July 2005 — Natural Steps

Publisher's Message

New Chapter Each day provides us with a chance to write a new chapter in our lives. We can and do, most often, continue the story line from the previous day. It doesn't have to be that way. Each new day gives us a chance to re-imagine what this day and the ones that follow will tell. Freedom does exist. We must actively imagine and create it each new day.

This issue of the Journal explores a step-by-step process that will help you remember to use your precious freedom. By exercising our free will, by making choices consciously, we can begin to change our own world, and the world around us.

Despite what occurs around you, by changing your own life, you can begin to find greater joy in the small wonderful details nature produces every day. Take some time to think about what you are doing, ask yourself if you could be doing things differently. Sometimes all it takes is for someone to stop. With the natural living steps you'll find some ideas for seeing things a bit differently. Once you see things as natural and connected you will find your decisions affected.

What has value to you today can change at any moment. Making choices gives you the freedom to decide what you truly value. By consciously making choices things can change. It is when we accept things as they are, without thinking, that we relinquish control. Freedom is not a passive value we can find in the market. Rather, in order for freedom to have real meaning, we must exercise it consciously. Freedom implies responsibility for the predictable consequences of ones own actions primarily. Secondarily, as an individual both through our own actions and our interaction with others, we have responsibility for the predictable consequences for the actions of our community. Natural living means taking this responsibility to the extent of including all of nature as our community.

Our own control over freedom does not mean mastery over anything other than ourselves. Freedom also means equality of freedom for all others, all others in the community, and all else in nature. This interplay of freedom of the individual and freedom of the community can create conflict. Conflict governed by civility can lead to partnership, reconciliation, creativity, and alternatives. Without the rule of peace, however, all freedom ceases. Once any so called freedom is gained or taken by physical force, by violence, then freedom is lost. True freedom can only exist within a peaceful society. This does not imply any lack of conflict or even fighting vigorously for ones freedom of choice. It does, however, require that violence of all kinds cease to be used as a means of fighting.

Forms of violence against which we must all fight in order to gain our true freedom includes poverty, starvation, malnutrition, inequality, war and all injustice. What then is injustice? Injustice is the removal of freedom, either of choice, or the right to live. Choice then is our never ending fight for true justice for all of nature. Make your next chapter an active choice to find this justice. The steps of natural living can help you develop a vision for this next chapter.

John Wilson, Founder of the Natural Life Network E-Mail: john.wilson@naturallifenetwork.com

Natural Living Journal John D. Wilson - Editor and Publisher Natural Living Journal Published by World Peace Communications Copyright © 2005 John D. Wilson Our Web Site: www.NaturalLivingNetwork.comE-Mail: john.wilson@naturallifenetwork.comPhone: (519) 942-3266 ADVERTISING SALES: Leigh Geraghty, Advertising Representative, (519) 942-3266, leigh.geraghty@sympatico.caCONTRIBUTE: We are always looking for new, interesting and inspiring stories, pictures, and poetry, about people who are achieving a natural lifestyle. If you would like to contribute an article or story then please send us a note with your idea. Contact John Wilson by email at john.wilson@naturallifenetwork.comAll contents of this issue of Natural Living Journal are copyrighted by John Wilson, World Peace Communications, 2005. All rights reserved. Printed in Canada.

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The following are specific actions, decisions, products, and solutions to implement in order to create a lifestyle that is in harmony with nature. These steps are driven by the power of the sun. All life is powered by the energy of the sun. Pick a few steps to start with. I find writing them down and keeping them with me helps remind me each day. Make these the starting point for achieving your own personal goals for Natural Living.

Step 1: Awareness

Reminder: We are the environment.

Connection - Know that you share nature with plants by the fact that you need the oxygen they produce while they need the carbon dioxide you supply in a symbiotic relationship. Remind yourself of this connection each time you see a plant or tree. Think of this as you take time to stop everything in order to simply become aware of your breathing. Change the way you view your relationship with nature from self in nature to self as a part of nature. The next time you are able to go swimming in a lake or the sea, take a deep breath, submerge yourself, and feel the water all around you.

Give Thanks - Respect your connection to nature which means respecting and giving rights to other people, plants, animals, the soil, rocks, air and sand. Next time you feel the need to squash a bug in your house, stop, observe the little creature, get a tissue, gently pick it up, take an even closer look, and then let it go free outside. Have compassion for every aspect of nature since it provides you with everything you need. Take a moment at your next family gathering to thank the natural world for all that it has provided, for you and those you love. Give thanks silently for the next Sun Rise.

Love and Truth - Do what you know is right. Start making changes consciously with your newfound awareness. Seek the truth. Search more deeply, more passionately, and with greater critical thinking into the most important issues affecting your life and those of your

t for er of creatures and wilderness all around you. Let the powthe wild give you the energy to take the next step.

one, t

Natural Living Journal June-July 2005 children. Remain tolerant and non-violent in your fighfreedom, justice and the truth. Fight injustice by making it visible with compassion. Always be prepared to forgive. Know that the only answer to the most difficult injusticesagainst which we must fight is love. Love all of life no matter the circumstances. Remember that the way of peharmony and good always triumphs in nature. Conflict and war, ignorance, and self are temporary states of being, illusions, that will disappear in the mists of time. Find justice and harmony for nature. Where you see disturbances to the harmony, work to restore it.

ace, all the

Laugh - Have a sense of humor. In the midst ofchaos and seeming futility, remember that the storm will break, and on the destruction laid bare, the sun will shine again to bring a smile to your face.

