If you know your holiday travel dates early, set up an alert on yapta.com, an airfare-tracking website, for when the price drops. Want to get details on an assigned airplane seat? Check seatguru.com to find out whether it reclines, has ample legroom, or features a power port. Read more tips on the Holiday Travel Essentials Checklist
We put 22 million tons of CO2 into the oceans every day.
If you put a tooth in a glass of Coke, which is basically a tooth in water with Co2, it cracks into pieces—and a tooth is much stronger than a seashell.
Coral reefs may be gone in your lifetime. Two million years in the making, destroyed in a few decades--coral may be extinct within 50 years. We may someday live in a world without fish. At the very best, we will see hundreds of species become extinct.
2% of our GDP is all it would take to correct the problem, according to mainstream economists.
How do we say to our great grandkids that we let this happen because we weren’t willing to spend two cents more on a dollar soda?
I wonder if when my niece, Elsa is old enough to understand the problems that my generation left to hers, if she will wonder what we did about it.
I’d like to say to her that I did what I could to lessen my impact and spread information. I determined that the biggest things I could do to reduce my footprint would be to not have biological children, to live in a city instead of the country, to rebuild old homes instead of building new ones, and to drive and fly as little as possible. The average American's carbon footprint in my lifetime was about 20 tons a year. Experts agreed that an average reduction of three tons a person would begin to reverse global climate change. My footprint has been pretty close to zero for 33 years.
As for spreading information, I don’t know that I’ve reached more than a half a million people with my blog and the columns I write. Maybe I could do more. It’s tough to know without the perspective of time.
Here's one idea--how about we show up at this guy's presentation in Phoenix next month? "Why Man-made Global Warming is Exaggerated.” Or at least email him--coyote at coyoteblog. com.
The Institute For Cultural Awareness of Sedona and Adam Yellowbird invite you to join them Saturday, October 17 at 1:30 PM in Page Springs, AZ to hold a council and pray for the highest good to come from the tragedy at Angel Valley Retreat Center.
This is not the time for pointing fingers--it is an opportunity to set aside and find ways to prevent this tragedy from happening again. We are all neighbors in the Verde Valley. Many of us hold retreats and host gatherings. Spiritual work is important to all of us.
Saturday October 17, 2009 at 1:30 PM we will gather with all interested parties at our Page Springs property at 2400 Page Springs Road. Please bring something refreshing to share.
Tragedy could visit any of us at any time. We are all vulnerable. Perhaps this event calls for us to build consensus on broad protocols for conducting sweat lodges, including any energy exchange that may be taking place. Come and be a part of the solution. Let us move forward and learn from this problem. Come, have a voice and express your ideas.
Let’s honor those traditionally trained in sharing the benefits of sweat lodges. The untrained and novices need guidance as does the public. Perhaps by joining together we can help the situation move to healing. This is a teachable moment. Let us take control of ourselves and take and give good counsel.
Adam may be reached at 928-646-3000 after October 15th.
Call Jim Beard at 928-554-0500 for details about participation jimbeard2@msn. com.
Two people died and 21 were hospitalized following a sweat lodge ceremony at Angel Valley Retreat Center in Sedona, AZ. ritual Thursday evening. For those of you who've called and emailed me for details and to share your sorrow, I'd like to encourage you to stay up-to-date on the news to avoid spreading rumors and adding to the darkness. More on this story at ABC News. Native American leaders speak out here. And you can follow the latest news and discussion on Twitter.
To clear up some of the rumors: two--not three people have died. And tests for tests for carbon monoxide and other contaminants were negative--ruling out early theories that the improper use of plastic and tarps or herbs and items thrown in the fire may have released fumes and harmed participants.
People have died in sweat lodges before, always elderly and people with heart problems. Just as with a sauna or hot tub, people with high blood pressure or heart problems should avoid overheating and only stay in for a few minutes. Native American rituals are practiced with Medicine People as leaders and it is rare that anyone would stay in a sweat for as long as two hours, as was reportedly the case in this situation. Beginners are monitored closely and only stay in the lodge for a few minutes at a time.
My heart goes out to the participants, to the families of those who suffered, and to Michael, Amayra and James. May you truly be led by Spirit in your future actions.
