Tag Archive for Native

A Great Way to Celebrate Earth Day

Here’s something your family can do:

 

Plant Trees

Honor Earth Day, Give Trees for Wildlife

Earth Day is almost here. Get hands-on to help wildlife—while showing politicians you care about addressing climate change—by giving to plant a native tree.

Or better yet, five trees. Or ten!

For every $10 you give today, a native tree will be planted to help wildlife survive and thrive—and you’ll help press leaders to take strong action on climate.

One of the most direct ways to improve our environment and help struggling species is to plant native trees. Trees absorb carbon dioxide—one of the key contributors to climate change—and other pollutant particulates, then store the carbon and release pure oxygen into the atmosphere. And they do this for decades, long after we’re gone.

Trees also lower air temperatures, help conserve energy, and provide wildlife with needed cover, nesting, and food.

Your donation today does even more than put native trees into the ground. Part of your gift will help us fight back against attempts to rollback climate and environmental programs that protect wildlife—and people—from pollution and severe weather events like drought and damaging storms from rising temperatures.

Give $10 to plant a tree, help the climate, and leave a conservation legacy for wildlife.

Our goal this year is to plant 50,000 trees while sending a strong message to the President and Congress that Americans do care about the environment—and that together, we will do our part to improve our communities and wildlife habitats.

Plant Trees

“Indian Summer”: Not a Slam, Just Misunderstood

If you’re anticipating a series of hot days coming soon, don’t, as some are doing, call it an “Indian Summer.”  Not because it’s “anti-Indian.”  In fact, one theory about the origin of the term is the early Algonquian tribes, who believed such heat was due to one of their gods, Cautantowwit, sending a warm wind.  (A bit of trivia you can work into any conversation…or not!)  More likely, especially here in America, the term began with our early New England settlers, who were constantly battling the local Native Americans.  In late October, though, the weather was so cold and blustery that the settlers could even venture forth from their stockades and leave their weapons at home.  Until or unless the weather suddenly turned warm, in which case the weather-forced “truce” was off and the settlers again had to defend themselves.  Thus the term “Indian Summer.”

The real reason we won’t be seeing an “Indian Summer” next week is that the conditions and timing are off.  To be a true Indian Summer, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, “the atmosphere during Indian summer is hazy or smoky, there is no wind, the barometer is standing high, and the nights are clear and chilly.” The Almanac also declares that the warm days happen after a hard frost or period of cold weather, and occur during a specific time, November 11 – 20.  So it’s too early.

Who cares what such beach-and-picnic weather is called or when it happens?  Just enjoy it!