Creating a greener lifestyle can feel overwhelming at times. That feeling makes many people give up before they ever start. Thoughts like, “It’ll take too much effort!” “It’ll take too much money!” “I’m too busy already!” “I just can’t take time to think about one more thing!” “It’s not really my problem!” or “The problems are just too big, and I am just one person!” can all loom larger than life in our minds. They leave us exhausted before we ever begin. They can make us feel disempowered and insignificant. A lot of what may lie behind all those thoughts is the sense of fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of inadequacy, fear of failure, the fear of what this will cost me in my life. Fear can keep us stuck on so many levels.

Today, I learned about a retreat opportunity by one of my favorite human beings, Pema Chödrön. The reason I’m sharing this information on this particular day is for a few reasons. First, the title of the retreat is “Smile at Fear: Finding a True Heart of Bravery.” The description of the retreat is the following: “The ‘Smile at Fear’ retreat is a rare opportunity to practice and study with Pema in real time, as she teaches wisdom learned from her own teacher, Chögyam Trungpa. Using his book of the same title, she shows how to approach the things that scare us in a radically different way than we’re accustomed to, and in doing so to discover how astonishingly insignificant fear really is—and how surprisingly simple it is to access the heart of fearlessness. These are Buddhist teachings and practices that can become resources for a lifetime.”

The second reason I’m sharing this on Footprint Friday is that this retreat (which is taking place in California) can be accessed online! As described by Shambhala Publications, “And enrolling in the online version gives you access to additional materials that enable you to revisit the retreat whenever you need a refresher.” By not having to travel to a far-off destination or purchase materials, and by being able to return to any portions of the retreat whenever you need that extra “shot in the arm,” you get the opportunity to participate in a very “green” experience.

If fear is what’s preventing you from taking those first baby steps into making changes in your own life to create a more harmoniously green living environment, this might just help you begin! We all have fears. The trick is to learn to not allow them to control our lives. From my previous experiences with Pema Chödrön, I expect this retreat to be another wonderful experience as we learn to access “the heart of fearlessness.” I may be well on the road to a green lifestyle but I have plenty of areas in my life where fear keeps me stuck and prevents me from moving forward or keeps me moving in ways that may not be life-affirming for me and/or my family. I intend to participate in this retreat because I believe Pema Chödrön is a wonderful human being who has much to offer. I appreciate her wisdom and life experience. I hope you’ll join me for this wonderful experience!

The details of this retreat are as follows:

The price for registration is $59.95. However, if you sign up through my blog, you can receive an additional $10 off by using coupon code PEMALIVE2. The online version includes:
* Access to the event in real time via live-stream (the dates of the actual retreat are October 15-17)
* On-demand video access
* An edited video download
* A discount coupon for 30% off the DVD edition
* An e-book of Chögyam Trungpa’s Smile at Fear

Here is the schedule of the retreat (remember though that you can access this retreat at any time):

Smile at Fear Schedule of Events
(Times in PST)

Friday, October 15
5:30 p.m. Doors open to public
7-9:00 p.m Lecture by Pema Chödrön

Saturday, October 16
9:00 Welcome and initial meditation instruction by Carolyn Gimian
10:30 Break
10:45 Sitting meditation
11:00 Lecture with Pema Chödrön
12:30 Lunch break
2:00 Guided meditation with Carolyn Gimian
3:00 Lecture with Pema Chödrön and Q&A with audience
5:00 Program ends

Sunday, October 17
9:00 Meditation led by Carolyn Gimian
10:30 Break
10:45 Sitting meditation
11:00 Lecture with Pema Chödrön
12:30 Lunch break
2:00 Guided meditation with Carolyn Gimian
3:00 Lecture with Pema Chödrön and Q&A with audience
5:00 Program ends

Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend! Namaste.

Last night, Bellisima Living teamed up with Collage to show another thought-provoking film–our third in our summer movie series. We had a circle of women in attendance who all found the movie full of powerful and insightful messages. The film, How To Cook Your Life, by German filmmaker Doris Dörrie, documents a summer in the life of renowned Zen practitioner and cook Edward Espe Brown as he teaches culinary classes in Zen centers in Austria and California. Woven throughout the documentary were many analogies for life and life’s lessons, providing us with much food for thought as we considered the role food plays in our lives, our bodies and our spirits. The film was not only informative, but provocative, touching, and funny as well.

