Let's Take Care of OUR Earth!

With all the Earth hype this past week, I have done a lot of thinking on how I need to play my part on keeping the earth clean.

First of all...we need to keep our priorities straight!



All around the world many DRY landfills are being used. A dry landfill may take over 100 years to decompose... some trash FOREVER! Wet landfills decompose quicker, but the downside is that they emit toxic chemicals into the soil and the ground water that I don't want to be around. Do you? Landfills also create methane gas, which can be explosive. Researchers have excavated landfills and found items to be unchanged after YEARS of lying there! Gross! Even Hot Dogs were found intact!

Basically, a landfill is a disposal facility where wast is buried in the ground. It is often covered to look like a natural part of the environment. Sometimes it is used for agriculture. I don't want my food growing there! Not too long from now the landfills will run out and we will have to start building on these dumps! We CAN'T let this happen It is time to STOP waste!

Drink this! If we don't stop now, we'll have to!

Think about these decomposing rates:

Banana Peel: 3-4 weeks Paper Bag: 1 month
Cotton Rag: 5 months
Cardboard Box: several months to 5 years
Cigarette: 12-40 years
Fruit and Vegetables: 6 months - 2 years
Paper: 5 months to 50 years
Wool Sock: 1 year
Lumber: 10-15 years
Tinned Steel Can: 80-100 years
Aluminum Can: 200-500 years (but if recycled can be reused within 6 weeks)
Plastic Bottles: 50 - 100 years
Motor Oil: 10 - 30 years
Disposable Diapers: 500-600 years (in a dry landfill) 20 years if in the sun and rain
Plastic Bags: 1 million years
Glass: millions of years
Styrofoam: Eternity

Mostly taken from (http://www.merton.gov.uk/landfill.htm)

It seems that vegetables would decompose faster, but if they don't have any decomposing agents, the numbers aren't hard to believe. I'm never using Styrofoam again!

Did you know that recycling 1 ton of newspapers saves 12 trees, and recycling 1 ton of computer paper saves 24 trees? Think of how fast a ton is used in the workplace. Poor trees!


Ways We Can Recycle Old Items:
This website has many tips, some are cheesy but are appreciated! http://www.ccsolidwaste.org/Recycling_ideas.htm

Buy recycled paper instead of the other kind. Only 10 percent of paper in the stores are recycled because not enough people buy it.

Automotive Floor Mats (rubber/carpeted)

• Take with you when you go on a picnic. Put them on a picnic table bench if it's wet from rain or dew or on the ground if no benches are around.
• Place plastic mats under pet water/food dishes to catch spills.
• Use as a floor mat for leaky containers in the garage or basement

Baby Wipe Containers

• Use the cylindrical type with the hole at the top to dispense balls of yarn. It keeps the yarn from getting tangled
• Place to store plastic bags (also can use old tissue boxes)
  

Bags--Baggies

• DON'T USE!!! Use tupperware instead.
  
• For those of you who need your baggies, wash them out and reuse them for your next lunch.

Bags--Paper (grocery)
Use for garbage bags around the house.
Use to cover school text books.

Bags--Paper (lunch)
Don't use.
Reuse.

Bags--Plastic (grocery)
Use the plastic bags you get from stores for liners in garbage cans around your house.
Keep them in your car for garbage.

Belts
Use to tie back tree branches.
Use for tying young trees to supports.

Binders (three-ring)

• Cut out the section which has the rings on it, drill a hole through the rivets, and then screw the strip to a wall. Use to store commonly used utensils, paint brushes or your keys.
• Use for orderly storage of bank statements, credit card statements, etc.
• Print out your favorite recipes on paper and then store in a binder. (You can find them much quicker this way than searching through several cook books.

Blankets

• Keep an old one in your car for emergencies.
• Fold in half the long way, sew it together, and use it as an exercise mat. If it is not cushy enough, sew two together.
  
• Keep for use at the beach or when on a picnic.
• Take when camping so you don't destroy a good one.

Books and Magazines

• Donate books to a library.
• Sell college books directly to other students
• Use cool magazine pictures as envelopes.
• Make bath toys by cutting pictures out of a magazine and covering them with contact paper, leaving a one-half inch lip around each piece to allow it to seal. When these pieces get wet, they will stick to the bathroom tile.
• Use old magazines to make cool collages for gifts.

Bottles--Beverage (Glass)

• Use an old beach bottle as a candle holder--the wax dripping over the side will make pretty designs.
• Fill a clear glass bottle with small candies.
• Make a glass bottle into a vase.
• Make a bank.

Bottles--Beverage (Plastic)

• Fill with water and freeze. They make nice "blue ice" for coolers

Bottles--Household

• Use detergent, fabric softener or shampoo bottles filled with USED motor oil for lubricating drive chains.
• Fill glass cleaner bottles with soapy water and keep by the area in your house which has been infiltrated by ants. It is messier than traps, but safer than poison.
• Cut the top part off of a liquid laundry detergent container. Use the main part as a pooper scooper and the top portion as the pusher. Empty, rinse and reuse.

