Eco-lunches for kids!

Instead of using disposable plastic ziploc bags that leach chemicals and last forever in the landfill, consider switching to an eco-lunch for yourself and your children! This is what an ecodeaf reader uses for herself and her family- Lunch bag made from recycled plastic bottles, aluminum boxes for meals such as pasta, etc. Aluminum bottle for water (avoid plastic containers or juice boxes!). Cloth napkins and cloth placemats, washable and use again, and again! Lunch skins for PBJs and carrots or grapes.

Why not juice boxes? Many of them, even organic ones, contain sugar which you or your children do not need. Water is the best! Let them eat whole fruits instead of juice.

Infinite Light: Interpreter Position Available

Interpreter Position Available at Infinite Light
(Ayahuasca Shamanic Healing, Deaf-Friendly) Summer 2010

Hey guys, we have an amazing opportunity for an ASL interpreter who is interested in a potentially life-changing experience!

Who we are looking for:

Our intention is to bring in an interpreter who is also interested in working with the Shamanic Ayahuasca Medicine themselves (during the actual healing ceremonies, the interpreters are not working and are able to have their own experience). The first step would be to visit the Infinite Light website and read through it, including the article 'What is Ayahuasca Really' on the front page, as well as watching the YouTube video linked to the site. If the interpreter has a personal draw towards this kind of work, the energetic match is much better. Being in a small village, the interpreter needs to be a relatively laid-back, flexible person, who is willing to step out of their comfort zone and experience a whole other world.

Logistics:

Location: Jenaro Herrera, small village outside of Iquitos, Peru (Amazon region)
Dates (to be in Peru): May 15th - August 4th, 2010
Compensation: Airfare covered, even trade on participation of six Infinite Light programs ($2500 value), food stipend for in-between group stay in the village
Interpreting Expectations: During each 10-day group session (with five days off in between each) the interpreters will be supporting communication during set meeting times (no more than one per day) and available for chatting between the Deaf and hearing group members as needed. During the first two groups, there will be only one Deaf person (a return guest who is very self-sufficient) and the final four groups at least three (or more) Deaf (plus a co interpreter, and a third for backup).


If you or someone you know is interested or would like more information after going through the website www.infinitelightperu.com), please contact Meghan at infinitelightperu@gmail.com (feel free to forward this email appropriately). Also any Deaf who are interested in attending the program, contact us as well. This work can change lives:)

The Beautiful Blogger Award

1) Thank the person who nominated me for this award.

2) Copy the award and place it on my blog.

3) Link to the person who nominated me for this award.

4) Tell us seven interesting things about yourself.

5) Nominate seven bloggers.

6) Post links to the seven blogs I nominate.

Thank you to Kim from Face me, I Read Lips for nominating us the beautiful blogger award. We are flattered and feeling eco-preciated for making positive environmental impacts on our planet Earth and in peoples' lives.

The Seven Interesting Facts about EcoDeaf

1) EcoDeaf is a community-based blog for everyone and written/vlogged by YOU!

2) EcoDeaf was founded in 2007 by Raychelle Harris, Shira Grabelsky, and Summer Crider.

3) We currently have eight writers on board. The regular contributors are Raychelle Harris, Shira Grabelsky, Summer Crider, and Anthony Brucato and the people who have volunteered their time for EcoDeaf are Alynn, Rhea, P, and Deaf258. If you're interested in writing for EcoDeaf, please send us an email at ecodeaf@gmail.com to express your interest and we'll get you on board. All you need is a Gmail account to join!

4) Approximately half of the post ideas on Ecodeaf are actually reader submissions via email. If you see or read something you think should be posted on Ecodeaf, write up something about it with sources provided then e-mail it over to ecodeaf@gmail.com .

5) EcoDeaf was mentioned in the NADmag in the July-August 2008 Vol. 8 No. 4 issue!

6) In the month of November 15 - December 15, we've had 2,483 visits. Of those visitors, 43% find us through search engines. 34% from referring sites, and Deafread tops the list with 20%! And 22% from direct traffic!

7) Our EcoDeaf visitors are primarily from USA and Canada but we have visitors from around the globe! California wins with the most visits, New York comes in second, Pennsylvania in third, DC in fourth, and Maryland in 5th. Curious for more? Washington State came in sixth, Texas in seventh, Florida in eighth, Massachusetts in ninth, and New Mexico in tenth.

