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...

Next Week and Beyond

Hi all,
Next weekend I'll be at the 2012 Youth Summit for Biodiversity and Environmental Justice! I'll tell you all about it when I get back. In the meantime, I invite you to look at Eco-Friendly Conferences and What They Have to Offer to refresh your memory of the conferences I went to last year.
By the way, I am unfortunately running out of ideas for my blog. Can anyone give me ideas, please? Thank you.

Eco-Friendly CARS?

OOPS! Cars aren't eco-friendly, now are they? I don't think that any car is actually good for the enviroment, but if you must get a car, there are ones you can get that are more environmentlly friendly than the regular ones. Here are some of the types of "eco-friendly" cars on the market.

Hybrids
According to Wikipedia, "A hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that uses two or more distinct power sources to move the vehicle. ...
"Power sources for hybrid vehicles include:

• On-board or out-board rechargeable energy storage system (RESS)
• Coal, wood or other solid combustibles
• Electricity
• Electromagnetic fields, Radio waves
• Compressed or liquefied natural gas
• Human powered e.g. pedaling or rowing
• Hydrogen
• Petrol or Diesel fuel
• Solar
• Wind"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_vehicle

My comments: Some of these sources are good ones, yet not all of them. Coal, wood, electricity, natural gas, petrol, solar, and wind all have serious problems associated with them. On the other hand, if you can get a hybrid car that runs off, say, scrap vegetable oil from local fast-food places and human power, then you've got yourself quite an eco-friendly car!
Do some research into different types of hybrids to figure out if it would work out for you.

Electric Cars
I don't really believe that these are eco-friendly at all. Depending on where you live, your electricity might come from coal, oil, or alternative energy sources, but it's usually a mix. Coal and oil, of course, are not environmentally-friendly, and alternative energy sources have their drawbacks, too (see next week's post for reasons why alternative energy isn't as great as it sounds).

Biofuels
Biofuels are bad. Sorry to be blunt, but with 1 in every 7 person in the world not getting enough to eat, we should not be burning corn to power our cars. Biofuels also require a lot of land for growing, which results in native family farms being converted into foreign-owned monoculture.

Small Cars
When you use a small car as opposed to a medium-sized or larger one, you'll be using less fuel. Therefore, whether your car runs off vegetable oil scraps or regular gasoline, it should definitely be small.

No Car
The best option, of course, is to use no car at all! Who needs a car when you can use buses, bikes, and your own two feet? Taxis will always be available in a pinch. For some awesome ideas on sustainable, car-free transportation, please see my other blog post on the subject, Sustainable Transportation: Part I.

Earth-Friendly Meal Preparation

As an environmentally-concerned vegan, I have to put a lot of thought into how I prepare my food and what goes into it. I've already posted about the latter (the food you eat), but today, I want to talk about the former (how you prepare it).
Like most people, I do enjoy a hot meal, and am not particularly fond of half-cooked or boring foods. However, eco-friendly meal prep can be so much more than that-- read on to find out how!

• Try a solar oven before winter settles in! You can find out how to make one here: http://www.ehow.com/how_2083_make-solar-oven.html. Please note that it may take twice as long for the food to cook in a solar oven, and you should not use it to cook raw meat or other foods that must be cooked in order to be safe. You can make vegan cookies, re-heat veggie lasagna, and more, and from what I've heard, it works!
• Eat a cold meal once in a while. Chickpea salad, PB&J, vegetarian sushi, bean salad... the list is endless. To see a portion of the endless creative recipes you can use, please see http://goneraw.com/.
• Instead of using an electric mixer, mix those ingredients manually by hand-- use that muscle power!
• Buy food in large containers that can be re-used.
• Avoid using plastic wrap to cover your food in the fridge. Either cover it with a plate or transfer it to a resealable container.
• When washing food, put it in a bowl filled with water instead of running each piece individually under the tap.



Raw Vegan Food can look just like typical westernized food!
Photo courtesy of www.lucidnutrition.com

Until next week!

