Round II

As per popular demand, we have started a second fundraising webpage for the Sadhana Forest Project in Kenya.  We reached our initial goal of 10,000 USD, this is enough money for bare minimum set up in Kenya, we have a much larger goal for our 2 year plus perspective, and we are taking it one step at a time.

http://sadhanaforest.org/en/sustain/

It was interesting because I had started to think that we had done the most that we could with our last fundraiser online and that we had pretty much drained our resources.
So this second time around, I hadn't put as much effort into getting the message out there.

One of my friends in India sent me a message on facebook (Im in Utah at the moment)
and asked me how the fundraising was going, I told her that we had raised a significant amount and a second attempt had been started.

She asked how she could help.  It's funny how such small words can have such a huge impact!  Her willingness and enthusiasm re-ignited my own willingness and enthusiasm.  She had some ideas for alternative fundraising and she offered to put together a cafe sewa in Hyderabad to raise some money.

I couldn't believe it, I was blown away by her generousity and enthusiasm.  So I also started to get to work and started posting more information online about the second fundraising effort.  This time our goal is 5,000 USD and if we happen to not make our goal, all money will be refunded to the original investors.

So far it's been pretty slow.  But it's coming, with your help and everybody working together making the world a greener place, it will happen :)

For those who may not have been following my posts, I have a lot written about Sadhana Forest in my previous blogs, you can check out
http://permacultureabroad.blogspot.com/2012/12/article-for-sadhana-forest-kenya.html
and
http://permacultureabroad.blogspot.com/2012/12/100-reasons-to-support-kenya-project.html

All the best!

Thank you!!
Esther

UPDATE::: I've updated the links (since the sites that we were originally promoting the project on is no longer) (as of April 2014):::: http://sadhanaforest.org/en/sustain/

PROJECT UPDATE HERE::: http://sadhanaforest.org/en/sadhana-forest-kenya-begins/

Food Handlers Permit - understanding the underlying unsustainability

It was interesting to me, 3 days ago I recieved a food handlers permit.  The most basic permit you can probably attain in the states.  It was a very simple test, I recieved 100%.  I could credit that to the fact that my dad is a health food inspector, and always used to talk about food safety to me and my brothers growing up. 

The food handlers permit, gives allowance to those wishing to work in a restaurant or cafe to prepare food and or serve food.  Since I recently have gotten hired on with a yoga studio with a kitchen, I decided to get my food handlers permit.  I have started to help the studio create healthy recipes for the menu.  So far it's been a lot of fun!

Something interesting about the food handlers permit training is it pretty much all has to do with having a kitchen with meat and animal products on it.  Some of the regulations:

-Any animal product left out for atleast 4 hours must be thrown away.
-Any animal product not cooled down from 130 degrees to 70 degrees in 2 hours, and further cooled from 70 to 40 at maximum of 4 hours, must be thrown away.
-All animal product foods must be either kept above 130 degrees while being served - buffet style, or below 40 - refridgeration. 
-Every time a different task in the kitchen is taken up, one has to throw away the plastic gloves, wash hands and put on a new pair of plastic gloves - to prevent cross contamination.
- All counter spaces must be sterilized between operations.  Separate cutting boards must be used for vegetables and meat. 
-Sterilization either means by temperature or by chemicals.  (eek) 


I really started thinking about all of this.  Why are we the only supposedly "meat eaters" who actually can't tolerate the germs associated with meat.  Why is that we can only eat certain parts of the meat - only after heavily processing them (cooking, marinating, pickling, drenched in sauces, herbs, oils, vegetables, etc) and without cross contamination at any level.  If we accidently leave it at room temperature for longer than a few hours, it renders it unsafe and deadly for us to eat.

Now, think about how long it takes us to digest food.  Not to get graphic, but they say a typical digestion process can take up to 24 hours.  Now if meat goes bad at room temperature - and our bodies are roughly room temperature.  And if that meat is in our gut, for more than 4 hours, well that meat has technically gone bad.  What kind of health effects happen from that?

Maybe chronic illness?

