The other day, i spotted a new time magazine (we have a subscription) with a cute pug on the front and the words "What Animals Think" above him. This sounded interesting, so i grabbed it and sat down to read. When I found the article I was surprised-it started with a story about the author (Jeffrey Kluger) having coffee with Kanzi,a twenty nine year old Bonobo(Apparently, a distant cousin of the chimpanzee. This was new information to me too.). Kanzi was the one who invited him-using one of his three laminated pieces of paper that are a sort of glossary he keeps at hand. He has three hundred and eighty four words on the list, but he can point to more than one at a time to either make a new word (slow and lettuce means kale because it takes longer to chew) or a sentence (feel and kiss and eat and candy is how another bonobo, Nyota asks for his two favorite things: Kisses and Candy. There was even more interesting stuff about how birds are smart enough to use tools, and orangutans have enough self awareness that they often preen in mirrors,etc. You really should read it if you have time. It's on their website:
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2008759,00.html
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Damage Caused by The Gulf Coast Oil Spill And Ways You Can Help
BP has now spent about 1.6 billion dollars trying to cleanup the oil spill, but it will take years before the gulf coast will even get close to being like it was before.There are 400 species of birds threatened by the oil spill. Yet, there are 27,000 animal rescue workers trying to help save them.Those workers are willing to help, but what are they going to do without money for supplies? And how can they cleanup the beaches and the water without, again money for proper supplies? And, if you live near the gulf coast and you happen to be reading this, why are you on the computer? If i live near enough and was old enough I wouldn't be writing this. I would be out there, doing everything I could to end this nightmare. But since I can't do that, I am having my book drive and donating the money to the efforts. I have found quite a few reputable charities that I will now list:
CLEANUP:
1.`Deepwater Horizon Unified Command- 866-448-5816 deepwaterhorizonresponse.com
2. volunteerlouisiana.gov
3. Mississippi:mcvs.org
4. volunteerflorida.org
5. servealabama.gov
WILDLIFE RESCUE:
1. sierraclub.org
2. audubon.org
3. National Wildlife Federation, text "WILDLIFE" to 2022 to donate ten dollars.
nwf.org/oilspill
If you know me, please help me with my fundraiser. If not, try donating to one of these charities for volunteering with them.
CLEANUP:
1.`Deepwater Horizon Unified Command- 866-448-5816 deepwaterhorizonresponse.com
2. volunteerlouisiana.gov
3. Mississippi:mcvs.org
4. volunteerflorida.org
5. servealabama.gov
WILDLIFE RESCUE:
1. sierraclub.org
2. audubon.org
3. National Wildlife Federation, text "WILDLIFE" to 2022 to donate ten dollars.
nwf.org/oilspill
If you know me, please help me with my fundraiser. If not, try donating to one of these charities for volunteering with them.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Oil Spill Relief Fundraiser
After the yard sale me and a group I have at school had( It was for the rain forest and went to this charity called Kids Saving The Rain forest-good job Green Machine! We raised 200 dollars!) we had a lot of books left over so I saved them from being put out on the curb. I figured I could sell them at half price. Then, the oil spill happened. People are calling it the biggest environmental disaster in history, and I do not have trouble believing them. So I mentioned to green machine that maybe we could have a book drive. Then, we would sell the books and give the money to a reputable charity that is helping out. First of all, if you know me, please feel free to give me any extra books (or money) you have lying around the house. Also, (this is to anyone) does anybody know a certain charity that I might trust the money with? Thanks! :)
Saturday, August 8, 2009
10 More Tips For Going Green
1. When you are done with your electronics and they aren’t fit for selling, don’t throw them away. Make sure they get reused. Best Buy takes smaller electronics, computers without hard drives, TV’s, DVD players, monitors, cell phones, and more.
2. Leaving a car on while you are not using it wastes gas. Don’t idle!
3. Walk or bike to places that are close to you instead of riding in your car.
4. Buy energy star appliances.
5. Always wait until it is a full load before running your dish washer. Better yet, hand wash your dishes.
6. If there is a leaky faucet in your house, fix it! Leaky faucets can waste thousands of gallons of water a year.
7. The average washing machine uses 40.9 gallons of water. There are water saving models that use 28. Buy a water saving washing machine.
8. Food scraps and cut grass are good fertilizers for lawns. So do that instead of using fertilizers full of chemicals.
9. Before you go to bed, unplug all of your electronics. All of them use energy even when turned off.
10. There is a reason recycling comes third. It is always best not to buy the thing your recycling in the first place. Don’t buy things you don’t need.
2. Leaving a car on while you are not using it wastes gas. Don’t idle!
3. Walk or bike to places that are close to you instead of riding in your car.
4. Buy energy star appliances.
5. Always wait until it is a full load before running your dish washer. Better yet, hand wash your dishes.
6. If there is a leaky faucet in your house, fix it! Leaky faucets can waste thousands of gallons of water a year.
7. The average washing machine uses 40.9 gallons of water. There are water saving models that use 28. Buy a water saving washing machine.
