Not Just Barbie........Ken too!
Scroll around the site for the full information on MicroPlastics
The gift that just keeps giving. Plastic. Think about the Holiday Season. However you select to view "The Holiday Season" , there should be view we ALL have in common. That is THE SEASON WHEN NEEDLESS WASTE of NATURAL RESOURCES is promoted at a fever pitch. The use of a natural Christmas Tree pales in comparison to the promotion of trinket gift giving and disposable decorations. Many years ago Holiday decorations were treasured items carefully stored and reused year after year after year. The Discount Store mentality of today trends towards the use of cheaply made mainly plastic and sadly disposable items. Plentiful and cheap. Not only do these items damage the Earth during production but they stick around for a very long time after being tossed out continuing to do damage. There was also a time long ago when people seemed Happy to receive a few gifts and focused on what the Holidays meant to them. Not Black Friday buying frenzy or pushing products on the public. Grandma's Corn Husk Doll doesn't look so bad now does it? No, the doll didn't have its own car or beach house but at least it did not contribute to the ongoing Climate Crisis.
Don't Judge The Barn Coat!
Does our CLOTHING effect our environment?
This is an easy one......YES! And on a variety of levels. Start with the basics.
Materials: Part 1: Only natural material decompose. Natural such as wool. cotton. bamboo, linen, leather for example. Now look at what you are wearing. What percent of your outfit is biodegradable? Materials such as polyesters, nylons, manmade shoe material, plastics. Do not bio degrade in a reasonable amount of time. While many break down to some degree on the molecular level they stick around and the particles get into our water ,air and land. Just like so many plastics! Many nylons and polyesters are actually a form of petroleum products. Again..like plastic. That is why you sometimes can feel uncomfortable and sweaty wearing them. Like plastic these materials don't breathe like natural fibers do. Part 2. Production of "artificial fabrics" creates a great deal of pollution. Clothing factories are responsible for extreme level of water. air and land pollution. In this area Natural fabrics can be guilty as charged as well. Pesticides/ fertilizers to increase crop production also finds its way into our environment as does the pollution from the synthetic dyes used to make our bright pretty clothes. The formulas that are used to adhere the color to the fabric and prevent fading are frequently toxic. Fabric dyes can be made from natural sources BUT tend to be less vibrant, more expensive and there is less of a choice of colors. To add to the disposable mentality of modern dressing. This is a BIG money maker for cooperations and manufactures. It is VERY rare to find shoes that can have the soles replaced, a once common practice. Now we thrown them into the landfill and buy a new pair. Pants and dresses rarely have enough fabric to have the hems let down to make garments longer if needed....Jusy buy a new one! Money out of your pocket and into someone else's!
NEXT and this is a BIG ONE: Ther majority of people likely own far more clothing than they need. Have you ever seen a TV program where a "celebrity" and host are over the moon about the closet with over 200 pair of sneakers? For one person? REALLY????? This life style serves as a Role Model for many. Think about it ...how much do you really need? When did it stop being OK to wear something more than once? Unfortunately many garments are now disposable items. Cheaply made, toss away pieces filling up land fills and creating pollution in the process. Is it worth it in the long run? * Keep in mind, the garment industry is a multi million dollar industry. So what would you think comes first? Enviromental safety OR MAKING A PROFIT?? Why else are we being urged to make purchases that we really don't need but are told we want? Social conformity has made us easy pickings in this area. This just in and a fine example....Not mentioning names....However a certain Movie production Company, with a new very hyped movie streaming, has OPENED UP AN ONLINE STOREFRONT to enable people to purchase clothing similar to the style of the movie...Do ya really need that.???? In order to produce and distribute this trend that will likely disposable and off trend in a short time there will be significant negative environmental impact. Think about the use of raw materials, energy used in manufacturing and transportation, pollution cause during production and transportation, and when the trend ends and the garments go into the landfill.....the non bio degradable particles that will be with us far longer than any "new" style. So will the pollution that was generated by the garment production. Sadly this is only one small example of Profit VS What is Good for our Planet. As the song goes....IT's All About the Benjamins (Puff Daddy /Missy Elliot 1997) If a fleeting trend worth it. Multiply that time the thousands of fleeting trends that roll out each year and ask yourself........
Dressing Children: Yes it is OK for them to wear clothing that they will grow into. Think 2-3 Winters in the same Coat. Hand me downs, also OK. Having "Play clothes" is a great way to keep their little wardrobes under control. Save wear and tear on the good clothes. Clothing exchanges with family/friends/neighbors is a great way to scale back and reuse clothing that has been out grown. Honestly if the peer group makes negative remarks about such practiced. Maybe it is time for a new peer group!
Your clothing does not make you who you are NO MATTER what the advertisement says. Try and think first about how your wardrobe is hurting out planet and look at the small steps you can take to reduce your clothing footprint.
Now about the Barn Coat in the photo: This was purchased in the late 1980s. Yes it was much darker blue and not quite as frayed at the edges. However year after year it is worn for outdoor work, working in the woods, hiking, and even trips to the store......the owner uses it to keep warm since it is profoundly practical. As a person they know themselves and don't need artifice to prove anything. What about you?
