Environmentalism Works

When we think about the environment surrounding us, many things come to our mind. We think about the social effects we have to the environment. However, it is very important to look at the broader meaning of the word environmentalism so that we get to understand it more. It is a theory that views the environment rather than heredity as the important factor in development. It mainly concerns itself with cultural and intellectual development of individuals as well as a certain group of people. It specifies the importance of preserving, restoration and improvement of the natural surrounding we live in.

Environmentalism it stress the dangers that are posed with continued environment pollution. It tries to balance relations between humanity and their immediate broader organism in that, all these aspects are able to cohabitate and have respect for each other. However, there is confusion on how these two aspects are supposed to live a balanced life.

The presence of Cordyceps in our environment is very important. Especially the Cordyceps sinesis that has been found to protect the bone marrow and help the digestive systems of mice. It may also protect the liver from damage.

Environmentalism can be expressed through many ways. It uses the color green. Environmentalists are people who have dedicated most of their life on natural environment. They speak about the natural environment, how we are supposed to ensure that we are able to sustain and manage our resources. They also organize forums on the various changes in public policy in matters concerning the environment.
In today’s world, many environmentalists are very keen on talking about the effects of global warming and generic engineering. There is a worldwide debate going on as to which way is the best in dealing with reduction in global warming. It is a tag between the developed and developing countries, where each is pointing finger on one another. A faster solution is required and environmentalists are warning that continued environmental pollution will have far-reaching effects if not dealt with promptly. Every one should take it as his own initiative to try and conserve the environment.

Ginger is available in a variety for forms starting from raw ginger which is available as fresh produce in the grocery stores or as dried ginger in the spice section of the grocery store. The other very good option is to use the ginger in a candy form. Candied ginger or crystallized ginger is something which I available in a lot of health food stores and some Asian food stores also.  

 The root or the rhizome of the ginger plant is what you see as fresh produce in the stores. The ginger plant is a native of South East Asia and ginger is typically an essential ingredient to all the dishes that are served in South East Asia.

The Romans brought this to Mediterranean and also the Spanish got this to Americas.

 Ginger in crystallized form is used in a variety of things however the main benefit is the ease of storage and use. Crystallized ginger can easily be stored for up to a year if properly refrigerated. Now you can buy crystallized ginger in stores or you can even make it yourself. It can be easily be made at home. Thin slices of candied ginger can be used in making gingersnap, oatmeal cookies and apple crisps.

 To make crystallized ginger you need to boil thin slices of ginger in water till they are tender. Separately you need to make sugar syrup. To make the sugar syrup add water and sugar together in a pan and let it simmer till it has a reasonably good consistency. Now add the tender slices to the sugar syrup and again heat it till about 105 degrees. Remove from heat and drain the sugar syrup. 

 Dry the ginger slices and coat them with sugar. You can store the crystallized ginger for easily up to a year if properly refrigerated.

It must be nearly 30 years ago that I heard the expression, the paperless office.  I’m sure many readers will have come across it too, but if you’ve worked in any sort of office based environment I’m willing to bet that it’s still no where near becoming reality yet.   In fact I personally have not really envisaged any real drop in paper usage at least just in the places I’ve worked from.  There are lots of good intentions, like those signatures in every email that nobody ever reads asking ‘do you really need to print this email’.  Does anyone really take any notice of them, good intentions sure but less paper – I don’t think so.

Of course we do use recycled paper more and most paper in the majority of environments I use is reused as far as I can tell.  So that’s got to be good news for the world’s forests, there are lots of other phrases like sustainable forestry which suggest things are moving in the right direction.  People want to help, we genuinely want to change but it’s not easy to fit these changes to busy word schedules and office environments.

I’m hoping the new wave of tablets and notebooks will make a difference eventually.  One of the most difficult things about not printing stuff out was it was so much easier to read text on a page than a shiny screen.  The Kindle has smashed this myth – it is genuinely as easy to read as a book.  If  you’ve never seen one, I urge you to check them out they really are as good as they say.  The technology that makes the electronic display as easy to read as the printed word will hopefully help to push towards the paperless office.  The advantage again is the sheer cost – the Kindle is very inexpensive and I suspect will plummet over the years to come.  More and more reason why they could come to replace the reams of paper we produce.

