Dawn is just cresting the mountain ridge as you hike silently up to your favorite spot, a perch where you can see â?? unseen by other hikers. Here, you position yourself to meditate. The golden rays paint the rocks, and trees glisten with their own energy. You reach out to embrace the view. Suddenly, it feels as if your spirit leaves your body and becomes a part of all around you. Then, just as suddenly, you are back inside your own skin wondering what just happened.

You had a transcendental experience, leaving this â??mortal coilâ? to join with all that is the universe, to become one with creation. It is an awe-inspiring experience that may last for only an instant but leave its impact for a lifetime.

If you are lucky enough to have had an experience similar to this, you have had a vision of the world as it truly isâ?¦where everything is connected to everything else. As Martin Luther King said, â??we are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destinyâ?¦â? This is the core tenet of sustainability, understanding that we humans are not the masters of the Earth.  We are part of and connected to everything that exists.  When we understand this most basic concept, all that we do to pursue sustainability becomes almost self-evident.

The Need for Thinking Sustainably
Why do we, at this time in history, need to be concerned with sustainability? For many scientists, economists, and sociologists, there is mounting evidence that humans have been sowing the seeds of their own extinction. Many believe that, unless immediate corrective actions are taken, civilizations and humanity itself are headed for global catastrophes.

According to the World Resources Institute, at least 3.5 billion people, more than half of the world’s current population, are expected to experience water shortages by 2025. As the population continues to soar, the worldâ??s fisheries and agricultural productivity are in decline. Global heating is threatening to raise sea levels and dry up water resources all over the world. Meanwhile, the warming atmosphere spawns highly variable weather with devastating storms, snows in the South, heat waves in the North and the paradoxical possibility of a new Ice Age.

Economic disparity is also growing worldwide. Today, a few hundred billionaires control more wealth than all the people in the 45 poorest countries.  Political upheaval, religious fanaticism and ongoing conflicts destroy the environment, lives and communities. While these are not new phenomena, technology has made them global in their impacts.

As the Chinese curse states, we now live in interesting times. And that is why there is a renewed interest in sustainability spreading across the planet.

To Be or Not To Beâ?¦Sustainable
Apparently, there seems to be some controversy and misunderstanding about the term, sustainability. It is becoming politicized, primarily by those who either do not understand what it means or who feel threatened by its concepts.

Simply put, sustainability means the ability to last, to continue existing in oneâ??s chosen state. To be sustainable, you must appreciate the conditions in which you live and limit the demands your chosen life makes on those conditions. To be sustainable, we must take only what we need and preserve the resources and capabilities needed so future generations can thrive.

We must work together to create strong economies, healthy communities and a preserved natural environment. Are we living within the carrying capacity of the Earth?  Are we taking only what the Earth can continually provide? Are we contributing positively to our communities and the natural environment?  The answer to those questions will determine what kind of future we are leaving to those who follow us.

There are lessons in sustainability to be learned every dayâ?¦if one pays attention to the natural world around us.

Learn from Nature
All life as we know it on Earth lives within a â??closed system.â?Â  Nothing enters Earthâ??s system in any measurable quantity except sunlight. The seeds for all new life come from existing life. All plants, animals, insects and humans gather their food and water from what exists on Earth. At the end of each life, everything must cycle back to the Earth to sustain the future. That is the Cycle of Life, and it is bound by physical laws that cannot be broken.
The Cycle of Life links all living things together. We depend on each other, on all living things, for our survival. Yet, knowing that we need a healthy natural environment and an ongoing Cycle of Life, we humans are the only species that actively works to break the Cycle of Life.
To build our modern societies, we take resources out of the natural environment, use them and then dispose of them as wastes. During the course of that linear process, we generate all sorts of pollution. The result is that, unlike other species in nature, we deplete natural resources, destroy natural habitats and, consequently, threaten our own existence. 

Seeking Balance: Economy, Community, Environment
In Nature, organisms strive for balance or homeostasis within their ecosystems. Take the time to sit and observe a tree, a stream or any small natural area. Youâ??ll find it rich with life, even in desert areas. Within a small ecosystem, you can see the interdependency of life in action. Plants grow together helping each gain water and minerals from the soil. Insects, birds and animals find food and shelter among the plants. Youâ??ll notice there is no waste. Everything serves as food for everything else.

