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Peaceful rest to Patchez - died June 27, 2005 (Friend to Charlie & Kim Cox, four legged brother of much personality)
Let us be united; Let us speak in harmony; Let our minds apprehend alike. Common be our prayer; Common be the end of our assembly; Common be our resolution; Common be our deliberations. Alike be our feelings; Unified be our hearts; Common be our intentions; Perfect be our unity. "When we walk upon Mother Earth, we always plant our feet carefully, because we know the faces of our future generations are looking up at us from beneath the ground. We never forget them." "We must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right."
Ecosystem: an ecological community; complete with plants, animals, and its physical environment (soil, water, air etc.).
"Everyone should perceive the world as exactly half good and half evil. By doing one more good act, we tip the scale toward the good." - Kiddushim Live in the Tampa Bay Area? Check out the Wolf's Heart Lodge link below! 
There was a time when man took no more than he needed. That time is gone. There was a time when he gave something back. That time is gone. There was a time when he worshipped the Creator and honored creation. That time too is gone. And now that waters are polluted, our natural resources are all but gone and creation is dying, It is time to find our way back to earth.
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Links Section
Ways to Make a Difference
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DON'T BUY SUVs!
Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) are unsafe, bad for the environment and subsidized by generous tax breaks. People are starting to realize that it's not "in style" anymore to be driving these behemoth vehicles around - in fact soon it may be embarrassing to be seen driving an SUV through city streets.
SUVs burn more gas, and spew out more pollution. Many of the big SUVs pollute three times as much as cars, which greatly contributes to climate change and smog. But for many of us, it is difficult to connect our actions at the gas pump with the temperature outside, or with the quality of the air.
Since we don't really see the immediate impacts of our gasoline use - or our vehicle choice - it is easy to ignore the repercussions. In the Washington, D.C. region, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently declared the area's ozone levels "severe," after a summer with the worst ozone pollution in a decade. Last year, an official with the Maryland Department of Transportation publicly blamed the explosive growth in SUV sales as the main reason pollution in the region dramatically increased.
Even though SUVs are frequently marketed as safer than cars, they are in fact more dangerous. Government studies have found that the occupant death rate for mid-sized SUVs is 6 percent higher than cars. For large SUVs, the death rate is 8 percent higher than minivans and mid-sized cars like the Ford Taurus. Since SUVs ride higher off the ground and have a higher center of gravity, their rollover rate is three times worse than for cars. In addition, current government safety standards do not require SUVs to have reinforced roofs, which would help protect occupants in case of a rollover. Rollovers account for about 1,000 deaths each year - deaths that would have been prevented if the accident occurred in a car.
Given that SUVs are built with stiff frames, they are more likely to kill other drivers in an accident. Department of Transportation scientists study the "kill rate" - how manyother people certain vehicle models are responsible for killing each year in crashes. Looking at SUVs, these scientists came to a frightening conclusion. For every one life saved by driving an SUV, five others will be taken. In one specific instance, they found that the SUV Chevy Tahoe kills 122 people for every 1 million models on the road. In comparison, the Honda Accord kills 21 people.
Our government allows SUVs to be dirty and dangerous, and they get a huge break from lax fuel economy standards. And yet that's not the worst of it. These oversized behemoths actually qualify for oversized tax breaks as well.
SUVs are exempt from the federal gas-guzzler tax, which is usually assessed on low-mileage cars. This saves automakers as much as $10 billion a year. Another ridiculous tax break lets small businesses take a $25,000 tax deduction when they buy an SUV. The doctors and real estate agents taking advantage of this tax break would get nowhere near this sweetheart deal if they bought a car. Amazingly, President Bush has proposed raising this deduction to $75,000. Suddenly a new hummer would cost just pocket change.
Whether your enjoy fishing, bird watching, hiking or any other outdoor pastime, this natural heritage is now threatened by changes being contemplated by the administration that could limit the kinds of wetlands, streams and other waterways protected under the Clean Water Act. At risk are thousands of miles of headwater streams important to trout and salmon; millions of acres of duck-rich prairie potholes; pocket swamps where snipe and woodcock feed; and forested wetlands cruised by otter and mink. Additionally, downstream lakes and rivers could become degraded, putting all fish species at risk. As someone who cares about wildlife and/or who simply enjoys being outdoors, you can play a vital role in helping to prevent the weakening of the nation's bedrock clean water law. Please write your congressional representative today and ask him or her to weigh in with the President against any effort to weaken the Clean Water Act. Tell them to protect America's outdoor heritage.
