Inside Outside With Kelly Marie

2009-06-08T10:38:00.000-07:00

Inside Outside With Kelly Marie now has a multimedia site dedicated to walking in the Belleville and Ontario area.
The site contains information on the health benefits, walking tips, trails, and related site links.
Please feel free to view the site through the attached link and leave your comments.

Students and their fluffy friends

2009-06-03T16:30:00.001-07:00

College life means long study hours, money issues, and lots of parties, and in many cases, this type of lifestyle is not appropriate for a pet.
Loyalist residence doesn’t allow for students to keep pets, but students living off campus have been known to invest in a little Fido for their new home. Why wouldn’t you want a pet? Some kibble and a pat on the head is all they require in exchange for unconditional love. It’s certainly less work then having a boyfriend or girlfriend. And who doesn’t like coming home to a cute little face waiting for you at the door?
Unfortunately, it is not always that simple. First, you need to consider where you’re staying and who you’re staying with. Many people who rent to students have restrictions on if you’re allowed to have a pet and what kind of pets your allowed.
Many apartments do not allow their tenants to have pets, and property owners may be concerned about the animal causing damage to the walls or floors.
Once you have determined what your land lord allows you need to consider who your living with. If you are living with other students or are sharing a home the Quinte Humane Society requires to have all students and the landlord to fill out an application form stating that they all take responsibility for the animal.
“We have a lot of students come here,” said Lisa McConnell, kennel attendant and volunteer coordinator at the Quinte Humane Society. “You need to decide who is going to have the pet when you go home. Who is going to look after it in the summer time?” said McConnell.
This is necessary for student homes where four or five people share the pet. If one owner is not determined from the start many people or no one might want the pet after the school year over, said McConnell.
Although the Quinte Humane Society allows students to adopt pets, McConnell does not recommend buying a dog.
Suite101.com suggests college students ask themselves a few questions before jumping into pet ownership. Among the things to consider, Suite101.com suggests students consider the affordability, the amount of time you’re willing to give up to care for the animal and if you have the appropriate space for the animal.
According to suite101.com “To be a responsible pet owner, you need to spend a decent amount of money at the pet store and the veterinarian’s office.”
According to McConnell, cat food can cost about $20 a month and dog food can cost around $30 a month. Along with food the animal will need to be licensed, spayed or neutered, cats will need cat litter, and cats and dogs will need toys to keep them happy.
Sierra Daley lives at home while she goes to school and shares two cats with her family.
“They were strays that we found out back that eventually made their way into our home.”
The cats are only a few months old, but because they have already cost a lot of money.
“The majority of the money we’ve had to spend went to cleaning them up so we could bring them inside for the winter.”
The cat’s have lived inside Daley’s house for three months and have already needed flee medication, de-worming medication, ear drops, booster shots, and nail trimmers.
“They also needed toys and collars, and spaying and neutering,” said Daley. “We have a boy and a girl, and don’t want any more, so we had to get them fixed.”
Daley doesn’t have to pay most of the expenses herself because she shares them with her parents.
“I buy a few things for them to play with, but the money is worth it.” Says Daley. “They make me happy. They are always running around and trying to pounce on each other.”
If you have a, fish, or a reptile, they might not take much time, but they can require additional expenses such as heating lamps, tanks, and tank accessories and cleaning products.
Being a college student could also take a lot of time. Not only do you have class time, but there is also homework, late night study sessions, and of course the parties and pub nights. Pets, especially dogs are time consuming. You need to consider if you have time to walk the dog, bathe, groom and train the dog? If you have a dog or parrot they require extensive amounts of attention and enjoy environments where people are around frequently. Cats, fish, and reptiles are less time consuming, and would be better suited if you will be spending a lot of time away from home. Even cats and tank animals require cleaning and some tending. If you are determined you want a pet of your own, wait until you know your class schedule and the demands of your program before you decide what type of pet is best suited for your lifestyle.
Tara Huggins a Child and Youth Worker student at the college owns a Miniature Dachshund named Olana. The puppy was three months old when she took her home, just before classes started in September.
“My landlady doesn’t allow her tenants to have animals because we share the house with her.” Said Huggins. “My mom takes care of Olana during the week while I go to school, and I go home on the weekend to see her.”
Huggins says it’s hard to spend so much time away from a new pet but enjoys her weekends at home with the puppy.
“It’s a big expense,” says Huggins. “After veterinary costs I spend between $80 and $100 a month for food and toys for her.”
Huggins says her mom helps a lot with her care, and even though she would like to have the dog with her she knows she wouldn’t be around enough to give her the attention she needs.
“She has so much energy. She loves to run around and play, and it wouldn’t be fair to keep her in my room all day.”
It is possible to own a pet and go to college but you need to consider your situation. If you will not be able to supply the pet with everything it needs to be healthy and happy it would be more fair to the animal to wait a few years. College is a major expense, and so is owning an animal, if you can’t afford both, don’t try to fit both into your budget.
McConnell suggests volunteering at a shelter or kennel as an alternative to owning a pet. This would allow the student to care for, feed and walk animals without the additional responsibilities that come with owning a pet.