What I especially loved about last night was the wonderful discussion that took place after the movie. The women in attendance were all interested in looking deeply into their own lives and at the issues and challenges, as well as the wonderful aspects, of the world we live in. I walked away from the evening with a deep sense of gratitude for the opportunity to share with women who wish to connect deeply with others and within themselves.

I and Collage will continue to host movie nights in order to stimulate dialogue about all kinds of issues related to our environment, social justice, and spiritual fulfillment. The benefits of being stimulated to look in new directions and to engage in dialogue will go far in making our world a better place.

If you have the opportunity to host movie nights with family, friends and neighbors, I encourage you to do so. You can find great documentaries and inspirational movies at Netflix. Netflix now has many more films available to watch online. The benefit is that no DVD needs to be mailed to you and returned by you–you watch the movie via your computer. I do however still have films mailed to me because not every film is available via my computer.

Another option is a monthly DVD club such as Spiritual Cinema Circle. As stated on their website, “Spiritual Cinema Circle is the home of uplifting stories that inspire love and compassion, films that connect us with the world around us. Now in our sixth year, Spiritual Cinema Circle is home for a community of conscious filmmakers and film-lovers in more than 80 countries. We’re proud to have brought the work of more than 100 exciting, new independent filmmakers to the homes of tens of thousands of people around the world.”

Why not rent a movie or join a DVD club and be inspired? Better yet, why not get a group of people together and get some dialogue going?

As shown in this short video, in the U.S. we spend over 15 percent on healthcare—the most of any country, yet we spend the least on food. Most wealthy countries, like the U.S.–and followed by the U.K., Denmark, and Hong Kong–use a small percentage of their household expenditures on food. Those countries that spend the most on food compared to other items are countries where consumers have less disposable income and most of their money goes to the bare necessities. Food shortages and higher relative food prices also account for a greater percentage of money spent on eating.

We may think that we’re spending a lot of money on food (as the video points out, in 2009 it was estimated we spent on average 10 percent), yet compared to the rest of the world, we spend very little. In Jordan, for instance, in 2007 they spent 40.9 percent of their money on food; in Indonesia it was 45.7 percent, and in Azerbaijan, they used the greatest proportion of money on food—50.4 percent. Remember also that in the U.S. we spent 22 percent on food back in 1949.

It is no accident that our health care costs are the highest in the world. That cheaper food does come with a big price tag that goes far beyond what we pay directly. In addition to major health issues, such as obesity and diabetes, our “advancements” in food production come with environmental costs as well. Pollution, food that’s cheap but nutrient-deficient, antibiotic resistant microbes, and the myriad of problems that arise because of another price-dropping practice—government subsidies to commercial farmers–all raise the bar on the actual costs to consumers.

It is possible to feed ourselves well without breaking the bank. It’s also possible to eat in more “green” ways. Next week, I’ll describe ways to do both.

In the meantime, during the week ahead, take tips from the video:
*Avoid processed foods.
*Buy the most nutritious foods available to you.
*Cook from scratch.

To your health!

Have you had an opportunity to see “The Future of Food” yet? This was not a movie that made it to your local theater, but it continues to impact those of us who get an opportunity to view it. It was produced in 2004 to shed light on the GMO food industry. As stated at their website, “The Future of Food has been a key tool in the American and international anti-GMO grassroots activist movements and played widely in the environmental and activist circuits since its release in 2004. The film is widely acknowledged for its role in educating voters and the subsequent success of passing Measure H in Mendocino County, California, one of the first local initiatives in the country to ban the planting of GMO crops. Indicative of its popularity, the Future of Food showed to a sold out audience of 1,500 at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco in 2004, a benefit for Slow Food, where it was introduced by Alice Waters.”

