Dear Friends,
The phowa retreat with our friend, Lama Ole, was quite wonderful. Melanie and I were especially happy as all 3 of our children learned the practice.
Now, over the next few weeks, we have 3 workshops to give. Starting on Monday, the 7th, we teach Tibetan Shirodhara. Then, over the weekend I do a Nine Star Ki Astrology class. Then the following weekend, on Saturday, the 19th, I shall be doing a class on conscious dying.
If you are in or around the central coast of CA and can join us, let us know. Best to call at 805-543-9291.
Yours,
Robert and Melanie
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Pancha Karma and Phowa
This weekend, Melanie and I shall be giving Pancha Karma to some clients. These are the deeply detoxing treatments of Ayurveda. After this weekend, we are off to San Diego to attend a PHOWA retreat with our dear friend, Lama Ole Nydahl. PHOWA is the conscious dying yoga of Tibetan Buddhism. It is an extremely useful practice as it creates a reflexive channel for one to leave through the crown chakra at the moment of death - which can happen at any moment. It also helps you to do this for friends. If you have ever read or are interested in reading my book, Rebirth Into Pure Land, you can learn more about this practice. And, if you want to learn about the retreat, go to http://www.diamondway.org/phowa2009.
Also, a reminder that if you shop with us by calling or online, mention our 20% rebate on purchases. This sale is for all retail products and will last until the first of he year.
Much Love,
Robert (and Melanie)
Also, a reminder that if you shop with us by calling or online, mention our 20% rebate on purchases. This sale is for all retail products and will last until the first of he year.
Much Love,
Robert (and Melanie)
Friday, October 30, 2009
The need for prevention
It will be interesting to see what the final health care bills look like. Hopefully there will be some form of universal coverage. But, that said, allopathic medicine is extremely costly. If this is the only form of healing included in the government offering, then it is bound to be costly and ineffective.
Ayurveda has the potential to be the holistic health paradigm par excellence in helping people to put together a lifestyle that eases their stress and tension, two of the primary causes that lead to chronic illness.
In that light, we are including more helpful hints on our website. And, you will see hints offered here each week as well.
So, hint Number 1 - If you are concerned about your weight, drink a cup of hot water (boiled and cooled slightly) first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. AND, to improve digestion for anyone, drink a cup of hot water about 5 minutes after each meal.
Let us know how this tip helps.
Ayurveda has the potential to be the holistic health paradigm par excellence in helping people to put together a lifestyle that eases their stress and tension, two of the primary causes that lead to chronic illness.
In that light, we are including more helpful hints on our website. And, you will see hints offered here each week as well.
So, hint Number 1 - If you are concerned about your weight, drink a cup of hot water (boiled and cooled slightly) first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. AND, to improve digestion for anyone, drink a cup of hot water about 5 minutes after each meal.
Let us know how this tip helps.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Changes We Hope You Like
We hope you have noticed the changes on our website. We have tried to make it so that there is more information about our treatments, our trainings, and our products. PLUS, we have made available a number of downloads which we hope are useful for your self-knowledge and practice.
That said, we would like to hear from you to find out if there is other information about Ayurveda or what we do that you would like to have more readily available. Feel free to comment on this blog or contact us directly.
That said, we would like to hear from you to find out if there is other information about Ayurveda or what we do that you would like to have more readily available. Feel free to comment on this blog or contact us directly.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
New projects and products
We hope you like the new face of our website, http://www.DoamondWayAyurveda.com. The goal was to update our look, but also make the content more relevant to all who visit.
Their are a few projects we have wanted to get on with and make their results available to friends interested in Ayurveda. One is a DVD on Ayurvedic breast massage. The other is on our Tibetan Chakra Stone Ritual. We hope to be in production with these in the next few weeks.
Also, we shall have a new PediKarma massage bowl available in a few weeks. It seems that UPS has lost them for the moment. But, when we have them, you shall see them in our shopping cart.
In the meantime, feel free tpo ask us any Ayurvedic lifestyle question gnawing at the back of your mind. Our goal is to update this BLOG twice a week.
Yours,
Melanie and Robert
Their are a few projects we have wanted to get on with and make their results available to friends interested in Ayurveda. One is a DVD on Ayurvedic breast massage. The other is on our Tibetan Chakra Stone Ritual. We hope to be in production with these in the next few weeks.
