Elisa's Green Scene

2 useful things, for your weekend consideration

Useful thing #1 is an actual thing: Keri Smith’s Non-Planner Datebook on Recycled Paper

Keri Smith is a blogger who spoke at BlogHer '06 on a panel about the non-textual opportunities blogging presents. Her mojo is all about inspiring and encouraging creativity, even in those of us who don't think of ourselves as particularly talented in that regard.

This Planner is far from the traditional and rigid datebook you might be used to...there's a little bit of structure, and a whole lot of room to create and customize.

I'm one of those folks who is much more used to the very traditional take on calendars, task lists and the like. But when I look at her planner I feel like it might do me some good to use something like this to push me outside my organizational comfort zone. So I thought I'd share it, in case any of you out there are like me.

Hat tip: Great Green Goods

Useful thing #2 is a list of 21 Things you didn't know you could recycle from Co-Op America.

OK, i did know you could recycle a lot of the stuff on the list, but I didn't always know how they were to be recycled, so this is definitely a very handy list.

I also like item #21:

21. Stuff you just can’t recycle: When practical, send such items back to the manufacturer and tell them they need to manufacture products that close the waste loop responsibly.

Love that.

Hat tip: OneChange

And since we're talking recycling, here's a little sneak peek at another interesting blog topic: The Trash Talk Project. What would you look like if you had to carry around every bit of trash you created over two weeks?

Word of the week: Freegan

So I've been hearing the word "freegan" lately without really understanding what it means. As a vegan I felt certain it would be something in which I was interested, after all.

Thanks to a post at HippyShopper I now know more about it.

HippyShopper tells us that the dictionary definition is "a person who consumes food that has been thrown away, especially someone who wants to protect the environment by reducing waste.", which, let's face it, does not sound appetizing at all.

But HippyShopper goes on to explain that there is way, way more to it than that!! First of all, the freegan ethos isn't just about food, but about consumption in general. Freeganism encourages treading lightly by opting out of the world of consumerism most of us are an inherent part of.

A quick look at Freegan.info reveals a lifestyle choice that most of us would not follow, but some of the elements of freeganism are certainly achievable and worthy ways to green your life. Some of the more palatable first freegan steps would include:

- Free Markets – where people bring all manner of items that they might otherwise throw away and give them away to others.

- Freecycle – an internet swapping community where you can exchange, get free items or announce unwanted items for free that others can utilise.

- Guerilla and Community Gardens – “growing community gardens in abandoned lots of land, turning them into food bases that help to renew communities.”

The least palatable:

-Urban Foraging / Dumpster Diving – Recovering useable discarded items from dumpsters whether food or otherwise.

I have known folks, particularly when I lived in NYC, who would troll the sidewalks early on weekend mornings for those pieces of furniture and other paraphernalia being discarded, usually by folks who were moving or taking delivery on new items that weekend. That I could handle.

But dumpster diving for food? Um, no.

Why not just go beg at the backdoor of your favorite restaurant near closing time? I'm totally serious. Wouldn't that be just as freegan but not nearly as disgusting as diving in their dumpster post-closing?

So, 'fess up...do you have any freegan habits you're willing to share?

Holodynamics

The movie 'What the Bleep' was quite an eye-opener for me in terms of how I see the world, even though the concepts of quantum physics are really hard to get one's arms around.  For those of you who have not seen the movie, it explores how everything that happens in our lives is created by us - there are no accidents.  Our subconscious view of ourselves and our lives actually make it so.  If we all look at our lives, it does seem true that certain patterns keep occurring, and that has to do with our own views.  The part of the movie that was the hardest to grasp is where they show that we all have the ability to create whatever reality we want if we really believe it.  I guess the disconnect with most of us is that it is hard to believe you can make anything happen that you want to. 

