Environmental Stewardship & More

I've been participating at the RE:Form Now Conference in Boise a portion of this week. Tons of deep information on environmental stewardship, world crisis and human justice.

There was a 20 minute documentary launched on human trafficking in the U.S. at this conference, and you can link to it from this post. The video defintely opened my eyes and heart to this problem. I knew that this happened abroad, but didn't realize it was in my own backyard, too.

I realize that this is not a happy subject, but something that needed more attention. A healthy home and healthy planet pertains to the emotional/moral issues, as well as the physical ones.

RE:FORM Conference This Week

I'm very pleased that this week has rolled around! A RE:FORM Conference will be on the 24th thru 26th of September, at The Vineyard Church in Boise. I will be having an exhibit of my products there, but more importantly, there is going to be 3 days of education on Human Justice, World Crisis, & Environmental Stewardship.

There's a schedule of events listed below, but you can also go the RE:FORM website for more information. Hope to see everyone there!

September 24, 2008—Human Justice
9:00am - Human Trafficking Overview —Rob Morris, Love 146
10:15am - Panel Discussion with experts on Human Trafficking issues including John Odean; Alan Brown, Compasio; Phil Gazley, Colorado Network to End HT ; Steven Hamilton, former Homeland Security; Kathy Maskell, Love 146; Surrea Oglesby, Eden House
12:00pm - Lunch (provided)
1:30pm, 2:45pm, 4:00pm - Workshops and discussions with panelists
5:00pm - Dinner break (on your own)
7:00pm - Rob Morris & Love Justice Human Trafficking Documentary

September 25, 2008—World Crises
9:00am - A Call to Action — Senior Pastor Tri Robinson
10:00am - Panel Discussion with experts on the seven areas of world crisis including Scott Sabin, Floresta; Mark Russell, HOPE Intl.; Jennifer Boyd, Vineyard College of Mission; Brandi Swindell,; Josh Campbell; Tri Robinson
12:00pm - Lunch (provided)
1:30pm, 3:30pm - Workshops and discussions with panelists
5:00pm - Dinner break (on your own)
7:00pm - Biblical Solutions to a World in Crisis—Tri Robinson

September 26, 2008—Environmental Stewardship
9:00am - Environmental Stewardship Overview—Peter Illyn
10:00am - Panel Discussion with experts on various Environmental Stewardship issues including Peter Illyn, Restoring Eden; Melanie Griffin, Sierra Club; Rhys Roth, Climate Solutions; Jim Jewell, Evangelical Environmental Network; Suellen Lowry, Noah Alliance; Thomas D. Rowley, A Rocha USA; Gary Nafziger-Meiser
12:00pm - Lunch (provided)
1:30pm, 3:30pm - Workshops and discussions with panelists
5:00pm - Dinner break (on your own)
7:00pm - Creation Care, an Evening of Experiential Journey —Andy Hendley; Peter Illyn, Restoring Eden; Melanie Griffin

New Studies Show Possible Link of Diabetis & Heart Disease to BPA

I've talked about it on this forum previously, but the previous references to BPA (Bisphenol-A), were related to adverse exposures to children and pregnant women.
Now, in a new report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, they believe there may be a link between BPA and heart disease and diabetis 2.

The discussion is really heating up, because the FDA will be holding a public hearing this coming Tuesday. Stay tuned for more bantering while our society's health continues to suffer.

Help Pass Senate Bill 1738 - The Protect Our Children Act

Our children are our future and their future's are being threatened by the thousands of online sexual predators out there. Even less encouraging, the personal contacts that children have within their families, schools, etc., is getting even more dangerous.
Unfortunately, if parents were more diligent in monitoring their children's accessibility on the internet, there would be fewer problems. But, that problem just becomes more and more common, as both parents work more or single parent households.
So, I see Senate Bill 1738 as a step in right direction for making funds more available for law enforcement to buckle down on these perverts!
Please, review the information recently shared on an Oprah episode, and then let your conscious be your guide.

