I dig this gal's outlook and ethos. Wear Nothing New! On Ted.

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Cancelling Catalogs; A gift whose time has come

This entry by Jennifer B. Freeman in the online book "Thoreau's Legacy; American Stories about Global Warming" published by the Union of Concerned Scientists struck me as a wonderfully simple thing to do to enhance the sustainability of your neighborhood. The stats are amazing.

"Just before Thanksgiving, my family gave a holiday present to our New York apartment building. It started with a box in the lobby and a sign offering to cancel any catalogs that were put inside. Our plan was to encourage our neighbors to think a little and help save some trees.
To make a difference in the fight against global warming, you have to work on many levels: change your light bulbs, write to your senator, talk to your neighbor, and walk in the woods to remember what it's all for.
The next day the box began to fill up. Four inches of catalogs, then eight inches. Buried in the stacks we found Post-its bearing notes of gratitude.
At first the calling part was all me. My kids decorated the box, wrote the sign with colored markers, and carried the catalogs upstairs. But making phone calls seemed at first to be a grownup job. By the second week the volume was overwhelming. Catalogs come in an astonishing variety: children's clothing, smoked hams, toys, diamond jewelry, hiking gear.
On a day off from school, one of my sons dared to make a catalog-canceling call, to feel the prankish thrill of phoning a grownup and pretending to be someone else. Leo learned a lot that day: that it's better to talk to a live person, that you can ask for a live person even if the robo-prompt tries to steer you to an automated system, that you don't have to give your phone number just because a grownup asks you to.
That afternoon my older son joined in. The apartment sounded like a call center. "I'd like to be taken off the mailing list please?" "You mean the number in the yellow box?" "The first name is Caroline, C-a-r-o-l-i …"
That day the members of our household canceled eighty-five catalogs on behalf of the neighbors. The project cost time and effort; each of us sacrificed. In short, it brought the true spirit of giving into our home. A slippery heap of canceled catalogs on the floor was tribute to our labors.
Every year, 19 billion catalogs are mailed in America. Catalogs use 3.6 million tons of paper, for which 53 million trees are cut down. Producing catalogs causes the release of 5.2 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere (equal to about 2 million cars on the road) and uses 53 billion gallons of water. People should be able to receive the catalogs they want, but they should cancel the ones they don't want. According to industry statistics, about 98 percent of catalogs go straight into the recycling bin or the landfill.
Doing favors for the planet is good for your soul. Perhaps that's why our family continued to get notes like this one, from a friend for whom we canceled fifty-nine catalogs in a week. She said "I feel clean, purged, and righteous."- Jennifer B. Freeman

10 minutes of darkness

APAGÓN MUNDIAL EL 17 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 2008

ESTE APAGÓN SERÁ DE 21:50 A 22:00, A LA MISMA HORA LOCAL DE CADA PAÍS EN TODO EL MUNDO.
On Wendesday, September 17, 2008, I invite people around the world to turn off their lights for ten minutes – from 9:50pm to 10:00pm in their local time zone.

England:
Darkness world: On September 17, 2008 from 21:50 to 22:00 hours.
Proposes to turn off all lights and if possible all electrical appliances, so our planet can 'breathe'.
if many take part, energy saving can be massive.
Only 10 minutes, and see what happens.
Yes, we are 10 minutes in the dark, we light a candle and simply
watch it, breathe with our planet.
Remember that unity is strength and the Internet can be very useful in creating a worldwide impact.

Spread the word, if you have friends who live in other countries send this message to them. Set your mobile phone calender alarms to remind you. xx

Castellano:
Oscuridad mundial: En Septiembre 17, 2008 desde las 21:50 a las 22:00 horas.
Se propone apagar todas las luces y si es posible todos los aparatos eléctricos, para que nuestro planeta pueda "respirar".
Si la respuesta es masiva, la energía que se ahorra puede ser brutal.
Solo 10 minutos y vea que pasa.
Si estamos 10 minutos en la oscuridad, prendamos una vela y simplemente la miramos y nosotros estaremos respirando y nuestro planeta.
Recuerde que la unión hace la fuerza y el Internet puede tener mucho poder y puede ser aun algo más grande.

Pase la noticia, si usted tiene amigos que viven en otros países envíeselo a ellos.




Chino:
黑暗的世界：對2008年9月17日從21時50分至22:00 。
這是建議關掉所有電燈及可能的話，所有電器，使我們的星球可以"呼吸" 。
如果答案是大規模，節能，可殘酷的。
只有10分鐘，並看看會發生什麼情況。
如果我們10分鐘，在黑暗中，成衣蠟燭和簡單的外觀和我們將呼吸和我們的星球。
記得當時的聯盟是實力和在互聯網上可以有很大的權力和，甚至可以更大一些。
通過新聞.



