If this resonates with you, check out 

www.CherylKempton.com 

for resources and information.

In a city with a persistent haze, in a country with chronic cloud cover, the past week of clear, absolutely cloudless, deep blue skies has been glorious. 

Could such skies have been the effect of the flight groundings?

By 7.30 this morning, the answer was clear.

Husband’s Christmas vacation is commandeered for decluttering.

Official notice – we gotta move.

More decluttering. Thank God for charity shops and  freecycle.

Found a new flat – 550 sq feet and that has to include my office.  And on the 3rd (4th in US) floor. Got lots of character, though, and great light. But no lift/elevator…

Where did all this stuff come from? Donating, selling, donating, tossing. (Oh, the guilt – how could we generate so much garbage? Really, we did recycle and donate everything we could!)

But we’re beginning to feel that we are living lighter, less tied to our stuff, clearing out the excess that we never used anyway. (How could so much accumulate in 3 years?)

Get boxes from a friend and through freecycle – yeah! no need to purchase new.

Packing up…after all that decluttering…still finding another corner, another drawer…where does it all come from???

The removals/mover guys arrive. Lovely guys. They tell us we really don’t have that much stuff really. Really lovely guys.

Then they see our new flat.

And tell us we have way too much stuff.

What is your clutter protecting you from?

If you find it challenging coming up with an answer, then imagine yourself charging into that space and dealing with it. What emotions come up? What’s holding you back? What do these objects represent in your life? Is there an event, or person, or fear that you’ve attached to those objects?

My client is in a transition period in her life. While historically she’s kept her spare bedroom very neat, during the past few months it had become a disaster area. In talking it through with her, she realized that she associated the clothes filling up her spare bedroom with a past long-term relationship. She didn’t want many of the clothes anymore, but they reminded her of the lovely vacations she had had with her ex, and she just hadn’t been able to tackle the space. By identifying first the items that were challenging, and then the emotional association, she realized that she wasn’t yet fully letting go of that relationship. While it may be an emotional process, cleaning that space will help her move on from that relationship. Then, who knows what new opportunities await?

Your home can be a useful tool to diagnose what’s really happening in your life. What is your home saying about you?

For most people the most obvious and easiest place to start is by turning off standby appliances and other energy vampires. I’ve been aware of this issue for some time, every since about 10 years ago hearing that, in the USA, it took something like 6 large power plants to power all the TVs while they were turned off. 

I was thinking I’d write a bit on this, or at least provide some resources, but then I was forwarded the following article that does a much better job than I could do in articulating the issues and providing easy solutions.

And while I do a fair amount of turning things off, this article has inspired me to take it to the next level. It also doesn’t suggest unplugging your computer as some article do. The authors of those articles must never have tried that one, because when I completely turned off my computer for a week I then had to reset all kinds of things. But the peripherals, on the other hand…

Thanks to Dennis Shibut of Kyoto Action for clearly articulating the issues, making the solutions sound so easy, and letting me share his report here.

Losing Our Energy Fat

by Dennis Shibut

In the previous Kyoto Action Report I quoted two prominent international economists, Paul Krugman and Sir Nicholas Stern. Both made the same point that Kyoto Action has always emphasized: the most important first step in curbing global warming and climate change is not sacrificing our living standards or the world economy, but eliminating the lazy and wasteful ways we use energy both at home and in the office.

In official documents and studies, this is technically referred to as the “energy efficiency gap”, or more simply, our “energy fat index”. And just as body fat threatens our health, so does our excessive energy fat damage the environment.

Reality Check

Today the average home and office are crammed with electronic devices that have chargers or converters, or which must be left in standby mode when not in use. Though this may seem inconsequential and harmless, the contrary is all too true. On a national and global scale these devices cause a significant drain on energy production, which in turn produces more greenhouse gas emissions. Experts refer to these plugged-in devices and components as “energy vampires”.

Recently the Union of Concerned Scientists cited a national home energy study done in 2007 in the U.S. That study estimated the amount of wasted energy from standby appliances and plugged-in chargers and converters in U.S. homes. Below are the key figures.

• Total waste… 65 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, yearly.
• Cost to U.S. consumers… $5.8 billion annually.
• Environmental damage… 44 million tons of CO2 dumped into the atmosphere each year, not to mention the associated mercury released from burning the coal to generate this electricity.

