ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY AND EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY

ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY: A PETROLOGIST studies rocks. If you'd like to read more, check it out here.

EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY:

Did you know that the average person releases about 50,000 pounds of carbon dioxide every year? Check out this Time Article about an Earth-Friendly Home here and find out how to reduce your carbon dioxide output.

ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY AND EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY

ANSWER: Dutch.

Now, for

EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY:

Here, in Portland, Oregon, someone had the idea of starting a bike registration fee. You can read all about it here.

I am absolutely opposed to a bike registration fee. I think we should encourage alternative forms of transportation, not make it more difficult for those people willing to reduce gas emissions, and pollution by powering their own energy by pedaling to work.

What do you think?

ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY AND EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY

Answer to Thought for Thursday: To stop them from stealing pepper, it was used as currency at the time.

Now for EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY: With the high price of gasoline and the recession hitting the economy and all of us pretty hard, why don't we try walking a little more? Rather than going for a Sunday afternoon drive, why don't we all go for a Sunday afternoon walk? It will be good for the heart, health and be Earth-Friendly too. We don't have to do a lot, if we all do a little, we can make a big difference.

And, if you happen to live in Portland, Oregon, you just might be in luck because my hometown is one of the top ten most walkable cities in the country. Check it out here.

ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY AND EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY

ANSWER: VENUS (So many of you are so smart)

AND now it's time for Earth-Friendly Friday.

Check out the Green Heroes Grant Program here.

The gist of the program is to spread some good green and watch your eco-friendly community project grow!

Here is what they say:

"We want to recognize and reward you for your efforts to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle. Enter The Green Works™ Green Heroes Grant Program and you could be one of five Green Heroes who'll each receive a $10,000 grant to help your eco-friendly community project grow and flourish!

Whether your project takes place on your neighborhood block or throughout your entire community, just upload a photo of your green program in action and then describe how a Green Heroes grant could help your project blossom. A panel of Eco-Experts, including representatives from the Sierra Club, ecofabulous.com and Josh Dorfman – the Lazy Environmentalist, will select 10 finalists. The public will then have the opportunity to vote for five Green Heroes who will receive a $10,000 grant from the Green Works™ team!"

ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY AND EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY

ANSWER: Sardine and spinach sundaes. YUMMY for your TUMMY ;)

Bonus Question - answer: Pickle Juice.

NOW, for Earth-Friendly Friday. This is info (which I got from my work via Beverly Michaelis-Kongslie) to help clean up out there in cyber space.

Living green means not wasting wattage by having a slow running computer.

Is Your Computer Performance Lagging?

Over time, computers can become sluggish due to unnecessary applications as well as fragmented files. Take time to clean up your computer periodically to improve its speed and efficiency by following these steps: . . .

•. Uninstall any applications you no longer use. Don't just delete the icon - it's only a shortcut. Use the uninstall feature that came with the software, or go to the Control Panel in Windows and. choose Add or Remove Programs. Once the program list is populated; select the unnecessary program and click Remove. For help with this step, try the PCDecrapifier: www.pcdecrapifier.com. This program is free for personal use.

• Delete any downloaded or temporary files you don't need. These may reside in C:\Temp or C:\Windows\Temp, or C:\Documents and Settings\(your user name]\Local Settings\ Temp. Be careful NOT to delete any downloaded programs you still use. These can be found at C:\Windows\Download~d Installations or C:\Windows\Downloaded Program Files. If you aren't sure whether a file should be deleted, leave it. Your computer will still benefit from the other steps described in this article.

• Run Disk Clean-up and Disk Defragmenter from your built-in System Took (In Windows XP, click on Start, All Programs>Accessories>System Tools.) If you want a more aggressive clean up tool, consider the freeware application Cleaner available at www.ccleaner.com.

ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY AND EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY

ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY: Walt Disney with 28 Oscar Awards and 48 nominations.

NOW FOR EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY:

180 million Valentine’s cards are given out in the U.S. every year—and this doesn’t include those given out by children in their classrooms. About 65% of American households join in the fun by giving cards, going out to dinner, exchanging flowers or other gifts. This year why not try something different?

With Valentine's Day upon us, I thought I'd suggest an alternative florist shop for the holiday. Why not buy organic flowers?

Or, if you can't get flowers delivered in time, buy local. You'll do the Earth a favor by using less fossil fuels for flower transportation.

Consider making your own card, using recycled products: lace, ribbons or even family photos. You can take your photos to the copy shop and make color photocopies and make a collage-card.

Or, how about a quiet evening at home watching a romantic comedy? You won’t waste gas getting to an overcrowded restaurant, you’ll save a little money and probably end up being more relaxed at the end of the night.

