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August 30, 2008, 9:15 am
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We know you read the online version of the Prior Lake American. Do you read the print edition?
I subscribe, and I read the print edition for more detail.
62%
I don’t subscribe, but I read it elsewhere.
8%
I don’t subscribe, but I occasionally pick up the print edition at the store.
2%
I used to subscribe, but I don’t anymore.
8%
I never read the print edition.
20%
Total votes: 60
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Trash to Treasure



Average: 5 (1 vote)

Most of us can read the writing on the wall; we just assume it's addressed to someone else. ~ Ivern Ball

Every year, we make a vow to re-invent ourselves through silent resolutions. It's a noble gesture and some of us work very hard to turn those promises into a habit.

It's been said that you only have to do something for 21 days to make it stick.

As human beings, we can be pretty hard on ourselves and we tend to make things a little more complicated than they really are. It's the small things that really matter and if you start with things you can achieve easily, you'll feel more accomplished and motivated to move on to the next thing.

Just a little change goes a long way...easy to do and feels great! (Easier than getting into the gym or losing weight)

1. Take shorter showers.
2. Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth.
3. Keep cold water in the fridge instead of running the tap until it gets cold.
4. Fix leaky faucets.
5. Use cold water to wash clothes. Lowers electric bills.
6. Use both sides of paper for informal notes.
7. Recycle used paper.
8. Visit craigslist or freecycle.com to sell or purchase perfectly good used items.
9. Donate clothes, furniture and books to worthy causes.
10. Shop second-hand. It's a really fun adventure.
11. Reuse grocery bags or buy a recycled bag to bring with you.
12. Choose household cleaning products that are earth friendly. If you only knew how toxic some of these products are, you wouldn't use them around your kids or pets. I love Mrs.Meyers!
13. Check with your county's hazardous waste collection program before dumping toxic waste.
14. Use cast iron pans instead of non-stick. Here's why...
15. Turn off lights when you leave a room.
16. Turn off your computer at night.
17. Avoid ozone-depleting substances.
18. Choose water based versions of varnishes and paints, when possible.
19. Buy organic. It may cost a little more but it's worth it.
20. Buy safer products for kids.
21. Change furnace air filters regularly.
22. Seal windows during winter months and lower blinds in the summer.
23. Get a home energy audit.
24. Change to energy saving compact fluorescent bulbs.
25. Avoid chemical pesticides.
26. Create a composting pile for organic materials.
27. Walk or ride a bike when you can or take a bus.
28. Keep your car/truck tuned up and tires properly inflated to maximize fuel efficiency.
29. Instead of idling, shut off car engine, even for short trips.
30. Buy local, when possible.
31. Pack a lunch.
32. Buy a reusable water bottle, instead of disposables.
33. Buy paper products instead of plastic.
34. Avoid Styrofoam.
35. Buy organic.
36. Buy natural fibers.
37. Read labels.
38. Leave your shoes at the door.
39. Create whimsical art with cast offs - we can show you how...
http://web.mac.com/cre8tivegang/225_Water_Street/Mosaic_Tile_Classes.htm...

225 Water Street a Creative Arts & Holding Company that specializes in all things creative. Our sister company, “The Cre8tive Collaboration Gang” produces special corporate events, trade-shows and video. When we’re not out producing corporate events or video’s, one gang member is gluing things to other things and coaxing others to do the same. 225 Water Street specializes in mosaic tile, mosaic tile art, mosaic tile supplies, mosaic tile classes, digital photography, photo collage, whimsical gifts and the art of all found objects.

http://web.mac.com/cre8tivegang/225_Water_Street/Creative_Arts.html


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"We need to solve the...

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"We need to solve the climate crisis, it's not a political issue, it's a moral issue. We have everything we need to get started, with the possible exception of the will to act, that's a renewable resource, let's renew it."
-Al Gore...


Submitted by Tom Schardin on March 5, 2008 - 2:20pm.

