Food For Thought

I ran across this photo a few days ago and it stuck in my mind. This is the caption that accompanied the picture.

"Nothing beats the power of a good photograph. Reading about rainforest deforestation doesn't have the same impact as a picture of native indians walking through recently burnt rainforest. "

Taken from "World Enviornment News"

Couch Potato Syndrome and Our Kids

Couch Potato Syndrome and Our Kids
A recent study warns that couch kids ( kids that play video games for hours a day) are missing out on nature. Virtual play is replacing the real thing. With all the video games and the introduction of new game consoles such as the newer Wii the kids can set for hours and hours watching "virtual nature"
We are even starting to see other medical problems aside from the rising obesity and diabetes in children. Kids get strained wrists, neck pain and headaches from playing these games hour upon hour.

The popularity of these video games has created a new study that looks at all kinds of outdoor activites and has found an alarming decline in visits to national parks and all sorts of other outdoor activities like camping and fishing. Outdoor recreation has fallen by as much as 25% in the last 20 years. This new research has been a great cause of alarm among the conservationists since it has been proven that exposure to nature promotes environmentally reponsible behavior. Our pediatricians recomend that children need at least 1 hour of play outdoors. Maybe some of us grown ups should follow this advise as well.

If you would like to get back to nature a great place is The Natural Gait They are adding nature walks, frisbee golf and there are many oppurtunities to view wildlife, go hiking, fishing, bird watching, stargazing, night moth watch and much more.

Resources: Eric Bergan Chronicle,SciGuy blog

Amphibians Dying Out At Alarming Rate

I heard about this alarming news the other night on Coast to Coast radio.
Following is a short clip copied with permission from Linda Moulton Howe's web site which can be found at www.earthfiles.com or go directly to her free report at http://www.earthfiles.com/news.php?ID=1378&category=Environment
Photo AmphibianArk.org

Howard at www.ionxchange.com

Amphibians Dying Out At Alarming Rate

© 2008 Linda Moulton Howe

“This recent and massive decline in amphibian populations,
that have been on Earth for millions of years, is one of the greatest extinction
events in history.” - Andrew Blaustein, Ph.D., Oregon State University

January 18, 2008 Corvallis, Oregon - Can you imagine what the Earth would be like without frogs, toads and salamanders? Mosquitoes, flies and other insect populations eaten by amphibians would soar. Until now, the possibility that frogs, toads and salamanders that have been living on this planet for millions of years could ever disappear was unthinkable. 2008 has been declared the Year of the Frog by Amphibian Ark.org, which is trying to let the world know that amphibians are dying out in ever-increasing numbers. Scientists say that without immediate public, zoo and government efforts to conserve them, this century could see the extinction of nearly half of all the world's 6,000 amphibian species.

How many amphibian species are already declining so rapidly that extinction seems inevitable? 500


For more info go to...http://www.earthfiles.com/news.php?ID=1378&category=Environment

Hoar Frost

Occasionally I am reminded that winter also carries many beautiful faces. I wrote this last week after we had days and days of fog. Suddenly the fog lifted it's veil to reveal the following.

This morning on the way to town we had the most spectacular view of hoar frost on the trees and bushes.
The sun was just beginning to peak out from the haze that had created this frosty celebration on the trees.
As we drove along the ridge on our journey, taking in the panoramic view of the hills and valleys for many miles on both sides of the road, we were amazed at the beauty of the landscape.
The pristine fresh snow and the trees all dressed up in hoar frost - as if they were just posing for our delight and enjoyment.
As the sun began hitting the trees it reflected the ice crystals, turning them into a thousand little glass reflections.
Every time I am lucky enough to catch one of these displays of nature’s beauty I am reminded of how glad I am to live in beautiful Northeast Iowa! Kay at the Ion Exchange Inc

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.