Never approach, and never feed any wild animal you find in the wild. People who feed alligators, bears, panthers, etc. cause a great many problems, the worst of which is when these animals then come into heavily populated areas looking for more human food and are then killed. If it's wild, leave it alone.
For the past few years, a popular gift in my family has been to donate an animal to a less fortunate family in another part of the world through Heifer International (see weblink in left hand column). The idea is that, on behalf of someone else, you purchase livestock - anything from a llama to bumblebees - to help that family become self-reliant. It's unusual, browsing through a catalog filled with farm animals, reading about their versatility and placing an order; you can even buy "shares" of an animal or an entire "ark," depending on your budget.
"Not to hurt our humble brethren is our first duty to them, but to stop there is not enough. We have a higher mission, to be of service to them whenever they require it."
Behold the Beauty
Collapsing Ocean Ecosystems Need 21st Century Protections
We know it is important to leave future generations a legacy of healthy and thriving coastal and ocean ecosystems. But, as a society, we are dangerously close to failing to meet that responsibility.
A report just released by the independent Pew Oceans Commission finds that our coastal and marine ecosystems are in a state of crisis as a result of mismanaged human activities ranging from overfishing to uncontrolled coastal development. Unless we are better stewards these important public resources will be lost to our children. Fortunately, the Commission's report concludes that it is not too late and offers comprehensive, straightforward recommendations for responsible management of our coasts and oceans in the 21st century.
The independent Pew Oceans Commission is made up of 18 leaders in science, fishing, business, conservation, and policy. Its comprehensive report is the first national examination of the oceans and coasts, and how we care for them in more than 30 years.
Putting the Commission's recommendations in place will take commitment on the part of all of us and involve officials at all levels of government. Your governor is in a unique position to play a key role in getting these recommendations implemented. Please respond to this alert and send him or her a message urging that he or she endorse the recommendations of the Pew Oceans Commission and work to implement them at both the state and national levels.
GOD'S TAKE ON LAWNS - (from The Caretaker)
Imagine the conversation The Creator might have had with St. Francis on the subject of lawns...
God: Frank, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on down there in the Midwest? What happened to the dandelions, violets, thistle and stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect, no-maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand drought and multiply with abandon. The nectar from the long lasting blossoms attracts butterflies, honeybees and flocks of songbirds. I expected to see a vast garden of colors by now. But all I see are these green rectangles.
St. Francis: It's the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers "weeds" and went to great lengths to kill them and replace them with grass.
God: Grass? But it's so boring. It's not colorful. It doesn't attract butterflies, birds and bees, only grubs and sod worms. It's temperamental with temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really want all that grass growing there?
St. Francis: Apparently so, Lord. They go to great pains to grow it and keep it green. They begin each spring by fertilizing grass and poisoning any other plant that crops up in the lawn.
God: The spring rains and warm weather probably make grass grow really fast. That must make the Suburbanites happy.
St. Francis: Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it -- sometimes twice a week.
God: They cut it? Do they then bale it like hay?
St. Francis: Not exactly, Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in bags.
God: They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?
St. Francis: No, Sir. Just the opposite. They pay to throw it away.
God: Now let me get this straight. They fertilize grass so when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away?
St. Francis: Yes, Sir.
God: These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut back on the rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth and saves them a lot of work.
St. Francis: You aren't going to believe this, Lord. When the grass stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay more money to water it so they can continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it.
God: What nonsense. At least they kept some of the trees. That was a sheer stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow leaves in the spring to provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the autumn they fall to the ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and protect the trees and bushes. Plus, as they rot, the leaves form compost to enhance the soil. It's a natural circle of life.
St. Francis: You better sit down, Lord. The Suburbanites have drawn a new circle. As soon as the leaves fall, they rake them into great piles and pay to have them hauled away.
God: No! What do they do to protect the shrub and tree roots in the winter and to keep the soil moist and loose?
St. Francis: After throwing away the leaves, they go out and buy something which they call mulch. The haul it home and spread it around in place of the leaves.
God: And where do they get this mulch?
St. Francis: They cut down trees and grind them up to make the mulch.
God: Enough. I don't want to think about this anymore. St. Catherine, you're in charge of the arts. What movie have you scheduled for us tonight?
St. Catherine: Dumb and Dumber, Lord. It's a real stupid movie about...
God: Never mind, I think I just heard the whole story from St. Francis.
