The Mystery of H20

SAVE MONEY. SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT. MAKE A CHANGE.

This one is an easy way for us all to make a difference to the amount of waste on the planet.

Take 8 minutes out of your day to watch this movie. It’s important.

There was a time when I would buy a box of bottled water with the groceries every week for my family. I can’t even bring myself to do the math on how many bottles we used. No matter how diligent we were with our recycling we still felt an enormous amount of waste and harm was being caused AND we were contributing WEEKLY!

I felt awfully guilty about it so I STOPPED BUYING Bottled Water and researched the effects of our tap water here in LA. We ruled the tap out once again. In Ireland we’re fortunate enough to have tap water from our own well so when I come from savouring freshness like that I can’t ignore the taste of chemicals in the LA tap water.

S0 we researched the BEST water filters. We knew that Brita and all the cheaper filters we saw still left a lot of chemicals in the water. Namely toxins such as Flouride, Chlorine… We wanted the BEST!

We came across Dr. Mercola Drinking Water Filters and Shower Filters.

I SUGGEST YOU CLICK ON THE IMAGES ABOVE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT EACH FILTER TO SEE WHY THEY’RE IMPORTANT.

Yes ~ it cost a few hundred dollars, if memory serves me right, to invest in both of these filters.

However, the amount of money we’ve SAVED since we stopped buying BOXES of Bottled Water is HUGE!

It’s been a while since I bought a box of water so I’m not sure what it costs now but I seem to recall spending $1500 or more per year on water.

Not only does one save money and reduce environmental pollution but the health benefits you get from cutting out the toxins found in Tap AND bottled water are immense.

You’ll be healthier, get sick less and look more beautiful.

Now, we happily fill a glass jug with our filtered tap water, throw in a few slices of cucumber and leave it in the fridge worry free.

We also stocked up on a few Ikea “SLOM” glass bottles for the fridge at $2.99 each.

Each one chills in the fridge with  a different natural flavour. Just add filtered water, a squeeze of lime, lemon, cucumber or a sprig of mint…even homemade lemonade using maple syrup.

And when we wanna take our water on the run we have our SIGG bottles filled, chilled and ready to go.

SAVE MONEY. SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT. MAKE A CHANGE.

And

SPREAD THE WORD MY DEARS!

Much Love

Kojii

Hen Auschwitz!

Happy Egg-Maker at our home in Ireland pic by http://www.CyrilHelnwein.com

Unhappy Egg-Makers at Gemperle Farms

You may have spotted the following info on my Facebook earlier today

“Gov Schwarzenegger has until Tuesday to sign legislation (AB 1437)
requiring all whole eggs sold in California to come from hens that could
engage in basic movements. Please call the Governor @ (916) 445-2841.
Press “1″ to continue in English, press “2″ to voice an opinion on legislation, then “1″ for A.B. 1437 & finally “1″ again to log your support. It’s easy & takes 10 secs! Thank U”

The more I thought about it, discussed it with people and then watched our own ducks and hens roam freely around the castle grounds I decided to find some more information for comparison.

It is totally disgusting to uncover how these poor creatures are treated for commercial purposes.

FarmSanctuary.org shares some facts:

There are more than 325 million egg laying hens in the U.S. confined in battery cages — small wire cages stacked in tiers and lined up in rows inside huge warehouses. In accordance with the USDA’s recommendation to give each hen four inches of ‘feeder space,’ hens are commonly packed four to a cage measuring just 16 inches wide. In this tiny space, the birds cannot stretch their wings or legs, and they cannot fulfill normal behavioral patterns or social needs. Constantly rubbing against the wire cages, they suffer from severe feather loss, and their bodies are covered with bruises and abrasions.

In order to reduce injuries resulting from excessive pecking — an aberrant behavior that occurs when the confined hens are bored and frustrated — practically all laying hens have part of their beaks cut off. Debeaking is a painful procedure that involves cutting through bone, cartilage, and soft tissue…..READ MORE

If you’d like to Help make a change PLEASE Sign a Petition HERE

and/or call the Governor at the number above.

