The Real Spirit of the Season: 14 Charity Gift Sites
November 21, 2011 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
[ By Steph in Animals & Habitats & Nature & Ecosystems. ]
Does your boss really need another coffee mug, or your father another tie? What if you could, instead, give them a gift that changes another person’s life, or improves the environment? These 14 charitable giving websites allow you to symbolically ‘adopt’ an animal, foster a coral reef, provide school books for children in third world countries and give long-term sustenance to families in need. Your recipients receive a card letting them know that you’ve donated in their names and that warm glow that comes with doing a great deed.
Oxfam America Unwrapped
(image via: oxfamamericaunwrapped)
Mosquito nets, vegetable gardens and goats can be the difference between life and death for families in need around the world. Oxfam America Unwrapped lets you choose a unique gift that can help give an education, start a business, recover from a disaster or provide long-term food and water solutions. Your friend or loved one gets a card letting them know that you have donated in his or her honor, and the money goes to someone in need.
Greater Good
(image via: greatergood.org)
Greater Good partners with charities around the world, letting donors give 100% tax-deductible contributions directly to nonprofit causes like recovery from the earthquake in Turkey, feeding malnourished children in Africa, providing clean water to families in Guatemala and helping veterans in America get training for new jobs. Choose your preferred cause, and you can donate in the name of your gift recipient.
International Fund for Animals
(image via: ifaw.org)
Honor someone special with tribute gifts from the International Fund for Animals, which saves animals in crisis around the world including whales, elephants, seals and domesticated pets. IFAW will send a special card to the individual of your choice to notify them of your tribute.
Heifer International
(image via: heifer.org)
Give a gift that will change someone’s life forever. Heifer International works to end world hunger by providing livestock, trees and bees to people in need. Gifts include cows, sheep, goats, water buffalos, geese, pigs and chicks. These gifts can make all the difference in the world as they produce offspring to sell and manure to nourish crops.
Bidding for Good
(image via: biddingforgood.com)
Want a real, physical gift that also gives to charitable causes and organizations? Check out Bidding for Good, an auction site where you can shop for travel packages, unique experiences like hot air balloon rides, tickets to special events and in-demand items like iPods. A portion of proceeds goes to a cause specified by the seller including elementary schools, pet rescue organizations and the arts.
Alternative Gifts International
(image via: altgifts.org)
At Alternative Gifts International, you can choose a cause that might resonate with your intended gift recipient – like hunger, education, gender equality, reducing child mortality or environmental sustainability. Projects within each focus area might give children around the world anti-parasite treatment, provide bicycles to rural healthcare workers in Namibia, give safe water to people i the Philippines or help kids in Myanmar stay in school.
The Nature Conservancy
(image via: nature.org)
The Nature Conservancy invites you to “give a gift of conservation.” You can adopt a coral reef in Palau or an acre in the Northern Rockies. You can plant trees in Brazil, give the gift of clean water or give a special kid’s gift of protecting threatened species like turtles, jaguars, rhinos and orangutans. Another fun gift is the Animal Adoption Kit for kids; the gift recipient will receive a backpack full of stuffed versions of the animals that are being protected in their name as well as discounts from eco-friendly retailers, field trip invitations and more.
Charity: Water
(image via: charitywater.org)
We take clean water for granted, letting untold millions of gallons of it disappear down the drain when people around the world don’t have access to a single glass. Charity: Water, an organization that brings clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations, allows you to donate in someone’s honor. You get to choose a specially-designed greeting card to send the recipient, and 100% of your donation will directly fund water project costs.
Oceana
(image via: store.oceana.org)
Oceana works to protect the world’s oceans, and when you choose to adopt marine wildlife through them, your money will fund efforts to improve the health and safety of species like bluefin tuna, sea turtles, coral, sharks, whales and dolphins. You can adopt the species of your choice and send an ‘Honor Card’, printed with soy inks on recycled paper using 100% wind power. When you adopt four animals, you receive four stuffed animals, and adopting six will get you a set of cookie cutters.
TisBest
(image via: tisbest.org)
Not sure which charity or cause your gift recipients would prefer? Let them choose. At TisBest, you choose between printing a gift card on your printer or sending a 100% recycled gift card by regular mail. Choose between over 50 stock images, or upload your own to personalize it. The recipient then gets to select the charity of his or her choice to receive the donation.
Concern Worldwide
(image via: concerngifts.org)
Located outside the United States? No problem. Many of the charities on this list can work with international donors, and Concern Worldwide deals specifically in Euros. Types of gifts include medical help, long term support in the form of apple trees or solar water pumps, access to education, and school books and sports equipment for kids.