Brought in from the cold

2009-06-02T20:04:00.000-07:00

The striped one is asleep on top of the couch while the white one gets ready to pounce.
Soon they both will be chasing each other around the house, leaping and sliding on the wood floors.
Both cats have come a long way since my landlord first found them hiding under the old boat in the backyard last summer. The kittens and their mother were little more than fur and bones.
Almost immediately, bowls of baby animal mush and warm milk were being left outside for them to eat. The mush soon became left over steak or hotdogs.
My landlady insisted “those cats will never be coming in this house! No way!”
Despite all the complaining, she always made sure those kittens were fed.
When it started to get cold, a house was built for them in the shed. The door was left cracked and a heat lamp and some blankets were left to keep them warm.
When winter hit the kittens got their shots and were brought inside. Their mother was sent off to a farm to live with other barn cats.
So much for the cats never coming inside!
Since those kittens were first seen it was made sure that they would never go hungry again. They have come a long way over the last few months and almost tripled in size.
It is unfortunate that more people don’t feel about animals the way my landlords do. Not everyone needs to go to the same extent, but it does not take much to call a shelter or find a home for a stray or lost animal.
If more people were like my landlords the world would truly be a better place.

Avoiding the big and small

2009-06-01T19:54:00.000-07:00

The Hearld Sun recently posted an article about two baby wombats that were rescued after their mothers were hit by vehicles.
It was great to read that the animals were now in a place where people were offering them the care they needed. What the article did not elaborate on was the number of animals killed by motor vehicle accidents or how to prevent this from happening.
Personally, the thought of hitting an animal sounds traumatic. To date, no animals, large or small have met the bumper or wheels of my little vehicle.
According to the Wildlife Collision Prevention Program, there are 4-8 large animal vehicle collisions every hour in Canada.
You do not need stats to see that animals’ being hit by vehicles is a problem. Take a look out your window next time you’re driving down the highway. You will probably see a few raccoons, maybe an opossum, sometimes a fox or even a deer. The numbers increase as you move into the country.
No normal person wants to hit an animal when they are driving but swerving or slamming on the breaks is not always an option.
So what can a driver do to prevent such an unfortunate meeting?
After doing some research it’s become apparent that deer whistles are not the way to go. Numerous reports stated they are ineffective for a variety of different reasons. These reasons stated everything from the whistles not being loud enough to the whistles not being effective at any sound level.
The tips that were consistant were simple, but still cannot guarantee that you will have a road kill free driving record.
The tips included things like:
Driving with your high beams on when possible
Minimize night driving when possible
Drive the speed limit
If you see a deer slow down. Deer travel in groups and it’s likely there will be more.
If a bird is flying at your car do not stop. The bird will likely use the air lift from your car to avoid hitting you
If you see a ball, Frisbee, enter the road look for animals as well as children
If you see bumps in the road consider that it may be an animal like an armadillo, opossum or turtle
There were many different tips for avoiding animals but almost all of the sites encouraged drivers NOT to swerve or slam on the breaks. Ultimately, this could potentially more damage to you or any vehicles around you.
And if you do see road kill it’s good to inform animal services or get them to direct you to someone who deals with these issues. Road kill can attract other animals that eat carrion causing more animals to be on the road.

