Nature's Circle

Earth Hour is Tonight!

2009-03-28T14:20:00.002-04:00

Participate in the 3rd annual Earth Hour- tonight at 8:30 (to 9:30)pm in every time zone. Turn off the lights, the tv, and anything plugged in. Ok, I'm not unplugging my fridge, but you get the point. Help fight global warming by making a point to go powerless for 1 hour tonight.

Bands pledge to play acoustic for an hour. There are some big cities who have pledged to shut off all the city lights. In fact, right now Sydney Austrailia is dark (even the lights on bridges and stuff) - it was just on TV.
In Florida, where I live, the only citywide efford I believe is Sarasota, FL (not my city though...). So, take that 1 hour and relax, light some candles, hang out with your friends or just enjoy the peace and quiet.

8:30 pm. DO IT!

Tossing Food Scraps Out of a Car Window

2009-03-28T13:46:00.004-04:00

I don't eat apples while driving very often, and I certainly don't litter, but I am sure that I have thought it was ok to toss an apple core out the car window. I've probably done it before. For that matter, any food that is biodegradable can't count as litter, right? It will break down and feed the Earth. Well, its not about litter, its about what takes place after you leave the scene of the apple core, banana peel, or bread crust. Roadkill.
The little critters come to eat what you left behind, then they get run over by a car. Then another animal comes to eat them. Luring an animal to the road, away from thier homes in the woods, is a sure way to reduce thier population. While we can mostly all agree that there are plenty of squirrels to go around (no fear of extinction there!), although I would not kill a squirrel on purpose, its the bigger animals in this equation who should be the focus of this behavioral change.
The biggest predator of the Key Deer (a really cute species of deer that lives only in the Florida Keys) is the vehicle. There is actually a sign on Big Pine Key that says how many Key Deer have been hit by cars each year. The numbers are changable, so when the locals find another one, they update the sign. Its so sad.
When I was just starting college in Florida, I was on a camping trip at the springs and we heard something bustling around the woods. Turned out it was an armadillo. An armadillo in the woods? Seriously? I thought they lived on the side of the road!! That's because the only place I have ever seen an armadillo in the first 20 yrs of my life was on a roadside, usually dead. So clearly there are some animals that make a habit of sniffing out food left on the roadside. Whether it is food left by a human or food that was run over by a human.
For an entertaining clip of this, watch this zap root video. There is some other eco-news in this video too. But the first segment is about roadkill.
So, don't throw food scraps out by the road. If you have to toss them, make sure your throwing arm is loose, and hurl that stuff way off into the woods. You may need to stop the car first, too.

Green Printing Options - Save Paper and Ink!

2009-03-19T12:11:00.004-04:00

I recently installed this free program called Green Print that helps to conserve printer ink and paper when you are printing out documents. Also, have you ever printed an email or website where those annoying ads are on the page and you really didn't need that printed out, but its there and often causes another sheet of paper to be wasted? Well, Green Print is some kind of magic and it can get rid of the unnecessary stuff when you are printing. It also has this function where it will calculate over time how much paper is saved and how much money is saved. So check it out and you can download it for free. I think its perfect for home use, but an aquaintance of mine is planning to use it at his job to save the company money and resources. He is going to have everyone at the office install it, and claims it has saved his job from the chopping block. Ok, I don't know if it will save a year's salary of money, but its going to save something. A penny saved is a penny earned!

Eco News on the Quick!

2009-02-16T22:28:00.004-05:00

I found a new fun eco-website. Although, if you have TiVo, you can watch the videos on TV too. Thats how I found out about it. Its called Zap Root. Every week they put out a new video, about 4 minutes long. Theres this fun New Zealander who spouts out all the latest eco-news in an entertaining way. The current video is on the website, along with an "Archive" link with multiple other videos that are worth checking out.
Check it out. There's also an eco-networking site affiliated with it called Viro Pop. I'm on there. You can be my friend :)
If you are a TiVo subscriber, go to the main screen, click on Videos on Demand, then Browse Free Videos. ViroPop is on there. Set up a Season Pass and you everytime there is a new video, it will be in your Now Playing List.

Recycle Old or Broken Electronics

2009-02-16T22:18:00.003-05:00

My DVD player died.
This is the 3rd one I've had that has died. I never pay more than $99 for them, my most recent was only $43 and it is a well-respected brand name from a well-respected retailer. So what do I do with the dead one?
I'm always thinking about finding a re-use. Maybe there's some techno-geek who can revive it. But in all reality, its probably not worth it to the techno-geek, especially since new ones are so cheap. So I googled. I found a site that you can put in your zip code and it tells you where to recycle you electronics.
It's called My Green Electronics. Check it out and bookmark it. Next time your electronics die, before you throw it in the landfill, you will know where to take it. My drop off site happens to be the County Solid Waste/Recycling Center. But not every community will be the same.

Evolution of One Species Triggered by Other Species

2009-02-16T22:05:00.002-05:00

I saw this article and I found it interesting that they are studying this, since its so difficult to capture in nature. Just thought I'd share.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Although widely speculated, researchers have now shown that the evolution of one species can drive the evolution of another.
For the first time, researchers from the University of Florida, the University of Notre Dame and Michigan State University have documented what evolutionary biologists call “cascading speciation.” In the Feb. 6 issue of the journal Science, they describe how the continuing evolution of a fly species directly triggers changes in a wasp that preys on those flies — a powerful demonstration of the complexity of Darwin’s theory.
“This is the sort of thing that scientists know is happening, but is almost impossible to show in nature because it happens over large areas over long periods of time,” said Lukasz Stelinski, an entomologist with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. “In this instance, it happened very quickly and virtually in our own backyard.”
Of course, “quickly” is a relative term to biologists.
Charles Darwin and John Chapman (a.k.a. Johnny Appleseed) probably never met. The year Darwin was born, 1809, Appleseed was in the midst of spreading orchards across America’s frontier lands. Nevertheless, as Darwin’s bicentennial approaches, it turns out that Appleseed helped lay the foundation for this modern evolution research.
As apple trees were spread, some members of a fly species that had previously been laying its eggs in the berry-like fruit of the hawthorn plant began instead infesting the newly available apples.
Because the new fruit ripened at a different time of the year, emitted different fragrances and had an entirely different texture for the larvae to burrow through, these deviant flies, now commonly called apple maggots, began to change to best accommodate their new breeding ground.
However, the flies weren’t alone in this change. A wasp that used the fly larvae as a host for its eggs followed the flies along their evolutionary journey — changing to adapt to the new timing, fragrance and physical qualities of the fruit.
The flies and wasps haven’t completely changed species yet, although the apple flies and wasps have very different lives than their hawthorn kin. The definition of a new species is an animal that can no longer mate with its predecessor and produce fertile offspring, and the researchers do observe that a small amount of mating still occurs.
The researchers were able to document the ongoing change by collecting thousands of samples of the flies and wasps across Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Through behavioral, genetic and physiological analyses, they were able to chart gradual differences that are marking one species’ journey to the next.
“This was probably one of the simplest, clearest examples that we could have studied,” said Andrew Forbes, an entomologist at the University of Notre Dame at the time of the research and now with the University of California, Davis. “And, yeah, it was still a pretty massive undertaking. But, hopefully, this will open the door and encourage others to study this aspect of nature — and draw some attention to the really marvelous diversity of insects.”

Credits: Writer Stu Hutson, stu@ufl.edu, 352-392-0400
Source Lukasz Stelinski, stelinski@ufl.edu, 863-956-1151

Self-Foaming Soap Refill

2008-09-28T16:29:00.002-04:00

I used to think that self-foaming soap was a special kind of soap. Nope. Its the pump on the container! So, when I had an empty container of Kiss My Face self-foaming hand soap I thought I'd give this a shot, and it worked.

I took some Dr. Bronner's liquid soap (peppermint, but I think lavendar may be nice too!) and put some in the empty bottle. Then filled the rest with water (you have to dilute Dr. Bronner's). I replaced the cap and pumped out some foamy soap!! Yay!!

Kennel Club Funding Greyhound Adoptions

2008-09-28T16:04:00.002-04:00

While its only for the month of October, its a step in the right direction. A kennel club (where dogs race) in West Palm Beach, Florida, is going to pay for the retired greyhounds to be checked out by a vet, administered shots, and fixed so they are ready to be adopted into a loving home.

The dogs are bred to be racers, are usually kept in cages, are not potty trained, have no obedience training, and all they know is how to run for people to bet on them. As sad as that is, when they are deemed useless as a racer, they are either euthanized or rescued by an adoption agency. The adoption agencies are like angels for these greyhounds. They usally specialize in the breed (its not a general dog/cat adoption center) and they potty train the dogs and have a foster parent get them used to life in a home, with people who love them. Pretty soon, they are ready to be adopted by a forever home.

There are certainly expenses involved in all of this, and thats where the kennel club footing the bill is a GREAT thing. It says that the kennel club acknowledges the problem of the unwanted dogs after they are through the racing world. A lot of people think that greyhounds are treated well when they are racing, just like most race horses are treated well. The problem is that is usually not the case. Race horses ARE, according to everything I have learned, treated well. But they are a much larger animal, born one at a time, and it is a much greater investment to wait to get them to the age before they can race. Greyhounds start racing much earlier in life and they are born in litters of several puppies at a time. So, to the racing industry, they are more disposable.

The local greyhound resuces I met with have told me about thier poor treatment in the racing industry. I have been wanting to adopt a greyhound for a while, but I don't think I have the time to devote to a new pet, so I'm going to put that off until I can give the animal what it deserves.

So here is what I am thinking- if this concerns you, talk to the local greyhound rescues in your area and have them pressure the local kennel club to pay for the costs that are required to get the dog from the racetrack to a loving home. West Palm Beach is not that far from me, so I suppose its probably the closest kennel club to me. Yet there are greyhound rescue groups closer to me. The dogs are really unique and I think that a greyhound would be a great dog for me.

Bisphenol-A: Safe by one agency, Unsafe by another

2008-09-08T21:10:00.003-04:00

The FDA has lost a lot of credibility, especially since they are mostly paid off by pharmaceutical and chemical companies to approve things and come up with ways to say why they are safe. Yet often, these so called "safe" products have been later pulled from the market because of death or serious side effects. So, perhaps all those bunnies and mice who got tortured for the "approval" don't really simulate human systems (of course they don't!!) or the approval was paid for. Or both.

Anyway, bisphenol-A, the chemical compound in plastic that has recently been in the news was tested by independent right-to-know groups like the Environmental Working Group (EWG, website link on the right side of the page) has been reported to be damaging to our health and endocrine systems and can cause birth defects Then about a month later, the FDA issued an opposite statement resulting from thier "official" tests. "oh, its safe, we say so, and we are the FDA"
So then there were more tests. Now by the NTP- National Toxicology Program, part of the National Institute of Health. The NTP's results are more like EWG. There are health concerns.

Its a win some, lose some kind of thing, but as with many things, just reduce your consumption. That means anything that is stored in plastic can expose you to bisphenol-A and other chemicals.
If you want to go by the recycling symbols, the rule of thumb is to stay away from #3, #6, and #7 plastics. For plastic wrap, "get Glad", not Reynolds or Saran.

Environmental Issues of the 2008 Presidential Election

2008-09-04T22:21:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone,
We are neck deep in political poop-slinging these days, but I found this awesome green issue comparison from "the daily green" between the major candidates, Obama and McCain. They do not analyze the VP picks, just the Presidential nominees.
However, I know that the Republican VP-pick, Sarah Palin has a bad environmental record- supporting wolf killing by air, sueing the US Fish & Wildlife to get the Polar Bear off the Endangered Species List, and her husband works for BP- a major oil company. She also obviously does not promote or use birth control. What family plans to have kids 17 yrs apart? I'm not even talking about her soon to be grandchild.
So, these are 7 key "green" issues to know about. They don't discuss animals (Endangered Species or welfare issues), but I guess in the big picture, thats not the best use of the candidates time.
Its no surprise to most people that I'm voting Democrat, but I just wanted to say that before I learned more about McCain (and certainly before he chose an anti-animal friendly running mate), I thought, "well, if the Republicans win, at least I won't hate the president's view on environmental issues...." haha! See, I was fooled by the old "McCain-Leiberman Climate Stewardship Act". That was back when Leiberman was a true Democrat. I think he needs to come out of the GOP closet these days. Also, compared to the Democratic ticket, climate stewardship and John McCain are not related. Moreso, adding Palin to the Republican ticket has dragged him down, I believe. I'm all for women in power, but not that one.
Read up on this stuff and vote smart, my eco-peoples!! :)

Plants poisonous to cats

2008-08-29T09:16:00.003-04:00

A lot of people have these plants in thier homes and can cause major problems, even death, to our cats! I personally have to keep my plants way up high where the cats cannot get them in order to keep the plants alive. But I am also keeping my cats alive!

Here's the info, copied from the ASPCA website, starting with the common plans of the season:

Although most common in springtime but sold year-round, lilies—including stargazer, tiger and Easter lilies—are pretty on the outside but wreak havoc on the insides of our kitty companions. “Even with very small ingestions, severe kidney damage can result,” according to Dr. Steven Hansen, veterinary toxicologist & ASPCA Senior Vice President.
English ivy creeps its way into our hearts, but its precious vines contain triterpenoid saponins, which can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, hypersalivation and diarrhea if eaten by dogs and cats.

Two of the hottest plants to hit office cubicles across the country are peace lily and pothos. Both are hearty and tolerate a fair amount of neglect, but for cats and dogs, they can cause irritation of the mouth, lips and tongue (peace lily) and swelling of the GI tract (pothos).
Oleander, a pretty shrub used as an ornamental plant in warmer regions, can also be cultivated indoors in cooler climes. One of the most poisonous plants to pets and people, it can lead to GI irritation, abnormal heart function, hypothermia and even death.
Keep the nibbler in your life safe from toxic foliage by placing all plants out of reach. Or better yet, choose a nontoxic alternative to brighten your home, soothe your soul and protect your pet. As always, if you think your pet has ingested something poisonous, please contact your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center’s 24-hour hotline at (888) 426-4435.

Here is the full list of toxic plants - in alphabetical order.

Leather shoes or shoes "Made in China": what is more sustainable?

2008-08-25T19:23:00.003-04:00

I debated on the title of this blog... "A woman's right to shoes", "Walking on China", "Scrap leather vs. sweatshop labor and plastic"...

Anyway, I've been known by many for not wearing any leather. I actually still have a few pairs of shoes and 1 belt that are leather which I bough many years ago and still use sometimes. But lately I have been realizing that all the leather-immitation shoes are a man-made material that includes a petroleum product, and 99% of them are, you guess it: MADE IN CHINA.

The animal rights organizations will agree that China is responsible for so many animal deaths, especially those of people's pets and many that are absolutely unnecessary. Undercover investigations have found cat and dog pets crammed in cages (on thier way to become "fur trim") were wearing collars, boiled alive (to die), then purposely mis-labeled as "rabbit fur" and "raccoon".
So, between that "fur" situation and various other issues with China and use of animals and resources, I have been wondering:
What's the lesser of both evils, buying items made in China or leather shoes? Leather is the flat out, obvious use of an animal's skin. What if its only a small portion, perhaps scrap? I'm not a leather boot type of girl, so only small bits of leather on sandals. But the shipment, sweatshops, pollution, support of a country's goods, and resource use of petroleum to make the man-made fake leather (or other plastic, because canvas shoes do not quite work for everything, no matter who you are) begin to add up and make quite a case. Maybe small bits of leather are more sustainable and socially acceptable to put on my feet than a country's stamp that is synonomous with pollution and waste, cruelty to animals and making athletes train from age 3 and never see thier families.

Here are links that speak of Chinese activities regarding animals.
http://www.peta.org/feat-fatalfashion.asp
http://www.furisdead.com/
And one about leather:
http://www.cowsarecool.com/photos.asp

I'd rather just wear flip flops everywhere, but since I have a career and there's this thing called a dress code, I have to have some nice shoes that are acceptable to wear with dress pants and skirts.
What's your opinion of the big question? Please, don't be bitchy (as some previous commenters have), I just want to know leather or China.

Shower water filter to remove chlorine

2008-08-25T18:56:00.003-04:00

I recently bought a water filter for my shower head- its supposed to filter out chlorine, dirt and odors. My water has a lot of cholorine in it (apparently more than a typical pool would have). Its the residual from the water treatment plant. There is so much junk in our water in south FL (mostly due to agricultural runoff) that they *have* to chlorinate the heck out of it. Its also a result of deep well injection of the treated wastewater. I am not really ok with wastewater (even though its treated) ending up back in our "pure" Floridan Aquifer. There are things in our water we can never filter out, such as hormones- endocrine disrupting hormones. This is why girls have big boobs by age 12 when a decade ago it took most of us to get to our maximum size by age 16 or 17. The old adage "theres somethin' in the water" is not so much of a joke anymore.

Anyway, I'm getting hormones in my water whether I like it or not. Even the bottled water comes from Florida (most of it), therefore that's got it too. But since shower water is not only on my skin, but when its hot, I breathe it in too (steam). So, I'm hoping that this filter on my shower will help my skin not be so dry. I'll let ya'll know how it goes. I only got the $20 filter at Lowe's. It attaches to the shower arm, then you attach your shower head to it. So, its not a whole showerhead. Thats one of the reasons its cheaper. When I say cheaper, I'm referring to the up to $200 varieties out there. I agree that you often get what you pay for, but this is worth a shot. Filters are $10 and replaced 2 times a year.

My hair probably won't be as blonde after this since I won't have the daily chlorine "bleaching" action, but if it gets really bad, I can highlight with lemons.

Anyone out there have a shower water filter and have any results to share? I looked up reviews online but you never know who actually published them!

Why the US Government wants us to drive more and spend more money on gas

2008-06-01T12:26:00.002-04:00

Once again, it comes down to taxes. The government says they won't have enough for road maintenance when we don't buy enough gas. I think they can come up with another way to find money for maintenance costs. Besides, the less we drive on the roads, the less they need to be maintained (and less staff to keep on payroll). In the community where I used to live and work, we found out that part of the costs that residents pay for trash collection goes toward road maintenance because its the trash trucks who ruin the roads. That's not from gas tax. Anyway, this article from ENN really sparked my interest. The part about greenhouse gas emissions dropping in the 1st quarter of 2008 was wonderful! I am actually rather content with the high gas prices because its giving our country time to see what the impacts are, plus the momentum of driving less, taking transit, and buying hybrid cars has been great. Trust me, I don't like paying a lot for gas either, but I purposely moved 1 mile from my job so I don't have to drive-although when I do, its not a big impact. I also don't have the money to buy a hybrid (or any new car now). But I think this gas price "crisis" will have a happy ending for us environmentalists...someday.

