Heart Shine Relic Tour hits Orlando October 24-26!

A new one hit my desk for The Heart Shrine Relic Tour.  It sounded fascinating!

A unique and precious collection of more than 1,000 sacred Buddhist relics will be permanently displayed in the Heart Shrine of the completed Maitreya Buddha statue in Kushinagar.

Meanwhile, it is the wish of the Spiritual Director of the Maitreya Project, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, that the collection should travel throughout the world to bring the blessings of the holy relics and the message of loving-kindness to people everywhere.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

The relics going on tour is all part of the larger Maitreya Project.

While the throne building being created as an educational facility, the project’s crowning glory is a 500ft / 152m bronze statue of Buddha that is being built at Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh in northern India.

Throughout the world, the Buddha is recognised as a symbol of peace. Maitreya means ‘loving-kindness’. The vision of Maitreya Project is to effect peace at every level of society through the practice of loving-kindness: peace within the family, the community and the world, as well as inner peace for the individual.

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

What caught my eye was the project’s eye toward sustainable design.

A sustainable society must seek to protect and enhance the environment, meet social needs, and promote economic success. For the Maitreya Project to achieve the aim of promoting such a sustainable society the Project’s design process will:

• ensure that water, energy and other natural resources, are used efficiently and with care.
• minimize waste, then re-use or recover it through recycling, composting or energy recovery, and finally, sustainably dispose of what is left.
• limit waste to levels that do not damage natural systems.
• safeguard and promote health and amenity through safe, clean, pleasant environments.
• meet needs from locally available resources wherever possible.
• maximize local access to training and skills development.
• give full consideration to the social and community impacts of decisions.
• work to create a vibrant local economy that gives access to satisfying and rewarding work without damaging the local, national or global environment.

WHERE TO SEE THE RELIC TOUR IN FLORIDA

Admission is free to all the relic tour events.  More info in the press release!

October 17, 18 & 19, 2008
Kissimmee, Florida, USA
Friday 7pm Opening Ceremony
Saturday 10am to 7pm
Sunday 10am to 7pm
Wat Florida Dhammmaram
2421 Old Vineland Road
Kissimmee
FL 34746
USA
Contact: Chih Ho
Email: chihho2004@yahoo.com
Telephone: +1 407 538 6491

October 24, 25 & 26, 2008
Orlando, Florida, USA
Friday 7pm Opening Ceremony
Saturday 10am to 7pm
Sunday 10am to 7pm
Phap Vu Buddhist Cultural Center
716 N. Dean Road
Orlando
Florida
USA
Contact: Venerable Thich Nhat Tri
Telephone: +1 407 277 7262

October 31, November 1 & 2, 2008
Clearwater, Florida, USA
Friday 7pm Opening Ceremony
Saturday 10am to 7pm
Sunday 10am to 7pm
Unitarian Universalists of Clearwater
2470 Nursery Road
Clearwater
Florida 33764
USA
Contact: Frank Tedesco
Email: truedharma108@gmail.com
Cellphone: +1 727 512 4805

November 7, 8 & 9, 2008
Boca Raton, Florida, USA
Friday 7pm Opening Ceremony
Saturday 10am to 7pm
Sunday 10am to 7pm
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
2601 St. Andrew Blvd
Boca Raton
Florida
USA
Contact: Elaine Blumenkranz
Email: elaineblu@comcast.net
Telephone: +1 561 865 3455

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Recycling just got better in Orange County!

Recycling Bin

Unincorporated Orange County has widened their definition of what can be recycled curbside!  In the Green Bins, you can now recycle empty aerosol cans and plastic bottles #3 – #7 with a neck, along with the regular recyclables such as aluminum and tin cans, glass bottles and jars, all drink boxes and milk/juice cartons and plastic containers #1 or #2.  In the Orange Bins, now you can recycle pasteboard along with your newspapers, brown paper bags, flattened corrugated cardboard, magazines and catalogs.  Examples of pasteboard include cereal boxes, empty paper towel and toilet paper rolls, and shoe boxes.

If you have any questions regarding what you can and cannot recycle, you can contact the Orange County Utilities Solid Waste Hotline at 407-836-6601.

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Second Annual Kid’s Festival by Simple Living Institute

The Second Annual Kid’s Festival by the Simple Living Institute is coming on Sept. 20th! Here’s the scoop:

The Kids’ Festival is an event custom-made for children aged 5-12 to explore and engage in Simple Living-style activities including conservation and organic farming. This event will be held at the Econ Farm,which is a rustic outdoor setting, so come prepared for Florida weather. Activities will include a hydrology lesson/river swim, scavenger hunt, seed planting in the garden, and celebration and snacks at the end.

If you’d like to volunteer or help plan the event, drop them a line!

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Peace Film Festival

This one not only comes across my desk, it runs around and stirs all the rest up in a flurry!

Mark your calendars for one of Orlando’s most significant cultural events, the Global Peace Film Festival, held September 17 – 21, 2008. This acclaimed series celebrates movies and documentaries that set out to make a difference in the world.

See the website for full information!

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Big Green Expo comes to Orlando

 

 

October 11-12 2008

 

The Big Green Expo is coming to Orlando!  The expo will be held at the Central Florida Fairgrounds on October 11-12, 2008 and will feature 200 exhibitors offering environmentally friendly products and services that will help everyone live a more green lifestyle.  