Please repost on your facebook/twitter and all those other special places you have a voice

Much Love

K

Whales Under Threat

36 hours to save whales!

I’ve just signed an urgent petition at Avaaz.org to protect whales.

Read more below, or click this link to join me in signing:

Dear friends,

On Thursday, a proposal will be unveiled that would legalize commercial whale hunting for the first time in 24 years.

The fate of the proposal will be determined largely by the world’s immediate reactions to it — and according to insiders, many governments are planning to stand aside and allow commercial whaling to resume. An outcry is needed now to ensure they stand strong to save the whales.

Avaaz has launched a last-moment petition to show our leaders their people want to protect whales, not hunt, kill, and sell them. The petition will be sent to the delegates to the International Whaling Commission every time we raise another 100,000 signatures — sign here and forward this message:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/whales_under_threat/98.php?CLICKTF

A strong international consensus has opposed whaling for decades — but for just as long, Japan, Norway, and Iceland have continued to hunt whales, ignoring the global ban on whaling or exploiting a loophole by claiming their expeditions were “scientific research.” Now they could be rewarded by a “compromise” proposal, in which their commercial whaling would be made legal.

Worse still, a number of other countries are watching the process closely — with rumored plans to start their own whaling programs if the proposal goes through. If Japan, Norway, and Iceland can hunt whales and sell their meat, others will ask “if them, why not us?”

It’s time to save the whales — again. Click HERE and forward this message to oppose the legalization of commercial whale hunting:

Forty years ago, whales were on the brink of extinction. But thanks to a global social movement, the world banned commercial whaling in 1986. The ban is one of the environmental movement’s great triumphs. (More info on the ban HERE)

Today, whales still face many threats: not just the whalers’ harpoons, but also climate change, destruction of ecosystems by overfishing and pollution, and nets intended for other fish. A renewed wave of commercial whaling could devastate these extraordinarily intelligent and social cousins of humanity. This is no time to move backwards.

With hope,

Ben, Ricken, Paula, Iain, David, Luis, and the whole Avaaz team

SOURCES:

Background on the 1986 international moratorium on whaling:

The most recent public draft of the IWC compromise proposal that is currently being updated:

An AFP article describing the state of whaling negotiations last week:

According to Greenpeace, this deal would permit whaling even in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary (So much for it being a “place of refuge or safety” !!)

As it is – there is no-one enforcing the ban in the Sanctuary apart from International Volunteers such as Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. I suggest you watch Animal Planets Whale Wars to see exactly how these volunteers are risking their lives to enforce the safety of the whales.

It’s outrageous that the United States is wanting to be a part of legalising this awful industry. We need to stop this greedy action.

Take action here Obama, Say No to commericial whaling.

AND

Here if you haven’t already done so –> Avaaz.org

Here’s a NOT SO gentle reminder of what Whaling entails:

Image courtesy of Blog http://stophuntingwhales.blogspot.com/

Image from GreenpeaceUK via http://deuxsoeurscreations.blogspot.com/2010/03/awareness-thursday-whale-of-tale.html

A bloody battle, photo courtesy of the Sidney Morning Herald

And on a more pleasant note:

HOW THE WHALES SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE:

Photo via http://www.zoobangoo.com/content/tag/mammals/

OH!

One more way to help

SPREAD THE WORD!!!

(here’s that nifty little share button again to make it easier )

Much Love

Kojii

x

P.S. Please drop me a comment and let me know if you signed the petition or not and if not why?

Make a Difference

I recently received this email from our friend Jordan Bromley about his fundraising efforts for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

I really love that he’s going out of his way to help people and by sharing this with you all I hope we can help too.

Friends,

Every year the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) has a focused fundraising drive to raise the dauntingly large amount of money it takes to reach their goal: to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma by 2015.

If you are unfamiliar with these diseases, here are the short facts:

- Leukemia, Lymphoma, Hodgkin’s Disease and Myeloma are all blood cancers.

- Every 4 minutes someone is diagnosed with a blood cancer.

- An estimated 139,860 people in the United States will be diagnosed with a blood cancer in 2009.

