The End is Coming!

After reading an article about the increase in so called "survivalists", it got me thinking - are we headed towards the end of civilization as we know it??

Check out this chunk of fear-laden text taken from a recent article on Yahoo Green's microsite about one such "survivalist"...

Breault cut her driving time in half. She switched to a diet of locally grown foods near her upstate New York home and lost 70 pounds. She sliced up her credit cards, banished her television and swore off plane travel. She began relying on a wood-burning stove.

"I was panic-stricken," the 50-year-old recalled, her voice shaking. "Devastated. Depressed. Afraid. Vulnerable. Weak. Alone. Just terrible."

Convinced the planet's oil supply is dwindling and the world's economies are heading for a crash, some people around the country are moving onto homesteads, learning to live off their land, conserving fuel and, in some cases, stocking up on guns they expect to use to defend themselves and their supplies from desperate crowds of people who didn't prepare.

Jeeze.....that sucks! Right?

Is this really where we're headed? Do we need to stock up on guns to protect our stock of canned beans? I don't really even like canned beans that much.

It's clear that changes need to take place to protect the beautiful world we live in. The question is, do we go find a remote spot somewhere and wait for the end or do we get off our backsides and do something about it?

It's not too late to make a difference. Make changes in your lifestyle. Work closer to home, carpool, ride your bike whenever possible, buy locally organic made produce, learn how to grow your own vegetables, buy organic clothing.....make a change!

I will say this - if I had to live like a survivalist, I'd like to join the castaways Jack, Kate, Sawyer and Locke on the island Lost! :) Otherwise, count me out!

The Green Giants

If you are easily offended, do not read this post!

Target, Wal-Mart, Pottery Barn, Nordstrom and everyone’s mother sells earth friendly products?

I must admit I am no green angel and I too love so many of these stores and the cool things they sell. But man oh man did it just tick me off when I found out they were selling earth friendly products!

These companies are the epitome of OVERCONSUMPTION! In the midst of all of their waste, greed and marketing power, they decided to jump on the eco-friendly bandwagon? Excuse me if I’m a little skeptical!

Here’s how I think it all went down… Somewhere during a brainstorming session a smart ass marketing guy/girl pitched the green idea…

“Well green is hot!”, “Di-Caprio and Cameron are doin it!”, “Green is the trend!”, “Green is good!”, “I think if we mix it in with all of our child labor, pesticide ridden, wastefully packaged products we can make some money off it, you know?”

What the *$#@???!!!!!!!!!!

And then when my anger dissipated… I decided that if these giants can help spread the word, sell one more organic product, save one more child from unfair labor practices, and make our planet just a little greener, so be it! I do however secretly hope that one day when earth friendly is a way of life, the little guy who started off green, is always green and will always be green, wins and puts the wasteful
@#$%@%$* out of business!

Peace,

H-Bomb

Homemade and Earth Friendly Cleaning Products

What a better way to save money and the environment than to make your very own cleaning products! The ingredients you will need are common household items and most of them come straight from nature!

Things You Will Need

Lemons

Baking Soda

Vinegar

Water

Salt

• Remove rust and debris from copper, solid brass or stainless steel pots and pans. Take half a lemon, dip it in salt and rub the rust off of your cookware.

• Clean your kitchen sink. Squeeze the juice out of three lemons and mix with salt until you get at a paste. Drop some of the paste into the sink and gently scrub the sink with it. Rinse your sink after scrubbing.

  Fight stains on kitchen countertops. Pour some lemon juice on top of the stain. Wait a few minutes while the lemon juice's acid works to break down the stain. Sprinkle a bit of baking soda on top of the stain and scrub the stain away.

• Wipe down shower or glass doors using lemon juice in a spray bottle and a sponge.

• Throw a few pieces of lemon rind down your garbage disposal. Turn on the disposal while running hot water to freshen up the disposal and your kitchen.

• Make an all-purpose cleaner by stirring two tablespoons baking soda and 1/4 cup vinegar in 2 quarts of hot water. Pour this into a spray bottle and use it around the house.

• Deodorize your carpet by sprinkling it with baking soda, letting this sit for at least fifteen minutes and then vacuum it up. Repeat if necessary. Or, sprinkle baking soda in the bottom of your garbage can and in the garbage liner as well to get rid of stinky odors. To better absorb odors and catch any drippings, sprinkle the baking soda on crumpled newspaper and place this in the bottom of the garbage liner.

• Another deodorizing tip is to leave an open box of baking soda at places that tend to have odors such as your fridge, under the kitchen sink and your litter box. Replace this every 2 to 3 months.

• Wash the windows and mirrors with a solution of two tablespoons vinegar and two cups water.

• Add 1/4 cup of vinegar to the dishwater to cut grease and add sparkle to your dishes.

There are hundreds of possibilities! The ones listed above are some of our favorites! Please be sure to test out any of these solutions on a less visible spot before applying to an entire surface. See more great tips at: www.ehow.com