Here's the article:

Americans Are Driving Less... So Why Does the Government Think This Is Bad News?
While We Finally Get Efficient, the FHA Worries Over Tax Revenue
May 5, 2008 at 8:05AM by Dan Shapley

Each month since November, when gas prices hit a milestone ($3.01 a gallon) that looks comparatively modest by today's standard ($3.93, on average across the U.S.) Americans have been driving less.
We're not only driving less – which means presumably that we're taking more public transportation, biking and walking more, and combining errands when we do drive – but the cars we're buying are more fuel-efficient than the gas guzzlers that we drove off the lots just a few months ago.

All this would seem like bad news (very high gas prices) with a very shiny silver lining (a very real move toward fuel-efficient transportation). After all, greenhouse gas emissions from transportation (one-third of the overall U.S. contribution to global warming) dropped 9 million metric tons in the first quarter of 2008.

You might see it that way. But not if you are a bureaucrat at the Federal Highway Administration, which released its latest "Traffic Volume Trends" report to much fanfare this week. They showed that March traffic was down 11 billion miles – 4.3% – from a year earlier, the first drop seen in the month of March since 1979.
Here's the FHA's take-home message in a very short press release announcing the March statistics:

"That Americans are driving less underscores the challenges facing the Highway Trust Fund and its reliance on the federal gasoline excise tax," said Acting Federal Highway Administrator Jim Ray.

That's right. While we still drive 3 trillion miles every year (or more – the latest figure is for 2006) the FHA is concerned that it isn't squeezing as many cents per gallon out of American motorists. Cumulative "vehicle miles traveled" – the operative statistic – has dropped 17.3 billion miles since November 2006, resulting in a loss (the FHA doesn't include this figure in its press release) of $3.18 billion dollars in tax revenue.

If finding another source of highway maintenance money is the cost of reducing global warming and driving more efficiently, it just might be worth it. (Insert visions of raging wildfires, mass migrations out of the desert Southwest, deadly storms, etc., etc.) The FHA might want to think about rethinking its message.

How to Detox Your Body

2008-05-26T22:10:00.002-04:00

Detoxifying your body on a regular basis (yearly at minimum) has a lot of benefits. While we have a liver and kidneys to filter stuff, there are a lot of things we can do to give them a fresh start. Its like an oil change for your car. Sort of.
For a while, I used to think that the only ways to detox were to fast, exercise, go to a sauna, and get a massage followed by drinking lots of water. I found this cool article from Gaiam.com and learned a bunch of stuff. The article (link above) has enlightened me to a few other ways to detox. Here are 10 ways:

10 Ways to Help Your Body Detoxify
After a detoxification program, you can cleanse your body daily through diet, supplements and lifestyle practices.
1. Eat plenty of fiber, including brown rice and organically-grown fresh fruits and vegetables. Beets, radishes, artichokes, cabbage, broccoli, spirulina, chlorella, and seaweed are excellent detoxifying foods.
2. Cleanse and protect the liver by taking herbs such as dandelion root, burdock and milk thistle, and drinking green tea.
3. Take vitamin C, which helps the body produce glutathione, a liver compound that drives away toxins.
4. Drink at least 2 quarts of water daily.
5. Breathe deeply to allow oxygen to circulate more completely through your system.
6. Transform stress by emphasizing positive emotions.
7. Practice hydrotherapy by taking a very hot shower for five minutes, allowing the water to run on your back. Follow with cold water for 30 seconds. Do this three times, and then get into bed for 30 minutes.
8. Sweat in a sauna so your body can eliminate wastes through perspiration.
9. Dry-brush your skin or try detoxifying patches or detox foot spas / foot baths to remove toxins through your pores. Special brushes are available at natural products stores.
10. What is the most important way to detoxify? "Exercise," says Bennett. "Yoga or jump-roping are good. One hour every day." Also try qigong, a martial-arts based exercise system that includes exercises specifically for detoxifying or cleansing, as well as many other exercises with specific health benefits.

I have recently used the foot patches and practice dry brushing. The dry brush looks like a back brush for your shower, only you don't take it in the shower. Brush toward the heart.

Green Clothes Shopping

2007-09-15T12:20:00.000-04:00

I'm always going on binges of being super good to the Earth. Then I realize sometimes its expensive. I really tried to do everything I could but eventually realized that nobody's perfect and its best to give an honest effort, but not stress myself out over one little thing. If its going to cost me more money and pollution to get across town to a store that *might* sell clothes Made in the USA, does it make a difference if I buy one item thats not made domestically? I think every little bit helps, but rather than people going crazy to be an environmentalist, I think the best advice is take it one step at a time and do what you can so you don't get frustrated with it all and give up completely.

Here's an article from Care2's Green Living that has echoed my thoughts. I really don't do thrift store stuff much when it comes to clothing, mostly because where I live I'd only get 2nd hand stuff from grandmas, but if I had a friend who could sew, I'd totally remake some duds. I saw a show on tv where they do that with people's old clothes. One more talent I haven't mastered: sewing.

Clothes Shopping: Easy Greening
By Melissa Breyer, Producer, Care2 Green Living

For what seemed like ages, eco-fashion meant oatmeal-hued flaxy hemp garb. Times are changing and this year’s New York fashion week even featured some earth-friendly couture designs…but great green fashion is still out of reach for many. So with an eye to greening the closet, we set out to define some easy-to-apply guidelines for eco-friendly clothes shopping.
SIMPLE SOLUTION:
When the word “eco-fashion” comes up we tend to think of organic cotton and other sustainable fibers, but as these are just starting to come onto the wider market—they’re not necessarily all that affordable or widely available. So with trying to avoid $245 organic Levis in mind, the key is to think outside of the organic box and shop conscientiously. Just by changing the way you shop can make a big difference for both your closet and the planet.

Shop for clothes that don’t require dry-cleaning.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Perchloroethylene (PERC), a potential human carcinogen, is the most commonly used dry cleaning solvent. Symptoms associated with exposure include: depression of the central nervous system, damage to the liver and kidneys, impaired memory, confusion, dizziness, headache, drowsiness, and eye, nose, and throat irritation. Check out Annie’s tips for Wet Cleaning and keep them in mind when purchasing wool, rayon and silk.

Shop for classic styles.
You know those stores that offer trendy styles at rock bottom prices? Well, stay away! They are based on the premise that the garment’s deterioration will coincide with the end of the trend, so quality isn’t an issue. The problem here is all of those Flashdance sweatshirts can take up quite a bit of landfill space. Instead, buy classic styles that you will not need to throw out. And classic doesn’t have to mean traditional, just what has proven to work well for you.

Shop for clothes that are well made and durable .
Along with choosing classic styles, it is important to invest in clothing that is well made and durable—you’ll save money in the long run, and won’t be contributing to the landfill. Avoid garments with bunched seams, lumpy stitching, sticky zippers, loose threads, wobbly buttons, and uneven or puckered hems. Know that lining extends the life of a piece of clothing, but make sure the lining doesn’t pucker or hang below the garment.

Shop for labels stating “Made in the USA”.
This isn’t patriotic advice—just an easy indicator that the garment was shipped no farther than across the country, as opposed to across the globe. Buying “local” reduces travel emissions, and protects against supporting unfair labor conditions in places with less lenient standards.

Shop for clothes with less textile finishing.
"Finishing" is the last step in the processing of many conventional, easy-care garments. Textiles are treated with chemicals to make garments that are miraculously: wrinkle resistant, stain resistant, fireproof, mothproof, anti-mildew, ant-bacterial, and anti-static. The little problem here is that the chemicals used for finishing include formaldehyde, caustic soda, sulfuric acid, bromines, urea resins, sulfonamides, halogens, and bromines. Not things you really want rubbing against your skin or wafting up through your nose. (Not to mention the toxic wastewater run off during production and washing of these items.) The “new smell” of clothes is usually from a sizing that is used to prevent wrinkling during shipping and display in the store—it is temporary and will be rinsed out after a few trips through the wash. The other finishings, however, are heat treated into the fabric and are much more permanent. Watch out for labels like “stain-resistant” and “no iron.”

Consider the fiber.
Because clothes are an important interface between our bodies and the atmosphere around us, the fabrics you choose can enhance or hinder the quality of your life and health. Linen, hemp, cotton, wool, and silk are all natural fibers that are "active" in that they breathe with your body, and wick moisture off the body and some even give you good UV protection. Choosing fabric made of organic fiber supports environmental stewardship and is the ideal choice, but since it isn't always affordable, at least do your body a favor in your purchasing decisions and choose materials that work with your body instead of against it.

Recycle.
You can get beautiful, barely worn, designer clothes at thrift shops, resale stores and consignment shops. It’s recycling at its very best. Vintage clothing has developed its own cachet—and embellishing thrift shop finds is a great way to really make something your own. In turn, you should always donate unwanted clothes to a resale shop to give them a second life. Alternatively, have a swap party with friends. Have everyone bring clothes that they no longer wear, provide wine, and refresh your wardrobe for free.

Any thoughts on this? I recently puchased a shirt thats sort of a sweater (not meant to be worn alone, it wraps in the front and ties, but you need something under it) made from hemp. Its soft and cuddly. I got it at www.Gaiamliving.com and considering how cold the a/c is set at my office (trust me, I've tried to reason with them!) I need a sweater almost daily. So this baby will get a lot of use, making the hemp investment worthwhile.

Victory for the Florida Manatee

2007-09-13T23:57:00.000-04:00

I am super excited about the latest news here in Florida. The Governor, Charlie Crist, recently did something to give Manatees another chance at survival. They are currently an Endangered species and were about to be downlisted to "Threatened", which offers less protection. This is a species that has not recovered. Ever year, hundreds die from boat collisions and some also from natural causes.
Wednesday the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, FWC, was going to take their final vote on whether or not to downlist the manatees. They have been pressured by boaters and developers for quite a while. As you can guess, environmentalists and manatee lovers like me fought it. I guess our letters to the governor helped! I sent another one to thank him. Former Gov. Jeb Bush didn't do much for manatees. In fact, he was in office when this concept of downlisting them first started. Damn, I hope Jeb doesn't run for president in 2012.
Press release from the Save the Manatee Club:

Florida Governor Crist Asks State Agency to Postpone Endangered Manatee's Reclassification

On September 12th, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is scheduled to vote on whether to reclassify the manatee at the state level from "endangered" to "threatened" status based on listing/delisting rule language that environmental groups have continually called greatly flawed, and that was objected to by numerous scientists worldwide. Further, environmentalists point to the state's own findings that 50% of the statewide manatee population could be lost in the next 45 years.
Calling the manatee one of Florida's beloved natural resources, Florida Governor Charlie Crist has issued a letter to Rodney Barreto, Chair of the FWC, asking the Commission to postpone the vote on whether to downlist the species, "...given the need for a better method to estimate the population of the Florida Manatee, and the record 417 manatee deaths in 2006, I believe a more prudent course of action at this time would be to postpone consideration of the proposed change in the status of this species."

View the full text of Governor Crist's letter (pdf).

Patrick Rose, Save the Manatee Club's Executive Director, applauds Governor Crist and expresses his deep appreciation to the governor for his action. Pat also thanks all of you for your help in making this happen. Those e-mails, letters and phone calls DO help!

What You Can Do:
Please contact the Governor's office and add your thanks to Pat's (see contact information below).
Thank Governor Crist for asking the Commission to postpone their vote to downlist manatees.
Urge Governor Crist to revisit Florida's listing/delisting rule criteria for imperiled species in order to give endangered manatees and other imperiled plants and animals a fair shake.

Governor Charlie Crist
PL-05 The Capitol
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001
Phone: 850-488-7146
Fax: 850-487-0801
E-mail: Charlie.Crist@MyFlorida.com

Google Aims To Go Carbon-Neutral by the End of 2007

2007-07-15T16:48:00.000-04:00

Google Inc. aims to voluntarily cut or offset all of its greenhouse emissions by the end of the year, the Web search leader said Tuesday. Google is one of a number of companies, including News Corp., and Yahoo Inc. that are attempting to cut emissions of gases scientists link to global warming.

~courtesy of www.ENN.com

Florida's New Governor Looking Good to Environmentalists

2007-07-15T16:23:00.000-04:00

Charlie Crist, the current governor of Florida (where I live), has been proving himself to us and making great strides in the environmental movement- something previous governor Jeb Bush didn't quite crack. Jeb started out with some hope but he did not quite follow through. Recently, Crist has made some claims on stronger global warming protection. He has been known to veto legislation that is not strong enough! So, reading the recent news on Florida reducing greenhouse gas emissions has me pretty happy. I've always said that even though I'm a Democrat, the one main thing that makes me hate Republicans is thier attitude and lack of positive actions on the environment. So when I hear a Republican has made a good move environmentally, I give a little praise.
In today's local paper, I read on the front page that "The Sunshine State's lags behind in harnessing sun's power". We aren't the Sunshine State for nothing, people! People keep moving here and yet we are so unpopular with environmental laws. Its about time we become more of a leader on environmental issues.

Here is a repost of an article through Reuters, posted on the Environmental News Network site.
Reference is made to the Florida Summit on Global Climate Change. A friend of mine attended the conference and said it was amazing how Crist really steps up and answers the call to protect the environment.

Florida To Introduce Tough Greenhouse Gas Targets
July 12, 2007 — By Jim Loney, Reuters (Additional reporting by Michael Peltier in Tallahassee)

MIAMI -- Florida, the fourth most-populous U.S. state, will impose strict new air-pollution standards that aim to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by 80 percent of 1990 levels by 2050, according to draft regulations released Wednesday.
Gov. Charlie Crist was expected to sign executive orders at a global warming conference in Miami this week setting new emissions targets for power companies, automobiles and trucks, toughen conservation goals for state agencies and require state-owned vehicles to use alternative fuels.
Florida would adopt many tough pollution standards set by California and mimicked by other states, which have implemented their own such regulations because Washington has failed to pass national laws. President Bush has also rejected the international Kyoto agreement on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The rules would establish targets for Florida to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 2000 levels by 2017, to 1990 levels by 2025 and by 80 percent of 1990 levels by 2050.
"I'm delighted but not surprised," said Preston Robertson, vice president of the Florida Wildlife Federation. "This is the kind of leadership we need across the nation."
Florida is one of the fastest-growing U.S. states, with a net gain of nearly 1,000 new residents per day. Its estimated population of 18 million ranks behind only California, Texas and New York.
The draft orders note Florida's critical tourism industry, which brings nearly 85 million visitors a year, and the vulnerability of its 1,350 miles of coast to the possible effects of global warming, including higher seas and violent storms.
"All of the issues we work on -- protecting land, keeping estuaries clean, and preventing unnecessary growth -- none of them will mean very much if we have global sea rise," Robertson said.
NEW TARGETS
Among the state's new targets are milestones for electric utilities culminating in a reduction in emissions to 20 percent of 1990 levels by 2050. Power companies would also be required to produce at least 20 percent of their electricity from renewable sources, focusing on solar and wind power.
More than 70 percent of Florida's electricity now comes from fossil fuels.
The regulations also call for adopting California's new motor vehicle emission standards -- requiring carmakers to build cars and trucks that reduce emissions by 25 percent by the 2009 model year -- if the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approves them.
California passed the tougher standards but needs an EPA waiver to implement them. The EPA has promised to act on the request by year's end.
Crist, a Republican, would also require state government to reduce emissions 10 percent from current levels by 2012, 25 percent by 2017 and 40 percent by 2025.
The new rules would be passed by executive orders, which do not need the approval of the legislature. But the orders also call for drafting a "climate change action plan" including recommendations for legislative changes to existing laws needed for enforcement.
New Jersey became the latest state to bypass Washington last week when Gov. John Corzine, a Democrat, signed a law mandating cuts of greenhouse gas emissions by about 16 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050.
Environmentalists said the New Jersey law was tougher than California's because the 2050 reduction is an enforceable standard while California's is just a target. The drafts of Crist's orders for Florida also refer to targets.
Crist is expected to sign the new regulations at his Florida Summit on Global Climate Change set for Thursday and Friday in Miami, where California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and environmental activists Robert Kennedy Jr. and Theodore Roosevelt IV are featured speakers.

Toward Endangered Status

2007-07-15T16:15:00.000-04:00

Below are 2 articles from the Environmental News Network (http://www.enn.com/) regarding a sea turtle and 10 penguin species all about to be endangered.

Longline Fisheries, Global Warming Threaten North Pacific Loggerhead Sea Turtles : Endangered Status Sought
July 13, 2007 — By the Center for Biological Diversity
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — Conservation groups filed a formal petition today to increase protections for critically imperiled loggerhead sea turtles that are found off the U.S. West Coast and are caught and killed in industrial fisheries based in California and Hawaii. The petition, filed by the Center for Biological Diversity and Turtle Island Restoration Network, seeks to have North Pacific loggerhead sea turtles listed as "endangered" under the federal Endangered Species Act and to have areas along the California coast and off Hawaii designated as "critical habitat" for the species.
Loggerhead sea turtles in the North Pacific nest in Japan, but cross the Pacific to feed in the rich waters off the coast of California and Baja California, Mexico. These ancient animals, which can live for a century or more, have swum the Earth's oceans since the days of dinosaurs. However, in the past 25 years populations have declined by over 80 percent, with fewer than 1,000 females returning to their natal beaches to nest each year.
The primary threat to loggerhead sea turtles is pelagic longline fishing. Longline fishing vessels seeking swordfish and tuna each deploy several thousand baited hooks on fishing lines that can extend for more than 60 miles. Over a billion longline hooks are set in the world's oceans each year, catching and killing not just swordfish and tuna but thousands of sea turtles, seabirds, marine mammals and sharks.
"Sea turtles survived the asteroid that killed off the dinosaurs, but are unlikely to survive longline fishing," said Miyoko Sakashita, ocean program attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity. "This barbaric fishing gear should be banned from our nation's and international waters."
More than 1,000 scientists and 300 organizations from 100-plus countries have called upon the United Nations for a moratorium on pelagic longline fishing in the Pacific Ocean. Unfortunately, rather than head this call, the United States is gearing up to expand such fisheries. Following a successful lawsuit by the Center for Biological Diversity and Turtle Island Restoration Network, in 2004 longline fishing for swordfish was prohibited along the West Coast. However, the National Marine Fisheries Service, the federal agency charged with managing fisheries as well as sea turtles, has proposed to issue a permit that would allow an "experimental" longline fishery for swordfish off the California and Oregon coasts this fall. The permit is the first step toward establishing a full-scale industrial longline fishery off the West Coast. A similar fishery is operated out of Hawaii and is responsible for the deaths of numerous whales in addition to sea turtles.
"Rather than opening the waters off California and Oregon to deadly industrial fishing fleets, we should be protecting these areas as critical habitat for loggerhead sea turtles and other imperiled wildlife," said Todd Steiner, executive director of Turtle Island Restoration Network.
North Pacific loggerheads are geographically isolated and genetically distinct from loggerheads that occur in the Atlantic, Indian and South Pacific Oceans. Loggerhead sea turtles are currently listed as "threatened" throughout their range under the Endangered Species Act. Separate listing of the more imperiled North Pacific loggerheads would trigger additional protections under U.S. law, including the designation of critical habitat.
More information is available from Turtle Island Restoration Network at www.seaturtles.org and from the Center for Biological Diversity at www.biologicaldiversity.org.

