Plastic Bags Are On Their Way Out in Portland, OR

If you'd like to read another article about cutting down on plastic bags, it looks like Portland, Oregon may be going the way of Boston and San Francisco:

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1217048156300160.xml&coll=7

Buy Yourself a Carbon Offset

There was a bumper sticker on a car that announced it
had redeemed its carbon footprint by buying a
carbon offset at TerraPass.

I logged on today and it is really easy to plug
in the year, make and model of your car, and
estimate the number of miles you drive a year.  
It immediately tells you the number of your
carbon footprint and gives you the
price for a year's offset.  Mine was $59.50.  

If I buy the offset they will mail me a decal
for my car.  The website gives detailed information
about where the money goes, and you can choose
between various options such as wind energy.

 https://www.terrapass.com/carbon-footprint-calculator/

Writing with Humor

Here's a fun link for all the writers in the world:

> http://www.plainlanguage.gov/examples/humor/writegood.cfm

Writing Contests

Here are a few links my writing friends might be interested in:

Poetry Contest: http://contest.writersdigest.com/poetry/

Writer's Digest Popular Fiction Contest: 
http://contest.writersdigest.com/popfiction/

And here's a new magazine with a call for submissions:

Max It Magazine – Portland, Oregon’s above-ground “subway” system
is called “MAX” which stands for Metropolitan Area Express, this is a new magazine looking for 1000 word articles
that are family friendly.  You can send submissions to:
michelle@maxitmagazine.com or visit their website at www.maxitmagazine.com

Good luck!

Recycle and Reuse to Help Save the Earth

In Portland, Oregon, we Recycle probably more than any city in
this country but, if you visit Denmark, you’d be impressed
with their ability to limit use. 

If you’re interested in recycling, and reusing:
these articles will help motivate you: 

http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-science/20080720/Brazil.Dead.Penguins/

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080506/MULTIMEDIA02/80505016

Teen Dictionary

Here's a teen dictionary link for all my writing friends, or just for parents who want to know what the heck their kids are talking about:

http://parentingteens.about.com/cs/familylife/l/blawords.htm

Out on the Water - Weekend Fun

Here's Mackenzie (Luke's gfriend) innertubing with us. This one looks like it hurt.