Floating Islands

We are very excited to announce the addition of Floating Islands to our on going endeavourers to beautify our natural world. The Floating Islands are not only beautiful they are constructed of recycled materials and they remove pollutants from the water. Here are some interesting facts about the Floating Islands.

Floating Islands is an innovative water stewardship tool… BioHaven floating islands do five things:

1. They remove pollutants from a waterway, including nitrates, phosphates, ammonia and heavy metals

2. They provide critical riparian edge habitat – in fact, new land mass for use by all kinds of creatures, from microbes to humans

3. They sequester carbon and other greenhouse gases

4. They provide wave mitigation and erosion control

5. They beautify a waterscape Made from layers of recycled plastic “matrix” which are bonded together with adhesive foam, BioHavens are planted with sod, garden plants or wetland plants and launched onto a water body.

There the plants are allowed to grow naturally, and, as they develop, their roots grow through the matrix and into the water below. Over time, a natural eco-system evolves. The model for this is Nature herself - BioHavens “bio-mimic” Nature. We are part of a new branch of science, Biomimicry, or Biomimetics.BioHavens provide surface area for microbes to thrive. Microbes remove pollutants.

BioHavens are a concentrated floating wetland – the huge surface area of fibers provides many times more surface area than an equivalent stretch of bare wetland. Surface area is the key factor for microbial activity to take place, and microbes (bacteria) are the key to removing contaminants from the water. Plants and their roots are also important, but more for the extra surface area the roots provide than for any nutrient uptake the plants themselves account for.BioHavens were invented eight years ago, have been successfully trialed for five years and have been on the market since July 2005. They represent a natural, convenient and cost-effective solution for some of the most intractable and expensive problems on the planet:
· “Polishing” wastewater and storm water of nutrients and heavy metals to return it safely to the watershed.
· Sequestering carbon dioxide and methane from effluent ponds to reduce global warming
· Wave mitigation and protection of levees in the event of severe storms
· Extraction of salt

Mining nutrient loads from any waterway and reducing algal blooms
· Restoring wetlands without the need for new land
· Restoring habitat for endangered species such as the trumpeter swan.They can be made in any shape and size and offer some fun uses to balance the more serious side:
· Creating walkways, piers, docks, jetties

Supporting recreational uses, such as picnic tables, floating stages, gazebos….
· Floating vegetable gardens which never need watering!
· Restoring a natural look and balance to any waterway of any size
· New land mass for human habitation.Not only are they natural, aesthetic and functional, they are cost-effective, “green” and virtually maintenance free. Why not add a Floating Island to beautify your world?
Contact Howard at 1 800-291-2143

One Sure Fire Way To Relax!

The Enjoyment of Bird Watching
Such a simple thing to do and you don't have to travel at all to do it. Bird watching can be done right out your kitchen window. We love birdwatching at Ion Exchange Inc. and from The Natural Gait. There are so many varieties of birds to watch it is difficult to get any work done! Summer is full of Hummingbirds buzzing all around the office walkway busy drinking nectar from the feeders and the nearby wildflowers. With the onslaught of winter you can see the very cheery snow birds, cardinals and a dozen other brightly colored species.
I found this article on the enjoyment of bird watching that I wanted to share with you for the Holiday Season. Happy Holidays to all!
By: Thomas Kane
It is a popular hobby across the world. There are thousands of groups dedicated to watching birds at nature preserves, parks and recreational centers and even large groups that have annual conventions. You may be an individual dedicated to bird watching and enjoy going to parks on the weekends to observe birds. It is a fun and interesting hobby for anyone. Bird watching is relaxing. It is a very simple form of pleasure. Birds are symbols of love, hope and happiness. They remind us of simpler times before, TV, radios, videos and malls. Birds gently remind us to slow down and appreciate the simpler aspects of life. There are so many beautiful birds to observe, your efforts to see them all may be difficult. Some people keep track of the variety of species that they see and keep a journal. It is a never ending pursuit, as you could travel the world and still not see them all. Some people combine bird watching with other activities such as camping, hiking, kayaking and white water rafting. It is a great activity that will bring you back to nature. Birds are beautiful creatures. So many of them are brightly colored and fun to watch and observe. They seem to glide effortlessly through the air as they soar and swoop down for food and rest. And, their melodic voices are a treasure to listen to. You may hear a squawk or a shrill from some birds. But, some birds some chirpy and sweet as they sing you to work in the morning. Some people record their sounds and play them for relaxation. If you are looking for a fun, educational and safe activity for your children bird watching is a great, fun activity for everyone. Birds are sweet and harmless. It is a great educational activity for your children to do and they may learn something! Bird watching also calls attention to species and naturists keep track of what species may be declining. Conservationists keep track of behavioral patterns and migration information so they are able to track birds and maintain up to date records. Conservation starts at home. It is recommended that children learn about birds so that they are aware of the importance of conservation and protecting our environment. It will increase children's awareness of the natural beauty of parks, wildlife, oceans, lakes, mountains and trails. Children learn through doing and what better way to learn about blue birds than to actually observe one in their natural habitat. Bird watching is also a very inexpensive activity that involves little to no money. You may want to invest in a pair of binoculars but, other than that, the activity is not costly.

