Check out this article from Austin American Statesman. 

City exploring buying electricity from business rooftops

Keep Busy and Relaxo.

One of the most interesting aspects of Austin may be its ability to simultaneously offer the excitement of city life and the tranquility of nature all at our fingertips. Lady Bird Lake, known as Town Lake to the locals, is a little piece of heaven for Austinites. This reservoir blocked off from the Colorado River is home to endless recreational possibilities, but the quietness of the water makes it feel like your own secret get away.

A Brand New Face

The Town Lake Hike and Bike Trail has endured endless traffic since it's installment. It appeals to almost anyone, from young couples with baby strollers, to elite runners and athletes, to celebrities jogging hopefully undercover with their dogs, to high school track teams, to locals who have been in Austin so long that streets, parks, and buildings have been dedicated to them. However, with increasing popularity comes visible stress for this trail, and it's up to her users to help clean up signs of aging, and infuse her with some youth and rejuvenation.

How many toys did you buy your children last year?  How many of those toys were played with for more than two hours?  How many of them will go into the garage, virtually unused, and stay there until you do that huge garage cleaning project you’ve been talking about for nine months?  I think it is precisely my lack of a garage or any closet space in the two bedroom duplex I share with my boyfriend and our two daughters that inspired me to think about the way we Americans consume toys.  And we do buy a lot of toys:  more than the next five largest toy consuming countries put together.  But, I found myself asking, do we have to pay top dollar for brand new toys that our kids may or may not even play with for five minutes?  NO! 

There are tons of second hand toys out there, some gently used and some never used, for sale at children’s consignment stores, Goodwill, garage sales and the ultimate (in my opinion) used ANYTHING resource, Craigslist.  There are so many good things about doing business with these guys.  Most of the children’s resale shops are locally owned.  By trading with establishments like the Pumpkin Patch on Anderson, Rock-a-Bye Kids on I35 and Braker, and Anna’s Toy Depot on S. Lamar, your dollar stays here in town.  And their money stays here, too, as they buy everything they sell from local parents who want to pass down their children’s gently used toys, clothing, books, etc. 

And of course if you really want to save money, skip the middle man and go straight to the source.  Craigslist allows you to connect directly with other parents and buy anything you can imagine that your child might want or need.  You get a great deal, and you put cash directly into the hands of another parent—who will probably go buy more toys with it, and then sell those too to another thrifty parent. 

Another great resource for toys and books for kids in Austin is Family Connections on 53^rd and Airport.  Family Connections is, among many other things, a library where anyone can check out toys and books for two weeks.  Your child can have three new toys and five new books every week if you go there.  Oh, and it’s completely free, and it’s a great hangout for mommies and kiddos on a rainy day. 

So there is, of course, an economic benefit, but also a huge environmental benefit.  I shudder to think of how many plastic toys are sitting in landfills:  Bright, shiny, primary colored pieces of plastic, never to change or biodegrade, probably leaching toxic heavy metals from their batteries and electronic insides.  And what about the energy and resources required in manufacturing them?  In short if just a third of us bought a third of our toys secondhand, or better yet, just rented them, imagine how much waste could be avoided.  And it feels good to know you are doing your little part for the environment, all while teaching your children the value of reusing and reducing waste.

It’s time for change.  Did you know that the twentieth century was the most violent century in recorded history?  And financial crises, violence, and health scares remain daily news.  Fear, greed, judgment and tunnel vision are epidemic.  There is good news though!

Whenever the scales tip so far to one side, inevitably a correction follows.  We are that correction. 

We’re moving out of old paradigms of the way we do business and into alignment with Spiritual principles.  The Green/Sustainability movement evidences a paradigm shift which puts the benefit of the whole over the good of a few. We are waking up to the truth that putting the interests of the whole first, before private interests, benefits everyone. Entrepreneurs are bringing more consciousness to their businesses to reflect who they really are. Conscious-centered business models are being sought by those of us who want our business model to be aligned with the principals we live by.

For me, no longer can I separate how I behave “out there in the world” with my inner life.  My livelihood can’t be focused on getting my next commission check.  I now see and affirm my connection with the world.   Whatever I put “out there” – in the form of energy will affect the whole.   Each of us really does have the power to change the world.  I am reminded of a quote I saw on a greeting card which was something to this effect:

If you think you’re too small to make a difference, you’ve never been in bed with a mosquito.

