~*~ Happy Birthday Defenders of Wildlife ~*~
Posted by msterilinn on Apr 29, 2008
Wow, I almost missed this one! I am really busy playing catch-up after taking a bit of time away from taking care of business, so I wish to offer a belated ~*~ Happy Birthday ~*~ to the wonderful people who have dedicated so much to the World’s wildlife… Defenders of Wildlife.
Defenders of Wildlife was born on March 25, 1947, which makes them 61 years old. They rightly feel it is the people who contribute, no matter how big or small, who deserve credit for the victories scored throughout the years. So I would like to extend a special ‘thank you’ from my heart to all those who have offered up their support, in their own special way, in this fight to save the Earths beautiful, strange and totally unique creatures. It matters not how you help… what counts is your love and dedication to preserve that which naturally belongs on this planet, all of which is part of the great Balance.
Here are just a few victories Defenders wish to celebrate thanks to all the wonderful supporters…
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Save Alaska’s voice by helping to defeat Governor Sarah Palin’s legislation that would have cancelled a vote this summer on the state’s brutal aerial wolf hunting program — a program that Alaskans have voted down twice before. |
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Give bison a break in Montana. More than 50,000 activists like you wrote messages to Montana tourism officials expressing outrage over the senseless slaughter of bison outside Yellowstone National Park. Last week, Governor Brian Schweitzer announced a deal to create a much-needed winter corridor for these icons of the American West. |
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Rally for ranchers like Larry and Bette Haverfield in Kansas. More than 16,000 activists like you spoke out to support efforts to return the once-thought-to-be-extinct black-footed ferret to their land. And last December, the Fish & Wildlife Service came through, releasing the first black-footed ferrets to be seen on the Kansas prairie in 50 years. |
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Protect the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge. Defenders rallied our conservation partners and local residents to save the Refuge, home to snow geese, tundra swans and the world’s only wild population of red wolves. Thanks to this near constant pressure, the U.S. Navy abandoned plans to build a harmful landing field near this important refuge. |
And a word from the Defenders of Wildlife…
As we celebrate these achievements, we’re also looking forward. Our wildlife faces some pretty daunting challenges — and we’re ready to tackle them with you by our side.
We’ll continue our 35-year fight to ensure the long-term survival of wolves in the Greater Yellowstone region and beyond. And our biggest challenge will be addressing global warming and its impacts on our wildlife.
Thanks to you, we’ve been there for our wildlife and wild places — and with your help, we’ll continue to be there well into the future.
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Sincerely, |
Protections lifted… Wolves are being killed!
Posted by msterilinn on Apr 24, 2008
It truly sickens me to hear about wolves being hunted down and killed! So many people have worked so hard to bring awareness to the caring public, and at times like this it seems all for nothing. What is it that makes some people believe they can dominate nature in such a cruel way? Lifting protections that took so much to bring about in the first place, and are quite necessary to save these beautiful creatures, is simple insanity! We have better things to do with our time than promoting the death of a species. There are so many positive ways we can create and promote Life instead. It truly makes me wonder why the Creator placed us on this beautiful Earth when so many humans are so set upon destroying all that has been placed beside and around us. And to think that the first to die with the lift of these protections was a wolf who has survived in the wild against all odds is a tragedy beyond belief, and brings so much sadness to my heart.
I will pass along a sad, yet so very important, message I have recieved…
Dear Teri,
The killing in the Greater Yellowstone region has already begun.
One of the first victims: Wolf 253M — a celebrity wolf, affectionately known as “Limpy.”
Limpy was many things to many people – to wolf-watchers, he was the hobbling member of Yellowstone’s famous Druid Peak Pack. To Utahans, he was the first wolf to be seen in the state for more than 70 years.
But wolf 253M’s celebrity didn’t save him in the end. Limpy and two other wolves were shot dead in an elk feeding ground, part of Wyoming’s brutal shoot-on-sight policy that covers virtually the entire state.
Limpy’s death was just the beginning. It’s been 26 days since wolves were stripped of federal protections in the Greater Yellowstone area — and at least 17 wolves have already been killed in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. And there are surely more to come.
Officials in Idaho changed their state law on the day wolves were delisted, making it far easier for anyone to kill wolves near livestock or domestic animals.