National Parks Annual Pass
(image via: nps.gov)
Encourage your friends, family members and co-workers to explore America’s most beautiful natural spaces. The National Parks Annual Pass gives them access to over 2,000 federal recreation sites including national parks, national wildlife refuges and national forests. Of course, the entrance fees covered by the pass are a crucial part of the National Parks System’s budget, so purchasing this pass preserves our natural heritage for everyone. The pass covers the driver plus all passengers, so it’s an ideal way to give an eco-friendly, charitable gift to an entire family.
JustGive.org
(image via: justgive.org)
Here’s another way to let your gift recipient choose exactly which charity he or she would like to see your funds to go. JustGive features over 1,000 recommended charities in areas like animals, education, children, arts and culture, disaster relief and women’s issues. You can either send the recipient an email notification, or have JustGive mail a personalized note card.
World of Good
(image via: worldofgood.ebay.com)
World of Good truly is the best of both worlds. Offering a selection of artisan, hand-made and fair trade clothing, household goods and other gifts, World of Good is a special eBay market site for socially and environmentally responsible shopping. You can purchase physical gifts that your friends and family will love, and know that your money is supporting economic empowerment, energy conservation, animal welfare and other causes. World of Good verifies each merchant through a third-party non-profit partner.
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Veggie Comfort Food: 14 Filling, Warming Recipes
November 7, 2011 by admin · View Comments
[ By Steph in Food & Health. ]
There’s nothing like a steaming bowl of hearty soup, stew or casserole straight from the oven on a cold day. But this kind of warming comfort food doesn’t have to contain meat to be filling and satisfying. These 14 vegetarian comfort food recipes for fall and winter, many based on traditional dishes from all over the world, will fill your home with delicious smells and your belly with nutritious, meat-free food that really hits the spot.
Henri’s French Onion Soup
(image via: the curvy carrot)
Rich, cheesy and infinitely comforting, french onion soup is readily available in many restaurants, but it nearly always contains beef broth. Try this hot and delicious vegetarian version, which gets plenty of flavor from onions caramelized in butter, plus white wine and thyme.
Baked Eggplant Parmesan
(image via: martha stewart)
Get a hearty texture without the meat using thick slices of eggplant, a porous vegetable that absorbs flavor like a sponge. Martha Stewart’s recipe for baked eggplant parmesan eliminates the fatty frying, layering baked breaded eggplant in a casserole dish with tomato sauce and cheese.
Butternut Squash and Sage Lasagna
(image via: martha stewart)
Butternut squash is a hallmark of fall and winter, with deep orange flesh that is creamy and slightly sweet when baked, sauteed, roasted or grilled. Try it in a hot seasonal lasagna with sage and nutmeg (substituting vegetable broth for the chicken broth called for in the recipe.)
Veggie Dumpling Stew
(image via: eating with the robertsons)
Who needs chicken? The dumplings are the star of this show, anyway. Dough made vegan by virtue of plant-based margarine and soymilk is simmered in broth with onions, garlic, carrots, celery and sage in this meat-free version of the classic cold-weather comfort dish.
In-a-Hurry Tamale Pie
(image via: eatliverun)
Need a hot vegetarian meal that you can make in a flash? In-a-Hurry Tamale Pie by Eat Live Run lines a pan with sliced polenta covered in pinto beans, corn, salsa and cheese for a meal that’s done in 30 minutes with minimal effort.
Curried Black Bean, Coconut & Sweet Potato Soup
(image via: keep it simple foods)
Black beans, coconut and curry? It may sound like a strange combination, but this soup recipe is absolutely heavenly, with just enough spice to kick the chill out of your bones. Garlic, cayenne pepper, ginger root and cilantro boost the flavor even further for a final product that’s hard to forget.
Vegetarian Posole
(image via: the kitchn)
Known in the South as hominy, dried maize mote is soaked corn kernels that are used in soups and stews in whole form, or ground up into grits. The classic Mexican dish of posole uses hominy as a main ingredient in addition to chilies, beans, tomatoes and, typically, pork, chicken or turkey. But the dish is just as delicious when you skip the meat, as proven by this vegetarian posole recipe from The Kitchn.
Pueblo Corn Pie
(image via: ezra poundcake)
Adapted from a Native American recipe, this recipe for Pueblo Corn Pie by Nava Atlas is an ideal addition to the vegetarian Thanksgiving table. Layers of bean chili, cheddar cheese and cornmeal make for a well-rounded dish that’s hearty enough to eat on its own.
