What a great country we live in! How wonderful it is to be free! We talk a lot about the blessing of freedom in this country, especially around this time of year, and sometimes about the idea that freedom isn't free- it is bought with a price. People before us paid the price so that we can be a free nation, for which I am grateful.
We can take our freedom and we can sell it or give it away. We can sell it to Visa in exchange for stuff. The borrow is slave to the lender. We don't think of that when we swipe that credit card- "I am selling my freedom for a new washing machine, a dinner out, a vacation, etc" but that is exactly what we are doing. Or we can save our money for a bit, then pay cash for whatever it is that we want. If we have that cash, we have the freedom to do what we want with it instead of being slaves to credit card companies, car payments, unaffordable mortgages, etc. If we have an emergency fund, even a small one, we can avoid going into debt for a new transmission, a new furnace, or other things that come up that are hard to anticipate, and thus avoid giving away our freedom. If we as Americans truly value our freedom, we will not sell it or give it away by entering into unnecessary debt (which almost all debt is).
Speaking of money, we have the freedom to spend our money as we choose. We have an almost unlimited variety of products available to us to purchase. We see it in neat packages sitting on store shelves, with little clue as to where it comes from and what the production of it is doing to the earth, animals, and other people. With the freedom that we have to spend as we see fit, we have the responsibility to inform ourselves of what we are buying. As they say, every dollar you spend is a vote for the kind of world we want. We as Americans have a lot of votes, since we have a lot of dollars compared to most of the world's population. Anyone who is reading this has a lot of votes, because if you have the internet, you have more money than most people. (Compare your income to the world here: http://www.globalrichlist.com/ Suffice it to say you are richer than you think!) Let's make our votes count. Let's know what we are voting for. Let's vote for the kind of world we really do want to see, not just buy what is convenient or appealing for whatever reason. That's like picking a politician by whether you like the way they look. We can go deeper than that. Let's make good use of our freedom to vote for products that benefit others and the planet.
We have these amazing bodies, hundreds of different parts working together in perfect harmony (or almost perfect harmony) to make us able to do so many things. And we have the freedom to do what we want with our bodies. In this country (and most other developed countries, now) we have the ability to give our bodies so many different kinds of fuel. We can have fresh vegetables any time of year. We have access to clean water, whole grains, and other healthy foods. We also have access to all kinds of junk food. We are free to choose. How well are we using that freedom?
We have the freedom of spending our time how we wish. Most of us require some of that time be spent making money to live on (moreso if we have sold our freedom to Visa ;) ) But what are we doing with the rest of it? Are we using it to bless others, or are we using it mostly to try to entertain ourselves? Some time for recreation is important, but we also need to be using our time for other good causes. Just as every dollar we spend is a vote, every minute we spend is also a vote. What do you really want out of life?
Freedom may be America's biggest blessing, but is also our hardest test. We have an imporant responsibility to use our freedom for the greater good of ourselves, our families, our communites, and the world.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Saturday, July 2, 2011
hands off the thermostat! Ten Alternatives to turning on the a/c
After a cold, wet Spring in my part of the country, we are now finally having summer. The warm weather is a welcome change, but all too soon, we start getting uncomfortably hot and wanting to turn on the a/c to cool down. I'm not someone who NEVER uses a/c (I'm glad it's there when I need it), but I think it can be too easy to turn on the a/c before trying a few other things. So here is my list of ten things to do when you'd like to turn on the a/c.
1. Accept that it's summer, and that in the summer, you can expect to feel hot some of the time.
2. Dress for it- long rayon skirts with comfy, 100% cotton t-shirts are my go-to outfit for a hot day. Wearing something long can be better than short shorts because it keeps your legs from sticking to chairs, etc. Babies and toddlers can get away with running around in just underwear or a diaper in the house. Avoid thick fabrics and synthetic fabrics, which don't breathe as well.
3. Run a cool, wet washcloth over your face and across the back of your neck. It will cool you down for a few minutes.
4. Drink cool fluids. Water is very refreshing with a little lemon juice and some sweetener if you like. Popsicles are great for helping you stay cool, too. We love to make our own popsicles out of juice, homemade pudding, etc.
5. It's so easy to focus on keeping the house cool- instead remember you only have to keep people cool. Unless someone has to be up there in the middle of the day, the upstairs doesn't have to be cool. Hang out in cooler places, like the basement if you have one. If there's nothing to do down there, do some decluttering. If you have a baby who needs to nap, consider having them nap in the basement if the upstairs is too hot.
6. Let someone else pay for your a/c- if you have an errand to run or a place to go that will be air-conditioned, go there in the hottest part of the day. Libraries and stores are great for this (be careful not to offset your a/c cost savings with purchases, and it goes without saying that going to a full-price movie [not dollar theater] will cost more than running the a/c would have :) ).
