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RELATIONSHIPS
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
We are immersed in relationships. The relationship to
ourselves, relationship to our spouse or partner, relatives,
friends, co-workers, relationship to our environment. How we
interact with ourselves, others, and our physical world
shapes and defines us, others and our environment.
We communicate with more than words. Often times it is
the unspoken word or glance that packs the most punch. We
talk with our bodies, too. Our faces communicate more
messages than any other part of our body. Starting at
about age five we become self-conscious about using facial
expressions and begin to purse our lips, etc. Time to loosen
up! Use your face to express yourself. Open your eyes
wider, raise your eyebrows - show some enthusiasm! Smile -
you will put yourself and others much more at ease.
Within this section, we'll give you some ideas on how to
communicate and be in relationship with yourself, others and
the environment more satisfactorily.
Ten Steps to Better Communication
1. Out of fairness and respect, choose a mutually
convenient time and place to discuss ONE issue only.
Also agree on the length of your session.
2. Beforehand, prepare and calm yourself. Do your
favorite relaxation technique or simply take 3-4 very
deep breaths and let them out with a sigh. Perhaps do
some stretches or some kind of movement to relax your
body.
3. Become aware of your thoughts, feelings and any intuitive
insights you might have around the issue. What do you
want to convey to him or her? What DO you want?
4. Establish and maintain relaxed eye contact. Remember
to blink and and breathe! Periodically check in to your
body tension levels. Loosen up those tight muscles!
Tensing, then letting go of your neck and shoulder
muscles helps. Also, raising and alternately knitting
your eyebrows then letting go will relieve scalp and
forehead tightness. Opening and closing your mouth helps
jaw tension. Do what you need to do to get comfortable.
Maybe you need to change where or how you're sitting. To
make whatever adjustments might be necessary, Take time
out and agree on when to resume.
5. Become clear of your INTENTIONS.
6. State them or it, by first saying what you are thinking
feeling and wanting. Here is a great place to interject
some non-derogatory humor - if it feels appropriate and
natural.
7. With a pleasant tone of voice (no whining!), use "I"
statements. This takes it out of the blaming, judging
arena. Ask yourself a few questions: "Do I want to
fight?" Am I insisting on being right, no matter what?"
"Or, would I rather create an atmosphere of mutual trust,
safety and understanding?" Am I coming from a place of
love or fear?" If feeling intensely angry, which is
usually fear-based, let the other know and excuse
yourself. Walk, breathe deeply, whatever it takes to get
calm. Choose a time to resume. Don't talk until you
have vented adequately.
8. Ask the other person to repeat back what you have just
said. They may have incorrectly heard and/or
misinterpreted your communication. This crucial step
will give you more clarity and understanding around the
issue.
9. Now, it's the other person's turn. Listen openly,
attentively and compassionately. Tell him or her what
you think was said.
10. Brainstorm for solutions. Open up to creative ideas
that may not occur to you normally. Be willing to
compromise. Agree on at least one action and/or
implementation you can initiate immediately to resolve
or relieve the tensions around the issue. Give each
other a big hug! And tell how much you appreciated
their input.
Do not be discouraged if the resolution is incomplete at
this time. Reschedule to come back to the issue again or
for however many times it takes to resolve or relieved. At
the end of your "session" you will feel empowered knowing
you have taken vital steps toward having what you want.
Tips For Happier Relationships
First and foremost is the relationship to yourself. How
you think inwardly and outwardly about yourself will reflect
inn your relationships. Many of us have learned to know
ourselves by what we dislike about ourselves. Only when
you're able to accept responsibility for your thoughts will
your life begin to change and move towards what you want.
Above all, practice self-love. Below are some ways to teach
you how to do that:
1. Stop criticizing yourself. It won't change a thing.
Accept yourself as you are. When you approve of
yourself, your changes will be positive.
2. Quit scaring yourself. It's an impossible way to live.
Everytime you have a terrifying thought, replace it with a
pleasant mental image. For example - a bunch of roses,
a waterfall, a peaceful meadow - you get the picture!