Who knows. 

Why is it that other carnivores, can let the carcass sit for days before they decide to consume it - dogs bury bones, cats leave prey for a few days so the meat can rot a bit to make the bones separate easier from the flesh.  Why is it so easy for them to eat an entire animal on the spot, guts, bones and all?

Why are our teeth flat edged?  Why are our mouths so small, our intestines healthier when they in an basic environment, as opposed to acidic. 

Ps.  All carnivores have acidic digestive processes, this is why they easily eat rotting meat, with no health ailments.  Their digestive tracts are short, so it takes hardly any time fo the meat to quickly pass through the system.

As opposed to our bodies, if we eat too much meat we become constipated.  Actually more accurately speaking, if we eat too much protein we become constipated.  Now our society has become so accustomed to this constipation, no one realizes that there is a serious problem happening in their guts every day.

Nutritional experts say that we optimally should be visiting the toilet after every meal. 

Why is it that we enjoy eating throughout the day.  When carnivores can usually have a big meal every few days and be fine in between. 

What other kinds of animals like to graze throughout the day?

Anyway.

My whole point was, it would be nice to step back a bit.  Really look at what we are doing, and the destruction being made because of our lifestyles.

Because we have chosen to eat meat, we have made our restaurant industries take up unsustainable practices on a regular and exceeding problematic level in order to meet our demands.
 This shows in their energy consumption - making sure foods are kept at certain temperatures so they don't make people fall ill.  When vegetable foods (excluding oils - which are exceedingly unnatural and unhealthy) don't make people become ill even when they are consumed a little overripe.  In fact - we love vegies and other plant foods which have 'gone bad' - pickles, sauerkraut, beer, wine, vinegar, etc.  And before industries took them over, they were great for our health!  They are full of vitamin B12 and other wonderful nutrients for our digestive systems. 

We use an exorbitant amount of chemicals to clean tables and floors.  We use excess water to wash and rewash dishes and hands after touching 'contaminating' products.

Does this seem a little funny?

At the same time we are experiencing one of the worst health epidemics of our time.  Cancer, heart disease and other serious 'uncurable' ailments are plaguing us!  Who else experiences these kinds of illnesses and why?

Well other herbivorous animals eating meat.

Milk, and egg - act as meat in our bodies.
How does a meat cookie sound?  Great huh... ?  Well that is what we basically ingesting every time we eat them.  Most storebought cookies have milk and egg as the main ingredient.  In other words, meat. 

I am not completely denying that these foods can serve us in one way or another.  To someone who is absolutely starving or someone who only has access to refined foods, these products may save lives.  I am not doubting that.  But we are eating these foods 3x plus a day.  This is not healthy.  This is why both paleo and vegan diets create huge health shifts in people.

However, both diets can lead to traps.  Paleo - being consuming too much animal protein and vegan being consuming too many refined foods. 

The reason both diets have had such wonderful healing and success rates is that if they are done correct, they eliminate refined foods, refined oils and add plenty of vegetables and fruits to the diet.  Which in the end, its the addition of all of the extra plant foods which helps protect the body against cancer and other diseases.

But, be aware if you are already suffering from a degenerative disease, meat and other animal by-products will only fuel the fire. 

I do believe that someone can probably be healthy consuming animal products at most 1 or 2 times a week.  However, I believe that same person will be much healthier if they take them out.

Personally, I don't have an issue with people eating whatever they want to eat.  But my passion in life, is living my truth.  And what I have found beneficial for me is being an herbivore.  I personally love it.  My bones are strong, my mind is clear, my energy levels are great, my joints are fine, I have no complaints. 

I love supporting local organic farmers, I love seeing people around me starting off on plant based diets getting well.  I love supporting a world where no animal suffering is caused - including animal suffering on non-factory farmed animal raised on pasture.  In the end of that animals life - it still experiences pain and it will still experience suffering. 

