Don’t Panic: Last-Minute Green Holiday Gift Ideas

The winter holidays are here - are your presents? If not, don’t worry. Here are a some ideas to get the last few green-loving people crossed off of your list.
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Encore! 10 Extinct Lifeforms Worth Resurrecting

[ By Steve in Animals & Habitats & Nature & Ecosystems & Science & Research. ]

Gone before their time? These 10 extinct species are certainly gone but they’re not forgotten, and they may not even be gone for good if biological technology continues to advance. Could we bring them back? Should we even try? If the answer to the former is “yes”, then the question of the latter is moot.

Woolly Mammoth

(images via: BBC, Loyal K.N.G and Real Simple)

Great herds of Woolly Mammoths roamed over huge swathes of the northern hemisphere for tens of thousands of years, and you’d better believe they left their mark – among other things – on the frozen tundra. It’s impossible to calculate the beneficial effect of dropped dung by the megaton year after year, millennium after millennium, on the arctic environment but we can assume those vast, empty plains would be much more fertile after our shaggy pals resume dumping much more fertilizer.

(image via: DesignerAnimals2011)

Mammoths haven’t been extinct for too long, geologically speaking, with the last dwarf population on Siberia’s isolated Wrangel Island finally biting the permafrost around 1650 BC. Speaking of permafrost, hundreds of mammoths remain preserved to an astonishing, er, degree in what’s been called “nature’s freezer”, and their DNA is perhaps the least degraded of any ancient extinct creature.

Thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger)

(images via: Rainforest Info, Haunted America Tours and Retrieverman’s Weblog)

Plagues of introduced invasive rabbits, starving kangaroo herds needing to be culled – if only Australia had a native apex predator that could naturally curb animal population booms… oh wait, they did, but it’s extinct.

(images via: Convict Creations and University of Melbourne)

Though the Thylacine (or Tasmanian Tiger) hasn’t roamed Australia itself for thousands of years, the species managed a last stand on the island of Tasmania along with its relative, the Tasmanian Devil. Pressure from humans (Europeans, not the native aborigines) led to the last Tasmanian Tiger dying in captivity at the Hobart Zoo in September of 1936.

(image via: Australian Government)

Sightings of what are said to be wild thylacines are reported every so often these days but more solid evidence such as hair, scat or even footprints haven’t been forthcoming. The world’s museums contain a number of thylacine remnants, however, including stuffed specimens and pups preserved in formaldehyde. Experiments to ascertain the existence of viable thylacine DNA are ongoing and it’s likely the complete Tasmanian Tiger genome will be sequenced in the very near future.

American Chestnut Tree

(images via: Shady Rest and Mother Nature Network)

A century ago, huge stands of American Chestnut trees made up as much as 25 percent of forested lands in the eastern United States. From Maine to Mississippi, as many as 3 billion Chestnut trees standing up to 45 meters (150ft) tall and as much as 3 meters (10ft) wide provided food, shelter and pollen to an ecosystem much more diverse than today’s. In 1904, however, an accidentally introduced, airborne chestnut blight was noticed in trees at New York’s Bronx Zoo. The fungus spread rapidly and within a few short decades the American Chestnut tree was functionally extinct.

(image via: Treehugger)

American Chestnuts are not “extinct” in the pure sense of the word. Less than 100 mature trees survive in its former range, and trees planted in western North America by 19th century pioneers and settlers have thrived without being infected by chestnut blight. Efforts are underway to impart immunity to American Chestnut trees, ironically from the related Chinese Chestnut trees that have naturally evolved resistance to the fungus.

Dunkleosteus

(images via: Club des Monstres, Satori Smiles and Esoriano)

380 million years ago our primitive vertebrate ancestors were taking their first tentative steps onto dry land. What would compel these early proto-amphibians to leave the warm confines of earth’s primeval oceans? Dunkleosteus, perhaps. Measuring up to 10 meters (33ft) in length, weighing roughly three and a half tons and possessed of the strongest bite of any creature EVAR, this so-called “hypercarnivore” conducted a 20 million year reign of terror without stopping for a lunch break. Actually, the 20 million years WAS its lunch break.

(image via: Taburin)

Times have changed since then, and Dunkleosteus is no longer the terror of the sea… it’s no longer, period. Maybe it’s due for a revival, however. The warming oceans are rapidly being depleted of fish by the descendents of Dunkleosteus’ former prey and fisherman are finding their nets clogged with humongous jellyfish instead. If a reconstituted population of “Dunkies” could be induced to chow down on the jumbo jellyfish, what would the result be? Less jumbo jellyfish and more gigantic fish to feed those hungry hungry humans. Sounds like a plan!

