This National Wildlife Federation video celebrates "being out there" by going on our own Wildlife Watch! Naturalist David Mizejewski presents the how-tos and points us to http://nwf.org/watch for extra detail and follow-up. Sounds good to me, a way to feed the spirit and add to peace -- Happy Spring!

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne

Earth Hour: March 28, 8:30-9:30 PM

Care to show support for action on global climate change? VOTE EARTH! Watch the video on last year's effort, then go to EarthHour.org OR EarthHourUS.org to register for THIS year's Earth Hour, March 28, from 8:30 to 9:30 pm. Commit to turn off lights (and/or as much non-essential electricity as feasible) for just one hour to make a statement. Other action ideas are suggested including following EarthHour and EarthHourUS on Twitter and joining the FaceBook page(s). And like Earth Day making everyday Earth Day, let's make every hour Earth Hour by saving as much electricity as possible and by going as green as possible.




UPDATE: New York City is NOW listed as a sponsor/supporter, HURRAH, along with a number of US cities who have joined this international effort to shut off non-essential lighting. FYI, there is an alternate intertwined site, VoteEarth2009.org, which says, "THIS IS THE WORLD’S FIRST GLOBAL ELECTION, BETWEEN EARTH AND GLOBAL WARMING". Your light switch is your ballot -- and mine too!

MY ACTION PLAN: I've registered. I've signed up to follow both Twitterers: EarthHour and EarthHourUS. I've added the badge to QuickTAKES and am blogging about the event. I've posted stuff on Facebook and signed up for two related Facebook groups. I'm trying to find the best significant event page. I've also linked to Earth Hour Global's Flickr page and subscribed to the YouTube page. and I am blogging here.

Bottom Line: This is a symbolic effort, to get people thinking and acting in small ways together to urge greater action. Please join me/us and do what you can. I will likely post some additional ideas/links as I uncover more especially significant ones. As an international event, there are a lot of choices out there. Choice is good. Together, let's work to make positive change. One way to do so is register to take part in Earth Hour, March 28, 8:30 to 9:30 pm (local time) to show support for action on global climate change. And please talk up the event with your friends, online and off. Thanks!!

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne

Shad Fest: Spirit in the Rain

Bobby Kennedy Jr.
The 19th Annual Riverkeeper Shad Fest and Hudson River Celebration took place yesterday (May 18, 2008) at Boscobel Restoration, near Cold Spring New York. The day started as overcast when Queens CB2 Environmental Committee chair Dorothy Morehead and I arrived and we were happy to take in some great informational and green-friendly products booths and a falcon demonstration before we headed to the wine and food tents, which we were pleased to find were part of our $75 pre-sale admission fee. But the day got grayer and wetter. We met some nice folk, including NY Assembly candidate Jonathan Smith [102nd District], his wife Catherine, and their friend Jonathan Wright. And the sky opened up, dampening the fesitival grounds but not our spirits. Dorothy and I toured the beautiful restored home and finished in time hear the last part of Bobby Kennedy Jr.'s talk to the crowd. Then we gathered closer to the stage to join others under umbrellas (and kind enough to share them) in pouring rain to enjoy the Bacon Brothers Band, with Kevin Bacon rightfully getting a lot of attention but older brother Michael Bacon offering a lot of talent to the band as well.

Kevin and Michael Bacon with fiddler Carrie Rodriguez
Bobby came back to introduce a surprise guest, Dan Aykroyd, who joined the band and fiddler Carrie Rodriguez for a Rolling Stone number. Wow! We were all wet but very happy!


Jon Wright, Catherine and Jonathan Smith

I've posted a whole bunch more pictures at my Flickr site, conveniently in a Shad Fest set. Suffice it to say, the rain was a challenge, but in the end, it thinned out the crowds a bit and allowed us the opportunity to be able to get closer to the stage. I count my blessings and am thankful to my friend Dorothy for offering me company and transportation to this great event. We are already looking forward to the 20th annual Shad Fest and plan to bring more of our friends with us to support Riverkeeper's environmental efforts. Couldn't go? Donate anyway -- and talk to me about joining us next year.

Peace hugs,

Kate Anne

Dan Aykroyd

Go see The 11th Hour

Thom at the Cinema
Overcome August summertime lethargy. Do yourself and the world a favor and see The Eleventh Hour, Leonardo DiCaprio's new environmental film and then follow through on some of the action you promised yourself you would do after seeing Al Gore's film An Inconvenient Truth.

Gail Harper and I were fortunate to catch it at the Landmark Sunshine Cinema in the East Village and were treated to a special question and answer session by my favorite Air America Radio show host [and Renaissance man], Thom Hartmann, author of Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight. Thom is a real inspiration and the brief Q&A just wasn't enough. I caught him again the next night at The Tank, home of Laughing Liberally. There, despite crappy rainy weather and the 9 pm hour, Thom was greeted by an enthusiastic standing-room-only audience. We saw a clip of the film and some additional DiCaprio enviromental footage available on his website then Thom gave us a mini-seminar. [Did YOU know that the population of the world would be best contained if women had full and equal rights?]

Bottom line is that we have to change -- and change NOW. We are the generation who have to change the world because the crisis is upon us. It is actually more like the 11th hour and 59 minutes. The solutions are there, or at least most of them, but we have to change our own lives and get others to do likewise. Government involvement is vital -- so let's start bugging our representatives, senators, mayor, goveror -- everyone! And let's note well the ideas on the 11 Ways to Make A Difference postcard which advertises the film [which I am manually typing as I can't find a link!!]:

1. Unplug appliances and chargers when you are not using them. Turn off lights, TV and power down computers when leaving a room or not using them.
   


2. Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth, shaving and lathering in the shower.
   


3. Avoid using plastic bags and plastic water bottles. Take your own reusable bag to the market or the mall.
   


4. Lower the thermostat on your water heater to 120 degrees and keep your home thermostat at 68 degrees in the winter and 78 degrees in the summer
   


5. Use cold water for laundry and clean the lint filter in your dryer after every load so that it uses less energy.
   


6. Turn off the drying feature on your dishwasher.
   


7. Learn about alternatives to household cleaning and laundry products that do not use hazardous chemicals.
   


8. Use compact fluorescent lightbulbs to save money and energy.
   


9. Walk, bike or take public transportation to work/school once a week.
   


10. Buy a hybrid or alternative-fuel vehicle on your next purchase.
    


11. Plant a tree or garden.

Let's follow through on our good intentions. We don't have to be perfect, but we have to be bettter, and we have to lobby Congress. Call them at 202-224-3121 to demand meaningful environmental reform now. And please, for the sake of humankind, check out http://11thhouraction.com/ for more action ideas.

Thanks, Thom! Thanks, Leonardo! And I will add a special thanks to my Aunt Betty Murphy who has never owned an electric dryer but has preferred a clothesline instead. (Think of the energy she has saved! ) Blessings one and all, and....

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne


Thom at the Tank