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September 26th’s Tip

Washing Machine: Front loading washers use 50% less water than top loaders. The clothes actually get cleaner with significantly less detergent as well!…

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10 Tips to Green Your Labor Day Weekend: Green & Organic Savings Friday
It s hard to believe that Labor Day is here already. I know so many folks who barely rested this summer. But summer s nearly over. That s why it s so important to take a break even a small one- this Labor Day weekend. And with worries about the economy weighing on so many people s minds, it s good [...]
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September 27th, 2008UncategorizedRead More >No Comments

By Adam Stein

The Freakonomics blog offers up a long-ish but lucid discussion of the ongoing financial crisis. I recommend the whole thing, but in a nutshell:

Financial institutions borrow money all the time to fund their investments. When the real estate bubble burst, a lot of those investments lost value rapidly, leaving banks such as Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers unable to borrow new money and unable to repay their existing debt. This situation can lead to a domino effect — "contagious failures" — in which borrowers are unable to repay lenders, who are then themselves sucked into the financial crisis.

The issue isn’t that all these banks are suddenly worthless. By all accounts, most of AIG’s business is quite healthy. Rather, the banks fail because they don’t have enough cash to cover their near-term debts, in much the same way that you can starve to death in your $3 million house if you don’t have cash to buy bread. So the federal government stepped in with bridge loans. By effectively guaranteeing that these companies will be able to repay their debt, the government hopes to stave off the contagion. But even if the intervention works, very few institutions want to loan out more money in this environment.

This credit crunch affects everyone who needs to borrow money: clean energy developers, homeowners, business owners, etc. The effects will be far-reaching:

We have not seen this much stress in the financial system since the Great Depression, so we do not have any recent history to rely upon in quantifying the magnitude of the slowdown. A recent educated guess by Jan Hatzius of Goldman Sachs suggests that G.D.P. growth will be just about 2 percentage points lower in 2008 and 2009.

This reminds me of another broad trend that I forgot to include on my list:

5) The economy. Although it is very difficult to make predictions about the direction of the economy, it appears likely the current downturn will continue for some time. Which is bad for the climate, mainly because of the way that a weak economy interacts with the other items on the list.

For example, slow growth saps the political will for dramatic action on climate change. Some legislative efforts, such as California’s A.B. 32, are probably too far along to be at major risk for derailment. RGGI in the northeast is also pretty far along, but not so far along that New York Gov. David Paterson wouldn’t consider bolting from the agreement. And, of course, federal legislation continues to lurch zombie-like around the halls of congress. The next president will have to expend a lot of political capital to pass a national carbon cap even under the best of circumstances. These are not the best of circumstances.

Also, as Sean notes, a weak economy could at least temporarily bring fossil fuel prices down. I continue to believe that the long-term trend in fossil fuel prices is up, up, up, but, as mentioned, volatility will muddy the investment picture for clean energy.

Scherer fire

By David Roberts

Time’s Michael Scherer wrote a dopey post trying to tag Obama for misleading ads. The Social Security part was dismantled by Media Matters, with additional notes from Josh Marshall and Atrios.

In an update, Scherer is unrepentant, claiming he was attacked because he dared question Obama. Of course, counterintuitively going after Obama for misleading ads at a time when the very air is thick with McCain campaign howlers is designed to get attention. But whatever. I’ll leave the SS part to others, but Scherer also says:

I find it telling that the good people of Media Matters/Atrios/TPM found no objection to the much more significant distortion I identify in the second Obama ad about McCain’s plans for alternative energy. I am sure they are all working on their own posts to chastise Obama about this distortion presently.

I hope they aren’t, because the thing is, Scherer was completely off target on the energy part too.

The central and rather bizarre complaint is that "instead of talking about the opponents’ plans, the ads talk about the opponents’ past votes … Candidates should argue with what their opponents say they will do, not with what can be inferred from a vote a decade ago." But why on earth wouldn’t past votes be relevant to the decision whether to trust a candidate’s campaign promises? Anyway, the votes referenced in Obama’s "Alternative" ad all took place in Bush’s second term, not "a decade ago." There was the 1995 energy bill (the ethanol and hybrids — though McCain’s nay vote was better on the merits) and the whole series of energy votes this past session.

Of course, if you do go back more than a decade, you’ll see McCain voted against clean air or clean energy some 50 times over his career … but that shouldn’t distract you from his plans!

