With the destruction comes a wider acceptance of the scientific reality — and a growing motivation to contribute to solutions. But destruction also brings despair, fear about the future, grief, and panic. As we grapple with our new reality, contemplative practice can offer techniques for holding these challenging truths.

Spiritual practices are not alternatives to swift, wise action. They are complementary disciplines to education and activism. Spiritual resources can help us move from desperation to sustainable activism.

How do we get from anger to compassion?

Spiritual practice may not provide concrete climate solutions, but they do have the potential to shift consciousness. Practices and teachings can address how we relate to our grief, despair, and fear. These resources help restructure our understanding of what it means to be human, now, on our home planet.

Here are five tried and true contemplative practices from the Buddhist tradition that can help us hold the truths of climate change, species extinction, and the ecological crisis in our hearts and minds. While this list of practices is not by any means exhaustive, it is a beginning. Even though their roots are ancient, these practices are timely as we encounter the truth of suffering on a global scale.

1. Find a grounding in ethics

Some people see climate change as an ecological issue. Some see it as an economic issue. Some see it as a social issue. But, we know that human actions are at fault. In this sense, climate change is an ethical issue.

Our beliefs about justice — the values that we hold most dear — form the bedrock of our actions. These values are largely learned and assimilated from our culture. Each of us — as individuals and communities — can influence the values upheld by our culture.

Climate change is happening because of what we have valued and how we have conceived of our identity as human beings on this planet. The values have come from a dominant industrial ethos. Climate change, therefore, isn’t just a matter of what we can do. It’s a matter of what we should do.

Contemplative traditions teach moral reflections on our actions, speech, and thought. The Buddha emphasized ethics, śila, as a fundamental training for his monks. His monastic code of ethics was constructed around the idea of ahimsa, or non-violence. Essentially, the Buddha taught that ethical actions are those arising from a commitment to non-harm, gentleness, and simplicity.

Buddhism and other religious traditions have long identified love and compassion as motivators that drive effective and sustainable action.

If we extend śila to our relationship to land, water, natural resources, and animals, non-harm, gentleness, and simplicity become points of reflection for change-making.

Later Buddhist traditions developed rules of conduct, oriented towards compassion, such as the Bodhisattva precepts. These precepts extend from the idea that bodhicitta, or wise compassion, is the ground of ethical action and speech. We too can ground our activism, social engagement, and resistance in wise compassion. We can make our activism not about what we are working against, but what we are working for.

If we place our activism and relationship to the earth squarely among our deepest values and beliefs, we are more likely to turn again and again to the issue — not out of obligation, but out of genuine commitment.

2. Get comfortable with uncertainty

If there is one thing that climate scientists agree on, it is that we don’t know for certain what will happen as the earth warms. Evidence indicates that tipping points and crises cannot be averted. We have no how idea how much we can slow or ameliorate the suffering. We do not even know how long our species — and others — can survive changes that destabilize the conditions necessary for life. We are stepping into the void.

We want to know if our children and grandchildren will be able to visit the shoreline, walk in the forest, breathe clean air, and live in safety. It is human to fear that the world as we know it may be ending. This uncertainty can feel deeply unsettling.

Many of the Buddha’s teachings focus on uncertainty, not as an inconvenience, but as a source of liberation. The Buddha taught that nothing is certain, because nothing transcends impermanence. He called impermanence a “mark of existence” — an undeniable truth of what it means to be alive. To encourage his monks and nuns to face their mortality, he sent them to meditate in charnel grounds — open-air cemeteries — where they could witness decaying corpses.

The Buddha was not trying to torture his disciples. He was trying to free them. While awareness of our mortality stirs our deepest fears, it also frees us from the chains of attachment that bind us. The loosening of attachment helps us open to the truth that nothing is certain. Nothing can be taken for granted. This is how we learn to love the truth for what it actually is.

There is good reason to embrace the uncertainty of climate change as a liberating practice. The more we fear uncertainty, the more likely we are to avoid thinking about climate change. In fact, our worst enemy might not be climate denial, but rather a subtle, subconscious rejection of climate change, based on our fear of the unknown.

If, however, we embrace the truth of uncertainty, we can develop the courage to stay open and engage with the world. If we can accept the fragility of life on earth, we can invest ourselves in the possibility of collective action.

3. Work with emotions

Along with the discomfort of uncertainty, climate change can evoke many other difficult emotions. Witnessing ecosystem destruction and mass extinction, we respond with grief and sorrow. Encountering denial and global apathy, we experience anger. When we consider our children’s future, we experience trepidation and worry.