Keep the purpose of

Passion - Do what you love doing. your life ever present in your mind and live by it. Look for your purpose, your natural gift, nurture it, and do it. Find your passion and live it. Find inspiration in the wild

Humility - Trust in nature. Go back into nature allisten, and reconnect in order to feel what always, withoufail, nurtures and cares for you. Be humble given your placein nature. Through humility you will gain the respect of the larger whole.

- Take responsibility for your connections Responsibilityto nature. In everything that you do, think of how it will impact nature, which sustains you and connects you to all others.

enment - True wealth in nature comes from ey Enlightawareness, not money. Nature is true wealth while monis an illusion.

t - Now, each moment is the only reality in This Momenwhich you can actually do something. Do something now that your awareness in this moment says will create a sustainable world. Seize the day!

Ste

Reminder: You are what you eat. p 2: Food

Appreciation - Without food and water all life dies quickly. Without water, most life dies in days. Treat every drop of water as the most precious resource on earth.

Eat Organically- Think very carefully about everything you eat: Where did it come from? How was it grown? Be conscious of the nutritional value, sources of nutrients, and methods used to grow it to ensure that it has been done organically. Take joy and thankfulness in every morsel of food that nature blesses you with. As you eat, take the time to think how precious each atom is and how it will become a part of you. Keep in mind that “you are what you eat”, so eat good, healthy, fresh, sweet, varieties of naturally grown food. Buy local fresh foods as much as possible. Get to know where you can buy locally grown fruits and vegetables. Choose the freshest, organic, local varieties of fruits, vegetables, and grains. Try to buy only locally grown organic food.

Compost - Keep a composting bin in your kitchen in order to store your organic waste through the week and then empty it into your outdoor composting unit on the weekends. Compost all of the food waste that you can. Use compost as an organic fertilizer in your new or existing vegetable garden. Think of the magical part you are playing in nature's creative process.

Think Vegetables - Try to have a “vegetarian” day once a week or more or, if you can, become a vegetarian. The move to a vegetarian diet can be challenging but the rewards in terms of health for you and the planet are well worth it.

Grow Your Own - Start trying to grow your own food. Grow herbs in your kitchen. Try basil and dill. Growing your own food makes the connection to nature more real and produces better tasting food. Start your own, ten feet by ten feet, organic vegetable garden. Begin to grow your own food organically. Take your time. Enjoy the process of creatively cooking, eating, growing and cleaning up after meals. Involve your children, family and friends in the process of planting, tending, and harvesting the bounty of your garden, preparing the freshly cut vegetables and herbs, and cooking these especially tasty meals from your own garden. The food of life is one of our sacred connections to nature. Be aware each day as you eat, and be thankful for this life energy that sustains you. Maintaining an appreciation for the miracle of life in the food we eat ensures that we are mindful of our place in nature. Organic, fresh, locally grown foods represent the healthiest, tastiest, most natural way to eat. By starting to grow some of your own vegetables or herbs both indoors and outdoors you will get some wonderful food. You will also re-establish your connection to the miracle of nature. After water, which we must take care to use consciously and carefully, food is our most basic necessity.

Food is one of the most basic connections we can make to nature and our survival. In our family, eating has become something we try to make the special ritual it ought to be. Growing vegetables in our garden has deepened our awareness of what food really means. Each meal that we prepare reminds us that the tomatoes come from the seeds we planted last spring, the potatoes are the ones we nurtured through the hot dry summer. If all of these steps seem too overwhelming, remember that for us, it all started with just a few organic vegetables from our local super market ten years ago. Try out the organic fruits and vegetables for your baby since they will have no chemical pesticides or herbicides to wash off. Put organically grown carrots in your kids' lunch. Let it grow from these simple first steps.

ing to fail. Step 3: Plan

S

Reminder: Failure to plan is plann

Start Small - Review your current situation to see hoyou might be able to save money by applying the ideas for Natural Living. Start by recycling more than you do now w or by selecting a few organic food products.

Principles - Establish your principles for making changesto your lifestyle so that you have a reference that supports your choices based on a well thought out review of your values, purpose in life, and awareness. Planning is a powerful process for achieving your goals but remember that this is a process that must be constrained by nature's principles.

oBegin to apply your creative abilities in order to find ways of achieving Natural Living; oThink of ways you can transform your home, oMake your life's work the process of Natural Living.