Should people profit from selling cultural spiritual practices? Angel Valley Retreat Center is a nonprofit organization. But staff receive salaries and guests include self-help gurus who make millions promising wealth if you follow "The Secret" and other spiritual practices.
1. Use this quick, fun quiz to determine how to make your home healthier. Also is a great way to evaluate a vacation rental. I learned that 60% of the lead in my home can be reduced by wiping my shoes at the door. Another good reason for taking shoes off altogether when indoors!
2. Coupons for green products at Seventh Generation. While I don't find the cleaning products work any better than mild dish soap and water or baking soda, I like the bleach free feminine products.
3. One of the few blogs I actually read every week is Healthy Child, Healthy World. They do more than regurgitate the same old information available everywhere in the media and regularly have fresh, new ideas.
4. International listing of smoke-free lodging, mostly hotels. The founder is working to create state laws for smoke-fee apartment buidlings and condos.
5. For your mental health, counteract the negativity of the media and economy with this Marianne Williamson message, "No More Lack." You are not at the effect of other people's thoughtlessness.
2. The brilliant color of the leaves in October rivals those in New England. The second and third weeks of October bring the most color, but even into early November, muted burgundies, rusts, and browns make the mountainsides glow.
4. Watauga Lake is called the third cleanest lake in the US by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). 80% of the lake is surrounded by the Cherokee National Forest and best of all, there is no large industry or agriculture within miles. The best time to visit the mountain lake is September when the light slanting over the surface ripples elicits a WOW response.
5. Mountain Lake Vacation Rentals are smoke-free and do not use scented candles or air fresheners. Drinking water comes from 605’ deep in the mountains. And proceeds from the cans they recycle go to the Humane Society.
The last thing you want to think about on vacation is being exposed to poisons and toxins. But with contamination in the US drinking water, it is not only possible, but probable.
Earlier this week, the New York Times published a shocking investigation of widespread pollution in America’s waterways, and the effect of contamination on the health of millions of US citizens. It is an eye-opening account of how big coal and other industry giants often treat our public waterways as a dumping ground for chemicals and waste, compromising the safety of unsuspecting consumers, and about the government’s inability to do anything to prevent it.
Check your destination for water pollution before you visit to see if you need to bring a filter or stay in a facility with filtered water. Sedona, AZ, for example, has no violations and good drinking water. Annapolis, Md, on the other hand, has violations all over the place. The New York Times has a national database of water pollution violations that is more comprehensive than those maintained by states or the EPA. Using an interactive version, you can look up any community, including your vacation spot, to find out which areas have been cited as polluters or fined.
Use a filtered-water pitcher, from companies like Brita or PUR Water or a portable filter like those REI sells for hikers. While I'm not crazy about adding more plastic to the planet, our health comes first.
There’s no time of year in Florida when something isn’t blooming but it seems that Mother Nature saves the best for last. Fall brings an explosion of wildflowers so if you’re a flower lover this is a great time to visit! Blooming in the pinelands are vanilla plant, deer tongue, several varieties of goldenrod, tiny elephant’s foot and the incomparable pine lily. The scrub is awash in blazing star, palafox, wireweed, red basil and goldenaster. In swamps and wet areas you might see climbing aster, string-lily and water lilies.
Look for wildflowers in parks and other public lands. Species and bloom times differ so it’s check in with staff about what's blooming at places you plan to visit. En route, check out waysides and ditches along country roads.
State parks and county parks offer free walks sometimes with an experienced botanist. Another source of information is http://www.floridahikes.com/, which lists wildflower hikes around the state.
Florida Native Plant Society members freely share accurage information and stories. Thei meetings and field trips around the state are open to the public.
Serious botanizers will want Walter Kingsley Taylor’s book on Florida wildflowers, "Florida Wildflowers in Their Natural Communities and The Guide to Florida Wildflowers."
For Vacation Rental Home Owners--Is your home smoke and fragrance free? Green? A healthy home? You can post your rate specials on this blog for free. We offer it as a courtesy to our 2292+ readers who are looking for cheap chic vacation homes. Email your posting.