Aurochs

(images via: The Sixth Extinction, Andrew Isles and Telegraph UK)

Domestic cattle provide beef for our dinner tables but at what cost? Overused antibiotics and veterinary growth hormones like BSE are contaminating groundwater supplies, while standardization of beef cattle may lead to a depleted gene pool vulnerability to new diseases. One possible solution is to get back to basics by bringing back Bos Primigenius, also known as the Aurochs.

(images via: Canadian Content, Andrew Isles and Ertai’s Lament)

This ill-tempered ancestor to today’s cattle breeds, holdover from the Eurasian Ice Age megafauna, and star of many magnificent paleolithic cave paintings thrived in isolated areas of central Europe up until the late Middle Ages. The last recognized purebred Aurochs died in Poland, in 1627.

(image via: Dididumm)

As the Aurochs is an ancestral species with living descendants, it should be possible to “backbreed” and eventually produce an animal very close to the ancient Aurochs. In fact, the brother Heinz and Lutz Heck began back-breeding experiments in the 1920s that resulted in today’s Heck Cattle. Approximately 2,000 Heck Cattle now exist and biologists are continuing efforts to increase the size of the cattle to match that of the formidable Aurochs.

Meganeura (Giant Dragonfly)

(images via: Multi.fi, Amici-in-Allegria and OSU Geology)

Ancient Earth wasn’t quite a Garden of Eden, though 300 million years ago in the Carboniferous period the land was very green indeed. The air was different as well, being generally warmer with a higher ration of oxygen. It’s the latter characteristic that allowed several species of gigantic insects to survive and thrive, including Meganeura, the Giant Dragonfly. Fossil specimens display wingspans of over 75cm (2.5ft) and its estimated the creature’s diet included small amphibians.

(image via: Animal Pictures Archive)

Reintroducing Meganeura would be problematic to say the least: today’s atmosphere likely isn’t sufficiently oxygen-rich and the creature would quickly suffocate. As to WHY Meganeura should be revived, let’s recall that today’s dragonflies are potent predators of mosquitoes. Considering the damage done by mosquito-borne diseases and the fact that these illnesses are spreading, I’m willing to give Meganeura a shot at squishing the skeeters.

Smilodon (Saber-Toothed Cat)

(images via: Amazing Data, Science Blogs and Pathfinders)

Smilodon existed from about 2.5 million to 10,000 years ago, and in its heyday was the most deadly predator North and South America had seen since T Rex. The species’ most terrifying member had to have been Smilodon Populator, which translates from Latin to “Smilodon the Devastator”. Standing 4 feet (1.22m) high at the shoulder and weighing up to half a ton or 470kg, this resident of eastern Brazil sported signature “saber” canine teeth a foot (30cm) long and ate… well, pretty much anything it wanted.

(image via: AVPH)

We may see the extinction of wild tigers in our lifetimes and lions are in decline as well. Shouldn’t we concentrate our efforts on conserving these existing species, you ask? We should and we are – and their populations are still shrinking. Bringing back saber-toothed cats, on a very limited basis, might serve as a swan song to the planet’s most majestic felines. If it doesn’t work out, well, we’ve still got the La Brea tar pits.

Steller’s Sea Cow

(images via: Seapics, Hancock House and Exposea)

Steller’s Sea Cows once peacefully browsed kelp beds in the western Pacific ocean. Said to be completely tame and showing no fear of humans whatsoever, these relatives of Dugongs and Manatees were toothless having flat plates of bone instead of a regular dentition. The placid creatures were also huge: adults grew up to 9 meters (30 ft) in length and weighed up to 10 tons.

(image via: It’s Nature)

Discovered and named in 1741, Steller’s Sea Cow became extinct in 1768 – it took us a mere 27 years to wipe out a species that took countless millennia to evolve. Somehow that just doesn’t seem fair. These big boys (and girls) deserve another chance and if biology can find some way to reconstitute them as a species, it should be done.

Lepidodendron (Giant Club Moss)

(images via: BBC, Carl’s Corner and WN.com)

Soaring 30 meters (100ft) high with massive trunks over a meter (3.3ft) in diameter, the Giant Club Moss was the undisputed giant of the Carboniferous forest. Packed several thousand to the acre, great stands of Lepidodendron rose and fell quickly: it’s estimated these early trees only lived 10 to 15 years. We owe our huge reserves of coal to the fallen forests of the Carboniferous, which coincidentally owes its name to the very beds of coal it produced.