Take Action - Apply the principles of Natural Living to the process of setting your goals and to each step towards achieving your plans. Let these principles be a challenge to your powers of creativity.

cific It

How? Yes. - Set goals that are measurable with spedeadlines. Celebrate achievement of these specific goals. is better to have tried, through planning, and failed than to never have tried at all. Failure should be celebrated as a paof the process of creation. The process of establishing a - Determine the specific objectives especially as they relate to the Natural Living

Establish Objectivesof your plans steps, oAllow t ime for awareness, review and reflection; oSet goalsmore vegwith family and vegetables and objectives for the move towards etarian days and organic food you share when you can start to grow yourself; oRyofind eview life choices you have in terms of where u live, your work, the vacations you take and ways to align them with your principles; oMake planpossible, transportvehicle; s to avoid the use of your car wherever and think about making your next ation purchase a bicycle or hybrid rt plan sets in motion a set of potential events that would not necessarily occur without this plan. Remember that the answer to “how?” is YES (from the book by Peter Block). In other words it can be done. Have faith, a positive attitude, a set of natural principles, a reasonable map, and the universe will align to support you.

Trust Yourself - Some people will encourage and support you, others will insist that you are crazy, that it can't be done, that it is pointless, that you are stupid. Take the power of those that help you, listen for the reasonable in all that you are told, and always be ready to prove the skeptics and cynics wrong. The best way to achieve Natural Living is to visualize what it means for you. That means taking the time to write down your purpose, your goals, and vision. This is the process of planning for Natural Living.

Drawing courtesy of Martin Liefhebber, architect. Web: www.martinliefhebber.com

Step 4: Home

Reminder: Home is where the heart is.

Increase Efficiency - The most powerful weapon towards achieving efficiency is not needing the resource in the first place. Small is efficient. Insulate your home and seal cracks to reduce home heating and cooling requirements. Minimizing waste is critical to the process of creating a natural home for your family. Select the most efficient appliances by their “EnerGuide” ratings, which will end up paying for the potentially higher purchase price over time. Take the opportunity to minimize or eliminate their use where possible. Transform your home with florescent or low voltage lighting which are more efficient, reduces your energy costs, provides superior lighting, and last longer, plus allows you to get creative with all the new bulbs and fixtures. Light is a precious magical resource the use of which requires respect, care and efficiency.

Natural Materials - Use natural renewable materials that are locally available such as: sisal, birch, organically grown hemp, straw, straw board, organic cotton, bamboo and wool. These natural materials will not off-gas toxic chemicals, provide closer connections to the natural world, and reduce the impact on nature from production processes. If you can renovate or build a new home with straw bale insulation throughout, this marvelous material can provide insulation values of between R40 and R60. It's easy and safe to work with, requires little skill, has proven itself over hundreds of years, and is highly available and renewable in one form or another in almost every part of the world. Don't let your preconceived ideas about alternative materials cloud your judgment of their value. Make use of natural renewable materials locally available in the construction or renovation of your home. Look at your yard and see if you can take advantage of any natural features to provide shading, increase light, supply wood, or a cooling pond for instance.

Location - Choose a home that is close to work, food stores, and parks so that you can travel most often by walking, roller blade, skateboard, scooter or bike. You'll save considerably over a long period of time in reduced fuel and transportation costs especially if you can get rid of your car altogether.

Renewable Energy - Use the power of the sun for the energy requirements of your home, by adding high quality (double or triple pane with argon or krypton gas filled)

windows to the south (or north if yequator), add a solar water heater, and install a wind turbine (these de ou are south of the get some solar panels, vices can be installed se changes to and maintained easily by a local supplier). Theyour home have a payback although this ranges from fiveto twenty five years and depends upon the price of electricity and fossil fuels over that time.

garden by

Garden Naturalization - Naturalize yourallowing native plants to return as a replacement for your lawn and flower garden. Include a vegetable garden in which your family, friends and neighbors can share the chores that reconnect your home with nature. Try using bees' wax candles or vegetable candles, going without anyelectrical lights for a wonderful romantic dinner or “special” family dinner occasion. The flickering flame reminds us the energy of the sun. Make your home a natural indoor garden by growing fresh herbs, tomatoes, and other vegetables. These fresh, organic supplements to your food creations will improve the ta of our primitive instincts towards worship for ste and reconnect you to the sour ce of your food.

Susfoster a n tainable Community - Look for communities that atural flow of energy, travel, food production, education, and life supporting work. Select your community with ca re or transform it if you can. The current massive development of houses that are sterile, garage dominated, lifeless, polluted, low quality, wasteful, poorly oriented, disposable, and far from centers of work must be replaced by a solar powered, community oriented, healthy, well built, ecologically designed home that fit within the natural world. Your home offers some of the most powerful choices you have to make your connection with nature-so necessary for your family's continued health. So much of what goes into making your home must be supplied by nature. Here is your chance to make a major impact towards creating a sustainable world. These steps may take many years to accomplish, if not an entire lifetime. The rewards are many and worthwhile. The improved health of your family can be dramatic. Reduced energy costs over the long term may significantly improve your financial situation. Finally, reduced requirement for materials significantly minimizes the short and long term affects of providing shelter.

Natural Living Journal June-July 2005 Step 5: Choice

Reminder: To be human is to have a choice.