Also, we shall have a new PediKarma massage bowl available in a few weeks. It seems that UPS has lost them for the moment. But, when we have them, you shall see them in our shopping cart.
In the meantime, feel free tpo ask us any Ayurvedic lifestyle question gnawing at the back of your mind. Our goal is to update this BLOG twice a week.
Yours,
Melanie and Robert
Friday, September 18, 2009
Back and Around
Dear Friends,
We have been away from you all for way too long. There were some extremely difficult family matters to attend to and we simply were putting all of our attention and creativity in that direction. As John Lennon said, "Life is what is happening while your making other plans."
Recently, Robert went to Sydney and taught about Ayurvedic Nutrition with The Academy of Healing Nutrition (http://www.academyhealingnutrition.com) and we just got back from the ICE show sponsored by LNE and Dermascope. It was nice to see friends, clients, and companies whom we have known in the spa and beauty industries over the years.
As matters have cooled down and the fall has arrived, we are launching more classes, sourcing new and improved products (which you will soon see on our website) and doing more writing. Robert is working with his agent to create a book called SPA TO GO, which will be about how one can create a spa experience at any time wherever you are. Stay tuned as the details unfold.
In the meantime, we wish you all well and promise to be more attentive to blogging as issue and questions arise.
Yours,
Melanie and Robert
We have been away from you all for way too long. There were some extremely difficult family matters to attend to and we simply were putting all of our attention and creativity in that direction. As John Lennon said, "Life is what is happening while your making other plans."
Recently, Robert went to Sydney and taught about Ayurvedic Nutrition with The Academy of Healing Nutrition (http://www.academyhealingnutrition.com) and we just got back from the ICE show sponsored by LNE and Dermascope. It was nice to see friends, clients, and companies whom we have known in the spa and beauty industries over the years.
As matters have cooled down and the fall has arrived, we are launching more classes, sourcing new and improved products (which you will soon see on our website) and doing more writing. Robert is working with his agent to create a book called SPA TO GO, which will be about how one can create a spa experience at any time wherever you are. Stay tuned as the details unfold.
In the meantime, we wish you all well and promise to be more attentive to blogging as issue and questions arise.
Yours,
Melanie and Robert
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Our Logo
Over the years many of you have commented on how much you love the Diamond Way Ayurveda logo and asked about where it comes from. Up until now we have been very quiet about this subject and simply said that it is a traditional Tibetan design.
We feel now is the right time to say more. This new coming out began at the Congress of Esthetics in Miami this last month when we finally took a classroom so we could explain more about the company, the tretments and the products.
on strength of this presentation we will be be revising and adding to the website over the next months but until then I just wanted to share more about our logo.
It is a traditional mandala which is a geometric design that guides our minds into a more positive ways of being. Mandalas each have a specific purpose. This particular mandala is for healing in every sense of the word.
Just like in the Native American tradition each of the colors represents a direction.
Blue for the east. Yellow for the south. Red for the west and green for the north. Each direction has an associated quality that is part of the healing process.
Blue represents pacifying quality which means making your clients feel at home and secure with your approach and your knowledge. It is asociated with mirror like wisdom which is about each of us looking at each other and checking out if indeed we have a connection. Blur is ht edoor through which we enter and begin the journey to greater beauty.
Yellow carries the quality of enrichment and the wisdom of equinimity. It is about sharing knowledge and experience with clients and forming a bond of mutual respect.
Red is magnetizing and holds the wisdom of dicrimination. It brings in our passion to communicate what is genuine, special and helpful about our products and services.
Green is the quality of destruction. Not by way of being destructive but by firmly pushing aside all that is not helpful or healthy for the client. It is about all accomplishing wisdom whic is a broad view that embraces green practices and reminds us that our products have always been organic and fair traded.
In the middle sits the white lotus resting on all four of these principles. It gracefully represents the wish that all our treatments and indeed all interactions with our clients gives them more of a clear mind, open heart, beautiful body.
We look forward to sharing more ideas and inforamtion as we all gradually get more computer savvy. Thankyou for your interest in Diamond Way Ayurveda.
We feel now is the right time to say more. This new coming out began at the Congress of Esthetics in Miami this last month when we finally took a classroom so we could explain more about the company, the tretments and the products.
on strength of this presentation we will be be revising and adding to the website over the next months but until then I just wanted to share more about our logo.
