EARTH DAY SHOULD BE EVERYDAY!

Are ocean temperatures rising?  Are the oceans warming?  Are the polar ice caps melting?  Is climate change really happening?

I’m not a scientist but most of the information I read from Greenpeace, 350.org and The David Suzuki Foundation suggests that we are having a climate crisis and it will get worse over time.  Many argue that this has been the way since time began and that weather changes have been happening since the dawn of civilization.

Could the extinction of dinosaurs have occurred due to climate change?  Are animal migrations caused by weather patterns changing forever?  Could the warming of our oceans be damaging to fish and other wildlife?

Here is what is the reality.  Man is responsible for the changes to our weather patterns and the change in our climate.  We can’t expect that mass deforestation, pollution, and over population isn’t having an effect on our planet and our environment.  The industrial revolution made things much more efficient for humans but at the cost of our planet.

Let’s look at some facts about forests and deforestation (from http://www.conserve-energy-future.com):

• Forests cover 30% of earth’s land.
• It is estimated there will be no rainforests within 100 years.
• Agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation.

AGRICULTURE

Developing means of farming and agriculture is the reason humans live in the world they do today.  It is a necessary means of survival, without which there would be famines all over the world.  For thousands of years, agricultural was a natural process that did not harm the land it was done on.  In fact, farmers were able to pass down their land for many generations and it would still be fertile as ever.  However, modern agricultural practices have started the process of agricultural pollution.  This process causes the degradation of the eco-system, land and environment due to the modern-day by-products of agriculture.

•  There are more than 121 natural remedies in the rain forest which can be used as medicines.
• According to the Rainforest Action Network, the United States has less than 5% of the world’s population yet consumes more than 30% of the world’s paper.
• 20% of the world’s oxygen is produced in the Amazon forest.
• 25% of cancer fighting organisms are found in the Amazon.
• Deforestation has considerably stopped in places like Europe, Pacific, North America and some parts of Asia due to lack of agricultural land.
• Half of the world’s tropical forests has already been cleared.
• Poverty, over-population and inequal land access are the main causes of man-made deforestation.

For more information about clean, renewable and sustainable energy, please visit http://www.conserve-energy-future.com 

The first step to creating positive change in the world is having the knowledge and the will to do something to create that positive change.  Being armed with the facts allows you to go to your elected officials to do something about it.  Let’s face it, without air to breathe, clean water to drink and clean soil to grow our food – we will not exist.

We are at a crucial moment in history.  If people stand together and demand our right to clean water, food and a healthy planet – positive and lasting change will come.

Would you rather this:

OR, this:

In the mean-time, what can YOU do to help?  Here are some suggestions:

GO VEGAN – remember, agriculture is the major cause for deforestation.  We need trees for oxygen.  The less meat we eat, the less space for agricultural farming is needed.  Raising animals puts a direct strain on our natural resources and is a very cruel industry for cows, pigs and all other animals.

RECYCLE – Used products that have been recycled.  Support businesses that have green initiatives.  Compost your organics and use it as soil.  Don’t buy/use plastic bags or bottles – plastics are dangerous to all wildlife and may be harmful to you.

CONSERVE WATER USAGE – Don’t let water run.  Fix leaky faucets, take shorter showers – let nature water your gardens or keep rain barrels and re-use that water you’ve collected to water your plants.

I may not be here in 50 years but that doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t care about the fate of our planet.  She has given so much to us and why should we not give back to her?

Together, we can make the world a more positive one. 

 

 

 

YOU ARE ALIVE!

We all have hardships – we all have bad days.  Life is sometimes to unbearable and it is okay to shut it out once in a while but we can’t and shouldn’t ignore it all the time.  So many of us have struggled and overcome so many obstacles to be where we are today.  Be thankful and don’t forget that everything we do – all the struggles and pain we go through make us stronger.

We – ALL OF US, our alive and in the land of the living.  Be proud of who you are and the person you have become.  Use your voice, your struggles and your obstacles to empower others to create positive change in the world.

Here are some inspirational lyrics to a great song by a great artist who has overcome her own struggles and creates positive change with her music.  The song is entitled, “Land of the Living” from the album of the same name.