On Thursday night, Bellisima Living and Collage teamed up to present this film. What I appreciate most about its content is that it stirred emotions in all of us and got us talking, asking questions, and pondering future actions. The content is disturbing and at times even shocking, yet it was not presented in a way to make one want to turn away. In fact, it has the opposite effect–it makes one want to watch until the end in order to learn more. The most gratifying aspect of this film for me was the last segment which offers hope and solutions.

I intend to present this film again in the near future. Its subject matter needs to be explored, and people need to consider what they are buying each time they go to the grocery store. If we all knew that something we were buying could cause illness, disease and/or allergies, I’m sure most–or all–of us would choose something different. This film gives you the opportunity to think about the choices you are making today. As stated at the end of the film, “The choices we make at the supermarket determine the future of food. It’s up to YOU!”

Without giving everything away, here are some of the questions explored in this well-organized documentary:

*What is gene patenting and who is doing it?
*What are GMO foods and how long have they been around?
*What are the primary GMO crops being grown in the United States?
*In what other countries are these crops being grown?
*Where and how are GMO foods being distributed and how do we know when we’re consuming them?
*What is happening to the farming industry in the U.S. and throughout the world?
*What other living things are being genetically modified?
*Who is behind what is occurring within the food industry and how widespread is it?
*Why is all of this important to know about?
*What can consumers do?

If you have not yet seen The Future of Food, I highly recommend that you rent or borrow it. Even better still, you can buy a copy for $10 or download a copy to your computer for $5 through their website at www.thefutureoffood.com. Then invite a group of family, friends, and neighbors over for an evening of thought-provoking and stimulating information and discussion.

It is up to us! What choices will we each make today, tomorrow, and further down the road? What will be the future of food and what role will we each play in that future?

One evening before I left for Italy, we discovered a baby field mouse in our house. It had apparently entered through the back door along with our cat and dog. My daughter Alix was awakened by our cat making sounds she’d never heard before and realized Smokey was chasing and batting around this baby mouse. Of course, Alix woke me up to resolve the situation. With gloves and a towel, I tried to catch the mouse so that we could put her back outside. She slipped through my hands and took refuge behind our couch. For the next half hour we tried to locate her. Had anyone been an observer to this midnight event, I’m sure they would have laughed hysterically.

We didn’t find the mouse that night and finally went back to bed. Before going off to bed though we did put out a mouse catcher with food in it. We hoped she’d find her way to the food and then be safe until we could put her back outside in the morning. We also locked our cat in the laundry room so that we wouldn’t find a disaster in the morning. Need I say more?

The following night was a replay of the previous one but on an even grander scale. My daughters Alix and Frankie were awakened because the mouse–along with our cat–were running between their bedrooms. The girls woke me and of course once again we tried to catch the mouse. And, once again, she eluded us. The three of us finally slept in our basement–the girls had no desire to return to their bedrooms and I promised to stay with them for the remainder of the night.

In the morning, our cat once again flushed out the mouse and began playing with her. What Smokey would have ultimately done we will never know (and I’d prefer not to really think about it). My husband came to the rescue with a towel, scooped up the baby mouse and released her in the field behind our home. We all felt wonderful knowing the mouse lived and we could return to quieter nights with less excitement (and more sleep).

What I realize as I tell this story is how much I’ve changed. I grew up in a home where we didn’t have pets–except for a hamster we had for a brief time. Animals were meant to be outside and away from the house, living on ranches or open space. And undomesticated animals and creatures, such as mice, were not only unwanted–they were feared and even loathed. My parents used contraptions and chemicals to get rid of any unwanted pests in our house or yard.

As a young independent adult, I came to love animals in ways I never had the opportunity to experience as a child. My first pet as an adult was a dog. Since then, I and my family have had cats, dogs, birds, fish, and other critters we’ve regarded as additional members of our family. In most of my adult life, though, I still regarded pests and insects in much the same way as my parents did, never really giving much thought to the creatures I considered to be a nuisance in my life or to what I was using to get rid of them.

