February 2011...............

Green Valentines Day !!!

Recycled Jewelry is recycling at its creative best. From vintage materials to sand tumbled glass (recycled sea glass), recycled jewelry has taken many forms and enchanted many.

Whether you choose new recycled or something worn by others there are some amazing choices out there and one of a kind pieces.

Check Out http://www.terratrendz.com/Recycled_Jewelry_s/53.htm

Goodbye January............

The first month of the New Year is about to come to a close. February brings new ideas and Holidays.

Eco-Tip:

When ordering online consider all the things you need to buy at once to reduce on packaging & shipping cost!

New Year.........

It's a New Year let's start off fresh, change all of your light bulbs to CFL or LED light bulbs. Remember they do not all have to changed the same day. Space them over time if necessary. It makes a difference.

Replacing regular light bulb with an approved compact fluorescent light bulb would save consumers $30 in energy costs over the life of the bulb. Fluorescent light bulbs use at least two-thirds less energy than standard incandescent bulbs to provide the same amount of light, and they last up to 10 times longer. Compact fluorescent light bulbs also generate 70 percent less heat, so they are safer to operate and can also reduce energy costs associated with cooling homes and offices.

Let's not use Styrofoam.........

Styrofoam (polystyrene foam) has a useful life of mere hours or days, but exists in the

environment for hundreds or thousands of years. It can be carried by the wind, washed into storm drains, and make its way to the ocean contributing to a mass of floating plastic debris. Marine mammals mistake it for food, and it remains in their guts, often causing death by starvation.

The manufacture of foam creates significant quantities of hazardous waste, and exposure to styrene presents a risk to worker’s health.

If at all possible let's avoid Styrofoam whenever possible. If you receive foam peanuts in a mailing recycle them by taking them to a local mailing service shop for reuse. Always call ahead to make sure the business does accept foam peanuts.

Did You Know????

SPREAD IT AROUND:

Tell 10 friends to unplug their cell phones and game chargers from the wall when they're not using them. About 40 percent of all electricity used to power home electronics is used when the products are turned off.

Giving Back Without Knowing It...........

Did you know many times when we purchase items we are helping people or the community?

Kohls:

Kohl's sells kid-friendly cause merchandise, with 100% of the net profit donated to support kids' health and education initiatives. Since 2000, more than $150 million has been raised nationwide.

McDonalds:

A donation goes to the Ronald McDonald House for every happy meal purchase.

Target: Gives 5% of their income to our communities

Since 1962, Target has committed 5% of its income to support communities. Today, that totals more than $3 million in giving every week. We're excited to announce a new chapter of that commitment: our pledge of $500 million by the end of 2015 to support education and help kids learn to read. This will be the largest gift in our history, bringing our legacy of giving to education to $1 billion.

January 20th..............

Inauguration Day: January 20

Was on March 4 from 1793 until 1933. Since then, Inauguration Day has occurred on January 20 (the 1933 ratification of the Twentieth Amendment changed the start date of the term. For more than two hundred years America’s citizens have witnessed the Inauguration ceremonies of the President and Vice President of the United States. From the first Inauguration of George Washington, in New York City, in 1789, to today.

Penguin Awareness Day: Always January 20

World Penguin Day: Always April 25th

Penguin Awareness Day, and World Penguin Day are great opportunities to learn about and appreciate one of the few natives of Antarctica. On these days, spend a little time learning about them.

Kohls

Every year, Kohl's recognizes and rewards young volunteers (ages 6-18) across the country for their amazing contributions to their communities. This year they are recognizing more than 2,100 kids with more than $415,000 in scholarships and prizes.

Do you know an outstanding young volunteer, nominate them.

http://www.kohlscorporation.com/communityrelations/scholarship/index.asp

Nominations accepted:

February 1 - March 15, 2011

Martin Luther King Day

Martin Luther King Day is a federal holiday held on the third Monday of January. It celebrates the life and achievements of Martin Luther King Jr., an influential American civil rights leader. He is most well-known for his campaigns to end racial segregation on public transport and for racial equality in the United States.

Quick Facts

Martin Luther King Day marks the anniversary of the date of birth of the influential American civil right leader of the same name.

Local names

Name	Language
Martin Luther King Day	English
Día de Martin Luther King	Spanish

Martin Luther King Day 2011

Monday, January 17, 2011

What is the MLK Day of Service?

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?'"

Each year, Americans across the country answer that question by coming together on the King Holiday to serve their neighbors and communities.

The MLK Day of Service is a part of United We Serve, the President's national call to service initiative. It calls for Americans from all walks of life to work together to provide solutions to our most pressing national problems.

A thought.............

Whether or not one believes in global warming should not matter anymore. One thing we can all agree on is that we all want to live on a clean planet. Instead of global warming we can just call it global cleaning.

We all can agree that we want a safe & clean world.

Donate Your Old Glasses...............

Eco-Tip: Recycle old eye glasses.

Have your school, group, organization, or employer have an eyeglass drive. Donate your old eyeglasses and sunglasses to help people with eyesight difficulties worldwide. (Sunglasses can be non-prescription. They are needed in countries near the equator to help protect people's eyes from sun damage.) The Lions Club has drop boxes in many convenient locations. To find a LensCrafters, Pearle Vision, Sears Optical, Target Optical, Sunglass Hut, or other facility that collects old eyeglasses for the group OneSight, you can search by zip code on the organization’s site for the location most convenient to you.

Did you know some parents in poor, rural areas have never even clearly seen the faces of their children, more than four million pairs of unused eyeglasses go into the garbage in North America each year.

Make Your Dream Come True Day!!!

