Bush Makes Jokes at the Expense of the Planet

We don’t need him to do any more “work”. We’re not asking that he do anything, really. It might be better if he just went to Crawford until January. But since he insists on carrying on the charade of being a representative of the American people, all we really want is for him to stop saying moronic things in front of important world leaders for the duration of his time in office. Really, is that too much to ask?

George “The Decider” Bush met in Japan a couple weeks ago for a summit with the leaders of the top eight industrial nations (G8) to discuss how they plan to have their way with the globe. Naturally, (no pun intended) among the items on the agenda was the subject of climate change.

The G8 were unable to come to an agreement on any definitive action with regard to climate change, but rather than this being a cause for sober reflection, it inspired our fearless leader to conclude his comments at the summit by punching at the air and saying, “Goodbye from the world’s biggest polluter.”

Now, I’m just a humble blogger; certainly no diplomat or statesman. I work in my pajamas half the time, drink too much coffee, and watch reality TV while surfing the internet and reading DIGG. And yet, even I know that an international summit is not the place to crack jokes about how little my country cares about the planet.

Reporters state that everyone at the summit was shocked by the president’s remarks. I’m sure there were a few moments before they recovered when their faces revealed a furious mental debate in which they tried to decide whether he is an idiot or ballsy. Personally, I think both are true. A ballsy idiot is representing our interests to the entire civilized world. And that, my friends, is no laughing matter.

Tomorrow’s Volkswagen – Not Just a Car; A Companion

Imagine a roadway completely free of accidents. How much time would you save if you never had to search for another parking space? What if your car truly made life easier and at the same time caused absolutely no harm to the environment?

Volkswagen’s vision for the future sounds like a scene from a really good sci-fi movie and looks just as futuristic. In just 20 short years, these sleek, friendly automobiles may be ruling the roadways and changing the way we think about driving. Volkswagen 2028 is a plan for eco-friendly transportation at its best – the right car with just the right amount of space, zero emissions, and a personality that suits your own.

Volkswagen 2028

From the space saving ONe to the family size ROOM, the 4 earth and driver friendly prototypes offer the right solution for every need. There’s no need to worry about choosing the right color – Volkswagen is experimenting with intelligent materials “that will make it possible for us to customize our cars with the simple press of a button.”

What else makes the Volkswagen 2028 vision worth investigating?

• Not only can you alter colors and adjust the window tint, cars can become more visible in adverse weather by donning a more vibrant hue.
• An automatic driving system allows cars to drive themselves – even letting the front seats swivel around to face the rear for quality time on the go.
• The car of the future doesn’t just get you from one place to another. It doubles as a shopping assistant, travel companion, and a mobile entertainment center that knows your personal preferences and communicates with you.
• Never forget a meeting or lose touch with friends and family. Your Volkswagen in 2028 will connect with all your wireless devices and will keep a constant connection to the internet. It will know you, as well as your schedule.
• Your car will not just communicate with you, it will communicate with the cars around it – eliminating traffic jams and preventing accidents. Your car will even drop you off and park itself!

What about the environment?

Smaller, more advanced engines, combined with the use of electricity and sustainable fuel options, will create automotives with zero emissions. Rather than wasting space for food crops with plants for biodiesel, second-generation fuels can convert any part of the plant and use waste products like stems and leaves leaving the rest for food.

Volkswagen 2028 takes eco-friendly driving and sustainable living to an entirely new level. The question is, are we ready for it?

Share your thoughts on the automotive future – Does autopilot take the fun out of driving? Would you trust your car enough to turn your back to the road? Does the thought of your car knowing more about you than your best friend creep you out just a wee bit?

Explore Volkswagen 2028.

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Human Power – From Gyms to Amusement Parks, It’s Powered by You

Photo: Arichnode Studio

Your daily workout just got greener! This award winning Create a Gym concept was designed by Mitchell Joachim of Archinode Studio with more than fitness in mind. The floating River Gym offers a fabulous view, state of the art exercise equipment, and generates its own power – while purifying the water and propelling other boats as well.

The River Gym is not the first attempt to harness the natural energy of human power. California Fitness in Hong Kong motivates members with human powered treadmills and trainers, powering lights and televisions within the gym.

photo: Frank Hanswijk

The first Sustainable Dance Club converts the energy of party-goers on the dance floor into power for a totally sustainable environment. Created by Enviu, the concept incorporates earth-friendly innovations like toilets flushed with rainwater and rooftop gardens into a trendy hotspot that doesn’t harm the planet.

