I got this recent article from SeattlePi . According to this article, the north pole is getting closer and closer to having no ice at all. I can't imagine "Santa's Workshop" being on mud and grass, can you? Anyways, the article sites a scientist from the University of Washington named Ignatius Rigor. This man has been studying the quirks of the north pole for years and has known, as early as this past spring, that the ice up there was getting very thin and brittle. He says he knows the planet is warming. He is willing to bet that the area of ice would have shrunk to a record low this summer, even beating the amount already lost last year.

Rigor was absolutely sure, following the record losses of the past year or so, that the ice would disintegrate. In fact, the area of the Arctic ocean usually covered in ice has shrunk 1/3 below what has always been normal for the past 30 years. This is actually the first year that both the northwest passage over the top of North America and Russia's northeast passage are free of ice. This astonishing and frightening fact has been pointed out by environmentalists while researchers are still waiting to see if last years' dismal record will be surpassed. So far, it looks like 2008 will fall behind.

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A few months back I ran a post on the basics of making your own potpourri. Admittedly, there are several methods of making potpourri, the easiest being the "dry method" and the most lasting and deeply scented, "the wet method". Both will work in the short term. If you just want some lovely potpourri to last a weekend when guests are staying or you might need it to freshen a closet that has gone stale, then the dry method is quick, painless and effective. For those of you who are more dedicated to the craft or who would like to start making potpourri to sell or give as gifts, I will run a post in the near future on the detailed process of the "wet method".

With the holidays coming up and finances being tight, I am trying to run some posts on homemade projects you can do for little money that will be lovely during this time of year. Handmade potpourri can give beauty and aroma to your home while entertaining this season and you don't have to keep buying new. Also, consider making up some really nice stuff, bagging it and giving it as gifts. This has zero carbon footprint, is light on your wallet and says something special to family and friends. So if you are interested in learning how to make this lovely stuff and make it to your own preferences, such as certain colors or scents, then keep reading. I have some easy recipes for you.

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Making Herbal Dream Pillows : Secret Blends for Pleasant Dreams (The Spirit of Aromatherapy)

Potpourri, Incense, and Other Fragrant Concoctions

Creating Fairy Garden Fragrances (The Spirit of Aromatherapy)

In this post I want to address the remaining steps needed in the making dyes from herbs. I will then follow this post with several on various recipes and what herb yields what color. In this last post on methods I will cover the work of scouring, as many fabrics and wools require this before dyeing. I will also address the practice of wetting the fabric before bathing and the creation and use of the actual dye bath. I am doing all of this in advance of presenting basic recipes, which I will come to in the next post. I am doing this in this order so that you will completely understand everything that must be considered and done before deciding on a project. Wools and fleece, for instance, require different treatments than cotton or polyester knit. You may decide that a certain fabric is too difficult or uncertain to risk the time and trouble in a dyeing project.

So this post is the final introduction to the art of herbal dye making and is intended to help you decide in advance just how far you would like to venture into this craft. It can be messy and time consuming as well as hard work at times. But the results are wonderful and rewarding. You can choose the colors, use herbs to create them and alter them at any time during the process and even after the dyeing is done. In this manner, you get what you want and avoid the chemicals and fragrances in processed dyes that give so many people grief. And, as an added bonus, if the dye washes out after frequent wear, it can be redyed time and again with the exact same color you began with. No more trying to find a powdered dye mix that "comes close" or forces you to change the color altogether. So if this is appealing and you are crafty and like this kind of creative work, then dig in and start planning because your first project is around the corner.

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This is great news. There has been a new study just completed and the results were published in the September issue of the journal, "Phytotherapy Research". Seeing that this is a rather dry and boring publication for anyone outside of industry professionals, I thought I'd put it in plain English for my readers. I am a big herbie and natural lifestyle lover so this is right up my alley. This study is showing that Olive Leaf extract lowers blood pressure AND cholesterol levels. This study was performed on adult twins diagnosed with borderline hypertension. I think it might be too dangerous to study people with really high blood pressure because the study requires getting off medication and this is risky.

