June 27, 2011

Source

Have you heard of 'deep ecology' ? It is one of the more all-encompassing environmental philosophies, founded by Arne Naess. According to wikipedia, deep ecology is "the philosophy emphasizes the interdependence of organisms within ecosystems and that of ecosystems with each other within the biosphere. It provides a foundation for the environmental, ecology and green movements and has fostered a new system of environmental ethics."

"Deep ecology's core principle is the belief that, like humanity, the living environment as a whole has the same right to live and flourish."

Last summer I bought a book called Thinking Like a Mountain: Towards a Council of All Beings which is a compilation of readings, poems, meditiations etc. While I have only skimmed it, and I'm sure what it has to say is not for everyone, it is still enlightening and a flip through its pages will open your eyes to a very different perspective of the world.

Here is the poem that opens the book:

Spirit of love
That flows against our flesh
Sets it trembling
Moves across it as across grass
Erasing every boundary that we accept
And swings the doors of our lives wide -
This is a prayer I sing:
Save our perishing earth

Spirit that cracks our single selves -
Eyes fall down eyes,
Hearts escape through the bars of our ribs
To dart into other bodies -
Save this earth!
The earth is perishing.
This is a prayer I sing.

Spirit that hears each one of us,
Hears all that is -
Listens, listens, hears us out -
Inspire us now!
Our own pulse beats in every stranger's throat,
And also there within the flowered ground beneath
        our feet,
And - teach us to listen! -
We can hear it in water, in wood, and even in stone.
We are earth of this earth, and we are bone of its
        bone.
This is a prayer I sing, for we have forgotten this
       and so
The earth is perishing

                                - Barbara Deming

This book was published in 1988. That's 23 years ago. This poem is still appropriate today, which is sad. Perhaps a deeper, more spiritual outlook is needed, in which humans see and treat the earth as equal to them rather than something insignificant to be taken advantage of. 

p.s. Did you know that 2011 is 'The Year of Forests' as declared by the United Nations? 

Source

June 24, 2011

Couldn't resist sharing this video I found - one girl's solution to global warming....

Oh my. While yes, this is hilarious - at the heart of it, it is just terrible. Do people really think this way? Hopefully it's just her. 

Pop quiz - what impact do air conditioners have on global warming?

June 20, 2011

So you'd think being on summer vacation would mean that I have tons of time to write many, many interesting and informative posts here, but sadly I've been extremely busy working two jobs at the moment and enjoying the sun whenever possible. But, despite my little hiatus I have not forgotten about this blog (or my other one) nor the important issues that face us today.

Today the BBC website had, in my opinion, an extremely important article about our oceans. I know I have written quite a bit about the sea and overfishing but this article brings the level of urgency needed to address this issue, in an effective way I have not seen in other articles. 

The beginning of the article states that

In a new report, they warn that ocean life is  "at high risk of entering a phase of extinction of marine species unprecedented in human history" 

The International Programme on the State of the Ocean (IPSO) will be issuing a formal report later this week on this issue, so be sure to keep an eye out for that (if not, I'll do that for you!). Additionally, the article warns that the cumulative effect and impact of humankind's actions on the environment are "far worse than we had individually realised". In the past, earth has had five "mass extinctions" and it is now believed that we are heading towards a sixth, and at an unprecedented rate.

"So if you look at almost everything, whether it's fisheries in temperate zones or coral reefs or Arctic sea ice, all of this is undergoing changes, but at a much faster rate than we had thought."

Not only that, but one change leads to a chain reaction affecting many other aspects of the ocean. So it is not, for example, only increased ocean acidification due to increasing CO2 levels, but then the affect that has on say, coral reels, algae, which then changes the amount of nutrients and food available for other animals in the oceans, and soon enough things are going extinct not only because they can't adapt quick enough to the changes but also because food sources are disappearing. Everything is linked to each other, so it is not a matter of just slowing down carbon emissions, but it must be a combined effort of lowering emissions, raising awareness, stopping overfishing etc.

