Author: Vanessa King

Greetings From America!

- Vanessa King

As I ring in the holidays with my family down in southern California, the warmth of my sunny Christmas tan is not all that has given me warm fuzzies today. I learned that this is also the greatest season of giving to great global causes by many individuals like you and me! So Christmas is not just a season of capitalism and extravagant frivolous spending after all. People all over North America are also giving back and giving more each year to good causes. 

Here are some factoids I found from here in the US……

christmas-money.gif• $260 billion: Charitable giving in the U.S. in 2005, up 2.7 percent.

• 50 percent: Of the charitable giving of individuals is done between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve.

• 77 percent: Charitable giving in the U.S. by individuals, (or $199 billion).

So if you haven’t thought about it already, maybe this is a season where you too can give back in some way! Help spread a little love around the World!

Happy holidays everyone!!

More About Gore!

- Vanessa King

Last night I saw An Inconvienient Truth for the first time and I was inspired to write about it today. This movie is incredible! I believe that anyone who has the slightest interest in the subject of the planet burning up into oblivion HAS TO SEE THIS FILM! Even if you haven’t taken an interest before. This is not left wing, political mumbo jumbo. It is well laid out, well articulated and completely informative.

My initial concern with watching the film was that it might leave me feeling depressed and hopeless. While it did present incredible evidence toward the truth of our planet and its fate, it also leaves the viewer with an empowered sense of hope…..That being said, I don’t usually push things on people. But I really feel ok in saying PLEASE WATCH THIS MOVIE!!!holidaycard_earthlarge.jpeg

Visit http://www.climatecrisis.net/ for more information on how you can make a difference. Also, http://www.nativeenergy.com is a great site in support of wind energy and other renewable, less impacting energy sources. You can even buy someone a holiday card that decreases 1 ton of pollution by contributing to new wind projects that will reduce Co2! We can make a difference guys!!!

 

 

A Pelican Love Story

- Vanessa King

lovepelican.jpg

Its a story of rescue, heroism and love…..and it involves a pelican.
In Fife, Scotland a rescue worker, named Alexis saved a male pelican who had been found suffering from blood poisoning after it escaped from a wildlife park on the Isle of Man. She was the first to administer his antibiotics and put him to sleep for the night. He has been showing signs of a massive pelican crush ever since…..
“”He looks right into my eyes and puts on what I can only describe as a mating display, with his wings up and his head bowed down. He’ll walk over to me, snuggle in and preen me. He loves to take my hair or my hand in his mouth and he also plays with my shoelaces…..But it’s only me for some reason.”
When other workers enter he bites them, and no-one can feed him fish like she can.
The bird, nicknamed Romeo will return to his home back with the other pelicans soon. Alexis hopes he will get over her when he returns home with the other lady birds.

What You May Not Know About Snow

- Vanessa King

snowflakes.jpgTis the time of year where the air gets crispy, your breath becomes visible and the sky begins to blizzard with beautiful snowflakes! When it snows it’s so fun to watch that it can almost make the frigid temperatures seem completely worthwhile!

There are some very interesting facts about snow that I have recently discovered. For example, did you know that snowflakes make an insane amount of noise when they hit water?? This was a shocker to me because after a snowfall everything always seems so quiet. Apparently snowflakes have a very unique sonic signature not unlike that of the wail of an approaching fire engine; it increases and then fades away after it’s passed you.

Some other interesting facts? Snow can act as a thermal insulator conserving the heat of the Earth and protecting crops from sub-freezing weather. It provides a perfect free toy for children, and also looks amazing under a telescope. The highest seasonally cumulative precipitation of snow ever measured was on Mount Baker, Washington in the United States during the 1998-1999 season when it received 1140 in. (29 metres!!!) of snow.

Ever wondered why snow is white? Why snow crystals have 6 arms? How they form into such complicated geometrical shapes??? I sure have, and I have found this info for your perusal! I feel so much more well informed about this whole winter thing now.

GO DAVID!

- Vanessa King

suzpic.jpegCanadian Environmentalist, David Suzuki, has a foundation that researches and follows most pressing issues on climate change and anything environment related. I thought it was only fair to give this guy some props for his consistantly amazing work at bringing these kinds of important issues to the public in a way that is understandable and inspires involvement from the community. On the foundation site, you can sign up for a newsletter which sends you frequent (but not too frequent) information on issues involving the Canadian Government and programs that are in effect by David’s crew working toward solutions.

Sound vague? Check it out for yourself! The last newsletter that showed up in my e-mail was addressing The Government of Canada, who failed to deliver a credible and effective climate change action plan at the United Nations climate change conference held in Nairobi, Kenya.

This part really sparked my interest…….

Contact Prime Minister Stephen Harper

By mail (postage-free): House of Commons, Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6;
fax: 613-941-6900; or e-mail: pm@pm.gc.ca
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