Natural and Sustainable

The Harry Potter book series got a lot of negative effects when it first came out in book form in school libraries. A lot of teaching professionals didn’t want the books on the shelf because it seemed to be “witchery” in a sort and teaching kids that magic is okay. With that a lot of parents raved about the series because it was allowing their children to read in ways they never had before.

With all the controversy of the books aside, the movies proved to be great profits of the creators with the five Harry Potter movies being in over $5 billion as of 2007. With that the books have brought in that much more in sales as well.

When a book is published paper is use, of course and with that paper comes trees. Many trees are cut down everyday and what is left behind is deforestation of the trees. The publishers behind The Harry Potter books wanted to put a stop to this and with that came the idea to use recycled paper as well as paper printed on wood that has come from the Forest Stewardship Council forest option.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows can now be found printed on paper that comes from 30 percent post-consume waste fiber and 65 percent of the 16,7000 tons of paper will be certified sustainable by the Forest Stewardship Council. The deluxe edition of the Harry Potter book will be 100 percent post consumer waste paper and made using wind energy. Read more about it here.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Want in on the latest celebrity gossip? Then log onto Ecorazzi. They have the latest and greatest fashion forward and up to date information the green efforts of celebrities from around the world. President Obama is even featured in an article about his green efforts for the United States. Check out the latest in eco gossip on Ecorazzi by click here.

Going green is as easy as simple changes in your everyday life. Here are some ways to go green that you may have no considered.

1. Your Roof: When it comes to your roof options the best way to go green is with a roof that works with your own climate area, such as a tin roof that can help reflect the heat or a roof that will soak in the heat. Do some research for your own are and to learn more about eco options visit Eco Roofs.

2. Your Furnishings: Go vintage like old candelabras and draperies. You can never go wrong with vintage and it also brings forth personality to your home that others might not have.

3. Your Jewelry: Go vintage as well. Anything that is already made is a great way to go green with your accessories. Look to vintage jewelry like the selection sold by Deco Jewels in New York.

4. For Kid’s Toys: Always go organic. Ones made with organic cotton and even clothing for your kid’s dolls made with Unconventional items like reclaimed candy wrappers like the doll dresses or reclaimed bath towels made into stuffed animals. Or look to antique stores for vintage toys or solid wood toys that haven’t been painted.

5. For Animals: Get yourself a few chickens and ducks if where you live allows it. They help cut down on bugs and if you live in an area prone to ticks, they take care of that issue as well, all in a greener fashion.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Do you buy shirts online? Pass the word along to the company you purchase shirts from to change their shipping methods to the HangerPak.

It’s an eco-friendly way to ship and hang your new shirts. Saving the environment is easy, we just have to spread the word.

1. Installing insulated windows to your south-facing home side. This will help bring in more light and help to heat your home in the winter months and keep your home cooler in the summer as well.

2. Install integrated air-filtration systems and use cleaners and polishes for your furniture throughout your homes that are non-toxic to help keep the air within your home toxic-free.

3. Replace all your bulbs around your home with compact fluorescent bulbs as they burn out. They will not only save your money buy will last longer as well. Ask your city council about recycle centers for these bulbs in your area.

4. Seal up all holes and gaps around you home. Air can leak out the smallest of holes and cause you to lose money and energy.

5. If you have a porch or outdoor living area that you use during the summer months, consider installing a retraceable awning or umbrellas over your sitting area. This can expand your living space and create a better area to enjoy the season without having to run your cooling system during these months as well.

6. Install low-flow faucets, showerheads and even low-flow toilets as well. You can save so many gallons of water that is just wasted during their use in your home.

7. Place rain gardens, ponds, birdbaths and even a stream around your home’s landscape if you can. Native and drought resistant plants will thrive without having to bring in non-native plants. Garden organically and use natural fertilizers on the plants and flowers you currently have and on the plants and flowers you bring into your landscape as well.

8. Consider replacing your appliances with more energy efficient models as well.

9. Consider investing in renewable energy options such as solar power, wind, water and geothermal forms. These are all renewable and can end up saving you huge amounts of money and energy lost in your own home.

10. Living close to the places you frequent the most can also save you in the long run as well. You can walk, bike or use public transportation to get to where you are going instead of using your own vehicle.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Community Supported Agriculture is a great way to give back to your community and get the very best in produce and fruits as well as other items. You pay a flat fee for a cut of a farmer’s harvest and the prices may be higher but the quality is 10 times better over all than what you would find in the local supermarket.

