Care2 is a great source for fun, festive e-cards. Their selection of quality electronic cards is what I look for when wanting to send a greeting online. Not only are you saving natural resources through sending electronically, but now, you can earn “butterfly credits” when you send e-cards through Care2. Those credits can be redeemed for meaningful gifts like safe drinking water, carbon offsets, or help for shelter pets through amazing organizations. You earn the credits and you choose the gifts. Now it’s easier than ever to make a difference at Care2. Next time you need a greeting, check out Care2. http://www.care2.com/ecards/

This post will strike a nerve with some readers, as many minimalists or aspiring minimalists are die-hard carnivores. They love their meat and don’t want to hear anything against it.

Well, hear me out, please. If you could read to the end of the post before disagreeing, blasting me, or dismissing me, I’d be grateful.

In this post I’ll tell you (briefly) why I chose veganism and how it is the diet I believe is most in line with minimalism.

Minimal eating
Veganism, simply defined, is abstaining from animal products, from meat and fish and poultry to dairy and eggs and other such products. I also try for whole foods that are minimally processed, which means I mostly eat veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, beans, some whole grains.

This is a limited, minimal diet, and yet it can be incredibly satisfying and maximally flavorful. It’s also very healthy, very light, and low on the budget (if you compare it to eating whole foods carnivorously).

A small amount of ingredients. Light on the palate and stomach. Easy to prepare, with a minimum of fuss.

The most sustainable diet
I won’t go into the figures here (they’re covered better elsewhere), but raising animals for meat, eggs and dairy is incredibly wasteful. For every pound of meat or dairy, many times that amount of plants must be used to feed the animals for those products.

Animals also produce a huge amount of pollution and contribute immensely to greenhouse gases, not to mention the machinery and fuel that’s used to raise, slaughter and transport them … and all the plants needed to feed them.

Eating only plants cuts that waste to a minimal amount, and is so much better for the environment. Minimalists who care about living lightly and sustainably would do well to research this and consider it.

Minimal cruelty
One of the main reasons for becoming a vegan is that we don’t believe animals should be held captive, suffer, and be slaughtered for our pleasure.

There is absolutely no need for humans to consume animal products to live a healthy life. Sure, we’ve eaten them for millions of years, but as millions and millions of people have proven, you can eat a vegan diet and be healthy.

And so, the only reason to eat animal products is pleasure — you like the taste and “can’t give it up”. Vegans don’t believe animals should suffer for our pleasure, and becoming vegan means you’re opting out of a society that treats animals with extreme cruelty and pretends it doesn’t happen.

Living lightly, not always conveniently
If your definition of minimalism involves always choosing the most convenient, easiest options, then veganism might not be the most minimal choice. It can sometimes be inconvenient, when eating at restaurants that aren’t vegan-friendly or at the homes of non-vegan friends or family.

That’s a reality, but in truth, it’s not that hard. I mostly cook my own food, with a minimum of preparation, and so most days I have no problems whatsoever.

More and more restaurants are becoming vegan-friendly, and the ones that aren’t can usually whip up a quick and simple vegetable dish on request. I usually avoid McDonald’s and most fast food anyway. When I go to someone else’s house, I usually bring a dish with me, and friends and family who know me best often will cook a dish for me out of consideration.

So it’s not that hard. My suggestion, if you’re interested, is starting small: try a couple vegan dishes this week, a couple next week, and so on. There’s no need to drastically change overnight, but in time you’ll find that vegan dishes are delicious and the vegan lifestyle is wonderfully minimalist.

Thanks for listening, my friends.

Consumers started giving feedback about the types of cleaners they wanted and companies started listening. Now there are many green cleaners available. Just check the store shelves and you’ll find many new products that are much better for your environment.

The fact is, it’s not always easy to choose new cleaners when you’ve been using the same ones for years and years. Start by looking at the label of ingredients. If the product is green, it will shout green from the rooftops. They’ll proudly list their ingredients and some will even tell you what each ingredient does. Go with plant-based over petroleum-based as it’s usually better for you. If you’re not sure about an ingredient and if it sounds sinister to you then go online and get the facts.

Another thing that can help you is to look for 3rd party seals like the one by the EPA because they are done independently and show the product has passed measurable criteria regarding the environment. When a product has an independent seal of approval, it carries more weight than the company’s own self-promoting.