Selective - Now that you have awareness and a plan, now that you are connected to nature through the wonder of life sustaining food, you have choices to make every day of your life. Before your purchase anything think about whether you really need it and, if you do, what the consequences of this purchase will be on nature. Take the time, when making choices, to use your own creativity to find other choices. Many times we may select different products that reduce the impact on nature.

Decide for Yourself - Don't accept the choices of others. Question everything, including the choices of others. Remember that you have been programmed since an early age by advertising that does not represent your own thinking. Force yourself to overcome any programming or conventions that don't conform to your principles.

Laugh - Maintain a sense of humor and know that you will not always make choices that are perfect. Instead remember that the more important thing is to try to maintain the awareness of your ability to make choices in every moment.

Question - Ask questions so that you understand the implications of your choices and all of the options. Many times, with a little research, you will find a wide variety of options that minimize the impact on nature.

Remember - Think about your purpose in life and whether the choices you make each moment support that purpose. Returning to our purpose, goals, and principles as we make our choices ensures that we remind ourselves of the real natural constraints within which we live.

important element required in order to make the transformations required of Natural Living is to make the connection with nature and people who are of nature. These people are the ones who make choices based on the awareness of connection to nature. Find opportunities to talk to other people who have achieved the vision of a natural lifestyle, whether precisely or in part. More than any other factor, it is people that have been the driving force between achieving or failing to achieve. Specifically, when I asked people in “EcoVillage” communities the common theme was that it is our relationship with each other that we must overcome, well above the financial, logistical, technical and creative barriers. People are at the heart of the partnership based models that are required. This is not the easier model but along with the extra effort and demands is a far more satisfying result. Early on in my search for some of the fundamental answers to questions I faced I came upon the story of Mahatma Gandhi and his experiments with truth. Gandhi was a true leader of his people, a man of the people and for the people, despite the fact that he never held any elected position. Rather he led by his every action, by his every word, by his every choice and by his every thought. Gandhi found the most creative answers to the most difficult problems of his time in the face of the greatest possible adversity. For me, his living example of brilliantly shining the light of truth on injustice, poverty, peace and equality, were only equaled by his dedication to finding solutions to these critical problems. The light Gandhi illuminated for me is the idea that once we know of the injustice, it is our duty to develop creative solutions, even at the risk of losing our own lives. Then, as Gandhi taught we must put these creative solutions to work in our own life, to be the change, to be the shining example for others, this is the only answer to those most difficult problems we all face.

Vigilance - Making choices means being informed of the constituents, contents, connections and issues related to the choices you make. The laws of nature require us to be aware of these connections so that we don't make choices in ignorance. As human beings we have a choice. The most

Natural Living Journal June-July 2005 Step 6:

Tr

ansportation

Remmind.

inder: The greatest journeys are those within our own

Learn from Nature - Everything in nature is in constant motion in one form or another. We can learn from the modes of transportation used in nature to find ways that have less impact.

Food Power - Life, with the energy provided by food, has the choice of where and how to transport itself. We need to make the choice to minimize our use of fossil fuel driven modes of transportation through the use of our ability to walk, rollerblade, or bicycle. The best mode of transportation whenever possible is walking, which requires only the steps of Natural Living. Walking through the natural world returns our connections to it, improves our health, and uplifts our spirit.

Magic - Motion requires the transformation of energy from one form to another, which plainly is a magical gift of nature that should be used with due respect for its limits. You can't exceed the energy supplied by the sun, in the long term. We should all try to understand the magic of transportation. We need to use our awareness to remind ourselves that, food is our energy for transportation. Our power of choice about how we will travel comes through wisdom since that is the facility that nature has given us to manage this magic. Current transportation systems are not acceptable given their primitive and unnatural limitation of relying on limited reserves of fossil fuels that are polluting our environment as we use them.

Home and Work - We should try to eliminate car travel through changes in workplace, proximity to public transit systems, or the use of highly efficient (and less polluting) hybrid vehicles when car travel is required. If you must have a car for transportation make it the most efficient, least polluting one you can afford. Live near where you d. work, work where you live, love where you are. Every place on earth has natural potential that we need only fin

Mind Travel - Stop, don't do anything, and try to remember that one choice that must always be considered is the option of not going anywhere. Much of what we look for “out there” can be found right here at home, without going anywhere. Remember that in all the world there is nothing new that you can't discover right where you are now. Consider the option of contemplating, connecting, and building your relationships to family and nature right where you are at any given moment. Travelers of the mind have gone y much further than anastronaut. Travel through space and timin your mind. Write down your journey, e read the journey of l others, and be thankfufor the journeys you'vealready enjoyed.

Limit Use - By limiting your transportation to the principle requirements of life, that energy will be directed usefully back to nature.