Many scientists do not...

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Many scientists do not accept the myth that pollution is causing global warming. Global warming fear mongers claim that world temperatures have risen one degree Fahrenheit in the past century, but the period they take as their starting point — around 1880 — was colder than average. Also, the timing of temperature changes doesn't seem to support the theory of global warming. Most of the rise came before 1940 —before human-caused emissions of 'greenhouse' gases became significant.

According to the global warming fear mongers, the post-World War II factory and economic boom should have pushed temperatures up, but the opposite happened. In fact, the decrease in temperature, which was very noticeable in the 60s and 70s, led many people to fear that we would be going into another ice age.

The temperature has not behaved recently as it should according to global warming theory. Over the last eight years, temperature in the southern hemisphere has actually been falling. In fact, when proper satellite measurements are done of world temperatures, they do not show any increase whatsoever over the last 20 years.


Submitted by Savage Guy on March 5, 2008 - 4:49pm.

"Government’s gotta be...

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"Government’s gotta be proactive on the environment. Global warming is here. All these idiots that run around and say it isn't here. That's ridiculous."
-Bill O'Reilly.


Submitted by Tom Schardin on March 5, 2008 - 6:17pm.

I take your Politician and...

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I take your Politician and Talk show host and raise you 100 PhDs and experts on Climate science:

"Global warming" is not a global crisis

We, the scientists and researchers in climate and related fields, economists, policymakers, and business leaders, assembled at Times Square, New York City, participating in the 2008 International Conference on Climate Change,

Resolving that scientific questions should be evaluated solely by the scientific method;

Affirming that global climate has always changed and always will, independent of the actions of humans, and that carbon dioxide (CO2) is not a pollutant but rather a necessity for all life;

Recognising that the causes and extent of recently observed climatic change are the subject of intense debates in the climate science community and that oft-repeated assertions of a supposed 'consensus' among climate experts are false;

Affirming that attempts by governments to legislate costly regulations on industry and individual citizens to encourage CO2 emission reduction will slow development while having no appreciable impact on the future trajectory of global climate change. Such policies will markedly diminish future prosperity and so reduce the ability of societies to adapt to inevitable climate change, thereby increasing, not decreasing, human suffering;

Noting that warmer weather is generally less harmful to life on Earth than colder:

Hereby declare:

That current plans to restrict anthropogenic CO2 emissions are a dangerous misallocation of intellectual capital and resources that should be dedicated to solving humanity's real and serious problems.

That there is no convincing evidence that CO2 emissions from modern industrial activity has in the past, is now, or will in the future cause catastrophic climate change.

That attempts by governments to inflict taxes and costly regulations on industry and individual citizens with the aim of reducing emissions of CO2 will pointlessly curtail the prosperity of the West and progress of developing nations without affecting climate.

That adaptation as needed is massively more cost-effective than any attempted mitigation and that a focus on such mitigation will divert the attention and resources of governments away from addressing the real problems of their peoples.

That human-caused climate change is not a global crisis.

Now, therefore, we recommend --

That world leaders reject the views expressed by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change as well as popular, but misguided works such as "An Inconvenient Truth."

That all taxes, regulations, and other interventions intended to reduce emissions of CO2 be abandoned forthwith.

Agreed at New York, 4 March 2008


Submitted by Robert Thibodeaux on March 5, 2008 - 6:28pm.

"I am convinced that the...

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"I am convinced that the overwhelming scientific evidence indicated that climate change is taking place and human activities play a very large role,''
-Senator John McCain.


Submitted by Tom Schardin on March 5, 2008 - 6:37pm.

"I think there is widespread...

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"I think there is widespread agreement on certain basics, and one of the most important is that we are producing far more CO2 from fossil fuels than we ought to be. And it’s going to lead to trouble unless we can begin to reduce the amount of fossil fuels we are burning and using in our economies."
-Professor John Marburger, President George Bush’s chief science adviser


Submitted by Tom Schardin on March 5, 2008 - 7:01pm.