LAND OF THE LIVING

I got a mirror, a bottle and a pen
The mirror is cracked
The bottle is empty
And my pen don’t know where to begin

I’ve got a picture, a letter and a song
The picture is torn
The letter is worn
And my tune has been sung before

Another show is over
And the lights have gone down
There’s no flowers at my door
No, no callers come around, baby

But I’m glad to be alive
And in the land of the living
Oh, I can’t believe that I survived
And I’m in the land of the living
Can’t believe that I survived

I saw the city, the lights and the music
The city is hard
The lights they have lied
The music just seems to have died

And I had my hope
Oh, I had my faith
Oh, my pride, yeah
And to hope I cling
To faith I am blind
And my pride I have left far behind

Another show is over
And the lights have gone down
There’s no flowers at my door
Ain’t no callers come around, babe

But I’m glad to be alive
And in the land of the living, babe
I can’t believe that I survived
Oh, still in the land of the living, baby
Can’t believe that I’m alive

Still in the land of the living, baby
Can’t believe that I survived
Oh no, I’m still in the land of the living
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah

You see another night is over
And the curtain’s come down
I see no flowers at my door
Oh no one’s comin’ ’round, yeah

But I’m glad to be alive
Still in the land of the living
You can’t believe that I survived
Still alive in the land of the living

Oh babe, I’m still alive, oh yeah
In the land of the living
I bet you, bet you can’t believe I survived
Oh, I’m still in the land of the living

Oh, oh, another night is over
I’m still in the land of the living
I see the curtains coming down
But baby, I’m still in the land of the living

I bet you can’t believe me, I bet you can’t believe
Yes, here I am, I see that I’m still in the land of the living
Yeah, I’m gonna take my curtain call
Oh, I’m in the land of the living

Can’t believe that I’m alive
I’m still in the land of the living, living

Songwriters
WEITZ, KRISTINE E/ARMSTRONG, ROLLO/DOUGAN, ROBERT DON HUNTER

You can listen to the song or watch the video via  www.kristinew.com Please visit the the Kristine W official site to purchase any of her uplifting music.

SEND THE WORLD LOVE

With so much going on in the world – the horrible terrorist attacks in Belgium, the mass exodus of Syrian citizens fleeing to other countries because war, the blatant racism and hate that Donald Trump is spewing in his bid for president of the United States of America and the never ending greed of corporations and their continued destruction of earth’s natural resources in order to make astronomical profits.

Are you not sick of it?  Do you not want to ensure you are committed to creating positive change in the world?  Positive change begins with YOU!  Look inside you and ask yourself, “what is more important – what I want or what the world needs?”  The answer is simple.  So what can you do to begin creating positive change in the world – that is simple also, here are some examples of what you can do to change your attitude and to begin sending love to the world and to yourself:

• Be kind to yourself and to everyone in your life, including strangers – you don’t know their stories.
• Take up meditation and send love to the areas in the world that need it most.
• Send love and gratitude to our mother earth for giving us life.
• Stop listening to or watching negative news, especially corporate media as they are part of the problem in keeping the status quo of big corporations and corrupt politicians.
• Run for office and LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE and what they want.
• Think of future generations and make changes today in order to ensure they have a brighter tomorrow.
• Smile.
• Make no judgments of others, especially if you don’t know them.
• Live in the moment, forget about the past and don’t worry about the future.
• LOVE.

Never under-estimate the power of our mind and the willingness to create positive change in the world.  So many have done so before us; Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, Rosa Parks, Mother Teresa, Gandhi, Princess Diana, Harvey Milk, Ingrid Newkirk, Diane Fossey and Jane Goodall (just to name of few).  So many organizations are committed to making a difference for the environment (Greenpeace, 350.org, The David Suzuki Foundation), for animals (P.E.T.A., Mercy For Animals, WWF) and for Human Rights (HRC, Amnesty International, United Nations) – let’s join them and make differences that count.

Together, we can create positive change.

SONY DSC

WHERE DO YOU FIND BALANCE FROM DAY-TO-DAY PRESSURE?