If you are keen on reducing the amount of resources related to printing then you should also consider the toner cartridges.  The amount of oil required to manufacture a new toner cartridge is about 3-4 liters yet they are manufactured to be one use only.  The reason is simply to maximize profits for the printer manufacturers, there is not other reason they could be easily reused.   In fact there are lots of companies that will supply kits to refill toner cartridges, you just have to look around.  The payoff is great – both to the environment and to your printing costs – approximately 80% – of course this could be even greater if you really do try and print out much less.

Increasingly a back yard fire pit is becoming a common site in all over the country. They allow people to get more use out of their outdoor space as the warmth extends the time that people can spend outdoors and they do bring a little camping fun into the equation without the need to actually venture too far from home. They can also be visually very attractive, acting as a centerpiece for a landscaped back yard.

The only problem is that traditional wood burning fire pits are not particularly eco friendly. The smoke they give off is rarely pleasant and is a big reason that many communities have put a ban on wood burning fire pits and bonfires altogether.

A gas fire pit is the perfect alternative though. as they burn clean they do not violate any local zoning laws and they are super easy to light – no messing around with bits of kindling and chemically based firelighters for an hour in an often vain attempt to get a good fire burning.

In addition to their green benefits many people turn to gas fire pits because they come in so many different styles, some of which are truly spectacular. If a homeowner is adding a fire pit to their back yard for visual as well as practical purposes then a gas burning fire pit is hard to beat.

For example I have seen gas fire pits that look more like volcanic eruptions as they are set within an artificial rock landscape. Now that kind of fire pit is probably not going to be any good for cooking on but from an aesthetic and warmth point of view it would be perfect.

One of the most popular types of gas fire pit for the average backyard is the table fire pit. These relatively inexpensive, often portable, fixtures provide both a dining and a cooking space, a truly versatile addition to the home of avid outdoor entertainers!

People who are at least eighteen years old and love nature and interaction with the public may consider entry level jobs as park rangers. The National Parks Service or NPS is the government agency that facilitates the hiring of park rangers. They should be law abiding citizens of the state or aliens who are residents and eligible for U.S. citizenship, matured, punctual, neat, and polite. They are indispensable for their skills and professions are needed to supervise and look after state and federal parks, leisure areas, seashores, historical sites, and natural resources among others. Some of them lead and guide other park rangers too.

In this entry level job, there are three entry levels to become a park ranger, which are cadet, ranger, and chief ranger. Cadet level is their starting point and the beginning of their training about their duties. These duties include acquiring some knowledge in carrying out the laws, providing services to visitors and the public, managing of resources available and implementing of rules and guidelines necessary for orderly administration. Ranger is the next one, which is their journey phase. Their responsibilities include the actual performance of their training regarding public protection and guidance and law implementation. The third one is the chief ranger position in which they perform commanding functions in their areas and staff. This is their first comprehensive supervisory level. Their duties include visitors’ assistance and management, protection of resources available, and supervision and enforcement of laws.

They should have good eyesight, should be physically fit and should be drug free individuals to be eligible for these three entry levels. They should have also completed two year courses from accepted state universities and colleges and have taken humanities, mathematics, natural sciences and language as subjects. Learning how to swim is necessary in life saving situations. Their knowledge in using related equipments for carrying out their jobs effectively is also needed. Basic knowledge of accounting, public affairs and safety, and the important recreational parks in the state are also necessary in this entry level job. They must also obey the rules and practices regarding the conservation of historic places and natural resources. They should also possess valid drivers’ licenses to be qualified for this entry level job. These are golden opportunities for those who are dreaming to be park rangers.

When we use chemical-laden hair care products, we only contribute to the destruction of the delicate ecosystem that surrounds us. Not only do these dangerous chemicals leech into our body through our skin and pores, but they allow toxic compounds to escape into the air. Have you ever been able to spray hair spray on your hair without coughing or having to walk away from the area quickly? There’s a reason for that — the harmful chemicals in the hair spray are dangerous to our lungs. How do you think that impacts the delicate forests?

