rise 29

“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” ~ Buddha

Sharing Idea # 1: Have your neighbors and friends over for dinner. By cooking a large meal for many people, you can buy in bulk (thereby spending less money per meal) and cook it all at once (thereby saving time in cooking vs. cooking individual meals). Not only does it save time & money, but you get laughs, learning and community out of it for free.

Wondering what rebates are out there for making upgrades to your home? For some of the best and easiest, check out rebate money

Health tip: Want healthier gums & whiter teeth for a few pennies a day? Daily mix a dime-sized portion of baking soda with a few drops of hydrogen peroxide and apply to teeth (do not scrub with toothbrush as baking soda is very abrasive and can cause damage to your enamel), let it sit on your teeth for a couple minutes then rinse your mouth with water.

When you hear the word ‘sustainability’ what comes to mind? Trees? Flowers? The world with a big smile? Sustainability isn’t just about the environment, for anything to exist for a long time, it needs to be sustainable. Ask yourself a few questions: Is your life sustainable? Your health? Your finances and purchasing habits? Your spirit? Consider if your life stays on the current course, whether you’ll be able to look back in 1 year, 5 years, and 10 years and be glad of the choices you made. Consider what you’d like your life to look like and what would be needed to live that life. Read up on a sustainable life here.

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” – Maria Robinson

Consider what changes you want to make and what might be holding you back. For most people the only thing holding them back is fear, not so much fear that it won’t succeed, but really just fear of the unknown.

“The key to change... is to let go of fear.” – Rosanne Cash

Sharing Idea # 2: Use the library – here in Denver I get all of my books, DVD’s & CD’s from the library for free. Save money while saving resources (fewer books, DVD’s, CD’s created & shipped). And who really needs to own a book or DVD after they’ve read or watched it. Instead, pass it on for others to experience.

“Happiness is not so much in having as sharing. We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” ~ Norman MacEwan

Revitalize & Rejoice!

rise 28

In this issue we’ll look at an amazing glimpse of the future to start us off: Sixth Sense

“We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men.” ~ Herman Melville

Consider your connections with the people & world around you. When times are difficult (e.g. after natural disasters, illness, etc.) people come together to help one another and bring goodness back to life. Why should this only be during difficult times? Why not pull together all the time? Building community, sharing expenses (e.g. why does every house need a lawnmower or a vacuum) and getting more human interaction all lead to more laughs, more smiles, more love and a higher quality of life. Additionally, people with many positive relationships tend to be healthier & live longer. Viva la Vida!

Want a daily update of environmental news in less than 2 minutes, check out Environmental News

I have 2 mothers; one lives outside Philadelphia and is an intelligent, caring, generous woman; the other is Mother Earth, a generous & caring planet. The former gives me love & support, the latter gives me food for health & energy, air to breathe, clothes & a home to keep me warm & safe, not to mention that every atom in my body and the bodies of my loved ones have come from her. I love both of my mothers and try my best to always respect them. Thank you moms!

“The test of a democracy is not the magnificence of buildings or the speed of automobiles or the efficiency of air transportation, but rather the care given to the welfare of all the people." - Helen Keller

3 simple steps to help preserve the rainforest: Preserve the Rainforest

Get Dirty!!! Have you ever been working in a garden or planting a tree and just felt wonderful? It turns out that your physiology is behind it. There is a common bacterium (m. vaccae) in dirt which when you touch it, it boosts serotonin in your body, in turn boosting your mood. Additionally there’s the beauty & wonder of nature and if you’re creating something, quite the sense of accomplishment.

“Of course, I want to save the world, she said, but I was hoping to do it from the comfort of my regular life.” – Traveling Light

Want a good one-stop shop for green products, check out World of Good

Reduce, Reuse, Respect.