Everywhere you look there is a natural balance that continues until some external forces upset it. Then, each system, together with its living components, works to regain that balance. To become sustainable, we must think holistically and work collectively to find balance within ourselves, our families, our economy, our communities and the natural environment.

Letâ??s start with economy. Notice that it has the same root word, ECO, from the Greek for home or where we live. Economy means managing where we live. It means thoughtful use of resources to sustain life. In todayâ??s society, we consider economy in terms of the flow of dollars. That is not our economy. It is only one inaccurate way to measure our economy.

Genuine Progress Indicators measure how well we are doing. To learn more, visit Redefining Progress at www.rprogress.org.

So to begin to gain balance with our economy, we need to think about it differently and measure progress differently. How do we know when our economy is improving? Certainly, it is not by the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) that only tracks the flow of dollars. We know it by measurable improvements in our quality of life.

Are children healthy and doing well in school? Does every child have access to a good education? Are people who work earning livable wages? Is good housing affordable for all? Is the air clean and healthy to breathe? Are the elderly and infirm well provided for? Is the water abundant and safe to drink? Are communities healthy and safe from crime and war? Are more people working using less energy and materials to create more value to society?  In each of these questions lie fabulous economic opportunities. When the answer to these questions is â??Yes,â? then we are beginning to produce a healthy, balanced economy.

Connecting, Engaging, Supporting
Strengthening communities begins with understanding our connections to each other. We are all more alike than we are different. Knowing this allows us to celebrate our differences in ways that enrich all our lives. Knowing that we all share a â??single garment of destinyâ? can lead us to overcome old antagonisms and work for the common good. Together, as good neighbors, we can conceive a collective vision and develop the will to achieve it.

Creating healthy, balanced communities requires engagement. We need to be involved with others at different levels in our society, depending upon our interests and our talents. Some of us may be great at arranging neighborhood gatherings. Others may feel the need to volunteer at the local school or with a civic group. There are the natural politicians among us who can represent us at the town council. All of us can become informed and vote.

Restoring and preserving our natural environment is fundamental to sustainability. Learning the lessons of nature, we can more closely integrate ourselves into the Cycle of Life where everything contributes to the whole and nothing is wasted. We can all do simple things.

Eat lower down on the food chain. Locally produced fruits, vegetables and grains take less from the Earth than processed foods. Take shorter showers. Get out of your car and walk or bike. Form carpools and use public transportation when you can. Become knowledgeable about ways to conserve and lead simpler, more rewarding lives.

Stay in Contact
Our modern lives have disengaged us from our communities and the natural world. We have the opportunity and the need to re-engage for our own well-being and that of everyone on the planet. Connected, each one of us can do our part, and as we do, the whole becomes stronger and more vibrant.

So take the time. Make meaningful contact with those around you. Support those in need. Share your feelings about the issues of today and your dreams for tomorrow. Contribute your talents and good works to the true economy that benefits all.

Go to Nature. Learn from her. Find that special place for yourself where you can reach out to become one with everything around you. There you can awaken within yourself the power of your sustainable spirit.

When we discuss the environment, as with any topic, there are as many opinions as people and some will take their points to the extreme- either extreme.

The true need is for each of us to understand that we are borrowing the space we have here on earth for but a short time. When we borrow something, should we not be responsible and do our best to return it in the same or better condition in which we received it? We would expect that of a neighbor who borrowed a tool would we not?

The solution is in learning how to coexist with and “re”learn how to take care of and respect the things of this earth. Let us find ways to teach each other alternative methods for working with nature.

My grandpa was a farmer and my grandma, being part American Indian, was inherently a naturalist. When I was a young girl it was their guidance that taught me things like; garlic and marigolds planted with the crops kept the bugs from “eatin’ everything ‘afore we get it to the kitchen”. And of course Grandma would insist that it was the peppermint she had planted ’round the outside that kept the bugs from goin’ in the house. There were no pesticides to be found on the farm but the vegetables and the flower gardens always produced in abundance.

She always said: God didn’t put anything here by accident. He gave us everything we need. My grandmother knew how to use almost every plant or weed that grew in the Midwest. It’s those little bits of knowledge that I treasure most, like; ‘If you find poison ivy you can also grab the cure right from the ground (Spotted forget-me-not) normally not too far off’, or that steaming your head in bayberry leaves will kick out the nastiest of colds, or that vanilla is a good insect repellent, and the list goes on. Today, I realize I should have paid much closer attention.