A GREAT and FRIGHTENING SHOW: FAST FASHION: The Dumping Ground for Unwanted Clothes
BBC production. Try Netflix
The THIN VENEER of Civilization and the Climate Crisis
Will Global warming contribute to the breakdown of Society ?
A recent online news article stated that in Floridia, a pregnant woman was shot dead while sleeping in her car, with her children. The family was in the car because their home was unlivable due to flooding. Online article also have begun to site episodes of violence, looting, financial exploitation and many other human behaviors that harm others. Hurricane Katrina: Did you forget the reports of acts of violence committed against people who had been displaced because their homes were flooded. In human history wars have been raged due to famine, drought, and displacement due to Natural Disasters. It has been said that the veneer of civilization is thin. As long as our basic needs are met things pretty much just go along. But when we see the news of the changing of human behavior when things are not going well shouldn't we stop and think about the reality of the end of a relatively organized and safe world? Think of the Mad Max movies and all the other "fictional" accounts of a world where the planet has few resources left.
Maybe not so fictional after all. Climate problems caused by Global warming have a negative effect on not just our physical health but just as important on our mental well being as well.
Please review some suggestion on the site for ways you can help.
Really think about this concept. How safe are you really? What will happen to you as food and clean water supplies continue t diminish, and inhabitable land becomes flooded?
Rember it is all fun and games until the food run out.
In Loving and Sincere thoughts of concern for those effected by Climate issues.
A Look at the Future: Hurricane IAN Flooding
Global Warming and the Rising Ocean Levels
Why all the fuss about the Ocean Level rising due to Climate Crisis related problems. What IS the big deal? With the greatest respect for all of the people in Floridia who had loss and suffering due to FLOODING caused by Hurricane Ian.
Take a look at the photos and videos. This is what the future will look like for many Coastal areas. It will and is just occurring more slowly.. Does all the concern make sense to you now? LOOK BELOW (READ AT LEAST ONE OF THESE) FOR BOOKS THAT ADDRESS WHAY JUST HAPPENED IN FLORIDA THIS IS WHAT A RISING OCEAN LEVEL LOOKS LIKE IN CASE YOU WONDERED!
This nut tree emits a toxin preventing growth around it not good to Hold Soil
Learning Enviromental Lanugage and Terms
Littoral : may be used as Littoral Zone What IS that?
The term littoral is frequently used when information is describing problems related to rising water levels due to Global warming. The term littoral zone may be used to describe an area.
For example, rising sea levels are causing diminishing littoral zones.
So what does that mean to you? The term Littoral refers to the shore of a body of water . The area that many people may refer to as the beach. Unfortunately the higher the water rises, the smaller the Littoral (or beach) area becomes. In some cases it may go away entirely leaving no beach. If a littoral zone is destroyed, no more fun in the sun at the beach! The beach is gone. In addition the water will continue to advance toward the land causing increased land erosion and flooding. As a result significant destruction of property natural and manmade, will occur. Please see photo for example of LITTORAL area.
Invasive Plants/ Deforestation
Quotes and Definitions
Quote: Invasive Plants : an environmental apocalypse.
Chapter 8, Useless Arithmetic by O.Pilkey &L.Pilkey-Jarvis
Quote: The Amazon Rainforest are the lungs of the Earth (original source unknown) Approximately 3,417,541 square miles of green.
Definitions: Invasive Plant- plant that spreads prolifically and with undesirable or harmful results. Carbon Dioxide: A colorless/odorless gas produced by burning organic (pertaining to plants animals and now includes all other forms of Carbon) compounds and by respiration of living things. What is CARBON: a widespread element which combines with other compounds to form a variety of things. In a pure state it is a diamond! In its impure state it can be a fuel such as charcoal or other fossile fuels. Life on Earth is considered Carbon based. OK, that is the basic on that topic.
Green House Effect :One cause of global warming, when heat from the sun is trapped in the lower atmosphere of the Earth. Can be caused by Greenhouse gasses such as Cardon Dioxide. Deforestation: Clearing wide areas of trees/plants Afforestation: Planting trees/plants in an area where plant life cover does not exist. Photosynthesis: Green plants and other living things use sunlight to make food for themselves from CARBON DIOXIDE and water. A by product of this process is OXYGEN. The introduction of Invasive plants can lead to the destruction of a functioning ecosystem. Trees for example. A stunning fact is that deforestation is now considered to be a factor that contributed to the collapse of at least the following Ancient Civilizations. Naturally, not the only factor, but significantly important all the same. Africa: The Meroe (East Coast of the Nile) highly developed however deforestation rendered the land useless. Easter Island: ((South-east Pacific Island) ,the people cut down all of the trees and did not leave enough saplings for afforestation. Anasazi:(Southwest North America) deforestation rendered the land useless, Maya: (Southeast Mexico ,Northern Central America) drought caused by deforestation based soil erosion. Again rendering the land useless. We should take heed of the importance of plants/trees and protect them from being over run by Invasive Species. The following section will discuss WILD GRAPES. Interestingly the NYS DEC does not include this vine on the Invasive Species List. So, as the saying goes, it is flying under the radar, causing widespread damage. Following information about this plant are photos that were taken in Monroe and Wayne County . These are not specifically noted as areas where the Wild Grape is a Native Plant.