My first exposure to living with a different mindset came through my daughter Alix. She would carefully trap and return to the outdoors every spider, crawling and/or flying insect found in our home. My other opportunity to view life through a different lens came via a friend of mine who is Buddhist. I saw how in her home she found creative ways to divert the ants back outside, never harming any. She even lived in peaceful coexistence with them in her house when they wouldn’t leave. What I once thought of as extreme behavior, I now understand and appreciate with a more open mind and sensitivity for the choices we each make.

I’m not saying that I’ve taken a vow to never harm or kill an insect or creature again. But I do now live more consciously, considering the impact of my actions on any creatures I’m not prepared to live with in my home. Before I act, I now consider what steps I might take and how those actions might effect both the animal and our environment. And I’ve gone from being a “mouse hater” to someone who wants to treat them “humanely.”

Just yesterday, I once again had the opportunity to deal with a house guest my cat brought home. In the morning, before anyone else was up in the house, Smokey brought in another mouse. I watched the scene as she carried it, dropped it, chased it, and caught it again. I waited for the opportune moment when I could drop my towel on the poor shaking creature (yes, I could see it shaking as it stood on its hind legs with front paws up in a protective stance) and get it back outside. My moment came. With swift, determined action, I threw down the towel, scooped up towel and mouse, and dropped the frightened thing into the field out back. Within 15 minutes, the mouse had taken off, never to be seen again–hopefully.

My daughter and my Buddhist friend can be proud of me!

Today my challenge is for all of us to get outdoors this weekend and take a walk on the wild side.

Where I live in Colorado–at about 6300 feet–the wildflowers are in bloom. A few weeks ago, I and my family discovered a wonderful ridgeline trail near our home. We’ve made it a point to walk the trail at least a few times each week. As we climb, we walk next to scrub oak and other bushes which are all a brilliant shade of green right now. Once we get to the ridgeline, we have beautiful vistas of Pikes Peak, Sleeping Indian, and the Rocky Mountain front range. What I am enjoying most, however, are all the wildflowers we encounter. And with each passing day, there are new colors and shapes to appreciate.

Tonight, my daughter Alix and I took our walk at about 6:00 P.M. She likes to run, so for most of the walk/run, we are each on our own. As we began the trail, I was immediately greeted by the fragrance of flowers and shrubs, and it smelled heavenly. I continued to climb on my own (Alix had left me in the dust of course), and I began noticing the many flowers which hadn’t been there just two days ago. I kept a good pace but had to stop every now and then to appreciate the color that surrounded me. Even large fuzzy bumble bees were new to the trail, crossing my path and moving from flower to flower.

I am still smiling as I recall the flowers and fragrance I was treated to this evening. When Alix and I hooked up towards the end of the trail, she told me she’d even stopped quite a few times to look at all the new flowers in bloom. (Knowing that at almost 15 years old she can still be effected by the beauty of nature pleases me immensely.)

Tonight I am filled with gratitude for this glorious season of spring which will be with us for a few more weeks. This time of year gives me a sense of opening, lightness and hope. As each new flower opens to reveal its unique beauty, I find myself opening and responding to the longer, warmer days of this time of year. And, with the promise of the new flowers I expect to discover tomorrow, I am filled with the promise that more of us will continue to awaken to our call to be stewards of Mother Earth and to embrace the knowledge that we are in fact a part of the whole living system of the Earth.

I can hardly wait to walk tomorrow and see which new flowers have opened. I hope you will take the opportunity that springtime offers and “take a walk on the wild side”–go experience the magnificence of the wildflowers and plants native to where you live and allow their opening to open you a little further too.

It’s so easy to find ourselves living with a sense of despair as we contemplate what is happening to our planet, especially when we consider events such as the continuing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. But despair equates to disempowerment–a place which leaves us fearful, hopeless, and victim-bound. So how can we awaken our sense of hope and empowerment? Much lies in looking at our humanity–who we are, where we’ve been, and what we’re made of. As I prepared last week for the Awakening the Dreamer Symposium facilitator training, I was deeply inspired by the prerequisite reading, which spoke of these human aspects and qualities.