(image via: Science Buzz)

Restoring Lepidodendron could be a tremendous boost to our energy resources. Not to produce coal – that would take millions of years – but instead as biofuel. Giant Club Moss forests could be re-established on marginal wetlands and swampy areas not used for farming; their fast growth and rapid turnover allowing for bountious harvests every decade. What’s more, Earth’s ancient Coal Forests helped sequester enormous amounts of carbon, reducing atmospheric CO2 and boosting oxygen levels… the revived Giant Dragonflies are gonna love it!

Neanderthal Man

(images via: Big Ideas Blog, The Independent and Esquire)

“Flintstones, meet the Flintstones…” and some day, maybe we will! The complete Neanderthal genome was successfully sequenced in 2009 and subsequent analysis indicates between 1 and 4 percent of the genes of non-African modern humans is of Neanderthal origin. Neanderthal Man may be extinct as a distinct species, however he (and she) lives on within us. Looking for a “cave man”? Try looking in the mirror.

(image via: Feminine Beauty)

Since “breeding back” isn’t a realistic option where people are concerned, possibilities of resurrecting Neanderthals revolve around preserved DNA. The last true Neanderthals walked the Earth approximately 25,000 to 30,000 years ago and such DNA which has been found is greatly degraded. It will depend on advanced gene sequencing technology available sometime in the near future whether Neanderthal DNA can be repaired sufficiently to be viable… and the next step would be finding a willing surrogate mother for little Pebbles or Bam-Bam.

(image via: Disclose TV)

In the late, great George Carlin’s epic riff on Saving The Planet, GC not only reminds us that 99.9% of all the species that ever lived are now extinct (“We didn’t kill them all”), he also points out that interfering with this natural process is just another example of arrogant human meddling. Maybe so, but we’re meddlers by nature who like to put things right if we possibly can. “Haven’t we done enough?”, Carlin asks. Indeed we have, but to quote another wise old sage (Curly from City Slickers), “the day ain’t done yet.” My guess is, neither are we.

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Fall of the Century: Stunning Pics of Dry Niagara Falls

For six incredible months in 1969, the American side of the powerful Niagara Falls was dammed up…and the water temporarily stopped flowing.
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Tagged: america, animals & habitats, chinese, energy, nature, nature & ecosystems, ocean, pictures, time

Blowing Off Steam: The World’s 10 Most Amazing Geysers

August 16, 2011 by admin · View Comments 

[ By Steve in 7 Wonders Series & Geography & Travel & Nature & Ecosystems. ]

Geysers have entranced observers from time immemorial with their sudden yet often predictable appearances, explosive power and the ability to conjure up rainbows on a cloudless day. Though the mechanics of geysers is better understood these days, their unique beauty remains one of Mother Nature’s most wondrous phenomena.

The Great Geysir, Iceland

(images via: Nations Online, CuboImages and Tree Peeps)

The Great Geysir, located in west-central Iceland’s Haukadalur valley, appropriately leads off this tribute to geysers as it was the first such phenomenon described in print. Though the earliest reports date from the 18th century, geologists estimate the Great Geysir has been active for up to 10,000 years.

(image via: Dadu1207)

The power and frequency of the Great Geysir have varied over time and seem to be affected by earthquakes and volcanism in the region – frequent occurrences in their own right. Since 2003, the Great Geysir has erupted thrice daily in spectacular fashion, with jets of boiling water shooting 70 meters high or more.

Fly Geyser, Nevada, USA

(images via: Atlas Obscura, BlackRockDesert.org and Nevada Magazine)

Located on privately-owned land in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert, the Fly Geyser is a rare example of human meddling with nature resulting in something uniquely beautiful. A well drilled in 1916 provided convenient egress for superheated water from deep within the Earth, rendering the well useless for irrigation purposes.

(image via: Dallas News)

As time passed, the constant flow of mineral-rich water built up a series of miniature mountain-like cones and below them, and extensive field of terraces and pools. Here’s a video of the Fly Geyser:

Fly Geyser, via Tobeable

The geyser owes its brilliant contrasting colors to both the minerals in the water and several species of Thermophile and Hyperthermophile (heat-loving) bacteria that live in it.

(images via: Stephen Oachs, John Coppinger and Dallas News)

The Fly Geyser is growing both in size and in prominence: organizers of the annual Burning Man Festival held nearby are attempting to purchase the part of the Fly Ranch containing the geyser, which would certainly provide greater access though at a questionable cost.

