"If we are to teach compassion for all life
in this world, and if we are to carry on a real campaign against cruelty, and against the destruction of our environment, we have to begin with reaching children." ~ Betsy Seeton |
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“Follow the wisdom provided by nature. Everything in moderation – sunlight, water, nutrients. Too much of a good thing will topple your structure. You can’t harvest what you don’t sow. So .. plant your desires, gently nurture them, and they will be rewarded with abundance." ~Vivian Elisabeth Glyck Watching birds has become a part of my daily meditation.
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Born Free USA Field Project Updates FEATURED PROJECT: Ethiopian Wolves Published 05/18/11
STRAIGHT FROM BORN FREE WEBSITE: In an attempt to prevent the looming extinction of the Ethiopian wolf, one of the world's rarest carnivores, Born Free USA has waged an extensive campaign to vaccinate them against rabies. (We also have arranged for hippopotamuses in Kenya, who are threatened by starvation due to persistent drought conditions, to be provided with supplement food.) One of the most beautifully patterned and handsome of wild dogs, the Ethiopian wolf is down to only a few hundred animals, although that is more than there were a few years ago when it was listed as critically endangered. The species still officially is listed as being at risk, particularly from a new threat, rabies, a fatal and transmittable disease that was brought into the region by domestic dogs, which in turn were brought by people. Please consider making a donation to help us do all we can to ensure the long-term survival — and growing repopulation — of the Ethiopian wolf. Read updates about our Ethiopian wolf project. See the Ethiopian wolf project's photo gallery. Photo Credit: Russell Watkins/Department for International Development From the photographer's blog: "I took the photo (below) in Pakistan’s Sindh province in towards the end of last year. I was there for the Department for International Development, looking at how humanitarian aid from the UK was helping some of the 20million people who were affected by the unprecedented monsoon flooding." Read more from Russell's blog about this photo: http://developingpictures.wordpress.com/2011/04/08/the-spider-trees-of-pakistan/ Photo Credit: Russell Watkins/Department for International Development CLICK IMAGE TO SEE MORE SPIDER WEB PHOTOS An unexpected side-effect of the flooding in parts of Pakistan has been that millions of spiders climbed up into the trees to escape the rising flood waters. SOURCE: http://triggerpit.com/2011/04/03/spiderwebs-pakistani-trees-2010-floods/
Photo credit: Russell Watkins/Department for International Development I took this photo on Mother's Day, 2011. Click here for more photos. Dear Mom,
There’s no bond quite like that between mother and child. You know me in ways no one else ever will. You also see in me all the things I can still become and continue having faith that I can do and be whatever I want, no matter what my age. You are my biggest fan, my mentor, my confidant, my hero, my turn-to person when my world comes crashing down and the first person I call to tell when things are going great. The comfort that comes from our friendship, the confidence that your faith in me instills, and your unquestioning support of whatever I do, is irreplaceable. The kind of there-for-me that you are is the very essence of what makes a great mother. I wear your unconditional love and support around me like a big hug every single day. I am so blessed to have you in my life. I’ve probably said it before ... you are my angel on earth. Thank you for always, always being at my side and having my back. No one is in my corner quite the way you are. I treasure you, mother, and love you more than life itself. You are an amazing soul ever ready to learn something new, always open to differing opinions, and so compassionate and kind. You have always taught by example. I hope you break 100 with good health and a strong mind. There’ll never be a day in my life when I won’t need you. I'm here for you too. I hope you know that. Happy, Happy, Happy Mother's Day. You make the world a better place. Love, Betsy This is a two year old plus report, but it's news to me. My radar is turned up these days as I become more aware of the toxins and pesticides in our food and all around us. By Rachel Cernansky, Planet Green
Source: Care2com Everyone knows formaldehyde exists, but not everyone knows they probably come into contact with it on a daily basis, if not several times a day. So here’s a list of some of the more surprising places you might find this “probable carcinogen,” which can have multiple adverse effects on the body. Children’s Bath Products A 2009 report by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found that 23 of 28 baby products tested contained formaldehyde. The Environmental Working Group’s Cosmetics Database has all kinds of baby shampoos and soaps listed as potentially containing formaldehyde. Hair Products Including a highly popular hair-smoothing treatment, the “Brazilian Blowout.” Hair gels and other personal products also contain formaldehyde.Nail Polish The Environmental Working Group also lists several brands of nail polish and other cosmetic products that contain formaldehyde. Toothpaste Formaldehyde is just one of many highly-questionable ingredients in many major toothpaste brands. (Triclosan is another.) Soap and Body Wash Products like liquid soap, including dish soap, and some body washes also contain formaldehyde. And Around the House Formaldehyde is often an ingredient in glue commonly used for woodworking, veneer and some lamination work. It’s also said to be in some insulation, plywood, and other building materials. Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/6-surprising-places-formaldehyde-hides.html#ixzz1LF1ld1B5 MILLIONS AGAINST MONSANTO: CAMPAIGNING FOR HEALTH, JUSTICE, SUSTAINABILITY, PEACE AND DEMOCRACY5/1/2011 Straight from: http://www.organicconsumers.org/whole_foods_unfi.cfm Perpetrating "Natural" Fraud Consumers are confused about the difference between conventional products marketed as "natural," and those nutritionally and environmentally superior products that are "certified organic." Retail stores like WFM and wholesale distributors like UNFI have failed to educate their customers about the qualitative difference between natural and organic. A troubling trend in organics today is the calculated shift on the part of certain large companies from certified organic ingredients and products to so-called "natural" products. With the exception of the "natural" meat sector, where there are limited voluntary guidelines, there is no definition of "natural." In the majority of cases, "natural" products are greenwashed conventional products, with "natural" label claims neither policed nor monitored. Whole Foods and UNFI are maximizing their profits by selling quasi-natural products at premium organic prices. Organic consumers are increasingly left without certified organic choices while organic farmers continue to lose market share to "natural" imposters. It's no wonder that less than 1% of American farmland is certified organic. READ MORE Cancer in a Bottle?
In 2008, the Organic Consumers Association exposed a problem which particularly threatens women - a large number of leading conventional as well as "natural" and "organic" brands of shampoos, lotions, cosmetics and household cleaning products which contained the carcinogen 1,4-Dioxane. Included in the list of products were several Whole Food's 365 brand products and many products in the UNFI catalog. While several dozen companies have committed to eliminating the 1,4-Dioxane, neither Whole Foods, nor UNFI, have endorsed OCA's Coming Clean Campaign, nor have they called on the USDA to crack down on blatant labeling fraud in the organic personal care and cosmetics sector. READ MORE |
By Betsy Seeton
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"If we are to teach compassion for all life in this world, and if we are to carry on a real campaign against cruelty, and against the destruction of our
environment, we have to begin with reaching children." -- Betsy Seeton FOR ALL
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