[Source: http://www.ucsusa.org/publications/greentips/energy-vampires.html]

Here’s another sobering statistic about our energy waste. A UK national energy study determined that 6 – 10 percent of its national energy generation was wasted each year due to standby appliances and plugged-in chargers/converters doing nothing while home owners were at work during the day and asleep at night.

In parallel with the U.S., the European Commission for Energy did its own study of the energy waste from plugged-in chargers/converters and standby appliances in offices and homes throughout the twenty-five countries comprising the European Union in 2007. The results stunned the Commission: the energy waste nearly equaled the entire electricity consumption of Greece. The primary numbers are similar to those for the U.S., which show Europeans are not far behind Americans in energy vampire devices:

• Total waste… 48 billion kilowatt-hours per year.
• Cost to EU consumers… €6.5 billion ($9.3 billion, £5.8 billion) annually.
• Environmental damage… 19.3 million tonnes of CO2 dumped into the atmosphere each year (plus mercury).

This energy waste extends worldwide throughout Asia and Australia. The International Energy Agency (IEA) reported that this standby energy drain results in an additional 40 million tons of CO2 each year. [Sources: www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/; www.bbc.co.uk/bloom/actions/unpluggadgets.shtml; www.iea.org/; European Commission for Energy]

Take Action

Here are some of the best ways to quickly and easily lose “energy fat”:

Just turn it OFF. Train yourself to turn off lights, electronic systems, and appliances when you leave the room, even for 15 minutes. When I first started to turn things off when leaving a room, my electricity bill dropped 18 percent!

But be forewarned: many of our devices today actually don’t turn off when you push the OFF button. Read further.

Disconnect the ‘energy vampires’ in your home. Some dark (but not necessarily rainy) night switch off all the lights and take a look around. What you’ll see is a galaxy of little pin-points of light and glowing panels on desktops, in corners, on shelves, under tables, and on kitchen counter-tops. These show you where your ‘vampires’ are, constantly sucking electricity day and night, while your are asleep or at work.

These ‘vampires’ are our electronic devices and appliances in Standby mode like televisions, audio-visual systems, Internet connection boxes, play stations, microwave ovens, high-tech stoves, cordless phones, etc.

Then there are those devices that need plug-in chargers and converters to function, such as portable computers, digital printers, cell phones, digital agendas, digital photo and video equipment, etc.

Here’s how to take control of these ‘vampires’:

Get rid of plug-in digital or LED display clocks and clock-radios that constantly use as much energy as a 40-watt light bulb. Use instead a wrist watch or rely on the time/date display of your cell phone or digital agenda (DA), which use a lot less energy for the same function. Also, use cell phones and DAs for your alarm clock instead of a plug-in clock-radio or alarm clock.

Use power strips (or surge suppressors). These multi-socket outlet extensions are equipped with an on/off switch so you can completely disconnect power to all attached devices with just a press of your big toe. Power strips are a lot more convenient than trying to unplug each device every night before going to bed, going off to work, or leaving on a trip, and they make it easy to power-up again later. Note: Switching off a surge suppressor does not disable its protection against power spikes.

A power strip is a multi-plug extension equipped with a foot switch that lets you turn off all power to plugged-in chargers, converters, and/or standby appliances.

Unplug chargers when not recharging your portable computer, camera, cell phone, etc. Many people don’t realize that these chargers use power even when they are not connected to the devices they recharge. If you see a light and/or it feels warm, it’s using power.

Avoid ‘Standby’ mode in remote-control appliances such as televisions, stereos, DVD players, when you are not using them. New models allow you to turn off Standby by pressing the power button on the front panel. If your appliance doesn’t have this feature, then plug it into its own power strip and use the foot switch to turn off all power to that appliance.

Do use ‘Standby’ for computers. Computer ‘Standby’ saves energy when the computer is idle during the day, for instance, when you’re out to lunch, in a meeting, or taking a coffee break. Don’t confuse Standby with Screen Saver mode, which comes on automatically when the computer is idle. Screen Saver only reduces power to the screen display, not the computer. When clicking Standby, don’t forget to also switch off the power button on the screen display.

However, never use computer Standby mode when you leave the office overnight or go to bed. Instead, turn the computer completely off. Click ‘Turn Off’ to power off the computer. To turn desktop models completely off, you must then push the power buttons on the screen display and the computer box.

