In Germany, where 20% of electricity comes from renewable sources, 51% of all wind and solar energy is owned by individual citizens or farms, totaling $100 billion worth of private investment in clean energy. – WindWorks.org
Girl Scouts Celebrate 100 Years of Blazing Trails
It’s hard to imagine Hillary Clinton, Condoleezza Rice and Lucille Ball as part of the same club. But they were all, at one time, Girl Scouts.
Founded 100 years ago today in Savannah, Ga., the Girl Scouts now count 3.2 million members.
Generations of girls grew up in those green uniforms, making memories with cookies, crafts and campfires. And, Girl Scout cookies have become as much of an American tradition as apple pie.
Strong 3 Months of Hiring as US Adds 277,000 Jobs in Feb
The United States added 227,000 jobs in February, the latest display of the breadth and strength of the economic recovery.
Hiring during the month was broad-based, with improvements in manufacturing, professional services, and health care.
More than 200,000 jobs were added in each of the three previous months and both December and January numbers were stronger than previously thought.
Americans Deliver Fishing Boats to Japan on First Anniversary of Tsunami
Family fishermen in Japan took delivery of a very special donation, on the one-year anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami that wiped out their local fishing industry. An American humanitarian group donated ten new hand-crafted boats to shrimp and seaweed fishermen in Hikado Harbor who have been out of work since the disaster.
Because the Japanese boat-building industry was also destroyed, the latest delivery by Operation Blessing International to fishing families in the Miyagi Prefecture will restore livelihoods and hope to many who might otherwise remain on waiting lists for new boats to be built.
“There is currently an extended waiting time for new boats to be built – as long as a year, even longer, because Japanese boat builders are simply overwhelmed,” said OBI president Bill Horan.
When the 8.9 magnitude earthquake struck, Japan’s fishing industry was nearly decimated as thousands of boats and large seaweed and shellfish cultivation operations were destroyed.
Last September, OBI scoured Japan to find more than 50 used boats and motors and delivered them to fishermen who had families to feed.
Since those boat donations were “a drop in the ocean of need‟ due to thousands of fishermen who’d lost theirs, OBI commissioned General Marine to build the 20 new boats, which are based on a design developed in consultation with the local fishermen.
Determined to help cultivators along the coast get back to work and see the return of income, OBI placed an order with a Chinese manufacturer to produce a special rope used by seaweed cultivators that is currently hard to find in Japan because of huge demand since the disaster.
In another project, OBI provided laptop computers to the JF Miyagi Fisheries Cooperative, for the fishermen to reach out to the nation via their own Web page. Since the project‟s launch, the cooperative has received pre-orders worth several million dollars for seafood to be delivered when the industry is revitalized.
OBI also provided $650,000 worth of seaweed and oyster cultivation equipment to the Urato Islands, which are famous for oysters. They received anchors, rope, scallop shells used for cultivating oysters, floats, nets, small trucks, and computers. In addition, the charity delivered industrial grade generators and refrigerators to the isolated islands lying off the coast of Miyagi. Due to OBI’s swift action, the oystermen were able to harvest in the same year as the tsunami, a timeline that was unthinkable by most in the community. In recognition of this achievement, the Mayor of Shiogama City honored OBI for getting them back on their feet so quickly.
In the coming months, OBI hopes to continue its boat donation program and has found a manufacturer in China to produce a 23-foot fishing boat similar to a model favored by local Japanese fishermen.
“We will be launching a new sponsorship program where community groups, churches and other organizations across Japan and elsewhere will be able to donate to the cost of building new boats for fishing families.”
In the months following the earthquake, Operation Blessing also conducted eyeglass clinics along the coast of Miyagi and Iwate Prefecture providing free eye exams and prescription glasses to almost 2,000 survivors living in shelters and temporary housing who lost their glasses in the tsunami.
DONATE to this fantastic effort at: www.ob.org
WATCH a video about OBI helping Japan’s fishing industry below…
Americans Deliver Fishing Boats to Japan on First Anniversary of Tsunami
Family fishermen in Japan took delivery of a very special donation, on the one-year anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami that wiped out their local fishing industry. An American humanitarian group donated ten new hand-crafted boats to shrimp and seaweed fishermen in Hikado Harbor who have been out of work since the disaster.
Because the Japanese boat-building industry was also destroyed, the latest delivery by Operation Blessing International to fishing families in the Miyagi Prefecture will restore livelihoods and hope to many who might otherwise remain on waiting lists for new boats to be built.
Brad Pitt Stages ‘Mini-Grammys’ Show to Help New Orleans
“Each time I come back to New Orleans and drive over that bridge, I get this swell of joy,” Pitt told Reuters, his eyes going watery.
Pitt shared his feelings about the city and its recovery with a few thousand people on Saturday evening, as he and comedian Ellen DeGeneres, a New Orleans native, hosted the Make It Right Foundation’s biggest fundraiser.
Thousands of Chinese Trafficking Victims Rescued by Police
Chinese police rescued more than 24,000 abducted women and children across the country in 2011, as nearly 3,200 human trafficking gangs were broken up, the Public Security Ministry said on Sunday.
The report, posted on the ministry’s website, said police rescued 8,660 abducted children and 15,458 women in 2011.
North Korean Orchestra Visits Paris for First European Concert Ever
In a warming of ties between North and South Korea, a North Korean orchestra arrived in Paris today for a rare performance with a South Korean conductor.
A joint-performance Wednesday with a French Philharmonic Orchestra will be the first concert by a North Korean orchestra in Europe.
