health4earth

30 Day Challenge

Healthy Planet=Healthy People

This is the best 30 day challenge ever! Spend 30 minutes outside everyday for 30 days.

“Want to feel healthier, happier and more peaceful? Add a daily dose of nature to your routine.

Most of us spend too much time in front of screens and too little time outdoors. It’s time to fall (back) in love with nature!

This May, the David Suzuki Foundation is challenging you and people around the world to join the 30×30 Challenge by spending 30 minutes a day in nature for 30 days. Our goal is simple: to reconnect human beings with nature for the sake of their health and mental well-being.” David Suzuki

Take the challenge here

Happy May, get out and enjoy!

Walk* Bike *Garden*Bird Watch* Breathe* Love the earth

http://30×30.davidsuzuki.org/

The first day of the challenge I saw a painted lady and red admiral butterflies, and a

swimming otter. I heard lots of woodpeckers and chickadees.

Reduce Consumption and Waste

Earth Day Zero waste tips from http://earth911.com Take a zero-waste pledge.

• Challenge yourself to focus on the first of the 3 R’s and REDUCE your consumption
• To better visualize your efforts, use a glass jar or bowl to collect your waste for the day
• Use cloth produce bags for buying in bulk
• Visit a local farmer’s market for fresh produce, meats and cheeses.
• Bring lunch in a glass container or jar.
• Carry washable utensils and a cloth napkin in your lunch bag or purse.
• Take this day to de-junk your mailbox by removing yourself from mailing lists of unwanted promotions and catalogs. Earth 911

This is a good list, but to be really zero waste you need to compost food

scraps, and reuse and refill jars

Take a zero-waste pledge:

http://earth911.com/earth-day-pledge-2016/

The amazing Johnson family and zero waste: http://earth911.com/home-garden/7-steps-zero-waste-lifestyle/

“I have my own bag, thank you!”

No bag please!

Please recycle plastic bags at grocery stores!

An important thing you could do for the earth this week is recycle those plastic bags and plastic wrap, but DO NOT place them in your regular recycling! They need to be recycled at the stores that issued them.

Landfills are full of plastic bags. The best thing is not to take a plastic bag at all, but sometimes they are hard to avoid. Most groceries and big box stores now have places to recycle bags. Ask if you don’t see plastic bag recycling.

Read about landfills full of plastic here.

“No bag, I have my own!”

Can you go plastic bag-free this week?

Get in the habit of bringing your own bags shopping. — Get in the habit of bringing your own shopping bags.

Everyday, Earth Day

“The earth is what we all have in common” Wendell Berry

Yesterday, we saw the first Compton Tortoiseshell of the season

Happy Earth Day, hope you can get outside and enjoy the marvelous spring changes! Go for a walk.

From http://www.startribune.com

The first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, was a day set aside to think about creating lifestyles to reduce waste and destruction of our environment.

One of the main messages many of us heard that day was that human life can continue on Earth only if people cooperate with nature. Strides have been made over the past 46 years in cleaning up many rivers and lakes, recycling, protecting natural ecosystems, becoming more aware of hazardous materials, and the list goes on. But we have a long way to go if we are to live in a sustainable way in harmony with nature.

There are things to do and things not to do when it comes to being a good steward of our planet, but one of the best may be to take pleasure in the true beauty of the Earth’s ecosystems and its creatures. Too, take time to learn about some of the plants and animals that share the Earth with us. It’s just about impossible to destroy something you understand and love.

Throughout the year, and especially April 22, with the wonders of spring all around us, we should make a point to get out and observe. Every forest, wetland and prairie remnant is full of spring signs — evidence that our Earth is designed as a place for life, no matter what foolish acts people may commit. Jim Gilbert http://www.startribune.com/appreciating-earth-s-beauty-is-one-way-to-steward/376565231/

http://www.startribune.com/today-s-earth-day-but-people-should-care-about-the-planet-every-day/376648961/ Dennis Anderson

Celebrating Earth Month – It takes a Village

Happy Earth Day, and remember to take care of our earth everyday.

Earth Day Resolution

Jeff Bridges On Single-Use Plastic

Is this the way we want our lakes, streams and oceans to look?