Waimangu Geyser, New Zealand

(images via: David Robinson, Rotorua and Matapihi)

Waimangu Geyser wasn’t just the biggest geyser in the Taupo Volcanic Zone on New Zealand’s North Island, it was the highest geyser in the whole world… for a very short time, at least. Waimangu Geyser‘s eruptions were so powerful, the explosive bursts of hot water blasted mud and rocks along with it, at up to 450 meters (almost 1,500 ft) in height! “Live fast, die young” was Waimangu Geyser’s motto, however, and although its prodigious blasts boosted into legendary status, it was only active between 1900 and 1904.

(image via: Te Ara)

Eyewitnesses to Waimangu (Maori for “black water”) Geyser were stunned by its power; in 1903 four tourists were killed by a sudden giant eruption. The wife of scientist Humphrey Haines described a January 1901 eruption as follows: “There was a small burst, followed by a gigantic explosion, far exceeding in magnitude anything previously witnessed. A vast column of black water was projected upwards, rising in an apparently solid body … Then for a moment it seemed to pause, but in another instant its apex burst outwards and a torrent of inky water streaked downwards to meet and lose itself in the snowy billows which rolled majestically upwards.”

Castle Geyser, Wyoming, USA

(images via: Science News for Kids, Ian Plant Dreamscapes and Chest of Books)

Of the roughly one thousand known geysers around the world, approximately 500 can be found in Yellowstone National Park. One of the most distinctive is Castle Geyser, named (in 1870) for its turreted, crenelated cone. Once thought to be as much as 15,000 years old, recent testing has indicated Castle Geyser’s first eruption took place roughly 1,000 years ago.

(image via: Hamari Fine Art)

Castle Geyser is a semi-regular geyser with a 10 to 12 hour eruption cycle. In a typical eruption, the geyser spurts boiling hot water up to 90 feet (27 m) high for about 20 minutes. This is followed by a pure steam eruption that can last up to 40 minutes and which is said to be very noisy!

Velikan Geyser, Russia

(images via: Igor Shpilenok and ValleyOfGeysers.com)

One of continental Eurasia’s only two geyser fields, the Valley of Geysers (“Dolina Geiserov”) located on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula boasts the second largest concentration of geysers in the world after Yellowstone Park. The Velikan (“giant”) Geyser is one of the field’s 30 named geysers. Erupting regularly every 6 to 8 hours but for only about a minute each time, the Velikan Geyser blasts superheated water over 25 meters (over 80 ft) into the air.

(image via: National Geographic)

In June of 2007, a massive mudslide triggered by an earthquake buried two-thirds of the Valley of Geysers beneath tons of rock, soil and rubble. Many of the valley’s curious diagonal geysers were lost but the Velikan Geyser was unscathed.

Geysir Andernach, Germany

(images via: Andernach.net, Stephan200659 and Alexanders Magazine)

Geysers aren’t usually family-friendly but Geysir Andernach isn’t your usual geyser: it’s cold! Even better, it’s carbonated – bring your own schnapps. The world’s highest cold water geyser is the centerpiece of the Namedyer Werth Nature Reserve, located near the city of Andernach in the western German state of Rhineland-Palatinate.

(image via: N24)

Cold geysers are powered by dissolved Carbon Dioxide. When a well or other outlet is provided, the pressurized water bursts upwards much like the contents of a shaken bottle of soda. This video features Geysir Andernach doing what geysers do, accompanied by some annoying Euro-techno-disco music (consider yourself warned):

Kaltwasser-Geysir in Andernach, via Noffycws

Strokkur Geyser, Iceland

(images via: Olis Olois, TrekEarth and Photoguide.cz)

Strokkur Geyser is the poster child for Icelandic geysers, erupting copiously and frequently: as often as every 4 to 8 minutes. It’s also one of the country’s highest geysers, a significant attribute for a wide-based fountain geyser.

(image via: JPGfotos)

Strokkur Geyser’s history has been dependent on earthquakes and local volcanic conditions. The geyser was first noted in 1789 when an earthquake opened its throat. In 1963, Iceland’s Geysir Committee (yes, they have such a body) advised unblocking the geyser’s conduit from beneath – the “operation” was successful and Strokkur Geyser has been performing regularly ever since.

El Tatio, Chile

(images via: Wayfaring, AllPosters and Pato Rojas)

El Tatio (“The Grandfather”) is located in northern Chile and at 4,200 meters (13,780 ft) above sea level is one of the world’s highest geyser fields. Though few of El Tatio’s individual geysers spurt more than a few feet high (the steam rises much higher), the overall effect of the field in full blast mode, backdropped by stunning Andes mountain scenery, is both ethereal and otherworldly.

(image via: Kangury.net)

The Chilean government has attempted on several occasions to build a geothermal power plant on the site of El Tatio but resistance from the public and from local businesses dependent on the tourist trade have scuttled such efforts time and time again.

