets.
35. Install a water-conserving showerhead.
36. Insulate your home to maximum efficiency.
37. Invest for social responsibility as well as profit.
38. Invest in solar power, where practical.
39. Invest in well-made, long-lived clothing.
40. Keep hazardous chemicals in safe containers.
41. Keep appliance motors well adjusted for efficiency.
42. Mend and repair rather than discard and replace.
43. Oppose meddling in ecological balance.
44. Oppose private development of special areas.
45. Oppose roadside use of defoliants.
46. Organize or join a neighborhood toy exchange.
47. Pick up litter along streets and highways.
48. Plant native trees and shrubs around your home.
49. Plant trees throughout your community.
50. Plant your living Christmas tree.
51. Practice preventive health care.
52. Practice responsible family planning.
53. Prepare only as much food as will be eaten.
54. Protect your favorite distinctive natural areas.
55. Purchase goods in reusable/recyclable containers.
56. Put a catalytic converter on your wood stove.
57. Put toxic substances out of reach of children.
58. Recycle aluminum.
59. Recycle glass.
60. Recycle newspaper.
61. Recycle old clothes.
62. Recycle plastic.
63. Recycle used motor oil.
64. Recycle your unneeded items.
65. Re-use paper bags.
66. Re-use plastic bags for storage and waste.
67. Save up for full loads in clothes washers.
68. Save up for full loads in dishwasher.
69. Shop by phone, then go pick up your purchases.
70. Speak out about your values in community groups.
71. Support efficient energy sources in your bioregion.
72. Support elected representatives on ecological issues.
73. Support energy conservation in your bioregion.
74. Support global ecological improvement efforts.
75. Support local credit unions.
76. Support local merchants before large chains.
77. Support neighborhood food cooperatives.
78. Support proper waste water and sewage treatment.
79. Support the cultural diversity in your bioregion.
80. Support the plants and animals in your community.
81. Take shorter showers.
82. Teach your children ecological wisdom.
83. Turn down the thermostat on your water heater.
84. Turn off the lights when not needed.
85. Turn off the water while you brush your teeth.
86. Use biodegradable soaps and detergents.
87. Use cloth diapers.
88. Use cloth table napkins.
89. Use less tapwater whenever possible.
90. Use non-toxic pest control.
91. Use only medications you trust/understand.
92. Use rags or towels instead of paper.
93. Use rechargeable batteries.
94. Use the second side of paper for scratch paper.
95. Use water from cooking vegetables to make soup.
96. Volunteer for work in a community garden.
97. Volunteer to maintain local parks and wilderness.
98. Wash clothes in cold water.
99. Wash dishes in still, not running water.
100. Weather-seal your home.
101. Work to unlearn poor ecological habits.

http://www.lib.niu.edu/ipo/1996/ip960321.html

The Story of Change - How can you help create a better world?

(A MUST SEE) The Story of Change - Take responsibility and be the change you want to see in the world:

Citizens and consumers have to take responsibility for their actions and do their part to help create a better world. - Can shopping save the world? The Story of Change urges viewers to put down their credit cards and start exercising their citizen muscles to build a more sustainable, just and fulfilling world.

Learn more about the Story of Stuff and what you can do to make a difference:
http://www.storyofstuff.org/movies-all/story-of-change/
http://www.storyofstuff.org



EARTH DAY - 22 OF APRIL - Know more of what you can do to help protect the planet:

http://beawarebechange.blogspot.pt/2012/04/earth-day-april-22-learn-how-we-can.html
http://beawarebechange.blogspot.com/2011/02/veganismo-vida-interligada.html

Amor e evolução - Como construir um bom relacionamento

Eu sei, eu sei: ninguém quer um desastre no relacionamento. Todo mundo procura alguém que o ame, o proteja, o acaricie, seja bem-humorado, acolhedor, protector  E é aí que começa o desastre: tal pessoa não existe. Não para quem procura tal pessoa. Os relacionamentos que estão mais estáveis, não apareceram assim na frente, como por encanto – eles foram sendo construídos, geralmente à custa de muita mudança interior, muita auto-reflexão, muita sabedoria para parar de exigir a perfeição do outro e aceitar as próprias fraquezas. Sim, fraquezas que todo ser humano possui. Porque se é humano, possui fraquezas. E defeitos.