But, whatever you do, I hope you have a Valentine's Day filled with love :)

ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY AND EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY

ANSWER: From the Y-shaped intersection of two interstate highways that passed through it. (Way-to-go CH)

Now for Earth-Friendly Friday:

I've always wanted a greenhouse.


And not just for growing flowers in. A Greenhouse, today, is a home that uses sustainable building materials and energy efficient design. Read more about it here.

And, here are a few tips for those other greenhouses and your garden, from my friend, Master-Gardener, Diane Cooper:

President's Day is traditionally the day to prune your tea roses, and
to plant new roses.

Get ready to spray lime sulphur on your fruit trees as they begin to
leaf out. You will spray two more times this spring.

Plant onions as soon as the soil dries.

Prune clematis and other flowering vines.

You can fertilize your lawn this month. However, if you have not
applied lime in a few years, do that three weeks before applying
fertilizer. Your fertilizer will work much better.

ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY AND EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY

ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY: Palmistry traces its roots back to Indian (Hindu) astrology. It is thought to have started more than 5000 years ago.

Now for Earth-Friendly Friday:

One of the ways I live green is by not using any pesticides in my garden. Of course it can be a pain when I watch neighbors come out with Roundup and spray their weeds - instant results. But that's not the way to go. Those poisons destroy so much more than the weeds.

I'm trying to create a habitat for the wild things: birds, bugs, toads, and YES even snakes.


And, even though I don't use any pesticides, some of my plants grow over 3 feet tall. (Cute neighbor-kid model :)


My Mom always used to say, "Money doesn't grow on trees."

But paper is made out of trees - and money is made on paper - right?

Oh...well, if you're going to grow anything - it might as well be moneyplant - that's my motto. :)


Of course here in the city we don't get many toads or snakes but we DO get some. And I don't want to have them arrive, just in time to kill them. These creatures are good for the garden and good for the environment. So, I garden organically. The process may take more time but the results are worth it - don't you agree?

ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY AND EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY

ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY: Wikipedia shows 18. But there are at least twelve according to yahooanswers.com:

Andorra
Bahamas
Brunei
Kuwait
Maldives
Monaco
Nauru
Oman
Qatar
United Arab Emirates
Vanuatu

NOW FOR EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY:

Winter has come and spring is just around the corner so it's time to start thinking about the garden. One of the best ways to help save the Earth is to compost and it's easier than you might have thought. Check out the info on the compost web page and see what you think. But remember, even a little bit means a lot...less.

So if you're only composting your coffee grounds and putting them back into your garden, that's more than most and it's saving space in the landfills while helping to regenerate your soil. Plus, your plants will love you for it. And we can all use a lot more love. :)

TRIFECTA or QUADFECTA: ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY AND EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY, NUDE PENCILS AND RHYME FOR THE WEEKEND

Okay, this is one blog-post that is packed full of information, environmentally friendly tidbits and (I hope) entertainment.


ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY: The armadillo (You blogging-buddies are unbelievably smart and - at least - you listen to the question)

When I asked my husband this same question, he said, "the potato bug."

I said, "WHAT?"

He said, "The roly-poly." I said, "Huh?"

"You know," he said, "The sow bug."

I said, "Critical words you must have missed, 'mammal' and 'shell'."

"Oh," he laughed, "Maybe I should listen a little more."

"Maybe," I said.


NOW for my EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY BLOG:

Some people don't do anything to save the planet, 'cause they think they can't do enough to make a difference.

But, that's not true.

Every little bit helps and we can all make a difference. For example, we like to buy earth-friendly...pencils. The only difference in these pencils and "regular" pencils is that they don't have any yellow paint on them. They are just natural wood. What difference does it make, whether a pencil is natural or yellow? They write the same. So, I'm going nude from now on - I mean my pencils. My family is opting for unpainted or "nude" pencils from here on out.



Here's a little poem honoring my Mom who was

THE QUEEN OF GREEN

I was GREEN before it was kewl.
I was GREEN in grade school.
Other kids snickered, and called us poor
Cause of hand-me-downs that we wore

With nine kids, grandma, and Mom and Dad
Some would look at us and think, “how sad.”
Only one car, with twelve to ride
We squeezed together to make room inside

But, we played outside until it was dark
Took long walks to the neighborhood park
Ate everything put on our plate
Never complained – thought life was great

Waste not, want not – it would be a sin
I’d never heard of a recycling bin

Mom had a garden in the back
Lunch was packed, in a brown sack
She darned socks and mended shirts
used old tablecloths to sew my skirts

We were the sustainable few
before it was THE thing to do

We were poor as poor could be
But we were just being GREEN – now I see

ANSWER to Thought for Thursday - and EARTH FRIENDLY FRIDAY

ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY: CLARENCE ODDBODY was George's Guardian angel AS2 (Angel Second Class) in It's a Wonderful Life

AND NOW FOR EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY:

I always feel a little sad when Christmas is over and I have to take down the decorations. Here's one way to turn that blue feeling to green, with a little help from Earth 911 and Lori Brown. It can be easy to treecycle. And, real v. fake can be a good thing.