3. Be gentle and patient. Give yourself the time you
need to learn new ways of thinking, being and acting. Treat
yourself as if you were someone you really love. If it's
difficult, simply "act as if." Gradually you will catch on.
4. Stop hating yourself. Self-hate is only hating your own
thoughts. When "ugly" thoughts surface, gently change them
(see #2).
5. Give yourself lots of compliments and praise. Praise
builds you up. Criticism drags you down and breaks you down.
Tell yourself how well you've done with even the smallest
little thing.
6. Support yourself! When you need help - get it. It's a
sign of strength to ask for help.
7. Lovingly release negative thoughts, patterns and habits.
You needed them at one time. It was alright to have created
them. But now, you no longer need them. Now, you're
creating new, positive ways to fulfill the same needs.
8. Nurture and care for your body. Learn about exercise
and eating well. Discover what you need to operate
optimally. Then, apply it!
9. Look in the mirror. Look into your eyes and express the
growing sense of love you have for self. Forgive yourself,
talk to your parents, or whoever you want to imagine, while
looking into the mirror. At least once a day, say, "I love
you, I really love you!"
10. Love yourself NOW - don't wait until you lose weight,
have more money, better clothes, a mate, get well, or so on.
You're well worth the investment in time and energy it will
take.
* APPRECIATE each other and yourself! The desire for
appreciation is one of the deepest of all human
cravings. Tell them often with loving words and actions.
However, it is important to not do ALL the giving. Be
sure something comes your way. If you don't you might
wake up one morning and wonder what happened. By then
it will be too late. Let he or she know they're still
attractive to you. Don't stifle the urge to hold hands,
hug or kiss!
* Respect each other's opinions, beliefs, ideas and
desires. Stop thinking you can force them to change.
They'll only resent you for it. Let them do it
themselves. Trust that they have their own resources to
change. Be patient - it may take awhile!
* Grow gracefully with one other. Respect their timing.
It is more than likely different than your own! Grant
them their birthright of individuality. Only they know
what's best for themselves, even if you are sure you do!
* Give lots of encouragement to do what they need to do. If
needed and they want you to, help them to boost their
confidence.
* Put yourself and your spouse, family, partner before
work, money and material things. If you don't, the one
you love may start packing!
* Don't assume anything. And don't expect him or her to be
a mind-reader. Ask for what you want and need!
* No matter how busy you are, take the time to air your
feelings. Holding them in will only create distance and
resentment. Talk it out! You can find the way to work
things out. You are capable and have all the resources
you need!
* Trust each other. If you are unable to trust, search
yourself to learn what is keeping you from doing so. If
unable to discover it on your own, seek professional
help. Without trust, there can be no love.
* There needs to be give and take. You can't have your way
all the time!
* For you "marrieds" - remember in your early days before
you married? You were friends - right? If you find
yourself being more of a mom or a dad to your spouse, or
some other equally as unpleasant role player, stop before
you destroy your love. Do what it takes to reestablish
your friendship. You'll have a lot more fun! Remember,
good friends laugh and cry together, prop each other up
when the chips are down. Friends don't pester or pretend.
They can be themselves when they're with one another.
True friends respect each other's values, beliefs,
feelings and opinions whether or not they agree with
them. They don't have a driving obsession to win by
being "right."
* Real friends display gentleness and compassion when
their friend is down. They cherish and treasure their
friendship above all else. True friends are loyal,
devoted and honest to one another. They support you in
what you want to do (not if you would be placing yourself
in imminent danger, etc, of course). They don't demand
that they do what you think is "right." True friends are
kind and listen with open hearts and ears to what's
hurting to you. They don't pelt you with words of blame,
judgment and criticism. A real friend will love you
unconditionally. So - if you want your friend to stay
around for awhile, accept him or her just as they are.
* Allow for individual strengths and differences. Give
each other space.
* Act as equals. Don't compete or compare.
* Let your spouse or partner know that he/she IS "good
enough" for you. Even more importantly, let YOURSELF
know that you are ENOUGH, exactly the way you are NOW.
* Celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, holidays in your own
specialized ways together. Make up special occasions!
