WE are home to many of the top Environmental Scholars, Scientists and even our Ex VP, Al Gore, has won numerous accolades for his work on Global warming.  Everywhere I go I see people with T shirts, bags and bumper stickers with Environmental messages.
So, how did we end up LAST on a poll which lists climate change as a priority???
On a scale of 1-10, Mexico was above a 9.  Irag and Palestine were around 5 and we we clocked in at 4.71.
What is going to take for Americans to wake up!!!
Gas prices are up, we have water rations in LA, food prices are up.
Does anyone see the connection??
What are you going to say to your Kids when they get older when they ask.
Why didn't you do anything???

Melodie Meyer

That's the reason, according to Scientists at the Center for Research on Environmental Decisions at Columbia University, why People don't feel an urgent need to change their behavior towards being more sustainable.

We are wired to respond to the most immediate threats.  Ones that are seen, heard or smelled.

Climate change doesn't offer any of those sensory signals, so humans don't feel the need to react. People don't see how say changing a lightbulb or recycyling can possibly solve a problem that has been created by millions of People and Corporations.

Another reason for People being apathetic is the unwillingness to sacrifice decisions based on immediate costs.  Giving up a certain standard of living that some people feel they deserve or decisions based on emotions are deterants.  If feels good to go shopping.  Emotions are very powerful motivators.

Advertisers spend millions doing research on what motivates buying decisions.
Technical risks don't offer that same sex appeal for motivation.

We want to feel good and buying cool stuff makes us feel good.... for a moment.

Research has also determined that people want to be rewarded for doing something good.

In California, if you take out your lawn, you get a dollar for each square foot.
A couple of years ago, if you bought a Hybrid you got a sticker for the carpool lane.

There are also Government rebates for all kinds of energy efficient appliances, weatherproofing and alternative energy sources.

So lets create a new type of Motivation!  If you see someone say picking up Garbage, plating a Vegetable Garden, bringing their bag to the Grocery store, riding a bike, taking care of an Elderly person give them a Complement, then tell them how much of a positive inspiration they are and a big smile!  WE can call this the new Environmental Motivation Effect.

Who's in??

Melodie Meyer

I'm often told that people can't think about the Environment when they have more pressing problems like getting a job, paying bills, not getting foreclosed, the list goes on.
Raise your hand if you want to save money.
Everyone wants to save money, but don't know how.
OK, great tips that will save you money, time and stress.

1. When washing your clothes, wash in cold water.
Did you know that Hot water actually sets in stains.
Also use way less detergent, you only need 1/2 of what you are probaly using.

2. Dry your clothes outside.
This obviously saves your gas or electric bill, but also saves on wear and tear of your clothes.

3. Get a water filter.
Is it really convienant to buy tap water in plastic bottles that have been baking in a truck or cargo ship and then lug them into your house and finding space for all this tap water???
Check out www.nrdc.org for their research on bottled water.

4. Compost
Dig a hole or get a composter and fill it with anything that grew in the ground, egg shells, shredded paper, and worms, the worms will do all the work and  you get amazing black rich soil.

5. Grow you own veggies.
I have very little room where I live, so I grow my veggies in containers.
I use the soil from my compost and have organic veggies.
Plus with all the nutrient rich soil from the compost I use less water.
In California we are in a serious drought and have to limit our water or else we get fined. This is a great way to save water outside.

6. Shop in your closet.

7. Have a swap a thon,
Bring all stuff you've bought and don't use and invite friends over with their stuff and just trade.  Everyone is happy and you got new free stuff.

8. Be organized.
Have a place for everything and then you don't have to go out and buy new things because you can't find the doo dad you were looking for.

9.Borrow  items.
Instead of buying a new ladder ask you neighbor if you can borrow his.

10.Be grateful and respectful.
The World is going through an Environmental and Economic crisis.This is the best time to just conteplate what is really important. Family, Friends and a healthy Planet.

Life is very simple, we complicate it.

What happens when a hotshot Mayor gets elected and decides to turn the busiest street in the City into a Pedestrian walkway?  Oh, and he doesn't tell the Shopkeepers and he does this all in one Weekend?

A Convenient Truth, yes, A Convenient Truth.

It's an amazing and kinda funny Documentary about Curibita, Brazil.
It's kinda funny because in 1971 Jamie Lerner a young Architect was elected Mayor.

He turned this City into one of the most Sustainable, Liveable, Happiest Places on Earth with little or no money using really simple, ingenious solutions.

So the first thing he does is close down the Main St. of downtown Curibita.

Shopkeepers come to work on Monday and see no cars, just walkways.

They are more than a little upset, within a year, Shopkeepers on other streets are begging to have their streets closed.

Curibita was having major floods, instead of building a dam, they used Nature's plans and kept the River as it was flowing and build a park along the River.

OH no, now they have to maintain the parkland, no problem, just get Sheep.
When you visit Curibita, you see Sheep grazing.  How cool is that!