Poverty plays a major role in the environmental problems of many countries. Impoverished people often must make short-term choices based solely on their desperate need for food. Many farmers have no alternative to cutting trees for firewood or putting animals on overgrazed land practices that harm the earth.
Heifer International (see link in left column) is a pioneer in combining hunger and environmental concerns. Animals can provide not only food and income but also a catalyst for many changes that benefit the earth. Heifer believes that development must be sustainable projects should be long-term investments in the future of people and, ultimately, the planet.
Thats why Heifer teaches partners environmentally sound farming methods. Through Heifer training, families learn how to keep their small plots of land healthy and renew the soil for future generations by planting trees and using natural fertilizer. Each year Heifer introduces thousands of farm families to zero grazing or managed grazing techniques. Zero grazing is containing livestock in an enclosed, shaded area and carrying fodder and water to them instead of letting them wander in the open where they are more likely to catch diseases or damage the environment. Go to the weblink and check them out!
Stop being an escapist or a surface-liver as these attitudes can only cause disharmony in your life. Face life squarely and get down below the froth on its surface to discover its verities and realities. Solve the problems that life sets before you, and you will find that solving them contributes to your inner growth. Helping to solve collective problems contributes also to your growth, and these problems should never be avoided.
Here are just a few of the things we want to make people aware of before they put on that fur coat or accessory:
Approximately forty animals are killed for each fur coat.
Each of those animals has died a violent death: anal electrocution, gassing, neck breaking, drowning, a shot to the head, or clubbing.
Trapping is widely recognized as cruel. The most popular of traps used to catch fur-bearing animals, the steel-jaw leghold, has been banned because of its cruelty in 89 nations and 5 states in the United States.
Fur farming is going out of fashion. For instance, Great Britain has just banned all fur farms. Austria has effectively banned fur farming. And Sweden has outlawed keeping foxes in cages for their fur.
Trappers in the U.S. kill several million fur bearing animals each year (4 million in 1998; 2.5 million in 1999) with 1.5 million more trapped in Canada. 88.5 % were "non target" species including family pets.
Between 1968 and 1970 the U.S. fur industry imported 18,456 leopard skins, 31,105 jaguar pelts, and an incredible 349,680 ocelot skins. It also imported over 3000 cheetah pelts, representing one and a half times the number of cheetahs remaining in all of the parks in Africa in 1972.
If you have a fur coat, put it to good use. Donate it to your local Rehabilitator to use in comforting the orphaned babies and injured wildlife that they care for each year. In most cases they are registered as a charity with the IRS and you can get a tax credit for doing the humane thing.
Boycott Discover Card - Morgan Stanley - owner of the Discover Card - is helping to finance at least three environmentally destructive projects: the Three Gorges Dam in China, a pipeline carrying oil from Tibet to China, and a development on sensitive coastline in Southern California. Tell Morgan Stanley executives that you've discovered a reason to take your business elsewhere!
Anyone can learn to be a Vegetarian!
Want to simplify your life and help the planet?
"Today we have the ability to make a difference, and what the human species does to the planet over the next 50 to 100 years will determine the future of all life on Earth."
By turning down your thermostat by 1 degree centigrade, or using one hour less heating a day, you could cut your fuel bills by 10%.
Each ton of paper recycled saves 15 average-sized trees, as well as their surrounding habitat and wildlife.
Use the plastic bags you get from stores for liners in garbage cans around your house.
Insert an old broom handle into the ground and tie small trees to it. This helps to prevent sagging, wind deformation, running over it with a lawnmower, etc.
Cut old business cards up and use them as the tags in the dividers of filing cabinets or binders.
Give old socks to your kids for sock puppets.
Cut clothing into small pieces and use as dryer sheets with a liquidy dryer sheet alternative.
Make wire hangers into seasonal wreaths by bending it into a circle and then glueing on seasonal items, such as leaves in the fall.
Tie mono filimant fishing line to an old scratched CD and hang it in your fruit tree. It will keep the birds from eating all of the fruit.
Use old empty deoderant casings as a small first aid kit holder or a travel kit for crayons.
Store earrings in the top of empty egg cartons to keep from losing them.
Take envelopes which are sent by businesses (in the hopes that you will return them), place a label over the pre-printed address, write in a new address, and send it on its way.