I am not an extremist and I am not the greenest. I do respect the land and space that I borrow and try to be conscious of my behavior. There are things I don’t do because of cost, there I things I don’t do because of necessity (like trying to earn a living) or because I do enjoy some of the little luxuries of modern day like watching a little TV before bed, but I am mindful of what I do.

We DO compost our kitchen scraps, we DO plan vehicle trips to make every trip as effective and efficient as possible, we DO turn off the water while we brush our teeth and lots of other little things. We look for ways to do a better job of living green because it is the right thing to do. Most often living greener does not require a lot of effort, and frequently it even saves us some money; like the rain barrels we have used for years to water our vegetable garden and flowers.

I know barely a tenth of what my Grandma knew and she always was trying to learn more. Perhaps what we all need is a good teacher…

Complete video at: fora.tv Earth Pledge president Leslie Hoffman argues that modern life discourages thinking about the origins or effects of everyday consumption. “A New York kid could think that food comes from a waiter,” she says, “and nobody thinks about where it goes when we flush the toilet.” Hoffman believes that promoting an understanding of these processes can create enthusiasm for sustainable values and policies. —– Is fashion getting less flash and more substance? As sustainable production becomes a global concern, emerging vogues might tend more to simplicity. In an effort to reinvigorate a tactile consumer experience, innovative designers are developing slow clothing built to last and ethically manufactured with a thoughtful approach to the creative process. A panel of experts explores the complexities and sustainability of fast life and fast fashion in the 21st century – The New School Leslie Hoffman, president and executive director of Earth Pledge, holds a degree in architecture and design, and worked as a carpenter and green builder for ten years. She has led the Earth Pledge team since 1994. Hoffman is an avid gardener who has maintained a small organic coffee farm in Hawaii since 1990.

Andy Lipkis on “Water and Urban Runoff” as part of theEducation for Sustainable Living Program (ESLP). ESLP is a student designed, student developed, and student facilitated program offered through ucla’s Institute of the Environment. ESLP runs a Lecture Series which brings guest speakers from UCLA and across the country to speak on specialized subjects including food systems, green business, organic gardens, sustainable living, the green economy, environmental justice, transportation, as well as sustainability projects across Los Angeles. More information can be found at www.eslp-la.com. Andy Lipkis began planting trees to rehabilitate smog- and fire-damaged forests when he was 15 years old. He founded the nonprofit environmental organization treepeople and has served as president since 1973. Some clips and images may have been blurred or removed to avoid copyright infringement. * See all the UCLA Education for Sustainable Living classes in this series: www.youtube.com * See more courses from UCLA: www.youtube.com * See more from ucla’s main channel on youtube: www.youtube.com

Teach the Children

My children love the outdoors, because my wife and I expose them to it. They also love computers, and I am sure if we exposed them to fast foods they would love that as well. Itâ??s all about making good choices and being a good example. Iâ??m not talking about wearing hemp clothing or eating granola all day long although there are those who do. You do not have to be that committed to be a part of the â??Green Initiativeâ?. For those who merely have a healthy respect for the world we live in and want to take action to help improve the environment, there are many simple changes that we can make, and teach our children to do the same.

Recycling

There is more to recycling than paper, plastic and bottles. Organic waste is one of the largest contributors to landfills which causes methane gas, the principle component of natural gas, is released into the atmosphere and is a contributing factor in the depletion of the ozone layer, which in turn plays a major part in global warming. Organic waste such as leaves, grass clippings, and non-animal food scraps do not decompose efficiently enough in landfills yet makes the best compost for your vegetable garden, flowers, trees and shrubs.

Composting is Easy

Composting can also be fun, especially if you enjoy gardening, and are even more rewarding when you think about the thousands of acres of open space being saved through the very simple practice of recycling and composting. All good gardeners know that there is nothing better for your plants and turf than good old fashioned hand made compost. There are many different types of composters on the market today that make the task of composting very easy and will protect against attracting stray or wild animals. You can even quicken the process of making compost by using safe and organic composting accelerators giving you compost within a few weeks.