2009-05-27T18:18:00.001-07:00

Just in...Tom Mills gets the award for the most disgusting fact of the week.
In his article “To survive blackfly season in Northern Ontario, Stay indoors” Mills informs us all that female blackflys bite animals (including humans) because they use the blood for egg development.
That is pretty gross!
Nevertheless, Mills does raise a point in his article. Blackfly season is coming and there is nothing we can do about it.
So what do you do to save your blood and still enjoy the outdoors in the summer?
Do you avoid bananas? Cover yourself in netting? Spray yourself down with DEET?
Personally none of the options are very appealing and it’s questionable if they work.
Mills suggests a slightly more comical alternative to keeping away the flies. Apparently, the trick could be to avoid bathing and surround yourself with dogs that could serve as more appealing bait.
If that’s your cup of tea, go for it.
Personally, if a hot shower in the morning means that there could be a few bug bites in my future, so be it.

Related links: http://www.saultstar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1583729

2009-05-26T14:13:00.000-07:00

Inside Outside With Kelly Marie, is beginning to take the first steps in creating a full multimedia presentation.
The goal is to end up with a flash project that will discuss the topic of walking and hiking in the outdoors. The information should be displayed in a logical and interesting manner.
Visitors will be able to interact with the site through various media including sound clips, sideshows, interactive maps, and letters to the editor.
As of now, the interactive maps are already being created. They will display different walking and hiking trails in the Quinte area.
The completion date for the project is June 5th, and if all goes well, it should be a successful and entertaining web presentation.
Keep your fingers crossed.

Obama makes deadly campgrounds more secure

2009-05-25T17:22:00.000-07:00

Visitors to national parks across the United States will be enjoying their last bullet free vacation this year.
That’s right. The Obama administration recently amended a bill that will allow guns to be carried within national parks and wildlife refuges. The new law will take effect in February 2010 and will replace the previous law that required all guns on park property to be locked or kept in a glove compartment or trunk.
Marie Cocco leads off her article “Packing Heat in the Parks” with a new checklist for vacationers, “Hiking boots, check. Sunscrean, check. Water bottles, check. Guns, clips, ammo. Check, check, check. It’s enough to make you sick before you’ve grilled a single hot dog.”
This checklist may seem comical, but could be exactly how residents of the campsite next to you packed.
Supporters of the bill use the second amendment (the right to bear arms), and the right to defend one’s self against wildlife and human threats.
Exactly what are these people defending themselves from? Yes, animals are dangerous, but these are park grounds and animal attacks are rare. As for protecting yourself from human threats, allowing people to carry guns only adds to the threat.
The Republicans comments supporting the new law included statements about the confusion of the old law, and how merely traveling from state-owned parks to national parks could mean visitors could be violating the law.
Frankly, if you feel the need to carry a gun, then you should be willing to accept all the potentially confusing laws that may or may not come with it. Laws are in place for our protection, not because someone feels like confusing an unsuspecting hunter.
These are camping grounds. Is it not enough that you are allowed to keep the gun unloaded and locked or in your vehicle? Why is it necessary to carry a loaded gun on your person through an area where children and their families are playing catch and roasting marshmallows?
Last checked, a marshmallow was not considered a deadly weapon.

Related links: http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20090524_packing_heat_in_parks/?ln

Even rain can't dampen a warbler's Weekend

2009-05-22T13:11:00.000-07:00

The rain didn’t prevent many local bird enthusiasts from heading out to Presqu’ile Provincial Park this past weekend for the Warblers and Whimbrels Weekend.