IPSO's immediate recommendations include:

• stopping exploitative fishing now, with special emphasis on the high seas where currently there is little effective regulation
• mapping and then reducing the input of pollutants including plastics, agricultural fertilisers and human waste
• making sharp reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

 It depresses me to think that we as humans - the, apparently, superior race - have reached the point where we have induced a very probable mass extinction. That our actions of greed, consumption and the 'bigger, better, now-now-now' attitude has led to the point where many of our valuable (yet not recognized as such by most) resources will be eliminated. You'd think that we'd be wiser and have accounted for the fact that our consumption would go faster than the rate at which the resources can replenish themselves. You'd think that now with all information (and highly credible information at that) available to pretty much the entire world, we'd accept it and now start acting to save as much of the oceans as we can, rather than fight it and look for short cuts. I don't think there are short-cuts. Instead, lets face reality and start fixing this mess we've made for ourselves, because there is no one and nothing else to clean it up for us.

all photos are from www.nationalgeograpic.com  

May 16, 2011

So, for all of you in Montreal (and probably the surrounding area), you know that it has been raining non-stop, and that this spring over all has been extremely rainy. Well, I wonder how many of you notice all the worms on the sidewalk. I have started noticing them everywhere recently, and sadly most of them were unable to make it back to the grass after their venture out onto the wet cement, before either drying up or getting stepped on. 

Now, I am not fond of picking up worms, I wasn't one of those kids who would bravly pick up the wriggling creature and hold it in their hands infront of their mother or squeeling friends. I wasn't afraid of bugs, but worms were certainly not first on the list to play with. Many people are probably either repulsed, afraid or ambivilent towards these skinny, pink creatures, so in attempts to, at the very least, peak people's appreciation of them enough to not step on them, here are some cool facts about earthworms!

According to Wikipedia, "Egyptian empress Cleopatra reportedly made it a crime to kill worms in Egypt in 50 BCE due to their contribution to agriculture"
Which brings me to my next fact - worms are amazing composters, because they will eat through anything that was once alive, but is now dead. According to this site, earthworms "plow the soil by tunneling through it. Their tunnels provide the soil with passageways through which air and water can circulate, and that's important because soil microorganisms and plant roots need air and water just like we do"

Also, there are more than 3000 types of worms according to this site. Additionally, worms are hermaphrodites and cannot see or hear, and breath through their skin since they do not have lungs.

Finally, Charles Darwin said "...it may be doubted if there are any other animals which have played such an important part in the history of the world as these lowly organized creatures."
After reading these facts, do you agree with Darwin??

May 10, 2011

Check out this post by a UK blogger about Project Ocean

"Spearheaded by the retailer’s creative director, Alannah Weston and working in partnership with the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) Selfridges is kicking off its “Project Ocean” campaign this summer.  To call attention to the plight of the oceans—as well as the deleterious consequences of overfishing—the high-end U.K. department store is raising money in support of a new marine-protected area. "

"According to Selfridges, Project Ocean will take over its London store on a scale never seen before. From its iconic windows, façade and atrium, to The Wonder Room, foodhall and restaurants, the London store will transform itself in homage to the ocean, it said."


If you are in London go check it out! I say, stores like Holt Renfrew, Olgilvy's and The Bay ought to do this too.

For more info about our oceans and fish check out my previous blogs here, here and here.

Save Our Oceans

 

April 22, 2011

Happy Earth Day!

I hope you are all enjoying a nice spring day. I am in the middle of exams so substance may be lacking. Here are a couple of sites you can visit for Earth Day inspiration:

Earth Day Canada

Earth Day - general

Earth Day TV

Playlist for the Planet

They're all really neat sites. Also, finally, here is the commercial that started it all in 1970

 

And the Discovery Dhannel's ad I posted on March 3. Boomdeyada!!

Also - check out National Geographic's awe-inspiring photos - see just how marvelous our Earth is: Earth Day Photos

And finally - the hauntingly beautiful photo of our earth taken in 1968, I think the first time a photo was taken of the Earth itself? Its 'Earthrise' taken from the moon.

March 30, 2011

Who is Elizabeth May?