The study had these volunteers take 500mg of Olive Leaf extract every day for 8 weeks. During this course of treatment, their systolic blood pressure (the higher or top number of the reading) fell by 5 points on average. Other study participants took up to 1000mg a day and their systolic reading fell by an average of 11 points. I guess this proves, the more the merrier. Read More...

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I got this online at Scoop Independent World News, a New Zealand website. It totally disgusted me so I thought I'd pass it along. I had just read a report about a group of whalers who had captured and killed a mother whale with babies in tow and dragged her away to slaughter, leaving the pups to struggle alone. It broke my heart, in fact made me tear up and I never forgot that image. And then I heard this report and the conservationist and conservative in me just cried out in pain. How on earth can this waste just go on?

According to Greenpeace, in Tokyo, Japan, 85 tons of whale meat may soon have to be discarded. Likely the meat of young mothers like the one I saw in the video; killed needlessly, it seems. Because of bureaucratic bungling, which makes the whole thing even more sordid. According to Greenpeace, the Japanese Government has not received the proper application for import of the meat and this means it's going rancid in the mean time and will have to be tossed. In my opinion, this is among the worst anti-life violations I find in the world around me. Mom was killed for nothing and her pups probably died, too. Read More...

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This is a great new item I picked up online. The reports are now saying that fishermen will be recycling junk into power and scrap metal. This program has started in Hawaii and is currently being started in New England, as well. It is a great concept that will greatly improve earth and ocean conditions. So much junk is lost off fishing boats, from fishing tackle to huge nets. These lost items, from ropes to traps, end up on the bottom of the ocean for decades as destructive debris. Nets and ropes are notorious for suffocating life on the ocean floor as well as snaring fish and drowning them. Not to mention getting twisted in the propellers of other boats at sea.

This new program introduced in New England this year makes better use of this garbage. The idea is to start cleaning the ocean up by collecting everything from nylon nets to wooden lobster traps and burning this debris to generate electricity. In the article I saw, they referred to a fisherman named Frank Mirarchi of Scituate who says he spends hours untangling discarded gear from his nets. It can be dangerous if heavy pieces snap free of the net. Getting it out of the ocean is essential, he was quoted as saying. Turning it into electricity is a bonus. He was also quoted as saying that "right now, anything we can do to avoid burning foreign oil makes me feel pretty good, actually." Read More...

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From Greenpeace International :

This item was first publicly announced in early September in Spain by Greenpeace. Greenpeace is announcing the conclusions that have been reached as a result of the Solar Generation Report, a report published by Greenpeace in partnership with the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA). The conclusion they are announcing is that solar electricity can contribute largely to the energy needs of two-thirds of the world's population - including those in remote areas - by 2030.

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I found this fascinating item online at Wildlife Extra. According to this article, the earth's oceans are on the brink of collapsing, due to overfishing. As long ago as 2001, Jeremy Jackson, senior scientist emeritus of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, published a landmark paper named, "Historical Overfishing and the Recent Collapse of Coastal Ecosystems".

In this paper, Mr. Jackson made the case that some environments which have long been considered unaffected and "pristine", have, in fact, been radically altered by centuries of exploitation. Since this is again a very serious concern, due to the high volume of pollution and drastic species reduction due to overfishing, he has offered a current article on this matter. In this article, Mr. Jackson believes that the following steps, if taken by humans immediately, could reverse the speeding collapse of the ocean ecosystems. Read More...

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I got this information from The Technology Review at MIT. According to the Review, United Solar Ovonic of Auburn Hills, MI, has teamed with a major roofing company to create a metal roof system that generates electricity from sunlight. This is an effort to promote the widespread adoption of solar technology based upon a theory that integrating solar cells into building materials could make solar power more attractive to homeowners.

The partnership between Solar Ovonic and the roofing company already offers seven different prefabricated systems, ranging in capacity from 3 to 120 kilowatts. Tests show that the solar roof panels are rugged and can withstand winds in excess of 160 miles per hour. This article and the information in it gave me real reason to believe that solar power is possible for most of us and may actually be right around the corner! Read More...