8. Food scraps and cut grass are good fertilizers for lawns. So do that instead of using fertilizers full of chemicals.
9. Before you go to bed, unplug all of your electronics. All of them use energy even when turned off.
10. There is a reason recycling comes third. It is always best not to buy the thing your recycling in the first place. Don’t buy things you don’t need.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Gay Marriage
It doesn't make sense how some people think gay and lesbian people should have less rights . Sure, it does say in the bible that homosexuals are an abomination to god, but it also says rebellious children should be stoned to death. Of course, Christians today would say this isn't true. Yet many say the part about homosexuals is. The truth is, the bible was finished about 1,400 years ago. Some of the things in there that are "Abominations" have to do with the time it was written. It also says that shellfish are abominations and your allowed to sell your daughter into slavery. Did you know that Jesus actually never says anything about homosexuality and neither do the Jewish prophets? Also, only six or seven of the one million verses refer to homosexuality. Besides, our nation is supposed to separate church from state.
As of the "Protecting the children" excuse, this makes no sense. Since when have gay people posed a threat to our children? I know many children with gay parents who are nice, funny, and don't swear. I have a gay relative and the only thing he has ever taught me is how to turn my life preserver into a diaper so I could just float. Oh, and the names of his pet chihuahuas. What dangerous people, right?And anyway, how is denying them marriage going to stop them from having children? It hasn't in the past.
And what's this about gay people throwing everything in our faces? Don't heterosexual people do that too? Haven't you seen the girls in the magazines with cleavage down to their belly buttons? Excuse me, but I think Sex And The City throws more things in people's faces than all the gay people I know put together.
Gay marriage is allowed in Connecticut, Iowa, District of Columbia, Vermont, and Massachusetts. California used to be on this list until Proposition 8 was passed and banned gay marriage. It is going back on the ballet in 2010 though, so we can hope.
It doesn't make sense how some people think gay and lesbian citizens should have less rights- So spread the word and get involved. Protect gay marriage!
As of the "Protecting the children" excuse, this makes no sense. Since when have gay people posed a threat to our children? I know many children with gay parents who are nice, funny, and don't swear. I have a gay relative and the only thing he has ever taught me is how to turn my life preserver into a diaper so I could just float. Oh, and the names of his pet chihuahuas. What dangerous people, right?And anyway, how is denying them marriage going to stop them from having children? It hasn't in the past.
And what's this about gay people throwing everything in our faces? Don't heterosexual people do that too? Haven't you seen the girls in the magazines with cleavage down to their belly buttons? Excuse me, but I think Sex And The City throws more things in people's faces than all the gay people I know put together.
Gay marriage is allowed in Connecticut, Iowa, District of Columbia, Vermont, and Massachusetts. California used to be on this list until Proposition 8 was passed and banned gay marriage. It is going back on the ballet in 2010 though, so we can hope.
It doesn't make sense how some people think gay and lesbian citizens should have less rights- So spread the word and get involved. Protect gay marriage!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
19 Tips To Go Green
1. Buy organically grown produce and grains.
2. Carpool as much as possible. If each commuter car carried one more passenger we would save 600,000 gallons of gasoline a day and prevent 12 billion pounds of carbon dioxide from going into the air.
3. Buy a compost.
4. Try using public transportation more often.
5. Avoid beef as much as possible.
6. Try eating more vegetarian meals.
7. Support the local farmers markets. Locally grown produce is typically fresher, cheaper, and less laden with pesticides than produce shipped long distances.
8. If you carry a home lunch to school, don’t use disposable bags. Use reusable bags. Also, use reusable plastic containers that was formerly packaging(empty cool whip, sour cream, chip dip, etc. containers)
9. When wrapping presents, reuse the comics from the Sunday newspaper. It’s a colorful, funny, and recyclable way to give a gift.
10. If you have the space and time, grow your own vegetables and fruit. It’s a cheap way to guarantee self on the do not yourself organic food.
11. Save trees by eliminating junk mail. Find a way to get your name on the “Do not mail” list of that useless catalog you never buy anything from.
12.Buy rain barrels. They catch rain before it runs into our lakes and rivers, picking up chemicals on the way.
13. Clean up after your dog! Dog poop contains a harmful chemical called ecoli. As rain runs into oceans, lakes, and rivers it passes through the poop and brings the ecoli with it.
14. When purchasing a new clothes or dish washer, consider a water saving model. You could save 1,000 gallons of water a month.
15. Next time you are buying clothes, try buying second hand. Or, even better, buy from a store that uses organic materials.
16. If you have time, stop the dish washer when it gets to the drying cycle. It is a waste of energy when they really could just air dry.
