The visit of Pope Francis 2015...

Pope Francis holds his hand out over masses of people

So far the papal visit & Pope Francis' tour have been a very refreshing & yes, so far, a joyous experience for me, a non religious person. To watch & listen as he makes his way around Washington, speaking with the people & to the people in an intelligent & supremely caring manner.

Pope Francis Skips Lunch With Politicians To Be With Homeless In Washington, D.C.

Let's be honest here - this is not just a man of God, this is a man of the people...a man of the ages. A man who truly loves the people he sees, who truly holds compassion & caring for all of them, above everything else! He does not just lend lip service or the church dogma with each stop, but shows he wants the best for all people...& he is calling for the best from all of us as well!

He doesn't have to be a man of God...a man of faith, for me to listen to him. He had me with intelligent dialogue.

All I have to know is how important his messages are to the masses & how important his station is on a global level. Perhaps in his loving & humble way, he will achieve the things we all need to have happen! And many who feel as he does, want to have happen.  Will those in high places, those who hold important positions listen to him? Take to heart what he is saying? 

Or will they again tell him to 'butt out' when he doesn't come in line with their agenda like he's already been told pre to this visit? The line they've been 'preaching' in God's name is being contradicted by his speeches & sermons...so how do they deal with this? Or will they bother? It seems to me that the people they speak to don't really care what the church says, or what the bible & Jesus said. They only care about what their 'party' says...those politicians wishing to hold on to support with the use of religion & discredit each other by using the same.

We are all the same in Francis' eyes. All equal. And all too often that is not what is seen in this country. Oh, we can deny that, but actions speak so much louder than words & Christians themselves might want to take a closer look in the mirror, as well as at their actions & stop hiding behind God's name.

In his soft spoken way, Pope Francis asked us to not trample peoples equality...women's as well as everyone else. He reminds people, politicians specifically that the country is founded on immigrants & some, like himself achieve greatness if allowed to prosper without being shut out, sent away or persecuted. He also reminded us that 'all' religions should enjoy freedom of worship, not just the one you follow. And if you choose to follow none, that's fine too...you aren't a heathen nor should you be hated or called some of the names that I have been called.

Some of us follow a God, some of us follow a philosophy. But as long as we care about one another, for one another & hold out a helping hand to the needy, to those who are crushed under events that have taken place in their lives, leaving them with little to nothing, we will be doing what he wishes. He reminds people that nowhere in their bible does it say 'you earned that money so you get to keep it all & forsake those in need'. In fact, your Jesus taught quite the opposite...

Other good men...as well as women, have preceded this man & after the spin put on their words by politicians & those who wish to minimize them, we are left with not a lot of what they tried to teach us actually getting accomplished. Do we stand a chance that this good man has reached the right people where heretofore no one else seems to have?

I guess we stay tuned now & do whatever we can to promote his words.

Misplaced pride, Ignorance is unbecoming...

Vintage 1887 patchwork quilt

In this day of environmental awareness and looking after our planet, it has resulted in many people doing their part to assure the earth is hurt no more than it already has been and with each of us making our own contribution to that cause, we should be able to, if not turn things around, at least halt much of the pollution that's seen today growing worse. So many of the people born into this generation are thinking this way and it becomes second nature to them to recycle and pick up bits of trash and litter as they see it laying around the streets and wilderness. But as good as they are, they have one thing terribly, terribly wrong!
 
This became abundantly clear while standing in line at checkout one afternoon when the young woman at the register peered at the woman in front of me and told the elder lady that she 'should be doing her part'. That that she should bring her own grocery bags, because plastic bags are not good for the environment!

The woman apologized to the young girl, saying she'd remember this for next trip to the store and explained, "We didn't have this 'green thing' back in my earlier days."

The young clerk responded, "And that's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment for future generations to come."

The older lady said that she was right -- our generation didn't have the "green thing" in its day. The older lady then went on to explain:

"Back then, we returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over.
So they really were recycled...but we didn't have the "green thing" back in our day.