Bonus: Our most popular post for this month was "Breast is Best" with 271 hits!

The Seven Blog sites that
EcoDeaf Nominates for the Beautiful Blogger Award!

In no particular order, they are:

1) Jenny Miers Henry at Mountain Momma for sharing her life stories and experiences as well as her concerns over different environmental issues.

2) Sharon Duchesneau and Candace Mccullough at Alternative Solutions Center for the Deaf for publishing excellent thought-provoking, insightful blogs and vlogs for the Deaf community.

3) Katherine Feldmann at Deaf Animals for promoting awareness of deaf animals' existences as well as share information and resources.

4) Sina McCarthy and Judi Fruge at Deaf Natural Living Newsletter for sharing different topics on natural living and raw food diets.

5) May Wille at Soothing Waves for providing services and sharing information on different massaging, healing techniques and raw food recipes and tips.

6) Rev. Jill Lestina at Change Your Thinking, Shift Your Perception, And the World Will Change for sharing many useful tips, advises, and suggestions through v-logs on how to turn your life around and appreciate the world!

7) Rachel Benedict, Leala Holcomb, and Clara Baldwin at Green Gallaudet for making Gallaudet a greener campus by raising awarenesses, setting up events, and sharing important environmental issues with Gally students and staff. Gallaudet is going greener and greener every year!

*Hands Waving To Everyone For Your Eco-Participation*

THANK YOU AND NAMASTE!!

Take the Plunge!

It's that time of the year again!
You can get cold to keep winter cold for years to come!


Take the Polar Bear Plunge to fight global warming.



There is one planned for the Chesapeake Bay, MD area on January 23, 2010.
Go to http://www.keepwintercold.org to read more about this project, find a plunge near you, or to organize one!

If you organize or take part in a plunge, be sure to post here so others can join as well!

See the links below to read about EcoDeaf taking part in Polar Plunges of years past!

Plunges from 2007:
Into Icy Waters We Went
Brave EcoDeaf members jump into Chesapeake Bay

Information about 2009's Plunge:
Take Polar Bear Plunge

Vegetarian / Leather-free Shoes

Not all shoes are made equal.

In the image above, Natalie Portman is shown wearing a vegan shoes from her Natalie Portman Collection shoe line.
(image from http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/04/13/natalie-portman-vegan-shoes/)

Wearing your beliefs on your feet is quite a statement.

A reader submitted this About.com site that gives a list of where you can buy non-animal products footwear. There are vegan shoes for everyone in the family and not all vegan shoes are canvas-like.

http://shoes.about.com/od/vegancrueltyfreeshoes/Vegetarian_LeatherFree.htm

Deaf Breastfeeding Symbol Found in Various Places

Earlier, there was a post on EcoDeaf about Breast is Best, which shared that Matt Daigle, a Deaf man, designed the now international symbol for breastfeeding.

I read that post, and then the very next day, I went to a DC coffeeshop on H street Northeast, and saw a thick stack of postcards with Daigle's Breastfeeding symbol and some information about DC laws related to breast feeding! Here are the photos:

Where else have you seen Daigle's symbol?

Climategate??

Remember the Watergate scandal that led to the resignation of Richard Nixon from the White House seat during the 1970s? Now, due to the leak of e-mails from the University of East Anglia, some people are saying similar things about lies, frauds, and selfish motivations behind Global Warming. Is Global Warming real? Are certain scientists pushing the Anthropogenic Global Warming (AGW) myth?

Read the articles:

1) Science, facts, fraud, and "Climategate" written by Edmond Jenks

and

2) Climategate? What Climategate? written by John Fund.

Edmond Jenks believes that certain affluent scientists, politicians, and people of interests are involved in the scandal by saying Global Warming is real while it is not at all. John Fund investigated there might be a worldwide conspiracy going on under our nose to exaggerate the effects of Global Warming. Countless of news articles on Climategate are emerging and the Climategate debate is not going away anytime soon.

The question is Global Warming real? Perhaps instead of debating about whether Global Warming is real or a stack of myths, shouldn't we all share responsibilities in reducing our environmental impacts as much as we can?

Share comments and discuss!

Breast is Best!

Did you know that the international breastfeeding symbol was designed by a deaf person? Matt Daigle created this icon which is now used worldwide.

Theres even a facebook group for deaf breastfeeding moms as well for information and support.