Ten Penguin Species March Toward Endangered Species Act Protection
July 11, 2007 — By the Center for Biological Diversity
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. government has announced it is advancing the emperor penguin and nine other penguin species toward protection under the federal Endangered Species Act. The action comes in response to a petition filed by the Center for Biological Diversity in November 2006 seeking protection for the species, followed by a June 2007 Notice of Intent to Sue the agency for failing to respond to the petition. The primary threats to penguins are global warming and industrial fisheries.
Abnormally warm ocean temperatures and diminished sea ice have wreaked havoc on penguin food availability in recent decades. Less food has led to population declines in species ranging from the southern rockhopper and Humboldt penguins off South America to the emperor penguin in Antarctica. The ocean conditions causing these declines have been linked by scientists to global warming and are projected to intensify in the coming decades.
The emperor penguin colony at Pointe Geologie, which was featured in the film March of the Penguins, has declined by more than 50 percent due to global warming. Krill, an essential food source for penguins, whales and seals, has declined by up to 80 percent since the 1970s over large areas of the Southern Ocean. Studies indicate that even under the most optimistic greenhouse gas emission scenarios, continued warming over the coming decades will dramatically affect Antarctica, the sub-Antarctic islands, the Southern Ocean, and the penguins dependent for survival on these ecosystems.
"These penguin species will march right into extinction unless greenhouse gas pollution is controlled," said Kassie Siegel, director of the Center's Climate, Air, and Energy Program. "It is not too late to save them, but we have to seize available solutions to global warming right away. I hope the penguins' tragic plight will motivate people to support stringent greenhouse gas reductions."
Each of the petitioned penguins also faces threats in addition to global warming, from introduced predators, disease, habitat destruction, disturbance at breeding colonies, oil spills, and marine pollution to direct harvest. Many species are also hurt by industrial fisheries, either directly - such as when individuals are killed in trawls, nets and longlines - or indirectly, through the depletion of essential prey species like anchovy and krill. Similar fishing fleets figure prominently in the hit movie Happy Feet, which features two of the petitioned species, the emperor and rockhopper penguins.
"While our greenhouse emissions melt away the penguins' world, our industrial fishing fleets are depleting the oceans of their food," said Brendan Cummings, director of the Center's Oceans Program. "If penguins are to survive in a world dramatically altered by global warming, we must eliminate all other threats to these wonderful creatures - first and foremost, by reforming our abysmally managed fisheries."
Listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act will provide broad protection to penguins, including a requirement that federal agencies ensure that any action carried out, authorized, or funded by the government will not "jeopardize the continued existence" of the species. Monday's finding, to be published in the Federal Register today, was made by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which found listing "may be warranted" for 10 of the 12 species covered in the petition. The Endangered Species Act requires the Service to solicit public comment and issue a proposed rule by November. Final protection would occur one year thereafter.
The 10 species are the emperor, southern rockhopper, northern rockhopper, Fiordland crested, erect-crested, macaroni, white-flippered, yellow-eyed, African and Humboldt penguins. Two other species, the snares crested penguin and the royal penguin, were found not to warrant Endangered Species Act protection at this time.
Additional information, including the Wildlife Service's finding, the petition, photos, and range maps for each species are available at http://www.biologicaldiversity.org.
The Center for Biological Diversity is a national nonprofit conservation organization with more than 35,000 members dedicated to protecting endangered species and wild lands.

Eco-Tips - In the spirit of Live Earth

2007-07-08T13:58:00.000-04:00

After the many commercials during the Live Earth tv broadcast yesterday telling us to go online for more tips on saving energy, I have gathered up a bunch of sites for you. Some are directly from http://www.liveearth.org/ and others are from links I found through those sites. Of course theres always a bunch of good stand-bys on the side of this page too.

http://www.liveearth.org/crisis_solutions.php - all sorts of tips for home, office, shopping, and your community.

http://www.eco-labels.org/home.cfm - helps you seek out all those strange claims on labels of products you buy, should buy, or shouldn't buy.

http://www.earthlab.com/carbonProfile/LiveEarth.htm?ver=10 - calculate your carbon output. Mine was 307. Its on a scale of 150 to 900. I scored less that the average for an American! It doesn't calculate a lot of small things though.

There are also a lot of tips that are derived from a book called The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook: 77 Essential Skills to Stop Climate Change by David de Rothschild which they are selling on Amazon. The tips they share online are here (see "Even More Solutions") and the link to buy the book (its around $10 US) is here. Thats $10 well spent, and if you buy it online, you are saving the gas to drive to the store! Plus, if you buy it used, you will save paper and energy used to produce a new book!

Gosh, I really hope this climate change/energy saving movement started by Live Earth doesn't just go away like any other fad. I really hope its here to stay. Any chance our President was watching tv yesterday? Any chance he will think twice about how serious people are about global warming? Al Gore was well received by the crowds yesterday. I love Al.

One of my favorite tips, although its really only powerful if everyone does it, is to "vote with your wallet". I have been trying my best on this for a while now and its not easy. By not supporting companies whose practices are not in line with my values, I feel I am making a difference. But one customer is nothing to a giant corporation. So I think thats one tip we all need to really look into and start doing. Its not the easiest tip to start doing, it will take some homework. But for those of you who have graduated from recycling and online bill-pay, but aren't quite ready for solar panels on your roof.... vote with your wallet.
I've been successfully avoiding Wal-Mart, companies who test on animals, and sometimes I check the label to make sure a garment is made in the USA before I buy it. But how are we to know about a company's reputation on energy and the environment? Make this website your friend: http://www.coopamerica.org/programs/rs/ It tracks the responsibility ratings of companies.

As with gas, Hess and Sunoco support renewable energy research. Hess even had a big sponsorship sign up at Giants stadium yesterday during Live Earth. I drink soy milk and prefer Silk over 8th Continent because Silk supports more eco-friendly causes and even currently has a campaign on green energy. Its simple things like that that can add up if everyone does it.

If you have any great eco-tips, comment and tell me what you do. Thanks!

Way to Go, PepsiCo!

2007-05-17T21:18:00.000-04:00

I'll admit I hate soda. I gave it up. Its "liquid Satan" according to the book "Skinny Bitch". But since so many people drink it, we have to give props to the company who made a very important change.
PepsiCo will no longer test products on animals! Below is an article from a PETA email.

Food-industry giant PepsiCo—the multibillion-dollar parent company of brands like Pepsi-Cola, Frito-Lay, Tropicana, Quaker Oats, and Gatorade—has joined the ever-growing list of companies that are creating innovative products without using animals in laboratory tests.

Prior to its agreement with PETA, PepsiCo and its partners had funded several experiments on animals:

~The PepsiCo Foundation funded an experiment that involved surgically implanting testosterone pellets and human prostate tumors in mice and injecting them with an acid compound. Two animals died before the end of the study, when all the animals were killed.

~PepsiCo's partner, Tropicana, funded a student research project that involved injecting 60 young rats with a chemical that causes colon cancer, leaving the majority of these animals to suffer with the disease for seven months, only to be killed at the end of the experiment.

~PepsiCo's affiliate, the Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI), funded an experiment in which mice were infected with a respiratory virus and then forced to exercise on a treadmill for more than two hours for three consecutive days, after which they were all killed.

~The GSSI funded an experiment in which live rats' hind limbs were cut open from the heel to the knee and their muscle tissue was cut out, after which the animals were killed.

~The GSSI awarded several grants to students to conduct animal experiments, such as one in which a student caused rats' muscles to waste away in order to learn how various protein supplements could re-grow the tissue.

After PETA brought these experiments to the attention of PepsiCo executives, the company began discussions with us regarding what they could do to eliminate animal testing. As a result of this collaboration, PepsiCo has announced that it will not experiment on animals and is pledging to communicate its opposition to animal testing to all entities that the corporation works with.

PepsiCo's compassionate decision to end funding for tests on animals stands in stark contrast to other food and beverage companies that continue to fund needless animal experiments, such as Coca-Cola and Unilever (maker of Lipton Tea and other food products).

What You Can Do

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states: "[T]he Agency is not aware of any circumstances that would result in the FDA requiring a food or beverage company to conduct laboratory experiments on animals …"
Please write to the following food companies and urge them to stop conducting tests on animals in favor of the many non-animal test methods that are now available.

The Coca-Cola Company

Thomas G. Mattia, SVP and DirectorWorldwide Public Affairs and Communications

The Coca-Cola Company

1 Coca-Cola Plaza

Atlanta, GA 30313-2499

404-676-2121

404-676-6792 (fax)

tmattia@na.ko.com

Unilever

Michael B. Polk

Group VP and President, Americas Unilever

PLC 700 Sylvan Ave.

Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632

201-894-4000

1-877-995-4483

201-871-8257 (fax)

comments@unilever.com patrick.cescau@unilever.com

(Unilever's group chief executive and director, based in the U.K.) Also, please take a moment to thank PepsiCo for making the compassionate decision to stop funding all experiments on animals: PepsiCoIndra K. Nooyi, Chair and CEOPepsiCo, Inc.700 Anderson Hill Rd.Purchase, NY 10577-1444

You call them "Chicken" McNuggets?

2007-04-10T20:58:00.000-04:00

What is really in a McDonald's Chicken McNugget?
When I was a kid and McNuggets first hit the scene, it was great. BBQ dipping sauce, those "handy" styrofoam containers, much better than a burger with onions and mustard on it. Blah. Then as I got older, styrofoam was replaced by paper and I started to notice that every box of 6 McNuggets had at least one "boot", one "oval", one "circle", and some other repetitive shapes. Well, its "processed food" my brother used to tell me. Eventualy I stopped eating them and at McDonalds alltogether. It all built up and really icked me out. Ecoli, Salmonella, too much salt on the fries... then I became a vegetarian and it was almost impossible to eat at McDonalds. Fast forward many years and theres the movie "Supersize Me". If you haven't seen it, you should. So when I came across this article from one of Dr. Mercola's websites, I wanted to share it. Its not just about McDonalds, its how I can't beleive the food industry puts this crap on our food!! Ever since I moved to my new house I've been trying to cook for myself more and more. Less junk, more whole foods.

Chicken McNuggets include several synthetic ingredients, such as tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), a petroleum-derived chemical sprayed onto the "food" or inside the box to preserve freshness.
Deep-fried foods in general are also dangerous in many ways, which is why French fries remain one of the worst foods anyone could eat.
Also, about one-third of the ingredients necessary to make the average McNugget (13 out of a lengthy list of 38) include some derivatives of corn, which may explain one reason why industrial agriculture produces so much of it -- in addition to the lucrative subsidies.

Comments from Dr. Mercola:
Not only do the french fries contain acrylamide but the nuggets also contain TBHQ, which in high doses has caused precursors to stomach tumors and DNA damage in lab animals. A number of studies have also shown that TBHQ can be carcinogenic with prolonged exposure.
Other McNuggets ingredients include sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium aluminum phosphate, monocalcium phosphate, calcium lactate, hydrogenated vegetable oils (that is to say, trans fats), and dimethylpolysiloxane.
Sounds like exactly what you want in your food, doesn't it?

Seal hunt began this week in Canada

2007-04-08T12:54:00.000-04:00

I want to share some words regarding the seal hunt from a letter I recieved from Ingrid Newkirk, the president of PETA. I'm excited to see that Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klien have ended the use of fur in thier clothing lines. Ralph Lauren announced his intent last year. Since then I've been supporting his move by buying a lot more Polo clothes (at the outlets, of course)!
I'm still upset about my office mate's purchase of a stingray purse (Chanel). The leather from a stingray is called caviar and to be honest it looks like fake material but she probably payed a ton for it. She thought my vegan shoes were real leather and I told her that just goes to show that you can't tell the difference so there's no need to kill animals for clothing!

Ok, on with the letter from April 3rd:

Even though more than 120,000 caring people voiced their outrage to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the Canadian government has sided with the killers. The hunt of baby seals began today.
Despite this disgusting development, we cannot give up. We must redouble our efforts to protect harp seals and end their slaughter. Together we will continue to fight for seals and all other animals who are killed for their fur until the fur trade is stopped in its tracks. That is a long-term commitment that requires constant, unfaltering work.
While the Canadian government is responsible for allowing the slaughter to resume this year, it's the furriers and their cohorts in the fashion industry who are ultimately profiting the most from the slaughter. It's only by educating both designers and consumers about the true cost of every fur and fur-trimmed item that we can hope to see an end to the killing of seals, minks, foxes, raccoons, and other animals who are murdered for their fur.
In recent months we have made huge progress working with the fashion industry. Our victories for animals include convincing Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, and other leading retailers and designers to stop using fur in their fashion collections.
We have also revealed to millions of consumers exactly how terribly animals' lives are ended and how they suffer. Media coverage of PETA's demonstrations and riveting ads featuring Simon Cowell and others are spreading our message that there's no excuse for fur.To be successful in stopping the fur industry, we need your continued help:

Start at home: Never buy or wear fur, not even the smallest bit of trim, and encourage everyone you know to do the same.

Be outspoken: Learn polite and effective ways to engage people—even fur-wearers—in conversations about this cruel industry.

Tell the fashion industry to stop: Support our campaign to end fur sales by major fashion retailer Burberry.

Working together we can end this horribly cruel practice, make fashion fur-free, and save countless animals' lives.

Terrrapin Pics!

2007-04-08T12:20:00.000-04:00

Since my last two posts were about species which are not that common, I thought I'd add some pics.

Diamondback Terrapin: Lives in salt marshes in the Chesapeke Bay Area. http://www.turtletrack.org/Issues03/Co01252003/CO_01252003_Partridge_Whistle.htm

Gopher tortoise:
Called a "keystone species" because it digs burrows which are home to other animals as well.

Gopher Tortoises Buried Alive

2007-04-08T12:08:00.000-04:00

I love in Florida and I am aware of this expressway that is to be built. I was not aware of the gopher tortoises, though. They are supposed to relocate them, not bury them! Please write and help!

PETA was just alerted to an urgent situation in Central Florida . A permit has reportedly been issued to the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority, which has been authorized to pave a new freeway interchange over the habitat of helpless gopher tortoises - a threatened species - as well as dozens of other sensitive species. Click here to read more about this disturbing situation. According to wildlife experts, it could take months - up to a year - for tortoises who are buried alive to die of suffocation, dehydration, and starvation in their burrows.
Please contact Orange County authorities immediately and urge them to halt construction of this expressway at once. Demand that they explore humane alternatives by consulting with experts. There is no justification for allowing these animals to suffer and die in agony.
Please send polite comments to:

Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority
525 S. Magnolia Ave.
Orlando, FL 32801
407-316-3800
407-316-3801 (fax)http://us.f365.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=%20e-pass@oocea.com

The Honorable Richard Crotty
Mayor of Orange County201 S. Rosalind Ave., 5th Fl.Orlando, FL 32801
407-836-7370407-836-7360 (fax)http://us.f365.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=mayor@ocfl.net

Commissioner Teresa Jacobs (http://us.f365.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=district1@ocfl.net)
Commissioner Fred Brummer (http://us.f365.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=district2@ocfl.net)
Commissioner Mildred Fernandez (http://us.f365.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=district3@ocfl.net)
Commissioner Linda Stewart (http://us.f365.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=district4@ocfl.net)
Commissioner Bill Segal (http://us.f365.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=district4@ocfl.net)
Commissioner Tiffany Moore (http://us.f365.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=district4@ocfl.net)
Board of County Commissioners201 S. Rosalind Ave., 5th Fl.Orlando, FL 32801
407-836-7350407-836-5879 (fax)

Please forward this message to others who might be willing to lend their voices to this important issue.

Thank you for your compassion for animals and for your willingness to act.

Sincerely yours,

Stephanie L. Boyles, M.S.
Wildlife Biologist
Domestic Animal and Wildlife Rescue & Information Department
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)

Teen Turtle Defender

2007-04-08T12:01:00.000-04:00

What a great story I read on a Defenders of Wildlife email. It reminds me of the movie/book "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen.

When Chris Farrow and his dad read an article about the decline of diamondback terrapins, he decided to do something about it. Chris, a 6th-grader at Central Middle School in Mayo, Maryland became an advocate for his state’s official reptile and famous University mascot. This iconic turtle of the Chesapeake Bay is in high demand for soup in Asian markets, and populations in the wild are in trouble because of it.
Chris and his dad gathered 275 signatures in just over two weeks from friends, family, neighbors and members of his community. And he didn’t stop there. Chris brought his case to the Maryland state legislature, testifying with his dad at a committee hearing on legislation to stop the commercial harvest of terrapins in the state. By all accounts, the lawmakers were impressed with the young activist’s dedication and determination to save the diamondback terrapin -- Maryland is well on its way to banning commercial harvests of the iconic "terp."

Birth Control for Deer

2007-02-06T10:14:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure how I feel about this. I support things like feral cat sterilization (catch, spay/neuter, then release), but this is birth control in the form of a hormone vaccine that makes the deer sterile. Should we be doing that? In a way its the same thing but instead of an operation, its a vaccine. Vaccinating wildlife. Hmm. I guess I don't really consider cats to be "wildlife", even feral cats. Deer don't know people. How can they be vaccinated? They aren't herded. They will probably have to be captured somehow (the bill apparently restricts tranquilization by a dart, so that doesn't seem likely) then given the vaccine, then left to wake up in the woods never to reproduce again...for 2 yrs. Below is the story as it is considered in Iowa.

