Hey everyone!!!
I just came across this new alternative building method for earth-sheltered homes. And it's pretty impressive. According to the website, the materials used, polyester fibers and PET resins, are non-toxic. If this is true, this new technology may surpass Reynold's earthship idea... well, at least in durability. Reynold's recycling and indoor garden ideas are still #1 in my book.
Whether driving one hour or 12 hours, bringing along the right food is crucial to a healthy, clean, and safe journey. There’s nothing more frustrating than exiting a car with a big stain on your shirt. You shouldn’t have to balance a container and steering wheel in one hand and a fork in the other. And you shouldn’t have to dive for a fallen pickle. According to New York Daily News, “a staggering 80% of all car accidents and 65% of near misses are caused by distracted drivers more focused on their burgers than the road.”
It is of course safer and cleaner to drive without eating. However, if you, like me, do not adhere to that opinion, here are my 6 tips on how to eat and drive at the same time:
Follow these tips and you should be able to pick up food from a bag or container on your lap without your eyes ever leaving the road. Now, here are 19 healthy foods that are easy to eat while driving:
Here are a few links to recipes that may interest you:
In the previous post, I wrote about how to eat healthy on a road trip. And as you all know, I write articles on living naturally. But I have to admit I am not a health food perfectionist. I like being spontaneous and it’s hard to be spontaneous if you are 100% anything, especially when on a road trip. So, today I’m going to post my first and probably only article on the benefits of eating at fast food restaurants on a road trip.
First, I want to say stopping at fast food restaurants isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If you are healthy, do not have any dietary restrictions, and it is not something you do often, then you should do so. Some wonderful memories can be gathered at a fast food restaurant. You never know who you’ll meet, what you’ll see, what you’ll eat, and what will make you smile.
Fast food restaurants cater to all sorts of people. So, if you like to people watch, these restaurants are good places to do this. But for me, the best part about being open to fast food restaurants is that different regions around America offer region specific foods. For example, Florida has a fast food restaurant called Pollo Tropical. Pollo Tropical serves Caribbean and Latin dishes like black beans, fried yucca, and sweet plantains. Outside of Florida, the only other place you’ll find this restaurant is Georgia. In North Carolina and Virginia, there is a fast food restaurant called Biscuitville that serves southern-style breakfast foods. There, you can find southern breakfast favorites like biscuits, grits, hash browns and country fries. So, eating at fast food restaurants can be a cultural experience too.
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When you’ve been sitting in a car for 4 hours and your stomach starts to growl, the first solution that usually comes to mind is to stop at a fast food restaurant. It’s fast. It’s easy. It’s affordable. And you already know what tastes good. The only question is: will it be healthy?
Here are 4 ways to eat healthy on your next road trip…
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There are many ways to travel on a budget. One such way is to drive to your destination. Driving is especially cost-effective if you are traveling with 2 or more people. One, you can share expenses… something you wouldn’t do if you were flying. And two, if you’re vacationing with your partner and/or children, driving will save you from having to buy 2 or more airplane tickets. The best part about driving is the sense of freedom and adventure you get as one scene after another passes by.
If you are planning a road trip, here are few tips on how to keep costs down…
Wishing you a safe and happy journey!!!
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Hi everyone!!!
I’ve been getting visitors searching for articles on ways to raise nature-loving kids. I skimmed over this topic in a previous article called 10 Ways to Nurture Simple and Nature-loving Kids. So, I decided to write an article on this specific topic.
What I have written below are, of course, only ideas. And they can be tweaked in a million different ways to fit you, your budget, and your children’s needs. Please remember every family is different and every child is unique. A 16 year old may not be as interested in playing in mud like a 4 year old. And a 4 year old will not be able to write an essay like a 16 year old. Whatever you decide to do, I wish you a ton of smiles and laughter with your children.