Grocery stores bagged our groceries in brown paper bags that we reused for numerous things. Most memorable, besides household garbage bags was the use of brown paper bags as book covers for our school books. This was to ensure that public property (the books provided for our use by the school) was not defaced by our scribblings. Then we were able to personalize our books on the brown paper bags. But, too bad, we didn't do the "green thing" back then.

And if we had a cat, the shredded bags were placed in a pan and provided kitty a place to pee if she had to go. No expensive litters or fancy mechanical self cleaning litter pans using electricity back then.

We walked up stairs because we didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks. And very few of us had weight problems for these same reasons."

  And she was right. We didn't have the "green thing" in our day.

Back then we washed the baby's diapers because we didn't have the throw away kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy-gobbling machine burning up 220 volts. Wind and solar power really did dry our clothes back in our early days. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing.
But that young lady is right; we didn't have the "green thing" back in our day.

Back then we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana.

After the dishes are done...by hand...

In the kitchen we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us either. 

When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used wadded up old newspapers to cushion it, not 'purchased for the purpose' Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.
But she's right - we didn't have the "green thing" back then.

We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or carrying around a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water. We refilled writing pens with ink instead of throwing them away and buying a new pen...and we replaced the razor blade in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.
But we didn't have the "green thing" back then.

Back then we did recycle our outgrown or out of fashion clothing much as they do today, but we also made use of those clothes that weren't fit for wearing any longer. They became patchwork quilts! No buying brand new cotton when there was so much good usable cotton in the shirt with the blown collar or elbows. Or the dress with the stain or the blouse with irreparable seams...or sheets with too many patches became the quilt backs of the 'new' patchwork quilt. 
But she was right, we didn't have the "green thing" back then.

Your ride to and from school everyday...

Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service in the family's $45,000 SUV or van, which cost what a whole house did before the "green thing." We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 23,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest burger joint.
But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the "green thing" back then?

Please feel free to share this with another selfish old person who needs a lesson in conservation from a smart ass young person.

We don't like being old in the first place, so it doesn't really take much to piss us off... Especially from a tattooed, multiple pierced, spiky haired smart ass who can't even make change without the cash register telling them how much to hand us back.

United Nations says Eat Less Meat

Well now, here's a new twist on why to give up eating our animal friends - do it to combat global warming. I like that! One more reason to consider this healthy life style even tho' this one will have people scratching their heads or snickering behind their hands.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Chairman, Rajendra Pachauri

To combat global warming, Dr Rajendra Pachauri, head of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, advises, "Give up meat for one day [a week] initially, and decrease it from there." Pachauri is a vegetarian himself, and points out that greenhouse gas emissions and habitat destruction are associated with animal agriculture.

To most animal advocates, this is old news. Even to the United Nations, this is old news.

Sadly, some environmentalists still have their heads [politely] in the sand when it comes to this issue. Rain forest Action Network found that holding vegetarian events alienated some of the people they wanted to work with, including some of their own staff.

To Al Gore, the role of animal agriculture in global warming is the most inconvenient truth.

Most people don't think of global warming as an animal rights issue, but global warming is a threat to all wild and domestic animals. Anthony Marr, an animal rights activist and author of "Homo Sapiens, Save Your Earth!" is dedicating his life this year to this issue.

Of course, being vegan is better than being vegetarian from both an environmental and animal rights standpoint. Buying eggs and dairy products would still support animal agriculture.

Freegan living is probably the most earth-friendly way to get your daily bread and other commodities. By utilizing food and other products that are discarded by others, freegans truly minimize their ecological footprint.

My thanks to Doris Lin for her article at About.com

This topic seems to be hitting the internet all at the same time and I can't be happier to see it getting attention even though some of that attention will be negative.

Another article, this time from Juliette Jowit, environment editor of The Observer in the UK, says

'His [Rajendra Pachauri's] comments are the most controversial advice yet provided by the panel on how individuals can help tackle global warning. Perhaps so, but then it's always been the radicals who have made the changes in our world and most of them have been good.