Iowa Considers New Deer Contraceptive
Mon Feb 5, 6:41 PM ET
DES MOINES, Iowa - Iowa wildlife experts are looking into a new deer contraceptive that could curb the state's multimillion-dollar-a-year overpopulation problem.
The new, single-dose birth control vaccine would neutralize sex hormones in the famously fertile and polygamous animals. It would result in infertility in both males and females.
"It's not something you want anyone or everyone to use," said Dale Garner, wildlife bureau chief at the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. "We want to make sure it's not used willy-nilly in the state."
In order to do that, there's a bill before the state Legislature aimed at regulating wildlife contraceptives. The proposed legislation would also restrict the use of growth hormones in deer, as well as drugs for sedating animals or treating them for disease.
The contraceptive vaccine, called GonaCon, is being developed by researchers at the National Wildlife Research Center, a branch of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It is expected to be submitted to the
Environmental Protection Agency in March, said Gail Keirn, a spokeswoman for the research center.
The EPA wouldn't likely approve the drug until early 2008, making it the first wildlife contraceptive available for nonresearch purposes.
Researchers say the vaccine, a protein, shouldn't be dangerous for people to eat meat from a vaccinated deer. However, Garner worries about what could happen if people are accidentally injected with the drug.
"What if some people in a neighborhood get a deer down ... and it's kicking or takes a side step or a roll and some guy or lady gets injected in the rear end?" he said. "Or if somebody's shooting a dart gun at deer in a park, and it misses an animal and hits a person? Or if a kid picks up an unspent dart and the injection goes off?"
Use of wildlife contraception in Iowa is not a common practice, so far, said Chad Machart, president of the Iowa Whitetail Deer Association. Other vaccines have seemed impractical because they required singling out females for an injection, then finding the same animals again later for a booster shot.
Garner said it could cost anywhere from $300 to $1,000 to capture and inject each deer with the vaccine, adding that its effect lasts only two years.

Children with high IQs become vegetarians!

2006-12-18T10:04:00.000-05:00

How cool is this? You may have heard Albert Einstein and a lot of historical figures like Amelia Earhardt were also vegetarians. Rueben Studdard of American Idol recently became veggie and lost 80 pounds!

By Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, Dec. 15 (HealthDay News) -- As a child's IQ rises, his taste for meat in adulthood declines, a new study suggests.
British researchers have found that children's IQ predicts their likelihood of becoming vegetarians as young adults -- lowering their risk for cardiovascular disease in the process. The finding could explain the link between smarts and better health, the investigators say.
"Brighter people tend to have healthier dietary habits," concluded lead author Catharine Gale, a senior research fellow at the MRC Epidemiology Resource Centre of the University of Southampton and Southampton General Hospital.
Recent studies suggest that vegetarianism may be associated with lower cholesterol, reduced risk of obesity and heart disease. This might explain why children with high IQs tend to have a lower risk of heart disease in later life.
The report is published in the Dec. 15 online edition of the British Medical Journal.
"We know from other studies that brighter children tend to behave in a healthier fashion as adults -- they're less likely to smoke, less likely to be overweight, less likely to have high blood pressure and more likely to take strenuous exercise," Gale said. "This study provides further evidence that people with a higher IQ tend to have a healthier lifestyle."
In the study, Gale's team collected data on nearly 8,200 men and women aged 30, whose IQ had been tested when they were 10 years of age.
"Children who scored higher on IQ tests at age 10 were more likely than those who got lower scores to report that they were vegetarian at the age of 30," Gale said.
The researchers found that 4.5 percent of participants were vegetarians. Of these, 2.5 percent were vegan, and 33.6 percent said they were vegetarian but also ate fish or chicken.
There was no difference in IQ score between strict vegetarians and those who said they were vegetarian but who said they ate fish or chicken, the researchers add.
Vegetarians were more likely to be female, of higher social class and better educated, but IQ was still a significant predictor of being vegetarian after adjustment for these factors, Gale said.
"Vegetarian diets are associated with lower cardiovascular disease risk in a number of studies, so these findings suggest that a such a diet may help to explain why children or adolescents with a higher IQ have a lower risk of coronary heart disease as adults," Gale said.
One expert said the findings aren't the whole answer, however.
"This study left many unanswered questions such as: Did the vegetarian children grow up in a household with a vegetarian parent? Were meatless meals regularly served in the household? Were the children eating a primarily vegetarian diet at the age of 10?" said Lona Sandon, an assistant professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas.
"In addition, we don't know the beliefs or attitudes of the parents of the children, nor do we know if there was a particular event that led these children to becoming vegetarian in their teens or adulthood," Sandon said.
As the study showed, more women than men chose a vegetarian diet, Sandon noted. "Other research shows that women in general will focus more on their health than men. So, if they believe that a vegetarian diet will have health benefits, they are more likely to follow it," she said.
Given these factors, "we cannot draw any solid conclusions from this research," Sandon added.
Another expert agreed that a vegetarian diet is healthy.
"The evidence linking vegetarianism to good health outcomes is very strong," said Dr. David L. Katz, the director of the Prevention Research Center and an associate professor of public health at the Yale University School of Medicine.
"Studies, for example, of vegetarian Seventh-Day Adventists in California suggest that they have lower rates of almost all major chronic diseases, and greater longevity, than their omnivorous counterparts," Katz said. "Evidence is also strong and consistent that greater intelligence, higher education, and loftier social status -- which tend to cluster with one another -- also correlate with good health."

Commercial Fishing - Strict New Limits

2006-12-17T15:06:00.000-05:00

Good news for fish and the oceans!

Congress just passed a bill protecting our oceans from rampant overfishing. With this bill, commercial fishing operations will have to follow strict limits on the amount of fish they can catch. Equally important, if a fish population becomes depleted, fishermen will be required to give that population a break until it can recover to healthy levels.

Over the last three months Care2 activists sent thousands of letters to their US Representatives and Senators urging them to strengthen the law governing ocean fishing in US waters, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Thanks to this powerful effort, Congress listened and did just that. Now there is hope that our ocean fish and ecosystems can recover from decades of misuse.

Rhino's Sex Life at Risk Because of Ferris Wheel

2006-12-14T11:09:00.000-05:00

Let's hope the activists win thier campaign! This is just another example of how people are threatening the lives of animals. I can't help but wonder, though, do you think the Rhinos won't mate because they have an audience? :)

There was no author attributed to this article:

BERLIN (Reuters) - German animal rights activists have launched a campaign against plans to put up a giant ferris wheel in Berlin, saying it would disturb the sex lives of rhinos in a nearby zoo.
A group of investors has unveiled plans to erect a 175-meter high wheel for 120 million euros ($158.9 million) in the German capital, hoping to attract millions of visitors from 2008.
But animal rights activists oppose the project, saying the fully-illuminated wheel would disturb the rhinos' daily routine.
"We're worried that these endangered animals won't breed any more, which would hamper animal protection programs," Berlin's animal rights association said in a statement.
The planned Berlin wheel would be higher than the London Eye, which claims to be the world's tallest observation wheel at 135 meters, according to its website.

Rare White Dolphin Now Extinct

2006-12-14T11:04:00.000-05:00

Aw! This is sad and hopefully more industiries realize what they are doing to the environment! I hate to say this but I really don't think China will care, even though they dub this species the "goddess of the Yangtze".
Reposted from the AP:

By CHARLES HUTZLER, Associated Press Writer

BEIJING - A rare, nearly blind white dolphin that survived for millions of years is effectively extinct, an international expedition declared Wednesday after ending a fruitless six-week search of its Yangtze River habitat.
The baiji would be the first large aquatic mammal driven to extinction since hunting and overfishing killed off the Caribbean monk seal in the 1950s.
For the baiji, the culprit was a degraded habitat — busy ship traffic, which confounds the sonar the dolphin uses to find food, and overfishing and pollution in the Yangtze waters of eastern China, the expedition said.
"The baiji is functionally extinct. We might have missed one or two animals but it won't survive in the wild," said August Pfluger, a Swiss economist turned naturalist who helped put together the expedition. "We are all incredibly sad."
The baiji dates back 20 million years. Chinese called it the "goddess of the Yangtze." For China, its disappearance symbolizes how unbridled economic growth is changing the country's environment irreparably, some environmentalists say.
"It's a tremendously sad day when any species goes extinct. It becomes more of a public tragedy to lose a large, charismatic species like the river dolphin," said Chris Williams, manager of river basin conservation for the World Wildlife Fund in Washington.
"The loss of a large animal like a river dolphin is often a harbinger for what's going on in the larger system as whole. It's not only the loss of a beautiful animal but an indication that the way its habitat is being managed, the way we're interacting with the natural environment of the river is deeply flawed ... if a species like this can't survive."
Randall Reeves, chairman of the Swiss-based World Conservation Union's Cetacean Specialist Group, who took part in the Yangtze mission, said expedition participants were surprised at how quickly the dolphins disappeared.
"Some of us didn't want to believe that this would really happen, especially so quickly," he said. "This particular species is the only living representative of a whole family of mammals. This is the end of a whole branch of evolution."
The damage to the baiji's habitat is also affecting the Yangtze finless porpoise, whose numbers have fallen to below 400, the expedition found.
"The situation of the finless porpoise is just like that of the baiji 20 years ago," the group said in a statement citing Wang Ding, a Chinese hydrobiologist and co-leader of the expedition. "Their numbers are declining at an alarming rate. If we do not act soon they will become a second baiji."
Pfluger said China's Agriculture Ministry, which approved the expedition, had hoped the baiji would be another panda, an animal brought back from the brink of extinction in a highly marketable effort that bolstered the country's image.
The expedition was the most professional and meticulous ever launched for the mammal, Pfluger said. The team of 30 scientists and crew from China, the United States and four other countries searched a 1,000-mile heavily trafficked stretch of the Yangtze, where the baiji once thrived.
The expedition's two boats, equipped with high-tech binoculars and underwater microphones, trailed each other an hour apart without radio contact so that a sighting by one vessel would not prejudice the other. When there was fog, he said, the boats waited for the mist to clear to make sure they took every opportunity to spot the mammal.
Around 400 baiji were believed to be living in the Yangtze in the early 1980s, when China was just launching the free-market reforms that have transformed its economy. The last full-fledged search, in 1997, yielded 13 confirmed sightings, and a fisherman claimed to have seen a baiji in 2004.
At least 20 to 25 baiji would now be needed to give the species a chance to survive, said Wang.
For Pfluger, the baiji's demise is a personal defeat. A member of the 1997 expedition, he recalls the excitement of seeing a baiji cavorting in the waters near Dongting Lake.
"It marked me," he said. He went on to set up the baiji.org Foundation to save the dolphin. In recent years, Pfluger said, scientists like the eminent zoologist George Schaller told him to stop his search, saying the baiji's "lost, forget it."
During the latest expedition, an online diary kept by team members traced a dispiriting situation, as day after day they failed to spot a single baiji.
Even in the expedition's final days, members believed they would find a specimen, trolling a "hotspot" below the industrial city of Wuhan where Baiji were previously sighted, Pfluger said.
"Hope dies last," he said.
___
On the Net:
The baiji.org Foundation: http://www.baiji.org

3 Eco-Victories!

2006-12-09T15:12:00.000-05:00

3 eco-victories recently in the news. This post is re-posted from Care2.

1) Victoria's Secret Cleans Up Their Act After Tens of Thousands Protest After tens of thousands of Care2 members signed our Victoria's Dirty Secret petition protesting the use of virgin forest to make their catalogs, a monumental agreement was reached. The company (and parent company Limited Brands) has agreed to the following, which Care2's partner Forest Ethics believes represents a new high bar for market campaign outcomes:
Victoria's Secret is shifting to 10% post consumer waste (PCW) as a first step in their flagship catalog, and 80% PCW in the clearance catalog. This is from 0% in their flagship catalog, a huge initial shift for a cataloger that sends around a million catalogs a day.
Victoria's Secret is forcing FSC certification and FSC throughput in 4 mills (all mills owned by their supplier), and monitoring this over time for improvement annually.
They are investing $1,000,000 into mapping old growth areas in the Boreal Forest and will be co-creating a Green Catalog Council to advance best practices. Together this will help shift consumption from old growth to recycled paper.
They are committing $20-40 million per year for a secondary paper supplier with high environmental standards. Forest Ethics will help in the selection process offering jointly developed environmental criteria.
Victoria's Secret will do a Big 6 accounting firm assessment annually to measure their environmental progress and make it public on their web site.
You can see the petition at: http://go.care2.com/e/R2Z2/b0Ar/ezEb

2) Starbucks Meets With Ethiopia's Prime Minister to Discuss Coffee Name Rights. 22,098 Care2 members signed our partner Oxfam's petition urging Starbucks to Honor Their Commitments to Coffee Farmers. With as many as 15 million Ethiopians dependent on coffee, Ethiopia's government asked Starbucks to sign a licensing agreement that will allow Ethiopia to control the names of its coffee. This would allow Ethiopia to determine an export price that guarantees farmers receive a fair share of coffee profits, enabling them to feed their children, send them to school, and get them better healthcare. Starbucks listened. On November 28, Starbucks CEO Jim Donald met with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi to discuss Ethiopia's ownership of its coffee names and the enormous benefits that ownership could bring to the 15 million poor Ethiopians who depend on coffee for their livelihood. While nothing has been finalized, this is a huge step in the right direction! Read the petition at http://go.care2.com/e/R2Z3/b0Ar/ezEb

3) Bolton Resigns -The United Nations was established to facilitate cooperation between the world's countries. For more than a year the United States was represented at the UN by John Bolton. President Bush used a procedural maneuver to sidestep the concerns of Congress about Bolton's ability to represent the United States. A year later, the Senate's concerns have been proven correct. In his time at the UN, Bolton has pursued a "my way or the highway" strategy that has undermined U.S. foreign policy, alienated allies, and hurt our nation's security. President Bush had re-nominated Bolton for Senate approval, but due to overwhelming pressure from Care2 users and other concerned citizens, Bolton withdrew his name from consideration.
You can read more on Bolton's resignation here.
And see the petition at: http://go.care2.com/e/R2Z5/b0Ar/ezEb

Arctic Ice Melting Faster: Global Warming the Cause Says NASA

2006-09-14T10:47:00.000-04:00

It seems that we have yet another study to show that global warming is man-made and occurring fast enough to accelerate the melting of the ice caps. The studies show that its been melting 10 to 15% faster in the past two years. Click here to read the AP article. The studies were performed by NASA (must've been before NASA decided not to protect the Earth anymore.... see my earlier post about NASA on that). To read the story from NASA, click here.
I was also saddened to learn that the polar bear population is declining and the individual polar bears are 22% smaller than they used to be. I adopted a polar bear for my dad for Father's Day (the man has everything!).

Ok so now here's my question: Isn't it possible that the war is adding to the man-made global warming trend? I mean think about it- there's fires (including oil fires), and there's heavy military vehicles and aircraft all using a lot of fuel. All of that generates not only greenhouse gases but heat which accelerates the global warming process. So theres another reason why war is bad.

Head On! - Toxic, Carcinogenic Migrane Reliever

2006-08-20T20:10:00.000-04:00

There's a commercial on TV that keeps saying "Head on! Head on! Apply directly to the forehead! Head on! Apply directly to the forehead!". Seen it? What the heck is that about, right? They don't say what it's for.
Recently I saw a news program where they test new products. They said Head On is for migrane headaches. The results were that it didn't work that well. But besides that, investigations found out about its ingredients. One of the ingredients is potassium dichromate- a chemical used in photo developing! Ew, why would anyone rub that on thier head? The experts said that its a small dose, but its in there. It is a possible human carcinogen and it can cause developmental/reproductive problems. Its also bad for the environment.
I looked up Head On in the Environmental Working Group's SkinDeep report. It scored a 3.8 which is of higher concern. There are 7 ingredients which cause health concerns.
So, stay away from Head On!

Cruelty-Free "Clear Conscience" Contact Lens Solution

2006-08-20T20:00:00.000-04:00

I mentioned before (in this post a few months ago) about this contact lens solution called Clear Conscience. I recently bought a whole case of it- 12 bottles. By ordering a case, I avoided paying for shipping and I saved on the individual bottle cost. On top of that it was tax-free. So, it came to $7.45 per bottle. Honestly, thats not bad considering most brands in the stores are like $5.99 or $6.99 each, plus tax, and they are not cruelty-free, nor do they donate any proceeds to animal rescue groups. So, I feel good about my massive purchase. They even shipped it priority mail, so I got it within 3 days.
See the old post to get the lowdown on this company, and maybe you will make a massive purchase. I would normally just go to the health foods store to get it but they don't carry it here.

What really happend on 9/11/01?

2006-08-20T02:39:00.000-04:00

Loose Change 2nd Edition...
Its a video put together by "Louder Than Words". I encourage you all to watch it. The basis of the video is to expose the truth behind the REAL events on 9/11/01. This is an eye opener. Of course some people will still be skeptical but it is quite surprising how data and accounts add up to things that do not match what the government has told us and wants us to beleive.
So, read on and spread the word.

Loose Change 2nd Edition

While watching, you'll see in the beginning they tell us of testing that are run on buildings and thier ability to handle bombs and airplanes crashing into them. I personally have a friend who I used to go to school with who told me something that correlated here... He is a Navy Officer who used to work in the White House (under both Clinton and Bush, total about 2 yrs) doing some engineering defense stuff. Hes got all this classified knowledge he can't tell even his wife. But, one thing he told me was that during his time there he was assigned to do an engineering report of what the impacts would be if an airplane crashed into the White House. After turning it in, they gave it back to him and told him they can't have the public knowing about it because they don't want anyone to know that they actually think something like that could happen. A few weeks later, 9/11/01.....they wanted that report back.
I also have a friend who worked for an engineering firm (Johnson Controls) who had the job of rewiring wedge 1 of the Pentagon. I didn't even know he had been there, but shortly after 9/11, I got an email from him saying hes back home safe and that they finished the job 2 weeks early. Otherwise he would've probably died on 9/11. In the video they point out that its interesting that only wedge 1 was re-fortified and thats where it got hit. I'd like to point out that it was re-fortified just weeks before 9/11!
Watch the film and decide for yourself. Theres TOO MANY inconsistencies that do not match up with what the US Government want us to believe.

Alternatives to Animal Experimentation

2006-08-02T21:06:00.000-04:00

If you are against the use of animals for any sorts of experiments, particularly those involving skin, you have probably been asked what the companies can test on to pass FDA regs and get a product on the market. If you don't know how to reply, heres a list of a few of the artificial skin products that are used by humane, ethical companies instead of animals.
I got the list from the about.com website.

Non-animal test methods have proved to be more reliable and less expensive than animal tests. Alternatives include the use of cell cultures; tissue cultures; corneas from eye banks; and sophisticated computer and mathematical models. Companies also have the option of formulating products using the many ingredients or combinations of ingredients already determined to be safe for human use.