Since you’ve made the commitment to go greener, consider your cleaning instruments as well. Paper towels should be chlorine-free and made from recycled paper. Better yet, use soft, absorbent cloth diapers as they do an excellent job cleaning, weren’t made from trees, and last a long time. New on the market are microfiber kitchen cloths. They are multi-purpose and are great for spills as they are super absorbent. In the spirit of reduce, reuse, and recycle, use old t-shirts when painting or for garage tasks.

Way back in the day, cleaners consisted of regular household items like baking soda, vinegar, and elbow grease. These “old-fashioned” remedies work just as well today as they did back then. These products are another non-toxic option for cleaning that you might consider revisiting. Here’s a short list:

Baking Soda
clean surfaces
remove odors
clean silver
remove scuff marks
remove grease
clean hairbrushes and combs
remove burnt food from the grill
remove mildew
clean outdoor furniture

Vinegar
clean windows
clean silver, pewter, brass or copper
clean spills
clean no-wax floors
clean wood paneling
spray shower stalls to prevent mildew
keep ants away
remove odors
remove soap residue

Some commercial green cleaners are more expensive and some are not, but expense may certainly weigh in, along with health and environment issues, when considering your choice of cleaner. If you can, choose the products that are better for you and the environment AND that do the job.

Photos © Patrick M. Rose, Save the Manatee Club

Photos © Patrick M. Rose, Save the Manatee Club

To view more of these beautiful creatures, please Manatee Photo Gallery..

I encourage you to to view the accompanying video of each as well.. they are short and well done.

1. Take Care of Yourself :  view video
2. Be Temperate : view video
3. Don’t Be Promiscuous : view video
4. Love and Help Children : view video
5. Honor and Help Your Parents : view video
6. Set a Good Example : view video
7. Seek to Live with the Truth : view video
8. Do Not Murder : view video
9. Don’t Do Anything Illegal : view video
10. Support a Government Designed and Run For All the People : view video
11. Do Not Harm A Person of Goodwill : view video
12. Safeguard and Improve Your Environment : view video
13. Do Not Steal : view video
14. Be Worthy of Trust : view video
15. Fulfill Your Obligations : view video
16. Be Industrious : view video
17. Be Competent : view video
18. Respect the Religious Beliefs of Others : view video
19. Try Not to Do Things to Others That You Would Not Like Them to Do to You : view video
20. Try To Treat Others as You Would Want Them to Treat You : view video
21. Flourish and Prosper : view video

Brought to you by TheWayToHappiness.org & Karlyn – a proud member.

Every April there’s one day when we all try to come together for a greater good. No, it’s not Tax Day — it’s Earth Day on April 22nd. While most people know about Earth Day and its environmental significance, few of us know how Earth Day got started!

In the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, there was growing concern over the state of the environment. Most notably seen across college campuses and grassroots organizations, this environmental focus also grew in importance within the political sphere. In 1969, Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson suggested a demonstration to help gain attention for environmental causes. A year later on April 22nd, the first official Earth Day was held with over 20 million people participating — a giant step for the modern environmental movement!

Since the inception of Earth Day, the holiday has become an international effort to improve environmental sustainability from air quality and global warming to wildlife protection and recycling efforts. In 1992, the United Nations recognized the growing need to maintain environmental health with an Earth Summit in Rio de Jainero.

While Earth Day has changed a great deal from its original demonstration-based format, the goal remains the same. Now, there’s a greater emphasis on clean energy and the reduction of global warming, but one fact is undeniable: Earth Day is growing in importance across the world. Nearly a billion people across the world participated in last year’s Earth Day activities.

In addition to focusing on a very real and pressing issue, Earth Day also brings people of different cultures, nationalities, religions, and races together to strive for a common goal. Celebrated in over 175 countries, Earth Day is considered “the largest secular holiday in the world, celebrated by more than a half billion people every year,” according to Earth Day Network. This year, become a part of this exciting and important holiday — and spread the word to your friends and family!

What You Can Do:

There are tons of ways you can celebrate Earth Day by yourself or with friends and family! Some of the things you can do to help the environment are:

•Plant a tree: Help keep the planet green one tree at a time! Trees help absorb carbon dioxide, thereby reducing your carbon footprint. For more information on planting, tree care, and what trees are best for your area and the environment, please visit the Arbor Day Foundation (http://www.arborday.org/).

•Make your home Earth friendly: While so many environmental efforts focus on the outdoors, there are an endless number of ways you can make your home more “green.” From compact florescent light bulbs and Energystar appliances (http://www.energystar.gov/) to organic, locally grown foods and natural pest control (http://www.ecosmart.com/), there are a growing number of products to help you keep your home Earth friendly. Visit www.healthychild.org for simple ways to keep your home healthy for your family and the planet.