Yet Another Filler Post

Hello everyone,
I'm unfortunately too tired to give you a post today. This is the last night of my summer trip and I am also tired due to the fact that we switched time zones yesterday, which means that my body clock is an hour later than my watch. Sorry. Keep following, anyway!

Alternatives to Video Games

Hi everyone,
I've made it to a computer on a Friday after all-- in the Maritimes! So, here is my post...
Today I am going to write about the alternatives to video games and computer games. Video games are so addictive, but it is always better to find real-world activities to engage in, partially to enrich your life, and partially to reduce your eco-footprint. However, if you are already hooked on video games, you will probably want to do things that are similar to video games-- just more real. Here is that list of things:
1) Card games. You can play with a partner, group of people, or by yourself. I used to play online card games like Scarab 21 and Pyramids on Neopets.com until one day I couldn't, so I got out a deck of real cards instead. It was so fun, and it had a sort of video-game feel anyway.
2) When I was addicted to my favourite virtual pets site, neopets.com, I made a noble attempt to "bring it off the computer", by doing things offline that I had previously been doing online. For example, I started making up my own Neopets- related brain-teaser games and writing them on paper. I also made my own Neopets fan merchandise-- out of repurposed materials, of course.
3) If you are hopelessly obsessed with your video games, here is my advice to you:go out and pretend that life is a video game. Go out into the woods and pretend you are in your video game in the haunted woods. It sounds nerdy, but really-- what is better: sitting at home with a computer screen to keep you company, or having fun in the real world?
I'll take the real world anyday!
Remember the expression: If you don't use it, you lose it. If you don't go out in nature, it won't be preserved and it will disappear!

Things To Watch Out For In The Media

I'm heading off for the Maritimes tomorrow, and I'll be packing like crazy today, but first, I've got to post. Today, I'll be talking about media traps.
Controlling your own personal intake of media is important, seeing that what you are exposed to every day influences how you view the world. It is hard to resist assimilating into a culture that is so prevalent everywhere you go-- yet it can be done, and should be done, because our Western culture is built on the basis of aquiring more material possessions.
And so, here are some things to avoid in the media:

1. Celebrity gossip and worship: Yes, I said "worship". For many people, they worship celebrities as idols (and even sometimes admit it, like American IDOL). This is the worst on television and in magazines, and on the Internet, of course. You can take all sorts of quizzes comparing yourself to celebrities-- on things like personality type, fashion style, dream date, body type, BMI... It is as though we need to match ourselves up to a celebrity to have worth! Unfortunately, most celebrities lead luxurious, and, ultimately, unsustainable lives; if we all tried to live like them, I'll bet the Earth would be depleted at least twice as fast. So please, surround yourself with the real world instead of celebrity magazines and such... You'll be happier anyway.
2. Advertisements: ARGH! They are everywhere nowadays. You can't use a search engine or check your e-mail without advertisements popping up left, right, and centre! Even my beloved virtual pets website has ads all over the screen and it makes it less fun :( Not like I play on Neopets anymore, really, but I still go on once in a while! It is best to distance yourself from hordes of advertisements, telling you to buy, buy, buy. Even if you don't rush out to the store and buy that particular product (does anyone actually do that?), you might order it online, or simply be encouraged to go shopping in general. Even if you don't notice a difference before and after you see an advertisement, look out-- your mind might be on "shopping mode" for the rest of the day!
3. Certain movies and TV shows: Especially the ones with the "product placement" woven right into the story line, in which the characters of the show talk about how wonderful a certain brand is (they're paid to do that).
4. Certain songs: Especially the disrespectful new pop songs. True, they do not actaully tell you "buy stuff NOW!" but they do originate from the same faulty and obnoxious culture that is destroying the environment.