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Solar Power Your Home For Dummies (For Dummies (Home & Garden))

Do It Yourself Solar Panels for Swimming Pools, Spas & more

Green Building & Remodeling For Dummies (For Dummies (Home & Garden))

Here comes old man winter once again. And with him come the coughs, colds and flus. Since there is no cure or vaccine against the common cold, most of us have to make do with a pick and chance it laundry list of over the counter chemicals. Research has shown that few of these "remedies" actually work and most of us just have to sweat it out. In fact, many of the over the counter chemicals we consume for this purpose have a drug like effect and I have spent more than one winter with a "medicine head". Try dealing with this while waiting on tables and ringing up a cash register. It gets scary, I can tell you!

Facing another winter of stuffy offices overhot with blasting heating systems and holiday parties with snivelers and coughers double dipping the salsa, I thought it might be a good idea to drag out some of my old recipes for natural cough and cold remedies. Again, these are easy (always!) and don't require a ton of ingredients that are hard to find. If you are a gardener you may well have a lot of these plants in the yard and if not you can find them in supermarkets, health food stores and nurseries. Most of the other ingredients are readily available if not already in your kitchen. So get out the pots and pans along with the sweaters and jackets! Here are some great ideas for alternative methods of dealing with the common cold.

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These are natural and herb based recipes for insect repellents. They are non toxic and safe, they work most of the time, and they don't kill the pests but simply keep them away. I got into the ideas of repellents when I found out I was allergic to mites, roaches and fleas. When you step on these bugs or kill them and leave them in the carpet or under the cabinets they decompose and their remains end up in the air. When I breathe this in I get very sick.

So I wanted to keep them away and not have everyone in the household crushing the critters and leaving them for me to breathe in. The repellents have worked really well in most cases although you do have to perhaps do second and third treatments. You also should refresh any standing repellents that are left in place for long periods. Just add more herbs or oils every so often over time. So here are the recipes you can diy and see if they help you, too. Read More...

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I am always amazed by the fact that Coral is a living animal. I mean, it looks like a sponge or a fossil. It doesn't have eyes or ears and it breathes through little pores and not with lungs. But it is a living animal, if only a slow growing one. And Corallium, also known as red or pink coral, is the most valuable of all corals. It grows at a slow rate of less than 1 inch per year.

It's amazing but the harvesting of Coral is devastating to the oceans. Every time you or I buy coral jewelry or trinkets we are consuming an animal that takes years to grow and is essential to the ecosystem from which it comes. In reality, we should not buy coral. It's very much like buying harvested animals of any species, like fur from rabbits and minks or ivory from elephants. It's an act that contributes to environmental devastation. Read More...

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was recently emailed and reminded by Oxfam International of how hard this climate change crisis is not only on us but so much more for the poor in undeveloped countries. In effect, the continuation of climate damaging activities is a large part of the constant violations of human rights worldwide. Our emissions do not stay confined to our sky. They spread worldwide and are exacerbating drastic weather events such as flooding, droughts, cyclones, tsunamis and other catastrophes. These events are much harder on isolated, poor and uneducated peoples in the poorest countries.

These people lose their homes and meager belongings as well as losing access to food and water, by such horrible events and they have a harder time, if not an impossible time, regaining their losses. Without the aide of a wealthy government or government supported agencies found in more developed countries, these people are dependent on the UN and worldwide charities such as the Red Cross and UNICEF. This unfair "dumping" of the residual waste from wealthy, self indulgent societies on the poor and helpless ones is tantamount to a human rights violation. Or so says Oxfam.

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In this part of the series I am going to address the structuring and preparing of a proper growing site. After you have decided on the kind of garden you will develop, where you will place it and what herbs you want to grow in it, you will have to move onto this stage. This is where you actually start to do some work. You will not only structure the actual garden space but you will also learn how to prepare the soil. So get out the rakes and spades. It's time to dig in!

The hard work of soil preparation is the first stage of developing the chosen site for a healthy Herb garden. A good seed bed will be finely crumbled and free of stones and debris. Break up all hard clods of dirt or remove the ones that will not crumble. Rake out all debris on the surface so that the ground is smooth and clear. You should do this throughout the area, not just the small space where you plan to plant the herbs. This way, wandering roots will find sustenance and nutrients where ever they travel. Also, this prevents the crumby soil with weed seeds from tumbling into your bed and destroying all your hard work. And, indeed, this is hard work. But boy is it worth it! Read More...