Global Warming and the Loggerhead Turtles

Global warming is something that seems to be in the news on a regular basis. Despite the mounting evidence there are still many companies, people and even countries that are not convinced this threat to nature and wildlife exists at all. Here is yet another story that tells the struggle of the Loggerhead turtle one of the largest sea turtles with a normal life span of almost a hundred years.

Loggerhead sea turtles in US Atlantic waters face extinction from commercial fishing and global warming and should be designated an endangered species, two environmental groups said.
The ocean conservation group Oceana and the Center for Biological Diversity are petitioning the US government to win better protection for loggerhead habitats and nesting beaches along the US Eastern Seaboard.
The petition to be filed with the US Commerce Department and the Department of the Interior serves as a warning that the groups could sue the US government if it fails to act to protect the species.
Loggerhead nest counts in Florida have dropped nearly 50 percent in the last decade, according to Florida's Fish and Wildlife Research Institute.
At the Archie Carr wildlife refuge, one of the key Florida loggerhead nesting areas, nest counts dropped from 15,645 in 2001 to 10,828 in 2006, and appear to be down again this year.
Under US law, an endangered species is "in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range," while a threatened species is "likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future."
Of the six sea turtle species in US waters, the hawksbill, leatherback, Kemp's Ridley and green are listed as endangered and the Olive Ridley and loggerhead are threatened.
A recent five-year study by the National Marine Fisheries Service concluded that the designation "threatened" should be maintained for the loggerhead.
Tens of thousands of loggerheads are killed yearly in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico by commercial fishermen, who snare turtles incidentally while going after other species, Oceana said.
"With 90 percent of the US nesting occurring in Florida and a 50 percent decline in nesting over the last decade, it's quite possible these populations will become extinct," said Elizabeth Griffin, a marine scientist at Oceana.
The loggerhead, which can live a century or more, is among the largest of the sea turtle species. They can grow to about 3 1/2 feet (1.07 metres) and weigh up to 400 pounds (181 kg).
Although loggerhead populations are being decimated by commercial fishing, scientists believe global warming is a greater ongoing threat to loggerheads, said Miyoko Sakashita of the Center for Biological Diversity.
Rising sea levels could destroy Florida nesting beaches, and rising temperatures could dramatically tilt the balance of male and female turtles, endangering the species' reproductive abilities.
"Turtles' gender is determined by temperature. In warmer weather there are fewer males born," she said. "The gender could be skewed toward females. With just a few extra degrees of temperature you get almost all females born." (Editing by Michael Christie and Eric Walsh)
Story by Jim Loney
REUTERS NEWS SERVICE
Lets all do what we can to give something back to our Mother Earth! Ion Exchange Inc

