Brummet's Conscious Blog

 -- Positive News --  Have you heard of the term “agrihood” before?  How about “agritopia”?  Or “sustainable development”?  If you haven’t, you’ll soon see a lot more about this interesting project that tis growing across the planet.  Agrihoods are new residential neighborhoods that are designed around a healthy concept of biodynamic living – they are not only energy efficient, built to include solar power and electric cars, but they also surround a working farm. I’m sure you’ve seen modern neighborhoods built near and around golf courses, wine vineyards, recreation centers and parks… so I’m sure you can visualize what an agrihood would look like. This is a new concept built on old traditions, using modern technology and sustainable development design (see Urban Land Institute http://uli.org or Civil Eats http://civileats.com ) The farms in these neighborhoods are, typically, certified organic and include com...

-- Product Review --  Dogs often get hot spots or itchy rashes for seemingly no reason – either they rolled in something or got bit by something or just had a reaction to something, or perhaps they just have dry skin. Unfortunately all the dog knows is how itchy their skin is and unlike humans and their children we can’t tell them to leave the itchy spot alone. Instead they will continue to scratch and bite at it, making the area worse, and possibly infected. While dry skin can be aided with adding more omega’s to their diet and reducing poor quality foods, the other causes are not so easy to help. Thankfully, Organic Oscar’s Holistic Bite and Itch Relief Spray has come to the rescue offering soothing relief to care for and calm your dog’s skin discomfort. This product is formulated with healing oatmeal kernel and cooling peppermint and aloe, along with calendula oil and witch hazel to clean and calm the affected area where itching, scratching and irritated skin...

    -- Quote of the Day --     "Judging from the ugly and repugnant things that are sometimes in vogue, it would seem as though fashion were desirous of exhibiting its power by getting us to adopt the most atrocious things for its sake alone."  ~ Georg Simmel Award-winning authors Dave and Lillian Brummet: http://www.twitter.com/brummet http://www.facebook.com/ lillian.brummet   http://www.linkedin.com/in/ ldbrummet http://www. consciousdiscussions.blogspot. com https://plus.google.com/u/0/ 110939008901230737529  

-- Positive News --  Kudos to Japanese based Asahi Breweries who have been able to attain the Green Energy Mark logo for their products (via: Green Energy Certification Center). The company has saved some 60,000 tons in CO2 emissions (equal to 11,000 households) by purchasing or installing solar, wind, biomass and geothermal power.  As we personally live in South-Western BC (Canada) and are formally from South-Central BC, where there are numerous large and micro-breweries, wineries, distilleries (i.e. vodka) and self-brew establishments… we’d love to see our local businesses taking up the challenge of increasing renewable energy projects.  Interestingly I’ve read that one of the local breweries in Creston gives the mash left over from the brewing process to local farmers for pigs and cows – apparently the mash has incredible nutrient value and eases the financial burden of local farmers.  Award-winning author...

While I rarely do book reviews anymore (I was a professional book reviewer for 7-8 years, reviewing an average of 500 books a year in many genres from young children to novels and non-fiction), I could not resist MX Publishing’s invitation to review 5 different books in the Sherlock Holmes genre. I received: Sherlock Homes – Tangled Skeins – Stories From The Notebooks Sherlock Holmes And The Sword of Osman Ms. Hudson in New York No Better Place : Arthur Conan Doyle, Windlesham and Communication with the Other Side The Final Problem – a Sherlock Holmes Graphic Novel These books were delivered to my doorstep August 11 th or so in an appropriate sized cardboard shipping box, with no additional or unnecessary packaging -which is great for the environment. I will be reviewing each book separately, one at a time and hyperlink the titles of the books I’ve already done in the list above. The next book I will review in the list is...

 Yep, time for some poetry... it has been a while since I shared any of my poetry so here goes... I Will Prevail There's knowledge in abundance, all around.  Seems to be easily tripped over and found. Yet just can't seem to get enough;  To get anywhere seems so very tough. Just have to reach out and grab it; Have to make positive attitude a habit. Wanna do so very much; Just desier the winner's touch. So very impatient, ina hurry; And let myself too often worry. Suppose, in time, it will all come. Pray it happens before my time has gone.  Life's crazy humour of surprise, Teaching me to fairly compromise. Try to do the best I can; And keep from following every day men.  Will do whatever I think is best And if I fail, will I still pass the test? My goal is to love and to learn, To accomplish what I now yearn,  To leave my footprints on life's crazy trail, And against all else - prevail.  *Note: This was...

-- Product Review --  I was thrilled to hear from Lee VeldKamp, Amare Terra ’s co-founder, around August 5 th and learn about this company and their products. I had the honor of being invited to review two of their products: Natural Shoe & Foot Deodorizer – and – Natural Home Air Freshener. The products were due from Amazon.com to arrive on August 7 th but due to the forest fires and some vehicle troubles on our end we were unable to cross the border (we live a couple miles North of the US border) to pick up the packages until August 15 th . Each product arrived housed in a small, clear plastic bag, zipper style top, easy to open. Inside each bag was a small label from the company, printed on a sticker – so you can paste the sticker somewhere if you wanted to.  Now you know I love to celebrate businesses that have social or environmental responsibility, charitable actions, volunteer policies and activities, in-house purchasing or "green...