Surprisingly, or well, probably not that surprisingly, not very many people know who she is.
Elizabeth May is the leader of Canada's Green Party. And, what's more, most people don't even know that the Green Party exists. Even though its a marginal party and has yet to get a seat on the House of Commons doesn't mean that it doesn't exist and shouldn't be recognized for its values, goals,  platform etc.

This morning, I also found out that Elizabeth May has been excluded from the televised party leaders' debate for the upcomming Canadian elections. Isn't the point of democracy to have voices heard? How will that be possible if the Green Party is excluded, especially when environmental issues are crucial not just in terms of 'saving the environment' but also for the economy and health.

See the CBC article here for more info and your chance to vote on whether or not the Green Party should be allowed to participate in the debate.
Also, please sign the petition here.

Just to be clear, I'm not saying 'you must go out and vote Green' but I am saying, educate yourself that the Green Party exists or what the other parties' stances are on the environment and help Canada in its next elections through voting (for whichever party you so please).

March 26, 2011

Tonight is Earth Hour. I am making myself a nice supper, and am finally going to enjoy my expensive candle I bought this summer that smells like african mint tea. mmm.

All around I am seeing advertisements for Earth Hour - on TV and posters around lamp posts, and ironically, littered on the ground.

Ignore the date - the idea's the same : )

Also, Youtube has gotten in the spirit. If you go on Youtube on the top left hand corner there is a little lightbulb that you can click and it brings you to their Earth Hour site. Its really neat - here is the direct link:

http://www.youtube.com/earthhour?feature=yoodle

Hope you all have a happy Earth Hour - together we can make a difference!

March 24, 2011

This Saturday, March 26, is another Earth Hour. More specifically, the 5th one so far. It will be happening from 8:30 to 9:30 pm (local time).

According to this year's facebook event "Earth Hour started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia when 2.2 million individuals and more than 2,000 businesses turned their lights off for one hour to take a stand against climate change."

And, "On Saturday 27 March, Earth Hour 2010 became the biggest Earth Hour ever. A record 128 countries and territories joined the global display of climate action."

Visit the Earth Hour website at www.earthhour.org/beyondthehour - its a really cool site with tons of suggestions on how to take your actions during Earth hour to the next level.

What are you going to do, will you turn off all your lights? What about your  microwave, or the plug that's charging your laptop, will you disconnect those? What about your TV? There are different degrees, but to fully appreciate the one hour, try and turn as much off as possible. Why not have a nice candle-lit night in with someone special, or watch a movie on your laptop (if it's running off of battery power and not plugged in my thought is that this is okay).

McGill University is also participating in Earth Hour. In an e-mail to students, it said that McGill would participate by "by turning off some lights on campus for the weekend, beginning on Friday afternoon."

In addition, and I think this is really neat, "McGill students, faculty and staff are also invited to join our counterparts from Concordia on a flashlight walk up Mount Royal. Meeting point will be at 7:10 p.m. on the lower field of the McGill campus, at the goalposts close to the Roddick Gates. The group is scheduled to arrive at the main lookout on Mount Royal at approximately 8:15 p.m., an incredible opportunity to watch lights across the city being turned off and experience the impact of collective action. Snacks and hot chocolate will be served – participants are asked to bring their own reusable mugs."

This is really cool and even if you aren't in Montreal or don't go to McGill or Concordia, why not do this in your neighbourhood? 

For more information on Earth Hour in Canada see: http://wwf.ca/earthhour

And around the world: http://www.earthhour.org/Homepage.aspx 

Finally, I heard about this a couple years ago but it seems to fit - http://www.blackle.com/ is a black version of google. The point being, that the black screen uses less energy than the white screen of regular google. Pretty nifty! 

March 15, 2011

As I stood and waited for my bus this morning, watching the cars go by on the street, I was curious to see who was in them. Where were they going? Were they bringing their children to school or perhaps off to work? However, while this started off as mere curiosity and a bit of snooping, I began to notice how many cars held only one person.