Is Iron a Tonic For Climate - Saving Plankton

I ran across this news article as I was reading my weekly email from Plant Ark. Not so surprisingly we were just having a similar discussion at Ion Exchange. While it is a good thing to plant native plants and seeds one must be careful to plant with discretion. Sometimes in trying to do a good thing we inadvertently create another problem. For instance about 40 years ago our country gifted the then ruling Japanese Prince with two fish. At the time the Japanese leaders were concerned about getting enough protein in the diets of their people. The Japanese Prince turned the fish over to a research facility to see if this species of fish would meet the demand for a higher protein diet. Well to make a long story short some of these fish bred in captivity made their way into the rivers and streams. This gifted fish has since killed off most of one species of fish native to Japan and is endangering another species of native fish.
With all the problems that are going on with our planet we must be cautious in our haste to help that we do not create an even bigger problem to mother earth.
Having said that here is the news article to ponder over.
Iron Is a Tonic For Climate-Saving Plankton
MIAMI - From the deck of the research ship Weatherbird II, a California company hopes to prove a controversial theory that putting iron dust in the ocean can produce enough plankton to help save the Earth.
The mission of the company behind the ship, Planktos Corp. is to research whether "iron seeding," or "iron enrichment" -- dumping tons of pulverized iron ore into the ocean -- can catalyze the growth of microscopic algae that will then suck carbon out of the atmosphere.
If the research goes well, Planktos aims to make money by fertilizing the ocean, measuring the carbon its plankton forests sequester and selling carbon credits for cash on emerging world carbon markets.
Weatherbird left Florida this month on a mission that has caused consternation among scientists and environmentalists, many of whom do not think the theory has been sufficiently tested to try out on such a large scale.
Oceanographers, who unlike scientific colleagues in fields like pharmaceuticals have not been heavily exposed to business motivations, also appear uneasy about Planktos' aim of making money while fighting climate change.
But the company says it is interested in the potential greater good of iron-enrichment -- taking tons of carbon dioxide, a critical greenhouse gas blamed for global warming, out of the Earth's atmosphere, in the same way a rainforest on land works for the health of the planet.
"We might actually be able to save the planet from the ravages of fossil fuels," Planktos chief executive Russ George told Reuters.
DUST AS A VITAMIN
The theory of iron enrichment was proposed 25 years ago. Iron acts as a vitamin, oceanographers say, enabling plants to take up nutrients.
The theory was greeted as a joke. But it has gained traction since, and adherents.
The emergence of carbon markets, especially in Europe, in which polluters can offset emissions by buying carbon credits from countries or companies that plant forests, has given the proposal commercial allure.
In addition to Planktos, Silicon Valley-based company Climos intends to pursue iron enrichment.
Planktos' plans to seed a patch of ocean, 30 to 60 miles (50 to 100 km) in diameter, with 50 to 100 metric tonnes of raw iron ore in an area 200 miles (320 km) west of the Galapagos Islands, one of the world's most unique ecosystems.
Weatherbird's mission, delayed for months by the late arrival of high-tech equipment, is steeped in secrecy. In a recent phone interview, George said he could not reveal details because of what he said were threats from "radical environmental groups" to halt the mission.
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which patrols the Galapagos Islands to protect them from ecological threats, has pledged to stop Planktos.
George said the area near Ecuador's volcanic islands, which lie 625 miles (1,000 km) west of the coast, is a perfect place for a test because iron from the islands feed a vast, natural plankton bloom that can serve as a biological control for the experiment.
Environmentalists fear that the test could go awry and threaten the islands, which served as the inspiration for British naturalist Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.
But George said the natural Galapagos bloom drifts west, and so would the one that Planktos hopes to generate.
The iron ore to be used in the test is the same as dust blown naturally by the wind into the ocean, George added.
"Hundreds of millions of tons of dust are landing in the ocean every year. How can anyone suggest that our 50 tonnes of rock dust will provoke some cataclysmic result?"
NOT ENOUGH PROOF?
Oceanographers critical of Planktos say scientists have simply not yet done the work needed to prove that phytoplankton blooms can sequester carbon safely and for the long term.
They also say that while surface water moves westward near the Galapagos, deeper currents go east, toward rich fishing grounds off South America.
"Many scientists think we should try to establish the facts and the downstream consequences of iron enrichment and there are a few non-scientists who think if it can make money we should do it now," said Kenneth Coale, a researcher at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories in California who has conducted leading work on the subject.
Few of the researchers who consider themselves experts in iron-enrichment appear to know who the scientists are that Planktos intends to take on its experiment.
"It seems more an effort to impress shareholders," Coale said.
There are also questions about whether decaying blooms might produce other, more powerful greenhouse gases.
INTERNATIONAL LAWS?
The legal situation on the high seas is unclear.
Scientists advising signatory nations of the 1972 London Convention on Dumping recently issued a statement of concern, and the members of the convention are expected to try to draw up regulations for iron enrichment.
The US Environmental Protection Agency shares the concerns but was told by Planktos that it would not use a US flagged vessel, an EPA spokeswoman said.
"At this stage to have companies out there already wanting to press ahead with commercialization is deeply unhelpful," said David Santillo, a scientist at the Greenpeace Research Laboratories in Britain. "I think that from the last 15 years of science we know enough to say, 'don't do it.'"
Despite the controversy, even the skeptics agree that something must be done to counter global warming, and that cutting pollution levels is no longer enough.
"The overarching thing is that there is definitely a panic about climate. If someone could come up with a quick band aid fix to this problem they would be a hero to humanity," said Greenpeace research director Kert Davies. (Editing by Eddie Evans)
Story by Jim Loney and Michael Christie
Story Date: 20/11/2007
Tell us what you think. Click on the comment link below this article and add your two cents. Till next time. Kay at Ion Exchange

Friends of Jon Stravers, the Mississippi River & Nature

http://www.motormill.org/index.html/html/big_blue_sky_benefit.html
There's going to be a concert at The Elkader Opera House on Nov 24. The above link goes to the poster. It is a benefit for Motor Mill, but more importantly it is a tribute to Jon's son and grandson who were killed in a car accident this fall. John and his late son are well known along the Mississippi where they have provided wonderful environmental music that tells the stories about the great river.--
Howard Bright, PresidentIon Exchange, Inc.
http://www.ionxchange.com
800-291-2143/
“Helping you create your own natural beauty”

"History of the World Through Botanically --colored Glasses"

Throughout the eons of time we can move forward from ground zero to where we are today. In this very descriptive text, we can find out some interesting dates and facts about native plants. I highly recommend this reading as it was forwarded to me from a friend. She labeled the reading as “History of the World Through Botanically-colored Glasses”.