1. Be an example.
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.netFirst and most important, be an example for your kids. It will be hard to raise nature-loving kids if you dislike nature and natural living. So, make an effort and walk the talk — garden, cook with fresh food, take long walks, go on scenic drives, play sounds of nature music, open your doors and windows on a cool breezy day, have nature books laying around, join nature related groups, drive with your windows down, swim at the beach, throw picnic and BBQ parties for your family and friends, shop at farmer’s markets, decorate your home with live plants, use natural products, enjoy animals, or subscribe to green, natural, and wildlife magazines. There are many ways to show you like nature and natural living. Find something that fits you and do it.
2. Go WWOOFing with your teenagers.
WWOOF stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. WWOOF is a world-wide network of organizations that link volunteers with organic farmers and help people share more sustainable ways of living. In return for help, WWOOF hosts offer food, accommodation and opportunities to learn about organic lifestyles.
You can WWOOF in your own country. If you live in the US, you can volunteer in another state like Hawaii or even in another country like Canada. Travel and study at the same time, you can’t beat that.
3. Visit local gardens.
It can be a botanical garden or a garden on a public estate grounds like Vizcaya Gardens in Florida. Some are public garden-parks free to all and some are private gardens and charge a fee. If there isn’t one in your city, look for one nearby. Check out GardenVisit.com for a list of gardens around the US.
For older children, make this visit interesting by adding a project. For example, you can have your teenager take a photo of the most beautiful piece of nature she saw (a flower, plant, leaf, bird, butterfly) and then do something creative based on it like write a poem, create a song, paint an abstract, or design a dress based on the shapes and colors in the photos.
4. Read stories based on nature.
This is a great way to mix entertainment and nature. Check out this pinterest page: Nature-based Children’s Books, for some titles. The Native American culture also has a lot of inspiring and beautiful earth stories. Writers have taken the time to hear these stories and write them down for us all to enjoy and explore. Michael J. Caduto and Joseph Bruchac are two such writers. Some books they have published are: “Keepers of the Earth: Native American Stories and Environmental Activities for Children”, “Native plant stories”, “Earth Tales from around the World”, “Keepers of Life: Discovering Plants through Native American Stories and Earth Activities for Children”, “Native American animal stories”, and “Native American gardening: stories, projects, and recipes for families”. This can be a nature and a cultural diversity lesson in one.
5. Grow a vegetable and/or fruit garden.
This can be a lot of fun and educational if you allow your kids to help in every aspect of the gardening process — designing the garden, choosing what to plant, buying the plants or seeds, planting, pruning, watering, and picking. As an added benefit, you can allow your older children to help you cook your produce. During summer, try designating at least two days a month for just you, your family, and your garden. If you have a varying choice of ripe herbs, fruits and vegetables in your garden, make an entire meal using only what you pick. Remember to get your children involved. Otherwise, you will find them playing video games while you do all the planting, picking and cooking.
If you do not have the land or are unable to commit to growing a garden, another option is to buy shares in a local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm. A CSA is an organization where individuals pledge to support one or more local farms by buying shares in a CSA farm(s) or paying fees. In return, shareholders or subscribers receive weekly shares of vegetables and fruit once harvesting begins. Some CSAs also offer discounts in exchange for labor.
6. Rent a home in the country for vacation.
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net
“The hills are alive, with sound of music, with songs they have sung for a thousand years.” ~The Sound of Music
If you already live in the country, there’s no reason to do this, unless you want to rent a home on the beach. That can be another fun nature submersion experience. But if you live in the city, surrounded by concrete, it will be a nice change to rent a home for a few days that’s surrounded by trees and grass… where the air is cleaner and the scent of nature is stronger… where you can see squirrels running and deer grazing… where your children can run free, act crazy and scream like banshees without upsetting your neighbors. While in the country, don’t forget to gaze at the stars at night and sign-up for horseback riding and fishing lessons. You may also be able to find nature trails, hiking tours, hay rides, and guided birdwatching tours. Local festivals are also fun outings for kids.
7. Adopt a pet.
There’s nothing like a pet to teach your children how to love all living beings. So, if you go this route, make sure to get your children involved. Make them responsible for pet-related chores. Have discussions on what it means to be good parents to pets, what is humane treatment and inhumane, what can be done to make a pet’s life better. Force your child to think beyond the “I want a puppy” level.
