"Why natural materials?? The rich of experience of wood, silk and wool feeds the child's senses and opens them gently to the world around them through their senses.The warmth and wholesomeness of natural materials provide a rich experience for your little one's senses. I believe in creative play as a foundation for future learning and to this end I encourage parents to look to beautiful wooden toys and playthings to enhance their child's play." Deborah E Blau
Read more: http://www.squidoo.com/naturaltoys
PS. This lens belongs to my SUMMER Group on Squidoo. Come visit all the great summer lenses! Lots and lots of resources and summer fun stuff! Summer - it's a lifestyle.
Freitag, 26. Juni 2009
Dienstag, 19. Mai 2009
Twelve Reasons to Start Using a Bicycle for Transportation
It's Bike to Work Week, and thousands of commuters are heading to their jobs on two wheels. Thinking of joining them? Here are a dozen reasons you should.
By Chris Baskind of Lighter Footstep
It’s Bike to Work Week, and we’re continuing our look at smart ways to start saddling up and using bicycles for real transportation.
At Lighter Footstep, we’ve always taken the greenness of bike transport as a given. But if you’re just getting started — or perhaps trying to convince an employer that bicycle commuting is a good thing — we’re rounded up a dozen reasons to leave that car in the driveway and start covering pavement on two wheels. Let’s ride!
1. It’s easier to finance a new bicycle than a new car. Thanks to the recession, auto loans are hard to find these days — even if you have good credit. But for the price of a single car payment, you can buy a well-made bicycle that should outlast most cars. Add a few hundred dollars more for rain gear, lights, and accessories, and you have all-weather, anytime transportation.
2. A bicycle has a tiny manufacturing footprint when compared to a car. All manufactured goods have environmental impact, but bicycles can be produced for a fraction of the materials, energy, and shipping costs of a car.
3. Bicycles produce no meaningful pollution when in operation. Bikes don’t have tailpipes belching poisonous fumes into the atmosphere. They also eliminate the oil, fuel, and hydraulic fluids dripped by automobiles onto the road surface — which means less toxic runoff into local waterways.
4. Bikes save taxpayers money by reducing road wear. A twenty pound bicycle is a lot less rough on the pavement than a two-ton sedan. Every bicycle on the road amounts to money saved patching potholes and resurfacing city streets.
5. Bicycles are an effective alternative to a second car. Perhaps you’re not in a position to adopt a bicycle as primary transportation. But bikes make great second vehicles. You can literally save thousands of dollars per year using a bicycle for workday commuting and weekend errands in households which might otherwise be forced to maintain two cars.
6. Using a bike for transportation can help you lose weight and improve your overall health. The health benefits of regular aerobic exercise are well known. Depending on your riding style and local road conditions, you could easily burn 600 calories an hour through brisk cycling. Most bike commuters report losing 15 to 20 pounds during their first year in the saddle without changing their eating habits.
7. You can store a dozen bicycles in a single automobile-sized parking place. Parking lots have enormous environmental and financial impact, particularly in urbanized areas. The more bikes you can get on the road, the fewer parking spaces you need to build.
8. Bicycles don’t burn gasoline. Fuel is cheap compared to last year, and the economic downturn is likely to keep a lid on petroleum demand for a while. But we’re not producing any more oil today than we were when it was more than $100 a barrel. A healthy bike culture will help ease pressure on supply once demand returns.
9. Bicycling may be faster and more efficient than taking a car. We’re not talking about the crazy — and illegal — antics of New York bicycle messengers. But bikes are often faster than cars in urban areas, especially when city designers have set aside proper bike lanes. There’s nothing more satisfying as a bicycle commuter than breezing past a long line of gridlocked traffic.
10. Bikes cost much less to maintain and operate than automobiles. You’ll never throw a rod on a bicycle, and dropping a transmission on a bike usually means replacing a bent derailleur hanger or worn-out chain. Bicycles do require service, but you can learn to perform most of it yourself. Even if you have a shop do things for you, costs will be trivial compared to a car.
11. Bicycles provide mobility for those who may not qualify or afford to drive. Not everyone can get a driver’s license (or wants one), and the cost of purchasing, insuring, and maintaining a car is out of reach for a lot of people. Almost everyone can afford some sort of bike. Other than walking, bicycles are the most cost effective transportation on the planet.
12. Studies show that bicycle commuters are healthier, more productive, and require less time-off at work. This is why most enlightened employers are eager to accommodate commuting cyclists. Healthy workers are better workers — and that’s good for the bottom line. Bikes are smart business.
So there are twelve reasons to dust-off that bicycle in your garage in time for Bike to Work Day. Can you think of others? Leave a comment below, or talk to us on Twitter.
