Brummet's Conscious Blog

-- Conscious Living Event -- Oct 31-Nov 2 11th Annual Conference on Renewable Energy from Organics Recycling Location : Madison, Wisconsin Info : www.jgpress.com -- Conscious Shopping Habits -- Nov/Dec is traditionally a time of higher shopping habits due to the holidays, so we thought we'd put together some conscious shopping habit tips for you to consider. First - don't idle your vehicle, shut it off. Park somewhere central where you can walk to a number of different shops. Keep a few lists going on the fridge where you can jot down things for the grocery store, gift items, and hardware store items... making your shopping experience more efficient. And consider using public transit when possible.  Interesting studies were done in our town where they evaluated the busiest days and least available parking time: The busiest being Tues & Wed, with the peak parking time between 12-1:10 PM. So one could hypothesize that c...

-- Nothing's Static -- Today's post comes to via Petricia Verdes who sent us a couple of submissions for our blog on behalf of her client:  Author Ilie Cioara was an enlightened mystic who lived in Eastern Europe that penned 16 books describing the experience of meditation and enlightenment. In particular, the book – Silence of the Mind – offers a unique message on meditation and enlightenment. Ilie believes that by practicing the silence of the mind, through an all-encompassing attention, we discover and fulfill our innermost potential of becoming one with the divine spark that lies dormant within us. Silence of the Mind is the first volume in a series of his books that will be published by OBooks ( http://o-books.com ). Find out more via the blog ( http://thesilencebook.blogspot.com ) We hope you enjoy the following, by Ilie Cioara: In the whole Universe, there is nothing static, dead or frozen. Everything, but absolutely everything, is in eternal movem...

-- Quote of the Day -- “Success is neither magical nor mysterious.  Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying the basic fundamentals.”  ~ Jim Rohn Find Dave and Lillian Brummet, excerpts from their books, information about their radio program, newsletter, blog, and more at: www.brummet.ca * Support the Brummets by telling your friends, or visiting the Brummet's Store - every sale raises funds for charity as well!

-- Quote of the Day -- “The person who knows how to laugh to himself will never cease to be amused." ~ Shirley MacLain  -- Did You Know ? -- The recycling industry has contributed to the creation of more than 125,000 new jobs in the state of California in the last 20 years. This equates to just over 6,250 new jobs per year. Find Dave and Lillian Brummet, excerpts from their books, information about their radio program, newsletter, blog, and more at: www.brummet.ca * Support the Brummets by telling your friends, or visiting the Brummet's Store - every sale raises funds for charity as well!

-- Laundry Lint -- I’d like to take some time today to respond to a few questions sent our way after a blog post earlier in October about dryer lint… First of all, front loading high efficiency washers use less water than standard washers – only 20-66% of the water is used with these newer models... depending on the settings that are chosen and the size of the load. I have learned that they are more gentle on clothing and fabrics, therefore the clothes will not wear out or stretch as easily as with other washers. And because the spin cycle is so efficient, one doesn’t need the dryer to work as hard (when the clothes line is not in use). October, being Fire Prevention Month is also a time of year traditionally when we experience a rise in the number of house fires. Dryer vent cleaning is so important… installing the dryer vents properly is key as well. So take a look at your dryer vent and see  if you have a coil plastic pipe leading to the exterior dryer v...

-- Chatter -- We are finally settled into the Creston Valley (in the Kootenay Region of BC, Canada) and now have our office up and running.  Still, we expect to delay full office hours until Dec 1st, when we hope to have the last of the boxes unpacked and the drum studio set up. We changed internet servers and web providers as well - so Dave's been busily making sure the transition goes smooth. Whew!  In the meantime we arranged to have our radio show air once a week and the blog here to keep running as well. I've been watching the comments, and really appreciate the feedback from our readers. I'll respond to your questions soon! :) ...and will be preparing new blog content for you to enjoy over the next few days. In the meantime, here's a quote you might enjoy - excerpted from a recent Conscious Discussions Talk Radio show interview... (click on the link below to access the full interview):   “…The theory across the board… is there are...