I don't want to give away all their secrets, just get "A Convenient Truth"

It's so cool how they accomplished major Victories in Housing, Transportation, Recycling, and Growth with little or no money.. and it puts a big Smile on your Face!

Melodie Meyer
Planning on coming to LA
Stay in an ECO Healthy Beach House
www.homeaway.com/164557

It was the first hot day in So Cal and everyone was at the Beach.

The following day the Beach was not a tranquil beautiful place but what looked like a landfill.

Diapers, water bottles, umbrellas, boogie boards, Styrofoam plates and cups, utensils, cigarettes, syringes, shoes, socks, underware, broken glass and plastic bags were all left on the Beach.

About 10 feet away were the Trash bins, there was trash there too, but most of it was left on the Beach.

In the morning instead of smelling the salty Ocean Breeze, deisel powered Farm Equipment masked Mother Natures scent. These smelly bohemoths on the Beach try to pick up what they can, but most of it is buried in the sand.

Why can't we fine people who feel it's OK to just leave their trash on the Beach?
Venice, Italy passed a law a couple of years ago. A Tourist Law, you get fined 500 Euros for throwing Trash in Venice, Italy.

It seems the only was to cure a bad habit is through Money.
Why aren't Companies fined for Fouling up our Water Supplies?
Instead in America, they are given Subsidies.

Anyone Familiar with Monsanto.
Monsanto of Genetically Modified food fame.
Google HR 875 and you will be astonished what Rosa De Laura, (Dem. CT) wants to do to our food.

With this bill,
which will not only affect food in America, but the entire world.

These Trans National Agri Businesses who grow this Chemically enhanced Frankenfood want to control the food crops globally.
This bill will make it criminal for even backyard Gardeners to grow Organic Food for their own Family.

Is this insane or what.

Why did Rosa DeLaura sponser this bill?  When you go to her website you will find on the front page her commitment to the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act.  This doesn't make sense.  Why would someone who is trying to help Cancer Surviver's want more Chemicals in our Food? More Chemicals and no alternatives for the food we eat.

Maybe her Husband, Stanley Greenburg has something to do with this.
Mr. Greenburg works for Monsanto.

I'm sure Rosa DeLaura spent months campaigning to get elected and spent millions of dollars to tell us she will be working for our good and protect us.
How can this happen??




Ready for someone else to take care of it.
Definately not a place to wiggle your toes in the Sand.

A Seven year old wants to start an Earth Group at her school and for her Birthday she asked her Mom to call Heal the Bay and request a Speaker.
I signed up for this Lecture basically because it was close to me.
I was unaware it was for a 7 Year Old's Birthday Party until I talked to her Mom about the Speaking engagement.
These Kids knew all about the Pacific Garbage patch and how the Garbage gets into the Ocean.
Now they know it's twice the size of America.
They were so concerned about the Fishes.
"The fish don't know they are eating Plastic"
they all chimed in.
I love seeing Kids faces when they are asked how they would solve a problem.
It's so cute, they think and think and think and say "Don't Litter"
It's so simple, just don't Litter.
80% of the garbage in the Ocean is from Land, Littering.
So what we are throwing in the street is now ending up on our Plate.

I love teaching and now I'm in training for Sustainable Workshops.
One Woman in the Class is vehemently against Bottled Water.
Goodness knows, I'm all for that too!
She owns a Dance Studio and sends out emails concerning bottled water, stainless water bottles, water filters etc....
People still show up with their bottled water, it's sort of like getting people off drugs.
This infuriates her so much, that she wants to ban all bottled water from her Dance Studio.
Maybe a simplier approach would be to offers discounts to people who bring stainless steel bottles.
People don't want to be told what to do or what not to do.
If I were a Vegan and I was against people wearing Leather, and I banned people who wore leather from my Business, I have a feeling I wouldn't have a Business very long.
I read a Story about a Man who urged People to only eat Organic.
He would get so upset and angry if People didn't listen to him.
So upset he died of Cancer.

Nature is a great Teacher.
There is a new Documentary Called Fuel.  The Fuel refers to Biodiesel and the Narrator, Josh Tickell, is very passionate about the perils of the Oil Industry which has caused havoc on his Hometown of New Orleans.
It's a very moving Narration about his life and how he was introduced to Biodiesel and his own way of introducing Biodiesel to America via a Veggie Van.
New Orleans has many Environmental Problems.
The Oil Refineries, Hurricane Katrina and all the Pesticides, Herbicides and Fungicides coming down the Missippi is causing a dead zone in New Orleans.
This toxic soup creates an Algea Bloom which limits the Oxygen for Aquatic life to survive.
Maybe Nature has delivered an Unwelcomed Gift to New Orleans Algea seems to be the new Star of the Biodiesel movement.

Let Nature resolve our Problems..... or Kids.

Melodie Meyer
Planning on coming to LA
Stay in an ECO Healthy Beach House
www.homeaway.com/164557