Anger can be a protective energy, a healthy response to that which threatens what we love.

Recently, I was talking to a European graduate student who was writing her thesis on the power of stories to affect climate change. The primary motivator for her work, she told me, has been anger.

Understandably, fear and anger often fuel activism. These primal emotions have kept us alive for centuries. They are good short-term motivators when we are in immediate danger. However, fear and anger are poor long-term motivators. Eventually, they result in stress and burnout — the insidious undoings of activists.

So, we need other chronic motivators for our work. In this area, spiritual traditions have much to offer. Buddhism and other religious traditions have long identified love and compassion, for example, as motivators that drive effective and sustainable action. The bodhisattva, a Buddhist archetype of compassion, typifies the possibility that positive and constructive emotions can be the primary fuel for activity. But how do we get from anger to compassion?

Tibetan Buddhism teaches that the states that we most wish to avoid are actually the key to our freedom. Instead of erasing emotions, we can metabolize them. If we take our reactivity into a contemplative space, it is possible to liberate the energy of emotion, transforming it into supple responsiveness.

We might start with an emotion like anger. When anger is heavily fixated on an object, it becomes isolating, contracted, and draining. When we take anger into a contemplative space, we can lighten our focus on the object and the story, turning inward to consider the emotion itself and our part in it.

When we take responsibility for our own anger, we can find its upside. Anger is not always reprehensible. It can be a protective energy, a healthy response to that which threatens what we love. That insight itself can liberate reactive, contracted anger into its deeper nature, a wiser, more inclusive resolve to act with decisiveness and courage in the interest of love.

In contemplative practice, anger can become an inspiration for empathy. We discover that uncomfortable states, while they belong to us, are not to our’s alone. Many others also feel anger, including the people we have othered. When we recognize that this is how so many others feel, we can commune with the suffering of others. We redirect our attention from the story stimulating anger to our empathy for all those impacted by climate change — even the deniers. By redirecting our focus from a polarizing narrative to a uniting one, we start building a more sustainable platform for action.

4. Access new wisdom

In discussions about climate change, we seem to primarily access one way of knowing — the intellect. The climate issue is couched in the language of conceptual knowing. This conceptual approach — typified by Al Gore’s documentary, An Inconvenient Truth — is critically important. We need to know what is happening, and why.

However, our response will be much more powerful and resilient if we begin to access other ways of knowing, transforming conceptually-motivated activism into an activism of the heart.

There are two alternative ways of knowing that Buddhist practice and meditation generally rely on: bodily wisdom and non-conceptual wisdom.

Bodily wisdom

To encounter our human body is to encounter the natural world. We tend to forget that we are mammalian primates! The closer we come to the body, the closer we draw to the truth of our own wildness. This connects us to the planetary wildness that we aspire to protect.

While the mind is tugged into the past and future, the body is fully present. The body’s present wakefulness is one of its great wisdoms, and we can easily access that wisdom. It is as close to us as this moment’s inhale and exhale. While we want to stay mindful of creating a sustainable future, we don’t want to do that at the expense of missing our life. The body reminds us that we are here, now, and our presence is our most powerful resource.

Non-conceptual wisdom

Buddhist meditation also introduces us to the life beyond the conceptual mind — non-conceptual ways of knowing. The wider truth is that human experience is not just mental content. While we spend a great deal of time enmeshed in our world of ideas, there is more to the mental-emotional life than what we think and believe. There is a non-conceptual space in which all of this content arises, and that space can be sensed and widened through the experiences of body. In the practice of the Great Perfection, this space is identified as naked awareness, a part of our mind that is just experiencing, prior to forming ideas about our experiences. The space of awareness can be cultivated until it becomes a holding-environment for relative issues such as climate change.

We can make our activism not about what we are working against, but what we are working for.

As we begin to identify with non-conceptual space, we access a non-dual mode of perception. In the non-dual mode of perception, the illusion of separateness is perforated. This illusion of separateness may be one of the root causes of the crisis we are in. When we are caught up in that illusion, it becomes somehow okay that my consumption happens at your expense. If we are to live sustainably, we need to get used to the idea — nay, the reality — that we are all intimately connected. Meditation leads us there.

5. Find community

A friend of mine once attended a City Council meeting in her local community and ran into a woman who was repeatedly raising the issue of banning plastic bags. Discouraged, the woman said that she could not seem to earn the respect of the city council. My friend replied: “You don’t need respect. You need a friend. One person is a nut. Two people are a wake-up call. Three people are a movement.”