Sustaining the earth is more than just your physical being and the changes you make within your daily routine it is also you mental being as well. You can change your mental aspect while at work in a simple process called yoga.

Yoga is used to help reconnect to the present in many situations. It can help to relieve stress as well as help build self esteem within anyone who practices it regularly. Yoga has been a great help in helping me over come many trials in my life presently and it has helped me understand that many things in life may not be fair, but accepting that is the greatest achievement I could make in my own day to day thinking. Stress is one of life’s greatest hills to have to over come, and with that comes added stress from other directions and deadlines as well. Here are ways to help bring peace in your own office and co-workers as well as help you become more sustainable in your own thinking from day to day too.

1. First you need to get a few people and co-workers that are interested in trying yoga at the work place; you don’t need a lot of people to get a small class going. Creating a sign up sheet is the best way. If enough people are interested, your company may help pay for the class. Tell them how important it is to build a more sustainable mental atmosphere within the workplace. Then talk to everyone that is interested and let them know what sort of props, such as mats, they will need to get them started.

2. Next, you need to find a room within your office building that has a door that is closed. If you practice this sustainable office yoga in an open lobby or lunch area this may make many feel insecure and therefore they may not come back or attend the class as often. Finally you need to find someone qualified to teach the class if you are looking to a more official practice. But you can have anyone teach the class that is educated in the art of yoga practice if you are looking for a more relaxed class setting. You can find many people on the internet that are willing to come teach your office yoga class.

3. Next, you will need legal documentation for insurance and other information that you may need in case someone gets hurt. You should talk to your human resources department to make sure the office is covered as far as liability. Also be consistent with the date and time the class should begin. Never skip a class or class time, because you could loose attendees. And above all, have fun. Yoga is there to help you office, not create more stress.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Staying away from conventional dyes, such as red dye #40, can help you keep from over loading your body with toxins. If your favorite food contains conventional dyes, try switching to natural food colors to help achieve about the same color, but in a healthier form. Talk to your local health food store to find which are better for the foods you want to cook or bake.

Many health food stores carry quality eco-products that are ready made and ready to go. There are many stores nation wide that carry quality products and they specialize in eco- and environmentally friendly products as well. It’s always best to find out about the company before finding out about a specific product.

There are many companies out there that say they are “green” but just because a company packages their product in a green container doesn’t mean their product(s) is good for the environment in a green way. Be leery of the term “non toxic” as well. Any company can claim that their product is “nontoxic”, “all-natural”, and even “eco-friendly”,mainly because their are no regulations on the use of these terms on any product. There are however, certain policies that a company should follow. Below is a list of those terms and things to avoid.

1. Their product is bridgeable within days not years.
2. There are no petroleum based ingredients in the list.
3. There is a clear list of ingredients not clear use of words.
4. No artificial fragrances or should be use in a well ventilated room.
5. No warming labels on the products container or anything that is flammable.
6. Avoid “phenol”, “glycol”, or any term ending in “-ene”.

If the products you are currently using contain any of the above, then consider changing them to something more eco-friendly.

Enter theThoughts Unveiled Contest!

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Capture light in a jar during the day and use that light at night to brighten any corner or area within your home. With the Sun Jar you are able to capture the sun during the day and with the help from LEDs, you can use the captured sun that the solar panels gathered in the evening around your home or on your porch. To find out more, please visit the Charles & Marie web page.

• Cell Phone, Remotes, and Some Electronic Toys: Find a site to recycle items with rechargeable batteries at Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation.

• Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs: Go to Earth911 for recycling centers near you.

• Crayon Bits: Make new crayons. Remove the paper from crayons and fill muffin tins halfway that have been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 200°F for about 10-12 minutes. Watch closely because they can burn. Let them cool completely and remove from the muffin pan.

• Plastic bags: Find a local place to recycle the bags at Plastic Bag Recycling. Some retailers such as Wal Mart even take back their own bags for recycling and Wal Mart even gives their employees a piece of the profit in order to encourage customers to return the bags as well.