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Herbal Remedies From Your Garden

Rebecca's Garden, Vol. 5: Herb Gardening

Healing Herbs from Your Garden

As a part of my series on how to have a green Christmas, I thought I would get back to the making and giving of green gifts. There is no way you will get through the season without having to buy a gift for someone, even if it's just a secret Santa thing at the office. It would be nice if you could spend a reasonable amount of money or time and get something that is earth friendly to boot. But it's not as hard as you might think. The marketplace for eco friendly goods has literally exploded in the past few years and there are offerings of every kind. Remember making or buying green gifts reduces pollution, conserves resources, promotes fair treatment for workers, sends a powerful message to businesses about the importance of environment, and doubles the love of the gift you are giving. Here’s how to find or create great green gifts for everyone on your list.

One of the easiest and most popular is to give food! Gifts such as cookies, organic teas, or gift baskets full of homemade goodies make a thoughtful gift for almost any occasion and produce very little waste. Consider this, if you make this yourself, you can also save on gas and time shopping or standing in line. Read More....

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According to a new study by the Center for American Progress, CAP, increased economic investment in clean energy sources could help revive the U.S. economy and create hundreds of thousands of new jobs. They recommend investing $100 billion in the green economy, which can, according to John Podesta, the President of CAP , "create 2 million good jobs in the next two years". The Center For American Progress, or CAP, is the Washington, DC-based think tank that sponsored the study.

The study issued a report, entitled, "Green Recovery - A Program to Create Good Jobs and Start Building a Low Carbon Economy". The report shows that this year alone more than half a million Americans have lost their jobs due to the lingering energy crisis and economic downturn. In fact, according to CNN I saw today on TV that the number is around 606,000, which is huge. Here in my home state of Florida alone, we have a half million unemployed, but that number has accumulated over years. The current half million additional unemployed discussed in this report is from the last twelve months alone. Read More....

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Everybody is talking green these days and for good reasons. The price of gas, our dependency on foreign oil, security considerations, global warming and climate change and also the creation of localized jobs that can't be taken off to China or India. And that's where the good stuff really comes in. Think of a booming green business center that creates jobs in service and manufacturing that just don't exist today. And these jobs being grounded in this country, benefiting from this country and in turn creating paying jobs that will benefit all of us! Just how would you go about finding one of the new green jobs? Well, here are some really good tips to consider:

You could start by greening up your own career. There are many ways almost every career could venture into the green. Teachers could offer classes in recycling or reuse; drivers and driving companies could offer carpooling or group transports; cleaning services could offer natural and non toxic cleaning; crafters could offer natural products to replace commercial ones; healers could move into aromatherapy or herbalism; the opportunities are endless. Just use your imagination.

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The states of Maryland and Virginia have both come to the conclusion that climate change could profoundly change the weather, animal life and even the very shape of the land in their states. A state appointed commission studied this and reported that climate change makes heat waves deadlier and may very well leave one corner of the eastern shoreline under water. This is considered to be possible over the course of the next century.

Well, these states are not waiting to head this off. The commission has reported that Maryland must eliminate most of the greenhouse gases coming from tailpipes and smokestacks in order to alter the course of events. This is hard because emissions in this neck of the woods have been on the rise.

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Nobody likes taking out the trash, right? Fortunately, there are lots of ways you can reduce the amount of waste you make at home. The three Rs of waste management – reduce, reuse,recycle – outline not only the options but also order of importance. Recycling is last because it should be your last option. Reduce and reuse – avoid making waste in the first place and you will have less to recycle.

The key is to change your behavior. Think about ways you can create less waste. Waste reduction is an ideal solid waste solution.

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I know that a lot of people are really stressed out right now. The economy is tanking, people are losing their homes, giving up their cars, losing their jobs and giving up the extras all around. We are at the first of fall, facing a holiday season ahead which will be full of demands and money stress. Long hours at work couple with more unpaid days off and the kids are wanting all the new toys, which don't come cheap. I can just see depression and fatigue all over the faces of struggling Americans. And to top all of this off, we are losing our health insurance. We don't have the money to go to the Doctor and whine about our misery and even if we did get a script, it would be hard to pay for.