Other Articles You Might Enjoy:
A Quick Primer on How to Ride Your Bike to Work
But Won’t I Stink if I Ride My Bike to Work?
How to Live with Insufferable Cyclist Syndrome
By Chris Baskind of Lighter Footstep
It’s Bike to Work Week, and we’re continuing our look at smart ways to start saddling up and using bicycles for real transportation.
At Lighter Footstep, we’ve always taken the greenness of bike transport as a given. But if you’re just getting started — or perhaps trying to convince an employer that bicycle commuting is a good thing — we’re rounded up a dozen reasons to leave that car in the driveway and start covering pavement on two wheels. Let’s ride!
1. It’s easier to finance a new bicycle than a new car. Thanks to the recession, auto loans are hard to find these days — even if you have good credit. But for the price of a single car payment, you can buy a well-made bicycle that should outlast most cars. Add a few hundred dollars more for rain gear, lights, and accessories, and you have all-weather, anytime transportation.
2. A bicycle has a tiny manufacturing footprint when compared to a car. All manufactured goods have environmental impact, but bicycles can be produced for a fraction of the materials, energy, and shipping costs of a car.
3. Bicycles produce no meaningful pollution when in operation. Bikes don’t have tailpipes belching poisonous fumes into the atmosphere. They also eliminate the oil, fuel, and hydraulic fluids dripped by automobiles onto the road surface — which means less toxic runoff into local waterways.
4. Bikes save taxpayers money by reducing road wear. A twenty pound bicycle is a lot less rough on the pavement than a two-ton sedan. Every bicycle on the road amounts to money saved patching potholes and resurfacing city streets.
5. Bicycles are an effective alternative to a second car. Perhaps you’re not in a position to adopt a bicycle as primary transportation. But bikes make great second vehicles. You can literally save thousands of dollars per year using a bicycle for workday commuting and weekend errands in households which might otherwise be forced to maintain two cars.
6. Using a bike for transportation can help you lose weight and improve your overall health. The health benefits of regular aerobic exercise are well known. Depending on your riding style and local road conditions, you could easily burn 600 calories an hour through brisk cycling. Most bike commuters report losing 15 to 20 pounds during their first year in the saddle without changing their eating habits.
7. You can store a dozen bicycles in a single automobile-sized parking place. Parking lots have enormous environmental and financial impact, particularly in urbanized areas. The more bikes you can get on the road, the fewer parking spaces you need to build.
8. Bicycles don’t burn gasoline. Fuel is cheap compared to last year, and the economic downturn is likely to keep a lid on petroleum demand for a while. But we’re not producing any more oil today than we were when it was more than $100 a barrel. A healthy bike culture will help ease pressure on supply once demand returns.
9. Bicycling may be faster and more efficient than taking a car. We’re not talking about the crazy — and illegal — antics of New York bicycle messengers. But bikes are often faster than cars in urban areas, especially when city designers have set aside proper bike lanes. There’s nothing more satisfying as a bicycle commuter than breezing past a long line of gridlocked traffic.
10. Bikes cost much less to maintain and operate than automobiles. You’ll never throw a rod on a bicycle, and dropping a transmission on a bike usually means replacing a bent derailleur hanger or worn-out chain. Bicycles do require service, but you can learn to perform most of it yourself. Even if you have a shop do things for you, costs will be trivial compared to a car.
11. Bicycles provide mobility for those who may not qualify or afford to drive. Not everyone can get a driver’s license (or wants one), and the cost of purchasing, insuring, and maintaining a car is out of reach for a lot of people. Almost everyone can afford some sort of bike. Other than walking, bicycles are the most cost effective transportation on the planet.
12. Studies show that bicycle commuters are healthier, more productive, and require less time-off at work. This is why most enlightened employers are eager to accommodate commuting cyclists. Healthy workers are better workers — and that’s good for the bottom line. Bikes are smart business.
So there are twelve reasons to dust-off that bicycle in your garage in time for Bike to Work Day. Can you think of others? Leave a comment below, or talk to us on Twitter.
Other Articles You Might Enjoy:
A Quick Primer on How to Ride Your Bike to Work
But Won’t I Stink if I Ride My Bike to Work?
How to Live with Insufferable Cyclist Syndrome
Mittwoch, 29. April 2009
Imagine Your Own Environmental Film Festival - Right in Your Home
Do you believe good films change the way we see things? Would you like to see a few smart films every other month that take a stand for the environment and show how you can make a difference?
If so, you are invited to join the EarthCinemaCircle - the only DVD club dedicated to increasing social & environmental awareness through entertaining films
Currently Shipping:
Chasing Wild Horses Follow famous fashion photographer Roberto Dutesco as he makes an unprecedented trip to Sable Island, a nature preserve and narrow crescent-shaped sandbar off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada. The island is home to over 300 free-roaming feral horses which are protected by law from human interference. Dutesco wanders this untouched habitat and photographs its remarkable and wildly beautiful inhabitants with a sensitive and compassionate eye.