- New cases of blood cancers account for almost 10% of the new cancer cases diagnosed in the United States this year.

And a couple facts about LLS:

- LLS is not federally funded and depends on our donations to continue the fight to find a cure for blood cancers

- Since 1954 LLS has raised more than $680,000,000 in funding

- 76% of money raised goes directly to the LLS mission. 96% of money raised in this particular fundraiser goes directly to the LLS mission

So obviously I was thrilled when I was offered the opportunity to be an integral part of this important fundraising drive.

And guess what? You can help too. Here’s how:

- Click on this link and donate whatever you feel like donating. It’s tax deductible and it will make you feel good: http://los.mwoy.llsevent.org/JBromley

- If you’re into email karma, forward this to 10 people and get them to donate, too. I promise you endless riches, lifetime tranquility and a rebate from Microsoft.

- There’s a gala event at the end of this fundraiser that you or your company can be a part of. There’s a ton of perks depending on what you give. If this is of interest, call or email me.

Thanks for taking the time to read through this. We’re all busy and sometimes life can get away from us. But it’s good to look back and know that we did something right for the world, even if just a little at a time.

To DONATE Click HERE

If you can’t help out financially please do share this post. Maybe someone you know would like to help.

There’s a nifty little SHARE button for ya below to make it even easier )

Much Love

Koj

x

How to Live Longer

I came across this video via my good friend Reid Rolls on Saturday morning. I watched it based on his words

“please, if you have kids, watch this. incredible.”

I am so thrilled to find that someone out there is actively working to change an issue very close to my heart.

An issue that is VERY EASY for each and every one of us to make an impact on right now.

Jamie Oliver shows us just how easy it is for each one of us to keep our children’s bodies healthy through good food, education and to alter the obesity statistics in America, England….whatever country you’re living in right now.

Please take the time to watch this. It is important.

If you agree with me after watching this you can sign Jamie’s Food Revolution Petition HERE

UPDATE on Falling Whistles event

I just wanted to let ya’ll know that things are looking great.

The event is really coming along and everyone is doing amazing work!

Citizen LA have hopped on board and are now strong affiliates.

This looks like it’ll be an incredible night! Get there early as the venue can only hold so many people

I hope to see everyone there!!!

Click to RSVP on Facebook

You are invited to a Charity event!

SalonPURE in association with Citizen LA are hosting a Runway Hair Show to help support the non-profit organization The Falling Whistles.

Here is a little excerpt from The Falling whistles Website:

“Less than a year ago, laying in Titu Prison, 5 boy-prisoners told me of the whistleblowers. Abducted in Congo and too small to carry a gun, boys were given merely a whistle and sent to the front lines of battle.

The sound of their whistles calling together was meant to frighten the enemy away. Failing that, their sole duty was to receive the bullets with their bodies.With falling whistles, their only choice was to feign death, or face it.

Their story is just one of millions affected by the war. Violence continues to escalate in DR Congo. Hundreds of thousands are displaced and children are being abducted at an alarming rate.”

Titu Prison. Bahati's shirt reads - Extinct Forever Taken by Lindsay Branham (photo borrowed from the Facebook group. ADD THEM! SUPPORT THEM!)

More info is available on their Website

Their Facebook Group is HERE

The Facebook event is HERE

The good people at my favourite Downtown hair shop, SalonPURE will be hosting a Runway hair show at the new Stronghold Bar in the Arts District of Downtown, Los Angeles.

WHERE? 800 E. 3rd street, 90013
View Larger Map

WHEN? Friday, February 20th

TIME? 10pm-2am

COVER? $5 (All proceeds go directly to Falling Whistles)

GET THERE EARLY, IT’S GONNA FILL UP FAST!

Falling Whistles TShirt. Shirts will be on sale at the show.

Falling Whistles will be on sale at the show

I’LL BE WALKING FOR THEM…….COME JOIN ME!!!

ALSO SPONSORED BY

Matrushka

BrightLightsLA

POVevolving

Trlevents

Please spread the word of this cause by reposting the url for this post on your myspace, facebook, website etc… Let Everyone Know!