Curbside Recycling is BACK New Orleans!

Unfortunately, my birthday was the day after the BP oil rig explosion. Even though I was soon to be devastated by the news of the worst environmental disaster in American history, especially since I had just moved to Louisiana from one of the most environmentally conscious cities in the United States, I was elated that day because I received a recycle bin. It felt like a birthday gift from the city! Curbside recycling had finally come back to New Orleans! It had been since Hurricane Katrina in 2005 that Curbside Recycling had been taken away from NOLA residents. Five years is too long for any city to be without proper recycling abilities. Yes, there was another local business that offered recycling while Curbside was on the city's budget and priority list hiatus, but only for an inconvenient price which did not include recycle bins or a weekly pickup schedule. Twice a month and no bins for the same price as my monthly electrical bill?? Being that I had recently given up my San Francisco status to become a New Orleanian, I could not understand why such a highly touristed American city would go so long without bringing free recycling back.., but I would rather not go on and on with my personal opinion and rant about why it took so long and how necessary it was to be able to recycle for free after this city had been so severely devastated by Mother Nature, so I will focus on the present solution and provide references and links so that New Orleans residents can easily sign up to receive their free bins and get back to making this beautiful gem of a city environmentally conscious. Philanthropy Now!! Not tomorrow!

CLICK HERE => TO SIGN UP FOR RECYCLE BINS IN NEW ORLEANS

CLICK HERE => FOR RECYCLING PICKUP SCHEDULE

CLICK HERE => FOR COLLECTION SCHEDULE MAP

To learn about Waste and Recycling Facts ::CLICK HERE::

Thank you for your time & Please help spread the word*

BP Gulf Coast Oil Spill: Environmental Disaster!!

On April 20, 2010 a catastrophic environmental disaster occurred. An oil rig that was drilling off the coast of Louisiana exploded, sadly killing 11 men working on it, but the harm done goes much further and deeper than the unfortunate loss of 11 men. Everyday the oil well is leaking nearly 210,000 gallons of crude oil into Gulf Coast waters. The disaster eclipses the Exxon Valdez spill in 1989, which killed over 250,000 Alaskan marine & land animals. Not only is it affecting marine wildlife, it is affecting thousands of people who's livelihoods depend on fishing and shrimping in the Gulf.

"The recent oil spill off the coast of Louisiana has an oil slick circumference estimated at more than 600 square miles, which could take several months and millions of dollars to clean up. It is dangerously close to reaching shore. Countless wildlife species are threatened.

Yet White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said there is no reason to abandon plans to expand offshore drilling.

The spill is an all-around environmental catastrophe, and even Gibbs himself admits that similar incidents are very likely to happen again. All this to tap a source we know is unsustainable.

America cannot succeed with offshore drilling. Besides continuing to deplete a finite resource, drilling is a dangerous and destructive process -- for people, animals, and the environment. Encourage President Obama to reconsider his plans for offshore drilling expansion, and to instead enforce stronger fuel efficiency standards and invest in clean energy sources -- reducing our need for oil in the first place." -Care2.com

To help prevent future offshore drilling ::PLEASE CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION::

To Support Audubon Society's Funding for Coastal Louisiana Restoration ::PLEASE CLICK HERE::

To Donate & Help Aid Oil Spill Clean Up ::PLEASE CLICK HERE::

To see a list of the animals endangered by the disaster ::CLICK HERE::

To Volunteer ::PLEASE CLICK HERE::

To read about alternative energy sources other than oil ::CLICK HERE::

As of now, 2013, a few of these links are now inactive, but you can check out some Oil Spill stats here ~> The Top 10 Largest Oil Spill List CLICK HERE

*~Life is a Precious & Fragile Gift~*

Yesterday, April 1, 2010, a very sweet friend of mine, Breanna Levine, made a serious and grave decision to take her own life. I have never experienced the emotions of losing a dear friend to suicide before. It was similar to experiencing a strong earthquake, completely unpredictable and extremely traumatizing. But when I think about it, was it that unpredictable? How exactly does anyone know when their loved ones are crying for help? How can you identify a friend's deep depression? If you or anyone you know is extremely depressed please go to this Suicide Prevention Link to find out information on how you can help someone who is in need of a friend. Many times no one even suspects their friend's secret sorrow. Many times no one hears their cries for help. It is soooo important to be available to our loved ones, and to listen to each others' spoken and unspoken words.

