Earth Day -- #FridayFlash

This is a very short flash in honor to Earth Day. I hope you'll enjoy it.

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It tickles. What is it? 


I shrug and tiny things fall apart. The itching stops in some parts, but it continues and increases in others. I wish I had fingers like some of my diminutive companions. 


Ow, that hurts! Wait just there, you're going too deep. I can't breathe with all that smoke, and I feel queasy with what you gave me to drink. 


My oceans react, parts of me clean out as new things crumble down. I still don't feel too good though. 


I take a closer look at what is causing all that disturbance and I'm surprised to see how much of my surface they have covered with their new, strange looking, smelly homes. I'm concerned at how unaware of me they are. I checked them out just over a minute ago and  they not only knew about me but also they seemed to like me. What's happened?


Hmm, good. Some of them are waking up to my presence. I hope these are the ones who will survive my next change. 

*

Earth B-Day

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This Friday, April 22, is going to be Earth Day. Earth is around 4 billion 600 million years old. We know it's not going to be actually Earth's birthday, but let's pretend it is? Let's also pretend Earth is a bit younger, say, 46 years old. 


'Til she was a 7-year-old kid, she was a mystery. We know almost nothing about her at that tim. They say these first years are the most important to the formation of the personality, so it's a bit scary knowing nothing about such a close friend, eh?


Earth grew into an adolescent and a young gorgeous woman without we knowing much about her either. Our knowledge about her starts when she was already a delicate and mature 42-years-old. 


Dinosaurs came over when she was already 45, and mammals arrived only eight months ago. Half a week ago some monkeys that looked more or less like a man evolved into men that looked like monkeys. 


Three days ago, she had her last glacial era (that encompassed the whole planet), and the modern man as we know came over in the last four hours. Just an hour ago man discovered agriculture and established himself in fixed locations.


Industrial Revolution happened a minute ago, and in the last sixty seconds man managed to transform the paradise that Earth is in a dumpster. Man has multiplied and spread out like a plague, causing the extinction of more than 500 species, and has devastated our kind lady in search for fossil fuel and minerals. 


Like a child that sees only himself and is unable of measuring the consequences of his actions, man has made inviable many other life forms and is now affecting the whole environment, causing problems to his own survival. 


Only a few seconds ago, part of mankind has become aware that the most serious problem man has to solve is to reestablish harmony with nature.(*)

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Whew, thank god we're not too late! 


So, what do we do? 


Nah, I'm not lecturing about all the green actions you can take to move towards that goal. It would be nice, though, if you gave it a thought.


In the mean time, check out a few websites that talk about the issue:

•  Earth Day Network, where you'll find what you can do, and the events in the US.

• Green News.info, where you'll find all kinds of news in Italian, and Earth Days events in Italy.

• Cesar's Way, where you'll find what you can do with your dog for Earth Day. Being a huge dog lover, I should tell you that you'll find loads of useful information on this website. It's definitely worth a closer look. 

Happy Earth Day!


(*) This analogy is not mine. I took it and free-translated from an official paper on safe driving and citizen awareness raising. 

Breathe

I had promised another installment of the zombie dragon story for this week, but, but... It doesn't matter does it? heh ;P

So, I wrote this a few days ago, which I thought I'd share with you although it doesn't really qualify as #FridayFlash. But there you go; I hope you'll like it. :)

Breathe

I'm walking on a large road with no room for pedestrians. I'm going from one appointment to another and I have plenty of time. I'm hungry. I'm eager to sink my teeth into the half-eaten sandwich I'm carrying in my purse.

My strides are calm yet determined. I spot this:

I had seen this small path before, walking on the same road. I've wanted to explore it although it looked too much like the entry to a private property. Today I dare going in. It might have been the pending flowers that made it look like the door to another world, or it was the sun inviting me to rest under the trees tops. It doesn't matter.

I look back to see if someone sees me and I stroll in. I'm welcomed by chipping birds, a kind breeze and white butterflies.

As I advance I'm more and more certain that I'm trespassing. I ignore the knot on my stomach and look at the shades of green of the tree leaves above my head; I smell the humidity of the earth below my feet; I hear the cracking sound of the fallen branches at my every step.

I hear a rumbling sound that does not come from my belly. Shortly after I see a construction between the tree trunks; there's no doubt anymore.