Howard www.ionxchange.com

http://www.huntington.org/BotanicalDiv/Timeline.html

A Train into the Forest

An excerpt from an email that Howard and Donna shared on their recent California experience.

The Skunk Train out of Fort Bragg, California we boarded one fine day in October. I will never forget the people on board a tour bus of energetic elderly people, some middle aged people and one couple that I will never forget as the husband had so many stories to tell about being a test pilot for the USAF. None of us knew each other but we were there together to experience this wonder of going up through a foggy valley in Mendocino County. Our conductor had lived here some eons ago in this canyon far away from civilization. It was very cool and the open railway car was occupied by curious people from many places. As they gazed in wonder at the huge trees, I felt as if I had been lifted in time to a place that was once a dream world filled with spirits and messages from another world.

Our conductor told the story and history of this special place. I smelled the fog and fresh odor of the Redwoods and caught glimpses of a hint of blue sky above. Huge stumps some 20 feet in diameter with fairy rings of younger trees only 100 to 200 feet tall stood holding hands around them as if paying homage to their ancestry.

TO BE CONTINUED . . . . . .

Ion Exchange joins Iowa Native Plant Society

We at Ion Exchange are happy to announce we have joined the Iowa Native Plant Society. The more we learn about our environment the better it will enable us to care for it. Preserving and protecting our native plants should be important to all of us. We can each do our part to restore areas of beauty using the wildflowers, grasses and trees that are native to where we live.

Organic Farming Can Feed the World

Ion Exchange ran across this article and thought it might be of interest to our friends and neighbors of the world.

Study: Organic Farming Can Feed the World
Reuters, 7/10/2007 Straight to the Source
Organic farming can yield up to three times as much food as conventional farming in developing countries, and holds its own against standard methods in rich countries, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.They said their findings contradict arguments that organic farming -- which excludes the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides -- is not as efficient as conventional techniques."My hope is that we can finally put a nail in the coffin of the idea that you can't produce enough food through organic agriculture," Ivette Perfecto, a professor at the University of Michigan's school of Natural Resources and Environment, said in a statement.She and colleagues analyzed published studies on yields from organic farming. They looked at 293 different examples."Model estimates indicate that organic methods could produce enough food on a global per capita basis to sustain the current human population, and potentially an even larger population, without increasing the agricultural land base," they wrote in their report, published in the journal Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems."We were struck by how much food the organic farmers would produce," Perfecto said."Corporate interest in agriculture and the way agriculture research has been conducted in land grant institutions, with a lot of influence by the chemical companies and pesticide companies as well as fertilizer companies, all have been playing an important role in convincing the public that you need to have these inputs to produce food," she added.

"Mother Nature says it time to take a break and go fishing!

"Mother Nature says it time to take a break and go fishing with
friends and family!" Taken at The Natural Gait

Hummingbirds - Helpers for the Honeybees?

I recently took some pictures at Ion Exchange and of all the pictures I took I was most pleased with this picture of a hummingbird in flight. I have always been fascinated by hummingbirds and I had never experienced seeing so many together and so close as the ones on the office porch. I could set and watch them for hours.

Upon hearing of the plight of the honeybee and the possible disruption to the pollination of our foods and other plants I did a little research into pollination and found that although most pollination is done by honeybees other insects and the beautiful hummingbird also help with pollinating.

The hummingbird will soon be making its migratory trip to Mexico and Central America for the winter. The cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) provides nectar in August into September to see them on their way. Their high energy needs require that abundant supplies of nectar be available throughout the migration corridor, which can range through thousands of miles of habitat. Although Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are well recognized as nectar feeders, they also eat spiders and tiny insects such as flies, gnats and aphids as a source of fat and protein. A single migration can become a nonstop flight of up to 500 miles over a period of 18 to 22 hours.
Some hummingbird favorites include native wildflowers such as Wild Bergamont (Monarda fisulosa) and Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis). There are speciality mixed wildflower seeds that are available that appeal to hummingbirds and butterflies.