That friend was the environmentalist and author Kathleen Dean Moore, and her story inspired me. A small, committed group of people can change the world, as Margaret Mead said. Finding a community of activists might not be as daunting as we might think. It can be as simple as finding a few like-minded people and starting a conversation.

In order to gracefully lean into the challenges that we face as a planet, community is critical. But it also does double-duty, laying the foundation for spiritual life.

The Buddha’s close attendant Ananda once inquired of his teacher, “Surely the sangha [spiritual community] is half of the holy life?”

The Buddha answered, “No, Ananda, do not say such a thing. The sangha is not half of the holy life. It is the whole of the holy life.”

The Buddha felt very strongly about the power of community to support the path to awakening. He lived most of his life in intentional community, and identified sangha as one of the three spiritual refuges, along with the teacher and the dharma.

Now is a good time for the eco-curious in the dharma world. There is a growing community of people who seek both spiritual development and activism. If you are one of those people, now especially, you need not despair. Your people are out there.

As we are propelled forward by the consequences out of a warming planet, it is more important than ever that activists and contemplatives work together. We can benefit from an exchange of technologies. While I have highlighted five spiritual technologies to help contemplate climate change, activists have other tools and perspectives that can assist spiritual communities to take action. Activist communities have resources for education and technologies of peaceful resistance that can help contemplatives enact change.

While we grapple with the effects of climate change, we will need tools of resilience and inner work. As dharma practitioners, we bring essential gifts to the project of healing our world. Our challenge is to bring these gifts to bear and continue their development.

By practicing with ethics, uncertainty, emotion, wisdom, and community, we develop an intimate understanding that being human is about what we think and what we believe — and we deepen our ability to embody our work.

Embodiment sends an indelible message that peace and sustainability can become a lived reality. Even when they are imperfectly realized, we can inspire the sense that our lives have meaning, and that we are living our way into ever-increasing integrity with — and service to — our beautiful, unfathomable and sacred world.

Originally Published: www.lionsroar.com

The post 5 Buddhist Practices to Help Tackle Climate Change appeared first on Table for Change.

Concept of Yugas: Hinduism describes time in terms of cycles called “yugas” or ages. According to Hindu scriptures like the Puranas, each yuga has its own characteristics and durations. The four yugas are Satya Yuga (Golden Age), Treta Yuga, Dvapara Yuga, and Kali Yuga. These yugas follow each other in a cyclical pattern, with the universe undergoing periods of creation, maintenance, and dissolution in a recurring manner.

Eternal Recurrence: The idea of cyclical time is also connected to the concept of “eternal recurrence,” where the universe is believed to go through infinite cycles of creation, existence, and dissolution. This cyclic process is driven by the cosmic forces of creation (Brahma), preservation (Vishnu), and destruction (Shiva), known as the Trimurti.

Karma and Reincarnation: Another aspect of Hinduism that contributes to the cyclical view of time is the belief in karma and reincarnation. According to this belief, the soul (atman) undergoes a cycle of birth, death, and rebirth (samsara) determined by one’s actions (karma). Individuals accumulate karma over successive lifetimes, influencing their experiences in future incarnations. This cyclical process continues until the soul achieves liberation (moksha) from the cycle of rebirth.

Cosmic Cycles: Hindu cosmology also describes larger cosmic cycles known as kalpas, which encompass the lifespan of the universe. These kalpas are immense time periods in which the universe undergoes creation, sustenance, and dissolution. After each dissolution (pralaya), a new cycle of creation begins, perpetuating the cyclical nature of time.

Overall, the cyclical view of time in Hinduism reflects the interconnectedness of all existence and the recurring patterns observed in the cosmos. It provides a framework for understanding the transient nature of worldly phenomena and the eternal nature of the soul’s journey towards spiritual liberation.

Originally Published: www.hindu-blog.com

The post Why Time Is Cyclical In Hinduism And Not Linear? appeared first on Table for Change.