Pumpkin Chili Empanadas
(image via: vegan yack attack)
No fall vegetarian feast is complete without pumpkin in some form, and these pumpkin chili empanadas are not only cute and convenient finger-foods, they’re also a novel way to get more of that pumpkin flavor. Pumpkin chili flavored with jalapeno, bell peppers and smoked paprika is simply scooped into rounds of dough, shaped and baked. Cut cute pumpkin faces into the pies to make them perfect party hors d’oeuvres.
Vegetarian Moussaka
(image via: homemade-recipes)
Bulgur wheat stands in for ground beef in this vegetarian take on Greek moussaka. Layers of allspice and clove-scented eggplant and diced tomatoes are slathered in béchamel sauce and covered in Romano cheese.
Vegetarian Green Chili
(image via: pink parsley)
Chili nearly always contains red beans and tomatoes – but not this vegetarian green chili recipe, which swaps them out for edamame and avocado. Packed with protein and healthy fats, this dish is warming without being sinful.
Mushroom Turnovers
(image via: martha stewart)
Another delicious hand-held hot vegetarian snack for fall uses nothing more than salted mushrooms, onion, olive oil and frozen puff pastry. For this mushroom turnover recipe, use any variety of mushrooms you like – mild button mushrooms, meaty portobellas or exotic morels – and serve with sour cream or plain greek yogurt.
Vegetarian Gumbo
(image via: chocolate chip trips)
Nothing says Louisiana like a steaming bowl of gumbo. While this classic dish – found in either Creole or spicier Cajun varieties – usually contains shellfish, most vegetarians will find that it tastes just as good without it if you’ve got the right recipe. The secret is really in the roux. Learn how to make it the right way first, then try this recipe.
Veggie Paella
(image via: herbivoracious)
This simple one-pan dish skips the seafood usually associated with paella, focusing on the deliciousness of veggies like green beans and artichokes. Paella is a traditional Spanish dish made up of saffron-infused short-grain rice and diced tomatoes, cooked in a skillet until the rice is tender and the bottom is cooked into a crust.
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Squeal Wheels Tour: The Top 10 Cutest Electric Cars
September 20, 2011 by admin · View Comments
[ By Steve in Art & Design & Energy & Fuel & Geography & Travel. ]
Electric cars are good for the environment, inexpensive to operate and are an ideal choice for busy city commuters. They’re often small due to the need for light rolling weight but do they have to be so cute? These 10 electric cars and electric car concepts add a fluffy dollop of squeal appeal to your sustainable, pollution-free driving experience.
The Electric One Person Car
(images via: Miikka Skaffari, Brilliant Michael and My Desultory Blog)
That’s it, “The Electric One Person Car”? Considering the $36,000 price luxury retailer Hammacher-Schlemmer has stickered this single-seat three-wheeler with, you’d think they would at least pay a marketing consultant a few bucks to come up with an attractive name to match its undeniably cute styling.
(image via: Yeeeeee)
The Electric One Person Car is made by Myers Motors of northern Ohio and is also known as the the NmG (No More Gas, duh). You may have seen a gaggle of them in Austin Powers in Goldmember. They’re available in your choice of White, Coral, Magenta, Red, Orange, Yellow, Lime Green, Green, Aqua, Dark Aqua, Teal, Blue, Lilac, and Purple… just like Skittles! Why just taste the rainbow when you can drive it?
Peugeot’s 1001 Nimble
(images via: AutoMotto)
Looking like an extra-large motorcycle helmet and not a whole lot larger, the Peugeot 1001 Nimble rolls along city streets on a quartet of rubberized spheres… not tires, spheres. That ought to give you a hint the pyramidal people-mover won’t be rolling anytime soon, or at least until Goodyear Spheres are sold at your local Wal-Mart or Pep Boys.
(images via: Gajitz)
On the bright side, the Nimble is able to spin a full 360-degrees, even while in motion. This attribute should provide endless snorts & giggles at the fast food drivethru or after being pulled over by the police. Oh, the hilarity!
Nissan’s “Smiling Vehicle”
(images via: E-News, InventorSpot and Trendhunter)
Cute cars are supposed to make you smile. When the car smiles back, on the other hand, either you need to see a shrink or you’ve just encountered the Nissan Smiling Vehicle. Yes, “Nissan Smiling Vehicle” is yet another unimaginative, dishwater-dull name for an eminently interesting car but it DOES really smile so all is forgiven.
(images via: Just Labradors)
The deformable polymer plastic in the Nissan Smiling Vehicle’s front end wasn’t designed to form a frown (that’s what Photoshop is for) but hey – you want drivers to express their real emotions or not?