However, he also stressed other changes in lifestyle would help to combat climate change. 'That's what I want to emphasize: we really have to bring about reductions in every sector of the economy.'

Pachauri can expect some vociferous responses from the food industry to his advice, though last night he was given unexpected support by Masterchef presenter and restaurateur John Torode, who is about to publish a new book, John Torode's Beef. 'I have a little bit and enjoy it,' said Torode. 'Too much for any person becomes gluttony. But there's a bigger issue here: where [the meat] comes from. If we all bought British and stopped buying imported food we'd save a huge amount of carbon emissions.'

Tomorrow, Pachauri will speak at an event hosted by animal welfare group Compassion in World Farming, which has calculated that if the average UK household halved meat consumption that would cut emissions more than if car use was cut in half.

The group has called for governments to lead campaigns to reduce meat consumption by 60 per cent by 2020.

Campaigners have also pointed out the health benefits of eating less meat. The average person in the UK eats 50g of protein from meat a day, equivalent to a chicken breast and a lamb chop - a relatively low level for rich nations but 25-50 per cent more than World Heath Organisation guidelines.

Professor Robert Watson, the chief scientific adviser for the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, who will also speak at tomorrow's event in London, said government could help educate people about the benefits of eating less meat, but it should not 'regulate'. 'Eating less meat would help, there's no question about that, but there are other things,' Watson said.

This article in it's entirety can be read by going to

There are many places addressing this as I've mentioned already. To see them I've listed them here for however the links are hot. Forgive me if they pull the piece before you've had a chance to read it.
There is the Time article, in partnership with CNN.
And BBC World News America.
Also The Telegraph.

In fact, just about everywhere I've gone in the last few days, people and papers have been talking about this. It seems the threat of taking away peoples 'meat' is having a profound impact on everyone and it's funny to me how it took something like global warming and going green to perhaps force people to be humane.

The words of a child...

I know what those who know me are going to be saying right now. 'Oh oh, the Tree Hugger is at it again'. Well yes, they're right. She is. As I drag my little soapbox over to stand on, I want to share this powerful video with you.




Can you watch and listen to her words and not feel a little shame, sadness or some guilt? Unless you are guiltless of any of the things she talks about, then you should be ashamed and sad...and feeling guilty.

We talk about making a better world for our children, and their children after them - but we wait for someone else to do that for us. We're too busy buying and disposing of the things we're tired of - last years 'had to have' items are now this years donation or trash.
And our lawns and properties...make them beautiful on the surface, as we kill what's underneath. Poisoning the earth and the waters - and our animals - and our children!

Others try to make a difference - to change attitudes and try and compel us to care for Mother Earth as we sit idly by clucking our tongues and saying how awful things are getting but never making any effort to change them ourselves.

What will it take to make a difference? Will it be the heartfelt words of just one single child? I wish I had more faith in mankind to believe it will because I don't think the words of even a million children would make a difference. But like anything in this life, we can live in the hope that one thing may just sink in before it's too late for all of us. Will it be this girls plea that makes that happen?

The Story of Stuff

This is an incredible little 20 minute tour guided by Annie Leonard through our wicked and wasteful ways. It tells how we got here and why, but also how we can reverse the trend before it annihilates us all. I will only be able to link you to the film as there is no code to bring it directly here.
But watch, please. It is funny and informative.

The Story of Stuff

STOP the nuclear bailout! A petition...

Please do this for yourself and the planet. It is such a small thing to do and has such a monumental result.



I thank you and the earth thanks you...

The Buffalo Field Campaign...

I can't bring myself to watch these videos more than once, but I feel compelled to post them here in the heartfelt hope that it will compel enough people to write, email, phone, march or whatever it takes to stop this practice...or that matter any of these practices! Who are we that we set ourselves up to 'manage' life?

