JAPANESE BOY TEACHES LESSON IN SACRIFICE

A friend shared with me the following news article (ShanghaiDaily.com on 24/3/2011) about this 9-year old Japanese boy and what he did which made me want to reach out and give him a BIG, WARM HUG!

Please read and then allow yourself a moment of silence before sending out a message of love and compassion to all the victims of the recent unfortunate earthquake/tsunami...
Source of article: http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?id=467066&type=Opinion

EDITOR'S note:
THIS letter, written by Vietnamese immigrant Ha Minh Thanh working in Fukushima as a policeman to a friend in Vietnam, was posted on New America Media on March 19. It is a testimonial to the strength of the Japanese spirit, and an interesting slice of life near the epicenter of Japan's crisis at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. It was translated by NAM editor Andrew Lam, author of "East Eats West: Writing in Two Hemispheres." Shanghai Daily condensed it.

Brother,

How are you and your family? These last few days, everything was in chaos. When I close my eyes, I see dead bodies. When I open my eyes, I also see dead bodies.

Each one of us must work 20 hours a day, yet I wish there were 48 hours in the day, so that we could continue helping and rescuing folks.

We are without water and electricity, and food rations are near zero. We barely manage to move refugees before there are new orders to move them elsewhere.

I am currently in Fukushima, about 25 kilometers away from the nuclear power plant. I have so much to tell you that if I could write it all down, it would surely turn into a novel about human relationships and behaviors during times of crisis.

People here remain calm - their sense of dignity and proper behavior are very good - so things aren't as bad as they could be. But given another week, I can't guarantee that things won't get to a point where we can no longer provide proper protection and order.

They are humans after all, and when hunger and thirst override dignity, well, they will do whatever they have to do. The government is trying to provide supplies by air, bringing in food and medicine, but it's like dropping a little salt into the ocean.

Brother, there was a really moving incident. It involves a little Japanese boy who taught an adult like me a lesson on how to behave like a human being.

Last night, I was sent to a little grammar school to help a charity organization distribute food to the refugees. It was a long line that snaked this way and that and I saw a little boy around 9 years old. He was wearing a T-shirt and a pair of shorts.

It was getting very cold and the boy was at the very end of the line. I was worried that by the time his turn came there wouldn't be any food left. So I spoke to him. He said he was at school when the earthquake happened. His father worked nearby and was driving to the school. The boy was on the third floor balcony when he saw the tsunami sweep his father's car away.

I asked him about his mother. He said his house is right by the beach and that his mother and little sister probably didn't make it. He turned his head and wiped his tears when I asked about his relatives.

The boy was shivering so I took off my police jacket and put it on him. That's when my bag of food ration fell out. I picked it up and gave it to him. "When it comes to your turn, they might run out of food. So here's my portion. I already ate. Why don't you eat it?"

The boy took my food and bowed. I thought he would eat it right away, but he didn't. He took the bag of food, went up to where the line ended and put it where all the food was waiting to be distributed.

I was shocked. I asked him why he didn't eat it and instead added it to the food pile. He answered: "Because I see a lot more people hungrier than I am. If I put it there, then they will distribute the food equally."

When I heard that I turned away so that people wouldn't see me cry.

A society that can produce a 9-year-old who understands the concept of sacrifice for the greater good must be a great society, a great people.

Well, a few lines to send you and your family my warm wishes. The hours of my shift have begun again.

Ha Minh Thanh

7 Pros and Cons of Drinking Coffee ....

I like this post by SAMANTHA (@ care2.com) which gives a fair view to the effects to drinking of coffee. Have a read and remember that MODERATION is the key to everything we do. Enjoy your cuppa!

P>S> The following article is selected from Planet Green and originally written by Sarah Novak.

Source: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/7-coffee-pros-cons.html

Before I moved to South Carolina from Washington D.C., I used to enjoy a sizable Starbucks coffee each morning on my way to work. I started my day like the Tasmanian Devil, flying around my office like a child jacked up on sweet tarts. So after I moved south and my life began to slow down a bit, I gradually downgraded my caffeine intake. And just a few years later, I still enjoy a delicious cup o’ Joe, but today it’s the decaffeinated, organic, fair trade variety. It’s a pleasant morning ritual too painful to part with. But is coffee good for your health? Similar to alcohol, the studies seem to seesaw back and forth.