“We do get a lot of people,” said David Bree, the Natural Heritage Education Leader at Presqu’ile Provincial Park. “There’s probably 50-100 [visitors] during the week bird watching. During the month of May [we can get] maybe 250 different people coming in, and they stay for a few days."
The middle of May is when Presqu’ile becomes home to birds migrating from the south.
The park hosts its annual Warblers and Wimbrels Weekend to draw attention to the warblers and songbirds that migrate along Lake Ontario and stop to nest.

“This is the peak migration week,” said Bree. “We have birds that are here and are going to nest, and we also have birds that are going to nest up in the Boreal Forest."

The park invites bird watchers of all skill levels and provides different events and demonstrations for visitors that want to learn more.

“Most of our events today have to deal with the migration of the birds,” said Bree.

The park staff ran guided tours at 6:30 and 10am, and a tour along the shore at 2pm.

“Our 2pm [walk] is mainly focused on our shorebirds. They are the other group of birds that come through this time of the year,” said Bree. “If you are a real keen bird watcher, this park is known for its shore birds. We’ve had over 41 species over the years and easily get over 25 [species of shorebirds] in any one year.”

Along with the guided tours and hikes, the park hosted a bird banding demonstration.

“We do have a bird banding demonstration that is going on,” said Bree.

Licensed bird banders, Elizabeth Kellogg and Roger Frost, demonstrate the banding event using thin nets that the birds are not able to see.

“They put up these nets called mist nets,” said Bree. “The birds fly into them and get caught.”

The banding event allows visitors to the park get a close look at some of the birds that migrate through the park.

Due to the rain, many of the Saturday Events were cancelled. This did not prevent Gail Tiegs and her husband Reg from trying to spot a few birds.

“we love animals, and owned a budgie for years,” said Tiegs. Both Teigs and her husband couldn’t remember exactly when they started bird watching, but both agreed they’ve been doing it for close to ten years.

Presqu’ile is one of the known hotspots where birdwatchers can see migrating birds.

“All the hotspots for bird migration are along the great lakes, because the great lakes are a great barrier [for birds to cross],” said Bree. “If you’re a tiny little bird by the time you get across the water you want to sit down at the first place you can.”

“There’s a lot of houses along the water between here and Toronto so there is not a lot of habitat [for birds to rest]. Presqu’ile sticks out in the water so it’s more of a beacon.”

Jackie Macaskill was enjoying walking around the park with her friend and daughter.

“We came for the 10am tour but missed it,” said Macaskill. “We’ve always watched birds at the feeder in our back yard, and we decided to come out today because my daughter is doing a project on birds for class.”

Both Macaskill and her friend enjoyed the day despite the rain and the missed hike.

“I think were hooked,” said Mackaskill.

Bree says anyone can get into bird watching, but recommends they start out by getting their own feeder and practicing with a pair of binoculars before they decide how far they want to take it.

“Thats one of the beauties of bird watching. You can take it from the feeder outside your lawn to Antartica. You can just [bird watch] the odd weekend in May, or you can start [bird watching] a lot or, even go around the world.”

A small creature with big problems

2009-05-21T16:01:00.000-07:00

Farmers, scientists, and environmental organizations are asking the Obama administration to open their eyes to the problems of a sometimes unattractive creature.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, 61 environmental organizations, farmers, and scientists have signed a letter urging Congress to increase funding for research into what is being called “white nose syndrome”, and stating that they feel the matter disserves immediate attention.

Currently, bats in the U.S are being infected by this rapidly spreading disease. It has been reported that since 2006 (when the disease was discovered) and estimated 500,000 bats have died, and the disease has spread over 9 states. Not much is known about the disease other then it shows up as white smudges on infected bats wings and noses. Hence the name.

Members of Congress from 13 states have urged the Obama administration to take greater action where the disease is concerned, and two subcommittees of the U.S House Natural Resources Committee are planning to hold a hearing on June 4.

Bats have never been known to be an attractive group of animals, but that doesn’t mean they don’t disserve the same attention as the more popular creatures on our planet.

