Last night I watched Blackfish on Netflix. The movie is a documentary about the Killer Whales at SeaWorld parks and the issues surrounding them. Unfortunately the movie came about because a mother, Gabriela Cowperthwaite, learned of the death of Killer Whale trainer, Dawn Brancheau that had occurred around the time she had taken her children to SeaWorld and something didn't sit right with her. She decided to dive in and find the truth.
Unfortunately she found that this was not an isolated incident, but a big problem within the SeaWorld community. One thing that the movie does not go into is the fact that SeaWorld does do some good, by taking in hurt animals, rehabbing them and getting them back into the wild when possible. The question you must ask yourself is does this then allow them to turn around and steal Killer Whales from their pods, forcing the families into mourning (remember these are very intelligent animals).
According to the movie, these animals tend to live 60-100 years in the wild, only about 35 years in captivity. Since they tend to live with animals from different pods while in captivity, they don't get along like they do with their family. In fact it is believed that Killer Whales taken from different parts of the world, actually speak different languages-kind of like humans. This obviously causes them distress, then add in the fact that these are animals made to roam (up to 100 miles in a day) and they are forced to live in small pens with other whales that they do not know. This often leads to biting and even killing of each other.
SeaWorld had known since they got Tilikum from Sealand, 20 years prior to Dawn's death, that he had killed another trainer. Despite this fact SeaWorld wanted him for his sperm as well as to perform. They knowingly took a problematic animal and put trainers in with him. It was a timebomb waiting to happen. On top of that, 54% of SeaWorld's Killer Whales are descendants of Tilikum, thus creating another potential time bomb(s) for years to come.
SeaWorld has been planning a six week concert package with likes of Willie Nelson, the Barenaked Ladies, Heart, REO Speedwagon and more. All of these bands and others have canceled their gigs and the list seems as if it will continue to grow.
Please watch the movie and educate yourself, then let SeaWorld how you feel about the inhumane treatment of these animals.
Monday, December 16, 2013
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Hollywood Pretending
In my day job as a visual effects camera operator, I worked on a set this week that was free of plastic bottles. We were asked to bring reusable containers, which I always have anyway, as the only available water would be from a 5 gallon dispenser.
Great...or so I thought.
As it turns out, on top of the 5 gallon container were plastic cups.
I was left wondering....what's the point?
It is another example of Hollywood pretending to be something it's not.
Great...or so I thought.
As it turns out, on top of the 5 gallon container were plastic cups.
I was left wondering....what's the point?
It is another example of Hollywood pretending to be something it's not.
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Global Warming
I came across this infographic on global warming the other day on Upworthy.
It's easy to read and makes it easy to discuss climate change with others and have plenty of great discussion points.
1. Approx 97% of scientists believe we humans are the cause of global warming.
2. Seven of the eight years hottest years on record have occurred since 2001.
3. Since 1900 the average temperature on earth has risen 1.5°F (.8°C). 2005 and 2010 were the hottest years.
4. National Climate Assessment drafted a report that states that future generations of Americans can expect "heat waves, heavy downpours and in some regions floods and drought"
5. The US Army says that global warming is a national security threat because it may produce scores of refugees and food shortages due to displacement, droughts and possibly war and/violence.
It's easy to read and makes it easy to discuss climate change with others and have plenty of great discussion points.
1. Approx 97% of scientists believe we humans are the cause of global warming.
2. Seven of the eight years hottest years on record have occurred since 2001.
3. Since 1900 the average temperature on earth has risen 1.5°F (.8°C). 2005 and 2010 were the hottest years.
4. National Climate Assessment drafted a report that states that future generations of Americans can expect "heat waves, heavy downpours and in some regions floods and drought"
5. The US Army says that global warming is a national security threat because it may produce scores of refugees and food shortages due to displacement, droughts and possibly war and/violence.
Now, I'm no scientist, but I've certainly never heard that any scientist has proven that we are not causing climate change and the evidence is pretty overwhelming that we do. Shouldn't we error on the side of caution? Especially since the downside is so destructive to future generations.
So go on, get out there and spread the word.
Friday, September 13, 2013
Tesla-"It's so choice"
My 14 year old son and I took a test drive in the Tesla S yesterday at our local Tesla dealership in Woodland Hills, CA. Heather was our guide and she was full of great information and very pleasant too. While it is not a car that I can get today (I will get one one day) it was important to do for motivational purposes, if nothing else.
