This is an ongoing story of merit, accomplishment, and community caring. A Ugandan boy was brought overseas for surgery and now the whole town in Southern Oregon is chipping in to help his family to buy food back home. (Mail Tribune w/ photo ) Thanks to Jim for submitting this story!
Colorado Encouraging “Green” Construction
Governor Ritter wants Colorado to be the example for the rest of the nation when it comes to green technology and energy efficiency giving thirty seven communities across the state a grant from the governors energy office to encourage the building of energy efficient homes.
Green соnѕtruсtіоn, or Grееn Building аѕ many саll іt, has started аttrасtіng more аnd more аttеntіоn durіng thе lаѕt уеаrѕ. Thе соnсерt bеhіnd grееn соnѕtruсtіоn lіеѕ fаr beyond thе creation оf a buіldіng thаt doesn’t hаrm the еnvіrоnmеnt. Green соnѕtruсtіоn tries tо establish thоѕе соndіtіоnѕ that will еvеntuаllу uрgrаdе thе ԛuаlіtу оf our рlаnеt.
There are mаnу dіffеrеnt оріnіоnѕ around thіѕ еffоrt which mаnу times іѕ mіѕtаkеnlу conceived as аn unnесеѕѕаrу luxurу. By investing іn green construction, уоu аrе іnvеѕtіng іn thе planet аnd hence іn уоur оwn wеll-bеіng. In other wоrdѕ, grееn construction isn’t fосuѕіng only оn thе рrе-buіldіng рrосеѕѕ but іt рutѕ extra wеіght оn the gеnеrаl improvement оf thе nаturаl ѕurrоundіngѕ.
The truе vаluе of grееn construction:
In оrdеr tо fully realize hоw сrіtісаl іѕ fоr оur industry tо start adopting a grееnеr рrоfіlе, іt would bе useful to сhесk оut mаnу dіffеrеnt ѕоlutіоnѕ thаt grееn соnѕtruсtіоn соuld оffеr tо uѕ:
1. Mоrе effective management оf thе аvаіlаblе rеѕоurсеѕ
Thе uѕе of grееn mаnufасturіng techniques can ѕаvе vast аmоuntѕ оf nаturаl rеѕоurсеѕ. Bу limiting the wаѕtе of еnеrgу оr оf vаluаblе rеѕоurсеѕ ѕuсh аѕ wаtеr, for example, уоu can boost рrоjесt’ѕ ѕuѕtаіnаbіlіtу and protect bіоdіvеrѕіtу.
2. Bеttеr protection of the natural hаbіtаt
One more advantage оf gоіng grееn іn соnѕtruсtіоn hаѕ to do with thе environment itself. Mоrе ѕресіfісаllу, grееn buіldіng рrоmоtеѕ thе іmрlеmеntаtіоn of methods thаt соntrіbutе tо the mіnіmіzаtіоn оf аіr аnd ѕоund роllutіоn durіng thе соnduсtіоn оf a project. On top оf that, a ѕіgnіfісаnt rеduсе оf рrоduсеd wаѕtе соuld bе аnоthеr step towards the rіght dіrесtіоn.
3. Higher lіvіng standards for thе residents
Thе еxtrа attention for people’s wеll-bеіng саn hаvе a vеrу роѕіtіvе impact оn the еvеrуdау life оf thе реорlе whо lіvе оr wоrk іn “green” buіldіngѕ. An есоlоgісаl frіеndlу buіldіng саn uрgrade.
Disabled Iraqi Children Get Wheelchairs
A private contractor in Iraq noticed a need. Now prisoners in South Dakota are building — and the US military is delivering — wheelchairs to needy children and their families, spreading hope and compassion to the people of Iraq.
Congratulation to Brad Blauser, the founder of Wheelchairs for Iraqi Kids. Visit his website to donate: Wheelchairs For Iraqi Kids.
Thanks to Laura and Shelley for sending the link!
Former Gang Rivals Embrace Each Other in Ministry Outreach
The California Cease Fire Ministry seeks out hard-core Mexican-American gang members to participate in a truce. The program is run by ex-gang members, 50-year-olds who successfully persuade California’s murderous Latino gangs to embrace each other and rebuild their lives in the church. (San Jose Mercury News)
Glucosamine and Chondroitin Trial Support Health Claims
A six-month trial by the U.S. NIH has shown that glucosamine and chondroitin supplements are even more effective in combination for treating moderate-to-severe knee pain from osteoarthritis than a COX-2 inhibitor anti-inflammatory drug. (The StarOnline)
200 Converge on Grand Central Station in Guerilla Comedy Mission (Video)
On a recent Saturday two hundred New Yorkers sycronized their watches, converged on the grand concourse of the world’s largest train station and froze in place like statues while hundreds of travelers gawked in awe at the Grand Central Station spectacle.
The “flash mob,” as such groups are known, was organized by Charlie Todd whose website ImprovEverywhere.com is dedicated to causing “scenes of chaos and joy in public places.”