It is a traditional mandala which is a geometric design that guides our minds into a more positive ways of being. Mandalas each have a specific purpose. This particular mandala is for healing in every sense of the word.
Just like in the Native American tradition each of the colors represents a direction.
Blue for the east. Yellow for the south. Red for the west and green for the north. Each direction has an associated quality that is part of the healing process.
Blue represents pacifying quality which means making your clients feel at home and secure with your approach and your knowledge. It is asociated with mirror like wisdom which is about each of us looking at each other and checking out if indeed we have a connection. Blur is ht edoor through which we enter and begin the journey to greater beauty.
Yellow carries the quality of enrichment and the wisdom of equinimity. It is about sharing knowledge and experience with clients and forming a bond of mutual respect.
Red is magnetizing and holds the wisdom of dicrimination. It brings in our passion to communicate what is genuine, special and helpful about our products and services.
Green is the quality of destruction. Not by way of being destructive but by firmly pushing aside all that is not helpful or healthy for the client. It is about all accomplishing wisdom whic is a broad view that embraces green practices and reminds us that our products have always been organic and fair traded.
In the middle sits the white lotus resting on all four of these principles. It gracefully represents the wish that all our treatments and indeed all interactions with our clients gives them more of a clear mind, open heart, beautiful body.
We look forward to sharing more ideas and inforamtion as we all gradually get more computer savvy. Thankyou for your interest in Diamond Way Ayurveda.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Fifty Ways to Go Green
Dear friends,
We promised to release the list of 50 things you can do to go GREEN after the Dallas International Congress of Esthetics and Spa show. We hope you find this inspiring and useful.
1.Replace a regular incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb (cfl)
CFLs use 60% less energy than a regular bulb. This simple switch will save about 300 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.
We recommend you purchase your bulbs at www.1000bulbs.com they have great deals on both screw-in and plug-in light bulbs.
2. Install a programmable thermostat
Programmable thermostats will automatically lower the heat or air conditioning at night and raise them again in the morning. They can save you $100 a year on your energy bill.
3. Move your thermostat down 2° in winter and up 2° in summer
Almost half of the energy we use in our homes goes to heating and cooling. You could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple adjustment.
4. Clean or replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner
Cleaning a dirty air filter can save 350 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.
5. Choose energy efficient appliances when making new purchases
Look for the Energy Star label on new appliances to choose the most energy efficient appliances available.
6. Do not leave appliances on standby
Use the "on/off" function on the machine itself. A TV set that's switched on for 3 hours a day (the average time Europeans spend watching TV) and in standby mode during the remaining 21 hours uses about 40% of its energy in standby mode.
7. Wrap your water heater in an insulation blanket
You’ll save 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple action. You can save another 550 pounds per year by setting the thermostat no higher than 50°C.
8. Move your fridge and freezer
Placing them next to the cooker or boiler consumes much more energy than if they were standing on their own. For example, if you put them in a hot cellar room where the room temperature is 30-35ºC, energy use is almost double and causes an extra 160kg of CO2 emissions for fridges per year and 320kg for freezers.
9. Defrost old fridges and freezers regularly
Even better is to replace them with newer models, which all have automatic defrost cycles and are generally up to two times more energy-efficient than their predecessors.
10. Don't let heat escape from your house over a long period
When airing your house, open the windows for only a few minutes. If you leave a small opening all day long, the energy needed to keep it warm inside during six cold months (10ºC or less outside temperature) would result in almost 1 ton of CO2 emissions.
11. Replace your old single-glazed windows with double-glazing
This requires a bit of upfront investment, but will halve the energy lost through windows and pay off in the long term. If you go for the best the market has to offer (wooden-framed double-glazed units with low-emission glass and filled with argon gas), you can even save more than 70% of the energy lost.
12. Get a home energy audit
Many utilities offer free home energy audits to find where your home is poorly insulated or energy inefficient. You can save up to 30% off your energy bill and 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Energy Star can help you find an energy specialist.
13. Cover your pots while cooking
Doing so can save a lot of the energy needed for preparing the dish. Even better are pressure cookers and steamers: they can save around 70%!
14. Use the washing machine or dishwasher only when they are full
If you need to use it when it is half full, then use the half-load or economy setting. There is also no need to set the temperatures high. Nowadays detergents are so efficient that they get your clothes and dishes clean at low temperatures.