Lady Knox Geyser, New Zealand

(images via: Road Less Traveled Blog, TripAdvisor and Cutcaster)

The Lady Knox Geyser, located in New Zealand’s Taupo Volcanic Zone, is one of the country’s few geological features that doesn’t have a Maori name due to it’s not being discovered until the early 20th century. Prisoners held at a nearby jail accidentally induced the geyser to erupt after adding soap to the natural hot water source in order to wash their clothes.

(image via: Wikipedia)

Soap is a surfactant that lowers the surface tension of water, a property that continues to be used to coax the Lady Knox Geyser into action. Here’s a video of the Lady doing her thing, right on schedule:

Lady Knox Geyser – New Zealand, via AdamZielonkowski

“Performances” are held daily at 10:15am and the geyser obligingly spurts upwards to a height of 20 meters (65+ ft) for up to an hour.

Old Faithful, Wyoming, USA

(images via: CPT12, Indospectrum and Stamp Collector’s Corner)

What, you thought we’d leave out the world’s most famous geyser, Old Faithful? Oh ye of little faith! Yellowstone Park’s star attraction is a sight to see, though beware of the common misconception that it erupts every hour, on the hour. The geyser’s eruptions can be predicted with a fair amount of accuracy but one must consider the length of the previous eruption: the greater the duration of the eruption, the longer the interval before the next one. Intervals between eruptions can last as long as 2 hours and as short as 35 minutes.

(image via: WyoFile/Yathin)

Old Faithful jets to maximum height ranging from 90 to 184 feet, though in long eruptions its height can be much lower over the final few minutes. Here’s a video of Old Faithful keeping the faith, as it were:

Old Faithful – Yellowstone, via Cathystratton

Odds are, if someone is going see one geyser in their lifetime and don’t happen to live near one, Old Faithful is the geyser they’ll see. It’s location in one of America’s oldest and most popular national parks means that extensive infrastructure has been established to serve generations of geyser-watchers. Old Faithful may not be off the beaten track – anything but – but it’s never failed to please its many admirers.

(image via: NASA/APOD)

Of course, Old Faithful never sleeps as tourists must, so one way to observe the geyser in an uncrowded setting is to go very late at night or very early in the morning. An added bonus is the spectacular night sky unhindered by city lights.

(image via: SOTT.net)

Geysers are among the Earth’s most fascinating natural phenomena, but don’t assume they’re strictly Earthly. NASA’s Voyager spacecraft captured an astonishing sight during their flyby of Triton, the planet Neptune’s largest moon, in 1989: towering geysers of Nitrogen gas tinted dark with dust, rising high into the moon’s threadbare atmosphere. Wondrous indeed and best of all, there’s no need to add soap!

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Stone Of Arc: The Worlds 10 Most Amazing Natural Arches

Eons of action by wind and water have conspired to create an abundance of amazing stone arches but these same forces will, in time, sweep them all away.
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Tagged: america, city, facebook, faith, geysers, moon, travel, water

Reruns Batted In: 9 Hit Ways To Recycle Baseball Bats

May 31, 2011 by admin · View Comments 

[ By Steve in Art & Design & Home & Garden & Uncategorized. ]

Ahh, the sounds of summer! The roar of the crowd, the crack of the bat and… another bat cracks. It seems baseball bats are breaking more often than Jose Bautista hits home runs these days, and it would be a shame if all that splintered Ash and Maple goes to waste. These 9 examples of recycled baseball bats show there’s life in the old Slugger yet!

Baseball Bat Chopsticks

(images via: Hyozaemon, Rick Benedict and CawayukimonoClub)

If you think baseball bats break far too often, the carnage in the disposable wood chopstick industry is enough to make you faint. So-called “Kattobashi” address both issues in a delightfully appealing way. Crafted from broken baseball bats, Kattobashi (a Japanese word derived from the cheer “Get a big hit!”) recycled from broken Japanese pro baseball bats come trimmed with the colors and mascots of your favorite team.

(images via: Rakuten and Yahoo Japan)

Kattobashi also help keep disposed wooden chopsticks out of the trash. What happens when you accidentally break your set reaching for that last futomaki? Well, they could always be recycled into toothpicks we suppose.

Baseball Bat Wedding Rings

(images via: Earth First and Red Cheeks Girl)

Talk about entering wedded matrimony with two strikes against you! The crafty folks at Simply Wood Rings recycle all manner of previously enjoyed wood objects including baseball bats. You say you’re married to the game? Slip on one of these and we’ll believe it.