I recently came across a related field of study called Holodynamics, which made a lot of sense to me, and made this concept seem a lot less woo-woo.  I had a lengthy conversation with a practitioner from Journey to Success, that practices Holodynamics, and he explained that while its obvious our actions involve energy, so do our thoughts.  We all have a subconscious 'mind map' of energy that is essentially our view of ourselves and our lives.  It has been impacted by all the experiences in our lives.  These maps are called Holodynes.  For instance if you were brought up in an abusive household, that information is stored in your holodynes, perhaps influencing your expectation of what you deserve in life.  That energy field actually influences other atoms in the universe to organize and be attracted to you.  In the above example, it might mean that you attract abusive individuals into your life due to your holodynes.  Holodynamics is a way of accessing those holodynes, finding the damaging ones, and energetically allowing them to mature, so that you do not attract those situations into your life any longer.

There is a lot of very interesting study going on in this field and other quantum physics fields by some of the top scientists in the world.  I guess what I found interesting is that while it sounds very airy-fairy, these concepts are actually based in science.  Perhaps the reason people have trouble believing in them is that we tend to only believe what we can see, and as a society we have lost a lot of our intuitive abilities.  I would love to hear if anyone has experience with this.

Mind over Skepticism

In my latest order from hip & zen, I got the pictured Prosperity Necklace. Now, I don't consider myself to be a big believer in, well, lots of hip & zen-type stuff. Karen's the one who does yoga and meditates, I'm the one who doesn't eat animals. I admit I was attracted to the idea and symbolism of "prosperity", since I'm bootstrapping a start-up with two other partners and could use all the encouragement toward prosperity I can get!

But when I read stuff like "Wear this Energy Muse piece when you seek new opportunity" and when there's an affirmation that comes with the piece: "I live in a state of joyous expectancy" and when the description also says "This unique handcrafted jewelry has been cleansed using ancient techniques and energized to amplify the power and healing properties of the stones. For optimum prosperity results, wear your jewelry for 10 days straight. (It's okay to take it off at night)"...well, I must admit I focus more on the pretty green beads, the red ribbon and cool-looking Chinese coin.

Still, despite this natural disinclination towards the more spiritual side of life, I have found myself dutifully wearing this necklace every day, and, in fact, find that I get a little distressed if half the day goes by before I realize I haven't yet put it on. (Don't laugh...I work at home, so yes I am one of those pajama-clad bloggers of whom you hear!)

I even wore it the other day even though I was wearing a top with a neck to high for the necklace to even show.

So, I may not believe, but I apparently have decided it's best not to tempt fate by outright disbelief! Does that mean it's superstition? I throw salt over my shoulder when it spills too.

Then again, I walk under ladders without much concern...so call me selectively superstitious.

How about you? Do you believe? Or do you avoid disbelieving?

E-commerce, sex toys and some uptight people

Guy Kawasaki brought to my attention his post today because it's a little off the beaten path for him. (I would have found it on my own eventually of course, but I'm a bit behind on my feed reading.)

He has done a 15-question interview with Dr. Sandor Gardos. Who is Dr. Sandor Gardos? A licensed clinical psychologist and sex therapist as well as a board-certified sexologist. And the CEO of MyPleasure, an e-commerce site devoted to disseminating information about sex and sexual health...and to selling sex toys.

Now on the surface one might think this was a slightly prurient topic for Guy, a business, entrepreneurship and marketing blogger, tocover. But the ensuing interview discusses a lot of universal truths about e-commerce and customer service.

Really, isn't hip & zen also in the business adding sensual pleasure to its customers' every-day lives and environment?

Of course, there are those who think Guy sunk to some new low with the post, probably because the words "vibrator" and "orgasm" are mentioned out loud, but I thought it was a fascinating story. After all, doesn't this advice apply to most of us who are trying to serve some customer base in some way?

 

"Find a niche that is currently under-served in the way you want to serve them. Then, continue to mine the data, listen to your customers, and keep creating ever more experiences that are *amazing* for them. Also, stop thinking that you are selling a product—that puts you into commoditization and the only thing you can compete on is price. You are selling a *solution* to a problem that your customer may not even know they had. Finally, forget about all the latest trends and gee-whiz technology; if it doesn’t really help the majority of your customers, it is worthless or worse."

Check it out.