Decisions and regret

Often conversations about the birth of a child are framed in the form of regret. What if you regret it and it’s too late? What if you change your mind and it’s too late?
Research on childbearing regret has focused on mothers. It is not considered unusual for a man to not want children or have children. Women’s fertility choices are constantly under scrutiny, although we don’t often discuss men’s biological clocks.
In 2023, Michigan State University researchers found that one in five adults in the state, or about 1.7 million people, did not want to have children. This was followed by another study published later in 2023 that looked in more detail at people who choose not to have children. It turns out they are very happy with their decision.
On the other hand, studies have shown that people who have children are more likely to regret their choices. In 2021, a YouGov survey of more than 1,200 British parents found that 8% say they currently regret having children. And a 2016 YouGov study of more than 2,000 people in Germany found that 19% of mothers and 20% of fathers said that if they could decide again, they would not want to have children.
There can be many reasons for these regrets, but lack of childcare options and lack of support are likely to be significant. We no longer have a village. We’re trying to do it all ourselves, alone.
I keep wondering why society still puts so much pressure on people, especially women, to have children, why it tells them that their main, most important purpose in life is to be a mother, but then quickly labels them the label of a bad mother, an inattentive mother. mother, negligent mother.
The reproductive justice movement seeks to change this situation. It affirms the human right to maintain personal bodily autonomy, to have or not have children, and to raise the children we do have in safe communities. It brings attention to marginalized communities, those most affected by reproductive health barriers, and those who are also at greatest risk of sexual and reproductive violence.
Reproductive inequality also affects those whose lives lie outside the binary. We cannot discuss autonomy without considering the intersectional aspects of its impact on transgender, non-binary, gender non-conforming and gender non-conforming people.
Sometimes choice can be an illusion. Although we may believe that we are completely autonomous and free to make decisions as we wish, we are never freed from our social and cultural context.

Originally Published: phys.org

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All this, according to a philosophical argument published in 2003, could be no more real than pixels on a screen. It’s called the simulation hypothesis, and it proposes that if humanity lives to see a day it can repeatedly simulate the Universe using come kind of computer, chances are we are living in one of those many simulations.

If so, everything we experience is a model of something else, removed from some kind of reality.

It’s more of a thought experiment than anything – but scientists do love poking it to see if anything squirms. And a new poke has hinted at something squirming.

Vopson’s and Lepadatu’s second law of infodynamics is based on the second law of thermodynamics, which states that any naturally occurring process in the Universe will result in a loss of energy and increase in a system’s measure of disorder, or entropy.

Vopson, who has proposed that information could in fact be considered a form of matter, expected that the same would be true of information systems; that, over time, its own kind of disorder ought to increase over time as well.

He also found that electrons in an atom arrange themselves in such a way as to minimize information entropy; and that, in order for the Universe to continue to expand, the increase in physical entropy must be balanced by a corresponding decrease in information entropy.

“Symmetry principles play an important role with respect to the laws of nature, but until now there has been little explanation as to why that could be. My findings demonstrate that high symmetry corresponds to the lowest information entropy state, potentially explaining nature’s inclination towards it,” Vopson says.

“This approach, where excess information is removed, resembles the process of a computer deleting or compressing waste code to save storage space and optimize power consumption. And as a result supports the idea that we’re living in a simulation.”

Originally Published: www.sciencealert.com

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So it’s high time we explore the darker side of social media and examine the latest research on its impact on our mental well-being. It’s important to understand how social comparison on social media affects our mental health, as well as the impact of sleep disruption caused by the blue light emitted by screens. But of course, social media can also be a wonderful thing – if you know how to use it in a healthy and responsible way, minimizing the risk of negative mental health effects. By understanding the potential risks of social media and taking steps to mitigate them, we can make the most of this powerful tool while safeguarding our mental health and well-being.

The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health

Numerous studies have linked social media use with mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and loneliness. One study found that heavy social media use was associated with increased feelings of social isolation, while another study found that people who spend more time on social media are more likely to experience symptoms of depression.

The constant barrage of curated images and perfect lives presented on social media can lead to unrealistic expectations and feelings of inadequacy, which can negatively impact our self-esteem and mental health. In addition, the fear of missing out (FOMO) can also lead to anxiety and stress, as users constantly compare themselves to others and feel pressured to keep up.

The Role of Social Comparison

Social comparison theory suggests that we evaluate ourselves by comparing ourselves to others. On social media, this often means comparing our lives to the highlight reels of others, leading to feelings of envy and dissatisfaction with our own lives. This can be particularly damaging for young people, who are still developing their sense of self and are more likely to compare themselves to others.

In today’s digital age, social media has become an integral part of our lives, with millions of people using it on a daily basis to connect with others and share their experiences. While it has its advantages, there is growing concern about the negative impact of social media on our mental health, with studies suggesting that it can lead to feelings of anxiety, depression, and loneliness. One of the main reasons for this is the phenomenon of social comparison theory, which suggests that we evaluate ourselves by comparing ourselves to others. On social media, this often means comparing our lives to the highlight reels of others, which can lead to feelings of envy and dissatisfaction with our own lives. This is particularly problematic for young people, who are still developing their sense of self and are more likely to compare themselves to others. In this article, we’ll explore the dark side of social media and how it’s affecting our mental well-being. We’ll delve into the research on the negative impact of social media on mental health and the specific ways in which it can harm our well-being. We’ll also discuss some tips for using social media in a healthier way, so that we can all enjoy its benefits without sacrificing our mental health.