It is a car I have loved checking out online and occasionally in person, since it first came on the market. I even watched the Model S delivery event live in June 2012, while I was working on a little movie down in New Zealand.
I was worried that driving the Tesla S might be a letdown.
It is a car I have loved checking out online and occasionally in person, since it first came on the market. I even watched the Model S delivery event live in June 2012, while I was working on a little movie down in New Zealand.
I was worried that driving the Tesla S might be a letdown.
Well I was wrong! It is an absolutely the coolest vehicle I have ever driven. Sorry Porsche.
The 17" touchscreen display is incredible in and of itself. There are few actual physical buttons on the dash. Most everything is on the display and you can navigate most things through the steering wheel too. Whether you are checking out traffic, need directions, surf the web, control the speakers or the sunroof, it is all at your fingertips.
You can even set your driving style. You want tighter handling? Touch the screen. You want to conserve energy by regenerating power when you slow down? Touch the screen. You get the idea.
My favorite part though, was the acceleration. From a stop, it accelerates so fast that it slams you into the back of the seat (Performance Model goes 0-60 mph in 3.9 sec). My son had the biggest smile on his face when I hit the accelerator and he found himself jammed into the seat. While cruising on the freeway next to other cars, you hit the "gas" and you leave the other cars in the dust. It responds instantly and is absolutely AMAZING!
The Tesla S isn't just a great performance car with all the bells and whistles, Tesla has also invested a lot into the safety of its customers. Recently the Tesla S received 5 Star Safety Rating from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in all categories, although not without some critiques. Some complain that most other luxury cars are not even tested and that Tesla does not have features like collision avoidance features that some other luxury models have. Still the Tesla S apparently managed to break the machine that tests the roof after putting the equivalent of 4 Tesla S's on it (that's over 18,000 lbs of force). So where does it really stand? Not sure, but take it for what it is worth, I'm sure we will be hearing more soon.
Now don't forget the Supercharging stations that Tesla is working hard on right now. As we speak there are only about 21, mostly in California, but by next year, you will begin seeing them pop up all across the country, and the map of 2015 Supercharging stations looks remarkable. In 30 minutes, you can get enough charge to drive 200 miles. While you won't get range anxiety on most days (range of over 208-265 miles depending on the battery you get), the Supercharging stations will allow you to go on road trips without the hassles that you might now encounter.
If you can afford a Tesla S, I highly recommend it. As Ferris Bueller might say "it's so choice".
Don't forget the Tesla X comes out next year and they are taking reservations now. I can't wait!
I know this probably looks like an advertisement for Tesla, but I get nothing from Tesla and just simply believe it is one of the best products that I have experienced.
Monday, September 9, 2013
Why Don't People Care About Taking Care of the Planet?
If your body was acting up and you knew that things weren't right, most of us would do something about it. Unfortunately that doesn't seem to be the case when it comes to taking care of the thing that takes care of us-The Planet, Earth, The Blue Marble.
It seems that most people are living in denial that anything is wrong with the environment and/or that if there is something wrong that "they" (whoever "they" are) will take care of the problem. Guess what, we are all "they". We all need to pitch in.
While there are some really passionate groups, like 5 Gyres, Surfrider and Greenpeace, in the world trying very hard, there is relatively little being done to really solve the problems. It's not for lack of effort, but rather lack of caring by the greater population. Until we can change the mindset of the masses, and governments get serious about of pollution, over consumption, energy entitlement, and educating the public on the enormity of the situation, we will continue a downward spiral of destroying the very thing that gives us life.
Unfortunately we have set up our society to value money and possessions over happiness and the true prosperity of living in a beautiful, healthy world. We can't take the money or belongings with us, but we can leave the world in a sustainable environment, so that the world can continue to prosper. I often worry that in 200 years the world will look back on this time as the most destructive time in the history of the earth. It is destruction in the name of greed.
As we continue putting more people on earth, we will be demanding more resources-but where will these resources come from? The planet is only so big and we are taking the resources at alarming rates.
Quick Thought
Think about a 1500 sq. ft. house.
Now think about filling that home with oil.
Now think about the enormity of 14 million of those homes filled with oil.