Clearly something needs to be done. The disease does not seem to be effecting humans directly, but the loss of bats could. Though few people can say they like bats, they probably like the service they provide. Bats are a huge consumer of insects, and without them it is possible that insect numbers will rise. The rise of insect numbers could lead to the rise in pesticide use, which leads to more chemicals on our bodies and in our food, which could lead to other problems. The list goes on.

The Obama administration needs to be careful not to overlook such a small creature. They are important to our ecosystem, and the loss of any creature can and will cause short term and long term effects that will effect the environment and ultimately us.

Sneezing through the summer

2009-05-20T18:29:00.001-07:00

For the last few weeks it’s been rare that fifteen minutes pass without me sneezing.
It’s not a cold, and i’m not the only one who’s suffering. Everywhere you look there is people sneezing, people with red irritated eyes, with stuffy noses.
Every summer many Canadians deal with various allergy symptoms.
Canada.com posted an article about allergy symptoms, causes, and treatments. The article focused around a young female who says she stays indoors, and just wants to sleep during allergy season.
For someone who doesn’t have allergies it may be hard to believe that an allergies can effect someone’s life to the point that they avoid going outside, but it’s true. Think of all the people that don’t own pets just because they are allergic to their dander. Allergies can be very troublesome and leave you exhausted from trying to fight off your body’s reaction. So why not just stay inside?
Unfortunately, many people can feel that way, and it prevents them from enjoying the outdoors as much as they would like.
Canada.com’s article suggests allergy injection therapy to prevent the onset of symptoms. Even treatment like this doesn’t always work.
But there are things you can do.
If you know your going to be spending time outside remember to take your allergy medication well in advance of going out.
For me, my medication is more effective if it’s used consistently, not only when you feel the onset of symptoms.
The article also has some great holistic suggestions on ways to beat allergies.
Anyone who loves the outdoors and suffers from allergies could benefit from this article. In addition, becoming more knowledgeable about natural alternatives to medication is always important.

Related article Canada.com : http://www.canada.com/health/Allergies+affect+health+quality+life/1596829/story.html

Reflecting on the Presqu’ile adventure.

2009-05-19T13:51:00.001-07:00

My interview with David Bree, Park Naturalist at Presqu’ile Provincial Park, was scheduled for noon on Saturday.
It was going to be my first visit to Presqu’ile, and a jump back into the world of journalism after a long break.
The outdoor event was titled “The Warblers and Wimbrels Weekend” and was to offer activities and attractions for bird enthusiasts of all levels.
This meant being outdoors, this meant animals and wildlife, this was going to be great.

It rained… And not a trickle of rain… It poured.

Wonderful.

That’s o.k,. we can still do this right? It will still be interesting?

As it turned out many of the scheduled events for the day had been canceled.
The tagging event had promised to be an interesting site, and offer some great photo opportunities, but was cancelled due to the rain.

But it wasn’t a total loss. David Bree was very informative and had a lot to say about birding and the tricks, tips, and history of the hobby.

There were also a few ambitious outdoorsmen and women that didn’t let the rain stop them. They ventured outside with their raincoats and binoculars to get a glimpse at some of the migrating birds.

Each person had their own personal history with bird watching, but all of them seemed to have a common beginning, almost all their interests blossomed from the bird feeder outside their homes.

That little fact stuck with me after the event. They all suggested everyone get a birdfeeder and watch all the birds that come by to feed.

Not being a bird watcher of any level, my personal experience with watching bird feeders involved watching a squirrel try to figure out how to get the nuts from inside.

As it turned out, the skies cleared for the evening, and it seemed like a decent time to sit outside and watch the feeder.

They were right! Within half an hour hummingbirds zipped by my face to feed, a pair of robins carried worms to their newly hatched young, and a pair of brightly coloured barn swallows swooped around each other.

It goes to show that you don’t have to go far to get a glimpse at nature.

