You've Got The Whole World In Your Hands

I was touched by yesterdays Oprah Winfrey Show.I don't usually spend much time watching television, I think most of it is nonsense, but I will occasionally tune into a program or two.
Yesterdays Oprah Show was about how much we all consume and waste in a day. She had two families take a challenge for a week to reduce their carbon footprint on the world. It was shocking and very confronting.
Oprah's office staff used $40,000 worth of paper cups in a year. She's committed to having all of her staff bring their own cup now. It really CAN be that easy if we all help out.
Together we can make a HUGE difference.
Oprah is using her money and influential power wisely. I see her as one of the guardian angels of the universe. She has introduced mainstream America to so many topics that make a difference in all of our lives. Thank-you Oprah, for having the desire to generate more good in the world, for reaching out and making a difference, and for using your time and money generously and wisely.
It seems that most Americans have become spoiled and lazy in the way we treat the planet, and also in the way we treat ourselves and each other.
We take things for granted and have become accustomed to instant gratification with practically everything.
Heaven forbid if the internet speed isn't fast enough or if the coffee you just ordered at Starbucks isn't just right. Instead of appreciating the incredible ways we have evolved with technology and even global consciousness, it appears we have bad habits of looking at what doesn't quite measure up to our expectations. We want more... faster and better.
For this, we pay the price on many levels. Our planet pays a big price.
It's time we ALL take more responsibility for what we contribute to the condition of OUR planet.
It's not just "them" it's ALL of us.
When you live your best life, a conscious life, and take responsibility (or at least admit you have an influence) for creating what you have in your world, then globally you will want to do all you can to insure you leave a better, cleaner planet for future generations.
The best way I've found to have less waste is to eat the way nature intended for us to eat.
What grows on a tree and in the ground...and compost the waste, which feeds the planet.
This has a huge effect ecologically.When you're growing some of your own food and shopping locally at farmers markets, then the fuel and packaging is all eliminated.
The magazine Vibrance (formally Living Nutrition) is packed full of ways to live a simple, natural lifestyle.
Here's a link: http://www.livingnutrition.com/
We don't want to be the rude, sloppy house guests that leave this place trashed and ruined for everyone else do we?
Let's all pitch in and make it better than the way we found it. Show our appreciation and love to the creator. We REALLY are just guests here, we don't own the place you know!
Look at ways YOU can make changes in your daily life, ways that will contribute to a cleaner, healthier planet.

Here are some easy things we can all do to help our climate:

1. Travel light. Walk or bike instead of driving a car. Cars and trucks run on fossil fuels, which release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. In the United States, automobiles produce over 20 percent of total carbon emissions. Walk or bike and you?ll save one pound of carbon for every mile you travel.
2. Teleconference instead of flying. For office meetings, if you can telephone or video conference, you will save time, money, and carbon emissions. Airplanes pump carbon emissions high into the atmosphere, producing 12 percent of transportation sector emissions.
3. See the light. Use compact fluorescent light bulbs. These energy-efficient bulbs help fight climate change because they reduce the amount of fossil fuels that utilities burn. You will save 100 pounds of carbon for each incandescent bulb that you replace with a compact fluorescent, over the life of the bulb.
4. Recycle and use recycled products. Products made from recycled paper, glass, metal and plastic reduce carbon emissions because they use less energy to manufacture than products made from completely new materials. For instance, you?ll save two pounds of carbon for every 20 glass bottles that you recycle. Recycling paper also saves trees and lets them continue to reduce climate change naturally as they remain in the forest, where they remove carbon from the atmosphere.
5. Inflate your tires. If you own a car, it will get better gas mileage when the tires are fully inflated, so it will burn less gas and emit less carbon. Check your automobile monthly to ensure that the tires are fully inflated. Follow this tip and save 300 pounds of carbon dioxide for every 10,000 miles you drive.
6. Plant native trees. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air and use it as their energy source, producing oxygen for us to breathe. A tree in the temperate zone ? found between the tropics and the polar circles?can remove and store 700 to 7,000 pounds of carbon over its lifetime. A tree that shades a house can reduce the energy required to run the air conditioner and save an additional 200 to 2,000 pounds of carbon over its lifetime.
7. Turn down the heat. Heating and air conditioning draw more than half of the energy that a home uses in the United States. Turn down the heat or air conditioning when you leave the house or go to bed. You can easily install a programmable thermostat that can save up money and carbon.
8. Buy renewable energy. Electricity generation produces 40 percent of carbon emissions from the United States. A growing number of utilities generate electricity from renewable energy sources with solar panels, windmills and other technologies. If your utility offers renewable energy, buy it. If not, send them a message asking for clean energy.
9. Act globally, eat locally. If you shop at a supermarket, the food you buy may travel in a plane from the other side of the world, burning fossil fuels the entire trip. Shop at a local farmers? markets and you will find fresh and healthy food, and help save our climate.

Here's a link to a website that explains more about how to contribute:

http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/carbon_footprint/


There's a group of folks at THE COMPACT committed to doing their part.
Check them out at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thecompact/


Today,
I appreciate clean air and water.
I appreciate organic, natural foods.
I appreciate happy, loving people.
I appreciate people that care and make a difference.
I appreciate positive media that reaches people.
I appreciate the experience I'm having on this planet and the knowing that I can make a difference.