Buying Natural, Organic, Eco Friendly and Go Green Gifts.

Buying Natural, Organic, Eco friendly or Go Green Gifts.

*I just want to mention I am not affiliated with any of the plugs I mention in this article. The links are just examples.

So many people are jumping on the band wagon when it comes to “going green”. Getting “Green Gifts” will encourage this environmental health trend. I've been browsing the web looking for what I think are green gifts people could enjoy. I really don't want to get a bowl made out of an old record, that's just silly. No offense. So here is my top ten list of specific items. Most of these are under $50.00.

TOP 10 Go Green Gifts

#10- Organic Food and Cosmetics. Many wineries are branding their own unique styles of completely natural wine. Furthermore cosmetics companies are developing very popular skin care treatments, soaps, lotions and all that lady stuff. To find organic wine, this is by far the most popular link. Organic Wine Company For cosmetics. Google search for: Natural Cosmetics

#9- Eco Furniture and Accessories. These are quality textiles and home décor products that have either been made with recycled items or environmentally friendly consideration. I thought this was a really cool vase. Also Branch Home & metaForm Studio (if you favor recycling) will turn up some elegant results.

#8- Hemp Clothing. Hemp clothing has been a fad among small groups of “cannabis lovers and nature folk”; for more than a decade. Now it's really becoming just plain trendy. Hemp & Company has the hook up for females. For something geared towards men ORVIS will probably have you covered.

#7- Water Powered Clock. How often do we look for a clock? You probably have one in every room of your house 1-2 on you and another on your office desk. You might think that the energy consumption for a clock is low. Well it is, but also think about this; a water powered clock is saving even more watts by running on something we have almost an inexhaustible source of. If your wondering how it works, well I don't really know, but who cares? It will run for weeks without refilling it. This was almost in my number one spot, but I changed my mind due to recent political events, lol. You'll see what I mean when you read the #1 spot. the dimensions are : 6" x 4" x 2 1/2". You can check it out here. Or do a Google Search for: Water Powered Clock. I've seen some really nifty ones; from my research theres about 2 or 3 more popular models.

#6- Solar Charger. These are great for personal self-sufficiency. They charge a wide variety of plug in trickle charge devices. solio & Solar Style

#5- Stainless Steel Reusable Sports Bottle. We all should think about how many bottles of water we drink a day. Are we recycling? I'm personally considering purchasing a high quality water filtration or reverse osmosis system; then using stainless steal canteen instead of buying bottled water. eGeneralMedical+com has some sweet “water canteens”.

#4- Hand Crank Flash Lights, Radios, and Generators. This is “self powered energy”. Theres something that's empowering about not depending on batteries or another power source. I am totaly going to buy the coolest kinds of these items above that I can find. 21^st Century Goods is at the top of my list for finding them.

#3- Solar Travel Bags that Charges Electronics. I see all kinds of different types of this particular item. What I would look for design wise is a solar bag that's very durable. Google Search: Solar Bags

#2- The Hybrid Solar Flashlight. I want one really, really bad!!! :)

#1- LED Tire Alert Pressure Indicators. If we all had these I'm sure we could solve the oil crisis that as Americans we all face. JK smile. Seriously I know how important it is to keep your tire pressure at the specified PSI. When I had a jeep there was a display that showed how many miles I was getting, in real time, per gallon. Every time I put the right amount of air in my tires my mileage per gallon went up. So that's why this is my #1 pick for Go Green Gifts. CustomEX

Pickens Plan (About Wind Farms)

I've mentioned wind power once very briefly. My comment was on the fact that there are high, continus winds that are generated in the mid U.S.. This morning I got up turned CNN on; as I do evey morning. I saw a promo of a plan for harvesting wind. This might sound funny but just like we harvest crops and other natural resouces we can harvest wind to our advantage. I believe that it's a good plan, but just like oil there will be an elite group of people in charge of how that wind is distributed or at what price it is distributed. For our countries energy issues and demands as a whole it's a great plan. On the other hand, we individualy can harvest our own wind; in the same manner we do our home gardens. So to see if you would support a plan like this concerning our countries enery check out www.pickensplan.com Also see what it would take to harvest your wind or solar power @ www.power-save.com

Change

The last few posts I've done all have @ least one thing in common; "change". Personal change, cultural change and just change. Dynamically things are changing fast and it's good to know and be a part of these types of changes. One thing you can change right now is your default search engine. Blackle is supported by google and has a black screen that saves watt hours. Search results are the same to very similar.

