Why I haven't been blogging

Every time I ask myself "Blog or Garden?" Garden wins!

It's about time

The President's Cancer Panel recently released a 'ground breaking" report stating

"The true burden of environmentally induced cancers has been grossly underestimated."

Here's a New York times oped

Currently the toxic chemicals actually in use in this country are not monitored and only about 200 out of 82,000 chemicals entering the market since 1976 have been tested for safety (Isn't that comforting) Source: Green America

A bill was recently introduced to protect Americans from harmful chemicals. It's called the Safe Chemicals Act. Here's a New York Times article

You can support this law by signing this petition

I did!

Photo Credit: Flickr the_justified_sinner

What can I do?

It has been hard for me to follow what is happening with the oil spill off the Gulf coast. Since I can't be there to help in a hands on way..I needed to find some other way to help. Here are the three things I did.

1. I donated money to Audubon. They'll be organizing volunteers for wildlife rescue and beach clean-up, as well as researching the effects of the spill on habitats in the weeks and months following its landfall. I chose Audubon because I have been a member for years and they are a well established non-profit with a long history of environmental work.

2. I filled out the National Wildlife Federation’s form letter to President Obama asking that the Gulf Coast be restored so that the world and our children know that we ( as a country) take responsibility for our mistakes.

3. I also filled in the Sierra Club’s form letter to let the President know that I don’t want to be responsible for anything like this happening ever again….so I support ending off shore drilling and looking for long term, sustainable solutions to meet our energy needs.

I got my ideas from Ten Things You Can Do

Photo:
Fort Jackson, Louisiana International Bird Rescue Research Center

Why 350?

Since Mark sold his car, he has been biking to work most days. He estimated how much carbon he was keeping out of the environment. His goal was 350 pounds...which he achieved on Friday, April 30, 2010. Here we are celebrating his success!!

Why 350?

"350 is the most important number in the world—it's what scientists say is the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide in the atmosphere." For more information on why 350 and what we can do to get there..check out www.350.org

Good News and Bad News

The bad news is...this is the third year we have not found salamanders. We participate in the annual WI salamander survey (through Audubon).

The good news...we caught 4 different kinds of frogs ( more than ever before.) Spring peepers, chorus frogs ( pretty sure that is what is in the photo), green frogs and bull frogs. The other good news is...a friend surveyed a pond close by and she DID catch salamanders. They do live in Dane County...there is nope!

Arb Volunteering Month 3

I was informed by the kids that pulling weeds is not as satisfying as lopping trees. Seth says..."The Trowelinators is just not the same as the Lopinators"

We pulled Dames' Rocket ( which I recognized that we had in our lawn) and garlic mustard. It was humbling to see how fast these invasive plants take over.

The photo is of the kids showing how many bags of Dame's Rocket they pulled. I believe the pose I asked for "Stand behind the bags and raise your trowels."

Inspired

I heard Will Allen speak at First Unitarian Church...talk about being inspired.
He started Growing Power He is a farmer who started out by hiring teens from Milwaukee to help him farm. Now they are a national organization.

Here are a few things I remember from his talk:
The key is soil. If you don't have good soil you can't grow anything. And we have lost soil ( to erosion) and polluted soil with chemicals..so they make compost...a LOT of compost. He has worked out deals with grocery stores around Milwaukee to get any produce they are going to throw out. They use the compost in gardens..and sell it.

Make use of what you have...for instance...they vermipost ( use worms to compost)...and the compost piles get really hot (150') so they put compost piles in the green houses to heat them in the winter ( they also put compost along the outside walls.) They don't need any additional heat all winter.

Access to healthy food is important. They have been experimently with ways to grow food all year round ( even in WI winters). In their green houses..they grow things on 7 different levels..so no space is wasted.

They have expanded into raising fish, chickens and bees. And even as he expands he has continued to hire and train young people.

This is truly a hero story..one person making an incredible difference in many, many lives. Check them out at Growing Power Sice their headquarters is in Milwaukee..we plan to take the kids and go for a visit.