Bringing Them Back - Javan Rhinos

When the world is out of balance, we all suffer. We may not know how today or tomorrow, but there will come a time when we will say, "Remember when.." There will come a time when a photograph is all that is left to share with our children of the wonders that are the world.


My heart always sinks when I see animals that I learned about as a child show up with the words "critically endangered" attached to them. Worse yet are when the word they are labeled with is "extinct". To think that our behaviors have totally annihilated an entire species rips me apart.

Today it was the Javan Rhino that crossed my desk. There are less than forty of these wonderful creatures left in the world. This is what gives them their critically endangered status. Although the video is slow and boring, and there is nothing to really "awwwwww" at, it is wonderfully exciting! Over the last decade (ten years), only twelve Javan Rhino births have been recorded. With so few births, it is hard for any species to recover it's numbers. A natural disaster, of which we have had plenty in the last years, could easily wipe out so few a number.

WWF (World Wildlife Federation) was able to capture some footage during November and December of 2010.

This video is actually spliced to show just the rhinos with their calves, and not the months of time between. What we are left with is video footage of two Javan Rhinos with their individual calves. That is two different babies you are seeing! What exciting news!

This wonderful footage was captured by camera traps in Ujung Kulon National Park, which is located on the southern-most tip of the island of Java, an Indonesian island. It is thought that the last real hope for the survival of this species is in this National Park.

Even within the safe boundaries of the Ujong Kulon National Park, the Javan Rhinos are threatened by poachers. Rhino horn is rumored to be a cure for several diseases, and these mammals are killed just for their horns. Aside from that, they are susceptible to disease that standard cattle being brought to the island carry. There is also nature to contend with. Tsunamis and volcanic eruptions could wipe out the National Park at any time, and all the life it holds with it.

What can we do? Learn. By just being aware of the plight of endangered animals, there is more hope than there was before. Don't let any of the Earth's wonderful animals slide off into oblivion because no one cared. In learning about them, you will learn things like not to buy rhino horn. You may even run across an opportunity to take a specific action that will help them. It might be a simple as a donation to help the park they live in, signing a petition to protect them, or simply telling your kids or friends about them.

Find out more about Javan Rhino at World Wildlife Federation.

You never know what small action you will take that really will make a difference.

If this seems familiar, you might be thinking of my similar article at RedGage.com.

Things You Wish You Didn't Know - Air Fresheners

It sometimes amazes me that so many people don't know how bad for your health air fresheners are. It is something that just makes sense to me. Even natural scents can affect people. I remember as a child sitting in church with my mother, and having her say, "That perfume is going to make me sneeze. Let's find a new seat."  For my children it is a similar experience in every grocery store. As they put it, "Hold your nose and run past the cleaning and laundry aisles. That's where the smelly stuff is."

Air fresheners bring fresh scents into our houses and get rid of the bad smells.. right? Air fresheners can be be plugged into outlets to release their good frangrance continually. Air fresheners are safe to use around children and pets. 

Are you ready to hear the truth?

Here are a few facts you may not have known before.

1. Air fresheners do not freshen the air, nor do they remove odors. They only mask odors, by using a synthetic fragrance or by interfering with your ability to smell by coating your nasal passages with an oil film or releasing a nerve-deadening agent. In some rare cases, air freshening products will actually break down the offensive odor. 
2. Known toxic chemicals that can be found in air fresheners include camphor, phenol, ethanol, formaldehyde, and artificial fragrances can cause symptoms like headaches, rashes, dizziness, migraines, asthma attacks, mental confusion, coughing and more. 
3. Some of the substances in air fresheners are linked to cancer or hormone disruption. A study published on July 10, 2010, in Environmental Health found that women who used more household cleaning products, including air fresheners and mold removers, had a 2x higher risk of breast cancer. 
4. Many aerosol air fresheners contain toxic phthalates, which have been linked to birth defects and reproductive harm, as well as atypical behaviors in children.

Personally, they make me sneeze, swell up, give me a headache, and my throat closes off after prolonged exposure. My son, on the other hand, becomes violently angry for no reason. My other children react in similar ways. And we are not alone in our reactions. 

There are better things that you can use to actually freshen the air around you, as well as to actually get rid of odors.

My list:

1. open a window or two
2. simmer some herbs on the stovetop
3. salt lamps
4. open the shades and let the sun shine in
5. natural Masala method incense
6. Sunshine!

Please feel free to add to my list in the comments!

If this looks familiar, you may have seen my similar article at RedGage.com.

Creating Risks Decades From Now - Childhood Obesity

Anyone who knows myself or my children, or has seen photos of us may wonder why this would be a topic I would be so interested in. We are all of a slender build, and fairly healthy. Even so, childhood obesity is a subject that has touched us greatly. We have had several friends over the years that had to deal with this issue. Since we are thin, it seems that we are always being asked questions of what we do to stay thin. Honestly, I am not sure what we do differently, and is a reason why I am so interested in health and nutrition. 

