How about green instead of red, white, and blue?

Just kidding! Of course you should celebrate tomorrow and go all out too. It's the perfect time to reconnect with your friends and family. As with any holiday, there will be barbeques, get-togethers, and all sorts of parties, and we all know what that means, lots of trash! Let me give you some hints on how to make it a green (environmentally) and a festive occasion for all to enjoy. Set up receptacles for all those cans (soda, alcohol, etc.) and bottles to be recycled Use real utensils instead of plastic like those all too well-known red cups Buy items in bulk with the least amount of packaging Encourage carpooling to the location of the festive occasion Use charcoal instead of propane, since it comes from wood and not fossil fuels Even if you don't celebrate this holiday, these are great tips for any party. Have lots of fun and be safe!

Staying cool in the summer months

Today is the day when the sun reaches its most northerly point in the sky for the northern hemisphere and that's what we call the summer solstice. At exactly 4:59pm you'll be able to experience this magnificent event welcoming the summer season, at least in good ol' Southern California. With that in mind, it's also time to prepare for the heat to come. Actually, it's already here. Today is one of the hottest days of the year so I'm sure that many have turned on their air conditioners to keep cool. Remember that doing this affects our environment by releasing harmful chloro-fluoro-carbons (CFC's) which damage our ozone layer. There are several ways that you can keep your home cool in an environmentally friendly way, so make sure that you make use of these great tips! Keep the heat out by closing drapes and window. You'll reduce the amount of heat in your home, therefore requiring less energy to cool it. If you have window or ceiling fans, use them instead of the AC. When you do use your AC it's recommended to keep the temperature at about 25 degrees C or 77 degrees F. Also turn off the AC once your home has reached a comfortable temperature and of course when nobody's home. When cooking, use your range fan to vent the hot air out of your house. Have some cold water or lemonade. It's amazing how this can keep you cool if you didn't know! If you have a pool, take advantage of it and have some fun! Wear clothes that breathe, like cotton or linen. You can also minimize what you wear at home too!

It's Father's Day on Sunday!

Is it the usual wallet, t-shirt, cologne, or tool that you're thinking to gift the father-figure in your life this weekend? Why not really take the time to think about what he might love while being creative to stay in tune with the environment as well. Some ideas include a folding bike, a radio made from sustainable wood, an electric lawn mower, a recyclable wine rack, or a suit made from recycled bottles. Did you even know that this kind of stuff existed? Well, it does and you can find out more about this stuff at www.treehugger.com. Remember to buy a recycled father's day card!

Bike, Bike, Bike!!!

Did you know that May is National Bike Month? The League of American Bicyclists (LAB) celebrates each year by biking as much as possible to promote the benefits of cycling, show us how much fun it can be, and show us how useful it can be to get around. Of course I mention this because it is such an environmentally sound means of transportation. You don't use any fuel except yourself and I know that you have plenty of energy to jump on a bike today. Lots of events take place around the week of May 12-16th and Friday the 16th, today, is Bike to Work day. I know that most of you are already wrapping up your day, but it's still May, so you can still celebrate. For a listing of events going on around the country please visit Bike Month Special Events. And for a little bit of history and 50 quick tips on how to celebrate this month please visit 50 Things for Bike Month.

It's Children's Day too!

We all know its Mother's Day this weekend and I can only reiterate to you some basic information when you buy those special gifts: shop local, organic, recycled and sustainable whether its flowers, makeup, cards or fancy lotions. We must also remember that this special day wouldn't exist if it weren't for our children and it's probably a good idea to start instilling some earth-friendly habits while they're young. If your child's school is nearby, have them walk or ride their bike to and from school. Not comfortable with that? The next easy solution is carpooling with other kids or taking the school bus if provided. Buy your children recycled school materials. Pack their lunches in reusable containers. Make gardening a family activity. Celebrate Mother Earth with your children this weekend!!!

Shedding some light on GreenSwitch™

Green what? As in "light switch?" Yep that's right. Today is a big day... it's EARTH DAY! 38 years ago marked the first officially celebrated Earth Day in the U.S. and as we look back in time we can see the huge strides that have been made since: increased environmental awareness, boosted recycling efforts, promotion of clean energy, and many other fascinating developments. As we continue to integrate earth-friendly practices into our lives we undoubtedly preserve that which is necessary to live in a harmonically wealthy environment for future generations. Whether this is achieved by simply using that one cup of water to brush your teeth or going full on by installing solar panels in your home, there is always something more that you can do. This brings me back to GreenSwitch™, a simple, effective, and modern technology used to conserve energy in your home. Essentially, it is an energy management system connected to your wall plugs, light switches, and thermostat which you can program to turn off in any designated combination with one simple switch. You can retrofit the system into your current home or add it during construction and you'll ultimately save time, energy, and money. For more exciting and detailed information visit www.greenswitch.tv and stay tuned for more exciting developments!

