Lessons from Catalina...

Here we are at the beginning of the week...again! We only have around 5 more Mondays until the end of school... how exciting!

It has been a few weeks since we returned from Catalina, but the lessons that we learned there are still with us. Perhaps the most important thing that we take from Catalina is a desire to protect our earth. As you read this blog (and I'm sure more like it to come), we know that you may not agree with everything we say. And, we think it is important to let our readers know that we are not tree-hugging hippies who think global warming will doom our planet.

What we do believe is that we (humans) are using our resources at an alarming rate, and if we don't stop, we will run out of these resources. What humans are doing to support their wasteful lifestyles is not a natural part of the Earth's delicate balance. The population of this earth is enormous, and we can't continue to deplete our resources.



An example of the crazy depletion of our resources is given by Thomas Friedman, author of The World is Flat. According to Friedman, if the next billion people that are born (which will happen in your lifetime) were given just 1 60-watt light bulb (yes just 1 light bulb) to burn for the rest of their lives, it would require us to build 20 more 500 megawatt coal burning plants. And that is just one light bulb. This doesn't even take into consideration things like: computers, washers and dryers, blow dryers, microwaves, TV's and everything else that we plug in.

Think how much of this junk could have been recycled

What is so hard to understand is why people are so stubborn when it comes to having a positive effect on our earth. Why don't people recycle? What is so hard about it? What is so hard about getting reusable bags? What is so hard about hanging your clothes to dry instead of drying them? What is so hard about buying a CFL light bulb? What is so hard about drinking tap water instead of buying bottled water?

I might like you better if you recycled :)

Not only are these things not difficult to do, but they actually help YOU too, not just our earth. CFL light bulbs save you money! Using reusable bags saves YOU money at the grocery store (10 cents per bag... do the math). Drinking tap water is better for you! Recycling costs nothing.

If this guy can recycle... so can you!

People have gotten so used to their way of life, that it is hard for them to change. It is time to stop being lazy, and to start making decisions that give us a better quality of life.

By no means are we perfect regarding this. We still use our appliances. We still drive our cars, and more. But, we are still learning, and we are willing to try! We hope you'll do the same.

So, as you read our blogs, please note that we may every once in a while post a blog about this subject matter. That is because we think it is important. We would love input and open minds!

Don't blow it; good planets are hard to find- Time Magazine