Isn't it supposed to be one of the most basic facts, that if you carpool it saves not only gas but money and emissions? Yet, so many people ignore this or forget this, it seems. Now, I don't know how environmentally conscious these drivers are, but my guess is that everyone by now knows something about global warming and probably recycles or has bought a compact flourescent lightbulb in the hopes of feeling good about their actions. But what about your driving habits? 

This got me thinking - every time I visit my grandparents in Kingston I am struck by the amount of cars on the street. It is a typical suburb, and with no exaggeration, almost every house on the block has 3 cars. Seriously. Not only is this asthetically very unpleasing, but does one family really need 3 cars? Combine this with the very likely probability that each of these cars is driven by one person and you have a lot of emissions on your hands.

Clearly we are a car culture. 

A study in 2006 done on the US says that: "the exhaust coming out of our car has actual weight—an average household with two mid-sized vehicles emits more than 20,000 pounds of CO₂ a year. That's 10 tons of pollution adding to the layer of greenhouse gases that heat the Earth. Excessive amounts of these gases—especially CO₂—are forming too thick a heat blanket around the Earth and leading to climate change."

Source

Yes, there are other factors out there which contribute to global warming, but driving is such an easy habit to alter and change. Be it the type of car you drive, how much you drive, carpooling or using more public transit or even bikes, its easy to cut down the amount you drive and your emissions.

If you are curious about how much CO2 you are emitting when you drive, check out this website CO2 Emissions Calculator. Just for fun, I entered: 2007 Ford Focus 2L 4 cyl E4E and it came out to be that for every 100 km you drive per week, you emit 1 ton of carbon per year. Now, I'm not sure how good or bad this is, obviously you'd have to go through and compare it to other models of Ford and other cars of different makers but similar size - but still, an interesting thing to play around with (especially if you know cars, which I don't).

Finally, two points to leave you thinking: (1) which is better, a vegan driving a hummer or a meat eater driving a hybrid (not sure I've posed this question in an earlier post, but an interesting point nonetheless) (2) Since the 1950s the only measurable and significant drop in emissions was in 2008 during the economic crisis.

March 7, 2011

Check out this link on National Geographic for tons of eye-opening information regarding the Global Carbon Footprint.

Here's a few tid-bits of information that I found striking:

Canada's current emissions are: 736 million tons
U.S. current emissions are: 7,098 million tons
China's current emissions are: 7,249.8 million tons

However, per capita Canada and the U.S. are way closer compared to China:

Canada: 22.8 tons per person
U.S. : 23.9 tons per person
China: 5.6 tons per person

Even more depressing, is that Canada and the U.S. are just under double the fourth highest country, Russia which is 13.9 tons per person.
And, while everyone probably would say the U.S would be the highest per capita, it is not. Australia takes the cake at 27.4 tons of carbon per person.

With that being said, check out this video:

So, lets get out there and do something to lower our carbon footprints!

March 5, 2011

This video shown to me by a friend got me thinking...

The world's population is expected to plateau at around 9-10 billion.
Scary, right?

Even more scary though, is thinking about the amount of food the world is going to have to produce to feed everyone, and the amount of water needed to support everyone.

Clearly, the western style of life will need to change. But how?
Try thinking about what you eat - where it comes from, how much of it you eat and how much energy and water it takes to produce that food. Next, think about how you can cut this down (my suggestion, don't eat meat in every meal - see here for why, along with other information to make you more conscious of your indirect consumption of water)

Also, think about your grooming habits - do you need to take a 30 minute shower? (Okay, maybe only on those cold Canadian mornings or those particularly stressful days, but you know what I mean). Do you need to wash as many clothes as you do, or only put on a half load of laundry (or dishes for that matter)?

While saying 'you must change your habits!' may sound harsh or dramatic to some, if you think about everything in little steps, it becomes a whole lot more realistic and easier to achieve. So, why not just change one think a week, or every two weeks? If you are able to mesh a more conscientious lifestyle with your own, you will be on the right track to make even bigger more eco-friendly changes later on! Good luck! : )

March 3, 2011

I cannot believe I haven't done this sooner, but here is my ultimate favourite ad:

This is an amazing ad and, for me atleast, makes me smile. Our world IS awsome, it's time we remember this and act to preserve all its wonders.

