In order for our cross-country video project to be successful, we need to give kids a good set of tools they can use to make change happen in their communities.

Our mission is to inspire and empower kids to create a renewable and sustainable future. Kids across the U.S. will see our videos - then what? Hopefully we'll help kids to feel like they have the power to create meaningful change in their lives and communities, and it's our job to empower kids with ways they can get started. It's easy for kids and adults to feel intimidated by the choices out there, so we'll break it down into 3 categories: individual, community, and political.

1. Individual
Do small choices/changes really make any difference? Nobody wants to feel like they are sacrificing, especially when nobody else is making an effort. We'll give a Top 10 list of things people can do to have a real impact - no symbolic changes that don't make any real difference.

2. Community
Creating meaningful change in the community is where kids can really shine. Bringing sustainability to communities is an investment in time and energy - people want to make sure the results of their efforts are worthwhile. We'll provide a set of action "toolkits" for kids to use as resources to start project to make their communities more sustainable. These will not be a simple list of suggestions, but a detailed, how-to with videos and success stories of others whose projects made their communities more sustainable.

3. Political
The solutions to create a renewable and sustainable future have to be non-partisan. Kids can demand that their politicians tart being part of the solution rather than being part of the problem. Why would politicians care about the opinions of kids that can't vote? Because their parents can, and because politicians want to avoid looking bad at all costs.

The Internet has many great resources for helping people make more sustainable choices, but these are geared mostly for adults. We can add tremendous value to resources online by addressing what actions kids can make individually, in their community, and politically. Green living and sustainability may be new to many adults, but these will be concepts that kids will be living with for their whole lives. Following our videos across the U.S. may be the first part of that journey, but the road stretches much farther still.

Be well,
Colin

Las Vegas ' newest and largest GREEN commercial building, The Molasky Center, nears its grand opening. The 265,000 square foot high-rise has been built to the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) LEED Standards earning a Gold Certification.

Pamela Puppel, Media Director for the Molasky Group, was kind enough to give Greener Vegas a pre-opening tour.

From ground floor to rooftop the entire building has conservation built-in. The automated parking garage features "priority parking" for 24 bicycles for health-conscious employees, with showers and lockers available in the ground floor 24 Hour Fitness center that is now open. The uppermost floor of the 7 level parking deck incorporates solar photovoltaic panels on the roofs which contributes power back into the Las Vegas grid.

The Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) has moved their corporate offices and now occupies 7 of the 16 floors. Speaking of water - The Molasky Center utilizes a state-of-the-art "Dolphin" water reclamation system that captures and filters the building's waste water and feeds it into the landscape. Even the toilets feature special "user selectable" low-flow plumbing to minimize water waste.


The theme of recycle/reuse is apparent on (and in) every floor. Special raised floor construction allows for pressurized air to be vented up from the floor. This has shown to be 30% more efficient than standard ceiling vented air conditioning. The building insulation is composed of shredded blue-jeans. Many rooms and public areas minimize electrical use of unnecessary lights by making use of motion or natural light sensors.

Planners at the Molasky Center also went green when choosing furnishings and décor. For example much of the cubicle furniture is covered with a fiber made from natural corn silk, many carpeted areas utilize recycled fiber carpet squares, Countertops are fabricated from shards of recycled glass, and bamboo (a highly renewable resource) was chosen for several wall and floor treatments
In addition to the previously mentioned, other tennents who are now, or soon will be open, include Jason's Deli, Bank of Nevada, The Java Detour, and Legal Copycats.

So as you drive along I95 and pass by the new Molasky Corporate Center with its gleaming green glass - know that its not just "green" on the outside…it's a whole new way of doing business in Las Vegas.


Webmaster note: "This site built using 80% recycled code "

London (PTI): Vegetarian diet and fresh fruits contribute to a longer
life, suggested a study which showed that it gives protection against
a wide variety of cancers.

Scientists attending the First International Congress on Nutrition and
Cancer in Turkey last week discussed the effect of nutrition on skin
health as well as on malignancies.