17. Try making your own personal care products. Look for books about it and on the internet. It’s a good way to make sure there aren’t chemicals in your toothpaste.
18. Buy napkins and paper towels made from recycled materials.
19. If you find the word “Vinyl” in any description of any product you use, try to find a alternative.
2. Carpool as much as possible. If each commuter car carried one more passenger we would save 600,000 gallons of gasoline a day and prevent 12 billion pounds of carbon dioxide from going into the air.
3. Buy a compost.
4. Try using public transportation more often.
5. Avoid beef as much as possible.
6. Try eating more vegetarian meals.
7. Support the local farmers markets. Locally grown produce is typically fresher, cheaper, and less laden with pesticides than produce shipped long distances.
8. If you carry a home lunch to school, don’t use disposable bags. Use reusable bags. Also, use reusable plastic containers that was formerly packaging(empty cool whip, sour cream, chip dip, etc. containers)
9. When wrapping presents, reuse the comics from the Sunday newspaper. It’s a colorful, funny, and recyclable way to give a gift.
10. If you have the space and time, grow your own vegetables and fruit. It’s a cheap way to guarantee self on the do not yourself organic food.
11. Save trees by eliminating junk mail. Find a way to get your name on the “Do not mail” list of that useless catalog you never buy anything from.
12.Buy rain barrels. They catch rain before it runs into our lakes and rivers, picking up chemicals on the way.
13. Clean up after your dog! Dog poop contains a harmful chemical called ecoli. As rain runs into oceans, lakes, and rivers it passes through the poop and brings the ecoli with it.
14. When purchasing a new clothes or dish washer, consider a water saving model. You could save 1,000 gallons of water a month.
15. Next time you are buying clothes, try buying second hand. Or, even better, buy from a store that uses organic materials.
16. If you have time, stop the dish washer when it gets to the drying cycle. It is a waste of energy when they really could just air dry.
17. Try making your own personal care products. Look for books about it and on the internet. It’s a good way to make sure there aren’t chemicals in your toothpaste.
18. Buy napkins and paper towels made from recycled materials.
19. If you find the word “Vinyl” in any description of any product you use, try to find a alternative.
If Animals Could Talk
Animals can’t talk, but they feel pain. We were not put on earth to abuse, torture, and kill them. Yet it’s happening, right now. The animals can’t say stop, but you can.
5 billion US tax dollars are poured in to animal experimentation every year. With that money, 70 million animals are tortured and killed. That is at least fourteen a minute. Rabbits are routinely blinded by having product forced in to their eye. It does not even guarantee human safety, but it protects the company from lawsuits by it’s customers. I for one, am scared of the possibilities about what happens after the rabbits are blind and useless.
Watch where you get your eggs. Only buy cage free. Pretty much all other eggs come from “Battery Hens”. Battery hens live their whole lives in a cage so small that they can’t turn or spread their wings. They are starved for days in order to induce them to lay eggs. Imagine living your whole (short) life never seeing the sun, hungry and extremely uncomfortable, terrified of the person who is always coming to take your eggs, and getting beaten if you fight back. This is the life of a battery hen.
The entertainment industry is extremely cruel to animals. 50,000 greyhounds are killed or donated to animal experimentation a year. Killed or tortured just because they are inadequate for racing. Orcas and dolphins live only 25% of their natural life expectancy when captive. 40,000 bulls are killed a year in bloody bullfights every year-tortured for a hour with spears before they die of blood loss or exhaustion.
All animals feel pain no matter how smart they are. Please help stop cruelty to animals. Give the animals a voice-yours.
5 billion US tax dollars are poured in to animal experimentation every year. With that money, 70 million animals are tortured and killed. That is at least fourteen a minute. Rabbits are routinely blinded by having product forced in to their eye. It does not even guarantee human safety, but it protects the company from lawsuits by it’s customers. I for one, am scared of the possibilities about what happens after the rabbits are blind and useless.
Watch where you get your eggs. Only buy cage free. Pretty much all other eggs come from “Battery Hens”. Battery hens live their whole lives in a cage so small that they can’t turn or spread their wings. They are starved for days in order to induce them to lay eggs. Imagine living your whole (short) life never seeing the sun, hungry and extremely uncomfortable, terrified of the person who is always coming to take your eggs, and getting beaten if you fight back. This is the life of a battery hen.
The entertainment industry is extremely cruel to animals. 50,000 greyhounds are killed or donated to animal experimentation a year. Killed or tortured just because they are inadequate for racing. Orcas and dolphins live only 25% of their natural life expectancy when captive. 40,000 bulls are killed a year in bloody bullfights every year-tortured for a hour with spears before they die of blood loss or exhaustion.
All animals feel pain no matter how smart they are. Please help stop cruelty to animals. Give the animals a voice-yours.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)