Check out more about Imrove Everywhere in this special report by ABC News:
$42 Million Raised in Valentine Art Auction for AIDS
“A Valentine’s Day art auction conceived by U2 frontman and activist Bono together with British artist Damien Hirst has raised $42.5 million for UN-backed health programs in Africa.”
The contemporary art auction was part of the (RED) campaign, which, since being launched in 2006 by Bono and Bobby Shriver, has become one of the largest consumer-based fundraising efforts by the private sector in support of international humanitarian issues, specifically The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
The Age in Australia reports, that artists such as Georg Baselitz, Howard Hodgkin, Jasper Johns, Anish Kapoor and Jeff Koons contributed works for the red-themed Valentine’s Day, which was attended by Tennis legend John McEnroe, supermodel Helena Christensen and Hollywood actor and director Dennis Hopper.
Loss of Leg Doesn’t Stop Police Cadet from Achieving Dream (Video)
Adam Griggel says even after he lost his leg, he was determined to become a Wisconsin police officer. Now as a police cadet he is top in his class. He has achieved his dream with determination and a great attitude. (MSNBC Video) Also see the WEAU-TV News report here .
Record Year for Blue Butterfly in UK
Efforts begun in 1983 to re-introduce the large blue butterfly in England have paid off. A new survey within a key breeding area revealed a record number of the rare butterflies, known to have disappeared from the UK in the late 1970s. (BBC News)
Suicide Rate Drops in Young Men
“The suicide rate among young men in England and Wales is at the lowest level for 30 years,” reports the BBC.
For males aged 15 to 24, the overall suicide rate dropped from 16.6 per 100,000 people in 1990 to 8.5 per 100,000 in 2005. Amongst men aged 25 to 34, overall suicide rates declined almost seven percent.
New Miracle Mosquito Nets (Video)
Sleeping under mosquito nets treated with insecticide has been shown to be an extremely effective and cheap method of preventing deadly malaria. Now, a manufacturing partnership between Japan and Tanzania is creating superior nets in the heart of Africa where they are needed most, “supporting African innovation for Africans”. (AFP Video)
US Kids Deliver Playground Pump to Thirsty School in Africa
American children became inspired to help African kids turn on the faucet for the first time and find clean water. US kids raised $14,000 to send a new playground water pump that with rotation of the merry-go-round delivers water to the township.
“I finally get to do something big in the world. I’m not just a small person in society,” says 9 year-old Liam Keran. (Wonderful MSNBC video)
With Down Syndrome and a Passion to Help Others
Simon Eng, 22, has already touched the lives of thousands of children around the world and he wants to help a lot more. Born with Down Syndrome, Eng explains his passion simply, “Poor countries, poor people and poor children—I want to help them.” Despite limited communication skills, Eng began packing school kits for MCC Alberta in November 2006. Fourteen months later he had reached the milestone of 10,000 school kits. (story and photo at MCC.org)
Jewelers Shun Gold From Proposed Alaska Mine
“Five of the nation’s leading jewelers have sworn off gold that could someday come from the proposed Pebble Mine, a huge deposit near the world’s most productive wild sockeye salmon stream.” (AP via MSNBC) KTVF Alaska TV news:
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College to Give Bikes to Freshmen
Ripon College hopes to ease its campus parking shortage with a bicycle giveaway for incoming freshmen: “If they promise not to bring a car to campus for a full year, they’ll receive a Trek 820 mountain bike, helmet and lock for free.” (Associated Press via NewsVine )
Write Your Love On the Eiffel Tower
Since its launch on Valentine’s Day 2006, a French company has arranged creative marriage proposals and public declarations of love for couples planning romantic trips to Paris. The company, ApoteoSurprise, will project an image onto the base of the Eiffel Tower featuring the photo of a bridegroom-to-be, along with a personal proposal, while lovers enjoy a candlelight cruise along the Seine.
Finding Love Getting Easier in Rural Areas
Catering to rural Americans, a unique online matchmaking service, FarmersOnly, launched in 2005 has brought together some 85,000 lovers (of tractors) seeking companionship. The business has also made some money for its entrepreneurial founder.
(AP report via MSNBC)
London to Spend US$975 Million on Walking and Cycling Programs
London is committing to bike programs in a big way. “It will spend US$975 million over the next ten years to implement five new programs with the aim of having one in ten round trips in London each day made by bike, and saving some 1.6 million tons of CO2 per year .” (Treehugger)
Unhooked: Fishing Fleets to Help Albatross
Fishing fleets around the world have agreed to launch measures this year to protect sea birds from fishing hooks, including the use of blue dye to camouflage the seductive bait. (AP report via MSNBC)
India to Create 8 New Tiger Sanctuaries
“Conservationists welcomed an Indian government plan to create eight new reserves to protect the country’s dwindling tiger population, the government’s Tiger Project announced Tuesday.”