49 minutes, directed by Matt Trecartin.
Vitya The Recycling Man Here in the states we have curbside recycling. Have you ever wondered how people in other countries participate in the recycling process? In rural India, take a look at a simple and friendly approach. Meet Vitya who lives off the grid and uses a bicycle to make collections. You’ll also find out why folks are truly pleased to see him as he gathers the neighborhood’s recyclables!
10 minutes, directed by Shyla Lee.
Every Third Bite This playful and colorful excursion honors bees, beekeepers and the ancient dance between the two. From the rooftops of New York City to abandoned lots in Chicago, meet bee activists in urban and rural places who are keeping wild bees and meanwhile producing the best tasting honey in the world. You’ll learn to celebrate the fact that every third bite you consume is pollinated by a bee and that this shrinking population of busy workers is irreplaceable. This film is produced by an unusual group, The Meerkat Media Arts Collective out of Brooklyn, New York, comprised of filmmakers and artists who believe in the spirit of collaboration and cooperation.
9 minutes, directed by Meerkat Media Arts Collective.
The Greening of Southie From the co-producers that brought us King Corn, Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis now share a dynamic portrait of the future of green building in America. From wheatboard cabinetry to recycled steel, bamboo flooring to dual flush toilets, the Macallen Building in south Boston is an exercise in changing neighborhood perceptions about going green and the risks and rewards of such an investment. Using phenomenal photography and time-lapse, this highly detailed and intimate look at the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification process is funny, poignant and finally truly inspiring.
72 minutes, directed by Ian Cheney.
Click to peview the films
PS. EarthCinemaCircle is one of 1000+ shops in MyPowerMall. Become a member of My Power Mall and save and earn
If so, you are invited to join the EarthCinemaCircle - the only DVD club dedicated to increasing social & environmental awareness through entertaining films
Currently Shipping:
Chasing Wild Horses Follow famous fashion photographer Roberto Dutesco as he makes an unprecedented trip to Sable Island, a nature preserve and narrow crescent-shaped sandbar off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada. The island is home to over 300 free-roaming feral horses which are protected by law from human interference. Dutesco wanders this untouched habitat and photographs its remarkable and wildly beautiful inhabitants with a sensitive and compassionate eye. 49 minutes, directed by Matt Trecartin.
Vitya The Recycling Man Here in the states we have curbside recycling. Have you ever wondered how people in other countries participate in the recycling process? In rural India, take a look at a simple and friendly approach. Meet Vitya who lives off the grid and uses a bicycle to make collections. You’ll also find out why folks are truly pleased to see him as he gathers the neighborhood’s recyclables!10 minutes, directed by Shyla Lee.
Every Third Bite This playful and colorful excursion honors bees, beekeepers and the ancient dance between the two. From the rooftops of New York City to abandoned lots in Chicago, meet bee activists in urban and rural places who are keeping wild bees and meanwhile producing the best tasting honey in the world. You’ll learn to celebrate the fact that every third bite you consume is pollinated by a bee and that this shrinking population of busy workers is irreplaceable. This film is produced by an unusual group, The Meerkat Media Arts Collective out of Brooklyn, New York, comprised of filmmakers and artists who believe in the spirit of collaboration and cooperation.9 minutes, directed by Meerkat Media Arts Collective.
The Greening of Southie From the co-producers that brought us King Corn, Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis now share a dynamic portrait of the future of green building in America. From wheatboard cabinetry to recycled steel, bamboo flooring to dual flush toilets, the Macallen Building in south Boston is an exercise in changing neighborhood perceptions about going green and the risks and rewards of such an investment. Using phenomenal photography and time-lapse, this highly detailed and intimate look at the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification process is funny, poignant and finally truly inspiring.72 minutes, directed by Ian Cheney.
Click to peview the films
Here is how it works:
Receive the best environmental films from the thousands screened each year
4 films per DVD, every other month...yours to keep!
Endorsed by The Conservation Fund
Revolutionary 100% recycled packaging and carbon-neutral shipping
No Risk -- Satisfaction Guaranteed
Only $17.95 +$4.95 S&H every other month
PS. EarthCinemaCircle is one of 1000+ shops in MyPowerMall. Become a member of My Power Mall and save and earn
Mittwoch, 4. März 2009
Spring Savings with Gaiam
Stretch your dollar!