I love to garden. So, making mulch is one easy way to go green. But you can look up recycling centers in your area that will do the job for you.

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday!

EARTH FRIENDLY FRIDAY - AND ANSWER to Thought for Thursday

ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY: R.S.V.P. comes from the French expression "répondez s'il vous plaît", meaning "please respond". And etiquette requires that you send your regrets, if you won't be attending. You are supposed to respond one way or another.

And now for EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY:

Portland State University envisions city as its green lab. Read all about it here.

PSU plans to use a $25 million donation over ten years to become a leader in sustainability. How cool is it to get a $25 million donation and what an earth-friendly thing to do with the money.

EARTH FRIENDLY FRIDAY - AND ANSWER to Thought for Thursday

ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY: There's something rotten in the State of Denmark. It was Hamlet's story, set in Elsinore, Denmark. Read more about it here.




This is the moat surrounding the castle:


And, now, for Earth-Friendly Friday.

We writers all use computers made of plastics but is that the best option available? Not any more. Bamboo laptops are earth-friendly. Read more about them here.

ANSWER to Thought for Thursday - and EARTH FRIENDLY FRIDAY

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY: Here is a list of the most searched for candy during 2007, according to yahoo.

The ever popular tootsie roll was the most popular Halloween candy in 2004. See the statistics here.

So, what will it be this year? We'll have to wait and see.

HAVE A GREEN HALLOWEEN

1) Stainless is Sustainable: Use stainless steel silverware, regular plates, and cups – don’t buy paper plates and plastic silverware. They just cost more money and waste space in our landfills.

2) Carbonless Footprint Costumes: Instead of buying a new costume you’ll soon throw away or shove in a box to be forgotten, “Go Retro” and make your own outfit using items you already have sitting around the house. (Of course, when I was a kid, this was just called being cheap but now it’s cool and called being sustainable.)

Have your kids go as ghosts. Use an old white worn out sheet. Just cut out eyes and mouth holes. It will be fun making the costume and won’t cost a penny.

3) Don’t Brown Bag It – Make it Green: Use an old pillowcase for a treat bag, decorate it with sharpie markers, or use a cloth or canvas bag. You can find these eco-friendly alternatives to paper and plastic at your local grocery store.

Americans use more than 380 million plastic bags and more than 10 million paper bags. These bags kill thousands of marine mammals annually and pollute soil and water. Plus, paper bag production consumes more than 14 million trees annually. Go Green!

4) Seasonal Support: Buy local pumpkins, apples and other farm fresh produce. By buying locally, you’ll help your own community by keeping your dollars circulating where you live. And, in the United States some food travels over 1000 miles before reaching its destination. This wastes fossil fuels along the way.

5) Have a Heart-Healthy Halloween: Don’t drive the kids around this year, walk with them and stay close to home. This will help you save gas, and money, while giving your heart a little exercise.

6) In the Fall - Use it All: After you’ve carved your Jack-o-lantern, clean the seeds off and bake them in the oven with a little olive oil and salt. It’s a healthy homemade snack and if you don’t like those seeds feed them to the birds (wet or dry). And, last but not least, after the holiday compost your pumpkin. This will feed your garden and reduce the waste in our ever growing landfills.

EARTH FRIENDLY FRIDAY - and Answer to Thought for Thursday

ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY: Daniel Boone, Paul Revere and Betsy Ross were issued in a Pez U.S. Bicentennial series. This was the only time Pez broke their rule against modeling their dispensers after real people . . . until June of 2007.

Then on June 25th, 2007 Pez released Elvis dispensers and not one but three styles have been made of the King. And then they made a 3-piece set out of the gang at Orange County Choppers. So Pez has not only issued dispensers modeled after three people, but 7, (with Elvis having three styles all to himself). So a total of 9 dispensers have been modeled after real people, as of today's date.

Sorry, my source was out of date - it was printed before 6/25/07. So, I learned something today too.

______________

Now for EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY


I remember waiting to turn 15 to get my driver's permit and being soooo excited when my sweet sixteen came, 'cause I could get my driver's license and finally be free!!!

But, today, the coolest thing (and cheapest, with the price of gas what it is) is being the person with an undriver's license. Have you ever heard of undriving? This is one way to go totally green and unpollute.

Captain Planet used to say, "By YOUR powers combined, I am Captain Planet."

He'd encourage kids not to pollute but back then I don't think he'd coined the phrase , "unpollute". You've gotta love it and I say, "GO PLANET!"

If you're interested, read more about an undriver's license and undriving here.