Restoration - The natural need to travel where required to work, to support the activities of growing food, and the construction of healthy natural solar powered homes all make necessary a transportation system that is solar powered and non-polluting. The endless paved cities, towns and homes should, as much as possible, be returned to the trees, bushes, and natural grasses that once flourished in the natural soil. We must try to do without cars by selecting a location for our home, work and community that makes this possible. When a car is required it must be one of the few that provides “ultra” low emissions. Other alternatives, such as bicycles or walking will be the primary means of transportation. For longer trips transit systems are the only way to travel. Some ideas for changing transportation systems include:

Car use eliminated through walkways, bicycle paths, locally available necessities.

Own cars that get better than 60 mpg or are non-polluting. The minimum mileage will be increased each year based on eliminating car traffic.

Natural Living Journal June-July 2005 the best available technology. Older cars must meet thesminimums within 5 years or be recycled. At least a 90%reduction in pre-2000 pollution levels must be achieved.

e

Local high speed network facilities provide ideal conditions for working from home or shared office facilities in your local community.

rovide For some purposes electric vehicles may pconvenient and efficient local neighborhood travel if bicycle or walking are not practical.

Walk to the local corner store. If local food stores and cafes don't exist within walking distance work with neighbors to create them so that car and public transit travel is not required for these trips.

d for Create local shared vegetable gardens that produce fooall to share within walking distances of your home.

Work with neighbors to create a community center withinwalking distance if one does not exist.

Transform busy roads by planting trees that force cars to slow down. Implement traffic calming techniques such as speed bumps. Create main streets in the city/town/village you call home by urban walkways as replacements for y r Rather than flying off to the tropics, take a vacation bhiking your local trails to become more familiar with youown country.

Support the development of mass transit systems that are wisely conceived to reduce car traffic.

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Use alternative transportation such as car pools and casharing . The effects of transportation systems on our neighborhoods, villages, towns and cities have been dramatically destructive in general. The requirements for vast amounts of fossil fuels to power the ever growing number of cars has created one of the largest sources of pollution. The terrible cost of the military force used totry and protect fossil fuel reserves is in the trillions of dollars…money that if applied directly to the problems of povertypollution, and environmental destruction would be vastly more constructive and profitable. Your choice has large impacts. Make your travel choices carefully and creatively.

,

Stereativity

Rem dream it we can achieve it. p 7: C inder: If we can t you do consider the creative u can think of or that are offered by en done before. Sometimes all we have deeper into nature, a little further rther back in our history. All the

Dream - In all thaalternatives that yoothers. It has all beto do is look a littleabroad, or a little fuanswers are out there.

Take Time -answers to the pr

Take the time to dream. Create some new oblems of the world.

- Whether in art or real life, create with a f nature. The process of creation has the swer all of the questions and problems that s. We can find the answers. Creativity is inherent life. There are some things that we can through creation we may catch a glimpse look for that opportunity when acceptable answers. No problem is hrough creation there is always hope.

Love Naturepassionate love opotential to ansurround uin the diversity ofnever know, but of the answers. Always there seem to be noinsurmountable. T n are the most inspirational connections the pure love that teaches the higher hey are the pure white light that shines e continuing flash of brilliance that was he universe. Learn from them, be as creative as they are, and be creative in their name, for their

Children - Childreto nature. They are things of nature, tbright; they are ththe creation of t

Photo by Claire Wilson sake. Remind yourself that creation is the purpose of life, create children, nurture them with all your powers of goodness and with as much knowledge of truth as you can find. In all that you do create for them a world that will sustain them and their children.

Knowledge - Knowing the problems is half the battle. Be creative in analyzing the connections and interdependencies, and then be creative in pinpointing, through this process, new answers to the old problems.

Truth - Create new life, create a new life style, create a community on the principles of natural living, create food to share, create the truth in all that you do and see. Create words, pictures, paintings, poems, drawings, and stories that express your love of life. Create new answers, combine things in a new way, bring a new perspective that demonstrates the truth in nature. Don't accept that it is impossible since creation is the overcoming of the seemingly impossible. If ever a human being embodied the creative spirit and a deep love and connection with nature and humanity, then it must be Vincent Van Gogh. Like so many of the inspiring people who have discovered truth in nature, Vincent, time and time again, the deeper he looked, found that nature and that white light, are the eternal answers we all seek, and which does exist. The following are my favorite quotes that have inspired me throughout this journey toward Natural Living. Take them and frame them next to some prints of his Sower, Reaper, Fields of Wheat, Straw Bales, trees, people's faces, and Sun Flowers that express true nature, creatiWhenever you feel melancthat we all have had those days, but that there will be a bsunrise to lift our spirits if we maintain our faith in nnot matter whether we live a longer or shorter life. I vity, and feeling inherent in nature itself. holy, as Vincent did at times, remember eautiful ature. It does nstead, let us live a life worth living and, if we can, leave something worthwhile such as a canvas with a picture, paper with inspiring words, a loved hild orthalls within our hearts. k of the life Vincent lived so desperately, so passionatelut little and spent most oears, sometimes with ny after day deeply obf the truth c a straw bale house each made with the creative passion t dweThiny. He had bffor ten yo food. He traveled mainly on foot, spent daserving nature and people, reading in search o, writing letters to his he loved without allre of, and living his life as passionately as humanly possible. eated a plan, and livedd love for ten yearsFind inspiratioas I have, by readind the essence oough his paintingsy and life of nature his time working at his passion brother whom all his heart ab that he was becoming awa

Vincent had a vision, cr by his principles, goals, an. His life is an inspiration. n, creativity and awareness, g his words of truth and finf nature and people thr that are the creative energ.

who capbut begin riciously and despotically flies from one thing to another, to feel more respect and admiration for and faith in nature.” ite light and that I seek it and only this do I consider y.”