We are pulled in so many different directions today and receive pressure from everywhere. You turn on the television and there are politicians slandering one another in order to gain momentum on their campaigns instead of talking about the issues that matter to the people. Social media is bombarding us with issues of no important significance in order to create positive change in the world. Websites that used to publish articles that pertain to their area of expertise have lost all credibility because they are mostly gossip based now. Print has focused on selling products that promise you endless youth or promise of the greatest body you have ever had without paying attention to diet or exercise – how do can we maintain our composure without breaking down?  How can we retreat ourselves from all this madness?

Well, it’s simple – turn off your televisions. That is the biggest step. News and watching television creates anxiety, instills fear and promotes products and food that keep you distracted, unhealthy and in a zombie like state.

Thinking of politics, do you recall a time when a politician ever worked for the people instead of BIG CORPORATION, BIG OIL, BIG BANKS and BIG PHARMA? Is there a time that you remember that political parties actually created legislation that created positive change for the people? I don’t. So how can we go around the obstacle of corrupt government? Become engaged – talk to your local member of parliament and ask him/her the tough questions. What are some topics you can call or write about, here are some suggestions:

• Regarding food safety – Why isn’t there any labels on food that is genetically modified? There are labels on cigarettes that indicate they can cause you harm why isn’t there labels on our food?
• Regarding the deforestation and protecting our rivers, lakes, oceans, forests and marshlands – What kind of environmental protections is our government legislated in order to protect our environment from development, deforestation and pollution?
• Regarding animal rights – Is (the government) creating any legislation that protects the rights of animals from cruelty and abuse?

You should be able to address whatever is important to you that does not infringe on the rights of minorities to your member of parliament.

Instead of worrying about all these topics that create worry, anxiety and fear. Create or start groups that engage in positive conversation to ease the worry and anxiety. Try to meet people who have similar interests and want to try to live life with a more positive outlook. For example, I am vegan. I have joined vegan groups on social media, I have created ads on various social media sites to start vegan groups and meet-ups in the area I live. I remove any individuals that are constantly demeaning my lifestyle as a vegan and as a person who was born gay. Being authentic and living your life with positivity does not mean you should allow others to make judgments on you. If you happen to disagree with choices people make in their lives – don’t engage with them anymore. This will only make your life better.

Another way to have a more positive balance in your life is to assess the things you are doing right now and ask yourself, “How is this affecting my life, is it bringing me more positivity or creating more negative energy?” You will find that this simple question will lead you towards becoming a more authentic you and will allow you to do what you are most passionate about.

Being honest without yourself – with no distractions from nonsense, will allow you to live a more positive and authentic life.  When you live a positive and authentic life you will be able to give so much needed love to others and create positive and amazing change in the world. It doesn’t take much – you have just taken your first step by reading this blog.

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!

“Burning Love”

LET GO OF YOUR NEGATIVE FEELINGS

It is sometimes very difficult to have a positive disposition in a world, especially since we are bombarded with so much negativity.  Do we have to participate in the negativity?  No.  So what are some of the things that we can do in order to surround ourselves with positive and healing energy?  Here are some suggestions:

• If someone turns a discussion into an argument – agree to disagree and move on.
• Surround yourself with like-minded people.  I’m a vegan and prefer to be with other vegans.
• Do things that make you happy.  If you like music – create, play and dance to it.
• Show those who are less fortunate than you compassion.
• Buy a co-worker lunch for no reason.
• Offer to buy a homeless person lunch.
• Give your friends and family members compliments and remove all the judgments you may have.
• Sit in silence with nature and try to remove all the ‘internal’ and negative commentary you have of yourself.
• Workout on a daily basis.  It doesn’t have to be a strenuous workout, just something to keep the blood flowing.
• Turn off your televisions – especially news networks as they mostly air negative stories and provide mindless information in order to keep you distracted.
• Eat a more plant-based diet.  Processed foods and additives are not good for the body and soul.
• If you love animals (as I do) – Visit an animal shelter and make a contribution for all the good work they do.
• Be more compassionate and less judgmental, especially regarding people you don’t know.
• Have empathy for others – you don’t know their story or what they are going through.
• The more love you put out into the universe allows you to receive more love in return.

Remember – there is something that is bigger than all of us and allow that thought to provide you with perspective on what is important.  It is important to understand that we all need love, compassion and empathy.  When we are connected with Source, we are connected to the energy that provided life on the planet and within the universe.

