Mama gnome told young gnomelets, "This coming Thursday will be Earth Day."
Older gnomelet said, "Mama, we need to make signs."
Yes, older gnomelet is Mama gnome's ecowarrior. She was Mama gnome's secret weapon against Plastic Bag Monster when Mama gnome took on Plastic Bag Monster on the 14th day of September in the year two thousand and nine.
This Thursday, September 22, 2010, will be the 40th year Anniversary of Earth Day.
Mama gnome and the gnome family will be wearing green, eating green and acting "green" on that day.
Green as in Eco-super-duper-nifty-sing-on-rolling-hills-green.
How can we be green on Earth Day?
Make it a meatless day.
Becoming vegetarian is one of the most significant acts to helping the environment.
"The United Nations have concluded that meat production is responsible for around 18% of global CO2 emissions. 5,214 gallons of water are required to produce a single pound of beef, and the EPA estimates that more than 27,000 miles of US rivers have been polluted by livestock waste. Individually, you could make a great deal of change by putting down the meat and going vegetarian."
Avoid driving if you can or limit the amount of driving you do.
Turn off all unnecessary lights and electric gadgets. The gnomelets are excited. Brushing their teeth and bedtime story are so much more interesting when it's by candlelight.
Please do not use plastic bottles, plastic bags or disposable plates, spoons, forks, napkins and other throw away products. Plastic Bag Monster cannot wait to amass more minions to gather in landfills and in our oceans.
Plant something. Herbs in the kitchen, window box, a tree, flowers. Daddy gnome is going over plans for the gnome family's vegetable garden. Mama gnome will keep you posted on how this project is going.
Goliath is an apt name for this tarantula for it can have a leg span of almost a foot long and inch long fangs.
They live in the rainforests of South America.
Though they are called bird-eaters, the Goliath Bird-eater's diet normally includes other insects, rodents, bats, lizards and "even deadly venomous snakes."
Tarantulas do have fangs but the venom is "relatively harmless and its effects are comparable to a wasp's sting."
But if you are like Mama gnome, would you really want to test this fact?
So here are warning signs for you to heed if you ever want to go exploring in a rainforest in South America.
If you hear a "hissing sound," do not be like a human from B horror movies and say, "What is that sound?" and go and investigate.
It is much more prudent for you to walk the other way for the hissing sound may be from a Goliath Bird-eater Spider that has been disturbed and is now rubbing the bristles on its legs together to warn off other animals.
Another thing to watch out for is if the spider aims its abdomen towards you. It might start to flick off its urticating hairs from its abdomen towards you.
Now that Mama gnome has given you all sorts of warnings, here is something else to remember "tarantulas generally bite humans only in self-defense." So leave them alone and they will leave you alone.
And as it turns out just like Mama gnome, these spiders have "poor eyesight and mainly relies on vibrations in the ground that it can sense from its burrow."
One difference is Mama gnome mainly relies on her sense of smell and can usually find her way to the gnome house by the smell of baking cookies.
But here's something you might not be aware of...just like the endangered jaguar of the Amazon rainforest, there are also species of spiders that are endangered or threatened.
Mama gnome donned her pointy hat and green cape. She raised her arms up towards the sky and flew like a majestic Philippine Eagle ...thud Mama gnome fell on the wooden floor of the gnome house, her housecoat tucked around her like a wilted cape.
"You alright, Mama gnome?" asked Daddy gnome.
"Uh...think so. I dreamt I was saving Planet Earth, that's all."
Mama gnome shook her head because no matter how hard she tries, she doesn't have super powers to save planet Earth.
And Earth needs an Eco-Super Hero now more than ever.
Last Saturday, April 3rd a Chinese ship ran aground into Douglas Shoals, part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park of Australia, one of the most delicate marine environments and is supposed to be protected.
According to this report, "The ship hit the reef at full speed, nine miles (15 kilometers) outside the shipping lane."
The Chinese ship, Shen Neng 1, was transporting 72,000 tons of coal from Gladstone, Australia back to China. The coal freighter was also carrying 1,075 tons of engine fuel.
On March 27th 8:30 pm, the gnome family will switch off all non-essential lights and electrical appliances in the gnome house for one hour to show support for planet Earth.
You may not be aware of this...but Mama gnome has a very uneasy relationship with Computer.
The tuna bone's connected to the turtle bone...the turtle bone's connected to the dolphin bone...the dolphin bone's connected to the whale bone...
I know what you're thinking.
Did Mama gnome add a little something-something to her cup of morning elixir (so vital for existence) drink?
The answer is yes, as in about a cup of good old-fashioned eye opener potion.
How did that tuna get into your sushi? Most likely the tuna was caught with a giant purselike net or purse seine that's sickeningly huge.
How big?
How about a mile deep.
Let me say that again.... One mile...
With Mama gnome's short legs, it can take her a while to walk one mile..
That's how deep that net can be.
Who the heck throws these nets?
