ECO-FRIENDLY TOYS FOR THE TYKES

I've been requested to get some great eco-friendly toy shopping options so, here's to you, mom doing her best to stay earth friendly focused this Holiday Season.
So, if your not going for the BUY NOTHING option, here a few great places to get info and shop in a one world manner.

For starters:
I'd like to point you to an interesting site Consumer Reports~ Green Choices www.consumerreports.com than type in green choices.
This site is for those of us wanting info on products that make a difference.

I'll start with my top three and than go from there:
1. www.planethappytoys.com~ Great site with a large variety of toys for all ages.
2.www.kangarooboo.com
3.www.fatbraintoys.com

For sweet, eco little kids dishes and tea sets go to www.greentoys.com
For some adorable plush toys got to www.idbids.com or www.ecozenboutique.com

For baby items go to www. babybunz.com or www.baby organics.com
Some other great options are www.imagiply.com or coming soon earthtokid.com
Also, Target has some great shopping options now. Just search for Gifts with a cause at Target.com

And for all round wonderful, eco-friendly & healthy gifts for mom, kids or anyone for that matter go to www.gaiam.com

Remember to breath, stay focused and have fun while doing your decision making & shopping this Season. And most of all remember it's the heart & thought that counts. So, save some pennies and spend time with your loved ones instead.

Namaste~

If you Love your bike...You'll Love this

Project Rwanda
This Project makes it possible for Coffee growers to get the most out of their yields
by providing The "Coffee Bike"
Check it out at www.projectrwanda.org
Mr. Ritchey has been on the bike scene for sometime and what he's doing in Rwanda is the best stuff he's done yet. Maybe you love your bike so much you'd like to get involved? Maybe Mr. Ritchey will inspire you to do some Great Works.
Just do yourself a favor and see this wonderful site and get a real perspective on life. We have it so damn good...or do we?
Namaste~

Conscious Giving or not Giving for this Holiday Season

Ok, lovely human beings~

Here is a helpful concious gift giving Guide:

* Ashaimports.com is a wonderful place to buy for mom or girlfriends. All proceeds go to women who's alternative is selling their bodies on the streets... need I say more?

*Check out Gaim.com for a huge array of gifts for anyone.
*serrv.org is a terrific alternative to the crap you can get just anywhere. They offer Fairtrade items supporting people around the world.

*globalgiving.com is a fantastic way to give gifts from all around the world, they even have gift certificates you can send via e-mail.

*Let's not forget Heifer.org. Heifer International is near and dear to my heart. They have been doing good work for a long time.

*Get Fabulous ideas for making, and doing this Christmas at newdream.org

For those of you who are of a more Radical Nature there is...
BUY NOTHING CHRISTMAS. To be a part of a new movement to change how we are being in this world, check out buynothingchristmas.org They have lots of ideas for alternatives to spending this Christmas. There are resources, books, discussions you can download, for you & your family to make the transition easier. They have posters to put up in support & to start conversations in your home or otherwise. This was started in Canada by a religious group with a great reason to change our thinking about this beautiful time of year.

So, hopefully I've given you enough great ideas to get you out of the box and doing some real, beautiful, conscious, giving this Season
Namaste~

P.S. Let's not forget about BUY NOTHING DAY! November 28th. buynothing.org We don't have to listen to the media & go to crowded malls and try and get a good deal on crap we don't need. We can stay home, read, play a game with our children, go on a walk outside, have a conversation...instead.

MORSBAGS~ REVOLUTION IN A TOTEBAG

Want to make a Big change in a small and easy way? Than start a Morsbag group! REVOLUTION IN A TOTEBAG!
Yep, you can start a revolution right in your back yard! All it takes is some recycled fabric a sewing machine and some friends. So, if you can get those things together, you've got yourself a full blown REVOLUTION.

If you haven't heard yet or if your just not in the know quite yet,

PLASTIC BAGS SUCK!

They are choking water ways, habitats and just plain disgusting!
Businesses have been using these hideous things for far to long and our ignorance to their damage has been ignored for to long...until now.
You can do a huge service to our environment and or future by doing a small thing...
Make a bag...give it to someone... and ask them to NEVER use a Plastic bag again in exchange for this wonderful, simple thing... a handmade miracle!

Give me a call if you'd like to join me or for more information just go to these great sites to see what's going on with this slow growing REVOLUTION.

MORSBAGS

PEOPLE MAKING A DIFFERENCE LOCALLY

ONE MANS QUEST TO REDUCE TRASH

Heifer International

One of my most Favorite and an Organization I feel is making a real difference on this planet is Heifer International. They believe that by teaching a community to fish you can feed so many more than if you give a community a fish.
Take a closer look and the next time you have a Birthday, Graduation and especially Christmas think about a community who can benefit from your gift of a milking goat, a gaggle of geese for eggs or a family of rabbits for protein. This is a wonderful organization who truly understands the concept of enough.

Namaste~

Enough is Enough

I've been reading this Wonderful book by: Lynn Twist
We live in a world, particulary us in the U.S. of not enough. There is always something more to buy, better gadgets, bigger Christmas presents.
What Lynn suggests in her book and I fully agree is that there is a point when we need to start taking stock and learn that we have enough, there is plenty for everyone and there is more than enough to go around.
We must change our thinking though, in order to really get this concept we must dig deep and reprogram ourselves to understand that we are not in lack... There is Plenty.
When did we learn it was ok to want to much? To have so much it's never enough.
This void we are trying to fill can Never be filled with things, Ever!

WE live in a society with to much food... to much clothing... to much gas guzzling... to much violence... to much television watching... to many obese kids...To Much STUFF!
I believe this comes from a lack of internal wealth.
When you feel You are enough and know there is enough you no longer need to get more!

There are people who get by on a very small amount everyday all over the world and here we sit with not enough? If we spent 1/4 of our wealth on spreading enough we would make a huge impact on this planet.
Shopping at Walmart for the cheaper stuff...we don't need? We wouldn't need cheap stuff if we didn't feel we needed so much. We could chose high quality over quantity.

Lynn also talks about changing the Dream as a Nation. I quote " The times call for honest conversation and self-examination as we see the true costs of our national consumer appetite and our reputation as arrogant, gluttonous consumers by so much of our global community. We can take a stand, change the dream, and shift the conversation to enough".
Do we want to live in a you and me world or a you or me world? That is the real question and one that Lynn addresses in this book.
I think we want a you and me world. We know this is the only way to continue together on this planet.

We do have enough on this planet for us All to live a wonderful life, we just need to remember that this is not just Our planet it is Billions of people's planet and we need to understand that Enough is Enough.

This is the Beginning of a Wonderful Journey

I'm using this Blog to inform you of many things. Things that are going on in our World today that may surprise, shock, interest, move, enlighten, and hopefully inspire you.
This Blog is for you...
I'll be discussing enviornmental issues, the future of our children issues and mostly wonderful information and insight into this next phase of our time here on this earth. What a wonderful time to be on this planet!

So, until then Stay Tuned for Great Stuff!

Ali