The following paragraphs are taken from The Optimism of Uncertainty by Howard Zinn: “Revolutionary change does not come as one cataclysmic moment (beware of such moments!) but as an endless succession of surprises, moving zigzag toward a more decent society. We don’t have to engage in grand, heroic actions to participate in the process of change. Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world. Even when we don’t “win,” there is fun and fulfillment in the fact that we have been involved, with other good people, in something worthwhile. We need hope.

“An optimist isn’t necessarily a blithe, slightly sappy whistler in the dark of our time. To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness. What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places–and there are so many–where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction. And if we do act, in however small a way, we don’t have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory.” The Optimism of Uncertainty by Howard Zinn; November 6, 2004

The following is excerpted from the twelve Principles of Spiritual Leadership by Will Keepin. I have chosen the two that speak to me most deeply today:

“The first principle is that the motivation underlying our activism for social change must be transformed from anger and despair to compassion and love. This is a major challenge for the environmental movement, for example. This is not to deny the legitimacy of noble anger or outrage at injustice of any kind. Rather, we seek to work for love, rather than against evil. We need to adopt compassion and love as our foundational intention, and do whatever inner work is required to implement this intention. Even if our outer actions remain the same, there is a major difference in results if our underlying intention supports love rather than defeating evil. The Dalai Lama says, ‘A positive future can never emerge from the mind of anger and despair.’

“The ninth principle is: do not insulate yourself from the pain of the world. We must allow our hearts to be broken-broken open-by the pain of the world. As that happens, as we let that pain in, we become the vehicles for transformation. If we block the pain, we are actually preventing our own participation in the world’s attempt to heal itself. As we allow our hearts to break open, the pain that comes is the medicine by which the Earth heals itself, and we become the agents of that healing. This is a vital principle that is quite alien to our usual Western ways of thinking.” Principles of Spiritual Leadership Adapted from a presentation given by Will Keepin at Schumacher College Totnes, England, July 17, 1997

Lastly, for today, I include an excerpt from First Draft of a Manifesto For Our Times by Vicki Robin: “You’ve heard the bad news. Yes, it’s bad. Everywhere you look, problems are multiplying faster than technology can wipe them up, faster than laws can contain them, faster than wisdom can put them in perspective. Everyday people – you and me – feel disconnected and powerless. But there’s good news. We’re a healthy species. We’re a young species. We’re designed for success. And every single one of us is a member of the species, so we all have the capacity to think and feel and experiment our way into a future that’s healthy for all life. Here are some principles you can count on. (For today, I’ve included the first four of Ms. Robin’s principles.)

“1. We’re not dumb. Ask anyone what the biggest challenges facing the world are in the next decade and you’ll get the same list. We know what’s wrong. We even know a bit of what “right” would look like. It’s a child’s vision of happiness: sunshine, family, flowers, friends, good stuff to do. The problem seems to be a sense of powerlessness. We’re up against a wall. There is no door. We want to do what’s right but every day we contribute to what’s wrong by doing what we must – driving our cars, working for large corporations, buying food grown with poisons, sending our kids to inadequate schools, watching stupid, violent TV programs to numb out. There must be a way to put into practice what we want to be real, what we know to be right. Therefore, we are people committed to creating a door in the wall and opening it so that everyone can have a decent life.”
2. We are not greedy. We are a generous species, given half a chance. Once we know we have enough and feel secure that it won’t be taken away (which is totally possible in the world as it is), simple playground fairness tells us we won’t ever be really happy until everyone has enough. Physical appetite teaches us that over-consuming leads to belly aches. You can’t get enough of what you don’t really want. Once you have enough to meet your real and perceived needs, you can liberate yourself from building personal material security and devote yourself to assuring the collective material security for all life. In this context, barter, sharing, gifting, generosity all make sense and are a source of real wealth. Therefore, we are people who pledge to understand and have compassion for our needs, to fill them wisely and to devote the ample overflow of intelligence, care, attention, creativity, love and inventiveness to contributing to the health, sanity and sustainability of life on earth.
3. Good work and good works. We’re a helpful bunch. We like to work (but not all the time, for Heaven’s sakes!). The purpose of work is not just to make money. CEO’s know that. Child care workers know that. Unpaid volunteers know that. We work to learn, to participate in the work of the world, to challenge ourselves, to pass the time, to get out and meet people, to prove ourselves, to play. Therefore, we are people who pledge ourselves, to the best of our ability, to work for the good of the world while assuring our own well-being and that we meet our financial obligations.
4. Success. We are not the “best” species, but we are a wonderful species – full of creativity, compassion, tenacity and devotion. The fact that we are, in this moment, contributing to a major die-off of other species and degradation of the biosphere isn’t proof that we are bad. It shows that we are immature and need to grow up. The young of any species must learn the consequences of their actions. As a young species, our task is to face the dark side of our expansiveness and become collectively as wise as our great wise ones: Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed, and Confucius – to name just a few. We are people who pledge ourselves to face our errors, to correct our errors and to become wise and generous companions to other people, cultures and species.“