• Food Scraps: The average family generates 200 pounds of kitchen waste every year. Start a small compost bin in your own back yard and use your scraps to help fertilize your lawn, garden and even your own flowers beds. If you have a veggie garden, it is a neat things for kids to help pick the veggies out of the garden and even take back to the garden the scraps they did not use, such as tomato ends, green bean pods, squash and even cucumber pieces and skin.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Power down your phantom power drainers. The electricity consumed by appliances while not in use accounts for about 5 percent of the home every usage. Plug in all your electrical appliances such as TVs and stereos into a power strip and when you are not using them, flip the switch. Especially if you are going away on vacation or going to bed. Plug you computer into a power strip as well.

Throw a greener party with some simple steps. Most of these ideas won’t cost you any extra dollars and can be found right in your home today.

1. For the Invitations: Make them from paper found around your own house. Construction paper can be made into many different invitation ideas. With a bit of creativity, you can make Any party invitation pop when the recipient receive it. Read more here.

2. For the Gifts: Request that your party goers give you or your child “experience” gifts. These gifts fall under the category of trips or trips where you learn things or experience them first hand and the best part is, they don’t cost any additional money to produce. Such as Zoo pass tickets, movie coupons or even a visit to a science museum. Read more here.

3. For the Decorations: Make your streamers from fabric or towels that are torn or about to be thrown away. Try latex biodegradable balloons over the Mylar balloons that are the typical choice for parties. Read more here.

4. For the Food: Make some cupcakes and top them with some all-natural beeswax candles. Serve fresh vegetables and fresh fruits from a near farmers’ market or from your own garden. Read more here.

5. For the Games: Thinking of games to entertain children, especially younger children can be a challenge. There are many games that most parents over look when planning a party and they keep children interested for as long as you play the game. Games such as obstacle courses, treasure hunts and even balloon races are waste free and keep kids busy. Read more here.

6. For the Favors: Make CDs for kids of their own type of music or give modeling clay made from your own kitchen, wrap in recycled fabric and tied with a recycled ribbon. Read more here.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Only run your washing machine with full loads, skip the rewash setting on the machine and switch from hot water to cold water washing. When you are in the market for a new washer, look for an Energy Star approved model, which in the long run can save you over $50 on your utility bills and over 7,000 gallons of water per year.

• Carry Canvas Bags: If you are stick without a canvas or reusable bag when you are doing your shopping, don’t double bag and recycle the ones you bring home.

• Always Keep and Eye out for Recycled Products: Items made of paper, plastic and even rubber come in recycled containers and products. Look for these over the one time use or first time use products. And look for bulk in these items as well.

• Go Paperless: Pay your bills online and replace your sticky notes with a chalkboard or dry erase boars. You can stop unwanted mail that comes to your box by visiting Catalog Choice. They will help put an end to excess junk mail.

• Recharge Always Before Replacing: Rechargeable batteries save money and the environment in the long run. And if you can go without the batteries in a toy or item, just don’t use them then.

• Go Waste-free for Lunch: Use a reusable lunch pail or box and carry fruits and vegetable in their own carry case *bananas* or in recycled, reusable containers as well. And pass on the plastic utensils and the paper napkins. Use metal and a cloth napkin instead.

• Line Dry it Instead: Line-drying half of your laundry each year and retire your dryer for that same year could prevent about 1,000 pounds of CO2 from entering the atmosphere, save money as well.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Washing your car can waste a lot of water, so can watering your lawn to keep it green. Why not incorporate the two into one task and waste less water over all. Park your car in your lawn where you would normally water that grass and wash away. Be sure and turn off the water though when you are not using it. Use biodegradable, environmentally friendly cleaners and waxes on your car as well when washing, read more here.

Turn your own yard leaves in the fall into fertilizer in the summer. Get started these season with these tips.

1. Gather the fallen leaves from your own yard or contact your municipality to find out where you can get fallen leaves from public pickup. You can even contact your local neighbors that gather and bag their own leaves to see if you can have access to their fallen, gathered leave throw away.

2. Shred the leaves with a lawn mower or a yard mulcher, and pile them up for a couple of months. It’s best to start this task right when the leaves begin to fall so they will have plenty of time to sit. Even leaving the leaves bagged inside of a plastic bag is a great way to get the heat the leaves needs as well. And it’s a bit more neater than the “piling-up” approach.

3. You will need to moisten the leaves regularly, do not soak them down though. They need just enough water to create moisture within themselves or within the bag.