For this reason, I am a big proponent of natural health and beauty products and frequently talk about them with my friends. A lot of my friends still use the standard chemical-based products you can easily find on store shelves, so I was really excited when a friend of mine asked me yesterday, “where can I buy mira hair oil?” Mira hair oil is one of my favorite natural hair care products, so I was ecstatic that she was interested in making the switch! She wants to start switching a lot of her beauty products to more natural alternatives.

I find that the key to educating others and making real change is to keep talking to everyone you know about the environment and the impact on it from the products that we purchase. Eventually, most people come around — it just takes some time.  Don’t stop fighting the good fight!

When most people think about Dominos , especially when they have Dominos coupons to spend they, quite logically, think pizza. Over the years though the Dominos menu has expanded considerably and now you can find all kinds of great food on offer there. Some of the other most popular menu items include:

• Bread Bowl Pastas – A line of authentically Italian inspired pasta dishes served in an edible bread bowls. You can choose from options like Pasta Primavera, Italian Sausage or even Mac and Cheese!
• Cheesy Breads – Cheesy Breads are a popular pizza alternative and these days you can even choose to have yours stuffed with spinach and feta cheese or bacon and jalapenos.
• Hot Sandwiches – Several years ago Dominos introduced a line of toasted sandwiches to keep up with rivals like Quiznos. The most popular choices include the Philly Cheesesteak and the classic Chicken Parm. ‘
• Boneless Chicken Wings – Tasty chicken wings without the most annoying part of the dish – the bones.

Conservation is very important for many of us who plan to move to a home in the forest. Part of the joy in living in thick woodlands is experiencing the joys of nature right outside the house.  While not as rich in foliage as jungles, the piney woods in East Texas provide ample biodiversity for those lucky enough to live there.

My ideal rural retreat would be small cottage nestled amongst 5 or 10 acres of rolling woodlands.  I would set it up for off-grid living to save the expense and destruction of running power-lines and water hookups through the trees.  I’d like my land to have the minimal disturbance possible.

Refrigerator reviews suggests a good 12V fridge from Engel – or maybe a propane refrigerator – would be good appliances for preserving food for me and my family.  I think I’d actually go with a 12V setup, that way I could power the fridge, a computer, and lighting all using a solar setup.

Of course, solar power does require sunlight. So I would need to do some minimal clearance of trees around my home. However, since this would also be required as a firebreak of sorts in case of wildfires, it would serve two purchases.

If I did choose a propane refrigerator and propane oven, then I would have to get an LPG tank installed.  Of course, this would also require that I maintain my access road in good enough condition that the propane truck can access my property.  So much for my dream of complete isolation!

Still, I think it is a worthwhile compromise.  I would still retain the idyllic nature of my rural retreat, and the minimal development needed to support a modern lifestyle would not have an overly negative effect. There is no need to live without heat, lighting and refrigeration just because I enjoy living away from the rat race.

Like many products, shoes are also responsible for having a large impact on the environment. The real problem with shoes is not only the production but also the disposal of used shoes. Traditional shoe manufacturing would use materials that posed a huge threat in terms of pollution with synthetic materials and chemical adhesives causing a negative impact on our natural ecosystems.

The fact that there are over 20 billion pairs of shoes being produced every year will highlight the severity of the problem that is being faced. Many studies have been done to devise new ways to help cut down on the environmental impacts and many ‘green shoe’ brands are now producing designer shoes that are made using all natural materials that will actually decompose naturally overtime, they can just be thrown on your compost heap.

The good news is that many of the leading brands such as Nike and Timberland are taking positive steps to reducing the ‘footprint’ left in their footwear production, natural materials are increasingly being sourced for use in footwear, materials such as cork, hemp, organic cotton and bamboo are being used in many cases.

Promoting or selling other people’s products and services is one of the easiest ways to make money online. However, not all affiliate marketing story leads to a happy ending. For some, it’s just a matter of days or weeks before making your first sale. For some, it takes longer, like months or even a year or two. For the majority however, it’s a struggle to make money at all. Here are some of the best ways to maximize your earnings by using an seo agency.