The most common type of alternative methods are: in-vitro tests, computer software, databases of tests already done (to avoid duplication), and even human "clinical trial" tests. Use of animal cells, organs, or tissue cultures is also deemed an alternative although, obviously, animal lives are sacrificed for the use of their parts. The specific tests are:

Eytex Produced by the National Testing Corp. in Palm Springs, California, Eytex is an in-vitro (test-tube) procedure that measures eye irritancy via a protein alteration system. A vegetable protein from the jack bean mimics the reaction of the cornea to an alien substance. This alternative is used by Avon instead of the cruel Draize eye irritancy test.

Skintex An in-vitro method to assess skin irritancy that uses pumpkin rind to mimic the reaction of a foreign substance on human skin (both Eytex and Skintex can measure 5,000 different materials).

EpiPack Produced by Clonetics in San Diego, California, the EpiPack uses cloned human tissue to test potentially harmful substances.

Neutral Red Bioassay Developed at Rockefeller University and promoted by Clonetics, the Neutral Red Bioassay is cultured human cells that are used to compute the absorption of a water-soluble dye to measure relative toxicity.

Testskin Produced by Organogenesis in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Testskin uses human skin grown in a sterile plastic bag and can be used for measuring irritancy, etc. (this method is used by Avon, Amway, and Estee Lauder).

TOPKAT Produced by Health Design, Inc. in Rochester, New York, TOPKAT is a computer software program that measures toxicity, mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, and teratonogenicity (this method is used by the U.S. Army, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Food and Drug Administration).

Ames Test Tests for carcinogenicity by mixing a test culture with Salmonella typhimurium and adding activating enzymes. It was able to detect 156 out of 174 (90%) animal carcinogens and 90 out of 100 (88%) non-carcinogenes.

Agarose Diffusion Method Tests for toxicity of plastic and synthetic devices used in medical devices such as heart valves, artificial joints, and intravenous lines. Human cells and the test material are placed in a flask and are separated by a thin-layer of agarose (a derivative of seaweed agar). If the material tested is an irritant, an area of killed cells appears around the substance.

Protection of Earth No Longer a Mission for NASA

2006-07-27T16:51:00.000-04:00

To go along swimmingly with the Bush administration's environmental non-protection, they have changed NASA's mission statement. Mission statements are huge- huge in a way that almost everything a company does begs the question- "does this comply with our mission statement?". So its a big statement here that they no longer intend to use NASA and space technology to protect Earth. Doesn't anyone remember any of the things we have on Earth that we would not have if it weren't for space exploration? The things invented in outer space? Click here to see a list of just some of NASA's previous contributions.
Lets send President Bush to Mars, that ought to go well with his agenda! He can go and screw up some other planet and leave ours alone!

Earth dropped from NASA mission statement

WASHINGTON, July 24 (UPI) -- NASA has reportedly eliminated the promise "to understand and protect our home planet" from its mission statement.
That statement was repeatedly cited last winter by NASA climate scientist James Hansen, who said he was being threatened by political appointees for speaking about the dangers posed by greenhouse gas emissions.
But NASA officials told The New York Times the elimination of the phrase that was used by Hansen was "pure coincidence." The statement now proclaims the agency's mission is "to pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery and aeronautics research."
A NASA spokesman said the change brings the agency into line with U.S. President George W. Bush's goal of pursuing human spaceflight to the moon and Mars.
One observer noted results from NASA's increasing involvement in monitoring the Earth's environment have sparked political disputes concerning the Bush administration's environmental policies.
Hansen said the elimination of the phrase involving protecting the planet might reflect a White House desire to shift the spotlight away from global warming.
He told The Times: "They're making it clear that they ... prefer that NASA work on something that's not causing them a problem."
Copyright Political Gateway 2006© Copyright United Press International 2006

Amazon Rainforest Illegally Cleared for Cargill to Supply Soy to Fast Food Companies!

2006-07-27T16:37:00.000-04:00

I heard from Greenpeace that the Amazon Rainforest was on a fast food menu. First I thought nuts and berries. Nope. The day I read it happend to be the same day I joined local and national animal activists and PETA members to protest in front of a local KFC for thier issues with chicken cruelty! We held signs (mine said "beaks cut off") and changed many minds about where they were going for lunch. It was GREAT! It felt really good and I'm going to go to the next protest too!

Read the Greenpeace alert, below:

KFC really does have a secret recipe – want to know what’s in it? Freshly sizzling Amazon Rainforest. That’s what goes into the soy that KFC's famous chickens are fed. KFC is serving up Amazon destruction by the bucket, and selling it in hundreds of restaurants throughout Europe. But KFC isn’t alone. The fast food giant can trace its soy to a single American company: Cargill. Cargill owns an illegal export terminal in Brazil, that is supplied by farms operating on illegally cleared rainforest land. Almost all of the soy passing through this terminal is destined for Europe – and fast food restaurants like KFC and McDonald’s. Soy traders encourage farmers to cut down the rainforest and plant massive soy crops. The traders take the soy and ship it to Europe where it is fed to animals like chickens and pigs. The animals are then turned into fast food products. Three major companies – Cargill, ADM, and Bunge - account for 60 percent of the total financing of soy production in Brazil. The Amazon rainforest is not only one of the richest and most biologically diverse regions on the planet, it is also one of the most threatened. In order to protect this ancient treasure, this unsustainable development needs to stop immediately. Click here to take action on this!

Good reason why we should be vegetarians and eat organic

2006-07-27T16:26:00.000-04:00

Ok, maybe I stretched it a bit there on my post title but I think this following article from Politica Gateway raises a good point- our bodies do not want chemicals and germs in them! While all of us have immune systems and livers and kidneys to filter stuff out, pregnant women have a vomiting reaction to harmful foods, aka "morning sickness" to prevent food poisoning. So someone you know is pregnant and has a lot of morning sickness- check thier diet- what kind of food are they eating? How much of it is meat, pountry or eggs? How much of it is NOT organic? How is it prepared (more or less likely to carry bacteria).

Morning sickness protects mom and baby

LONDON, July 12 (UPI) -- A British study says nausea and vomiting caused by "morning sickness" is nature's way of protecting mother and baby from food poisoning.
It also shields the fetus from chemicals that can deform their organs, The London Telegraph reported.
The study, published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society Biological Sciences, said morning sickness is usually accompanied by food aversions, most commonly to meats, fish, poultry and eggs -- the foods that were more likely to carry harmful micro-organisms and parasites before modern refrigeration and food-handling processes.
The newspaper said the findings back a theory put forward six years ago by two Cornell University evolutionary biologists who suggested that morning sickness was beneficial to both mother and fetus.
Cornell biologists Samuel Flaxman and Paul Sherman said women who experience morning sickness are significantly less likely to miscarry than women who do not.
Copyright Political Gateway 2006© Copyright United Press International 2006

Antibacterial soap doesn't help us and harms environment

2006-07-27T16:23:00.000-04:00

Another interesting article from Political Gateway:

Cuts in antibacterial soap use sought

CHICAGO, July 25 (UPI) -- Officials in Cook County, Ill., have asked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to reduce the widespread use of antibacterial agents in soaps.
The chemicals are of "no proven benefit to public health," says Terrence J. O'Brien, president of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.
In fact, some experts worry the compounds might contribute to the growing problem of germs developing resistance to antibiotic drugs, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
The American Medical Association and Association for Professionals in Infection Control have said there's no evidence that antibacterial soaps prevent infections in homes. The antimicrobial compounds are used in three-quarters of all liquid soaps and nearly a third of bar soaps, the newspaper says.
After people flush them down the drain, about 75 percent of the triclocarban and triclosan compounds survive treatment at sewage plants and end up in waterways and as sludge spread on farm fields, one study found.
The Soap and Detergent Association says exposure to triclocarban has no effects on animals or aquatic life and poses no known threat to humans.
Copyright Political Gateway 2006© Copyright United Press International 2006

Mice care for each other. So stop testing on them!

2006-07-27T16:15:00.000-04:00

I stumbled upon a really interesting website with tons of articles on it. Under Science and Heath, I found a few that I'm going to repost here. The website is called Political Gateway.

This article is intersting to me in the sense that science has proven that LOWER MAMMALS HAVE FEELINGS!! Wake up you damn animal testing cruel and inhumane corporations, STOP TESTING ON ANIMALS! Its unfortunate that animals were used in this study, but it could theoretically serve as the reason to end animal testing. But I know it won't.

Study: Mice are capable of empathy
MONTREAL, July 5 (UPI) -- Canadian researchers say they've shown lower mammals have the capacity for empathy, which was previously unproven even among higher primates.
McGill University Psychology Professor Jeffrey Mogil, graduate student Dale Langford and colleagues at the Pain Genetics Lab, discovered mice familiar with each other and able to see one another in pain were more sensitive to pain than those tested alone.
The results -- which for the first time show a form of "emotional contagion" between animals -- shed light on how known social factors play a role in pain management.
The researchers say their findings are not only unprecedented in what they tell us about animals, they may ultimately be relevant to understanding pain in humans.
"Since we know that social interaction plays an important role in chronic pain behavior in humans," Mogil said, "then the mechanism underlying such effects can now be elucidated: why are we so affected by those around us?"
The research was published online June 29 in the journal Science.
Copyright Political Gateway 2006© Copyright United Press International 2006

Ralph Lauren No Longer Selling Fur!

2006-06-22T12:41:00.000-04:00

Ralph Lauren's clothing lines (Polo Jeans Co, Blue Label, Lauren, Black Label, Pink Pony, RL Home...) will no longer include fur...thanks to the gruesome footage of the fur farm industry in China. Lauren's lines never included much fur as it is, but now it will be sure not to. The Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation sent PETA a signed statement of assurance acknowledging its intent to pull all advertising for fur, cancel all pending orders for fur products, and beginning with its holiday 2006 collections, no longer sell any fur products. Twelve hundred of its brand-new fall 2006 fur-trimmed coats will be donated to charities in developing nations.
Click here for the link to the PETA article and to see the shocking Chinese Fur Farms Video. You can also obtain contact info to thank Ralph Lauren and his associates for making a humane choice. I sent an email to them, its quick and easy (if you are too lazy to do snail mail like me!).
Jennifer Lopez, on the other hand, is still putting fur products in her clothing line. I do my best not to support companies who sell things that I'm opposed to. So, just because I don't buy the fur trimmed boots, I'd still be supporting a company who sells them. So here's a link to help you figure out what companies sell only "vegan" clothing and shoes. They have a book too, but check for your favorite stores on this site and see if they made it. If you are wanting to change your ways and aren't quite on board yet with the whole boycott thing, heres how I look at it. If I already own it, I'll wear it if its essential. But when its time to replace it, I buy something better. So, my leather belt, I sometimes wear. My leather shoes have almost all been replaced with faux leather shoes. I never did and never will wear fur. If you want to know whats worse- fur or leather, well fur is worse because theres no other "use" for the animals they harvest the fur from. Who eats raccoons and dogs and bunnies? At least some people eat cows, so I feel less guilty about leather since the whole animal is being used. Hope that helps if you are on the fence but want to improve your consumerism. Vote with your money! Don't vote for cruel companies!

Comic Relief?

2006-06-22T10:45:00.000-04:00

A couple cartoons for yas...

Gulf Coast Wildlife Emergency

2006-06-22T10:33:00.000-04:00

Amidst the continuing Gulf Coast human tragedy, an ecological crisis is also brewing. It's a lethal convergence of warming Gulf waters, habitat destruction, pollution and unsustainable use of marine resources.
Among the victims are some of America's iconic wildlife species, including:

The Florida Panther. This majestic cat, once common throughout the Southeast, now numbers fewer than 100 animals. More than half of this secretive cat's remaining habitat is in private hands - farms, ranches and corporate-held property.
Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle. Just a few years ago, Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles were on the brink of extinction, victims of shrimp trawling by-catch, oil spills and loss of breeding habitat. In recent years, the turtles have rebounded slowly, but they remain endangered and in need of careful protection
The Mississippi Sandhill Crane. These birds sport six-foot wingspans and are renowned for honking calls and unique mating dances. The Mississippi sub-species today has been reduced to about 20 breeding pairs, mostly confined to the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge.
Staghorn and Elkhorn Corals. These iconic branching corals are disappearing so fast along the Florida coast that, on June 8, 2006, they became the first corals to be listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. As the foundations for diverse reef sealife, their continued loss could trigger a biological cascade of die-offs.
The Gulf Coast wildlife crisis didn't happen overnight, and there are many factors at work. Environmental Defense scientists and legal experts are uniquely positioned to undertake the multi-faceted approach that will be required to restore this important habitat.
Global warming is a primary threat to the coral reefs and other aquatic and coastal species of the Gulf region. No organization is doing more to mobilize public action and to forge creative and workable approaches to reduce global warming pollution. Click Here to Make a Secure Donation to Environmental Defense. It will be matched 2 for 1 for the next 15 days.

I generally do my best to donate to environmental and animal rights groups, but as a grad student working for the government, the funds aren't exactly pouring in at the moment. But when I hear that there is a donation match campaign where donations double or triple, I usually try to donate at those times. Well, this one triples. I donated $25 and someone else put in $50 so Environmental Defense got $75. Environmental Defense is one of the top rated environmental organizations in terms of thier use of funds and what they accomplish.

Product Reviews: JASON Naturals Shampoo & Conditioner

2006-06-21T22:53:00.000-04:00

A couple more products worthy of review...

Next, we are talking hair. Organic shampoo and conditioner. Before I even go into the brands and types, I have to say that ever since I started using shampoo and conditioner which does NOT contain Sodium Laurel/Laureth Sulfate (SLS), I have found my hair to be less greasy by the end of the day/next morning. This is a good thing if you are one of those people who sometimes like to get away with skipping a day of washing your hair. Or if you don't have time because you prefer to sleep longer (that's me!). I always used to get greasy roots, but the SLS free stuff doesn't cause it. This is not a scientific statement, just something I happend to have noticed in my own hair.

Brand: JASON Naturals
Product: Natural Biotin Shampoo (and Conditioner, 2 separate products)
Use: Hair Fortifying. Alleviate dry, itchy scalp, repair damaged hair and split ends.
Other perks: Certified organic, No SLS, bottle maide with 25% recycled materials, no animal testing or animal products or by-products, no parabens, biodegradable.

Brand: JASON Naturals
Product: Henna Hi-Lights Shampoo (and Conditioner, 2 separate products)
Use: Hi-Lighting Shampoo. Leaves hair with added volume and shine, gives hair a deep, rich glow while non-oily moisturizers leave hair clean and manageable. Superior shine and body.
Other perks: Certified organic, No SLS, bottle maide with 25% recycled materials, no animal testing or animal products or by-products, no parabens, biodegradable.

I definitely noticed a difference when I started using the Henna shampoo. I've got that haircolor that is like 80% blonde and just needs some lemons, sun or henna to give it great shine and glow. So I really like this stuff. Since its summer and I've been in the pool and sun a lot, I bought the biotin stuff to make sure my hair didnt dry out too much and extend the life of my haircuts. I like it a lot. JASON is a common brand at health food stores and can be found online too.

Product Review: Clear Conscience Contact Lens Solution

2006-06-21T22:39:00.000-04:00

I've been using some new (well, they are new to me) products and I have decided they are worthy of review on Nature's Circle.
First, I'll wow you all with my new contact lens multi purpose solution that is cruelty-free! Trust me, none of the others are the market are!
Brand: Clear Conscience Mulit-Purpose Solution for soft contact lenses.
Use:For rinsing, disinfecting, removing protein and storing. And its No Rub!
Other perks: Against animal testing, 10% of the proceeds are donated to animal welfare organizations.
To find out more or buy it: http://www.clearconscience.com/
I bought 2 bottles online (the more you buy the cheaper they are) but some health food type stores may carry it. I went to find it at my local Mother Earth and they didn't have it but could order it for $12 a bottle...no thanks. Much cheaper online. Let me know if you use it/tried it!

Ju$tice for Exxon Valdez Victims?

2006-06-21T22:29:00.000-04:00

The following is an action alert from SaveOurEnvironment.org. Please send the letter to your Senators. For more info on the Exxon Valdez spill and unresolved issues- health effects suffered (and still being suffered, 17 yrs later), jobs lost in the region, and the fate of all the animals, see Riki Ott's website, www.soundtruth.info. The money referred to in this lawsuit has a small window of oppurtunity to reach the victims! Make the richest oil company in America pay for thier actions!

You probably know that the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, which dumped 11 million gallons of crude oil into Alaska's Prince William Sound, was one of the worst environmental tragedies in our nation's history.
It killed hundreds of thousands of animals and birds, oiled nearly 1,400 miles of beaches in Alaska, and ruined the livelihood of tens of thousands of people. Despite all this, the victims of this spill who actually won their lawsuit against ExxonMobil in 1994 have been waiting twelve years to see their judgment satisfied.
Now, Senators from Alaska and Washington, the two states most affected by the Exxon Valdez oil spill, are taking action to see that justice is finally done.
In the twelve years since a federal jury decided that ExxonMobil should have to pay $5 billion in damages to the fishermen and local residents in Alaska that filed suit against them, 10% of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit have died.
ExxonMobil has continued to file appeal after appeal. Furthermore, ExxonMobil has already earned enough through interest by delaying the payment of damages to have offset any financial impact it may eventually face from the verdict. The reason for ExxonMobil's appeals has always been simply to delay taking responsibility. Enough is enough. It's high time for ExxonMobil to pay the judgment! Click here to send a letter to your Senators!

Starbucks Cups & Environmental Responsibility

2006-06-13T13:51:00.000-04:00

Starbucks coffee cups now contain 10% post-consumer fiber (recycled content). This effort began this March as a result of a partnership with Environmental Defense that began back in the 1990's. Starbucks serves up 1.9 billion cups a year, so even 10% makes a big impact.
The stats on the new cups- they will save:

11,000 tons of wood each year (about 78,000 trees)
Enough energy for 600 homes
Enough water to fill 70 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

This was my halloween costume- I was a tall soy pumpkin spice latte.

Good News for Clean Air Act

2006-06-13T13:15:00.000-04:00

The Clean Air Act was threatened by the Bush Administration. No surprise really, but I'll explain why there's good news here. In 2003 the Bush Administration (via the EPA's "New Source Review" program) relaxed a rule that allowed polluting industrial plants (mostly coal power plants) to avoid having to install upgraded pollution control equipment if the price of the upgrade was less than 20% of the total cost of replacing the facility. This would have allowed thousands of plants to expand and increase air pollution without any regulatory review.
So here's the good news- 14 states and a coalition of environmental advocacy groups challenged the new EPA rule in court and WON! This is great news for people with health problems such as asthma, allergies, heart conditions and any young or elderly.
It amazes me that we have a law to help us and the very agency responsible for it allows polluters to get around it. But when theres laws that hurt us, you know like tax hikes and all, no one gets around that!

