2 Birds, 1 Stone

Want to help the environment AND the economy? Well, here's your chance...on top of spending your economic stimulus check on new solar panels, which I know you're all doing, you can sign a petition and help the Clean Energy movement maintain it's momentum, instead of stalling out while congress hems and haws.
Clean Energy has the potential to become one of the largest industries in the future, supporting jobs for everyone from computer programmers and engineers, to welders and farmers. Save the planet, and save cash by using renewable energy in your home and automobiles. Sounds like a dream, huh? Let's see if we can make it a reality.
Go to WeCanSolveIt.org and sign the petition!

Your personal field guide

Ever wonder what sort of interesting wildlife is lurking right in your own back yard? Well now its as easy as typing your zip code to find out! Just go to eNature.com and see for yourself. I discovered 85 species of butterflies and 65 species of amphibians right here in my own area. Of course, take the zoning with a grain of salt, as it goes more by region than actual zip code...I'm actually somewhat south of the region highlighted on the map for my area code. If you know other local zip codes you might try checking them too, or use eNature's advanced search if you are looking for something specific and not finding it. You can even find bugs, seashells, and animal tracks in their database! All in all, a very nifty tool for you nature lovers out there.

California, the conservation state!

From the Associated Press:

LONG BEACH, Calif.—The $7 million, 50-acre Dominguez Gap Wetlands project in Long Beach is already becoming a wildlife haven.

Mayor Bob Foster and Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe cut the ribbon on the flood channel wetlands Thursday.

The project along the east of west sides of the Los Angeles River near the San Diego Freeway is designed to provide flood protection, clean water and an urban nature preserve.

It also improves groundwater quality and offers trails for walkers and horseback riders.

The red-shouldered hawk, great blue heron and tri-colored blackbird are already returning to the area.

And:

Historic SoCal land conservation deal hammered out

Thursday, May 8, 2008

A group of environmentalists and the owners of a large expanse of wilderness have hammered out a deal that would result in the largest parcel of land designated for conservation in California history that could rival Yosemite National Park in its diversity of wildlife.

Republican TV?

Welcome to my rant!

So, we've been noticing a trend in tv recently, a Green trend. New shows from how to build or remodel your home to be more 'green', to a show about turning a classic chevy into an electric car. From 'The Human Footprint' to 'Aftermath: Population Zero'. Shows that highlight the impact we have on our world, and give us ideas about how do it better.

So what is up with the new shows on the History Channel and TruTv? I'm talking about 'Ax men' and TruTv's new 'not reality, actuality' show about oil drilling. Haven't we just taken a HUGE step backwards here? What is this, television for eco-exploitationists? Did someone make a poll of tv viewers that suggested that middle-aged white republican men who made their money from the oil and logging industries were feeling left out? What comes next, CourtTv comes up with a show following young, successful Washington lobbyists trying to buy support for bills to open up our national parks and forests to timber and oil speculation? RFDTV tries to make a hero out of wild horse wranglers, chasing day old foals with helicopters? It just doesn't fly.

I have officially boycotted 'Ax Men' and TruTv in general (because really, it might as well be the 'Britney Spears photo voyeurism channel' for all its relevancy.)