It wasn't until recently that I read an article in the Daily Labor Report about child labor being "curtailed" on cocoa farms that got me wondering: Are we supporting fair trade or slave trade when it comes to some of the luxuries we in the West consume?  Anti-Slavery.org has some information about what to look for when you are trying to verify whether something is free trade or not.  Our federal government is also taking steps to create a TVPRA list (Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005) that will eventually be published in the Federal Register and on the Department of Labor's website so the government (this means you) will know which goods are produced by forced or child labor and prevent such products from being imported into the United States.

Did you realize that cocoa farms use child labor?  How and/or will this affect your future chocolate purchases?? Will you start looking for free trade certifications on imported goods?  Let's discuss.

Namaste.

Photo credit: romanlily (Flickr)

        

Earlier this week, I had new window treatments installed, replacing the ones that Arizona sun destroyed after ten years of great service. My installer asked me if he should take them and dispose of them,along with all of the packaging that the new blinds came in.

My first question was, “do you recycle any of this stuff”, or do you just toss it in the garbage?”

He replied that he does recycle the cardboard boxes, but tosses out the plastic bags, Styrofoam packing, the bubble wrap and any excess screws and plastic parts. He also said the old blinds were worthless, because of their condition and not reusable, so he would just toss those away too.

I cringed…yikes, I thought, all of this going into a landfill made me nauseous and I could not let him do it. So I suggested we look at the parts, packaging and other stuff and see what I could recycle first and then what was left,that couldn’t be recycled, would be thrown away.

So we recycled the cardboard, the plastic bags, the steel screws, the paper instructions, and the precious bubble wrap. The only things we tossed were a few plastic parts and strapping material.

Next, I looked at the old blinds and concluded the only thing we could recycle was the top rail and bottom rail, which are made of aluminum. The paper/fiber part of the shade had to be tossed and the plastic pieces. However, there was a bunch of aluminum top and bottom rails that are now in the recycle container, instead of the landfill.

I realized that until we went through this exercise, my installer never thought about what he was throwing away and if he didn’t think of this, what about all of the millions of people around the world that do not give it a second thought?

My husband and I both recycle vivaciously. I was not born into a family of environmentalists or advocates and neither was my husband. We do however realize that if we do not take the time to make a difference on the planet by our own actions, how can we expect our clients, friends and family to do it and they are certainly not going to do it for us, so we must take charge of our earthly responsibility.

Each week we are amazed at the “filled to capacity, overflowing garbage containers” that sit in front of our neighbors driveways waiting to be picked up by the trash collection companies. We have the same size containers as our neighbors and we barely have a full garbage back in it.

The reason is we recycle almost everything possible. We recycle paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, aluminum and steel. We do not throw anything away, until we look to see if it can go into a recycle container first.

This life style choice and habit came from our passion and concern about creating an eco-friendly, healthy and sustainable planet. As an interior designer and architect, working with green, eco-friendly and sustainable products, we know how much of an impact everyone can have on the planet by simply looking around their homes and offices and choosing to be more conscious of what they toss in the garbage and what is recycled.

It takes very little effort and once you incorporate the habit into your life, you will automatically look at each thing with different eyes and decide…to toss or not to toss…it’s your choice!

So will you start recycling?  And if you already do, let us know how long you've been a recycler.

Photo credit: gaymay (Flickr)

        

I saw this article while I was on Petplace.com and I thought you might enjoy it! It is an excellent pet site. They have over 10,000 veterinarian appproved articles covering dogs, cats, birds, small mammals and much more. Take a look at the links below and let me know what you think. My cat has FIV and so I am always on the lookout for any information that may help his quality of life.  Below is the link that talks about the new vaccine to help prevent feline AIDS.
 
Link to site:
http://www.petplace.com/cats/new-vaccine-helps-prevent-feline-aids/page1.aspx
Home Page: http://www.petplace.com

Namaste,
Alicia

Follow me on Twitter:  MyFurryFriend.

Photo from Massi1970.

        

It's amazing to think that one year has already passed since federal authorities descended upon Michael Vick's dog fighting operation.  During that time, great progress has been made to shut down some of the biggest dog fighting organizers in Arizona.  We commend our fellow citizens and the Humane Society of the United States for working together to put these animal abusers out of business and in jail.  Namaste.

