Goodbye... I'm so happy and sad all at the same time!

Well, everyone, this is it: the last post. I have exhausted my resources for this blog, and so it's time to move on to other things in my life. I feel so happy that I have completed this blog, yet so sad that I have to let go. I will definitely think about this more before I post this for real.
To those of you who are seeing my blog for the first time, feel free to look around! I have spent many hours working on this blog. But for the rest of you...

On the weekend, I attended the 2012 Youth Summit for Biodiversity and Environmental Justice, as an Ontario Nature Youth Council member. It was one of the best weekends of my life. I didn't have time to post anything that Friday, because the moment I got home from school, I had to have lunch and then pack my bags.
One of the workshops I attended was about Global Governance and Environmental Justice (or something like that). A particularly memorable moment was when the presenter, who worked as a critic of global governments, took a look at the colourful masses of acronyms that she had written on a paper on an easel and joked, "So this is my life. I'm trying to figure it out." The moral of the story: don't get bogged down by a bunch of terminology and super-long acronyms unless you have to.
I'm trying to figure out my life, too. Has Hug A Tree Today, Seriously helped me with that? Perhaps. It has definitely given me a chance to make a difference in my own way, in my own time.

Sign from the YMCA camp where the summit was held.

The guest speaker was Simon Jackson, a Canadian from British Colombia who founded the Spirit Bear Youth Coalition. His story was an inspiring one. It made me realize just how easy it is to get public attention for your organization. Apparently, when the royal British princes came to visit Canada, Simon maneuvered himself right up to the front-- amidst hordes of screaming girls-- and asked the princes to help him save the Spirit Bear (which is a white variety of  black bear). And they did! Although the Spirit Bear is still in need of protection, he has come a long way towards saving this unique species.
 I am incredibly hopeful that we can make a difference in the world. I'm not giving up on my environmental activism by ending this blog. I still am on the ON Youth Council, I have a print 'zine on environmentally-friendly living, and I do other cool things on and off that I can't remember right now. Remember to continue to do your own things to help save the environment during your lifetime!

Oh, and I have a few more eco-tips for you all:

• If you want clean, smooth, glowing skin, use sea salt! Simply wet your face (or hands, or whatever) with warm water and then rub sea salt onto your skin. Rub it in well and then rinse it off. Do a final rinse with cool water to close off your pores. It works really well.
• Have you been considering alternative energy? Well, I want you to know that you shouldn't be too quick to jump on the bandwagon. Solar panels can disrupt bird migration patterns and take up large quantities of land. Wind turbines chop up tens of thousands of birds in the U.S. alone every year, and they also take incredibly large amounts of energy and land to operate. The best way to go is simply to conserve energy!
• I suggest that you find another blog to follow now that mine is done. Find ways to be in nature. Keep up your eco-friendliness-- you will not regret it.

Now, a few parting words:

1. To all the followers (official and unofficial) of this blog, you rock! You rock because you care about the environment and you are willing to do something about it. You rock because you've helped me reach and surpass my goal of 1000 pageviews by the end of the year. (Keep reading to find out how many pageviews I've achieved at the time of this writing.)
2. Around New Year's Eve in 2011, I set the goal of reaching 1000 pageviews by the end of 2012. At the time of this writing, I have reached 3701 pageviews! And it's only October!
3. If you have enjoyed following this blog or reading my posts, please go to The Animal Rights Action Site, which is now my official primary blog. I may start another blog at some point, but it most likely will be under a different name, for privacy reasons!
4. Bye!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Have a good life, everyone.

Cat, signing out, ready to take on the world...

Top Ten Rules of Eco-Friendly Camping and Explorations in Nature

Hi! I'm back from camping. Here is what I have to say about keeping it eco-friendly, both from my previous knowledge and what I have learned over the last few days.

My pup-tent from when I was camping with my parents and sister right before I went into Grade 8. (not a recent camping trip)

