Most of us spend time searching for our “purpose” in life. Others scale the mountains or dive the seas to find answers. Some would go to pilgrims or simply spend time in convents or holy temples to be enlightened.
We often contemplate and do soul-searching when we get burned and preoccupied with material things. We want peace. Physically and mentally, it is like a basic instinct for men to nurture his being.
But come to think of it. No matter what purpose we may be seeking, we always find ourselves working hard to live and survive in this place we call Earth.
Take away wealth, power, social stature, aspiration, dreams, goals and all others things we find “important” for ourselves and our families, we will be delighted to acknowledge that there are only three things that we really need to live and survive. These are food, water and shelter.
Food and water to keep us alive, literally and shelter to protect us from heat, cold or harm from wild animals (men included).
We can live without clothing if we want to. It is only our social norms that dictate abstract concepts such as “shame or decency.”
So in order for us to survive, we must protect and sustain our sources of food, water and shelter. Taken in totality, Mother Earth is the source of all of these. Taken individually, plants and animals, minerals are our sources of food; forests, trees, bodies of water, clouds and atmosphere the source of water; and bodies of land, forests, minerals the source of our shelter.
And if really care about ourselves and our children, we will help protect Mother Earth from all harm. In our own little ways, we can contribute to this cause if only to survive and ensure our existence for millions of years more with enough food, water and shelter.
The Greenpeace and World Wide Life earlier released reports on alarming information about pollution and toxic wastes. They said that the United States, as one of the world’s largest consumers and waste producers, plays a major role in the degradation of the earth. According to these organizations, in 1990, American industry emitted more than 2.4 billion pounds of toxic pollutants into the atmosphere. In 1991, 98 areas exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency’s recommended levels for ozone, and an estimated 140 million Americans lived in those areas.
Also in 1991, 76 areas exceeded recommended levels for carbon monoxide, 70 did so for particulate matter, and 50 did so for sulfur dioxide. Such air pollution levels have been associated with increased respiratory health problems among people living in the affected areas. According to the Healthy People 2000 report, each year in the United States —
• The health costs of human exposure to outdoor air pollutants range from $40 to $50 billion.
• An estimated 50,000 to 120,000 premature deaths are associated with exposure to air pollutants.
• People with asthma experience more than 100 million days of restricted activity, costs for asthma exceed $4 billion, and about 4,000 people die of asthma.
And this phenomenon is not isolated with the Americas. As inhabitants of the world we have a responsibility to protect and ensure our survival.
The www.monumentalmassage.com, a website advocating against global warming is suggesting 10 simple steps how we could contribute in fighting global warming.
1. Next time, buy a car that gets at least 30 miles per gallon (reduces carbon dioxide 2,500 pounds a year over a car that gets 10 mpg less.).
2. Where you can, choose an electric utility company that does not produce power from polluting sources such as fossil fuels and nuclear fission. (Enormous potential reductions in carbon dioxide emissions.)
3. Replace standard light bulbs with energy-efficient fluorescents. (Reduces emissions by 500 pounds per year light bulb.)
4. Replace worn-out home appliances with energy efficient models. (Reduces emissions by up to 3,000 pounds per year.)
5. Choose the best energy-saving models when you replace windows. (Reduces emissions up to 10,000 pounds per year.)
6. Wrap your water heater in an insulating jacket. (Reduces emissions up to 1,000 pounds per year.)
7. Install low-flow showerheads that use less water. (Reduces emissions up to 300 pounds per year.)
8. Ask your utility company for a home energy audit to pinpoint the biggest energy-wasters. (Potential reduction of thousands of pounds per year.)
9. Whenever possible, walk, bike, carpool or use mass transit. (Reduces emissions by 20 pounds for every gallon of gasoline used.)
10. Insulate walls and ceilings and save about 25% of home heating bills. (And reduce emissions by up to 2,000 pounds per year.)
We often contemplate and do soul-searching when we get burned and preoccupied with material things. We want peace. Physically and mentally, it is like a basic instinct for men to nurture his being.
But come to think of it. No matter what purpose we may be seeking, we always find ourselves working hard to live and survive in this place we call Earth.
Take away wealth, power, social stature, aspiration, dreams, goals and all others things we find “important” for ourselves and our families, we will be delighted to acknowledge that there are only three things that we really need to live and survive. These are food, water and shelter.
Food and water to keep us alive, literally and shelter to protect us from heat, cold or harm from wild animals (men included).
We can live without clothing if we want to. It is only our social norms that dictate abstract concepts such as “shame or decency.”
So in order for us to survive, we must protect and sustain our sources of food, water and shelter. Taken in totality, Mother Earth is the source of all of these. Taken individually, plants and animals, minerals are our sources of food; forests, trees, bodies of water, clouds and atmosphere the source of water; and bodies of land, forests, minerals the source of our shelter.
And if really care about ourselves and our children, we will help protect Mother Earth from all harm. In our own little ways, we can contribute to this cause if only to survive and ensure our existence for millions of years more with enough food, water and shelter.
The Greenpeace and World Wide Life earlier released reports on alarming information about pollution and toxic wastes. They said that the United States, as one of the world’s largest consumers and waste producers, plays a major role in the degradation of the earth. According to these organizations, in 1990, American industry emitted more than 2.4 billion pounds of toxic pollutants into the atmosphere. In 1991, 98 areas exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency’s recommended levels for ozone, and an estimated 140 million Americans lived in those areas.
Also in 1991, 76 areas exceeded recommended levels for carbon monoxide, 70 did so for particulate matter, and 50 did so for sulfur dioxide. Such air pollution levels have been associated with increased respiratory health problems among people living in the affected areas. According to the Healthy People 2000 report, each year in the United States —
• The health costs of human exposure to outdoor air pollutants range from $40 to $50 billion.
• An estimated 50,000 to 120,000 premature deaths are associated with exposure to air pollutants.
• People with asthma experience more than 100 million days of restricted activity, costs for asthma exceed $4 billion, and about 4,000 people die of asthma.
And this phenomenon is not isolated with the Americas. As inhabitants of the world we have a responsibility to protect and ensure our survival.
The www.monumentalmassage.com, a website advocating against global warming is suggesting 10 simple steps how we could contribute in fighting global warming.
1. Next time, buy a car that gets at least 30 miles per gallon (reduces carbon dioxide 2,500 pounds a year over a car that gets 10 mpg less.).
2. Where you can, choose an electric utility company that does not produce power from polluting sources such as fossil fuels and nuclear fission. (Enormous potential reductions in carbon dioxide emissions.)
3. Replace standard light bulbs with energy-efficient fluorescents. (Reduces emissions by 500 pounds per year light bulb.)
4. Replace worn-out home appliances with energy efficient models. (Reduces emissions by up to 3,000 pounds per year.)
5. Choose the best energy-saving models when you replace windows. (Reduces emissions up to 10,000 pounds per year.)
6. Wrap your water heater in an insulating jacket. (Reduces emissions up to 1,000 pounds per year.)
7. Install low-flow showerheads that use less water. (Reduces emissions up to 300 pounds per year.)
8. Ask your utility company for a home energy audit to pinpoint the biggest energy-wasters. (Potential reduction of thousands of pounds per year.)
9. Whenever possible, walk, bike, carpool or use mass transit. (Reduces emissions by 20 pounds for every gallon of gasoline used.)
10. Insulate walls and ceilings and save about 25% of home heating bills. (And reduce emissions by up to 2,000 pounds per year.)
