Conservation

Save Polar Bear Tote Bag

Warning: She’s stepping up on her soap box and she has painted it green.

Not surprisingly, the Bush administration recently added the polar bear to the “threatened” species list, agreeing with conservationalists that the bear’s Arctic habitat is melting because of global warming.

Global Warming, “living green,” Conservation, Animal Protection, Saving the Planet, and even the proverbial phrase tree hugging shouldn’t be thought of as just political issues. They’re far deeper than that - they’re human issues, they hit all of us where we live.

As with everything in life, when it comes to issues such as these, we are either part of the solution or we’re part of the problem. It doesn’t matter if it’s a personal issue such as weight, procrastination, temper, hypertension, etc. or a global issue such. We always have a choice: We can either stand up and do what we can to make the situation better or we can sit down and hope it takes care of itself.

When we stand up, we’ve chosen to become part of the solution. When we sit down, we’ve chosen to become part of the problem.

While it’s a sobering thought, one day, our children will have children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.  I desperately want these children to grow up in the beautifully green and blue world that I’ve always loved so much. I want them to see, firsthand, how amazing all of God’s animals are. I don’t want them to have to just read about Polar Bears, Bison, Whales, Sea Turtles, Bats, Sea Otters, Dolphins, Elephants, Snowy Owls, Woodpeckers, etc. 

Sometimes we all tend to live in our own personal little space.  I think it’s time for us to throw open our doors and windows and see what we can do to make the world a better place for us as well as future generations. 

• We should make places on our blogs and/or websites for buttons and links to support the Red Cross, the WWF,  WorldVision - to name just a few. 
• We should donate money to these causes and encourage others to do the same.
• We should support agencies seeking cures and better lives for victims of cancer, autism, alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, diabetes, etc. 
• We should let our political leaders know how we feel.
• We should educate ourselves and always know what’s going on in the world around us.  Being an ostrich with its head in the sand doesn’t accomplish anything.

We know what we should do, now it’s time to see what we will do. 

If not us - who? 

Also Read:
U.S. adds polar bear to threatened list
Senate poised to take up sweeping global warming bill

With all due respect to my boy Kermit, it is, in fact, very easy to be green.  “Living Green” is simply a matter of choice.  If we CHOOSE to do our part to save the planet, we will CHOOSE to make positive decisions.  Every decision we make, after all, affects the world we live in for the better or for the worse.

Living green is what responsible, caring, and giving people do.  Fortunately, it doesn’t hurt and can, actually be pretty fun.  Below are some ways to add more green to your life and, in turn, add more green to our beautiful earth.

1. Reduce the number of “Packages” you buy.  When possible, buy bulk (think Sam’s Club).  This also is a sound decision financially - it’ll save you some green while you live green. 
2. Be informed.  Frequently check out websites such as Conservation International.  CI will keep you informed on the effects your lifestyle has on our environment. 
3. When we were first married, my husband was in the Air Force and money was about as tight as it could get.  I bought a book (yard sale!) about saving money/spending less.  It had a quote that jumped off the page at me and has stayed with me since.  While I’ve always used it in regards to spending/not spending, it also carries a lot of weight when it comes to living green.  Use it up.  Wear it out.  Make it do.  Or do without. I can’t for the life of me remember the name of the book (we’re talking YEARS ago!), let alone the name of the author, but the little verse is a great one.  One of the most important things we can do is to consume less. 
4. Choose products (printer paper, canvas totes for groceries, clothes) that are made of recycled material or can be reused or recycled.   Little changes add up.
5. Give your business to companies that have proven to be eco-conscious.  A few that I know of, off hand are Office Depot, McDonald’s, and Starbucks.  (I’ll add to this list as I find more.)
6. Another change I’ve personally implemented - Use glass plates, glasses and cloth napkins, even when the temptation for paper or plastic is at an all-time high.  We have a large family, so I know how tempting it is to grab plastic cups, paper towels and plates, but it’s another of those small changes that pile up, and I’d rather pile up small changes than trash our planet has to find something to do with.
7. Reduce toxicity by reusing your batteries and use batteries with reduced mercury.
8. Find fun, creative uses for old products before throwing them out.  Be sure to get every possible use from everything you have!  Old table? Dress it with a table cloth and a gorgeous plant and give it a new lease on life. 
9. Buy furniture, toys, clothes, etc that’ll hold up and stand the test of time.
10. When planting trees, flowers, herbs, and shrubs in your yard - keep in mind that all living things (from  bees and butterflies to frogs and birds) contribute to a healthy environment.  Each has a role they play and a purpose they serve.
11. Buy food that in no way harms threatened species or habitats.  Remember: Clearing forest for agriculture is one of the leading causes of global deforestation and habitat destruction. (Conservation International.org) 
12. Buy your produce as locally as possible.  Not only is it just a great idea to support your own community, when you buy locally, less fuel is used to deliver the produce.
13. Make living green a topic of conversation.  Discuss it with everyone you know.  After all, the more people who are doing their part, the more of an impact we’ll all have.
14. Find out if there are any threatened species in your community and see what you can do to help.
15. Whenever you travel - whether it’s walking at a local park or vacationing someplace a little more exotic, be sure you only TAKE photographs, only MAKE memories, and only LEAVE footprints.  Don’t even take one acorn - that’s something’s lunch!  Make sure children don’t make a mess by leaving wrappers, napkins or other culprits lying around. Things they think nothing of can be disasterous.