Manatees Have Been Downlisted!

2006-06-11T23:19:00.000-04:00

Here's an update from the Save the Manatee Club on the recent downlisting of manatees from "Endangered Species" to "Threatened":

Despite a huge public outcry, on June 7, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) voted unanimously to downlist manatees from Endangered to Threatened status. This action has little to do with how manatees are actually faring in the wild and everything to do with pressure from developers, the marine industries, and go-fast boaters. The FWC has projected that the manatee population could plummet to half its numbers within the foreseeable future. Now, boat speed zones can be rolled back, and marina and coastal development can move forward at an even faster pace. More and more boats will gain access to Florida's already overcrowded and dangerous waterways, and there will be more pollution from stormwater runoff. Although the FWC is vehemently denying that the manatee's Threatened status will result in less protection, this is emphatically untrue, and a marine industry representative speaking at the FWC meeting was already asking for the boat speed zones to be reviewed for weakening protections. Save the Manatee Club, along with 16 other organizations, has filed a legal petition asking the FWC to fix its imperiled species classification system.

Click on the link above to send a letter to protest this downlisting! You can also go to www.savethemanatee.org. The photo above is from the underwater viewing area at Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park.

Meditation for World Peace

2006-05-18T10:53:00.000-04:00

Transcendental meditation has been found to not only have an impact on the person practicing it but also on thier environment. If 1% of the population of a city or country practices meditation then there is a general improvement of the social climate. This 1% effect (Maharishi effect) brings down the crime rate, the number of traffic accidents, and the number of sick days missed from work.
Claims are based on over 40 studies during a 20 year period at 160 universities and private institutions in 27 countries. As published in the Journal of Crime and Justice (V4, 1981) , a 16% decrease in crime can be seen in a city if 1% of the population meditated.
So what about a larger scale of impact? Attemps are being made to get large groups of transcendental meditation practitioners together to tackle hunger, sickness and war and replace them with peace and understanding.
Is that possible? Yes. In 1993 a group of 4,000 practicioners met in Washington DC. At the end of the research period, crime in the are dropped 23%.
Experts say it would only take a brief meeting of 7,000 advanced transcendental meditation practictioners to have a GLOBAL impact.

Tomato Sunblock?

2006-05-16T16:48:00.000-04:00

This almost sounds disgusting, but its not what you think. You don't have to rub tomato paste on your skin, but instead, ingesting tomato products can prevent sunburn.
Research has found that the antioxidant lycopene (found in tomato products) can provide the sun protection. The study results were published in the British Journal of Nutrition on December 23, 2002 (ok so why did I just read this in a June 2006 issue of Natural Awakenings?). The "dosage" is suggested as either eating tomato paste or drinking a tomato drink (I guess V8) in enough quantities to provide 20 milligrams of lycopene. The study's volunteers drank 2 eight-ounce glasses (250 ML). Thats not too bad. But who wants to drink tomato juice before going in the sun? Not very refreshing.
The article I learned this from doesn't say anything about how long 2 glasses will last you. It probably doesn't totally prevent skin cancer anyway. Stick to the SPF 15 lotion. But I guess if you are ever stranded on a desert island with tomato plants...you know how to improvise!

Kitties Like Greenies!

2006-05-08T23:54:00.000-04:00

Ginger and Salem approve! These natural dental treats are yummy! They both actually like the same treat, a rare occurance in this house. While once only made for dogs, Greenies now have a Feline line. They had Ocean Fish flavor and they liked it. There's also chicken, liver and salmon. One problem- they are supposed to clean thier teeth/freshen breath, but Salem eats them almost whole. Kinda defeats the purpose. But thats my Salem Munchkin!

Here, Little Birdie, Want a Food Pellet Laced with Mercury??

2006-05-08T21:22:00.000-04:00

The Florida Dept of Environmental Protection is conducting experiements on 160 White Ibises (wading birds) to observe the effects of thier exposure to mercury over the next 5 years. They claim it will help them determine if they need to make air quality restrictions tighter. Why not just save the research money for improving the air quality (cleaner smokestacks and other modern upgrades)?

They are actually feeding mercury to the birds. The aviary where the birds are held is in Gainesville, FL- where I live. I'm on a mission to find this aviary and see if I can witness the conditions. I got a lead on it today about where it may be. I can sort of see both sides of the story here, but ingeneral, I'd side with PETA- I know firsthand that DEP doesn't havestrong enough regulations and I would wager to say they aren't going todo much about it when they complete this study. Read this article from the St. Petersburg Times.

Cuba Seeks Oil Near Florida Keys

2006-05-08T21:17:00.000-04:00

Florida Democratic Senator Bill Nelson wants to block exploration and drilling less than 50 miles from Key West that would benefit China. See the full article at the link. This could mean major damage to the coral reefs!

Anti-Bush Sticker on Texas Historical Landmark

2006-05-07T02:19:00.000-04:00

I was in a historic neighborhood on a tour in San Antonio, TX (the King William Area) recently. Each house has a story. Many are mansions once owned by pioneers of the community and the state. They are architectural gems from the late 1800's to early 1900's, beautifully restored. This one caught my eye at the curb-
If you look carefully at the marker, you'll see that these folks are not Bush supporters. I love it! They are living in a historic home endorsed by the State of Texas' Historical Survey Committee and do not support the President who was once thier state's governor, and they display that proudly at the curb. :)

A Creative Use of Bird Feathers

2006-05-07T02:11:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure what to say here... I guess birds had to be killed/plucked for these outfits, but I couldn't help but laugh when I saw these 2 "flamingos" walking around San Antonio during "Fiesta". So I took thier picture. Then later I happend to board the same trolly as them. Nice couple. It takes a real man to walk around town in 4 inch platforms!

New Jersey Allows SOV-Hybrids in HOV Lanes!

2006-05-05T15:26:00.000-04:00

I'm proud of NJ. They do still have a long way to go environmentally, but there have been efforts over the years which have given them credit for doing something about the pollution there. I guess being called the armpit of the nation got them taking steps in the right direction.
Anyway, here's why I'm so proud of them now. They have decided to allow hybrid vehicle drivers to use the HOV lanes on the NJ Turnpike even if they are not riding with others in thier car (SOV=single occupancy vehicles)! Thats cool. Here is the article from the Philadephia Inquirer (philly.com):

N.J. Turnpike allows hybrid vehicles to use HOV lanes
TRENTON - The New Jersey Turnpike Authority voted yesterday to allow fuel-efficient hybrid vehicles to use the turnpike's high-occupancy lanes.
Gov. Corzine had requested the move last week as part of efforts to encourage consumers to be more fuel-efficient. Hybrids run on a combination of gasoline and battery electricity and get more miles to the gallon than traditional vehicles.
The turnpike, which handles an average of 700,000 drivers daily, has HOV lanes only between Interchange 11 in Woodbridge and Interchange 14 in Newark.
Currently, cars using the lanes must have at least three occupants. Motorcycles and buses also may drive there. The northbound lanes are open 6 to 9 a.m. weekdays and the southbound lanes 4 to 7 p.m. weekdays.- AP

Avoiding Plastic Chemicals in Our Drinks

2006-05-05T11:21:00.000-04:00

Happy Cinco de Mayo!
Once again, more news on plastics leaching into our foods and drinks and my quest to get this figured out. This time we are talking about Bisphenol-A (BPA) and its presence in cans and plastic bottles. This article from the Green Guide has a lot of info, but what I find most helpful is the list in the green box that has "8 Ways to Avoid Harmful Chemicals in Plastics and Cans". Seems simple enough- just give me what I need to know, thanks Green Guide. If you want to know why you need to know it, then read the article. All sorts of hormone disruption, chromosomal damage, birth defects, cancers and childhood hyperactivity (aha! so maybe they don't need Ritalin after all...).

So heres the 8 Ways to Avoid Harmful Chemicals in Plastics and Cans:
1. If you already own polycarbonate bottles, including the Nalgene bottles popular on college campuses, labeled #7 on the bottom, wash them by hand with mild dishwashing soap, not in the dishwasher, to avoid degrading the plastic and increasing leaching of BPA. (Raise your hand if you already messed up! Mine is up!)

2. Even plastic does not last forever. Look for cracks or cloudiness on your reusable clear plastic bottles. See The Green Guide's survey, "A Nalgene Bottle Poll." (Also see my previous post on Nalgene bottle alternatives on March 4, 2006)

3. Use glass baby bottles or plastic bag inserts, which are made of polyethyelene, or switch to polypropylene bottles that are labeled #5 and come in colors or are milky rather than clear.

4. Choose soups, milk and soy milk packaged in cardboard "brick" cartons, by Tetra Pak and SIG Combibloc, which are made of safer layers of aluminum and polyethylene (#2) and also recyclable.

5. Choose canned foods from makers who don't use BPA, such as Eden Foods (www.edenfoods.com), which sells certified organic canned beans and other foods.

6. Eat fresh foods in season and save the canned foods for convenience or emergencies. The exception is some canned fruit such as that found in smaller fruit-cocktail cans, which do not require a liner, according to the Can Manufacturers Institute.

7. Buy or can your own fruits and vegetables in safe glass jars.

8. Some wines have been found to contain up to six times the BPA of canned foods. While most wines probably don't, it's another good reason to drink in moderation. (waaaaaaaah!)

Seventh Generation has a Blog!

2006-05-03T23:16:00.000-04:00

Seventh Generation, the company who makes a large line of natural cleaning products, has introduced a blog! They only have a couple posts so far but I'm sure it will inspire us to clean with natural stuff! Its called the Inspired Protagonist. There's some links and stuff too. Just wanted to pass that along to my natural cleaner loving friends!

L'Oreal Aquires The Body Shop...but will L'Oreal Aquire The Body Shop's Values?

2006-05-02T23:39:00.000-04:00

The Body Shop, an international skin care company found in many malls and airports, was recently aquired by L'Oreal. The Body Shop has a great reputation for selling healthy, safe, and cruelty-free skin and hair care products. Their core values are to: Protect the Planet, Oppose Animal Testing, and Support Community Trade.
L'Oreal, on the other hand, does not have any of these values. They have toxic ingredients in thier products, test on animals and obtain thier ingredients from means other than Community Trade. They are the largest cosmetic company who refuses to sign the Compact for Safe Cosmetics. They own Maybelline and Lancome. The Body Shop signed the Compact in 2004, but L’Oreal refused and so far, has made no effort to replace or even acknowledge the toxic ingredients in its products.
The aquisition is supposed to be official as of yesterday (May 1). Please sign the petition to the L'Oreal CEO encouraging him to leave The Body Shop's values in place and not to reformulate thier products with unsafe ingredients. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics website has a lot of helpful info and a few other campaigns to read about.

Hippos and Polar Bears Added to Threatened Species List

2006-05-02T23:29:00.000-04:00

I read about this on the Environmental News Network. Its sad to read that 530 species were added to the Red List (endangered species in critical danger of extinction) in the past 2 years. Global warming, hunting & fishing, loss of habitat...ALL THINGS WE HERE ON EARTH CAN CHANGE! Read on...

May 02, 2006 — By Laura MacInnis, Reuters
GENEVA — Polar bears and hippos have joined the ranks of species threatened with extinction from climate change, unregulated hunting and other man-made dangers, a leading environmental agency said on Tuesday.
The World Conservation Union, or IUCN, said more than 16,000 species of animals and plants were at risk of disappearing, including one in four mammals and one in eight birds. It added 530 species to its "Red List" of endangered species since the last version released two years ago. China, Brazil, Australia and Mexico are home to large numbers of threatened species, said the IUCN, whose members include 81 governments, more than 850 non-governmental groups and some 10,000 scientists from around the world. It said countries worldwide needed to boost efforts to preserve biodiversity through reduced emissions, tighter fishing and hunting controls, and other measures.
Without a reversal of global warming trends, it predicted polar bear populations would drop more than 30 percent in the next 45 years as melted ice caps deprive the animals of their habitat. It classified the polar bear as a "vulnerable" species, one step down from "endangered" in its ranking of extinction risk. The polar bear was previously called a less-severe "conservation dependent" species.
The common hippo was also ranked as vulnerable, "primarily because of a catastrophic decline in the Democratic Republic of Congo," the IUCN said. Unrestricted hunting has caused a 95 percent decline in the central African country's hippo population since 1994, it said. The animal has never before been listed as threatened.
"CRITICALLY ENDANGERED" Dama gazelles, once the most populous species of gazelle in the Sahara desert, are now "critically endangered" as a result of poaching, the report found.
More than half of the Mediterranean's 25 endemic species of freshwater fish were deemed to be at risk of extinction, along with one in four of East Africa's freshwater fish. In Malawi, where freshwater fish account for 70 percent of the animal protein that humans eat, the numbers of lake trout in Lake Malawi have halved in the past decade. "This could have major commercial and dietary consequences for the region," the IUCN said. Ocean life was also cited as vulnerable. Of 547 species of sharks and rays assessed in the report, 20 percent were found to be at risk of extinction. Bottom-dwelling species also logged huge declines as fisheries have reached into ever-deeper waters.
"Populations are destined to decline in the absence of international catch limits," the report said, adding regulations on mesh size and non-fishing areas could help restore stocks.
World Conservation Union Director General Achim Steiner said resurgent populations of white-tailed eagles in Europe showed that protective measures can protect vulnerable species. "Conservation measures are making a difference," Steiner said. "We should not be passive bystanders in the unfolding tragedy of biodiversity loss and species extinction."

Get Rid of the Energy Vampires!

2006-04-17T22:07:00.000-04:00

Here's some good tips on energy savings. The main one is something that I've only heard recently- unplugging cell phone (and other portable rechargable device) chargers when you are not actually using them. So many of us have that one place where we charge our phones up and we just leave it plugged in even when the phone is in our purse or pocket. Even if something is not actively operating, its still sucking the energy out of your electric outlets and adding pollution to the air. So, that standby light on the DVR/VCR/whatever is sucking energy even when you are not at home watching TV. I have made it a habit to unplug almost everything (even the toaster oven) when I'm out of town for a few days. If I have to re-set a clock when I return, I usually end up leaving it plugged in. Why do microwaves have clocks, anyway?
Then there's a site from the US Dept of Energy which you can search for products and they recommend the brands that have the lowest energy sucking ratings. Of course none of my electronics are at the top of the list... but at least I got a new energy efficient air conditioner!

SomeBunny To Love

2006-04-16T16:54:00.000-04:00

Whether you celebrate Easter or not, you can't deny that this is the time of year that you see bunnies. They appear on decorations, signs, toys, someone dressed up as one at the mall, and many irresponsible people actually buy live bunnies as pets. For the kids. So soft and cuddly, they are hard to resist. But they are about a 10 year committment and way too many of them end up neglected, let go (yet "pet" bunnies are not the same as the grey ones with the cottontails in your backyard), or given away to a shelter. They can also get rather mean if you don't care for them enough. They can bite and scratch, so they are not really the best pets for kids. Most people do not take it seriously enough to bunny-proof thier homes, so the poor guy has to live in a cage.
The truth is, bunnies can be terrific companions, they can get along with cats and dogs and they can be neat and tidy members of the family. IF you know what you are doing and IF you care for them. Locally, the "Gainesville Rabbit Rescue" is home to many bunnies who were once Easter presents. Every year they educate the public on the lives and committments of having a rabbit. Just like cats and dogs, theres no reason to buy one from a pet shop. The Rabbit Rescue and often local Humane Societies have more than they can handle. I considered fostering a Rabbit last year, but I realized I'm not ready for the committment. I know its already Easter today, so maybe this is too late... but here's some info on what it takes to deal with humanely caring for your new little Easter bunny.

Top 25 Green Cities in the US

2006-04-16T11:52:00.000-04:00

Whether you are looking to move or are the type who can get changes rolling in your own city, here is the list of "Green" cities in the US as reported in The Green Guide as a result of thier annual survey. The top 10 are listed with descriptions of why they scored so high and then the list of who rounds out the top 25. None are in Florida, which does not surprise me too much. I had hopes though... see if your favorite city ranks.
The top 10 at a glance:
1. Eugene, OR(score 9.0375, pop. 137,893)
2. Austin, TX(score 8.5325, pop. 656,562)
3. Portland, OR(score 8.24, pop. 529,121)
4. St. Paul, MN(score 7.805, pop. 287,151)
5. Santa Rosa, CA(score 7.785, pop. 147,595)
6. Oakland, CA(score 7.3675, pop. 399,484)
7. Berkeley, CA(score 7.285, pop. 102,743)
8. Honolulu, HI(score 7.055, pop. 371,657)
9. Huntsville, AL(score 7.035, pop. 158,216)
10. Denver, CO(score 7.0325, pop. 554,636)

Wal-Mart & Sam's Club Ignoring Animal Cruelty Incidents

2006-04-16T11:23:00.000-04:00

Another strike against Wal-Mart. But why are all these in Pennsylvania? Is there something about Pennsylvanian Wal-Mart employees with the tendency to inflict cruelty to animals (I'm from PA so it bothers me) or is this just the only place where the actions were witnessed? Here's the story, from PETA (if you click on the "struggle frantically" link, you can watch what happens to birds in glue traps- not for the weak):

Urge Wal-Mart and Sam's Club to Stop Using Cruel Methods to Kill Animals
Upon receiving horrifying complaints from employees and patrons of Sam's Club and its parent company, Wal-Mart, PETA has asked Wal-Mart to prohibit its employees from using glue traps, pellet guns, and drowning to kill birds, mice, rats, and other animals who wander into the company's stores. Our sources allege that they have witnessed the following at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores:
• Technicians from Ecolab—the company of choice for pest control at Sam's Club and Wal-Mart—allegedly drown mice and other animals captured in live traps at Wal-Mart store #2236 at 651 Main St. in Harleysville, Pennsylvania, by submerging them in buckets of water.
• Ecolab technicians at Sam's Club store #6575 at 249 Summit Park Dr. in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, have been using cruel glue traps to capture and kill birds who congregate in the pet-food area.
• Employees at Wal-Mart store #2255 at 87 Airport Rd. in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, have been killing birds with glue traps and pellet guns.
The American Veterinary Medical Association unconditionally condemns the use of drowning as a method of killing—in fact, people have been incarcerated for drowning animals—and glue traps are some of the cruelest pest-control devices on the market today. Animals who get stuck on these boards often suffer for days before they finally succumb to starvation, dehydration, self-mutilation, and shock. Patches of skin, fur, or feathers are torn from their bodies as victims struggle frantically to escape the relentless adhesive. Many animals chew off their own limbs while trying to free themselves, and others get their noses, mouths, or beaks stuck in the glue and suffocate. Furthermore, shooting birds with pellet guns is inhumane and illegal. There's no telling how many birds have languished for hours or days before finally succumbing to wounds caused by pellet guns.
Wal-Mart's headquarters in Arkansas has ignored our repeated demands to end these cruel killing methods immediately and to implement a corporate-wide policy prohibiting such actions. Now it's your turn.
Please contact Wal-Mart CEO H. Lee Scott today and tell him that caring consumers strongly oppose the use of cruel "animal control" measures. Urge him to ensure that these reported abuses will end and that his company will explore the wealth of humane alternatives available to it—preferably with PETA's assistance:

H. Lee Scott, President, CEO, and Director
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
702 S.W. Eighth St.
Bentonville, AR 72716
479-273-4000
479-273-4329 (fax)

Organic Chocolate Recalled for High Lead Levels

2006-04-16T01:32:00.000-04:00

Never have I seen such a rare coincidence before. There first was an email newsletter about an organic chocolate maker who has a very "green" company record. Then there was another email newsletter (different newsletter authors) about the same chocolate maker and the recall due to lead found in thier product! So, even though I'm like the only chick in the world who isn't obsessed with chocolate and I've never even heard of the brand, I took notice. How many other organic products are facing this and do not even know it?
Profile: Dagoba Chocolate
Certified organic and all ingredients are non-GMO and non-irradiated. They purchase renewable energy credits and use recycled content in thier packaging. Most of thier product line is Fair Trade Certified. (info from Ideal Bite)
Enter the recall...
High levels of lead have been found in Dagoba Chocolate's "Eclipse 87%," "Los Rios 68%" and "Prima Matera 100%" dark chocolate products prompting their immediate recall from store shelves. (according to The Green Guide)
The Dagoba website responsibly indicates the recall and return procedures. I'm not here to point fingers at anyone, especially not a company who takes the (chocolate) cake when it comes to environmental responsibility, but it really raises a question about what we think is organic. Even certified organic. How did lead get in there? No, its not a fertilizer or pesticide but its usual source is from old leaky gas stations (when gas was leaded). The only thing I can think of is it is naturally occuring in the soils where the cacao plants are growing. But the soil has to get tested, so why hasn't it been found sooner?