Use Organic Products

Using organic fertilizers and control products also cuts down on soil, air and ground water pollution. Sure itâ??s easy to buy a bag of name brand fertilizer or pesticide; however it is just as easy to find organic products now more than ever. In fact, it is also just as cheap. The larger name brand companies are beginning to put out their own lines of organic gardening products, so be sure to keep an eye out.

Getting Rid of Insects

Rather than spraying for insects which would be both timely and costly, install a bat box or two in your trees and let them take care of the bugs for you! Adding ladybugs or praying mantis to your garden is much more fun than spraying weekly for bugs. If you live in a rural area and zoning allows for livestock, chickens are an amazing bug control. Yes, just a couple of chickens running loose in your yard will eat up to 1 million fleas and ticks daily.

Conserving Water

Where droughts are prevalent each year conserving water is a must. Watering your yard can account for up to 40% of water consumption. Catching rainwater with rain barrels to water your yard or garden is just as easy as dragging out your hose and will save you a substantial amount of money on your water bill. One 80 gallon rain barrel can capture 3,275 gallons of water per year and youâ??ll be putting the water back into the underground aquifer. Not routing rainwater from your roof to your garden will only serve to tax drainage systems rather than benefit vegetation or replenish natural, underground aquifers.

Most rain barrels are made from either 100% recycled plastic or reused food industry barrels, so either way you will also be putting renewable resources to good use and your plants and flowers will thank you for it.

Plant a Tree

Every tree planted helps remove CO2 from our atmosphere, depletion of the ozone layer. There are many other benefits to growing trees in your own yard or community for that matter. They provide homes and a safe haven for the many wild animals that still reside among us. Mature trees help shade our home from the sun, cutting down on energy consumption when using air conditioning. One of the more proactive and well established non-profit organizations is the Arbor Day Foundation which encourages the planting and care of trees worldwide.

Pervious Patios and Walkways

For every 1,000 square feet of pervious patio, driveways or walkways, you can prevent an average of 12,100 gallons of storm water runoff from going into your communities drain system. This same water will help to recharge our lakes, wetlands and groundwater.

Make a List

There are many changes that you can to help improve our environment. Gather everyone in your household and discuss how your family can contribute to the health of the world we live in. Children are the most receptive to new ideas and will have a lot of fun making their own top ten lists. By making good choices today, our children will make even better choices tomorrow.

For rented apartments green living follows many of the same rules as a free standing detached home. Thus, apartment dwellers can follow the same rules of green living for eco-friendly existence. For example, some residents in Toronto apartments in Canada use solar heating for pool water, hand cranking electric device chargers, and rainwater catchment for additional energy savings and conservation of natural resources in everyday living. Same is true for the Washington apartments in the States.

Green living in an apartment might mean community areas with more efficient lighting and new lower energy light bulbs, as well as replacing all the light bulbs in the apartment home with lower wattage light bulbs that provide “background” and area lighting without overlighting the home and wasting energy. Don’t be afraid to Rent apartments in old buildings. In many apartment buildings and structures, outdated wiring and circuitry can be removed and small energy utilizing lighting can be installed. Sensor lighting at night and community awareness can be used to prevent the need for overly bright security lights burning in apartment community areas and parking structures all night long.

Replacing old wiring or using solar powered night lights in BC Apartments
can reduce energy bills, as can turning off devices like computers or lights. Modern thinking on green living has residents unplugging their devices from the walls entirely to guard against unnecessary power waste. Rainwater catchment in reservoirs or tanks has caught on for laundry and watering of apartment grounds. The use of gray water or “used” household water for watering plants and gardens has taken hold in many green living communities in Washington DC Apartments.

Apartment rental rules in many Canadian cities follow the concepts of sustainable energy and planet inhabitance without unnecessary damage to the environment via chemical or unnatural means. But green living in New York apartments can mean fewer loads of laundry or requesting the apartment manager to use lower water and energy usage appliances in the community laundry room. Compost aided gardens and herb and vegetable gardens have been encouraged in apartment buildings which support green living.

Management issues in apartment rentals will occur unique to the area the apartment building is located in and the tenants who dwell in it. Canadian green living involves reduction of noise as an element of sustainable living. Reduction of consumer waste, re-use of water, clothing and resources, and recycling of materials that qualify are green living standards in Canada.