Planet Green and Battle Ground Earth

Battle Ground Earth is a fun show to watch. Each of their personalities come through; well it is a reality show so that's supposed to happen. But I can really see how younger adults shrug off going green or being environmentally friendly because it's something we're not familiar with. Friendly is the key word though. When new ways of doing things are presented in a fun way like they are in this show, it's easier to catch on to the fad. One of my thoughts on this though; how are young people going to see this show? Aren't they all watching MTV or on Myspace or boost mobile? planetgreen.com

SciFi Visions For Tomorrow brought to you by DIRECTV

SciFi Visions For Tomorrow is a public affairs initiative moving toward getting society involved in innovative ways to solve pressing issues concerning our future. I looked at the site briefly and I'm just waiting till I can get more time to browse it. There's so many things you can do personally or as a community and more; to play an active role in something big. This is a really cool website for people that want to be history makers. SciFi www.visionsfortomorrow.net

Emissions Trading

Emissions trading is a market-based approach to achieving environmental change. It allows those reducing greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide, to use or trade the excess reductions to offset emissions at other sources. The controversy lies within the detailed framework of the Kyoto Protocol allowing thriving countries to receive profits for their efforts in reducing GHGs. In an effort to place some limits on what some consider a unbridled market, the European Union (EU) working with Kyoto Protocol had implemented measures to monitor the daily workings of this “carbon market”.

The EU European Trading System is a cap and trade scheme and is the largest GHG emissions trading schemes in the world. In this system a cap is set on the total amount of emissions allowable by those sectors that are subject to the scheme. Allowances (permits) are then allocated to individual emitters or installations with the total number of allowances adding up to the cap.

Several nations now adhere to the legally binding measures of what is known as the Kyoto Protocol. The treaty was able to begin enforcing regulations in February, 2005. The Protocol targets six main GHGs; carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydro fluorocarbons, per fluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride. Industry, agriculture and deforestation are considered the sources of theses gases. Carbon dioxide is now the most traded greenhouse gas because of wide global production.

Countries complying with their commitment to the Protocol use three specific methods; they can accomplish the reduction in emissions in their own countries, implement projects or programs in other countries leading to reductions or purchase emissions allowances from countries that have exceeded their specific commitment under the scheme.

The Kyoto Protocol’s goal is to cut emissions by at least 5% in the period 2008-2012. The European Union has committed to reduce GHG emissions by 8%. The EU ETS set out a trading emissions framework in two phases, the first being a pilot phase starting in 2005 and ending in 2007 and the second phase covering the period 2008 to 2012. The scheme covers only carbon dioxide in the first phase but anticipates other GHGs to be included in later phases. The EU ETS is the first international trading system for carbon dioxide in the world and covers around 12,000 energy-intensive installations.

In terms of continued global support, the price of carbon will continue to be a key issue. The effect of weather patterns on energy prices can also effect GHG emissions. The ETS must monitor the continuous effects of weather to allow for allowance deficits and allowance surplus in any given time frame. These signals will determine the status of the market.

There has been a softening of the terms surrounding the larger power companies which causes more discretion on the part of environmentalists and under developed countries whose emissions are fewer than that of the larger companies. However, the larger entities seem to be benefiting more from the market.

Supply and demand could also be significantly effected should the United States deem the ETS successful in the first phase and ratify the Kyoto Protocol by the second phase. The market will fluctuate and given the complicated workings of the protocol, changes may be implemented effecting the market worldwide.

GHG emissions is an ongoing consequential issue and the key players, power companies, governments, politicians and environmentalists will always have a large role to play in the daily workings of the market. It is said that emissions prices will continue to rise and fall and the fundamental workings and behavior of participating entities may continue to be obscure. It is a global problem that in order to be globally successful must also be politically acceptable. It is therefore important to keep abreast of all issues in the market.