Reduce your beef consumption
Rainforest beef is typically found in fast food hamburgers or processed beef products. In both 1993 and 1994 the U. S. imported over 200 million pounds of fresh and frozen beef from Central American countries. Two-thirds of these countries' rainforests have been cleared, in part to raise cattle whose meat is exported to profit the U. S. food industry. When it enters the U. S. the beef is not labeled with its country of origin, so there is no way to trace it to its source. Reducing your consumption of beef will reduce demand for it, cutting back on pressure to clear more forests for cattle.
Green clean
Clean your conscience using olive oil instead of furniture spray, a damp cloth for general surfaces, and a mixture of water/vinegar to give your windows a sparkle 'n' shine.
Banish mothballs
Not just harmful to moths, but potentially bad for the environment, too. Naphthalene, the main component of mothballs, is a white solid that occurs naturally in fossil fuels, and is released into the atmosphere through burning. It also evaporates easily, which is why mothballs are so pungent, and though low levels won't harm you there is some concern that high doses can damage red blood cells. In addition, naphthalene has bio-accumulative properties, which boils down to mean too much in the environment is a very bad thing indeed.
Mothball alternative
Mix up cedar chips, rosemary, mint and peppercorns, add cedar oil, and finish off by sprinkling in a little dried tobacco. Store in your cupboard, and be safe in the knowledge that your clothes won't get eaten and the world won't end by your selfish hand.
"I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; I will not refuse to do something I can do."
Tell catalog companies to stop selling nature short!
Catalog companies sent out nearly 17 billion catalogs in the U.S. last year, using nearly 3.6 million tons of paper. Despite the availability of recycled paper, most catalogers, including such name-brands as L.L. Bean, J. Crew, J.C. Penny and many others, are still printing on virgin paper. The result is waste, pollution and consumption of natural resources. Let catalog companies know that they need to switch to recycled paper now!
Spaying & Neutering: A Solution for Suffering
Many people enjoy the companionship of cats and dogs, who were domesticated between 5,000 and 10,000 years ago. Over time, people have manipulated the animals' breeding to produce certain physical characteristics, resulting in the different types of cats and dogs we know today. But domestication took these animals out of the ecosystem, and their reproduction is no longer regulated naturally by predators or habitat. The result is an overpopulation crisis that necessitates widespread spaying and neutering.
The Tragic Cycle
Approximately 2,500 kittens and puppies are born each hour in the United States. Some are bred intentionally by breeders who sell animals for a profit; some are allowed to breed by people who want their cat or dog to have the "experience" of having a litter or who want their children to witness the "miracle of life"; and some are the result of fertile animals being allowed to roam freely and mate.
Whatever the reason, the number of cats and dogs far exceeds the number of loving homes available. Unwanted animals are often treated as a nuisance; incidents of kitten drownings and dog abandonments are common. Many people drop off animals in rural areas thinking that someone will take them in or that they can fend for themselves. But the tragic results for the animals are cruel treatment, starvation, disease, freezing, highway death, procurement for research laboratories, and more unregulated breeding.
Even if someone can find homes for one litter of kittens or puppies, the overpopulation cycle continues if the animals are allowed to breed. And animals bred on purpose occupy homes that could have taken in homeless animals already born, destined to be destroyed.
Animal control agencies and shelters receive approximately 6-10 million animals annually. Those who are not adopted within about a week - some 4-5 million of them - are killed either by a painless lethal injection or by undesirable methods like carbon monoxide or decompression chambers. In many areas where a practice called "pound seizure" is permitted, unclaimed animals can be given or sold to laboratories, where their deaths are often far from painless.
An Ounce of Prevention
Spaying and neutering helps stem the tide of overpopulation. It does not make animals fat and lazy, harm their health, or hurt their personalities, as some people mistakenly believe. Spaying not only reduces the stress and discomfort females endure during heat periods, but also eliminates the risk of uterine cancer and greatly reduces the chance of mammary cancer. Neutering makes males far less likely to roam or fight, and helps prevent testicular cancer.
Female cats and dogs should be spayed soon after the age of eight weeks. Males should be neutered at eight weeks of age, but both spaying and neutering can be done safely through most of adulthood. Some shelters are trying earlier spaying and neutering, which can be less stressful for animals. The operations require only a few days' recuperation.
The one-time cost of spaying or neutering is less than the expense involved in raising puppies or kittens (food, shots, training, time) and is far less than the cost communities must pay toward animal control and euthanasia. Many cities have low-cost spay/neuter clinics to encourage owners to be responsible before they are faced with unwanted animals and before the animals themselves must pay for the excess with their lives.