* Be flexible and shift gears if the situation calls for
it.
* Be his helpmate, not his slave. He will respect you much
more when you establish that. And, you'll respect
yourself. Besides, if you're behaving like the guy's
mom, your not going to feel romantically inclined - if
you know what I mean!
* Be one another's lover, friend and confidante. That'll
keep the sparks flying.
* Spend quality time together, playing, laughing, talking
walking, just simply being close. Take a weekend
vacation to somewhere you've never been. You needn't go
far. Stay at a local bed and breakfast or in a
honeymoon cottage. Bring each other a fair share of joy!
* Choose and read a book together. This is very nurturing.
* Write each other love notes. Put them in unusual places.
* Be spontaneous - surprise each other with little gifts
and notes often! Men - do bring us flowers, especially
wildly colored big fat bouquets - we love them.
* Quietly contemplate one another's good qualities. Then
write them down and exchange notes.
* Think before you speak - is is true? Is it kind? Is it
necessary? If not, let it be left unsaid.
* Have beautiful thoughts for they may break into words at
any time!
* Let others know you value your loved one(s). Express
this to your friends, family and fellow community
members.
* Respect one another's silences and need for privacy and
solitude.
* Be proud of each other's accomplishments. Give praise
where praise is due.
* Validate each other's feelings. Tell him or her that you
know that they're not imagining things, and that yes it
is real if he or she is experiencing/feeling it.
* Touch, hold, hug, cuddle a lot!
* Reassure each other when needed and wanted.
* Let one another know when a job was well done.
* Take care of yourself - inside and out!
* Believe in each other and don't keep it a secret.
* LISTEN.
* Be generous with compliments. Do it for no reason.
* Be an interesting and pleasant person to be around.
* Be a wonderful companion.
* Generate love and happiness within yourself and spread
it!
* Inspire yourself and spread that too!
* Above all, relax and do what comes naturally.
What you have just read will bring peace to your heart
and hearth only if you PRACTICE it. Peace begins at home. If
we stop the war within, collectively we could possibly end
all war.
Staying Positive
Getting and keeping a positive focus will greatly
enhance all your relationships. Here a few ways to help you
do that:
* Before you go to sleep at night, tell yourself that
you'll wake up refreshed with a cheerful, positive
outlook. If done with a strong intention, it will work.
* Read positive, uplifting material and literature.
* Get up early, if possible, and do your favorite exercise.
For high stress levels, exercise channels the adrenalin
away from the stomach and cardiovascular system. If you
walk, be extra aware of nature's beauty - this will soothe
frayed nerves. If you look for beauty you will find it,
even downtown.
* Organize and simplify your life. Strike a balance between
work, play and family time.
* Take charge of circumstances in your life and don't let
circumstances control you.
* As much as possible, live peacably with ALL life.
* Learn to respond instead of reacting.
* Relax and recharge yourself at regular intervals during
the day.
* Eat well so that you have the nutrients for balanced
mental and emotional function.
* Be patient and seek wisdom. There are a few people who
have gone further down the path and know more than you
do. Imagine that!
* Listen to happy music.
* Read an inspirational message upon awakening.
* Look at yourself in the mirror and give yourself a 'pep'
talk. If you're taking yourself too seriously, look in
the mirror and laugh. Start with some fake ha ha ha's and
before you know it the real thing will come spilling out.
* CHOOSE to be positive.
* Then, make a conscious effort to be positive. If you
notice yourself thinking negatively, without reprimand,
pivot from there to a positive thought. Gradually the
preferred way will win out. Eventually your whole outlook
will be brighter. It takes practice to get to Carnegie
Hall!
* Focus on what is going well in your life.
* Magnify the positive world events.
* When feeling overwhelmed, tell yourself not to let
momentary frustrations cloud your view. Step back
from your cloud and think about the things you like in
your life. Think of the excitement and adventure that
lies ahead. Better yet, be in the moment and find your
joy there. Then you might find that the challenges were
trivial.
* When you are about to get frustrated, instead of dwelling
on it and amplifying it, immediately put it out of your
mind and focus intently on what is going on around you.
