Highlights SUSTAINABLE LIVIVG 54 Feature: Changing The Climate
11 Save Our Planet: Change Your Light Bulbs
12 enerGY FaCtS 50 teCh SPOt 5 Cool Gadgets
60 BuSineSS Five Pillars to Help Your Sustainable Brand Survive
79 MuSiC Nate Dogg
22 leGalize it! Support Medical Marijuana...
54 Feature: Changing the Climate
NATURAL HEALING 62 FOOD Caffine, Friend or Foe?
64 MeDiCine Herbal Healing
72 eXerCiSe. Common Gym Misakes.
April/may 2011
COVER STORY:
44 Janelle naDine Maimi’s Latest Gift.
SECTIONS:
18 helPinG hanDS Kiribati: Raising climate change awareness
FantaSY DOllS: Lenni - pg. 26 Janelle - pg. 44 Andrea - pg. 82 34 liFeStYle Cannabis Strains.. 36 art By Toby Hutchens 40 FaShiOn ”The Killing” Organic Sweater. 76 entertainMent Dr Dre: Detox! 84 GrOw rOOM Germinating
30 Lifestyle: Strain names
86 Green PaGeS Support our merchants, 89 DiD YOu KnOw?
APRIL/MAY 2011 EDITORIAL FOUNDER & EDITORAL DIRECTOR
Malik Akbar LifeStyle Editor Natalya Zihlavski Entertainment Editor Kareem Butler MARKETING MARKETING DIRECTOR
Roc Peebles ART & DESIGN ART DIRECTOR
CONTRIBUTORS
Melissa Phillips was named Executive VP of the bobbi monroe company (the bmc) in 2007. The St. John's University graduate also serves as a Producer for the bmc's television and film projects. Melissa has also served as a contributing Editor and Art Director of an online Digital Magazine. When she isn't working behind the production scenes, the Los Angeles native enjoys life, Philanthropy work and finding new ways to raise the creative bar.
Alim Akbar PRODUCTION PRODUCTON MANAGER
Amanda Turner
SPLIFF MAGAZINE P.O. Box 451986 Los Angeles, CA 90045
Roc Peebles has worked and assisted in the development of numerous start-ups from Reel.com to Allposters.com to creating infrastructure with cable and wireless. Roc has been a avid writer cultivating short stories and poetry .
PHONE 424-245-9184 SUBSCRIPTIONS AND CUSTOMER SERVICE WEB - www.SpliffMagazine.com EMAIL - Info@SpliffMagazine.com ADVERTISING - 424-245-9184 EDITORIAL - 424-245-9184
SPLIFF Magazine is published bi-monthly by The Akbar Group, Inc. current individual copies are available at the newstand price of $5.99.Spliff is available by individual subscription at the followng rates: In the United States, one year $45.00; outside the United States $67.00 surface mail. (U.S. dollars only). Back issues when available are $8.00 each. To subscribe visit us online at www.SpliffMagazine.com. Printed in the United States of America. Copyright Spliff Magazine. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without publisher’s written permission. Spliff Magazine assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs.
RECYCLE
10 February
SUSTAINABLE LIVING +
Change Your
LightBulbs By: Jeremy Taylor in Daily Green Tips
H
ere's a bright idea. Take a big step to- whereas your incandescent bulb is likely to last
wards energy conservation in your home by switching to energy-efficient light bulbs. Because electricity in most households is still generated in power plants that burn fossil fuels, any wasted electricity, even in the home, can be extremely taxing on the environment in terms of both resource depletion and carbon dioxide emission. Quite simply, some light bulbs are less efficient than others. Incandescent light bulbs, the kind that fit into most household lamps, turn the vast majority of the electricity they consume as much as 95%, according to one source into heat, rather than light. By contrast, compact fluorescent light bulbs (pictured), or CFLs, combine substantially increased efficiency with a significantly longer lifespan. Because of their increased efficiency, an 11-watt CFL, for example, will produce about as much light as a 60-watt incandescent bulb. And because of their longer lifespan, that same CFL should continue lighting up your room for as long as 15,000 hours,
only about 1000 hours. Just how long is 15,000 hours? That's almost two years, if you left it on 24 hours a day. In more realistic terms, that bulb could last you a decade or more. While until recently CFLs have been difficult to find, at worst, and expensive, at best, yearly sales have steadily increased, and they are now widely available and much more affordable. What's more, between their longevity and the cash you'll save on your electricity bill, you'll make back the difference pretty quickly. This commendation comes with a small caveat. CFLs generally contain small amounts of mercury, which means they shouldn't really be thrown out. Good news: you'll have to have them recycled. Some stores will take back dead CFLs, or you can bring them yourself to your local environmental society or recycling facility. www.aboutmyplanet.com/daily-green-tips SPLIFF February 2011 11
SUSTAINABLE LIVING +
ENERGY FACTS! 1. The average American consumes five times more energy than the average global citizen or 10 times more than the typical Chinese. If the typical Chinese consumer used as much oil as the average American uses, China would require 90 million barrels per day—11 million more than the entire world produced each day in 2001. Worldwatch Institute 2. Today, transportation is the world’s fastest-growing form of energy use, accounting for nearly 30 percent of world energy use and 95 percent of global oil consumption. The most significant driver of rising energy consumption for transportation is growing reliance on the private car. About one fourth of those cars are found on U.S. roads. West Europeans now use public transit for 10 percent of all urban trips, and Canadians for 7 percent, compared with Americans at only 2 percent. Worldwatch Institute 3. It takes less gasoline to restart your car than it does to let it idle for more than a minute. If all the cars on US roads had properly inflated tires, it would save an estimated 2 billion gallons of gasoline per year and improve your gas mileage 3-7%. University of ColoradoEnvironmental Center, 2003 4. If every car carried one more passenger during its daily commute, 32 million gallons of gasoline would be saved each day. Natural Resources Defense Council, 2003 5. Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town. U.S Dept. of Energy 6. Worldwide, people use about a third of all energy in buildings—for heating, cooling, cooking, lighting, and running appliances. As homes become bigger, each individual house uses more energy. The average new American homes grew nearly 38 percent between 1975 and 2000, to 2,265 square feet—twice the size of typical homes in Europe or Japan and 26 times the living space of the average person in Africa.