(images via: Bustle Blog and Keetsa)

Combining reclaimed and reworked wood, artistic metalwork and selected gemstones, these unique rings might not be traditional but they DO make an ideal gift, say, for one’s Sliver Anniversary. Er, that’s “Silver”.

Recycled Baseball Bat Lamp

(images via: Popular Mechanics and Rerun Productions)

Steve Bewley (above, left) is the mastermind behind Rerun Productions, located in Arroyo Grande, CA, and the word “master” does indeed come to mind when describing his recycled baseball bat lamp. It’s one of the few upcycled baseball bat items that uses an aluminum bat as its centerpiece.

(images via: The Shop On Ash)

The Shop On Ash takes a more traditional route to home enlightenment, employing broken wooden baseball bats to create some pretty nifty baseball-themed collectibles. With one of these lamps on your side table you’ll finally have it made in the shade.

Baseball Bat Art

(images via: The Art Blahg)

Baseball has been described as an art so when artists use baseball bats as working material, well, turnabout is fair play after all. This selection of bat art… that’s BAT art, highlights the talents of (clockwise from top left) David Adamo, Peter Schyuff, Alison Saar and Gary Mifflin.

Baseball Bat Bottle Opener

(images via: Amazon.com and SportsBlend)

Beer goes with baseball like a beer bottle and a bottle opener, so the concept of a recycled baseball bat beer bottle opener is about as natural as, well, The Natural. Taking a swig of your fave brew while your team’s best slugger takes a swing at a pitch? That’s the stuff dreams are made of!

(image via: My SEC Team)

Companies like Tokens & Icons take the recycled game equipment thing to a new level by offering MLB authenticated reclaimed gear. It’s pricier to be sure, but what better way to get way into the game?

Recycled Baseball Bat Rocking Chair

(image via: Uncommon Goods)

“We will, we will, ROCK YOU!”… If you’re like me, you’re sick & tired of Queen’s overused sample from “We Are The Champions” being played, and played, and… well, you get the drift. Far, far better to drift off to your own personal field of dreams in a rocking chair made from old upcycled baseball bats. It’s the next best thing to a seat in the dugout.

(image via: Fred Friar)

As cool as a rocker made from baseball bats may be, Fred Friar goes one step further by making the chair comfortable. The Louisville Slugger Rocker above is handmade using genuine Louisville Slugger Baseball Bats with contrasting Cherry or Walnut for appearance sake. The bats are taken fresh off the automatic lathe at the Slugger Bat factory in Louisville, Kentucky. It takes 40-50 hours to complete one of these rockers, which are made under a license granted by Hillerch and Bradsby Co.

Recycled Baseball Bat Mallets

(image via: Jonathan M Projects)

Once they hammered horsehide spheres out of the ballpark, today they hammer, well, anything you want! Jonathan McKinley noticed the many baseball bats that cracked, splintered or otherwise bit the dust of the on-deck circle and decided to do something about it. Thanks to his meticulous documentation, now you can too.

(image via: Jonathan M Projects)

McKinley’s mallets use either the business end of a broken bat for the mallet head or the nicely turned neck of the bat, to which he crafts a head to serve his purpose. Mallets may take a lot of abuse around the workshop but hey – so do baseball bats and their are more than enough of the latter to go around.

Broken Baseball Bat Table

(image via: Share My Craft)

Queeny3 from HGTV’s Share My Craft shares her craftsmanship with the world at large by displaying this small but strong tripod stool. Sez Queeny3, “Hubby gets lots of broken wood bats where he gives baseball instruction. So we recycled some into table legs. Got plain table round from hardware store painted it like a baseball. Then attached bats cut to same lengths on underside with table leg brackets. He uses these in his den beside his chair. Great for a kids room also.” It may not be a grand slam but at least hubby’s a hit around home plate.

Baseball Bat Salt & Pepper Shakers

(image via: Sawmill Creek)

You might cork your bat but can you salt it? Keith Palmer can, and he’s not opposed to playing a little pepper while he’s at it. Palmer, wielding his trusty wood lathe, turned an experimental Baseball Bat made by Weyerhaeuser into one of the spiciest salt shakers you’ve ever seen!

(image via: Sawmill Creek)

Palmer took on the project as a favor to his buddy who already had a similar pepper mill. Once turned, finished and detailed, he topped off the big league shaker by epoxying part of a water bottle which, along with its original cap, would act as a durable bottom stopper. Mr Palmer, take your base!

(image via: PopSci)

Since the MLB Player’s Association seems to be in no hurry to tackle the problem of broken baseball bats, we’re glad at least America’s resourceful home craftsmen are finding new and better ways to reclaim, reuse, recycle and upcycle the timber tools of the national pastime.