“This whsimplicit“Every dwrestle wy than to wsecret. I have no other wish than to live deethe country and to paint rural life.”

ay I am more convinced that people who do not first ith nature never succeed. I personally know no other warestle with nature long enough for her to tell me her p, deep in the heart of

WordVince“I will tr“Give pe“If only one is ne s of Truth by nt y to fight the good fight.”

ace to poor creatures.”

e has seen

one can remember what onver lonely.”

“As molting time, when they change is for birds, so adversity one is the difficult time for une can also emerge renewe their feathers,r misfortus human beings. One can stay in it, or od.” “Do ouroutwardly? There ml yet no one everat it.” “Love m“My life “If I coul“At presstronges“Which danger, rsonal“The lawbecause way thatfantastic inner thoughts ever show ay be a great fire in our sou comes to warm himself any things.”

and my love are one.”

d only express what I feel.”

ent money is what the right of the t used to be.”

is worse, danger or the fear of pely I prefer the danger itself.”

s of color are utterly beautiful just they are not accidental. In the same people nowadays no longer believe in miracles, no longer believe in a god

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Reminder: Do what you lovep 8: Work to do.

Close to Home - If you can, work from home or at least within walking distance. Eliminate the need to drive to work in a car. Take public transit to get to wor k.

Live Your Dreams - Select or plan to make a career change that supports a natural way of life. Work to livyour dreams.

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Compassion - Fight injustice wherever you see it. Takcare of your fellow workers and the beneficiaries of youwork.

e r

Work is Life - Work means those activities that support our survival. Work is a life that is symbiotic with the natural world. Remind yourself that work ultimately must senature and humanity, rather than profits for shareholders. Apply the principles of Natural Living to your work. Make choices to ensure that the work you do is lCreating shelter, putting food on the table, enabling required travel, and supporting the principles of the family and community must change. The purpose of work is the rvice ife affirming.

sustenance of life, which means the sustenance of nature. The use of your house, a local office or local shared office space makes the most sense for solving many problems related to getting to work. The office space itself must be as healthy and natural as the house we described. Office Space

Local shared office space eliminates the need to commute in a car.

Open concept design in the home and shared office allows for the modification of spaces as the business changes.

Additional work space may be constructed near the house as, when and if required rather than over-sizing now.

As a consultant it is quite reasonable to work from the house with standard communication equipment such as a phone system and internet connectivity.

Get local businesses to provide other required services such as accounting, supplies and consulting. Investing

Investments represent a major opportunity for the expression of support for companies which support the principles, goals and solutions presented here. Be sure that the company you work for takes responsibility for the environment.

pport for the concepts of natural Stock portfolio holdings should include companies thatprovide fundamental suliving.

g. Put your money into investments that support the lifestyle you are adoptin

Pick stocks, mutual funds and other investments that support companies that put the environment first, that areleading the development of environmental pr oducts and services.

Only pick fixed income investments such as municipal bonds, corporate bonds or the like if you believe these organizations are using the money you lend them to support a sustainable solar powered future. Companies

Do not work for environmentally irresponsible companies.

If your company does not already enforce recycling then try to make sure that you do your best to change it.

Working for oil companies that currently mask their environmental destructive mission would be like working for a cigarette company over the past twenty years. Many of the principles that we apply to our lives must be applied to the work we do to pay for our lifestyles. Your job is something that you will spend a large portion of your life doing. It can have a positive or negative impact on nature. Look to make a positive impact wherever and whenever possible.

In Summary

These are the eight steps in your life where you can make the largest beneficial impact. They also provide a natural, step-by-step process that you can review each day, in order to achieve a natural sustainable lifestyle. Rather than trying to find new technological solutions, let's consider a new combination of what we have in the natural world, and what we can use today to help us find new or improved solutions. Most of the conventional systems that support our modern way of life must now be recognized as too limited. They were established during a time of primitive technology development, often by small rich elites, and supported by a system of unlimited growth. All of these modern systems must be resolved within a new, richer, smarter, and broader context. Often this will mean using a more complex and creative symbiotic approach, where in the past a simple brute force technique neglected any deep understanding of flow. Now is the time to live naturally! '

Natural Living Journal June-July 2005 Books About A New World Order

The biggest force slowing the broad based support for the changes required for sustainability are the “corporation” and the governments they control. How did we get to this point in such a brief time and how do we move towards a more equitable and sustainable future? Two books that bring home these important problems and how they can be overcome are The Corporation (also an award-winning documentary), and Alternatives to Economic Globalization. In terms of clarifying the problems and providing workable solutions, these two books provide invaluable information.