To put a long story short, the media is poisoned with the "buy stuff and get happy" motto. It is best to look for media that does not contain this. For example, I listen to CBC Radio 1, which doesn't have any advertisements or sketchy "product placements". You can opt for watching movies that aren't the type to use product placement, and hey, maybe you can just ditch television altogether!
By now you might be wondering what to do instead of immersing yourself in a flawed culture. After all, it wouldn't really work to pull yourself out of one culture only to find that there is nothing to replace it. The key is to join groups that think like you. Try joining any one of the following types of groups:

1. Environmental Organizations and Other NGO's: You can go to the meetings, events, etc. and meet people who also don't believe that we should be consuming the amount of stuff that most people do. You can join local nature centres, vegetarian associations, etc.
2. Libraries, which are amazing for many reasons, including the fact that they hardly ever focus on business and consumeristic habits. You just go and borrow a book and take it home and bring it back... and hang out for free at one of the tables, without anyone expecting you to buy anything.

Can you think of anything else? If so, please let me know by commenting on this post. I'll try to get to a computer next Friday while I'm away, but as I stated before, don't worry if I don't post-- I haven't given up on all of you!
See you later, then... :)

Want To Be REALLY Eco-Friendly?

For some of you, I'm sure that the day-to-day ways to go green aren't enough for you. You feel like you should be focussing everything you do on sustainability-- and if that's you, kudos to you! (If it's not, read this post for inspiration.) Here is my advice on how to truly live "the green life"... at school and work!

Beating the Consumeristic High School and Elementary School System
I have to say that school SUCKS (ahem, I mean, "does not meet my expectations") when it comes to eco-friendliness. Your teachers constantly expect you to use fresh-from-the-rainforest paper, pencils, and duotangs. Of course, you can get the recycled versions of these-- see my post Looking Forward to my Summer Vacation... And Eco-Friendly Office Supplies for details-- but there are also the myriad textbooks, paper handouts (enough to fill an entire binder for each class), lab assignments, etc. etc. etc. All highly consumeristic; enough to drive any young environmentalist up the wall and back down the other side again!
Sometimes it is just best to say goodbye to the regular high school amd elementary school system once and for all.
Wait! Don't drop out quite yet! Before you make any life-changing decisions, I want you to look at the alternatives.
For one thing, there is the homeschooling option. Homeschooling is sometimes misrepresented, however, so I feel the need to re-explain it to you by quoting Grace Llellewyn, editor of Real Lives: Eleven Teenagers Who Don't Go To School Tell Their Own Stories:

[Most Americans] probably associate homeschooling mainly with fundamentalist Christianity, and to most of us there is nothing fascinatingly wonderful or inconceivable about the idea of a miniature school-- complete with curriculum, parent-as-teacher-and-disciplinarian, rigid daily schedule, etc.--at home rather than in a school building... Anyway, if your definition of homeschooling is "school at home", you are partly right: For many people it is just that. But for thousands of others, it is nothing of the sort. Thousands of children in [America] grow up without being told what to do, without being formally taught to read and write, without being require to study biology, algebra, and Ernest Hemingway, without ever once being forced to read a particular book or complete a particular worksheet-- or any worksheet whatsoever."

And yet these children and teenagers go on to go to college (if they want to), get jobs (if they want to), and do pretty much what they want to with their lives. (Read the book if you are interested in hearing "success stories" about these people. I have the book open in front of me right now.)
If you decide to homeschool, you can make all your "classes" eco-friendly or environment-related. Wouldn't that be fun? Maybe I'm just obsessed with the environment, but it sounds downright groovy to me.
The particular strand of homeschooling in which there are no set classes and there is no rigid schedule is also known as "unschooling". Unschoolers learn the way they want to-- experiential learning at its finest. Unschooling is legal, although you may have to apply for an inquiry in order to get permission. It does not sound like a big deal, though.



Definition from www.homeschoolmosaics.com

Going to an Eco-Friendly University or College
There are plenty of environmentally-friendly universities and colleges to go to, as well as post-secondary schools which have environmentally-themed programs.

• For a list of some of the best international eco-friendly colleges and universities, click here.
• Click here for a list of some good ones in the United States, provided by the Princton Review (whatever that is).
• If the two above links do not meet your needs, please do more research into the topic.

