Here’s a reflective piece on simple living by a woman who is doing it. — Zana

The Art of Simple Living

By Tiffany Washko

Simple living is the way an individual chooses to enjoy life in the simplest form possible without the comforts often found in high technological materials and wealth. The art of simple living may be described as living in a way that is outwardly simpler and inwardly richer; focusing more on the richness of the world’s natural resources rather than on the material things that often clutter our life. Read the rest >>>

Earth flag, Image via Wikipedia

Many people just can’t get into making changes in their lives to help the planet. They often say that it seems futile to them. With billions of people alive — and world population still rising — how much can it matter what one person or one family does?

I can understand this point of view, as I have certainly had this thought myself many times. How much can it really make a difference if I write articles on simple living, for example?

I think the point is that all we can change is ourselves. That’s where all of us have to begin. Then, some people’s actions will in fact go on to affect how things are done on a society-wide level. Most people’s actions will have a much smaller range.

The Happiness Factor

It is easy to say that since your actions will be such a tiny part of the picture, you won’t bother. What you don’t realize you are missing out on is the happiness factor. Read the rest >>>

You can have a wonderful wedding, full of joy and love, for very low cost and in a very eco-friendly manner. I know, because my husband Kelly and I did it. It takes some planning, but it’s well worth it.

First, decide how many people you want to have at the actual ceremony. One way to save is to have a small wedding. You could have the ceremony privately and have a big party or reception that evening or a few days later.

We wanted to have many family members and friends with us when we exchanged vows, and we ended up with 135 guests. We found a place to hold the wedding that cost nothing, and I suggest you do the same or at least find a low-cost spot. If you want to be a in a church, the charge can range from free (especially if you are a member) to many thousands of dollars. According to the Bridal Association of America, the average cost for a wedding location is $435. Read the rest >>>

Peak Oil is not an enjoyable concept to consider, but it is a reality that will be changing our world and our lives. In a nutshell, the term refers to the fact that we have reached a peak in extracting oil from the planet, or we soon will. This peak is the halfway mark, which doesn’t sound too bad — but we have extracted the easiest oil there is to find and remove. After this, extracting petroleum will be more costly, both in money and in ecological impacts. There is widespread scientific and political agreement as to the reality of Peak Oil, although people do disagree as to the exact timing. If we haven’t passed the peak yet, it is coming soon. We can see ahead the sunset of the petroleum era.

There are many implications of this sitation. With oil becoming scarcer and harder to extract, we will be paying more at gas stations. All goods that are transported will cost more to be moved from, for example, China to your nearest big box store. Even road upkeep will be more expensive, since asphalt contains oil. Literally as well as metaphorically, we can expect more potholes ahead. Read the rest >>>

If you are thinking of buying a house, there are many green questions you can ask to evaluate any house you look at.  This guest article is written by a realtor . — Zana

Buying Green – Ask the Right Questions

By Lee Cameron

Are you thinking of buying a new home and want to find one that is energy efficient and better for the environment? Going green with homes is a big trend right now, thanks to the lower energy costs and the smaller carbon footprint that goes with it. But if you want to find a good green home, you need to know what to ask.

What Is the Size?

Size does matter. The first and most obvious thing to find out about a new home is its size. Read the rest >>>

Ten eco-friendly products (I had never heard of spudware!) and five products to avoid make up this guest article. Some of these could make quite profound changes. — Zana

Going Green With Eco-Friendly Products – Buy Products Made From Renewable Resources

By Emanuel Schroeder

Going Green is not just a trend. It’s a priority for all of us if we want to continue to live on a beautiful, life-giving planet. Thinking of ways of going green, however, is not always easy. Just because we buy organic food and recycle doesn’t necessarily mean we’re making much of a practical impact. We need to have a whole plan for Going Green. One element in that plan should be buying eco-friendly products. But how do we find eco-friendly products? Well, one way is to buy products made from renewable resources.

Buying products made from renewable resources should be a priority for each of us when going green. These types of eco-friendly products insure that we don’t use earth’s resources too quickly. We need to let our planet replenish it’s natural resources at the same rate as we are consuming them.

So, what are good eco-friendly products- products made from renewable resources? Read the rest >>>