Yes, Mama gnome also had the old fashioned notion that tall humans with well-defined arms cast off these nets from romantic boats while the sun rises on the horizon.
Mama gnome would just like to wake you up with a dose of another truth medication.
Just as scary to have factory farming on land, we have "factory fishing" in the oceans.
Here's a video of factory fishing in action using a giant purse seine net, quite capable of catching 3,000 tons of tuna in a single fishing trip.
Our oceans are being overfished by industrial fishing fleets because of insatiable consumer demands.
Mama gnome wants to give a wake up call to all her human friends.
"Wake up my human friends. Have you heard that human saying, there's lots of fish in the ocean?...Well, it's not true. Seriously. It's not true.
Lots of fishes are being caught, marketed, shipped and eaten into extinction.
How are the tuna, dolphin, sea turtle, whales, even coral connected to the same bone?
When these industrial fishing fleets set out to catch whatever they want to catch with their massive football size nets that dredge up the ocean floors, do you think they would stop to save the accidental bycatches of dolphins, sea turtles, sharks or corals? No...no...they don't.
What can you do to help stop overfishing?
Boycott restaurants that serve endangered marine creatures such as the bluefin tuna, whales, dolphins, sea turles, sharks, shark fin soup.
Eating these animals is like eating lions, cheetahs, tigers into extinction.
Look for the Marine Stewardship Council label. Here is the link for their website which lets you "find restaurants or shops around the world that sell MSC certified seafood."
Here's another thing to consider. Become vegetarian. Mama gnome knows this might be a huge challenge. Mama gnome knows for it was her greatest challenge ever.
But if you get past three months, it becomes easier.
Mama gnome just couldn't live with that stomach churning feeling every time she ate meat.
Mama gnome wonders, why would people who love to eat this fish, not want to see it continue to live and prosper so they can continue to enjoy it for years and years.
When will humans learn the tuna bone's connected to the turtle bone...the turtle bone's connected to the dolphin bone...the dolphin bone's connected to the whale bone...the whale bone's connected to the human bone...the human bone's connected to the gnome bone.
We are all connected.
All the animals and plants on this planet know it, except for the humans.
Please watch this amazing video of humans catching tuna the old fashioned way.
"Three Eco- and Socially-Conscious Companies to Watch: One of Them's Wal-Mart One wants to reduce your paper usage, one wants to help non-profits, and yes, one is a big box chain store."
Mama gnome paced in front of the aga stove, back and forth with her arms crossed, her forehead furrowed.
Daddy gnome asked, "What's wrong?"
Mama gnome said, "What's wrong? This...this...Gnomemart...I cannot figure it out. Either all the humans who work there were abucted by aliens and replaced by humanoid eco-friendly aliens...or...or... Gnomemart is no longer an Eco-enemy but is now an...gulp...Eco-hero???"
Daddy gnome said, "Get a hold of yourself Mama gnome, the young gnomelets might hear you. What would they think? Why the whole world must be turning backwards or something. It can't be...It goes against everything we know."
"I know, I know, Daddy gnome but it's right here...Not just one, but two...two posts...Gnomemart is going....Green?"
Yes, Mama gnome straightened out her pointy hat and sat down to mull over these new developments.
Why would Gnomemart or as humans call it Walmart go green?
Apparently going green is the key to seeing Green, green with dollar signs.
Matt Kistler, Walmart SVP of Sustainability, said,
But Mama gnome gives credit where credit is due and Walmart gets high-fives from this old gnome for getting on the right path.
Now when this giant chain removes the plastic bags, also known as minions of Plastic Bag Monster, and instead offers reusable green bags, Mama gnome might need to be taken out on a stretcher.
Let's see how it's supposed to be done in this video:
It is the largest predatory fish and found in all the coastal waters of our oceans.
It can grow up to twenty feet or over six meters and weigh over 4,000 pounds or 2,200 kilograms.
Mama gnome is saddened by this recent post stating this animal is
"now more endangered than tigers with fewer than 3,500 left in the oceans..."
If you've guessed the Mystery Animal is the Great White Shark, Mama gnome urges you to bring your own reusable bags to stores instead of using the flimsy plastic bags because a lot of them end up in our waterways and oceans killing marine birds and animals.
Do you really need to buy that trinket with the shark's tooth?
Please help detect electromagnetic fields emitted by heartless humans who trade in shark products and give them a mouthful of spirited words to educate them about their actions and the plight of the great white sharks.
Mama gnome woke up with a start and sat bolt upright.
She dreamt she'd fallen off the edge of planet Earth.
In her dream whilst she was freefalling through open space, Mama gnome was surprised to find the air off the edge of the planet was actually super darn nifty clean.
"Now how about that?" Mama gnome muttered while she rubbed her eyes and placed her pointy hat on her head.
She got up, slipped on her dragon slippers and trudged to the kitchen to drink a cup of her morning elixir so vital for existence.