15. Take a shower instead of a bath
A shower takes up to four times less energy than a bath. To maximize the energy saving, avoid power showers and use low-flow showerheads, which are cheap and provide the same comfort.
16. Use less hot water
It takes a lot of energy to heat water. You can use less hot water by installing a low flow showerhead (350 pounds of carbon dioxide saved per year) and washing your clothes in cold or warm water (500 pounds saved per year) instead of hot.
17. Use a clothesline instead of a dryer whenever possible
You can save 700 pounds of carbon dioxide when you air dry your clothes for 6 months out of the year.
18. Insulate and weatherize your home
Properly insulating your walls and ceilings can save 25% of your home heating bill and 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Caulking and weather-stripping can save another 1,700 pounds per year. Go to www.buyenergyefficient.org for more information on how to better insulate your home.
19. Be sure you’re recycling at home
You can save 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide a year by recycling half of the waste your household generates.
20. Recycle your organic waste
Around 3% of the greenhouse gas emissions through the methane is released by decomposing bio-degradable waste. By recycling organic waste or composting it if you have a garden, you can help eliminate this problem! Just make sure that you compost it properly, so it decomposes with sufficient oxygen, otherwise your compost will cause methane emissions and smell foul.
21. Buy intelligently
One bottle of 1.5l requires less energy and produces less waste than three bottles of 0.5l. As well, buy recycled paper products: it takes less 70 to 90% less energy to make recycled paper and it prevents the loss of forests worldwide.
22. Choose products that come with little packaging and buy refills when you can
You will also cut down on waste production and energy use... another help against global warming.
23. Reuse your shopping bag
When shopping, it saves energy and waste to use a reusable bag instead of accepting a disposable one in each shop. Waste not only discharges CO2 and methane into the atmosphere, it can also pollute the air, groundwater and soil.
24. Reduce waste
Most products we buy cause greenhouse gas emissions in one or another way, e.g. during production and distribution. By taking your lunch in a reusable lunch box instead of a disposable one, you save the energy needed to produce new lunch boxes.
25. Plant a tree
A single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime. Shade provided by trees can also reduce your air conditioning bill by 10 to 15%. The Arbor Day Foundation has information on planting and provides trees you can plant with membership.
26. Switch to green power
In many areas, you can switch to energy generated by clean, renewable sources such as wind and solar. In some of these, you can even get refunds by government if you choose to switch to a clean energy producer, and you can also earn money by selling the energy you produce and don't use for yourself.
27. Buy locally grown and produced foods
The average meal in the United States travels 1,200 miles from the farm to your plate. Buying locally will save fuel and keep money in your community.
28. Buy fresh foods instead of frozen
Frozen food uses 10 times more energy to produce.
29. Seek out and support local farmers markets
They reduce the amount of energy required to grow and transport the food to you by one fifth. Seek farmer’s markets in your area, and go for them.
30. Buy organic foods as much as possible
Organic soils capture and store carbon dioxide at much higher levels than soils from conventional farms. If we grew all of our corn and soybeans organically, we’d remove 580 billion pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere!
31. Eat less meat
Methane is the second most significant greenhouse gas and cows are one of the greatest methane emitters. Their grassy diet and multiple stomachs cause them to produce methane, which they exhale with every breath.
32. Reduce the number of miles you drive by walking, biking, carpooling or taking mass transit wherever possible
Avoiding just 10 miles of driving every week would eliminate about 500 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions a year! Look for transit options in your area.
33. Start a carpool with your coworkers or classmates
Sharing a ride with someone just 2 days a week will reduce your carbon dioxide emissions by 1,590 pounds a year. www.eRideShare.com runs a free service connecting North American commuters and travelers.
34. Don't leave an empty roof rack on your car
This can increase fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 10% due to wind resistance and the extra weight - removing it is a better idea.
35. Keep your car tuned up
Regular maintenance helps improve fuel efficiency and reduces emissions. When just 1% of car owners properly maintain their cars, nearly a billion pounds of carbon dioxide are kept out of the atmosphere.
36. Drive carefully and do not waste fuel
You can reduce CO2 emissions by readjusting your driving style. Choose proper gears, do not abuse the gas pedal, use the engine brake instead of the pedal brake when possible and turn off your engine when your vehicle is motionless for more than one minute. By readjusting your driving style you can save money on both fuel and car maintenance.
