Many of us, knowing how much it costs our environment to eat beef hamburgers, are trying veggie burgers and “impossible burgers.” The question is, though, which of these is better? This article, Which is the Greenest Burger, compares costs in terms of greenhouse emissions, water and land use, and genetically modified ingredients.
Because today’s children seldom get out of the city, when they grow up, not many choose environmental careers, resulting in fewer people to care for our planet. Help reverse the trend and have family fun doing it. Plant a garden with your kids. Watch it grow. Enjoy the colors, smells, and textures. If you grow vegetables, cook them together to enjoy at a family meal. Or take the family on walks. Many cities boast of several beautiful easy-walk trails where you can share nature’s sounds, sights, and smells. Probably, there are parks nearby, too, for picnics or just experiencing the wonders around you. While on your outings, pick up trash you see and explain to the kids that, even if we didn’t cause it, we should show respect for our lovely surroundings. That night your children should be tired enough to sleep soundly—and dream happy dreams of butterflies and forests.
It’s Spring! Time to start planning for a healthier, more beautiful home for your family and for the little creatures living close to you. In fact, your yard (or even apartment balcony) can be certified by the National Wildlife Foundation’s Backyard Wildlife Habitat Program. It takes five steps: 1) provide a food source for your little visitors in the form of native plants, which take less water and produce nectar, berries, or seeds; 2) supply clean water for drinking and bathing—like a birdbath or pond; 3) put in logs, rocks, or a birdhouse to give cover, for both protection and a place to raise young; 4) practice environmentally friendly gardening, using less lawn, mulching, and rain barrels or other water conservation methods; 5) go to https://www.nwf.org/Garden-for-Wildlife/Certify and certify your new habitat (this is optional but fun). For details, go to that website or call the NWF at (800)822-9919. Creating your habitat will bring sunshine to your family and life to your little corner of the world.
Kaskazi Environmental Alliance (KEA) has an exciting, innovative idea: teach E. Africans about the importance of their environment and how that environment affects everyone on Earth; get them excited about and active in preserving their eco-system; and provide jobs that will help them pull themselves out of poverty.
KEA will offer marine science programs to the people who will be stewards of the Earth in the future–the youth. They will also build a world-class aquarium and marine research and conservation center. Additionally, they plan to turn a dangerous eyesore of a dump into a recycling center Through all of this, they will employ local people, giving them life-saving jobs and hope for a better future.
I think this U.S.-based not-for-profit has the right idea. And the group creating and running it has the vision, energy, and dedication to make it work.
KEA is only a few years old. However, as it goes along, , I believe it will act just like its namesake, the African Kaskazi winds, calming the storms of poverty, environmental degradation, and inadequate education.
I’ll be watching them…and reporting on them here from time to time. Meanwhile, learn more about KEA by going to their website, www.KEAinc.org.
I don’t mean this as an ad. I don’t do ads here. But I just discovered something that is practical, reusable (just wash them), biodegradable, and organic–the total package!
We all know about the growing plastic garbage patch in our oceans and about wildlife dying after eating or getting tangled in plastic. What’s probably one of your biggest uses of plastic, especially if you have kids? Plastic wrap and containers.
Check out the Etee Food Wraps. Perfect for lunch box items, preserving cut vegetables, storing things like banana bread, covering bowls in the fridge…all sorts of things. The odd (and nice) part is that the more you buy the less expensive they are–a Family pack (16) is $4 cheaper than a Starter Pack (3), and shipping is free.
Again, I’m sorry if this comes across as an ad. I get excited about products that are good for me and for the environment.
I just learned three things about Martin Luther King, Jr. that I didn’t know but found interesting. I knew that he wasn’t perfect–had some flaws, did some sinning–and that he was the leader that was needed during that part of the history of American social justice. Here’s what I didn’t know:
You can read details about these three facts at CNN’s Three ways MLK speaks to our time.
Here’s a Sensible Saturday idea worth thinking about:
Think you know a lot about protecting the environment? Take this short quiz. You might learn something new.
Lady Bird Johnson gives us a Thursday Thought for Earth Day:
“The environment is where we all meet; where all have a mutual interest; it is the one thing all of us share.” —Lady Bird Johnson
So, I’m one of those super-pro-environment people–avoid pesticides, treat food-animals humanely, work toward a real, honest, agreed-upon, and followed definition of “organic.” That sort of thing. When I saw this video, though, I realized that I know people like this–and they won’t find this video humorous.
Oh well. Just know that I’m laughing at myself, as well, while standing firm on my eco-friendly beliefs.
[Thanks to Marco Paganini for this one.]