The Corporation: The Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power by Joel BakanMy main interest as a legal scholar is in how the law shapes and is shaped by social and economic forces. THE CORPORATION is a project that came out of this interest. In 1997 I published a book, JUST WORDS: CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND SOCIAL WRONGS, in which I argued that constitutional rights were becoming increasingly ineffective in protecting the ideals they embodied, such as freedom, equality and justice. One reason for this, I suggeswas that constitutions apply only to governments; they do noapply to the key institution of market capitalism-the corpor ted, t ation.

roblem was especially pr ssing because, with economic globalization in full swing, corporations were emerging as glog institutions, dominating societies and governments ut the world. At the same time, most people had, and y little understanding of their true institutional natureense to ask-what is the nature of this new governinn? And what are the consequences osocie idea that the corporation, deemed by the law a person, had a psychopathic personality, and that there ething quite bizarre, and dangerous, in suchwie so much power.

The pebal governinthroughohave, ver. So it made sg institutiof its growing hold on ty? I developed the to bewas som an institution ldingQuotab “Sinabuses oawarenessociety, aperformeholding uothers se le ce Rachel Carson's Silent Spring began to expose the f the modern industrial system, there has been a growing s that profit at the expense of Earth--of individuals, nd the environment--is unsustainable. Joel Bakan has d a valuable service to corporations everywhere by p a mirror for them to see their destructive selves as e them. The clarion call for change is here for all who would listen.” - Ray Anderson, CEO of Interface, a multi-billion mpany dollar co

world today en by a premier group of 21 thinkers from around the e second edition of Alternatives to Economic Globalization layocratic, ecologically sound, socially just alternatives toe globalization more fully, specifically, and thoughtfully ever been done before. Focusing on constructive, e goals, the authors present ten gesting truly sustainable societies and describe alternatives to the World Bank, the IMF, and the WTO that would better serve s of the planet. They offer detailed proposals for g vital goods and services from corporate exploitation, orporate privileges and power, rebuilding economies tomam more responsive to human needs, and more. definitive document of the anti-corporate globalization nt - the consensus report of an alliance of leading scholars, economists, researchers, and writers. This booonstructive, coherent, positive alternative to globalization-thing that the anti-corporate globalization movemcused of not putting forward. The International Forumalization consists of the leaders of over 60 organizaries - including such prhe Earth, the Third World Network, the Sierra Club, the Institute for Policy Studies, Public Citizen, Rainforest Action Network, and Food First. Quotable “Globalization is not inevitable. Fortunately, thrnatives and presenting them is the achievement of this book

Writtworld, ths out demcorporatthan hasachievabloverning principles for ablish the needprotectinlimiting cke theThe movemeactivists,k offers a cthe very ent is always acon Globtions in 25 countominent organizations as Friends of t ere are alte.

Read it and be motivated: A better world IS possible.” - Dennis Kucinich, United States Congressman '

J.

Books About

BPower

brought home to me dealing with ontinuesee how efficiencstems, d solaruter that we eLiving, that we to survive. As our ecological

Two books that I've read recently havehow important ur sustainable energy problems will co to be. In fact, the more I think about it the more that I much ideas like population controls, conservation, y, organic farming, permaculture, urban transit syan power, are so critical to evolving our society. As the oil runs o , and as these books so ably demonstrate, it may be soonxpect. It will be to these ideas of sustainability, of Natural will be forced footprint shows oil has allowed us to exceed the sustainable ies of natural systems. With growing population levels weady excehave an chance of surviving the next fifty to one hundred years iwill be because we address these issues. Coming to terms with their critical. So read these books and start taking action today.

capabilithave alreed what may be sustainable without oil. If we y t reality is

War.Planeby Lin

Big Oil, and the Fight for the t: It's the Crude, Dude da McQuaig

Who stands to gain or lose the most from climate change? The oil companies, the largest industry on the planet. When you add up all the subsidies provided ANNUALLY to oil and nuclear energy, you can clearly see how big a lie it is to say that renewable energy systems aren't economical. Subsidies to oil and nuclear including the car and airline industry, amounts to significantly more than $200 billion per year…and growing

especially if you include the wars fought to protect ources. these res

Let uout $1not excluon in sidiesve the $1 trsustainab ten years. Suddenlye alternatives s say then that the subsidies to these industries reaches ab trillion over the last ten years, contributing massively, if sively to climate change. Now, take away this $1 trillisub from the oil, nuclear, and transportation industries. Giillion in subsidies to the conservation, efficiency, and le renewable energy sector over the next oil and nuclear look uneconomic, and thmake perfect sense.

