NATURAL BEAUTY:
Your Nose Knows
By Elizabeth Pavka
Beware of indoor air. Do you walk faster down the grocery store aisle that has the cleaning products? I do. In that aisle, I feel overwhelmed by the smells that permeate that part of the store. As a result, I’ve learned to use my nose to sniff out chemicals of all kinds, especially those smelly ones that create so much of our indoor pollution.

How pervasive is indoor pollution? A recent study with 350 people in New Jersey showed that indoor air pollution was sometimes 100 times higher than that found in outdoor air. Why? …

My Green Dream Home
By Erin Everett
The bobcat operator stopped his machine on the top of a huge pile of dirt and looked down on me from his great height. The smile on his face was forced. I knew what he was thinking: “This lady’s paying me by the hour to sit here and wait for her to make up her *&^# mind.” I, on the other hand, was in turmoil, trying to get my mind to line up with my heart and emotions. “Go ahead and do it.” I told him, almost in tears and trying hard to cover it up. He nodded and started up his engine again, leaving me standing there to ponder my fate, or rather the fate of the beautiful row of mountain laurels that he was knocking down to make a little strip of yard for my husband and me to enjoy. …

Working Your Walls with Earth Plaster

By Mollie Curry
If you think smearing mud all over your living room walls is either an act of insanity or vandalism, think again! Without having to build a straw bale house or a mud hut, you can experience the beauties and benefits of earthen (clay-based) plasters by doing a bit of eco-remodeling in the house you live in right now. You can totally change the personality of a room that is tired or sterile with a coat of mud on the walls. …

Feng Shui and the Energy of Good Luck
By Elaine Kuan and Aimon Kopera
Qi is an essential ingredient in the study of Feng Shui. This energy has been described as many things: cosmic breath, life force, prana. Yet qi is more than that; it is both tangible and intangible and always in a constant state of change. This change is vital to your physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being. If there is no change, then qi is said to be stagnant or blocked. When qi in your body is blocked, you may encounter illness, depression, or aches and pains. When qi in your environment is blocked, it is reflected in your life. You could experience relationship difficulties, problems in business or general “bad” luck. …

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