Portugués:
Escuridão mundial: No dia 17 de Setembro de 2008 das 21:50 às 22:00 horas
propõe-se apagar todas as luzes e se possível todos os aparelhos eléctricos, para o nosso planeta poder 'respirar'.
Se a resposta for massiva, a poupança energética pode ser brutal.
Só 10 minutos, para ver o que acontece.
Sim, estaremos 10 minutos às escuras, podemos acender uma vela e simplesmente
ficar a olhar para ela, estaremos a respirar nós e o planeta.
Lembrem-se que a união faz a força e a Internet pode ter muito poder e podemos
mesmo fazer algo em grande.

Passa a notícia, se tiveres amigos a viver noutros países envia-lhes.




Árabe:
ظلام العالم : على 17 سبتمبر 2008 من الساعة 21:50 الى 22:00
ويقترح حذف جميع الانوار واذا امكن جميع الاجهزه الكهرباءيه ، ويمكن لكوكبنا 'تنفس'.

اذا كان الجواب هاءله ، ويمكن الاقتصاد في استهلاك الطاقة وحشية.
خلال 10 دقائق فقط ، ونرى ما سيحصل.
نعم ، نحن على 10 دقائق في الظلام ، ونحن على ضوء شمعة وببساطة
ان النظر اليها ، ونحن نتنفس وكوكبنا.
نتذكر ان الاتحاد هو القوام وشبكة الانترنت يمكن ان تكون بالغة القوة ويمكن
حتى تفعل شيئا كبيرا.
التحركات الاخبار .



Francés:
Darkness monde: Le 17 Septembre 2008 de 21:50 à 22:00 heures
Propose de supprimer toutes les lumières et, si possible, tous les appareils électriques, à notre planète peut 'respirer'.
Si la réponse est massive, les économies d'énergie peuvent être brutales.
Seulement 10 minutes, et de voir ce qui se passe.
Oui, nous sommes 10 minutes dans le noir, on allume une bougie et simplement
Être regarder, que nous respirons et de notre planète.
N'oubliez pas que l'union fait la force et l'Internet peuvent être très électricité et peut

Même faire quelque chose de grand.
Déplace l'actualité.




Griego:
Σκοταδι κοσµο: Στις 17 Σεπ του 2008 απο 21:50 εως 22:00 ωρες
Προτεινει να διαγραψει ολα τα φωτα και αν ειναι δυνατον, ολες τις ηλεκτρικες συσκευες, να πλανητη µας µπορει να «αναπνεει».
Εαν η απαντηση ειναι µαζικη, η εξοικονοµηση ενεργειας µπορει να ειναι κτηνωδης.
Μονο 10 λεπτα, και να δουµε τι συµßαινει.
Ναι, ειµαστε 10 λεπτα στο σκοταδι, θα αναψει ενα κερι και απλα
Να εξεταζουµε, που αναπνεουµε και τον πλανητη µας.
Θυµηθειτε οτι η ενωση ειναι η δυναµη και το Internet µπορει να ειναι πολυ δυναµη και µπορουν να
Ακοµη κανουµε κατι µεγαλο.

Μετακινησεις την ειδηση, αν εχετε φιλους να ζουν σε αλλες χωρες να στειλουν τους και τους.




Alemán:
Darkness Welt: Am 17 September 2008 von 21:50 bis 22:00 Uhr
Schlägt vor, alle Lichter zu löschen und, wenn möglich, alle elektrischen Geräte, die unseren Planeten kann 'atmen'.
Wenn die Antwort ist derb, Energieeinsparung kann brutal.
Nur 10 Minuten, und sehen Sie, was passiert.
Ja, wir sind 10 Minuten im Dunkeln, wir Licht einer Kerze und einfach
Sei es bei der Suche, die wir atmen, und unseres Planeten.
Denken Sie daran, dass die Gewerkschaft ist Stärke und das Internet kann sehr Macht und können
Selbst etwas tun groß.

Verschiebt den Nachrichten.





Ruso:
Ночь на Земле: 17 сентября 2008 года с 21:50 до 22:00 часов отключите все огни, и, по возможности, все электроприборы, чтобы наша планета могла спокойно 'подышать' хоть 10 минут.
В случае массового участия, этот проект приведет к огромному сбередению энергии по всему земному шару. Всего только 10 минут, и вы увидите как важен будет результат.
За эти 10 минут можно просто посидеть в темноте, зажечь свечу и посидеть при ее свете. А за это время наша планета успеет спокойно отдышаться.
Помните, что совместное действие - это мощь, а Интернет - это великая сила, вместе мы можем добиться очень многого.

Сообщи о нас другим!!!





