Planet Strong

Life is so Beautiful, So Why is a Lot of it In Danger?

Life, and all of its millions of forms, is so beautiful, so why is it endangered?  Let me further explain this question…

When I speak of “life” in this context, I am referring to the millions of living organisms that inhabit the earth – the plants, animals, and every other living species.

Now, in our human-created society, it is easy to wander through it and be completely distracted from the natural world.  Our daily lives are so filled with responsibilities, that at times, we may forget that we are part of a much larger whole than what we directly experience everyday at home, work, school, etc.

Unfortunately, it is not as easy to truly appreciate the grandeur and wonderment that the natural world possesses when it is not directly experienced on a day-to-day basis.

But when we slow down a bit, stop, and really think about it, the natural world is an absolutely breathtaking place to be appreciated.

I stumbled across these gorgeous photographs today of the Amur Leopard and just had to share.  This Russian leopard is critically endangered with only 35 to 45 left in the wild.

Endangered Species Pictures: The Fishing Cat

But do we dare treat species as being expendable?  Do we really want to dare to continue with our species’ thirst for rampant environmental degradation in our supposed “progress.”

I’m afraid that our 20th century experiment has produced results that cannot be acceptable any longer in terms of the environment.  Do we dare continue in the same direction throughout the 21st century?  Or, do we dare to do something different?  Do we dare to live with nature, rather than continue to try to live above it?

We must try to keep the remainder of the earth’s biodiversity and species intact, so that the intricate and most beautiful web of life that makes our world such an awe-inspiring and inhabitable place does not further unravel.  We must learn more about our role in the natural world.

Washington State Staycation – The Olympic Peninsula

For those who live in Washington State, you have a lot of natural attractions to choose from.  There is North Cascades National Park, Mt. Rainier National Park, Mt. St. Helens, The Pacific Coast, and much more!

There is one place that I would like to highlight though for this installment of “The Best Places to Take a Staycation”:  Olympic National Park

For those that live in the Seattle-Tacoma Metropolitan Area, this makes for a relatively convenient place to take a great staycation.

So what kind of staycation can you make of this?  To start, if you are looking for some solace and solitude, most of the Olympic peninsula is sparsely populated and the park itself so vast, that you can truly make it a relaxing getaway.  But for the more adventurous, you will certainly be in your glory as well!

Economic collapse, mortgage meltdown, unemployment, stocks crashing, fraud, greed, scams….I’m so tired of hearing about all the mess that we’re in without one bit of good news anywhere in the media.

So this morning I decided to look at pictures of puppies instead.  And you know what? It definitely cheered me up.

Why don’t you give it a try…

98 Ways to Save Money Tips, Part One

The recession and its associated effects have forced many of us to re-evaluate where our dollars are going.  If you find yourself in a situation where you have no choice but to tighten your belt in as many areas as you can, then this list should help give you many areas for opportunity.

Order water instead of a paid drink at a restaurant. This can save you at least $2 or more at most restaurants.

Take your lunch to work instead of eating out. If you eat out five days a week, and spend an average of $8 per day, this will save you at least $40 a week!

If eating at a fast food restaurant, go for the specials. The fast food industry is very competitive, and especially during these economic times, they have a lot of good deals going on where you can get a full meal (and sometimes a drink) for around $3.

Don’t order appetizers when dining out. They are usually around $6 – 8, so you can already see the savings!

A locally-sourced economy can create jobs and independence.

Natural systems utilize resources to their maximum possible benefit. Now there is a lot to be learned from this example.  Species are creative as to the varied ways they use the materials in their local environment.  Virtually nothing goes to waste.  We can do the same.

And in many ways, you may do so already.  But are there some ways you can make better use of what is around you?  Instead of treating certain things as waste to be discarded, is there something productive you can use them for, which will prevent you from buying something in their place, thus saving you money?

It is really amazing as to what can be achieved from this overall philosophy, which will also be discussed in more detail in a later post.  But how can this principle help create jobs and independence?

Money, in essence, is not natural…

There are basic elements of life that must be met in order to ensure survival.  Once these needs are met, then in general, the next things of importance can be embraced, and a sense of fulfillment met.

So how does money fit into this picture?

Before I delve into a bit of philosophy about that, I wanted to take a moment to examine the natural world around us.

In the natural order of things, money plays no part.  There is no other species of life that uses it, nor is their a true ecosystem or natural pecking order that revolves around it.  But yet, there are hundreds of thousands of species among us that live out their existence without the use of a unit of trade or legal tender to bring amount their means of survival or fulfillment.