Worldwatch Institute 12 February 2011 SPLIFF
HELPING HANDS + UNICEF
Kiribati: Raising climate change awareness Young people raise awareness about climate change in the Pacific atoll nation of Kiribati ‘The State of the World’s Children 2011 – Adolescence: An Age of Opportunity,’ UNICEF’s new flagship report, focuses on the development and rights of more than a billion children aged 10 to 19 worldwide. This series of stories, essays and multimedia features seeks to accelerate and elevate adolescents’ fight against poverty, inequality and gender discrimination. Here is one of the stories.
By Tomas Jensen TARAWA, Kiribati, 4 March 2011 – In the middle of the Pacific Ocean, the young people of Kiribati are experiencing a disaster that is slowly and steadily eroding their culture and home. Their nation’s beautiful, low-lying atolls are pounded day and night by rising sea levels, which crowd in on scarce supplies of fresh water and limited patches of fertile land. Their lives are challenged by ever more frequent droughts, as well as diversions of funding away from the education, health, transportation and communications infrastructure to deal with the adverse effects of climate change. Solving environmental problems To the adolescents of Kiribati, the impact of this slow disaster – a topic often encountered in the media but not experienced directly by many around the world – is already frightening and real. Kiribati, a country made up of 32 atolls and an island, and home to a population of about 100,000 people, is on the front line of climate change. Groups of adolescents have long been active here in informing their peers and communities about climate change and coming up with solutions to mitigate the impact. With a marginal contribution to global emissions, Kiribati is, however fully dependant on global and collective solutions to global environmental problems. 18 February 2011 SPLIFF
Urgent action needed The voice of adolescents from the atoll nation is echoed in the ‘The State of the World’s Children 2011,’ in an article by His Excellency Anote Tong, President of the Republic of Kiribati. And UNICEF is a committed long-term partner to the girls and boys of Kiribati and other Small Developing Islands States, supporting their participation in the global climate-change debate and decision-making process. Their message, and that of their president, is clear and relevant to everyone on the planet: Climate change is eating away our adolescents’ future and placing their physical and mental development at risk. Urgent action is required from every family, community and government to address climate change and its consequences.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNjCW5_N1sM
VIDEO: UNICEF reports on adolescents in the Pacific atoll nation of Kiribati raising awareness about the impact of climate change.
Š UNICEF video
A rising sea level poses a serious threat to the small Pacific atoll nation of Kiribati.
Š UNICEF/Kiribati/2011/Pirozzi
Youths in Kiribati are experiencing the effects of climate change.
Tuvalu The tiny South Pacific nation is made up of nine coral atolls. The country has recently lost one metre of land around the circumference of its largest atoll. It can illafford to lose any land - at its widest point, the atoll is only a few hundred metres across SPLIFF February 2011 19
LEGALIZE IT!
“Medical Marijuana” Takes On New Meaning for Metastatic Breast Cancer
By: PJ Hamel
I
f you have breast cancer, you may have considered the use of “medical marijuana” at some point during your chemo treatment. Smoking marijuana has provided some women with relief from the nausea and vomiting that can accompany chemo, relief that the range of normal side effect drugs weren’t able to give. Some states permit the legal use of medical marijuana; most don’t. Nevertheless, most women who want to try marijuana seem to be able to get it. Personally, I didn’t experience any severe problems with nausea. 22 February 2011 SPLIFF
B
ut I was astounded at the number of people who, prior to treatment, offered to get me a supply if I thought I needed it! Now, doctors at the California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute in San Francisco have released a study, in the current issue of Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, that may in the future open the door to a much more critical use of marijuana: stopping the spread of metastatic breast cancer.
It seems that a compound found in cannabis (the scientific name for marijuana), CBD, has been shown (in the lab) to stop the human gene Id-1 from directing cancer cells to multiply and spread. California Pacific Senior researcher Pierre-Yves Desprez, in an interview with HealthDay News, noted that the Id-1 genes “are very bad. They push the cells to behave like embryonic cells and grow. They go crazy, they proliferate, they migrate. We need to be able to turn them off.”
While studies are still very much in the preliminary stages, it’s interesting to think that a plant that has been used medicinally for nearly 5,000 years may in the future be a key element in controlling cancer. As recently as 1937 (when it was outlawed in the U.S.), marijuana (“cannabis sativa”) was being touted as an analgesic, anti-emetic, narcotic, and sedative.
“it’s interesting to think that a plant that
Desprez and fellow researcher Sean D. has been used medicinally for nearly McAllister joined forces just two years 5,000 years may in the future be a key ago. Desprez had been studying the Id-1 element in controlling cancer” gene for 12 years; McAllister was a cannabis expert, but not involved in cancer Parke-Davis, once America’s oldest and research. Together they found that Id-1 is the “orlargest drug manufacturer (and now a divichestra conductor” that directs breast cancer sion of drug giant Pfizer), offered “Fluid cells to grow and spread. And that CBD inhibits Extract Cannabis” via catalogs. Until the invention of aspirin in the mid-1800s, Id-1; it turns it off, puts it to sleep, pick your cannabis was the civilized world’s main pain metaphor. Bottom line, it neutralizes it. And the reliever. Now it’s illegal. Here’s hoping that cancer stops spreading. someday soon cannabis returns, this time as Both researchers pointed out that CBD is nona successful treatment for metastatic breast cancer. toxic and non-psychoactive. In other words, patients wouldn’t get high taking it. And its non-toxicity is an important attribute; Desprez and McAllister predict that, to be effective, patients might have to take CBD for several years. They also cautioned that smoking marijuana isn’t going to cure metastatic breast cancer; the level of CBD necessary to inhibit Id-1 simply can’t be obtained that way.
