Recycling is an admirable thing to do but alone it doesn’t serve a just purpose. Reusing items is also a wonderful and sometimes creative act; although beware of items that really aren’t safe to reuse, like certain plastics. I’m amazed by the people who turn normal household items into functioning decor, such as water fountains and such keeping them out of landfills. But the best thing we can all really focus on is reducing. Read more…

Found this in the USA Today Green News Feed: Feds: Climate change to cause ‘irreversible’ health risks by Dan Vergano

In summary.. the Environmental Protection Agency released a report detailing increased and ‘irreversible’ health issues directly linked to global Warming. It was noted in the article the release of the report has been postponed since April for Political reasons.

More or less, global warming which is causing the severe shifts in the worlds weather patterns, which is causing an increase in droughts,wildfires, floods, hurricanes and other natural disasters, is now being correlated to increases in health risks like Hantavirus, asthma, salmonella, Giardia, heat stroke and more.

“If you read between the lines,” says Sen. Barbara Boxer, (D-Calif.), “this EPA report on the health effects of climate change provides further evidence that our families and communities are seriously endangered by global warming, and that we must act now. Unfortunately, as the Bush Administration made clear last week, they have no plan to address this serious threat.”

Barbara Boxer is absolutely right… we need to act now. We should have been acting 3 months ago because now half the country is under water, California is nearly up-in-smoke and also in a drought.

It’s been mentioned by green think tanks that having more than two children is bad for the planet. Some even propose that having more than one child is irresponsible. Most researchers have based their decision on a per capita carbon dioxide emission rate.

Some parents claim this is nonsense and those that stopped at one or two children had made their decisions based it on what they were comfortable with and their income.

Maybe having more than one or two children is environmentally irresponsible but basing the level of environmental responsibility on a carbon dioxide emission rate is nearly impossible. For instance, the average family of 4 may fly 5,000 miles a year but families of six and more may (and probably do) have a much smaller carbon footprint because of the reduced travel time, the reuse of clothing and other items and the all around natural lifestyle that larger families often live even if due to the need for frugality.

I am conscious of my responsibility to the environment and I don’t plan to base the decision of the size of our family on environmental responsibility. Environmental responsibility is something that can be taught to children and people. I believe a movement to educate about lifestyle (daily habits) would be much stronger than an effort to decrease reproduction.

Watch the video then checkout AmericanSolutions.com to read more about the petition to drill for American Oil… would you sign the petition?

Just last week I had thoughts maybe it’s time for the US to start some responsible, local drilling. I’m honestly on the fence right now as to whether we should, especially with the news that gas prices may reach $7/gallon by the end of the year. I’ll get back to you on that later…

What’s your opinion…Is this the right course of action for the United States?

I was reading the World News on USA Today.. “Report says China consumes twice its supply“

“China consumes more than double what its natural resources can supply…”The report also mentioned its effect on China and the rest of the world..

“In the next 10 to 20 years, China’s consumption will likely continue to pose threats to China’s own ecosystems and place increasing pressures on global biocapacity,”

Read more…