I love animals.  I grew up on a farm, and I spent much of my free time with chickens and goats.  I used to train the chickens to do tricks and I loved getting to know all of their unique personalities.  No two animals are alike, and until you have lived among them and spent every day with them, you may never get the chance to learn them.  And even if you do work with animals, yet they are confined to unnatural places, you will still never know them, because they won't be able to fully express themselves, and they often develop psychological disorders due to the confinement.  Just like we do. 

Even if you have a so called 'organic grass fed cow pasture', or some other animal.  You are still taking that much land away from indigenous species.  You will still be inclined to shoot wildlife who threaten your livestock.  You will have to manage your pastures meticulously to make sure your cows or animals are getting the nutrients they need.  In the wild, these animals eat a variety of grasses and travel.  It's not natural for them to be in one place for the rest of their lives.  It's not fair. 

I have a beautiful choice to live without consuming these products.  As far as I am concerned these products are created because it's what we are used to.  It's basically for 'texture'.  Who eats plain meat without any kind of condiment?  Who eats boiled chicken?  Who smells rotting flesh and suddenly becomes hungry?  What smells good when we cook something?  It is the vegetables, the herbs the condiments - made from plant foods..

Who enjoys the smell of rotten milk?  No one.

I love having the choice to live off of plants.  Today we live in  world where it's completely possible to do, even in the winter. 

I love that opportunity.

It's a gift.

Interconnecting the Globe.. Really

As I was writing about the eco-friendly careers, I wrote a section on translators/anthropologists.   At first glance it doesn't seem like they really have anything to do with greening the world, but I think they play a very important role.  And it doesn't have to be people who have actually studied some odd number of years and have PHD's.  Basically it's about getting out there, living amongst a people who you never would have dreamed to live amongst before.  Learning a language and spending time in a place with a culture completely different from your own. 

All of our stuff is completely interconnected, not to mention a few common foods routinely shipped from respective parts of the world to every other part of the world.  We've connected ourselves through transportation, tourism, computers, STUFF, food.  The one last thing we haven't seemed to manage is understanding.  Understanding what it is like to be living in a place other than where you actually live.  Understanding the real issues behind the scenes of all of the items we routinely buy from the store without even thinking twice about what is inside of them and what kind of destruction happens half way around the world due to this product's production or extraction. 

Of course, maybe environmental pollution or destruction may seem small to some, compared to much scarier things in the world like war, and the atrocities which go along with it.  But actually, it's really all connected.  In the end, it's a lack of understanding, what it means to be in someone else's situation.  I know this is quite oversaid.. but at the looks of things, it still hasn't been said enough.  Those who have the ability to ship off the pollutants to some other country, haven't connected that country as a part of their own world.  That same person who chooses to fight against that other country for some reason or another, hasn't connected that country as connected to their own world in any way.  In reality, it all comes back to haunt us.  That division between countries is completely made up.  It's completely non-existent.  The more we can learn about it's non-existence.. the more we can actually live in harmony.. together. 

The more we can get out of our comfort zone, or the more we can volunteer for a great cause either in our town or half way across the world and the more we can take the time and effort to be interested in other cultures and ways of the living, the better off we will all be.

After all, it's not my country against yours.  It's not one person's wealth against anothers.  It's one world.  One people.  Our problem is your problem and vice versa.  Pollution has made it's way to all of the corners of the earth.  Over fishing has negatively affected all sorts of remote wildlife.  Filthy waters have found their way to places, people haven't even had the chance to explore.  Your forest helps our air quality, and your lack of forest debilitates every individual on earth's ability to breathe, period.  The same holds true with any other forest or lack of forest throughout the world, we all benefit from forests on earth, and we all suffer in their disappearance, no matter where they are.  It's all the same. 

We can't continue to think of a "globalized world", of course it is, but the meaning of these words are completely diluted of an essence which we ought to be grasping for.  the word currently has both negative and positive connotations depending on where you are from and what your values are.  The meaning I get from these words, is somewhat negative, a watering down of tradition while taking on a culture of waste and a lack of understanding. 

