Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/659479
A few years ago my stepmom told me America uses about 50 billion water bottles a year, and I got sick to my stomach thinking about where all that garbage goes. Where once, as a family, we used to buy bottled water and recycle the bottles at our recycling center, we now limit ourselves to reusable water bottles. The amount of recycling we've reduced is phenomenal. If everyone would simply stop buying plastic water bottles and use a reusable water bottle, we could make a world of difference. Courtney Frey contributors When my nephew was a kid, he found a few turtles near a river, placed in a bucket. They looked as if they'd been there for weeks, covered in green muck. My nephew told me his fear of taking the turtles out and putting them back into their natural habitat, fearing they be- longed to someone. Together, we set them free. He still remembers that day, when he learned the value of freedom. Paula Vergara As members of oikos (Greek origin of the word ecology) we are literally an "earth household." Cultivating an awareness of this connection through mindfulness and keen observation reveals a stunning network of living, self-regulating systems, characterized by creativity and novelty. Absence of awareness fosters exactly the self-centered greed and disrespect that got us into this mess; awareness offers the best way out. I celebrate our inclusion in this eco-centric (vs. ego-centric) world view, which, when reverently put into practice, teems with inherently joyful, optimistic, life-sustaining abundance. Marcy Emmer Graham The wonders of nature surround us—whether on a Yosemite mountaintop or in an inner city butterfl y garden. I am most in tune with my inner voice when I'm surrounded by nature and open to its sights, smells and sounds. Colorful bird feathers, ocean waves crashing, the minty scent of coastal sage, the wonder of butterfl ies emerging from cocoons awaken our senses and enhance our lives. It's crucial to us all. Marcia Hanscom When it comes to the environment, no action is too small. Whether you simply bring a reusable bag to the grocery store or invent a transformational system of ocean cleanup, this is a team effort. We asked our writers to share what they think makes a difference. WORRIED? S T R E S S E D ? D E P R E S S E D ? There are answers in this book. BUY AND READ DIANETiCS T H E M O D E R N S C I E N C E O F M E N T A L H E A L T H MAY YO U N E V E R B E T H E S A M E AG A I N THE #1 BEST SELLING BOOK ON THE HUMAN MIND MAY YO U N E V E R B E T H E S A M E AG A I N BY L. RON HUBBARD PRICE: $25 DIANETiCS M E N T A L H E A L T H 4810 W. Sunset Blvd., LA CA 90027 Open daily: 9am - 10pm www.dianeticsla.org 8 wholelifetimes.com