Scientist with facts and...

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Scientist with facts and Data.

Tom,
You can post tons of "stars" - but the science does not back it up.

There is scientific consensus that the computer models are flawed and that land base temperature reading are an unreliable measure. The IPC reports have been heavily edited under POLITICAL pressure and most of the IPC data has been proved to be fraudulent.

And again, none of the models show any relations to "Man Made" activity being any significant contributor.

The recent media myths about Polar Bears disappearing (There are more now) and the polar ice pack melting away (it is now bigger than it was last year)

If you want to add Celebrities as you basis for making decisions then how about the founder of the weather channel who called the hype around Man Made Global warming as "The Greatest Scam in History".


Submitted by Robert Thibodeaux on March 6, 2008 - 8:26am.

...and in the 50's, 4 out of...

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...and in the 50's, 4 out of 5 doctors recommended Lucky Strikes for superior flavored cigarettes. I would say that it is important to pay close attention to the scientific evidence, but take a measured approach to the results. There are definitely good ideas coming out of all of the buzz, hybrid cars, recycle, solar power, "save water, shower with a friend", but lets take this one step at a time.


Submitted by Oppressed Underdog on March 7, 2008 - 1:16am.

I didn't realize the...

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I didn't realize the Republican nominee for President, John McCain, and the President's chief science advisor are just "celebs or stars."

You can pick and choose what science you to believe. You have that right. I know there are many intelligent scientist, along with many conservaties hoping on board, who support the global warming argument and believe in the science.

So you can act like an Ostrich when it comes to this - Head. Sand. Ears. Plugged.

But for me, the president's chief science advisor, the Republican nominee for president and many other intelligent scientists, it's pretty simple: You can't keep dropping turds in your backyard and not expect it to stink.


Submitted by Tom Schardin on March 6, 2008 - 6:12pm.

Yes I trust Climate...

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Yes I trust Climate Scientist.

You are correct, I trust a board of climate scientist with nothing to gain and there publish and peer reviewed documents over a politician trying to score political points.

So are you saying that politicians and their appointed scientist are infallible and never make statements for political gain?

So before we destroy the US economy for no gain, yes I will look the science behind it.

And for you information, the scientist you quoted above has a Phd in Physics with a specialty in laser and optics - He is not in any way an expert in climate science. He main claim to fame is he was able to get more money from the government for research than anyone before him.


Submitted by Robert Thibodeaux on March 6, 2008 - 7:35pm.

The only consensus that...

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The only consensus that exists comes from the overwhelming majority of scientists in the world who say that global warming does exist and that man has played a significant role in creating it. Sure, there are a few scientists who disagree, but they're in the minority.


Submitted by Mark Nesvig on March 6, 2008 - 7:43pm.

One, Science isn't a...

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One,
Science isn't a popularity contest.

Two,
an overwhelming majority of climate scientist do not agree, all of the great scientific declaration saying that it has been settled are political appointees and as above consist of Phd in other areas (English, physics, engineering)


Submitted by Robert Thibodeaux on March 6, 2008 - 8:30pm.

That's simply not true....

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That's simply not true.


Submitted by Mark Nesvig on March 6, 2008 - 8:32pm.

I may have missed the boat...

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I may have missed the boat here, bit it seems to me that both scientists and politicians have proven that it is possible to argue the point of Global Warming until they are blue in the face, or until the arctic ice caps melt, which ever comes first, but the real issue, no matter what side of the aisle people are on, is being a steward of the Earth.
Call me a tree hugger, but the tips that began this blog are about taking responsibilty for the world in which we live. People can argue that climate change is real or not, but the bottom line is taking a shorter shower to conserve water, getting an energy audit to save resources, and on and on is simply good practice to leave the world a better place for our families.


Submitted by Shawn Hogendorf on March 7, 2008 - 10:34am.

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