37. Check your tires weekly to make sure they’re properly inflated
Go to www.carcare.org/Tires_Wheels/Inflation.shtml to learn how proper tire inflation can improve gas mileage by more than 3%. Since every gallon of gasoline saved keeps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, every increase in fuel efficiency makes a difference!
38. When it is time for a new car, choose a more fuel efficient vehicle
You can save 3,000 pounds of carbon dioxide every year if your new car gets only 3 miles per gallon more than your current one. You can get up to 60 miles per gallon with a hybrid! You can find information on fuel efficiency at www.fueleconomy.gov/ and www.greencars.com
39. Try car sharing
Need a car but don’t want to buy one? Community car sharing organizations provide access to a car and your membership fee covers gas, maintenance and insurance. Many companies – such as www.flexcar.com offer low emission or hybrid cars too! Also, see www.ZipCar.com
40. Try telecommuting from home
Telecommuting can help you drastically reduce the number of miles you drive every week. For more information, check out www.telcoa.org
41. Fly less
Air travel produces large amounts of emissions so reducing how much you fly by even one or two trips a year can reduce your emissions significantly. Go to www.nativeenergy.com/ to learn how you can also offset your air travel carbon emissions by investing in renewable energy projects.
42. Encourage your school or business to reduce emissions
You can extend your positive influence on global warming well beyond your home by actively encouraging other to take action.
43. Join the virtual march
The Stop Global Warming Virtual March is a non-political effort to bring people concerned about global warming together in one place. Go to www.stopglobalwarming.org/ and add your voice to the hundreds of thousands of other people urging action on this issue.
44. Encourage the switch to renewable energy
Successfully combating global warming requires a national transition to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and biomass. These technologies are ready to be deployed more widely but there are regulatory barriers impeding them. U.S. citizens, take action to break down those barriers by going to www.votesolar.org/
45. Protect and conserve forest worldwide
Forests play a critical role in global warming: they store carbon. When forests are burned or cut down, their stored carbon is release into the atmosphere - deforestation now accounts for about 20% of carbon dioxide emissions each year. www.conservation.org/learn/forests/Pages/overview.aspx has more information on saving forests from global warming.
46. Consider the impact of your investments
If you invest your money, you should consider the impact that your investments and savings will have on global warming. Check out www.socialinvest.org/ and www.ceres.org to can learn more about how to ensure your money is being invested in companies, products and projects that address issues related to climate change.
47. Make your city cool
Cities and states around the country have taken action to stop global warming by passing innovative transportation and energy saving legislation. If you're in the U.S., join the cool cities list by going to www.coolcities.us/
48. Tell Congress to act
The McCain Lieberman Climate Stewardship and Innovation Act would set a firm limit on carbon dioxide emissions and then use free market incentives to lower costs, promote efficiency and spur innovation. Go to www.action.environmentaldefense.org/campaign/globalwarming_petition and tell your representative to support it.
49. Make sure your voice is heard!
Americans must have a stronger commitment from their government in order to stop global warming and implement solutions and such a commitment won’t come without a dramatic increase in citizen lobbying for new laws with teeth. Go to www.vote-smart.org/pre_10.htm and get the facts about U.S. politicians and candidates at Project Vote Smart and The League of Conservation Voters at www.lcv.org/scorecard/. Make sure your voice is heard by voting!
Share this list!
Send your friends to www.globalwarming-facts.info/50-tips.html to Spread this list worldwide and help people doing their part: the more people you will manage to enlighten, the greater YOUR help to save the planet will be (but please take action on first person too)!
And, if you want to learn more about GREEN in Spas, check out www.GreenSpaNetwork.org
We promised to release the list of 50 things you can do to go GREEN after the Dallas International Congress of Esthetics and Spa show. We hope you find this inspiring and useful.
1.Replace a regular incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb (cfl)
CFLs use 60% less energy than a regular bulb. This simple switch will save about 300 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.
We recommend you purchase your bulbs at www.1000bulbs.com they have great deals on both screw-in and plug-in light bulbs.
2. Install a programmable thermostat
Programmable thermostats will automatically lower the heat or air conditioning at night and raise them again in the morning. They can save you $100 a year on your energy bill.
