Truly, I’m thinking the answer has to be “yes”.  And I’m not tooting my own horn… I’m literally talking about REAL wild animals…

I’ve written before about how we seem to have an unusually large population of animals in our yard and (I’m not kidding), it has gotten even more outrageous.  While I can sit on my back patio and gaze at downtown Cleveland, I also seem to be harboring a suburban animal sanctuary.

Want to know what’s been hanging out in our yard lately? Lemme give you the list … deer (including babies!), squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons, opossum, snakes, rabbits, hawks, a wild turkey, birds in general (galore!) and a red fox, for pete’s sake.

No one else seems to find these animals lingering in their yard… except me.  Want to know my theory?… a natural, organic yard. No chemicals, no toxins, no poison polluting up our little sanctuary.

Do you think these animals know that? They have a keen sense of… oh… just about everything.  Hmmm, do you think they’re telling us something…?

About eight months ago I wrote a post about palm oil, the destruction of crucial rainforests to make way for these plantations and the devastating effect on wildlife.  (Palm oil is commonly being used as an ingredient in everyday products including margarine, shortening, baked foods, cookies, candies and even soaps, candles and personal care products. Its main purpose, aside from its “binding properties”, is to replace trans fat that we’re all trying to avoid.) Before that post, I truly didn’t know a lot about palm oil, but now my eyes are wide open.

If you’d like to read the original post, click here, but in a nutshell, this is the concern:

• Rainforests are being cleared at alarming rates to make way for palm plantations and to keep up with the demand for the product.
• Malaysia and Indonesia account for 83% of the production and 89% of the export of palm oil.  Within these countries the threat is enormous for endangered species including orangutans, tigers, elephants and rhinoceroses.
• The threat is the greatest for the orangutans, as they live ONLY in these areas that are being cleared to make way for the palm oil plantations.  The occurrence of hunting and poaching these poor animals has dramatically increased as well, and it is estimated that 50 orangutan are being killed each week.  At this rate, their existence is limited.
• When this deforestation occurs and the rainforests are burned, they release decades of stored carbon back into the atmosphere, contributing to the tragedy of global warming.
• All this considered, the demand for palm oil is expected to double in the next 10 years.

During a recent trip to our beloved Cleveland Metroparks Zoo I noticed a sign on one of their food carts.  It read:  “We use only sustainable palm oil products.”  I respected the fact that they’re taking responsibility and using only palm oil from plantations established on land that was not recently deforested and has been well-managed with good environmental, social and economic standards.

I also found their online resource for understanding the use, and misuse, of palm oil.  And as we “label readers” find more and more products containing palm oil, they’ve also assembled a fabulous list of responsible companies (that have committed to using only sustainable palm oil in their products) to help us make wise choices.

Hopefully, if you haven’t noticed it before, you’ll notice it now and decide that unless you see “Made from Sustainable Palm Oil” on the label, you’ll set it back down and walk away.

Is World Environment Day new to you? Last year was the first time I’d ever heard of it myself.  It actually commemorates the day the United Nations General Assembly established its first global effort aimed at protecting the environment in 1972.  It’s meant to bring worldwide awareness to the environment, enhance political attention and bring action for future generations.

This year’s theme is “Many Species. One Planet. One Future” and will celebrate the incredible diversity of life on Earth as part of the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity.  Seems a bit ironic considering we’re into day 46 of the tragic and catastrophic oil spill in our Gulf, doesn’t it?  The pessimistic side of me would say that it’s more like “Destroying Species. One Corporation. Devastated Future”, but the optimistic side of me keeps hoping that changes will come and there will be lessons learned so this is never, ever, allowed to happen again.

For today, I will push the soapbox aside and just invite you to join me in celebrating this planet and our environment. WED has a list of things you can do, from A to Z, to make a change and make a difference.  (Actually, the list ends at W… go figure… but there are still plenty of things you can do!)