There are also groups on campus that focus on making your university/college a greener place. Again, look around and see how you can get involved. You should also strive to find eco-friendly housing while at your school, as well as continue living eco-friendly while you are there.

Eco-Friendly Careers
What about green careers? It turns out there are a lot of those, too. Any job that you want can be greenified. Here are some examples:

• If you want to be a lawyer, work for an environmental organization to help them with their legal issues!
• If you want to be a deli store owner, open a vegan deli store that uses recycled packaging!
• If you want to be a writer, be an environmental writer (either freelance or for a magazine or for an organization)!
• If you want to be a musician, weave your eco-values into your songs and merchandise!
• Etc.! Etc.! Etc.!

There are also very environmentally-focused jobs. You can become a conservation biologist, an environmenal consultant, or an activist with an environmental organization.
I think that it is also importatnt to stress that if you are not happy with your current job, perhaps you should get out of it. Find something that you really want to do with your life-- greenified, of course. You certainly should not be wasting your life stressing about money and doing things you don't believe in!


So, if you are really serious about living a very eco-friendly life, try taking some of these ideas into consideration. You certainly won't regret it!
See you next week!

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!

Inspirational Filler Post, Or, Inspiration for Environmentalists

Last night I couldn't sleep very well. So I'm going to write a filler post.

Inspiration:
1) Never give up on what you believe in. Environmentalists are too smart to give up.
2) If you ever feel like nobody cares about the environment, tell yourself that they'll snap out of it eventually. Then they'll all adore you for being a trend-setter.
3) You can live according to your beliefs.
4) Don't procrastinate anymore. I mean it. I have to wait until I'm 18 to do a lot of the things I want to do it my life. So, I get a little annoyed when people do have the power to act now, but they don't act.
5) Start a blog. Or not. Maybe you could go leafleting. Or not. Go invite over all your friends to an eco-friendly party, just to show them how fun it is. Or not. Get a bumper sticker for your moped about eco-friendliness. Or not! I don't know! Just do something, please!
6) Keep reading my blog. I'm not being a very good writer today, but if you have read my other posts, I think you'll want to stay. Then I can reach more people with my message.

Ta-ta! See y'all next week.

The Ontario Nature Youth Council. Guess which one is me!

Super-Easy Homemade Natural Cosmetics and Toiletries

Hello! Last time I touched on how to re-use coffee in your beauty routine (among other things), but there are actually a lot of interesting ways to greenify your use of everyday products like toothpaste, deodorant, and hair conditioner. In doing so, you will also be ensuring that you are not taking in any toxic chemicals or any other scary ingredients. Read on!

Toothpaste
I got this one from Kirst's Homemade Cosmetics Recipes. It sounds tasty... But don't eat it!
Ingredients:
   2 tablespoons ground dried lemon or orange rind
   1/4 cup baking soda
   2 teaspoons salt (you're better off using sea salt-- table salt often contains sugar, and you certainly don't want to be brushing your teeth in white sugar!)
Mix them together until they become a fine powder. You may need a food processor for this. Then store in airtight container. To use, mix individual portion with water (leaving the rest untouched) and place on toothbrush.

Deodorant
Again, baking soda wins the prize. It's a natural deodorizer that comes from minerals. It's very eco-friendly, though, because there is so much of it. I've heard that one lake that is rich in these minerals can provide enough for everyone in the world indefinitely!
Ingredient:
   Baking soda. Need I say more?
Okay, the baking soda alone MIGHT irritate your skin. If it does, try Melinda's recipe. Mix 1 part baking soda with 6 parts cornstarch. Then apply to underarms.

Conditioner
This recipe is from Hair Care Recipes Cookbook. There are a lot of other wonderful recipes on this site!
Ingredients:
   1 avocado
   Organic coconut milk (the liquid that comes out of coconuts)
Mix and mash them together, adding coconut milk until you have a good consistency for your hair conditioner. Ideally, you should leave this on for 15 minutes before rinsing, but you are supposed to do that with all hair conditioners anyway. If you can't wait that long, still try out the recipe and see what happens!