visit www.mybreastcancernetwork.com SPLIFF February 2011 23
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FANTASY DOLLS + LENNI
Courtesy International Fire Goddess
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LIFESTYLE
Strain Names By Nataya Zihlavski
What kind of stains have you smoked? If you’ve been keeping track, you may be looking at a list of some of the oddest names to call a plant. Names are used to identify different varieties of marijuana hybrids and strains apart from each other. They are often given by the person/people who create the new strain, by crossing other already existing strains. Growers often name the strains reflecting on the plant’s unique traits, such as Purple Kush. In other instances, they have names that seemingly don’t have anything to do with…well, nothing. You may have noticed that many strains have the same part of a name as another one, such as Cherry Berry and Cherry Thai. This is because both strains were produced by a crossing with the same plant. Each strain mentioned has a Cherry Bomb plant as a parent. Where do the strains that are commonly used to produce new strains come from? After much research, here are a couple best-selling crossing strains and how they came to be. Kush. One of the most popular and sung about strains, Kush is a staple in the strain game. This strain was, and is still growing as, a landrace plant. Landrace marijuana plants grow wildly in nature. The famous strain is from, and named after, the Hindu Kush mountain range. It was originally found in Afghanistan, northern Pakistan, and northwest India. By the 1970s Sacred Seeds began developing Kush, because of its great hast productions, into the strain we know and love today. Fun fact: Kush means happiness in Hinduism. Another strain that’s a foundation of many hybrids still being discovered is Skunk. Skunk #1 (the original Skunk strain) was first developed in 1970s California. It’s believed to be a cross between Afghani, Colombian Gold, and Acapulco Gold. After the first Skunk strain was produced, inbreeding began in 1978 to stabilize the strain. Skunk if often used with new crosses to increase vigor and speed in which the plant flowers. We hear the name “Blueberry” attached to many strains these days. Blueberry Punch, Blueberry Haze, Blueberry Magic, the list goes on. The original Blueberry strain was made by DJ Short in the late 1970s on the West Coast. It’s believed to be a cross between Afghani, Juicy Fruit Thai, and Purple Thai. Haze is another common came you see and hear around. Before it got the “Original” lopped off of its name, Original Haze was developed on the West Coast during the ‘60s (although some will dispute it to be the ‘70s). Original Haze got its name from the growers who developed it, the two Haze brothers. 34 February 2011 SPLIFF
It has gone on to become a parent of many popular strains such as Purple Haze and Super Silver Haze. Haze is used nowadays for producing new crosses with more potency. Although weed strains are often named according to their specific traits, some growers are a bit more questionable and mysterious in their naming techniques. Some strain names that may fall under this category are Alaskan Thunderfuck, Saltspring Rhino, Killing Fields, and Dankee Doodle. Despite the fact that many celebrities haven’t given authorization of their name, strains have appeared carrying the same names as famous people as well. One of the most popular of these strains is Jack Herer. There’s also Chuck Norris (because the strain has a “kick” to it), Jerry Garcia Kush, Marley’s Collie, as well as Willie (named after Willie Nelson). What are some of your favorite and ridiculous strain names you’ve come across? If you could choose a celebrity to name a strain of weed after, who would it be? Spark one up and submit your answers to: natalyaz@spliffmagazine.com.
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ART + By Toby Hutchens
ART + By Toby Hutchens
FASHION
“The Killing� Sweater is an Organic and Faroe Island Sensation By Bonnie Alter, London
Photo: suite 101
Now you've seen the sweater but have you seen the t.v show yet? The Killing is a huge sensation in Europe and Denmark and it is about to hit the USA. A 20 part thriller from the old scary school, the lead detective, an enigmatic woman, wears this handknit Faroe Island sweater which has become a fashion and eco sensation. It's one of those serendipitous stories. The sweater was created by the little knitwear company Gudrun Gudrun in the Faroe Islands. The night before a big trade show in Denmark the owner came up with an idea for a new sweater. She says "the inspiration was an old fisherman's humper my father had. I wanted it to look Nordic." So she and the lead knitter finished the sweater at 4 in the morning and took it with them. 40 February 2011 SPLIFF
The stylist for the Killing came to the show because the actress who plays Sarah Lund, the detective in the series, was looking for the kind of hippy sweater that her parents used to wear in the '70's in Copenhagen. The stylist saw it, said "that's it" and a trend, and business success,was born. The orders for the sweater are coming in from all over the UK and Japan The sweater is knitted with 100 % organic Faroese wool which is neither dyed nor treated with any chemicals. The colours are the natural colours of the sheep. The sheep live freely in the mountains all year around. The wool holds a high level of natural oil that makes the finished garment quite water resistant and self-cleaning. The company has 30 women from across the islands, aged 28 to 70, who knit from home all through the long dark winters. So far they have sold thousands of the patterned jumper. So much so that they are looking for more knitters to fill the orders. All production is placed inside the European Union to assure decent working conditions. Fishermen in the Faroe Islands have been wearing these hand-knit sweaters out to sea from the 1900's. It was a tradition that the women would knit the warm and itchy sweaters out of heavy Faroese wool. Each one would have a different pattern and you could recognize the fisherman by his sweater. An American-made series (filmed in Vancouver) is due to start next month. Apparently the American producers have requested samples for their series and the owners have been told that some of their sweaters will be worn in the upcoming episodes. The company also works with a project in Jordan where the women are taught to knit and make the sweaters there out of the Faroese wool. The finished products are sent back with the knitter's name attached to it. These are being sold in markets in London. Photo: shopgudrungudrun
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COVER + JANELLE NADINE
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COVER + JANELLE NADINE
The 5 Cool Gadgets
TECH SPOT There are some cool products out there. There are cool promotional items and cool innovations. But gadgets are the epitome of cool. So cool that many would sell their own mothers to get what they've been waiting for. Almost everyday a new gadget comes along, and the one you have is then kind of old already, even if you bought it a couple of weeks ago. However, truly cool gadgets, those that you would really die for (like, say, the iPhone) are rarer. 2011will be a great year for technology. Once the crisis is -we hope- somewhat over, tech companies will strive to get new customers, and will compete like never before with cutting edge design and technology.
1. XBox Natal: Ever heard of Project Natal? If you spend more than half an hour on the Web a day, you probably have. Otherwise, please first check out this YouTube video. Impressed? Well, after Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft had to do something about its own console. And since the Wii was such a big hit, this one has to be bigger. Project Natal will definitely score some big points for the Redmond company.
4. 4G Phones. The real download speed of most 3G phones is not more than 384 Kbps, and sometimes a lot less. That's because it might have a 3 Mbps announced download speed, but the real one is a lot less. The 4G phones promise data transfers of 100 Mbps, and could reach up to 1 gigabit per second when static. That could mean downloading a full length DVD movie in about a minute.