The hummingbird laps up nectar by flicking its long, forked tongue deep within a flower at rates up to ten times per second. It forages while hovering airborne, inadvertently collecting pollen on its feathers and bill before darting off to its next meal. Its efficiency as a pollinator is comparable to that of a honey bee.
An extraordinary little creature! I wish them well on their long journey. Kay at Ion Exchange

Life - A Woven Web

LIFE, A WOVEN WEB

Just as the sun comes up, a web appears. A beautiful work of art is left behind but the creator is nowhere in sight. Will I make this world more beautiful as I weave my own web? No credits, no praise is needed as we leave this world imprinted with the kindness and beauty of our own gift to others.

Howard Bright
August 16th 2007

Our own Howard of Ion Exchange shares his art with us. By the way does anyone know what kind of spider weaves such a web?

More On Natural Insect Repellents

Our own Gabi posted a reply on the Natural Insect Repellent article posted a month ago. I thought everyone woud enjoy her ideas as much I did. Gabbi wrote....
Hi Kay!This is Gabi, also from Ion Exchange, and as I read your blog on "Natural Insect Repellents", I felt compelled to share some techniques that I find useful for repelling bugs from ME! Very rarely do I use store bought insect repellents, instead choosing to rely on the plentitude that nature has put out there, and have found that the leaves from both peppermint and wild bergamot, if crushed and rubbed on the skin, work very well to repel unwanted insects (and you smell GREAT!) Both plants contain varying degrees of citronel (probably one of the best known bug repellents), which is what makes this quick, easy remedy successful.In the garden, a spray bottle primed with soapy water and a little bit of rubbing alcohol is by far my best friend when it comes to pest control. I am also a big believer in using companion plants and beneficial insects, and both marigolds and catnip work great when planted around beds/crops that are especially prone to invasions. Be wary of catnip, however, as it will probably need to be controlled from spreading rampantly. I hope you find these suggestions helpful, and thanks for the great idea of using baking soda to tackle garden fungi--can't wait to try it!Happy Planting!Gabi

A Cure For Bee Stings?

Hey, I recently received an email from Donna with a neat article on bee stings. I thought I would pass it on to you guys. If you are working outside a lot on your wildflowers and garden projects in the summer you might need to know this interesting information.
I am not sure where the article came from, anyway here goes.
The article starts "A couple of weeks ago, I had the misfortune to be stung by both a be and a hornet while working in the garden. My arm swelled , so off to the clinic I went. They gave me a cream and an antihistamine. The next the swelling got progressively worse, so I headed to my regular doctor. Infected arm - needed an antibiotic.
What was interesting is what the doctor told me. "The next time you get stung, put a penny on the bite for 15 minutes." I thought, wow, next time (if there is one) I will try it.
Well that night, my neighbor Shelley's niece was stung by two bees. I saw her arm was swollen so I went in the house to get my money. Taped a penny to her arm for 15 minutes.
The next morning there was no sign of the stings. Were we surprised! Her niece, we decided, just wasn't allergic to bee stings. Well guess what happened again a few days later? I was helping Shelley deadhead her flowers and - you're right - a hornet stung my left hand twice. I thought, here I go again, back to the doctor for yet more antibiotics.
Well, I promptly taped tow pennies to my stings, then sat and sulked for 15 minutes. The coins took away the pain immediately, I stilt wasn't sure what would happen. In the meantime, the hornet stung Shelley on the thumb. Again a penny.
The next morning, I could see only a spot where the hornet had stung me. No redness, no swelling. I went over to see Shelley and hers was the same. Then Shelley got stung while cutting grass. Applying the penny worked again.
I just wanted to share this marvelous information in case you experience the same problem. The doctor said the copper in the penny somehow counteracts the bite. I would never have believed it but it definitely worked for us. We need to keep a stock of pennies on hand at school and at home. Remember this little bit of wisdom and tell your friends and family."
I think I will try this remedy for sure if I ever get stung by a bee again. I might even try it for any spider or bug bite. Who knows it might work on them too! This Kay at Ion Exchange saying
save those pennies, you never know when you might need them! Have a great day!

More Honeybee News

We at Ion Exchange feel the plight of the Honeybee is a story worth following. This article was recently posted in The Iowa Native Plant Newsletter.