That is how much oil the world is pulling from the earth each year.
We are creating a HUGE hole in the earth and it gets bigger every year.
How long can that possibly continue?
We need to change and we all need to be involved.
Making better, more informed purchases, being active in getting laws changed and empowering the world's citizens on how they can help is essential to sustaining the world's resources.
Read labels. Know where your products are coming from and what is in them.
Buy local. Products that don't need to travel far, save transportation resources. You might be surprised what you can find at thrift shops and your local farmers market are great places to start.
Reduce. Reduce your needs. Think about every purchase. Not only will you save money, but you will also be slowing down the need for the earth's resources.
Reuse. So many things can be reused that we just throw away. Don't use plastic grocery bags, bring your own. It sickens me that we use these things for minutes, then send them off to the dump forever.
Before recycling my 8.5" x 11" paper, I turn it into scrap paper. I fold it in quarters, tear it into 4 equal parts and use it to write notes on.
Recycle. Hopefully you don't use plastic bottles, but if you do, please recycle. There are also places to recycle just about everything else. Check out a great app iRecycle, on the app store. They make finding a place to recycle almost any item, a little easier.
Plastic. It's hard to get away from, but there are some alternatives. Bring a reusable water bottle with you, buy whole foods-not packaged, don't drink bottle soda, look for alternatives to plastic whenever possible. Also you may want to check out My Plastic Free Life.
Driving. Maybe you could walk or bike instead of drive. It's good exercise and you will be saving the planet. If you do drive, be conscience about combining trips and your driving habits can make a world of difference too. Keep you vehicle in good shape and hopefully you are driving a vehicle with great gas mileage.
Spread the Word. Let people you know what they can do to help. Remember you are trying to educate, not judge people. Many are conscious about the situation, but don't know where to turn, or think it will be so difficult. By educating yourself, you will be able to help others and build this movement from a trend to a lifestyle of an entire planet.
The earth is sick and needs our help. Are you willing to do your part?
It seems that most people are living in denial that anything is wrong with the environment and/or that if there is something wrong that "they" (whoever "they" are) will take care of the problem. Guess what, we are all "they". We all need to pitch in.
While there are some really passionate groups, like 5 Gyres, Surfrider and Greenpeace, in the world trying very hard, there is relatively little being done to really solve the problems. It's not for lack of effort, but rather lack of caring by the greater population. Until we can change the mindset of the masses, and governments get serious about of pollution, over consumption, energy entitlement, and educating the public on the enormity of the situation, we will continue a downward spiral of destroying the very thing that gives us life.
As we continue putting more people on earth, we will be demanding more resources-but where will these resources come from? The planet is only so big and we are taking the resources at alarming rates.
Quick Thought
Think about a 1500 sq. ft. house.
Now think about filling that home with oil.
Now think about the enormity of 14 million of those homes filled with oil.
That is how much oil the world is pulling from the earth each year.
We are creating a HUGE hole in the earth and it gets bigger every year.
How long can that possibly continue?
We need to change and we all need to be involved.
Making better, more informed purchases, being active in getting laws changed and empowering the world's citizens on how they can help is essential to sustaining the world's resources.
Read labels. Know where your products are coming from and what is in them.
Buy local. Products that don't need to travel far, save transportation resources. You might be surprised what you can find at thrift shops and your local farmers market are great places to start.
Reduce. Reduce your needs. Think about every purchase. Not only will you save money, but you will also be slowing down the need for the earth's resources.
Reuse. So many things can be reused that we just throw away. Don't use plastic grocery bags, bring your own. It sickens me that we use these things for minutes, then send them off to the dump forever.
Before recycling my 8.5" x 11" paper, I turn it into scrap paper. I fold it in quarters, tear it into 4 equal parts and use it to write notes on.
Recycle. Hopefully you don't use plastic bottles, but if you do, please recycle. There are also places to recycle just about everything else. Check out a great app iRecycle, on the app store. They make finding a place to recycle almost any item, a little easier.
Plastic. It's hard to get away from, but there are some alternatives. Bring a reusable water bottle with you, buy whole foods-not packaged, don't drink bottle soda, look for alternatives to plastic whenever possible. Also you may want to check out My Plastic Free Life.