Não estou querendo tirar sarro de quem teve ou tem problemas de relacionamento. No fundo, o que escrevo é uma auto-análise de quem também sempre procurou alguém perfeito para se sentar ao meu lado. Exatamente como escrevi acima. E como não encontrava, porque isso não existe, todo mundo que parava ao meu lado era alvo das minhas opiniões, meus argumentos, minhas críticas, que buscavam mudá-la para a perfeição que eu tinha na minha própria cabeça. Ah, sim, é claro: inconsciente ou conscientemente, eu estava buscando a perfeição que eu julgava conhecer. Algo arrogantemente dentro de mim dizia que eu sabia o que era perfeição. E que o outro não sabia. Logo, tinha que entender o que eu queria dizer.

Talvez ao seu lado exista alguém assim: que olha para tudo e sabe qual é o problema. Entende como mudar o comportamento das pessoas. Analisa o sujeito ao lado e vê como ele está conduzindo erradamente a vida dele. E o pior: não está percebendo! Talvez você seja assim. Você está vendo como ele está errado, e ele tem que ouvir você! Afinal, você sabe o que é melhor pra ele!

É, mas felizmente não é possível saber o que é melhor para o outro. Eu nunca soube nem o que era o melhor para mim, até porque, ao ficar importunando a vida dos outros com minhas opiniões e sugestões, não podia olhar para mim mesmo e minhas necessidades.

O que um ser humano necessita

Um ser humano necessita se reconhecer, antes de querer reconhecer e mudar o outro. Temos dentro de nós, todos nós, um lado infantil, um lado criança, que carrega em si muitas emoções e impulsos. Estas emoções determinam muito a forma que reagiremos nas nossas relações. Se olharmos para dentro de nós e reconhecemos uma criança magoada, automaticamente iremos querer que quem está ao nosso lado supra esta mágoa. Porém, com certeza, ao nosso lado também haverá outra criança magoada, já que atraímos os semelhantes. Engraçado é que geralmente esta criança magoada fala como se fosse um adulto, com os seus conceitos de certo e errado, e determina o que o outro deveria ser ou fazer. Vamos imaginar uma criança, dando conselhos para nós, adultos. Como é isso? Funciona? A criança tem a noção do que está por detrás dos nossos problemas?

O lado bom da nossa criança é que também ela possui alegria, desprendimento, liberdade, criatividade. Todos nós possuímos os dois lados. Quando não permitimos manifestar a criança alegre e espontânea, ao mesmo tempo que aceitamos e acolhemos as feridas da criança magoada, não conseguimos reagir de forma adulta com quem desejamos estabelecer um relacionamento adulto. Obviamente, vira um relacionamento infantil, como esses que existem na escola, baseado em cobranças, aparências exteriores, atitudes infantis e irresponsáveis.

Ninguém pode acolher a nossa criança magoada, a não ser nós mesmos. Dizer que a mágoa é culpa do pai, da mãe, do abandono, da violência, do abuso sexual, de nada adiantará para que consigamos nos equilibrar emocionalmente, e assumir uma atitude adulta. Dar culpas aos nossos problemas não resolve a situação. Deve chegar o momento em que, corajosamente, acolhemos todas as dores, mágoas, rancores, ódio, raiva, desprezo, abraçamos esses sentimentos, sem negá-los, e dizemos a nós mesmos: foi assim...

E a partir disso, deveremos assumir um contrato conosco mesmos, de viver o melhor possível, e mudar somente aquilo que podemos mudar, que geralmente é nós mesmos. Viver observando a própria criança interior, para que as emoções reprimidas não tomem controle da própria vida. A partir disso, conseguimos estabelecer relacionamentos mais maduros e construtivos. Uma pessoa atenta às próprias emoções, que se aceita como é, com suas raivas e temores, vícios e virtudes, e que sabe dosá-los no dia-a-dia, encontrará outra pessoa semelhante.