AGRICULTURE: BEE DIE-OFF COULD CAUSE $75 BILLION IN LOSSES, FEDS ESTIMATE

The mysterious malady affecting honeybees could cause $75 billion in
economic losses in the United States, said Agriculture Secretary Mike
Johanns.
Johanns said the Colony Collapse Disorder already threatens $14.6 billion in
pollinated crops.
The disorder has been found in 35 U.S. states, one Canadian province and
parts of Asia, Europe and South America. Its origin remains unknown.
Johanns said the Department plans to spend $7.4 million researching colony
collapse this year and noted that USDA would allocate an additional 2.7
million for pollinator projects from state extension service offices and
other parts of the department.
According to the White House budget request for fiscal 2008, USDA spent $2.7
billion on agricultural research last year.
Troy Fore, Executive Director of the American Beekeeping Federation, said
the disparity between those numbers shows USDA should be doing more to fight
colony collapse. In the week of June 25, which was National Pollinator
Week, Democrats and scientists asked Congress to boost research funding for
pollinators and to make more federal and private conservation programs
available to conserve habitat for the bees and other insects, birds and bats
that help pollinate plants and keep natural systems in order.
The Ecological Society of America held a congressional briefing regarding
ecosystem services, such as pollination, in agricultural
systems: http://www.esa.org/pao/policyActivities/briefing032007.php

Natural Insect Repellents

I am always looking for natural products to incorporate into my life style. I don't want to buy anything that is not good for the environment including all wildlife. So I look here and there for environmentally safe products. My favorite thing is to find something for a particular problem that is a household item, something you have around the house anyway. A study from Iowa State University conculded that cattnip is a great mosquito repellent. Well I have cats and I know how much they are attracted to catnip and I tried to visualize myself covered in catnip. That immediately brought the vision of me running through the grass and past my native wildflowers I just planted from my cats who no longer think of me as a friend but a huge plaything. I guess I will pass on the catnip idea. I thought I would share a few natural remedies for the flower garden or the vegetable garden that I have run across in my searches. Here is one that works pretty good on soft-bodied insects (mites, aphids, mealybugs): Mix one tablespoon canola oil and a few drops of Ivory soap into a quart of water. Shake well and pour into a spray bottle. Spray your plant from above down, and from below up to get the underside of the leaves. The oil smothers the insects. Another one that is good for Fungal diseases: Mix two tablespoons of baking soda into a quart of water. Pour into a spray container and spray affected areas. Repeat this process every few days until problem ceases.
We at the Ion Exchange would love to hear your natural remedies.
Have a great day! Kay at Ion Exchange

Native Bees

I was just thumbing through my AARP magizine that I get every month and happened upon an article on the honeybee called "Bee-friended". There were a few facts I was not aware of for instance their are other insects and animals that help the bees do the pollinating hummingbirds, butterflys, bats, ants, and beetles. I have always held the opinion that bats, ants and beetles could just leave the planet and I for one would not miss them. Now I am going to have to give them a little respect for their place in the eco - system.

It appears that large scale farms rely on the European honeybees to do the pollination. They pollinate about one third of all the food Americans consume. A lot has been said about the problem of the dissapearance of the honeybee and the colony collapse within the beekeeping industry. However the article states that the organic farmers and scientiists feel that the honeybees wild cousins could really help out in this crisis.
So often when something happens to our planet there is little we can do but shake our head and feel sad. In this instance there is something we can all do to help. We can provide the bees with a habitat in our own yards .Most native bees are the solitary non swarming kind. They like some of the same things we like for instance big patches of closely planted flowers about a square yard of one kind will usually attract them. A lot of blooms with very little insecticide will surely attract them. The colors yellow, purple and blue are bee magnets. Surpursingly (or maybe not) they are more attracted to the native wildflowers such as Beardtongue, Bee balm, Lavendar, Snow - in - summer and Yarrow. Well I know what I will be planting in my flower beds now. Kayflowers

Kay is one of web masters that work on our web site and lends a hand with the blogs from time to time.


Have a great day! Kay

Update on Bees Around the World

This was taken from a weekly newsletter called KLEINER'S KORNER that we get at Ion Exchange. We wanted to share this with our readers. Howard Bright President Ion Exchange.
DESTRUCTIVE MITE THREATENS HAWAII BEES”“A tiny mite that has devastated mainland honeybee populations showed up in Honolulu hives for the first time this month and has now been confirmed in bee colonies across Oahu.The infestation by varroa mites has led the state to ask beekeepers to restrict transport of bees around the islands. There are concerns it could threaten the Big Island's thriving queen bee export industry, which has so far tested free of the mites."This is going to be for us a nightmare," said Michael Kliks, head of the Hawaii Beekeepers' Association and owner of Manoa Honey Co. "When I saw that mite I knew exactly what it was. I knew exactly what it meant and I fell to my knees and almost began to weep because it's inexpressible what that sea change is for us in Hawaii."quoting the AP.
B. “NO ORGANIC BEE LOSSES”“I'm on an organic beekeeping list of about 1,000 people, mostly Americans, and no one in the organic beekeeping world, including commercial beekeepers, is reporting colony collapse on this list. The problem with the big commercial guys is that they put pesticides in their hives to fumigate for varroa mites, and they feed antibiotics to the bees. They also haul the hives by truck all over the place to make more money with pollination services, which stresses the colonies,” quoting information liberation. Her email recommends a visit to the Bush Bees Web site.

