• Teach.  Sadly, not everyone understands the impact that they have on the environment.  That means they might not even think that drinking only bottled waters and sodas is harmful.  I am going to teach green.  This means talking about recycling, and helping people to find the perfect water filters for their needs so that plastic bottles are no more.  Green cleaning products are also something that I can teach people about, along with reducing carbon footprints.
• Support.  One of the best ways to go green and help out the local community where you live is to support local businesses.  Yes, you spend your money locally so it stays local, but you might also be eliminating huge truck shipments and boat shipments of products from other countries that end up in big bow stores.  You will probably be getting a higher quality of goods when you support local stores also.
• Promote Good Health.  This last one might not seem very green, but if you think about it, it is.  When people are healthy they tend to walk more or ride bikes to and from work if they live close enough.  Also, they eat healthier.  Eating organic and local foods are good for you and the earth.  Think about it, those burgers from your favorite fast food place had to get there on big trucks expending toxins and pollutants into the air.

The following infographic shows us which companies reign supreme in the green jobs market, and identifies those that still have a lot of work to do to polish up their image.  And how likely is it that you or someone you know might reasonably hope to land a green job in the next year?  Are green jobs for blue collar workers really within reach?  Where is the funding coming from that supports research into new green industries?  Let’s have a look:

One of my favorite things to buy locally is food.  I am talking about food that comes from within 30 minutes of where I live.  First things first, the food in organic, and I know it.  I bring my own grocery tote bags to eliminate the use of plastic bags, and the packaging for meats is minimal thanks to the farmers being environmentally aware.  I can even walk to the market on most days which means my carbon footprint is even lower.  No planes were involved in getting my food to me, there is no unnecessary plastic packaging, and I know I am getting fresh local goodness.

If you are ready to take the step to go a little greener, then plan on buying more things locally.  You will benefit, your community will benefit, and the environment will certainly benefit.  Find out more about how not buying local is affecting the environment below.

Other interesting facts and factoids about wild America, like the animal to human ratio of bears, beaver, bald eagle, and orca and information concerning the availability of natural resources for sustaining the lives of those animals, can be found in the infographic below.  This infographic was created about one year ago.  It would be interesting to see whether changes have been noted in any of the influencing factors.

83% of each American’s cable internet bundles contribution (or footprint) in terms of greenhouse gas emissions comes from the foods they choose to consume.  Greenhouse gas emissions continue to be a concern for the environment, so awareness of the largest sources of emissions is a positive step families can take toward eliminating some of this footprint — and with a percentage that high coming from one controllable source, it gives people the information they need to make those changes.

30% (or, the largest single percentage of emissions from any produced food) come from red meat.  The authors of these findings suggest that families reducing the amount of red meat consumed in their households by only 41% and replacing it with chicken or fish could reduce their carbon footprint by the same amount as buying all local produce, foods, and goods.  That’s an impressive statistic.  And it doesn’t involve a radical change, but a gradual reduction in the amount of red meat over time.

The next highest percentage of emissions is the 18% generated by dairy production.  Next are cereals (11%,) fruits and vegetables (also another 11%) but surprisingly only 10% for the raising of chicken, fish, and eggs — the non-red meat animal protein sources recommended for families making a gradual change in order to help preserve the environment.  If you add all these percentages up, you won’t get 100%.  That’s because the remaining percentages are divided into three additional groups: Other, Beverages, and Oils/Sweets/Condiments.  Together, these make up all of the rest of greenhouse emissions from food production.

These are important facts that can help people decide which ways would best empower them to take control of their share of gas emissions that contribute to the hole in the ozone layer and other unfortunate issues plaguing global environmental defense.  This further begs the question:  are vegetarians better for the planet than meat eaters?  To answer this, just look at the statistics above.  It would seem after a close inspection that it is indeed more environmentally friendly to consume fruits and vegetables than it is to eat red meat or dairy products;  and yet, it is more environmentally friendly to eat chicken, fish, and eggs than to eat fruits or vegetables.  So a person should weight the facts and the options and make the decision that is best for him or her.

Some people believe that the earth is more capable of righting itself than we are of interfering with it.  Their stance is that the earth has been here far longer than we have been, and it will continue long after we are no more.  Our chemical emissions could not, according to them, possibly be the cause of the hole in the ozone layer (which in turn is part of a natural cycle of large scale events on the planet.)  The extreme weather that we notice in recent years is not really so extreme;  besides, we have only recorded historical meteorological data for a little more than half a century, so there is really nothing to compare it to outside sheer speculation.