Mama gnome drank from her mug and perused the news for green issues, a daily ritual for Mama gnome.
She spluttered and coughed when she read this post by Brad Johnson.
Mama gnome's dream wasn't a dream. It was a nightmare.
And her nightmare had come true.
Democratic Senator Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, is cosponsoring legislation introduced by Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska to block the Environmental Protection Agency's efforts to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act.
Planet earth must be deflated flat for there is no other logical explanation why these people would oppose the United States Clean Air Act and propose Senate Joint Resolution 26, also called the "Dirty Air Act" by environmentalists.
And as Mama gnome likes to call it the Dirty Trick Act and off blog she would like to call it... something else.
What are the repercussions if the Clean Air Act was effectively opposed by legislation?
Well the world might as well be flat for it seems our logic and reasoning has gone backwards.
For all US greenhouse emitting monstrous corporations that burn oil, burn coal, burn fossil fuels and burn whatever else that emits greenhouse, global warming, air polluting-rooting-tooting-burn-your-lungs stuff...these companies would just have a giant party at our expense for they can just kiss emission capping, greenhouse regulation stuff goodbye.
None exists in a zoo. This animal does not fare well in captivity.
Poachers are the main culprit because this animal's horn and other body parts are used in traditional Chinese medicine even though it is illegal.
If you guessed the Mystery Animal is the Javan Rhinoceros, Mama gnome wants to shake your hand and she urges you to educate your friends and family about the terrible fate this animal faces because of poachers and people who illegally buy and sell them for "medicinal purposes."
Here is a rare picture of a Javan Rhinoceros in the wild taken by Alain Compost in 1980.
The Javan Rhinos live in "protected" areas in Ujung Kulon National Park in Java, Indonesia and in Cat Tien National Park in Vietnam.
Mama gnome placed the word protected in quotes because Javan rhinos continue to be threatened by poachers in these areas. They are also vulnerable to diseases and problems with inbreeding because of their low numbers.
The Javan rhino has a single horn. This animal is smaller than the Indian Rhinoceros. The Javan rhino's hide is gray, thick and has folds, giving it the appearance of armor. Rhinos have poor eyesight but they have very keen hearing and sense of smell.
The Javan Rhino is a herbivore and feeds on fallen fruit, shoots and twigs. It is usually a solitary animal except for mothers with their calves and during breeding.
They estimate only five to ten Javan Rhinos are in Vietnam and these individuals have stopped reproducing many years ago.
Mama gnome was quite fascinated to learn, there once were Wooly Rhinos, just like there were Wooly Mammoths.
These animals are on the brink of extinction. Please help the Javan Rhinos and all the other rhinos who suffer the same fate.
Just like a rhino, Mama gnome has poor eyesight. But she has a keen nose and multiple folds in her skin. She will use her armor like folds and pointy hat to ward off poachers.
Become part of Mama gnome's rhino protecting team and Go Green.
Mama gnome asked Daddy gnome, "Are those young gnomelets or monkeys?" for the two gnomelets were climbing over him like young arboreal animals and not two gnomelets who lived in a burrow.
"I think they're wild animals," said Daddy gnome while he wrestled with the gnomelets.
"Alright, let's settle down now. Come here and let's play another game," said Mama gnome. "How about a game of paper, rock, scissors?"
"Alright, Mama. How do we play?" asked baby gnomelet.
"Rock beats scissors because scissors can't cut rock. Paper beats rock because it can cover the rock. Scissors beat paper because it can cut paper."
So the young gnomelets learned to play this game while Daddy gnome got up to drink some of Mama gnome's elixir of life (so vital for existence). The young gnomelets zapped all his energy.
But now Mama gnome wants to talk to you about a different sort of game.
Mama gnome calls this game, "Paper...Rock...Scissors...Trees."
For in this game, paper beats both the rock and scissors and trees win.
This paper is special for it is made from recycled paper. And if it's super special the paper is made with a high percentage of post consumer content.
This means only a small percentage of the paper comes from virgin fiber from trees.
If humans all over the world used recycled paper and paper products and less from virgin fiber paper, more trees will be saved.
According to the National Resources Defense Council:
Please visit their site to see an entire Shoppers Guide for paper products with recycled paper and quite a few made with high content from postconsumer waste.
Please know that Mama gnome's blog is a non-profit blog.
She does not receive or take advertisements and does not receive any sort of money or profit through this blog.
This blog is entirely because Mama gnome's fervent love for trees, nature and planet Earth and she does not want to make any profit from planet Earth's problems.
So the link for NRDC's list above is truly to arm you with that special paper you will need to win Mama gnome's special game of paper-rock-scissors.
And if you pick the best paper with recycled paper made from high content of postconsumer waste then game on...
Paper...rock...scissors...Trees!
Please be a winner for planet Earth...
For this new year, be the best darn paper rock scissors player on this planet.
Let go of your virgin fiber paper products...go for Super Paper instead and Go Green.
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