The Front Fell Off

This starts off looking like a serious news cast but rest assured it is not. No one could be this stupid ... or could they?

Five Simple Ways to Save Trees

Trees do more than serve as beautiful scenery and boost our home values; they also filter the air, produce the oxygen we breathe and contribute to water quality. Trees are an important natural resource that we consume at an alarming rate through our daily use of the many products made from them. Here we examine five simple steps you can take to save trees while at the same time improving your quality of life:

1.Stop getting junk mail. Not only does junk mail pile up on the counter, much of it is unread and represents a needless waste of trees. With a small investment of time, you can eliminate or significantly reduce the quantity of unwanted paper advertisements delivered to your mailbox. There are a few ways to go about this, but a good way to start is through the Direct Marketing Association’s Mail Preference Service, which allows you to remove your name from the mailing lists of individual organizations. If you receive unwanted credit or insurance offers, you can request that the Consumer Credit Reporting Companies not share your information at www.optoutprescreen.com or by calling 1–888–567–8688.

Taking these actions should eliminate a majority of the unsolicited advertisements you receive. Junk mail you still receive may call for individual action. To stop receiving unwanted catalogs, have a catalog in hand and call the company to request that your name and address be removed from the company’s mailing list and that it not be sold or traded. With a little time and effort, you can save trees while enjoying a less cluttered home.

2.Pay bills online. Many banks, utility companies, cellular phone providers and other companies have begun offering the option of paperless billing. This means that rather than receiving a bill in the mail, you can receive a bill via e-mail and make payments online. Paying bills online is convenient and reduces needless paper waste at the same time. If you already pay bills online but still receive paper bills, check with your service providers about paperless billing.

3.Nourish the trees on your property. Yes, the trees in your yard are important too. Trees have a cooling effect on the environment and absorb carbon dioxide while emitting the oxygen we require, and can also help control your home’s energy consumption. Trees on private property are threatened by human carelessness as well as diseases and insects. To protect the trees on your property, be aware that lawnmowers, nearby sidewalks and buildings can harm trees and cause them to become hazardous or die. Proper tree care is imperative to protecting these valuable natural resources. To maintain healthy trees on your property, have your trees inspected periodically by a certified arborist who can detect early signs of tree failure or disease.

4.Make a conscious effort based on your consumption habits. You do not have to massively overhaul your life to reduce the amount of paper waste you produce. The best actions to take to reduce paper waste vary from person to person, depending on individual consumption habits. Simply being aware of how you most often produce unnecessary waste can help you determine where to cut back. For example, if you order a coffee to-go from the local coffee shop every day, try bringing your own mug rather than using the paper cups. Use the air dryer to dry your hands rather than paper towels. Take only the number of napkins you will use when at a restaurant. And of course, recycle everything you can.

5.Donate to the cause. If you want to get more involved, there is a plethora of organizations with the goal of saving or replenishing harvested trees. The organization with which you choose to get involved is a personal choice. Be sure to do your homework and donate wisely to an organization whose cause you genuinely want to support.

About the Author: Andrew Johnson is the owner of Central Texas Tree Care, a leading tree service provider in Central Texas (Travis County and surrounding areas) offering services such as pruning and removals, cabling and bracing as well as arborist reports, diagnostics, pest management, fertilization and tree trimming Austin trusts. For more information please visit http://www.centraltexastreecare.com.

Beautiful images

A collection of images (of animals, of nature) with the song 'what a wonderful world' by Louis Armstrong.

In Bellevue the Sidewalks are Paved with...Rubber?

by JOSEPH RICHARDSON

The city of Bellevue has undertaken a project designed to give their streets a little more bounce. Taking cues from cities like Seattle, Olympia and Tacoma, Bellevue city hall launched a pilot project this year that will test the viability of rubber sidewalks in the downtown core.

Starting with a small stretch of sidewalk on NE 10th, just west of 102nd Ave NE, the experimental footpath will help the city evaluate the long term costs and durability of rubber sidewalks as opposed to concrete ones. If the project proves successful, city officials plan to use the rubber pavers in another 700 sidewalk locations throughout the city.

One of the main advantages of the rubber sidewalks is their ability to bend. Though everyone loves a shady, tree lined street - when those gnarly old roots start tearing up the pavement, children trip, wheelchairs get stuck, people sue. When this happens, it's a bit of a showdown: sidewalk vs. tree. Last year, 12 trees lost the battle and had to be cut down. Even when the tree can be spared, if the roots are cut to save the sidewalk the tree can still die. Either way, all the time and money spent on maintenance is costly.

The alternative is to pave the sidewalks with something that can co-exist with the trees, something like rubber that won't crack under pressure. For pedestrians, the rubber is a slightly softer surface to walk on that can put a bit of a spring in the step. Better traction and improved accessibility for people in wheelchairs are other ground-level advantages. But perhaps the most appealing advantage for Bellevue staff and citizens is the fact that the recycled tiles are good for the environment, preserving the trees and turning what would have become landfill into something everyone can be happy about. The rubber sidewalk tiles are made out of recycled tires with about 5 tires compressed into every two inch thick paver.

The rubber sidewalk initiative is just one of many environmentally friendly projects undertaken by the local government in the past year. In an effort to reduce their municipal carbon footprint, Bellevue has also adopted land use patterns that reduce sprawl, sought ways to preserve the city's tree canopy, turned one of their beloved golf courses into a wildlife sanctuary recognized by the Audubon Society and started purchasing hybrid vehicles for the city fleet.

Eco-friendly Furniture for your home

Kris Connell of Real Simple magazine shows Julie Chen furnishings that are not harmful to the environment or to your health.

Easy, Inexpensive Dog Bed

I came across this very simple plan for a homemade dog bed. It's basically a pillow, but for those of you looking for a weekend project, you'll want to check out:

http://craftydaisies.com/2007/02/09/dog-bed/

Energy-Saving Tips for Your Home

Lower your utility bills and be kind to the environment. Learn how to use less energy around your home.