Then you might find that your concerns were quite minimal!
* Act before the fact! Put on a happy face when you are
grouchy. Soon your outward smile will transfer to the
inner.
* Make a list of things that need to be done for necessity,
pleasure, profit and helping others. This will minimize
time for negative thinking.
* Take a country drive. This may give you the alone time
you need to change your perspective to a more positive
one.
* Call a friend, ask for support and encouragement.
* Call a friend, give him or her your love and support.
* Ride your bike.
* Invite a friend to lunch or to a movie.
* Maybe you just need to pull away from the routine.
Unplug - do something that gives you pleasure. Dance
around the house, paint, play piano, whatever it is that
gives you joy.
* If you are busy with all kinds of chores and errands,
relax between tasks with some good belly laughs! Play
with "Comedy" (on the main menu) or watch some comedy
clips on tv or videotape.
* Don't sweat the small stuff. Start smiling at little
disasters. Look on the bright side - find humor in the
exasperating events.
* Sometimes writing down your worries and negative thoughts
can bring you around the bend to positive thinking once
again.
Focusing on the positive is powerful psychological
protection against the effects of chronic stress. Besides,
you'll feel a lot better about yourself when you are
positive. So, how about starting now?
Our Relationship to the Environment
Our relationship to to the environment is equally
important as our relationship to ourselves and others.
Without it, we simply would not exist! Now, more than ever,
we need to be accountable for the way we interact with the
environment on a daily basis. Even the "smallest" individual
act to nurture and support our environment is significant. In
this segment we've included some eye-opening facts and things
that you can do to help.
Here are some carefully researched environmental facts
supplied by John Robbins, author of "Diet for a New America"
and "May All Be Fed."
* Number of people who could be adequately fed using the land
freed if Americans reduce their intake of meat by only 10
percent would be 60 million.
* 20,000 pounds of potatoes can be grown on 1 acre.
* On 1 acre of land, 165 pounds of beef are produced.
* 56 percent of U.S. farmland is devoted to beef production.
* 16 pounds of grain and soybeans are needed to produce 1
pound of meat from feedlot beef.
* The groundwater is contaminated by pesticides* in 38
states. This means that more than half of the American
population's groundwater is fouled, according to the
Environmental Protection Agency.
* The U.S. loses 3 billion tons - plus of topsoil in one
year, according to the Soil Conservation Service. This
means that the loss is 7 times faster than soil is
generated. Whereas organic farming puts more in that it
takes out. Organic farmers build and protect our rich
dowry of soil. Let's support them!
* U.S. topsoil lost to date, 75 percent. U.S. topsoil loss
directly related to livestock raising, 85 percent.
* Number of acres of U.S. forest cleared for cropland to
produce meat-centered diet: 260 million.
* Amount of meat imported to U.S. annually from Central and
South America: 300,000,000 pounds.
* It takes 25 gallons of water to produce a pound of wheat.
* It takes 2500 gallons of water to produce a pound of meat.
* Get a water and money saving, low flow shower head. They
provide an invigorating (especially the special massage
heads) and efficient shower and save nearly 20 gallons of
water each time you shower!
* Also, get water-saving devices for your toilet and
faucets.
* Sweep your garage, driveway and sidewalk rather than
hosing them. Water the lawn and garden in the early
evening so the sun does not evaporate the moisture so
quickly.
* The world's known oil reserves would last 13 years if
every human ate a meat-centered diet. They would last 260
years if humans no longer ate meat.
* 33 percent of all raw materials (base products of
farming, forestry and mining, including fossil fuels)
consumed by the U.S. is devoted to the production of
livestock, while only 2 percent of all raw materials
consumed by the U.S. are needed to produce a complete
vegetarian diet.
* 55 percent of all the antibiotics in the U.S are fed to
livestock.
* In 1960, 13 percent of staphylococci infections were
resistant to penicillin. In 1988, 91 percent were
resistant.
* Fewer than 1 out of every 250,000 slaughtered animals is
tested for toxic chemical residues.