2. Ford's MyKey: If you give your car to your kids frequently, you might find that it sometimes gets hard to sleep well when they're out, as you're worried about what could happen to them. That's why next year Ford's releasing MyKey, which uses a chip in the car's ignition key so that the driver cannot exceed 80 mph. It can also be programmed to limit the car's audio levels and to sound loud alerts if the driver's not wearing a seatbelt.
5. Hydrogen powered phones might be the next big thing. French researchers will probably announce by next year that a hydrogen fuel could be used as backup power source for mobile communications, letting users have some independence from electricity supplies to charge up their phones.
3. Dual Touch Screen Laptop: We've already witnessed top-notch laptops with touch screens. But what about dual touch screens? Apparently, the Italian firm V12 Designs will launch its new version of Canova, a dual LCD laptop. This time, both will be touch screens.
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Technology tends to surprise us, so probably next year we'll see a gadget we haven't ever heard about. But these certainly make any tech-savvy person very much intrigued and anxious about what next year will bring. Don't you feel the same?
TECH SPOT
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9Rr5PP1 EP4
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FEATURE
Changing the Clim By the U.S. Department of Energy
Looking Towards a More Cost Effective
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy are helping states lead the way in an effort to promote low cost energy efficiency. More than 60 energy, environmental and state policy leaders from across the country have come together to produce the updated National Action Plan Vision for 2025: A Framework for Change. The action plan outlines strategies to help lower the growth in energy demand across the country by more than 50 percent, and shows ways to save more than $500 billion in net savings over the next 20 years. These strategies, if implemented, are estimated to help reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 90 million vehicles.
“These leaders from state governm be commended for their continued cient technologies as a key part of m frastructure to meet our nation’s Department of Energy Assistant Se Energy Reliability, Kevin Kolevar.
The action plan outlines critical ste toward the goal of increasing the na efficiency programs. The plan also ing toward these goals. States, u spending about $2 billion per yea “The significant action taken by states, utilities and energy customers Through this investment, states, ut advances low cost energy solutions,” said Robert Meyers, principal saved the energy equivalent of mo deputy assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. 500 megawatts of electricity saving “The plan is a big step toward a more energy-efficient future, helping annually. This effort helped reduce to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while growing the American econ- equivalent to those emitted from 9 omy.” The updated action plan also iden
54 February 2011 SPLIFF
mate
www.motherearthnews.com/
e, Energy Efficient Future
About one-third of the states have established energy savings targets and addressed utility disincentives for energy efficiency. Moreover, about half of the states have established energy efficiency programs for key customer classes and reviewed and updated building codes. Two technical assistance documents are also available to assist states in achieving the energy goals established under the action plan. The first document provides guidance on establishing cost-effectiveness eps for state policy makers to take tests for energy efficiency programs, while the second outlines best ation’s investment in low cost energy practices for providing business customers with energy-use and cost shows the progress states are mak- data. utilities and other organizations are ar on energy efficiency programs. Initiated in 2005, the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency is ditilities and other organizations have rected by a leadership group of 30 electric and gas utilities, 20 state ore than 30 power plants generating agencies and 12 other organizations. This state-driven initiative is deg energy customers nearly $6 billion signed to help electric and natural gas ratepayers increase energy efe annual greenhouse gas emissions ficiency while saving money. More than 120 organizations have endorsed the original recommendations of the action plan and have million vehicles.committed to making it a reality. ntifies areas for additional progress.
ment and the private sector should d progress in promoting energy-effimodernizing our electric and gas ingrowing energy needs,� said U.S. ecretary for Electricity Delivery and
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BUSINESS
Five Pillars to Help Your Sustainable Brand Survive 1. Sustainability By Marc Stolber, greenbiz.com
I founded a green brand agency in the heady Al Gore days. At that time, I believed sustainability would become the brand megatrend of the 21st century. I was right. And very wrong. Sustainability does make business sense. In a world of diminishing resources, heightened environmental legislation and vigilant NGO's, it is a smart brand insurance policy. But sustainability is also a political wedge. Mention green, and 50 percent of Americans run away, while the other 50 percent cringe and wonder how much more it will cost.
Google "why brands fail" and you'll be rewarded with upwards of 18 million matches. Given this abundance of expertise on the subject, you'd think creating bulletproof brands would be as easy as tying your laces. And yet, brands are crashing and burning as much as they always have. Probably more so. Why? Well, the 5 or 6 articles I read on the subject (I didn't manage the full 18 million) certainly don't help. Almost all focused on predicting what had already happened -- why brands had succumbed in the past. A bit like predicting someone's death after they'd died. Truth is, it's much more difficult to point out predictors of future success. Especially in a world rocked by massive cultural migration, climate change, economic upheaval and revolutionary new forms of communication. Having spent some time building brands at the intersection of sustainability, innovation, insight and design, I believe I've gathered some useful battle wisdom. I'd like to share it by describing five pillars I believe will help brands survive, and thrive in our brave new world. 60 February 2011 SPLIFF
Smart brands like Nike believe the solution is to incorporate sustainability into their brands, but not use sustainability as a selling feature. If brands were an onion, you'd have to peel back a few layers to discover the green technology in Nike shoes. This is smart for two reasons. First, it prevents sustainability from upstaging the brand's key attributes. Nike's are about technology that enable athletic performance. Period. Second, sustainability becomes a hidden reward for brand mavens to discover. They can unearth the sustainability story with a few clicks, then spread the news themselves. On the other hand, those wanting to lambast Nike for environmental omissions will be pleasantly surprised to peel back layer after layer of sustainability initiatives, culminating in the company's comprehensive Corporate Responsibility report.
2. Innovation My green brand agency was acquired by one of North America's premier innovation agencies, which allowed me to work in a field that defines progress for business.
What I learned was that far too many companies are illequipped to produce a steady stream of innovation. Most approached it haphazardly ... there were a few pet projects in the pipeline, and little to no methodology for producing a steady stream of new products, services and business models.
In this cultural cacophony, what do all of us understand? Design.
Today, companies that methodically generate both evolutionary and revolutionary innovation are leading in their fields. Tomorrow, factors like reverse innovation and rapid idea realization through new technology will wipe out companies that aren't passionate about innovation.
One need only look at the international passion for all things Apple to understand that people can instantly appreciate products that convey a strong design sense. Good design sells product, and helps new users make the most of that product.
