The case for re-naming the human race It is time the human race had a new name. The old one, Homo sapiens – wise or thinking man – has been around since 1758 and is no longer a fitting description for the creature we have become. When the Swedish father of taxonomy Carl Linnaeus first bestowed iti , humanity no doubt seemed wise when compared with what scientists of the day knew about both humans and other animals. In a letter to the scientific journal Nature (476, p282, 18 August 2011) I have proposed there should be a worldwide discussion about the formal reclassification of humanity, involving both scientists and the public. Humans are presently engaged in the greatest act of extermination of other species by a single species, probably since life on Earth began. We currently contaminate the atmosphere with 30 billion tonnes of carbon equivalent a yeariii. Humans invest $1.6 trillion a year in new weaponsxv – but only $50 billion a year in better ways to produce food. Julian Cribb is a science writer. References
Vinegar Tips - Vinegar uses for your Garden White distilled vinegar provides many safe alternatives to protect and enhance your garden and gardening tools. Not only will you feel good about keeping children and pets (and you!) away from pesticides and other chemicals, you’ll feel great about the low cost of vinegar compared to those other products. Kill weeds and grass growing in unwanted places by pouring full-strength white distilled vinegar on them. Give acid-loving plants like azaleas, rhododendrons, hydrangeas and gardenias a little help by watering them with a white distilled vinegar solution now and again. Stop ants from congregating by pouring white distilled vinegar on the area. Discourage cats from getting into the kids’ sandbox with white distilled vinegar. Preserve cut flowers and liven droopy ones by adding 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar and 1 teaspoon sugar to a quart of water in a vase. Clean a birdbath by scrubbing it often with undiluted white distilled vinegar. Keep rabbits from eating your plants.
Shampoo Recipe - Make Your Own Shampoo - Natural Shampoo "If you want to gather honey, don't kick over the beehive."~ Dale Carnegie We all have hair -- some more, some less. (Some of us even have it where we don't want it!) Fine, medium, coarse, light blonde, copper-brown, honey-red, ginger-twist, sun-kissed, winter wheat or ash -- no matter, it's all hair. I actually have a lot of nerve writing anything about hair. What I can write about with authority, though, is that daily care with wholesome products can help keep your hair -- if you've got it -- strong and strikingly beautiful. Now once you've made your selection and finally commence the act of shampooing, remember to always massage your scalp slowly but thoroughly with your fingertips, to vigorously stimulate the circulation of blood on the skin wrapping around your skull. I know, I know, you're automatically saying to yourself, "rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat" because every commercially produced shampoo bottle has brainwashed us to do this.
Zero Carbon House, Shetland > Home Gel Air Freshener Very simple to make and very, very cheap! Perfect for bathrooms or closets. Will last around a month. The instructions for this will depend on the type of gelatin or pectin you use. What you'll need: plain, unflavored gelatin or pectin water for preparing gelatin food coloring (optional, just for added flair) essential oils small glass jars or bowls (I filled three with 2 cups of finished gelatin) 1 tablespoon salt (prevents mold) To make this, place 1-2 drops of food coloring in each of your glass jars or bowls, and then prepare the gelatin according to the package directions, adding the salt during boiling. Check the strength of the smell at this time and add more oil if necessary. This will firm up at room temperature, but if you want it to set quicker you can place it in the fridge. I've got two of these in my closet right now, as well as one in the bathroom.
Setting Up a New Worm Bin In my last post I discussed dumping out my ‘Coffee Cup Challenge” bin due to excess moisture levels in the bottom of the bin. That same day I started preparing the empty bin for my next round of worm composting As always, I started the process by focusing on bedding. My favourite type of cardboard for worm bins is the kind used for egg cartons and drink holders (from fast food restaurants and coffee shops), but I also like to mix things up a little and add a variety of different cardboard/paper types. Next, I added some food waste. For good measure I decided to spray down the upper layer of cardboard with water. I then simply closed up the bin and left it to sit for a full week. Truth be told, the only reason I ended up deciding to add new worms when I did was because I needed to harvest some vermicompost from my other small bin for a plant growth experiment I’ve started (Terracycle Challenge – more details soon). I was amazed by how well it worked!
How to make your own apothecary, make a super simple linen spray, and feel like a wizard As a little girl I mixed up shampoos and lotions in my laboratory, trying to improve on the toiletries we had. I never came up with anything worth mentioning, but I did once get scolded for spilling my mom's shampoo all over the bathroom rug. A friend of mine told me about the "laboratory" she'd had at age 12, in which she created, among other things, the cure for AIDs. You probably won't cure any diseases with your apothecary, but you will scratch that youthful itch to create something useful out of ordinary ingredients. narfmore I'll get your mad scientist career started with a list of ingredients to start a home apothecary, with which you'll be able to make herbal teas, salves, syrups, tinctures, eye pillows, and infused oils. Starter herbs and their properties You can find these herbs online or in stores with large bulk herb selections. So, oils. Starter oils Most essential oils aren't cheap, but a little goes a long way. AND! Storage Lavender Mint Room Spray & Linen Mist Ingredients
Daily Danny - Green Living Expert Danny Seo’s eco-friendly and crafty ideas for everyday living. 10-Year-Old Writes & Sings Beautiful Song Opposed to Oil-Ruined Waters Activism Published on November 15th, 2011 | by Zachary Shahan This girl has a future! Beautiful song and message! And she’s 10!! I don’t know how I didn’t hear about this when it was created. “10 year old Ta’Kaiya Blaney is Sliammon First Nation from B.C., Canada. And from yes! Ten-year-old Ta’Kaiya Blaney stood outside Enbridge Northern Gateway’s office on July 6, waiting for officials to grant her access to the building. What an inspirational girl and song. Tags: activism, activists, Calgary, Canada, child activism, child activists, Enbridge, greenpeace, oil activism, oil pipeline, oil pipeline activism, oil pipeline canada, oil pipeline opposition, oil sands pipeline, quickies, shallow waters, tar sands oil pipeline, Ta’Kaiya Blaney About the Author Zachary Shahan is the director of CleanTechnica, the most popular cleantech-focused website in the world, and Planetsave, a world-leading green and science news site.
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