New World, New Problems
The "Old World" Shows the Way
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Our households generate a lot of trash. And we are taking baby steps towards recycling. In Europe, we are astonished at the level of environmental awareness and commitment of ordinary people to mitigate their footprint. German consumer goods are not quite as over-packaged as in the U.S.—manufacturers have to pay higher fees for more product packaging.
But Germans also can, and do, recycle far more of their waste. The nation is a recycling champ. For example, 67% of paper products are recycled, the highest percentage in the world.
And not just in the home. Recycling containers are everywhere. In supermarkets, recycling counters just inside the entrance have slots for everything from batteries to plastic deli containers. Villages, towns and cities have large recycling containers in multiple locations for green, brown and white glass, PET and other plastics, paper, cartons, aluminum and composites, and more. Street trash receptacles are small and rarely full, because recycling receptacles are placed frequently on sidewalks. In Munich, even the subways have receptacles divided into slots for paper, glass, plastic and trash.
California is one of the most progressive states in the country, yet we still lag behind German villages. Let’s change that!
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Moor is Better
Peat -- Not Just for Whisky Anymore
Monday, April 21, 2008
Americans of Celtic heritage have probably heard family stories that included references to peat bogs. The Irish and Scots used peat or turf for heat in remote areas. They probably never thought about bathing in it.
One of the most important moorland areas in central Europe is in Bavaria. And thanks to a traditional interest in natural wellness, German spas have found a contemporary use for peat. Not to heat homes, but to heat humans.
Actually, it’s an ancient remedy given new life. Paracelsus recommended it for several illnesses. Napoleon’s soldiers were the first to utilize “moor baths” in Germany, after they had seen them in Egypt.
Turf has excellent thermal mass; it holds heat for a long time. In a bath, it slowly gives off its heat to the body, more slowly than water. A thick mixture of turf and water works best for a bath, which can reach to 46 Celsius (114.8 F) although it feels less hot because of the medium. About 20 minutes in a moor bath allows the body temperature to rise about 2 C (3.6 F), in effect mimicking a fever. This helps the immune system and raises metabolism. Muscles relax in the warmth. Turf is also known to have anti-inflammatory properties.
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Moor is Better
Peat -- Not Just for Whisky Anymore
Americans of Celtic heritage have probably heard family stories that included references to peat bogs. The Irish and Scots used peat or turf for heat in remote areas. They probably never thought about bathing in it.
One of the most important moorland areas in central Europe is in Bavaria. And thanks to a traditional interest in natural wellness, German spas have found a contemporary use for peat. Not to heat homes, but to heat humans.
Actually, it’s an ancient remedy given new life. Paracelsus recommended it for several illnesses. Napoleon’s soldiers were the first to utilize “moor baths” in Germany, after they had seen them in Egypt.
Turf has excellent thermal mass; it holds heat for a long time. In a bath, it slowly gives off its heat to the body, more slowly than water. A thick mixture of turf and water works best for a bath, which can reach to 46 Celsius (114.8 F) although it feels less hot because of the medium. About 20 minutes in a moor bath allows the body temperature to rise about 2 C (3.6 F), in effect mimicking a fever. This helps the immune system and raises metabolism. Muscles relax in the warmth. Turf is also known to have anti-inflammatory properties.
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Salty Solutions
Spa Therapy Shakes It Up
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Germans have always maintained a strong interest in natural health. Herbal and other natural remedies coexist peacefully with the best modern medicine. (Savvy U.S. shoppers buying vitamins or herbal preparations know to look for a “Made in Germany” label, because those are regulated in Germany and must meet strict standards.)
One thing our intrepid team of Dream Spaces researchers has been enjoying in Germany is the variety of spa options. We described the hay cure a few posts ago. One of our latest discoveries is saline injections for aching joints or sore backs. The theory is that salt raises blood flow and softens the tissues. Metabolism of nerves, ligaments and muscles in the surrounding area is increased. This decreases inflammation, makes the tissues more elastic, helps nerve regeneration and thereby gets rid of pain.
The injections are paired with massage, sometimes also acupuncture and chiropractic. And since this is Germany, insurance pays for such treatments.
We’ll be investigating more in the world of wellness in future posts.
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Classic English Interiors
Monday, March 31, 2008
Lady Henrietta Spencer-Churchill is the daughter of the Duke of Marlborough, whose family seat is Blenheim Palace. Few people are more qualified to discuss English style than someone who grew up in a classic Georgian manor and has become a successful interior designer.
In this book, Spencer-Churchill explores the origins of English design and the influences that have created what today is considered classic English style. She takes us into the colorful rooms of Blenheim Palace as she breaks down the elements that combine to create the unstructured, eminently comfortable look that defines English style.
This is not the country cottage England of chintz and china dogs. This is, as the title suggests, classic style. The author’s text, particularly where she explains the history of English style and how to recreate it, provides an excellent blueprint for reproducing the best of the English look.
Greener, Faster
Germany Out in Front
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Modern sustainable construction owes much of its current status to developments in Germany over the past 50 years. The country is in the forefront on matters of ecology and technology, and continues to innovate in the materials, construction and maintenance of green buildings.
Germany today has gone beyond the energy efficient approach just now becoming more widespread in the U.S. The movement in Germany is towards “Bio Bau,” or organic building. This entails not just energy efficiency, but use of local, sustainable materials that contain no harmful chemicals, careful site selection to maximize light, heating and cooling, and use of technology to either enhance or mitigate natural occurrences. For example, floating houses actually rise with flood waters.
Almost every farm in Bavaria has solar panels on the roof of the barn. When American consumers catch up with that awareness, perhaps the U.S. can begin to compete in the development and production of green technology.
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