4. Encourage the decomposition faster by adding s nitrogen source. This nitrogen source can be found in grass clippings or even out of your own kitchen with coffee grounds. A ration of about three to one of brown leaves and the nitrogen source will help balance out the necessary decomposition that is needed during the months the leaves sit.

5. Come spring, your homemade fertilizer will be ready for use in your potted plants and even in your garden preparations.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Anything made of metal can be recycled. Even if you do not see a return, always recycle all metal. There are endless possibilities to what metal can be made back into.

“If anyone wants to save the planet, all they have to do is just stop eating meat….it’s staggering when you think about it. Vegetarianism takes care of so many things in one shot; ecology, famine, cruelty.” - Sir Paul McCartney

Eating meat effects not only the animals welfare, but also the environment. Were humans ever supposed to eat meat in the beginning. In the days of the cave men and even when Indians first inhabited the Americas, what if they never eat or used animals for food or for clothing. What if they stuck to the vegetables and the cotton, etc. for survival, how would our current world look today? Here are some ways that eating meat effect the world as a whole.

• Global Warming: According to the recent United Nations report, the meat industry causes more global warming (through emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide) than all the cars, trucks, SUVs, planes and ships in the world combines. Researchers at the University of Chicago determined that switching to a vegan diet is 50 percent more effective than switching from a regular car to a hybrid in reducing your impact on global warming.

• Water Resources: More than half of all the water consumed in the U.S. is used to raise animals for food. A totally vegetarian diet requires 300 gallons of water per day, while a meat-based diet requires more than 4,000 gallons of water per day.

• Pollution: Farmed animals produce about 130 times as much excrement as the entire human population of the United States. According to the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA), the run-off from factory farms pollutes our rivers and lakes more than all other industrial sources combines. Raising animals for food is one of the top tow or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to globally world wide.
(Source: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals)

From this:

To This:

It’s cause for thought, definately….Wouldn’t you agree?

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Stand behind what you believe and stand strong. Nobody else-not your friends, your soul mate, your parents, or even the people who annoy you most, can change your inner sate more than temporarily.

Nothings more sustainable than using what the earth already provides. Leaves and foliage make a great Thanksgiving center piece as well as wall art. Here are some ideas to get you started.

• Enhance an ordinary wooden tray with a scattering of fallen leaves. Cut a piece of colored art paper to fit the inside of a tray. Using pressed, preserved leaves, plan your design, dot each leaf with craft glue and press onto the paper. Place the paper on the bottom of the tray. To protect the design and the leaves from getting broken, place a piece of glass over the top. You can get a piece of glass cut to fit the tray size at any frame shop.

• Graphic leaf patters put a modern spin on the age-old art of framing pressed botanicals. Select frames of your choice. Take the glass out of the frame and trace outline on a piece of card stock. Arrange leaves as you like on the paper, dot each leaf with craft glue and press gently onto the paper. When throughly dry, put the frame back together and replace the glass. For a wreath pattern, draw and cut a circle from a piece of 1/8-inch thick cardboard, using a large bowl or other round shape as a tehmplate. Set a smaller bowl inside the circle and trace. Cut the inside shape out to a make a ring. Brush a thin layer of craft glue on the leaves and overlap them onto each other. Experiment with background papers in nature’s rich palette of earth tones.

• Give packages a woodsy flair by tying them up with twine or raffia topped with leaves. Try a mix of papers in seasonal hues. For gift boxes, wrap each box with paper and tie with twine, leaving enough for a bow. Make a fan of a few pressed, preserved leaves, and punch a hole where the stem meets the leaf. Thread the twine though, knot and trim the ends. For paper bags, punch holes at the bases of a few leaves, thread the twine through and tie. For bottles, cut a length of parchment paper slightly longer than the circumference of the bottle and as wide as the label you’ll be covering. Wrap the apper around the biottle, tie with twine and tuck the leaves underneath.

• Make pillar candles embellished with leaves the highlight of your tabel. Or arrange them on the mantel. Plan the leaf pattern on a flat surface. Brush a thin layer of craft glue onto each leaf and press onto pillar candles of various heights. Arrange the candles on a tray and surround with loose leaves.

• Nothing could be easier, or prettier, than setting a table dressed up for the season. Place leaves in a pattern for each plate, arrange a ring of leaves around the rim or dot the leaves across the plate as desired. Carfully place a glass plate of the same size as the bottom plate on top snadwishing the leaves between the two plates. Try colored glass plates, instead of clear, for an entirely different look.