To Spray or Not to Spray...

To Spray or Not to Spray... Are Bee Deaths Due to Pesticide?
Bees are now dying worldwide. As matters stand, massive dieoffs in both Europe and the US will affect crop yields this year, and lack of reporting from Asia means that nobody really knows what is happening there. Now a French reporter, Michel Dogna, explores the possibility that the Bayer pesticide GAUCHO might be responsible for the catastrophe. GAUCHO was banned for use on sunflowers in France because of its effect on bees, but it has not been banned on other crops, and there is little chance that anything will be done about it in the US. Research into the possibility that ever-increasing pesticide loads are destroying the immune systems of bees is essential if mankind is going to survive this building catastrophe. There comes a point where even the profits of important corporations must come second to the survival of the human species.
Howard Bright, President Ion Exchange, Inc
.http://www.ionxchange.com800-291-2143
“Helping you create your own natural beauty”

Women Retreating into nature at The Natural Gait.

Our sister site The Natural Gait holds a women's retreat at our beautiful Natural Gait Resort once a year. We did want to include all our Ion Exchange friends in this fun relaxing time. Below our Women's Retreat coordinator Sue sends out her greeting and invitation.
Thinking good thoughts, Ion Exchange.

Women's Retreat at The Natural Gait Good morning!
I hope the sunshine is warming all your hearts today! The Natural Gait would like to invite all of you to The Natural Gaits Women's Retreat. There are several options available for all. If you are not able to come for the whole retreat, that is OK. If you would like to bring a horse, we have a plan for you. And if you live close and don't need a place to sleep, we have just the thing for you. Tell your friends! This will be a great event!
Sue Gavle The Natural Gait 877-776-2208

We would like to extend a special invitation to you to come and join us at our Women’s Retreat at The Natural Gait June 8Th, 9Th and 10Th Come join in some or all of our activities. Friday - Dessert and Wine Tasting Saturday -Massages, Herbal Remedy Garden with Ann Bushman and Vendors and Events Scrapbooking Craft, Bingo, Herbalife, Lia Sophia, Fast Track, Sencaria, At Home America, Annie's Garden & Greens, Avon, Pampered Chef, Ion Exchange and more. Music by Jason Brink • Certified Laugh Leader - Laura Gentry Sunday - Scavenger Hunt, Muscular Therapy with Gregg Jones Open House, 2 day and Weekend Packages available with and without lodging.
Call for information. Advanced reservations required. Please call by May 31st to make your reservations. 877-776-2208http://thenaturalgait.com http://naturalgaitresort.com http://naturalgaitresort.com/

Ion Exchange emails on honeybees dissapearance.

Here is an email from Margo on the honeybees and genetically modified plants.
I've never researched the GM (genetically modified) controversy, but with the info you sent, and further reading, I wonder if the connection is there.Monsanto said that the product, which has been grown commercially in the United States and Canada since 2003, is safe, and that EFSA's Scientific Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms even published a statement on 29 October 2004 verifying this.When did we start growing these crops? The above statement is about "MON 863, modified to protect itself against corn rootworm", but when did we begin Roundup Ready Beans?I'll try to talk to a beekeeper, and see if his organizations know more.I'm not sure where to proceed from here, though. What group would/could be most effective? The current trend today is "misinformation" to discount scientific findings, it seems. And so far seems to be very effective.
Margo
Thanks Margo we at Ion Exchange and The Natural Gait welcome your input.

Commentary on honeybees

We have recieved a lot of comments and information via our email. We encourage you to get an account name and post to this blog. Keep up the good work and thanks for all the emails, we will do our best to get the information out there. Folks need to know.
Here is some good information from one of our emails.
By the way, there is also no evidence that
Einstein ever commented on the value of honey bees. Personally, our
farming operation (high intensity vegetables) relies on native bees
encouraged by areas that we are able set aside as wildlife habitat We use
the most advanced agricultural practices on those acres that we farm (10
acres of our 73 acre farm), allowing us to support the native acres. I
understand the value of honey bees to agriculture, but mis-information
reduces the credibility of those trying to solve this important problem.
New Ross, IN
In case people are wondering, honey bees are not native to North America,
and in spite of Einstein's brilliance in physics, people lived in North
America for at least 20,000 years before honey bees were introduced by
Europeans.
Thinking good thoughts, Howard and Donna
Ion Exchange and The Natural Gait