Childhood obesity is something that touches so many people these days. Living in the US, I have seen the effects of it such as clothing sizes changing to accommodate larger children, and car seats sizes increasing. Earlier this year I saw a television program on the BBC America citing childhood obesity leading to such problems there as children not being able to find school uniforms that would fit them. Clearly this is becoming a problem that is spreading throughout the world.

As reported in the Canada Standard, recent studies are discovering that childhood obesity will lead to more costly problems later as adults. The Medical Research Council did a study involving 499 healthy six year olds. Their study revealed that they had an overall larger bone structure than has been seen in the past. This larger bone structure was further tested and revealed to have a lower bone density than normal due to not getting enough of the necessary minerals to make the larger bones as strong. 

As most of our bone mass is developed in childhood, and childhood bone density and strength directly affects bone strength later in life, this can lead to possible problems as adults. Some of the things they will be at risk for as the age are bone fractures, hip problems, and osteoporosis. 

Although children seem to have limitless energy, it is becoming increasingly clear that teaching them healthy eating, sleeping, and exercising habits when they are young is critical to their overall health as adults. It is never too late in life to make changes to improve your health, but wouldn't it be wonderful to give the gift of good health to our children, rather that the problems of "age related disease"?

If you think you remember reading this before, you may have seen my similar article at RedGage.com

Underwater Noise Pollution? Something I Didn't Know Before

One thing I love about my Twitter feed, is how many interesting stories get brought to my attention every single day. This was one that totally took me by surprise. I have to admit that there really are things that I have never thought of before! This is the best part of Life Learning; you never outgrow it! Brain research shows that when you stop using your brain, the connections begin to fade. To this end, I love sharing my discoveries with you, my fantastic readers!

Now on to today's story:

Anyone who lives in a city can tell you about noise pollution. It is an everyday occurrence that we simply learn to live with.. or sometimes, move away from. The sirens of emergency vehicles, road construction noises, the neighbor's stereo or television, even lawn mowers and weed whackers are creating enough to elicit complaints and cause hearing problems. Heck, my vacuum cleaner, blender, and washing machine create quite a bit of indoor noise pollution!

We all know that loud noises scare animals. Every Fourth of July in the US, thousands of cats and dogs hide and whimper in corners. The gerbils and hamsters all bury themselves. A loud clap will get the cat off the counter, and can a dog in it's tracks. These and plenty of other loud noises affect plenty of people of all ages too. Think of how many babies you hear crying at any fireworks display, or the last time you drove past road construction with your windows down.

Have you ever considered how much noise we make underwater? Studies have previously been done that showed that simple sonar was disturbing mammals like dolphins and whales, and even causing them to go deaf. Now a new study is showing just how bad that underwater noise pollution is, and what kind of damage it is causing. This time it was the cephalopods that were studied. The octopi and squid studied were noticed to show immediate physical damage upon exposure to average noise levels in areas where offshore activities were common or continuous. These physical damages even included lesions, and worsened with time.

Most disturbing about this study, is that it was shown that the noise pollution we are creating underwater could have such profound damage as to affect the cephalopods ability to avoid prey, to hunt for food, and to reproduce. Our noise pollution could literally drive species to extinction. I would say that our noise pollution is at an extreme, and we should be concerned with doing something about it. Unfortunately, since the offshore activities include such things as drilling for oil and shipping, I don't see it being something that will happen any time soon.

The only way that change is ever brought about is when enough people know about it to make a difference. You may only be one person, but imagine what can happen if you told someone else about it.


If this looks familiar, it may be that you may remember reading my similar article on RedGage.com.

2 Schools Ban Lunches Brought From Home

There are days when reading through headlines sparks an interest in reading further, there are days when no headline catches my eye, and then there are days when the story catches my heart and deserves no less than to be told again through my eyes. This is what I bring you today..


It is amazing how far some schools are willing to go in an effort to control what their students are eating during school hours. I found news articles of two different schools across the country from each other putting different restrictions on their students lunches today. One is a low income neighborhood public school in Chicago, IL that is concerned with the obesity rise in children in low income families. The other is what is known as a public charter school in Tucson, AZ.

School One:
The school in Chicago has actually banned lunches brought in from home. Their students are required to either purchase and eat the school cafeteria lunch, or go hungry. The school is trying to provide well balanced, nutritious meals that are low in sugar. Unfortunately, it seems that the students are unhappy with the taste and quality of the lunches served. Looking back on my own elementary school days, I can hardly blame them! It seems to me that gray mush, whatever name they give it, is either too spicy or flavorless.. and either way not particularly edible! The other aspect to this restriction, is that now the parents are forced to come up with the extra $2.25 a day if their children don't qualify for the federally funded reduced lunch or free lunch programs.