Cestar’s Sunset & Felstar
(images via: Cestar)
The three-wheeled Sunset and Felstar made by Shandong Celstar Electric Vehicle Co Ltd may not smile when called upon like Nissan’s unique concept, but China’s just getting into the car biz and the tech know-how isn’t quite up to Japanese levels. Besides, these cars are made to be sold and as such, their “smiles” are forged in metal and screwed to their “faces”. Such is life in a Communist paradise, my friends.
(image via: Cestar)
All politics aside, there’s something both alluring and endearing about the grinning grills Cestar’s sedans so frequently flaunt. Complemented by a pair of round, eye-like headlights and a blue sky-painted dash background, these cars positively scream “CUTE!”
“BamGoo” Bamboo-bodied Car
(images via: Gizmodo and Colors Of Swallowtail)
Didn’t Cheech & Chong once build a van out of marijuana? The “BamGoo” follows the same sort of concept though instead of customs agents, drivers need only fear hungry panda bears. Hopefully their extreme case of the munchies isn’t the result of running into Cheech & Chong.
(image via: Japan Probe)
The BamGoo can travel 50 kilometers (30 miles) on a full charge and was developed by a team from Japan’s Kyoto University with sponsorship from the city of Kyoto. The project’s aim was to raise awareness of environmental transportation issues while promoting traditional Kyoto bamboo craftsmanship. Personally I’d prefer a nice, immobile wicker chair.
THINK City
(images via: AutoBlog Green, Treehugger and GreenCar)
Having recently learned of one Saab story, is the world ready to give Scandinavian cars another shot? Perhaps, if the THINK City is any indication. Made in Norway, the zero-emissions, all-electric THINK City can run up to 180 km (108 miles) with a fully-charged battery and boasts a top speed of 100 km/hr (60mph).
(image via: MotorCarWin)
You can buy a THINK City if you live in Europe and they’re priced reasonably enough so that you don’t suffer a debt crisis… sorry, Greece. Driving a THINK City confers a few benefits as well, such as London drivers not being subject to the congestion charge. Get one charge, avoid another – works for me!
Electric Trabant
(images via: AllWorldCars)
Some people say the Ugly Duckling from Mother Goose was cute. Those people never saw (or smelled) the Trabant, the un-loved national symbol of the former GDR along with some very burly “female” Olympic swimmers. Is the Trabant ready for a comeback? At least with electric propulsion it won’t stink up the neighborhood. Is it cute? Definitely… if we compare it with the duckling ugly original Trabant.
Mega MultiTruck
(images via: Steck Automobile AG and StockphotoPro)
The Mega MultiTruck is one of a number of small vehicles made by French microcar manufacturer Aixam-Mega. While the company’s electric cars are certainly stylish enough, it’s the MultiTruck that epitomizes cuteness by reminding us of our childhood. The Mega MultiTruck not only looks like a scaled-up Tonka toy, it can be modified in a number of ways depending on the user’s preference… though probably not by snapping the parts together.
(image via: Araba Ruyasi)
You might think the term “electric truck” is a misnomer as trucks typically require both power and torque – not typical features of electric vehicles. Mega MultiTrucks are quite popular in the EU, however, appealing to buyers with economy, utility and their compact size perfectly suited for oft-narrow European city streets.
Chinese Chika
(images via: Gizmag, Automopedia and Electric For Car News)
Out to pick up some cute chicks? Better your odds by cruising in a cute Chika from China Automobile. Officially known as the Tang Hua XY08 Chika, the car displays generally pleasing curves with the only straight lines appearing on the horizontally striped grill. What’s up with that logo badge, though? Is that the company founder? Cheeky move, Chika dudes!
(images via: Automopedia)
The 4-wheeled, 2-doored Chika is China Automobile’s bold step towards creating an original styling theme and they may have just done it. Unless, that is, blueberries have something to say about it.
Japan’s Wrapping Electric Ad Cars
(images via: Tokyo Times)
You can’t buy one of these electric “ad cars” but would anyone really want to? If there’s such a thing as Cute Overload, this is it. Besides, by all appearances they come in threes. Operated by the Wrappin company and often seen rolling merrily through the streets of Tokyo, these cars are wrapped in vinyl anew for every ad campaign. By this point it would seem their original flimsy bodies have been significantly augmented by untold layers of ad vinyl.
(image via: Natebeaty)
There are plenty of reasons to buy electric cars. GM and the folks who work at the Chevy Volt manufacturing plant think so, but they may be a tad biased. Does the cute quotient of an electric vehicle factor into your decision to buy it – or pass it by? Considering the alternative to cute styling on a small car is something like a slab-sided golf cart, maybe going cute is the way to go!
