There should be green printing on green carpet!
On a very positive note on green carpet there was found an information on ecofont. Ecofont is a software that basically makes tinty holes in fonts for printing, saving ink, therefore saving Planet. I really love the concept of saving on cartridges in the office, as they are not that easy to recycle and always have to buy new ones (we don' t have the refillables and as we once discussed on green carpet- even refillable are design to print with lower quality after refill- what an evil concept of single use cartridge producers).
What I didn' t know that ink and toner are such horrible polluters, I'm glad to know it now. Apparently they are not only heavy polluters, but also very CO2 intense in production, according to Ecofont. Anyhow, I'd like to keep all the nasty substances out of environment as I can!
Tomorrow I'll test if I can get a demo version and then- calculate the savings. In business it' s all about money to get permission to buy a new software, for example. And I' ll have to know how much money exactly the office will save. Besides- IEcofont is about three Ps- People, Planet, Profit. Nice one. This should work then! Once that is done- straight to my boss (he's very supportive of my green moods).
Meanwhile (coz buying new soft will take a lot of time there), I'm up to convincing everybod to use Century Gothic- this is supposed to be the greenest font for printing from conventional selection on our computers.
trešdiena, 2011. gada 16. marts
media disorientation
Just as I finished the last sentence of the previous thought, some new discussions happened here on green carpet. I love talks on green carpet!
This one however- frustrating. On Japan and radioactivity threats again..
First- there was some very brief informaiton presented that it's gonna be faaaaar from Chernobyl (which makes me happy). In terms of radioactivity, nuclear contamination and other issues, of course. The thing is (supposedly), that Chernobyl had everything going very very high up in the air. This is not going to happen in Japan. Supposedly it can't even seriously harm Tokyo, let alon the rest of the world. This makes me feel better.
What doesn't make me feel better is the different informaiton in media. British (BBC) say that even though it's a disaster there, the earthquaqes, tsunamis, explosions, fires- all happening. And yes, radiation levels are rising, but not to affect the whole world you know. However, Russian media (which in this case is also the source for Latvia media) makes it much more terrible, threatening. Which to believe? I have no idea, honestly.
I know, Russians tend to make things in other countries worse than they are. But maybe there is also some informaiton filtration in British media. So it's either- one of them are lying and it's not so bad there. Or- one of them is hiding information and it's much worse than we know there.
I guess all I can do now is continue to follow, compare and see what it is post factum.
Meanwhile- I feel better for the last news of it being not so bad. Of course, less terible news doesn't meen it's not devastating what happens in Japan. It still is. But I kind of feel safer with less horrible news, let' s hope they are true.
This one however- frustrating. On Japan and radioactivity threats again..
First- there was some very brief informaiton presented that it's gonna be faaaaar from Chernobyl (which makes me happy). In terms of radioactivity, nuclear contamination and other issues, of course. The thing is (supposedly), that Chernobyl had everything going very very high up in the air. This is not going to happen in Japan. Supposedly it can't even seriously harm Tokyo, let alon the rest of the world. This makes me feel better.
What doesn't make me feel better is the different informaiton in media. British (BBC) say that even though it's a disaster there, the earthquaqes, tsunamis, explosions, fires- all happening. And yes, radiation levels are rising, but not to affect the whole world you know. However, Russian media (which in this case is also the source for Latvia media) makes it much more terrible, threatening. Which to believe? I have no idea, honestly.
I know, Russians tend to make things in other countries worse than they are. But maybe there is also some informaiton filtration in British media. So it's either- one of them are lying and it's not so bad there. Or- one of them is hiding information and it's much worse than we know there.
I guess all I can do now is continue to follow, compare and see what it is post factum.
Meanwhile- I feel better for the last news of it being not so bad. Of course, less terible news doesn't meen it's not devastating what happens in Japan. It still is. But I kind of feel safer with less horrible news, let' s hope they are true.
following Fukushima, diet and fear
And just as I was writing yesterday's article, the Fukushima experienced further destruction. Today the positive forecasts of the catastrophe being only local have disappeared in thin air as the contamination levels have reached 6 of 7. They call it "slow Chernobyl" as the fire is still on.
Yesterday evening as news continued there was a discussion on green carpet of how it will affect us. Seems that radiation levels in air won't reach us here in London. But it will still affect us later on. Especially what we eat..
Once the contamination is released in sea water and reaches the ocean, no more saltwater fish will be edible or other seafood either. The ones we can buy now (especially frozen) are quite safe, because it's an old catch. But later on- shouldn't.