But, really, what good are drugs that make you groggy and "tuned out"? You need to be at your best and ready for the fight when things start to slide. You can't get that way taking sleeping pills to drive away the worries and then drinking 8 cups of coffee during the day to tremble your way through the uglies. Are you ever fully awake? And are you ever really happy? Depression is the number one psychological ailment of Americans. And the drugs to treat it are some of the worst chemical cocktails they make. I want to help you get over the drearies naturally and give you a boost of energy, to boot. So put away the energy drinks and the cigarettes and look forward to feeling good without paying a huge price. Here are the curatives you're looking for! Read More...

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I picked this up on eFluxMedia . I thought it was another article on the Arctic region that I needed to post. I am a little worried about the fact that the ice up there is disappearing. It looks like pretty soon we'll be taking vacations in the Arctic and bringing bikinis and suntan oil.

All kidding aside, this article states that the sea ice in the Arctic Ocean has decreased to the second lowest level recorded since satellite measurements were first taken in 1979. The absolute record was reached last year, with 5.69 million square kilometers of sea ice. It is obviously not clear if the Arctic ever suffered such a loss before because we don't have records going back further in time.

I know that naysayers will challenge this and claim that this is probably just a natural thing, that the Arctic was always becoming a tropical island, it just took some time. And without historical records older than 30 years back, it's hard to argue this point. But The National Snow and Ice Data Center in Colorado released its latest ice report last month. And this report is saying that the Arctic sea ice has decreased 795,000 square miles in just one month and that the area is now 760,000 square miles below the 1979-2000 average.

I know I have reported some of this before but I thought it bears repeating. Especially since it's really scary stuff. NASA ice scientist Jay Zwally told the Associated Press that in “five to less than 10 years" the Arctic could remain without ice completely in the summer. "It also means that climate warming is also coming larger and faster than the models are predicting and nobody's really taken into account that change yet," he said.

An important fact that has to be considered is that without white ice to reflect sunlight back into space the Earth will absorb more heat into the ocean. This is what is making the ocean so much warmer every year. And we know what a warm ocean does: it makes hurricanes. These current figures reflect the recent melt in the Chuckchi Sea off of Alaska's coast and also the East Siberian Seas off the coast of East Russia.

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It really is a great idea, you know. To naturalize your yard and make it more in tune with the natural environment there in your neck of the woods. It means less maintenance and expense in the long run and it promotes a healthy outdoor environment that nurtures rather than robs. You won't have to mow as often or not at all, depending on how far you decide to go. You can make it a haven for small animals, butterflies and birds, bringing color and music into your life.

A natural yard also allows for more outdoor activity. More areas the kids can play in, more places you can bbq and relax, less "turf" to worry about, whether it's the fear of tumbling or tripping over unseen obstacles under a bed of grass or a worry about "stampeding" the yard and that it might not "look so green and plush". Not to mention the weekly mowing in the summer. This is all a headache you just don't need. If you give a look around and locate some naturalized yards (not junkpiles full of weeds, truly naturalized yards) you will realize just how beautiful, functional and sensible they truly are. So let me give you some tips to get started and some ideas on how you can tackle the project over the long run.

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Attracting Butterflies & Hummingbirds to Your Backyard: Watch Your Garden Come Alive With Beauty on the Wing (A Rodale Organic Gardening Book)

Rustic Natural Cedar 6' Classic Swing - 1 Of 2

National Wildlife Federation Attracting Birds, Butterflies & Backyard Wildlife (National Wildlife Federation)

Wooden Garden Bridge

I got this piece from ENN : Environmental News Network. They are reporting that a new Eco tower is rising in lower Manhattan and it will include hotel and meeting space. The developers broke ground this year and expect completion in 2011. This is an Earth-friendly, $600 million dollar mixed-use skyscraper in the city that will include condos, retail stores, a boutique hotel and meeting space. It will be located at 50 West St.