3. Perennial Insights
Is your product well designed? Give it to a child or to someone who doesn't speak your language, and see if they can understand how to use it. Even better, see if using it puts a smile on their face.
I was greatly encouraged to hear about BMW's new iProject. Not because it was set to deliver new electric BMWs to the market, but because it had broadened the BMW brief from "ultimate driving machine" to "mobility."
Good design creates a visceral reaction in people. It conveys beauty while aiding function. It generates feelings of wonder and drives desire.
5. Sociability
Think about it. More than half the world's population has moved to cities. Megacities are becoming the new norm. Gas prices are not going down. The ultimate driving machine insight may fast be approaching its best before date.
I cut my teeth in an advertising world where brands were displayed in metaphoric show windows -consumers were only allowed to see them in their best light, and there was no interaction allowed.
On the other hand, people will never stop moving. By adopting the broader "mobility" insight, BMW is opening up an entirely new avenue for innovation. And guaranteeing brand relevance far into the future.
Today, brands are like fishbowls. Consumers can look at them from every angle, even stick their hand in and slosh around the water. There are no boundaries.
It pays to hold up your key insights to scrutiny, and brainstorm on their relevance in the future. At worst, this exercise might provide you with the alarming news that people won't need your product in the future. At best, it will get you thinking with broader scope, and answering briefs that allow far greater innovation.
Established brands (and their agencies) have had a difficult time with the transition. There's still a yearning for control, for proper presentation, for giving consumers only the good news. Complete transparency is a frightening thing.
4. Design More than ever before, cultures are mixing and ethnic groups intermingling.
But transparency and honesty is long overdue. If brands have been harming the planet or people, it's time to come clean. Unsettling changes may be needed to make brands more virtuous. Is that a bad thing?
The relatively homogeneous culture our parents knew is gone. In its place, we see a world where English is not a first language, America is not the sole generator of popular culture, and ideas do not flow in one direction from developed to developing markets. SPLIFF February 2011 61
NATURAL HEALING + Food
CAFFEINE FRIEND OR FOE?
Indeed, Once thought to be a nutritional nono for athletes, caffeine has taken center stage in the past few years as a legitimate aid to performance. This benefit has been recognized by the makers of sports nutrition products like energy gels.
by Dave Milner
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:
But what exactly is caffeine?
Caffeine is a mild stimulant that occurs naturally in at least 63 plant species. It is part of the Methylxanthine family. Sources of caffeine are, by no means, limited to coffee and tea drinks, of course. Various concentrations of caffeine are also found in several types of soft drinks (Coke, Mountain Dew, Mello Yello, etc), energy bars (Clif Bar, Power Bar), and the gel packets commonly used by marathoners (Clif Shot, PowerGel, GU, CarbBoom, etc), or may be found in more concentrated pill-forms (e.g. No-Doze). Acording to Metcalfe (1999), a number of studies conducted by Dr Terry Graham at University of Guelph, Ontario, have proven caffeine’s performance-enhancing power, some yielding 10-15% improvements in endurance, but these studies have been in laboratories, not real-life competitive settings. Whether, and how, it actually improves performance in the real world is an arguable point. But presumably it does, otherwise it wouldn’t be a substance on the IOC’s banned list, right? Hmmm... well, marijuana is also on the banned list, but we don’t see the fleet-footed East Africans tokin’ on a fatty prior to their 10Ks, do we? One reason endurance athletes ingest caffeine is because it increases or accelerates the release of fatty acids from storage in adipose tissue into muscle where it can be used as fuel. According to Noakes (1991), caffeine ingestion causes free-fatty acid concentrations in the blood to rise, reaching peak values after approximately an hour, but remaining 300-400% higher than normal values for up to 4 hours (Bellet et al., 1968; Weir, et al., 1987). This effect is de-
layed for the first 2 hours if sugar is taken with the caffeine (as in caffeinated energy gels), but after 4 hours, sugar intake does not affect blood free-fatty acid concentrations. As there is a plentiful supply of fat in even the leanest of athletes, and a limited stock of carbohydrate, this would certainly seem to improve the situation for those engaging in prolonged periods (1 hour plus) of exercise and at moderate intensities. It is not going to make any real difference in events of shorter duration and higher intensity (a 5K, for example) as the body can burn fat fast enough to provide the levels of energy required at close to maximal running speed. But in a marathon, a healthy does of caffeine may help, which may serve to explain Frank Shorter’s and Bill Rodgers’ penchant for drinking flat Coke back in the 70’s. However, there is research to suggest that caffeine offers no such metabolic effect, at least in runners who have carbohydrate loaded and eaten breakfast prior to a race (Weir et al., 1987). So it may be prudent to choose one or the other, rather than carbo-loading and java-loading. According to Metcalfe (1999), over 100 million American adults drink coffee every day, tossing back an average of 3.1 cups each. And that’s just the tip of the caffeine-consumption iceberg. The average American also drinks more than a gallon of soda. Not to mention the pint a day, on average, consumed by the tea drinkers among our caffeine-guzzling population. Many sodas and all but decaffeinated coffees and teas contain varying amounts of caffeine.
would anyone take it to make them run faster?” asks Weight (2003). And what is all this caffeine doing to our health? Here’s a quick run-down of the pros and cons of caffeine consumption. Although early studies produced possible links between caffeine consumption and heart disease, as well as certain cancers (especially breast cancer), more recent studies have shown no support for those links. And the American Medical Association now states that there is no relationship whatsoever between caffeine intake and cancer. Caffeine is well-known as a diuretic, therefore, it’s reasonable athletes would have concerns about its effects on hydration. However, several studies have concluded that no changes occurred in core temperature, sweat loss, plasma volume, urine volume or body hydration status during exercise following caffeine ingestion. As little as 2 cups of coffee a day can raise your blood pressure. The increase isn’t big enough to induce hypertension, but if you already have high blood pressure, it may be advisable not to exceed 2 cups of coffee (or its equivalent of other caffeinated beverages) per day. The FDA recommends that women who are pregnant or are hoping to become pregnant avoid or limit caffeine intake. High caffeine consumption can hinder conception and may lead to miscarriage or low birth weight. Since caffeine will make its way into breast milk, nursing mothers should likewise exercise caution.
