Don't drink the water

When we hear the phrase: "don't drink the water", we tend to think of countries that lack the United States level of clean water. For Americans, clean water is a given. Well, what we don't know is hurting us. It's been found that the coal plants have been contaminating our drinking water well above safe levels. At some coal plants, there isn't a federal requirement to report the items leaking into our water system.

Are you drinking arsenic or toxic metals? Find out:

http://action.sierraclub.org/site/PageNavigator/adv_bigpicture_coalash_resources?JServSessionIdr004=pm3uj9gp51.app220a

Can I really eat it?

This Sunday, September 12th at the Glenwood Farmer's Market, there will be a talk and walk about urban foraging. I've mentioned this in my blog before, but I've never gotten a chance to attend. We'll walk the Rogers Park neighborhood.

It should be interesting......

Check here for the details: http://www.transitionrogerspark.org/

Is it possible?

Day in and day out, we're shell shocked with depressing and, often, violent news about our world, about our neighbors, about us. If we were to truly believe that nothing is getting better, that hope and peace are found only in poems, we would lose the emotion of caring, of challenging the illusions presented to us. So, it's refreshing to find a mass of people who begin by taking that simple step, uttering that first word.

This is the mission statement of such a group, The Rogers Park Transition Towns Movement:

"create something new-a community where we "power down" and in so doing, build resillence...."

Check out the website and join in learning about food foraging this Sunday at the Glenwood Market. Power down and build resillence!

Paying the rent

So, labor day weekend is ending. I enjoyed sitting on the beach, feeling the lake breeze, and the smell of the grill. Sitting with friends among nature is the best "high" anyone can get. I don't ever want to take it for granted.

There's a saying that everyone on earth must pay rent. No, not that unequal and sometimes oppressive monthly payment for living inside a box, but the rent in form of service to protecting and preserving the earth. Doing our fair share to make sure that we contribute more than we take away.

On the 25th of this month, you have a chance to do that. It's beach clean up day. Here's the info:

http://illinois.sierraclub.org/chicago/