The Negative Effects of Social Media on Sleep

Another way social media can impact our mental health is through its effects on sleep. The blue light emitted by electronic devices can disrupt the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep. This can lead to sleep problems such as insomnia, which is linked to numerous mental health problems, including depression and anxiety.

In addition, the constant stimulation of social media can make it difficult to wind down and relax before bed, further exacerbating sleep problems. A lack of quality sleep can impact our mood, cognitive function, and overall well-being.

Conclusion

While social media has its benefits, it’s important to recognize the negative impact it can have on our mental health. The constant comparisons, FOMO, and lack of sleep associated with social media use can lead to feelings of isolation, depression, and anxiety. As with any aspect of our lives, moderation is key. By setting healthy boundaries and being mindful of our social media use, we can reduce the negative impact on our mental well-being.

Originally Published: wakeup-world.com

The post The Dark Side of Social Media: How It’s Affecting Our Mental Health appeared first on Table for Change.

How to Build a Wooden House

If you want to make your own construction and start enjoying it as soon as possible, pay attention to this article in which we explain all the important details to take into account to build a wooden house step by step.

A success trend

And is that in a society increasingly stressed, in a hurry, and surrounded by technology, it is logical that ecological trends are so successful. A wooden house is a much simpler construction than traditional houses and is ideal to enjoy nature without having to leave home. Rustic environments convey the peace and well-being that we can not find in the traditional homes of large cities.

The plans to build a wooden house

Obviously, you are going to need land large enough to build your own wooden house. And in this sense, the idea is that the new home is located in nature.

As regards the process of building a wooden house, the truth is that the technique and the system have not changed much in recent years. In fact, it is a very versatile process, which each builder can adapt to their own needs and interests.

The plans of your wooden house are fundamental, especially the foundations because on them will fall the full weight of the construction. And as is logical, the roof should be the last part of our design.

The terrain and the foundations

Another important detail to consider when building a wooden house is the land, which must be properly leveled and adapted because the base of our home will determine a good part of the construction.

Do not forget the foundations, which should be light, considering that they will have to support a lighter material than that used in other homes built with cement and brick.

Once the foundation is finished, we will have to think about the structure of our wooden house. Then it will be time to build the walls of the house and then the roof. And to make a correct sealing of the roof, we suggest you use high-quality materials, for example, a good idea may be to use wooden shingles.

The inner and outer part

Another important detail when building a wooden house is to cover the interior to protect our home against possible fires. A good idea may be to use dry materials, such as cardboard mixed with plaster.

While on the outside of the house, do not forget to use materials that resist moisture and sun. In this sense, keep in mind that although the house is made of wood, you do not have to use only this material for the construction of your home.

Security is very important

In the foundations, the interior walls, and outdoor areas it is also recommended to use materials adapted to the conditions of our house. For example, prefabricated plates with fire protection, roofs of mud and asphalt sealing for the roof, or metal joints to ensure maximum safety.

Have you found our guide of basic tips to build a wooden house useful? Have we forgotten something important? In that case, encourage us to tell us your own recommendations to build a rustic home. A trend in construction that is increasingly fashionable and that you can build in an infinity of styles. But remember that you must respect the constructive process, as well as the technical specifications of the specialist in charge.

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In fact, it is estimated that a plastic bag may take around 500 years to disappear. That is, it is a very long-lasting waste that contaminates ecosystems of all kinds, especially marine ones, where a large part of containers and plastic bottles end up.

How to Recycle Plastic at Home

Because of this, the recycling of plastic should be a priority when it comes to reducing the presence of these wastes in nature. If you want to know how to recycle plastic at home in an easy and simple way, keep reading this article and we’ll tell you.

What to throw in the yellow container

In order for the plastic to be recycled it is necessary to separate it from the rest of the garbage we produce. This process begins in our own house, separating this type of garbage in the yellow bucket, which is the one destined for plastics, cans, and containers. The yellow bag is intended for packaging products in general, being the destination of, among others:

• Plastic bags
• Cans
• Polystyrene trays
• Wrap film
• Metal boat covers
• Bubble paper
• Plastic bags for weighing fruit and vegetables
• Yogurt containers

As you can see, there are many wastes that should be allocated to this yellow cube and, precisely for this reason, it is very important that we have one in our own house. In fact, one of the excuses of many people when it comes to not recycling plastic consists of the “lack of space” for this cube. However, as we have seen, plastic is one of the most polluting garbage that exists, so it is necessary to recycle it correctly, so it is important to find a way to do it at home.