“Caffeine makes your heart race, your muscles twitch, your head buzz, your hands shake, your pupils dilate and your bladder full. So why
HOT coffee! SPLIFF February 2011 63
NATURAL HEALING + Medicine
HERBAL
he al in g
Essiac Tea
The Four Original Herbs Burdock Root Sheep Sorrel Slippery Elm Inner Bark Turkish Rhubarb Root
© Paul Louis
Essiac tea has been under controversy for being touted as an alternative cancer cure as well as a solution to other ailments. The formula or recipe, as used by the Canadian nurse who discovered it, was almost lost to humanity
Some Background on Essiac Tea
The exact recipe is available on line for a two gallon batch. With the standard 2 gallon recipe, you can simply cut the herb amounts in half to mix a one gallon amount. Each time you drink the tea, mix 2 – 3 ounces of tea with the same amount of hot water. Drink once or twice a day, away from food. If your ailment is serious or chronic, then it is recommended that you drink as much as 3 ounces with hot water added three times a day. It is totally non-toxic. The only side effects recorded are with arthritic Essiac users. Their stiffness and pain got worse until they added calcium along with the tea.
Essiac tea has a history of improving the well being of cancer victims since 1925. There are many other health benefits. Do you know about it? Start learning
The name Essiac is derived from spelling the last name backwards of the Canadian nurse who used it successfully on cancer patients for 50 years, Rene Caisse. Nurse Caisse made no money from the herbal formula, yet she, like Dr. Glum in the USA, was harassed and intimidated by Canadian medical and government authorities for most of those 50 years. The recipe was given by a Canadian Obijway Indian medicine man to a woman diagnosed with breast cancer before the turn of the 20th century. The woman survived without surgery and lived on for several years. Nurse Caisse received the herb selections and recipe from that woman in 1922. Soon after, Rene Caisse began using the tea on others successfully. In the mid 1980’s Dr. Glum, a Los Angeles, CA based chiropractor and naturopath, purchased the 4 herb formula. Since Rene Caisse had passed away at the age of 90 a few years earlier, Gary Glum got it from a friend of Rene’s, Mary McPherson. Glum used it for his chronic bronchitis, which was quickly and completely cured.
The Benefits of Essiac Tea Essiac tea removes toxins, including heavy metals, from the body. It also removes mucous. This isn’t just runny nose relief. The ingredients remove mucous that forms throughout the body’s organs to form plaques. This mucous and plaque hampers digestion, liver functions, lungs, and blood flow. The tea acts as an immune booster as well. It generates the T-Cells and B-Cells needed to ward off pathogens, antigens, and antibodies before they can overwhelm the immune system. There are numerous reports of Essiac tea helping people recover from serious ailments, ranging from cancer, hepatitis, diabetes, and even AIDS. Essiac tea is also used for minor ailments, and as an immune booster it's known to keep colds and flu away. Do a little research on Essiac tea. You'll find it's safe, effective and inexpensive enough for you to try it for a few weeks. Think about it, why would the medical establishments of two nations, with the help of government agencies, suppress successful, low cost Essiac case histories? Maybe because there are some benefits from Essiac tea. SPLIFF February 2011 65
THIS BUDZ FOR YOU + Bruce Banner
Bruce Banner Medicinal Traits: Energy, mood elevation, lots of head and eye pressure cycling (possible migraine and ocular relief), and some late relaxation.
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NATURAL HEALING + Medicine
Natural Alternatives vs
Prescription Drugs
When do we generally seek a doctor? Exactly what are those natural alternatives and how can we use them to better the general health life of ours? How safe are they? How effective are they? How are natural alternatives different from prescription drugs? Which health alternative is reliable, and where can we easily find their corresponding scientific proof? Seldom do we give a second thought to these.....don’t we?
Chris Read
www.hateweight.com
Natural Alternatives: A growing phenomenon across this world which is a very diverse concept yet very divine and instrumental in healing health diseases. It might be thought as any health care which is not a part of the mainstream medical establishment. Despite the tremendous disparity in philosophy, organization, practice, and origins of the myriad types of alternative medicine, the growing acceptance and use of these therapies is part of a single cultural phenomenon. It is also an extremely dangerous and pretty costly too.
long before conventional medicine came into the scene. Mainstream medicine is finally taking note of the herbal industry. More and more people are taking note of herbal therapies to treat various kinds of ailments in place of mainstream medicine. Herbal supplements are a type of dietary supplement that contain herbs, either singly or in mixtures. An herb (also called a botanical) is a plant or plant part used for its scent, flavor, and/or therapeutic properties. It is interesting to note that there were not so many mortal pestilence diseases in those days. What has caused this never-ending increase of deadly diseases that is Firstly let me deal with the critical differ- inflicting such havoc on the body today? ences between mainstream medicine and alternative medicine. And why the latter is cause for If conventional medicine was the answer concern. In short, prescription drugs are a scien- to these diseases, why have they increased, and why are so many people dying from these devtific endeavor, and alternative medicine is not. astating illnesses? And why do so many people We know that alternative medicine (Nat- seem to be convinced that alternative medicine ural Alternative) was being used in ancient times made by God do not have healing virtues as the 68 February 2011 SPLIFF
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conventional medicine made by man? Why is information about cures by alternative medicine often suppressed even though conventional medicine very often interferes with the natural process of healing? People are so coerced to use conventional medicine that they refuse to even give alternative medicine a chance because advertisements have such great influence when heard often enough, that the public is convinced. Have you ever noticed the way conventional medicines are advertised? It seems apparent that every effort is made to highlight the possible negative effects. Next what comes into the scene is complementary medicine, another treatment which is used along with conventional medicine to affect a cure. However, not all complementary medicine must be used with conventional medicine to be effective.
For example: When the word "cholesterol" comes to mind some of us may think of it as deadly. The truth about cholesterol is that it isn't deadly at all, it's a vital substance. Cholesterol is actually a very important part of our bodies because it's used to form cell membranes and is needed for other functions in our bodies. However, it's when there are excessive levels of cholesterol in the blood that cholesterol can become dangerous. There are different ways one can develop high cholesterol. Your body, mainly the liver, can produce too much cholesterol and a poor diet will almost always do it. You MUST follow a strict, permanent, and healthy lifestyle to take control of your cholesterol.