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!  

 

WORD ASSOCIATION – WHAT CAN YOU COME UP WITH?

L asting O peness V oice E motional For me, the four words that I associate with LOVE are lasting, openess, voice and emotional. Original painting by Robert Pavao ______________________________________________________ C aring O bligation M otivated P assion A ffirming S peak S upport I nclusion O ffer N urture For me, …

LET GO OF LOW LEVEL ENERGY

Are there any real benefits to hanging onto the past? The answer is simply – no. The past is complete and there is nothing we can do to change what has happened. Can we learn from the things we have done in the past – absolutely. Anything we have involved ourselves with in the past are all things we can recall to ensure we don’t repeat the things we don’t want to repeat.

Think about the way those events in the past have made us felt – do they recall low level energy feelings such as; sadness, anger, hate, depression, anxiety, sorrow and stress? Do we really want to revisit those low level energies? So what do we do? We can simply forgot the past and live for the moment. Live for NOW.

So what if we experience low level energy feelings in the moment? Acknowledge those feelings with love and affirm, “I understand I am feeling this way right now, I acknowledge these feelings and ask the universe to give me strength and guidance to reconcile why I’m feeling this way. With love.” We may also want to ask ourselves what incident(s) instigated those low level energies. Was it food, alcohol, recreational drugs, your job, the news, friends or even family? Anything that is causing you to feel defeated has a solution.

You may think – I can’t leave my job or ignore my friends or family. Well, then you will continue to have experience low level energy. If your job is causing you stress and you have tried to address the issue with your employer and nothing has changed, you may want to look for a new career. If someone in your family is constantly degrading you, disagreeing with your lifestyle choices, only offering negative commentary about you and your life – distance yourself from that family member if they have no desire to make your life their business.

We all want to live a life free of hate, anger, depression, sadness and anxiety – so we have to ensure we don’t invite anyone or anything into our lives that would cause any of these feelings. We can’t escape everything but we can certainly find ways to ensure those feelings will not dictate our lives. If the television or radio is spewing news stories of war, violence, hate and corruption – turn them off and go for a walk in the park, volunteer at a soup kitchen or animal shelter or meditate. We have the option of suffocating in feelings that continue to make us physically and emotional un-well or to engage in activities that promote feelings of love, compassion, joy, fulfillment and positive empowerment.

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!

CLEAR YOUR HEAD OF DISTRACTION

What can we do in order to remove all the negativity that we encounter each and every day of our lives?  We are constantly bombarded with irrelevant information, negative news and so many sensationalized stories to keep us fearful and distracted.

Corporations keep telling us that capitalism is great.  Spend your time buying countless products to keep you distracted while the shareholders and CEO’s of those companies become wealthier beyond comprehension.

Food companies keep insisting that we eat their food – food that is poison for our bodies and our minds.  This food also keeps us distracted and our minds foggy – they also make us sick so that we can rely on the medications from pharmaceutical companies.  Governments regulate our food and our medications, so they to are responsible in keeping people distracted, fearful and unwilling to do anything about the negativity that is happening around the world.

Corporate media is not acting on your best interest – they help perpetuate the fear and they assist in cloudy our judgements.  They help promote our sickness and distraction by promoting the food companies, pharmaceutical drugs and products that are killing us.  Think about it, how often have you heard, “don’t have time to make a nutritious meal, get a super meal at Burger King, KFC, McDonalds or Dominoes.” and following that commercial or advertisement for fast-food, you’ll hear this; “Feel gassy, bloated and uncomfortable from your last meal, try this medication.”

Depressed – we have a pill for you.  Fat – we have a pill for you.  Angry – buy this gun and release your anger.  Need a television in every room of your house – Come to Best Buy.  Tired of your current camera, stereo, computer, phone, etc….well throw the old crap away and come get the latest and best product anywhere and everywhere.

Terrorists are everywhere and they WILL get you – arm yourselves. Support the fight against terrorism and allow your elected officials to send minorities to war.  Allow governments to increase their military budgets while our waters are poisoned, while our lakes disappear, while our forests burn and while the earth slowly dies.