Choose Wisely
Aside from reading the information on the company’s sales or introductory pages, look for product reviews and feedback from existing customers before you decide to promote a company.

Plan Ahead
Make a schedule of the things you need to do in order to systematically promote the company or product you have chosen.

Increase Traffic
Reach out to as many people as you can. Target those that are most likely in need of the product or service that the company offers.

Master the Art of Closing the Sale
Learn about various ways and strategies of engaging your visitors and convincing them that the product or service is something they would love to have, without you having to personally talk to them and convince them to do so.

Years of doing affiliate marketing have taught me that these are the key elements in making massive earnings online. Once you have mastered these skills, you will definitely earn big income not just by promoting one internet marketing company but by attracting lots of visitors and convincing them to buy what you’re selling.

Did you know that there are superheroes in our midst every day? These heroes do not wear capes or fly, but they offer many benefits to society. They are none other than the humble trees that many of us take for granted.

We all know that trees are a huge industry and lots of people make money directly or indirectly from trees. However, they have many practical purposes as well: they can be used for firewood to heat our homes, as shelter for various creatures, as hosts for our tree stands and tree houses, and as providers of shade.

Did you know that they also help keep our environment healthy and clean? Trees absorb carbon dioxide, a gas that is a byproduct car exhaust, factory emissions, and even our own respiration. Without trees, all of this gas would build up in the ozone layer and expedite the process of global warming. By using this gas, trees help mitigate the problem of global warming.

That is not all that trees can do! They also reduce runoff and soil erosion by reducing the force of rain as it falls to the earth and by absorbing excess water. Without the help of trees, much of our soil and many of our waterways would suffer the effects of erosion and pollution caused by runoff. With so many benefits to offer, trees are undoubtedly mother nature’s superheroes!

Sleep apnea has become a condition that is very problematic for many people.  Getting the correct treatment is something that is essential to stopping that horrible snoring and get quality sleep.  The traditional treatment method has been that of the CPAP machine; however over the years many people have found that what’s more tolerable for sleep apnea treatment is to use oral appliance therapy.  Once you get the sleep you need, you can drastically notice how much your life can change for the better.  Work will be more productive, and even driving your car will be much safer.  Remember sleep is something that is vital to the human body to survive, don’t treat this condition lightly.

Lots of people are so put off by the effects the recession had on this country that they got stuck deep in credit card debt.  For these folks getting credit card debt relief is essential.  Saving money and getting out of debt quickly are what people need the most to be able to survive financially.  For such matters debt settlement is the perfect answer.  This method will help people to avoid the dreaded bankruptcy while still getting the savings they need to stay afloat.  In addition this process usually helps people achieve debt freedom in just a few years.  Don’t wait, or it may become too late to avoid bankruptcy.

Our family recently surprised my wife and I with what at first thought seemed the strangest of golden wedding anniversary gifts: an acre of woodland. As the anniversary approached I did wonder what our family would buy as a gift. By the time a couple have been married for 50 years they have probably accrued just about everything they will every need, so choosing an appropriate gift can be difficult. I must admit an acre of trees came as a surprise!

What I wonder, does one do with a small wood? Not much really, but there is a certain sense of satisfaction knowing we are doing our bit to help conserve our planet. I saw in a television programme recently that when Genghis Khan and his army killed off many millions of people this resulted in more forestation as there were fewer people to farm the land. Although the end result was welcome, the action is not and that route is definitely not to be recommended as a means of reducing global warming! But if you have the cash and are looking for a golden anniversary gift (or any anniversary – I wonder if there is a ‘wood’ anniversary?), consider an area of woodland. Whilst the recipients may be taken aback at first, there is a good chance the idea will grow on them!

Do you know where your food you eat actually comes from? Although many locally grown products are more expensive, many Farmers Markets across the state are getting back into the swing of things. Check out the North Carolina Farm Fresh website to find Farmers Markets across the state. A recent News and Observer article highlights the benefits and feasibility of eating local foods, rather than foods that come from all corners of the United Sates and the world. Eating locally grown fresh food can benefit not only your local farmer but your heart health as well (How to Lower Cholesterol). Before the global economy, most foods were grown locally but today refrigeration and easy transportation mean that the food in our grocery stores may come from Chile rather than Chatham County.