Driving. Maybe you could walk or bike instead of drive. It's good exercise and you will be saving the planet. If you do drive, be conscience about combining trips and your driving habits can make a world of difference too. Keep you vehicle in good shape and hopefully you are driving a vehicle with great gas mileage.
Spread the Word. Let people you know what they can do to help. Remember you are trying to educate, not judge people. Many are conscious about the situation, but don't know where to turn, or think it will be so difficult. By educating yourself, you will be able to help others and build this movement from a trend to a lifestyle of an entire planet.
The earth is sick and needs our help. Are you willing to do your part?
Thursday, August 29, 2013
The Dirty Dozen
The Dirty Dozen is a list of the 12 foods that tend to have the most pesticide residues, as put together by the Environmental Working Group (EWG). These are some very healthy foods, that you might consider buying organic to reduce your daily intake of pesticides. Many of these foods also contain pesticides that are believed to be connected to the colony collapse disorder and our faltering honeybee population.
1. Apples
2. Celery
3. Cherry Tomatoes
4. Cucumbers
5. Grapes
6. Hot Peppers
7. Nectarines
8. Peaches
9. Potatoes
10. Spinach
11. Strawberries
12. Sweet Bell Peppers
but wait there's more....
13. Kale/Collard Greens
14. Summer Squash
NEXT...look for the Clean 15.
1. Apples
2. Celery
3. Cherry Tomatoes
4. Cucumbers
5. Grapes
6. Hot Peppers
7. Nectarines
8. Peaches
9. Potatoes
10. Spinach
11. Strawberries
12. Sweet Bell Peppers
but wait there's more....
13. Kale/Collard Greens
14. Summer Squash
NEXT...look for the Clean 15.
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
My favorite new blog
Recently my son decided to start his first blog.
He is 14 years old and in June of 2012 he changed his life for the better. After a great deal of difficulty in school and beyond due to OCD, anxiety and more, he changed his diet, added supplements to his life and began chelation therapy.
Before his treatments began, his grades were suffering and he had a difficult time just going to school. Last year his grades were up significantly and his STAR testing results were absolutely remarkable, especially in math and science.
He now wants to share with the world what he has learned and is continuing to learn through his journey. Being a gluten free vegetarian, he has had to deal with a great deal of changes and has done so with remarkable courage. Have you ever seen a 14 year old read every ingredient on every label? I see it almost daily. He really has made me a proud papa!
Check out his Healthy Eating blog to follow him through his journey.
He is 14 years old and in June of 2012 he changed his life for the better. After a great deal of difficulty in school and beyond due to OCD, anxiety and more, he changed his diet, added supplements to his life and began chelation therapy.
Before his treatments began, his grades were suffering and he had a difficult time just going to school. Last year his grades were up significantly and his STAR testing results were absolutely remarkable, especially in math and science.
He now wants to share with the world what he has learned and is continuing to learn through his journey. Being a gluten free vegetarian, he has had to deal with a great deal of changes and has done so with remarkable courage. Have you ever seen a 14 year old read every ingredient on every label? I see it almost daily. He really has made me a proud papa!
Check out his Healthy Eating blog to follow him through his journey.
Monday, August 26, 2013
Cool Green Cars
It is no secret that America loves cars!
I love my car too, but for the first time in my life, I find myself guilty of having car envy. No, not the BMW's or Mercedes that are a dime a dozen on the LA freeways. Not even the fabulous Ferrari or Lotus that you see here as well.
I have car envy for vehicles that are changing the future of cars as we speak. You are seeing them more frequently across in California and across America too.
I'm talking about the Nissan Leaf, the Chevy Volt and the car I absolutely drool over, the Tesla S.
The least expensive is the Nissan Leaf so let's start there. The Leaf is great for the budget minded eco geek, and don't we all have a little geek in us?
While its range is just 75 miles, Nissan states that the average American drives just 29 miles/day. Sounds like it could work for a lot of us, most of the time, but we may still want to have another car in the family for any longer trips.
The Leaf has some great features too. You have to check out the birdseye camera that let's you see all of your immediate surroundings to help with parking. Parking is like playing a video game. You can actually see how close you are to objects on all sides of the car. Very cool and very functional.
The remote start allows you to start your vehicle from anywhere. Think about it, you are having that big production meeting in the restaurant, it's 100° outside and your car is charging in the parking lot. You start it up while you are having dessert, turn on the AC and cool that baby off before you even leave the restaurant. If you are fully charged, you won't even lose any range either.