What can you do to clear your head?  TURN OFF THE TELEVISION!  Support organizations that have YOUR best interests at heart.  Elect governments that work for the people and not for corporations that are only concerned about their bottom line and lining the pockets of those who help their cause.  Most importantly, get the facts and learn the truth, don’t allow those whose objectives are to keep us distracted win and clear your head.

Together, we can make the world a more positive one.

DO YOU THINK I’M STARVING?

Many people believe that a vegan diet limits you to eating a nutritious and balanced meals.  That is simply NOT true.  You do not have to eat meat or dairy in order to receive proper nutrients – despite what “experts” say.  The World Health Organization (W.H.O.) has recently indicated that meat causes cancer, something many vegans, holistic health-care practitioners and doctors already knew.

Today’s blog IS NOT about proving the above claims as I don’t require the proof as what I eat and the state of my health is proof enough.  So, what do I eat??  Here are some of the many vegan dishes I have made and eat regularly:

Tofu scramble, baked home-fries, meatless sausage, toast and beans in a tomato sauce make for a delicious and hearty breakfast, lunch or dinner.

This is a vegan version of an egg salad sandwich.  It includes seasoned tofu, vegan mayo, celery and green onion.

Breakfast could not be more delicious with a serving of vegan pancakes topped with maple syrup and fresh and organic strawberries.

How can you make a vegan pizza??  Easy – this pizza was made with quinoa balls, green olives, tomato, dairy-free cheese and tomato sauce.  The crust is a whole-grain crust.

I love experimenting with salads.  This is a lightly fried tofu and garden salad.  I add a combination of mixed greens, carrots and cucumber.  For the dressing – it’s either a home-made oil and vinegar or I buy an organic vinaigrette dressing.  I also add hemp, pumpkin and sunflower seeds.

This is a seasoned tofu stir fry – I make sure only to use NON-GMO and organic tofu.  I also use a salt-free stir fry sauce if I don’t make my own.

Another mixed green salad – this one includes avocados and beans.

Meatless ‘loaf’ with some baked potatoes and seasoned peas.

Oven roasted tofu with mash and seasoned roasted vegetables.  Great substitute for turkey during the holidays.  The key is knowing how to season it.

Seasoned tofu steaks, lemon-ginger brocoli and carrots.

A mixed bean salad with meatless ‘italian sausage’.

Mixed vegetable salad with rice and breaded and meatless ‘chicken’.

I sometimes drink a vegan wine and prefer Yellow Tale from Australia.  I occasionally have coffee and only drink it with either soy or almond milk.  I rarely have any white pasta or rice – the rice is usually whole grain and the pasta either kamut, rice or quinoa.

My decision to become first vegetarian then vegan was mainly due to my spouse’s decision to go vegetarian.  I later became vegan after watching a video of rabbits screaming in pain – it changed my life.  At that moment, I decided that I could no longer support an industry that caused animals so much pain and suffering.  I later concluded that by not eating these tortured souls that I wouldn’t be consuming the pain and suffering those animals endured.  I really am conscious of what I buy and what companies make an effort to support a cruelty-free life for animals.

Along with the ethical reasons I became vegan – I wanted to make a difference in curbing climate change.  Agriculture and raising beef for food is the biggest culprit in climate change.  Cattle ranching is a huge cause in deforestation across the planet – and this is the tip of the iceberg (pardon the pun).  You can find proof of the effects cattle ranching has on our environment by visiting any of the following sites:

http://www.350.org

http://www.peta.org

http://www.greenpeace.ca

We all have a responsibility to end cruelty against one another, including the animals we share the planet with.  We also have a responsibility to the planet that has given us so much.  We need to focus on healing it and ensuring the children of tomorrow have the right to clean water, clean air and clean food.

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!

LOVE DEFEATS BULLYING

Imagine a world in which being homosexual is “normal” and being straight is a “sin.”

When we take HATE and IGNORANCE (and RELIGION) out of the equation; gay, straight, black, white, Mexican, Swedish, skinny or fat would be moot issues because in the end – LOVE WINS!

No-one should be bullied for something they can’t choose.  Here is an example, which I have blogged about before on the topic of homosexuality:

Be cognizant in how you treat others and what type of language you use to describe others.  If we want to end bullying, prejudice, racism, sexism, ageism and so many other negative things, it must begin with YOU!

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!