A new book called Grub: Ideas for an Urban, Organic Kitchen is filled with tools to learn more about making your kitchen more organic. The website has recipes and suggestions for hosting your own GrubParty. The authors, Bryant Terry and Anna Lappe wrote the book with a desire to create a resource “that combined real tools to create a healthy organic kitchen with education about organic food and sustainable agriculture.” The authors are visited Maverick Farms in Valle Crucis, NC on Friday to talk about organic foods and thier new book.

North Carolina is the 4th largest grower of strawberries in the country, the season for picking strawberries lasts for about six weeks between April to June. You can find a pick your own strawberry farm near you on the NC Farm Fresh website farm search page. An article in the News and Observer, In pursuit of a better berry, discusses NC’s strawberry industry. Many scientist are working to find ways to grow different strawberries that could increase production. Strawberries are a lucrative crop that can bring in about $1,500 per acre (compared to only $50 an acre for soybeans). The berries we buy in the grocery store often come from California where they have developed strawberries that stay firm for weeks but they are nothing compared to the strawberries you can pick by hand in North Carolina. According to Jim Ballington, an NCSU researcher and the state strawberry breeder, “We have at least a generation of Americans who have no earthly idea what a good strawberry tastes like.”

We previously wrote about Cork and Cork trees and why Cork must be harvested humanely for the large range of animals and other species which depend on cork forrests for their survival.

A wine of the month club we belong to will only ship wines which are sealed with natural cork.  Their reasons are partly environmental to be sure, but also partly economic because the cork industry is doing an incredible job marketing itself to wine drinkers.  Despite the facts that artificial cork seals better over the short term (think 2 years or less) and 98% of wine is consumed in that time period and screw tops are favored by bartenders for easy and accessibility….any high end wine business is going to be dealing almost exclusively in cork.

The idea of offsetting is one of the most important concepts to emerge over the last few years. In the complex and interdependent world that we live in it is unrealistic for everyone to return to an agrarian style of existence in order to cut carbon emissions. We have to find new ways to maintain the technological benefits of modern consumer society while at the same time reigning in emissions that are threatening to cause environmental catastrophe. We can start to do this by taking a comprehensive audit of the carbon count of various economic, social and other activities and find ways to balance the damage done with actions that reduce the amount of carbon in the atmosphere.

The main consumer event in the Western World is Christmas. It is the time when the shops do most of their business and when people are apt to consume more natural resources than at any other time. It therefore makes very good sense from an environmental point of view to find ways of offsetting the extra carbon emissions that Christmas entails.

One way to do this is to travel less. Since people are on holiday they don’t have to commute to work. They should seek to keep their mileage lower during the Christmas period. This can be done by doing the Christmas shopping in as few trips as possible. Buying gifts from online retailers that ship in bulk can also help offset carbon expenditure at Christmas.

People like to go to the pub during the Christmas time. Not only is it against the law to drink and drive but it is also bad for carbon emissions. Try to walk to the pub or share a ride with other people.

Perhaps one of the best ways to offset Christmas is to give something back to nature. By planting several trees a person is increasing the amount of carbon that can be recycled into oxygen. Planting trees and plants also helps to reduce pollution.

Another option is to adopt a tree in the neighborhood. It is a sad fact that the average lifespan for urban trees in America is just 8 years. Find out how to take action to change this.

If a home has a flat roof a great idea is to set up a green roof. There is plenty of literature on this topic. Green roofs lower both heating and cooling costs of a building and increase bio diversity in a town or city.

Finally, if a household does not recycle bottles, paper and aluminum cans then Christmas is a great time to start. By taking material to recycling points a person is reducing the emissions involved in mining and also helping to stop deforestation.

Taking positive action to try and balance the extra consumption that Christmas entails is the right thing to do. As the situation of the environment becomes more critical the ethics involved in how we treat nature will become nearly as important as the ethics concerned with how we treat each other.