Other people seem to think that humans are infinitely capable of completely destroying the earth and all of the life forms that dwell in it, including ourselves.  They are certain that the things we make, dispose of, burn, consume, and create are all detrimental to the existence of the world as we know it, and that time is running out for the inhabitants of this peaceful planet that is constantly being destroyed by the creatures that depend on it for their survival.

Scientists on both sides of the issue agree that the answer might just be — a tree!  That’s right, by planting more trees, the atmospheric gases that can help restore the balance of chemicals in earth’s atmosphere could be produced in larger quantities.

• Trees can help to renew our air supply by absorbing carbon dioxide and producing more oxygen.
• The amount of oxygen generated by one acre of trees annually is about the same amount consumed by 18 people per year. A single tree produces almost 260 pounds of oxygen yearly.
• An acre of trees gets rid of up to 2.6 tons of carbon dioxide every year.
• Shade trees planted around buildings can lower the temperature 20 degrees cooler in the summer, naturally.
• Trees help reduce air temperature by evaporating water from their leaves.
• Tree roots keep soil in place and can prevent erosion.
• Trees actually improve water quality by slowing and filtering rain water.  They also protect aquifers and watersheds.
• The cottonwood tree seed stays in flight longer than any other kind. Surrounded by ultra-light, the tiny seed’s white fluff hairs carry it on the air for many consecutive days before it reaches its destination.

Trees certainly can’t be expected to solve all the world’s problems, all by themselves, but trees and people together make an unbeatable environment saving team.  So rather than debate the issues, why not do the one thing that really can help:  plant a tree.

The Catalonian donkey breed is the primary ancestor of the American Ass music piracy protection.  If you compare pictures of the rare, full blooded Catalan donkeys to the American counterparts, you will immediately notice the apparent similarities.  In America, donkeys are used less and less for pack animal purposes, but they are useful grazers and can keep a fenced in yard looking trimmed throughout a greening summer.

The Catalonian donkey is also the ancestor of another type of imported donkey in America that is known as the Kentucky, or Mammoth.  The Mammoth donkey also bears a strong resemblance to the Catalonian donkey.  In early use, it was prized for its ability to be the best founding sire of the breed.

Other endangered donkeys of the world include the Baudet de Poitou donkeys from Poitou-Charente, France. At this time there are only  600 to 1,000 remaining in existence.   The Poitou are thus numbered among the world’s most endangered animals and are considered to be rarer than the white rhino.  These donkeys are some of the largest, and have long, dreadlocked hair that makes them easily recognized wherever they appear.

Coffee vendors using these beans carry the green frog seal. The seal is a mark for protecting wildlife, and education farm workers. The farms are required to maintain standards for social and economic benefits that include wildlife, natural waterways, forest conservation and ensuring a healthier living in their communities. While all of this is happening, the controls and management for environmental distresses allow the natural process of nature to proceed, helping to reduce the climate changes.

Rather than cutting down the forest the workers have learned how to replace nutrients back to the farm soils. Leaving the forest in place, ensuring that natural gases are released into the atmosphere and global warming is prevented or at least slowed down. Without natural gases the environment is damaged more than the fuel emissions from automobiles in cities across the USA. The money we could save by changing this is enough to get satellite tv for every family in the world. That’s a lot of money.

Have another sip of coffee and help the continuation of prevention by allowing the forest to do what it does naturally; release gas and toast to a healthier climate.

Promise of returns

In the old days coffee was cultivate under the forest canopies, evolution and new hybrids have allowed farms to harvest sun produced coffees. Under the sun, the yields are higher producing more crop and more revenues. Plus the local soils and natural water sources are being restored, with farmers being taught how to invest back into the lands. Their investment and commitment is that the lands will continue to provide their living without disturbing nature’s habitat.

The more coffee we drink the more farmers are secure in providing for their families and continue to develop carbon projects on their lands. In addition, the workers have medical care, decent housing and education for their children, not much different desires from USA populations. So have another cup of coffee and help to conserve fertile soils and natural resources for future generations. Shop the frog and buy a portion of the over 87 thousand metric tons of coffee sold each year.

Rainforest Ecosystems

Some of the largest collections of plants and animal species live in the rainforest. The surrounding lands were formed over 200 million years, which is one reason the rich soils and the diversity of plants and animals. Scientific facts claim that approximately 2 acres parcels are home 900 tons of living organisms for starters. With more than half of world’s flora and fauna calling this location home and one in five of all the birds in the world live in the rainforests. Over 438,000 species of plants of economic and social interest have been registered from rainforest and many believe there are still more undiscovered species waiting to be discovered. Seems like a good reason to have another cup of coffee.