So when you’re considering your morning coffee, here are some health facts to keep in mind:


THE GOOD

1. Coffee Reduces Your Risk of Diabetes
In a 2005 review of nine studies, researchers found that for those that drank four to six cups of coffee per day, versus only two or fewer, their risk for Type 2 diabetes decreased by almost 30 percent. The number decreased by 35 percent when people drank more than six cups per day. And if you’re picturing yourself running around the office with your eyes bugging out of your head, no worries because caffeinated and decaffeinated coffees provided much the same results.


2. Coffee Fights Free Radicals
We often forget that coffee is actually a plant and like all plant foods, the coffee bean contains more than 1,000 naturally occurring substances called phytochemicals, which may help prevent disease. Many of these phytochemicals are antioxidants which protect the cells from damage from free radicals.

3. Coffee Improves Memory and Cognition
Researchers reported that volunteers who drank caffeinated coffee in the morning performed better than nondrinkers on tests that involved learning new information. Coffee can also improve cognitive function as we age. One study found that combining coffee with a sweet treat had an even bigger impact.

According to study researcher Josep M. Serra Grabulosa, from the Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychobiology at Universidad de Barcelona:

Our main finding is that the combination of the two substances improves cognitive performance in terms of sustained attention and working memory by increasing the efficiency of the areas of the brain responsible for these two functions. This supports the idea of a synergistic effect between two substances, in which each one boosts the effect of the other.


THE BAD

4. Coffee Can Increase Osteoporosis
It’s true that coffee can cause the body to excrete calcium in urine. We don’t want the body to rid itself of calcium because this can lead to osteoporosis. According to The Diet Channel, about five milligrams of calcium is lost per every six ounces of coffee consumed. But these calcium losses can be counter balanced with two tablespoons of milk or yogurt per cup of coffee.

5. Coffee Causes Wrinkles
Even though coffee has antioxidants, if you drink too much of it, it can cause wrinkling of the skin. This is a result of dehydration which is the worst thing for your skin. So when you’re drinking that morning cup or two, make sure that you’re pairing it with water. Even better, add 1 tablespoon of chia seeds to your water and let them sit for 30 minutes. The chia seeds keep you even more hydrated than regular water.

6. Coffee Can Actually Cause Weight Gain
The blood sugar fluctuations that a caffeine high produces can contribute enormously to cravings, according to iVillage. Coffee is also socially connected to food. For example, we pair coffee with dessert or that morning powdered doughnut. Additionally, when we crash from our caffeine high that’s when we reach for all sorts of fatty snacks to keep us going.

7. Conventional Coffee Is Laden with Pesticides
The coffee plant is one of the most heavily sprayed crops. It’s coated with chemicals, pesticides, and herbicides, nothing you’d want to be ingesting. If you do drink coffee, make sure that it’s the organic variety, free from assorted chemicals that leech into our ground water and can make us sick down the road.

If you switch to decaffeinated coffee, make sure the caffeine is removed in a natural way without the use of chemicals to do it. Often times, conventional decaffeinated coffee has more chemicals that regular.

FOR FURTHER READING :
CAFFEINE : Myths and Facts
(http://www.care2.com/greenliving/caffeine-myths-and-facts.html

COFFEE : To quit or Not to quit
(http://www.care2.com/greenliving/wake-up-and-smell-the-coffee.html)

8 Reasons to Drink Coffee
(http://www.care2.com/greenliving/reasons-to-drink-coffee.html)

Great News for WHALES ???

The following recent post by JAKE RICHARDSON (@Care2.com dated 29th Mar, 2011) takes a look at how a shift from an old traditional way of life may allow man and animal to co-exist in peace and harmony. Let's all pray and hope that man will leave our animal co-inhabitants alone to enjoy their right to live in their respective and natural environment ... ... ...