February 28, 2011

Colin Firth won Best Actor for his performance in The King Speech last night at the Oscars. Many of you probably already know this, but what you are probably less familiar with is what his wife has created. Livia Firth has created a company called Eco Age (you can check out the website here), which is entirely focused on the environment, be it products or consultancy. 

In keeping with the company's eco-friendly attitude, Livia Firth wore a dress to the Oscars which was made from 11 recycled dresses, which is part of her larger 'Green Carpet Challenge'

http://www.vogue.co.uk/blogs/livia-firth/

As she wrote on her blog for Vogue UK, "Every element — including zips, corsetry and the original toiles — is recycled. The only thing that we’ve used that is new is the thread that actually stitches the dress together.”

This is truly inspiring and demonstrates that eco-friendly clothing does not have to be made of hemp only and be worn solely by college students who've had an identity-make over.
Indeed, isn't Emma Watson designing a new line of clothing that's environmentally friendly? And Stella McCartney's clothing is all fur and leather-free and overall environmentally-aware, well ahead of the curve. Looks like there will be - and already is - an endless line of choice for those of us who wish to not only act and eat more eco-consciously, but also dress so, while still being fashionable.

February 20, 2011

I'm sure everyone can pin-point that one moment when they realized or learned that their actions had consequences that affected the environment. Mine was when I was little, sesame-street watching age (can't remember the specific age), and I was watching sesame street when this cartoon came on:

When I watched this I felt SO bad for that poor fish! Ever since then I have never left the faucet running when I brushed my teeth, and I made sure none of my family members did either. It is from this point on that I have been aware of my actions and their consequences.

Visit this site for more information about the water we use, and waste. With regards to leaving the tap running while brushing your teeth, it says that that action can waste 4 gallons of water.

February 17, 2011

Two days ago there was a giant solar flare, the biggest seen in many years. National Geographic explains that solar flares are "The most powerful explosions in the solar system." 

"Solar flares occur when magnetic field lines on the sun cross, cancel each other out, then reconnect.These "explosive reconnections" release huge amounts energy as heat—in this case, a short blast measuring roughly 35 million degrees Fahrenheit (19 million degrees Celsius), according to physicist Dean Pesnell, project scientist for NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, or SDO."

Biggest Solar Flare in Years - National Geographic

Pictured in ultraviolet, the largest solar flare in four years (center) explodes on Monday.

Image courtesy SDO/NASA

 Along with this, the magnetic instability of the flare caused a blast of particles to be sent out towards earth. These particles are predicted to reach earth's atmosphere tonight. Now, while this all sounds really sci-fi and as if our planet might be taken over, don't worry. This is not an asteroid and this is not some sort of attack. Nope, at the most these particles will cause really pretty lights, or auroras. Neat eh?

Aurora borelais is caused  "by the interaction of charged particles from the sun with the Earth's magnetic field. That excites oxygen and nitrogen in the Earth's upper atmosphere and causes them to light up."

Read more: CBC - solar flare and aurora borealis

Because it is an interaction that involves Earth's magnetic field, this is why you mostly see the northern lights, well, up north in the arctic, since that's where it is strongest. I have been lucky enough to see the northern lights once in my life when I was a child, and so it is a faint memory but one that has always captivated me and hopefully one day I'll see them again! Who knows, will tonight be the night? Probably not in Montreal since its a city and so there is all that city-light blocking out natural lights. But perhaps for those of you not in the city, or those of you ambitious and optimistic enough to go in search for it! 

Here is a really cool website provided by the Canadian Space Agency, called AuroraMax Live, which is a live webcam that captures real-time aurora borealis in Yellowknife (it only shows after dusk though, not all day, obviously). I'll be trying it out tonight for the first time, so forgive me if it is not 'all that' since I am just discovering it for myself as well (but I have high hopes).

Click here for an article about this new site.