Welcome to the Carnival of Healing #28

Welcome to the Carnival of Healing, which is open and welcoming to posts about spirituality, wellness, life balance, positivity...whatever might make people feel a little better. When I host a carnival that already has a theme, like this one (and as opposed to, say, the Carnival of the Vanities) I don't like to lay another theme on top of it...I like to see what theme emerges on its own. And today we definitely have the theme of self-care.

In this crazy, always-on world it may seem like we're always diong things for other people, are always at the beck and call of other people...but how often are you at your own beck and call? Each post today is about doing things to uplift your spirits and take better care of yourself, and most of the ideas come with side benefits, so it doesn't even feel particularly indulgent...just good common sense.

Phyl at Spiral Visions rues the day she got too big to be picked up and carried, and wonders how to replace that feeling of comfort and lightness:

Now whenever I feel the urge to be carried the best way I've found to help is going to a park or playground and swing for a bit on the swings. It gets my feet off the ground anyway. Not quite the same feeling as being wrapped up in somebody's arms, but better than nothing. Of course another way that helps is to reverse the feeling and hold an infant or small child in my arms. That feels just as wonderful.

The side benefit here: everyone needs to take more breaks than they usually do. Look away from the computer, step away from your desk, take a moment of alone time, use your work breaks just to breathe not to run errands. Swinging sounds like an excellent "Calgon take me away" activity, without all those messy bubbles. [What's funny is that I never long to be carried, but I still love to swing, so I think swinging may be the cure for what ails more than one earthbound soul.]

Mensa Barbie shares her particular way of feeling a little more organized every day. It involves list-making and visualization and affirmations, so it combines the practical and the spiritual. Now, this might not sound like self-care, but as an oragnized person I can say that when I start to feel like I'm not being efficient or organized, I get stressed out. And as someone who has close friends and relatives who are not organized, I can see that they're not serene about the disorder in their lives. Every one of them has bought a book on how to organize their lives. So perhaps starting small with Mensa Barbie's advice is a good kick-off!

Britt Bravo from Have Fun Do Good is all for exercising for good health, but she gives us a couple of suggestions for types of exercise that make us feel good about ourselves now, as well as keep us more fit for life. Gospel aerobics and belly dancing are two examples.

I really think exercise classes that reinforce positive body image should be a requirement for girls in school. Think about all the good that could be done if women took all the energy they spend worrying about how their bodies look and put it into making the world a better place.

After reading Britt's great piece I'll admit that the headline of a piece by one of our Food & Drink editors over at the new BlogHer Network, Kalyn Denny, put me off at first: Looking Good is Very Empowering. But then I read her piece and couldn't agree more with her message that self-care applies to the inside and out:

Losing weight or maintaining your weight is about empowering yourself to be the best you can be. Taken a step further, managing your weight and eating amazing tasting food is a wonderful form of self-love.

Just as with Britt's exercise suggestions: deprivation or punishment are not the answeres. Eat foods you can enjoy. Partake in a form of exercise you will enjoy. These are the only habits you can really sustain for life!

Wayne Hulbert from Blog Business World proposes one other great habit we should all get into for life: deciding to accomplish (at least) one positive goal per day.

Wake up tomorrow morning and say to yourself that you are going to accomplish one positive goal during the day. It doesn't have to be a major world altering event in the cosmic sense; but it's the very first step in changing the world for yourself.

Listen, I know that if you're in a state of depression it's hard to imagine that you have the power and you have the control to lift yourself, even a little bit. But you really do. Take the advice of our contributors today: take a different kind of exercise class; eat a different kind of healthy food; get a hair cut; make a really short list of doable tasks for the day and cross 'em off your list; find a playgroud and swing for a while! (And pick just one of those things and know that you still accomplished your one positive thing.)

And, if I may close with a story of my own from my Personal Blog: never be afraid to share your passionate beliefs with other. Every now and then you change or just open a mind. And there's not much that feels better than that.

That's it, thanks for visiting. And thanks to those who contributed.

If you're interested in hosting or participating in the Carnival of Healing, check out this information page. It's still not too late to check out last week's carnival at Spiral Visions. And next week's Carnival will be at Intuitive innovations.