Despite everything happening that is completely out of our control, don’t be discouraged. While we can’t control many things in our world, we can certainly control what happens in our own little corner of it!

Happy World Environment Day… we do live in quite a remarkable world.

My love of dolphins has been lifelong. I don’t remember when it started, but I know it has never ended.

I do remember visiting Sea World and coming home with a dolphin mobile that hung over my bed from the time I was 5 until I headed off to college.  There is something dreamy, graceful and mesmerizing about these animals and their extreme intelligence is without question.

So when I heard about the documentary “The Cove” I was caught between that feeling of “I must see this” and “oh, I don’t want to see this…”  Well, I watched it… and it is absolutely haunting.

Richard O’Barry, Louie Psihoyos and their team uncover the killing of these beautiful and intelligent animals in a closely guarded and shielded cove in Taiji, Japan.  Each day, they are driven into the cove where the most visually-appealing dolphins are selected and sold to marine and aquatic parks, and the others are brutally and inhumanely slaughtered for their meat (meat that is passed off as expensive whale meat and sold for a premium price, and because of dolphins’ place in the food chain, contains extraordinary levels of mercury).  Take a look…

There are so many points of this story that just sicken me.  From the capture of these animals to turn them into “entertainers”, to the inhuman killings, to feeding unknowing consumers and school children(!) toxic food… it’s despicable.

As pointed out by the film, the 70′s had a massive movement to “Save the Whales”… now is the time to “Save the Dolphins”…

Please take time to see this documentary.

And if you’re like me and you want to do something, please go to TakePart… and help us make a change and stop the killing…

I’m shocked to discover that I am celebrating my 300th post! I was trying to figure out what my earth shattering topic should be but sadly, I’m feeling discouraged.

Why?  Well, because some days these efforts really feel in vane, don’t they?

The news seems to be filled with events that are so out-of-our-control that its sometimes difficult not to feel silly when I put my tiny little cream cheese box in the recycling bin, or try to find better ways to do laundry and dishes, or plan my errand-route efficiently to drive less…

In the past few weeks alone, a long-inactive volcano violently erupted (believed to be only the start of many, as global warming melts the glaciers and ice sheets, decreases weight on the volcanoes and in essence ‘allows’ these eruptions), a Chinese cargo ship ran aground on the Great Barrier Reef (while violating restricted areas and shipping lanes) dumping fuel and oil and causing extensive and long-term damage to the reef and its inhabitants, and now oil is pouring out into the Gulf from the off-shore well also doing catastrophic harm to the ocean, beaches, marshes, marine life and (essentially) us!

WHAT are we doing to our planet and ourselves? It’s mind-boggling… and heartbreaking…

So today, instead of letting myself feel discouraged I’m going to try and turn that around and remind myself that I can only control my own little corner of the world… but I CAN do something.  I can take charge of how I treat our world, what my family consumes and use my voice to constantly remind people to use their actions and voices to MAKE A CHANGE!

Your choices matter… our voices will be heard… don’t give up… only WE have the power to make a difference.

This Thursday, April 22, 2010, marks the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day! Created in 1970, it is a way to remind us to appreciate nature and this amazing planet we live on, and learn how to protect our environment and all of its inhabitants. While it is celebrated in the spring in the northern hemisphere, it is actually observed in the autumn in the southern hemisphere (both days being the exact “middle point” of the season).

This year, find a way to celebrate. Take notice of all that we HAVE to celebrate and no matter how small and insignificant your actions may seem, they matter… they add up… they make a difference…

• Plant a tree or sponsor the planting of a tree
  
• Buy local and/or organic and make a fabulous meal
• Attend an Earth Day event
• Read a book (or a blog!) about going green
• Read an earth/recycling/nature book to your kids
• Clean out the clutter and donate it
• Go for a walk/hike/bike ride
• Pick up trash in your neighborhood or community
• Break ground for a garden or plant some veggies
• Adopt nature or an endangered species
• See an “earth” movie (“Oceans” is premiering!)
• Make recycled crafts with your kids
• Vow to use earth-friendly cleaning products only
• Improve and increase your recycling practices
• Switch some lightbulbs to CFLs
• Buy and use reusable bags, always!
• Keep your car parked for the day… and walk!
• Turn off some lights
• Reduce your water consumption
• Buy a composter or a rain barrel

Take action, talk about it, MAKE a difference… EVERY day should be Earth Day!

