A Sweet Spot in This Economy ($80/gallon)

Yes, it's maple syrup! "As the natural foods movement has picked up steam in recent years, maple syrup has become, along with honey, an increasingly attractive alternative to processed cane sugar. If you're wondering where Aunt Jemima or Log Cabin syrup fit into this picture — these common table products are not real maple syrup. The tagline for Log Cabin, which is made with sugar, is "Authentic Maple Tasting Syrup for over 120 years." This careful wording is intentional and crafted to avoid false advertising claims. (Most brands of maple-flavored pancake toppings are made with corn syrup.)" - Time. Tomorrow I will be visiting The Elmvale Maple Syrup Festival. Should be fun. "Thanks to increasing demand and poor sugaring weather in some regions over the past several years, retail prices have spiked to as much as $80 per gallon in some places. In the current sagging economy, that definitely counts as a sweet spot. "

Reduce Reuse Recycle

A little Curly, Larry, Mo; a touch of Charlie's Angels - hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil. All bundled up in a love nut for me to 'bear hug' and laugh with. Of course Earth Day isn't just about the three R's, it about the never ending and overflowing love we feel for our cherished family and friends. To leave this planet better for our children and their children and so on. It happens with baby steps along the way and every day. Each small act of 'earth kindness' contributes to the goal of 'near environmental perfection'. Here are a few of the green things I'm passionate about: Trees (planting a billion of 'em), Trees in Canada and WaterAid. Now, for these tiny pretties, I believe: Reduce by using cloth diapers, Reuse by sharing those precious/adorably designed children's clothes and Recycle your toys. I'm doing my part because of these three cuties (who happen to be house guests this week - hence the fewer posts). Their names are Reduce, Reuse + Recycle!

We Rise Again

We planted a tree today to honor my Aunt Nora who passed away this past week. My Mother and Father (Nora was his dear Sister) will be doing the same. In our family, tree planting is our way of remembering and it gives us great pride to contribute to the Earth. My Aunt loved camping and loved the mountains so we know this tree would please her very much. She was perfect in every way. Giving, loving, loyal and unique. This song reminds us of the circle of life.

The waves roll on,

Over the water,

And the ocean cries.

We look to,

Our sons and daughters,

To explain our lives.

As if our child,

Could tell us why,

That as sure as the sunrise,

As sure as the sea,

As sure as the wind in the trees.

We rise again,

In the faces of our children,

We rise again,In the voices of our song,

We rise again,

In the waves out on the ocean,

And then, we rise again.

When the light goes dark,

In the forces of creation,

Across a stony spine,

We look to,

Reincarnation,

To explain our lives.

As if our child,

Could tell us, why

That as sure as the sunrise,

As sure as the sea,

As sure as the wind in the trees.

UN Billion Tree Campaign

1.	Trees include the largest and longest living organisms on earth.
2.	Millions of hectares and billions of trees have to be planted to stabilize soil and water resources and to meet fuel wood needs.
3.	To make up for the loss of trees in the past decade, we would need to plant 130 million hectares (or 1.3 million km2), an area as large as Peru.
4.	Covering the equivalent of 130 million hectares would entail planting approximately 14 billion trees every year for 10 consecutive years. This would require each person to plant and care for at least two seedlings a year.
5.	Rehabilitating tens of millions of hectares of degraded land and reforesting the Earth is necessary to restore and maintain the productivity of soil and water resources.
6.	Expanding tree cover on denuded lands will reduce pressures on remaining primary forests, helping to preserve habitats and to safeguard the Earth’s biological diversity. It will also mitigate the building of atmospheric carbon dioxide.
7.	Article 3.3 of the Kyoto Protocol specifically calls for the maintenance of forests by afforestation and reforestation, and by controlling deforestation.
8.	Humans have contributed to carbon dioxide emissions in two ways: by burning fossil fuels and by converting forestlands to other uses.
9.	Rainforests cover only 7 per cent of the land on earth but they contain nearly half of all the trees on earth. They generate about 40 per cent of the world’s oxygen.
10.	In one year, an average tree inhales 12 kilograms (26 pounds) of CO2 and exhales enough oxygen for a family of four for a year.
11.	One hectare of trees can absorb 6 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.
12.	A long haul flight will produce 3.75 tonnes of CO2. (or one tonne of carbon)
13.	Agroforestry programmes make trees more accessible and spread their benefits more widely. Trees on farms often yield more biomass. Nitrogen-fixing trees planted in shelterbelts or interspersed with crops can enhance soil fertility, increase soil moisture and reduce erosion.
14.	Agroforestry systems contribute simultaneously to buffering farmers against climate variability and to reducing atmospheric loads of greenhouse gases.
15.	The World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) recommends the planting of deciduous trees where water scarcity is a problem. They consume less water than evergreens during critical periods of water shortage and compete less with crops. They shed their leaves between one to six months per year and adapt to long-term rainfall patterns. Deciduous species are suitable for semi-arid areas
16.	Deep roots anchor the tree and topsoil to deeper layers and increase the resistance to landslides and bank erosion under wet soil conditions. Horizontal roots bind soil and also reduce erosion.
17.	Aspirin originally came from the bark of a willow tree. Quinine, the cure for malaria, comes from the bark of Cinchona trees.
18.	The net forest loss per day is 20,000 hectares or the equivalent of an area twice the size of Paris. This adds up to 7.3 million hectares per year.