Sustainable Living Articles @ http://www.articlegarden.com



About Diarmuid ODonovan-13501:
This article is provided by cpdwise.com. cpdwise.com provides e-Learning finance courses online and commodities and emissions online courses. Fell free to re-print this article subject to the following. This article must be published without editing, all links must remain live, this recourse box or about the author box and copyright notice must be published with the article. This article cannot be used in spamming campaigns. Copyright © cpdwise.com 2007

Environmentally Friendly Business Practices

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By Andy Keeler Published 01/28/2008 Business Viewed 66 time(s).

Instituting environmentally friendly practices does not mean sacrificing your competitive edge. Business owners are realizing that they can make a bigger impact by changing their business policies than by changing their personal behavior, and this has lead to a change in corporate culture over the last few years that has resulted in a notable environmental impact.

In the past, efforts to institute eco-friendly business practices were admirable, but these efforts appear negligible compared to the changes that are being made today. Minimizing the consumption of paper products and electricity are still effective ways for companies to save money and help the environment at the same time, but many companies are stepping outside these standardized boundaries to effect big changes.

Many companies are choosing to enact organization-wide policies that take enormous effort and patience, and the results of these efforts are just now filtering in. Leaving the choice in the hands of consumers often results in poor choices, but when companies choose to be careful about what they produce and how they produce it, the impact can be tremendous.

In the Great Lakes area of the United States and Canada, wind energy is becoming an increasingly viable source of power for companies of all sizes. Wind powered electricity costs only slightly more than standard electricity for the consumer, and many conscientious business owners are willing to pay the premium. For the producers of electricity, using wind power makes sense as a way to help reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Reducing dependence on one commodity allows the producers to further diversify and create a more sustainable financial future for their company. Thus, both the producers and consumers of wind powered electricity benefit from the creation of this clean, environmentally friendly energy source.

Pascale Engineering,a producer of portable trade show displays and trade show flooring in the Great Lakes area, has completely converted to the use of wind powered electricity in its state-of-the-art production facility. In addition to being totally wind powered, Pascale Engineering produces recycled and recyclable trade show displays that are quickly making their way into the market. These displays give exhibitors nationwide a green alternative in their trade show marketing campaign, which only serves to further the environmental goals of many companies.

End users are virtually unaware of the progress made by Pascale Engineering, as they notice no difference in cost. In fact, the Exhibit One Display System line or products produced by Pascale Engineering has seen a marketable increase in quality with no increase in cost. Thanks to research into lighter weight plywood materials, the Exhibit One product line has become more durable and more lightweight. This saves end users huge amounts of money in shipping costs each year, and increases their overall satisfaction with the product. In an effort to make their production process cause less waste, many products within the Exhibit One line use the exact same component pieces. In fact, the entire Exhibit One line can now be produced from a catalog consisting of less than a hundred parts. This means that if exhibitors want to upgrade their trade show display package, they do not always need to purchase new components, as the parts can simply be rearranged in many cases. This saves exhibitors enormous amounts of money each year. Positive environmental change does not always have to be associated with negative economic impact.

Simple changes in business practices and purchasing can make an enormous impact on the environment, and the cost of the choices is usually minimal or non-existent. Whether or not you believe that carbon emissions are the culprit behind our increasingly unstable global climate, there are simple changes that can be made that would make a big impact on the health of our planet.


Andy Keeler is the owner of MODdisplays. They specialize in trade show displays and exhibit graphics at and their trade show booths are environmentally friendly. MODDisplays can be found online at: http://www.moddisplays.com .

View all articles written by Andy Keeler

Article Source: http://www.discoveryarticles.com/articles/71171/1/Environmentally-Friendly-Business-Practices/Page1.html

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Discovery Articles

Health Savings Accounts and Chiropractic Care

The healthcare industry in the United States is dominated by the culture of conventional Western medicine. And health insurance caters to those who control the industry: medical doctors and hospitals. There is a long history of prejudice against chiropractic by medical doctors, which is one reason that chiropractic care is not often covered by health insurance.

Many research studies have shown that chiropractic care is beneficial and that it is more cost effective in the treatment of low back pain and other common musculoskeletal conditions than traditional Western medicine is. Chiropractic also lowers health care costs by focusing on prevention, was well as on treatment.