Ready for the answer?… Cleveland, Ohio!

Oh, quit your groaning!  I don’t want to hear the pitiful “mistake on the lake” jokes and all the incessant “your river caught on fire” stuff.  (The truth of the matter is there were a LOT of rivers catching on fire over 40 years ago in industrialized cities, but it just so happens there was a news crew in the area and we got plenty of (unwanted) coverage, and this fire actually ignited (no pun intended) the conception and passage of the EPA’s Clean Water Act…  so shush!)

Anyhow, why should you be in Cleveland for Earth Day?  Well, because our beloved Cleveland Metroparks Zoo hosts EarthFest, the longest-running Earth Day celebration IN THE NATION and the largest environmental education event in Ohio!  (… See, I told you!)  This year’s celebration will be held on April 18 and includes over 175 exhibits for climate change solutions (from transportation, to home, to food choices).  And the zoo will be wind-powered for the day too!

This year actually marks the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day (April 22). It was created in 1970 as a way to remind us to appreciate nature and learn how to protect our environment.  While I truly believe that EVERY DAY should be Earth Day, this is a great time to celebrate planet Earth!  Hopefully you will find an event that is as much educational as it is a celebration.  Check out the Earth Day Action Center,  the EPA Event page or your local zoos, nature centers and communities for event possibilities.

Whatever you do, just celebrate and embrace Mother Earth for Earth Day and continue that momentum every day of the year!  If you can’t come to Cleveland then, sadly, you will miss the Earth event of the year… maybe another time. 

(See…  Cleveland isn’t sounding so bad after all, is it?)

Until recently I had never really heard much about palm oil… but as soon as I did, everything changed.

More and more, palm oil is commonly being used as an ingredient in everyday products including margarine, shortening, baked foods, cookies, candies and even soaps, candles and personal care products. Its main purpose, aside from its “binding properties”, is to replace trans fat that we’re all trying to avoid, however, there is also a great sacrifice being made through the acceptance of palm oil as our alternative to such things as hydrogenated oil…

… The sacrifice is vast amounts of rainforests and the animals that make the rainforest their home. These forests are being cleared at alarming rates to make way for palm plantations and to keep up with the demand for the product. Malaysia and Indonesia account for 83% of the production and 89% of the export of palm oil.  Within these countries the threat is enormous for endangered species including orangutans, tigers, elephants and rhinoceroses.  The threat is the greatest for the orangutans, as they live ONLY in these areas that are being cleared to make way for the palm oil plantations.  As you can imagine, the occurrence of hunting and poaching these poor animals has dramatically increased as well, and it is estimated that 50 orangutan are being killed each week.  At this rate, their existence is limited… and I find that absolutely heartbreaking and unnecessary.

It’s also important to realize that when this deforestation occurs and the rainforests are burned, they release decades of stored carbon back into the atmosphere, contributing to the tragedy of global warming.

Also keep in mind that, though the health effects of palm oil may be a BIT less with palm oil as a substitute, it is NOT a heart-healthy food or adequate hydrogenated oil substitute, like olive, soy or canola oils.  It is only a smoke-screen used by manufacturers because it is a cheap substitute and keeps the words “trans fat” off of the content label.

Sadly, the demand for palm oil is expected to double in the next 10 years… IF we continue to support the products that are using this oil as a “new” substitute.  This is NOT an option.

When you are shopping, DO NOT PURCHASE products containing palm oil.  By NOT buying, and selecting products without palm oil, it speaks loud and clear.  It means you will not support this product and the harm and destruction it is creating!