Played: 44 | Download | Duration: 00:00:00

        

Played: 51 | Download | Duration: 00:16:25

  Good news and updates about the current legislation sitting in the laps of our Arizona and California lawmakers (i.e., banning the sale of animals in public places, such as parking lots and roadside stands).  We also talk about the food labels such as "cage free", "free range" and "naturally raised" and wonder, what exactly does that mean?  You might be surprised.  Share your thoughts.  Namaste.

        

From David Rogers of the Environment Arizona:

Three bills in Environment Arizona's "Clean Energy for Arizona" package were approved in Senate committee votes. Each of these bills faced tough opposition but the strong showing of public support for clean energy helped seal the deal.

Now, as these bills head for a final decisive vote on the Senate floor, we need to give our state senators one last reminder that Arizonans stand behind clean energy and energy efficiency.

Please take a minute to call your state senator and ask them to support Environment Arizona's "Clean Energy for Arizona" package. To make your call, dial 602-926-3559 for the Senate information desk, tell the operator where you live, and you'll be connected to the office of your state senator.

Here's a sample message you can use when you call:

"Hi my name is _______ and I live in __________, Arizona. I'm calling to ask my senator to support and vote for HB 2766, HB 2614 and HB 2615 — three bills that will significantly improve Arizona's environmental and energy policies.

These bills will make homes and businesses in Arizona more energy efficient and encourage development of clean energy projects across the state and they deserve your support."

Then click the link below to visit our website, and let us know what your senator's office had to say in response:

http://environmentarizona.org/action/energy/report-senate-calls?id4=ES

Last week was a great week for clean energy legislation —but we're not out of the woods yet. Here's a recap:

HB2766, the Omnibus Energy Act of 2008, which will make Arizona's homes and businesses more energy efficient, passed on a 6-1 vote out of the Senate Natural Resources Committee.
HB2614, which will lower the property tax rate for commercial renewable energy projects, passed the Senate Finance committee on a 5-1 vote.
HB2615, which will make it easier for homeowners in Arizona to install solar power systems, passed the Senate Government committee on Monday with a unanimous vote!
All three bills are now headed to the Senate Rules Committee and then on to the floor of the Senate for a full vote. We need your help to make sure Arizona's state senators cast their vote for more solar energy, more energy efficiency and a brighter future for Arizona.

Please take a minute to urge your state senator to support these bills when they make it to the floor. Call 602-926-3559 to get connected to your state senator's office. Then let us know what they said:

http://environmentarizona.org/action/energy/report-senate-calls?id4=ES

Thank you for standing up for Arizona's environment.

Please feel free to share this blog post with your family and friends. You can learn more about these important bills by visiting the Environment Arizona website: http://www.environmentarizona.org/energy/go-solar/the-latest-from-the-legislature?id4=ES

        

The following alert comes from Animal Defense League of Arizona (www.adlaz.org). Please take action to help protect our citizen initiatives!

Help Stop Bill Aimed at Citizens Initiatives!

Please ask Senate committee members to oppose HCR2044 voter-protection; temporary budgetary suspension (Pearce, Barnes, Biggs, Burges)

Euphemistically titled ‘Voter-Protection’, this bill actually grants the Legislature authority to divert funds enacted by initiatives. In 1998, the year that Arizonans passed a citizens’ initiative that banned cockfighting, voters also passed The Voter Protection Act, a Constitutional amendment which forbids the Legislature from undercutting initiatives passed by voters. HCR 2044 would circumvent The Voter Protection Act to allow lawmakers to strip funding for initiatives they don’t like..

The Tucson Citizen ran a great editorial on this measure. Click here to read it. We also like Sandy Bahr’s comments on HCR 2044:

Sandy Bahr, director of the Grand Canyon Chapter of the Sierra Club, said the whole point of initiatives is to address issues to which the Legislature has been unresponsive. She characterizes the measure as a "power grab."

