Dear #Positivity Friends,

I’m happy to write this as the flower bulbs are pushing up through the ground in my yard and tree buds are popping out everywhere. There isn’t a friendlier “welcome back” from winter that I can think of.

I feel grateful to be a part of this amazing circle of life but I also feel responsible to do what I can to keep that circle going. I may not be able to protect the whole planet from every danger but there’s a lot I can do here on my patch of earth. It all comes down to my behavior—my behavior as a consumer, as a businessman, and as a member of community. In each of these roles, my decisions have influence and impact upon the people in my life.

For example, say I decide to start using only products that are sold in sustainable or biodegradable packaging. This impacts my household and my business, a total of about 200 people who would now be discarding zero plastic packaging into the environment. My kids would also likely turn this into a crazed mission at school, further amplifying the impact. In honor of Earth Day (April 22), find one small thing you can do to be a better steward of our earth. Then watch what happens!

Hey, and don’t forget that April is Poetry Month! A poem is like a whisper in your ear reminding you that you’re alive. Sharing a poem is giving a gift. Here’s my gift to you:

How lucky we are

Gregory Orr

How lucky we are

That you can’t sell

A poem, that it has

No value. Might

As well

Give it away.

That poem you love,

That saved your life,

Wasn’t it given to you?

As always, I hope that you are enjoying my newsletter. If you missed an issue, you can find them all on my website. Pass this newsletter along and encourage your family and friends to sign up!

With hope and positivity,

Modern solar power can save homeowners and businesses big bucks on energy costs, but the look of a building is often dramatically altered by the equipment. Until now, it’s been impossible to imagine a structure that’s thousands of years old going solar. “Invisible Solar”—a hand-made solar panel system developed by the Italian company Dyaqua—keeps the look of terracotta roof tiles without compromising the historical look of a building. Already in use in Pompeii, Italy, the tiles are made from a non-toxic and recyclable compound that have the appearance of traditional terracotta but allow sunlight to pass through photovoltaic cells to create energy. “They look exactly like the terracotta tiles used by the ancient Romans, but they produce the electricity we need to light the frescos,” said the director of the Pompeii Archaeological Park, Gabriel Zuchtriegel. Dyaqua is developing other solar products that mimic concrete, natural stone, and wood exteriors to blend in with period materials in walls and courtyards.

‣ Episode One: Alacran Studios on South Beach where some of the biggest musical artists in the world, including P Diddy and Alicia Keys, have recorded. Check out the episode. BONUS you’ll even hear Moshe singing Bob Marley!

Heart to Heart: A Conversation on Love and Hope for Our Precious Planet by His Holiness the Dalai Lama

by Patrick McDonnell

This is a simply but beautifully illustrated story that conveys the Dalai Lama’s lessons for taking care of the earth and all its inhabitants. This book presents the Dalai Lama and his panda travelling companion setting off into the forest to discover the natural delights of the land, while the Dalai Lama tells of his childhood and his experiences with wildlife along the way. Told with the simplicity and sincerity of his Buddhist beliefs, the stories and messages gently teach compassion and respect for all, with an emphasis on creating a better planet. As the Dalai Lama says in the book, “There are only two days in the year that nothing can be done. One is called Yesterday, and the other is called Tomorrow. Today is the right day to love, believe, do and mostly to live positively to help others.”