(* Note: the image above shows a palm oil plantation as it butts up to a rainforest that has been cleared for this crop.)

That’s a question I had always wondered about.  When we think about climate change, or global warming, we often visualize an image like a polar bear precariously balanced on a small floating patch of ice but, in the bigger picture, can it affect our own health?

The answer is absolutely.

Unfortunately, there are many ways that are often overlooked and never even discussed when we consider climate change.  The change in global temperature can have long-term effects on human health because it affects the food we eat, the diseases we get, the disorders we develop, the air we breathe and the water we drink… all the things essential to a healthy body.

Here are just a few concerns to consider if anyone ever thinks this is only an environmental issue:

• Greenhouse gasses can cause respiratory issues and more severe problems for asthma suffers because plants will actually produce more allergens when temperatures increase.

• Extra heat creates more ground-level ozone, and increases pollution, which creates added stress for our heart and lungs.

• Rising temperatures can increase the range of infectious parasites and therefore increase the rate and severity of infectious diseases.

• Weather extremes will increase, resulting in intense heat waves or bouts of bitter cold, resulting in cardiovascular and respiratory disorders.

• Crops can become compromised, decreasing the yield and reducing their nutritional quality.

• Water supplies are reduced along with the quality of water, coupled with an increase of water-borne illnesses.

Research has shown that bugs, plants, animals are all literally moving closer to the poles to escape the increases in heat.  Tropical fish have even been found off the coast of Long Island, New York, because of the rise in water temperature.

The next time someone rejects the idea of climate change affecting their lives, remind them that our environment can’t change without changing us too!

Tick, tick, tick… yes, the countdown clock to Christmas seems to be moving at warp speed!

I’ve given my list of favorite green gifts for when you want to give something tangible.  But there is certainly another way to go…  for gifts that don’t clutter up a home or sit unused in a drawer or closet.  These are the gifts that give to a worthwhile cause:  wildlife, nature or the environment.  They certainly need the “gifts” more than we do!

So, here are some ideas for when you want to give a meaningful gift that really counts:

• Adopt an Acre of Rainforest and other of earth’s wonders (The Nature Conservancy) – for preservation and restoration of some of the world’s most amazing places
• Adopt an Endangered Species (WWF) – to protect endangered animals and their habitats
• Adopt an Animal (National Wildlife Federation) – to protect additional animals and their habitats
• Rescue the Reef (The Nature Conservancy) – for preserving an undeniably crucial part of our world’s oceans
• Plant a Billion Trees Campaign (The Nature Conservancy) – for protecting and preserving Earth’s largest and most endangered tropical rainforests in Brazil
• Give-a-Tree (Arbor Day Foundation)– plants a tree in one of America’s National Forests in honor of a recipient
• Change the Present - you can contribute and honor someone by helping to restore a fragile ecosystem in Kenya, purchase carbon offsets, plant trees, preserve wildlands, adopt wildlife or any one of about 1600 causes of your choice!

If you want to give a gift that supports a worthwhile cause but still gives to the recipient too, consider:

• A zoo or aquarium membership – there are 218 AZA accredited zoos and aquariums in the US and all are dedicated to excellence in animal care and welfare, conservation, education, and research that collectively inspire respect for animals and nature (but please, no circus tickets!).
• A botanical garden, arboretum or nature center membership – again, they dedicate themselves to the conservation and preservation of nature and the environment, and help us understand the delicate and important connection between people and nature.

And finally, one of our favorite gifts last year:

• Kiva – Through their gift certificate program you can “loan” your gifted money to a “working poor” recipient of your choosing.  (We selected a man in Tajikistan who desperately needed money to buy seeds for farming and help support his family.)  Once they are able to repay the loan, you are given back your donated money to grant to another needy recipient… and this wonderful cycle starts all over again!

These should be the choices for the person on your list who has everything… on second thought, these choices should work for anyone and everyone… it is truly better to give than to receive!