Not to say that it is all bad.  Bad doesn't come alone, no matter how dire a situation, there will always be some glimmer of light.  The beautiful thing about this world is the persistence of people.  The persistance of people in trying to get it right, not giving up, and continually facing their fears, hopes and dreams.  Re-thinking systems and societies to be more fair and as safe as possible.  I just believe that if we are going to be globalized, it can't be without understanding.  Many may not have access to teachings of the value of local foods and not letting go of culture and language, but for those of us who have seen the impact of processed and industrialized foods and goods on a society, we can at least know to choose healthier options for ourselves and our planet, by avoiding these "goods". 

And maybe many of these eco-costly products we are already addicted to.  Which sucks.  But the more we can learn about the effects of our actions not only in our 'own' country but in all of the other countries that our addiction affects the easier it will be for us to make healthier decisions, for our own sake and our world's.  For example it's possible for us to learn about the effects of these industries in the places that aren't near us, to get out of a comfort zone and volunteer across the globe to be involved with issues we perhaps would have still been contributing to, had we not gone out and seen for ourselves the effects.   We have this amazing opportunity to learn languages not our own, and the more we dedicate our time to doing so the more likely we will to visit the places where they are spoken, and the more likely our world view will open up.  And we will feel more connected.  The more connected we feel, the less likely we will to designate a difference between,' my problems' and 'your problems'. 

There it is, another dream.

I pray that we all continue to learn from another, and we never stop expanding our borders and our hearts to include everything that happens in our world.  I pray that one day we will not only consider the effects of all people and places in every decision we make (especially purchases) but also animals, plants and the general health of soils and water as well.  How do the decisions we make effect everything which surrounds us?  How do those things come back to haunt us? And how we can most effectively change so we do as minimal damage as possible? 

More than seeking for solutions which have minimal damage, we need solutions which have positive inputs for our surroundings.

I think it's possible.

We just have to think bigger, expand our borders, expand our hearts.

Amazing upcycling company

http://www.terracycle.com/en-US/

Check this out, this is incredible.  They collect all sorts of otherwise waste material and turn it into everyday household, garden, or other personal items.

For every 1 item you send them, they give you 1 cent to donate to the charity of your choice!  They have raised almost 5 million dollars just for charity.

They sell their items at everyday convenient stores.

Amazing.

Looking for internships, careers or a job?  They have a pretty good list of available options to be employed with them.  

Dam Removal Article

This is incredible, definitely my favorite kind of a story.  Restoring the natural river back :)

http://eartheasy.com/blog/2012/05/largest-dam-removal-project-in-us-history-nears-completion/

Most Eco-friendly Careers

This list may not be as comprehensive as it could be.. so feel free to add a comment and continue on..

Land Based Careers:

1. Wild Food Forager-

That is, as long as you are leaving enough of the product behind that its able to still reproduce and keep at the same numbers that it has always been, or even better that its population is able to grow even while you are collecting whatever you are collecting. 

This is local, it requires you to use your observation skills, you are obtaining nutritionaly superior foods, above anything in the grocery store, you are adding to people's knowledge of local wild foods, to their health and attracting interest to conservation of local wilderness.  Great job! 

2. Vegan, Chemical free Farmer -
You are an amazing example to the world that it is possible.  You are free of toxic residue on your plants and in your soils.  You are off the hook from being blamed for degraded water quality.  In fact your site serves as a water purifier with all of your green plants and organic compost piles.  You are not contributing to animal suffering, hopefully you are using as many wild local plant varieties as possible, to reduce your need to interfere too much with the process.  You are supporting your local community by giving them excellent non contaminated food options, teaching them the importance of local, organic, toxic free food! 

3. Sustainable Land Designer-
Permaculture consultants, Eco-village creators, Green City Designers, etc.  These careers, help everyone become more aware of the land that they are using and how to best incorporate wild life aspects into their development.  How can we spend less money, work with nature, use less energy, be more connected, have a better community, etc.  What are the ways in which we can integrate with our surroundings in a more peaceful way! 