It is surprising that health insurers choose not to cover treatment that is as beneficial and cost effective as chiropractic care is. Studies have continually shown that individuals who seek the care of a chiropractor on a regular basis are healthier and, generally, spend less on health care than those who do not.

Chiropractic Care and Consumers

What is not surprising is that consumers are wise enough to see the advantages of chiropractic care. Many people prefer to see a chiropractor simply because they see tangible benefits from the care they receive. Many others are disillusioned with traditional Western medicine and the healthcare system, and they look for alternatives such as chiropractic care.

It is clear, both from patient testimonies and from clinical research that consumers benefit from chiropractic care. Unfortunately, they may have difficulty affording chiropractic care because it's often excluded from healthcare insurance policies.

Health Savings Accounts can help consumers afford chiropractic care, even when it is excluded from their health insurance policy. They can pay for chiropractic care and other alternative medicine with pre-tax dollars by using a Health Savings Account.

Many chiropractors keep their costs as low as possible in order to make chiropractic care more available to consumers. They can, however, only absorb so much of the cost of providing that care. Another way chiropractors can help clients gain access to chiropractic care is to encourage the use of Health Savings Accounts.

Health Savings Accounts and Consumer Choice

The combination of a Health Savings Account and a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) is supposed to encourage individuals to become thoughtful, wise consumers of health care. The individual is spending more of his or her own dollars on healthcare, so she will be more concerned about how those dollars are spent.

Health Savings Accounts give consumers more choice in how their healthcare dollars are spent. Money in the HSA must be spent on approved medical expenses, but there are really very few restrictions on what kind of healthcare you choose. More and more chiropractic patients are discovering that having an HSA is saving them money on their medical expenses.

Traditional health insurance has gatekeepers and controls. Even when chiropractic care is covered (not typical on individual plans), the individual requesting chiropractic care may be required to go see their family physician (or gatekeeper) and get a referral. Not all medical doctors will refer to chiropractors. If chiropractic care is covered on the health insurance plan, and if you can get a referral (which amounts to permission to see the chiropractor), there may be limits to the number and types of treatments you can receive.

Using a Health Savings Account to pay for chiropractic care gives you, the consumer, more choice. You can choose what type of medical treatment to get, where you will get that treatment, and how many treatments you will get. You can spend HSA dollars on preventive care as well, and actually have the government give you a tax deduction for keeping your family well.


About the Author
By Wiley Long - President, HSA for America (http://www.health--savings--accounts.com) - The nation's leading independent health insurance firm specializing in HSA-qualified health plans that work with a Health Savings Account. Please link to this site when using this article.

Alternative Health Articles

Innovation Do To Do Your Life

Innovation Do To Do Your Life by

It's a talent that everyone has, yet they think they don't. The power of innovation. If you've ever marveled at somebody's creative prowess, guess what, you can create and innovate too. It just takes time. Everyone is born creative. The box of crayons in kindergarten were not limited to those who possessed potential; because the truth is, everybody has potential. You know how long it took to learn to ride a bike or drive or to never commit the same mistake again? It's the same with innovation. It takes a bit of practice and a lot of time before this mind function comes easily when called. This article will teach you a few tips on how to bring innovation into your life. Don't listen to what other people say. Follow the beat of your own drum. Allowing for the input of other people will only bring cacophony to the music you are trying to make. If you have an original idea, don't waste your time and effort trying to make people understand. They won't. And the help you will probably get comes in the form of negative feedback. If all those geniuses listened to their peers, we would probably still be living in the middle ages.



Spend time on it. I cannot stress that enough, although, please do not mistake this tip to tell you to quit your day job entirely. Do not. This involves some tricky time management but with a little discipline you'll be able to squeeze both in. Exercise. Take a walk. Run a mile or two. Send all those endorphins coursing through your veins. Exercising certainly clears and relaxes your mind and allows for anything to pop up. Record your dreams. Aren't some of them just the craziest things that your conscious mind would never have thought of? If you've had these dreams before, and I'm sure have, this only shows you the untapped innovative power you have lying within. So jot down those notes. Those dreams may just create an innovative spark in you. Find your own style. You can always tell a Van Gogh from a Matisse. You'll know Hemingway wrote something by the choice of words on the paper. So it is the same with you. People will appreciate your innovation more because it is uniquely yours and that no one else would have thought of what you were thinking. That will let people see how valuable an asset you are.



