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An international group of prominent scientists has signed  The Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness  in which they are proclaiming their support for the idea that animals are conscious and aware to the degree that humans are — a list of animals that includes all mammals, birds, and even the octopus. But will this make us stop treating these animals in totally inhumane ways? S EXPAND While it might not sound like much for scientists to declare that many nonhuman animals possess conscious states, it's the open acknowledgement that's the big news here. The body of scientific evidence is increasingly showing that most animals are conscious in the same way that we are, and it's no longer something we can ignore. What's also very interesting about the declaration is the group's acknowledgement that consciousness can emerge in those animals that are very much unlike humans, including those that evolved along different evolutionary tracks, namely birds and some cephalopod...

You would never think that a single plant could solve most of the worlds problems, well it can. Hemp has over 50, 000 uses, why this plant remains illegal is causing confusion among many. Everything from clothes, medicine, fabrics, fuel and more, hemp is definitely a large threat to a variety of corporations that control energy, health and a number of other industries. Many corporations would see a decline in profit if hemp were to be legalized. One in particular this article will focus on is the automobile industry.  The worlds most Eco-friendly car, the Kestrel, was designed in Canada by Calgary-based Motive Industries INC. Unlike the United States government, the Canadian government is open to hemp farming and actively supporting the industrial hemp industry and it’s potential benefit for us and our environment.  It has a top speed of 90 km per hour and a range of approximately 100 miles before needing to be recharged. It’s powered by a motor made by TM4 Electrodynamic Syst...

A new sustainable housing project in the northwest of Scotland will feature industrial hemp as a main building material, reports Green Building Press.  The ecofriendly material is the main component of a prefrabricated wall system called Hembuild – a mixture of the plant’s woody core and a lime-based binder.  The system was supplied by Hemcrete Projects, an English housing company that specializes in hemp-based construction.  So far, two prototype houses have been completed in the Achabeag township, both with very different designs.  Two of the first prototype houses in the Achabeag township were recently completed Peter Smith of Roderick James Architects explained the decision to use the Hembuild walling system to Green Building Press.  “Hembuild ticks all of the boxes when it comes to delivering sustainable properties, and the system is ideally suitable for what are two totally different styled houses but which fulfil the requirements of a scheme where the use...

A single mom from California built her own shipping container tiny home for $4000! This just goes to show you what’s possible when practical outweighs keeping up appearances. Shipping containers make great tiny home systems and are easily transportable. The best part about building your home from shipping containers…they’re affordable. Simple as that. Lulu is a single mom who’d gone back to school and didn’t have the time or interest in working full-time to pay for rent. So when she had to move out of her more conventional home, she decided to move herself and her daughter into a shipping container. With no building experience, Lulu spent just one month cutting windows and a door and installing insulation and a basic kitchen (complete with propane-powered campstove and on-demand water heater)….Using only recycled building materials- including used floorboards, windows, cabinets, doors, bathtub, toilet and sinks- she built the entire thing for about $4,000 (trailer included). Source...

Watch this insane biker ride down a huge cliff wearing a head cam and prepare to have your mind-blown.  The talent involved in this is absolutely amazing. With enough time and practice, you can really do anything. 

There is a growing need for safe, healthy, and natural food items, and what seems like a decreasing amount of space to grow healthy organic food in nutrient-rich soil. Growers are always looking for methods which will save energy, reduce pollution, grow more and higher quality crops, and they want something that is affordable. Underground greenhouses are a preferred method for the environmentally conscious grower. Underground greenhouses can be constructed within a wide variety of geographic and climatic conditions, and because the ground is warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer: you are creating a far more stable micro-climate than growing outside. Typically, the design is built 3 to 5 feet underground, and the setup allows for the collection and storage of daytime solar radiation. Growing can be done all year long regardless of the weather conditions, which is why the underground greenhouses are  referred to as the  Walipini , meaning the “place of warmth”. The green...

Arthur Boorman was a disabled veteran of the Gulf War for 15 years, and was told by his doctors that he would never be able to walk on his own, ever again. He stumbled upon an article about Diamond Dallas Page doing Yoga and decided to give it a try -- he couldn't do traditional, higher impact exercise, so he tried DDP YOGA and sent an email to Dallas telling him his story. Dallas was so moved by his story, he began emailing and speaking on the phone with Arthur throughout his journey - he encouraged Arthur to keep going and to believe that anything was possible. Even though doctors told him walking would never happen, Arthur was persistent. He fell many times, but kept going. Arthur was getting stronger rapidly, and he was losing weight at an incredible rate! Because of DDP's specialized workout, he gained tremendous balance and flexibility -- which gave him hope that maybe someday he'd be able to walk again. His story is proof, that we cannot place limits on what we are c...

Whose wild idea was the mountain goat?! Amazing! ( source ) ( source ) ( s ource ) ( source ) ( source ) ( source ) Source Via: RealFarmacy

By Amanda Froelich, Guest True Activist. The vision of the  Beacon Food Forest  is to change the way the public thinks and relates to its food. To curb poor nutrition, prevent food waste, enhance general education, and grow free and sustainable food for all, the food forest has finally become a reality. Thankfully, the evolvement is not alone. Several other areas are beginning to plant dedicated forests for public use. The Beacon Food Forest will cover seven acres within city limits, offering everything from plum, apple, and walnut trees, to bushes, herbs, and vegetables. The goal is to re-create an eco-system of a real forest with food-bearing varieties at different heights. Image Credit / beaconfoodforest.weebly.com Hardworking members of the community group have already planted about 35 trees, and also have completed a large amount of landscaping and irrigation work, according to Glen Herlihy, one of the creators. The  forest is now open , with plants to start producin...