* 99 percent of U.S. mother's milk contains significant
levels of DDT. 8 percent of U.S. vegetarian mother's milk
contains significant levels of DDT.
* Contaminations of breast milk, due to chlorinated
hydrocarbon pesticides in animal products, found in
meat-eating mothers versus non meat-eating mothers is 35
times higher.
* Primary cause of greenhouse effect: Carbon dioxide
emisions from fossil fuels, fossil fuels to produce a
meat-centered versus meat-free: 3 times more.
* Dave Scott, 6 time Ironman Triathlon winner, chooses a
vegetarian diet.
- contributed by John Robbins
* Use water-based paints when possible. If using
enamel-based, buy the non-toxic brands. Also, seal wood
with linseed oil, it is just as effective as chemical
sealants. Whenever you can, purchase environmentally safe
furniture. Avoid particle board, artificial fibers and
pressed wood which is processed with toxic, fume causing
formaldehyde. These can exhaust toxic fumes into your living
space.
* Avoid buying colognes and perfumes with rosewood oil in
them as it comes almost entirely from rainforests. Speak out
to protect our remaining rain and other forests. After all,
we would not be able to breathe! They release precious
oxygen from their pores allowing (along with plants and
algaes) enabling us to live! Write to your local and state
government officials and put pressure on them to stop
destroying our trees! Support ecology groups financially
and/or by planting trees, etc.
Here are some natural ways to control pests while
protecting yourself and the environment from harmful
chemicals. This material was reprinted with permission from
the April, 1990 issue of Delicious! Magazine, a publication
of New Hope Communications in Boulder, Colo. It has been
somewhat paraphrased.
1. Handpick insects from house and garden plants. A strong
water blast from a hose also works.
2. To get rid of ants - squeeze a lemon onto their
entrance and leave the peel. Talcum powder, chalk,
boric acid, bone meal, mint plants and cayenne pepper
will work too.
3. To zap aphids and red spider mites, apply soft soap to
the plants leaves and stems. For fleas in your carpet or
on your dog or cat, use citrus oil.
4. Leave spiders alone. They eat damaging insects.
5. Mix one part molasses to two parts vinegar and place in a
yellow container to trap moths. Cedar chips also do the
job.
6. Hang cloth sacks of black pepper in food bins and storage
areas to repel weevils. Place small piles of boric acid
to get rid of cockroaches.
7. Pyrethrum, which comes from chrysanthemums is effective
against aphids and most insects. Since it's
indiscriminate, spray directly on unwanted pests.
8. Copper sulfate controls mildew and blight.
9. To de-bug houseplants, blend three hot peppers, 1/2 onion
and one clove garlic in water. Boil, then steep for two
days, then strain. This formula won't hurt indoor or
outdoor plants. It can be frozen for future use.
10. Plant these herbs and vegetables to chase away bugs:
dill, pennyroyal, broccoli and radish. Plant these
flowers: Queen Anne's lace, marigolds and poppies
attract bad-bug predators like ladybugs, honeybees and
parasitic wasps.
Editor's note: If you have lots of poison oak and you're
allergic to it, find someone who's not to remove it manually
rather than to spray harmful poisons that may end up in your
body.
Here are some more ways to help the environment:
* Plant a tree and care for it. Trees play a key role in
converting carbon dioxide into oxygen.
* Start seeds in beverage boxes. The large soy, brown rice
and almond milk boxes are best. The small fruit juice
"drink boxes" work well too. Here's how to do it:
1. Open the top of box and rinse thoroughly.
2. Put two holes in the box's bottom and place on saucer.
3. Fill the box three quarters full with soil.
4. Sprinkle a few seeds and cover with one-quarter inch of
soil.
5. Keep in a warm, sunny spot.
6. When your plants have grown to a healthy size, tear away
the drink box and re-plant them in your garden or a large
pot.
Home Recycling
* Americans produce 230 million tons of trash a year (5
pounds a day per person).
* Recycle at home and perhaps organize community and office
recycling programs. Newspaper, glass, plastic, computer
and and office paper, tin, aluminum, motor oil and
batteries are all recyclable.
* Make it a habit to switch off lights, T.V., stereo, oven,
stove burner and anything you're not using.