Exciting, but busy

2009-05-15T16:22:00.000-07:00

Busy, pretty much sums up the last few days and the days to come.
Wednesday marked the creation of the “Inside Outside With Kelly Marie” Facebook group, and in only a couple of days it has gained support. It didn’t take long for a Facebook member to join a discussion, and leave an excellent comment on his thoughts about the state of the environment. It was a thrilling experience not only to see that someone else is concerned with similar issues, but that they took the time to join and leave a comment on my group. It was also a great encouragement, and boosted my enthusiasm towards the biggest weekend ahead.
This weekend will be spent researching and conducting interviews that could potentially become articles.
Of all the potential stories, there are two that could become very interesting articles.
One story requires me to visit Presqu’ile Provincial Park. This weekend is not only their opening weekend, but the weekend for the Warblers and Whimbrels Event. The event will hold various activities for experienced and beginner birders, as well as a tagging demonstration.
The other story that is being researched is in response to the pesticide ban and what types of “biopesticides” people can use now. Hopefully, there will be some interesting and unique ideas and suggestions on natural pest control.
An alternative that was already suggested and is being used is breeding praying mantis. Apparently, you can purchase a pod of fertilized eggs, and release them in your garden when they hatch. A mantis pod is similar to a spiders egg sack, where there it has the potential to hold hundreds of eggs. The mantis will live on your plants and shrubs and feed on the insects that can cause them harm.
It is safe to say that despite the business of the next few days, they will be very interesting... if not exciting.

Time to grow your grass .... Old School

2009-05-14T13:10:00.001-07:00

As of April 22nd (Earth Day) Ontario has banned the cosmetic use of pesticides.
According to City News this means “more than 80 ingredients and 250 products can no longer be used or sold for cosmetic reasons”.
Great! The fewer chemicals in the environment the better. However, the wording of the law left me thinking...what exactly makes a pesticide cosmetic or non-cosmetic? It’s not like pesticides are classified in the store in these categories.
Surprisingly, it took a little bit of searching to find out what is considered a non-cosmetic pesticide. Apparently, either not too many people thought the wording needed explanation, or they didn’t care to share the answer with the rest of us.
So here it is. Non-cosmetic use of pesticides is when it is being used for farming, forestry, or health and safety reasons (controlling or repelling mosquitoes that could carry West Nile).
Golf courses are also excluded from the ban as long as they meet certain environmental conditions.
Bizarre wording or not, the law has not passed without controversy.
News articles, letters to the editor and opinion pieces have been written clamming the law was only passed because of pressure from the Canadian Cancer Society, and that there is no direct evidence that links human diseases to pesticide use.
Direct evidence or not, less pesticide use and restrictions on what chemicals are being used can only be a good thing. Even if by chance were not affected by these chemicals our environment is, and anything we can do to clean up our environment is a good thing.
Yes, people will have to start thinking of more ecologically friendly ways of protecting their plants and growing perfectly green lawns, but the less chemicals we are exposing ourselves to the better.

how fashionable is killing off an entire species?

2009-05-13T14:07:00.001-07:00

Unregulated skin trades are still causing problems, and pushing animals to extinction.

Will we never learn?
Throughout history we have hunted and skinned countless animals to extinction or near extinction only realizing when it is too late the effects we are having on these animal populations.

We are knowledgeable enough to know the effects our actions have on the environment, and yet we still allow these animals to be hunted and their numbers to be depleted beyond recovery.

The current fad is crocodile skins.

Redorbit.com posted an article that reports one tannery as “processing” up to 20,000 animals per month.

These skins are then shipped off to become handbags or shoes for the rich.

Is this really necessary? Are we actually going to allow a whole species to be demolished before our eyes because someone wants to have a trendy place to hold their lipstick?

It is our responsibility as a people living on this earth to make sure skin trades are regulated.

We cannot turn our heads to these issues just because they are occurring on the other side of the globe.

Eventually the effects of these trades will reach us and as before it will be too late.