While it's range is a bit limited, the Leaf does have some really great features.
The Nissan Leaf starts at $21,300 or lease for as little as $199/mo.
When I first heard about the Chevy Volt, I didn't like the concept. An electric engine that gets you about 35 miles, then a combustion engine takes over, not only propelling the car, but recharging the electric engine as well.
At the moment electric cars are limited, due in part because it takes so long to charge, and the mileage is limited. That's why the Volt is a terrific segway vehicle for Chevy to get into the Electric Car market.
It's a practical solution for those of us with range anxiety. Let's face it, you might not get 35 miles of actual range in LA traffic, heat and hills. So what do you do when you get low on charge? Just let the combustion engine take over. It will recharge the electric motor and still get 37 MPG. In fact you can drive from LA to NY and still get great mileage while having no range anxiety.
It's stylish inside and a fun car to drive too. I'm loving this car.
The ChevyVolt starts at $34,185 (minus your $7500 tax credit), making it $26,685 or lease for as little as $299/mo.
The Tesla S is the car I just drool over. Every time I see one on the road, I go into this crazy trance. They aren't cheap, for good reason. Not only is it a beautiful vehicle, it has amazing performance and according to independent testing, it is incredibly safe too.
I find the lines of the Tesla S to be absolutely amazing. They flow from one end to the other, reminding me of the beauty of ocean waves. Then you crawl inside this luxurious beauty and see the gigantic 17" touchscreen display that shows you everything about the car you need ever want to know and even let's you surf the web (but not while you are driving please). It's a beautiful vehicle inside and out.
The Tesla S gets up to 265 miles on a single charge, so you don't have any range anxiety there. Presently you can find charging stations that allow you to charge your Tesla S up to 50% in just 30 min. The real excitement here though is Tesla's plan for battery swapping stations. They are working on battery changing stations that would allow you to change your battery out, faster than you can get gas. That will be something to see.
Let's face it none of us want to get hurt out there on the road and the Tesla S has a 5 star safety rating. The battery pack is located directly underneath the car, giving it a low center of gravity, making it difficult to rollover. Even if it did, the roof can apparently hold 4 G's, the equivalent of stacking 4 Tesla S's on roof, without the roof collapsing. To date they have not seen a battery catch fire in testing or in any on street crashes. It doesn't mean it won't happen, but they seem to be doing something right.
Tesla S starts at $69,900. Use that $7500 tax credit and it makes it $62,400 effectively.
I do like my Honda Insight. At 42 mpg (my actual mileage) it works out very well in the stop and go LA traffic, that's the freeways I'm talking about. When it is time to get a new car, you know where I'll be looking for my car of the future.
Remember, the grass can always be greener. When it's your time for you to trade in and trade up, you now know where to start looking for that new eco car! Cleaner cars are better for America, as all of these reduce emissions and save money on fuel. These 3 cars and their successors will have a great impact on cleaning up our environment, and are pretty cool cars in their own right too.
America love's cars, why not get one that will love America back?
I love my car too, but for the first time in my life, I find myself guilty of having car envy. No, not the BMW's or Mercedes that are a dime a dozen on the LA freeways. Not even the fabulous Ferrari or Lotus that you see here as well.
I have car envy for vehicles that are changing the future of cars as we speak. You are seeing them more frequently across in California and across America too.
I'm talking about the Nissan Leaf, the Chevy Volt and the car I absolutely drool over, the Tesla S.
The least expensive is the Nissan Leaf so let's start there. The Leaf is great for the budget minded eco geek, and don't we all have a little geek in us?
While its range is just 75 miles, Nissan states that the average American drives just 29 miles/day. Sounds like it could work for a lot of us, most of the time, but we may still want to have another car in the family for any longer trips.
The Leaf has some great features too. You have to check out the birdseye camera that let's you see all of your immediate surroundings to help with parking. Parking is like playing a video game. You can actually see how close you are to objects on all sides of the car. Very cool and very functional.
The remote start allows you to start your vehicle from anywhere. Think about it, you are having that big production meeting in the restaurant, it's 100° outside and your car is charging in the parking lot. You start it up while you are having dessert, turn on the AC and cool that baby off before you even leave the restaurant. If you are fully charged, you won't even lose any range either.