Source: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/whaling-in-japan-dealt-another-blow.html

Whaling in Japan Dealt Another Blow

Ayukawahama is a small whaling and fishing village located about 200 miles north of Tokyo. It was hit by the tsunami and experienced tremendous destruction, so much that it currently can no longer function as a whaling center. Ayukawa Whaling is the only whaling company left in the village of 1,400 but the tsunami moved their three whale hunting ships miles down the coast and left them grounded. There is currently no quick way to get them back in the water and functioning. Their whale meat processing factory was destroyed, as were their offices. The company’s chairman had to lay off all 28 employees. He wants to rebuild the company in time for the fall whaling hunt, but admitted it was unlikely to happen. Of course they will miss the April hunt, when they would have been able to take 50 minke whales which is allowed for “research” purposes, but eating whale-meat stew could hardly be called a scientific experiment.

The company can’t afford to move their hunting ships from their grounded locations to water without financial aid from the government. The whaling company’s chairman who is 74 said, “If we can fix the ships, then we’re back in business and should not be afraid, because another tsunami like that won’t come for another 100 years.” (Source: Staradvertiser.com) His father was a whaler, so it must be very difficult to let go of a business that has been in the family for decades, and is so interwoven into the local culture. Of course, in 100 years the village may not even exist any more because many of the residents are old, and may not live even thirty years. Whaling has been declining in Japan due to shifting cultural attitudes, meaning the young people are not nearly as interested in eating whale meat.

The government has been propping up the whaling industry there, and even giving free whale meat to school children to promote it. In January a similar whale meat promotion also did not fare well. They tried to sell meat from Minke whales, humpback whales, and sperm whales at half price. Also free whale meat stew was given away, but it mainly drew interest from about 100 seniors.

One of the Japanese whaling defenders said, “We will pass down the history of our ancestors to the next generation, preserve it. We have a strong sense of pride about this. So we are not going to change our plans for the town based on the criticism of foreigners.” (Source: weirdasiannews.com)

Some Japanese men go to the extent of dressing in red loincloths and chasing a mechanized whale for an annual whale festival. Most of the sentiment regarding a revival of whaling in the tiny town is coming from older males who are at retirement age, or are already retired.

While the disaster in Japan is tragic, and the loss of much of the whaling village is also, it must be said that many whales are now better off, as they won’t die to continue an absurdly out of touch and very destructive, pointless tradition.

Recently anti-whaling activists foiled a big Japanese whaling hunt and saved the lives of many whales. Will the whaling industry in Japan ever finally die out? It is looking more that way today.

WHAT NOT TO PUT DOWN YOUR DRAIN

The following post by Melissa Beyer (@ Care2.com on March 10, 2011) should alert us to how we can further help save the environment no matter which part of the world you happened to be. HELP SAVE OUR PLANET !!!

Our trash that goes in the can or recycling is waste we have no choice but to face. Whether it’s hauling the trash cans to the sidewalk, bringing recycling to a center–it’s a mass of garbage that we have to contend with. Liquid waste, on the other hand, simply gets rinsed down the drain and it’s “bye-bye never have to think about you again.” It’s a much more expedient process–one that’s hidden from the eyes of any sanitation departments–and one that can wreak waves of environmental chaos, not to mention what it can do to your pipes. We often don’t realize the harm we are doing by what we rinse down our kitchen sinks, bath and shower drains, and even what we flush down our toilets.

In a study published in 2002, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collected and analyzed water samples from 139 streams in 30 states. The goal of the study was to measure concentrations of 95 wastewater-related organic chemicals in water. And guess what? One or more of these chemicals were found in 80 percent of the streams sampled. Half of the streams contained seven or more of these chemicals, and about one-third of the streams contained 10 or more of these chemicals. Pharmaceutical and personal-care products are to blame for many of the chemicals found in the USGS study. Research has shown that there can be effects on aquatic organisms like fish and frogs. Lesson here: don’t flush unwanted prescriptions and try to purchase all-natural personal care products.

But another area of concern is kitchen waste–namely fats, oils and greases which can not only clog pipes, but are terrible for sewage systems. According to the Watership Environment Foundation (WEF), sewer overflows and backups can cause health hazards, damage home interiors, and threaten the environment. An increasingly common cause of overflows is sewer pipes blocked by grease–this results in raw sewage overflowing in your home or your neighbor’s home; An expensive and unpleasant cleanup that often must be paid for by you, the homeowner; Raw sewage overflowing into parks, yards, and streets; Potential contact with disease-causing organisms; and an increase in operation and maintenance costs for local sewer departments, which causes higher sewer bills for customers.