"I understand why the Legislature wants more power," Bahr said. "The citizen-initiative rights are a check on legislative power." Arizona Republic, Apr. 2, 2008

WHAT YOU CAN DO

HCR 2044 will be heard in the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday, April 15. Please contact the committee members below and urge them to Vote NO on HCR 2044. If you volunteered on Prop 204 or other initiatives, please share your thoughts on the importance of Arizona’s citizen initiative process. If your Senator is a committee member, let him or her know that you are a constituent in their district.

Paula Aboud
paboud@azleg.gov
602-926-5262

Amanda Aguirre
aaguirre@azleg.gov
602-926-4139

Carolyn S. Allen
callen@azleg.gov
602-926-4480

Robert "Bob" Burns
rburns@azleg.gov
602-926-5993

Jake Flake
jflake@azleg.gov
602-926-5219

Jorge Luis Garcia
jgarcia@azleg.gov
602-926-4171

Albert Hale
ahale@azleg.gov
602-926-4323

Jack W. Harper
jharper@azleg.gov
602-926-4178

John Huppenthal
jhuppenthal@azleg.gov
602-926-5261

Karen Johnson
kjohnson@azleg.gov
602-926-3160

Jim Waring
jwaring@azleg.gov
602-926-4916

All Senators can be reached toll-free at 1-800-352-8404

Please forward this to your contacts in Arizona. Thank you for forwarding any responses you receive to legislative@adlaz.org

        

FOR ARIZONA — Alert from the Humane Society of the United States

> OK folks, it's time to switch gears and call your State Senators! H.B.
> 2485, the unlawful public sale of animals bill, will be heard in the
> Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Rural Affairs at 1:30pm
> tomorrow. If your state Senator sits on that committee, please call him
> or her now and ask them to vote YES on H.B. 2485! It is important that
> Senators hear from constituents, so please check to see if your Senator
> is on the committee before making a call. (If you do not know who your
> state Senator is, there is a link at the bottom of this email.) Please
> spread the word about this important vote!
>
> Natural Resources and Rural Affairs

> Senate Standing Committee Members (Please only call if you are a
> constituent)
>
> Amanda Aguirre
>
DISTRICT 24
DEMOCRAT
aaguirre@azleg.gov
602-926-4139
602-417-3184 FAX
>
> Marsha Arzberger
>
DISTRICT 25
marzberger@azleg.gov
602-926-4321
602-417-3146 FAX
>
> Robert Blendu
>
DISTRICT 12
REPUBLICAN
rblendu@azleg.gov
602-926-5955
602-417-3168 FAX
>
> Jake Flake
>
DISTRICT 5
REPUBLICAN
jflake@azleg.gov
602-926-5219
602-417-3224 FAX
>
> Chuck Gray
>
DISTRICT 19
REPUBLICAN
cgray@azleg.gov
602-926-5288
602-417-3161 FAX
>
> Karen Johnson
>
DISTRICT 18
REPUBLICAN
kjohnson@azleg.gov
602-926-3160
602-926-3429 FAX
>
> Leah Landrum Taylor
>
DISTRICT 16
DEMOCRAT
llandrumtaylor@azleg.gov
602-926-3830
602-417-3148 FAX

Unlawful public sale of animals - Prohibits the sale of animals on a
public highway or private property without consent of the owner.
Bill Number: AZ H.B. 2485
HSUS Position: Support. For the animals sold on city streets, there are
no assurances that they have been properly cared for.
Bill Sponsor: Rep. Jerry Weirs (R, 12)