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Booze it Up! 13 Rad Recycled Bottle Crafts & Projects

Transform your empty beer, wine and liquor bottles into lamps, bird feeders, shelving units, wind chimes - even a solar water heater or a house.
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Filed Under: Green Things
Tagged: america, business, crafts, game, home & garden, home and garden, recycled, recycled-bottle, rock

To Catch A Dollar film trailer

May 9, 2011 by · View Comments 

The documentary film ‘To Catch A Dollar: Muhammad Yunus Banks On America’ follows the opening of the first American branch of the Grameen Bank, offering collateral-free loans to some of the poorest but most determined women in Queens, New York. The creator of the Grameen Bank, and the concept of microloans, Muhammad Yunus visits the Queens branch in the midst of his whirlwind global travels as he tries to raise awareness and support for micro-finance and social business.

Filed Under: Microcredit News
Tagged: america, grameen, grameen-bank, Microcredit News, midst, opening, poorest, queens, the-poorest

Stop with the Excuses - Start Volunteering Now

April 18, 2011 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments 

The next time we find ourselves falling into these six negative mindsets, we should repurpose them as motivational tools instead.

1. I have no time/I’m so incredibly busy.
This is the most common excuse people give when asked why they do not volunteer. First of all, if we were all really as busy as we pretend to be, we would barely make it to the bathroom on a daily basis. Get started by picking apart your week. How many hours do you watch TV? Can you donate two of those hours to your community? Consider starting small. Pick one Saturday, Sunday, or evening a month to volunteer. Look at your priorities and evaluate how you spend your time. How much of your week is dedicated to giving back to your community?

2. I’m so tired after working 9 to 5, Monday through Friday.
Getting out of your apartment, interacting with others, and actually doing something besides watching America’s Next Top Model marathons on VH-1 every weeknight will reenergize you. You’ll become more centered and cultivate a greater sense of purpose in your life. It’s like working out; we all complain we’re too lazy and tired to work out, but once we get in the habit of it, it becomes an invigorating part of our lifestyle.

3. I don’t have anybody to go with me.
You know that girlfriend who always says you never have time for her? Bring her. Bring your mother, bring your partner, or bring your pessimistic coworker. Think of it as an opportunity to reconnect with your favorite people in a way that doesn’t include spending money. Better yet, do it alone. You’ll definitely meet other fascinating individuals with similar interests. My friend Sara met her fiancé when volunteering at Houston’s Superdome after Hurricane Katrina. If you’re in a new city and looking to meet new people, volunteering is an amazing way to make connections.

4. I don’t care about helping other people; nobody helps me.
Take this opportunity to affect your karma. Karma is the belief that, for every good or bad thing you do, something good or bad will come back to you. If you start helping others, maybe somebody will notice your unique radiance and help you. If it worked in the days of ancient Hinduism and Buddhism, it will surely work today.

5. Tell the homeless to get off their butts and get a job.
I can’t convince you in one sentence that it just isn’t that simple for a homeless person to pick up and get a 9 to 5 job. Why not volunteer at a shelter and meet some homeless people? Ask them how they became homeless. I bet your attitude toward homelessness will change.

6. I can’t make a difference; I’m only one person.
Yes. You. Can. In the words of renowned anthropologist Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

It is abundantly clear that we have no real excuses to not volunteer. Now all we need is to identify how to get started.

Shelby Jennings, an avid volunteer since childhood, turned her passion for serving up some love to her community into a career. She moved to Washington, DC from San Diego, California in order to work for the Corporation for National and Community Service. She lent us her expert advice on how to start volunteering. “Find a place where you will use your skills, learn new ones, or learn about a new issue. Figure out not only what you want to get out of it, but also what you want to give back—this will help you sustain your efforts. Commit yourself to a timeline—stick to it. Also, if you have a particular cause or organization you’re interested in, just ask!” Shelby also advocated volunteering in fields that you’re interested in working in as a resume builder or in a position where you could build skills that could help you get a job in the future.

Sometimes the sheer number of organizations that need volunteers can be daunting. A simple three-step process to figure out the best way to commit ourselves to helping others can help ease any overwhelming feelings.

1. Choose causes that make you excited.
If you love to travel, volunteer with an international organization; if you love to garden, find an environmental organization; if you adore spending time with kids, volunteer to tutor students. There is an abundance of need for your expertise, time, and love all over your community.

2. Find events that match your needs.
After you have selected the type of organization you wish to volunteer for, choose a specific opportunity that fits your skills, interests, and schedule. Once you find a non-profit that fits you, go ahead and introduce yourself.

