With warm sunny days returning to Minnesota, one thing is certain: fresh, locally-grown produce is on its way. I must admit, this is the time of year when I usually get a little over eager to pull out my grill and get my hands on all that the summer crop has to offer. Corn on the cob - organic, of course - is one of my all-time favorites. Conventional corn, which is one of the most highly sprayed crops, is usually genetically engineered to resist pests and harsh weather. That's why I say when it … [Read more...]

When we experience any kind of inflammation, it's our body's way of letting us know we are hurt. Inflammation is the body's innate way of protecting itself from infection and foreign substances. Everyone has experienced inflammation at one time or another. It is a normal function of our body's immune system and the first response to an injury.Inflammation is characterized by redness, swelling, heat, pain and loss of function. When we cut, scratch or bruise ourselves, for example, chemicals in … [Read more...]

The year 2005 was the hottest on record. The average global surface temperature of 14.77 degrees Celsius (58.6 degrees Fahrenheit) was the highest since recordkeeping began in 1880. January, April, September, and October of 2005 were the hottest of those months on record, while March, June and November were the second warmest ever.In fact, the six hottest years on record have all occurred in the last eight years. After 2005, 1998 was the second warmest, with an average global temperature of … [Read more...]

The publisher of an Australian magazine asked me to write an article for his next issue. He said the theme would be "How much deeper am I willing to go?" I liked that. I like the spirit, the edge, the almost-dare of his simple question. I like the way "how much deeper" challenges the complacency of the known and disturbs the comfort of the familiar. If spiritual work does anything, it challenges and disturbs with just as much force and surprise as it illuminates and … [Read more...]

Organic Consumers Association (www.organicconsumers.org)Teflon by-product polluting the Mississippi RiverA government scientist has been forced to resign, after discovering dangerous levels of a toxic chemical in the Mississippi River. The toxins, specifically known as perfluoronated chemicals (PFCs), are a by-product of the manufacture of a number of products including Teflon and Scotchgard. In late 2005, Dr. Oliaei Fardin found dangerous levels of PFC's in the Mississippi River downstream from … [Read more...]

Sustainability has always been an important idea for me, but making the leap from "good idea" to "daily practice" has been no small challenge. For years, I dreamed of living a life that was "off the grid" and connecting myself to the land in a way that more deeply connected me to my spiritual practice. Over the years I have worked my way out of the city and shifted to a rural lifestyle, learning to grow organic, weaving the fleece shorn from livestock, gathering … [Read more...]

Environmentally Friendly Products Come Of Age: All-natural Cleaning Alternatives Are Safer For People And The Environment - And Some Work Even Better Than Leading Brands In the 1960s and 1970s, phosphates were considered to be among the biggest polluters of the environment. When introduced into the environment, phosphates lead to the depletion of oxygen in lakes and streams, killing fish and other aquatic life. Beginning in 1971, many states banned the use of household laundry detergents … [Read more...]

Volunteers are sought to paint the homes of seniors and to take an adult golfing on a metro area course.Metro Paint-A-Thon invites volunteer teams to take part in the 23rd annual Paint-A-Thon weekend, August 5 and 6. They supply the paint and you supply the labor. Together, a tremendous service will be given to seniors in need.Volunteer teams come from civic organizations, corporations, congregations, groups of family and friends - anyone who cares about helping low-income senior and disabled … [Read more...]

ST. PAUL — On Saturday and Sunday, May 6-7, the Grandstand Building at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds will come alive with futuristic vehicles, people who believe we can all be green, and food that is out of this world. Yes, the future is now, it's green and it's all at the 2006 Living Green Expo. At the fifth annual Living Green Expo, Minnesotans of all shades of green can find ways to lead lives that are healthier and Mother Nature-approved. The expo is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. … [Read more...]