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Simple Living Newsletter In this Issue Current News Natural Home magazine is giving the opportunity to win its entire line of renewable bamboo and recycled glass kitchenware. The magazine supports a safe and healthy work environment, fair labor practices and environmental protection through its environmentally safe products. A portion of all net proceeds is donated to American Forests to help offset the carbon dioxide created in the manufacture and transport of the products. The table top, food preparation and cleaning products are made from either 100 percent recycled glass or 100 percent high-density, water-resistant bamboo from responsibly managed forests. The deadline to enter to win the 19-product line is December 31, 2008. Enter to win page:CLICK HERE Simple Living Tips Holiday Tips:
1. Cut back. If you want to cut back on expenditures this year, bring up the issue in a call or email with friends or family members. You may be surprised to find that they readily sign on. You can reduce the number of gifts, or make it a “one-gift” Christmas or “one-gift Hannukah” or choose to draw names for the kids (or each other). Calls to Action SIMPLE LIVING with Wanda Urbanska is broadcast on public television stations throughout America. If our series airs in your area, call or email your station manager or director of programming to tell him or her how much you appreciate the program. If we’re not included in your market, contact that person to request that they carry the series. Help spread the word about the benefits of the simple living lifestyle. Remember, nothing’s too small to make a difference. A call or email to your public television affiliate is a small gesture that can make a big difference to you – and to the world! Pass it on Know anyone who might be interested in our newsletter? Click here to forward this email to up to 5 friends at once. |
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Money, Health and the Environment – The Green Triangle 
By Stan King Today’s headlines are constantly reminding us of the current economic turmoil, ever increasing health care costs, the degradation of the environment and global warming. While these topics seem, at first glance unrelated, there is an interesting, and as we shall see, useful connection between them. This linkage was pointed out by Ernest Callenbach, in the early 1970s in his book “Living Cheaply with Style”. Callenbach posited the “Green Triangle”, and asked his readers to picture a triangle with three verticles: one representing money or finances, another health and the third the environment. He stated that whenever you made a change to one of the categories, you generally changed the other two in the same positive or negative way, whether intentional or not. Statisticians would say that saving money, helping the environment and helping your health were positively correlated. We would say that if you act to improve one of them, you will often improve the other two. As an example, if you decide to improve your health by walking or riding a bicycle to work, you would, as a byproduct also help the environment (less pollution, CO2 emissions and less energy use) and you would save money as well whether or not the latter two were also your intention. If your motivation for riding the bike were to save money, as a byproduct your health would most likely improve and of course you would be helping the environment. Likewise, improving your health by eating less meat, sugary drinks and junk food will probably save money (although healthy organic food can offset some of the savings) and this will help the environment (less pesticide and herbicide use, water use and pollution). The relationship works in the reverse also. Buying things you don’t need has an obvious environmental and pocket book cost. Our health can be diminished by the extra work we need to do and the management and stress of having clutter in our lives. You may find exceptions to the Green Triangle. You need to spend money to purchase energy and resource efficient products, such as low water consumption commodes and home insulation. But in the long term these usually result in benefits to our pocketbook, environment and health. I once gave a talk on the Green Triangle to a group of Silicon Valley engineers. One of them pointed out that there could be a fourth vertex: time. Biking to work can take longer than driving (although this isn’t always true in congested cities!). He might have been right, but is it possible that if we damage our finances, health and the environment in the interest of saving time that in the longer run it actually costs us more time? How much time is needed dealing with a serious illness or facing the prospect of bankruptcy? We can use the Golden Triangle to as a guiding principle in our lives. Using less, buying less of what we don’t need, enjoying what we have, improving our health and helping the environment all fit beautifully together. Programs like Simple Living TV are chock full of ideas on how to design a life structured around this principle. Janson Media to Distribute 'Simple Living' 
By Lynne Warshavsky Janson Media announced earlier this week that it has entered into a distribution agreement with Simple Living to release its successful "simplicity movement" series, Simple Living With Wanda Urbanska, to worldwide television, DVD, VOD, and New Media markets. The series, which debuted on public television in 2004, inspires viewers to replace time-starved, possession-cluttered, high carbon-footprint lives with a more meaningful approach. The show, hosted by the elegant, empathetic and congenial Wanda Urbanska, focuses on four interlinked themes -- environmental stewardship, thoughtful consumption, community involvement and financial responsibility. Each episode makes the case that change is not only possible but inevitable; it urges viewers to adopt the mindset that "nothing's too small to make a difference." "The Simple Living organization is delighted to be working with Janson Media on the international distribution and DVD sales of our series. The uplifting, family-friendly values at Janson definitely resonate with the positive, community-oriented, earth-friendly messaging of Simple Living. We look forward to a long, working relationship," said Wanda Urbanska. After releasing its fourth successful season in April 2008, Simple Living offers a catalog of 39 half-hour minute programs with such notable guests as former President Jimmy Carter; California First Lady Maria Shriver; climate change activist Bill McKibben; actor and environmentalist Ed Begley Jr.; and small home advocate Sarah Susanka. Simple Living features non-celebrity guests as well and such diverse themes as tracing one’s roots; learning a foreign language; the link between art and simplicity; and ways to reduce one’s personal waste stream. Financial topics such as frugality, bartering and breaking one's dependence on credit cards are covered. "We think the timing is better than ever