Related Links:
http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1687899/nigerian_crocs_face_extinction/

It's time to deal with the mosquitoes yourself

2009-05-12T14:59:00.000-07:00

Ontario is no longer testing dead birds for the West Nile Virus, and it’s about time.
Every summer we hear multiple reports on the news and over the radio about someone finding a dead bird in your area.
With every announcement we receive a reminder to wear bug spray, get rid of stagnant water, and avoid areas with large mosquito populations.
We’ll half listen to the report and then go on with our daily lives and don’t think about it again until we hear another report a few weeks later.
Dr. Kyle from the Canadian Co-operative Wildlife Health Centre in Guelph was reported as saying that the virus “is here to stay in Ontario”, and he is absolutely right.
This does not mean that we should not be aware of the virus, but putting out an alert every time there is a dead bird is unnecessary.
For the most part these alerts didn’t cause anyone to change their lifestyle, or go about their lives any differently.
So what does this mean for the people of Ontario?
It means that when you find a dead animal on your property you have to deal with it yourself. Not always a pretty thought but it’s not something that a member of the city needs to come and take care of for you.
No one likes to have a dead bird on his or her property, but it doesn’t take much to pick up a shovel and dispose of the animal yourself.

Related links: http://www.northumberlandnews.com/news/northumberlandcountynews/article/125845

Just a few extra steps

2009-05-11T17:16:00.000-07:00

We don’t always think of Belleville as a place full of wildlife, but there’s more to this small town then meets the eye.
Belleville wildlife does not end with what you can find at the closest farm, but in fact acts as home to a large variety of birds, wetland creatures and forest animals.
Today class was interrupted when our professor suddenly stopped his lecture and said “wow”.
Outside the class window a hawk (or some kind of bird of prey) was struggling against the wind barely meters off the ground. The sight brought the class to a halt as we all rushed to the window to watch the creature. It was fantastic.
This evening many Trenton drivers stopped their cars to observe a pair of swans nesting in a marsh.
The swans were without flaw, perfect in their habitat. Unfortunately you couldn’t have said the same for the lake and the marsh surrounding them.
A tire was looped over a tree stump, a bag of garbage was torn open and spilling on the edge of the lake, Tim Horton’s cups lined the side of the road that overlooked the area.
Sightings like the swans and the hawk are becoming fewer and fewer due to environmental pollution and the destruction of natural habitats.
We are all awed by the sight of these creatures in their natural habitats that we interrupt our lives to watch, but we cannot seem to find the time to save them.
How can we not feel compelled to preserve this natural beauty? How do we continue to pollute, and deny our impact on the earth?
I’m not saying that we all need to live in houses built of 100 per cent recycled material, and we should all drive electric cars... but why can we not do the simple things?
Why can we not walk the five or ten extra steps to put that coffee cup in the proper disposal container?
Maybe if we all took an extra few steps sightings like the nesting swans and the flying hawk would not be so rare, and we could stop and enjoy the scene without being disgusted by the garbage these animals are forced to live in.

Related links: http://www.qwcleanup.ca/

Whats Not To Love?

2009-05-08T11:19:00.000-07:00

There is no video game out there that can compare to the level of stimulation and enjoyment a person can get from just stepping outside and taking a big gulp of fresh air.
Sure we think we're having fun, sitting on our butts clicking away at the keyboard or controller for hours on end, but does it really make you feel good?
After a while of staring at the screen your eyes start to get tired, your neck is sore from sitting in the same position for so long, and you’re worn out.
This is fun?
Wouldn’t you rather be outside?
There’s no better way to spend your time then to go outside and get some fresh air. Corny? Maybe, but you can’t deny that going outside for an hour or two a day leaves you feeling a million times better then you would have felt if you had spent that time playing X-Box.
Now your going to tell me that there’s nothing to do outside, that your video game is way more entertaining and fun then taking a walk will ever be.
Well who said you have to walk? And if you want entertainment what video game can compare to the excitement you could get canoeing through rapids, or standing on the top of a mountain and looking down at the world.
The only person limiting the amount of fun you can have outside is yourself.
Kids and parents alike have let themselves live a stuffy stagnant life for too long. It’s time to go outside, get creative, and have a blast.
Trust me, there’s no better feeling.