Where does the grease that causes sewer overflows come from? Much of it from the kitchen sink.
Meat fats
Lard
Cooking oil
Shortening
Butter and margarine
Food scraps
Baking goods
Sauces
Dairy products

Grease sticks to the insides of sewer pipes (both on your property and in the streets). Over time, the grease can build up and block the entire pipe. Note that home garbage disposals do not keep grease out of the plumbing system. These units only shred solid material into smaller pieces and do not prevent grease from going down the drain. Commercial additives, including detergents, that claim to dissolve grease may pass grease down the line and cause problems in other areas.


WEF suggests these tips to alleviate pipe blockage and sewer overflows:
• Never pour grease down sink drains or into toilets.
• Scrape grease and food scraps from trays, plates, pots, pans, utensils, and grills and cooking surfaces into a can or the trash for disposal (or recycling where available).
• Do not put grease down garbage disposals. Put baskets/strainers in sink drains to catch food scraps and other solids, and empty the drain baskets/strainers into the trash for disposal.
• Speak with your friends and neighbors about the problem of grease in the sewer system and how to keep it out.
• Call your local sewer system authority if you have any questions.


Other things to never wash down your drain:
•Fats, oils or grease from cars or lawnmowers
•Coffee grinds
•Egg shells
•Produce stickers
•Chunks of garbage
•Feminine hygiene products
•Paper towels
•Flushable cat litter
•Rags
•Condoms
•Motor oil, transmission fluids, anti-freeze or other toxic chemicals
•Solvents, paints, turpentine, nail polish, polish remover
•Flammable or explosive substances
•Corrosive substances that are either acidic or caustic
•Prescription and over-the-counter medications

For more information on how to dispose of old medication and personal care products, read Medicine Cabinet Clean-Out.

Source:http://www.care2.com/greenliving/what-not-to-put-down-your-drain.html

BLOGGER'S NOTE : If you are making kitchen waste enzyme for use in your home, simply pouring it down your kitchen sink will help clean the drains/sewage too. Please read our previous postings on how to make the enzyme and its many environmental saving ways. A little effort from everyone will go a long, long way in helping to mitigate further damages to our planet.
Have a nice day!

FACTS ON CLIMATE CHANGE YOU NEED TO KNOW

It costs the world US$40 trillion to mitigate climate change by 2050.
A global shift to a no-meat diet would save 70% i.e. $28 trillion.
A global shift to an animal-free vegan diet would save more than 80%, $32 trillion

~ Netherlands Environmental Assessment


Meat eating:
Accounts for 70% of Amazon deforestation
Generates 51% of total Greenhouse gas emissions
Uses up 42% of world grain and 70% of world soy production
Largest source of pollution to our waterways
1 lb of beef uses water enough to shower for 6 months
Major cause of most common diseases

SOLUTION : Be Vegan, Go Green 2 Save the Planet!

UN Urges Global Move to a meat & dairy free diet

Lesser consumption of animal products is necessary to save the world from the worst impacts of climate change, UN report says.

A global shift towards a vegan diet is vital to save the world from hunger, fuel poverty and the worst impacts of climate change, a UN report said today.

As the global population surges towards a predicted 9.1 billion people by 2050, western tastes for diets rich in meat and dairy products are unsustainable, says the report from United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP) international panel of sustainable resource management.

It says: "Impacts from agriculture are expected to increase substantially due to population growth increasing consumption of animal products. Unlike fossil fuels, it is difficult to look for alternatives: people have to eat. A substantial reduction of impacts would only be possible with a substantial worldwide diet change, away from animal products."

Professor Edgar Hertwich, the lead author of the report, said: "Animal products cause more damage than [producing] construction minerals such as sand or cement, plastics or metals. Biomass and crops for animals are as damaging as [burning] fossil fuels."

The recommendation follows advice last year that a vegetarian diet was better for the planet from Lord Nicholas Stern, former adviser to the Labour government on the economics of climate change. Dr Rajendra Pachauri, chair of the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), has also urged people to observe one meat-free day a week to curb carbon emissions.