We believe and hope that we are right, that it won't affect the fish in Baltic sea, as it's very inland, and that is a tiny bright star for not only my diet, but also for ecosystem of Baltic sea, which is already difficult enough. (Its salt level is very low compared to other seas, therefore it's lacking the ability to cleanse itself as good as other seas).
Another "quick" effect on us personally- no picking mushrooms this year. I was already picturing the summer - me and my huge bump taking long and slow walks in the forest in the countryside and picking mushrooms, eating loads of them and preserving for winter. However unfortunately, fungus are one of the most perceptive organisms to the radiation. We'll have to resist this year unfortunately, even as far as Latvia.
As to my yesterdays question, BBC published some answers: "The authorities have pumped sea water into three reactors. This water is likely to have been contaminated by its passage through the reactor, but it is currently unclear whether any of it has been released into the environment" and that contamination "it lingers in the environment and can continue to present a problem for many years".
A lot is going to change now as the region around the reactors was very industiral, so the production of many things has been stopped and the situation will be different now for a very long time.
Experts still don't know what's going to happen today, tomorrow, and how to deal with this catastrophe and what the effects are going to be in next month, 6 months or a year. And due to contamination in the environment, there was some hint on green carpet that it will take years and years till the region will be habitable again.
As for today- I actually am scared. But my baby makes me feel positive and believe that the future holds the light as well.
Yesterday evening as news continued there was a discussion on green carpet of how it will affect us. Seems that radiation levels in air won't reach us here in London. But it will still affect us later on. Especially what we eat..
Once the contamination is released in sea water and reaches the ocean, no more saltwater fish will be edible or other seafood either. The ones we can buy now (especially frozen) are quite safe, because it's an old catch. But later on- shouldn't.
We believe and hope that we are right, that it won't affect the fish in Baltic sea, as it's very inland, and that is a tiny bright star for not only my diet, but also for ecosystem of Baltic sea, which is already difficult enough. (Its salt level is very low compared to other seas, therefore it's lacking the ability to cleanse itself as good as other seas).
Another "quick" effect on us personally- no picking mushrooms this year. I was already picturing the summer - me and my huge bump taking long and slow walks in the forest in the countryside and picking mushrooms, eating loads of them and preserving for winter. However unfortunately, fungus are one of the most perceptive organisms to the radiation. We'll have to resist this year unfortunately, even as far as Latvia.
As to my yesterdays question, BBC published some answers: "The authorities have pumped sea water into three reactors. This water is likely to have been contaminated by its passage through the reactor, but it is currently unclear whether any of it has been released into the environment" and that contamination "it lingers in the environment and can continue to present a problem for many years".
A lot is going to change now as the region around the reactors was very industiral, so the production of many things has been stopped and the situation will be different now for a very long time.
Experts still don't know what's going to happen today, tomorrow, and how to deal with this catastrophe and what the effects are going to be in next month, 6 months or a year. And due to contamination in the environment, there was some hint on green carpet that it will take years and years till the region will be habitable again.
As for today- I actually am scared. But my baby makes me feel positive and believe that the future holds the light as well.
otrdiena, 2011. gada 15. marts
Fukushima.. too quiet?
I was one of those kids they called a "Chernobyl kid"- I was born in February 1986 and in Latvia nobody told anyone about what happenned there or the radiation that came towards and on us. So my mum was letting me to sleep outside in the sun thinking it will be good for me.. and only later on they got the shocking news.. I really don't want my baby to be born a "Fukushima kid"..
What Japan has experienced in these last few days is tragic. Experts and IAEA say the consequences are going to be only local and nothing like Chernobyl will occur. They say it from the present circumstances though, from how it looks now. Totally calm I can be only when it is all long gone and no further explosions, leakages, earthquakes and tsunamis are taking place.
But what I am really, really shocked about is- I can't really find widely spread information on
1) further environmental effects
2) what are they doing with the sea water that goes in for plant cooling?
1- I hear that further tectonic shifts are going to take place affecting America as well, but what about the ocean, air, land pollution? Of course, saving people and cooling and watching nuclear plants now is the first and foremost important. But I believe there should be some more information on environmental issues as well.
2- The process is not very well explained in the media for people, and I wonder if they have proper water treatment and decontamination system that would? I really fear the contamination going back to the sea or land from the water that is pumped out of the pland after the cooling. Lack of information makes people more worried than they should be maybe.