It's nice to understand how the beauties of our world work, and neat to see how something as distant as the sun may influence it in such unexpected ways. I think that through truly taking time to stop and enjoy nature - even if it is through a live webcam, as sad as that may be ( I wish I could actually be up north cuddled up in a parka watching it!) - we can be reminded of what it is that we want to help preser and just how important things like conservation, sustainability and just living more 'green' is.

  

February 14, 2011

To all you Montrealers out there, check this out:

From February 25 - March 5 everyone is invited to go play in the Ephemeral Forest

"The Ephemeral Forest is a temporary piece created jointly with Montrealers around the Biodôme and the Olympic Stadium. The forest will be entirely made of Christmas trees picked up after the holiday season"

Go, take a walk through the forest and hang your wishes “for the planet” in the tree branches

What better way is there to not only give christmas trees a second life, but to enjoy winter and put good thoughts out there for the year to come!

I know I'll be going, will you?

http://www.ekosystem.org/0_Images/Street2/north-america/Phil-Jones_text-message_tree_mineapolis_usa_winter10.jpg

 

 

February 13, 2011

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and so here are a couple of eco-friendly creative gifts to give your loved one.

http://www.howoriginal.net/images/Alvarado/with_a_song_in_my_heart.jpg

 

 

Use up your old newspapers, magazines and wrapping paper from christmas and make something new out of it, like a collage heart or card!

One year, along with friends, I made paper which can then be used for cards as well. You can get really creative with this by adding in magazine cut outs, dried leaves or rose petals even - have fun with it!
Here's a good website for a guide on how to make your own paper: How to Make Paper

Here are some examples of the paper I made

Also, you could buy potted flowers rather than a bouquet as it lasts longer, and for those of you living in climates where there isn't snow, you can always plant flowers together, and that'll last the longest!

Also, there is tons of fair-trade chocolate and coffee out there - why not bake a cake and indulge! Actually, all of you should indulge whether you have a valentine or not.

Happy Valentine's Day!

February 10, 2011

As spring break looms, I can't help but dream of exotic vacations as I look at the snow on the ground.
The BBC travel section has taken a look at some the world's wonders and given them a grade based on how eco-friendly they are.

Coming out on top is Machu Picchu in Peru with an A-. Because of the lack of proper roads, cars and buses cannot access the site and further more helicopters have been banned as "Peru's Institute of Natural Resources found low-flying aircrafts to be contributing to the disappearance of a rare species of orchid and the Andean Condor". Hiking remains a popular way to enter the site.

The lowest scoring wonder is Pompeii in Italy. Why? Because of the lack of proper maintenance and budget cuts according to the author of the article, Suemedha Sood. "These cuts have left the site's drainage system vulnerable when faced with heavy rains. While some are calling for Pompeii to change hands from public to private control, others simply hope the Berlusconi government will respond to the calls for cultural preservation."

http://www.bbc.com/travel/blog/20110118-travelwise-eco-scorecard-to-the-worlds-great-attractions

Hopefully this inspires you - and for all of you who are not traveling but enjoy daydreaming, check out National Geographic's site for amazing, yet unattainable for students, expeditions. 

February 9, 2011

A great guide to keep in your wallet and have with you when you grocery shop:

February 8, 2011

Here is a new site I have recently discovered, and by recently I mean today!

The New Animalist

Check out the latest post on it entitled "Monkeys on a Plane" it is absolutely horrific! Even more sad that they are being brought to my hometown of Montreal! Something should definitely be done.

"Air Canada was in the business of shipping baby monkeys from breeding farms in China to biomedical labs in Canada."

"many people were shocked to learn that painful, invasive research is conducted on monkeys in Canadian labs every day–in this case, just a short drive west from our most cosmopolitan and sophisticated city, Montreal."

Spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick told CBC that Air Canada is obliged by law to accept monkeys as cargo.

“As a public carrier,” he says, “Air Canada can only refuse carriage in very limited situations. We cannot by law refuse the carriage of animals for the sole reason that they could ultimately be destined to a laboratory or for research. We must comply with this 1998 Canadian Transportation Agency [CTA] ruling.”