The biosphere has always been interconnected. It has just taken scientists a long time to realize this. Some politicians are still keen to deny the connection between human activity such as carbon emissions and pollution and the deterioration of the natural environment. Such worries as deforestation and Global Warming seem to tiresome hindrances to the real issues of economic growth and making money. Such people often try to obfuscate the scientific issues by pointing out that the planet is in a bigger cycle of Ice Ages, and that it is hubris to think that man’s actions make any difference.

This is a minority opinion. I doubt that even George W. Bush seriously subscribes to such convenient propaganda.

The real challenge facing humanity and the planet in the Twenty-first Century is to conserve natural resources. To find a way of making economic activity sustainable. To maintain our current standard of living without blighting the planet.

For many people trees represent income. Trees are cleared in forests in order to sell the timber. The cleared land is then valuable farmland for a few years before the soil becomes seriously degraded. Trees are also a valuable source of energy for warmth and cooking.

In Kenya one of the main reasons for deforestation is to make charcoal. This charcoal is used by the poor for heating and for cooking. The production of such charcoal is also a source of income for those without any access to other means of income. This situation is not limited to Kenya. It is the same world over. Trees represent money.

The way to address this problem is to find ways to increase access to cleaner and greener forms of energy. This must be through government and local community programs to give low interest loans and subsidies. It is one of the great ironies of the present world set up that the poorest countries have an abundance of untapped energy. This is, of course, solar energy. Ways must be found to develop affordable photovoltaic panels that are easy to install and easy to maintain. This in itself would do a lot to protect trees.

In alliance with  such policy must come other initiatives to supply 7 day programmable thermostats such as the Honeywell RTH 2520B so that the energy generated is not wasted. Other technologies that must be also disseminated include LED and compact fluorescent light bulbs. Green interior design must be a universal priority not just a privilege of the rich.

Until attitudes change and energy saving technology is shared more widely trees stand little chance of avoiding serious depletion.

I first went to the Thai island of Koh Phangan in 1997 with a boy friend. The boy friend is now water under the bridge but I remembered how beautiful the beaches were in Koh Phangan so I decided to re-visit the island with some girl friends. My friends initially were against the idea – they wanted to go to the neighboring bigger and more popular island of Koh Samui. We struck a compromise and spent 3 nights on Chaweng beach in Koh Samui and then moved to Thong Nai Pan Noi in Koh Phangan for 5 nights.

We flew to Bangkok and got a connecting flight to Koh Samui. It’s a very convenient travel connection since we didn’t have to spend a night in Bangkok. We stayed at a mid-range resort in Chaweng. The rooms were impressive and the resort pool was big. My girl friends had a certain smug look on their face when we arrived. This look vanished when we went out on our first night. Chaweng is full of traffic. It is very noisy, and the prostitution scene is very obvious. Chaweng seemed like a place for young people who want to party all night or for dirty old men. The accommodation in Koh Samui might seem very up market but much of the street culture is very down market.

Over the next few days my friends were content to sit around the pool working on their tans. I went to the beach. Chaweng has a white sand beach but is full of people. The crowds took the sheen off the glamour of the beach.

Next we took a boat to Koh Phangan. As soon as we got to Thongsala the change in atmosphere was noticeable. Koh Phangan was as I remembered it: much quieter, less hectic. Whereas Koh Samui looked a bit shabby around the edges, with many buildings past their best, Koh Phangan looked better kept. There was less clutter by the side of the roads and more forest. The island has a much more natural feel than Koh Samui. And other than a small strip of ‘go go bars’ in Ban Tai the island has no prostitution scene.

The road to Thong Nai Pan used to be notoriously bad. Now it is brand new and concreted (most of the way). The road goes past some wonderful jungle scenery. My friends had to begrudgingly admit that Koh Phangan is more beautiful than Koh Samui.

When we arrived at Thong Nai Pan Noi my friends were shocked. It wasn’t a long beach with hundreds of resorts, bars, restaurants and shops. Instead it is a small bay with an immaculate beach. We stayed at Phuwadee Resort. The rooms were not as good as in Koh Samui, and the pool was much smaller. The peace and quiet and the relaxed atmosphere more than made up for this.