Could Cloud Seeding Help Control Florida's Wildfires?

2006-04-16T01:02:00.000-04:00

We, the residents of Florida, often do not have a year when there are no wildfires. I remember in the summer of 1998 I was living in the only County in Florida which did not experience any fires (Monroe Co. /FL Keys), yet we still smelled the smoke drifting 50+ miles from the Miami area.
While fire is an important ecological process to renew the forests and allow for plant diversity, it is rather scary when you realize how many people are living in and around these same forests. Yes, the trees were here before us so damn those developers for building houses so close! Ok, but seriously we have so many wildfires here every time we are in a drought. No watering lawns or washing cars between 10am and 4pm is a year-round rule now in Florida.
So when I read this article about cloud seeding out west for the purpose of having enough drinking water to support growth (population growth, not plant growth), it made me wonder why Florida doesn't use cloud seeding to help prevent wildfires. We'd get some rain at least. We would all save water (and time watering the plants) and firefighters could save thier lives and lungs. Its not to put out fires, but to keep the land from getting so dry and brittle that the slightest spark sets off acres of fires.
I know that cloud seeding has been done in Florida, at my university (UF), in fact. But it certainly is not a common practice during droughts. We went over 40 days without rain recently. Then we had only a half a day of rain. Thats still not enough.
So I searched online for it and did not find anything that tied cloud seeding with wildfire prevention. So, I'm still puzzled.

Blocked: Mining in Florida Everglades

2006-04-16T00:42:00.000-04:00

The Natrual Resources Defense Council recently blocked one of the Bush administration's most dangerous attacks on the environment: a proposed massive rock mining project in Florida's fragile Everglades.
Four years ago, the administration issued permits for the first phase of this gargantuan scheme that would have bulldozed and dynamited 30 square miles of the world's most famous wetland ecosystem in order to produce a billion tons of limestone rock for use in roads and parking lots. The resulting 80-foot deep pits -- so big they'd be visible from outer space -- would have destroyed vital Everglades habitat for a variety of rare plants and animals, including the endangered wood stork. The pits also threatened to poison the drinking water of millions of Miami-Dade County residents.
NRDC went to federal court and charged the Bush administration with violating the Endangered Species Act and other environmental laws. That court ruled in NRDC's favor and delivered a stunning setback to the administration and its mining allies. In his ruling, the judge chastised the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for rushing to issue the permits at the mining industry's behest, ignoring clear evidence of environmental dangers, while misrepresenting the facts and disregarding the law by allowing dangerous micro-organisms to infiltrate local wells.

One environmental victory down, millions to go... is it 2008 yet?

Do You Give a Hoot?

2006-04-16T00:28:00.000-04:00

No, I really couldn't think of a better title for this post. Give me a break, it is 12:30 am and my brain is fried from doing all my homework thats due on Monday. Anyway....
A University of Florida alumnus, Carl Hiaasen, is an author whose latest award winning book is now a movie. Not just any movie- Jimmy Buffett is in it!! :) He plays a teacher and the kids learn about conserving an endangered owl from development pressures. This is my life, too- I'm a urban planner from UF with strong environmental concerns. And a Buffett phan. (the "ph" is for parrot head in case you are not in the know). So I had to share this. I also heard a song from the new soundtrack on Radio Margaritaville the other day. Pretty decent. Here are a few websites to check out the movie info:
Buffett News about Hoot
National Wildlife Federation info on Hoot

Animal Testing on Endangered Species?

2006-04-16T00:00:00.000-04:00

Its been said to be "a deal with the devil"- the largest group of a species of endangered primates called sooty mangabeys (they are kinda cute, in my opinion) are in a research lab (Yerkes National Primate Research Center in Atlanta).... the lab will help conserve the wild ones in exchange for being allowed to do AIDS research on them in the lab. They are one of the primate species which don't get sick when they have AIDS.
I'm thinking its not a good idea and that theres got to be a way for conservationists to help restore the species in the wild and let the captive ones out. Its not as simple as unlocking the cage, however. They have to breed them in the wild so that they can survive out there.
They were listed as endangered in 1988. The Yerkes center has the males and females separated and the females are on birth control. Forcing birth control on a captive endangered species?!? This gets me worked up...
Here's a quote from the NEAVS (New England Anti-Vivisection Society) President: "The thing that concerns me is they (Yerkes officials) have a 'product' -- an abundance of monkeys -- that they want to do something with, and now they're going to find something to do with them. But that's backwards thinking, the idea that availability drives inquiry," she said.
Anyone have any opinions here? Read the article.

Vote for Animal Planet's "Best Portrayal of Animals in Film" Genesis Awards

2006-04-15T23:34:00.000-04:00

For 20 years, the Genesis Awards has been honoring individuals in the news and entertainment media whose outstanding works have spotlighted animal issues with courage, creativity and integrity. The 20th Anniversary Genesis Awards celebrates both the coverage of 2005 and the most memorable moments of the past two decades. The Genesis Awards is presented by the Humane Society of the United States. Click here to vote for your favorite movie/animal issue. The nominees are: Babe, Chicken Run, Finding Nemo, Free Willy, and Legally Blonde 2.
Of course I voted for Legally Blonde 2. Not only because its one of my favorite movies but because it covers one of my most passionate issues: not testing cosmetics on animals. My second favorite issue (of those nominated) would be Chicken Run due to my vegetarian diet.

Canada's Baby Seal Hunt

2006-03-09T15:33:00.000-05:00

Canada's Seal Hunt is about to start this season and we need to stop it! Its so sad, they are so adorable and they are being senselessly murdered for thier coats. If you are not already a Care2 member and frequently "click" to save Baby Seals, this is the time to start clicking. Currently the campaign money helps to fund public service announcements protesting the seal hunt. Its free to you- there are sponsors who donate money everytime someone clicks. You can only click once a day but you can set it up to send you reminders. I click for Seals, Primates, Homeless Pets, Marine Wetlands/Rainforests, Big Cats, and Oceans. Heres the link to get you started: http://babyseals.care2.com/ The tabs at the top lead you to the other click to donate races.
More than 319,000 harp seals will be clubbed or shot to death this year in Canada. 96% of them will be less than 3 months old, and some may even be skinned alive. Your clicks support airtime for IFAW's TV campaign to build public pressure against this cruel and inhumane hunt.
The outcry became well known last year and theres a better chance this year that something can be done. Theres already 153,000 signatures on petition.
Canada's baby harp seal hunt was conducted in 2005 despite widespread condemnation by concerned citizens, animal welfare advocates and the media. Preliminary statistics suggest that nearly 318,000 harp seals were slaughtered in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and coastal Newfoundland in March-April 2005, with a majority of the animals killed less than three months of age. Fortunately, the strong international condemnation of Canada's baby seal hunt this past spring raised public awareness to its highest level in many years, which in turn has increased pressure on the Canadian government to stop this cruel and senseless slaughter.
In May, the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) issued a report of questionable scientific merit, which claimed that despite the culling of roughly one million harp seals over the past three years, Canada's harp seal population is growing. Biologists at IFAW and other animal welfare groups have called upon the Canadian government to fully disclose its data and methodology for peer review by the scientific community, but as yet it has declined to do so.
Get clicking!

Global Warming Quiz

2006-03-09T15:32:00.000-05:00

Test your knowledge of Global Warming with this 10 question quiz from Environmental Defense!

March of Crimes

2006-03-05T20:00:00.000-05:00

'Tis the season- there's people in your office with forms and signs at the cash register asking for a pledge, just a small donation...to save babies. Without sounding insensitive to mothers who give birth to babies with diseases and other problems, the annual March of Dimes fundraising is not a good thing to support. Not unless the March of Dimes would stop harming and killing animals and start putting thier money to better use. Stop and think before you donate because theres some dirt on the non-profit that they don't want to become public knowledge. Animal rights groups refer to it as the "March of Crimes". For good reason. Here's a sample of what they've done:
~sewn shut newborn kittens' eyes, then killed them after they had endured a year of blindness.
~implanted electric pumps into the backs of pregnant rats to inject nicotine, even though the dangers of cigarette smoking to human babies is already known.
~injected pregnant rats with cocaine, though the dangers of cocaine to human babies is already known.
~destroyed the ear drums of unborn lambs, then killed the mother sheep and lambs just before birth to examine the brains.
It makes me really sad that this type of attention (major fundraising walks) isnt given to animals who are endangered. I think we need more March of the Penguins type movies with a portion of the proceeds going to save animals.
For more horrid experiments and other info, see the March of Crimes website. "The Facts" page is helpful.
The Bank of America Foundation (BOAF) has violated thier own policies on charitable giving. PETA has filed a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) complaint against the Bank of America Foundation.
The BOAF’s Web site states that "[n]ational health organizations (or their local affiliates) or research/disease advocacy groups," such as the March of Dimes, are ineligible for BOAF support. This link has more info on PETA's complaint and the millions of dollars that BOAF has given to the March of Dimes.

Toxic Combo in Sodas Known By FDA for 15 Years

2006-03-04T15:46:00.000-05:00

The FDA has remained silent despite of knowledge of the problem that sodas contain a mix of ingredients that form Benzene. The FDA trusted soda makers to change formulas in 1990, yet still find sodas with benzene. They are mostly sodas marketed toward children, if it can be any worse.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) sent a letter to the FDA requesting that the Agency notify the public about the presence of two ingredients in many popular children's drinks that can mix together to form the cancer-causing chemical benzene. The FDA last addressed this problem more than 15 years ago when it entered into a voluntary agreement with the beverage industry to reformulate its products to avoid the presence of this hazardous mixture. It appears, based on news reports and a sampling by EWG of popular children's drinks from retail outlets, that many manufacturers have not complied.
So far in 2006, two news outlets have reported that the Agency is again testing soft drinks, finding benzene sometimes at levels above the safe limit for drinking water, and asking companies to change their formulas. To date the FDA has concealed this information from the public.
Heres the list of drinks which were found to contain benzene:

Country Time Lemonade
Crystal Light Sunrise Classic Orange
Diet Pepsi Twist
Diet Pepsi Vanilla
Diet RockStar Energy Drink
Fanta Orange
Fanta Pineapple
Fruit20 Plus 10 Natural Apple
Giant Fruity Punch Cooler
Hawaiian Punch Fruit Juicy Red
Hawaiian Punch Lemonade
Hi-C Blast, Orange Supernova
Kool-Aid Jammers Blue-Raspberry
Kool-Aid Jammers Cherry
Kool-Aid Jammers Grape
Kool-Aid Jammers Orange
Lo-Carb Monster Energy
Monster Energy
Pepsi Twist Lemon
RockStar Energy Drink
Sierra Mist
Sunkist
Sunny D
Sunny D Baja
Sunny D Intense Sport Cool Punch
Sunny D Orange-Fused Strawberry
Sunny D Smooth
Sunny D Smooth + Calcium
Tampico Citrus Punch
Tampico Grape Punch
Tampico Tropical Punch
Tropicana Twister Diet Soda (Diet Orange)
Tropicana Twister Soda Grape
Tropicana Twister Soda Orange
Tropicana Twister Soda Strawberry

In the meantime the EWG is providing the following information to consumers:
To steer clear of chemicals in foods and drinks that can mix together to form benzene, consumers should avoid products that contain both ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and either sodium benzoate or potassium benzoate.

How many times to we have to say it- if its not the law, people aren't going to voluntarily comply. Even when it is the law people don't always comply! Soda rots your teeth anyway, so decrease or eliminate your consumption!

Cruelty-Free, Safe Contact Lens Solution!

2006-03-04T15:35:00.000-05:00

FINALLY is right, this product "Clear Conscience" is a Multi-Purpose Solution for soft (hydrophilic) contact lenses that is cruelty-free, thimerosal-free, chlorhexidine-free, and FDA approved. I haven't tried it yet, but the website has a "buy local" link that informed my my local "Mother Earth Market" sells it. So I'll be picking some up the next time I'm there. You can also buy it online.
I pride myself on using no products which are tested on animals. Contact lens solution was my only (that I know of) product I had no choice on. Plus, the other day I was searching for things on the Skin Deep website and learned that some of the ingredients in contact lens solution are really bad for us (and we are all practically squirting in our eyes daily!) So this is good news.
If anyone out there has already used this product, please comment and let me know how it is!

Free Boca Burger @ Johnny Rockets

2006-03-04T15:31:00.000-05:00

Since I don't have a Johnny Rockets in my City, I thought I'd pass along this coupon offer. You get a free Boca Burger which they call the "Streamliner" with this coupon anytime between March 1- 31 in celebration of Meatout 2006.

Filmmaker Promises Not To Harm Bulls

2006-03-04T15:00:00.000-05:00

With all the computer-aided graphics these days, you'd think they could do anything. Yet some movies still harm animals and destroy the environment (such as deforestation in The Beach). Recently PETA convinced a fimmaker of the upcoming movie Manolete to leave the bulls alone and use computer images. The email of the news from PETA is below. For a fact sheet on cruelty involved with bullfighting, click here.

PETA is delighted to have confirmation from Lolafilms, which is producing the new film Manolete, that it will not harm bulls and intends to use only computer-generated images and physical effects during the movie’s bullfighting sequences.
Bullfights, which are illegal in the United States, involve deliberate torture and a bloody, painful death for bulls, who are often intentionally physically debilitated prior to the fight. According to a study reported on by the Associated Press, at least 20 percent of bulls are drugged before they step into the ring. Former bullfighters admit that bulls are fed laxatives to debilitate them days before the fight, have their neck muscles cut to prevent them from lifting their heads all the way up, and have petroleum jelly smeared into their eyes to blur their vision.
PETA is also grateful to Penelope Cruz and her management team for making it clear to PETA and other concerned people that she will not appear in a movie for which an animal is harmed in the making of the film. Manolete, as it turns out, will not be an issue for the lovely star.

Blood Thinner Drug Now Made Without Animals!

2006-03-04T14:48:00.000-05:00

On the quest to ending animal use (and ingredients) in testing medicines and skincare products... the National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS) reports that Rensselear Polytechnic Institute announced they had successfully developed a way to synthesize heparin. Heparin is a blood thinner used to prevent blood clots in humans. It is utilized in heart surgeries, kidney dialysis and numerous other medical procedures. Historically, heparin has been obtained from tissue left over at slaughter houses.
“We have synthetically prepared heparin in quantities large enough for use in human medical treatments,” said Robert Linhardt and John H. Broadbent, Jr. of Rensselear Polytechnic. “These discoveries will enable us to effectively replace a variable raw material -- heparin derived from processed animal organs -- with a synthetic material -- synthetic heparin -- and have the same therapeutic result.”
While this new medical development will not necessarily spare the lives of animals -- as slaughter houses will continue to operate -- it does demonstrate that the synthetic production of compounds, such as heparin, and the utilization of human tissue are now readily available “alternatives” to those scientists willing to consider them. The research industry has historically held no vested interest in alternatives and has not adequately funded the development of them.

For more on the future of animal-free scientific advances, click here.

Crude Oil Spill in Alaska- BP Transit Line

2006-03-04T14:39:00.000-05:00

Another one...! Lets hope that nuclear waste doesn't spill all over the place if this country starts relying on it for energy. Or should I be like Bush and call it "nucular"?

Crude Oil Spills from Transit Line in Alaska
March 03, 2006 — By Dan Joling, Associated Press
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Crude oil spilled Thursday from a pipe transit line at Prudhoe Bay on Alaska's North Slope, and dangerous fumes were preventing crews from cleanup work. The oil could be seen on the snow-covered tundra more than 200 miles (322 kilometers) east of Barrow. Alaska Department of Conservation spokeswoman Lynda Giguere said the oil was pooling on the frozen ground.
The cause of the spill, discovered early Thursday morning by BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc. operators, had not been determined and it was unclear how much oil had spilled. The line carries finished, salable crude oil that eventually would find its way to the trans-Alaska pipeline, Giguere said.
The BP-operated transit line was between a gathering center and a pump station in Prudhoe Bay's western operating unit. Gathering centers separate oil from water and other materials that come out of the ground during drilling. The gathering center was shut down and the line blocked at each end and depressurized, DEC said. BP safety personnel said high levels of volatile fumes were detected coming from the spilled oil by air monitors. A spill response team was kept away from the site until safety officials determined levels were safe. DEC approved the use of vacuum trucks to remove oil once site access was deemed safe. Weather was expected to help with cleanup efforts with cold temperatures causing the crude oil to "gel up," Giguere said.