When : Always January 13th

Make Your Dream Come True Day gives you the opportunity to do something to realize your goals and dreams. Whatever your dreams are, they usually don't come true without some effort on your part. So, today is the perfect opportunity to do something about it.

On this day do something, anything, to move in the direction of achieving your dreams. Sure, sometimes it takes several steps to accomplish them. So view today as a time to get started on them. With a little effort, they will come true!

Lowes Community Giving..............

http://www.lowes.com/cd_charity+giving_973215566

Four organizations chosen by Lowe’s and Lowe’s Charitable and Education Foundation to receive a total of $1 million in donations. Each organization's share of the donation is based upon online voting by the public at http://lowes.com/give or on Lowe’s Facebook page. Every individual email can vote once a day, so if you have more than one email, you have more than one vote! Voting continues until midnight on Friday, January 21.

The four organizations are below check them and you can vote.

http://www.saveamericasforests.org/

http://www.kab.org/site/PageServer?pagename=index

http://www.nationalparks.org/

http://water.org/

You can help by choosing which cause means the most to you.

Calling all Eco-Kidz...........

Become an Eco-Kid and lead your parents, friends, and family by setting a green example yourself.

Involve everyone you know in energy conservation. Lead by example and always make sure lights are off when leaving a room.

Eco Tip...............

The Bedol Water Alarm Clock.................

Runs on Water yes it is true, we all need an alarm clock so let's be Eco-Friendly. Just pour tap water into the tank and you'll have an accurate timepiece. Just replace the water every 12-14 weeks to keep it running. A built-in memory chip remembers the correct time.

We ordered 2 today, they cost between $17 & $25 each.

January 9th...........

National Static Electricity Day
What is Static Electricity?

Everything we see is made up of tiny little parts called atoms. The atoms are made of even smaller parts. These are called protons, electrons and neutrons. They are very different from each other in many ways. One way they are different is their "charge." Protons have a positive (+) charge. Electrons have a negative (-) charge. Neutrons have no charge.

Usually, atoms have the same number of electrons and protons. Then the atom has no charge, it is "neutral." But if you rub things together, electrons can move from one atom to another. Some atoms get extra electrons. They have a negative charge. Other atoms lose electrons. They have a positive charge. When charges are separated like this, it is called static electricity.

If two things have different charges, they attract, or pull towards each other. If two things have the same charge, they repel, or push away from each other.

So, why does your hair stand up after you take your hat off? When you pull your hat off, it rubs against your hair. Electrons move from your hair to the hat. Now each of the hairs has the same positive charge. Things with the same charge repel each other. So the hairs try to move away from each other. The farthest they can get is to stand up and away from all the other hairs.

If you walk across a carpet, electrons move from the rug to you. Now you have extra electrons. Touch a door knob and ZAP! The electrons move from you to the knob. You get a shock.

Eco-Tip..................

Donate Unused & Used Items: Donate cloths or household items you don’t use to your local thrift shops or other places that can use them. Reduce clutter in your home, and give others the chance to turn your trash into their treasure.

Have A Drive at your School, a week long drive or even a month long drive.

Collect both New and Used Items Such As:

Clothing

Shoes

Blankets

Coats

Toothbrushes

Toothpaste

Soap

Shampoo

Books

Toys

Stuffed Animals

Towels

Etc.

Donate the collected items to local shelters or to the Red Cross in your area, while you are at it when dropping off the donations ask about volunteering with the organizations. It is one thing to stick your donations in a donation box, but when you see where and who the items go to it makes us see a world that we may not know about.

Eco Tip...............

Volunteer In Your Community: Sign up for your local clean-up day, tree-planting day, volunteer at a local park, or a community garden. Improving your hometown’s environment is so rewarding. Remember you can volunteer locally, online, or worldwide.

January 6th........Cuddle Up Day

When : Always January 6th

Cuddle Up Day is an opportunity to snuggle up to someone on a cold winters' day or night. Chances are it's cold outside. So, cozy up to a special someone, and enjoy the warmth and love. This day is enjoyed by both young and old.

This day is a great opportunity to:

... cuddle with your cutie

... snuggle with your sweetie

... hug your honey

Of course, you do not have to cuddle up with someone......

• Cuddling up in your easy chair is a great idea.
• Cuddling up to a pet is rewarding.
• Cuddling up to a stuffed animal is quite secure and comforting.
• Cuddling up with a good book is enjoyable.
• Cuddling up by the fireside is warm and cozy.

January 3rd..................

Fruitcake Toss Day

When : Always January 3rd

Fruitcake Toss Day is your opportunity to finally throw away the old fruitcake. After the holidays are over, it's time to bring in the new, and toss out the old. Today is the day that the fruit cake goes....hooray!

There is no one way to toss out the old fruitcake. Why not make a little fun out of it? Gather up a few friends who also are fortunate enough to have received a fruitcake for the holidays. Go out to a field and see who can toss it the farthest. Caution: do not toss the cake at anyone. This weighty steel-like mass of sugar, flour and fruits could injure someone, if they are hit by it.

New Year’s Resolutions Continued....

• 
• BYOCB: Remember to bring your own cloth bag when you go shopping.

• BYOWB: End Your Plastic Water Bottle Habit: Kicking the plastic water bottle habit might sound like an impossible feat if you’re as addicted as the average American; last year we consumed about 50 billion plastic water bottles. Buy an eco-friendly reusable bottle, and refill it throughout the day, for free. If the water from your tap isn’t to your liking then add a filtration system.

• Use Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products: There are so many great and highly effective green products on the market now.

• End Junk Mail:

Happy New Year!!!!

For last year's words belong to last year's language and next year's words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning.

T. S. Eliot