Switch Off Internet ADSL/cable boxes overnight. These boxes consume a significant amount of power and should not be left on overnight when you are asleep and have no need for Internet or cable service. The box I have has no power switch, so I’ve plugged it into my power strip which allows me to turn off everything in my home office with one switch before going to bed. This also turns off my phone service, but callers can still leave messages that I can hear in the morning when I switch things back on. If you need constant phone service (e.g., for children or parents), leave your cell phone on; it uses a lot less energy than a combo cable box.

Power strip your microwave. The clock displays on microwave ovens that are always on even when the oven is not in use can consume a lot of energy. Estimates have shown that each year these clock displays cost owners nearly $11 (7.80 € or £7 ) per year, even if you never use the microwave. You could probably multiply this figure by all the other gadgets around your home that ‘conveniently’ display the time when doing nothing. This situation adds a new meaning to the phrase: “Time is money!” — that is, as bonuses for the executives of your power company! Get tough with these appliances by plugging them into a power strip so you can switch the power on only when you use them.

By taking all the steps above, we can stop wasting energy and money on appliances that do nothing.

— Dennis Shibut
(Creator of the Kyoto Action website, MS Physics, member of the Union of Concerned Scientists, former researcher for NASA and US Coast & Geodetic Survey) Special thanks to Kath Massam and Mary Podevin for their assistance in preparing this report.

To find out what other personal actions you can take to change the course of global warming and climate change, visit our Website at http://kyotoactionreport.blogspot.com/. To receive Kyoto Action Reports, send your request to:   d [dot] shibut [at] free.fr.

This is one seriously cool piece of furniture. I’ve wanted one ever since learning about its long history in my History of Furnishings class. So I jumped at the chance when I saw a curule stool at a second-hand shop. More on that here. 

Well, wasn’t I surprised when I hopped onto the Design Sponge blog (ranked the #2 design blog in the world by the Times – there’s something to aspire to!) and they had recently posted an article on the history of this amazing little seat. If you’re as curious as I, you’ll want to check it out here: Past & Present: The Curule.

For many, with the New Year comes a new round of resolutions. Why is that?

Obviously, the New Year represents new beginnings. It is a time to evaluate our lives, look at the past year and, where we’ve gone off on tangents, get back on the path towards our goals. We’ve passed the longest night; it’s slowly getting lighter. We are moving toward spring and with that comes new creative energy.

This is certainly true for me. You may have noticed I’ve been a bit absent on this blog the last couple of months. I had started a process of re-envisioning my business, and with that an assessment of the blog. Is it working? Is it interesting? or is it preachy and academic? I’ve gotten some lovely comments but I still had many doubts, along with continued struggles with WordPress (it really is a great program – just a bit frustrating at times).  And, of course, life events intervened as well. 

While I’m actually not one to make resolutions, with the New Year I am refocusing on the blog, and I could use some help.

What works (and doesn’t)?  What do you like (or not)?  What would you like to see?

I’d love to hear from you!

I do try to ignore the hype, the sensationalist headlines, and the drama, and read between the lines to get to the basic message.  But sometimes I need a reminder.

Just in time, I got this article delivered to my mail box. I’m a huge fan of Christine Kane and her inspirational messages (you may know her through her music). Her viewpoint: use these crazy headlines to “flex your resistance muscles.”

Media, Mindsets and Muscles: How to Get your Thoughts into Shape

by Christine Kane

Years ago, I was on the road and happened to catch a snippet of the news while waiting in an airport.

“…the Washington DC area was plunged into darkness this evening as storms raged…”

Plunged? Darkness? Rage?

Quickly I grabbed my phone and called my mom to make sure she was okay.

When she picked up, I said, “Hey! Are you all okay?”

She sounded surprised to hear from me. “Yes. Why?”

I told her that I had just seen the news.

“Well, the lights went out. So we lit candles.”

In other words, no one plunged. Nothing fell. In fact, there was no descent to speak of.

In my mom’s words: “The lights went out.”

But that’s not news, is it? Plunging, on the other hand. Now THAT’S news!

————-

It’s no secret that the media hooks us in with subtle twists of language. After all, if we don’t get hooked, then we don’t need to find out more, do we? If we don’t need to find out more, then we won’t be watching when the commercials run.

Let’s say the guy on the news tells you: “It’s all good!”

That just sends you on your way, doesn’t it?

“Phew! Everything’s fine. Back to my day!”

But “plummeting” and “crisis” and “slumps” (oh my). Those get us every time.