Ways to recycle plastic at home

There are several solutions to finding that coveted site for the yellow cube:

• Placing the garbage in another place: on the one hand, it may be the case that, simply placing the garbage on another side, we have the necessary site to dispose of two garbage bins (the general waste and plastics).
• Plastic bucket outside the kitchen: however, if our kitchen is particularly small and there is not really a second bucket, we can also place it in a place other than the kitchen, such as the terrace or the kitchen. laundry room. Keep in mind that, unlike what happens with traditional garbage, the yellow bucket hardly smells. This is because it is non-organic waste and, as a result, does not rot and does not produce bad odors.
• Put the plastic in a bag: if still we can not find room for the bucket, we can also choose to keep the plastic remains in a bag without a bucket, which will reduce its size considerably. This bag can be hung on the wall or on the handle of the kitchen door. Although, it is not the most aesthetic option, think that it is a good cause, so it will be more important to put ethics before aesthetics.

What about the garbage we throw

Once the yellow bag is full, it should be taken to the yellow container. The way in which this bag reaches the container will depend on the type of housing in which we reside. Some neighborhood communities have beadles or porters who are responsible for depositing the garbage bag in the community bucket. Afterward, the garbage trucks pick up these bags and deposit them in the compartments destined for these materials. Although there is a hoax that garbage trucks mix garbage, it is simply a lie.

Actually, the trucks that collect normal garbage and recycling are the same. However, inside these trucks, there are separate compartments for each type of garbage as the case may be. Can you imagine the disproportionate cost of having a fleet of trucks for each type of garbage? The logical thing is that they are the ones who collect all the garbage in one trip.

On the other hand, we can also find homes where there is no garbage collection system. In these cases, we will be the ones who will have to carry the yellow bag to the corresponding container. These containers are placed next to normal garbage containers, so that, in the same trip, we can deposit all the garbage bags that we have. In fact, the most common is to find also the blue paper container and the green glass next to the gray and yellow.

Finally, the yellow garbage bags will be transported to a specialized recycling center. There, the garbage of the yellow bag will be classified according to the type of material of each waste and, finally, it will be possible to start the process that will allow to obtain new raw materials from what was previously simple garbage.

The 3 RRR: reduce, reuse, recycle

Do you know what the three R’s are? It is a way of thinking that says that, although recycling is better than throwing away, the whole process should be developed in three steps: reduce, reuse, and, finally, recycle. We can not forget that, the main objective of recycling, is to reduce the impact on the environment. However, although the environmental impact when we recycle is much lower than if we do not, there will still be a real impact on the planet.

The first R: reduce

The three Rs are a philosophy of consumption that affirm that, in the first place, the best we can do is reduce. When talking about reducing refers to reducing consumption in all its aspects, especially as it affects the packaging.

For example, if instead of using a plastic bag to weigh the bananas we buy at the supermarket, we put the weight sticker directly on the fruit, we avoid so many plastic bags that have to be produced, so the impact will be zero.

The second R: reuse

Second, the three Rs defend the importance of reusing. Following the example of the supermarket, if we carry a reusable bag ourselves every time we make a purchase, we will not need to buy new bags.

In this way, although the environment will have had an impact to produce that bag, there will be no new impacts because we reuse it again and again.

The third R: recycle

Finally, the three Rs defend that, when a product, such as a bag, can no longer be reused, the time for recycling will have arrived.

In this way, we will reduce the environmental impact to the maximum, which is still the objective that we all have to have in mind when we have to make the decision to consume in one way or another.

Other ways to recycle plastic at home

Another way we have to help the environment that we can easily in our homes is using machines to recycle plastic, also called domestic plastic shredders.

• Domestic plastic crusher: today we can easily get domestic plastic crushers. These apparatuses are in charge, literally, of crushing the plastic that we throw. In this way we will be able to fill even more our cube destined for the plastic since otherwise it would be filled immediately. Of course, to use a plastic shredder it is convenient to know first what plastics can be recycled and what can not.
• Machine to recycle plastic: this utensil is a little more complex and more difficult to have at home, but not impossible. It is a machine capable of doing various processes of plastic recycling, depending on which we have. You even have the option to crush or melt the plastic at home. However, as with the plastic shredder, it will be important to know in advance the plastics that can be recycled, as well as the correct process of purifying and recycling the plastic.

The post How to Recycle Plastic at Home appeared first on Table for Change.