* Today's article comes to us from: Remy LeBeaux is a marketing promotions consultant on Earth-friendly promotional products & Green Promotional Golf Packs. The planet Earth is repeatedly being attacked by damaging forces. Different forms of pollution such as air, water, and even noise pollution are rendering it beaten and powerless. Man, who initiated this abuse, must also be the one to end it. Right now many non-government organizations have already started campaigning for a healthier, greener environment. You can help in your own way by using customized eco-friendly items in your next campaign. There are many ways of saving Mother Nature from entire destruction. Recycling, reusing and reducing are just three of the methods people can follow so garbage accumulation may be lessened. Some car and oil companies are also trying to fabricate a good option to gasoline, so air pollution may be prevented in the future. People, especially the youth, are motivat...

-- Quote of the Day --  “…Natural construction involves materials that can be harvest right off the building site in most cases. When you consider that the average home built now, the materials travel about 1500 miles, and some as far as 6000 miles… and you think about how much fuel it takes to transport that. …Natural buildings involve hardly any shipping. Adobe really is just clay, sand and straw that is shaped into bricks that are baked in the sun first. …Cob is pressed into the house as you go, so the wall is all in one piece. With adobe, the wall is stacked with these weak points in between the joints. Straw bale is a very sustainable alternative… Stack wall can involve earth bags… the advantage is that there is more thermal mass… and there is a cord-wood stack wall… I prefer not to use concrete because concrete is one of the biggest polluters in the industry.” ~ Chuck Hall Today's quote comes to us from the Conscious Discussions Talk Radio Show episode...

-- Caregiving -- When I was dealing with some caregiving issues myself, and had the honor of speaking with some experts on our radio show about the subject I learned of some shocking statistics. For instance, did you know that there are estimated to be 1.4 million children in the US who are caregivers? Can you imagine the responsibility they feel, the guilt they carry, the fear that weighs them down and they have to balance this while growing up, dealing with school and peers and all the other adversities in a child's life? There are an estimated 50 million unpaid caregivers in the US alone - according to Sheila Watson, who sent us a fantastic resource: Caregiver Village . These adults have to balance caring for their own children, their marriages and other relationships and somehow pay their own bills while caring for at least one elderly person in their lives. ...Not an easy task. Sheila tells us that it is: " ...an online community designed exclusively for caregivers...

-- Quote of the Day -- "I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge; That myth is more potent than history;  That dreams are more powerful than facts; That hope always triumphs over experience; That laughter is the only cure for grief... And I believe that love is stronger than death." ~ Robert (last name unknown) Find Dave and Lillian Brummet, excerpts from their books, information about their radio program, newsletter, blog, and more at: www.brummet.ca * Support the Brummets by telling your friends, or visiting the Brummet's Store - every sale raises funds for charity as well!

Fun and Eco-friendly Crafty Gift Ideas The joy of the holidays is making its way into our homes and offices, but there are a lot of people out there on constrained budgets, while others want to instill conscious living patterns in their children. Families are aching to spend time together, but sometimes, they just don't know what to do that would be fun for everyone. Here are some tips that could help you accomplish all of these things: Save all of your old birthday or other holiday cards - these are great craft items! Consider all the cards you've received or those that you've made wrong entries in and don't want to send it out with a big scribble in the inside ... they are all useful. Gather the family, youth group or craft-loving friends, around a sturdy table to create puzzles, ornaments, gift tags, bookmarks or fridge magnets for their own homes or as gifts to their friends, class mates or loved ones. These can also make wonderful projects ...

-- Quote of the Day --  " It is one of the commonest of mistakes to consider that the liit of our power of perception is also the limit of all ther is to perceive."  ~ C.W. Leadbeater -- Positive Eco-News -- I've been learning about something called sea-water horticulture... Have you heard of it before?  Apparently it is very promising, especially for some of the poorest communities in the world. Desalination is one way of using ocean water, so is fish-farming - however there have been cultures in the past who have created floating islands of crops, keeping it safe from predators and raiders. But many modern scientists are experimenting with all kinds of interesting aspects of getting food from water - including the cultivation of seaweed and algae as a potential worldwide food source for future generations. Here are a couple resources on using ocean waters for horticulture: TheManzanarProject.com biofueldaily.com/reports/Energy_Crops_...