I turn to go away. Nature invites me to stay for a while longer, so I leave the rough road embracing the woods, feeling that the birds will hide and protect me from the owner's wrath. I'm wearing red under a black coat.

I give my back to the house and the noise and sit on a tree stump. I eat my sandwich, leaving the crumbs in appreciation of the bird's greeting. The sun thanks me with a warm beam, illuminating every one of us.

I breathe in the moment and go. The butterflies salute me in my way back.

*

I'm writing this in a charming town, drinking a good caffè macchiato. I pause every once in a while to gaze at the passing people, the buildings and into nothing.

The sun has hidden behind the clouds, providing a cool afternoon. My red scarf protects me from the mountain air and the coffee heats me from the inside. Life is good right now.

Note: These pics were taken by yours truly with her crappy cell phone camera. Please forgive their bad quality, although I've tagged this post as "pretty things". It's the essence that is pretty, not the form. ;)

Oil Spill - Take Action

You have heard about the accident that leaded to the largest oil spill in American history, right?

You have heard about the horrific consequences for the environment, right?

You can track its growth here. I'm in awe of the extent of its taint.

Here you can read about National Geographic photographer Joe Sartore's experience when visiting the site. (Thank you Debra, for the thought provoking link!)

These are the US government initiatives to contain the disaster.

What can we do to help?

Phyl Good wrote a post in her bookish blog that pushed the start button of an engine in my head. There are people, good people, taking action to contain or remedy its impact.

All illustrations you see in this post were taken from the Ripple Project blog. This is an incredible initiative by illustrator Kelly Light to raise funds to help animal victims of the oil spill. Each drawing is a card that can be purchased by only $10; all income goes straight to two non-profits: The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies and The International Bird Rescue Research Center.

You can take action by purchasing something beautiful.

"I can't draw", you say, "and I'm short on cash." Well, I'm on the same page, but you can help in other ways.

For instance, Jim Bronyaur has an awesome project that demands no disbursement from you. All you have to do is read and comment on a given list of blogs and websites. He will donate $10 to each 50 comments in the sites of the list.

One of the included links is a fantastical story (literally) that takes place in the post-Katrina New Orleans: Devil's Blood.

He is also recording an album which income will go to the same goal. You'll be able to download it from his website. Watch his blog for further news!

You can take action by supporting other actions.

You can spread the word, like I'm doing. You can be inventive.

We live in a oil-based society, so, even if only indirectly, we're all responsible for the problems risen from the extraction, processing and usage of its by-products.

Be responsible. Take action.

Note: Here are the links for the illustrations featured in this post, by order of appearance. The name of the illustration leads to its post on the Ripple Project Blog, and the illustrator names lead to their website (when available). Visit them, show your support. This is also a good and inexpensive way of taking action!

>> We Will Emerge, by Danielle Gaudet

>> Swiss Ripple, by Jart Studio Gallery

>> Etegami Set: Moon Jellies, by Deborah Davidson

>> Hope for New Life, by Karen Erasmus

>> Sea Life, by Amalia Hillmann

>> All the Seas Were Ink, by Kathleen Jennings

>> Save Them, by Ginger Nielson

Randomities Is Carbon Neutral

If a website has around 15K visits a month, the energy consumed by the visitor's computers is equivalent to 3,6Kg (or 8lb) of carbon dioxide emission a year.

One tree absorbs 11lb per year.

Easy math, eh? ;)

Randomities hasn't reached yet this kind of traffic, but no matter. I'd rather make up for at least one website that hasn't joined this movement. ;)

"What the heck are you talking about?" you ask.

It's simple: these guys are willing to plant a tree for each website or blog that joins in, for free, in order to restore Plumas National Forest in North California, which was almost destroyed by a great fire caused by lightning back in 2007.

I'm sure you've heard or read about it?

So, I'm extremely proud to announce that Randomities is Carbon Neutral. *hurra!* ;D

If you got interested in participating -- I hope you did! -- go to this page, where you'll find the simple and easy instructions.

And please don't forget to stop by Jemi Fraser's blog: Just Jemi. She's the awesome blogger who pointed me to this fundamental initiative.

Let's do some good people! :)

Note: The hand holding a tree is from the Carbon Neutral Project's website, and the satellite image is from Nasa's Earth Observatory. All technical information on CO2 absorption by trees also come from the project's website.