4.Professional Tree Planter-
You may or may not be able to be paid for this one, unless you make a NGO or you are involved in planting trees for people's excess carbon points.  There are places in the world, who will provide you food and shelter (this would be for long term volunteers > 1 year) for merely planting trees and helping in water conservation work. 
http://sadhanaforest.org/wp/volunteers/

5. Ecological Restoration-
There is amazing work being done in this field at the moment, Paul Stamets has written an incredible book, "Mycelium Running"  He hosts workshops worldwide on mushroom cultivation and how to remediate toxic soils with these methods.  Recently he has gained a lot of recognition from the government as well as a variety of Universities.  Check out his work:
http://www.fungi.com/blog/items/fungi-perfecti-brings-mycorestoration-to-south-africa.html

http://www.fungi.com/blog/items/mycofiltration-for-urban-storm-water-treatment-receives-epa-research-and-development-funding.html

Healers and Teachers

6..  Energy Healer -
The great thing about this, is that absolutely no medicine, or lengthy scary treatment is needed for this!  Everyone feels more relaxed and at ease because of it, and nothing has been injected, no scary side effects and no contaminents contributed to the water supply.. awesome!

7. Nutritional Health Coach-
Teaching people the miracles of food!  How wonderful, showing them it's possible to reverse multiple disorders from food alone!  Teaching them the wonders of plant based foods, and vegetable juices! 

8. Chiropractors - 
Are probably one of the most sustainable doctors around, they are actually trained more in nutrition and anatomy than your family physician!  Simple adjustments can go a long way and can reduce significantly your need for medicine! Wonderful :)

9. Therapist, Life Coach, Counselor-
All you need is a room, and a voice or an ear or a mind to comprehend what is being said and maybe some helpful advice or a bit of compassion for the other.  You are helping the world in a very simple way!  It's great!


Teachers who get you active!

10. Yoga Teacher -
Assuming you are providing eco-friendly mats, this is a very wholesome career!  Teaching people how to come into themselves and be more loving as well as flexible!  Learning to listen to their own bodies and build strength and wonder through simple movements, this is a fascinating discipline and always something beautiful to learn!  Thank you for the work you do! 

11.  Hula Hoop Instructor -
Assuming that you use spent pieces of pipe for your hula hoop??  This is just fun.  It gets you in shape, it gets you, again, more in tuned with your body.  This is an awesome way to spend your time, it means less time online or watching TV.  Way to be :) 

12.  Dance and Exercise Instructors
Same thing, assuming that they have eco-friendly costumes and props, this is an awesome career.  Getting people moving and active, connecting more with themselves and their inner creativity and energy. Wonderful!

Artists

13. Local Singers
Support your local artists!  They bring so much beauty to our world.  You don't have to travel to see them, they don't have to travel to see you!  It builds community and if the crowd are all of your neighbors in a local hub- most likely a microphone won't even be needed. 

14. Sculpturers and Designers
I'm talking about those who are using re-usable, recylable materials - or even better those items that would have been classified as waste.   Spent plastic forks or knives...
http://www.amusingplanet.com/2011/06/recycled-plastic-sculptures-by-sayaka.html

Green Technology

15. Small scale, green technology for home and business use. 
Sometimes the effectiveness of using huge plots of land for solar or wind energy, is depleted as the local wild life diminishes as a result.  Its about being integrated with nature not obstructing nature.  Granted alternative energy is better than fossil fuels, but in order to make most use of it, it needs to be on a small scale.  Solar paneled roofs and energy efficient building techniques.

16.  Natural home builders
- how about a home made of clay?  In a place that gets hot, this is a wonderful way to keep your home cool! 

17. Green Tech Inventors
Make sure all parts are sustainably sourced and you are good to go!  How about a solar powered blender?  The more green gadgets we have the better off!  The less we consume unsustainably from the grid. 

Commercial , Political Advertising, Politics
 I don' think this kind of a job exists as of yet.  But it needs to!