Jeff Bridges has taken on plastic waste and has an excellent video and list of ways to reduce your plastic pollution. See his video here.

Here are 10 easy ways to reduce your plastic footprint:

Bring your own shopping bag to the grocery store

Stop buying bottled water – Use a reusable bottle instead

Say no to straws

Stop using disposable razors – Buy one with a replaceable cartridge

Ditch the plastic baggies – Wax paper and mason jars work wonders in the kitchen

Avoid using plastic utensils – Bring your own fork when you eat out

Choose glass over plastic

Buy the powdered version – Liquid versions of soaps and detergents tend to come in plastic bottles, powdered products come in cardboard boxes

Cut out the BPA – If a plastic bottle has a 3,7 or PC sign, it contains the most toxic types of plastic

Follow #RefusePlastic on social media for more ideas and to join the conversation

http://www.startribune.com/is-plastic-permanent-well-it-s-our-legacy-at-least/375907301/

This is an argument against Jeff Bridges video. Fish, birds, other wildlife, our oceans and all of us are being harmed by plastic. The below argument is very weak:

http://www.startribune.com/politifact-is-plastic-permanent-no-it-goes-away-sooner-or-later/375907261/

Never use baggies again:

http://www.plasticpollutioncoalition.org/ Plastic is a substance the earth cannot digest!

Love Our Earth

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find resources of strength that will endure as long as life lasts” — Rachel Carson

This land is your land, this land is my land! In honor of Earth Day this Friday, April 22, make a resolution to do one thing new for our earth. Pledge to use your reusable water bottle, use reusable shopping bags, turn off lights and electronics, plant native plants and milkweed, and walk more and drive less. It makes a big difference if everyone does just a small part!

Get outside and Enjoy!

Celebrate a Day For Happiness

“I will try to create more happiness in the world around me”

Thousands of people all around the world are taking action to support the International Day of Happiness.

Let’s create a happier world together

Not everyone, but most of us want to be happy. In 2012 The United Nations declared March 20, the first day of spring, as the International Day of Happiness. So how can you have a happy life?? For some of us it just happens, but for others, it takes some work. I hope you will click on the link below for a little book with suggestions on how to be happy. I am not discounting anyone with troublesome economic problems. Some of those economic problems don’t exist in the world’s 2016 happiest country, Denmark. Read about it here.

Happiness suggestions from Actionforhappiness.org

Do things for others and volunteer your time
Take care of your body, go for a walk, eat fruits and vegetables
Pay attention and live your life mind fully
Learn new things, and lose yourself in something you love
Have goals or things to look forward to
Everything won’t go the way you want, but happy people bounce back and are resilient
Look for what is good and smile
Accept yourself, be comfortable with yourself and who you are
Be part of something bigger than just yourself
Get outside and enjoy our world!

Please read the happiness book

www.actionforhappiness.org/media/528356/ten_keys_new_guidebook.pdf

Happy spring! What are your tips to be happier??

Minneapolis Goes for Organics!

What is organics? Organics recycling includes collecting fruits, vegetables, bones,

meat, breads, eggshells, non-recyclable and food-soiled paper, and more for composting. The new organics recycling program is an easy way for residents to reduce waste. The trucks haul this waste to the compost site where it is turned and heated and it turns into valuable compost to be used for gardening.

Please come to the event below to learn about Minneapolis’s new program and how to participate in this great program!

The Tangletown and Lynnhurst Neighborhood Associations are co-hosting a celebration of Minneapolis’ new organics recycling program on Saturday March 19th from 10am-1pm at the Lynnhurst Community Center (1345 W Minnehaha Parkway). Enjoy free pizza, games, children’s activities, and demonstrations. Stop by briefly or stay to catch a workshop at 10:30am or 11:45am.

Get your questions answered, sign up to be a volunteer Compost Captain, and enter to win a door prize. The first 200 attendees can also pick up free compostable bags. More info (and RSVP) at https://www.facebook.com/events/550666345107610/ Hope to see you there!

http://www.minneapolismn.gov/solid-waste/organics/index.htm

http://www.ehow.com/facts_4926119_what-compost-used.html