In Wyoming, state officials stripped all protection from wolves in 88% of the state. Locals have organized weekend eradication “wolf hunts” to kill any wolf that they find. One group tracked a wolf for 35 miles on snowmobiles before shooting it dead.[1]
Your contribution will help us…
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Fight for our wolves in court;
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Confront flawed state wolf policies with science and common sense;
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Help ranchers reduce conflicts with wolves using non-lethal methods;
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Debunk the myths and misinformation about wolves through on-the-ground education and outreach; and
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Much, much more…
Will you make a tax-deductible emergency donation right now to help?
We can win the battle to save our wolves. But we can’t do it without your help.
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Sincerely, |
P.S. You can make your tax-deductible contribution online now via our secure website or you can call 1-800-385-9712 to make your contribution by phone.
Connect with Nature at Shangri La Botanical Gardens
Posted by msterilinn on Apr 23, 2008
In honor of my love for nature and all things natural, I am always curious to find places which represent the natural world in ways meant to benefit all, while providing quality education to help nurture a love of the wonders of nature in children. It is so very important to allow these young minds a chance to explore their natural environments, while encouraging them to learn how they too can become responsible and good stewards.
I would like to take this moment to direct those who feel as I do to a wonderful place which opened to the public on March 11th, 2008. Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center really impressed me with their history, as well as their current mission. Originally developed more than 60 years ago, through the vision of H.J Lutcher Stark, a prominent philanthropist who resided in Orange, Texas. Inspired by the mystical retreat represented in the book Lost Horizon, Stark sought to create his own haven of indescribable beauty where time would stand still. His vision became a reality in 1937 when he began creating Shangri-La Botanical Gardens within significant acreage owned by him along Adams Bayou in his hometown of Orange, Texas. Shangri La Gardens and Nature Center represents a place of enlightenment, peace and beauty.
Nestled within 252 acres in the heart of Orange, Texas, Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center is the first project in Texas and the 50th project in the world to earn the U.S. Green Building Council’s Platinum certification for LEED®-NC, which verifies the design and construction of Shangri La reached the highest green building and performance measures.
As one of the most earth-friendly projects in the world, Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center offers a glimpse of how people can live in harmony with nature. The combination of gardens and nature at Shangri La presents a serene oasis for retreat and renewal, as well as the opportunity to explore, discover and learn. I strongly encourage you to visit the Shangri La website to learn more about the wondrous history, the tragic events which caused this beautiful place to close down for 50 years, and the current mission of this magical place of nature. You will discover an ancient Pond Cyprus tree which is at least 1,200 years old, situated within Shangri La. Don’t miss this! I will be taking my daughter on a visit real soon, you can be most certain.
Today is Earth Day… Celebrate Life!
Posted by msterilinn on Apr 22, 2008
Although I am mindful of this wonderful and beautiful Earth each and every day, today is as fine as any to create awareness. As folks celebrate world-wide, I send out my heartfelt prayers for the healing and preservation of this Sacred planet.
We lost a Great and Ancient tree to the machinations of modernization, just recently. My daughter and I have loved to walk a path through the trees near a river by our home. Along this path lived a beautiful Cottonwood tree, the largest I have ever seen, standing watch over all the smaller plants and trees nearby. Each time we passed this Ancient Spirit we would stop and touch it, giving a prayer of thanks for the air we breathe and the wonderful shade provided during hot days. Although we love all that is green and natural, this Ancient One held a special place in our hearts. It had been here for much longer than the ugliness of some places nearby, and brought a timeless beauty to this place.
Last week we were walking across the river from this favourite tree, and I stumbled when I looked to see this tree. I could not seem to catch my breath and tears came to my eyes. My daughter grew concerned and asked me what was wrong. When I could speak I pointed across the river with a heavy heart. Our dear and beautiful tree still stood, yet all of it’s branches had been cut off. This still-living tree was about to be cut down, for no reason that I could see. It was still healthy and strong! I felt the pain of this quite deeply, and was so sad!
We crossed the river the next day. I truly dreaded approaching the part of the path where this Great tree had lived for so long. It still stood, and I swear I could feel the pain of this poor tree as it stood, with all of its branches full of new life, lying in piles around it. My daughter was very sad as well and asked me why. Why had they done this to a tree in a place where nothing was to be built and the tree represented Life, and was no danger to folks walking? I do not know why… so I approached the tree and offered tobacco to the spirit of this Ancient One. I cried and prayed and asked forgiveness for man’s folly. We said goodbye to this wonderful tree that had given us such pleasure and comfort on our many walks. This place no longer brought me pleasure, and I am not certain we shall return. I prefer to stroll in the wild places that man has not touched.