Professor Walter Willett, of Harvard University, suggested increase in
the intake of fruit and vegetables to prevent cancer.

He said this would be particularly useful in reducing cancers of the
head and neck, such as those of the mouth, throat and oesophagus as
well as those of the gastrointestinal tract and, above all, prostate,
breast and ovaries, the Times online reported on Thursday.

--
full story:
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/008200805291440.htm

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Please visit http://www.meatoutmondays.org/08-06-02.htm to take a peek at the current edition of the Meatout Mondays e-newsletter.  This edition features a recipe for Spring Black Bean Salad, info about Sunergia Soyfoods, info about Plant Foods for Muscle Strength, and an inspiring article about Andy Mars.

Meatout Mondays is an excellent vehicle for reaching out to your veg-curious friends, associates, and relatives. You can forward them a copy or just subscribe them directly at http://www.mailermailer.com/x?oid=13808p . There is no charge.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]


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When it comes to reinventing classics, the waterless shower was a real
stinker and the hands-free umbrella was a reach.

Dairy-free cheesecake, however, can taste better than the real thing.

Try it for yourself with Vegan Treats, a Bethlehem, Pennsylvania-based
bakery that now delivers rich, creamy, dairy- and egg-free confections
to the Washington area.
...
Available at Busboys and Poets, 2021 14th Street NW, between U and V
Streets (202-387-7638); Java Green, 1020 19th Street NW, between K and
L Streets (202-775-8899). Vegan Treats (610-861-7660 or
vegantreats.com).

--
full story:
http://www.dailycandy.com/washington_dc/article/36910/Fake+and+Bake

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In Los Angeles, raw food is nothing new. The actress Demi Moore
allegedly lost 1st five years ago when she started following what is
essentially an uncooked vegan regimen. If you exist on uncooked
vegetables, seaweed, fruits, nuts, seeds and little else, it is not
surprising that excess pounds will fall away.

Its followers also say that switching to raw food makes you feel more
energised. This may be true. Losing weight can give you a high, and
weeding out sweets, cakes, biscuits, fast food and takeaways will
smooth out your blood sugar levels, leaving you more energised
throughout the day. However, a raw food regimen is not just another
diet, it's a way of life that requires serious commitment to reap the
health benefits, and the long-term implications need to be considered
carefully.
...
Susan Price, a spokeswoman for the British Dietetic Association, says
that she has concerns over a raw food way of life being suitable for
children, the elderly and for pregnant and breast-feeding women.
Price, a specialist in gastroenterology, says the high fibre intake
could exacerbate IBS.

The Vegan Society: www.vegansociety.com , 0121-523 1730 (www.amandaursell.com )

--
full story:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/article4032825.ece

SEE ALSO:
Saf: the gourmet restaurant with raw ambitions

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National Vegetarian Week saw events and tastings across the UK but it
is the week after that record numbers of veggies are set to gather at
what is now the World's biggest vegan event – and they are set to
spend hundreds of thousands of pounds when they visit the Bristol
Vegan Fayre on May 31st and June 1st 08. Leading vegan brands such as
Bute Island Sheese and Fry's vegetarian burgers and sausages will be
on offer along with Plamil chocolate, Yaoh hemp products and many more
– and a lot the products are on special offer, making the Bristol
Vegan Fayre not only the biggest in numbers – but also in spend ...

'There are some simply stunning offers to be had' says BVF organiser
Tim Barford from Yaoh Hemp Products, 'and this year we have put
together a Show Specials booklet with  over 80 show discounts –
including loads of Buy One Get One Free's. Your average veggie/vegan
family can literally save hundreds of pounds off their regular shop at
this year's show!'

And it looks like the BVF Show sponsors agree – 'It's so brilliant for
shopping' says Lisa Drummy from Beanie's, now sponsoring the BVF for
the fifth year on the trot. 'I'm vegan and there's so much good
shopping to be had, I have to go round the stalls before the show
opens to get everything! Our Fry's range of veggieburgers  simply
flies out, and this year we are doing a vegan ice cream stall as well
with our award winning B'Nice rice ice cream, so we are going to be
flat out all weekend. Good thing we have a big family to help us!!'
...
The BVF 08 is on Saturday May 31st and Sunday June 1st from 11am to
9pm both days. Admittance £5 each day.