18. Wild Native food, Vegetable Lobbyists and Campaigners
Stick with me on this one.  Right now, we have a ginormous Milk and Meat Industry and Insurance and Pharmaceutical industry which are pretty much running the country.  We need people whipping up incredible advertisements on the healing benefits of plant foods.  The wonders of the natural world, throwing buckets of money at political leaders to save  beautiful wild places, listen to indigenous people of the world, fund organic vegetables, non-gmo produce, local vegan farmers!! This would be amazing.  Fund tv shows like: Reversing Diabetes the natural way, How to meditate, 60 days on a juice fast! Best green technology of 2013, how to make your car run on algae oil - how to make your own algae oil (check out my previous blog on sustainable technologies :) )
If there is a will there is a way.  Maybe it can start out as an NGO and gain enough momentum and popularity to become the biggest lobby in the nation.. :)

19. Environmental Policy Maker/Anyone in office who can vote for environmental causes, or create change.
Unsustainability is so interwoven into our system at this point, it's going to take much more than just individual efforts to make an impact  (Unless every person literally moves to an eco-village in a place where there are no government taxes, spends their time developing ecosystems, never visits a government regulated hospital or restaurant - however the likelihood of this happening is.. definitely less than 0%).  The truth is, that the majority of the population (at least in USA) believe in the way we do things, and even if they don't, they are 95% clueless how to make it any different, and frankly, afraid of it becoming different.  It's important not only to have personal commitment, but also a commitment from our government to transition to eco-friendlier policies.
For example I was thinking just about plastic.  Many people have switched over to canvas bags.  And every bag, makes a huge difference.  However, even if everyone in their personal lives decides to omit plastic from their lives.  We cannot escape the reality of our 'hygenic' codes and laws in our restaurants and hospitals, which states we have to use plastic.  In restaurants in America, you are required by law when handling food, that the food handler must wear plastic gloves, and every time that person switches a task they have to throw away those gloves, wash their hands and put on a different pair of plastic gloves.  I watched an interview of this guy who said he typically would wash his hands 25x in  day!! That is a lot of plastic gloves we are shifting through.  That is only 1 guy in 1 restaurant.  How about all of the people who work in the food industry as well as hospitals where they have similar codes.  How can we develop technology to help us use less plastic - and more re-usable wear and sanitary items.  We need people working in places in the government to help make these new kinds of codes and vote for them.


Cross-Cultural Affairs

20. Translator/Anthropologist
This is a big one. Currently we are living in a world where it is cheaper to buy a product which was designed in USA, assembled in China-with parts coming from mines located in 4 different countries, packaged in England, and distributed from Chicago, then it is to buy something made by a local artisan in your town.  We all know that we live in a fully connected globalized world, but we don't allow ourselves to really become too involved with what it means to those countries making the products for us or what it means for our own country.  We still have pride in "our" nation, whatever that Nation may be, and we hardly make an effort to learn a second language - if English is our own.  Many Americans say that English is the language of USA, and that others should learn it before they come.  However, if we were to be a little more politically correct, perhaps we should be learning the languages of the native Americans who were here before us.  The more we can understand, different cultures fully and wholeheartedly, the more we can work together and care about the same things.  Instead of only caring whether or not a landfill is created right next to our home, the more we learn about other people around the globe and the trials they face, the more we will care if a landfill is put right next to their home.  We live an absolutely interconnected world, the more we can understand each other, the better.  The more sustainable we will end up being. 

Professional Sports
Not all sports are created equal.  After a good amount of time thinking, I came to the most sustainable sport being,

21. Surfers
- No park is needed, not too much of crazy equipment or energy needed - perhaps a part from a ride to the beach - which could be done on a algae oil bus?? :)
-The only needed equipment is a surfboard and a swimsuit - both can be eco-friendly made:
http://www.faeriesdance.com/swimwear-c-25_13.html
http://www.btcelements.com/products/?view=sub_product&sid=2498&cid=391
http://www.firewiresurfboards.com/news/firewire-launches-new-sustainable-surfboards-verified-by-sustainable-surf/

22. Street Skaters
- Hey no carbon usage in the use!  Get around for free :) 
again no parks need to be made and ecofriendly boards are available:
http://inhabitat.com/bamboosk8-eco-friendly-skate-decks/

23. Chin lone-
Check out this amazing Myanmar sport.  It reminds me of a jazzed up, meditative version of hacky sack.  They need a small soccer-like ball and a people standing in a circle.  It's beautiful to watch, and it can be done anywhere :)  It's not about winning or losing, but how beautifully the game is played. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nnB42yX-kA

If the environment needs to be altered too much for the sport to take place.. I would say its a no go. 
 