It is through taking the best of what we are as human beings–and there is so much to celebrate about being human–to continue awakening. Through that awakening–through our questioning, curiosity and inquiry–combined with our creativity, compassion, tenacity and devotion, we can realize a world of sustainability, justice and spiritual fulfillment for all!

One great way to continue awakening is to attend the Awakening the Dreamer Symposium, which takes place in many locations around the world. Please go to the Awakening the Dreamer website to find a location near you. I, along with my team, will soon be offering symposiums between Denver and Colorado Springs and I will definitely post those times and dates as they get finalized.

Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!

This weekend I will be involved in the training required to become a facilitator of Pachamama Alliance’s Awakening the Dreamer Symposium. I am excited, awestruck, and nervous as I become a part of this monumental bridge of past and present to create a sustainable future for all life.

As I’ve been reading my preparatory materials, I’ve come across some rather thought-provoking excerpts. Here is a portion of them for your consideration this weekend:

The following paragraphs are taken from The Dream of the Earth by Thomas Berry: “In relation to the earth, we have been autistic for centuries. Only now have we begun to listen with some attention and with a willingness to respond to the earth’s demands that we cease our industrial assault, that we abandon our inner rage against the conditions of our earthly existence, that we renew our human participation in the grand liturgy of the universe.

“Mitigation of the present situation (recycling of materials, diminishment of consumption, healing of damaged ecosystems) will be in vain if they are done to make the present industrial systems acceptable. They must be done, but in order to build a new order of things.” Thomas Berry, The Dream of the Earth

The following paragraph comes from The Great Work by Thomas Berry: “The deepest cause of the present devastation is found in a mode of consciousness that has established a radical discontinuity between the human and other modes of being and the bestowal of rights on the humans. The other-than-human modes of being are seen as having no rights. They have reality and value only through their use by the human. In this context the other-than-human becomes totally vulnerable to exploitation by the humans, an attitude that is shared by all four of the fundamental establishments that control the human realm: governments, corporations, universities and religions—the political, economic, intellectual, and religious establishments. In reality there is a single integral community of the Earth that includes all its component members…Every being has its own voice. Every being declares itself to the entire universe.” Thomas Berry, The Great Work

Look for more excerpts in the weeks to come. In the meantime, please consider these thoughts from Thomas Berry. As you go about your day-to-day life, let them reside in your heart. Contemplate them. Consider them. And question. How might the earth guide us towards a sustainable future? And what new order of things might we build? What is possible if each of us comes to understand our individual call to action–action on behalf of our planet, as well as present and future generations?

After many posts about actions to take to aid in the healing of our planet over this past month, I have felt the need to pause for the last week and just allow all of that information to settle in. I also wanted time to sit with Jeff Graef’s beautiful affirmation for the Earth. Today on Footprint Friday and the last day of April, it feels right to once again share a prayer for the healing of our earth. Depending on your spiritual path, please take this and offer it in whatever way you connect with Source.

Thanks again to Jeff Graef for this beautiful prayer. While many of us are still very connected to Earth Day consciousness, it seems a perfect time to send out blessings and prayers for healing. May we all find ways to make every day Earth Day! Namaste.