Relacionamento perfeito

Um relacionamento perfeito não existe, assim como pessoas perfeitas não existem. A capacidade de observarmos as próprias dores e emoções e mantê-las sob controle é cíclica, varia, tem altos e baixos. Por isso, as relações possuem altos e baixos. Um relacionamento eterno nunca existirá... Mesmo aquele casal que vive até o final da vida juntos, chegará o momento em que um deles morrerá primeiro, deixando ao outro a possibilidade de encontrar um novo relacionamento. Observando a natureza, vemos que tudo é cíclico. Existe vida e morte. União e separação. A idéia de um relacionamento interminável é bem infantil e presa ao sentimento de apego, que é contrário ao amor. Amor é liberdade, e a primeira demonstração de amor que podemos ter é conosco mesmo, nos libertando dos sentimentos e emoções reprimidas da nossa criança interior, permitindo assim uma vida mais leve e divertida.

Trabalho com isso diariamente. Tive uma infância onde não demonstrei a espontaneidade de criança, senti-me muito reprimido e vigiado. Carrego um peso de ser culpado de algo que nem sei o que é, e a culpa funciona como aquelas enormes bolas de ferro que se prendiam aos pés dos prisioneiros. Porém, descobri que essas bolas são imaginárias. Descobri que minha criança pode e deve se divertir agora, para que as mágoas do passado se dissolvam na brincadeira. Deixei de culpar meus pais, tutores, parceiros, governo e seja lá mais quem for pelos meus problemas. Somente assim consigo tomar posse do meu adulto, e criar meus planos e metas para um futuro equilibrado e realizador. Antes, todos os meus planos eram criados pela minha criança magoada, e isso não era nada confortável. Uma criança magoada bate o pé e diz: eu quero isso, eu quero aquilo! E quando recebe, não dá nenhum valor e já parte para outro querer, porque ela está magoada... Talvez seja por isso que a Lei da Atração não funcione para tantos. Não é o adulto consciente do seu poder e alegria que pede ao universo... Mas como tudo na vida, é possível reverter o estado de espírito imaturo, com um única decisão: a decisão de assumir a própria mudança, aceitando-se plenamente como é, e abrindo-se para novas experiências.

O passado se foi, e as feridas se cicatrizam quando são deixadas descansar.

(Versão brasileira)

por Alex Possato - alex@nokomando.com.br

Consultor especializado em programação neurolingüística

"Alface" - Documentário português sobre os benefícios das hortas

O que gosta mais aqui na sua horta? Esta foi uma pergunta que iniciou várias conversas na Aldeia das Amoreiras, uma pequena aldeia no interior do concelho de Odemira.

Enquanto se cavam as batatas ou se colhem alfaces, a aldeia vai se mostrando, quintais adentro, entre a hortaliça, nos frutos das suas árvores, no fluxo das suas águas, nos seus animais. Revelam-se técnicas usadas na horta e o jeito especial de quem as faz, ao ritmo do seu dia-a-dia. "O prazer de cuidar e estar na horta, o conhecimento dos habitantes de uma aldeia.

É comum que entre hortelões surjam conversas entusiasmadas sobre as suas hortas, as técnicas que usam e o que conseguem delas tirar. Foi este entusiasmo que quisemos registar. E foi também o olhar para o vídeo como um processo em que se valorizam conhecimentos, produzindo uma reflexão e gerando empatias a partir do exercício de ver e ser visto. A Aldeia das Amoreiras tem vivido desde 2010 um processo de participação com o objectivo de criar uma Aldeia das Amoreiras de Sonho ou uma Aldeia das Amoreiras Sustentável. Neste contexto, surge o vídeo como uma forma de valorizar os seus habitantes e o seu conhecimento numa época de transição de uma sociedade desintegrada do seu ambiente natural para uma época em que este conhecimento volta a ser importante.

No intuito de aprofundar a relação com os vizinhos da aldeia, fomos perguntar-lhes como eles vêem as suas hortas, entrando nos seus quintais fomos indagando como a aldeia se vê por dentro.

Realizado pelo Centro de Convergência – GAIA Alentejo na Aldeia das Amoreiras.
Mais informações | Ver projecto: http://centrodeconvergencia.wordpress.com

VER DOCUMENTÁRIO:




Fonte: http://centrodeconvergencia.wordpress.com/2013/03/24/o-que-gosta-mais-aqui-na-sua-horta-filme-alface-esta-on-line/

Essential Reasons to Eat Organic Food - To protect your health, animals and Nature

(Article 1)
15 Reasons to Eat Organic Food:

1. In study after study, research from independent organizations consistently shows organic food is higher in nutrients than traditional foods. Research shows that organic produce is higher in vitamin C, antioxidants, and the minerals calcium, iron, chromium, and magnesium.