•Instead of decorating with traditional greens, drape a favorite mirror, mantel or banister with a garland of leaves. Cut a piece of brown twine to desired length (6 feet gives you a good length to work with) and lay straight on a flat surface. Working form one end and using a hot-glue gun, sandwich the twine in between two leaves and secure with a dot of glue. Continue adding “leaf sandwiches” on the twine until the entire length of twine is covered. Vary color and variety of leaves. Secure the garland to a mirror or banister with glue dots. Glue dots are best so they won’t leave a mark when the garland of leaves are removed.

**Need tips on how to entertain a crowd of people? Over at Household Tips, Stephanie gives tips on how to achieve the perfect setting this holiday without going insane. Read her tips here.**

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: If your shelves are overstuffed with books you have already read, check out Book Mooch, it’s a free service that helps you trade books with othes around the globe. You rack up points for each book you give away. Make a wish list and redeem your points when a book you want becomes available. And here’s the cool thing; Book Mooch has a list of charities it works with, so you can donate your points and share the literay wealth with someone in need.

Bright and Colorful Cocktails To Brighten Anyones Summer Day (Or Evening)

Kerasi (cherry in Greek)

2 oz. peach vodka
1 oz. cherry puree (just blend fresh pitted cherries)
1/2 oz. peach liqueur
1/2 oz. cherry brandy
1/2 oz. lemon juice
Sparkling wine, like Cava

Shake all ingredients but the Cava over ice and strain into a flute. Top off with Cava. Garnish with a cherry.
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Orange Splash:

2 oz. Absolut Citron vodka
1 oz. Cointrau or triple sec
Splash of fresh lime juice
Spalsh of orange juice

Pour all ingredients over ice in a shaker or large glass and shake vigorously. Rim a glass with sugar and serve on the rocks. Garnish with an orange slice.
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Watermelon Martini:

3 oz. Katel One Citroen
1 oz. Watermelon Pucker
1/2 oz. Cointreau or triple sec
Splash of lemonade
Splash of 7-Up

Mix all ingredients together over ice, shake, and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a slice of watermelon.
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Strawberry Punch:

3 fresh strawberries
3 slices canned pineapple
1/2 oz. pineapple syrup from the can
1/4 oz. lime juice
1/4 oz. simple syrup (dissolve one part sugar in one part boiling water; let cool)
2 oz. white rum

Muddle fruit. Pour over ices with other ingredients; shake. Garnish with fruit.
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Periodista (journalist)

Juice of 1/2 lime
1 tsp. sugar
Splash of apricot brandy
1/2 cup apricot puree (blend fresh apricots)
Splash of triple sec
1 1/2 oz. Bacardi light run
Twist of lime

Shake all ingredients over ice, then strain into a glass. Garnish with skewered dried apricots and a slice of lime.

If you are having a party or get-together and plan on serving drinks like the ones here, try this easy, crowd pleaser recipe.

Easy Vodka Cream Sauce:
3 cans (28-oz.)crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 cups water
1 pkg. (3.1oz) Ball® Simple Crations Italian Style Marinara Sauce Mix™
2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chpped onion (about 1 small)
1 tbs. minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
1/2 cup vodka
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1. Combine tomatoes, water and content of package in a medium saucepan.
2. Heat to a boil. Cover. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Reserve 2 cups. Set aside.
3. Cool remianing sauce, about 30 minutes. Ladle sauce into clean freezer jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Apply lids. Refrigerate up to three weeks or freeze up to one year.
4. Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until soft, about 3 minutes. Add vodka. Cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
5. Add marinara sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Add cream. Simmer additional 2 minutes. Serve warm over pasta.
Yeild: about 3 cups.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Be conscious of the perfume and sprays you wear. Synthetic fragrances are a leading cause of dermatitis. They also contain preservatives such as phthalates. Opt for more natural fragrances, or make your own. With a little bit of water and essential oils you can produce a unique and original fragrance that no one else has. And it’s healthier for you and the people around you, as well as the Earth.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip:

When 451 Press told me that I was going to be a new writer, I was thrilled. When they told me I was going to be writing for the Natural and Sustainable section, I was so excited to get started that my brain began to over-load with ideas. One of the products I couldn’t wait to tell others about was how sustainable Bamboo is. Being that this title “Natural and Sustainable” falls under anything and everything sustainable, it also touches on anything and everything natural obviously.

