Ecological Intelligence

“Ecological intelligence lets us apply what we learn about how human activity impinges on ecosystems so as to do less harm and once again to live sustainably in our niche — these days the entire planet.” – Daniel Goleman

The night we arrived in Nosara back in February we got to attend a free talk at The Yoga House featuring Daniel Goleman (author of the book Emotional Intelligence). He and his wife Tara (author of the book Emotional Alchemy) were in town leading a portion of a week long retreat at Blue Spirit Retreat Center. David Goleman is best known for coining the term “Emotional Intelligence” and bringing our attention to the importance of it. I’ve used much of what he covers in his book not only in my own life but also while working with children when I was teaching at Alaya Preschool. (I think I read it originally while attending Naropa.) The focus of his talk that evening was on his newest book Ecological Intelligence: How Knowing the Hidden Impacts of What We Buy Can Change Everything. I’ve got to get my hands on it, as the topic is not only groundbreaking, but also infinitely fascinating and crucial for us today.

Basically we’ve become unskilled. Do you grow all you consume? Do you have your own farm? Do you make your own beauty products from natural ingredients that you buy locally? And the shirt you’re wearing; what is it made of? What kind of dyes were used? What kind of waste was created to make your shirt? Where was your shirt made? Who made it? What is the D.A.L.Y. (disability-adjusted life year) of the people in the area where your shirt was created? How did it get to the store where you bought it? Do you know the effects your purchases have on the earth, your health, and society?

There are companies made up of scientists, mathematicians, and loads of other people who care about these questions and are finding the answers. Some of them are even making it easy for you to access the answers. Here are a few great resources:

• If you haven’t seen the film or read the book The Story of Stuff get on it. Annie Leonard is doing great things and continues to research the story behind other things, including water. Check out The Story of Stuff.
• If you want to find safe, healthy, and green products head over to Good Guide to browse product ratings on what you use on a daily basis. Ask your kids what their favorite things to eat are and look them up!
• Want to know how safe your cosmetics are? Visit Skin Deep.
• If you want to be able to check the effects of what you’re buying easily with an application for your mobile device check out 3rd Whale.

A few other interesting things: BMW in the UK recycles all their parts. Also, Walmart has committed to dropping products that don’t meet a certain requirements (with help from Good Guide) and will list their rating in their stores by the fall of 2014. (This one, I’ll believe it when I see it.)

3 Things We All Can Do

1. Know the impact of what you’re buying.
2. Choose better.
3. Tell all your friends.

City and Colour – The Girl

Tags: city and color, the girl

“There’s nothing you can’t do”

by sam on March 27, 2010
in Abundance, Art

Share Your Thoughts

Alicia Keys – The Element of Freedom

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Jellies

by sam on March 24, 2010
in Abundance, Costa Rica, Nature

3 Comments

Last week, while taking my daily walk along the beach, I noticed an abundance of tiny jelly creatures on the shore. As you can see they are mostly clear with bright blue tentacles. They varied in size from about 1/3 of an inch to a full inch. I went back the next day with my camera hoping to capture these strange little guys, but most had been swept back out to sea. The photos show only two of the handful I found. Their shape and color is so intriguing to me. So different than the chubby, round, clear ones we had in Saudi growing up.

Tags: Costa Rica, jellyfish

Raw Breakfasts

by sam on March 21, 2010
in Abundance, Breakfast, Costa Rica, Food, Fruit, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Simplicity, Vegan, Vegetarian

3 Comments

My sister Kylie (A.K.A. Zippaloo) of AllThingsFood, like me, enjoys eating a high Raw diet but has implemented eating 75%+ Raw one full day each week. Here are a few breakfasts inspired by her:

Here’s a great recipe by Kylie on how to make your own Nut or Seed butter.

Raw Oats

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Cup Oats
• 1/4 Cup Water
• 1/3 Cup Nut or Almond Milk
• Optional: Agave, Raisins, Dates, Nuts, Seeds, Coconut, Ground Flax Seeds, Chia Seeds, Cinnamon or other Spices

Directions:

• Put everything in a bowl and cover overnight.
• In the morning you can add fresh fruit if you’d like.

Note:

• Play around with the ratios of water and milk to find what you like. (I’m still doing this.)

Yes, that is papaya you see! I’m starting to finally like it!

Not Pictured are my breakfasts of Chia Pudding. Either the photos look awful or I forget to take photos at all. But I’m digging Chia Pudding a lot lately. I make it with Almond or Soy Milk, Chopped Nuts, Coconut, Goji Berries, sometimes dates or agave, and lots of spices (Cinnamon and Cardamom are two favorites).

I’m not all that hungry most mornings for a heavy duty breakfast, but I know it’s important to eat something, so I do and pair it with some Coconut Water. (I hope I can find some good stuff when I’m back in the US!) I eat every few hours so what I don’t get in terms of protein first thing in the morning, I get soon after. I am really into seeds and nuts though, so as you can see I add them in chopped, drink their milk, or eat their butter (which I’ve started making thanks to my Kylie).

Tags: AllThingsFood.com, Raw Breakfast, Raw Food

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