7. Get wet- go swimming, run through a sprinkler, take a cool shower, or just get your shirt wet and put it back on. Washing the car with the kids is a great hot-weather activity.
8. Use fans effectively. Run your ceiling fan so air flows down (this is generally counterclockwise). Put a box fan in a window when air outside is cooler than air inside (for example to cool down the house in the evening). You can even run your HVAC system's fan without turning on the air conditioning. Doing this constantly will use a lot of energy, but running it for just ten minutes or so can bring some cool air into your upper floor(s).
9. Avoid cooking. Eat copious amounts of watermelon. If it gets cool in the evening, do some cooking then so you only have to warm food up at meal time. If you need to cook during the day, try to use a crockpot (you can even put it outside to avoid any heat generation).
10. Go outside (in the shade). For some reason higher temperatures seem much more tolerable outside than inside, and shade makes a huge difference!
There are my ten best tips to reduce use of air conditioning. I know it's unrealistic to expect that everyone can avoid using a/c all the time, but hopefully these tips can save you some money and help save the earth at the same time.
1. Accept that it's summer, and that in the summer, you can expect to feel hot some of the time.
2. Dress for it- long rayon skirts with comfy, 100% cotton t-shirts are my go-to outfit for a hot day. Wearing something long can be better than short shorts because it keeps your legs from sticking to chairs, etc. Babies and toddlers can get away with running around in just underwear or a diaper in the house. Avoid thick fabrics and synthetic fabrics, which don't breathe as well.
3. Run a cool, wet washcloth over your face and across the back of your neck. It will cool you down for a few minutes.
4. Drink cool fluids. Water is very refreshing with a little lemon juice and some sweetener if you like. Popsicles are great for helping you stay cool, too. We love to make our own popsicles out of juice, homemade pudding, etc.
5. It's so easy to focus on keeping the house cool- instead remember you only have to keep people cool. Unless someone has to be up there in the middle of the day, the upstairs doesn't have to be cool. Hang out in cooler places, like the basement if you have one. If there's nothing to do down there, do some decluttering. If you have a baby who needs to nap, consider having them nap in the basement if the upstairs is too hot.
6. Let someone else pay for your a/c- if you have an errand to run or a place to go that will be air-conditioned, go there in the hottest part of the day. Libraries and stores are great for this (be careful not to offset your a/c cost savings with purchases, and it goes without saying that going to a full-price movie [not dollar theater] will cost more than running the a/c would have :) ).
7. Get wet- go swimming, run through a sprinkler, take a cool shower, or just get your shirt wet and put it back on. Washing the car with the kids is a great hot-weather activity.
8. Use fans effectively. Run your ceiling fan so air flows down (this is generally counterclockwise). Put a box fan in a window when air outside is cooler than air inside (for example to cool down the house in the evening). You can even run your HVAC system's fan without turning on the air conditioning. Doing this constantly will use a lot of energy, but running it for just ten minutes or so can bring some cool air into your upper floor(s).
9. Avoid cooking. Eat copious amounts of watermelon. If it gets cool in the evening, do some cooking then so you only have to warm food up at meal time. If you need to cook during the day, try to use a crockpot (you can even put it outside to avoid any heat generation).
10. Go outside (in the shade). For some reason higher temperatures seem much more tolerable outside than inside, and shade makes a huge difference!
There are my ten best tips to reduce use of air conditioning. I know it's unrealistic to expect that everyone can avoid using a/c all the time, but hopefully these tips can save you some money and help save the earth at the same time.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Scientist's assistant
I wrote this almost two years ago and am just adding it now.
I have landed a great volunteer position assisting a local scientist with some geology experiments. I don't have any particular qualifications for the job other than time and willingness. I suppose being related to this scientist helped land me the position. My job as his assistant involves many things.
First I find suitable locations for performing experiments. This means I get to find appropriate outdoor places we can go on warm, sunny days (though rainy or cold days will work in a pinch). I get to spend time outside, feeling the sun on my face and the wind in my hair. The hours are flexible and can be changed to suit my schedule.
My second duty is to find suitable specimens for his scientific study. As it is geology, this means I look for rocks. He is currently working with many different types of rocks, mostly igneous as these are the easiest specimens to obtain in the locations in which we work. While he is performing his experiments, I am nearby, looking for more rocks.
The experiment he performs looks quite simple, but there is a lot to it. Rocks are propelled into the river- some larger rocks, some smaller rocks, flat rocks and round rocks, brown rocks and grey rocks and pink rocks. For scientific data to be considered reliable, experiments have to be repeated many, many times. Each rock can only be used once as retrieving the rock for a second go-around is generally not possible. Thus I need to find many, many rocks for experiments. This isn't too hard. We simply go to places with a lot of rocks.