-- Conscious Discussions Talk Radio --  Today, we offer you another installment of the Best of 2007 series... Vol #6 offers interesting insider's thoughts on the World of Writing. Check it out via: http://BlogTalkRadio.com/ConsciousDiscussions -- Referral Corner --  It's time once again for a few more recommended resources... where we celebrate fantastic, proactive endeav ors happening all over the planet: Directory of Social Change : Running courses and publishing charity and volunteer books is the focus of this unique charitable organization. They also have a strong networking team involving over 20,000 charities. Info : www.DSC.org.uk Graffiti Life Company : Now I'm a big fan of murals and art in the city. I've seen some stunningly beautiful art in some cities (like Creston, BC) where one can wander the streets in awe. Others towns may have only one or two featured prominently - like Greenwood, Christina Lake and Tra...

 -- Quote of the Day -- Here's something to lighten up your day :) "Nothing cures insomnia like the realization that it's time to get up." ~ Author Unknown  -- Conscious Living Event -- This week - Oct 17-23 - is Waste Reduction Week ! is a good time to reflect on how we, as individuals, can participate in waste management. Because some people are so overwhelmed with Earth’s problems, they feel that their contributions have no real consequence in the end. For others, social barriers can be an issue. A lady we once knew confessed that she did not want to be seen buying used items or being concerned with power use. She was worried people would see her as cheap – a scrooge – when the family was so affluent. Yet, she was very careful to be seen with recycling bins out on the curb on pick-up day, because THAT was thought to be the thing to do socially. WRW is a good time to put an end to these negative thoughts and feelings of fals...

-- Quote of the Day --  "The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead... - his eyes are closed." ~ Albert Einstine --  Greener Farms -- Passion-fruit, a vining plant of the passion-flower family, has subtropical origins  and is becoming more popular as people with land realize the impact they can have on the environment. Passion fruit crops are grown vertically which produces green walls, producing fruit and seedlings. An additional benefit may come from using the leaves as a raw material. These green walls not only use less land to produce more food, with possible bio-fuel fodder as a waste product, but also create a living carbon sink that releases moisture into the surrounding air - cooling the temperatures down a bit. An additional benefit is because the vertical wall...

Once you have started the first few steps in your writing career it is time to list potential resistance in the market, the reasons for each point of resistance, and how to combat the problems with a proactive action plan.  This resistance list may include: a publisher's no-return policy, the lack of an advertising budget or personal marketing skills, limited availability for events, travel and mobility limitations and any other major or minor thing that may impede your efforts. Then make a list of your strengths. Your personality will play a large part in the making of this list. For example, some authors may be comfortable speaking to very large groups, some may prefer intimate settings and others may not be able to leave their home (i.e. illness). Enhance this list with other aspects about yourself that may get you in the door of a media outlet. For instance, you might write down: woman, mother, caregiver, gardener, and pet-lover. If for instance you are...

-- Quote of the Day -- “…If you are missing something, what happens is the energies that we radiate doesn’t connect …it is like you don’t show up on the radar. …Your energy has to change to bring that person (or situation) to you. …At the same time you need to treat people right, be honest in your dealings. And you can require that of other people, you can say ‘I want you to be respectful’, but I have to be respectful of myself. …If you respected yourself, you wouldn’t allow [bad situations] to exist in the first place. …The first thing we do when we reach a challenge is to wonder ‘what if’. And we create all that fear, but if we just face that fear it melts away and it ends up being not anywhere near what you thought it would be. … We always want validation along the way.  But many things in life, you just don’t know [what the results are] until the last second. Yet we love validation and when we don’t get validation we start to push… or quit. So stop looking for va...

-- Quote of the Day -- "The way to develop self-confidence is to do the thing you fear and get a record of the successful experiences behind you. Destiny  is not a matter of chance - it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for - it is a thing to be achieved." ~ William Bryan -- Positive Eco-News -- I learned from the Japan for Sustainability Organization   ( japanfs.org ) that the Ajinomoto Co ., a major Japanese food and seasonings manufacturer, produces a lot of wast humus – a pulp-like waste product from processing soybeans.  This humus is dried and can provide the same BTU as coal, but the bonus lies in that is it carbon-neutral. Therefore the company decided to make arrangements with the Kawasaki Biomass Power Station , who are now using this “waste” item as a valuable fuel source. Find Dave and Lillian Brummet, excerpts from their books, information about their radio program, newsletter, blog, and more at: www...