1. "Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints" is an excellent rule to live by. Nature is a sacred place, and in order to be a respectful visitor to a natural spot, it is important to leave it how you found it-- or in better condition, if you clean up trash.
2. Don't bring your own wood! This is widely publicized, but I feel I ought to re-inforce it. If you bring your own wood, tiny insects hiding just under the surface could make their way into the eco-system. These insects-- such as the emerald ash borer-- could completely destroy the region. Only buy wood from the campground office or store. If there isn't one, you can collect dry wood from the surrounding areas-- but make sure to take only what you need!
3. Drink the camp water, assuming that it has been tested and is safe. If you don't trust the camp water for whatever reason, then bring your own in large containers, as we did while camping. The worst thing you can do is bring along a multitude of little water bottles.
4. Don't feed the wildlife; this will only make them more trusting of humans, which will in turn make people more keen to get rid of them.
5. Camp food-- oh, how easy it is to slack off on healthy and eco-friendly eating while camping! Still, you should try to avoid the highly packaged foods, like individually-packaged cookies, granola bars, juice boxes, soy milk :) /cow's milk :( cartons, and little boxes of raisins. Instead, bring bags/containers of non-perishables and/or hardy foods, like bags of trail mix, re-usable containers of oatmeal cookies and snack foods, cans of beans and soups (if you are lucky enough to have the space to store the cans), carrots and other root vegetables, potatoes and sweet potatoes, rice/quinoa/oatmeal packages, etc. I am guilty of using some of the pre-packaged foods while camping, but I used the better bulk-packaged foods, too.
6. Use the car as little as possible while camping. My aunt wanted to drive to the ampitheatre at the campground for a show, but I told her that it was only a 5-minute walk, so we walked there instead. For longer distances you need to travel, try to combine as many of your outings as possible into one car trip. "Outings" refers to things like shopping, hikes, and sight-seeing.
7. S.V.P.-- please do not use paper plates and plastic cutlery! Whenever I had the choice while camping, I would use the re-usable plates. Not only are disposable plates wasteful, they are also often toxic!
8. There really is no need to purchase souvenirs. If you are completely stubborn about buying souvenirs or gifts while away, please buy things that you need/can use, like a tin of candies, a pen or pencil or eraser, a sun-hat (if you need one), some re-usable containers, or a wrist-watch. (Remember: "souvenir" is exactly the same to the French word "souvenir", or "to remember". Photographs or a journal are far more likely to spark your memory than a touristy mass-produced gizmo ever will.)
9. There is also no need to bring excess electronics! If you are camping with other people, just bring one cell phone for safety reasons, and leave the other ones at home. Video games, laptops, ipods and mp3 players, portable DVD players, and the rest can stay at home.
10. When you can help it, do not stray from the path. Not only does wandering into the undergrowth trample down the ecosystem, it also increases your risk of getting a poison ivy (or stinging nettle or whatever) rash or getting lost.
11. *Bonus* Read the rest of my blog for tips to take with you!

    

    Have fun camping! Photo courtesy of http://www.showroom411.com/dir/Living-Green/Outdoor-and-Recreation.html



Looking Forward to My Summer Vacation... and Eco-Friendly Office Supplies

Hi everyone!
There are three things I would like to talk about today-- first, I'll tell you about my summer vacation and how it will affect my blog posts. Second, I'll let you know about some of the eco-friendly school and office supplies that are available. Third, I have a very serious question to ask you >:) Let's go!

On August 2nd, I'm heading off with my aunt to go camping near my hometown. I'll be there for about 4 nights before going home. I'm not sure whether I'll get a chance to post, although there will probably be an Internet cafe somewhere. If I don't post on that Friday, don't think I've forgotten you, though!
I'll be at home on Friday August 10 and on Friday August 17. Then, on August 18, I'm heading with my parents and sister to Quebec and Nova Scotia! Although I wish I could make it a more eco-friendly trip, it is difficult to convince the others to do this, as they have their own ideas of how a dream vacation should go. At least we'll be driving instead of flying. Our vacation will last two weeks, which means that my blog posts will possibly be all over the place (time-wise, of course). Just keep checking back and I'll post whenever I can, also giving you updates on my trip (well, why not?)!
On September 1, things will be back to normal. School starts late for me, on September 10. I don't like school... but I'll have to give this new one a try before I claim to dislike it.

Photo Courtesy of http://www.learning-to-save-money.com/how-to-live-green.html

Speaking of school-- surely there are some eco-friendly school and office supplies to be used? It really can get on my nerves when I see everyone using up uncertified paper by the notebookfulls, not even writing on both sides of the page!!! In fact, there are some other products you can use. Here is a list of alternatives to the usual supplies:

1. Pencils: Have you ever heard of EarthZone pencils? They are made of 100% recycled newspapers. It's really cool to write with them-- every time you sharpen them you get a new pattern on the part that normally would be wood, and sometimes even colour! These may be fun, but they are also very acceptable to use in any sort of office or school environment-- even for tests and documents. You can purchase EarthZone pencils at an office supplies store, local environmental shop, or online. Here is what they say on their website, www.earthzone.com:

   special features:

• They're made from 100% recycled newspapers. No trees were harmed in the making of these pencils!
• They last longer than regular pencils and won't break when you sharpen them!
• You get smooth, high quality writing each time.
• The erasers are latex free!
• Sharpens really easily.
• Each pencil is made from a different newspaper and really looks cool when you sharpen them.
• No toxic chemicals!
2. Paper: Go tree-free! There are many different kinds of eco-friendly papers you can use, including banana leaf paper, bagasse paper, and, of course, 100% post-consumer recycled paper. Even while taking these considerations, you should only use paper that is blank if you need to-- otherwise, use scrap paper-- paper with writing on one side already.
3. Erasers: Use the eraser on the back of the EarthZone pencils! If this does not appeal to you, you can use FLOMO erasers instead: made with Thermoplastic Elastomer instead of the toxic ingredients typically found in erasers.
4. Pencil Sharpeners: Please, forgo the electric sharpeners. Instead, use the handy and portable pencil sharpeners that don't require any electricity. You can even buy a pencil sharpener made of recycled vending cups: see this online store for details.
5. Binders: go PVC-free! Buy recycled ones! (Please don't expect me to dig up another URL for this one-- I'm sure you can find some nice eco-friendly binders at your local store or favourite online office-supply store.)
6. Technology: My advice-- stay away from all those fancy gadgets and devices. They are truly unnecessary and are not good for the planet. If you must use one, buy one of the "eco-friendly" ones, at least.

Most of all, try to use as little as possible of office and school supplies as you can. The eco-friendly ones are an improvement on the regular ones, no doubt, but they still have a small impact. Judge for yourself how far you can go into the eco-friendly supplies before you seriously annoy your teachers or boss. People may be more accomodating than you expect, even if they don't share your environmental beliefs.

Finally, here is my question-- how do you think I am doing with my blog? I don't understand why, but I haven't been getting as many pageviews as I used to... Am I being too philosophical? Who knows!
Wait-- you do. You, reader, have a pretty good idea of what you like about my blog (I hope). So tell me-- what do you enjoy most about my blog? Do you like the useful lists of things you can do, the anti-consumer rants, or the personal anecdote (the latter I fall rather short on, I think)? Please comment below to give me an idea. I look forward to your responses!

I'll be writing again next week-- if I can!

The Problems with the Internet

Whenever I hear Internet fanatics and well-intentioned fellow activists ranting about utilizing "The Power of the Internet", I release a little groan of annoyance (after all, I'm just reading their Internet rants at my computer, so they can't hear me!). They seem to think that the Internet is one of the best things that has ever happened to humanity. Now, I know that I shouldn't be saying this on an Internet blog and all, but really-- the Internet has some serious problems, and today I'm going to write about it.
1) The Internet is a myth.
Well, sort of, anyway. Not your typical fire-breathing, sword-wielding myth, but instead, a lie that we convince ourselves is true. Tell me: what IS the Internet? A bunch of electric signals shooting about space? Is it the servers which store all the information? Or is it everywhere you go, so long as you have the equippment to pick up a signal?
Everything you see on the Internet-- including my blog-- isn't real. It's just an image. If the electricity failed, it would be gone, and those of us who invest too much time in virtual reality would be left all alone in the real world, hopelessly confused as to how to truly live.
Although I still do use the Internet for my blogs and e-mail (and the occasional time-wasting mindless web-surfing), I try not to waste away very much of my life on something that isn't real.

2) The computer gobbles up a LOT of electricity.
American adults spend an average of 8 hours per day in front of a screen, according to http://www.sixwise.com/Newsletters/2009/April/22/Americans-Spend-Many-Hours-a-Day-Watching-Screens.htm. The average computer uses 100 to 330 watts of energy, according to http://www.wisegeek.com/how-much-electricity-does-a-computer-use.htm. Imagine how much electricity this uses! It is best to steer clear of screens in general!

3) The Internet takes away from REAL life.
Real life! I hope that those of you who are reading this have a real life. I'm sure some of you do, otherwise you would have clicked the "X" in the corner of the screen in disgust by now upon seeing that I was critisizing your religion of technologism!
Anyway, people can be so much happier when they aren't glued to a screen. The spontaneity of finding a silver quarter on the beach, the joy of talking with friends face-to-face, the thrill of standing at the top of a mountain that you just climbed-- *sigh*. Real life is amazing. The computer isn't. Even if you have written work to do, isn't it so much more relaxing to go and sit outside with a notebook and pencil than it is to sit and stare at the computer inside a stuffy basement? Well?