Automated searches on the big online agencies like Expedia and Travelocity often miss low fares and skip some airlines (Southwest). Airfarewatchdog.com finds amazing deals missed by automated searches. Their website says they're the only online agency tracking all airlines and showing promo codes airfares.
CNN International To keep customers coming, hotels, resorts and even vacation rentals have offered freebies, in addition to discounts. From spa services, free meals, ...read article on CNN
JetBlue announced its All-You-Can-Jet Pass. Through August 21, a person can pay $599 for unlimited travel on the airline for an entire month, starting September 8.
Scottsdale just $850 a week ! Luxury, smoke-free vacation rental on the golf course. Aug/Sept only. $1850 a month. Call (602) 686-6313
Imagine the meaning of the 1,032 petroglyphs at the V-V (say vee bar vee) past the Beaver Creek Ranger Station. Only open Friday through Monday (long weekend).
Explore an alternative to urban sprawl, Arcosanti will stretch your imagination with amazing architecture and you can ring the famous bells at the foundry and ceramics studio.
Ralph Waldo Emerson once asked what we would do if the stars only came out once every thousand years. No one would sleep that night, of course. The world would become religious overnight. We would be ecstatic, delirious, made rapturous by the glory of God. Instead the stars come out every night, and we watch television. --Paul Hawken
More than 8,000 lodging properties went smoke free in the United States last year, according to AAA and that number continues to climb this year.
"Studies have found that nearly 90 percent of travelers now prefer a smoke-free hotel," says Dave Janicke, FreshStay.com's CBO - Chief Breathing Officer. "For some it's just a preference. But for others, allergies or medical conditions require them to avoid the dangers of secondhand smoke."
That is why no smoking is permitted at my vacation rentals, not even outside. We were smoke and fragrance free long before it was trendy or legal.
TOP 5 REASONS To Go Smokefree
1. Satisfaction. You won't have to complain about rooms that reek of smoke, whether lingering from previous guests or wafting in from nearby smoking rooms.
2. Support a smoke free workplace. It is healthier for lodging staff and makes their jobs easier by eliminating the time and effort to clean up ashtrays and cigarette butts.
3. Property Protection. Furnishings, linens, carpets and other amenities are last longer they are not being damaged by smoke or cigarette burns. Your clothes and luggage will go home clean if you stay in a place that doesn't have lingering tar and toxins.
4. A Break for Your Lungs. Second-hand smoke is responsible for aggravating nearly a million children who suffer from asthma. Taking a break from smoke is good for you and those around you.
5. The Prestige. Smoke-free lodging is cheap and chic. You'll find some hip, off-the-beaten track places to stay when you go smoke-free.
One of the driving trends in the new economy is econo consciousness, which includes eco consciousness. What does econo conscious mean? And how can a vacation rental be econo conscious?
It's about the rise of the tightwad and freelance nation, the downsizing of the US consumer, and the demise of phantom wealth and the ownership society.
6. I say more about this subject in my article, "The Illusion of Conspicuous Consumption" appearing in the next issue of Four Corners Magazine. Look for my column, The Green Scene.
Ninety percent of indoor air is more polluted than outdoor air according to the EPA. This may be one reason why guests at our vacation rentals often ask what they can do to make the indoor air quality as healthy at home as it was at while they were on vacation.
I suggest these five easy ways to keep your air healthy:
1. Furnace Filters.FChange the filter on your H/AC at least once every 30 days and use pleated filters with a MERV rating of 10 or higher.
2. Tobacco. Do not allow smoking inside or outside of your home. Second hand smoke is the largest source of indoor air pollution. Nearly one million children with asthma have their condition aggravated by second hand smoke. Even if guests smoke outside, the smoke can get trapped in cushions of outdoor furniture and it blows in open doors and windows.
3. Clean sheets. Wash linens once a week in water over 130 degrees Fahrenheit to eliminate dust mites. Use dust covers on mattresses and pillows that are free of stain guards, bleaches, and other chemicals used to produce fabric products. We use organic or chemical free dust covers in both vacation rentals.
