Archive for April, 2009
It’s only fitting that today, Earth Day, I make mention of the responsibility of caring for our HOME.
This IS our home, but like irresponsible and selfish little children, we’ve messed it up. Our “Mom” (Mother Earth) has been trying to tell us. The animals, plants, oceans, atmosphere, insects have been trying to tell us too. The climate is … s c r e a m i n g … at us to pay attention. Still we spew, still we pollute, still we ignore the cries of a damaged ecosystem.
We think it’s someone else’s responsibility. The guy next door, the crazy environmentalists, the government or some other country. In fact - it’s everyone’s job…. yours, mine, the government and the rest of the world. Unfortunately, we haven’t been too good at it.
This ‘hippie’ thing started in the 70’s - 39 years ago, to be exact. It looked good for awhile but then people forgot. They continued to drive their gas guzzling cars, made by car companies with interests in the oil industry; the government blind and deaf except to the whispers of the lobbyists and corporate America.
Electricity consumption - fueled by our voracious need for luxuries and entertainment and unnecessary ‘necessities,’ has jumped despite electricity saving techniques. One family showcased on TV had a monthly bill of over $700! How can this be? What do they NEED that their costs should be so much? How can they save? Do they even TRY?
What are YOU doing to help this Earth? Not just today, when we can proudly say ‘We celebrated EARTH DAY’ - but EVERY SINGLE DAY? What is your water useage? Do you waste water? What about electricity? How much can you save by really making an effort - not just putting band-aids on things. How about your driving? Have you gone back to driving more since gas prices went down? What are you giving back to the earth, instead of taking away?
What are you doing to be environmentally responsible - instead of irresponsible? Are you really making a difference - every day?
Chemicals enter your body in a number of ways. Hair coloring is one of the most common methods. Most women color their hair once or twice a month. This gives a dose of toxins which is absorbed through the scalp. Chemical hair coloring and even some of the so called ‘natural dyes’ contain large amounts of carcinogenic compounds. Additionally, these chemicals also damage hair and lead to many scalp problems and infections.
If you maintain a natural lifestyle, trying to limit yourself to toxins and chemicals - does it make sense to use chemical hair dyes? No…..
Henna has been used for thousands of years. This plant-based dye, in it’s purest form, contains no chemicals. It also adds shine to the hair, bringing back the luster lost from chemical hair dyes.
So instead of heading to the beauty shop for your dose of chemicals, why not try natural henna instead? Your hair will probably thank you!
Last night I watched a PBS documentary on “Nature” called “Frogs: The Thin Green Line”. These amphibians survived the extinction of the dinosaurs and are truly remarkable.
A troubling aspect is that frogs are disappearing worldwide. A devastating fungus, Chytrid (Kit-rid) is decimating the numbers of frogs in every corner of the world. In jungles of South America, to the Far East, here in America, silence reigns where before the the song of these creatures filled the air. Scientists are in a race to discover the cause and how to prevent its spread. They’ve even taken some from the wild, replicating as best they can their natural habitat, to ensure their survival.
Another disturbing fact is that frogs and toads from suburban areas have been found to have increasing instances of genetic mutations. Frogs taken from drainage ponds and catch basins where water has flowed from lawns into storm drains possess a frighteningly high rate of abnormalities. Frogs with only front limbs, or with 3 back legs, no back legs and a long tail: these are results of exposure to lawn chemicals, most notably - ATRAZINE. These frogs were found to have THREE TO FOUR TIMES the allowable limit set by the EPA for exposure to ATRAZINE, the most common ingredient in lawn care chemicals.
Read for yourself. Do your own research on the subject, but most of all - do your part. If you own a home, please, for the sake of your children, your pets, neighbors and our Earth - start today to eliminate toxins from your life. Stop using pesticides! This movement is growing and cannot grow fast enough!