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Blushing Hides: 10 Amazing Pink Animals
August 23, 2011 by admin · View Comments
[ By Steve in 7 Wonders Series & Animals & Habitats & Nature & Ecosystems. ]
Pink pigs (and people) display beauty that’s only skin deep but when pink appears as an animal’s prime pigment the results can be strikingly beautiful… they don’t call it “shocking pink” for nothing! This proud posse of puce poseurs provides proof positive pink can be a perfectly pleasing pigment. Period.
Pink Insects
(images via: Loucigaloun04, Mongabay and Dipity)
Insects can be pink owing to a number of factors but mainly two which would seem to be counteractive. Those that frequent pink flowers seek to blend in so as not to be seen by predators – or prey. Others adopt pink along with another, contrasting color to send a vivid “keep away!” signal to potential predators. Can you imagine hot pink & turquoise bees and wasps?
(image via: About.com/Insects)
Why bother with contrast when you’re a newly discovered Dragon Millipede (Desmoxytes purpurosea)? This small but serious critter has a gland that produces cyanide as a defense mechanism. You most definitely don’t want to be near this hot pink dude when he’s, er, millipede-off.
(images via: Audubonimages, Rigorous Intuition and Ohio Birds and Biodiversity)
Other insects are pink not by design but by defect, such as the pink katydid and grasshopper above. In cases of Erythrism, these creatures lack a certain pigment that (by virtue of its absence) leaves the insects with an unintended color scheme. Lobsters can suffer a similar fate but due to different pigments involved, there are no pink lobsters. Pity.
Pink Starfish
(images via: SP13001, TripAdvisor and Squidoo)
Starfish are a favorite subject of photographers thanks to their wide variation in coloration and contrast. It’s not certain what purpose vivid colors serve starfish, however. Slow-moving creatures who frequent reef environments and occasionally feast on endangered corals, starfish are often washed up on beaches where their brilliant hues quickly fade.
(image via: Bargain Florida Lots)
You’ve gotta hand it to echinoderms (who don’t actually HAVE hands), they’re definitely “stars” when it comes to showing their true colors. The hot pink starfish above somehow found its way to a southwest Florida beach without getting BP’d.
Pink Frogfish
(images via: Kapalselam, Delargy.com and DownBelow)
The world’s oceans host an abundance of pink fish and frogfish but this pink Frogfish steals the spotlight. Who can resist this finned clump of cotton candy as it scuttles along the seafloor? Don’t be fooled though, some species of frogfish have toxic spines on their heads that can deliver a painful dose of venom to the unwary.
(image via: RedBubble)
Frogfish don’t have scales and can adjust their skin coloration to match their surroundings. We’re not sure what was surrounding the bubblegum-pink frogfish above… perhaps a sunken ship’s cargo of pink bubblegum?
Pink Land Iguana
(images via: Cryptomundo, Zoo Kawaii and Galapagos Conservancy)
Almost 175 years after Charles Darwin roamed their rocky shores, the Galapagos Islands are still springing surprises on biologists who’d thought they’d seen it all. Maybe now they have: a small population of large, pink land iguanas living on the slopes of the Wolf Volcano on Isabela Island.
(image via: National Geographic)
A park ranger first noticed these (actually, quite noticeable) large iguanas in 1986 but it was thought at the time they were merely a variation of the common land iguana – or, that he’d been drinking. The results of blood testing (on the iguanas, not the ranger) confirmed the Pink Iguana is a specific species and not just a great band name.
Pink & Coral Cornsnakes
(images via: Poppycorns)
Snake breeders have long striven to induce their reptilian subjects to express colors not normally found in nature. Take the Pink & Coral Cornsnakes above… not to worry, they’re not poisonous. Buyers now can choose from a wide variety of pinks and patterns to suit their needs, whatever those needs might be.
(image via: Poppycorns)
Of course, it also helps to have a colorful name, like Coral Snow Peaches, Neon Coral Roses, Starburst (as in the candy) Snow Rhapsody or Champagne Pink Minstrel.
(image via: Bite-Dose)
Naturally pink tinted snakes are unusual and most of those reported have been determined to be albinos – their pink tint is owed to their muscle tissue showing through translucent skin. The snake above, however, boasts serrated stripes of brilliant pink that are even more prominent when seen against its black base coloration. Liophidium pattoni, native to the forests of Madagascar, is new to science having only been discovered in 2010.
Pink Flamingos
(images via: MyMixFM and Shutterpoint)
Think pink and pink flamingos are probably what come to mind. Not Pink Flamingos, the 1972 cult classic film from avantgarde director John Waters and starring the notorious Divine, but we digress. Real flamingos are not actually pink, they TURN pink from ingesting water-borne bacteria and from the beta carotene in the food they eat.