Each day it is good to take time to honor Life, and all living things. We do not own this planet… we are just here for a little while. The Earth is Ancient, and generous in her gifts. It is only right to be thankful for what we have been blessed with, and to teach our children to be caring and thankful as well. This is part of the great Balance. So each day, let us promote Life by planting seeds, and nurturing our gardens and forests. Let us care for each other as well.
Here are a few helpful tips to get started…
Reduce - Reuse – Recycle; bring your reusable grocery totes. If you must buy disposables, buy paper products rather than plastic or Styrofoam. The manufacture of Styrofoam depletes the ozone layer.
Conserve water, waste not and fix leaks.
Use fewer harmful chemicals and pollutants, and dispose of them properly.
Try to use phosphate-free laundry and dish soaps.
Don’t use electrical appliances for things you can easily do by hand.
Save your kitchen scraps for the compost pile.
Boycott tuna or buy only “dolphin-safe”
Use Seafood Watch to choose seafood that’s good for you, and good for the oceans.
Volunteer your time to conservation projects.
Participate in stream and beach cleaning programs.
Become more involved in marine environmental issues.
Vote for candidates that share your sentiments.
Write your legislators when you have an opinion about pending legislation on environmental, land use and other issues.
Plant native, insect resistant, trees and shrubs in your backyard to provide food and shelter for birds and other creatures.
Pull weeds instead of using herbicides.. Learn about natural insect controls as alternatives to pesticides.
Use public transit.. Ride your bike or walk instead.. Drive a more gas efficient car.
The Art of aging Gracefully and Naturally
Posted by msterilinn on Apr 14, 2008
Most people are shocked when they discover I am a grandmother. They usually look twice when they hear my little ones calling out to me at the park, or when we are out for a walk. When people ask me how I manage such a youthful appearance, I generally shrug and say “I am just lucky, I guess”. Then I get serious and tell people it has to do with keeping active (I love to dance and practice martial arts, tai chi and yoga), my faith in nature, and a positive outlook. I try to feed my body with nature and health in mind, although I do tend to indulge upon occasion (who doesn’t??), and pay close attention to what I put on my skin.
Our skin is like a sponge… everything we put on it is absorbed into our bodies to a certain point. Maintaining great health and youthful looks is really quite simple. Finding great natural products designed to promote skin wellness and reversing the signs of extrinsic skin aging while preventing future skin damage is an important step. Our faces are exposed to all kinds of harsh elements, and with the right anti-aging wrinkle cream added to our skin care regimen, we can prevent and even reverse such harmful damage.
I have had the pleasure to try out an excellent renewal face lotion from Epionce. I was particularly impressed with the subtle citrus scent, and smoothness as it gently penetrated my skin. It left my face feeling soft and supple, without the greasy feel of some facial lotions. This gives me to believe the claim that the Epionce products actually penetrate deep into the skin’s protective layer as well as the glue that holds your skin cells together. This causes your skin to become extremely healthy, where it will work to repair itself and grow as normal as possible creating an anti-aging effect. This means younger, healthy skin with an increase in collagen production and less visible signs of sun damage, aging, wrinkles and fine-lines.
I am looking forward to trying the renewal eye cream to help smooth and nourish the fine lines around my eyes. You may be certain that I shall endeavor to perfect the art of aging Gracefully and Naturally, and am quite happy to share what I learn along the way.
Mother Earth shakes things up…
Posted by msterilinn on Apr 1, 2008
It is very important in these times to pay close attention to the Earth changes as they occur. If the following is accurate, we need to monitor the situation as Mother Earth shakes things up.
Cascadia Subduction Zone Earthquake Increases Next Month…
The chance of a major earthquake striking Vancouver Island will be slightly higher next month as tiny tremors rattle the earth 40 kilometres beneath our feet.
Seismologists forecast the southern half of the Island, including Nanaimo, to enter a period of what they call “episodic tremor and slip” activity in mid-April, as the Juan de Fuca plate grinds underneath the North American plate along what’s known as the Cascadia subduction zone.
The fault that slopes down beneath Vancouver Island comes under increased pressure at these times causing small sub-surface tremors for about a two-week period, and that’s also when seismologists think it’s more likely there could be a major movement of the plates, causing a potential magnitude 9 earthquake.
Such a quake would also trigger a tsumani that would level the west coast and could topple tall or unstable buildings in cities like Nanaimo.
This type of earthquake last struck in 1700, wiping out aboriginal villages and sending a tsunami across the Pacific.
But there’s no need to run to the mainland for cover, says one earthquake scientist, people who live along the coast from northern California to the northern tip of Vancouver Island probably face this risk about one-third of the time anyway.