Football, soccer, even snowboarding take a lot of resources to maintain environments in a certain way.. not to mention golf.  They can also leave behind quite the consuming trail - from out of towners and everyone knows the kind of junk eaten on game days! 

NGO's -- And these aren't necessarily green, but if the management is done right, they can definitely be green and wonderful additions to all communities.

24. Animal Sanctuaries
Taking in abandoned animals and nursing them back to health

25. Orphanages
Taking care of those who have no homes

How to make your workplace more sustainable.

Are you stuck in a job where it feels impossible to make a positive difference in the world?
Do you feel that it is almost impossible for your workplace to make any kind of positive change to help the planet?

Here are few small things you can do at the workplace to make a big difference.

Any Profession:

-Bring your own lunch, and re-usable water container
     -Eating out is not only expensive, but you can pretty much guarantee that the restaurant uses conventional produce (non-organic) and most likely doesn't compost.  If you are eating out at a fast food joint, the food is pretty much toxic and in a short 5 minutes a whole tray full of waste has been accumulated.  The more you can avoid plastic water bottles, the better for sea and land life!

-Resist temptation to get anything from a vending machine
    -These products are overly processed, involve a lot of energy to make, leave behind a plastic trail, and take a lot of energy to digest.  Bring your own healthy snacks, carrots, cucumbers, nuts and seeds, be prepared for a long day at work.  Plan ahead of time what you may feel like eating.  Once your body is hungry - there is no control over your cravings.  But if you can plan and shop while you are full and can think of the healthiest options for snacks, and you 'forget' your money or your change at home, you will be left with some great options when you start feeling a bit hungry :)

-Get sustainably sourced paper products
-Where are your paper products coming from?  Unfortunately much of the paper we use today comes from unsustainably sourced trees which were planted to replace of beautiful rainforests around the world.  The destruction is devastating.  However, we can make a difference, we need to focus on buying recycled product, post-consumer products or if not available then from sustainably managed local trees.  Think about all of the paper products not just paper to write on - toilet paper, paper towels, napkins, etc.
-If you can get a bunch of cloth napkins to be used as paper towels and napkins, take turns in the office bringing them home and washing them every week.
-make a box for used papers - the ones with writing on only 1 side can be collected and sewed into a new notebook!  They can also be cut up and glued on one side as a post-it-note replacement.
-Even better, laminate the papers you plan to use in your home-made notebook.  Make notes with an erasable marker, once those notes no longer apply, wipe it clean.  Use it again :)


-Turn off the lights
Sometimes businesses use so many lights, when they could make do with half the amount.  Talk to your manager about the possibility of becoming more green, using less lights, turning off lights when not in use, what if you could cut your electricity bill in half as a company?  Where could that money then be allotted to?  Maybe you could hold a competition among different sections of your company about who could save more electricity.. with the saved money in the end throw an office party.

Change the lightbulbs, now there are lightbulbs - check out my previous blog - that last for decades and can save $10 a year on your electricity bill.

Recycle
-Does your company recycle?  When I was working at an environmental consulting company, we took turns taking care of the recycling boxes.  There was hardly any recycling in town, but I guess that was the advantage of commuting to work.  We took turns driving the weekly recyclables to our home towns and dropping it off at a center.  Sometimes glass needs to be turned in to a separate place, find out what's available where you work or live, see if you can save that much waste material from being dumped. 