Another true unexpected surprise was that one of my favourite websites theecologist.co.uk has published only one, very short article on Fukushima. And it's not even on Japan but on the discussion whether Britain should halt the plans for nuclear plant. I find it very disappointing that such a big thing as this has earned no attention.
I guess these questions will need some follow up later on.
Let's pray for Japan and Planet!
What Japan has experienced in these last few days is tragic. Experts and IAEA say the consequences are going to be only local and nothing like Chernobyl will occur. They say it from the present circumstances though, from how it looks now. Totally calm I can be only when it is all long gone and no further explosions, leakages, earthquakes and tsunamis are taking place.
But what I am really, really shocked about is- I can't really find widely spread information on
1) further environmental effects
2) what are they doing with the sea water that goes in for plant cooling?
1- I hear that further tectonic shifts are going to take place affecting America as well, but what about the ocean, air, land pollution? Of course, saving people and cooling and watching nuclear plants now is the first and foremost important. But I believe there should be some more information on environmental issues as well.
2- The process is not very well explained in the media for people, and I wonder if they have proper water treatment and decontamination system that would? I really fear the contamination going back to the sea or land from the water that is pumped out of the pland after the cooling. Lack of information makes people more worried than they should be maybe.
Another true unexpected surprise was that one of my favourite websites theecologist.co.uk has published only one, very short article on Fukushima. And it's not even on Japan but on the discussion whether Britain should halt the plans for nuclear plant. I find it very disappointing that such a big thing as this has earned no attention.
I guess these questions will need some follow up later on.
Let's pray for Japan and Planet!
piektdiena, 2011. gada 11. marts
green pregnancy
As you may have realized from previous posts, we're expecting a baby on green carpet! :)
Already before the pregnancy I read the book called "Raising Green Baby" with huge amount of suggestions how to make the pregnancy green, how to make your house green etc. But right now my concern is how to make my bump the first greenest room for the baby :)
I've been preparing for that for quite a while- quitting my bad habits, having new ones and eating well.
Eating well is actually the most important part here as baby receives everything I eat and drink. I'm not worried about coffee as I don't drink it or tea as I drink only hand picked and organic (or sometimes bought organic). But with the food.. I'm still not always sure about what I eat..
My every morning starts with a huge cup of hot water with lemon juice and large teaspoon of Manuka honey. I buy only organic lemons for that, and Manuka honey is good as well. A handful of hand picked cranberries from Latvian woods are organic as well. And so is the sip of home pressed black currant juice from our own black currants in the garden. So first intake- very green indeed.
Then I have a multi fruit and vegetable juice. My Philips juicer is still new, fast and effective (as suggested by Juice master), so it takes just a moment of all my carrots, beetroots, oranges, apples, grapefruits, ginger, lemon and whatever else combination I use every morning to be turned into a vitamin booster. At that speed I believe that I don't waste too much energy either. The other concern is- I'm not sure about the 'greeneness' of the veggies and fruits. It would cost a fortune to buy everything on farmers market comparing to supermarket carrots and fruits bought on regular market. Where unfortunately no one can tell, what has been used on them. I wash them and peel them carefully to get the most bad stuff off. But I'm not sure if that's enough. So I aim now (as I should have done already long ago) to slowly turn to every veg and fruit organic version now. I hope I manage.
Breakfast- I bake the bread myself from all organic flour and seeds or bring it from Latvia from one particular bread maker, which I know for quality and traditional bread. Very occasionally buy bread here (no preservatives, colours or stuff in it). So no worries about bread :) Cereals- also organic. Yogurt- Yeo Walley or Rachel's Organic. Milk- organic full fat. Porrige cereals- not labeled organic, but always brought the quality ones from Latvia. Jams- only homemade from my own family garden, made with love :) Butter- organic. Cheese- not, but don't eat that often. Quark- from Latvia, homemade at the countryside mostly. Veggies- tomatoes etc- again a thing to turn to organic from farmers markets.
Lunch and dinner- all home made only (with very rare exceptions of eating out). But the same problem with veggies again, should switch to organic I believe. Fish I buy at Billingsgate with a hope that it's an environmentally friendly catch. But the biggest fear is meat. It's a background thing..
I come from the country side, from the hunter's family. I have used to eat meat that is always fresh, healthy and highiest quality that can be possible on this planet- wild animals- venisons, deers, wild boars, wild ducks and many others. And even if it's a lamb, pork, rabbit, duck or poultry- it's usually home grown at grannies or bought from local farmers. So my perception is- this meat is superhigh quality and nothing bad is in it. Too bad for me. Whenever I go home, I always come back to London with a full suitcase of wild meat- fresh, already prepared, in sausages etc etc. I can't remember myself buying meat here, only very rarely. But I live two families together, so my friend buys the meat. And not always the highies quality, but Tesco value. NOT GOOD! My problem is- when it is unwrapped or on the plate, my unconscious perception still is that it is the same good meat as the wild one. So wrong.