4. No Fragrances. Stop using scented products with the ingredient "fragrance." Manufacturers can use synthetic fragrances in "natural" and "organic" products. Calling a product natural or organic does not mean it is free of chemicals. Air fresheners, incense, essential oils, scented candles, pesticides, and chemical or scented cleaners may contain harmful ingredients to keep the fragrance from fading. Carcinogenic at worst and respiratory irritants at best, there is no healthy reason to use products with these additives. Floracopeia sells truly natural essential oils and if you know of others, please post a comment. While some incense may also be free of chemicals, it still creates smoke and should be avoided except for ceremonial purposes.
5. Let in the fresh air for 45 minutes a day, unless your area is under an ozone or pollution alert.
Retail Me Not has a Twitter contest going on right now with much bigger prizes than those offered by Whole Foods. Tweet your best money saving tip with the tag #retailmenot. They are giving away one $500 Macys gift card each day. The top tip will be picked at the end. That winner gets a $1,000 gift card to Macys. This contest combines an online only business with a physical store. Notice that the contest should seek submissions that relate to your kind of business.
It's not too hot in northern Arizona for outdoor lovers, not if you know where to go and what to do to beat the heat.
Cool Off Like a Cave Man. Arizona has many caves where temps remain the same as the night air. Thunder Mountain and Sycamore Canyon boast a few places to cool it. Cave men and femmes alike can also groove on the petroglyphs and pictographs of Platki or Honanki ruins which offer shade and shallow caves with cultural history.
Get Celestial.Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, where once upon a planet Pluto was discovered is one of the best places to observe the night sky. On August 12, 13 the famous Perseid meteor shower makes it even more stellar for a starry, starry night. And it's only six bucks to get in. If you're watching from your vacation rental or the trails, go in the evening before the waning gibbous moon rises.
Not into biking? Try a short evening stroll to the lookout point in the Cultural Park for spectacular sunset views and reliable evening breezes. You'll also avoid the crowds at the popular sunset spots like Airport Mesa. And the views are just as good, maybe better.
Cool Getaways. Hiking doesn't have to be hot, even in August. Towering pines keep trails into canyons like Boynton, Sycamore, and Secret Canyons cool enough for a solid hike. Really want something Alpine? Kachina Trail hovers at 9,500 feet for most of its 5 miles. Picnic with the largest organisms on the planet, aspen groves.
Dunk in one of the "10 Best Swimming Holes." Rated by Outside Magazine as one of the best places to swim in a natural pool, Wet Beaver Creek is at the end of 179, about two miles past I 17.
Where are the rate specials? Everyone is booked! Keep peak travel times in mind as you make travel plans for 2010--the days of steals and deals may be ending...
Vacation Rental Home Owners--Is your home smoke and fragrance free? Green? A healthy home? Post your rate specials on this blog for free. We offer it as a courtesy to our 2,292+ readers who watch for deals at cheap, chic vacation homes. Email your posting.
· Find Sanctuaries. Immerse Yourself in Nature. A place or activity that allows you to step away from the day-to-day demands and recalibrate your internal and spiritual responses.
· Free yourself from commitments—people and obligations you “should” do. Make sure all the things in your life are small, few, and simple enough to take care of yourself—your home, car, clothes, diet, finances.
· How about doing something other than be entertained and amused? 85% of North American households didn't buy a nonfiction book in 2007--and 90 percent of those who did didn't read it. But our TVs run an average of six hours a day.
Ad-free, fresh tips for keeping green in your wallet and on the planet. Click here to download the PDF from EcoLuxury Lodging.com--Dana's website for her vacation rentals in Arizona and Florida.
Ecopreneur, author, and business expert Dana Ghermine Mayer writes and consults about eco and econo conscious trends in the new economy. She is obsessed with creating comfort and grace. When not defying labels, she practices yoga, hikes, and throws memorable parties.
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What's EcoLuxury Living?
Eco luxury means comfort and grace for you and for the planet. It is human nature to nurture. Being environmentally-friendly for us means nurturing ourselves and the planet without guilt trips or extra costs and with everyone in mind, not just the priveleged. That's what we mean by eco or green.
Luxury is about time and comfort--not stuff. It doesn't mean going green by living in a yurt or comprimising your lifestyle. It is possible to go green and not give up comfort and cash.
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