ETS activity occurs beneath the southern half of Vancouver island about every 14 months, and people probably won’t feel the shaking going on 40 kilometres beneath Nanaimo’s surface, said Garry Rogers, an earthquake scientist with the Geological Survey of Canada.
Each time ETS activity takes place, more stress is added on the two plates, he explained.
Eventually, the pressure will be too much for the plates to take and the Cascadia subduction zone, which spans about 1,000 kilometres north from California to the Island, will rupture causing a major earthquake.
While studying ETS activity can provide some insight into earthquakes, it doesn’t help scientists predict when they will happen.
These tremors take place at other locations along the fault at different times.
An 11-month cycle has been observed in California, for instance.
“It happens everywhere along the Cascadia subjuction zone, but it goes off at different times,” said Rogers, adding that ETS activity is taking place somewhere about one-third of the time.
“One of these, it seems likely, will be the one that breaks the camel’s back (and causes an earthquake).
We have no idea which one it is.
And just because the ETS activity isn’t happening near Nanaimo at the time, doesn’t mean we’re in the clear. A quake could originate in California but travel north to B.C.’s southern coast, for instance.
“When our subduction zone ruptures, the past history has been the entire thing or half the thing goes at one time,” said Rogers.
And ETS activity doesn’t run like clockwork.
The northern half of Vancouver Island usually experienced these tremors about six months out of sync with the southern half of the Island.
But recently that schedule has changed all of a sudden, leaving scientists perplexed.
Rogers points out that the more probable source of major damage on the Island is not an extremely rare and deep underground subduction quake, but rather more common earthquakes that are less powerful but felt more intensely because they happen closer to the surface.
ETS activity was first discovered by a team of scientists, that included Rogers, on Vancouver Island in 2003.
Visit Earth Changes to keep track of Earth and Weather patterns as they occur.
Please help block dirty fuels in Western Wildlands
Posted by msterilinn on Mar 14, 2008
Please take a few moments to read this very important message…
The Bush administration wants to sacrifice some of the wildest regions of Colorado, Utah and Wyoming to produce fuel from two of the most polluting sources: oil shale and tar sands.
This proposed development — spanning an area of more than two million acres of wildlife habitat and outstanding recreation areas across three states — could pollute air and water, jeopardize human health and dramatically worsen global warming.
Please go to http://www.savebiogems.org/yellowstone/takeaction and tell the Bush administration to protect these sensitive wildlands for future generations and promote cleaner sources of energy instead.
Oil shale is rock that produces oil when heated to extreme temperatures. Tar sands contain extremely heavy oil mixed with sand and clay. Tar sands development in Canada has displaced wildlife, created toxic waste sites that go on for miles and generated three times the amount of global warming pollution per barrel produced as conventional fuel.
We must act now to shield our own western wildlands from thisnightmare scenario. Oil shale and tar sands development could release dangerous toxic elements such as arsenic, selenium, and boron into the Colorado River watershed — a vital source of drinking water for local communities.
This area is also home to mule deer, elk, mountain lions, black bears, bald eagles and great horned owls and offers exceptional outdoor recreation opportunities.
Go to http://www.savebiogems.org/yellowstone/takeaction and tell the Bush administration to put the brakes on dirty oil shale and tar sands development in America’s West.
Thank you for helping to save our last western wildlife habitats from destructive development.
~ Celebrating Women all over the World ~
Posted by msterilinn on Mar 12, 2008
As a woman, I am proud and honored to do what I may to present what it is to be a female in the World we live in today. We must remember to embrace that which makes up the essence of a woman, and bring about our full potential. As stewards of this planet we play many roles.
Every day, all over the world, women make countless choices that affect the environment. In their hands lie many decisions about the use of community resources - water for the household, land for agriculture, wood for heating and cooking, plants and animals for food and sale.
Yet women often lack the education to make responsible conservation decisions and are denied the resources and opportunities to control their own economic destinies. Without intervention, the cycle of poverty and inequality is repeated from mother to daughter.
Recognizing the different roles of women and men in natural resource management, WWF works with both groups to enhance their stewardship of the environment and improve livelihoods. Successful women’s programs include small business development, access to health services like family planning and maternal and child health, efficient and sustainable agriculture techniques and literacy programs.
WWF empowers women and girls - building a future where human needs are met in harmony with nature. Here are their stories…
~Today’s Girls - Tomorrow’s Leaders
~Biogas is Better - Jari Leads the Way
Enjoy!
Enjoy an Exhilarating White Water Adventure!