3. Move your thermostat down 2° in winter and up 2° in summer
Almost half of the energy we use in our homes goes to heating and cooling. You could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple adjustment.
4. Clean or replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner
Cleaning a dirty air filter can save 350 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.
5. Choose energy efficient appliances when making new purchases
Look for the Energy Star label on new appliances to choose the most energy efficient appliances available.
6. Do not leave appliances on standby
Use the "on/off" function on the machine itself. A TV set that's switched on for 3 hours a day (the average time Europeans spend watching TV) and in standby mode during the remaining 21 hours uses about 40% of its energy in standby mode.
7. Wrap your water heater in an insulation blanket
You’ll save 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple action. You can save another 550 pounds per year by setting the thermostat no higher than 50°C.
8. Move your fridge and freezer
Placing them next to the cooker or boiler consumes much more energy than if they were standing on their own. For example, if you put them in a hot cellar room where the room temperature is 30-35ºC, energy use is almost double and causes an extra 160kg of CO2 emissions for fridges per year and 320kg for freezers.
9. Defrost old fridges and freezers regularly
Even better is to replace them with newer models, which all have automatic defrost cycles and are generally up to two times more energy-efficient than their predecessors.
10. Don't let heat escape from your house over a long period
When airing your house, open the windows for only a few minutes. If you leave a small opening all day long, the energy needed to keep it warm inside during six cold months (10ºC or less outside temperature) would result in almost 1 ton of CO2 emissions.
11. Replace your old single-glazed windows with double-glazing
This requires a bit of upfront investment, but will halve the energy lost through windows and pay off in the long term. If you go for the best the market has to offer (wooden-framed double-glazed units with low-emission glass and filled with argon gas), you can even save more than 70% of the energy lost.
12. Get a home energy audit
Many utilities offer free home energy audits to find where your home is poorly insulated or energy inefficient. You can save up to 30% off your energy bill and 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Energy Star can help you find an energy specialist.
13. Cover your pots while cooking
Doing so can save a lot of the energy needed for preparing the dish. Even better are pressure cookers and steamers: they can save around 70%!
14. Use the washing machine or dishwasher only when they are full
If you need to use it when it is half full, then use the half-load or economy setting. There is also no need to set the temperatures high. Nowadays detergents are so efficient that they get your clothes and dishes clean at low temperatures.
15. Take a shower instead of a bath
A shower takes up to four times less energy than a bath. To maximize the energy saving, avoid power showers and use low-flow showerheads, which are cheap and provide the same comfort.
16. Use less hot water
It takes a lot of energy to heat water. You can use less hot water by installing a low flow showerhead (350 pounds of carbon dioxide saved per year) and washing your clothes in cold or warm water (500 pounds saved per year) instead of hot.
17. Use a clothesline instead of a dryer whenever possible
You can save 700 pounds of carbon dioxide when you air dry your clothes for 6 months out of the year.
18. Insulate and weatherize your home
Properly insulating your walls and ceilings can save 25% of your home heating bill and 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Caulking and weather-stripping can save another 1,700 pounds per year. Go to www.buyenergyefficient.org for more information on how to better insulate your home.
19. Be sure you’re recycling at home
You can save 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide a year by recycling half of the waste your household generates.
20. Recycle your organic waste
Around 3% of the greenhouse gas emissions through the methane is released by decomposing bio-degradable waste. By recycling organic waste or composting it if you have a garden, you can help eliminate this problem! Just make sure that you compost it properly, so it decomposes with sufficient oxygen, otherwise your compost will cause methane emissions and smell foul.
21. Buy intelligently
One bottle of 1.5l requires less energy and produces less waste than three bottles of 0.5l. As well, buy recycled paper products: it takes less 70 to 90% less energy to make recycled paper and it prevents the loss of forests worldwide.
22. Choose products that come with little packaging and buy refills when you can
You will also cut down on waste production and energy use... another help against global warming.
23. Reuse your shopping bag
When shopping, it saves energy and waste to use a reusable bag instead of accepting a disposable one in each shop. Waste not only discharges CO2 and methane into the atmosphere, it can also pollute the air, groundwater and soil.
24. Reduce waste
Most products we buy cause greenhouse gas emissions in one or another way, e.g. during production and distribution. By taking your lunch in a reusable lunch box instead of a disposable one, you save the energy needed to produce new lunch boxes.