The Buffalo Field Campaign removes any (small) steps we've made toward preserving things that share our country and our planet with us. Buffalo and wolves fall to our every whim to satisfy rich ranchers and/or are 'managed' due to illness & disease. My question is if they can shoot a bullet then why can't they shoot a vaccine? There are alternatives to so much that we do but as usual, they are being ignored. We haven't learned a damn thing, have we?

Jon Bon Jovi

I think Paris has the best phrase for this..."That's hot!"

I make no pretenses; I love Jon Bon Jovi. I simply don't get those who have the elitist need to "set themselves apart" by not liking a band who has stood the test of time, in this case 23 years and counting. Plain rock and roll, a terrific voice, and good presentation throughout his glam rock years until today, he has continued where others haven't.
He has avoided following in the hedonistic, self-destructive footsteps of so many others. He married his high school sweetheart and after 18 years and four children they are still together - no overdoses or break-ups, just a man who loves what he does and wants to make a difference in his world.

Presently, while still recording and touring, he is also co-owner of The Philadelphia Soul arena football team; he has all sorts of solid philanthropic projects and founded the The Philadelphia Soul Charitable Foundation which is currently coupled with Project HOME, Habitat for Humanity, to build homes for those people in need of decent housing. He's sure not just another pretty face. He is a caring, hands on individual - one always looking for ways to improve the lives of those less fortunate than he is.
I admire Jon so much.

In fact, I admire all people who will use their money and their talents to give something back - better the lives of many and not just themselves.

People have always been shocked when I say I'm a Bon Jovi fan...why? They've sold over 125 million albums worldwide - 40 million in the US alone so I'm certainly not alone.

They have consistently sold millions of copies of each of their nine albums.

I doubt that Jon cared whether people thought his band was less than cutting edge tho'. He'd found a formula - crank out pop-rock anthems with easily palatable social messages - tunes his fans wanted to hear and he stuck to it. Think about it! While other quintessentially 80's bands have disbanded and disappeared, Bon Jovi has stayed in the charts. They have a unique sound, influenced by rock, pop, metal and blues. A very distinctive sound. The Bon Jovi sound and people knew what they were getting when they bought a cd. Jon's formula clearly worked.

And Richie is not to be overlooked either. He ranks as my top ten as best guitarist to hit a stage. He has my sound - that mix of blues/Spanish/rock...okay, heavy on the rock, but he can peel off the sweetest, pure notes that my ear has heard. I've always favored Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck and it's pretty obvious this is who Richie fashions himself after learning the guitar. Man, did he picked the best.

This song really has a special place in my heart.

More good works from Jon came about after the supposed landslide election win of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on June 12th of this year. The announcement claimed Ahmadinejad had garnered 63% of the votes cast, and that Mir-Hossein Mousavi had received 33% of the votes cast. The European Union, United Kingdom and several western countries expressed concern over alleged irregularities during the vote, and many analysts and journalists from the United States, Europe and other western based media voiced doubts as well, about the authenticity of the results.

Meanwhile, many OIC member states, as well as Russia, China, India, and Brazil, have congratulated Ahmadinejad on his victory. It was clearly a corrupt election from the outset and Iranian citizens were outraged at yet another abuse of their civil rights and liberties. Many took to the streets to protest this apparent unprincipled farce of an election.

So it was that on June 24, 2009 this "Stand By Me" event took place. Iranian Superstar Andy Madadian went into an LA recording studio with Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and American record producers Don Was and John Shanks to record a musical message of worldwide solidarity with the people of Iran. This version of the old Ben E. King classic is not for sale - it was not meant to be on the Billboard charts or even manufactured as a CD.....it's intended to be downloaded and shared by the Iranian people...to give voice to the sentiment that all people of the world stand together....the handwritten Farsi sign in the video translates to "we are one".

If you know someone in Iran - or anyone who knows someone in Iran - please share this link.

http://www.MyDamnChannel.com/Don_Was/...