Compost
This can be a tricky thing, but as long as it well managed it shouldn't be a problem.  If you have a little bit of land at your company, find out if you can make one!  Some places in the US actually charge more money the amount of trash you have in a week.  So much of what we throw out, is actually completely compostable!  It could be an easy way to save the company that weekly bill.  Not to mention, that if you have place for a compost at your workplace, you have place for a garden!  How awesome is that, go for a lunch break in your garden, get a few fresh tomatoes.. hey healthiest fast food ever! :)

Re-use and re-create cardboard boxes
No need to toss them, re-use them.  Make a take home art project out of them.  Ask your kids to paint them and decorate them.  Create a new filing cabinet made of decorated boxes.  Make folders out of them.  Make small boxes, or keep small boxes for keeping thumb tacks, rubber bands, paper clips, and staples.  Keep slightly larger boxes for organizing your papers or keeping your pens and pencils.  Make it fun.
This will help reduce  the need to buy all those plastic organizing products that are all too popular. 

Dont be afraid to get creative!
How can you add joy to the workplace??  Think of the Pakistani fish seller in England - 1lb fish song!  He became famous over night!  I heard another story where a bagger at a grocery store started putting happiness quotes in every grocery bag that he packed, people used to stand in really long lines in his row only, while the other cashiers stood unoccupied since the people really wanted to get a happiness quote.  It's the little things that count!  Being sustainable is also about being happy and spreading happiness.  :)


Cleaning Services:

Green Cleaners
-Any job which uses chemicals, you may or may not have the authority to use a cleaner that is safer for the environment, but the most you could do is at least talk to your boss about how much money you could potentially save while switching to a more natural cleaner.  Offer to make the cleaner yourself and mention that its just as effective if not more than what you had been using.
- Vinegar works wonders, mixed with baking soda... creates a nice bubbly solution, mixed with lemon gives a nice scent.  Voila!

Check out the following website, there are many recipes for all sorts of surfaces

http://eartheasy.com/live_nontoxic_solutions.htm

Save Bags
When emptying trash cans, reuse trash bags as much as possible.  If a trash isn't completely full, combine it with another trash in the building and save a bag in the process.  If the company isn't using green bags yet, maybe find a a cheap green bag that can be used instead of what had been the norm before. 

Re-usable/Compostable cleaning materials
There are plenty of sponges which are made of plant fibers.  So they decompose once you throw them out.  better yet, use rags, and wash them on a regular basis.  Skip paper products. 


Sales Representatives:
-If your job involves bagging, make the habit of first asking the customer if they would like a bag.  Many times, the customer is happily surprised that you even asked.  And they don't take a bag.  I worked at a clothing store a number of years ago, and I remember when people came in to return clothes, they often returned the bags with them!  I would re-use these bags!  Maybe they were a little crinkly, but hey it's still a bag!  Re-use bags when you can, who cares :)

CEO/Manager
You have a big opportunity here.  Expand your vision as a company.  Dedicate the growth of your company to a great cause.  Decide to donate 10% of profits to the rainforest, environmental awareness, or other green causes!
Set goals to meet environmental ideals monthly, yearly etc.  Try at reducing the companies carbon footprint - encourage car pooling, less eating out, incorporate some of the ideas listed throughout this page and research further, the amount the company can save using simple techniques will add up!  Encourage employees to get involved in the community, spend more time with family, make work fun and meaningful for them to come in, and different everyday. 

Invest in green technologies, alternative energies - solar, wind, geothermal, etc. 
Make sure healthy snacks are on the house and always available to employees - order from local organic vendors - carrot and celery sticks, etc. 
Get rid of your vending machines :) 

If you order company clothes, consider ordering organic cotton, support sustainable industries who are fair trade with all of their employees. 

If your business is about technology - how can you source materials closer to home?  Is there any kind of environmental company you can hire to help you make sure the environment is being taken care of in the process.  Make sure any place where you extract materials from, you clean up and make it as good as new.  Make sure no indigenous voices are being squashed out through the grapevine.  Visit your sites personally, make sure they are ethical and secure. 

Remember money isn't everything, most people are interested in doing good in the world.  And many people are willing to pay for it.  The higher your ethical value, the more customers will flock to you.

- think of whole foods! :)