I really don't want to eat meat that has been fed with growth hormones, antibiotics, not even mentioning the inhumane conditions it's sometimes grown. So my last promisse to myself was- I'm only eating meat that's brought from home or bought here organic. I want to be safe, but most of all I want to protect my baby. He or she deserves the best, and if I eat meat, I'll make sure I eat good one. Yesterday I made a first CONSCIOUS step of not eating meat that was on my plate from unknown sources. I even managed to do it in a very subtle way that my friend who had cooked it didn't feel offended. :)
So my first step -organic meat - has been met already. Now the big next step- fruits and veg.
Already before the pregnancy I read the book called "Raising Green Baby" with huge amount of suggestions how to make the pregnancy green, how to make your house green etc. But right now my concern is how to make my bump the first greenest room for the baby :)
I've been preparing for that for quite a while- quitting my bad habits, having new ones and eating well.
Eating well is actually the most important part here as baby receives everything I eat and drink. I'm not worried about coffee as I don't drink it or tea as I drink only hand picked and organic (or sometimes bought organic). But with the food.. I'm still not always sure about what I eat..
My every morning starts with a huge cup of hot water with lemon juice and large teaspoon of Manuka honey. I buy only organic lemons for that, and Manuka honey is good as well. A handful of hand picked cranberries from Latvian woods are organic as well. And so is the sip of home pressed black currant juice from our own black currants in the garden. So first intake- very green indeed.
Then I have a multi fruit and vegetable juice. My Philips juicer is still new, fast and effective (as suggested by Juice master), so it takes just a moment of all my carrots, beetroots, oranges, apples, grapefruits, ginger, lemon and whatever else combination I use every morning to be turned into a vitamin booster. At that speed I believe that I don't waste too much energy either. The other concern is- I'm not sure about the 'greeneness' of the veggies and fruits. It would cost a fortune to buy everything on farmers market comparing to supermarket carrots and fruits bought on regular market. Where unfortunately no one can tell, what has been used on them. I wash them and peel them carefully to get the most bad stuff off. But I'm not sure if that's enough. So I aim now (as I should have done already long ago) to slowly turn to every veg and fruit organic version now. I hope I manage.
Breakfast- I bake the bread myself from all organic flour and seeds or bring it from Latvia from one particular bread maker, which I know for quality and traditional bread. Very occasionally buy bread here (no preservatives, colours or stuff in it). So no worries about bread :) Cereals- also organic. Yogurt- Yeo Walley or Rachel's Organic. Milk- organic full fat. Porrige cereals- not labeled organic, but always brought the quality ones from Latvia. Jams- only homemade from my own family garden, made with love :) Butter- organic. Cheese- not, but don't eat that often. Quark- from Latvia, homemade at the countryside mostly. Veggies- tomatoes etc- again a thing to turn to organic from farmers markets.
Lunch and dinner- all home made only (with very rare exceptions of eating out). But the same problem with veggies again, should switch to organic I believe. Fish I buy at Billingsgate with a hope that it's an environmentally friendly catch. But the biggest fear is meat. It's a background thing..
I come from the country side, from the hunter's family. I have used to eat meat that is always fresh, healthy and highiest quality that can be possible on this planet- wild animals- venisons, deers, wild boars, wild ducks and many others. And even if it's a lamb, pork, rabbit, duck or poultry- it's usually home grown at grannies or bought from local farmers. So my perception is- this meat is superhigh quality and nothing bad is in it. Too bad for me. Whenever I go home, I always come back to London with a full suitcase of wild meat- fresh, already prepared, in sausages etc etc. I can't remember myself buying meat here, only very rarely. But I live two families together, so my friend buys the meat. And not always the highies quality, but Tesco value. NOT GOOD! My problem is- when it is unwrapped or on the plate, my unconscious perception still is that it is the same good meat as the wild one. So wrong.