Four exhibit halls will be featured:  

The Green Hall

The Energy Hall

Home, Health, and Happiness Hall

 Natural Foods, Retail, and Restaurant Hall.

 

General admission is $10.00.  Children under 12 are FREE!

Visit the Big Green Expo website for a $5 off admission coupon!

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Central Florida Birth Network’s 5th Annual Birth Fair

You are invited to attend Birth, Babies, and Beyond: A Family Affair, Central Florida Birth Network’s 5th Annual Birth Fair, held on Saturday, September 27th from 1:00pm – 4:00pm.  Free to the public!

1st Presbyterian Church of Maitland
Gymnasium
341 North Orlando Ave
Maitland, FL

This year’s fair will feature over 30 vendors and exhibitors presenting products and services related to pregnancy, childbirth, mothering, newborn care, and family life.  There will also be games, raffles, food, and a children’s corner with awesome activities and face-painting!

We expect another great turn-out this year, so come out and show your support for mothers and babies, and all those who love them!  It’s going to be a fantastic event!

Click here for map and more information.

This year’s sponsors include Cristy Nielson Photography, the Central Florida Birthing From Within group, Heart 2 Heart Birth Center, the Central Florida Breastfeeding Center, Foto Flix, Whole Foods of Winter Park, and Let’s Eat.

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Making a Root Viewer and “One Bean” Book

We’re just around the corner from breaking out the seeds, transplants, compost, and more. Over at my house, we have to get the square foot garden beds ready by building new grids.

Those of you gardening with children might want to think about ways to incorporate them into the fun of fall planting.

While you can find toys like this Toysmith “root viewer” online for around $10 at various online toy shops…

…it isn’t like they are hard to make.

First, get a clear plastic cup and make a hole in the bottom for water to drain. You can use a drill or just carefully use a nail with a hammer to punch it out. Next you fill it with potting mix and water it so it is damp and draining decently. If too much dirt comes out of your hole when you water, take the dirt out. Put a small pice of cloth or paper towel in the bottom so water will seep out but the dirt will stay in.

Because the dirt is brown-black, I like using a white beans like green beans or lima beans with preschoolers so they can find their seed easily. Have them plant 2 or 3 around the cup against the side of the cup so it can be seen.

Put it in a sunny window and in two or three days, you will see the seed coat starting to break open and the main root starting to make it’s way down into the cup.

Six days later we have long main roots, some side roots, and the emergence of little plants.

Here is the view from the top of the cup:

About a week after planting, the little bean plants will be showing off nice root systems up against the side of the cup:

HINTS FOR HOMESCHOOLERS

For the homeschoolers wanting to try this project out, it’s fun to do along with “One Bean” by Anne Rockwell and illustrated by Megan Halsey. They story covers a little boy who plants a bean seed and cares for his plant and watches it grow and develop into more beans. The bright, cheery illustrations are a hit with the preschool crowd and the vocab could go up to first or second grade readers.

My daughter also enjoyed watching time lapsed beans growing when we made hers:

• Simple Time lapse of beans in cup
• “From Seed to Flower”

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“Florida Everyone Forgot” and More Great Sites

There are many websites about Florida’s amazing natural resources.    I found a blog today that I hadn’t seen before.   Florida Everyone Forgot is interesting and talks a bit about natural resources in our state.  Running across this site reminded me of the fact that we’ve got several fantastic organization in the area that work hard to protect our local environment.   Please comment if you have a site that you feel other Central FL Green Guide readers should know about.  This is not a comprehensive list. We need your help!

This is not the time to promote your own business–even if it’s related to natural living. Spam will not be tolerated here.

Friends of the Wekiva River

Friends of Lake Jesup

Sierra Club of Florida

Seminole Audobon Society

Eco-Action

Florida Trail Association

St. John’s Riverkeeper

Alligator Princess (neat!)

Florida Turtle Conservation Trust

Save the Manatee Club

WIldlife Foundation of Florida

Great Florida Birding Trail

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Sanford Farmers’ Market — Worth a Visit for Local Residents

I’ve been visiting the Sanford Farmers’ Market at least once a month for quite some time. It’s small, but I really love several of the vendors.  I figured I’d mention some of my favorites in case any of you live in the area and haven’t checked it out yet. 

Frederickson Apiaries of Geneva– Fantastic LOCAL Raw Honey

Handmade Soaps from the Young Family–My favorite is the “Spicy Sunrise” because of its fantastic smell and natural ingredients.  

Gramma Hart’s Heavenly Homemades–She sells homemade jams and soaps.  She picked the fruit for her jams herself here in the area.  Unfortunately, they are not organic, but at least they’re made with local ingredients.  I haven’t gotten a chance to try her soaps yet.

Beeswax Balm Company–I reviewed them a few months ago on the Green Guide. I enjoy the banana/coconut variety.

There’s a produce stand, but the fruits and veggies are not currently local or organic.  If you’re not worried about those two things, the prices are good.  I did find eggs and butter that are local. Visit the Sanford Farmer’s Market My Space page to view the list of vendors and current information.

I don’t believe our Sanford Farmers’ Market is as comprehensive as others in the Orlanda area, but it’s growing!  I wanted to get the word out so others will take the time to check it out.   If you decide to visit, you might want to try the last Saturday of the month since local art vendors will be there as well.

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