8. Travel.
There’s nothing like a beautiful landscape to inspire and leave a lasting memory. You don’t have to travel outside the country or even outside your state. It can be as simple as taking a day trip to somewhere beautiful that your children have never been before. Maybe you know of a waterfall, a beach with clear blue water and sparkling white sand, a lake that’s also a beach, an island in the middle of a neighboring town, or a mountain covered in bright white snow.
9. Celebrate the change of seasons or solstices and equinoxes
In the past, people were very aware of the change in seasons because it meant a change in food supply and animal migration. Now that we have subdivisions, planned cities, grocery stores and shopping malls, there’s no need to pay close attention to the change in seasons. So, this is one aspect of nature with which many of us have lost touch. If you want to teach your children to appreciate the change of season, celebrate it by attending festivals, throwing feasts, walking through gardens, sending out prayers, reading seasonal stories, or singing related songs. You can also buy in-season produce. Don’t forget to explain the significance of a season change to your children.
10. Play in the rain.
When was the last time you played in the rain? Next time it rains on a hot day, take your kids outside and play, dance, and scream. Be a kid with your kids.
11. Go to local parks.
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Take your children to parks regularly. Play toss and catch, kick a ball around, arrange a picnic, fly a kite, throw frisbees, hoola-hoop, jump rope, row a canoe, roll down a hill… Teach your children how to have fun outdoors.
This is also the perfect time to have discussions. Ask them questions and listen to their answers and musings. Away from your job and phone calls from family and friends, you’ll be able to focus your attention on them. This will help form positive associations in your children’s minds — nature means family time, nature means fun, nature means games, nature means delicious food…
You can also take your children bike-riding, jogging, or walking through a local park. If you have a healthy dog, you can also take your dog out for a walk. This outing can be like hitting 2 birds with one stone (not literally of course).
12. Flip through landscape books.
One day, when it’s quiet and your children want to cuddle up next to you, flip through a book of gorgeous landscape pictures. If you want an activity to go with this, have them study the book for photography ideas. Then, take them to different areas around your city, and various parks, gardens, and open land with cameras. Have them take landscape photos. Find a way to get them serious about this project so that they can learn to really see nature, to pay attention to the finer details, and look for a beautiful shot. When they have completed the project you can have it printed and wired into book format or you can make a pdf e-book and download it onto an e-reader. If your kids are older, have them add words (a poem, essay, short tale, song, quote, or description) to the bottom of each photo. You can also make them responsible for creating a landscape e-book for your pleasure.
13. Have them write a story, play, poem, and/or philosophy based on nature, Mother Earth, or a green-related movement.
Loving nature shouldn’t just be about entertainment. It should also be about mentally understanding it and becoming emotionally connected to it. Writing your and other people’s thoughts down on paper is a great way to dig deep into a subject and your soul and come up with your own understanding.
14. Watch movies with beautiful landscape scenes.
When I was a teenager, I loved movies that took me around the world. I grew up with a strong desire to travel and explore the planet’s varying landscapes and cultures. Without these movies, I don’t know if I my desire to explore and have one adventure after another would be the same.
15. Create a fake treasure hunt.
A friend of mind came up with this one. And the minute I heard it, I loved it. Buy some shovels, an old box and a bunch of old-looking items that will fit in the box. When choosing the treasure, try finding rare items that do not have the words Made in China (and the like) written on the back. Bury the box somewhere legal. Remember where you buried it. You may want to create a marker of some kind, something only you will see. The next day, propose a treasure hunt to your children. After a couple misses, lead them to the spot where you buried your treasure the day before. Have them dig away until they find your box. Don’t forget to act surprised!
16. Install a bird feeder.
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net
This is a simple way to have a fun nature lesson right in your backyard. You and your children can spend days looking at the various birds coming to feast at your feeder. Buy a bird book to go along with it. Play a “name that bird” game. You can also have them take a picture and then paint it. Birds, with all their colors, are always fun to paint
17. Play “Name that bug”.
I admit I’m not much of a bug person. But maybe you are and will have fun traipsing through your backyard on the search for the most colorful or craziest-looking bugs.