Free MP3 download: http://content.mydamnchannel.com/data...

Love ya, Jon. Sure hope we can have lunch together some day. And bring Richie...

We Are The Machine...

Remember in the 50's how we all worried about someones finger hovering over the 'war button' and a simple hiccup or a sneeze launching us into war once more? The panic button that would send a bomb off to decimate another land?

It's a whole lot more likely to happen now with our busy little fingers having access to the world as we're able to reach across the globe and tempers flare. If you were fearful of one panic button, think about billions of buttons being out there! They're called 'the keyboard'.

The Machine



On the other hand, - if you'll allow me that pun - we also have the capacity to stop it. To not allow others to fully control our thoughts any longer. Using intelligent and wisdom from history, we can make our government truly ours. As it was meant to be.

History will show that the greatest single mistake the Bush war machine made was to underestimate the impact of the Internet. They didn't understand the Internet or the Internet culture, its sociology, and most important, how access to the Internet transformed Americans from mere accepters of broadcast information into active and critical participants in the information process. They waved off Internet news sources as just hobbies run by computer geeks for other computer geeks to tap into. Nothing to worry about! Blogs were not mainstream media, we were told by mainstream media.

Bush and the NeoCons didn't really know what to do about the Internet anyway, so wishful thinking made it unimportant. That was their critical error, because while the polls kept showing more people were still getting their news from TV than from their computers, the margin kept getting smaller.

And their polls didn't reflect the fact that those people watching TV news were not as mentally involved with the information flow as Internet users are. While fewer in numbers, people who were getting their news from the Internet were more involved with the news they gathered...after all they sought it out and they talked with others they knew who did not have Internet feeds. 'Each one teach one' thrives in practice.

So all of a sudden, the outdated mechanism of "what government says, the people think" is busted. Kaput! The mainstream TV networks have lost their monopoly on the flow of information. The public can decide for itself what is, in fact, newsworthy. The high ground in the war for the minds of America had shifted to the Internet, and the government of the US is losing that war. As we learn there are things happening in the world and at home that mainstream TV news is not telling us, we begin to turn to our computers more and more.

The government and mainstream media took many avenues to scare us away from the computers - ah, that fear factor! Worked for them in the past - could work again. They employed public relations to dump obvious misinformation onto the internet in hopes of besmirching it's credibility. But unlike television, the Internet allows readers to recognize immediately the false information for what it is by cross referencing news carried from other sources. Once again we have not been given credit for being able to think outside their parameters.

We now have a collective memory outside government control. Mainstream news sources too, have become aware that they can no longer avoid reporting the unpleasant news stories, without their avoidance itself becoming news on our blogs. As a result, blogs now drive the mainstream news. The mainstream media have been maneuvered into having to make a choice between continuing to support the agenda of their owners/handlers, or saving what is left of their credibility by running the stories that the public will be aware of anyway through the Internet.

The internet and blogging may save the world...who knew? What started as a way of learning about the world, ends up teaching us about ourselves.
A round of applause please. Now, go and responsibly change the world.

Someone needs you....

For most all of my life I've been making space in my home for new friends. They have come in many shapes, shades and sizes. Fur, hair, feathers, scales and skin. Anyone that needed a home could easily find one with me. I felt it my earthly duty.

As a kid there were the inevitable snakes and squirrels, baby birds, bunnies and skunks. Outside there were all the rest. My extended family.

I get this from my grandfather. He would come home from work on blustery cold winter days and open his jacket to show who had 'followed' him home.
He'd sheepishly look at my Nana and say, "Well Huckleberry, I couldn't just leave him off to fend for himself, now could I?"
To which my Nana would reply "You? Fat chance of that! Who followed you this time?"

At one time we had three dogs, seven cats, three canaries, one budgie, one parrot, one squirrel and a raccoon sharing our home. Miraculously, they all got along; sometimes better than the ones in possession of the larger brain, in fact!