* The list above will grow as more information becomes available.

 Click HERE to see how Starbucks is doing their part on Earth Day!  As if I didn’t already love them enough.  Sigh.

Photo Credits:

The top picture is from Land Between the Lakes (Kentucky) and is courtesy of a guy I know, Mike.

The bottom picture is used, with permission, from a collection photographed by Petr Kratochvil.

My handsome friend, the Emperor Tamarin, and I want to tell you how you can become one of the coolest of the cool, hippest of the hip, and baddest of the bad. 

Everyone loves a compassionate, generous, loving person.  Agreed?  And when that person points those traits in the direction of animals (who positively, absolutely cannot help themselves), the value shoots to the moon.  Personally, I’ve always put people into two categories: There are those who love animals and care about their well being, and then there are “the others.”  One of the first things I noticed about Michael when he first came to pick me up for a date was how he acted around my pets.

He passed with flying colors.  My toy poodle thought he was the best thing since Dairy Queen hamburgers and my Siamese cat, Solo (who hated most humans) would crawl right into his lap.  When Michael didn’t panic over “cat hair” on his pants, but actually talked to him and rubbed him, I knew we’d found Mr. Right!

If you love animals as much as we do, the Tamarin and I have something wickedly fun and exciting to tell you about.  It’s not all fun and games, of course - it’s actually very important, serious business.  Some of the most beautiful, magnificent animals in the world are in danger - such as my much beloved polar bear’s fight against global warming - but we have it within our power to help them. 

So, yes, the situation is serious - but try telling that to the Tamarin. He’s all about the fun.

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has set up an adoption program featuring these amazing animals, including (of course) the Tamarin and polar bears.  Every donation you make helps save these beautiful animals from extinction and helps support the efforts to improve their lives. 

There are different levels of contributions, and each level comes with its own gifts.  For example, for a $25 adoption, you get an adoption certificate and photo of the animal you’ve chosen.  That, alone, is pretty amazing!  I think making the donation in someone’s name and presenting them with the certificate and photo would be very special.  However, for a $50 adoption, you not only get the certificate and photo, you also get an adorable plush animal which is about 12 inches from head to tail.  You should see these cuties!  They make perfect desk companions for work (a polar bear guides me through my day), car buddies, shelf sitters, and pillow perchers.

Go to the link below and click on each animal that tugs at your heart.  You’ll see a gorgeous picture of him/her, some information, and a chance to see the stuffed animal. (Hover over the thumbnail for a larger view.)  Animal Adoption at the WWF

Tell them the Tamarin sent you.

The stuffed Tamarin!

