What does it take to change a small habit that benefits the environment? One filmmaker looks at the subject from a humorous perspective that made me giggle. Watch this:

Live Earth commissioned some serious talent for a series of short films on the environment and global warming that was shown at last year’s Sundance Film Festival. This one called, “Think” by Rupert Jones is short,  funny and delivers a great message.

What do you think?

It was a beautiful sunny day in Portland as I walked along hip and happening Mississippi Avenue with all Her cute boutiques and cafes.

I suddenly noticed this interesting musician (show at left) singing and playing the guitar.

Thinking of Green Streets, I approached him, introduced myself and asked a couple of questions which he was happy to answer. Here’s a glimpse:

PPnG: What’s your name and how old are you?

Peter: I’m Peter and I’m 42.

PPnG: What do you think of green living and how do you practice it?

Peter: I think it’s great. I’d love to export it to my original hometown of Atlanta. Being green happened to me (in Portland) by osmosis. I’ve been living here for most of the past 17 years and I just became accustomed to putting bottles and cans in the proper receptacle where they can be recycled. Everything makes sense. It’s not that difficult and it doesn’t make any sense not to do it. I consider myself a steward of the earth and I am happy to do all the wonderful green things that we do here in Portland and with no complaints.

How are you green? Leave your comment here and we’ll publish it.

As an interior designer and lover of earth loving gadgets, this latest creation by Korean designer Sungho Lee got my creative receptacles giddy with new ideas. Lee recently designed this battery operated LED pin that lights up the object that it is attached to.

Shown above clipped onto a piece of paper. Easily clip one onto the base of a household plant and you’ll have instant mood lighting.

For more info visit SunghoLee.kr.

Very cool.

What a comforting concept; travel far and away to Berlin, Germany and stay in a hotel that is already comfy, cozy, nurturing the moment you set foot in the door.  The Michelberger Hotel, designed by Werner Aisslinger captures this concept in a way that will delight the urban traveler.

Small, quaint and definitely cozier than your average five star European hotel. A lot cheaper too.

The hotel housed in a converted factory building featuring a brick facade, high ceilings, large windows and a courtyard that acts as the social hub of the hotel. Source via: 1.

Anja Knauer and Sibylle Oellerich collaborated with Aisllinger to design the hotel interior using objects sourced from local flea markets, often re-purposing them for other uses, and low-cost materials such as laminated larch.  Source via: 2.

More details from the designers:

NEW HOTEL BRAND OFFERS
Handcrafted, Original Space for the Social City Traveller
First Michelberger Hotel to Open in Berlin on 9th September 2009

Raw, rebellious and creative – these are the qualities that capture the unrivalled atmosphere and spirit of Germany’s capital, Berlin. Constantly recreating itself, East Berlin in particular has become a magnet for travellers from all over the world. Now, finally, a new hotel group is aiming to bring this vibrant way of life and unique historical patina inside the doors of its first property. The Michelberger Hotel, opening in September 2009 next to the famous Oberbaum Bridge and the river Spree, will extend the thrilling experience of the city into every aspect, yet with professional service and administration.

For more information follow me.

For those of you who may not have noticed, I am an avid follower of author Paulo Coelho. And often I’ll share his stories and anecdotes here on PPnG.

Today is one of those days where the following came through the Warrior of the Light and into my daily meditation. Thank-you for this Paulo.

Things as they are by Paulo Coelho

Of course things don’t always happen they way we wish they would. There are moments in which we feel we are seeking something that is not meant for us, knocking on doors that don’t open, waiting for miracles that don’t manifest themselves.

Fortunately that is the way things are - if everything went the way we wanted, soon we would no longer have anything to write about, nothing to guide our daily thoughts. This script serves our dreams as nourishment, but to our battles as energy. And as it always happens with the warriors that spend all their energy in the Good Fight, there are moments in which it is best to relax and believe that the Universe is still working for us secretly, even if we cannot comprehend it.

And so, let us allow the Soul of the World to fulfill its mission, and if we can’t help, the best way to collaborate is to pay attention to the simple things in life; the sunset, the people in the street, the reading of a book.

However, in many cases, time continues passing and nothing exceptional happens. But the true warrior of light believes. Just like children believe.

Because they believe in miracles, the miracles begin to happen.

Because they are certain that their thoughts can change their lives, their lives begin to change.

Because they are certain they will find love, this love appears.

Sometimes they are disappointed. Sometimes they feel hurt.

Then they hear the comments, “you are so naïve!”

But the warrior knows it is worth the price. To each defeat, there are two conquests in his favor.

In an interesting and diminutive book called “The Breviary of Medieval Knights,” there are some passages that have to be remembered in these moments of waiting:

“The Path’s spiritual energy uses justice and patience to prepare your spirit.”

“This is the Knight’s Path. An easy and hard path at the same time, as it urges us to let aside useless things and relative friendships. That is why, at the beginning, we hesitate so much to follow it.”

“This is a Knight’s first teaching: you will erase everything you wrote up to now on your life’s notebook: turmoil, insecurities, lies. And in place of all that, you will write the word courage. Beginning the journey with this word and going on with faith in God, you will arrive where you need to arrive.”

Even so, sometimes we keep on waiting - with patience, resignation, courage - and still, things around us don’t move. But since this is the path we chose, it seems impossible that life’s blessings are not working in our favor. It provokes, therefore, a deep reflection about what we call “results:” our destiny is manifesting itself in a way we are not able to fully comprehend . Jorge Luís Borges wrote a masterly short story about this issue.

He describes the birth of a tiger that spends great part of its life in the African wildness but ends up being captured and taken to a zoo in Italy. From then on, the animal thinks his life has lost sense and there is nothing left to do but wait for the day he dies.

One fine day, poet Dante Alighieri passes by this zoo, looks at the tiger, and the animal inspires a verse – in the midst of thousands of verses – of “The Divine Comedy.”

“The entire battle for survival that tiger went through was only so that it could be at the zoo on that morning and inspire an immortal verse,” says Borges.

Just like this tiger, we all have a reason – a very important reason – to be here, at this moment, this morning.

So relax. And pay attention.

For more on the Warrior of the Light and Paulo Coelho visit: warriorofthelight.com