This Includes: 1) Getting more active. 2) Eating foods that are low in cholesterol. 3) Maintaining a diet rich in soluble fiber. There are also many natural alternatives that can be used to compliment a healthy lifestyle. Lecithin, which is a natural substance derived from the soybean, is one of the most effective supplements available to lower cholesterol. What just hovers onto my mind is why most people don’t try natural remedies. Very often a simple massage is the answer to a problem. I personally have not had a headache for many years. There was a time when I was headache-prone, and got into the habit of using synthetic medicines to ease the pain, but after I decided to try natural treatments and medicines, I changed my diet from eating 'junk' foods and tried to stop using those synthetic headache remedies. Now they are virtually no more a part of my life. I have helped many, many persons to be rid of a headache by just simply giving them a massage as mentioned above. Many had headaches lingering for days, and after about 20 minutes of massage, they miraculously stopped. Think of the thousands of persons who might have been alive today if only they had known, and had been encouraged, to use certain natural remedies to be healed. It is not the intention of this article to condemn the use of conventional medicine, like prescription drugs . There have been countless such cases where, without the administration of conventional medicine, many persons would not have survived. However, it is my hope that conventional medicine in the field of drugs will one day give way to alternative medicine, and conventional medicine will retain its place in the field of surgery and other traumatic conditions where it cannot be replaced. Natural alternatives are not only much safer than using prescription drugs but also a lot cheaper. SPLIFF February 2011 69
Order Online 24/7 (310) 733-7185 Walk-in Services Available By Appointment Only
www.LACannabisClub.com
Everyone should be using vaporizers! Benefits of Marijuana Vaporizers Why? Because you’re lungs will thank you. When smoking marijuana, you really want to smoke 2 ingredients, THC and CBN. Although you end up smoking the plant too, which contains harmful carcinogens. Vaporizers are great because they simply heat up the herb until pure THC and CBN’s are released, NOT burning the plant. This makes vaporizers a smart, and healthy method of using marijuana. Read below to discover the many health benefits of vaporizing marijuana.
How They Work... Vaporizers heat up marijuana to around 180190 degrees Celsius, where active cannabinoid vapors are released. Noxious smoke and carcinogenic toxins are produced at a higher temperature, 230 degrees. Vaporizers allow us to bypass these nasty toxins. Use Vaporizers for your health! Click and discover the benefits today!
Marijuana smoke contains hazardous toxins Its well known that marijuana smoke contains hazardous toxins which aren’t great for your respiratory system. Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons are highly carcinogenic, and believed to be a leading factor in cigarette related cancers. California NORML and MAPS recently conducted a laboratory study and found that vaporizers are truly able to drastically reduce or eliminate harmful smoke toxins, while still delivering cannabinoids. Get more info on this study right here. To date, at least 4 vaporizer studies have been performed. Back in 1996 one study found more tar in the vapor, although the vaporizers were of a primitive design. Since, great leaps and bounds have been made in Vaporizer technology. A study in 2006 by researchers at Leiden University tested the high end volcano vaporizer and found this: “Our results show that with the Volcano a safe and effective herbal delivery system seems to be available to patients. The final pulmonal uptake of active ingredients is comparable to the smoking of them, while avoiding the respiratory disadvantages of smoking.”
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NATURAL HEALING + Exercise
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You’ve been going to the gym every week -several times a week, in fact. You’ve taken classes, lifted weights, and sweated more than Muhammad Ali. But every time you climb on that scale, your weight stays the same.
©2005-2009 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved. WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment 72 February 2011 SPLIFF
What’s with that? Isn’t working out the surefire way to lose extra pounds? Not if you’re making the same exercise mistakes that many do in the gym. “The lifestyle that is involved with maintaining a healthy body weight involves more than what you put in your mouth,” says James A. Peterson, PhD, FACSM, the author of more than 80 books on health, nutrition, and exercise. “Many people think that if you go into the gym and bump up against a weight machine, you’re going to lose weight.” Peterson, who oversaw the exercise program at West Point for nearly 20 years, says that misconceptions abound when it comes to maximizing weight loss through working out. One such example is confusing sweating with burning calories. “Sweating just means you have a hyperactive internal system,” he says. “It doesn’t have a single thing to do with losing weight, or with burning calories, which is how much work you do. Also, sweating is all water weight -- which is all replaced once you take in liquid again. It doesn’t mean anything.” A far bigger problem with weight control, however, is that many people simply don’t know how to exercise properly. “They don’t know how to use the machines. They don’t know how to design and follow a proper exercise regimen, so they get in there and go through the motions, and don’t achieve a lot,” Peterson says. “Then, when they get discouraged, they go back to the lifestyle factors that caused the weight increase in the first place.” So what else might you be doing wrong during your workout? Check out these frequent faux pas.
Exercise Mistake #1: Too much socializing, not enough exercising.
Exercise Mistake #6: Spot reduction training.
Those articles that guarantee you can lose fat from “I see a lot of individuals talking with each other in the your abs or glutes? Forget ‘em, say the experts. “Peogym,” says Scott Lucett, director of education for the ple need to understand that genetics is the primary National Academy of Sports Medicine and a certified factor in determining where that body fat comes personal trainer for more than 15 years. “Next thing from,” Lucett says. “Your body is going to take fat from they know, an hour has passed and the amount of anywhere it wants.” The answer? Just focus on burntime they have actually spent exercising is relatively ing calories through a well-balanced training program. low.” So focus on your workout -- and save the chit- You’ll eventually lose the weight from all areas of your body. chat for the juice bar.
Exercise Mistake #7: Do you see your gym time as the perfect way to catch Improper exercise technique. Exercise Mistake #2: Lack of intensity.
up on your reading? Are you leaning on the machines? Lots of people are just going through the motions, even though they may look like they’re working out. “They think that as long as they’re moving, they’re going to lose weight,” Lucett says. “But if the intensity is not at the level that it needs to be at, it’s almost a waste of time.”
When you don’t know how to use a machine or perform an exercise properly, you can easily confuse mechanical inefficiency with caloric burn, Peterson says. Doing an exercise wrong can also lead to injury. “If you get injured, you can’t work out,” Lucett says. “And, if you can’t work out, you won’t be burning calories in the gym.”