Those headlines sell ads.

Here’s some breaking news for you: The news is not a public service. It’s a business. As such, it needs you to live your life reactively so you’ll keep watching.

——-

Now, some people choose to look at all these media messages and get outraged. “Look at those media people! They’re just trying to get us!”

But this just keeps you hooked – only it’s from a different angle. The media watch dog types provide another perspective – but they still remain at the level of the drama. It’s still reaction.

There’s another way. You can rise above the negativity completely. And then choose to see the media and all of its doom and gloom as “resistance training” – actually helping your mental muscle to grow, and training you to get better and better at creating your own reality.

Does this sound a little stupid?

Well, consider something.

Think about your muscles. Whether you’re a world-class athlete or just someone who works-out to stay in shape, your muscles do not grow or change without meeting resistance. Resistance training is required for the building of body and muscle strength – even if it’s just the weight of your own body, as in Pilates or Yoga.

So, why would it be any different with creating new thought patterns and better responses to the world around you?

It’s not!

So rather than waiting for the negativity to subside so that you can feel okay about the world, use it as training! It’s a form of resistance training. It is helping you become a better creator, a better leader of your own life, and someone who can self-generate happiness and results. As opposed to being someone who waits for the outside world to tell you that you’re okay, that you’re gonna be okay, and that you are productive, abundant, and peaceful.

Here’s how it works:

1 – You consciously choose the thoughts you want to think and believe.

2 – Every time you hear the news, or find yourself in a conversation with doomers and gloomers, become an athlete. See how your mind and its thoughts hold up to the resistance.

3 – Remember that no one goes into a gym for the first time and bench presses 300 pounds. (Or 100 for that matter!) It takes practice and awareness.

4 – Congratulate yourself each time you notice that you hold your mental strength and keep your desired perspective. That’s the beginning!

When you get good at this, you’ll see powerful results. You’ll notice that you instantly see through the drama and the language that used to hook you. And best of all, you’ll recognize that your thoughts are far more powerful than anything that plummets, descends, or has a crisis outside of them.

Performer, songwriter, and creativity consultant Christine Kane publishes her ‘LiveCreative’ weekly ezine with more than 4,000 subscribers. If you want to be the artist of your life and create authentic and lasting success, you can sign up for a FRE*E subscription to LiveCreative at www.christinekane.com.

Called OLED for Organic Light Emitting Diode – organic because they somehow use carbon and hydrogen (no organic farming here), the Philips people were displaying their version (Lumiblades) at 100% Design today. 

These little dangly things are basically an ultra thin luminated panel. These ones are still in the early phases (sounded like prototypes even), but just think of the possibilities! Philips provided one idea in the top photo, cleverly using the latest technology to represent what’s practically a relic. I’m sure we’ll be seeing them everywhere soon…Sony has already come out with a OLED TV.

If you’re hungry for more, check out: Philips press release, Philips Lumiblade OLED, and OLED-info.com.

The reality can be somewhat frustrating, however, with all the queues, traveling around London, and various opening times of sites. So I was a bit annoyed by the time we got to our last stop on Saturday, but oooh did that one make the whole day worth it!

This architect-designed and lived-in house starts off on a plot of land 8 feet wide. Seriously. It’s basically the gap (hence, dubbed “Gap House”) between two other houses. (No clue why I didn’t get a photo of the front, so you’ll have to just believe me.) Along that corridor is a really lovely staircase of sustainably harvested wood.

After passing a mechanics closet (which packs in a lot including tanks and pipes for things like the ground source heat pump) and a little loo, the house widens a bit for the kitchen.

But it’s the view from the kitchen where the house really opens up.  Tucking the living room (with an office loft above) behind the neighbors house allowed for both the kitchen and living room to have sliding folding doors opening up to the garden. 

Can’t you just imagine living here!?!?

Now, if you are getting a little lost in the floorplan, the view from the back of the garden ties it all together. The floors cascading up contain the bedrooms.

Other eco features include passive solar design, highly insulated building envelope, and using rainwater to flush toilets and water plants.

I love this house because it is well designed, yet not at all ostentatious. From an incredibly awkward plot comes something very livable, very real, yet elegant and modern.

This home was designed by Luke  Tozer of Pitman Tozer Architects.  His blog (not so up to date but with more pics) is Architect’s Self-Build Eco House.

Luke – if you ever read this, thank you so much for sharing your home with so many.