I really don't want to eat meat that has been fed with growth hormones, antibiotics, not even mentioning the inhumane conditions it's sometimes grown. So my last promisse to myself was- I'm only eating meat that's brought from home or bought here organic. I want to be safe, but most of all I want to protect my baby. He or she deserves the best, and if I eat meat, I'll make sure I eat good one. Yesterday I made a first CONSCIOUS step of not eating meat that was on my plate from unknown sources. I even managed to do it in a very subtle way that my friend who had cooked it didn't feel offended. :)
So my first step -organic meat - has been met already. Now the big next step- fruits and veg.
ceturtdiena, 2011. gada 10. marts
Winter evening warm gifts :)
As I said- it has been pretty busy here on green carpet!
Winter evenings (oh yes, it is still winter) is the very best time for some crafts. For example- knitting.
One of my best friends has a birthday this week, so lately I have spent my evenings with 5 double pointed knitting needles, patterns and natural yarns. Nothing compares to hand made gift in my opinion. It is the greenest one you can give to anyone :)
And finally - here is the creation! She will need them next year to visit me in the very cold Latvian winter :)
Winter evenings (oh yes, it is still winter) is the very best time for some crafts. For example- knitting.
One of my best friends has a birthday this week, so lately I have spent my evenings with 5 double pointed knitting needles, patterns and natural yarns. Nothing compares to hand made gift in my opinion. It is the greenest one you can give to anyone :)
The greenest gift of all and flying :)
It hasn't been all that quiet on green carpet as it may seem. Quite contrary-it's been pretty busy!
I really don't like flying. No, I'm not scared of being in the air, it's just- very not-green way to travel. But unfortunately it is the only way to visit my family that I can squeeze in a weekend, so I took a flight. Another reason I don't like it- it's not very healthy, I dehidrate too much. So I was thinking of a way how to cut both of these negative effects..
First and easiest to handle is the health point- more organic facial creams before and after flights, hand creams, warm and cosy flight socks. And most important- plenty of water, now that we are "two in one"- even more water. I don't sit at the window anymore, only the aisle- taking a walk now and then (in 2,5h flight I use the wc at least 2-3 times), so nobody has to get up to let me out :) Little kindness to other people is one of the greenest things in our lives.
Most difficult is to deal with the environmental effect of my flight. But there is one interview that comes very handy to me.. Conversation with Derrick Jensen. There is a part where he tells how he started volunteering- he converted the petrol price he paid to drive his car to working hours he then volunteered to environmental organizations. I don't drive at the moment. But I fly about every two months. So my volunteering to Homo Ecos is not just doing something nice for the environment. It's kind of an indulgence for me as well :) And isn't the time the most precious and greenest gift you can give? So I try to give mine to several "saving the planet" things and actions. One of them being Homo Ecos project.
But this time actullly I was having another greenest gift in my mind.. Which also was the reason of me and my husband flying back to Latvia to visit our families.. We had a gift to give them.. a gift which they will receive early september- a grandchild :) And truly- baby is the very greenest gift that we have received and that we can give.. It's growing in me- the most environmentaly friendly "home" of all. And it's emerged from pure love, light and our bodies. And that is the most amazing gift of all :)
I really don't like flying. No, I'm not scared of being in the air, it's just- very not-green way to travel. But unfortunately it is the only way to visit my family that I can squeeze in a weekend, so I took a flight. Another reason I don't like it- it's not very healthy, I dehidrate too much. So I was thinking of a way how to cut both of these negative effects..
First and easiest to handle is the health point- more organic facial creams before and after flights, hand creams, warm and cosy flight socks. And most important- plenty of water, now that we are "two in one"- even more water. I don't sit at the window anymore, only the aisle- taking a walk now and then (in 2,5h flight I use the wc at least 2-3 times), so nobody has to get up to let me out :) Little kindness to other people is one of the greenest things in our lives.
Most difficult is to deal with the environmental effect of my flight. But there is one interview that comes very handy to me.. Conversation with Derrick Jensen. There is a part where he tells how he started volunteering- he converted the petrol price he paid to drive his car to working hours he then volunteered to environmental organizations. I don't drive at the moment. But I fly about every two months. So my volunteering to Homo Ecos is not just doing something nice for the environment. It's kind of an indulgence for me as well :) And isn't the time the most precious and greenest gift you can give? So I try to give mine to several "saving the planet" things and actions. One of them being Homo Ecos project.
But this time actullly I was having another greenest gift in my mind.. Which also was the reason of me and my husband flying back to Latvia to visit our families.. We had a gift to give them.. a gift which they will receive early september- a grandchild :) And truly- baby is the very greenest gift that we have received and that we can give.. It's growing in me- the most environmentaly friendly "home" of all. And it's emerged from pure love, light and our bodies. And that is the most amazing gift of all :)
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