before for a relaunching of the Simple Living brand," said Stephen Janson of Janson Media. "The series is a handbook for how to live a sustainable existence, and in our new 'post-financial crisis' world, we will all need to relearn how to live simply." Established in 1989, Janson Media is an independent content distribution company based in the United States, with a rights portfolio of over 1,500 hours of exclusive programming available for licensing to worldwide television, VOD, DVD/video, and emerging new media platforms.The company has licensed programming to virtually every country in the world, and its clients include nearly every major broadcaster or media company, as well as a wide range of DVD labels and distributors. Janson Media is also a publisher/ manufacturer of award-winning DVDs. Simple Living was established in April 2000. Based in Mount Airy, NC, the series was initially funded through a combination grassroots effort of individual contributions and the support of 20 area foundations. The first run of the series, consisting of eight half-hour programs, began broadcast on PBS stations nationally in July 2004, reaching 84% of US TV households — an outstanding number for a newly launched series. The series is produced by the Simple Living Company in partnership with American Public Television (APT) and University of North Carolina Public Television (UNC-TV). Wanda Urbanska is a nationally recognized simplicity advocate, speaker and author or co-author of numerous books, including Simple Living (1992) and Nothing’s Too Small to Make a Difference (2004). Wanda Appointed to Natural Home Advisory Board Natural Home magazine recently announced the addition of Wanda Urbanska to its Editorial Advisory Board as a sustainability and simple living expert. "Wanda’s tireless advocacy for green living and depth of wisdom about simple, healthy living will be a huge asset for the magazine and the Natural Home brand," says editor in chief Robyn Griggs Lawrence. "We look forward to tapping Wanda’s vast knowledge and insight, which will further Natural Home’s position as the authority on green living and healthy lifestyles. We are honored to have Wanda as part of the team." The Fuller Center Turns Mobile Homes Green 
By Linda Fuller Most of us have passed by deteriorating unoccupied mobile homes and thought…What eye sores! Sadly, they become some of the largest pieces of junk. So what can be done to get rid of them? The Fuller Center for Housing has found a way to solve this problem. In the spring of 2008 in Pennington County, WV, volunteers from Habitat for Humanity and The Fuller Center for Housing were using hammers, crowbars and screw drivers to demolish an old mobile home where the Simmons family had lived. Nearby, other volunteers were constructing a brand new energy-efficient home for this family during a one-week Earth Day Build. Founders of Habitat for Humanity International and The Fuller Center for Housing, Millard and I were also working on site. Arrangements had been made for a local man who makes his living by recycling materials from old mobile homes to come and collect windows, light and bathroom fixtures, steel frame, etc. He supervised and instructed the volunteers on how to remove and sort certain items. By mid-afternoon, there was no trace of the Simmons’ former home! Trish Simmons was chosen to be a homeowner partner because a few years earlier her husband had fallen ill and died and she could no longer pay rent for a house. The only thing she could afford for herself and her two children was that broken down mobile home. Leaky pipes and roof had rotted much of the floor. Beds had to be tied to the ceiling. Various molds and bacteria caused serious health problems. Now, the Simmonses are living in a clean, green and affordable home in a lovely neighborhood - a hallmark our housing ministry which has produced more than 250,000 houses for over a million people all over the world with no-profit, no-interest mortgages. For more information about The Fuller Center for Housing:www.fullercenter.org
Looking for Small, Green Homes Wanda is looking for small green homes in the United States and Canada to feature in an upcoming book – and possibly on television. If you have a home that is 1,200 SF or less and has notable green features – such as energy efficient elements, indoor air quality, used or repurposed items – and warm, homey, photogenic qualities, please send an email to Wandaurbanska@simplelivingtv.net describing your home, including location, green properties, and your contact information. It can be a free-standing, single family home, condo or apartment or multi-family unit. If you care to, attach a photo or two of the home.
Holiday Resources for the Simple Life 
Why not give resources – and inspiration – for the “new frugal” lifestyle to those on your holiday list this year? If you buy items from the Simple Living TV website store, www.simplelivingtv.net, proceeds from sales help sustain our educational mission throughout the year. If you’d like Wanda to autograph your books or DVDs, just specify this on your order (through PayPal or on the check you send). No charge, of course! Books: A special 10th anniversary edition of Wanda’s book “Christmas on Jane Street” is out this year, for the first time in paperback, for $12.95 from HarperCollins. This heartwarming story that Wanda wrote with – and about – Vermont Christmas tree salesman Billy Romp and his family was called by “USA Today” “a cross between ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ and ‘A Christmas Carol.’ ” The book includes a new afterword. Wanda’s other books: “Simple Living” ($12.95: paper); “Moving to a Small Town” ($20: paper); “Nothing’s Too Small to Make a Difference” ($21.95: hard); and “The Fruit Orchard Cookbook” ($11.95: paper) – all co-authored with Frank Levering – make for excellent holiday gifts. And, Simple Living America’s new anthology, “Get Satisfied,” is a riveting collection of essays by people – like you – getting started on the path to simplicity. Order from us or directly at www.getsatisfied.org. Bags/ Mugs: Choose to reuse by giving the SIMPLE LIVING with Wanda Urbanska reusable grocery bag ($5: evergreen color) that tucks into a pouch that fits into purse or pocket. Send the same message by giving Wanda’s trademark, durable travel mug, which resists spills, and sells for ($20: bronze with logo). DVDs: If you’ve missed episodes of the SIMPLE LIVING series on your PBS station – or want to share it with a friend or loved one – you can order DVD sets from the website. Seasons 1 through 3 are available for $29.95 per season. Season 4 – with 13 half-hour programs – costs $35.95. Any item can be ordered by sending the price plus $4 for shipping and handling for the first item and $2 for each additional item. Make check payable to “Simple Living” at P.O. Box 1632; Mount Airy, NC 27030. You can also order online at www.simplelivingtv.net, or call 888.789.7475 with questions or orders. |
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