When Disaster Strikes, CNN Hero Team is First on the Scene With Heavy Equipment
A powerful tornado ripped through West Liberty, Kentucky, last week, making the quaint community look like “a war zone.”
Fortunately, the First Response Team of America was there to help.
Founded by Tad Agoglia in 2007, the team has crisscrossed the country, providing free aid to as many as 40 disaster sites.
Within hours the organization arrived in West Liberty with its specialized fleet of heavy-duty disaster recovery equipment.
(WATCH the video below from CNN – Make a Donation to the Team)
When Disaster Strikes, CNN Hero Team is First on the Scene With Heavy Equipment
A powerful tornado ripped through West Liberty, Kentucky, last week, making the quaint community look like “a war zone.”
Fortunately, the First Response Team of America was there to help.
Founded by Tad Agoglia in 2007, the team has crisscrossed the country, providing free aid to as many as 40 disaster sites.
Within hours the organization arrived in West Liberty with its specialized fleet of heavy-duty disaster recovery equipment.
Paying Tribute: A Sea Otter Who Raised 13 Orphan Pups and Inspired State Law for her Species
Toola, a renowned sea otter at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California, recently ended an 11-year career in which she raised 13 orphaned otter pups and inspired a law to help her wild relatives.
After she had been found in the wild, stranded and suffering from a parasitic brain infection spread by cat feces, she began regular treatments at the aquarium for seizures and was likely never to return to her native waters.
Surprising Recovery for Japan Automakers, One Year After Disaster
Nissan is back, one year after an earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan ground auto production to a halt, left giant cracks at a key factory and killed five employees and 17 family members.
It’s a story of surprising recovery that’s playing out at other Japanese automakers, but particularly at Nissan.
The ‘miraculous’ turnaround was due to the hard work of Nissan workers and resulted in a record sales year in 2011, up 14 percent from the previous year.
Road Trip Filmed Across America Shows Solar is Working
Following the sun across the nation, a crew of young filmmakers got a first-hand look at how solar is working for Americans — in their homes, businesses and public buildings.
It’s encouraging to see the examples of how widespread solar energy has become, reducing utility costs for a boat marina and fire station, and cutting pollution generated by a zoo and a Crayola Crayon factory.
Beachgoers Save Dozens of Dolphins (Video)
Dozens of dolphins stranded on a Brazilian beach were are saved by locals who worked tirelessly to drag them back to the ocean.
The stunning video was shot by Gerd Traue and posted on YouTube by crariyo who wrote, “About 30 Dolphins stranded and saved by local people at Arraial do Cabo (Brazil) in the morning at 8:00 AM on March 5th 2012.”
It appears that all the dolphins were moved safely out to sea.
WATCH the video below…
(Thanks to Flavia Vigio for submitting the link.)
Beachgoers Save Dozens of Dolphins (Video)
Dozens of dolphins stranded on a Brazilian beach were are saved by locals who worked tirelessly to drag them back to the ocean.
The stunning video was shot by Gerd Traue and posted on YouTube by crariyo who wrote, “About 30 Dolphins stranded and saved by local people at Arraial do Cabo (Brazil) in the morning at 8:00 AM on March 5th 2012.”
Woman Calmed Trapped Horse as Water Rose Around Them for 3 Hours
Panic set-in last week for a rider and her horse as a rescue crew raced against the rising tide for three hours to loosen the huge animal which had been swallowed up by mud.
Nicole Graham clung to her trapped horse in Australia keeping his head high, as the water rose around them.
Football Player Cuts Famous Locks for Kids with Cancer
He is calling it “Hawk’s Locks for Kids”.
Linebacker A.J. Hawk of the Green Bay Packers, known for the long golden locks of hair flowing out from the bottom of his helmet, has cut them off to benefit a charity that provides wigs for children who lose their hair due to medical treatments.
He is asking his fans to do the same. All the locks, at least 12 inches long, will be sent to Wigs for Kids, based in Westlake, Ohio.
One-Armed High School Basketball Phenom, Landus Anderson, Soars
High school basketball player Landus Anderson is one of the top players in the state of Florida averaging an impressive 19 points-per-game. And he does it all with the use of only one arm.
The slender, 6-fout-4 junior suffered an injury at birth that disabled every nerve in his right arm. But he doesn’t like that word and doesn’t consider himself disabled.
His parents placed a basketball in his hand when he was only three, and saw the determination that would show up in all areas of his life — academics, community service, and sports.
(WATCH the video below, or READ the AP story in the Wash Post)
One-Armed High School Basketball Phenom, Landus Anderson, Soars
High school basketball player Landus Anderson is one of the top players in the state of Florida averaging an impressive 19 points-per-game. And he does it all with the use of only one arm.
The slender, 6-fout-4-inch junior suffered an injury at birth that disabled every nerve in his right arm. But he doesn’t like that word and doesn’t consider himself disabled.
His parents placed a basketball in his hand when he was only three, and saw the determination that would show up in all areas of his life — academics, community service, and sports.
Comics Support Amnesty Intl at Secret Policeman’s Ball American Debut
After a four-year absence, the Secret Policeman’s Ball, a longtime comedy staple in Britain, returned Sunday night, holding its first fundraising show ever in America to benefit Amnesty International.
Celebrating Amnesty’s 50th anniversary, 35 of the world’s most talented comedians and musicians stood up for free speech during the star-studded evening at Radio City Music Hall, headlined by Russell Brand, Sarah Silverman, Ben Stiller, Jon Stewart, Saturday Night Live regulars and musical acts Coldplay and Mumford & Sons.