(images via: TravelBlog, Luxurious Mexico and Beecy.net)
Flamingos kept in zoos are fed beta carotene supplements and shrimp in order to help them maintain their rosy plumage. Not only do zoo visitors appreciate the results, the flamingos may as well: a pale, drab flamingo has a lesser chance of hooking up with their opposite number. Is that where the cliché “in the pink” comes from?
(image via: Wikipedia)
The garish bird above isn’t a flamingo but is shown here because of its various shades of pink ranging from salmon to neon. Take away the color and it’d be pug-ugly… like most vultures. Yep, it’s a California Condor chick!
Pink-Faced Bald Uakari
(images via: National Geographic, YouSayToo and Retrieverman)
Uakaris are monkeys… monkeys from Hell!! OK, not really, they come from isolated areas of the northwest Amazon basin and just look like Skeletor’s pet. There are 4 known species of Uakari but our focus here is on the Bald Uakari. This odd-looking New World monkey has copious hair all over its body with the exception of its head – much like your average middle-aged human male.
(image via: Greg Neise)
Uakaris have no fat beneath the skin of their faces; basically they’re just skin & bones above the neck, giving their countenances a bizarre, some say “demonic” aspect.
(images via: Fun Gallery, GEO and Wikipedia)
Since the Uakari’s home ranges are located deep in the Amazon rainforest, not a whole lot is known about their lives and lifestyles. Reports have stated they live in the treetops and (thankfully) have a herbivorous diet. Uakaris sometimes travel in groups of up to 100… forget chimps, they should’ve made Rise of the Planet of the Apes with THESE guys!
Pink Dolphins
(images via: Dani.gomes61, Creepy Animals and Condé Nast Traveler)
The pink Amazon River Dolphin (Inia geoffrensis) is actually a mottled pink with gray, though it’s pinker by far than any other dolphin. They’re also thought to be intelligent and have a brain capacity 40% larger than that of humans. You didn’t see any Amazon River Dolphins at the Kardashian wedding, did you? Case closed.
(images via: Scholastic, ECDAfrica and Daily Mail UK)
The Amazon pink dolphins come by their hue naturally, which is not to be confused with a number of albino Bottlenose Dolphins that have been featured in the news recently.
Pink Hippos
(images via: ScienceRay and Have-Fun-In-The-USA.com)
Pink Hippos are rarely sighted outside of Hanna-Barbara cartoons but they do exist, and for several reasons. Most hippos are a brownish-gray color with pink undertones. They can appear even pinker on hot, sunny days when they tend to sweat: hippo sweat is pink!
(images via: AnimalFWD, OK! Magazine and National Geographic)
For a few hippos, even sweating pink isn’t enough: so-called Leucistic hippos lack the normal amount of gray pigment in their skin and, by default, tend towards a more pinkish aspect. Hippos can tolerate leucism more than other creatures as they spend a lot of time in the water and, as a bonus, secrete an oily substance that acts as a sunscreen.
Pink Elephants
(images via: Tremendous News and BBC)
Pink Elephants, no longer just a drunkard’s hallucination! Though this post has focused on naturally pink animals, albino elephants just had to be included because there’s just no ignoring the 800-lb pink elephant in the room – or in the wild. Curiously, albinism is much more common (though still rare) in Asian Elephants and the sighting of the pink baby above in Botswana’s Okavango Delta region sparked a flood of interest from zoologists and conservationists.
(images via: IOL)
“I have only come across three references to albino calves,” stated Dr Mike Chase of Elephants Without Borders, “which have occurred in Kruger National Park in South Africa.”
(images via: Geof Wilson)
Dyeing to be pink? We’ll ignore the antics of pink poodle fanciers or that wacky Brit who tinted her cat pink with food coloring to match her hair. The flock of sheep above was “dyed in the wool” to deter rustlers. Don’t tell that English chick about this, OK?
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Seven Feel Good Now Approaches
June 13, 2011 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
1. Listen to music. It lowers your body’s level of cortisol (the stress hormone), reduces anxiety, and can even improve your memory. Whether you love Mozart, Alicia Keys, or Lady Gaga, it’s all good. Are you pregnant? One recent study found that lullabies and nature sounds were the best choices for helping moms-to-be relax.
2. Warm up. The comfort of feeling warm and cozy is a terrific stress-reducer. The doctors at the international Mandometer Clinics, which specialize in treating eating disorders, use warm rooms and blankets to help anorexic women curb their anxiety after meals. Take advantage of spring’s lingering chill by taking a hot shower and wrapping yourself in a fluffy robe afterward. Savor a cup of green tea or get a hot stone massage. If it’s a nice day, put on your sunscreen, grab a book and find a sunny spot.
