Natural and Sustainable

Ahimsa literally means, “the voidance of violence.” Your tax dollars that you pay in each year go to support violence more than you know. And anymore the violence you go to support is quite high on the scale of “things you don’t want to help pay for.” But, your tax paying dollars also go toward a lot of good thing as well, such as, road construction, public schools and assisting the poor, including some $4.4 billion in aid to Africa alone. Our taxes have a negative and positive effect on our world currently, but you can’t know whether the dollars you pay it will go for good or to the bad. But failing to file taxes will lead to jail time, interest, penalties, and tax liens.

Americans overpay the government an average of $1 billion every year, some 11 million people fail to take the Earned income Tax Credit and various education credits. Hire a tax professional (a CPA or and Enrolled Agent) to make sure you are maximizing the deductions available to you.

Do your duty by paying taxes, but be aware of not overpaying. Here are four ideas for making your contributions count in a good way toward the earth:

• Give to charity, engaging in voluntary (rather than involuntary, government-directed) philanthropy.

• Contribute more to your 401 (k) or other tax-deductible retirement accounts, or set one up if you are self-employed.

• Invest, with your tax adviser’s blessing in municipal bonds instead of bank savings, CDs, or table bonds. Many of these securities pay interest that is tax free.

• Avoid giving Congress an interest-free loan. Most people allow their employer to withhold more than they end up owing in taxes, leading to a big refund each April. Instead, work with your payroll department to lower your withholding so that they more closely match the actual amount of tax you will owe come year’s end. (Source: YJ 2008)

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip:
What Counts:

• 1/3 Amount of earth’s natural resources that have been mined, chopped, blown up, or otherwise extracted in the past three decades alone.

• 3 to 5 Number of extra planets we would need if everyone consumed at American rates.

• 5 Percentage of earth’s population living in the U.S. (yet Americans use up to 30 percent of the world’s resources and create 30 percent of the world’s waste.)

• 100,000 Number of synthetic chemicals used in commerce today, many of which wind up in our bodies (human breast milk is the food at the top if the food chain with the highest level of many toxic contaminates.)

• 99 Percentage stuff we harvest, mine, transport or otherwise produce that is trashed within six months (many products are specifically “designed for the dump”).

• 30 Percentage of kids in Congo ho have dropped out of school to mine metals, the majority of which end up in cheap and disposable electronic products bought by Americans.

• 75 Percent of global fisheries that are fishes at, or beyond, capacity.

• 4.5 Pounds of garbage each American makes each day (twice as much as we made 30 years ago).

• 3000 Number of advertisements targets at American consumers each day.(Source: Conscious Choice 2008)

Barack Obama is one of the main contenders for the 2008 presidental elections, and he has been hailed as a motivational speaker much like John F. Kennedy. But, where does he stand on environemtnal issues.

His appeal to the Democratic base is obvious, and has now pushed ahead of Hillary Clinton in the national polling where he has won 11 straight cacus’ and primaries. Obama’s prospects seem to be caught up with to main facts about him: One, he is seeking to become the first African American President and two, that he is very inexperienced. But, does experience make a president? Plenty of observers say this is a one-two punch that will ultimately doom his candidacy for the next presidental slot. This is possible, but there are others who believe that these supposed downfall will prove the Barack Obama has what it takes and will be his ultimate assets.

His environmental views are that the U.S. must take aggressive action now to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. He is a cosponsor of the Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act (S. 309) as well. This important legislation would reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. by 80% in the year 2050. Senator Obama is also an original cosponsor of the Climate Stewardship and Innovation Act , which was introduced by Senators Lieberman and McCain and would mandate 60% reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Even though as the writer behind Natural and Sustainable I vote for the Green Party, I can’t help but wonder where he will take this nation as far as environmental issues are concerned. There are strong points to his fight for office and a few stand out in my mind:

• Reduce mercury and lead to protect community health.
• Protect the Great Lakes & our National Parks and Forests.
• Give Katrina contracts to locals, not to Halliburton.
• Three months working on minority students recycling.
• Voted YES on including oil & gas smokestacks in mercury regulations.

“I spent three months working for a Ralph Nader offshoot up in Harlem, trying to convince the minority students at City College about the importance of recycling. Then a week passing out flyers for an assemblyman’s race in Brooklyn - the candidate lost and I never did get paid.”-Barack Obama (1996)

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: If your state has local recycling programs for aluminum can, glass bottles, and plastic bottles always use this program. Some states even have programs where you get some many cents per container.