Different types of renters in apartments have different types of perceptions about what is acceptable behavior in a community setting or family residence. Toronto Apartments tenants may perceive late night visitors arriving at a neighbor’s door at eleven o’clock at night too late, while New York City apartments tenants may feel it is normal. Managers of must juggle tenant issues and conflicts.

The closeness and proximity of sound and vibration in apartment living makes these items management issues. Green living may not be a priority for some tenants who leave televisions on all night or use air conditioning around the clock. But where the rental apartment manager is concerned, utilities paid by the property management company such as pool heating, gas-powered hot water heating, and landscape watering costs should be kept as low as possible. This will often intersect with green living tenants of water use.

For further assistance on apartments for rent, rent apartments, apartment rentals, Toronto apartments, BC apartments, New York apartments, New York City apartments, Washington apartments and Washington DC apartments, Log on http://www.apartmentground.com

www.watchmojo.com finds out about sustainable living and some cool new products that are sustainable but don’t sacrifice style or design.

In this section are 10 more things you can do as an individual or along with family members to shrink your ecological footprint while retaining your quality of life, thereby making the future of our planet much brighter.

•Drive less
Walk, bike, and ride-share more.

•Eat Greener
Eat lower on the food chain – it’s good for the planet.

•Energy Efficiency
Make your home energy and water efficient.

•Think Beyond Grass
Let your lawn go natural for wildlife.

•Perfect Paper
Save trees by reducing your junk mail and using paper with 100% post-consumer waste content.

•Recycle Electronics
Recycle all computer diskettes, CD discs, videos and batteries, and shift to using less hazardous, rechargeable Nickel-Metal Hydride batteries.

•Reuse Whenever Possible
Drink more water, and use reusable mugs and dining-ware.

•Recycle Everything Else
Recycle your aluminum, glass, and plastic products, as well as newspapers and mixed paper.

•Contribute
Make a contribution to conservation by supporting local, national, and international environmental non-profits.

•Get Involved Locally
Take conservation actions in your own community

Make it green 

evolved out of our sincere interest in and dedication to sustainable living.  We began regreening our own home years ago, when John was first introduced to green living concepts through green building projects while working as a Certified Independent Contractor on Earth Advantage and other green building construction.    

Regreening is a process, as is making any sustainable life change.  We continue to make improvements on our own home and in our own lives almost every day.  As we learn more, we change more.  So the idea for Make It Green came out of our own desire to start changing our habits and our planet at home.  Quickly, we realized the potential for everyone to benefit from this process, and we couldn’t help but start to set up to spread the message.  

Make It Green wants you to know that living green doesn’t have to require massive sacrifice.  You don’t have to sit in the dark all night.  You don’t have to stop taking hot showers.  And, for crying out loud, you don’t have to go out and purchase a brand new green home!  No!  Living green is comfortable, safe, healthy, sustainable, and affordable.  And we want to help you understand how to start improving on the quality of your life, on the quality of life in Central Oregon and beyond, by working with one household at a time.

Week 2: Environmental and Social Justice Michael Cox and D’Artagnan Scorza join theEducation for Sustainable Living Program (ESLP) speaker series. ESLP is a student designed, student developed, and student facilitated program offered through ucla’s Institute of the Environment. ESLP runs a Lecture Series which brings guest speakers from UCLA and across the country to speak on specialized subjects including food systems, green business, organic gardens, sustainable living, the green economy, environmental justice, transportation, as well as sustainability projects across Los Angeles. More information can be found at www.eslp-la.com. Michael Cox is from the California Student Sustainability Coalition, a body of students and student groups working to promote student involvement with UC faculty, staff and administration in collaboration with the UC Office of the President and the UC Board of Regents, to implement environmentally sound practices in the UC system and to unite and empower students throughout the state with the common goal of assuring a sustainable future for California and the world. D’Artagnan Scorza is a member of the UC Board of Regents, he participates in the Universitys governance and advocates for equity and inclusion, affordability and access for future generations of students. His emphasis on clean energy and sustainable practices supports the Universitys environmental-friendly policies. Some clips and images may have been blurred or removed to avoid copyright infringement. * See all the UCLA Education for Sustainable Living classes in this series www.youtube.com * See more courses from UCLA: www.youtube.com * See more from ucla’s main channel on youtube: www.youtube.com