* Set you air conditioner's thermostat at around 78 in the
summer. Turn down the heat just a few notches when you
are sleeping. Be sure all lights and appliances are off,
too.
* Use fans in conjunction with air conditioning.
* Insulate well, caulk and seal all air leaks in
windows, doors and attics. This can save you up to
hundreds of dollars on your heating and cooling bills.
* Be efficient, use only the electrical power you need.
* An average home uses nearly 10,000 gallons of water a
month. Cut down by turning off faucet while shaving,
brushing teeth, washing hands, in between washing and
rinsing dishes, and by fixing leaky faucets. One drop of
water a second equals 700 gallon a year. That's around 50
gallons of water everyday!
* When doing laundry and dishes - fill the machines full and
use cold water for washing clothes whenever possible.
Remember to use environmentally safe and biodegradeable
soaps to wash and clean with. Editor's note: To find out
about an expansive line of biodegradable cleaning
products, write to: Encover INC, P.O. box 1576, Norwalk,
CT 06852-1576, or phone Trish Silay at 1-800-927-2527,
extension 1053, say "Cleaning Products."
* Clean and re-use food storage bags. You can buy racks
especially designed for this purpose.
* Clean and re-use containers for bulk purchase, beauty
and household cleaners and supplies.
* Properly use and maintain your car to decrease oil and gas
use. By keeping your car tuned, you can help the
environment and save hundreds of dollars a year in gas.
Keep your tires correctly inflated. Cars burn more
gasoline when they are out of tune or the tires are low.
You'll spend a lot less on gas this way!
* Get your car and home air conditioners serviced at
centers who use freon recycling freon equipment.
* Use public transportation or car pool whenever possible
and COMFORTABLE. One gallon of gas produces nearly 20
pounds of carbon dioxide gas. However, you may be
uncomfortable with facing people at 7 in the morning!
Perhaps you use this commuting time to quietly reflect and
would not what to give it up. Refrain from jumping on the
"green bandwagon" just because it's the thing to do. You
are an integral part of the environment, so factor in your
feelings, needs and comfort levels around environmental
issues. Then and only then decide what you are and what
you are not willing to do to help out.
* Avoid non-biodegradable and toxic and harmful products,
such as the aerosols including hair sprays, mousses,
deodorants (choose stick deodorants), pesticides because
they contain ozone destroying chlorofluorocarbons.
Instead, use natural, biodegradable soaps and shampoos,
wear natural fiber clothing, use compost (all peelings,
discarded foods and scraps) and natural, organic
fertilizers and soil amenders on your garden rather than
chemical and artificial ones.
* Ask your recycling center how to dispose of toxic wastes
you might create.
* Do not dump toxic wastes down the drain. This means no
chlorine bleach (use natural cleaners, cleansers and the
new hydrogen peroxide, non-chlorine bleach) in the sink
or toilet. Also no paint, paint removers, etc.*
* Take an inventory of all toxic chemical cleaners in your
home, and dispose of them gradually - replacing with
non-toxic, safe to the environment products. you can
make your own natural cleaners by mixing vinegar, lemon
juice with water or baking soda. To learn more about
using vinegar and baking soda for cleaning, order: Vinegar
Hints (send separately for "Baking Soda Hints") send $1.00
U.S. with a business S.A.S.E. to: Heloise/Vinegar or
Heloise/Baking Soda, P.O. Box 19765, Irvine, CA 92713.
NOTE: Hydrogen peroxide and water will disinfect and
bleach.
Editor's note: For top-of-the-line organic, 100 percent
non-animal tested, non-petroleum derived, environmentally
safe, citrus based cleaning products by 4 THE PLANET, call:
1-800-927-2527 #1053. Please say "4 The Planet," and leave
your name and address ONLY. Our friend Trish Silay will then
mail you some information.
The following is reprinted with permission from the
September, 1992 issue of Delicious! Magazine, publication
of New Hope Communications in Boulder, Coloado:
* Pack mail parcels with popcorn, newspaper, shredded paper
or cardboard instead of styrofoam.