Qu “wehat we otable

've used up the earth's oil so rapidly and recklessly thave not only jeopardized the viability of the planet (part one of y dilemma), but we have at the same time squandered this incredibly valuable on-time inheritance. This may e a contradiction. If oil is so bad for the earth's , maybe we sh the energmuch of sound likecosystemouldn't care that it's running out. The n oil for trother thi, eat, wear, type, watch and move around in.” - , War, Big Oil and the Fight for the Planet: It's the Crude, Dude. “…athe U.S., da and a total of $59 billion in all the stry, eivedfossil fuecar and athe constd maintenance of roads.” - pg 299, War, Big Oil the Fi problem is that we've built the modern world around it, relying oansportation, industry, agriculture and just about every ng we dopg. 29nnual subsidies to the industry amounted to $14 billion in $5.9 billion in Canaindustrialized nations that make up the OECD.” “nuclear indurec $12 billion in annual subsidies in OECD countries.” “The l industry is also aided greatly by massive subsidies to the irline sectors …plus $135 billion a year in the U.S.-on ruction anandght for the Planet: It's the Crude, Dude.

Powefor aby Rich

r Down: Options and Actions Post-Carbon World

ard HeinbergRather than retaining any level of false optimism this book and m the author take deadly aiat the priority issues we face and their terriblconsequences. Powerdown provides a visionary responsthe coming energy famine, a clarion call to cooperative solutions based on the conviction that realism must trump self-delusion in matters cultural survival. Ultimately there is hopewe are willing to look tru

e e to of if th in the eye. If we have the strength to admit our problems we will find the solutions

. Quotable f the twentieth century were fougoil.” Pg 21.

“Most of the wars oht over resources - in many cases,

“The elites - corporate owners and managers, government officials, and military commanders - are people who have been selected for certain qualities: loyalty to the system, competitiveness, and hunger for power. Often they are literally bred for their rolesLike George W. Bush, they are people born to wealth and power, and raised to assume that privilege is their birthright. These are people who identify with the system and the status quo; they are constitutionally incapable of questioning assumptions. Moreover, the elites are guided day-to-day by a set of incentives that are built into the system itself. Managers who pursue immediate gain get ahead, while those who make short-term sacrifices in order to preserve long-term stability are often at a disadvantage. Likewise, managers are rewarded who keep up appearances, who generate good news, and who exude confidence. Confessing errors accrues no

.

benefit; instead, managers are encouraged to deny short-comings and to blame competitors and subordinates.” Pg. 168.'

Reading

Home Power

For anyone who wants to get into the details of living with renewable energy this is the magazine for you. Each month this hands-on journal has off-the-grid and on-the-grid home owners teltheir story in an easy to understand format. If you are interested inthe technical details and comparing systems then this is the ultimate source of information. You can download a free copy off their web site each month in PDF format. Web Site:

l www.homepower.com

Natural Life

This simple magazine covers a wide range of sustainable livingtopics. For ideas that we can all start using today this is the place tostart. Each issue reaches far and wide for interesting stories with lots of ideas for living a more natural life style. Web Site:

www.naturallifemagazine.com

Natural Home Each month this magazine features new and renovated hthat are seriouslymagazines, you also get coverage of life issues, food, travel and other related topics, all with a “green” twist of course. Other omes sustainable. Like other popular home and design od to Know, Green Events, New & is, Nuts and Bolts, and Earth Mover Awarspired by high-end homes with tons of es like solar panels, this is a great maganaturalhomemagazine.com departments include GoNoteworthy, Try Thds. If you want to be increativity, and featurzine. Web Site: www.

Dwell: At Home in the Modern World Small Ch the big chans.change hdesign suppogooine

ange is what it takes over a period of time to make magazinegeDwell may just be about affecting big in t e mainstream. This slick magazine has a real ecological rted focus while also insisting on homes that look d. “…Dwell has become proactive in its mission. The magazisn't just writing about and showing photographs of the design of houses, she suggested, but is actually influencing the ways in which they are designed and built.” The current issue takes aim at ideas such as smaller homes, prefab alternatives, and Dwell Home II, asustainable house to be built in LA. Check out the amazing four-page pullout spread. The winning home includes passive solar, solar panels, and a green roof. Web Site: www.dwellmag.com'

Join Us

Become a part of a community of people around the world dedicated to living in harmony with nature. We've created this network so that we can all share our ideas, experiences and knowledge. The changes we envision are revolutionary; however our goals are to make them the norm. The organization is about the practical, inspiring and real application of living gently on the earth so that our children may enjoy a clean, healthy and productive environment. The simple point is that we all can "do" much more - and that means all of us or it won't work. For example: ƒChoose or create a home/community that is powered by the sun; ƒGrow and eat organic food; ƒIf you must travel select the most efficient means, walk, bicycle, tele-commute, travel by train, bus, ultra-efficient car, or fly; ƒIf and when possible, work in nature - grow your own organic food, restore nature around you, put your investments to work for natural living. What will amaze you that everything we need to live this way ess. The results are a mily. Start learning how today.

full electronic edition. r year, no more than 1 per

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ommunities. For weekly updates, special offers, and additional products and services visit our web site: www.NaturalLifeNetwork.comHave a question? Ask us and we'll try and include a response in our next issue of the Natural Living Journal. Have an interesting story to tell that relates to natural living? Contact us any time with your questions, concerns or ideas at: john.wilson@naturallifenetwork.com

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