18. Play sounds of nature music.
If you’re raising babies, try putting them to sleep with nature-sounds music. Nature-sounds can be very relaxing and soothing. It’s also a great way to bring the outside in and remind you of life outside four walls. If you have toddlers and pre-teens, play this type of music around the house. You can buy it at your local store or online. And if you have good internet access, you can listen to it free on last.fm radio. You can also find nature-sounds playlists on YouTube.com.
19. Make a video on nature.
To make this video, you will need a video-making software. You don’t have to buy one. If you have a newer computer, you probably already have one. My Acer laptop came with Windows Live Movie Maker. You can also make a video online free with websites like: Masher.com. If you want to add professional video clips to you movie making project, you can either buy or download free clips online. Neo’s Clip Archive offers free video clips. You will also need some music and your own pictures and/or video clips of anything that deals with nature. Take a scenic drive, go to the aquarium, visit a garden, have a beach day. Even if it is as far as your backyard, go spend time in nature. Allow your children to click away. This project is about them: what story they want to tell, which beauty calls to them, and what their eyes see. You may be surprised at the details they catch. Here are examples of what you can do with landscape shots…
This is a great project for older kids — a nature, art, and film-making class in one. And for younger kids, you can help them — let them take the images and choose the music while you work the computer.
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Hey everyone! So, I’ve been trying to incorporate more raw foods into my diet. And for raw foodists the green smoothie is like gold. When I first saw it, I was like “yuck, never.” But today I decided to give it a try and I was pleasantly surprised. It tasted really good. Due to the green color, I thought it would have a vegetable taste, but it didn’t. It tasted like a regular fruit smoothie. Yummy!!! Here’s what I used:
1/2 cup of water
3 handfuls of spinach
1 banana, ripe
2 red apples with skin, cored
2 tbsp of honey
3 tbsp of plain yogurt
5 cherries, pitted
I put all of these ingredients together into a blender and blended it on low and then high for about a minute. I recommend for everyone to try it. If you like fruit smoothies, you’ll like this. And the great part is the varying nutrients you will get with the addition of spinach leaves. I can’t wait to try other recipes. 
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With this video, we go to India to learn of the Navdanya movement. It’s a movement against the genetic engineering of seeds. It also promotes farmers’ rights, organic farming and seed saving. “Navdanya has helped set up 54 community seed banks across the country, trained over 500,000 farmers in seed sovereignty, food sovereignty and sustainable agriculture over the past two decades, and helped set up the largest direct marketing, fair trade organic network in the country. Navdanya has also set up a learning center, Bija Vidyapeeth (School of the Seed) on its biodiversity conservation and organic farm in Doon Valley, Uttranchal, north India. Navdanya is actively involved in the rejuvenation of indigenous knowledge and culture. It has created awareness on the hazards of genetic engineering, defended people’s knowledge from biopiracy and food rights in the face of globalisation and climate change.”
The founder of this movement is Dr Vandana Shiva. Dr Shiva is “working on a 3 year project with the Government of Bhutan, at the invitation of the Prime Minister Jigme Thinley, advising the Government on how to achieve their objective of becoming an Organic Sovereign country (the first fully 100% organic country).”
The idea of a 100% organic country in today’s increasingly interdependent and destructive world is truly incredible and beautiful. It looks like we are on the road to a 100% organic planet.
If you want to read more about Dr Shiva, please click here. Want to read more about the Navdanya movement, please click here.
Souces: wikipedia.com
New Gift | Supriyo Sen from Focus Forward Films on Vimeo.
In today’s context of biological and ecological destruction caused by chemical farming, industrial agriculture and genetic engineering, the film explores the core philosophy of “Navdanya” movement ignited by Dr. Vandana Shiva who believes seed is a gift of life, heritage and continuity and saving seeds leads to conserving biodiversity, knowledge, culture and sustainability.