4) Computer systems become outdated within a few years. More and more computers are being thrown away every year.
It's quite a shame that we can't seem to be thankful for what technology we have instead of constantly trying to "improve" it to make it more "advanced". This only brings us farther from nature and deposits more toxic waste into our landfills. The less you use your computer, the less tempted you will be to buy a new one. Strange, perhaps, but true.

5) The Internet ruins community.
I have never gotten too excited about "building community", but it bears mentioning that the Internet replaces real community with a fake one.

6) The Internet is an advertising tool.
You want to sell something? Go to Google and they'll connect you with all the computer users who frequent websites and send e-mails that relate to your product. Which leads to my next point...

7) There is no privacy on the Internet!
Believe me, they don't want you to know this, but it is true. Your e-mails are not private. Nor are your "InPrivate" web surfings. Sure, your history teacher can't see them, but the web providers and the government can. And they can tell whoever they want. I read an article once in which the Canadian secret intelligence divulged information to us on what a Canadian official said in his private e-mails to a woman he was flirting with. I read the leaked portion of the e-mails, of course-- who wouldn't? But they shouldn't have done that. Apparently the workers who found the e-mails were all laughing behind his back and sending around the e-mails to their friends and family. What a disgrace!

8) The Internet sedates you and numbs your brain-- it's like a drug.
Is this intentional? Do the big corporations purposely try to placate us so that we don't think for ourselves? I'm not taking any more of this drug of modern society than I have to, thank you very much. It's like in The Hollow People by Brian Keaney-- read the book to know what I am talking aboiut.

9) The Internet keeps you from being physically active.
Simple, and obvious. Not only does it waste time that could otherwise be spent in a physically active way, but it also sedates you, making you not in much of a mood for exercise (see #8 for details).

10) The Internet keeps you away from nature, and this harms your mental health.
It has been proven that nature is good for your emotional well-being. Again, this should be obvious!

I strongly urge you to try to reduce your Internet and computer time right away. Still, come back to my blog to read my posts-- it's only once a week! Of course, if you are going completely screen-free for the rest of your life, then this is likely the last you will be seeing of my blog. But I doubt that most people would be prepared to do that, so there is no need for goodbyes.
Make a plan as to what Internet time you could cut out. Then, write up a schedule or a daily computer-time limit, and follow it! It's worth it, believe me!

See you next week!

Happy Birthday to Me... and The Importance of Getting Into Nature

Last weekend, I attended the Ontario Nature Youth Council Leadership Retreat in Kettleby, ON. It was a lot of fun. We did group activities in nature and teambuilding challenges, and we also got into a debate about how the council should be governed. I learned something while I was there, too-- that connections to nature are an integral part of an environmentally-concious person's life.
Many of the other members of the Youth Council seemed to have spent a lot of time in nature, and this fueled their passion toward it. It makes sense; you wouldn't want to destroy the places that you have grown up in, would you? This is why I am going to talk about different ways you can get more in touch with the natural world...

1. Go for a walk or bike ride at the park or in the nearby woods.
2. Sit under a tree and read a book.
3. Go bird-watching-- in your backyard or in the forest.
4. Have a (vegan) picnic outside.
5. Have an outdoors party.
6. Canoe, kayak, paddle-boat, or row-boat gently down the stream.
7. Search for reptiles near a marsh.
8. Use a solar-cooker to heat your food.
9. Roller-skate or skateboard around the block.
10. Hug a tree today, seriously.
11. Go camping or stay at a cottage.
12. Paint and sketch natural scenes. No need to work from a photograph-- just get out there and do it!
13. Go to a tree-planting with the local naturalists' club.
14. Join the local naturalists' club (or another similar organization).
15. Take your laptop outside to check your e-mail.
16. Stand outside in the rain (a very nice thing to do!).
17. Go for a swim.
18. Listen for frogs and crickets at night.
19. Learn to identify trees, herbs, and other plants, as well as insects and other animals.
20. Garden-- see my gardening post for more ideas.
21. Set up a birdhouse or a bat box (make sure they are safe from cats!).
22. Pick up garbage down by the river or in another natural spot.
23. Visit a wild animal rehab center (I'll probably be volunteering at the local wild bird care center this summer).
24. Go geocache hunting in a natural setting.
25. Stargaze.
26. Watch the clouds drift by.
27. In winter, go skating, skiing, or snowshoeing.
28. Dry your clothes on a clothesline in your backyard.
29. Practice a musical instrument outside.
30. Take your companion animal on a walk (on a leash, and safely, of course!).

Here's a challenge: I dare you to try at least five of these things in the next week! Try it out, okay?

 



My Birthday! This vegan cake looks delicious. Photo Courtesy of Auntie Loo's Treats