Download the Show Specials Booklet here

http://www.bristolveganfayre.co.uk/forms/BVF08_Show_Specials.pdf

Download the event Programme here

http://www.bristolveganfayre.co.uk/forms/BVF08_Programme.pdf

See www.bristoleveganfayre.co.uk for details

Organised by Yaoh www.yaoh.co.uk

--
full story:
http://www.godairyfree.org/200805302563/News/Nutrition-Headlines/Veggies-set-to-spend-thousands-at-Worlds-Biggest-Vegan-Event.html

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From International veg News group: [Columbia Basin Herald - opinion - comments at full story link] Groups claim cows are worse than cars Put down the hamburger. Stop eating steak. One more bite and you could help create more greenhouse gasses than ever driving a Hummer.
We're not talking about methane.
The Group of 8 economic summit is taking place in Kobe, Japan, where the legendary, succulent Kobe beef is grown.
As they began the three-day summit, the United Nations was joined by vegetarian groups in pushing for a new way to reduce greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide buildup.
"One way to combat climate change is reducing meat consumption," Ragendra Pachauri of the International Panel on Climate Change told G8 leaders, according to The Japan Times.
... The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization provided a report in 2006 on the environmental costs of "excessive" beef consumption. The organization claims livestock creates 18 percent more greenhouse gas emissions "than the transportation sector."
This means the U.N. believes cattle create more greenhouse gases than all of the emissions from all of the cars, trucks, motorcycles, scooters, trains, planes, ships, space shuttles, etc., burning oil-based fuel.
We're not making this up and the U.N. never gave a direct reason for the connection.
... "The meat industry causes extensive damage and is linked to climate change and diversity loss. It's clear the planet can't sustain current levels of meat consumption and the people need to cut back," said Jurgen Maier, representing the German non-government organization Forum on Environment and Development, according to The Japan Times.
Living amongst cattle producers, looking at how much land is used for grazing and growing feed, leaves us with the conclusion that these people may be infected with "mad cow." They seem pretty mad at cows.
... It may seem like a great tactic to link beef with destruction of the world to stop people from eating meat, but it can discredit the environmental movement. Such hyperbole should be saved for real threats, not used to push personal religious-based and culinary ideals on the world.
"Save the cow. Save the world."
Sorry Pachauri. We plan to continue to eat beef. It is a cultural food to the United States, same as rice is to Japan, curry to India and spaghetti to Italy. We are glad you are a vegetarian. It means more beef for us.
- Editorial board -- Full story here

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Our group is Liberation of Brother & Sister Animals

For more info go to VeganOutreach.org
Factoryfarming.com
AnimalsVoice.com
Liberation of Brother & Sister Animals - our webiste
VeganYumYum.com - Great vegan recipes
Recipes for Sustainability - 21 days

From Animal Aid (UK)

View here - Eating Meat: Wrecking The Planet And Creating A Global Food Shortage (pdf file)

Watch our vid : "What is the best action one can take on Earth Day?"
Watch here
"World Food Crisis: Is global meat consumption a major cause?" Watch here

No graphic images. Earth Day - The best action we can take to save sentient beings and the Earth. Some facts

* To produce 1 lb of meat, an average of 40 lbs of vegetation is used. * 12 lbs of wheat produce 12 loaves of bread and only 1hamburger. * It takes 3.25 acres of land to produce food for a meat eater on a continuing basis, while it takes 1/3 of an acre for someone eating a diet of plants and dairy and 1/6 of an acre for a person eating totally plant based diet (vegan).

* A University of California Study shows that to produce 1 lb of meat it takes an average of 2,500 gallons of water, it takes 966 gallons of water to produce one gallon of cow's milk and on the other hand plant foods such as wheat, corn, apples etc. take 20 to 50 gallons of water to produce one pound of food.