While it's range is a bit limited, the Leaf does have some really great features.
The Nissan Leaf starts at $21,300 or lease for as little as $199/mo.
When I first heard about the Chevy Volt, I didn't like the concept. An electric engine that gets you about 35 miles, then a combustion engine takes over, not only propelling the car, but recharging the electric engine as well.
At the moment electric cars are limited, due in part because it takes so long to charge, and the mileage is limited. That's why the Volt is a terrific segway vehicle for Chevy to get into the Electric Car market.
It's a practical solution for those of us with range anxiety. Let's face it, you might not get 35 miles of actual range in LA traffic, heat and hills. So what do you do when you get low on charge? Just let the combustion engine take over. It will recharge the electric motor and still get 37 MPG. In fact you can drive from LA to NY and still get great mileage while having no range anxiety.
It's stylish inside and a fun car to drive too. I'm loving this car.
The ChevyVolt starts at $34,185 (minus your $7500 tax credit), making it $26,685 or lease for as little as $299/mo.
The Tesla S is the car I just drool over. Every time I see one on the road, I go into this crazy trance. They aren't cheap, for good reason. Not only is it a beautiful vehicle, it has amazing performance and according to independent testing, it is incredibly safe too.
I find the lines of the Tesla S to be absolutely amazing. They flow from one end to the other, reminding me of the beauty of ocean waves. Then you crawl inside this luxurious beauty and see the gigantic 17" touchscreen display that shows you everything about the car you need ever want to know and even let's you surf the web (but not while you are driving please). It's a beautiful vehicle inside and out.
The Tesla S gets up to 265 miles on a single charge, so you don't have any range anxiety there. Presently you can find charging stations that allow you to charge your Tesla S up to 50% in just 30 min. The real excitement here though is Tesla's plan for battery swapping stations. They are working on battery changing stations that would allow you to change your battery out, faster than you can get gas. That will be something to see.
Let's face it none of us want to get hurt out there on the road and the Tesla S has a 5 star safety rating. The battery pack is located directly underneath the car, giving it a low center of gravity, making it difficult to rollover. Even if it did, the roof can apparently hold 4 G's, the equivalent of stacking 4 Tesla S's on roof, without the roof collapsing. To date they have not seen a battery catch fire in testing or in any on street crashes. It doesn't mean it won't happen, but they seem to be doing something right.
Tesla S starts at $69,900. Use that $7500 tax credit and it makes it $62,400 effectively.
I do like my Honda Insight. At 42 mpg (my actual mileage) it works out very well in the stop and go LA traffic, that's the freeways I'm talking about. When it is time to get a new car, you know where I'll be looking for my car of the future.
Remember, the grass can always be greener. When it's your time for you to trade in and trade up, you now know where to start looking for that new eco car! Cleaner cars are better for America, as all of these reduce emissions and save money on fuel. These 3 cars and their successors will have a great impact on cleaning up our environment, and are pretty cool cars in their own right too.
America love's cars, why not get one that will love America back?
Friday, July 26, 2013
Why Be Green? Chemicals
Today it would be almost impossible to find a human being on earth (including newborn babies) who have not been exposed to toxic chemicals. In fact, way back in 1963 Rachel Carson wrote in her book Silent Spring, “A Who's Who of pesticides is therefore of concern to us all. If we are going to live so intimately with these chemicals eating and drinking them, taking them into the very marrow of our bones - we had better know something about their nature and their power.”
While we have known for at least the last 50 years that there can be terrible side effects to our chemical usage, we continue to use them for pesticides, insecticides, cleaners and more, without knowing (or not caring about) their effects on our bodies and the environment.
Does it really make sense to spray our foods with things that we know can cause cancer and other illnesses? Should we be using toxic chemicals as cleaners? If you think about it, there really is no sense to this. How can we spray our foods with poison so that they are safe to eat and "clean" with toxic chemicals?
Many schools continue to spray Roundup and other chemicals around the schools like they are inert chemicals, exposing thousands of children to these toxic chemicals. Is it really worth the risk to our kids?
What are your thoughts?
While we have known for at least the last 50 years that there can be terrible side effects to our chemical usage, we continue to use them for pesticides, insecticides, cleaners and more, without knowing (or not caring about) their effects on our bodies and the environment.