3. Have a peanut butter sandwich. When you’re fixing your kids’ lunches, aren’t you tempted to make your old favorite for yourself? Go ahead. The protein in peanut butter naturally boosts your level of serotonin, the hormone that regulates moods, sleep, and behavior. Stick with an all-natural variety (you don’t need the saturated oil and preservatives in other brands), have it on whole-grain bread and skip the sugar-loaded jelly. You’re indulging your inner child, and who’s more joyful than a five-year-old?
4. Get a friend fix. A well-known study from the University of Illinois found that the happiest people are the ones with strong bonds to friends and family. (As if you need a bunch of psychologists to tell you that girlfriend-time is fun!) A lot of us don’t make it a priority to connect with our friends regularly. Get into the habit of reaching out to a friend at least once a week, or more often if you can. Send a text, call or get together for a drink after work. And you can never have too many girls’ nights out.
5. Bring nature into your life. Getting in touch with the earth is a time-honored stress reliever, and spring, when nature comes back to life, is a fabulous time to start. Have breakfast on the porch or in the backyard and watch the birds gathering material for their nests. Pick a tree in your neighborhood and look at it daily to see buds turn into leaves.
6. Write it down. For her book, Gore asked women to keep a journal of the best moments in their day. This mindfulness will get you into the habit of noticing the good times as they happen. “Focusing on the moments of flow and happiness in our daily lives instead of focusing on what went wrong just has a refreshing effect,” Gore says. “We notice the natural joy more easily, and we remind ourselves, and sometimes even begin to relearn, what we want to be spending our time doing. “ Buy a notebook and keep it on your nightstand so you can write just before bed. Your entries don’t have to be long; a few lines are plenty.
7. Get out of your rut. Many women Gore spoke to found that they were happiest doing something that took them out of their day-to-day routine: working on an art project, going on a hike, playing with the kids during a time when they didn’t have to rush off to school or sports. Shake up your schedule: Go for a walk at lunch hour instead of eating at your desk. If you spend your nights in front of the TV, turn it off and reach for your journal, a book, or a paintbrush.
In short: Don’t wait for joy to come to you—go out and grab it with both hands!
Via http://www.divinecaroline.com/22189/98056-seven-foolproof-feel-good-strategies#ixzz1PAPIe6NP
Beth
Nice Girls Prevail
May 15, 2011 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
My daughter Kate loves horses, her violin and, above all else, her friends. She also happens to have been born with dwarfism, a condition that makes her smaller than other kids. She will always be smaller. Kate’s fine with that. She doesn’t give it much thought, really. But I’ve become increasingly full of dread that her generation of mean girls will eventually stop accepting her for who she is, seize upon her obvious difference and just destroy her.
Kate goes to a school in St. Paul that teaches grades 1 through 8 (she’s a second grader), and when I was there for a parent-teacher conference a few months ago, I noticed the older girls traveling in packs, whispering, laughing with mockery at whichever poor victim they were savaging at the time. I didn’t know these girls, but I didn’t like them.
Next afternoon, I was riding the No. 63 bus home from work. At the stop after mine, five pretty, well-dressed teenage girls got on and sat right behind me. I wished I hadn’t forgotten my headphones that day because I didn’t want to hear the horrible things these girls were inevitably about to say. They talked nonstop.
“Hey, is it O.K. if Rachel comes with us on Friday?”
“O.K. But I don’t think I know her. Do I?”
“She’s my friend from that summer program. She’s really funny, I think you’d like her.”
“Great! I’m looking forward to meeting her!”
It seemed to me they actually talked like this. Flattering descriptions and anecdotes about Rachel followed. Miraculously, this conversation was conducted without sarcasm. Was I missing something? Wasn’t Rachel going to be ripped for being five pounds overweight or wearing the wrong shoes? I didn’t turn around, but I leaned back and listened closer.
“Sometimes I don’t think I’m as racially sensitive as I should be.”
“Well, we all have to work on that. But it’s a huge step to recognize it.”
“Thanks!”
Down North Smith we rode, past the hospital, up Grand. The girls talked in overlapping bursts and lots of sentence fragments, a little too loudly, but everything was friendly and positive. These weren’t mean girls. These were nice girls. As we passed over the freeway, I capitalized the Nice Girls in my mind to give them a title, to make them a team in the hope they would stay together. I needed them around when Kate got older. Maybe she could join them! Maybe they could get jackets made!