* Eating food crops first hand produces a tremendous energy savings. To produce one pound of protein derived from beef requires 20 times as much fossil fuel energy as the same one pound of protein derived from corn or wheat. Protein from beef requires 40 times more fossil fuel energy than the same amount of protein derived from soybeans.

* The waste released in the atmosphere by the U.S. Meat and Dairy Industry is 230,000 pounds per second, thus polluting earth, air and water systems.

* It is estimated that it takes 75,000 trees to print a Sunday edition of The New York Times for the readers.

These staggering numbers are a wake up-call for us to make a difference now.

Human Benefits

* Twenty vegetarians can be fed on the amount of land needed to feed one person consuming a meat-based diet.

* If America reduced their intake of meat by 10 percent, 60 million people can be adequately fed by grain saved.

* A cow has to eat 7 lbs of grain and soy bean protein to produce 1 lb of meat protein. If the same land were to produce food for humans directly, 7 times more people could eat.

* More than half of all the water used in the United States is used in live stock production that can be used where there is water shortage.

When we become aware of these facts and change our lifestyle and go vegan we can increase the amount of grain available to feed people elsewhere, reduce pollution, save water and energy, cease contributing to the clearing of forests and the most important we can save thousands of sentient beings from torture and pain.

If one gives up all animal products eg dairy products, and adopts a plant based diet, then one is Vegan -- (excluding flesh, fish, fowl, dairy products such as animal milk, butter, cheese, yogurt (curd), eggs, honey, animal gelatin and all other items of animal origin.) Going vegan is much easier than you think.

Today the dairy cows have become milking machines for human beings. The cows are kept pregnant every year for a consecutive 9-10 year period by artificial insemination. As soon as the cows stop yielding milk, they are dragged to the slaughter house for beef meat. Poor calves are forcefully dragged away from their mothers, depriving them of their mother's milk that is rightfully theirs. If the calves are female they are raised as dairy cows and are exploited as their mothers and at the end face the same fate as them. If the calves are male they are fattened by hormone injections and kept in dark sheds away from sunlight in oppressed conditions, preparing them for veal meat. This ultimately ends the lives of the cows and calves prematurely and cruelly.

Until the human species addresses its overpopulation issues, the situation we are now in - overshoot and collapse, will be dire.

For more info go to VeganOutreach.org
Factoryfarming.com AnimalsVoice.com Liberation of Brother & Sister Animals - our webiste VeganYumYum.com - Great vegan recipes Sign the ALDF Animal Bill of Rights (US)Sign here

From Animal Aid:
London Sustainability Weeks (June 1st-21st) London Sustainability Weeks runs from June 1st to 21st and is London and is London's largest annual green festival.
As part of the celebration, Animal Aid have launched a brand new website with 21 days of vegan recipes. Why vegan? Because the vegan diet is the most sustainable, and adopting it is the single most effective step any individual can take to help combat climate change and environmental degradation.
So check out Animal Aid's simple, delicious recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Visit the website
More information on a sustainable diet
Eating Meat: Wrecking The Planet And Creating A Global Food Shortage

In many circumstances, the products we use in our efforts to be more sustainable have a bigger footprint than we think. Recent articles in the Washington Post and from the Worldwatch Institute show how the production of large amounts of polysilicon in China are dumping toxic wastes on the surrounding landscape--the homes of poor Chinese villagers. The byproducts from these industrial processes include silicon tetrachloride, which ruins the soil chemistry and releases poisonous fumes. The situation is ironically inconsistent with the end use of this valuable product, which is usually for photovoltaic solar panels, which turn solar energy into "green, renewable" electricity. This is actually only one example of the ways that efforts by the developed world to become sustainable only result in more environmental degradation and socio-economic disparities.