Backster also connected polygraph machines to several plants, which included onions, bananas, lettuces, and oranges. He believed that plants could react to the thoughts of humans, who were close to them.
He managed to publish his research work in the International Journal of Parapsychology, back in 1968.

Backster Was Not The Only One To Work With Plants

Monica Gagliano conducted an experiment with Mimosa pudica, which is a fast-moving plant, almost like a Venus Fly Trap.

She potted 56 of such flora and built a system that dropped them from above 15cms every 5 seconds.
When these non-verbal autistic savants sense danger, they close their leaves and curled up. After a few drops, they realized that the drops were not that painful, so they remained open after that.
It was not fatiguing as Gagliano tried such an experiment after a month and found the same response. The plants seemed to retain the knowledge they had attained.
This poses a major question if other living systems possess some sort of consciousness or not.
Many quantum physicists argue that consciousness is mixed with physical reality and that an electron would behave differently, depending on who is measuring its behavior.
The thing that is often used to demonstrate this is the quantum double slit experiment.
Max Planck stated that he regarded consciousness as fundamental and regarded matter as a derivative of consciousness.
Several parapsychological experiments have demonstrated the relationship between consciousness and the physical world.

There is a huge pile of evidence but still, people are skeptical. They ask themselves, how far are they willing to let go of their fundamental beliefs to open up to the nature of reality in order to consider that is absolutely new?
Could plants and physical matter possess consciousness?
Maybe the physical realm does not require a brain for consciousness to exist and maybe these physical aspects are just a vessel to hold something separate from it.

Originally Published: truththeory.com

The post Do Plants Have Consciousness? Evidence Suggests That They Can Think And Feel appeared first on Table for Change.

Walking Barefoot: An Introduction
Walking Barefoot or earthing, is just walking on grass, sand, or soil barefoot. You need to get off the sidewalk and place your feet on a natural surface.
Studies show that the benefits came from the somatic relationship with the electrons in the Earth.
Our planet has its own charge and we do better when we are in direct contact with this charge.

The Benefits Of Walking Barefoot
A paper published in the Journal of Environmental and Public Health highlighted how absorbing electrons from the planet can improve one’s health.
In another, patients suffering from chronic pain used grounded carbon fiber mattresses and were observed to have better sleep and lesser pains.
Another study discovered that walking barefoot altered the electrical activity of the brain, as measured by EEG. Other benefits that were observed included skin conductivity, moderated heart rate variability, improved glucose regulation, reduced stress, and supported immune function.

We have presented some potential benefits in detail:
1: Better Sleep
As per this study, if you are suffering from insomnia then try walking in the park instead of taking pills. You can also present it and improve your sleep cycle, by walking barefoot on grass for approximately 30 minutes, every morning.
2: Can Reduce Inflammation
Earthing can improve the functioning of your organs. This can be multi-fold. One can be due to reflexology, the next can be that you’re getting Vitamin D from sunlight (anti-inflammatory property), and lastly, due to the electrons of the magnetic field of the Earth.
3: Can Regulate Your Heart’s Health
Walking barefoot on grass can also help you synchronize your heartbeat. This has several benefits that range from regulating your body’s temperature to hormone secretion.
4: Surface Charge Of RBCs
A study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine stated that walking barefoot increases the surface charge of red blood cells. These cells then avoid clumping which then decreases blood viscosity. [High viscosity is a significant factor in heart disease.] Walking should ultimately become just more than an exercise. It should become a form of relieving stress, healing, and replacing the worn-out parts with well-being, on a mental and physical level.

This is actually a win-win situation for everyone. Once you start walking, you will be exercising your heart and muscles, improving your mental health, reducing stress, and eventually improving your overall wellness. You can easily multiply these benefits of walking by taking off your shoes and connecting with the Earth’s natural electric charge.
It is of utmost importance that you need to be aware of your surroundings. Make sure that it is safe for you to walk barefoot.
You can also consult your primary doctor if you are wondering if walking barefoot will be the right move for you.
In a nutshell, it is best for you to just kick off your shoes for a short period of time.
This makes great sense on an evolutionary level too. We have evolved close to this planet and it is recent that we have been keen to remove ourselves from nature. This is perhaps the best time to take a step back and synchronize with the planet.

Originally Published: truththeory.com

The post Walking Barefoot Can Improve Your Health And There Is Science To Back It Up appeared first on Table for Change.

How Does Landscaping Impact Environmental Conservation?

Most individuals design walkways and large driveways on their property, helping them access certain parts of their homes. They plant shrubs and other vegetation around the paths, increasing their aesthetic appeal. When rainwater or snowmelt travel over a resident’s landscape, it searches for the quickest route out.