The panel of experts ranked products, resources, economic activities and transport according to their environmental impacts. Agriculture was on a par with fossil fuel consumption because both rise rapidly with increased economic growth, they said.

Ernst von Weizsaecker, an environmental scientist who co-chaired the panel, said: "Rising affluence is triggering a shift in diets towards meat and dairy products - livestock now consumes much of the world's crops and by inference a great deal of freshwater, fertilisers and pesticides."

Both energy and agriculture need to be "decoupled" from economic growth because environmental impacts rise roughly 80% with a doubling of income, the report found.

Achim Steiner, the UN under-secretary general and executive director of the UNEP, said: "Decoupling growth from environmental degradation is the number one challenge facing governments in a world of rising numbers of people, rising incomes, rising consumption demands and the persistent challenge of poverty alleviation."

The panel, which drew on numerous studies including the Millennium ecosystem assessment, cites the following pressures on the environment as priorities for governments around the world: climate change, habitat change, wasteful use of nitrogen and phosphorus in fertilisers, over-exploitation of fisheries, forests and other resources, invasive species, unsafe drinking water and sanitation, lead exposure, urban air pollution and occupational exposure to particulate matter.

Agriculture, particularly meat and dairy products, accounts for 70% of global freshwater consumption, 38% of the total land use and 19% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, says the report, which has been launched to coincide with UN World Environment day on Saturday.

Last year the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation said that food production would have to increase globally by 70% by 2050 to feed the world's surging population. The panel says that efficiency gains in agriculture will be overwhelmed by the expected population growth.

Prof Hertwich, who is also the director of the industrial ecology programme at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, said that developing countries – where much of this population growth will take place – must not follow the western world's pattern of increasing consumption: "Developing countries should not follow our model. But it's up to us to develop the technologies in, say, renewable energy or irrigation methods."

The above article by FELICITY CARUS appeared in the guardian.co.uk
Dated : 2 June 2010
Source:http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jun/02/un-report-meat-free-diet

5 Ways you can help JAPAN

We are all shocked whenever mother nature 'misbehaves' and unleashes her 'fury' on us. The most recent earthquake and subsequent tsunami that hit Japan is a devastating example of how helpless we are in the paths of such uncontrolled disasters....

Here are some ways we can offer help, no matter how small, to alleviate the sufferings and immediate needs of the victims.

Posted by : Emily L on Care2.com (12/3/2011)
Link: http://www.care2.com/causes/environment/blog/five-ways-you-can-help-japan/

More than 300 people are now confirmed dead after Thursday's devastating earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Japan. Police expect the death toll to rapidly climb to 1000 or more.

As shocked bystanders across the globe and in neighboring countries, many of us feel helpless with the sight of the photographs and want to do what we can to help. There are many organizations working to relieve Japan's citizens.

Here are five ways you can help the people of Japan from your own home:

1. Donate to IMC - International Medical Corps is mobilizing relief teams and supplies, as well as contacting partners in the area in order to deploy their most effective strategy. They are a group of medical professionals who provide vital health services with a focus on training in order to return devastated populations to self-sufficiency. You can donate online at www.internationalmedicalcorps.org.

2. Donate to Save the Children - Save the Children stands ready to meet the needs of children and families affected by these events. An international emergency team has been dispatched to assist staff in Japan. You can donate to their efforts online at www.savethechildren.org.

3. Donate money, supplies or air miles to Operation USA - Los Angeles-based international relief agency OpUSA is preparing for their efforts in Japan, and are asking for monetary donations from individuals. They are also requesting air miles through United Airlines Charity Miles program. If your employer would like to get involved, corporate donations of bulk quantities of disaster-appropriate supplies are also needed. Find out the ways you can donate at www.opusa.org.

4. Text a donation to the Red Cross - The Red Cross has launched their relief efforts in Japan. You can donate online, or text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10 from your phone.

5. Donate to Doctors Without Borders - Doctors Without Borders has two three-person teams in Japan attempting to get to the hardest hit areas by helicopter. Another 25 staff will respond once the situation has been assessed. You can find out how to donate by visiting their website :www.doctorswithoutborders.org.

Of course, you can always help by keeping up with what's going on and making sure your friends and loved ones in the area have up-to-date information. Google has a resource site that may provide answers to those in need.