Tthe 580,000-square-foot tower is expected to achieve LEED Gold certification when completed and has been designed by noted architect Helmut Jahn. It is being developed by New York-based Time Equities Inc. This notable building will incorporate environmentally sustainable technologies including a green roof, efficient water fixtures and plumbing as well as automatic blinds and energy control. The entire 65-story building will be clad in energy-efficient glass that maximizes use of natural light and filters UV rays. And, according to the developer, all waste from demolition will be recycled and construction materials will be "sustainable" and "rapidly renewable".

To be called "50 West Street", the building is marked by sustainable design, advanced technology, landmark architecture, and commitment to the community, according to Phillip Gesue, director of acquisitions and development for Time Equities. The eco-tower will contain 240 residential units and 150 hotel and retail units, as well as 2,500 square feet of meeting space.

As a part of the development's commitment to Lower Manhattan, Time Equities will make donations to various funds. This includes $4.6 million to the Department of Housing Preservation and Development's affordable housing preservation fund, $350,000 to the NYC Board of Education for a Lower East Side Space Sciences Center and $430,000 to local P.S./I.S. 89 for a computer science program.

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I saw this online and found it fascinating. I hate junk mail about as much as I hate telemarketers. It's a waste of paper as far as I'm concerned because I have never bought anything or signed up for anything I got through the mail. Except maybe for a credit card or a coupon book. When you think about it from that point of view, you realize what a waste of paper and stamps it really is. And how much paper do you think that is?

Forest Ethics composed a report on this and released it publicly last month. The report discloses that junk mail makes a huge contribution to climate change, nearly the equivalent of 9 million cars and 7 US states combined. Another analogy given by the report is the emissions generated by heating nearly 13 million homes in the winter. That ain't no small potatoes and now it has me thinking that junk mail isn't just a pain in the butt. It's a scourge to the planet!

This report is irreverently illustrated and kind of funny. It is part of Forest Ethics' campaign and petition to start a "Do Not Mail" registry like the "do not call" registry already in place. This would give us all the opportunity to "opt out" of this volume of unwanted paper and save the planet a bunch of garbage in the bargain. If you think about it, the marketers should want this, too. Why should they waste their time and money on people who are just going to throw their ad work in the trash?

NASA Climate Scientist Dr. James Hansen made the following statement in conjunction with the release:

"20 years after I first testified before Congress on the threats posed by climate change, we have reached a point at which we must remove unnecessary carbon emissions from our lives, or face catastrophic consequences. It is hard to imagine waste more unnecessary than the 100 billion pieces of junk mail Americans receive each year, and these new findings, revealing that the emissions of junk mail are equal to those of over nine million cars, underscore the prudent necessity of a Do Not Mail Registry."

This entertaining report features a "Myth/Fact" section that debunks the misinformation that has spread as a result of their Do Not Mail Campaign . It also outlines the emergence of 19 "Do Not Mail" initiatives in state legislatures over the past two years in various states.

Download the full report here: Climate Report

“This report confirms what Americans instinctively know: the scale of junk mail’s waste goes against all common sense,” says Todd Paglia, Executive Director of ForestEthics. “And the junk mail industry is incapable of policing itself on this matter- we need a Do Not Mail registry to give Americans a choice, and to enforce that choice.”

ForestEthics launched their Do Not Mail campaign on March 12 of this year, and the petition at Do Not Mail now has nearly 60,000 signatures, including those of Leonardo DiCaprio, Adrian Grenier, David Crosby and Daryl Hannah.

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I know this was like a little craze a few years back, to make or go out and buy herbal vinegars and oils. Then there was a case of poisoning because of rancid garlic in oil and this craze just fizzled out. But the products that came out of the momentary fad were really fantastic and there is no reason to avoid these great items. You can make it yourself and do it carefully so that no one will get sick. And some the recipes make such good vinegars and oils that once you eat them you won't want the grocery store stuff again.

So just for the fun of it I thought I'd share some of my favorite recipes and see how you like them. They are really easy to make, they only need a few common ingredients and they are worth the wait as they age. My personal favorite is Raspberry Vinegar. It is so good that I've drank it down by itself, like it were a sauce or a fruity wine. Seriously. So get out the pots and pans.. and bottles! It's time to make some very cool and very delicious homemade vinegars and oils. Read More...

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