I SAY A PRAYER FOR THE HEALING OF THE EARTH.
May the imbalances created by man be re-balanced and restored.
May the energy of spirit flow into the earth and restore her balance.
May this healing energy flow into the earth and sky.
May this healing energy flow into the water and air.
May this healing energy flow into all of the plants and animals.
May the climate and the oceans be healed and restored.
May the proper interdependence of all beings be restored.
May all move in harmony with spirit and regain balance.
May those leaders with power and influence see the truth before them and
recognize the need for transformation and act properly.
May those with a good and kind heart know the need for healing.
May they be inspired to use their unique abilities and talents for positive
transformation, healing, and restoration.
May they recognize, support, and uplift each other.
May the presence of spirit fill their lives with joy and allow them to rejoice in
doing this healing work.
May they manifest the presence, love, and compassion of spirit and uplift all
those around them.
I pray for assistance in doing this healing work:
I pray to the spirits of those plants and animals now extinct.
Join us and guide us in restoring and healing the earth.
I pray to the native peoples and ancestors who have lost their lives.
Join us and guide us in restoring and healing the earth.
I pray to the great teachers and sages of the past.
Join us and guide us in restoring and healing the earth.
In this time of need we pray for your help and rejoice in your presence.
Let your lost wisdom be restored and become our wisdom.
May the energy of your presence move our harmonious action.
Let me release my small ego preferences.
Let me release my barriers and encumbrances.
Let me open my heart to the work that must be done.
May the wisdom and guidance of spirit flow into me.
May I have the quiet presence and courage to accept this guidance.
May I know what work must be done and be empowered to do it.
I give thanks for this beautiful earth and all of her creatures.
I give thanks for this opportunity to restore her balance.
I am grateful for this life and give thanks for it.
May I move in harmony with spirit–
May the energy of spirit flow into me and guide me. c2006 Jeff Graef

(Note on the copyright restrictions: you may freely distribute and use this prayer, the copyright is to prevent someone from claiming authorship and/or restricting distribution.)

In addition to the 3 R’s–reduce, reuse and recycle–there’s a wonderful word to add to your vocabulary and to put into action in your life: PRECYCLE! While recycling can be very helpful for the environment, precycling can reduce waste before it gets to that point. Precycling is actually preventing and lowering the amount of waste in the world due to consumption. It is something everyone can do on a daily basis and if done by many, it can really reduce the massive amounts of garbage thrown away each day.

A few stats to consider: The EPA estimates the average American generates over 4 1/2 pounds of garbage each day. That means collectively we create over 230 million tons of trash each year! One-third of all this garbage is packaging, an area where we can all take immediate and effective steps to minimize.

Historically, packaging was used to protect and contain products for transport and sale, to keep items fresh, promote sanitary conditions, and prevent breakage. Packaging has expanded as we’ve expanded our demands to acquire products from all over the world (which requires additional packaging). Packaging also serves advertisers–the more packaging (i.e., the bigger, the brighter, the flashier), the more likely you are to buy the product. Packaging is being designed with the consumer rather than the environment in mind. And, although you may want to recycle the packaging, sadly, much of it must go in the trash.

In 1995 Discover magazine revealed that about 15 percent of our landfills contained food packaging–that was 30 million tons of trash a year. Of course this continues to expand, as we continue to live farther away from our food sources and we supplement our busy lifestyles with processed and prepackaged foods, on-the-go snacks, and microwaveable meals. The EPA defines excessive packaging as “any material that is not absolutely necessary for storing a product, protecting its shelf life, or communicating essential information.” Think about how many products you may have in your pantry or in your cupboards which contain “excessive packaging.” Single-serving containers, heat-and-serve meals and more contain plenty of extra wrapping.

Long ago, before the era of convenience packaging, people had different shopping habits which were more friendly to the environment. Families bought groceries and supplies in bulk, made their meals from scratch, using whole ingredients, and they reused or repaired products rather than simply throwing them away. Precycling is a return to the principles of conservation and waste reduction which were once very strong values. Precycling is a process of making wise purchasing decisions in order to reduce the amount of waste that we generate.