* Dryer Balls
Designed to reduce drying time and soften fabrics without the use of chemical fabric softeners, Dryer Balls are an eco-friendly solution to landfill-clogging dryer sheets and chemical-laden liquid softeners. As your wet laundry tumbles in the dryer, these bumpy balls lift and separate fabric to make it soft and fluffy, and allow air to flow more efficiently. Proven to make ironing easier, decrease lint and reduce drying time up to 25% in independent testing.
• 20% off All-Weather Rugs. Use code AWREP. Offer expires 3.12.09.
Donnerstag, 19. Februar 2009
Natural Healing Recipes
I just got a new cooking book you might be interested in. It’s filled with tasty dishes that allow you to lose weight, gain more energy, and help end nagging health problems. Best of all, the recipes are quick and easy to make – most only take 30 minutes! It’s called Natural Healing Recipes.
Mittwoch, 5. November 2008
End of Summer Contest - all through November!
WIN A 50$ GIFT CARD! Or a Gift Certificate, whatever you choose.
Win a 50$ Gift Card or Gift Certificate in the online store of your choice at My Power Mall (Choose here!)
Here is what you have to do:
1 - Visit 5 of the lenses in my SUMMER Group at Squidoo that interest you, favorite them and leave comments on them
2 - Decide which of them you like best and nominate it for the award "SUMMER Lens 2008"
3 - Go to my profile and send me an email ("Contact me") giving me these details:
URLs of 5 lenses visited, favorited and commented
URL of lens you nominate
Write "SUMMER Lens 2008" in subject line
That's all.
See you there, good luck!
Win a 50$ Gift Card or Gift Certificate in the online store of your choice at My Power Mall (Choose here!)
Here is what you have to do:
1 - Visit 5 of the lenses in my SUMMER Group at Squidoo that interest you, favorite them and leave comments on them
2 - Decide which of them you like best and nominate it for the award "SUMMER Lens 2008"
3 - Go to my profile and send me an email ("Contact me") giving me these details:
URLs of 5 lenses visited, favorited and commented
URL of lens you nominate
Write "SUMMER Lens 2008" in subject line
That's all.
See you there, good luck!
Montag, 6. Oktober 2008
Twilight Time: 3 Ways to Green Autumn Lighting Needs
By Chris Baskind of Lighter Footstep
No, it's not your imagination. If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, the days are already getting shorter -- by almost two minutes each day, depending on your latitude.
It all adds up. This time next month, most commuters will be returning home by twilight. Summer activities will be at an end, and we'll all be spending more time indoors.
Lighting typically represents about 25% of a home's overall energy use. A 1997 study found, perhaps unsurprisingly, that homes use 50% more power for lighting in the darker months than the rest of the year. This means that making adjustments now can payoff both in lower annual energy bills and in a reduced environmental footprint for your household.
Ready to lighten your autumn lighting needs? Here are three ideas to get you started:
Convert your fixtures to CFLs
We've written extensively about Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (CFLs) in the past, and there's no shortage of documentation showing their energy saving value. If you've not already re-lamped your fixtures, a full complement of CFLs could easily reduce your lighting power needs by 60%. A couple of things to keep in mind: CFLs work differently than their incandescent counterparts, so do your homework before choosing CFL bulbs appropriate for your household. And since CFLs contain a small amount of mercury, they shouldn't be tossed out with the regular trash. Learn how to properly dispose of your old CFLs before it's time to retire your first expended bulb.
Install motion detector switches wherever practical
Motion detectors are widely used to regulate outdoor security lighting. But they're also useful indoors. Hall and bedroom fixtures, for instance, lend themselves well to on-demand use. Walk into a dark room -- the lights turn on, without fumbling for the switch. More importantly, they turn off when you leave. Inexpensive motion detector switches are available at most hardware stores and home centers. They're both productive energy managers and a real convenience item.
Be aware of your energy habits
Your parent were right: turn off that light when you're done with it. Sitting down to watch TV? Take a moment to walk around and switch-off the lights you don't need. It's possible to trim 10-15% of your lighting needs just by being more conscious of bulbs burning in storage areas and unoccupied rooms. It only takes a second to save.
(End of Article)
More resources:
CFLs: What About Mercury? by Joyanna Laughlin
Energy-Saving Light Bulbs Q&A by Joyanna Laughlin
Attention: These are articles from the GAIAM Community. Should you feel inclined to shop there, DON'T! Access GAIAM via your Power Mall to secure your rebates.
PowerMall IT!
CFL Bulbs are available in your Power Mall at:
GAIAM
Buy.com
Bellacor
Indoor Wireless Motion Sensor
available at: Home Depot
How to find the stores:
The easiest way to find these stores in your Power Mall is to go to "Jump to a store" - left hand column, bottom. Here all stores are listed in alphabetical order.
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Access stores directly, shop without earning rebates:
Photo by TrekEarth: Rainy Sunday by Dan Bachmann
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