Tis the Season of Gifts, whether we like it or not! I have learned that when I approach gift-giving ‘from the heart,’ it transforms a forced march into a series of delightful opportunities to deeply connect with my loved ones and my community.

Hearfelt gift-giving often begins in our local communities, where our gift-dollars can support the talents and efforts of those who live around us.

Gift-certificates from local businesses can make fabulous one-of-a-kind gifts that honor your loved ones’ unique tastes and interests. These include restaurant or garden center certificates, club memberships, and yoga, dance, or art classes. Services from local salons and spas are often special treats, as well as tickets to the theater and other live performances.

Our local artists and crafts people make their living creating beautiful jewelry, clothing, pottery, and handicrafts that are essentially original art at affordable prices. When we know the artist, it deepens the meaning of the gift as we share the story of how it was made, what inspired the artist to make it, etc.

YOU may be the artist or gift-maker! Instead of shopping, you may find it is much more fun to spend time in your kitchen or studio making your own love-infused gifts.

Re-gifting has also become a popular way of keeping things ‘in the flow.’ When you receive a gift that you’d rather not keep, consider who would love it and pass it on! Collectively, we seem to be losing all interest in accumulating goods that do not make our hearts sing.

And, heartfelt gift-giving can reach outside of our local communities into any other community in the world via the many organizations who are helping people improve their lives. One of my favorites is KIVA, who gives micro-loans to help people fund their businesses. As soon as the loans are paid back, the money is available to be loaned again. Several years ago, I gave $25 in honor of each of my family members and these gifts have now been re-loaned 29 times, and counting – truly gifts that keep giving!

Whether you shop locally or globally, enjoy the flurry of synchronicities that await you! Your heartfelt choices carry your loving intentions and expand the meaningful connections you have with those you love.

Join us as we are
Gathering Together –
Celebrating our Love of Nature, the Cosmos, and Each Other
Carlsbad, CA
October 10-13, 2008

Essential Feng Shui Advanced Training Information

Live Science

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:02 EDT

(image courtesy of www.planetware.com)

Medieval stained-glass windows colored in gold nanoparticles help purify air when lit by the sun, a new study finds.

"For centuries people appreciated only the beautiful works of art, and long life of the colors, but little did they realize that these works of art are also, in modern language, photocatalytic air purifier with nanostructured gold catalyst," said Zhu Huai Yong, a material scientist at the Queensland University of Technology.

When energized by the sun, tiny gold particles can destroy certain airborne pollutants. These pollutants, called volatile organic compounds, create the "new" smell often detected in new furniture, carpets and paint in good condition. Even in small amounts, these compounds, like methanol and carbon monoxide, are not good for your health.

An electromagnetic field generated by sunlight couples with the gold electrons’ oscillations to create a resonance, said Zhu. The magnetic field of the gold nanoparticles can expand up to hundred times, breaking apart the pollutant molecules.

Zhu said the byproduct of the reaction is carbon dioxide, which is comparatively safe, particularly in the small amounts that would be created through this process.

The high price of gold notwithstanding, using gold nanoparticles to drive these chemical reactions is more energy-efficient than conventional air-purifying processes, the researcher says, and it might be possible to commercialize it.

"Once this technology can be applied to produce specialty chemicals at ambient temperature, it heralds significant changes in the economy and environmental impact of the chemical production," said Zhu.

By Paul Jones
Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 13, 2008 2:22 PM PDT

The Republic of Tea, one of Novato’s more recognizable companies, has created a successful niche purveying a product many use to relax and unwind. But for employees of the company, that state of mind isn’t a luxury reserved for after-hours. It’s an environment the Republic uses to improve conditions at work.

The strategy seems to have worked for the importer, which has grown large enough to move its headquarters from its previous location on Digital Drive to Hangar 5 at the Hamilton Landing. There, according to “Minister of Enlightenment” Meredith Post, who heads the company’s media relations, The Republic of Tea has used the ancient Chinese art of feng shui to arrange its office environment. Management believes the fastidiously arranged office space will improve conditions for employees and impress prospective and returning buyers, benefiting the corporation on multiple levels.

The location of the new office was the first step in creating the preferred atmosphere for employees, said Post.

“We just moved (to Hamilton Landing) on May 21,” she said. “We had just grown to the point that we needed more space, but we’re very committed to staying in Novato … (and) we loved what they’re doing at Hamilton.”

The office park, which has received recognition for its “green” design and mix of tenants, was a good fit, said Post.

“There are a lot of artists, and people who are creative for a living. Whether we’re talking about game designers at Take Two or Nihilistic, or (employees of) Birkenstock and Smith & Hawken, we liked the overall vibe and feel of Hamilton,” she said. “It was like a college campus, we could go on the grass for lunch, it’s a dog-friendly space. We like walking on the levee, and how they are environmentally-sensitive about how they run the complex.”

However, inside the company’s leasing space, The Republic of Tea’s design aspirations took charge.

“Barbara Lyons Stewart, who is based in San Anselmo, did our design and architecture for us,” said Post. “You can take and existing space and make it feng shui, but here, we were able to get more space to allow her to design (completely). Everything should be functional, comfortable and understated.”

From the basic architecture to the layout of furniture, the office has been designed to accommodate both comfort and functionality.

“This wall is sort of the core of the office, so it’s the color red, which means power, the fire color,” said Post, motioning towards a thick support structure in the center of the forward office space. “It means strength; it’s powerful. It creates a sense of foundation. Also, for example, this post here is green because it emulates a tree. Feng shui is connected to nature, so it’s kind of a grounding item.”

