Using an ancient philosophy of energy to help you create better characters The Earth Energyis associated with our survival instinct, our sense of security and well-being. Think of the foundation tier of Maslow’s Hierarchy. When our basic needs are met and our base is balanced, we feel secure, physically and mentally healthy, and we are…
Author: Deborah-Zenha
Refurbished for the Planet
Dear EarthTalk: Is buying refurbished electronics better for the planet than buying brand new ones? — Peter Behr, Chicago, IL According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the world produces some 50 million tons of electronic waste each year, and the figure is increasing. Meanwhile, only 20 percent of this electronic waste is disposed…
3 Questions & a Pose ~ Christine Boucher
Wherein my guest, a yoga instructor and writer, answers three questions and shares one (sometimes more than one) pose that yogis and writers will find informative, intriguing, and entertaining. Question 1 Which came first, your yoga or your writing? Writing came first. My neighbor and I decided that we were going to write a book…
Linking Warming & Weather
Dear EarthTalk: Have scientists been able to definitively prove links between global warming and more extreme weather phenomena in recent years, or is this still just a theory? – T.C., Chicago, IL The question of whether science has been able to prove, let alone prove definitively, the connection between climate change and extreme weather is…
Erica Goss ~ 3 Questions & a Poem
3 Questions and a Poem–in which one of my favorite poets is interviewed and shares a poem. QUESTION 1 What do you consider the three most important elements of a poem? Weirdness, honesty, and feeling. For me, good poetry has some of the qualities of a dream. Using the activities and experiences that make up…
b.read.crumbs: Julie Wray Herman
National Poetry Month This month’s b.read.crumbs post by Julie Herman, which you may find in the original on her website. Which some of us have taken to mean NaPoWriMo, or let’s try a poem day. I got this idea first from Liz Garton Scanlon, (see her lovely website here) Liz has been doing a haiku a…
b.read.crumbs : Poeting
Back in December 2021, I noticed that it was Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day. That’s charming, don’t you think? So I whipped out an email to a few of my Whovian friends (including Julie Herman) with that holiday as the subject. The message is long gone from my Sent folder, but it went…
Red Tide Our Fault?
Dear EarthTalk: What is “red tide” and is it caused by pollution or human activity? — Tamara G., Los Angeles, CA Red tide is a phenomenon that occurs when algae in the ocean reproduce rapidly and create a large concentration of red pigments in the water, giving it a reddish-brown hue. These algae, also known…
Deborah Bogen ~ 3 Questions & a Poem
Deborah Bogen is one of my all-time favorite poets, and I’m thrilled to have her as my guest for 3 Questions & a Poem. QUESTION 1 What do you consider the three most important elements of a poem? Looking up “elements” I’m going to go with the “basics, fundamentals, essentials” part of its many definitions….
Permaculture
Dear EarthTalk: What exactly is permaculture and how is it good for the environment? — Mary B., New Haven, CT A buzzword in sustainability circles, permaculture—historically combining “permanent” and “agriculture”—describes ecologically-conscious farming to create sustainable ecosystems for future generations, using methods such as conservation tillage, proper drainage, and polyculture (growing more than one crop species…