Maggie Ostara, founder of the New Consciousness Entrepreneurs Network succinctly writes:

"Now is the time. It is up to us to create new forms - new ways of doing business, new institutions, new ways of building, new ways of relating to each other and to the earth. The old forms and ways are dropping away. It’s time for our courage, our creativity, and our commitment to come forth.

And it all begins with a New Consciousness - One based on heart coherence, connection, cooperation and collaboration rather than competition and coercion - on a recognition that we are all in this together. We have the opportunity to respond differently than the ways in which large civilizations have in the past when faced with challenges the magnitude of which we are faced with today." http://www.ncenetwork.com

Each shift in consciousness creates a shift in the energy put out into the world.  We all have a contribution no one else can make and now is the time to make a positive impact on the world.  Whether you are a business owner or work for a business, your individual contribution of consciousness and kindness will effect a change.

The term “Feng Shui” may sound exotic or difficult to understand. It’s really a very practical study, but many think people dismiss it as another new-age gimmick or “wu-wu”  because of the way its been marketed here in the U.S. 

Originally from Asia, Feng Shui is simply the study of energy flow and balance.  Whether you realize it or not, you’re constantly experiencing the effects of energy.  Just like gravity, you can’t see it but you can feel it.  Every “thing” - i.e. trees, flowers, furniture, colors, and shapes emanates its own unique energy.  The arrangement of these forms in your environment creates energy that translates into positive or negative feelings in your body.  Balancing energy in your environment allows you to feel comfortable and relaxed. Unbalanced energy creates imbalances in your life and discomfort in your body.  That’s the essence of Feng Shui.

The idea of having a White Christmas is popular, why not have a Green Thanksgiving?  Thanksgiving is a perfect holiday to celebrate being grateful to the planet and honoring the loved ones in your life (including you!)  If you’d like to shift the focus of this Thanksgiving to eating healthy foods, consuming less, and being grateful for your life exactly as it is right now, here are ideas that may help.

Healthy Food

Buying food that’s locally grown and organic if possible is a great way to have an eco-friendly Thanksgiving.  Locally grown food tastes better than food that has to be grown and packaged for maximum shelf life, and it requires less fuel to reach store shelves.  Organic fruits, vegetables and grains are grown without chemical pesticides and fertilizers; organic meat is produced without antibiotics and artificial hormones. Organic farming also produces higher yields, increases soil fertility, prevents erosion, and is more cost-effective for farmers. Locally grown food also contributes to the local economy.  For a local Austin company that delivers local and organic food to your door, visit www.greenling.com.

On a national level, the Good Food Guide www.goodguide.com rates all types of food and they have a special guide to Thanksgiving foods.  If you’re going to serve a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, you can find out how much salt is in your turkey, how much high fructose corn syrup is in your cranberry sauce, which preservatives are in your stuffing, and the amount of trans-fat in your pie. 

The guide provides health and environmental impact ratings based on nutritional data from the USDA.  Their ratings for Diestel Farms Organic Turkey, Kraft chicken with whole wheat stuffing, and Libby’s 100% pure pumpkin are all high.

Reducing your Waste and Recycling

To make your Thanksgiving celebration as eco-friendly as possible buy foods that are packaged in recyclable material.  And buy what you’re going to eat – try not to over-buy.  Think ahead of how to use the leftovers that you’ll inevitably have. Instead of buying extraneous Thanksgiving decorations – make your own.  And use cloth napkins that can be washed and used again. Recycle paper, plastic, glass and aluminum containers. If you don’t already have a compost bin, this may be a good time to use your fruit and veggie trimmings to start one. Compost is great for a garden.

Feel Grateful

It is Thanksgiving after all!  The Pilgrims celebrated the first Thanksgiving after fleeing religious persecution in Europe. They were free and grateful to be alive. Reconnect with the Spirit of the Holiday.  Stay in the each moment of the day and realize that sharing love among your friends, family, and/or pets is more important than getting anxious over an over-cooked turkey or lumpy gravy. 

Enjoy being you.  Enjoy being with people or enjoy being with yourself.  Notice all the small gifts you have in your life.  It is the small things that we often overlook that contain the richness of a well-lived life. Avoid getting caught up in the consumerism on television touting all the great deals for the official start of the Christmas buying season the next day.  Instead, volunteer to help at a homeless shelter to put your life in perspective and give others love.  Take a walk in nature. Use the day to connect with your Spiritual self which sometimes is hard in the bustle of day-to-day living.