There are just a few bars and restaurants in Thong Nai Pan Noi. It is not a nightspot for young people. Bars like Luna Lounge and Better Than Sex had a sophisticated and laid back ambience that is much more to my liking. Although the beach had gone ‘up market’ since I was first there, it still had the same friendly atmosphere. I didn’t mind that it cost more because I’m no longer a struggling student.

I persuaded my friends to spend their time on the beach and in the sea. They resisted at first but eventually came around to my way of thinking. Thailand is about enjoying the local culture and the beautiful natural scenery not about characterless luxury resorts. From this point of view Koh Phangan trumps Koh Samui every time.

The coconut despite its towering presence and hard timber is not a tree. It is a woody plant. The fruit from the coconut is not a nut it is a drupe. The word coconut comes from Portuguese explorers in India, the first Europeans to see coconuts. The hairy husk and two dark markings of the coconut reminded them of a witch with a grinning face. Grinning in Portuguese is ‘cocos’.

Nobody is certain where the coconut first came from. Some claim India, others Central America. The coconut can float for thousands of miles, wash up on beaches and populate new regions. It takes just 7 years to reach maturity. It has a remarkable resistance to sea water. The plant is also resistant to most bugs and pests. Thus, nearly all coconut palms grown in the world are cultivated ‘organically’. The only weakness of the coconut is cold weather – it cannot withstand frost. That is why the coconut is not found outside of the tropics.

The Sanskrit word for the coconut can be loosely translated as the ‘tree of life’. It is a word that emerges in several South Pacific languages. It is a very appropriate name for the coconut (rather than the demonic smiling nut) because the coconut provides many health benefits for the people of the tropics.

In Northern America and Northern Europe the misleading notion persists that polyunsaturated fats are better than saturated fats. As a result few people are interested in coconut oil which is high in saturated fat. They mostly use soy, sunflower and safflower oils. The problem with this perspective is that it ignores the chain length of the fatty acids. Sunflower oil and other polyunsaturated fats are long chain fatty acids that the body cannot fully convert to energy. In contrast coconut oil is made up mostly of medium chain fatty acids that are readily metabolized by the body and turned into energy.

Studies have been done on the diets of Polynesian communities. The results showed the people when they had their traditional diet of coconut staple were much healthier before the introduction of ‘western’ food products containing polyunsaturated fats.

Coconut oil and coconut milk has long been considered a medicine. In Indian Ayurveda coconut milk is used to treat several complaints including mouth ulcers. Scientists have recently found that coconut oil is rich in lauric acid that is an antimicrobial agent. There is strong evidence to suggest coconut oil strengthens the thyroid gland and thus the immunity system. At present research is on going into the effectiveness of coconut oil as a means to prevent cancer and stopping HIV becoming AIDS.

For the growing number of people with food allergies coconut milk and coconut flour are of particular use. Coconut milk is free of lactose and is rich in both minerals and vitamins C, E, B1, B6, B5 and B3. It also contains iron, selenium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. Coconut milk can be used in cooking and to make smoothies very much in the same way as cow’s milk.

Coconut flour is 100% gluten free. It’s made by grinding up the dried and defatted meat of the mature coconut. It is rich in dietary fiber and comparatively high in protein while being low in carbohydrates. It is thus good for people on a diet. It can be used to bake cakes and bread.

Finally, coconut water is remarkable in that it is an exact match with human blood plasma. It can be used for emergency blood transfusions. Coconut is sterile and can be drunk straight from the coconut. It is also rich in electrolytes and makes an excellent isotonic drink. Recently Hollywood stars have been espousing the benefits of coconut water.

There is so much to the culture of the coconut – too much for one article. It is a valuable economic resource; it is a source of building material. It is a medicine and it is an excellent staple food that can be used in a variety of ways. The coconut is truly something valuable, and something that will be part of any sustainable future mankind might fashion.

The Cork Oak tree (Quercus suber) is a tree that is nearly exclusive found in the Mediterranean area. There are about 25,000 hectares of cork oak forests in Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco. Portugal produces half the world’s supply of cork. There are a few other species of cork including one Eastern variety called the Chinese Cork Oak (Quercus variabilis).