Beth
Tech-Savvy Kid Tracks Down his Computer Thief
March 28, 2011 by admin · View Comments
When Mark Bao’s laptop was stolen a few months ago, he took the matter to the police, of course. But the tech-savvy 18-year-old college student also had a few tricks up his sleeve—and ultimately tracked down the thief single-handedly, using nothing but software, social media, and old-fashioned smarts.
Bao, who studies at Bentley University in Massachusetts, returned to his dorm room one day in February to discover that his room had been broken into, and his laptop was gone. There weren’t any obvious clues to who the culprit was. However, Bao used a service called Backblaze to back-up his computer’s data. The program allows remote access, so that users can log in to see what has been recently saved to the computer. As it so happened, the thief had snapped a picture of himself on Photo Booth—and, obviously not one to shy away from the spotlight, he’d even recorded a video of himself dancing.
Bao sent out the video to his friends, and likely could have made a positive identification through his contacts, but it turned out, he didn’t need to wait: The software program also allowed him to see the computer’s recent history, which included the thief’s Facebook page. From there, Bao was able to see his name and contact details. As it turned out, they even had mutual friends.
Bao gave all of the evidence he’d collected to the police, and let them handle the matter. The thief returned the laptop the following day, and sent Bao a Facebook message saying how sorry he was.
Bao has since bought a new laptop, so he plans to sell his old one and donate the proceeds to a fund for relief in Japan. And he’s not angry at the thief.
“I don’t hold grudges because I don’t have time nor patience to,” he told the Daily Mail. “There are more important things in life.”
Smart Tech Savvy Dude!
Beth
Natural Glow: Australia’s Amazing Bioluminescent Lake
January 30, 2011 by admin · View Comments
[ By Delana in Animals & Habitats, History & Trivia, Nature & Ecosystems. ]
In the Australian summer of 2008/2009, a hauntingly beautiful phenomenon illuminated the Gippsland Lakes and created scenes that those present will never forget. An unusually high concentration of Noctiluca scintillans, a bioluminescent microorganism, turned the water a bright, glowing, ethereal blue. Photographer Phil Hart was there to document the amazing display.
Noctiluca scintillans – also known as “sea sparkle,” “sea fire,” “sea ghost” and any number of other delightfully romantic-sounding names – are a species of dinoflagellate that feed on algae, plankton and bacteria. In December 2008, a high concentration of blue-green algae called Synechococcus prompted a higher-than-usual population of N. scintillans in the Gippsland Lakes.
When Phil Hart embarked on his annual trek to the lakes, he and his companions discovered a blue luminescence in the water unlike anything any of them had ever seen before. N. scintillans uses its bioluminescence as a defense mechanism, lighting up when it senses a predator coming near. The ghostly glow attracts even larger predators to eat the first predator, keeping the N. scintillans safe to glow another day.
Hart and his friends used this defense mechanism to create some truly incredible photographs. Using a long exposure on his camera, Hart had his friends splash in the water to light up and spread the bioluminescent organisms around. In other photos, Hart used a fast lens and threw sand and pebbles into the water to activate the glow.
(all images via: Phil Hart)
The Melbourne-based photographer marvels at how fortunate he was to see this phenomenon. Not only is it a rare sight at this particular location; it is highly unusual to see this concentration of bioluminescent organisms anywhere in the world. The magical event was truly a breathtaking displays of nature’s unexpected beauty.
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Send Matt a Card
January 11, 2011 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
Like many kids his age, 11-year-old Matthew Mickelson Butman was eager to meet Santa Claus. Most of his friends would line up at the mall for hours—but in Matthew’s case, Santa was willing to make a house call.
Matt has a rare degenerative neurological disorder called Leigh’s disease. It claimed his brother’s life in 1996—and soon, it will take Matthew’s life too.
“To make it easy to understand, it’s a very rare disease that affects the [cell’s] ability to make energy,” Matt wrote on his Facebook page. “Once a cell is affected, it dies. There are also brain lesions. Unfortunately it is terminal and there is no treatment or cure. … My parents make sure I’m comfortable and have no pain.”
He is no longer able to speak or lift his head, but that hasn’t stopped him from celebrating what will likely be his last Christmas.
When Santa came to visit him on Wednesday, he didn’t have any gift requests. Instead, he presented Saint Nick with a big bag of gifts to deliver to needy children.
Along with the Santa visit, Matt’s only Christmas request is for strangers to send him greeting cards. He’s eager to receive messages of good will from people around the world, and he’s already receiving up to 80 cards a day. After Matt reads them, his mother hangs them up around the room in a chain of Christmas cheer.
Want to contribute to Matt’s happy Christmas? Greeting cards can be mailed to him at: Matthew Mickelson Butman, PO Box 1865, Wylie, TX, 75089.
Beth
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
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