You can find other Carnivals at Truth Laid Bear and BlogCarnival.com

Thank you Martha Stewart

No, really.

See, I've gotten myself into this rut. I get up at about 7AM, after what is inevitably too little sleep. I work and work and work and work, sitting in my little corner of the dinning room. I make breakfast at around 10:30 usually...bowl of cereal and some coffee. And then I work and work and work some more. And 3PM rolls around. So, it's already an 8 hour day, but I'm nowhere near feeling I've accomplished what I need to. And I know my S.O. won't be getting home for hours either, so there's no good reason to stop working. Except, I really need to stop.

So the last few days I've decided to take a break at around 3PM and watch Martha Stewart's daily show on my TiVo. (And with a TiVo it takes a much more efficient 30 minutes or so, since I can skip commercials and when she's cooking meat products!)

I find her very relaxing. She's slightly odd and slightly ill-at-ease. And she always shows me things that the alternate-universe-me would totally do...if I had talent and skill and time and motivation and money.

And she has guests, and I get to watch their often-off banter. Like when Fran Drescher got Martha to admit she was seeing someone, and they discussed the virtues of younger men. Odd.

But what it mostly is is completely different than what I'm doing the other 12 hours of my work day. Look I don't eat a meal I can't microwave. My organizational style is many different piles...definitely not labeled with a P-touch machine. I find it soothing and relaxing that someone out there has found things to obsess over that I don't obsess over!

So, thanks Martha.

Alternative vacation idea: Portland Peace Bike Tours

Have you ever wanted to do something different for your vacation? Maybe give a little more back than you consume? Maybe contribute more than just tourism dollars?

Well, I got an email from Vladislav Davidzon from the Portland Peace and Justice Center with the prefect travel plans for you: The Sustainable Energy in Motion Bike Tour.

I have friends who have done the SF to LA bike trips for AIDS, but this is something a little different. You can go on a one- two- or three-week bike tour along the gorgeous Oregon Coast. Along the way you'll visit organic farms and other progressive projects...learning and sometimes volunteering.

You can ship your own bike or rent one there, and they provide a lot of support. It's a ride, not a race, so even those who aren't "trained" are encouraged to participate.

Sounds cool. And they have a blog, which I've added to our hip & zen blog roll.

hip & zen vacationers, you can thank me later :)

Sex the hip & zen way

I've added a new blog to our hip & zen blog roll...The Greener Side. What, you ask, caught my eye about this blog?

Well, I confess that it was this post exploring the green and not-so-green options available in sex toys and aids. Rather than polluting either our bodies or the environment The Greener Side wants to help us do the green thing when doing our thang. As it happens hip & zen features some lovely cruelty-free Kama Sutra-brand oils and such, but you can find a wider range of tools, toys and even porn starring vegetarians by checking out The Greener Side's post.

Lest you're wondering The Greener Side also covers a wider range of eco-concscious topics, and despite the racy topics in a couple of the posts, there are no incriminating photos accompanying the posts, so it's definitely work-safe.

So take a walk on the Greener Side!

Listening to your body?

Do you listen to your body? Or do you only hear it when it's berating you?

Because it's easy to miss the quieter message if you're filtering everything through your low-self-esteem, poor-body-image filter. I, of course have a pretty powerful filter of that sort.

During a recent IM exchange with my hiking buddy we commiserated over the fact that we hadn't been hiking in several weeks and both felt fat and out of shape.Lucky her: she can blame it on new love (and one who happens to be a gourmet cook.) My only excuse is this computer.

She suggested we hit the Dish (a local hiking trail in the Palo Alto hills off Hiway 280.) Well, I nipped that in the bud. As I told her, the Dish is more hard-core than our usual Rancho San Antonio Open Preserve hike. It's longer. There's no shade. It's just a little harder. And I knew I would feel really demoralized to tackle that, and find it hard work, when I used to be in better shape and tackle it without so much effort. And it would likely make us both pretty sore, since we'd been slugs lately. So for once I listened to the advice of experts who say not to overdo it when getting back to exercise, to avoid burnout.

But I'm not always that on track...