2. They’re free of neurotoxins–toxins that are damaging to brain and nerve cells. A commonly-used class of pesticides called organophosphates was originally developed as a toxic nerve agent during World War I. When there was no longer a need for them in warfare, industry adapted them to kill pests on foods. Many pesticides are still considered neurotoxins.

3. They’re supportive of growing children’s brains and bodies. Children’s growing brains and bodies are far more susceptible to toxins than adults. Choosing organic helps feed their bodies without the exposure to pesticides and genetically-modified organisms, both of which have a relatively short history of use (and therefore safety).

4. They are real food, not pesticide factories. Eighteen percent of all genetically-modified seeds (and therefore foods that grow from them) are engineered to produce their own pesticides. Research shows that these seeds may continue producing pesticides inside your body once you’ve eaten the food grown from them! Foods that are actually pesticide factories…no thanks.

5. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that pesticides pollute the primary drinking source for half the American population. Organic farming is the best solution to the problem. Buying organic helps reduce pollution in our drinking water.

6. Organic food is earth-supportive (when big business keeps their hands out of it). Organic food production has been around for thousands of years and is the sustainable choice for the future. Compare that to modern agricultural practices that are destructive of the environment through widespread use of herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, and fertilizers and have resulted in drastic environmental damage in many parts of the world.

7. Organic food choices grown on small-scale organic farms help ensure independent family farmers can create a livelihood. Consider it the domestic version of fair trade.

8. Most organic food simply tastes better than the pesticide-grown counterparts.

9. Organic food is not exposed to gas-ripening like some non-organic fruits and vegetables (like bananas).

10. Organic farms are safer for farm workers. Research at the Harvard School of Public Health found a 70 percent increase in Parkinson’s disease among people exposed to pesticides. Choosing organic foods means that more people will be able to work on farms without incurring the higher potential health risk of Parkinson’s or other illnesses.

11. Organic food supports wildlife habitats. Even with commonly used amounts of pesticides, wildlife is being harmed by exposure to pesticides.

12. Eating organic may reduce your cancer risk. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers 60% of herbicides, 90% of fungicides, and 30 percent of insecticides potentially cancer-causing. It is reasonable to think that the rapidly increasing rates of cancer are at least partly linked to the use of these carcinogenic pesticides.

13. Choosing organic meat lessens your exposure to antibiotics, synthetic hormones, and drugs that find their way into the animals and ultimately into you.

14. Organic food is tried and tested. By some estimates genetically-modified food makes up 80% of the average person’s food consumption. Genetic modification of food is still experimental. Avoid being part of this wide scale and uncontrolled experiment.

15. Organic food supports greater biodiversity. Diversity is fundamental to life on this planet. Genetically-modified and non-organic food is focused on high yield monoculture and is destroying biodiversity.

Source: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/15-reasons-to-eat-organic-food.html#ixzz2QGfagZMT

(Article 2)
17 Essential Reasons to Eat Organic Food:

Organic food was the only option for thousands of years. Now, with pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and genetically-modified foods, organic is still the best option. Here are 17 reasons to eat organic food:

1.  Genetically-modified foods were unleashed on the environment and the public by corporations like Monsanto without prior testing to determine their safety.  In other words, eating genetically-modified foods (which most people in in large amounts) is participating in a long-term, uncontrolled experiment. Choose organic to avoid participating in this experiment.

2.  More and more research is coming in about the health threat of genetically-modified food.  The results range from intestinal damage, allergies, liver or pancreatic problems, testicular cellular changes, tumors, and even death in the experimental animals. For more information, read the excellent books by Jeffrey M. Smith Seeds of Deception andGenetic Roulette. I’ll discuss more of the problems linked with GMOs in upcoming blogs. Eating third-party certified organic foods or those that are guaranteed to be grown from organic seed helps protect you from the health consequences of GMOs.