Yes, You Can Reuse Coffee and the Dregs!

If you are an eco-concious coffee drinker, you might feel bad about wasting old coffee that has been sitting for a while, as well as throwing away the dregs. But take heart! There are ways you can re-use, yes, coffee!

Courtesy of http://mikerowse.com/?attachment_id=136

Gardeners, you can pour the old coffee remnants onto the soil of plants that need an acidic environment, such as blueberries, kiwifruit, garlic, serviceberry, Welsh onion, Japanese angelica, horseradish, wildginger, birch, camellia, coriander, lemon grass, fox glove, and more. Click here for a longer list complete with Latin names and detailed information! As for the coffee grinds, place them around plants to repel slugs.
Amateur and proffessional chefs, use the stuff that has gone bitter in the coffee maker/teapot in sauces. Add it to chili, vegetable marinades, and more!
Craft-loving folks, use it to stain fabric. On http://www.recyclethis.co.uk/20111123/how-can-i-reuse-coffee-thats-sat-on-the-plate-for-too-long, Carol says that this works wonderfully.
To those of you looking for inexpensive beauty tips, try re-using the grounds as an exfoliant for your skin. And to remove smells from your hands, wash them in coffee grounds. You can even use them to dye your hair and make it shiny!
Put some of the dried grounds into a thin bag and put it in your house, closet, etc. for a nicer smell.
Isn't this amazing? Remember to buy organic, fair-trade coffee, everyone!
Until next week...

What's Up With Sunscreen? (Besides the Sun?)

There are so many opposing viewpoints on the topic of sunscreen nowadays. The mainstream people and the sunscreen companies will tell you, "Wear plenty of sunscreen today!" And yet, many sunscreens are toxic. Just when we turn around, though, to declare that all-natural sunscreen will fit our purposes nicely, we read another article saying that zinc oxide, a common component in "natural" sunscreen products, can cause the formation of free-radicals when exposed to sunlight, which in turn could cause cancer! And anyway, say some people, you need sunlight for vitamin D, right?
My word! It seems that this whole sunscreen business is a huge waste of time, not to mention a possible health hazard.
It is also bad for the environment in some cases. For example, if you go swimming at the beach while wearing sunscreen, you'll be accidentally contaminating the lake waters. Once I went swimming in a completely pristine lake, and it made me feel a bit guilty to see all my sunscreen fog up the water before diffusing into the whole lake. Even if you don't go into the water, the sunscreen will still be washed away down the drain at a later time, only to end up comtaminating some place far away years later. After all, what goes down the drain never really goes "away"-- it has to end up somewhere. Worst of all or best of all, depending on how much of an eco-martyr you are, it would end up soaking into your skin and contaminating your body. Not very fun, eh...
So now what? I definitely don't want you to stay inside all summer. The answer is actually quite simple. Wear a light khaki or white long-sleeved shirt on top of your T-shirt or tank-top. You can also try a nice hat to cover your scalp and face.

Courtesy of depositphotos

There are plenty of different styles. There are plain ones for men and women, as well as uber-fashionable ones.
What makes wearing light-coloured clothing instead of sunscreen so awesome is that people have been doing it for thousands of years. The ancient Greeks were famous for their togas, remember, and ancient Egyptians wore light coloured tunics.
If you already have some light long-sleeved clothes, that is great. If not, why not buy a nice shirt, or make one yourself? Make sure it is made from organic materials!

Getting Politically Involved

Wow, I almost forgot to post today! Oh well; I'm glad that I remembered to do so this evening. Now, about getting politically involved...
Getting politically active is a vital way to start to make change. Everything else that I've talked about here is important, obviously, but sometimes it's necessary to contact the government or campaign for a party, too!
I know that a lot of people (myself included) groan at the mention of politics. It's so controversial that it leads to many pointless heated debates. I mean, do we have to talk about this???
Well, if we really are concerned about the environment and not just pretending, it turns out that we do!
Get involved in something to do with political change. Isn't that what democracy is all about?
Here are some things you can do to help in your community and nation:

1) If you're 18 or over, you can vote. Therefore, when reviewing potential candidates to vote for, take into account what they have to say about the environment. This doesn't mean you have to vote for the Green Party of Canada if you don't want to. But you really should choose a candidate who wants to help save the environment.
2) Petitions! Here's a good rule of thumb: every year, start two petitions and sign ten others. You probably don't want to spend all day signing endless Internet petitions (I know you have better things to do), but signing a few and starting a few is good.
3) Write letters to government officials. I sent a letter to Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada, regarding to cruel seal hunt. I got a letter back from someone who works with Harper, and it was actually personalised and responded to the things I said in my letter! I had been so sure that my letter would be opened, read, and tossed aside among what I imagined to be thousands of others. I figured I might have gotten a pre-written response (some other people sent their own, too, so they might have sent us all the same thing), but I didn't. My letter was given to someone in charge of Fisheries and Oceans. See-- this sort of thing can make a difference, after all!

Don't be intimidated by official-looking documents and coats of arms. It's all there for us, the citizens (theoretically, anyway). We had might as well use our individual power to help the environment! Believe me, it can be as easy as writing a quick e-mail.

4) Join a group that deals with environmental issues.
5) Attend a city council meeting.
6) If you really like a party that helps the environment, like the Green Party or NDP of Canada, for instance, then you can join the party or donate money, or volunteer for them.
7) If you have some really good ideas for what you think needs to be done in your municipality or city, ask to meet with the official (for Canada, MP and mayor) in person.
8) Politics isn't just in your country, province, state, or municipality. Everywhere you go that has a specific governance system-- schools, workplaces, recreation centers, environmental organizations, clubs, etc.-- has its own politics. If your boss, for example, makes you and your co-workers use uncertified and unrecycled paper for documents and things, ask him to change it. Depending on the situation, you could even start a petition for forest-friendly paper.

There is no reason why everyday civilians can't get involved! We are the ones who influence the government, after all!

If you HAVE to...

I understand that being eco-friendly is not very appealing if you feel like you must deprive yourself in order to succeed at it. Sometimes, I just (feel like I) need to listen to music, play video games, or watch a movie. But surely there are more energy-efficient ways to do such things?

And so...
If you HAVE to listen to music, use an MP3 player instead of a loud CD player.
If you HAVE to play video games, use a Nintendo DS instead of your computer or X-Box.
If you HAVE to watch a movie, do it at a movie theatre or invite a friend over to share the fun.
If you HAVE to have a bath instead of a shower, use lukewarm water-- not steaming water.
If you HAVE to do unneccessary things on the Internet, use a laptop instead of a desktop (it saves energy).

How did you all do with last week's challenge, by the way?

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



Summer Ways to Save Energy And Water (And Money)

Today I was going to do a post on Sustainable Transportation: Part II, but I didn't know what to say, so then I was going to do a Super-Duper Duct Tape Post, but I just learned that the adhesive part of duct tape is made from part of a dead goat (!!!), so I think I will post about, um...

How about Summer Ways to Save Energy And Water (And Money)?

The summer is a great time to go eco-friendly, or, if you are eco-friendly already, it's a great time to take things up a notch. Remember, every kilowatt saved = another tiny patch of land left intact! And those tiny bits of land add up, believe me.

Summer Saving Tip #1: Air-Drying

There are many things that you can air-dry, but the main ones are dishes, clothes, and your hair! When you use the dishwasher (which, by the way, is MORE eco-friendly than regular washing by hand), only set the cycle on the wash setting; once they are clean, open the dishwasher and leave them to dry-- or dry the dishes by hand if you are in a rush to have usable dishes. You can air-dry your clothing by hanging up a clothesline outside and hanging the clothing on the line with-- you guessed it-- clothespins! As for your hair, you can always go out in the sun and read a book while you are waiting for your hair to dry after a shower. (Brush or comb your hair every few minutes to make sure that it stays in place.)

Summer Saving Tip #2: Unplug It!