More News on the Honeybees

This article appeared online at LATimes.
Experts may have found what's bugging the bees
A fungus that hit hives in Europe and Asia may be partly to blame for wiping out colonies across the U.S.
By Jia-Rui Chong and Thomas H. Maugh II, Times Staff WritersApril 26, 2007

Colony Collapse Disorder
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Flight of the honeybees
A fungus that caused widespread loss of bee colonies in Europe and Asia may be playing a crucial role in the mysterious phenomenon known as Colony Collapse Disorder that is wiping out bees across the United States, UC San Francisco researchers said Wednesday.Researchers have been struggling for months to explain the disorder, and the new findings provide the first solid evidence pointing to a potential cause.But the results are "highly preliminary" and are from only a few hives from Le Grand in Merced County, UCSF biochemist Joe DeRisi said. "We don't want to give anybody the impression that this thing has been solved."Other researchers said Wednesday that they too had found the fungus, a single-celled parasite called Nosema ceranae, in affected hives from around the country — as well as in some hives where bees had survived. Those researchers have also found two other fungi and half a dozen viruses in the dead bees.N. ceranae is "one of many pathogens" in the bees, said entomologist Diana Cox-Foster of Pennsylvania State University. "By itself, it is probably not the culprit … but it may be one of the key players."Cox-Foster was one of the organizers of a meeting in Washington, D.C., on Monday and Tuesday where about 60 bee researchers gathered to discuss Colony Collapse Disorder."We still haven't ruled out other factors, such as pesticides or inadequate food resources following a drought," she said. "There are lots of stresses that these bees are experiencing," and it may be a combination of factors that is responsible.Historically, bee losses are not unusual. Weather, pesticide exposures and infestations by pests, such as the Varroa mite, have wiped out significant numbers of colonies in the past, particularly in the 1960s and 1970s.But the current loss appears unprecedented. Beekeepers in 28 states, Canada and Britain have reported large losses. About a quarter of the estimated 2.4 million commercial colonies across the United States have been lost since fall, said Jerry Hayes of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in Gainesville."These are remarkable and dramatic losses," said Hayes, who is also president of the Apiary Inspectors of America.Besides producing honey, commercial beehives are used to pollinate a third of the country's agricultural crops, including apples, peaches, pears, nectarines, cherries, strawberries and pumpkins. Ninety percent of California's almond crop is dependent on bees, and a loss of commercial hives could be devastating."For the most part, they just disappeared," said Florida beekeeper Dave Hackenberg, who was among the first to note the losses. "The boxes were full of honey. That was the mysterious thing. Usually other bees will rob those hives out. But nothing had happened."Researchers now think the foraging bees are too weak to return to their hives.DeRisi and UCSF's Don Ganem, who normally look for the causes of human diseases, were brought into the bee search by virologist Evan W. Skowronski of the U.S. Army's Edgewood Chemical Biological Center in Maryland.Dr. Charles Wick of the center had used a new system of genetic analysis to identify pathogens in ground-up bee samples from California. He found several viruses, including members of a recently identified genus called iflaviruses.It is not known whether these small, RNA-containing viruses, which infect the Varroa mite, are pathogenic to bees.Skowronski forwarded the samples to DeRisi, who also found evidence of the viruses, along with genetic material from N. ceranae."There was a lot of stuff from Nosema, about 25% of the total," Skowronski said. "That meant there was more than there was bee RNA. That leads me to believe that the bee died from that particular pathogen."If N. ceranae does play a role in Colony Collapse Disorder, there may be some hope for beekeepers.A closely related parasite called Nosema apis, which also affects bees, can be controlled by the antibiotic fumagillin, and there is some evidence that it will work on N. ceranae as well.
jia-rui.chong@latimes.comthomas.maugh@latimes.com

Global Disappearance of Honey Bees

All over the world Honeybees are disappearing and as Einstein said the human race will disappear within 4 years after Honeybees disappear. I am at Ion Exchange, Inc. very concerned about our native wildflower seed production. Last year we started to see a decline in seed production although there were beautiful blooming flowers in abundance. Many of the seeds did not get pollinated. Will this be the year that the Honeybee will be recognized as the savior of the human race if we can bring them back.

At The Natural Gait, people appreciate the wildflowers that abound and most are not aware of how much we appreciate the Honeybees for doing their job.

Let's all show our appreciation for the Honeybees by joining a global effort on Wednesday May 2, 2007 to send a message of Appreciation of Honeybees. Please refer to Linda Moulton Howe's
EARTHFILES for more information and wisdomofhealing.com.

Thanks,
Howard & Donna Bright
www.ionxchange.com