Don't hide behind nifty gadgets or tools. You don't need the most expensive set of paints to produce a masterpiece. The same way with writing. You don't need some expensive fountain pen and really smooth paper for a bestseller. In fact, J.K. Rowling wrote the first book of the Harry Potter Series on bits of tissue. So what if you've got an expensive SLR camera if you're a crappy photographer? Who cares if you've got a bling--ing laptop if you can't write at all? The artist actually reduces the number of tools he has as he gets better at his craft: he knows what works and what doesn't.



Nothing will work without passion. What wakes you up in the mornings? What keeps the flame burning? What is the one thing that you'll die if you don't do? Sometimes people with talent are overtaken by the people who want it more. Think the hare and the tortoise. Ellen Degeneres once said that if you're not doing something that you want to do, then you don't really want to do it. And that's true. Sometimes you just want something so bad you become a virtual unstoppable. And that is passion. Passion will keep you going. Don't worry about inspiration. You can't force it; inspiration hits when you least expect it to, for those unpredictable yet inevitable moments you should prepare. An idea could strike you on the subway, yet alas, you poor unfortunate soul; you have no sheet of paper to scribble down a thought that could change the world. Avoid these disasters. Have a pen and paper within your arm's reach at all times.


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Article Source: Innovation Do To Do Your Life

A Lesson In What It Takes To Change

Change Your Behavior, Change Your Life

Author: Janet Daughtry

James Rohn once said, "Unless you change how you are, you
will always have what you've got." Well said. It is true
that perspective is everything. One person sees obstacles
and another sees opportunities. It really does matter how
you see or view things. Even the Apostle Paul admonishes
us to be renewed or "made over" by renewing our minds.

I couldn't help but marvel at a recent documentary I saw
on the life of Nick Vukicic. Nick is a young man with no
arms and no legs. He was born that way. In this
documentary, he is swimming in a pool, speaking before
huge audiences as a motivational speaker and totally
engaged in life. Talk about perspective and a healthy
belief system!

Your unique perspective and the way you "do life" comes
from what you think about the most and what you really
believe. Sometimes we wonder why we do the things that we
do and a better question is what do I really believe?
Your behavior is simply a reflection of your deepest
beliefs.

It is difficult to act outside of what you believe for
any length of time. It's almost impossible. Your behavior
is just following your mental orders. Your brain just
gives out what it is programmed to do. That is why it is
so important what we listen to and what we take in and
accept as truth. Your brain can only work with the
information that it has been given. So if toxicity is
what it is heard, received and taken in, then toxicity is
what comes out. Junk in, junk out! That's why it is so
important who you hang out with and associate with. If
you have negative and toxic people in your life, you may
want to consider distancing yourself from them or maybe
letting go of the relationship altogether!

For example, Susie was told growing up that she wasn't
very smart. She heard the negative message enough that
she believed it, and as a result Susie didn't apply
herself academically. Eventually, she dropped out of
school. Her beliefs simply told her how to view herself.
Those beliefs colored her thoughts, affected her emotions
and eventually her behavior. It's amazing the power of
words! Unless Susie begins to challenge the mental tapes
and self-talk in a new direction, she will always be
affected by the negative message she has believed.

So to re-quote James Rohn, unless we change what we
really believe and the way we think, we will always have
what we've got. You can't afford to be passive with your
thinking and have a changed life! You can't afford to
live with an unchallenged belief system and live a
changed life. Thinking the way you have always thought
and believing what you have always believed will most
likely give you the results you have always had! The most
fulfilled and successful people are those who challenge
themselves with tough questions, examine their own belief
systems and make the effort to aggressively rid
themselves of toxic thinking.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/self-help-articles/change-your-behavior-change-your-life-445046.html

About the Author:

Janet Daughtry, CBC, MDIV, is a certified Christian life coach helping women unlock their potential and accomplish their dreams. Visit her website at CoachJanet.com.