Does it really make sense to spray our foods with things that we know can cause cancer and other illnesses? Should we be using toxic chemicals as cleaners? If you think about it, there really is no sense to this. How can we spray our foods with poison so that they are safe to eat and "clean" with toxic chemicals?
Many schools continue to spray Roundup and other chemicals around the schools like they are inert chemicals, exposing thousands of children to these toxic chemicals. Is it really worth the risk to our kids?
What are your thoughts?
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Why Be Green? For Your Children!
There is nothing more important than our children and that is my biggest motivation for being green. Our children look to us for security and safety.
"The world gone and gotten itself in a big damn hurry," OK, I took that from Shawshank Redemption, but it is quite insightful if you think about it. We are constantly chasing the almighty dollar. Perhaps we should slow down a little and be a bit more concerned about our future and the future generations who will inhabit (hopefully) this earth.
Chemicals
First, we are constantly being bombarded by toxic chemicals. They are in our shampoo, body care products, food, water, clothing, cars, fuels, schools, offices, yards, parks, playgrounds, just about anywhere we turn. Many of these chemicals have been linked to cancer, allergies, obesity, autism, endometriosis and other diseases. The worst thing is that more the most part, we have accepted them.
Fossil Fuels
Fossil fuels are not just filled with toxic chemicals, they are what our society is based on. Everything requires energy and we are using it at an incredible pace. Unfortunately we will run out of oil at some point. It is inevitable. By most accounts we have used 1/2 of all oil on earth in a little more than 150 years, and we are using more and more of it every year. Think about life when we have run out of oil. Future generations, maybe even your children, will look back at us wondering what the hell we were thinking.
Water
We have many more people to support on the planet than any other time in history. Unfortunately we have the same amount of water and water is needed to sustain life. We aren't creating anymore that I know of, but we sure are creating a lot more people. Water is life and if we don't have enough water to go around, how are we going to support a growing population?
Food
Our food supply is in danger. These days you are lucky to know what you are eating.
So many foods today contain genetically modified ingredients. According to the Huffington Post 88% of corn and 93% of corn used in food is genetically modified. The jury is still out on the safety of these gmo's, yet we have allowed them to saturate the market before we know how they might affect us. How much are you willing to roll the dice on your children?
"Facts" on the percentage of people who eat meat seem to vary, but it's safe to say around 90%, or more, Americans eat meat. According to ChartsBin, the average American eats over 200 pounds of meat every year. That is approximately 50% more meat than America was eating in 1950. This has lead to environmental pollution from the farms as well as a host of medical problems, from heart disease to cancer as well as many other health issues.
While I could continue to spew facts, I think you get the idea.
Act Now
If we don't start looking out for the planet, we will be jeopardizing our future and the future of our children. It is staring us right in the face, but so many of us want to pretend that we can continue on the way we have for the last hundred plus years.
We can not expect mother earth to keep giving back if we continue to destroy her.
Join me on the green journey. If not for yourself, then for your children.
Why be green? Because your children deserve it!
"The world gone and gotten itself in a big damn hurry," OK, I took that from Shawshank Redemption, but it is quite insightful if you think about it. We are constantly chasing the almighty dollar. Perhaps we should slow down a little and be a bit more concerned about our future and the future generations who will inhabit (hopefully) this earth.
Chemicals
First, we are constantly being bombarded by toxic chemicals. They are in our shampoo, body care products, food, water, clothing, cars, fuels, schools, offices, yards, parks, playgrounds, just about anywhere we turn. Many of these chemicals have been linked to cancer, allergies, obesity, autism, endometriosis and other diseases. The worst thing is that more the most part, we have accepted them.
Fossil Fuels
Fossil fuels are not just filled with toxic chemicals, they are what our society is based on. Everything requires energy and we are using it at an incredible pace. Unfortunately we will run out of oil at some point. It is inevitable. By most accounts we have used 1/2 of all oil on earth in a little more than 150 years, and we are using more and more of it every year. Think about life when we have run out of oil. Future generations, maybe even your children, will look back at us wondering what the hell we were thinking.
Water
We have many more people to support on the planet than any other time in history. Unfortunately we have the same amount of water and water is needed to sustain life. We aren't creating anymore that I know of, but we sure are creating a lot more people. Water is life and if we don't have enough water to go around, how are we going to support a growing population?