Holandés:
Darkness wereld: Op 17 September 2008 van 21:50 tot 22:00 uur
Stelt voor om alle lichten en zo mogelijk alle elektrische apparaten, om onze planeet kan 'ademen'.
Indien het antwoord is enorm, de energiebesparing kan worden wreder.
Slechts 10 minuten, en zie wat er gebeurt.
Ja, we zijn 10 minuten in het donker, we licht van een kaars en gewoon
Wordt kijken, we inademen en onze planeet.
Vergeet niet dat de unie is kracht en het internet kan zeer macht en kan
Zelfs iets te groot.


Vertrokken het nieuws.

Is being green so hard?-By Robb

Over on celsias.com there a thread starting up about the difficulties of "Being Green"
It includes some good points and worth a read. I don't mean to deny that change isn't difficult but I think it needs to be put in context. The degree of change we, in the developed world, need to make are actually pretty minor compared to the level of change demanded of those on the front lines of climate change. I wonder, what do the citizens of Tuvalu think? Here is my post on the topic.

What's so hard about living an intentional life? For me it's simple, "being green" is about using less of anything produced with fossil fuels, being more self sufficient in as many ways possible, and helping others to do the same. It's the difference between being a citizen and being a consumer.

There is a well known mantra I try to live by at all times and I don't find it a hardship, REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE, with heavy emphasis on REDUCE.

"Being green" appears much less difficult than being an environmental refugee, starving to death, or drowning, all increasingly likely outcomes for billions of people, even those of us in the developed world, if we continue to consume fossil fuels.

Any action that reduces use of fossil fuel matters, the more the reduction, the more it matters.

For the citizens on the move in India due to the recent unprecedented flooding, those that didn't drown, a massive and immediate lifestyle change is required now. Right Now! No choice in the matter, no pondering how difficult it is, to survive it must be done.

We here in the developed world have the luxury of a continuum of change. It generally isn't forced upon us by calamity, though the citizens of the ninth ward in New Orleans might disagree. For instance, I personally have reduced my flying by over 60% per year in the last two years as I have come to understand it's impacts. Next winter's visit home I hope to be the last time I ever step foot on an airplane. After that I will travel by sea. It took effort, a bit of soul searching, some compromise with my family, and perhaps has been the most "difficult" aspect of my personal continuum of change. I know many people that have already sworn off flying for good, one man I know has not flown in 18 years. Not driving more than once every 2 weeks, not eating fast food more than once a month, not leaving devices on standby, drastically cutting meat eating while drastically increasing my consumption of organic food, changing all my lightbulbs to CFL's, buying only used clothing, growing as much of my own food as possible, staying out of debt to maintain flexibility, the list of actions grows and all are on some sort of continuum.

This is the luxury I have, this is to some extent the luxury I have created. Guilt comes from not doing these things, frustration is eased by understanding that the continuum is a necessary part of transition, and enthusiasm is not "dead of a thousand cuts" rather it flourishes on the life giving blood of a thousand efforts.

We have less than 10 years to get our emissions under control, do we have the luxury of the easy?

Toilet Paper and Carbon Sequestration? - by Robb

We’ve just returned from 2 weeks on the Coast Path in Cornwall. When we backpack we tend to get a bit obsessive about the weight we carry. We both carry a book to read and my practice is to tear out the pages of mine as I finish them and either use them as fire starter or toilet paper. Saves weight, saves resources, and is a sure fire carbon sequestration technology. How so?
First lets look under the seat at toilet paper. The following quote is from the Sustainable Concepts Newsletter http://www.designforward.net


“Toilet paper, that ubiquitous and apparently indispensable component of modern life, is often manufactured by cutting down the world's forests. In Canada, clear-cut logging claims half a million acres of Ontario and Alberta's boreal forests each year with much of the destruction earmarked for virgin paper tissue products. Similar activity is taking place in the Southeastern U.S. Recently, Greenpeace and the Natural Resources Defense Council have started campaigns to educate the public on the environmental impacts of using these kinds of products.

The good news is that all of this industrial pressure for tissue products can be avoided simply by using recycled paper toilet tissue. In fact, if every household in the U.S. replaced just 1 roll of virgin toilet paper with just 1 recycled roll 424,000 trees would be saved!”

Article & Picture © GreenLine Paper
More Info at Kleercut... http://www.kleercut.net/en/

So what is the link to carbon sequestration? While all the business as usual folks go on about clean coal and developing carbon sequestration technology we are literally flushing away the most effective carbon sequestration technology there is, trees.
So please use toilet paper made from recycled content or even better don’t buy it at all, use recycled newspaper or old books and either put it in the bin, burn it in your woodstove, or throw it in your composting toilet. I can’t think of anything better to do with all those old Michael Crichton novels.