The cork tree is a medium-sized evergreen oak. It has a special importance for humans because it can be harvest for its bark or cork cambium layer. The cork oak takes 25 years to mature at which point its bark can be removed. This first bark is of an uneven quality and is normally used to make insulation material. The subsequent harvests of cork are much more even and are commonly used to make consumer items such as wine bottle stoppers, notice boards, place mats and cork flooring. It takes 12 years for the cork oak to re-grow its bark. For this reason cork is considered to be a renewable resource. If the bark is removed correctly then the tree is not harmed. The removing of the cork bark is a long tradition in many rural areas as it must be done by hand. Cork is an important economic commodity for people in the Mediterranean area.

The cork forests are home to several endangered species including the Iberian lynx and the Barbary Macaque. It is important that the cork is harvested in such a way as not to disturb the habitat of these animals.

Cork bark is composed of a honeycomb structure that is 85% air. It is for this reason that cork floats and can be used as a fishing float. The structure of cork makes it suited for flooring. It is soft to sit on but it can also withstand heavy weight as it springs back to its original shape when the weight is removed. Moreover, the structure of cork makes it a good thermal and acoustic insulator. Cork underlay is excellent for these reasons.

The cork tree produces suberin to regulate the water supply to the tree. This suberin is also found in the bark of the tree. Suberin is antimicrobial. This means that cork flooring is ideal for people who suffer from allergies. The suberin in cork flooring also makes it fire retardant.

Of the many uses for cork it is probably flooring that is the most relevant for Sylvie culture as cork flooring is a type of sustainable flooring that can be used to replace hardwood flooring and thus help to conserve trees that take much longer to reach maturity.

One of the best ways to protect our forests is to educate people about the importance of trees. If children learnt at school just how useful trees are and how they benefit us they might grow up to be adults with better consumer habits. They might choose to buy furniture, flooring and kitchen utensils made from bamboo or reclaimed hardwood instead of newly cut wood. They might choose to buy recycled paper. They might check the label on wooden toys to see if the wood comes from sustainable forestry projects. It is only by being better consumers that we are going to slow down the rate of deforestation.

Here are some salient tree facts taken from www.savatree.com:

• A mature tree produces 260 pounds of oxygen per year. Two mature trees can supply the oxygen needs for a family of 4.
•  One tree can absorb the same amount of carbon in a year as a car produces that is driven 26,000 miles.
• The shade and the wind buffering from trees reduces heating and cooling bills by 2.1 billion dollars.
• The average American uses 750 pounds of paper a year. That is the equivalent of 100-feet tree with a 16-inch diameter.
• The average life of a tree in an urban environment in America is only 8 years.
• On average each tree in the USA makes a saving of $7 in terms of environmental benefits, reduced pollution and energy conservation.

These are just a few of the more striking benefits that trees provide. They also have tremendous psychological importance to people. We feel protected by trees, the sight of trees enrich our lives, their changing leaf color reminds us of the passing of the seasons. Trees become symbols for nations. They enter myth (think of the Garden of Eden). They feature in history. Trees are so important not just because of the environmental benefits they offer but also because they simply make life better, more beautiful and more meaningful.

Here are a few simple ways in which you can help to conserve trees:

•  Don’t buy new hardwood flooring. Buy reclaimed hardwood flooring instead. It is made from wood that has been salvaged from old barns, refurbished houses, building waste, old wine barrels, disused mine shafts and hundreds of other sources. Once we cut down a tree we should keep re-using the wood while it is still in good condition.
•  Don’t buy things like chopping boards, salad bowls, serving spoons and blinds made of hardwood (or soft wood). All of these items can be found made of bamboo. Bamboo is a renewable resource that is hard and antimicrobial and more than an adequate substitute for hardwood.
• Use recycled paper for writing notes, wrapping gifts, sending cards and all the other ways we use paper.
• If you really feel that only wood will do for the product that you are considering buying than find an example of that item made from a sustainable forestry project.

And finally, if you have children then take them to the park and show them trees and try to explain to them why man in his stupidity and greed seeks to rid the world of these beautiful things, these oldest inhabitants of the earth. Explain that we cannot hope to outlive trees – when they go, we also will go.