25. Plant a tree
A single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime. Shade provided by trees can also reduce your air conditioning bill by 10 to 15%. The Arbor Day Foundation has information on planting and provides trees you can plant with membership.
26. Switch to green power
In many areas, you can switch to energy generated by clean, renewable sources such as wind and solar. In some of these, you can even get refunds by government if you choose to switch to a clean energy producer, and you can also earn money by selling the energy you produce and don't use for yourself.
27. Buy locally grown and produced foods
The average meal in the United States travels 1,200 miles from the farm to your plate. Buying locally will save fuel and keep money in your community.
28. Buy fresh foods instead of frozen
Frozen food uses 10 times more energy to produce.
29. Seek out and support local farmers markets
They reduce the amount of energy required to grow and transport the food to you by one fifth. Seek farmer’s markets in your area, and go for them.
30. Buy organic foods as much as possible
Organic soils capture and store carbon dioxide at much higher levels than soils from conventional farms. If we grew all of our corn and soybeans organically, we’d remove 580 billion pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere!
31. Eat less meat
Methane is the second most significant greenhouse gas and cows are one of the greatest methane emitters. Their grassy diet and multiple stomachs cause them to produce methane, which they exhale with every breath.
32. Reduce the number of miles you drive by walking, biking, carpooling or taking mass transit wherever possible
Avoiding just 10 miles of driving every week would eliminate about 500 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions a year! Look for transit options in your area.
33. Start a carpool with your coworkers or classmates
Sharing a ride with someone just 2 days a week will reduce your carbon dioxide emissions by 1,590 pounds a year. www.eRideShare.com runs a free service connecting North American commuters and travelers.
34. Don't leave an empty roof rack on your car
This can increase fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 10% due to wind resistance and the extra weight - removing it is a better idea.
35. Keep your car tuned up
Regular maintenance helps improve fuel efficiency and reduces emissions. When just 1% of car owners properly maintain their cars, nearly a billion pounds of carbon dioxide are kept out of the atmosphere.
36. Drive carefully and do not waste fuel
You can reduce CO2 emissions by readjusting your driving style. Choose proper gears, do not abuse the gas pedal, use the engine brake instead of the pedal brake when possible and turn off your engine when your vehicle is motionless for more than one minute. By readjusting your driving style you can save money on both fuel and car maintenance.
37. Check your tires weekly to make sure they’re properly inflated
Go to www.carcare.org/Tires_Wheels/Inflation.shtml to learn how proper tire inflation can improve gas mileage by more than 3%. Since every gallon of gasoline saved keeps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, every increase in fuel efficiency makes a difference!
38. When it is time for a new car, choose a more fuel efficient vehicle
You can save 3,000 pounds of carbon dioxide every year if your new car gets only 3 miles per gallon more than your current one. You can get up to 60 miles per gallon with a hybrid! You can find information on fuel efficiency at www.fueleconomy.gov/ and www.greencars.com
39. Try car sharing
Need a car but don’t want to buy one? Community car sharing organizations provide access to a car and your membership fee covers gas, maintenance and insurance. Many companies – such as www.flexcar.com offer low emission or hybrid cars too! Also, see www.ZipCar.com
40. Try telecommuting from home
Telecommuting can help you drastically reduce the number of miles you drive every week. For more information, check out www.telcoa.org
41. Fly less
Air travel produces large amounts of emissions so reducing how much you fly by even one or two trips a year can reduce your emissions significantly. Go to www.nativeenergy.com/ to learn how you can also offset your air travel carbon emissions by investing in renewable energy projects.
42. Encourage your school or business to reduce emissions
You can extend your positive influence on global warming well beyond your home by actively encouraging other to take action.
43. Join the virtual march
The Stop Global Warming Virtual March is a non-political effort to bring people concerned about global warming together in one place. Go to www.stopglobalwarming.org/ and add your voice to the hundreds of thousands of other people urging action on this issue.
44. Encourage the switch to renewable energy
Successfully combating global warming requires a national transition to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and biomass. These technologies are ready to be deployed more widely but there are regulatory barriers impeding them. U.S. citizens, take action to break down those barriers by going to www.votesolar.org/
45. Protect and conserve forest worldwide
Forests play a critical role in global warming: they store carbon. When forests are burned or cut down, their stored carbon is release into the atmosphere - deforestation now accounts for about 20% of carbon dioxide emissions each year. www.conservation.org/learn/forests/Pages/overview.aspx has more information on saving forests from global warming.