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WILD GRAPES
Existing Under the Radar
Today, this plant is not considered as an Invasive Species because it if actually Native to North America. But where in North America? Literature states Pennsylvania and the Hudson Valley. So does it become INVASIVE once the plant spreads from its natural area? Would it be a good idea to consider it as invasive as it spreads out of its home territory ? Most likely not an unreasonable action to take. Most people have seen this vine growing on roadsides and vacant lots but are not aware of the damage it has the capacity to do to the local ecosystem.
First: Don't eat the grapes.
About the plant and why it is a problem: The wild grape vine is a notorious killer of trees. The vine can grow up to 2-3 feet a year . It grows higher/faster and much thicker or heavier than cultivated grape vines. This plant needs sun to survive and will use tendrils to cling to trees to reach the sunlight. The weigh of the vine topples trees and to support its rapid growth and size will take water and nutrients from the soil that the surrounding trees need to survive. Some varieties of birds eat the grapes and spread the seeds. Shockingly, the seed can remain dormant in the soil for years until the conditions for germination occur.
Some reasons why Wild Grapes are Spreading
Additional Information
One reason is LACK of EDUCATION and ACKNOWLEDGEMENT that this plant is a problem. Not knowing what the plant climbing up your tree is until it is too late and it has taken over is the result. This is a plant that needs sunlight. Increased deforestation for the purpose of housing developments, shopping malls, and new roadways create the conditions needed for a dormant seed to sprout. The leaves of this vine blend well with trees so the plant may go unnoticed until it has grown large enough to destroy a tree. Now that you know look around. You will see them. The Wild Grape base root is robust and can send out vines that are many yards long. These do damage to trees as they grow and spread. The vines are easier to see when the leaves are off of trees, they can look like large snakes hanging from the branches. What can you do? Be on the lookout and cut the vines before they can take hold. Cut vines that are growing on trees so they will not be fed from the root and will die. If you can dig the root out do this. Look online for a variety of non-toxic ways to kill the root , such as salt and vinegar. Chemical herbicides also work. Call a professional. You can also contact your local Forestry Department and request that monitoring and controlling these vines is added as a routine maintenance task. The following photos were taken in Wayne County and Monroe County NY. Where there is a photo of what looks like a log on the ground it is part of a vine root. For additional photos of the damage cause by this vine look online. If you have this plant on your property you may want to control it. The photo attached to this page is an example of a large vine growing up a tree. Yes, that is a Wild Grape Vine.
Wild Grape Vines
Weather-Climate What IS the Difference?
How are these related? What is the difference between the terms?
DEFINITIONS: WEATHER: This term means the state of the atmosphere in a location at any given time. Weather refers to short term or conditions that can change rapidly and can be different in locations that may be close to each other. It can snow on one side of a city and not the other for example. So what is the atmosphere?
ATMOSPHERE: The layer of gases surrounding the Earth. The Earth's gravity holds them in place. How many Layers? Six (In Basic Terms)
1. Exosphere: Top layer closest to space (prefix Exo=outside)
2.Ionosphere: Overlaps the Exo,Thermo,Meso spheres. Gases in this layer are effected by radiation from the sun to form (Prefix)= IONS ( atoms or particles that are electrically charged) Alot goes on here! Southern/Northern lights are formed. This layer is effected by the magnetic fields of both Earth and Sun.
3.Thermosphere:Warmest layer, can reach up to 4,500degrees F, ( Prefix Thermo=hot/heat)
4..Mesosphere: Middle layer. (Prefix Meso=middle)
5. Stratosphere: More familiar term, this is where jets fly and this layer contains OZONE, a substance which protects the Earth from the harmful rays from the Sun.( Prefix Strata means layers.).The gasses in this area do not mix. Colder,heavier on bottom, warmer lighter on top.
6. Troposphere: First layer above the Earth. WEATHER occurs in this layer one reason is that the gasses do mix up. This is where rainy, snowy, stormy and, clear beautiful days are made. (Prefix Tropo=to turn, turning)
DEFINITIONS: CLIMATE: The AVERAGE of WEATHER PATTERNS in a location over a period of time. Usually about 30 years of weather that is not characteristic for of an area can bring about Climate change. The atypical weather can be natural or induced by human behavior. The CLIMATE is the atmospheric conditions you should be able to expect at a location. Florida, The Sunshine State, for example is warm in December.
In Short: The differences are TIME and the SIZE of area effected. Weather can change by the hour, Climate changes over years, based on average weather patterns. Weather occurs in smaller areas , for example towns that are 10 miles apart. Climate encompasses large areas, for example North and South America.
Years of changes in DAILY WEATHER is leading to overall CLIMATE CHANGE . Think back to what your where you live felt like about 30 years ago? Do you see changes. Unfortunately for many of us the answer is yes.(Unfortunately)