4 Potential Health Risks of Eating GMO Foods

3.  Fruits and vegetables are real food, not pesticide factories. Eighteen percent of all genetically-modified seeds (and therefore foods that grow from them) are engineered to produce their own pesticides.  Research shows that these seeds continue producing pesticides inside your body once you’ve eaten the food grown from them! Foods that are actually pesticide factories…no thanks.

4.  They’re free of neurotoxins—toxins that are damaging to brain and nerve cells. A commonly-used class of pesticides called organophosphates was originally developed as a toxic nerve agent during World War I. When there was no longer a need for them in warfare, industry adapted them to kill pests on foods. Many pesticides are still considered neurotoxins.  Learn more about pesticides in The 4-Week Ultimate Body Detox Plan.

5.  They’re supportive of growing children’s brains and bodies.  Children’s growing brains and bodies are far more susceptible to toxins than adults.  Choosing organic helps feed their bodies without the exposure to pesticides and genetically-modified organisms, both of which have a relatively short history of use (and therefore safety).

6.  In study after study, research from independent organizations consistently shows organic food is higher in nutrients than traditional foods.  Research shows that organic produce is higher in vitamin C, antioxidants, and the minerals calcium, iron, chromium, and magnesium. (For more information, check out The Life Force Diet).

7.  The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that pesticides pollute the primary drinking source for half the American population. Organic farming is the best solution to the problem. Buying organic helps reduce pollution in our drinking water.

8.  Organic food is earth-supportive (when big business keeps their hands out of it). Organic food production has been around for thousands of years and is the sustainable choice for the future.  Compare that to modern agricultural practices that are destructive of the environment through widespread use of herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, and fertilizers and have resulted in drastic environmental damage in many parts of the world.

9.  Organic food choices grown on small-scale organic farms help ensure independent family farmers can create a livelihood. Consider it the domestic version of fair trade.

10. Most organic food simply tastes better than the pesticide-grown counterparts.

11. Organic food is not exposed to gas-ripening like some non-organic fruits and vegetables (like bananas).

12.  Organic farms are safer for farm workers. Research at the Harvard School of Public Health found a 70% increase in Parkinson’s disease among people exposed to pesticides. Choosing organic foods means that more people will be able to work on farms without incurring the higher potential health risk of Parkinson’s or other illnesses.

13.  Organic food supports wildlife habitats. Even with commonly used amounts of pesticides, wildlife is being harmed by exposure to pesticides.

14.  Eating organic may reduce your cancer risk.  The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers 60% of herbicides, 90% of fungicides, and 30% of insecticides potentially cancer-causing.  It is reasonable to think that the rapidly increasing rates of cancer are at least partly linked to the use of these carcinogenic pesticides.

15.  Choosing organic meat lessens your exposure to antibiotics, synthetic hormones, and drugs that find their way into the animals and ultimately into you.

16.  Organic food is tried and tested. By some estimates genetically-modified food makes up 80% of the average person’s food consumption. Genetic modification of food is still experimental. Avoid being part of this wide scale and uncontrolled experiment.

17.  Organic food supports greater biodiversity.  Diversity is fundamental to life on this planet. Genetically-modified and non-organic food is focused on high yield monoculture and is destroying biodiversity.

Adapted from  The Life Force Diet by Michelle Schoffro Cook, PhD.

Source: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/17-essential-reasons-to-eat-organic-food.html#ixzz2QGcfZDzu

* * *

Short list of vegetable foods created using chemical agriculture and that can contain more chemicals - Choose organic foods:
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/the-dirty-dozen-is-now-the-dirty-14.html

Permaculture - Building a New Hope and Restoring the Earth

A MUST SEE - (Earth Focus: Episode 53) Using Permaculture it is possible to rehabilitate large-scale damaged ecosystems, to improve the lives of people trapped in poverty and to sequester carbon naturally. John Liu presents "Hope in a Changing Climate" which showcases approaches that have worked on the Loess Plateau in China, Ethiopia and Rwanda.


Source: http://www.linktv.org/video/8807/restoring-the-earth


LEARN MORE ABOUT PERMACULTURE AND HOW IT CAN CHANGE THE WORLD:
http://beawarebechange.blogspot.pt/2011/11/eco-villages-and-permaculture-way-to.html