Please read the full article and check out the rest of the site focused on human/animal interactions

January 30, 2011

This past Thursday night I was welcomed by a little creature of the night. A bat. In my bedroom.
Yes my first reaction was to scream, run out of my room and shut the door on it, but after getting help to set it free again and with a couple days of clarity and reflection I have come to realise something.
Why was it that I was so frightened by a bat entering my room? Would I have been just as startled if I was camping, sitting around a fire at night and noticing a bat flying above in the trees? No, I probably wouldn't have. The reason why, is because my bedroom is my environment and when you go camping, you have entered 'wilderness'- it is nature's territory whereas my bedroom is my, human, man-made territory. Now, without getting into an entirely different discussion about whether or not camping-sites, and wilderness in general, is man-made, let me continue. 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4068/4336696399_599414418e.jpg

Humans have made their cities so controled and sectioned off from 'wilderness' that we forget that we are living in a world full of wilderness. From ladybugs and ants to squirrels, birds and yes, even bats. We forget that while we have invaded what once used to be uninhabited land (many, many years ago), we also forget that nature still exists all around us. We forget so much that when it pops up on your curtain rod and stares you in the face you get scared and run away.

This is not good. We need to learn to co-exist with these creatures. We all share the same environment and while we each may invade the other's space, humans on average do a lot more harm to nature than nature to humans. And so, we need to respect nature and forgive it for getting occasionally lost and entering our bedrooms. Yes there are sanitary reason to get the bat back outside, but there are humane ways and understanding ways. And so, the next time there is a bat in your room, remember it is part of nature and not just an intruder in your space.

#2 January 22, 2011

Please watch this video, it's important you know what is happening to the fish in our oceans

Here is an excellent blog post regarding this issue: http://kreativlondon.blogspot.com/p/earth-kreativ.html

Do not ignore this issue

January 22, 2011

We all know sites like Craigslist and Kijiji exist, so it was about time someone made a site like that with an environmental twist. And that site is The Freecycle Network.
The basic premise is people exchanging things they no longer need between each other rather than just throwing the item out.

"By giving freely with no strings attached, members of The Freecycle Network help instill a sense of generosity of spirit as they strengthen local community ties and promote environmental sustainability and reuse. People from all walks of life have joined together to turn trash into treasure"

One such example of what you can do, making something out of nothing
http://s3.amazonaws.com/materialicious2/images/tin-can-lids-turn-trash-into-treasure-m.jpg?1248821708

Thanks to people's generosity and willingness to participate, the site claims to keep 500 tons of garbage a day out of landfills. That's pretty incredible.

I have yet to try it out, but keep your eye on it, maybe you'll find that kitchen faucet or desk drawer you've always been looking for! And even if you never go on this site in your life, the basic principle that lies behind it can be adopted - instead of throwing out that old pair of jeans, donate it to Salvation Army, or give it to a friend : )

January 20, 2011

Happy New Year Everyone!

I appologize for the haitus. Exams were long, too long, and I have finally managed to somewhat settle into my new semester after a wonderful break.

And what's better for a new-year themed post than a little look at how 2010 did environmentally. An article on the BBC news website today reveals that 2010 was the warmest year on record... hmm....

It also says that "Other indications of 2010 warmth flagged up by the WMO include the lowest extent of sea-ice cover in the Arctic since the satellite record began"

What's more, the article lists a couple extreme weather events in 2010:

• the summer heatwave in Russia
• severe monsoon-related floods in Pakistan
• the worst Amazon drought in recent memory.

"Agencies including the UK Met Office suggest 2011 is likely to be cooler on average than 2010, as La Nina conditions dominate."

Now with this in mind (and I encourage you to read the article quickly to be properly informed), I suggest that all of you add at least one New Year's resolution to your list that involves bettering your behaviour toward the environment, be it reading to become more informed, composting, or offsetting your carbon footprint by planting trees.

My resolution will be to update this blog as much as possible and to not just walk past litter on the street, but rather, pick it up and throw it out.