Boxes--Shoeboxes

• Use to store recipes.
• Tape the lids to the boxes, paint them bright colors, and give them to the kids for building blocks.
• Use to hold odds and ends--just paint or cover with cool paper.
• Make into a dollhouse.

Compact Discs

• Use as reflectors.
• Use as coasters.
• Place a watch in the center and hang it on the wall for a funky clock.
• Tie mono filimant fishing line to a CD and hang it in your fruit tree. It will keep the birds from eating all of the fruit.

Cookie Cutters

• Give to the kids and let them use when playing with playdogh.
• Give to kids as templates for tracing on paper.
• Children can dip in paint and then press onto paper to make art.

Crayons

• Melt old crayons together and use cookie cutters to make fun shapes for younger kids.
• Make patchwork crayons.
• Create a vase by melting different colored crayons over an old bottle. Let the wax drip randomly.
• Make creative envelope seals by dripping crayon wax onto the back of an envelope. Make a special imprint in the wax if you want.

Drink Mix Containers (those with twist-off caps)

• Use for storage of rice, pasta, etc. when camping (or at home).
• Use the large bottom portion to hold water to rinse paint brushes. Use the lid for the paint.

Envelopes

• Take envelopes which are sent by businesses (in the hopes that you will return them), place a label over the pre-printed address, write in a new address, and send it on its way.
• Use for writing notes to family members. Don't recycle until it is completely filled.
• Use for storing receipts.
• Use for storing or carrying coupons.
• Use for writing grocery lists.

Fabric Softener Sheets

• Tear the sheets in half before using in the dryer to reduce the number of sheets you use. (Carie)
  
• Use to dust your house.
• Place inside shoes at night to keep them smelling fresh.

There are SO many ideas on the website listed above! I am too tired to finish all or the ideas. What ideas do you have to help save the earth?

I almost put a picture of a dead bird that suffocated from plastic, but it was too sad

KOKO CRATER

Some may wonder why my husband and I have 2 separate blogs. We do this because even though we enjoy the same events and activities together...we both have different perspectives and ideas. I like his blog better, so if you want to check his perspectives out click on Jared Zane Kessie!



We went hiking up Koko crater in Hawaii Kai this weekend. I never knew there was a railroad track that went straight up to the top of it! In a way it reminded me of Stairway to Heaven, except we were walking up a train track instead of steps. Of course it wasn't quite as long either. While walking I tried to imagine the train chugging its way up to the top in the 1950's. My grandpa served on a military base here, and I wondered if he ever journeyed up to the top of the same crater.

Imagine your train zooming down these tracks! You can't tell from this picture, but this is a bridge going over a little gap in the crater. It was kinda scary walking on because I imagined my feet falling through the tracks!

View of Haunama Bay.... I could not tell where the ocean met the sky. It was such a hazy day it seemed we were in a snow globe of sky.

I like old graffitied walls

The gears!

There was a plethera of old military gear. We even found a secret bunker! The reason it was secret...is because it would not have been found if we didn't do some exploring. Nathan and I were sitting on a cement looking hut and did not even realize what lay beneath us! We then noticed there was a door, but the hinges were rusted shut. I peeked in a tiny slat window (just barely big enough to shimmy through on my stomach) and I saw a dark staircase leading down! We wanted to go explore it...but knew it would be hard without a light. We used the flash on the camera and we could not see the end of the stairs. Zane had to lay on his stomach and lean over the opening while I sat on his legs in order to take the picture. It totally reminded me of Lost. I think someday we may try to go down, but I kinda want to bring a rope to rapell because I don't trust those rusty stairs! I thought it was neat that it was so hidden; i'm sure people have re-discovered it before, but I doubt many!

The Hatch

cool pointy ridge

We were so hot that we HAD to jump in the water at Sandy's to cool off after!

This hike was kinda a last minute thing. We wanted to invite others...but we did not want to wake people up early in the morn against their will. If you are interested in hiking next weekend, or any weekend for that matter, let us know! We love hikes!

Kokua Hackey Sackin Hang Out

Some may remember about 3 years ago when a big group of us hung outside the Kokua Festival. Well we tried it out again this year and it was a great chill. Mason Jennings and Jack Johnson were sweeeeeeet. We especially enjoyed hacky sacking in the sun. We ate fruit and BBQ all night. Yum!

Ha, I don't really know what i'm doing

Shira told me that people were selling tickets for $170 at the gate! CRAZY! Um...oxymoron because the definition of KOKUA is helper/respect.... people selling tickets for that much are definitely not helpers.

Diamond Head

Brother Nathan's Birthday!