 
Polar Bears in Snow Art Print
Buy at AllPosters.com

The first animals I can remember are two gorgeous collies my grandparents had when I wasn’t much bigger than one of their toys.  From that time to today I’ve had an overwhelming love of all animals.  I absolutely melt in their presence. I couldn’t even begin to count the number of strays I’ve adopted over the years.  My husband quickly learned what my parents always knew - never, ever take me near an animal shelter or pet store.  It’s not because I’ll want one…it’s because I’ll want them all.

It’s pretty much the same at the zoo - but, we do have to draw the line somewhere.

One of my absolute favorite animals is the polar bear. I collect stuffed polar bears, polar bear mugs, etc.  I love these guys to distraction.

They’re the world’s largest terrestrial carnivore.  Polar bears are excellent swimmers and spend most of their life in or around water. However, as a result of global warming, sea ice in the polar bear’s hunting grounds is melting earlier and forming later each year. If present trends continue, this gorgeous and majestic animal could be extinct by the end of this century.

Totally unacceptable.

I’m going to drop some very important links, below, and ask you to see what you can do to help our beautiful friends. Most people sit back and think, “Someone else will take care of this…someone else will take care of that…” - it’s a recipe for disaster….and extinction.

Also, we should all keep in mind that Global Warming, Conservation, and Environmental Protection aren’t political buzz words (or rather they shouldn’t be).  Democrats aren’t the only ones who care about the world around us - and Republicans aren’t card-carrying tree choppers and animal haters.  Something as remarkably important as this shouldn’t be used in political warfare.  Ridiculous.

All politicians should ban together and get on the same side for once.  Frankly, I don’t care what party a politician associates with - I just want to know that they care about the same things we care about.

The Links:

Adopt a Polar Bear! (WWF)

Global Warming Crusade

Global Warming 101

Stop Global Warming

Polar Bears International

Nature’s Kingdom, Polar Bears Art Print
Buy at AllPosters.com

Are your spending habits so foot loose and fancy free that they’re in desperate need of being reigned in?  On No, mine aren’t either.  And by that I mean mine are the worst.  I think you could teach a possum how to ride a bike easier than you could teach me how to budget money.

I keep telling the husband that I’m what’s holding the economy together - I’ve taken it upon myself to keep Kroger, Starbucks, JCPenney, Kohl’s, Starbucks, Target, Wal-Mart, and Starbucks alive and thriving.  I’m sweet, like that.

For my husband’s sake, I read an article about saving money.  Read the whole thing, too, and it didn’t hurt a bit. The article includes 20 pretty cool tips.  I even….are you ready for this….acted upon a couple.  One was Go through the house and turn off all electrical devices you’re not using.  There were about 5 lights on that weren’t necessary.  Eh, it’s a start - and I guess every little bit helps.   I could also do this one:  Replace light bulbs with CFLs, compact fluorescent lights. (I’m all over the electric aspects of cutting corners.)

Write a grocery list (and stick to it when you shop).  I’ll try….no promises, though.  That kind of takes the fun out of it all. 

There are some great tips, you might want to give the list a once-over. 

If anyone has thrifty tips of their own, by all means - please leave them in the comments.  Except of course, your advice involves avoiding Starbucks.  That’s the sort of desecration the delete key was made for.

This is an idea that’s beyond brilliant!  Tarma Designs love our earth as much as they love beautiful jewelry.  My kind of people!

Their lightweight, recyled, stainless steel jewelry is as good looking as it is good hearted. 

In their own words:

Tarma is a company that designs, manufactures and sells unique, high quality, personal art that celebrates the spirit of adventure and a love of the outdoors. Guiding our enterprise is a commitment to meaningful social and environmental issues.

They go on to say that they believe businesses have a social and ethical responsibility to set examples for others to follow.

I’m not as environmentally-minded as I should be.  I channel all of my energies into people and animals, yet if the environment isn’t protected how well will we live?  Where will we live?!  I’m answering the wake up call and vow to read more on the subject and do my part.  I’ve even created a Category for the subject.

If you hear the call and are as jewelry obsessed as I am, give their website a look.  I didn’t see one thing that I didn’t want!