One of my jobs as the assistant is to keep the scientist with whom I work safe. He gets so engrossed in the experiments he does that potential dangers are not always spotted. It is my job to keep a sharp lookout for dangers so that the scientist can concentrate on his work. Life experience, physical strength, attention to detail, and knowledge of the outdoors are all essential qualifications for my work.
Albert Einstein has been described like this: "He was also the stereotypical "absent-minded professor"; he was often forgetful of everyday items, such as keys, and would focus so intently on solving physics problems that he would often become oblivious to his surroundings. " The scientist for whom I work is quite similar in his personality. Thus I become responsible for some parts of daily life that he might otherwise take charge of himself. For example I have to remind him to eat and make sure that he wears sunscreen when he is involved in his experiments. I help him wash any mud off his hands when he is done and take him to the bathroom when he needs to go. I buckle him in his car seat when we need to drive anywhere.
Many of the places we go are rapidly-flowing rivers. I see a lot of scientists who have trouble finding assistants because there is some danger involved in the work. “Stay away from the river!” the assistants will say. It is not terribly dangerous, but many of the assistants do not seem to trust the scientists in the work that they do. The rivers and the experiments do look dangerous from a distance, but once we get up close, it does not feel dangerous.
I am greatly enjoying my volunteer work in the field of geology. Of course I love the outdoors and the opportunity to be in the sunshine and enjoy varied natural places. I do not know what the findings of this research may be (nor am I fully aware of even what the hypothesis is or question(s) this research seeks to answer) however I am certain that the process of experimentation is at least as important as the findings and that the work I am doing as assistant to a great scientist will be of great importance in the future.
Yes, to my two-year-old son, throwing rocks in the river makes for a very important scientific experiment! I am only glad to be able to help him in his work.
I have landed a great volunteer position assisting a local scientist with some geology experiments. I don't have any particular qualifications for the job other than time and willingness. I suppose being related to this scientist helped land me the position. My job as his assistant involves many things.
First I find suitable locations for performing experiments. This means I get to find appropriate outdoor places we can go on warm, sunny days (though rainy or cold days will work in a pinch). I get to spend time outside, feeling the sun on my face and the wind in my hair. The hours are flexible and can be changed to suit my schedule.
My second duty is to find suitable specimens for his scientific study. As it is geology, this means I look for rocks. He is currently working with many different types of rocks, mostly igneous as these are the easiest specimens to obtain in the locations in which we work. While he is performing his experiments, I am nearby, looking for more rocks.
The experiment he performs looks quite simple, but there is a lot to it. Rocks are propelled into the river- some larger rocks, some smaller rocks, flat rocks and round rocks, brown rocks and grey rocks and pink rocks. For scientific data to be considered reliable, experiments have to be repeated many, many times. Each rock can only be used once as retrieving the rock for a second go-around is generally not possible. Thus I need to find many, many rocks for experiments. This isn't too hard. We simply go to places with a lot of rocks.
One of my jobs as the assistant is to keep the scientist with whom I work safe. He gets so engrossed in the experiments he does that potential dangers are not always spotted. It is my job to keep a sharp lookout for dangers so that the scientist can concentrate on his work. Life experience, physical strength, attention to detail, and knowledge of the outdoors are all essential qualifications for my work.
Albert Einstein has been described like this: "He was also the stereotypical "absent-minded professor"; he was often forgetful of everyday items, such as keys, and would focus so intently on solving physics problems that he would often become oblivious to his surroundings. " The scientist for whom I work is quite similar in his personality. Thus I become responsible for some parts of daily life that he might otherwise take charge of himself. For example I have to remind him to eat and make sure that he wears sunscreen when he is involved in his experiments. I help him wash any mud off his hands when he is done and take him to the bathroom when he needs to go. I buckle him in his car seat when we need to drive anywhere.
Many of the places we go are rapidly-flowing rivers. I see a lot of scientists who have trouble finding assistants because there is some danger involved in the work. “Stay away from the river!” the assistants will say. It is not terribly dangerous, but many of the assistants do not seem to trust the scientists in the work that they do. The rivers and the experiments do look dangerous from a distance, but once we get up close, it does not feel dangerous.
I am greatly enjoying my volunteer work in the field of geology. Of course I love the outdoors and the opportunity to be in the sunshine and enjoy varied natural places. I do not know what the findings of this research may be (nor am I fully aware of even what the hypothesis is or question(s) this research seeks to answer) however I am certain that the process of experimentation is at least as important as the findings and that the work I am doing as assistant to a great scientist will be of great importance in the future.
Yes, to my two-year-old son, throwing rocks in the river makes for a very important scientific experiment! I am only glad to be able to help him in his work.
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