To learn about Suicide Prevention and the Statistics in the U.S.
::CLICK HERE::

To donate to Breanna LeVine's Memorial Services ::PLEASE CLICK HERE::

Help Raise The Awareness To "Rise Above Plastics"

as found on RiseAbovePlastics.org

"Each year over 500 billion plastic bags are consumed worldwide - only a tiny fraction of which are ever recycled.

What makes these bags such an environmental nightmare?

For starters these bags are made of thin sheets of high density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic. This material makes the bags exceptionally light and exceptionally strong. While these attributes are ideal in terms of this being a distributable product, it also means that these bags can easily be carried off in the wind or flushed down storm drains - in some cases for hundreds of miles. It also means that the bags do not biodegrade - or breakdown into organic compounds within the environment. Instead, these bags go through a process called photodegradation; which means that they break down under the sun's ultraviolet light into smaller and smaller pieces of plastic. These small pieces of plastic remain in the environment, where they pose a threat to animals and birds that often mistake them for food.

While the majority of these bags are given out for free, they are not without their costs."....

"The best way to reduce your plastic footprint is to practice the three 'R's' -Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.

When and wherever possible, people should work to reduce the amount of plastic - especially single use of plastic - that they use. This can be as simple as bringing out own re-usable grocery bag with you to the market instead of using those milky white plastic bags that most markets typically use."

Here are 6 easy ways to help reduce your "Plastic Footprint and help keep Plastics out of our Marine Environment":

brought to me and you by RiseAbovePlastic.org

1. Stop using bottled water. I mean really.. in most cases it is not safer or healthier than the water coming out of you tap.. and costs 3 times as much as gasoline and about 1000 times as much as tap water.

2. End the "paper or plastic?" debate once and for all by bringing your own re-usable grocery bags with you whenever you go to the store.

3. Use a refillable dispenser for your hand soap and dishwashing liquid - then buy your soap or detergent in bulk.

4. Stop using plastic sandwich bags. Buy a re-usable sandwich box instead.

5. Bring your own "to-go" mug with you to the coffee shop- it's a great way to reduce the number of paper cups and plastic lids given out.

6. Go digital! No need for plastic CD's and jewel cases when you buy your music and videos online." (also go Paperless online when paying bills)

TO READ MORE about the detrimental effect of PLASTIC !!CLICK HERE!!

TO TAKE ACTION and take a Pledge against Plastic !!::CLICK HERE::!!

THANK YOU! ~*

HAITI NEEDS HELP & HOPE

Today, January 12, 2010, Haiti was hit by an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the richter scale. The epicenter was located just 15 km away from Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince. Less than one hour later another earthquake measuring 5.9 hit the same fault line. Four hours later another earthquake measuring 5.7 further devastated the island. Haiti was still recovering from Hurricane Ike that hit in late 2008. Now Haiti is utterly and completely devastated!! Tens of thousands are left homeless and thousands of people are either missing or believed to be dead.

Many third world countries that are hit by natural disasters are left in peril, but being that Haiti is an extremely poor island that has minimal tourism, it is extremely important to aid the Haitians with any monetary help. Every little bit counts, and those little bits add up and can help save a life, rebuild a school for orphaned children or help rebuild a fallen hospital.

To DONATE to LEGITIMATE SOURCES that will make sure your money is sent to AID Haiti ::CLICK HERE for MERCY CORPS::
and ::CLICK HERE:: to help Father Bien-Aime's orphanage, Children of the House of Lack, that was completely destroyed.

To read more about the earthquake in Haiti ::CLICK HERE::

To learn how to be prepared for an Earthquake ::CLICK HERE::

Thank You for caring about Humanity*