3. Surf the Internet to find out what’s out there.
Volunteermatch.com is an incredible Web site to start your volunteering endeavors. They have an immense online network of organizations eager for your help. It is incredibly simple to register and begin your search immediately. If you register with an organization through VolunteerMatch, an automatic email will be sent to that organization notifying them of your interest. They will then contact you and you will be on your way. A great feature of VolunteerMatch is the ability to be a virtual volunteer. The Virtual section offers volunteer opportunities from your home or desk. That means you can volunteer using your computer, Internet connection, phone, and/or fax.

1800volunteer.com is another outstanding Web site to embark on your quest for volunteer opportunities. You can start by searching for volunteer opportunities that match your interests. Next, you create a free account that enables you to easily sign up for volunteer opportunities. And finally, you can start volunteering!

Volunteer centers will hook you up! The best part is that pretty much every city has one. Google your city’s volunteer center, call them up, tell them you’re interested, set up a meeting, and you’ll be on your way. They are knee-deep in your community and keenly aware of the opportunities available to you.

We all lead lives full of commuting, conference calls, and social engagements. But imagine how much better we’d feel if we dedicated just a few hours out of our hectic schedules to causes that truly need our help. Some people are driven by selfless ambition. Some are on a quest for social equity, or want to bring a sense of purpose and fulfillment to their own lives. Others view the opportunity to volunteer as a chance to give back to their community. However we find the motivation, volunteering has the potential to improve our lives and the world around us.

By Shyla Batliwalla for Divine Caroline

Source: Gimundo.com

Beth

Filed Under: Positive News
Tagged: america, buddhism, city, internet, life, lifestyle, motivation, opportunity, people, time, unique, virtual, words

Internet Service for the World

January 11, 2011 by admin · View Comments 

One man’s bankrupt satellite company is another man’s opportunity to spread free Internet across the world. That’s the hope of Kosta Grammatis, CEO and founder of ahumanright.org, who sees having an Internet connection as a basic necessity — in fact, a human right — for every global citizen.

Grammatis is raising $150,000 to create a business plan for buying a communications satellite and moving it to a new orbital slot to provide free Internet service to developing countries. He has his sights set on the TerreStar-1 satellite: a spacecraft the size of a school bus that launched in 2009 and is owned by a company that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in October.

The idea of making free Internet available to all may sound like a pipe dream, but Grammatis has the right combination of technical background and ambition for the job. His resume includes working as an engineer for private spaceflight company SpaceX, as well as creating a bionic eye camera to transform a one-eyed filmmaker into “Eyeborg.”

Top 10 Countries that say Internet access is a basic right

Grammatis and his team plan to pay the bills by allowing telecommunications companies to buy and resell high-speed bandwidth, even as they provide a slower connection speed for free to everyone. They have also begun to develop an open-source, low-cost modem that could provide developing countries with their link to the satellite and the rest of the world.

To achieve this dream, ahumanright.org launched a “Buy This Satellite” initiative on a new website.

Q: SPACE.com: What are the basic goals of ahumanright.org?

Grammatis: ahumanright is charged with promoting Internet access as a human right. The organization also promotes endeavors that can ensure everyone has a chance to get online. We try to do this in three different ways:

• Connect with businesses and governments and discuss the creation of a “free” segment to their networks
• We have been envisioning our own free network with our friends at NASA and other industry experts
• We attempt to buy and re-purpose underutilized infrastructure to bring free Internet to the people

SPACE.com: How much geographical coverage can TerreStar-1 provide in terms of Internet? Could it provide service to all of Africa?

Grammatis: Currently it can cover all of America, southern Canada and northern Mexico. Not entirely Africa.

SPACE.com: What considerations are going into the choice of where to park the satellite? How will you weigh public or donor opinions?

Grammatis: That is a very complicated question that has no simple answer.

SPACE.com: How much do you envision the open-source, low-cost modem might cost?

Grammatis: We’re aiming for less than $100, but that’s dependent on a lot of factors.

SPACE.com: Do you have any business partners or larger-scale funders in mind?

Grammatis: Plenty. Google comes to mind first, Richard Branson second. People and organizations who like taking big risks and doing things that have a lot of positive impact.

SPACE.com: Are there any possible plans to repeat this process for other satellites, if this ultimately proves successful?

Grammatis: Already in the works! We’ve got another collaboration coming together that should be announced soon if things go as planned.

To contribute to “Buy This Satellite’s” goal of raising $150,000, go here.

Source: The Christian Science Monitor

Beth

Filed Under: Positive News
Tagged: america, countries, friends, green, internet, kosta-grammatis, people, richard-branson, satellite, space

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