* Light your home and office with compact fluorescent light
bulbs and energy-efficient appliances. full spectrum
lighting is said to be healthier. It also helps with the
wintertime depression which some people who stay indoors
suffer from.
* If financially possible or otherwise feasible, avail
yourself of the abundant alternative power sources such as
solar, wind, water, etc.
* Save your energy and the earth's resources by shopping by
phone first, then pick up your purchase. Also, it works
well to call around to comparison shop and to see if the
store you had in mind has what you want at the best price.
* Choose non-animal tested beauty products. These are
usually marked "cruelty-free".
* Buy eggs in cardboard cartons instead of plastic or
styrofoam.
* Use paper products sparingly - have lots of cloth kitchen
towels and napkins around.
* Use a cloth shopping bag and and recycle disposable
shopping bags.
* Buy fresh unpackaged produce.
* Avoid disposable plates. If you must use throwaway items,
choose paper rather than styrofoam products.
* Avoid irradiated foods.
* When baking, toss a few potatoes or winter squash into the
oven, or cook a pot of rice alongside. You'll save energy
and generate leftovers.
* Buy food, beauty and household products in bulk whenever
possible.
* Collect rainwater for watering plants.
* Start a community garden or your own home-garden.
* Create a neighborhood recycled toy co-op.
* Teach your children environmental responsibility.
* Donate money to an environmental or charity organization
for the friend or family member who has everything. Or
do it for yourself.
* Support recycling projects in your community. Speak up at
town meetings, PTA meetings and social gatherings. Talk
to your neighbors, write to your local newspaper, congress
person, etc. citing the advantages of recycling.
Encourage the purchase of recycled paper in your home,
school, workplace and wherever and whenever you can.
* Join an environmental organization.
* Get some recycling bins. They save space through stacking
and encourage recycling. Easy to use and carry, they're
perfect for curbside pickup or trips to the recycling
center.
* Buy an aluminum can crusher to solve storage problems.
This easily turns cans into small space saving disks.
* Mend and repair clothes and items instead of tossing them.
Here are some other ways young people can make a difference:
* Draw and paint with beeswax crayons and water-based
paints, markers and glue on recycled paper.
* You can save nearly nine gallons of water when you wet
your tooth brush, then turn off the water - then turn it
on again when you need to rinse the brush.
* Use soy inks for printing. They are non-petroleum based
and they don't contain volatile organic compounds which
are toxic to people as well as the environment. Another
reason soy inks are better is because they're derived from
soybeans is because they are a renewable resource -
petroleum is not.
* Take a trash bag to the beach. Fill it, then dispose of
it appropriately.
* Have your mom, dad or someone help you erect a bird house
or just a cat-safe feeding platform for the birds. Put
out some wild bird seed and sit back and watch the show!
You also can tie unsalted peanuts in a shell on yarn
strings and hang them here and there on tree branches.
* Be kind and gentle to animals.
* If you come across a bug on the street or in your house,
pick it up and move it out and/or away from feet. Many
insects help our environment.
* Turn off all lights and electrical things (computer, toys,
etc.) when not in use.
* Before throwing out six-pack rings (the plastic rings that
hold soft drinks, etc. together), snip each circle with
scissors.
* When you buy something small, say no thanks to a bag or
bring a cloth bag with you.
* Tie helium balloons to your wrist because if you let them
go some of them will end up in the ocean where fish and
birds eat them. If your school is going to release
balloons, tell them of the dangers to animals.
* Ask your parents to have a garage sale! You can help by
searching your closets, drawers and the basement for
toys, books or clothes you and your mom and dad longer
want or need. Perhaps you can help with selling the
stuff and get a percentage of the customer's money for
doing it!
- End of material contributed by Delicious! Magazine. We
thank you, Delicious!
For more information on what kids can do to help save the
earth, send for a copy of "Cry Out" - an educational,
entertaining and colorful comic book style booklet produced
by actress and environmentalist, Kristie Alley, with an
introduction by Tom Cruise. Although it is targeted for kids
from six to sixteen, it's also great for big kids!