Posted by msterilinn on Mar 1, 2008
We have had some totally awesome spring-like days this week here in Oregon. Just enough of a taste to trigger our unlimited sense of Adventure, which has started us planning our Spring and Summer fun. Although we seek Adventure all year long right here in our own back yard, as our fun loving natures demand, there is nothing like the thrills Nature provides during the hot season in totally new places. So… what comes to mind when we think about hitting the river for more than just our favourite past time of trekking through the forest and swimming in Earths natural swimming pools? White water rafting of course! Now, this is a thrilling Adventure not to be denied.
Where does one go to book an exciting trip that is safe and fun for all members of the family from 5 on up? Lehigh rafting through Whitewater Challengers brings us whitewater rafting on the Lehigh River in the Poconos of northeastern Pennsylvania… this is rafting just the way you want it, with rafting trips ranging from easy to exhilarating. A visit to Whitewater Challengers means real fun, real rapids, and real adventure! Come rafting for the whitewater… or come for the scenery. Either way, the Lehigh River is the perfect close-to-home whitewater adventure that feels a world away!
Make this year’s whitewater get-away an eco-friendly vacation adventure! Lehigh rafting at Whitewater Challengers offers the following…
~ New dam releases - Spring, Summer and Fall - Lehigh River rafting at its very best!
~ The very best whitewater in the tri-state area!
~ Five whitewater rafting trips that are perfect for all ages … easy to exhilarating!
~ Spectacular river gorge scenery that’ll make you feel like you’re out west!
~ The best values anywhere — free trips, free camping, free gifts, free shopping spree!
~ Special discounts, hot deals and Raft & Stay packages!
~ The closest whitewater rafting to most of the mid-Atlantic region!
~ The best bus shuttles … no long hike-in / hike-out!
~ The most complete rafting and camping facilities at the Lehigh River!
~ The most environmentally friendly eco-vacation ever!
We are definately looking forward to some awesome Adventures as Life takes us, and a thrilling ride through Nature, with all the wonderful views uniquely accessed only through the eyes of those riverbound thrillseekers, is sure to leave us breathless and exhilarated! We will be looking further into Whitewater Challengers and their Lehigh River rafting trips, then we will be sharing our Adventures!
Enjoy!
Hawaii’s vital Wetlands going dry..
Posted by msterilinn on Feb 28, 2008
Here is another example of why we must pay very close attention to our surrounding environment as we walk through this Life. Hawaii’s wetlands are a vital part of the ecosystem, and the danger is very real. Please read the following, and let your voice be heard on this important matter…
Wetlands Going Dry
By Brandon Roberts, Molokai Dispatch, 27 February 2008
Disappearing Mana..e wetlands cause concern.
The lack of zoning enforcement on Molokai’s wetlands may bring serious environmental problems and cultural violations. Community leaders met with Mana..e (East End) residents to discuss development which is potentially damaging the wetlands in the area.
The lo..i (irrigated terrace) and the loko i..a (fishpond) are intrinsic with the culture and represent a living balance between the po..e (people) and the ..aina (land). Some of the development may be irresponsible and indiscriminate.
The non-profit organization Malama Pono O Ka ..Aina hosted the meeting last Saturday at the Kilohana Community Center, to gather input from the residents. Guest speakers included Rep. Mele Carroll, DLNR Branch Chief Randy Awo, and cultural specialist Vanda Hanakahi. Community members also gave valuable testimony.
“Indigenous knowledge cannot be ignored,” kumu ..Opu..ulani Albino said. “Best practices are found in the people who live with the land.”
Carroll revived the ‘Aha Kiole advisory council on Molokai and across the Hawaiian Islands The ..Aha Kiole exists as a bridge between the farmer, the hunter, the homesteader, the community, and state legislators.
Hanakahi, chairwoman of the ..Aha Kiole council, made a cultural presentation, explaining why the Mana..e coastal lands are a vital part of the Hawaiian culture.
“We want to create a Hawaii that Hawaiians would like to see,” Hanakahi said.
Prior to the meeting, Carroll, along with Awo and other officials took an ocean excursion to survey the development on the wetlands in Mana..e.
The meeting was a chance for Carroll to listen to residents’ concerns and receive public comments on hb2788. The bill seeks to prohibit wetlands development that did not include a “public informative meeting”before a permit is issued.
“What do you want to see in your community?” Carroll asked. “My role is to convey the message of the people.”
Awo gathered notes on community concerns, from jet skis on the reef to zoning infractions on the wetlands . He reassured the attendees that he would speak with the proper agencies and follow up on these concerns.