Food
Our food supply is in danger. These days you are lucky to know what you are eating.
So many foods today contain genetically modified ingredients. According to the Huffington Post 88% of corn and 93% of corn used in food is genetically modified. The jury is still out on the safety of these gmo's, yet we have allowed them to saturate the market before we know how they might affect us. How much are you willing to roll the dice on your children?
"Facts" on the percentage of people who eat meat seem to vary, but it's safe to say around 90%, or more, Americans eat meat. According to ChartsBin, the average American eats over 200 pounds of meat every year. That is approximately 50% more meat than America was eating in 1950. This has lead to environmental pollution from the farms as well as a host of medical problems, from heart disease to cancer as well as many other health issues.
While I could continue to spew facts, I think you get the idea.
Act Now
If we don't start looking out for the planet, we will be jeopardizing our future and the future of our children. It is staring us right in the face, but so many of us want to pretend that we can continue on the way we have for the last hundred plus years.
We can not expect mother earth to keep giving back if we continue to destroy her.
Join me on the green journey. If not for yourself, then for your children.
Why be green? Because your children deserve it!
Monday, July 15, 2013
Why Be Green? Oil Supplies
Welcome to Why Be Green. I hope to shed some light on the importance of being green, also known as being eco friendly.
Let's start with oil.
Since discovering oil, the world has gone into a frenzy. We currently use approx 93.25 million barrels of oil each and everyday (that is approx 4 Billion US Gallons). That is 1.5 Trillion gallons/year. You could fill up approx 15,000,000 US homes (1500 sq. ft.) with the amount of oil we are pulling out of the ground each year. Can you imagine 15 million homes filled with oil? That's a lot of oil.
So let's face it, oil is finite. It takes millions of years to create the oil-at least the natural way, yet we are consuming it at an incredible rate and nobody in the know is willing to tell us just how much is left. In fact some countries may be hiding the true numbers of reserves. Time magazine (Feb. 2011) reported that Saudi Arabia may have overstated by 40% how much oil they actually have left in the ground.
Why do you think we are now producing oil from the tar sands in Canada and building the Keystone XL Pipeline from Canada to Texas through the Ogallala Water Aquifer (largest aquifer in the US)? Because it is easy? Guess again. It is some of the most difficult and expensive oil to produce, yet we are doing it anyway. Perhaps it is because it is all that's left out there to quench our incredible thirst.
We have created a society based on oil. Whether it is watching TV, going to the movies, buying food, clothing, shelter etc. Everything is based on oil, yet we will run out of oil at some point in time. It is inevitable. What then?
It's a scary thought that nobody wants to address, but we need to and we need to address it now.
Please join me in my journey to educate society on not just Why Be Green, but also how to be green.
Let's start with oil.
Since discovering oil, the world has gone into a frenzy. We currently use approx 93.25 million barrels of oil each and everyday (that is approx 4 Billion US Gallons). That is 1.5 Trillion gallons/year. You could fill up approx 15,000,000 US homes (1500 sq. ft.) with the amount of oil we are pulling out of the ground each year. Can you imagine 15 million homes filled with oil? That's a lot of oil.
So let's face it, oil is finite. It takes millions of years to create the oil-at least the natural way, yet we are consuming it at an incredible rate and nobody in the know is willing to tell us just how much is left. In fact some countries may be hiding the true numbers of reserves. Time magazine (Feb. 2011) reported that Saudi Arabia may have overstated by 40% how much oil they actually have left in the ground.
Why do you think we are now producing oil from the tar sands in Canada and building the Keystone XL Pipeline from Canada to Texas through the Ogallala Water Aquifer (largest aquifer in the US)? Because it is easy? Guess again. It is some of the most difficult and expensive oil to produce, yet we are doing it anyway. Perhaps it is because it is all that's left out there to quench our incredible thirst.
We have created a society based on oil. Whether it is watching TV, going to the movies, buying food, clothing, shelter etc. Everything is based on oil, yet we will run out of oil at some point in time. It is inevitable. What then?
It's a scary thought that nobody wants to address, but we need to and we need to address it now.
Please join me in my journey to educate society on not just Why Be Green, but also how to be green.
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