In preparation for Earth Day...

The official date is only 4 days away, but there are still plenty of activities you'll be able to participate in before then. I recommend that you take a look at your local informative resources such as newspapers to find out what kind of events are going on in your area. In order to help you prepare for a weekend of informative and fun activities, I've compiled a list of the most commonly used green terms and their definitions so that you'll know exactly what everyone is talking about at these events. ORGANIC: used to describe the growth of vegetables, fruits, etc without the use of artificial pesticides, fertilizers, GMOs, hormones, etc. Products come from a natural source in the most natural way. RENEWABLE: refers to a natural resource that can be replenished so that they aren't permanently depleted such as solar energy, hydro power, wind power, and also fast-growing bamboo. RECLAIMED or RECYCLED: materials that are used for the production of something new instead of being thrown away and eventually ending up at a landfill. SUSTAINABLE: refers to practices that are able to fulfill the needs of the current generation without compromising those of future generations, essentially doing no lasting harm to the environment. FAIR TRADE: this refers to the socially responsible movement that promotes sustainable practices by companies in the production of goods that incorporate healthy working conditions and support local economies. BIODEGRADABLE: material that can be broken down and decomposed by microorganisms into simple substances. These substances are reabsorbed into the ecosystem and not harmful to the environment. These are just a few of the many terms used in greenspeak. Have fun celebrating Earth Day this weekend!

Earth Day is April 22nd

I dare you to get even more involved after the highly successful global Earth Hour event held a couple of weeks ago. Earth Day is just around the corner and there is so much going on around the world that I've compiled a simple list of the biggest events so that you can participate. Green Apple Festival: produced in partnership with Earth Day Network, this is one of the largest U.S. widespread events that will include music entertainment by top artists and interactive exhibits in order to increase environmental awareness. These events are completely free and will be hosted in the biggest cities including Washington DC, New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, and Dallas. Visit http://www.greenapplemusicfestival.com/ for further details. Shift Green: This two-day event will be held in Tokyo on April 19-20th which will focus on environmentally friendly energy sources, will provide organic & locally produced food from a variety of restaurants & cafes on site, and will host an organic farmer's market. There will also be many more types of booths available with an assortment of products. This event will run entirely on 100% green energy. Visit http://ww2.earthday.net/~earthday/Tokyo for more information. Catalunya Earth Fair: This event will also be held on the 19-20th and will be hosted in Barcelona. Their theme for this year is to fight against genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Visit http://ww2.earthday.net/~earthday/Barcelona for more information. Make sure that you walk, bike, or take public transportation to get to one of these events. And if you don't make it, I encourage you to look into your local publication or participate in a simple activity like planting a tree. Have some fun in the sun!

Earth Hour on March 29th...

Something big is happening tomorrow, March 29th at 8PM... There's a huge global event taking place tomorrow night. I know it's late notice, but it's really just that important. By now you're aware that I'm extremely committed to keeping our planet in an ever-increasing state of harmony through health, vibrancy and abundance, which is why I've committed myself and my business to being green and asked you to do the same. Now I'm asking you to step up to the plate tomorrow night... So here's the scoop. It's called Earth Hour, and it's so simple to participate, yet it's powerful beyond imagination. You won't even believe the impact you'll make. How? By turning off all lights for just one hour tomorrow night, Saturday, March 29, starting at 8PM (your local time). That's right, for just one hour. This event was created by the World Wildlife Fund in Sydney, Australia in 2007... and the impact it created was so huge that it's blossomed to a global event within only a year. Last year, it reduced Sydney's energy consumption by a whopping 10.2% for one hour, which is the equivalent of taking 48,000 cars off the road for a year! Well, they're doing the same thing tomorrow night, but this time it's global and with many more millions of people around the world involved. Imagine the impact! Please join me in bringing harmony to the earth tomorrow night. Go ahead, turn out those lights! For more information about Earth Hour and what you can do, watch the video below or visit www.earthhour.org. To your continued wealth and happiness, James Arthur Ray President/CEO James Ray International P.S. In case you missed it, Harmonic Wealth is coming...

NBC Universal Green Week

NBC Universal's new "Green is Universal" campaign kicked off Nov. 4th with a week of green-themed programming aimed at entertaining, informing and empowering Americans to lead greener lives. Their Green page contains green tips, videos, guides and more... For example, check out the Days of Our Lives guide to creating a green wedding. I don't advocate heavy TV watching, but if you need to get it out of your system, this is a good week to do so!