Below are some suggestions for wise shopping:

Select products carefully! At the store, consider the environmental impact of each purchase that you make. What is the product made of? Can it be reused or recycled? Is there a better alternative product or packaging of it? Ask yourself if the product is worth a higher garbage bill or a more polluted environment?

Be picky about packaging! At the store, reach for the product packaged in recyclable materials, such as paper, cardboard, glass, and aluminum, rather than plastic. Bring your own bag to the store. Look for the recycling symbol on packages, indicating that the package is recyclable, or made from recycled materials.

Overcome overpackaging! If the packaging isn’t necessary to protect the product, or if it’s just there to catch your eye, buy the less-packaged alternative.

Avoid disposables! Don’t buy products manufactured purposely for automatic disposal such as razors, lighters, plastic plates, etc.

Don’t use polystrene foam (styrofoam)! Vow not to buy it, whenever possible. Ask for paper packaging in take-out restaurants. If you are a regular coffee take-out patron, bring your own thermos or cup.

Buy in bulk! Avoid overpackaging and save money, too. Bring your own container with you to the store. Store brands and generic foods are often less packaged than others.

Speak up! Talk to store managers about your product and packaging preferences. Patronize businesses that offer recyclable products, less packaging, and the choice to buy in bulk. Write or call your state and federal officials to lend support to legislation that favors recycling and reduces unnecessary and non-recyclable packaging.

Reuse things! When you no longer need clothing or household items, share them with a neighbor or consider giving them to charity. Reuse plastic containers for storage, dog dishes, planting seeds, etc. Reuse paper for scratch pads, etc. See how creative you can be in discovering a second use for most of your trash.

Repair things, don’t discard them! By patronizing neighborhood repair shops, you’ll help the local economy.

Select Quality! Buy durable long-wearing products.

Prepare foods from scratch! As often as possible, prepare your meals using whole ingredients. More than likely, most of what will go into a meal you prepare will have much more nutritious value and much less packaging than that convenient, ready-made meal.

Teach children to precycle! Children may be highly susceptible targets for the lure of overpackaged goods, but they’re quick learners and we can teach them to do it right from the start.

(A portion of this segment was taken from an article produced by Cynthia Jobe, UWEX/Columbia County Resource Development Agent.)

In addition to precycling, consider buying recycled whenever possible. The Federal Trade Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency have developed guidelines to help ensure that eco-marketing is clear and effective. There are three main designations to be aware of: recycled-content products, post-consumer content, and recyclable products.

Recycled-content products are made from what would otherwise have become trash. When your recyclables complete that three-phase journey and become a new product, they are truly recycled and can be labeled as such. Recyclable items are reduced to raw materials and used for new products or are rebuilt, remanufactured, or remade by the product’s original company. When purchasing recycled products, look for specific amounts of recycled content, such as 100% recycled paper or 30% post-consumer content. Be wary of vague claims such as “now made with more recycled content.”

Post-consumer content are materials that were actually used by private consumers or businesses. If a product is labeled “recycled content,” it might be made with both post-consumer waste and various reused product materials. An example of this could be something that was damaged during production and is then reused in reproduction along with post-consumer waste. Pre-consumer content refers to scraps or excess materials that are “recycled” internally. For example, a carpet company may take its own remnants and create mats out of those scraps–creating a useful product which would otherwise have become garbage.

Finally, recyclable products are items that CAN be recycled but have not yet been made with recycled material. These are items that the consumer must ensure make it to the recycling after having used or consumed the contents. So, be on the lookout for “recyclable content” which means something very different than “recycled content.”

What does all of this mean for those of us who are consumers? Well, to me it means that we must become more aware of what we purchase–not just from the standpoint of the product we are buying, but also with regard to what it’s made from, how it was made, and how it is packaged. As conscientious consumers, it’s important to look at each item we purchase using the “cradle to cradle” mentality to decide how to get the most use out of a product and to participate in ensuring that what remains can become something new! Instead of shopping with a “what’s in it for me?” attitude, taking on a greener lifestyle means shopping with “how can this help both me and the earth?”

We are the stewards and custodians of our planet. Every conscious and conscientious decision we make can be a step towards the healing of Mother Earth.