But from all this, I learned which animals can adapt to an indoor environment and which ones can't. Squirrels? Can't! Raccoons? Can't! Skunks? Take away that little bag of fumes they have and they are just as wonderful as any kitty.

I relate all this of course because of a dire need for homes for others that have been abandoned or sent to shelters due to circumstances beyond their owners control. These are the little ones that need you the most.

We so often make a decision to buy that 'pure bred' pet, never once thinking about how we are perpetuating the puppy mills and unscrupulous breeding farms. Animal shelters are by far your best source when looking for a pet. Not only do they have a great selection of adult animals for adoption, but they also have kittens and puppies, and even purebred animals. In fact, on average, purebreds account for about 25% to 30% of a shelter's dog population.

Many pets at your local shelter are waiting for new homes because they were obtained from a breeder by someone with unrealistic expectations of the time, effort, and money required to sustain a lifelong relationship with their pet.

National figures indicate that about half of the animals in shelters must be euthanized for lack of homes.

Let's try to stop this trend today? Animals at your local shelter are eager to find a new home and are just waiting for someone like you.

And don't be discouraged if, when you first visit the shelter, there are no animals of the breed or type you want. It's unfortunate, but most shelters receive scores of new animals every day. Your shelter may also have a waiting list and can call you when an animal matching your preference becomes available. Before choosing your pet, you can even speak with an adoption counselor about whether your choice of a particular type or breed will be best for you. There is so much to be gained from deciding this is where to go. All three of my kitties today are rescued, one from the Humane Society and his cage was tagged with a euthanasia sticker. He was literally hours away of losing his life.

And last but not least, another advantage is that shelter adoption fees are usually much less than an animal's purchase price at a pet store or breeder. Your new little buddy is more likely to be vaccinated, dewormed, and spayed or neutered before coming home with you too.

To locate your local animal shelter, check the Yellow Pages under "Animal shelter," "Animal control," or "Humane Society."


Many shelters also have web sites on which they display the animals they have available for adoption. Some sites allow you to download adoption forms and read about responsible pet care.
A growing number of shelters also promote their web sites, and the animals they have for adoption, on sites such as Pets 911, Petfinder, Happy Tails and 1-800-Save-A-Pet.com.
Petfinder also has a 'click daily' to help food costs, which I love!

And finally, but certainly not last is Alley Cat Allies. If you can't provide a home for those struggling to live, then make their struggle easier. No, not by calling animal control & having them scooped up off the street and "humanely" destroyed, but by joining so many others in bringing food and health care to those in the urban wild. There are numerous ways to help; including donation and hands on work.

They also hold seminars to help people make their neighborhoods trap-neuter-return areas, and you learn how you can unite and mobilize to make nonlethal policies the norm. As surprising as it is to people, the law does support this, so if you decide to visit a national cat advocacy seminar such as the one being held in Washington this coming October, you will come away informed and ready to do something good. The dates for this seminar are Friday, October 12 and Saturday October 13. If you're not in the Washington area like I am, you can find things that are happening in your area by visiting their Feral Cat and Spay/Neuter Organizations section for global action. This is so easy to do and so vital to so many little lives.

My gratitude goes out to Patrick McDonnell for his most excellent comic strip and for all the good work he's doing for animals the world over. Reading Mutts is a part of my daily ritual. Got my button, got my handbook - I'm a fan!


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"My name is Ginger and I am a treehugger"...

Yeah, I’m a treehugger.

For so many years I have mumbled the phrase almost as an apology when people ask me what I thought about the newest mall going in or the latest space being cleared for yet another golf course. I would feel saddened by the news, but try to hide that fact from the person that asked, knowing they expected a much different answer than the one I was about to give. I would always just smile politely or even try feigning excitement at the news. Was I being a traitor to myself and the causes I care about by doing that? Yes - and I won’t do it any longer.