Stone-covered pathways attract water, transporting it off of and away from a property. As it moves toward the street or a drain grate, it limits the number of resources available to the local vegetation. Inadequate irrigation techniques increase purified water’s exploitation.

Runoff also creates environmental degradation deriving from synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. When the nitrogen and phosphorus-rich additives reach the ocean, they create algal blooms. As algae develop, they deplete marine oxygen levels, producing dead zones.

The uninhabitable regions force fish and other aquatic species out of their home, leaving them vulnerable without food or protection. Runoff increases the number of endangered marine species. Inefficient landscaping methods also deplete soil nutrients, altering Earth’s composition.

When individuals place exotic plants on their properties, they increase their risk of soil depletion. If a plant is incompatible with a soil’s properties, it can over-extract nutrients and moisture, creating erosion. When depletion occurs, the soil becomes unable to support the local ecosystem.

Ecologically Degrading Habits

Many homeowners compensate for climate change-related soil erosion and nutrient depletion by using synthetic fertilizers and other additives. Roundup is a commonly used herbicide, using glyphosate to kill invasive and native plant matter. While the active ingredients effectively remove weeds from an individual’s yard, they also harm the local ecosystem.

U.S. homeowners use nearly 287 million pounds of this type of herbicide each year. When sprayed, particles pollute the air, affecting livestock, wild animals, and community members. Researchers found that cows exposed to glyphosate experience malnourishment, congenital disabilities, death, and more.

Another common environmentally degrading landscape practice relates to inefficient watering. The average homeowner wastes nearly 50% of their outdoor water supply through poor timing. When individuals run their sprinklers in the middle of the day or after rainstorms, they contribute to water exploitation.

Planting water-intensive species in arid climates also decreases a landscape’s sustainability. For example, most American lawns contain grass that is not naturally occurring in that particular region. Homeowners may overwater the plant matter to maintain its vitality, which wouldn’t be the case with native grasses.

Fossil fuel-powered lawn care implements also cause ecological degradation. Most lawn mowers run on gasoline. During combustion, the substance produces greenhouse gas emissions, altering Earth’s temperature control process. The atmosphere relies on the consistency of its components, creating life-sustaining surface temperatures and preserving the global ecosystem.

Naturally, the atmosphere creates heat from sunlight, warms the surface, absorbs excess energy, and sends unnecessary heat to space. When greenhouse gas emissions invade the environment, they trap extra energy in the atmosphere, raising the global temperature over time.

Atmospheric degradation powers a ripple effect of environmental harm, impacting natural resource conservation and more. Homeowners can engage in alternative landscaping methods, increasing the sustainability of their properties and shrinking their carbon footprints.

Sustainable Solutions

Instead of using conventional herbicides and pesticides, individuals can plant certain species that naturally target unwanted lawn features. Mice can feed on plant matter, destroying a landscape’s aesthetic value. Homeowners may keep them away from their property by planting peppermint around the perimeter.

Aphids, or plant lice, also create adverse effects on vegetation. Individuals can plant chives or marigolds near vulnerable regions of their landscapes to keep the insects away. They can also wrap foil around the base of a plant’s stalk, reflecting light onto the backside of leaves and scaring the aphids.

A homeowner can also increase the sustainability of their property by decreasing water exploitation with smart sprinklers. These systems access real-time weather readings using a Wi-Fi connection, altering their watering times. They can also evaluate the ultra-violet index, limiting water loss from high evaporation rates.

Another way to reduce water exploitation is by planting native species. Indigenous vegetation is compatible with local soil nutrient levels and weather patterns. Homeowners can let the rain water their native plants rather than relying on the clean water supply.

Individuals can also embrace the natural growth patterns of native plant matter. Instead of cutting back vines and forcing downward growth, they may engage in vertical gardening. Ivy and honeysuckle-covered buildings create a unique aesthetic and lower indoor temperatures, reducing air conditioning emissions.

Homeowners can also increase the sustainability of their landscapes using electric lawn care appliances. Since eco-consciousness swept through the nation, electric leaf blowers, lawnmowers, weed whackers, and more hit the market. These appliances create zero emissions when in use, reducing atmospheric degradation.

Evaluating Your Lawn’s Sustainability

If you are ready to adopt alternative green landscaping practices, you may start by calculating your lawn’s environmental impacts. You can research the ecological effects of your herbicides and pesticides, determining what products you may continue using. Additionally, you calculate the carbon footprint of your lawn care devices and swap high-emission ones with electric versions.

Originally Published: wakeup-world.com

The post Is Your Landscaping Harming the Planet? appeared first on Table for Change.