Possible zoning infractions were photographed by Malama Pono O Ka ..Aina and presented at the meeting in a slide show. The photographs show homes that speckle the Mana..e shoreline, some with Ho..olehua red dirt piles intended to fill the wetlands.
This imported earth may contain heptachlor, an insecticide used on the old pineapple plantation fields. Many residents fear water contamination. Exposure to heptachlor has been linked to liver damage and is associated with an increased risk of cancer. The Environmental Protection Agency banned heptaclor in 1978, yet it still lingers in the environment.
Other wetland residents may have illegal sea walls, boat ramps, and roads through the loko i..a. In some instances, shoreline trees were cut and bulldozed right into the ocean.
Attendees were frustrated with the lack of consistency and communication between various governmental agencies, as well as inadequate enforcement. Currently there is no zoning enforcement agency on Molokai, and meeting attendees feel this is one reason why there is wetlands abuse.
Malama Pono O Ka ..Aina President Linda Place wants to “work together to protect the wetlands.” She said this is possible through a “management swap,” which would transfer sensitive coastal lands into the protective custody of an appropriate governmental or non-profit entity.
Malama Pono O Ka ..Aina strives to “assure development that is lawful and respectful of the environmental health and historical culture of Mana..e, Molokai,” according to its mission statement.
Malama Pono O Ka ..Aina will host its next meeting March 13 at 5:30 p.m. at the Kilohana Community Center. All interested persons are encouraged to attend and share their mana..o.
Voices from the Longest Walk 2008
Posted by msterilinn on Feb 25, 2008
It is absolutely incredible to see and hear such an outpouring of Love and dedication to help bring about awareness in helping our beautiful Earth. The Longest Walk 2008 is about hope and a message to the world about how important it is to save our Sacred Sites, and the people of Mother Earth. So many are suffering along with the Land, and Spirit moves us to do more to manifest the healing necessary for all Life to thrive on this planet we inhabit whilst in human form. I would like to take this time to share with you the stories and voices from the Longest Walk, and ask that you look into your hearts and give your thoughts and prayers for this important cause.
Visit The Longest Walk 1978 - 2008 and listen to the voices of the People. I will share a small sample of words spoken from the heart.
In the words of Shunsho Yamada = Japanese Coordinator and Translator…
“Many Japanese are interested in Indian culture and Indian ceremonies and philosophies. Japanese people are also interested in this Walk because Japan is facing tragedy. The Japanese suicide rate is 35,000 people per year – many due to economic hardship faced by suddenly losing their jobs. Also, Japanese summer temperatures are very high due to global warming and the typhoons are attacking very hard these days.
Japanese people have lost our religion and our spirituality in the last 60 years so we cannot find the way to undo the tragedy from our hearts. So many Japanese came here for the Walk that is happening. But also in speaking to the Japanese people, I would like to say that this Walk is one of the ways we can make a statement for healing and we need to do something from our hearts. Here there is much happiness for the future and we can see the hope for the future.
Many people have made huge sacrifices to be here – many have given up their jobs to be here. They are thinking very seriously about the future and they come here to seek the hope of the future. We will also be thinking about having a Walk or movement in Japan.
We live to be happy. Money is not a way to happiness. You can use money for a good way. Money spent in this way is Spirit. No money has value if you keep it. But if you give it, it then has value and that is the meaning of the good way.
It is a great honor to be here.”
I wrote another post recently on the The Longest Walk 2008, in case you are interested in reading about it here on my Blog. Or you may just visit their site to see what this is all about and get involved!
Polar Bears will become extinct within 50 Years!
Posted by msterilinn on Feb 15, 2008
It can be incredibly frustrating when our dedication and love for Earth’s wild creatures goes unheeded. The ignorance and greed of some people is bringing about devastating events which are serving to destroy the Balance, and cause the inevitable extinction of yet another creature, the Polar Bear. While the Mothers and Cubs lie snug deep within their dens, the Bush/Cheney Administration auctioned off key habitat for these struggling animals to Big Oil.. despite the opposition of tens of thousands of activists like you and I.
America’s Polar Bears will likely be extinct in fewer than 50 years, according to U.S. Geological Survey scientists. Yet federal officials have once again delayed action to protect these struggling animals as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act. As a warming climate takes its toll on polar bear habitat, federal officials are selling off the very places these great white bears depend on for hunting, denning and survival.
