Hemp.

I feel very strongly about hemp. Sometimes my enthusiasm bubbles over and I start to feel like all we need to solve all of our challenges is hemp. I get dizzy with excitement and potential and then I take a step back and reorient myself, looking at the situation with a discerning eye.  Then I think to myself, "Yup, still feels like hemp is a major piece of the current earth puzzle."

In an America where we have conscious capitalism and widespread industrial hemp, we can create sustainable solutions for fashion, energy, construction and most preciously - food.

Check out this awesome, info-packed graphic from BurnandLearn. It gives an amazing visual overview of industrial hemp's uses and benefits.



Just by looking at the graphic, you can see what I'm saying. I would love to know the drawbacks of industrial Hemp. I'm sure it's not a perfect solution but so far I've literally never heard how hemp hurts the environment.

I just keep finding out more amazing facts about it! Farmed responsibly, hemp replenishes up to 60% of the nutrients in the soil after it is grown. It absorbs CO2 from the environment so when used/burned for fuel, it releases that which it used from the environment, keeping the overall release closer to neutral than fuel sources pulled from the ground. Gosh, we could all go on for hours about this.

Let's continue to expand the commercial use for hemp and to advocate for wider industrial authorization from the Federal government. VoteHemp has compiled an updated list of legislative action. So far, thirty two states have introduced pro-hemp legislation, and ten states have passed legislation clearing the way for legal industrial hemp production!

To immerse yourself in some hemp right now, support your local merchants! We are lucky in SoCal to have many likeminded people around us, and many of them have been working with hemp for years. It would be a beautiful thing to find a future where these businesses can create garments out of locally farmed hemp! Here are just a few local hemp merchants:

Vital Hemp - Hemp clothing boutique in Santa Monica

Natural High Lifestyle - Hemp clothing and lifestyle products in Santa Monica

The Recreator - Local advocacy group working to "recreate" the industrial hemp industry in the US. Follow this link to their Kickstarter campaign!

Lassen's Natural Food and Vitamins - Natural food, hemp oil products and vitamin shop located in Los Feliz

DIY for Conscious Cottage Industries

Below is a link for a video showing us how to make a wine bottle cutter. I am sharing it today to declare my intention to make one myself! This simple tool will enable me to recycle wine bottles into window-garden holders, candle holders, decorative lighting and more!

I watched the video on mute so I cannot comment on the audio, but the visual is clear and super explanatory!

It is important to establish an independence from one-time "do it for me" products. It's not that there is anything wrong with those products of themselves, but having the ability and resolve to make things for oneself cultivates skill, connects you to the objects in your surroundings, saves money, and contributes to your magical energy field. Having objects that you've put your consciousness on brings a level of consciousness to the object and being surrounded by objects that have your creative energy on them can bring greater comfort, peace and higher vibrations to your living space. Everything around us is a spark of creativity, so bringing out your own inner spark and making it real is a powerful physical way to connect to your surroundings, the earth and the creative life force. There is a huge difference in seeing something someone else made and enjoying the crafter's aesthetic ability, but this is not creation, this is consumption. Using objects of others as an inspiration to build is creation and creation is a great habit to have.

We can all find areas where we are able to create and for me, these fun power tool arts and crafts projects are extremely satisfying and inspiring.

These projects also lend themselves to developing your own cottage industries. The concept of creating a small business based on wares created in the home is a romantic one that I greatly enjoy. It has a huge historical precedent and is enjoying a resurgence now as the internet has opened up communication. Via ecommerce, a tiny operation can reach anyone in the world, and often little niche products can experience demands far greater than the supply, creating a great value for a truly special item. So when considering making this glass cutter, I'm happily aware that I can cut glass bottles for my own projects, for others to use in their projects, and for projects I'm able to sell. I'll bet I can find a restaurant willing to let me take out their recycling or sell me their empty bottles for pennies on the dollar.

This project takes a power drill so there is a slight barrier to start it up, but I think a good drill is a pretty crucial component to any tool box. I'm going to borrow one from a relative until I can get my own. :)

I intend to build a glass bottle cutting system to enrich my life with indoor gardening containers, and to enrich the lives of others with the containers I can supply them, the candle holders and light fixtures I can make, and I look forward to joining the flow of creativity as I find new ways to utilize the tool I build and the results of its use.

And so it is.

KarmaCompany - BEADRELIEF.com

Fellow Conscious Beings!

I present for your consideration and appreciation the first official KarmaCompany: BeadRelief!

Founded last year by Greg E and John G, this company is doing some serious good and making it seriously stylish. I came across their storefront at Montage Beverly Hills while exploring the neighborhood where I work. Greg was friendly, informative and we became instafriends. Getting to know these guys and their business has been a bright spot amongst the material worship and serious attitudes-a-plenty found in BH and I am stoked to share their message with you.

Bead Relief bracelets are chic, stackable, stretchy beaded bracelets. They are easy to wear, easy to mix and match and come in three sizes. A totally viable fashion option, these bracelets have added goodness: each design represents a charity or organization and a percentage of each purchase is donated directly to the charity it represents. 

