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Gifting the Future

We hold the key to her happiness.

I love the way the seasons remind me of our planet’s journey around the sun. As another winter solstice approaches, I find simple pleasure noticing how the light reaches deeply into our home as the sun traverses its low, southerly arc each day. Another source of enjoyment this time of year comes in the form of giving to others.

Exchanging gifts is a holiday tradition that can have great meaning. As a sincere expression …(more)

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Five Years and Counting

We are changing our home.

Our Home is changing – unnaturally and much too quickly. The Earth’s fragile, life-sustaining balance is shifting due to rapid and massive releases of carbon, dug up from beneath the surface and thrust into the atmosphere at an explosive rate. This “Sacred Balance,” as Professor David Suzuki so eloquently described it in his book by the same name, is what we depend on to survive and thrive. It is the essence of …(more)

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Celebrate Independence

Celebrate Energy Independence! Join the revolution!Nothing is more important to the human spirit than freedom. People sacrifice their lives so that others may experience it. As we celebrate our country’s independence this weekend, friends and family will gather for barbeques and many homes will display the flag. In addition to displaying a symbol of our patriotism, our homes and businesses represent a vital opportunity that, if we choose to take action, can do more to strengthen and enhance our freedom than almost anything else.

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Solar Hot Water - Be the Change!

Solar Water DropsWe live in interesting times. Never before have we witnessed so much change in so little time. Whether we resist or embrace change, it is still inevitable, but if we actively embrace the changes we like we can often minimize the change we’d prefer to avoid.

For example, almost everyone in this country uses some sort of fossil or other non-renewable fuel to heat water. We all like the convenience, but few of us like the changes that are occurring on the planet due to greenhouse gases or nuclear catastrophes. Solar hot water systems can help change that.

In January I wrote about new solar hot water system incentives and mentioned that Southwest Gas was due to roll out a new program soon. The Southwest Gas Nevada Smarter Greener Better Solar Water Heating Program (that’s the official name in its glorious entirety) is now up and running.

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Earth Day – or rather, Eaarth Day

April 22 should be a GLOBAL holiday of deep significance. Seriously, I mean that. I can’t think of any other day whose meaning carries greater potential or consequence for life. It should be a celebration, and calibration, of our future. Earth is home to all people; every religion, nationality, race and political persuasion – not to mention the millions of other species we share it with. Surely Earth Day should reign supreme as the Big Enchilada, the Mother of all Holidays. But in the overall scheme of our daily lives, it barely gets a nod in the mainstream media.

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Earth Day in Southern Nevada

Want to make sure that you don’t miss out on any of the events that are being scheduled for Earth Day? The Southern Nevada Group of the Sierra Club (Toiyabe Chapter) has created a special website just for EarthDay – check it out at EarthDayLV.com. The site is aiming to list all the local events that will be happening around Southern Nevada to celebrate Earth Day. Events are being added every day so check …(more)

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Housing's Silver Lining

Every cloud has a green lining.

They say that every cloud has a silver lining. That might be even more appropriate here in the Silver State, since the clouds caused by the housing market have caused more than a passing shadow. However, the sun is beginning to peek through, and it’s shining a bright light on some activities in the housing market that not only have a silver lining, but perhaps even gold or platinum.

I’m talking about two projects, one quite old (by Las Vegas standards) and the other brand new. Both are equally exciting and represent a new wave of housing development that is just getting underway in Southern Nevada.

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A Snowball's Chance

The Copenhagen climate talks are behind us and the results were, shall we say, suboptimal. Despite dire warnings from the world’s brightest scientists, along with more than ample physical evidence of the need for immediate action, the world’s leaders have again, well, failed to lead. Spectacularly I might add. Copenhagen yielded no new treaty or binding agreement to address the issue of climate change. Some said it was doomed to fail; that it had a snowball’s chance in hell to create meaningful change. With leadership like that, who needs enemies?

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Transition Town

By now, the concept of sustainability is one that most people are familiar with. Though there are many ways to define a sustainable society, there is really only one alternative to it. Basically, you’re either on or off the bus. By definition, being unsustainable only lasts for so long. It’s the ultimate dead end.

What does that mean in the current context of our lives, our homes and communities, and life as we know …(more)

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Living Lighter to Save the Pika

I’m writing this column from the heart of California’s Sierra Nevada range near Yosemite National Park. It’s beautiful here and not as hot as Las Vegas in early September, but there is ample evidence of rising temperatures as the effects of climate change become increasingly obvious.

The wide-spread bark beetle infestation in the western U.S. has resulted in large numbers of dead or dying trees. And California’s fire season is now seemingly without end, …(more)

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