> Bill details HB 2485:
>
> * Ban the public sale of an animal along any public highway or
> street, or park or any public property adjacent to such a location.
> * Ban the public sale of an animal on commercial private property
> without the consent of the property owner.
> * Clarify that the ban doesn't pertain to sales at pet stores or
> by a charitable or nonprofit organization or any animal adoptions
> conducted off-site by a pound, humane society or rescue organization.
> * Make unlawful sales of animals along roadways a Class 2
> misdemeanor.
>
>
> Important things to note when you call our Arizona Legislature:
>
> *
> Remember, we are calling our Arizona State officials about this
> bill. If you use this link:
> https://community.hsus.org/humane/leg-lookup/search.html it will
> default to your Federal officials. (Senators Kyl & McCain are your
> Federal Senators) On that page, there are two tabs underneath "Enter A
> New Zip Code" - a Federal tab and a State tab. You must click on the
> State tab to find your representatives at the Arizona Legislature.
> *
> You can also use this link:
> http://www.azleg.gov/alisStaticPages/HowToContactMember.asp (But when
> I enter my own address in that, it says "address not found".)
> *
Remember to state your name and address to make it clear that
> you are a constituent.
> *
> Make it clear what action you are asking them to take: "Please
> vote YES on H.B. 2485, the unlawful public sale of animals bill"
> *
> Please refer to your legislator by their title and last name:
> "I'm calling Senator Smith to ask..."
> *
> Always be polite. :)
> *
> Thank them for their time.
> *
> Stay in touch with them! If they vote the way you wanted them
> to, thank them. If not, express your concern and politely ask them to
> explain their vote.
>

        

The times are a changing . . . for the better.  It's people like the great citizens of Arizona who care about the humane treatment of all animals, whether pets or livestock, that are making a great difference in our society.  If you ever once thought that your opinion doesn't matter, then you need to think again.  Your opinions do matter and more importantly, when you call your state legislators, they do listen.  Now, whether they vote the way you want them to is another story.  Bottom line is that our elected officials are here for us, not special interest groups.  Yes, the times are a changin' because you're making it happen.  In this podcast we talk with Kari Nienstedt, the Arizona Director for the Humane Society of the United States, and delve into the latest legislative bills affecting the treatment of our fine animal friends.  Thanks for listening.  Namaste.

Played: 96 | Download | Duration: 00:48:18

        

Whether or not you have children, you will be inspired by the work of Shawna Bowen, a licensed independent substance abuse counselor who works in Cottonwood, Arizona and counsels at-risk youth, ages 14-17. She recently completed a 10-CD series entitled "Things parents need to know if your child is using drugs." This series contains what she has learned over the past 10 years and has ever wanted to tell a parent who has a child doing drugs. The CDs contain candid, open motivational presentations about parent denial, disease of addiction, and a live audience of parents listening to her presentations and talking about the "yeah, buts", including a discussion about what has worked. The series was made to be very real with parents actually dealing with the situation. Shawna's alternative counseling style includes regular viewings of movies from the spiritual cinema such as What the Bleep, The Secret, Celestine Prophecy, as well as the Pursuit of Happyness. Quoting Carolyn Myss, Shawna states that kids are just starving for the sacred. You know the work Shawna is doing is making a great impact when an at-risk youth tells her that the three hours he spends with his counseling group is the best time of his week. That is just amazing. And stay tuned for the last 20 minutes of the podcast where Shawna tells us about her incredible "Secret" story. You won't want to miss it! << MORE >>

Played: 127 | Download | Duration: 00:05:52

        

Played: 135 | Download | Duration: 00:13:47

        

Played: 156 | Download | Duration: 00:14:24

The PodChicks dialogue with Anthony Floyd, Green Building Program Manager for the City of Scottsdale and an organizer of the Green Build 2007, and keynote speaker, Professor Susan Roaf of Heriot Watt University and also a visiting professor at ASU through the Herberger Center. The Green Build 2007 had a banner year, bringing in around 10,000 visitors, which just goes to show you that all of that talk about being green is starting to sink in.  You want to know what you can do to lessen your carbon foot print and there were hundreds of vendors displaying all of the latest innovations in sustainable building and living products for your home.  There were even realtors talking about specializing in eco-real estate.  Apparently solar homes are starting to become popular with homebuyers.  We hope you enjoy this podcast, which is just one of a few we conducted at the Expo.  Please provide us with your comments and whether you would like to hear more podcasts like this from experts such as Anthony and Professor Roaf regarding our environment and what we can do together as a society to bring about positive change and improvements for where we live.  We are the Do It Now! Generation — taking matters into our own hands and making great things happen for our lives, our communities and our planet.  Namaste. 

        

Played: 321 | Download | Duration: 00:24:41

        

The Pod Chicks interview New York Times best-selling author, Suzy Spencer about Fortune Hunter and her latest research for her new book, Sex in America. Adult subject matter. MP3 format.

Played: 296 | Download | Duration: 00:31:43