'Tis the season!

No, this isn't a poorly timed post.  I'm talking about the season of balloons.  That's a thing, right?  Sure!  With all the parties, BBQs, graduations, and fairs/markets, there are bunches of them around.  Now, I don't have anything against balloons, per se.  Mylar balloons don't bother me, but I really don't like latex balloons.  Now, I'm not here to stomp on anyone's good time.  Balloons are fine in certain situations, but where there is a problem is when people do balloon releases.  This can be done for many reasons: school events, memorials, even by accident when they are in use outdoors.

Balloons that are released outdoors are a problem for the environment.  What happens is, the balloons make their way to various habitats, including the ocean from a surprisingly inland distance, and animals mistake the balloons for food, or get caught up in the ribbon.

Below are some graphic photos of what can happen to animals that get caught up in bunches of balloons, or that ingest the balloons.

The following photos were found at the blog for Balloons Blow, a group that works to educate the public on the dangers of balloon releases:

Dead Black-footed Albatross entangled in latex balloons & cotton string on Zmudowski Beach, California.

http://sanctuarysimon.org/news/index.php/2013/06/seabird-and-marine-mammal-entanglement/

Photo: C.Miller/P. Brown (BeachCOMBERS)

This Albatross was clearly tangled in the string from the balloons wrapped around its body.  When this happens, it can impede the bird's ability to fly, and feed.  Occasionally, the string can get caught around the beak, making it impossible for the bird to even eat, slowly starving it to death.

This young Screech Owl was found in Pinellas County, Florida hanging by its wing, for who knows how long, at Sawgrass Park. Fortunately, they were able to get a ladder & cut him down & bring him to Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary.

Photo: D. Sauvageau

This poor owl was in a bird sanctuary, and still wasn't able to escape the balloon string.  Balloons end up everywhere!  There is no magic that keeps them from getting places they shouldn't be.

This, despite looking like a jelly fish, is a shredded balloon floating in the water.  Much like sharks can mistake surfers for seals, sea turtles will look at this, and think they have found themselves a tasty snack.  But, this is what happens:

“This green sea turtle died from ingesting marine debris, including balloons and plastic bags. We find debris in 3 out of every 10 turtles.”
Both items at the bottom right are balloons. One purple and one white.

Photo: Kathy Townsend, Turtles in Trouble
April 2014

We end up with dead sea turtles.  All sea turtle species are considered endangered.

It's not just dead animals that suffer from balloon detritus.  Beaches become littered with old balloons because they are brought there by winds.  Imagine walking along a dune, and getting your ankle caught in the balloon ribbon.

This is a bouquet of blue latex balloons, falsely marketed as “biodegradable”, with plastic ribbons from Nashville, Tennessee found on the East Coast of Florida over 800 miles away.

All I ask is that you use balloons responsibly.  If you must have them, keep them indoors, and then dispose of them properly.  There are plenty of other ways to celebrate an occasion than balloon releases:

• plant a remembrance garden, adding to it every year
• volunteer
• make a donation in the name of the person, or event you are memorializing
• blow bubbles
• light a candle
• use pinwheels
• journal
• throw an eco-friendly fundraiser

So, please, think twice before using balloons at your celebration.  Not only do they have devastating effects, but there is also a helium shortage.  More on that later . . .

This one is just for irony's sake:

Community Cleanup Project, Seattle, Washington

So much you can do to save the Earth!

OK, OK, I know.  We're not technically saving the Earth, here.  It's not like the planet is going to implode if you throw that can into the trash, instead of the recycling bin.  I think I finally realized the silliness of this statement when I read "Jurassic Park" for the first time.  Ian Malcom actually points it out.  Of course.  Although we won't be able to keep the planet from eventually destabilizing, and crashing into the sun, there are things that we can do to help keep the it clean.

I received my copy of 50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Save The Earth when I was around 10 or 11.  I still have it with my mini library that is currently packed away, awaiting the day that my daughter can read.  There are so many great ideas in this book that I can't list them all, but there are ideas on saving water, recycling, and reusing items.  This book was actually the impetus for my family starting to recycle in the early 90s.  As annoyed as they were, my encouragement has paid off, and now my mother recycles EVERYTHING.  She "blames" me for this.

I noticed recently that there is now (and may have been then) an "adult" version of this book: 50 Simple Things You Can Do To Save The Earth.  I haven't read it, or even looked through it, but based on the children's version, I imagine there will be plenty of ideas.  Some you may already know about, and even employ, but I'm sure there will be some surprises.  I promise, though, there will be no suggestions of using only one square of toilet paper.

Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen of 2014

Every year, the Environmental Working Group puts out two lists.  One is a list of the most pesticide contaminated produce (Dirty Dozen), and the other is a list of the cleanest (Clean Fifteen).  Both lists have grown beyond their initial numbers, and there are now 51 items listed in the Dirty Dozen/Clean Fifteen, this year.