The situation in [one Chinese] village points to the environmental trade-offs the world is making as it races to head off a dwindling supply of fossil fuels. Forests are being cleared to grow biofuels like palm oil, but scientists argue that the disappearance of such huge swaths of forests is contributing to climate change. Hydropower dams are being constructed to replace coal-fired power plants, but they are submerging whole ecosystems under water. -washingtonpost.com

Producing polysilicon is extremely profitable due to high demand, and the Chinese manufacturers are increasing their profits by refusing to invest in recycling technology, which is available now. The manufacturers apparently have the law on their side. They maintain that their practices are in keeping with all Chinese environmental restrictions, and while formal complaints have been made to portions of the government responsible for environmental protection, no action has been taken.

Here, I blog about looking at human activity and trying to optimize it to balance meeting the needs of the people in a sustainable way. I like to focus on "time" (i.e. activity) rather than money or resources, because at the end of the day this is the most finite resource a human being can have. Who wants to have "more" time? anyone?

David Wessel, economic editor of the Wall Street Journal put out a little video today that sickened me: http://www.marketwatch.com/tvradio/bcPlayer.asp?bcpid=203719194&bclid=86272812&bctid=1496528085

Dave, in his great wisdom, is trying to convince us that "not everyone should own a home". His rationale is that some people can't afford it.

You mean it is "cheaper" to "rent"? You mean that every year when you get a raise, it is ok to have the rent eat it all up and it keep people in poverty? What a bunch of boloney.

The reality is that there are homes for everyone and probably more. Ok, not everyone can own a home like this "mushroom": http://www.portabello.com, but from a pure human activity perspective, we have enough people in this country capable of building homes for everyone. The problem is not that we can't built enough homes for everyone, the problem is/was that on one hand some "investors" keep/kept flipping houses while other "investors" wanted to charge you 10% or more interest on your mortgage. So people like you and me had to pay a silent tax to a bunch of people that did not produce any human activities by a bit.

So we are left in this burlesque situation that we have the technology, the manpower and the resources to let everyone have a decent home but because some "investors" want their cut (I really mean their Jag, Mansion and Yacht) in the process, we can't. The same thing is pretty much true for all kinds of natural resources today. Lots of people want their cut, like this Saoudi prince who bought an A380 (yes the double decker plane) for $300 million and converted into god knows what for another $200. Yes, this is what your "time" (sorry dollars) is contributing to. There was also this lad -the cousin of the sultan of Brunei- who could not do with less than 1,700 cars ! yes seventeen hundred.

The reality is that "investors" are by far the category of people that represent the greatest threat to the environment. It is not people like you and me who can live a life of simplicity and be content with it. I am really talking about the crowd that needs 50 to 50,000 earth-equivalent resources to live their everyday life. These people can't be trusted with the abundance of "human activity" they have accumulated. They transform it into absolutely useless and costly to run toys, be it a car, a boat or a mansion, not to mention the other luxuries of life.

One of the best way to preserve the environment is to kill short term and unreasonable profits while maxing out wealth to an arbitrary number say anywhere between 100 to 500 millions, just to keep capitalism running. Creating a maximum wage would also be a pretty good thing, say 5 millions per year. By short term, I mean anything that's less than 12 months to 24 months. Unreasonable means any interest rate over 4% for mortgages and over 10% for consumer loans. I have even seen recently a commercial on TV for someone ready to lend you 5k at 99% interest rate !

What an exciting time to be in Nashville! From farmers markets to back yard gardens, from energy efficient home improvements to the green power switch, from bio-diesel to bike trails, people all over Middle Tennessee are learning that simple steps make for big changes.
Go Green Nashville is all about introducing sustainable concepts in a positive, accessible way, and creating a local culture of support that lets these concepts find their way into a sensible lifestyle.
Together with WeCanSolveIt.org, Go Green Nashville plans to bring a variety of topical issues to the table with presentations, lectures, workshops, fieldtrips and more. Our goal is to bring the best information to the most people, so that together, we can solve it!   Read More »

Improve Your Business By Tapping into Nature's Reservoir of Design Knowledge

Imagine a system that has been conducting research and design not for tens, hundreds or even thousands, but billions of years. What if you took these time-tested principles, and applied them to other systems? From a systems perspective, mother nature is a design expert, and has been the greatest frontier for innovation.