I rock these every day - a rare treat for me because I have sensitive skin. These have never bothered me, even while doing yoga and sweating tons! (They can get in the way when doing deep arm binds though, so take them off before an intense asana practice.) 

We put together an exclusive KarmaCoup for you, so here's what you need to know. The bracelets are $6 each and typically 25% of ALL sales go directly to their charity partners.

However, for the Karma Conscious, the guys are generously donating 50% your purchases to charity! Just use the code 'goodkarma' on their website to DOUBLE the contribution.

Let me make it clear. Each time you spend $6, they'll donate $3. It's so generous, I can't wait to see what we can do with this opportunity to give and receive at the same time!

Learn more about Bead Relief's Charity Partners 

Time for an #awareness #armparty! 

Happy Shopping - Happy Giving - BeadRelief.org 

Find Their Website

Learn Their Story 

Shop The Online Store

Follow on Instagram

Like on Facebook

Urban Composting - How to accomplish composting in Los Angeles

I have begun a journey down a lifelong path. Everything has changed and I am so grateful to be committed to this new life. Spiritual journey? No.

I'm talking about composting.

This new frontier is foreign, a little scary and the road ahead is uncertain, barely paved by municipal infrastructure or private enterprise. It is exciting.

Assuming my audience is a tiny bit familiar with the concept, I'll leave the Composting 101 to EarthEasy (one of my new favorite sites!) and move right into a "How To in LA" portion.

Urban Composting has two sides. On one hand, if you have a balcony or a yard, you can compost on site and keep your pile outside in a container like this.  That one I linked is made out of recycled plastic so you score double environment points! This site here has an easy tutorial for a DIY plastic bin. If you're adventurous, try vermicomposting with this 5 tray system. The process uses worms to accelerate the process of composting! The little friends leave casings behind as they break down your food waste that are extremely beneficial for gardens and house plants.

On the other hand, if you are less inclined to have rotting food in your apartment, consider collecting your food waste and storing it in the freezer until drop off day, and physically bringing your compost materials to a drop off center that will compost it for you. This container is perfect for keeping your food waste neat amongst the other contents in your freezer, and should be compliant with LA's laws against transporting food waste in an open air container like a trash bag. In LA, we are still missing the infrastructure to drop off green food waste. The infrastructure to do urban composting needs to be built up and drop off points established. For now, I'm collecting my food waste. It's important to start somewhere, even if it's not glamorous! I'm researching where I can bring my green waste, saving up for my own composting bin, and in the meantime, the food waste lives in the freezer.

One solution available in select areas of LA is offered by a local organization called LA Compost. Their bike-powered pick up service, where they come to you and collect your food waste, saves you from the long-term composting process or taking trips to the drop off center.

Currently LA Compost is serving Whittier , Baldwin Park, Covina and West Covina. They are expanding into new areas in LA and I certainly look forward to the addition of my neighborhood. Currently they are really the only people in our area collecting food waste and their presence is much needed.

These Very Conscious People can be found online at: www.wastetofood.com and contacted directly by emailing info@wastetofood.com. They would love to speak with you to set up a pick up routine for you and offer their additional services, like free leaf removal from your yard!

No matter how you get there, the best part of composting is definitely the end result. The end product, called humus, can be used in gardens, lawns and potted plants. This rich soil additive is highly sought after and can be sold. It is often packaged like coffee and sold at farmers markets. Do we have any entrpreneurs in the building? Composting has potential for big conscious business. Is there one among us with some open outdoor space that would like to venture into this beautiful new world? We can easily pool our food waste to create a large pile worth mucho dinero! Let's create anew from what others consider waste and let's use our creation to enrich our plants, and our wallets.

Do you compost? Please take a moment to comment about your process and any successes or obstacles you've faced!

Mucho Love,
Farrah

Calling all compassionate souls! Earth Stewards! Light Bringers! Environmental Champions!

I want you to take your place within the Karma Collective.

We are a new network, a new way of being. A way of being so ancient, it seems like it never existed to our modern society.

In all that we do, we look to be gentle to our planet and to each other. We look for ways to provide value to one another, to lift up each other's souls...

We are a nation built on love, respect and empathy!

Calling all social organizations that exist to benefit others!
Calling all businesses that consider more than just the bottom line when making decisions!
Calling all beautiful individuals that know human potential is barely tapped and ready to expand!

We want to know you, to share you, to explore you and to help realize the dream of a world living in peace and harmony with one another and our planet. It is possible because we are here and it is already our future because we intend it is so!

Join me. Comment below and I will reach out!

Founding Members will be honored, profiled, shared and their value made known to the internet at large! I want to give you the "VCP" (Very Conscious Person) badge of honor and shout your good deeds from the rooftops!

This beautiful movement is in its infancy and thus is the perfect opportunity for your business to be treated like the divine spark you are! Join me and let's give the world a shining example of our potential as humans!

LOVE ALL WAYS
farrah