The question is still there, however. Why am I made to feel badly for caring about the state of the earth and her inhabitants? Where did that attitude toward us start; those of us who give a damn about more than just the latest clothing on the runways of the fashion world. Clothing that is in all likelihood, made in third world countries under questionable work practices and using materials filled with herbicides, pesticides and toxic dyes. Why do people roll their eyes heavenward & smirk when I don’t show a whole lot of interest in what movies are showing up in theaters every week or who was seeing/sleeping with who in Hollywood? I do notice celebrities, don’t get me wrong. I notice the ones who have the same concerns as I do, and I also notice they generally get the same treatment that I do for it. I remain baffled, but I will applaud them here. That they deserve. There are so many that I am limited of course, but at least I can show my appreciation to a few.

There is long time actor-conservationist, Robert Redford and actor-activist, Leonardo Dicaprio, super model/eco-style queen, Summer Rayne Oakes, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, (Natural Resources Defense Council, Waterkeeper Alliance & Trust for Public Land). I dare not mention Angelina Jolie who works so hard with the UNHCR and was given the Church World Service Immigration and Refugee Program Humanitarian Award. Another smirk there because all anyone really wants to say about her is “She stole Brad from Jen.”
Talk about focus.

Musicians have long been on a course to improve and repair the damage done by developers and commerce too. MUSE was formed back in the 1979 and is still going, stronger than ever today. Bono and his wife Ali Hewson with their clothing line Edun. Safe clothing made by people who construct them while working under good conditions and for a fair wage. And using cottons grown under good conditions and free from poisons. Yet so many people will curl a lip or chuckle softly when they hear of people trying to help animals that are threatened or bring about an awareness to the problems the earth faces right now. This is not a bad thing to do nor is it a bad thing to be.

These things didn’t start yesterday. They started decades ago. And perhaps they wouldn’t be here at all today if our lip-curling ancestors had done their part to guard against these things happening back then. It’s something that affects us all, but they are still willing to sit back and do nothing but sneer at the people who are trying so hard to make their world better for them!

I belong to so many causes today of which I am proud, and I’m amazed that anyone can still make me feel I should be apologizing for that. I hear so many alibis for not doing things to help. “I don’t have the time” – “I don’t have the money”.
Well, neither did I really; but I made it. So much of what we can do costs nothing and will, in fact, save us money eventually.

The length of time it takes to sign your name to a petition that will change things for the better or email your representative is so very little to ask. There are so many ways to help and it is so appreciated by those willing to do your work for you. If you’re not sure where to start, let me help.
You have an opportunity to take action the Arctic Refuge by going to SaveBioGems.org

One of the very best places to get informed about almost everything is at Treehugger.com where you can find out about efficient cars and appliances, clothing, science and architecture – all things that you don’t have to live without, just change which brands you buy and what products you use.

So we've established the clothes aren’t ugly or tasteless as you've seen at Edun and the cars and motorcycles aren't slow as you can see by visiting these vehicle sites. Check out this cutie L3 Enigma, a vehicle that could take you from coast to coast on 33 gallons of fuel. Or the Toyota FT-HS with it's 400 hp rivaling the 'Vette. No, they're not here yet, but it won't be long...



There is even ways to lend your support without getting off your duff if that’s what you’re looking for. If all you’re willing to do is take a survey, then that’s appreciated too. Knowing how people feel or what they expect, helps those of us more willing to give of our time to get those things done.

TreeHugger is a fast-growing web magazine, dedicated to everything that has a modern aesthetic yet is environmentally responsible. Their influential audience stops by frequently to check out the latest news, reviews and recommendations for modern yet green products and services. Consumers also rely on the directory to help facilitate their buying processes. TreeHugger is the most effective way for us to find well designed products that are also ecologically sensitive.

The Sundance Channel also has many ways to help make smart decisions.

You can also do a very painless thing by just visiting The Live Earth Pledge Tree site and making a pledge to help keep things alive and well. If you can change a light bulb, you can do this!

And lastly, it also wouldn't hurt to visit Planetsave.com and educate yourself to all the other alternatives you have today.