The Eco-Builder

Bill Callahan is so cool. He provides some easy, common sense ideas on repairing and reusing used lumber. Here's a video with some of his suggestions on ways to enhance sustainability.

Nurses' Children, Cancer, & Birth Defects

The EWG (Environmental Working Group), has published a survey regarding substances that nurses' are exposed to, and how they may be asociated to health problems in their children. Here's a small portion of the article, but you can read the whole thing by clicking here.

Part of article:
Analysis of survey data shows that nurses' reported exposures during pregnancy to hazardous drugs, housekeeping chemicals, anesthetic gases, and disinfecting and sterilizing agents are associated with increased incidence of birth defects among their children.

Children born to nurses reporting high exposures to these chemicals (at least once a week for nine months) were up to two times more likely to be born with a congenital defect than children born to nurses with low or no exposures to these agents, and up to nine times more likely to suffer from musculoskeletal defects at birth. Of the hundreds of compounds in these exposure categories, for only one has the government set standards specifically to restrict nurses' exposures (the sterilizing agent ethylene oxide).

Green Goes With Everything

There's a new book coming out that sounds to have some very good common sense ideas on ways to go green. I haven't read it yet, but plan to. If, anyone gets the book and reads it before me, I'd appreciate your input on it.

Here's a YouTube video on it.

bisphenol A, BPA Is Still A "Concern"

Despite the recent reports from a governmental agency that there weren't any human health concerns from exposure to BPA, two new study's say otherwise.
Exposure to a chemical, bisphenol A (BPA), which is found in everyday plastics has been linked to problems with brain function and mood disorders in monkeys. This coming from researchers at the Yale School of Medicine.
This week's article in the Washington Post, summarizes the study done at Yale School of Medicine. The researchers are saying that there is "some concern" for humans, based on the results they documented with the primates.
The second report was published in Science Daily, and it finds a relationship between exposure to BPA and issues of metabolic syndrome. Left untreated, the disorder can lead to life-threatening health problems such as coronary artery disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.
That for me, is good enough reason to stay away from as much plastic as possible. The old saying, "Better to be safe, than sorry", is definitely applicable here.

Paperless Books - What Rock Have I Been Under?

Okay, I'm not sure how long "they've" been around and what the whole scoop is on "them" yet, but I've just read about "e-books"!! Did you know that you can purchase these electronic book readers, and elimate the clutter, paper usage, weight, etc, from your life?
Apparently, up to 200 books and periodicals can be downloaded to a reader, at any given time. And, better than that, it remembers what page you left off at reading, you can change the size of the text, look up the meaning of specific words. Holy Cow, it's AMAZING !
I guess you can preview chapters to books that you're interested in reading and when you do decide to make the purchase, it can be done almost instantly.
They also have found a technology that they call electronic ink, so the reader doesn't burn up a lot of power, but uses some when you turn a page.
How many trees is this going to save? Obviously, millons.
You gotta admit it, technology is WONDERFUL !

He Won The War / He Lived Well - Randy Pausch

Randy Pausch, lost his battle today with pancreatic cancer, but won the war on living well and a full life! Today's news release is here.

If, you hadn't yet heard of Randy, he was a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, who did two incredible presentations about life and what it meant to him, after he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in Sept 2006. An update on Randy's condition was posted yesterday on his website.

A quote from Randy Pausch:
“We don’t beat the reaper by living longer. We beat the reaper by living well, and living fully, for the reaper will come for all of us. The question is what do we do between the time we are born and the time he shows up. Cause when he shows up it’s too late to do all the things that you’re always were kinda going to get around to.”

If, you haven't seen Randy's presentations, or you'd like to view them again, I've listed them below.

God bless Randy's family and all who loved him.

Randy Pausch - Last Lecture - Achieving Your Dreams



Randy Pausch - May 2008 Carnegie Mellon Commencement ceremony