The Dirty Dozen (in order from heaviest pesticide load to lightest) and Clean Fifteen (read from bottom to top if you want to find the cleanest produce first):

1. Apples
2. Strawberries
3. Grapes
4. Celery
5. Peaches
6. Spinach
7. Sweet Bell Peppers
8. Nectarines - imported
9. Cucumbers
10. Cherry Tomatoes
11. Snap Peas - imported
12. Potatoes
13. Hot Peppers
14. Blueberries - domestic
15. Lettuce
16. Kale/Collard Greens
17. Plums
18. Cherries
19. Nectarines - domestic
20. Pears
21. Tangerines
22. Carrots
23. Blueberries - imported
24. Green Beans
25. Winter Squash
26. Summer Squash
27. Raspberries
28. Broccoli
29. Snap Peas - domestic
30. Green Onions
31. Oranges
32. Bananas
33. Tomatoes
34. Watermelon
35. Honeydew Melons
36. Mushrooms
37. Sweet Potatoes
38. Cauliflower
39. Cantaloupe
40. Grapefruit
41. Eggplant
42. Kiwi
43. Papayas
44. Mangoes
45. Asparagus
46. Onions
47. Sweet Peas - frozen
48. Cabbage
49. Pineapples
50. Sweet Corn
51. Avocados

So, when you are rolling through the aisles of the grocery store, be sure to choose organic produce for most items, if it's possible.  If it's not, then use this guide to choose the best options for you, and your household.

Green on the level

I feel like there are many environmental blogs, and publications that alienate a good number of people by trying to guilt them into doing more, or not even giving alternatives to help make better decisions.  It seems to be either you are an environmentalist, or you're not.  I think that approach does more harm than good.

Because people have varying levels of interest in the environment, I will be using a system to help people determine which articles they may find more interesting, practical, or accessible.  Of course, this is purely subjective, based on my own interpretation.  I hope everyone will read most of what I post, but I understand that not everyone will be interested in certain topics, or depth of coverage of a topic.

Without further ado, the levels of green that will be used as tags on articles from now on:

Mint Green - These will be easily accessible articles.  They will have easy steps to take at home, or will be a quick read.  More often than not, they will be lists.

Pistachio Green - These articles will have a little more substance.  More than just a simple list, they will have some back ground information, but not a lot to make it easier to take in the information.

Emerald Green - Again, these will get a little deeper, and may be more technical in regard to the subject matter.

Jade Green - Getting to be deeper reads now.  These will be more scientific in nature, and will have references for your own review.

Forest Green - These will be pure science reads.


Posts will probably fall more into the Mint, Emerald, and Forest categories, but for ones that are in between, Pistachio and Jade will be the go-tos.

Which category are you most interested in?

Welcome back!

The past year has seen a big change on my end.  I had a baby, and my schedule exploded accordingly.  I feel ready to jump back into the world, and figured I would add this back onto my list of obligations.  To celebrate my return, I am posting a great clip of Bill McKibben on Bill Mahar.  Enjoy. :)

Dirty Dozen 2011

So, the other day, I posted the "Dirty Dozen"; a list of fruits and vegetables that more readily retain pesticides versus those that do not.  I saw today that the Environmental Working Group has released an updated list:

1. Apples

2. Celery

3. Strawberries

4. Peaches

5. Spinach

6. Imported nectarines

7. Imported grapes

8. Sweet bell peppers

9. Potatoes

10. Domestic blueberries

11. Lettuce

12. Kale/collard greens

The group also lists the "Clean 15," or those that rank lowest in pesticide residues. These are:

1. Onions

2. Sweet Corn

3. Pineapples

4. Avocado

5. Asparagus

6. Sweet peas

7. Mangoes

8. Eggplant

9. Domestic cantaloupe

10. Kiwi

11. Cabbage

12. Watermelon

13. Sweet Potatoes

14. Grapefruit

15. Mushrooms

Again, this something to keep in mind when allocating your food budget.  Try to go organic where you can.  

The Dirty Dozen

Now, we all know that organic food can be more expensive, than non-organic.  It makes it a little difficult to to be consistent, and know that you are getting what you need out of your produce.  This list has been floating around for a long time, but I feel it's essential to the discussion.  If you are limited in your organic choices, or funding for your organic choices, you can still make better decisions in the produce department.  If you can't go all organic, at least consider these two lists:


12 Most Contaminated

• Peaches
• Apples
• Sweet Bell Peppers
• Celery
• Nectarines
• Strawberries
• Cherries
• Pears
• Grapes (Imported)
• Spinach
• Lettuce
• Potatoes

12 Least Contaminated

• Onions
• Avocado
• Sweet Corn (Frozen)
• Pineapples
• Mango
• Asparagus
• Sweet Peas (Frozen)
• Kiwi Fruit
• Bananas
• Cabbage
• Broccoli
• Papaya

You'll notice that the "most contaminated" lists has a lot of fleshy fruit, and these can absorb many of the toxins easier than say a pineapple that has a tough skin.  So, print this out, and bring it with you to the store.  I know many of these aren't always available (organic strawberries are impossible to find in my area unless you go to Trader Joe's, or an organic farm), but at least you will be able to make an informed decision.