Scherer also objects that McCain "does support specific tax incentives for alternatives to oil," though his plan is, "on the whole, not as generous, or costly to taxpayers" as Obama’s.

(Side note: if you’re only allowed to look at plans, well then Obama pays for every cent of every program he proposes and cuts taxes for 95 percent of families. So how is his plan more "costly to taxpayers"?)

As it happens, the ad says McCain voted against “alternative energy,” not “alternatives to oil” (the former contains the latter). If you go to McCain’s site as Scherer urges, it’s true you find tax incentives for zero-carbon cars, along with massive support for nuclear and clean coal. But on renewable tax credits, there’s only this:

To develop [wind and solar] and other sources of renewable energy will require that we rationalize the current patchwork of temporary tax credits that provide commercial feasibility. John McCain believes in an even-handed system of tax credits that will remain in place until the market transforms sufficiently to the point where renewable energy no longer merits the taxpayers’ dollars.

That is, you’ll note, hopelessly vague and noncommittal, but hey, it’s McCain’s plan — and that’s all Scherer says Obama is allowed to talk about. Obama’s not allowed to weigh this one vague paragraph against a life-long voting record that contradicts it.

Finally, Scherer objects that the "$4 billion in tax breaks to oil companies" Obama accuses McCain of supporting is a "nifty bit of misdirection," since the $4 billion would come from corporate tax cuts that would also benefit renewable energy corporations. It would just benefit them way, way less, since they are way, way smaller, and oil companies are the most profitable companies in history. So it’s a tax cut that would disproportionately benefit fossil fuels. Which is the point.

In short, the ad is correct both in its claims and in the overall impression it leaves. McCain really has voted against alternative energy; he really does favor oil companies.

Scherer should just acknowledge that he stepped on a rake, and move on. But I gather that’s now how they roll in Swampland.

Efficiency and trust

By David Roberts

I forgot two other things I wanted to note about the CARB study showing that California’s climate program will positively benefit the economy and public health.

First, and crucially, the press release notes that "the bulk of the economic benefits are the result of investments in energy efficiency that more than pay for themselves over time." Or in the stiff language of the report itself, "Positive impacts are anticipated primarily because the investments motivated by several measures result in substantial energy savings that more than pay back the cost of the investments at expected future energy prices."

This cannot be emphasized enough: the way climate legislation benefits the economy is primarily by stimulating investments in efficiency. Yes, renewable energies and technologies will be a tremendous boon in the long-term, but in the short term, it’s efficiencies — avoided costs — that turn the balance positive.

Carbon constraints (and other climate/energy policies) do this first by driving up the cost of the energy status quo, making previously marginal efficiency investments worth the effort. Second, they get people looking for efficiencies. Perhaps thanks to the continuing grip of our economic self-image as rational interest-maximizers, people underemphasize the role of custom and habit in these matters. Energy’s been cheap for a long time.

Second, also from the press release, "the results in the economic analysis may underestimate many economic benefits since the models do not include lower costs from innovation and improved technologies expected under a market-based program."

So CARB is self-consciously conservative in its economic outlook. Radical technological innovation is a weird beast in these debates. By its very nature it can’t be predicted, so it’s difficult to model. But U.S. experience has shown that environmental regulations do spur innovation and improvement, despite the inevitable conservative economic doomsaying.

There’s no way to say where and when innovation will occur, but it occurs. There’s a degree of trust and self-confidence involved that’s difficult to capture in cost-benefit language, but it is at the heart of public policy and we shouldn’t pretend it doesn’t exist.

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Read about yoga types (Hatha, Ashtanga, Bikram, Kundalini, Iyengar), effects (stress management, improved flexibility), statistics, poses and postures, and history.
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Even as the four-day impasse between the municipal corporation and agitating employees ended here today after a four-hour stormy meeting in the mayor s office, the state government has given nod to recruit 600 employees to make the holy city clean

Sri Lanka government wants to grow its own marijuana - Reuters India
COLOMBO (Reuters) - Sri Lanka’s government wants to grow its own marijuana. Facing a lack of the fresh weed for use in traditional Ayurvedic medical preparations, the government ministry responsible wants to be excepted from laws that have made

Ayurveda admissions stalled in state - Indian Express
Mumbai, September 23 Central Council of Indian Medicine approves only 100 of 200 post-graduate seats this year Students seeking admissions in Ayurveda colleges in the state are in a quandary as only 100 out of 200 post graduate seats have been given

September 25th, 2008UncategorizedRead More >No Comments

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Migraines and Hormones – A Natural Approach
It’s estimated that 40 million Americans suffer from chronic headaches. Headaches are one of the leading causes of missed work or school. So why is it that so many of us suffer from such annoying and often debilitating pains in the head? Honestly, there are several reasons.