I applaud this school in it's dedication to it's students' health and weight. But is this really the best way to go about it? It seems to me while this may (or may not ) help a majority of the students, it is an ill fitting solution to the entire problem. I wish I had a better idea to suggest. While some children are missing their lovingly cut into shapes homemade sandwich lunches put together by a family member concerned with the child's health and happiness, other children are grateful that the school lunches are provided and it may be the most nutritious food they eat all day.

School Two:
The School in Tucson takes a different course of action. This school has no cafeteria, and the students must bring in their own lunches. In their guidelines you will read, before ever applying to the school, that there are certain foods that they restrict from being brought into the school. Among the offending foods not allowed are white bread (or anything made with white flour), fruit packed in syrup, items containing white sugar, corn syrup, fructose, or anything ending in "-ose", processed foods, and flavored chips or crackers. While this may seem to some to be a very restrictive list, it is very close to what my house already follows. If offending foods are seen in the school, they are confiscated. Usually a note explaining why is sent home, and the school keeps on hand emergency good food of whole wheat bread, peanut butter, and honey. Although the parent's may initially complain about the restrictions, the behavior changes they see in their children's school performance and over all behavior soon has their whole hearted compliance.


Two different schools, across the country from each, each concerned with bettering their students' health and well being. They are finding very different ways of handling things though. Whether or not we agree with any part of their practices, I have to give Kudos to both for the efforts they are making!

You will find this article quite similar to the one I posted at RedGage.com a couple of days ago.

Studies Show Chemicals Bad For Boys' Development

I feel this is important enough that I want to reach the most people possible. my apologies if you already red this at RedGage. Those who have been reading my blog for a while know that I strive to bring about a safe environment for my own children daily. And my commitment to the rest of the world is no less. There are wonderful things that certain chemicals have done for us, but what is the hidden price for these conveniences? Is that price really worth it?
What you ultimately decide to do is up to you, as it should be. I only strive to bring you the information to make a wise decision with. More of the truth.. I offer you the red pill..should you wish to continue.

Numerous studies are bringing to light how bad chemicals actually are for humans, as well as animals and the environment. In the latest round, the links between chemicals and boys' developmental concerns are cited. Here are a few interesting things you may not have known about before.

Pesticides
In a study that was released in 2010, researchers at the University of California-Berkeley made disturbing findings about a widely and heavily used herbicide, atrazine. Atrazine is known to contaminate the tap water of millions of Americans. Atrazine chemically castrated some male frogs and made others actually change gender, switching from males to females that were able to breed and lay eggs.

Plant Estrogens
As reported in the New England Journal of Medicine, in 2007, doctors described three boys who had developed temporary breast enlargement. This was said to be cause by their use of shampoos containing tea tree oil or lavender. These are both known to contain plant estrogens.

Phthalates
At the University of Rochester Medical Center, research by Shanna Swan indicates that baby boys exposed to the high levels of phthlates are at greater risk of anatomical changes, such as undescended testes.

BPA
In a study published in 2010, 514 Chinese workers were tested. Researchers found that men with high levels of BPA, or bis-phenol A, in their urine and semen were more likely to have poor semen quality, fewer live sperms, as well as fewer sperm overall. In addition, their sperm had more problems swimming.
The same researchers had also linked higher BPA levels with sexual functioning problems, such as impotence or low libido, in earlier studies.

Perhaps it is time that we realized that intensive research, rather than quick market release is needed for chemical products.

Free Speech Needs To Be Protected So We Don't Lose It

Free speech should be determined by the individual.

 Anything less than that is no longer free speech!

The House just voted and passed the Resolution of Disapproval. Yesterday the House voted to block the FCC from protecting our rights to access an open internet. The ending result of these things passing through congress is that our ability to go to websites will be controlled and RESTRICTED by the phone companies and cable companies providing our access to the internet. And, we would be paying our monthly fee like normal for them to do so! Ridiculous!

In this day and age when we can get access to everything around the world online, when we can connect with people we may never have a chance to meet and learn about them and their societies, when we are able to publish our thoughts on any matter (as I am doing now!), it seems ridiculous to me that our government may be handing big businesses the right to RESTRICT what we can see and say online.

This would seem to infringe on our basic right to free speech and peaceable assembly. But, as worded in the U.S. Constitution, the First Amendment only restricts the government from making laws that restrict our abilities for free speech and assembly, etc. In this move to hand the power over to corporations and big businesses they are completely within the U.S. Constitution. What this ultimately means, is that it is up to 'We the People of the United States' to make a stand and let our voices be heard. We are what makes up the government. We elect officials to represent our thoughts, our beliefs, us. Let your elected officials know what it is that YOU are wanting, so that they can appropriately represent YOU.

Follow this link to send a prewritten letter to your Senators expressing your wishes. http://act2.freepress.net/sign/resolution_of_disapproval/

Save the internet.. save our free speech.

This same information can also been seen on RedGage within my blog posts.