How do I get my copy (ies)? You can get them by writing to:
WE CRY OUT
P.O. Box 15308
Beverly Hills CA 90290
Or by calling:
(213) WE CRY OUT
NOTE: Do you really want to help? If you answered YES, ask
WE CRY OUT how you can arrange for your school, business,
local government or organization to distribute their booklet
to students, employees and the community.
A Case for Recycling
Manufacturing one ton of paper from waste paper instead of
trees will:
1. Save three cubic yards of landfill space
2. Reduce air pollution by 74 percent
3. Reduce water pollution by 34 percent
4. Use 58 percent less water
5. Consume 64 percent less energy
6. Save 17 trees
7. Create 5 times more jobs
* Use paper towels, toilet paper (best to buy unbleached
paper products), gift wrap, cards, office supplies and
stationery made with recycled paper. Why use recycled
paper? Because it's better for the environment.
The above information was supplied by Earth Care Paper INC -
look to them for your home and office supply recycled paper
needs. Here's their address and phone number:
Earth Care Paper INC
P. O. Box 14140
Madison, Wisconsin
608-223-4000
Healing Ourselves, Healing the World
Here are a few edited excerpts from Ronald S. Miller's
March, 1986 interview with the late Norman Cousins -
reprinted with Howard Frazier's consent (of Promoting
Enduring Peace Incorporated):
The starting point for a better world is the belief that
it is possible. Civilization begins in the imagination. The
wild dream is the first step to reality. It is the
direction-finder by which people locate higher goals and
discern their highest selves. If our purposes are frail, if
our concern for the next generation is uninspired, if the
value we attach to the idea of progress is small, then we'll
bow low before the difficulty. But if we have some feeling
for the gift of life and its uniqueness, if we have
confidence in freedom, growth and the miracle of vital
change, then difficulty loses its power to intimidate.
We must restore optimism and sharpen our inborn instincts
for life, for what is positive and for human fulfillment. We
must turn to the mysterious, self-generating powers of hope,
creative thinking, love, faith and affirmation of life
itself.
We need to harness our positive emotions to a system of
world law, commerce, finance, and governance. Every major
problem in the world today calls for a world response.
Education can help us to become more world responsive. The
great failure of education - not just in the United States
but throughout most of the world as well - is that it has
made people tribe-conscious rather than species-conscious.
It has attached value to the things people do but not to what
people are but not to what people are. Power is heralded but
the preciousness of life is unsung.
Education can help us to move out beyond the narrow and
calcifying confines of the ego, so we can identify ourselves
compassionately with the mainstream of humanity. The highest
expression of humanity, I feel, is not the arts and science,
but the supreme tenderness that people are strong enough to
feel and show toward one another. If our civilization
appears to be in trouble, it's not because we lack the
brainpower to meet its demands, but because our feelings are
being dulled.
What our society needs is a massive and pervasive
experience in resensitization. With this in mind, I think
the first aim in education needs to be to prepare young
people to enable them to develop respect for life. Young
people also need lessons in exploring and refining human
sensitivity; in the naturalness of loving and the
circumstances that enhance or enfeeble it; and in the need to
endow government with the kind of sensitivity that makes life
and all its wondrous possibilities its most insistent
concern.
Our challenge, then, is to recognize that our thoughts,
words and actions along with everyone else's create a
"collective consciousness." (Editor's note: Together, we
have created what is going on in our world today. So - we
need to unite our wills to work for a more harmonious and
healthier collective world vision. Refuse to give up your
individuality for some "higher good" by becoming passive and
nondescript). By accepting our responsibility to this
totality, we in fact experience greater freedom and
self-expression.
By converting the world neighborhood into a community, we
align ourselves with the forces moving us toward greater
growth and development. The ability of a species to chart
its own course - not just in its own generation, but in
history - is perhaps the most significant thing about human
life. I believe that when we steer through our present
difficulties, we'll have an enlarged sense of that underlying
drive. At that point, we'll do more than just concern
ourselves with staying alive. We'll have that capacities and
the collective goodwill to create a culture beyond the
imaginations of our greatest poets.
End of file.