Exercise Mistake #3: Exercise Mistake #8: Always training in the 'fat burning' heart Doing too much too soon. In addition to injuring yourself, if you jump into an exrate zone. You’ve seen those charts on the cardiovascular machines that list “zones.” But in the so-called “fat-burning zone,” your training intensity isn’t very high -usually 65%-70% of your heart rate. Research, however, has shown that the higher the intensity, the more calories you burn -- not only while exercising, but after you leave the gym, when your body benefits from an “after-burn” mode.
ercise program too soon, you can become overly sore. Being sore isn’t bad; it’s actually your body’s way of telling you that it’s building muscle. But working out too hard, especially early on, can have a detrimental effect on your motivation.
Exercise Mistake #4: Overestimating caloric expenditure.
A professional will also make sure that you don’t fall prey to any of these traps. “A personal trainer is your insurance policy to make sure you get the maximum efficiency out of your efforts,” Peterson says.
Exercise Mistake #9: Not working with a professional who is certified by an accredited organization.
Don’t let the number on the screen of your cardio machine fool you, either. “That’s a very general number and there are a lot of variables that play into that,” Lucett says. “The machine may say that you’ve ex- So whether it’s a certified personal trainer or an expended 500 calories, but you could only be burning perienced gym employee, consider working with someone to customize your training regimen. He or 250.” she will take the guesswork out of the equation, create a personalized plan tailored to your specific Exercise Mistake #5: Not progressing/changing your program. needs, make sure you’re doing your workout correctly When you do the same workout over and over again, and even give you tips on proper diet - an even bigger the body has no reason to change. “You’ll see an ini- piece of the weight loss puzzle. If you stick with it, tial loss, but eventually you’ll get to a point of dimin- you’ll finally start to see those pounds disappear.ishing returns,” Lucett says.
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ENTERTAINMENT
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ENTERTAINMENT
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FANTASY DOLLS + ANDREA
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FANTASY DOLLS + ANDREA
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GROW ROOM
How do I germinate seeds? Germinating Seeds, Excerpted from Chapter Eight, Indoor Marijuana Horticulture,
Cannabis seeds need only water, heat and air to germinate. They sprout without light in a wide range of temperatures. Properly nurtured seeds germinate in 2 – 7 days, in temperatures from 70 – 90 degrees F. Temperatures above 90 degrees F impair germination. At germination, the outside protective shell of the seed splits and a tiny, white sprout pops out. This sprout is the taproot. Cotyledon or seed leaves emerge from within the shell as they push upward in search of light.
letting excess water drain away freely. The cloth will retain enough moisture to germinate the seed in a few days. The seed contains an adequate food supply for germination, but watering with a mild fertilizer mix will hasten growth. If living in a humid climate, water with a mild 2 percent bleach or fungicide solution to prevent fungus. Once seeds have sprouted and the white sprout is visible, carefully pick up the fragile sprouts and plant them. Take care not to expose the tender rootlet to prolonged intense light or air. Cover the Popular germination techniques: germinated seed in one quarter to one half-inch of fine planting medium with the Soak seeds overnight in a cup of water. white sprout tip (the root) pointing down. Make sure seeds get good and wet so that growth is activated. Do not let seeds Sow (direct seed) or move the sprout into soak more than 24 hours or they might a shallow planter, one to five-gallon pot, get too wet and suffer oxygen deprava- peat pellet or rooting cube. Keep the tion and rot. Once soaked, seeds are planting medium evenly moist. Use a ready to be placed between moist paper spoon to contain the root ball when transtowels to sprout, planted in a root cube or planting. Peat pellets or root cubes may be transplanted in 2 – 3 weeks or when fine, light soilless mix. the roots show through the sides. Fertilize In a warm location (70 – 90 degrees F) with a dilute fertilizer solution. place seeds in a moist paper towel or cheesecloth, making sure they are in See color section: Photo of seeds soakdarkness. Set the moist cloth or paper ing in cup of water. towel in a vertical position (so tap root grows down) on a grate (for drainage) on To construct a moisture tent over the seedling container, place a baggie or a dinner plate. piece of cellophane over the seeded soil. The cover will keep the humidity high and Water the cloth daily, keeping it moist,
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The Indoor Bible
temperature elevated. Seeds usually need only one initial watering when under a humidity tent. Remove the cover as soon as the first sprout appears. Leaving the tent on will lead to dampingoff and other problems.
Warning! Internodes will stretch if temperatures exceed 85 degrees F for long. The temperature must stay below 95 degrees F through flowering.
Seedlings emerging from peat pots first develop seed (cotyledon) leaves before Place planted seeds under the HID lamp growing first set of “true leaves”. while germinating to add dry heat. The heat dries soil, which requires more fre- Over-watering is the biggest obstacle quent watering. Place a heat pad or soil some growers face when germinating heating cables below growing medium to seeds and growing seedlings. Keep the expedite germination. Marijuana seeds soil uniformly moist, not waterlogged. germinate and sprout quickest when the Setting root cubes or planting flats up on soil temperature is between 75 – 80 de- a grate allows good drainage. A shallow grees F. and the air temperature is at 70 flat or planter with a heat pad underneath degrees. may require daily watering, while a deep, one gallon pot will need watering every 3 Cannabis Clue: Maintain the growing days or more. A well-watered flat of rockmedium temperature between 75 – 80 wool cubes needs water every 3 – 5 days degrees F. day and night to root cuttings when sprouting seeds. When the surface fast. is dry (1/8-inch deep) it is time to water. Remember there are few roots to absorb Super Size Secret: Keep the temper- the water early in life and they are very ature of the rooting medium at 78 – 80 delicate. degrees and ambient air temperature 6 – 8 degrees cooler than the rooting medium, day and night. Root growth increases dramatically.
A humidity tent keeps the climate just right for rooting.
www.marijuanagrowing.com
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The DEA's Administrative Law Judge, Francis Young concluded: "In strict medical terms marijuana is far safer than many foods we commonly consume. For example, eating 10 raw potatoes can result in a toxic response. By comparison, it is physically impossible to eat enough marijuana to induce death. Marijuana in its natural form is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man. By any measure of rational analysis marijuana can be safely used within the supervised routine of medical care. SPLIFF February 2011 89
the green alternative
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