Happy Birthday to Nathan my lifetime friend and brother. If you know Nathan...you know that he will make you happy any time of day! He is quite the funny folk as well and is always ready for fun.

Dinner!

When we were little, me about 2 1/2 and he about 1, I would wake up and run to his crib. I could not wait for him to awake so we could play! We were quite the pair..and everyone thought we were twins. We never fought. When my sister was born my mom could not believe that she was a hitter because mother dear had never witnessed that behavior between Nathan and I.

Yay for 23!Cake!

A song for the boy with the birthday

Laughing attacks

HA

Truthfully I am very tired of my jobs and I probably will find a new place to work soon, but at least I can laugh at the silliness of kids in the meantime.

I work for an after school program and I teach a group of five 2nd and 3rd graders. The other day I walked across the room to get something...and in the short time I was gone I began to hear a raucous beginning to arise...Great, what's the matter this time.

I heard children arguing..
"It's mine"
"No I had it first"
"Let me see no its mine"
"It's his, its his!"
"Give it back to him"
"Give it to me"
"I want it!!"

In the meantime their hands were all jumbled upon one another's and I couldn't see what they were fighting over. The children who weren't jumbled in the mess were yelling their opinions on who they thought the object belonged to. Well I took the object away and asked who's it was and a kid said "I found it" I asked what it was and he did not know.


Well this is what the object looked like. haha. Why was this pointless piece of plastic even worth fighting over? And to think it got everyone riled up. I just laughed when I took the object.. case closed. I was the new owner. I took a picture and threw it away.

Perhaps it is a chimney for a train, or part of a spinny top. Do you know what it is?

Talent Show-o-rific!

Since tonight was our ward talent show....we performed a little number with our so called band Mustafa and Friends.

(Photo courtesy of the Guzman family)

Once upon a time there was a cat named Mustafa that lived by our house. For some reason it would always come around when we were jamming. We decided the cat was our friend...hence the name Mustafa and Friends.

Although we don't perform as a group often, the name will forever stick. There is not a better name that I can think of! Ha!

We were so thankful for the participation from all the people in our ward. Our calling is the Activities Committee, so that type of thing is super important to us. Everyone was so willing to help and to share their talents. Even though some may not have wanted to go out of their comfort zone...they gave it a try for the better cause and it turned out great! It is amazing how many talents you can find within the area of a few buildings.

I truly feel that the talents of others motivate and help to strengthen me. I am so grateful for my family and friends who have shared bits and pieces of their talents with me. It is a good feeling to know that others are willing to share their gifts. I just hope that I can inspire others in the same ways that others have inspired me. Tonight I was reminded not only to work on my talents, but to stop hiding them under the bed!

Thank you friends and fam for your awesome talents that have motivated me to learn and push myself harder! You have all inspired me in many ways. Seriously! Yippeeeee!

YES

YES I should be in bed right now because Conference is in the morning...but for some reason I am wide awake.

I don't know why I do this...it happens almost every night if I don't make myself go to bed.

What happens is I get motivated to to things in the night. Out of all the times of the day, why the night? Suddenly I will start to think of all the things I want to do and I will get really excited and anticipate doing them. I usually don't end up getting much accomplished late at night, but for some reason I still stay up. Ahh! Silly me!

MUSICA!

I put some more music on my blog! I put another favorite song written by my husbandorific. The band "Blast Off!" is our band that we started together but haven't done anything with since. We plan to write more together in the near future! If you right click on the songs there is an option to download. YIpeeoo!

Jennith and Anner!

That's what we called ourselves. Jennifer is my inspiration. She is not only inspirational through her super positive vibes and her acceptance in everyone for who they are; but she also rocks at skateboarding (we started together) and she is a professional level ballerina! Super talented and a super good friend. We miss our old time adventures so much, but hope to reunite soon.....

Anniversary of the Engagement!!!!!!!!!!

Two years ago on Monday was when Jared Zane my love proposed to me. It is fun to think back to all of the excitement. The feelings we had for each other hit us kind of unexpectedly, and when we realized we wanted to get married we were both shocked at our choice.




My brother was the first one that introduced us...but after that I only saw him the few times I would go over to the neighbors house (he always hung out there). I kinda watched him at a distance.. or should I say spied, but I was sure nothing would happen between us because he hung out with tons of girls and I did not doubt that one of them would get to him first.

This was before we knew of our destiny. I was banging on a driftwood drum.

Well...to make a longer story short we ended up in a tree together and we both realized that we were magically in love. About a month later was when he proposed!!!!!!

(I look really short!!!!!!!)

He did it in the Gazebo above the temple (because that was the only place that was dry) during the year of the floods. It had been cloudy and rainy for days, but amazingly right after her proposed the rain stopped and the sun came out. It felt like a fairy tale....and believe me, our life still does! I still can't believe that someone would want to be with me for eternity. Crazy huh?