Computers, lights, little screens on DVD players that tell you the time... it all uses a lot of energy. In fact, 11% of your energy bill might be going towards keeping all your appliances on standby! Turning them off may not be enough-- instead, plug all these things into a few power bars and unplug the power bar when you don't need them.

Summer Saving Tip #3: Sustainable Watering Practices

Most of you who are reading this probably have a lawn and/or garden. It may be tempting to turn on the sprinkler to water the lawn or switching on the garden hose to water your plants, but there are better ways to do things! For example, you can collect rain water in open-top watering cans or a rain barrel (but let me tell you, I just use a little green watering can, and it works fine). Please don't bother watering your lawn-- it's grass! It can take care of itself. :)

Summer Saving Tip #4: So You Think You Need Air Conditioning? Really?

Humanity has lived for thousands of years without air conditioning. Consider also that stress levels and some types of illness have taken a sharp incline in recent years, many of which are related to overindulgence. Withstanding a little heat keeps you strong! If the heat really starts to get to you, perhaps you need some cold water, or even a fan or two to keep the air circulating.

P.S. For a long list of ways to be more eco-friendly, check out http://discovermagazine.com/2008/jan/25-surprising-and-simple-tips-for-a-greener-life. Be aware, however, that compact fluorescents have mercury in them. It may or may not be worth switching to these lightbulbs. But apart from that, it is a good list.

Sustainable Transportation: Part I

Did you know that transportation is responsible for 22% of all CO2 emmissions? Carbon dioxide may be just one of many gases, but it should give you an idea of the percentage of other gases emmited by transportation-- including the dangerous nitrogen oxides and ozone.
Because transportation has such a heavy impact on our environment, we need to adjust this practice drastically. Here are some of my suggestions:

• Don't commute by car! I know, some of you (feel that you) must commute, because you live such a long way away from the place that you work. But that is no excuse, really. Find a job close to home, or find a home close to your job. If neither of these appeal to you, take the bus or find someone who is driving along the same route so that you can carpool.
• Make it a rule: whenever you are going somewhere "for fun", like the movies or to a friend's house, rule out the car and bike, walk, or take public transit.
• If you have a car, give it to someone going car-shopping. Or use it as a carpool car.
• Long distance trips should be made by train and charter bus. That includes summer vacation-- imagine the rustic calmness of the train, instead of the high-tech stress of a car or plane!
• If you are completely stubborn about having a car, at least make sure that your next one is an energy-efficient hybrid or one run by restaurants' leftover vegetable oil (yes, some of them can run off used oil scraps!).

Electric Scooter: Courtesy of http://theitsaboutelectricscootersblog.blogspot.ca/

You know, I was thinking about what a future might be like if we all took action now. If we stopped buying cars and saved them for the sick, impaired, and threatened. If we all bicycled, walked, skateboarded, scootered, and roller-skated. If we used mopeds, electric bikes, and electric scooters when we couldn't get places with our own power. If long-distance travel entailed trains and buses...
And you know what gets me angry? That future-- that wonderful, attainable future-- is being stolen from me a little bit more every day. We have already hit peak oil, which means that from now on, we will keep finding less and less oil in the ground. The prices will steadily increase until eventually, only the billionaires can afford it. And one day it will be all gone. Sooner or later, industry will collapse, and we won't even be prepared! Life may get very hard from that point forward. We will be forced to be self-reliant. I am fine with growing my own vegetables, but some things, like heating my house and going to school, will suddenly become so complicated! A sustainable yet still comfortable future is not only being stolen from me, but also from you, your neighbours, your current/future children, and all other life forms on the planet. The thieves are the people who carelessly suck away all the energy they want; of course, they often do it unknowingly, so you can't hate them for it, but that doesn't make what they are doing any more ethical.
I figured I would have to rant a bit about the reasons why this matters so much in order to convince you to make wise transportation choices. After all, changing the way you commute is a big deal. But it is oh-so-important. It can be used to measure what kind of person you are choosing to be in your life. It also dictates how the Earth will exist in the future-- whether many species, including our own, will even survive!