Instead, officials auctioned off millions of acres of vital habitat in Alaska’s Chukchi Sea to Shell and other Big Oil companies earlier this month — and yet again, President Bush has included dangerous drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in his budget. Increased drilling in these critical habitats could devastate America’s polar bears. But ExxonMobil, Shell and other Big Oil companies continue to use their billions in profits to press for harmful drilling in the places polar bears need to survive — and continue our dependence on the fuels that spur rising temperatures that are causing the bears’ demise.
Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund is doing all we can to protect our polar bears — right now, we’re…
* …working to prevent Arctic Refuge drilling language from entering the federal budget.
* …working to pass the Udall-Eisenhower Arctic Wilderness Act, a bill to permanently protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and continuing to battle efforts to open this special place to Big Oil’s dirty rigs.
* …working to pass the Global Warming Wildlife Survival Act — already passed by the House of Representatives, this legislation is a vital first step to ensure that polar bears and other wildlife can cope with a changing climate.
* …working to pass the Polar Bear Protection Act, legislation to stop wealthy U.S. trophy hunters from killing polar bears in Canada and returning with their quarry.
* …working with Congressional staff to find sensible energy solutions to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, help combat global warming and protect our wildlife.
* …holding our elected officials accountable for their actions on global warming and other wildlife-related issues.
Even in their final months in office, officials in the Bush/Cheney Administration have made their intentions crystal clear: they’ll fight for Big Oil’s profit — and leave our polar bears out in the cold.
Fragrance and Essential Oils
Posted by msterilinn on Feb 13, 2008
Winter is a time when we enjoy the safe and warm comfort of staying inside our homes. It is the time of year when we may start to feel lethargic, depressed, or irritable. Even though winter brings special holidays that make us want to feel festive and optimistic and you can feel spring coming, we become affected by the lack of sunshine in our lives. To combat the winter blues, we love to surround ourselves with pleasant scents.
Essential oils may bring balance to our hearts and peace to our minds. They may help to cleanse, release, and balance our thoughts. Let the aromatherapy shine. Scent has a great effect on our emotions. Scientists are increasingly interested in the connection between fragrance and memory triggers in the limbic brain. They are also researching pheromones - fragrant substances that may influence physical attraction. Personal attraction or aversion is influenced by odor. Without the ability to smell, there would be very little attraction. Our body has special glands that produce a very personal perfume that changes according to our mood or state of health. Fragrance may create well-being or discomfort. If you have difficulty adapting to a new situation, or letting go of the past, a new fragrance may help create a fresh mood. It may help you change your attitude or find a new positive reaction. A pure essential oil will not create an aggressive feeling; rather it will have a positive, balancing effect.
We each have our own personal reaction to every scent. Smells, moods, and short and long term memories are all stored in the limbic part of our brain. Dangerous or negative odors set our subconscious in the awareness stage. Positive smells like our babies’ skin or our mothers’ fragrance will bring a pleasant reminder of a positive experience for decades.
Helping our body and psyche with scent has a history stretching back for many centuries. The very beginning of the practice of medicine has been connected with mythical rituals, magic, or religion. We may say that the history of scent began with incense burners and has continued through experience with aromas and essential oils up to the present day. The methods of treatment were based on philosophical ideas that looked at a direct connection between man and nature. In ancient civilizations, medicinal herbs were evaluated by their taste and smell. An interesting example from the history of essential oils is thyme. The name “Thyme” is derived from the Greek word Thymiama (incense) and means courage, health, or sacrifice. It was a sign of high respect in ancient Greece to say to someone that he “smells of thyme”. Roman soldiers often added thyme to their baths to give themselves strength, health, and courage.
Rosemary played an important part in the Roman tradition of eliminating evil spirits. In the Middle Ages, it was a part of Hungarian water, a distillate of rosemary, lavender, and turpentine. According to alchemistic understanding, this was the first water of life. Many preserving properties were attributed to Carmelite water, a distillate of lemon balm, clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
The seductive power of scent has always been known. The sense of smell may help create love and desire. Smell influences us much more than we think. The natural scent of flowers, essential oils, and compositions in the form of perfume, are more than just a pleasant smell. They can promote relaxation, sensuality, or spiritual depth. According to research on flowers by P. Jellinek, “esters of phenylacetic acids, fatty aldehydes, and alcohols are responsible for the aphrodisiac effect of various flower scents (jasmine, neroli).”
Extensive studies by occupational psychologists have shown that lemon or rosemary scent may help with concentration, nutmeg may reduce stress, and lavender, interestingly, promotes a desire to buy things. Large Japanese companies are using scent throughout their employees’ workstations to help improve their performance - lemon in the morning for pick-me-up feelings, rose at lunch time for relaxation, and wood scents in the evening for stimulation and refreshment.