46. Consider the impact of your investments
If you invest your money, you should consider the impact that your investments and savings will have on global warming. Check out www.socialinvest.org/ and www.ceres.org to can learn more about how to ensure your money is being invested in companies, products and projects that address issues related to climate change.
47. Make your city cool
Cities and states around the country have taken action to stop global warming by passing innovative transportation and energy saving legislation. If you're in the U.S., join the cool cities list by going to www.coolcities.us/
48. Tell Congress to act
The McCain Lieberman Climate Stewardship and Innovation Act would set a firm limit on carbon dioxide emissions and then use free market incentives to lower costs, promote efficiency and spur innovation. Go to www.action.environmentaldefense.org/campaign/globalwarming_petition and tell your representative to support it.
49. Make sure your voice is heard!
Americans must have a stronger commitment from their government in order to stop global warming and implement solutions and such a commitment won’t come without a dramatic increase in citizen lobbying for new laws with teeth. Go to www.vote-smart.org/pre_10.htm and get the facts about U.S. politicians and candidates at Project Vote Smart and The League of Conservation Voters at www.lcv.org/scorecard/. Make sure your voice is heard by voting!
Share this list!
Send your friends to www.globalwarming-facts.info/50-tips.html to Spread this list worldwide and help people doing their part: the more people you will manage to enlighten, the greater YOUR help to save the planet will be (but please take action on first person too)!
And, if you want to learn more about GREEN in Spas, check out www.GreenSpaNetwork.org
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Diamond Way Ayurveda at The Grammys
On February 6th, Melanie and I had the opportunity to set up a spa for one fo the Grammy venues, organized by Beverly Visty-Doman of Dharmata and John Forrester as part of their Green With Music event (http://www.greenwithmusic.com/).
Called Spa Tibet to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the exile of the Tibetan people from Tibet, we took two rooms of The Mercury in Koreatown in LA and converted them into a Tibetan spa, replete with beautiful tapestries, carpets, thankas, and other artifacts.
We then assembled a staff - myself and Melanie, Dawn Tardif of Bodiscience, Theresa Blackner, Nestor Ruiz, and our daughter, Christina Sachs and offered 5 modified versions of our tibetan Ayurvedic treatments. Most of the people we worked with were either stars from the movie or musc industry and the media. We even had a meditation and yoga room set up and Lama Dawa Tharchin of BodhiPath Buddhist Centers offered meditations on the Bodhisattva of Compassion, Chenrezig (also known as Kwan Yin) and silent sitting.
In the frenzy of Grammy weekend, we were able to offer a serene and healing atmosphere that seemed to light up those we touched. To read more, go to http://www.buzzine.com/2009/02/green-with-music/.
Spa Tibet was the first venue where we at Diamond Way Ayurveda wish to launch a "Spa without Walls" initiative. The idea is to not only make spas places that you go to, but an awareness and ability to do kind things to restore and re-energize yourself wherever you are. Stay tuned for more information.
Called Spa Tibet to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the exile of the Tibetan people from Tibet, we took two rooms of The Mercury in Koreatown in LA and converted them into a Tibetan spa, replete with beautiful tapestries, carpets, thankas, and other artifacts.
We then assembled a staff - myself and Melanie, Dawn Tardif of Bodiscience, Theresa Blackner, Nestor Ruiz, and our daughter, Christina Sachs and offered 5 modified versions of our tibetan Ayurvedic treatments. Most of the people we worked with were either stars from the movie or musc industry and the media. We even had a meditation and yoga room set up and Lama Dawa Tharchin of BodhiPath Buddhist Centers offered meditations on the Bodhisattva of Compassion, Chenrezig (also known as Kwan Yin) and silent sitting.
In the frenzy of Grammy weekend, we were able to offer a serene and healing atmosphere that seemed to light up those we touched. To read more, go to http://www.buzzine.com/2009/02/green-with-music/.
Spa Tibet was the first venue where we at Diamond Way Ayurveda wish to launch a "Spa without Walls" initiative. The idea is to not only make spas places that you go to, but an awareness and ability to do kind things to restore and re-energize yourself wherever you are. Stay tuned for more information.
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