NRDC Action Fund: Mobilizing America for a Sustainable Future: This Is Our Moment

NRDC Action Fund: Mobilizing America for a Sustainable Future: This Is Our Moment

Wisdom of the Wild

Anybody that has ever had a pet understands that there is a sacred bond between human beings and animals. Although we may think of ourselves as the most intelligent creatures on Earth, there is much we can learn from from the animal kingdom. Wisdom of the Wild is a terrific PBS documentary that sheds some light on our remarkable connection with our fellow creatures, including what they can teach us about the world, and about ourselves.

Click here to view the full documentary: Video: Full Episode - Wisdom of the Wild | Nature

The living reef...Here today, gone tomorrow?

Coral reefs are home to the greatest diversity of life on Earth. They protect our shores, contribute to our food chain, and provide us with medicines to keep us alive and healthy. Despite how important the coral reefs are to life on Earth, they maybe gone in less than 30 years due to global warming, over fishing, and the acidification of the oceans.

The reefs need your help! Read NOAA's 25 Things You Can Do to learn how you can help the reef.

Give to be green

This time of year the fun and excitement of giving and receiving gifts is often overshadowed by a certain amount of guilt over mass consumption and wastefulness. And it’s not all in our heads; holiday waste increases by 25% from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day. That’s an additional 1 million tons a week dumped in our landfills. So how do you reconcile this concern and set an example for your kids while maintaining the tradition of holiday giving? Well, for a start, you and your kids can gather used books, toys and clothing to give to local charities, hospitals, schools or libraries.

Rummage through that closet or toy bin with your child and pick out gently used items that you don't need anymore. Find places around town like the Salvation Army, Goodwill, and Habitat for Humanity that would benefit from your items or pass them on to neighbors in need. Holding a rummage sale is another option. Earning hard cash will help kids realize that their castaway toys and books still have real value.

Passing on unwanted items to those who can use them is crucial for keeping our lifestyles sustainable. Everything we buy is made from valuable materials from the earth. Harvesting these materials, manufacturing them into products and shipping them around the world take a tremendous toll on our planet both in terms of resources wasted and energy consumed. Giving those items a second chance at life will go a long way in protecting the planet and remembering what the holidays are really about.

check out my non-material gift guides for more great holiday ideas...

Oh, Christmas Tree!

Over at the Little Green Blog we are discussing green Christmas trees! And by green I mean eco-green!

"Nothing says Christmas like a beautiful tree covered in chemicals, right? Wrong! Sadly, many trees, that timeless symbol of Christmas, are dangerous to your child’s health." read more

what if...

Have you ever wondered what Washington D.C. would look like if the Greenland ice sheet completely melted? Would politicians be able to ignore the threat of global warming anymore? What would happen to New York City, home to the world's largest financial institutions, world class museums, Broadway shows and home to over 8 million people, if see levels continued to rise?

Let's not let leaders and neighbors ignore the problem any longer. Add your voice to the millions around the world demanding real solutions at the Copenhagen Climate Summit this week. Join the movement at Hopenhagen.org.

**images copyright Vanity Fair Magazine, 2006

Win a Signed Print!

I have a really exciting contest to announce! The author and illustrator of Redwoods, Jason Chin, has agreed to donate a signed print from his book and you could win it! Entering the contest is easy: just make a picture of something having to do with the environment and email it to me at deirdrekgill@yahoo.com. On January 1st I will choose a picture at random and send the winner the print. Here are the rules:

1. Make a picture of something having to do with the environment (anything you want, really!)
2. If you would like to also include a short explanation of what it is, please do.
3. Any kind of art is acceptable, but no photographs.
4. In your email DO NOT include your full name--FIRST NAME and LAST INITIAL ONLY!
5. In your email DO include your address, so that I can mail you your print if you win.
6. The random drawing will be conducted on January 1st and the print will be mailed out the next day.
7. All artwork will be displayed on this website after the contest is over.
8. You must be a kid or young adult to enter this contest...so please do not enter if you are over 18!

GOOD LUCK!!!