Back to Basics: A WELL NEEDED Flower List Update

*FIRST OFF: I haven't blogged in years it feels like.... or maybe just a month. I feel absolutely terrible! I thought getting off from school would give me more time to blog - which it did! But I guess I just had to get adjusted to all that extra time and find out how to use it wisely, which I'm still very much in the process of doing. I'm always hitting myself, wondering why I spend most of my time lying around when I could be doing something great! But I've now gone back to blogging and really hope you guys will continue to read!*

Do you recycle?
42% said Yes! Of course
0 of you said Yeah, I think...
0 of you said Nope
57% said Wish I did!
0 of you said Why would I?
and...
0 of you said Ha, you kidding? Waste of time.

So... I'm very happy a lot of you recycle! Kudos. (: I'm also really happy that none of you voted 'Nope, Why would I?, or Ha, you kidding? Waste of time.' and that those of you who didn't recycle chose 'Wish I did!' instead. As you might've known from my previous posts, especially "Earth Day is Every Day!" I'm getting into being green. And recycling is one quick and easy step to start! For those of you who wish you recycled, be you're own fairy eco-god mother! Find out about places in your town, county, or city where you can recycle. I know in my town, we leave our non-deposit bottles, cans, etc. out on the curb on certain days for pick-up; and those items that can be deposited for change, we bring to our local beverage stores that do that. Check on your item's label to see if you can get money back for recycling in your state! I really hope every one of us takes at least one step to going greener, wheter it be recycling, buying a hybrid, purchasing clothes that are made recycled of recycled material or just shutting a light off when you leave the room! Be proud of yourself, no matter how big or how small your action is.

I found a picture of these great public recycling cans in NYC. Maybe they're in your local city too!

Reflecting on my first "Back to Basics" post, I realized I haven't shared my other Flower List page with you guys! So here it is! Click on the April Blog Archive to find the first page if you'd like.

Leave any questions about my choices for my list below! I really gotta start working on them... I'm going to try #23 real soon for the latest and greatest Harry Potter! What's on your list?

Oh! Before I sign off, I should add one more green tip! Recently, I found out about a great Google powered search engine, by word of my friend Sam. It's called blackle.com. The entire screen goes black to save energy, because it takes a lot of watts to power a screen white! It works exactly like Google. The down side: it only does web searches. So know picture, videos, or maps. :( Hope you use it though!

Song stuck in my head today: "Half of My Heart" by John Mayer

Keep on keepin' on,

Madison

Earth Day is Every Day!

Yesterday- as you should've been aware of! -was Earth day. This particular Earth day, happened to mark it's 40th anniversary.

Earth day is really important to me. I've always been a bit of a tree-hugger and my love for nature has only escalated in the past years.

Our world is a gorgeous place. And with technology advancing daily, people are forgetting what's outside their own front door. Do I spend a lot of time on the computer? Yes. But with that, I still haven't forgotten the great world I live in. I find it weird that when I hang out with certain friends all they want to do is hang out on the computer. I'm not quite sure how anyone can not realize the sheer beauty of mother nature. It amazes me constantly. I'm the kind of girl you'll find outside at night, just spinning around in circles; wondering how lucky I am to live in such a great place.

And that's the thing. This great place we all live off of is our only home. It's not disposable. And there comes a time where everyone needs to step back and realize what they're taking for granted. Do never think twice about the 30 minute showers you're taking? How fast you go through your looseleef at school because you never write on the back? That leaving that one Gatorade bottle at the beach was no big deal?

Well you cutting back on your shower time could not only potentially cut back your water bill, but is conserving all the water that we need. Writing on the backs of your paper will help save trees, and you won't have to buy as much. And while stopping to be a litter bug might not lighten your wallet, you might save the life of a baby turtle or dolphin. Isn't that worth it? You might think that you're only one person. And that's true, you are. But who's to say you're not that one person who might rub off on others, and make them think twice too? Who's to say you cleaning up your town a bit won't save lives? Earth day is a great chance to think about these things.

All nature gives us: trees, mountains, lakes, oceans, fish, birds, grass is wonderful. We survive off of them, and without them, we're gone. So if the whole beauty and wildlife aspect doesn't quite make you want to change your ways. Think of yourself. You're really helping the earth to help yourself.

I myself, am trying to go a bit greener. I'm avoiding using many water bottles as much as I can, I'm limiting myself to a ten minute shower, and I'm constantly looking for new ways to get involved in protecting our parks and wildlife. I hope you try to make an effort to. Start off with simple things, like turning off excess lights or not charging your phone overnight when you know it really only takes an hour.

Some interesting online ways to get involved and tips to go green:

http://savejapandolphins.org/ - Sign their petition, order shirts, and watch parts of their Oscar winning move, The Cove. After signing their petition via Facebook, invite your friends to also! They're so close to their million signature goal!!

http://www.theplastiki.com/ and http://myplastiki.com/ - Follow the Plastiki, a boat made almost entirely out of plastic bottles, on it's voyage across the Pacific to Sydney, Australia to raise awareness of the of the great garbage patches effecting our oceans. Some part of these patches can be 90 ft. deep with waste! Read more about the crew, look at photos and videos, and take the pledge!

http://www.squidoo.com/agreenlife - 29 tips to go green!

http://www.treehugger.com/gogreen.php - This site is full on ways to go green every way! For occasions like dates, holidays, and parties for the best green products and reasons why you should go green!

http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/energy-and-environment/new-foundation/going-green - And here it is. The White House telling you to make a change!

If that wasn't enough don't forget you can go old school, and check out tons of green books from your local library. I'm sure they'll have some.




Hope everything's good in your world...! Get out there. (:

Song stuck in my head today: "Going to California" by Led Zepplin

Keep on keepin' on,

Madison