One could argue that everything in the natural world is done with purpose, with a universal goal to protect and preserve all life. You will find the same design principles replicated in all of nature's systems and creations- from a single blade of grass to an entire ecosystem. Nature does not waste any resources, it uses benign materials and manufacturing, waste from one organism is food for another (cradle to cradle design), nature runs on free energy such as sunlight, uses elegant chemistry to build and grow, utilizes cyclical rather than linear cycles, and relies on feedback loops to ensure continuous efficiency and improvement.

Perhaps the most important principle is that nature creates systems conducive to life. This underlying framework keeps everything working together, in balance, in sync and in harmony, at an optimal level.

Man tends to create systems that are not conducive to life, and we are feeling the effects of this careless thinking today with global climate change. We are also experiencing how intricately connected we are to every other aspect of this system.

By appreciating, learning from and utilizing nature's life-enhancing principles, man can create self-sustaining, healthy, lean, fit, energy, time and resource efficient systems. If we combine these principles with human innovation, and capitalize on our intellectual capital, we can create resilient, self-sustaining systems that are just as efficient, earth and human-friendly as those we see in the natural world.

These systems principles can especially be replicated in any business- small to multi-national, and in any industry. By unlocking the secrets of nature's success, we can not only improve our business systems, but watch them adapt, grow and evolve like a living ecosystem or organism.

One example of applying natural law to a business system is the law of diversity. If you look at a top-tier ecosystem such as a rainforest, you will find abundant diversity in all plant and animals species. If one type of organism gets sick, there are many more to keep the system running smoothly. Let's say you are putting a team together to work on a special project. Would you ask three people with similar backgrounds and knowledge, or three people with diverse sets of expertise and insight?

The law of diversity can also be seen in an investment portfolio, where "diversifying investments" is constantly emphasized. That's one reason why mutual funds are so appealing. Nature never puts all her eggs in one basket (ok, well, the analogy may not work here since birds do put all their eggs in one basket). A diverse system, (whether it be a rainforest or a business) is a strong system that is risk-adverse.

Conversely, a system such as a lawn is susceptible to a multitude of risks, including over-watering, under-watering, insect infestation, the family pet, too much sun and too little sun. A lawn is a bottom-tier ecosystem with one species of grass that requires large amounts of time, resources and management. Can you imagine a rainforest being managed? Rainforests need no "management" because they are diverse, strong and therefore self-sustaining (amongst other reasons).

Speaking of management; business leaders hire employees that are self-sufficient and bring value to the company. They do not hire people who need to be constantly directed and advised. A strong company is one in which the employees are highly capable, and require as little management as possible.

If you are an entrepreneur trying to grow your business, you probably want to manage your employees as little as possible so you can invest your energy and time in more important things. You want to put strong people and systems in place, and watch your company adapt to change in the market, grow, and even evolve on its own, similar to a self-sustaining rainforest.

Another example of a universal law that can be applied to multiple types of systems is that of creating a niche. Imagine your competitors not only wanted to take your customers or assets, but also wanted to eat you! How's that for competition? You would probably develop some way to avoid or beat your predators and the competition within your species. That's exactly what nature has done.

Every species on the planet that we see today has developed some type of mechanism for survival that was better than its predecessor. Survival is a great motivator, if not the best, for aggressive innovation.

Innovation in nature has lead to each species creating a niche. Some of the most successful businesses have also created a nice niche for themselves, where the competition is little or none. Why spend money on advertising why you are better than the competition, when you can simply create a niche market that no other company fills?

Nature has learned that a key element to survival is innovation for competitive advantage, or even better, filling a niche so you eliminate any competition whatsoever. Businesses leaders can strengthen and improve their businesses by incorporating these sustainable, innovative, competitive systems principles into their corporate DNA, while at the same time safeguarding the environment.

These are only a handful of examples of how businesses can learn from and apply nature's infinite reservoir of design knowledge to improve their business systems. Challenges we face today have already been solved after billions of years of research and design.

The answers can be seen in the intricate and complex relationships, niches, survival mechanisms and systems designs nature has created. The answers to our most pressing questions and business challenges are just outside your door.