Old Pesticides and New Development

2006-03-04T14:29:00.000-05:00

I posted an article earlier today about pesticides and here's another that I think is interesting to know. This highlights the importance of soil testing before breaking ground on new development. Even redevelopment- regardless of what the use of the property was/will be. Pesticides get "stirred up" when soil is moved around for development purposes. This ties into my career path and thats why I wanted to share it. The AP article came to me through the Environmental News Network.

Development May Spread Old Pesticides
February 20, 2006
HANOVER, N.H. — Development of former farmland can disturb pesticides spread nearly a century ago and contaminate nearby water sources, according to a study by researchers at Dartmouth College.
The findings mean communities may need to take additional precautions when the soil at former orchards and farms is disturbed for development or new agricultural uses, Carl Renshaw, a professor of earth sciences, said in a news release.
The problem is that pesticides spread during the early 1900s contained both arsenic and lead, which researchers have found remain in the top 10 inches of soil. The study results appear in the January-February issue of the Journal of Environmental Quality.
But the study, which focused on two New Hampshire apple orchards where the pesticide lead arsenate once was used, found that over time these toxic metal change form and become part of the silt and organic matter in the soil. In that new form, the metals become more susceptible to erosion, which can be accelerated by development.
"We continue to learn more about how past agricultural practices are affecting our current environment," Renshaw said. "Unlike some pesticides used today, metals like arsenic and lead in old pesticides do not degrade over time."
The study found that when disturbed, these metals can make their way into nearby surface water. It was unclear whether plants and animals that feed off that water are absorbing the metals, Renshaw said.
"While the arsenic and lead in the soils of old orchards is essentially immobile as long as the land is not disturbed, our work suggests that the development of these lands can inadvertently mobilize these metals toward bodies of water," he said. "Communities in these areas may want to ensure additional precautions are taken to control erosion when old orchard lands are disturbed in order to reduce the potential for contamination of nearby surface water," Renshaw said.

Nalgene Style Water Bottles No Longer Safe?

2006-03-04T14:00:00.000-05:00

I recently joined a newsletter called "Ideal Bite". They offer daily tips via email on eco-conscious things and have a blog. The emails have some cool stuff. Recently one kind of surprised me (I kinda thought I knew what was going on with all this bad plastic vs good plastic stuff). They reported that Nalgene (and similar hard plastic) bottles leach bisphenol-A, a chemical linked to increased risk of birth defects, miscarriage and prostate cancer. Scratches in the plastic, harsh detergents and boiling liquids exacerbate the leaching. Are you freaking out right now like I was when I read that? They claim that HDPE (#2), stainless steel, and glass (with soft covers so you don't break it) are better options. The brands recommended by Ideal Bite are: Kleen Kanteen, SIGG, and a safer type of Nalgene. Thanks, Ideal Bite writers for this info! I think I am partial to the stainless steel bottles.

Puget Sound Orca Whales Now ENDANGERED

2006-03-04T13:25:00.000-05:00

The federal government recently upgraded the Orca Whales in Washington's Puget Sound Whales to Endangered. Three pods of whales are struggling for survival and there are only about 90 individuals left. Make you wonder why the feds waited this long for extreme protections, but I wouldn't be me if I didn't add that they had to get Pombo to weaken the Endangered Species Act first. A few years ago the Marine Mammal Protection Act was also weakened. Closer to home, that meant a big threat to manatees. But I digress...
Not only are the Puget Sound Orcas in danger, so are the Prince WIlliam Sound Orcas (from the Exxon Valdez spill in 1989 and recent unregulated development in the area). If you want to Adopt an Orca (and get some free goodies from the National Wildlife Federation), click here. Just $25 gets you an adorable travel mug!

Painting 4 Paws

2006-03-04T13:16:00.000-05:00

Artist Karen Derrico takes photos of animals and turns them into works of art by painting the image. While this may seem common, she does a beautiful job and she donates sales from the paintings to animal rescue and welfare groups. While I cannot currently afford to have my babies painted (which is why thier photos are on here!), I wanted to post this for your wealthier folks who care about animals. Take a look at her website, Painting 4 Paws, and you'll see the cute paintings. She was also commissioned to do a farm animal painting for PETA's 25th Anniversay Gala and its raised $1,700 in a silent auction. Limited edition signed prints of it are offered on her website with 20% of the profit going to PETA.

Pesticides Found in Most U.S. Rivers

2006-03-04T13:08:00.000-05:00

Below is a story from the AP about pesticides in rivers and how they are spreading through the environment at high rates.
Pesticides Found in Most U.S. Rivers
By JOHN HEILPRIN, Associated Press Writer
Most of the nation's rivers and streams — and the fish in them — are contaminated with pesticides linked to cancer, birth defects and neurological disorders, but not at levels that can harm humans.
Pesticides were found in almost all U.S. rivers and streams between 1992 and 2001, says a study released Friday by the U.S. Geological Survey, although most drinking water supplies haven't been affected.
"While the use of pesticides has resulted in a wide range of benefits to control weeds, insects and other pests, including increased food production and reduction of insect-borne disease, their use also raises questions about possible effects on the environment, including water quality," said Robert Hirsch, the USGS associate director for water.
Pesticides were seldom found at concentrations likely to affect people, and they were less common in groundwater. But they were found in most fish.
Most frequently detected in agricultural streams were three herbicides used mainly on farms: atrazine, metolachlor and cyanazine. Just last week, the Environmental Protection Agency settled a 2003 lawsuit brought by the Natural Resources Defense Council, forcing the government to assess whether atrazine threatens the survival of endangered Chesapeake Bay sea turtles, endangered Texas salamanders and 16 other aquatic species.
Three other herbicides used commonly in cities — simazine, prometon and tebuthiuron — showed up more often in urban streams.
The USGS looked for 100 pesticides, and found 40 of them had a widespread presence in streams and sediment in both urban and agricultural areas, at concentrations that could affect aquatic life or fish-eating wildlife. The pesticides showed up more than 90 percent of the time in the fish tissue found in agricultural, urban and mixed land-use areas.
In each of the streams the USGS studied, at least one pesticide was detected. In about 19 of every 20 streams with agricultural, urban or mixed land-use watersheds, pesticide compounds were found at nearly all times of the year. The most frequent occurrence was in shallow groundwater beneath agricultural and urban areas, where more than half the wells contained one or more pesticide compounds.
Jay Feldman, executive director of Beyond Pesticides, a national research and advocacy group, said the data surrounding the nation's reliance on about 1 billion pounds of pesticides a year "shows an urgent need to strengthen policies at all levels of government and curtail pesticide use."
The USGS report is based on an analysis of data from 51 major river basins and aquifer systems nationally, and a study of an aquifer system that runs through eight states from South Dakota to Texas, east of the Rocky Mountains.
It found that concentrations of individual pesticides nearly always complied with the EPA's drinking-water standards, though no water samples from streams were taken at drinking-water intakes. The EPA also is responsible for reviewing pesticides, based on pesticide-makers' tests that can cost tens of millions of dollars. It typically takes up to a decade to study each one before it can reach the marketplace, according to industry figures.
But simply detecting the presence of a pesticide does not always mean there is reason for concern, said Jay Vroom, president of CropLife America, which represents pesticide developers and manufacturers. He emphasized that the use of pesticides by farmers, ranchers and others is strictly regulated by federal and state laws.
"Water quality is of paramount importance to us," he said. "And the USGS report correctly recognizes that the large majority of pesticide detections in streams and groundwater were trace amounts, far below scientifically based minimum levels set for protecting human health and the environment."

Vegetarian Resource Group

2006-02-19T12:29:00.000-05:00

I recently joined the Vegetarian Resource Group and highly recommend it for you veggies out there. They publish a monthly journal full of vegetarian related articles and recipes and will send you some books on vegetarian restaurants (helpful when travelling!) and a book called "Meatless Meals for Working People" to help the busy veggies eat right. That book also has a section on many restaurant chains and what things are and are not vegetarian. For example, Wendy's allows the french fries to be cooked in the same oil as the chicken nuggets and Burger King's veggie burger is cooked on the grill with the meat- they will not microwave it separately as some other places do. Then theres places like Taco Bell that will accommodate vegetarians and even vegans by making a cheeseless bean burrito. These are good things to know when you get stuck at the last minute having to choose a fast food restaurant and all your friends eat meat and don't care.
The VRG website is full of info too, so check it out.

Biofuel in America

2006-02-19T12:13:00.000-05:00

With rising gas prices and the Bush Administration's committment to drilling for more oil (even though Bush said in his State of the Union speech that we need to reduce our addiction to oil...BS!), the technology and availability of alternative fuels is increasing. GM is now offering vehicles with a fuel system that will accept gas-ethanol mixes. The US production of ethanol is projected to double in 6 years. That's great! The problem is we all have to get new cars (or perhaps some surgery on our existing cars) to run on ethanol. I don't see any federal legislation requiring it, or any date when all carmakers have to abide by the new standards.
This change would help cut global warming, reduce our dependence on foreign oil and eliminate the need to drill in our national parks or Gulf of Mexico. Sometimes I wonder how our President sleeps at night knowing this and still siding with the oil interests.
So click on the link above to learn about ethanol production in the US.

Public Park Land For Sale to Mining and Develpment

2006-02-19T11:52:00.000-05:00

It looks like this is back on the table- the Bush Administration is working out a way to sell off public park lands to special interests. Even after the first attempt was defeated. The Wilderness Society provides this great summary of the situation, and theres a link to take action. Please take action- this is a disgrace to our Nation!

As much as 800,000 acres of Americans' public land would be sold into private hands under one egregious provision of President Bush's proposed budget. Astonishingly, less than two months ago, bipartisan opposition in the Congress defeated a similar scheme. This absurd proposal deserves the same reaction from all of us. Please send that message to your Members of Congress! You can take action immediately by clicking here.
Just two months ago, Rep. Richard Pombo included in a budget reconciliation bill a provision to sell off millions of acres of land to mining interests and developers. The measure passed the House. But unified opposition from western conservationists, hunters, anglers, local elected officials, businesses, governors and Democratic and Republican Senators alike forced its removal.
Similar coalitions have blocked other such extreme proposals, including one in which Pombo actually identified units of the National Park System to sell.
In all, over 300,000 acres within our National Forests could be sold in 32 states. California would suffer most with 85,000 acres on the block, but this isn't just a threat to western public lands. In the southeast, where public lands are rare, 55,000 acres could be sold.
The Administration has already identified the forest lands it will sell. It has given the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) a sales quota.
Administration spokespeople are struggling to depict these land sales as small, isolated, of no particular public value or consequence. Nonsense. One is a 160-acre parcel in the Big Creek drainage of Emigrant, MT, in a popular recreation area adjacent to an upscale guest ranch. Another includes over 700 acres of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area in Oregon and Washington. A third comprises 1,300 acres along a remote and rugged river gorge with rare low-elevation old-growth forest in Washington.
Why? There is no good reason but there is a formal excuse: to raise money to help fund rural roads and schools. No one doubts the federal obligation to help local governments pay for such things, but the help should come, as it currently does, from the general treasury, as a broad public responsibility, not from casually peddling America's icons. Rep. Mark Udall (D-CO) sees the plan as a destructive way to pay for what he considers reckless tax cuts. "It's like selling your homestead to pay your credit cards," he said.
Voicing his concern, Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID) said, "public lands are an asset that need to be managed and conserved." And Rep. George Miller (D-CA) said, "The suggestion that the only way to fund rural schools is to sell off our national forests is just ludicrous in a nation this wealthy."

McDonalds Fries Contain Food Allergens

2006-02-19T11:35:00.000-05:00

I've always heard that french fries at fast food places contain stuff other than potatoes and oil. Its part of thier secret flavoring in the war among the fast food french fries. So here's an AP news story about how people are suing McDonalds because they are allergic to its secret ingredients! A lot of people are allergic to milk and wheat products, so its amazing that McDonalds would use those and not disclose it sooner. Well, ok its not amazing... its typcial.

McDonald's Sued Over Ingredients of Fries
Sat Feb 18, 11:36 PM ET
McDonald's Corp. faces at least three lawsuits claiming the fast-food giant misled the public after it acknowledged earlier this week its french fries contain milk and wheat ingredients.
Debra Moffatt of Lombard, Ill., seeks unspecified damages in a suit filed Friday in Chicago. Her attorney, Thomas Pakenas, said his client has celiac disease, which causes gastrointestinal symptoms set off by eating gluten, a protein found in wheat.
Jack Daly, McDonald's senior vice president, said in a statement the company had not reviewed the case yet and is testing its fries for gluten through a food allergy research program at the University of Nebraska.
Mark and Theresa Chimiak of Jupiter, Fla., sued Friday in Florida, claiming their 5-year-old daughter has an intolerance to gluten and became seriously ill after eating the fries. Nadia Sugich of Los Angeles sued Wednesday, saying she eats no animal products and would not have eaten the fries had she known they contained dairy ingredients.
McDonald's, based in Oak Brook, Ill., said Monday that wheat and dairy products are used to flavor its fries.
Before its acknowledgment Monday, the company had quietly added "Contains wheat and milk ingredients" to the french fries listing on its Web site.

Earth Day Virtual March

2006-02-08T00:15:00.000-05:00

This is I believe the 2nd annual Earth Day Virtual March. Its better this year- not only do you sign, but you get to "carry a sign"! Choose from "Leave NO Species Behind", "Our Parks and Forests: NOT FOR SALE", "Stop Polluting Our Air and Water" or make your own sign! That sign gets linked to your name and your state senators and representatives will "see that you are marching" and hopefully not vote for the Delay/Pombo bill that would harm America's endangered species; threaten our national parks, forests and wildlife refuges; and remove protections for our health and the environment we share.
Click here to join the march (and check out the map that shows where people signed) and Click here to find out more about this new legislation that we need to defeat!

How Are Your State Leaders Viewing the Environment?

2006-02-07T23:57:00.000-05:00

Ever wonder what your elected officals are voting for (and against)? If you are environmentally-minded, the link here will help you find out what they are voting for compared to what the Defenders of Wildlife thinks they should have. For example- The Pombo bill that weakened the Endangered Species Act. Us good eco-minded people would want that bill to fail, but it passed. So you can find out which way your state senators and representatives voted. You may already know who the good and bad ones are in your state, but for those of you who don't, this is helpful. It lets you know who NOT to vote for next term as well as who to target letters to in order to show them they have constituents who do not support thier views.

PAWS: Pet Animal Welfare Statute

2006-02-07T23:48:00.000-05:00

There's a new bill called the Pet Animal Welfare Statute (PAWS). It closes a loophole in the Animal Welfare Act to protect animals in commercial breeding facilities, also known as "puppy mills". The pet stores are not selling puppies and kittens from some local person who's cat or dog got pregnant. They get them from breeders. The big clue is that they are usually rare breeds, pedigreed, and sold for big money. I think some breeds are really great, but I am a sucker for mutts. They just have so much character. The pet store in my local mall got shut down several years back, but there are a few local stores who sell animals from breeders. This one actually has this person dressed up like a dog standing on a median at rush hour holding a sign that says "Puppy Sale". I want to run him over! He's promoting puppy mills! There are so many animal rescue groups in my community, it makes me sick when people go to breeders. We can't change everyone, so by having a law that protects some unsafe and unethical practices in puppy mills, we can perhaps reduce the puppy mill population.
First, check to see if your legislators support PAWS (on the left side of the webpage in the link). If they don't, send them a letter to encourage them to do so. Thanks!

Conscious Choices for Paper Products

2006-02-07T23:19:00.000-05:00

This link will take you to a guide prepared by the NRDC on paper products. They have great charts to show you which brands to avoid and which ones are good and recycled, with post-consumer content, safe bleaching etc. I've been using Publix (huge Florida supermarket chain) "Greenwise" brand paper towels and TP- they are recycled and I think they work just fine. I'm not cleaning up spilled sippy cups of grape juice so as far as how quick the quicker picker upper may work really doesn't matter to me. But they don't make tissues, so this chart is helpful. Now if I can just break the obsession with the cute tissue box designs from the evil companies... I seriously decorated one of my bathrooms using a tissue box design as an inspiration.

Lots of New Species Found in Jungle!

2006-02-07T23:13:00.000-05:00

They are saying its the closest thing to the Garden of Eden you'd find on Earth (ok so where was the "real" Garden of Eden then?? In the sky?? Mars? Venus?) but as I see it, leave wildlife alone and they do great things. Mess with it and they die.
Here's the Reuters article about the "Lost World" found in an Indonesian jungle.

20 Tons of Mine Waste for 1 Gold Ring

2006-01-08T00:36:00.000-05:00

Most of us rarely think that the jewelry business is dirty. I'm not talking about high prices or scams, I'm referring to mine waste. The production of just one gold ring produces 20 tons of mine waste. What is mine waste, you ask? Cyanide and mercury for starters. Theres also a lot of other metals that pollute local drinking water, rivers, and farmland. Much of the waste is often dumped into the ocean. Mining communities are rarely clean and neat, if you've ever driven through one, you probably noticed. Due to the recent unfortuante coal mine accident in West Virginia, we've all seen how dangerous it is too. Worker safety is one thing, and so is the safety of the community and the environment. I came across this "No Dirty Gold" pledge and signed it. Basically its a campaign to let jewelers know that people care about what happens to the gold before it gets on thier finger or around thier neck. There are people who want to know that the gold they purchase wasn't acquired by harming workers, communities and the environment. Sign the pledge. They currently have almost 2/3 of thier goal of 30,000 signatures.

City of Philadelphia is Poisoning Wildlife!

2006-01-08T00:28:00.000-05:00

While in Philadelphia over the holidays, I saw a billboard near Center City (near the museums) that caught my attention. It said "Philadelphia: Stop Poisoning Wildlife" and there was a cartoon of a sick looking squirrel. It was a PETA billboard. So when I got home I emailed PETA to ask what was going on. They replied to me with the following link on the campaign to help wildlife in Philadelphia. On the website, theres a link to a video of news coverage of the situation and it shows how they are putting rat poison in holes where squirrels dig and near where children from a nearby school play. People also walk their dogs in these parks. I'm sending a letter to the Mayor.

Proggy Award Winners

2006-01-08T00:23:00.000-05:00

Here's the list of the 2005 winners of PETA's Proggy Awards, given to progressively responsibly companies demonstrating animal-friendly achievement. Take a look and when given a choice between one of these companies and another not listed, choose these.