Another interesting discussion would focus on stress levels in our civilization. More and more studies are being done to prove that essential oils interact well with the receptors of the psychosomatic network and they may, in a soft and gentle way, restore harmony in our systems.
Aromatherapy is using the knowledge of the effect of scents on the body and mind. With the help of the purest essential oils we may influence our stage of mood or form of somatic anomalies. Compared with synthetic products, aromatherapy has a much higher risk-free profile.
Our Birth Totems
Posted by msterilinn on Feb 12, 2008
Here is a quick look at our Birth Totems. I shall be putting together some more material about our totems, in more depth, in the near future. Our Earth Medicine is what connects us to the Earth. In essence, these connections are an important part of the Balance. This is another reason why it is so important to remember our roles as stewards of this beautiful planet, and take good care of those in the Animal Nation, as they are a part of us.
The Twelve Birth times are represented by totems, each one an animal that expresses the Qualities inherent that birth time. Earth Medicine associates an animal totem to each birth time (the two sets) of dates below the animal reflect the difference in season between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. These Animals help connect you to the powers and abilities that they represent.
Falcon :
21 March ~ 19 April (N.H.) ~ 22 September ~ 22 October (S.H.)
Falcons are full of initiative, but often rush in to make decisions that they may later regret. Lively and extroverted, they have enthusiasm for new experiences but can sometimes lack persistence.
Beaver :
20 April ~ 20 May (N.H.) ~ 23 October ~ 22 November (S.H.)
Practical and Steady, Beavers have a capacity for perserverence. Good Homekeepers, they are warm and affectionate, but need Harmony and Peace to avoid becoming irritable. They have a keen aesthetic sense.
Deer :
21 May ~ 20 June (N.H.) ~ 23 November ~ 21 December (S.H.)
Deer are willing to sacrifice the old for the new. They loathe routine, thriving on variety and challenges. They have a practical wild side, often leaping from one situation or relationship into another without reflection.
Wood Pecker :
21 June ~ 21 July (N.H.) ~ 22 December ~ 19 January ( S.H.)
Emotional and Sensitive, Woodpeackers are warm to those close to them, and are willing to sacrifice their needs for those of their loved ones. They have lively imaginations but can be worriers.
Salmon :
22 July ~ 21 August (N.H.) ~ 20 January ~ 18 February (S.H.)
Enthusiastic and self-confident, Salmon people enjoy running things, They are uncomprimising and forceful, and can sometimes seem alittle arogant or self-important. They are easily hurt by neglect.
Brown Bear :
22 August ~ 20 September (N.H.) ~ 19 February ~ 20 March (S.H.)
Brown Bears are hard working, Practical, and self-reliant. They do not like change, preferring to stick with what is familiar. They have a flair for fixing things, are good natured, and make good friends.
Crow :
22 September ~ 22 October (N.H.) ~ 21 March ~ 19 April (S.H.)
Crows dislike solitude and feel most comfortable in company. Although usually good - natured and pleasant they can be strongly influenced by negative atmospheres, becoming gloomy and prickly.
Snake :
23 October ~ 22 November (N.H.) ~ 20 April ~ 20 May (S.H.)
Snakes are Mysterious, and secretive, Hiding their feelings beneath a cool exterior. Adaptable, determined and imaginative, they are capable of bouncing back from tough situations encountered in life.
Owl :
23 November ~ 23 December (N.H.) ~ 21 May ~ 20 June (S.H.)
Owls need freedom of expression. They are Lively, Self-Reliant, and have an eye for detail. Inquisitive and Adaptable, They have a tendency to over - extend themselves. Owls are often physically couragous.
Goose :
22 December ~ 19 January (N.H.) ~ 21 June ~ 21 July (S.H.)
Goose people are far - sited idealists who are willing to explore the unknown. They approach life with enthusiasm, determined to fulfill their dreams. They are perfectionists, and can appear unduly serious.
Otter :
20 January ~ 18 February (N.H.) ~ 22 July ~ 21 August (S.H.)
Otters are friendly, lively and perceptive. They feel inhibited by too many rules and regulations, which often make them appear eccentric. They like cleanliness and order and have original minds.
Wolf:
19 February ~ 20 March (N.H.) ~ 22 August ~ 21 September (S.H.)
Wolves are sensitive, Artisitic, and intuitive - people to whom others turn to for help. They value freedom and their own space, and are easily affected by others. They are philosophical, Trusting and Genuine.