Cyclecide doesn’t generate energy with their pedal-powered carnival, but it’s definitely plenty of good, clean fun. From pedal-powered carousels to the one of a kind bike rodeo, Cyclecide proves that electronics are not necessary for a good time and designs some of the most innovative human-powered fun park rides ever imagined.

There are hundreds of new human-powered creations emerging each year. Pedal-driven hydrofoils, lightweight people-propelled lawnmowers, and entire shopping centers powered by footsteps are just the beginning of the possibilities of human power. Shave a few dollars off your own electric bill with a pedal-powered generator that can power a lamp, the television, or even your laptop.

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Dick Cheney Thinks Threats to Public Health Are None of Our Business

As if the Bush Administration was not already the worst Presidency in the history of the United States of America.

As if Dick Cheney didn’t already have a reputation for being a maniacal puppeteer.

Now, new statements by Jason Barnett, the former associate deputy administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency have revealed that Vice President Cheney’s office sought to delete testimony by the CDC in congressional hearings last fall.  Cheney’s people specifically asked for the removal of data in congressional testimony which proves the negative health consequences for human beings as a result of climate change.  At stake is pan-industry regulation by the EPA under the federal Clean Air Act.

And we know what that means, don’t we?  *gasp*  Big businesses would have to make costly changes to ensure they aren’t spewing pollutants into the air and making innocent people sick!  Good thing they have the Vice President looking out for their interests.  If only we, the people, had the same benefit.

Obviously the Bush administration is claiming that the revisions (a full 6 out of 14 pages deleted) were “routine”.  I don’t know if that is supposed to reassure voters, or warn us that the administration routinely tries to pull the wool over our eyes.

The World Health Organization states on their website:

If our understanding of broad relationships between climate and disease is realistic, then climate change may already be affecting human health.

They list several health issues tied to global warming, including:

• increased allergen levels
• increased transmission of infectious diseases
• effects on food production
• drought and famine
• population displacement due to natural disasters, crop failure, water shortages
• destruction of health infrastructure
• conflict over natural resources
• direct impacts of heat and cold (morbidity)

So many people are “waiting out” the Bush administration, which thankfully, is quickly running out of time.  But I have a feeling that we’ll be feeling the effects of the dishonesty, greed, and extortion of this administration for years to come.  Especially, it seems, when it comes to our environment.

Natural Insect Repellents

Imagine using a wonderful smelling bowl of lightly crushed leaves and flower petals as not only an attractive decoration, but as a chemical free homemade insect repellent. You can grow all of the ingredients in pots, or splurge with a little creativity, but the end result is a safe and effective way to keep the bugs away! Avoiding harsh and unpleasant odors from potentially harmful commercial products is a tremendous reason to try natural insect repellents, as if being inexpensive and beautiful weren’t already enough.

Roses, rosemary, and eucalyptus are natural insect repellents. In fact, you probably have garlic, bay leaves, and possibly cloves and cayenne pepper in your kitchen. These are all plants that offer protection from ants and flying insects, such as mosquitoes. Lemongrass is a natural source of citronella. For small or enclosed uses, these should be sufficient for a bug-free afternoon. But let’s also look at a couple of natural heavy-hitters in insect repellents, marigolds and mint.  And keep in mind that most garden plants have preferred neighbors.

Marigolds as an Inspect Repellent

The best way to avoid most insects is through the use of plants that act as natural insect repellents. Growing up on a farm, we always planted marigold seeds to help protect the corn and peppers and other vegetables. Marigolds are not harmful to people or pets, and may be planted around the perimeter of a yard, or grown in a flowerbed. If you grow cherry tomatoes in a potted environment, keep a potted marigold nearby as well. Marigolds are large plants, making them an excellent addition to perimeter flower beds, or spaced around a porch or deck.  These hardy plants have a long and well documented history as a safe all natural insect repellent.

Mint as an Inspect Repellent

Mint is an aromatic and effective insect repellent, providing a pleasing scent that many insects, such as mosquitoes and ants,  will avoid. In some areas, mint can be grown in patches, or around the perimeter of the yard, which has the added attraction of releasing the odor each time you cut the lawn. In other places, mint can be grown as a shrub, or in a small herb garden, and leaves may be cultivated. There are a number of ways mint may be used, ranging from simply crushing the leaves and scattering them about to various lotions and sprays. In sprays and lotions, you may also consider adding other natural oils, for an even more effective chemical free homemade insect repellent. Lightly spaying the lawn or deck is one method to create a bug free environment that is appealing to your friends and family.  Catnip is a member of the mint family, and works well as a natural insect repellent.