Pagans In Iceland Object To Missionaries In Schools

The Pagan Society in Iceland, Ásatrúarfélagid, has objected to the State Church offering school children social support in form of so-called “soul watch interviews.”The interviews are part of an initiative called Vinaleid (“Path of Friends”), which is open to all school-age children.The program enables students to visit the deacon in the local church to talk about their problems, and do not need allowance from parents to do so, as reported in Fréttabladid.

READ IT ALL

NOVEMBER 24 IS BUY NOTHING DAY - NO PURCHASE NECESSARY

THE ULTIMATE REFUND: On November 24th and 25th -- the busiest days in the American retail calendar and the unofficial start of the international Christmas-shopping season -- thousands of activists and concerned citizens in 65 countries will take a 24-hour consumer detox as part of the 14th annual Buy Nothing Day, a global phenomenon that originated in Vancouver, Canada.

From joining zombie marches through malls to organizing credit card cut-ups and shopoholic clinics, Buy Nothing Day activists aim to challenge themselves, their families and their friends to switch off from shopping and tune back into life for one day. Featured in recent years by the likes of CNN, Wired, the BBC, and the CBC, the global event is celebrated as a relaxed family holiday, as a non-commercial street party, or even as a politically charged public protest. Anyone can take part provided they spend a day without spending.

Reasons for participating in Buy Nothing Day are as varied as the people who choose to participate. Some see it as an escape from the marketing mind games and frantic consumer binge that has come to characterize the holiday season, and our culture in general. Others use it to expose the environmental and ethical consequences of overconsumption.

Two recent, high-profile disaster warnings outline the sudden urgency of our dilemma. First, in October, a global warming report by economist Sir Nicholas Stern predicted that climate change will lead to the most massive and widest-ranging market failure the world has ever seen. Soon after, a major study published in the journal Science forecast the near-total collapse of global fisheries within 40 years.

Kalle Lasn, co-founder of the Adbusters Media Foundation, which was responsible for turning Buy Nothing Day into an international annual event, said, "Our headlong plunge into ecological collapse requires a profound shift in the way we see things. Driving hybrid cars and limiting industrial emissions is great, but they are band-aid solutions if we don't address the core problem: we have to consume less. This is the message of Buy Nothing Day."

As Lasn suggests, Buy Nothing Day isn't just about changing your habits for one day. It's about starting a lasting lifestyle commitment to consuming less and producing less waste. With six billion people on the planet, the onus if on the most affluent - the upper 20% that consumes 80% of the world's resources - to begin setting the example.

For more information and media interviews contact
MEDIA LIASON: Laura FauthTELEPHONE NUMBER: 604-736-9401
EMAIL: media-pr@adbusters. org

U.S. Witches' Book Rocks Italy

Appalaichan Witchcraft authors Lady Passion (Dixie Deerman) and *Diuvei (Steven Rasmussen) hadn't unpacked from their elaborate 12th annual public Witch Ritual attended by thousands on Christian-donated land this Halloween when they received a magical surprise in return -- Editoriale Gruppo Armenia of Milan has translated their The Goodly Spellbook: Olde Spells For Modern Problems into Italian and is selling it with a new cover under the title of Il Libro Degli Incantesimi (The Book of Incantations). "My bloodline's from Sicily, so this news is so full circle," beamed Lady Passion. "We knew The Goodly Spellbook has been selling well on Chinese web sites, and in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, but it's so great to see that our magical work is appreciated and spreading throughout Europe," *Diuvei added. Lady Passion, High Priestess, and *Diuvei, High Priest of Coven Oldenwilde in Asheville, did a booksigning tour throughout England this past June, and were extensively interviewed on London's BBC Radio (hear on their web site at: www.oldenwilde.org). The couple are currently planning a signing tour throughout Italy. Internatinally distributed by Barnes and Nobles, The Goodly Spellbook has received rave reviews from hardened industry insiders and renown Witchcraft authors alike. Il Libro Degli Incantesimi can be ordered by accessing: http://www.armenia.it/, then typing in the "autore" field atop the page: Lady Passion.

Wanna Save The World? Make Sure You Plant The Right Tree

Problems like global warming are so overwhelming that most citizens feel there's nothing they can do to help. That's wrong.

If you want to help, scientists across the country are saying these days, plant a tree. Better yet, work with your city to improve its urban forest.But here's the hard part.

We've all known for years that trees are good for the environment, soaking up air pollutants and greenhouse gases, and a little shade in the middle of what scientists are calling urban heat islands can't hurt. However, not all trees are the same. They all help to clear the air, in varying degrees, but many also contribute to air pollution by emitting volatile organic compounds, such as isoprene, which help form ozone, a health hazard.
Syracuse researchers found that if they could replant their city with trees that are great at sequestering carbon compounds, especially carbon dioxide, they could increase the removal of carbon by more than 300 percent. But they also found that air quality would actually suffer from an increase in volatile compounds.So they looked at mixing the forest, emphasizing trees that are good performers when it comes to carbon sequestration and don't emit a lot of junk. They came up with a list of 31 species, including American basswood, dogwood, Eastern white pine, Eastern red cedar, gray birch, red maple and river birch.

That combination, they found, would increase carbon sequestration by 86 percent, and reduce the emission of volatile compounds by 88 percent.

Read the entire article