The different rooms are also designed in relation to one another.

“This is the power-corner of the office,” said Post, pointing to a room to the rear left of the main entrance. “So it needs to have light on it at all times, and there has to be something moving constantly, so we put a lava lamp in it. We thought that was funny.”

Antique furniture allows the office to stay simple without looking sterile, Post said.

“This is an antique piece,” she said, pointing to a bench in the office’s “Peach Tea Room,” where management meets with clients. “One of the things we did was to mix the modern with the antique … One of the guiding principles of feng shui is clean, uncluttered space. But you have to run an office efficiently and practically as well. So you’ll see a more modern boardroom table, but surrounded by vintage pieces.”

Ergonomics and etiquette also guided the design of office cubicles, she said.

“You can see here a mirror (on a desk top) which is a feng shui touch, because you’re back should never be to another person, So that gives you the option to face who’s behind you while working with them,” said Post.

If workspace organization has value for any company, it is especially important for the Republic of Tea. The high-art of aesthetic tea preparation is accommodated by the layout of their product-demonstration room.

“We have these cupboards with wooden poles (just beneath the counter-top),” said Post. “You can pull them out, and then you have a tray here where you can brew the tea and pour it, and it showcases the tea. And it kind of sets like this, where you have the leaves here, and you have the cups of tea here.”

In addition to selling clients on the merits of the product, tea-preparing is always available to employees, both for relaxation, and to keep them knowledgeable and interested in their business.

Post said the use of feng shui for layout had been very successful for the company, and garnered appreciation from employees. The company’s next move will be to expand the idea to encompass other locations owned by the company.

“We have a number of employees, including a distribution center in the Midwest,” she said. “ That will have similar characteristics (to the Novato office), like similar lamps and things like that to connect (employees’ environments). Our warehouse is even feng shui designed.”

Contact Paul Jones at pjones@novatoadvance.com.By Rob Mitchell

My focus will be on restaurant consulting and feng shui for the restaurants (mostly) (we are turning this restaurant totally ‘green’ this fall)…. and all of the foods (right now we are known for having the healthiest foods around) but now we are going no partially hydrogenated oils, nothing bad at all, and I am leaving next week for a week’s cooking class in santa fe with the conscious gourmet and that focus is on no sugar and no dairy, and making our own hotcake flours, etc….

And not only organic but sustainable agricultural practices as well. I am so excited. Also have joined the Green Restaurant Assoc and they have assigned an environmental consultant to guide is up to newer levels…. This can help my personal business as well. Wow. Blessings, and I hope this finds you all well and happy.

Susan www.thundermountainlifestyles.com
 

Did you know that an estimated 100 million tons of plastic debris have accumulated in two areas of the Pacific Ocean that together are larger than the continental United States? (These areas are aptly called the Eastern and Western Garbage Patches.) There is so much plastic, that it outnumbers the zooplankton six to one.

Plastic, like diamonds, are forever.

It doesn’t biodegrade and no naturally occurring organisms can break it down. Plastic photo-degrades, which means that sunlight breaks it down into smaller and smaller pieces. Those small pieces drift in the ocean and are mistaken for food by fish and birds.

Seabirds are often found dead with innards full of plastic. Sea turtles mistake plastic bags for food and are often found dead with their intestines clogged by plastic bags. Sadly, 1 million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals die each year due to ingestion of or entanglement in plastics.

The scope of the problem is astounding, but the Surfrider Foundation is working, through our Rise Above Plastics Campaign, to discourage the use of single-use plastics and encourage everyone to reduce, reuse and recycle.

On a more personal level, I have committed to using cloth shopping bags and reusable drink containers. I’m asking you to do the same and make a pledge to Rise Above Plastics.

Use reusable bottles for water and other drinks.
Use cloth bags for groceries and other purchases.
Recycle the plastic bags and bottles you already have.

I know that you, as a Surfrider Foundation member, are especially concerned about the effects of plastic on our oceans, waves and beaches. You and I both know that the best solution to the plastics problem is to reduce, reuse and recycle – a simple solution that is easy to commit to!

If you think that your pledge won’t make much of a difference, think again. For each reusable bag you use, another 400 plastic bags will be kept from being used. Every reusable water bottle will keep another 167 plastic bottles from entering the environment.

Thank you for making a difference for our world’s oceans, waves and beaches.

Sincerely,
Jim Moriarty
CEO

There is no better time to create a healthy, eco-friendly home than when preparing for the arrival of a new baby. Babies are less able to cope with the toxins in their environment than those of adults. However, with all the best intentions, many parents unknowingly buy furnishings and toys that contain chemicals that are unhealthy for their child and for the planet.

Many of the materials we use to decorate our homes such as bed linens, curtains, carpets, mattresses, etc… can contain chemicals, such as formaldehyde, and can give off toxic fumes for years. Even toys and clothing designed for babies contain these same toxic chemicals.

However, now more than ever, stylish, healthy, green alternatives are available. With our up-to-date research we will help you determine and locate the best of what is available – guiding you to select what you need (and do not need), we will help you create a healthy, peaceful sanctuary for you and your baby.

LOOK FOR US IN THE MAY 2008 TRADITIONAL HOME!

The founders of The Art of Everyday Living and authors of The Peaceful Nursery, Laura Forbes Carlin and Alison Forbes Houlihan, would like to introduce you to their new website, ThePeacefulNursery.com Dedicated to helping you create a healthy, beautiful, green home for your newborn. Give yourself peace of mind by creating a nursery that’s good for your baby and good for the planet… HEALTHY NURSERY, HAPPY BABY