Message sent by Candice - East Coast Challenger
I just wanted to let all of you lovely people know about this year's Yellowbird Foundation Silent Online Auction. It's a great way to shop for Christmas presents, or for yourself, and all the money goes to charity!
The Yellowbird Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that builds education facilites and provides resources for people in the Carribbean - it's all about giving back to the destinations we enjoy as vacationers.
To view and bid on the auction visit http://www.yellowbirdfoundation.com/. There are gift certificates for hotel accommodation, raptors tickets and even tickets to Madrid.
Check it out!
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Water, Actually NOT a Sustainable Resource
Message from Leigh - East Coast Challenger
Some helpful and very important hints I found today about saving water. Remember EVERY act counts towards saving our precious earth at this critical time.
Brushing Teeth / Washing Dishes WITH the Water Running- DO NOT keep water running while brushing your teeth/ doing the dishes. You will waste a gallon a minute! When you brush your teeth, wet the toothbrush first and turn the water off immediately. Only use the water to rinse. Same for dish washing. Stopper the sink, scrub the dishes without the water on, and then turn the water on to rinse off the soap. I hope you are using a Biodegradable Soap, like Seventh Generation. These soaps are made %100 naturally, and help the petrolium levels in the air. This is what is used in my house, and it makes me feel good about doing the dishes.
Shaving (Women)- When you shave in the shower, do you really need the water running? Turn off the water while you shave your legs. I put conditioner in my hair, fill cup with water, sit in the bathtub and shave, with the water off, while my hair is being conditioned!
If Its Yellow, Let it Mellow. If Its Brown, Flush it Down- Some people are bothered by this, but it is essential. Every time you flush the toilet, you waste 10 gallons of water. So why not just flush when necessary?
Don't Use the Toilet for Trash - Some people toss and flush away tissues, cigarettes or bits of trash in the toilet. Use a wastebasket instead. If everyone in Canada (and the U.S.) flushed just once less per day, we could save a sea full of water a mile wide, a mile long, and four feet deep, every day!
Some helpful and very important hints I found today about saving water. Remember EVERY act counts towards saving our precious earth at this critical time.
Brushing Teeth / Washing Dishes WITH the Water Running- DO NOT keep water running while brushing your teeth/ doing the dishes. You will waste a gallon a minute! When you brush your teeth, wet the toothbrush first and turn the water off immediately. Only use the water to rinse. Same for dish washing. Stopper the sink, scrub the dishes without the water on, and then turn the water on to rinse off the soap. I hope you are using a Biodegradable Soap, like Seventh Generation. These soaps are made %100 naturally, and help the petrolium levels in the air. This is what is used in my house, and it makes me feel good about doing the dishes.
Shaving (Women)- When you shave in the shower, do you really need the water running? Turn off the water while you shave your legs. I put conditioner in my hair, fill cup with water, sit in the bathtub and shave, with the water off, while my hair is being conditioned!
If Its Yellow, Let it Mellow. If Its Brown, Flush it Down- Some people are bothered by this, but it is essential. Every time you flush the toilet, you waste 10 gallons of water. So why not just flush when necessary?
Don't Use the Toilet for Trash - Some people toss and flush away tissues, cigarettes or bits of trash in the toilet. Use a wastebasket instead. If everyone in Canada (and the U.S.) flushed just once less per day, we could save a sea full of water a mile wide, a mile long, and four feet deep, every day!
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Recycling and Donating
24 pencils and 9 erasers have already been donated! Our friend who made this donation, didn't go out and buy the supplies, but rather knew she had some un-used pencils and erasers lying around the house. In fact, she had two pencil cases full of pens, pencils and erasers, some used a little and others untouched. Now the untouched pencils and erasers will go to good use. Thanks Rosie for recycling and donating!
Other places to check for some cheap school supplies:
- Ask friends who have children
- Ask friends who work with children
- Dollar stores
- Bargin bins at Office Depot, Zellers, Walmart or Superstore.
Other places to check for some cheap school supplies:
- Ask friends who have children
- Ask friends who work with children
- Dollar stores
- Bargin bins at Office Depot, Zellers, Walmart or Superstore.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Our Challenge for November
All children have the right to an education, but it's not always that easy. There are many factors that play against a child's ability to get a proper education; poverty is just one.
This month, we ask you to gather school supplies. With donations, The Mennonite Central Committee puts together school kits and sends them to where they are needed most. We will try to collect and give as many school kits as we can.
"School kits are our most requested item. They are given primarily to refugee and displaced children, helping students and teachers add some normalcy to disrupted lives. Also areas that experienced natural disasters receive them with joy. MCC sends school kits for children in places such as Bosnia, Haiti, Honduras, Iraq, Liberia, Nicaragua, North Korea, Russia, Serbia, and Ukraine and to poorly funded schools in Canada and the United States. In 2004, MCC sent more than 90,000 school kits" (Mennonite Central Committee, 2007).
This month, we ask you to gather school supplies. With donations, The Mennonite Central Committee puts together school kits and sends them to where they are needed most. We will try to collect and give as many school kits as we can.
"School kits are our most requested item. They are given primarily to refugee and displaced children, helping students and teachers add some normalcy to disrupted lives. Also areas that experienced natural disasters receive them with joy. MCC sends school kits for children in places such as Bosnia, Haiti, Honduras, Iraq, Liberia, Nicaragua, North Korea, Russia, Serbia, and Ukraine and to poorly funded schools in Canada and the United States. In 2004, MCC sent more than 90,000 school kits" (Mennonite Central Committee, 2007).
The items that make up these school kits are:
~ 4 spiral or perforated notebooks (about 21.5cm x 27cm / 8.5" x 10.5" and 70-80 sheets U.S. / 140-160 pages in Canada, more info)
~ 4 unsharpened pencils
~ 1 ruler (flat, flexible plastic; indicating both 30cm and 12")
~ 12 colored pencils (in packaging)
~ 1 large pencil eraser
What we are doing to gather donations:
Towards the end of this month, I (Amanda) will be hosting a party at my place to collect change and/or some of the school supplies listed above. To encourage my friends to make donations, there will be tickets handed out to those who are generous. Once everyone has arrived, a winner will be announced.
Please take this idea and do something similar!
To learn more about the MCC's school kits, visit their website at www.mcc.org/kits/school/
Happy Donating!
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