That being said, I would like to touch on another topic that I am so passionate about. Organic and natural food choices. Although there are a wide range of products that state that they are natural or organic, are they really? There are so many products made anymore that claim and boost “natural”, “organic” on the label and contain so many man-made, chemical ladden ingredients that not only can and will make you sick, but also harm the environment.

When you are shopping be sure and check the label, it doesn’t matter if the product has been around since you were a child. Read labels and be aware of what you are putting in your body. Some of the ingredients on products that have been around since the early 80s are harsh for your body to take in and attempt to digest. There are candy products that I absolutely will not touch, example? Airheads®, these candy “taffy of sorts” strip of sugar contains so MANY chemicals that should be illegal to manufacture. With their red dye #40, yellow lake, blue lake #10, etc. etc. etc. the bottom line is, this candy sells. Kids loves the taste and some adults do as well. Why? Because the average American doesn’t read labels of the foods they are taking into their bodies.

If the average American adult doesn’t care what they are digesting, what does this say of the average American adult’s child?

If we step up and take a stand against these chemicals that are being added to our foods the demand will go down and so will the products pricing and eventually the products will begin to disappear from shelves in the markets and grocery stores. All who read this blog are thinking the same thing as me. “Yea, right they will disappear, in a dream world, maybe.”

And you’re right, these products will always be around even if they close out one brand they will attempt to sell, mass market, chemical products under a different name, or a different flavor. That’s why all of us “health-conscious” individuals need to begin to read lables. If you can’t pronounce it why are you wanting your body to digest it?

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: We have all heard the saying many times over and over again: The mind is a terrible thing to waste. But, I want to add to that saying: The mind is a terrible thing to waste, so use your mind for saving the Earth and helping mother nature. Think before you do!

Now is a great time to start that composting pile for the winter months. The heat of the summer will be coming to an end in a little over two months so starting that compost now will give you plenty of time to have enough soil to last the winter in your indoor plantings. Here are some products I found to help with the composting efforts.

Bio Bag Composting Systems- A food wate container (Max Air) with biodegradable bags to help with composting of the food. They breath naturally, allowing heat and moisture to escape, or evaporate. The process allows food waste to dry, and reduces the rate of bacterial build-up, which can cause odor.

Sun-Mar 200 Kitchen and Garden Compost Maker- Sun-Mar’s Autoflow system is a barrel dum method that ensures even composting. It’s pest proof and loads easily. It has a turning radius of 90 degrees so the drum turns with little effort.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: For a summertime treat try some organic ice cream and treats. To top that ice cream off give some organic root beer a try. It’s more delicious and better for you than you might think!

Train Your Brain

The brain is always learning new feats and responding to the stimulation it receives. Reenforcing brain function is always a postive thing no matter what age. So here are some techniques to keep the brain in tip, top learning condition.

1. Coaching The Brain: Coaching focuses on building developmental strategies to attain goals in life. When people develope strategies that support working memory and functioning, they start to see sustainable success.

2. Tai Chi For The Brain: tai chi may reintroduce the brain and nervous system of the brain to a state of concentration. Taking at least two 30-minute classes of tai chi a week, or even practicing tai chi at home reduces feelings on anxiety, daydreaming, and hyperactivity.

3. Meurofeedback For The Brain: Neurofeedback has an effect comparable to stimulant medication in helping regulate brain activity. This unique technique uses monitoring equipment to display a visual representation of your brain state. You tend to learn and differentiate between brain wave types, and brain wave activity to increase concentration and focus.

4. Interactive Metronome Therapy For The Brain: A method used to deal with cognitive challenges of the mind. It’s a computer-based program where sensors measure accuracy as you attempt to synchronize hand and feet movements with a beat. This therapy helps develop focus, and helps filter out distractions. It also has been known to improve self monitoring, as well as mental and phsyical actions in a person.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: When buying school supplies this year for your school-age children be sure to consider the products your children are going to be using on an everyday -basis, and especially consider the products some of your school age children with be sticking in their mouths. There are products out on the market that offer natural ingredients and are not only save for the environment but also okay for preschoolers to nibble on and some older kids to bite while taking those tests. Here are some producst to consider:

•See Jane Work

•Romp

•Magic Cabin

•Green Earth Office Supply

•Alex Toys

•Green Line Paper