Some of the most common triggers of migraines are stress, food allergies, caffeine withdrawal, medications, lack of sleep, extreme weather conditions, blood sugar fluctuations, and hormone imbalances.

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When Linda Taubenreuther suffered an acute attack of labyrinthitis - an inner-ear balance disorder - 12 years ago, her whole world was sent into the spin cycle. But it wasn’t long after the Monrovia resident enrolled in yoga classes at the city’s click here to reach the nature

It was like any seaside picnic, with family members sitting on folding chairs, colorful umbrellas and a cooler full of sodas. The only unusual thing was the steel mesh fence running through the middle of it. On a recent Sunday, the Sotomayor family click here to reach the nature

September 24th, 2008UncategorizedRead More >No Comments

In this issue, I’m going to tell you of a power-breathing method that is proven to help overcome blues, negativity, stress, depression – all, in a minute!!

Almost ALL mind-body schools and cults have used this single mind-detoxification technique in some form or the other - with dramatic results!! More importantly, it is the ONLY technique used exclusively for mind purification among all the Yoga cleansing routines.

It is called cleansing breath or “kapalbhati” in Sanskrit.

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Feb 3, Sensible diet weight loss for all
Tips for sensible diet weight loss
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Click on above to go to Product Pages See Info & Testimonial page for address, return policy and What’s New?

Natural Life Centers - What does NLC stand for? Acronyms and
Acronym Definition; NLC: Nalco Chemical Company: NLC: Nantucket Land Council (Nantucket, MA) NLC: Naples Language Center (Florida, USA) NLC: National Labor College

Healthy Pet Food- Premium Dog Food All Natural Cat Food Holistic Pet
Healthy Pet Food for your Pets Health, Lifes Abundance Premium Pet Food. Buy All Natural Dog, Holistic Cat Food, Natural Pet Care Products from HealthyPetNet


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Four years ago, Jessica Soske of Berkeley was diagnosed with a rare neuro-endocrine disease that affects the use of her muscles. She had a tough time coping and coming to terms with her body’s changes. Soske, a former attorney, tends to get stuck in
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September 23rd, 2008UncategorizedRead More >No Comments

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Just Another Day In September . . .

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Osprey Pushed Off Nest!

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Thank you for stopping by our corporate website, feel free to browse around and also check out our business oportunities to the right. Natural Life Group was formed from a desire more on natural here

Premium Images of Life Lived Naturally in an Active World. Featured Photographers Brian Patterson: Jody Neice: Harold R. Stinnette: Leisa Hennessy more on natural here


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September 22nd, 2008UncategorizedRead More >No Comments

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Theme Update
I know, I know, I just recently did this, but I wanted to tweak it a bit more. It’s essentially the same, just more organized, I think. The sidebar looks better to me as a double sidebar, and I like the header image being separated from the content by not also being on a white background. Also, social bookmarking links should be more easily accessible at the bottom of the posts now.

I am currently working out some kinks, so if you see any problems or if the site returns any errors, let me know through the contact form, or leave a comment here. I’ve already fixed every mistake I’ve found so far, and I’ve tested in a few browsers, but I only have access to so many and can’t test everywhere!

Focus Organic for 2008….

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A Cloudy Day: Sky Watch Friday

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September 21st, 2008UncategorizedRead More >No Comments

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Au Revoir La Taxe Pique-Nique : France Drops Carbon Tax Plan Days After It s Proposed
photo: Trey Ratcliff Just a quick update on a post I did earlier this week. Three days after news of a proposed eco-tax in France on a range of consumer goods surfaced, the word now is that no such tax will be introduced. Modeled on the existing bonus-malus system for taxing polluting automobiles, the tax would have been on a range of consumer goods such as washing machines, dishwashers, and (the origin of the name given to it by the opposition…) disposable plastic dinnerware. Why was this c…

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Natural Life Chiropractic - Healthy Wellness
Natural Life Chiropractic provides a natural approach to your well being with a total wellness solution straight out of Brea, California.


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September 20th, 2008UncategorizedRead More >No Comments

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