•Donate to a worthy environmental cause: You don’t have to get down and dirty if you don’t want to; donations to well respected environmental organizations ensure that you’re helping the causes you find important. And don’t forget — sometimes these groups need the items you just have gathering dust in your garage! Visit www.charitynavigator.org or similar sites to find a reputable organization.

•Walk, bike, or carpool to reduce emissions: Sometimes, it’s the changes you make in your daily life that will have the greatest impact on the environment. Do something good for your health and the planet by walking or biking to work or to run errands. If you live too far away, consider carpooling or taking public transportation.

•Start a recycling program in your community: If your community doesn’t already have the resources for recycling, you can always take your items to a recycling center. However, if you make the extra effort to create a convenient recycling solution within your neighborhood, more people are likely to recycle as well. At http://earth911.org/recycling/ you can find what items can be recycled as well as how and where to recycle them.

•Know your carbon footprint: How do you measure up in terms of the amount of Carbon Dioxide you and your family produce? See where you stand compared to the national average by calculating your personal contribution to global warming at www.climatecrisis.net/takeaction/carboncalculator/. You might be surprised enough to adopt cleaner forms of energy.

About the Author:

This article is sponsored by EcoSMART organic pest control : Created with botanical oils, EcoSMART’s bug-killing formulas offer an unprecedented margin of safety by using organic materials. These specifically formulated, patented blends of plant oils only target insects and have no adverse effects on people, pets or the environment!

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – The Origins of Earth Day

Read more about this Earth Day Video Mash-Up.
http://www.ctngreen.com/mashup/

PEOPLE IN THE VIDEO MIX SO FAR:
Leeza Gibbons / Leeza’s Place
Katie Stam / Miss America 2009
Olivia Newton-John / Actress Vocalist
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa / Los Angeles
Mariel Hemingway / Author & Actress
Noah Wyle / Actor & Greeniac
Josh Tickell / Film-maker environmentalist
Anne Hathaway / Actress
Arianna Huffington / Huffpost Green
Zooey DesChanel / Actress
Hart Bochner / Actor-Director
John Paul DeJoria / Paul Mitchell
Rick Ridgeway / patagonia
apl.de.ap / Black Eyed Peas
Tim Daly / Creative Coalition
Cisco & Schwayze / MTV
Gnarls Barkley / Performer
Matthew Modine/ Bike for a Day
Kevin Lyman / Vans Warped Tour
Henrik Fisker / KARMA
ZEM JOAQUIN / ecofabulous
Matt Petersen / Global Green
Ed Begley Jr / Fixing The Planet
Steven Spielberg / ARTribe.org
Christie Brinkley / Albert Einstien College
Boise Thomas / Planet Green / Discovery
Michael Franti / Spearhead
Ziggy Marley / Love is my religion
MAX and JASON / Current TV
LOLA BERRY / eco-evangelista from Australia

Earth Day was founded by Mr. John McConnell on March 21, 1970. He writes, “When the Vernal Equinox dawned on me, I immediately knew it was right. The Earth tremor that shook our California dwelling at that moment seemed an omen of confirmation. What could be more appropriate than the first moment of spring, when day and night are equal around the world and hearts and minds can join together with thoughts of harmony and Earth’s rejuvenation. Just as a single prayer can be significant, how much more so when hundreds, thousands, millions of people throughout the world join in peaceful thoughts and prayers to nurture neighbor and nature. And so it came to pass we initiated the celebration of Earth Day on March 21, 1970.”

Here are instructions on how to plant a tree in your backyard on Earth Day:

Determine what type of tree you are going to plant and where. Choose a sapling, but do not soak it prior to planting. You don’t have to remove the burlap that encases the sapling, but do remove the ties. Open the burlap sapling and clip the roots which circle the outer part of the root ball. Dig a hole two to five times wider than the root ball.  In the bottom and center of the hole, leave a planting base of undisturbed soil. Put the root ball on undisturbed soil flush to two inches over the top of the hole. Hold the tree while backfilling with dirt and soil. Remove grass and weeds within six inches of tree material. With excess soil, build a small boarder around the hole to add water down to the roots; then water and mulch.

“Earth Day was firmly established for all time on a sound basis as an annual event to deepen reverence and care for life on our planet.” Mr. John McConnell

What better way to observe Earth Day, than to plant a tree in your yard. Mr. McConnell
wrote so eloquently about the importance of this day; it behooves everyone to follow his dream of nature/nurture.