Good to Know

  I no longer buy or eat shrimps, so I can save lives. Can you connect the dots? The coastlines of more than 80 countries around the world contain vast stretches of tropical forests known as mangrove swamps. The mangrove swamps offer an excellent defense against hurricanes and cyclones. Unfortunately, countless mangrove swamps have been destroyed to create huge shrimp farms. In 1999, when a super cyclone hit the coast below West Bengal, where the mangrove swamps had been destroyed, more than ten thousand people were killed and 7 million were left homeless. The villages located near the country’s second largest mangrove swamp reported no deaths. The mangrove swamps had protected them from the deathly cyclone.  

  Greening Your Christmas stop buying non-recyclable wrapping paper printed with petroleum based inks and dyes use wraps made out of recycled paper use a gift bags that can be reused many times over and over again Use materials from around the house such as old wall paper, the Sunday comics, old fabric etc. more than 300 000 trees are felled each year to produce all the holidays cards sold in North America to save money and trees send e-cards instead of paper cards, check out www.hallmark.com , www.Americangreetings.com , www.bluemountain.com make your own cards from recycled materials if you are determined to send cards choose cards made from recycled paper and that benefit non-profit organizations hometown.aol.com/naturecards/page1.html to save on fossil fuels support your local artisans by buying local arts and crafts look for stores that sell gifts made from recycled materials rather than

 DON'T  TREAT MOTHER EARTH LIKE A GIGANTIC GARBAGE BIN On Sunday, October 15, the Barrie Garden Club ventured out on a dark, dreary, and drizzly day to pick up litter, along Highway 26 close to Wilson Avenue. As I was picking up all kinds of litter such as license plates, chairs, discarded clothing, plastic bags, lots  of cigarette butts, and a myriad of discarded coffee containers, I began to reflect on all the problems triggered by litter. Here in Canada, we are very lucky to have an organized system where most municipalities and cities  make sure that there are regular pick-ups for your garbage, compost, and recyclables. So it boggles my mind why so many Canadians do not use the readily provided containers, but instead  treat Mother Earth like a gigantic garbage bin. I simply cannot understand when someone buys a cup of coffee, they then go for a long hike, they  manage to carry the cup full of coffee, but the minute it’s empty, they simply cannot manage to carry  it back home a

Globally 0ver 200 billion bottle of water are consumed annully. A disturbing number of people in Ontario who had access to regularly inspected municipal water supply primarily drank bottled water. Many people believe that bottled water is purer and safer than tap water. Before buying your next bottle of water please consider the following facts: Some bottled water actually comes from municipal water supplies, so you are paying twice for the same water. The City of Toronto inspects its water every four hours. Bottling plants are inspected only once every 3-6 years! Some studies have found concentrations of arsenic and mercury in bottled water. Bacteria in bottled water can multiply very quickly when stored over long periods or exposed to intense heat. Our oil supplies are peaking and gas prices are sky rocketing, making plastic bottles for North America alone consumes millions of barrels of oil. Manufacturing a plas

  Safe Home Remedies for Cleaning Buy borax, lemon juice, vinegar, baking soda and “green” dishwashing liquid All-Purpose Cleaner 2- 3 cups water 1-cup vinegar ½ cup lemon juice Few drops of a “green’” dishwashing liquid Microwave Cleaner- Heat a bowl of water and lemon slices in microwave for 1 minute, wipe Fridge - Half a lemon stored in your fridge will help eliminate unpleasant smells Chrome/copper/brass - Rub a lemon juice and baking soda paste and wipe Toilet Cleaner- - Mix 1/2-cup borax and 1 cup lemon juice Lime Scale in Sink and Faucets - Dip half a lemon in baking soda and rub well Laundry -1 teaspoon of lemon juice in wash will make clothes smell fresher Dishes - 1 teaspoon of lemon juice in dishwashing detergent will boost its grease cutting power Chopping Boards - Rub lemon juice on wooden chopping board, leave overnight, rinse Glass and Mirrors - 4 tablespoons lemon juice mixed with half a gallon of water makes an

  350.org For first time in history we are all facing a global crisis triggered by climate change. There is no bigger emergency! In the last few years we have all observed or experienced the devastating effects of climate change such as killer floods, drought-producing famine, rising sea levels, the acidification of our oceans, and polar caps melting at alarming rates. 350.org is a global grassroots movement to solve the climate crisis According to scientists, we must reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere from its current level of 392 parts per million to below 350 ppm 350 ppm is the safe limit of CO2 that should be in the atmosphere 350.org strives to lower the parts per million of CO2 to below 350 ppm Over 350 ppm of CO2 have devastating effects on the human population, for example: Glaciers are melting and disappearing fast, these glaciers are a source of drinking water for hundreds of millions of people Mosquitoes are attract

WHAT IS THE MOST NUTRIENT RICH TREE IN THE WORLD? Most people guess some kind of fruit tree. The tree part is correct but it is NOT a fruit tree at all!  It is the MORINGA OLEIFERA TREE! It also goes by the following names - drumstick miracle tree ben oil or the horseradish tree.                                                                                                 Moringa has been used for centuries due to its medicinal properties and health benefits. Moringa contains many healthful compounds such as: vitamin A,  vitamin B1 (thiamine)   B2 (riboflavin)  B3 (niacin)   B-olatem ascorbic acid (vitamin C) calcium,  potassium,  iron,  magnesium,  phosphorus,  protein amino acids, and zinc.   The leaves have 7 times more V itamin C than oranges.   15 times more potassium than bananas. SPECIFIC  BENEFITS                                                                           

  + Bleeding Hydrellum (Bleeding Tooth  Fungus  Recently, on a guided tout at Springwanre Park North od Barrie, Ontario we came upon the a dozen or so mushrooms under some coniferous trees.  I had never seen mushroom that looked so unusual and wanted to learn more. Below is what I doscovered about this ver unusual fungus.  The adult mushroom is beige and rather dull in appearance. When young and actively growing, however, this whitish  mushroom appears to bleed from its pores, inspiring some of  its colo u rful names including Devil’s Tooth. Bleeding Hydrellium is found in forested regions, not only in  North America but also Iran, South Korea, and Europe . This gooey red liquid is actually a sap of sorts caused by a  process called guttation. When the soil surrounding the fungus' root system becomes very wet, it may force water into the roots through the process of osmosis. This creates pressure throughout the organism, which eventually builds up enough to force liquid